Chapter 151
Chapter 151
Chapter 151: What Public Opinion Is (3)
Translation: godtl
A brief silence flowed through the training hall.
Two men of contrasting appearances stared at each other.
To be precise...
"......"
A rough, muscular man who brought to mind a gangster.
It would be more accurate to say Park Jin-uk was glaring holes into Si-mun.
And not without reason.
'How did he notice my ambush?'
An ambush.
The alpha and omega of assassination techniques.
Wasn't the very essence of an ambush rooted in stealth?
And yet, he had dodged it.
'Did he actually detect my stealth?'
It was no different from having his stealth—the foundation of assassination—completely seen through.
Of course it made sense.
An assassin's ambush was an attack launched from where it couldn't be seen.
If he had dodged it, that meant he had known where the attack was coming from.
But then...
'No, that can't be.'
Jin-uk's head tilted ever so slightly.
Not out of pride as a Diamond-rank assassin.
'Before I ambushed him... Sir Si-mun was looking in the other direction.'
In fact, right up until Jin-uk had targeted Si-mun's shoulder,
Si-mun's gaze had been fixed somewhere else entirely—not on Jin-uk.
In other words...
'He noticed the moment I launched my ambush...'
Jin-uk's brow furrowed.
'Is that even possible?'
He was a Diamond-rank assassin.
Not just any Diamond, but a top-tier assassin with a name to match.
Sure, Si-mun was hailed as a prodigy like no other,
but to detect and evade his ambush?
From another's perspective, it would've been an attack that lasted barely the blink of an eye.
And as Jin-uk lost himself in these thoughts—
"You're underestimating me too much."
A clear, cold voice snapped him back to reality.
Along with the voice came a surge of dark energy, forcing Jin-uk to twist his shoulder aside.
Swoosh.
The black beam grazed past his shoulder.
Even though it had only brushed him—
Fzzzt.
The fabric over his shoulder crumbled away.
Glancing at his now-exposed, bulging shoulder muscle, Jin-uk thought,
'Even I'd be dead if that had hit.'
With a dry chuckle, he flipped backward to create distance.
"Jin-uk. Since you've agreed to spar with me, I'd appreciate it if you took this seriously."
At those words—
'Was that a warning just now?'
Jin-uk's eyes flicked to his exposed shoulder once more.
Then—
"Haha! As expected of Sir Si-mun."
One corner of his lips and an eyebrow twitched upward.
It was the same hearty smile as always,
but anyone close to the Night Hunter, Park Jin-uk, would've noticed.
"Then I'll focus and get serious."
That it was his trademark smile—the one he used to mask surging emotions.
"Watch yourself."
The moment the words left his mouth—
Swoooosh.
Jin-uk's body blurred in an instant.
Few could claim to understand just how remarkable a player Kim Si-mun was better than Jin-uk himself.
But Si-mun was Platinum, while Jin-uk was a top-tier Diamond-rank player.
And yet...
'He held back against me? Me, Park Jin-uk?'
That black beam that had grazed his shoulder—
Si-mun had sent a silent message: 'I could've hit you, but I chose not to.'
In a way, it was an exceedingly polite warning.
Yet—
'Hah!'
Jin-uk's insides burned.
The reason was simple.
'If Sir Si-mun had fired that shot for real... would I have been able to react?'
The warning Si-mun had delivered.
If it had been a genuine attack...
The certainty that it would've struck true crawled under his skin, searing him.
And at the end of that doubt was—
'Fine. I'll admit it.'
Admission.
'In that moment, even I wouldn't have been able to react.'
An unexpected attack launched while he was lost in thought.
And not just any attack—one made of light.
No matter the gap between Platinum and Diamond,
there was no dodging an instantaneous light-based ambush.
Once he admitted that, the tension in his face eased, and his emotions settled rapidly.
For an assassin, emotions are something to be discarded—the more you shed them, the stronger you become.
In reality.
"Hmm......"
Si-mun, who had been cautiously surveying the direction where his opponent had been moments ago, let out a small, contemplative hum.
And like a beast circling its prey—
Even though Park Jin-uk had already moved behind him—
Si-mun remained completely unaware, still wary of the wrong direction, just as before.
'As expected, he can't see through my stealth.'
Should he consider that fortunate?
Park Jin-uk, with his SS-rank Blessing of the Night and the specs of a top-tier Diamond.
If even stealth of that caliber had been detected, the shock would've been immense.
Swish.
Without so much as a footstep.
Park Jin-uk continued to circle Si-mun soundlessly.
Unlike his initial ambush, this time, he spent over ten minutes just orbiting—
A basic assassin-class tactic: probing.
'I didn't want to go this far, but I have no choice.'
Guarding against an unseen enemy.
The stress, pressure, and mental exhaustion it inflicted were immense.
Eventually, being human, one was bound to show an opening.
And in that split second, even a Diamond would be helpless against the strike that followed.
A faint trace of doubt flickered across Park Jin-uk's hidden face.
'If Si-hyeok or Yu-jeong saw this, they'd be utterly shocked. Going to these lengths against a Platinum...'
If those monstrous juniors had witnessed this, they would've clicked their tongues in disbelief.
But.
'I can't afford to make the same mistake twice. I need to figure out how he noticed my ambush.'
As he probed, Park Jin-uk scrutinized Si-mun.
Fortunately—
'Right. That eye—that's the reason.'
It wasn't hard to notice.
Si-mun's left eye, shimmering brilliantly.
For some reason, that golden eye, now calmer than before, was radiating light.
'That eye activated when I ambushed him earlier too.'
With certainty, Park Jin-uk fixed his gaze on Si-mun's left eye.
'From what I saw in past broadcasts, it seems to maximize visual perception...'
If that was the case—
'Then all I need to do is exploit his blind spot.'
No matter how sharp his vision, he couldn't see in every direction at once.
And wasn't the spot he'd targeted earlier Si-mun's left shoulder?
If he just avoided the left field of vision, his ambush would be unavoidable.
Or so—
Park Jin-uk thought.
Whoosh!
The dagger he thrust with full force toward Si-mun's right shoulder—
Swish.
"What?!"
As if measured with a ruler—
It missed by a precise margin.
A chilling sensation grazed his right shoulder.
"What?!"
Si-mun, who had dodged the dagger with minimal movement, looked at Park Jin-uk's stunned face.
'Still feels a bit awkward.'
He gave his right shoulder a slight shake.
'Even though the attack trajectory is clearly visible, down to the afterimage...'
Future Sight.
The ability to visualize the path of an incoming attack—it was undoubtedly the perfect warning.
'But it's still a little unnatural.'
Moving to evade an attack based on its projected path felt deeply alien.
Yeah.
'Like an 8-ton truck brushing past your face.'
As if death itself had just skimmed past his eyes.
The sensation of barely dodging a lethal strike was unsettling.
'Sargas. How the hell did this bastard master this ability so effortlessly?'
Still, since this was just sparring—
The attacks were deliberately aimed away from vital points, yet each dodge sent chills down his spine.
Part of it was because Park Jin-uk was a top-tier Diamond assassin, but—
'More likely, it's because my Future Sight is inferior to his.'
The timing of its activation alone was proof.
'The afterimage's warning is way too short.'
Exaggerating a little, it lasted less than a second.
In that fleeting moment, the opponent's attack path flashed before his eyes—
'It's almost as if it only appears right before the attack lands.'
If it weren't for specs practically beyond the Platinum tier—
Even with the afterimages showing, the window to react would have been too brief.
'Sargas probably saw these afterimages from the very moment the attacks began.'
Judging by how effortlessly he had dodged, there was no doubt about it.
Si-mun brushed his left eyelid lightly.
'Still, can't deny it's a batshit insane ability.'
Even if it did consume a considerable amount of Dragon Power—
An ability that showed the opponent's attack trajectories was absurd by default.
'Once my specs improve, the afterimages will show earlier, and the Dragon Power consumption will decrease too.'
Just how broken would its effects be by then?
A pleased smile tugged at his lips.
Perhaps it was misunderstood in a different way.
"......"
Park Jin-uk's face, which had been frozen in shock, darkened rapidly.
Noticing this, Si-mun quickly waved his hands.
"Ah! Jin-uk-ssi, don't misunderstand. I was just—"
"I know."
Ironically, it might have been Si-mun who misunderstood.
"Si-mun-nim must be purely delighted at successfully evading my ambush. Or rather, at the ability that warned you of it."
Jin-uk nodded with a solemn expression.
But then—
"I also understand why Si-mun-nim proposed this spar. Now that you've fully tested your ability, there's no further meaning in continuing."
"Uh... Well, yes, that's true, but..."
The shadow over Jin-uk's face didn't fade.
And realizing the reason wasn't hard either.
"Still, Si-mun-nim, wouldn't it feel unsatisfying to end it like this? For me, after such a long-awaited spar... I'd find it extremely regrettable."
It wasn't difficult to grasp.
'His pride must've taken a hit.'
Frankly, anyone would notice.
A man with the cold, ruthless image of a crime boss—
That very Park Jin-uk was trembling faintly, looking as if the world was about to end.
'Now I feel kinda bad for no reason.'
He was practically a comrade at this point.
Had he inadvertently bruised his pride?
Scratching his cheek lightly, Si-mun quickly proposed a solution.
"Well, since we're at it, could we go one more round?"
"Of course! If you wish, we can go all night!"
Jin-uk's face brightened instantly.
The sheer enthusiasm in his nodding—so vigorous it seemed his neck might snap—drew a quiet chuckle from Si-mun.
"Then don't hold back to just basic attacks. Use your techniques too."
"Techniques... Are you sure?"
Though his voice was laced with concern—
If his face looked downright gleeful, was that just an illusion?
Si-mun nodded with a wry smile.
"Yes, as long as you don't use Aura, there shouldn't be any serious injuries. I've got Recovery Potions ready too."
He even shook a potion retrieved from his inventory for emphasis.
Perhaps reassured by this—
"Understood. Then I'll begin."
Jin-uk bowed deeply and immediately vanished into stealth.
Si-mun glanced toward the training hall's entrance—
The glass door.
'Is it because the sun's setting? Can't even get a rough read on him from the start now.'
SS-rank Trait: Blessing of the Night.
True to its name, with nightfall—
Jin-uk's stealth was now on another level. Not even his general position was discernible anymore.
'He said he won't use Aura, but this is still dangerous.'
Tack.
Si-mun instantly activated Full-Body Human Refinement and tensed up.
'If things go south, I might have to resort to Dragon Body Transformation...'
Then—
Kiiing.
A sharp tinnitus rang in his left ear.
Simultaneously—
Srrrk.
Afterimages flooded his left vision.
Would it look like this if a master swordsman went on a slashing frenzy?
In an instant, his entire field of view was densely packed with black, razor-sharp afterimages—like a spider's web.
Si-mun immediately recognized what this was.
'Night's Net? This is more of a suppression technique than an ambush...'
Night's Net.
A technique that maximized the SS-rank Trait Blessing of the Night, more so than any weapon.
Of course, calling it just a suppression technique didn't mean he could let his guard down.
"Each and every strand of that net has attack power comparable to ordinary Sword Energy."
As befitting a top-tier Diamond-ranked Assassin Class user, even a mere graze would leave deep wounds.
Still.
'Does this mean he's holding back somewhat for my sake?'
Out of all his lethal techniques, he deliberately chose a suppression skill.
Moreover.
'He didn't even coat the net with Aura.'
If he'd simply enveloped it in Aura, it would have become a guillotine capable of slicing through most things.
Yet the net was woven purely from the essence of night.
This could only mean Park Jin-uk was still considering my safety.
'Tch, I told him not to hold back. Well... it does feel nice, though.'
It's always heartwarming when someone shows concern for you.
With a smirk, Si-mun twisted his body sharply.
Swish-swish-swish!
All the afterimages from Future Sight materialized into reality as they flew toward him.
The dense net of night energy, woven as intricately as a spider's web, left no room for escape.
But one thing remained true.
'In the end, it's still just a net.'
No matter how tightly woven.
As long as it's made of lines, there will always be small gaps.
Of course, those narrow openings might only be passable for someone as small as Si-yeon.
For a sturdy man like Si-mun, they were far too tight.
Thud!
Yet Si-mun kicked off the ground with all his might, charging headlong toward those tiny gaps.
'If it's too narrow, I'll just widen it.'
Vrrrm.
Dark energy coalesced around his fist.
Then—
Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Strike Technique: Tyrant Emperor Break.
Si-mun didn't just widen the net's gaps—
Crrrrack!
—he tore it apart.
Ranker Palace.
Within that luxurious penthouse.
Swoosh.
A group clad in black slipped inside silently.
At their forefront stood a man.
The only one not wearing a mask—a somewhat gaunt middle-aged man—scanned the surroundings.
"...Where'd he go? Don't tell me he sensed I was coming?"
To which—
"Boss. There's not a trace of presence here. Maybe he just stepped out?"
"That's right. We gathered within half a day and infiltrated using stealth. There's no way he could've noticed."
The two burly men beside him bowed their heads as they answered.
"Hmm. That must be it."
The somewhat gaunt middle-aged man.
Kim Jong-jun stroked his chin and nodded.
"Then we'll switch to an ambush. Set up traps—every single one you can—from the entrance to this living room."
"Yes."
As if they'd done this countless times before.
The men in black moved with silent precision, planting traps throughout the area.
In less than five minutes, they'd set over a dozen traps.
"Boss. We're done."
As they returned to their original formation and bowed.
"Everyone, take your ambush positions. The first strike is crucial, so I'll handle the entrance myself."
"Yes."
Kim Jong-jun fiddled with his wrist, drawing out a sharp claw.
Then—
Ssshh.
As if melting into the shadows.
His form disappeared into the entrance wall like an illusion.
Following his lead, the men in black concealed themselves throughout the penthouse.
"......"
"......"
An eerie silence fell, so absolute it was hard to believe nearly twenty people lurked within.
That suffocating stillness lasted for a while.
Until—
"La-la-la~!"
A sudden, cheerful hum shattered the silence.
The source wasn't hard to find.
"Hehe."
A child—with snow-white skin and striking features that promised future beauty—stood in the center of the living room.
"Peek-a-boo! I see you!"
Eyes covered, she continued humming playfully.
The sudden appearance of a child left not only the subordinates stunned.
'Since when did he have a kid?'
Even Kim Jong-jun, hidden in stealth, stared at her in bewilderment.
"Hmm?"
The child in the living room glanced around curiously.
Strangely, her gaze seemed to linger exactly where each ambusher hid.
Yet none of them believed she could actually see them.
Kim Jong-jun was no exception.
Or rather.
'Wait.'
He almost wasn't.
'How did a kid get all the way here without anyone noticing?'
That single doubt arose just before—
"Hehe! You look the most fun, mister."
—the moment he locked eyes with her beaming smile.
To be precise.
"Found..."
It was the instant he saw the cruel grin.
"...you?"
...on the face of the child who'd appeared before him in the blink of an eye.