Chapter 19
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: How to Get Stronger (2)
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I enjoyed watching your ranking match today.
Monday afternoon.
I was on the phone with Yuhwa.
Is the video of the ranking match already out?
Thats way too fast, even so.
No. I watched it in person.
In person?
Yes.
Werent you busy?
Dealing with the doppelgnger, covering up the Kim Shinwoo incident you must be swamped.
I am.
You're busy, but you had time to watch my ranking match?
I just had some business nearby and dropped by while I was at it.
Somehow, that feels like a lie.
I suspect she was curious about my identity and made time to gather information.
But how on earth did you do it?
Do what?
Playing innocent again. I'm asking how you pierced your opponent's durability in the ranking match.
Well, I used the beastkin's trait to drastically reduce his durability and then pierced it.
I can't exactly say that.
I just aimed for a vital spot and stabbed.
I gave a vague answer.
Even so, with F-rank strength, how could you pierce C+ durability?
I just did it, and it worked.
It's not a lie.
The stabbing part was just stabbing.
I just pulled some tricks before the stab.
Tch. Fine. If you don't want to tell me, just say so. Don't beat around the bush.
Yuhwa's voice turned blunt. She seemed sulky.
Anyway, are you free tomorrow?
Tomorrow?
Yes. You need to collect your information fee.
Ah. Yes, that's fine. What time should we meet?
How about we grab dinner together say, 6:30?
And the location?
Hmm. You know Okhwa-dang, right? The traditional Korean restaurant nearby.
Of course I don't.
Yes, I know it. I'll see you at Okhwa-dang at 6:30 then.
Well, a quick search should pull it up.
* * *
Tuesday, 5 a.m.
My eyes opened naturally.
Power surged through my entire body.
My blood boiled.
I felt an intense urge to work out.
Damn.
It was as if the beastkin blood flowing through my veins was demanding I expend my stamina right now.
This is a side effect of the surging pure blood. I have to keep using my stamina.
Just one day off and it's already
I got out of bed.
Going to class in this state seemed impossible, so I decided to do some morning training.
I quickly washed up, changed into my cadet uniform, and left my dorm room.
The training hall was more crowded than I expected.
Maybe it's because it's a training facility shared by all years.
Huh? Seoyul?
I was staring blankly at the equipment inside the training hall.
A familiar female voice reached my ears.
Ha Siyeon?
Yep. Good morning. This is the first time I've seen you in the training hall. Have we just been missing each other?
Of course it's the first time.
This is my first time here.
Do you train at this time every day?
I do.
That's amazing.
Not really. It's just a habit now.
Ha Siyeon gave a good-natured smile.
Anyway, about yesterday's ranking match. I saw it. You were the amazing one.
Hearing that from the 4th-ranked cadet, it kind of sounds like you're being sarcastic.
Hey, of course not.
Ha Siyeon waved her hands dismissively.
Ah. I've been resting too long. I need to start my next set. Well, Seoyul, see you in class later.
Alright. Keep up the good work.
Yeah. You too, Seoyul.
With that, Ha Siyeon headed to a piece of equipment in the corner of the hall.
I pretended to stretch, sneaking a glance at her.
It looked like a bench press, but the weight was extraordinary.
820kg?
For a moment, I couldn't believe my eyes.
She was even lifting that barbell as if it were cotton candy.
As I watched the scene with a dazed expression, I suddenly noticed an empty bench press right next to me.
Around 180kg, maybe.
I think I can lift this much.
I glanced around cautiously and lay down on the bench.
Then I quickly gripped the bar.
I pushed, trying to lift the barbell
Hnngh!
but failed.
It didn't budge an inch.
Hehe. How cute.
I heard a woman who looked like an upperclassman laugh beside me.
You're the first-year I saw in yesterday's ranking match, right? Need a spot?
I-It's fine. I was planning on focusing on cardio for stamina training today, not strength.
I made a desperate excuse and left the spot.
For some reason, I was incredibly embarrassed.
Ugh.
To shake off this embarrassment, I had no choice but to run like crazy.
I went out of the training hall and ran around the field like a madman.
* * *
After all my Tuesday classes were over.
I headed to Okhwa-dang, the place I had arranged to meet Yuhwa.
Welcome. Let me confirm your reservation.
As I stepped into the traditional Korean-style building, a woman in a hanbok greeted me.
My party is already waiting inside. The reservation is under the name Yuhwa.
Ah. You must be Yuhwa's guest. May I have your name?
Kang Seoyul.
Thank you. I'll show you the way.
I followed the woman through the building. The distinctive scent of wood and clay from the traditional Korean house gently tickled my nose.
She is waiting inside.
Yes. Thank you.
Then please enjoy your time.
The woman bowed and departed.
I knocked on the door.
Come in.
I went inside.
You're right on time.
The room exuded luxury at a glance.
Yuhwa was sitting on the floor, drinking tea.
My class ran a little late.
Aha. Was it your Introduction to Monsters class?
Yes.
I knew it. That instructor never changes. Have a seat.
Okay.
I sat down across from Yuhwa.
I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I went ahead and ordered my favorite. Is that okay?
Of course.
Free food is always delicious, so what's the problem?
First, let me thank you again. You really saved me.
I was just selling information for my own benefit. Is there any reason to be thanked?
Still. I'm grateful, and that's that.
Yuhwa's serious gaze was fixed on me.
Feeling inexplicably shy, I turned my head away.
Watching me, Yuhwa smiled faintly.
You must be hungry. Let's talk about the details after we eat.
Yes, that sounds good.
Yuhwa pressed the call bell.
About 30 seconds later.
The food began to be served.
Wow.
I saw heaven.
* * *
Incredible.
I could only marvel.
I'm glad you seem to have enjoyed it.
Yes. It was the best.
Compared to what I ate today, everything I've eaten until now was garbage.
I have no idea how they made it, but it was a true feast for the senses.
Seeing you like this, you really do look like an ordinary 20-year-old cadet.
Yuhwa propped her chin on her hand and regarded me from an angle.
So what is your real identity?
You just said it yourself. An ordinary 20-year-old cadet.
Yes, of course~
Yuhwa snorted.
Just you wait. I'll uncover your identity, no matter what.
Haha.
Yuhwa's threat was rather cute.
By the way, do you still have the Fierce Tiger's Gauntlet?
Huh? Ah. Yes, of course. I'm keeping it in the safest place in the world.
It's stored in the deepest part of the Golden Sanctum, with Geumho personally guarding it.
Hmm. That's a relief. You seemed to be in urgent need of money, so I suspected you might have sold it.
Haha. Of course not.
Honestly, I did consider it for a moment.
Since I couldn't wear the gauntlet anymore, I thought selling it to get some starting capital wouldn't be a bad idea.
But Geumho absolutely refused to be separated from the Fierce Tiger's Gauntlet, so it remained just a thought.
Of course, even if I wanted to sell it, I had no way to, and there wouldn't be any buyers, so it would have been impossible anyway.
I wonder how Geumho is doing.
Geumho is bound to the Golden Sanctum and can't come outside.
I already miss that slightly coarse yet soft fur of his.
So. How much do you need, exactly?
Yuhwa asked bluntly.
To be honest, I'm a little scared. Wondering what you'll demand in exchange for such top-secret information.
Indeed, Yuhwa's eyes were trembling slightly.
Well, it's not that big of a deal.
I handed Yuhwa the equipment catalog I had prepared in advance.
This is?
I just need you to get me the equipment listed here.
Yuhwa swallowed hard and scanned the catalog with nervous eyes.
A moment later.
Her eyes widened like saucers.
She looked shocked.
Are you serious?
It was the reaction I expected.
The total price of the items listed in that catalog would easily exceed two billion.
It was understandable that she'd be taken aback.
Honestly, I didn't expect to receive all of those items either.
This was a negotiation.
My goal was to start with a large sum of two billion and gradually bargain my way down to an agreement around the one billion mark.
Of course, my demand is excessi
Just Just this? This is enough?
ve huh?
Did she just say just?
* * *
After Kang Seoyul left Okhwa-dang.
Yuhwa remained alone, lost in thought.
She stared blankly at the equipment catalog Kang Seoyul had handed her.
*Is this really all he wants?*
In the end, Kang Seoyul's proposal didn't change.
Payment of items worth two billion.
*What on earth is he thinking?*
Two billion.
Of course, it was a lot of money.
It went without saying for an ordinary person, and even for Yuhwa, a superhuman and guild master, it wasn't a small sum.
However, it was far too meager a price for the information Kang Seoyul had tossed her way.
*Is money not his objective?*
It had been strange, really.
His identity was still a mystery, but judging by his knowledge of the doppelgnger and Kim Shinwoo, Kang Seoyul clearly had the backing of a special group.
*Someone belonging to a group like that wouldn't be short on cash.*
Until now, she had thought that something must have happened to his group, putting them in a situation where they needed funds urgently.
But this incident changed her mind. Kang Seoyul's demand was not that of someone in desperate need of money.
*If you look closely, the catalog is quite shoddy.*
It looked like a list of equipment picked out at random from a 'Made in China' selection. No, it probably was.
If he really needed equipment, he would have requested custom-made pieces.
*It's as if he doesn't care about the payment for the information at all'*
In that moment, a hypothesis flashed through Yuhwa's mind.
If the payment wasn't the goal, could delivering the information to her be the goal itself?
Yuhwa's mind spun like a top.
Come to think of it, both pieces of information from Kang Seoyul were top-secret details about the Saviors of Truth.
*What if Kang Seoyul harbors an intense hatred for the Saviors of Truth?*
For his own revenge.
If he shared the information with Yuhwa simply to screw over the Saviors of Truth.
*Everything fits perfectly.*
Goosebumps rose on Yuhwa's arms.
Of course, for now, it was just a hypothesis bordering on delusion.
She needed new information to confirm her hypothesis.
*If Kang Seoyul hates the Saviors of Truth, there must be a clue in his past.*
Yuhwa had already investigated Kang Seoyul's past twice.
However, the one who had handled the investigation was Kim Shinwoo's man, Pyo Il-chan of the Saviors of Truth.
If it was him, there's a high chance he deliberately omitted information about Kang Seoyul's past.
*I'll have to investigate it myself.*
A strange light gleamed in Yuhwa's eyes.
* * *
I never expected Yuhwa to accept the terms so coolly.
I wondered if I should have asked for more, but I decided to be satisfied.
It's not like we'll only see each other for a day or two, anyway.
I didn't want to do something as foolish as sacrificing the distant future for a moment's gain.
Besides, two billion is nothing to scoff at.
Excessive greed always leads to trouble.
Hum hum~
I hummed a cheerful tune as I walked back to the dormitory.
It was just as I arrived at the dormitory's main gate.
You're late.
Instructor?
Instructor Pi Jinho was standing at the gate, wearing a crisp formal uniform I'd never seen before.
Let's talk for a moment.
Talk?
Yes.
Instructor Pi Jinho's eyes glinted sharply.
Kang Seoyul. I know the secret of your ability.
!
My heart sank.