'I had everything prepared, even the groceries, to just stay home.'
Ugh.
I moved the phone's microphone away and ground my teeth in frustration.
Then, I straightened my posture and asked again.
"…Just to confirm, the reason you're suddenly going to China is for that international competition, right?"
—That's right. The Hunter Tournament.
Looking at this, you can immediately grasp how significant the reward offered by the Chinese side is.
S-rank hunters are high-income earners who rake in money even with their eyes closed, so it's usually difficult to scout them.
I wonder if he thought it was okay to have his fighting appearance revealed. Or maybe there was a product he really wanted at that tournament.
Kang Changho decided to leave the country more readily than I expected.
Moreover, he already expressed his intention to China, so there will probably be a promotional article with my name on it by evening, or something like that.
'The participation of a top-tier awakened one is confirmed. Even for an alien like me, this is definitely a money-making spectacle.'
But while talking on the phone, a small question suddenly arose.
I understand that he has to go to China to participate in the competition. And I also understand that he wants to accompany me in case something happens to his contractor who remains in Korea.
But Kang Changho just said that he was in front of my one-room building, which makes no sense.
'Was that just a casual threat? No, no. His mana is really nearby.'
Thud.
I rolled my eyes, chasing someone's energy, and then roughly placed the packaged tofu I was holding in the sink.
"Anyway, I understand. I'll keep my schedule open."
—Okay.
"But you said you were in front of my one-room earlier, do you have any other business here…?"
—The elevator's here.
Click.
And then, what I heard was the unnatural mechanical sound unique to when a call is disconnected.
"Well, well."
Why did he suddenly hang up?
I have a bad feeling about this. He must have a reason for visiting, but the problem is that given that contractor's personality, it's unlikely to be a good reason.
I prepared for a hasty welcome.
I kicked the scattered bedding on the floor with my foot and headed for the desk drawer.
◈◈◈
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
A doorbell that was so old that the switch was pushed deep inside, making it hard to press properly.
Just as I pressed the creaking switch one more time.
The front door, covered in advertisements for locksmiths, opened from the inside out.
The landlord appeared.
"Hello."
The blonde man was dressed casually, unlike when he was doing public activities.
The guest who arrived focused his gaze on a different spectacle rather than those predictable elements.
"Hmm."
The shabby structure of the one-room visible through the doorway.
The discolored wallpaper.
And the cheap flooring that was damaged here and there by the passage of time.
"When was this floral wallpaper from?"
"Huh?"
"Anyway, unlock the chain. I brought something."
At first, I was on edge at the news that Kang Changho was coming, but surprisingly, the conversation continued normally.
Then, the third S-rank of Korea tilted his lips and said.
Since you brought a gift when you visited last time, I should naturally return the favor, and showed me something.
Is he trying to mock me right now…?
Or is that Earthling just a cheapskate…?
Kim Giryeo stared dryly at the low-cost beverage box in the other's hand.
Then, the front door closed.
I wanted to slam the door in his face, but logically, if I did that to a real S-rank hunter, the consequences would be severe.
—Click.
Giryeo released the safety latch he habitually used and opened the front door wide.
But what happened next was shocking.
As soon as the door opened beyond a certain angle, Kang Changho used his hand to keep it from closing again, and then kicked the landlord's shin with his full weight.
A situation that could be called "cracking the joint" in common parlance.
"It's because I've always let it slide, that now you dare to target the time when people are sleeping…"
But this time, he had a reason.
How long has it been since his orbital fracture, and he's already let his guard down? Lately, his contractor has been repeating almost unilateral notifications.
The F-rank gate of a different type that occurred at the Korean Magic Tower.
Okay. Let's consider that he entered with Esther, and the risk was also at the lowest level, so let's give him the benefit of the doubt.
But the 『Imitation City』 a few days ago is something I cannot simply overlook.
I had forbidden it with the Knight's Oath, so he wouldn't have been able to go to another country without saying anything anyway.
But that only meant that Kim Giryeo couldn't do it on his own will, and if an unexpected incident occurred inside, and some crazy awakened one forced a Korean into a strange exit.
Since the 『Dragon's Eye』 has a range limit, things would get complicated from that point on.
So, I was planning to leave a warning, even if I had to use force, and completely prohibit entry into gates without permission from now on.
Thwack!
And what's this?
Even though I reduced my strength a bit, considering the opponent's durability, I thought that this would definitely break that awakened one's bones.
"...!"
"...."
Halt.
The tip of his shoe is just touching the shin. Kang Changho's attack was blocked without causing any injury, as if it had met an invisible wall.
"Huh."
There was no proper impact sound, and even with the kick of a superhuman S-rank, the landlord was as still as a rock rooted in the ground.
I looked down to confirm again, but there wasn't a single scratch on the landlord's leg.
'His defense is…'
Kang Changho's eyes widened silently.
In this situation, the possibility of using an item is the first thing that comes to mind.
But this assumption is clearly denied by obvious evidence within a few seconds.
Deep, bright, and cold.
Soon after, a familiar blue color of the same size that Kang Changho had seen countless times burst out in front of his eyes.
"No, if you suddenly kick me like that…"
While the victim was facing the situation in confusion.
The giant visitor rolled his eyes and examined the energy unfolding right in front of him.
Kim Giryeo's internal mana instantly changed to a size befitting an S-rank hunter…
Interpreting this with the magical organ 『Dragon's Eye』, this is the only way to read the scene.
What on earth happened?
First, to explain, the rapid change Kang Changho is experiencing had someone's little trick mixed in.
'Looking at how hard he's moving his pupils, it seems like it worked well.'
In other words, this alien played another trick.
'Then, there's no need to improve it any further.'
In fact, the last few days were a 'too long' gap for the Great Magician.
He had been holed up in his one-room apartment, making dummies to use to avoid pursuit.
Since there was some time left, the Great Magician did some light research on a casual topic to clear his head.
『To Do: Re-manufacture a potion for manipulating awakening power. ━ （If possible, improve it to a solid form with a long preservation period）』
The result of that is this situation.
To skillfully grind and swallow the external energy of the mineral weapon called magic stone, and package it to look like biological mana.
It's not a perfect example, but to give a comparison, it's similar to solving anemia with iron balls.
Because there was a big difference between internal mana and external mana, like the relationship between iron elements and iron.
"Anyway…"
Anyway.
"Mr. Kang Changho, why are you making such a surprised face?"
"Because you looked like a hunter with the same rank as me."
"Oh, is that so."
Giryeo, having confirmed the performance of the potion, naturally led the conversation.
"But I'm sorry, but I don't remember ever saying that I wasn't an S-rank this year…?"
Based on the results of his own investigation.
There are very few items on Earth that can imitate the defensive power of an S-rank, and besides, equipment that doesn't even show that it's being worn, like the 『Sacred Tree Sapling』, couldn't be found even in rumors.
So, to make this rapid increase in defensive power understandable based on Earth standards, I would have to reuse the concept I've been pushing since last January.
"I am an S-rank."
He is claiming that the awakening rank released by the Association is not wrong.
"What?"
"As you can see, it was true that I am an S-rank hunter."
If I honestly say that I'm a bottom-tier awakened one who could break at any moment, Kang Changho wouldn't have any room to let his guard down.
If I'm going to secretly change my body anyway, this kind of image-making is more beneficial.
Having finished his calculations, Giryeo artificially created a stiff expression as if he was flustered by his contractor's misunderstanding, and even a bit of cold sweat, and lied.
"Wait."
Of course, the more perfect his acting became, the more bewildered Kang Changho became.
"So, what you're saying now is that you had this much defensive power all along, but you've been pretending to be weak all this time?"
"Um."
"And you even let me hit you with my slow punch last time?"
Giryeo remained calm at the continued questioning.
"No. It's not that I was deliberately trying to confuse my rank…"
Then?
A somewhat verbose tone due to being spoken without refinement.
Giryeo then added a few words of explanation to help with understanding.
"I haven't been in good condition for a while."
"Condition."
Even those great new humans who have awakened magic cannot escape simple problems like diseases.
Like Jeong Haseong, who had his immunity destroyed after 43 hours of overwork and was attacked by a normal person.
Magicians were beings who could become weak enough depending on their body or mood.
Moreover, the resident of this one-room knew tens of thousands of health-related problems that a magician could suffer from, due to the circumstances of his past life.
"To be exact, I was sick, so I suppressed my mana. That… I actually got hurt somewhere a long time ago. But after that, my body would react to the mana I was releasing when I breathed normally, making me uncomfortable."
"Where was the injured part?"
"It was around my abdomen, but the doctor doesn't know the reason, so I don't know the exact organ."
Breaking promises. Refusing to go to school.
Or being late for work after oversleeping, and so on.
How often is the excuse of being sick used in everyday life?
Giryeo inserted a new setting to support his claim that he was a real S-rank.
This excuse of a health problem was easy to match later while not greatly increasing contradictions.
'Above all, there's a witness.'
He had been caught coughing up blood in front of Esther Hunter.
If he deceives Kang Changho like this, it will be easy to involve the Magic Tower Master to increase credibility in case of emergency.
"Anyway, I can circulate my mana now."
"Mana?"
"The parts that were bad are still bad. When you hit me last time, my immunity was really low, so I couldn't avoid it. I was half expecting to give up on this problem, but it got better little by little as I waited, which is a relief, but…"
Giryeo explained in detail why he had been weak all this time.
In fact, his body could break like half-melted ice at any time without items, but his words were fluent.
"Hmm."
But at this moment. An even more surprising point is.
That Kang Changho surprisingly accepted and moved on from Giryeo's bluff.
I don't know what kind of Schrödinger's cat situation this is.
Strangely, even if that blonde awakened one was treated as a top-tier, the narrative wouldn't be strange at all.
"Condition…"
The 『Binding』 strong enough to subdue a black dragon.
A monstrous calmness.
A physical durability that was truly S-rank-like.
The sorcerer in front of the door fixed his gaze with a strange expression.
Since the opponent's rank, which he was half sure of, tilted towards being a strong one again, the situation felt like a mystery.
'Then, when he was going around saying he was an F-rank in the past, was it because he was hiding because he thought it would be troublesome if he was found out to be an S-rank when he was in bad condition?'
If that was a lie, it was such a crazy story that I wouldn't know the intention, and from then on, it would only become more interesting.
Honestly, I have plenty of time and power, and everything is going smoothly, so what's wrong with being fooled by a strange scam?
If I suffer a loss later, I'll just consider it as paying the comedian for his performance.
Ch 216: Knockout Tournament （3）
"If you had such circumstances, you should have told me sooner."
"Huh?"
Kang Changho, who no longer seems to have any intention to attack.
"If you're really an S-rank hunter, there was no need for me to be surprised by something as trivial as a C-rank gate."
"Hmm."
"But you know this time your fault was also big, right? No matter what, how can you send a text saying you're working at dawn?"
"Ah, I'm sorry. About the Imitation City matter… Since I'm a freelancer, my days and nights are reversed."
"Is that so?"
"I momentarily confused the time zone when I sent the message from home."
"Well, it's true that we don't have the concept of going to work."
What followed was a short conversation between the two hunters.
"Anyway, if you don't want to ruin your barely recovered body again, please refrain from contacting me at dawn from now on."
Kang Changho handed the housewarming gift he was holding to the Landlord and made a certain proposal.
"It's good that you're an S-rank. Then, even if you go to the arena where the awakened ones gather, you won't die from being crushed by mana."
"Ah, I, um, actually, my condition is still… a bit…?"
"Really? Are you not feeling well enough to go to China?"
Of course, the other party's answer wasn't that important.
"But I'm worried that the Contractor might go into another strange dungeon while I'm out of the country. Then I'll just kill you here…"
"What I said just now was a joke, and I'll see you at the airport next Saturday."
◈◈◈
Tianjin, China.
It was a place geographically close to the national capital, Beijing, which had several transportation advantages, but it was not a place that could be considered to have landmarks that would attract tourists.
But today, an unprecedented number of people are flocking to this port city.
The media, which spent hundreds of millions of won to acquire live broadcast rights. Foreigners with excited faces.
And even the star-studded powerhouses who exude an unusual aura, something different from ordinary people.
The international stadium in Tianjin, which had been completed by now, looked wide and sturdy like a castle that had been built with effort over several years.
This was actually the result of the indigenous awakened ones in China building it in a short period of time, and when you actually went inside, you could see detailed flaws such as the structure of the spectator seats being just simple stone steps.
If a building is exposed to the skills of awakened ones, its lifespan will inevitably be shortened.
This unfortunate event occurred because the stadium was built cheaply with the intention of demolishing it after the event, as it would be useless.
[The reality of the stadium built by China in a month.jpg]
[（The actual situation） Is this a 6 million won seat…?]
[The stability issue of a building hastily built with the power of Awakeners]
So, various online communities are heated up with criticism of the event's shortcomings.
Strangely, unlike this negative public opinion trend, the event's seat tickets themselves were surprisingly selling smoothly.
『（Breaking News） The current status of S-rank hunters who have expressed their intention to participate in the 1st IHT… 』
Intelligent beings are usually weak to curiosity.
This event had an interesting spectacle that the citizens could not ignore.
『Jackpot』
『Are they really having an S-rank battle??』
『Crazy, the Triaina must be a big reward ㄷㄷㄷ』
The participation of the confirmed top-tier awakened ones in the ecosystem!
Having heard this news, how could the enthusiasts of each country not open their wallets?
As the event period approached, the citizens of the world had expectations for this stimulating and modern sport.
A little later.
Fighters with their own goals began to arrive at the port and runway of Tianjin…
◈◈◈
2.5km near the stadium.
A hotel in Tianjin.
"Zuhan, the entry of the last Korean S-rank has been confirmed."
"There are no missing people, right?"
"At least not among the Six-Star level. I don't think we need to worry about the Hwangryongjeon anymore."
Clink.
The man called Zuhan put down the whiskey glass he was holding and turned around.
He was a famous figure from the People's Republic of China who had also appeared at the Gate Star party some time ago.
Perhaps it was due to the nature of his job, which often involved on-site work, his skin was on the darker side.
His calm hair was tied in a ponytail in a rather antique style, like the protagonist of an old martial arts movie.
Outside, they referred to him with the term S-rank hunter, but in this country, which has its own classification system, they often used the term Six-Star Awakened One.
F-rank, E-rank, D-rank.
First Star, Second Star, Third Star.
There was no need to be obsessed with petty wording.
Anyway, what was important was that this side was a predator at the top of the awakened world.
Moreover, he was planning to prove that his status was at the very top even in that cutting edge with this event.
"Hmm, four people. Four people."
Zuhan thought as he scanned the document folder his subordinate had brought.
First of all, there were a total of four top-tier international figures who responded to this event.
One from the United States, one from Korea, one from Pakistan, and one from Lebanon.
It was a low participation rate considering the huge prize money that was offered, but this was enough.
Anyway, they had successfully recruited the person from the 'most important country,' the United States.
"It's still a shame that Japan's participation fell through. When I contacted them last time, it seems Japan is still in an uproar over that, the guild decentralization issue? Anyway, even if an awakened one from there had come, they would have just been a moth to a flame."
When Zuhan spoke in his unique soft tone, the other Chinese people in the room laughed as if they had heard a pleasant joke.
Of course, they couldn't help but laugh.
After all, what brought the S-ranks together was the epic-grade top-tier Triaina, and this side had no intention of handing that item over to foreigners.
The geographical advantage of Tianjin, a port city, which would be helpful to someone who awakened with water attribute.
Mana stones secretly buried in the ground to increase the destructive power of skills at any time.
And by fully utilizing the advantage of being from China, various tricks to use when checking basic items at the stadium.
Zuhan was already prepared for unfair practices that were beyond the level of calling it a home-field advantage.
Therefore, he was certain of his victory even before the match began.
Of course, there was no shame.
Originally, whether it was fraud or tricks, in this world, those who win by any means leave their names, right?
Zuhan simply thought that he had made a more thorough and intelligent choice than others.
He was confident and righteous.
Therefore, all that was left was to respond to the trust of his country.
"Well, this festival is something that the Chairman ordered directly, so let's all pay attention."
"Yes!"
"With this event, we will let the world know again. That our People's Republic of China is the most powerful nation in the world, the center of the world. Do you understand?"
Ooh!
Those gathered in the room popped the champagne early, as if the match was already over.
It was around the time when the atmosphere was getting ripe.
"Zuhan!"
"Yes, Li Qiang."
A loud voice suddenly erupted from one corner.
The Chinese person who opened his mouth was another top-tier awakened one of a younger age than Zuhan.
He pointed to the paper he was holding, as if he had something to ask, and continued to speak.
"But about the matchups. Is it really okay to organize it like this? Putting a Six-Star （ *External S-rank hunter ） against a Five-Star （ *A-rank hunter） level."
"The Five-Star will lose."
"It's too obvious. People are criticizing why the Hwangryongjeon is being run like this."
That's right.
As this hunter said, in the Hwangryongjeon tournament where S-ranks and A-ranks were mixed, there was virtually no chance for an A-rank to win.
But the Chinese side couldn't help it.
This event had cost too much money for attracting customers to be used only for the purpose of raising the status of their country.
So, in order not to make a loss, they had to somehow increase the participation of famous people who were the most popular in the matches.
"Li Qiang, seeing someone lose overwhelmingly can also be entertainment for the audience."
Zuhan maintained a gentle tone and put his hands behind his back.
"The lower ranks who lose to the Six-Star will receive a separate consolation money. Well, in fact, it's not a bad story for them either."
"Is that so?"
"Some Five-Stars are even happy to have a valuable opportunity to compete against a Six-Star awakened one."
Of course, the probability of a miraculous upset in such a guerrilla event was low.
"Besides, just in case, there might be an interesting sight of an S-rank losing due to a rebellion of the weak. Let's just watch for now."
"I guess."
"After all, this is the first event, there's no need for everything to be perfect."
Zuhan finished speaking with a shrug.
━Ding, ding, ding.
At the same time, what rang was someone's classic alarm sound, signaling the hour.
Well, it's about time to leave the hotel and head to the stadium…
"Zuhan, by the way, what about the Hwangryongjeon match schedule? You haven't received that yet either?"
The Chinese hunters had a brief conversation before moving their seats.
"Of course I have~ It's just not being released to the outside, but I've already received everything."
"Ah ha."
"But keep it a secret until the match starts. It'll be no fun if a coward runs away just by looking at the name tag."
"Well, I don't think that the Five-Star people, who are so full of self-esteem, would give up so easily. And to receive the participation fee, the match time must be at least…"
"Shh, wait a minute. Another call came in."
But at that time.
Suddenly, a new call came into the cell phone of the person named Zuhan.
"Hello?"
The number on the screen was that of the event manager, and the Chinese figure had a somewhat surprised expression after receiving the news coming from the speaker.
"Huh? You're saying we have to urgently change the finalized match schedule?"
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
Meanwhile.
Inside a waiting room prepared at the Tianjin stadium.
"Ugh, ugh…"
"..."
"Huuuugh, if only I hadn't gone all-in there…"
Brown and gold.
There were about two foreigners sitting in this place who had taken a long flight to participate in the international competition.
But when the woman with the short gold hair suddenly got up and wandered around, an S-rank hunter couldn't stand it and shouted.
"It's driving me crazy! Why are you still mumbling about a game from ages ago? Sophia, cut it out!"
Because this was a room where the American Hwangryongjeon participants were gathered.
"B-but! If only I hadn't lost that, I wouldn't have had to come to a place like this…!"
The stocky hunter kept tearing up.
She had worked like a dog under her superior and barely paid off her debts. As soon as she had some money to spare, her old habits relapsed.
How could she throw away the money she had worked so hard for in a card game again, and why did she get a loan to get her money back?
Showing herself in front of others was really not her forte.
She was now participating in the Chinese event where she could quickly earn a high prize to meet the interest demanded by the lenders.
As always, Sophia was once again driven to this place by the factor of gambling.
'Damn it! Damn it…!'
But in terms of having a pathetic purpose, the man on the sofa was not much different.
Swish.
Sophia suddenly changed her gaze and glared back.
'Anyway, that Enzo is really something.'
She knew better than anyone what kind of mess the Spectrum Guild had become after the announcement of Brooklyn Morgan's disappearance.
Enzo, the huge man, had decided to participate in this tournament as if he had no interest in his colleague's affairs.
Perhaps it was because he was greedy for the 20 bottles of 『God's Dewdrop』, the reward for 2nd place.
But the Spectrum Guild's external image was currently not good.
At least until the story of Brooklyn's disappearance calmed down, it would be better to refrain from doing anything noticeable…
"Enzo."
Sophia then asked in a hesitant tone.
"Are you really okay?"
"About what?"
"Brooklyn. Still, she was a member of the same group, and she disappeared overnight, right?"
But the answer that came back was quite dry.
"What group? That woman was just someone in the same industry, and we didn't really have any contact with each other on a regular basis."
"Hmm."
"It seems like I was the one who joked first when we first met. But because she was already married, she just got angry, telling me to stop bothering her and get lost. So what could I do? She was the one who refused to get close first."
"Uh… what did you say?"
"Besides, that's how the hunter business is. Gates are more capricious than teenagers in puberty! It's not strange for an S-rank to suddenly get swallowed up."
Haha!
Enzo said that and drank the alcohol that was on the table so greedily that his beard got wet.
A mixed drink made by diluting 『God's Dewdrop』 so that even an awakened one could get drunk.
A gambling addict and a drunkard in one package. What a miserable state for one of the world's leading awakened powerhouses.
'Brooklyn was married?'
Sophia was lost in thought for a moment.
At the same time, she unconsciously scratched her neck where she wore her choker, and the skin inside no longer had the previous butterfly tattoo.
Because that black tattoo was a mark left by her superior.
And the slave contract between that superior and herself had suddenly disappeared one day.
"Hmm."
Brooklyn Morgan was not a missing person, but a deceased person.
Sophia was one of the few people who knew that fact. Moreover, she even knew the exact time Brooklyn died.
Because the eeriness when the contract was broken was so intense.
'3 PM on the 14th…'
Around the time when this side was basking in the bright sunshine, Brooklyn had died.
Then, how did she die?
Did she get caught in an EX-rank gate that her stupid brain couldn't solve?
Or did she meet a terrible demon like Nukelabi in the deep sea?
But somehow.
Sophia couldn't erase the suspicion in her head that Brooklyn Morgan had died by human hands.
Because…
'Beast.'
The time when the rampaging Beast stopped its activities coincided exactly with the time when Morgan died.
The world still doesn't know the identity of Beast and Brooklyn Morgan.
Therefore, Sophia came up with a different theory than the truth.
If the final destination of the past serial killings was Brooklyn…
If the beast was satisfied with Brooklyn's sacrifice.
But why did the Beast collect the corpses of hunters?
Who is he in the first place?
…And if you think about it, the uncaptured Beast must still be hiding in society wearing human skin…
Ch 217: Knockout Tournament （4）
They say people leave behind their names when they die, and beasts leave behind their hides.
However, the bizarre actions of Beast were an incident that was hard for people to forget.
In the end, Beast left behind a clear name, not a hide.
People could only tremble in fear, unaware that it had already been defeated and killed.
'Ugh....'
And as I pondered about Beast's identity, the face of "that man" naturally came to mind.
'Creepy!'
Once.
Brooklyn Morgan had once made this joke on a TV show.
Perhaps Beast was just an S-rank hunter whose attribute hadn't been revealed yet.
But if we think of someone with an ambiguous awakening type and a savage personality capable of killing another person.
Doesn't one person keep lingering in your mind?
'No way.'
Blonde hair. Sanpaku eyes. The sound of footsteps following behind. Cold skin. A long sword dragging on the ground....
'Hic.'
Sophia shook her head vigorously to escape the fearful thoughts.
Right.
No matter how much I think about it, it seems like I'm going down a useless path.
Right now, I shouldn't be worrying about that Eastern hunter, but focus on the task at hand.
To easily pay off the debt from gambling, I had to somehow achieve a high ranking in this tournament with a huge prize.
And the good thing is that I won't meet that scary Easterner here!
The list of confirmed S-rank hunters that China promoted did not include the name Kim Giryeo.
'If it were me, I would have put my name on it right away, even if I was blinded by the item box. Hmm. Well, anyway, it's a relief.'
Sophia relaxed her body with a much more comfortable expression.
Of course, she didn't know yet at this time.
The reason why China didn't use Kim Giryeo's name for promotion was simply because that person's choice was slower than others.
As she had just thought, the basic reward of the item box was a fruit that was too big and sweet....
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
A smoothly paved road.
An open sky.
And the cheers of the audience coming from afar. Or the annoying sound of drones flying around.
『Hwangryongjeon Match 5~!』
Sophia thought as she listened to the host's announcement, which was being simultaneously translated into three languages.
『This is a commemorative match for the Rank Awakened One from Korea~!』
God is dead.
To be precise, the god of luck named Tyche（Tyche） must have died and disappeared from this world.
Otherwise, there's no way that my prayer for a good match-up could have returned with such a result.
I can't believe it. It was so despairing that I was now almost falling into nihilism.
"Whoaaa~"
"Amazing!"
"It's an S-rank hunter. An S-rank hunter!"
These days, the pixel count of drone cameras is improving day by day.
Maybe by now, my trembling pupils are being broadcast to every living room in every country?
Sophia barely lifted her head, dripping with cold sweat.
And what she saw was that very figure that she feared even seeing in her dreams.
"....."
At that moment.
The man standing across the stadium also seemed to have finally remembered Sophia's identity.
He was fiddling with the cuff buttons of his dress shirt and raised one eyebrow as if something had occurred to him.
But that was the only noticeable reaction.
The blonde man falls silent again.
Since all the mana-infused equipment was removed before entering the stadium.
And with the Pixy translator also taken off due to regulations, what kind of conversation could they have with each other?
『Okay, get ready....』
『3』
『2』
For the record, unlike the S-rank hunter who was completely banned from using items, Sophia was allowed to use her main equipment as a slight handicap.
『1』
But as the countdown on the electronic clock in the stadium decreased, she only thought about throwing away all her weapons and running away.
『Match Start!』
'Oh God....'
I should have never gambled....'
◈◈◈
Now, let's find out why Sophia was in such a crisis.
Four hours ago.
Giryeo was on a plane to China with Kang Changho.
To be precise, it was the contractor's private jet.
On the previous trip to Japan, they had all used a regular airline, but Kang Changho decided to purchase a plane he had been considering recently because he found that experience particularly uncomfortable.
"You weren't going for the purpose of winning?"
But a little later.
The S-rank hunter sitting in the seat across from him opened a champagne and said indirectly.
That he wasn't interested in things like 'Triaina'.
"What I want is a completely different item. That item is almost essential in illegal transactions, so it's rare to find it on the black market. The sellers don't let go of what they have."
"Ah."
"But it seems relatively easy to get in the general hunter market."
Giryeo unconsciously asks a question that is typical of an Alpha Uri Native.
"Really? Then can't you just have someone else buy it for you as a proxy...."
"That's right. I'm already doing it."
"Yes?"
"Of course, I'm already using a proxy purchase. So, if I want to, I can get the item."
But the more he answered, the more the conversation became confusing.
'Then why the hell is he going to China?'
When he kept silent with a blank face, Kang Changho explained further as if he understood what he meant.
He didn't actually decide to participate just because of the items offered in the tournament.
That's because....
"But China is a vast country, and people are scattered everywhere."
The tall hunter tapped his eyes with his index finger.
"If the awakened ones gather on their own, is there any reason not to go?"
"Ah."
"The item is just a kind of souvenir, and my real goal is this. Do you understand now?"
Giryeo quickly understood after seeing the mado tool rolling under his eyelids.
'Well, even the Dragon's Eye has a range limit....'
A place where high-rank awakened ones gather would feel like a fresh food section in a large supermarket to someone who possesses the 『Enhancement Skill』.
But wasn't there a limit to the number of times that skill can be plundered?
Besides, he said he had prepared another sacrifice to replace the existing contractor. And more sightseeing of the awakened ones.
'That Earthling doesn't know how to be satisfied.'
Giryeo clicked his tongue inwardly at the greed of the person in front of him. But he couldn't show it outwardly.
Kang Changho was picking at the nuts on the plate.
Crack.
And then he crushed the walnut shell he was holding in his bare hand.
Giryeo was momentarily silent as he looked at the exposed nut meat.
Honestly, even if Kang Changho hadn't awakened, he probably could have cracked walnuts with his basic muscle mass, so he naturally became humble.
And around this time, the awakened one across from him began to make the problematic statement....
"By the way, Kim Giryeo, are you sure you don't want to participate?"
"In what?"
"The match."
Kang Changho said soon after.
We've gone to the trouble of getting a private jet, so considering the fuel costs, wouldn't it be more economical if you also showed your face at the event, if possible?
We probably won't face each other in the bracket ━ I don't know why he's so sure ━ but if we do meet, I'll give up right away, etc.
The S-rank hunter continued to recommend that he participate in the match.
To be honest, it was a very transparent persuasion.
I felt it during the Kagoshima gate incident as well, but Kang Changho wanted to check his contractor's true worth from time to time.
'He's really obsessed with seeing magic.'
Asking if he has any intention of participating in a battle royale between psychics.
'Hmm.'
Of course, I'm not going to participate....
That was the moment when he was about to answer.
Giryeo was momentarily speechless. When he thought about it, the participation reward for an S-rank hunter was a 『Rare） Item Box（.』
'An item box.'
A rare-grade item box has a minimum price of several billion won.
Somehow, I became bolder while ripping off Jeong Haseong, but when I think about it again, this is definitely not an amount that can be ignored, is it?
'Now that my lungs are healed, if I were to fight an A-rank, I think I could win the first match.'
If the organizers have any sense, they wouldn't try to drop an S-rank hunter, who is the core of viewership, in the first round.
'If I only get to fight an A-rank....'
Several billion won. Several billion won.
Let's just say it's a minimum of 1 billion for easy calculation.
If we calculate based on a part-timer earning 12,000 won per hour, that's about 83,333 hours.
3,472 days. If we count it in years, that's 9.5 years.
In a normal case, it would take a whopping 9.5 years of one's life to earn that money, but as an S-rank, it would take just about 3 minutes in a match.
'Hmm.'
Swoosh.
Giryeo leaned his arm against the metal frame of the plane seat and fell into thought.
Kang Changho had already given up on persuading him to participate and had been silent for a long time.
Somehow, the number that came to mind once wouldn't leave his head. 9.5 years and 3 minutes.
3 minutes.
3 minutes....
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
Thus, I am now standing here in this state.
"....."
What's the point of making pathetic excuses when things have come this far?
Yes. I was blinded by the participation prize that China offered and stepped into the game of these Earthlings.
『Rare） Item Box（.』
That magic pouch, which is said to be several times wider than the general-grade one I'm using now, was indeed a reward that couldn't be easily overlooked.
'In the end, I broke both the promise not to leave the house and the plan not to be unnecessarily greedy....'
Damn it.
If only the application period had passed, I would have kept the dignity of a Great Magician.
Since S-rank hunters are the core of the buzz, they could enter the entry list even 1 minute before the start of the match.
'For a Great Magician like me to decide to attend for just a few bucks. This is truly a fall of an intellectual being....'
Thanks to Kang Changho's intervention, who wanted to see his contractor's skills, the process was done as quickly as lightning, but when I actually entered the stadium, my reason returned.
But I tried to rationalize this choice by making all sorts of excuses in my mind.
'It can't be helped.'
It would also be good to confidently reveal the effect of the 『Sacred Tree Sapling』 this time and hide that I'm a weak F-rank.
Even if it's not such a preemptive strike.
I've also fixed my respiratory problems recently.
I might as well try circulating mana in my unused lungs. And it wouldn't be bad to experience a real battle stage.
'Somehow, the more I make excuses, the more ashamed I become of my own greed.'
Well, anyway.
But the opponent I met through this process is unexpected.
'Was her name Sophia?'
I thought her appearance was familiar.
It's a subtle coincidence.
I ended up meeting the person responsible for the Demilich attack again now.
Although she claims to be a freelance hunter, I was aware of everything, including her close conversation with Enzo of Spectrum, thanks to my transcendental sensing ability.
'Hmm.'
Her relationship with Spectrum.
And the curiosity that a certain healer had about me, combined, finally makes the past events understandable.
I had occasionally wondered why the Demilich attack had happened, but now that my questions were answered belatedly, I felt a sense of relief.
But that's that.
I was blinded by the item box and hastily applied for participation, but....
To be honest, I didn't know that this would be a place that would attract so much attention....
"Waaaaaa!"
Far away.
Beyond the spectator seats, which were safely secured with several layers of barriers, excited cheers could be heard.
It was the crowd of planet natives who had gathered to watch the battle between awakened ones.
Moreover, just before I came out, an unknown A-rank hunter had shown such an intense match that his bones were exposed. Their expectations were soaring to the sky.
'Is there a need to be so enthusiastic in such a game?'
It was good that I met an A-rank hunter in the bracket, but the order of the matches wasn't very good.
'They're like barbaric mammals....'
Jeong Haseong and Esther too.
The Earthlings didn't seem to react well every time I showed blood, so honestly, I thought they had a kind of aversion to the blood of their own kind.
Unlike before, the Earthlings gathered here were actually satisfied and cheered even louder each time someone was injured.
Seeing how much they enjoy fighting, the concepts of Earth that I've barely managed to interpret are starting to blur....
'Hmm.'
Well, anyway.
I'm sorry to the audience who bought expensive tickets, but my match was actually going to be a kind of break time.
I had my Hydra stolen, and the Surprise Box was confiscated.
What can an F-rank hunter who was practically kicked out with nothing but his bare body do?
『Basic Rules』
①Win by targeting and destroying the pendant part of the necklace around the opponent's neck, or by making the opponent unable to act.
『Detailed Rules』
①If you go outside the gold line of the stadium, you are out of bounds.
②If you can't get up within 10 seconds after the referee's whistle, you lose by KO.
③The healer will determine the defeat of a seriously injured person.
For now, there's no need to think about this part before the match.
What I focused on were the small letters that were additionally written at the bottom of these detailed rules.
Such a phrase was clearly written on the application documents submitted by China.
If you are an S-rank hunter, we will give you an item box worth an enormous amount of money just for showing your face at the match.
However, only after you have finished one match safely without losing!
'Tch.'
That means that if I want an item box, I have to somehow win this first match.
There's only one way to win a match with F-rank mana.
I raised my right hand and grasped the pendant part of the match necklace on my chest.
━Swoosh
Fortunately, the Earthlings didn't consider the effect of the Sacred Tree Sapling as wearing an item.
Even this sturdiness will quickly reveal its weakness in front of a true powerhouse.
The opponent in front of me is not a crazy beast wielding a battle axe.
In the first place, if a real S-rank had been matched, I would have given up right away, regardless of the basic reward.
But as you can see, my opponent is an A-rank. And a physically weak summoner who can't break through the protection of the Sacred Tree with bare hands.
I executed the plan that I had been thinking about since the flight to China.
'Let's hold out!'
Believing in the Epic-grade 『Protection』 effect, I prepared some kind of magic.
Magic.
It had the characteristic that the amount of mana consumed decreased proportionally as the casting time increased.
'It's not for nothing that magicians have the concept of incantation.'
Of course, this method doesn't allow you to reduce the required mana indefinitely, it just allows you to use the spell formula more economically.
That's enough.
I was planning to use almost the entire 3 minutes of the match time to execute the strongest and most accurate telekinetic magic.
'I ended up trapped in an F-rank vessel and unable to blow up people, but even with this method, I can target and destroy the match pendant.'
『-Match Start!』
But what I'm a little worried about is.
No matter how much I think about it, I don't think the audience will like this obvious stalling.
'Hmm.'
As a sorcerer who enjoys the splendor of magic, I am also lamenting the current situation.
But what can I do?
Again, I'm just a sturdy sandbag since I had my Hydra stolen.
I'm even in a position where I can't even touch a summoner who is rumored to be weak in all-out battles.
Besides, I can now listen to criticism about not showing sincerity in the match, or about being shameless.
'Since a body exchange is just around the corner. There's no need to fear minor image damage.'
I repeated a short apology to the owner of the body and soon organized my thoughts.
The short-haired American woman standing across from me was still sweating and at a loss for what to do.
Honestly, it's to my advantage if the confrontation lasts longer, so I don't feel like stopping her....
'Hmm?'
But.
It was about 10 seconds after the match started.
At first, I thought Sophia's bewilderment was just temporary, but for some reason, the opponent still didn't show any action.
She's not preparing to 『Summon』, nor is she running towards me to stab me with her weapon.
She's just standing in place, rolling her eyes.
'Is her strategy the same as mine? Is she planning to hold out until the 2-minute mark when the consolation prize is given and then give up?'
The third S-rank of South Korea and the A-rank of Italy.
At least that kind of silence didn't flow in the previous match.
Because there was one more handicap on the side of the stronger S-rank hunter.
「（If the basic match time of 3 minutes passes, there will be an additional 2 minutes. If the winner is not decided within this time, the referee will decide the winner in consideration of the players' safety.
（A-S Match Only） However, in the case of Hwangryongjeon, where there is a difference in rank, if the match is not decided within 3 minutes, the side automatically loses.」
As befits a culture that is interested in entertainment, the rules were created in such a way that a fight is bound to happen.
If the pendant is destroyed too early, the A-rank hunter will only get the airfare and have to go back, so they have to desperately run away. That's how they get additional compensation.
And the S-rank hunter side will be in trouble if they are too relaxed and exceed 3 minutes, so they usually reveal their power early and pressure the opponent.
Therefore, a match where they just stare at each other has never happened before.
"....."
"....."
15 seconds into the match.
I tilted my head slightly in the chilling atmosphere. And I stared at Sophia with a questioning look.
'She's not moving. Could it be that she noticed that I'm just a sturdy tin can?'
But right after this, an anomaly occurred.
I was just expressing a little curiosity. Suddenly, my opponent began to pull up her mana with a shocked expression.
'Huh?'
And what followed was a series of unexpected attacks.
'What?!'
The blonde American woman suddenly started pouring out all sorts of magic, squeezing out every last bit of strength she had.