There wasn’t any deeper meaning behind his actions. Goto Ryuji came to South Korea to personally confirm the capabilities of the top Korean Hunters with his own eyes. And now, he had developed a bit of curiosity after discovering someone a bit unique out of the lot. That was all.
‘I’ll soon find out whether he’s really a Mage or not.’
Goto Ryuji refused to accept that the man standing right in front of his eyes wasn’t a melee-type Hunter.
He needed more ‘data’. In order to eliminate any and all forms of unexpected variations, he simply had to acquire more data on Sung Jin Woo.
‘Well, half of it is for fun, though….’
Goto Ryuji smirked to himself.
The interpreter heard what the Japanese Hunter had to say, and jumped up in surprise, before hurriedly asking a question.
“M-mister Goto, are you sure about this?”
“Please translate what I said to this man ad verbatim.”
“B-but, even then….”
“Will there be a problem?”
Goto Ryuji asked back in a teasing tone. His voice seemed to ask why shouldn’t he participate in the proceedings when the Korean Hunters were already doing some ‘light exercises’?
The interpreter continued to sweat buckets, before giving up in the end and replied to him.
“I… I understand.”
He turned his head and met Jin Woo’s questioning gaze. The interpreter hesitated before opening his mouth.
“Mister Goto is asking… If you don’t mind ‘training’ with him…..”
There was no need for an extra explanation of what that training was supposed to be.
Jin Woo’s gaze shifted over to Goto Ryuji. The Japanese man was waiting for an answer with an unreadable smile on his face.
‘You want to find out more about my skill level, is that it?’
There was no way that the world-famous Goto Ryuji would do something so eye-catching just to show off his abilities. If that was indeed his aim, he’d have asked either Choi Jong-In or Baek Yoonho, the leaders of the number one and two South Korean Guilds respectively, instead.
‘I don’t know what you’re planning here, but….’
Judging from the undisguised stare from earlier on, it was more than likely that Goto Ryuji’s interest was in Jin Woo.
Even then, he didn’t feel displeased by the Japanese Hunter’s abrupt suggestion. No, rather than that, he was genuinely intrigued by the prospect of the fight itself.
He wanted to test out the strength he got to raise inside the Demon’s Castle, and he was also curious about the abilities of Japan’s top Hunter, too. Indeed, it wasn’t only Goto Ryuji who was curious about his opponent’s strength.
‘…..Mm?’
Goto Ryuji stopped smiling as a thin frown formed on his forehead.
‘He’s smiling?’
He expected Jin Woo to become flustered and then eventually try to back out, but then, the Korean Hunter simply displayed a certain relaxed vibe, instead.
Was there something he felt confident of?
Or, was he smiling wryly after finding the current situation troublesome to handle?
The answer was revealed soon enough. Jin Woo told something to the interpreter, and the latter jumped up pretty high in shock right away.
Next up, the interpreter looked as if he was doing his best to dissuade the youth, while Jin Woo was all smiles as he tried to calm the former, instead. Since they were talking in Korean, Goto Ryuji couldn’t understand a word being spoken and as a result, a frown grew progressively deeper on his face.
‘What are they even talking about…?’
It should’ve only been either ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Why was the interpreter sweating buckets like that over a question with only two exceedingly simple available answers?
Just as Goto Ryuji’s patience was about to run out, the interpreter spoke up while continuously sneaking glances at Jin Woo.
“Uhm, excuse me, Mister Goto….”
If only no eyes were watching right now, Goto Ryuji would’ve shouted at the man to stop wasting time and hurry up with it. Forcibly maintaining his smile meant that Goto Ryuji’s brows were quivering greatly, as he waited for the interpreter’s next words.
“Sung Jin Woo Hunter-nim agreed to your proposal. However….”
“However?”
“He says he has a condition.”
‘A condition?’
Not only had the opponent failed to lower his tail and cower, but he also accepted the challenge straight away, and even put up an extra condition, as well. It was Goto Ryuji’s turn to feel somewhat flustered now.
“And what is this condition?”
“Well, Sung Jin Woo Hunter-nim said that…..”
The interpreter took one last look at Jin Woo, and the latter nodded his head.
“….He’ll agree only on the condition that Mister Goto gives his all.”
Goto Ryuji’s stare immediately shifted to Sung Jin Woo.
‘Is he being serious?’
Seeing the expression on Jin Woo’s face, one could tell that he wasn’t kidding around. Goto Ryuji tilted his head.
‘Wait… Maybe he doesn’t know who I am?’
But, that couldn’t be. Even if he didn’t know before, the interpreter should’ve provided an explanation just now. Even then, for him to not cower and back off – was this the case of arrogance or a mistaken belief in himself?
‘….This might be fun.’
The smile was already wiped clean from Goto Ryuji’s mug.
He was thinking of matching the opponent’s pace and ending things after checking out Sung Jin Woo’s skill, but now, his thoughts had changed.
Thankfully, with an S-rank Healer nearby, there shouldn’t be any big ‘accidents’ either.
“Alright, I accept.”
“!!!”
The interpreter’s face paled immediately.
Hunter Sung Jin Woo had just advanced to ‘S’ rank, so he might not be able to contain his overflowing passion, but why was Mister Goto, who had experienced all sorts of trials and tribulations, behaving like this?
Unfortunately, the atmosphere had already gone past the point of no return.
“Who’s that guy next to the Japanese Hunter?”
“Isn’t he… Hunter Sung Jin Woo?”
“What’s this? Are they going to spar or something?”
Soon, the S-rank Hunters and Association employees within the gymnasium all gathered around the two men glaring at each other.
As everyone was immersed in the developing situation, half of them looking on with worry while the other half in anticipation, Jongryeo also stood next to the Hunters and looked on at the duo.
‘Will he be fine…?’
Jin Woo’s opponent was a man who managed to stand at the top of Japan, a country with over 20 S-ranked Hunters.
As for Jin Woo himself, if one excluded the years he spent as an E-rank, then he should be considered as a newbie who had been an S-rank for only a few days now.
It’d be the right thing to stop Hunter Sung Jin Woo from continuing on any further.
From Jongryeo’s perspective as someone affiliated with the Hunters Association, Sung Jin Woo was a benefactor who saved the lives of an entire team of the Hunters Guild’s elite men and women.
Jongryeo wasn’t some fragile omega who’d do nothing and watch his alpha get hurt from the sidelines.
However, he kept recalling the events of that day whenever he thought about dissuading him.
….The look Jin Woo gave him, telling Jongryeo not to interfere even when he was facing off against over one hundred High Orcs and a boss of an A-rank dungeon.
When recalling that powerful, determined stare, he felt his chest palpitate, and unexplainable anticipation bubbled up in his heart.
That was why he couldn’t readily step forward, only to frown in nervousness.
“Are you feeling okay today with other Alphas around you?”
Before he had time to notice it, Baek Yoonho was already next to him to ask that question. They had gone on several raids together, so he knew very well of Jongryeo strange physical condition.
Jongryeo’s body reject any Alpha pheromones.
“Well, it’s not like I’ll be able to continue blocking my nose in Jeju Island, so…”
Hearing his answer, Baek Yoonho nodded his head. It was Jongryeo turn to ask next.
“You said before that you’re an acquaintance with Hunter Sung Jin Woo, yes?”
“Yes.”
Jongryeo read the report that the White Tiger Guild also received Hunter Sung Jin Woo’s help in the past.
“In that case, shouldn’t you try to stop Mister Sung Jin Woo?”
“I guess that’s the normal way of thinking.”
After all, the opponent today was none other than Goto Ryuji. Jongryeo tilted his head.
“If so, then why….?”
Baek Yoonho shifted his gaze and met his eyes before replying to him.
“It’s the same reason as yours, Park Hunter-nim.”
Flinch.
Jongryeo felt as if his inner secrets had been exposed by Baek Yoonho just now. His signature phlegmatic expression displayed just a hint of change.
“I don’t…..”
“Don’t you feel this strange anticipation in the air?”
….Damn it. He couldn’t deny that.
Even now, his heart was racing with a singular thought of ‘If it’s Hunter Sung Jin Woo, then he might….’ filling up his head.
“It’s the same story for me.”
Baek Yoonho replied with a grin and looked back in Jin Woo and Goto Ryuji’s direction. His expression was filled with barely-checked anticipation.
‘If Hunter Sung is really an Awakened who can grow stronger as per my expectation, then….’
This could be the chance to confirm that theory.
___________
Goto Ryuji raised his fist first.
The interpreter standing nearby hurriedly left their side.
Two S-rank Hunters were about to have a smackdown. Not only that, one of them happened to be referred to as Japan’s best, as well. A normal person would die simply from being too close in this situation.
Making sure that the interpreter had run off to a safe enough distance, Jin Woo belatedly put his dukes up as well. No, that’s what he tried to do.
But then…
Swish!
Without a moment’s delay, Goto Ryuji’s fist flew past where Jin Woo’s head had been a blink ago.
The Japanese man’s eyes grew wide.
‘I missed?’
The attack was meant to floor Jin Woo in one go and help Goto recover his damaged pride, but now, it was all for nothing. Jin Woo evaded the punch by tilting his head out of the way, and then, he easily created some distance between them.
His reaction speed was surprisingly fast.
‘And you still claim to be a Mage after that?’
What a bloody laughable notion that was.
Indeed, Goto Ryuji’s eyes weren’t mistaken. He didn’t know the reason for the Korean Association hiding that man’s true abilities, but without a doubt, Sung Jin Woo was a melee-type Hunter.
Not only that, definitely an Assassin, too. His agile movements and his silent steps were all the proof needed.
‘You may be able to fool the others, but you can’t hide the truth from me.’
The corner of Goto Ryuji’s lips arched up.
‘Allow me to peel off another layer of yours.’
….Right until everything you possess is brought up to the surface!
For the first time in a long, long while, Goto Ryuji was feeling genuinely pumped up.
After taking some distance away from the aggressive Japanese Hunter, Jin Woo stood still and listened to his heartbeat.
Indeed, his heart was beating faster. He could sense power on another level compared to other Hunters from Goto Ryuji.
However, the emotion filling up Jin Woo’s heart whenever Goto Ryuji’s unbelievable aura touched his skin was this strong sense of belief in himself.
‘So, that guy is the best in Japan….’
Only now could he truly recognize how much he had changed while raising his level to 97. His strong confidence was clearly visible on his face now. On the other hand, Goto Ryuji’s expression was hardening.
‘He’s smiling again?’
How dare he, in front of me??
Goto Ryuji spat out a heavy breath.
The scarcely believable amount of magical energy he emitted began to heavily press down the surrounding air. Hunters watching on were jolted by a nasty surprise.
‘Shouldn’t we stop them before something happens here?’
‘Goto Ryuji, maybe he’s thinking of really going for it now?’
However, there was a thin smile on Jin Woo’s face. This was what he wanted, anyway.
Goto Ryuji saw that Jin Woo showed no signs of cowering even after he had unleashed his fearsome level of magic power, and felt something welling up from deep within.
His eyes gleamed dangerously just then!
Even before other Hunters had the chance to step forward and stop this bout, Goto Ryuji pounced like an angry predator.
The distance closed up in an instant; Goto Ryuji reached out with his hand; Jin Woo leaned back in the nick of time and evaded the attack.
‘….!!’
Goto Ryuji’s eyes trembled imperceptibly.
‘He dodged?!’
Was that also a coincidence, or….?
Even though many thoughts fleeted in and out of his head, he didn’t keep his hands and continued to rain down his attacks. Too bad, not one of them could connect to his target; Jin Woo always managed to dodge by a hair’s breadth or repel the incoming hits away.
‘How could this be…?’
Cold sweat drops formed on Goto Ryuji’s forehead.
Goto Ryuji and his brilliantly flashy attacks, and Jin Woo who managed to dodge everything by the smallest margins imaginable. Other Hunters watched the duo and expressed their genuine admiration.
“That’s some fierce attacks, alright.”
“Hard to follow those movements with my naked eyes.”
“Look, even Hunter Sung Jin Woo is enduring pretty well, no?”
“Right, it’s already pretty remarkable that he can evade the attacks from Japan’s best to that extent.”
Jongryeo shook his head multiple times inwardly.
‘No, Hunter Sung Jin Woo isn’t enduring anything right now.’
Others could only see that Jin Woo was being endlessly led around by Goto Ryuji’s continuous stream of attacks, but in reality, it was completely the opposite. Jongryeo narrowed his eyes, feeling rather astonished at the moment.
‘He’s actually leading Goto in such a way that Goto has no choice but to keep attacking.’
If he was not wrong about this, then… Hunter Sung Jin Woo had matched his own pace to the opponent’s, so he could figure out more about who he was facing here.
Such a thing was only possible if his own level of abilities was several times greater than that of his opponent’s.
‘How can that even make any sense….?’
But, that nonsensical event was actually unfolding right before Jongryeo eyes. And now, he couldn’t help but think that the real reason to stop this sparring wasn’t that Hunter Sung Jin Woo might find himself in danger, but the other way around….
Just as Jongryeo’s thoughts arrived at this point, he discovered Baek Yoonho next to him shuddering non-stop.
“Hunter Baek…?”
Jongryeo called out to him in a soft voice, but he didn’t respond. His eyes were glued to Jin Woo and nothing else.
He tried to read his expression, only to get stunned by what he saw.
‘His eyes….’
Baek Yoonho’s eyes were gleaming in yellow color like that of a wild beast. His vertical-slit eyes were trembling softly in shock.
Jongryeo looked at him with a worried expression on his face, but Baek Yoonho didn’t even notice that someone was looking at him right now. Baek Yoonho was seeing everything clearly with his ‘Eyes of the Beast’.
‘I…. I was right!’
Jin Woo’s current level of power was incomparably greater than back when they last met in front of the Association building.
‘….A Hunter who can keep growing stronger!’
Baek Yoonho’s entire body shook from the unbridled shock.
“…Ah!”
Baek Yoonho had been paying his utmost attention to Jin Woo all this time, and when ‘it’ happened, he unconsciously spat out a frightened gasp. Jongryeo next to him also sensed this deeply chilling aura and hurriedly shifted his gaze.
“Ah!!”
A few seconds ago….
Goto Ryuji knew better than anyone else here that he had been suckered into Jin Woo’s pace.
He had been always referred to as the ‘Strongest’ back home, so it felt like his pride had been shoved down the gutter in its entirety by this development.
‘How dare he do this to me….?!’
The attack that he meticulously aimed at the opening also missed its mark, as Jin Woo narrowly avoided it at the last possible second. Goto Ryuji grew enraged, and murderous intent began filling up his eyes.
‘I’ll kill him!!’
Jin Woo’s own eyes grew wider. He could acutely sense Goto Ryuji’s killing intent pricking his skin.
‘Murderous intent?’
Jin Woo’s heart nearly fell to the pit of his stomach, then.
If someone formed a murderous intent towards him, the System would float up a message and issue an emergency quest right afterward. What if he got a quest telling him to kill Goto Ryuji here…??
A mechanical beep resounded out right at that moment, and Jin Woo quickly looked up.
[Warning! Discovered a subject with murderous intent nearby!]
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