“Maybe I should’ve brought my surfboard, too.”
Watching the onrushing wave, Hwang Lim said idly. In his hand he held a long strip of crimson cloth. He swung it in a powerful arc—whish—and the cloth unfurled in a semicircle. At the sa instant, the wave broke over it.
Shhhhaaa— Wave t crimson cloth. As if it were solid tal, the fabric held back the seawater without wavering. The wave shattered, droplets flying in all directions, front to back, up and down. Though the falling water was split by the cloth, it still rocked the sea’s surface violently.
The upturned parasol trembled as if about to flip over. Hwang Lim pressed one foot against its tip, sunk almost vertically beneath him. Splash! Water sprayed high, trying to invade under the canopy—but each ti, the opposite end of the cloth deftly slapped the sea away.
At last, the tumultuous sea stilled. Beyond the dying breakers, a blue willow leaf danced on the water.
“There’s no need for special treatnt.”
Hwang Lim laughed and looked up at Han Yuhyun standing upon a willow leaf. The gaze eting his was ice-cold.
“Why have you co here?”
“I ca to do business, but these aren’t items I can sell to the children. I can’t give out samples. I did get permission to attend, though. Hence, I’m here.”
Hwang Lim pulled out his phone. As he tapped to show an email from Dodam Ranch, the Dominator’s Blade whipped through the air. Its curved tip tock struck the phone accurately, gouging Hwang Lim’s hand. Splash! The phone flew into the sea. Hwang Lim made a wronged expression.
“You shouldn’t destroy others’ property, Guild Leader Haeyeon.”
“I neither stopped nor dodged. That’s on you.”
Han Yuhyun replied coldly. No S-Rank hunter could fail to dodge a blade swung openly right before him. Moreover, with all limbs intact, it would have been easy to snatch the phone back before it sank. Hwang Lim shrugged.
“That’s harsh. I ca because you said I could. Did Dodam Ranchmaster forbid from setting foot on the island?”
Han Yuhyun’s brows furrowed slightly. He tossed his earpiece and mic at Hwang Lim with evident reluctance. Hwang Lim caught them and spoke into the mic.
“Hello, Director Han.”
[It’s the peddler envoy.]
Han Yujin said flatly, as if reading from a book.
“These are top-quality goods.”
[Enough. Peddler envoy.]
“For any contracts signed during the gathering, ten percent of profits.”
[Fifty percent of revenue.]
Hwang Lim pouted.
“That’s highway robbery.”
[Compared to robbers who drag people off, is it? If you’re unhappy, hand over all sales.]
“I heard the Breaker Guild Leader just took the rchandise and called it a day. I’ll offer the best set—”
Mid-sentence, Hwang Lim tilted the parasol. At once, the Dominator’s Blade whoosh skimd the canopy and thwack struck the water.
“Don’t peddle useless stuff to my brother.”
“His younger brother’s prickly.”
[Shut up, peddler.]
Han Yujin clicked his tongue and continued.
[I won’t block your visit. But if you go quietly, I won’t chase after you. Not forever, of course—I don’t like owing favors.]
“And if I refuse to leave?”
[Don’t expect to leave with all your limbs intact.]
“Quite threatening.”
Hwang Lim grumbled, then smiled faintly and lowered his voice.
“Don’t be so harsh, dear Xiao Jin. We had quite a thing, didn’t we?”
[What the hell are you saying? Your translation item’s absurdly good—how many languages are you mixing?]
“I missed you so much, but you’re so cold.”
[Fine, do as you please. Shall I spare your arms or your legs?]
“Spare half my limbs—such love indeed.”
[Enough. Give the comms back to Guild Leader Haeyeon. I’ve said my piece.]
Not wanting more trouble, Han Yujin said, and Hwang Lim sulkily tossed the comms back to Han Yuhyun.
“Brother.”
[Let him in unhard for now.]
“All right.”
Han Yuhyun answered and switched off the mic. If he walked inside of his own will, he’d remain unscathed. Without hesitation, Han Yuhyun swung his blade. At the sa ti, Hwang Lim whipped the slack crimson cloth upward. Water droplets flew off, the waterlogged fabric rising like a cudgel.
Clang! Black blade t crimson cloth—and sssss!, steam rose. But only for a mont—the many ters of cloth, heavy with seawater, vaporized in an instant and burst into flas.
“Impressive.”
Still an A-Rank, Hwang Lim had one end of the cloth dipped in the sea, continuously recharging moisture. Yet it burned too quickly.
Crack—crackle! The thickly entwined fabric split, revealing the dark steel blade which sliced the parasol in half. Shhhhaaa! The wave, centered on the blade’s strike, shot upward on both sides—over ten ters high—then collapsed.
“......”
Han Yuhyun’s brow twitched. Before him fluttered blue willow leaves—but these were not his own. Hwang Lim, standing upon those leaves, grinned wickedly.
“Don’t glare so fiercely. This is quite a finicky skill.”
“Have you stolen another’s skill?”
“I didn’t steal it—maybe more like a copy.”
Instead of answering, Han Yuhyun guided the willow leaves with precise magic, focusing on the mana flow. Two more willow leaves not his own passed by, and as he felt their contained mana, his expression grew icier. It was certainly the sa skill—and in exactly the sa state as his own.
Identical skills weren’t unheard of. Especially low-grade or resistance skills, held by hundreds or thousands of hunters alike. Yet each user’s style diverged as they grew. Even with identical effects, mana flow and allocation differed—much like how everyone walks on two legs, yet each gait is unique.
But Hwang Lim’s blue willow leaf mirrored Han Yuhyun’s own like a twin. Even yesterday’s leaf would differ from today’s—yet this one was identical. The sensation stirred a deep, instinctive disgust, and Han Yuhyun’s grip tightened on his sword.
“So you also stole the flight skill.”
“See? I told you. And it’s a copy. Knock-offs are common, aren’t they?”
Han Yuhyun drew a long breath. Han Yujin had once used both his current and pre-rebirth skills—but that felt wholly different. Han Yujin was like Han Yuhyun, yet still Han Yujin.
Kin. Closer than kin would be twins. Distinct individuals, nonetheless. But this was Han Yuhyun’s own willow leaf, tarnishing his uniqueness.
He wanted to destroy it at once.
Hesitating only briefly, Han Yuhyun surged forward. He clearly rembered his brother’s words to let him pass—but Han Yujin would never tell his brother to endure such disgust unconditionally.
Han Yuhyun’s foot slipped across the scattered leaves, advancing as if running on solid ground. In contrast, Hwang Lim’s movents betrayed awkwardness.
Clang! On the final step, Han Yuhyun activated his warding skill from his ceremonial garb, closing the gap in an instant. Hwang Lim’s spear narrowly blocked the blade—but only montarily.
Craaaack— Cracks appeared along the spear’s shaft. Pushing forward purely with strength, Han Yuhyun stared him down. In the black depths of his eyes burned a cold fla—and Hwang Lim’s mouth twisted.
‘This is a bit dangerous, after ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) all.’
Han Yuhyun had never underestimated an opponent—but Hwang Lim’s power was unexpectedly formidable. A large fra, certainly—but still overshadowed by Hwang Lim. Yet Hwang Lim t his push almost equally.
It was troubleso. Hwang Lim’s face stiffened slightly. Moreover, the blue willow skill was inherently tricky for flight. Han Yuhyun moved across it as easily as running on flat ground—but controlling wildly drifting leaves in a precise pattern, then stepping on them at exact points and tis, was no small feat.
Three-dinsionally dynamic—yet each stepping surface was tiny and moving fast.
Most hunters couldn’t even hop across static stepping-stones in smooth sequence, much less on shifting leaves. Thus, willow leaves were never a real flight alternative.
As Hwang Lim hesitated—
Crack! The spear snapped completely. Despite being an S-Rank spear also for defense, it could not withstand the Dominator’s Blade. The blade sliced down the shaft and then gored Hwang Lim’s chest. He eschewed evasion and focused his defense skill on his torso—and was driven downward.
Splash! Blood droplets scattered in the air as Hwang Lim disappeared beneath the waves. The blue willow leaves vanished too, leaving only Han Yuhyun’s. Expressionless, Han Yuhyun ignited his sword. Azure flas ran along the blade, incinerating every bloodstain.
“Surrender! Surrender!”
Hwang Lim surfaced, swimming to put distance between them, and called out:
“As penance, I’ll swim to the island under my own power—”
Han Yuhyun, replying with action rather than words, turned and glided away. With graceful, unerring movents upon the willow leaves, he swiftly distanced himself toward the island.
“Seong Hyunjae, Han Yuhyun, and Riet. Just the three, as promised.”
Muttering softly, Hwang Lim too began swimming slowly toward the island.
Most guests had now reached the mansion. Despite the throng of high-rank hunters, no further fights had broken out. They watched and probed, but Han Yuhyun’s presence at the pier had been enough. They had bowed once—seen but not challenged.
Added to that was the spectacle made by the French hunter.
“How can a support S-Rank lose to an A-Rank?”
“And it was just one A-Rank.”
“Even if an A-Rank team could clear lower S-Rank dungeons, defeating an S-Rank hunter would require coordinated ambush by multiple teams.”
Against the sa rank, a large monster is easier to face. A human-sized foe demands precise teamwork for attacks. So A-Ranks beating an S-Rank was near-impossible. If needed, they’d simply lure one off and pick him off in turn.
Strictly, Eric had rely been knocked down once—but the story had already beco that he was defeated. The British hunters, especially, had reveled in the tale. They boasted of their A-Rank’s victory and spoke often of Noah.
“If an A-Rank hunter can beat an S-Rank with support—yet they still belittle support hunters. No wonder Hunter Noah left France for Korea!”
“I heard Guildmaster Turschen even protested to Korea.”
“Madman. Such patriotism.”
Not only foreign hunters but French ones too disapproved of Eric’s protests. Noah’s departure was regrettable—but setting a precedent of hampering cross-border migration of top hunters would be worse.
Having found good gossip, the atmosphere grew surprisingly convivial as the final helicopter descended before the mansion. Seong Hyunjae and Song Taewon disembarked. Finding the indoors stuffy, many hunters in the garden’s bar turned their gazes toward them. Seong Hyunjae, and even Song Taewon—both well-known figures—drew mixed looks.
“Do we have to greet the guild leader? Hunter Soyeong?”
“No need. Director Song’s here. Noah’s gone, and Riet’s underwater.”
Grumbling, Kang Soyeong pretended not to notice Seong Hyunjae and stepped inside the estate. Song Taewon’s face, however, wore an unmistakable shadow. Though he tried not to show it, concern was plain.
“Smile a little. Your fans must be here too.”
“...There are none.”
“You accepted bouquets.”
“I don’t need them.”
Seong Hyunjae glanced around. He recognized so faces. One hunter glared fiercely—so he offered a courteous smile, spilling wine and shattering the glass.
“Please don’t do that.”
“Can’t even let smile? Next you’ll muzzle .”
“If you wish, I won’t stop you.”
If he’d just shut his mouth, fewer would pick fights. At the main hall’s entrance, Han Yuhyun and Park Yerim stood with the roster. Han Yuhyun said chanically:
“Only hunters of A-Rank or above may enter. Using combat skills or drawing weapons will result in imdiate expulsion.”
“Hello, Director Song! Hello, Guild Leader Seong—”
Park Yerim checked nas and greeted them.
“Here’s a simple contract. If the na matches you, please sign. The penalty for breach is your right earlobe turning red.”
Both signed and entered. Mun Hyunah, already inside, waved happily.
“Director Song! Thank you for all your work. And Guild Leader Seong—”
Approaching Seong Hyunjae, Mun Hyunah tapped his arm with her elbow.
“They say after you, Chloe follows. Looks like so old acquaintances of yours ca too.”
“Acquaintances—quite grand,” Seong Hyunjae replied wearily. Mun Hyunah laughed and handed him a glass of wine.
“Do a favor—please, Director Song? Honestly, you’re better than Seong Hyunjae. So rare, you are.”
“In a situation where anything can happen—”
“Just a little fun. Just once, please?”
Though hesitant, Song Taewon accepted the glass. Mun Hyunah poured wine into it. Then, tossing the bottle to Seong Hyunjae, she said, “Here—drink at your leisure.” anwhile, the remaining hunters outside stread in. Han Yuhyun and Park Yerim closed the door and followed.
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