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Chapter 8
Rival? (4)
After the pop quiz ended.
The scores were as follows:
Team 1
-
Gu Mina: 7
-
Kim Yongchan: 5
-
Park Yesul: 6
-
Lee Dohyun: 10
-
Jung Minwoo: 9
Total: 37
———
Team 2
-
Kwon Eunchae: 5
-
Kim Yunjung: 7
-
Park Dongwook: 3
-
Ji Yuchan: 9
-
Han Junseo: 8
Total: 32
With a fairly large gap of five points, Dohyun’s team took first place.
Yet Dohyun still didn’t really understand how things had turned out this way.
“Khuhhh, it’s because you got a perfect score, Dohyun! That’s how we won!”
At Kim Yongchan’s words, Dohyun felt dumbfounded.
If he were being honest, wasn’t it more because Park Dongwook had made a huge mistake?
“Seriously! I knew you’d get a perfect score, oppa!”
I didn’t even know that myself.
“I knew it! Your eyes were different during the lecture! You must’ve studied a lot back in school, huh?”
Let’s not mention that I graduated from a regional university.
“The last question was really hard—how did you solve it?”
Analysis told me.
Faced with the burdensome gazes of his teammates, Dohyun didn’t know what to do.
Maybe he had stood out too much.
Still, it didn’t feel bad.
Praise from teammates wasn’t a bad thing.
While he was enjoying that not-so-bad feeling, the team members began speaking up one by one.
“See? The team leader really is different.”
“Right, right.”
“Who else but Dohyun oppa should be team leader?”
“Agreed.”
“Uh… huh?”
So this was the real goal.
Passing off the team leader role?
He’d been saddled with it all throughout college, and he’d thought he could avoid it this time. Yet here he was again! And now the atmosphere made it awkward to even refuse.
He scratched his head.
‘Well, being team leader isn’t exactly a bad thing.’
There wasn’t much responsibility assigned to the leader anyway, nor anything special he had to do. He might as well just let them call him that.
That was what Dohyun thought casually, but his teammates were sincerely looking up to him.
‘He seemed laid-back but got a perfect score. And he ran the longest earlier too. Amazing. He looks younger than me—I should learn from him.’
‘Guess looks really aren’t everything.’
‘I thought he’d be weaker than me at first, but his stamina’s insane and he aced the quiz too. Is this what they call brains and brawn?’
‘I’ll just follow Dohyun hyung.’
It had only been one day, but Kim Yongchan already saw Dohyun as a younger teammate with much to learn from. Gu Mina and Park Yesul were surprised by his unexpected capabilities, and Jung Minwoo resolved to become like him.
No matter what, they’d be stuck together for a month.
Building camaraderie couldn’t hurt.
Above all, among those who had only just awakened, Dohyun’s difference was becoming strikingly obvious. Each of them was burning with motivation—while Dohyun, unaware of any of that, simply thought they were pushing the team leader role onto him.
While each of them harbored different thoughts, they received word after Instructor Kim Areum’s lecture to gather at the sparring hall after a short break, and they headed there.
Feeling reassured that Dohyun was with them again.
Seoul Hunter Training Center
Ji Yuchan splashed cold water on his face at the sink.
Even in the frigid winter air, even after washing with ice-cold water, the heat in his face wouldn’t subside. His flushed reflection in the mirror showed no sign of calming down.
He let out a sigh.
“Ha… Why am I being so childish?”
He knew well that this sense of rivalry he was feeling was childish.
But why?
He couldn’t let it go.
Objectively speaking, the reflection staring back at him was handsome enough to think so himself. On top of that, he had talent for athletics and had always been good at sports growing up.
He seemed flawless on the surface.
Yet he had gradually begun to feel the pressure of living up to the expectations around him.
The peak of that pressure had been his mana awakening.
Because he’d trained consistently, he recorded exceptional physical stats. And luckily, he awakened with high mana levels as well. People began saying he was the second rising star who would surpass Instructor Hwang Hana.
That was why Ji Yuchan felt he had to be perfect.
But from the very first day of admission, that obsession had been shattered.
‘From Instructor Hwang Hana… to Lee Dohyun.’
At first, it was Hwang Hana.
She pressured him with her mana, and he hadn’t been able to withstand it. His obsession had nearly burst out like a seizure, though he had forced himself to endure and hide it.
But then Dohyun—who supposedly endured it without issue—began to irritate him.
‘From the long-distance run… to the test.’
On the very first day, he hadn’t beaten Dohyun at anything.
That was why Ji Yuchan steeled his resolve.
‘Next training will be different.’
Knock, knock—
“Yuchan~ They’re calling everyone to the sparring hall!”
“…Yes, I’m coming.”
The next training was sparring—something he was confident in.
Boxing and kendo were sports he’d trained in for years. This time, he would show a different side of himself.
With renewed determination, he left his room and headed to the sparring hall with Park Dongwook, who greeted him warmly.
The Sparring Hall
The trainees gathered in the hall.
Even though it was indoors, the floors and facilities looked extremely sturdy. The floor and walls seemed made of special material—glossy yet heavy and solid.
A few trainees tapped at them with their hands and feet, impressed by their firmness.
While they were murmuring in admiration, a man appeared in the center of the hall.
“Everyone, gather in the center.”
His voice was gentle, yet somehow it struck everyone’s ears clearly and heavily.
It felt too weighty to be just a voice.
Dohyun also found it fascinating as he stepped forward.
Then Analysis kindly explained:
[Analyzed the application method of Skill “Intimidation [D]”.]
‘You can use Intimidation like that?’
It really explains everything.
As Dohyun memorized the technique and gathered in the center, he saw the new instructor.
Unlike the others, he wore a tracksuit instead of an instructor uniform. He looked lethargic, hair messy—like the typical lazy guy you’d see around the neighborhood.
And yet.
All the trainees felt a subtle pressure from him.
Of course—
[Skill “Intimidation [D]” is faintly spreading.]
[Countering Skill “Intimidation [D]”.]
‘Seems he’s not trying to crush us like Hwang Hana did.’
Though he could increase the output, he was merely spreading it lightly. It seemed intended to focus their attention.
As Dohyun looked at him, Analysis activated again.
“Kang Jihoon”
Trait: Spy [C]
Skills:
▶ Dagger Technique [D]
▶ Intimidation [D]
▶ Ambush [D]
▶ Stealth [E]
▶ Mana Control [E]
Stats:
▶ Strength: 49
▶ Agility: 66
▶ Stamina: 51
▶ Mana: 29
[Due to the effect of Skill “Sword King’s Intuition [A]”, Analysis succeeded.]
[Acquired 150 AP.]
‘Another C-rank!’
Just as Dohyun was inwardly pleased at gaining AP he hadn’t gotten from Instructor Kim Areum, his vision suddenly turned red.
[Analyzing threatening attack trajectory.]
He hadn’t seen this even when facing goblins in the tutorial.
Though startled, thanks to Sword King’s Intuition, he felt instinctively that it wasn’t truly dangerous.
Trusting the displayed trajectory, he instantly drew up the mana in his body.
The world slowed.
Though he too moved slowly within it, guided by the red trajectory and the crimson-streaked hand slicing toward him, he moved as much as he could.
Mana circulated through him, invigorating his body.
He leaned his head back, barely escaping the red path.
A difference no wider than a sheet of paper.
The world returned to normal.
Whoosh—!
A fierce gust scattered his hair as the instructor’s fingertips stopped just in front of him.
The trainees reacted belatedly.
“Kyaaa!”
“W-What!?”
“I-Instructor?!”
They saw the instructor’s hand aimed at Dohyun—and Dohyun calmly staring at it.
To them, it looked as if the instructor had teleported.
Kang Jihoon tilted his head slightly.
He had intended to stop right in front of him.
But his hand was farther away than expected.
‘Did he… dodge?’
Impossible.
He concluded inwardly that his senses had dulled.
Anyway, he lightly tapped Dohyun’s forehead.
“No daydreaming in the sparring hall.”
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“….”
He answers well.
Jihoon returned to his spot.
Dohyun glanced at a message visible only to him and smiled faintly.
Kang Jihoon introduced himself.
“I’m Kang Jihoon, instructor in charge of sparring. It’s the first day, but I’m lazy—so we’ll start team sparring from today.”
The meaning behind his languid tone was anything but gentle.
Kwon Eunchae hesitantly raised her hand.
“Isn’t it dangerous to spar on the first day?”
“If you get hurt, Instructor Choi Pil will handle it.”
“…?”
So they would get hurt?
Jihoon replied flatly.
“The Black Gate won’t wait until you’re ready. The beings inside won’t either. They’ll strike the moment you let your guard down. Still want to complain about danger?”
Silence fell.
He added lazily:
“The winning team gets one hour of free time.”
The training was from 11 to 1.
That meant cutting it in half.
The trainees’ motivation ignited instantly.
Only Ji Yuchan kept his eyes on Dohyun.
Then he spoke:
“Instructor, I’d like to spar with trainee Lee Dohyun.”
Jihoon nodded.
“So be it. First match: Team 1’s Lee Dohyun versus Team 2’s Ji Yuchan.”
They stepped forward.
Cheers erupted.
Team 1 cheered relatively calmly.
Team 2 was louder—especially Park Dongwook.
The two stood about five meters apart.
“Keep it moderate. If someone admits defeat or loses consciousness, that’s a win.”
He raised his hand.
The match began.
Yuchan assumed a boxing stance—
Something pale shot forward.
“!!!”
He tried to dodge.
But it twisted midair like a snake—
Crack—
A breaking sound rang out.
His vision blurred.
He saw Dohyun’s awkward expression—
Darkness.
Thud.
Silence.
Yuchan lay unconscious.
Kang Jihoon’s eyes trembled violently.
Dohyun asked,
“Does that mean I win?”
Jihoon couldn’t answer.
Because what Dohyun had just used—
Was the same Ambush technique Jihoon had shown him earlier.
Instead, Jihoon asked in a trembling voice:
“H-How did you just do that?”
Dohyun replied casually:
“Huh? I just watched and copied it.”
“…?”
Jihoon stared at him.
Then muttered:
“You crazy monster bastard.”
“Huh? Me?”
Jihoon glared at him as if to say, Who else would I be talking about?
Dohyun felt slightly wronged.
