Episode 11
Nam Gyuil looked at Han Gangsu rushing toward him.
Fast.
The momentum of his charge was considerable.
His movements were as swift as lightning, and the trajectory of his wooden sword was sharp.
‘He definitely has skill.’
Nam Gyuil twisted his body to deflect the offensive.
Han Gangsu was not weak.
‘Rather, he’s on the stronger side. You can tell just from this attack alone.’
Buoong!!
Han Gangsu’s transition from a downward strike to a horizontal slash was incredibly smooth.
Nam Gyuil took two steps back and avoided the attack.
‘His talent truly is extraordinary.’
But.
In Nam Gyuil’s eyes, he saw something even more special than talent.
‘This guy, he’s trained with proper methods. I can see the polish of proper mana cultivation!’
How on earth had this happened?
Earth lacked sufficient mana, making proper mana cultivation impossible.
‘Wait, could it be?’
Nam Gyuil recalled knowledge he had seen in the Akashic Records.
‘The mana accumulated in the atmosphere isn’t all spread out evenly. Depending on various causes and influences, there are places where it gathers in one spot.’
If so, hadn’t Han Gangsu cultivated mana in such a place?
Thinking about it that way, everything clicked into place.
‘No matter how much mana gathers in one place, Earth’s mana hasn’t accumulated enough, so his training effects look inferior to mine, who consumed an elixir and cultivated mana.’
Nam Gyuil narrowed his eyes.
It was common knowledge that Guild Hunters were stronger than State Hunters.
That was the truth.
Because those who safely retired from the Hunter Bureau joined guilds.
Therefore, people thought like this:
- They have their own know-how in hunting monsters.
- They possess special talents.
‘That’s why they easily win against monsters.’
Of course, there might be that too.
But having sparred with Han Gangsu like this today, he understood the truth.
‘The stories known to the public were all fake. In reality, they got stronger by monopolizing proper training and places where mana had concentrated.’
And they probably passed all of this on in secret only to blood relatives or fellow guild members.
Nam Gyuil recalled a wuxia novel he had read as a child.
The novel’s setting was simple.
‘The scions of famous families grew strong learning secret martial arts from their parents. And by monopolizing that strength, they accumulated power and wealth.’
A bitter smile crept onto Nam Gyuil’s face.
It was exactly the same.
The large guilds, too, had amassed tremendous wealth like the families in wuxia novels, and entangled themselves with politics to seize power.
All of that was thanks to monopolizing proper training methods and places where atmospheric mana gathered.
They had raised their own value that way.
‘But how did they come to know the proper training methods?’
The Akashic Records were absolutely out of the question.
He had never seen a being other than angels there. Besides, to go to the Akashic Records, one had to be chosen by the Librarian.
Not just anyone could enter.
‘Then did they happen to learn it by chance?’
Through some opportunity, they had learned the proper training methods, and by monopolizing them, they had expanded their influence.
Whether that was a coincidence or whether something special had happened, he didn’t know.
But one thing was certain.
The Han Gangsu before his eyes was someone who had enjoyed such privileges from a young age.
‘Yes, the true nature of that guy’s confidence is…….’
The monopoly of proper training methods.
Nam Gyuil saw through the entire situation at a glance.
Buuwoong.
Han Gangsu continued to swing his wooden sword.
Nam Gyuil avoided the offensive.
Leisurely, at that.
As the situation developed this way, Han Gangsu began to grow impatient.
‘How can he keep avoiding my attacks?’
He was someone who had grown strong through his father’s secret special training. Everyone had called him a prodigy.
Then why.
‘Why can’t I land a single hit!!’
Certainly, Han Gangsu had grown strong through proper training. In this regard, he was exactly the same as Nam Gyuil.
But there was exactly one difference.
Nam Gyuil had utilized knowledge obtained from the Akashic Records to create and consume elixirs.
That had created the difference.
Nam Gyuil, who had only been avoiding until now, slowly began to counterattack.
Buuwoong-!!
Nam Gyuil’s wooden sword cut through the air sharply.
Han Gangsu’s eyes widened.
He hurriedly defended, but his movement was a beat slow and he took a hit to his side.
“Kuk!”
His head rang and his vision spun, his insides twisting from the sensation of his abdomen clenching.
Han Gangsu quickly put distance between them.
Glaring at Nam Gyuil while clutching his aching side with his hand.
‘What should I do now?’
Having taken a heavy blow, moving freely was out of the question.
Just then, Nam Gyuil adjusted his stance.
It was an unmistakable charging posture.
He stepped forward with his right foot, bent at the waist, and crouched until his knees were bent.
He aimed his straightened wooden sword at his opponent.
His momentum was different.
Seeing that appearance, Han Gangsu flinched and took a step back.
Nam Gyuil gripped his wooden sword so tightly that blue veins bulged on the back of his hand.
At first, he had intended to go easy.
‘But now that I know the secrets of the large guilds, I can’t fight moderately.’
He would attack with full force.
‘Since Han Gangsu is also refined through proper training, letting my guard down is forbidden.’
Nam Gyuil opened his eyes wide.
Tadat-!!
He finally charged.
Extending his arm, he unleashed a sharp thrust.
No matter how fast that speed was, Han Gangsu failed to react in time and was struck.
The guy’s body floated into the air and flew far backward.
“Keoheok!!”
A scream burst from his lips.
Pain like being pierced by an awl.
Dizzying agony that paralyzed thought prevented even a counterattack.
Peog-!!
His body, flying backward, only stopped after crashing into the wall.
“Heok, heok, keuk!”
Han Gangsu collapsed on the floor.
Letting out groans mixed with rough breathing, he barely clutched his right shoulder.
‘H-he’s strong.’
It was tremendous skill.
He had never been so overwhelmingly defeated in a spar.
It was merely a thrust attack, yet through that alone, he clearly felt the difference in skill.
‘That guy. He’s stronger than me!’
Nam Gyuil was a far superior expert compared to himself.
But he couldn’t understand.
‘How on earth did he get so strong? Did he receive teachings from someone in a large guild?’
Han Gangsu used his wooden sword as a cane and stood up.
He couldn’t find the answer to his question.
However, one thing he could be more certain of than anyone.
‘This person is no ordinary figure.’
Han Gangsu’s fighting spirit to win through battle melted away.
He realized he couldn’t win with his own strength.
The spar he had started to recover his pride had instead been crushed even more miserably.
A shadow fell over the head of the bowed Han Gangsu.
It was Nam Gyuil’s shadow.
Han Gangsu raised his head and looked at him.
“Hey.”
“Private Han Gangsu.”
“Did you lose?”
“Yes.”
He cleanly acknowledged his defeat.
Crack.
At that moment, the wooden sword Han Gangsu had been using as a cane broke, and he collapsed as he was, fainting.
***
Han Gangsu’s head was groggy.
His vision was dark.
But he felt a cool sensation on his forehead.
“Urk!?”
Coming to his senses and opening his eyes, he saw a wet towel placed on his forehead.
He threw it aside toward the head of the bed.
‘What happened?’
Groaning, he raised his upper body with difficulty.
His shoulder blade ached.
His body flinched from the throbbing pain.
“Kuk.”
He pulled at his shirt collar and examined the wound.
Bandages were wrapped around it.
It seemed someone had treated him.
The moment, Nam Gyuil’s final blow came to mind.
It had been a powerful attack.
So intense that he could never forget it.
Just then.
“So, you’re up?”
Someone spoke to him from the side.
Startled by the sudden voice, he jumped.
Hurriedly turning his head to the left, he saw Nam Gyuil sitting beside him, gulping something down.
A sour smell wafted around them.
“What are you drinking?”
“Something good for the body.”
Nam Gyuil continued drinking the brown liquid in a water bottle.
It was a low-grade elixir.
It was an extremely precious item, but Han Gangsu showed no interest whatsoever.
Instead, he asked something else.
“Sergeant Nam Gyuil, do you happen to have connections with a famous Hunter?”
“Why?”
“Because you seem to have received special training.”
“Well, I have a bit of a connection.”
“Which Hunter is it? There are only five large guilds…. How did you learn the confidential special training only taught to core members inside large guilds…….”
“Do I have to tell you that too?”
Nam Gyuil roughly brushed off the answer with an annoyed tone.
The number of large guilds was five.
They had expanded their power by monopolizing proper training methods.
But if he revealed that he had learned of them, how would those guys react?
It was obvious they would lure or threaten him into not divulging the proper training methods.
Nam Gyuil looked up at the ceiling.
‘It was indeed a wise choice not to reveal the proper training methods.’
If he had publicized it without a thought, by now he would be suffering retaliation from the large guilds.
‘In the worst case, I might have been assassinated.’
The profits the large guilds had gained by monopolizing proper training methods were enormous.
But if someone else who knew that secret appeared? The large guilds would never stay still.
There were many actual cases of assassinating figures who would harm their profits.
‘They’d either kill me or forcibly employ me in a large guild to preserve the training methods. I’d have to live my whole life under surveillance there.’
He didn’t want to live like that his whole life.
‘So, I’ll keep everything about the Akashic Records secret and build my strength first. Because that’s the only way for me to survive.’
If he didn’t have the ability to endure no matter who tried to harm him, the rest of his life wouldn’t be smooth.
Well, even so, he could become sufficiently strong in the near future.
The knowledge the large guilds monopolized was only a portion.
The knowledge of the Akashic Records was infinite to a degree they couldn’t imagine.
If he endured just a little, it would be possible to gain sufficient strength and move about.
‘Well, that’s something to think about later.’
Now, it was time to wrap up the conversation with Han Gangsu and return home.
Nam Gyuil pointed at him with his index finger.
“Since I won the spar, you need to upgrade Team 01’s equipment to top-grade.”
“I know.”
“And don’t tell others that I won the spar. Keep the facts regarding special training a secret too.”
“Why is that?”
“Well, it’s hard to explain to you, so just don’t tell others.”
“Understood.”
Han Gangsu nodded.
He didn’t know why it had to be hidden, but he had no intention of broadcasting the fact that he had lost, so he silently followed the order.
If word spread that Han Ducheol’s son had lost to a mere State Hunter, his father’s guild stock would fall.
And to hide that, he had to keep even the fact that Nam Gyuil had received proper training a secret.
From his family as well.
If his father heard the news of defeat, his father who had praised him to no end would obviously be disappointed in him for the first time.
Nam Gyuil threw a piece of advice to the naive Han Gangsu.
“Lastly, the Hunter Bureau has the Hunter Bureau’s culture. I’m not saying don’t speak your opinions to your superiors, but at least show a respectful attitude.”
“Yes, sir.”
Having lost the spar, Han Gangsu was surprisingly docile.
Nam Gyuil rose from his seat.
Having said all he wanted to say, he intended to leave leisurely now.
Just then, Han Gangsu threw a question.
“I have a question.”
“What now?”
Nam Gyuil gestured with his chin for him to speak.
“While possessing such tremendous skill, why do you hide it?”
“That’s my business.”
“Which guild will you join after retiring from the Hunter Bureau?”
“I don’t know.”
“How can you answer like that? Can’t you tell me at least one thing clearly?”
“That’s my business. I’m leaving now.”
As Nam Gyuil headed outside the sparring hall, Han Gangsu grabbed his sleeve.
“Please wait a moment.”
“What now?”
“May I transfer to Team 01?”
“What?!”
Han Gangsu’s shocking remark.
Nam Gyuil furrowed his brow and made his displeasure plain.
The words of refusal had risen to his throat, but wanting to at least hear the reason, he threw a question.
“Why do you want to come?”
“Because Sergeant Nam Gyuil is strong.”
“What?”
“If I must follow a superior’s orders, I wish to follow someone capable.”
Nam Gyuil was bewildered.
He couldn’t understand what this was all about. Wondering if it was a joke, he even stared blankly.
But Han Gangsu was serious.
He was a meritocrat.
He valued only skill, far above rank, age, gender, or such things.
Well, it was natural in a way that he held such values.
Because his father had been like that.
And Han Gangsu had grown up in such an atmosphere from a young age as well.
That was why he had developed the habit of looking down on those less skilled than himself. The reason he had belittled his seniors was exactly that.
Han Gangsu stared at Nam Gyuil clearly and waited for an answer.
But the response that came back was a refusal.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“What is this, a shounen comic? Sparring and then suddenly becoming a team.”
“…….”
“And changing teams isn’t a good thing. Carelessly, it might look to others like a newbie fled Team 05 because there was a problem.”
“What does that matter?”
“You must be young and still not know. You’ll learn how terrifying other people’s eyes are as you get older.”
With those words, Nam Gyuil exited the sparring hall.
Left alone, Han Gangsu pondered for a moment before pulling a smartphone from his pocket.
And he called someone.
Ring. Ring.
Tick.
The moment the other party answered, Han Gangsu shouted.
“Father, I have a favor to ask. Can you listen?”