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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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At the same time Sungjoon Lee was making his way through the gate, Kijun Kim and Kiyeol Kim, known as the Shadow Brothers, were observing their surroundings with narrowed eyes.
“Hmm…”
Before hunting their target, they always checked the traces of battle left behind.
It was a habit, a survival method for villains who committed evil deeds.
Naturally, its effectiveness was outstanding.
Unlike written reports, the actual traces of battle could reveal the target’s fighting style and abilities.
“Amazing. He took out all the Blue Tigers in one hit?”
His younger brother, Kiyeol Kim, expressed his admiration, but Kijun Kim, standing next to him, stiffened.
“Lee Sungjoon is definitely not just B-rank.”
The more intense a fight, the more traces it left behind.
However, there weren’t any significant traces left from the battle between Sungjoon Lee and the Blue Tigers.
It meant a one-sided massacre, one monster per hit.
He now understood why the request emphasized caution.
“Just based on destructive power alone, I would believe he’s A+-rank. However…”
Kijun and Kiyeol Kim exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming.
“You thought the same thing, brother?”
Kijun Kim nodded at Kiyeol Kim’s question.
“He’s clumsy. He possesses great power, but he doesn’t know how to use it at all.”
“His power is first-rate, but his technique is third-rate. He’s a returnee, but he doesn’t seem to have much combat experience.”
Similar smirks appeared on the two brothers’ faces.
It wasn’t uncommon.
There were quite a few foolish returnees who gained power through some stroke of luck but didn’t know how to use it properly.
And such people were no match for them, who had experience hunting countless people.
They didn’t even need to think too hard about it.
“Even the most powerful attack is useless if it doesn’t land.”
“With such poor technique, he can’t even touch the hem of our clothes.”
There was no reason to consider defeat or danger.
Kijun Kim, having finished his calculations, nodded.
“…So, as planned, we will kill Lee Sungjoon today.”
The two brothers’ faces were filled with confidence.
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Having made their decision, the Shadow Brothers moved towards Sungjoon Lee’s location.
Since they were moving towards each other, it didn’t take long for the Shadow Brothers and Sungjoon Lee to meet.
Kiyeol Kim pulled down his hood to cover his face and smirked.
“You seem to be B-rank Hunter and Returnee, Lee Sungjoon. Nice to meet you. I’m Kiyeol Kim.”
“I’m Kijun Kim.”
They greeted him casually, but Sungjoon Lee’s eyes were cold.
“You don’t look like you’re from the Association.”
The smell of blood and murderous intent emanating from Kiyeol and Kijun Kim, along with their gazes, made it clear that they weren’t Association employees.
If he had to guess their profession, only one thing came to mind.
‘Villains.’
And not just any villains.
Judging by their refined aura, they were at least First-rate martial artists, and by Earth’s standards, they were easily A-rank.
Naturally, A-rank villains wouldn’t visit him without a reason.
“Did Hwansung send you?”
“Do you think we’re fools who would readily reveal our client?”
Sungjoon Lee chuckled silently.
To be honest, he had been expecting it.
But he wasn’t disappointed that they didn’t tell him right away.
They would tell him soon enough.
‘I don’t know their exact strength, but judging by their level, they’re both First-rate martial artists.’
Even if they outnumbered him and possessed special abilities, as someone with the experience and knowledge of a Demon God, he wouldn’t even consider defeat against opponents of the same level.
Moreover, this was inside a gate.
It was a place where lives were on the line every moment, so instead of ordinary laws, there were separate laws established by Hunters.
‘Killing is permitted if the opponent is a villain.’
This meant he didn’t have to hold back.
Sungjoon Lee, his eyes cold, watched the Shadow Brothers’ movements.
“Judging by your reaction, you don’t seem to know us, the Shadow Brothers.”
Sungjoon Lee chuckled.
“I don’t think I need to know. Just tell me why you’re here.”
“Why else? We’re here to take care of a request from our client.”
Sungjoon Lee’s expression hardened at Kiyeol Kim’s sinister smile.
“Judging by the atmosphere, it doesn’t seem like an ordinary request.”
“If it were an ordinary request, we wouldn’t have come personally.”
Kiyeol Kim’s sharp gaze scanned Sungjoon Lee from head to toe, then he pulled a dagger from his pocket and lunged.
“So, die quietly.”
He was fast.
Kiyeol Kim’s figure, shrouded in darkness, closed the distance in an instant.
His movements were those of a skilled First-rate martial artist.
But it was too straightforward.
Sungjoon Lee leaned back just as the dagger was about to reach him, narrowly dodging Kiyeol Kim’s attack.
Whoosh!
“Huh…?”
Kiyeol Kim’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected turn of events.
‘I missed?’
He had launched a preemptive attack because Sungjoon Lee had been standing right in front of him, completely exposed.
But his attack had clearly missed.
‘How?’
Although it was a straightforward and crude attack, it had been a surprise attack that perfectly exploited an opening.
There was no way Sungjoon Lee could have reacted properly while exposed like that.
Therefore, there was only one possible explanation.
‘I was incredibly unlucky.’
And Sungjoon Lee, on the other hand, was incredibly lucky.
“Damn it.”
As Kiyeol Kim frowned, Sungjoon Lee smoothly launched a counterattack.
Whoosh!
Sungjoon Lee’s fist filled his vision.
It was a somewhat disconcerting situation, but nothing changed.
Attacking mindlessly just because he saw an opening was something only an amateur would do.
He, Kiyeol Kim, an A-rank villain, would never make such a foolish mistake.
“Well played.”
Kijun Kim, who had been watching Kiyeol Kim’s fight, nodded, and then his figure disappeared, engulfed in darkness.
At the same time, Sungjoon Lee, who was throwing a punch, frowned.
“…”
Kijun Kim, who had clearly been quite far away, suddenly appeared behind Kiyeol Kim.
‘Not knowing the meaning of “Shadow Brothers,” that is your downfall.’
There was a reason Kijun and Kiyeol Kim were called the Shadow Brothers.
The two, who had been living as villains together since childhood, awakened on the same day, at the same time, in the same place, 15 years ago.
Even the skills they acquired upon awakening were linked.
S-rank skill, Shadow Movement.
The only drawback was its one-minute cooldown, but it was a cheat-like ability that allowed them to move to each other’s shadows regardless of terrain, as long as they were within 100 meters.
Without knowing this ability, there was no way to properly fight against the Shadow Brothers.
Indeed, he could see bewilderment in Sungjoon Lee’s eyes.
‘It’s only natural for him to be bewildered.’
It wasn’t just Sungjoon Lee.
Numerous A+-rank Hunters had also been caught off guard by this skill before the Shadow Brothers became known.
A sinister smile spread across Kijun Kim’s face.
‘Blame your own ignorance for not knowing the meaning of “Shadow Brothers.”’
Kijun Kim, judging it an unavoidable attack at such close range, thrust his dagger towards Sungjoon Lee’s heart with all his might.
Thud!
“It’s over.”
Contrary to his confident words, the dagger lodged in Sungjoon Lee’s body didn’t penetrate even 1 cm.
“W-What?!”
It had been a perfect attack.
But Sungjoon’s muscles were so tough that the dagger couldn’t pierce them.
It felt like he had stabbed a hard rock.
‘Was it not just great destructive power, but his physical abilities themselves that were overwhelming…?’
Although an unexpected variable had arisen, it wasn’t a big problem.
‘He’s just a fool who can’t even control his own strength.’
In a fight between people, their experience in actual combat made a huge difference.
If they continued a battle of attrition, draining his stamina, he would eventually reach his limit.
‘First, create distance and engage in a war of attrition until his stamina runs out.’
After that, it would be easy.
‘Even the toughest body has weaknesses.’
The eyes, for example, were a part of the body that couldn’t be trained to be tough due to their structure.
If he stabbed his eyes with a sharp dagger and gouged them out, he would eventually collapse.
‘There’s no way I’ll lose.’
Fortunately, Kiyeol Kim seemed to be thinking the same thing, nodding and giving him a sign.
Kijun Kim, his expression hardening, was about to move.
But at that moment,
Sungjoon Lee moved.
Tap!
Kijun Kim’s eyes widened at Sungjoon Lee’s sudden and agile movement.
“No, how?”
Hunters who were all-rounders, possessing all abilities equally, were few and far between.
Therefore, having witnessed Sungjoon Lee’s outstanding destructive power and defense, he had assumed his speed wouldn’t be that fast.
But what was this situation?
Sungjoon Lee was closing the distance in an instant.
His body, which had seemed like a heavy rock just moments ago, now felt like a wild horse.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Sungjoon Lee’s fists and feet, flying relentlessly, filled Kijun Kim’s vision.
“Gasp…!”
He was desperately blocking the incoming attacks, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer.
‘I need to get out of here before it’s too late.’
Unfortunately, Kijun Kim couldn’t put his thoughts into action.
Whenever he tried to escape, Sungjoon Lee’s fists and arms would fly in, blocking his path.
‘This is bad.’
But what was worse was that with each exchange, his escape routes were being gradually cut off.
‘Damn it…’
As he was reaching his limit from Sungjoon Lee’s relentless attacks, Kijun Kim had only one thing left to rely on.
‘The cooldown for Shadow Movement is…?’
It was the brief moment he shifted his gaze to check his only escape route.
“Dodge!”
A sharp pain shot through his abdomen along with Kiyeol Kim’s urgent cry.
Crack!
“Ugh…!”
Kijun Kim collapsed on the ground pathetically, blood pouring from his mouth.
His eyes shook violently as if there had been an earthquake.
‘What the…?’
It was as if Sungjoon Lee had become a different person.
Sungjoon Lee’s recent attacks were so cunning and precise that he couldn’t believe they came from the same Hunter who had brutally hunted the Blue Tigers.
These weren’t the movements of a fool who relied solely on brute force.
As he frantically searched for a reason, a hypothesis suddenly flashed through his mind.
‘…Could it be?’
Kijun Kim’s face contorted.
“Did you hide your true skills, knowing we were after you?”
He asked Sungjoon Lee to resolve the question in his mind, but unfortunately, the reply he received was an unexpected question.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
“What?”
“Judging by your reaction, it seems like that’s your full strength… I’m disappointed.”
It was a nonsensical remark, but for some reason, his heart was filled with unease.
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