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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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In the infirmary…
As Shin Su-yeon was being treated, Han Yuri entered.
“Yuri!”
“How is she?”
“Well, um…”
Just as Choi Ah-hyun was about to explain, the healer interrupted.
“Despite her appearance, only the major bones are broken. With two weeks of treatment, she should make a full recovery.”
“…Thank you.”
The healer cast one last spell, then left them alone.
“Where’s Seong-hyun?”
“…He went out.”
“Went out?”
Han Yuri bit her lip and nodded.
While cleaning up the mess with Lee Seong-hyun, she’d found a note tucked inside the bag.
[Outdoor training grounds. 10 PM. On the 12th.]
A duel.
The Academy’s way of resolving conflicts.
Neither students nor professors could interfere.
“He’s going to be publicly executed!”
“Yeah. That idiot’s falling for such an obvious provocation.”
Han Yuri recalled their earlier conversation.
‘It’s a trap. You know that, right?’
‘I know. But I changed my mind.’
‘Changed your mind? What do you mean?’
‘Just… don’t interfere. I’ll handle it.’
He’d said that and left.
“He hasn’t contacted us since.”
“Really…? Hold on.”
Choi Ah-hyun called someone, but it went straight to voicemail.
“Professor Irena isn’t answering either…”
“…”
The situation was spiraling out of control.
But one thing was clear.
“Let’s focus on her for now. And you, don’t go wandering off. Stay here.”
“Okay.”
When Lee Seong-hyun said he had a plan, he was usually right.
But she couldn’t shake off a feeling of unease.
‘I’ve never seen him like that before.’
A smile devoid of anger or malice.
And that’s what made it so terrifying.
‘I have to trust him and wait.’
There was nothing else she could do.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Slam!
Kim Seong-ho slammed his fist on his desk.
“What did you just say?”
“Ten of our twenty workshops have been raided…”
“Damn it!”
The Baekho Guild’s human trafficking operation.
Under his father’s orders, Kim Seong-ho had been overseeing the business, acquiring smaller guilds.
And now, ten of their workshops had been attacked.
“Who did it? The Miryung Guild again?”
“Yes. And the Sangpye and Chain Guilds are also involved.”
“Damn it! How did they find our secret workshops?!”
All the guilds involved in human trafficking were attacking each other.
As if they’d coordinated their efforts.
“Any intel? Do we know who leaked the information?”
“I… I apologize…”
The assistant lowered his head, and Kim Seong-ho gritted his teeth.
‘This is bad.’
A scolding from his father wouldn’t be the end of it.
His father had barely managed to cover up the incident where he’d almost been caught raping a middle school girl.
If he messed up again…
‘…I might be disowned.’
Fear gnawed at him.
He chewed on his fingernails.
“I have to… I have to find a way…!”
Just then…
“Young Master! Workshop 15 is under attack!”
“What?!”
Workshop 15.
‘Jeong-ah…!’
Not his arranged fiancee, but the woman he truly loved.
He’d hidden her in Workshop 15, against his father’s wishes.
And now…
They rushed to the scene.
A small abandoned factory was engulfed in flames.
“Damn it! Go put out the fire!”
“Yes, sir!”
Kim Seong-ho prayed for her safety and ran inside.
He stopped dead in his tracks.
“W-what the…?”
The hunters managing the human trafficking operation were C and D-rank.
Not high-ranking, but not low either. But…
But…
“What the hell is this…?”
A massacre.
A slaughter was unfolding before his eyes.
Twenty hunters, attacking mercilessly.
Swords slashed, arrows flew.
But the robed figure cut them down as if they were nothing.
“Die! Agh!”
“This bastard… ugh!”
One hunter fell with each swing.
A difference in rank? No, this was…
‘…a difference in skill.’
Swordsmanship honed for killing.
Purely practical, devoid of unnecessary flourish.
Slice!
Blood splattered.
His men fell without a fight.
Kim Seong-ho couldn’t move.
A wave.
It was like a wave.
He instinctively knew that if he stepped into its path, he’d die.
Finally, all his men were down.
The figure retrieved a black bag.
A large bag.
Big enough to fit a person.
The figure placed the bag on the ground and removed the robe.
“L-Lee Seong-hyun?”
An unexpected face.
Kim Seong-ho’s mind went blank.
A languid smile.
Lee Seong-hyun was smiling.
Not a crazed grin, not a laugh of rage.
Just a smile.
Calm, relaxed.
A smile.
“I received your gift.”
“…”
“I was just going to throw you in jail. But your gift changed my mind.”
Cryptic words.
He touched the bloodstained sword to the bag.
“I’ll grind you to dust.”
“…”
“Everything you’ve built. Your social standing, the people you love, everything.”
Lee Seong-hyun smiled.
“I’ll turn it all to nothing.”
He plunged the sword into the bag.
Blood seeped out.
“Mmmmph!”
A muffled scream.
A familiar voice.
“Jeong-ah!”
Kim Seong-ho lunged forward, but Lee Seong-hyun twisted the blade.
“Mmmmph!”
“You know it’ll be no fun if you come any closer, right?”
“You bastard!”
“My, my. You make me sound like the bad guy.”
Lee Seong-hyun chuckled and picked up six daggers.
“Want to make a bet?”
‘A bet…?’
He twirled the daggers in his hand.
“You know poppers, right? If this woman’s still alive after I stick all six of these in, I’ll let you have her.”
“You’re crazy! Jeong-ah is a civilian! She’s not a Hunter!”
“So?”
Lee Seong-hyun’s calm gaze fixed on Kim Seong-ho.
“So you thought it was okay to do that to Shin Su-yeon, a civilian?”
“…”
“Let’s begin.”
He plunged a dagger into the bag.
“Mmmpph!”
The bag twitched.
A second dagger.
“Aaargh!”
A louder scream.
The bag thrashed.
A third dagger.
“Mmmppph…!”
A gurgling sound.
Her breathing grew faint. Then…
Thud!
Kim Seong-ho fell to his knees.
“I’m… sorry…”
“What was that? I can’t hear you.”
“I was… out of line… I’m sorry. I’ll do anything, anything you want. Just please… spare Jeong-ah…”
He was broken.
His face was pale, his body trembling.
The terror of losing the woman he loved.
He’d probably never felt anything like it before.
Lee Seong-hyun’s smile widened.
“What did you do wrong?”
“I… I sent ogres after you… and threw a dagger…”
“And?”
“I… I attacked Shin Su-yeon…”
Sensing the shift in Lee Seong-hyun’s mood, Kim Seong-ho prostrated himself.
Desperation.
And a heartfelt plea.
Even a thug like him had these emotions.
“I see. I understand.”
Lee Seong-hyun plunged the remaining daggers into the black bag.
“Mmmppph!”
The bag twitched violently, then went still.
He untied the top and tossed it to Kim Seong-ho.
Thud!
A blood-soaked woman spilled out.
Kim Seong-ho’s eyes widened.
“Jeong-ah…?”
She didn’t respond.
Her body was growing cold.
He stared in disbelief, his voice hoarse.
“W-why…?”
“Did I ever say I’d spare her if you apologized?”
Lee Seong-hyun shrugged with a smile playing on his lips.
Kim Seong-ho snapped.
“You bastard!”
He activated Haste and lunged, his fist aimed at Lee Seong-hyun’s face. But…
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
He was no match for Lightning God.
He clutched his stomach, gasping for air, and fell to his knees.
Lee Seong-hyun grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up.
“I’ll kill you… I swear I will!”
Lee Seong-hyun laughed.
“If you want to kill me, come to the training grounds. That will be your last chance.”
“…”
“Set traps, bring your guild members, do whatever you can.”
“…”
Kim Seong-ho’s throat tightened.
As his consciousness faded, he heard Lee Seong-hyun’s final words.
“I’ll crush it all.”
It was a death sentence.
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A week passed.
Lee Seong-hyun and Professor Irena had vanished.
Other professors said she’d taken a leave of absence.
But as the acting principal, it was strange for her to be gone for an entire week.
And…
The outdoor training grounds.
The usually empty spectator stands were packed.
Han Yuri and Choi Ah-hyun sat in the front row.
“There are so many people…”
“That’s his intention. He’s going to publicly execute Lee Seong-hyun.”
Rumors had spread throughout the Academy.
That Student Council President Kim Seong-ho was going to personally discipline an unruly first-year.
“Those second-year losers are taking advantage of the fact that we’ve been busy with D-rank assignments.”
“That’s so mean…”
“Those cowards. They wouldn’t dare say anything to my face.”
Despite their complaints, time marched on.
Beep!
The referee blew the whistle.
Kim Seong-ho entered the arena.
“Seong-ho! Go easy on him! Don’t crush his spirit!”
“Oppa! Fighting!”
“Hyung-nim! Teach him a lesson!”
But despite their cheers, something was off about Kim Seong-ho’s expression.
“What’s with his face?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
He walked with feigned confidence, but Han Yuri’s sharp eyes noticed something.
‘He’s…’
…trembling?
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