Chapter 14

14

“No, wait a minute. Wait a minute.”

Yoo-seong held his hands out towards Kim Sung-wook.

“I don’t understand. I didn’t expect to hear a story like this.”

Yoo-seong did not know exactly how much value was being handed over to him. However, one thing was certain.

Nothing in this world, not even the cheapest copper coin, was given for free.

It was an unchanging truth that Yoo-seong was very well aware of through his 29 years of experience.

The only exception was the button floating in front of his eyes. This was why Yoo-seong thought of it as a miracle.

Miracles didn’t happen to everyone. Why would it happen to one person twice?

“It may sound unpleasant, but please understand. I know my grades are great. But… I don’t think I deserve this.”

He didn’t know if he would have accepted it if he was in his teens or early twenties.

However, by now, Yoo-seong had already experienced too much to simply accept this favor.

“Hmm.”

Kim Sung-wook looked calm. Then, he raised a clenched fist.

“…!”

Yoo-seong felt tense at the moment.

However, Kim Sung-wook did not swing his fist.

Instead, he pointed at his own knuckles. There was nothing on them.

However, Yoo-seong knew what Kim Sung-wook meant.

He looked at his own knuckles.

More than ten hours had passed since the test.

However, there were still red marks on each of his knuckles. Noticeable red marks.

They were traces of the simple armor that Yoo-seong had carefully made and worn for 72 hours.

“Those marks won’t just be there.”

Next, Kim Sung-wook pointed to his neck. His collarbone, his shoulders. Chest, thighs, and knees.

Yoo-seong knew that there would be red marks on them.

All of them were vital places where the armor knots were located.

During those long 72 hours, these places were protected by tightly woven armor.

“The number of examinees was 2497.”

“…”

“Out of all of them, how many do you think would have marks like yours, Yoo-seong? No, how many of them are even familiar with making armors that match the standard?”

Yoo-seong mumbled that he just fought well during the examination.

“Do you really think so? That you topped the examination just because you subdued people?”

Yoo-seong was able to hunt and defeat 46 people in total.

How many opponents were the others able to hunt? Even some of the top-ranked ones averaged at 5-6 people.

In addition, in each of the 46 encounters, he was careful and avoided being ambushed or attacked by accident. Yoo-seong always had enough time to press the button before a fight occurred.

This was not just a matter of who fought better.

“Is it as simple as you fought better than them? No.”

“…”

“Do you really think that high-profile firms and teams will break the precedent they’ve been keeping for someone who just fights well?”

It was his behavior and attitude. Yoo-seong was able to hunt 46 people because he studied and learned even the most trivial things, engraving them to memory.

In the field, there was only one other person who was superior to Yoo-seong.

A natural genius.

Lee Un-seol, who had a brother who supported and provided her with guidance.

Even with that, she was still defeated by Yoo-seong.

“While teaching you in the past eight months, I have seen enough. Your physical strength is excellent, but that alone would not have made me pass the core to you.”

“But… what would you get out of it?”

“To shake off my regrets.”

Kim Sung-wook’s tone was calm.

“To be clearer, I would be satisfied to watch you do the things I could not achieve. If you think about it that way, it will make you more comfortable.”

His eyes were also calm.

“We do not have that much relationship to become a master and a disciple. It’s not just that the age difference is short… I don’t think I am enough to be considered your master.”

“…”

“But at least, I can be a mentor and an advisor. I will help you until you can stand alone as a hunter.”

Then, Kim Sung-wook sighed. He spoke casually, but in a voice that was filled with emotions.

“Then… once again, I’ll tell you my proposal properly.”

He told Yoo-seong his previous proposal, but in a much calmer tone.

“I want to become a mentor for Oh Yoo-seong. Now, we have an opportunity to move into a more trusting relationship.”

“…”

Yoo-seong was silent for about a minute.

“Okay.”

Then, he opened his mouth once more.

“But I would like one thing to be clear…”

***

The following day arrived. It was currently 7 in the morning.

-Jin Chang-hoon Hunter Medical Center.-

Yoo-seong came out an hour earlier than the appointment time.

Surprisingly, Kim Sung-wook also arrived at the same time as him. They met at a cafe on the first floor of a six-story hospital building.

“You came early.”

“You came early.”

They spoke at the same time. He still had a slightly awkward smile.

“Shall we go up, then?”

Sung-wook was referring to the hospital upstairs.

“Are they open at seven in the morning? Even if they cater to hunters…”

“They usually don’t.”

Kim Sung-wook spoke with a light smile.

As they were about to leave the cafe, the saleswoman behind the counter leaned towards them.

“Come again!”

“…?”

It was unusual for franchise cafes to greet customers that way.

Yoo-seong speculated that Sung-wook had spoken with the clerk before he arrived. However, the mystery was quickly resolved as they went to the front door of the building.

“Huh?”

Letters stood out in front of him.

The name of the building in four letters above the lobby:

-Sung-wook Building-

“…”

Yoo-seong thought about the location of the building.

It was near Subway Line 2, in a popular area.

Sung-wook followed his gaze.

“It won’t be long for you, Yoo-seong.”

“How could a lecturer at an academy…”

“Well, I don’t have to do it anymore. I already found you.”

“…”

Yoo-seong shook his head.

‘Sung-wook is a building owner?’

It was mind-boggling.

“The doctor is my friend.”

Hunting was a physical occupation.

There were special doctors needed to manage special injuries that ordinary people couldn’t sustain. Most of all, they needed a trusted primary care physician to handle the process of strengthening.

Sung-wook’s doctor, Jin Chang-hoon, was a man in his mid-30s.

“It’s too early…”

His tone was annoyed. However, his expression was bright.

“It’s been a long time!”

He shook hands with Sung-wook, then with Yoo-seong.

“Ah, he’s the one you were talking about?”

“Yes.”

Everyone had a core. Even without strengthening, each core was filled with energy. Strengthening meant expanding the capacity of this core.

When the procedure begins, a qualified specialist injects energy into the hunter’s body. The amount of energy that can be injected once is legally established.

It must be 500CE (Core Energy). Nothing more, nothing less.

However, this injected energy does not go directly to the core.

It is the hunter’s responsibility to drive the energy floating in the body to the core.

With good control, one could push the energy into your core. Then, albeit with terrible pain, it would expand.

An expanded core does not shrink again, and the injected energy stays for life until the core is destroyed.

“Then, you come in first.”

Sung-wook entered the infusion chamber first to relieve energy.

This would then be injected into Yooseong.

When the extraction was over, and Sung-wook came out, Yoo-seong entered the infusion chamber.

Jin Chang-hoon spoke to him as the machine is being prepared.

“…Sung-wook is my benefactor.”

“Yes?”

“I had a poor family. He paid my medical school tuition and living expenses just because I was an old friend. This hospital’s start-up fund was also provided by him.”

Although he looked somewhat embarrassed, he could see how proud Jin Chang-hoon was of his friend.

“So, I am worried about this. Do you really have the qualities to take his energy? My friend’s blood and sweat?”

“…”

It is much easier for someone to absorb energy from a core than energy made from monster by-products.

However, it had its own risk.

If the energy was not pumped into the core in time, they could get discharged.

If Yoo-seong could not handle the energy properly, Kim Sung-wook’s energy would go to waste.

“Of course, because of my friend’s personality, he would be responsible for you. I have no right to make a decision. So, if you wish to proceed, then I wish… that you are talented enough to handle it.”

“Okay.”

Yoo-seong understood and agreed. Then, the procedure began.

***

About ten minutes had passed.

Sung-wook was waiting outside the infusion room.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Jin Chang-hoon came out. Sung-wook stood and asked him immediately.

“No rejection reaction? Any side effects?”

Of course, he asked about any abnormalities first, not the absorption rate.

Jin Chang-hoon nodded. Sung-wook noticed a strange reaction on Chang-hoon’s face.

“What is it? What happened? Hey!”

Jin Chang-hoon slowly opened his mouth.

“You, man…”

His voice was weak.

“What the hell did you bring to me?”

“…???”

However, Jin Chang-hoon was smiling.

“That person, the absorption rate…”