Chapter 97

No. 97

“What is this?” one of the hunters who had gathered in the room cried out.

They were all experienced and skilled personnel. Even if a monster suddenly appeared in front of them, they had the skills to face it head-on.

However, the shock they felt now was a different story.

How could they not doubt their eyes?

The crack had occurred not in the sky but inside the very office of CEO Yoo Joon-seok. What was even more curious was its size.

Everyone had seen a sudden rift before. Although it was somewhat rare, cracks had appeared indoors before.

However, not one of them had been this small.

This one was only about three meters wide. A blue Aurora fluttered in the middle of their CEO’s office.

It did not breach any wall, ceiling, or furniture. It was as if someone had painted it.

“Hey!” Yoo-seong suddenly yelled out.

He turned his head toward the hunters before speaking with an urgent expression.

“Is the building equipped with a pulse breaker? Please prepare quickly to block the monsters coming out of the rift.”

With this said, he turned toward Yoo Joon-seok.

“Meanwhile, I and your CEO will go inside the crack until the pulse breaker arrives.”

The hunters hesitated.

When they had opened the door, Yoo-seong had his back to them. Because of this, they hadn’t seen exactly what happened.

All they knew was that there was something metallic in Yoo-seong’s hands, and the crack had been created after he swung it in the air.

“Please be quick,” Yoo-seong urged them.

Besides, Yoo-seong was right. No matter how small the crack was, this must be considered an emergency situation.

With their CEO and Oh Yoo-seong rushing in to defend against monsters, they must be prepared to stop any beast from slipping out.

Nevertheless, their CEO was present. It was only proper to receive the order from their superior, not from Oh Yoo-seong.

The hunters’ eyes all turned to Yoo Joon-seok.

“What are you doing? Give them directions,” Yoo-seong told him.

Yoo Joon-seok was still for a few moments. Then he found his words.

“Why are you all still standing here? Don’t be amateurs!” he yelled out.

The hunters reacted immediately. Two of them immediately ran out to find a pulse breaker. The rest of them started making blocking formations throughout the office and the hallways.

Only Yoo Joon-seok and Yoo-seong were left standing, face to face.

“Shall we go in?” Yoo-seong motioned toward the crack with his head.

Yoo Joon-seok already understood what Yoo-seong wanted.

At least until the pulse breaker arrived, it would just be the two of them inside a lawless zone.

“Well, if you’re afraid, you don’t have to come in.”

It was an obvious provocation. Yoo Joon-seok was obliged to enter.

As he did, he organized his thoughts.

Yoo-seong had just opened a crack. He did not know how that was possible, but there was no doubt about it – Yoo-seong had a tool that could open a crack.

How much value could be obtained from that tool?

‘I need to get it,’ he thought.

Yoo Joon-seok’s eyes were burning with greed as he followed Yoo-seong into the crack.

Jiii-

As he stepped through, the magnetic field lightly irritated his skin. And as soon as he stepped inside, he felt the humidity of a tropical jungle.

Beyond the dense foliage, he could hear the cries of monsters. Soon, those monsters would flock to this rift.

Threung-

At this, Yoo Joon-seok drew his sword.

“I know that Blade is your specialty,” he said confidently. “Pull it out.”

However, instead of doing that, Yoo-seong only took a step back.

“As soon as we entered the rift, you pointed the blade at me,” Yoo-seong remarked. He continued walking backward as he talked.

“Besides, you called hunters to your office. I didn’t feel safe at all. I didn’t even come with a combat stance.”

Once the hunters got the emergency call from Yoo Joon-seok, they had rushed to his aid immediately. They hadn’t taken into account that they were being called to subdue another hunter by force.

If they had known, most of them wouldn’t have agreed to use force against another person.

“I don’t know, but it seems that hunters have changed in the last six months. It’s quite disappointing. Especially since you are the second-best hunter in this country.”

Yoo-seong kept walking and talking until he reached a tree. Then he stopped.

“I’ll give you a chance,” he told Yoo Joon-seok. “You can still change your mind.”

“That’s funny.” Yoo Joon-seok laughed bitterly. In response to this, Yoo-seong shrugged.

“All we have to do is stop the beasts from getting out of the rift as much as possible,” he said, turning his back to Yoo Joon-seok.

He seemed to be doing something with the tree branches.

Suddenly…

Taaah-!

Spectral Thunder Sword.

It had been given to Yoo Joon-seok by Tenz. A single flash of light from its blade shone as it flew toward Yoo-seong’s back.

Surprisingly, Yoo-seong kept still and did not dodge it.

Fook-!

Yoo Joon-seok’s sword penetrated his shoulder.

Feeling ecstatic about his successful attack, Yoo Joon-seok pulled his blade out and prepared to attack once more. However…

Chaeng-!

Yoo-seong blocked it with his Blade this time. Suddenly, he sank to his knees.

‘Was it because his shoulder wound hurt?’ Yoo Joon-seok thought. ‘Or probably he was weakened when he tried to block my second attack.’

However, Yoo Joon-seok was quick to react to Yoo-seong’s change of posture.

Puck-!

He kicked the kneeling Yoo-seong’s side.

If Yoo-seong hadn’t protected his torso with Aura, he would have suffered several broken ribs from that single kick.

Still, he wasn’t able to block the attack entirely. He rolled several times on the ground.

When he tried to stand, blood spilled from his mouth.

“Did you say you will give me a chance?” Yoo Joon-seok laughed arrogantly.

“Then,” he pointed his sword at Yoo-seong, “I’ll give you a chance as well.”

Yoo-seong stayed silent.

“Tell me everything you know,” Yoo Joon-seok pressed.

He wanted everything. How Yoo-seong had spent the past six months, his relations with China, and the various Techs he’d learned.

Yoo Joon-seok would gain everything.

“If you do this, I will consider keeping you alive.” He smiled triumphantly.

However, something caught his eye.

Something on the branches that Yoo-seong had been fiddling with earlier was reflecting light onto his face.

In an instant, he realized what it was.

“Action cam…”

This was an essential tool for hunters.

Its lens was staring down at Yoo Joon-seok.

It had captured the duel that occurred between them.

Obviously, it would show Yoo Joon-seok attacking first and Yoo-seong defending himself.

Yoo Joon-seok immediately swung his sword in the action cam’s direction.

However, he was too late.

Yoo-seong pulled the thread that he had tied the action cam with.

In an instant, the action cam was back in his hand.

“Nice catch,” Yoo-seong praised himself. He had a sword wound on his shoulder and a big bruise on the side of his chest. However, he also had the footage of Yoo Joon-seok attacking him from behind.

‘I told you.’ Yoo Joon-seok flinched as he heard Yoo-seong’s voice within his head.

He had heard rumors about the Chinese sound manipulation techniques, but it was the first time he had experienced it.

‘That I’d give you a chance, and you could still change your mind. But now… You are a criminal.’

It was a felony for a hunter to wield force against another person.

The Team Quartz members who had attacked Yoo-seong last time were all in prison now.

At this, Yoo Joon-seok trembled.

‘Do you still want to wield more violence?’ said Yoo-seong’s voice from within him.

There were two options in front of Yoo Joon-seok right now.

One was to surrender himself to the authorities and admit his crime. The other was to keep doing the crime he was trying to commit.

“I have no choice.” Yoo Joon-seok’s voice was grave.

The slight fear and embarrassment disappeared from his eyes. Desperation filled their place.

Meanwhile, Yoo-seong shook his head.

“Why am I not surprised at your decision?” he remarked with a voice full of regret.

Then…

He pressed the button.