Hunter Academy’s Battle God

Rain poured down over the deepening night, and Sumire listened to YuSung’s stories of his past with her eyes wide open.

She was about to say something when her mouth stopped. She finally understood why HaYoon had tried to extend her hands to her, the way YuSung looked at her, and why he looked the way he did when he looked outside on rainy days.

She gained an understanding of his expressions.

Sumire looked at YuSung while hugging a pillow.

To her, YuSung was a reliable party leader and a person with strong beliefs.

She admired him because, unlike her, he didn't seem to get shaken up at things.

'But…'

Although YuSung hadn't said it, Sumire knew that he had no choice but to become strong.

Due to her fear of 'that incident', she'd been locked in her bedroom for around half a year. Although he'd been abandoned, YuSung had been trying hard for 12 years. Unlike her, he'd faced the hardship up front.

'It feels weird…'

Sumire felt a pain deep in her core.

"But I'm okay, I have my master."

Without realizing Sumire's emotions, YuSung smiled as if he didn't care.

"And I also have all of you."

Sumire thought that maybe he’d closed his heart because of the shock he'd gone through at such a young age.

Even if he hurt, he wasn't aware of it, but Sumire already knew…

[I'm okay!]

Even if you said you were okay, that didn't mean you really were okay. If you don't heal a wound, it festers.

She was tearing up as if she'd eaten wasabi.

Sumire opened her mouth. "As expected… YuSung, you're strong."

She gathered up her courage and looked into his eyes. "But still…" She made an expression somewhere between crying and smiling. "I'm sure it was lonely…"

To think that his family, the people who should've believed more in him than any others, had abandoned him. If it were her, she wouldn't have been able to stand it.

The only thing she could do was give small remarks. After all, Sumire had never gone through something like that.

"Really…?" YuSung didn't deny what Sumire had said. It had happened such a long time ago that he didn't remember very well, but sadness was definitely among the emotions he'd felt.

He smiled. "Maybe you're right."

As usual, Sumire made a smile brighter than before.

If YuSung smiled, she began feeling good for no special reason, and if he got immersed in his thoughts, she also fell into thought.

Sumire thought she was being dumb, but it didn't feel bad.

'It seems like… I like YuSung a lot.'

The lights turned off.

There was silence. The only thing they could hear was the sound of rain. Sumire lay next to YuSung. The thought that YuSung was sleeping on her bed made her feel good.

After all, that made it look as if they were a married couple.

'Ah…'

Once again, she felt her face heating up.

As she once again realized YuSung was next to her, she couldn't make herself sleep.

Slide-

Pretending to be asleep, Sumire turned her head to YuSung. Although the light was turned off, she could see his face thanks to the moonlight.

HIs white skin…

His tall nose…

Badump- Badump-

Her heart was beating fast, and she couldn’t calm herself down.

Unlike usual, they were extremely close.

She could feel his body heat.

Although she was just looking at him, Sumire felt she was doing something wrong—that's how vulnerable the sleeping YuSung looked.

'YuSung…'

His body heat that she could feel underneath the blanket made her feel good.

'If… I can become part of YuSung's family one day…'

Sumire was sure she could always be on his side. It would be great if she could become his family instead of the Shin-oh family members.

Sumire dug herself into his arms. Pressing herself against him, she listened to his breathing.

"YuSung…" Sumire said in such a low voice that you wouldn't have heard it if you didn't pay close attention.

"I like you… I really like you a lot."

She wanted to become something more than a simple party member, but that was too much of a dream for her at the moment.

"That's why… I'm going to try harder to become someone that suits you…" she whispered in a low voice and softly hugged his body. The palms of her hands began shining with a purple color. The fragment had reacted to her desires.

[Synchronization rate has increased.]

[Current synchronization rate 67%]

Her feelings toward YuSung were making her stronger.

* * *

* * *

Eating in the Shinsung Group's main residence was something that only a select few powerful people were invited to do.

The people there were more select than the ones that had been invited to the banquet. It was a place where they could cultivate their fraternity.

SeokHan smiled and said, "Haha, I'm quite embarrassed! To think I'd gather so many important people in such a shabby place."

That was a joke that only Kim SeokHan could've made. Although there were many important people from big guild leaders, to famous hunters, to politicians, no one had more authority than him.

"Hahaha! Rusty, your jokes are great, President!"

"That's right. I've heard rumors about the main residence, but… I've never seen a palace like this!"

People were laughing at SeokHan's comments. EunAh couldn't help but be disappointed.

'Well… People trying to gain our favor isn’t anything to resent.'

That wasn't important at the moment. She’d only had one goal from the moment she read the guest list.

[The family didn't want an heir with an F-rank Trait.]

EunAh hadn't forgotten what she'd heard from YuSung in the coffee store. What she wanted was the sweet taste of revenge.

"Was his name Shin KangYoon? Where's that guy?"

"From the Shin-oh family? They're huge fish, so I've memorized their faces. Wait a moment… Ah, there he is! It seems like he's talking with Father. Ah, the Night Wave guild leader is also with them."

EunAh turned her head at JunHyuk's words. As she did that, she looked at her father, Kim SungHan, and two men talking.

"Ah~ Really?"

She walked toward her father while making a mischievous smile. SungHan, KangYoon, and Terrian were talking while sitting at the same table.

She heard their conversation as if she were an eagle aiming for prey.

"If you leave this subjugation to us, the Night Wave Guild… We can give you a convenient price!"

Night Wave guild leader Terrian was a blonde man, and KangYoon, who was Shin YuSung's father, sat next to him. Although he was more than forty years old, he had clear facial features. The first impression EunAh got from Shin KangYoon was that he looked like a sharp blade.

"He doesn't look like YuSung at all. He looks like a snake."

Of course, she couldn't help but think negatively about him after what they'd done. KangYoon noticed Kim EunAh's stare, but he did his best to ignore her.

The Metro Subway's subjugation quest was so huge that he, the patriarch of the Shin-oh family, had to come himself. He didn't have time to be distracted.

"Vice President Kim SungHan," Shin KangYoon called.

SungHan turned his head around and touched his glasses.

"We cannot lower the price of the subjugation. We're different from sellers who're using low-quality hunters," KangYoon said while looking down at Terrian.

"S-sellers?!"

"We've confirmed our skills through all the successful subjugations. That's why we don't beg by lowering our prices like them."

"You! What are you saying?!"

"It seems you think you're on the same level as me because you became the guild leader, but you better not raise your voice to me."

KangYoon glared at Terrian. Although he was one of the few rank 7 hunters in the world and the leader of a huge guild, he couldn't help but be overwhelmed by him.

"L-let's leave it there! The person who must make the choice is the Vice President, after all…"

Terrian was overwhelmed. Even if he gave them a lower price for the subjugation, SungHan didn't want to leave things to Terrian.

'As expected, this case…'

As things started to flow in favor of the Shin-oh family, someone joined the conversation.

"Dad, let's choose them." EunAh suddenly joined the conversation and picked the Night Wave Guild. Terrian didn't seem to know how to react. Even her father, Kim SungHan, spoke out in surprise.

"E-EunAh?"

To think EunAh, who didn't seem interested in business, would get interested in things like that.

She pointed at Terrian. "I like their logo. It's shaped like a wave. It reminds me of the sea."

KangYoon frowned after hearing the unreasonable explanation. "What's…?"

Shin-oh family's patriarch, Shin KangYoon, and Shinsung Group's beloved, Kim EunAh, looked at each other.

A ki fight between both had started.