Hunter Academy’s Battle God

YuSung’s name became even more famous after the Sardonyx raid was announced to the public.

It was announced that he managed to clear the raid alone, but details on how he did so weren’t released.

"I really struggled to give them an explanation they would accept… Even though I saw how Sardonyx disappeared, those who weren’t there would probably find it hard to believe."

Mei Lin took out a jewelry box in the Italian branch of the Hunter Association as if she were in her office.

"We've finished investigating and registering the artifacts from the raid. Would you like to see?"

YuSung nodded and touched the box with his index finger.

Swoosh!

The jewelry box was a small version of a Pocket. Giant monster bones and a red egg came from the little box.

"We received the unknown egg as a result of the subjugation, and the other item is a gift from Rosa. She expresses her thanks.”

A Rebellion member had taken Aventino’s form and wounded Rosa, which had retired two rank 7 hunters from the raid. Despite the dire situation, YuSung had managed to make the subjugation a success, which lessened the pressure on Rosa’s shoulders.

'This bone is her thanks?'

Two artifacts had dropped from the subjugation. According to the rules, the items had to be divided between YuSung and the rank 7 hunter, Rosa.

In the end, she gave her share of the rewards to YuSung.

"Based on our research, this bone seems to have belonged to a blue dragon named Sios. It lost its life after Sardonyx defeated it.’

A blue dragon’s bone was probably priced in the tens of millions. Maybe even more than that.

"And this egg is…"

YuSung extended his hand toward the egg. It was incredibly hot.

'An egg that Sardonyx left behind…'

YuSung looked at the egg with a troubled expression.

Mei Lin smiled. "Don't worry too much. Italy's best will help you with that. I was planning to tell you once the investigation finished, but I think it would be better to meet him yourself."

As Mei Lin finished explaining, the automatic door opened.

"Student YuSung! How are you doing?"

Yu WonHak's former partner, who held the nickname ‘Silver Wind’, entered. He was Italy's most famous and legendary hunter, Arden.

* * * *

A calm air settled over the interior. There was trust in Arden's eyes toward YuSung.

"Student YuSung, how did my Adela do in the subjugation? Did you rely on each other? Ah, I'm sure you did… that's what a partner means to a hunter."

Arden calmly began talking, but he mostly spoke about things unrelated to the egg.

"I'm not sure if I can say something like this, but Adela was happy after she lost to you. She said she'd participate as Italy's representative in the International Competition… It was my first time seeing her so active."

YuSung nodded, but his eyes were set on the egg.

"Student YuSung, I believe everyone lives with a goal in mind. Whether that goal be small or big, but Adela didn't have any goals before…"

Arden's attitude was too serious for YuSung to change the topic. Arden gripped YuSungs hands as if he were his savior and said, "But now she's changed. Adela’s driving goal is to defeat you. So please, don't lose to my granddaughter, no matter what. If possible, beat her by an overwhelming margin! Ehem…" Arden coughed as if he'd made a mistake with his word choice, then calmed down and opened his mouth.

"I went on for too long, but don't worry. This is a red dragon's egg, and I have dealt with one before."

"As expected, it's a red dragon's egg…"

It was an artifact that Sardonyx left behind, so it could be her child or her reincarnated form.

"Arden… can a human hatch a dragon from an egg?"

Arden nodded at YuSung's question.

"It's possible… if the right conditions are met, but it could be troublesome if we leave it like this."

Arden made a serious expression as he touched the egg.

"The first thing needed for a dragon to be born is mana. There's already a vast amount of mana within dragon eggs, so even hunters can hatch one if they supply it with mana whenever they can. The problem is the egg's temperature."

Arden lifted his hands from the egg.

"Red dragons use cold magic on new eggs, but this egg didn't go through that process. If things go on like this, the shell will break."

It was clear what would happen if the shell broke too early.

"Cold magic…? Then is it impossible for hunters?"

"It isn't that there's no way. In reality, there are about three different methods you can use: you can receive help from hunters who have cold abilities, use an artifact that utilizes cold magic, or use a refrigerant!"

Arden smiled.

"Getting the artifact you need is realistically impossible, but the other options are more doable. You could do it if you get the refrigerant I recommend and make use of Adela’s Trait.”

Sardonyx's egg was the only hint he had toward recovering Sardonyx's last fragment. Arden's information was YuSung's last hope.

"Please." YuSung lowered his head.

Arden, looking flustered, straightened YuSung’s form and smiled at him as YuSung raised his head.

"Don't be like that! I should be the one lowering my head to you!"

* * *

* * *

Located atop a cliff where anyone could hear the waves crashing below, Bianca Academy was like a fortress.

Maybe it was because of its remote location, but Bianca Academy rarely received visitors. Rather, the nearby Academy City was where everyone went.

"Student YuSung is here?"

"Yes. He's currently in the student council room."

"Why?"

"I heard he came to meet Adela. After all, she used to be a student of Gaon. Maybe he came to take her back to Korea? If we look at it like that… it's quite romantic."

The blonde student seemed immersed in her imagination. The male student, on the other hand, didn't seem to like it.

"Our Adela?"

"From what I heard, he came to ask a favor. What else could he be asking of her?"

It seemed like there was a bit of a misunderstanding.

Word of YuSung visiting Bianca Academy spread quickly through the student body, but unlike what most of the rumors were saying, YuSung wasn’t there for anything romantic.

"Adela, this is what Arden mentioned that I need you to use your cold abilities on.” YuSung took a red egg out.

Adela gave the egg a confused look. "This egg is…?"

Adela had heard that YuSung obtained an artifact thanks to the raid, but she hadn’t known what it was.

"It's a red dragon's egg."

She finally learned the shocking truth and seemed to gain interest in it after hearing it was from a red dragon.

"To think that I’m going to be using my cold on a red dragon’s egg…"

She felt heat coming from the egg after she took it from YuSung.

Swoosh!

A blue light left Adela's hand. As cold flowed into the egg, it started to cool.

"It worked, but it will only last for about three hours. I won't be able to repeat this constantly, so if you want to continue cooling it…"

"A refrigerant is needed, right?"

Adela nodded at YuSung.

That was easier said than done. Since the target was a red dragon's egg, it would be impossible with a normal refrigerant, but what if the refrigerant utilized the strength of the Winter Witch that still kept cool after many years?

[After Witch Luisa died, winter in Volterra disappeared, but there's a part of the mountains that still can't be accessed.]

[That’s because, even though Luisa was subjugated, the Winter Witch's castle still remains there.]

YuSung was planning to go to Volterra, the place Arden had mentioned.

"I guess a refrigerant related to Luisa will be enough."

Adela's expression changed when she heard him mention the Winter Witch’s name.

"Luisa…?"

The Winter Witch… ‘Volterra's Catastrophe’.

It was the name that Adela would never be able to forget, no matter how many years passed.

"Luisa's castle still remains in the Louin mountains."

Adela's expression stiffened at YuSung's words. Arden hadn't told her the Winter Witch’s castle still remained in the Louin mountains.

No… it was a truth he'd hidden from her.