Hunter Academy’s Battle God

As someone who’d been a member of the party to go the farthest in the tower, one of the greatest hunters, and Fist King Yu WonHak’s colleague, Kang YuChan had experienced countless events that could be called ‘mysterious’.

It’d been a while since something surprised him, but…

‘What’s up with this report?’

"Secretary Mei, is this report accurate? Is this child a dragon hatchling?" he asked as he marveled at a hologram of Velvet.

Secretary Mei pushed more information through the hologram and said, "You might find it hard to believe, but it's true. Moreover, based on our research, that dragon is identical to the recently subjugated Sardonyx.

YuChan smiled as he went through the holograms one by one. "Secretary Mei, how many years have passed since you were last active?"

"The Association would recognize it as nine years.”

YuChan flipped through the information and turned off the hologram after he verified everything. "Hahaha, it's been more than 40 years since I was last active. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I've devoted my entire life to being a hunter."

"That's why everyone respects you. You’re a legend to us."

YuChan waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, don't misunderstand. I don't want to hear such things. I just wanted to say that spending so much time in this field results in seeing a lot of surprising things."

He thought about his life as a hunter. "During the past fifty or so years, I’ve seen a sea of lava, ancient monsters in slumber for thousands of years, and civilizations built on their bodies."

Even so, the most recent incident with YuSung was an exception.

"Despite everything I’ve seen, this is a first,” he said. “A dragon with the ability to collapse space and time at will committed suicide?”

Subjugating Sardonyx should’ve been impossible from the moment Rebellion’s leader, Nameless, defeated Rosa. Rank 6 hunters simply didn’t stand a chance against a dragon who’d received praise from their tribe.

Despite that, YuSung had defeated her by himself.

"A dragon hatched from the egg she left behind?"

WonHak’s disciple, YuSung, left one unprecedented event after the other in his wake.

"This could be a new age for hunters. The dragon is proof of that and could be considered a treasure.”

YuChan's words might have sounded like simple praise, but Secretery Mei immediately understood his true thoughts when she heard the word ‘treasure’. YuSung had shown them that you didn’t have to defeat a boss in battle to conquer it.

"Treasure…” she mumbled. “Understood. I'll arrange for the Association to issue a unique number and reward them properly for it." She bowed and turned to leave.

"Good, but let me ask you about its care before you go," YuChan added as he looked out the window.

"If you're talking about the dragon's care… Since they’re students, it’ll be difficult for them to manage it without getting help from the Association.”

It was a reasonable opinion, but YuChan shook his head. "That's true… but who knows how many more miracles YuSung has up his sleeve?"

It was mere speculation, but he seemed to have understood that there was a deeper connection between YuSung, Sardonyx, and Velvet.

Secretary Mei was merely a regional head and didn’t see the bigger picture he had in mind. "Okay. I'll go visit Gaon as I've promised."

After she left the office, she pondered her experience as a rank 6 hunter and a member of Sardonyx’s subjugation group. Just why had Sardonyx accepted her fate without a struggle?

It was a question she’d never be able to find the answer to unless she knew Sardonyx’s life story.

* * *

* * *

EunAh might’ve been the main character of the day, but EunAh’s family couldn’t help but stare in amazement at the visitor.

"Hng Hng~♪"

Was she six or seven?

"Wh-who is that child?" EunAh's family whispered upon seeing Velvet, who, despite her young age, strangely resembled YuSung, was cute, and had a horn on her head.

SeokHan's eyes widened in surprise. "This kid?"

"She's really cute, but… EunAh, what's going on?" Both her mother, YunHa, and her father, SungHan, were just as surprised.

Velvet bowed to them and spoke in a tone that was somewhere between casual and polite. "Hello, Grandpa. Hello, Grandma."

Despite everyone’s puzzled looks, YuSung laughed and stood next to the dragon girl.

JunHyuk was the only one to realize who the girl was. "Ah, I see. Could it be… that she came from the subjugation egg?!"

"What?! Are you talking about the dragon?" YunHa yelped in surprise.

"What?! This child's a dragon?! A dragon?!" SeokHan gasped.

YuSung just remained silent next to the girl and continued smiling at everyone.

EunAh, the original subject of the meeting, sighed as she was quickly forgotten.

"How did she get here?"

"I’m a dragon!” Velvet exclaimed, “A dragon can go anywhere their dad is!"

People would have normally been surprised to hear the girl could instantly move to wherever YuSung was without effort, but YunHa focused more on the word ‘dad’.

"D-ad? Calling student YuSung ‘Dad’ is a bit…"

"Do they just believe the first person they see to be their parent, like ducks do?” JunHyuk tried to defuse the situation.

SeokHan adjusted his glasses and frowned. "A dragon following a human? Really… This defies all common sense."

They all felt like children visiting a zoo for the first time. Meanwhile, Velvet seemed pleased that so many people were paying attention to her.

She confidently put her hands on her hips and said, “Kyahang~! That's right! I’m an amazing dragon!"

EunAh made a sour expression and pulled Velvet back before things dragged out too much. "That's enough! It's my turn to talk. Everyone, pay attention."

Though she tried to get everyone’s attention, she put a plate of cake in front of Velvet and did her best to take care of her. "You, eat this."

"Kyahang~!"

Nobody could overlook the situation.

"E-EunAh…? SeokHan stuttered. “You guys aren't raising that kid at Gaon, right?" Though he adored his granddaughter, even he thought it sounded strange.

EunAh looked annoyed and fiddled with her ear. "We don't know what’s going to happen yet. The Association might take her away. We have to wait for more instructions."

Velvet suddenly dropped her spoon.

Clang—

"Eek-" She exclaimed, seeming to be shocked to hear the Association might take her away. She looked between EunAh and YuSung with her eyes wide open before slowly blinking. Though she didn’t say anything, her thoughts were clear.

‘Mom? Dad? Really? How could you?!’

"I meant that it could happen! Nothing’s confirmed yet." EunAh tried to calm her down.

Velvet cautiously picked her spoon up again.

"Anyway…” EunAh said. “I’ve been thinking ever since I heard what my mother had to say yesterday.” The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed after EunAh began to address them, and SeokHan looked particularly interested.

"I was mad at first, but I'm not dumb. I understand why you said that…"

Velvet stopped eating her cake again when she heard the somber tone in EunAh’s voice.

'EunAh…' As her colleague, party member, and close friend, YuSung had a mountain of words he wanted to say, but he respected her decision and silently watched.

"I never originally planned to take life as a hunter that seriously,” EunAh said. “Honestly… I was only thinking of graduating and rising to the top.”

She was confusing them with her roundabout words. Why couldn’t she just state whether she was going to stay in YuSung’s party or not? YunHa nervously bit her lips.

"Yes, that's right. I would have tried to stop me as well. How long has it been since my brother returned? No matter how much I think about it… Nothing’s worth making your family worry like that,” she confidently said.

Though SeokHan and the other family members didn't say anything, their thoughts were evident from how happy they looked.

"But you know…" she said in a softer voice. Unfortunately for them, she wasn’t done speaking.

"I've changed my mind. Even if it's dangerous, growing stronger with them and experiencing new things is incredibly fun. As for this guy, he’s so helpless that he can’t even visit a cafe by himself, so I don’t want to leave him…” Her thoughts weren’t well organized, but her words were filled with as much certainty as ever.

"I… want to stay in YuSung's party!"

As always, she wasn't very honest with herself. When she was happy, she pretended not to care, and when she was sad, she tried to appear strong. Her family was already aware of her habits and understood just how much thought she’d put into the short announcement and how much her short time in YuSung’s party had affected her.

"EunAh…" YunHa looked away.

SeokHan sighed. "Hmm…"

There was a moment of impenetrable, heavy silence.

Squeeze-

YuSung firmly interlocked his fingers with EunAh's. "EunAh, thank you…"

Of course, it wasn't just him. Velvet joined in and hugged EunAh. "Kyahang- Mom!"

Despite Velvet’s cute reaction, EunAh’s helpless look shocked her family in a variety of ways.

"E-EunAh…"

"Even so, calling her ‘Mom’…"

They were at a loss for words until EunAh pulled her hand away from YuSung’s and mustered up the courage to say, “A-anyway… This is my decision. I’ll also no longer be needing this."

She placed the Shinsung Group’s black credit card that she’d had since she was five years old on the table. It was the very card that had made her completely out of touch with the concept of money.

"It isn't cool to say I want to achieve things myself while receiving so much help from the family, so I want to show you that I can be independent. I think only then will everyone feel at ease.”

SungHan, YunHa, and SeokHan panicked.

"So that's why… I would like to ask you to wait for me to return as a hunter you can be proud of."

After that, EunAh confidently turned and strode from the room.

"EunAh!” YunHa screamed in horror. “EunAh-! Wh-what do you mean?! You're going to live without this card?!"

SungHan's hands shook as he gripped his glass. "EunAh… Her card? What's happening…?"

"No, this can't be! Will our EunAh starve or be without transport? How could a child who's been living under our wing survive in such a harsh world? This can't be!" SeokHan shouted in panic.

Ignoring her family’s outbursts, EunAh called out to YuSung and Velvet from the lobby. "Hey, aren't you guys coming?"

The damage was already done. YuSung gave an awkward smile and took Velvet’s hand.

"Velvet, let's go."

"Kyahang~"

Just as he and Velvet were leaving the room, YunHa rushed over and handed something to him. "S-student YuSung! Wait a moment! Just in case! Just in case… Here, take this card. Will you keep it with you?"

"EunAh already…" He was trying to kindly refuse, but YunHa continued her desperate plea.

"It's my last request as EunAh's mother!"

"It… it wouldn't be bad just in case something happened, right?” JunHyuk said. “As EunAh's brother, I'm extending the same request."

YuSung couldn’t refuse after that. JunHyuk had been subtly supporting him and EunAh, after all.

"Understood. I’ll keep it in case of an emergency."

"Thank you! Really, thank you, YuSung!"

YuSung gave her a worried look after she thanked him when she was the one who’d handed him an unlimited credit card.

'Is this finally over with?'

Holding the card and Velvet’s hand, he walked from the mansion into the bright morning.