Returnee's S-Rank Management Guide

The Finals, and (2)

When Park Jung-woo asked her if she was hurt anywhere, Lee Soo-ah finally came to her senses.

She couldn't even tell whether what she had just seen was real.

"Ma, manager! Ju-Just now, how on earth did you...?"

"Hearing your voice, it seems you're okay. But this isn't the time for that."

Park Jung-woo held up the watch on his left wrist and pointed at the time with the index finger of his right hand.

"There are only five minutes left until the finals start."

"Huh?! Already?"

The time that had passed in that white space felt like only about thirty minutes.

Considering there had been about two hours of spare time when they left the waiting room, it certainly seemed strange.

"The demon's barrier distorts human perception. You probably wandered in the barrier for quite a while."

"I-Is that so?"

"It's a bit of a shame. If we'd had some time, I would have let you fight that guy, Soo-ah-ssi."

"W-What are you saying?"

Soo-ah was horrified by Park Jung-woo's words.

Letting her fight against that bizarre, monstrous man—wasn't that too much?

'So that monster is called a demon?'

Thinking she should ask more about it later, Soo-ah quietly listened to Park Jung-woo's words.

"We don't get opponents like that often. Someone who can't even gauge his opponent's level, but is still bold enough to act. Even though he's sloppy, he's a titled demon, so he's a suitable challenge."

"Ah... okay."

"In any case, it's a shame, but let's hurry."

At Park Jung-woo's genuinely regretful muttering, Soo-ah shuddered.

She appreciated that Park Jung-woo believed in her, but she thought it was a bit much.

***

"With not much time left before the finals, hunter Ju Ji-sang has taken the stage first!"

Baek Hojun glanced at the staff's hand signals, stalling for as much time as he could.

Normally, the interview should have been finished by now, and all preparations for the finals would have been done.

But for some reason, Lee Soo-ah had gone missing.

From Baek Hojun's point of view, he couldn't help but be anxious.

He had made promises with Park Jung-woo during the Ji Yeon-hwa incident, after all.

"The first on stage is Hunter Ju Ji-sang, the Sword King's disciple and the strongest contender for victory! He has just become an A-rank hunter and, considering his age, is a hunter with a promising future."

The grand hall where the finals would be held was packed with people.

With his excellent hearing, Baek Hojun could sense grumbles spreading through the audience as he stalled longer.

"Who here doesn't know who Ju Ji-sang is? When is the finals actually going to start?"

"We're already past the scheduled time, aren't we?"

Hearing those comments, Baek Hojun realized that he was reaching the limit of how much he could stall.

Still, he wondered if he should try to buy some more time with a brief interview—when he saw a staff member signaling "okay" with both arms.

Lee Soo-ah had finally arrived.

'Why are you so late, seriously.'

He grumbled, but assumed there must be a reason for it.

Although Soo-ah had straightened her outfit, she clearly looked like she'd rushed over, and Park Jung-woo could be seen making his way up to the seats reserved for Unique just now.

"Well! Thank you for waiting. Today's final is the uprising of a C-rank hunter! There will be a clash between Hunter Lee Soo-ah and Hunter Ju Ji-sang, the Sword King's disciple and pride of A-rank hunters!"

No sooner had Baek Hojun finished speaking than fireworks burst in all directions, and Soo-ah and Ju Ji-sang slowly ascended to the stage for the finals.

'Th-thought I was going to be late.'

Although it was the much-anticipated finals she had dreamed of, she was too overwhelmed to even think straight.

As she caught her breath and went up the stage step by step, she felt Park Jung-woo's gaze upon her.

He wore an expression that didn't even consider the possibility of her losing, making Soo-ah smile awkwardly.

'Really...'

Baek Hojun made small talk with the two contestants on stage and showed highlights of their performances in the previous missions.

Before, the majority of the spectators would have cheered for Ju Ji-sang.

But not anymore.

Because of the recent leak scandal, Soo-ah's track record was being re-evaluated, and the audience's eyes were filled with goodwill now. It was the first time for Soo-ah to receive such gazes.

Until now, the eyes directed at Soo-ah had always been like sharp awls.

For Ju Ji-sang, it must have been quite unpleasant.

He had always been the protagonist of Super Hunter K.

But now, Soo-ah was reaping all the glory at the very end—how could he not find it infuriating?

'Huh?'

Soo-ah, who cast a glance to gauge Ju Ji-sang's state of mind, felt something strange.

'What's this?'

There wasn't just ordinary magic power flowing from the stage, but a completely different energy.

Coincidentally, Soo-ah knew what it was.

'Was it called demonic energy?'

She had felt it when Ji Yeon-hwa used it.

And just a few minutes ago, that mysterious power she sensed from the man called a demon.

When he talked to Park Jung-woo he said, "I set a trap using demonic energy."

So, the strange energy she had felt then had indeed been demonic energy.

'Why am I feeling that same energy from Hunter Ju Ji-sang?'

It was bizarre.

The fragment of power she sensed from the demon was now coming from Ju Ji-sang as well.

Upon closer inspection, even Ju Ji-sang's complexion looked subtly different than usual.

"Before we start the match, let me briefly explain: both contestants are equipped with special artifacts. These are expensive items that block a certain amount of damage. In the finals, the winner is whoever inflicts more damage and destroys their opponent's artifact first."

After simply explaining the rules, Baek Hojun alternated his gaze between the quietly standing Soo-ah and Ju Ji-sang.

"Well, that's all for the explanation. I hope this will be a match with no regrets for both sides. Now... please prepare!"

At Baek Hojun's call, Soo-ah and Ju Ji-sang faced each other from their positions on the stage.

On a ring made of special alloy.

No missions were given—this was pure combat to test each other's true abilities.

"Then, let the finals... begin!!"

With Baek Hojun's shout echoing through the hall, Ju Ji-sang lunged forward.

No one saw when he drew his sword, but with fluid motion he swung, aiming for Soo-ah's neck.

It was a fierce strike, but Soo-ah deflected it barehanded without so much as taking a single step back.

"Whoa, that was nerve-wracking. Wasn't that dangerous just now?"

Spectators watching the match pressed their hands to their chests in relief.

It had certainly looked as though Soo-ah was in danger during that exchange.

But for the hunters, it was different.

"She blocked it without even drawing her sword?"

"What on earth was that just now? How do you block that barehanded?"

In the commotion among the audience, Ju Ji-sang launched relentless attacks in succession.

Soo-ah, without even drawing her sword, lightly tapped the sides of the blade, deflecting each strike.

"... That's strange, why isn't Soo-ah drawing her sword?"

Shin Ah-yeon muttered, as if she couldn't understand Soo-ah's actions.

From the outside, it looked like Ju Ji-sang was overwhelming her, but in Shin Ah-yeon's eyes, Soo-ah wasn't going all out at all.

"No, but when did she get that strong anyway? Has she been doing special training lately?"

"Not really, we just went to a baseball stadium together."

Park Jung-woo answered Shin Ah-yeon's question offhandedly, focused as he was on Soo-ah's match.

"Yeah, that's really stra—wait, the baseball stadium? Together, just the two of you?"

But at those words, Shin Ah-yeon half-squinted and looked up at Park Jung-woo.

"What! While I was working so hard, you two went out to have fun?"

"What do you mean working? I know you were just raiding in games at home."

"I-I told you, I've also been going to acting classes to practice!"

Shin Ah-yeon quickly tried to make excuses, but it just made her feel more awkward, so she decided to change the subject.

She could interrogate Soo-ah about the baseball stadium trip later.

"Anyway, do you know why Soo-ah isn't going all out now?"

"Who knows..."

Since he wasn't close to the ring, Park Jung-woo couldn't figure out the exact reason either.

But one thing was obvious: Ju Ji-sang's movements had undeniably changed from before.

'His speed and strength have increased a lot. Has he gotten access to more magic power?'

Compared to the semifinals, Ju Ji-sang's movements were far better now.

Could a person really change that much in just a week?

'Could it be an ultimate magic stone?'

That was the only guess he could make.

And it seemed not a small amount had been used, either.

Unless a huge amount was used, enough to cause problems in the mana hall, this level of power-up would have been impossible.

Boom! Boom! Boom!!

Ju Ji-sang's sword struck the ground, splitting open the stage.

It was a tremendously powerful sword strike, but Soo-ah just calmly dodged with a single step back.

'What the, what the heck!'

Ju Ji-sang ground his teeth at Soo-ah's calm, quiet gaze.

'No matter how strong that girl is, she's only an A-rank at best. So how is there such a gap?'

He had become stronger.

Had the Javelin Guild not provided him with so many ultra-magic stones?

Even now, the magic power surging in his body was incomparable to before.

"Stop with your dumb dodging!"

Shouting with unrestrained emotion, Ju Ji-sang watched as Soo-ah finally placed her hand on her sword.

And then—

Clang!

That was the end.

"Huh."

Ju Ji-sang looked blankly at the sword in his hand.

Half of it had been cleanly sliced off in the middle, as if it were a joke.

Silence.

The arena, which had been filled with cheers for Lee Soo-ah and Ju Ji-sang, fell instantly quiet.

That's how shocking the scene was.

"No way. Wasn't that the first time Lee Soo-ah drew her sword just now?"

"Even so, how could the difference in skill be that huge?"

After all that dodging and deflecting Ju Ji-sang's sword barehanded, Lee Soo-ah delivered a single strike when she finally unleashed her sword.

And with that, Ju Ji-sang's sword was cut clean in half.

"Yeah, he only just recently became A-rank, but still, he's an A-rank hunter..."

The result was so anticlimactic that the murmurs from the audience grew louder and louder.

The noise was loud enough to reach even the ears of Soo-ah and Ju Ji-sang on stage.

"... This is ridiculous."

How unfair.

He still had plenty of magic power left.

If he used up all this strength from the ultra-magic stones, then no matter who Lee Soo-ah was—

"Stop."

Lee Soo-ah quietly addressed Ju Ji-sang.

"Stop it."

In a voice so soft it could only be heard by Ju Ji-sang, Soo-ah spoke.

"If you keep going, you'll break beyond repair."

"..."

Ju Ji-sang suddenly felt the strength leave his body.

He realized that the Soo-ah who had fought him was never using her full power.

Even if he used up all the power from the ultra-magic stones, there was a hopelessly insurmountable gap.

"... Maybe Manager Park was right after all."

Baek Hojun, who had unknowingly approached the two, said with a smile.

At that moment, Soo-ah stared blankly at him, not understanding what he meant, and he continued calmly.

"Manager Park once told me that Soo-ah-ssi was already nearly complete."

"... Nearly."

"To be exact, she is complete, but she has yet to break her shell, he said."

After saying that, Baek Hojun patted Ju Ji-sang on the shoulder, who was hanging his head, and raised the microphone.

"Well! Astoundingly, the winner of the finals is Hunter Lee Soo-ah. Please give a round of applause to both hunters for their wonderful match."

Applause started to ring out, little by little.

But since the match had ended so quickly, the audience mostly looked dissatisfied.

"With this, the winner of this season's Super Hunter K is Unique's Hunter Lee Soo-ah... but—"

Feeling the stares of staff and spectators, Baek Hojun slowly began to speak.

He was about to carry out Park Jung-woo's 'request'.

And that request was equally important to Hojun himself.

"As I mentioned before, there's an event match left for this season of Super Hunter K."

It was time for the event match between the Super Hunter K champion and Baek Hojun.

In fact, most people didn't care much about the match.

Wasn't that obvious?

No matter how great the winner of Super Hunter K might be, Baek Hojun was an S-rank hunter.

Even an A-rank hunter was worlds apart from an S-rank hunter.

So, people thought, what chance would the winner have? But after seeing Lee Soo-ah's performance just now, curiosity about "Maybe?" began to stir.

"Uh, are we really doing this?"

"Yes! Of course, hunter Lee Soo-ah-nim. And one more important thing to note here—"

Baek Hojun said as he took something from his pocket.

It was a special license issued by the Hunter Association.

Specifically, a license that authorized the holder to grant S-rank hunter certification as an examiner.

There were only two of these in all of South Korea.

"I am here today as an examiner, authorized to test for the qualification of S-rank hunter."

"... Excuse me?"

"In other words—"

His voice, which had been light, turned heavy.

Baek Hojun slowly drew the sword he wore at his waist and pointed it at Soo-ah.

"From this moment on, prove to me that you are worthy of S-rank."

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
A wild S-rank promotion exam appeared!
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