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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐𝟐: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝟏
Benedict Ackerman.
The current 2nd ranker in Germany and a high-ranker in the world, ranked 20th.
Nicknamed ‘The Maestro of the Battlefield.’
Not only was he an excellent hunter, but he was also a top model thanks to his handsome appearance, making him the most popular hunter in Europe, appearing in various advertisements.
There was even a saying that if Ryu Ji-hwan were in Asia, Ackerman would be in Europe.
Of course, there was a big difference between the two hunters’ skills and personalities.
━Fans of mine in Korea and everyone who likes me! Huh? You want me to take out the ‘fan’ part? No, then I’ll have to have an inspiration instead!
The sounds of Benedict and Rolf grumbling briefly could be heard.
After a moment, Rolf’s secretary hurriedly brought over cocoa, and Benedict resumed the interview with a bright smile.
━Yes, many of you must know about me. So, I’ll just let you ask me questions.
“I’ll ask the first question. Hunter Benedict Ackerman is currently a high ranker, right?”
━Hmm, this cocoa is delicious. Yes, that’s right, but you’re asking too many questions. What is it that you want to say, in the end?
“Th. . . Hunter Min Siwoo is a hunter who isn’t even registered in the world rankings.”
━But the media outlets are saying that he’s my ‘master’, so is that strange?
“What? Ah, ah, yes, that’s right!”
The reporter nodded quickly at Benedict’s words.
━I see! Then I’ll make a correction. Hunter Min Siwoo is not my ‘master.’
His words caused an immediate uproar in the room.
Rolf’s flustered voice could be heard from within the video call, but Benedict nonchalantly continued to sip his cocoa.
“I understand! So, Guild Leader Ackerman, Hunter Min Siwoo’s article about you was malicious reporting!”
━That’s why I’m going to correct that statement.
“Yes! Please speak!”
━Hunter Min Siwoo is not my ‘master’ but. . .
The reporters quickly typed and recorded it, and the cameras zoomed in on Benedict’s face on the screen.
Gulp.
━My ‘Grandmaster.’
Silence fell.
Gulp.
━Hmm, this cocoa is delicious, but what brand is it? MC, give me some when I come.
“Hunter Ackerman? I don’t understand the corrected statement?”
The reporter called out to him with a bewildered expression.
It wasn’t the article content he had wanted.
Benedict glanced at the reporters and then continued, a smirk on his lips.
━I’m the one who doesn’t understand. Isn’t it good to have a skilled hunter as a fellow countryman? Why can’t you accept it?
“. . . . . .”
━Is there any reason why I shouldn’t consider Hunter Min Siwoo as my master, reporter?
When Benedict asked, the reporter hesitated and only glanced around at the people around him.
Normally, he would have moved on to a different topic at this point, but Benedict didn’t say anything until the reporter answered.
Eventually, the reporter couldn’t help but open his mouth.
“We. . . We need to report the truth as journalists.”
━Then are you saying that all the news coming out of Germany is false, and nothing but lies?
“What? Ah, no! That’s not what I meant. . .”
━Then now that you know the truth, you should report it with journalistic spirit!
Benedict stared at the reporter and said.
In fact, there was no country that was free from the damage to hunters caused by political strife.
There were more than a few hunters who had been buried in the hunting industry as scapegoats for the ambitions and power of politicians.
In Germany, at least, this kind of factional conflict had decreased significantly since Rolf Bangenheimer took office as president of the association, and the situation was similar in other developed countries.
━I think I’ll wrap up my interview here! I hope you don’t throw away valuable talent because of stupid political factionalism!
Benedict waved his hand and closed his laptop.
Silence fell.
Even though the interview was over, not all of the questions had been resolved.
Rather, the comment windows of each broadcasting station that was airing the interview live were being flooded with relentless questions, and the reporters were busy organizing additional questions.
‘𝙎𝙤, 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙄 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬?’
The reporters’ heads were spinning.
Both those who had come with the goal of uncovering the identity of this Min Siwoo and those who had come without any particular intention were contemplating the conclusion.
At that moment, Choi Dae-soo walked to the center of the stage.
The focus of both the people and the cameras turned to him.
The uproar subsided, and Choi Dae-soo’s resonant voice slowly filled the space.
“I had one rival. In fact, it’s too much to call him a rival; he was the object of my jealousy.”
His strange confession continued in a monotonous voice.
“I tried to win with everything I had, but each time, my rival would pull away from me and move ahead. It felt like I would never be able to catch up.”
The reporters silently listened to the story of the strongest man in the Republic of Korea.
The comment windows were quiet for this moment, and even the politicians and reporters listened to the man’s story in silence.
“Until recently, I kept challenging him, but I still couldn’t win. At this point, both jealousy and envy felt futile. So, I decided to change my mind.”
He glanced at Siwoo and continued.
“Instead of being enemies, I’d rather have him by my side as a comrade. I didn’t lose. It’s just that there was someone stronger than me. Once I made up my mind, I felt a lot lighter.”
Do Kyung-hoo nodded in understanding beside him.
“Citizens of the Republic of Korea, Hunter Min Siwoo is my comrade. He is a comrade of Choi Dae-soo and Do Kyung-hoo. He is the master of Hunter Kang Yeo-hwa and Hunter Min Si-joon, and a great hunter who has fought for the safety of the Republic of Korea his entire life.”
The reporters listened to the story with rapt expressions.
The countless viewers watching the live broadcast, and those watching TV on the streets or in stores, stopped what they were doing and focused on the story.
“Even if the ministers don’t need him, even if the political leadership doesn’t need him, I need him. The hunter’s industry of the Republic of Korea needs him, and the people of the Republic of Korea will need him.”
At that moment, Do Kyung-hoo grabbed Siwoo’s arm and pulled him next to Choi Dae-soo.
Do Kyung-hoo’s expression, his long hair tied back, looked very happy.
He took the microphone and shouted as if he were announcing to the reporters, the cameras, and the countless people watching the broadcast.
“Kukukak! Listen up!! As of today, the Three Venerables of the Republic of Korea have been revived!!! Since the 1st generation has returned, you juniors had better watch out!!!”
Do Kyung-hoo looked back and forth between Siwoo and Choi Dae-soo with a refreshed expression.
Choi Dae-soo muttered, a corner of his mouth raised.
“There’s no going back now, mutt.”
“I know. And do you think the president would call a valuable asset like that?”
“Kukukak! It’s been a long time since the three of us have been together like this. Shall we have a drink sometime?!!”
“Keep your voice down, you old geezer.”
Siwoo frowned as if he was annoyed by the noise.
And so, the return of the legend was officially proclaimed.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
Before Siwoo returned from Germany, Korea.
A beautiful crescent moon, as thin as an eyebrow, revealed itself through the dark clouds.
The refreshing breath of dawn could be felt.
Pak. Pak. Pak.
There was a shadow approaching through the grass.
The intruder’s steps were too calm and collected for an intruder.
“Who is it?”
At that moment, a cold and curt voice could be heard, stopping the footsteps.
“Heh heh hehㅡ Long time no see, Yeo-hwa.”
Kang Yeo-hwa shuddered at the voice that resembled the deepest darkness.
It had been years since she had heard that voice, and a chill ran down her spine rather than a sense of joy.
“What the. . . Xiaolong?!”
“How clever. To remember the name of the person you tried to kill.”
He approached like a lion, his jet-black dobok billowing out.
The face of a predator choosing its prey in its own territory.
“Stop!!”
Kang Yeo-hwa shouted, drawing on her mana from her dantian.
Beneath the thin moon, a blue aura could be seen flowing around her.
“What are you doing here?!”
“My heart aches. Does a disciple need a reason to visit their master?”
Xiaolong frowned as if he were disappointed, looking at her with a sinister expression.
However, Kang Yeo-hwa didn’t even blink, and she used the [Warrior of the Wind: Divine Bow] skill to manifest a bow and arrow.
“A disciple who wants to kill and devour their master might need a reason.”
“Oh, come on, Yeo-hwa. Do you not trust me?”
“Is there an animal that trusts a snake?”
“Tch. . . Ahhh. Kukukukukuk.”
Xiaolong covered his face with one hand and laughed.
The madness that tore through the darkness sent shivers down Kang Yeo-hwa’s spine.
“You’re still funny, as funny as ever. When I see you, a little girl who’s crazy about her master, I think that humans are so pitiful.”
“Shut your mouth and get out.”
“No. . . It’s not that humans are pitiful, but that he actually wanted to play family with us, didn’t he? As if he was our father. It must have been like that for his hypocritical desire to show off.”
“Shut up!!”
Her eyes flashed with a blue killing intent.
Immediately, mana-infused arrows shot out with enough force to tear through the atmosphere and bite into the predator’s neck.
Xiaolong bared his teeth and laughed.
The arrows swirled around his upper body and flew far away.
Kang Yeo-hwa gasped.
“It’s too late, you fool.”
Xiaolong, who had appeared behind her, punched Kang Yeo-hwa in the side.
Thud. . . . . . . . . Boom!!!
The shockwave shook her body like a tidal wave, vibrating the surroundings belatedly.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ!!!
Kang Yeo-hwa got up after being thrown quite a distance.
A thin stream of blood flowed from her mouth.
“What have you been doing for the past ten years without your master?”
Xiaolong asked, stamping his foot.
His movements, blended with the darkness, were difficult to react to even for an S-ranker like Kang Yeo-hwa.
She opened her dantian and poured mana throughout her body.
The deep blue heat permeated every muscle, drawing out her abilities to their limits.
Clang! Thwack! Swish!
She blocked or dodged Xiaolong’s attacks with reflexes that were almost instinctive.
‘𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜!’
She had already known that he had gotten stronger.
No, she couldn’t have not known.
How could she not know about a hunter who had risen to the 18th rank in the world?
However, Kang Yeo-hwa also thought that she had gotten stronger.
S-rank was not a level that anyone could reach, and even if it was just barely, she had also risen to 98th place in the world rankings.
“Kuh!”
However, when they actually clashed, the gap was as wide as the difference between a college student and an elementary school student.
It wasn’t a gap that could be narrowed by any makeshift means.
“During those ten years, you, Min Si-joon, and Jung Min-jun only marked time, tied down by your master.”
Xiaolong kicked her in the abdomen.
ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡCrash!!!
A loud noise rang out belatedly.
Kang Yeo-hwa fell to the ground, clutching her stomach and vomiting blood.
An intense pain shot through her from head to toe.
“But I’m different. I devoted all that time to myself. To surpass my master, to defeat that man! I grasped all the potential that I had.”
“Keuk! Hupㅡ And that foundation is something you inherited from your master.”
Xiaolong clicked his tongue at Kang Yeo-hwa’s point.
“I don’t have time to play with you. Where is the master? I must show my face and greet him as his disciple.”
“Pooh heh heh. . .”
“Why are you laughing?”
“Your information is outdated. My master is currently in Germany.”
“. . . Yun-ju!”
“Yes!”
A woman wearing a jeok-dobok appeared from the darkness.
“Confirm the master’s location.”
“Yes.”
“And if he’s not in Korea. . .”
Xiaolong looked down at Kang Yeo-hwa, who was bleeding on the ground, and continued.
“I’ll take this woman as a hostage.”