𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗: 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝟏
Chu Ha-min had a bad feeling about Min Siwoo from the moment he first saw him.
From his tepid and listless expression to his arrogant demeanor, it all reminded him of his teacher.
His teacher, though he had only trained under him for less than half a year, was an unforgettable mentor who had helped him get to where he was today.
‘My teacher was an exception.’
The Hunter who had imparted his teachings to Chu Ha-min was practically a monster.
The Asura’s image etched into his back was a reference to his mentor’s battles.
The public might have thought his fighting style was similar to the Asura deity, but Chu Ha-min knew that compared to his teacher, he was nothing more than a speck of dust at the Asura’s feet.
However, today, he saw a glimpse of his teacher’s listlessness in Min Siwoo.
The sudden thought annoyed Chu Ha-min.
‘How dare that little punk remind me of my teacher. . . It pisses me off.’
Furthermore, Min Siwoo’s actual abilities, as he had witnessed, were mediocre.
He had the potential of a low-level Hunter, not even worthy of a B-rank, let alone A-rank.
‘He’s only compatible with Gert’s abilities, so he’s probably just a D-rank. At best, he might have the mana of a C-rank.’
Chu Ha-min turned his cold, calculating gaze on him.
There were too many inconsistencies.
‘This punk must have gotten some sort of buff from HSIU.’
He was certain that the new recruit had been packaged by HSIU as a new battle-type Hunter.
In reality, it must have been another outside Hunter who had taken down Gert.
‘These educational events are always so obvious. I thought someone like Baek Geon-ho himself would show up, but. . . Is this guy HSIU’s figurehead?’
Naturally, a capable Hunter would choose a Guild that offered a commensurate salary.
There were only a handful of Awakened beings who wanted to join an organization like HSIU.
In countries like the United States, Russia, England, Germany, and Japan, even HSIU provided decent benefits and welfare.
However, in South Korea, it was a different story. The pay was no better than that of a low-level civil servant.
‘I was just supposed to observe, but should I give him a little push?’
If his hunch was correct, that punk would never respond to a provocation.
The fact that he remained unfazed even after seeing three A+ Hunters meant that he was a complete novice who had never experienced a real ‘fight’.
“Tsk, damn it. Will we ever catch a single rabbit today? Since when has HSIU started teaching others?”
“Oh, come on, calm down. It’s everyone’s first time learning today.”
He spoke loudly, as if he wanted to be heard.
When Seok Tae-ji, who was standing next to him, tried to dissuade him, Chu Ha-min shouted even louder at the guy.
“Looks like he just came out of the tutorial tower. Who’s teaching who here? He’s just a kid who hasn’t even been ranked yet!”
Finally, the guy turned his head.
Chu Ha-min grinned.
The moment their eyes met, he opened his mouth wide and hurled insults at him.
Normally, even an unskilled Hunter would get angry and react to this level of provocation.
After all, there was such a thing as a Hunter’s pride.
However, the guy just brushed off his insults and walked away.
“Damn. . . He’s a coward.”
The moment his suspicions were confirmed, Chu Ha-min decided to take it a step further.
‘How dare this third-rate Hunter try to teach a 1st-class Guild member a lesson?’
He would show him the difference in their abilities.
He grabbed a nearby branch and hurled it with all his might.
Min Siwoo didn’t even seem to notice the branch flying towards him and just stood there, frozen.
“Look at him, he’s just crawling. Damn, that pisses me off.”
Chu Ha-min seized the opportunity.
If he backed down now, it would only damage HSIU’s reputation.
He was the one who had provoked him and acted like a jerk, so he knew he would be the talk of the town for a while. But so what?
He didn’t have a reputation as a kind Hunter anyway.
On the contrary, crushing a popular HSIU Hunter would only increase his notoriety and value.
‘You need to be taken down a peg.’
Had his move with the branch worked?
Min Siwoo was starting to move.
Chu Ha-min inwardly cheered.
His teacher had always said,
━A battle is not just about fists. It’s more important to mess with the mind and emotions.
━Make your opponent as angry as possible. If they can’t think rationally, you’ve succeeded.
━When you make eye contact, start with insults.
His teacher’s teachings were always like scriptures, repeating in his head.
Chu Ha-min was certain that Min Siwoo’s mind was shaken.
A high-ranking Hunter he had never faced before. And a one-on-one fight in front of a large crowd.
None of these were familiar situations for this Min Siwoo guy.
Chu Ha-min drew mana from his dantian.
A refreshing sensation spread through his body like a pleasant wave in his stomach.
His mana-infused muscles twitched, and uncontrollable power surged through his skin.
“You’re finished, kid!”
Chu Ha-min bared his teeth and laughed out loud.
He swung his fist at Min Siwoo, who was approaching him stupidly.
With a sharp, whistling sound, his extended right hook landed solidly on his opponent.
A satisfying thud echoed through his fingers.
Boom!
“W-What was that?”
“Did something explode?”
“What could have exploded in a dungeon like this? Did someone use an explosion-type spell?”
Even those who had not known that they were fighting turned their gazes to find the source of the sound.
It was such a loud bang that it was not the usual sound of a person being punched and flying.
‘It hit him right on.’
Chu Ha-min smiled as he watched the dust settle.
This would be all over the news now.
[𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝] The HSIU’s rising star knocked out in one blow by Asura.
“That’s what you get for HSIU getting too cocky. Send me your medical bill later. . .”
However, his laughter did not last long.
Beyond the dust that had settled, Min Siwoo was looking at him, unharmed, brushing the dust off his arm.
“You. . . How. . .?”