𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟕: 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭

“Tsk. You’re terrible at controlling your mana. Even a newbie would do better than this.”

“You dare mock me when there’s someone listening?”

“Oh, so you admit you’re a newbie.”

“. . . . . . .”

Shin Ji-soo watched the conversation between Red Ear and Volk impatiently.

Siwoo said not to be scared, but fear is fear.

She might not have the experience of a Hunter or the skill to assess her opponent’s abilities, but she could tell whether they were strong or weak.

‘𝙐𝙜𝙝. . . 𝙄’𝙢 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙. . .’

She glanced at Siwoo.

There was her and Chu Ha-min, who was receiving Siwoo teachings.

“You rely too much on your skills. I understand that using [𝐀𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚] increases your abilities, but it also makes you dull.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Chu Ha-min took notes of Siwoo’s words, speaking respectfully.

“Master, then what should I do?”

Chu Ha-min used to call him Grandmaster, but Siwoo made him call him Master like Shin Ji-soo for the sake of consistency.

“Skills are not meant to be relied on, but to be utilized. Basically, think of it as fighting with mana.”

Seeing is believing.

No matter how much you explain, it’s not as good as experiencing it firsthand.

“Show me your skill. I’ll show you how to fight with mana.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Chu Ha-min activated his skill [𝐀𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚].

A magic circle appeared and a red armor enveloped his body, emitting the aura of an A+ rank Hunter.

“Oh. . .”

Red Ear and Volk sensed the flow and exclaimed from afar.

Not just anyone could show that level of aura.

Shin Ji-soo’s face turned pale at the sharp needles that pierced the air in all directions.

Despite the distance, the pressure was so strong that it made it difficult to breathe.

“Not bad.”

Siwoo nodded, staring at the mana flowing through Chu Ha-min’s body.

It was a more organized and stable use of mana than when they first met.

He’s definitely a good teacher.

Xiaolong knows what he’s talking about.

“It’s all thanks to Master.”

“What are you talking about? I just taught you the basics.”

Siwoo chuckled and drew mana from his dantian.

The flowing aura coursed through his body like a thread.

“Can you see the mana flowing through my body?”

“Yes, I can see it.”

“What does it look like?”

“Yes? It’s. . .”

Chu Ha-min wondered how to answer.

The mana he felt from Siwoo right now was insignificant.

It seemed to be more solid than others, but the amount of mana itself felt small.

“In modern terms, it looks like C-RANK or D-RANK?”

“. . . .Yes, that’s about it.”

“Good. That’s enough.”

Siwoo nodded, not minding.

“If this were a real battle and I were a monster, how would you defend yourself?”

“Well. . . Since I’m in [𝐀𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚] state, I wouldn’t defend myself and just focus on attacking. . .”

“Really? Then do the same.”

Chu Ha-min hurriedly got into a sparring stance.

It seemed that he was a little nervous because he remembered the spar they had before.

Siwoo moved his feet and instantly burrowed into Chu Ha-min’s arms.

Before his opponent could react, Siwoo swung his fist.

The attack, surrounded by multiple layers of mana,

PAKAANGㅡ!

pierced the armor like a javelin.

“KUEOK!!”

Chu Ha-min flew and crashed into a tree.

A deep silence enveloped the group.

“. . . . . . .”

“. . . . . . .”

“. . . . . . .”

Feeling the gazes of the other three, Siwoo scratched his head.

“Uh. . . This isn’t it.”

【𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕘𝕦𝕪 𝕔𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕒𝕡𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟. ℍ𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕒 𝕗𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝.】

“. . . . . . .”

Siwoo couldn’t even respond with an apology.

Just as he was thinking about how to get out of this situation, Hwang Jeong-gu called.

“Oh, Jeong-gu. I was waiting for your call.”

━?? Yes??

“No, I’m just happy. . . What’s up?”

━There have been several reports. They say magic stones keep disappearing from the workshop.

“Really? That’s serious. I’ll go right away.”

━Yes?? It’s not that urgent. . .

“No. It’s urgent enough. I’ll go.”

━I called to get senior’s opinion, so you don’t have to go. . .

“Okay, where should I go? I’ll leave first.”

━??

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

̇ȧ̇𝕨𝙚𝔟𝐬𝕥𝙤𝕣i̇̇𝙚𝔰.𝔠𝕠ṁ

Late evening, a secluded factory.

KWADDEUK.

A man’s body stretched out as his neck turned 360 degrees.

Siwoo brushed his hands and scanned the surroundings.

There seemed to be about fifteen left.

He was here after hearing information that awakened criminals were stealing magic stones.

An abandoned factory that had been closed for more than 5 years.

He came to check after receiving information from residents that they had heard the sound of machinery running occasionally in recent months and that magic stones kept disappearing from a nearby workshop.

In fact, it wasn’t that serious of a crime.

The only reason HSIU dispatched Siwoo was because the magic stones were so expensive and the modus operandi suggested that the perpetrators were not ordinary people but Awakeners.

However, the resistance of the criminals was more intense than expected.

Siwoo had given them a friendly warning, almost like a threat, and they had drawn their skills upon seeing him come alone.

The result was two bodies lying at Siwoo’s feet.

A man ran from a distance.

Siwoo opened his dantian and circulated a small amount of mana throughout his body.

He didn’t need a lot of mana because he had already sensed the skill level of the criminals the moment he entered.

Siwoo, who had his fists raised like a boxer, disappeared and then his fist shot out into the abdomen of the running man.

PUUEOK!

With a dull thud, the opponent’s body floated into the air.

Siwoo grabbed the floating man and threw him towards the others.

“KREUK!”

The men who were hit by the flying body fell backwards.

“Damn it! It’s just one guy! Don’t mind the factory and just kill him!”

A man who had been watching the situation from afar shouted.

He seemed to be the manager or supervisor in charge of this place.

“I don’t care about the workshop, hyung.”

One of the subordinates stepped forward and gathered his mana.

A faint aura rose up.

Dozens of spears materialized in the air.

The sharp blades aimed at Siwoo like the teeth of a predator stalking its prey and soon shot out like bullets.

Each step could be a fatal blow.

However, Siwoo’s expression was relaxed.

No, more than relaxed, it looked bored.

The moment the spears flew, he spread his palms and materialized a magic circle.

[𝐈𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥]

JJEJEJJEJEJEUK!