79. The Bald Man and the Divine Sword User
by Shini
* * *
Shinohara Yuzuki let out an admiring sigh as she watched the white flames filling the boss room’s ceiling.
“Swinging a sword to produce white flames… How fascinating.”
Not just her – everyone except the heroines looked thoroughly impressed. Ping Tao’s dumbfounded expression was particularly amusing.
Even Rosemary, who’d seen it before, looked shocked again – seems her learning ability is lacking.
When the flames dissipated, only glass fragments remained on the floor.
“Is it over now?”
“Seems so. Yes, everything’s eliminated. No, it’s done.”
Choi Si-a, the Divine Sword Constellation, could detect enemies – spotting them faster than even me, an evil dragon.
The glass dungeon was complete. Originally, Noah would have come to help, but our exceptional skills made it unnecessary.
As the glass peacock fell, the exit opened – a modern touch showing how thoroughly Baekhap Guild had remodeled this dungeon.
Emerging outside, Guild Master Noah was applauding.
“I never expected you kids to handle it alone.”
“Impressive, right?”
Noah must have been shocked – this dungeon gives even C-rank hunters trouble. Normally, one would need to unseal all six passages alone.
The glass peacock was in another league, but our overpowered lineup made quick work of it. B-class students would have failed.
“Indeed. Especially Shinohara Kotone, Ping Tao, and Yoo Eun-ha. You three were remarkable.”
Noah clapped enthusiastically for our trio.
“Just us three?”
“The others are already famous. Eun-ha, I’d seen team battle footage and community videos, but had to see your white flames firsthand to believe it.”
Kotone was an unknown vassal, Ping Tao could be dismissed as Chinese bluster, and I might be seen as riding my brother’s coattails. Understandable, but irritating.
“Is that how it is?”
I knew why – she was provoking me, having seen how I handled Eumseupmari and wanting similar “attention.”
“Don’t pout. I like concrete proof. Everyone gets good marks. I’ll report directly to Principal Bulbbadda. Other guilds will hear about this.”
“Guild recruitment already?”
Originally, more A-class students remained at this point, with various subplots about delinquents and student council conflicts. But with the story derailed, our class might jump straight to hunter work.
“You’re too exceptional. The other teams fought well too – smaller guilds will want them.”
“That’s fortunate.”
I’d have felt guilty if they missed out due to the altered storyline.
“We’re done then?”
“Yes. Good work everyone.” Noah turned away, winking at me. I’d keep her contact info – no need to engage yet.
Checking my magi-gear, I found a message from Jin-seok.
* * *
Hunter Association
A man walked down the unusually quiet fifth-floor corridor post-Kim Jae-su’s rebellion incident, entering the innermost president’s office.
A bald man gleaming under the lights greeted him, chin resting on his hand.
“First Divine Sword User, Yoo Jin-seok.”
Jin-seok had been catching royal Dokdo shrimp off the island’s coast during his investigation break.
“Why call me? I was tenderizing shrimp.”
“Since when are shrimp urgent? They’re just shrimp.”
President Choi Cheol-sik looked exasperated. The man who once held the “strongest human” title was struggling with crustaceans?
“They’re mana-infused shrimp. Not easy to find. Their tails can inflict fatal wounds.”
“They’re still just shrimp.”
“People get Vibrio infections from shrimp stings.”
“That’s for immunocompromised people eating contaminated seafood. Modern humans with proper mana circulation don’t get infected. Enough digression – why take so long?”
Mana-infused Dokdo shrimp were elusive. Burning the ocean wasn’t an option, so he’d hunted them manually.
“As I said, they’re mana-infused, elusive, and nutritious. I caught them carefully for cooking.”
“You’re already peak health.”
“They’re for Eun-ha. Look, I got one.”
“Since when are shrimp human-sized?”
The unconscious giant shrimp could cause serious trouble if it woke.
“Hence the danger. Their tails cause instant death. They ambush from Dokdo’s waters.”
“Are they good for women?”
“After her Sin investigations, my sister deserves gifts. They’re excellent for beauty – enlarge breasts too.”
Jin-seok fidgeted while Cheol-sik looked incredulous.
“Does Eun-ha even need bigger breasts?”
Though it sounded like harassment, hers were already sizable.
“Want to die? These shrimp are delicious.”
“Good grief, you’ve become a siscon.”
Only someone without an adorable sister could say that so casually. Jin-seok clenched his fists but restrained himself.
“To business. You always take forever.”
“The Sin investigation can wait. Japan’s Shinohara is helping. More urgently, we need information about that streamer Baekhwa.”
Shinohara could be trusted to handle diplomatic matters for Japan.
“The one in the quarantined zone?”
“Yes. We sent Kim Ji-hye, but she just killed villains. Useless.”
“Typical Ji-hye.”
Ji-hye had always prioritized brawn over brains since academy days. Most hunter cadets master theory easily with mana-enhanced cognition, but she remained a brute.
“So investigate Baekhwa with her. Probably in Incheon.”
“She’s already catching villains. Should I arrest her?”
Jin-seok felt almost guilty – this streamer was doing their job better than them.
“The quarantined zone itself is problematic. Baekhwa’s making the Blue House and Association look bad online.”
Cheol-sik showed articles criticizing their inaction compared to Baekhwa’s heroic streamer image. Public trust was eroding.
“The Association’s reputation is ruined.”
“Recruit her then. The quarantined zone can’t sustain survivors long without outside support. China and Japan won’t help either.”
How was Baekhwa sustaining survivors there?
“Understood. I’ll try.”
“Meet Ji-hye at the southern checkpoint at 10 PM. Report findings immediately.”
“Yes. But first, I should see Eun-ha.”
It had been too long. Though she disliked him, as her brother, he should care for her.
“Siscon, I tell you.”
“It’s about time I visited.”
The First Divine Sword User, once indifferent to family, had unwittingly become a doting brother.
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