Ch.4716. VIP Exchange and Wind Cutter (4)

Dmitri sensed it instinctively.

It was all over. The blue flame burning before his eyes. That azure flame had neutralized Jang Gye-shin.

‘Blue flame… such a high-level fire spell… was Min-soo really Min-soo after all?’

When he saw him today after so long, Dmitri was inwardly surprised. The man who had once been the Academy’s most promising talent but was now forgotten.

He had quietly returned to the hunter world. Of course, his hunter rank wasn’t high, and his position was merely an operator. So Dmitri had thought he was just another promising talent whose growth had stalled due to failure to adapt to fieldwork.

‘That can’t be right. A hunter who can create blue flame of that caliber… no, not just the blue flame…’

He was certain. Min-soo’s combat sense was exactly the same as the amazing skill he had demonstrated during the exchange competition in his Ains Academy days.

This was definitely not the skill of a B-rank hunter.

Dmitri’s honest assessment told him that Min-soo’s current skill level was undoubtedly that of an A-rank hunter.

At the very least, the tactics he had just displayed were equal to his own. Or perhaps even beyond.

‘To pretend to be pushed back while cleverly… luring him into a trap with a pre-set fire spell…’

However, he knew about Jang Gye-shin from their direct combat just now.

With the buff effect from the Evil Dragon’s Horn, his chain-sickle attacks were too fast to react to normally.

Even he, who could move his body at extreme speeds with the help of Haste and wind spells, had ultimately fallen to those chain-sickle attacks.

This meant that Min-soo’s reaction speed transcended that of even high-level mages.

‘And those wraiths summoned by Jang Gye-shin… they were very high-tier black magic…’

Those evil and sinister wraiths that could paralyze you with fear. Yet Min-soo’s expression hadn’t wavered at all.

Even he, an A-rank hunter, had felt fear from the killing intent those wraiths emitted. As frustrating as it was, he had to acknowledge Min-soo’s ability.

Above all, if he hadn’t come, Dmitri would have been dead at Jang Gye-shin’s hands. The female mage in his company was clearly a high-level villain too.

But the more dangerous one was obviously Jang Gye-shin. Especially that Evil Dragon’s Horn he was holding. That item was extremely dangerous.

‘If that horn had been fully assimilated just a little later, he would have been too dangerous for even that Yeon So-so to handle. Jang Gye-shin…’

Belatedly, he realized that the black-haired young woman with beauty that could stir a man’s heart was Yeon So-so.

Just by seeing the swordsmanship that instantly neutralized that female mage, he could tell she was the successor of the Heavenly Demon.

‘Still, this time… Min-soo’s contribution is greater… than that Yeon So-so or… me… d-damn it…’

Dmitri’s consciousness grew hazy. And the wind from Wind Cutter that he had felt was now gone from him.

He had added his magic to help the sniper’s bullet hit Jang Gye-shin. But it seemed Wind Cutter valued that Min-soo more than himself.

But right now, more than losing the contract with an A+ grade gear, the relief of having survived dominated him.

‘Still, I contributed to capturing Jang Gye-shin. The Duke will forgive me…’

His head was spinning, suggesting severe blood loss. Drawing on all his remaining mana, he cast a healing spell on himself.

‘This should be… enough to… keep me alive.’

And just before losing consciousness, Dmitri, as a mage of the White Tower, unconsciously recalled once more the fire spell Min-soo had used at the end.

Had he been in his right mind, he would never have admitted it.

But it was clearly a fire spell of mind-blowing beauty.

***

‘Ugh…’

I almost fell to my knees involuntarily. I barely managed to stand in place. And feeling my heart burning up, I clutched my chest.

I had used all the mana I could access.

Half went into the stealth trap based on Old Man Yeon Moon-woo’s idea. The other half was invested in activating the blue flame with spell circuits pre-engraved into the trap.

The blue flame, with its RPM increased beyond normal circuits based on the trap, showed its true power.

‘Urgh… maybe I overdid it… using such a powerful spell. The recoil is too strong…’

The burning sensation, at the top of all pain, was scorching through my mana heart and even my mana road.

‘Calm down… I need to calm down…’

Wind Cutter was watching me. I couldn’t show weakness in front of that arrogant gear.

“Haa… haa…”

Still, looking at Jang Gye-shin collapsed on the ground, barely moving, I could laugh inside. That bastard was also a villain connected to the Red Lake.

Even if he was just a low-level member, anyone associated with the Red Lake was a target of my revenge.

I approached him and pulled the Evil Dragon’s Horn, which was emitting an ominous aura, from his side.

“AAAAARGH!!”

He screamed in pain. So he was still alive.

‘Must be because of this item. Even Jang Gye-shin avoided instant death.’

I carefully set the horn aside and asked him.

“Jang Gye-shin. If you don’t want to die like this, answer my questions obediently.”

“… W-what are you… shut… shut up… nonsense…”

Speaking with a voice like air leaking from a balloon, he replied. I crushed his palm with my foot.

“GAAAH…!!”

“Just answer. I’m not in the mood to play games with you.”

“I-if a licensed hunter commits murder like this…”

“You know very well that such laws hardly matter.”

This time, I stepped harder on his back where the burns seemed severe. He writhed in extreme pain.

As I said, hunters with licenses are prohibited from indiscriminate killing, even of villains. In principle, they should be handed over to villain trials.

But in reality, it’s a meaningless law. To avoid death, you must kill your opponent. Fights with villains have always been like that.

To show my determination, I gathered all my remaining residual mana and summoned the blue flame once more.

The burning sensation I felt was beyond imagination, but suppressing that pain as much as possible, I threatened Jang Gye-shin.

“One more roasting like this and you’ll definitely die instantly. Speak. Will you answer or not?”

“I-I’ll talk!!”

Jang Gye-shin, sensing my seriousness, finally gave in. Time was running out. When other hunters and guards came up to the roof, I would have to hand him over.

I asked him what I was most curious about.

“Soul-stealing Demon Seo Moon-yeom. Tell me where that bastard is and what he’s doing now.”

“T-that’s absolutely…”

I held the blue flame right in front of his eyes. He screamed like a little girl and finally submitted.

“Master Soul-stealer is… Japan… in Japan…”

“Is Japan your backyard? Be more specific.”

“Yo-Yokohama…”

“More.”

“The Dateyama Group… th-they’re collecting monster by-products there. That’s all I know, I swear!”

The Dateyama Group. It’s one of the Yakuza groups in eastern Japan. Naturally, they’re in cahoots with villains and underground hunters.

Someone of Seo Moon-yeom’s caliber would have a significant position in the Red Lake. So I’ve learned the whereabouts of a Red Lake executive.

‘Good information.’

Jang Gye-shin probably doesn’t know anything more. Not that I want to let him live, but…

If I capture him alive and hand him over to the Association, I can collect the bounty on him. And it would also benefit Flame’s reputation.

Above all, So-so approached me from behind and embraced me.

“S-stop! Bloodying your hands… this lady will do it instead! No more strain…”

So-so calmed me down. And then, as if noticing my condition, she cried out in shock.

“Min-soo, your body!!”

I felt So-so’s soft body against my back. And at that moment, I lost consciousness.

***

I opened my eyes again.

Before fainting, I was definitely on the building’s rooftop. But now I was in a comfortable bed. Looking up, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

‘No, that’s not right.’

Looking around more, I saw my luggage. It was the hotel I had checked into before going to the exchange.

I don’t remember how I got here, but So-so was fine, so she probably told the Association people to move me here.

And then, feeling something soft and gentle, I instinctively turned my head.

‘Why is So-so…?’

So-so was lying right next to me. And very close at that. I was lying straight, but she was clinging to me, pressing her body against mine. She had changed clothes, wearing a hotel robe.

‘N-nothing happened, right?’

My clothes had also been changed. And the fire-attribute mana that had been raging throughout my body before I fainted was now calm.

The burning sensation was gone too. I recalled how So-so had stabilized the mana flowing through my mana road before I received the secret technique in Hong Kong.

‘Like then… did So-so help me?’

If so, that’s fortunate. A-rank villain Jang Gye-shin. Thinking about it again, I had pushed myself too hard to capture him.

The moment I realized he was a necromancer who dealt with wraiths, I had no choice.

‘He was the most troublesome opponent for So-so to face.’

Anyway, I successfully captured him and obtained important information about Seo Moon-yeom. The price of overexertion was worth it.

‘But like this, proper combat is impossible.’

I really needed to get Wind Cutter. Without the stabilizing effect of an Ancient Gear, I might faint every time I use a spell like this.

Come to think of it, I was curious about Wind Cutter’s choice. Before fainting, I thought I heard its laughter.

Anyway, since I was the one who caught Jang Gye-shin, I’m confident it will choose me, but I needed to wake So-so and ask her what happened.

‘But… why won’t she let go?’

My body was completely held by So-so. I could barely move my face. My upper body was bound by her arms, and my lower body by her legs and thighs.

The scent of a woman, So-so’s scent, was spreading all over me.

‘What am I thinking at a time like this?’

I’ve never thought of So-so that way, but she has not only a beautiful face but also a great figure. Enough to always attract men’s gazes.

Not just her chest, but with her thighs pressed tightly against me, things were getting a bit awkward. Since I couldn’t possibly overpower So-so with strength.

I decided to call her name to wake her up.

“Um, Team Leader Yeon So-so?”

At those words, So-so opened her eyes with a dazed expression. Our eyes met.