Ch.63Soju-Beer Mix 1

“Ah… Miss!”

Jiho is flustered at the sight of the two girls frozen like statues.

He lowers his three-section staff and stares intently at her to see if she’s alright.

Anna doesn’t miss the hunter’s momentary distraction.

While his gaze is diverted, she dives in close to the bodyguard.

So close that it’s difficult to swing a weapon.

He desperately strikes Anna’s head with the handle of his staff.

But he can’t take her down with just a handle rather than the staff itself.

The killer, bleeding from her forehead, plunges her dagger into the bodyguard’s side.

Once, twice, three times.

Black blood spurts from between the bodyguard’s clenched teeth.

Yet the experienced hunter doesn’t flinch despite the severe impact.

He immediately kicks Anna’s knee to break her balance.

Then follows with a punch.

It strikes the killer’s solar plexus perfectly.

Anna finally falls to her knees, her face completely contorted.

“…”

Only after seeing the kneeling killer does he manage to clutch his side.

The hunter gradually staggers as pain spreads from his wound.

But he couldn’t stop.

He needs to save the young miss and the recorder, and escape from this place.

“Ugh…”

However, the bodyguard’s steps couldn’t reach the young miss.

His once steady legs had begun to tremble.

He staggered and collapsed just two steps away from Sohee.

The numbness that started from his side was spreading throughout his body.

“Paralyzing poison…”

He had been careless.

If his opponent had been male, he would have fought meticulously without allowing even a single hit.

But this opponent was a nimble woman.

He thought he could endure a few attacks and finish her with one powerful strike.

But to think the blade was coated with poison…

She somehow had something that’s difficult to obtain these days.

The hunter took a deep breath.

This kind of paralysis, he could metabolize it in about 10 minutes.

But…

Soon a dark shadow looms over him.

The experienced ranker looks up helplessly at the darkness.

His eyes, which had seen countless battles, begin to waver.

She’s an incomprehensible being.

Until now, he had taken down adult men with a single punch.

Yet this white-haired woman rose again after taking several blows with his full strength.

“Lucky for you. If I had my sword…”

The bodyguard mutters, wounded in his pride.

He knows he doesn’t have 10 minutes anyway.

He closes his eyes, imagining the dagger that will soon pierce his throat.

However, no matter how long he waits, the killer’s blade doesn’t come.

Instead, he only hears footsteps passing by.

His brow furrows.

The hunter opens his eyes again and looks toward the young miss.

The killer was approaching her.

Could she be planning to kill the young miss?

He tried desperately to get up.

But only extreme pain follows, and his body won’t obey.

“Don’t touch the young miss… Do you think you can kill a congressman’s daughter and get away with it?”

Jiho shouts with a seething voice.

But Anna shows no reaction to his threat.

She extends her arm.

The bodyguard stares at the killer’s outstretched hand.

Fortunately, her hand reaches for Siho, not Sohee.

The killer embraces her as if selecting a doll.

“Congressman? I’ve killed countless of those.”

She says indifferently while lifting the girl onto her back.

“I was just told not to kill you. That’s the only reason you’re alive.”

Anna carelessly drops the dagger she was holding to the floor.

Then she walks calmly into the darkness.

The bodyguard stares at the abandoned dagger with a dumbfounded expression.

The blade is clean, like new.

“So it wasn’t her main weapon.”

His green pupils twitch.

To think such skilled and lethal proficiency wasn’t even her specialty.

The experienced ranker looked at the young miss with a dejected expression.

She remained frozen in shock, her face distorted.

Staring at the young miss’s face, the bodyguard mutters.

“Perhaps it’s time for me to retire.”

In the end, among the two bodyguards, it was Anna who protected her target.

When Jiho realized this fact, he tasted the metallic blood in his mouth.

The aging ranker stared blankly out the window until the poison paralyzing his body wore off.

The next day.

The classroom at the Korean Hunter Academy was bustling with people.

From academy professors to students, and even active hunters who had graduated.

They all gazed at the woman standing in the center of the podium.

The woman is dressed in formal attire.

Fitted slacks and a white shirt.

Over them, a blazer like those bartenders often wear cinches at her hips.

People observe her elegant outfit attentively.

“A hunter’s life isn’t much different from serving drinks.”

Every time the bartender speaks, her short hair tied to one side dances.

Soon, a transparent glass is placed in the center of the podium.

In a tall glass…

1 ounce (30ml) of blue syrup.

1 ounce (30ml) of fragrant orange juice.

1 ounce (30ml) of sweet cherry ade.

Layer all of these one by one and you get…

<Rainbow Ade>

Grade: ★★★★☆ (Epic)

Effect: Permanently increases Strength, Composure, and Agility by 3 each. (Cannot be stacked)

Information: A delicious ade made with juice.

Each layer has a different taste, allowing you to enjoy multiple flavors at once.

The bartender pointed at the cocktail with her finger.

“Like the blue syrup, someone strong needs to support from below so it doesn’t shake.”

“Like this orange juice, someone needs to connect the layers.”

“And finally, like the intense red cherry, someone needs to make it shine.”

“In this way, we all do our best in our respective roles.”

The students nod at my words.

But the professors just listen silently.

They seem worried that I might kill the students’ passion for becoming rankers.

I bring out the lines I prepared for such professors.

“Everyone is different in rank and ability, just like this cocktail.”

Siho roughly stirred the cup with a spoon.

“That’s why we sometimes fail to understand our differences and argue.”

But the juices don’t mix.

The beautiful multicolored pattern remains intact.

“See? No matter how much I stir, the beautiful layered pattern stays the same, right?”

People stared intently at the glass to check if the colors of the ade had mixed even slightly.

I smiled gently at their innocent reactions.

“Humans were born different from the beginning.”

I spoke seriously, looking at people with different hairstyles, eye colors, and heights.

“So we need to respect and understand each other.”

“Only then can we become a beautiful glass like this.”

The bartender smiled and carefully pushed the glass toward the audience.

The sound of camera shutters.

Sounds of admiration can be heard from the crowd.

The professors watch me with eagle eyes, arms crossed.

Under that pressuring gaze, I awkwardly scratched the side of my head.

Those gazes are quite intimidating…

If everyone at the academy had such eyes, I would have found it hard to endure.

But…

Among the students sitting at desks, I can see Jiyun and Sea.

And standing among the professors, just one person.

A red-eyed woman in a suit.

Jeoksa was watching me with a pleased expression, her jacket draped over her elbow.

Like a parent observing a class.

“This concludes today’s lesson.”

I bowed to them.

My lengthened hair covered my view, so I couldn’t see people’s reactions.

But faint applause could be heard from here and there, allowing me to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

I raised my head with all my might to that sound.

It’s the moment when my time at the academy, whether long or short, comes to an end.

After the class, people dispersed all at once.

Soon, only familiar faces remain in the hallway.

Professor Lina, Sea, Jiyun, and then Jeoksa and me.

The three people marvel at Jeoksa’s face, which they’re seeing for the first time.

It’s understandable.

A former professional model with the ability to shed skin, preventing aging.

But Jeoksa doesn’t seem to think about her own appearance at all.

“Ah- I was so nervous.”

I shook my head, fanning myself with my hand.

The two female students laugh and say.

“It’s okay. It was a perfect lesson.”

“That’s right. I knew Siho would do well.”

The professor, with rabbit-like big eyes, joins in.

“We should have a party to celebrate…!”

Like a true American, she speaks with clenched fists.

But the professor soon becomes gloomy because of her upcoming lecture.

“Of all days to have a full schedule…”

“Us too…”

The girls also look depressed because of their scheduled classes.

I smile at the academy people.

“It’s okay. We can do it at our place later.”

“Your place?”

The three ask again.

“Yes, I’ll prepare the party, so come visit later.”

I shrugged.

Senior Jiwook will have to work hard, but his cooking skills are excellent.

They nodded with excited expressions at the promised party.

“Then we’ll be going now-. We have prior appointments-.”

I said, looking fondly at Jeoksa.

In response, the killer takes the lead.

Soon, the killer and I headed toward the school gate.

“You’ve made many friends while I was away.”

The red-eyed woman looked down at me expressionlessly.

But I know.

That she’s forcibly pulling down the corners of her mouth that want to rise.

“I know-.”

I stood close to her with my hands behind my back.

Then Jeoksa walked ahead of me for a moment.

Soon she turned around and took the roadside position instead of me.

“Did you resolve the car issue…?”

I ask her cautiously.

I became curious since we were heading straight to the gate instead of the parking lot.

“Scrapped it.”

“Ah.”

Her resolute answer left me speechless.

I stopped in my tracks, fidgeting with both hands.

“I’m sorry… Because of me…”

“Well, it’s fine. I can just get a new car.”

The red-eyed woman speaks with an impressive voice befitting an executive of a large corporation.

But soon she narrowed her eyes and glanced at me.

“Of course, it was worth 200 million won.”

I swallow at those red eyes.

200 million… Even in an era where foreign cars have become rare, that’s an absurd price.

“I’ll… I’ll pay you back…”

I muttered in a shrinking voice.

The red eyes draw closer to me.

“How? You’re always singing about having no money.”

“Somehow… I’ll save up…”

The red snake smiles.

Sharp fangs flash between her soft lips.

“Maybe I should make you a slave at our company-?”

Jeoksa’s arm rests on my shoulder.

My hair stands on end at her words.

Finding my reaction amusing, Jeoksa chuckled.

Then she grabbed my hair tied to one side and shook it playfully.

“Forget it. Let’s go eat.”

What a terrifying joke…

I finally heaved a deep sigh.

As if it wasn’t enough that being close to her makes my heart race faster since that incident…

Outside the school gate, I see a familiar face.

Someone who couldn’t attend the class because she’s wanted.

Anna was waiting for us, wearing a black hat pulled down.

She frowns seeing me with Jeoksa’s arm around my shoulder.

I waved my hand vigorously, happy to see her.

But Jeoksa and Anna didn’t greet each other despite seeing each other.

The two killers on either side of me just awkwardly face off.

I slipped between them and linked arms with both.

Just like I learned from girls these days.

“Let’s go. I got paid for the lecture today, so I’ll treat you both!”

I said with a broad smile, leading the two killers.

They smile at the short bartender.

Siho doesn’t seem to know.

That among the three of them, she’s the poorest.