Ranking Duel

After receiving the duel request from Se-young and sending back Arashi who had become a friend.

The next morning dawned quickly.

“Hmm… Is it morning already?”

The feeling of the pillow as I opened my eyes to the sunlight coming through the window.

It was a soft feeling I wanted to enjoy a bit more, but lounging around in bed wasn’t my style.

I got up immediately without any trace of drowsiness, created hot water and finished bathing on the bed, and by the time I was drying my body and lightly shaking my wet hair, my device that I had left next to the stand suddenly started ringing.

Beep—

“Hello?”

[Ah, Hunter. This is Na-rang. I called to let you know that the preparations for the duel you’re having with Hunter Ha Se-young are complete. Is this a good time? If you were sleeping, I’ll send a message instead.]

“No, I was already up so you can tell me.”

The one who called was none other than Na-rang.

It was quite an early call as if she had phoned as soon as the duel preparations were finished, as befitting a helper, but fortunately I was already awake, so I asked her to tell me right away.

[Then I’ll let you know immediately. First, the location of the duel is the 3rd Arena in the 11th District under the association. As you already know, the start time is 3 o’clock, so you should come to the arena and wait by 2:30 PM.]

“Alright. Anything else?”

[Umm… There aren’t any particular additional matters, but since this is your first ranking duel, Hunter, would you like me to explain the basic rules?]

“No, that’s fine. I already looked into it all yesterday.”

I lightly declined and answered Na-rang’s question that was added after saying there were no additional matters.

As Na-rang said, since this was my first duel, I had naturally listened to and looked into various things about duels yesterday.

“Weapons and bodies must be subjected to the ‘Curse of Limit’ to be used in order to prevent any accidents, and the defeat condition is when a certain amount of damage is observed on the wearable device. Is that right?”

[Yes, you’ve found the key points well. There are a few more rules, but… those are things you’ll naturally follow, so there’s no need to mention them.]

Indeed, as Na-rang said, there were a few more basic rules like ‘the wearing position of the wearable device’ or ‘prohibition of manipulation’, but the two rules I mentioned were enough for the duel right now.

Therefore, there was nothing more to hear from Na-rang.

So when I was about to end the call with a farewell, perhaps sensing my intention, Na-rang suddenly raised her voice and spoke before I could open my mouth.

[Um, Hunter!]

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

[That… If possible, please refrain from killing Hunter Ha Se-young!]

“……What nonsense are you suddenly talking about?”

However, the problem was that I couldn’t understand what Na-rang was saying.

What kind of request was it to not kill Se-young?

As I said before, in duels, you fight with the ‘Curse of Limit’ placed on weapons and bodies, so you can’t deliver a fatal blow that would take the opponent’s life.

“Or what, do you think I might break that and kill her?”

[……H-honestly, I think there’s a small possibility.]

“……Tsk, when you put it that way, I can’t deny it.”

As I could clearly feel the sincerity in Na-rang’s voice, I started to feel uneasy too.

Perhaps there could be cases where the Curse of Limit couldn’t withstand the power of a goblin or the output of the four elements.

After all, the Curse of Limit is just a curse cast by humans, isn’t it?

Although I was participating in the duel as an A-rank hunter, as a goblin in my true identity, I couldn’t help but feel a slight uneasiness.

But only for a moment.

Soon, I recalled Arashi’s words from our last conversation yesterday evening and folded and scattered the rising anxiety in half.

“Anyway, don’t worry. Even if something happens, there’s a way.”

[Well… You are an exclusive hunter of the General Management Team after all, Hunter. It must have been an unnecessary worry.]

“Yeah, yeah. So don’t worry about it. Just watch.”

[Yes, I understand. Then I’ll be looking forward to it, Hunter.]

Click—

The call with Na-rang ended soon after.

Although it was still early morning, she seemed quite busy as the call ended with the sound of papers rustling.

And as I put the device in my pocket after the call ended, the owner of the presence I had been feeling since earlier spoke to me.

“……Are you really going to kill her?”

“How could that be? I’m just saying that even if I end up killing her, there’s a way.”

The owner of the presence was none other than Neon.

Neon, who had entered the bedroom while fluttering her white hair that was only tied at the end and dyed in various colors, looked at me with a question in her red eyes.

Of course, what came back from me in response to that answer was a negative reply.

I had not the slightest intention of killing a human who had only done something that could be cutely laughed off.

So when I answered somewhat irritably like that, Neon approached me while letting out a chuckling laugh.

“I agreed to go watch today’s duel with Yeon-ah. She was building up expectations saying she even prepared VIP seats?”

“……It’s nice that Yeon-ah is coming, but I wonder if that kid is doing her work properly.”

The news she conveyed next was that Yeon-ah was bringing Neon to watch the duel at the arena.

Although it was undoubtedly something to be pleased about that spectators I was close to were coming, I muttered softly at the thought that suddenly occurred to me.

For some reason, there were many cases where Yeon-ah followed me around, and since she was following me even during work hours like this, I couldn’t help but worry.

And at these words of mine, Neon burst into laughter and said:

“Well… She says she takes care of all her work on her own.”

“For someone who says that, she was trying to postpone work and follow me last time……”

“But isn’t it fine since everything is running smoothly like this?”

“Certainly… That’s true.”

As Neon said, all Yeon-ah’s actions would be fine as long as the General Management Team was maintained well in the end.

After all, that was the only thing Yeon-ah, as the team leader, had to do.

From what I heard, they’ve almost completed construction of the makgeolli factory they said they were building recently, and have started making prototypes, so I had no choice but to think she was taking care of other essential parts on her own.

Therefore, instead of worrying needlessly, I patted Neon’s head, who said she was coming to watch my duel right now.

“Even though it’s not an S-rank but an A-rank, it’s still a duel with the former 1st place, so watch carefully. How I use my power, I mean. It’ll be a good study.”

“Aw geez, stop treating me like a kid. And don’t worry, I’ll watch properly on my own.”

“Alright, kiddo.”

At her cheeky answer, I said that and gave her head one last push, and Neon showed an excellent reaction.

It was the same teasing and response as always, but I was satisfied with that cuteness that always felt new.

Then I pulled the clothes scattered on the floor with wind and put them on.

“Well then, shall we get going?”

“What, already? It’s only 8 o’clock.”

“Ah, I’m planning to play with Arashi for a while before it’s time.”

After all, Arashi also said she was coming to the arena to watch the duel with her team leader, Seo-hyun.

At these words of mine, Neon let out an exclamation as if she understood and waved her hand saying to go and come back well.

Receiving her greeting, I headed to the terrace and boarded the flagship that was already prepared and headed to my destination.

“Alright, let’s depart now.”

To the Punishment Team’s tower right next to us.

---

After noon passed and 2:40 PM arrived.

Whiiiiing—!

A flagship that flew at high speed cutting through the wind landed at the 3rd Arena station in the 11th District.

Murmurs spread among the people at the station at that flagship which looked different from other flagships that had come and gone until now.

“Wow, damn what is that……”

“That flagship is killer. Whose flagship is it?”

“……Huh? Wait a sec, damn. That’s the General Management Team’s flagship.”

At first, the main sounds of the murmurs were pure admiration and envy, but after a moment of observation, when it was revealed that the flagship belonged to the General Management Team, the murmurs soon took on a slight sense of awe.

And soon the flagship’s door opened.

The ones who came down through that door were two women and a girl wearing masks and hoods.

“This is suffocating, really. Do we really have to do this?”

“Neon, you said you didn’t want to reveal that you’re from the General Management Team when you enroll in school. If you don’t want to be photographed here and revealed as one of us, then bear with it.”

“Haah… I guess I have no choice.”

The identities of the two were none other than Neon and Yeon-ah.

They had come to the arena to watch Shin-yeon’s duel, following behind Shin-yeon who had already departed from the Punishment Team’s tower with Arashi.

Of course, Neon complained about the discomfort of the mask and hood they had to wear in the process, but it couldn’t be helped since Neon herself had provided the cause.

In the end, Neon started walking towards the VIP seats of the arena, following behind Yeon-ah who was walking ahead.

“But do we really have to go to such a flashy place like the VIP seats? It’s a bit burdensome.”

“We’re the General Management Team. There’s some simple outward appearance, but if we sit among other citizens in the general seats, it would be an inconvenience just by our presence.”

“Can’t we just hide our identities?”

“……Don’t tell me you want to wear this suffocating mask even while watching the duel?”

“Ah, that’s certainly not good.”

Neon immediately understood at Yeon-ah’s words.

As she said, if they had to wear these masks and hoods even while watching the duel, one of two results would occur: either dying from being steamed in the heat or dying from stress.

But if they revealed their identities, it would be an inconvenience to those around them who would be sitting next to the nobles of the General Management Team.

That shouldn’t happen, so going to the VIP seats was the best way for Yeon-ah and Neon to watch, even if it was a bit uncomfortable.

“Alright, we’re here.”

And after walking for a while having such conversations.

Yeon-ah stopped in front of a door in the top floor corridor of the arena where a red carpet was laid out.

Whiiing—

Then the door opened automatically after recognizing Yeon-ah with a sensor.

What they saw when they entered was a comfortably created space with five chairs placed inside, and two people already occupying two of those seats.

“Ah, you both came. You arrived at quite a close time.”

“It’s been a while, Lady Arashi.”

“Yes, it’s been a while, Yeon-ah.”

And Yeon-ah entered the room while politely greeting one of them, more precisely, the girl with light pink hair holding a fan.

Just from that action, Neon could clearly tell who was the highest-ranking person here.

Therefore, Neon, who had entered the room following Yeon-ah, also bowed her waist to the girl called Arashi.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Neon.”

“Oh my, a new face. Nice to meet you, young lady. I’m Arashi, the ancestor of the Punishment Team.”

“An-ancestor……”

I thought she was certainly a high-ranking person, but hearing the status of ancestor, I couldn’t help but swallow.

The girl in front of me was the ancestor of the Punishment Team that Shin-yeon had met yesterday, and whom she called a friend this morning.

Although Neon spoke comfortably to Shin-yeon, she still found other Five Pillars’ ancestors quite burdensome, so Neon carefully wiped her sweaty hands.

“Fufufu, there’s no need to be so nervous. I’m just a ghoul, nothing special. But what is the identity of Neon, whom Yeon-ah brought here?”

“Neon is an outsider taken in by our Ancestor and currently adopted into our family. Despite appearances, she’s had our Ancestor’s mana stone implanted.”

“This is surprising. So you’re a person who became an adopted daughter of Yeon-ah’s family? And Shin-yeon brought you, at that. Then we’ll be seeing each other quite often from now on, Neon.”

Yeon-ah, who is usually prickly, introduced Neon while praising her, and Arashi made a declaration that would tighten one’s heart just by listening to Yeon-ah’s words.

Neon wanted to shout at them to stop as their conversation kept adding to the already heavy burden, but before she could even stop Yeon-ah.

Yeon-ah spoke to Seo-hyun, the Punishment Team’s team leader who was next to Arashi, and calmly said one thing.

“By the way, Neon said she’s going to pursue a career as a hunter after graduating from Gaeam Hunter High School, so I’d like to ask for your help later.”

“Hmm… Alright, I understand. I’ll provide conveniences within the limits I can allow.”

Yeon-ah’s words boldly asking for support for Neon’s path as a hunter after high school graduation.

And seeing Seo-hyun accepting that request as if it were natural, Neon inwardly shouted while holding back her churning stomach.

‘S-stop……!’

A very desperate cry, but one that wouldn’t reach anyone.

Until the duel started 5 minutes later, this burdensome conversation continued without end.