Hunter License (2)

To be honest, Supervisor Ji Ganghyeon just wanted to have a match with Lee Dojin.

Of course, what he said to Lee Dojin was also true.

If he slaughtered the monsters without giving them a chance to move like that, it was obvious that the Awakened Management Bureau would review the approval.

‘In the end, the desire to fight is greater though.’

Supervisor Ji Ganghyeon completely shut down the virtual summoning device and entered the combat arena.

Ji Ganghyeon faced Lee Dojin.

“Examinee Lee Dojin, thank you for understanding.”

Lee Dojin shrugged at Ji Ganghyeon’s words.

“No, I think I would have felt too empty if it ended like this too.”

Ji Ganghyeon couldn’t hold back a chuckle at Lee Dojin’s unexpected response.

‘No, I guess it’s because he’s this kind of person that he’s become this strong at this age.’

Ji Ganghyeon took out his weapon, twin swords.

They were swords of a length that could be appropriately called short swords.

“I’ll be honest. Rather than thinking of you as an examinee, I’ll just think of this as sparring with another hunter. I’ve seen the video of Student Lee Dojin facing a giant monster. It was truly overwhelming.”

The video of the monster summoning incident orchestrated by the <Red Sect>.

It seemed that more people than expected had seen the video of him defeating the monster ‘Helrokan’. This was because the Spear King had once mentioned that he had seen it well during their conversation.

“…It seems quite a lot of people have seen that video.”

“When video content like that gets out into the world somehow, it’s impossible for it not to spread. Even now, there are probably people who would want to buy that video even for 10 million won.”

The start of the video distribution was the school’s video management chief who had been bribed by Sword Emperor So Daecheol. After getting a taste of good money from the Sword Emperor, he started selling that video to all sorts of people.

“I see.”

Lee Dojin now seemed to understand why the supervisor was being so polite to him.

This Supervisor Ji Ganghyeon did not have the confidence that he would win against him. Far from being confident of winning, that look in his eyes seemed closer to that of a challenger.

“I guess we should end it at a level where we don’t get too injured.”

Ji Ganghyeon responded just as nonchalantly to Lee Dojin’s nonchalant words.

“Let’s do that.”

The two martial artists gripped their weapons anew.

Kwak!

They stomped the ground.

A red light flickered on Ji Ganghyeon’s sword. The red trajectory ominously sliced through the air.

‘Illusion Sword.’

Ji Ganghyeon’s sword was ever-changing. But that didn’t mean its destructive power was weak.

Lee Dojin felt the heavy sword energy flowing through his wooden sword.

Red mist began to rise from the tips of Ji Ganghyeon’s feet. It was a preparatory stance to make movements beyond the body’s limits.

Colorless trajectories and red trajectories tore through the air.

Jjeojeojeojeojeong!

Their swords clashed dozens of times. The shockwaves from the clashing sword energies created nearly a hundred sonic booms in the air.

‘It doesn’t reach.’

Ji Ganghyeon gritted his teeth. He was clearly swinging with the intent to kill Lee Dojin. Because even though Lee Dojin was still just a student, he clearly acknowledged him as being above himself.

Sweat poured down like rain.

His mind went blank as if emptied. At that moment, Lee Dojin’s voice was heard softly.

“You need to break the frame. To take one step further from there.”

The voice of this youngster, at least 15 years younger than himself, felt too heavy.

“Not the concept of cutting the opponent’s neck.”

White light eerily sliced through space.

Ka-aang

The short sword was cut in half. Perfectly. Without even leaving fragments.

“Think of it as cutting space itself.”

Kwa-jik!

The blade of the broken short sword was thrust into the ground.

“……”

Ji Ganghyeon stared with a hardened face at the short sword whose cross-section had been cleanly cut. And he slowly opened his mouth.

“So how… huh, I guess the examinee can’t properly explain that sensation either?”

Lee Dojin slowly nodded.

“Yes, you understand well.”

That’s what they call innate talent, kid. Ji Ganghyeon forcibly swallowed the words he was about to spit out. Because even he himself was someone who had been called a once-in-a-generation genius by others 10 years ago. Only after entering the ranks of S-class did he realize how deep that well was.

The youngster before his eyes must have talent that could be called beyond heaven.

“It would be perfect if I attach the video of this match.”

Ji Ganghyeon finally ended with a bitter smile.

“Thank you.”

Lee Dojin and Ji Ganghyeon came out of the combat arena together.

“If you have any business at the Hunter Management Bureau, please contact me.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Lee Dojin accepted the business card Ji Ganghyeon offered out of goodwill and put it in his wallet.

And he moved his steps towards the place for the personality test. The personality test was literally a test to confirm the morality to blend into society without trouble as a hunter.

Of course, he passed without any problems.

The receptionist confirmed Lee Dojin’s examinee number and name.

“Based on your practical test score, you’re scheduled for A-rank. Unless something happens, we’ll issue your registration card in a week.”

“Thank you.”

---

Lee Dojin opened the door of the Hunter Management Center entrance. Choi Bit-na, who had come out first, was waiting for Lee Dojin in front of the bench.

Her appearance in jeans and a sleeveless shirt only now caught his eye. It must be the same as when they rode the bus, but still.

“Did the test go well?”

Choi Bit-na sighed at Lee Dojin’s question.

“B. I went up to the twin-headed ogre! I had just one left! But I got properly beaten up by that one. And then death judgment!”

Of course, getting hit by monsters doesn’t cause that much pain. It just stings a bit.

“You got A, right?”

Lee Dojin nodded.

“Yeah, for now.”

Lee Dojin felt hungry.

“I’m hungry. Let’s eat first.”

“Okay! You’re thinking the same as me.”

It was too intense to go straight to the movie theater, as they both had used their bodies too vigorously because of the practical test.

“Yeah! There’s a 4 o’clock movie, we can watch that.”

There were quite a few restaurants. A Japanese restaurant mainly serving ramen, a pork cutlet place, a restaurant.

Choi Bit-na shook her short hair vigorously as she pondered what menu to put in her stomach.

“Master, is there anything you’re craving?”

“Anything is fine.”

When asked what movie to watch, saying “anything” was fine, but food was different. Choi Bit-na’s anger gauge instantly surpassed the critical point.

“Do you want to get beaten up so bad you can’t say anything? Huh? I-I can’t do it in reality! But! In dreams, I can do this! And that! Whack─!”

“…I’ll think about it.”

10 minutes later.

In the end, it was Choi Bit-na who made the decision.

“Braised chicken!”

They entered a braised chicken restaurant.

“Boneless! Add cheese topping! Also cheese rice cakes. Hmm… and spring rolls and fried dumplings too, please.”

“Yes, I’ve taken your order.”

Lee Dojin thought it made sense for her to exercise hard as he watched Choi Bit-na ordering with a bright face. If she ate like that every time, she’d have to exercise hard. No matter how fast a hunter’s metabolism was, expecting not to get a belly after inhaling that much was a crime.

“Ommm!!”

Choi Bit-na savored the braised chicken with sparkling eyes. Lee Dojin watched her mukbang with a smile. It was cute.

---

The animated movie, “Homer’s Door Locking”, had ended.

The ending song was now playing.

I looked at Choi Bit-na sitting next to me. There was a tear pooled in the corner of Choi Bit-na’s eye.

Our eyes met as Choi Bit-na was intently staring at the black screen showing the ending credits. Bit-na hurriedly turned her head away.

I handed Choi Bit-na the handkerchief I always carry. Bit-na accepted the handkerchief, trying hard not to look at me.

“Phew, that was fun.”

Choi Bit-na held my hand as we walked out of the movie theater.

“Let’s go to a cafe too. Is that okay time-wise?”

“Yeah.”

Even if I went back to the dormitory now, there wouldn’t be anything special I could do anyway.

As soon as we opened the door of the cafe, the distinctive coffee aroma of cafes hit our noses.

Lee Dojin opened his mouth.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Something sweet, vanilla latte.”

I placed a vanilla latte and an iced Americano on the table.

The honey bread I ordered as an extra seemed to be ready too.

“Let’s eat together.”

“Okay!”

Pook-!

Choi Bit-na thrust her fork in as she answered.

“Wow, it’s sweet.”

It wasn’t a reaction of disliking it for being sweet, but more of a tone that meant she loved it for being sweet.

“Eating delicious food. Watching a movie. Ending the day with something sweet – this is happiness, right?”

“Yeah, today was nice.”

Hearing my answer, Choi Bit-na suddenly calmed her excitement and put on a rather serious expression. And she thrust that face, as bright and pure as the moon, right up to my nose.

“It was nice, right? For real?”

“For real.”

Because it was rare for me to spend time as meaninglessly as today.

If you make every moment meaningful, a person would go crazy. But that’s how I had lived during the first semester.

Ever since hearing about the existence of the ‘Tower’, I tried even harder not to waste even a speck of time.

“Sometimes the current you seems to be just running through life too much.”

Is this something that could only be seen because Choi Bit-na, far from intuition, was sincerely worried about me?

“Thanks for worrying about me.”

“That’s right, that’s right. One person sincerely worrying about another person is a very great thing!”

Choi Bit-na said, lifting the glass containing vanilla latte as if it were a mug of draft beer.

A little while later, after finishing our coffee and bread, we came outside. Even though it was clearly summer, the night air was quite chilly.

“Next time, you decide everything. And we meet once more. Us.”

“Huh?”

“The movie! The food menu! And the cafe, I mean.”

Only then did I realize that Choi Bit-na had decided everything for today’s schedule when she spoke with her cheeks slightly puffed out.

I smiled bitterly.

“Okay, got it. I’ll decide and let’s meet once more.”

Choi Bit-na nodded her head vigorously.

“Before the vacation ends!”

“Okay.”

“Promise.”

Choi Bit-na lightly clenched her fist, extending only her pinky finger towards me. It was indeed that promise gesture used when we were young. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Okay, promise.”

We linked our pinky fingers.

Choi Bit-na and I stared at the clock tower in the city. The time was already approaching 9 PM.

“My master told me to come to the guild.”

“Is that so?”

I had to go to the dormitory. Because I needed to stay in Seoul until I finished the things I had to do.

“See you next time.”

Choi Bit-na nodded her head vigorously at my words.

“You decide the date for the next time we meet too. The movie we’ll watch, the food we’ll eat, the cafe we’ll go to. You decide everything, okay?”

“Okay, okay.”

“Because I want to know more deeply what kind of person Dojin is!”

Isn’t it a talent to say such things so casually?

“I’ll definitely decide.”

“Don’t ignore my messages just because it’s vacation!”

Choi Bit-na headed off to take the subway. After confirming that she had walked underground, I also moved to catch the last train.