Chapter 87

Chapter 87

The Hero Fucks the Magic Swords.

Episode 87: How To Become Stronger.

Cheong-gang sat on the bed, wearing nothing but a negligee as sleepwear.

Her large, rounded chest and her hips drew a white curve.

Above all, her appearance was so alluring that it could captivate any man.

However, her expression was far from that.

It was because she still hadn’t checked the message that her partner, Kal, had painstakingly sent.

‘…Isn’t it a bit too much to leave it on read without responding?’

No matter how good-natured Cheong-gang was rumored to be, it didn’t mean she had no pride.

In fact, her pride and desire to improve were as high as any magic sword.

Even so, she had swallowed her pride and reached out first in a reconciliatory gesture.

She never imagined that her message would be ignored without even being read.

‘…Even during this, those people are probably getting stronger…’

The recent defeat at the hands of Lethe had shocked Cheong-gang in many ways.

She had thought of herself as strong and had established a solid reputation in the industry.

But perhaps because of that, both she and Kal had grown complacent.

They had been overwhelmingly defeated by the combination of Si-hyeon and Lethe.

With skills like that, Lethe would soon reach the level of an A-class magic sword.

If Lethe’s performance surpassed hers, Cheong-gang could be left behind, with her name fading into obscurity.

And it wasn’t just Lethe. Other magic swords could rise to the top at any moment in this fast-paced industry.

‘…But how on earth did they get that strong?’

Lethe, a B-class magic sword with a disadvantageous match-up, had completely overpowered her.

Normally, such a story would be impossible to believe, even if it was just a rumor.

Of course, the difference in fighting styles between Si-hyeon and Kal was significant… but even with that taken into account, Lethe’s performance was exceptional.

Since Cheong-gang had never heard of Lethe before, it must have been an obscure magic sword until now.

How had such an unknown magic sword gained such ridiculous strength?

“Hmmm.”

It wasn’t out of jealousy, but pure curiosity.

At the same time, there was a small part of her that wondered if she, too, could grow that quickly.

“Maybe there’s some kind of special training method or enhancement technique…”

If something like that existed, she absolutely wanted to know about it.

In fact, Cheong-gang had recently felt that her growth had stalled.

Until now, she had accepted the fact that, being fairly strong, she would eventually hit her limits.

But after losing to Lethe, that feeling had become much more serious.

Even now, Lethe was probably growing stronger and widening the gap between them.

‘Hmm…Couldn’t I just ask her about that, at least?’

Her curiosity was overwhelming, and she desperately wanted to find out.

Fortunately, although she didn’t have Lethe’s contact information, she did have Si-hyeon’s number from a previous industry-related meeting.

Of course, given the nature of the topic, she couldn’t just end it with a phone call.

At the very least, she would need to meet in person to get the information she needed.

If they were to meet, a cup of tea or a meal would be the minimum courtesy for someone asking for advice…

“…Should I just ask?”

Si-hyeon and Lethe had grown this strong in such a short time.

If their growth was truly due to some incredible technique or secret, she absolutely wanted to learn it.

It could be the clue she needed to become stronger.

Impulsively, Cheong-gang typed out a message.

She carefully worded it to avoid any misunderstanding, and even added that it was okay to refuse if it was difficult.

“Ugh! Did I do something stupid? How embarrassing…”

As soon as she sent the impulsive message, she regretted it a little.

Cheong-gang already had a contractor, and while she was part of a small guild, she was still officially affiliated.

For her to send such a personal message to someone already bound to a magic sword like Lethe… wasn’t it disrespectful?

Especially considering she had just suffered a humiliating defeat.

She hadn’t meant it that way, but what if it came across as strange? Cheong-gang started to feel embarrassed.

As she was feeling a bit of regret—

-Ding!

“Oh, oh my. He responded right away.”

A reply had come from Si-hyeon.

Maybe it was because Kal hadn’t even checked her message, but she felt oddly grateful for this small gesture.

When she checked the message, Si-hyeon kindly suggested that they could meet and talk anytime.

“Ah… I knew it, but he really is a good person.”

Si-hyeon was already contracted to the strong magic sword Lethe.

He had even joined the mega-guild “Gangrim Guild.”

There was no real reason for him to be kind to someone like Cheong-gang.

If anything, if his magic sword misunderstood, it could cause big problems.

Despite knowing that, he was still willing to offer such kindness.

Cheong-gang felt thankful, but also a little guilty.

‘Even if I don’t get stronger… I should make sure to repay him somehow.’

With that thought, she arranged to meet him.

The meeting place was a tea shop that Cheong-gang frequented.

It was a cozy place where she could relax alone, and she didn’t usually share it with others.

But she thought it would be fine for Si-hyeon.

‘After all, he’s from the same industry, already has a magic sword, and, unlike other men, he doesn’t seem interested in me.’

Fortunately, Si-hyeon agreed, and they planned to meet soon.

“Whew.”

As the meeting was set, she started feeling nervous for some reason.

Now that she thought about it, when was the last time she had met a man privately since contracting with Kal?

For some reason, she started to care about her outfit and makeup.

It wasn’t because of any romantic feelings, but because it was only natural to want to look pretty.

‘…Let’s not tell Kal.’

He hadn’t even checked her message anyway.

Telling him would probably just make him angrier.

It’s not like she was going to do anything wrong. They were just meeting to exchange industry information, after all.

The next day.

Cheong-gang arrived at the tea shop she had agreed upon with Si-hyeon and waited for him.

It would be rude to make the other person wait, especially when she was the one asking for a personal favor.

‘Hmm, my hair doesn’t look weird, does it?’

She nervously fidgeted with her hair and clothes.

As she tried to calm her needless anxiety by sipping on her tea, Si-hyeon walked in, noticed her, and waved.

Seeing his bright demeanor, Cheong-gang couldn’t help but smile.

Looking at him like this, she had to admit—he really was incredibly handsome.

“Si-hyeon!”

Cheong-gang called out to him with a smile.

“This way.”

“Ah, Cheong-gang, it’s been a while… or maybe not? Anyway, good to see you.”

“Haha! Yes, that’s right. You must’ve been surprised by my sudden message. Thank you for coming.”

“It’s nothing. It wasn’t a difficult request. In fact, I should be the one thanking you for the tea.”

Si-hyeon said as he looked around the tea shop.

The shop had a luxurious yet cozy atmosphere, and it was easy to understand why he reacted that way.

When Cheong-gang first came here, she also spent a long time just looking around, losing track of time.

“I didn’t know there was such a nice place like this. Thanks to you, I’ve found a good spot.”

“I’m glad you like it. I also enjoy this kind of Eastern atmosphere, so I come here often.”

“I’ll have to bring my magic sword here next time.”

Cheong-gang smiled warmly at Si-hyeon, who was genuinely pleased.

She had brought Kal here before, but he had only complained, calling it outdated.

After that, she never invited him here again.

Not that he would’ve come even if she had asked.

On the other hand, Si-hyeon immediately thought of his partner when he saw a good place.

Seeing that made her feel relieved that there wouldn’t be any misunderstandings, but at the same time, she was envious of how well he got along with Lethe.

“Now that I think about it, Lethe didn’t come with you? It would’ve been nice to meet her too.”

“Oh, she wanted to train separately today. I think she realized something during yesterday’s sparring.”

“Hmm… I see.”

Even after such an overwhelming victory, Lethe still felt there was something lacking and immediately went into training.

Cheong-gang could really feel the difference in mindset.

There was a time when she, too, had been that passionate about improving.

“…By the way, are you two okay? You seemed a little awkward after the fight yesterday. I was worried things might have become strained between you…”

“Oh, no! We’re fine! There’s really no need for you to worry, Si-hyeon!”

Cheong-gang quickly waved her hand in denial.

She didn’t want to make such a kind person worry over something trivial.

If he started feeling burdened by this meeting, she might not be able to get the information she needed.

Besides, Si-hyeon wasn’t at fault, was he?

‘If anything, the problem lies with us…’

After that, Cheong-gang steered the conversation to lighter topics, asking about how he had been and discussing industry news.

As they talked, she couldn’t help but be impressed by how much Si-hyeon knew.

He had detailed knowledge of dungeons, monsters, and even the current trends in the industry.

Listening to him, he felt more like an expert or analyst than just a hunter.

‘…He really is different from those of us who’ve only ever been hunters.’

It made sense that Lethe had gained such strength with a partner like him.

After a while, Cheong-gang finally broached the main topic.

“Um… Does Lethe have any special training methods or something like that?”

“Training methods?”

“Oh, I don’t mean it in a weird way! I was just wondering if I could use it for my own training. I’ve been feeling stuck in my growth recently.”

“Hmmm.”

Si-hyeon seemed to be thinking it over.

Seeing his hesitation, Cheong-gang felt a strange sense of hope.

If there was really nothing, he would have said so immediately.

But the fact that he was thinking about it meant there might be something.

‘Is there really some secret I didn’t know about?’

A secret that could make a B-class magic sword as strong as an A-class one.

If she could learn that, maybe Cheong-gang could also break through to the next level.

How long had she been waiting in anticipation?

Finally, Si-hyeon nodded cautiously.

“…To be honest, there is something.”

“R-Really? Then, maybe…!”

“But of course, it’s not something I can just tell anyone.”

“Oh… I guess that’s true…”

Si-hyeon wasn’t being cold—it was only natural.

A method to raise a magic sword’s strength to the next level.

Considering the competition in the hunter industry, that information was priceless.

You couldn’t buy it with money, and it could make a fortune on its own.

It wasn’t the kind of thing you could expect someone to reveal just because you asked nicely.

Even knowing that, Cheong-gang was desperate enough that she couldn’t give up easily.

She couldn’t accept being defeated and leaving things as they were.

“I could pay whatever the cost… Would that help?”

“Hmmm.”

Si-hyeon stroked his chin, thinking quietly. Eventually, he nodded.

“If you want it that badly, I can tell you.”

“R-Really?!”

Cheong-gang’s eyes widened in surprise.

She hadn’t expected him to agree so easily.

She had even prepared herself for much harsher conditions.

“Yes, we’ve known each other for a while, and I owe you a bit of a debt.”

“I-I don’t think I’ve done anything for you, though…”

“You were kind to me back when I was still unknown—no, even before I became a hunter. I’ve always thought that people like you deserve to be repaid.”

“Si-hyeon…”

Cheong-gang was so moved she nearly teared up.

In fact, her kindness had led Kal to call her foolish more than once.

But look at this. Being kind to others really does come back to you, doesn’t it?

“But this has to stay a secret between us. You can’t tell your partner or anyone else.”

“Yes! Of course!”

He was offering to share incredibly valuable information.

Naturally, Cheong-gang agreed and quickly nodded.