episode_0049

The never-ending stream of provocation was truly getting on my nerves.

At first, I was taken aback, but soon I snapped out of it.

‘…What is this?’

I furrowed my brow, not even bothering to blink as I looked at the approaching figure.

She was a short woman, not much taller than a cat, glaring at me fiercely.

She wore a leather jacket with a dragon tattoo, flashy piercings on her ears, and visible scars and tattoos all over her body, giving off a strong scent of a rough life.

“Are these your party members behind you?”

There were three more women who gave off a similar vibe as her.

They seemed like close-range dealer classes, more like a group of thugs who would stop passersby and ask, “Got any money?” rather than hunters.

“I’m a one-woman show. I was going to let it slide, but it’s too annoying to ignore.”

With a cocky attitude, the leather jacket woman approached us. She looked us up and down and then burst into a mocking laughter as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Just one month of preparation and you think you can pass? Do you think this is some kind of joke gathering place for kids?”

Setting that aside…

Why is she picking a fight from the get-go?

When I glared at her, the leather jacket woman spat on the ground with a loud sound.

“Even if a woman says it, it’s annoying, but hearing it from a man is just ridiculous. What? A few years of experience from other hunters? Do we look like a joke to you?”

Tap, tap.

With a smirk on her face, the leather jacket woman tapped my chest.

“…!”

At her action, the cat perked up her eyes sharply.

As I lowered the shield I was carrying on my back, the leather jacket woman also straightened up as if to say, “Oh, you want to try something?”

-…? What’s going on?

-It seems like they’re picking a fight.

-Well, it’s quite common. Hunters are a group of people who like to show off.

-Ugh, it’s like you’ll die if you don’t fight for a day.

-Oh, I can’t resist watching a fight.

The small commotion soon caught the attention of the surrounding onlookers.

The leather jacket woman, fueled by those stares, turned to her party members behind her.

“Hey, guys~ Don’t you find this ridiculous too?”

The trio laughed as if it was a rehearsed comedy act.

Regardless, I slowly analyzed why this leather jacket woman was acting this way.

No matter how much I thought about it, it seemed like there was nothing to gain from picking a fight for such a reason.

‘…Could it be?’

I soon realized.

This exaggerated performance.

The attitude that seemed to gain strength as the attention was focused on her.

‘She seems like someone who wants to make a strong impression by picking a fight.’

Even in the world I used to live in…

Or even in ‘Gosla,’ there were sometimes events like this.

People who tried to show their strength and unity through childish performances.

It was probably a feeble attempt to boost their confidence for the exam.

But in my eyes, they were nothing.

The leather jacket woman was clearly not going to pass.

There was no need to even consider her .

Her magic invocation itself was incomplete.

It was a clear sign that she couldn’t control her power properly.

She barely passed the first exam.

She wouldn’t even make it to the real test of the second exam.

“Hey, little parasite. Instead of lowering the standards here, go suck on your mom’s milk a little more and come back.”

“I think you need it more than me, don’t you?”

“…What?”

Caught off guard by the counterattack, the leather jacket woman froze. I gave her the same mocking smile.

“You’re pathetic… Do you need to suck harder and faster? Oh, maybe your mom isn’t around? Then I’m sorry.”

“F**k, this b*stard…!”

As the shiny leather jacket approached, a cat stepped forward.

Its fur bristled as it took a combat stance.

But before it could do anything, a chilling cold spread even faster.

“….!”

“…What?!”

Tap-tap.

A calm yet firm sound of footsteps could be heard. The source of the sound was a stylish woman wearing a mask and a hat.

“Stop right there.”

Her cold words dominated the surroundings.

*

“….”

Gulp.

The leather jacket barely swallowed the dry saliva.

A chilling sensation, making the back of the neck shiver, was felt.

Blink.

With a side glance, the identity was recognized.

‘…Frost?’

A palm-sized frost orb was rotating around the neck.

Even a slight movement could pierce inwards and cut the artery in an instant, a danger instinctively sensed.

-What, did I just see her casting a spell?

-…No, it was too fast…and how can she use such a powerful ice magic?

Murmuring voices.

Ignoring the gathering gazes, the woman removed her mask and hat.

With flowing purple hair and a cold expression, the appearance of a beauty left the leather jacket in awe.

“…Se, Seolbing?!”

-What?! Seolbing?

-The promising one?

-The Ice Witch? Really?

Seolbing, Moon Bora.

A ‘Freezing Realm’ specialist gaining attention and recognition everywhere recently.

A C-rank hunter, but even within the same rank, there was a difference in class.

Expected to become an A-rank hunter in a few years, the appearance of this promising talent caused a stir in the surroundings.

The leather jacket sent a questioning look, and Moon Bora slowly responded.

“Do not touch my acquaintances recklessly.”

“….!”

Her words caused even more surprising reactions.

Seolbing was known for being a loner.

This was due to Moon Bora’s reserved nature and distrust of others.

But combined with her cold expression, it led to a misunderstanding that she looked down on others.

Using the term ‘acquaintances’ indicated the exceptional skills of those two.

“…I-I’m sorry.”

The leather jacket humbly apologized.

The previous arrogance had disappeared completely.

As expected from someone at the bottom, it was evidence of quick calculations.

“I was wrong.”

“…What?”

“I targeted the wrong person.”

The frost orb around the neck pointed towards Yuseha and Mahana.

At the indication to apologize properly to them, the leather jacket’s face twisted in disbelief.

‘Even so, to these guys…’

At that moment, Moon Bora’s words caught their attention.

“By the way, your throat is cut.”

It was already severed.

At her words, the leather jacket’s gaze dropped.

As Moon Bora said, the severed choke was rolling on the ground like trash.

It was cleanly cut, showing a smooth surface.

An eerie cutting force.

Only then did the leather jacket notice that the sword was halfway out of Yuseha’s scabbard.

Was she so fast that he couldn’t even notice?

The leather jacket’s complexion turned pale.

If this was inside the gate, he would have died a long time ago, realizing it too late.

“…I-I’m sorry. I went too far.”

“….”

Without a word of apology, he simply bowed.

Looking at Moon Bora, he nodded.

“…I’ll leave now. I won’t do anything foolish again.”

The cold wind blowing as chilling as her cold demeanor, Moon Bora’s words.

The leather jacket-wearing girl swallowed nervously and started to run away, glancing at the rest of her party members.

Moonbora shot a sharp, menacing look towards the converging gazes.

“…What are you all looking at? Am I some kind of spectacle to you?”

At her words, those who had been watching quickly started to head towards the exam hall, murmuring amongst themselves.

It was none other than Moonbora, a promising hunter known by the nickname “Snow Queen”.

Knowing that even a slight mistake with her could greatly impact their future as hunters, everyone hurried to escape.

And so, only three people were left in the auditorium.

“……”

Hesitation?

Moonbora, with her arms crossed, glanced sideways.

She then sighed softly.

‘…Ugh.’

She really didn’t want to step up.

But of course.

Yuseha, with a bright smile on his face, was looking in her direction.

A truly radiant smile…

Moonbora sensed a strange discomfort in his laughter.

‘…What’s with that expression?’

It was as if he found himself too cute, wanting to take a bite out of her.

“What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Hehehe.”

“…What, what is it?”

“You’re still cute.”

“…Cute? Say that again?”

“Are you crazy!?”

At Yuseha’s provocative words, Moonbora felt a headache coming on.

She had felt it from the first time they met.

This man had no idea how harmful his actions were.

“Anyway, thank you. Thanks to you, everything was resolved.”

Hmph, resolved my foot.

He would have sorted it out on his own if he had set his mind to it.

“Thanks are unnecessary. I didn’t want to see that either.”

“But I have one question.”

Yuseha suddenly closed the distance between them.

As Moonbora hesitated, she took a step back.

“What, what is it?”

“Why didn’t you accept my greeting earlier?”

“W-What are you talking about? I’ve never seen you before-”

“-No, we made eye contact. I even nodded my head, but you quickly averted your gaze, hurting my feelings.”

Yuseha put on a convincing act of being genuinely hurt, with a nauseating display of emotion.

And once again, the naive Moonbora fell for it.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was rude-”

“-Just kidding~ I was just teasing you.”

“…Eek, eek, eek!!!”

As if ripe radishes, Moonbora’s face started to turn red.

She vowed deep down in her heart.

One day, she would give this arrogant man a piece of her mind.

Thud.

“……!”

That was when she realized.

She belatedly noticed the presence of the last member of their group approaching from the side.

“Oh, long time no see, Boram.”

“Ah, yes…”

Mahana.

The girl who had driven a nail into Moonbora’s heart with harsh words.

Moonbora, the one at fault, swallowed hard.