Translator: Vine
Translated At: Nyx Scans
Chapter: 68
Gwihoon, watching the battle between Weather and Siwoo, smiled faintly.
In truth, Siwoo's words were a lie.
It was true that he could manipulate both ice and water, but there was one drawback.
He could lower the temperature of water, but not raise it.
However.
'There's no need to tell the enemy such things.'
He was satisfied.
Beyond what he had imagined.
Of course, this wasn't a life-or-death battle, but even considering that, Siwoo single-handedly suppressing both Commander and Weather was an incredible feat.
'Now, what remains is...'
Gwihoon, sitting in his wheelchair, slowly turned his gaze to the man standing beside him.
A snapback worn backwards, buttons of his shirt mostly undone, revealing a glimpse of impressively defined abs. His skin was deeply tanned, as if he had just returned from a summer beach.
Despite the late hour, he wore sunglasses so dark they obscured his vision, a sight that would indeed make those around him misunderstand him as an eccentric.
However, he was not actually a suspicious individual.
The man's identity was Pyo Euihyeok, an A-Class hunter from Korea invited by Gwihoon.
World ranking outside the top 100, but widely reputed among Korean A-Class hunters as the most likely candidate for S-Class promotion—the 'Engineer'.
Commander and Weather.
Having dealt with those two hunters, only Euihyeok remained.
Yet, for some reason, he merely stared blankly at Siwoo from behind his sunglasses, not moving from his spot.
"Baekya. I apologize, but I must withdraw from this duel."
Euihyeok spoke abruptly.
Siwoo and Gwihoon simultaneously narrowed their eyes.
"What do you mean by that?"
Siwoo, scowling deeply, approached Euihyeok.
Euihyeok, looking at Siwoo askance, spoke with a discomforted expression.
"You, you look like you can barely stand."
"Are you showing me consideration now?"
"No. It's a matter of my own morality."
"I can fight."
"...Really?"
Euihyeok slightly lowered the sunglasses he was wearing.
And in that instant.
Crack—!!
Lightning struck Siwoo.
It was a speed impossible for Siwoo, covered in wounds and with his stamina nearly depleted, to dodge.
"Kuhk...!"
Coughing up blood, Siwoo collapsed on the spot.
Euihyeok merely glanced down, staring indifferently at Siwoo.
"Sorry, but I have no desire to engage in combat with someone who looks like they'll go down with a single tap."
"..."
Siwoo, sprawled on the ground, clenched his fist in frustration.
His fingers scraped harshly against the sandy gravel, leaving bloody marks.
It seemed the opponent was a nature-type hunter like Siwoo, specializing in electricity.
Euihyeok slowly rubbed the back of his neck.
With his movement, crackle, blue sparks erupted.
"...The matchup isn't very good for you either, is it?"
Euihyeok was an A-Class hunter, and Siwoo was an S-Class hunter.
The gap between the two classes was undoubtedly enormous.
However, considering their current condition, the compatibility of their unique abilities, and their field experience, Euihyeok had a much greater advantage over Siwoo in a fight between the two.
"Do you really have to do this?"
Euihyeok said, as if reluctant.
No matter how much this wasn't a real battle, look.
Siwoo's condition was already a wreck.
If he were to fight Euihyeok again here, this young man would likely not escape serious injury.
"You've already proven your strength against those two S-Class hunters."
"Isn't that enough, without having to compete against an A-Class hunter like me?"
Isn't that right, Baekya? Euihyeok looked at Gwihoon.
"No."
In that instant, Siwoo, who seemed to have been silent, staggered to his feet.
Beyond the sunglasses, Euihyeok's eyes widened considerably.
"Compatibility and whatnot, none of that crap matters."
Siwoo, standing unsteadily, narrowed his icy blue eyes.
I have to fight you.
And so, I will see this damn proof through to the very end.
Between his slightly parted lips, white breath puffed out like smoke.
"Haa... Haa..."
Dragging his heavy legs, Siwoo collapsed onto a nearby bench.
Leaning back, he tilted his neck to look up at the sky.
Through his disheveled hair, his unfocused blue irises were revealed.
Siwoo suddenly lifted both hands and stared blankly at them.
Not a single one of his ten fingers was unscathed.
Due to the backlash from overusing his unique ability beyond its limits, both hands were already numb.
As if frostbitten.
Siwoo slowly began to rummage through his pockets.
From his right front pocket, he pulled out a badly crumpled ointment tube.
He tried to open the cap, but his hands wouldn't move as he wished.
Damn it.
Muttering a curse under his breath, Siwoo bit the cap with his teeth and, as if forcibly twisting it, finally managed to open it.
Squeeze...
The back of his hand, his palm, his wrist, his elbow.
He squeezed out a little ointment onto every visible wound.
"...Ah."
Then, thud, the ointment fell to the ground.
The ointment, fallen unceremoniously beneath the bench.
Siwoo stared at it blankly.
It was already late; not a single person was strolling around.
In the quiet stillness, only the streetlight flickered faintly.
After remaining frozen for a long time, Siwoo, without picking up the ointment, sat up straight.
And simply closed his eyes.
The gentle chirping of cicadas could be heard from not far away.
Following that, the sound of street trees swaying in the night breeze, the rustling of a bird perched on a branch somewhere taking flight—listening to these, his ears felt muffled.
Was that why?
'Young Master Siwoo. You were here.'
He felt as if he had heard an unnecessary auditory hallucination.
Knowing it was foolish, he still glanced up.
As expected, no one was there—.
"...Sunbae?"
Black hair, and eyes even darker than that.
It was Eunha.
Siwoo blinked slowly.
Even after confirming her face, his attitude was one of disbelief.
Since when had she been there?
Eunha stood stock-still in front of the bench, staring at Siwoo.
Siwoo, who had repeatedly blinked his eyelids, soon scowled deeply.
"What are you doing here?"
His lips firmly set, he bristled his defenses as sharply as possible.
However, Eunha, with her usual expressionless face, spoke calmly.
"I was looking for you. You weren't answering your phone."
Her pitch-black eyes slowly scanned Siwoo's face.
"...Did you fall again?"
Siwoo, pretending not to hear Eunha's words, sharply turned his gaze to the opposite side.
"What business do you have? I believe I clearly notified you of the contract termination."
"I know."
"Or perhaps, are you feeling regretful now? Were you short on money?"
"It's not that."
Eunha denied it lowly.
A blunt and detached voice.
Conversely, Siwoo spoke in an agitated tone.
"Then what? What reason do you have to appear before me again?"
"I'm sorry, but now that the contract is over, I'd prefer not to see your face again."
"From now on, permanently, that is."
He wished for that.
Because that was the only way.
Though they hadn't known each other for long, Siwoo didn't dislike Eunha.
That's why he had to do this.
Otherwise, she too, like Ilseok—.
"Just."
Eunha slowly parted her lips.
"Wondering if you wanted to grab a bite to eat."
Siwoo slowly lifted his gaze to look at Eunha.
Lips agape.
His face looked somewhat surprised.
No, he seemed angry, too.
Anyway, with that strange expression, he merely stared blankly at Eunha, showing no reaction.
So Eunha spoke again.
"As you said, we probably won't see each other again."
"..."
"I've been indebted to you for many things."
"I can't do much else, but I wanted to treat you to one last meal."
"..."
His blue gaze remained fixed on Eunha for a long time.
What was he thinking?
Between his lips, which opened and closed repeatedly, no words ultimately came out.
Neither affirmation nor denial.
"..."
A little later, Siwoo, sitting on a plastic chair, looked around with a disgruntled expression.
Eunha, who had just finished ordering, glanced at Siwoo.
"Did you think we were going to a gukbap restaurant? That place isn't open at this hour."
"..."
"Why? Don't you like food stalls?"
"No."
Siwoo shook his head faintly.
Soon after, the ordered food arrived at their table.
Rolled omelet, spicy whelk salad, tofu kimchi...
Amidst the endless stream of dishes, Siwoo's gaze stopped at one place.
"I hope it suits your taste. If it weren't so late, I was planning to treat you to something more expensive."
Hesitating for a moment, Siwoo fumbled for his spoon and extended his hand.
A clear broth with thinly sliced green and red chili peppers floating in it.
'Oh dear, the mussel soup has a lot of cheongyang peppers too. Hmm, if I had known, I would have ordered something not spicy.'
The bustling surroundings despite the late hour.
Orange lights dangling from the ceiling.
The smell of alcohol deeply infused with charcoal smoke filling the air.
A broth, white yet deceptively spicy.
Everything was exactly as he remembered.
"..."
Silently swallowing a spoonful of broth, Siwoo closed his mouth.
Eunha, opening a beer bottle across from him, glanced at him.
"The broth..."
Thump. He put down his spoon.
Swaaaaah—
Rain began to fall outside.
"The broth is a little spicy."
Eunha, staring intently at Siwoo, pulled a few napkins from the corner of the table and placed them before him.
"Because it has a lot of chili peppers."
"..."
"..."
A silence, unfitting for the bustling surroundings, flowed between the two.
Drip, drip.
The sound of rain drumming on the food stall's awning.
Amidst it, Siwoo suddenly spoke.
"Sunbae."
Thump. The crumpled ointment tube was placed on the table.
"I'll return this."
"..."
Eunha's pitch-black gaze fixed on the ointment.
After a brief silence, Eunha parted her lips.
"Why?"
The question was short.
But the answer took quite a long time.
"...Something like this, I'd rather you have it than me."
The night deepened.
Above the burner between them, the pot of mussel soup bubbled.
Though the hazy steam obscured his vision, Siwoo stared at it for a long, long time.
