The Hunter Who Does Not Age Is So Strong

Seo Hayeon (2)

Kim Bongpal and his party left the territory of the Celestial Demon Cult. Contrary to expectations, there were no obstacles. Hence, Kim Bongpal felt a little ridiculous because he deliberately boosted his energy when they first went out of the dining hall to act menacing. That was only because the Divine Lady left a special request regarding Kim Bongpal to Chen Hua-lin before she died.

But Chen Hua-rin wasn’t obligated to follow the Divine Lady’s will, and she hadn’t intended to stop Kim Bongpal in the first place, even out of curiosity. In fact, as long as Chen Hua-lin was in charge of the Cult, the other warriors couldn’t stop Kim Bongpal.

Seo Hayeon’s case was similar. It wasn’t much different for the disciples of the Celestial Demon to be given nearly unlimited freedom, and Seo Hayeon had spoken with Chen Hua-lin in advance while Kim Bongpal was recovering.

Chen Hua-lin wasn’t the type who forced her disciple to behave just because she was their teacher. In fact, she had quite a few disciples besides Seo Hayeon, though she was the only one from Earth.

The relationship between Seo Hayeon and Chen Hua-lin wasn’t that bad. Although it wasn’t a very long-lived relationship, Chen Hua-lin taught Seo Hayeon everything she had to teach. How to build inner Qigong, handle it, use a sword, and so on. Considering that Chen Hua-lin had taken her as her disciple, it must be true that she liked Seo Hayeon.

But unlike Seo Hayeon, none of the newly joined Hunters wanted to leave immediately. The reason was similar to that of the first hunter Kim Bongpal met: they were either absorbed in learning or planning to collect Mana Stones for at least a few months.

Technically, Seo Hayeon was the highest-ranking hunter in the Cult, but she also had no intention of coercing her fellows. In fact, her contract with the Iron Corporation was no longer important to her.

Anyway. Unlike when Kim Bongpal came to the Celestial Demon Cult, he wasn’t in a hurry to leave and didn’t even summon the Phantom Horse. Still, he was several times faster than the average person, so it was only slow compared to the pace thus far.

“Hayeon!”

“Yes?”

In the meantime, Maya and Seo Hayeon became a little closer. The two got along pretty well. To be precise, Seo Hayeon was quite good at caring for others, and Maya was used to receiving such care. Although the relationship was odd given their age, neither found it particularly strange.

“Hey. Look at this. If you squeeze Magical Force like this and twist it….”

“L-like this?”

“Yeah!”

Maya also taught Seo Hayeon some of her spells, spouting that she was the older sister in their relationship.

Fortunately, Seo Hayeon was also talented in sorcery. It wasn’t a great talent, but it was still good enough for her to use some low-level spells. Unlike martial arts, sorcery wasn’t a power that could be mastered without talent, so it was quite fortunate.

“Hmmmm! Good! Well done! After all, you learn well because you have a good teacher!”

“Hmm. Young Lady Seo, it is my turn now.”

“Yes!”

After Maya’s sorcery lesson was over, Seo Hayeon had a duel with Tearing Wind Sword. Since Seo Hayeon had just started to near the peak, she still had a lot to learn, and while it wasn’t something Kim Bongpal specifically asked for, Tearing Wind Sword did it voluntarily.

Tearing Wind Sword felt a little uncomfortable about receiving a huge amount of money after explaining so little to Kim Bongpal. In other words, he was trying to solve his discomfort by guiding Seo Hayeon. Of course, these things slowed the party down even further.

It took only a few days to go from Purple Clouds to the Celestial Demon Cult’s territory, but now it might take a week or so.

“…”

Kim Bongpal was leaning against a tree and watching the duel between Seo Hayeon and Tearing Wind Sword. It was the first peaceful day in a while. To tell the truth, the days he spent in El Plades before coming to the Shire were very peaceful, but today was different. Kim Bongpal didn’t think it was bad, although it felt somewhat awkward.

Of course, not all of Kim Bongpal’s party was able to enjoy this peace.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“…Yes. Brother.”

Warg, fur still damp after his bath to clean off blood, sat next to Kim Bongpal.

Unfortunately, the Shire wasn’t a place where people could be peaceful just because they wanted to because of the monsters. The peace the party enjoyed now was thanks to Warg’s sacrifice.

“You’ve worked hard.

“Oh, don’t mention it.”

Warg replied as he met Kim Bongpal’s gaze.

You’ve worked hard? He wasn’t used to Kim Bongpal’s attitude changes. He had to wonder if this was the same Kim Bongpal who beat him up several times because he didn’t like his answers during their first meeting.

Of course, he knew why: the human woman fighting with Tearing Wind Sword over there. Since she appeared, Kim Bongpal had completely changed. But the funny thing was that the person in question didn’t seem aware of it.

Warg groaned inwardly as he looked at Kim Bongpal. But then.

“What are you looking at?”

“Y-yes?”

“I feel bad about your gaze…did you curse me?”

“What? No!”

Warg quickly shook his head. Although Kim Bongpal had changed quite a bit, it didn’t mean he wasn’t the same person.

* * *

Huff-

The night grew deeper. Once everyone fell asleep, Kim Bongpal stepped away from their tents to smoke. His pack only had a few cigarettes left. The fact that he was almost out meant that Kim Bongpal smoked quite a lot, but it also meant that his time in the Shire wasn’t that short.

Tap.

At that moment, he felt a presence behind him. Kim Bongpal knew who was approaching by a hunch even before he felt her presence.

“…Eww. The smell.”

Seo Hayeon stepped up to his side, covering her nose.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“Sister Maya…she has a bad sleeping habit.”

Kim Bongpal laughed. Look who was speaking. It was a story from six years ago, but he still vividly remembered what Seo Hayeon’s sleeping habits were like.

Tap. Tap.

Seo Hayeon sat down as he thought back to those days.

“…Uncle.”

“Hmm.”

“Will you leave again when we return to Earth?”

She meant, would he go to El Plades again? Kim Bongpal pondered for a moment. The days he spent in El Plades was quite fun. At first, anyway. But after spending five years with Seo Hayeon, the next six in El Plades…

He didn’t know why, but it wasn’t much fun. In fact, beyond boring, before Kim Bongpal left, he was starting to feel like shit there.

‘I get tired of gambling, after all.’

Perhaps that was the reason. Those six years weren’t very interesting. With that thought in mind, Kim Bongpal pondered a little more about whether he would leave or not.

“Who knows.”

Kim Bongpal answered. He hadn’t come up with an answer yet.

Kim Bongpal had lived a life where he did what he wanted and would continue to do. For that reason, he went to find Seo Hayeon. So, what was next?

“What about you?”

“Yes?”

“What are you going to do? This damn hunter stuff, are you going to continue it?”

This time, Seo Hayeon began to agonize over the future. Frankly, she had no lingering attachment to her job. After all, she knew she could achieve her goals without remaining a hunter, and her purpose wasn’t to make money like the others.

It remained as it always had, the annihilation of all monsters. The purpose she initially set because of her burning desire for revenge was the pedestal that supported Seo Hayeon’s life for the past six years. Even now, it was unchanged, and it was just…

“…I don’t know either.”

Seo Hayeon replied with an awkward smile. Looking at their ambiguous answers, the two were quite similar.

Kim Bongpal, throwing his cigarette away, said.

“You still have something to do.”

“What?”

“You have to pay me the money.”

“Oh, really!”

Seo Hayeon exclaimed. She then tapped her lips and said:

“I also have saved up some money….”

“You must have saved up your little pocket money, huh? How much is it?”

“…About three billion.”

Her voice gradually became smaller. Three billion was definitely a lot of money, even though it was still a small amount compared to 20 billion. It would easily exceed 3 billion won if Seo Hayeon combined her income over the years.

However, blood didn’t lie, and Seo Hayeon was similar to her father. She invested most of the income she earned in hunting again. Even after that, the fact that she still had 3 billion left was thanks to the enormous value of the Mana Stones.

Although she was Chen Hua-lin’s disciple, Seo Hayeon didn’t get a salary because she did not carry out Cult duties. She only earned a small amount of Mana Stones for the cost of maintaining her dignity. It wasn’t a small amount of money, but adding it wasn’t enough to make 3 billion into 20.

“…”

The conversation between the two paused for a moment. Kim Bongpal, thinking for a while, turned to Seo Hayeon again.

“It will take a while. Fuck.”

“Yes?”

“It will take a while to get 20 billion.”

“…I guess so.”

Seo Hayeon and Kim Bongpal had their own goals. One was annihilating monsters, and the other was safety for those who wanted to kill monsters.

Come to think of it, it was a strange thing. Kim Bongpal had lived alone for most of his long life. He thought it was normal, the right thing for a Hunter to do. But why did he worry about this now?

Kim Bongpal actually knew it, now. Living alone wasn’t as good as he’d thought. In the end, he concluded, after a brief consideration, an outcome that would satisfy them both.

“This is such a fucking place.”

“…”

“It’s a perfect place to die early if you’re hunting in a place like this.”

Suddenly, Kim Bongpal stood up. Then, he turned his gaze away from Seo Hayeon and walked forward.

Seo Hayeon watched with a puzzled look.

“And you won’t be able to get 20 billion in a few years.”

Seo Hayeon smiled slightly.

“And I’ve never taken the money I lent you.”

“I suppose so. Whose uncle are you?”

“It’s a little out of place for a debtor to follow a person who owes him money, but what else can I do? Fuck.”

Kim Bongpal, stopping at a vacant spot, said to Seo Hayeon.

“Let’s check it out.”

“…Yes.”

There was no way she didn’t know what he wanted to check. It was something the two once did every day.

“If you lose here, you will have an additional 10 billion in debt.”

“What?”

“Instead.”

“…?”

“I’ll reduce your debt a billion won every time you brush against me.”

Seo Hayeon smiled mischievously, but soon she became serious. Considering the gap between the two in the past, it would have been possible. But now, she didn’t know.

Unlike when she said she would teach him Trail Force, now she knew Kim Bongpal was a formidable master. She didn’t know for sure, but it was likely he could easily pull out something like Trail Force.

Even so, she also became stronger. Six-year years made her go beyond A-Class to S-Class, and then there were her teachings from Chen Hua-lin.

But 1 billion each time? Not 100 million? Those words from Kim Bongpal…hurt her pride. Like she said a while ago, just whose niece was she?

Seo Hayeon also refused to lose.

Shriiieeek-

“There is one more penalty. I’m not leaving this, and if you force me out, I will pay 20 billion won straight away as compensation.”

Kim Bongpal drew a circle around him with his sword. Seo Hayeon’s expression soured.

“Uncle, you are going to take this seriously, right?”

Kim Bongpal didn’t say anything; he just smirked.

Of course.

.

.

.

“Hmm. Moving around for five minutes for 10 billion. This is quite a business.”

“Geez! You’re so annoying!”

Seo Hayeon’s sword never touched Kim Bongpal.

* * *

It took two weeks for Kim Bongpal’s party to return to Purple Clouds.

He intended to visit the werewolf’s territory immediately.  Most of the people Kim Bongpal met here in the Shire were fucking bastards who gave him bad memories, but there are still a few good ones, and at the top of that list was Wargen.

However.

“Huh! Hey, look over there.”

“I-it’s a werewolf.”

People’s reactions were strange. It wasn’t a big deal to meet a Werewolf in Purple Clouds. There weren’t many, but if you walked the streets, you would eventually run into a couple. Plus, they stood out because they were bigger than a normal human.

But to react like that when seeing Warg…the party felt uncomfortable as they walked down the street.

“Isn’t that Warg? Wargen’s eldest son. Right?”

“…Doesn’t he know yet?”

They could hear passersby speaking in hushed tones.

He didn’t know what? Naturally, Kim Bongpal stopped. The passerby who had mentioned Warg’s name was startled and ran away.

Just as he was about to give chase.

“Warg!”

A group of men appeared from afar, soldiers in red uniforms.

“…They are the warriors of Evil Alliance, Sword Phantom.”

Kim Bongpal frowned.

The soldiers who belonged to the Evil Alliance weren’t hiding their hostility toward Warg.