Chapter 155 – What It Means to Become One (4)

The real battle for survival had begun.

Those who grasped the situation voluntarily started fighting to eliminate one another.

My heart ached.

To think we had to draw swords against people who were our comrades just yesterday.

“Why must humans fight each other?”

The lament escaped my lips, but Olivier was quick to challenge it.

-Isn’t that a bit of a hypocritical line coming from you, Hero?

“Who’s better suited to contemplate humanity than me?”

-If you have any conscience, you wouldn’t say that after eliminating fifty people.

In any case, only 10% could avoid elimination. Whether they were dropped early or late, there was no need to prolong their suffering.

I believed that making them give up as quickly as possible was, in fact, a courtesy to them.

“More importantly, what about the guy I told you to find?”

-He’s hidden himself quite well. How on earth did he get the nickname ‘Mad Dog’? All he does is run.

“I doubt he only runs.”

-Well, he has eliminated ten of his comrades. He’s taken out the most people, aside from you. But all of them were his guild juniors who trusted him, and he just backstabbed them…

It didn’t matter. This was a combat drill focused on individual survival.

Truthfully, this kind of training should be used to build teamwork. But I was starting by shattering it.

I wanted to break the existing factions and erase the dividing line between Hanul and Hwarang.

Of course, if I had simply ordered a survival battle drill, it would have naturally devolved into a confrontation between Hanul and Hwarang.

To prevent that, I took action myself. And as if he understood my intentions, Kim Cheol-su also made his move.

‘Just as I’d expect from someone I taught.’

Just like someone I had trained in the past, he was moving exactly as I intended.

But it had been a long time since he trained under me.

He’s probably gotten rusty by now. He needed some re-education.

That’s why I was having Olivier track Hunter Kim Cheol-su.

Of course, I eliminated any hunters I came across on the way.

-Found him!

* * *

‘Just 30 more eliminations.’

It was still ingrained in Kim Cheol-su’s body.

Back when he was doing relatively well, he hit a wall.

At that time, he went to a training center introduced by his former team leader.

At first, he wondered what he could possibly learn in such a shabby center.

He went there with no expectations and met a trainer.

“Well now, hello. You’re early.”

The man looked to be in his mid-twenties at most, but he said he was in his thirties.

Judging by his physique, he seemed to have worked out quite a bit. But building muscle doesn’t necessarily mean you’re good in a real fight.

“Alright, let’s start with a basic physical fitness test.”

“I’m Kim Cheol-su.”

“Pardon?”

“I said, I’m Kim Cheol-su, the Mad Dog.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Forget the basic fitness test. Let’s just get to the practical training.”

Frustrated by his inability to overcome the limits he’d created for himself, Kim Cheol-su was perpetually irritable.

Despite his arrogant attitude, the trainer just smiled brightly and said.

“My, my, you must like practical application.”

The trainer wasn’t scared. On the contrary, he seemed delighted, humming a tune as he prepared for a spar.

‘Does this bastard not even read the news?’

It was awkward to say it himself, but the title ‘Mad Dog’ wasn’t earned for nothing.

He’d earned that nickname by fighting recklessly, with a literal disregard for anything in his sight.

Kim Cheol-su stepped into the ring to teach the trainer a lesson.

And he got the ever-living crap beaten out of him.

He activated his HP shield to survive and fought using his awakened abilities.

Even so, his opponent didn’t get hit once while pummeling him one-sidedly.

‘What the hell is this guy?’

He had underestimated the trainer for being a non-awakened person. But every single punch the trainer threw was incredibly heavy.

So heavy he couldn’t withstand it.

The days that followed were pure agony.

Because he’d foolishly said he wanted practical training, he was beaten up at every possible opportunity.

Of course, the training was a great help.

Because his will to live grew stronger.

“Well now, Hunter Kim Cheol-su. There you are.”

“Team Leader Lee…!”

“Congratulations. You’re currently ranked second in points on this field.”

“Second place… Does that mean I’m exempt from re-training?”

For a moment, Kim Cheol-su saw a glimmer of hope.

“Of course, you’re exempt.”

His efforts in betraying his comrades had paid off.

He was so happy he was about to cheer, but Hyunbin’s words continued.

“If you survive against me, that is.”

“What…?”

“I told you, it’s a battle royale.”

“Ah…”

Kim Cheol-su once again realized things had gone wrong.

Hyunbin was smiling brightly right in front of him.

The aura of a powerful being radiated from behind him.

Kim Cheol-su unknowingly swallowed a dry gulp.

He was hard to handle even when he was just a trainer. But now, he was an S-Rank hunter. The strongest in all of Korea, at that.

To fight something like that, you’d need to charge in all at once, as if you were in a boss raid, to have even a sliver of a chance.

“Hunter Kim Cheol-su, I’m curious to see how much you’ve improved. Hahaha.”

Hyunbin walked over, adjusting his open-finger gloves.

The bloodstains of some unknown person were on his gloves.

Seeing that, a harsh sense of reality hit Kim Cheol-su.

“Hoo…”

“?”

“Huhuhu.”

Kim Cheol-su laughed. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t considered this possibility.

“I won’t be a pushover either. I’m not the same man I was a year ago.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Saying this, Kim Cheol-su put down his backpack. Then he took off his jacket and hat and placed them on the ground.

He looked like he was gearing up for a real fight.

He certainly wasn’t the same man who used to get beaten up during training.

“Huhu.”

Kim Cheol-su took off his shirt.

His well-toned upper body was revealed.

“…?”

Kim Cheol-su took off his pants. Soon, he was standing in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs.

“I knew a day like this would come.”

Hyunbin saw the resolve in Kim Cheol-su’s eyes. A resolve you could only see in a real battle, not in training.

“Alright, then… You can make the first mo—?”

Hyunbin blinked mid-sentence.

He saw Kim Cheol-su running like a madman without a single glance back.

“What are you doing? Hey! Where are you going!”

“Hahahaha! To survive is to be strong! Therefore, I am strong! Hahaha!”

Kim Cheol-su disappeared into the bushes in an instant. It was, quite literally, a run in his underwear.

“Oh, Cheol-su-sunbae.”

The voice of a Hwarang Guild junior who was hiding nearby could be heard.

Kim Cheol-su didn’t even acknowledge him and kept running straight ahead.

“Kuaaack!”

He heard his junior’s scream three seconds after he had passed by.

-Ability ‘I Will Live for Myself’ activates. The more selfish the action, the more all actions are enhanced.

‘I need to create more distance.’

Right now, his body felt incredibly light.

Moreover, thanks to the activation of ‘Live for Myself,’ he could run even faster.

Kim Cheol-su had once learned how to run from a track and field athlete, just in case a situation like this ever arose.

It was useful not only for charging at an enemy but also for escaping from one quickly.

At this very moment, Kim Cheol-su moved as if he had become an African leopard.

*Hoo, haa.*

Controlling his inhales and exhales, he moved as if he were one with the air.

The birds in the forest stopped their mating calls, and a running rabbit watched him as if in awe.

The forest and grass swayed. The insects sang.

In that moment, Kim Cheol-su became the wind.

How long had he been running?

After running in a trance-like state, Kim Cheol-su glanced back.

Hyunbin was nowhere in sight.

Kim Cheol-su gradually slowed his pace.

The sound of his breath, which had risen to his chin, now told him that he was alive.

“Huhuhu.”

Kim Cheol-su laughed. No matter how powerful Hyunbin was, it wouldn’t be easy for him to catch up to someone who had learned track and field just to escape.

“Are you done running?”

“Whoa, holy crap, you scared me!”

Startled by the voice from behind, Kim Cheol-su leaped backward.

He couldn’t believe it.

Hyunbin was standing before him, without a single bead of sweat on his face.

“T-Team Leader. How?”

“Ah, I’m a pretty good runner myself. I never lost first place in the sprint during school sports days.”

“With something as pathetic as that…”

Somehow, it felt like all his efforts had been devalued.

Kim Cheol-su swallowed. This man was a monster beyond imagination.

But, maybe. Just maybe, he had thought something like this might happen.

“Alright, now that the running seems to be over, I’ll remodel your spirit, Hunter Kim Cheol-su.”

Hyunbin approached, cracking his knuckles.

Kim Cheol-su smiled faintly.

As expected, this man, Lee Hyunbin, was no ordinary person.

Perhaps. Just perhaps, he had anticipated it could come to this.

“Huhu.”

Hyunbin tilted his head, seeing Kim Cheol-su’s victorious smile.

It was then.

Kim Cheol-su raised a knife and slit his own throat.

-Hunter Kim Cheol-su has been processed as deceased.

Seeing that message, Kim Cheol-su let out a hearty laugh.

“What can you do? I am already… d.e.a.d?”

“Ah, I see…”

“Well then, I’ll be on my way. Huhu.”

Kim Cheol-su, clad only in his boxer briefs, moved confidently to exit the battle field.

Was he relieved that he had at least avoided the spar?

‘I’ll just add sparring to this round of re-training.’

Since he was the instructor, there was no problem.

Kim Cheol-su would later learn of this fact and fall into deep despair.

* * *

All three members of Team 3 were among the ten who survived the literal battle royale.

It meant that all the torment I’d put them through hadn’t been in vain.

Of course, they probably knew they’d be tormented even more if they ended up being eliminated.

After the joint training successfully concluded, a company dinner followed.

As if their initial awkwardness was a lie, the members of Hanul and Hwarang guilds were all mingling and drinking together.

The atmosphere was good.

“I thought he was a real demon.”

“Wow, he sounded so cool in the rumors.”

“Facing him in person, he was like a monster. Definitely has a sadistic streak.”

It didn’t seem like they were talking about me. Words like ‘sadistic’ or ‘demon’ didn’t really suit me.

But strangely, whenever I walked past, their conversations would stop abruptly.

A silence would fall, as if they hadn’t been saying anything at all.

“…”

They weren’t talking about me, right?

“I’m telling you, I felt it was destiny from the moment I first saw our Team Leader Lee, no, Director Lee.”

The table I was at was reserved for the guild’s team leaders.

Especially my former team leader, who I’d known since the early days.

This man had often introduced hunters to me when I had no recognition and no clients. In that sense, he was nothing short of a benefactor.

The soju we shared was sweet.

Back when I was struggling to get by on a pittance of a salary, this guy often bought me things like pork belly.

Thinking back, it truly was a fateful connection.

“We’ve known each other for a while now. How long are you going to keep speaking so formally?”

“Oh? Is that so.”

His cheeks flushed from the alcohol, the former team leader chuckled.

“We’re one family now, aren’t we? Just speak comfortably, hyung.”

“Aigoo, to have such a famous younger brother, this is great. I’m telling you, it was a good decision to stay in this line of work. Puhuhu.”

The former team leader laughed, exaggerating his delight. The other team leaders, watching this, chimed in as if they couldn’t be left out.

“What’s this, honey? Are you dropping the formalities? Aren’t you going to call me noona?”

Joo Han-na, the head of the Strategy and Analysis Team, said with a cackle.

“Come to think of it, among us team leaders, Hyunbin is the youngest.”

The Team 2 Leader, who always maintained an upright image, added.

“Team 2 Leader is a hyung to me. And Team Leader Joo, how old were you this year?”

“…Honey. You don’t ask a woman her age.”

“Aha. Should I be asking for your venerable age instead?”

“Hey…!”

A round of laughter went through the table.

Just then, a text message arrived on my phone, so I unlocked it.

[Im Jae-joon: I’m 31.]

So what?

And how does this guy, who didn’t even come to the dinner, know what’s going on?

Why is he so eager to reveal that he’s one year older?

Is the Demon King desperate to be called ‘hyung’ or something?

It felt like it had been a long time since I’d enjoyed a drink this much.

If only it weren’t for that damned dwarf.

“Come on, come on. This is a special brew concocted by the great Guild Master himself. I shall grace everyone present here with a round.”

With Im Jae-joon recently moving up to become the group’s chairman, the dwarf Graham had taken over as Guild Master.

The problem was that the dwarf race itself was full of gearheads and alcoholics who couldn’t live without booze.

As such, they drank most alcohol like water and didn’t even consider it proper liquor.

For a guy like that to call something ‘alcohol’ meant it had an absolutely monstrous proof.

“Here, here, drink up, drink up!”

Since I was already a bit tipsy, I drank it without much thought, but I felt my esophagus burning.

I stopped drinking and put the glass down.

I grabbed a lighter from someone next to me and tried to light it.

*Fwoosh.*

It caught fire.

What in the world is the alcohol content of this?

Drinking is related to mental strength. And I considered my mental strength to be stronger than anyone’s.

Still, I had my pride. I couldn’t be the only one backing down when everyone else was drinking and laughing.

I kept drinking the bomb shots made by the new Guild Master, Graham.

Kim Tae-yang was in a corner, shadowboxing by himself with a ‘chwik, chwik’ sound, while Kim In-ho was talking about his son.

The guy’s not even married, what’s with the bragging about his kid…

Katrinne, being a minor here even if she wouldn’t be in the other world, couldn’t drink, so she was in a corner devouring several pigs’ worth of meat by herself.

Seo Hyun-ji, who was with her, must have been telling some funny story because she was smiling slightly, chatting away while holding onto the busy eater.

The three foreign brothers looked a little pitiful. Thanks to their unfortunate choice of master, they were busy grilling meat. Their section was a warzone.

It was about time for the peace to be shattered.

Just as I thought, people started collapsing one by one.

Just as I expected.

‘It seems to have a high proof, but it’s drinkable.’

Was it because I was S-Rank?

I once saw in some work of fiction that when alcohol enters a superhero’s body, it gets broken down instantly.

What do they have that I don’t? I can do it too.

Besides me, most of the people were passed out drunk.

As expected, their mental fortitude is weak. You should only drink as much as you can handle.

But then, my eyes caught the sight of Graham, who was famous for being a heavy drinker, sprawled out.

Did that old man’s tolerance get weaker after coming to the modern world?

“Mister…”

Katrinne was staring at me blankly.

“Mister, want me to cast a spell to sober you up?”

“Hey. What are you talking about? I’m not drunk. I said I’m not drunk, see? Watch me walk straight.”

“No. That’s not the way.”

With Katrinne’s panicked voice as the last thing I heard, I decided to shut my eyes for a bit.

I was definitely not drunk. I was just tired from working late yesterday.