Chapter 197

Yian flinched.

My memories?

He couldn’t even begin to guess what Shin Jae-heon might have seen in his own memories.

But he had no time to dwell on it.

The Seoul Union’s hunters were on the move.

“!”

Yian’s fingertips moved frantically.

He had never used an attack skill on a person before.

He gritted his teeth.

But his hesitation was overtaken by anger.

Anger toward those targeting his teammates.

They were after Hunter Shin Yuri, Hunter Shin Jae-heon, and Hunter So Yeri.

And the only one who could stop this was him.

—Flash!

The moment he realized that, his vision flashed with something bright.

Even though So Yeri’s system window showed no changes.

“…?”

It was the instant he flinched.

The Seoul Union’s hunters sprang into action.

From the startled Yian’s fingertips, the Ice Prison skill burst forth.

But.

—Pa-pa-pa-pat!

The Ice Prison skill veered off wildly into the wrong direction.

And the A-rank hunters smashed into the cafe.

Back then, there was virtually no way to restrain hunters.

The Hunter Association had tried recruiting high-rank hunters precisely to curb hunters banding together, ignoring the law and running wild.

Some rogue hunters acted like they were above the law simply because they had power.

‘You think you can lock us up? Give it a try!’

‘But who’ll clear the gates if we’re caught?’

Since the rogue hunters’ arguments weren’t entirely wrong, the Hunter Association desperately wanted to enlist high-rank hunters at the time.

Of course, high-rank hunters who operated solo gates for better money and freedom had no interest in joining the Association.

It was an era with virtually no means to regulate hunters.

These days, hunters formed guilds on their own, agreeing to clauses like ‘no harming civilians’ or ‘use power only for justice.’ But back then, no such discussions even existed.

“Kyaaak!”

Civilians startled inside the cafe fled outside.

The area was in chaos, as expected.

The Seoul Union’s hunters surrounded the cafe, ignoring the evacuating people.

“…”.

Yian’s gaze swept over the Seoul Union hunters.

Mostly A-ranks, and notorious for their rogue activities at the time.

They were among the hunters with the most experience fighting humans.

In contrast, though Shin Yuri was S-rank, she had never attacked a person before, and with Shin Jae-heon at C-rank, he needed protection.

Moreover, even as an S-rank, So Yeri had even less combat experience against people than Shin Yuri.

This was disadvantageous.

“What are you doing in the middle of Seoul right now?”

He could see Shin Yuri shouting angrily.

One of the Seoul Union hunters replied leisurely to her.

“Having an emotional showdown.”

Shin Yuri paused at his words and asked,

“Is this because I turned down your recruitment offer?”

She pressed them, but the Seoul Union hunters just snickered and shrugged.

“Figure it out yourself.”

It seemed they had no intention of talking from the start.

The Seoul Union’s dealers lunged at Shin Yuri all at once.

“!”

—Clang!

A sharp metallic clang echoed through central Seoul—something unimaginable just a few years prior.

Shin Yuri had instinctively blocked with her sword.

A few afterimages flickered from her sword tip, but they were tiny compared to now.

“…”.

Yian’s eyes narrowed as he watched the battlefield.

While the Seoul Union’s dealers pinned Shin Yuri’s feet, others were circling around to grab Shin Jae-heon.

He heard them debating even while eyeing Hunter So Yeri.

Coerce or kill.

The Seoul Union hunters were weighing the lives of the three.

Yian clenched his fist tightly.

—Clang!

In the meantime, Shin Yuri’s sword flashed several times, parrying attacks.

Thanks to the ‘Ears Everywhere’ skill, her voice reached Yian clearly.

“Don’t get hurt. Don’t die. Don’t leave me alone.”

She chanted it like a mantra.

Her voice choked with sobs she couldn’t release.

It wasn’t a prayer to the heavens or herself.

It was directed at Shin Jae-heon.

Yian felt her expression was familiar.

Minus the trembling voice, she wore that face every time she entered battle.

In every fight, with that resolute expression, she desperately wished.

For no one to get hurt.

For no one to die.

For her not to be left alone.

I wish you wouldn’t be so anxious.

And what was making Shin Yuri anxious now was obvious.

For the first time, clear killing intent rose in Yian’s mind.

He spotted a system window from afar.

[Reward: Skill ‘Agony of Death (S)’]

The quest from Arienna Sian Demar’s status window was clearing here?

No time to wonder.

Whatever he had cleared, right now, he couldn’t focus on anything else.

—Crack!

The Ice Prison skill flew out with far sharper, more menacing force than before, instantly neutralizing three Seoul Union hunters.

“W-What?!”

He could see the Seoul Union hunters looking around in shock.

Shin Yuri, Shin Jae-heon, and So Yeri were startled too.

But So Yeri recognized the skill.

Of course. She had seen it plenty in the hospital gate.

“That ice…!”

As she marveled,

Shin Yuri didn’t stand idle.

—Swoosh!

Her sword sliced swiftly through the Seoul Union hunters.

“What?!”

“Someone’s on the roof!”

By the time the Seoul Union spotted Yian’s position, most of their hunters were already neutralized.

In the original past, it was Hunter So Yeri who had frozen them.

She had probably stopped them without hesitation upon seeing them target Shin Yuri and Shin Jae-heon.

“Th-That…!”

He saw the past So Yeri trying to call out to him.

But as soon as Yian saw Shin Yuri seize control of the battlefield, he vanished from the rooftop.

Hunter So Yeri wanted to help Shin Yuri and Shin Jae-heon herself.

He couldn’t resolve everything for her.

“Grab the C-rank!”

Confirming he was gone, the Seoul Union hunters targeted Shin Jae-heon.

The moment they swarmed together.

—Pang!

A sound different from Shin Yuri’s sword rang out.

A familiar one.

Hunter So Yeri’s barrier skill blocking an attack.

“I’ll… block them!”

Hunter So Yeri’s voice carried newfound confidence.

“Then we just attack from inside this, right?”

Shin Yuri’s relaxed voice followed.

Soon after.

—Swoosh!

Something cut through the air.

“Urk!”

And without fail, a scream followed.

The presences of the Seoul Union hunters were fading one by one.

“Was that ice from you too, Hunter So Yeri?”

Shin Jae-heon’s admiring voice rang out. After a pause as if So Yeri had shaken her head, the reply came.

“No. But I think I know who it was.”

“Oh, must be helping out because it’s your situation, Hunter So Yeri!”

At the time, even fellow hunters followed the unwritten rule not to interfere in rogue hunter incidents, so it wasn’t unreasonable for Shin Yuri to think that.

“We survived thanks to you!”

Glancing down, he saw an elated Shin Yuri hugging Shin Jae-heon and So Yeri.

So Yeri’s face flushed. But she looked proud.

Proud of having helped the two.

He had helped the past pair as she wished.

But.

“!”

Yian flinched.

This wasn’t the ending the past Hunter So Yeri had wanted.

With that, his vision went pitch black.

And when Yian’s restored sight cleared, he was back in that initial hospital room.