Chapter 70: Kim Jihyeok

“…Kim Jihyeok…-ssi.”

I muttered the name of the man blocking my path.

Why are you here? I wanted to ask.

But right now, Jihyeok doesn’t know who I really am. He only knows me as Verdiol’s disciple.

“…I had a feeling since earlier.”

Jihyeok spoke.

“So it really was you.”

“…”

I still couldn’t understand why Jihyeok was standing in front of me right now.

Why he was blocking me from restraining Vasquez.

“Th-That voice… Kim Jihyeok? What are you doing here…?”

At that moment, as if he’d finally snapped out of it, Vasquez’s voice rang out.

I turned my head and saw Vasquez’s face, utterly horrified as if he’d seen the Grim Reaper himself, staring at Kim Jihyeok. It was quite a sight.

But what Vasquez said wasn’t so easy to brush off.

‘Do they know each other?’

Well, Kim Jihyeok was an S-Rank Hunter. It was a name any Hunter would recognize. But the way the two of them looked to me right now didn’t seem like a simple acquaintance.

‘No way…’

Jihyeok, are you on their side?

“Karelin sent me.”

Before I could even speak, Kim Jihyeok said that to Vasquez.

That alone was enough for me to grasp the relationship between those two.

I immediately reached out my hand. I drew a magic circle.

[ Flame Element — Fireball Lv.7 ]

WHOOSH—!

The flames that burst from my hand engulfed Kim Jihyeok.

But as Jihyeok swung his hand through the flames, the fire I had conjured vanished in an instant.

“Just like Senior. Incantationless Casting.”

“…”

He tilted his head as he said it, but I didn’t respond.

[ Flame Element — Fireball Lv.7 ]

[ Flame Element — Fireball Lv.7 ]

[ Flame Element — Fireball Lv.7 ]

Instead, I answered by reaching out my hand.

WHOOSH—!

Fireballs flew in succession. But Jihyeok erased them just like before, with a sweep of his hand.

“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to be your enemy.”

Jihyeok took a stance.

“…Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.”

Then, black light gathered in both his hands. The gathered light took the shape of a tonfa.

“Kim Jihyeok…”

I reflexively spat out his name.

A name that felt familiar.

A name with the same naming style as the hometown I used to live in.

Maybe that was why, from the first time I met the guy, I felt a subtle sense of closeness.

And that guy.

Was now trying to stand against me.

“…Are you going to fight me?”

You son of a bitch, are you gonna fight me? I almost asked that, but corrected myself.

Jihyeok would remember my tone of voice. If I said it like that, he’d definitely get suspicious.

“…Since you’re Senior’s disciple, I’ll tell you. I’m only doing this to help Senior right now.”

“To help Senior… to help Master, is that it?”

I never asked you to do anything like that.

“Because I promised. That I’d help find Senior.”

“And you expect me to believe that?”

“For now, that’s the only option I have. You haven’t told me anything either, have you?”

“…”

I quickly racked my brain. I had to come up with something to convince Jihyeok.

“Only Master knows exactly where Master is.”

I wasn’t lying.

The only one who knew where Verdiol was, was Verdiol herself.

“Then I’ll ask you the same thing. Are you telling me to believe that? Weren’t you the last person to be with Senior?”

I could feel emotion seeping into Jihyeok’s words little by little. The guy seemed ready to do anything to get information about Verdiol.

Even if his opponent was Verdiol’s own disciple.

‘Damn it.’

Would it have been better to just reveal my identity? Or maybe even do it right here, right now?

‘No.’

Vasquez was watching. That bastard was good at running away. If I spilled my identity and he passed it on to his allies, the rumor that I was Verdiol would spread everywhere. Then everything would be over.

No choice. For now, I had to keep my identity hidden.

“I won’t let you pass.”

Jihyeok pointed the black-light tonfa toward me as he spoke.

Kim Jihyeok’s ability, Weapon Selector.

Jihyeok had personally told me about that ability. The guy can summon any weapon he wants. And that’s not all. He can wield whatever weapon he creates with perfect mastery.

When the two of us took down S-Rank Gates together, my Incantationless Casting played a big part, but Kim Jihyeok’s contribution was nothing to sneeze at either. The guy doesn’t stick to one class. Sometimes he’s a warrior, sometimes a mage, sometimes a martial artist, and in a pinch, he even plays priest — he’s a crazy bastard who does it all.

I gulped. I had never once imagined Jihyeok would become my enemy.

Back when I was active, Jihyeok was my best and greatest partner.

Because he was a complete package with outstanding skill and ability.

And now that guy had shown up as my enemy.

I had a feeling he might be the most troublesome opponent I’d faced so far.

“…I’m coming.”

With those words as the signal, Kim Jihyeok vanished from my sight.

An instant later.

“…!”

The guy reappeared right in front of me. Close enough to touch if I reached out my hand.

Jihyeok swung the tonfa viciously.

*THWACK!*

A dull sound rang out as my body was pushed back. My Mana Shield protected me, so there was no damage, but the impact was intense.

Jihyeok didn’t stop. He immediately swung the tonfa at me again and again. With each successive violent impact, my body flew through the air.

My Mana Shield absorbed the damage, but it was more than enough to make me feel overwhelmed.

‘Crazy bastard…!’

It’s not like we’re strangers — we saw each other just the other day, and he doesn’t hesitate at all to attack! And on top of that, what kind of shit is this, doing this to the disciple of someone he calls his senior?!

I wanted to protest, but there was no time. A relentless barrage of strikes came without pause. I was barely managing to defend against the tonfa rushing at me.

*THUD!*

Jihyeok’s movements were always faster than mine, even with Haste applied. It was like he could predict my moves — he’d already be at the spot I was heading to, swinging the tonfa viciously.

*THWACK!*

Caught by the tonfa, I was slammed straight into the snow. Of course, my Mana Shield was up, so there were no injuries, but that was about it. I couldn’t counter at all.

‘Tch…!’

Even though he was slower than Vasquez, Jihyeok was still a bit faster than me. But that wasn’t the important part. Jihyeok’s combat sense was on a completely different level from Vasquez. Vasquez couldn’t even land a clean hit on me and even let me counterattack, but with Jihyeok, I couldn’t find any opening at all.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m just going to take it lying down…!

Still buried in the snow, I reached out my hand.

[ Ice Element — Frost Nova Lv.7 ]

*CRACKLE—!*

A blue magic circle formed beneath Jihyeok’s feet. He tried to dodge right away, but my spell was a little faster. His feet froze solid on the spot.

A level 7 Frost Nova is a powerful spell that even an Earth Dragon couldn’t break free from. No matter how strong an S-Rank Hunter is, there’s no way they can—

*CRACK!*

Kim Jihyeok broke free easily.

Fuck.

‘Was he the protagonist instead of me?’

I suddenly recalled the time we challenged an S-Rank Gate alone together.

I was the one who crushed the boss with overwhelming firepower, but before that, it was Jihyeok who blocked all the boss’s attacks, fought it one-on-one, whittled down its health, and bought us time.

*BOOM!*

This wasn’t the time for other thoughts. Kim Jihyeok swung his tonfa, literally blasting the space right next to where I was hiding.

‘Fuck, I should’ve just sent him away back then!’

I should’ve just told him who I was. I didn’t know this bastard was this strong!

[ Flame Element — Fireball Lv.7 ]

[ Ice Element — Frost Nova Lv.7 ]

I tried to counterattack with magic, but Jihyeok easily knocked them aside. In the meantime, he had already closed the distance and swung his tonfa.

*THUD!*

I rolled across the snow to dodge quickly, then got to my feet. After that, I ran without looking back.

*SWISH—!*

I turned my head at the strange sound of wind in my ears and saw Jihyeok running across the snow, chasing after me.

Jihyeok’s speed was faster than mine even with Haste applied. And he was chasing me without any obstacles in the way.

The distance between us closed in an instant.

“My master will resent you for this!”

“…Let them resent me. That person was the one who disappeared without a word first!”

I did it all for you, damn it!

“Tch!”

As Kim Jihyeok’s tonfa slammed into the ground, a shockwave flew toward me. I could block it easily enough with a Mana Shield, but the problem was what came next.

*WHOOOSH!*

“Ugh!”

Before I knew it, he was right in front of me, throwing a punch without a hint of hesitation. I ended up letting that punch land, and I rolled helplessly across the ground.

‘So you’re really coming at me like this…!’

It was infuriating.

Kim Jihyeok, I trusted you.

Because I knew your character better than anyone.

Even if things ended badly between us, I thought you’d land on your feet with your good reputation.

But you join some shady organization and pull this kind of cheap trick without a second thought?

For my sake? You think I’d like that? I cut ties with you so you could do well!

‘You son of a bitch!’

[ Extreme Ice Element — Icicle Spear ]

I pushed myself up and stretched out both hands. Five blue magic circles formed.

“…This is, Senior’s?”

Kim Jihyeok’s eyes widened slightly. Of course, the bastard had seen my high-level magic before.

He must be shocked that I’m using the same abilities and magic as Verdiol!

Well, of course. Because the person you’re facing right now is that very Verdiol!

“I let it slide because you’re my master’s friend, but I can’t take it anymore!”

*CRACK—!*

In an instant, a ray of ice shot out in a straight line, piercing Kim Jihyeok’s body.

“…!”

This magic doesn’t end there.

Ice blooms instantly around the pierced area. It soon trapped Jihyeok’s body like a prison.

Seeing Jihyeok coughing up blood while trapped in ice didn’t sit well with me, but he brought this on himself. I shifted the magic circle to my left hand while preparing another spell with my right.

[ Extreme Wind Element — Aeroblast ]

Five green magic circles formed again. Compressed into the palm of my hand was a bullet made of a condensed typhoon.

‘…Hmph.’

I hesitated for a moment, but then fired the Aeroblast straight into Jihyeok’s face.