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Originally, his attention should have been fixed on Kang Taesan.
Dokyeom, however, found himself intently observing the C-rank hunter, Beom Yeonhu, with a pensive expression. Beom Yeonhu remained on the periphery, not engaging in the conversation but merely existing within the group.
While Kang Taesan exuded an aura of powerful robustness, Beom Yeonhu captivated attention with his composed gait and an astonishingly well-proportioned physique. Despite his broad shoulders, his build appeared surprisingly lithe, yet a quick glance revealed finely sculpted, taut muscles.
His physique suggested a background in some form of combat sport, perhaps boxing or wrestling, yet his attire was undeniably shabby. Even so, he didn’t seem diminished or out of place among the others.
‘How could a C-rank hunter possess a presence that rivaled an A-rank?’
Before long, the low murmur of the men’s voices drifted into Dokyeom’s ears.
“What did your aptitude test reveal last time? Mine was some sort of ‘Enhancement Type’ that supposedly boosts durability when I wield a weapon. I have no idea what good that is.”
“My counselor told me to re-enlist in the military. Apparently, my aiming accuracy within a certain radius is almost on par with a guided missile.”
“Kang Taesan, that son of a b*tch, has two offensive skills, while all of ours are practically useless ‘screen’ skills.”
“We’re all screwed, stuck at B-rank. How are we supposed to make a living like this? Shouldn’t all athletes manifest as A-ranks? Our physical conditions are different, so how did only Kang Taesan manage to become a clear A-rank?”
“Still, it’s better than Beom Yeonhu, who only made C-rank, right? Look at him and take some comfort. Beom Yeonhu, that guy, he doesn’t even flinch. His mental fortitude is… ugh. If I were him, I’d have jumped in the Han River.”
‘What kind of asshole just spouts such deliberately provocative nonsense?’
The problem was that the other men all guffawed, slapping their knees in amusement at the cruel remark. Yet, despite being the subject of their mockery, Beom Yeonhu’s expression remained utterly devoid of change.
‘How peculiar.’
Beom Yeonhu. A C-rank hunter, possessing unremarkable abilities with nothing particularly noteworthy to his name.
Yet, Dokyeom’s gaze was inexplicably drawn to him, as if something had firmly seized his attention. There was a peculiar edge to Beom Yeonhu that subtly pricked at his nerves.
With an impassive expression, the man skillfully wound a bandage around his injury. There was no grimace, suggesting either an ingrained familiarity with pain or a profound insensitivity to it. After securing the bandage, he flicked the blood from his hands, then fanned himself with his clothes, letting the breeze sweep over his face before closing his long, tapered eyes. Every action was detached and indifferent.
He moved like an ancient, desiccated tree, brittle and unyielding.
‘Beom Yeonhu, Beom Yeonhu…’
Despite the passage of only a few seconds, Dokyeom must have been observing him with an intensity that made it feel like hours, for Beom Yeonhu suddenly turned his head and met his gaze. A gust of wind, rising from beneath the man’s shirt, ruffled his jet-black hair.
His forehead, coolly exposed, framed sparkling golden eyes. As their gazes locked in the air, from those half-lidded eyes, Dokyeom felt a sudden, sharp jolt.
Perhaps the sensation was Dokyeom’s alone, for Beom Yeonhu merely hesitated for a moment before offering a slight nod in his direction. Then, he returned to vigorously fanning himself with his shirt.
‘Why hadn’t his skill reacted to Kang Taesan?’
Dokyeom’s mind raced, his thoughts burning. Despite having made eye contact with Kang Taesan multiple times, the
‘Perhaps “relationship” or “interest” was paramount, more so than anything else.’
This meant the ‘Fated One’ skill would activate only when the individual was connected to Han Dokyeom, or when Dokyeom harbored intense desire or interest in them. Without such a condition, explaining the skill’s activation criteria proved challenging.
‘Setting everything else aside, that man’s injury was now gnawing at him, impossible to ignore.’
Dokyeom, unable to bear it any longer, finally dusted off his pants and rose to his feet. The other men in the group had already shifted topics, now chuckling over frivolous banter.
“Hey, didn’t Kang Taesan get a business card from that Uwha Guild hunter earlier? They didn’t even glance our way. What kind of treatment is this, just for one rank difference?”
“Don’t worry, Kang Taesan already said he wouldn’t join the Uwha Guild. If he’d given that card to me, I would’ve prostrated myself, bowing and thanking them profusely.”
Dokyeom walked over to Beom Yeonhu, who hadn’t joined in the laughter, and settled down beside him. Beom Yeonhu’s body stiffened perceptibly. A curious gaze then fixed on Dokyeom.
“…Is there something you wish to say?”
Even his voice held a pleasing quality. His amiable face, framed by his well-kept hair, appeared sharper than Dokyeom had initially assumed. Without preamble, Dokyeom extended his hand, offering Beom Yeonhu what he held.
“You appear to be quite injured. Please use this; I happened to have one spare.”
What Dokyeom offered was a top-grade recovery potion he had once ‘acquired’ from Han Yuseong. Beom Yeonhu merely stared down at the potion in Dokyeom’s outstretched hand, his expression unreadable. His fingers, still clutching his shirt, remained motionless, indicating no intention of accepting it.
Just as Dokyeom opened his mouth again, intending to urge him to take it, a voice cut in from another direction.
“Yeonhu, that guy will just get hurt again anyway, so giving him a potion would be pointless, wouldn’t it?”
All the men, who had been chuckling moments before, now fell silent, their eyes fixed on Dokyeom. Their stares were uniformly sharp, like those directed at an outsider trespassing on their territory.
A palpable tension hung in the air. Dokyeom could feel their scrutinizing, almost hostile gazes—an unspoken question of who he was to meddle with their group.
Dokyeom, with a decisive motion, pressed the potion into Beom Yeonhu’s hand as if forcing it upon him, then brushed himself off and stood.
“Regardless, you’re injured. It simply bothered me to witness it.”
Though everyone knitted their brows in evident displeasure, none offered a direct rebuttal to Dokyeom’s words. The subtly altered atmosphere now carried a distinct chill.
The moment Dokyeom turned his back, the respite abruptly ended. Someone spoke, their tone deceptively warm, as they hastened their steps forward.
“Shall we get going now? Someone here is so concerned about injuries, we should probably move swiftly. I thought we were being considerate, but it seems we were inconveniencing the person who came to simply make up the numbers. My apologies, I had no idea my perception was so utterly lacking.”
“Yeonhu, what are you waiting for? You’ve even received a potion, so lead the way.”
Beom Yeonhu’s slender back, briefly revealed, was once again obscured by his clothing. He tucked the potion into his pocket, rotated his shoulders, and then stepped forward to lead the group.
Ultimately, Beom Yeonhu made no move to treat his injury.
****
‘Kang Taesan was the original objective.’
Dokyeom repeated those words in his mind, as if attempting to brainwash himself. ‘Yes, it’s Kang Taesan.’ He needed to secure Kang Taesan first, either by recruiting him or by enticing him. Without that, all his efforts would be futile.
Despite knowing this, despite everything, at this juncture, he found himself coveting Beom Yeonhu with an intensity that was almost overwhelming. He wanted him so badly it was maddening.
‘This is insane.’
He was a C-rank, just a C-rank. Dokyeom tried to convince himself, but his self-admonition was useless. His thoughts were already veering towards how he could possibly win over that stoic man.
As his mind grappled with the complexities of Kang Taesan and Beom Yeonhu, someone subtly detached themselves from the group and approached Dokyeom.
The man sported a buzz cut and bore a scar near his eye. He was, among them, the friend who had shown the most concern for Beom Yeonhu.
“Are you interested in Beom Yeonhu, that guy? He doesn’t seem like just any hunter… Hmm, are you a guild official? Did you come here for casting purposes? Earlier, I noticed he seemed quite familiar with even the higher-ranked individuals.”
“What if I am a guild official?”
“That’s strange. Then your interest would naturally be in Kang Taesan, wouldn’t it?”
The man furrowed his brow, scratching his chin thoughtfully. Then, he leaned in close, lowering his voice as if to share a secret.
“You see that biggest guy up front? That’s Kang Taesan, a friend of ours. As soon as he received his A-rank assessment, every guild imaginable started contacting him, even showing up at his doorstep, practically begging him to just glance at a contract. He just received a business card from a Uwha Guild member right here a moment ago. That’s the typical response, you see.”
Dokyeom couldn’t tell if the man was particularly eloquent, but he certainly spoke without hesitation. After a steady gaze at the man, Dokyeom shifted his attention to Beom Yeonhu’s broad back.
It was already the sixth hour since they had entered the gate. Throughout that time, Dokyeom had not once seen Beom Yeonhu utilize a skill. He had confronted monsters bare-handed, always being the first to rush forward and act as bait. Everyone treated this as utterly commonplace, even to the point of neglecting his injuries. He was so battered he could barely stand, yet they simply ignored it.
“Then why doesn’t Beom Yeonhu use his skills? Is he some kind of physical hunter?”
“Why wouldn’t he use them? Because he can’t. We don’t know the exact reason, but the Association apparently said something about his awakening going wrong. So, even though he’s C-rank, he can’t exert C-rank level strength. If he tries to use his full power, this happens.”
The man clenched his fist, tensing his arm. Hideously blue veins protruded, bulging beneath his skin. Then, he made a sharp popping sound with his mouth.
‘It pops?’
“It… pops? His body?”
“It’s similar to that. They say his qi and blood clash, causing his blood vessels to melt. So, he can’t use more than a certain amount of power. He can’t use skills, he can’t use strength. He just guards and acts as bait while clearing gates.”
“He’s a pitiable guy, you know.” His friend sighed, a mournful look in his eyes as he watched Beom Yeonhu. The man’s narrative continued, recounting how everyone had boasted he would become an A-rank, only for their attitudes to flip instantly once he awakened as a C-rank.
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