novelraw Chapter 144 : Vacation (3)
Chapter 144 : Vacation (3)
"Unni, you're so mean."
Hwang Ji-su's only younger sister Hwang Ji-ah was pouting.
"You won't even play with me."
She, a sister two years younger, had been eagerly waiting for her respected unni to return home.
'I wanted to go out with unni.'
Despite rejecting her saying she had prior plans, her unkind unni went straight to a café to meet a man named Jeong Su-hyeon.
'And why are you picking your clothes so carefully before going? Hmph.'
In any case, that man called Jeong Su-hyeon was displeasing in many ways.
'How dare he surpass our unni and become top student. No one is as beautiful, elegant, and dignified as our unni.'
From a young age, Hwang Ji-su had been her idol.
An incomparably powerful characteristic, natural talent, cold rationality, lofty pride.
To her, who thought herself only capable in studies, Hwang Ji-su was always an insurmountable mountain.
'I even picked out lots of clothes to wear when going to Jeju Island with unni.'
Hadn't she already found all the good restaurants and cafés in advance?
"Unni isn't checking her messages either."
She sent a message out of concern, but unkindly, there was no reply.
'Could they have gone to exercise together?'
Exercise!
What if that man tried some sleazy skinship under the guise of exercise?
The misfortune circuit in Hwang Ji-ah's mind was spinning wildly.
"That can't happen!"
Thirty minutes later.
Hwang Ji-ah, who had arrived at the fitness center where the three were in the middle of exercising, was gnawing at her sleeve from a distance.
"Unni, why are your cheeks so red?"
The sight of Hwang Ji-su exercising, all sweaty while play-fighting with her friends.
Such a sight of her was full of naturalness and vitality that could never be seen at home.
'While I understand unni's dislike for father and mother.'
The truth was, she somewhat sympathized with her father's coldness and detachment.
After all, the reason she was essentially receiving successor training instead of Hwang Ji-su was precisely because Chairman Hwang Yong-jae had seen through this difference in temperament.
Nevertheless, she hoped her respected unni would someday reconcile with their parents.
At least to her, unni had always been caring.
But.
'T-that! What kind of move is that!'
In her eyes, each and every action and gesture of Su-hyeon already appeared suspicious, like those of a man harboring ulterior motives toward her unni.
Of course.
"Ten more!"
"You've been saying 'just ten more' since earlier! I must have done at least fifty more by now!"
"Well, I don't recall saying that."
In reality, Su-hyeon was only interested in efficiently tearing up Hwang Ji-su's muscles.
It was at that very moment.
"Huh? What's the commotion?"
"The Chairman has arrived!"
"Hurry up and come out! You there! Don't stand crookedly, form a proper line!"
Patter patter patter!
Hwang Ji-ah tilted her head at the sight of employees running around the first-floor lobby with startled faces.
'Why is father suddenly here?'
Could he have come to see that man?
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A moment later, Hwang Ji-ah had entered the fitness center with her father, Chairman Hwang Yong-jae.
"Su-hyeon! It's been a while!"
"Hello, sir."
"Haha. I've been hearing news about Su-hyeon. Congratulations on becoming top student."
"Thank you."
"I feel rewarded for providing the scholarship at times like this. Don't you think so, Chief Kim?"
"Indeed, Chairman."
Hwang Ji-su's eyebrow twitched as she watched him attending to Su-hyeon before his own daughter.
'He starts picking at me the moment we meet.'
Knowing well that showing agitation would only play into his hands, she concealed her emotions behind a poker face.
"Ji-ah is here too."
"Yes!"
Hwang Ji-ah linked arms with her and grinned.
"I'm here, unni."
"Did you come together?"
"No. I just came to see unni."
"Oh, Ji-ah, hello?"
"It's been a while, Seung-yeon-unni."
Hwang Ji-ah politely bowed her head as Kwon Seung-yeon recognized her.
However.
'Hmph.'
Hwang Ji-ah didn't even glance at Su-hyeon.
"I'm sorry for interrupting while you were exercising."
"It's fine."
"So, are our company's facilities satisfactory?"
"Yes. Thanks to your consideration, I'm able to exercise in good facilities."
"Haha, it doesn't wear out just because a couple more people use it. Don't worry about it."
Chairman Hwang Yong-jae, who had been laughing generously, narrowed his eyes seeing the weight on the barbell.
"By the way, that's an incredible weight. This level is almost like a human heavy machinery, isn't it?"
"Yes, Chairman."
"Impressive!"
He exclaimed in admiration and turned his gaze to Assistant Manager Gong In-seong standing behind him.
"What do you think, Assistant Manager Gong? Isn't it remarkable even to you?"
"Yes, Chairman."
"Right. Could you handle this much too?"
"Chairman, if I may be so bold."
Gong In-seong answered with a respectful voice but revealing challenging eyes.
"It's not a difficult task for me."
"Hahaha. Is that so? The manpower of our company is quite impressive."
"At least not so much as to lose to a cadet who hasn't yet ripened."
His gaze turned toward Su-hyeon.
It was a clear provocation to anyone watching.
'Now I remember.'
Su-hyeon chuckled as he recalled his identity.
'Wasn't he the one who liked Hwang Ji-su?'
Gong In-seong, who took his smile as mockery, shot an intense fighting spirit.
"What's so funny?"
Su-hyeon, who calmly received that fighting spirit, answered.
"If you want to pick a fight, wouldn't it be better to just say so honestly?"
"!"
"Deliberately picking a quarrel with a younger student doesn't appear very mature, but."
"......"
Twitch.
Furrowing his brow, he stepped forward and said.
"Then I'll say it again. If you're willing to spar with me, step forward."
Step step step.
Su-hyeon, walking up to his face, said.
"Do I really have to step forward just one step?"
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"Haha, our Assistant Manager Gong. His enthusiasm is too much, I tell you."
'Such an obvious ploy.'
Hwang Ji-su made an annoyed face at her father, who was watching the two's confrontation while playing dumb.
"Jeong Su-hyeon. There's no need to play along with this scripted drama."
"Not necessarily."
Su-hyeon said.
"I was just curious to see how I've changed after consuming the mandrake."
"!"
Understanding the meaning implied in his words—'he's just a practice partner to me'—Hwang Ji-su grinned.
"Is that so?"
"That's right."
"Then I have nothing more to say against it."
"Hmm. Were you worried?"
"! Worried about what!"
Hwang Ji-su flared up.
"Never mind then."
"Who said never mind?"
"...What do you want me to do?"
Creak.
Kwon Seung-yeon looked at Hwang Ji-ah, who was watching the two with a face full of jealousy, as if finding her cute.
'Anyway, the sisters in this house are cute.'
For children of a chaebol family, they had quite a bit of humanity, didn't they?
'But that person looks formidable.'
Not only was his energy impressive.
Above all, the sight of him standing with a short iron mace in his left hand and a sickle in his right was concerning.
'Should I call it left hand mace, right hand sickle? He uses quite unique weapons.'
But that was it.
She didn't particularly think Su-hyeon would be in danger.
"Both sides should refrain from dangerous attacks that could cause serious injury to the opponent."
Both Gong In-seong and Su-hyeon responded to Chief Kim Jin-hyung's instruction, who was acting as the referee.
"Understood!"
"Sure."
Hwang Yong-jae was watching the confrontation between the two with an excited face.
'Interesting. Gong In-seong is quite promising among Awakened of the same age.'
There was no doubt that he would have boasted a considerable level if he had gone to the Execution Force or became a hunter instead of working under him.
'It's because we're B&S Group that we can employ someone of his caliber.'
Of course, he would fall short compared to real talents like Seo Jun-seong or Jeong Su-hyeon, who are considered the best in their age group.
'But a six-year age gap is significant. You can see that just by looking at Min Hae-na and Seo Jun-seong.'
Gong In-seong, who was six years older and had gone through a much longer period of training.
Facing him, Su-hyeon was a promising talent who had subdued Chu Jinhong, defeated Seo Jun-seong, and caught Min Hae-na off guard to achieve victory, raising his stock to the highest.
'Either way, it's not bad for me.'
Hwang Yong-jae smiled.
"Then let's begin."
"Whenever you're ready."
Iron mace in his left hand, sickle in his right hand.
Both were short weapons not exceeding 50cm in length.
"Hmm. With such short weapons, does Su-hyeon have the advantage in range?"
"No."
Hwang Ji-su shook her head at Kwon Seung-yeon's mutter.
"That person's characteristic is 'Mana Emission.' Thanks to that, he can shoot slashes with the sickle and launch attacks like shells with the iron mace."
"Hmm."
"His tactic is to whittle down the enemy by firing different types of long-range attacks, then decisively subdue them in close combat."
"That's tricky."
"Indeed."
The two's gazes turned toward Su-hyeon.
'But with just that level...'
"I don't mind giving you the first move?"
"I don't mind either."
"Ha, well then."
Light rose from Gong In-seong's weapons.
Woooong.
Though it differed in principle from the sword energy bloomed through extreme mastery of the sword.
The aura rising over the blue-tempered blade, the aura heavily floating above the iron mace, clearly seemed to possess definite lethality and strength.
Swoosh!
And then a slash flying immediately.
'Fast!'
Kwon Seung-yeon was shocked.
Crack!
When Su-hyeon dodged, it cut deeply into the thick wall.
"Where do you think you're going!"
As Su-hyeon escaped to the left to avoid it, the aura shot from the iron mace, heavier and slower, flew toward his path.
Bam bam bam!
Though Su-hyeon easily avoided this too, the power that destroyed the floor and walls was not ordinary.
"If I got hit by that, I wouldn't even be able to collect my bones."
Sharp slashes and heavy striking power.
Gong In-seong's fighting style, which fired long-range attacks with two different properties, was a type she had not yet encountered at the academy.
'I guess it makes sense that range doesn't matter with that.'
"You're quick. But how long can you keep dodging?"
"There's no need to deliberately get hit by something so obvious, is there?"
At Su-hyeon's calm answer, veins popped on Gong In-seong's forehead.
"Then try taking this!"
A much faster attack flew toward Su-hyeon.
'No need to use Eye Power.'
Su-hyeon's beast-like reflexes and motor skills didn't allow even a single direct hit.
"How long are you going to dodge like a rat?"
"Let's end the warm-up here."
Su-hyeon answered, scratching his nerves.
Swoosh.
The moment Su-hyeon finally drew the Moonless Sword.
"Hmm?"
"Oh my."
Those watching were amazed at the ominous energy flowing from the dark-colored blade.
"What is that?"
To Hwang Ji-su's question, Kwon Seung-yeon answered.
"I guess it's a replacement for the sword that broke against Hae-na-sunbae?"
"No, but that color..."
'Could it be adamant?'
Hwang Ji-su thought, pressing her lips together.
'But where did he get such a rare material?'
"That's definitely adamant!"
Hwang Yong-jae laughed.
'He's quite skilled. When did such a young kid, who was just in the academy, get such a weapon?'
Woooong.
Sword energy of a heavy yet infinitely dark color rose up.
Cheng!
It easily cut through the incoming slash.
'What!'
As Gong In-seong was surprised, Su-hyeon rushed straight at him.
"Chiik!"
Instantly changing trajectory, Su-hyeon stepped on a Mana Shield that appeared in mid-air, freely utilizing three-dimensional space to close the distance.
'Fast!'
Gong In-seong blocked Su-hyeon's downward strike by crossing his weapons.
Clang!
With an enormous collision sound, he took three steps back and was shocked.
'What is this strength?'
Moreover, the blade of the sickle that had received just one attack had a large chip in it.
"Too soft, I see."
Su-hyeon said.
"What do you mean 'soft'?"
"The aura, the weapons, the skill. All of it."
"...!"
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"Hahaha. Overwhelming."
At the same time.
There was a man watching the two on a CCTV screen from dozens of kilometers away.
Hwang Won-jae.
The second-in-command who effectively led the Sword of Belphegor, he looked at his own kin on the screen with eyes full of killing intent.
'Annoying bastards. I want to strike and kill them all at once, but.'
Time was still needed for things to ripen.
'I merely faithfully carry out His grand plan.'
Waiting for that moment was also just a form of entertainment.
'Jeong Su-hyeon. You've become even stronger than before.'
He also gave attention to Su-hyeon, who was overwhelming Gong In-seong.
'Such a small fry is woefully inadequate to draw out his abilities. But it can serve as a reference on whether to place him higher on the kill list or not. And...'
His snake-like, chilling gaze clearly fixed on his brother, Chairman Hwang Yong-jae.
'Reign to your heart's content until I come to take your head, brother.'
The corners of his mouth rose to heights they shouldn't reach.
'Until your face is plunged into the lowest mud.'
The grand scheme to overturn everything had already begun long ago.