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[Welcome to Veritas System access.]
[Chat┃Hunter life is interesting these days ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ (52)]
Every day has been variety show material since God Magnetic returned ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
(52 comments)
-Why did Slope throw a challenge at some random guy ㅋㅋㅋ
└(Author): Don’t know, guess he wanted to fight ㅋㅋ
-What the hell is happening in Yeoun?
-Maybe it’s actually some kind of Yeoun guild master defense war? ㅋㅋㅋ
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[Chat┃1st and 2nd place fighting, now this is worth watching (29)]
Honestly Timer vs Bright Magnetic duel was too one-sided and boring
(29 comments)
-The guys who always posted about who would win if those two fought must be thrilled to death?? ㅋㅋㅋ
└That’s me and I’m crying tears of joy right now, dreams do come true
└└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ crazy bastard ㅋㅋ overreacting like hell but I’m kinda excited too
-1st vs 2nd place fight, hey this is something you can’t see even if you pay money right?
-Slope is gonna establish dominance over Magnetic once and for all ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ He’s been crawling around just because that guy was #1, about time he seized the initiative
└No matter how I look at it, seems like the guild master position will get stolen instead, but either way it’ll be fucking entertaining? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Hey someone go to Bright Sol’s account and beg in the comments, ask when they’re fighting
└Someone’s already spamming there
└└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
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[Chat┃Hey Lucky Day’s timing for getting 3rd place is amazing (352)]
Since Doshi-tae got business syndrome and started neglecting tower runs, Lucky Day climbed up to 3rd place recently, right? He has one challenge right left or something, if he uses it on either Timer or Slope, wouldn’t this turn into a guild war?
(352 comments)
-Lucky Day hyung what are you doing, fuck, use it right now!!! If you don’t use it on those two and waste it somewhere else, I’m gonna shit in the Thrill Guild building lobby
└Just try not shitting ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Why would a crazy bastard shit ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-If that happens, first the chicken place will catch fire and we’ll have to fry tons of chicken ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Almost like World Cup level right
└Uh hunter fights aren’t quite that level^^;
└└I’m really curious about the faces of bastards who get triggered and leave party-pooper comments
└└└Better looking than you^^
└└└└Pfft
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It was just like the day Doun first used a challenge right in their nest. Only the two people’s expressions had switched places.
At Doun’s gaze demanding an explanation, Samin began to speak.
“This isn’t just my usual nonsense, but an expression of my sincere desire to fight seriously with hyung as hunter versus hunter, you know? When else will I get to fight with hyung like this? When we enter towers, we’ll be busy beating up magical beasts together…”
Doun was speechless. Samin looked more excited than ever, making it impossible to scold him. Not only were his warm-colored eyes sparkling brightly as he looked up at him, but his cheeks were even flushed.
‘He thinks I’ll accept everything if he wheedles me with a face like that…’
He tried to express his upset feelings in a sulky way, but Doun couldn’t do it. Because he had come to like even Samin’s impulsive behavior like this.
“Why are you making duel requests while using your lover’s thigh as a pillow at a hotel we came to for fun?”
What came out of Doun’s mouth in the end was only criticism about the inappropriate timing. It was natural since he still clearly felt the foreign sensation remaining below, yet suddenly had a duel request thrown at him. Who could have predicted that the guy who had been biting and sucking on the bed just moments ago would suddenly come at him asking to fight?
“Hehe. Hyung looked really sexy when you beat up that crazy Timer bastard. I wanted to see it directly.”
“No matter how I think about it, your tastes are too suspicious. You actually like hitting and getting hit, but you’re hiding it from me right now, aren’t you?”
His questioning gaze was very sharp. Samin felt wronged. His past rambling in panic at the park was still haunting him. Now he only wanted to see Doun cry on the bed, and sadomasochism really wasn’t his taste.
While he did happily enjoy getting hit by Doun, it was at the level of lightly getting hit on the back or forearm, so he could smile. But Doun’s serious hand-to-hand combat?
‘If Doun hyung hits me wrong, I’ll go straight to the morgue.’
Now that his future aspiration had changed from ‘Lee Doun’s honey’ to ‘growing old together with Lee Doun,’ he couldn’t go out so meaninglessly. Samin earnestly poured out his true feelings.
“What are you talking about? I hate both hitting and getting hit. How can you slander my desire to coolly compete with the hyung I respect as my hunter role model in such a lewd and strange way?”
“Slander? Your usual behavior…”
It was when Doun was pinching Samin’s cheek and bickering that Samin’s phone, carelessly thrown on the sofa, rang loudly. Choi Jiyoon’s name appeared on the screen.
“Can I answer Jiyoon noona’s call and get scolded? No matter how I look at it, she’s calling because I used a challenge right on hyung…”
“Then you better answer quickly.”
Knowing Choi Jiyoon who was suffering in place of the guild master who wasn’t good with words, Doun also obediently kept quiet. After Samin got permission from Doun and pressed the call button, a booming shout was heard.
-Kyung Samin, you crazy bastard! Why are you causing trouble by challenging Doun again!
“Whoa, what a shock. Why are you cursing as soon as you answer?”
-Do I look like I’m in a position not to curse right now? Reporters I know contacted me as soon as the message appeared asking what’s going on, but I need to know something to make up stories!
“Just vaguely say I applied because I wanted to duel with a hunter I respect. When we’ll duel is still something I need to discuss with Doun hyung who’s here with us… honey…”
For a moment, Samin almost habitually called Doun ‘honey’ and skillfully glossed over his mistake with a slight pause. Choi Jiyoon didn’t seem to notice anything strange either, nagging him to discuss things beforehand if he was going to pull stunts like this before hanging up.
Samin just laughed as he put his phone back on the sofa. Then Doun muttered with a sour expression.
“You really need to be good to Jiyoon noona.”
“Ah, of course. I’m also incredibly good to the fallen angel of Segwon-dong.”
“So when are you setting the duel date?”
“When would be good for hyung?”
“Anytime is fine for me.”
“Oh, confidence…”
Samin swallowed his saliva. Because he knew the reason for Doun’s confidence. Having directly felt the mana Doun possessed made it even more tangible.
‘Can I actually… beat hyung?’
Magnetic, who had the skill called special immunity, was overwhelming not only in conquest but also in duels. It meant there was no way to deal damage to Doun except close combat.
Even though he had boldly proposed the duel, he might not actually be able to seriously hit Doun once they entered the duel floor. Perhaps sensing this hesitation, Doun laid down the law.
“If you’re going to say you can’t hit properly because we’re dating, let’s just fight moderately, or anything like that, then let’s pretend this duel never happened.”
If they were going to duel half-heartedly like that, it would be better to consider there would be no next opportunity. After the duel with Timer Choi Jeongwook, Doun seemed to dislike the duel format of having to fight people instead of magical beasts using skills. The duel opponent had been someone who deserved a beating, and even after handing over a potion for recovery, he had expressed discomfort.
Even now, he had exceptionally accepted only because his opponent was Samin, but if someone else had requested a duel, he might have refused. So he had to be tactful. Samin quickly drew the line.
“What are you talking about? Work and personal life must be clearly separated. This is purely a man’s challenge that hunter Slope threw at Magnetic. How about tomorrow while we’re at it? We’ve practiced enough.”
“Good. Let’s do it tomorrow then.”
He had worried the date might be too rushed, but Doun smiled brightly and fired up Samin’s competitive spirit. And so the duel between 1st and 2nd place was decided with lightning speed.
“Just because you’re my lover, just because you love me so much, no going easy on me. You and Timer will be different.”
Samin narrowed his eyes and grinned. His goal was clear.
Making Magnetic feel like using magic skills on him. That was all.
“Why do you keep comparing that weird bastard to me? And you seem to think I’ll go easy on you, but I’m planning to properly discipline you so you’ll listen to me from now on.”
“Oh, you’re going to establish lover discipline through a duel…?”
“If we’re being precise, it’s guild master discipline.”
“Oh, insubordination… Ouch, ah.”
Samin, who had been responding playfully, finally shut up only after getting his lips smacked by Doun.
“What to do with this naughty mouth anyway. What if you get caught calling me honey or baby when you go to duel?”
“Geez, I’m not stupid, would I really do that there when I know everyone can hear? I’m not that lacking.”
“You think I didn’t notice you almost called me honey during the call with Jiyoon noona earlier and changed what you were saying?”
“Lee Doun, you’ve really gotten sharp lately…”
“Don’t call hyung’s name carelessly again.”
Doun grabbed and shook Samin’s lips without hurting him. Samin’s eyes sparkled as he lay using Doun’s thigh as a pillow and acted spoiled. Doun’s gaze looking down at such Samin was only gentle.
Even though they had to face each other tomorrow and fight using skills and bodies, the atmosphere between the two was warm. It was a morning overflowing with undeniable affection and tenderness.
* * *
What greeted the two who returned home after their overnight stay was a barrage of questions from guild members delivered through group messages and personal messages. After Samin stepped forward to give an explanation that wasn’t much different from what he’d told Choi Jiyoon, and shared the duel date, things finally calmed down.
Late at night, Samin asked Doun, who was lying next to him and finished preparing for sleep.
“How about the person who loses the duel grants the winner’s wish?”
“Sure. Be ready to grant my wish tomorrow.”
Unlike yesterday, Doun’s eyes were half-closed after properly taking his medicine. His innocent smile made love sprout again for no reason. Samin gently embraced Doun who had tilted his head toward him.
“We’ll see. Who wins.”
Though he said this, Samin was sufficiently anticipating what kind of ending he would face tomorrow.
However, he had absolutely no intention of approaching the duel with half-hearted feelings against the 1st-ranked opponent that money couldn’t buy. It was a duel with Magnetic, who had been his wannabe and whom he still respected.
‘So hyung won’t think of me as a weak person he needs to protect, I need to properly show him something too.’
To become the ‘strong support’ he had emphasized and boasted about many times, he had to at least not hold Doun back.
From the day Doun voluntarily shared mana with him, Samin had been increasingly caught up in complex and confusing emotions as time passed.
Jealousy toward the vast mana Doun possessed, overwhelming feelings about the fact that Doun trusted him enough to readily share all his mana, guilt from breaking his promise not to get seriously hurt, anxiety that he might not be able to properly support Doun.
And even fear that perhaps he too was perceived by Doun not as a trustworthy colleague but as baggage to be taken care of.
All these mixed emotions grew larger as time passed. As if they would swallow Samin whole at any moment.
But he couldn’t show it to Doun. Regardless of his complex feelings, Samin truly loved, respected, and adored Doun with all his heart.
‘This is a problem that will be solved if I become stronger.’
After long or short deliberation, Samin reached a conclusion.
If he could strongly make Lee Doun, no, hunter Magnetic recognize and acknowledge that Slope was ‘strong and excellent enough without needing mana sharing and coddling,’ it would be over.
If that happened, even if the time came when Magnetic shared mana with him again, the emotions he’d feel then would surely be quite different from now. Because he would have become someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Magnetic.
The jealousy stemming from the enormous amount of mana Doun possessed would change into gratitude for the consideration of readily offering mana and help.
Having gauged the limits his body could endure through one experience, there would be no more getting hurt due to clumsy skill operation, and by receiving Doun’s recognition, he wouldn’t feel fear about being unable to support him.
He would just need to feel overwhelmed by the utmost trust Doun showed him.
Organizing it like this brought a clear goal to mind.
‘Let’s show hyung my strong side.’
Samin slowly closed his eyes while holding Doun, who had fallen asleep breathing slowly. Doun’s conquest videos that he had watched countless times played and disappeared in his pitch-black vision.
Hunter Slope had many nicknames, but among them, the most famous were undoubtedly tenacious and persistent. Though Doun now called him words like pervert, lecher, and scammer, Samin’s personality hadn’t changed even after meeting Doun.
‘Even if I lose tomorrow, I must gain hyung’s recognition.’
As he renewed his resolution and hugged Doun in his arms a bit tighter, he heard rustling and groaning sounds. Samin quickly released the strength in his hands and slowly patted Doun.
For someone trying to find Doun’s weaknesses by racking his brain, his expression showed far too much warm affection.
Samin closed his eyes again. He was very much looking forward to tomorrow.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
