Damn Hunter Life Chapter 99
‘Ma Cheon-ah must have realized from last time too.’
That if she proposes some half-hearted penalty to me, she’ll end up being the one to suffer instead.
Then if Ma Cheon-ah brings a really ridiculous penalty… I can just smoothly back out saying I don’t want to do it. A scoundrel doesn’t need to have such principles, right?
‘Or maybe Ma Cheon-ah will just say she won’t make the bet at all.’
Is giving me a penalty such an appealing merit to Ma Cheon-ah that it’s worth enduring the ‘humiliation’ of abandoning her so-desired 4-0 record and betting on a 6-4-2 record?
Ma Cheon-ah’s eyebrows were raised upward as she fell into serious thought.
It’s just a bet, but what’s the big deal? It was obvious she was racking her brain as if she absolutely wouldn’t take a loss.
‘She said “Only 4:0!” but the bet victory conditions are reversed, so she must be troubled?’
Anyway, winning the bet isn’t important. My goal is to make her surprisingly easily accept it when the 4:0 gets broken by a round loss during the actual match.
This was the best scheme I could pull against that heaven-and-earth-defying, lone-wolf, bright 18-year-old.
Sa Ye-ho whined through chat asking to be included too. I raised my middle finger to send a polite refusal.
I was extremely satisfied. Since Sa Ye-ho happened to be in the same direction as Woo Sae-geon, Woo Sae-geon also saw my finger. It would have been nice if Ja Hyeong-woo was on that side too.
Ma Cheon-ah made her decision.
“Alright, let’s bet.”
She even accepted the reversed score without any objection.
She was being too compliant, so I had to wonder. What exactly was she thinking for the penalty?
“Challenge dance.”
“What’s that?”
“The loser films and shares a trending dance challenge.”
Ma Cheon-ah had the look of someone who really wanted to dunk a person. If it’s a dance penalty…
I briefly thought of my sickly, stick-thin body.
‘You thought hard about this, Ma Cheon-ah.’
I raised the corner of my mouth and responded.
“Fine, deal.”
“Then Cheon-ah, let’s bet too!”
Sa Ye-ho grinned and stubbornly intruded. “If I win, Gang-hyeon shares the dance video with me, and if you win, I’ll dance instead of you…” but then made eye contact with Woo Sae-geon and for some reason clamped his mouth shut.
“Got it, I won’t interfere…”
In the commotion, I let my guard down. I carelessly turned my head and made direct eye contact with Ja Hyeong-woo.
“……”
In that brief moment, the movement of Ja Hyeong-woo’s lips slightly parting was slowly etched into my eyes.
My body instinctively shuddered. A hot, embarrassing sensation surged up from within.
For an instant, over those Hwarang clothes, the image of Ja Hyeong-woo undressed flashed by—
I took out a water bottle from my inventory and splashed water all over my face.
“Gasp! Why is he doing that?!”
Ma Cheon-ah looked at me like I was crazy, but the effect was tremendous. The heat rising to my face disappeared instantly. I vigorously wiped the moisture with my sleeve.
‘Please just forget it. Don’t think about it at all. Don’t even think about not thinking about it!’
Only after my mind became tattered did the movement signal from the American officials finally arrive.
[The Ox Successor (Leader) has requested gate movement.]
[Approved.]
Under the pretext of quickly returning Korean hunters, the opening ceremony for the match was omitted.
The venue for the match wasn’t an actual region in America but an otherworldly space close to gates, and it was a special situation in various ways.
‘We didn’t take a plane so there’s no private jet, no grand welcome events or performances. What will America do to show sincerity to their guests?’
I was worried we’d just get our feelings hurt and come back. Would my scoundrel nature work even on a hunter superpower like America…
While I was pondering, the changed surrounding scenery suddenly caught my eye.
“Wow.”
Ma Cheon-ah let out a light exclamation. Sa Ye-ho also made an “oh” sound.
All the buildings were designed in the form of traditional Joseon houses.
The main gate, which seemed to be modeled after Gwanghwamun, had roses and hibiscus planted in equal portions.
As if Korea, not America, was the host country.
If Woo Sae-geon had an expression of understanding without saying much, that said it all. (Woo Sae-geon probably knows more intimate details too. Like the invitation fees America paid to Korean hunters.)
“It’s an honor to meet you like this, Hunters.”
At this time, an American official approached to greet us. There was also an interpreter beside him. From their energy, both were hunters.
‘This person is wood attribute, the interpreter is earth… From how weak their energy is, they’re probably D-C rank. Since hunters of this level are common in America, I guess they do side jobs like this.’
Then I was startled alone.
‘I can see foreign awakeners’ energy too.’
Considering we have to compete from now on, this was a tremendous advantage. Being able to see energy means I can grasp the flow of opponents’ attacks.
‘If only I had the dynamic vision and reflexes to follow enemy team movements…’
==
Ox Successor: Gang-hyeon, can you read these hunters’ abilities too?
==
Woo Sae-geon seemed to notice these were hunters too. What a ghost-like person.
He showed the skill of listening to the official’s words with the interpreter while simultaneously chatting with me behind the scenes.
==
Me: They’re readable
Snake Successor: Jackpot
Snake Successor: Use Gang-hyeon as a radar
==
After the official welcomed us by mentioning each of our names, he said American personnel were waiting at the dining table and led us along a well-polished stone path.
We were being treated hospitably, but we were essentially in enemy territory.
So we absolutely only conversed through chat.
==
Snake Successor: While eating, check out the American kids’ characteristics to help with the game
Snake Successor: And don’t show the chat when we enter the restaurant
==
Sa Ye-ho’s words were important advice. This dining occasion itself was the only opportunity to scout the unfamiliar enemy team.
‘The match scenes appeared in the original too.’
However, unlike gates where monsters and routes are all predetermined, matches are fought against people so there are many variables. I couldn’t blindly trust the original’s information.
So first I needed to see if the 5 hunters on the opposing team were the same 5 from the original.
Upon entering a palace-like large hanok, a spacious table was spread out.
The young men of foreign appearance who were already seated at the table each stood up as soon as they saw us.
“Hello! I’m ‘Bootsman,’ captain of America’s first Hunter Olympics team ‘First Call.'”
At that moment, my eyes very quickly scanned each one of them.
—Bootsman. Water-type healer. A hunter ranked in the top 10 healers.
Since Bootsman recognized leader Woo Sae-geon and aimed precisely at him to request a handshake, Woo Sae-geon reluctantly accepted the handshake.
“Successor Woo Sae-geon.”
Woo Sae-geon followed selective Korean sentiment. He would only speak honest Korean, but following American culture that lacks honorifics, he spoke informally to someone in their 30s.
“I didn’t expect you to come personally. I’m happy to meet the world rank 4, Korea rank 1 hunter in person.”
Then I noticed the tendons in Woo Sae-geon’s wrist holding Bootsman’s hand were slightly raised.
Though he seemed to try not to show it, I could see Bootsman’s complexion faintly worsening.
‘What if they complain that their healer’s arm got broken?’
Does Woo Sae-geon think all healers are built like Ja Hyeong-woo?
“Welcome! My nickname is Buster.”
Next was an earth-type defender. In Korean terms, a tanker.
—A human shield as hard to penetrate as his size suggests. A fighter type who fights with his body rather than handling weapons.
The massive muscular body of a Westerner that looked like three of me combined was the first thing that caught my eye.
“I really wanted to meet you all!”
Even while saying this, Buster’s gaze only lingered on Woo Sae-geon’s dangling hat string beads.
He probably wasn’t looking because it was pretty… He was definitely conscious of Woo Sae-geon from their first meeting. It was the same in the original.
‘Because he really wants to compete with the world’s number one defender.’
The next hunter was, as I remembered, the person who stood up last from the table.
“Nickname Quiche, plant-type mage.”
Even after finishing his brief self-introduction, Quiche kept glancing at the table. The book he’d been covering when we entered seemed to keep lingering before his eyes.
Quiche didn’t particularly look suited for combat. With a slender body like mine, bookworm-like glasses, and long straight blonde hair.
Still, I shouldn’t let my guard down.
—A hunter who plays a role similar to Myo Cho-hui. Unlike his scholarly impression, he’s quite a serious competitor in battle.
And there was also a female hunter who looked to be in her teens. Matched against Ma Cheon-ah, the only woman among us.
“Good afternoon. I’m Clyte, a swordsman.”
—A metal-type swordsman. Obviously an opponent who could match Ma Cheon-ah.
And when it came time for the last hunter’s introduction… I hesitated.
“Agni, it’s your turn.”
“Ah.”
A man as tall as Yang Pyo, with a face and distinctive green eyes that were unparalleled.
“Hmm… Actually, I had doubts about whether we really needed to introduce ourselves like this. Because we already know each other, right? We must have investigated the enemy team.”
“Agni!”
I had never seen this man in the original.
‘Why did it change?’
But thinking about it, our side was also quite different from the original. According to the original, Yang Pyo should have come to this place, but Gang-hyeon came instead.
So did the American team also change one person accordingly?
Despite Bootsman’s reproach, Agni seemed rather unwilling to introduce himself, acting indifferent. While playing dumb like that—
“Hey.”
When he made eye contact with me, he suddenly winked at me.
“Are you okay being here? I think you should be in a hospital. Lying in bed.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
