Chapter 249. Total Crisis
The alien wearing Earthling skin thought,
‘I can win this.’
With the S-Class Curse fully supporting the current situation, Jeong Ha-seong would quickly subdue the opponent before him.
– Thud.
But then, as a strange sensation washed over his skin, Kim Gi-ryeo’s expression rapidly stiffened.
– Thud, drip…
A thin, blunt stick frozen in a freezer lightly tapped against a person’s arm, sending minor tactile signals.
Water.
Drops of water.
– Drip. Drip…
– Swoosh…
Before long, the sky began to pour down water like a tank with holes.
Now, this was something he truly hadn’t expected.
Earlier, he had sensed that dense clouds were lingering around, and it turned out to be the onset of a summer shower.
The Great Mage, unfamiliar with weather phenomena emanating from the atmosphere as an alien creature, stared blankly at the air spewing cold water.
‘Oh my god…’
If it continued like this, the story would change drastically.
A rain shower.
The surrounding humidity skyrocketed, the temperature dropped, and most importantly, water itself was continuously supplied—this phenomenon was a lethal natural disaster for Fire Mages.
Common sense dictates that lighting a fire in water is no simple feat.
‘That’s why fire attribute mages were rare back in my hometown…!’
From this moment onward, Jeong Ha-seong would have to use more than twice the mana he typically did just to cast spells.
Of course, setting the coordinates for the magic would surely be heavily impeded by the rain too.
‘I’m done for.’
No matter how much he had trained or attended classes, his disciple was, despite everything, a mage with a delicate nature by birth.
But to suddenly have such a variable spring up like this…
‘Hah.’
In a moment’s pause of about three seconds, Kim Gi-ryeo took a deep breath and executed a brief mental simulation in his head.
He imagined how it would turn out if Jeong Ha-seong and Kang Chang-ho faced off again in such an environment.
But as expected, the results were not good.
Jeong Ha-seong had not yet fixed his weaknesses, and moreover, he was in a situation where he must never fix them. How could he possibly claim he could win against that man?
“It’s raining.”
As Jeong Ha-seong nervously sought a moment to recover, the owner of the Dragon’s Eye observed the wet ground and began his first remarks.
“By the way, I didn’t check the weather forecast for Incheon.”
“……”
“Both CEO Seo and Jeong Ha-seong… such amazing people, risking crime to protect me unconditionally. Honestly, until just now, I was pretty jealous of the connections Hunter Gi-ryeo had.”
“Crime?”
“But at least the sky’s on my side. By the way, the crime I just mentioned refers to assault.”
Kim Gi-ryeo shot a wary glance at Kang Chang-ho, who continued the conversation.
The giant before him was the kind of creature that could act friendly one moment and flip the script to seize the upper hand at any time.
‘What if he suddenly lunges at Ha-seong again like before…!’
Kang Chang-ho would never miss such a golden opportunity.
If the battle in the rain continued for just about three minutes, it would be fatal for the Fire Mages.
Having made his decision, Kim Gi-ryeo swallowed hard, feeling a wave of anxiety.
And then…
“Anyway, how about we stop here?”
The next words that sprang from Kang Chang-ho’s mouth…
“Since it’s raining.”
Swoosh…
As the parties involved fell silent, the noise of the rain filled the void.
“Why are you all so surprised? Did you think I’d flail around in such a situation, unable to distinguish the sky from the earth?”
“Kang Chang-ho.”
“This is just a light shower, it won’t last long. Moreover, we’re outnumbered.”
Kang Chang-ho raised his burned arm and wiped the rainwater off his face.
Then, he flashed a light smile.
“No matter what, facing three S-Class hunters alone is impossible.”
“……”
“So, with the rain coming down, let’s avoid unnecessary actions. Jeong Ha-seong! You’d prefer this side, right?”
Just moments ago, he had seemed intent on smashing the young Hunter’s head, and now he was waving the white flag?
It seemed Jeong Ha-seong was equally puzzled by the sudden change, evidenced by a raised eyebrow.
But whether with dark or light hair, neither of the two men could easily find their voices.
“Hmm, why is your mana still fluctuating?”
“……”
“So what do you intend to do? If we keep fighting like this, a leg might get broken before victory is even declared. Is this really beneficial for our Jeong Ha-seong?”
Korea’s third S-Class opened his eyes wide, utterly confused.
“And besides, you can’t kill people.”
“That’s…!”
“Then what can you even accomplish by floundering around here? Excuse me, Hunter Jeong. Suppression is only possible when you’re vastly more skilled than I am…”
“……”
“Oh. Wait a minute, did that hair-dyed guy solve that problem for you?”
What followed was a shocking outburst that poked right at someone’s sore spot.
“Did Kim Gi-ryeo, while giving advice, also teach you how to awkwardly get away with killing people? What a disaster. Then I’ll have to prepare to get robbed here too.”
This referred to a certain incident that had briefly been exposed in the media.
Kang Chang-ho continued with an unbothered atmosphere, as if he were reciting light humor.
But Jeong Ha-seong finally showed a fierce reaction.
Shiver.
His fingertips turned completely red as he clenched his fists, holding his breath and trembling with rage.
As the turbulent negative emotions destabilized his mana, Gi-ryeo, oblivious to the incident, decided to interject forcefully.
“This crazy bastard, can’t you keep your mouth shut?”
But the response was calm and cutting.
“Kim Gi-ryeo. This isn’t the time for you to worry about others.”
Thud. Drip…
Endless pouring rain.
Unlike the Fire Mages, Kang Chang-ho seemed unperturbed by the water. He pointed at someone without hesitation despite the downpour, and raised the corners of his mouth.
“Just you wait.”
What soon followed was no longer a threat but an outdated and stale remark.
Just you wait. A line often spat by protagonists after getting beaten up by delinquent punks in the streets.
But for some reason, this time, the weight of those words felt different.
“I’ll make sure to handle any aftermath regarding this matter, so let’s take it slow and steady.”
This came from a man whose one eye was bleeding profusely.
Despite that, he maintained a smile, perhaps shining with a fierce aura.
“And Jeong Ha-seong, stop staring at people like that.”
Swoosh.
Kang Chang-ho walked away, turning his back on the Awakened who were clearly showing hostility.
He could be seen retrieving his belongings nearby.
“Sorry if my words accidentally came off rough, but honestly, the one who worries about you the most here is me.”
“Damn! What?”
“…I didn’t think you’d curse too. But well, just remember this is sincere. I’m trying to ensure your survival as best as I can right now.”
Kang Chang-ho, having gathered everything into a polyester Boston bag, looked towards the direction where the industry people were.
His gaze no longer reflected the shock from earlier, but some kind of complicated emotion remained.
Doubt, suspicion, discomfort, and perhaps…
“Today it’s me, but tomorrow it’ll be you.”
Kang Chang-ho pointed a finger at Jeong Ha-seong and concluded,
“Thinking about it, there’s no reason a hunter who hid their rank would lie to just one person.”
That was the last line uttered by the opposing party.
Soon, Kang Chang-ho disappeared from the scene at a rapid pace using the means of transport he had arrived in.
Jeong Ha-seong seemed intent on stopping him, but due to the flow of mana, Kang Chang-ho was in a state where even if the enemy attempted recovery the moment he turned his back, he’d easily shatter a potion.
It was only after the Awakener with black hair left that Jeong Ha-seong could finally take the remedy.
‘The situation has become complicated.’
Of course, it was just as concerning for him about the actions following the assault criminal.
But in a relentless downpour, with damage still lingering in both his lungs and brain, the chances of an Earthling defeating that enhanced warrior were exceedingly low.
Gi-ryeo understood the current situation where he had no choice but to let Kang Chang-ho go, and approached Ha-seong.
And while observing Ha-seong’s healing body, he pondered.
‘What should I do from here on?’
He planned to contact Esther at once to begin their own countermeasures.
But what if Kang Chang-ho didn’t easily fall into the Seocher’s pursuit?
Moreover, it was only by chance that Esther had been an Awakened who hadn’t suffered damage from brainwashing when it came to Su Ye-hwi. This time, it wouldn’t be a one-sided hunt.
There was even a possibility that the opposing side would try to initiate a public opinion war first, preventing any form of personal retaliation.
Kang Chang-ho already had a record of quietly burying trouble with the press, so he’s definitely not someone without a brain.
So what could be done?
For now, should he keep Jeong Ha-seong close for protection? It seemed that Jeong Ha-seong wasn’t particularly fond of that guy either. If he just stirred things up from the side, they could continue to get him into fights…
The Great Mage began to perceive the primal characteristics of the Warlock and devised a wicked plan using them.
“Kim Gi-ryeo… Hunter-nim.”
But just a few seconds later,
This alien lost all his schemes and ambitions in vain.
“By the way, are you okay?”
The Earthling, still with bruises not fully healed and breathing like someone who had a punctured lung, was the first to speak.
“Earlier… you said you weren’t feeling well and that you couldn’t gather your strength…? Something like that…?”
Kim Gi-ryeo instantly froze at the mention of his weaknesses.
However, Jeong Ha-seong had no interest in his rank or strength at all.
Even if he were to reveal that he was an F-Class Hunter right then and there, like Kang Chang-ho, he wouldn’t rage about the past deception.
That was something the Great Mage, who hadn’t examined the brain of a hero, could be sure of.
Because…
“Indeed… you said you were hurting. That you wanted to retire due to health issues from the budae jjigae place. Was that real… or not?”
“What?”
“Are you really okay?”
Kim Gi-ryeo hesitated to respond to the hero’s question.
Instead, he conjured another thought.
Having lived a life on the planet Alphauri, he had suffered through their selfish ways, and after fleeing to this new planet, he still hadn’t shaken off his old hometown habits.
Logically, he knew the best strategy was to exploit that number one ranked guy without caring about others’ well-being.
‘Even if I can’t die in the water…’
To think of surviving while feeling this filthy, untamed, and disgraceful…
His desire to continue living felt oddly unappealing.
The blond Hunter recalled some inscrutable phrase and continued speaking.
“Don’t worry, Jeong Ha-seong. I’ll take care of everything, so just hurry up and drink more potions.”
Just as a note, it wasn’t a lie.
At that moment, the most certain solution had newly formed in Gi-ryeo’s mind.
