Chapter 154. Nothing Cannot Be Accomplished (3)

"This is all for your training."

"T, training?"

Tak, tak.

I walked up to where the number one ranked hunter stood and faced him directly. And then I raised my index finger and said this.

"Do you know what the common problem among Korea's S-rank hunters is?"

"Yes?"

"It's that they don't cooperate."

"..."

"Because you're S-rank, your innate awakening stats are so high that your skills end up harming your teammates. That's more or less why none of you have managed to form a proper team."

One of the S-ranks has a personality problem rather than a skill issue, but let's set that aside for now.

"So let's practice. I've currently adjusted my physical barrier to be as weak as that of an F-rank Hunter."

Swish.

I showed the back of my burned hand and said,

"From now on, every time we meet, we'll also train to ensure I don't get caught up in your skills. Got it?"

I added this confidently.

"Of course, I'm not really an F-rank, so don't worry. A wound like this doesn't hurt me."

I'll act as a biological target myself to increase the accuracy of his skills. If that's the case, then my low defense can be explained.

"Wait, wait a minute! No matter what, how could you do something so dangerous with your own body...?"

"Well, it seems like you're misunderstanding something right now."

I interrupted the other person's words and asserted.

"Just so you know, this isn't optional, it's a requirement. Sorry, but I'm not planning to collaborate with a hunter who can't even do this."

"..."

"If you really want to team up with me, you need to take responsibility and fix these shortcomings. Don't avoid it."

Yes, this is the excuse I prepared.

"Besides, I haven't even acknowledged you one bit yet, so revealing all my resources for someone like you is a bit..."

"Hunter-nim."

"Do you understand what I'm saying? I meant it's still a bit too early to reveal my awakening potential."

I won't reveal my true abilities until you've reached a level worthy of respect! It's a rather arrogant statement, but don't you think the young representative should understand?

"Just hang on a little longer. If we end up working together later, you'll naturally come to know my information, right?"

He was a proud hunter who had kept his guild as a one-man operation, citing the lack of competent individuals as the reason.

***

Come to think of it, Jung Haseong's life is quite pitiable. Losing his father at a young age and growing up with just his single mother... Well, even so, with a harmonious relationship between mother and son, it's hard to call it truly difficult.

After the gates appeared, a student who once dreamed of becoming a veterinarian ended up on the path of a hunter, slaughtering all kinds of beasts. And it was never a good thing that his only family member fell into a coma due to a modern-day incurable disease called magic addiction.

If Haseong-ssi gets caught up in a scandal, honestly, there won't be anyone in this country who can sleep peacefully.

Let alone the harsh control he was under until recently. The Hunter Association in Korea often used absurd arguments to ensure the S-rank power was used beneficially. Their main tactic was to say things like, "If you, an S-rank, don't act, countless people will die." In reality, the ones actually killing people were the monsters in the dungeons. Yet, they would stir up public opinion as if it was the awakening hunters' laziness that caused the disaster.

But just when he thought he had barely escaped this gaslighting effect, now even aliens are eyeing the S-class's bank book.

"Jung Haseong-ssi, you still haven't realized my intentions."

How could this not be an unfortunate life? If only Jung Haseong had a more suspicious personality, his situation might have been better than it is now. But he's not that kind of person. Rather, if they were to be honest, he was the type to fall for Kim Giryeo's empty boasting more easily than anyone else. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The continuous threats. And the shocking behavior he showed in the Labyrinth of the 13th month.

Thanks to the continuous planting of seeds, an image of Kim Giryeo had firmly taken shape in Haseong's mind by now.

Come to your senses, Haseong-ah! Damn it! With that kind of skill, are you really worried about being treated like a monster? Isn't that a bit arrogant? Don't mess around with that insignificant power.

These are the words that Jung Haseong had heard from others. If you think about it, they were all verbal abuse, but surprisingly, Haseong had developed goodwill toward the other person because of those sentences. Compared to the sycophants who only offered flattering words due to the status of being ranked #1, it was actually more helpful to hear such blunt criticisms in life.

'Come to think about it, I was able to come to my senses and receive treatment thanks to that person's honesty.'

It was all according to someone's plan. Speaking recklessly to an S-rank hunter was a very effective way to disguise the weakness of the speaker.

Since he's no ordinary person, that's why they treat the top-ranked hunter like that! Anyone unaware would easily misinterpret the shameless attitude of an F-rank as something entirely wrong.

This tendency was no different for Jung Haseong himself. Kim Giryeo would be a powerful enough figure to disregard even other S-ranks. Without this assumption, it would be hard to explain the behavior the other person had shown so far.

"So let's practice. I've currently adjusted my physical barrier to be as weak as that of an F-rank Hunter."

"..."

"From now on, every time we meet, we'll also train to ensure I don't get caught up in your skills. Got it?"

The victim, who believed that the fourth S-class was strong. Thus, Jung Haseong didn't feel any discomfort in the effort to master the game he was born with. If you counted the time spent training, no one could ever say it was slightest.

"Still, still, if we train like this..."

But even Haseong had one thing he couldn't trust.

"Because Hunter Kim Giryeo will get hurt... you'll get burned every time."

The hero didn't trust himself.

As the blond hunter repeatedly said, this was an awakened person whose ability to control his abilities was significantly reduced.

"This is crazy."

But did he really want to live like this? From the moment of his awakening, Jung Haseong had put in an immense amount of effort to master the magic he was born with. If you counted the time spent training, no one could ever say it was insufficient. Yet, despite all that, the reins could never quite be pulled in, especially when it came to this volcanic heat.

'Moreover, that Hunter doesn't seem to have the same attribute as mine.'

In the midst of all this, is it really an achievable goal for his flames to not burn weak people who are almost like ordinary people? As time passed, his distrust toward himself grew. And so, Haseong asked.

"Could I really achieve such an effect just by receiving the Hunter's secret?"

The blond man then quietly turned to where he was standing.

***

If it doesn't work, he has to make it work.

Giryeo listened to Haseong's question and thought about it. The plan to fix the problem of S-rankers, whose high awakening stats made their skills affect their teammates and made forming a team difficult, was no lie.

"That would benefit me too."

Did he think he started this deal just to make money? In fact, the training of an S-class was, for that alien, an inevitable stop they would have to go through at some point. No matter how skilled they were, the magicians here were nothing more than helpless infants in front of the Archmage. Even if he were to recover his strength after fixing his lungs, they had no intention of working for the Earthlings.

"Hmm."

This is a kind of investment. Raising a hunter like Jung Haseong would ensure a safer life in Korea in the distant future.

'Come to think of it, there's really no need for me to personally resolve the Gisimche issue. If I stir things up on my own, it might just turn into a headache...'

He left the gate conquest to other S-classes and went into hiding in the countryside, living a leisurely, lazy life. This is an ideal plan. So, Giryeo made up his mind once again. He had to refine the person in front of him to a useful level. And to do that, the first thing that needed to be resolved was that.

"Haseong-ah, do you know why the skills of S-classes cause secondary damage?"

Giryeo didn't answer his disciple's question and instead brought up this topic. He was continuing to pass on his knowledge.

"That's because, as a result of awakening inhuman levels of mana all at once, the clarity of their control is far lower compared to others."

"Clarity?"

"For example, if you were to create a flame this big right now."

Giryeo spread his index finger.

"The actual amount of magic released would be this size."

And he placed his right hand behind his spread index finger. Fingers and palms. The areas of the two clearly showed a difference.

"You're unconsciously wasting magic that you don't even need to use, which is why you're experiencing side effects."

"Waste..."

"You could also call it spreading. This is more intuitive."

Saying that, Giryeo fiddled with the collar of his shirt. Hanging there was a low-grade magical artifact worth 50 million won.

"Just my personal opinion, but if we can control this spreading effect, it would be easy to form a team with S-class people."

The black-haired Awakened showed interest in this sentence.

"Of course, no matter how much you raise the clarity, if you mess up during the skill's range designation stage, your teammates will be burned."

"..Ugh."

"That can be prevented a bit if you learn the know-how I'm going to teach you, so don't worry."

"Really?"

"If you save the magic that was spreading and disappearing, you'll have surplus energy."

Kim Giryeo's explanation was smooth and effortless. It was only natural. He was a former magician with countless achievements. In addition, his soul has accumulated enough knowledge about magic to be worthy of the word monster.

"You can redirect the wasted magic towards defense. That way, S-classes can avoid harming their teammates and be free from secondary damage to each other."

Shall he begin the first real step now?

[Session 1 Conscious Positioning of Magic]

Giryeo put into action the meticulously crafted curriculum he had devised for the nation's hero. As time passed, Haseong's emotions began to shift rapidly.

Admiration and anticipation.

Fortunately, the alien's teaching also had a positive effect on Haseong.

'Hmm. By the looks of it, even S-rankers seem to find 3 billion won in cash per month a bit burdensome. Then, raising the tuition fee to 5 billion won might be the upper limit.'

At that moment, the F-rank hunter, who was tapping away at the calculator in his head, quietly swallowed a sinister laugh.

"Let's squeeze him dry for about six months, and after that, I can break the team's promises with all sorts of excuses."

As can be seen from this, Kim Giryeo had no intention of keeping the collaboration proposal he had made, not even in the slightest.

"Just hang on a little longer. If we end up working together later, you'll naturally come to know my information, right?"

In fact, this was all a lie.

Working with a top-tier Hunter? Logically, it was impossible for an F-rank like me to even consider such a thing.

"It's dangerous to keep pretending to be an S-class in front of the real one."

The basic premise of this training contract is that once the apprentice, Jung Haseong, develops enough skill to be recognized by Kim Giryeo, they will start working together as a team. However, this also means that if the recognition is subtly delayed, there will be no obligation to work with the other party for a lifetime.

Moreover, honestly speaking, even if such a contract was made, Jung Haseong wouldn't be at a serious disadvantage. Although it started as a scam, the end of this story would lead to a heartwarming conclusion where "I have finally learned to handle my magic safely."

Anyway,

"Who said I wouldn't teach? I'll definitely work as much as I've received~ After all, a person has a conscience."

Once Haseong's ability control reaches the level where he can collaborate with other S-rankers, the plan is to connect him with someone like Esther and then appropriately leave.

It was a perfect roadmap. Giryeo, justifying his own deceitful actions, fell into a moment of self-satisfaction.

'Moreover, as an excuse to pair them up as a team, I can even extort money from Esther later... This completely solves all my financial worries!'

Hahaha!

However, at this moment, he still didn't know the consequences. He had no idea what kind of repercussions his thoughtless scheme would bring.

Blindness and anxiety. His new apprentice appeared quite upright on the outside, but in reality, they had a genetic predisposition to easily fall into absurdly negative thinking.