Chapter 41: True Energy 1  

Jaehwang nodded in response to the guy’s words. He pulled stick closer to him and charged forward but when he did, he just fell onto the floor.

The destructive energy that was packed inside the stick was strong so GwanJae chose to avoid it as much as possible. Getting hit by it would still be dangerous despite his strength.

“Haha... I didn’t know it was this powerful.”

He was shocked. He didn’t know that it had so much power and he even got more surprised when he tried to look at the mana that he poured into it. It was hard for him to achieve that level on control at some point in time but he was happy that it now became easier to test Jaehwang’s martial arts.

Papapah! Pagpag!

He was the man that would usually be sent to fight off monsters and his level was no joke. The old guy swung his fists. He was trying as hard as he could but his speed was still not enough for him to even land a hit. He then used all the strength in his body and rushed at Jaehwang with his fist.

Surely the seven types of Gagseogs were taught with some cruel attacks. Jeahwang’s stick collided with his fist and made a huge noise. The stick in his hand was perfect for blocking due to its firm elasticity but it got worn out after that hit.

“This was the martial art that I invented for fighting monsters. I defeated them all using simple strikes enhanced by mana consumption techniques.”

Instead of making a follow up, GwanJae explained the technique that he just did to him. However, Jaehwang didn’t answer and kept his focus on blocking.

“That...”

“It’s... Amazing.”

They caught the attention of everyone in the gymnasium. They stopped at what they were doing at the sight of this interesting fight. Some of them pondered why does someone who applied for a healer had this much skill in terms of fighting. Everyone’s excitement grew greater and greater as the hours went by. There were no signs of them stopping anytime soon.

‘This may have been a mistake.’

Jaehwang couldn’t think much through the battle and GwanJae started to think that his punching could now use some work.

‘avoiding and defense focus on the martial arts.’

He continued to block his attacks. He couldn’t get inside him but when his defense had started to crack, Jaehwang took the opportunity and aimed for the joints in his arm. He risked it even though there was no guarantee that his skill were greater than his.

‘Ha... This is great...’

He wasn’t sure of all the possibilities but after seeing his ancient martial arts, he realized that he had to fight him in a different way. He’s running low on mana but he he still thought that it would be enough. Mana was not the only weapon that a Gagseog possess, they were given another system that they could use.

“Look back.”

GwanJae felt disappointed he couldn’t conquer him with skills alone. He could actually feel the level of his unique skill but he still didn’t know that it was just an illusion made by the spirit. She helped him for two years and they had become more familiar with each other. Even though GwanJae’s strength could overpower him at any point of their battle, he kept his focus as if it were a straight line.

“It collapsed.”

-I estimate a subsequent attack! Avoid it!

He kept an eye on his movements and Jaehwang dodged his fist. He waited for a perfect moment at GwanJae’s opposite side and attacked him. He avoided his other incoming attacks with three small movements and that’s where he finished it.

-Be careful. He’s old... but his eyes still look suspicious.

-I know.

Jaehwang replied at the spirit.

“This can’t be.”

His teeth were left chattering and he could see an image on the side corner of the game filed. He wished that he could see himself from before, he didn’t realize that he stood in front of a legend just as he hoped for.

“Why... Why! That guy has no essence.”

He wasn’t even sure how he got his attention. He was able to receive the best Gagseog procedure, it would even cost around one hundred million to get the same type of treatment he did where they got to touch around his five type characteristic and skills. A normal hunter wouldn’t be spending this kind of money to join a raid and level up, they would just buy some Rodoe artifacts and develop their magic skills through it instead.

The limitless skills were expensive. Even if the skill was very significant, a usual rodoe skill could be used with a Gagseog skill. That puts it to be a highly efficient technique with a price not everyone could afford. Getting one of those artifacts would sometimes mean that they would have to ask their family to pay for it first.

With that, they would have to prepare their heart to step up on that game field. He was an absurd old guy. Beasts had ravaged the land but he never stopped training. When others had started to struggle with their fight and ended up falling for alcohol addiction, he directed himself to keep going and reached a higher place.

“That is my place...”

Jealousy burned in Jaehwang’s eyes as he felt inferior deep in his heart. Ever since he missed taking the top spot on both the writing and the physical strength test, he did his best to steadily rise up. That was the feeling that he didn’t knew until now, he felt like that beast that attacked him that night was reborn and he had to experience that same humiliating experience again. In the end, he could still sense something new.

“How could you do this?... How did you do this?...”

GwanJae felt a tingling feeling in his fist so he shook his hand and looked at his palm. He looked at the aftermath of what defended him from Jaehwang’s attack. He then stared beyond the stick and went into his eyes.

“How often do you do this?”

Besides martial arts and monsters, he was now even more curious about him than he thought he would be. Still, A Gagseog’s battle had its limits however, an unexpected feeling of greed surged through his heart.

‘This guy... I want to finish him.’

He could tell he was a Debauzer as soon as he saw him. He was never just an ordinary guy but others couldn’t see it. Being a Debauzer wasn’t just an all amazing thing since they were more in charge of performing rituals on ancestral tablets. Some might call it easy but countless ones were not even fit for it, that’s why there was a bigger shortage on Debauzers compared to the hunters in general. With the thought of being a hunter, a Debauzer would usually have low capabilities and even if they had good skills, they won’t be able to achieve his kind of level.

But then a very tempting guy appeared. He didn’t want to shoot the consumption in the dimension invasion, he was a guy that really wanted to improve. The only problem was that this guy seemed too nice that he looked like he would never truthfully follow along.

‘Should I finish him? He seemed like someone who was unknown to others. Could we study martial arts together and chat? What could I give him? What could he teach me?’

Those were all the thoughts going through his head. He doesn’t want anything else and his martial arts were already revealed when they started to fight.

“I’m going to go crazy.”

He was then pushed into a new level greed like a tsunami wave and in that moment he started to fight Jaehwang once again. GwanJae was confused by his own random attacks and was surprised when he found his arm naturally coiled around Jaehwang’s stick.

‘I’m stuck.’

It crowded his arm and limited his movements as it placed his joints in pain. There were a clear difference in some of their skills but it wasn’t long before he got his focus back. He then shook his arm and resumed the fight.

Kwag!

He broke the stick into two.

Kwakwakwag!

He then slammed Jaehwang into the wall.

Jaehwang coughed and tottered as he picked himself up.He glanced over to his broken stick with a bitter face and looked at GwanJae before he shook his head.

“Thank you for the lesson.”

GwanJae then looked at him with a dispirited expression. He handed out his hand towards Jaehwang as a sign of respect but it was actually his perfect defeat. He just fought a kid and in the end, he couldn’t gain that one thing that he wanted. That was all, but when someone would try to look into the details, he used the last of his mana and he considered that as his loss.

Well... There was one thing that he gained.

‘That was really amazing... was that monster-like battle censer?... How did he learn something like that...’

He sighed. The fight went well, however, his mood wasn’t entirely bad, it was just it was covered by a bigger sense of greed.

‘I’ve got him now. He’s all worn out...’

“What kind of applicant are you!”

“How can you fight like that and...”

“Who are you? Are you hiding your skills as a hunter?”

He finished his confrontation and everyone else in the room made a noise as if they just woke up from a sleeping spell. It were like in the presence of a goblin.

He was either hallucinating or in a dream but that applicant tried to strike him down for about fifteen minutes. He haven’t had his look until now since he was too preoccupied with his stick martial arts.

He didn’t think that he would see so many people with such capabilities. The prominent clans application prospects were put aside. It appeared sacred and talked with them but, that person just mocked their imaginative power.

They were about to approach him but they stopped when they felt a vibration around Jaehwang.

Kwagkwagkwag!

GwanJae’s weapon fell into the floor and made the whole building vibrate.

“I have a new suggestion for you.”

“...”

Jaehwang looked at him with a unenthusiastic expression. He already gained his hybrid license as he didn’t need to participate in any more activities with him. It was the most annoying meeting that he could lose. He got his licensed issued after one year in the national academy and by the last 15 months he was in service and joined a long term expedition.

“You’ll be given a level four license.”

Jaehwang was preparing to refuse his offer but he stepped back.

‘Level four hunter license.’

If possible, the purpose of their fight was never specified, Jaehwang did a good job but now the situation turned out to be more intense. There was a big possibility that he would be given the level four license. All the hunters in the academy wanted a moment like that.

‘It’s unconditionally involved in the nation mobilization order.’

The expedient used those and avoided a lot of the hunter procedures. There were a lot of unexpected holes in the responsibility clause but, the responsibility clause didn’t come into effect after a long stay in the dimension gate. They received national authorization in the clan and that did them a favor. They were always standing by the dimension gate with the files to avoid the responsibility clause.

The problem was that they didn’t belong to the clan and the expedient they were using was difficult. Jaehwang acquiring his level two license was just enough for him if it meant that he could avoid mobilization and venture into a dimension gate alone.

How could he tell that to someone?

‘Avoiding the sacred responsibility is a cowardly thing to do.’

He thought that’s how a hunter would respond. That was behavior he could only tolerate at home, the death rate of the nation mobilization were unexpectedly high. There were accidental occurrences of monster waves in the neighborhood so hunters were then gathered together to fight them off.

The byproduct during the monster hunter period consisted a total of the 90 percent of a hunter’s possessions. The mobilization fixed up the system of compensation however, their position were still as terrible as ever.

Although its mortality rate were high, he couldn’t stand that he would have to deny the sacred responsibility of a level four license. It was something that would usually take an experienced hunter ten years to achieve and he’s just giving it to him. It was an opportunity that he could not refuse.

True Energy 1, The end.