As expected, it really is Yeongjin Jeon.
He lured me into letting my guard down with that unimpressive appearance.
The records definitely said A-Grade, but if I can’t sense him with my Qi Detection…
At minimum, he’s my equal—or even higher.
“The Eggs and Peanuts you sold at the Auction House. Hand them over to me.”
“I don’t have them.”
“I already know you registered them at the Auction House, and you’re saying you don’t have them?”
“It wasn’t me.”
“Are you kidding me?!”
Yeongjin Jeon’s anger surged with rising mana.
“Do Minho—!”
He crouched low like a track runner, then shot forward like a bullet, closing the distance in an instant.
Even though I saw his ready stance, his acceleration was so sudden I couldn’t react.
“So you know my face, but not my abilities?”
Before I knew it, Yeongjin Jeon’s voice was right in my ear.
His speed was so unpredictable, it was almost impossible to respond properly.
I swung my arm wide, but Yeongjin Jeon shoved me even faster.
“Haaap—!”
But he didn’t budge an inch.
Once more.
“Haaaah!”
Huff, huff.
He must have thought I’d be knocked over easily, but now he just looks confused by what’s happening.
“Wh-what is this…?”
“If it were my brother, you would’ve had me.”
“Brother?”
“Yeah. My brother, Do Minho.”
“Then the Auction House…”
He sounded like he couldn’t believe it.
“I told you—it wasn’t me.”
Minjun grabbed Yeongjin Jeon by the neck and lifted him up.
“Kurk!”
Yeongjin Jeon struggled, trying to pry Minjun’s hand off his neck.
“Let me ask you one thing. What’s your grade?”
“Ugh. You…think I’ll…just tell you…that easily! Cough!”
Minjun thought, as expected of a villain.
“If you had, I’d have been disappointed.”
With a smirk, Minjun hurled Yeongjin Jeon away by the neck.
Thud!
He was thrown with such force that Yeongjin Jeon rolled three or four times before flopping onto the floor like a frog.
“Cough! Cough, cough! Ugh.”
He rubbed his now-bright-red neck, groaning softly.
“Come on, try again.”
Minjun crooked his finger, taunting.
Unable to contain his rage at the sight, Yeongjin Jeon caught his breath and immediately readied himself once more.
Fwoosh~
In a blink, he slipped behind Minjun, drew a dagger, and slashed down at the back of his neck.
Kaang!
“?!”
The blade struck human skin, but there was the impossible sound of metal grinding on metal.
Kang! Kang! Kang!
“Huff, huff. You bastard… What are you?!”
Yeongjin Jeon, repeatedly stabbing with his dagger, leaped back, breathing hard.
“I get it after clashing with you. You’re definitely an A-Grade Hunter.”
I used to think the World Superhuman Association just assigned grades based on average Stats for clarity.
That is, until I became an S-Grade.
With no S-Grade Hunter in Korea, no one knew—
When your average Stat reaches S-Grade, you Awaken a special skill along with it.
In Minjun’s case, it was Shield Synchronization.
By synchronizing with his shield, his body gained the same durability as the shield itself.
Bzzt~ Bzzt~
[ Caller: Brother ]
Minjun glanced at his smartphone and slipped it back in his pocket.
‘I’ll call him after I finish this.’
Contrary to Minjun’s relaxed actions, Yeongjin Jeon was seized by anxiety he’d never felt since Awakening.
His Awakened power was focused on speed, but he’d never thought he lacked strength.
He’d faced A-Grade Hunters in all sorts of shady dealings, so he knew his own strength was real.
Still unable to process what happened, Yeongjin Jeon inspected his dagger, then pricked his own finger.
The blade pierced his skin, and a bead of blood welled up.
‘The blade’s sharp, all right. So that bastard’s hiding something.’
Minjun still looked off guard.
Yeongjin Jeon racked his brain for a solution before Minjun could become wary.
‘He called Do Minho his brother—so he’s Minjun, the Strongest Shield. That means at least A-Grade…’
The problem is, why can his bare skin deflect blades like a shield?
Meanwhile, Minjun, curious about his new ability, was waiting for Yeongjin Jeon to try anything.
‘Is my offense too weak? What about a stronger skill or weapon? How much can he take? Come on, do better.’
Minjun stood calmly, waiting, while Yeongjin Jeon’s eyes darted in growing anxiety—a stark contrast.
The one to move first was Yeongjin Jeon.
But then—
“Huh?”
It happened in the blink of an eye, and Minjun was left dumbfounded.
‘Forgot he had acceleration. He got me.’
Yeongjin Jeon disappeared even faster than before, vanishing in a burst of speed.
He slipped right through my fingers.
“He left his car? Doesn’t even know where he is—guess I’ll drive it back.”
Minjun hopped into the taxi Yeongjin Jeon had stolen for his kidnapping attempt and returned to the Association of Superhumans.
Meanwhile, Yeongjin Jeon…
“Damn it!! What the hell is that guy?!”
Crash.
Alone in the hideout he’d set up after Kanghun and Junhyeok Lee were caught, Yeongjin Jeon unleashed his fury, flinging things around.
Still not satisfied, he looked for something else to take it out on, then realized he was alone and kicked the nearest door.
No matter how much he replayed the earlier fight in his mind, he couldn’t see a way to win.
To win, you first need your attacks to land.
But even when he went all out, Minjun wasn’t even scratched—let alone stabbed.
“Just wait… If I can’t kill you, I’ll just kill your brother. You’ll regret letting me go. Just watch me.”
Yeongjin Jeon ground his teeth, cursing bitterly.
“Where the heck did you go? You didn’t answer your phone.”
I told him I was just going to the bathroom, but Minjun vanished and returned with a strange look on his face.
That expression… how to put it…
Almost like… he was disappointed?
“That’s it. You go on alone. I went not too long ago anyway.”
“What? You said we’d go together!”
“Something urgent came up. See you.”
“What? Hey! Minjun!”
Minjun wasn’t kidding; he spun around and strode off.
“What happened…? The basement?”
He got in the elevator and went down to the basement.
Rumor has it the Association of Superhumans has the country’s top Training Ground down there.
‘Did he get in a fight with someone?’
I have no idea, but seeing Minjun move like that, nothing I say will stop him.
Guess I have no choice. I’ll go alone.
“Please set the danger level to the highest.”
As soon as Minjun arrived at the Training Ground, he activated the training system.
“Huh? All of them? Ah, you mean the usual B-Grade and below Artifacts, right?”
The Association staff member was startled by Minjun’s unusual request.
But Minjun was brimming with confidence now.
His recent fight with Yeongjin Jeon had taught him something.
“Include all A-Grades too.”
Unlike before, he felt like even if A-Grade weapons struck him, at worst he wouldn’t die.
The staff hesitated, but eventually adjusted the system to include A-Grade weapons in the attack sequence.
He pressed the emergency standby button to alert medical staff just in case.
Normally, Minjun would enter the Training Ground dome with a shield, but today he walked in barehanded—which looked like suicide.
Then the surrounding walls opened, and sharp weapons began to aim at Minjun.
Screeee—
Clang!
Screeee—
Clang!
Minjun swatted away a few incoming weapons with his bare hands.
The weapons ranged from C-Grade to A-Grade, but even when he struck the blades, not a scratch appeared on him.
“…”
Minjun scanned the room, then lowered his hands, dropping his guard.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The attacks came faster and faster, but it didn’t matter.
Nothing here could injure him now.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Longswords, daggers, greatswords, spears, arrows—Minjun was struck by every kind of weapon, but he just kept thinking.
‘Not enough. Even high-grade weapons can’t show their true power. It’d take an A-Grade Hunter wielding A-Grade weapons for real synergy. Who’s at the Association today…?’
Becoming an S-Grade Hunter hadn’t just given him Shield Synchronization.
He’d intentionally synchronized with a shield possessing the highest possible physical resistance, and yet magic didn’t work on him either.
Not just physical resistance—his magic resistance had increased by default.
Other than the main Stats and skills, sub-Stats couldn’t be checked in the Status Window or anywhere else, so he had to test them directly.
Raising his hand to signal he was done, Minjun left the dome and pulled out his smartphone.
He called someone.
“Hey, are you busy? Let’s train together.”
Soon after, someone came into the Training Ground.
“Captain, what’s this about all of a sudden?”
“There you are. I fought an A-Grade Black Hunter earlier—he was all speed, no offense.”
“…Excuse me?”
Park Janghyeon had hurried down to the Training Ground when Minjun called him to spar, but he didn’t understand what Minjun was saying.
He’d heard Minjun was training here in the morning, but now he’s talking about fighting a Black Hunter out of nowhere—and saying he was weak.
“Help me out a bit.”
Doing as Minjun asked, Park Janghyeon grabbed his favorite weapon and entered the dome where Minjun waited.
“What do you want me to do?”
Park Janghyeon was confused.
Minjun stood there defenseless, not moving at all.
He just told him to attack with everything he had.
Of course, Park Janghyeon knew Minjun was now an S-Grade Hunter.
But still—challenging him barehanded, without even a shield?
No matter how much respect he had for his captain, and even with his usual politeness, this was almost insulting.
After all, he was a Hunter too.
“All right, I’m coming.”
He began with a basic thrust.
Clang!
The spear tip struck Minjun’s abdomen, but the shock that vibrated up Park Janghyeon’s hand felt exactly like stabbing a shield.
And the unflinching look on Minjun’s face—not even reacting—pushed Park Janghyeon to escalate his attacks.
Clang! Clang! Boom! Boom!
The clang of metal rang out, but Minjun didn’t even twitch.
He even looked bored.
Unable to take it anymore, Park Janghyeon started pouring magic into his spear.
His secret technique—the one he’d used to freeze the Heart of the Boss in the Dungeon cursed with Petrification.
“Ice Judgment!”
From the point of contact, the spear froze everything solid in an instant.
With the medical team standing by, there was no hesitation in using the skill despite its danger.
‘This could actually be risky.’
Minjun had intentionally provoked Park Janghyeon into using a strong skill—and it worked.
Even with the medical team ready, Park Janghyeon avoided striking vital organs and aimed for the abdomen.
Craaaack!
But before the spear could reach his abdomen, Minjun grabbed the shaft and lifted it.
Ice spread from his hand up to his wrist and forearm.
“Hup!”
Crash!
With a burst of strength, Minjun shattered the ice to pieces.
His magic resistance was just too high for the ice to freeze him through.
“C-Captain… What is this…?”
Park Janghyeon stared in disbelief at his spear, unable to comprehend how his secret move had been broken so easily.
“Is that the new ability you mentioned?”
At some point, the President was watching, and he asked Minjun directly.
“Yes. I don’t even need a shield now. Most attacks can’t hurt me at all.”
“Captain, a new ability…?”
After first discovering his new power, Minjun had only reported its existence to the President.
He hadn’t explained the details or effects—he hadn’t fully figured them out himself, and hadn’t mentioned it to his teammates yet.
“Right. After reaching S-Grade, I got a new skill, and some sub-Stat effects increased dramatically.”
Park Janghyeon finally caught on to Minjun’s intent.
He’d gotten new defensive skills and boosted Stats, but needed to confirm them.
‘Does that mean I… could get stronger too?’
Park Janghyeon, though he’d reached the peak of A-Grade, had recently started feeling anxious like the other Hunters.
That he might never get stronger.
Even when their Hunter grade goes up, they don’t gain new skills or power-ups.
The grade is just an average total of Stats, nothing more.
But from hearing the President and Minjun talk, he’d learned about a new realm.
The problem was, how to get promoted to S-Grade.
The President had gotten Stat-boosting crops from Minho, but he’d eaten them all to reach the peak.
As far as Park Janghyeon knew, there weren’t any new crops yet.
‘Should I wait for Minho-nim to cultivate new crops? Or should I just ask him directly?’
As Park Janghyeon wrestled with impatience and worry, Minjun looked at him.
“You want to ascend to S-Grade, right? Any Hunter would want to get stronger.”
“…Yes, Captain.”
“What’s your average Stat?”
“29.3.”
“So you’re about 2 short.”
Then the President joined in.
“Minjun, how about asking your brother for a favor?”
Even without hearing what it was, Minjun seemed to agree with the President’s idea and nodded.
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