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A deafening roar burst from Baek Do-woon’s hand.
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The sound was like a missile being launched, causing people to recoil in shock.
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“Good heavens!” someone cried, collapsing to the ground, while another yelped, “Eek!” and leapt away.
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Kim Mu-yeon’s reaction was hardly different from theirs.
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He was startled at the sight of the massive wooden sword emerging from Do-woon’s hand.
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Even more so when it flew at him with blinding speed.
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“You crazy bastard!”
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He cursed at Do-woon as he dodged the attack.
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Arca shot past him and stopped right in front of the crowd.
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A man who almost had the tip of the wooden sword touch his nose buckled and sank to the ground.
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Kim Mu-yeon glared at Do-woon after watching Arca sail past.
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“You coward, attacking out of nowhere!”
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“Whew, you scared me, little sprout.”
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But Do-woon wasn’t even looking at Kim Mu-yeon.
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His completely disinterested attitude left the others flustered once more.
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“Wait, did you just click your tongue? Are you seriously in your rebellious phase?”
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Ignoring everyone’s stares, he just kept looking down at his smartphone.
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He kept muttering things under his breath—most of which were incomprehensible.
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“If you keep acting like this, I’ll get angry, you know?”
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“No, I’m not punishing you.”
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“You’ll sulk? Hey, seriously?”
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The muttering continued.
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Listening to him, the people exchanged looks.
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They were silently asking each other if anyone could understand what he was saying.
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All who received the unspoken question shook their heads.
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They had no idea, not even a clue.
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“Is he insane or what?”
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Someone blurted out the thought that popped into their head.
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The others couldn’t help but agree.
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At that moment,
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“Gasp!”
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“The sword! The sword!”
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“Is that sword technique?”
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“Idiot! This isn’t some martial arts novel. Of course it’s magic!”
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Arca, floating in the air, began to move slowly.
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As if a video was being rewound, it returned naturally to Do-woon’s hand.
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Do-woon slung it over his shoulder and apologized to Kim Mu-yeon.
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“Ah, sorry, sorry. I’m not used to pulling this thing out yet.”
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“You…!”
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“You’ll let it slide, right?”
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He flashed a cheeky grin.
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If Kim Mu-yeon hadn’t dodged the wooden sword, he could have been badly hurt.
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Had the blade traveled just a bit farther, someone might have been injured.
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Yet Do-woon acted as if it were no big deal.
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His shameless attitude left everyone speechless.
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“Baek Do-woon…”
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Kim Mu-yeon muttered the name, glaring.
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The murderous look on his face didn’t last long.
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Noticing everyone’s stares, he quickly pulled himself together.
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He let out a long, deep sigh, then spoke calmly.
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“…Fine. Whatever. I already knew you were a fool.”
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“The way you talk is really irritating, you know that?”
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“……”
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At the harsh words, Kim Mu-yeon clamped his mouth shut.
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Doesn’t this guy care about how people look at him?
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Thinking that, he looked at Do-woon.
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Do-woon was staring only at him.
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As if he couldn’t care less about anyone else.
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Soon, Do-woon offered the wooden sword slung over his shoulder.
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“Here.”
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“…Mm!”
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He couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration at the sword held out to him.
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It might look like a simple, oversized wooden sword, but it was a perfect weapon in its own right.
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Maybe others couldn’t tell, but he knew.
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Because Kim Mu-yeon possessed the ‘Song of the Sword’ skill.
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Song of the Sword was an ability that let one be favored by swords.
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He could tell a blade’s quality at a glance, and knew how to wield it.
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With the skill’s correction, he could swing any sword regardless of size or weight.
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So, Kim Mu-yeon confidently reached out.
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“Once I hold that, everyone will see who the real pretender is. Hope you’re ready to be humiliated in front of everyone.”
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As Kim Mu-yeon reached for Arca, Yu Jae-yi’s words popped into his head.
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He smirked and shook his head.
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This was the sword Baek Do-woon, a B-rank Hunter, had wielded.
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There was no way he wouldn’t be able to pick up such a sword.
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He dismissed Yu Jae-yi’s words as nothing but the spite of someone who disliked him.
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However—
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Thud!
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The moment he received Arca, he toppled forward.
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As soon as Do-woon let go, Arca fell to the ground, dragging Kim Mu-yeon down with it as he desperately tried to hold on.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“What’s going on? Why’s he like that?”
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“Is it because he can’t lift it?”
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“No way, must be a mistake. Why wouldn’t an A-rank Hunter be able to lift that?”
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“But… he looks like he’s struggling…”
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People whispered among themselves, but Kim Mu-yeon didn’t have time to feel embarrassed.
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He couldn’t understand why he was unable to lift Arca.
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He was the owner of the Song of the Sword skill—there was no way he couldn’t pick up a sword.
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Yet he couldn’t lift it.
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He tried again with all his strength, but Arca, lying flat on the ground, didn’t budge an inch.
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It was as if it had always been part of the earth.
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“What the hell is this….”
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He raised his head in confusion.
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Baek Do-woon, one eyebrow raised, was looking down at him.
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Do-woon gave a brief, mocking laugh.
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“Looks like the pretender here is you.”
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Kim Mu-yeon’s face flushed bright red at those words.
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*****
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Seeing his crimson face made me feel at ease.
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I liked the way people looked at Kim Mu-yeon with mocking expressions.
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As expected, people love watching someone fall.
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The guy stood up, his face still red.
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I quite liked the sight of him kneeling there.
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“…I admit it.”
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“Hm?”
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“I wasn’t qualified. It’s shameful that I caused this situation.”
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“……”
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I’d expected him to act irrationally, driven by his emotions.
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But to my surprise, he didn’t.
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He kept his composure to salvage his image to the very end.
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He had no choice, but it was still impressive.
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“Baek Do-woon, I acknowledge you as the owner of this sword.”
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With those words, Kim Mu-yeon offered me his right hand for a handshake.
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Wow, this guy really knows how to play the scene.
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Honestly, I was impressed.
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His image had just taken a huge hit because of this.
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He’d insisted he was worthy and the other wasn’t, only to have the opposite result.
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The only way to recover a shred of his reputation now was to apologize and step back cleanly.
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If I refused his hand, I’d be the one ruining my own image.
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“Thank you. For a Hunter ranked 47th in Korea to acknowledge me—it’s an honor.”
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But hey, I know how to put on a show too.
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My little sister and my friend are both amazing at this.
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I took his offered hand.
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And not just that—I pulled him into a hug.
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I saw Kim Mu-yeon flinch and try to pull away.
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I tightened my embrace and whispered softly.
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“It was my sword to begin with—who are you to acknowledge me?”
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“…I don’t know what trick you pulled, but that sword will be mine soon enough.”
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“You sure talk big for someone who couldn’t even lift it.”
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Our whispered words were tense, but maybe because we were embracing, the onlookers started to sigh in admiration.
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Some even clapped, though awkwardly.
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Still gritting his teeth, Kim Mu-yeon managed a smile.
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Impressive ability, really.
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Smiling and grinding your teeth at the same time.
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“Just you wait, Baek Do-woon. I’ll repay this humiliation.”
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“Stop being greedy and get lost, you damned thief.”
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With that, I let go and stepped away from him.
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He started to say something, but, noticing the eyes on him, kept his mouth shut.
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Now that we were apart, even if he whispered, I wouldn’t hear.
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People who care what others think can’t act rashly at times like this.
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Kim Mu-yeon, unable to do anything, simply gave me a smile.
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“……”
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“……”
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I smiled back.
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It was a crooked smirk, raising just one corner of my mouth.
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Even if he didn’t like that smile, with so many watching, there was nothing he could do.
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Calmly, coldly, the only thing he could do was leave.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Kim Mu-yeon apologized to the police for causing a disturbance, then bowed to each of the bystanders before leaving.
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Honestly, you’d think he was a celebrity.
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Well, as the 47th-ranked Hunter in Korea, he kind of is.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Yu Jae-yi walked over.
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“He actually backed down cleanly, huh?”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“It’s just an act.”
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“An act?”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Yeah. I bet he’ll come looking for me tonight to kill me.”
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“…Seriously?”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Yu Jae-yi looked at me, worried.
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I knew all too well how guys like that behave.
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It wasn’t my first time dealing with them.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Guys like Kim Mu-yeon, who are full of themselves, can’t stand humiliation.
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Like bulls driven wild by the sight of blood, they start doing all sorts of reckless things.
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Especially Hunters, who don’t even hesitate to kill.
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They’ll blame me for their shame and come after my life.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Maybe tonight, or at the latest tomorrow night.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Of course, I’m joking.”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Hey, why do you make jokes that don’t sound like jokes?”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Because I’m not joking.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
I just shrugged at her bewildered expression.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Then I sent a message on my smartphone.
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To the two people who must be watching this situation unfold.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
[Jaewook, please tail Kim Mu-yeon.]
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
[On it!]
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The reply came immediately.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Lee Jaewook didn’t even ask why.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
I put my phone back in my pocket and slung Arca over my shoulder.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
People gasped in awe.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Seeing me lift the sword that Kim Mu-yeon couldn’t pick up must have been amazing.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Honestly, I found it amazing too.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Why couldn’t Kim Mu-yeon lift Arca?
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Yu Jae-yi was the one who answered my question.
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“Arca chooses its master.”
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“Its master?”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Not that it’s sentient or anything. It just, well, decides who it’ll allow to touch it.”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“So the reason Kim Mu-yeon couldn’t lift Arca is…”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Yeah, it simply didn’t permit him.”
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Hearing that, it felt like Arca was wrapping me in a warm embrace.
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Yu Jae-yi said Arca had no will, so it was probably just my imagination.
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Or maybe I felt that way because it was made from a branch of the World Tree.
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“So, show everyone here that you’re the master. For Arca’s sake too.”
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Saying that, Yu Jae-yi pushed me forward in front of the crowd.
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Though Kim Mu-yeon was gone, the people still hadn’t dispersed—they were all watching me.
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At that moment, I remembered the World Tree quest.
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It had told me to display the dignity of the caretaker so no one would speak ill again.
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“If that’s what you want, I’ll give it to you.”
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I gripped Arca with both hands and raised it properly.
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Then I poured mana into it with all my might.
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In an instant, a blue blade the height of a three-story apartment building formed.
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People gazed up at Arca in awe.
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“It’s huge and beautiful!”
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“My God, it’s even bigger than in the videos!”
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“Crazy! He’s actually swinging that thing?”
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“That could cut a dragon, not just a cyclops!”
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Standing in the middle of the crowd wasn’t easy.
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My face started to flush with embarrassment, when Yu Jae-yi stepped forward.
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“This sword’s name is Arbor Kapulus. It means ‘giant hilt’!”
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“A hilt? That’s a hilt?”
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“Oh, right! Yeah! The blue part is the blade!”
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Yu Jae-yi’s face, as she introduced Arca, looked genuinely happy.
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She looked like a proud mother watching her child answer a teacher’s question correctly at an open class.
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She went on to explain the blade’s activation time for Arca.
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It consumed 50,000 mana per minute, and even most A-rank Hunters couldn’t maintain it for more than five minutes.
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Then she pointed at me.
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“But this person is different. He once maintained this form for at least 30 minutes.”
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At that, the crowd gasped and started buzzing among themselves.
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“No way!”
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“Don’t A-rank Hunters have total mana between 10,000 and a million?”
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“Wait, if he held that for 30 minutes… that’s like, what, 100, 150 thousand?”
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“In terms of mana capacity alone, he’s S-rank!”
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Their stares were overwhelming.
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They looked at me as if I were some otherworldly phenomenon.
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In truth, my maximum mana, including the extra 50,000 from holding Arca, was 200,000.
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The only reason I could sustain Arca’s output for 30 minutes was because my mana recovery speed was abnormally fast.
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Of course, Yu Jae-yi and the others didn’t know that.
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[You have fulfilled the quest conditions!]
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[As a reward for success, you receive a leaf from the previous World Tree.]
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[The reward will be sent to your mailbox.]
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Thanks to that, I completed the quest easily.
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I’d finished the quest and driven Kim Mu-yeon off, but I still felt uneasy.
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Just then, a message arrived from Lee Jaewook.
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[Kim Mu-yeon is observing the situation from a distance.]
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[Be careful.]
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Just as I expected.
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Why do guys like that always act so predictably stupid?
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Well, fine.
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How should I deal with this guy to really make a name for myself?
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[The World Tree Sapling is asking for another chance.]
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[The sapling promises to add a spin next time.]
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