Chapter 54: Shady Dealings and the Festival’s Start

Cha Jihye, who had fallen on her butt.

Blue Bone’s bone sword flew toward her.

The blue bone sword stabbing down like lightning.

Seeing that, Cha Jihye thought.

…I’m going to die.

Her own death.

It wasn’t a mistake.

There was no hesitation in the bone sword stabbing toward her face.

So the moment that sword pierced, Cha Jihye would die.

Even as a hunter, she couldn’t survive with her face pierced.

Just before Blue Bone’s bone sword struck.

“Stop.”

Seo Juwon’s voice was heard.

At the same time.

Freeze.

The bone sword Blue Bone thrust also stopped.

Right in front of Cha Jihye’s forehead.

“Step back.”

At Seo Juwon’s voice, Blue Bone immediately withdrew the bone sword.

Then clattered back.

Like a well-trained soldier.

“Team Leader, are you okay?”

Seo Juwon ran over and extended his hand to Cha Jihye.

But Cha Jihye just stared blankly at that hand.

“I’m sorry, Team Leader. Blue Bone went too far.”

“Get up, Team Leader. Whew, look at these wounds. You need to go to the infirmary right away.”

“Ah, yes…….”

Cha Jihye, barely regaining her senses, took Seo Juwon’s hand and stood up.

Afterward, Seo Juwon wiped Cha Jihye’s blood with his sleeve.

Though he couldn’t do anything about the blood seeping from her side.

“Team Leader, let’s go to the infirmary. Even if it’s just a graze, you need treatment right away.”

“Ah, yes…….”

“Let’s go together. I’ll support you.”

Seo Juwon said that and used himself and Blue Bone to support Cha Jihye.

On the way to the infirmary.

Cha Jihye felt a strange emotion looking at Blue Bone supporting her on the right.

Blue Bone, which had been trying to kill her ferociously just moments ago, was now helping, so complex feelings arose.

Sigh, defeated by a single skeleton…….

The emotion that soon surged was misery.

She knew Seo Juwon was strong, but she didn’t expect to be defeated by one skeleton.

Not by his full force of over 100, but just one.

For Cha Jihye, who had fought with Swift Sword activated, it was just dismal.

*** 

Previously, I sparred with Team Leader Cha Jihye.

And I won overwhelmingly there.

Cha Jihye looked very surprised then, but I was equally surprised.

I didn’t know Blue Bone was that strong.

To overwhelm Cha Jihye, who holds the team leader position in the silver attack squad, to that extent.

It was a huge shock to me.

Anyway, while preparing for the Myth Festival like that.

I headed to Daphne Entertainment after a long time.

Because there was a meeting in the A&R team.

While going to Daphne Entertainment with Eunbyeol and having the meeting, talk about the song our Eunbyeol made came up.

“Eunbyeol-ah, ‘Lovebug’ climbed to 12th?”

“Eunbyeol-ah, congrats! At this rate, isn’t it going to 1st?”

“Haha, just one spot difference with Daesu sunbae?”

“Really glad, Eunbyeol-ah. Your song is so good but was underrated, unnie was so upset.”

“Agreed. Glad your song is getting recognition now.”

“You must be happy too, sir, with Eunbyeol’s song skyrocketing late!”

The A&R team members congratulated me and Eunbyeol.

Yes.

The “Lovebug” Eunbyeol made steadily rose and finally reached 12th.

Just one spot difference with Kwak Daesu.

It was joyful that the ranking rose a lot, but the most joyful was that it was just one spot behind Kwak Daesu’s “Ultra Marine.”

Since we had an official and unofficial bet with Kwak Daesu, I was very curious about the final result.

Honestly, I wanted to knock Kwak Daesu down a peg.

Was I the only one who felt that way?

The team members who praised Eunbyeol turned their gazes to Kwak Daesu.

“Daesu oppa, what to do? Now it’s really big trouble?”

“Daesu sunbae-nim, if you lose the music ranking bet, you promised to accept Eunbyeol as an official team member, right? You have to keep the promise.”

“Hehe, Daesu sunbae seems nervous? Your face looks bad.”

“Hey, let’s stop. How upset Daesu hyung must be.”

“What? Last time when the ranking difference was big, Daesu sunbae bragged a lot.”

“Agreed. My ears hurt from listening to the bragging then. Daesu oppa, this much talk is okay, right?”

The team members smirked and teased Kwak Daesu.

If seeing only this scene, one might think the team members were bad.

But considering the rude words Kwak Daesu had said to Eunbyeol and the team members so far, this was nothing.

“Shut up, you bastards. Funny? Here to watch? Bastards can’t get it together and teasing a senior. It’s meeting time, so meet. Don’t chatter nonsense.”

Kwak Daesu, who had been making a face like he chewed a bug, said threateningly to the team members.

But the team members didn’t yield.

“Oh my, not teasing, just stating facts.”

“Agreed. It’s an official music ranking bet, so talking about it.”

“That’s right. Daesu oppa also talked about how ‘Ultra Marine’ this and that before. That was okay, why not now?”

“Yeah. When you’re doing well, it’s okay to talk, but when ‘Lovebug’ does well, suddenly it’s nonsense? Daesu sunbae, don’t you think it’s ridiculous? Even you think it’s total hypocrisy…….”

When the team member said that much.

“Shut your mouths, you bastards!”

Kwak Daesu roared.

At the too intense reaction, not only the team members but Eunbyeol and Nam Seungha showed startled reactions.

“Daesu, what are you doing now. The child is listening.”

Nam Seungha said reproachfully, and I hugged Eunbyeol.

I extended my hand and gently covered Eunbyeol’s ears too.

But Kwak Daesu didn’t yield.

“Sigh, fuck this!”

Kwak Daesu slammed the table and ran out of the meeting room.

At his intense reaction, the team members naturally looked surprised, and I was greatly shocked too.

Even so, he was polite to the composer…….

It was true Kwak Daesu’s personality was trash, but at least to Nam Seungha, he called him ‘sir’ and treated him respectfully.

Previously, when he ran out of the meeting room at Nam Seungha’s words, he raised his voice but still used honorifics and expressed disappointment indirectly.

But to use fuck as a curse.

It seemed like crossing a line, which was very shocking to me.

“Eunbyeol-ssi, don’t mind. Composers naturally get sensitive when launching music.”

Then, Nam Seungha said to Eunbyeol.

Then Eunbyeol, with teary eyes, said.

“Is that so……?”

“Yes. Since it’s their livelihood and pride, they can’t sleep at night. Daesu is like that too, so don’t be too upset. Okay, Eunbyeol-ssi?”

“Yes. Got it, composer ahjussi…….”

Eunbyeol said with pouted lips.

She seemed to have received some comfort from Nam Seungha but still very startled.

“You guys moderate too. He’s clearly a senior, teasing like that.”

Nam Seungha said looking at the A&R team members.

“Sigh, sir. But Daesu sunbae first to Eunbyeol…….”

“I know. But still, moderate. Even if it’s a bet, no reason to mock family like that.”

“Sorry, sir.”

At Nam Seungha’s gentle reproach, the A&R team members bowed their heads.

I also followed and bowed.

Still, we have to win.

Even so, I earnestly wished.

The music ranking that caught up to just one spot difference.

To eventually overtake it and win the bet.

Kwak Daesu walking quickly down the Daphne Entertainment hallway.

His face was flushed red.

“Fucking bastards really.”

Kwak Daesu spat curses as if he were a piñata.

Not only the A&R team members who teased without fearing a senior, but Seo Eunbyeol, Seo Juwon, and even Nam Seungha were all fucks.

Enough to want to kill them.

“Why is only my music ranking not rising! Why!”

Amid that, what angered him most was none other than his own music ranking.

The masterpiece “Ultra Marine” made with all his heart and soul.

Its initial momentum was so good, but no more ranking rise.

On the other hand, the bet opponent’s “Lovebug” was not.

That cringy-to-death song’s ranking kept rising.

Chasing the 11th “Ultra Marine” to one spot behind.

“You think I’ll lose? Don’t joke. You cockroach father-daughter will never win.”

Kwak Daesu quickly walked the hallway to the emergency stairs.

He checked above and below the stairs to confirm no one was there.

Then opened his phone and called somewhere.

After several ring tones.

Yes.

A low voice came from the other side.

“It’s me. Kwak Daesu.”

Ah, yes. Hyungnim.

“That thing I mentioned before, need to proceed.”

Are you sure? You were very worried last time.

“You said using a Philippine company won’t get caught.”

That’s true. Never got caught so far. But hyungnim was very worried. If caught with Daphne Entertainment song, it’s fucked.

“It’s fine, proceed.”

Understood. As I said before, 100 million for 2 weeks.

“You’ll take responsibility to raise the ranking, right?”

Don’t worry. Not first time. Then I’ll text the account.

“Yeah.”

Kwak Daesu ended the call with that.

Then a text with the account number arrived, and Kwak Daesu immediately transferred 100 million won there.

「Deposit confirmed. Ranking will reflect slowly without notice, so wait leisurely.」

After seeing one text, Kwak Daesu put the phone in his pocket.

Then took out cigarettes, smoked three in a row to soothe anxiety, and then opened his mouth.

“Dare touch this Kwak Daesu? You’re dead, you cockroach bastards. Let’s see who laughs last.”

Kwak Daesu, using the ultimate means to win the music ranking bet.

He gritted his teeth thinking of Seo Juwon, Seo Eunbyeol, and the A&R team people.

***

The showdown between “Lovebug” and “Ultra Marine.”

It was very fierce.

To the point the ranking analysis program’s graphs were almost similar.

After days of whether to beat Kwak Daesu’s song or not.

A special day came for me too.

Because the day of the ‘Myth Festival’ finally dawned.

Buzz buzz.

The passage connected to the super-large training hall.

In the tunnel-like wide passage, numerous silver attack squad members were chatting or polishing weapons.

All these were participants in the Myth Festival, people who would be my competitors.

“Hunter Seo Juwon, how’s your condition today?”

Then, Cha Jihye, waiting together, asked me.

“Haha, not bad. By the way, are your wounds okay, Team Leader?”

“Yes. Fine. It’s nothing.”

Cha Jihye said with a smile.

The wounds from sparring with me seemed fully healed.

“Still sorry, Team Leader. I was too intense before the spar.”

“No. I requested the spar, so don’t mind. Anyway, let’s do our best in today’s Myth Festival. Okay?”

“Yes, Team Leader. See you in the finals.”

I and Cha Jihye smiled looking at each other.

Of course, amid that, Nova Team members joked if I planned to win.

While spending time with such chats or thoughts.

Now, let’s invite the brave warriors participating in the Myth Festival! Silver attack squad participants! Come out!

The emcee’s booming voice came from the super-large training hall.

Then with staff guidance, the silver attack squad members gathered in the passage started moving to the training hall.

Eunbyeol, Dad will definitely win. Watch over me.

I walked following the procession, thinking of lovely Eunbyeol’s face.

The moment the curtain of the Myth Festival finally rose.