The next day.
A huge crowd gathered at the Hunter Association’s training grounds.
The reason was simple.
“Korea’s greatest Hunter! Sword Saint Han Yu-ra! And the Berserker known as the Lone Wolf, Park Kang-chul’s first official duel has been arranged!”
“Most of you know, this isn’t their first sparring match.”
“But this is the first time it’s been arranged through official channels.”
“Hunter Park Kang-chul going through formal procedures to arrange something like this is extremely rare.”
A duel between the Sword Saint and the Berserker.
In the past, it might not have caused such a sensation, but things were different now.
Park Kang-chul, having joined the Vulcanus Guild and fully equipped with Vulcanus Equipment, had been showing extraordinary feats recently.
He was clearing rank 8 Gates as if going for a stroll.
Thanks to that, Park Kang-chul rapidly climbed to 2nd place in the rankings, already drawing plenty of attention.
And now, with a duel against the Sword Saint scheduled, all eyes were on them.
“He’s still quietly waiting for the Sword Saint in the sparring arena.”
“Ah, the Berserker! What’s going on?”
“Has joining the Vulcanus Guild finally made him see sense?”
People weren’t just focused on the duel itself but also on the Berserker’s attitude.
Until recently, he was wild and reckless, showing no regard for rules.
Now, he had officially applied for the duel with the Sword Saint and even arrived first, quietly waiting.
It was a sight hard to believe.
Just as one of the hosts, surprised, shouted out excitedly—
The Berserker’s gaze shot straight at the host.
“W-Well! The Berserker was always incredibly cool! He just seems even cooler now, that’s all!”
The host hastily tried to explain, recalling the Berserker’s past reckless nature.
He seemed slightly improved, but no one could be sure when the Berserker might lose control again.
After a moment—
“Ah! The Sword Saint, Han Yu-ra, has arrived!”
The Sword Saint appeared.
She looked like she had just finished a battle, wearing all the equipment she normally used to clear Gates.
Without any ushering, the two stood facing each other in the center of the training ground.
“Can the Berserker really beat the Sword Saint?”
“Until now, in all their unofficial duels, the Berserker has been overwhelmingly defeated!”
“But now, armed with Vulcanus Equipment!”
“Can he finally defeat the Sword Saint?”
“If he wins, it means the title of Korea’s greatest Hunter will be overturned!”
No signal to start was needed.
They locked eyes for a few seconds.
Without a word, both drew their weapons simultaneously.
“Clang!!”
They charged at each other.
It was natural for the sword to be overpowered by the greatsword.
But Han Yu-ra was no coincidence as Korea’s number one.
She skillfully twisted her sword to deflect the Berserker’s greatsword, preparing for her next attack.
“Gak-gak-gak!”
No effect.
Even after twisting her sword to disperse the force, the greatsword still pushed her back.
Han Yu-ra soon realized why.
‘Sword aura?’
The crimson sword aura flowing from Park Kang-chul’s greatsword.
No, it was Blood Energy.
That energy bit into her sword like a wild beast, refusing to let go.
Before she could react, Park Kang-chul grinned savagely and kicked her.
“Kwang!!”
“Unbelievable! The Sword Saint has been forced to defend right after the duel began!”
Caught off guard by the unexpected offense, the Sword Saint quickly recovered and charged back at Park Kang-chul.
Realizing that clashing swords was too risky because of the Blood Energy, she didn’t meet the greatsword head-on this time.
Instead, she launched a rapid barrage of attacks.
But—
“Ting!”
Her blows bounced off Park Kang-chul’s armor.
They were shallow attacks, but Han Yu-ra was Korea’s top Hunter.
For her strikes to be repelled so easily—even though she wielded SSS-Grade weapons, Dawn and Twilight—was surprising.
The reason became clear soon.
The red aura enveloping Park Kang-chul’s armor.
The Blood Film was blocking her attacks.
“Clang! Clang!”
Their exchanges continued at a speed so fast even ordinary people watching couldn’t follow.
It was more than a duel—real weapons and armor meant a single mistake could be fatal.
“Clang!!”
Han Yu-ra’s kick struck Park Kang-chul hard.
Her weapons, Dawn and Twilight—the sword and its scabbard—worked as a set, their special ability growing stronger as she connected quick-draw and sheath moves.
The Blood Film slowly diminished with each strike.
But—
“Shhk!”
Blood Energy from Park Kang-chul’s greatsword cut a wound on Han Yu-ra’s side.
Her face twisted in pain.
She thought she had dodged, but the Blood Energy moved like beast’s fangs, tearing at her.
Still, it wasn’t serious.
The wound was shallow.
Though bleeding was dangerous given it was Park Kang-chul, such a minor injury was nothing.
…Or so she thought.
“Drip, drip—”
“Ugh.”
Her wound suddenly reopened.
Blood poured out much more than such a small cut should.
Unsurprisingly, the blood was absorbed by Park Kang-chul.
“Kwaaaang!!”
His attacks grew even fiercer.
Not only that, but his footsteps quickened, swinging his greatsword faster, the Blood Energy roiling more violently.
The longer the duel continued, the worse the situation became.
Wounds appeared one after another on Han Yu-ra’s body, bleeding heavily as Park Kang-chul absorbed her blood.
The duel was increasingly favoring Park Kang-chul.
Even non-Hunters could see it.
“The Sword Saint! She’s being pushed back! No way! The Berserker is overwhelming the Sword Saint!”
Though the Berserker’s equipment had improved, she was still the Sword Saint.
Most watching expected her to win as usual.
But the situation had reversed.
Han Yu-ra was being completely overwhelmed.
At this rate, Park Kang-chul’s victory looked certain.
Then, at that moment—
“Click.”
Han Yu-ra stepped back and slowly sheathed her sword, Twilight, then her blade, Dawn.
For a moment, silence fell as if the world itself held its breath.
The horizon darkened halfway, like the sun hanging on the edge.
Then—
“Swish—”
The world seemed to split in two.
A horizon line appeared, tilting across the entire training ground.
This was the Sword Saint’s secret technique.
The one she had used to finish off the rank 9 boss monster, Basilisk.
Even the Berserker couldn’t evade it.
This technique blocked any chance of dodging.
“Ah! The Sword Saint’s secret technique hit perfectly!”
“Haha, that’s right! No matter how strong the Berserker has become, he can’t beat the Sword Saint!”
“Too bad for the Berserker! A good fight though!”
“If he wanted to win, he should’ve blocked the secret technique from the start. Failing to do so is why he lost.”
“Yes. Next time, the Berserker might really win.”
“It was a splendid duel showcasing the Berserker’s potential.”
He lost, but fought well.
That was the consensus about the Berserker.
Yet for some reason, the Sword Saint’s expression wasn’t good.
She was panting from using her secret technique but still couldn’t relax her stance.
Instead, she looked more tense as she adjusted her sword.
As people wondered about this, a chilling laugh echoed through the dust filling the training ground.
“Ku-hahaha…!”
Through the thick dust came a steady flow of dense Blood Energy.
“Krahahaha!”
The Berserker laughed.
He hadn’t fallen.
His power wasn’t just from his weapons.
His armor’s ability, Blood Life, was a skill that allowed him to survive with 1 HP even if he took damage beyond his remaining health.
Using that power, he endured the Sword Saint’s secret technique.
He was on the edge, barely standing with just a finger’s touch needed to topple him.
But so what?
The Berserker’s strength increased as his health decreased.
Plus, he could absorb the Blood Film around his body to restore health.
His weapons and armor were effectively his second skill.
“Taang!!”
With his health at the limit but his stats maxed out, he kicked off the ground and charged.
The floor cracked beneath his feet.
“Kwaaang!!”
The Sword Saint desperately tried to block his attack.
But the moment he overcame her secret technique, the outcome was decided.
“…I lost.” The Sword Saint admitted defeat.
Before the fiercely blazing Blood Energy that seemed ready to tear her apart.
“The Berserker! The Berserker has won! He has defeated the greatest Hunter of Korea, the Sword Saint!!”
That day.
The Berserker, Park Kang-chul, finally seized the long-held top spot in Korea’s rankings.
[Rank 1: Park Kang-chul]
***
The Berserker defeated the Sword Saint.
The Berserker claimed the number one rank.
This news threw Korea into chaos.
[The Berserker is number one?]
– What is this?
– Is this even right?
– But the Berserker was strong from the start. He’s the only Ranker who soloed rank 8 Gates.
– That just means the Berserker’s skill setup wasn’t good for parties. It’s not that he didn’t party, he just couldn’t.
– Still.
– The Berserker is number one? Is Korea doomed?
[Everyone’s talking about the Berserker being number one]
– The Berserker seems fine though? Didn’t you see him follow procedure and wait quietly for the Sword Saint?
– He’s definitely calmer now.
– Looks like Vulcanus has put a leash on him.
– Well, he’s even surpassed the Sword Saint with Vulcanus Equipment; I’d bow down too. Haha.
– Ah, if he wants to keep using that gear, he better behave. Haha.
[Honestly, isn’t it just the gear?]
Can this really be number one?
– Then again, the Sword Saint also used SSS-Grade weapons, Dawn and Twilight.
– Until now, the Berserker’s equipment was worse than other Rankers’, and he was stuck at 4th.
– Actually, gear is part of skill.
– Haha, so when the Berserker had bad gear it was skill, but now that he’s first it’s gear? No way. Haha.
– Still, gear is skill. Yeah.
The Berserker as number one.
Some worried he might run wild now that he was on top.
But the Berserker’s recent demeanor was surprisingly restrained.
Most thought the Vulcanus Guild was keeping a tight leash on him.
While the world was abuzz with this, the ones most shocked were the Rankers themselves.
“The Berserker… number one?”
Cheon Seung-heon, Guild Master of the Changcheon Guild.
He could only be stunned.
Park Kang-chul, who had been competing with him for rank, had surpassed him.
Park Kang-chul had always been below him in rank.
And now, he was above him.
And number one at that.
The reason was obvious to even a passing child.
“Vulcanus can already craft level 300 gear?”
Not long ago, when he asked Vulcanus to make his quiver, Vulcanus hadn’t even reached level 100.
No, not even 50.
How much time had passed since then?
And now, they were producing level 300 equipment?
“Yes. I can’t stay buried at the bottom any longer.”
This couldn’t continue.
If he stood still, he might fall to fourth or even lower.
There was only one way to maintain his rank.
“Commission Vulcanus to craft gear immediately.”
“What should we offer as payment?”
“Tell them we’ll give them anything they want. They’ve been looking for S-rank materials lately, so offer all the Guild’s S-rank materials—or even SS-rank if possible.”
“But those SS-rank materials…”
“It doesn’t matter. There aren’t many blacksmiths who can properly process SS-rank materials yet.”
He just needed to wear Vulcanus Equipment.
If he could wear Vulcanus Equipment, he could maintain his rank.
No—
‘Since Park Kang-chul rose to number one wearing Vulcanus Equipment…’
Perhaps—
‘Next, it will be my turn.’
He might also be able to claim the number one spot.