There is No Such Thing as a Bad Hunter

When they were younger, Yiwon was a lot slower than Jiho in terms of growth.

Yiwon had been below the average height until their second year of middle school. He started shooting up in height like a bean sprout1 in his third year, however, and by the time they were in their first year of high school, Yiwon had completely overtaken Jiho.

But looking through old photos, Yiwon was a tender child that naturally called for the instinct to protect. He had a pale and gloomy complexion. 

It was perhaps natural, then, that Yiwon caught the eye of Jiho, who was very nosy when he was young.

When they were very little, the one who followed the other around was actually Jiho.

As a child, Yiwon often lazed around like an old man tired of life. Jiho stuck close to that same Yiwon, either chattering or dragging him places.

According to his parents, older brother, and older sister, Jiho used to cling tightly to Yiwon, saying, “I have to protect Yiwon!”2

Jiho wants to show his younger self the current Yiwon. Tell him that there’s no need to protect that guy since he grows up to be like this.

After Yiwon’s parents passed away and he was left alone, Jiho’s stubbornness went up a level. Jiho was a calm child when he was young. But back then, he cried so much that he ended up with a fever, stubbornly insisting that he has to stay with Yiwon.

Jiho’s parents sincerely thought about it and came to a rather quick decision.

It’s not like Yiwon was a stranger, so Jiho’s parents took him in and raised him as if he was their own son. Jiho and Yiwon were always stuck together after that.

In old photos, you can easily tell that Jiho dragged Yiwon around here and there.

The indifferent Yiwon was always either being pulled about by Jiho or being held onto by him to prevent him from lazing around, and it’s only when Jiho completely tired himself out and fell asleep that Yiwon, too, would finally be able to fall into a deep sleep next to Jiho.

Like all brothers, there were times the two were close and times they fought as well. But because they were friends as well, they made up quickly and were always together.

At the time, there was nothing Jiho didn’t know about Yiwon.

That Yiwon stops by the school market two or three times a day even though he eats breakfast, that he roots for an overseas soccer team, that he likes kicking balls around, that he focuses in class no matter how tired he is, and that despite his laidback appearance, he works harder than anyone else, all to beat Jiho.

Thinking up to that last point, Jiho felt another wave of anger. Would it kill Yiwon to lose to him once? After all, Yiwon will probably beat him for the rest of their lives now.

Of course, Jiho wouldn’t have forgiven Yiwon if he had actually let him win.

Anyways, as they hung out like both family and friends, they knew what the other was thinking even if nothing had been said, but now…

Even though they talk to and live with each other now, Jiho doesn’t know what Yiwon is thinking.

Why he’s so defensive against Kyung Hyun, why he’s angry right now…

Nothing.

Jiho doesn’t like how the other is making a show of his anger by keeping silent right now. But like Yiwon said before, today is the first day they started living together. Jiho doesn’t want to make a big scene out of it.

Upon returning home, Jiho was just about to take a shower when Yiwon roughly grabbed him.

“What?”

Even after receiving a weird look from Jiho, Yiwon didn’t stop, and he pushed Jiho up against a wall.

Jiho, who was suddenly pushed up against a wall, looked up at Yiwon in confusion.

He was already annoyed by how Yiwon was acting mad for no reason, but now, he was even put in a rather shameful position.

Because the gap in height between him and Yiwon is in the 20s, Yiwon’s gaze was high, and the shadow from his wide shoulders easily covered Jiho.

Was the reason he kept silent outside so that he could get angry back home? Jiho glared and tried to push him off, but instead, Yiwon put more force into the hand gripping Jiho’s shoulder. In the end, Jiho’s face contorted in pain.

“It hurts, you idiot!”

“I heard what you guys were saying.”

Jiho immediately frowned at Yiwon’s words.

“Did you eavesdrop on others’ conversations?”

“I could hear you guys talking when I came back in front of the door.”

“…”

Jiho bit his lips. Yiwon had probably not hidden his steps; the reason Jiho hadn’t noticed is because he’s weak.

Although Jiho knows his skills don’t compare against SS-rank Yiwon’s, it still hurts his pride.

He had started to compete with Yiwon at some point. Because of that, he can’t help but be conscious of him. Even if he knows how big of a gap there is between him and Yiwon as hunters.

“Why did you ask him while I was out?”

“That’s because…”

I didn’t want to let you know.

Because it was hard to say something so directly, Jiho kept his mouth closed. But his silence was enough.

“Why didn’t you ask me first? I would’ve done anything to help you figure something out.”

It was a small matter, yet Yiwon sounded hurt. Jiho flinched at Yiwon’s voice. But when he looked up at Yiwon’s face, it was so cold that it made Jiho wonder if Yiwon was acting or not.

Jiho looked straight at the gold light flickering like a flame in Yiwon’s dark pupils.

“I don’t want to be indebted to Chungram.”

“You wouldn’t be indebted to Chungram… you can just ask me personally.”

“That’s the same thing.”

This house and the guild office–he already received way too much from Chungram. Of course, his father and older sister, as well as Yiwon, all tell him not to worry about paying them back and joke that he should just make sure to pay his taxes well.

But Jiho has received too much from them since he was born, and he lost a lot more than he earned this past year.

Shin Jiho already tainted Chungram’s reputation. He doesn’t want to be indebted to Chungram any further.

And above all else, Jiho really wants to do something by his own strength.

He’s come to this point with the help of others. Had Jiho been from a normal household, there’s no way he could’ve kept No Name running.

He wants to do something himself now.

And someday, he hopes he’ll stand next to Joo Yiwon.

Even if it sounds arrogant to others.

Jiho actually wants to beat Yiwon one day. Of course, even if that’s possible, it’ll be far, far off in the future.

That’s why he has to stop relying on Yiwon and Chungram and solve it himself now. He can’t jump past Yiwon if he relies on him.

Observing Jiho’s resolute eyes, Yiwon eventually let go. A faint hint of a recovery skill landed on Jiho’s shoulder before disappearing.

Jiho had planned to go off on Yiwon and then storm into his room after he was let go, but…

He couldn’t leave when he saw the air of despair around Yiwon.

“Joo Yiwon.”

“…”

“Don’t take it so seriously. It’s just because I want to stand on my own, I’m not trying to exclude you or anything. I’m not a little kid; I can’t keep relying on you for everything anymore, right?”

Jiho tried his best to explain as gently as possible.

Joo Yiwon stared at Jiho, who acts all tough, yet still softens in front of him when it matters. But Jiho never takes his hand when it matters most.

“You don’t have to take it so seriously either. Just ask me.”

“Hey, if we get started there, there’ll be no end to this.”

Yiwon heaved a sigh from the depths of his heart.

“It’s hard.”

“What’s hard?”

“I don’t understand how I seduced you before. You fell for it so easily then.”

Jiho had been ready to listen seriously since Yiwon looked grim, but, instead, Jiho was so dumbfounded that he laughed.

“I never fell for anything.”

“You did.”

“… In a dream?”

Yiwon chuckled at Jiho’s words. The gold light in his dark pupils slowly faded before it disappeared.

“I seduced you before, but it’s been so long that I don’t remember how I did it.”

“What are you talking about… you’re talking as if you’re old.”

“True…”

Joo Yiwon mumbled lowly. He looked tired and devoid of all energy, as if he was really an old man who’s lived decades. Like a person who’s already blazed through life, so that all that’s left is ashes.

That’s when Jiho began to regret.

‘I took a tired person out for no reason.’

Fatigue doesn’t completely go away with recovery skills. Even awakened ones need physical and mental rest in order to return to prime condition. At the end of the day, awakened ones are humans too, after all.

Based on how extreme his reactions are and how he’s spouting even more nonsense, it’s clear that Joo Yiwon’s tired from overworking these days.

He should make sure Yiwon rests on his days off from now on. Jiho decided before patting Yiwon’s back.

“Hey, I got it, so let’s go to sleep now. You have to travel outside of the country tomorrow.”

“… Alright.”

Yiwon smiled slightly. Though Jiho felt sorry about how weak Yiwon’s smile looked, there were no other words he could give.

The next morning, Jiho woke up early and sent Yiwon off. Yiwon must’ve been happy to have someone send him off because he left with a huge smile on his face.

That afternoon, a message arrived from Kyung Hyun. 

Kyung HyunJiho
I looked it up
There’s a guild by the name of Ipeulis
But it’s an unregistered guild; apparently it’s a guild people go find for information
It doesn’t smell dangerous, but since it’s an unregistered guild, you should still be careful

Jiho read over Kyung Hyun’s message multiple times.

Ipeulis, an unregistered information guild. 

“It’s a guild?”

It was completely different from what he expected it to be. Although he didn’t have a concrete idea of what it could be, he never thought someone would be using that word as the name of their guild.

Jiho recalled the words he saw with his own eyes once again. 

[Ipeulis’s Protection].

Jiho had tried to look it up himself, but he couldn’t find anything about a fissure, awakened one, or dungeon by the name of Ipeulis. The only thing even slightly related to that unknown skill is Ipeulis Guild.

Though he suspects there’s no connection, Jiho decided it would still be a good idea to look into it once.

“Well, I’ll leave this for later.”

Jiho took another look at the calendar he’s checked 15 times today. Tomorrow, the 18th, was circled with a red pen multiple times and even had a star drawn next to it.

It’s finally tomorrow.

The highly anticipated ranking reassessment day.