In the past, there were hunters like that.
They would suddenly attack people or kidnap someone and mercilessly torture them.
It was because they became insane while exploring dungeons with unstable mana.
However, there were hunters who were exceptionally cruel, unrelated to dungeon exploration.
They were like psychopaths, not caring about other people’s pain or even enjoying it.
When a hunter who had gone crazy due to dungeons returns to their senses, they would at least feel remorse for what they had done.
But these guys don’t even have that. They’re just irredeemable and worthless trash.
‘Burning hopeless trash is the solution.’
I looked around the office.
‘That looks fine.’
There were a bunch of teacups on the table that had been used and left as they were.
Among them, I picked up the dirtiest cup with half-filled coffee.
“Hey, want to catch this?”
As if playfully asking while holding the cup, I threw it towards the villain.
Instead of catching the cup, the villain just slightly lowered their head and avoided it.
Thud!
The cup hit the wall and shattered into pieces, with black liquid splashing everywhere.
The villain, with spilled coffee on them, stopped torturing and turned towards me. The air became chillingly cold.
“…What’s going on here?”
“I tested if their ears were working properly. They seemed like they couldn’t understand what I was saying.”
“Don’t be rude and wait your turn.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“If you continue from there, you’ll die, you know?”
“But why?”
“I told you. I have something to discuss with that person. It would be troublesome if they died now.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“It does. If you don’t stop, I’ll kill you.”
“You’ll kill me? Me?”
“Yeah.”
“…That’s interesting.”
A faint laughter could be heard in the villain’s voice. However, the atmosphere became even more intense.
His voice contained the power to overpower his opponent.
‘Who is it? A hunter?’
It would be faster to ask the authorities, but the chat window was still frozen.
It was annoying when it was there, but frustrating when it was gone.
‘Whether it’s a hunter or whatever, I’ll find out if I confront them.’
There was no need for further conversation. He had no intention of stopping, and I had no intention of retreating.
I’ll find out the villain’s identity after subduing him.
The tension tightened like a stretched rubber band, reaching its breaking point.
Now it was a matter of who would attack first.
I didn’t take my eyes off the villain.
As I gauged the timing of the attack and regulated my breathing, the villain slowly drew the sword that was embedded in the Master’s shoulder.
This wasn’t just a normal act of retrieving a weapon before a battle, but an extension of the torture.
“Oh no! Ahhh!”
The sword that pierced through the chair was smoothly pulled out.
The Master’s screams made it hard to hear properly.
I clenched my teeth and warned them.
“This perverted jerk… I told you to stop.”
“You try to make me stop. If you can.”
“Fine, I’ll make you regret those words.”
I kicked the ground and jumped up.
Swinging my Arondite swiftly in the air, the villain sidestepped and lightly swung his sword.
It was a very brief moment, but it was enough to assess the villain’s skill.
He was someone with advanced swordsmanship. At least, he would be far better than Alex.
‘Deflecting Arondite would be a wrong move though.’
Of course, from the villain’s perspective, he had no other option.
He probably didn’t know that a regular sword couldn’t match up against Arondite.
I smiled inwardly under my hood.
Clang!
As expected, the villain couldn’t deflect my sword.
Arondite was half-embedded in the villain’s sword edge.
It was a pretty good sword as it held up without getting cut, but the blade was noticeably damaged.
I anticipated the villain’s counterattack and didn’t let go of my tension.
But unbelievably, the villain withdrew strength from his arm. Because of that, the sword that was blocking Arondite was pushed into his chest.
‘What’s he doing? Did he get shocked because his own sword got pushed back?’
The villain was making a clear mistake. Instead of seizing the opportunity to counterattack while the attack paused for a moment, he lost focus.
‘It’s strange. For someone who doesn’t even have the basics down, his swordsmanship is excessively good.’
Whatever the reason, the enemy’s mistake was my chance.
I put my weight on Arondite.
Pushing him away with my whole body, I knocked the villain off from the Master’s side.
The villain, who was blocking Arondite with his sword, was pushed back mercilessly.
Clang!
With our swords crossed in an X shape, we moved as if we were one body until we reached near the wall and finally separated.
The villain regained his senses belatedly and turned his body to the side, escaping from me.
He swung his sword towards my chest.
I bent my waist back like a bow, avoiding the villain’s sword. Swish! The silver blade passed by my nose with a fierce cutting sound.
I quickly snapped my waist back into position. As a result, my hood came off, exposing my face, but I didn’t pay attention to that.
“Huh? What’s going on?”
The villain, who seemed about to unleash an attack, distanced himself for some reason.
Upon thinking about it, it seems like his intention wasn’t to inflict a fatal blow with the previous attack, but rather to create some distance and retreat.
Did he realize that it’s impossible to face Arondite with his own sword?
So, did he move away from the range of my sword to escape?
If that’s the case, then the villain made a critical mistake.
‘What should I do? My specialty isn’t swords.’
Becoming a Hunter awakened my abilities, but I was originally more accustomed to using my body as an athlete.
I gripped Arondite like a spear and threw it towards the villain.
Instead of deflecting it with his sword, the villain bent his waist sharply and evaded Arondite.
Thunk!
Arondite deeply embedded into the wall where he was standing.
‘I knew it.’
I raised the corners of my mouth.
What I had targeted from the beginning was that moment when the villain had to divert his gaze to avoid the sword.
I didn’t miss the moment when he briefly lowered his waist and sprinted with all my might. Then, using the recoil at the precise moment, I attempted a spinning kick.
The villain straightened his waist and tried to block with his arms wrapped around his face.
Thud!
He couldn’t withstand the tremendous impact and staggered.
“Ouch!”
In my days as a Taekwondo athlete, my specialty was spinning kicks.
When executed properly, a spinning kick can generate a force of over 1 ton. It means it’s an attack that a person can’t block with their body.
I kicked the villain’s calf before he could gather himself and knocked him down.
Then, I climbed onto his fallen back and reached forward to grab his collar.
“Huff!”
A hurried sound of inhaling came from within the hood.
But breathing must be difficult.
I lowered my head over the back of the hooded villain.
“You might not know, but this is a vulnerable spot. If I press here, you’ll slowly suffocate and die, or if I squeeze it quickly, you’ll die instantly.”
“Then… that wouldn’t be good… right…?”
The villain replied slowly in a suppressed voice.
To speak out like this in a situation where it’s even hard to breathe. Moreover, his voice contained a hint of laughter.
‘Wow, is this guy really crazy or what?’
If his sword had been a bit stronger, if he hadn’t bent his waist to avoid Arondite.
I wouldn’t have been able to gain the upper hand so easily.
If the fight had lasted longer, it would have been impossible to subdue him without injuring any specific area, just like now.
“You look at my face and you’re still unsure? Astel Luteous is my name. a crazy lady who, even if she kills people, is thought to be acting out of derangement.
“Well… that might be different depending on the opponent…”
“…Does that mean you’re an opponent I can’t kill?”
“Now… I understand.”
“Even though I’m seeing you for the first time today, what are you talking about?”
“I guess… my memory isn’t… that good.”
I looked down at the villain once again.
Right now, I can’t see anything because he’s lying face down, but earlier I definitely saw his lips and chin.
‘Is it because I heard strange things? His lip shape feels familiar.’
A reddish color that seemed to crush flower petals. The lower lip slightly thicker than the upper lip.
An elegant line that extends from the philtrum to the lips and down to the chin.
Even though it’s not a line that is easily encountered, I clearly had a memory of it.
‘Where have I seen this? Where did I…?’
In an instant, a brief scene flashed by.
A smile that was dangerously captivating.
I pulled back the hood of the villain as if I were possessed, and his black hair scattered, spreading a musky scent.
Finally, a side face that was chillingly beautiful was revealed.
“…Second Prince!”
