"Yeon could pick up a branch off the street, swing it around a bit, and just… develop a Swordsmanship trait. A few more swings after that, and she'd end up grasping the profound principles of the sword."

I was dumbfounded. She didn't sound like she was joking. Was something like that even possible?

"The concept of 'mastery through repetition' doesn't apply to her. She can master any martial art or combat skill in the world after just a few tries. Absolute growth, with no need for learning. That's the true nature of Yeon's Unique Ability."

"That's incredible."

She let out a short sigh.

"Does that sound good to you? The way I see it, it's a curse in its own right."

"Huh?"

"That ability isn't something she can turn on and off whenever she wants. It sticks with her for life, never leaving. Imagine that freakish phenomenon lasting your entire life. How could you ever take anything seriously?"

I found myself leaning forward, hanging on the Association President's every word. "So when you said she needed to be defeated, you don't mean…"

"That's right," she confirmed. "There are some things you can only obtain through tears, desperation, and the pain of bleeding. You think that kid knows what real effort is? Or that she has any grit? Right now, Yeon is just an empty shell with no motivation."

I understood. It was a classic case of her unparalleled ability, acquired too early, becoming a poison.

"It's one thing to be showered with all the world's blessings," she continued, "but the world coddled her so much it broke her damn mind. I guarantee you, no matter how skilled a hunter is, they won't survive long like that."

She possessed an overwhelming, god-given talent. But because that talent was so dominant, the other qualities necessary for a hunter had failed to develop—in fact, they were absent entirely. That seemed to be Yeon's current state.

"However." Her serious expression broke into a smirk. "You gave Yeon quite a shock this time."

"…Ah."

"A head-to-head defeat against another academy student under the same conditions. The shock must have been immense. Her life has been nothing but moving forward, and now that the brakes have been slammed, she'll finally have to reflect on herself. She might even develop the tenacity to overcome a new wall. You. In many ways, she desperately needed that defeat."

"I understand what you're saying."

The Association President paused and stared intently at my face. I could feel her gaze fixed on my Sage's Eye, hidden behind its contact lens. Feeling uncomfortable, I subtly turned my head.

"More importantly," she said with a grin, "have you seen the bracket for the quarterfinals?"

"No, I haven't."

"You little bastard. You're a student, and you're less interested than I am."

I'd been too busy preparing for the portal goblin hunt today. When I finally turned on my smartphone to check, I saw the quarterfinal bracket had been confirmed a full four hours ago. The moment I saw my opponent, I was stunned.

The Association President cackled. "See? You're up against my sister again in the quarterfinals."

'You have got to be kidding me…' I knew we were fated to clash eventually if we both kept advancing, but I never thought we'd have to fight again so soon.

"In that light, I have a proposal for you," she said.

"Pardon?" A proposal from the Association President, a completely unhinged psycho who feared nothing in this world, felt burdensome.

"This time, you're going to have to lose for me."

It took me a moment to process what she'd said. "Don't tell me you're trying to force me to lose on purpose so your sister can graduate…"

"As if, you dumbass!" she roared, slamming her hand on the armrest. The corner of the sofa exploded with a loud crack, and my shoulders tensed involuntarily. "It's the opposite. I'd rather Yeon stay in school for another year or so. That's my desire as the chancellor."

I remained silent.

"Well, that's just my personal wish, and it has nothing to do with this. To be precise, I want you to forfeit the quarterfinal match."

"Why?"

She slowly crossed her arms. "As you are now, you couldn't beat Yeon in your wildest dreams."

This time, my eyebrow twitched.

"Yeon will come into the quarterfinals with her blade sharpened. I saw the footage; you used some strange techniques, but how long do you think you'll last against an opponent going all out?"

I couldn't answer right away. Our last fight had definitely been a surprise attack, and I'd gotten lucky. A full-on battle with Yeon—not just a friendly duel, but an official match under tournament rules—was a different story entirely.

"More importantly," the Association President said, letting out a deep sigh, "you're the one who handed Yeon her first defeat. Whether you wanted to or not, that's what happened."

Her first defeat. The weight of those words pressed down on my shoulders.

"You're a great obstacle for Yeon now. She's been preparing to take you down. It's been a while since I've seen her look that venomous." A faint smile touched her lips as if she were reminiscing, and then she continued, "But what if you get crushed in this quarterfinal match? In the end, Yeon will have achieved her goal far too easily again, and the objective she just set for herself will vanish."

Her eyes flashed fiercely. "How long has it been since a wall like this appeared? If this one crumbles too easily, the aftershock Yeon feels will be twice as bad. She might even start feeling like everything in the world is meaningless. She's more than capable of that."

A player with immense potential who was tough on the outside but fragile on the inside. The Association President was telling me that this event was a critical turning point for her sister.

"Forfeit, Student Council President," she urged me. "The situation is perfect as it is now. Don't fight Yeon. Wait for the right time. I'd prefer it if you remained a wall she must overcome for as long as possible."

I calmly assessed her logic. "I don't think avoiding the issue will solve anything. Forfeiting will look like I'm running from a fight. I doubt Yeon would see me as a true obstacle if I did that."

"…You think so too, huh?" As if she'd been waiting for those exact words, the corners of her mouth lifted even higher. "Then go into hiding for a bit."

A chill ran down my spine. I had momentarily forgotten. This person did not think like a normal human being. The acts of destruction she had committed were both cruel and bizarre. That was why she had earned nicknames like 'wild beast' and 'maniac' all over the world.

"…Well, don't get the wrong idea," she clarified. "I'm just saying you should go study abroad as a hunter for a few years. The Association will cover all the expenses, and when you come back to Korea, I'll personally make sure you're taken care of."

As my tension eased slightly, my mind began to work. It was an unprecedented offer. The person in front of me was none other than Korea's strongest hunter, a globally influential figure. By spending a few years abroad, I could enter the highest echelons of the hunter world.

"May I speak frankly?" I asked.

"Just a month ago, I was a non-combat ability user. I haven't received many benefits from the academy over the past two years, nor do I have any special friendship with Yeon. So I don't understand why I should have to sacrifice several more years of my life. I have no intention of forfeiting."

The Association President's gaze shifted as if she were sizing me up. "Is this really the time to be stubborn?" she asked, implying that a few years of sacrifice would guarantee decades of comfort.

"No matter what, I intend to become a hunter through this early graduation program. Frankly, what happens to Yeon in the process is none of my business." It wasn't that I was unaware of the influence Yeon would have on the hunter world in the future. "At the very least, I want to decide my own path." Even so, in the end, it was someone else's problem. There was no reason for me to leave the Magic Tower dormant for years while I went abroad. She wanted to send someone overseas just because of some wounded pride? If she was going to be unreasonable, I had no intention of being a gentleman either.

A heavy silence fell. Just making eye contact with this monster sent a shudder through my body. But I had to endure. This was a battle of nerves.

"…Fine." Finally, the Association President stood up. I thought she would be angry, but instead, she was smiling. She took a business card from her pocket and tossed it to me. There was nothing on it but a single line with a phone number. "Not my work line, my direct one. Call me anytime if you change your mind."

I quietly stood and bowed my head. "Goodbye."

"Hah! You're really something, kid," she chuckled, giving a cheerful wave as she left.

'Haaaah.' I survived. All the strength drained from my body, leaving me unable to move. More than anything, I was relieved. There was a reason I had pushed back so hard. Ultimately, she needed my cooperation, and I didn't want to be on the Hunter Association's bad side from the start. There was definitely room for compromise. But if I had offered a compromise right away, the reward I received would have been smaller. Since she was the first to show that negotiations were open, this was a good sign. Of course, the Association President didn't even see me as a proper negotiating partner. At best, I was just a rookie throwing a tantrum. Maybe that's why my life was spared.

As the Association President left the cafe, an Association employee who seemed to be the manager appeared, bowing obsequiously. I heard them talking about compensation for damages. Must be tough cleaning up after your boss. I wiped my sweaty palms and left the cafe.

* * *

[The Korea Healer Union has issued a statement calling for thorough safety verification of potions.]

The radio played softly inside the truck, as the driver held his smartphone to his ear. "Yeah, talk to you later. I'm working right now. Let's grab another drink on the weekend. Yeah, okay."

Finishing his call, the truck driver turned the steering wheel.

'Thump!'

"Whoa, what was that?!" The truck's body jolted violently. The moment he tried to glance at his rearview mirror—

'Slam!'

This time, a man in a black suit slammed against the windshield.

"Aaaahhh!"

'Screeeeeech!'

The truck slammed on its brakes, spun sideways, and finally crashed into a nearby building.

"Ugh!" The driver groaned from the enormous impact. Blood trickled down from his forehead, blurring his vision. He barely held onto consciousness and lifted his head.

'Smash!'

The window shattered as a hand reached in and yanked the door open.

"Wh-who are you?"

The hand seized the driver by the scruff of his neck and threw him onto the ground. While the driver was groaning, four people in black suits surrounded him.

"Let's do this the easy way." The man who had slammed into the windshield crouched in front of the driver. A distorted voice came from behind the mask. "Where were you headed?"

"…T-to a logistics warehouse in Seocho-gu."

"Give me the name of the buyer."

"B-buyer?"

"The person who requested the goods you're carrying."

One of the assailants tore open the truck with his bare hands. Inside were potion ingredients like Harley and Heuk powder.

"…W-wait a minute! I don't know anything about that! I'm just transporting the goods to the location I was told to!"

The masked man gestured with his chin. "Take him."

'Shink.'

One of the men instantly moved behind the driver and plunged a syringe into his neck. The driver immediately lost consciousness.

"This is the fourth one already. We're not finding many clues," the man who administered the shot said as he stood up. "This is an outsourced contract that guarantees strict confidentiality for both parties. Neither the distribution company nor the drivers know these are potion ingredients. There's hardly a trail to follow. What do you expect to get from shaking down guys like this?"

"Enough. Just take him," the masked man said as he turned his back. "He might remember something once we put a knife to him."

* * *

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