Chapter 16: 16

Lee Kang-chul (2)

Lee Kang-chul. Anyone living in Korea couldn’t help but know that name, and if you were a Hunter, you couldn’t help but admire it. A first-generation Awakener, one of the first heroes, and the pinnacle of Korean hunters. He was no less than a giant.

Therefore, it was Lee Kang-chul’s request to stop at this point.

“Huh. Fuck, Damn-chul is here?”

However.

Slash-

“Aargh!”

Kim Bongpal swung his sword, and sadly, that was the end. It was when one of the arms of an S-Class hunter, said to be the second strongest in Korea, flew away. It was also the first moment when Lee Kang-chul’s request was ignored.

“You…!”

“Whoa. Look at your wrinkled face. You are getting old, aren’t you?”

Kim Bongpal’s tone of voice sounded more fitting for a thug than a hunter. Lee Kang-chul frowned at him and, at the same time, released his mana.

“Haha. Damn-chul. Are you going to try me out? Do me?”

“Aren’t you in my home? Don’t you think I should be the one to say that?”

There was a secret battle behind the surface, hard to recognize for ordinary hunters, and even Park Yeon-sung, near the two, struggled to keep track.

A dark blue force arose from Lee Kang-chul’s body. Of course, Kim Bongpal wasn’t taking it easy. Lee Kang-chul was a worthy opponent.

“…I heard you have been playing around, but your power seems no longer the same as before.”

“Fuck. If it was still the same even after several decades, I should just go away and die.”

In terms of force, Kim Bongpal, despite retiring for several decades, held the upper hand. No matter how strong Lee Kang-chul once was, he couldn’t deflect the passage of time.

But now, Lee Kang-chul wasn’t exerting his full power, and Kim Bongpal was also well aware of that fact. If Lee Kang-chul put his mind to it, he could throw off that old body anytime.

Dragonization was the name of Lee Kang-chul’s special ability. And while old humans weren’t that scary, old lizards were dangerous.

“Hoo?”

Lee Kang-chul, looking around while focusing his energy on Kim Bongpal, softened his mana a little. Then he asked in a surprised tone.

“No one died?”

“What the fuck? Why does everyone think I’m a crazy killer when they see me?”

“…If they knew how you got that nickname, wouldn’t they all think so?”

“Your ass. Those bastards back then deserved it.”

“However, uhm….”

Lee Kang-chul was shocked as he examined his subordinates closer.

Each cut was exceedingly clean, enough to impress anyone who’d taken up a sword.

“It’s amazing. Very surprising.”

Lee Kang-chul’s mana softened a little more. The severed limbs were so well cut that they could be rejoined if treatment was completed within a few hours. Kim Bongpal of the past didn’t do this. Before, he deliberately scattered his mana to create ragged tears that wouldn’t heal well.

So the current situation was surprising, especially for Lee Kang-chul, who knew Kim Bongpal better than most.

“When I heard you were here, I thought I’d clean up nine coffins today. But what is this? I don’t seem to need to prepare any.”

“Nine? Damn it. Is one yours?”

“Haha.”

No one died. Murder was the minimum line; that was the same now and then. Therefore, Lee Kang-chul had no intention of letting Kim Bongpal leave alive if his men were dead, even if it meant breaking the rules within the Boundary. Whether that was possible, he would do his best to make it happen.

However, the current situation was very different from what he expected. If so, there must be a reason. Soon, Lee Kang-chul’s gaze, directed at Kim Bongpal, turned to Park Yeon-sung.

“Yeon-sung, what happened?”

“C-Captain….”

Park Yeon-sung shook his head. His plan failed. The relationship between Seo Hayeon and Kim Bongpal was known not only by Lee Kang-chul but also by Park Yeon-sung, so he thought that Kim Bongpal would come to the Iron corporation.

Although his boss said that the Kim Bongpal he knew would never do so, Park Yeon-sung’s prediction proved correct. Except for that one, everything else was wrong. The Butcher was twice as powerful as he remembered. Contrary to Park Yeon-sung’s expectations, the past decades hadn’t dulled him.

Ultimately, it was all his fault, and mistakes come with a price.

“Don’t tell me, did you draw your sword first? Not to anyone else, but to the Butcher?”

Park Yeon-sung’s head bowed at the question. If so, right and wrong become apparent. Lee Kang-chul closed his eyes tight.

“Butcher.”

There were times like that in the past. No other hunter could be involved if they didn’t die, not when they rose the blade of their own will. However, much time had passed since then, and Lee Kang-chul wasn’t the same as before either.

“Let me apologize first.”

“Huh?”

Park Yeon-sung’s face hardened into stone. The humiliation he felt was evident, but it was different from the shame he had felt before. Now he couldn’t stand that his boss had to apologize on his behalf.

“Yeon-sung made a mistake. I’m sorry.”

“C-Captain!”

Park Yeon-sung’s expression crumpled. No one could deny that Lee Kang-chul’s every word contained a mighty weight. However, Kim Bongpal responded by shrugging.

“Fuck. What’s the name of the cheap movie you two are making?”

A fishy smile hung on Kim Bongpal’s lips. But, it was not a mocking one. They had both changed.

The one who was once said to be iron blooded became a boss who willingly bowed his head to cover up the faults of his subordinates. And the one who was once said to be a Butcher was here now for a kid who’d been with him for only five years.

“Fuck.”

…Seo Hayeon. Suddenly, Kim Bongpal’s thoughts fell back on her. Come to think of it, he was too excited. It’d been a while since he drew his sword, been a while since he’d fought an enemy. It made him forget the kid for a moment. He shouldn’t have done that. He had his own reasons, but still, he couldn’t.

Kim Bongpal looked at Lee Kang-chul, still bowing to him.

“…”

Silence passed between the two of them, but before long.

“Haha.”

Lee Kang-chul, raising his head again, retracted his mana with a wide smile. Kim Bongpal relaxed his mana.

It was hard to guess what he was up to, but if he thought about it, Lee Kang-chul was originally that kind of guy. Nobody could guess what he was thinking. And no matter how reckless Kim Bongpal was, he was also in a situation where he couldn’t easily run around. Aside from the fact that this place was Lee Kang-chul’s territory, he couldn’t forget his purpose in coming here.

Anyway.

“Hoo.”

Lee Kang-chul was still smiling. And actually…

“By the way.”

As if there was no reason for Lee Kang-chul to fight Kim Bongpal.

“I’ll ask again. Why are you here?”

Lee Kang-chul asked, showing his curiosity.

Come to think of it, Kim Bongpal and Lee Kang-chul had built more than a few ties. They weren’t good, of course. But that didn’t mean they were entirely bad either.

Lee Kang-chul was said to be the best among the Awakeners of their generation. However, those at the peak usually tended to be lonely. However, he hadn’t suffered from that. Even most who lived in that era didn’t know this, but he had one good rival to keep him company.

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“Huh? Why am I here, you ask?”

“A guy who hasn’t been in touch for decades suddenly came to visit. Of course, I’m curious, right? Don’t tell me … you didn’t come because you missed me, right? Haha.”

Lee Kang-chul laughed. Kim Bongpal felt strange.

‘Fuck…I’ll never make such a stupid joke again.’

If Hwang Dongpal had known, he would have welcomed the news openly.

 

*

 

“Would you like to change places?”

“Well, whatever.”

As the situation calmed down, they headed to Lee Kang-chul’s private office. Kim Bongpal plopped himself on an ultra-luxurious sofa made from the leather of the 5-star monster, Hamel. On the other side, Lee Kang-chul sat with Park Yeon-sung standing behind him.

Meanwhile, the other Hunters left for surgery. However, Park Yeon-sung refused to let them mend his arm, and he burned the cut with his special ability before they could stop him. Someone had to take responsibility for this situation, and Park Yeon-sung could reduce the responsibility that went to his boss by punishing himself.

“Once again, I apologize. I must have mismanaged my men.”

“Only words?”

“Hmm. Then what would be good? Do I have to give you my finger this time?”

“Captain!”

Park Yeon-sung called out. However, neither Lee Kang-chul nor Kim Bongpal paid him any attention. They locked eyes with each other, and soon Kim Bongpal smirked.

Lee Kang-chul’s finger, huh? It might sound like a threat, but he knew the intent was sincere. If Kim Bongpal asked him to give his finger now, Lee Kang-chul would cut it off himself. He was such a person.

That’s why Kim Bongpal didn’t like Lee Kang-chul that much.

“Never mind. After all, I don’t have a hobby of collecting people’s fingers.”

“Haha. I’m glad to hear that. It would be best to give you the middle finger.”

Kim Bongpal realized again how terrible Lee Kang-chul’s taste in jokes was.

“Tsk put away the fucking bullshit. You asked why I came here. Seo Hayeon. Where is she?”

“Hoo. I’ve been wondering, but was it true? You found me because of Hayeon? Yeon-sung, you were right this time.”

Lee Kang-chul continued with a subtle smile.

“Seo Hayeon. I knew you had a relationship with that child. But I didn’t expect that you’d come to see me. Haha. Time is surely….”

“What kind of bullshit are you on about? I asked where Seo Hayeon is, but now you’re talking about time?”

“Haha. I’m sorry. Seeing you like this, a thought occurred to me.”

“What?”

“The thought that perhaps we could have been pretty good friends.”

“…What the fuck?”

Kim Bongpal stared wide-eyed for a moment. Then he asked Park Yeon-sung, who was behind Lee Kang-chul.

“Hey, Arm Shit. It’s not me who’s senile, but this bastard, right? Seeing how he spits out crazy things like that, it must be right, right?”

“…”

But, of course, there was no reply from Park Yeon-sung, though he somewhat agreed with Kim Bongpal. Especially about the part where he might be able to become close friends with Kim Bongpal.

“Haha. It’s because I’m happy that we can talk for a while. First of all, Yeon-sung. It will be a long talk, so go and get the tea.”

Park Yeon-sung bowed once at Lee Kang-chul’s command. Then he returned quickly, put down the tea with one arm, and left the room. All he said was to bring the tea, but he realized it was more like a command to treat their guest and leave.

“Yeon-sung seems to be quick-witted, but he isn’t.”

Lee Kang-chul said while sipping his tea. In fact, neither Kim Bongpal nor Lee Kang-chul liked drinking tea.

“It was the same this time. Hayeon…she was a kid that I really cared about. And Yeon-sung knew that, too.”

Kim Bongpal’s eyebrows twitched.

“Yeon-sung must have had a hard time. He was like that with Kang Jun before.”

Seo Kang Jun and Park Yeon-sung started their hunter activities simultaneously. Although there was a slight difference, the time when the two climbed to A-Class and S-Class was almost the same, and thanks to that, they were compared countless times. If there was a higher evaluation between them, it went to Seo Kang Jun.

“He worked under you, but maybe I thought so because he did. Seo Kang Jun…I thought of making him my successor, you know.”

It was when Kim Bongpal left Korea after retiring. When Seo Kang Jun made a name for himself as an S-Class Hunter, Lee Kang-chul considered him his successor. He didn’t hide that thought either. Park Yeon-sung was angry with his decision and despaired, which didn’t mean he did anything.

Park Yeon-sung went beyond respecting Lee Kang-chul and would follow him into hell. He had no choice but to accept it. And as far as Lee Kang-chul thought, it meant that Seo Kang Jun was more suitable for the position.

“And then, Kang Jun died. It was…a pretty big loss.”

But about six years later, Lee Kang-chul discovered another hunter. Among the gems he had seen, he found a surprising one that resembled Seo Kang Jun and yet shone even more.

“She looked just like you.”

“What?”

“I mean Hayeon. The way she fights, her attitude, and her mindset. If I didn’t know she was Kang Jun’s daughter, I would have suspected something else.”

Lee Kang-chul, putting down the teacup, looked at Kim Bongpal. Others might not have recognized it, but Lee Kang-chul could see that the corners of Kim Bongpal’s lips were slightly raised now, which was a remarkable change.

The Butcher could wear that kind of expression when he praised her. He seemed unaware of such a change. He must be convinced that he still maintained his expressionless look. Lee Kang-chul was glad to find Kim Bongpal changing.

“However, I didn’t expect you would come to me. Who would have imagined you, no one else but the Butcher, would look for me? Haha. And because of a child whom you only spent five years with?”

“Ha!”

Kim Bongpal snorted quietly.

Five years. It was a short time for Kim Bongpal. But, in terms of richness, it was the fullest in his life. Whenever he remembered moments from their time together, Kim Bongpal’s lips twitched. However, Kim Bongpal was still Kim Bongpal.

As Lee Kang-chul continued on, Kim Bongpal looked at him, annoyed.

“You’re crazy.”

“…?”

“It would be better if you were really senile. How long are you going to talk nonsense? So where is she?”

“Uhm. Your temperament is the same even now.”

Kim Bongpal had grown impatient.

“Whatever. Tell me from the end.”

Anyway, Lee Kang-chul answered Kim Bongpal’s question. However, his answer was a bit…

“I don’t know.”

It was such a vain answer for all that came before. Kim Bongpal frowned and tried to say something.

“However.”

That wasn’t all.

“At least I know this much. An alien of another world. It has something to do with an alien.”

The answer made Kim Bongpal doubt whether he heard it correctly.

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