BXBX NOVEL Chapter 3
“It’s a miracle.”
I nodded calmly at the doctor’s words.
“The unidentified tumor that was straining your heart…it has disappeared as if it was never there.”
Said the doctor excitedly while fixing his glasses.
“There may be hope now if we continue with the operation. Perhaps, a few more-“
“No thanks.”
I already knew surgery on my heart is no use.
No, it might be useful, but what would that mean?
[Remaining Lifespan: 329 days 20 hours 37 minutes]
I already know of a better way.
“Then, good luck.”
I quickly left the hospital, and breathed in the cold air.
“Shoo~. Ack!”
I tried to get some fresh air, but the air in the city was dirty.
Still, I felt good.
My heart was beating like it was free.
At first I thought it was a dream.
A dream of being summoned to a strange world and dueling a powerful gladiator called the protagonist.
However.
It wasn’t a dream.
Soon after waking up, laying in my room were half broken equipment like my body.
A refreshing feeling welled up inside of me before I could even think about how much all of this would cost.
No matter how much I ran, no matter how much I exercised, my heart no longer hurts.
No, it’s better to say that I’m in better shape than before.
[Your lifespan has been extended and your condition has stopped.]
[When your life ends, your condition will proceed.]
The words of the woman I call ‘Client’ made me calm down.
For now I can only live another year.
However, it wasn’t the end.
The very fact that my abilities have risen.
I couldn’t help but admire the status window which was shown like a game.
Modern science has long been quantified, but even that was not as detailed.
There was something that stood out, ‘Lv. 19.’
According to the Client’s explanation, level is a kind of threshold that human beings can reach.
< All abilities cannot be higher than the level. >
< On the contrary, your level is your limit. >
< You can raise your level and increase the limit of your abilities by hunting protagonists. >
In other words I was only Lv. 17 before hunting Gilitender, so I’ve increased my limit by two.
Maybe I’m stronger than when I was at my prime.
“What does level 19 mean?”
< A typical adult male is Lv. 10, while an average gold medalist is between level 15 and 16 in past Olympic competitions. >
‘Erm.’
If that’s the case, doesn’t it mean my past self was the peak normal humans could reach?
I can’t believe I’m F-Rank.
The existence of superpowers was really too great.
‘A swordsmanship talent…’
Having lived my whole life without any good talents I now had one.
It’s swordsmanship too.
Somehow my heart felt full.
However, the Client had mentioned that I did not meet the physical requirements to fully absorb Gilitender’s own swordsmanship, but it didn’t matter.
The fact that I have a good talent now is all that matters.
“What happened to the guy I killed?”
< Permanent death. Now that world’s law of causality will go back to normal. >
Protagonists are the one who forces the law of causality to give them all the blessings of their world.
That’s how the Client once described how worlds come to be ruined.
< Check the sins Gilitender had committed. >
[Murder, intimidation, blackmail, extortion, assault, and…]
“…I had a feeling, but this was no joke.”
< Of course not every protagonist harms their world. >
< But most protagonists are twisting the cause and effect, and many worlds are being destroyed in the process. >
“That gave me a good excuse.”
If I’m going to kill anyway, wouldn’t killing the bad guys make me feel less guilty?
I wanted to receive the next ‘mission’ right away, but I had something else to do before then.
First, I had to get new equipment.
This battle had damaged most of my equipment, and it’ll take quite a while to repair it.
In the meantime, there were only a few things to do.
Check the newly acquired A+ talent and train my physical strength that has regressed due to my health the last few months.
< You’re F-Rank now, but once you fully develop this talent you will become stronger than you can possibly imagine. >
< And from C-Rank, you will be in the realm of geniuses, as you call it. >
I was also told that I was a genius when it came to shooting.
Of course shooting was useful, but if you think it was enough in the hunter industry, it wasn’t.
Guns didn’t do much good compared to superpowers.
But swordsmanship is different.
The aether blade was a weapon that could certainly hurt monsters like superpowers could, and it was the best match for hunters with ‘strong’ abilities.
I was also just a normal human, so I had to use aether blades even though it was close range.
‘If this swordsmanship is real…’
I found a gym with an old sign that reads ‘Geumgang Gym’.
Since my third year of hunting this was the place I visited, and it was also a place where many aspiring hunters would bleed and sweat.
It was a place where many able-bodied people visited because the director developed a method to control the physique very skillfully, but few people came here now because the method had become common.
It was no wonder.
Even though the director was better at training his body than anyone else, his ability was nothing more than C-Rank.
Although it’s true that it’s good enough, there were many gyms run by retired strong A-Rank hunters now, so there’s no need to visit here.
“Huh? Is that Seodam?”
The gym was full of sweaty muscular men and one of them, a trainer with a big body, recognized and approached me.
“You just got out of the hospital?”
“Yes.”
“Are you feeling better than last time? Back then you almost…you…were in a terrible condition.”
This gym trainer used to visit me at times with the director, but they remembered me almost dying, so it was a surprise to him that I was here.
“It’s okay. I’m almost all better.”
It’s not better, but it was similar.
“What about the director?”
“There’s a trainee in the director’s office at the moment. Would you like to go see?”
“Trainee?”
Aspiring hunters used to be called trainees.
I’m sorry to say this, but it’s interesting that there are still people who would look for director Kim.
“Then let’s go.”
As I knocked on the director’s office I heard a familiar voice.
Entering the room I saw the bald head of director Kim and a young European girl with gorgeous blonde hair drinking instant coffee from a paper cup.
“Ah, Yoo Seodam! You’re already out of the hospital? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just left yesterday. Well, leaving the hospital doesn’t have to be dramatic.”
It wouldn’t have been dramatic if I didn’t tell anyone in the first place.
“This girl…?”
“You’ve probably heard of it. The Costantini family in Italy, famous for their swordsmanship.”
“Yes. I’ve heard of it.”
“She’s the eldest daughter. Her name…”
“Celeste Costantini.”
Celeste? I was only a little surprised when I heard the familiar name.
“Are you mister Salvatore Costantini’s daughter?”
“Yes. You know him?”
I do.
Although the Italian hunter, Salvatore, was famous for being S-rank at the time, I had a good impression of him because he treated me well as a F-rank.
“You know, I taught him a couple of physique techniques back in the old days. After learning from me he said he gained enlightenment. So he sent his daughter on something like a field trip this time.”
Then he shrugged and let out a sigh.
“That’s why she’s staying here for a couple of months. To be honest, there’s nothing to teach.”
“What?”
“You, little girl, is a genius. You’re 17 now, but already have the strength of D-Rank as well as a great physique.”
‘…That’s crazy.’
D-Rank at the age of less than 20.
There have been occasional cases like this.
They were called geniuses.
To be honest I had no choice but to be amazed.
“Still, you’re too polite. When I taught you something you would nod and learn earnestly. I even let you fight others. But honestly, you know what I mean. Maybe you already know there’s nothing more to learn here. Even though you haven’t said anything.”
“Well…”
Certainly.
The Costantini family would have already seen A-Rank abilities and various swordsmanship masters within the family.
D-Rank trainers and C-Rank directors were fine as a trial of sorts, but it would not benefit them if they were weaker than what they had experienced at home.
Salvatore seemed to have sent Celeste to South Korea with director Kim’s method in mind, but many things have changed from then to now.
She had nothing to gain here.
That’s why Celeste is already showing a ‘not interested’ expression with everything that’s going on in Korea.
“It’s only been a week. Huu~. I can’t just renegade on your father Costantini’s request, so I guess I will have to find something for you to do. Honestly, it’s very troublesome.”
After hearing director Kim’s words I felt very sorry for him, but what can I do?
“By any chance are you an active hunter?”
Celeste asked me in Italian and director Kim tried to translate it, but I could also speak simple conversations in Italian.
“I’m Yoo Seodam. A F-Rank who works as a hunter.”
“Ah…F-Rank, Ordinary hunter…?”
“Yes.”
Somehow the bluntness was like having a bucket of cold water poured on me.
She really didn’t seem to be interested in anything here.
I asked the director.
“Director. Where’s my favorite (baby) sword?”
“Baby? Ah, your wooden sword?…I always thought it was strange, but why do you call the wooden sword your baby?”
“Forget the sword, why are you having such lewd thoughts.”
“Strange bastard.”
The director took out a wooden sword that I used to use.
I haven’t used it for more than 10 years, but it feels the same as then.
I unwittingly held the handle of the wooden sword in the same position as my aether blade, and at that moment I felt goosebumps.
‘Huh…Have I been holding it like this all this time?’
The feel of the wooden sword was strange.
No, it had been the same every time I held a sword.
Only now did I realize.
The way I’ve been fighting so far was so shitty.
Slowly, I aimed the wooden sword into the air, and the trajectory of the sword was clearly visible to my eyes.
How to swing and kill an enemy for sure.
Which part I can cut neatly, I wondered.
It was a perfect trajectory that gave me goosebumps all over.
‘Crazy, what is this?’
The countless battles I’ve been through in my life came to mind and disappeared.
The numerous enemies who had driven me to the brink of death were no match for this sword.
A force so overwhelming and perfect.
This was an A-Rank talent, the threshold of geniuses that can pave the path towards victory.
I can see that road.
How to effectively subdue an opponent.
How to use less effort, cut in, and swing.
How to never lose!
“Hm? Is there a problem?”
“No. My favorite sword feels lighter. More than that, director it’s been a long time since I had a match…”
I suddenly stopped talking, and looked at Celeste.
No matter how much I have gained in swordsmanship, I can’t win against C-Rank.
Maybe it’s hard to even test this talent.
But what if I’m against a hunter trainee with D-Rank strength?
If she comes from a family that is well versed in swordsmanship.
Maybe I can test this out.
“Miss Celeste. You look pretty bored, so would you like to spar with me?”
“Hm?”
Director Kim stopped me when he saw her looking somewhat troubled.
“You, what is it? You don’t feel well, do you?”
“So I have to exercise, and this will be my warmup.”
“But even so…”
I didn’t tell anyone close to me that I had a heart problem.
It’s ironic.
Only the Guild Master, who is not close to me, was aware that I am dying.
The director with a cautious look spoke.
“That child has the strength of D-Rank.”
I understood what the director meant.
It was a similar reason Celeste was not happy with my offer.
Maybe, if we spar here.
I will surely lose.
But I was a 15-year veteran and it was not insignificant.
Celeste slowly opened her mouth and with a tone that was completely indifferent to our confrontation spoke.
“I’ve faced three 10-year veteran that are Ordinary hunters and swordsmen in my family.”
Oh, my.
I think I know all of them.
“Obviously their swordsmanship were excellent. I learned a lot. But…”
So as if she was telling me to stop.
“The moment I awakened an E-Rank physique they were no match for me. All three of them.”
Said Celeste.
That’s true.
The moment you awaken an E-Rank physique you enter the realm of the superhuman beyond normal humans.
In other words, no matter how much F-Rank hunters struggle it wasn’t even a fight.
She was even close to awakening to the D-Rank.
So she was telling me to stop thinking about this meaningless spar because I would not be her match.
However.
She just looks harmless to me now.
“By the way, did you know?”
“Hm?”
The hunter Salvatore Costantini, who once rocked the world with a single sword, was recently promoted to SS-Rank.
And is one of 37 such people in the world.
How much pride does such a child have in her family and father?
“I’ve won a one-on-one fight with your father.”
Namely, I had this idea.
“Fine. I’ve always wanted to see the skills of another veteran hunter.”
It was enough of a provocation to make her hold a wooden sword.