"As you can see, his speed instantly increased. This is Instant Acceleration, a technique used by skilled Acceleration Ability Users. In our country, only three people could use Instant Acceleration. Ah, now there are four."
Instant Acceleration is a taxing technique for the user. While the body moves faster, the mind doesn't keep pace, making it difficult to control. However, when used properly, it can be incredibly effective.
On the screen, Kang Seoksu resurrected, and the battle resumed.
"Hunter Kang Seoksu! He's evaded that impossibly fast swordsmanship! It only grazed his shoulder. And with a magic circle drawn on his palm, he's eliminated Hunter Han Harin! Now it's a one-on-one fight!"
"That's Hunter Kang Seoksu's Sensory Amplification ability. It can amplify not only the five senses but also the senses of ki and mana. No one else can use Sensory Amplification as effectively as Hunter Kang Seoksu."
"Targeting Hunter Han Harin first... it must have been to secure the Rest Area. The National Heaven Hunter Team's Survival Points are in the negative. By simply holding out in the Rest Area, they can win."
"Oh! Hunter Sung Yujin is bowing his head. Is he exhausted? Or has he given up? Hunter Kang Seoksu! He stops just before reaching the Rest Area. He intends to end the fight here. Let's focus on the battle for a moment."
The battle ended in Sung Yujin's victory.
We won! Chicken tonight!
Silence settled over the studio. Most of them had expected Kang Seoksu to win, not Sung Yujin. Logically, Sung Yujin was only an E-Class Hunter, while Kang Seoksu was a C-Rank Hunter. Moreover, Sung Yujin was a rookie Hunter, having awakened just a year ago.
"Hunter Sung Yujin has emerged as the final survivor and winner of Dungeon Survival Reforged!" Jo Seok-hu shouted. He desperately wanted to summon Sung Yujin and Kang Seoksu to the studio immediately, but various procedures made it impossible.
"Let's rewind the footage and watch it again!"
The video returned to the combat perspective.
Kang Seoksu unleashed a bolt of lightning at Sung Yujin. Sung Yujin leaped into the air, intercepted the lightning with his sword, and redirected it back at Kang Seoksu.
"Look at this moment! Hunter Sung Yujin deflected the lightning! Mr. Hong Suwon, is this even possible?"
"It's entirely possible. We often see A-Class Flame Ability Users dominating flames created by other users, not just their own. Naturally occurring flames, lacking any inherent dominion, are even easier to control. The lightning Hunter Kang Seoksu unleashed was in a state of uncontrolled energy. If he had fully mastered the lightning, such a scene would have been impossible."
"Even so, Hunter Sung Yujin instantly dominated the lightning. While this could be achieved through rigorous practice, as you all know, Hunter Sung Yujin's career as a Hunter spans less than a year. Water Walk, Instant Acceleration, Lightning Domination... he has mastered them all. We can only conclude that he is a true prodigy."
Sung Yujin is a prodigy.
This is an undeniable truth for anyone who has watched Dungeon Survival Reforged from the beginning.
This wasn't just any ordinary genius. Some even speculated that he might be the greatest genius in the Republic of Korea.
What Sung Yujin had demonstrated was far beyond what a rookie Hunter with only a year of experience should be capable of.
Hong Su-won and Baek Ji-eun reacted with distinct attitudes.
Hong Su-won's expression was visibly sour. Setting aside his loss in the bet, he had initially failed to recognize Sung Yujin's talent. In his eagerness to praise Kang Seoksu, whom his guild was targeting, he had even made slightly hostile remarks about Sung Yujin.
If Sung Yujin were to see this broadcast, he might develop a deep-seated resentment toward the Bluebird Guild. Had Sung Yujin been just an average Hunter, it wouldn't have mattered. But having defeated Kang Seoksu, he was now poised to become the Republic of Korea's most promising rookie Hunter.
"Damn it. I never expected him to be this good. I didn't get any intel on this. The Guild Master's going to give me hell."
Still, it wasn't too late. He needed to establish a good relationship with Sung Yujin before the broadcast aired. Ideally, he'd recruit him into the Guild.
In contrast to the anxious Hong Su-won, Baek Ji-eun was smiling pleasantly.
"Was he always like this? When did he grow up so much? In my memory... hmm. I don't remember clearly, but he definitely wasn't this impressive."
Baek Ji-eun had deliberately avoided meeting Sung Yujin. As a candidate for Association leadership, any public meeting between them could spark rumors. Besides, she had been swamped with preparations for the project.
If we meet, I'll give him a blowjob and then we'll have sex...
Now that Dungeon Survival Reforged was over, they could finally meet in person. Baek Ji-eun felt a dampness between her legs.
"Hunter Sung Yujin dodges all nine Energy Bolts and breaks through! Hunter Kang Seoksu lifts his shirt, revealing a Magic Circle on his abs! But Hunter Sung Yujin passes him as if she already knew! Hunter Kang Seoksu turns to look, but it's too late! A terrifying bolt of Lightning and the knife thrown by Hunter Sung Yujin eliminate Hunter Kang Seoksu!!!"
"...Impressive, Hunter Sung Yujin. She used Instant Acceleration to evade the Energy Bolts. This means she has complete control over Instant Acceleration."
"Hunter Sung Yujin knew Hunter Kang Seoksu's final trump card. If he hadn't broken through the Nine Energy Bolts head-on... the outcome might have been different."
The studio lights remained on for hours afterward. Not only did they need to analyze the battle between Sung Yujin and Kang Seoksu, but also the fights of other hunters.
Of course, only a fraction of this footage would make it to air.
The filming didn't end with my victory.
One final shoot remained: the Dungeon Survival Reforged after-party. The participants who had made the most memorable performances would gather in the studio for a talk show. They also needed to film interview segments to be interspersed throughout the broadcast.
Three days after the end of Dungeon Survival Reforged, Han Harin, Eun Sangmin, and I headed to the broadcasting station.
Heh heh. I can't wait to see that bastard Hong Su-won kneel before Baek Ji-eun with my own eyes.
The 1 billion won prize money was split between Han Harin and me. Eun Sangmin, feeling guilty, gave his share entirely to us.
It's not a huge sum for Eun Sangmin or us, but the gesture matters.
For Hunters, 1 billion won is a relatively small amount. No Hunter would participate in Dungeon Survival solely for the prize money.
I joined because of Han Harin.
It was a perfect excuse to get closer to her.
And since I was participating anyway, I had to win. Hahaha. I can't wait for the broadcast to air. What if I become so famous that women start throwing themselves at me? I only have one dick, after all.
I was sitting in the private waiting room reserved for the winner, imagining a bright future, when the door swung open without a knock, and Kang Seoksu strode in.
Is he here to kill me?
"Sung Yujin has something to say."
Thankfully, that didn't seem to be the case.
Kang Seoksu closed the door behind him.
I stared at him expectantly, as if urging him to speak. After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "...Are you and Yu Jeongmi lovers?"
"No."
I knew Yu Jeongmi's phone number. She'd given it to me after we had sex.
But we weren't in contact. I could have relationships with Jin Seyoung and Han Harin anytime I wanted. There was no reason to insist on Yu Jeongmi, who was less attractive than them.
"Did you come because you're still bothered by what I said back then? That was just to provoke you. You don't need to worry about it. Forget it. Oh, and sorry for being late."
In truth, I felt no remorse whatsoever.
"...I admit it. I was furious back then. Your provocation skills are truly exceptional."
"Did you come here just to praise me?"
"...Did you really sleep with Yu Jeongmi?"
"Yes, I did," I replied immediately.
Kang Seoksu stared at me with a complicated expression. He probably already suspected as much.
"But that's none of your business, is it? Yu Jeongmi and I had a consensual relationship. It was just two young people meeting and having fun. You're not her boyfriend you're just a friend."
Kang Seoksu is Yu Jeongmi's ex-boyfriend. They're just friends now. He has no reason to interfere between Yu Jeongmi and me.
"...I know I have no right to say anything to you or Yu Jeongmi about what happened. Since that day, I've thought long and hard and realized I can't let Yu Jeongmi go."
"Relationship advice isn't my specialty. Just leave."
Sex advice, on the other hand...
"Jeongmi is my woman. I came here to tell you that. Stay away from her from now on."
"What? Are you two getting back together?"
"I'm going to confess to Jeongmi soon."
Kang Seoksu and Yu Jeongmi will get back together. Yu Jeongmi still has feelings for him.
If Yu Jeongmi refuses to have sex with me, I'll accept it calmly. There's no reason for me to cling to her.
"Alright, alright. If that's all you wanted to say, get out now. I need to rest."
"There's one more important thing."
"What is it?"
"It's about the Top 10 Korean Guilds. I checked, and you're not affiliated with any of them."
I don't really care about guilds. I have the Pleasure World App, after all.
Hunters join top guilds for several reasons: to grow stronger faster with the guild's support, to find reliable comrades, and to earn more money by working with the guild.
The downside is having to follow the guild's strict rules.
Since our work is life-threatening, guild rules tend to be strict. It also feels like working at a company, so you have to worry about interpersonal relationships. It's all just too much hassle.
"I can get stronger through the Pleasure World App. Even without joining a guild, I can work as a Freelance Hunter, taking on moderately safe monster hunts and avoiding dangerous jobs."
Guild support? If I fully commit to using the Pleasure World App, guild support would be insignificant.
"I have no intention of joining a guild. At least not right now. Besides, Shadow Heaven Sword Hall... has a contract with the Hunter Academy I attend."
The future is uncertain, so I can't say for sure. If there's a guild with pretty girls who catch my eye, I might join just to try my luck.
"...Weren't you participating to promote yourself to major guilds?"
"No. I joined because I was the strongest at my university."
The truth is, it was all because of Han Harin. And since I was participating anyway, I aimed for victory.
"Stop beating around the bush and get to the point. What do you want to say?"
"The Top 10 Korean Guilds are stagnant. Hunters from previous generations have been clinging to their positions for at least 20 years, and some for over 50. Even if you're you, joining one of the Top 10 Guilds would mean working for at least 20 years before you could even hope for a managerial position."
Kang Seoksu's words were exaggerated, but not entirely untrue.
The Top 10 Korean Guilds are dominated by aging hunters, making promotions notoriously difficult.
This is common knowledge among hunters. With the right mindset, a hunter can work well past 70. While they may weaken with age, their decline isn't as rapid as that of ordinary people. Once you reach the upper echelons of A-Class, age becomes little more than a number.
S-Rank? In Korea, there exists an S-Rank Hunter over a hundred years old, yet his appearance is astonishingly that of a man in his mid-twenties. The legendary Reversal of Aging from martial arts novels is a reality.
"...So?"
"At first, I also wanted to join one of the Top 10 Korean Guilds. But after researching, I realized they're already saturated."
"That's not just the Top 10 Guilds, is it?"
"The Top 10 Guilds are the most severe."
The current Korean Hunter scene is a red ocean.
In the past, due to a lack of proper Dungeon strategies and monster information, Hunter mortality rates were extremely high. As a result, many who awakened their abilities chose not to become Hunters.
But now, there was a systematic Dungeon Manual, containing information on tens of thousands of monster species, and Hunter equipment that continued to improve over time. As a result, the Hunter mortality rate had plummeted.
Thanks to the relatively recent invention of Energy Protect, Hunters are much safer now. The only downside is how expensive it is.
Moreover, the Republic of Korea currently had approximately 7,000 A-Class Hunters.
Considering the country's small land area, having as many as 7,000 A-Class Hunters was truly remarkable.