149 – Love and War (Complete)

It was decided to hold the arm wrestling in the training hall.

Because there is a table made of alloy in the training hall.

Moreover, if it was a training ground, I could easily endure it even if I released all my strength.

“Brother, just try to win. I won’t let you stay still.”

Jeong Se-yeon expressed her dissatisfaction with a truly unpleasant expression.

Although it seemed like he had no choice but to give his consent, Jeong Se-yeon was consistently negative about the arm wrestling bet.

It must have been a truly absurd bet from Jeong Se-yeon’s perspective.

“Do you know how much damage you’ll suffer if you lose, oppa?”

“Seyeon-ah. Why have you been making me feel bad with your words since earlier?”

Kang Sung-sung stuck out his lips.

He grumbled as if his pride had been hurt.

“Do you really think I’d lose to that E-rank hunter?”

When you think about it generally, it’s completely understandable that Kang Sung would feel bad.

Kang Han-seong is an S-rank hunter.

He is also the third team leader of the Sephiroth Clan.

He is one of the fifteen S-rank hunters active in South Korea and has accumulated fame, status, and wealth over a long period of time.

But why is an E-rank hunter making such an unexpected provocation?

There’s no way I can bear it.

I’ll grind the bread right away.

In fact, you’ve been brave enough to endure it until now.

“The situation is different now. Is Han Seo-jun an ordinary E-rank hunter? He has multiple abilities. There are many variables.”

“So what.”

Although Jeong Se-yeon was pouring out her frustration, Kang Han-seong snorted and let it go in one ear and out the other.

When Kang Seong-eun looked away with an annoyed expression while fiddling with his pinky finger in her ear, Jeong Se-yeon bit her lips.

It seemed like she wanted to force out the dregs of emotions that were boiling like an active volcano, but Jeong Se-yeon must have been repeating the Chinese character for patience three times in her mind, so she let out a warm sigh and gathered her emotions.

“Haa… … Oppa.”

Jeong Se-yeon slowly brushed back her hair that reminded her of a pale sunset and furrowed her eyebrows, glaring at him with sharp eyes.

“I understand that your pride is hurt. It’s understandable. I can understand. But… … .”

Jeong Se-yeon, who had been biting her lips for a while, was debating whether or not to speak, and then finally made up her mind, she pressed Kang Sung-sung a little forcefully.

“… … Should the clan suffer damage because of your pride?”

That is absolutely true.

Anyway, isn’t it Kang Sung-seong’s personal circumstances?

Because of the pride of Kang Sung Sung, he will not be harmed.

“hey.”

Kang Seong turned his head away nervously, perhaps annoyed by Jeong Se-yeon’s constant nagging.

“Oh, shit. Then if I lose, just deduct it from my paycheck.”

“what.”

“Honestly, it really hurts me, Se-yeon. Do you not trust me that much?”

“Really, oppa… … .”

Jeong Se-yeon covered her forehead with a complicated expression.

I realized that trying hard to persuade was useless.

A strong person is someone who is full of pride.

Even if you tell her the story plainly, there’s no way she’ll listen.

No, to be honest, it’s not that Kang Sung-sung’s pride is the problem, but most S-rank ability users would react like that.

There is no way an S-rank hunter would be able to tolerate an E-rank hunter who is provoking them by saying that they can win.

“Think about it a little more. It’s not like we’re really fighting, it’s arm wrestling. And on top of that, you’re looking at me with a strange confidence… … Doesn’t it make you feel uneasy just by looking at me? Han Seo-jun made the bet because he had a plan.”

“I know, Inma.”

Kang Sung-sung smiled bashfully and turned his shoulders to relax his body.

“That’s why it makes sense.”

“What does it mean?”

“I have to show Jihyun clearly. That I am stronger than she thought.”

“under…….”

Jeong Se-yeon made a slightly bewildered expression.

“Do you like Jihyun that much?”

“No, what… … .”

“That girl is really popular.”

Before we knew it, Jeong Se-yeon and Ji-hyeon were facing each other.

After staring at each other for a while, Jihyun smiled and started talking first.

“Okay, stop talking nonsense. Are you ready, Team Leader 3?”

“of course.”

“Seojun, what about you?”

“No problem.”

“Really? Then… … .”

Jihyun used her telekinesis to float a table made of alloy and place it between me and Kang Hanseong.

“You all probably know the rules of arm wrestling, so I don’t need to explain them in detail, right? Using your abilities is allowed, but if your opponent gets fatally injured, you’re disqualified.”

“uh.”

I came face to face with Kang Sung Sung.

The murderous look in his eyes is no joke.

It really seems like he could kill people with just a look in his eyes.

It’s like looking at a mortal enemy.

‘I’m pissed, I’m pissed.’

Perhaps he is planning to show us an example this time?

It seemed like the provocations so far had worked better than necessary.

‘Even Kang Han-seong is an S-rank ability user, so if he fought with normal methods, there would be no chance of winning, right?’

Kang Sung-sung is a person with the ability to control gravity.

In fact, he is treated as Jihyun’s inferior.

Kang Sung-sung’s abilities are very strong and threatening, but the general consensus is that he is inferior to Ji-hyun.

Because it is weaker than Jihyun’s telekinesis and has less versatility.

If Jihyun and Kang Hanseong face off, there is a very high probability that Jihyun will win.

However, Kang Han-seong is clearly a ranker from South Korea.

Compared to Lee Ji-hyun, a world-renowned top 10 hunter, she pales in comparison, but compared to regular S-rank hunters, she is on par with them at all.

Perhaps Seo-yoon and Hwa-ryeon have similar skills?

The fact that I had never won against Seo Yoon before came to the surface. If Kang Han Sung and I were to have a fair fight, we wouldn’t be able to last even five minutes.

But what about arm wrestling?

It is a match where the winner is determined by physical contact from the beginning.

We also set rules to ensure that you can use your abilities to your heart’s content.

The power of the strong is very threatening, but if you are in physical contact from the very beginning, there is nothing to fear at all.

Because I… … .

“Seojun, if you win, I’ll give you some incentive. Fighting~.”

Jihyun’s cheering came out of my thoughts.

I moved my head slightly and saw Jihyun smiling brightly.

He seemed relaxed, not even a little worried, knowing my abilities.

Yeah, I guess so.

Because I have a record of defeating even Jihyun with my abilities.

“Tsk.”

Kang Seong frowned and clicked his tongue.

It was a rather dissatisfied face.

I could feel the burning jealousy in his eyes.

Because I looked so embarrassed, I washed my face in my mind.

… … This kid really isn’t going to work.

I tried to be a little lenient for the future, but this won’t work.

Should I do it without worrying about what Jeong Se-yeon thinks?

“Sister Jihyun.”

“why?”

“Do you think Han Seo-jun will win?”

“well?”

“It would be difficult to win with the abilities known so far. Even if it’s just arm wrestling, the difference in ability is so obvious. Is there another ability that I don’t know about?”

“That guy too. It’s no fun if I start talking about it already.”

In response to Jeong Se-yeon’s question, he shrugged his shoulders and acted coquettish. Jeong Se-yeon’s face was getting darker and darker at that sight. Judging from the way he was acting so relaxed, he seemed to be anxious in many ways.

“Anyway, since you both are ready, shall we begin?”

Jihyun was the judge.

He came towards me and Kang Hanseong.

He said, looking at the hands that were holding each other’s.

“It’s a clean and tidy finish, a clean finish. No complaints, right?”

“uh.”

“okay.”

When I joined hands with Kang Sung Sung, I felt a very powerful force surging through me.

Most of the successors of the four major clans reached S-rank abilities in their early to mid-twenties, so Kang Han-seong, who became an S-rank ability user in his early thirties, looked relatively shabby, but he was also an S-rank hunter.

This heavy and intense power gave me a feeling similar to the power of Seo-yoon and Hwa-ryeon.

“Then get ready… … .”

I slightly clenched my fist.

I felt unnecessarily nervous.

My hands were sweaty.

“Don’t regret it later. It was a waste of time talking.”

“Yeah, well.”

Kang Sung-sung smiled confidently and talked nonsense, and I nodded, slowly gathering my strength.

Jihyun immediately shouted.

“Ready, set!”

With those words, Kang Han-seong and I aroused our power.

An enormous amount of gravity concentrated in one place began to crush my entire body like an empty can… …but it didn’t.

“Uh, what, what is it?”

That’s because the moment my body made physical contact, I couldn’t use my ability unless I was really strong.

Unless you use your power to the fullest, it can be completely absorbed as soon as you use it.

In effect, the ability is blocked.

“What, what… … Why the ability… …?”

“What’s wrong, oppa?”

Kang Seong blinked his eyes in embarrassment, and Jeong Se Yeon, who felt something was strange, looked at him with a puzzled look.

“What did you do to me… … Ugh, aaah, aaah… … ?!”

Oh, it’s noisy.

I used my absorption powers with all my might.

Then Kang Han-seong showed the expected reaction.

“Shut up.”

That’s it.

I handed over Kang Han-seong’s hand with an indifferent face.

“I won, right?”

I quickly turned around and there was Jeong Se-yeon, looking back and forth between me and Kang Han-seong with a bewildered expression. Her face looked like she couldn’t believe this situation.

“It’s a paralysis ability, a paralysis ability. It’ll be fine soon.”

“What is that… … I can’t possibly make my brother do that with my paralyzing powers… … .”

I turned my head and looked at Kang Han-seong.

Kang Sung-sung staggered like a puppet with its strings cut off.

Before long, I was rolling around on the ground with a thud.

His body trembled like a frog with electrodes stuck in it.

He was bubbling with bubbles in his mouth, his eyes half-rolled.

… … Oh, is that okay?

‘I used it similarly to what I used on Hwaryeon.’

I guess I absorbed too much.

“What? It’s over already? This is a bit petty. Anyway, since Seojun won, don’t forget to split 20% of the total proceeds, Seyeon.”

“… … .”

Jihyun smiled mischievously, and Jeong Seyeon just looked down at the fallen Kang Hanseong with a hardened expression and resentful eyes.

***

After the arm wrestling bet.

“ha…….”

I returned to the Sephiroth Clan, leaving the dark sunset behind me.

Jeong Se-yeon sat down on the double-sized bed and let out a deep sigh.

A cold sigh pressed down on the floor, and Jeong Se-yeon nervously threw her pillow hard.

The pillow hit the wall.

It spun around and fell to the ground.

But I looked up at the ceiling without caring about it.

The stripes on the ceiling entered Jeong Se-yeon’s eyes.

“Oh seriously, I can’t live because of that guy… … .”

Jeong Se-yeon sighed again, covering her face.

The more I thought about it, the more I couldn’t believe what just happened.

The defeat was so disappointing that the victory that Kang Sung had confidently promised was meaningless.

No way, no way, I said… … .

How could you not put up a proper resistance even once?

Regardless of Kang’s personality, his abilities and skills were real.

He was not a simple human being who could be rendered powerless simply because of a paralyzing ability.

“Han Seo-jun said it was a paralyzing ability… … but that can’t be. What kind of ability is it? How could it take down oppa in one go… … .”

Tenacity means that the basic resistance is very high.

Any ability that is not even worth mentioning will not be tolerated.

But he collapsed without any reaction.

If I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes, I might have considered it a joke.

It was something that was not easily believed.

Jeong Se-yeon looked at her with a blank expression. Because her brother lost, she had to pay 5% more than the planned amount.

5% is by no means a cheap amount.

The expenses are too high.

‘What the heck is that guy Han Seo-jun?’

I know that Han Seo-jun is my childhood friend.

But luckily, my childhood friend is not only a multi-awakening ability user, but also has the ability to precognize and neutralize S-rank users at the same time?

‘I wondered why she was dating an E-rank hunter, but it turns out she wasn’t an ordinary person.’

When I first told her that I was dating Han Seo-jun, she was quite embarrassed.

I knew there was a lot of noise about the dating scandal with Han Seo-jun, but I didn’t think they were really dating.

Sister Jihyun usually has high self-esteem and self-respect.

Many men have tried to woo her, but she just laughed at them.

A rich kid, an S-rank ability user, a famous celebrity, etc.

The people who expressed interest in Lee Ji-hyun were all amazing people.

It was inevitable that Lee Ji-hyun’s standards would naturally rise.

That’s why I couldn’t understand why Jihyun unnie was dating an E-rank hunter like Han Seojun.

But now I can understand why we’re dating.

‘I don’t know what it is like right now, but judging from the power of foresight and the ability to defeat my brother, it seems like there’s plenty of potential. And there might be more abilities hidden inside.’

Jeong Se-yeon bit her teeth.

Why are there so many talented people around Lee Ji-hyun?

Han Seo-jun, Ryu Ye-rin, Choi Seo-yoon… … .

They are all related to Lee Ji-hyun.

What’s more, he is a classmate of Kang Hwa-ryeon.

He has very close relationships with the successors of the four major clans, including Jeong Se-yeon.

He also created a clan and became the clan leader just like Jeong Se-yeon.

I never thought I’d come this far from humble beginnings.

Doesn’t he look like the main character in a novel?

‘Pretty, capable, talented, and has a good boyfriend… … Who on earth is that girl… … .’

It’s like receiving blessings from the world.

It feels like the whole world revolves around Lee Ji-hyun.

‘Is it true that the person who stands on top is determined from birth?’

If Lee Ji-hyun is the main character, what kind of role will Jeong Se-yeon play?

Could she be the villainess who is jealous and envious of the female protagonist?

A villain who gets kicked around for no reason and then leaves after receiving a proper education?

‘… …Fuck.’

Jeong Se-yeon gripped the comforter tightly.

Every time she thought of her older sister, Jeong Se-yeon’s world fell apart.

Compared to Lee Ji-hyun, I feel strangely uncomfortable.

‘Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen Jihyun unnie so immersed in something.’

The image of Lee Ji-hyun suddenly pushing Kang Han-seo with a serious expression filled my mind.

‘Is your boyfriend that precious? The world’s Lee Ji-hyun?’

I’ve rarely seen my arrogant sister Jihyun get so angry and show her emotions so openly.

Since they were childhood friends who spent a lot of time together, it seems like their relationship developed into something very precious.

Because he is a precious person… … .

‘Yeah, that’s right.’

Jeong Se-yeon looked up into space with her face slightly hardened.

‘If Han Seo-jun is that precious… … ha.’

A laugh came out without me realizing it.