Chapter 64
“Doesn’t this get tiring every day?”
“Shut up…”
As usual, Jia clung to him with a flushed, bright-red face.
She walked toward their destination, drawing the attention of everyone around.
“If you’re done, just put me down already.”
At those words, his grip loosened immediately.
He had been holding her tightly, worried she might get hurt trying to escape. Now that he released her, Jia was able to step down easily. After several hours on his back, she finally stood on the floor, her face still flushed pink.
“Where is this place now?”
“A friend’s guild. We train here together every day.”
“What? So training isn’t done alone?”
“Somehow, it turned out like this. Look—they’re coming over now.”
Juhyeok pointed to the opposite side, and just in time, Hyunsu waved.
He approached Juhyeok with a friendly expression and greeted him.
“Juhyeok, you’re right on time today too, huh?”
After greeting, he glanced at Jia beside him and cautiously asked:
“And who’s this with you?”
“She’s helping with training today.”
“Ah… hello?”
It seemed Hyunsu was meeting her for the first time.
But in reality, this wasn’t their first encounter.
Previously, Hyunsu had been present when Jia met the Hyeonho Candy staff. He had seen her face and even heard her voice.
“Back then, she was wearing a mask and hat, so he probably didn’t notice.”
Her identity had been almost completely concealed.
He might have recognized her from her voice or the dark circles under her eyes, but judging by his current unfamiliar expression, it seemed he had no idea.
“Let’s go in first. Sui is waiting alone inside.”
“Okay.”
Jia greeted lightly and entered the training hall with them.
Inside, Sui was already warming up alone.
She turned her head when the door opened and greeted them.
“Good morning.”
“Yeah, good morning.”
“…Who’s this?”
Excluding Hyunsu, another person had joined.
Juhyeok answered just as he had before:
“Someone to help with training today. I’ve prepared a new routine.”
“Oh?”
“Warm up and we’ll start right away.”
Juhyeok began light stretching. Jia, sticking close to him, asked:
“You’re not thinking of carrying me again during training, are you?”
“I thought about it… but is that okay?”
“Is it okay?”
“I already excluded it.”
They had considered training that involved carrying someone, but knowing how Jia would react, it was obviously off the table.
Besides, they had come up with a much better training method, so there was no need to insist.
“You just stand still.”
“….”
Jia looked uneasy.
Understandably so—she had just spent hours clinging to him.
Naturally, she suspected he might do something crazy again.
“Shall we begin?”
Everyone warmed up beside Jia, who had mentally raised her guard to maximum.
With a signal that training was starting, they stepped into the center of the clean training hall with her.
“Just stand still here.”
“Stand still?”
“Yes. Don’t move no matter what comes.”
Then Juhyeok turned to the remaining two and said:
“From now on, attack her with full force.”
“Huh?”
“You mustn’t move, no matter what attacks come.”
At those words, the two drew wooden swords and moved.
Seeing them start the training without any reaction, Jia urgently called Juhyeok.
“I-Is this right?”
“It is.”
“Right? You expect me to just stand still? They look like at least B-rank! How can I just stand there?”
Even if Juhyeok was strong, if she stood like a scarecrow while they fought, she would surely take a few hits.
“Or do you want to show your contract powers and train together?”
Jia clearly hadn’t gained physical power from a contract like Mephisto, and even a hint of exerting it might cause strange energies to flare.
“You can train by yourselves!”
“They can’t be more than ten meters away. This is the most efficient way.”
This was actually a good opportunity for this kind of training.
With distance limitations, it became a chance to try a new method.
“So I just stand and take it?”
“I never said just take it.”
“You said stand still! That means take it!”
“Well…”
Thunk!
Juhyeok blocked an attack that came flying without even looking.
Even while talking, Hyunsu attacked relentlessly.
Juhyeok, distracted by other things, quickly parried blows coming from behind.
“That’s not fair.”
“….”
Jia was stunned.
She knew he was strong, but she hadn’t expected him to parry attacks coming from outside his line of sight.
Even awakened beings couldn’t do that without seeing the attack.
Watching it firsthand, Jia was naturally shocked.
“Come to think of it… he re-awakened as a D-rank.”
No longer an F-rank, Juhyeok had become a D-rank hunter.
Despite having only F-rank magical power, he had been rated close to S-rank.
Now with D-rank power, his ability had effectively doubled.
“…I can’t even estimate how strong he is now.”
Such a case had never happened before, making his strength even more intimidating.
Jia quietly observed his back. He glanced back and said:
“I’ll protect you, so just watch.”
“….”
After saying that, he didn’t even step five meters away.
Standing only two steps from her, he confidently neutralized the two attackers.
Even when her legs began to ache from standing so long, she wasn’t hit once.
Safe.
Behind Juhyeok, she felt as if no attack could ever reach her.
“If it’s him…”
Juhyeok’s prowess in both long-range and close combat suggested that teaming with him would counterbalance weaknesses—a nearly unbeatable combination.
She thought that for a moment but shook her head.
“He’s already above the level we can handle.”
With D-rank power, he could comfortably sit in the middle tier of S-rank hunters.
“I’ll use my phone for a bit.”
“Do as you like.”
Jia took out her phone and sent a message to Hyeonho Candy.
Simple and clear:
[Juhyeok is beyond our level. Forget the idea of scouting him.]
The difference in scale was obvious.
Hyeonho Candy barely held a position in the Korean underworld.
Juhyeok was now at a level where stepping into the global scene was no surprise.
Shortly, a reply came from the company president, Hyeonho:
[Then maintain a friendly relationship.]
Because it was in the group chat, everyone could see it immediately.
[If you don’t like him, don’t force it. If you like him, approach actively.]
[Again with this advice?]
[Not joking. Even if Juhyeok doesn’t join our company, a close relationship could help our goals.]
It was true.
Juhyeok’s talent was now on a level that international guilds would notice.
Having the chance to build a connection with him was more valuable than gold.
[If he becomes a friend, great. If family, even better.]
Another friend, who had been watching quietly, finally spoke.
[Yeah, just knock him down at night.]
Jia immediately closed her phone upon seeing this message.
Comments about knocking him down or trying to seduce him were ridiculous. No need to read further.
“…Still, becoming friends would be good.”
If she got close, it wouldn’t interfere with future plans.
With Juhyeok blocking, Hyeonho Candy wouldn’t succeed in revenge easily.
“Family… no way I could seduce him into that.”
Hyeonho probably meant a close familial-like relationship.
Even if he couldn’t directly enforce it, he likely preferred building that kind of bond.
Logically, such a relationship would be beneficial.
“…Could I actually seduce him?”
Despite staying up all night planning, Juhyeok had slept soundly.
After a night, it became clear—he had no romantic interest in her.
“Kinda frustrating…”
Even though they were alone in the room, nothing happened. He hadn’t even paid attention.
“Should I try to seduce him?”
Though she had no dating experience, she had occasionally asked for numbers on the street.
From experience, he didn’t seem unattractive. Maybe she could sway him.
“But how do I even do it?”
She had no experience flirting or dating anyone.
So the very act of seduction was unfamiliar.
Jia thought deeply, lost in thought.
Not long after, the training ended and a break came.
“Let’s rest a bit and start again.”
Everyone sat down in the arena to rest.
As Juhyeok paused to drink water, Jia suddenly summoned courage and grabbed his wrist.
“…Why?”
“….”
When trying to flirt, what should she even say?
With no experience, her attempt was awkward.
She opened her mouth to say something:
“Thanks for… the work―!”
She had bitten her tongue in nervousness.
“….”
“….”
An awkward silence followed.
Her ears and face turned bright red.
Juhyeok chuckled softly and said:
“Yeah, thanks.”
He returned to drinking water.
“Ugh…”
Jia hid her face in her hands, full of embarrassment.
Her first attempt at flirting had become the most humiliating moment of her life.
