Jo Se-hyeok's eyes glowed with murderous intent as his hand brushed through his hair. His presence was savage, like a beast about to strike. Yet, across from him, Lee Seong-jun stood calm, his expression mocking as he let out a quiet laugh.
Jo Se-hyeok's face twisted. To him, Seong-jun's words sounded like sarcasm—empty pride from someone living on faded glory. But Seong-jun's confidence wasn't blind arrogance. He had set this stage because he believed in only one outcome: victory.
With a cold sneer, Jo Se-hyeok stepped forward. Energy burst from beneath his feet, propelling him like a blur across ice.
Seong-jun recognized it instantly.
Millennium Ice Creation… an S+ rank skill. Not bad.
In moments, shards of ice sprouted from Jo Se-hyeok's fists, gleaming like blades. His strikes were sharp, deadly, and precise. Yet, when his blow was about to land, his arm was suddenly knocked off its path.
Shock filled Jo Se-hyeok's face.
He read my attack? When?! How?!
Seong-jun was already inside his guard, fists striking with calm precision. Each punch forced Jo Se-hyeok back, and though he tried desperately to block, the pressure was overwhelming.
The battle looked even, but the reality was clear—Seong-jun fought with ease while Jo Se-hyeok struggled just to keep up.
"No matter how I attack…" Jo Se-hyeok realized in disbelief, "He's anticipating everything!"
When Seong-jun's fist sank into his abdomen, Jo Se-hyeok stumbled back, gasping. His opponent wasn't the rookie the world claimed him to be. He was a predator, far sharper and more dangerous than expected.
"This…" Seong-jun muttered, scratching his head with mild disappointment. "So far below expectations."
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Seoul, a bloody operation unfolded.
Hong Min-ki, leader of Team 1 of the Blue House, and Jo Kang-hyun, the officer assigned to Seong-jun, stepped out of a dark alley with their suits stained in blood. They had defeated waves of villains, including several B-rank threats, but their true target—Jo Se-hyeok—had never appeared.
Both men knew where he had gone.
"To Hunter Lee Seong-jun…" Kang-hyun muttered grimly.
The realization struck like a curse. The worst possible situation had happened: a one-on-one fight between an SS-rank villain known as the "Rookie Slayer" and a newly risen hunter.
Even with advance intel, Min-ki's voice was cold. "No matter what, Seong-jun can't last more than ten minutes."
Their vehicle raced through the night, sirens wailing, but every second already felt too late. The Binding Performance Field—Jo Se-hyeok's terrifying unique skill—would trap his opponent in a five-meter arena, forcing a brutal fight with no room for escape. Combined with his Millennium Ice Blade, capable of dropping temperatures below -100 degrees, Jo Se-hyeok was an executioner designed to crush rookies.
"From a rookie's perspective," Min-ki whispered, his expression dark, "he is the worst possible opponent."
Back at the battlefield, the clash raged on.
"You're stronger than other rookies," Jo Se-hyeok admitted coldly, straightening his stance. "But from now on… it will be different."
"That's nice to hear," Seong-jun replied with an easy smile.
Despite the pressure, Seong-jun's confidence never wavered. Jo Se-hyeok, however, was convinced of victory. His skill had grown, evolving beyond S+ rank. Now his ice could plunge the temperature to -200 degrees—a death sentence even for top hunters.
With a chilling glare, Jo Se-hyeok extended his hand. Murderous intent filled the air as his unique skills began to awaken.
The true battle was about to begin.