….
"Nice." Jin-Ho said, giving her a thumbs-up. "Next round, let's make it two."
Then his eyes slid to Jin-Woo.
"Your turn, buddy, time to shine. Show her what you have got…" His tone was full of false encouragement.
Jin-Woo felt his nerves coil as he stepped forward.
What followed wasn't clean or practiced - it was brutal, a ground-and-street fight, raw and chaotic, with his life on the line.
Jin-Woo and the goblin matched blow for blow. Whoever struck first would decide the outcome.
His initial hesitation, the unease of entering a real fight, of drawing a monster's blood, vanished as instinct took over.
He fell, a few cuts stung, a few blows landed, but nothing fatal.
Every time it seemed to get serious, Jin-Ho intervened with his wired magic, which he now understood:
[Telekinesis]
A cheat skill for a lazy guy. Jin-Woo chuckled quietly to himself.
Strangely, there was no envy in that laugh.
Still, even with the quiet reassurance that death wasn't imminent, Jin-Woo couldn't take it easy.
Jin-Ho only stepped in when danger was real, when Jin-Woo teetered on the edge of losing a limb, or worse.
He lost count of the blunt blows that landed squarely against his chest and stomach, each one knocking the air out of him.
"Because of you, we are at least making the healer earn her pay." Jin-Ho commented with a grin as Jin-Woo was being patched up.
Still, no matter the pain, he didn't complain.
Because he understood.
Jin-Ho could have taken the easy route, he could have let Jin-Woo fight in safety, step in earlier.
But he didn't.
He was going out of his way to give him a chance to push himself, and test his limits.
Is this how Jin-Ho trains? Jin-Woo wondered.
Regardless, he was thankful.
He gave his all, forcing himself to adapt.
For Jin-Ho, this might be training.
But for Jin-Woo, it was survival, and survival was never gentle.
That's how the dungeon trial continued.
….
As time went Jin-Ho also stopped being at the back, and involved himself in the battle excitedly to get his Proficiency increase.
◤-----------------------◥
「Skills:」
-> [Talisman Arts] Level 0(Proficiency 52%)
-> [Telekinesis] Level 0(Proficiency 79%)
-> [Jackie Chan Martial Arts:] Level 4(Proficiency 66%)
◣-----------------------◢
Right, he, a mage, fought his own one-on-one with a goblin.
Neither Cha Hae-In nor Jin-Woo, or even the other Hunters could understand his fighting style.
Jin-Ho was clearly a mage. And mages fought from a distance.
So why did he step in for hand-to-hand combat?
Why put himself in danger?
However, nobody stepped in. Because–
He is simply too good at it.
He fought close-range, pure melee, and during the whole time, he was smiling, enjoying.
One thought ran through Jin-Woo's mind: What is that combat style?
Was it even a style?
It was something completely:
Wild, improvised, gymnastic, and most importantly - Chaotic.
Jin-Ho wasn't using a proper weapon when offered - instead, he grabbed whatever was at hand: a stone, sand, a pickaxe, even a broken goblin blade.
He fought as if the environment itself was his weapon.
….
Unknown to them, Jin-Ho was using a skill received by the [Beginner's Gift]:
◤-----------------------◥
「Skills:」
-> [Jackie Chan Martial Arts]
| Ability: A masterful close-quarters combat style blending innovative stunts, acrobatic fighting, and adaptive weapon use based on 'Kung Fu'.
| This style thrives on agility, speed, and creativity, turning any nearby object into a weapon and turning the battlefield into an improvised stage.
◣-----------------------◢
It is a martial art of unorthodox techniques, mixing raw power with agile improvisation.
A few times, his body faltered.
He stumbled, almost tripped, unable to execute exactly as he intended.
But with every clash, he adapted, his movements grew sharper, faster, more refined.
Jin-Woo watched in silence, realization dawning.
This dungeon ride wasn't about the monsters.
It was a test - a trial.
Jin-Ho wanted to try things out, nothing more and nothing less.
That was when Jin-Woo laughed again for the third and final time since entering.
After that, the laughter stopped.
Because he was starting to get used to it.
He was starting to get a hang of the adrenaline, and the intensity of the battle, while also getting used to smell and blood.
By the end of the run, Jin-Woo could handle two goblins at once, though it took him nearly five minutes to finish them.
Three was a stretch too far.
By then, he was bleeding, exhausted, teetering on the edge of collapse.
But he pressed on.
For Jin-Woo, this was more than a dungeon run.
It was a lesson.
And he was learning fast.
….
At the end of the Gate raid came the loot distribution.
Obviously since the Gate was reserved by Jin-Ho's family, he took charge of the process. The Healer received a slightly larger share, while the remaining seven, including the Porter, were given equal portions, regardless of rank.
The C-ranker and two D-rankers shot him uneasy looks, like they were about to protest. But they stayed silent.
Honestly, they hadn't done much during the raid, and even this generous cut was more than they would normally get.
Once the distribution was done, everyone filed out, Hunters and Porter alike, leaving only Jin-Woo, Cha Hae-In, and Jin-Ho behind.
Jin-Ho leaned against a nearby crate, a cocky smirk on his face. "So… that's it? First Gate experience, done and dusted? Care to share how it went?"
His gaze zeroed in on Jin-Woo.
Before anyone could answer, Porter hurried back, face flushed, eyes wide. He held up his phone like it was a treasure.
"Sir, thank you… for this. I - this is… more than I ever expected."
Jin-Ho blinked, caught slightly off guard. "Thanks for what? It's your share - your hard work earned it."
The shy, grateful expression on Porter's face seemed almost - incongruous with his edgy hairstyle and lone earring. He looked like a troublemaker caught doing something wholesome.
Jin-Woo finally understood why Porter was so overwhelmed.
Nobody else would have given him this much. A glance at his own outfit phone confirmed it, the notification of his share, but even he had to admit, Jin-Ho had been unexpectedly generous.
Cha Hae-In chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I didn't think Jin-Ho had a cute side to him."
"Cute? Me?" Jin-Ho snapped playfully, though the faint smile tugging at his lips betrayed him. "Don't flatter yourself."
The Porter, still clutching his phone, bowed one last time before walking off, muttering words of gratitude.
Jin-Ho watched him go, arms crossed, eyes gleaming.
Beneath the bravado, he knew the kid would remember this for a long time.
Meanwhile, Jin-Ho had his own little personal gains from the raid.
◤-----------------------◥
「Skills:」
-> [Talisman Arts] Level 0(Proficiency 52%)
-> [Telekinesis] Level 1(Proficiency 0.6%)
-> [Jackie Chan Martial Arts] Level 4(Proficiency 89%)
◣-----------------------◢
His [Telekinesis] had finally reached [Level 1], while his [Jackie Chan Martial Arts] was higher from the start with [Level 4], he still managed to raise its Proficiency 89%.
Even without noticing it fully, Jin-Ho's personal growth was stacking up, quietly turning him into a far more dangerous opponent than anyone around him realized.
….
[Next Day - Incheon International Airport, Korea]
Jin-Hee had just finished checking in her luggage, when a familiar voice drifted from behind.
"Yo, all done?"
?!She froze mid-step, eyes narrowing before she turned.
Right, her brother is tagging along with her. But she couldn't help but ask–
"Jin-Ho? What on earth are you planning? And more than that how in the world did you manage to convince Dad?"
Jin-Ho was casual as always. "Thought I would take a trip to America. You know, sightseeing."
Jin-Hee arched her brow. "Sightseeing? You expect me to believe that?"
Jin-Hee wasn't someone who got left out of family news, especially not when it came to her younger brother.
She already knew he had awakened as a B-Rank Hunter, that he had been dipping into dungeons these past few weeks.
For him to suddenly show up at the airport, ticket in hand, without a word? That didn't sit right.
Also–
"And what about school? Last I checked, you are still in your third year. Father would never allow you to discontinue, even if you awakened."
"...I am transferring. To the US."
Her expression stiffened.
"Transferring?!" Her voice dropped into a hiss, mindful of passersby. "Do you realize what that even means? You - the youngest of the Yoo family, and a B-Rank Hunter, suddenly leaving Korea? People will twist it, Jin-Ho. They will say we are disloyal, that our family is abandoning the country. Do you want to give them that ammunition?"
For the first time, his easy mask shifted. "Don't go overthinking. I am not changing my nationality."
She released a breath, shoulders softening. "Good. At least you haven't completely lost your mind."
Still, suspicion lingered. "Then tell me. What's the real reason?"
"I just… wanted a change of pace. That's all."
Jin-Hee studied him for a long moment, then sighed in defeat. "Fine. You never were good at lying anyway. Come on - our flights aren't for a while. Let's grab a coffee. You can at least explain what 'change of pace' is supposed to mean."
At that, the corner of Jin-Ho's mouth twitched into a small, genuine smile. "Sure. Coffee sounds good."
They fell into step together, weaving through the terminal toward the café.
For a while, the silence stretched - until Jin-Hee broke it.
"You said goodbye to Mom, right?"
"Yeah, I did…" he muttered, eyes fixed ahead.
"And Dad?"
"Him too."
She shot him a sideways glance. "What about our brother?"
Jin-Ho clicked his tongue. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, seriously. Don't pretend it doesn't matter."
He didn't answer.
Jin-Hee sighed, her tone softening. "Don't hate him too much."
A hollow chuckle slipped from him. "...like I care."
Her steps slowed just slightly as she looked at him with an annoyed yet endearingly soft expression.
"You are getting cold these days." She muttered, half-scolding, half-teasing. "I want my little brother back."
The words hit harder than he expected.
?!For a second, Jin-Ho froze mid-step, caught off guard.
His throat tightened, and when he tried to respond, his voice stuttered.
"Th–"
But before he could form the rest, Jin-Hee waved it away with a faint smile.
"What are you stopping for? Come on, let's go."
….
.
[To be continued…]
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