Declaration Of Extra Strike

 

It seemed we’d arrived just in time. Since they were still on the lower-level awards, I sat down, excitedly wondering what award Seung-yeon might get. But then, I heard something that made me jump out of my seat in disbelief.

 [Honorable Mention! The team from Akaderian Workshop! Independent Hunter Cheon Hye-in! Yeon Seung-yeon from No-Name Workshop! Hanro’s…] 

“Wait, what? Honorable Mention? Did they just say honorable mention?”

 

“…Yes, honorable mention,” confirmed the person beside me.

 

“That can’t be right! Just honorable mention?!”

 

He had developed a treatment, and yet he only got the lowest award? And when hundreds of people were suffering from the side effects, too!

 

“Isn’t this some kind of mistake?” 

 

I exclaimed in frustration. Just then, an annoyed voice called out from behind.

 

“Sit down, will you! Stop blocking the screen!”

 

“You think you’re the only one watching this?!” 

 

Han Seo-jin pulled me back down to sit, and Jeong-hyuk, looking apologetic, quietly explained, “Boss, I think… there’s likely some guild influence at play here.”

 

“You mean Nox?”

 

“Yeah,” he replied. “Several members of the judging panel are executives from Terra and Sanjeong. Plus, Novarion is also involved. With Kang Eui-jin spearheading their efforts, openly awarding a treatment for side effects caused by his potion would be… difficult.”

 

Han Seojin chimed in, his tone pragmatic. 

 

“By awarding just an honorable mention, they avoid directly acknowledging the side effects. It’s clear they’re trying to keep Illimital’s name out of the spotlight.”

 

“Those underhanded bastards…” I muttered, reluctantly biting back further comments. Their points made sense, even if it left a bitter taste.

 

As the lower awards wrapped up, an elderly woman, Novarion’s representative, stepped forward to deliver a speech before the main awards began.

 [“The Ultimate Valley will be an institution that supports and advances hunters not only in Korea but worldwide. To commemorate this historic day, Potion Master Kang Eui-jin joins us in spirit! Let’s all count down together! One, two, three!”] 

The crowd erupted in cheers, applauding as the countdown ended, with the giant screens capturing every angle of the scene. Only my group sat in stony silence, refusing to celebrate along with the rest.

 

“A sense of duty?” I thought, scoffing internally. “They’re nothing but frauds.”

 

It was infuriating enough to know they’d impersonated me, but now it was clear that Novarion had been the force preventing me from setting up shop in the busy western district of Wolgye Naru. 

 

I could feel my earlier excitement deflate as the announcement continued to echo around us. All I wanted now was to leave.

 

Just then, I caught snippets of conversation from behind me.

 

“I heard the Presidential Award is already pre-determined.”

 

“Pre-determined? For who?”

 

“Who else? Kang Eui-jin, of course. Novarion’s announcing all of this right before the main awards, so it’d be weird if he didn’t win, right?”

 

“Well, yeah, but since he didn’t show up, I thought maybe he wasn’t getting it…” 

 

As their conversation drifted off, frustration simmered in my chest. So much for “must be present to receive.” If Kang Eui-jin gets the Presidential Award despite skipping the event…

 

I crossed my arms, settling back with a glare directed at the screens. Just then, the camera shifted, revealing a long, draped object below the podium, the mystery of which only added to the sense of spectacle and anticipation surrounding Novarion’s “grand reveal.”

 

With the crowd’s cheers, the white cloth was removed, revealing a golden statue of “Kang Eui-jin” shining beneath it.

 

‘Damn it! That was supposed to be my thing!’

 

A gold statue had been one of the small items on my bucket list. To have that stolen by Fake Eui-jin was so infuriating that I felt a sting of tears. As the crowd roared with excitement, I clenched my fist in irritation, feeling Han Seo-jin’s gloved hand gently rest on the back of my hand.

 

“Hyung, are you okay? Want to head out if it’s too much?”

 

“No. I’ll stay and see how far they take this.” 

 

Grinding my teeth, I shook my head, glaring at the statue and the huge screen showing the fake Eui-jin’s face. I asked, “Hey, do I look anything like him?”

 

“You mean… you and Kang Eui-jin?”

 

The statue, without glasses, did bear a resemblance to me. But the Kang Eui-jin on the screen? Completely different.

 

Han Seo-jin looked back and forth between me and the screen, frowning before shaking his head. “Not at all. There’s no comparison. You’re way better.”

 

“…Right?” 

 

His answer improved my mood a little, but a question nagged at me. The fake Eui-jin and I didn’t look alike, so why did people keep saying we did?

 

‘Maybe it’s something with those glasses…’ 

 

Narrowing my eyes, I was about to ask Han Seo-jin something when, suddenly, the screen went dark.

 

“Han Seo-jin, so that statue and the fake Eui-j— Wait, what? What’s going on?”

 

“Is this a broadcast error?”

 

Up ahead, a loud murmur was spreading through the crowd. The noise was so intense that it felt like more than just a technical glitch, making everyone, myself included, stand up to get a better view. Even on my tiptoes, though, I couldn’t see anything past the mass of people in front. Just as confusion grew, a voice not too far away cried out in alarm.

 

“It’s Tae, Tae Jae-heon!!”

 

“What?”

 

The name set off a wave of agitation through the crowd, so loud that I couldn’t even hear Han Seo-jin’s voice next to me. 

 

‘Why the hell is Tae Jae-heon here?!’

 

Panicked, I quickly pulled my hood down further over my head and turned to find a way out. But with people surging forward, whipped into a frenzy, all exits were blocked. Reporters who had come for the awards ceremony rushed toward the stage, and then, as if on cue, the blacked-out screen came alive, displaying Tae Jae-heon’s face, massive and unmistakable.

 

“Damn, damn… I have to get out of here…”

 

“Hyung, come over here next to me. You’ll get hurt.”

 

“Let go!”

 

My voice came out sharper than I intended, making Han Seo-jin freeze in surprise. But I had no time to worry about him—every screen in the venue had switched to a live feed of Tae Jae-heon.

 [Where have you been all this time, Tae Jae-heon!]   [Does your long absence have anything to do with Kang Eui-jin?]   [What do you think about Nox’s collapse after your disappearance? Did you just stand by and watch it happen?]” 

Tae Jae-heon said nothing, his dark eyes sweeping slowly over the venue, as if searching for something. As his face filled every screen around me, a chill ran down my spine, and I began to edge backward in alarm.

 

“…Hyung?”

 

“No, it’s nothing. Sorry. Seo-jin ah, I’m in a hurry—I think I have to go. I’ll see you back at the workshop.”

 

I turned around, pulling my hood down low, hoping to slip away. But as I moved through the crowd, trying to avoid Han Seo-jin’s outstretched hand, a chorus of horrified screams erupted behind me. Panic swept closer like a shockwave, its noise reaching all the way to where we were.

 

“Ahhh! Save us!”

 

“There’s a monster! Run!”

 

I spun around and saw people scattering, parting like the Red Sea as they fled from something. In the open space, two black dogs were charging toward me, closing the distance fast.

 

“Woof! Woof!”

 

“Damn… I’m screwed.”

 

A cold dread seeped through me as the two beasts circled around me, snarling and snapping, forcing everyone nearby to back away, leaving me in a hollow circle. Then, I spotted a figure up by the stage—a man leaping down effortlessly. Even from over a hundred meters away, his presence was paralyzing, as if I was shackled in place.

 

Tae Jae-heon approached in slow, deliberate strides, pausing in front of the golden statue. With a casual flick of his wrist, as if swatting aside a nuisance, he shattered the statue into four pieces, which crashed to the ground.

 

As his gaze swung back toward me, I felt sweat gather in my clenched fists. Just then, one of the dogs began to whimper.

 

“Whine… whimper…”

 

“Grrr…”

 

Ignoring the growling beasts, Han Seo-jin slipped beside me, glaring at Tae Jae-heon with clenched teeth, his voice a barely audible murmur.

 

“Hyung…! What are you doing here? We need to get out of here. Now.”

 

Damn it, when did he get this close…

 

Tae Jae-heon, now standing right before me, stopped in his tracks. His snake-like gaze slowly scanned me from head to toe. As expected, he knew everything. But how?

 

“Come here.”

 

Tae Jae-heon waved his hand toward me. Han Seo-jin, who had quickly stepped in front of me, shot him a wary, hostile look.

 

“I said, come here.”

 

“Hyung, stay back. Who the hell are you?”

 

“Tae Jae-heon.”

 

At the sound of Tae Jae-heon calling me by that name, Han Seo-jin turned to me with an even more shocked expression. In that split second, Tae Jae-heon moved in, raising his arm wrapped in a dark aura, and casually tossed Han Seo-jin aside like a ragdoll. Han Seo-jin flew through the air, crashing far off in the distance.

 

“Han Seo-jin!”

 

On the ground, Han Seo-jin cursed angrily, pulling out a gun from his jacket. When Tae Jae-heon scoffed at him, the gun began to glow with a faint blue light as it charged.

 

For the first time, Park Mu-il, who had been stunned into silence, snapped out of it and rushed to stop Han Seo-jin.

 

“Han Seo-jin, you crazy bastard! There are civilians here!”

 

“Let go! I won’t miss this time.”

 

“You can’t! Let it go!”

 

As I was about to rush toward Han Seo-jin, shocked by the blood flowing from his head, a strong grip on my arm stopped me.

 

“Where do you think you’re going?”

 

“…Tae Jae-heon.”

 

“It’s been a long time, huh?”

 

From where we stood, black smoke rose up like flames, swiftly engulfing me and Tae Jae-heon.

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