6 The Duel
An S-rank Hunter challenging a D-rank in a duel is a very unprecedented event, in fact this kind of occurence has never happened once before and yet right this very moment...it's really happening.
Dam Min-Jee...an S-rank Hunter widely known as one of the strongest Hunters in Korea. Her expertise in using a sword is said to be second to none thus giving her the nickname... 'Blade Empress'.
To show Yu Jin-Ho restraint...Min-Jee requsted a wooden sword from the facility's sparring equipments and pointed it at Jin-Ho.
"I will try and hold back as much as I can. You can use your dagger of you like...it wouldn't change anything anyway."
Dam Min-Jee's actions were clearly underestimating Yu Jin-Ho because he is just a newbie.
Jin-Ho didn't mind what she said as he also took a wooden sword for himself to use. He plans to fight Min-Jee in her area of expertise clearly mocking her.
"If you hold yourself back...that will only make it easier for me to take your place."
"We'll see about that!"
WHOOSH!
In just a split second...Dam Min-Jee vanished on her spot and only reappeared behind Yu Jin-Ho to end him in a single strike.
"It's over."
The White Lotus Guild's master thought that this duel is nothing more than child's play and it will end instantly with her emerging victorious but she didn't expect that it will be harder than she thought as Yu Jin-Ho also seemed to have disappeared on his spot.
Yu Jin-Ho had snucked up on Min-Jee's back and held the tip of his wooden sword on her head.
"This is why I told you to not hold back."
Min-Jee swung her sword towards Jin-Ho which made him step back.
"How dare you make fun of me!"
"If you still value your position as the guild master then you'd better take this seriously."
"Since you're so confident in your skills...I won't hold back anymore."
Dam Min-Jee took a deep breath and soon after...she dashed towards Yu Jin-Ho and went for a full on assualt.
Every attack that Min-Jee makes with her sword gets parried by Jin-Ho. She can't believe that even when she takes this duel seriously...Jin-Ho can still keep up.
This cleared Yu Jin-Ho's calculations. It seems that his overall stats as of now can more or less compete with an S-rank in strength. The whole reason why Jin-Ho agreed in the duel between him and Dam Min-Jee was to test his current strength compared to an S-rank.
After a few seconds of direct confrontation...the two finally stopped and made a distance with each other. Min-Jee changed her and yelled.
«Lacerate»
A sharp condensed energy was released from Dam Min-Jee's sword as she swung it directlt at Yu Jin-Ho at amazing speed.
By a hair's dreadth...Yu Jin-Ho managed to avoid a potentially fatal attack.
'That was close...this woman's scary when she's serous.'
Yu Jin-Ho was the one who went for the offense this time. Since he still doesn't have a ranged skill as of yet...Jin-Ho had no other option but to shorten their distance to be able to attack.
Due to Jin-Ho's high agility...he closed their distance immediately. This startled Dam Min-Jee a bit as Jin-Ho's face was already just a few centimeters towards her's.
With a swing from his sword...Jin-Ho managed to cut a miniscule amount hair from Min-Jee's head. Luckily for the S-rank...she quickly positioned herself in time to dodge the seemingly dangerous attack from Yu Jin-Ho which only cost her a bit of her hair.
Their repeated exchange of blows caused considerable damage on the stage they're fighting on. Even the barrier is having a hard time containing the damage from breaking out.
The crowd were amazed by the spectacle they are seeing right this moment. They can't believe that a mere D-rank could hold his ground against an S-rank Hunter whose considered to be one of the best there is.
Dam Min-Jee noticed that Yu Jin-Ho cannot use any skills whatsoever that's why he can only fight in close range. She used this opportunity to utilize her skill 'Lacerate' on keeping herself out of Jin-Ho's range. Everytime Yu Jin-Ho tries to get closer to her...Min-Jee would use her ranged skill to interrupt him from engaging.
By using 'Lacerate'...Dam Min-Jee concluded that she got this duel in the bag but due to Jin-Ho's agile movements, the skill is proven to be useless. Since she can't win by gaining distance...Min-Jee decided to fight Jin-Ho head on.
The ferocious exchange the two Hunters had was put into stop when their swords broke at their last trade-off.
Dam Min-Jee was sweating and panting heavily due to the continuous exchange they had just made which made her quite exhausted. Even her hands went numb from parrying Jin-Ho's heavy blows. Min-Jee can't believe that a D-rank could reduce her to this state.
Still...she can't give up. Dam Min-Jee clenched her fists and went on a fighting stance. Even without her sword...Min-Jee can still fight hand to hand combat.
«Body Strengthening»
Dam Min-Jee's whole body got covered in a blue light which soon dispersed due to the effect of the strengthening skill she applied on her body using mana.
Without a weapon in his hands...Yu Jin-Ho seems to be quite getting worked up a bit.
'Crap...I don't have any weapon to use anymore.'
He was interrupted in his thoughts when Min-Jee took the initiative to engage...Jin-Ho evaded it either way.
"W-wait..."
Yu Jin-Ho tried to stop Min-Jee from attacking but unluckily for him...his words fell on deaf ears...
Min-Jee became very irritated by Jin-Ho's constant evasion.
"Come and fight back dammit!"
With no other way out...Jin-Ho desperately avoided her attacks as best as he can, at best...Yu Jin-Ho even utilized using the soles of his shoes to parry Dam Min-Jee's unrelenting strikes.
"Use your hands you bastard!"
Dam Min-Jee's one sided assaults went on for a few more moments until Yu Jin-Ho surrendered himself. He held his hands up in in a surrendering manner.
"What's the meaning of this?!"
"Can't you see...I give up."
Jin-Ho walked out the stage leaving Min-Jee in a state of confusion. From what she could see...Yu Jin-Ho still has more than enough strength to continue that's why she is questionable about him suddenly giving up the duel.
From what the spectators could see...Jin-Ho can go toe to toe with Min-Jee just fine so they asked him the reason why he admitted defeat.
Jin-Ho responded saying that Dam Min-Jee was still holding back her attacks that's why he could somehow keep up. He also added that he exhausted all his energy halfway that's why he couldn't continue anymore. Of course Yu Jin-Ho is lying through his teeth and the real reason why he just suddenly surrendered lies somewhere else.
The crowd accepted Jin-Ho's statements and concluded that it was only natural since he was matched with a Hunter four ranks higher than him...and thus Dam Min-Jee retained her position as the guild master of the White Lotus.
After their duel...the crowd slowly dispersed. Dam Min-Jee looked for Jin-Ho to talk to him but to no avail...Yu Jin-Ho had already left.
Min-Jee requested her subordinate to find out where Yu Jin-Ho lives for unknown reason.
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Yu Jin-Ho was tired from all of yesterday's activity. After he dueled with Dam Min-Jee...Jin-Ho went and took several F-rank raids the whole afternoon.
Just right after he showered...Jin-Ho heard a knock on his door. He immediately wore his clothes with his long hair still drenched.
Yu Jin-Ho made his way to the door leaving a trail of water droplets that flowed down of his hair. He then opened the door to find out who is visiting him this early in the morning.
A familiar woman was standing outside his apartment room.
"So this is where you live...Yu Jin-Ho"
