Chapter 15: The Unforgettable Day

Mr. Choi glanced at Lee Seung, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "What's that?" he asked.

Without looking up from his phone, Seung replied casually, "It's just the name people have given my 'team.'"

His eyes remained glued to the screen as the video played, over and over again. As he had hoped, his face wasn't clearly captured, leaving his identity a mystery. His clones, however, were more distinctive; they wore nose masks and caps, a small but deliberate choice that set them apart from him.

Meanwhile, in a nearby gym, the clang of weights filled the air. A slim lady with long golden hair, her figure curvaceous yet strong, effortlessly lifted a hundred-pound barbell with one hand. In the other, she held her phone, her eyes fixed on the same video that had captivated Lee Seung.

The gym manager watched her in disbelief, rubbing his chin. "I still can't wrap my head around it," he muttered. "How does someone as slim as her lift that much weight? And it's not like she's got massive muscles."

Placing the barbell on the floor with a soft thud, the lady navigated to the comment section of the video. With a quick tap, she typed, "Nice work, fellow Hunters."

She walked over to the manager, her footsteps light yet purposeful.

"Merry Christmas in advance, Miss Eunji," the man said, flashing her a wide smile.

Kim Eunji didn't respond, her expression remaining cool and distant as she left the gym. The manager, used to her aloofness, simply shrugged and returned to his laptop.

He chuckled to himself, "Let me get back to watching that Neuro Disruptor video. She made me pause it earlier."

* * *

The car came to a halt in front of Seung's house. Mr. Choi turned to him with a warm smile. "Merry Christmas in advance, Mr. Lee."

Seung's face clouded over, his expression shifting from neutral to somber in an instant. He cleared his throat, opened the car door, and stepped out, leaving Mr. Choi puzzled.

"Did I... say something wrong?" Mr. Choi called out, a hint of guilt in his voice.

Seung paused, turning back with a strained smile. "No, Mr. Choi, it's not your fault. It's just... Christmas is an unforgettable day for me, in ways I'd rather not remember. I prefer not to celebrate it."

He climbed the steps to his doorstep, his heart heavy, his mind ablaze with painful memories. The past clung to him like a shadow, a constant reminder of what he had lost.

As he reached his door, he clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white. "Get out of my sight," he ordered his clones, his voice low and strained. "Go work out at the gym."

Without hesitation, the clones obeyed, their footsteps echoing down the stairs.

Seung sighed deeply, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. "Why did he have to bring up the festival?"

Inside his apartment, Seung collapsed onto the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling. He picked up his phone, hoping for a distraction, but the broadcast that greeted him only stirred the turmoil within him.

On the screen, a woman spoke with a somber tone, "Five years ago, on December 25th, humanity waged war against monsters. Many of us lost our loved ones that day, and tomorrow remains an unforgettable reminder..."

With a sharp cry of frustration, Seung flung his phone across the couch. "I refuse to let this year be any different!" he shouted, his voice trembling with anger. "It was on that cursed day that I lost everything! My family, my home, my happiness—all gone because of those monsters!"

His anger surged, boiling over as he stood, fists clenched. "Why must this godforsaken festival be honored? Why?!"

Suddenly, the screen on his phone lit up on its own, catching his attention. Seung frowned, intrigued but wary.

[An external mana flowed into your body and has been blocked. Please check it out in the 'Residue' icon.]

His frown deepened as realization struck. The mana must have been from the monster's head he had savored earlier. He forced himself to calm down, curiosity piqued. "Okay, navigate to the Residue icon."

The screen switched, revealing the image of a reddish stone. Seung's eyes widened in surprise. The AI had stopped the mana from corrupting him, molding it into this stone instead. It was extraordinary.

"My stats would have increased if that mana had entered me," he mused. "Why was it blocked? Can't I get stronger with external material?"

[The mana of monsters can corrupt a Hunter's special abilities and turn them completely powerless.]

Seung nodded slowly, understanding the danger. "I didn't know it was that risky."

[Subject can't utilize it, nor can his clones.]

[However, the mana can be used to upgrade weapons.]

A thought crossed Seung's mind. 'Maybe my dagger will feel lighter if I upgrade it.' He retrieved the weapon from his backpack and held it up to the screen. "Upgrade this for me."

[Weapon scanning complete.]

To his astonishment, the dagger disintegrated into smoke and vanished into the screen. Seung's mouth dropped open in shock. A few seconds later, the dagger reappeared in his hand, feeling slightly different, sharper, more potent.

The screen displayed a new option: Seung could now store the weapon in an icon called Inventory and summon it when needed. "Really?" he murmured, intrigued by the possibilities.

The screen then prompted him, [Please designate a summoning statement.]

A grin spread across his face as he remembered the day he had been asked to do the same for his first clone. This time, he wasn't in a rush; he could afford to be creative. "Hmm..." He rubbed his chin, thinking it over. Finally, he declared, "Shadow Blade!"

[Saved.]

[Shadow Blade has been assigned a skill—Shadow Manipulation.]

[Shadow Manipulation: A skill capable of absorbing and channeling shadows for stealthy attacks.]

Excitement surged through Seung as he realized his dagger had not just become stronger, it had evolved. He stored it in the Inventory, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Exhausted from the day's events, he lay down, intending to take a short nap, unaware that sleep would soon claim him deeply.

* * *

The sun was high in the sky when Seung finally awoke, the cheerful chirping of birds pulling him from his slumber. He yawned, stretched, and went through his morning routine—drinking a glass of water, brushing his teeth—his thoughts wandering back to his clones. They still hadn't returned from the gym.

He called the first clone, his voice sharp with impatience. "Get back home, now."

With that handled, Seung began packing his belongings, stuffing his monitor into a large bag. He was ready to leave, to move on. He picked up his phone and called Mr. Choi. "Good morning, sir. Could you come to my house? I need your help with something."

True to form, Mr. Choi arrived within minutes. Seung explained that he was moving to a new apartment, and Mr. Choi readily offered his assistance. Soon after, Mr. Song joined them as promised, and together with Seung's clones, they made their way to his new place in Starfall Estate.

Seung's new home was a modest single-story duplex with two rooms and a small compound. He had chosen it deliberately, wanting a room he could turn into a personal gym. Across from his house stood a tall condominium, its large rooftop catching his eye.

A week passed, and Christmas day arrived. For Seung, it was just another day, a day he didn't celebrate, but he had somewhere important to be.

Dressed in a brown leather jacket, he ordered a bouquet of flowers from a store. Soon, there was a knock on his door.

"I'm coming," Seung called, opening the door to find a delivery man standing there.

"Good morning. You are Mr. Lee Seung, right?" the man asked.

"Yes, that's me," Seung replied, accepting the bouquet. "Thank you, sir."

As the delivery man left, Seung stepped out of the house, locking the door behind him. Just then, the blaring of sirens and the roar of engines filled the air. He turned to see a powerful bike speeding down the street, moving so fast it was almost a blur. Seung's instincts told him the driver was a metahuman like himself.

Seconds later, five police cars raced after the bike, their engines straining to keep up. Seung shook his head, realizing the futility of their chase. "So, metahumans are using their powers for crime now? That's bad."

He walked over to another bike parked by the side of the road, his mind made up. The police didn't stand a chance against an awakened criminal—they were hopelessly outmatched.

Seung mounted the bike, gripping the flower bouquet tightly. "Thankfully, I'm here."

Seung mounted the sleek black motorcycle, feeling the hum of its engine beneath him. The flower bouquet rested delicately in the small compartment attached to the side of the bike. He adjusted his grip on the handlebars, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the criminal's bike tearing down the street ahead.

The man was no ordinary biker. The way he maneuvered through traffic, weaving between cars with razor-sharp precision, told Seung that he was dealing with someone with enhanced abilities—another metahuman. His heart rate quickened, adrenaline coursing through his veins as the thrill of the chase set in.

With a deep breath, Seung twisted the throttle, the bike roaring to life as it surged forward. He leaned into the wind, his body low, his eyes locked on the target ahead. The criminal glanced back, his eyes widening as he realized he was being followed. But instead of panicking, he grinned, a cocky smirk spreading across his face as he revved his engine, pushing his bike to the limit.

Seung's own bike responded in kind, its powerful engine growling as he increased his speed. The streets of Seoul blurred around him as he navigated the chaotic traffic, his reflexes sharp, his focus unwavering. Cars honked and swerved as the two bikers zipped past, their speed a blur to the ordinary drivers.

The criminal was good—very good. He took sharp turns at breakneck speeds, skidding dangerously close to the edge of control before pulling back, always just a hair ahead of Seung. But Seung was relentless, his eyes never leaving his target.

The chase led them through the heart of the city, past towering skyscrapers and bustling markets. The criminal zigzagged through a crowded intersection, narrowly avoiding a collision with a delivery truck. Seung followed without hesitation, his bike deftly threading the needle between the cars.

As they raced through a narrow alleyway, the walls closing in on either side, Seung could see the criminal's muscles tense, his grip tightening on the handlebars. The man was trying to shake him, but Seung was too close, his presence a constant shadow in the criminal's rearview mirror.

The alley opened up into a wider street, and the criminal gunned the engine, pushing his bike to its absolute limits. The tires screeched against the asphalt as he veered onto an empty highway, his bike hurtling down the open road like a missile.

Seung followed, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the rush of air against his face, the roar of the engine vibrating through his bones. The criminal was fast, but Seung knew he had to be smarter.

The man cackle, mockingly. "Haha, how can a frail-looking kid like you do that? Let's see if you can catch up with my speed first."

After saying that, the man sped fastly ahead.

Seung smirked, and said, "That's too easy."