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9.77% Dual levelling: I level up with my clones / Chapter 22: Eclipse Hunters Guild (2)

Chapter 22: Eclipse Hunters Guild (2)

The room was thick with an uncomfortable silence. Seung's gaze remained fixed on his stats, the numbers flickering on the screen before him. A few seconds later, he turned, his palm still pressed against the cool surface.

"Are we done here?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with a sharp edge as he looked at Mr. Choi.

Kim Eunji let out a heavy sigh, crossing her arms behind her back. Her eyes locked with Seung's, searching for something beyond the surface. "Mr. Lee Seung, your guild registered you as an F-rank, but these stats… they're too high."

Seung felt his teeth grind together, a faint heat rising in his chest. His free hand started to sweat, and he clenched it into a fist to keep it from shaking.

Kim Eunji didn't back down. She continued, her voice steady, "Is there a mistake with your registered rank, or... are you undergoing some kind of super evolution? I'm curious."

Seung's mind raced, panic threatening to overtake him. 'She's setting a trap! Damn it, what do I say?'

He knew the truth—he was stronger than an F-rank, maybe even close to E-rank—but admitting that would only raise more questions. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, each beat growing louder as the silence in the room stretched on.

Mr. Choi, sensing the danger, stepped in. He could feel Eunji's icy stare, but he ignored it, focusing on diffusing the situation. 'This could get ugly fast,' he thought. 'But I can't let them take him away.'

Mr. Choi forced a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "Haha, Miss Kim, please, be lenient with my employee. He's always so scatterbrained; it's a wonder he even remembered to show up today."

Eunji's eyes narrowed, her cold gaze pinning Mr. Choi. "What exactly do you mean, Mr. Choi?"

"Well," Mr. Choi began, scratching the back of his head, "Last time he went hunting, I had to remind him to wear his gear. He's forgetful like that—always misplacing things, forgetting important details. It's no wonder he didn't notice his stats changing."

Eunji's expression didn't soften. If anything, she seemed more suspicious. "Could you get to the point? We're wasting time here."

Mr. Choi sighed, realizing he was running out of options. "What I mean is, Mr. Lee forgot to do a stats checkup at the Hunter Centre. As you can see, even he's shocked by how much he's improved. It's like his mind is off somewhere else, haha..."

Despite his efforts, Eunji wasn't convinced. She turned to the elderly man beside her, whispering something before he handed her a bulky book. Flipping through the pages, she stopped and held it out for Mr. Choi to see.

"This is the Hunter record," she said, her tone cold and firm. "Mr. Lee Seung took his Hunter examination just a few weeks ago, after his Awakening. Do you really think it's possible for him to rise in rank so quickly?"

Mr. Choi swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. He knew if Eunji pushed any further, Seung might be detained for investigation, and that could spell disaster.

Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, Seung spoke up, his voice cutting through the tension in the room like a blade. "It's true, I became a Hunter a few weeks ago," he admitted, his tone calm but determined.

Eunji raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. Mr. Choi stared at Seung, his heart pounding, unsure of what the young man would say next.

Seung continued, his voice steady, "The reason for my rapid growth is simple. My sister has been in a coma for years, and I was told she could be cured with the Jar of Life. That's why I became a Hunter. I raid dungeons frequently to get stronger. I have to become stronger—there's no other choice. I might need to face a C-rank monster sooner than I'd like."

Eunji's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. There was something in Seung's words that struck a chord with her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that he was holding something back.

Moments later, Seung and Mr. Choi left the testing room. As they walked down the hallway, Seung felt a weight lift off his shoulders, but he knew they weren't out of the woods yet. He glanced back to see Eunji leaning against the doorframe, her eyes boring into their backs.

"Miss Kim, are you off his case now?" asked Mr. Chu, the elderly man standing behind her.

Eunji's gaze remained fixed on Seung and Mr. Choi. "I'm not buying his story so easily," she murmured, almost to herself. "But I have a plan."

Seung's heart skipped a beat as they reached the lounge. Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror, and he froze mid-step. "Stop the truck! There's a girl in the way!"

Everyone in the lounge turned to look outside. The guild's glass walls offered a clear view of the main road, where a little girl, no more than eight years old, stood frozen in fear as a truck barreled toward her.

"OH, MY GOD!"

"Someone, please help her!"

"Dear lord, she's going to get hit!"

The room erupted in panic, people scrambling to the windows, while security guards bolted out of the building, waving frantically at the truck driver.

"Pull over! Stop the truck!" they yelled, but their cries were in vain. The truck showed no signs of slowing down, and it was mere inches from the girl.

Suddenly, a loud BAM echoed through the air, followed by a metallic buzz and the screeching of tires. Everyone in the lounge held their breath, their eyes locked on the scene outside.

When the dust settled, Seung slowly looked up. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped in disbelief. "Who… who stopped the truck?!"

A man with white hair, clad in a long black coat, stood at the front of the truck, one palm pressed firmly against its bumper. The truck, which had been hurtling toward the girl at full speed, was now completely still, as if it had run into an immovable object.

"It's him! That's Park Junho, the S-rank Hunter!" someone in the guild shouted, their voice filled with awe.

Seung was utterly overwhelmed. He had heard stories of S-rank Hunters, but seeing one in action was something else entirely. 'He stopped that truck with just one hand… How?'

"There's no need to be so shocked, Mr. Lee," Mr. Choi said, a hint of a smile in his voice. "That's just a glimpse of what an S-ranker can do."

Before Seung could respond, the S-rank Hunter appeared at the guild's entrance, the little girl safely in his arms. His movements were so fast, Seung barely registered them. All he could do was whisper, "Wow…"

'So this is what it means to be the best? I can't even move that fast using Light Speed,' Seung thought, his mind racing.

Mr. Choi leaned in close, his voice barely above a whisper. "A word of advice: don't make it obvious that you admire him."

"Why not?" Seung asked, confused.

"Because he can be a real jerk sometimes," Mr. Choi replied, his tone dead serious.

Seung barely had time to process this when he heard the sharp click of expensive shoes against the tiled floor. The sound grew louder as the S-rank Hunter approached, stopping just beside Mr. Choi.

A smirk played on the man's lips as he looked at Seung. "Nothing's more fun than making an entrance, don't you think, Mr. Minho?"

Mr. Choi forced a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I suppose it depends on the entrance, Mr. Park."

Park Junho chuckled, his eyes flicking up to the ceiling as if he found the whole situation amusing. "It's a shame you were expelled from Dongwon Guild. You wouldn't be stuck in this… less-than-glamorous role as a mere manager."

He turned his gaze back to Mr. Choi, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Surely, you must have some clever retort for that?"

Seung stared at Mr. Choi in shock. He had never known that Mr. Choi once worked for one of the most prestigious guilds in Seoul—or that he had been expelled.

'But for what?' Seung wondered, his mind swirling with questions.

Mr. Choi's fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles turning white, but he kept his composure, his face betraying none of the anger boiling inside him.

Park Junho's gaze shifted to Seung, then back to Mr. Choi. "It's amusing, really. You're too stingy to hire a proper manager, so you do all the work yourself. How… quaint."

At that moment, Seung, feigning innocence, accidentally stepped on Park Junho's foot. "Oh my! I'm so sorry, sir. That was an accident…" he said, his voice filled with mock concern.

'What the hell is his shoe made of? Steel?' Seung thought, glancing down at the S-rank Hunter's unscathed shoe.

Park Junho didn't even flinch, his expression remaining as cool as ever. He looked down at Seung, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "I see you're his employee. How about you come work for me instead? I'll pay you a billion won per day to be my errand boy."

Seung instantly recognized the game Park was playing—trying to sow discord between him and Mr. Choi. He met the S-rank Hunter's gaze, a sly grin spreading across his face.

"Wow, sir, that's a generous offer. But may I ask you a quick question?"

"Go ahead," Park Junho replied, his confidence unwavering.

Seung leaned in slightly, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Who do you think is wealthier? A man with a thousand gold coins or a man who owns a field of precious herbs?"

Silence fell over the room. Park Junho's smirk faltered for just a moment, his eyes narrowing as he studied Seung. The young man's calm demeanor didn't waver, even as the seconds ticked by.

Finally, Park Junho chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "I see you have a sharp tongue. I'll give you that."


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Kutley Kutley

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Chapter 23: Learning My Clones' Moves (1)

"Mister Park! Mister Park!"

A voice rang out from behind, frantic and breathless. Lee Seung turned to see a young man with chestnut-colored hair sprinting towards them, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The guy's face was flushed with exertion, and beads of sweat dotted his brow. He finally reached Park Junho's side, doubling over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

"Yee... yee," the young man panted, gasping for air. "Oh my, why... why did you move that fast?!"

Park Junho, the S-rank Hunter, remained as unbothered as ever. He casually glanced at Lee Seung, his hands sliding into his pockets with an air of arrogance that was impossible to miss. His lips curled into a smirk as he spoke, "You should be careful with the kind of people you offend, kid. Being targeted by powerful people... well, it won't end well for you, not as a Hunter, or even as a human being."

The bluntness of the threat was like a slap in the face, and for a moment, Lee Seung felt his heart skip a beat. But as the words sank in, something surprising happened—he didn't feel the expected terror. Instead, a strange calm settled over him, almost like a numbness. He'd once feared his bullies at school, their mere presence enough to make his heart race with dread. But this man, who was leagues above them in power, didn't inspire the same fear. Instead, he felt a kind of detached curiosity.

Mr. Choi, standing beside him, shut his eyes and sighed, his worry clear in the lines of his face. 'He isn't even hiding the fact that he's making a threat. Mr. Lee shouldn't have offended him for my sake!' he thought, silently berating himself for dragging Lee Seung into this mess.

By then, the young man with chestnut hair had finally regained his breath. He straightened up and leaned in closer to Park Junho, his voice dropping to a whisper, though Lee Seung could still catch the words. "Mister Park, don't forget you have an appointment—"

"Cut it out, I know," Junho replied calmly, cutting him off. He gave Mr. Choi and Lee Seung one last glance, his eyes flickering with cold amusement before he turned on his heel and strode away, the chestnut-haired man trailing behind.

As the pair disappeared from view, Lee Seung replayed the threat in his mind. It was a dangerous one, no doubt about it. But what struck him more was his own reaction—or lack thereof. He wasn't scared. He grinned to himself, almost bemused by the change. 'Maybe I'll be frightened the day he actually follows through on his threat,' he thought, feeling oddly confident.

"Mr. Lee," Mr. Choi's voice snapped him back to the present. "We should move on."

Lee Seung nodded, casting one last glance in the direction Junho had gone before following Mr. Choi out of the building. As they walked away, neither noticed the shadowy figure lurking in the corner, eyes fixed on Lee Seung with intense curiosity.

Later that day, a red Range Rover pulled over at the junction of Lee Seung's former neighborhood. As Lee Seung stepped out, Mr. Choi leaned across the passenger seat, looking at him with a mixture of gratitude and concern.

"Thank you for today, Mr. Lee," Mr. Choi said, his voice tinged with weariness.

Lee Seung gave a small, reassuring smile. "I couldn't just stand by when he was trying to humiliate you."

Mr. Choi hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Aren't you curious why I was expelled from Dongwon Guild?"

Seung met his gaze, considering the question. "Honestly, I'm curious. But you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. Besides, the past is just the past."

A faint smile touched Mr. Choi's lips at the younger man's response. The weight of his past—a past marked by wrongful accusations and the subsequent shunning by his peers—had made him an outcast. Everywhere he went, people whispered behind his back, eagerly dredging up the scandal. Yet here was someone who not only stood up for him but wasn't interested in prying into the old wounds. It was something Mr. Choi had longed for more than he realized.

"I have to meet someone today," Lee Seung said, breaking the moment of reflection. "So you can pick up my clones at home and drop them at an E-rank dungeon. They'll handle it; they won't come out of it unscathed."

"Uh... no problem. I'll take care of it," Mr. Choi replied, snapping back to reality.

With a final nod, the red car roared away, leaving Lee Seung standing alone in the fading light. He turned and began walking up the familiar street, his thoughts already shifting to his next task—tutoring Mr. Song's granddaughter for an hour and then paying his sister's care fee.

When he arrived at Mr. Song's house, the scene inside was peaceful. The small living room was warm and cozy, the air filled with the faint scent of tea and freshly polished wood. Jiwon, Mr. Song's granddaughter, was seated at a low table in the center of the room, surrounded by textbooks and notes. The only sounds were the occasional rustling of paper and the distant hum of the city outside.

CLANK...

Jiwon looked up from her Physics textbook as the door closed behind Lee Seung. A bright smile spread across her face as she recognized him.

"You came."

Lee Seung slipped off his shoes and exchanged them for a pair of house slippers. He returned her smile, walking over to sit across from her on the floor. Glancing at the open textbook in front of her, he asked, "How far have you gotten with this?"

Jiwon bit her lip, her smile turning sheepish. It was clear she was struggling.

"How about we start afresh?" Seung suggested, trying to keep his tone light. He still felt awkward in social situations, but tutoring seemed to come a bit more naturally to him.

They began working together, with Seung explaining the topics and guiding Jiwon through the problems. The room filled with the quiet murmur of their voices, punctuated by Jiwon's occasional exclamations of understanding and Seung's patient corrections.

Time slipped away unnoticed. The golden afternoon light gradually gave way to the deep orange of sunset, casting long shadows across the room. A cool evening breeze rustled the leaves outside, and one by one, the stars began to twinkle in the darkening sky.

Before he knew it, Seung had spent the entire day tutoring her, far beyond the hour he had planned. As the sky deepened into twilight, he finally stood up, stretching his stiff muscles and reaching for his bag.

"It's getting dark. I should head home," he said, the reluctance in his voice barely masked.

Jiwon stood as well, her face glowing with gratitude. "Oh, yes, you should. We'll see each other at school the day after tomorrow."

"Yes. Take care, Jiwon," Seung replied, giving her a warm smile before heading out the door.

The ride home was quiet, and by the time Seung arrived, darkness had fully settled over the city. He opened the door to his apartment, greeted by the faint sound of the TV playing in the background.

As expected, his clones were sprawled out on the couch, their postures a clear indication of their exhaustion. One sat slumped forward, barely upright, while the other was curled up in a corner, eyes half-closed as he absently watched the screen.

"You guys must have worked hard at the dungeon," Seung said with a chuckle as he kicked off his shoes. The clones glanced up at him, their weariness evident.

"Welcome, master," they mumbled in unison, though their enthusiasm was clearly dampened by their fatigue.

Lee Seung couldn't help but smile at the sight. They were his creations, after all, and despite their tired expressions, there was a sense of pride in knowing how capable they were. "Unsummon clones."

A bluish platform materialized in front of him, shimmering with ethereal light.

[Unsummoning clones...]

The clones' bodies began to dissolve into tiny azure particles, gradually fading from existence until nothing was left but a few lingering sparks of light.

Lee Seung walked into his room, feeling the weight of the day finally settle on his shoulders. He collapsed onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling as the familiar screen hovered above, confirming the clones had been successfully unsummoned. Exhaustion tugged at his eyelids, and with a deep sigh, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

Morning arrived with a chorus of birds outside his window, their cheerful chirping coaxing him awake. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting warm rays across his skin. Lee Seung stretched with a satisfied groan, feeling the stiffness ease from his muscles. After a quick shower, he made himself a simple breakfast of pasta, savoring the quiet moments of the new day.

Eventually, he decided it was time to get back to work. "Resummon clones!"

Thud!

A cloud of dust swirled in the air as the familiar forms of First and Second materialized before him. They stood at attention, ready for the day's tasks.

"Welcome back, guys," Seung greeted them with a grin. "Our goal today is to push our limits."

"Push our limits?" First echoed, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Lee Seung rubbed his chin thoughtfully. 'I used to think Second was stronger than First and that I was twice as strong as both of them. But that doesn't seem right anymore. I need to test their strengths against strong humans and each other. That way, I can learn their moves and improve.'

He turned to his clones, who watched him with a mixture of curiosity and readiness. "Let's head out."

The three of them left the neighborhood and boarded a cab. As they drove through the city, the skyscrapers and bustling streets flashed by, but Seung's focus remained on the challenge ahead.

Arriving at the Sparring Complex, Seung stepped out first and looked up at the imposing structure. The building was modern, with sleek lines and large windows that reflected the late afternoon sun.

"Let's have chicken and chips after sparring," Seung said, a grin tugging at his lips. "Follow me."

He led the way into the complex, his clones in tow.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Kutley Kutley

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