Capítulo 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.