I'll show you
Hiyori let out a hollow laugh when she arrived at the exchange hall. Even as she watched with her own eyes, she could hardly believe this was real.
First off, another entrance had appeared in the exchange hall.
"Nice."
The original entrance, built centuries ago, had been far too small. From now on, coming and going would be much more comfortable through the new entrance.
"Who's the one lying there?"
Hosaka Rena.
The fox who'd played the role of tiger in the exchange in Hiyori's absence.
She'd been slammed so hard that deep cracks scored the retaining wall.
Who could have done this to Rena? Hiyori wondered. To her knowledge, among the young people who attended the exchange, there was no one whose martial might surpassed Rena's. Unless someone from another family had achieved impossible progress in a year, or some completely unknown newcomer Hiyori had never heard of showed up, it didn't make sense.
"Hey, Hosaka's youngest."
Hiyori called to Rito, who was busy supporting his sister.
"I'm busy—who's—?!"
Rito's annoyance cut off as he inhaled sharply.
He was ranked seventh in the official Japanese players' ranking. Undefeated since he joined the exchange. A real tiger had appeared.
When he lowered his eyes, the Hosaka family members glanced at Hiyori.
Their earlier swagger had drained from them. It was understandable. If Hiyori's temper flared, a single mistake could leave someone bone-broken for the day.
Hiyori pointed at the blood-smeared Rena.
"Who did this to her?"
"Th-the Jin family of Jenex."
"What?"
That couldn't be right.
Jin Seojun, Jin Seojeong, Jin Seohui. The youngest showed promise, but none of them were at Rena's level yet.
"Which one of the three?"
"It wasn't any of them. It was someone else—a close acquaintance who said they'd brought him specially today."
"What's his name? And why are you making me guess like this? Are you playing twenty questions? It's annoying."
"I-I'm sorry! His name is Yu Jinhyeok—he's a guy our age."
Hiyori narrowed her eyes. The name was new to her.
At that moment, Rena, coming to her senses, looked up at Hiyori.
"G-get out of the way, Hiyori… can't you see how I am?"
Irritation rose in Hiyori. Rena looked as if she'd been crushed to pieces, and yet here she was asking about something so small.
Hiyori looked down at her, wearing that signature sneer.
"The textbook example of strong-weak-weak-strong, Hosaka Rena. Looks like she met the right opponent."
"What…?"
"Don't be melodramatic. You're not going to die from that. And—"
Hiyori's face grew cold.
"You've grown a lot. Ordering people to get out of your way now, huh?"
She must have stayed away from the family for too long. A fox who used to avoid meeting Hiyori's gaze was now barking orders in front of the tiger.
Rena drew breath and dropped her eyes immediately.
She'd almost forgotten who stood before her—a monster, Matsuna Hiyori.
"Tsk."
Hiyori shook her head and walked toward the exchange hall.
Inside, unlike outside, the atmosphere had the feel of a wake. People only dared to glance around, unable to speak freely. There was no unfamiliar face in the crowd.
Hiyori went over to Matsuna Gyuto, her father.
"Where is he? The one who caused all this trouble."
"He isn't here. The Jin family's youngest is receiving treatment, so he's probably over there."
Hiyori nodded and turned. She had no intention of dawdling. She was going to see him right away.
"Hiyori."
Then the former head, Gaigen, stopped her.
Gaigen gave her that kindly look and shook his head. Jenex's side must be in as much of a fluster as this one. He couldn't send Hiyori over in her current state.
Sighing deeply, Hiyori shrugged. Everyone knew she was famously stubborn, but she obeyed her grandfather.
"Aah, I should've come today. Missed some good entertainment," she said.
The Hosaka family's leader's face contorted in anger, but no one dared speak out. Not because they feared Gyuto or Gaigen, but because Hiyori Matsuna was notorious as Japan's top wildcard. Her actions were unpredictable. Who would risk saying something and having a fist fly at their face?
Hiyori gave up searching for Jin Jinhyeok and instead approached Gaigen to ask a question.
"Grandfather. Who's stronger?"
A raw question, delivered with an innocent expression, the kind of expression she hadn't worn in a long time. Gaigen hesitated, and Hiyori's mouth twitched.
"Okay."
Gaigen didn't answer, but his hesitation said plenty. At least as far as Hiyori knew, he had never hesitated like that before.
"Interesting."
Her heart quickened. The mysterious companion who had come with the Jin family—Yu Jinhyeok—piqued her curiosity. She couldn't wait to see him.
A makeshift clinic at the shrine.
Like the exchange hall, a heavy silence hung over this place as well. Everyone had come to check on Jin Seohui's treatment, but the Jin family's attention was fixed not on Seohui but on Jinhyeok.
Even Seohui, bandage on her forehead, couldn't take her eyes off him.
'I didn't expect it to be this bad.'
He'd once single-handedly handled outside threats on the New Calypso and frozen the sea—showing unexplainable abilities. That established that he was strong. But even knowing that, they were shocked.
The New Calypso and the exchange were different situations. Here, one couldn't hide special abilities or get outside help. It was a place where you relied only on your own pure martial power, and yet he produced those results against Hosaka Rena. It was hard to gauge exactly how strong he truly was.
"Seohui, are you okay?"
Jinhyeok broke the silence first, checking Seohui's wounds.
"I'm fine. I wasn't hit directly."
"That's a relief."
Jinhyeok smiled, and Seohui involuntarily smiled back. Honestly, a sore forehead didn't matter to her much.
—KA-BOOM!
The image was still vivid in Jinhyeok's memory: Hosaka Rena bursting cleanly through the wall. It had been so satisfying and cathartic that he felt he'd remember it forever.
The sliding door opened and Matsuna Gyuto, head of the Matsuna family, entered.
Jinhyeok inhaled sharply.
Now the most frightening presence in this situation had arrived.
'How much—'
Depending on how things went, they might have to petition the Hunter Bureau for help. There was no way current bank balances could cover the costs of that centuries-old building.
"How's she?"
"She's fine. Treatment went well."
Gyuto nodded and looked at Jin Taegon.
"It's a shame something like this happened at the exchange."
"It can happen when people face off against each other like that."
"Thanks for saying that. I had intended to demand compensation from the Hosaka side—the final blow was too obviously intentional. But—"
Before Gyuto could finish, Jin Taegon shook his head.
"Let it go. Seohui wants that, and besides, by injury level, we're the ones who ought to be compensating them."
Jinhyeok stiffened. He felt like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Hosaka won't push the matter either. It's like both sides landed a blow—one was just much stronger."
Another jolt. Cold sweat ran down his back.
Gyuto turned his gaze.
"Tell me your name again."
Although he already knew, he asked again. When Jinhyeok had introduced himself earlier, Gyuto hadn't paid much attention. He'd assumed an outsider had come for some other purpose, not thinking him remarkable.
"Yu Jinhyeok."
"Matsuna Gyuto."
This time, Gyuto extended his hand.
What Gyuto had seen in one swing was enough. That kind of strike couldn't be produced by a few days' training. Considering the constraints of synchronization rates and class abilities, it wasn't the kind of thing you could get simply by raising levels and learning skills. It took endless reflection and discipline—true mastery of martial arts. That was what his sword showed.
"I owe you an apology. I judged you wrongly."
"You don't have to. I'm the one who messed up the exchange hall—sorry about that."
"There's no need to worry about that. It was a building that needed fixing anyway."
Gyuto sighed with relief. He almost felt glad. The hall was old and problematic in places, and he'd delayed repairs out of respect for tradition—even though he knew it needed work.
'Long life will tell,' Jin Taegon thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips. For the hardheaded, proud Matsuna Gyuto to apologize and openly admire someone—that was the kind of thing that would be hard to believe elsewhere.
Jinhyeok clenched his fist in front of Gyuto.
'Nice.'
He thought about scrapping all the plans he'd made—personal rehabilitation, bankruptcy, taking loans from the Hunter Bureau. They all seemed unnecessary now.
"Chairman Jin. May I take this young man for a bit?"
Jin Taegon nodded.
He understood what that meant. Jinhyeok figured it out too and exhaled roughly. There was only one reason Gyuto would take him now.
"Then rest up and we'll meet tomorrow."
After greeting Jin Seohui and the Jin family, Gyuto turned and left. Jinhyeok bowed his head and followed Gyuto, hoping whatever they were heading to would contain what he wanted.
The Matsuna family's shrine had returned to quiet as if nothing had happened.
Jinhyeok followed Gyuto across the peaceful garden.
'Oh. Fireflies.'
Little lights fluttered before him, and the chirping of insects surrounded them. Just walking felt healing.
Gyuto spoke quietly.
"Are you affiliated with Jenex?"
"No. I'm just acquainted with them."
"I see. Then where are you aligned?"
"I'm not affiliated. I made a promise—I can't belong anywhere right now."
Gyuto smiled, relieved.
"I hope you don't take it the wrong way. I'm not slick enough to have stealthily scooped you up and offered to recruit you."
It was pure curiosity. Gyuto wondered which organization could possibly take such a talent.
They walked until Gyuto paused in front of a door.
"You qualify. So show me. Our Matsuna family's pride—"
He let the sentence trail off and threw the door open.
"Yodo Muramasa."
----------
T/N:
Just for being a free member, you'll get 5 advanced chapters every week!
Access 35 chapters in advance on my Patreon:[email protected]//towerup