Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Special Tutoring （8）

The duel was over.

The way the Mage collapsed matched the ‘significant damage’ the referee had mentioned.

“End of the duel. Team B wins!”

In reality, even if it had continued, nothing would have changed.

If the Priest had also fallen due to Min Yeong-gi, Project Team A would have had to face Team B with a 4 to 6 headcount disadvantage. They couldn’t defeat them even when the conditions were equal. No one expressed dissatisfaction with this decision.

Except for one person.

“Ah, it’s not over yet. I’m still standing!”

Jo Dong-jae shouted.

He couldn’t believe it.

From the moment the Project Teams were created until now, Project Team A, to which he belonged, had never once shown a sign of being pushed back by Team B. But to be defeated in a duel where the fate of the team was at stake… Even after witnessing the Mage collapse before his eyes, Jo Dong-jae still couldn’t accept that he had lost.

He ran to the referee.

He appealed to his emotions.

“It’s unfair to end it just because one Mage fell. Let’s continue without one person. We can still win.”

“Stop it.”

“Yes?”

“The rear was completely breached just now. Even with the Main Tanker deployed, the Mage was defeated, and if I hadn’t stopped the duel, the Priest would have been next. So how do you intend to win? If you had the power to turn the tables even with a smaller headcount, you should have settled the match before you faced this situation. And.”

He glanced at Team B.

Despite the intense battle, Team B’s strength, including Lee Han-seong, didn’t seem to have lost their composure.

“It doesn’t seem easy to break through that defensive line even if we repeat the duel. You’ve worked hard.”

The referee turned away sharply.

Jo Dong-jae had a blank expression.

If it couldn’t be overturned.

Team A’s defeat was a reality.

And according to the conditions of the duel, it also meant that Team A, which they had passionately maintained, would be disbanded.

‘That can’t happen.’

He quickly turned his head.

He tried to find Jeong Chan-hyeok.

He was clearly in sight just a moment ago, but now he was nowhere to be seen.

Seeing that, Jo Dong-jae realized.

The price of defeat had to be fully accepted.

Immediately after the duel ended.

Jeong Chan-hyeok moved.

To be precise, at the summons of his father, Jeong Man-seop, he had no choice but to share an uncomfortable moment with Jeong Hye-mi.

“Hye-mi. You’ve really worked hard.”

“No, not at all. You’ve been supporting us under the name of the Project Team, so we had to show results worthy of that.”

“Actually, I was quite surprised to see Project Team B’s skills this time. If I remember correctly, they barely passed the C-rank test, but they reacted so calmly and efficiently to Team A’s attacks. This is all thanks to your hard work. On the other hand, Jeong Chan-hyeok. What have you been doing all this time?”

“……I’m sorry.”

Jeong Chan-hyeok bit his lip.

He had nothing to say.

Honestly, he admitted it too.

Team B remained composed even under Jo Dong-jae’s attacks, and the way they quickly broke down Team A’s defense, led by Min Yeong-gi, was impressive. It made him wonder if it was the same team he knew. Jeong Chan-hyeok also wanted to argue for a rematch, but he knew he shouldn’t under his father’s cold gaze as he watched the match.

Jeong Man-seop said.

“What do you think was the reason for Team A’s defeat?”

“I think it was because they were careless. If you give Team A just one more chance, they will definitely make up for this result.”

“No, a person should show dignity befitting their position. If it was announced that one of the Project Teams would be disbanded based on the outcome of this duel, the promised price must be paid. Project Team A will be disbanded as of today. And the budget that was going to you will be focused on Team B, and we will promote Team B on a large scale and nurture them as the face of Cheonsang.”

Grit.

Jeong Chan-hyeok clenched his teeth.

He bowed his head and clenched his fists tightly.

It was an official defeat.

His father was empowering Jeong Hye-mi, and he revealed the possibility that she might become his true successor.

Jeong Man-seop said.

“Hye-mi. But is there a secret to improving Team B’s skills in such a short period?”

“Actually, there’s something I want to tell you about that.”

The past fifteen days.

Jeong Hye-mi had learned a lot.

And after much deliberation, she came to a conclusion.

“There was someone who took charge of and taught Project Team B while preparing for this duel. His official rank is D-rank, but his actual skills are around C-rank to B-rank. To be honest, if we only consider skills, he can’t be compared to Cheonsang’s top-tier experts, but seeing his growth rate and the way he taught Project Team B this time, I realized that he has an extraordinary understanding. Father, he’s someone who will grow into an A-rank, or even higher, in the distant future. And seeing the growth rate of his party and Project Team B, he has the unbelievable potential to raise the skills of those around him as well. More than anything, in this Hunter market where skilled Tankers are precious, I think it would be a huge mistake for Cheonsang not to recruit such talent.”

The atmosphere changed.

It was sudden.

Jeong Hye-mi had been keeping Kang San hidden until now, but she realized that the situation had changed during this test.

If she hesitated.

She would lose him someday.

The awl in her pocket was too sharp, its presence was sticking out.

Jeong Hye-mi looked straight at her father.

“Please grant me the full authority to recruit Kang San-nim. The condition is at least A-rank or higher. If we don’t express our desperation, we might really end up regretting it immensely.”

The meeting was adjourned.

Jeong Chan-hyeok, who returned to his office, barely swallowed his boiling anger.

‘For my father to look at me like that.’

It was the first time.

Because he was the eldest son.

He always trusted him and spared no support.

Jeong Chan-hyeok had never disappointed his father’s expectations, but he had been completely defeated by Jeong Hye-mi, of all people. His father always used to say that he was not the Master of Cheonsang in the end, so the person who would succeed him had to be competent. He said that’s the only way they can fully accept the power he hands over.

This incident.

It gave Jeong Hye-mi a chance.

Until now, he had thought that he, the eldest son, would unconditionally succeed him, but now he couldn’t be sure.

‘But who is this Kang San that Hye-mi is talking about so highly?’

He wondered.

He had already investigated Kang San.

Just a D-rank Hunter.

No matter how much he thought about it, he didn’t seem like someone worthy of demanding A-rank or higher authority.

He called an employee.

“Investigate everything about Kang San from A to Z.”

“Understood.”

He sat down.

As he waited, suppressing his anger, he was able to check more detailed information than he had received before.

‘Acquired Awakening test, F-rank rating. For several years after that, he couldn’t escape being a human shield, but he suddenly grew in the past year. And…….’

“What?”

His eyes widened.

He found out belatedly.

Kang San was part of the Ranger team, and during a recent rescue operation, he had bought time against an A-rank Werewolf Lord. Suddenly, Kang San looked different. That was absolutely impossible, even by chance. In fact, the Hunter Management Bureau highly valued Kang San because of that, and Cheonsang had also tried to recruit him but failed miserably, according to the data.

“I judged him too easily. Hye-mi wouldn’t have just brought in anyone.”

He changed his mind.

If.

If Kang San really had that much potential.

And if he played a decisive role in Project Team B’s victory, then as Jeong Hye-mi said, Kang San was someone worth recruiting, even if it meant going overboard. The problem was that she said it in front of their father. On the day Jeong Hye-mi recruits Kang San, he didn’t know how much wider the gap that had formed would become.

He had already erased Jo Dong-jae from his mind.

He had no interest in losers.

Jeong Chan-hyeok immediately got up from his seat.

“Gather all of Team 2 right now. From now on, we’re going all out to recruit Kang San.”

Immediately after the duel ended.

Kang San visited the waiting room.

As soon as Min Yeong-gi spotted Kang San, he bowed his head.

“……Thank you so much. Thanks to you, we were able to win.”

“No. No matter what I taught you, if you didn’t have the ability to improve yourselves, nothing would have happened.”

He meant it.

Project Team B.

They had the desire to grow, and they had the talent.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been selected for the Project Team in the first place.

Min Yeong-gi said.

“I’ve learned a lot from Kang San-nim’s teachings this time. How complacent we’ve been, and how small details can create huge results. We’ll work hard from now on. We’ll show you that we’re improving even more than we are now, so that the title of Cheonsang’s representative Project Team isn’t embarrassing. And if there’s anything we can help you with, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll never forget the help we received this time.”

“Alright.”

They smiled at each other.

Kang San turned around.

And as he was about to leave the building, someone approached and asked.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?”

It was an unfamiliar face.

The only thing that allowed him to guess the person’s identity was the ID card hanging around their neck that said ‘Reporter’.

“What is it?”

“I’m a reporter from A Newspaper, preparing an article about the Project Teams. I heard that within Cheonsang, there’s talk that Project Team B’s victory this time wasn’t solely due to their own abilities. For the past fifteen days, there’s been an external team visiting Cheonsang’s training ground every day under the guise of ‘training’. They are Kang San-nim’s party, and there’s talk that Kang San-nim personally taught Team B, leading to the current results. What are your thoughts on this?”

This incident.

It was attracting more attention than he thought.

Spies from other management agencies were also present, and reporters like this were eager to write articles immediately.

If it were the usual Kang San, he would have brushed it off.

He didn’t want to attract attention due to the Trials’ probability.

But now.

He changed his mind.

‘Six months from now. I have to stop the S-rank Outbreak.’

The situation was complicated.

Even with thorough preparation, Kang San thought he might lose everything in that Trial.

So a few days ago.

When Jeong Hye-mi brought up Cheonsang again, he responded differently than usual, not entirely negative. He said that if he felt inclined, he might decide on his next move. The reason why Jeong Hye-mi, who had been maintaining a relationship with Kang San under the pretext of lectures, suddenly became proactive enough to make a request to her father was because of Kang San’s answer.

Why on earth.

Did he change his attitude?

To enjoy wealth and glory before things blew up?

No.

Because he could develop more efficiently in a shorter time if he joined a group like Cheonsang?

That’s not it either.

Kang San wanted to raise his own value.

If everyone was focused on his moves and desperate to recruit him.

Wouldn’t they react differently when he was in a dangerous situation, compared to when he was nobody?

He shifted his perspective.

Kang San looked at the reporter and said.

“It’s partly true. It’s an exaggeration to say that I single-handedly created the victory, but I admit that I did teach Team B.”

A blunt statement.

The reporter’s eyes lit up.

Finally, the awl was poking its way out of the pocket on its own.