Chapter 43: Hotel Vacation (2)
I’ve never seen a room like this before.
A clean, spacious room with a massive bathtub smack-dab in the corner.
The bathtub was the size of a public bathhouse’s hot tub.
It was even already filled with clean, warm water.
“So that’s what a private pool is.”
[Hyung-nim! That……!]
“Yeah, get in quick.”
Just like at the bathhouse, B*ng-ul-i, this little guy, loves water.
Sa-hyeok detached B*ng-ul-i from the drone and tossed him into the bathtub.
He immediately started swimming around excitedly.
Sa-hyeok also grabbed a can of drink from the refrigerator and immersed himself in the pool.
His whole body felt like it was melting and turning to jelly.
“Uuuuhhh.”
10 minutes after soaking in the bathtub.
Having regained some stamina, Sa-hyeok started playing around with the water.
Ssst-
Sa-hyeok gathered the water from the private pool into a lump and levitated it in the air.
Soon, a baseball-sized lump of water floated in the air.
1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 4 seconds……
B*ng!
Splash!
The lump of water exploded in mid-air, scattering into pieces.
The exploding water splashed everywhere, soaking the floor and even the table.
[Ugh, what are you doing, Hyung-nim?]
“Fluid control practice.”
[Fluid?]
“Things that flow, like water, sand, mud.”
[Why all of a sudden?]
“In the recent merman dungeon boss fight, if I could have freely controlled that mud swamp, the fight would have ended much faster, right?”
[Hmm…… that’s true.]
“So I’m going to start practicing controlling fluids. I feel like I can’t reach the full potential of telekinesis just by moving solid objects.”
[How about mastering that Mubuchamdo first, Hyung-nim? It still seems like it’ll bounce off and hit me if you mess up.]
“Haha, this little guy.”
After a few more attempts at manipulating the water, he failed every time.
He couldn’t figure out how to maintain the shape of the water.
Sa-hyeok got out of the bath and dried himself off.
“Alright, let’s rest for today.”
Sa-hyeok took out a drink from the refrigerator and drank it.
For reference, you have to pay for the drinks in the hotel refrigerator when you check out.
At a horrifying price that’s 5-6 times the market price.
[Oh my, a can of cola is 10,000 won?]
“It’s fine, I’m rich. Should I try the galbitang?”
[There’s no galbitang in the refrigerator.]
“I can order it.”
However, there was no galbitang on the room service menu.
So he ordered the closest thing, Hwangtaetang Jeongsik……
“And a cheese platter with that, please.”
[What kind of dog food combination is that, Hyung-nim?]
“Koreans have traditionally eaten cheese with all their meals since ancient times.”
[Liar.]
“Oh, and add a non-alcoholic sparkling wine too.”
Hwangtaetang Jeongsik 60,000 won.
Cheese platter 55,000 won.
Non-alcoholic sparkling wine 70,000 won.
Total 185,000 won.
“I’ve always wanted to try this kind of petty extravagance.”
[Judging by the price and what’s served, it doesn’t seem very petty.]
“That’s why it’s extravagance.”
After finishing the Hwangtaetang, Sa-hyeok went out to the terrace with a wine glass in one hand.
The night air brushed against his cheeks.
A bathrobe over his shoulders, a wine glass in his hand.
An expensive room behind him, a dazzling nightscape below.
He felt like a corrupt capitalist.
Then.
Fwoom-
A popping sound came from down below.
Sa-hyeok looked down.
“There’s an outdoor pool here.”
A wide, open outdoor pool.
Even though it was quite late at night, many people were still there, playing in their swimsuits.
“Ah, so a pool party is a party at the pool.”
Fwoom-
The sound came again.
Now he could tell what it was.
Someone was using magic to pull up the water from the pool and shape it into a dragon before launching it.
Someone else was breaking and exploding that water dragon with a metal pipe.
That was the sound he was hearing.
The shape of the water dragon, the exploding water droplets, and the lights reflecting and scattering off them.
Everything was elegant and beautiful.
“Making a dragon out of water…… Is there a Water Stream Sorcerer at the pool?”
A thought suddenly occurred to him.
Wouldn’t learning from a Water Stream Sorcerer be the fastest way to learn how to control fluids like water?
In that case……
[Excuse me, Hyung-nim.]
“Yeah, why?”
[If I’m not mistaken…… those guys look like they’re fighting.]
Huh.
“They are actually fighting.”
Two Hunters were clashing at the outdoor pool.
One was a Water Stream Sorcerer, the other (probably) a swordsman.
The Water Stream Sorcerer was launching water dragons at the opponent, and the swordsman was deflecting and shattering them with a metal pipe.
The surrounding civilians were either running away in surprise, watching from a safe distance, or risking their lives to film the scene with their phones.
Anyway, these crazy b*stards.
‘Using their abilities and fighting in a place with civilians?!’
B*ng-ul-i said.
[Hyung-nim, it looks like the Water Stream Sorcerer is attacking the swordsman with magic.]
“Hmm……”
After carefully observing the situation, Sa-hyeok said.
“It looks that way at first glance, but it’s the opposite.”
[What?]
“The swordsman is the one attacking, and the Water Stream Sorcerer is defending.”
[How can you tell? The water dragon skill looks much b*gger and more powerful……]
“Don’t be fooled by the scale of the skills, look at how they interact with each other.”
Sa-hyeok pointed to the water dragon the Water Stream Sorcerer was wielding.
“If they intended to attack the opponent with the water dragon, they would have rammed it headfirst. That’s how you deliver the strongest b*ow. But what’s that guy doing?”
[……Now that I look, he’s only defending by deflecting the attacks with the side of the dragon’s body?]
“That’s right. And the guy swinging that metal pipe is putting killing intent into every swing. He’s clearly using lethal force.”
[Ah……!]
By looking at the interaction of the skills, not just their size, the true nature of the fight finally became clear.
“If one side is only using defensive skills to protect the civilians, and the other side is using lethal force, it’s obvious who’s in the wrong.”
Using abilities in a place with civilians is already problematic, but using lethal force too?
It was insane, regardless of the reason.
The Water Stream Sorcerer was struggling to stop it, even resorting to using their abilities.
That alone made it clear who was right and who was wrong.
It was also clear what Sa-hyeok had to do.
Thud.
Sa-hyeok climbed onto the terrace railing.
[What are you doing?!]
“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep if I leave them alone.”
Whoosh-
Sa-hyeok jumped from the 10th-floor terrace towards the outdoor pool.
══════════════════
Meanwhile, the hotel desk was in chaos.
Hunters were fighting each other, and there was no way to stop them.
Calling the police would be useless against a fight between superhumans.
First of all, the number of Hunters in the police force was extremely small, making it nearly impossible for them to arrive immediately in situations like this.
In the end, there was only one thing ordinary people could do.
Gather evidence and file a lawsuit after everything was over.
The problem was that this would result in significant property damage.
Therefore, the hotel was desperately trying to find a way to end this situation quickly.
“How many Hunters are rampaging?”
“Two!”
“Isn’t there one more Hunter who checked in today? I heard there were three in total?!”
“Ah……!”
“Contact that person’s room and ask for help! Tell them we’ll compensate them later, no matter what!”
Soon, a staff member called Sa-hyeok’s room.
“They’re not answering!”
“Then try their phone number! They must have left their number when they checked in!”
A moment later.
“Their phone is not being answered either!”
“D*mn it……!”
There was one reason why Sa-hyeok wasn’t answering the phone.
He was already out of the room.
Although he jumped out through the terrace, not the front door.
Whoosh!
Sa-hyeok was falling straight down from the 10th floor towards the outdoor pool.
══════════════════
At that moment, two male and female Hunters were fighting at the pool.
The woman was the Water Stream Sorcerer, and the man was the martial artist.
The Water Stream Sorcerer’s name was Ryu Su-im.
A B-rank Water Stream Sorcerer, she was a Hunter belonging to ‘Orang’, one of the Five Major Guilds.
The martial artist’s name was Kim Jae-hoon.
A B-rank swordsman, he also belonged to ‘Geomgye’, another of the Five Major Guilds.
And he was the one who started this whole mess.
“Uwaaaaah!”
B*ng! C*ack!
Jae-hoon was swinging a metal pipe over a meter long, smashing everything around him.
The metal pipe was made from a broken parasol pole.
His face, flushed with alcohol, swung it around.
Su-im, desperately blocking his attacks with water dragon magic, said.
“You crazy b*stard! This isn’t a dungeon, d*mmit!”
“Who cares! I’ll k*ll you all! All of youuuu!”
Crash!
A whirlwind of frenzied attacks.
Jae-hoon’s attacks were not random swings.
Each swing was precisely calculated, with a clear trajectory and target, clearly the rampage of someone trained in swordsmanship.
Su-im was being pushed back by his attacks.
‘Ugh……!’
Objectively, Su-im’s combat ability was inferior to Jae-hoon’s.
Even with water all around her, she couldn’t gain the upper hand.
Her biggest mistake was allowing Jae-hoon, a martial artist, to get close.
The closer the range, the more advantageous it was for a martial artist with high defense and fast skill activation speed.
‘D*mn it, I can’t create distance……!’
The water dragons she created were being chipped away, and he was becoming more and more frenzied.
‘D*mn, d*mn, d*mn……!’
Then.
Whoosh!
Someone suddenly dropped from the sky.
A man landed precisely between the two fighting Hunters.
Despite falling from a considerable height, his landing was eerily quiet.
A smooth landing using the repulsive force of telekinesis.
It was Sa-hyeok.
He hadn’t even activated the Iron Arms of the B*ne King or equipped the Mubuchamdo, essentially bare-handed.
The fight paused momentarily with Sa-hyeok’s intervention.
Jae-hoon asked.
“Who are you……?”
“That’s none of your business. Why are you Hunters attacking people instead of monsters?”
Hearing that, Jae-hoon gripped the metal pipe even tighter and said.
“You here to die too?”
The strong smell of alcohol wafted over.
Unrefined language.
Sa-hyeok thought.
So it’s this guy.
“Judging by your language, I guess you’re the one who started this mess?”
“You little s*it!”
Whoosh!
Jae-hoon swung the metal pipe at Sa-hyeok.
A precise horizontal slash.
His swordsmanship was excellent, far from the drunken swings one might expect.
However-
Clang!
Sa-hyeok caught the metal pipe with his right hand.
Currently, Sa-hyeok’s right hand was being controlled at the muscle fiber level by telekinesis.
Therefore, he could exert much greater strength than most martial artists, at least with his right arm.
Sa-hyeok said.
“Is that all?”
“Ugh……!”
Jae-hoon pulled the metal pipe with all his might.
But the metal pipe wouldn’t budge.
‘I’m…… losing in strength?!’
Cold sweat dripped down Jae-hoon’s temples.
Jae-hoon asked.
“Who…… who are you?”
“A martial magic swordsman.”
“B*llshit……!”
S*atch-
Sa-hyeok forcefully snatched the metal pipe from his hand.
Seeing that, Jae-hoon realized.
This guy is definitely not a mage.
Whack!
Sa-hyeok struck the side of Jae-hoon’s knee with the stolen metal pipe.
“Gah……!”
Thud! Thud! C*ack!
Next was his side.
Then his forearm.
Then his trapezius muscle, the other knee, and his side again.
In less than a second, dozens of blows rained down on various parts of his body.
Avoiding vital points, controlling the impact to prevent fatal injuries, yet delivering excruciating pain.
While unleashing the attacks, Sa-hyeok didn’t use telekinesis at all, except for controlling his right arm.
“Uuurgh……”
Thump.
Finally, Jae-hoon fell to one knee.
Jae-hoon thought.
‘He’s pushing me, a disciple of the Sword Demon, this far……?’
Who is this martial artist?
“Look up.”
Jae-hoon raised his head and looked up at Sa-hyeok.
However, his eyes were still burning with fighting spirit.
‘I need to completely break his will.’
A little bluffing is necessary.
Thinking so, Sa-hyeok said.
“If you’re a martial artist too, you’ll understand what I’m showing you now.”
“What……?”
Rumble-
At that moment, the debris scattered around them started to float in the air.
Seeing that, Jae-hoon’s eyes began to tremble.
“Le, Levitation?!”
Thump!
Jae-hoon fell to his other knee.