"Ugh!"
Gravity presses down on my body.
It feels like invisible hands stretching from the ground are gripping my entire body and pulling me down.
I grit my teeth and take a step forward. My foot moves slower than I expected.
'Definitely… enduring Han Ha-rin's gravity field without using mana is quite tough.'
Han Ha-rin, about 7 meters away from me, points her index finger at me. A small black sphere appears in front of her finger.
'Gravity Orb.'
A famous technique commonly used by hunters with gravity manipulation abilities. That tiny gravity orb has a mass of at least 30 kg. If it hits you at high speed, it won't end well.
'My current physical ability is around upper E-rank. If I take a direct hit, it's over.'
I activate my mana to dodge the gravity orb and charge toward Han Ha-rin.
Using mana grants resistance to abilities, so I can move without being heavily affected by the gravity field.
Fwoosh!
Han Ha-rin's body begins to float upward. She's flying using gravity. It's remarkably stable.
'I heard flying with gravity manipulation requires precise control and is extremely difficult… I can see how much Han Ha-rin has practiced.'
After rising nearly 10 meters, Han Ha-rin starts firing gravity orbs at me.
I use my footwork to easily dodge all of them. Gravity orbs themselves aren't particularly fast, so avoiding them is simple if your body moves properly.
'That's why Han Ha-rin restricts her opponent's movement with a gravity field before firing gravity orbs.'
If you're caught in the gravity field, dodging the orbs becomes several times harder. Conversely, if you're not caught, it's nothing.
Crackle!
I grip blue lightning in my hand and throw it at Han Ha-rin. It's weaker and slower than shooting lightning with Thunderstrom, but that's exactly what I'm aiming for.
'If Han Harin gets hit by Thunderstorm, she could die. Too dangerous.'
Han Ha-rin creates a gravity shield to block my lightning. I keep throwing lightning at her. She seems strained just blocking the attacks, her body swaying.
'Flying requires precise control, which means if her concentration wavers, she'll fall.'
After throwing lightning about 10 times, Han Harin finally falls from the sky to the ground. I rush toward her.
The gravity orb in Han Ha-rin's palm elongates and takes the shape of a sword. She swings it at me.
My blade clashes with the gravity sword. It's just like swinging a stick. No technique whatsoever.
'It's heavy, sure… but with mana, it's nothing.'
I deflect the gravity sword to the side and point my sword at Han Ha-rin's neck.
Han Ha-rin clenches her fist and glares at me, then relaxes and speaks.
"...I lost."
"Don't be too disappointed. Honestly, without mana, I wouldn't have won this easily."
"...."
I brought up mana whenever I had the chance.
The reason I suggested this spar in the first place was precisely for this. To further stoke Han Ha-rin's desire to awaken her mana.
'By fueling her desire for mana awakening, she'll be more proactive about the massages.'
Han Ha-rin needs to feel even more desperate. If she's grasping at straws, she'll cling to the massages.
"Should we stop here? Or continue tomorrow?"
"Let's spar again tomorrow."
I nod. As expected, Han Ha-rin has a strong desire to grow stronger.
"You seem tired. Should we skip the massage today?"
"It's fine. You said massages need to be consistent to be effective."
"That's true."
***
Today is the gathering day for Dungeon Survival. Han Ha-rin, Eun Sang-min, and I head to a restaurant. The broadcasting company seems to have rented a decent place for the day.
The schedule is lunch at the restaurant, followed by a briefing on Dungeon Survival.
"Hmm…"
As soon as we enter the restaurant, we feel pressure from all directions. An aura infused with mana.
Eun Sang-min and I can handle it without issue, but Han Ha-rin can't. Her face turns pale in an instant.
'The atmosphere is ruined. Did something happen before we arrived?'
I deliberately step in front of Han Ha-rin to block the aura. She looks slightly better but soon grits her teeth, frustrated at her helplessness.
"...What's this crap?"
Eun Sang-min scowls and uses a wide-area taunt. Some laugh, while others glare at him like they want to kill him.
I understand how Eun Sang-min feels. We walk in, and the first thing we get is a mana-infused aura. It's irritating. This is clearly a hostile act.
'Looks like they tried to gauge the participants' strength and ended up like this…'
Can't be helped. We can't turn these hunters into enemies here.
'At least I learned something useful. Roughly 50+ hunters here can use mana.'
Being able to use mana doesn't necessarily mean they're C-rank hunters. There could be E-rank hunters like me who've awakened their mana.
'The ones to watch out for here… about 8 of them.'
They seem stronger than Eun Sang-min.
I walk to the table labeled "Gukcheon University Hunter Team." That's our team name. Not one we chose—the school requested it.
"Senior Ha-rin. Senior Sang-min. Our table's here. Come over. Especially you, Senior Sang-min. Don't waste your energy."
Han Ha-rin walks straight to the table, while Eun Sang-min glares around once before sitting.
'At least Eun Sang-min is somewhat under control.'
Seems he acknowledges me as the leader.
After a course meal, we listen to a briefing from the assistant director and writer of the broadcasting company. A Hunter Association employee stands nearby, arms crossed, watching us.
"The dungeon for Dungeon Survival: Reprised is provided by the Association, located near Gangneung…"
They don't specify the dungeon's environment or the monsters inside.
All we learn is that dozens of cameras will be installed, Association staff will operate them, and they'll intervene in emergencies.
"For your safety, Dungeon Survival: Reprised will provide Energy Protects. These absorb damage by consuming energy. If an Energy Protect's energy is fully depleted, you'll be eliminated and escorted out by Association staff. If you move or attack after depletion, you'll face severe penalties. Keep this in mind…"
They're clearly prioritizing safety.
'It's for the broadcast, so it's unavoidable.'
I quickly grow bored. Their explanations are mostly just reiterating what's on paper.
'When will Baek Ji-eun arrive? Other celebrities are here, but not her. Surely she wouldn't skip the gathering?'
Baek Ji-eun arrives—two hours later, as the briefing nears its end.
"Sorry. My schedule was packed, so I'm late. But don't be mad. I brought rice cakes as gifts."
Wavy brown hair and a perfectly fitted suit. Baek Ji-eun exudes a sophisticated city-girl vibe. Her F-cup chest strains against her blouse.
'Finally, she's here.'
Baek Ji-eun starts greeting fellow celebrities she knows, smiling all the while.
Even the Association employee bows deeply to her.
Baek Ji-eun is an A-rank hunter—and an Association member. Rumored to be a future S-rank, she's also said to be a candidate for the next generation of Korea's Hunter Association executives.
'Even if she doesn't reach S-rank, her influence in the Association is anything but ordinary, hence the rumors of her becoming an executive.'
My source is the internet.
Online rumors are often mixed with falsehoods, but cross-referencing multiple sites filters out the noise, leaving decent info.
'It's true she's an executive candidate. My research shows the Association grants her many favors.'
And she's my target.
'I need to turn at least one Association executive to my side.'
Given the Association's immense influence, having Baek Ji-eun under my control would be a huge advantage.
I fiddle with the Absolute Hypnosis Sticker in my pocket.
'I need to stick this on Baek Ji-eun's skin… How should I approach her? Hmm. Best to do it when no one's around.'
I can't just slap the sticker on her out of nowhere. If the hypnosis works, her sudden change in attitude would raise suspicions.
'I'll approach her as a fan. But there's a chance the Absolute Hypnosis Sticker might fail.'
The sticker's success depends on the target's mental strength. High mental strength means resistance.
'The problem is I don't know the threshold.'
Mental strength varies by person.
'One thing's certain: hunters have higher mental strength than ordinary people. And it increases with rank.'
Research confirms this. Higher-rank hunters have sturdier minds, making mental magic less effective.
'S-rank is obviously impossible.'
Even if torture could break their mental strength, approaching an S-rank is dangerous.
'Baek Ji-eun has been an A-rank for less than half a year. She's on the lower end of A-rank. There's a chance.'
I chew on the rice cakes Baek Ji-eun handed out, waiting for an opportunity.
If no chance arises, I'll pretend to stumble and stick the sticker on her.
"We'll take a 10-minute break. Almost done, so hang in there."
Hunters sigh and start leaving. The briefing is just a list of precautions—naturally boring.
'Baek Ji-eun?'
Baek Ji-eun leaves too. She's going towards the restroom.
'Is this my chance?!'
I stand up.
"Huh? Going to the bathroom?"
Eun Sang-min, fiddling with his phone, asks. I shake my head.
"I've got an important call. I'll step outside for a bit."
I head in the direction Baek Ji-eun went.
No point in sneaking around clumsily. Baek Ji-eun is an A-rank hunter. She'd notice immediately, and it'd look suspicious.
I spot Baek Ji-eun getting into a black van. Maybe she's resting or forgot something.
'Should I approach the van? No. Wait for her to come out and "accidentally" bump into her.'
I take the Absolute Hypnosis Sticker from my pocket. It's slightly larger than my thumb. The surface is densely covered in text.
'I even practiced writing small to fit everything on this tiny sticker.'
The text reads:
- You think of me as a childhood friend and a sex friend you've been close to since youth.
- You obey any command I give.
- You feel supreme pleasure when sucking my dick.
- You feel 10 times more sexual pleasure when my dick is in your pussy.
- Our relationship is a secret.
'I considered writing my name but settled for "me." After all, I'm the one sticking it.'
I doubt it lacks that much flexibility.
I'm curious what would happen if I stuck it on myself… but it's too valuable for experiments.
Creak!
The van door opens, and Baek Ji-eun steps out. She's holding a new tumbler—must've gone to fetch it.
Baek Ji-eun walks toward me. I take a deep breath and step out naturally, pretending to be surprised when I "spot" her.
"B-Baek Ji-eun?!"
"Oh, yes."
"I'm a fan! Baek Ji-eun! Could I get an autograph? No—just a handshake! Please!"
"A handshake is nothing."
Baek Ji-eun extends her right hand. So do I. My right hand holds the sticker, its backing peeled off. A handshake will naturally stick it to her palm.
'If it fails, I'll just rip it off and run.'
Squeeze!
We shake hands. The sticker sticks to her palm. I watch Baek Ji-eun nervously.
She frowns at me.
"What's with you?"
***
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