Chapter 95: Chapter 95

Meanwhile, at a café near the Korean Hunter Management Bureau.

Section Chief Jang Han-Soo was having coffee with Hunter Kim Ji-Ah. They were discussing her upcoming schedule.

“So, you’re planning to take a trip this summer?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“May I ask who you’ll be traveling with?”

“I’ll be going with Si-Hyun.”

“Ah… I see.”

The section chief nodded slowly. He recalled hearing that Si-Hyun had been inquiring about getting a passport recently.

It all made sense now—Hunter Kim Ji-Ah would be traveling abroad with her.

Quietly, he made a mental note of this new information.

“Have you decided where you’ll be going? If you’d like, the Bureau can arrange transportation and accommodations for you.”

Jang spoke carefully, his tone offering an indirect suggestion. For high-ranking Hunters, overseas assignments usually came with full government support.

However, since this was simply a vacation, his offer was unofficial. Furthermore, the fact that Si-Hyun was part of the trip only added weight to his proposal.

Ji-Ah hesitated for a moment before shaking her head slightly.

“We haven’t made any concrete plans yet. I’ll discuss it with her.”

“Understood.”

Jang nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. This much information was sufficient for now.

The Bureau’s relationship with both women remained amicable, which was a good sign.

Then, a faint vibration buzzed in Jang’s pocket.

A message had arrived on his smartphone.

He pulled it out and checked the contents.

His expression stiffened almost immediately.

Across from him, Ji-Ah, who had been sipping her coffee, noticed his reaction.

“Section Chief, is it bad news?”

“…It seems Si-Hyun might be stirring up some trouble.”

“Si-Hyun? What happened?”

Out of habit, Jang glanced around. The private room was quiet, with no chance of eavesdroppers.

Lowering his voice, he explained.

“She’s apparently gotten into a conflict with Jason Turner from the U.S.”

“What? Why would he pick a fight with Si-Hyun?”

“That part… I’m not sure. But apparently, she’s planning to beat him up inside a gate. She sent me a heads-up just in case something happens…”

“...”

Ji-Ah’s mouth fell open in surprise, while Jang pinched the bridge of his nose, deep in thought.

Moments later, both of them stood up simultaneously.

“We should go check it out.”

“Yes, I think that would be wise.”

Sharing the location, the two got into their respective cars and drove off.

Jang’s hands, gripping the steering wheel, were slick with sweat.@@novelbin@@

He knew Si-Hyun was strong.

Rumors about the mysterious nun had reached him from various sources.

But the true extent of her abilities remained unclear.

Officially, her job was listed as a holy knight, but dungeon rumors described her as a sword-wielding supporter—and also a magician.

The information was a chaotic jumble. The only consistent takeaway was that she was extraordinarily powerful.

Everything else was unrealistic nonsense.

“Jason Turner from the U.S., though…”

Jang couldn’t help but worry.

For a variety of reasons.

***

“Hahaha!”

Jason let out a hearty laugh as he deflected Si-Hyun’s punch, forcing her to step back lightly.

“What an exhilarating woman!”

To think she would take the initiative—and in close combat, no less!

The sensation in his arm confirmed it hadn’t been a particularly powerful punch, not enough to cause damage to his robust body. But Jason’s blood boiled with excitement as his heart pounded against his chest.

A magic-type Hunter, willingly engaging in melee combat?

It was the first time he’d encountered such audacity. No one had ever been this bold against him.

“Let’s see what you’ve got!”

Jason activated his combat skill, circulating mana through his body to further enhance his already formidable physique. He planted his feet firmly on the ground.

Boom!

The ground cratered beneath him as he launched himself toward Si-Hyun at high speed. His massive fist swung toward her face.

But Si-Hyun effortlessly tilted her head, letting the blow glide past her.

“Oh ho!”

Jason chuckled in genuine admiration.

A typical magic Hunter would have immediately been at a disadvantage the moment he closed the gap, desperately trying to maintain distance.

But this woman was different.

She dodged his attacks using her physicality alone, as though she wasn’t a magician at all.

Whoosh!

Jason’s relentless barrage of attacks continued, each strike aimed to overwhelm. Yet, Si-Hyun didn’t back down. She dodged with minimal movement, countering when necessary with precise blocks.

Though she didn’t seize the offensive, she held her ground flawlessly.

“Miss, are you really a magician?!”

Pausing his assault to catch his breath, Jason’s curiosity bubbled over.

Si-Hyun, calmly stretching her shoulders, gave a short reply.

“...Former saintess.”

“Hahahaha!”

Jason roared with laughter. He hadn’t expected that answer.

A former saintess?

Not a job title or an awakened trait—just an utterly absurd response.

“Here I come again!”

“...”

Caught up in the excitement of the fight, Jason slipped into informal speech as he charged again.

While his opponent’s movements remained unpredictable, that was the limit of her surprises, or so he thought.

Occasionally, her punches and kicks landed, but their strength wasn’t enough to faze him. At best, they were around A-rank—or even B-rank—level. Impressive, but ultimately inconsequential against his reinforced body.

“Let’s see if you can handle this!”

Jason poured mana into his fists, activating another combat skill, and slammed both hands down with all his might.

Boom!

“Oh?”

He was surprised once again.

If his opponent had failed to dodge, the fight would have ended there. Even if she had evaded, the shockwave from the ground would have disrupted her balance.

But his fists never reached the ground.

Instead, they met an invisible wall.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Jason unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks against the magical barrier, which began to crack under his assault.

“Come on, come at me like before!”

The wall wouldn’t last long—it was only a matter of time before he shattered it.

Jason had encountered such tactics countless times before, and in his mind, the outcome was already clear.

But then, he heard her voice.

“...Analysis complete.”

Jason furrowed his brows and looked at Si-Hyun.

The elegant woman gazed at him with an unyielding calm, her expression unreadable.

At that moment, the tide of the battle shifted.

Boom!

“What?!”

A sudden explosion of compressed air hit his side. Jason barely dodged in time, his instincts saving him.

At the same time, Si-Hyun dispelled her own barrier and closed the distance, throwing a punch. Jason blocked it with crossed arms, feeling confident.

But that wasn’t the end.

Sharp spikes erupted from the ground beneath him.

Compressed air bursts detonated nearby, throwing him off balance.

And whenever he tried to retreat, blazing flames forced him forward again.

Each individual attack wasn’t overwhelmingly powerful, but together, they disrupted his movements. Jason found his footing repeatedly taken from him.

“Hah!”

Using his enhanced physique, Jason managed to close the gap again, relying on his raw strength and agility.

But even in melee range, he couldn’t dominate her.

While he had the upper hand in close combat theoretically, he couldn’t land a decisive blow.

Every time he tried to use a combat skill, a new magical barrier intercepted him, as if she had predicted his every move.

The "former saintess" was proving to be a versatile nightmare.

“How is this possible?!”

Jason’s thoughts were in disarray. He tried every trick in his book, but her defenses held firm.

Though none of her individual attacks were particularly devastating, her impeccable control and tactics dragged the fight into a grueling war of attrition.

“...You’ve gone quiet, haven’t you?”

“Kh…!”

“Stay in your lane, tank.”

Si-Hyun mocked him casually.

Jason was certainly durable, and his physical attacks weren’t bad.

But he had chosen the wrong opponent.

“...You’re starting to feel sluggish, aren’t you?”

“W-what?!”

Jason’s eyes widened in panic.

“Now that she mentions it…”

His enhanced body felt heavier.

His movements had slowed, his strength waning.

Whoosh! Thud!

“Urgh!”

Si-Hyun’s kick landed on Jason’s side, sending him staggering backward. Pain radiated from his ribs.

“Let’s have a repentance session, shall we?”

In an instant, her fist drove into his solar plexus. Jason hastily blocked with his arms, but the sheer force pushed him back, his feet scraping against the ground.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The sound of her relentless assault echoed as Si-Hyun pressed her advantage.

“Gah!”

Jason, who had been standing firm at first, started to falter under the flurry of strikes.

The fight had devolved into a one-sided beating.

Thwack!

A solid punch to the abdomen sent Jason sprawling to the ground. He struggled to rise, but Si-Hyun was faster.

Her fist smashed into his nose.

Crunch—

“Urgh…!”

Jason groaned, clutching his face as blood dripped from his nose. But Si-Hyun didn’t stop.

She punched him in the stomach, then brought her elbow down onto his furrowed brow.

Finally, as his head slumped forward, she delivered a devastating upward kick.

Crack—

The sound of breaking bones echoed through the dungeon.

“...We’re just getting started.”

Si-Hyun didn’t give him a moment to recover. Healing him just enough, she resumed her assault.

A spinning kick to his temple sent him sprawling again.

“Still standing, huh?”

“Kuh…!”

Jason tried to rally, but it was pointless.

Si-Hyun’s relentless blows pummeled him into submission.

“Tough guy, aren’t you? You’re perfect for stress relief.”

She grinned as she continued to beat him senseless. This was exactly what she needed to blow off steam.

***

"Let’s go quickly!"

"Yes, let’s move!"

Kim Ji-Ah and Chief Jang Han-Soo arrived at the gate.

Entering a reserved gate as an outsider typically required identification verification.

However, Chief Jang Han-Soo, flashing his Hunter Management Bureau ID, bypassed the cumbersome procedure with ease. Such leniency was only possible with a low-grade dungeon.

The two swiftly entered the dungeon.

What greeted them was a scene that left them speechless.

"Hm? What brings you here?"

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Si-Hyun was in the middle of pummeling a Western man into a near-unrecognizable state.

And not just any man—she was beating the infamous S-Rank “battle maniac,” Jason Turner, into a pulp.

Ji-Ah instinctively covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes wide in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Chief Jang Han-Soo stared at the scene, his jaw practically unhinged as he gawked.

The once-feared Jason Turner was now a battered mess, groaning faintly under Si-Hyun’s relentless assault.