Chapter 284: Preparing To Return Home (2)
There was no particular update from Park Dong-jae or Lee Ye-rin regarding Yuji’s whereabouts.
They were probably still tracking his movements, and the lack of contact likely meant there hadn’t been any activity yet.
“I think I might be able to do some spirit body training depending on how things go.”
Now that the Fallen Specter had become a Corrupted Beast, the importance of the Dark Energy Stat had risen again.
To revive a destroyed Corrupted Beast instantly, 500 points of Dark Energy were needed—but Kang-hoo’s current stat hadn’t reached that level yet.
Spirit body training could help raise the Dark Energy stat, so it had become a necessary goal to tackle soon.
“The Corrupted Beast really played a big role this time. And I had quite a bit of fun with the new skill I got recently.”
The most satisfying moments were when a newly acquired skill brought tangible gains. It made everything feel worth it.
No matter which dungeon he entered, as long as the middle boss or main boss wasn’t the same as in previous ones, he could earn a new skill.
That’s why Kang-hoo always looked forward to dungeons. He could always expect a reward in the form of skills.To an average hunter, it might just be a routine grind for loot and clear rewards.
But for Kang-hoo, there was a sense of thrill that went far beyond that.
Seeing boss monsters perform flashy moves and skills always made his mouth water.
“Didn’t expect to regret not using Flying Slash this much.”
Kang-hoo lifted his leg on the spot, recalling Flying Slash, the skill he stole from Lee.
He’d planned to use it to shatter the chin of any swordsman hunter he faced but ended up putting it off.
“Anyway… I should try to catch some sleep.”
Ayane’s cleanup wasn’t going to be over anytime soon.
Three hunters had died, and since it all happened abroad, a thorough investigation was sure to follow.
Thinking he’d have plenty of time to rest, Kang-hoo closed his eyes. Surprisingly, sleep came quickly.
Past midnight, in the early hours shrouded in darkness.
At the top-floor bar of the hotel, Kang-hoo and Ayane shared a glass of whiskey.
Unlike most bars that closed before midnight, this one had unusually long operating hours.
Thanks to that, the two were able to share a deep conversation over alcohol to wrap up their mission in Germany.
Kang-hoo had arrived at the bar first, and Ayane came after a shower, only having lightly dried her hair.
Even with no makeup on, her skin still looked as firm and radiant as usual.
“Ayane, how’d the cleanup go?”
“It went fine. Since non-intervention is the principle, we just handled the basics. I heard they’re handing things over to the Japanese Public Safety Bureau.”
“You mean the bodies, right?”
“Yeah. That’s all. They didn’t even ask about the gear those bastards were wearing.”
“Unspoken rule, I guess.”
“Exactly. I mean, once the bastard’s dead… they can’t talk, right?”
The way Ayane ground her teeth again showed her lingering hatred toward the Hayabusa Guild members.
Mercenaries never know when they’ll die—that’s the nature of their work.
But sending people this far just to take revenge? That clearly annoyed her to no end.
And understandably so—she had nearly died because of it. There had to be a sense of shock in her heart.
“You went through a lot this time.”
“I don’t think that line applies to me. It felt more like I just got in some shooting practice. Seriously.”
Ayane shook her head, not moved by Kang-hoo’s praise.
No matter how she looked back on it, it felt like she was just scooping food off a table that Kang-hoo had already set.
But she didn’t dislike it.
No—she liked it. A lot.
She liked seeing Kang-hoo act decisively. That was what drew her in and made her want to stay by his side.
Even so, she still wanted to play her part properly—and wasn’t sure if she had.
“Anyway.”
“Thanks, Kang-hoo. Ah, right, you said you hate when people keep thanking you, didn’t you?”
“Yeah. That’s enough. It’s embarrassing.”
People say you can never get tired of compliments and gratitude.
But the cold demeanor deeply ingrained in the character of “Shin Kang-hoo” always made him feel awkward about both.
He’d nod once or twice, but then inevitably say something like, “What’s there to be that grateful for?”
That’s why whenever he saw Ahn Yeong-ho or Park Dong-jae acting like “thank-you bots,” he couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable.
Especially with Park Dong-jae casually throwing out death flags like, “I’d give my life for you.” That was a real headache.
“By the way, about the room. Should we have booked another one?”
“It’s fine. I can just crash on the couch. I’m not really a bed person anyway.”
Maybe because of the hardships she’d endured at Cheongmyeong Detention Center, overly comfy beds now felt more uncomfortable.
She was more used to stiff floors or hard-to-sleep-on couches—those felt better for her body.
She meant it sincerely, but Ayane scoffed, giving him a look that said, “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Clink.
Without another word, they downed their glasses of whiskey in one go. Their eyes met, now a little deeper in expression.
And for about a minute—
They said nothing, simply letting the cool dawn breeze and the bar’s soft lighting carry their feelings.
There was no need to say anything. Just looking at each other was enough.
And then, as a faint blush appeared on Ayane’s face, she naturally continued.
“To be honest… when I first saw you, I was more drawn to your face and your body.”
“I see.”
“So… I just told myself to live in the moment. That way, neither of us would feel pressured, right?”
“Yeah. That’s what I wanted too.”
“Right. But the more I got to know you… the more I fell for you. Like, I can’t pull away anymore.”
“Do you really like me that much?”
“Yeah. Even when I try to push you away, I end up liking you more. And if I don’t push you away, I fall even harder.”
Kang-hoo smiled.
No matter how many times he experienced it, having someone like him never failed to make him feel shy. But it always felt good.
When he lived as the original author, it was the same.
Just the happiness of being loved by readers was enough to keep him going, and he wrote diligently.
So, of course, receiving affection from someone of the opposite sex wasn’t something he disliked. Kang-hoo didn’t dislike her either.
She added softly,
“But for mercenaries like us, long-term relationships are meaningless. I think things are good just the way they are now.”
“To keep from wavering.”
Kang-hoo answered briefly.
A mercenary’s fate was such that, even if nothing happened today, tomorrow could be filled with blood and death.
That’s why opening one’s heart to someone made you that much more vulnerable.
You had to always be conscious of the fact that person could disappear from your side forever—at any moment.
“Kang-hoo, for your sake. And for mine. I think this current relationship is just right. Anyway… thank you, really. I’ll never forget today. Even if I die tomorrow.”
“Can you not with the death talk…”
“You know, right? I really could have died today.”
“Don’t live with death in mind. Just live today like there’s no tomorrow. There’s no need to dwell on death ahead of time.”
“Living today to the fullest, huh…”
“Don’t waste your time on unnecessary luxuries. You’re not even living today properly—why are you worried about tomorrow’s death?”
“…”
Ayane couldn’t respond to Kang-hoo’s sharp rebuke and sank into a deep silence.
Come to think of it, she had always lived worrying about tomorrow.
Will there be a job tomorrow? Will I make some money? Will the incoming request be too complicated?
And yet, in all that worrying, she had overlooked what she was actually doing today.
That’s what Kang-hoo had pointed out.
Whether he meant to or not, his words struck a chord deep in her heart.
“Today should be lived by today’s me. Tomorrow, when it becomes today, will be lived by the me of that day. That’s how you should live.”
Kang-hoo’s words were not only advice to her but also a resolution to himself.
He always lived the present moment to the fullest—because otherwise, he didn’t know when he’d fall behind.
People looked at him and said he hogged everything for himself, that he was an overwhelmingly powerful assassin.
But Kang-hoo himself thought differently.
He still had a long, long way to go.
No matter how much he had caught up, Jang Si-hwan was still one of the top hunters in the world.
To reach him, there were still far too many enemies that needed to be crushed and trampled.
Kang Dong-hyun, Ishihara Yuji, Jung Seon-rak, Vincent Meyer… and the list would only grow.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Kang-hoo.”
“Don’t look too far ahead. Just living today properly is already a full-time job.”
Kang-hoo held out his glass.
He planned to spend the rest of the early morning drinking with her. It was going to be a long conversation.
That day, at noon.
After a good sleep.
Before returning home, Kang-hoo met with Lars and handed over a magic ring he had obtained from a dungeon.
It was an item of no use to him, so it was a good one to part with without regret.
He didn’t make a show of it.
He simply gave it to Lars with the same nonchalance as gifting a souvenir.
Had he acted overly eager or boastful about it, Lars might have thought less of him.
But his offhand gesture instead left a strong impression on Lars.
That was how Kang-hoo made his mark.
He also asked Lars to sell the gear he had taken yesterday from the three hunters of the Hayabusa Guild—items infused with the pride of warriors.
The items were appraised on-site.
A valuation was made that included not just the item prices but also post-sale services related to potential “disputes” over acquisition.
Total proceeds: 135 billion won.
Total balance: 386 billion won.
At this point, he was closing in on the cash needed to realistically target a first-tier item.
Typically, a first-tier item started at a base price of 500 to 600 billion won.
Just a bit more, and he could aim for a truly useful top-tier item.
You might wonder whether such expensive items were common—but in the world of hunters, they were more than plentiful.
What you saw depended on the world you had experienced.
The high-end market, where trillion-won items were traded, was more active than the lower price tiers.
And so, with the settlement finalized, Kang-hoo wrapped up his first official schedule in Germany.
There had been an unexpected incident, but it all ended happily—with huge gains.
At the moment of farewell—
Lars smacked his lips with regret and said,
“I believe our guild will be in touch with you again soon. It’s all but confirmed. Next time… I’d love to accompany you myself.”
“If you’ll have me.”
Seeing Lars’s bright eyes, Kang-hoo smiled and nodded.
Lars’s interest was a very positive sign—it was actually a great opportunity to appeal to him further.
The more chances there were to impress him, the more his ambition and desire could be provoked.
Of course, for that to happen, Kang-hoo needed to prove he had enough merit.
In the end, what Lars wanted was power.
If that desire could be fulfilled, there would be no need for an organization like the Thirteen Stars.
With their business in Germany concluded, Kang-hoo and Ayane boarded separate chartered flights for their return.
They had come together but were now headed back to different destinations—Korea and Japan.
A temporary parting.
The two promised to meet again soon and returned to their respective daily lives.
Now—
The time had come for Kang-hoo to meet the first and last master of his life: Celestial Assassin.