Hunter Academy's Battle God - Chapter 115

Hunter Academy’s Battle God
[Translator –  Daniel Shin]
[Proofreader –  ilafy]
Chapter 115
The Korea and Japan match.
Thanks to the final result ending in 2:1, the winner was decided in the Korea vs. Japan match.
“Thanks to student Sumire’s win in the 3rd round, the winning team is Korea! The Japanese team will move onto the losers division and later participate for the wild card slot, and…”
Before Yuki’s explanation ended, Sumire walked toward Shin YuSung, who was standing next to the portal.
Paf!
“Mr. YuSung! I did it!”
Sumire hugged YuSung, a smile on her face. She looked at him like a dog waiting to be praised.
“I… really wanted to win… for you… YuSung!”
She gave a weirdly sly smile that didn’t seem usual for her.
“Sumire, we were able to win thanks to you.”
Shin YuSung smiled at her.
Sumire’s queen-like atmosphere was nowhere to be seen, and she touched her own head.
She was asking for him to pat her head. Seeing her acting like that, YuSung removed Laplace’s accessory.
‘It seems like this is influencing her.’
Tap.
“Ah…? Ugh, ah…”
Surprised, Sumire stepped back from YuSung.
“I… I’m sorry! I acted strangely…”
As Sumire quickly apologized, Shin YuSung smiled when he saw she had returned to her original self.
“No. Well done, Sumire.”
YuSung patted Sumire just like she’d asked, and she smiled and blushed.
“Ah, ugh…”
Yuki watched them while making a troubled expression.
“Okay! We’re going to interview the winner and proceed to give the reward from the Hunter’s Association!” 
Two men wearing suits carried out a luxurious box that contained an artifact from the 50th floor.
‘The Thousand-Year-Old Jade…!’
It was the first time Shin YuSung had seen it, but he already knew about the Thousand-Year-Old Jade.
‘It’s the artifact Master obtained with his partners…’
The strength in the Thousand-Year-Old Jade could fortify your body and mana, but the Fist King and his partners had already reached the peak, so it was useless for them.
The growth potential was lower for hunters that were already too strong, so it wasn’t worth it.
If a student with a lot of potential absorbed it, though, its effect couldn’t even be estimated.
‘It seems like they donated the artifact to help raise their successors.’
The artifact was obtained by Shin YuSung’s party. The Thousand-Year-Old Jade was an artifact that carried the will of the Fist King and his partners. Shin YuSung made a satisfied smile.
‘If I could absorb all of the Thousand-Year-Old Jade’s strength…’
Shin YuSung wasn’t sure how strong he’d be able to become if he did such a thing. Sumire was happy when she saw how excited Shin YuSung was.
“I’m happy… I was able to be helpful to YuSung…” she sincerely said.
Sumire, who used to be the worst student, grabbed YuSung’s hands and was doing a great job. All of it was the result of Shin YuSung’s trust.
WHOOM-
Steps could be heard approaching them.
“Sumire! You’re the best-! Hehehe, party leader, I knew we would win! Today’s broadcast has been a huge success!”
It was Amy.
It seemed like she’d come running as soon as the broadcast was over.
“Heh… hehehe…”
Sumire wasn’t rejecting any praise that day. She seemed really happy while being close to YuSung.
SiWoo tried his best to smile.
“Thank you, Sumire. We almost lost because of me…”
“B-but… Hehe, this was the result of everyone doing their best. Y-YuSung also won the 1st round…”
Sumire looked at Shin YuSung and blushed. The atmosphere was good thanks to winning the 1st round of the International Competition.
* * *

Translator – Daniel Shin
Proofreader – ilafy
 

* * *
With the winner decided, that round of the International Competition was reaching its end.
– No. Well done, Sumire.
– Ah, hehe…
Isshin heard YuSung and Sumire’s voices as he stared at the stage with glazed eyes.
‘Hanajima…’

Surrounded by her new party members, Sumire looked happy. She displayed a smile he’d never seen before.
Maybe Isshin and Sumire were never a true ‘party’.
The two had never been party members that truly believed in each other.
Isshin didn’t trust Sumire’s skills; he used to think that she was someone he had to protect.
Somehow, she had grown stronger than him. He wasn’t sure what had happened in Korea, but she seemed happier than before.
Shin YuSung and her Korean party members had given her the trust and support that he hadn’t been able to, so the only thing Isshin could do was show a bitter smile.
‘The reason why I extended my hand to Hanajima…’
Maybe it wasn’t just to gain a party member. Although she used to be weaker than others, he couldn’t help but care for her because he hadn’t wanted to see her being pushed around by others.
That wasn’t an emotion one could feel toward a party member.
He felt cold.
It hurt, and it was uncomfortable.
He finally understood what the emotions he felt toward Sumire were.
‘Of course, it’s already too late…’
Paf!
Isshin felt someone’s arms wrap around him.
“Isshin! Sakura! Good job!” Party leader Seiji said while smiling. 
Sakura smirked when she saw Seiji smile despite them having lost.
“Hngh~ You’ve suffered a huge loss, yet you recovered quickly.”
“I discovered I’m weak, so I must get stronger! There’s no time to be sad, right?”
Seiji’s answer resembled Ryuko’s. Sakura looked at Isshin and spoke.
“…So he says”
Isshin, who was staring blankly at Sumire, nodded a bit late.
“Yes…”
He felt that something that had been shaking his emotions vanished. It’d been a long time since his head felt so calm.
The cat…
The raining day…
The white violet flower…
It all made him think of Sumire. He looked up at a light shining from the sky. It was something he’d never be able to see if he kept looking back. Throwing away the rest of his restraints, Isshin smiled.
“Let’s go back.”
Sumire, who had been timid and a bit dumb-looking, was his first love. She was a good person with a weak heart. It was time for him to admit his past mistakes and let them go.
* * * *
Many years prior…
Fist King Yu WonHak spoke to Shin YuSung as they stood next to a bonfire within a cave.
[Now that I think about it… there’s something I regret.]
Shin YuSung’s master had never mentioned regrets before.
[Master… you regret something…?] Shin YuSung asked in surprise.
Yu WonHak began touching his beard.
[There’s no need to be so surprised! It’s just that, now that I think about it, there’s something I regret a bit.]
After turning over the meat on the skewer, Yu WonHak kept talking.
[I never thought I’d end up raising a disciple.]
As Yu WonHak looked at him, Shin YuSung smiled.
[I gave that friend all of the artifacts I didn’t need.]
They were things Yu WonHak, who’d become the strongest, didn’t need. He had reached a point where he didn’t need the help of artifacts anymore, but his disciple, Shin YuSung, was different.
If he had the artifacts he’d left behind, Shin YuSung would have been able to grow even faster.
[Among them… there’s the Black Dragon’s Hide and a few others, but as expected, there’s one I regret leaving behind the most…]
It was the best artifact for making someone grow rapidly.
[Master, what’s that?] Shin YuSung asked, his eyes shining. 
Yu WonHak replied in a serious tone.
[It’s the Thousand-Year-Old Jade!]
It was a jade that had absorbed mana for almost a thousand years. One could increase the potential of mana up to a certain point with that artifact.
[By absorbing the strength of the Thousand-Year-Old Jade, you can reduce the amount of time needed to cultivate your mana.]
As Yu WonHak stroked his beard in disappointment, Shin YuSung shouted confidently.
[I’ll train a lot, so I don’t need such an artifact!]
Back then, YuSung never imagined he’d end up getting the Black Dragon’s Hide and the Thousand-Year-Old Jade.
‘Yet I have them both…’
Thanks to his victory in the national tournament and the International Competition, YuSung obtained both the Black Dragon’s Hide and the Thousand-Year-Old Jade.
If YuSung were able to absorb that strength, he would be able to gain even more power, but there was some risk in absorbing the Thousand-Year-Old Jade because a huge strength was sealed inside of it. He needed to treat it seriously.
‘I need a time and place to concentrate…’
YuSung gripped the Thousand-Year-Old Jade tightly.
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