Chapter 379

〈 Chapter 379 〉 Part 1, Chapter 16, Section 14

August 23rd.

I received a strange message from the goddess I frequently communicate with and meet up.

– Lately, I’ve been going to the study room to switch up my mood and study, but someone keeps following me.

Naturally, I couldn’t contain my rage. Stalking a goddess is a major crime, an act that threatens the peace of the entire planet.

Thus, without Yuna knowing, I trailed after her. Fortunately, the blazing sun allowed no one to notice my movements, and hiding on rooftops, I carefully observed if anyone was tailing Yuna.

And sure enough.

Out came some blonde, tanned sunglasses-wearing punk strolling around while following Yuna. From his black suit, gold watch, to his gold necklace, his behavior was utterly obnoxious.

How should we deal with this? Should I call Baek Hee-a and mobilize a Hero, or contact Yun Yuhwa and use the power of the Yu-Sung Group? As I pondered this…

‘This guy can only be taken down by me.’

Realizing the true identity of the blonde hunter strutting around like a hungry hyena in the middle of New Seoul, I jumped off the rooftop.

Whoosh.

Unfurling my wings, moving at a speed imperceptible to humans, transforming into my monster form, I grabbed the blonde punk’s head and soared high into the sky.

“Kgh, what-?!”

Flying like light, I hurled the blonde punk towards the West Sea. Glittering with gold, he flew far west and landed smack in the middle of some unnamed island.

‘Hmph.’

Leisurely flapping my wings, I flew towards where the blonde punk had gone. The golden dust already brushed off his body now revealed him pulling out golden gloves.

“Eh, um.”

“Excuse me.”

Returning to human form, I stood before the blonde punk. Beneath his sunglasses, his golden irises darted left and right as they sized me up.

“Mr. Karna?”

“……”

Sighing deeply, Karna released his magic power. His deep brown skin remained unchanged, but now clad in a white shirt and black hot pants—an outfit audacious beyond measure—Karna appeared before me.

“Phoenix. Is there something the matter?”

“I just caught a stalker red-handed.”

“Ah, it seems there’s been a big misunderstanding between us.”

Karna manipulated his magical gear and shot something at me. Upon catching it, I frowned deeply. Karna handed me a business card.

“Hunter Guild <Yuhwa>?”

“You, Hi. New hunters are always welcome! It means nice to meet you.”

The electronic business card listed contactable email addresses or SNS IDs. Logging in through the code, sure enough, there stood the Hunter Guild operated by the Yu-Sung Group.

“Alright. I’ll acknowledge Yuhwa trying to secure the Hunter Guild first. So what’s this?”

I pointed at Karna’s profile embedded in the business card. Sporting sunglasses, he held a business card that read ‘Exclusive Producer for the US Guild [Hotshan].’

“Hmm, when I asked the people from Yuhwa’s guild, they all recommended this name. Hotshan.”

“…Well, it’s not too strange as an Indian name…”

Though the sound of the name brought to mind less a blonde punk and more a tragic foreign laborer, it seemed Karna quite liked being called Hotshan.

“So, were you out there hunting young idol girls with blonde hair?”

“…Hmph.”

Karna blushed and cleared his throat awkwardly. He seemed to have something to say, so I nodded encouragingly, waving my hand for him to speak.

“If the hunter business is to flourish, don’t we need many individuals with special abilities to awaken as hunters?”

“Yes.”

“In that case, those who already possess such abilities would know their worth well. Hiring career professionals would only make them too expensive, so Yuhwa suggested recruiting newbies instead.”

“So?”

“If we’re hiring, why not hire talented ones? That’s what Yuhwa and I thought as we traveled nationwide observing promising individuals. They all possessed remarkable talent, and coincidentally, striking beauty. So, we lured them in.”

“With what?”

Karna leaned his hand against his chin and smirked.

“My looks. Of course, don’t misunderstand. This female form belongs solely to you. I merely scouted using the body of Hotshan. By the way, I’ve already made preliminary contracts with over ten A-rank light-speed ability users.”

“You probably sealed contracts—and night agreements—with them too.”

“……That’s a misunderstanding.”

“Do you really think I don’t know about your antics with idols in Korea? Stop lying.”

“Tch. That’s why you should hurry up and seal the deal.”

Karna clicked his tongue and acted defiantly. I stopped him as he tried to take off his hot pants, and we briefly struggled for a bit.

“Are you crazy? What do you think you’re trying to take off in broad daylight?”

“Don’t worry! While the sun shines brightly, neither you nor I will be seen! Hahaha, oh glorious light!”

“You spirit of beaches!”

Punch.

I drove my fist into Karna’s stomach, causing him to clutch his abdomen and bow his head.

“Hn, hn… Phoenix, is this your preference…?”

Punch. Punch punch.

I knocked Karna unconscious. Not even a few minutes later, Karna regained consciousness and seemed somewhat calmer.

“What a pity. I thought we’d have some fun here.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Is outdoor play really unacceptable? It works better under sunlight. Greater results too.”

“…Don’t use the sunlight as your Viagra. Anyway, as much as it’s a hobby, isn’t it excessive how much you’re sealing deals everywhere? Did you achieve any success from all that wandering around?”

“Hm. Everyone awakened as light-speed ability users while engaging in acts with me. Injecting magic power during climax made them see me as if I were some celestial messenger sent from heaven.”

“……”

Clearly, he duped them into believing they’d awaken as ability users upon reaching climax internally. With eyes, Karna must have targeted only those with the potential for light-speed A-rank abilities, luring them in with his face and charm to succeed in one-night stands.

“So, what’s the recruitment rate?”

“100%. If you hadn’t interfered earlier, she would have been the seventeenth. Tsk, never imagined such a treasure existed in Korea.”

“That’s a goddess.”

“……”

Blah blah.

I informed Karna about Yuna’s situation. After pondering for a moment, Karna firmly nodded and placed his hand on my shoulder.

“So, if I sync with Goddess Yuna, does that mean I can defeat you?”

“Guess who doesn’t want to lose just because they’re light-speed?”

“I’m talking about the possibility. Hmm, now I understand why my loins throbbed the moment I saw her.”

“She’s a minor.”

“Hm? Wasn’t she dropped by Seongju in 1999? She must be over twenty then. If we count the time spent in the incubator, she’s legally an adult, isn’t she? Hehehe.”

Karna grinned lecherously. I swiftly struck down the dark hands aiming for Yuna. Rubbing his hand, Karna pouted.

“Even though Yuna is pretty, don’t unnecessarily provoke her. If you fall in love with her and then hurt her by fooling around with other women, what do you think will happen?”

“What happens?”

“Yuna will shoot laser beams from her eyes and split the Earth into four pieces.”

Accurately speaking, it’ll be the descent of the interdimensional deity following Yuna’s mental death.

“Hmm… What a shame. I thought forming a deeper relationship with Yuna might be interesting.”

“You already have a deep connection with Yuhwa. Even if Gaechonkwang relies on the Yu-Sung Group as a hero, joining the guild under the name Hotshan essentially means working for Yuhwa, doesn’t it?”

“That’s true. We match exceptionally well. It almost feels like you deliberately connected us.”

Karna gave me a thumbs-up and smiled broadly.

“We both want to dive into you! Hahaha.”

“Are you serious? There’s no way Yuhwa would—”

“Hm? Why not? We already know each other’s preferences thoroughly. We’re practicing all possibilities together. Like, the passionate nights of Hotshan and Jae-min—”

“Stop.”

I regretted hearing that. My ears tingled, fearing they might rot. Thankfully, they were still alive. I needed to change the subject quickly.

“Still, it’s fortunate that you two match so well.”

“Exactly. We share the same likes, which is problematic. So, I have one curiosity.”

Snap.

Placing both hands on my shoulders, Karna met my gaze. Thanks to the height difference, my upward glance and Karna’s downward tilt due to bending allowed our eyes to meet.

“Suppose I sync with Yuhwa. In that case, will you choose to claim me, or Yuhwa, or perhaps both of us?”

“That’s…”

Both were entities with considerable possessiveness. Compared to other heroines, Karna and Yuhwa refused to simply be beneath the protagonist; they were proactive women.

The Karna route or the Yuhwa route?

My answer was firm.

“I’m on the Phoenix route.”

“What?”

“Just idle talk. What I mean is, there will never be a future where I claim both of you.”

“…That makes me angry. Fine. Then let’s make a promise. If Yuhwa and I sync, will you duel with us once?”

“No.”

I outright rejected it.

“I don’t engage in losing battles.”

“So, what you’re saying is, if we sync, we can defeat you?”

“Maybe… I could win the fight?”

“Then it’s settled. Hehehe. Once you taste defeat, your perspective will change. The moment Yuhwa and I triumph over you, you’ll fall for us.”

“Will I?”

“Indeed.”

Karna grinned confidently.

“We’ve agreed to share you! If you insist on maintaining a female form, having two holes works perfectly, and if you prefer male form…”

Karna tightly shut his eyes.

“…We can take turns!”

“The party involved has no intention of being shared, yet you’re already drinking kimchi soup by the bowlful.”

“Your defenses are suffocating. How about trying to change your heart?”

“Why don’t you change yours first? Sharing? Agreement? With Yuhwa? Pfft, do you really believe that?”

I attempted to sow discord. Karna’s expression stiffened.

“You wouldn’t give anything away for free except to family. Karna, are you family to Yuhwa?”

“……”

Karna began a lengthy contemplation. Though Yuhwa provides Karna with much, does Yuhwa truly regard Karna as family?

“Hmm…”

Karna started pondering deeply. Clapping his hands, he vigorously nodded.

“I’ll go ask her directly!”

“What?”

“There’s no point lingering here. I’ll go ask her directly. Wait a moment, Phoenix!”

Like light, Karna disappeared towards New Seoul. Worrying that Karna might go after Yuna, I quickly called her.

“Miss Yuna, are you available for a call?”

[Yes. I finished solving the problem set I bought last time, so I’m on my way to buy more. Why?]

“If a blonde punk starts loitering nearby, kick them in the groin. Got it?”

[Hmm… I understand what you mean.]

The call ended as Yuna entered the bookstore. I lay on the white sand, waiting blankly for Karna’s return.

“Sync…”

Karna and Yuhwa, the most representative partners.

Hwanryong and Cheon Gaeul are the best, but currently, Xiao Lin also fits well.

Seok Harang can sync independently.

‘Each of the others has one or two partners.’

Penril with Park Ra-on, Ji Ryun with Aruel, Azidahaka with Kim Nori.

Would they all sync with their main partner, or perhaps with Yuna as insurance, or maybe with sub-attribute heroines?

‘I need to sync soon too.’

When will Chang-yeom open her heart? Will she only grant permission after awakening all six spirits?

“Augh, I wish I could just deal with all three at once.”

Finding the locations of Azidahaka and Hydra soon would be ideal. Until Karna returned, I quietly closed my eyes under the sunlight.

“Phoenix! I’ve gotten Yuhwa’s answer!”

“What did she say?”

“She accepts a family of wives sharing the same husband!”

Yun Yuhwa, what a terrifying child.