I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter Chapter 140

Assassin (3)

 

Kang Ian had to admit it.

‘Covert operations don’t really suit me.’

The dock was wide, with container boxes scattered everywhere and plenty of secluded corners.

He thought he could move between shadows and hide his body well enough to reach the target without being detected.

And in fact, things went smoothly through the early and mid stages.

The problem came right as he was about to reach the destination… one of the organization members came all the way to a secluded container and started smoking.

Lee Geonho had already gone ahead alone using his stealth skill, leaving Kang Ian alone in the shadows.

‘My luck really is terrible.’

To think he’d get caught in a situation like this.

And of all things, the one smoking happened to be a fairly strong-looking villain hunter.

If it had been an ordinary person, he could have just stayed still and remained undetected.

“Y-you! Who are you!?”

Crackle!

Instead of answering, Kang Ian struck first.

<Quick Lightning> hit the man.

However, it didn’t take him down in one blow.

The guy raised his left hand and blocked it.

“Ugh…”

His left arm drooped, likely burned and electrocuted.

But Yang Sehyeon pulled out a metal rod from his waist with his right hand.

He wasn’t someone who could be taken down with a single lightning strike.

“A hunter… Are you from the Association? Or a guild? Not sure how you found this place.”

Yang Sehyeon grinned.

“But there’s nothing you can do alone.”

“I never said I came alone.”

“Doesn’t matter even if there’s more. There’s an executive from the triads here. And he’s an A-rank!”

“Really?”

Kang Ian’s gaze shifted slightly.

While speaking, Yang Sehyeon’s eyes had briefly moved backward.

It seemed to indicate someone was behind… where Lee Geonho had gone.

‘I should finish this quickly and go help’

The moment he thought that…

Snap.

Yang Sehyeon flicked his fingers.

Infused with mana, the sound spread far, and soon his subordinates gathered.

They were well-trained for situations like this, allowing them to assemble quickly in emergencies.

Members of the Strongest Black Bear Gang appeared atop containers, surrounding the area in an instant.

“Boss!”

“Don’t call me… take care of that bastard first!”

At Yang Sehyeon’s shout, the members rushed in.

‘Heh. If he’s a hunter, he’ll hesitate when attacking civilians.’

Yang Sehyeon smirked.

The government and Association strictly educate hunters not to attack civilians, and even accidental harm results in heavy penalties.

Because of that, hunters instinctively hesitate when facing ordinary people.

Yang Sehyeon was counting on that.

Among the members were a few C-rank and D-rank hunters.

If Kang Ian hesitated even for a moment, they could exploit that opening.

Crackle!

But Kang Ian had no such hesitation.

His staff swung rapidly, releasing consecutive bolts of lightning.

“Gah!”

“Urgh!”

Even if <Quick Lightning> was a low-tier spell, it was lethal to ordinary people.

Kang Ian adjusted the power to avoid killing them, but the members collapsed unconscious almost instantly.

“Y-you’re attacking without hesitation!?”

“What are you saying when you’re part of an illegal organization?”

Kang Ian found Yang Sehyeon’s shock more surprising.

Ding!

 

[You have subdued a member of a drug distribution organization]

[Nobility +6]

[Nobility +4]

…

 

‘Not bad.’

Even if the quality of Nobility from ordinary people wasn’t high, the quantity made up for it.

To Kang Ian, they were practically experience points for Nobility.

Since they were villain organization members, it was easier to think that way.

Yang Sehyeon steadied himself, trying to recover from the shock.

‘Stay calm… Mage type. The spell seems like a mid-level lightning attack. Extremely fast casting and even rapid-fire. Why haven’t I heard of someone like this?’

He always tried to gather information on strong hunters.

Even if he couldn’t know everything, he memorized key traits.

But he had never heard of a hunter who spammed lightning magic like this.

Kang Ian was mostly known publicly for his impactful image as a swordsman, while his identity as a mage remained relatively unnoticed.

‘Then I have a chance in close combat!’

Thinking that, Yang Sehyeon charged forward.

If he was a mage, close-quarters brawling would give him the advantage.

A guy like that would fold after a few hits!

Crackle!

Lightning flew toward him, but Yang Sehyeon swung his metal rod and shattered it.

The heavy impact and tingling sensation traveled through his hand, but he held on.

If he were alone, he would’ve been hit repeatedly, but now he had subordinates.

Most were useless ordinary members, with only a few D-rank and C-rank hunters—but that was enough to split Kang Ian’s attention.

Using that opening, he managed to close the distance.

Though his subordinates were all taken down in that short time, it didn’t matter.

“Heh. You chose your priority wrong! You should’ve attacked me first!”

‘Stupid mage!’

‘Must not have much combat experience!’

Thinking that, Yang Sehyeon swung his metal rod.

Veins bulged in his right arm, and a red aura rose.

The skill that allowed him to reach B-rank <Super Strength Strike> activated.

BOOM!

The ground caved in.

Kang Ian narrowly dodged as the rod struck the ground, creating a crater.

Even though the attack missed, Yang Sehyeon grinned wider.

Now that the distance was this close, he just needed to keep pressing.

‘Take this!’

He swung the rod horizontally.

Unless Kang Ian flew into the air, there was no way to avoid it.

At that moment, Kang Ian, who had been watching indifferently, drew his sword.

‘Huh…!?’

Only then did Yang Sehyeon realize…

Kang Ian had been using his staff with his left hand all along.

Staff in his left hand.

And now, he swung the sword in his right.

The sword, imbued with the power of the Heavy Dark Sword, clashed with the rod’s Super Strength Strike.

CLANG!

A shockwave burst from the collision.

Amazingly, it was the rod that was pushed back.

Yang Sehyeon’s eyes widened in shock.

“T-that’s impossible!!”

He’s not a mage!?

Slash!

Before he could recover, Kang Ian’s sword struck again, cutting through him.

As a physical-type hunter, Yang Sehyeon had a sturdy body and decent armor… but all of it was destroyed, and he collapsed, covered in blood.

As he fell, Yang Sehyeon saw Kang Ian clearly.

A handsome hunter wearing a modern suit-style armor, holding a sword and looking down at him.

Only then did he realize who it was.

“K-Kang Ian…!?”

A hunter who could arguably be called the most famous these days.

It was strange he hadn’t recognized him immediately.

With that, Yang Sehyeon lost consciousness.

 

***

 

At the same time Kang Ian was dealing with Yang Sehyeon…

Lee Geonho was moving alone deeper into the dock.

When Kang Ian was discovered, he had briefly wondered whether to help or not.

After a short consideration, he chose not to.

If Kang Ian and Yang Sehyeon fought and caused a disturbance, attention would be drawn there, giving him more freedom to move.

It was a cold decision, using Kang Ian… but after seeing his spar with Cheon Hajin, he judged it would be fine.

‘Hunter Kang Ian wouldn’t lose to someone like that.’

He had seen Yang Sehyeon once before when dealing with the Chilseong Bear Gang.

Though he had been number two, he wasn’t particularly strong.

He had decent strength, but that was all.

If not for more troublesome members, he would’ve finished him back then.

His position likely came from political maneuvering.

‘Just buy me some time.’

He could deal with Yang Sehyeon anytime.

What mattered more was confirming whether they had connections with overseas forces.

Korea generally had good public safety.

Because of that, villains hadn’t been able to run rampant.

But overseas villains were different.

Some had even overthrown nations and become heads of state.

If Yang Sehyeon had ties with such forces, the danger level would skyrocket.

Lee Geonho carefully advanced.

While hidden, he saw low-level members unloading cargo from a ship.. and a bald, tattooed man watching them.

‘…Chinese?’

Among Korea, China, and Japan, one could roughly guess nationality at a glance.

With enhanced senses, it was even clearer.

But since it was such a vast continent, he couldn’t tell which group the man belonged to.

As he thought…

the Chinese hunter, Hao Ran, suddenly turned his gaze and looked directly at Lee Geonho’s hiding spot.

“(A rat has come.)”

Sharp Chinese words.

At the same time, a blade-like aura burst forth, stripping away Lee Geonho’s stealth.

“……”

Not many could do that with just presence alone.

It required at least a high-tier B-rank hunter.

‘No… judging by that confidence, he’s probably A-rank.’

Thinking it had become troublesome, Lee Geonho drew his dagger.

Shhk.

His figure seemed to melt into the air, then reappeared behind Hao Ran.

He thrust the dagger down… but Hao Ran twisted his head and dodged, counterattacking with a kick.

Lee Geonho blocked it with one arm, but his expression stiffened.

The arm he used to block throbbed.

In terms of strength, the opponent clearly had the advantage.

‘Then I’ll go with speed and technique.’

Bouncing lightly, Lee Geonho circled Hao Ran, his dagger moving fluidly.

The dagger techniques he learned from Cheon Ha-jin unfolded beautifully.

Startled, Hao Ran moved both hands rapidly.

He seemed trained in martial arts… his movements resembled Chinese boxing, with hands and feet striking rapidly, each blow causing bursts in the air.

A clash between dagger techniques and martial arts, completely even!

Papapap!

Then suddenly, Lee Geonho’s body split into three as he attacked.

Hao Ran’s eyes widened as he retreated several steps, barely blocking it.

And watching the fight from afar…

‘Good. I’m not too late.’

It was Kang Ian, who had secretly followed after finishing Yang Sehyeon.

His goal was to observe Lee Geonho… and the timing was perfect.

The battle had just begun.

Both were focused on each other, unaware of Kang Ian watching.

Lee Geonho using stealth and dagger techniques.

Hao Ran using something like Chinese martial arts.

After watching for a while, Kang Ian tilted his head.

‘Why… is that all he’s using?’

Lee Geonho occasionally used <Three Shadow Kill> to pressure Hao Ran.

It was a decent skill… but assassins had far better ones.

Wasn’t it a class that combined poison, hidden weapons, and ambush skills to eliminate enemies instantly?

Using only that meant he was drawing out barely half the class’s potential.

‘No… half? More like one-tenth.’

Like a bun without filling.

Kang Ian continued watching… and became certain.

‘Does he… only have that one skill?’

He didn’t seem to have any items besides the dagger either.

For an assassin, it felt lacking.

Rather than a true assassin, it was as if he had just happened to obtain an assassin’s item and skill.

What is this?

“!”

At that moment, Kang Ian’s gaze accidentally met Hao Ran’s.

As Hao Ran flinched in surprise…

Kang Ian immediately extended his staff.

Whoosh!

A serpent of flames shot out and coiled around him.

Watching Hao Ran engulfed in fire, Kang Ian frowned.

‘I really need to learn stealth or something…!’

Getting caught every time made things impossible.