Chick 276

276

Chapter: War of Nerves

HunterNet Anonymous Board

[Title: Predicted Lineup for This Youth Exchange Match Against Justitia Germany]

Gidan

Sergey

Lee Taemin

On Groo

Just these four.

[Comments]

• Why isn’t Wooju included?

F-rank kindergarten kid Wooju vs. F-rank kindergarten kid Groo. The winning toddler should be in the youth match, lol.

A toddler match… It would be an epic showdown.

Honestly, the toddler match might be more fun than the youth match, hahahahaha.

Put Wooju in as a substitute.

Okay.

• Get Groo out, lol.

If Groo gets in, On Joorim tags along—that’s a bonus, isn’t it?

Groo’s dad is too old, he can’t play in the youth match.

Is this a youth match or a parents’ match?

If it’s a parents’ match, we’d obliterate them. How many parents does Groo have?

All the Korean S-ranks would show up, lol.

[Title: Who else do you think will play in the youth match?]

Gidan and Sergey are locked.

Take Groo and Wooju out.

[Comments]

• Chaerin’s form is great lately.

Yeah, I heard Brom and NAG want to snatch Chaerin.

Chaerin’s been performing better than Lee Taemin these days.

Here we go again with the hype train.

• No idea, apart from our two best prospects the pool is so small, everyone else is just average.
• I’m worried about our support line.

Seriously, why are there only hardcore dealers? Support is the real game-changer.

[Title: Is this seriously our lineup?]

Germany: Teamwork… Support… Strategy…

Korea: Firepower, and even more firepower!

[Comments]

• When are we dropping the dumb brute concept, lol.

Gidan always trailing behind On Joorim.

Guess that’s eternal, damn it, hahaha.

[Title: Interview With the Head Coach of the German Branch (Loewenherz Guild Master)]

Q: How is the German team’s condition right now?

A: Excellent. Everyone is especially excited to meet Korea’s rookies. I don’t think you need to worry about the German team’s performance.

Q: What do you think of Korea’s competitiveness?

A: Hyeonak’s individuals are outstanding, but their individualism can’t compare to German teamwork.

Especially Hunter Gidan—he’s weak at team play. I don’t think the new recruit Sergey will be any different.

Relying on excellent attack power and individual skills will only get you so far in teams.

Q: What do you predict for this match?

A: Since our side has a supporter like none other, frankly, I think it’s already decided which way the scales tip.

I’m not sure if Korea’s team can compensate for their weak support line.

Q: Anything you’d like to say to Hyeonak, the guild leading Team Korea?

A: Hyeonak seems quite invested in the toy business these days, and I think that suits their childlike guild atmosphere. (Laughs) I hope they keep playing house for a long time.

[Comments]

• The real hype merchant is Germany.

Germans hyping it up, wow.

• That interview is infuriating.
• The Hyeonak squad really loves Fakeclaw, they’ll be pissed.
• Breaking news: Hyeonak is already losing it over that interview, lol.

Hahahahaha

This is gonna be must-see sports, I’m going to watch.

[Title: Sorry to the Germans, but we don’t even need a supporter]

The invisible supporter

(Amakusa Kazuki’s profile picture)

King-makusa God-zuki

[Comments]

• Wow, I still can’t believe Amakusa is on the Korean team.
• S+ Amakusa series is moving to Korea?

The transfer period isn’t over, so probably not this time.

• He’ll at least polish the Korean team’s equipment, right?

Hyeonak really hit the jackpot, having Amakusa Kazuki tune their gear.

• Let Fakeclaw play too.

Nope, already mocked as kids’ toys by the Germans~

Let baby Fakeclaw sit this one out.

[Title: Why exclude Fakeclaw?]

Just bring the drone and fire a railgun.

[Comments]

• This isn’t a real raid, just a match — you can’t bring gear outside your main weapon, of course the drone’s not a priority.

Damn, then Amakusa coming means Fakeclaw loses out. What’s going on with Hyeonak’s craft team?

---

The interview area attached to the Hyeonak Management Team’s office.

On Groo, clutching a Chick Drone in one hand and pushing a cart of items with the other, stared fixedly at the interviews.

Kazuki and Joorim were under the lights being interviewed first. Meanwhile, Gidan and Sergey were doing light makeup, waiting for their turn.

“First, a question for Guild Master On Joorim. Or should I call you Director On, now? I understand this is your first time being appointed as a director. How does it feel? Are you nervous?”

Joorim, legs crossed languidly, responded blandly to the anchor’s question.

“No. I’m not the one going out there, after all.”

As expected from On Joorim… The anchor’s smile froze for a moment before she smoothly continued.

“Still, as director, you must feel a heavy sense of responsibility. After all, Germany is a top-tier team.”

“The kids will take care of themselves.”

“That’s true. Our hunters may be young, but they’re valuable members of Hyeonak. I suppose that was a needless question.”

This time, it seemed even the anchor struggled with Joorim’s nonchalance.

Dripping cold sweat, the anchor moved on to the next question, and Groo pushed his cart around again.

After a few perfunctory questions to the uninterested Joorim, the anchor turned the mic to Kazuki.

“The starting team’s equipment is being handled by Hunter Amakusa Kazuki, is that right?”

“Yes, I’m preparing it.”

“I’ve heard there are rumors the German team is wary of the Amakusa series.”

“That’s a delightful rumor. I wish they’d be even more cautious.”

Kazuki grinned, playing it up lightly.

Groo gazed at Kazuki with a steady stare—once, with a single step. Twice, a lingering look.

Groo, loitering like a rain-soaked puppy, hovered around Joorim and Kazuki, sneaking jealous glances.

Joorim, seeming slightly irked by Groo’s presence, maintained eye contact as she continued the interview.

“Why are you like this?” her gaze seemed to ask, and Groo let his shoulders droop, glum.

‘Why, you ask…’

Groo glanced at Kazuki, then to the drone in his own hands.

‘Groo’s item is a lonely acorn.’

Braving the dangers of the children’s detention center just to source materials, he had crafted this new drone.

He’d been excited to demonstrate it during the exchange, confident it would earn him a new grade.

Yet, no matter how much he skulked about, he could not draw even a hint of attention.

He’d expected praise for his latest invention, but instead, disappointment stung deeply.

But in truth, it was only natural.

Because Hyeonak had him.

Groo stared at Kazuki again. Somehow, his already handsome face looked even more irritating today.

The undisputed greatest craftsman alive: Amakusa Kazuki.

He had left his homeland, Japan, to join Hyeonak.

And now Groo realized what that meant: if the world’s greatest craftsman was with the guild, no other craftsperson there had any real worth.

As if that wasn’t enough, Fakeclaw was being mocked by the German team, told he should just stick to making toys.

And those same Germans were wary of Kazuki’s S+ series.

Groo’s small shoulders trembled slightly.

‘I’m upset.’

He bit his lip, jaw jutting out like Mephisto’s beak.

He was only now, painfully, realizing the gap between his master—his daily partner in crafting toys—and himself.

‘…Tch.’

Groo stood between Joorim and Kazuki, keeping his distance.

He hadn’t noticed before, but Joorim and Kazuki were among the world’s greatest hunters.

The spotlight they received seemed to shine even more resplendently.

Everyone in the room, all S-ranks, focused on every gesture and word from those two extraordinary figures.

For a moment, Joorim and Kazuki seemed like towering mountains, and Groo stood with his mouth agape, staring blankly at them.

“Groo, come over here.”

Just then, a member of the Management Team pinched Groo’s cheek affectionately.

“Okay…”

Groo trudged over to join the others waiting their turn, and Gidan, adjusting his attire, picked Groo up and sat him on his lap.

“What’s put our Groo in such a mood today? Who is it—tell me, and I’ll scold them.”

“It’s nothing.”

Groo shook his head and clutched the Chick Drone tightly. Gidan’s brow furrowed with curiosity.

“Is that so? Hm…”

Lost in thought, Gidan suddenly looked over at Sergey.

Sergey had his nose buried in his phone, but just then, he looked up.

“Finished reading?”

“Yeah. That guy’s incredibly arrogant.”

“Right?”

Gidan took the phone Sergey handed him and smirked.

Sergey, sensing that Gidan was plotting mischief, asked first.

“What’s up?”

Gidan glanced around, then scooped Groo up, throwing one arm around Sergey’s shoulders so the three were huddled close, and began whispering conspiratorially.

It was Team Leader Seol Yeojin of the Management Team, monitoring the interview, who noticed the children’s secret meeting.

Watching them with mounting anxiety, Seol Yeojin called out, “Kids, you remember you need to do well at the interview, right?”

“…Got it.”

“Of course. We do this every day.”

Sergey and Gidan immediately straightened up and stepped away from each other.

Watching them, Yeojin snatched Gidan’s phone.

Judging by the news article on the screen, they had definitely been reading the German interview.

With a deep sigh, she handed the phone back. Gidan grinned brightly.

“Yeojin-noona, why do you look so worried?”

“Because I know you.”

“Hehe!”

Again, Seol Yeojin let out a heavy sigh.

Gidan could always handle provocations with easy composure, and Sergey just didn’t care.

‘Then why am I so anxious?’