HPDBC Chapter 86
Chapter 86
Chapter 86: Sun vs. Moon (3)
The Hunter Board was the largest online community where most hunters shared information.
One day, a live broadcast popped up there.
[Passionate Han Live!]
> They look like skeletons, but... they’re not quite skeletons in this battle.
> Live! Don’t miss it—you’ll regret it if you’re late!
[Viewers: 124]
Since the streaming board was restricted to officially registered journalists certified by Korea’s Hunter Association, it was easy for the broadcast to be highlighted at the top when it started.
In the top left corner of the broadcast screen was a red “Live” dot.
“Huff! Huff! Hello!” Han, his face covered in dust, was filming himself. “Even on weekends, I don’t rest! I’m Passionate Han from HBS! Huff, huff!”
The title “Passionate” was a self-promoted nickname he’d been pushing lately. He preferred field reporting over editing second-hand information into articles.
> Oh, what’s this? A weekend stream?
> Yo, Han! Got another scoop for us?
> Why are you so out of breath? And what’s with the dirt on your face?
Reporters’ live broadcasts allowed for interaction with viewers. And since Han was a well-known journalist, viewers quickly joined as soon as he went live.
“Hehe, hurry up and join in! Today’s broadcast is one you’ll want to see. I’m seriously risking my life here. Can you hear the ground shaking?”
—Rumble...
—Boom! Boom!
The sound was akin to dynamite explosions, and the camera shook intermittently.
> What the heck? Is there a war going on?
> Look at the title. Skeletons that aren’t quite skeletons? What’s that supposed to mean?
> Stop teasing and just show us! I’m dying of curiosity!
> Is this a ranker fight again?
> Kim~ Soo Han Moo~ Turtle and Crane~ Folk tales~
Viewers reacted with both anticipation and confusion, some posting weird copypastas. Even so, Han remained patient. He knew good shows needed a buildup to make them even more impactful.
[Viewers: 532]
...
[Viewers: 1,052]
...
[Viewers: 1,335]
The viewer count quickly passed 1,000—a testament to the bustling traffic on the Hunter Board!
Han swallowed nervously.
Sometimes I feel more like a streamer than a journalist...
But what could he do? It was time for journalists to evolve with the changing world. And besides, he couldn’t bear to keep such an extraordinary battle between the two entities tearing apart the field to himself. This was why he loved his job: bringing such rare scenes to viewers at home in high definition.
“Alright, I’ll show you now. Honestly, I’m a bit scared myself. If something happens to me, will you all come to my funeral?”
> Huh?
> Is it that dangerous?
> Haha, just show us! We’ll judge after seeing.
> If this turns out to be nothing, I’m not watching HBS anymore.
> Haha, Han, thank you for your hard work. We’re counting on you for some quality info!
Glancing at the fast-moving chat, Han wideneied his stance. Luckily, the open field was in a lower area, making it easy to get a good angle from the ridge.
—Thump! Thud!
After securing the camera tripod firmly in the ground, Han turned the camera around.
“Alright, everyone, take a look!”
And then, the source of the explosive sounds came into full view.
—Whoosh! Swoosh!
A spear-wielding skeleton, shining with the light of the sun, launched attack after attack. And...
—Whip! Swoosh!
—Munch, munch.
Why did this person crunching popcorn seem so odd...?
> Wait...
With so many viewers, some recognized her.
> Hey, I know that person!
> ???
> Who?
> That person... yes! The guy from the article, “Unique Workshop in Goto Mall”! Demir’s Workshop, right?
> Oh? Right! Isn’t he the guy who built a building and made weapons with skeletons?
> Damn, isn’t that the person who recently crafted an S-rank weapon?
> No way, I thought he was a production-type hunter!
The chat exploded. Everyone was shocked. Until now, no one knew that the summoned creatures of Demir’s Workshop’s owner, known to be a production-type hunter, possessed abilities of that level.
“Ah...” Han’s jaw dropped. He’d heard of it before, but in the chaos, it hadn’t clicked.
“Hey, Han,” Kim spoke up.
“Yeah?”
“The fight’s nearly over.”
“What?” Han quickly turned the camera back to the battle.
Ultimately, ranged attacks couldn’t overcome close combat. Both fighters had battered each other to the point of shattering bones, but it seemed a tie was out of the question.
—Thud!
“It was a good fight, Eldrin.”
With a low voice, Sun Spear’s spear finally pierced Eldrin’s throat.
“...”
Eldrin let her bow slip from her hands in quiet resignation. The loser could speak no words. Bones rattled and fell to the ground.
It was a narrow victory for Sun Spear.
> Wow.
> It was short, but it felt like watching a full movie.
> I already saved the clip.
> Wow, both were insanely skilled.
> I’ve never seen archery like that, and the spearwork was insane.
> I’m a fan of this person now. Is this person a necromancer? Does he have a rank? He must be S-rank!
The chat exploded again. Everyone was chanting “Amazing!” as the comments scrolled faster and faster.
Han watched the chaos on his screen, pleased, until...
“Hey,” a man’s voice suddenly cut through the air behind him, appearing without a sound.
“...?”
Confused, he turned. Kim was already frozen, pale-faced, as if he’d seen a ghost.
What...?
Suddenly, Han’s heart dropped, and a chill ran down his spine.
Filming high-ranker training or battles was forbidden. If caught, you could vanish without a trace in the world of hunters. But he’d gone beyond just filming—he’d gone live.
I just wanted to capture the two skeletons fighting...
Ah. Should he have stopped the broadcast when he noticed Demir’s Workshop’s owner?
Yes, I admit it. Blinded by viewership, I couldn’t bring myself to stop. Ambition had clouded my judgment.
“Haha, do we still have rude folks who film without permission around this town?”
“I-I’m s-sorry...”
Han quickly stood from his spot and turned to apologize. However, he couldn’t help but freeze, just like Kim.
“B-Ber...”
The man’s entire frame was packed with muscle. A madman who’d chew through anyone—whether it be a person, a company, or even a ranker—if they dared cross him.
“Berserker...?”
The man who appeared behind him was none other than the world’s 20th-ranked hunter, Jang Daewoong the Berserker.