Per Jeju spars and beginning of the Raid

Jinwoo and Po stood beside Chairman Go Gunhee, observing the matches unfolding before them. The Association's private training facility was filled with a tense energy, the air thick with mana as Korea's strongest Hunters clashed with their Japanese counterparts. Sparks flew as weapons collided, fists met flesh, and powerful auras flared with each exchange.

While the Korean Hunters put up a valiant effort, it became evident that Japan's S-Rank Hunters were dominating most of the battles. Goto Ryuji, their leader, watched from the sidelines with his usual smug confidence, arms crossed as his subordinates outperformed Korea's best in raw combat prowess.

Baek Yoonho had just finished a match against Ma Dongwook, the Guildmaster of the Fame Guild, when another fight drew their attention. One of Japan's Hunters—Atsushi Kumamoto, a close-combat specialist—was engaging a Korean S-Rank. Atsushi was a formidable fighter, but his biggest flaw was his uncontrollable rage when things didn't go his way. And sure enough, after missing a decisive strike, his expression twisted into something primal, veins bulging as his bloodlust overtook reason.

With a roar, he lunged at his opponent with terrifying speed. The Korean Hunter barely managed to dodge, but Atsushi's assault wasn't stopping. His movements became erratic yet overwhelmingly fast, and the match escalated beyond a simple spar into something far more dangerous.

Cha Hae-In, who had been watching closely, stepped in, her blade flashing as she attempted to halt Kumamoto's rampage. Her mana surged, releasing her signature golden glow as she aimed a precise strike to force him back.

But Kumamoto's berserk state made him unpredictable.

In an instant, he twisted unnaturally, avoiding her sword and countering with a devastatingly fast punch aimed at her ribs.

It was too fast.

Before she could react, a blur moved between them.

CLANG!

Po had intercepted the blow effortlessly.

Atsushi's fist, which had been moving with the force of a missile, was now trapped in Po's iron grip. The sheer impact sent a shockwave through the room, but Po didn't budge an inch. His amber eyes glowed slightly, betraying amusement rather than anger.

Kumamoto struggled, his face contorting with fury. "Let. Go."

Po smiled, unfazed. "Nah."

With an effortless twist, he yanked the Berserker off the ground and pinned him face-first onto the floor, his movements so fluid and controlled that it looked more like a dance than a fight. The Japanese Hunter grunted in pain, his struggling completely useless.

Po held him down with just one hand.

"Stay." He patted downed Hunter's back like one would with an unruly pet before standing up and dusting off his hands. The entire room was silent.

Cha Hae-In blinked, still processing what had happened. Then, as Po turned to her, his expression shifted to something far more playful.

"You okay, Cha-ssi?" His voice was smooth, his smirk charmingly lopsided.

She nodded stiffly, though the light dusting of pink on her cheeks didn't go unnoticed by Po. Amused, he leaned in slightly.

"You know, I'd be happy to spar with you sometime. Maybe even grab some food afterward?"

Cha Hae-In, who was known for her calm and reserved nature, found herself caught off guard. She coughed lightly, turning away in an attempt to compose herself.

Still, Po caught the almost imperceptible nod she gave.

Po grinned. Nice.

Goto vs. Po:

The atmosphere shifted as Goto Ryuji stepped forward, his previous amusement replaced with something sharper. His pride as Japan's strongest Hunter had been wounded watching one of his own be manhandled so easily.

"Impressive," Goto said, his tone level. "I'd like to test you myself, if you don't mind."

Po turned to him, stretching slightly. "Sure, sure. Let's get starte—"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Goto moved.

In the blink of an eye, Goto Ryuji blitzed toward Po, his sword slicing through the air with terrifying speed. His blade shot straight for Po's head, a lethal strike meant to test if this 'foreigner' was truly worth the fear he was beginning to feel.

A sickening schlick echoed in the room.

The Japanese Healer, Akari Shimizu, gasped and immediately rushed forward, her hands glowing with healing energy.

But there was no wound.

Because there was no Po.

The image of him getting impaled flickered, then vanished like mist.

It was an afterimage.

The real Po stood behind Goto, completely unscathed.

"…Huh?" Goto barely had time to react before his legs were suddenly swept from under him. His body flipped in the air, and the next thing he knew—

THUD!

He was flat on his stomach, Po standing over him.

Silence.

The watching Hunters—both Korean and Japanese—were too stunned to even whisper.

Po, with an infuriatingly casual air, bent down and lightly tapped Goto's wrists. Then, to add insult to injury, he lifted him slightly off the ground—only to drop him back down.

The action wasn't painful.

It was just disrespectful.

Po turned to Gunhee, completely ignoring Goto's twitching form.

"Yeah, I'm not doing the Jeju Raid." His voice was light, casual, as if he hadn't just humiliated Japan's strongest Hunter in front of an audience. "I got other priorities."

Jinwoo, who had been watching the entire scene unfold, smirked. "Same here."

Gunhee, far from being angry, merely chuckled. "Enjoy your time off. You've earned it."

That night, as Baek Yoonho sat in his office, he scrolled through the finalized list of Hunters for the Jeju Raid. His eyes skimmed through the names—Goto Ryuji, Choi Jong-In, Ma Dongwook, Cha Hae-In—until he reached the end.

Jinwoo and Po weren't listed.

Baek felt a chill.

That's… bad.

Goto Ryuji, in his own quarters, stared at the same list. His hands trembled slightly, though whether from frustration or fear, even he wasn't sure.

How could they be that powerful… and not even care about the Raid?

Meanwhile, on social media, both Jinwoo and Po were facing some backlash from the public for refusing to participate in Korea's biggest crisis.

Not that they cared.

Returning home with Kyung-Hye, Po explained his current living situation. He was technically crashing at Jinwoo's place, and while he had the funds to get his own, he didn't particularly feel like leaving just yet.

"If that's an issue, I can find somewhere else," Po said, polite as ever.

Kyung-Hye, ever the kind woman, merely smiled. "Nonsense. You're welcome here."

Jin-Ah, who had been silently watching the entire exchange, quickly turned her head away when Po's gaze met hers.

Kyung-Hye, with the sharpness only a mother possessed, noted her daughter's reaction.

Oh, interesting.

She said nothing, but the small, knowing smirk on her lips was telling.

Po, completely unaware of the silent mother-daughter dynamic unfolding, stretched. "Alright then. Guess I'm officially a house guest."

As the night settled in, Po and Jinwoo prepared for what was to come.

The Jeju Raid was starting soon.

And while they wouldn't be there, the world was about to change in ways no one could predict.