Hijack: Becoming The Strongest Hunter By Stealing Skills.

Without further delay, Rin leapt forward, throwing a punch toward Min-Ju. With a quick slip, she moved her head to the side, effortlessly avoiding the attack as if she had anticipated it.

Dodging Rin's punch, she retaliated with a powerful strike to his side, sending him crashing to the ground as he gasped for air.

Looking at Rin lying helplessly on the ground, Min-Ju gazed down at him, her eyebrows furrowed, her lips forming a faintly mocking curve. In a provocative tone, she said, "Is that all you've got? You can never improve fighting like this. I've told you before, but you'll always remain weak with that arrogance." With that, she turned and began walking away.

Enraged by her words, Rin staggered to his feet, his legs trembling, his sweat-drenched body barely holding him upright.

Summoning every ounce of courage he had left, he shouted after her, "The fight isn't over yet! Not until one of us gives up completely!"

Hearing his voice, Min-Ju stopped and turned around. She looked at Rin, who was still struggling to maintain his balance. To her surprise, he wasn't recklessly charging forward like before.

Seeing this as an opportunity to end the fight quickly, she decided to exploit Rin's apparent helplessness. With a mischievous smile, she lunged forward, aiming to deliver a decisive blow to end the battle.

As she neared him, Rin remained motionless, his calm demeanor unsettling. She hesitated momentarily, sensing something amiss, but dismissed the thought, focusing solely on her attack.

At the very last second, Rin sidestepped her punch with remarkable precision, slipping behind her. Before she could react, he delivered a sharp chop to one of her vital points in her back. Min-Ju crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Breathing heavily, Rin stood victorious, gazing at Min-Ju's motionless form. Though battered and exhausted, he had won,as he moved towards his room staggering.

---

About thirty minutes later, Rin returned to the room, now cleaned up and exuding the subtle fragrance of his cologne. Min-Ju was still lying unconscious. Concerned, Rin quickly grabbed a bottle of smelling salts to revive her.

Leaning over her, he cracked open the seal on the bottle. A sharp, pungent aroma wafted up, and in his haste, Rin inadvertently inhaled the fumes.

His eyes watered, and his throat burned, but he pushed through, determined to bring Min-Ju around. He waved the salts under her nose repeatedly.

Slowly, Min-Ju began to stir. Her eyelids fluttered open, her vision hazy and unfocused. As the swirling colors of her disoriented state faded, Rin's concerned face came into view.

"Min-Ju, can you hear me?" Rin asked, his voice tinged with worry as he gently tapped her shoulder.

Min-Ju's gaze drifted around the room, her mind still foggy. She tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness forced her to collapse back down.

"What... what happened?" she whispered, her voice faint and hoarse.

"You fainted after my attack during the fight," Rin replied, his tone soft with relief. "You've been unconscious for almost half an hour."

As fragmented memories of the fight came rushing back, Min-Ju rubbed her temples, trying to ease the throbbing pain in her head. Slowly, with Rin's help, she managed to sit up, her vision gradually clearing. Though still shaky and disoriented, she began to regain her composure.

---

Meanwhile, Hayes descended into his secret sanctum, a hidden vault concealed beneath the stairs. This was a place known only to him, tucked away from prying eyes.

The narrow, winding staircase seemed to stretch endlessly downward, the air growing heavier with anticipation as he descended.

At the base of the stairs, Hayes approached the first layer of security—a sleek keypad glowing faintly in the dim light. With practiced precision, he entered his passcode, triggering a soft click of approval.

Next came the fingerprint scanner. He pressed his finger against the cool glass surface, waiting as the machine verified his identity. A green light flashed, accompanied by a mechanical voice declaring, "Access granted."

Finally, Hayes faced the iris recognition system. Leaning forward, he allowed the scanner to lock onto his gaze. A faint hum filled the room as the system processed his unique pattern. With a final beep, the massive steel doors of the vault slid open, revealing the hidden treasure within.

The vault was a cavernous space, its walls lined with impenetrable metallic plates. The air was heavy, carrying the distinct metallic scent of cold steel. Shelves filled with meticulously labeled and categorized items lined the space, each item stored with care.

Hayes's eyes lit up as he spotted what he had come for—a katana resting on an ornate stand. Approaching it with reverence, he unsheathed the blade, and its brilliance was almost blinding.

The katana's blade shimmered with an ethereal glow, its surface rippling like water frozen in time. The edge was impossibly sharp, capable of cutting through the air with ease.

The hilt, wrapped in intricately braided leather, was inlaid with delicate silver threads that formed constellations—symbols of protection and power. The crossguard bore a subtle engraving of a dragon entwined with a phoenix, its design so intricate it seemed alive.

Hayes admired the craftsmanship for a long moment before sheathing the blade. "This katana will be a perfect gift for Rin," he murmured to himself. As he left the vault, motion sensors detected his exit, and the heavy steel doors closed behind him with a resounding clang.

---

Later, Min-Ju sat in deep thought, her brows furrowed and her foot tapping impatiently. "How did that boy manage to beat me?" she muttered under her breath. "Maybe it was just sheer luck…"

Meanwhile, Hayes entered the living room, calling out in a stoic tone, "Rin! Rin!"

Hearing the urgency in Hayes's voice, Rin quickly emerged from his room, still mulling over his victory against Min-Ju.

"What's wrong?" Rin asked, his face etched with concern.

Hayes's expression softened as he spoke. "As you know, the Hunter's Academy entrance exam begins tomorrow. You've been working hard in preparation, and I thought you deserved this." He handed Rin a rectangular box, neatly wrapped in decorative paper.

Curious, Rin hastily tore into the wrapping. When he opened the box, his jaw dropped in disbelief.

"Hayes... This is a katana from the Kajiya family! How did you get this? It's incredibly rare and expensive!"

Hayes chuckled softly. "It wasn't as expensive as you think. It's worth about a billion won, but I received it as a gift from the Kajiya village head after helping recover one of their ancient relics. I thought it would be perfect for you, especially with the exam coming up."

Rin stared at the blade in awe, his eyebrows furrowing and his lips forming an 'O' of surprise. The gift was more than just a weapon capable of wielding the four natural elements—it was a symbol of his potential and the challenges that lay ahead.