Chapter 75
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
A set of heavy footsteps came from the distance. Soon, dozens of monsters without levels appeared out of the dark, their limbs hanging loosely. Although similar to Death Knights, there were noticeable differences in their appearance. Unlike their horse-riding counterpart, the monsters approaching Ho Sung were wearing gold armor and brandishing gold swords.
When the monsters came closer, their names became visible.
[Hell Knight]
Unlike Min Sung, who was fascinated by the lack of level indication, Ho Sung and Bowl, led by their instincts, backed away from the monster and hid behind the champion, frightened by the golden aura emanating from the monsters' swords. The Hell Knights had a presence like no other monster they had faced up to that point in the labyrinth. Looking toward the pack, Min Sung smiled subtly and murmured, "So, there really are demons here."
Puzzled by the smile on the champion's face, Ho Sung asked, "… What do you mean?"
"I've seen those things before," Min Sung said, staring at the pack of Hell Knights coming toward him.
"Where?"
"Hell."
"Sir?"
"They would always run away when I saw them, but seeing as though they're coming toward me, it seems like they might not be from Hell," the champion said, throwing Ho Sung into even further confusion. At that moment, after closing in on the champion, their suits of armor making metallic clicks as they walk, the pack of Hell Knights stood in a row and stopped in their tracks simultaneously. Although they limped lifelessly, the way in which they got in formation resembled a well-trained army. Soon, each of the Hell Knights started to glow gold. They were surrounding themselves in aura as if they were preparing for combat.
"Been a while," Min Sung said, smiling bitterly. With the Orichalcon Dagger in his hand, the champion walked toward them without hesitation. At which point, the Hell Knight at the front of the line charged at him, swinging its sword, creating streaks of aura that poured on the champion like rain.
—
Staring at a large hole in the wall of the labyrinth, Jan's eyes widened, and he said, "He broke through the walls?"
The walls within the labyrinth were nothing like those in the outside world. Enhanced with the power of enchanted stones, the walls were much sturdier than any ordinary wall. Needless to say, the sight of giant holes in the labyrinth walls was nothing short of mind boggling. The more Jan looked at it, the more he realized just how powerful his opponent might be.
Walking through the hole with a low chuckle, Jan wrapped the hefty chain around his arm even tighter than before, a big smile creeping on his face.
"The time draws near," he murmured, walking through the labyrinth unhurriedly.
—
The ground quaked, and the air shook as the rain of golden aura poured down on the champion. Parrying the attacks away with a single swing of his dagger, the champion fought his way through the pack of Hell Knights, killing them one by one unhurriedly. There was nothing precarious about the way in which the champion fought. In fact, there was grace in his style, as if he had no weakness, and to Ho Sung's eyes, the champion's power seemed almost inhuman.
'He has to be a god or a devil himself,' Ho Sung thought. Besides, the champion had said it himself that he had come across the Hell Knights in Hell. At that moment, Ho Sung coughed up blood. His body shook, his vision blurred, and his head spun. The shockwaves from the sheer impact of the two different types of aura colliding made standing still feel like torture. Similar to Ho Sung, Bowl shook in fear and awe of its master's power, completely taken aback. At that moment, Ho Sung picked Bowl up, backed away, and hid behind a wall.
"The moment one of those things get past Min Sung, we're screwed,' he thought, watching the battle between the champion and the Hell Knights from afar. The only way to survive was to put his faith in the champion and hope that it would all be over soon.
—
The aura flowing out of the champion's dagger pierced through a Hell Knight's heart.
"…Ugggh."
With sounds akin to sheets of metal scraping against each other, the Hell Knights died off one by one. Then, while staring at the Hell Knights' corpses dropping items after exploding into pieces, the champion tilted his head slightly, feeling as though he was absorbing their filthy souls. Soon, the mystery of the unfamiliar sensation was uncovered by the mechanical voice of the labyrinth's system.
[First kill within proximity of your level!]
[Players can absorb the souls of the monsters they have slayed on Inferno and above.]
[Souls absorbed by players will be converted into energy.]
Hearing that, Min Sung nodded, happy with the fact that he could absorb the souls of his opponents for energy. Although Hell Knights were the lowest of the low in the Demonic Realm, the fact that the champion could now absorb their souls was extremely appealing. Turning back toward Ho Sung and Bowl, Min Sung said, "Pick 'em up." Despite the significant distance between, the champion's voice was clearly audible, and it resonated throughout the labyrinth.
Rushing toward the champion, Ho Sung picked up the loot in a hurry. Meanwhile, still shaking with fear, Bowl jumped into the champion's pocket.
"One more to go," Min Sung said, staring into the darkness ahead. His instincts and experience were telling him that the journey was nearing its end.
"… I sure hope so," Ho Sung said honestly as he picked up the last piece of loot. At that moment, a set of footsteps came from the labyrinth behind them. Startled, Ho Sung looked toward the darkness. However, he was caught off guard by the foe that came out of that darkness: a muscular man with a black chain wrapped around his arm.
Judging from the color of his eyes and hair, the man seemed to be a foreigner.
"… A hunter?" Ho Sung murmured, staring at Jan Bred, who glared at the champion with the eyes of a lion and a subtle smile on his face.
"At last. An offering."
There was a tremendous presence to the man's ominous voice, big enough to disrupt the aura flowing in the environment. While Ho Sung swallowed nervously at that intimidating sight, Bowl crawled back into the champion's pocket.
"Who are you?" Min Sung asked. To which, Jan looked down at his wristwatch and replied, "This watch is impressive. They weren't lying about the language translation feature. All right."
"I asked you a question."
At the champion's hostile tone, Jan looked up, smiled, and said, "I'm here to take your life as an offering, Min Sung Kang."
"An offering?"
"That's right. I won't be stopped. Soon, the AH will also meet the same fate as the one you're about to meet," Jan said, looking as though in a trance.
Then, looking back at Ho Sung with a furrowed brow, Min Sung asked, "What is this AH?"
Having been staring at Jan with widened eyes, Ho Sung snapped out of it and replied in a hurry, "He must be talking about the Central Intelligence within the American Masters' Institute. That would make him a world-class hunter. I think you should keep your wits about you, sir."
"Yeah, right. You, come here," Min Sung said, signaling with his Orichalcon Dagger for Jan to come closer.
"A little too confident for an Asian hunter, don't you think?" Jan said.
"I get to be."
"Taking your life will bring me glory," Jan said. Then, while Min Sung scoffed condescendingly, the chain wrapped around Jan's arm started to buzz, and an aura like Ho Sung had never seen before surged around Jan like a storm. As the aura grew even stronger, Jan opened his mouth, "A Divine Dungeon Gate will open in Seoul as we speak, and powerful monsters will pour out of it. With your country's pathetic little military, it won't be long before Korea lies in ruins. You will die here, and Korea as you know will fade from the face of the Earth!"
Looking down, Min Sung breathed a small sigh and said, "Three quiet meals a day. Is that really too much to ask?"
With his aura flowing out of his dagger, Min Sung walked toward Jan.
"You dare challenge me? Some nameless hunter from Asia?"
"You talk too much," Min Sung said, staring at Jan with merciless eyes and tossing the dagger into the air. At that moment, the dagger hovered in midair, flew toward Jan, pierced through his protective shield and shoulder, and flew back into the champion's hand like a boomerang.
"Ugh!"
The hellfire that had once been in Jan's eyes started to fade, and the intimidating aura that had once surrounded him also started to weaken. Staggering, he fell to his knees, his face pale, his eyes sunken, and his skin turning black like a rotting corpse. The damage was beyond imagination. Soon, the hunter coughed out a pool of blood, which continued to drip from his mouth. Walking toward the vulnerable hunter, Min Sung stood in front of him and asked, "You mentioned a Divine Dungeon Gate. Does this have anything to do with the message about the Demonic Realm?"
"… This doesn't make sense. How could a nameless hunter like you from an insignificant country possess such power?" Jan asked, his life fading away from his face as he spoke.
"Answer the question. Does any of what you said have anything to do with the Demonic Realm?"
"Even if I am to die here, the divines will lift me up. Then, I will make it a priority of mine to slice your…"
Before he finished his sentence, the champion's Orichalcon Dagger pierced Jan's throat, killing the hunter instantly.
"We've wasted too much time. If what this guy said is true, then there are monsters spreading across the entire city. We gotta kill the boss as soon as we can and leave this place. Can you keep up?"
Struggling to appear confident and determined, Ho Sung nodded affirmatively and declared, "Yes, sir."
"Let's go."
With that, the two set out on a journey through the desolate land in search of the labyrinth's boss.
Chapter 76
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
While traversing the desolate land with the champion, Ho Sung, aching all over, coughed. Despite having focused entirely on defense and drinking healing potions, the shockwave had simply been too powerful, leaving Ho Sung with lingering damage.
'This is way harder than I expected. Ugh, my aching body…"
Fortunately, the reward made the effort of clearing the labyrinth well worth it, allowing Ho Sung to reach a realm that he would have only dreamed of reaching before. Ho Sung had been raking in experience points simply by keeping up with the champion.
Looking at the champion walking ahead, Ho Sung chuckled silently. There was only one thing driving Min Sung to clear the labyrinth as soon as possible and eradicate the monsters running amok throughout Seoul: the restaurants.
Unlike most heroes, who were driven by their will to rescue humanity from evil, Min Sung's sole interest lay on keeping the restaurants in Seoul safe. Nevertheless, Min Sung was humanity's only hope. Having killed Ace, the ruthless terrorist, and a world-class hunter named Jan Bred, Min Sung was more than just a restaurant-fanatic hunter. Rather, he was closer to a hero at the end of the day. Because of this rule-abiding hero who stayed true to his primitive instincts, Korea now had the opportunity to continue existing.
Ho Sung opened his inventory. Nearing the end of the Infernal Labyrinth, his level was at a whopping 420.
'The human mind is such a mystery,' he thought. Ho Sung still remembered feeling like he had had the entire world at the palm of his hand after reaching level 200. Now, being well on his way to reaching level 500, that memory of when he reached level 200 had started to fade. Shaking his head, Ho Sung said to himself, 'Get it together, Ho Sung. There's something much more important than your level. You gotta focus on sharing in Min Sung's glory and find value in walking alongside him. You gotta get stronger. Stronger than you had ever imagined yourself being. You WILL leave your old self behind and overcome your limits. You can do it. Yeah! With Min Sung Kang by your side, you'll tread into a realm of unimaginable…'
At that moment, Ho Sung's thoughts were interrupted as Min Sung kicked him from behind.
"Ugh!" Ho Sung let out, grabbing his butt and shaking from the pain.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed? Pull yourself together."
"S-sorry, sir," Ho Sung replied, rubbing his butt while furrowing his brow and thinking, 'Dick… Of all the places he could've hit.' However, seeing the champion glaring fiercely at him, Ho Sung forced a smile and rubbed his butt in order to soothe the pain.
—
Looking at the countless monitors in front of him, the man in the wheelchair furrowed his brow. At that moment, the door opened, and the man in the black robe came into the room.
"Well?" the man in the robe asked.
"Jan's dead," the man in the wheelchair replied with a dark expression on his face.
"I'd figured he wasn't just an ordinary hunter, but this fellow is impressive."
"That's not all," the man in the wheelchair said. When the man in the robe gave him a puzzled look, he swallowed nervously and replied, "One blow. This man took out Jan Bred in one blow."
Hearing that, the eyes of the man in the robe shook ever so slightly. Made of a special material found in the labyrinth, Jan's wristwatch had allowed the man in the wheelchair to overhear the conversation between Jan and Min Sung.
"This Min Sung Kang seemed to know about demons as well," the man in the wheelchair said.
"How…?" the man in the robe murmured, looking shaken.
"There's no telling. The real issue here is that this Min Sung Kang character is far more
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powerful than we'd imagined."
The deaths of local hunters were of no interest to the two mysterious men. However, the death of Jan Bred, who had once been a member of the AH, was nothing short of startling. Looking at one of the monitors, the man in the wheelchair clenched his teeth and said, "We were just following orders. Everything will go as planned."
With a brief, acquiescing nod, the man in the robe asked, "Do you think Jan was sent to Korea because of Min Sung Kang?"
"I wouldn't rule out the possibility," the man in the wheelchair replied, staring ambivalently at the monitor showing details on Min Sung. Then, looking intently at the man in the robe with eyes filled with suppressed emotion, he added, "We have no reason to be at odds with Min Sung Kang. Don't let him provoke you. Remember, I'm only here because of your ambitions."
"Of course. How can I forget?" the man in the robe replied, staring into the air as the dark monitoring room fell into a heavy silence.
—
Faced with an unexpected situation, Min Sung brushed his hair up while furrowing his brow. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary up to that point, including his first encounter with Jan. However, the situation at hand was causing him a great deal of stress.
"What's going on?" Min Sung said, his face twisted into a frustrated scowl. Flustered, the champion clicked his tongue and added, "Where's the boss?"
"This place must be pretty big. I say we keep looking," Ho Sung replied. If what Jan had said was true, Seoul was surely being reduced to ruins as they spoke. Countless hunters had been killed and injured by Ace, many of whom were part of the Central Institute. That meant a significant weakening of the country's military might, which would leave them vulnerable to monster attacks. Needless to say, the absence of a boss monster drove the champion crazy, making him and his companions feel as though they were wandering the desert.
Thirty minutes into the search, Min Sung and Ho Sung still couldn't find a single landmark, be it 'The Boss Room' or 'New Entrance.' No matter how long they walked, nothing appeared in their field of view. In the end, Min Sung took Bowl out of his pocket. After Bowl landed next to Ho Sung and looked up at its master, the champion said, "This isn't going anywhere. You two wait here. I'm gonna look around for a bit."
"… Sir?" Ho Sung let out, his face pale. Similarly, Bowl shook from fear.
"Y-you mean here? Wait HERE?" Ho Sung asked.
"We'll get nowhere at this pace. At this rate, all the restaurants in Seoul will have been destroyed by the time we're out of the labyrinth."
"B-but… This place doesn't feel very safe…"
"I don't see any monsters around. Do you?"
"I-I guess not…" Ho Sung said, looking around apprehensively. At that moment, with what sounded like a cannon going off, the champion kicked the ground and disappeared in plain sight, leaving behind a cold breeze that chilled Ho Sung to the bone. Scratching his nose awkwardly, Ho Sung looked down at Bowl, who was also shaking uncontrollably, like it was afraid of being away from its master. Ho Sung looked around then, only to be deterred by the darkness, which amplified his fear even more, triggering the most horrific images in his imagination. Sniffling, Ho Sung picked up the doll and held it tightly against his chest.
"Hang in there, buddy. I'm sure he'll be back soon," he said, trying to sound hopeful. However, staring in the direction Min Sung had disappeared, Bowl continued to shake from fear.
—
Lost in that desolate land, a monster groaned in distress, breathing smoke out of its mouth. Complete with red, sturdy scales covering its entire body, a smoking horn jutting out of its forehead, and a pair of red wings on its back, the monster had the look of the devil himself. The monster was Heckel, the final boss of the labyrinth.
"Why is he here?! HOW?!" the monster grumbled, discombobulated. Noticing the human slaying his way through the labyrinth at a frightening rate, Heckel had approached the human cautiously in order to observe him. At which point, the monster had the misfortune of seeing the man's face, and it was someone with whom he was well acquainted. Known as the 'Black Slaughterer,' the man had been at the absolute top of the food chain in the Demonic Realm and had been responsible for massacring demons of all ranks, including the ones Heckel had served under. Despite his ordinary human appearance, his powers were far beyond those of normal humans.
'I thought he was dead?! How is he in the labyrinth?!'
While a wave of confusion washed over the monster, Heckel had sensed a human presence approaching. At which point, the monster had started to run away. Thankfully, knowing its way around the vast labyrinth was certainly working to the monster's advantage, allowing it to escape the champion's grasp without being seen.
'He might be the Black Slaughterer, but he won't last without eating. Once he's starved long enough, I'll strike when he's at his weakest,' the monster thought, flapping its massive wings and flying away. Despite its massive figure, the monster soared nimbly up to the sky.
—
While the champion was busy looking for the final boss of the labyrinth, an endless wave of monsters flowed out of the dungeon gate like water. Having established a defense line in the forefront of the wave, the hunters of the Central Institute faced the monsters head-on. However, vastly outnumbered, the hunters simply couldn't kill all the monsters pouring out of the dungeon gate, particularly those monsters with quick movements, advanced intelligence and/or cloaking abilities. The more monsters that got away from the hunters, the greater the damage caused, as they attacked civilians in the street and within stores. After flipping cars upside down, the monsters brought one of the major bridges down, and the damage caused quickly became catastrophic.
—
Min Sung looked around irritably. Despite having searched through the entire labyrinth multiple times, the final boss was nowhere to be found. Even heightening his senses yielded no result. It was almost as though the monster was actively hiding from the champion. At that point, Min Sung decided to try a different approach.
'There's gotta be a way to lure the monster out,' he thought, returning to Bowl and Ho Sung.
Chapter 77
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
"… I'm sorry, what was that?"
"You're gonna have to be the bait," Min Sung said, crossing his arms. At that point, Ho Sung's eyes sank.
"Wait… So… What you're saying is that I should be the living bait to lure the boss out of hiding? Did I hear that right?"
"That's right. I looked everywhere, but there's no room or any sort of device that will trigger the boss' appearance. Which means, it's hiding from me."
Holding his breath briefly, Ho Sung pointed to Bowl and said, "In that case, I think Bowl would be a better fit for the role. Besides, Bowl looks more like a monster."
At that, Bowl picked up a rock and chucked it at Ho Sung, who paid no attention to it and stared intently at the champion with eager anticipation.
"Don't make me repeat myself. Besides, I'm the one doing the killing here. What have you got to worry about?" Min Sung said impatiently.
"So… You know how people who are afraid of heights REFUSE to get on rides at amusement parks, right? That's because even the thought of getting on a ride scares them. So, on that note…"
"On that note, maybe you can live here for the rest of eternity."
"That's not exactly what I was… You have Bowl too, you know…"
"Just do it," Min Sung said, glaring piercingly at Ho Sung as if giving him a final warning. In the end, Ho Sung closed his eyes, giving up.
"So, what's the plan?" Ho Sung asked.
After looking around briefly, the champion replied, "I'll be following you while hiding my presence. If you walk around long enough, the monster will sense that it's being followed, so it'll come and try to get rid of you."
"Couldn't you just hide your presence and track the monster down yourself?"
"The labyrinth is too big. It'll be much faster to lure it out. Once you run into the monster, I want you to provoke it, and I'll draw closer to it in the meantime."
"Uh… Sir? If you're off in the distance, isn't there a greater chance that I'll get torn to shreds before you even…"
Before Ho Sung finished his sentence, Min Sung let out a sigh and took his Orichalcon Dagger out. At that point, Ho Sung, startled, nodded in a hurry and said, "That's an ingenious plan!"
—
Noticing that the Black Slaughterer was no longer following it, Heckel breathed a sigh of relief. Although it had never directly encountered the champion, the monster's heart ached with fear and apprehension. However, despite being safe, the monster stayed on its toes. After all, the opponent was the notorious human who had earned his reputation as the slaughterer of demons. At that moment, while Heckel was feeding on soulstones, the monster sensed a presence approaching its direction. Tossing the soulstones aside, Heckel looked around warily. To its confusion, the presence was far too weak for it to be that of the champion. In fact, it was to the point of being pathetic. Looking in the direction from which the presence was approaching, the monster magnified its field of view. A feeble human looking around nervously came into view.
Upon confirming that the presence didn't belong to the Black Slaughterer, Heckel's eyes started to glare dangerously. Unlike the slaughterer, the man's presence was far from threatening, making him a perfect snack.
'You were naive to come out here on your own,' Heckel thought. Taking the remaining soulstones, Heckel poured them into its big, terrifying mouth and crunched away at them, trapping the souls of once-living beings within him. Then, flapping its devil-like wings, the monster soared up to the sky and charged in the direction of the human, all the while sensing for any presences nearby, planning to retreat without delay once it sensed the Slaughterer approaching. However, the monster felt that it couldn't hurt to fly away with something to munch on.
Groaning its unfortunate fate of treading the same ground as the Slaughterer, Heckel picked up speed.
—
While flapping its wings in the air, Heckel looked down at the clueless human. Just as expected,
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the man was nothing like the Slaughterer. He was much more insignificant. In order to make sure that the Slaughterer wasn't around, the monster heightened its senses. Thankfully, the Slaughterer didn't seem to be nearby. At which point, Heckel extended its claws, its eyes glaring dangerously at Ho Sung. Then, just as the monster raised its spear-like claws to strike the oblivious human…
"Pff! Puahaha! Ahahahahahaha!"
… Ho Sung burst into laughter with his hands on his sides. Confused, the monster stared at him, wondering if the man had lost his mind in the face of death. At that same moment, the man, still laughing maniacally, pointed toward the monster and said, "You? YOU are the final boss?! You were actually hiding from us?! Puahaha! What kind of labyrinth is this?!"
Provoked by the man's taunting remark, Heckel puffed up the scales covering its body. However, the man remained unfazed, staring straight up at the monster.
"Final boss? More like chicken. Your underlings were braver than you are. You might as well hide from me too! Oh? You wanna take a shot at me? Well, c' mon! Show me what you got!"
Although the monster couldn't make out what the human was saying, it was clear that the man was mocking it.
'He must be desperate. Don't think that you'll get out of this alive,' the monster thought, flapping its wings and drawing closer to Ho Sung to kill him. The closer the monster got, the more Ho Sung became paralyzed with fear.
'Unless the Black Slaughterer shows up, you will die by my hands.'
"S-s-sir? A-any time now," Ho Sung said in a stammer. At that moment, the monster realized that something was terribly wrong.
'Was it a trap!?'
Unfortunately, by the time Heckel realized the truth, it was too late. Sensing something flying toward it at a frightening speed, the monster turned around to flee. However, to the monster's dismay, the Black Slaughterer appeared right before its eyes.
"Damn it! You!" Heckel let out. At that moment, Min Sung, having appeared at the speed of light, swung his dagger. A bright, white aura shot out of it, followed by a thunderstrike, ripping one of the monster's arms off and tearing its wings to shreds.
"Eughhhh!"
Once the Slaughterer drew near, there was no way to create distance, at which point, the only choice left was to face him head-on. Unfortunately, the opponent was called the Black Slaughterer for a reason, and having witnessed the champion's power firsthand, the monster had been avoiding running into him.
Intimidated, the monster started to back away and focused on defending itself. Paralyzed by fear, the monster simply couldn't muster up enough courage to fight back. It was simply too late for regret, and a tragic reality awaited the monster. Seeing the intent to kill in the Slaughterer's eyes, the monster felt death drawing near.
"No! No! Plea…"
Before the monster had time to finish, the champion swung his dagger. With flashing lights, Heckel, the final boss of the labyrinth, split into four pieces, exploding into what appeared to be shards of glass and dropping the highest-quality item. Picking up the loot himself, Min Sung looked toward Ho Sung in order to exit the labyrinth as soon as possible.
Pale, Ho Sung was on the ground, gagging as if demonstrating his previous example of what a person with acrophobia looks like after getting off the most terrifying ride in the entire amusement park.
—
After receiving a report that the American Hunters' Institute was trying to get in contact with the Institute, Ji Yoo Kim, the Great Lord of the Central Institute, rushed to her top-of-the-line security control room. As she stepped in, her subordinates sprung up from their seats and saluted her.
"Patch me through, now," Ji Yoo said as she put on a bluetooth headset. Immediately, one of her subordinates did just that. Shortly after, a certain man appeared on a large screen. It was Ethan, the Great Lord of the American Hunters' Institute an American Master.
"Good day."
Trying to remain composed, Ji Yoo greeted the man on the screen.
"We received a report about a labyrinth in Korea, and I was told that it's nothing like you have ever seen. What's the situation there?"
"Not good. We're doing our best to hold the monsters off, but the monsters pouring out of the dungeon's gate are getting stronger and stronger."
"Well, I'm happy to inform you that we have some hunters on their way to Korea as we speak."
At that, Ji Yoo's face lit up.
"Thank you very much," she said. To which, Ethan replied, "However, our hunters will seize all control of this project upon arrival. We also think it would be helpful if we had the right to explore labyrinths," and waited patiently for Ji Yoo's answer, who was mustering up every bit of will power to hide her emotions while clenching her teeth. It pained her deeply that Korea had to depend on the help of the US for their inability to overcome the crisis. However, for the good of the country and the safety of the citizenry, there was no other choice. Nothing came free, including the help the US was offering.
'This is a fair enough trade,' Ji Yoo reminded herself. It grieved her that Korea, a country with its own powerful hunters, had to submit to another country, but for now, the US was their only hope.
"We will cooperate in every way," Ji Yoo said, and Ethan smiled with satisfaction.
—
When the champion and Ho Sung came out of the labyrinth, the streets were completely empty. Street lights and telephone poles were snapped in half, and there were bloodstains all over the ground. Soon, five ambulances zoomed past them while blaring their sirens, followed by cars carrying hunters. As if they didn't notice the champion and Ho Sung, who had just come out of the labyrinth, the cars rushed right past them and disappeared into the distance. Jan seemed to have told the truth after all. The fact that monsters were pouring out of a labyrinth that ignored all preexisting rules meant only one thing.
"I think the city's under martial law," Ho Sung said, looking at a news article on his phone. Min Sung nodded affirmatively. Staring out at the city, which resembled the apocalypse, it made sense that martial law was in effect. The roads and streets were utterly destroyed, and there were bloodstains everywhere. Shortly after, the corpses of the citizens came into view. Looking at the lifeless bodies of the innocent, Min Sung felt something heavy on his heart. He had felt nothing like it since returning to Earth.
Min Sung looked around. There was not a single restaurant or store open for business. Doors were locked tightly, and the lights were off. Although that was a sight he had expected, seeing it in person brought about tremendous stress.
Chapter 78
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
While the sight of Seoul in ruins was causing the champion a great deal of stress, it also motivated him to bring things back to normal and create a safe environment for the stores and restaurants in the city.
"From here on, I'm going solo."
"What about me?" Ho Sung asked, blinking rapidly and nervously.
"Figure it out. Kill as many monsters as possible as soon as you can. If there's anything I need to know, call me."
"Yes, sir."
"Good," Min Sung said, taking a few steps forward. Then, with what sounded like a gunshot, the champion disappeared in plain sight. When Ho Sung looked down at the spot on which the champion had stood, he saw a crater with a two-meter radius that was filled with pieces of asphalt that had shattered from the impact. At that jaw-dropping sight, Ho Sung shook his head.
—
[Lv500 Ho Sung Lee: The Head of the Diamond Clan]
"Sir? What happened to your level?" Min Wook, Ho Sung's right-hand man, asked in a daze as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"It's a long story," Ho Sung said, smiling bashfully.
"How did you level up so fast!?"
"It's a secret," Ho Sung said, shutting him down since he didn't want to talk about it. Min Wook, despite being filled with burning curiosity, refrained from asking Ho Sung any more questions.
"Where are the boys?" Ho Sung asked.
"They should be here any minute."
Nodding affirmatively, Ho Sung walked to a nearby bench, sat on it, and let out a long, heavy sigh. When he stuck a cigarette in his mouth, Min Wook rushed toward him and lit it. Breathing smoke out of his mouth, Ho Sung stared into the air, thinking, 'I'm level 500…'
It was the reward for being by the champion's side at the time of Heckel's death. On top of that, being level 500 also meant that Ho Sung was now at a high enough level to be able to use the incredible weapon that was the Death Knight's Sword. However, reaching level 500 didn't feel quite the same as the previous time he had experienced an explosive growth.
The memory of provoking Heckel while fearing for his life internally was still vivid in Ho Sung's mind. It was almost traumatic.
'I wonder if overcoming moments like those are part of becoming stronger…' Ho Sung thought. His body shook from just thinking back to that time. Despite having reached an unimaginable level, Ho Sung was well aware that he was nothing but a snack to a monster like Heckel. In addition, sticking by Min Sung's side would surely entail more unimaginable dangers, be they the demons or their tower.
'I don't know all the nitty-gritty details, but whatever it is that's catching Min Sung's attention, it can't be good news on my end,' Ho Sung thought.
However, bigger risks also meant bigger rewards, and his level was proof of that. He was at a level where even the Central Institute would recognize him as an authentic hunter. Because of that, Ho Sung found himself wrestling with fear and the desire to grow. Feeling uncertain about his future was certainly not helping him feel better.
"Sigh…" he let out in frustration, exhaling the smoke from the cigarette in the process. At that moment, his clansmen started to arrive one by one. Upon seeing their leader, the clansmen also responded in manners similar to Min Wook when he first saw Ho Sung.
"What the?! F-five hundred?!"
"Holy crap…"
Ignoring his clansmen marveling over him, Ho Sung waited quietly for the rest of them to arrive. Soon, the entirety of the Diamond Clan came together, and Ho Sung was caught by surprise by how much the clan had grown. After becoming famous due to his appearance in the national news, the Diamond Clan had also grown exponentially and absorbed the lower level hunters. Because of that, regardless of their levels, looking at the clan, which had grown to the size of an army, brought Ho Sung a sense of security. Looking at his clansmen, the head of the Diamond Clan opened his mouth and said, "I'm sure you all know the crisis our country is in. I'm also confident that we all know what our job is. We've been paid by the citizens. More specifically, we've been paid by the citizens to protect them."
With a serious expression on his face, Ho Sung
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kept on, "Now, since we were paid, I believe it's only appropriate that we make every penny count. Give your life to the cause. This is our opportunity to prove our worth to the citizens!"
Then, taking the Death Knight's Sword out of his inventory, Ho Sung looked down at it. The hefty sword surged with a dark, ominous aura, like nothing he had experienced before. It almost felt as though he was being enlightened all over again. Needless to say, Ho Sung wasn't the only one who was impressed by the sword. Enticed by it, the entirety of the clan also marveled at the mysterious aura given off by the sword.
Catching his breath, Ho Sung looked up from the sword and said, "Now, listen very carefully. Should I catch anyone looking to save their own life by running away from combat…" pausing briefly as he scanned the clansmen with ice-cold eyes. "… I will NOT hesitate to cut you down."
At Ho Sung's fierce determination, the conference hall fell into a tense silence.
"With that said, if you are ready, follow me."
After that, Ho Sung led the way, leading waves of his clansmen into battle against the monsters taking over the city.
—
While the champion was running in search of monsters, his stomach started to growl. Finding monsters that had escape the labyrinth was much harder than he initially thought, causing him an even greater deal of stress. After sweeping across the city once, monsters with advanced intelligence hid from the champion either in the mountains at night or deep within the oceans. Despite that, the damage was significant to drive everyone off the streets and make all the stores and restaurants shut down.
"This ends today," the champion grumbled irritably as he walked toward the mountains.
—
While the Diamond Clan was in the middle of searching for monsters, Ho Sung and his clansmen received an emergency message on their phones, causing all the phones to go off simultaneously. Like his clansmen did, Ho Sung checked the message. It was a notice from the Central Institute asking all hunters to cooperate if they came across hunters from the American Hunters' Institute.
"It's a good thing, I guess," Ho Sung said, scoffing and putting the phone in his pocket. At that moment, a figure appeared on the street with a strange, mysterious sound, hidden in the dark. At which point, the clansmen tensed up and prepared for battle. Should they let their guard down for even a second, they would surely get torn to shreds. Being well aware of that, the clansmen gripped their weapons tightly. However, to their surprise, what came out of the dark looked nothing like a monster. If anything, they were people whose hair and eyes were of different colors. Upon seeing the badges on their chests, Ho Sung and his clansmen were able to identify the mysterious figures almost immediately. They were hunters from the American Hunters' Institute, who were at a-whole-nother class from the hunters in Korea.
'I didn't know they would get here so quickly,' Ho Sung thought. Looking at him and his clansmen, Callis, the leader of Support Team 1, scoffed condescendingly and said, "I can just smell their incompetence."
Hearing that, Ho Sung, sniffling, called for Min Wook, who had graduated from the top university in the nation as an English major. There was no one better fit for the role of interpreter than him.
"What did he just say?"
Looking away from Ho Sung with a bitter expression, Min Wook replied, "He's talking down to us," chuckling. Then, he added, "He thinks we're incompetent."
At that, Ho Sung looked toward Callis, scoffed, and said, "Shit, he sure as hell talks like a hotshot."
Startled by Ho Sung's remark, Min Wook replied in a hurry, "S-sir, we better watch what we say…"
"What? They don't know Korean," Ho Sung said, chuckling. At that moment, Callis, looking like a furious beast, walked in his direction. With his face turned pale, Ho Sung stared at Callis.
There was no level indicator above Callis' head, meaning that, at least by Korean standards, he was a miscellaneous type. It was such a hunter that Ho Sung had the misfortune of provoking. Standing in front of Ho Sung, Callis tapped Ho Sung on his chest ever so slight. Although it was nothing more than a gentle tap, the tap sent Ho Sung flying as if he had been hit by a car. Astounded, the clansmen rushed to Ho Sung and helped him up.
"Come here," Callis said, signaling to Ho Sung with his finger. Coughing up blood, Ho Sung rose to his feet with the help of his clansmen. His head spun, and his vision became blurry.
"Get your ass over here," Callis said in a low, intimidating voice. Spitting blood on the ground, Ho Sung walked toward him. Although intimidated, Ho Sung wasn't all that afraid of the hunter.
'Hell, who would've thought he knows Korean?' Ho Sung thought. Perhaps it had something to do with his near-death encounter with the monster called Heckel. Or, perhaps it was the unwarranted confidence in the fact that an American hunter wouldn't kill a Korean hunter for no apparent reason. Or…
'Maybe this is the 'Min Sung Kang Effect?"
When that thought occurred to Ho Sung, Ho Sung grinned, revealing his bloody teeth. At which point, Callis' eyes grew cold.
Fearing that the American hunters would start attacking them because of Ho Sung, the clansmen watched nervously. Every moment felt like torture to them, and some even shook with fear. At that moment, Min Wook intervened, grabbed Ho Sung by the shoulder and pulled him back.
"There's been a misunderstanding. My boss here wasn't trying to insult you. He's just very, very eager to hunt down the monsters that are wreaking havoc in the city," Min Wook said in fluent English. Hearing that, the ice-cold look on Callis' face subsided. However, glaring fiercely at Ho Sung with still-ice-cold eyes, Callis said, "I've got my eyes on you. Watch yourself."
Bowing to him, Min Wook pulled Ho Sung back cautiously.
"The search begins now. Each one of us will be leading a team of twenty of your people. I expect you all to cooperate in every way."
Wiping the blood off of his mouth, Ho Sung gave Callis a brief, affirmative nod.
"You and you, with me," Callis said with a suspicious smile, pointing to Ho Sung and Min Wook. While Min Wook looked at Ho Sung nervously, the head of the clan shrugged nonchalantly. With that, teams of the Diamond Clan members led by American hunters set out on the search for monsters. While the American hunters led the way with confidence, the clansmen followed, looking somewhat discouraged.
—
With the champion's punch, the hobgoblin's head exploded into a bloody mess. Thick, sticky blood trickled down the champion's dagger. It was pitch black in the mountains, and there was a thick stench of blood in the air. Surrounded by the corpses of countless monsters that had fallen by his hands, Min Sung looked at them and furrowed his brow. Unlike when raiding a dungeon, killing monsters outside of dungeon yielded no reward whatsoever. No loot, no experience, nothing. On top of that, the more monsters he killed, the harder it became to find them because the monsters started to sense danger and hide from the champion, much like Heckel. Sure enough, Min Sung found traces of monsters nearby. With eyes glaring in the moonlight, the champion picked up the pace.
Chapter 79
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
While staring at the large monitor, one of the subordinates nearby cried out in shock, "I don't believe this! Ma'am, the number of monsters started plunging all of a sudden!"
The red monster indicators that once took up a good portion of the screen started to disappear at an exponential rate. After sundown, the monster wreaking havoc in Seoul moved out of the city and hid in the mountains or in unoccupied areas of the city. While it was possible to track those monsters with the Institute's current technology, they were severely shorthanded. On top of that, the monsters were incredibly powerful, making it difficult for the hunters to fight them off. Now, for a mysterious reason, the number of monsters was plummeting at an incredible rate.
"It must be the hunters from the US!" the same subordinate said. However, Ji Yoo Kim, the Great Lord of the Central Institute, shook her head and said, "No. It's not them."
Considering their time of arrival in Korea, there was no way that the hunters from the US had already started raiding the monsters. If anything, they had to be on their way to get in position. Which could mean only one thing:
'Min Sung Kang!' Ji Yoo thought. Otherwise, there would be no explanation for the exponential rate at which the number of monsters was decreasing. After smiling briefly, Ji Yoo hardened her face, turned toward her subordinate and asked, "When is the Special Operations Team from the US arriving?"
"I'll look into it. One moment, ma'am."
The Special Operations Team had been given the specific task of exploring the labyrinth. Because of that, Ji Yoo was planning on joining them on the exploration as soon as the team arrived in Korea. Crossing her arms, Ji Yoo waited patiently for her subordinate's response.
"Thirty minutes. They'll be here in thirty minutes."
Hearing that, Ji Yoo nodded affirmatively. The time to explore the unknown that was that dungeon drew near.
"Let me know if anything comes up," Ji Yoo said, turning around to leave the room. To which, the subordinate sprung up from his seat and saluted the Great Lord.
—
Swords and spears danced in the air, cutting the monsters down. Similarly, the monsters also attacked the hunters just as fiercely. It was a bloodbath.
Seeing his clansmen being ripped to pieces by the monsters, Ho Sung gritted his teeth. However, the American hunters paid no attention to the massacre unfolding before their eyes. Unlike Ho Sung, who was running around to save his clansmen, the American hunters focused solely on their mission, as if the lives of the Diamond Clan members were of no importance to them.
"Aghhhhhh!" a clansman let out in agonizing pain while a monster bit into his side. Hearing that cry, Ho Sung ran frantically toward that clansman and swung his sword, decapitating the monster. After that, the first wave came to an end.
When Ho Sung looked around, he saw the American hunters were busy inspecting their equipment, paying no attention to the countless dead from the Diamond Clan around them.
"Why, you sons of bitches…!" Ho Sung let out, his entire body shaking with anger toward the American hunters. At that moment, Min Wook came up to him, grabbed him by the arm and said, "I know you're upset, but we have to work with them."
With Min Wook's reminder, Ho Sung dropped his head and saw at yet another clansman who breathed his last breath. At that point, Ho Sung's face grew stone cold. Shaking Min Wook off, he said to him, "Follow me. Interpret."
Breathing heavily, Ho Sung strode toward Callis, the leader of the team of American hunters. Looking at Ho Sung, Min Wook covered his eyes with his hand, let out a heavy sigh, and followed him. Noticing Ho Sung standing in front of him, Callis, who had been inspecting his equipment, gave him a puzzled look.
"You guys are a bunch of heartless assholes, you
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know that?" Ho Sung said. Glaring at Min Wook, who was flabbergasted, Ho Sung said, "Interpret."
Left with no choice, Min Wook interpreted on Ho Sung's behalf. At which point, Callis scoffed condescendingly and replied, "How's that our fault?"
With Callis' indifferent reply, Ho Sung felt the piercing urge to drive his Death Knight's Sword into his throat.
"People are dying all around you! You and your team have the skill to take these monsters down, yet you're all just sitting there and doing jack shit! I don't even wanna think about how things are looking for the other teams! What? You just don't give a shit about people getting torn to pieces as long as it's not one of your people!?" Ho Sung yelled.
Looking at him pitifully, Callis replied, "Why should we go out of our ways to babysit you and your underlings? We're only here to rescue this country from its impending doom, not to take care of each and every one of you goons."
Then, scoffing, Callis kept on, "You should give gratitude a try. You realize that you and your so-called clan would've been in much worse shape if it weren't for us."
"You people have power! Does it hurt to help your fellow hunters out?!"
"Now, that's offensive. You shouldn't compare us, a team of world-class hunters, to thugs like you."
"…"
"Now, I suggest you shut up and be thankful that we're even here. In case you haven't caught up yet, we're the ones doing all the work here."
"But… your team could've helped us…" Ho Sung murmured, stunned.
"You and your little underlings are nothing more than meat shields. You're wasting my time, and I'm not known to be the most patient. Now, quit complaining and follow our lead," Callis said, turning around. Noticing Ho Sung glaring fiercely at Callis with intense anger, Min Wook held Ho Sung back in a hurry.
"Listen, you piece of shit! People DIED today! Right before your eyes! My clansmen are getting slaughtered left and right, and you're telling me to be grateful?!"
"S-sir," Min Wook said nervously, his face pale as he gripped Ho Sung by his sides tightly.
"Let go! I should've known better! Meat shields, huh?! How are you yankees any different from these monsters, huh?! Min Wook! Tell 'em! Now!" Ho Sung yelled. Swallowing nervously, Min Wook shook his head. Should he interpret what Ho Sung had said to Callis, it would've been the end for him. At that moment, an American hunter approached Callis and whispered to him. It seemed like the hunter understood Korean. Sure enough, Callis' eyes grew ice-cold.
"Haha… You just don't get it, do you? We have permission to kill anybody who doesn't cooperate. If I were you, I wouldn't run my mouth like that. Ho Sung Lee. If you wanna walk away in one piece, get on your knees with your head on the ground and ask for forgiveness," Callis said to Ho Sung, glaring piercingly at him. However, Ho Sung had long lost his composure.
"Screw you! Try me! Kill me now! You piece of sh…" Ho Sung yelled at the top of his lungs, only to be interrupted by Min Wook, who pushed him aside, stood in front of Callis and got down on his knees with his head on the ground.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Ho Sung said to Min Wook with a look of shock. Looking up at Callis, Min Wook said, "I apologize! It's just that seeing our colleagues getting killed before our eyes is a lot to take in. We appreciate your help from the bottom of our hearts, and…"
"Min Wook Cho!" Ho Sung shouted, his face burning red.
"Are you trying to get everyone killed!? Please! If you're the head of a clan, then act like one!" Min Wook let out in frustration. At which point, Ho Sung's jaw dropped open. It felt like an ice-cold dagger had pierced his heart. Rather than a sense of betrayal, it was the pain that came with his helplessness in that situation. Slamming his head on the ground, Min Wook apologized profusely to Callis. However, chuckling, Callis stared intently at Ho Sung and replied, "I don't need your apology. Ho Sung Lee, again, get on your knees and ask for forgiveness. This is your last chance."
In a daze, Ho Sung looked at his clansmen. Wounded, dead, or staring at Ho Sung with hope, desperate to die with their dignity intact, even at the cost of their pride.
—
Just like Ho Sung had expected, the situation with the other search teams was not any better. Much like the situation on Ho Sung's side, the American hunters paid no attention to the members of the Diamond Clan being massacred around them. Despite being accompanied by a healer, the American hunters prepared to move forward without even bothering to help the local hunters. Not only that, when the local hunters tried to take the wounded to the hospital, the American hunters severely limited the number of people who could take them and ordered the rest to focus on hunting down the monsters. Needless to say, it wasn't long before the local hunters broke out into an uproar. However, the rebellion was short lived. Without the help of the American hunters, hunting became much more difficult, and refusing to cooperate with them meant going against the Central Institute's orders. The situation grew worse and worse, showing no signs of improvement.
—
Eating a wild shiitake mushroom he had picked, the champion walked on. The monsters' trails had gone cold, forcing him to move to a different location. From the looks of it, it seemed like he had no choice but to hide his presence and move swiftly and discreetly. Noticing their numbers decreasing at a disconcerting rate, the monsters were on high alert, which made it a hassle for the champion to have to chase them down. However, knowing that he wasn't the only one hunting the monsters down, Min Sung reminded himself that it would all be over soon. Then, Min Sung realized that he was out of mushrooms.
'Maybe I should've picked some more,' he thought, dusting his hands longingly, anxious to have a proper meal after bringing the monster crisis under control. The fruits of his labor would surely be sweet. At that moment, while he was thinking about what to eat, Bowl peaked its head out of the champion's pocket and said, "Master, look!" pointing in a certain direction. When Min Sung looked toward that direction, he saw a large group of wounded hunters making their way down the mountain with the help of their uninjured comrades. They had to be from the Diamond Clan. Looking away from them slowly, Min Sung stared intently at the mountain from which they came down.
Chapter 80
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
Ho Sung fell to his knees in front of Callis. Looking down at him with displeasure, Callis kicked him in the stomach. Rolling across the ground, Ho Sung vomited blood mixed with stomach acid.
"Eugh! Cough!"
Looking disdainfully at Ho Sung, who was on the ground, grasping his stomach, coughing and vomiting, Callis furrowed his brow and said, "It's a good thing we have work to do. Otherwise, I would've killed every single one of you."
Intimidated by the fierce glare in his eyes, the clansmen dropped their heads and avoided looking directly at the American hunters. Walking over to Ho Sung, Callis kicked him in the stomach once again, sending him flying. After slamming against a tree, Ho Sung fell to the ground. Despite being level 500, he was no match for Callis.
"Sir! Please! You'll kill him!" Min Wook said, looking down while shaking uncontrollably. At Min Wook risking his life for Ho Sung, Callis scoffed, walked over to Ho Sung and picked him up by the neck. Because he was suffocating, Ho Sung's face turned bright red, and his legs kicked in the air.
"I should've known better than to treat you scumbags like human beings," Callis said, letting go of Ho Sung. Looking disdainfully at Ho Sung, who was on the ground, coughing, Callis added, "Now, if you know what's better for you and your men, keep your mouths shut and follow our lead. Got it?"
Listening to Min Wook' interpreting nervously, Ho Sung stared into the distance, coughing and chuckling. Although he had never been beaten that severely before, Ho Sung was far more terrified of the champion than of Callis. As Ho Sung remained quiet, Callis's twisted his lips, and his eyes became filled with a fierce urge to kill.
"This is your final warning. Follow our lead, or else."
Looking at Callis cautiously, Min Wook walked over to Ho Sung and said, "Boss! Say something!"
To which, Ho Sung nodded weakly and said, bleeding from his mouth, "Whatever you say."
"He says he will!" Min Wook said to Callis, who scoffed at Ho Sung and said, "Sometimes, it's better to let your fists do the talking. Especially with dimwits like you."
Then, just as Callis turned around, a figure appeared out of the dark, making a series of rustling sounds. When Ho Sung, who had been sitting against a tree and breathing laboriously, looked up at the figure, his jaw dropped open. It was Min Sung Kang.
—
Looking at the American hunters and at Ho Sung, who was bleeding profusely from his mouth, Min Sung furrowed his brow and asked, "What are you doing?"
"S-sir," Ho Sung let out, staring intently at Min Sung in a daze, who added, "Shouldn't you be hunting monsters?"
"Forgive me, sir," Ho Sung said in a serious tone, dropping his head. While Callis chuckled at their conversation, the clansmen blinked awkwardly, befuddled.
"Min Wook, tell him what happened. All of it," Ho Sung said, coughing up blood. However, intimidated by Callis, Min Wook couldn't bring himself to walk over to Min Sung.
"On your feet," the champion said, and at his order, Ho Sung, clenching his teeth and exhausted from the pain, staggered to his feet. While Callis watched with his arms crossed as if he found it all too ridiculous, Min Sung walked up to Ho Sung, who locked eyes with him while still breathing laboriously.
"Why are you all beat up and on the ground when you should be out there killing monsters? Explain yourself."
Swallowing bloody saliva, Ho Sung started to explain what had happened prior to the champion's arrival. Meanwhile, the clansmen, including Min Wook, were perplexed as to why their leader was speaking to a man who appeared to be a civilian with such high respect.
"… So, here we are."
When Ho Sung finished his story, Min Sung smiled bitterly and said, "Ho Sung Lee."
"… Sir."
"Did you think you could be a hero now that you've appeared on TV, reached a higher level, and got your hands on some decent
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gear?"
While Ho Sung remained silent, his eyes shaking, Min Sung added, "I, too, have killed your clansmen before. Surely, you remember."
"…"
As Ho Sung shook with his head dropped down, Min Sung kept on, "Your clansmen died because of your greed. Your choices."
Ho Sung looked at Min Sung with teary, bloodshot eyes. Locking eyes with him, Min Sung said with a subtle smile, "Why are you acting like a leader when you're not cut out for it?"
"…"
"Your clansmen are dying and getting hurt because of your incompetence. Do you agree?" Min Sung asked, poking at Ho Sung's chest with his index. "If you weren't confident that you could take care of your men, you shouldn't have started your clan from the get-go."
As if getting bored, Callis uncrossed his arms and started walking toward Min Sung. At that moment, Min Sung looked back at him, and a tremendous presence surrounded the champion like a tornado. Caught off guard, Callis stopped in his tracks, frozen in place, overwhelmed by the champion's presence. Then, turning toward Ho Sung, the champion said, "Ho Sung Lee."
"Sir."
"Do you still need a break?"
"No, sir," Ho Sung said, wiping the blood off of his mouth. Although struggling to stand still, Ho Sung fought with every bit of the strength he had left in him to do so. Staring piercingly at his eyes, Min Sung said, "My orders are your priority. I don't care who tries to tell you otherwise."
"Yes, sir."
"If I catch you fooling around again, you will die by my hands."
"Of course, sir."
With that, the champion turned toward Callis and said, "Get lost, all of you."
At that, Callis put on a scornful smile and said, "You Koreans just don't listen. I've already warned you once, so you're bringing this upon yourselves. Now, I'm gonna have to teach you a lesson."
With a confident look about him, Callis walked toward the champion. At that moment, Min Sung disappeared in plain sight, appeared right in front of the unsuspecting hunter, and punched his jaw. Losing his balance, Callis collapsed to his knees, his torso leaning forward. Although he tried to straighten his back and get back up on his feet, he simply couldn't bring himself to do so. At that point, a look of shock washed over his face.
'Did I just get decked in the face by some local hunter?' he thought, staring into the air dazedly.
"You're not checking out on me, are you?" Min Sung asked Callis, who activated his aura, infuriated. However, before the hunter even had a chance to rise to his feet, the champion took the Orichalcon Dagger out of his inventory and slashed the hunter across the chest diagonally, cracking his armor.
"… Ugh!"
While the American hunters were attending to Callis, who had backed away, vomiting blood, and bleeding profusely from the gaping knife wound, the clansmen stared dazedly at the champion.
Seeing the American hunters pulling their weapons out, a subtle smile appeared on Min Sung's face. Then, just as they were about to charge at the champion, a voice echoed through the mountain.
"Stop!"
At Calis' command, the American hunters stopped in their tracks. Classified as a holy knight, Callis had the ability to heal himself. Because of that, the knife wound disappeared in no time. Wielding his longsword, which was glowing in golden aura, Callis glared fiercely at the champion.
"I'll make it my goal to kill you before we return. You'll pay dearly for meddling with us…"
But, before he had time to finish his sentence, Min Sung stretched hi leg toward the hunter's chest at an inconceivable speed, leaving Callis no time to dodge. Raising his sword, the hunter blocked the champion's kick. However, his arms flung open from the explosive impact, leaving him vulnerable. The longsword left the hunter's hands and soared up to the sky. Then, while Callis was vulnerable, Min Sung drove the Orichalcon Dagger into the hunter's chest and side.
"Eugh!"
With gaping holes in his body, Callis moaned in pain, his face deathly pale. Then, the champion's fist cut through the air and delivered a powerful punch on the hunter's stomach, sending him flying and rolling across the ground. After vomiting blood, Callis, covered in dirt, sprawled across the ground as if he had no strength left in his body. At that unbelievable sight, the American hunters lost their composure, and a cold, hostile tension permeated through the air.
"Get him!" the second in command said to the hunters, glaring fiercely at the champion. Looking at the hunters charging at him, Min Sung scoffed. However, unlike the champion, the entirety of the Diamond Clan, with the exception of Ho Sung, fell into a panic, paralyzed by the charge. At the same moment, the champion, who had been sneering at the American hunters, released the power of his dagger. With a series of thunderous roars, bolts of white aura fell at the American hunters' feet, splitting the ground like an earthquake.
"If you cross that line, consider yourselves dead," Min Sung said in a low, intimidating voice. Although not exactly the loudest statement, it was clearly audible to the American hunters. Callis, their leader, was one of the most well-renowned hunters in the world. Yet, the mysterious local hunter had made a toy out of him.
The crack on the ground reminded the American hunters of that fact. As if the crack was the boundary between life and death, the hunters didn't dare to go past it. Their minds superseded their emotions.
"Your help is not needed. Get out of my sight while you still can. I won't ask again," the champion said. At that, the hunters looked toward their leader, whose face was twisted into a scowl. Glaring at the champion, the second in command looked toward Callis, who kept vomiting up black liquid. However, despite the efforts of the healers, the wound showed little sign of improvement. Then, glaring at the champion, the second in command said, "You will NOT get away with this."
Breathing a small sigh, Min Sung walked past the crack on the ground, stood in front of the second in command, looked down at him with eyes that resembled the depths of the oceans, and said, "Get. Lost." At which point, the second in command couldn't help but look down, his body shaking as if telling him to run while he had the chance.
"Fall back," the second in command said to his team. There was no objection or a place for pride. Even if it meant being held accountable for retreating, the second in command felt that it was more important to focus on allowing their leader to heal. Seeing the team of American hunters retreating, Min Sung made his way deeper into the mountain in search of monsters.
Chapter 81
Translated by: ShawnSUh
Edited by: SootyOwl
The champion disappeared into the woods, leaving behind a mess that looked like it had been done by a storm. After that, Ho Sung collapsed on the floor. Sitting and leaning against a tree, he looked up at the dark, gaping sky, stuck a cigarette in his mouth, and said weakly, "Go home, all of you. You'll only hurt yourselves if you keep going."
Without the help of the American hunters, the Diamond Clan no longer had the means to resume the hunt. At Ho Sung's command, the clansmen started to turn away one by one. Left alone with Min Wook, they sat shoulder to shoulder smoking their cigarettes.
Then, Min Wook broke the silence as Ho Sung finished smoking, "Who was that guy? He destroyed Callis like he was nothing."
Staring up at the night sky, Ho Sung let out a deep sigh. At that moment, the tormented screech of a monster echoed throughout the mountains. From the sound of it, it couldn't have been too far off. Startled by it, Min Wook looked around nervously. However, Ho Sung remained completely unfazed.
"You really wanna know?" Ho Sung asked. Collecting himself to the best of his abilities, Min Wook waited for Ho Sung's answer patiently.
"… Hell if I know," Ho Sung said, looking genuinely clueless. At which point, a dazed look appeared on Min Wook's face.
"What now? What if the US finds out?" he asked.
"Who knows? But I know this much: If the US declares war on Korea, it's all over," Ho Sung replied.
Nodding in agreement, Min Wook added, "If that really happens, then we could be in serious trouble!"
"You mean the Americans will be."
"…Sir?" Min Wook said, blinking in confusion, caught off guard by Ho Sung's reply. However, there was not a trace of doubt in Ho Sung's eyes.
—
"Ma'am."
At that, Ji Yoo, who was staring up at a labyrinth that had appeared without any sign or warning, looked away from the structure and toward her subordinate.
"Yes?"
Glancing at the throng of American hunters, the new Director of Investigations licked his parched lips and asked, "There's good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"
"Let's hear the good news."
"We received a report that the number of monsters that escaped to the outskirts of Seoul is in a steep decline."
At that, Ji Yoo's face lit up.
"Great! What's the bad news?" she asked, but the Director of Investigations dragged on, reluctant to give an answer.
"… About that…"
"Well?"
"It… appears that there was a conflict between one of ours and the Americans."
"Details. I want details."
"We received a report that Callis, the leader of Support Team 1, has been fatally wounded and is under treatment at a local hospital."
At the startling news, Ji Yoo's face hardened, and her eyes shut tightly. There could only be one person in the entire country whose power either matched or surpassed that of Callis.
"Sigh…" she let out, putting her hand on her hot forehead.
"What do we do? It's only a matter of time before the Americans find out."
Sure enough, it wasn't long before the American hunters nearby learned about the state of their leader. The timing couldn't have been worse, especially when the exploration was about to begin. Then, amid the ice-cold tension, a certain man walked out of the throng of American hunters. It was Jonathan, the commander in charge of the support team.
"What the hell's the meaning of this!?" he shouted angrily. As panic settled in, Ji Yoo couldn't bring herself to think clearly.
"We're looking into it," she replied.
"You do realize that there will be consequences?"
While Ji Yoo sighed deeply, Jonathan kept on, "I'm revoking all of your rights to explore the labyrinth. Korea is no longer a part of this project."
At that, Ji Yoo's eyes widened.
"… What?" she let out.
"Also, you'll do well to hold the individual who attacked one of our's responsible. The way I see it, I think we're being generous here, especially considering your circumstances."
"So… are you suggesting that we stay out of the labyrinth exploration?" Ji Yoo asked, and Jonathan nodded affirmatively. As long as there was a way to clear the labyrinth without putting the lives of her men at risk, the Institute had
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nothing to lose from agreeing to Jonathan's condition. However, doing so would come at the cost of hindering Korea's future. Although Korea might be safe from the monster threats initially, one simple decision to submit to another country could shake the country's fate to its foundation and turn into a matter much more serious.
"I'm afraid I can't give you an answer right this moment, Jonathan. Not only is this a decision I cannot make on my own…"
"My understanding is that you essentially represent the entirety of Korea's military might. Are you telling me that you don't have the authority to make a decision as simple as this one? In that case, I'll pull my men from this country immediately."
"Fine. Give me half an hour," Ji Yoo said, her head throbbing. Shaking his head, Jonathan scoffed and replied, "I'll give you five minutes."
At which point, Ji Yoo, with a hardened expression on her face, turned around and made her way toward her car. Then, she took her phone out and made a phone call. After a long signal, the champion finally answered the phone.
"Mr. Kang?" Ji Yoo asked.
"Who is this?"
"Shouldn't you recognize my voice by now? Seriously, save my number! It's Ji Yoo Kim!"
"What's your business?"
"Was it you who hurt one of the American hunters?" Ji Yoo asked.
"Probably."
Hearing that, she bit down on her lower lip and clenched her eyes tightly.
"Probably? What were you thinking!?"
"Just because."
Recognizing that the conversation was going nowhere, Ji Yoo realized that there was no point in getting angry.
"What are you gonna do? The Americans are threatening to pull all support unless we hold you responsible and hand over our rights to explore the labyrinth!"
"Then, tell 'em to get lost."
"Look, Mr. Kang. This country is in grave danger. You shouldn't have acted on your emotions and gotten into a fight like you are still a teenager…"
"You don't have to rely on them."
"Are you listening to me!? It's not that simple…"
"Just tell me where the monsters are. Tell me where they are in the city, and I'll clear them out by today. Including those labyrinths."
At the champion's confident statement, Ji Yoo felt her head spin. Not because of his seemingly unwarranted confidence, but because of how convincing he sounded.
"Is that really possible?"
"I'm sure you've seen the numbers going down, haven't you? Unless you're not good with numbers."
Seeing as though Min Sung was still out hunting for monsters after beating a world-class hunter to a pulp, Ji Yoo started to realize that the champion might be far more powerful than she had imagined.
"Be careful, Mr. Kang. The fate of this country depends on it. Besides, you don't know what kind of monsters you might come across in the labyrinth…"
"Ji Yoo Kim, was it? For someone who represents the country and all the hunters within it, you're not as sharp as I thought. I said I'll take care of it. What's there to think about?"
Resting her head on the steering wheel, Ji Yoo let out a deep sigh and said, "… Our relationship with the US is at stake here. We have to think of a solution…"
"And how is that my problem? Aren't you the one who isn't thinking ahead?"
At the champion's seemingly heartless remark, Ji Yoo became dumbfounded. As upsetting it was to hear, Min Sung was right, and she couldn't say anything back.
"I guess you're right. Maybe I'm the one who has been avoiding my problems…" Ji Yoo said, interrupted by a series of beeping noises coming from the receiver.
'Beep. Beep Beep.'
Looking down at her phone, Ji Yoo chuckled, thinking, 'You're really something else, Min Sung Kang.'
At that moment, a series of knocks came from the window of the car. When she looked toward them, she saw the Director of Investigations standing outside nervously. Closing her eyes, Ji Yoo rested her head on the steering wheel once again. That time, out of relief.
'I knew he was strong, but I didn't think he would be that strong. He put those Americans to shame. Maybe strong isn't big enough of a word to describe him.'
Then, smiling bitterly, Ji Yoo lifted her head off of the steering wheel and got out of the car. While the Director of Investigations looked at her intently and nervously, the champion's voice echoed in her mind.
'… Aren't you the one who isn't thinking ahead?'
Although those words could've left a deep wound in her heart, something was telling her that Min Sung was right. After all, he had the power to back up his confidence.
What gave the US a prominent voice in international affairs were their powerful, world-class hunters. In which case, the fact that there was someone like Min Sung Kang in Korea could very well mean a turning point was at hand that could change the course of the country's history. However, the real problem was the aftermath. Should Korea decide to depend on Min Sung Kang for its national security, the absence of the champion would leave the country vulnerable to any potential threats that came their way.
'What would he say if I bring this up with him?' Ji Yoo asked herself, smiling bitterly. '… Guess you're still a coward. That's not very Great-Lord-like, is it, Ji Yoo Kim?'
Then, with a look of determination on her face, she returned to Jonathan, who was clearly displeased. With his arms crossed, he waited for Ji Yoo's response impatiently. Seeing his face made her sick to her stomach. While she didn't believe that she could change the world, she was a firm believer that the culmination of small changes was what shaped history, just as it had always been.
'I'm not backing out. I'm moving forward as the Great Lord of the Institute,' Ji Yoo told herself.
"This better be good," Jonathan said, looking at Ji Yoo with blatantly condescending eyes. At which point, Ji Yoo hardened her expression and replied, "It turns out it was Callis who made the first move."
Hearing that, a look of disbelief appeared on Jonathan's face. Chuckling, he let out, glaring fiercely at Ji Yoo as if he was about to pull out his sword at any given moment, "What did you just say?"
However, undeterred, Ji Yoo kept on, "Hunters are essentially human weapons. We embrace them, why? To protect humanity from monsters and make this world a safer place to live. Yet, Callis treated our hunters as mere meat shields."
"You've got guts, lady," Jonathan said, and Ji Yoo's beautiful eyes burst into blue flames.
Chapter 82
Translated by: ShawnSUh
Edited by: SootyOwl
"We can't entrust the fate of our country to people who don't treasure lives. Therefore, we respectfully decline your support."
"Ha!" Jonathan let out as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard. "You just don't get it, do you? Our report clearly shows that you don't have enough resources, hunters in particular, to survive the crisis at hand. Where is this confidence coming from? And if you fail? What if the monster attacks start spreading to the surrounding countries? What will you do then?"
"As the representative of this country and the body of hunters within it, I'm willing to take all responsibility…"
"You represent a tiny, powerless country in Asia! Do you really think that those words will carry any weight coming from a girl?"
"In that case, this is not something you should be arguing with me, the Great Lord, is it? You work for a master yourself. Know your place and return to your homeland. You have no right to discuss foreign affairs," Ji Yoo said. Provoked by her response, Jonathan started to walk toward Ji Yoo with hostility, as if he was going to attack her at any given minute. Then, just as the Institute soldiers were about to respond to the threat, Ji Yoo raised her hand unhurriedly and kept them from moving.
"I don't know what kind of plan you have in mind, but you'll bow to us sooner or later," Jonathan said. Although Ji Yoo was so frustrated that she had provoked the commander beyond the point of necessity, the die had already been cast. Ignoring him, Ji Yoo ordered the soldiers to stay away from the labyrinth. At that, Jonathan sneered and said, "Congratulations. You just shot yourself in the foot," and turned around without hesitation, followed by the rest of the support team. Looking at the American support team pulling back, the Institute soldiers turned toward their Great Lord, confused. Although the higher-ranking officers knew full well that Ji Yoo wasn't the type to let her pride get in the way of making important decisions, they, too, couldn't help but feel caught off guard by Ji Yoo's bold behavior. Considering that the relationship between Korea and the US was at stake, Ji Yoo's behavior came as a surprise to both officers and soldiers alike.
"I don't see any monsters around. Aren't they still pouring out of the dungeon gates?" Ji Yoo asked while watching the American support team driving off.
"We've learned that the dungeon gate ceases activity for two hours in five-hour increments," the Director of Investigations said, looking at his wristwatch and adding, "Assuming that the pattern remains consistent, we should be expecting the next wave of monsters in about half an hour."
Looking around, Ji Yoo counted the number of Institute soldiers on standby near the labyrinth. Should the monsters start pouring out of the dungeon gate again, they would surely be outnumbered. On top of that, the soldiers were growing increasingly weary over time. The best scenario was to hope that Min Sung would arrive before the next wave of monsters hit.
'Did I make the right choice?' Ji Yoo asked herself. Although Min Sung was the primary reason for Ji Yoo to have sent the American hunters back, she couldn't be certain that her decision to trust the champion was a good one.
'What if things get even worse?' Ji Yoo thought. Sighing deeply, she looked toward the Director of Investigations and said, "Bring all remaining forces to the labyrinth. Don't let the monsters get away. Not one."
"Yes, ma'am," the director replied. After saluting the Great Lord, he carried out the order without delay. Meanwhile, Ji Yoo looked up at the enormous dungeon gate apprehensively.
—
Although there were still some monsters left within the city, it was nothing the Institute couldn't handle in their current state. Upon descending the mountain, a car with its driver smoking while leaning against the hood came into the champion's
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view. It was Ho Sung. Seeing Min Sung, he put the cigarette out in a hurry and bowed to the champion.
"Allow me, sir," Ho Sung said, opening the door for Min Sung, who stared intently at the driver. Not only was his face covered in bruises and his lips still bloody, but the rest of his body seemed to be in far worse shape.
"You wanna go to the labyrinth or the hospital?" Min Sung asked, looking intently at Ho Sung with emotionless eyes.
"The labyrinth, sir."
"You fall behind, I'm not coming back for you."
"I wasn't expecting you to," Ho Sung said, smiling subtly. With that, Min Sung got in the backseat, and Ho Sung drove off.
—
Min Sung and Ho Sung sat in silence in the car ride to the labyrinth. The sound of the wind rushing past the car filled the air. Min Sung was staring out the window, but soon, Ho Sung broke the silence.
"Sir?"
"What?"
"I think you were right. I'm not leader material and I was foolish to have dragged my clansmen into this mess."
"…"
"I've been learning a lot from you. I appreciate you, and you're an inspiration to me."
"You're talkative today."
"Haha! Well, I just wanted to let you know how much I'm learning from you," Ho Sung said. Smiling bitterly, he kept on, "When I see you, I realize just how pathetic my life has been. I'm not necessarily saying that my life turned around after meeting someone as powerful as you. It's just…" Ho Sung paused briefly. Tilting his head, he added, "… I'm realizing that facing my problems head-on is the proper way to live. Say, if I was as powerful as you, do you think I would be able to live as freely as you do?"
Shaking his head, Ho Sung kept on, "Nah… I doubt it. You know what? Until I know I'm strong enough and have what it takes to be a leader, I won't try to do anything on my own. I'll live and die by your orders. Oh, you just watch. I'm gonna grow and I'll make you proud…"
At that moment, Min Sung let out a long sigh, pulled Bowl out of his pocket and tossed it at Ho Sung. Catching on to its master's order by instinct, the doll bit into Ho Sung's thigh.
"Aaaaaaaagh!"
Having carried out the champion's order, the doll crawled back into Min Sung's pocket. After which, Min Sung closed his eyes and enjoyed the silence. Meanwhile, Ho Sung, rubbing his thigh, which was throbbing, bit down on his lower lip and mouthed the words: 'Son of a bitch…'
—
When the champion arrived at the labyrinth, Ji Yoo went over and greeted him.
"Glad to see you, Mr. Kang. I heard that you've cleared out most of the monsters spread across the city," she said, genuinely impressed by the champion's ability to carry out the seemingly impossible task in such a short time. Unable to tackle the matter herself, she had resorted to asking for outside help.
Although one might argue that Min Sung's recklessness had been the cause of the tension between Korea and the US, there was no doubt that Min Sung was an essential figure to Korea's national safety. His powers were unfathomable and more than enough to reduce a world-class hunter like Callis to a bedridden patient at a hospital. Being aware of that, Ji Yoo had been able to trust his words and send the American support team back home. Although it was bound to complicate things in terms of foreign affairs, it was a small price to pay to protect Korea's autonomy. Whether it had been a gamble to trust the champion or not, Ji Yoo believed that the champion's existence had to be recognized and respected. Besides, he was capable of solving a problem that would have otherwise forced Korea to rely on the help of another country.
"The monsters should start pouring out again in five minutes. When that happens, I need you to keep them at bay as you clear the labyrinth…"
Then, Min Sung stared at the dungeon gate with a furrowed brow and said, "What's the point of the Institute if you're gonna have me do all the work? There is such a thing as a degree of incompetence. Shouldn't you have a sense of responsibility at the very least?" the champion asked. At the champion's poignant remark, Ji Yoo felt a sense of shame wash over her. In a sense, she was doing exactly what the champion described: shifting her responsibilities as the Great Lord. Smiling bitterly, Ji Yoo looked at the champion and said, "Thank you for your help."
"I just wanna live in a decent world and eat in peace," Min Sung said, walking toward the labyrinth. Ho Sung, still limping from his injuries, followed him. Staring at them from a distance, she sensed that something big was about to happen, something big enough to change the course of history.
Demons and the Tower of Demons were just the tip of the iceberg. Something much greater was at hand. However, with the champion on her side, Ji Yoo felt confident that they could fight off the evil that threatened humanity. Calling for the Director of Investigations, Ji Yoo said, "There should be less monsters coming out of the dungeon gate once he enters the labyrinth. Stay on guard. Don't let a single monster slip away."
"Ma'am!"
As the director turned around to carry out his orders, Ji Yoo pulled her rapier out of her inventory. There was one minute left until monsters would start pouring out of the dungeon gate.
After the champion and Ho Sung entered the labyrinth, Ji Yoo's eyes burst into blue flames, much like the flames surging from her rapier. Soon, just as expected, a wave of monsters started to pour out of the dungeon gate. At which point, Ji Yoo's rapier flew toward the monsters, leaving trails of light in the air.
—
With a loud thump, came darkness, followed by a set of flame-like lines of text.
[Welcome to the Labyrinth.]
[You may not exit the labyrinth until you clear the dungeon.]
[Labyrinth Difficulty: Torment]
[You're about to enter the highest difficulty dungeon.]
[Limit reached.]
[Higher difficulties will yield better rewards.]
[Tread lightly, and the best of luck to you, champion]
Before even reaching the waiting room, Ho Sung felt his body getting soaked with cold sweat.
'… Torment?' Ho Sung thought, wiping the sweat off of his face and swallowing nervously. Torment labyrinths were unheard of.
'Maybe it's a new type?' he thought, his heart racing. Soon, beams of light broke the darkness, revealing the waiting room.