Chapter 314: Chapter 314
Ho Sung Lee smoked his cigarette in Min Sung's back yard and let the smoke float up into the sky.
Ho Sung Lee's eyes followed the smoke up to the sky.
He imagined that Min Sung Kang was fighting up there beyond the blue sky in order to put an end to it once and for all.
He couldn't believe it.
He couldn't believe that a dark place like the Demonic Realm could exist in contrast to this peaceful world.
Ho Sung Lee smiled bitterly.
"I wonder if he's hungry."
Ho Sung Lee, who was smoking his cigarette while looking up at the white clouds, got up in response to the sound of the doorbell.
After throwing away his cigarette and washing his hands, he immediately went to the front door and checked the monitor.
It was Commander Ji Yoo Kim of the Central Institute.
Ho Sung Lee wiped his wet hands on his pants and opened the door.
"Long time no see, Commander Kim," said Ho Sung Lee with a smile.
Ji Yoo Kim smiled back.
"Yes, long time no see. May I go inside?"
"Of course. Come on in. Well, it's not even my house, to begin with. Hahaha."
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Ji Yoo Kim entered with a smile.
"Can I offer you a coffee? Or tea?"
"I'll have tea. Do you have herbal tea?"
Ji Yoo Kim asked as she sat down on the sofa.
"Of course."
Ho Sung Lee smiled and headed straight to the kitchen.
While Ho Sung Lee made herbal tea in the kitchen, Ji Yoo Kim checked her phone with a heavy face.
Ji Yoo Kim's face became even heavier upon checking her phone.
"Here's your herbal tea."
Ho Sung Lee placed her tea down on the table and sat on the sofa.
Ji Yoo Kim wiped the frown off of her face and smiled.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
Ho Sung Lee joined with his own cup of herbal tea.
Ho Sung Lee was enjoying the scent of his herbal tea when he tilted his head at Ji Yoo Kim's face.
"You look like you have a lot on your mind."
"I'm sorry?"
"You."
"Oh, I was trying to hide it. Is it that obvious?"
"I don't think you've ever been good at lying."
Ji Yoo Kim smiled bitterly. She looked up at Ho Sung Lee and opened her mouth.
"I heard you're acting as Min Sung's representative. Is that really okay with you?"
Ho Sung Lee shrugged.
"Well, Min Sung told me to, so I should do it. It's a lot of pressure, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't do it."
Ho Sung Lee laughed.
"Do you think Min Sung is okay?" Ji Yoo Kim asked with a worried face.
Ho Sung Lee groaned, "Hm…" and then stared into the distance in thought.
Ji Yoo Kim's face looked anxious as Ho Sung Lee's answer became more and more delayed.
However…
"He'll be fine. It's Min Sung. No matter how dreary the situation, he's always found a way."
Ho Sung Lee smiled at Ji Yoo Kim.
"He'll come back."
Ji Yoo Kim smiled at Ho Sung Lee's certain expression.
"Yes, I'm sure you're right."
Following a moment of silence, Ji Yoo Kim opened her mouth again.
"Since you're his representative now, I have a favor to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Please make an announcement that you'll be active as Min Sung's representative in formal settings."
"I see. There will be a lot of backlash about me standing in for him."
"Many people in power from all over the world will approach you."
"How should I deal with them?"
"I think you should think about how Min Sung would have handled this situation."
Ho Sung Lee smiled bitterly.
In the end, that meant that he had to take responsibility for everything.
But that had already been decided ever since he agreed to take over Min Sung Kang's duties on earth.
It wasn't something he could avoid like a little child.
He had to face it head-on and find solutions.
"Please set up my schedule," said Ho Sung Lee.
"Yes, of course. Also…"
Ho Sung Lee looked at Ji Yoo Kim while sipping his tea.
Ji Yoo Kim continued, "You'll have to meet with the hunter leaders of all countries."
Ho Sung Lee thought for a moment before nodding.
He believed that that was something he had to do.
"Sure."
"But…"
Ji Yoo Kim trailed off as her face grew heavy.
"Go ahead," said Ho Sung Lee with a smile.
"The hunter leaders will come off strong. They'll ask why Min
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Sung Kang isn't acting. Why they can't meet him. If there's a problem, they'll interrogate you."
"I could just tell them the truth…"
Ji Yoo Kim sternly shook her head.
"You can't do that."
"Why not?"
Ho Sung Lee asked as if he was unable to understand.
"If you tell them that, they'll try to find a weakness and act on it as soon as Min Sung comes back."
Ho Sung Lee's face grew stiff.
"Can they do that? If he does come back, how do they expect to handle it?"
"Think about it, Korea and the world. If you look at the overall structure, which country has always been at the top?"
"The US."
"That's right. The US. They'll try their best to use Min Sung to their advantage."
Ho Sung Lee nodded.
"You're right."
Ho Sung Lee stared into the distance with a more serious face and thought deeply.
Ji Yoo Kim continued, "So you must come off strong as well as Min Sung's representative."
"Strong?"
Ho Sung Lee looked at Ji Yoo Kim with surprise.
"Yes. Make sure they don't shake Korea down."
Ho Sung Lee nodded to her stern advice.
"I understand what you're saying."
Ji Yoo Kim smiled.
"And let me know if you need any help, no matter what it is."
"Thank you."
Ji Yoo Kim turned toward the window facing the back yard.
The clear sky was now dark, and drops of rain began to fall.
Ji Yoo Kim intertwined her fingers and looked anxious.
"He'll be fine," said Ho Sung Lee as he also looked out the window with Ji Yoo Kim.
Ji Yoo Kim tried her best to smile as she continued to watch the raindrops fall.
***
Hellcard's face looked annoyed.
He thought he could get rid of the human easily and sit on the throne as the devil god who returned.
He thought there would be no problems in the process, but his expectations were completely shattered.
Rucifer was currently begging a human to spare his life.
The sight of it was so unsightly that not even Hellcard wanted to look.
Hellcard, who was watching from afar, looked to his right.
There stood the Dionysus Gods who were now devils.
"Go and help Rucifer kill the human," commanded Hellcard.
The Dionysus Gods turned devils flapped their wings and flew in the northern direction to fulfill Hellcard's command.
Hellcard didn't expect them to kill the human.
While they bought him some more time, he had to think about what the most advantageous fight would be now that he had the power of the great god.
Since it hadn't been long since he woke from his seal, he had to wake up some more.
Once he regained even two-thirds of his past power, everything could go as planned.
If he happened to regain his strength, he would kill the human and even wipe out the great god, who had handed his powers over to the human.
"… The Dionysus Gods were in the wrong, too, but even the great god looked down upon Hellcard's power."
Hellcard began to laugh.
"Just you wait. I'm going to start with that human and then wipe out the great god afterward, hahahaha!"
Hellcard's eyes flashed.
***
"Please, sob! Please spare me. I only followed Hellcard's orders."
Min Sung looked down at RUcifer, who was crying like a baby, and knitted his brows.
"Hellcard? Who's that?"
Rucifer immediately organized his thoughts and opened his mouth.
"The former devil king. He has been unleashed from his seal," replied Rucifer with tears covering his face.
'The former devil king…'
Min Sung could finally understand why the great god had passed down his powers to him.
It was his way of telling him to deal with the Demonic Realm himself.
Since he was going to get rid of the DemoniC Realm anyway, it was for the best.
There was no point for him to spare lives.
As soon as Min Sung's eyes filled with killer energy, Rucifer instinctively felt it as he crawled back and looked up at Min Sung.
"S-spare…"
Just as Rucifer mumbled in fear, he heard a loud noise.
Something was coming their way.
Min Sung turned his head.
The Dionysus Gods, who were now devils, flew over and landed behind Rucifer.
As soon as Min Sung saw it, he realized that the Dionysus Gods had turned into devils.
He was able to make them out immediately, and it was quite a sight.
They no longer looked like beautiful human beings.
They had dark skin, dark wings, horns, ripped lips, and their overall outer appearance resembled a monster.
So the fact that they were posing confidently put Min Sung at a loss for words.
What Min Sung couldn't understand was their confidence.
Despite the state Rucifer was in, they must've trusted their numbers because they were monsters who didn't have an ounce of fear.
"S-step back. Don't you dare provoke them!"
Rucifer shouted in shock, but they were not obeying Rucifer, to begin with.
They were solely under the control of Hellcard.
And they, who were under full control, were in charge of buying time.
They didn't even see Rucifer, and Min Sung was able to realize that not long afterward.
"G-gasp!"
Rucifer limped and tried to run away.
He then ran away through a dark space in the air.
Min Sung then knitted his brows at the 9 fallen angels.
Despite having received great power and dodged a near-death experience, he still couldn't be bothered.
But if he wasn't so sensitive yet dense, he wouldn't have survived until now.
Min Sung cracked his knuckles and smiled.
"I want to learn more about Hellcard through you."
Chapter 315: Chapter 315
He hoped that all it took was a few attacks, but that was simply Min Sung's hope.
Reality was different.
The 9 fallen angels who were now devils, didn't know what fear was.
They charged toward Min Sung like machines in order to fulfill their mission.
Upon seeing their movements, Min Sung had a feeling that they wouldn't reveal information in Hellcard no matter how much he tortured them.
But obtaining information from them was the only way, so he had to do what he could to them.
The 9 fallen angels almost looked like beasts who only had the instinct to attack.
They didn't seem to be conscious in any way.
They were simply puppets controlled by Hellcard.
Regardless…
Min Sung remained calm and collected despite the 9 Dionysus Gods' explosive speed and attacks.
It was a long habit of his to not let go of his tension.
That was what he naturally learned during his 100 years in the Demonic Realm.
But right now, he had no other choice.
Despite the constant attacks and swinging of their weapons, Min Sung comfortably and smoothly dodged them.
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The reason why he was simply dodging without making any counter-attacks was so that he could measure just how much he had changed.
And he sensed that he had changed beyond measure.
The power of the great god was surprising.
As soon as the great god's power was added to what he already had, it resulted in a surprising result.
It was no ordinary transformation.
He was now a god.
Although they were now simply fallen angels, in the case that Dionysus Gods became fallen angels, they usually became more powerful as a result.
But even while the Dionysus Gods attacked all at once, Min Sung didn't feel pressured whatsoever.
Min Sung dodged the attacks with a comfortable look on his face, and he either blocked or dodged the magic.
That was the end of measuring his own level.
Now, he had to find out more about Hellcard through them.
Seeing from the way they attacked, they were nearly out of their minds, so they probably wouldn't make much sense, but it was worth a try.
As soon as Min Sung punched one of the fallen angels in the stomach, a light flashed. His black wing broke, and half of his body exploded as he fell to the ground.
Meanwhile, the other 8 fallen angels attacked, but none of them were able to even graze past Min Sung.
Every time Min Sung dodged their attacks and used his hand to attack, the fallen angels fell without any energy.
In order to obtain information, he couldn't kill them immediately, so all he made an effort to control his power.
Min Sung broke off the fallen angels' wings as well as their arms and legs.
He then grabbed the last-standing fallen angel by the throat and threw him to the ground.
Boommmmmm!
The big crack formed in the ground, and that fallen angel got buried in the ground of the Demonic Realm.
Min Sung looked down where the fallen angel once was and tilted his head.
'Did I use too much strength?'
Min Sung clicked his tongue and looked down at the fallen angels on the ground as he knitted his brows.
It was time for his final decision.
And he could only find out if they would cooperate or if they were no longer able to make conversation by starting a formal interrogation.
"Let's start off slowly, fallen devils."
Min Sung spoke in a dry voice as he walked toward them.
***
Ho Sung Lee got ready to attend a formal event.
In order to make it so that Min Sung could return to a pleasant environment, Ho Sung Lee cleaned. He made all of the necessary preparations and then got ready to leave the house.
Bowl waved his hand. Repone flew in the air as he watched, and Ssol was stuck to his leg.
"I'm off."
Ho Sung Lee took Ssol off of his leg and opened the door.
It was raining heavily.
He was wearing a suit, but he couldn't help but get wet.
After all, he wasn't Min Sung Kang, who could use his Aura to protect his entire body.
Ho Sung Lee
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thought about how impressive he was before opening his umbrella and heading outside.
There was a black sedan that was waiting for him.
The driver got out and opened the door for him.
After passing his umbrella to the driver, Ho Sung Lee got into the car.
The driver packed away the umbrella and drove off to their destination.
At that moment, the phone rang.
The caller was Commander Ji Yoo Kim from Central Institute.
"Yes, Commander Kim. I'm heading there right now."
You left early. When you get there, you'll be escorted to the waiting room. And then they'll give you a script. There will be appropriate responses to difficult questions so please reference them."
"Haha, thank you."
No, thank you.
"Then I'll see you later. I will see you, right?"
Of course. I'll be able to see you in about 30 minutes to an hour after you arrive.
"Great. Then I'll see you then."
Upon hanging up, Ho Sung Lee let out a long sigh.
He was nervous.
He was already used to getting attention from all over the world.
But he had never attended such a formal event, so he couldn't help but sense the responsibility.
Since he was there as a representative of Min Sung Kang, his shoulders felt even heavier.
"Calm down. Just do as you prepared," Ho Sung Lee mumbled to himself and looked out the window to watch the rain in order to control his mind.
He worked hard to prepare, but now that it was time for the actual interview, his mind went blank, but he also believed that he could do a good job.
No, he had to.
Ho Sung Lee lowered the window. He took out a cigarette and lit it with a lighter.
***
As soon as he arrived at the building, there were reporters waiting for him.
He was used to dealing with reporters, but today felt a little different.
Ho Sung Lee straightened his clothes and go out of the car as soon as the driver opened the door.
The cameras flashed from left and right.
There were barricades, and as Commander Ji Yoo Kim had said, someone approached Ho Sung Lee to escort him.
Ho Sung Lee, who was walking toward the building, stopped to look up at the sky.
The dark clouds in the sky were slowly turning red.
The reporters also followed Ho Sung Lee's eyes toward the sky.
The reporters began to move quickly in response to what seemed like a strange omen.
***
The fallen angels screamed on the land of the Demonic Realm.
Thanks to Min Sung's abilities, the fallen angels were experiencing their worst nightmare.
Making one go mad was one of Min Sung's specialties.
"Impressive," mumbled Min Sung as he watched the Dionysus Gods.
If they were ordinary humans, they wouldn't have endured even a minute of it, but the fallen angels had been enduring it for 10 minutes already.
At this point, Min Sung worried that they would no longer be able to speak even if they were willing to.
It appeared that since they were controlled by Hellcard, they had no power to make their own decisions.
For that reason, Min Sung decided that there was no point in torturing them any further.
Power fluttered in Min Sung's hands.
When he waved his hand once, Min Sung's power caused for the 5 Dionysus Gods near him to go extinct along with the sound of a thudding noise.
The fallen angels instinctively reacted in fear and crawled on the ground.
Min Sung had no intention to sympathize with the fallen angels.
He had lived in that world.
The world where he had to kill to survive.
And this was the Demonic Realm, not the human world.
So he had no reason to hesitate.
Kaboom!
Lightning flashed from Min Sung's hand. It flowed through the ground of the Demonic Realm and wrapped around the remaining fallen angels.
"Aghhhh!"
The fallen angels screamed and their bodies trembled.
It was a type of last hope, but they didn't say a single thing about Hellcard.
Min Sung clicked his tongue and clenched his fists.
Boommmmmm!
A powerful explosion took place, causing for the fallen angels to turn into black ashes.
He could no longer see even a trace of the fallen angels.
All he could see were dark ashes floating in the air.
Min Sung walked through the dark smoke and ashes as he glared his eyes.
"Where are you, Hellcard?"
In order to find him, Min Sung used his abilities to look far and wide, but he was unable to locate Hellcard.
The Demonic Realm was vast.
A bothersome game of hide and seek began.
***
After fixing his clothes in the washroom, Ho Sung Lee took some deep breaths.
He was now ready to go out.
Ho Sung Lee left the washroom and walked out of the waiting room.
He followed the staff who were standing by and headed toward the official meeting.
He walked through the long corridors and entered a hall that was filled with reporters with laptops in front of them.
The formal questions were going to take place according to a planned order.
After standing on the podium and checking the mic, a staff member nodded his way.
That was when the formal interview began.
Following the lead of the host, Ho Sung Lee was going to receive questions.
That was all that was planned for today.
"A Korean reporter will ask you a question first."
Following the host's cue, the prepared reporter held up his mic and asked the first question to Ho Sung Lee.
"Why are you representing Min Sung Kang in his stead?"
It was a completely expected question.
"He has trusted me with most of the duties for a long time now, and standing in for him in media-related settings is a part of it."
Ho Sung Lee answered without showing an ounce of nervousness.
Chapter 316: Chapter 316
After Korea, an American reporter asked a question, "Min Sung is currently not exposed to the outside world, so there are suspicions that there might've been a problem. Please tell us if this is true."
Ho Sung Lee coughed and hesitated for a moment.
He expected this question as well.
But since he thought it was better to answer it in a heavier tone, he intentionally stalled.
"Min Sung has fought to save this world for a very long time. He's currently very exhausted, so he needs to rest. For that reason, he decided to stay out of the public eye in order to reduce stress."
The reporters looked like they understood.
Not a single person was unaware of how hard Min Sung fought all by himself.
Other questions followed, and Ho Sung Lee answered them without any trouble.
He expected the meeting to be pressuring and burdensome, but since no one knew that Min Sung was in the Demonic Realm, it didn't go so badly.
It was even quite pleasant and light at times.
The problem was the meeting with the hunter leaders that would follow the public meeting.
Ho Sung Lee, who returned to the waiting room after the formal interview, sighed out of relief and put a cigarette in his mouth.
"Oh… you shouldn't smoke inside the building…"
A young female staff member told Ho Sung Lee, and someone who looked like her superior pinched her.
"You can smoke," said the female superior with a smile.
"I'll smoke outside. Please don't scold her. She did nothing wrong. Where should I smoke?"
"That's okay. You can smoke in the waiting room."
Ho Sung Lee shook his head and smiled.
"I need some fresh air anyway. Can she escort me outside?"
Ho Sung Lee asked while pointing at the female staff member.
The superior told the female staff to escort him without causing any trouble.
Ho Sung Lee headed out to the smoking area with the female staff member.
Ho Sung Lee put a cigarette over his ear and smirked at the female staff member.
"Don't be nervous. You did nothing wrong. You did a good job."
The female staff member, who looked pale, felt reassured by Ho Sung Lee's words.
The two of them chatted as they headed outside.
As soon as they got to the smoking area, the female staff member bowed.
After thanking her with his eyes, Ho Sung Lee put the cigarette back in his mouth.
"Huu."
Smoke came out of Ho Sung Lee's lips."
Just thinking of meeting with the hunter leaders made his chest feel suffocated.
Commander Ji Yoo Kim of Central Institute told him that those with strong ambition and were afraid of Min Sung would begin to act.
Ho Sung Lee laughed.
He found it hard to understand that they were trying to defeat Min Sung, who was so powerful that he could put an end to mankind if he really wanted to.
But they probably didn't want their own countries taken away.
Of course, Min Sung Kang had no interest in taking over other countries, but it was possible for the US to think that it could happen.
After all, if Min Sung Kang really wanted, he could take over the whole world.
Ho Sung Lee was worried that he could potentially make things worse by doing something about it, but Ho Sung Lee also believed that it was his job to act as a mediator.
That didn't mean he should look too weak like Commander Kim advised either.
Those with power and good faith made sure to maintain the balance.
Despite that being burdensome to Ho Sung Lee, he had to fulfill it, and since it was also Min Sung's orders, he couldn't avoid it.
Ho Sung Lee smoked with a heavy heart.
Vrrr!
Ho Sung Lee put out his cigarette and took out his phone from his pocket.
It was Commander Ji Yoo Kim.
"Yes, Commander Kim."
Where are you? I'm in the waiting room, but I don't see you."
"Oh, I'll be right there."
Ho Sung Lee hung up and walked back to the waiting room with the female staff who escorted him.
And there, Ji Yoo Kim was waiting.
"Let's go inside."
Ho Sung Lee opened the door to the waiting room and entered
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first.
Ji Yoo Kim followed from behind, and once Ho Sung Lee closed the door, he immediately checked his watch.
"We have around 20 minutes. How do the hunter leaders look?"
Ji Yoo Kim sat down on the sofa first, and Ho Sung Lee sat across from her as he asked, "They're still quiet. But who knows what'll happen when the meeting starts?"
"Will you be there as well?"
Ji Yoo Kim smiled and nodded.
"Yes."
"That makes me feel a little better. If I was alone… Phew."
Ho Sung Lee shook his head.
"But you did a good job back there. You didn't even look nervous."
"No, I was really nervous. Anyway…"
Ho Sung Lee sighed as he looked out the window.
"Min Sung needs to come back soon. I'm getting restless, haha."
"Like you said, he'll handle everything and come back soon."
Ho Sung Lee nodded and smiled.
"Yes, he will. I'm sure of it."
***
Min Sung sat on a large rock and looked at the ground of the Demonic Realm with annoyed eyes.
He had never met Hallcard before, and since he was avoiding him like a rat, he felt frustrated.
He almost wondered if he was still in the Demonic Realm.
He received the power of the great god, but that wasn't enough to find Hellcard if he was intentionally hiding.
But that didn't mean he should just sit around, so Min Sung got off of the rock and began moving again.
He probably believed that if they faced off now, he wouldn't stand a chance, and that was why he was probably looking for something or making preparations.
But how?
His thoughts went on for a while, and Min Sung thought of one solution. And that had to do with his position.
The current devil king of the Demonic Realm was Min Sung Kang.
Since he was the owner of the Demonic Realm, he could use that to his favor to find Hellcard easily.
There wasn't much hope, but he still felt as though he found a key.
Min Sung decided to find out what advantages came with being the devil king.
***
Ho Sung Lee caught his breath before leaving the waiting room.
Since Commander Ji Yoo Kim had something else to prepare beforehand, Ho Sung Lee had to head out first.
As soon as he walked out of the waiting room, he couldn't see the female staff that escorted him to the smoking area. But a staff member who looked very experienced greeted Ho Sung Lee.
Ho Sung Lee followed the staff to the elevator and up to the sky lounge.
That was where the meeting with the hunter leaders was taking place.
Ding!
The elevator notified them that they arrived at the top of the building.
The doors opened, allowing Ho Sung Lee to see the luxurious VVIP lounge.
It was a very fancy lounge with a luxurious interior.
There was a large table in the middle of the room, and the staff member escorted Ho Sung Lee that way.
She then pointed at the seat at the head of the table, and Ho Sung Lee gulped as he looked at it.
He wasn't sure if he could sit in a spot like that, but he was filling in for Min Sung.
He couldn't cut down his worth.
Ho Sung Lee quietly sat down in his seat.
The thought of hunter leaders soon arriving made his heart pound, but for the sake of Min Sung, he controlled his mind so that he could keep his calm.
Any mistakes he made would taint Min Sung Kang's image.
Ho Sung Lee made an effort to not forget that he had to be thoughtful.
He looked at his watch and saw that there were only 10 minutes remaining.
As soon as he looked up from his watch, he heard the sound of high heels clacking.
It was Commander Ji Yoo Kim of Central Institute.
She brought a pile of documents and placed them in front of Ho Sung Lee.
"These are the documents for the hunter leader meeting. This will make things go a lot smoother."
"Thank you."
They were the documents that Commander Ji Yoo Kim had handed him before.
"How should we proceed with the meeting?" Ho Sung Lee asked with a nervous face.
"Just think of it as an approval. If you want to approve something do so, and if you want to reject, do that as well. You just need to make decisions. But of course, that's after we have the meeting," Ji Yoo Kim explained with a smile.
He was nervous due to his lack of experience, but he felt more comfortable with her around.
"What if they come off negatively to a rejection?"
"Have confidence… because it's ultimately up to you."
She was referring to the balance of power.
If he came off strong, they wouldn't be able to fight back.
Since it was a very important setting, Ho Sung Lee's head was throbbing already.
But that was when the hunter leaders entered the meeting room, one by one.
Ho Sung Lee almost sprung up from his seat, but he remembered he was there in Min Sung's stead and tried to maintain a cold attitude.
Instead, he slowly got up and shook hands with the hunter leaders.
A moment later, everyone was seated.
Since the meeting was top secret, the staff who were on standby left the meeting room.
While the hunter leaders focused on Ho Sung Lee, he coughed.
"It's nice to meet you. How have you been?"
Ho Sung Lee smiled awkwardly as he offered a greeting.
An awkward silence fell before the hunter leaders laughed.
… The vibe was very different from the official meeting.
Ho Sung Lee felt like he was being chased by the pressure caused by the hunter leaders.
For that reason, Ho Sung Lee had a feeling the meeting wasn't going to go as smoothly as he hoped.
Chapter 317: Chapter 317
Meanwhile, he felt the most uncomfortable with the American hunter leader, Ethan.
Ethan looked very displeased.
Ho Sung Lee sighed and looked straight at Ethan.
"Ethan."
In response, Ethan stared back at Ho Sung Lee as if he had nothing to fear.
In Ho Sung Lee's eyes, the hunter leaders didn't want to acknowledge that he was representing Min Sung Kang, and their faces were full of doubt.
If he let the power struggle get to him, things would become very uncomfortable.
This was also what Commander Ji Yoo Kim of Central Institute was worried about.
They instinctively were afraid of Min Sung Kang but had no intention of being controlled by his representative.
He could feel that Min Sung Kang was the only one they were afraid of.
"I'm here as Min Sung Kang's representative, and I mustn't taint his worth."
In response, Ethan knitted his brows.
Ho Sung Lee continued with a smile, "I'm telling you to keep your manners."
Once the other hunter leaders looked at Ethan's crooked posture, he looked a little taken aback.
Ethan smiled bitterly and fixed his posture.
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"Happy now?" Ethan asked Ho Sung Lee.
Ho Sung Lee nodded.
"Good. Then let's begin," said Ho Sung Lee as he looked at the prepared documents.
"…"
In response to the silence, Ho Sung Lee lifted his head and looked at the hunter leaders with a suspicious look.
They were all staring back at him.
Ho Sung Lee was unable to understand.
"… What are you doing?" Ho Sung Lee asked with a stiff look on his face.
Some of the hunter leaders coughed while others laughed, and some other hunter leaders including Ethan glared at Ho Sung Lee.
"I said, what do you think you're doing?"
Ho Sung Lee asked with a strong voice. The atmosphere grew cold.
But regardless, the hunter leaders continued to resist.
It appeared that they saw him as an ant who was sitting at the head of the table pretending to be the king.
"I guess you've forgotten that I'm here as Min Sung Kang's representative," said Ho Sung Lee coldly as he got up.
"Let's cancel this meeting then."
As soon as Ho Sung Lee clicked his tongue and got up, some of the hunter leaders stared at him in an annoyed manner.
And then…
"What did we do wrong?"
"Are you being bossy because you're here in Min Sung Kang's stead?"
The hunter leaders' attitude was so strong that Ho Sung Lee laughed and was at a loss for words. He was so shocked that he was unable to say anything.
He didn't understand why they would behave in such a way.
'What makes them think they can do this?'
He figured there must've been a reason, and he needed to find out that reason for himself, but Ho Sung Lee also believed that he couldn't let that pass for Min Sung Kang's sake.
He was once the clan leader of Diamond Clan.
And now that he had to pressure the hunter leaders from all over the world, he felt how different things had gotten.
He had a hard time getting used to the change, but the world had changed, and so had he.
And he was also responsible for being Min Sung Kang's representative.
He had no reason to be afraid.
All he had to remember was one thing—to not be greedy.
But to let them know of his power, Ho Sung Lee believed that that was his role.
Ho Sung Lee looked at Commander Ji Yoo Kim of Central Institute.
Ji Yoo Kim didn't step in his way.
She remained quiet.
Her attitude implied that she would respect whatever decision he made.
Ho Sung Lee was confident in himself.
He walked toward the hunter leader closest to him and sat on the table in front of him.
Ho Sung Lee stared down at him.
The Russian hunter leader, who called him bossy, suddenly turned red.
Ho Sung Lee smirked.
"If I decide to be bossy, what are you going to do about it?" Ho Sung Lee asked while giving the Russian hunter leader a cold gaze.
In response to Ho Sung Lee's sudden attack, the
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Russian hunter leader swallowed his rage and lowered his eyes.
Ho Sung Lee lifted his eyes and looked at the other hunter leaders.
"Did I take over your countries or something? Did I ask you for anything? I tried to make this go smoothly as possible, but you're trying to eat me alive over here."
The atmosphere became sharp.
"Was I the one who wanted to have a meeting with you? You were the ones who called for it! So what is it that you wanted to say to Min Sung Kang's representative?"
Ho Sung Lee gave off killer energy, and the hunter leaders were startled.
The energy he gave off wasn't the mere energy of a former clan leader.
During his time with Min Sung, he had grown so much that the hunter leaders felt pressure that prevented from being able to think properly.
Ho Sung Lee shook his head at the hunter leaders.
"You've got the wrong idea. You shouldn't be wary of Min Sung Kang. In that time, you should do everything you can to prevent your countries from being harmed. Why are you coming off like this?" Ho Sung Lee asked Ethan.
"If you're coming off this way, it probably means you're ready to handle the aftermath. Go ahead and do what you want."
Ho Sung Lee put his hands in his pocket and left the meeting room.
***
Silence fell in the meeting room after Ho Sung Lee left, and Ethan tapped on the table with his index finger.
Everyone was looking at Ethan.
Even Commander Ji Yoo Kim looked at Ethan.
"Commander Kim of Central Institute."
Ethan lifted his gaze as he called Ji Yoo Kim's name.
Ji Yoo Kim looked back at Ethan.
"It's arrogant to try to control the world with just one person's strength. It's proven by history."
Ji Yoo Kim smiled but didn't respond.
Ethan continued, "The whole world functions based on the economy and money. Armed protests come with limits. I'm saying it's hard to be welcomed by the entire world using that method. He might be a hero now…"
Ethan continued while staring at Ji Yoo Kim, "But do you think that'll last forever?"
She had an idea of what Ethan meant by that, and she had seen it coming.
She also knew that they wouldn't surrender so easily.
"Are you finished? I don't think it's a good idea to continue talking while Min Sung Kang's representative, Ho Sung Lee is no longer here."
Ethan's face twitched.
"I understand what you're saying. Let's end the meeting here."
Ji Yoo Kim got up from her seat.
Once she left the meeting room, the faces of the hunter leaders began to turn into smiles.
The same went for Ethan.
"They'll find out soon enough how useless it is to trust just one man's power," said Ethan.
The hunter leaders smiled and nodded in agreement.
***
Ho Sung Lee threw away the cigarette he was smoking.
"Why were they so confident back there?"
Ho Sung Lee grimaced due to his lack of understanding. They also knew that if Min Sung Kang really wanted to, he could wipe out the US.
But they didn't seem to care about that.
Why not?
While Ho Sung Lee stood with his hand on his hip and a frustrated look on his face, the sound of high heels could be heard.
Ho Sung Lee turned around.
He saw Commander Ji Yoo Kim of Central Institute.
"You seemed really insulted back there," said Ji Yoo Kim with a bitter smile.
Ho Sung Lee knitted his brows and swept his hair back.
"Why are they so confident?"
Ho Sung Lee vented his frustration, but Ji Yoo Kim looked quite relaxed.
"I think they're certain that Min Sung would never commit an inhuman act. They've been collecting information on Min Sung until now, and that's probably what led them to that conclusion."
"Isn't that too dangerous to assume?"
"They're probably afraid that if they don't get a hold of the fight now, they would be harmed after losing all of their rights."
"So they're looking down on Min Sung," said Ho Sung Lee with a passionate face.
Ji Yoo Kim shook her head.
"It might be a little more complex than that. Since Min Sung isn't showing up in the media, they're probably thinking of dragging him out with provocation."
"So they're feeling us out?"
"Probably."
"This is so complicated, but what you're saying makes sense. I get it, but I think they're being too arrogant."
"That was probably a part of their plan. They think that they're the ones in charge of navigating diplomacy with Min Sung."
"What would you have done if you were me?"
Ji Yoo Kim shook her head.
"I'm not sure. It's hard to predict Min Sung."
Ho Sung Lee sighed.
"That's true."
"You could say they have an alliance. And like they said, people think Min Sung is a hero now, but if the economy takes a huge hit, they'll turn their backs."
Ho Sung Lee laughed.
"That easily?"
"That's how people are."
Ho Sung Lee clicked his tongue. He bit down on his lip and thought for a moment before looking back at Ji Yoo Kim.
"Then what should we do now? What do you think?" Ho Sung Lee asked Ji Yoo Kim.
Ji Yoo Kim smiled confidently at Ho Sung Lee.
"Since they declared war, we should act, too."
Ho Sung Lee looked at Ji Yoo Kim's confident smile with surprised eyes.
Chapter 318: Chapter 318
Her eyes and facial expression contained something that Ho Sung Lee didn't know.
It almost seemed as though she had a hidden card that would allow them to resolve things easily.
"What do you mean?" Ho Sung Lee asked with anticipation and nervousness.
"Like they said, the public can change their minds easily. But they've yet to do that."
"In that case…"
Ji Yoo Kim nodded.
"We're going to touch the hearts of people all over the world."
"So we're going to beat them to the media."
"We have to make them feel certain so that they won't change their minds about Min Sung."
"But if we want to do that, we have to control the media somehow. Can we do that?"
"We'll have to try. That's why we have to act first."
"I've never done this before. If you give me the guidelines, I'll follow your lead."
"Sure. Don't worry about that."
Ho Sung Lee sighed.
"I'm relieved that we might have found a way."
He then scratched his head and grimaced.
"I thought they'd just back down if I mentioned Min Sung, but it's not that easy."
Ji Yoo Kim saw Ho Sung Lee speak with a tired face and flashed him a smile.
"Shall we eat something?"
In response, Ho Sung Lee stared into the distance for a moment.
"Ho Sung?"
"Oh, yes?"
"What are you thinking about?"
Ho Sung Lee smiled bitterly.
"Min Sung."
"Min Sung?"
"Yes. To Min Sung, meals are very important. But since he's in the Demonic Realm, he's probably not eating anything."
"That doesn't mean we shouldn't eat. We'll have to recharge so that we can do what Min Sung instructed. Don't you think?"
Ho Sung Lee nodded.
"I shouldn't be so down. You're right. Let's go and eat. Is there anything you're craving?"
"Hm… I'm up for anything."
"Then how about some clean short rib soup?"
"Is there a good place nearby?"
Ji Yoo Kim asked Ho Sung Lee with anticipating eyes.
"Of course. I'm in charge of taking Min Sung to all the best places. Haha, let's go."
Ho Sung Lee pointed at the black sedan.
He told the driver their destination, and Ho Sung Lee and Ji Yoo Kim set out to have a meal.
***
Ho Sung Lee and Ji Yoo Kim entered the restaurant together and sat across from each other.
"Two short rib soups, please."
Ho Sung Lee ordered, and the kitchen began cooking immediately.
"I was actually really hungry. I'm glad we'ere here. It must be good."
"This is a good restaurant. It'll exceed your expectations."
"Wow."
Ji Yoo Kim clenched her fists with excitement.
"Does Min Sung always eat what you recommend?"
Ji Yoo Kim asked with sparkling eyes.
Upon seeing her face, Ho Sung Lee laughed.
"Hm? Why are you laughing?"
"No reason."
Ho Sung Lee shook his head and took a sip of his water.
Ji Yoo Kim puffed up her cheeks.
"Tell me. Why are you laughing?"
"It's just that… you seem to be very curious about Min Sung."
"What? That's not true."
Ho Sung Lee showed a surprised face at Ji Yoo Kim.
"Your face looks like it's about to explode?"
In response, Ji Yoo Kim immediately deflated her cheeks. She checked her face and blushed even more.
"It's not what you think."
"Okay, sure. Hm, Min Sung usually goes to the restaurants I recommend. But most of the time, I cook for him."
"You do?" Ji Yoo Kim asked as she put powder on her face.
"Yes. I'd say it's probably better than food by most chefs, haha."
"Wow, that's amazing! All I can make is instant noodles," said Ji Yoo Kim with a dejected face.
"You have to be interested, and it takes a lot of time. Since you have to take care of the country, it's a given that you don't cook."
"Thanks for comforting me."
Ji Yoo Kim smiled as she shut her compact powder.
Ho Sung Lee looked at Ji Yoo Kim and thought she was quite pretty.
A pretty woman like that seemed to be interested, but…
Ho Sung Lee thought of Min Sung and immediately let out a big sigh.
"Why are you sighing…?"
Ji Yoo Kim looked at Ho Sung Lee with wide eyes.
"Oh, it's nothing."
"The food is here."
At that moment, an employee showed up with two bowls of short rib soup.
Gurgle, gurgle!
It was boiling like crazy.
It looked hot just looking at it.
While Ji Yoo Kim stared at it blankly, Ho Sung Lee opened the lid of the bowl that contained the marinade for the soup.
"Would you like to add some?" Ho Sung Lee asked while pointing at the marinade.
"What's that?"
Ji Yoo Kim asked with her eyes fixed on the
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spice.
"Most people call it Japanese red-pepper sauce. It's a marinade. If you add this, it'll taste refreshing and spicy."
"I'll add some!"
"Add around this much."
Ho Sung Lee added a spoonful into her bowl.
He then added the same amount into his own bowl.
After that, before opening the bowl of rice, he picked up the tongs and scissors.
Ji Yoo Kim copied Ho Sung Lee's actions and cut the meat attached to the bones.
Upon finishing that process, they began eating.
Ho Sung Lee didn't add the rice into the soup, but Ji Yoo Kim decided to put all of it in.
Unlike Ji Yoo Kim, who was eating it like rice soup, Ho Sung Lee preferred a different style.
He ate half of his meal with the rice and soup separately, and then he finished the rest of the rice inside the soup.
When he told this to Ji Yoo Kim, she appeared to have a hard time understanding.
"Why?"
"If you put the rice into your soup, the taste of the soup will become blander as a result. Enjoy the broth first before you enjoy a rice soup."
"Oh no."
Ji Yoo Kim understood and looked down at her short rib soup as if she regretted what she just did.
Ho Sung Lee smiled at Ji Yoo Kim before drinking some soup.
The broth of this short rib soup restaurant was pale white and tasted like beef bone soup.
As for the side dishes, there was kimchi pancakes, glass noodles, radish kimchi, and marinated bean sprouts.
Although there were little side dishes, they were able to enjoy the cleanliness of it and not feel bloated afterward.
That was because they didn't use many preservatives.
Ho Sung Lee drank the warm and sweet broth as he thought of Min Sung.
He was probably still in the Demonic Realm.
'He must be hungry.'
Ho Sung Lee looked down at his short rib soup and came to his senses.
Like Ji Yoo Kim had said, they had to eat up.
'I should cherish this meal.'
That was something he had learned from Min Sung Kang.
***
Hellcard sat in a lotus position and absorbed the energy of the Demonic Realm within the ground.
Since there was no guarantee that he could win a fight against Min Sung Kang if they fought now, he had to undergo a sequence of events.
And that took time.
Just like how it took time for stiff bodies to loosen up, in order to awaken his power that was currently asleep, he had to give it time.
And in order to do that, he had to hide from Min Sung Kang and focus on absorbing the energy from the Demonic Realm.
Although it seemed simple, it required great mental focus, and as a result, it was also highly effective.
Hellcard, who was in a lotus position, was slowly changing since he was gaining power.
His body was getting bigger, the black scales on his skin turned shinier, and as for his magic energy, it charged without end.
The black magic square underneath his lotus position became more and more powerful as time went on.
But since his location couldn't be detected by Min Sung Kang, he had to hide his magic energy while also reclaiming his senses, which took up a lot of mental capacity.
Even if he received the power of the great god, this was Hellcard.
The one who made Heaven tremble in fear!
That was Hellcard.
It angered him that he had to hide from the sight of a human, but in good time, he would be able to stomp all over him.
In order to achieve that sweet moment, Hellcard suppressed his urges and focused on reclaiming his lost power.
He tried to look for other ways, but it was best not to rush.
It wouldn't take that long anyway.
'I'll kill you once and for all.'
Hellcard smiled.
***
Min Sung did his best to find Hellcard, but he couldn't find a way.
He had no idea how long it would take at this point.
For that reason, he made a decision.
He didn't know how big the Demonic Realm was, but he thought that destroying the land of the demonic Realm would be the quickest way.
Min Sung leaped off of the ground.
And surprisingly, his body flew into the air as if he had wings on his back.
He continued to soar up into the sky, and once he liked his position, he stopped.
Min Sung slowly raised his hands.
And within his hands, the power of the great god gathered.
Kaboommmmm!
The thunder from the sky of the Demonic Realm gathered in Min Sung's hands.
The huge wave of magic energy began to gather.
And then… Min Sung swung his arm as if he was throwing a small ball.
There was no sound.
It was just a flash that crossed his vision.
***
Rumbleeee!
Hellcard jolted his eyes wide open.
The ground was shaking, and it was becoming more and more intense.
Hellcard immediately knew what the human was trying to do.
'That damned human!'
The human in the position of the devil god was destroying the land of the Demonic Realm.
It was logically hard to understand, but once he thought about it, it made sense.
He was a human, and since he had a strong desire to return to the human world, he didn't care about destroying the Demonic Realm.
Once Hellcard realized that, he became restless.
If he had the power of the great god, it wouldn't take long for him to bring down the Demonic Realm.
He couldn't let the Demonic Realm disappear.
The Demonic Realm was his roots and the star where he was born.
He couldn't accept that a mere human would make the Demonic Realm with much history disappear overnight.
Chapter 319: Chapter 319
The preparations weren't complete, but Hellcard believed that he had the abilities he needed to kill him once and for all.
He felt like it was a little early, but if he wanted to die that badly, he would grant it to him.
Hellcard sprung up from his lotus position.
He pierced through the underground onto the land.
Upon reaching the end and hovering in the air, Hellcard looked in the northwest direction.
He then unleashed his killer energy.
That was when the shaking of the land of the Demonic Realm came to a halt.
A dark sword appeared in Hellcard's hand.
Within Hellcard's eyes, which were looking in the northwest direction, the strong desire to fight sparked.
He sensed that he was coming this way.
Hellcard's killer energy spread out in all directions as if it was ready to swallow the Demonic Realm whole.
***
With the help of Ji Yoo Kim, Ho Sung Lee met with the CEOs of the media companies and spread the news all over the world.
Despite their lack of interest in getting involved in diplomatic politics, as soon as the news that the hunter leaders of each country were pressuring Min Sung, the citizens from all over the world expressed their rage at the hunter organizations.
Since people from all around the world considered Min Sung sacred, it didn't take long for them to all share one opinion.
The perception of Min Sung Kang became more favorable while that of the organizations grew worse.
When this happened, the hunter leaders from each hunter organization felt more restless than ever.
***
Ho Sung Lee and Ji Yoo Kim were sitting on the sofa together watching TV.
The news was showing the various protests that the citizens were holding against the hunter organizations.
As soon as the dungeons disappeared, the government no longer protected the image of the hunter organizations, nor did they provide political protection.
"It seems like the government wants to use this opportunity to bring the hunter organizations down," said Ho Sung Lee as he watched TV, and Ji Yoo Kim nodded.
"As long as it's possible that Min Sung will come back and the human world will no longer be threatened by the Demonic Realm, the government will try to weaken the hunter organizations' power."
"Then wouldn't that be a problem?"
Ji Yoo Kim shook her head.
"I don't think it's right for the hunter organizations to control the world. As long as there are no monsters, they're nothing but organizations of force."
"Hm…"
Ho Sung Lee stroked his chin and watched TV.
He then opened his mouth again.
"I guess Min Sung is the only one who would have an answer."
Ji Yoo Kim nodded.
"We need someone to establish a balance, and that's why we're doing what we're doing."
"I'm glad things are going better than expected," said Ho Sung Lee with a smile.
"But you can't let your guard down. We don't know how their side will come off."
"But the fact that things are getting a little better is a positive thing. Let's look on the bright side."
"You're right.
That was when Ji Yoo Kim finally smiled.
"What should we do next?" Ho Sung Lee asked.
"It's going to be a headache. It won't be easy dealing with the media. And as long as the citizens are on our side, if we act rashly, we could get hit with backlash. But that doesn't mean we should just sit back either."
"That means we have to do something."
"Before that, let's keep an eye on the progress."
Ho Sung Lee watched the citizens on the news and nodded.
***
"We're doomed."
The hunter leaders of various countries groaned.
"I didn't think he'd beat us to the punch."
"It's definitely that Ji Yoo Kim of Central Insitute's doing."
"Without Central Institute, things wouldn't have progressed this quickly."
"I thought she was just a pushover, but she's a hyena that pounced on the opportunity!"
The hunters agreed while the American hunter leader, Ethan, looked out the window.
While the meeting room bustled, Ethan turned around.
He then sat back in his seat in silence.
"We should've went to the media first…"
The Russian hunter leader glared at Ethan with reproach.
It was Ethan who advised them to wait before dealing
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with the media.
He didn't think they had to rush, and he believed that acting rashly could call for backlash.
But because they didn't act first, the situation worsened, and now, they were at a disadvantage.
"We should try to control the media even if it's too late. We'll do whatever we can to stop the news…"
"We can't do that. That could give the protesters more reason to fight, and that could also make the image of the hunter organizations worsen even further."
"I agree."
"But we can't just sit back and let this happen."
While the hunter leaders expressed their opinions, Ethan chewed on a piece of gum and touched the table.
That was when a screen appeared on top of the table.
Ethan touched it one more time causing for pages of information to appear on the table screen.
The faces of the hunter leaders began to change as soon as they saw what was on the screen.
"T-that's…"
"No way."
"So that's why."
"Ethan, I knew we could trust you!"
The hunters' faces brightened at the information on the screen.
The information on the screen informed them that Min Sung Kang had gone missing.
Min Sung Kang had not been seen lately, and due to that suspicion, Ethan used his best resources to find Min Sung, but he was nowhere to be found.
The related findings were clear, and they led to various hypotheses, but that wasn't what was important.
Min Sung Kang had disappeared, and Korea decided to let Ho Sung Lee act as Min Sung Kang's representative.
"What do you think will happen once this gets out?" Ethan asked with a smile.
The hunters' faces beamed.
"That'll be some spectacle."
"The heart of humans fire up quickly, but they also cool down just as fast."
"This might be our most perfect play."
The hunter leaders chatted as if they were at a party.
Meanwhile, the Russian hunter leader stared at Ethan.
"When do we start?" The Russian hunter leader asked.
"Anytime, as long as you all agree to it."
Ethan raised his hand and smiled in an arrogant manner.
"Let's vote with a show of hands," the Russian hunter leader suggested while raising his hand first.
The other hunter leaders also raised their hands.
Upon seeing that, Ethan smiled and nodded.
And when he touched the table once more, the words read that the command had been made.
That meant that the information was immediately sent to the media.
"Those worshipping Min Sung Kang will turn their backs within a day."
The hunter leaders looked down at the screen with smiling faces.
"But…"
One hunter leader spoke up with his head tilted, and Ethan as well as the other hunter leaders all looked his way.
"Is it possible that Min Sung Kang will never appear again?"
Silence fell followed by a burst of laughter.
"Hahaha! That would be the best-case scenario!"
"I think that's what's going to happen."
"I don't know the reason, but it does seem like there's some kind of problem."
"Why else would he have disappeared?"
The African hunter leader raised his head and opened his mouth.
"But what if he comes back?"
In response, the atmosphere turned heavy.
And Ethan opened his mouth.
"Too much control over the media won't be good since we should calculate our moves while considering the possibility that he might come back. Just stirring some dissatisfaction and watching by…"
Ethan smiled.
"… Should be enough."
And Ethan was right.
The media reported on the information that Min Sung Kang had disappeared, and as a result, rumors spread quickly.
As soon as chaos ensued, the stock prices of all the hunter organizations shot through the roof.
***
Ho Sung! We're in trouble.
That was the first thing he heard through the phone from Commander Ji Yoo Kim.
Ho Sung Lee felt anxiousness in his chest.
"What's the matter?"
What Ho Sung Lee heard next made him feel like his head turned blank.
He heard about how the hunter organizations from all over the world reported that Min Sung Kang was missing, and as soon as that truth spread, the citizens were in so much chaos that there was no turning back.
That alone made all his efforts in vain, and it inevitably put restrictions on his next activities.
But Ho Sung Lee didn't forget.
He didn't forget that he was Min Sung Kang's representative no matter hat.
He couldn't forget that fact, and he didn't forget that he couldn't taint the worth of his position as representative.
But what he did have to think about was what Min Sung would've done if he was here.
Ho Sung Lee closed his eyes and thought for a moment.
'How would Min Sung have handled this?'
'Would he have not cared?'
'Or would he have gotten revenge?'
After much thought, he made his decision.
Min Sung would've ordered him to do this, and all he had to do was follow his orders.
He had always done his best when he received commands, and there was no difference this time around.
Ho Sung Lee opened his eyes.
"Commander Kim."
Yes?
"Please tell all the hunter leaders to gather in Korea immediately, and if they try anything funny…"
Ho Sung Lee's eyes turned cold.
"I'll be sure to make them pay. Please deliver that message."
After a moment of silence…
"Okay."
He hung up after hearing her answer.
Ho Sung Lee sighed and walked out to the back yard.
"Who do they think they're messing with?"
Ho Sung Lee clenched his fists.
"I'll teach them that they made a huge mistake."
Chapter 320: Chapter 320
***
The American hunter leader, Ethan, laughed.
He got a call from Korea.
Ho Sung Lee made an order as Min Sung Kang's representative for all hunter leaders to gather in Korea.
'If he had something to say, why didn't he say something at the meeting instead of making us go there again?'
"That rep bastard needs to learn his place."
Ethan boiled with anger.
And the same went for the other hunter leaders who got the call.
Even if Ho Sung Lee was Min Sung Kang's representative, they had no intention of giving him any respect.
That was because he was the head of a clan called Diamond Clan, whom they have never heard of.
He was just a pathetic man who they would've killed if he even gave them a glance before any of this happened.
The fact that they had to listen to someone like that made them feel sick, and since they didn't even know if Min Sung Kang was alive, they weren't sure if his orders were worth listening to.
For that reason, through a video call, the hunter leaders agreed that it was best that they act once Min Sung Kang's whereabouts were confirmed.
They didn't see a point in following Ho Sung Lee's orders.
But Ethan thought differently.
"I think we should go to Korea," said Ethan softly to the hunter leaders on the screen.
The hunter leaders couldn't understand why they had to listen to his orders.
But Ethan's face looked stern.
"This is the best situation to get a justification out of him."
It wasn't a bad idea to go to Korea, ask where Min Sung Kang was, and see how Ho Sung Lee would react to their push.
If he came off offensively, all they had to do was come off strong as well.
While Min Sung Kang had a lot to lose, the hunter organizations all over the world didn't.
It was all about image.
If Min Sung Kang was alive and was simply away for a while, he couldn't threaten the hunter organization if they were the ones in power.
And if that were to happen, the Korean organization would gain the image of an organization using force, and the citizens would naturally fear being dominated by them as a result.
For that reason, Ethan believed that they could negotiate.
After all, they were a group while Min Sung Kang was pretty much an individual.
Central Institute was nothing but a ghost.
He didn't forget that Min Sung Kang was the only one with power.
"What if Min Sung Kang ignores that and attacks us? That could be possible knowing his personality."
The Russian hunter leader made sense.
If he was right and Min Sung Kang ignored everything and used his force, there would be no way out.
"Then do you want to just do as he says?"
Ethan's question was heavy.
The worth of a nation versus an individual.
Rather than just having it stolen, it was much better to fight for it and then lose.
The hunter leaders decided to abandon their fear.
"One person can't rule over the world, and we don't even know where Min Sung Kang is. So let's go and teach Korea who's boss."
The hunter leaders agreed with Ethan.
They got ready to head over to Korea.
***
Ji Yoo Kim looked worried.
And Ho Sung Lee knew exactly why she looked that way.
"They won't surrender to power. They'll probably try to bring political force using that as an excuse."
Ji Yoo Kim spoke the truth, but Ho Sung Lee smirked.
"I'm Min Sung Kang's representative. I can't allow anyone to insult him. That's all I want to show them."
Ho Sung Lee had already made up his mind, and Ji Yoo Kim must've realized she couldn't talk him out of it because she looked like she just didn't want things to get complicated.
But on the other hand, she also cheered Ho Sung Lee on.
They couldn't proceed forward without running into conflict.
They had to overcome obstacles to get anywhere, so it was the right time for Ho Sung Lee to act this way.
In the end, they were fighting over who would take the lead.
All she was worried about was the possibility of the world's hostility toward the hunter organizations shifting over to Min Sung Kang.
"We're here."
The car stopped in front of the building,
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and Ho Sung Lee and Ji Yoo Kim got out of the car.
There was a crowd of reporters.
Ho Sung Lee and Ji Yoo Kim greeted them as they entered the building.
Ho Sung Lee's heart pounded due to nervousness.
He was angry while also feeling tense.
But this kind of tension only made him feel more motivated and strong-willed.
However, Ho Sung Lee continued to remind himself that he couldn't fight based on emotions alone.
This was a fight for power.
If Min Sung Kang came back to a lot of work, that would prove that he was incompetent.
When he came back, there had to be very little that he had to fix.
That was his role.
Ho Sung Lee was determined.
They passed the lobby, got in the elevator, and on their way up to the meeting room, Ho Sung Lee nor Ji Yoo Kim said a single thing.
Their silence meant something important.
That meant Ji Yoo Kim was going to trust Ho Sung Lee with it.
Ho Sung Lee's face was filled with heavy responsibility for the first time in his life.
Ding!
The elevator doors opened and Ho Sung Lee entered the meeting room.
Ho Sung Lee walked toward the long table and sat at the head of the table.
He wasn't doing it just to look high and aloft.
He was simply focused on protecting Min Sung Kang's worth.
Ho Sung Lee waited for the hunter leaders to arrive with a sharp look in his eyes.
He normally wouldn't have been able to look them in the eyes, but it was different now.
As long as he was Min Sung Kang's representative, everyone was beneath his feet, and he had to be a great hunter who could dominate all of the other hunters in Min Sung Kang's stead.
"Would you like a warm cup of tea?" An employee asked.
Ho Sung Lee smiled at her.
"I"d like a cold glass of water, please."
The employee bowed and brought him a glass of water.
Ho Sung Lee drank the water while checking the time on his watch.
He came just in time which meant that the rest of them were late.
Even 5 minutes and 10 minutes after Ho Sung Lee drank his water, they didn't show up.
It was 15 minutes later when the hunter leaders began to appear one by one.
They didn't even greet him and sat down with displeased faces.
Ho Sung Lee stared at them without a word and waited for them to fill the seats.
It was 40 minutes after when Ethan finally arrived.
Until then, the hunter leaders chatted amongst themselves and ignored Ho Sung Lee.
It was only when Ethan arrived that the hunter leaders shut their mouths.
Ho Sung Lee smirked and put a cigarette in his mouth.
He lit it and smoked it as he scanned the hunter leaders.
In the midst of the silence, the Russian hunter leader glared at Ho Sung Lee and opened his mouth.
"Seeing how you called us busy hunter leaders to Korea, there must've been a good reason."
That was his way of telling him to get to the point.
Ho Sung Lee continued to smoke his cigarette while staring at the hunter leader before nodding and throwing his cigarette away.
In response, the hunter leaders either knitted their brows or glared at him.
Ho Sung Lee laughed back.
"I'm curious about something. Whoever can answer me, please do."
"…"
The hunter leaders looked at Ho Sung Lee with displeased faces.
"What makes you so confident to defy me?"
In response, the hunter leaders either smirked or laughed.
The Russian hunter leader glared at Ho Sung Lee and opened his mouth.
"I'm sure you've seen on the news that Min Sung Kang has disappeared. I actually want to ask you what makes you so demanding."
Ho Sung Lee tilted his head.
"I can't give you any information on Min Sung Kang. It's top secret. I think you're all misunderstanding something. Do you know?"
The hunter leaders looked at Ho Sung Lee as if they were asking what he meant.
"All of you put together don't stand a chance against me," said Ho Sung Lee while lifting his chin.
The hunter leaders fell silent before bursting into laughter.
Ho Sung Lee watched the hunter leaders almost fall over backward before opening his mouth.
"You've made a few mistakes. First, you tried to taint Min Sung Kang's image. Second, you tried to mess with him."
Ho Sung Lee's eyes fell low.
"As his representative, I want to hold you accountable. And I thought about how. Since you're too weak anyway, this world doesn't need you."
The hunter leaders' faces stiffened as they all stared at Ho Sung Lee.
Ho Sung Lee continued, "What did you do when the black tower appeared or when the devils invaded the earth?"
Ho Sung Lee smiled and continued, "I don't think it'd be a loss if you disappeared right now…"
Ji Yoo Kim looked at Ho Sung Lee anxiously and Ethan just laughed.
"What a pathetic threat. Do you really think you can kill us without Min Sung Kang?" Ethan asked with a killer gaze.
In response, Ho Sung Lee laughed.
"It wouldn't be hard at all to kill you. I'm just afraid you could be useful later on."
"Even if you have the power, don't you know that what you just said could make the citizens think you're inhumane?" Ethan asked.
Ho Sung Lee looked back and smiled.
"Of course, I do. But I can take all the blame for that."
In response, the hunter leaders' faces turned pale.
Ho Sung Lee slammed the table and got up.
"The point is…"
Ho Sung Lee began to show off a strong presence that not even he had given to anyone before.
Ho Sung Lee glared at the hunter leaders and uttered, "You tried to mess with Min Sung Kang… That's all I care about."
Chapter 321: Chapter 321
The hunter leaders from each country all froze up.
They didn't expect Ho Sung Lee to come off so strongly.
They were also shocked by the fact that his spirit was much more powerful than they could've imagined.
And of course, the latter was more shocking to them.
Ho Sung Lee was someone who only remained in the hunter leaders' memories as the head of a small clan.
Even when the towers appeared, he was simply assisting Min Sung Kang as he had no influence on his own.
So how could such a person have so much vigor now?
The hunter leaders felt so much pressure that they found it hard to breathe, but they tried their best not to make it show.
And in Ho Sung Lee's eyes, the hunter leaders looked pathetic.
Although the hunter leaders were once so high up that no human could look them in the eye, they now looked pathetic more than ever.
They had no power, yet they refused to give up their positions.
Their behavior made Ho Sung Lee boil inside, but he quickly calmed himself down.
He had no reason to express his rage.
The Ho Sung Lee of the Diamond Clan was in the past, and right now, he called upon the hunter leaders as Min Sung Kang's representative.
Ho Sung Lee didn't forget that he had to educate the humans for not knowing their place.
"Why are you acting out when you don't even have the ability to fight? I just told you that the world doesn't need you. What can you do? All of you put together don't stand a chance against me. If you don't believe me, check for yourselves, right now."
Ho Sung Lee spoke with a smile.
The hunter leaders exchanged glances with stiff faces.
Ho Sung Lee smirked at them.
"You have no idea, do you? I don't think you know the real reason why I'm representing Min Sung Kang."
Ho Sung Lee gathered more of his Aura.
The hunter leaders' faces began to change dramatically.
The killer energy of the Aura caused slight damage to the mind. And the stronger it got, the more harm it caused.
As a result, stress and anxiousness were natural effects.
"The reason why I'm representing Min Sung to establish a balance is only to prevent chaos. I'm not here expecting to gain anything. But if you come off in such an uncooperative way…"
Ho Sung Lee took out his Death Knight sword from his item window.
And from the dark Death Knight Sword, an Aura capable of ripping through the air flowed out.
Ho Sung Lee threw that sword down upon the table.
Bang!
The table shattered to pieces while the Death Knight sword stabbed into the ground.
"Not I'm contemplating what I should do with you. Like I said, I'm willing to accept the bad image. I'll take all of the responsibility and own up to it. But what if I do? What does that change? What can you possibly do without relying on Min Sung Kang?"
Ho Sung Lee wasn't entirely sure if it was okay to come off this strongly, but the important thing was bringing them down.
There was no other way to cut down the hunter leaders' arrogance without getting into any trouble.
"Look here, Russian hunter leader."
The Russian hunter leader lifted his pale face and looked at Ho Sung Lee.
"It sounds like you have a lot of complaints. But what are you going to do about it? Convince me. What can you do that's better than what Min Sung Kang can do for the world? In my eyes, you're worthless."
The Russian hunter leader kept his mouth closed.
The biggest reason was that he was afraid he would get his face punched by Ho Sung Lee if he said anything wrong, and the Aura that he gave off was too powerful, to begin with.
The fact that he was once nothing but a clan leader in Korea was long forgotten in the hunter leadres' minds.
Ho Sung Lee's eyes went from the Russian hunter leader to the American hunter leader, Ethan.
"Image? World economy? Do you really think that's important? We have no interest in it whatsoever."
Ho Sung Lee put a cigarette in
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his mouth and spoke to Ethan.
Ho Sung Lee felt it as well.
He was acting like a thug, but what else could he do?
Even if they were at the top, he was much stronger, and doing what one was capable of doing on their own was to be expected.
That was the decision made by the most powerful country.
And Ho Sung Lee believed that as long as Min Sung Kang was Korean and wanted to continue living in Korea, Korea was the most powerful country.
Money wasn't important.
Power and strength were bound to rule over all.
Money was simply something that went with the flow of power.
That was why he believed that what he needed to do was establish a type of balance with the hunter leaders.
Ho Sung Lee took out his Death Knight sword from the ground and walked toward Ethan.
"Since it has come to this, it's not like we can just end it here. We should settle this once and for all. Let me ask you a question, Ethan.
Ho Sung Lee threw out his cigarette and continued, "Why do you keep acting out?"
"…"
Ho Sung Lee looked at Ethan. He glared at him and smiled.
"Another question. Why do I have to keep you alive after how you've been harassing Min Sung? If you don't answer, you'll die right here. I promise you that."
Ho Sung Lee put his Death Knight sword against his shoulder and asked.
Ethan's pupils shook.
"Did we tell you we'd get rid of America or get rid of any other country? My only role is to stop you from causing chaos within the society. I'm here to stop you from causing a societal commotion. But you don't want to come to a settlement, and I understand why you're anxious. But what gives you the guts to do that?"
"As long as Korea is powerful, if you one day decide to do something bad…"
"If we do, what are you going to do about it? Can you stop us?"
"…"
"Why are you going around stirring shit up if you can't even do anything, you useless bastards? Do you want to die?"
"…"
"Okay, let's try that again. Why do I have to keep you alive? Tell me," asked Ho Sung Lee.
"The hunter leaders of each country are the key to military power…"
"For your country, would it be better for you to die or for Korea, where Min Sung resides, to be irritated?"
"…"
"Okay, again. Why do you have to stay alive?"
"Those with power shouldn't commit inhumane acts that go against…"
"Oh yeah? I think you need a beating, Ethan."
Ho Sung Lee threw aside his Death Knight sword and swung his fist at Ethan's face.
Ji Yoo Kim sprung up out of shock, but it was too late.
It was after Ho Sung Lee had already punched Ethan in the face.
Along with a large thudding noise, Ethan fell over backward in his chair.
The eyes of the hunter leaders shook, but not a single person could get up from their seat.
That was how powerful Ho Sung Lee's presence was.
"Shut it with the nonsense. Hey! Stop saying the same old thing or I'll kill you."
Ho Sung Lee felt true rage.
Just looking at Ethan, who attempted to taint Min Sung Kang's image and tried to control the media, made him tremble with anger.
But he had to stop since it could make things harder for Min Sung Kang if he made things escalate further.
Ho Sung Lee sighed. He returned to his seat and sat down.
While the table was destroyed and Ethan was on the ground, the hunter leaders glanced at each other with tense faces.
"As you know, I'm from the rough streets, so I don't know how to put things lightly. I tried, but it's not working."
Ho Sung Lee smiled bitterly.
"Hey, Russian hunter leaders, bring me that whiskey," instructed Ho Sung Lee.
In response, the Russian hunter leader glanced at the others, but once he saw Ho Sung Lee's lowered gaze, he gulped and brought him the bottle of whiskey.
Ho Sung Lee gulped it down before glaring at the Russian hunter leader who stood beside him.
"Sit, you little shit. Do you have to go piss or something?"
In response, the Russian hunter leader sat down.
Ho Sung Lee let out a long sigh.
It felt as though a storm passed through the meeting room.
In the midst of the silence, Ho Sung Lee looked at the hunter leaders with tired eyes and opened his mouth.
"Let me say this one more time. If you try to taint Min Sung Kang's image again or do anything to get on my nerves, I won't just sit back and do nothing. This is an order, so listen carefully. Unless you want to go to the afterlife…"
Ho Sung Lee spoke in a low voice, but not a single hunter leader misunderstood.
"I'm going to announce that the hunter organizations all over the world will be controlled from now on. If you're confident, go ahead and try to resist. But I won't talk another word about it."
Ho Sung Lee got up from his seat.
As for the hunter leaders, they continued to look shocked, and they sat with blank faces.
Ho Sung Lee stepped over the broken table and walked toward Ethan, who laid on the ground with a swollen face.
"Did you hear me?" Ho Sung Lee asked Ethan.
Ethan kept his mouth shut as the other hunter leaders were watching, but he changed his mind.
Ho Sung Lee was waiting for his answer.
Since he could get more hurt if he let his pride get in the way, he dropped his head for the sake of the atmosphere.
He felt as though he could lose his neck if he rebelled, and what he said made sense.
If Ho Sung Lee was willing to take the fall, Min Sung Kang had no reason to be afraid.
And if that was really to happen, he had to lay low.
"Answer me. Do you understand?" Ho Sung Lee asked with an expressionless face.
"Yes, Sir."
Ethan answered with his eyes to the ground.
Chapter 322: Chapter 322
Ho Sung Lee passed him. He left the meeting room and pressed the elevator button.
Beside Ho Sung Lee was Ji Yoo Kim.
They waited for the elevator without a word, and once the doors opened, they got on.
The door closed.
That was when Ho Sung Lee let out a sigh.
"Ah… I feel like I made a mistake."
Ho Sung Lee grabbed onto the wall. He dropped his head and let out his sadness.
Ji Yoo Kim smiled bitterly at Ho Sung Lee.
"I feel like you were a little excessive, but you did a good job. They wouldn't have listened to you if you used an average method."
"Do you really think so?"
Ho Sung Lee looked at Ji Yoo Kim with anticipating eyes and asked to confirm.
Ji Yoo Kim smiled brightly and nodded.
Meanwhile, the elevator arrived on the first floor.
Ho Sung Lee walked through the lobby and entered the parking lot, and Ji Yoo Kim followed beside him.
"I really don't know if I did a good job."
Ho Sung Lee put his hands on his waist and grimaced.
"I feel like there might be a better way, but it's beyond my means. This is the best I can do, haha."
Ho Sung Lee smiled as if he was still worried.
"You did a good job. The hunter leaders don't know how to carry on a normal conversation. After all, they had been at the top until now."
Ho Sung Lee sighed and nodded.
"I guess we'll just have to see how they come off. But if they still don't listen and come off strongly…"
Ji Yoo Kim trailed off.
Ho Sung Lee's eyes lowered.
"If Min Sung doesn't come back by then…"
Ji Yoo Kim flashed a smile.
"Shall we go out to eat?"
Ho Sung Lee stared at Ji Yoo Kim before showing her a nod.
She was talking as if she wanted to tell him not to feel pressured, and her words were quite comforting.
"Let's go and eat. I'll take you," said Ho Sung Lee as he headed to the car.
Ji Yoo Kim looked up at the building where the hunter leaders were with a heavy face.
She thought for a while before quietly getting into Ho Sung Lee's car.
"How does Chinese sound?"
"Sounds good."
Ji Yoo Kim easily agreed to Ho Sung Lee's menu proposal.
Ho Sung Lee headed toward the restaurant that he knew of without even using the navigator.
***
As soon as Ho Sung Lee left, the hunter leaders remained seated in the meeting room with dejected faces.
No one said a word in the midst of the silence, and then the hunter leaders began to look at Ethan with resentment.
It was the American hunter leader, Ethan, who pressured them to do what they couldn't be responsible for.
Of course, they were pathetic for playing along, but they couldn't help but have negative feelings toward Ethan anyway.
In such a state of despair, they needed something to blame.
Ethan accepted the looks with a flushed face before opening his mouth.
"First, let's go back and figure out a way…"
Ethan words became a trigger.
"What are you talking about? If we drag this on any further, we'll all be dead!"
In response to the Russian hunter leader's scolding, the American hunter leader, Ethan, felt like crying, but he held it in and shut his mouth.
"I don't think this should be about pride anymore, and there's no good in fighting amongst ourselves."
"It's true. The situation isn't good, but if we keep going at this rate, the hunter organizations will become nothing but tigers without teeth."
"We'll have to find a way."
The Russian hunter leader felt angry at the fact that the other hunter leaders were staying quiet despite sharing the same feelings. Since they weren't wrong either, he had no choice but to leave them alone.
The Russian hunter leader left the meeting first followed by the others.
And Ethan who remained in the meeting room alone, stared into space with a distrait face.
***
The food they ordered arrived on the table.
Fried rice, chili shrimp, and assorted seafood and vegetables with mustard sauce.
Just by looking at what they ordered, it looked like too much food for the two of them, but since the quality was high while the quantity was low, the portion
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was just right.
"Eat lots."
"You too."
The meal began.
The fried rice was shiny and the same went for the fried chili shrimp.
Also, the assorted seafood and vegetables looked so beautiful that they stared at it blankly.
The assorted seafood and vegetables looked like a work of art.
The fried rice tasted like oil but wasn't oily whatsoever, and the chili shrimp were crispy while the juicy inside went perfectly with the chili sauce.
In particular, the assorted seafood and vegetables looked so vibrant that they had to eat it with their eyes before eating it with their mouth.
The assorted seafood and vegetables contained shrimp, pork, various vegetables, as well as sauce.
Eating all of those things at once caused a party to take place in their mouths.
Ji Yoo Kim was intoxicated by the sensational chili shrimp and the scent of the fried rice.
The two of them didn't even talk and enjoyed their Chinese food.
And as soon as they had tea afterward, they felt like they came back to reality from a dream.
"That was delicious, and the visuals were fantastic," said Ji Yoo Kim with a flushed face.
She looked as though she was satisfied.
"I can see why Min Sung trusts all of your restaurant recommendations."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
While Ji Yoo Kim shrugged her shoulders with happiness, her phone rang.
Ji Yoo Kim put down her teacup and checked her phone.
It was the Central Institute.
"It's the headquarters. I'd better answer it."
Ji Yoo Kim excused herself and walked away from her seat.
Meanwhile, Ho Sung Lee went outside and put a cigarette in his mouth.
He felt the cold air brushing against his cheeks.
It was no longer the beginning of winter, but right in the middle of it.
Ho Sung Lee was curious about what kind of fight Min Sung Kang was fighting.
It felt like it was taking a while, but the passage of time in the Demonic Realm was different from the human world.
Ho Sung Lee looked up at the sky.
He couldn't even imagine it.
He was a person who always lived a life that was beyond anyone's imagination.
Ho Sung Lee stared into the sky.
***
"This is less than what I expected," said Min Sung toward Hellcard, and Hellcard put on an offense in response.
Despite the unbelievable amount of attack power that came his way, Min Sung dodged the attack with a straight face.
Physical attacks that couldn't be followed, and magical attacks that were impossible to predict.
And despite there being a great amount of magic energy in the magic attacks, Hellcard's attacks didn't work on Min Sung.
Min Sung smirked at Hellcard, who was huffing and puffing.
He couldn't help but laugh.
The man who was called the former devil king of the Demonic Realm didn't look so strong to him.
"I'm not even nervous here. I came to see the end of the Demonic Realm, but you're so weak. I can't believe it."
Min Sung meant what he said.
He hated the Demonic Realm more than anybody, but when it came to human instinct, once things were close to ending, they felt sad that it would end.
It was possible that he couldn't believe such a world could end.
It was a very large and powerful wall, and despite once thinking it would be impossible, the end of the Demonic Realm was right in front of his face.
He also felt anxious that if he just ended it here, he would feel empty inside.
For that reason, the Min Sung Hellcard saw was quite complicated, but it wasn't so complicated that it couldn't be solved.
He played with him until he got tired, and once he accepted reality, he would feel at ease.
That was why he continued to watch Hellcard without killing him.
Hellcard was the end of the Demonic Realm.
He wasn't expecting some kind of epic climax, but the fact that it wasn't realistic made him sad.
If one asked him why he was sad, it might have been because he felt as though all of the time he spent in suffering was in vain.
"You good-for-nothing human. How dare you insult me? I'm Hellcard!"
Min Sung watched Hellcard's blazing gaze, and that was when Min Sung realized that the sparks were giving off smoke and nothing else due to his emotions.
He was starting to get tired of this end.
Humans naturally lacked patience.
For that reason, the end of the Demonic Realm that was Hellcard was not much fun anymore.
Min Sung sensed that it was time for everything to end.
Not only did Min Sung sense it, but so did Hellcard.
He saw nervousness and tension in Hellcard's eyes that he hadn't seen yet, and that version of Hellcard was weaker than ever.
Although he was powerful, in front of Min Sung, who had taken the power from the great god, he was nothing but a sinful criminal.
"It's time for you to go."
Min Sung's eyes spoke in a cold manner.
Hellcard looked so blank for a moment that it covered his rage, and then he gathered all of his energy, but that was nothing but a pathetic struggle before dying in the hands of Min Sung.
"Aaaaaaagh!"
Hellcard screamed as loud as he could as he unleashed his magic energy.
His magic energy flew in from both the sky and ground, but Min Sung raised his hand and spread out his fingers.
The white light that came from it gave off a dark magic energy, and that white light not only swallowed up Hellcard's magic energy, but it swallowed him up as well.
Flash!
As a result of the white light, Hellcard's body flashed.
"How dare a mere human…!"
Hellcard was unable to say his last words.
It was the common end that came for most villains.
Chapter 323: Chapter 323
Hellcard went extinct.
And not even a trace remained where he once was.
All that proved that he was once there was the ground of the Demonic Realm as well as what remained on site.
Whoosh!
A hot gust of air blew above the Demonic Realm.
While letting the unpleasant air hit his face, Min Sung remained silent while standing on the quiet land of the Demonic Realm.
Everything came to an end.
He killed Veld and became the devil king, and he even put an end to the former devil king, Hellcard, which the Dionysus Gods unleashed.
Min Sung scanned the dry land of the Demonic Realm.
No living organism existed on the Demonic Realm.
Now that everything came to an end, Min Sung didn't particularly feel anything.
Just a feeling of sadness and emptiness pierced through his heart.
It was possible that the reason why he was able to exist until now was thanks to the Demonic Realm.
If it wasn't for the Demonic Realm, he could've died a lot sooner.
The nervousness and motivation to live allowed him to keep on living.
But even so… the memories were too dreadful.
The memories were so painful that he could erase them if he could.
It wasn't something that faded over time.
The shadows fo the Demonic Realm continued to linger behind his back like a disease.
And when it came to diseases, just because you found the cause didn't mean it wasn't there anymore… because it was probably a mental problem.
Min Sung closed his eyes and sighed.
It was over.
And once he opened his eyes again, Min Sung saw something.
What looked like a worm wriggled on top of the cracked ground.
When Min Sung saw that, he realized it.
'Yeah.'
'I forgot.'
'It's not over yet.'
In order for everything to end for good, he had to get rid of the Demonic Realm.
He had to destroy this star and go back to the human world.
Once he made up his mind, Min Sung slowly raised his hand.
As a result, a white light gathered in his hands and created what looked like a sword.
With cold eyes, Min Sung lowered the sword of light he created with his hand in order to put an end to the worm as well as the Demonic Realm.
At the end of Min Sung's fingertips, the great god's power in the form of magic energy exploded.
And just as his sword of light reached the ground.
"…?"
Min Sung looked down at his hands with blank eyes.
The sword of light disappeared.
At the end of his fingertips, which was just full of power, had nothing.
Min Sung lifted his head with confusion and stared up at the dark skies of the Demonic Realm.
He had lost the great god's power.
He didn't hear a voice, but he knew exactly what the great god was saying.
The great god didn't want the Demonic Realm to go extinct.
'But why?'
Min Sung wondered why for a long time, but he was unable to find the answer.
'Isn't the Demonic Realm just hell that isn't really needed?'
'Does the great god still have hope for this evil place?'
'Is that even possible?'
Rage began to spread throughout his heart, and it was so intense that he couldn't remember when he last felt this way.
But the great god was something who was unreachable.
Min Sung scanned the Demonic Realm with anger.
It was a sterile land where only demons could live.
'Why is this needed?'
'Would the extinction of the Demonic Realm influence the human world?'
'Does the existence of the Demonic Realm establish a balance?'
'If that's not it, does the great god see the Demonic Realm differently?'
He didn't know.
Without meeting the great god in person, there was no way of knowing.
Min Sung lowered his eyes and sighed deeply.
***
Early morning.
Ho Sung Lee prepared toast and coffee and sat down on the sofa.
When he woke up, he saw the rain falling.
He watched the rain patter against the windows as he ate his toast with coffee.
It was a peaceful afternoon.
The dungeons were gone and so were the monsters.
What would happen to the human world if Min Sung Kang never returned?
Would it go extinct?
Min Sung Kang.
Without him, the human world would come to an end.
That was the simple yet chilling reality, but he didn't think that was possible.
Ho Sung Lee was certain that Min Sung would return.
He had lived a long time with Min Sung.
As a fellow hunter, Min Sung Kang was someone who had already lived through Hell.
He would come back.
And when he did, what would happen to the profession known as hunters?
Would it disappear?
What would he do then?
The answer to that
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question was simple.
Cooking.
Ho Sung Lee put the toast in his mouth and smirked.
Cooking.
He never thought that profession was even a possibility in his life, but once he stopped being a hunter, he wanted to become a chef.
While Ho Sung Lee thought seriously about his future, the bell rang.
'Who could it be?'
He wasn't expecting anyone.
He didn't make any plans either.
Ho Sung Lee jolted his eyes wide open.
'Is Min Sung back?'
Ho Sung Lee quickly put down his toast and coffee and ran toward the front door.
As soon as he opened the door, a man stood while wearing a raincoat.
It was the American hunter leader, Ethan.
"Can we talk?"
Ethan, whose face was bloated, stared at him with wolf-like eyes.
Ho Sung Lee was so taken aback that he stared at him blankly.
"This isn't my house, so I can't just invite anyone inside…"
But Ho Sung Lee looked outside at the rain and knitted his brows.
"Come in."
Ethan took off his shoes and raincoat and entered the house.
"Would you like something to drink?"
Ho Sung Lee asked, and Ethan shook his head.
"I was in the middle of breakfast. I'll listen while eating. What brings you all the way here?"
Ho Sung Lee asked his question and proceeded to eat his toast with coffee.
There was no way Ethan would've looked at Ho Sung Lee favorably.
"Just so you know, I didn't come to ask for any favors."
"Then what is it?"
Ho Sung Lee looked at him with sharp eyes as a way of urging him to get to the point.
"I have a question."
Ethan lifted his eyes and looked at Ho Sung Lee in the face.
"Do you really think you can control the hunters from all around the world?"
Ho Sung Lee knitted his brows.
"What are you trying to say?"
"The dungeons and the monsters are gone, but the hunters still exist all over the world."
"So?"
"What do they do now?"
"…"
"Catching monsters to make a living was their job. But now that the monsters are gone, the world will become much more corrupt."
"Are you saying they'll start committing crimes?"
"Of course, they'll enter the drug ring."
"Wouldn't it be the jobs of the hunter leaders to set them straight?"
Ethan laughed.
He laughed out of absurdity.
"That's not reality. In order to make money, the hunters will become corrupt."
"The country could provide hunters with support…"
"Don't you know that the world isn't so rational that such a thing could happen?"
Ethan asked Ho Sung Lee with serious and heavy eyes.
When Ho Sung Lee remained silent, Ethan continued, "Let's say we set all of the criminal hunters straight. Then the hunters will all disappear leading to no more hunters existing."
"Then what do you want to do?"
"That's what I came to ask. Are you threatening us because you have a way?"
Ho Sung Lee's head felt heavy.
He hadn't expected this part.
He thought controlling them would be all, but the world was never that simple.
Establishing a balance was harder than he thought.
Ho Sung Lee pressed his temples due to his headache.
His coffee had gone cold, and he no longer had an appetite.
He didn't even want to look at his toast.
When he thought about it, even when monsters and dungeons existed, some of the hunters were criminals.
Just like how he was a part of the Diamond Clan.
But now that the dungeons and monsters were gone, what would the hunters do now?
It was certain that they would commit crimes, so what Ethan was telling him wasn't something he could pass lightly.
He really hadn't thought that far.
Due to the pressure and responsibility of his current position, all he could think about was the hunter leaders.
Ho Sung Lee suddenly felt the urge to smoke a cigarette.
Stress overwhelmed his brain.
"I'll speak with the hunter leader of Central Institute and get back to you."
Ethan nodded and got up.
"I apologize for showing up unannounced."
Ethan paid his respects and left.
Once he left, Ho Sung Lee dropped his head back against the sofa and sighed.
"I need to stay positive," mumbled Ho Sung Lee.
***
The next day, Ho Sung Lee paid a visit to Central Insitute.
He talked to Ji Yoo Kim about Ethan's visit.
Ji Yoo Kim expressed that she had been contemplating that issue for quite some time.
But in order to resolve that issue, she couldn't make an easy decision, and she thought it was important to approach it in a thoughtful manner.
As soon as Ho Sung Lee heard that, he felt a little better.
Since he had no experience in this field, he felt the pressure to resolve it right away, but once Ji Yoo Kim told him that they needed to be thoughtful before acting, he felt relieved.
Once he came back to the house, he smoked his cigarette and sighed with a face that appeared to have aged by 10 years.
All he had done was do some work on the streets before following Min Sung Kang around, so it pained him to be sitting in such an important seat.
And the fact that he couldn't resolve issues with power alone harassed him greatly.
"Sigh… I just want to run away," said Ho Sung Lee as he looked up at the cloudy sky.
But a moment later, the clouds cleared.
And surprisingly, the sun suddenly shined onto him.
Just as he sighed and put away his umbrella.
"Let's eat."
He heard a familiar voice.
Ho Sung Lee, who was sighing at the ground, slowly lifted his head and looked beside him.
Min Sung Kang passed Ho Sung Lee and entered the house.
He saw his backside.
"Gasp, Sir."
Min Sung stopped walking and looked back at Ho Sung Lee… with the straight face that he was known for.
"I said, let's eat," repeated Min Sung.