The internet was buzzing again, with news articles flooding the web almost every day.
"Breaking News: Case Closed! 'The Great Jisan Prison Breakout.' "
"Breaking News: 500 Villains Completely Eliminated! South Korea is Safe!"
"Special Report: Asking the White Tiger Guild 'Who is the Hunter who defeated the villains?' "
"Interview: Vice President Baek Miho's Statement, 'He is a hero.' Sparks Controversy."
People's reactions to the news articles that began to dominate the internet were more heated than ever.
"Wow... this is seriously crazy; the White Tiger Guild didn't catch the villains??"
"What does this mean? If it wasn't the White Tiger Guild, then who caught all those villains?"
"Are you illiterate? It says someone else solved the case, and the White Tiger Guild only handled the aftermath."
"Yeah, but who is that someone??"
"It was only one person?.
"LOL, this is insane. So one Hunter wiped out 500 villains?"
"At this point, isn't that Hunter a villain too?"
"Real talk, that's a massacre."
People's opinions were largely divided into two camps. Eliminating the villains from Jisan Prison was undoubtedly a good thing, and the person who accomplished it deserved to be praised as a hero. However, the problem was that the number of villains he killed was too high. Someone who massacred 500 living people in a single day couldn't be normal.
"At the very least, he's a murderer."
"But it's okay because he killed villains, not people, right?"
"Oh, so villains aren't people?"
"?? : Villains have human rights too!"
"Fact 1: All those human rights groups that said that are now dead."
"Fact 2: They were killed by the very villains they wanted to protect."
"Related Link: 'I killed them because they were pathetic.' "
"Related Link: 'How dare you try to protect us? You incompetent fools.' "
...There used to be many organizations advocating for the human rights of villains. But due to various incidents and massacres caused by villains, the general consensus now accepted the Hunter Association's stance that 'villains are classified as humanoid magical beasts.'
Still...
There had to be a limit.
"Unpopular opinion: Killing 500 people is a bit too much, even if they were villains. If he was that strong of a Hunter, he could have captured them alive and sent them back to prison."
"LOL, armchair saint has arrived. What if they escape again? Will YOU catch them?"
"No!! So who is this person?? Why won't they reveal their identity? They're a hero!"
"Tsk tsk, would you reveal your identity in this situation? People are trying to paint him as a murderer instead of praising him as a national hero, lol."
"Plus, Hwang Dongsuk died in this incident. He's probably desperately hiding his identity, afraid of Hwang Dongsoo seeking revenge."
"LOL, Hwang Dongsoo is scary."
"..."
* * *
Late at night. S-rank villain Hwang Dongsoo was reading the internet news in his hideout when he suddenly stopped. There was a list of villains who had died in this incident.
C-rank villain Hwang Dongsuk (Deceased)
"...Huh." The corners of his tightly closed lips twitched, revealing his white teeth. A chuckle escaped his lips at the absurd news.
"My brother is really dead?"
Hwang Dongsuk was his older brother, whom he had parted ways with two years ago. His brother had suddenly awakened and abandoned him without hesitation, calling him useless for not being a hunter. That's why, even when Hwang Dongsoo awakened as an S-rank, he never even thought about seeking his brother out to reconcile. But that didn't mean he wanted to receive news of his brother's death like this.
"...He was quietly locked up in prison, then suddenly broke out and got killed in three days? By one person?"
When he heard about his brother's escape, he didn't think of helping him. He's cunning, so he'll probably hide well on his own, he assumed, and didn't give it much thought. But if his brother was dead, that was a different story. As his younger brother, he had to at least avenge him.
'...But I have no idea who did it.'
He had searched all related articles, but the White Tiger Guild was thoroughly concealing the identity of 'that person.' As someone mentioned in the comments earlier, it was clear they were worried about Hwang Dongsoo's retaliation. However…
"There are no eternal secrets in this world."
Hwang Dongsoo grinned and rose from his bed, his massive body towering over it. The thick gold necklace around his neck clattered. As he opened the bedroom door and walked out, the luxurious lobby of the mansion unfolded before him. This place was once the secret villa of a corrupt politician, and now after he killed him and took over, Hwang Dongsoo's third hideout. He walked through the empty lobby, out of the building, and made a phone call.
It connected quickly.
"Yes, Mr. Hwang Dongsoo. What can I do for you?" A business-like voice came from the other end of the line. Hwang Dongsoo asked directly,
"I want information."
"Are you perhaps looking for information about Hwang Dongsuk's death?" Hwang Dongsoo chuckled at the expected response.
"You're good at business. Yes, I want to know who killed my brother. I'll pay you any amount."
"We could negotiate an appropriate price. But if you don't mind, could you help us with something this time?"
"Help you?"
"Yes. We have a bit of a troublesome request." Hwang Dongsoo frowned at those words.
"You know I'm being chased by the Association, right?"
"Yes. Of course, we understand your situation, Mr. Hwang Dongsoo. That's why the task we're asking you to handle is in a remote countryside, far from the city, where you won't be noticed."
"...Tsk." Hwang Dongsoo clicked his tongue in displeasure at the business-like tone, as if they had been waiting for his call and had their lines prepared.
'Those sly bastards.' Of course, thanks to them, he had been able to live comfortably without being caught by the Association so far.
"It's a task that someone like you can easily handle. We'll provide you with the information you want as soon as you finish."
"Alright, just tell me where it is."
"It's in Yangpyeong, not too far from where you are now."
* * *
[Entering the Shadow Dungeon.]
The next day, Suho returned home, had breakfast, and immediately entered the Shadow Dungeon. The internet was in an uproar over the Jisan Prison incident, but Suho's daily life remained unchanged. This was all thanks to the White Tiger Guild doing their best to conceal information about him. Of course, it was impossible to keep everything a secret forever, as many White Tiger guild Hunters had witnessed Suho in action. Regardless of public opinion, Suho's identity would eventually be revealed to the masses. But at least they could delay the release a bit, allowing Suho to disclose it when he wanted.
[My liege, Greed is powerful. To make him your Shadow Soldier, you must become just as strong as him.]
"I know, I know. That's why I'm here training so hard."
Hwang Dongsoo, who was once his father's Soldier 'Greed.' To successfully extract him as a Shadow again, whether they met and fought directly or the White Tiger Guild found and killed him first, Suho's own stats were the most crucial factor.
[Skill: Shadow Extraction Lv.2]
[Shadow Power. No mana required.]
[Extracts mana from a lifeless body and turns it into a Shadow Soldier. The failure rate increases in proportion to the target's stats and the time elapsed since their death.]
[Level 2 effect 'Shape Transformation': you can freely change the appearance and shape of Shadow Soldiers.]
[Extractable Shadows: 50/50]
'Shadow Extraction skill has a failure rate.'
Suho recalled the harrowing experience in Egypt when he unsuccessfully tried twice to extract the 'Venomous Giant Sand Centipede.' The centipede was beyond his level at the time, and he almost failed the extraction completely.
'There are three extraction attempts in total. To successfully extract an S-rank Awakened within those three attempts, I need to become much stronger than I am now.' That's why Suho came to Ammut's Pyramid today.
As always, he was here to practice the Iron Body Technique for his daily quest. But when he arrived, he found a pitiful mummy who had been forgotten by everyone, continuing his lonely training.
"Groan..."
[Keh-ha-ha! That's it! Keep running! Even if your leg bones are crushed and your spine is shattered, you can still run!]
"..."
The mummy, or rather, Lim Dogyoon, was trudging through the labyrinth within the pyramid under Ammut's terrifying laughter. To call it hard training was an understatement; it was pure torture. Of course, Suho also repeated the same routine every day as his daily quest. But the intensity varied each time. Ammut adjusted the gravity field to increase the difficulty of the training in proportion to Suho's stat increases. So he also endured excruciating pain every time he trained. However, he was the son of the Shadow Monarch, Sung Jinwoo. With the leveling system on top of that, his potential was limitless.
But what about Lim Dogyoon? He was just an ordinary E-rank Hunter. His physical abilities and recovery were only slightly better than an average person, making him the weakest among Hunters. He had only one special talent: the 'Running' skill.
[You don't need push-ups! Just run until you're about to die! No, don't you dare to stop, or you'll really die by my hand!]
"Eek..." Lim Dogyoon's face paled rapidly as he felt Ammut's genuine killing intent right behind him.
He had already surpassed human limits. Even with his limbs tattered, practically a half-corpse, Lim Dogyoon continued to run and run. But he somehow managed to survive. The Mummy's Bandages wrapped around his entire body were a wicked, no, useful item that forcibly held his broken body together even if his bones shattered and his muscles and ligaments ruptured.
"I don't think that's how it's supposed to be used..."
[Nonsense! This bandage is Kandiaru's masterpiece, purposefully designed to be used this way!] Ammut retorted with a hearty laugh at Suho's muttering.
[You know, I enjoy watching insignificant creatures like him struggle to become stronger. Usually, they end up dying, but!] He looked at Lim Dogyoon, who was still running inside the pyramid despite being near death, with a very satisfied expression.
[Those who somehow survive that pain, will be able to unleash their strength.]
"..."
Suho couldn't help but nod at the resonating truth in those words. No matter what anyone said, Lim Dogyoon was continuing this harsh training of his own will. As a result, his leg muscles were bulging as if they would burst. Without the help of the leveling system or status window.
He was simply running. With the sole determination to become stronger.
[Now, let's start the daily quest.]
Nod.
Suho's training began.
And.
[Hmm.]
Behind them, the newly recruited Shadow Soldier, Harmakan, was observing the pyramid with gleaming eyes.
[Could this place be... the great shaman Kandiaru's...?]