On the edge of the vast universe.
Fwoooo…
Against the enemies that melted the dimensional walls and poured out endlessly, fierce battles were taking place all over the universe.
But in the middle of that battlefield.
Smirk.
"...I didn't expect for my son to become the heir of the Dragon Emperor." Said the man with a black aura draped in the form of a veil. The Shadow Monarch, Sung Jin-Woo, was staring in the direction of the Earth and smiling.
Really, raising children seems to be a series of things that you can't anticipate at all. Who would have dared to imagine? The day will come when the son of the Shadow Monarch declares himself to be the heir of the Monarch of Destruction. This was certainly a future that none of the great beings here had ever contemplated. As such, Suho's decision this time was a risky adventure with many variables, and an uncertain future… But…
[Can we be sure to leave it as it is?]
[The Destruction Monarch has never been reliable.]
[It is also ominous to be reawakening monarchs who were born out of primordial darkness in the first place.]
[In the worst case scenario, you are nurturing your own internal enemies during the war.]
Sung Jin-Woo just shrugged his shoulders as he watched the Rulers each of them express their concern to him.
"Well, guess what? It's a decision he made on his own, and as a father, I can't help but support him."
However, Sung Jin-Woo had decided to put all those worries behind him and respect his son's decision. "Of course, there's still an element of anxiety, but that's the first time I've had one as a father in a long time." Plus, if you think about it, it wasn't a bad choice. "...No, it might be rather good if it goes well." To a certain extent, the Rulers agreed with Sung Jin-Woo's idea.
[He's right.]
[The more someone inherits the power of the dead monarchs, the greater our power will be.]
[Even though monarchs are born out of primordial darkness, they are still on the same side when it comes to dealing with enemies in outer space.]
[Of course, the fundamental nature of wanting destruction won't change much, but if your son can control that instinct…]
"That's it for small talk."
A towering presence appeared.
"It's coming again." In an instant, Sung Jin-Woo's eyes burned coldly when he found the crack that had opened again in front of him.
[Gather all the lines!]
[A new gate has spawned!]
[Scramble the whole army!]
With a FLASH!
At the command of the Rulers, the soldiers of heaven flew up in unison. Splendid wings spread. The power of brilliance and the aura of the outer beings clashed with each other. And in the center of it, Sung Jin-Woo bared his teeth fiercely, unleashing the monarch's realm.
"Arise, everyone."
WUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
[This time, our troops will be in the vanguard!]
[No! Legion Commander Igris! Follow Me!]
At the Monarch's command, the Shadow Soldiers, who were healing from their wounds in a flash of black steam, rushed into battle.
[Come to us as much as you like!]
[The Monarch's protection is with us!]
As long as they were protected by the shadows, they were an immortal army that would never die, even if they were hurt.
RWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
In the vastness of space, above the deep and wide shadow of the Monarch, the army of immortality roared like thunder.
In the midst of the war, Sung Jin-Woo turned his gaze back and muttered to his son, who was struggling alone in the beyond.
'Suho. My son.' I respect your choice. Since you have chosen to be the successor of the Dragon Emperor yourself… 'Be strong.'
You have to be strong.
'The Draconic Trials' It wasn't just a quest. Coincidentally, it served as a mutual agreement that was only possible because the desires of Antares and the goals of Suho were looking in the same direction. At the same time, it was a risky deal that could quickly throw the balance out at any moment when there was a conflict of interest.
'So, Suho. If you do not overcome the Draconic Trials, the Dragon will eventually try to eat you.'
Sung Jin-Woo gritted his teeth and blessed Suho's future with concern.
'Be strong, Suho.' Be strong, and eat the Dragon instead.
In order to survive you must not be the prey.
'For you are a Hunter.'
* * *
[Use Skill: 'Monarch's Domain'.]
Rwaaaaaaa!
Above the realm of the Monarch unfolded by Suho, the Shadow Soldiers roared in unison and sprang forward.
"Ahhhh!!"
"Ack! Ghuk!"
As they passed, only the blood and screams of the magic beasts overflowed.
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
Suho was hell-bent on entering the dungeons and leveling up as much as possible these days. Finishing the first trial, reaching level 99, was an easy but difficult goal. As the levels increased, the proportional amount of experience required increased, and it was natural for the speed to slow down. In the end, this meant that in order to level up faster, one would have to search for much more dangerous and powerful beasts. But that was easier said than done.
"Do-Gyun hyung, where is the next dungeon?"
"Yes boss! These are all for today. I'll make a reservation for the next dungeon as soon as possible."
At some point, it became natural for Lim Do-Gyun to refer to Suho as his boss, regardless of his age.
He had to, Lim Do-Gyun was the only "normal human" who watched Suho attack the dungeon with tremendous speed and momentum from beginning to end. A homage beyond wonder! Suho's Shadow Soldiers were not only quick to hunt, but also quick to mine and dismantle the carcasses of demons. Sometimes, the shadow of the magic beast that Suho had just killed would raise itself, and he would even dismantle his own body and offer it to Suho. It was a relief that the sight of the magic beast itself was horrible. Had they been human the scene would have been grotesque, horrifying even. And for Lim Do-Gyun, who was seeing it all firsthand, he could no longer regard Suho as just a close brother as before.
So, what is the true nature of his feelings for Suho? Fear? Oh no.
'Content.' Lim Do-Gyun thought sincerely. 'This is my job for life!' The work is easy, and his life is not in danger. Even the salary is amazing! For an E-rank hunter like Lim Do-Gyun, the Woojin Guild was such a stable job that he wanted to bury his bones here for the rest of his life. As long as the boss Suho is there!
"Boss! I've got a dungeon reservation! It's a dungeon that the Hyunmoo Guild has failed to attack twice, so it can be a little dangerous, but–"
"It's good. Let's go right away."
The more dangerous the dungeon is, the better! With his eyes shining, he stepped forward, followed by Lim Do-Gyun vigorously, but then–
Pause.
"...Huh?"
"Ahk?!" When Suho stopped abruptly in front of him, Lim Do-Gyun, who had slammed into his hard back, grabbed his nose and stared at him.
"Boss, what's going on all of a sudden?"
"..." Suho suddenly stood there silently, with a troubled expression on his face. After staring into the air for a moment, Suho opened his mouth. "...Do-Gyun hyung, let's cancel that dungeon just now."
"Oh? Yes, I see. But why...?"
"I have to go for a while."
Swish.
Before those words were finished, Suho's new form disappeared from the spot.
"...Huh?" Lim Do-Gyun looked around with a puzzled expression, but he couldn't find Suho's figure anywhere. "Boss, while you leave to do that… Can I leave early?"
* * *
Ryo Singh.
He flew to India at the behest of Suho and headed straight to the Asura Guild without rest. "I need to see the Guildmaster right away! I've won a lot of business!"
Siddharth Bachchan.
The purpose for which Ryo Singh wanted to meet Siddharth Bachchan, the Guildmaster of the Asura Guild and the most famous S-rank hunter in India, was none other than the business proposed by Suho. Spring Water of the Echo Forest. Trading rights for the hottest item in the hunter industry these days, the Scavengers' Guild's Purifying Potion! The future ahead of Ryo Singh, who had won the enormous deal himself, was indeed solid. 'This time I'll definitely get a promotion! If the Guildmaster offers me the highest ransom as an A-list hunter, I will accept it unconditionally!'
Ryo Singh slammed the door of the guild office with such an overwhelmed heart.
"...Huh?"
When all the sudden, an eerie atmosphere arrived.
He couldn't help but instinctively stop at the sight of the guild with a somewhat unpleasant air around. 'What is going on?' At first, he tried to blame it on his mood. After a long absence, he had returned to his home country and visited the guild, so it was natural for one to feel unfamiliar. In addition, the guild employees who can be seen here and there are also working in the office as usual.
'Still, what the hell is this feeling? It's as if something has changed.' As Ryo Singh walked towards the Guildmaster's office, he couldn't shake his reluctance as he looked at people's faces.
Just then did he discover something strange.
'They're unreadable.' No matter how much they were overwhelmed by work, there wasn't a single emotion shown on the employees' faces. 'And no one welcomed me first.' No matter how many times he traveled outside, there were quite a few employees who knew his face well. One of them recognized him and greeted him, but no one approached to talk to him.
"...This is Ryo Singh. I'm here to see the Guildmaster."
"Oh, yes."
When he approached someone, they responded with no expression. All of them reacted as if their souls had slipped out of their minds somewhere. "I contacted the Guildmaster's office before I came here, but he didn't answer the phone because he was busy. Is he not in the guild right now?"
"No."
"So, where is he? Perhaps in a dungeon?"
"Yes."
"...Is that the end of the explanation?"
"Yes."
"...?" At the disapproving response that kept coming back, Ryo Singh tilted his head in wonder. Why were all of their reactions like this? Has there been anything bad in the guild lately? Ryo Singh eventually had no choice but to go to the front of the Guildmaster's office and walk back in vain. Suddenly, he found something odd.
'What are those necklaces?' It was nothing special, but now that he began to notice it, he saw that all the members of the guild were wearing the same necklace, studded with large blue gems, and worn around the necks of both men and women.
"Hey, um, what's that necklace?"
"Oh! This necklace?"
"This necklace?"
'Huh?' Ryo Singh grabbed one of them and asked him about the necklace, only for everyone around him to suddenly turn their heads and look at Ryo Singh at the same time. All with a broad smile on their face.
"This necklace is a recently made employee ID that shows that you belong to the Asura Guild."
"Can I get you one?"
"No, I'll give it to you!"
"No, I'll–"
"Uh--?" Rio Singh was suddenly handed over a necklace here and there, and just as quickly they began to put the necklace around his neck.
The moment he had it on, "Rio Singh, the Guildmaster is calling for you."
"All of a sudden? But isn't he in a dungeon?"
"Yes, you have to enter the dungeon to meet the Guildmaster."
"Ah, well, I see. I just happened to bring a gift for the Guildmaster."
Rio Singh nodded, fiddling with the Purifying Potion he had been gifted by Suho. It was said to be a business sample, and Siddharth Bachchan was told that he should try it himself.
"But what kind of dungeon is it? Is it so dangerous that even the Guildmaster has to step up and take care of it?" To Ryo Singh's question, the staff member went back to being expressionless and answered.
"Yes, the Guildmaster is attacking the dungeons of the Were-dragon tribe these days."
"Were-dragon?"
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