Chapter 162
Having been through countless battles and heard numerous cheers, I could tell this was special.
At least among the cheers I'd heard on Earth, this was the best.
In fact, the voices were shaking the ground and sky.
"Lee Seong-jun!"
"The future of Korea!"
"You're the best-!"
Lee Seong-jun was momentarily flustered, but soon nodded with his usual calm expression.
Many people gathered around him.
"My lord-! Are you hurt anywhere?!"
Wi Ji-gang, along with Yoon Min-su, Oh Kyung-hyun, Lee Ye-rin, and other key Korean Hunters from the battlefield, stood right beside Lee Seong-jun, expressing their concern.
"I'm completely fine."
Lee Seong-jun replied calmly, and only then did relief wash over the Hunters' faces.
"You're truly amazing! To fight alone against such a formidable enemy and emerge victorious!"
"Hunter Lee Seong-jun, no... Master's skills are always astonishing."
"I agree, Hunter Lee Seong-jun's abilities never cease to amaze."
It wasn't just Koreans expressing their admiration.
Whoosh-
With the sound of wind, a black shadow, Mizunohara, appeared beside Lee Seong-jun and expressed his amazement.
"Incredible, Hunter Lee Seong-jun! You've become much stronger in the meantime!"
Tremendous cheers were pouring in from all around.
However, these reactions were just the tip of the iceberg.
"You're truly remarkable! The fierce battle with Eclipse made my heart pound!"
James, who had approached Lee Seong-jun's side, was speaking excitedly with a somewhat elated expression.
"Your majesty was enough to shake the world!"
Naturally, these weren't empty words swept up in the atmosphere.
The power Lee Seong-jun had shown was truly worthy of being called majestic.
'...It was overwhelming.'
Just exchanging blows alone was astounding.
It was a battle that was even difficult to follow with the eyes.
But what shocked James the most was the final strike!
'It was as if the world was being split apart.'
The gap was so vast that it was hard to comprehend properly.
But he could vaguely sense it.
The sword Lee Seong-jun wielded, that alluring red light, was an absolute, overwhelming power.
'If Master were to go all out... could he produce such power?'
For a moment, a wry smile crossed James' lips at the question that flashed through his mind.
Who was Victor Wiseman, the master of the Neuro Guild?
He was a top-tier expert, ranked 3rd among the Guardians, known as the world's protectors.
He was one of the strongest in current humanity.
It was absurd to compare him to a returnee who had been back on Earth for less than a year.
No, to be quite honest, it was unbelievable.
'...It's impossible.'
Having seen it with his own eyes made it even harder to believe.
After all, Victor Wiseman, the master of the Neuro Guild, was someone who had undergone grueling training for decades without resting a single day.
The powers Victor Wiseman had achieved were the result of tremendous effort and time that one couldn't even dare to imagine.
Yet Lee Seong-jun had attained skills comparable to Master Victor Wiseman in less than a year.
It was natural that this was difficult to accept.
But he had no intention of denying the reality he had witnessed with his own eyes.
'In any case... Lee Seong-jun's skills are real!'
It was clear proof that his own choice, which he had pushed through against the opposition of the top officials, was correct.
'With this, the Neuro Guild will be able to maintain a close relationship with Korea and Lee Seong-jun.'
It meant he had succeeded in making the best investment of his life.
The Neuro Guild had gained the driving force to leap towards its long-cherished dream.
Naturally, a deep smile bloomed on James' lips.
Among the Hunters expressing their joy over the victory in their own ways and thoughts was Baek Mu-jin.
However, Baek Mu-jin couldn't express his joy like the others.
He just stood there with a dazed expression.
'Is this the true martial way...'
He prided himself on having fought against quite a few renowned strong individuals while traversing numerous battlefields.
Some of them had skills that were indeed worthy of being called extraordinary, but he had never felt like he was facing an insurmountable wall.
But Lee Seong-jun was different.
'This is beyond what I expected, no, what I imagined.'
It felt like facing an enormous wall.
So high and solid.
Just looking at it was breathtaking.
And Baek Mu-jin loved this breathtaking sensation.
After all, the reason he had walked the path of martial arts was for this overwhelming yet exhilarating feeling when facing such a great wall, and the satisfaction of breaking through it.
Therefore, it was natural that his desire for Lee Seong-jun and martial arts grew even stronger.
'...If I could be with Lee Seong-jun, I wouldn't mind not reaching the top of the world.'
As someone who yearned for strong power and martial arts, he should have felt bad about it, but Baek Mu-jin's emotions were not like that at all.
Rather, because he yearned for martial arts and constantly honed himself, he could easily accept it.
'Lee Seong-jun is more than enough to understand.'
No, it had to be Lee Seong-jun.
With Lee Seong-jun, he could reach realms that humanity had never touched before.
'He will create history that humanity has never seen and open up a new world.'
It meant that in the near future, he would acquire immense power and vast knowledge, reaching a realm that was currently beyond imagination.
Lee Seong-jun was literally a being who would show transcendent martial arts.
If he could be with such a being?
There was no need to think deeply about it.
He, Baek Mu-jin, would also be able to step into a new world.
Thump! Thump!
Just imagining it made his heart pound fiercely.
Naturally, a strange light filled Baek Mu-jin's eyes.
"Lee Seong-jun-!!"
Shouting, Baek Mu-jin's figure shot towards Lee Seong-jun, parting the crowd of Hunters.
At the same time, he knelt on one knee before him.
"I swear on my honor as a martial artist!"
Raising his determination while staring at Lee Seong-jun, Baek Mu-jin opened his mouth once again.
"I will follow any order you give, so please allow me to be by your side!"
The Hunters who had been cheering around were shocked by Baek Mu-jin's bombshell declaration.
"Good heavens, isn't Baek Mu-jin from the Returnee Alliance? Yet he's swearing loyalty?"
It was a natural reaction.
Baek Mu-jin's official affiliation was with the Returnee Alliance, a group with such high pride that it could be called a chosen people's mentality without exaggeration.
Yet Baek Mu-jin, who held the position of vice president in the Returnee Alliance, was bowing his head before Lee Seong-jun.
The Hunter Association, the guilds, and finally the Returnee Alliance.
Forces that had been busy checking each other were now being united under a single focal point.
What could be called a world first was about to begin in South Korea.
The Hunters' expressions became somewhat excited at what could potentially become a page in history.
However, the expression of Lee Seong-jun, who actually held the choice, was cold.
"I refuse."
Baek Mu-jin's pupils shook at this completely unexpected situation.
"W-why? It's embarrassing to say it myself, but many factions are using all sorts of methods to get me..."
"I'm sorry, but not me."
Despite Lee Seong-jun's sharp refusal, which should have hurt his pride, Baek Mu-jin didn't back down.
He couldn't.
For someone who craved martial arts, the chance to step into a new world and realm was something he absolutely couldn't give up.
'I must be by Lee Seong-jun's side no matter what.'
Hardening his expression, Baek Mu-jin carefully moved his lips.
"...I'd like to know the reason."
"I can't trust you."
Although Baek Mu-jin wasn't a villain who used dirty tricks.
However, if asked whether he could be fully trusted, Lee Seong-jun would immediately shake his head.
Baek Mu-jin, who had shown the path of an eccentric, was unpredictable in what kind of sudden actions he might take.
In a situation where he could grow smoothly even without Baek Mu-jin, why take on unnecessary risk?
"Then, if I become trustworthy, you'll accept me?"
"Given our relationship, I can't give you a definite answer."
Although he didn't get a clear answer, Baek Mu-jin nodded cleanly.
Knowing that he couldn't get an answer even if he tried to force one from such a person, it was better to clearly express his intentions rather than insist.
"Soon... I'll come back to you with achievements that will make you trust me. I hope you'll think as positively as possible then."
"..."
Seeing Lee Seong-jun's faint smile, a strong enthusiasm rose in Baek Mu-jin's eyes.
'First, I need to find out what Lee Seong-jun wants... and quickly take care of it.'
After organizing in his mind what he needed to do next, Baek Mu-jin kicked off the ground and rose into the air.
"I look forward to our next meeting."
With this one-sided farewell, Baek Mu-jin turned his head and immediately disappeared, cutting through the sky.
"Hmm..."
Lee Seong-jun, with narrowed eyes, stared at the place where Baek Mu-jin had departed.
In fact, Lee Seong-jun had returned to this place partly to judge Baek Mu-jin once again.
'I needed to clearly sort out my thoughts about Baek Mu-jin.'
Although it was a brief conversation, it could be said that he had definitely achieved that goal.
He had a rough idea of what kind of person Baek Mu-jin was and what motivations drove him.
In other words, Lee Seong-jun also no longer had any reason to stay here.
After nodding once, Lee Seong-jun rose into the air and flew towards Seoul.
It was a moment of brief peace that had come with the end of the war against the Black Gate.
After the great cataclysm, the fifth Black-grade gate recorded by humanity opened.
The source was in the sky above Seoul, the capital of South Korea, and all countries that received the news expected great damage.
They predicted at least the collapse of Seoul, and even the existence of South Korea as a country might be in danger.
In fact, not only nearby countries like Japan, China, and Taiwan, but even Europe was on alert, mobilizing their Hunters and preparing for any possible situations.
But these global predictions were beautifully off the mark.
[Can you see this, everyone? This is the scenery of Seoul, South Korea, where the Black Gate outbreak occurred last night.]
An American reporter from NTY, with an expression and tone mixed with admiration, continued to speak while filming the peaceful scene of downtown Seoul from a helicopter with a clear view of the Han River.
[South Korea has done it. They are the first in human history to block a Black Gate without any damage! South Korea has created another miracle! At the center of it was the great Asian hero, Hunter Lee Seong-jun...!]
In the top floor of a huge building in London, a young American man soaking in a bathtub while watching the TV screen.
Nicholas Holt, ranked 2nd even among the Guardians known as the world's protectors, let out a chuckle as he brushed back his golden hair flowing down his shoulders.
"Lee Seong-jun... Interesting."