Auto Hunting

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Chapter 1
It’s been like this since middle school.
“Seriously, I don’t understand.”
[Click the button to Auto Hunt.]
“This is fun for you?”
I frequently asked people who enjoyed playing phone games

this question.
I mean, weren’t people supposed to feel content playing a

game when controlling it themselves?
One-click of a button and the character automatically grabs

the monsters. This isn’t a game, it’s watching one.
“Hey, watching this is pretty fun. It’s so relaxing.”
“……Really?”
However, I never ended up experiencing the content of Auto

Hunting nor possessed games with those systems in my
hands.
I was completely unaware.
Completely unaware that my future had such an intimate

relationship with the monotonous ‘Auto Hunting’.
I’m not talking about a game.
I had actually begun Auto Hunting.

Chapter 2
By the time you turn 29, you tend to gain an understanding

of why a woman starts a certain conversation.
“You have no drive.”
This meant we were breaking up.
“Drive?”
“Yeah, till when are you going to work part-time at a BBQ

place?”
“……”
For starters, Oh Yoo-seong was not working part-time.
He was only working part-time in high school. Even before

the first semester of his first year was over, Yoo-seong
immediately took a gap year. He then took a full-time job at
the restaurant he worked at in high school, learning the bits
and ends of the job in a serious fashion.
He was interested in the restaurant business, and all

previous owners could’ve vouched for his attention to detail.
“I’ve told you already, I’m going to open up a store. I’m

saving up money.”
In reality, Yoo-seong’s bank account was significantly

stacked from saving for the last 8 years.
“When? Way past 30? Without ever having been on a
vacation to Europe? Even if you were to open then, what
would happen would be pretty obvious. What significance
does it have?”
“…So what about you?”
“What?”
Ji-young, his girlfriend, was a beautiful woman. She had

graduated from a prestigious university, and of course, the
company she worked for was even more well known.
But was difference did it have with Yoo-seong?
“I think there’s significance in understanding your strengths

and what role you can fulfill with those strengths. It’s
important to place meaning in that and live life diligently.”
“Who said otherwise? What I’m talking about is the

future….”
“Of course, I fall short if we’re referring to the societal norm

of getting a respectable job and gaining achievements. But
isn’t talking about my ‘drive’ and ‘future’ pushing it?”
“……!”
Ji-Young’s face turned bright red.
Well, it had ended. Yoo-seong’s girlfriend didn’t enjoy

listening to someone talking back.
“The reason I told you my future plans was because you’re

an important person to me. But, using that as a point to
break up with me makes me feel lousy.”
He had already predicted this farewell for a long time.

Yoo-seong had already noticed Ji-Young’s dissatisfaction with
him. However, he had no intention of holding her back. If
she wanted to leave, she could.
All he asked was that they didn’t speak about unreasonable

things, especially now that they were at the end. They were
not dating anymore, and there was no reason to listen to
this.
“If it’s because we fell out of love, that things work out
better with your parent’s acquaintance’s son, or you’re
embarrassed to tell your friends what I’m doing….”
“You sick jerk!”
Ji-Young stood up from her seat.
“Yeah, fine, I’m embarrassed! You stopped going to your

sub-par school to wait on tables and change grills! Talking
big about saving your wage that isn’t even enough in the
first place!”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been stingy in front of you. I worked

hard enough.”
“To your standard, you did.”
Ji-Young tried to provoke, but Yoo-seong was unaffected. She

was the only one that was worked up.
It was always this way.
She was a woman who thrived off of feeling superior,

whether it was schooling, appearances, or family. She would
console herself by looking down on others, up until the point
where it disturbed her consciousness.
However, Yoo-seong was different.
He was the type that understood his flaws and was honest
in walking the path that was right for him. He had no regard
for things he couldn’t have.
She was attracted to this, but it didn’t seem to be enough.
“You know something? Whenever I’m with you, I feel like an

impatient, good for nothing bitch. A materialistic and greedy
bitch!”
“Yeah, you’re proving that to me in real-time.”
“……!”
“Sit, even if you’re going to leave me, we should at least

talk about what was wrong. At least we’ll feel better.”
“I’m fine.”
Ji-Young turned around.
“Spend your entire life just changing grills. Exactly like

that.”
That was her strongest insult, but Yoo-seong was still

indifferent. It only embarrassed herself.
Ji-Young then left the cafe.
It was then that Yoo-seong’s face changed.
“…God-damn bitch.”
Even so, his self-control was only a bit better than hers.
“Fucking bitch! I’d kill her!”

The only person angrier than Yoo-seong was the manager at
his work. There was a 6-year difference between the two,
but he was a close, older brother. As soon as Yoo-seong told
him, he immediately came to pour him a glass.
“So what, like she’s going to marry an heir? Or some

professional? What does it matter if she studied abroad? You
told me that her family isn’t that well off anyways.”
“She is well off. Both of her parents are professors, and she
has a degree from a foreign university.”
“Well…. Um….”
Taking the shot he quietly prepared, Yoo-seong glanced

slightly at the bar’s TV.
“And…”
The Hunter’s interview happened to be on.
“As of recent, I’ve been hearing things. Blind date requests

to meet a Hunter.”
“Ah…. You said they were trying to do some research.”
Yoo-seong nodded.
In times like these, the profession of a Hunter was enough

to eat the other professionals alive. That had been more
than a decade ago.
Back when Yoo-seong was a child, the world was thought to

be doomed. The sky was full of cracks that had poured out
monsters.
However, the world managed to survive.

Even now, the dimension cracked regularly, monsters
poured out.
However, humans were able to form an indefectible

response method. Not one month had passed since, and
scientists were able to predict future cracks.
Now no one was taken aback or afraid when the sirens went
off. People were able to evacuate with leisure after reading
the mandate from the Police.
And from there, the Hunters appeared.
Only those who had superior and developed bodies could

take this job. They hunted these monsters, and created
armor from the matter obtained in order to strengthen
themselves.
This was every man’s dream.
Despite the high mortality rate, countless people pursued to

be a Hunter when the occupation was first institutionalized.
There probably wasn’t a guy right now in his 20-30’s that

still didn’t dream of becoming one.
The societal recognition and income….
“Anyways, didn’t you say your girlfriend…. Oh, I mean, that

bitch was also a Hunter mania?”
“Yes, even her phone wallpaper is a picture of Lee Jae-Hak.”
Lee Jae-Hak was fighting for the nation’s top male Hunter
position.
Even though he was far from her world, to a woman like Ji-
Young, Lee Jae-Hak was a perfect match to her ideal. He was
good looking, earned a lot of money, and had an upstanding
position in society. Even more, her so-called friends couldn’t
criticize and would only look with jealousy.
“……”
“Uh, uh yeah. There’s no point in talking about her. Let’s

just drink.”
They stopped drinking way past midnight.
Afterward, they both headed towards Yoo-seong’s place, as

it was in the neighborhood. They both could hold their
liquor, but began to feel a bit drunk.
“…Me too.”
“Huh?”
“I know very well what she’s talking about. She’s saying that
as a guy, even if it’s a fake ambition, it’d be nice if I’d try
and act like I had some.”
“Hey, that’s what people with brains full of shit do. In reality,
what is it that you don’t have? You’ve been saving
consistently and work hard. She’s just basking in her own
glory and is so full of it to see someone as valuable as you.
Don’t dwell on her.”
Yoo-seong was over her.
Really.
What made Yoo-seong’s heartbeat rapidly, was the

childhood dream he had so quickly abandoned.
Yoo-seong, like the rest, had wanted to become a Hunter.

But he couldn’t be. It was the same reason why he couldn’t
become a professional boxer or a soccer player. His physical
body was just average.
The same went for his studies.
Thus, Yoo-seong had figured out his path from a very early
age. Right now, he was living a responsible life by working
diligently. He didn’t have a shred of embarrassment in
regards to his place in society.
However, there was a tiny, very tiny regret.
If only he had been more built…
Ziiing-
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
At first, the sound was similar to that of a computer turning

on.
And then, Bam!!
A roar that would remind one of thunder resonated from

within the area.
At the same time, both of them experienced intense

pressure. It felt like a hammer had slammed their sides with
incredible force.
“Ccckkk!”
The sound of something falling. A rise of thick dust and fog.
Yoo-seong lifted himself up.

“Cr… Crack?”
Was it about twenty, no, fifteen meters?
Not far from the crack was a lavender aurora. Around the
aurora was a blue spark – a crack.
“But the sirens didn’t go off?!”
Even during the pre-dawn hours, the mandates would go off.

If there was a mandate, there was no way that Yoo-seong
and the manager would’ve missed it.
Perhaps there had been a mishap.
This was a rarity where the radar failed to detect future

cracks, something they’d heard about only from foreign
sources!
“Hyung! Wake up, hyung!”
The manager seemed to have passed out on the floor and

didn’t respond. There was no blood, and he was still
breathing. He seemed okay.
Yoo-seong took out his phone immediately.
As soon as he finished dialing 911, he saw a glimpse of a

person from the thick foggy dust.
Yoo-seong headed towards this figure, with his instincts

giving him unfavorable vibes and such uneasiness.
Unfortunately, his instincts hit the spot.
The closer Yoo-seong was to the person, the clearer its

figure became.
“Hu… Huukkk…..”
It was about two meters tall.
From a glimpse, its body was similar to that of a better than

average human male. However, its skin was a pale gray.
And its face, to be specific, its two eyes and ripped smile,
was scarily similar to that of a shark rather than a primate.
Yoo-seong knew what this monster was.
He recognized it from the pamphlet for Citizen Safety, which

covered monsters from Levels 1 – 3.
Shark ape –
Two stars.
In its unarmed state, it was similar to a grown male adult.

For citizens, it was too strong of an opponent and was
considered dangerous.
Sure enough, there was the first sacrifice. In the Shark ape’s
left hand, there was a lifeless, stretched out male.
The man’s face was missing.
Distasteful noise came out of the shark’s mouth as it

chewed a skinlike gummy.
Splat.
The Shark ape threw away the man’s body and had begun
to head towards Yoo-seong.
I’m going to die.

His manager was passed out cold on the floor. No, even
without him, Yoo-seong was drunk. There was no way he
could fend off the Shark ape.
-Ziiiinnnggg!
Yoo-seong was near losing his mind when that disgusting

wail came out of its mouth.
That was when a button appeared right in front of his eyes.
[Press the button to Auto Hunt.]
Something he had seen, along with a message he didn’t

understand.
“Ha, bloody hell.”
Yoo-seong didn’t know. Perhaps he had gone mad.
A wide-open Shark ape’s mouth was waiting right in front of

him. He had no other option.
He pressed the button.

Chapter 3
Taaaat!
At the moment, Yoo-seong could not grasp what had

happened to his body. He was convinced that he had flown
back after getting hit by the Shark ape’s fist.
However, this did not turn out to be the case.
His two legs had instantly slammed the ground, moving him
backward.
‘What!’
He tried to yell, but no sound came out.
He couldn’t move his body, but his senses were still

activated. He could clearly feel the chilly night air and smell
the stinging dirt and dust.
The same went for his arms and legs. It was entirely
different than being controlled like a puppet, moving here
and there from the dangling strings.
He could distinctly feel the focus and tension that went into
his muscles and joints. It was as if there was a separate
controller in Yoo-seong’s brain that was moving his body.
Grip.
He made a fist, lifting it up to his face.

It was a clear stance, as if asking for a fight.
‘You dumbass!’
Yoo-seong tried to yell, but he found that he still could not

do this.
You’re going to fight him with your fists? This monster?
There was no way he was going to win. He had to escape.
He desperately tried to turn his body, but it was no use. Not

even his head turned, and his eyes were fixated solely onto
the Shark ape.
-……
Was it because he was influenced by the sudden change in

the prey’s attitude? The Shark ape that once was slowly
approaching Yoo-seong’s had stopped and was staring at
him.
This was the unreadable eyes of a Shark.
Then all of a sudden…
-Ziiiiiiii!!
With its jaw opened to its full capacity, the Shark ran full
speed. It was like the restoring force of a pressed down
spring.
‘Uhhh!?’
Because his head turned so quickly, Yoo-seong had no idea

what his body stance looked like. He only knew vaguely
from the feeling in his arms and legs.
As he quickly moved his body to the right, his upper left
body stood still. As the Shark passed his right arm, he
swiftly landed 3 punches to his body!
The fist that delivered the punches was unaffected. The

Shark ape’s skin was not as hard as he thought.
Before he was even able to unclench his fist, Yoo-seong’s

body was already preparing for the next stance. It was as if
he’d had prepared beforehand.
Turn. His field of vision turned around a half. His bodyweight

shifted from his fist to his legs.
Kick!
He managed to deliver a kick with his full weight.
He delivered an accurate kick to the Shark ape’s lower back,

feeling it being pushed out from his foot. The Shark ape’s
mouth had fallen over.
‘I can’t believe it…’
It truly was shocking, be it his impossible movements

performed whilst intoxicated, or the fact that he had
knocked over a Level 2 Star monster.
He had never felt this feeling in his entire life.
His joints and muscle were in perfect sync!
Though he was moving because of an anonymous power,

strength and speed that had once been absent from Yoo-
seong’s body had not been magically given.
The fact was that Yoo-seong had not been able to effectively
utilize his body till now. A human, a grown male’s body was
an entity that could be utilized effectively.
Taat!
This was a pace that he could’ve never moved at before.
Finally free! It was an ironic thrill that he felt, as he was not

in control of his own body.
His body, flying high, recollected something.
Like the kick from before, his bodyweight had perfectly

shifted to his two legs. Landing perfectly onto the Shark
ape’s head, it delivered the most accurate blow.
The shock punctured its occipital area.
That was the end. The Shark ape did not move.
When his eyes opened the next morning, he found himself

in the hospital.
“Ughh…!”
There was pain that reverberated through his entire body.
All of a sudden, Yoo-seong was worried that he was seriously

injured. But after a moment, he came upon a realization.
The pain that he felt from his entire body was severe like
never before, but it was also familiar.
Muscle strain. The flamboyant action scene from yesterday

wasn’t a dream.
After the Shark ape had fallen, Yoo-seong was able to move
his own body again. Shortly after, the Police, Hunters, and
first responders were immediately dispatched. Yoo-seong
was then brought to the hospital.
‘But in here?’
Yoo-seong was placed in a single room.
The last thing he remembered was feeling drowsy, and then

falling asleep while being transported in the ambulance.
‘Am I the one paying for the hospital fe… fees?’
Thinking about the money, he looked around the room when

it caught his eye.
“……”
It was at a thirty centimeter level to Yoo-seong’s chest.
It was a familiar shape. One button that looked like it

would’ve existed in an outdated arcade game.
It was the switch that turned Yoo-seong into the main

character of an action film yesterday night.
Yoo-seong reached out. He had no intention of pushing it,

but just felt like touching it once.
Slip.
However, his hand could not reach the button and passed
through it. Yoo-seong was taken aback, but then he realized
the difference.
‘The button is gray right now.’

Yesterday, when the Shark ape was right in front of him, the
button was green and had litten up.
Furthermore, there was no message that said [Press this

button to Auto Hunt.] right now.
‘….. Because there’s nothing to hunt?’
That was true, but intuitively, he thought that there might

also be another reason.
Clank.
The door opened right then. A man came walking in, suited
with no tie.
“Hello.”
“Yes. Hello….”
“How are you feeling?”
Should I say it’s a man’s instinct?
There may be some discrepancies; however, when a man

meets another man with better physical conditions than
himself, there is some anxiety.
It was such a natural reaction.
‘Wow, so big.’
In this case, the only problem was that she was a woman.
Her height and curves were reminiscent of a Western model.

If her body wasn’t so built, she would’ve just been a
beautiful, curvy woman.
She had broad shoulders, and her hair was slicked back into
a ponytail. From her firmly built body, there exuded a sense
of conviction and professionalism.
“It is a shame, Mr. Oh Yoo-seong, what you and your friend

had to go through.”
The woman displayed a simple nod.
“There will be compensation from the nation for those of

you who’ve experienced such mishap. To add, the entire
hospital fees will, of course, be covered as well.”
To the person listening, the neutral voice had a sense of

honesty.
However, Yoo-seong could not fully pay attention to the

woman.
“……”
Right in front of his eyes.
The button, once gray, was brightly lit green.
However, it was only for a second. The button was not lit
anymore.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong?”
“Ah, yes.”
Yoo-seong immediately came right back to his senses.
There was a definite connection between the button lighting

up with the woman that was in front of him.
So did that mean the woman and the Shark ape had
something in common? Also, why did the button light up
and turn off so quickly?
‘… Was it because I was nervous?’
Trying to find what was in common, he could only think of

this reason.
Yoo-seong looked at the woman. She was taking something

out of the bag she had brought.
In all honesty, it was not like Yoo-seong’s body was inferior

by any means. However, she looked like she’d win any fight
she’d get herself into.
Calming himself, Yoo-seong imagined this.
The sight of her suddenly taking out her fist from the bag,
punching him square in the jaw. Not to brag, but Yoo-
seong’s imagination was something else.
‘Woww…’
The button was brightly lit green again.
Yoo-seong slightly reached out his hand again. To his

surprise, he distinctly felt the presence of the button.
This proved his theory.
The button lit up, and he was able to press it whenever he

felt nervous or in danger.
Furthermore, Yoo-seong could light the button by mere

imagination.
‘Then if I press this….’

While he was thinking this, the woman handed him a tablet.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong, this is the video recording of you

yesterday night.”
If she hadn’t told him that, he would have thought it was

some fascinating video from abroad.
In reality, the time it took for Yoo-seong to beat the shit out
of the monster was way less than he had felt.
‘Is he some actor from an action movie?’
Yoo-seong was at a loss for words and asked the woman.
“If it’s not a bother, can I ask you if you know of any training
camps?”
As there were many who aspired to be Hunters, there were

several private and public facilities where people trained
and learned information regarding hunting.
After thinking about it for a second, Yoo-seong stated the

truth.
“I haven’t really learned anything from anywhere.”
“I’m sorry? So you studied alone or took private lessons….”
“No, no. I’m not trying to be a Hunter. I’ve never learned

anything about the subject at all.”
“….Really?”
What was it?
Her stone-cold face was so easily broken. However, it did

return immediately after.
“Is there something that’s wrong?”
“….”
The woman stared at Yoo-seong intently.
Yoo-seong did not look away, instead, he received it calmly.
‘I didn’t do anything illegal, did I?’
There was nothing illegal about a citizen, trained or not,

fighting a monster out of self-protection.
“….It is nothing.”
Though she said that, there was suspicion in her eyes that
showed her confusion.
“I thought it was an outstanding performance for a ‘pure’…

You definitely have an impressive skill.”
She added onto it as Yoo-seong’s forehead creased from the

strange terms.
“It’s Hunter jargon. I’m referring to the state when you fight
alone without help from any special weapons or
strengthening skills.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Anyways, thank you for the response. Mr. Oh Yoo-seong,

the reason as to why I’m here today is in regards to the
compensation you’ll be receiving.”
“Compensation?…Oh!”
Yoo-seong’s jaw dropped.

The thought hadn’t crossed his mind.
“It is because of your contribution to the safety of citizens.”
Compensation for disposing of monsters.
This was the source of a Hunter’s salary. There was no

chance that regular citizens could ever receive it, as they
evacuated from the cracks early. Despite that,
compensation was given if you had solid evidence that you
defeated a monster.
The video recording that the woman showed him was solid
proof.
‘Was it according to the number of stars?”
He had seen it before in the pamphlet from the Ward.
In the case of killing monsters, the amount changes

according to its Level or the number of its stars.
Positive that two stars mean….
“You’ll be receiving 550,000 KRW for a Level 2 monster. We

will be able to transfer the compensation for you at the
nearest Ward office. All you will need is a valid form of
identification and banking routing number.”
“Wow.”
It wasn’t a mindblowing sum, but it was still 550,000 KRW.
Anyways, it was a substantial amount considering the fact

that there was no effort and his body was taken care of.
‘There’s a reason why Hunters earn a lot.’

Even though something strange had just happened, it was
impressive for a citizen to catch a monster of this caliber
with just luck.
He wasn’t sure, but the Hunters from yesterday probably

had received an even more substantial amount than this.
However, Yoo-seong was slightly mistaken.
“To add, Mr. Oh Yoo-seong, you have full selling rights to the
Shark ape you have hunted.”
“……”
Her face changed once more.
-Really? You really don’t know anything?
Her expression showed her disbelief at him not knowing

anything.
“…. What I am referring to the rights to sell in the

marketplace. All of the by-products obtained from hunting
monsters are the possession of the Hunter.”
Regarding the marketplace, Yoo-seong had vaguely heard

about it before.
It was filled with the newest research materials, various

weapons, and raw materials used to strengthen bodies—all
of which one could buy from selling the monsters.
However, in this case, there was no relevance between the

level of stars and the demand for the monster’s body.
For instance, even a weak Level 1 monster could yield more

money than its weight depending on its utility. Conversely, a
bad Level 5 would be trash if there was no use for it in the
market.
“I thought that the country just took it and sold it

somewhere. Wow, then how much do Hunters really earn?”
“This is my contact information.”
The woman took out a single business card.
“Please feel free to contact me at any time if you happen to

experience any side effects from your injuries or if there is
any problem in with the compensation transfer.”
Chae Shin-Young.
– 2nd Department Manager for Special Defense Welfare

Services
That was what had been written.
‘Welfare?…. Services?’
From what she did, Yoo-seong was convinced that it was

indeed her job. However, it seemed very far from her image.
“What is this?”
Beneath the card, there was a plastic card attached to it.
“That is an entry pass for the marketplace. You are unable

to enter unless you possess a Hunter license, or are
affiliated with a business inside.”
“Whew.”
As he was whistling, Yoo-seong was fiddling around with the

cards.
“…. Never in my life have I experienced anything like this.
Wow.”
“You were able to calmly execute during a situation of crisis.

Just think of it as a compensation for doing so.”
Yoo-seong nodded his head with sincerity.
“Yes, I know. This is my first time getting a woman’s number

first.”
All of a sudden, Chae Shin-Young’s eyes widened. This was

the third time her expression changed.
A slight grin.
It was a smile she showed for the first time. Her looks were
boyish, but her smile was not.
Yoo-seong felt like there was the reason he’d gathered up

the courage to make the joke.
“Well then, hope for a quick recovery.”
“Yes. Keep up the good work.”
As Chae Shin-Young went to turn around,
“Excuse me.”
She stopped at Yoo-seong’s question.
“Yes.”
“Asking this could be a bother… but how much do you think

it is? The Shark ape that I caught….”
“I know that it is not that high in value.”

However, Yoo-seong saw it. He saw her mouth, prepared to
say the words ‘But’ in the next sentence.
“Yes?”
“It is nothing. It would be best to go to the market and see

for yourself, instead of listening to someone with no idea. It
will serve you a beneficial experience for the future too, Mr.
Oh Yoo-seong.”
“……What?”
Something felt off.
It was as if Yoo-seong would be frequenting the marketplace

more in the future, even though he wasn’t a Hunter, nor
would ever be one.
Chae Shin-Young then left the hospital room.
“If you knew a little bit, you should just tell me. It’s making
me more curious.”
It was probably nothing too serious. Besides, she had said, ‘I

know that it is not too high in value.’
He lay on the bed whilst thinking this.
However, this all felt serious.
The Shark ape that Yoo-seong had caught was definitely

‘something.’
Chapter 4
It was exquisite timing.
“I…”
Just before Yoo-seong went crazy…
-Certifying…
The public certificate had begun to work correctly.
On the evening of that day, as soon as he got home from

the hospital, Yoo-seong sat right in front of the computer.
It was the market’s website. While searching for the market

location, Yoo-seong found that online transactions could be
made only after undergoing identity verification.
Direct dealing would be useful, but it was a bit hard to lose

the whole day because Yoo-seong had another job.
‘I don’t think it’ll be too expensive.’
An ID code was written on the back of the pass given by

Chae Shin-young. After the self-certification, Yoo-seong’s ID
was created.
-Welcome to the entrance, Oh Yoo-seong.-
A private page, which was not visible to ordinary visitors,

opened.
“Well.”
This all felt strange.
Although temporary, Yoo-seong was recognized as a

member of the hunters. The market was no different from
any other website. After moving the mouse around for about
an hour, Yoo-seong was able to roughly figure out its
structure.
‘I’ll go into ‘My Page,’ and I’ll click on ‘My Owned.”’
-Shark ape/date of capture 20XX. 05. 13
The history of the monster caught by Yoo-seong last night

came to his mind.
“……Um.”
It took him quite some time to think about this.
Yoo-seong opened another Internet window and entered the

word “exchange.”
After checking yesterday’s commotion on the Internet news,

he heard that 32 Shark Apes had appeared.
Then naturally, the other 31 hunters with ownership would

have put it on the exchange. He could set the price by
referring to the amount they put up.
“I don’t need to go there myself.”
Yoo-seong smiled and drank a cup of coffee.
There had been many trading methods, but the most

commonly used way to exchange was through ‘auction.’
If the lowest auction price and immediate purchase price
were set, several companies or organizations that would
want the body of a monster would bid.
The price of the Shark Apes on the exchange…
“…my God.”
The lowest price was 4.5 million won.
And now, none of the bodies of the Shark Apes under

auction were priced below 500. Although there were
differences, most prices steadily rose from 700 to 800.
Yoo-seong clicked the “Trade” button once.
He posted his own Shark Ape on the market and set the
lowest price at 450 as others did. The only question was
how to set the immediate purchase price.
Short-purchase was the upper limit of the auction price. If

he had a buyer who didn’t want to compete, he could take
the item without an auction by paying the immediate cost.
The highest purchase price set by others was between 10

and 15 million won. Some were already on sale for the
highest rate of 1,000.
“…….”
Yoo-seong drank some more coffee.
Generally speaking, it was just a matter of staying and

watch after setting the price.
“But I have to see this for sure.”
Even short money was his property, after all.

He had to be meticulous. Even if there was an unexpected
change later, wasn’t it his responsibility?
Yoo-seong clicked on each of the posted Shark Apes and

compared the details to his own Shark Ape.
After observation, Yoo-seong seemed to have a clue. The

criteria for the price range of Shark Apes were its size and
gender.
Unfortunately, his Shark Ape was on the short side. The

gender was also male, who was cheaper than females.
But…
-Survival status: O
“……?”
There was a distinct difference.
He had clicked on all 31 Sharp Apes, but it was the only Yoo-
seong that had an “O” sign on that “survival status.”
“No, was it alive?”
Come to think of it; he didn’t feel like he was going to die

because a monster like that kicked his head a little… He
didn’t have any movement back then.
Anyway, he had to set the highest price.
After a while, Yoo-seong typed on the keyboard.
– Immediate purchase price: 500,000,000,000 won
“Is it honestly too much?”

With a grin, Yoo-seong drank the remaining coffee.
Well, who cared? This was the only time at best. Perhaps he
should listen to the hunters talking about the wild crazy.
-Trading history has been updated.
Finishing with a click, Yoo-seong lay right in bed after the

shower.
“How much would it be?”
Ten million won.
No, if only 9 million won came out, it would be close to three

months’ worth of revenue for Yoo-seong.
I’ve won 5th place in the lottery—what an incredible fortune.
Yoo-seong closed its eyes in a perfectly good mood.

However, he could not stop giggling at the immediate price
that he set.
500 million won, that was utterly ridiculous.
So Yoo-seong fell asleep, and the auction began. Obviously,

Yoo-seong’s cold judgment was not wrong.
Yoo-seong’s Shark Ape was far short of receiving 500

million.
To be exact, it was about 80 million won short.
-Current bid price: 420 million won
In terms of the actual profit after-tax deduction, the total

amount was 340 million won.
It was Yoo-seong’s first hunting income.
Even a monster of the same species may factors.
It may be endless to explain them one by one, but in a

nutshell, scarcity was essential.
The harder the sample to get, the more expensive it was.

From that point of view, the ‘living’ Shark Ape was a
sufficiently expensive item.
It was tough to capture this creature, which resembled a

great white shark as much as it looked alive. Even if a
talented hunter captured it without wounds, blood vessels
all over his body would burst under his temper.
There was one of the best-known methods at the moment. It

caused a substantial shock to the veins of this creature’s
larynx during a battle and fell into a domestic condition.
Even so, different individuals have different forces that must

be given.
If he left his consciousness by hitting it awkwardly, his blood

vessels would burst as soon as he glowed. On the contrary,
too much shock meant that even if he fell into suspended
animation, he wouldn’t live long.
“Really, you did a great job.”
The man who came out for the contract, who held the team
leader’s position, repeatedly praised Yoo-seong.
“We were so nervous until you put up the sale. It doesn’t

make sense that we can’t save a single living shark ape.”
It wouldn’t have been so if it were normal.
However, the crack in which Shark Ape appeared was an

emergency that the Defense Department failed to capture
by radar.
In the presence of civilians who couldn’t evacuate, hunters

went on to shoot all the police without any time to plan a
capture operation, saying that “private safety is the top
priority.”
But then a miracle appeared.
Shark Ape, who fainted in a lyric state without any trauma,

simply hit the occipital veins.
Needless to say, Yoo-seong had caught him.
“…….”
“You can take it slow.”
Perhaps because he thought Yoo-seong was silent because

he focused on the contract, the man even arranged the
agreement on the table in a friendly manner.
It was an attitude toward the hunter.
It was also a courtesy to the master who caught the Shark

Ape without even belonging to a group.
What else would you think?
Even the casual attire of Yoo-seong, which was not like a

hunter, seemed to give off a favorable impression.
‘Real experts in any field are unique.’

It was interpreted as the uniqueness of a truly talented
person.
However, Yoo-seong was not silent because of the contract.

Soon his hand wrote his name and stamped his seal.
With it, Shark Ape was transferred to the possession of a

research facility where men worked, with 420 million won
before taxes and 340 million won after taxes, becoming the
money of Yoo-seong.
Before leaving him, Yoo-seong bowed to the man.
“Thank you.”
“What? No! What?”
With his hands waving as if he were in a daze, the man took

out a business card from his pocket.
“If you get a good one next time, please contact me

anytime. If you contact me separately like this, I can give
you a better offer at my discretion.”
It was the man, not Yoo-seong, who bowed his head once
more time just before parting.
“See you again, sir!”
The man left with a foreign car that would have surprised
the usual Yoo-seong.
The man’s resume on his business card listed prestigious

universities and graduate schools abroad, which Yoo-seong
would know.
“No matter how much I think…”

“I think I’m the one who should say thanks.”
Thinking so, Yoo-seong laughed bitterly.
Inside the public transportation back home, Yoo-seong

looked into his account on his cell phone.
456,023,367.
About 456 million won.
Of the total, 340 million won came from the sale of Shark
Ape.
The remaining 110 million were the results of Yoo-seong’s

steady savings over the past nine years. Nine years spent
youth with sincerity rather than pleasure.
It was a one-night profit.
With that one night alone, the last nine years of Yoo-seong
had been reduced to just a third.
No one disliked public money. Naturally, Yoo-seong didn’t

hate the money that came to him.
However, he felt a little stuffy in his chest.
Eventually, with several stops to get home, Yoo-seong got

off the bus. He bought three cans of beer and headed to the
Han River.
Then he sat on the hill and drank them.
Without saying anything or doing anything, he is just sat

there, looking at the river.
“…….”
Even after he finished all his beer, he was not tipsy at all.
His face didn’t turn red.
When he stood up, Yoo-seong was different.
‘I… will become a hunter.’
Yoo-seong looked down.
The grey button was still floating in front of him.
He was a man who did whatever he said he would do.

Chapter 5
October came.
The public park in the morning, where the scorching late

heat completely disappeared, and only the chilling wind
blew.
“Hoo, hoo!”
Yoo-seong was doing repetitive movements with his body.
Push-ups, iron bars, and dips using parallel bars were

repeated regularly. It wasn’t an incredible number of
repetitions, but Yoo-seong’s posture was excellent.
By the time the muscles of the whole body were shaking,

Yoo-seong had stopped exercising and began to run.
“Hook, whoop!”
Go around the Citizens Park a few times, and go out and run
the streets. After dozens of minutes of running to the house,
his body was almost at the limit.
He could have used an elevator, but Yoo-seong ran up the

stairs to the homemade building.
For the past four months, he had been training without rest.
It was the result of his research on automatic hunting.
A button led you to the maximum performance that your
body could perform with a simple touch.
Then, if you trained your body’s physical abilities, wouldn’t

it increase your ability to press the button naturally?
He ran until he reached the door to the roof of the building.

He opened it slowly.
Now, the training was just beginning.
The Striker was waiting for him.
The Striker was a professional, striking practice machine

that could be anchored on the floor. It was divided into
several parts, and Yoo-seong had spares to replace any
damaged parts.
Standing before the sandbag, Yoo-seong took a breath.
Then he stared at the strike.
OK.
-Auto hunting by pressing a button.-
The button in front of him was activated. The ability to

control the activation/deactivation of the button was one of
Yoo-seong’s achievements over the past few months.
Click!
Yoo-seong pressed the button without hesitation.
Perpuck!
A clicking sound was heard immediately.

As if they were not exhausted, Yoo-seong’s limbs began to
hit the Striker with terrifying momentum.
Most people may laugh, seeing this sight. He would, too.

Yoo-seong looked ridiculous.
He was not positioned correctly in a martial arts stance. He

just seemed to be swinging his limbs wildly. However, if a
skilled person was observing, they would see that each
attack had an extremely efficient direction and power
control.
How many minutes can I go this time?
The Striker began to creak gradually.
Yoo-seong’s face was getting red, and he wasn’t feeling too

well.
‘Slightly, a little more…’
It wasn’t Yoo-seong that moved his body.
However, he could feel the results created by the automatic

movements: muscle fatigue, reaction when hitting, and
above all, exhaustion and breathlessness.
Yoo-seong endured the pain of hitting the Striker with a

body that has just finished multiple exercises and long-
distance running.
There were three ways to deactivate a button once pressed.
1. There was no longer an object to ‘hunt.’

2. Yoo-seong calmed the immersion with mind control.
3. Finally, when the body reached its limit and could no
longer move, automatic hunting stopped.
Puck! Perpuck!
I want to quit.
Yoo-seong’s body was sore, and he was panting hard.
However, he had to be patient.
Yoo-seong knew well that automatic hunting did not lie. The
fact that automatic hunting was still in progress was proof
that his body could still withstand the power.
Yoo-seong clenched his jaw and remained focused.
Pajik!
Finally, it was the Striker that gave up.
The parts, which were tightened tightly, threw back with a

loud sound.
At the same time, automatic hunting was turned off.
“Ugh….”
Yoo-seong, who suddenly gained back control of his body,

shook with fatigue. His necks and lungs felt like being
stabbed by a knife.
In the early days of training, Yoo-seong used an ordinary

sandbag hanging from the chain on the support beam.
However, the sandbag was brutally smashed under the

performance of automatic hunting. There was no practice
mode in automatic hunting. The body would smash the
target as efficiently as possible.
At first, the sandbag was smashed once every four days,
and when the body was trained, and Yoo-seong was able to
withstand auto hunting for a long time, he had to change
the sandbag once every three days, once every two days,
and finally once a day.
That was why he started to use this special Striker. This was
the first time he was able to smash it.
I finally smashed a special product that I wanted to break.
After clearing up the mess, Yoo-seong went down to his

room.
‘It’s so hot…’
As he pulls off the sweaty top, his rising muscles began to

show.
Four months.
For an average human body, it was an incredibly short time

to transform with exercise. An average person needed to
exercise steadily for three months before starting to see a
little change in his/her build.
However, in the meantime, Yoo-seong’s body had already

made great strides.
‘Am I getting a little taller…?’
His shoulders got definitely wider.
‘Well, if you exercise, your bent spine may stretch out.’
He thought little about it. He was more satisfied that his six-
pack was becoming more defined to dwell about the height
he was not even sure he grew.
The human body was a very clever mechanism.
If you were constantly exposed to a certain environment

and got used to it, your body adapted accordingly.
In this case, the environment where Yoo-seong’s body was

exposed was automatic hunting.
Naturally, his body was also turned into a perfect frame for
perfect movement.
Soon, Yoo-seong would be reborn as a big player.
Before one became a hunter, they had to take an

evaluation.
You had to pass tests on knowledge of monsters, as well as

related laws and regulations.
In addition to having the basic physical skills, a candidate

was measured on whether he/she could take the correct
action against a monster.
There were two successful teaching institutes. Yoo-seong

attended one after his morning exercise.
Because of the bank account’s balance, there was little

pressure on attending a large academy in the metropolitan
area.
“I got it!”
“Right!”
The written examinations were scheduled twice a year,

every March and September.
Successful candidates were posted on the school board.
There were cheers and frustrated cries around him, but Yoo-
seong was feeling neither cheerfulness nor frustration.
‘I’m stuck.’
He was expecting to take half a year preparing to be a

hunter, but he already passed on his first attempt at the
examination.
In a way, it was a natural result. Besides self-training every

morning, Yoo-seong was obsessed with writing notes.
It was a new way to replace the goal of life that has been
going on for the past nine years.
Moreover, he was twenty-nine years old. It was ridiculously

late to start studying hunters. He couldn’t always depend on
the button to beat monsters.
-If you pass the handwriting, please come to the

measurement room.-
Passers, including Yoo-seong, moved to follow the school

broadcast.
Every season, after passing the written test, the successful

candidates were gathered to enter the ‘practical class’ – a
preparation for the actual test.
The practical class includes basic physical strength training,

and it seems to be a combination of a college entrance
exam and military training.
“I will update you on your status. Please line up in turn.”

A doctor dispatched for measurement was on one side of
the room, operating a deep body.
A ‘deep body’ was a machine used to gather the candidate’s

status, or more commonly known as ‘the stat’.
The technology to measure the stat appeared with the

advent of monsters.
The stat measures a person’s physical ability, the degree of

strength of the body, special abilities, equipment, objective’
combat power’ value.
Deep bodies measure stats from a pure base state. On

average, a healthy adult male’s stat is at 80, a female at 62.
However, the basic idea was that it was worth trying to take
the practical class when men reached a minimum of 100,
and women, 80.
“135.”
“Good!”
As the doctor provided his status, a young man in the deep

body raised his arms.
“Yeah, 135? Three more than last time?”
“It’s difficult.”
The young man’s friends lined up and slapped his back.
As with any academy, there are also groups of friends that

have become close to each other for months.
Of course, Yoo-seong was not in any group. There is no

reason to play with young children in the academy because
he was busy catching up on his studies. He started late.
The measurements continued.
“114.”
“109.”
Indeed, stats higher than the average appeared.
“81.”
Not everyone was qualified.
“Boo.”
“It’s because I don’t exercise. I kept studying in the

academy.”
Small, but booing sounds were clearly heard.
The man who got 81 turned red. He was helpless about it.
Unlike in studying, where anyone who puts on effort can
pass, physical strength was not something you could easily
control.
The instructor approached the student.
‘Perhaps I can offer advice that the practical class would be

difficult for you. If your stat number is low, the likelihood of
passing the class is low.”
“79.”
“Boo.”
“89.”
“That’s a waste.”
The students with passing stats gathered in one corner of a

dressing room, watching the others in a relaxed manner.
“Next, Mr. Oh Yoo-seong?”
“What do you think will come out, 79?”
“I’ll still give you a good 88,” the instructor said.
“What is an 88? I hope to get an 89.”
Before long, the doctor had finished measuring Yoo-seong,

and a sheet of paper with the results came into his hands.
“Huh?”
Chapter 6
This…
Unbelievable…
The instructor stared at the paper. He announced Yoo-

seong’s bare stat:
“98.”
“You must have been exercising for a few years, brother,”

another student told him.
Even the group of students in the corner who were booing

others did not make any negative comments.
It wasn’t a high figure, but 98 wasn’t a shame.
As a lecturer, 98 was not a surprising number. The fitness

management program offered by the academy maintained
its excellent level and maintained stats that averaged 100.
However, the bare stat was not all that mattered.
Not at all.
‘What is this?’ The instructor wiped his eyes to make sure he

saw properly before he looked back on the paper.
The deep body was used to capture the entire balance,

strengths, and weaknesses of the body, including the
muscle mass of the object to be measured. Under the
number 98, the details were lined up in charts.
‘Balanced.’
Yoo-seong was technically perfect.
From the right and left balance, to the interaction between

the lower body and the upper body and the placement of
the skeleton. The reason you should start most workouts
early was simple. The body got harder as you got older.
Inconvenient places were created one by one, and

imbalances caused by lifestyle habits harmed the potential
of the body.
However, it was not the case for the body of a man named
Oh Yoo-seong.
Obviously, it was not a body that had trained to the

extreme. However, a flawless body was rarer than those
hardened to the extreme.
Yoo-seong had no physical imbalance or weakness.
“What exercise… did you do?”
It was a stupid question even as the instructor thought

about it himself.
“Not much.”
Yoo-seong replied briefly and added:
“Can I take the practical class?”
“Uh….” The instructor was speechless.

“I really want to,” Yoo-seong added.
When students failed the examination, they were prepared

to swallow their pride. There was nothing wrong with that.
But this time, it was different. That attitude, that mental

strength he saw in that eyes – even those with over 100
stats didn’t look like that.
Besides, what could he do about someone who had a

flawless physical balance?
“You can go,” the instructor decided. He then made his

announcement.
“A total of 45 students, including Mr. Oh Yoo-seong – you are

practical trainees in the second half of this year. Please
move to the second floor.”
Several students shook upon hearing that a person with a

stat of 98 was included.
However, the instructor didn’t care. He just looked at the

back of Yoo-seong, who was walking quietly.
His intuition kept telling him:
That man is not just ’98’. That man has something.
The test result was not the only strange sight he would see
from Yoo-seong.
Woowoong-
When the instructor switched the specimen on, the whole

class moved.
“Oh-oh-oh!”
It was the first time for a lot of students to see monsters out
of their illustrated books. Several mouths hung open.
The specimen was moving in front of them.
Uncanny Mannequin-★★
It was a very strange fungus that, as its name suggested,

took the form of a person. It drew protein from the fibers of
trees or animal remains, and created a nervous system to
control its makeshift limbs.
Of course, the Uncanny Mannequins in the academy were

‘improved.’
Devices had been planted in each one. Control signals were

sent to these devices so the monsters could be
manipulated.
The speed, force, and movement could be adjusted

according to the electrical signal, and even if damaged, they
can be repaired immediately by simply pouring a cheap
solution on them.
“There is nothing. It’s nothing special.”
A confident voice.
It turned out to be Kang Jae-kyun. He was a young man who

set the highest record of 135 in the previous stat
measurement.
The instructor started handing out equipment to each

member of the class.
“I’ll share the three-part rod.”

It was the basic equipment used by novice hunters against
monsters with less than two stars. It was a strong weapon
and could break bones even with just a moderate attack.
“We will have practical tests conducted with a controlled

monster. This is to test how you deal with different monsters
in different environments,” the instructor explained.
When the instructor operated the remote control, a dozen

mannequins lined up in a row. The women in the class let
out a small scream.
“What you will practice this time is….”
“It’s capture,” Kang Jae-kyun told the student next to him,

who nodded. His voice was loud enough for the class to
hear.
“Hmm, hmm.”
After a brief cough, the instructor continued to explain.
“The original grade of the Uncanny Mannequins here is 2-

star, but since this is just a training exercise, I have set their
rank to 1-star. Regardless of gender, anyone here can
capture the Mannequin with their three-part rod.”
Kang Jae-kyun started to talk again in a loud voice, “But the

really important thing -”
“Mr. Kang Jae-kyun!” The instructor had enough and called

him. “Would you like to come in front and explain further?”
“Yes? No. Sorry.”
Kang Jae-kyun raised his hands and smiled, embarrassed.

The class laughed.
The instructor held his breath unintentionally.
Sometimes, this happened. Students with outstanding

power often interrupted the class to show off.
He calmed himself down and continued, “…but knocking

down the prey in the test scoring is just the basic. The really
important thing is how much the prey is overpowered.”
“I’ll call you out one-by-one, and you will each face the
mannequins.”
There were red markings on the body of the mannequins.

They were the size of a young child’s fist.
“This is a weak spot,” the instructor continued. “If you hit it

correctly, the mannequin will fall more easily. Of course, you
can win by hitting other parts, but then the prey will be
damaged.”
The goal of the class is to overcome the mannequin by

striking the weak points. The prey must not be damaged if
they are aiming to capture it.
“All clear? Then, come out one by one in turn.”
Even before the instructor’s words were over, Kang Jae-kyun

stood up.
Boo Boo-. Whoosh-
Jae-kyun immediately showed off some moves using the

three-part rod, looking very confident.
“Shouldn’t we face two mannequins at the beginning?”
The instructor shook his head.

“Well, then, I’ll finish quickly.”
One Uncanny Mannequin and Kang Jae-kyun stood on the

training ring.
As soon as the instructor raised the remote control, the

mannequin rushed forward.
It was only a 1-star rating, but even so, the movement was
similar to that of a strong adult male.
Kang Jae-kyun turned to avoid the mannequin.
“Where!”
Stiff!
A powerfully swinging three-part rod hit the mannequin’s

head!
The mannequin’s head was damaged, and it staggered.
However, Jae-kyun was not able to hit a weak spot, so the

mannequin gathered itself, changed its stance, and rushed
again to attack.
“Kyaaap!”
Pug! Pug!
The second and third blows caused the mannequin to

collapse.
Breathing lightly, Kang Jae-kyun looked out of the ring.
He was met with cheers from the class.
“Cool!”
“Awesome! Did you finish in just three attacks?”
Cheers were pouring out from all directions. Kang Jae-kyun

looked at the instructor with pride.
“Please give me two of them, hurry.”
“…….”
The instructor was looking at the condition of the beaten

mannequin. The back of the head and neck were broken…
He sent up two new mannequins.
This time, it was not that easy.
Both mannequins attacked at the same time, in different

directions.
While Kang Jae-kyun hit one on its head, the second one
grabbed his waist.
Then, the first one immediately recovered from the hit and
jumped back on Jae-kyun. It was like an ugly dog fight in the
neighborhood.
Pug!
A mannequin hit Jae-kyun with a fist.
“These… bastards!”
Kang Jae-kyun’s face turned red.
“Oh ah ah ah ah!”
He wildly swung the three-part rod to shake off the

mannequins. Kang Jae-kyun just swung and swung
powerfully with no aim. After about a minute, the two
mannequins, severely battered and broken, fell down the
ring.
The instructor drew ‘X’ on Jae-kyun’s paper. It was a

complete failure.
However, it didn’t look like that to everyone else.
“Well fought!”
“Awesome! You still won!”
The other students cheered, amazed by the physical

prowess shown by Jae-kyun. Kang Jae-kyun himself also
seemed satisfied, and he came down the ring with an elated
attitude.
The instructor noticed it as another problem. In the real

world, some monsters have special abilities like toxicity, and
it was easy to die if you walked away from their corpses
carelessly.
‘You need more practice, you crazy bastard…’ The instructor

was angry.
“Next!” he shouted.
The students looked at each other with hesitation. As Kang

Jae-kyun just showed a great performance, they were
hesitant to come out after him.
Of course, some people didn’t care about that.
“I will do it.”
Yoo-seong raised his hand.

An expression of surprise passed on the faces of everyone,
including the instructor.
“Yes, go up,” the instructor said.
Yoo-seong went up the ring. Truth be told, he was a little

nervous. It was the first time he’s going to face a monster
since the Shark Ape.
However, didn’t you work hard in the past months? Believe

in yourself, he thought as motivation.
Whatever the results may be, he thought, you can use it to

accurately diagnose your abilities and use it as a reference
to work harder.
The students watching him were talking to each other.
“Look at his expression.”
“He must be nervous; it’s cute.”
“Fighting!”
The instructor sent the mannequin up and talked to Yoo-

seong for a bit before the test started.
“Oh Yoo-seong.”
“Yeah?”
“Do not worry. You won’t get hurt too much.”
The instructor liked the serious attitude of Yoo-seong. They

exchanged nods, and then the instructor pressed a button.
The mannequin then started to move.
At the same time, Yoo-seong also pushed a button.

Woosh!
His three-part rod unfolded quickly.
The mannequin rushed at a terrifying pace. And then…
Tck!
Everyone in the room was stunned.
“…”
“…?”
“Uh….”
“What?”
Only a few people, including the instructor, noticed what

happened.
It was a strange sight.
The mannequin was running, the three-part rod swung over

it and only brushed the monster slightly, and then the
mannequin suddenly collapsed helplessly.
“Was that mannequin faulty?”
Someone in the room said, but the instructor knew better.
It was a sight of accuracy, not fault.
The tip of Yoo-seong’s rod hit a weak spot accurately, at the

exact, crucial moment.
It was the same with a top-notch boxer knocking out an

opponent by touching only the chin.
Concise and accurate single attack.
Oh my God, the instructor thought, feeling goosebumps at

the back of his neck.
“Well… you did it. Very good.” It was perfect, he nearly said.
“Then, Mr. Oh Yoo-seong. Would you like to try 2 vs. 1 too?”
“…”
Yoo-seong hesitated for a few moments, then answered him

with that firm, polite expression.
“Yes. I’ll do it.”
As the two mannequins were sent up, the instructor stared

at Yoo-seong.
Could it be that he is used to wielding a three-part rod?
The instructor secretly operated the remote control and

pressed a couple more buttons.
He controlled the mannequin’s power and speed to remain

the same but changed the setting to the advanced program
for those who were experienced with the rod.
It was a program mainly used by novice hunters, not by

students.
I know I shouldn’t do this, but…
It was purely because of his terrible curiosity.
I just wanted to see the previous movement more

accurately.
Indeed, what kind of movement will the strange student
show against more advanced opponents?
The mannequins were in place.
Now, the whole class was holding their breaths as they

waited.
The instructor activated the mannequins and saw the third

strange sight of the day.
Yoo-seong stood, holding his three-part rod casually, with

two mannequins in front of him.
Then he rushed in, low, towards the mannequins.
The mannequins threw out fists –
Whoosh!
Shhh!
-and missed. After dodging the attacks gracefully, Yoo-seong

fired his counterattacks.
Pug!
Pug!
The man with the stat 98 threw out two attacks – one for
each of his enemies.
Without a single error, and exactly at the weak points.
With the exact timing. With the exact power needed.
The mannequins fell silently.

Beyond the ring, the class was filled with silence.
“…….”
“Excuse me.” Yoo-seong raised his rod slightly and spoke to

the instructor, whose mouth was hanging open.
Shyly, yet confidently:
“3 vs. 1. Could we try it?”

Chapter 7
“Ugh····”
The whole class held their breath.
Eventually, Yoo-seong was defeated.
There was a mannequin holding his neck from behind, while

all his limbs were held down by other mannequins.
The instructor intervened. “Thank you, that’s enough.”
There were three mannequins holding Yoo-seong. In front of

him were four collapsed ones.
Seven to one.
Three alone were not enough.
Three. Four. Even five or six could not touch him.
Seven was the number needed to defeat Yoo-seong.
The mannequins immediately rushed to him, creating a

dense wall, crushing him by force.
Even so, he was able to bring down four of them, before

succumbing to the others’ strength.
“That looked like it hurt…” a student muttered as she

watched the scene.
The instructor extended his hand to the kneeling Yoo-seong.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, thank you.” Yoo-seong took his hand and stood up.
Unbelievable, the instructor thought as he helped Yoo-

seong’s up.
The stat measurement is correct.
Oh Yoo-seong was not physically strong.
The virtuosity that was displayed in defeating the

mannequins could not have been because of his physical
strength.
Like an idiot, Kang Jae-gyun made remarks to the crowd.
“If he had more muscles… he could have won.”
He’s then said that he could have shaken the mannequins

off with force.
This doesn’t make sense. The instructor did not pay

attention to Kang Jae-gyun, and was instead deep in
thought.
Hunters who were at the front lines could cut down 1-2 star
monsters by ten in one attack.
But they are expert hunters who have experience facing

hundreds of ridiculous monsters – not students doing
practical training for the first time.
Moreover, even if someone is capable of killing ten

mannequins, can they defeat six mannequins with bare
hands, just like Yoo-seong did?
Unlike the instructor who was thinking complicated
thoughts, Yoo-seong’s thought was simple.
What a waste. He felt a sense of accomplishment of what he

has done, but there was more regret than accomplishment.
Yoo-seong felt that he had insufficient power.
When the mannequins held him down, he could not escape

even with the automatic hunting feature.
He needs to get stronger to fight his way out of that

situation.
As he went down the ring, he was thinking about how to

increase the sets on his strength exercise.
Suddenly, unexpected applause and cheers greeted him

when he came down.
“Great!”
“Really – that was awesome!”
The class who held their breath released the tension by

collectively cheering him.
“Seriously, you’d think I was watching martial arts!”
“I thought it was a movie with special effects!”
“That’s honestly ridiculous, just ridiculous…”
Everyone was impressed. Students immediately flocked to

him, surrounding him.
“Did you learn martial arts separately? Boxing? Muay Thai?”

“Uh…” Yoo-seong found it hard to answer the deluge of
appreciation and questions.
Kang Jae-gyun watched the scene, very displeased. He

marched towards the instructor.
“Excuse me.”
“…….”
The instructor was still deep in thought, barely noticing him.
The instructor could hear Kang Jae-gyun’s voice in the

background. He heard “even if it’s about 110…” and “if I
have some equipment…” but he wasn’t really focused on
the words.
Suddenly, Kang Jae-gyun raised his voice.
“Excuse me! Let me go one more time!”
“…….”
The instructor’s eyebrows furrowed. He was displeased

because he was distracted, but Kang Jae-gyun didn’t seem
to mind it.
“I’m going to do it without a triple rod. I’m going to use my

fists. I’m not used to…”
“Once everyone has completed their turn, you can do it

once more. Please wait.”
“Ah!”
The atmosphere was tense.

Kang Jae-gyun lost his temper and grabbed the instructor’s
shoulder.
After a moment of silence, the instructor spoke quietly.
“Mr. Kang Jae-gyun…”
“……Mr. Jae-Gang Kang.”
Kang Jae-gyun stiffened upon hearing his voice. Fear shot

through him.
“This is the last warning.”
“Uhh….”
It’s easy for students to forget, but the instructors were also
hunters. They retired due to personal reasons, such as
injuries, and opted to teach instead.
“If you interrupt the class or speak loudly one more time, we
will refund the tuition immediately. Please try another
school.”
“…….”
Of course, the instructor will never hit Kang Jae-gyun.
But his tone and voice was enough to make the rowdy
student feel fear.
“Do you understand?”
“Uh… yes.”
Kang Jae-gyun nodded.

The instructor nodded back with a stern expression; then,
he turned to the class as if nothing happened.
“The next person?”
“Cheers!”
The glasses hit each other with a cheerful sound.
It was late in the evening, and the downtown pub was

crowded with students.
They were celebrating the beginning of their practical

training.
It was their excuse for tonight – they were usually here two
or three times a week.
The difference was that there was a new face that joined
them.
“Uh, why is brother Yoo-seong not drinking?”
“Huh.” Yoo-seong shook his hand gently to the student who

gave him a beer mug. “I decided not to drink until I passed
the exam.”
Yoo-seong had a liking for alcohol. He liked it very much, in

fact. But four months ago, after the incident with the Shark
Ape, he vowed never to touch alcohol again.
Every night, he longed for beer more than his ex-girlfriend,

but he endured it with strong determination.
“Oh, oh!”
“What…”
The students were not confused by Yoo-seong’s words. In

fact, most of them were impressed at what he said.
They know his words are proven by action.
After today’s training, the majority of the students

approached Yoo-seong to make friends with him and learn
from him.
I’m too old for this, Yoo-seong thought and laughed bitterly.
The students around him are mostly twenty years old. Yoo-
seong will turn thirty years old tomorrow. The age difference
was obvious.
Suddenly-
An ice-filled cup was placed in front of Yoo-seong.
“Then, would you like a Coke?” a girl sitting next to him

said.
Yoo-seong nodded shyly and took the can. “Thank you.”
“Hey, please be comfortable. We are all younger than you.”
She wasn’t a typical beauty, but she had a clear and bright
face that looked nice to him.
“Oppa, do you know my name?”
“Yeah. Hee-ji, right?
Of course, he knew. He watched her deep body

measurements.
119. This is the highest record for a woman in this class.
She had shown enough strength to face two mannequins

during practice.
“Do you know my last name?”
“Ms. Yang Hee-ji.”
“Wow! You knew.” She clapped her hands.
“So, have you decided on a firm to join after you get your
license?” she continued.
“Firm? Ah…”
Most hunters work in groups.
As the military works in squads or platoons, firms are also

composed of several teams.
Naturally, hunting is also a profession in the capitalist

society, so teams and firms are battling for reputation, and
competition to enter them is difficult.
“No, I haven’t thought about that yet.”
“Really? Miraculous. I think there are a lot of places where

you can get a contract in advance…”
Yang Hee-ji looked hesitant for a moment, then she

continued.
“In fact, my father and my older brother are running a small

farm.”
“Yes?”
“Yeah! It’s okay if you come for a field trip once you have
time.”
“I don’t want to cause trouble.”
“No! I often visit people who have just gotten licenses. If

you come, I will tell them good things about you.”
Yoo-seong laughed and nodded.
Yang Hee-ji is cute, he thought.
“But tell me, what did you do for training? Do you have any
practical training programs?”
“I’m doing my basic fitness training on my own. Not yet.”
Suddenly, a cynical laugh came from across the table.
“That’s ridiculous.”
It was Kang Jae-gyun. He hadn’t spoken a word after the

class and was drinking in a dark mood.
He continued, “You shouldn’t overdo it. I think you have a

private tutoring at home.”
Yang Hee-ji gave attention to his words. “Hey… Why is your

tone like that?”
However, Kang Jae-gyun didn’t seem to hear her. Or more

probably, he heard but ignored her.
“Are you saying you’re a genius who does well without

anyone teaching you? Why? Do you want to get more
appealing, is that it? Is it fun?” he continued his sarcastic
comments.
“….”
The students fell silent. The atmosphere was already getting

intense.
Yoo-seong looked at Kang Jae-gyun. As usual, he is calm,

without any sign of agitation. “I’m sorry if it sounded like
that.”
However, Kang Jae-gyun took his apology as a strong

provocation.
“No, I asked you a question. I don’t need you to say sorry,”

he snapped back.
No one could say a word. Everyone was either looking at

Kang Jae-hyun, at Yoo-seong, or down at their mugs.
“Huh? Answer me! What?”
“……I will leave now.” Yoo-seong stood up, and the students
cleared a path for him.
Their eyes looked angry as they looked at Kang Jae-gyun.
-Why, that bastard?
-Suddenly, he’s ruining the mood.
-But Yoo-seong is really calm. His expression hasn’t even

changed.
-He just wanted to come and have a social life…
Kang Jae-gyun burst completely.
“Hey!”
He couldn’t take it anymore. It was enough that his self-
esteem was hurt by their instructor; he will not allow Yoo-
seong to do it once more.
Kang Jae-gyun got up from his seat and forcefully

approached Yoo-seong.
“Don’t you ignore me!” he yelled.
With a bang, he grabbed Yoo-seong’s shoulders firmly.
Kang Jae-gyun was calculating in his mind. When he fought

the mannequin, Yoo-seong wasn’t able to overcome them
when he was held down.
If he does the same, there is no chance he would lose.
Oh Yoo-seong wasn’t a hunter like their instructor.
However-
It wasn’t what Kang Jae-gyun expected.
Déjà vu.
Yoo-seong didn’t resist. He didn’t tremble, nor show a

frightened expression. Instead, he looked down at the hand,
grabbing his right shoulder.
“…honestly,” Yoo-seong said in a quiet voice. “I can’t

understand why you’re doing this, and I don’t want to
understand it.”
Then, he raised his head and met Kang Jae-gyun’s eyes.
There was controlled but definite anger.
Controlled…
Goosebumps went down Kang Jae-gyun’s back. He felt it.
135 stats. He was stronger than others; than anyone in this

room.
But he felt that there was a barrier between him and this
man.
It was as if he’ll die if he crosses that barrier.
It was a wild imagination, but he really felt that way.
I will suffer thoroughly, he thought.
“So…” Yoo-seong’s hand slowly rose above Kang Jae-gyun’s

wrist.
“……!”
Kang Jae-gyun felt his grip. It was weak. He had weak

muscle strength. His hand simply wrapped his wrist.
But Kang Jae-gyun trembled as if it was the hand of a ghost

that grabbed him.
“Before you face unrestrained results, think again and

again.”
“Oh…. Ah…”
“Let me go.”
Then, Kang Jae-gyun, who was holding Yoo-seong’s

shoulders, released him.
Then, Yoo-seong approached him and tapped his shoulders

lightly, as if comforting him.
The room was silent.
Yoo-seong smiled his distinctive shy smile and did a little

bow as he spoke to the group.
“Sorry. I had fun. Thanks for having me.”
It was like the bar had turned into a funeral, he thought as

he walked out.
Suddenly. Yang Hee-ji called him. “Oppa, where are you

going?” She shot a look of annoyance at Kang Jae-gyun,
then ran to follow Yoo-seong.
“Wait a minute! Don’t go home yet, let’s just go somewhere

else and eat!”
Then, other students, who were close to Yang Hee-ji, and

those who disliked Kang Jae-gyun, got up one after another
and followed them out.
The pub went silent. The only people left were those who
were close to Kang Jae-gyun.
Then –
“…….”
They too, got up and left.
Only Kang Jae-gyun, whose lips were shaking, remained.
What a night.
Yoo-seong entered his room and sighed.

I almost took a sip of beer. Yang Hee-ji… and I almost fought
someone. Anyway, at least it’s quiet now.
Yoo-seong looked down on the button before him.
He recalled what happened at the first bar he went to.
He’s a little kid.
He didn’t think much about the brainless young man who

grabbed him. He didn’t worry about it too much.
There was something more important than that.
When he was caught by Kang Jae-gyun, something new and

different popped up before his eyes.
Chapter 8
There was a square beside the button.
Its size was similar to that of the button, slightly smaller

than the palm, and it floated in his view.
He tried to reach for it several times, but he can’t touch it.
It had a shiny silver border, and it looked completely empty.
“…”
Yoo-seong decided to use his common sense and think

about it.
Auto-hunting is a feature that only appeared in mobile

games. No, this feature did not exist anywhere except in
games.
Then, maybe this square thing is also a feature found in

mobile games.
Hmm..
Could it be that the square next to the button is…
“A slot?”
Slots in games are usually had icons of skills or items inside,

and acted as a shortcut key.
But Yoo-seong had no skill icon in the slot.
If this is a real slot, though…
Thirsty.
Right now, he craved for the beer that he hadn’t taken for a
while. Instead, he went to the refrigerator and took out a
bottle of corn tea.
He almost automatically started to turn the lid, but he

stopped.
An idea came to him.
Yoo-seong lifted the bottle to his chest, aiming to place it

within the silver border.
The bottle disappeared from his hand.
“Oh my God.”
A notification window appeared.
-Make eye contact and blink to activate Utility Slot-1. –
The slot was no longer empty.
It contained a plastic bottle that was 2-dimensional, and

small enough to fit the slot.
Blink?
Yoo-seong stared at the slot, then blinked slowly.
Gulp.
His thirst was gone. He felt the cold going down through his
throat. His mouth was wet. The sweetness of corn tea was
on his tongue.
Changes have also occurred inside the slots.
The picture of the corn tea was the same, but there was a
small number on the bottom right.
-2/3-
“haha. This crazy.”
Yoo-seong opened the refrigerator again.
He took another bottle of corn tea and placed it on the slot.
The numbers changed immediately.
-3/3, 2/3-
“It should be easy to understand.”
Yoo-seong muttered to himself. Within a few minutes, he

discovered the rules of the slot.
First: He can take out what was in the slot.
If he reached out to the slot and touched the items within –
Tutuk!
Bottles of corn tea reappeared on his hands.
A full bottle, and one that’s exactly a third less.
Second: He can only put multiple items of the same thing on

the slot.
He couldn’t put bottled water in the slot where the corn tea
bottles were.
Third: He could put anything in his hands into the slot.
He was able to put his cellphone on the slot. He tried it too

with a book.
However, the activation through blinking only seemed to

work for consumables. Nothing happened when he tried to
use it on other items.
“I wish I had more slots, but…”
Lastly, the fourth discovery:
Yoo-seong went up to the rooftop.
He hit the auto-hunting button in front of the practice

machine.
Papat!
His body started to move in maximum efficiency, beyond

Yoo-seong’s control.
At the same time, he realized that the slot is still available

even as he is on auto-hunting mode.
“What if…”
Yoo-seong blinked.
He didn’t have control over his body, so he did not

physically blink, but he thought about it.
But –
Gulp.
The corn tea has been reduced. At the same time, the
feeling of being refreshed washed over him.
He repeated it two to three more times, and he was able to

use it without any problems.
“So…”
Slots can be used while auto-hunting.
It was definitely a big change. It means that Yoo-seong could

be active even in auto-hunting mode.
“Can I eat ramen with it?”
It sounded crazy that Yoo-seong laughed at himself for

thinking it.
But it wasn’t completely crazy.
It is normal to feel discomfort when you take in food and

drink while moving violently or doing strenuous physical
activity.
But if he ate through the slot, there will be no such

discomfort.
I remember something I learned about in the academy.
A potion ampoule was among the special equipment that

hunters use.
These potions are made of raw materials extracted from

monsters and have the ability to greatly increase human
recovery and muscle strength without any side effects.
Yoo-seong has never seen one of these. It is said that mass
production of its ingredients is difficult, so supply was only
for hunters and for civilians who can afford its high price.
It is said to cure incurable diseases in doses prescribed and

arranged for by doctors.
Large corporate presidents and big politicians were known

to use this special potion.
“Well, it’s a long way to go, right?”
In games, hundreds of potions such as those are stacked,

only to be dismissed eventually when a character reaches a
high level where he is practically invincible.
That future is nearer than Yoo-seong thought possible.
Right now, he is focused on what he could use the slot for

immediately, rather than focus on what he thought was a
distant fantasy.
Maybe I can eat real ramen…
“… I’ll do it in the morning.”
He really wanted to try it out right now, but it’s late at night.
Yoo-seong was a man who took care of his body.
Running in the winter is not a common thing.
The ground is slippery; the muscles are stiff – there is a lot

of risks to be injured.
However, the wind was the worst. Even if you stand still, the
wind blowing against you already feels like a sharp knife.
Yoo-seong didn’t make exceptions, though when it comes to

exercise.
Passersby commented as they saw him.
-Wow… I wish I had that body.
-How many years did it take to build that up?
Yoo-seong was wearing a dry suit that reveals the shape of

his body and limbs.
Functionality is the best, but it is not very suitable for

preventing cold.
However, Yoo-seong, who runs with it on, does not feel any
pain in the cold.
“Just a little… more….”
Stable breathing from start to finish. Yoo-seong finished the

morning exercise effortlessly.
“Huh!”
He stood in front of his building and stretched a little.
Even though it was too cold to sweat, Yoo-seong felt

satisfied.
He went inside his house and took off his suit, pure white
steam rising from his body.
“To be honest…”
Looking at himself in the mirror, Yoo-seong thought he
looked bad.
“Now, I’m starting to look a little gross.”
In 8 months, Yoo-seong’s body has grown 6 cm in height.

Whenever he met acquaintances, they were surprised at
this development. Yoo-seong was more surprised at himself.
He remembered when he was in the public bathroom about

a week ago. A man in his forties spoke to him.
-Student, do you do gymnastics?
Yoo-seong didn’t know what to say. He stammered and said

he was a hunter.
Yoo-seong ate incredibly.
Physical exercise and jogging are no longer a burden. It only

takes a few hours of auto-hunting to get completely
exhausted.
He knew that if he exercised to that extent, he had to eat a

lot to prevent his muscles from falling out.
In that regard, his slot had a lot of use.
-433.-
Slot-filled protein bar.
Yoo-seong didn’t have to chew as he continued to exercise.

He simply blinked every time he felt he was empty and
immediately got satisfied.
He ran hundreds of miles and turned on auto-hunting

whenever he can.
Eight months.
At that time, Yoo-seong’s body changed completely.
The change felt like he was now riding a sports car rather
than the regular SUV he was before.
Today, as the snow fell at four o’clock in the morning, he

started to run for three hours.
Obviously, his stat would change with the improvement in

his physical ability.
Jiing!
His cellphone rang. It was a text sent from the academy,

reminding him not to be late.
Why would I be late?
Yoo-seong took a slow shower, feeling relaxed.
Today, he felt good.
He will take the hunter test in two hours.

Chapter 9
The test site was a large shopping center.
Ten years ago, when cracks began to appear, a crack with

three- and four-star monsters suddenly opened in the
shopping center.
Buildings in the area collapsed from the damage, and

countless people who were just there to buy clothes died.
The government bought the land. Cracks are likely to re-

occur where they previously appeared.
The center was converted to a place for people who are not
afraid to face monsters.
A massive test site.
Huge.
Yoo-seong got off the Academy shuttle bus and admired the

scene.
There were domes several times the size of the Academy

sports ground spread out in front of him.
The government spent trillions of dollars to develop the

area.
Hundreds of people get hired in this place annually after the

tests are done.
But his wonder was not just for the size of the place.
People getting off the bus noticed it too.
“Look over there….”
“Awesome!”
There was a large parking lot in front of the test site.
Parked in it were not only vehicles owned by private

institutes, academies, or test takers.
There were lots of foreign cars that were usually seen in the
Seoul metropolis. Sleek SUVs, sports cars, luxury vehicles…
There were also several security personnel were standing in

attention.
They wore functional tops and sunglasses, as well as

military pants.
“They are hunters, I think,” said Lee Sang-hyang, one of the

thousands of candidates who arrived in the area.
“I think they are scouts,” Yang Hee-ji said, standing next to

Yoo-seong.
“Scouts?”
“The results of the practical exams are released

immediately, right?”
Yoo-seong nodded.
Unlike the written exams, the hunter skill test is published

immediately right after the end of the exams, along with the
rankings.
A passing candidate will get his/her license issued on the
same day.
“This is an important place, especially for those small teams

or firms. They could get a promising talent on the spot,
before other larger firms could recruit them,” Yang Hee-ji
explained.
She knew a great deal, coming from a family of hunters.
“But why are there so many people in the parking lot-“
Suddenly, Yang Hee-ji screamed!
Yoo-seong was shocked and embarrassed at his companion,

who was making a scene in the parking lot.
However, it seemed like nobody noticed her. It’s because

most of the people in the area were no different from Yang
Hee-ji.
A lot of people were screaming in chorus.
“Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee Jae….”
Lee Jae-hak.
Only then did Yoo-seong saw the cause of the commotion.
The excitement was obvious not only from the candidates

and from the instructors but also from the other hunters.
“Whoah, it’s really Jae-hak!” Yoo-seong heard a candidate

say in awe.
The hunter who was called the best solo in Korea.

Alone, he is capable of performance comparable to that of a
team, or even a mid-sized firm. He had a huge fan base at
home and abroad with his skill and appearance.
Yoo-seong was also staring at the man’s face.
It was the face in his ex-girlfriend’s cellphone wallpaper.
Well, he didn’t feel anything about him, except for curiosity.
“Wow, it’s not a joke. The Force! But why did Jae-hak come
here? Yeah, I heard he’s building a team these days…” Hee-
ji said.
Why else would a high-ranking hunter be here?
Because of Lee Jae-hak’s strong presence, however, no one

dared to crowd him for autographs, but he was still
surrounded by admirers.
Yoo-seong soon turned away and told Hee-ji.
“Let’s go in and get a seat.”
The instructor told them that there were waiting rooms

inside, so it was possible to warm up and do some
stretching exercises.
Other candidates may know that information too, but no one

was getting inside the dome. It was too early, and Jae-hak is
here. Who would want to do stretching?
Yoo-seong slipped into the crowd to get toward the dome’s

entrance.
It was a coincidence.
Lee Jae-hak’s eyes were restless as people crowded around
him.
Suddenly, his eyes landed on Yoo-seong, who was passing

through.
His eyes narrowed a little.
Suddenly –
The crowd was surprised.
“Oh wow!”
“How did he do that?”
“Is that a new ability? Or equipment?”
Lee Jae-hak flew over people’s heads in an instant and

landed in front of Yoo-seong, amidst the buzzing of the
amazed crowd.
“Uh, you over there,” Lee Jae-hak looked at him awkwardly,

as if he was a little shy. “I know this can sound weird…”
Yoo-seong looked surprised at the sudden landing, but he

stayed calm. “Yes?”
What did Lee Jae-hak come to him? What is he going to say

in front of this crowd?
“That…” Lee Jae-hak timidly raised his hand and pointed at

Yoo-seong’s forearm. “Can I touch it?”
“……….”
“……….”
Yoo-seong and those who were watching went speechless at
the odd request.
Lee Jae-hak seemed serious; however, then realized how

awkward it sounded.
“Ah! Don’t get me wrong! It doesn’t mean anything else, but

I saw it from a distance, and it looked very strange… I was
very curious.”
The faces in the crowd looked doubtful.
A strange body? Of course, everyone who looked at Yoo-

seong can see that the young man had an excellent body.
But what makes it interesting?
What did Lee Jae-Hak’s eyes see?
“…….”
Yoo-seong looked at Jae-hak, and considered.
Then, he nodded, “You can.”
“Thank you!”
It started.
Lee Jae-hak began to touch Yoo-seong’s forearm without

hesitation.
“Good…” he murmured, then looked up to Yoo-seong.
“Excuse me, but you’re “pure” right?”
“Yes.”
“But how did you… can touch I you in other places? I mean,
like shoulders and other muscles?”
It was a very strange sight.
A first-hunter who appeared on the test site is touching the

forearm of an unknown candidate.
But what makes it more bizarre were their expressions.
Jae-hak’s expression looked like a craftsman appreciating a

work of art. He looked so serious and technical as he did it,
there’s nothing funny about it.
Yoo-seong’s expression also looked serious. A top hunter is

feeling his body in front of countless people, but he did not
have a trace of embarrassment or shame in his face.
Rather, he seemed to be deep in thought.
“Oh, thank you.” Lee Jae-hak lifted his hand from Yoo-
seong’s body, looking deeply impressed.
“I have been around the world and have seen a lot,” he

continued, “but it’s the first time I have ever seen a body
with this build without a gap. It’s beautiful. Beautiful.
Sincerely.”
Yoo-seong simply nodded. “Thank you.”
“I do not know about your abilities, but even without it, just
continue to get stronger, you can go a long way,” Jae-hak
said as he took a business card out of his wallet.
“Please contact me if you have time,” he said, giving the

card to Yoo-seong. “If it’s okay, I’d like to share with you
some training tips.”
“Yes.”
“I hope you have good results in the exam.”
Both men turned away, Yoo-seong heading towards the

dome.
Both of them were deep in thought.
Lee Jae-hak hopes that this young man passes the

examination.
Yoo-seong did, too.
Practical exams are taken in different fields within the dome.
The candidates had to face randomly selected monsters in

different fields, and show appropriate responses to pass the
examination.
Naturally, the examination was risky, so candidates had to

sign an agreement that the organizers will not be held
accountable for any accident or injury.
Candidates stayed at waiting rooms before they are called

in to enter the field.
The random conditions for their examination will be released

five minutes before the actual test, so the waiting room was
always a place of confusion and mental stress.
Today, however, it was much worse.
“No, what?!”
“It does not make any sense!”

The organizer discussed something that was not in the
database so far.
It was something that hasn’t been done over the past

decade.
It had been suggested that the difficulty of the practical test

should be increased, as there was an increase in cracks, and
there have been a lot of hunter casualties.
Usually, the monsters in the fields were rated 2-stars.
It was hard to use 3-star monsters for practical exams.

Capturing them alive and using them for testing fresh
candidates may have disastrous results.
Therefore, the organizers had a practical solution for

increasing the difficulty.
They got the strongest, smartest, yet safest monster that

they can for this year’s tests.
In fact, these monsters were measured to be at least 2-

stars.
[In this test, you must capture each other.]
[Human adults who have undergone military/hunting

training- ★★]
Chapter 10
Each of the candidates has been provided a supply box

before they were ushered into different domes.
Each dome had a different environment, depending on what

has been selected for the candidate. There were numerous
entrances to the domes, and candidates walked in
separately.
Click.
As soon as the entrance closed, Yoo-seong opened the

supply box.
There was only one thing in it.
An anonymous suit.
The supervisor’s voice echoed through the broadcast. [You

have five minutes to equip the suit.]
If a candidate is not prepared by the end of the five-minute

limit, they will be dropped out of the test automatically.
Supervisors will drag them out of the domes.
The anonymous suit was similar to the functional sportswear

worn by Yoo-seong. It fit the body tightly but allowed free
movement.
But,
Jiing!
As soon as Yoo-seong wore it, a shield feature installed on

the suit was activated.
Anonymous suit (special modification for testing)-★★
Like monsters, equipment used by hunters is rated with

stars.
The purpose of the anonymous suit is to completely hide the

identity of the wearer.
People in this suit can only be seen as black silhouettes.
It was also impossible to communicate inside the suit, as

conversations sound distorted unless the wearer is tuned in
to a dedicated frequency.
Naturally, there was no frequency activated for the

candidates in the test.
Each of them had no identity.
They will only see each other as black silhouettes, like killers
in a mystery cartoon.
Yoo-seong recalled the rules of the examination that was

discussed to them.
“If the wearer receives a fatal blow, the suit will release an
electric shock…”
The shielding function will be released, the candidate will be

exposed and will be considered as a drop-out.
Supervisors will quickly evacuate the dropped-out candidate

from the zone. Meanwhile, the person who took out a
candidate will be awarded 1 point.
If you take out another candidate, you will get the points
he/she had accumulated.
At the end of the time limit, only the top 10 candidates in

the dome will be considered as passed.
Yoo-seong looked around inside the dome and admired it

silently.
The environment selected for him was a jungle.
It was perfect. There were countless species of plants, some

he had only seen in television and books.
There was also tropical moisture within the dome. Above

Yoo-seong is a blue sky.
The dome is capable of showing night and day scenes,

complete with the appropriate heat of the sun at a particular
time.
The time limit is 72 hours.
A thorough test of survival, where the candidates had to find

their supply of water, food, and rest.
I have to perfectly apply all the survival techniques I learned

while preparing for the exam, Yoo-seong thought.
Suddenly, there was a rustling sound from the shrubs

behind him.
Yoo-seong immediately turned around.
“…….!”
There was a black silhouette who froze upon seeing him,
seemingly as surprised as Yoo-seong was.
Yoo-seong was a bit embarrassed. He knew that inside of

the black silhouette was another ordinary student like him.
The silhouette recovered from his shock and immediately

picked up a big tree branch, grasping it tightly in his hands.
However, Yoo-seong was much faster.
-Press button to auto-hunt.-
Yoo-seong pressed the button.
“Wow, that guy is really not a joke.”
The test dome has a field where the examinations take

place, as well as waiting rooms where candidates prepare
themselves.
It also has a control room where test operations and

supervision are conducted.
But there is a fact that is not known to the public, but an

open secret between hunters.
There was also an observation room in test domes.
The price of admission is not very high. Anyone with a

hunter’s license can use it for a small fee. The whole
process of the practical test can be observed from this
room.
There was even an option for remote viewing, where

hunters can watch the examinations without going to the
dome. In this case, the fee charged was much more
expensive.
Watching from the observation room is a tradition with a

great practical purpose. The aim was to accurately evaluate
the beginners who will enter the market.
Since a hunter’s job is of high value, the rise and fall of an

organization can depend on topnotch scouting and
recruitment.
Hunters were standing around in the observation room,

discussing the examination.
“I didn’t know the test already takes this long?”
“Yeah, it’s not a joke.”
[17 hours have elapsed since the start of the practical test.]
This year’s performance test was an unprecedented hit

among on-site and remote viewers.
Shortly after the guidelines have been discussed to the

candidates, the official hunter website posted about the new
rules of this year’s test.
It has caught the attention of everyone in the industry.
It will be hell for this year’s candidates.
However, this also guarantees the quality of the passing

candidates.
As such, small and medium-sized teams and firms sent

team leaders to the field to observe firsthand.
There were nearly a thousand monitors in the observation
room. Ordinary people will find it hard to follow the action.
However, hunters are superhumans who can hunt all night

long inside dangerous cracks.
In their case, it was possible to accurately distinguish the

silhouettes just by their body movement.
The walking speed or stride of length; how a candidate

wields their fist or foot or a blunt weapon…
Each one of the hunters was watching their favorite

candidates across multiple monitors, but the majority was
gathered together in front of one screen.
It was only a rumor that had spread several months ago, but
it was confirmed today by Lee Jae-hak.
A sister.
A natural with the physical prowess and aptitude.
It was said that Lee Jae-hak had been hunting for the past
few months just to teach his younger sister, a super-genius
comparable to him.
The sister doesn’t have a license yet, and nobody knew how
she looked like.
The Association however reached an agreement with Lee

Jae-hak to allow her to join him.
It is said that even at her pure state, she could catch a

three-star monster.
It was clear that she was the favorite to top the

examination. In fact, her score is indeed at the top of the
leaderboards.
However, Lee Jae-hak’s eyes were not focused on her

screen.
He was looking at someone else…
[68 hours have elapsed since the start of the practical test.]
Yoo-seong was making dumplings.
He learned it in the Academy. In the jungle, several plants

had an effect like a temporary analgesic, and provide good
calories.
Such plants could be pounded and mixed with water, to be

eaten in bite-sized pieces, like dumplings.
The instructor advised them not to make more than three at

a time if there was no way to carry it, but the advice is now
meaningless to Yoo-seong.
He looked at his slot.
-17 dumplings-
He didn’t need to eat all of them right now. He’s already

feeling full after eating several. But he had to be vigilant
until the end and prepare as much as he can.
Such small preparations can make a difference between

winning and losing.
His problem right now is that he was too sleepy.

He thought he had trained long enough to be able to hold
off sleeping, but it was a different story in this wild and
natural environment.
He was in a constant state of anxiety, and have been

fighting and avoiding other candidates. He had already
captured five of them.
How much longer…
His eyes were drooping with fatigue.
I want to go home. I want to wash and lie down…
Suddenly, he remembered where he was.
“Wake up, Oh Yoo-seong,” he muttered to himself and bit his

lips hard.
It was too much. His lips were bloody.
But thanks to the pain, his senses were heightened once

more, and his sleepiness was gone.
He heard a rustling sound again.
The approach was completely different from the others. It

was almost imperceptible.
Yoo-seong immediately stood up and stared at the new

opponent.
“Grat grit.” Unlike the others, this one talked to him. The
anonymous suit however, is distorting what he’s saying.
“Grigriigriiii.”
What is he saying? Yoo-seong thought.

The words were definitely not meant to offer him a
compromise. The opponent was holding a roughly crafted
wooden sword.
Yoo-seong bit his tongue again, feeling the fatigue and pain
he felt over the past 68 hours.
The button was right in front of his eyes.
If I catch him, I can go home. I think…
-Press button to auto-hunt.-
With all his might, Yoo-seong hit the button.
I hope he is the last one…
“That’s crazy!”
“Are they really pure?!”
“What the hell is that?”
Everyone’s eyes were focused on Dome 2.
Yoo-seong is facing the best candidate in the examination.

Chapter 11
of raw materials that can be collected.
Yoo-seong was glad he studied really hard.
Even during their class, where the topic was “materials that
can be used in an emergency,” which other students
disregarded as simply a theoretical subject, Yoo-seong
listened carefully.
These raw materials could be used for consumption and

energy restoration, as well as for making equipment.
He couldn’t rely only on auto-hunting.
‘I should do as best as I can, with my own efforts, he

thought.’
So, even if the other students relaxed and had drinks after
classes, Yoo-seong would remain at school to review various
teaching materials.
Read, review, analyze.
His efforts were now bearing fruit.
Pug!
A wooden sword swung in a frightening curve, colliding with

his arms.
It had enough power to break his bones, but instead,
although it was painful, he was able to endure it. This was
because he had a woven armband made of vines.
Eucalyptus stalks are tough and elastic. It is used as a raw

material for making hunter equipment.
Yoo-seong’s arms, neck, shoulders, and chest were covered

in vines, greatly reducing the sword’s impact.
‘He’s strong.’
Yoo-seong could think through the pain. It was the first time
an opponent challenged him.
So far, the opponents Yoo-seong encountered had been

knocked down by his offensive auto-hunting.
However, this person was different.
Flexible, graceful, yet powerful attacks.
The attacks had trajectories that Yoo-seong could not

predict.
Whoosh-
‘How could he have avoided that?’
His opponent had excellent evasion and defensive skills.
They had been fighting for hours. However, his offensive

auto-hunting did not seem to make a dent against his
opponent.
However, it was the best thing he could do right now… it

was the only thing he could do.
‘Whatever…’
His whole body screamed in pain. His heart, lungs, muscles,

joints, bones…
‘If I keep attacking him like this, could I defeat him?’
‘Can I beat this unidentified opponent just by holding on

more?’
He couldn’t even land a fist.
‘I need to focus.’
This opponent was also human—a human who had also

been awake for more than 60 hours.
‘He is probably just as exhausted as I am.’
Yoo-seong wasn’t sure he could defeat him, but if he could

stay standing…
‘I could win. ‘
Yoo-seong looked at his slot.
-16-
He still had a supply of energy.
He had to win, no matter what. If he gave up now, his effort

for the past eight months would go to waste.
More importantly, he had auto-hunting.
‘Failing even if I had a miraculous skill? What a shameful

outcome. I have to win!’
Both his mind and body are exhausted, but he continued to
attack, avoid and defend, moving without any hitch.
Yoo-seong was standing beyond his auto-hunting skill. He

was fighting with the stamina he had built up, and a
determined will.
His simple armor was so tightly crafted that it retained its

function even after receiving countless heavy attacks.
-15-
The dumplings he made would help him survive.
-14-
Steadily, it was replenishing the tremendous amounts of

calories his body was consuming.
‘How long has it been?’
Finally, his opponent reached his limit.
‘Pug!’
The sound of a wooden sword hitting flesh.
“…”
The wooden word was trembling. The hand that held it was
shaking.
Yoo-seong caught the wooden sword and held onto it tightly.
His opponent was still fighting and trying to pull the sword
out of his hands, but Yoo-seong’s grip was stronger.
Then, Yoo-seong’s other hand swung down.

Pagak!
The wooden sword broke in half.
“Ahhh!”
His opponent screamed in shock and embarrassment,

stumbling backward.
However, Yoo-seong was immediately onto him, catching his

already worn-out body.
Papapat!
Three punches landed in an instant.
Kuung!
His opponent was thrown backward and crashed to the

ground.
Surprisingly though, the suit’s shielding had not been

released. Normally, the shielding broke after receiving
heavy damage, and an electric shock ran through the suit.
However, his opponent remained down, not moving.
‘I won… ‘
What spread through Yoo-seong’s head was more relief than

joy.
Now, it was finally over. He moved towards the opponent to

finish him off.
He raised his fist. However –
-72 hours elapsed. The test has ended.-

He felt a small shock through his body as his suit’s shielding
was released.
The test was over.
“Wow!”
“Did you guys just see that?”
All hunters in the observation room crowded over the

monitor showing the two candidates at Dome 2.
A duel had lasted four hours.
Although there were differences in opinion on who

performed better, everyone had overwhelming admiration
for the candidates on screen.
Of course, the battle was not that great on an ‘absolute’

basis.
All spectators gathered here were professional hunters. Any

of them could overpower either of the two candidates.
However, considering that the two were ‘pure’ – natural,

bare body without reinforcements or equipment…
An adult who was good at driving was not a big deal.
But elementary school children, between the ages 7-8 years

old – if they could handle the vehicle skillfully, wouldn’t it be
surprising?
Their growth potential was immense.

Even a person with a weak physique could be superhuman-
like when armed with the best equipment.
However, if a beginner who couldn’t drive was placed on a

supercar’s steering wheel, it would result in a tragedy.
To reduce such waste of talents, superhumans were required

to train and study until they were qualified for a hunter’s
license.
Imagine if these two had the right experience, training, and

equipment in the future…
“At first, I thought the woman would win.”
“The man’s attacks weren’t really a joke. Even the last time
he raised his fist, his focus was still too intense.”
The hunters continued their frenzied discussions as the

evaluation ended, and the candidates were revealed.
The man was Oh Yoo-seong.
The opponent who had a wooden sword was a woman.
Her name was Lee Un-seol.
She was Lee Jae-hak’s younger sister.
“But when the test ended, and the shields were lifted, the
man also collapsed.”
“Yeah, he was just standing from sheer willpower.”
There were also disagreements about who really won.
“Anyway, it’s clearly Yoo-seong who won.”

“I don’t think so. Un-seol’s shield wasn’t taken off even after
taking his punches. She could still have fought until the last
minute.”
The bell rang at the decisive moment.
“I must say that it’s the best result I’ve seen. Even if they
took the original examination type with real monsters, those
two would still have passed.”
“Right.”
“I’m glad neither of them failed.”
The hunters nodded.
There was one question that was still unresolved. Since the
bell rang at the decisive moment, the result of the duel was
a draw.
However,
“Who scored more points?”
After their exhausting 72-hour exam, the candidates

gathered in a spacious resting area as they waited for the
results to be presented.
There would only be two outcomes.
Pass, or fail.
Candidates who were considered as passed are expected to

cry tears of joy, while the other will cry tears of sadness.
It was a given.
However, there was also an exception. It was Lee Un-seol,
who was pouting.
That she would surely pass the test was a fact. There was
no way she can’t be in the Top 10.
However, she wanted to be the Top 1.
She had taken it for granted. However, the last opponent

she faced…
She remembered a conversation she had with her brother,

Lee Jae-hak.
“Well, you’ll realize one day…”
“What?”
“The world is wide.”
Her brother sounded so serious that she had to laugh. Lee

Jae-hak continued calmly.
“You haven’t felt it yet… but you should be ready.”
“Ready?”
“The feeling you’ve made other people feel so many times.

The feeling that you’re not enough. Losing.”
Lee Un-seol couldn’t take it anymore and stood up.
She walked out of the waiting room and went straight to a

man sitting next to a coffee machine. The man was sitting in
a chair with a cup of iced coffee. A towel covered his head.
Lee Un-seol spoke.

“Hey.”
“…”
She saw the man raise his head.
‘He looked so exhausted, Lee Un-seol thought as she

clenched her fists. He looked like he was in a worse
condition than her; how could he win?’
She asked him.
“How many did you catch?”
“…?”
“I’m just asking. I don’t know if I was counting… but how

many people have you hunted during the exam?”
She paused, then told him how many she caught before he
could answer.
“I caught 52 people.”
The candidates around the coffee machine turned to look.
What was this woman saying?
They were also happy because they passed, but they only
hunted around 5-6 candidates on average.
Yoo-seong looked up at Lee Un-seol without expression.
Then, he said briefly.
“46.”
The candidates around the coffee machine had their mouths
wide open.
Lee Un-seol’s expression became a little brighter.
“Huh… Then I won.”
She was a young genius.
Her brother advised her to be prepared to learn humility one

day in this wide world, but it seemed that it was not going to
be this day.
I got six more. That’s what’s important in determining the

result.
The 20-year-old young woman smiled with pride and spoke

once more.
“Well, you’re not that bad.”
Yoo-seong still had no expression.
“…Thank you.”
As he said those words, a huge screen that filled one side of

the waiting room turned on.
The middle-aged man on the screen was Lee Ki-woo, the

president of the Association.
-I would like to say a few words before we present the

results.-
-It was an unprecedented, therefore difficult examination.

Nevertheless, I would like to express my admiration to those
who have completed the 72-hour exam, regardless if they
failed or passed.-
Everyone held their breath and focused on the screen.
-As we had discussed before the exam started, you will earn
one point for each candidate you catch.-
-I think there may be protests for not notifying you in

advance, but the preservation of prey and minimization of
damage is one of a hunter’s top priorities. It goes without
saying.-
-As such, we included the preservation of prey in

considering the scores.-
There were numerous reactions around the room.
“What?!”
“Surely…”
-Therefore, a score of +5 for every perfect capture applies,

as well as a -3 deduction for unnecessarily violent capture.-
The waiting room was chaotic.
Depending on how safely you overwhelmed one opponent,

you can get a score equivalent to capturing five people!
‘Good. ‘ Lee Un-seol was confident. There could be no more

sophisticated workmanship than hers.
With such scoring, the gap between the top and the bottom
candidates can become even more overwhelming.
‘But…’
Lee Un-seol turned her gaze to Yoo-seong.
‘I’m a little worried. ‘

-Then, we will announce the results.-
Finally, Lee Ki-woo’s face disappeared.
In his place were diagrams that filled the monitors.
Both Lee Un-seol and Yoo-seong saw their results at a

glance.
The gap between No. 1 and No. 2 was overwhelming.
What a difference!
Three times!
Chapter 12
The waiting room was filled with various emotions.
“…Uh… uh…”
“Whew, I got it!”
The heightened tension stemming from the Association

President’s announcement erupted at once.
“Huh?”
“…Uh…”
One by one, the candidates began to notice the incredible

figures at the top of the chart.
1. Candidate No. 0942 – Oh Yoo-seong: 781 points.

2. Candidate No. 0211 – Lee Un-seol: 247 points.
“Is that even real?!”
A candidate’s score was composed of two parts. First was a

capture score, which added 1 point per person captured,
and included a +5 / -3
The second part was a loot score, where you obtained the
score of a person you captured.
Other successful candidates’ scores average between 20 to

30.
Their captures were usually the weakest people.
In fact, a lot of them avoided battle and just tried to survive.
If they encountered someone whom they thought was equal

to them in terms of strength and skill, they decide to escape
or call a truce, even without speaking.
It was because of this that Yoo-seong’s score was a difficult

thing to understand.
First, he captured 46 people. Even if he received 5 points

out of each capture, the total would only be 230 points.
Getting 5 points on all captures is already a monstrous feat.
If his total is 781, then it meant…
Lee Un-seol was speechless.
‘Score difference… 534…’
She understood what it meant.
Just getting perfect captures wouldn’t bring him to 781.
It meant that the 46 people caught by Yoo-seong were

powerful, high-scoring candidates.
She was defeated by the quality of Yoo-seong’s prey.
She turned around. Oh Yoo-seong had disappeared from his

seat.
Without thinking about it, she walked to his seat and sat
down, burying her face in her hands.
The genius who was believed to be the best of her
generation had just faced her first defeat.
The 29th Korea Hunter Licensure Test was over.
The record was set.
Oh Yoo-seong, No. 0942, was the top-notcher.
***
Yoo-seong was in the bathroom.
He was in really bad shape. As soon as he checked the

results, he left the waiting room to return home.
However, as he walked down the hallway, he felt that he

wouldn’t make it.
Instead, he went inside the bathroom, entered a cubicle,

and sat on the toilet.
He leaned back and quickly fell asleep.
“…”
His soft snores rang inside the bathroom.
The hunters who watched him were right.
The reason Yoo-seong endured was from pure willpower.
Lee Un-seol, who thought that he looked worse than her,

was also right.
The 72-hour march was harder than anything else. Even at

the end of their duel, Lee Un-seol was the one who had
more stamina left.
She was a genius.
A genius didn’t have to push herself to the limit of his

physical strength.
However, Yoo-seong was different.
Of course, auto-hunting controlled his body, but it was his

concentration that sustained it.
For eight months, he had endured hard training and tried to

break his limit. In time, not only his body, but his mind
became well-trained.
“…”
Sleeping proved to be a sweet endeavor.
Even if he was sleeping in the bathroom, in a ridiculous

posture, it was a deep and refreshing reprieve.
His body was recovering at a fast rate.
The human body was indeed amazing. If it was not

destroyed, it would keep on recovering and growing.
If the effort had gone beyond the body’s limits, then the
recovery and growth would also be equally incredible.
It would go stronger, longer, and farther next time.
Perhaps Yoo-seong gained a lot more than a hunter’s license

today.
***
It was 3 am when he woke up. It was cold and dark outside

the test site.
“It’s crazy,” Yoo-seong murmured as he looked at the empty
parking lot.
He had slept for hours in the bathroom.
“If I knew that would happen, I should have stayed in the

waiting room and slept there instead.”
No matter how tired he was, how could he have slept on the

toilet?
Still, he was glad. His body felt refreshed.
He had not yet fully recovered from the 72-hour

examination, but he felt better. Of course, his body was still
in pain. It was the same feeling he had after completing a
workout. Muscle pain was inevitable.
‘But how will I get home?’ He thought.
Yoo-seong took out his phone to try looking for a taxi.
But suddenly, he saw lights from a distance, approaching

him.
Soon, a white sports car was in front of him.
The car’s door opened. Out came the man he saw before
the test started.
Lee Jae-hak.
“…?”
Above all emotions, Yoo-seong felt creeped out.
The test was long over. Did he wait for him?

‘What? What is he doing here?!’
He remembered Jae-hak touching his arm and his body.
‘Is he a pervert?’
Lee Jae-hak continued approaching Yoo-seong, then turned

and said something in a harsh voice.
“Lee Un-seol!”
After a few moments, the passenger-side door opened.
Lee Un-seol stepped out.
Her eyes were red. There were still marks of tears on her
cheeks. Lee Jae-hak turned to him and smiled shyly.
“My younger sister took it badly…”
“Yes? What…”
Yoo-seong was surprised that Lee Un-seol was Lee Jae-hak’s

younger sister.
He was speechless.
Lee Un-seol approached her brother, standing before Yoo-

seong.
“…”
She hesitated for a while,
Then, she finally opened her mouth, her voice trembling.
“I… really…”
She seemed on the verge of tears once more.
“Really… it was good learning… thank you…”
Then, she bowed her head deeply. Yoo-seong was

speechless.
After she raised her head once more, she turned

immediately and made her way back into the car.
Bang!
She went in and slammed the car door close.
“Well…” Lee Jae-hak smiled bitterly. “She’s not a bad kid.”
Yoo-seong simply nodded.
“If my sister did something rude or unpleasant in the

waiting room, I apologize.”
“No, she didn’t,” Yoo-seong shook his head. “But… I didn’t

do anything to her.”
“No, you did a lot.” Jae-hak’s voice was firm. “Thanks to Mr.
Oh Yoo-seong, she learned much earlier than I thought. If
she overcomes the feeling of losing, she will grow even
more.”
This felt a bit awkward for Yoo-seong.
Lee Jae-hak offered a handshake. “Thank you again.”
Yoo-seong took his firm grasp.
Jae-hak continued. “I believe that you have unlimited

potential.”
For a moment, Lee Jae-hak’s eyes shone. Rather than
hostility, his gaze was of enormous admiration.
Yoo-seong took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
It all felt unbelievable. Before the exam, Lee Jae-hak had

admired his body, and now, he gave him sincere
appreciation and offered a handshake.
Lee Jae-hak shook his hand.
“But… I don’t think you can get a ride home, what are you
planning to do? My car’s back is narrow, but it has space for
one person. Of course, my sister is in the passenger seat…”
“No, no. I’ll be fine.”
Riding in Jae-hak’s car may be an amazing experience, but it

would be awkward to be in a car with Lee Un-seol.
“I’ll take a taxi. I’ll be fine.”
“Um… yes, okay.”
Lee Jae-hak nodded apologetically. “Then, I will see you next

time I have a chance.”
“Yes.”
“Congratulations on your license acquisition.”
Lee Jae-hak went back into his car.
As the sports car passed by him, Yoo-seong felt two gazes

from within its tinted windows.
One was full of goodwill.

The other looked at him angrily.
“…Um.”
Yoo-seong checked his cell phone once more.
This time, he tried to call for a taxi. However, he didn’t get a

chance to do so.
It was totally unexpected, but tonight, Yoo-seong would

have to use his button once more…
Chapter 13
13
His name was Kim Sung-wook.
He was 32 years old, tall, and good-looking.
For the past eight months, he had spent at least 6 hours a

day with Yoo-seong. He was a lecturer at Yoo-seong’s
academy.
“Uh? Teacher.”
“If it’s okay, I’ll drive you home.”
Behind him, there was a black SUV that suited his size. It
looked as reliable as its owner.
Yoo-seong nodded.
“Let’s ride.”
***
“Ah, there was a separate viewing room?”
Yoo-seong’s eyes opened wide upon hearing about it for the

first time.
“It’s not particularly confidential, but I don’t have to tell the

students. It can be bothersome for them to know they’re
being watched.”
“I think you’re right,” Yoo-seong nodded.
The fact that there were hunters watching him would give
him more motivation and energy. However, many people
wouldn’t feel the same and would instead become more
nervous.
“Then, did you watch us, too, Teacher?”
“Yes. Even with a retired license, there is no problem getting

access to the viewing room if you pay the membership fee.”
“You have had a lot of trouble.”
“It’s nothing much.”
Yoo-seong looked at Kim Sung-wook.
It had not only been 72 hours. He had stayed in the parking

lot to wait for him as soon as the exam was over. For ten
hours, he had been staying there like Lee Jae-hak, not
knowing if Yoo-seong had already left the test site.
‘Why?’ Yoo-seong thought.
Instead of asking the question, he thanked his teacher

instead.
“It’s a bit awkward, but I want to commend you for waiting

for me until I came out, even if it’s a bit late.”
Kim Sung-wook tilted his head.
“Yes? What do you mean by that? You came out late on

purpose, right?”
It was embarrassing, yet Yoo-seong tried to explain what
happened.
Kim Sung-wook was silent for a moment.
However, Yoo-seong could see through his teacher’s cheeks

and mouth that he was holding back laughter.
“It was alright. You were exhausted, so it was the right

choice to rest right away.”
“Yes, but…”
As Yoo-seong was scratching his head, Kim Sung-wook

changed the subject.
“Would you like to visit the hunter’s homepage with your

phone? Your license code has already come out, so just
download the app and authenticate it.”
Yoo-seong nodded. He downloaded the app and went

through the authentication.
As soon as Yoo-seong’s license code had been granted

permission, a notification sound rang.
Beep-
Beep-
Beep-
“Huh?”
Countless notifications followed.
“If you look at the top right, you will be able to check your
mail.”
Kim Sung-wook’s eyes were fixed on the road, but he knew
what was happening. There was a faint smile on his mouth.
“A bunch of kids are probably running after you.”
“…”
Yoo-seong clicked on the mailbox.
-Hello. Oh Yoo-seong, we…
-Hello. YZ Hunting…
-Congratulations on your success, Oh Yoo-seong…
-Hello…
-Congratulations…
There were several pages filled with mail. Among them were
messages from scouts.
Yoo-seong clicked on one of them.
Sender: [email protected]
Title: Congratulations on your passing, Oh Yoo-seong!
Content:
Hello, Oh Yoo-seong. My name is Joon Park, Vice Team

Leader of Team DI.
First of all, congratulations on your success. It was a 72-hour

hard march more difficult than ever, and it was an
unexpected new model that would not have been easy for
anyone. Nevertheless, your judgment, calmness, and
excellent combat sense were comparable to that of a
senior…
While reading, Yoo-seong suddenly realized an important

fact.
“…Team DI?”
“Oh, did they send you a message, too?”
Kim Sung-wook said it lightly, but it was, in fact, a big deal.
In Korea, there was a well-known acronym called ‘2F4T’.
Two (2) firms (F) and four (4) teams (T).
Amongst all companies, these conglomerates represented

the country. They were aces whose corporate images were
imprinted even to civilians who did not know their
achievements in detail.
Yoo-seong, in the eight months he spent in the academy,

had heard about how great they were from the perspective
of the industry.
They didn’t recruit rookies.
They preferred top-notch hunters who had gone through

years of proven careers.
Even then, they still needed to pass the fierce competition

and in-depth examinations. A graduate from the academy
was able to enter one of the 2F4T after several years. It was
enough to be placed on the academy’s promotional
materials.
However, now, one of the 2F4T, Team DI, had just sent a
love call to Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong gulped before continuing to read the note.
…As you know, we do not accept novice personnel who

have just obtained a license.
But, Oh Yoo-seong!
I was able to check your potential in those 72 hours.
Although we are not a team with a rookie training system, I

think that, with the advice and support of our senior
hunters, we will be able to bring out your potential in the
near future.
We promise to provide generous support for the first

strengthening enhancements that many novice hunters find
difficult.
We hope that this e-mail will serve as an opportunity for

both our team and Yoo-seong Oh’s future.
For inquiries about the detailed terms and conditions of the

contract and other matters…
Yoo-seong checked the contact details listed on the bottom

of the message before going back to the list.
Only then could he understand Kim Sungwook’s words.
His teacher thought that he came out late on purpose. It

was because if he had come out right after the test was
over, he would have been surrounded by scouts.
‘Nonsense.’
However, the messages on his screen were real. He also

received a message from Team Maruchan, one of the 4T.
Another message from QR Corporation, one of the two firms.
For a while, Yoo-seong was immersed in reading the

messages.
Finally, when he finished, he realized something. Everyone

in 2F4T had sent him a message. The contents were all
similar to those of Team DI.
Tuk!
Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. As he turned his

head, he found Kim Sung-wook’s smiling face. The car had
been parked at a rest area.
“Would you like some udon?”
***
The udon was delicious.
Yoo-seong bought coffee and approached the bench of the

rest area.
The udon was bought by Kim Sung-wook, so he decided to

buy coffee for them instead.
“I’ve been thinking about it.”
As he handed over the coffee, Yoo-seong spoke to his

teacher.
“Is the reason why you’ve waited for me has anything to do

with my future plans?”
Yoo-seong had been organizing his thoughts. He had

regained composure and calmly accepted the fact that there
were scouts coming to him.
He also thought about Kim Sung-wook’s reason. Waiting for
hours in a parking lot was not something that someone
would do in mere favor.
Even organizations that sent Yoo-seong love calls with so

much devotion did not wait for him.
Kim Sung-wook must have had his own reasons.
For example, there may be a team or a firm connected with

him, and he may try to introduce him to that company.
“I’m sorry to ask you this question, but I thought I had to

ask for sure,” Yoo-seong clarified.
“Well…”
Kim Sung-wook didn’t appear to be offended by his

question.
“Not like that. But there is something I wanted to ask you…”
Yoo-seong closed his mouth and waited to give Kim Sung-

wook time to explain.
“I haven’t seen those messages, but there will be something

in common with them. It’s about strengthening
enhancements. They probably offered you to take
responsibility for the cost.”
“Yes.”
“But, as you know, teams and firms don’t do that for

beginners.”
When someone became a hunter, he could undergo

strengthening. There were two ways to do it.
First, injecting energy into the core of the human body by
obtaining the raw materials needed for it and paying the
cost.
Second, a hunter who had gone through strengthening and

has energy on his core could pass it on to another hunter.
It was much like in martial arts, where a master passed on

his strength to his disciples.
The conclusion of any of the two methods was the same. A

hunter needed money or a network. A novice hunter would
not be able to afford the cost unless they were born with a
silver spoon.
Therefore, the firm or the team usually wrote up a contract.
Novice hunters could pay the cost of strengthening after

going through training and working with the company for a
certain period.
That was why the messages that Yoo-seong received were

exceptional.
He had been offered to undergo strengthening immediately

without going through training.
“But you would have to sign a contract with them anyway,

so you can’t help but be tied down for years,” Kim Sung-
wook explained.
“Well… it can’t be helped.” Yoo-seong shrugged.
“Indeed. But what if there was a way…”
“What?”
Kim Sung-wook suddenly changed the subject.

“It’s been 13 years.”
“…”
“13 years ago, like you, I passed the licensure examinations.

Of course, I didn’t receive that many messages, but there
were quite a few.”
Yoo-seong was surprised by the unexpected conversation.
Hunters generally kept their history private. For famous

hunters such as Lee Jae-hak, they become targets of fraud
and blackmail because of their wealth.
Because of this, many hunters did not share their history

and focused only on their work.
“So, I’ve been running for about nine years while getting
quite recognized. I worked hard and earned hard, and
then…”
Kim Sung-wook had a bitter smile on his lips.
“I got destroyed.”
“What happened?”
“I was stupid and arrogant. I thought it was an easy-to-catch

monster. I acted too late.”
Kim Sung-wook’s core and energy were fine, but the veins
that supply energy to his body were injured. His fuel was
still overflowing, but the engine is broken.
“I’ve spent a whole year on rehabilitation, but… it was

hopeless. Fortunately, I wasn’t in a totally miserable state.”
The money accumulated in his bankbook was enough for
him to be considered a rich young man. He was still young
and could do whatever he wanted to do.
However, instead of enjoying life, Kim Sung-wook started to

work again.
Compared to his active days, his new career had a

ridiculously lower salary and shabbier treatment.
“I think I still have some regrets left.”
Kim Sung-wook touched his belly.
His core. The driving force that was the basis of superhuman
abilities.
His core was still full.
“I still couldn’t pass it on to someone.”
It wasn’t just him.
Countless retired hunters hated giving away their gear and

their core. Doing so would bring them down from being a
superhuman to being a normal person.
It caused great deprivation and emptiness.
Thus, the second method of strengthening was rare, even if

it was much more efficient and more stable than the first
method. It was because it was easier to find raw materials
than to find donors.
“Excuse me…”
Yoo-seong’s voice trembled.

He couldn’t help it. He knew what Kim Sung-wook was
leading to.
“Sir, no. Mr. Kim Sung-wook. You can’t…”
Kim Sung-wook raised his eyes to stare into Yoo-seong’s.
He had been a lecturer at a famous academy for several

years. He had taught a number of prospects.
It was because he wanted to find someone. Someone who

could help him get rid of his regrets.
He wanted to work more, to run wilder.
Since he couldn’t… he could at least hand it over to

someone who could.
The energy was still raging inside his core.
There were a lot of talented people, but… none of them

stood out. Sung-wook was the best among his generation
when he was younger.
Maybe his standards were too high.
He was close to giving up, but at last, Kim Sung-wook found

someone.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong.”
He not only had great skills and talents. He was also more
sincere than any student he has ever seen.
He saw him repeatedly master the basics that some

students regard as insignificant.
It was a virtue that even Kim Sung-wook himself didn’t
have.
With unprecedented politeness, Kim Sung-wook spoke to the

man in front of him.
“Although I wasn’t the best…”
To his successor, Oh Yoo-seong.
“Would you like to accept my core and my remaining

dreams?”
Yoo-seong opened his mouth.

Chapter 14
14
“No, wait a minute. Wait a minute.”
Yoo-seong held his hands out towards Kim Sung-wook.
“I don’t understand. I didn’t expect to hear a story like this.”
Yoo-seong did not know exactly how much value was being
handed over to him. However, one thing was certain.
Nothing in this world, not even the cheapest copper coin,

was given for free.
It was an unchanging truth that Yoo-seong was very well

aware of through his 29 years of experience.
The only exception was the button floating in front of his

eyes. This was why Yoo-seong thought of it as a miracle.
Miracles didn’t happen to everyone. Why would it happen to

one person twice?
“It may sound unpleasant, but please understand. I know

my grades are great. But… I don’t think I deserve this.”
He didn’t know if he would have accepted it if he was in his

teens or early twenties.
However, by now, Yoo-seong had already experienced too
much to simply accept this favor.
“Hmm.”
Kim Sung-wook looked calm. Then, he raised a clenched fist.
“…!”
Yoo-seong felt tense at the moment.
However, Kim Sung-wook did not swing his fist.
Instead, he pointed at his own knuckles. There was nothing

on them.
However, Yoo-seong knew what Kim Sung-wook meant.
He looked at his own knuckles.
More than ten hours had passed since the test.
However, there were still red marks on each of his knuckles.

Noticeable red marks.
They were traces of the simple armor that Yoo-seong had

carefully made and worn for 72 hours.
“Those marks won’t just be there.”
Next, Kim Sung-wook pointed to his neck. His collarbone, his

shoulders. Chest, thighs, and knees.
Yoo-seong knew that there would be red marks on them.
All of them were vital places where the armor knots were
located.
During those long 72 hours, these places were protected by
tightly woven armor.
“The number of examinees was 2497.”
“…”
“Out of all of them, how many do you think would have

marks like yours, Yoo-seong? No, how many of them are
even familiar with making armors that match the standard?”
Yoo-seong mumbled that he just fought well during the

examination.
“Do you really think so? That you topped the examination
just because you subdued people?”
Yoo-seong was able to hunt and defeat 46 people in total.
How many opponents were the others able to hunt? Even

some of the top-ranked ones averaged at 5-6 people.
In addition, in each of the 46 encounters, he was careful and

avoided being ambushed or attacked by accident. Yoo-
seong always had enough time to press the button before a
fight occurred.
This was not just a matter of who fought better.
“Is it as simple as you fought better than them? No.”
“…”
“Do you really think that high-profile firms and teams will
break the precedent they’ve been keeping for someone who
just fights well?”
It was his behavior and attitude. Yoo-seong was able to hunt
46 people because he studied and learned even the most
trivial things, engraving them to memory.
In the field, there was only one other person who was
superior to Yoo-seong.
A natural genius.
Lee Un-seol, who had a brother who supported and provided

her with guidance.
Even with that, she was still defeated by Yoo-seong.
“While teaching you in the past eight months, I have seen

enough. Your physical strength is excellent, but that alone
would not have made me pass the core to you.”
“But… what would you get out of it?”
“To shake off my regrets.”
Kim Sung-wook’s tone was calm.
“To be clearer, I would be satisfied to watch you do the

things I could not achieve. If you think about it that way, it
will make you more comfortable.”
His eyes were also calm.
“We do not have that much relationship to become a master

and a disciple. It’s not just that the age difference is short…
I don’t think I am enough to be considered your master.”
“…”
“But at least, I can be a mentor and an advisor. I will help

you until you can stand alone as a hunter.”
Then, Kim Sung-wook sighed. He spoke casually, but in a
voice that was filled with emotions.
“Then… once again, I’ll tell you my proposal properly.”
He told Yoo-seong his previous proposal, but in a much

calmer tone.
“I want to become a mentor for Oh Yoo-seong. Now, we

have an opportunity to move into a more trusting
relationship.”
“…”
Yoo-seong was silent for about a minute.
“Okay.”
Then, he opened his mouth once more.
“But I would like one thing to be clear…”
***
The following day arrived. It was currently 7 in the morning.
-Jin Chang-hoon Hunter Medical Center.-
Yoo-seong came out an hour earlier than the appointment

time.
Surprisingly, Kim Sung-wook also arrived at the same time

as him. They met at a cafe on the first floor of a six-story
hospital building.
“You came early.”
“You came early.”

They spoke at the same time. He still had a slightly awkward
smile.
“Shall we go up, then?”
Sung-wook was referring to the hospital upstairs.
“Are they open at seven in the morning? Even if they cater

to hunters…”
“They usually don’t.”
Kim Sung-wook spoke with a light smile.
As they were about to leave the cafe, the saleswoman

behind the counter leaned towards them.
“Come again!”
“…?”
It was unusual for franchise cafes to greet customers that

way.
Yoo-seong speculated that Sung-wook had spoken with the

clerk before he arrived. However, the mystery was quickly
resolved as they went to the front door of the building.
“Huh?”
Letters stood out in front of him.
The name of the building in four letters above the lobby:
-Sung-wook Building-
“…”
Yoo-seong thought about the location of the building.
It was near Subway Line 2, in a popular area.
Sung-wook followed his gaze.
“It won’t be long for you, Yoo-seong.”
“How could a lecturer at an academy…”
“Well, I don’t have to do it anymore. I already found you.”
“…”
Yoo-seong shook his head.
‘Sung-wook is a building owner?’
It was mind-boggling.
“The doctor is my friend.”
Hunting was a physical occupation.
There were special doctors needed to manage special

injuries that ordinary people couldn’t sustain. Most of all,
they needed a trusted primary care physician to handle the
process of strengthening.
Sung-wook’s doctor, Jin Chang-hoon, was a man in his mid-

30s.
“It’s too early…”
His tone was annoyed. However, his expression was bright.
“It’s been a long time!”

He shook hands with Sung-wook, then with Yoo-seong.
“Ah, he’s the one you were talking about?”
“Yes.”
Everyone had a core. Even without strengthening, each core

was filled with energy. Strengthening meant expanding the
capacity of this core.
When the procedure begins, a qualified specialist injects

energy into the hunter’s body. The amount of energy that
can be injected once is legally established.
It must be 500CE (Core Energy). Nothing more, nothing less.
However, this injected energy does not go directly to the

core.
It is the hunter’s responsibility to drive the energy floating in

the body to the core.
With good control, one could push the energy into your core.
Then, albeit with terrible pain, it would expand.
An expanded core does not shrink again, and the injected

energy stays for life until the core is destroyed.
“Then, you come in first.”
Sung-wook entered the infusion chamber first to relieve

energy.
This would then be injected into Yooseong.
When the extraction was over, and Sung-wook came out,

Yoo-seong entered the infusion chamber.
Jin Chang-hoon spoke to him as the machine is being
prepared.
“…Sung-wook is my benefactor.”
“Yes?”
“I had a poor family. He paid my medical school tuition and

living expenses just because I was an old friend. This
hospital’s start-up fund was also provided by him.”
Although he looked somewhat embarrassed, he could see

how proud Jin Chang-hoon was of his friend.
“So, I am worried about this. Do you really have the

qualities to take his energy? My friend’s blood and sweat?”
“…”
It is much easier for someone to absorb energy from a core

than energy made from monster by-products.
However, it had its own risk.
If the energy was not pumped into the core in time, they
could get discharged.
If Yoo-seong could not handle the energy properly, Kim

Sung-wook’s energy would go to waste.
“Of course, because of my friend’s personality, he would be

responsible for you. I have no right to make a decision. So, if
you wish to proceed, then I wish… that you are talented
enough to handle it.”
“Okay.”
Yoo-seong understood and agreed. Then, the procedure
began.
***
About ten minutes had passed.
Sung-wook was waiting outside the infusion room.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Jin Chang-hoon came out.

Sung-wook stood and asked him immediately.
“No rejection reaction? Any side effects?”
Of course, he asked about any abnormalities first, not the

absorption rate.
Jin Chang-hoon nodded. Sung-wook noticed a strange

reaction on Chang-hoon’s face.
“What is it? What happened? Hey!”
Jin Chang-hoon slowly opened his mouth.
“You, man…”
His voice was weak.
“What the hell did you bring to me?”
“…???”
However, Jin Chang-hoon was smiling.
“That person, the absorption rate…”

Chapter 15
15
Jin Chang-hoon raised his head as if he was trying to say

something.
He didn’t know how to say it. Instead, he motioned for Sung-

wook to follow him.
“Come in and see,” he replied instead.
Kim Sung-Wook went into the infusion chamber. Yoo-Seong

was sitting cross-legged on the treatment table.
It was the best posture to harness the energy immediately

after the injection. Yoo-Seong’s eyes were closed, and his
breathing was light.
“What? Is the injection finished already?” Kim Sung-wook

asked as he looked back at Chang-hoon.
“This is the second round,” Chang-hoon said.
“What?”
“We have already completed infusion and absorption once. I

have just injected 500CE again.”
Kim Sung-wook was stunned.

Barely a dozen minutes had passed since Yoo-seong entered
the infusion chamber. One absorption round had already
ended in that short time?
That was exceptionally fast.
“What is the absorption rate?” Sung-wook asked.
Jin Chang-hoon’s voice trembled as he answered.
“64.3%.”
“Interesting,” Kim Sung-wook said, raising his eyebrows.
It was indeed surprising.
An average person absorbed energy at a rate of 60%.
“That’s higher than average. However, considering how

experienced you are and how impressive he is, I expected
he would be absorbing over 80% of my energy,” Sung-wook
joked.
“The energy… it’s not yours,” Chang-hoon said.
Sung-wook frowned in confusion.
“What?”
Jin Chang-hoon shut his eyes tight as he spoke.
“I’m sorry. Sung-wook,” he confessed.
“From the moment you told me what you wanted, I knew I

couldn’t inject your energy into another person. I couldn’t
imagine your life without the energy you had gone through
so much for.”
To Jin Chang-hoon, Sung-wook was not only a benefactor but
a great friend.
Sung-Wook had gone through so much hardship to gain that

CE during his period of active duty.
The moment he learned that Sung-Wook was planning to

transfer his CE to a successor, Chang-hoon prepared a
separate 500CE extracted from a monster.
It had depleted a lot of his resources, but he didn’t mind. He

was doing it for a friend.
He had resolved to try the energy on Yoo-seong once and

test if the younger man could handle it, and he had been
surprised by the outcome.
Yoo-Seong had surpassed the average absorption rate by

three times.
“I’m sorry. Sung-wook.”
“Apologize to Yoo-seong, not me. You could have killed him.”
Jin Chang-hoon nodded. Even though he was still in a risky

situation, he was a little relieved that things had turned out
well.
Kim Sung-wook sighed.
He was very embarrassed by the unexpected misbehavior of

his friend. Still, he was glad that no one was hurt.
Yoo-seong had received a separate CE injection for free

without his knowledge. He could not move well enough yet.
According to Jin Chang-hoon, it hadn’t been long since he

received the second injection, so it would take a few
minutes to settle in.
Kim Sung-wook thought about what he had seen.
Yoo-seong had absorbed raw CE at 64%. At what rate would

he absorb Sung-wook’s CE?
Even if he didn’t know the exact answers, he could guess

from his years of experience as a hunter.
He had instructed Chang-hoon to pour his energy into Yoo-

seong. There were a few minutes of silence.
Suddenly, Yoo-seong began to scream.
“What’s going on?” Sung-wook asked.
Jin Chang-hoon hurriedly picked up the scanner to measure

the absorption rate; however, Kim already knew what it was.
“100%!” the doctor screamed.
Eventually, they completed the injections three times for the

day.
One serving was prepared separately by Jin Chang-hoon,

and the other two were from Kim Sung-wook.
In total, Yoo-Seong had already absorbed approximately

1300CE of the total 1500CE.
It was more than what other hunters could have absorbed in

a day.
“What about the pain?” Chang-hoon asked Yoo-seong.

“It’s not that much. I just feel a little bloated.” Yoo-seong
said.
“Once the pain is completely gone, I’ll begin the next

strengthening injections.” Chang-hoon explained.
500CE at a time.
There were several reasons why the quantity was legally

determined, but the biggest was the core’s burden.
Expanding the core also meant stretching the body organs

forcefully. The process of storing the core was essential.
“While the CE is settling in, and the core is still in shock, you
can still claim to be in good condition for another injection
right away. But then, you wouldn’t be able to handle the
high CE. That’s why 3-4 treatments were taken as the
medically recommended amount.”
Jin Chang-hoon continued to explain.
“Even though your absorption rate is very good, three times

is enough in this case. It is still necessary to rest. You have a
lot of potential, so there is no need to be impatient.”
“I see. Thank you,” Yoo-seong replied calmly.
It was early in the morning, and the nurses had not come to
work yet, so Jin Chang-hoon, the hospital director, received
the payment himself at the desk.
“You don’t have to bother, Yoo-seong. Let me handle it,”

Sung-wook said.
“No, teacher. I’ll take care of this one,” Yoo-seong insisted.

Originally, Kim Sung-wook wanted to cover all the expenses.
However, Yoo-seong refused. His teacher had done so much
for him already; he couldn’t allow him to pay the expenses,
too.
He made up his mind to pay for the costs and the market
price for Kim Sung-wook’s CE.
“You’ve been too kind to me, sir, by introducing me to such

a competent doctor and giving me the privilege of owning
your core energy. I’m in your debt already,” Yoo-Seong said.
He had begun to enjoy the relationship he had with Kim.
He paid the examination and medical expenses at once.
“I’m sorry, I can’t pay for your core energy yet, but I will
definitely pay for it once I earn more as a hunter.”
While preparing a receipt at the desk, Jin Chang-hoon

listened to the conversation.
He felt his face turn red as he did so.
Two hours ago, he had almost laughed at Yoo-seong. He

didn’t like the man.
He thought that the guy was just a lucky nerd. Did the
young man know the cost of the Core Energy from a veteran
hunter?
However, now, his thoughts about Yoo-seong had changed.
Perhaps it was because he had seen, firsthand, Yoo-Seong’s

outstanding qualities.
Perhaps it was because Kim Sung-wook confirmed it himself

with his mouth.
Perhaps it was because he had seen Yoo-seong’s sincerity.
Chang-hoon was unable to look at Yoo-seong directly as he

handed him his receipt. Yoo-seong read the receipt carefully,
then tilted his head.
The number of injections recorded in the cost breakdown

was only two.
“Teacher Kim, I thought you gave me three doses of

infusion?”
Jin Chang-hoon’s face turned even redder. Yoo-seong didn’t

know yet that the first injection he had received was
prepared from a monster by Jin Chang-hoon.
“Uh… I think I made an error in my calculations,” Jin said,

thinking of a good excuse to give. His head was still bowed,
and his face had become chili pepper red.
“Yoo-seong … Mr… I… really…” he stuttered as he tried to

explain.
“Yes?”
Kim Sung-wook smiled at him, gave him some support.
“It’s a welcome gift. Think of it as a discount.”
“A gift? But the infusion cost is quite expe-”
“Of course, it’s a welcome offer! You will be a frequent

customer here, won’t you? This is just a welcome gift. My
friend here, Sung-wook, knows about it. Please receive my
humble offer,” Chang-hoon babbled.
“Sure,” Sung-wook said, looking amused.

“Oh, thank you, Doctor. This is most kind of you,” Yoo-seong
said.
“Oh, it’s all good,” Jin Chang-hoon bowed once more as he

replied.
As he walked out with Yoo-seong, Kim Sung-wook glanced

back and frowned at his friend. He then mouthed some
words.
“Apologize next time. Properly.”
Jin Chang-hoon nodded.
As they went down in the elevator, Yoo-Seong still felt weird

about the free injection.
“The doctor must have given me one too many shots,” he

said.
“Ah, sometimes, even in plastic surgery, you can get double

eyelids for free. How do you feel?”
Yoo-Seong patted his lower abdomen.
“It’s itching in a very annoying way,” he said.
“As you use up the energy, the pain will naturally

disappear.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Train hard, and it would disappear faster. If you get

into a real battle, it goes all at once.”
They stepped out of the building.

Suddenly, a siren pierced through the air—disaster
notification alert.
The sky was clear. There were no clouds. However, a few

hours from then, a crack would form nearby.
To put it a little differently, there would be a party to

announce Yoo-seong’s debut.
Chapter 16
Episode 16
Crack formation.
Before, every time the siren rang, there had been panic in
the surrounding area.
Traffic tightened, and people rushed and hoarded groceries.

Looters and other criminals took advantage of the moment.
But now, no one was in a panic.
Once the siren rang, people used their cell phones to

determine the time of the crack’s appearance.
‘Nine hours left. I guess I should take my time then: pack up

for a few days and find a shelter or lodging nearby.’
People naturally gathered at the security hall closest to

them.
This kind of orderliness came from familiarity.
The decades of appearing cracks had made the experience

a rather normal one for them.
Traffic accidents now killed more civilians than the monsters

did.
Even if monsters appeared, no one felt afraid for his or her
life.
Everyone just hoped that their homes wouldn’t collapse

during the hunting operation.
Even then, insurance covered most of those costs. One

might be tempted to think of it as insensitivity.
Instead, it was civilians having developed a deep trust in

hunters – the ones who risked their lives every time for the
safety of mankind.
A bus full of such hunters passed by soon, and people

gawked.
“Uh? The hunters!” someone said as he pointed.
The vehicle was headed to where the crack had begun to

form. Soon, hunters stepped down from it, carrying their
gadgets. They looked like superheroes from movies.
“Cool!” a little kid called out.
“Rain mayhem on those monsters!” a goth teenager said.
“Don’t destroy my house!” an elderly woman shouted.
This was a familiar scene for hunters.
Only novice hunters who just received their licenses waved

their hands, feeling like celebrities.
Yoo-seong was one of them, and of course, he couldn’t help

but wave his hand.
This time though, it wasn’t just the civilians who were

staring at him.
The hunters around the bus began to point fingers.
“Hey, check it out!” a lady said.
“Is that Oh Yoo-Seong?” another lady whispered.
It has been less than a week since the test was over, and
more than a few people recognized him as the best rookie.
Virtually every hunter in the bus was checking him out.
“But he doesn’t have an armband?” a guy said as he peered

closely.
“Yeah,” another one noticed it, too.
There were different outfits for hunters; however, each wore

an engraved armband on both of their forearms.
The armband on the left showed the hunter’s achievement

level, while the one on the right displays the mark of the
firm they belong to.
Since Yoo-seong had just been a hunter, he didn’t have an

achievement level.
The other hunters understood this. However, there was still

a mystery left:
‘Why didn’t he belong to a firm or team yet?’
“Is he riding solo?” the first guy asked.
“It can’t be. Unless he’s crazy,” the other one replied.
Everyone gossiped, but no one talked to Yoo-seong directly.
They were on a rented public bus.

For hunters in small teams who couldn’t afford private
vehicles, the country rented a dedicated vehicle.
The first guy stared at Yoo-seong. If it had been an unnamed

rookie, he wouldn’t have even given a second glance.
However, this was Oh Yoo-Seong.
He had to talk to him before the other teams put their

scouting eyes on him.
“Hey,” he said as he sat beside Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong glanced at him and returned the greeting.
“Hey.”
He guessed it was another desperate scout.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Oh Yoo-Seong. I’m Choi Jae-sung.”
The hunter held out his hand for a handshake before he

continued speaking.
“I’m an expert in harnessing core energy from monsters,

and I’m in my late thirties. I’m also the leader of the
BlackBull team.”
The hunter looked around the bus, searching for his team
members.
“Let’s see… He is the vice-team leader. He and his friend

over there, oh, and least I forget our youngest. They are all
members of the team,” he said as he pointed to other
people around.
“I see,” Yoo-seong replied.

“Look, I don’t think you belong to a team yet. What are you
doing here? Did you come on a tour?” Choi asked. He was
known for being straightforward.
“No. I came to hunt,” Yoo-seong said.
“Oh. You’re not hunting solo, are you?” Jae-sung laughed.
‘This newbie doesn’t know a thing.’
When Yoo- seong didn’t reply, he asked, “Have you been

reinforced yet?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, already? With what money? Personal money?”
Yoo-seong nodded.
Choi Jae-sung rolled his eyes.
He felt that Yoo-seong was one of those silver-spooned kids

who thought they could do anything just because they had
money.
“Interesting. How many injections have you had?”
“Three.”
“Then, the CE number is probably about 300, or 400 at most

since you’re quite talented. When did you get it?”
“It’s been less than a few hours.”
The hunters who were eavesdropping on the conversation

stifled a laugh.
He had just received three injections in less than a day and
felt he was ready?
Choi Jae-Sung had to struggle the most to hold back his

laughter.
“Then, have you seen anything like this before?”
He asked as he raised his right hand.
A faint blue radiance covered his palm.
Yoo-seong raised a brow as he saw it.
It was a basic CE manipulation technique called Aura.
It raised the energy to the body’s surface to improve the

durability and abilities of the body.
“In the first place, you should not try to do this in a vehicle.
Do you know why?” Choi asked.
“No.”
“You are bringing the energy out of your body. Anyone can
do it with one week of practice.”
“…”
“However, if you are a beginner, you won’t be able to

control the release. You’ll cause an accident.”
It was something called a Corona.
If the energy released could not be controlled, it could cause

an explosion. With beginners dealing with CE for the first
time, even if they just wanted to push out a little aura, all
their energy could be exhausted in an instant.
“And what about this?”
Choi Jae-sung’s fists glowed with a white aura. The Aura

took the shape of a dandelion, releasing fluffy white smoke.
It took all of Choi’s efforts to restrict the Aura to that size.
“I can bring out auras at will. This is really important.”
Jae-sung opened his fist as he continued to explain.
“By restraining unnecessary emissions, you can fight longer

and do less damage to your surroundings.”
The Aura disappeared as suddenly as it had come.
His face was sweaty. Restricting the release of Aura was

quite a difficult task.
Choi Jae-sung wasn’t an expert at it yet.
First of all, his Aura’s shape was uneven, and dissolved into
the air too easily.
However, compared to Yoo-seong, he was confident that his

level was quite good.
“Anyway, the point is that you don’t gain experience and

technique injecting yourself with CE. The more you practice
behind the scenes, the better you can handle these
missions!”
At this, Yoo-seong nodded. Jae-sung then continued talking.
“No matter how much money you have, if you inject CE and
do not know how to do this, you’re nothing more than a
simple third class. Third class!”
“That’s amazing,” Yoo-seong nodded, engrossed in all of
Jae-sung’s words.
Jae-sung’s expression was as if he had won a fortune.
‘Yoo-seong was impressed by my performance, he thought.’
He began to imagine what things would look like after Yoo-

seong was recruited.
Getting the best rookie would be a huge plus to a small

team like theirs.
Black Bull would soon be seen as a team with great vision.
Just then, the crack opened a gap wider, and all the hunters
looked up.
As the crack opened further, the briefing results were

transferred to the hunters’ mobile phone apps.
Based on that, each team organized its operation and

started their hunt.
-The briefing has been delivered from the control center. –
When the transmission notification popped up, everyone

took out their phones.
-Gray Ant- ★★~★★★, observed to be in colonies. –
Some hunters stuck their tongues out as they read the

briefings.
“Hive type…”
“This is going to be tricky.”

Even if they were low-star monsters, they were in a group,
and the risk increased several times over.
Choi Jae-sung, who confidently gave his teammates the

briefing, turned his head toward Yoo-seong.
“Don’t worry. I know you may not understand the briefings

yet. You can look glance through it, though. We’re pretty
quick; we can take on Hive-type monsters easily. It’ll just be
a walk-over for us…”
“Sorry, I am still reading the briefing,” Yoo-seong said,

smiling as he raised his phone.
Of course, it was polite not to disturb someone during the

briefing, but Choi Jae-sung couldn’t help himself. He was
stunned at the rookie’s response.
Do you even know how to read the briefing? He thought.
Even if Yoo-seong he finished reading the briefing, Jae-sung

wondered what a novice could do with it. He couldn’t bear
his anger and spoke to Yoo-seong as if he was talking to a
child.
“Yoo-seong, you don’t need to see the briefings, do you?

Just follow those who know more. It’ll make things simpler
for you.”
The moment was tense.
Yoo-seong put his phone down to his thigh for a while. Then,
he looked at Choi Jae-sung.
He retained the respectful expression he had while listening

to Choi’s words before. However, this time, there was a
firmness when he spoke.
“To be clear. I have no intention of joining any organization
for the time being; I’ll hunt alone.”
“What-” Jae-sung began, but Yoo-seong cut him off.
“As a junior, I will just humbly listen to the advice you give,
but if your intention is for me to join your team, I have
nothing to say but sorry.”
“Uh,” Jae-sung’s smirk was now gone.
“Do you have any other important thing to say? If not, can I
now focus entirely on my briefing?”
When no answer came, Yoo-seong shifted his focus back to

his phone and began memorizing the rules.
The moment he hunted with the Choi Jae-sung team, he’d

have no choice but to keep getting involved with them from
the reward stage after the hunt was over.
He had only listened to Choi because of his respect for

elders, partners, and senior colleagues. He couldn’t go
beyond that, however.
Choi Jae-sung, whose mouth had hung open before, closed

his mouth and led his team towards the crack.
The other teams that had been listening did the same. Yoo-
seong was left alone.
He read the briefing thoroughly; then he went to the crack.
Usually, teams went hunting by themselves without help

from other teams.
However, the monsters this time were in a colony.
Therefore, the teams that took the bus together were

gathered around the bus.
They stood back-to-back, waiting for the monsters to arrive.
Each team leader discussed the formation and gave their

team members different roles.
Each team had a standard line of defense and attack.
The only loner was Yoo-seong.
Most of the hunters didn’t feel that Yoo-seong was wrong in

turning Jae-sung down.
They all knew Jae-sung tended to be excessive, and Yoo-

seong had been quite polite to the end.
But among the groups that came on the bus, Black Bull was
the best in skill and career.
From formation and barricade construction, Choi Jae-sung’s

team had no rival.
Choi didn’t care about some sarcastic ill-mannered rookie

like Yoo-seong.
The silver-spoon kid would have to learn the hard way to

take care of himself.
He shot Yoo-seong a glance.
Yoo-seong appeared quite relaxed. The sight of him annoyed

him.
“They are coming!” The hunter on the lookout shouted.

The others looked to see ants approaching from far away.
Insectoid creatures with upper human bodies came towards

them. Instead of looking like common ants, they looked like
centaurs from Greek mythology. The only difference was
that they had the lower body of an ant, not a horse.
The hunters braced themselves for the battle. Yoo-seong

also took a three-stage stick out.
“Newbie,” someone ridiculed him from the side.
It was Choi Jae-sung.
“What are you going to do with that basic equipment? You

should have brought something more suited for this.
Perhaps some ranged weapons. But you don’t have any,
right?”
Yoo-seong didn’t reply.
“Don’t hurt your nose while stepping out. Strike them

quietly from behind, or at least keep them before your-”
Before Jae-sung could finish speaking, the three-stage stick

snapped into its full form.
Yoo-seong stood with a hand on his waist and the weapon

on the other.
“What? You had been so respectful earlier,” Choi continued,

puzzled by the newbie’s reaction.
Was Yoo-seong going to fight me?
Yoo-seong, however, wasn’t even looking at him.
He hadn’t unleashed his weapon because of Jae-sung.

He had pressed his button.
-Automatic hunting activated.-
It was just like eight months ago when Yoo-seong practiced

against a mannequin with a three-stage stick.
This time, however, there was something else.
Blue energy surrounded his body.
“Dumb ass, don’t do that around people. You could hurt

them!” Jae-sung shouted, fearing that Yoo-seong would
cause a Corona.
Instead, Jae-sung gasped as he watched.
Even the hunters who had been watching the ants approach
shifted their attention to the rookie.
“Wow, what?!” someone yelled in surprise.
The surface of Yoo-seong’s Aura was very smooth.
It was a fully controlled emission. There was a 0% loss rate,

no energy wasted.
No Corona was bound to explode. No one there could

replicate that control.
Everyone watched as Yoo-seong bent down as if he was

about to run in a race. His Aura became concentrated
around his legs.
Then, he began to run.
It took just five steps and a leap for him to land gracefully
amid the dense colony of ants.
The other hunters watched in silence.
The ants were very tall, and Yoo-seong disappeared among

them.
After a few moments, they spotted him fighting against the

giant ants, turning them over one after another.
As Yoo-seong battled the ants, he realized something that

was going to cost him a lot.
He had underestimated the Automatic Hunt function.

Chapter 17
Episode 17
With an Aura-engulfed fist, Yoo-seong crushed the head of

the soldier-ant leading the stampede.
The recoil from the singular punch stunned him.
He had been training with all his strength so far. As his body
grew stronger, the Auto-Hunt function also performed
better.
The ants behind the soldier-ant reacted immediately. Using

its human arms, an ant tried to grab Yoo-seong’s body.
The force pushed Yoo-seong to the ground, and the ant tried
to step on him to crush him.
The instant the forefoot was above his torso, Yoo-seong

suddenly bounced upon the ant, as though his fall had only
been a joke.
He was like a skillful martial artist. Before the ant knew it,
he was on its back.
One moment, the ant was about to crush an enemy; the

next moment, the enemy was gone.
All it felt was heaviness on its back.
The other ants that saw what happened were bewildered.

The last thing the ant felt was Yoo-seong’s hand smashing
into its neck, disabling its central nervous system.
The ant then remained standing even after death.
Yoo-seong used its body as a platform to leap, and he

landed amid a row of ants.
The ants were excited. It was like playing with a toy.
Their opponent was a tiny primate. He wouldn’t be able to

do any damage to them.
However, whenever they tried to destroy him, it was as if

they were unable to touch him.
He dodged their attacks with ease.
Yoo-seong decided it was payback time.
He began to jump on their backs, destroying their spines

one after the other.
He executed a perfect kill every time, without even a single

error.
Seeing the pattern of the destruction befalling its

subordinates, the Centurion Ant shot an instruction
pheromone.
‘Scatter.’
The effect of the pheromones was instantaneous.
In less than a few seconds, the ants began to scatter into

the streets and alleys to prevent Yoo-seong from jumping on
their backs.
Their strategy was effective. Yoo-seong was unable to target
any one of them.
But he didn’t need to. He fixed his eyes on a higher prize.
He got down from a dead ant’s back and ran in a straight

line- headed for the centurion ant.
Because the soldiers were scattered, the Centurion Ant was

left isolated.
‘Time to die!’
Yoo-seong suddenly understood that the brains of insects

were more designed for combat than strategy.
The Centurion Ant didn’t understand that it had exposed

itself- until it saw Yoo-seong coming towards it.
It was too late for it to summon the ants back with its
pheromones.
It raised its fore and limbs so that it could fight with four
arms. It then stretched to its full height of 5.5 meters.
Its Combat power was a whopping three stars, higher than

the other castes of Gray Ant, whose risk rating
The Centurion’s jaw was wide open; It fired a lump of acidic

green saliva, capable of melting even steel.
It flew towards Yoo-seong like a bullet; however, even that

wasn’t fast enough.
From the time the jaw opened, Yoo-seong predicted that it

would release the acid.
Yoo-seong didn’t know how he had been so accurate. This
could only mean that the Auto-Hunt function had improved.
He dodged, and the acid poured on the ground.
However, dodging the Centurion’s attack would not be

enough to defeat it. The Centurion’s height was three times
that of the normal ants. Its vital spot, which Yoo-seong had
been targeting, was at least four meters above the ground –
higher than a basketball’s ring.
On top of that, Yoo-seong would have to go against the

Centurion’s intimidating arms to get there.
Suddenly, as if in answer to his dilemma, Yoo-seong’s Aura

released a great burst of energy from his legs – even greater
than when he had just been running.
When he leaped, this time, the ground beneath him cracked.
The Centurion shot its saliva again, but it was too late.
Yoo-seong’s body hovered in the air.
For hunters with a limited amount of CE, a leap like that

would be problematic. Concentrating Aura in a specific part
left the other parts relatively unequipped, limiting the
actions they could take.
However, for Yoo-seong, it was a different story,
While in the air, the Aura on his leg transferred smoothly

and quickly towards his arms.
It was a kind of control that was hard to believe.
Floating above the Centurion Ant’s head, beyond the reach

of its forelimbs, Yoo-seong stretched his hands forward.
With Aura concentrated on his arms, he caught the
Centurion’s head in the next second.
Then, he twisted his body, the Centurion’s head twisting

180-degrees twisting with him.
‘CRUNCH!’
The head of the Centurion snapped.
Yoo-seong let the head go, allowing his body to fly freely

through the air.
The Aura moved to his waist to limit the impact of his

landing.
When his feet touched the ground, slipping a couple of steps

backward before regaining balance.
It wasn’t much different from killing the other ants.
One leap- though much higher than others- was all it took.
“What… the…”
The youngest of a team muttered.
Surprisingly, no one reacted to him using a swear word.
It was the same word in everyone’s thoughts.
“What in the world… Isn’t that a Centurion? Was that

monster supposed to be killed so easily?”
“He made it look so easy…” another person muttered.

Those who lacked skills but had rich experience knew.
Yoo-seong’s moves weren’t impossible, theoretically. But

then, real life was different from theory. The moves were
very difficult to replicate.
“Boss, what do we do?” The youngest member of the Black

Bull team asked Choi Jae-sung.
The Black Bull team leader was greatly embarrassed by a

novice.
However, embarrassment wasn’t a big deal.
“I… move out,” Jae-sung said.
“Yes?” the rookie said.
“Move out! Get even one of those ants!” Jae-sung shouted

to his teammates as he ran off.
The youngest did not understand yet.
However, even before Choi Jae-sung said that command,

some of the hunters inside the barricade started to run out.
The Centurion was dead.
Without a control tower, these ants were just ordinary two-

star beasts.
In other words, they had become an easy catch.
“Go out, dumbass! Catch an ant!” Jae-sung shouted over his

shoulder with clenched teeth.
“Ah, yes! Yeah!” the youngest said before running off too.

Funny enough, the hunter’s most-valued equipment wasn’t
their high-impact armor or expensive potions.
It was the 360-degree rotation camera that they wore,

called action cameras, that enabled them to record their
kills and gave them evidence to claim the rights to sale.
Everyone’s action camera proved that Yoo-seong had single-

handedly killed the Centurion.
On top of that, there were also a number of ants which

rights already belong to him.
The hunters would not be able to compete with him.
However, to meet up with the cost of operating the team, it

was necessary to catch at least one more ant than the other
teams.
The conquest began.
The hunters who ran into the scene began to find and catch
the ants that invaded the buildings and alleys.
Fortunately, the price difference between living and dead

ants wasn’t much as long as their shells were preserved.
Every hunter was in a hurry to grab just one more ant

before it was all over.
Most of the hunters, even those who weren’t so confident in

Aura control, were fighting with their Auras raised.
The ants were easy opponents, so there was no need for

that technique.
However, Yoo-seong’s tremendous performance had raised

their morale. They wanted to look good just like he had.
It was the same with Choi Jae-sung.
“Die!” he cried while avoiding the ant’s attack.
He slapped its face with Aura-engulfed palms, and the ant

died instantly.
However, with that single attack, the Aura that surrounded

Choi Jae-Sung’s fist spread out sharply.
Suppressing his Aura on the bus was enough to make him

sweat.
In the field, he barely managed to control his Aura as he

tried to get one more ant.
However, he soon ran out of luck after fighting his third ant.
His Aura exploded and threw his body backward. Like a

novice, he fell to the ground, too exhausted to move.
If he had stuck to skill alone, he would have been able to

catch ten. The same was true of other hunters.
One by one, they suffered Coronas and fell in exhaustion.
Of course, no one had ever died from releasing a Corona,

and a lot of the ants had been killed anyway.
It was simply a rather unsightly happening caused by

watching Yoo-seong.
The hunters were eager to clean up the ugly ants.
Meanwhile, leaning on the Centurion’s body, Yoo-seong was

breathing heavily.
Cold sweat poured down his body. It wasn’t a physical
fitness problem; it was more of a mental one.
In terms of pure physical strength, Yoo-seong would still be

able to run a marathon.
It wasn’t hard to deal with the Aura. However, his chest

throbbed.
The extreme aura control shown by the auto-hunt kept his

nerves up and required extreme concentration throughout.
The exhaustion from just five minutes of fighting was so

terrible that his tongue hung out as he panted.
However, he had won a three-star monster.
Yoo-seong smiled while sweating like rain. Then, a strange

feeling filled him.
After exhaling a few more times loudly to calm himself, Yoo-

seong realized the cause.
At the top-right of the button, one more square had

appeared.
It was similar to the slot, but it already had something

inside.
‘An arrow without a tail?’
It was shaped like an umbrella without a handle…
It could have been in the shape of an awl or… a blade.
-Make eye contact and change your posture by blinking your

eyes. –
‘Posture?’
He understood what the word meant, but a question was

raised in his mind.
Automatic hunting usually took total control of his body.
If so, wasn’t it strange to give him a choice about his

posture?
Yoo-seong straightened his trembling body.
He wanted to try it out to practice. However, the ants were

almost all cleaned up. He sighed in regret.
Suddenly, his mobile phone beeped, announcing the arrival

of a new briefing.
-Urgent. Operation Division-04. Requesting support. Four-

star monsters appeared.-
-Requires participation of hunters of silversmith level or

higher.-
Operation Division-04.
It was the area situated right next to them.

Chapter 18
Episode 18
-04 OPERATION DIVISION-
The Queen snatched yet another screaming man. The

terrified hunter desperately shot at the Queen as he hung
upside down.
The Geller-Gun he used was a two-star weapon that fired

energy using the user’s CE output.
This hunter was an excellent Aura shooter. Even while

hanging in the air, he managed to hit the Queen countless
times.
However, the clanging of metal filled the air with every

impact. The balls of energy bounced against the Queen’s
tough shell without any effect.
The Queen, unbothered, continued her flight trajectory.
Then, her wings stopped flapping.
It settled on a building rooftop with its prey.
She then started eating.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!”
Soon, the screams stopped.

Kang Yuna bit her lips.
‘Another one…’ she thought.
She was the leader of another team.
More than that, Kang Yuna was the hunter with the highest
achievement rating among those gathered.
She wore a silver seal on her left arm.
It was only a matter of time before she would wear a gold

one. The only reason she was still with a team was that she
needed a means of earning temporarily.
She had quit the firm she had been working with a while ago
to get better opportunities.
She was skilled in treatment and had vast experience in the

field. She had received countless e-mails from headhunters
even before she issued her resignation letter.
Usually, hunters took vacations while their transfers were

pending, but Yuna didn’t like that.
She wasn’t interested in going to Europe. There was no time

for vacations.
She needed more money to achieve her dream of owning a

building in the middle of Gangnam. She met a team that
offered a short-term contract where she would earn 30% of
the team’s total profits.
She responded immediately. The team was a level lower

than her level, anyway.
Because it was a low-level team, she would be positioned

far from the crack, and the monsters she would face would
be three stars at most.
It should have been a casual, part-time job.
It should have been…
But she just had to meet the young Queen.
There were several Gray Ants castes, but 99.9% of the ones
that appeared across the crack were soldier ants or workers.
The rest of the ants were stuck inside the gray ant’s nest
inside the crack.
However, during special seasons, such as the breeding

season, a princess ant that had just finished mating became
a queen and explored outside the nest.
The young Queen took a completely different section from

other ants in the monster encyclopedia because it was very
rare. The appearance and features were also different from
the other Gray Ants – it was 1.5m tall, humanoid body with
quadrupedal walking.
It was equipped with wings that could fly at a speed of 290

km/h.
Still, even with that, it wouldn’t have been that tricky to deal
with it. The biggest feature it had was durability.
A Queen’s armor was the hardest amongst all Gray Ant

species.
Its durability could negate a considerable amount of

firepower. It was the reason why a Queen Ant was rated at
four stars (★★★★).
Yuna bit her lips and glanced behind her nervously.

‘When is support coming?!’
She was crouching inside a bus with her teammates and

other anxious hunters.
They were those whose lives had been saved by her healing
techniques.
Treatment was not a problem. What was lacking was

firepower.
No matter how great a healer she was, what good would it

do if she couldn’t defeat the most dangerous enemy?
Besides, being a silver hunter, shouldn’t she have known

that there was a queen?
Around the vicinity of the bus, there were many soldier ants
that were under the direct control of the Queen.
An injured person crouching near her vomited blood,

catching her attention.
“Are you okay?” she worriedly asked.
Her CE had been exhausted from too much healing.
‘He’s going to die.’
Kang Yuna’s expression darkened with the realization.
Of course, they were safe for the time being.
It was just a matter of time before reinforcements arrived.
However, no matter how accustomed she was to seeing

death, it still hurt her to watch others die.
Her toes curled involuntarily.
‘Help, please come quickly…’ she pleaded desperately in

her heart.
Kang Yuna rose slightly on her bent knees and brought her
eyes to the window.
Immediately, their eyes met.
With the Queen was by the bus. The eyes of the insect
gleamed at the sight of the prey inside.
Impulsively, Kang Yuna acted, jumping through the window

at the other side of the bus.
She rolled over upon landing, then stood up firmly.
“This way, bitch!” She shouted as she ran off.
Her eyes began to dilate with fear. However, it was too late
to change her actions.
‘You had to earn the others a little time. ’
Until more hunters arrived, she had to outrun the Queen’s

wings with her legs somehow.
That was the only way to disengage the Queen’s gaze from
the bus.
The Queen’s wings began to flap as she stared at Kang

Yuna.
She was soaring high into the air in an instant; then, she
began descending toward Yuna.
‘Get ready to die.’ Yuna told herself.

She didn’t look back, but she knew the Queen was coming
for her. She was too exhausted to use her Aura. With one
swoop, the Queen would snatch her away.
‘But it was worth the try,’ she thought the moment she felt
her legs leave the ground.
Something hit her and snatched her into the air.
However, it wasn’t the Queen.
Kang Yuna raised her head to see a man’s blackened face.
Because the man caught Kang Yuna right on time, the

Queen crashed on the ground, skidding on asphalt. Yoo-
seong did not delay.
He held Kang Yuna to his side and focused his Aura on his
legs.
He leaped quickly and jumped from a car to the top of a

streetlight and into the open second-floor window of a
nearby building.
Even though she was stuck on her side, she could hardly
feel anything as the movements continued rapidly.
‘A talented hunter had come!’
But when Yoo-seong put her down, she looked up at him and
became surprised.
“Excuse me?” she said as she felt her expectations fall.
Both arms were without armbands.
Well, it was not right to rate people on that alone.

However, the complexion of Yoo-seong was not very good.
Shortly after he put Kang Yuna down, he put her hands on

the floor and gasped.
His face was almost white, and he was sweating profusely.
She got up, suspecting he had been injured somewhere.
“Hey, wait a minute. Even if I don’t have any energy left, I

guess I can help you with a simple recovery…”
Kang Yuna placed her hand on Yoo-seong’s shoulder and

scanned his body.
Then, she realized something weird.
This man was not exhausted because of injuries or lack of

physical stamina.
It was CE depletion.
CE did not disappear after use, but it got deactivated for a

while until the body recovered.
And it was what caused great fatigue.
If Kang Yuna’s scan was correct, the CE of Yoo-seong was

1300 at most, the amount of CE of a beginner who had just
passed a year of experience.
At least 1000CE had been disabled already.
There was no way such a person could be a capable hunter.
‘But the movement just before…’

Kang Yuna first supported Yoo-seong and applied a very
basic tonic technique.
It was only a little help given her state, but she heard the
man gasp in relief once she was done.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine. Fine.” He said as he nodded.
His condition was several times worse than when he had

just defeated the Centurion.
“Are you here alone?” She asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
The hunters who were in the same area as Yoo-seong were

not in a condition to help. More than half of each team were
injured.
In the end, it was only Yoo-seong who had gone to assist the
4th division.
“Didn’t you encounter any soldier ants on the way? You

should have fought them off instead of coming to challenge
the Queen.”
“I ran across some. A group… there were about 15 of them,”

he said between heavy breaths.
“And you ran away?”
“I hunted them.”
His reply stunned her. He only had a total amount of

1300CE.
Did he use 1000CE out of it to catch 15 ants?
She wondered how much CE he used to save her from the

Queen. 400?
Yuna hadn’t read Yoo-seong’s Aura correctly.
The Auto-Hunt’s Corona Suppression made use of the CE

economically without allowing any wastage.
However, things wouldn’t have been so bad if he hadn’t

tested ‘posture’ while on the way to that place.
They heard the sound of flapping wings out the window. The
violent fall had done little damage to the Queen. The Queen
shook her head and started to approach the bus once more.
“Well, there are people over there,” Yuna informed him.
“You mean on the bus?”
Kang Yuna nodded.
‘Everyone would die if I did nothing,’ she thought as she

stared at the bus.
She was afraid.
Her body and mind were already too stiff to attempt another
heroic act.
‘What could I do?’
She prepared to go out again; this time, she was panting

heavily.
And the man next to her?

She didn’t know how he got them there. However, it was
clear that his CE was exhausted, and he would not be able
to repeat those fluid movements.
Yoo-seong looked out the window.
Then, he leaned beneath the window just before the Queen

had spotted him.
The Auto-Hunt button had made him do that. Yoo-seong

finally disabled the button.
“I can’t win, so I want you to hide,” Kang Yuna said as she

went to the window.
“What?”
“After a few seconds, I will go out. I’m guessing they

remained in the bus hiding beneath the window. When I go
outside, stay here,” she said.
Then, turning to face the bus, she jumped out of the

window, swinging on a street light and thrusting herself
towards the bus.
‘I can’t win now,’ she thought. ’But I have to try.’
Yoo-seong pressed the button again.
Again, this time, automatic hunting made his body bend

under the window.
Yoo-seong raised his gaze to the upper right where Yuna

landed.
She was running towards the bus.
He focused on the new icon and blinked his eyes.

-Posture setting.-
-Assault Form applied.-
Then, Yoo-seong’s body jumped out of the window.
“Hey!” Kang Yuna screamed before she could stop herself.
The Queen, who had just ripped off the side of the bus,
turned her head and saw the lady.
“Come get me,” Yuna said as she ran again.
The Queen came after her again.
However, before the chase could continue, Yoo-seong

landed between the Queen and Yuna.
“Huh?” Yuna uttered in surprise as she looked at Yoo-seong.

Her concern for him grew immediately.
Despite having little energy left to mitigate the landing

shock, she thought he landed quite perfectly.
The Queen seemed somewhat annoyed. Unlike before, she

flapped her wings more violently, rising higher towards the
sky. Yoo-seong did not move.
The Aura that had once covered his body slowly

disappeared.
‘He is exhausted. He’s going to die,’ she thought.
Yoo-seong raised his right arm with a clenched fist.
Then, out of the clenched fist, he raised his index and

middle fingers.
Kang Yuna gasped as the Queen started to dive from almost
30 stories high.
Yoo-seong’s Aura started to emerge – this time, in the form

of a sword from between his index and middle fingers.
It was an Aura of ‘only’ 300CE; however, it was

concentrated.
It was thin, but that was why it was sharper than anything
else.
“A… B… Blade?” Yuna gasped.
It was a sword of blue light.
Yoo-seong watched carefully as the Queen descended at a

fierce speed.
This chance was everything. He didn’t care even if he used

up all his remaining CE.
He had to get this strike right before he lost all his mental
energy.
Just before the clash with the Queen, Auto-hunting made his
body move.
Since the Aura was only focused on the sword, his

movement was limited.
However, he didn’t need much energy, just as the batter

who hit the fastball didn’t have to be faster than the ball.
What was important was the timing. And the firepower.
The conditions were already sufficient. The moment the two

enemies met, Kang Yuna saw a blue flash- the trajectory of
the sword drawn as Yoo-seong slipped away from the
Queen,
The sword cut through the Queen’s body as if it was paper.
There was no sound.
Once again, the Queen’s body crashed to the ground.
This time, however, the Queen never got up again.
And at the same time, Yoo-seong also collapsed.

Chapter 19
Episode 19
Kang Yuna started to run towards Yoo-seong, but stopped

when she glanced at the fallen queen.
‘What if the queen wasn’t dead?’
‘Or what if there were soldier ants nearby?’
Kang Yuna bit her lip after a pause.
‘Coward!’
The man who had collapsed just did a miracle that she
hadn’t expected. He had just saved her life.
How did he jump out the window?
How did he use an ultra-advanced technique called ‘Blade’?
She did not understand. However, she felt ashamed.
Yoo-seong just had to try the Assault Form after hearing that
there were people on the bus.
No matter how much automatic hunting helped, he was still

human. That was why he had to ensure his will and
concentration did not shake to the end despite reaching his
mental limit.
Kang Yuna hesitated, but she knew he needed her help
immediately.
She had to do something to help him. He was a fellow

hunter and human.
Kang Yuna ran to him. The queen still didn’t move.
Upon reaching Yoo-seong, Kang Yuna released all her

remaining CEs, running a detailed scan to find the cause of
the problem.
As she expected, Yoo-seong fainted because of CE’s

complete depletion, not the burden on his body.
She noticed something else.
The veins leading the CE from the core to the body parts
seemed like they hadn’t gone through strain before. It was
as if he had never been reinforced, or he had just recently
been reinforced but had never used Aura.
Usually, with use, the veins collapsed, recovered, and

became stronger and wider like muscles.
It was a continuous process.
Yuna didn’t understand how Yoo-seong’s veins could still be

so fine.
More than that, though, she realized that his clash against
the queen had also cost him.
His right hand was bruised. His nervous system was also
completely drained.
Kang Yuna knew what she had to do.

She took out some tape and gauze from her first aid kit.
The condition of Yoo-seong’s was unexplainable, but it

wasn’t any cause for alarm.
Fine veins were inherently tough. Besides, if there were no

impurity, the veins would only become stronger by rest and
stability after a few days.
However, the veins on the right hand that had pulled out the
blade required immediate attention.
They had sustained the thin condensed Aura that had

passed through the queen’s armor. In short, they were
damaged.
She spat into Yoo-seong’s hand as she drew on her core

energy. Her face had turned pale.
She had been in charge of healing wounded hunters and

taking them back to the bus. She was close to the limits of
her abilities, and Yoo-seong’s veins required a lot of energy.
‘Just a little bit more,’ she thought as she drew from the
bottom of her core.
The CE started to flow through the tip of the saliva in the

right hand of Yoo-seong.
It was not as remarkable as the Blade synthesis, but it was

also an advanced technique. She sent energy over a
medium rather than her own body.
Moreover, it was a technique that restored another person’s

nervous system and elicited resilience.
It was one of the reasons why she received calls from
countless groups. It was her pride.
“Done!” she gasped as she made a face.
The veins on Yoo-seong’s right hand had almost completely

recovered. It would soon become stronger than all the other
parts.
She sighed in relief as the tension from work eased. Like a

pro, Kang Yuna did not lose concentration until the end. She
wrapped a tape that could relieve pain and calm the nerves
around his arm.
Once done, she made sure that there are no problems in

Yoo-seong’s body. Then, she fell to her knees, leaning on her
arms for balance.
She hoped the queen wouldn’t resurrect, and no soldier ant

would come after them.
She and Yoo-seong had drained so much energy. Neither of

them could fight anymore.
Finally, other hunters arrived to help – much too late.
“Hey, are you injured?” asked a hunter in a specially

modified jeep.
The vehicle and the silver seal on his left arm indicated that
he was part of a larger team.
“Yes. There are injured people on the bus too,” she said.
One after another, more vehicles arrived.
She looked at the sky. The crack was closed. The conflict
was over.
The team dispatched to the inside of the crack had
successfully blocked it. It had been large enough to cover
the city’s center.
Therapists from another team moved the injured to a

nearby building for first-aid treatment.
Kang Yuna and Yoo-seong were among the people that were
moved.
Kang Yuna, who was drinking coffee from a thermos bottle,

watched Yoo-seong wake up.
‘Thank God,’ she thought out loud.
Realizing herself, she turned away.
‘Don’t you want to talk to him about what you saw?’ A voice
in her head asked.
She had been confused about how he had managed to kill

the queen, but she was too embarrassed to ask.
She had been the only one to see it.
Although she didn’t know all about Aura Control, she was
sure of one thing: Blade was, by no means, a skill that could
be used at his level. He had to have a secret.
‘Maybe I don’t want to discover it,’ she replied to the voice

in her head.
The evidence remained on the action cam.
Hunters used the footage from their action cams to improve

their portfolios, but some were reluctant to disclose them.
Unless the hunter revealed it, only the department in charge
of judging the prey’s possession could see the action cam.
Sometimes, they were even punished for revealing facts

other than ownership of prey due to a confidentiality treaty.
Evidently, the queen belonged to Yoo-seong.
She went out of the treatment facility and watched the

corpse of the queen.
Two other hunters had spotted it.
“Uh! There is also a queen here!” one said.
“True,” the other said as both of them went closer.
“Who caught it?” the first one asked.
Hunters were sensitive to the unspoken rules of hunting.
Even if the corpse of a prized prey was found, no other

hunter was to touch it, considering the hunter who had
caught it.
Of course, not everyone adhered to rules.
“No, but look at this,” the first hunter said as he boldly

turned over the queen’s body and looked at it.
He had a gold seal on his left arm.
His eyes gleamed with joy as he looked at the prize.
“There is no trace of trauma,” he said.
“I know, right.” The other one said.

“Doesn’t this look like a natural death? She must have
missed her mating season and died as a result. Sometimes
that’s the case,” the gold seal hunter said.
Everyone around seemed to agree with him. If a beast died

naturally at the end of its lifespan, the person who spotted it
first became the owner.
The gold seal hunter spotted Kang Yuna.
“Hey, you were with the queen’s corpse. Who killed it?” he
asked her.
She shrugged.
“I don’t know,” she said.
“Since no one knows who caught it, we all could just share it
among ourselves…” the gold sealed hunter began.
Suddenly, he was interrupted by a deep voice.
“Sure, if you want to get into big trouble.”
Everyone turned to the source of the voice.
“This is my prey. If you make as much as a scratch on it, I

will immediately file a claim for damages.”
Of course, the owner of the voice was Yoo-seong.
“You?”
The gold hunter looked Yoo-seong over.
There was no seal on either the left or the right.
Above all, the face was familiar.

‘That’s him, this year’s top test-taker,’ he thought.
‘I knew he was great, but then, could a novice who just

passed the exam a week ago hunt a queen?’
“The lady who was with you said she knew nothing,” the
gold hunter said as he pointed at Kang Yuna.
She became nervous.
‘What should I do?’ she thought.
Of course, if she released her action cam, things would be

very simple.
Yoo-seong was a newbie. He may not know about the full

footage available from their action cams.
The atmosphere was tense.
A gold-ranked hunter was a person who led several teams.
Everyone seemed to be thinking that Yoo-seong was going

to be forced to deny ownership of the queen.
Even among veteran hunters, ownership usually caused

misunderstandings and complicated situations.
Suddenly, Yoo-seong opened his mouth.
“D23-BB24114GE4.”
“Huh?” People asked.
Yoo-seong, repeated the 13-digit code once again and again

so that everyone could hear it well.
“D23-BB24114GE4. This is the cloud entry where my action
cam video is saved. Check it out on your phone.”
The hunters around Kang Yuna picked up their cell phones

and entered the code given by Yoo-seong.
“Wow! Check it!” Someone said.
As if they couldn’t believe it, the hunters watched the

scenes together.
Yoo-seong remained calm.
“This is fantastic!” another one remarked.
“Isn’t he just a beginner who had just been licensed for a

week?”
“Is the blade not synthetic?”
Everything was resolved in an instant. Already, all the

hunters were gathered around the queen.
The gold hunter who first touched the queen went to Yoo-
seong.
“Uh… there… Oh Yoo-seong… right?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“I’m really… sorry.”
The gold hunter was scratching the back of his neck as if he

was embarrassed.
He had thought the queen had died naturally. It turned out

that there was an owner.
As a senior wearing gold, he was greatly embarrassed by
the outstanding junior.
“Really, I apologize,” he said.
“It’s fine,” Yoo-seong replied calmly.
“This is my business card.” The goldsmith said as he pulled

out the card.
The atmosphere became cool after the gold hunter

apologized. From the beginning, Yoo-seong had no intention
of hiding the action cam.
The action cams couldn’t reveal the automatic-hunt

function. There was nothing for him to hide.
“Then, you also saved the injured people on the bus?”
Yoo-seong nodded. At this, the gold hunter slapped Yoo-

seong’s shoulder in admiration.
“You did a great job. The rescue achievement will be a no-

joke addition to your portfolio. Maybe it would put a bronze
seal or more at once.”
“Thank you.”
Kang Yuna couldn’t raise her head. When she did, she
accidentally made eye contact with Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong looked at her the way he would look at a

stranger.
Why did she deny his ownership of the queen? Well, at least
things had been settled at the end.
Yoo-seong tilted his head and entered the gold hunter’s car.
Kang Yuna stood in place, her mouth hanging open.
Normally, hunters would relax after working hard.
However, all of the hunters returning from Operation

Division 04 were excited.
They were thinking about the action cam footage released

by the novice hunter named Oh Yoo-seong.
Everyone scorned themselves in their minds.
‘How many monsters have you caught alone, without your

team?’
‘What is the highest-ranked monster you have caught?’
In the midst of it all, Yoo-seong was sleeping quietly.

Chapter 20
Episode 20
You only needed to check two things to determine whether a

hunter was working with a good company.
The first was their attending physician.
From the time of the first CE injection, hunters needed

medical services different from that of the general public.
Hunters needed a capable doctor with whom they could
entrust the reinforcement procedure and their body’s overall
management.
The second was their agent, AKA manager.
This position required not just managing schedules or doing

chores. The amount of paperwork that a professional hunter
had to handle was not a joke.
It included applying for support over a crack that appeared,

claiming prey, and processing it after the hunt was over.
The manager took care of those tasks and negotiated tax,

legal matters, and operations that required cooperation
from other hunters or teams/firms. An agent was a high-end
staff who had to understand the industry better than most
hunters.
Therefore, the better the quality of these two services, the

better the hunter is said to be.
The better the organization, the better the doctors and
agents were hired.
Big groups, including ‘2F4T’, attached one doctor and one

agent to each hunter.
For groups without much money, an agent handled over a

dozen team members, and the youngest members of the
team did all the paperwork.
There were no dedicated attending physicians.
It was an awkward situation for novice hunters on small

teams from their first hunt.
-Jin Chang-Hoon Medical Center-
Holding a small leather bag, Kim Sung-Wook stepped inside

the elevator, wearing a slight smile on his face.
He went to the hospital director’s office and asked Jin

Chang-hoon right away.
“What is his state?”
“It’s all good. It should all be over within a few days.”
Jin Chang-hoon responded without taking his eyes off the

monitor he was watching.
“Watching this is just a bit overwhelming,” Chang-hoon

added.
Sung-wook then raised his right hand.
“I know, right. I also watched the action cam video,” he

said.
Only then did Jin Chang-hoon look up to stare at Kim Sung-
wook directly.
‘How can this be?’ Jin Chang-hoon asked with his eyes. In all
his years of treating Hunters, he had never seen such talent.
Yoo-seong’s skill was an abnormality. However, Kim Sung-

wook just shrugged a little.
“Well?” he asked.
“Well?” Chang-hoon asked back, frowning in confusion.
“You’ve not told me what I need to know. Is his right-hand

vein in a critical condition or not?”
“It looks like he’d been treated in the field. I don’t know who
did it, but the person did a very good job.”
Chang-hoon paused before he continued. “If he doesn’t put

a lot of pressure on those veins while resting, he will recover
neatly.”
“I’m glad. Nice work.”
Only then did Kim Sung-wook’s smile widen.
“Is he resting now? What room is he in?” Sung-wook asked.
“He is not in any hospital room here.”
“Where then? Did he go out of the hospital? I told him to

wait…”
Jin Chang-hoon shook his head.
“As soon as the test was over, he asked to leave. His body is
fine. He wanted to train.”
Of course, except for the veins, Yoo-seong’s body was in the
best condition.
He could do anything as long as he didn’t use his Aura.
In the hospital’s basement was a membership gym for

hunters.
The room was equipped with bench presses and weights

tailored to their superior physical qualities.
However, despite the good facilities, there were not many

hunters who visit this place.
Once a hunter received a license, the hunter didn’t have to

depend on his body alone.
Most hunters enhanced and trained various Aura

manipulation techniques.
Almost everyone thought the same way.
They would not prefer to spend their time with slow-yielding

training. Yoo-seong breathed in rhythm as he squatted. The
exercise he was doing was called the ‘flower and foundation
of weight.’
The risks attached to it were so great that even skilled

people incur serious injuries if they are weren’t careful.
However, even though he had only been at it for a short

time, Yoo-seong was doing it perfectly. The joints, muscles,
and bones required for exercise interacted perfectly and
didn’t allow any imbalance.
He lifted the last rounds, using the last of his strength.

Then, he yelled with a sense of accomplishment as he
allowed the weights to fall to the ground with a loud clang.
Kim Sung-wook came around to check the cause of the
noise.
“Here you are. I thought I heard your voice. You don’t like
the facilities here?” he asked.
Yoo-seong tilted his head to check who the visitor was.
“Oh! You’re here,” he said in surprise upon seeing Sung-

wook.
“The membership fee was cheap, and the equipment seems

to be more suited for a junior to learn. For a few years, this
gym couldn’t avoid getting deficits,” Kim Sung-wook
explained.
“Why don’t you take a break?. It was your first hunt, and
you’ll have to be counting money for a few days anyway.”
He joked.
“That’s why I’m still here,” Yoo-seong said as he clasped and

opened his right hand.
The veins hadn’t healed, but there was no pain.
Jin Chang-hoon had told him that the Blade synthesis had
been too harsh on his veins.
‘It had been a hunch.’
He seemed to know why the ‘assault’ form turned on only

after he blinked.
Automatic hunting always restricted his body from crossing

the line.
However, the ‘assault’ form was a kind of overclock. It was a
high-level technology that went far beyond his level.
However, for some reason, it had been made available to

him. Yoo-seong’s conclusion was simple upon experiencing
this.
It only meant that he had to train more.
Everyone had to constantly train their fine veins before

dealing with Aura to be able to withstand and overuse to
some extent. Physical training would help him achieve that
to some point.
Eight months.
His body had undergone numerous changes and had

improved in that amount of time.
If he trained his body, he could become more efficient at

automatic hunting even if he didn’t use his Aura.
The possibilities of automatic hunting were endless, and it

was his job to make those possibilities a reality.
There was still a long way to go.
“Teacher,” Yoo-seong spoke in a serious tone.
His performance during the last battle had been beyond

explanation. It had been unusual for a beginner hunter to do
those things.
Besides, there had been many witnesses, and he hadn’t

hidden his talent. Rumors had spread far about the source
of his abilities, but he didn’t care about what people said. He
had nothing to prove to them in the first place.
However, he had to tell Kim Sung-wook.
The man had given Yoo-seong his own CE and had offered to
act as a temporary agent for him. If Sung-wook wanted to
know about how he pulled out the Blade…
“Teacher, I have something to tell you. I…”
“The secret why you fight so well?” Sung-wook asked,

cutting him short.
Yoo-seong’s eyes widened.
“I don’t know. Do you have to tell me that?” Sung-wook

asked.
“What do you mean?”
“There are many possible reasons. There could be

something from your past or a secret you learned, or maybe
it is a secret ability that had just manifested, or you’re a
genius the world has never seen before. But, then, so
what?”
Sung-wook smiled at his student before continuing. “There

is no reason to say it now. Keep it as your secret.”
Right.
The auto-hunt button wasn’t something that could be easily

be spoken of to any other person.
“But…” Yoo-seong began, but Sung-wook cut him short once

more.
“Of course, I am curious too. Saying otherwise would be a

lie. I’m the one who decided to hand over my core. I
wondered what secret powers you were hiding.” Kim Sung-
wook said.
“But… it wasn’t important in my choosing you as a

successor.”
Kim Sung-wook’s eyes glanced over Yoo-seong’s body. Yoo-

seong was sweating like rain.
He suspected the Yoo-seong had put himself through

intense training before he had arrived.
“Let’s say that you are lucky to have a special ability. But
what’s special about that? What if you were born with the
talent of a super genius? You’re just lucky. We are all lucky in
some way, whether acquired or inherent.”
Kim Sung-wook pointed his index finger at Yoo-seong’s eyes

– the two eyes that never lost their focus.
“What is important is this…”
The index finger went down and pointed to his chest.
“If there is nothing in this, no matter how much luck you are
born with, you will eventually become a monster. At least
from what I’ve seen.”
Sung-wook’s words burned deep in Yoo-seong’s heart, but

he pretended to be calm.
“It may not be what you think,” Yoo-seong said finally.
“Is that so? Well, maybe it is.”
Sung-wook kept smiling. He leaned over and opened the

bag he brought. There were a lot of documents that Yoo-
seong had to deal with from the hunt.
Sung-wook then spoke as he pulled some of the papers out.
“I don’t know if I’ll continue to be an agent for you, but while

I am, let’s just say what is necessary. The reasons are
different, but most people hide their abilities. Those people
have the advantage. Besides, I’ve seen a few cases where
people become guilty of saying the wrong thing in the
wrong place.”
“I will keep that in mind,”
Yoo-seong kept Sung-wook’s words in his heart.
“Someday, when I’m convinced that I have built up enough

trust with you. I’ll ask you myself then. Of course, you’ll be
free to refuse to tell me.”
Yoo-seong hoped that such a day would come. He nodded at

his mentor.
“Great! Then, let’s count the money.” Sung-wook heartily

said as he handed him some documents.
“67 total subjugated monsters. No destruction. 65 are 2-

stars, a 3-star, and a 4-star. Compensation is worth 550,000
won each for 2-stars, 4.1 million won for 3-stars, and 13.7
million won for 4-stars. A total of 53.55 million won will be
awarded as compensation.”
Yoo-seong had just read the first line, but Sung-wook was
already reading the second document as if he had a motor
in his mouth.
“…The 1375kg armor and secretory glands extracted from

the 65 soldier ants are already on the market’s bid awaiting
list…”
Sung-wook handed Yoo-seong hold the third document and
read it.
It was about how to treat the by-products of the Centurion’

and Queen Ant caught by Yoo-seong.
“This?”
“I haven’t placed an order yet. If Yoo-seong wants, I’ll just

sell it, and if you prefer, we can treat it as a souvenir. Shall I
do this instead of selling it on the market?”
Yoo-seong could not speak, so he simply nodded. He felt

dumbfounded.
“Is that all?” He managed to ask.
“I thought you would say that,” Sung-wook said as he pulled

out the fourth document.
“This is the achievement score you received this time…”
It was then that Sung-wook’s cell phone rang.
While Sung-wook answered the phone, Yoo-seong read the

contents of the third document several times.
“Yoo-seong. You said that QR Corporation also called you

last time?” Sung-wook asked suddenly as he ended the call.
He and Sung-wook hadn’t signed a formal agent contract

yet.
“Yes.”
“Interesting. Did you give them your number already?”
Yoo-seong’s number wasn’t supposed to be a public one.

“No. Was that them?” Yoo-seong asked.
“No. This call came from Chang-hoon. We have to go there

now.” Sung-wook replied.
“To the hospital?” Yoo-seong asked.
Sung-wook nodded.
Jin Chang-hoon’s hospital was considered a first-class

facility. That must have been how they had tracked him so
fast.
“Huh. Rumors travel fast. What you did has already spread.
Chang-hoon said they would like to meet you at once.”
Then, Sung-wook added with excitement: “The CEO himself

is there.”
Chapter 21
Episode 21
Yoon Kang-cheol was the CEO and the Operation Control

Chief of QR Corporation.
His achievements were as popular as his name. He had

been one of the first heroes.
Twelve years ago, Kargadon, a 6-star (★★★★★★) monster,

appeared in the country’s southernmost part. It was Yoon
Kang-cheol who persuaded the government to prepare for a
large-scale firepower concentration.
From there, he created the Raiders, a team of hunters, and

miraculously succeeded in just one attempt.
At the time, the equipment and the efficiency of the CE

injection procedure were far inferior to the ones now.
Usually, military support was essential to catch monsters
with more than five stars. Because of the limitations for
hunters, astronomical damage to facilities and infrastructure
happened almost every month.
However, Yoon Kang-cheol succeeded with his team of

hunters alone – the fifth record in the world and the second
in Asia.
As a result, he was awarded a Platinum Seal and granted

operation to a gigantic firm in Korea. The tycoon himself was
waiting in the hospital’s director’s office.
The door opened, and the man he had been waiting for
appeared. Oh Yoo-seong.
For a few moments second, the man’s gaze swept over Yoo-
seong’s body. Yoo-seong was still in his training outfit, which
revealed the curvature of his form.
Yoo-seong felt a familiar sensation run through him. It was

the same as when he had shaken hands with Lee Jae-Hak –
the feeling of being probed.
“Indeed,” Yoon Kang-cheol said in satisfaction after

completing his evaluation,
“You’re more than I expected. Nice to meet you. I am Yoon

Kang-Cheol.”
“Nice to meet you, too. I am Oh Yoo-seong .”
Yoon Kang-cheol motioned for Yoo-seong to sit in the chair

next to him; however, Yoo-seong didn’t move.
“Why don’t you have a seat?” Yoon asked.
“Well?” Yoo-seong said, hoping to get the conversation over

with. His eyes turned to Jin Chang-hoon, who sat on the
other side of the table.
“Wouldn’t it be rude to talk with someone else here,

especially if I don’t have any medically related business?”
“Uh, Yoo-seong,” Jin Chang-Hoon said, blushing. “This is

Yoon Kang-cheol of QR.”
Even if Yoo-seong didn’t mean to be hostile, he wasn’t

supposed to talk that way to such a distinguished individual.
If Kang-cheol wanted to have a conversation in the ICU
ward, he could as well do so.
But then again, this was Jin Chang-Hoon’s hospital, and Yoo-
seong had a point.
Of course, if Yoo-seong didn’t want to talk with Kang-cheol,

Jin would have to find a way to keep the CEO from leaving in
anger.
“Well. That’s right,” Yoon Kang-cheol said as he suddenly

stood up.
He was a head taller than Yoo-seong, and his shoulders were

twice as large in comparison. The muscles of his neck flexed
whenever he spoke.
He looked down at the bold newcomer. Yoo-seong refused to

feel intimidated.
“I wasn’t thinking,” the older man said. Yoon Kang-cheol

looked at Jin Chang-Hoon and nodded.
“I didn’t intend to be rude, please. I thought you were his

guardian.”
“No. He’s just my doctor.”
Yoon Kang-cheol looked at Yoo-seong again. “Well, then,

where can we talk?”
“There is a cafe on the first floor of the building,” Yoo-seong

replied.
Before leaving the room, Yoo-seong looked at Jin Chang-

hoon and bowed his head. Jin remained silent, in awe of Yoo-
seong as the two hunters left the room.
Yoon Kang-cheol spoke again as he pressed the button to go
up in the elevator. “Can I get to the point? I don’t want to
seem like I’m in a hurry, but I hate unnecessary formalities.”
“Okay.”
“I want you to join QR.”
The elevator hadn’t even arrived on the first floor yet.
“I haven’t seen the action cam video myself; however, I

have a trusted friend who has – Yang Jae-ho,” Kang-cheol
continued.
After returning from hunting, Yoo-seong had set the action

cam cloud storage to private. He’d show it to anyone if
necessary, but it wasn’t wise to leave the cloud open to
everyone.
“You know him?” Kang-cheol asked.
“Yes,” Yoo-seong calmly replied.
Yang Jae-ho was the gold-seal hunter who had wanted to

claim ownership of the Queen.
“I am only ten years older than you,” Yoon Kang-cheol

continued.
He had just entered his twenties when his first crack

appeared. However, when he was at the same age as Yoo-
seong, he was already a famous hunter.
“If you compare both of us at the same age, I would still be

a better hunter. I had accumulated the necessary
experience and skills over the years.”
“I think that it’s too much of a compliment to be compared
with you,” Yoo-seong said, more in honesty than in modesty.
Yoon Kang-Cheol, at 39, was a platinum-seal holder and

someone who had captured a six-star monster. He was an
incomparable opponent by all standards.
Yoon Kang-cheol nodded at this and continued.
“However, you can become far greater than me in both

fame and skill.”
Ding-
The elevator door opened, and the hunters stepped out.
They passed by a team of hunters who had gone to the

hospital for treatment.
One of the hunters, who had been confessing his passion,

paused as they walked past.
There was no one in the industry who didn’t know Yoon

Kang-cheol. All the other hunters began to stutter.
Yoon Kang-cheol walked away without talking to them.

There was a small smile on his face in contrast to Yoo-
seong’s face.
As they walked into the café, Yoon Kang-cheol finished his

statement.
“Of course, that’s on the premise of accumulating the

appropriate experiences in a good training environment.”
“I have no intention of joining the QR Corporation,” Yoo-

seong told him. “Do you have anything else to say to me?”
He had stopped walking and had almost turned to leave.
Yoon Kang-cheol was too stunned to speak. Yoo-seong’s

decision not to join a group was based on his use of
Automatic Hunting.
The ability wasn’t suited for hunting in a way that required

constant team communication.
If he would eventually join a team in the future, it would

have been because he had fully grasped the potential of the
Auto-Hunt functions.
“Fortunately, I have a couple of people who will help me

with my solo activities. I think it will be best if I worked alone
in the meanwhile and learn what I need to.”
“Don’t you want to be like Lee Jae-hak?” Kang-cheol asked.
“Yes,” Yoo-seong said, wondering where the conversation

was going.
Yoon Kang-cheol’s voice was full of urgency as he spoke

once more.
“That’s my goal. I want to build more Lee Jae-haks. It isn’t

enough that ‘2F4T’ is a household name in Korea.”
Yoo-seong knew this.
Around the world, hunting was carried out by firms, teams,

and individuals. However, when it came to gauging the best,
it wasn’t the name of the teams or firms that came to mind.
It was always the best hunter in the group who was

recognized.
For example, the Chinese Federation’s Ship Zone, the UK’s
Glorious Seven, and the United States’ teams and firms
were smaller than Korean teams.
However, the reputation of their heroes surpassed the

corporate reputation of Korea, and that reputation came
from their skill. Every country needed a star who could
achieve a global record single-handedly or with a few
teammates.
There was only one of such stature in Korea.
Lee Jae-hak.
The genius hunter miraculously appeared, as if he fell from

the sky. He had been successful in a solo charge against a
storm-class rift.
It was an unprecedented achievement. Every other hunter

envied his fame and wealth. They all wanted to be like him
in skill.
Some even hoped that he would fail soon. However, no one

had been able to meet up with his reputation.
“Our industry is a young one, and, with time, more talented

people will come out. I plan to gather talented hunters and
train them using the necessary experiences.”
Kang-cheol paused before pleading in an urgent tone.
“We need you to be part of this, Yoo-seong.”
As he spoke, he watched Yoo-seong. The younger man

appeared to be listening carefully; however, he didn’t seem
all that convinced.
“Oh, come on!” Kang-cheol exclaimed. He was frustrated
because Yoo-seong wasn’t taking his offer.
“I’m sorry,” Yoo-seong said.
“No, it’s okay.”
Yoon Kang-cheol searched the inside of his jacket and pulled

out a note with his private number.
“In a month or two, if a moderately-sized rift occurs, we’ll

put the teams of prospects I spoke to you about in the
center.”
Yoo-seong knew that the closer one got to the rift, the
greater the difficulty of hunting became.
Therefore, only elite gold-seal hunters were always placed

inside or right under the crack.
If one’s achievement score was low, he or she would not

even be eligible to apply. Solo hunters had an even smaller
chance of going because they didn’t work with a group.
“If you want, we can include you in the dispatch team. You
don’t need to sign a contract with us. The profit distribution
will still apply to you. When that hunt is over, you’re not
obligated to join us.”
Upon hearing this, Yoo-seong accepted the note.
It was a great offer. From it, he could get hunting experience

in the center. On top of that, he could experience the know-
how of a QR Corporation hunt.
“In case you change your mind, you can contact us within
this month. I’m not the only one who wants to hire you. As a
senior in the industry, I believe that working with me is
something worth experiencing at least once.”
Yoon Kang-cheol then stepped inside the elevator.
Suddenly, he realized that it was going up instead of going

to the ground floor. Both of them laughed as he stepped out
and entered the right one.
“Goodbye, then,” he said as the door closed.
Soon, the elevator reached the ground floor.
When the door opened, Yoon Kang-cheol encountered a

familiar-looking man. The man was about to enter the
elevator with coffee and doughnuts.
Kang-cheol seemed to remember his face from somewhere.

They had met a couple of times in the past from the
industry.
He touched the man on the shoulder, preventing him from

entering the elevator. The confused man looked at him as if
he did not recognize Kang-cheol.
After a short greeting, the man entered the elevator.
Yoon Kang-cheol was still deep in thought as he walked out

of the building. Suddenly, he raised his head.
A thought flashed through his mind as he saw the building’s

name.
-Sung-wook Building-
He had seen it when he came in, but he didn’t think

anything of it.
It was common for people to put their names on buildings,
and the name wasn’t uncommon.
He gasped. There was no way it was the same Sung-wook.
The man who just passed him in the elevator…
He remembered what Yoo-seong had said.
Fortunately, I have a couple of people who will help me with

my solo activities…
“Indeed.”
He had wondered how a novice like Yoo-seong could have

completed the complicated document procedures that came
after a hunt.
After entering his vehicle and hitting the accelerator, he

kept laughing to himself.
It had been four years ago when he last saw that man. His
story wasn’t well-known because he wasn’t the type to
reveal himself to the media like Lee Jae-hak.
Unfortunately, the promising young man was injured and

thus had left the industry forever. His career eventually
came to an end.
A man who had achieved feats quite equal to Lee Jae-

Hak’s…
Kim Sung-wook.
“I think it’s worth trying,” Sung-wook said while eating a

crispy cream doughnut.
“Yes?”
“Yes. You have nothing to lose there, right? You’ll just be

going once, going through the motions, and then washing
your hands off. By the way, I’m sorry to learn about your
decision to forfeit the QR’s offer. At the same time, this
doesn’t mean you have to write a contract with them.”
That was right. Even if the conditions seemed good at first

sight, many contracts had terrible setbacks that come up
along the way.
If the counterpart of an agreement was a large company,

there was no way to win against them then.
“That’s all I know. Without knowing that, I would have said

that you’re not interested in having an agent.”
“Indeed?”
“More than anything else, I can already see it in your eyes.”
Yoo-seong wasn’t in a hurry to achieve anything.
He was building himself slowly and consistently, trying to

figure out what worked best for him. He was becoming a
perfect hunter, even if he didn’t know it yet.
“I think you’re correct,” Yoo-seong confessed. “Since you

say it’s okay, I guess I’ll go there.”
“Okay. Then, you’ll have to prepare throughout the month –

steadily and consistently.”
“I know. I heard that there are a lot of good guys at QR.”
“You’ll start training as soon as the veins heal. I’ll teach you
something pretty fun,” Sung-wook said.
After four years, his skill would see the light of the world
again.
Chapter 22
Episode 22
Yoo-seong’s veins fully recovered ten days later.
He trained hard on the roof of the building, building

strength, speed, posture, and accuracy. He was no longer
hitting the team of three bags.
His new victim was a synthetic rubber column with a 55 cm

diameter and a height of 2 m.
Yoo-seong had bought it under Sung-wook’s

recommendation. Sung-wook told him that he wouldn’t be
able to bring it down, and things turned out that way.
He kept punching and kicking, yet the bag remained

hanging.
Yoo-seong’s body hadn’t changed much from before since it

had already been well-built.
Unlike when he had only begun, when signs of progress

appeared every day, it now took time and perseverance in
order to see any changes. There was a significant difference
in the power from Yoo-seong compared to before the test.
As he punched, blue flashes appeared around his body.
His Aura was coming back. He hit the bag harder, but it still
didn’t fall.
It was made of rubber and as huge as a log. However,
whenever Yoo-seong hit it, it flew backward, as if it was filled
with air.
If he was still using his old equipment, it would have

probably been smashed before two rounds were over.
Suddenly, Yoo-seong pressed the button, turning off the

auto-hunt function. The rubber pillar was still standing
intact, although its smooth surface was all gone.
He had been overworking it for four days. The bag had

begun to tilt slightly.
It was time for a change.
He clenched and opened his fists; then, he pressed the

button.
Once again, the Aura surrounded him.
Then, he pressed the next button.
-Posture setting.-
-Assault form applied.-
A blade rose from his fingers.
Suddenly, the rubber bag in front of him looked powerless,

just like the Ant Queen had looked two weeks ago.
It was over in an instant.
He turned the button off again, gaining control of his body

once more.
Half of the rubber pillar had crashed to the floor. His arm
was tingling with pain, but it was bearable.
The pain was less than the first time he had used the Blade.
However, that wasn’t the only encouraging thing. The blade
he had pulled out this time was the size of the three fingers
put together instead of two.
Things were now getting clearer to him.
Assault Form pulled the Blade out beyond Yoo-seong’s

limits, and those limits only increased as he improved with
use.
He could make this stronger.
With more training, he could even reduce the impact it takes

on his arm.
His heart thudded with excitement at the realization. He

wanted to do more.
He was restless, feeling that the improvement would be lost

if he took a break.
However, he had to rest. He went down from the rooftop. It

had already been an exhausting morning, yet the day was
just beginning.
His mind drifted to four days ago when he had received a

full-fledged lesson from Sung-wook.
Yoo-seong stood with his feet apart, and his fist held in front
of his abdomen.
It looked like a Taekwondo stance.

As he focused, he could feel the heat from the CE in his
belly. Feeling it and drawing it out of the body was the first
step in the practice of dealing with Aura.
“You’re doing well,” Sung-wook remarked.
However, Yoo-seong could barely manage to hold himself

up.
Soon a weird moaning filled the air as Aura was pulled out of
his body. However, it was quite different from before.
Rather than looking like a smooth pudding, it looked like

cotton candy flying around in a mess and vanishing. It was a
normal experience for beginners.
Yoo-seong was not using automatic Hunting. He was holding

onto Aura with his natural ability. He realized how hard it
was.
He gnashed his teeth as he persevered in upholding the

Aura. However, he reached his limits soon.
There was a pop, and a sudden strong wind blew around

Yoo-seong.
A Corona.
He fell to the floor with a thud, gasping for breath.
“42 minutes and 30 seconds. That’s a new record,” Sung-

wook said as though Yoo-seong had done something
enormous.
“That’s because I held on until almost all of CE

disappeared,” Yoo-seong said, rolling on the floor.
Three days ago, Yoo-seong had received two new injections,
increasing his amount of CE to 2300.
He had spent about 500 CE during the morning training and

had gradually lost about 1600 CE as he tried to maintain his
Aura.
The Corona had taken up the remaining 200 CE.
“Well, it’s a tremendous progress compared to the first day.”
That was right.
On the first day, it popped much faster than this, and the
energy of 1500CE was released.
Even Sung-wook had been thrown back by the explosion.

Fortunately, both of them didn’t get hurt.
“This is way harder than I thought,” he said.
Automatic Hunting allowed him to skip through the difficulty

of it. He remembered Choi Jae-sung on the bus. Jae-sung
was really more advanced than him in terms of Aura control.
“Hmm,” Sung-wook murmured as he looked down at Yoo-

seong. His student’s CE had been exhausted, along with his
body.
Yoo-seong’s prowess would have amazed him. It had only

been four days of training, and he had already been able to
sustain his Aura for 42 minutes.
Even Sung-wook himself had probably taken two weeks to

sustain the energy for forty minutes.
However, a question had begun bugging him.

Why did Yoo-seong, who had pulled out a Blade, seem like a
beginner while we are training?
The body’s functions weren’t supposed to change within

such a short time.
He wondered, and yet he didn’t ask.
He had promised Yoo-seong he would ask only when he was

sure he had gained Yoo-seong’s complete trust. He wanted
to train Yoo-seong with sincerity. He decided to continue
beginner training with Yoo-seong till he knew the secret.
But this is not enough, Sung-wook thought. I have to show it

to him at least once, anyway.
Sung-wook groped his pocket to see if there was any

medicine.
“You learned at the academy that there are three main ways
to use the CE, right?”
“Yes,” Yoo-seong replied.
“There are three methods: Ki (技), Psy (念), and Tech (術). Ki,
or what we call Aura, is a combat method that uses the CE
directly. It isn’t special. You even used it during the last
hunt. You manipulate your Aura through your body like a
weapon to enhance your power. You can shape it into things
or shoot it like a bullet. Martial Arts are very useful in
handling this skill.
“Psy is also called Arousal Ability. It’s a special ability

awakened from birth or by injecting CE into the core. It is
expressed according to the ability factor that a person is
born with. Psy’s ability consumes CE but is different from
Aura. Starting with the famous telekinetic abilities, you can
have various special abilities, ranging from ignition to
freezing. Due to it being largely genetic, very few hunters
have mastered this technique.” He paused for a moment
before continuing.
“Tech, at first glance, is similar to Psy in that it can’t be

learned but is rather a special ability that consumes CE;
however, it is not a genetically controlled factor.
According to one theory, Tech (術) is a technique that has

been passed down through the generations of human
history even before the cracks appeared.
Each culture and very few secret groups have used this skill
through the generations to unleash their abilities. It’s very
rare to see people who can use this.”
“Yeah. I remember,” Yoo-seong remarked.
“What I’m going to show you from now on is a technique

that I developed.”
Yoo-seong then watched Sung-wook with interest. However,

he wondered what Sung-wook would be able to teach him.
Sung-wook’s veins were already damaged.
Suddenly, his mentor lightly kicked the ground and leaped

into the air.
At the same time, Yoo-seong stopped thinking.
Sung-wook ran around the room – literally.
He ran up the walls, across the ceiling, off the exercise

equipment; all the while, his feet didn’t slip. It was as
though he was a lizard.
Yoo-seong saw him and tried to do it, running with speed up
the walls, but he fell to the ground like a child.
Meanwhile, Kim Sung-wook was jogging off the walls

effortlessly. Finally, he stepped down and walked towards
Yoo-seong.
“At first, it was called a three-dimensional Motor Walk, but

there is a more widely-used name for it internationally,” he
smiled as he began,
Suddenly, he bent forward.
“Teacher!” Yoo-seong said.
Sung-wook bled slightly from the nose. Apart from that, the
veins all over his body had turned blue and swollen.
“About… in my pocket…”
Yoo-seong quickly understood what he was trying to say.
He reached into Sung-wook’s pocket and pulled out a

wrapped capsule.
He unwrapped it quickly and took a bottle of water. He

handed them over to Sung-Wook, who took the drug quickly.
He began to breathe heavily as the blue veins began to

disappear.
“Why did you do that?” Yoo-seong asked.
“How can I teach it without showing it?” Sung-wook asked in

response.
“Now, tell me. What was the secret behind what I did?”
Yoo-seong gaped. He wasn’t sure.
“It was a little strange. I guess it had to do with your leg,”

he guessed.
“What part of my leg?”
“Starting with the ankle, maybe…”
The angle of the knee, the movement of the pelvis – he

wasn’t sure.
Perhaps it wasn’t a human ability at all.
“Psy, I guess?” he said, finally giving up.
“I already said this is not Psy or Tech. It doesn’t make the

soles stick together or play with gravity,” Sung-wook told
him.
“Then, what was it?”
Sung-wook sighed.
“The way humans walk is fixed because that’s all the force
the human body can exert.”
Sung-wook wiped his mouth and continued.
“With strengthening from CE injection, you can move on any

surface. It’s a skill you can use anywhere: city, jungle, or
forest. You can go against inertia and gravity.”
He stood up.
“I’ll send you an email of the diagrams I have organized,

and I’ll show you how to move your body from tomorrow.
Now is…”
Sung-wook’s body stumbled for a while. Yoo-seong tried to
support him, but Sung-wook shook his hand.
“I have strained my body. I will go up to bed now.”
Waving his hand, Sung-wook went out of the training room.

As he walked through the lobby, his mind wandered. His
veins were damaged beyond repair…
Even though he had taken medicine, he had accumulated

enough shock that would make him suffer over the next few
days.
He’d put himself through that to show Yoo-seong a step in

just a few seconds.
Yoo-seong quietly watched his mentor leave.
There were many reasons why he wanted to learn to control

Aura without using Automatic Hunting. He intended to lay
the groundwork for self-sufficiency in case of emergency.
It wasn’t to his taste to hang everything down on a puppet

string.
Also, he wanted to be sincere to Sung-wook, who wanted to

teach him everything he knew. Yoo-seong had to learn Sung-
Wook’s gait, and, to do that, he had to bring his Aura control
to the required level shortly.
Could Automatic Hunting imitate Sung-Wook’s steps?
It wasn’t that much of a big deal.
Even if it couldn’t, it didn’t mean anything.
He shut the door Sung-wook had gone through and looked

at his button. Getting back into position, he closed his eyes
and focused.
Late winter snow fell on the street.
Yoo-seong left the building by midnight.
It was way past the time for the training room, but Yoo-
seong had been allowed to continue on the condition that
he would clean up the whole place once he was done.
His body was quite bloody as he returned home,
Then, he caught sight of a familiar face. The lady also

noticed him and came towards him.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong,” she said.
She didn’t seem like what he remembered- a spoiled, angry

brat.
She seemed more pleasant this time.
She reminded him of his brother at first glance.
Lee Un-seol.
“I wanted to see you before I went to China,” she said.
There was a moment of silence before she continued.
“Once more, shall we…”

Chapter 23
Episode 23
Lee Un-seol patted her ponytail for a moment.
Neither of them was sure of what to say.
In the meantime, he brought his palms to his mouth and

blew on them. He wasn’t just doing it because he felt
confused. The night was extremely cold.
“What do you mean by ‘once more, shall we?” he urged.
She took a deep breath before boldly saying,
“Fight with me again!”
Yoo-seong became both confused and embarrassed.

Obviously, the calmness he had seen from her earlier was
just a front.
“What do you mean by that?” He asked, hoping he had

heard her wrong.
However, her intention was quite visible on her face.
“You know what I mean. Spar with me,” she repeated.
“This is ridiculous. See you around some other time,” he

said as he bowed his head and walked past her.
“Oh no! Wait a minute!” she called as she ran to stand in his
way.
He frowned, not expecting that reaction.
He tried to walk around her, but she kept blocking his path.
He was losing his patience, and the snow was falling
heavier.
“Wait a minute, what’s wrong with you?” he sighed in

exasperation.
“I’ve told you that already. I want you to fight me!”
“I know, but why do you want that?”
One look at her face made him understand why. The twenty-
year-old lady was still a child. She hadn’t become mentally
mature yet.
She was still angry that she had been beaten by Yoo-seong.
He couldn’t imagine an adult like him playing such games

with a child.
“You and I are now licensed hunters. That was just a test.
There is no need to attach any meaning to it,” he said,
trying to be patient.
“I’m asking you because I need it!”
“Well, the use of force by hunters is illegal except against

the monsters from the cracks or against each other in
government-approved training facilities.”
“Who cares about that? Are you afraid that I’ll get hurt or
die? Oh, don’t be afraid of that. Fear for yourself. I dare you
to face me just this once.”
“I’m not interested.”
“Please, just once,” she pleaded.
“No.”
Lee Un-seol stopped and shouted as though in tears.
“What’s the worst that can happen if you fight me once?”
Only then did Yoo-seong stop. He looked back and made

trails in the snow with his feet.
“I’ve conversed with you only twice. In that time, I’ve only
seen that you find it hard to let go of grudges, but I think
Lee Jae-Hak is actually a respectable person. I will not
disrespect him by fighting you.”
“And now, you bring in my brother-”
“By the way, for someone with an older brother who has big
plans for her, you’re putting yourself in too much danger.
You could end your life or career,” Yoo-seong said, cutting
her off.
Lee Un-seol trembled, speechless. Yoo-seong looked at her

as if he was looking at a little child. He just hoped she
wouldn’t turn out to be an adversary.
The words that followed were even worse.
“I’m getting this fight now, whether you like it or not!”
“Could we do this some other time?” he asked.
He was exhausted.
He wasn’t sure if it was because of their conversation or
because of the excess training.
He decided to give her a fight. Of course, it wouldn’t be

right away; neither would it be there.
He planned to set a date with her in a training room. There

was nothing to gain from defeating such an opponent.
Lee Un-seol watched his actions. He was treating her with

scorn.
She had always been told that she had a hot temper. It was
a bad trait; however, she couldn’t always control it.
Before she could stop herself, she reached for her bag and
pulled out a wooden sword.
Yoo-seong pressed the button once he noticed the move.
Immediately, a tragedy followed. They hit each other with a

force that was enough to throw them both backward,
though they weren’t harmed.
She was also reinforced; however, she noticed that his

speed was more than it had been back at the test. She
suspected that it was because of the close range of attack.
Her blow was supposed to enough to knock him out.

However, he slid backward in the snow, taking a strange
expression when he came to a stop.
She was embarrassed by how he had easily parried her

blow.
She swung her sword at him again. Fortunately, all street

lights were off.
There were no cars and pedestrians on the road as it was
late into the night on Sunday. With no one watching, the two
of them chased each other through the streets.
Lee Un-seol swung her sword as she chased after him.
Yoo-seong easily maneuvered and dodged her blows. Unlike

her, whose every step was audible and left traces, Yoo-
seong’s footsteps were as silent as light.
There weren’t any traces of his feet in the snow.
Lee Un-seol bit her lips in anger.
Within the first two minutes of her attack, she realized she
had made a terrible mistake.
If she had managed to hit Yoo-seong, she would have gotten

back to her senses and would have apologized on her
knees, blushing and pretending as though she didn’t know
what had come over her. Unfortunately, that hadn’t been
the case.
Unlike when they took the test, where he had barely

managed to block her attacks, she could barely touch him
now. Her rashness embarrassed her. But beyond that, she
was embarrassed by the widened gap between her and Yoo-
seong.
She had to find a way to end the fight without losing her
dignity once more.
She drew on her CE. This time, though, it wasn’t Aura.
A week ago, a Psy ability had awakened in her. It was a

blessing imprinted in her genes.
She swung her sword with more force. This time, with each
swing, a vortex hit Yoo-seong, sending him doubling back.
It couldn’t throw him to the floor, but it could weaken his

stance. Soon, his back was against the wall of the dead-end
of an alley.
Glad that she had cornered him, she swung her sword one
last time to end the fight.
Lee Un-Seol’s wooden sword hit the wall, not Yoo-seong.
“What?!” she gasped in shock.
He was neither at her left or right.
Yoo-seong stood horizontally on the wall itself.
Was it Psy or Tech?
She wasn’t about to stop, though. She swung her sword,

hitting him with the vortex.
But he remained unshaken.
Instead, he stood on the vortex her attacks sent. Sung-wook

had sent him the document on the skill called ‘Spiderwalk’-
Spinnenschritt.
“Which language is this?” he had asked when he had seen

the name.
“Is it German? Perhaps? Can’t I just say it in English? Like

‘Spider walk’?”
“No, call it what as you wish,” Sung-wook had told him.

The name had looked funny, then. However, one could
hardly laugh when in a battle.
He took another step, this time upon Lee Un-Seol’s sword.
She tried to shake him off, but it was too late. Yoo-seong
kicked her hand away.
“Ouch!” she shouted as she closed her eyes and staggered

back.
She had never felt that kind of pain before.
Yoo-seong landed on the floor. Before she could open her

eyes again, she felt another hit. This time, it was so hard
that she fell to the ground.
In an instant, Yoo-seong was upon her torso. She tried to

move, but he held her down.
“This is solely self-defense,” Yoo-seong said as he pressed

his button again.
“If anyone looks at the footage on the street CCTVs, it will

be clear that you attacked first. Your license might be
revoked. I would be glad if you don’t land in jail. It will be
major damage to your honor.”
Lee Un-seol furiously stared up at him.
Despite being attacked first, Yoo-seong had completely

defeated her without receiving a single injury.
She was like a rat in the hands of Yoo-seong.
“Now, what?” he asked.
“Now, what? What do you mean?” she asked, close to tears.

She had been humiliated, beaten up by someone who was
still recuperating.
“Come on, don’t act this way. It was just a test. Your worth
doesn’t depend on it,” he said, tired of her attitude.
She couldn’t stop herself from crying. Even though he had

to use a special ability, there was no excuse for her to get
beaten that way.
The convenience store clerk fixed his eyes on his phone

screen.
He was oblivious to the man and woman drinking coffee at

the corner of his store.
If the woman knew that she was the reason his eyes were
fixed on his phone, she would have been shocked.
-Lee Jae-hak’s younger sister is going to China!
ran through his mind as he read the article.
Perhaps she didn’t want to start hunting under her brother’s

team.
Perhaps she had found another group that would pay her in
billions in China.
There were even rumors that three of the ten zones were
competing to get her to join their groups.
However, no one could have guessed that her trip to China

was about to end even before it started.
“I am neither your parent nor your brother. If you do
something like this again, you will be arrested by the police
immediately. And if you are caught using violence against
someone else, I will stand as a witness against you,” Yoo-
seong said as they sat together at a table.
Her head was bowed, and she couldn’t even respond.
“You must first think about civic safety before settling your
differences with people. This time, no one was injured, but
what if it had been in the daytime? Then again, you should
think of your brother. You could ruin his reputation with one
stupid act.”
She still said nothing as her head hung low.
“Do you understand?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said in a small voice,
After being defeated by Yoo-seong, she had been unable to

raise her head. She wasn’t sure which was worse: the
shame from defeated by him, or from acting so rashly.
She just fiddled with the mug of coffee.
“So, you knew that I frequented this hospital?”
“Yes.”
“Then, you should have just come in to get what you

wanted. Why did you stand waiting outside late at night?”
“Well, the idea to meet you just came to me after dinner. It’s
not as though I go there for treatment or training.”
Her answer surprised him.

“Ha,” He said as he put his hand on his forehead.
Something was quite wrong with her common sense.
He was going to say more, but he suddenly saw Lee Un-

seol’s hand.
It held the mug of coffee as if it was desperate for warmth.

It was the same hand he had kicked.
He sighed. He had to hurt her. He was grateful he hadn’t

had to do more.
He swallowed what he was about to say and rose from his

seat,
“I’ll be leaving now.”
“Uh,” she said as she looked up.
“The next time we meet, I hope you’re more mature. Then,

I’ll forget about today’s drama.”
Just before he turned away, she spoke.
“Can I ask you one more thing?”
“What is it?”
“My brother likes you. You are a great person. You don’t
seem like one who was privileged to learn the basics from a
professional. You seem like more of the type who learns
everything with his natural senses.”
Yoo-seong listened quietly as Lee Un-seol spoke, wondering

where she was going.
“Well, a person like you who excels so well without any
special privileges must feel quite good about himself,” she
told him.
“What?”
“I guess that’s where we’re different. I have someone who

teaches me everything and always tells me to be better
than I was even when I’m at the end of myself… Without
that, I really feel…”
“I don’t understand what you are trying to ask,” Yoo-seong

said, cutting her off.
Firstly, her presumptions were wrong.
Lee Un-seol looked at his face.
He had the same expression that had caused her to act in

anger.
She felt he was looking down on her. However, he wasn’t.
“I am not a special man. I do not excel without any help,” he

finally said.
Without automatic hunting, without a benefactor who

believed in him, he’d be nowhere.
Yoo-seong’s expression was sad.
Without Lee Un-seol challenge, he wouldn’t have ever tried

the Spider Walk.
He had wanted to learn it by himself, but it hadn’t worked

without Automatic Hunting.
However, when Lee Un-seol cornered him, it had been the
only way to escape.
That was when he realized how easy it was.
“Ultimately, it boils down to luck.”
Lee Un-seol thought that what Yoo-seong was talking about

was talent. There was no significant difference, according to
Sung-wook’s words.
It was luck in the end, just as Lee Un-seol had entered the
bloodline and tutelage of Lee Jae-hak.
“So, I am struggling in my own way. In order not to

somehow be ashamed of the luck that came to me… at
least to be proud of myself and to prove that I deserve it.”
Lee Un-seol felt sympathy towards him.
The environment in which they grew up and the privileges

they enjoyed were different, Yoo-seong felt the same way
towards her.
“So, don’t come up those silly theories,” he said,

emotionless. He needed to be hard on her.
“I am not…”
“I don’t know what kind of psychological pressure is

mounted on you by your brother, but that gives you no
excuse to wield a sword at an unarmed person,” he said.
She remained silent.
Yoo-seong turned and opened the door of the convenience

store. She wasn’t afraid to go after him. She held the door of
the convenience store before it closed and shouted after
him.
“The reason I’m going to China is that I don’t want to lose to

anyone!”
Yoo-seong kept walking as though he hadn’t heard her.
“If you step on everyone you meet there to get to the top,
you will become a greater hunter than your brother, but you
will have no friends,” he said over his shoulder.
She thought about his words before responding.
“I won’t! I know I was stupid before, but this time, I’ll win
without trampling on others!”
Yoo-seong disappeared around a corner before she could

finish talking, but she didn’t stop. She didn’t care if he
couldn’t hear her anymore.
“So, please… let’s talk again, then.”
The bell rang as she released the door. Lee Un-seol entered
the convenience store again and sat for a while with her
mug of coffee.
The clerk froze in shock as he noticed who his customer was

for the first time.
Two weeks later, the summer of April began.
Seven hours were left until the crack appeared.
The crack was a ‘storm’ level one and had only appeared
once that year.
The space around the crack had been evacuated and had
been bounded by barrier lines.
Several hunters waited for the crack to open, ready to rush

in.
All of them were hunters under the QR Corporation, and Yoo-

seong was among them.
“How do you feel?” asked Yoon Kang-Cheol as he put his

hand on Yoo-seong’s shoulder.
“Really, this is huge,” Yoo-seong said, meaning every word.
Unlike small organizations that rented state-owned buses

because they didn’t have the funds to own a dedicated
vehicle, QR even had a dedicated medical team outside the
barrier line.
For QR, this would be the first actual battle for the Alpha
Team.
The team was composed of first to third-year hunters, all

with Silver seals.
Yoo-seong was among them. QR needed to scout him.
“Everyone, this is Oh Yoo-seong,” Kang-Cheol Yoon

introduced him to all Alpha team members.
Everyone welcomed him, but it was obvious it wasn’t from

their hearts.
He was the elite who had broken through the tight

competition to get a place with the Alpha team without even
a formal process.
Yoon Kang-Cheol understood how they felt, but he couldn’t
help it. Besides, all Yoo-seong could do in this hunt was to
watch.
The 10 Alpha Team members were already in perfect

harmony from months of teamwork training.
No matter how talented Yoo-seong was, it was an organized

hunt. He’d be protected, but he’d have to stand back and
watch the Alpha Dogs play.
Yoon Kang-Cheol’s strategy was simple. After seeing the

sophisticated teamwork of Alpha Team and the know-how of
the prestigious QR, Yoo-seong would want to be a part of
them.
Yoon Kang-Cheol had already positioned the second team of

rookies called ‘Beta Team’ as the successors to the Alpha
team. He told Yoo-seong that he had a place on the Alpha
team, but in fact, he was going to entrust him to be the Beta
team leader.
If there is ever any tension between him and the Alpha team
members, he might become a beta team leader. His
competitive spirit will grow that way.
For that to happen, Yoo-seong had to be impressed by the

Alpha Team’s character and skill. That was why he first
introduced Yoo-seong to the Alpha Team only a few hours
before they began.
“He won’t be doing much but observe you, guys. There is

not much time left, but let’s try to interact with each other,
okay?” Yoon said before walking away.
And as he expected, no one interacted with Yoo-seong.

“Oh Yoo-seong,” someone said as he walked over.
It was Jang Yoong-cheol, the Alpha Team leader.
“Yes?” Yoo-seong said, turning around.
“No equipment? Protective gear?”
Of course, Yoo-seong was wearing basic protective gear, but

it was a one-star rated suit – a modest outfit used by novice
hunters.
“Well, you weren’t told in advance about the essential

consumables, so it’s no problem.”
“Isn’t it possible to wear this outfit?” Yoo-seong asked.
“There is nothing that can be done at this point, and it’s not
as if it’s compulsory to wear these. But the bright colors
distinguish us while in the center of the crack,” Jang Yoong-
cheol explained.
He pointed at his protective gear and the protective gear of

his team members.
In reality, in terms of their careers, they were supposed to

wear one-star gears like Yoo-seong. However, because QR
supported them, most of them wore 3-star equipment- the
highest-end equipment for their class.
“I don’t know your skill, but if you run on defense alone and
get injured, it could become a burden to find you. It’s a
matter of mindset, though. If you come on a tour, you
should be prepared.”
“I see,” Yoo-seong said, nodding his head.
“I think you could try borrowing from someone, though.”

The other Alpha team members smiled as they watched.
“Fortunately, there are other seniors on the team who aren’t

going out on the operation. Most of their suits have a rating
of at least 3-stars.”
The Alpha team members were on the verge of laughter.
Obviously, among the waiting personnel, there were many

people with equipment of 3 stars or higher. However, most
of them used custom-made products made from the corpses
of beasts they hunted, rather than purchasing ready-made
suits with money.
They didn’t part easily with their equipment.
It was just like telling a soldier to borrow a gun from his

captain.
“I think I’ll pass,” Yoo-seong said.
“Why? Come on, go get geared up,” Jang Yoong-cheol

encouraged. He intended to embarrass Yoo-seong.
“Thanks, but no.”
“What? No, then you really mean to go in there like this? You
can’t be serious.”
“I will wait a little bit. When I called earlier, my manager

said some extra gear would arrive within an hour.”
“Huh? You have about ten minutes left,” Jang Yoong-cheol

said to scare Yoo-seong.
Suddenly, a truck stopped in front of a temporary camp at

the QR Corporation.
“This is the QR area!” one employee shouted.
But it wasn’t a hunter group’s truck. It bore the mark of a

famous monster corpse equipment manufacturer.
-Haechi and Anvil Co., Ltd.-
“Oh, we just need to make a delivery,” the driver said as he

looked through the window.
“Delivery?” the employee asked.
“Yes. Is Oh Yoo-seong here?”
As Yoo-seong waved; the truck driver stepped down from

the car with a paper clipped to the board and a ballpoint
pen.
“You can sign it here.”
“Oh, thank you,” Yoo-seong said as he signed the document.
“We’re not late, right? Sorry. It took a little longer than

expected. Our boss delayed for a while. He said good-quality
ingredients came late.”
Yoo-seong finished signing. He smiled as he looked at Jang

Yoong-cheol, who watched him.
“Fortunately, I don’t need to borrow equipment.”
“This…”
“It’s custom-made equipment, but it came a little late.”
The driver pulled out a black box the size of a large

refrigerator from the truck.
Yoo-seong’s equipment was in it.
Two months ago, Sung-wook had used the Queen and

Centurion to make the equipment which, had it been bought
instead, would have cost a fortune.
Sung-wook could have bought it anyway. He had was

wealthy enough.
As the box was opened and the new suit was unveiled, all
the Alpha team members gawked.
Not one person’s suit was up to its standard.
Due to the Blade thinness, the armor had been perfectly

preserved without any scratches and had been remade into
a suit for Yoo-seong.
The Queen was a 4–star beast.
The 3-star Centurion was used as replenishment.
Besides, the artisan’s commitment to the ingredients was

added.
It had reached a whopping 5-star (★★★★★) level at the

official certification stage.
Yoo-seong knew about it beforehand. He had signed the

receipt for it days ago.
“I wanted to wear my 1-star equipment first while waiting

for this to arrive,” he said as he walked away to gear up.
Chapter 24
Episode 24
The surface of the suit was matte.
The gray was quite close to black, and the sharp color made
it seem as though it was shiny.
Yoo-seong began to wear it.
The outer part of the suit was a solid armor consisting of

hundreds of nodes.
However, the inside has a softer surface, like high-

performance sportswear.
Eventually, after being zipping the suit to his nape, Yoo-

seong paused in fascination and enjoyed the sensation he
felt throughout his body.
“Isn’t it quite comfortable?”
The delivery man smiled at Yoo-seong’s reaction.
He was not only a delivery man but an apprentice who had

been part of the crafting process.
“Except for the joints, which have several segments for

easier movement, the whole outer surface is made of tough
materials. Then, we put the utmost effort into the
processing and bonding of the inner lining.”
“You used a lining?”
It didn’t feel like it. It felt so smooth; Yoo-seong felt he could

wear it forever.
“Well? Didn’t you notice the feathers of Slush Terror that you
provided as a material?”
“Yes?” Yoo-seong asked in surprise.
Slush terror-★★★★
At first glance, it looked like a mixture of a poodle and an

ostrich, a ridiculous-looking giant bird. However, unlike its
appearance, it was an aggressive predator, exceptionally
greedy for flesh.
It was covered in fluffy feathers that could absorb

considerable amounts of physical shock. Essentially, it was
flesh-eating cotton candy.
Yoo-seong was deep in thought.
A Slush Terror was a rare monster that was quite difficult to

capture. The three hundred million won in Yoo-seong’s
bankbook would have been wiped out to purchase enough
feathers for this suit. He couldn’t have afforded it.
So then, where did the resources come from?
The driver noticed that Yoo-seong seemed worried.
Yoo-seong smiled a little to ease the man’s tension.
Inside, he wasn’t smiling. It was clear where the feathers of

the Slush Terror came from.
Sung-wook would have gotten them from his private
warehouse.
He had hidden the detail about the feathers in the sample

order he had shown Yoo-seong.
“Would you like to try it out for a while? It’s impossible, but
if there’s a problem with your movements, I can make
adjustments to it.”
“Okay,” Yoo-seong said.
He flipped his head, and the helmet was folded flat on the
back of his neck.
When he flipped his head again, the helmet completely

covered his head. Yoo-seong moved his arms and legs,
carrying out simple movements like bending, twisting, or
stretching.
He threw a punch and the suit perfectly caught up with his

move without resistance or noise. He was impressed.
Yoo-seong felt his heart beating with excitement.
Dark. Tough. High quality. High performance. Cutting edge.

His custom-made suit had arrived.
Yoo-seong clenched his fists. As he did, he noticed there

were nice cursive engravings on his suit’s arms, from wrist
to forearm.
– Oh Yoo-seong.-
-Freelance Hunter-
At the same part on the left arm were the words: -Reginae
Amet-
“What does this mean?” Yoo-seong asked.
“Uh… This is the phrase you asked for when you ordered,
right? It looks as though you have no idea of your order.
Usually, the name of the equipment is engraved on the left
forearm. What was the meaning again…”?
After thinking for a moment, the driver snapped his fingers

and said,
“I think it means ‘The Queen’s Hug.’”
Yoo-seong raised an eyebrow.
“Is it German?” He asked.
“The internet says it’s Latin,” the driver replied.
Yoo-seong smiled.
“It’s perfect,” he said. He liked Sung-wook’s naming sense.
The suit itself was as though the Queen Ant wrapped its
tough armor around him.
The feather lining only made it feel much better. He stepped

out of the luggage compartment where he had gone to
change.
The older QR Hunters looked at him with admiration as they

whispered among themselves.
The seniors didn’t envy him. They had better armors.
However, some of the hunters were jealous.
They were those who purchased armor rather than having it

custom-made from their prey.
“Ah, what…”
Jang Yoong-cheol couldn’t hold back his goosebumps.
He glanced at Yoo-seong, then at the other team members.

He was going to complain about the armor’s gray color, but
he knew it would be futile. It would be obvious that he was
just jealous.
***
The crack opened.
-Alpha Team, 02 Operation Division assigned.-
-Giant Whipper-★★★~★★★★★-
-Currently, there are three monsters observed. Two are 4-

stars, the other is a 5-star.-
-Further reports will be sent later in case of more monsters

observed.-
“Briefing is out!” Jang said as he stormed out of the camp.
The other hunters followed closely behind him.
The Alpha Team and three other QR hunter teams were in

charge of the rift area. They were separated into four
divisions.
“Get your equipment!” he shouted to the hunters around

him.
In general, monsters with four or more stars have a certain

level of strength and special abilities, just as the Queen Ant
had a higher durability level.
“Box mounted!” one hunter said.
“B4, B9, C2 boxes have been confirmed!” another one

replied.
They stacked the necessary supplies in a trunk and headed

out to the rift locations.
“According to the briefing, there are three Giant Whippers in

total,” Yoong-cheol said on the way to the operation section.
“We will move in twos, and we’ll be using capture ropes to

subdue them. Got it?” he asked his team.
“Okay!”
“Okay!”
The team members shared a subtle glance among

themselves.
They were all familiar with using the equipment through the
training they received from QR.
Yoong-cheol intended to make Yoo-seong a bystander during

the operation.
He had ensured that would happen. The capture ropes were

designed to be used by two people at once.
The Alpha Team had ten hunters and five capture ropes.
The task was perfect for their workforce, without Yoo-seong

being included.
“It’s a four-star monster, so, everyone, stay vigilant. We’re

going to grab the monsters, two hunters with a rope.”
As the vehicle got closer to the center, everyone in the car
moaned.
“Wow…”
“This is crazy…”
The crack was right before them.
It was the first time for all of them to see a storm-class

crack that covers at least a small town. Its length was over a
hundred meters. The purple aurora tore through the blue
sky.
Their bus stopped, along with the buses carrying the other
team of hunters.
The only buses that went further ahead were those carrying
hunters assigned to go inside the crack to close it.
“Guys, look!” a hunter said, pointing out to a row of

buildings.
Everyone almost stepped down from the bus to see what

the man had pointed at.
Suddenly, there was a thud against the bus, causing it to

turn over.
It was a giant monster, over 13m in height. It had the shape

of a human body without a neck and face. The eyes and
mouth were on the chest side.
At the ends of each arm, instead of a fingered hand, were

several long wriggling whips.
“Okay… everyone has the right frequency?” Jang Yoong-

cheol whispered.
The team members nodded nervously.
For them, this was more than just practice. They set their
GPS so that they could request support from nearby seniors
if the problem became more than they could handle.
They sneaked down from the bus as the Whipper’s attention

shifted from them.
It started to walk past the bus.
Jang Yoong-cheol looked at the monster’s back in relief.
Yoo-seong was the last one to step out of the bus.
“Hey, go hide in a building or something. We need to get to

work,” Yoong-cheol said to him.
The operation had begun, and an outsider was a nuisance.

Jang Yoong-Cheol stared ahead. Around him, the Alpha team
moved quickly.
A hunter blew a whistle, and the piercing sound filled the

streets.
The Giant Whipper turned.
One of the Alpha Team members stood on the street right

behind the monster.
The member blew another whistle, diverting the monster’s

attention.
Meanwhile, the other Alpha team members ran to their

positions. The monster wasn’t in a hurry to chase them.
It was bigger than any of them, and its single step could
cover more ground than theirs.
Just as the Whipper got between two high rising buildings,
Yoong-cheol yelled into his communicator.
“Everyone, go now!”
At the same time, three pairs of Alpha Team Hunters

appeared on the buildings.
At least ten stories high, the buildings were a little taller

than the Whipper’s head.
“Throw!” Yoong-cheol commanded.
Three of the pairs standing on the same row of buildings

each held on to a rope. Focusing Aura on their arms, they
threw one end of the rope at their partners on the other
rows of buildings.
Their aims were accurate. Their training was paying off.
As soon as their partners at the other end caught the rope,

they all pulled down hard. Then, they slid down the walls of
the building.
The Whipper screamed as the three ropes tore through its

flesh. The rope was designed to vibrate and dig into the
flesh of monsters.
Meanwhile, work was also taking place below.
“Go, go, go!”
With the first hunter who had been blowing the whistle,
three hunters hiding on the ground appeared. Together with
the six hunters holding ropes, they trapped the legs of the
captured Whipper.
The Whipper tried to swing its tentacles as it screamed, but
it was too late. The Alpha Team members were elites that
had been carefully nurtured by QR.
Soon, they were done with subduing the Whipper.
Then, Yoong-cheol climbed to the Giant Whipper’s vital spot

and sunk his sword in.
“Okay, that’s it!” he yelled and raised his hand in

excitement.
“We’ve got the first one, guys. Let’s go for more. We can do
this!” he said as he turned to his teammates.
That was when he noticed the weird expression on

everyone’s face. Someone motioned for him to turn around,
and he slowly did so.
That was when he noticed the shadow looming over him. He

jumped off the first Whipper just as a tentacle landed where
he had been.
Another Whipper, quite larger than the first, was behind

them.
Jang landed hard on the ground and groaned in pain. He

wondered how he had missed the massive Whipper.
The briefing had revealed the locations of the three

Whippers.
They had gotten so immersed in the first Whipper that they

hadn’t heard the arrival of another.
He groaned again as he watched the Whipper swing its

tentacles.
“Jang Yoong-cheol!” a female hunter cried out.
He rolled out of the way before the tentacle reached the

ground where he was.
“Run, guys,” he said as he stood up.
“Aren’t we supposed to go to get it?” the lady asked.
“Just run!”
If they had been calm enough to think things through, they

would have been able to capture it.
There were still enough ropes. But their minds didn’t work
that way. They began to panic.
The Whipper had appeared unexpectedly, and their team

leader had worsened things by acting in a frenzy.
They ran towards the bus. The Whipper got to them in no

time, using its tentacles to flip the car over before they
could even get in.
The hunters changed directions towards an empty building.

As they ran, Yoong-cheol tripped and fell.
A hunter turned back to help his leader, but when he saw

the Whipper get close, he realized it was too late and ran
back to the building, screaming.
Sure enough, the Whipper’s tentacles were already wrapped

around Jang Yoong-cheol’s ankle. Anxiety filled Yoong-cheol.
Only one thought filled his head.
A Whipper’s mouth was smaller than the size of a human

adult.
Therefore, if Whipper wanted to eat him, it wouldn’t end
with one bite.
The Whipper slowly lifted him.
Upside-down, he watched the distance between him and the

ground increase. He felt his life leaving him already.
Suddenly, he caught the silhouette of a person from the

corner of his eye.
In-yung, a hunter, soared through the air and landed on the

Whipper’s body.
He gave the Whipper a heavy punch.
The next second, Yoong-cheol’s ankle was released, and he

felt himself falling through the air. At the same time, he
spotted Yoo-seong, too, soaring through the air and landing
on the Whipper.
In-Yung and Yoo-seong each cut off a tentacle of the

Whipper.
The Whipper let out a scream as Yoo-seong leaped off it to

catch Yoong-cheol.
He came in contact with Yoong-cheol’s body just as his feet

touched the ground.
Yoong-cheol, who couldn’t believe that he would live

through the ordeal, almost threw up the moment he realized
he was safe.
Before he could, though, he saw something that made his

eyes widen.
The places where Yoo-seong and In-Yung had cut grew again
in two-folds, releasing four new tentacles.
He wanted to warn Yoo-seong about what he saw, but he

couldn’t get his lips to move coherently.
Thankfully, Yoo-seong noticed his motions and turned to see

what he was pointing at.
He saw the tentacles coming at them, grabbed Yoong-cheol,

and leaped towards the tentacles.
Yoong-cheol barely felt the impact of Yoo-seong’s landing on

the tentacles. Before he could wonder what Yoo-seong was
doing, something more surprising occurred,
Yoo-seong was running on the tentacles like a spider

running on a wall.
After running for a while, he leaped off the Whipper’s body

and landed on a power pole.
Then, he continued running up the pole.
The moment they reached the top of the pole, Yoo-seong

leaped off it again, just as the Whipper’s tail crashed against
them.
Yoo-seong landed on another tentacle and kept running.
His next leap took them towards a window on the seventh

floor of a building. There almost made it, but a tentacle hit
them, sending them flying through a window on the 6th
floor instead.
Yoong-cheol was wounded in a couple of areas, but that was

all.
Yoo-seong was still okay.
As they were trying to catch a breath, a tentacle came

through the window, groping around the room. The Whipper
was trying to find them.
Yoo-seong grabbed Yoong-cheol and led him out of the

room.
They stopped at the corridor of the fifth floor, away from the
Whipper’s tentacles.
“Stay calm. Inhale, exhale. Are you okay?” Yoo-seong said.
Only then was Jang Yoong-cheol able to speak.
“Thank… you…”
“Do you have any major injury? Sorry. I couldn’t completely

avoid the Whipper.”
Yoo-seong took off his helmet. His face was full of sweat.
“I just… how the hell did you…”
“I learned it somewhere,” Yoo-seong said concisely.
Yoong-cheol wasn’t satisfied with the answer, but he let it

go. There were bigger things to deal with.
“Team leader, are you okay?” The voice came from the
communicator.
“Yes, I am. What about you, guys?”
“We’re safe too. We’re in a building. The Whipper can’t find

us. But what are we going to do? The mission has gone
awry. We didn’t even secure the first one properly. I fear the
hunt is now over.”
“And I fear you’re correct. Now that there are two of them,
we have no hope of defeating them.”
The sound of tentacles groping inside the building echoed in

the hallway.
The first Whipper had broken free.
Now, the two of them were demolishing buildings, searching

for their prey. The Alpha Team’s time was running out.
Unless support came, they were going to die soon.
Jang Yoong-cheol groaned in frustration.
He knew how much their CEO, Yoon Kang-Cheol, had looked

forward to them hunting in the central region.
His attention was drawn back by the sound from Yoo-

seong’s helmet.
Yoo-seong had put it back on. He stood up and went towards

the window.
“Hold on, rookie. Where are you going?”
“Outside.”
“Are you crazy?!”
“Yes. But I’m not about to give up like your team. I am an

outsider. So, it’s different for me.”
Jang Yoong-cheol stared at him, confused. He hadn’t seen

Yoo-seong’s video.
He had just heard that some impressive rookie had
emerged. The rumors were everywhere in the industry.
He had thought the reason everyone was so impressed by

Yoo-seong were the skills he had just shown.
Yoo-seong had saved his life, and that was great, indeed.
However, there was no way a beginner would be able to
catch the monsters outside.
He hadn’t been able to avoid the tentacle completely during

their escape.
‘How could he face two of them?’
Yoong-cheol gripped the rookie’s shoulder.
“No, you can’t just-” he began, but Yoo-seong shrugged his

hands off and continued walking towards a window.
“Hey, hey!” Jang Yoong-cheol shouted as he went after Yoo-

seong.
The operation was already ruined – that was clear.
However, if the rookie got killed on his watch, he’d be on a

whole new level of trouble.
Yoo-seong faced the window. He could see Whipper’s

tentacles outside.
“Come back here! What are you doing? You were hit the last
time. You’ll just get yourself killed!” Jang said from the door.
He couldn’t get himself to move any further.
“You’re hiding well,” Yoo-seong said as he smiled at Jang

Yoong-cheol.
The reason he had been hit by the Whipper the last time
was simple: he hadn’t turned on Auto-Hunt.
He had wanted to fight with his abilities. He had saved

Yoong-cheol and escaped the Whippers by himself.
He had been training in sweat and blood for the past two
months for this moment.
He wanted to know how far he could go without the button.
He had gotten a great armor for the job.
Of course, he could always press the button when he

needed to.
With a slight smile on his lips, Yoo-seong cracked his neck.
“When you do, you have to be sure,” Jang Yoong-cheol

warned him.
For Yoo-seong, the tour was now over.
It was time for full-scale hunting.
-Press the button to auto-hunt.-

Chapter 25
Episode 25
The people were watching the operation closely.
With companies that move in multiple team units, a

situation control center was usually located outside the
hunting area. The control center sent briefings, monitored
action cam videos in real-time, and even directed operations
in some cases.
QR was one of those companies.
Experienced hunters such as Yoon Kang-cheol were in

control of the field without necessarily going to the front line
themselves.
Today, as usual, the command was conducted without any

problems. Each leader gave commands from the center with
urgency in their voices.
“Send support right away to Section 02…!”
“All available waiting personnel are…!”
Yoon Kang-cheol put his hand on his forehead as he watched

the Alpha Team members through the five large monitors in
front of him.
The Alpha Team was not aware that he could watch them
through their action cams.
However, the purpose of monitoring was for them to get
support whenever they needed it.
They would handle the operation themselves, and the

monitoring was just a fallback option. That way, their
confidence could be built.
He observed the action cams and judged each Alpha Team

members’ ability.
If the hunt were successful anyway, there would be no

problem.
But right now, the Alpha Team was in the midst of a huge
problem.
“Why the hell are you running away?!” He groaned as he

watched the footage.
The Alpha Team members started running away when the

second Whipper appeared.
Instead of saving Jang Yoong-cheol, they hurried to hide

inside a building.
“These cowardly humans!” he yelled in frustration.
Were they really running from a 4-star Whipper?
He wasn’t expecting them to jeopardize their lives. Life was

paramount.
However, the least they could do was to be courageous.
For example, when the second Whipper appeared.
If they had maintained formation, it would have been

possible to save Yoong-cheol and take him into a building
with the rest of them. Then, using the room’s advantage,
they would have been able to disengage the Whippers’
tentacles.
Even if the facility was destroyed, the Alpha Team could

have captured the two Whippers that had lost their
tentacles.
He became tired of watching. He had worked so hard

training that squad of Alpha Hunters over the months,
spending money with devotion.
It had been a difficult and harsh training, but these

members had completed it with minimal injuries.
Their problemwasn’t that of skill but mentality.
Yoon Kang-cheol recalled what happened ten years ago. He

succeeded in hunting a 6-star Kargadon with like-minded
colleagues.
There were only a few people on that team.
The equipment, the amount of CE, and the accumulated

know-how were also considerably less in the past. The
conditions for hunting were incomparable then and now.
However, the major difference between the old teams and

this one was the members’ resolution. Those days, the
hunters weren’t ‘honey’ jobbers that bragged about their
strengths.
The death rate per operation was close to 40%. Everyone

had felt afraid.
But that gave them more reason to be thorough and bold.

Yoon Kang-cheol shook his head. The change in mentality
down the years had always been vivid.
He had to focus on what was happening at the moment.
“Captain Jang, are you applying for support?” He asked

urgently, though he already knew the answer.
Regardless of whether or not he applied, the end was

already certain.
When the Whipper’s tentacles caught Jang Yoong-cheol, a

silence filled the control room.
Even by today’s standards, the deaths of hunters weren’t

uncommon.
It could even have been said that it was fortunate that nine
people were still alive in the building. However, this was the
Alpha team that he’d been training personally.
Watching them die could never be pleasant.
“Boss!” Someone shouted, and at the same time, Yoon

Kang-cheol saw what was happening.
Yoo-seong appeared on Jang Yoong-cheol’s action cam.
He jumped and grabbed Yoong-cheol; then, he jumped

alternately between power poles and the tentacles using the
Spider Walk.
“Huh?!”
“Wow!”
When he was hit by the tentacles and crashed into the 6th-
floor window, everyone in the room shouted in horror.
Then, after a few moments, they saw him approach the
window.
Everyone gasped in relief. He was alive.
Even Yoon Kang-cheol found himself wiping his brow in

relief.
Yoon Kang-cheol’s desire to recruit Yoo-seong grew even

more intense. That special walk was definitely from Kim
Sung-wook. He had seen it before.
Of course, what Yoo-seong displayed was nothing compared

to Kim Sung-wook’s heydays.
However, it had only been two months. Even though the

Aura level he had shown was small, it was remarkable
considering the meager amount of time spent training.
He had to have Yoo-seong. A couple of plans had already

formed in his mind.
Since he had saved Jang Yoong-cheol’s life, he could be

given compensation and the right to participate in future
hunts in return.
Or, he could form a new beta team and make him the
leader.
“What?” an OB spoke suddenly.
“Why is he doing that?”
The murmur around him brought Yoon Kang-cheol out of his

reverie.
The people in the control room stared at the action cam

feed from Jang Yoong-cheol.
Yoo-seong went back to the window.
Suddenly, the signals from the action cams began to break.

They could hardly see him; neither could they hear him.
“What happened?” Yoon asked. “Reset the Alpha Team’s

communication frequency.”
The moment they were back online, they all watched Yoo-
seong jump out of the window.
Everyone was horrified. Yoon Kang-cheol spoke into the

communicator.
“Jang Yoong-cheol. Go up to the rooftop, right now!”
-But, sir, it isn’t safe out there.
“I said, go up to the roof. Don’t try to second-guess me.”
This time, he raised his voice – something he seldom did.
When he yelled, Jang Yoong-cheol and all the personnel in

the control room held their breaths.
“Get to the roof with your action cam. Though I doubt you
will be able to observe anything without fear of injury,” he
said.
-Ahhh!
With the yell, Jang Yoong-cheol ran up to the rooftop.
He moved so quickly that he reached the rooftop of the 16-

story building in less than ten seconds.
Jang Yoong-cheol stood on the ledge and watched the

unfolding scene beneath him as had been directed. Yoon
Kang-cheol reached out without looking at the control panel.
He pressed a button, and the monitors that had shown

footage of the ten Alpha Teams now only reflected Jang
Yoong-cheol’s cam.
Soon, they spotted Yoo-seong under the roof between two

buildings.
“Oh my gosh,” someone whispered as they stared at the

screen.
It was as if they were looking through a scene from hell.
A Whipper spotted Yoo-seong as soon as he jumped.
Just then, Yoo-seong pressed the button.
The Whipper swung its tentacles at him with murderous

intent. Yoo-seong knew that the energy with which the
tentacle came was quite equivalent to a moving car.
He turned lightly and dodged the first tentacle.
However, more tentacles were flying towards him.
The second and third tentacles are coming in at the same

time.
Instead of dodging, Yoo-seong held out his left arm. This

time, he didn’t take the Assault Form.
The automatic hunt bent the ring finger and pinky as though
he were holding an imaginary gun. It was the same posture
he had used to kill the queen ant.
As silent as light, a murky aura sword came from the back of
his hand.
Just before the two tentacles touched him, he swung his

blade.
The two tentacles were split in half.
Whippers had a regenerative ability, which made them an

excellent raw material for CE injection.
However, that ability wasn’t infinite. With each laceration

upon it, the raw material obtainable from its body was
reduced in quality.
Continuous cutting wasn’t the way to fight it. He had to hit it

clean in a spot where it wouldn’t survive.
With its regenerative ability, its split tentacles could join

together to become one again. Yoo-seong landed on the
ground as the Whipper took a second to get its bearings.
Then, it rushed at Yoo-seong, throwing more tentacles in his
direction.
The second Whipper spotted Yoo-seong two and headed in

his direction. They were like two Greek Hydras coming for
Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong stood still as he waited for them.
Finally, they came close enough, and their tentacles were

right above him. However, as they landed, he spider-walked
on them, using each tentacle as a stairwell to go higher. He
then cut the ends of the tentacles in two.
Back in the control room, a hunter who was watching

through the screen muttered.
“Why… if he could easily avoid them, why not stab vital
spots instead…”
However, he became quiet before he could even finish

talking.
He noticed it.
Even the Whippers noticed what had happened and

screeched in horror. As they had continuously tried to hit
Yoo-seong, their tentacles had become entangled with each
other.
They pulled together, and the force sent them both to the
floor. Before they fell, Yoo-seong alighted gracefully on the
ground.
Their wounds would heal, but there was nothing they could
do anymore.
They had been captured alive.
The control center was quiet once again until Yoon Kang-
cheol spoke.
“Jang Yoong-cheol, go down to Oh Yoo-seong immediately,”

he said.
Although the line broke a bit, Yoong-cheol understood what

the CEO wanted and slid along the building’s exterior walls
with aura in his hand.
The rookie had just dealt with two Whippers – a 4-star and a
5-star – singlehandedly.
He tried to keep a cool expression as he approached Yoo-
seong, who was sitting on the sidewalk.
“Oh Yoo-seong, Oh… Mr…” he spoke with trembling.
“Yes?” Yoo-seong asked.
“The CEO… says he wants to speak with you…”
Yoo-seong received Jang Yoong-cheol’s device. It was a

video call.
“This is Oh Yoo-seong.”
“Yoo-seong! You did a great job. I watched everything from

the control center.”
“Yes.”
“Are you injured? You don’t sound well.”
“No, I’m not.”
Yoon Kang-cheol read a subtle dissatisfaction in Yoo-seong’s

face. He became worried.
“Of course, you will own the two Whippers you captured, if
that’s the problem,” he said.
It was too generous an offer.
Usually, as long a person hunted with a team, he was

obliged to share the bounty received with his teammates.
However, Yoon Kang-cheol wanted him happy by all means.
“Thank you,” Yoo-seong said. His face was still drab.

Yoon Kang-cheol thought it was because of his
disappointment in the Alpha Team skills.
He didn’t know what excuse to give on their behalf.
He had to take a new route on training the hunters, and it

was all the more reason why he needed Yoo-seong on the
team.
He spoke once more.
“You saved Jang Yoong-cheol. It is a debt that cannot be

repaid even by QR. It’s too heavy a price to be paid by
money.”
Jang Yoong-cheol, who was listening to the call, trembled.
“You saved our future,” Yoon Kang-cheol added.
However, in his head, it was clear that the future was Yoo-
seong himself.
“If there is anything I can personally do for you, I’ll gladly do

it. Even…”
“Then, I’d like to ask you one thing.”
Yoo-seong spoke, cutting Kang-cheol off.
“Yes. Just say anything.”
The CEO expected something massive.
Regardless, he would find a way to provide it to Yoo-seong,

then use it to hold on to the novice hunter.
Yoo-seong spoke.
Contrary to Yoon’s thoughts, it was a pretty simple request.
However, it was also a request that Yoon Kang-cheol never

thought of.
“I need…”
Chapter 26
Episode 26
02 Operation Division.
That was the name of the area the Alpha team was in
charge of.
However, it was too small to even be called an operational

division. It had a radius of merely 100m, and there were
only about three 4-5 star monsters within it.
Yoon Kang-cheol planned to expand the scope of Operation

Division 02 once they have successfully defeated the three
Whippers.
They would have taken over the remaining areas covered by

the support team. The area at the center of the rift was
large. Hunting there was no joke.
It was going to be foolish to hand it all over to the new team

just to help them grow.
It was too risky for public safety. Of course, Yoon Kang-cheol

understood it well.
That was why he placed other areas under the control of the
OB-1 Team- the real ‘elites’ of QR.
The OB-1 Team laughed hysterically when they heard of the

Alpha Team’s failure. Each of them could successfully head
the other teams in the QR.
In fact, many of them were already household names in the

industry.
Kang-cheol quickly dispersed about a half of them to take

charge of the post-processing of the Alpha Team’s
operation. However, not every one of them was happy
about it.
“Well, then, why did they send the Alpha Team out here if
they couldn’t handle the job?” one asked her colleague.
“Weren’t there just three Whippers? I’d say they were easy
opponents. It’s just that those Alpha Team members are too
chicken.”
“And think of all the money the CEO invested in them. He

should have used it to equip other teams instead.”
Unlike the OB-2 and OB-3 teams who were in charge of

covering the Alpha Team, the OB-1 Team had just one goal.
It was to clean up any mess that would be caused by the

Alpha Team. Staying in the center of the rift alone was hard
work enough.
Now, on top of their task, they have to solve another team’s

problem, too.
A hunter in Team 1 kicked the corpse of a monster in front of

him.
“What’s wrong with this Alpha Team? Now, we get to do

more work because of them,” he said.
The carcass of a reptile a dozen pairs of legs and, at least,
ten meters long fell over.
Scale Centipede-★★★~★★★★★
“Ah! You made the venom splash on me!” a junior hunter

shouted.
“It didn’t bounce, man,” the first one said.
The junior hunter grumbled and picked up the scale

centipede’s body. The center was crawling with dozens of
centipedes.
Scale Centipedes were the hunters’ most hated prey.
It wasn’t difficult to catch them; however, they had no value

whatsoever.
The poison they secreted damaged not only the soil, but
also the hunters’ equipment. Their bodies couldn’t even be
used as fertilizer.
“I’d rather be facing cheap Gray Ants than these…by the

way, did you guys see Oh Yoo-Seong? He looked good in his
gear,” a lady said.
“Of course, he does. He caught the first Queen Ant I’ve seen
in three years,” a man said.
“It’s not as though I’m insulting the CEO but, even if a

rookie is so good, isn’t he supposed to put a rookie through
training for at least a few months, instead of allowing him to
participate in the hunts?”
“Well, the CEO is an experienced hunter who knows how to

manage the field. He knows what he’s doing,”
“Just because he’s a good player doesn’t necessarily mean
he’s a good manager.”
The complaints didn’t stop there.
Like other organizations in the 2F4T, QR was run based on

hierarchy rather than skill.
In other words, whatever the leaders said was what

happened.
The CEO had placed an untrained rookie in the frontlines

while assigning seniors on side operations.
“Stop, turn off all local broadcasts. Wait quietly. All officers

remain alert and stop gossiping.”
Shin Yoo-hee, the Team 1 leader, silenced everyone as she

pulled out an electronic cigarette.
She was a platinum-seal hunter. She also disagreed with the

CEO’s recent decisions, but, as a manager, she had to act
smarter.
The business of hunting was a dangerous one.
Even in ‘simple’ operations, hunters had to remain vigilant

regardless of the monster’s rating.
The possibility of death was high.
It was always at the forefront of her mind, even though she

had already been in the industry for fourteen years.
However, these days, she hardly had any motivation.
All that was left of her was the sense of responsibility for
other people’s safety.
“Team Leader Shin.” The voice came from her
communication device.
It was Yoon Kang-cheol.
“Yes?” she said as he removed the cigarette from her

mouth.
“How are you?” Kang-cheol asked.
“Oh, I’m fine. There have no casualties so far. How are the
kids holding up? Anyone dead yet?”
There was sarcasm in her voice. She had been interested in

watching the Alpha Team’s performance, and she hadn’t
been disappointed.
Their performance had been utterly shameful.
Two 4-star, one 5-star.
Handling three Whippers was supposed to be easy – if they

used their thinking faculties well enough.
“Everything is fine. Although, someone incurred some

broken ribs,” Kang-cheol replied.
“How?” Shin Yoo-hee asked in amazement.
She had heard a rumor that something big had happened

earlier.
For hunters, ‘something big’ was equivalent to death.
“Oh Yoo-seong handled two Whippers. He even saved Kang

Yoong-cheol.”
“That’s great,” Yoo-hee said dryly.

She had never seen Yoo-seong – the rookie who had
somehow managed to use the Blade. It was enough to be
considered an impressive act, but she wasn’t impressed.
Just like the sports industry, sometimes, people with out-of-

the-ordinary capabilities appeared.
In the future, though, many of them would fail to meet the

expectation from their younger days.
The future belonged to only those who were focused and

persistent. She couldn’t judge Yoo-seong, though. She had
only heard of him a few times before the operation.
However, it was her opinion that Yoo-seong shouldn’t be a

part of QR yet.
The QR wasn’t a good environment for rookies.
It would be better for him to grow through more difficult

situations than following the flowery path QR offered him-
just like other hunters had to do.
“I’m sending someone over,” Yoon Kang-cheol finally said.
“I don’t think you need us to support the Alpha Team

anymore, then,” Yoo-hee thought out loud.
“No. Oh Yoo-seong has sorted it out. I need you to do

something else for me.”
“Really? What is it?”
As she looked ahead, Shin Yoo-hee hoped she was wrong.
She didn’t need Kang-cheol’s answer anymore.
A car was approaching them.

Yoo-seong was in it.
***
“Thank you for the ride,” Yoo-seong said as he bowed

slightly to the Alpha Team member that drove him.
“Oh, it’s no biggie,” the driver said, laughing slightly.
The driver tried to remain calm as he stepped down from

the car; however, he felt miserable. He drove the car away,
Yoo-seong turned and saw Shin Yoo-hee standing behind

him.
“You told the CEO that you wanted to come here?”
“That’s right,” Yoo-seong nodded.
He waited for the Team 1 leader’s response.
Finally, Yoo-hee spoke.
“Don’t be a hindrance, will you? Stay away. By the way,

why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you want to come here, rookie?”
Yoo-seong refused to react with hostility to Yoo-hee’s words.
As the team leader waited for his response, she took a puff
from her cigarette. She looked down so that the smoke
wouldn’t spread over Yoo-seong’s face; then, she blew out.
Yoo-seong glanced at Yoo-hee’s left hand, which was holding

the cigarette.
The hand was scarred as though it had gone through a lot of
injuries.
The thumb and the ring fingers have been cut off.
“I felt… it was not enough,” Yoo-seong said.
His words were a concise summary of what he felt after

defeating the Whippers.
Unfortunately, the Whippers were too insignificant for

automatic hunting to use all of his resources.
“I want to experience the center,” Yoo-seong explained.
It was the same thing he had told the CEO when he was
asked what he wanted.
“If you interfere with the people there, we will lose our
direction. Isn’t there something else you want?” The CEO
pleaded.
Even though he was satisfied with Sung-wook, Yoo-seong

knew that coming here gave Yoon Kang-cheol the hope of
recruiting him.
Of course, he would refuse his offer, but he decided to

explore QR more in the meantime.
“Not enough?”
“That’s right,” Yoo-seong said, expecting another harsh

response.
Surprisingly, Shin Yoo-hee just nodded her head.
“Do you know how to read positions? We’re currently

secured. I don’t think there is any more incoming wave, but
if there is, we will do whatever we can to maintain control.
Watch our operations but don’t interrupt my team position.”
“Okay. Is there anything else I have to do?”
“Not at all. You don’t seem like a person who doesn’t know
his limits. If you were, you would be seriously injured or
killed. But what do I care? That’s your responsibility, isn’t
it?”
“That’s right.”
“Good. Let’s remember that,” Yoo-hee said.
Before she turned away, she added:
“I know you are a talented person. Still, the people gathered

here are better hunters than you.”
“I understand,” Yoo-seong said politely.
“You can be offended, but…”
Shin Yoo-hee licked her lips while choosing the right words.
“Don’t hurt my team members,” she said and walked away.
“Yes, I understand,” he said.
She had been the prettiest lady he had seen in a while.
“Good,” she said over her shoulders. Soon, she was back
with her team.
Yoo-seong found a nearby building and settled in. Shortly

after that, the cracks began to vibrate.
“Oh, it’s dripping hard,” someone from Team 1 said, and
everyone agreed.
When rifts open, a team enters it to shut it down, while the

other teams dealt with the monsters that came out.
The Maruchan Team 2, one of the 4T, was already inside the
rift.
From the level of the monsters that were coming out of the
rift, everyone knew that their job inside wasn’t an easy one.
For some reason, monsters continued to keep coming from

the inside. The crack continued to vibrate – a sign that
something was about to come out.
Yoo-hee wished that it would be the Maruchan Team that

would appear this time and not another monster wave.
Everyone watched in anticipation.
Soon, something like a small black dot came out of the

crack, falling freely.
The OB-1 Team remained vigilant.
It could be a plant-like spore or a poisonous mass.
As the black dot kept coming closer, some of the hunters

recognized what it was.
“Oh, crazy!”
With a dull thud, the black dot fell just in front of the OB-1
team’s formation.
Shock slowly filled the faces of the hunters.

The black dot was not a threatening object. However, it
implied a threat.
“Prepare for raid formation!” Shin Yoo-hee shouted.
The black dot was the head of the Maruchan team leader.
It was half crushed and bloody. The expression on it was a

pain-filled one.
Once again, the crack vibrated.
After that, the silhouette of a creature was revealed.
Shin Yoo-hee’s resolve strengthened as she stared at the

silhouette.
Then, she turned her gaze to where Oh Yoo-seong went.
He wasn’t there.
‘Thank God’, she thought.
She could hunt without thinking of his welfare.
However…
He was already in action when she next spotted him.
And the action he employed wasn’t running away.

Chapter 27
Episode 27
Before the control center’s briefing arrived, the Team 1

hunters could already visually confirm the monsters’ type.
Several black dots were falling from the crack again.
However, this time, they were larger than the head of the
Maruchan team leader.
They were about the size of human beings. The creatures

that fell from the crack raised their arms as though they
were enjoying the new world.
The first one to reach the ground looked towards the

building. It had the face of a lizard, with rotting folds around
its head.
More came pouring down the cracks.
“Shantiga?” one of the hunters gasped.
Shantiga-★★★★
There was a small fuss among the hunters.
“Why are they coming out here?” another one asked.
The Shantiga was not the beast they were expecting. It was
the first time they had ever faced one.
The world beyond the rift usually mirrors the real world.
If a rift appeared 100 meters from the North Pole on Earth, it

would open up at the world beyond the rift’s North Pole as
well. Because of this, hunters could predict which type of
monsters would appear through the cracks.
It was just like on Earth: there were no tigers in Africa, and

there were no elephants within the Korean Peninsula.
The same was true of the Shantiga. They usually appeared

in the mountainous regions of North America. The hunters
only knew the creature’s name through the internet.
Suddenly, Shin Yoo-hee’s voice rang out through the

communication network.
“All personnel approach the crack while maintaining the

charge formation. Do it now!”
Many team members opened their eyes wide in shock. They

couldn’t understand the order.
Even with their long years of experience, it was everyone’s

first time to face a Shantiga.
How was it possible for someone as cautious as Shin Yoo-

hee to give this order?
However, despite their reservations, their feet began to

move.
They were professionals. It was compulsory to follow the

commands of the field director.
Before long, they began to understand the reason behind

the instructions – and their expressions grew darker with the
realization.
“CEO,” Shin Yoo-hee said to Yoon Kang-cheol through her

device.
“I’m watching,” he responded.
Yoon Kang-cheol’s voice revealed his nervousness as he

watched Team 1’s action cam.
“I will direct the field. If possible… I’ll go inside the crack

and finish the closure.”
“I’ll leave it to you,” Kang-cheol said.
At first glance, it was a reckless decision.
The Maruchan was one of the four leading teams in Korea.
Though they were small in number, they were skillful

enough to finish off 6- to 7-star monsters.
However, even they had been annihilated.
It was not because of incompetence. They had simply been

overwhelmed.
They must have been surprised by the Shantiga, too.
Despite that, they bravely remained within the cracks to

close it.
The Shantiga had three outstanding characteristics, a

combination of which no other monsters on the Korean
Peninsula had:
1. A risk rating of 4 stars or higher.

2. The habit of living in large groups.
3. Flight ability.
The Shantigas lay prone after landing. Then, the wings on

their backs gently unfolded.
They started taking off.
The hunters began to fire at the monsters immediately.
“Don’t think about capturing them! Kill as much as

possible!” Shin Yoo-hee ordered as she raised her Geller
Gun to the sky and started shooting.
“…Yes. Yes, that’s right. …Yes,” Yoon Kang-cheol said into

the telephone.
He sighed as he ended the call with the military general,
He prided himself as a very skillful coordinator. Regardless

of his many years away from active duty, his strategizing
skills were still exceptional.
Through his tutelage, every QR hunter could catch a

monster that had, at most, a star above their ranking.
However, he knew his recent decision had been foolish.
He agreed with Shin Yoo-hee’s quick decision.
The problem right now wasn’t Team 1’s ability. They were
strong enough to fight the monsters in a one-on-one battle.
The problem was that the crack remained open, and thus,
monsters kept pouring in.
Yoon Kang-cheol stared at Team 1’s action cam on the

monitor as he pondered.
The number of Shantigas falling from the rift was increasing.
Now, their wings were already spread out as they fell, as
though they realized the danger waiting for them below.
Still, the number of Shantigas is not infinite, and Team 1

wouldn’t have so many casualties.
The greatest danger was what would happen if the

monsters went beyond the crack area.
The number of beasts that the hunters could stop is limited.
That was why Team 1 tried to get as close to the rift as

possible, allowing hunters on the outer areas to handle the
monsters that escaped.
But this time, things were different.
The Shantiga was a surprise. Their strength was rated at 4-

stars.
Apart from the Queen Ant, they were the first flying
monsters that the hunters had faced.
If the outlying hunters couldn’t stop the Shantigas, they

would go beyond the hunting line and find the civilians.
It was a disaster in the making.
“Um, CEO,” one of the hunters started.
“What is it?”
The other teams had received information on what was

happening and headed towards the QR main control center.
“Well, several teams have sent requests to withdraw.”

“What?”
Yoon Kang-cheol’s face gradually turned red.
“They are saying it’s too dangerous… and well… technically,

they have the right to withdraw…”
His newfound anger made Kang-cheol forget about the

Alpha Team’s failure.
He thought that would be the biggest tragedy that day, but

this…
“What do those good-for-nothing-hunters think their job is?

What are their names?”
He felt as though his blood was flowing the wrong way. He

couldn’t get the right words.
Yoon Kang-cheol pressed a hand on his forehead.
Of course, not all hunters are the same, even if they were
on the same team.
It was indeed daunting for hunters assigned to outer areas

to be facing a 4-star flying monster.
But…
“We need to finish this job…”
He wasn’t going to chicken out with them, even if he had to

go out himself.
Yoon Kang-cheol looked around the control camp.
Then, he pointed to the personnel around him – employees

and hunters who had just retired from active duty.
“Get the equipment.”
“Why?” one asked.
“We are going in. We have to shoot down those lizards. If

there is a problem, I will take responsibility. It’s your choice,
though. Come out if you want.”
The employees who were not hunters wore surprised

expressions.
“It is illegal to enter a blocked area without reporting it,” a

lady said.
However, the retired hunters nodded their heads silently

and equipped themselves according to the CEO’s
instructions.
“CEO, the media contacted me. They are asking for

information about the emergency.” the lady said suddenly.
“Hang up the phone,” Kang-cheol said as he put on his gear.
He remembered the call from the Military General earlier. In

the event of an unavoidable situation, the army will move to
blow up the crack and force it to close.
However, the crack was at the heart of a new city.
There would be astronomical property damage, one that

only happened during the earlier days of the rifts.
The damage wouldn’t end there. It would cause the public

to believe that hunters are unable to handle the cracks.
Getting help from the military would cause anxiety to the
people. No one would understand that the Shantiga
appearance was an unprecedented situation.
“Please,” Yoon Kang-cheol prayed earnestly for Team 1 to
finish the job.
Despite her dire mental state, each of Shin Yoo-hee’s five

Geller Gun bullets hit a Shantiga.
The gun was a two-star weapon that channeled Aura and

shot them in the form of bullets.
At first glance, it was an unsuitable weapon for her. In fact,

the Shantigas, who had been hit by the bullets, simply
shook it off for a while before flapping their wings again.
Shin Yoo-hee clenched her left fist, activating her Psy.
Suddenly, five light spheres flashed in the air.
Fist-sized holes appeared where the Shantigas were hit with

the bullets.
Yoo-hee sighed with relief as their bodies crashed to the

ground with her explosion sparks.
However, she couldn’t rest.
More Shantigas were pouring out of the crack.
She planned to gradually approach the crack while

suppressing Shantigas with firepower along the way.
Thanks to her excellent skills, she was successfully

suppressing the Shantigas to some extent…
However, she couldn’t reach the crack by herself.
She was right under it, but she couldn’t reach it.
‘If there was only one person, only one person more…’
She needed an expert who had mastered some Tech-type

mobility that could get her up the rift, or someone who
could control a Shantiga telepathically and allow her to ride
it up the crack.
“Commander! 9 o’clock!” A team member cried out.
Shin Yoo-hee turned her head.
Three Shantigas were flying towards the building with their

wings spread out.
Shin Yoo-hee immediately fired.
Unfortunately, as soon as she fired the second shot, another

Shantiga appeared in front of her, blocking her sight.
“Damn!”
Along with the swear words, Shin Yoo-hee extended her left
hand.
She aimed three fingers to the side of the lizard’s neck and
activated her Psy.
There was an explosion as her Aura was released. It was

another method she seldom used because of its inefficiency.
It used a tremendous amount of CE and only worked in close
range.
However, no one considered inefficiency while face-to-face

with death.
She quickly tried to recover her aim, but the remaining

Shantiga was already flying too high, out of her range.
It was about to fly over the rooftop of a tall, high-rise
building.
Suddenly, a line extended vertically on the rooftop. Like a

rope thrown by a cowboy, it accurately wrapped itself
around the Shantiga’s neck.
“A rope?” Shin Yoo-hee muttered. It was a capture rope used

for catching large monsters.
Team 1 had several of these ropes prepared for capturing

Whippers.
But who threw the rope on the roof?
Shin Yoo-hee’s confusion did not last long as Yoo-seong,

holding the other end of the rope, appeared at the building’s
roof.
Then, he jumped off.
Yoo-hee gasped, expecting a free fall. However, he was not

falling.
From the roof of a building with more than 30 floors, he ran

down the wall vertically, dragging the Shantiga along. The
lizard tried to flap his wings, but there was no use to resist.
When they finally reached the second floor, Yoo-seong

grabbed the rope with both hands and swung it with force
as his Aura focused on his arms.
The Shantiga body was smashed to the concrete ground.
Then, with Aura on his legs, Yoo-seong leaped and landed

beside Yoo-hee.
Wasn’t he running away?

Shin Yoo-hee glanced at him sideways as she continued to
pull the trigger and ignite the bullets.
There were ropes wrapped around his suit.
He must have run to the supply truck to get supplies and

equipment.
There was a moment of silence between the two.
Yoo-seong remained standing.
“If you have anything to say, please do it right away,” she

said breathlessly.
Yoo-seong answered. However, he didn’t use words. He

turned his back to the team leader and went on one knee.
Then, he lifted his arms backward slightly.
“What?” she asked. The next second, she understood the

posture.
He wanted her to ride on his back.
They stared at each other in silence.
Then, Yoo-hee began to speak.
However, she spoke to the vice team leader, not Yoo-seong.
“Lee Jin-wook. From now on, you will be in charge of the field
command.”
“What?”
“I’ll try to enter the crack.”

Shin Yoo-hee made the decision based on fourteen years of
intuition.
She had decided that she was going to trust the rookie.
She hopped on Yoo-seong’s back and wrapped her left arm

around his shoulders.
She kept her right hand free to shoot the gun if necessary. It
was the mobility that she had wanted so much.
The temporary duo was formed.
With Aura around his legs, Yoo-seong began to run up a

high-rise building.
Chapter 28
[Hey guys, there’s actually a good amount of you guys

reading this. However, the NU page is dead without any
reviews or ‘readers’. I uploaded extra today, I hope you guys
can help out. The better a novel performs, the higher the
budget, and in turn, I can increase the upload rate and
quality of future chapters.]
Episode 28
Lee Jin-wook, the vice team leader, was a platinum seal

Hunter with nine years of experience. He ranked 16th
among the Top 20 hunters in domestic rankings.
“From now on, I’m assuming control!” he announced

through the communicator.
He planned to have hunters with long-range ammunition to

cover the duo headed for the rift; however, his eyes had
caught onto Yoo-seong’s trajectory.
In two seconds, the rookie had gone further than Jin-wook

had expected.
He then changed his mind.
“Keep the existing formation! Stop the Shantigas in this area

as much as possible!”
The most important thing at that point was keeping the

beasts in their zone.
With the pace at which Yoo-seong was going, covering them
was not necessary. The Shantigas in the air had noticed Yoo-
seong climbing up the building, and they became curious.
They began to rush towards him.
Although Yoo-seong had defeated 4-star monsters before,

this time, there were more than one. Even with Auto-
Hunting, it would be difficult to climb up the wall while
fighting the Shantiga.
However, he had the necessary equipment. He didn’t feel

perturbed. He and Yoo-hee knew what they had to do.
Yoo-seong began to weave around on the building wall.
Yoo-hee’s eyes didn’t waver. She raised her Geller-gun

towards the monsters. The moment they went around the
corner of the building, she shot at the Shantiga.
With her mind, she caused the aura bullets to explode,

killing some Shantigas. The explosions also confused the
other monsters.
Yoo-seong came around the corner of the building, whirling

one of the ropes in his hands.
‘He means to throw that into the crack, Shin Yoo-hee

speculated.’
The edges of the crack had tremendous suction power so

that anything that came close enough was sucked in.
If Yoo-seong threw the rope at the crack, they would be

sucked in with the rope.
There was just one problem: if they went into the world
beyond in such a haphazard manner, they would be unable
to defend themselves against anything they come upon.
Besides, they also had to defend themselves against the

Shantigas around them.
She would be unable to aim properly with such a haphazard

movement.
However, Yoo-seong knew what he had to do.
He threw one end of the rope at a pole on top of the

building, and then he threw the other end towards the
crack. One end of the rope curled around the pole while the
other got sucked into it.
The rope became taut enough for Yoo-seong to run upon.
As Shin Yoo-hee expected, the Shantiga rushed at them.
The next second, Yoo-seong took out a switchblade then

used his Aura to surround the blade. It was a simpler
technique than creating a blade of pure Aura, though it was
of relatively less power.
It was enough to deal with Shantigas coming ahead, though.
Shin Yoo-hee was surprised by how calm she felt, hanging

by an arm around a man running on a rope. Hanging on
tightly, she turned backward, aiming her gun at the
Shantigas coming from behind while doing her best to
maintain balance.
As both of them annihilated the Shantigas from in front and

behind, Yoo-hee wondered whether Yoo-seong was indeed a
beginner.
The thoughts didn’t last long in her head.
Suddenly, her communicator began to screech with the

interference from the magnetic field around the crack. There
was a blinding flash as they went through the portal, and,
soon, their eyes adjusted to the new world.
Shin Yoo-hee was familiar with being inside the crack.
She had been a part of numerous operations with the rift

collapse team. The world beyond had a humid tropical
climate that seemed dangerous to the skin.
However, there was one more thing she didn’t expect to see
in the landscape.
“Oops, damn,” she said, almost barfing in disgust as she

and Yoo-seong fell from the sky.
The ground beneath the rift was littered with corpses of the
Maruchan team.
She knew they were never careless. To close the rift, they
had to get a pulse breaker close to it.
In other words, the pulse breaker had to be around there.
After a quick scan, she found it by a tree close to the pile of

corpses. The pulse breaker was something that had to be
started with a recharger using Aura.
One hunter with Aura recharged it with a manual turbine

while the rest of the personnel covered the first hunter and
handled the beasts around the rift.
Shantigas were still swarming around the crack’s opening.

However, rather than heading towards the two who
suddenly appeared, the monsters continued to rush into the
rift.
“There, Yoo-seong. That’s the breaker. We need it to stop

the rift,” she said.
Yoo-seong nodded and approached the breaker.
Soon, they landed on the ground, and he ended up dropping

Shin Yoo-hee off.
Shin Yoo-hee looked at the gauge of the breaker.

Fortunately, the Maruchan team had almost charged it fully.
If she were able to charge it for just a minute more…
Suddenly, she heard murmuring sounds, and she turned

towards its source. Her eyes widened, and she wondered
how she hadn’t seen it before.
Shantiga Prime-★★★★★★
It was the leader of the pack. It had to be at least three

meters tall. Unlike the common Shantigas, it had white skin.
Suddenly, everything made sense.
The Maruchan team must have been charging the pulse

breaker before the hordes of Shantigas assaulted them. The
Shantiga Prime had been feasting on their bodies.
She stood and faced the monster.
It was the first 6-star monster she had ever faced alone. She
didn’t know if she could win this. Even if she did, would she
have enough Aura left to charge the Pulse Breaker?
However, she had no choice. She had to fight.

She raised her Geller-Gun as the monster made a low growl.
Yoo-seong stood in her way.
“What are you doing?” she asked him.
“Please deal with the pulse breaker. I’ll handle this,” he said.
Shin Yu-hee stared at him.
‘Had his helmet interfered with his reasoning?’
“You know how to operate the recharger, don’t you?” he

asked.
“Yes. But I can’t spend my energy there and still be able to

take out the monster. Now, this monster isn’t going to wait
for us to keep talking,” she rapidly charged her gun.
“It’s probably confused as to why we are still alive, but it

isn’t going to keep wondering,” she continued.
Yoo-seong was still in her way.
“The opponent is six stars,” Yoo-seong said.
“I know.”
The Shantiga Prime crouched slowly.
It had almost finished assessing its new enemies. They

didn’t seem to be of much threat.
“Let me hold it off while you deal with the pulse breaker. The
only way we’re going to win is if we work as a team,” he
said.
Shin Yoo-hee sighed. “But I don’t want to put you at risk.
This is my job, not yours.”
“Well, it has become mine now. Trust me. I’ll do the best I
can.”
They stared at each other. Then, she nodded slowly.
The next second, the Shantiga leaped at them. Yoo-seong

turned and leaped at it just in time. With a punch, he sent
the creature falling back then, he turned and returned Yoo-
hee’s nod.
She noticed he had started acting like a robot again, but she
wasn’t bothered by that.
She just hoped he’d live through it. She didn’t understand
him, but she held on to his words.
‘I’ll do my best…’
Turning away, she bent over the pulse breaker and placed
her hand on the recharger, focusing her Aura on it.
Behind her, Yoo-seong escaped the slash of the Prime

Shantiga’s claws.
He was using Automatic Hunting to divert the attention of

the Prime Shantiga from Yoo-hee. For some reason, it
seemed to want to go to her.
The Prime Shantiga charged at him and butted him with its
head, sending him sprawling on the ground. When he stood
up, his body ached all over so that he could hardly bring
himself to move.
The Prime Shantiga cried in triumph, focusing its gaze on
the other prey as its wings flapped aggressively and its feet
stomped the wet soil.
Automatic Hunting moved Yoo-seong’s body, this time, not

in the Prime Shantiga’s direction. He went towards the
corpses the Shantiga had been eating and picked one.
He hurled the body at the beast, catching it in surprise.
The Prime Shantiga turned its gaze from Yoo-hee to see Yoo-
seong standing again.
It bellowed in wrath and charged towards Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong didn’t flinch as the Shantiga came at him with

speed.
-Posture setting.-
With speed, he pulled out his switchblade and surrounded it

with Aura.
This time, though, its strength couldn’t be compared with

the previous one. He focused his entire Aura on the blade.
Yoo-seong and the Prime Shantiga clashed. From the corner

of her eye, Yoo-hee saw the collision.
She couldn’t be distracted from what she was doing. She

focused. The monster butted Yoo-seong and sent him
soaring through the air.
This time, there was no aura to protect his body. He only

had the suit to protect himself.
He could feel the cracks in his suit already. His skin had also
been bruised.
However, it was a worthy cause. The monster had lost one

of its arms and cried in pain.
Yoo-seong stood up. Once again, he ran towards the terrible

lizard and swung the blade. It was a 6-star monster, and so
its brain was advanced. It flapped its wings and rose into the
air.
‘Do not miss…’
Auto-Hunting held the rope around Yoo-seong’s body. It fixed

Yoo-seong’s eyes on the slot.
-Make eye contact, blink to activate utility slot-1.-
Yoo-seong pulled out what he had put in the slot.
A rope appeared in the hands of Yoo-seong. He formed a

knot with the end of one rope and threw it at the monster.
The Shantiga was unable to balance itself in the air since it

had lost an arm. The rope did its job right, vibrating and
digging into the beast’s neck.
The tug of war then began.
The Shantiga Prime tried to escape by flapping its wings,

while Yoo-seong tried to pull him down.
Yoo-seong’s feet were dragged along the wet soil. The

monster was stronger than him. Suddenly, he heard
something that sounded like a car engine from behind him.
The next second, he watched as the bullets from a Geller

Gun hit the Shantiga.
Shin Yoo-hee finished charging and was ready to fight.
“Down, boy,” she said as she clenched her left fist.
The bullets exploded, and a hole the size of a basketball was

left at the Prime Shantiga’s chest. She hoped it would be
enough to kill it.
Unfortunately, its wings didn’t stop flapping, and it didn’t

stop howling.
Shin Yoo-hee raised her gun again to shoot, but Yoo-seong

raised his fist, signaling for her to stop. At first, she didn’t
understand why.
“Forget about killing it! We need to get out of here first!” he

yelled.
“Why?” she asked.
She wanted to kill the monster that had killed all her fellow
hunters.
“Come quickly! The crack will close soon!” Yoo-seong said.
That was when she remembered that the breaker had

already been activated.
The crack was vibrating louder.
Shin Yoo-hee ran towards the crack, took one glance to

make sure that Yoo-seong was right behind him, before
jumping out.
It was a relief to see the real world again. However, she

realized they had a problem.
The rope they used as a bridge had been completely sucked
into the crack.
It would be a free fall to the ground. Suddenly, she felt a

hand grasp her from behind, and the free fall quickly turned
into a gentle descent feeling.
It was Yoo-seong.
It was as if they had a parachute. As she lifted her eyes, she

understood.
The crack was gone. In its place was the clear blue sky.
Above them was the weakened Shantiga Prime, flapping its
wings desperately.
The Shantiga Prime was too weak to escape, but its flapping
wings was just enough to provide resistance and allow them
to land safely.
Yoo-seong was still gripping the rope tightly. They had

managed to catch a 6-star monster.
She smiled as she looked at Yoo-seong’s face, which was

covered by a helmet.
Strangely, Yoo-seong remained silent throughout. Every

hunter rushed to them as they landed, surrounding them
with bewildered gazes.
The secret that Yoo-seong’s helmet had hidden was

revealed.
Yoo-seong had fallen unconscious at some point during the

descent. Facing a six-star monster with Automatic Hunting
had drained him.
The hunters carefully carried him to where he could rest,
and Yoo-seong slept peacefully.
If he knew what was happening as he slept, he would have

awakened.
Chapter 29
29
Yoo-seong sat up the moment he became conscious.
He looked around. The wallpapers appeared to be those

found in Jin Chang-hoon’s hospital.
He was surprised to see a cast was wrapped around his right

arm. Since he exchanged blows against the Shantiga Prime,
he thought his torso would be injured more than it was.
Somehow, his arm sustained more damage.
There was not much pain in his body, save the subtle one in
his cast-wrapped arm.
He closed his eyes. He must have used all of the 2,800 CEs
that he possessed.
There were no regrets about it, though.
Everything that he had trained for was for that clash against
the six-star monster. With a light sigh, Yoo-seong opened his
eyes. Sung-wook was standing before him.
“When did you come in?!” Yoo-seong asked in shock.
“About three minutes ago,” Sung-wook said as he took a

strawberry from the pack at Yoo-seong’s bedside.
“If you want to do something weird in bed, you should lock
the door,” he quipped as he popped the fruit into his mouth.
“I wasn’t doing anything,” Yoo-seong laughed little.
“I have something for you,” Sung-wook told him.
“What?”
Sung-wook chewed on the strawberry as he opened his bag.
“I dropped the equipment for repairs, and it seems that the

relief compensation and the handling of the prey will be
neatly taken care of. However…”
“Is there a problem?”
Instead of talking, Sung-wook took a small case out of his

bag. It looked like a jewelry case. He opened it to reveal a
bright silver seal.
“…this arrived,” Sung-wook finished.
Yoo-seong stared at the seal, speechless.
In Korea, like in most countries, the achievements of hunters

were divided into five seal classes.
The lowest one was white, followed by copper, silver, gold,

and platinum.
The seals weren’t permanent. They are gauged by summing

up a hunter’s achievements for the last two seasons.
Hunters who didn’t do much within that period could fall

from Platinum to White.
“It was issued to you,” Sung-wook continued.

Yoo-seong wondered how he had managed to earn a silver
seal before earning a white or copper seal. Was it possible
for Hunters to get such a quick promotion?
His hand slightly trembled as he reached for the seal.
Kim Sung-wook suddenly drew it back.
“After your performance in the hunt… I would like to attach

it to you myself if you do not mind.”
The both of them stared at each other with emotion. After a

moment, Yoo-seong held out his right arm.
Sung-wook threw the seal lightly. Yoo-seong wondered what

he was doing. However, Sung-wook’s aim was accurate. It
landed right on Yoo-seong’s arm and stuck.
“Don’t worry about getting it destroyed. It’s not real silver

anyway, and it costs just about 3,000 won at a stationery
store.”
Yoo-seong raised a brow in confusion. It didn’t sound right.
“I don’t get it. I thought the seals were made of real metal?”
“I told you,” Sung-wook said as he put the seal’s case in the

trash can. “After the hunt, I went to get you this.”
“That means…”
“You could think of it as a thoughtful prank. However, you

do deserve this. You saved all those hunters from the Queen
Ant. You caught a 6-star monster. However, since you just
acquired your license, your score summing process would
be delayed.” Sung-wook explained.
Then, a mischievous grin appeared on his mouth as he
continued.
“You know what? The silver one is just plating, but the gold
and platinum seals are made of real metals.”
“Could I have a gold seal, then?” Yoo-seong asked.
“Sure.”
“Platinum?”
“Of course.”
“Is there anything higher?”
“No, but there are different grades of platinum.”
“When did you become a ranker, anyway?” Yoo-seong

asked, and they both laughed.
“Now, you need to get in shape,” Sung-wook said as he

stood up.
“That doesn’t make sense. I’m just recovering,” Yoo-seong

said.
Sung-wook was already by the door.
“And if you’re planning to do something weird in bed, lock

the door, okay?” Sung-wook said before leaving.
Yoo-seong scanned the news websites as he munched on

strawberries.
The pages were filled with updates about cracks.

-The fear of North America appears at the center of the
Korean Peninsula.-
-The rule of ‘one-to-one correspondence’ is broken… Is there

a countermeasure?-
-Military is silent; Emergency button almost pressed after

ten years?-
When he first saw the Shantigas appearing through the rift,

he had also been worried.
Why did they appear on the Korean peninsula, more than

7,000 km from their usual location?
No one knew the reason.
Moreover, it seems that it didn’t end with the strange

Shantiga appearance.
-African Jumping Crabs emerged on Chilean beaches…-
– Congo’s behemoth in a New Zealand lake…-
It was clear that something strange was taking place.
Monsters were appearing where they weren’t supposed to.

Then again, those nations were lucky.
Unlike what happened in Korea, the monsters that had

appeared on their terrains were low-ranking monsters.
Because of that, their hunters were able to salvage the
situations more easily.
However, it doesn’t seem that the nations were taking it

seriously.
“Aren’t they underreacting?”

Yoo-seong nodded at Sung-wook’s words.
None of the articles revealed the extent of the dangers to

come. Instead, it was filled with praise and
recommendations.
-Philippines faces its first ‘four-star,’ but no civilian gets

hurt.-
Hunters in… have proved-Excellent ability to cope with the

crisis-
All the media did was to praise their hunters.
No one could deny was that the situation experienced in

Korea was the most dangerous.
Because of that, the joy of having overcome it was

overwhelming.
-There were some casualties among the hunters; however,

the civilians were safe.-
There were articles about the loss of lives of the popular

Maruchan Team.
-Shin Yoo-hee, who is said to have contributed directly to the

blocking of the rift, quickly soared in rank.-
However, there was another name mentioned more than

any others.
-The most relevant hunter, who is said to hide his face

behind a helmet… he is said to go by the name of ‘Park
Kang-han’…-
-Everyone is trying to find ‘Park Kang-han’- the greatest

contributor, according to the hunters.-
“Who is this person?” Yoo-seong asked while chewing a
strawberry.
“What do you mean? It’s you, of course.”
Yoo-seong paused as he was about to put a strawberry in his

mouth. He raised a brow in confusion.
“Why am I called Park Kang-han?”
“You have become a ranked hunter, but we haven’t

disclosed your information to the public for now.”
Many hunters not only refrained from revealing their action

cams, but also kept their personal information private.
Some famous hunters released theirs, exposing their faces

and real names to the media to enjoy additional profits and
a celebrity status.
This wasn’t unusual. For many hunters, this was actually

what motivated them to get into the profession.
“I made the name up because ‘Park Kang-han’ had a great

sound to it. When civilians look at the hunter rankings, they
will see Park Kang-han and not Oh Yoo-seong.”
“Wow…” Yoo-seong’s eyes were wide.
“Of course, if you want to make yourself public, you can

always do so. All it takes is a simple online filing process.
With that, everyone will know your name and face.”
Sung-wook stared at Yoo-seong as he continued his

explanation.
“The press will always be on you, especially when they learn

that you earned a Silver seal on your first hunt and possibly
a Platinum seal on the last one. You’ll be called for
interviews, entertainment, and professional programs. You’ll
be like a deity in the industry-”
“I don’t think it’s time yet,” Yoo-seong said, cutting him

short.
Sung-wook’s voice softened at his reply.
“Really? The money that will come in then might be more

than what you’ll reap from merely hunting,” he said, probing
further.
“And then, I would have no time to do real hunting.”
Sung-wook nodded in satisfaction.
Yoo-seong had accurately analyzed the situation.
He wasn’t surprised. He and Yoo-seong were alike in a lot of

ways. The young man has already achieved a lot.
He had already earned the Silver seal and was already

ranked 19th in the domestic ranking. If he got lost in the
glitz and glamor, he would drop in reputation.
The seals and rankings were not permanent.
Sung-wook knew many ranked hunters who had lost their

focus and surrendered themselves to the press, revealing all
their information.
With very few exceptions, the end was always the same.
By neglecting hunting, their skill and achievements became

rusty, and they became irrelevant.
“I’m not saying I don’t want to be famous. I feel that I
should focus on the job and be planted firmly in the industry.
After that, I’ll start sucking the honey,” Yoo-seong calmly
shared his thoughts.
“Besides, solo hunters aren’t eligible to apply to go around

the center or inside the rift, but now that I’ve become a
ranker… the water is just coming in-”
“And you have to row,” Sung-wook finished the sentence.
The advantage of being a ranker was not simply to become

famous and make money.
They can get access to more dangerous places.
Against the conventional response to popularity and

recognition, Yoo-seong chose to climb further.
Sung-wook had a faint smile as he stood up from his seat.
He chose the right successor.
The time will come to suck honey someday, and Yoo-seong

had the patience to wait for it.
When the time comes to reveal that Park Kang Han and Oh
Yoo-seong is the same…
Perhaps, it would be the end of Sung-wook’s usefulness to

his student.
He hoped that Yoo-seong would not disclose the information

too early. He turned to leave quietly.
However, Jin Chang-hoon suddenly entered the room.
“Guys, turn on the TV now!” he said.

A lady in a newsroom was on screen. Beside her was Yoon
Kang-cheol.
Sung-wook laughed.
Other than ‘Park Kang-han’, QR received the most praise for

the operation.
Sung-wook glanced at Yoo-seong. While it was true that the

situation had been salvaged because of QR’s strategic
operations, they were doing their best to take as much
credit as they could.
“Hey. Why don’t you turn it off? It’s obvious they would do
this,” Sung-wook said.
“No, just… listen carefully,” Jin Chang-wook argued. “Listen

to what they’re talking about.”
Yoo-seong focused on the broadcast. Sung-wook also

watched carefully.
The voice of the lady came forth.
“We heard that QR is already in talks with Park Kang-Han.

How true is that?”
“That’s right, though I can’t tell you much about it yet. We’ll
give you the full details soon,” Yoon Kang-cheol replied.
Chapter 30
30
JUNE
Yoo-seong’s breathing was labored as he jogged around the

park.
It had been several weeks after the hunting. His arms and
ribs had naturally healed.
When he finished running, he did a final stretch and went to

the drinking fountain. He then poured water on his neck.
“There you are,” someone said from behind him.
He turned to see two women in sportswear. They seemed to

be students living in the residences nearby.
They looked so young; he felt awkward to be around them.

He was sure they were freshmen.
“You’re a hunter, right?” one of the girls asked.
“Yes,” he said.
“Wow!” the girls gushed.
It had been easy for them to guess. He had run around the
park at tremendous speed for over an hour.
“Would you like this?” One of the girls offered a can of
ionized beverage that seemed to have just been pulled from
a vending machine.
The girls smiled at each other as Yoo-seong received it from

them.
“Thank you,” he told them.
“Can I ask you something?” the first girl said.
“Of course,” Yoo-seong said with a smile, doing his best to

keep a distance.
“Have you ever caught a monster yourself?”
“Yeah, what’s your ranking?” the other girl asked.
“Hey! Excuse me, I asked first,” the first girl said, becoming
angry.
Yoo-seong waved his hand in the air.
“It’s only been three months since I received my license. I

haven’t had that much experience yet.
Technically, it was true.
“Really?” the girls asked, frowning a bit. They were

evidently disappointed.
It was a general perception that Hunters, who had just

begun, were low rankers.
“Then… have you ever actually seen Park Kang-han?” the

first girl asked.
“Yeah, I have,” he said.

“Wow!” the girls said together, covering their mouths.
“How does he look? Is he handsome? Tall?”
“He’s just normal,” Yoo-seong said.
“What do you mean ‘just normal’?” one of the girls said,

frowning.
“He’s just plain. He looks like every other person,” Yoo-

seong said.
It sounded harsh, but the girls were too caught up in the

name of Park Kang-Han to notice.
Even the people who were around who had heard the name
began to pay attention. Yoo-seong crumpled the can of
beverage he had finished.
“Thank you for the drink,” he said. With his head down, he
left.
A month has passed since the hunt.
It was still too early for the things that had transpired to be
forgotten, but it was enough time for things to calm down.
However, the name of Park Kang-Han refused to go down

the drain.
Rather, it was even getting more popular. The reason for it

was simple.
Yoon Kang-Cheol’s words in the newsroom months ago were

still being re-broadcasted.
…
“Then, let’s watch the video again. This is the actual hunting
footage from QR Corporation.”
The screen changed with the lady anchor’s prompt. It was a

video of Team 1 on the site as they skillfully captured
Shantigas pouring out of the rift.
However, that wasn’t the focus of the replay.
“Can you see him? That is Park Kang-han, the hunter who is
running up the building wall with Shin Yoo-hee,” Yoon Kang-
cheol said, pointing to the image.
The camera zoomed on the figure. In the subtitle, the man

was marked as Park Kang-Han.
“Then, can it be said that this hunter, together with Shin

Yoo-Hee, contributed greatly to blocking the rift?” The
anchor asked.
“Of course,” Yoon Kang-cheol said.
“It is important to remember the Maruchan teams who gave

their lives to stop the rift. But if it weren’t for Park Kang-han,
closing the rift would have been much delayed. At the time,
there were no hunters on the scene with the equipment and
skills to access the rift.”
Although the Yoo-seong’s appearance was revealed without

consent, his identity was concealed by his helmet, and so, it
couldn’t be classified as defamation.
“Then the damage is…” The anchor began, but she was
interrupted.
“The damage could have been much bigger. Although it

does not appear in this video, according to Shin Yoo-hee,
Park Kang-han’s contribution was even greater even inside
the crack. He protected Shin Yoo-hee, who was charging the
pulse breaker, till she finished,” Yoon said.
The figure of Yoo-seong and Shin Yoon-hee appeared on the

screen at that point.
It was the scene where he threw a rope at a pole and used it

as a bridge.
It was the footage that had trended for a long time on the
internet.
“This is true,” the anchor said in admiration.
It looked like a scene from a movie.
“On the other hand, there are suspicions about Park Kang-
han’s ranking.”
“What do you mean by suspicion?” Kang-cheol asked.
“While his personal history is not available, official records

show that Park Kang-han moved from a silver seal to a
platinum seal. Isn’t that a huge upgrade for a ranker?”
“How is that weird?” Kang-cheol asked the anchor to clarify.
“Do you know that he now places 19th on domestic

rankings? It means that someone who had been among the
Top 20 had dropped and that he surpassed other platinum
hunters who were waiting to fill that position.”
She stopped there. She was careful of the fans of the hunter
who had dropped. There was no precedent for what had
happened.
“Well, everyone knows that the ranking is sometimes
carried out with relativity,” Kang-cheol said in defense.
“The level of danger one faces during hunting, the number

of people saved, and so on. Come on, everyone. Let’s think
about it together. I want to ask those who file an objection.
If it wasn’t for Park Kang-han, what would have happened to
our friends and families?”
Yoon Kang-Cheol asked calmly.
The anchor seemed rattled for a second, but she regained

her bearings.
“The death of a civilian is more severe than the death of a

hundred hunters. If the closing of the rift has been delayed
further…”
“Well… In that case-“
Kang-cheol cut the anchor off again.
“Originally, I had refused Mr. Park from hunting in the area

under division one.”
The anchor’s brows rose at that. Kang-cheol knew he had

gotten her attention.
“Huh? Are you saying that Mr. Park Kang-han wasn’t

assigned to the area under the crack?”
“Yes. According to the short-term contract he signed with us,

Mr. Park Kang-han was supposed to assist the Number Two
Operation Division hunters. However, he volunteered to go
closer to the rift. Quite selfless if you ask me. It’s quite a
shame, but there were even groups that requested to
withdraw from the site. I won’t be disclosing their names,
though.”
“Really?” The anchor asked, wide-eyed.
“It’s true! It’s shameful, but it’s true.”
“Even if you don’t reveal their names, this remark tells us

we have a problem,” she said.
“Errr, no, we don’t. Even if we indeed have a problem, who

can we blame the system that creates these kinds of
hunters?”
Yoon Kang-cheol paused for a while before eagerly

continuing.
“Hunters these days are groomed to be more conscious of

wealth and fame above their responsibilities. They seem to
forget that the job all boils down to saving others. It’s more
of a societal problem than a hunter problem.”
“But, on the other hand,” he continued. “There are people

like this! Even though he had already done his duty, he was
willing to risk his life. Why wouldn’t he earn such a high
rank? If this is what the public is going to say to such a
person, then I’d say we have a real problem.”
“That I now see,” the anchor said, nodding her head in

agreement.
“As with all things, if you don’t have the talent and the
training, you won’t last even a day in this industry.”
Realizing he was overreacting, he lowered his voice and

arms in embarrassment.
“However, I believe there is something more than just ability
when it comes to our work.”
The anchor realized where he was going and helped him

finish his statement.
“The courage to do your duty as a hunter…”
“That’s right.” Yoon Kang-cheol said, nodding his head.
Though his words had been planned, he said his last words
with sincerity.
“And Mr. Park Kang-han ticked off every box on that list.”
Yoon Kang-cheol was the best marketer ever since he had a

lot to gain from it.
The QR and Kang-cheol was now the talk on everyone’s lips.
The broadcast had led the teams and companies to weed

out incompetent hunters before the public began to criticize
the industry as a whole. However, Yoo-seong benefited the
most from everything.
As he rode the subway, everyone seemed to be talking

about Park Kang-han.
It was like an old popular program where someone in a

mask sang, and the audience guessed who was behind the
mask.
Yoo-seong smiled bitterly. He had been feeling some

pressure in him.
He was a man like any other… He liked a little recognition
too… If he just said one word…
I am Park Kang-Han…
He’d have everyone’s attention, envying eyes, pouring

praise.
Yoon Kang-cheol was not malicious to him, either.
If anything, he seemed to be feeding Yoo-seong with honey

over the past one month.
Yoon Kang-cheol already wanted Yoo-seong to start sucking

honey.
If he succumbed and revealed his identity as Park Kang-han,

he’d lose all the peace he’d had. He’d have to face so many
interviews.
In the event of injury, his rehabilitation process would be

delayed.
He wouldn’t have time to run, train, and practice because

he would always be with the public.
He restrained himself at that point. The cons weighed more

than the pros.
Soon, the train stopped, and he descended.
His gaze fell on the convention center in Seoul. Events were

held there quite often. The event he was about to attend
was a private one.
When significant events occur, like the rift that had last
opened, the state invited key industry leaders: executives,
scholars who had studied monsters and rifts, and, most
importantly, the Top 20 rankers.
The guard at the door held out his hand once Yoo-seong
came close.
“ID, please?”
Yoo-seong showed him his ID. The man frowned as he

looked from the ID to Yoo-seong’s arm.
“Oh Yoo-seong, eh? Where’s your seal?”
“Ah, yes,” Yoo-seong said as he pulled out his seal from his
pocket.
The seal had stylish platinum wings on it, a design that was
currently used by ranking hunters.
The guard’s eyes widened as he saw the figure on the seal.
-19
“Whoa, Park Kang-han…”
He began to stammer, not sure if to ask for an autograph.

He didn’t want to jeopardize his job, so he stood out of the
way.
Yoo-seong bowed his head and went inside.
The meeting hadn’t begun; however, there were quite a few

people in the hall already.
Not everyone recognized him.
The hunters who noticed his number, though, stared at him

with admiration. The other classes of people, such as
researchers, looked at him in wonder.
Yoo-seong retreated to a corner before any of them could

accost him.
All he wanted was the information he’d get at the event. He

wasn’t in a hurry to speak.
However, as the meeting was about to commence, people

began to fill up the seats, crowding near him.
He forced himself to be patient as he gave short answers to

the people who tried to make conversation.
“Wait a minute. My God! It can’t be,” a voice said from

behind him.
The voice sounded too familiar that he had to turn.
He was stunned once he saw her face. It had only been nine
months.
They watched each other in silence.
Seo Ji-young had gone with her friends to see ‘Park Kang-
Han’.
She hadn’t expected him to be Yoo-seong.
How could her ex-boyfriend be in such a place, with a

platinum seal?
“What? You? How?” she asked in shock.
Unlike her, Yoo-seong had a small smile on his face.
He then opened his mouth.

Chapter 31
Episode 31
“Hey, Ji-young. It’s been a while,” he said.
She was unable to reply. Her heart was beating fast.
The only thing she could see was Yoo-seong. Her eyes
roamed over his body.
It was completely different from nine months ago.
She had been slightly taller than him before. As he stood up

to greet her, she realized he was now taller than her.
“Yeah,” she managed to say.
“It’s a bit surprising to see you here,” Yoo-seong said.
Seo Ji-young moved closer to the man who accompanied

her.
His name was Bae Ji-hyun, currently the vice team-leader of

the new Team BY, which was beginning to trend.
They had been together for three months after they met
through a network of research institutes.
Seo Ji-young was nervous. Her relationship with Bae Ji-Hyun

was going well so far. She just hoped that it wasn’t too
obvious that she had been dating Oh Yoo-seong; however,
she was sure her face had given her out.
She remembered Yoo-seong to be the calm type. She just

hoped he wouldn’t say or do anything funny.
She feared he would hurt her pride. She had hurt his. It was
only logical for him to take revenge.
“Ji-hyun,” she began in a bid to introduce him. “This is-“
Before she could finish, Ji-hyun stepped forward with an arm

outstretched.
She became dizzy as her ex-boyfriend, Yoo-seong, shook her

boyfriend’s hand.
Had they met before? Had Yoo-seong told Ji-hyun anything

about her?
That was when she noticed the number on Yoo-seong’s seal.
“Hello, I am Bae Ji-Hyun, the vice team-leader at Team BY.”
“I am Park Kang-han.”
“Ah!” Bae Ji-hyun’s eyes lit up with admiration.
Ji-young’s eyes lit up in shock.
Were Yoo-seong and Kang-han the same person?
Ji-hyun turned around to face her and her friends.
He was the only hunter among them. They were all lab
associates who were invited to this event.
Her friends were also interested in Yoo-seong, but they
restrained themselves from going forward to meet him.
“You just said hello to Ji-young. You know her?” Ji-hyun said,
facing Yoo-seong again.
“Yes, I do,” Yoo-seong said before Ji-young could respond.

“We were friends, though I haven’t seen her in a while.”
Ji-young could hardly believe Yoo-seong was so calm,

considering they had just broken up not even a year ago.
“Wow, really?” Ji-hyun asked, before looking at Ji-young.

“You didn’t tell me you knew Park Kang-han.”
The rest of her friends had the same question written on

their faces.
She was flustered. She didn’t know what to say.
If only any of them knew the whole story.
Unfortunately, none of them did.
She wasn’t sure of whether to give them the full details

about him.
“We moved far away from each other. That is all. I didn’t see
the need to tell you all about him,” she managed to say
finally.
“You’re so lucky!” One of her friends said, gushing.
“Would you like to sit with us for the presentation?” Ji-hyun

asked Yoo-seong, much to Ji-Young’s horror.
She was on the brink of mental instability already. She

began to pray earnestly.
The moment Yoo-seong began to decline, she heaved a sigh
of relief.
Suddenly, they heard a voice from across the hall.
“Oh Yoo-seong!”
Everyone knew his voice, though only a few of them had

heard it in-person.
They all turned to see Lee Jae-Hak.
“Sorry, I think my voice was too loud,” he said as he walked

over.
Everyone made way for him to pass without his having to

ask.
“Oh, thank you. Thank you,” Jae-hak smiled as he passed by

his adoring audience.
Seo Ji-young forgot all about her surroundings the moment

she saw him approach.
She had been in love with Lee Jae-hak for as long as she
could remember.
She could hardly believe she was now before him.
“It’s been half a year, right?” Lee Jae-hak said the moment
he was right in front of Yoo-seong.
He held out his hand for a shake. Yoo-seong shook it.
“Yeah. We met in January. Nice to meet you,” he said.
“Well, it’s been a while since I’ve come to events such as

this. I hardly recognize anyone. Are you sitting with anyone?
Maybe we could sit together,” Jae-hak said.
“I’m not sure-” Yoo-seong began.
“Oh, come on. You can’t possibly intend to sit alone in such
a place, can you?” Lee Jae-hak Lee said with enthusiasm.
Yoo-seong sighed as he nodded.
Then, he looked at Ji-young and her party.
“Hey, see you all later,” he said.
Bae Ji-hyun nodded, without realizing he was staring.
He was the only one who was able to respond.
Something didn’t quite add up for him.
Lee Jae-hak had called the man’ Yoo-seong’.
Lee Jae-hak smiled at them without saying a word as he led

Yoo-seong away.
Ji-hyun turned to Ji-young.
“Did you know Kang-han and Jae-hak knew each other?” he

asked.
“I’d be damned if I knew,” she managed to say as she

watched the duo walk away.
“Are you alright? You seem to be shivering,” Ji-hyun said

with concern on his face.
That was when she realized her arms were shaking.
Was it anger, jealousy, or regret? She wasn’t sure.

“I’m fine. Leave me alone,” she said as she walked away.
Yoo-seong and Lee Jae-hak sat down at a round table, close

to the stage.
“Thank you,” Yoo-seong said.
“What for?” Jae-hak asked.
“You saved me from those guys back there.”
Jae-Hak Lee laughed.
“Well, I’m your hero, aren’t I?”
Yoo-seong laughed with him. The truth was, it wasn’t just

about Bae Ji-hyun and his crew. Many other people were
waiting for their turns to speak with him.
If not for Jae-hak, he’d have had to keep speaking with them
until he became exhausted.
He looked around him.
The people who would have wanted to interrogate him could

only look at him now. They could hardly summon the
courage to walk up to both him and Lee Jae-hak.
“Imagine wild dogs chasing an animal. That’s just how they

kept coming, right?” Jae-hak said, and Yoo-seong nodded.
“Literally. It was just as though the wild dogs were chasing

some animal and a lion suddenly stepped up. The wild dogs
would just run away naturally,” Jae-hak finished.
“Right…” Yoo-seong agreed, though not too comfortable
with being referred to as an animal chased by ‘wild dogs’.
Yoo-seong couldn’t ignore the arrogance in the statement.
“But, here’s what I think,” Jae-hak continued again. “What

kind of animal would stand still while a lion is by it?”
When Yoo-seong didn’t seem to understand the question,

Jae-hak tried again.
“You know, only birds of the same flock together, right?”
Suddenly, Yoo-seong’s face turned red as he understood Jae-

hak’s words.
Jae-hak was calling him a lion, too.
“That’s too much. If I were a lion in the first place, I wouldn’t

need anyone’s help,” Yoo-seong said.
“Even a lion’s whelp is a lion. The only difference is age,”

Jae-hak said, shrugging.
Before Yoo-seong could respond, the lights on the stage

came on.
The lights in the rest of the hall were dimmed as the host
stepped forward to the microphone.
Everyone began to take their seats.
“I heard that Un-seol caused a nuisance just recently,” Jae-

hak whispered.
Yoo-seong sighed before speaking in lowered tones.

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful or anything, but if your
sister repeats such action, I will not hesitate to report her to
the relevant authorities. I think she has self-esteem issues.”
“Do what you must. By the way, Yoo-seong, I’m quite

surprised that you are the same person as Park Kang-Han. I
must say, I didn’t expect you to rise that fast.” Jae-hak
nodded towards the seal on Yoo-seong’s arm.
Jae-hak kept his voice lowered as he continued with a light

expression on his face.
“But, don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”
At that, Yoo-seong faced the stage again and focused on

what was going on there.
Yang Chang-guk, the director of the Special Defense Agency,

began to read from a script.
When he was done, everyone was in shock. He had

mentioned five names.
Among the names mentioned were Lee Jae-hak and Oh Yoo-

seong.
Chapter 32
Episode 32
Everyone knew what the meeting’s agenda would be: the

cross-rifting around the world.
No one knew its cause or if it would reoccur.
And unlike the civilians who remained comfortable about the

situation, the hunters felt things were about to get worse.
The civilians had been safe from the Shantigas because QRs
force had been concentrated in that area.
Despite some problems with the personnel they sent, they

had dealt with the 4- and 5-star Whippers.
And, despite their lack of the necessary tools for the job,
they had been able to restrain the flying Shantigas.
“Therefore, we will increase the number of participants for

each rift until the cause of the current problem is identified
and countermeasures are put in place,” Yang Chang-guk
said.
That was the first bombshell.
The number of with the rift’s size. The advantages of having

more hunters were clear: the odds of monsters going
beyond the barrier lines were less, and the hunters’ casualty
rate decreased.
However, the disadvantages were more glaring.
The profits would be reduced, and companies that were

already struggling to make ends meet would go under.
Everyone began to murmur.
Not only would the profits have to be shared among more

people, but there would also be more conflict over the
distribution of profits.
Even with action cams, there had always been clashes

about profit distribution.
Just then, the second declaration was dropped.
“Also, to determine the cause of the situation and to prepare

for any reoccurrence, there would be changes to the Special
Defense Agency’s Exploration policy.”
There were fewer reactions this time; however, the hunters

with longer experience responded with vigor.
“Yeah, right!” Lee Jae-hak said beside him.
Yoo-seong turned to see Jae-hak’s face turn red.
“Therefore, diving is legalized on a limited basis,” Chang-

guk continued.
“That’s it!” Jae-hak said, louder this time.
Some hunters turned to look at him.
He was usually quiet; they were surprised he had acted that

way. However, he wasn’t the only one to react that way.
Some hunters even jumped up and shouted questions in a

disorderly manner.
“From when?”
“What is the minimum achievement grade qualification…?”
It was only after the Director coughed several times that the
turmoil diminished.
Dive.
In the industry, it meant leaving a hunter in the world

beyond after the crack was closed.
There was a return route, so it wasn’t necessarily suicidal.
Usually, the hunter was left behind if there was a

confirmation that another crack was opened nearby.
The hunter followed the trail to find the new opening point
while learning all he could about the world beyond.
Once, dives used to be popular.
With it, hunters improved their abilities quickly, and

mankind began to gain more outstanding victories against
monsters. When fear was dealt with, curiosity raised its
head.
What was in the world beyond?
There was a lot to learn from the new world, and there was
a possibility for mankind to pioneer civilizations in an alien
world.
It wasn’t just the dream of the private sector- each country

had expectations, too.
It was an adventure to go into such worlds.

However, the consequences of such arrogance were
disastrous – annihilation.
“Of course, there would be a limit to the diving time

allowed.”
In Korea, the highest dive record was 41 hours.
Hunters and various volunteers had gone in.
There had only been one survivor from that unfortunate

expedition. His words hadn’t been too encouraging.
“We had only been fighting on the home ground all this
time. In their world… death took us out, one after the
other.”
No one had been interested in spending that much time in

the rift any longer.
It wasn’t just the beasts that roamed there. From the soil to
the plants to the air, the world beyond was full of
supernatural phenomena.
“As all of you know, diving is a dangerous act. That cannot

be disputed. It is frowned upon internationally. So, we have
selected qualified hunters to be a part of a test dive at the
Defense Agency’s discretion. If the selected hunters come
out successfully, we will consider increasing the number of
permits.”
The murmuring began again.
“Of course, this does not mean that the selected hunters are
obligated to be a part of this. It is a request given to them
for the sake of humanity. They would obtain useful
information from a dangerous environment,” Yang Chang-
guk said.
There was hardly any hunter who would refuse.
It was a dangerous quest, but all the hunters gathered had

been chosen for their skill and bravery. Every hunter wished
to dive.
“Also, there are no restrictions on your actions while you’re

in the world beyond as long as you give us the information
we need. Any other thing you bring back belongs to you,”
It was the turn of the research and industry workers to

swallow in desire.
Biomaterials found in the alien world had more potential

than monster corpses.
Executives began to wonder who would be selected for the

mission. They needed to offer contracts to these hunters
first.
“Now, I will announce the selected hunters. The selected

hunters are all within the current top-twenty ranking.”
Everyone held their breath.
“From the first place in the rankings. Lee Jae-hak.”
There was no reaction. Everyone had expected that.
“From the fourth place. Kim Yo-han.”
The announcement continued.
People began to become surprised as the Director skipped

some ranks.
He called out the names of the seventh and ninth place.
Finally, he called out the name of the nineteenth place.
“Ranking 19th, Park Kang-han.”
All eyes in the venue turned to Yoo-seong. Murmurs filled

the hall.
“They skipped from the 10th to the 19th?”
“It’s too far…”
“The screening criteria is being neglected.”
The Director coughed again and spoke.
“The choosing of hunters for this task has nothing to do with

the ranks. The reason diving was prohibited in the past was
the death of so many talented hunters. The industry
suffered losses, and national security was jeopardized. This
time, we shall conduct the dive as a solo activity instead.
Rather than trying to subjugate monsters, we expect you all
to engage in passive exploration focused on survival and
investigation.
“Again, we inform you that this selection was based on

flexibility and survival skills rather than hunting ability. You
might be wondering why we included Kang-han. For as long
as we have known, he has hunted solo instead of in a
group.”
“I have objections!” A voice full of rage came from a table in

front, and everyone’s eyes went in his direction.
Cha Jae-gil. He was one of the directors of Gung-On, a firm

belonging to the 2F.
He was also ranked 8th in the Top 20.
“It is not time to ask questions. Please sit down,” Yang

Chang-guk said.
“Oh Yoo-seong over there is a beginner with less than half a

year on his record,” Jae-gil shouted, ignoring the Director’s
remark.
No one took notice of his rudeness. Instead, his statement

raised more questions around the hall.
“It’s been less than half a year?”
“No. 19? He called that person Yoo-seong. Doesn’t he mean

Park Kang-han?”
“Is that possible?”
Just as Cha Jae-gil hoped, murmurs filled the hall.
“No matter how fast he rose through the ranks, I doubt that
man’s skill. I admit it’s very impressive, but isn’t it foolish to
entrust an important mission such as this to a rookie?”
The Director sighed.
“This decision was made by the government as a result of

reviewing all of Park Kang-han’s personal action cams.”
With his authority, Yang Chang-guk could put Cha Jae-gil in

his place, but the problem was that Jae-gil’s words had put
suspicion in everyone’s minds.
Everyone in attendance was important people in the

industry.
“Can those recordings serve as sufficient evidence that a
newcomer can dive? He has no experience in these things.
This decision is ludicrous when you think about it
reasonably,” Jae-gil said.
“Again, with a solid basis for our decision, we-” Chang-guk

began before Jae-gil interrupted him once more.
“I think you must at least reveal the action cam footage to

everyone. For fairness sake.”
Murmurs of assent filled the hall.
Before joining Gung-On, Cha Jae-gil had been a solo hunter,

so he had some experience.
After he joined the organization, his influence had increased

due to the influence of Gung-On. That, coupled with the fact
that his reasoning had been somewhat plausible, gave him
the crowd’s support.
Of the five hunters selected, Yoo-seong’s selection had been

the easiest to counter.
“So, I am suspicious of the Defense Agency’s selection.

Perhaps they selected based on popularity,” he finished.
“Well, I can provide the footage,” a calm feminine voice said

from the crowd.
“You-” Cha Jae-gil said in surprise.
“I saw Oh Yoo-seong’s performance from inside the crack.”

Shin Yoo-hee said while on her seat.
She was poised gracefully with her both palms on her knees.
Cha Jae-gil gritted his teeth as both of them stared at each
other.
“I give Oh Yoo-seong the credit he deserves. He is in no way

deficient to go on that dive,” she said with finality.
Yoon Kang-cheol and the QR directors sitting next to her did

not try to stop her.
They were in support of her, and they had a lot of influence

in the industry. Even if they tried to stop her, Yoo-hee’s
position in the industry was quite significant.
She was currently second place, rising from ninth place after
the last operation in the rift.
She had the skill, track record, and network. The

relationship between Gung-On and QR wasn’t good.
“Well, then, do you have anything more to say, Cha Jae-Gil?”

Director Yang asked.
The hall turned quiet. Cha Jae-gil closed his eyes and sighed
in defeat.
“Good,” Yang Chang-guk said with a small triumphant smile.
Cha Jae-gil then threw his gaze at Yoo-seong.
“I just wanted to ensure the process was fair. I had no

intention to deny Oh Yoo-seong from joining the dive. I also
watched him through the broadcast. He has potential. But,
any hunter who’s been in the industry for a while industry
knows that soloing means not only survival but also coping
with whatever situation you’re presented with in battle,” he
said.
He wanted to stretch his argument. He couldn’t lose.

“One look at the video, and one would spot it – Oh Yoo-
seong’s main attack is with a close-range weapon, right?”
he said.
He was sure of it. Anyone who watched the broadcast

closely would have seen it.
Yoo-seong did not possess expertise in long-range weapons

such as the Gellar Gun.
“Of course, not all hunters can do both long-range and

short-range. With diving, it’s better to focus on the most
rewarding possibilities than experimenting. Remember, this
would be a solo task,” he finished.
“Oh, that’s really annoying,” Lee Jae-hak Lee muttered.
By the time Shin Yoo-hee had intervened, Cha Jae-gil had

already been pushing him to his limit.
The only thing that had kept him back from reacting was the
reputation of Gung-On.
Now, his patience had run out.
He wondered why some hunters looked down on other

hunters and didn’t want to see their development.
Jae-Hak believed he owed it to Yoo-seong to stand up for

him.
He saw Yoo-seong as his younger brother. He moved to

stand up.
However, Yoo-seong stood up first, moving his seat loudly

on purpose.
He looked apologetically at Jae-hak. He knew what the
senior had wanted to do for him and was grateful, but he
didn’t want to owe him any favors.
He looked pointedly at Cha Jae-gil and Shin Yoo-hee as he

spoke.
“I am Oh Yoo-seong. I know many of you are confused over

my identity as I have been going by an alias all this time. I
apologize for that. I also understand the need for your
objection, Mr. Cha. At the same time, I am grateful to those
who have supported me,” he said as his gaze swept over
the hall.
“I was going to say that-” Jae-gil began, trying to interrupt

Yoo-seong, but the younger man raised his voice a little,
silencing him.
“But I do not intend to deny the high evaluation and

expectations given to me by the Defense Agency and throw
away the opportunity that has come to me.”
The murmurs grew louder than ever.
“As a hunter, I am happy to have the opportunity to dive,

and I will do my best to do all that I should. I am ready to
prove it.”
His words were polite yet unconventional.
He had been in the industry for less than a year, yet he

spoke confidently to his superiors.
Yoo-seong stared at Cha Jae-gil.
“As Mr. Cha Jae-gil said, I haven’t been equipped with long-
range skills for hunting.”
“Great. You admit it-” Jae-gil tried to interject again, but Yoo-
seong’s voice went up a notch.
“I’m not finished, sir,” he said sternly.
“What?” Cha Jae-gil’s eyes widened.
“I have learned enough. I know what I need to do in every

hunting situation.”
Yoo-seong turned to meet the Director’s gaze.
“I would like to have the opportunity to prove myself in light

of the complaint against me. If possible, I’ll like to do it in
front of everyone gathered here.”
Everyone was stunned.
The Director of the Defense Bureau thought about it for a

moment.
If Yoo-seong proved himself worthy, Yang Chang-guk’s

prestige and that of the Defense Bureau would increase.
Above all, the cheeky Cha Jae-Gil would be put in his rightful
place.
“Alright, then.”
It would be pretty fun, the Director thought.

Chapter 33
Episode 33
The tables in the venue were quickly pushed aside in order

to accommodate Yoo-seong’s request.
Every hunter was in anticipation as the place was being

rearranged.
Regardless of their current position in the industry, they

were still hunters and appreciated bravery. Who was this Oh
Yoo-seong to say the words he did in the presence of so
many senior hunters?
He was barely half a year old in the business, and he was

already causing agitations.
“With your permission, I would like to face the challenge

now,” Yoo-seong had said.
Everyone wanted to see what the young man was capable

of.
“Well, I have announced all the necessary information. The

rest will be sent to your emails. We have come to the end of
the briefing. If anyone needs to go home now, you are free
to do so,” Director Yang told them.
No one went out of the venue.

Meanwhile, Yoo-seong stood at the entrance, away from the
stage.
Like the Red Sea that Moses parted, the chairs had been
stacked high on both sides of the hall, making a clear path
to the stage.
“Ah. Director Yang Chang-guk,” Yoo-seong greeted as he

turned to the sound of the voice. The Director came to stand
beside him while all the preparations were going on.
“Thank you for allowing my unreasonable request,” Yoo-

seong said.
It was uncommon for such performances to be carried out at

a venue like the Civic Center.
“Come on, relax,” Yang Chang-guk shook his head. “There

are many experienced hunters here. While we need to
ensure the other personnels’ safety, the hunters can take
care of themselves. Don’t worry about safety issues.”
Yang Chang-guk was concerned about something else.
The audience stood at the sides of the hall.
At the stage, there were five human-shaped metal plates

placed as targets.
While the Director wasn’t bothered about the people’s

safety, he wasn’t sure if Yoo-seong would be able to leave
the place in one piece.
It was indeed a very daring act.

Soon, a table was placed in front of Yoo-seong. Above it was
a familiar firearm.
Geller Gun-★★
There were also other pistols and assault rifles on the table.
However, they didn’t shoot bullets; they all utilized Aura

instead.
“Does Oh Yoo-seong have the Psy for shooting?” A hunter

whispered to his friend.
“It’s just the beginning of his hunting year. That’s highly

unlikely,” the friend replied.
“Yeah. If he did have, it would have been written in his

profile.”
“Manipulating Psy is different from the manipulating of shiny

Aura.”
Though they were far from Director Yang Chang-guk, their

opinions weren’t different from his. The murmurs in the hall
grew louder as it became obvious that Yoo-seong was about
to move.
Instead of reacting to it, Yoo-seong focused on each of the

guns on the table.
The stage had been set just the way he had requested.
Five human-shaped firing plates stood in a V-shaped array

facing him.
Behind them stood a column of synthetic rubber, similar to

the one used by Yoo-seong for striking exercise.
Yoo-seong took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. Then,
he picked up a sub-machine type Geller Gun.
The audience was disappointed.
They had been expecting him to do just that – stand in a

comfortable position and aim at the targets.
It was the most basic posture and allowed a stable form to

shoot over a distance.
Yoo-seong pulled the trigger and began to fire.
This time, everyone, hunters and other personnel, were

confused.
Yoo-seong’s wielding of the sub-machine gun was far from

stable.
The Aura bullets appear to be shabby and weak. They barely

hit the targets, and none of them hit a vital spot.
Yoo-seong dropped the sub-machine Geller Gun and picked

a Gellar pistol. He began to shoot.
This time it was worse.
His aim was awful, and he kept shooting randomly.
It looked like he was just playing. The booing began.
Director Yang Chang-Guk bit his lips.
The hunters of Gung-On, including Cha Jae-Gil, smiled in

relief.
They could hardly believe that the prodigy, Yoo-seong, was

embarrassing himself so much.
Of course, he wasn’t that bad.
Very few hunters with half a year of experience made use of

Gellar Guns.
There was a reason why Gellar guns of any kind were given
the same rating.
They were all the same. The only difference in the weapons’
performance was the skill of the hunter that wielded them.
Even with the same pistol-type Gellar gun, the bullets’

power greatly depending on how carefully the hunter
compressed their Aura.
In the hands of someone like Shin Yoo-hee, who used Tech

and Psy specialized for shooting, the Geller Gun became as
formidable as a 5-star or higher-level weapon.
On the other hand, when in possession of beginners who

can’t control their Aura, the results would be terrible.
Sometimes, the gun barrel even ended up exploding as

beginners tried to force their shabby Aura into bullets.
Therefore, no one was really surprised that Yoo-seong was

so awful at using the gun.
Suddenly, Cha Jae-gil realized what was happening.
“Huh?”
Here and there, the bullets hit the outer edges of the plates.
Instead of having holes in them, the spaces behind and

around the point of impact remained untouched.
It was just like cutting paper with a sharp knife on a table
without leaving any mark on the table’s surface.
Cha Jae-gil groaned in exasperation.
“How in the world is he doing that?” the people who weren’t

hunters asked their hunter acquaintances.
Normally, the Aura force was supposed to be strong enough

to destroy the targets.
With the plates being only slightly thicker than cardboard,

one would expect that the rubber pad behind it would also
be damaged.
Somehow, he had managed to suppress his Aura and limit it

only to the targets.
Even the hunters couldn’t understand it.
“The bastard!” Cha Jae-gil swore without realizing it.
He also had some shooting knowledge and expertise. If Yoo-

seong had done the obvious, simply putting holes in the
targets, he would have laughed immediately.
Anyone could do that.
However, hardly anyone could do what Yoo-seong was

doing.
All five firing plates have been sliced and reduced to almost
one-tenth of their previous area. Now, they were narrow
enough that it would be difficult to hit them even if one
aimed carefully.
However, Yoo-seong didn’t miss as he kept shooting until

the plates’ remaining parts were cleanly removed.
Everyone was gaped, including those who didn’t know Aura.
Time passed, but nobody seemed to have noticed. The

performance enchanted them.
There was one last spot on the fifth plate. Yoo-seong took a
breath before blowing it off.
Then, he put the gun on safety and looked at his audience.

The eyes of his audience remained fixed on the stage.
There was almost no difference between the stage before

and after shooting, apart from the rubber pillars that
remained. The metal pieces were all cleaned up.
One of the researchers from an institute began to clap in

ecstasy.
The applause gradually spread around. Before long, even

ordinary people who did not understand Aura were
applauding Yoo-seong.
It was obvious even to them that what they had just seen
was extraordinary.
Yoo-seong suddenly raised his hand.
“Not yet,” he said, and the applause died down.
“What I just showed you is the basic application of

controlling the Aura’s intensity, which you are all familiar
with.”
The ordinary people shared in confusion, not understanding

his words.
The hunters, on the other hand, were flustered, though they

tried not to show it.
There was nothing wrong with his statement. It was just that
what he called ‘basic’ was a very difficult thing to practice.
“Senior Cha Jae-gil,” Yoo-seong said as he looked at the

senior.
Cha Jae-gil’s face was now as sweaty as Yoo-seong’s.
“What is it?”
“You also know that, no matter how good your shooting

skills are, ordinary shooting is useless against a monster
with high durability. That’s the foundation of your case
against me.”
Cha was silent. He couldn’t deny it.
The younger man was doing everything to prove him wrong.

Yoo-seong was right.
No matter how good the control was, hurting major

monsters was impossible, especially for beginners.
It didn’t matter if a beginner had a high-absorption rate.
The amount of CE they have would still be significantly

lower than those of veterans who had accumulated skill and
experience over the years.
Therefore, the Geller Gun couldn’t create bullets powerful

enough to injure high-grade beasts.
“What I’m going to show you this time,” Yoo-seong said as

he looked at the stage again, “is the solution to that
problem.”
Behind where the five firing plates stood, the rubber pillars
remained standing.
Yoo-seong picked up a pistol-type Geller Gun.
Two Months Ago…
“I want to teach you something else,” Sung-wook began.
“In this industry, one can become easily recognized for their
natural skills. It’s perfect for those who were born with
extraordinary talent.”
Yoo-seong listened carefully.
“However, for those like us who were not born as fortunate

as they are, it was very unfair. I wasn’t born with any Psy,
and there was no one to pass his Tech to me. I had no
wealthy background. All I had was my Aura, that’s it.”
He stood from his seat and came to lean on the table beside
Yoo-seong.
“In fact, when we say Aura, anyone could use it, right? But
actually, kids with Tech or Psy don’t think much about it.
Their usage of it is unrefined because they have some other
advantages.”
“We could kill ourselves to learn a new skill with our Aura,
but they don’t bother. They simply replicate the same thing
with what they inherited or were born with.”
Sung-wook worked hard to achieve the spider-walk with his

Aura, but hunters with similar Psy or Tech could easily
replicate it.
“Psy and Tech can only be handed over to disciples using a

very tricky process. And there was no one to teach me. So, I
asked myself, why not make my own? I was determined to
refine them and pass them on to someone I chose. That
way, even when I can’t hunt anymore, I will be remembered
for something.
“Now, this is the second lesson- another skill that I

developed,” Sung-wook smiled with pride.”
Then, he stated the name of the technique.
Yoo-seong’s pistol fired.
This time, unlike with the bullets he used for the plates, the
gun released a considerable amount of energy.
It smashed against a rubber pillar, carving a deep hole in it.
This time, even Shin Yoo-hee, Lee Jae-hak, and Yang Chang-
guk gasped.
“Huh?”
It was a common belief that without Psy or Tech, humans

couldn’t manipulate the Aura that had left their bodies.
But Sung-wook learned that, with time and effort, humans

could find their own way.
And now, that knowledge has been passed on to Yoo-seong.
Despite the extreme strain he felt on his veins, Yoo-seong

remained smiling.
Thank God, he thought.

Even Sung-wook couldn’t master it while he was on active
duty, so he had been unable to demonstrate it to Yoo-seong.
However, now, everyone could see the fruits of Sung-wook’s

efforts.
Parasitic Bees.
The rubber pillar shook violently as if something was

happening from inside.
Then, it burst into pieces.

Chapter 34
Episode 34
The non-hunters in the venue flinched from the explosion

onstage.
The hunters had been through enough battles and had

heard worse sounds to be shaken by such. Their eyes
remained on Yoo-seong as they calmly analyzed what they
had just seen.
Yoo-seong had fired an ordinary Aura bullet; however, the

rubber pillars turned inside out.
Rather than simply destroying the pillar, the bullet tore

through the column as though it was a rotating blade.
Moreover, one rubber pillar was torn apart. The effect was
so controlled that the fragments didn’t even bounce off the
stage.
No Tech or Psy skill known to them could do that.
It must be from pure Aura. Yoo-seong put the pistol down on

the table.
“That is all.”
Small beads of sweat covered his forehead; however, his

face didn’t show any signs of exhaustion.
“I hope the technique I showed you was something you
could understand.”
No one, including Cha Jae-gil, could say anything.
Cha Jae-gil could neither do what Yoo-seong showed nor

grasp its principle and point out the shortcomings. That
rendered him speechless. The Gung-On members beside
him were silent as well.
Even Lee Jae-hak couldn’t speak.
What Yoo-seong had just shown was a technique that no one

but Sung-Wook and Yoo-seong had seen yet. No matter how
skillful a hunter was, the technique wasn’t something that
could be grasped after seeing it once.
“Mr. Cha Jae-gil?” Director Yang Chang-Guk said, urging the

silenced senior to speak.
There was a small smile on his lips.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong is waiting for a response.”
“Me…” Jae-gil stuttered.
“Yes?” the Director asked.
There was no other way. He had to admit it.
“I admit that the suspicions I had raised concerning the

qualifications of Mr. Oh Yoo-seong and the screening process
of the Defense Bureau were unfounded and wrong.”
It was a simple answer, but Cha Jae-gil’s expression looked

pained after saying that.
He knew what would come next.

The stories of his embarrassment and Oh Yoo-seong’s skill
would spread quickly. The hall was filled with people with
great influence in the hunting industry.
“Thank you,” Yoo-seong said, giving Cha Jae-gil and the

Director a bow.
Then, he walked towards the exit. The people who had been
watching him started to move to approach him, but he
suddenly turned again.
“Director?”
“Yes, Yoo-seong. Please speak.”
“I’d like to ask if it’s okay for me to take care of personal

conveniences in the restroom.”
Director Chang-Guk Yang weighed Oh Yoo-seong’s intentions

for a moment.
His request seemed quite odd.
He realized that Yoo-seong wanted to leave the hall without

anyone following him. He was asking for help to do that.
Director Yang nodded. He was grateful to return the favor to

the rookie that had saved his face.
“Oh, of course,” the Director said with a smile.
“As for the rest of us, we can rearrange the hall and have
our seats. We have prepared a simple buffet, so we all can
eat and return home. Yoo-seong will also return after seeing
to his business.”
“Thank you,” Yoo-seong mouthed as he walked out of the

venue.
Thanks to Yang Chang-guk’s words, no one followed him.
He went through the door and walked through the corridor

till he was by the restroom. He paused for a while; then, he
continued walking till he reached the emergency exit.
Yoo-seong went through the doors and down the stairs till he
arrived at the ground floor.
Then, he slumped and fell to the floor in exhaustion. He was

breathing heavily, and his shirt was completely soaked in
sweat.
Yoo-seong clutched his right hand. It was trembling.
To perform the ‘Parasitic Bees’ technique, he had used the

auto-hunting extensively.
It was like fighting the Queen of Gray Ant with the Blade.
The Aura control that was required was too much for his
veins to keep up with.
Of course, he couldn’t fall like that in front of everyone. He

had had to act strong till he was out of their sight.
He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. That was
when he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the
stairs.
Yoo-seong opened his eyes with heartache.
“Emergency exit was a bad choice,” a stern lady’s voice

said, as though she were a teacher pointing out her
student’s flaws.
“Even if you breathe quietly, the echoes will give up your

location.”
Shin Yoo-hee approached Yoo-seong and bent so that she
could stare directly into his eyes.
“Why did you follow me?” he asked.
“You’ll find out,” Shin Yoo-hee said as she took Yoo-seong’s

right hand. “Relax.”
She gently stroked his arm.
“As I watched you, I wondered if it were possible to master

such a skill in such a short time. Now, I realize how
overwhelming it must have been for you.”
Shin Yoo-hee took out an electronic cigarette from her jacket

and held it out to Yoo-seong.
“Take a puff,” she offered.
“I’m fine,” he said, shaking his head.
“It’s okay…”
When Yoo-seong opened his mouth to reply, Shin Yoo-hee

snuck the cigarette’s end in, and then slightly raised his chin
to close his mouth.
“Go on.”
Yoo-seong had no choice but to do what she said.
As he breathed it in, the liquid-based smoke flowed through

his throat.
It wasn’t a cigarette. It was more like a kind of herb. A

familiar scent that he couldn’t place filled his nostrils.
Very gently, it permeated his whole body, calming down his
nervous system.
“You can draw more until you feel comfortable,” she said.
Yoo-seong drew more till all the pain and cramps

disappeared.
All that was left was the sweat that still poured out of his
body.
“Thank you,” he told her.
“Purple Deep. You know what it is?” she asked.
“Of the alien world?”
“Right.”
Plants of the alien world were often taken by hunters

operating inside the rift.
Purple Deep was known to have analgesic and sedative

effects, but it was forbidden from personal possession,
except in special cases.
“I believe it will be kept secret,” she said.
“Yes.”
Shin Yoo-hee stood first and held out her hand. However,
Yoo-seong politely shook his head and stood on his own.
He managed to put on his composed demeanor again

though he hadn’t fully recovered.
“Please keep this a secret,” he said to her.

“Of course. You didn’t want to be seen like this by others.
That’s why you walked this far, wasn’t it?” she said, putting
the cigarette back in her pocket.
He didn’t reply.
“Why did you act strong when you needed help? Why do
you do the things you do? Why do you take the risks you
take?” she asked, wanting to be sure of her hunches.
“Do I have to tell you why?”
“No, you don’t have to.” Shin Yoo-hee said as she raised her
hands and turned, pretending not to be interested. “I’m just
going to believe that you’re not the type to do things just to
get people’s attention or honor.”
“No. You’re wrong.” Yoo-seong said, and she turned around

in surprise. “It Is because of attention and honor.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
She frowned.
“If you really want that, why don’t you film some
commercials? It’ll only take one call. Then, you can easily
get money and admiration.”
For the first time, she realized she raised her voice.
“I want to,” Yoo-seong answered. “It’s just not the time yet. I
still have to train, enhance my skills, and be certified.”
“The way I see it…” she began, but he cut her off.
“You’re free to think whatever you want of me, but my
image, which the world now sees, is an image made by your
company, not me. Fame and wealth are what you want for
me.”
Shin Yoo-hee was speechless. Yoo-seong was right.
He was a hunter who valued life above all else. She hadn’t
said the words, but that had been her hope for him all
along. She had just been concealing her admiration for him.
Shin Yoo-hee’s chest was clogged.
“You jumped in with me. You volunteered despite the risk of

death,” she whispered.
“Because that’s my job,” he said. “If it remained open any

longer, the problems could escalate. Thousands of people
would have died, and the industry reputation would have
been destroyed.”
He fixed his collar as he continued to speak.
“I could help, and so, I did. However, money and fame are
the aftereffects of doing my job. I’ll give my life to save a
civilian. But, if I’m rewarded for it, I won’t say no.”
Shin Yoo-hee remained silent as she watched him.
She realized the two things that were important to Yoo-

seong:
Work – the path that he was on; and the people who helped
him walk that path.
That had to be the reason why he displayed the Parasitic

Bee: to honor Sung-wook’s talents.
“Anyway… I appreciate your help. Do you have anything
more to say to me?”
She remained silent and kept watching him. She thought

about apologizing, but she had another idea.
“Well, you’ve shown what great contributions your master,

Sung-wook, has made towards the industry. Walk back in
there, looking strong and confident, and you’ll earn more
respect. Besides, being chosen among the five is honor
enough.”
Yoo-seong raised his brow.
“Well, there’s no reason to refuse,” he said.
It would be hard for him to stand calmly in the hall, but he

had to bear it, not only to give and receive business cards
but to show them that Sung-wook’s technique had no
aftereffects.
He moved to walk again, but Yoo-hee raised a finger at him.
She pulled out the cigarette and handed it over to him

again.
When he acted reluctantly, she tilted her head.
“Take it.”
“This is too m-” Yoo-seong began, but Yoo-hee slammed the

cigarette into his raised palm.
“I’m not giving it to you forever. Of course, I’ll take it back

when I see you later. For now, use it. And don’t get caught,
or else!” she said.
“I can’t take it.”

“Think of it like an apple.”
Yoo-seong tilted his head in amusement.
“When I first saw you in the last operation, I treated you as

a completely incompetent person, right? I judged from your
appearance.”
“Well, it was natural to judge that way.”
“The same is true this time. I almost judged you based on

an appearance you created. So, accept this as my apology,
and let’s move on with clean slates, shall we?”
Yoo-seong did not decline this time. He had experienced the

effects of the drug firsthand, and he couldn’t say no.
“I’m going to go now. I hate buffet food,” she said as she

began to walk away.
“So, I’ll see you at QR later?”
“No. I’m quitting.”
Yoo-seong opened his eyes wide.
“I have already made up a good story and sent it in with my

resignation letter. I guess I’ll do freelance hunting for the
time being,” she said with a smirk.
“I see.”
“Well, then, I hope you do well,” she said as she walked on

and disappeared around the corner.
Yoo-seong went into the building and up the stairs.

He went through the corridor and stopped at the doors of
the hall.
Before walking in, he pulled out the cigarette and put it in

his mouth, taking in the gas.
He felt the drug flow through his body.
Somehow, it felt as if the fragrance was Shin Yoo-hee’s, and

not from an alien plant.
It made him feel confident.
He swung the door open and walked in.

Chapter 35
Episode 35
A lot of hunters had attended the buffet.
The show that Yoo-seong had given them had left them
feeling hungry without knowing.
Besides, there were a lot of industry officials waiting to meet

Yoo-seong.
Not everyone could approach Yoo-seong based on interest.

The type of interest mattered.
Cha Jae-gil almost choked on his champagne the moment he

saw Yoo-seong return to the hall.
“The son of a-” he began, but he stopped himself, realizing

that people were watching.
He handed over his champagne flute to a waiter and was

about to head out of the hall when someone called him from
behind.
“Chief Director,”
He turned at the sound of the voice.
“Ah! CEO Chu!” he said in surprise as his heart fell. He didn’t

expect to see him at the meeting.
Tenz was a Chinese conglomerate expanding its network
throughout the Eurasian region, and Chu Seo-jin headed its
Korean office.
They were very influential in the industry, with their by-

product market size directly proportional to the China’s land
area. They were known for marketing Chinese hunting by-
products, but recently, they changed their posture and
aggressively purchased products from other countries.
Of course, Tenz’s influence on Korean organizations wasn’t

just because it was wealthy.
They were the gateway to the Chinese market.
The large number of beasts that came out of China’s vast

territory allowed companies to maximize value for the by-
products.
Besides, the government’s regulations were quite generous,

allowing for more active operations. However, it was almost
impossible for foreign companies to enter China.
Foreign hunters couldn’t even get a visa unless they through

a company with enormous influence as Tenz.
And even if they could, they wouldn’t be able to get into the
Chinese organizations.
What would those organizations do with foreign hunters

when they had more than enough hunters in their own
country?
Even though large Korean firms like Gung-On or QR send

their hunters there to study, the arrangement was, at best,
a short-term dispatch.
So far, there had only been one foreign hunter who had
been welcomed in China: Lee Un-seol.
Cha Jae-gil thought of Lee Jae-hak’s younger sister.
She proved that it wasn’t impossible to be able to go to

China.
With such hope, Gung-On- Cha Jae-gil, to be precise- had

been in talks with Chu Seo-jin for a while now.
He wanted to go to China with the team he led. He had

hoped for an opportunity to prove his skills before the man.
Unfortunately, things hadn’t gone very well that day.
He just hoped the man hadn’t gotten any wrong

impressions.
“I think you did a really good job today,” Chu Seo-jin said.
The way he said it made it clear that he was not interested

in Cha Jae-gil.
“You must be referring to Oh Yoo-seong’s performance.” He

wanted to make sure.
“Yes. Thanks to you, I had a very good view.”
The words pierced the insides of Cha Jae-gil.
Still, he had to restrain himself from displaying his mood

before Chu Seo-jin. Compared to the man before him, he
was just a small-time group director.
“Well, it was quite novel in its own way. It can be said that
he was quite excellent, but…”
“It’s more about people than technique,” Seo-jin said,
cutting Jae-gil off.
“Besides, what you said… is that true? Has it been only half
a year since the young man got his license?”
“Yes, but that hardly mea-”
“Good. Good. It is not easy to master such skill in half a

year,” Seo-jin said.
What Cha Jae-gil had pointed out to cast doubt on Yoo-seong

now served as a compliment. Cha Jae-gil’s eyebrows
wriggled as he found himself in an absurd situation.
Even the Chinese didn’t know about the technique. It was

truly a never-before-seen method.
Chu Seo-jin was both from Korea and China. Since his father
was Chinese, he had studied and developed his talent in
China.
Of course, he had learned a lot of techniques in China.

However, even a man like him did not dismiss the ingenuity
of Oh Yoo-seong’s display.
“I haven’t seen someone with such outstanding qualities in

a long time. Don’t you think so?”
The second sentence was spoken in Chinese. It was

addressed to someone else.
Only then did Cha Jae-hil notice the young man next to Chu
Seo-jin.
He seemed to be in his early twenties.

He didn’t respond to Seo-jin’s words; rather, his attention
was fixed on his phone.
Chu Seo-jin merely chuckled.
“Ah, this is my nephew, Chu-yeop. He is also a hunter in

China.”
“Ah, nice to meet you,” Cha Jae-gil said, holding a hand out
for a shake.
Chu-yeop remained silent, still staring at his phone.
“Sorry, he doesn’t know Korean.”
“Oh. Well then. I better get going. I need to speak with one
of our representatives.”
“Ah, yes! Bye then.”
Cha Jae-gil walked away, sulking.
Seo-jin wasn’t interested in him; there was no need to stay

any longer.
However, that was his mistake. If he knew who Chu-yeop

was texting, he wouldn’t have left so suddenly.
The buffet was also almost finished.
Yoo-seong saw Seo Ji-young leaning against the wall near

the exit.
From the time Yoo-seong returned inside, Seo Ji-young kept

watching him without coming close.
Yoo-seong walked over to him.
“Hey,” Yoo-seong said.
“Hey,” Ji-young said.
Although she tried to manage his facial expressions, she

couldn’t control her mouth.
She found himself smiling awkwardly. “I was impressed by

your performance.”
“Thank you,” Yoo-seong said.
“So, why did you come here? You’re not expecting to swap
business cards with me, are you?” Ji-young joked.
“Well, kind of. I’m going to give you my contact details.”
Seo Ji-young’s eyes popped wide open.
“Why in the world?”
“This is my business card.”
There were two numbers on it- Yoo-seong’s business

number and Sung-wook’s number.
As Ji-young expected, Yoo-seong’s personal number was

nowhere to be found.
Seo Ji-young stared at Yoo-seong for a second before

receiving the business card.
“I look forward to contacting you. As a client.”
Yoo-seong nodded and waited to see if Ji-Young still had

something else to say.
Ji-young shrugged, and so, Yoo-seong shook her hand and
left.
Immediately after leaving the building, he removed the seal

from his arm.
He heaved a sigh as he walked out of the Civic Center

grounds. His hands slowly went to the cigarette in his
pocket.
He couldn’t use it while he was in the hall, though his body

needed it.
There was a park close by. He headed in that direction.

When he arrived, he found an empty bench and sat on it for
a while, allowing himself to rest.
“Will it be okay for me to speak with you now?”
Yoo-seong looked up towards the voice.
A middle-aged and young man in suits stood before him.
He recognized their faces from the venue, though he wasn’t

too sure who they were.
“Well, I guess so.”
Yoo-seong sat up and straightened his face so that he didn’t

look tired.
“Good. Don’t worry. This won’t take long. I am Chu Seo-jin,

the CEO of Tenz Korea. This is my nephew, Chu-yeop.”
“Tenz Korea?” Yoo-seong asked in surprise before moving to

pull out his card.
“Oh, don’t bother. This has nothing to do with business. I
want a relationship,” Chu Seo-jin said, shaking his head.
“What?” Yoo-seong said, raising a brow.
Chu Seo-jin merely smiled cheerfully.
“Many people don’t know this, but Tenz is owned by a top

hunter. He was one of the warriors, springing from an old
tradition he inherited. This child and I are his disciples.”
Yoo-seong nodded, listening silently.
“As I watched you earlier, I thought you might be qualified

to inherit our tradition and cultivate it. So, I took some
liberties, excuse me,” Chu Seo-Jin pulled out his cell phone
and showed Yoo-seong the screen.
“I filmed your performance.”
Yoo-seong’s eyes widened at that.
“And we sent it to our mentor and employer. Of course, he is

in China now, but he wants to see you in person.”
“China controls the entry of foreign hunters,” Yoo-seong

started.
“That depends on the situation. The criterion is not as much

the hunter as it is the person that invites him,” he replied
with confidence.
“The man in the most influential position in the world wants

to see you, Yoo-seong. He thinks you have the qualities
needed to become a disciple. Join us.”
He was sure there was no way that Yoo-seong would refuse.

“I don’t understand,” Yoo-seong admitted.
“I am one of them. Oh, of course, it’s a foreign secret, so

you can’t breathe a word about it.”
Yoo-seong tried to talk once more, but Seo-jin interrupted

him.
“There is one condition, though. It is not the standard of

business to mention bad terms before an appointment, but
this is not a business; it’s a relationship.”
“What is the condition?” Yoo-seong asked.
“If you come in as his disciple, you become submissive to

him. Such a ritual seems a bit unfamiliar in this country, but
the discipline among priests is strict.”
Yoo-seong’s gaze turned towards the younger man for a

moment.
He was younger than Yoo-seong. His narrow eyes were

glaring at Yoo-seong.
“Being taught doesn’t deprive you of your freedom.

However, it restricts the skills you learn and use. You are not
allowed to learn other teachings.”
Chu Seo-jin held up two fingers.
“The spider walk shown in the broadcast and the technique

that you showed at the venue will be prohibited unless the
master permits you. Also-”
It was Yoo-seong’s turn to cut the older man off.
“I think I can guess the next condition,” he said. “Maybe, cut

off the relationship with the person who taught me that skill.
It has to be something like that.”
“You guessed right,” Seo-Jin said with a smile.
“Thank you for your consideration. But no. I can’t join you,”
was the unexpected reply.
Everything about the offer was appealing- China, serving

under the most influential man, being in the heart of the
world market.
However, they were asking him to cut off his relationship

with Sung-wook.
Yoo-seong couldn’t do it.
“You said this is confidential, so I will pretend as though I

never heard of it. Thank you,” Yoo-seong said with finality.
“Why would you say that? This is a once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity. You will regret your refusal,” Seo-jin said. He
had become a little angry. “Of course, the fact that you
cherish the relationships you made in the past deserves
praise, but… think carefully.”
“You don’t have to press further. I won’t change my mind,”

Yoo-seong said.
Chu-yeop said something in Chinese before Seo-Jin could

say another word.
A conversation ensued between Seo-jin and him in Chinese.
“May I interpret this child’s words?” Seo-jin said suddenly in

Korean.
“You may.”
“He thinks you are a fool. You don’t even know how lucky
you are to have been offered this.”
Yoo-seong remained silent.
While watching Yoo-seong, Chu Seo-jin continued to

interpret the younger man’s insults.
“He’s not a polite kid, is he?” Yoo-seong asked, raising a

brow.
“Unfortunately, no. However, he is only this way because he

wishes you will join us,” Seo-jin said with humor in his voice.
“Thank you, but that’s not a very good way to invite

someone,” Yoo-seong said as he stood up to leave.
Chu-Yeop didn’t stop talking even as Yoo-seong began to

walk away. Before he went far enough, the kid said
something Seo-Jin found funny enough to interpret.
“Even with a technique that couldn’t even last till the end of
a battle, we thought that something could be done about
your pathetic hunting. But, alas, you’re a hopeless case.”
That struck Yoo-seong. He turned and replied.
“If I received ten years of teaching from the man who taught
you both, I doubt things would turn out any differently.”
Seo-jin seemed pleased to have Yoo-seong’s attention

again, though he was surprised that Yoo-seong had become
angry at that.
“Sorry. But honestly, my thoughts haven’t changed either. If

you experienced our technique once, you would change
your mind right away.”
Chu-yeop and Chu Seo-jin didn’t realize how much they had
done.
Yoo-seong’s self-control had reached its limit. How many

years had it been since someone’s words had made him
react?
“Good. I’d like to see it then,” he said as he strode towards

them.
Yoo-seong approached them like a jaguar stalking its prey.
He made eye contact with Chu-yeop.
“Show it to me, right now.”

Chapter 36
Episode 36
Sparring and other activities that utilized Aura were only

allowed within sealed facilities like Sung-wook’s
underground training room.
However, this time, Yoo-seong was in the open, wearing his

sparring gear. Chu Seo-jin was watching closely.
Chu-yeop, also wearing his gear, stood nearby. He brought

his fists together confidently.
“It won’t take long, I promise, uncle,” Chu-yeop told him.
When his uncle said nothing in reply, he spoke again.

“Uncle?”
“Oh, yeah,” Seo-jin said, casting a glance in his direction.
“You will see our level difference.”
Chu Seo-jin shook his head.
“Do not insult your opponent,” the older man replied.
“But he insulted us first.”
Chu Seo-jin nodded calmly. It was true. He also felt insulted.

Yoo-seong ignoring their offer was outright foolishness and
an insult to their Master.
Humanity began to use CE actively ten years ago. However,

its history went further back.
Aura and Tech had thousands of years of history behind

them. Its forms throughout history were different – martial
arts, magic, and the likes of such.
Using energy that existed in the human body had been

practiced and developed worldwide. Things that were once
called superstitions had been recognized for their value.
The possibility of extracting the essence from monsters and

injecting it into humans sped up CE development.
Chu Seo-jin began to cheer himself up.
He was about to enjoy watching the practice of the arts in

its finest form.
“If you don’t feel disrespected, you’re an idiot,” Chu-yeop

said, bringing him out of his reverie.
“He is still a talented person.”
“Are you still thinking of allowing him to inherit our

technique?” Chu-yeop asked in surprise.
“Do you not like it?”
“I have no intention of allowing such a rude guy to become

a practitioner. It takes more than just form and skills to join
us.”
“Give him some time. He would change his mind once he

gets broken.”
Chu-yeop stared at him in surprise.
Chu Seo-jin simply smiled, knowing that Chu-yeop didn’t

understand.
It took more than talent to shine. Talent needed stimulation.
“Do your best and show your skills,” Seo-jin said finally.
“Well, I will,” Chu-yeop stepped forward.
Seo-jin watched Yoo-seong.
Humans broke when facing a high wall, whether they were

ordinary folks or geniuses. But how they reacted to it was
what made them different.
Ordinary people settle in this reality and become hopeless,

acknowledging their limitations.
However, geniuses are different.
Even if their goal appears to be impossible to reach, they

somehow struggle until they achieve it.
In the eyes of Chu Seo-jin, Yoo-seong was a talented person.
That was why he had allowed him to fight against Chu-yeop.
If Yoo-seong lost, he would realize the grandeur of what he

was offered and join them.
Chu-yeop kept insulting him, but his nephew would soon

realize that this was just a way to stimulate Yoo-seong
further.
Chu-yeop slammed his fist in his palm.

“I’ll come back with victory,” he announced as he entered
the ring.
Chu Seo-jin looked at his cell phone for a moment. Their

Master was following the situation. In the ring, Chu-yeop
sneered at his opponent.
“I’ll give you three attempts.”
Yoo-seong raised a brow.
“Oh, you don’t know Chinese,” Chu-yeop said as he rolled

his eyes.
Then, he raised three fingers.
“Attack me three times. I will not attack until you’re done.

OK?” he asked.
Yoo-seong remained silent as he loosened his shoulders and

neck.
The bell rang.
Yoo-seong moved first, throwing a fist towards Chu-yeop.
Chu-yeop dodged it narrowly and stood still. He was

somewhat impressed with the strength of Yoo-seong’s arms.
“Not bad, eh?” Seo-jin called from outside the ring.
Yoo-seong came again with another punch.
Chu-yeop dodged it as well and calmly waited for the next

attack.
He had promised Yoo-seong he wouldn’t attack until after

three of Yoo-seong’s attacks.
Yoo-seong moved for the third time.
Once again, Chu-yeop dodged.
However, Yoo-seong was faster this time. He brought his

knee to the sides of Chu-yeop.
Chu-yeop fell to the ground in pain and shock. As he rolled

on the floor, he realized he had gotten tricked.
His opponent faked a punch while sending his knee was set
to do damage. Before he could realize it, Yoo-seong’s punch
was flying towards him again.
This was the fourth strike.
It was time to counterattack.
He caught Yoo-seong’s fist and felt pain on his palms as the

force of the punch ran through it.
However, he quickly recovered and countered with his other

palm.
It smacked Yoo-seong on the chest, sending him flying out

of the ring.
Before he could fly over the ring, Yoo-seong caught a rope

with one hand to balance himself.
Then, he brought both his feet to rest on the rope, too.
Seo-jin smiled as he watched Yoo-seong’s footwork.
Just as Yoo-seong was about to move again, the rope broke

under his weight. He didn’t expect that.
He crashed to the mat and watched Chu-yeop coming after
him from his peripheral vision.
Chu-yeop surrounded his fists with Aura as he ran forward.
His control was so impeccable.
Chu-yeop’s talent was outstanding.
He began to swing his fists, drawing trajectories through the

air with his blue Aura.
Yoo-seong managed to dodge the punches, but it was

evident that Chu-yeop dominated the fight.
Suddenly, a punch collided with his shoulders, throwing him

to the floor once more. His arms hurt. However, he had to
pull himself together quickly as Chu-yeop came after him.
He swung his leg, and his foot collided with Chu-yeop’s

chest.
Chu Seo-jin, felt embarrassed as he watched, but soon, he

relaxed.
Chu-yeop staggered backward briefly for a second then

looked up again.
He was fine. Yoo-seong’s attack did not affect him.
To prove it, he rushed forward again and rained Yoo-seong

with blows.
At this point, Chu Seo-jin began to feel uncomfortable.
He feared for Yoo-seong. If he didn’t do anything, Chu-yeop

would kill him. Suddenly, he noticed something that piqued
his curiosity.
Though Chu-yeop’s fists seemed to be everywhere, they
could not make contact with his opponent’s body.
Somehow, Yoo-seong was able to dodge them in the nick of

time. His flexibility was outstanding, and his martial art was
flawless.
He succeeded in landing a punch on Chu-yeop, and Chu-

yeop staggered backward for a second.
Once again, there was no damage inflicted.
In that second, Seo-jin noticed Chu-yeop’s face was full of

sweat.
He nodded to himself in enlightenment. Chu-yeop was

nervous.
Despite his innate talent, training, knowledge, and CE, he

lacked in one thing- composure. And Yoo-seong was using
that against him.
Chu-yeop had become afraid, and his fear had become his
weakness, undermining his strikes.
He had met his match.
Once again, Yoo-seong blocked Chu-yeop’s fist and landed a

kick that sent Chu-yeop staggering backward.
Seo-jin watched Yoo-seong’s stance.
At first glance, the posture and steps seemed weird.

However, as the fight continued, he realized it was the best
defensive posture.
In that pose, he blocked Chu-yeop’s next strike and found a

weakness to attack.
“Why!” Seo-jin gasped in disappointment as he watched.
Chu-yeop had finally lost his balance – though it was only for
a second.
Without missing the gap, Yoo-seong’s wrapped his hands

around Chu-yeop’s head. Then, he pulled him so that his
body made contact with his knees.
Chu-yeop fell to the ground with a thud and rolled over.

Hurrying to stand up, he staggered back and leaned against
the ropes.
His face was red, and blood trickled from a nostril.
Seo-jin was impressed, but he didn’t know the inside story.

Yoo-seong had pressed the Auto-hunt button.
His body was in too bad a condition to fight, and his Aura
had refused to come out.
That was why his strikes had been futile in the past.
Even Chu-yeop had noticed that Yoo-seong hadn’t used his

Aura.
He was shocked that the last kick had hurt so much.
Chu-yeop was too weak to move, and so, auto-hunt didn’t

attack any further.
Yoo-seong turned away. Then, the bell rung, signifying the

end of the ten-minute interval.
Chu Seo-jin was stiff as he watched Yoo-seong take off his

jacket. His prediction hadn’t been entirely wrong.
Two geniuses climbed into the ring, and the fight ended with
one genius broken.
The only problem was that the wrong one was broken. He
forced himself to speak.
“That was great-”
“No. Not at all,” Yoo-seong said, interrupting Chu-yeop.
He began to pack his equipment. “I am a hunter. According

to you, the friend I fought with is also a hunter.”
Yoo-seong sounded disappointed as he continued.
“It is our role to catch monsters, not to fight each other. I

was immature to let myself get into this in this first place.”
Seo-jin was silent.
“So there is no meaning to this sparring. We were all dumb –

you, me, your nephew-”
Yoo-seong pointed to Chu Seo-jin’s hand.
“Even that person who’s watching from there.”
Seo-jin’s eyes widened.
He was surprised that Yoo-seong knew someone was

watching through a video call.
Putting the cleaned sparring gear in place, Yoo-seong

walked toward the exit.
It was then that a voice spoke in Chinese from the

smartphone.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong, my master…”
“I don’t need you to interpret this time. I don’t care,” Yoo-

seong said, turning back.
“I would be grateful if you just listened.”
“If you have a proposal for me, make an appointment

through my agent or come in person. At least, don’t make a
petition to a subordinate that will only hurt your ego,” Yoo-
seong said.
Seo-jin’s eye widened again at that.
“Bitch!”
The shout came suddenly from the ring.
Chu-yeop was horrified too.
He jumped out of the ring and staggered towards Yoo-seong.
Perhaps he didn’t realize that he had lost the spar.
Maybe he was just appalled by what he thought he heard

Yoo-seong tell his Master.
Perhaps it was both.
However, he seemed to want another fight.
Yoo-seong only watched him.
Chu-yeop was exhausted both physically and mentally. Yoo-

seong didn’t even need auto-hunt this time.
He used a technique that he hadn’t used in the battle.

He ran up the walls to the ceiling just before Chu-Yeop could
get to him.
Chu-yeop gasped in surprise and lost his balance once

more. He fell to the ground in exhaustion. Then, Yoo-seong
landed next to him.
“Enough!”
The voice came from the smartphone, and Yoo-seong looked

up at Seo-jin.
The phone in Seo-jin’s hand was turned so that Yoo-seong

could see the screen.
Yoo-seong could see the Master – the actual head of the

giant Tenz.
Of course, it didn’t mean anything to Yoo-seong.

Chapter 37
Episode 37
As Chu-yeop convulsed on the floor, Yoo-seong stood up and

went through the exit.
Seo-jin stood still, simply watching him. He wasn’t thinking

of going after him.
His body trembled as he realized that his problems had

compounded. All the Master had asked was for them to
bring Oh Yoo-seong to him by whatever means necessary.
In doing so, they had angered Yoo-seong and resorted to

violence. Moreso, the person whom they challenged, had
defeated them.
Yoo-seong insulted their Master, and it was because Seo-jin

had failed to carry out his responsibility.
“Master, I don’t know what to say,” he said as he trembled.
“You don’t have to say anything.”
The voice flowing from the smartphone sounded indifferent.
“You think I’m angry? You’re mistaken.”
Seo-Jin was shocked by his Master’s words. Had his Master

forgiven him so easily? By the Master’s standards, he and
Chu-yeop should have been expelled from the practice.
“Well, thanks to you, I had a front seat view. I was very
impressed. It was fun.”
That shocked Chu Seo-jin more.
Had the Master just used the ‘f’ word? In the over thirty
years he had served the Master, he doubted he had ever
heard him say ‘fun.’
The Master then ended the call.
It was a thrilling time for the industry.
-The Special Defense Agency announced six new hunting

policies…-
-Finally: ‘Dive’ permitted with regulation… –
-The explorations have begun again… Who were the

selected ‘5 people’? –
-Ranked 1 Hunter Lee Jae-hak Press Conference…-
The news was the second biggest thing since the

appearance of the Shantigas.
Everyone had been expecting to see what moves the

industry would make. The times were changing. It wasn’t
just a matter of cracks and beasts.
The current hunters were far better than the previous ones
because of improved technology for CE injections,
equipment, Aura, Psy, and Tech techniques.
It had been about a week since the event where Park Kang-
Han had shown off in support of the Defense Bureau
Director. His performance had been so outstanding that he
had silenced the other hunters who had been against him.
Yoo Jae-gon, the new team leader of TeamAwl, gathered his

team members and raised his voice. They were by the bus
near the barrier line.
In the distance, there was a thunder-class rift, two levels

lower than the storm.
“The rift progression hasn’t been steady though it has

already started,” Yoo Jae-gon started. He had just returned
from the United States after completing the rookie exchange
training program.
He had been overseas for five years. He had returned

equipped not only with training expertise, but also practical
achievements.
Upon his return, he was overwhelmed with proposals, but he

politely refused and chose to take over an upper-middle
ranked team, Awl.
In his philosophy, a snake’s head was better than a dragon’s

tail. Besides, that snake would soon become a dragon
because of his performance.
“The problem isn’t talent. It’s a matter of the quality of the

skills developed through training. Sadly, in the case of past
seniors, we have to start from scratch. None of them are
giving us anything. But can we inherit the legacy of these
seniors, like that Park Kang-Han?”
The team members of Awl were raptly listening to Jae-gon

Yoo.
Most of them were young and energetic hunters. They were
engrossed with Yoo Jae-gon’s words.
He pulled out a suit from a bag at his feet. It was equipment

from America.
“Anyway, this is the Bugbear Suit. It has the flexibility to

resist sudden temperature changes and abnormal
conditions. There is no need to change equipment every
time to suit different situations,” he shouted.
He was conscious of the attention he and his teammates

were getting. It was the era of self-PR. One could see it just
by looking at Park Kang-han.
Despite showing up just a few times, his reputation

preceded him through word of mouth.
As Yoo Jae-gon expected, questions started to come in one

by one.
“I heard that it isn’t made from a monster’s corpse, but with

pure American technology,” a lady said.
“How much does it cost?” a guy asked.
Yoo Jae-gon raised his arms to calm them down while he

prepared to answer them in pride.
“I can’t tell you that, but…”
“Hey, I’m sorry,” someone said, raising his hand.
He was reading a book, leaning against a black case that

seemed to contain his equipment.
His voice was quite polite and calm. He had arrived before
the other hunters on the scene, so they hadn’t noticed his
presence.
“Could you lower your voice a little bit?” he asked.
Every hunter stared at him in shock.
It was only then that Yoo Jae-gon realized that his voice had
been too loud.
There was still a long time before the crack would open.
Some hunters were relaxing or preparing themselves. His

voice was quite distracting.
“If you have to be noisy, you can move over there.”
“Right. Don’t bother. I won’t be very loud,” Jae-gon said in

apology.
“You can go inside the bus over there and read if you have
to,” a lady said.
She didn’t appreciate the strange man dampening the

atmosphere with his remark.
“Besides, don’t you have any earphones or something?”

another hunter said.
The hunters were in Yoo Jae-gon’s support. He smiled.
The young man who was reading the book was silent for a
moment. He nodded a few times; then, he fixed his
attention back on the book.
Yoo Jae-gon then noticed the book title.
‘Encyclopedia?’
It was an introductory textbook that hunters used while they
prepared to earn their licenses. It also contained simple
topics like scholarly theories and a simple ecological report
of the other world.
Since he had gotten a license, he didn’t need to read such a

boring book.
Considering that the strange man would be a part of the

operation, it was also clear that he wasn’t a beginner. Was
he reading the book as a hobby or because he was a
beginner?
The young man was reading it with a serious expression as

if it was a Bible. Yoo Jae-gon stopped paying attention to the
young man. There was no problem.
And the man was alone. He had no cover for him.

Everyone’s attention was on what Yoo Jae-gon was saying.
“I’m very nervous. Leader,” a younger man spoke up.
“Do not worry. You will do well,” Jea-Gon said.
Soon, it was time to go to the crack.
Initially, it was for one to three teams composed of gold-

level Hunters, including team leader Yoo Jae-gon. However,
a week ago, the policy changed.
Even with small cracks, the number of personnel and, as a

result, a large number of gold-level teams participated.
There had to be at least three platinum-grade hunters in the

past, irrespective of the number of gold-level hunters.
Now, the number had been reduced.

One Top 20 ranker could now supervise the operation to
replace the three platinum hunters. Everyone wondered who
the ranker was going to be. Some hoped it would be Lee Jae-
hak.
“I would like Park Kang-han to come,” a female hunter said.

She was still new to the job.
No one knew Park Kang-Han’s face, though many of them

consider him as their idol.
They hoped to rise as fast as he did.
“Anyone can come,” Yoo Jae-gon said with authority. “But I

bet that, even if Park Kang-han comes, he will not do better
than our team. right?”
The team members nodded confidently. They were with all

the latest equipment Jae-Gon had brought from the United
States, and they had been trained to use them.
Besides, their teamwork and the rich experience of some of

them was enough to make them invincible.
-The appearance of a crack is imminent. Personnel in each

waiting area, please board the bus.-
The pre-briefing had begun,
First, the team with the equipment started boarding the bus.
Even if they didn’t say anything, they all subconsciously
reserved the best seat for Jae-gon.
Soon, they were all aboard.
“Is everyone on board?” Jae-gon asked as he looked around.

There was a seat left.
“Wait,” a voice came from outside just as the doors slid
shut. “Sorry, it took a while to put my gear on.”
The driver pressed a button, and the doors slid open again.
The owner of the voice entered the bus.
“Thank you. Driver,” he said with an awkward smile.
Some people swallowed when they saw him. Half a year had
passed since the license exam, and not many people
remembered Yoo-seong’s face.
However, a few remembered the Queen Ant he had killed.

They were the ones gawking.
Their eyes ran over his Matte Gray armor, and they rubbed
their eyes to ensure they weren’t hallucinating.
When they were done, they looked again.
It was him.
There was a blank platinum seal on one arm. On the other,

there were sparkling platinum wings.
19.
The engraved numbers made it very clear who the owner

was. Now, everyone was staring. They couldn’t understand
why he was with them on the bus.
He could own a car and hire a driver. He didn’t need to ride

the bus.
Yoo-seong knew they were staring at him, but he quietly

went towards the seat that was left. His account balance
was ten digits, but it was still too much of a luxury for him to
own a car.
Suddenly, a young man stood up.
“Sir, you can have my seat. It’s close to the window,” he

said.
He wasn’t the only one to stand up. He was just the first.
“Thank you. Don’t bother,” Yoo-seong said as he placed a

palm on the man’s shoulder.
He didn’t press down with force, but the weight of his

muscles pushed the man back on the seat.
Soon, the bus zoomed off.
The seats were tightly packed. There was just enough space
so that no one had to sit on the floor or stand.
Yoo-seong pulled his phone from his bag lazily. As he looked

at the screen, his expression changed to that of seriousness.
People watched his face, wondering at the sudden change.
Yoo-seong looked around him to see everyone watching him.
“Aren’t you guys following the briefing?” He asked with a

frown.
At that, everyone pulled out their cell phones.
Once they read the briefing, they looked out the window
with worried faces.
Suddenly, they all wished they could retreat.

Chapter 38
Episode 38
Earthquakes, thunderstorms, and other forces of nature

were the signs of a crack opening.
Usually, the larger the crack was, the more severe the
natural disaster was.
Outside, there was a thunderstorm, and the clouds were

dark. That was enough to tell them that they were about to
deal with a large crack. The crack had opened a little earlier
than expected. That wasn’t a problem. However, there was
a monster sticking out of the crack.
That was the problem.
All they could see so far was what looked like the monster’s
mouth. It was black with moss green trails alongside it.
No one could tell whether it was a bird’s beak or an

alligator’s snout. What bothered everyone the most was
that the entire crack, with its diameter of about ten meters,
wasn’t large enough for anything more than the monster’s
mouth to come through.
The gigantic mouth kept wriggling.
The tight crack acted as a kind of gag so that the monster

couldn’t open its mouth. It couldn’t move back either, as its
mouth was stuck.
-Current monster identity is unconfirmed. Please wait.-
Well, should I say thank you? Yoo-seong thought as he rolled

his eyes.
The protruding snout acted as a kind of stopper, and no

other monsters came out of the crack.
However, sometimes, more than anything else, imagination

was often the worst threat.
Inside the bus, everyone was talking.
like Kargadon?”
“I don’t know, but when its face comes out, I’m sure it will
look like Kargadon.”
“We might be surprised that the body size is actually

insignificant.”
Irrespective of their ranking, all the hunters on the bus were

amazed.
-Please wait. Request for additional hunter support and

military support in progress.-
The action of the Central Observation Center of the Special

Defense Agency was quick.
It was probably because they had already suffered from the

unexpected Shantigas attack.
Unlike the Shantiga, they didn’t even have accurate

information on what the monster was this time.
Everyone sighed in relief as they read the message.

Suddenly, someone else pointed out.
“Wait a minute; did that just get a little longer?”
“No way,” another person said as they all looked out.
There was a large screech as the mouth of the monster was

able to open. Its wriggling had finally paid off, and the crack
was becoming wider.
At the same time, the snout gradually emerged.
Whatever the identity of the creature was, it was quite

desperate to come here. The physical force it possessed was
enormous enough to affect the crack’s expansion.
Some hunters inside the bus looked at Yoo-seong, but Yoo-

seong’s eyes were fixed on his phone.
He wasn’t reading a briefing, though. A message had

appeared on his phone.
-I’m watching the live broadcast. I can see the monster.
Yoo-seong was chatting with Sung-wook.
He needed the veteran hunter’s opinions.
-To rip a crack open with physical force, we know that it will
be eight stars or more. It might be a mutation or a new
species; we don’t know that. It’s also in the ‘Giant’ category,
so it’s not a problem that can be solved by individual efforts
or single firepower.
Sung-wook’s opinion was correct. Soon, a new briefing was

released.
-Regardless of the area of responsibility, hunters with the

means and ability to attack are to move to the central
operation area where they can shoot. You are to focus your
firepower autonomously.-
The most important thing in the current situation was

somehow preventing the monster from squeezing through
the rift.
They weren’t sure if they could kill the monster even with
their numbers. However, they had to dissuade it from
coming over, at least.
Yoo-seong looked around him.
Everyone had seen the briefing, but they were exchanging

opinions rather than taking action.
He rolled his eyes. He had been expecting that. The only

reason the central observation center would issue such
specific instructions was that the situation was urgent.
Unfortunately, these were low-grade hunters without a

professional control team.
Yoo-seong took a deep breath.
As much as he had wanted to avoid giving orders, he had to

say something at this point. In terms of years of experience,
he was sure that he was a novice compared to the others.
That notwithstanding, he spoke.
“Please pay attention, everyone. I believe you have all seen

the briefing. If you have a means of attacking or
maneuvering and wish to come along, please follow me.”
The noise in the bus died down at that. No one challenged

his authority.
“Three people from our team will go,” one team leader said.
“Our team will also delegate one person along with myself
to accompany you,” another team leader said.
The groups on the bus were willing to take action since

there was someone to lead.
“Well, we will go, too.” Yoo Jae-gon said, raising his hand.
His face was a little red. He had a team of veteran hunters.
He could have taken the prerogative. Instead, he had

allowed worry to rob him of his initiative.
“If we are going to get to the area quickly, we’ll have to go

by bus. Please, driver, hurry up,” he said.
The driver mumbled a ‘yes’ and turned the steering so that

the bus took a turn and entered a new lane.
Soon, they began to see other buses with hunters.
It wasn’t long before they stopped.
The crack shook, and everyone looked up with worry

evident on their faces as if on cue. It was a much more
violent vibration than the first.
Finally, the monster’s face appeared, the shape of which

was similar to that of a crocodile turtle.
It had the face of a reptile with a curved beak. However, its

eyes were far different from that of a turtle.
It had yellow sclera with vertical pupils like a predator. The

two giant marbles looked down for a moment, and it roared.
Rather than an animal cry, its roar was like the sound of a
large earthquake.
Everyone watched in silence as ripples of fear rushed

through them.
Their gazes were fixed on the stalactite-like teeth and the

bright crimson tongue that fluttered in the air.
Suddenly, it spat. Everyone stared at the trajectory for a

moment.
Along the trajectory, there was thick purple smoke rising.
That was when they realized it was poison. The hunters

moved quickly, maneuvering their buses out of the way.
The poison landed on the ground, and there was the sound
of boiling.
Before long, all that was left of the area was a crater with
smoke rising from it.
The monster began to breathe out purple smoke

everywhere so that it became increasingly difficult to see
the area around the crack.
Several buses reversed and zoomed away from the spot.

Even the hunters on Yoo-seong’s bus changed their minds.
“I… I don’t think I can participate in this operation. We don’t

have the equipment for spray-type poison. We’re leaving,”
one team leader said.
The others agreed and began to opt-out one after the other.
Yoo-seong didn’t say anything as he watched the smoke rise

from the crater. He turned his head and looked at Yoo Jae-
gon.
“Will Team Awl desert, too?” he asked.
Yoo Jae-gon blushed and nodded.
“I’m sorry, but there’s no way we’re going in there,”
“I heard you talking before departure. The suits the team

members are wearing are flexible enough to adapt to
various adverse conditions, right?”
Jae-Gon didn’t say anything as he stared at Yoo-seong in

surprise. He hoped Yoo-seong wasn’t going to try what he
was thinking.
The bugbear suit might be able to adapt to the purple

smoke emitted by that giant crocodile turtle, but the poison
was still lethal.
Like other team members, Yoo Jae-gon’s legs were also

shaking.
He didn’t know when support was going to arrive, and it was

impossible to deal with something like that with hunters
who had only prepared to close the thunder-class rift. He
seethed in shame as the thoughts ran through his mind.
Yoo Jae-gon opened his mouth with a rat-tailed voice. “Well,

at least until more support arrives, I guess we might be able
to cover you.”
“Well, then, let’s go,” Yoo-seong said, standing up.
“What? Just like that?”
“Feel free to exchange equipment and ask for help on site. I

won’t hesitate to do the same. Everyone’s action cams will
act as proof of an oral contract. Please lend me one of your
suits if any of your teammates won’t be joining us. I will pay
for it.”
Yoo Jae-gon hesitated. The bugbear suits were too valuable

to waste in such an impossible situation.
“Well, no way. Are you going to continue the operation?”
“If there is a way to do that. Will you lend me a suit?”
“The suit’s function may or may not work over there.”
“Stop trying to dissuade me. You just have to tell me

whether you could lend it to me or not.”
Yoo-seong had figured out that Jae-gon wouldn’t be joining

him.
“Still….”
“Hey!” Yoo-seong said in anger as he pointed towards the

window.
“Look at how fast that smoke spreads. At this rate, it won’t

be long before it reaches us. This is a thunder-class rift, and
the wind is blowing. The civilian blocking line is not that far
away. It will soon get to them.”
Suddenly, Yoo Jae-gon wished he had the basic manual or

the encyclopedia with him to tell him what to do.
The only thing he and the other hunters on the bus could
think of was the fact that the poison was spreading. He had
been overwhelmed by the giant monster’s visuals and had
forgotten the first factor to be considered.
The bus was quiet as everyone was covered by either
shame, fear, or both.
Suddenly, one of the Team Awl members stood up and took

off his suit.
He was a young man, and his physique showed that he

wasn’t too old in the industry.
“Here you go, sir,” he said as he handed it over.
He looked as though he wanted to cry as he stood in only

his underwear.
“Thank you. Here is my phone number. Please contact us

later to check the equipment,” Yoo-seong said as he took it.
In the meantime, there was a wind current, and the poison

mist came near the bus.
“Please open the door and let me down,” Yoo-seong said.

Everyone was staring wide-eyed at him.
“Won’t you like to change clothes in here…”? the driver

began before Yoo-seong interrupted him.
“I’m fine. Please open the door. Leave once I’m down.”
The driver raised the lever with a look of guilt on his face.
He feared he was going to be the cause of Yoo-seong’s
death.
Yoo-seong jumped off immediately. He hadn’t even worn the

equipment as he headed towards the fog.
Everyone on the bus watched as he ran behind a moving

truck and disappeared. When he reappeared, he was
wearing already wearing the bugbear suit.
Everyone was surprised.
Those who hadn’t seen the matte gray suit before felt that it
had a quick-change function.
However, Yoo Jae-gon knew better. It was impossible to

change suits just like that.
Besides, where was the suit Yoo-seong had been wearing?

He became tired of guessing and sat back.
Suddenly, a wave of shame hit him again.
He looked at the mist through the window; then, he looked

at the rest of his teammates. They still had their suits on,
except for one. He changed his mind.
He wasn’t sure if he could convince them to join him. He

had barely even convinced himself.
However, he was a hunter like Yoo-seong.
He had to do the same thing.
The performance of the bugbear suit was impressive.
Despite the purple fog that covered everything, only fresh

air came in through the ventilation system.
However, that was the least of the problems. The monster

seemed impossible to kill, with its large size.
He doubted it was possible for one person to even send it

back through the crack. This time, even Yoo-seong was
worried.
He began to move from building to building. Soon, he was
on a high-rise building just below the monster. He
considered climbing up the monster’s body.
Beneath him, there were no sounds of other hunters. He

was alone. He consoled himself.
Just believe…
Just as he had judged correctly that the bugbear suit would

completely block the poison fog, Automatic Hunting always
utilizes everything he had.
With a new faith, he soared into the mist above him.
The purple mist’s density led it to be diffused downwards,

leaving the area above the monster’s beak clear.
As soon as he was out of the mist’s range, Yoo-seong looked

at ‘The Queen’s Hug’ in the slot and blinked his eyes.
There was a small click, and the suit appeared on him.
At the same time, the bugbear suit went into the slot. The
eyes of the monster had found Yoo-seong.
Now, the monster’s head has protruded out of the crack,

almost to the neck.
It turned slowly towards him. Yoo-seong crouched in the air

to gain momentum.
The suit had been repaired after the Shantiga Prime had
broken it during the last battle. In addition to the repair, the
suit had been endowed with the strengths of the monster.
The Shantiga Prime’s muscles that enabled it to move at

tremendous speeds had been implanted in the lining and
joints of ‘The Queen’s Hug.’
There was a momentary silence as the monster watched

him. Then, the monster roared, releasing a building-
breaking roar.
Yoo-seong was stunned as he zoomed downwards to lessen

the impact of the roar.
This was different from the movements that auto-hunt had

seen so far. Of course, every new situation required a new
move.
What was the secret this time?
Automatic Hunting didn’t even betray Yoo-seong’s faith.
It utilized all his physical abilities, equipment, and

information. It remembered the last fight he had been in,
where he hadn’t used his aura.
Chu-yeop had attacked over and over, and, thanks to that,

Auto-Hunt had been able to capture his movements.
Yoo-seong landed lightly with his feet on the wall of a

building.
Immediately, he began to use a new technique that Auto-

Hunt learned from his previous battle.
Pacheonma Geukki.
Chapter 39
Episode 39
It was an excellent opportunity for the public broadcasting

company, HBS. Their helicopter was stationed on a building
not too far from the barrier.
“Oh my gosh! Let’s get a closer look,” reporter Oh Yoon-ah

said for the umpteenth time.
“Okay, wait a second. I’m not ready yet. A little bit to the
left.”
Her voice trembled as she communicated with the studio.

She knew she looked unprofessional because of the
situation, but she couldn’t help it.
The helicopter flew high while maintaining a legal, safe

distance. However, even at that distance, she felt fear as
she looked towards the crack.
She restrained herself from talking. Since she couldn’t

describe what she was looking at, she decided that the
world needed to see it instead.
A gigantic monster had its horrible head poking through the

crack, whose cries thundered throughout the city.
“Ready. Standby,” she said. It was time for her to give a

report.
“It’s an incredible sight. Currently in Seocho-gu area…” Oh
Yoon-ah started the broadcast.
Before long, the camera focused on the monster’s face.
It was just the right timing.
“Ah…?”
Forgetting that the audio was still transmitting, Yoon-ah

screamed in excitement.
“There! Can you see it?” she asked.
Amid the purple mist emanating from the monster, a tiny

figure appeared to fly through the air.
It was Yoo-seong.
“He appears to be a hunter trying to defeat the beast. The

fog limits our visibility, but there are probably numerous
hunters working with him…”
Yoon-ah stopped with a gasp as she watched Yoo-seong take

a leap and land on the monster’s snout.
The camera was still focused on Yoo-seong as he ran over

the monster’s face. Everyone, including the pilot and
cameraman, watched in shock.
It was like the battle between David and Goliath.
In a way, it was worse.
No matter who the hunter was, he couldn’t defeat a monster

of that magnitude alone. Yoon-ah began to fear for the
hunter’s life.
Yoo-seong ran between the eyes of the giant turtle. With his
feet, he felt the thickness of the monster’s skin.
Unlike the Queen Ant, this monster was so large that his
blade would do minimal damage if he struck just anywhere.
He had to find a point of weakness, and he knew just where
it was.
Every living creature had that same weak spot:
The eyes.
The monster’s eyes looked like a large putrid swamp. Yoo-

seong knew it would also be thick, but he didn’t hesitate to
try it.
-Assault form applied-
With Yoo-seong’s permission, all the abilities of Automatic

Hunting were focused solely on the attack. He leaped with
both hands held over his head, Aura covering his fists.
With the force of landing, he went and struck the monster’s

pupil.
Pacheonma Geukki.
Like ripples on the surface of a pool, Aura spread across the

monster’s eye.
Against humans, this attack would have spread through the

opponent’s muscles and organs. However, he was facing a
gigantic beast this time. He focused his attack on its
corneas.
He continuously pounded it with his Aura-infused fists. The

technique originally involved hitting rapidly and kicks.
Yoo-seong had only seen Chu-yeop use his fists, so he could
not replicate the technique entirely.
However, even with this limitation, his application was

flawless.
He arched his back and raised his arms high for more power
as he punched. At first, his fists simply bounced off the
monster’s cornea without any damage.
However, the Aura that Yoo-seong released through his fist

penetrated the pupil. Soon, the waves began to amplify.
Auror’s Resonance.
Finally, the beast gave the first reaction, closing its lids to
shut the eye.
Yoo-seong jumped as the monster closed its eyes. When he

landed, he held onto the closed eyelid, forcing it to open
once more. When the eyelids opened again, he stuck back
to the pupil, hitting with his fists again.
The blinking process repeated itself three times. Then, the

monster shook its head vigorously as though it couldn’t take
it anymore.
Yoo-seong’s grip could not withstand the recoil, and he fell.
The monster opened its eyes in relief as it watched Yoo-

seong fall. That was all Yoo-seong needed.
He pulled the Geller Gun from his waist – the same pistol he
had used at the event – and aimed at the monster’s eye.
Even if he was falling, he had an accurate aim.
He fired.
Normally, the bullet would have bounced off the pupil.
However, his blows had softened the eye significantly,
enabling the bullet to penetrate it.
Suddenly, he stopped falling. Everyone in the helicopter

gasped.
They had seen too many surprises for one day.
How did he hang freely in the air?
Yoo-seong sighed in relief as Sung-wook’s words ran through

his mind.
Unless with unique Psy or Tech, humans cannot control the

Aura that has left their body. So, how about we hang on to
our Aura and make it do what we want?”
It was the principle underlying parasitic bees.
The arm holding the Geller Gun twitched. A thin line

connecting the bullet embedded in the pupil and Yoo-
seong’s gun was faintly visible.
It’s a difficult technique since you have to keep up with the

bullet despite its speed and hang on to it despite the force.
But with focus, you can manage it.
Yoo-seong held on to the thread, digging deeper into the

monster’s eyes as the thread pulled him up.
The beast stopped flickering his tongue.
Then, he swung it at Yoo-seong.
When the monster’s tongue hit him, Yoo-seong felt as if he

was hit by a moving truck. If it weren’t for the armor, the
attacks would have smashed his body.
The entirety of his body shook so much that he feared he
had gotten a concussion.
The headache was worse than the body pain. He had to use
all the force of his will to focus on the task.
With his attention dwindling, the aura thread flickered.
He forced his mind to direct the Aura.
With a little endurance, the bullet within the beast’s eyes

secured its place once more. However, it didn’t end there.
The monster continued flicking his tongue against Yoo-

seong, striking again and again. Finally, The Queen’s Hug
reached its limit. The upper part of his armor and helmet
were entirely blown-off.
If he was hit like that one more time, he was sure he would
die.
Because he was maintaining the Parasitic Bee technique, he

couldn’t use Aura for defense.
He was left with two options: abandon the task, or hold on.
Either way, he was sure to die. The monster was ready to

swing his tongue once again.
Yoo-seong made up his mind.
He flexed his fingers to let go.
Suddenly, there were blasts from around Yoo-seong, and

dozens of bullets of different sizes collided against the
monster’s tongue.
On the rooftop of the building, one or two teams of hunters
stood with outstretched guns.
They were all wearing bugbear suits.
“Keep shooting!” Yoo Jae-gun yelled out.
His goal was to distract the monster. With his team, he

began to shoot.
‘I’ll just remain here till support comes,’ he thought to

himself as they rained bullets on the monster’s tongue.
Of course, the firepower was insignificant.
In terms of humans, its damage was less than a toothpick’s

prick. However, even a toothpick was enough to draw
attention.
The beast turned its gaze at them.
Deciding to deal with the people below before finishing with

Yoo-seong. The giant turtle flickered its tongue in their
direction, preparing to spew poison on them.
It had all the time in the world. No one could challenge it.
Yoo-seong’s arms twitched again. He was reaching his limit.

The technique had expended almost all his Aura.
His mind focused on what he had to do.
Just one more step…
With the last of his strength, he sent a signal through the

thread into the bullet.
That was all he needed.

The bullet burst into thousands of fragments, spreading
everywhere in the monster’s eyes.
The monster screamed, overwhelmed by the pain. Some of

the fragments even came out through the eyes.
“Go home,” Yoo-seong screamed.
The beast, who had been trying to come out from the crack,
jerked its head back into its world.
As it did, it pulled Yoo-seong back along with it. It shook its

head wildly as it screamed in pain.
“He’s forced back! Well done, guys!” Jae-gon said to his

crew as he pumped his fist.
That was when he looked up to see Yoo-seong dangling in

the air close to the crack.
As he had feared, Yoo-seong was now in crisis. He would

either be pulled inside the crack or fall to his death.
Once the monster’s head was beyond the crack, Yoo-seong

cut the thread, allowing his body to fall freely through the
air.
Jae-gon and his crew gritted their teeth as they watched him
fall. Suddenly, Yoo-seong’s outstretched hand grabbed
something hard.
It was the skid of the broadcasting station helicopter.
The helicopter lost its balance for a while, and the

occupants yelled in fear, but the skillful driver soon regained
the aircraft’s balance.
Yoo-seong held on to the skid till the staff helped him into
the cabin. He then sighed in exhaustion as he turned off
Auto-Hunting.
Everyone watched him in awe.
“Sorry. Thanks for your help,” he said, amid gasps.
Raising his head slowly, he made eye contact with the

camera.
That was when he realized he was being filmed without his

helmet. His cover had been blown.
He had been exhausted; now, he was embarrassed,
However, he was too tired to care.
He slumped forward.
Chapter 40
Episode 40
The situation was dire, and he shouldn’t have laughed.

However, Sung-wook couldn’t hold himself any longer, and
he burst into laughter.
He was watching the HBS broadcast.
So far, they were the only ones who were able to broadcast
live via their helicopter.
That was enough to raise their ratings by 20% since the

entirety of Korea was watching.
Yoo-seong’s face was on screen.
The camera was focused on his tired yet horrified

expression. Everyone who knew Yoo-seong personally was
quite accustomed to his calm expression.
The look of horror on his face was new to Sung-wook.
“You must be exhausted,” Sung-wook said as he looked at

the hunter’s face.
He knew he would probably see that expression again.

Sung-wook shook his head and erased his smile as he
waited to see Yoo-seong’s next move.
Yoo-seong shook as he opened his mouth and moved
towards the camera.
“Hey, don’t film me. This is private,” Yoo-seong before he

collapsed.
The cameraman’s gasp was audible as the video ended.

Suddenly, the scene became that of the studio, where the
anchors analyzed all that happened.
Sung-wook was sure that no one was focused on the words

of the anchors.
“Well, that’s great,” Sung-wook muttered with a bleak smile.
Probably, there were a lot of people who said the same thing
right now.
A great secret had just been uncovered. That was

something that couldn’t be laughed about.
Habaek, the giant turtle’s temporary name, had a tentative

hazard class of 11 stars.
Ironically, the damage it caused was minimal.
The damage left on the buildings was quite insignificant

compared to other smaller hunting operations, sustaining
only broken windows and glass walls. The Parasitic Bee
technique that Yoo-seong had used on its eyes had made it
change its mind about coming to Earth.
Its head had gone back through the crack as it screamed in

pain.
For a brief moment, its snout appeared through the cracks
again.
It was as though it was thinking of tearing through the

cracks again. However, the support team arrived on time.
Platinum and gold hunters equipped with detoxification

equipment started shooting at once, and, in the end, the
Habaek completely disappeared. After that, a dive team was
sent into the crack, but they did not see Habaek. However,
they witnessed that the surrounding jungle was completely
ruined.
It was a rather frustrating ending for the high-ranked

hunters who jumped to the field prepared to battle against
an unprecedented giant beast.
What was important was that the disaster had been

averted.
The dive team successfully blocked the crack.
The Habaek’s purple poison was being processed in various

labs. The emergency was over.
-11-star monster Habaek that blocked the rift sent back by

hunter Park Kang-han. –
-A phenomenal situation during the live broadcast…-
When Yoo-seong first jumped on the Habaek, everyone

knew that he was Park Kang-han.
During the last Shantiga incident, there had been so many

broadcasts that everyone knew his suit’s appearance.
The dark, matte gray color armor, the astonishing spider
walk over the face of a giant monster – it was all Park Kang-
han.
Everyone was already cheering for him as he messed up the

monster’s eye.
When Park Kang-han had grabbed on to the helicopter and

climbed in, most people could hardly believe their eyes. It
wasn’t just Yoo-seong’s face that was revealed.
His arms, the entire upper body from the neck to his abs,
was uncovered.
They could see him soaked in sweat and blood like a

legendary ancient warrior.
Then,
“Hey, don’t film me…”
The dumb expression and speech completely contradicted

the phenomenal battles and appearances that everyone had
seen so far.
The public completely ignored the emergence of a new

super-giant beast. They did not worry that Habaek might
still be wandering around the regions connected to Korea.
Instead, they were enthusiastic about the new character.

Finally, his veil had been removed.
Back at the underground training room, Sung-wook looked

at his stopwatch and then at Yoo-seong.
One of the crucial things about Aura control was to stay

calm.
However, in the end, Yoo-seong couldn’t hold up anymore.
Corona burst around the body.
Sung-wook turned off the stopwatch while looking at his

student, who lay stretched out without moving.
“1 hour and 21 minutes.”
It was the worst record they’ve had in a month, but he

couldn’t blame his student.
Considering what Yoo-seong had endured that month, it was

quite impressive that he had been able to calm his heart
down and last that long.
In reality, considering that Yoo-seong’s face had finally been

exposed to everyone in the country, it was quite impressive
that he could even maintain his composure.
HBS had corrected their mistakes immediately.
In the video rebroadcast afterward, Yoo-seong’s face was

blurred, and they did not specify who the hunter they shot
was.
However, the public was not stupid.
-Park Kang-han: Rank 15th –
Yoo-seong’s ranking jumped immediately after the Habaek

operation.
The circumstances had been absolutely clear.
The Internet had exploded.
Netizens who had attended school with Yoo-seong posted

their graduation photos and received thousands of likes and
shares.
Sung-wook watched anxiously as Yoo-seong stood up,

gasping for breath. While having dinner yesterday, he
watched Yoo-seong searching for his name on the portal
site.
That was when they realized that people worldwide were

swooning over Yoo-seong’s body that had been revealed
during the short broadcast.
-His body is really hot…
-I know I’m a fitness worker, but this body is just out of this
world!
-It is possible to have a body like this if you exercise for

three months???
-Epic sexy hunter guy!!!
After seeing his photo posted by a woman in South America,

Yoo-seong quietly turned off his cell phone screen.
Well, in a way, his image wasn’t bad.
However, irrespective of that, he was receiving attention

from all over the world.
Who could keep his composure with that? That was why
neither Sung-wook nor Yoo-seong had planned to reveal his
identity in the past.
Sung-wook sighed.
“Hey, Yoo-seong,” Sung-wook began, but Yoo-seong cut him

short.
“Sorry, teacher. My training posture is a mess today.”
“No, it’s not that,” Sung-wook said, laughing bitterly. Then,

he spoke in a more serious tone.
“Do not misunderstand me, please. Listen.”
“Yes?”
“How about you change your agent?”
Yoo-seong eyes widened.
“Of course, we’ve made some arrangements together

before, but things have changed a lot now…”
Sung-wook stared at his student before continuing.
“And this situation is… To be honest, it’s difficult to continue

teaching you with your network and my disability.”
He had gone out violently and sued HBS, also demanding

severe punishment for those who had exposed Yoo-seong’s
identity on the Internet.
However, the amount of work had become too much for

Sung-wook to handle.
Although he had said he would ‘raise’ Yoo-seong, Yoo-seong

had grown so fast that Sung-wook couldn’t handle it.
He had been surprised when he heard that Yoo-seong had

been selected as one of the five people who would partake
in the dive.
He had wanted to begin mentoring people; however, he now

felt he shouldn’t be handling people as talented as Yoo-
seong.
“You may feel bad about this situation. However, from my
perspective, it’s more of a situation to have a toast…”
He was trying to keep the atmosphere light. Though their

relationship had grown deeper during the training, Yoo-
seong’s new popularity made it necessary for them to part
ways.
“Other professional agents will be better able to manage

your schedule and training,” Sung-wook said finally.
Yoo-seong remained silent, not sure of what to say.
“Honestly, I don’t think it’s bad to go to QR and grow with

them if you have the intention of doing that.”
He was sure that Yoon Kang-cheol could handle Yoo-seong

better than he could.
“Anyway, people like you, Yoo-seong. You should make the

most of it.”
Yoo-seong still didn’t answer.
He walked to one side and opened his bag of clothes.
“I’d been thinking about it too,” he said finally.
“I see,” Sung-wook said, smiling bitterly. Yoo-seong wasn’t a

fool, after all.
Sung-wook watched as Yoo-seong took out a folded piece of

paper from his bag and then walked over to him.
“This is the result of my thinking,” Yoo-seong said.
Sung-wook took the paper and wondered as he stared at it.

Perhaps it was the papers for dissolution of contract.
Maybe it was his new contract with another agent. When he
learned that Yoo-seong had shown off the power of his
Parasitic Bee in front of everyone at the last event, he felt
that he had been rewarded enough.
But…. he couldn’t help his heart from trembling now.
He slowly opened the folded paper and looked at the

contents.
“Huh?”
It wasn’t what he was thinking – at least it wasn’t a formal

document. Instead, it was Yoo-seong’s handwriting.
“I’ve tweaked and revised it a few times on my own, but if

there’s something that’s lacking, I trust you will take care of
it.”
“No, wait a minute…”
“You are right. It’s not what I wanted, but now that I have
their attention, we should make the most of it.”
Yoo-seong drew a deep breath before continuing.
“I’m going to do an interview and tell the world who I really

am.”
Sung-wook was too surprised to speak.
“Of course, that’s if you give me permission.”
Sung-wook was Yoo-seong’s agent.
Sung-wook raised his trembling head and then nodded.
“Thank you,” he said.

“No… I am more grateful.”
“I will contact them,” Sungwook said.
“Sure. That’s your role as my agent.”
The HBS news office received a phone call.
Within a few minutes, the entire station turned over.
The staff rushed to prepare the set.
The director ordered the release of an urgent notice:
-Hunter Park Kang-han, scheduled for a solo interview. 7

pm.-
Chapter 41
Episode 41
“Excuse me,” Yoo-seong spoke as he lightly brushed past a

lady.
“Oh, it’s okay. Are you leaving the studio? Did you find
anything uncomfortable? I’ll sort it out right away,” she said
immediately. She was the AD, after all.
“Oh, no. It’s okay. I just want to take a little walk,” Yoo-seong
said, smiling lightly.
There was still some more time until the broadcast began.
“You must be a little nervous,” she observed, tilting her

head.
“Yes,” he replied, tilting his head too.
She wondered how possible it was for a person like him to

be nervous about something as easy as a broadcast.
Of course, she couldn’t say it to Yoo-seong. She kept her

bewilderment to herself.
“Just remember, we’re going to be live soon.”
“Yes. I have to come back in 20 minutes.”

The lady nodded at his response and allowed him to leave.
Yoo-seong walked through the corridor with his footsteps
echoing off the floor.
He heard the whispers from the people around him. He

knew the whispers were about him.
Park Kang-han, the hunter who had become the talk of the
country, was finally about to reveal himself.
Of course, he felt nervous. He was bound to be. It was a live

broadcast. What if he said the wrong thing?
The recurring thought returned. Was it right for him to take

on his full identity?
One day, the Auto-Hunt button had appeared. Then, he had

added hard work to his luck to become a hunter. Since then,
his career had been on an express lane.
Before he knew it, he had reached a spot he hadn’t ever

dreamt of.
Rank 15.
Even if it was just a seasonal ranking, he was the fifteenth-

ranked hunter in a country with more than 60 million
people. Because of the fame and the attention he would
receive after this, he was sure the ranking would go up a
few steps soon enough.
On the way to the broadcasting station, he had met some of

the top ten hunters and had gotten their contacts and social
media handles. He barely even knew them. It was only a
year after he got the Automatic Hunt button.
Just then, Yoo-seong entered the TV station’s lounge. It was
a bit noisy. There were several people inside.
Most of them seemed to be broadcasting staff, but there

were also some public figures who knew Yoo-seong’s face.
They recognized him at first glance and covered their

mouths. Yoo-seong continued walking without responding to
their surprise. In the first place, they were all too shy to
approach him, all except one.
“Oh. You must be Oh Yoo-seong,” a tall man approached

him.
His name was Jang Han-seung.
“You’ll probably recognize me. It’s nice to meet you,” Han-

seung held out a hand for a shake.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Yoo-seong taking his hand and

shaking it.
Han-seung was known for his sculptured appearance and

broadcasting activities, although his skills as a hunter were
also good.
He was the typical ‘broadcast-type’ hunter. He focused on

only hunting to maintain his ranking.
Once he had secured his rank, he reappeared on shows and

interviews.
His skills were good enough to maintain his position. Since

his talent as a broadcaster was also outstanding, he was a
public figure with a long industry life.
“You’re pretty popular these days, with both of your last two
operations being broadcasted. It won’t be easy for you to be
in this position always.”
Yoo-seong noticed Jang Han-seung’s mouth was slightly

tilted.
“Being a hunter requires skill, but luck is really important.

There is no way to know what will come out of the cracks or
whether the news would broadcast it. In that sense, you are
lucky.”
“Is that so?” Yoo-seong asked.
“Oh, it is. Even so, I didn’t know that you would be on a

show so quickly.”
Jang Han-seung’s current ranking was 20th. Before, he had

been the 19th.
In other words, he had been pushed down by Yoo-seong

after the Shantiga incident.
Han-seung strategy was to focus on broadcasting activities

while maintaining the rankings until the end of the season.
Yoo-seong was indeed a twist on Jang Han-seung’s business

schedule.
“To be honest, it was unexpected. Your new public image

seems a bit too much so far, doesn’t it?” Han-seung asked.
“I don’t know. I guess we will find that out after the

broadcast.”
“Shall we?” Jang Han-seung said as he shrugged and

laughed.
“Could the Shantiga gig have played a part in such
explosive praises by Yoon Kang-Cheol? I know that the CEO
of QR is not the one to praise anyone anyhow.”
For Jang Han-seung, who focused on public activities, it was

like a blow to his ego for a rookie to receive public praise
from a CEO of a 2F4T.
“But, then again, is there anything wrong between you and

QR? I heard QR hadn’t signed you yet.”
Yoo-seong didn’t reply to him.
“Well, whatever the problem was, you should always swim

with the tide. You should have done something to keep the
ties.”
“Sure,” Yoo-seong said this time around.
“Huh?” Jang Han-seung said as he noticed Yoo-seong was

now smiling.
“As you said, you have to swim with the tide.”
Jang Han-seung was blank for a moment as he looked

around.
“Listen carefully.” Jang Han-seung said suddenly in hostility

as he realized the slight.
Only Yoo-seong could see the look on his face since he stood
with his back to the other people in the lounge.
“I don’t know who you think you are but don’t think you can
just talk anyhow to seniors and walk away without a
scratch,” Han-seung said.
“I don’t understand.”
“Let’s just say your life will not be so smooth, at least in this
place. Stupid child.”
Yoo-seong knew that the media industry was a different

playfield. However, it didn’t matter if he was loved by the
public already.
There was a large gap between hunting and appearing on

TV.
“If you think I’m joking-”
“Thank you very much!” Yoo-seong said aloud, interrupting

him, “That was really, really helpful advice.”
Everyone, including Han-seung, was surprised at that. Yoo-

seong placed his hand on Han-seung’s shoulder.
“What-” Han-seung began, but Yoo-seong interrupted him

again.
“When I became a hunter, I didn’t see many people like

you.”
Yoo-seong looked sincere.
“Whenever I meet people like you, I get a lot of confidence

and momentum.”
Han-seung was too stunned to react.
What was Yoo-seong playing at?
Everyone in the room was looking at them, wondering what

Han-seung had told him.
“But for the part you were worried about, I don’t think you
really have to,” Yoo-seong said in a subtle yet audible voice
so that everyone heard.
Then, lowering his voice so that only Han-seung heard it, he

said, “Because you’re just greedy for a meager bowl of
rice.”
Yoo-seong took his hand off Jang Han-seung’s shoulder.
“Well then,” Yoo-seong said as he turned and went in the

direction he had come from.
People like Han-seung always served a good purpose in Yoo-

seong’s life.
He didn’t need much to encourage himself. He just needed

one pathetic person around him.
“It’s a minute to the broadcast!”
Yang Ji-yeon was HBS’s star host with her intelligent

appearance and international academic background.
However, those were only secondary factors.
Her popularity began with her role as a host of current

affairs debates, which was unusual for female hosts.
With her calm attitude and skillful speech, she had mediated
between and led discussions with experts who were much
older than her.
That was why she was chosen as the only interviewer for Oh
Yoo-seong, the current hot figure.
She looked at him and realized how ordinary he seemed. He

had a good body – typical of other hunters. He also had a
nice face – not handsome, just nice.
Yoo-seong wasn’t sure of what to say.
Definitely, it wasn’t a place where he could use Aura. He

wondered what he would have to do to engrave the right
impression on the public.
Even though he wasn’t familiar with other celebrity hunters

aside from Lee Jae-hak, he suspected that hunters who did
broadcast were somewhat superior in character.
“You just need to relax and be comfortable.” Yang Ji-yeon

said with a small smile.
“Oh, sure,” Yoo-seong said, still feeling a bit nervous.
“Thirty seconds left!” The lady said to him.
The public’s emotions toward Oh Yoo-seong were that of a

virtual hero who didn’t exist in reality.
If it stayed that way, the halo was bound to come off soon.

However, no one could deny his achievements.
It was just that, as in all other fields, actual ability and public
opinions were separate matters.
Yang Ji-yeon could hardly care what became of Yoo-seong

after the interview. Her only job was to make the interview a
success.
Erasing her thoughts, she concentrated on the moment.
“You have ten seconds left!”
And then, very suddenly, the atmosphere changed.

‘What, what is it?’ She wondered, becoming distracted.
Because of the absurdity, she missed the timing for about

two seconds.
“Ah, hello,” she stuttered, realizing she had spoken late.
She hadn’t made such a mistake even in her first broadcast.

However, she was a pro.
“Please welcome the hunter who has received the attention

of the whole of Korea with two successive activities recently-
Oh Yoo-seong…”
Soon, the interview continued smoothly.
However, something was ringing in her head, making her

feel uncomfortable. Something was wrong.
Yoo-seong’s tone and facial expression remained normal.
But that was why it was amazing – Oh Yoo-seong wasn’t

playing any character.
Unlike people who changed according to the camera’s on/off

button, his personality was clear and stable. It was an ability
that took one to the extreme of concentration.
Yang Ji-yeon was sure of it because it was a skill only

veteran broadcasters had.
How was it possible that he could exhibit such an ability

while standing in front of a camera for the first time?
She proceeded naturally with the interview. “Then, you

really mean you acquired the license earlier this year.”
“Yes. That’s right,” Yoo-seong said without hesitation.

Everyone was curious about his background and career,
wondering if it really had been as short as they heard. It
turned out it was true. She did her best to hide her surprise.
Finally, her script came to the point everyone was so curious

about.
“You asked for a direct interview with HBS.”
“Yes.”
“But your attitude so far has been one of reluctance to be

exposed to the media or the public.”
“I will go over that part for sure.”
Yang Ji-yeon stopped talking and looked apologetic.
Yoo-seong smiled and spoke once more.
“I am not afraid or reluctant to disclose my information to

people.”
“Is that so? Can I then say that it is okay to look forward to
various public appearances from you in the future?”
“No,” Yoo-seong said, shaking his head. “At least, not until
one goal has been accomplished.”
“What is the goal?”
Yoo-seong took a moment to breathe; then he looked at the

camera.
He found it hard to say the words. He had thought about

them over the past couple of days and had even asked
Sung-wook’s opinions about them.
He had been so sure of it as he had walked through the
corridor earlier.
Now, before the cameras, he wasn’t so sure anymore. Now,

he forced himself to speak.
“I started this job because, first of all, I have the talent for it,
and, then again, there was the wealth and fame I could get
from doing it. The same is true now.”
His remark was like a bombshell. Even Ji-yeon’s calm

expression shook a bit.
“However, I don’t think I knew the true value of doing this

until I did it.”
“Now, that is a phenomenal confession,” Ji-yeon cut in.
“I know. Now, I know how valuable the work I do is. The first
time I realized it was when I actually went on an operation. I
came face to face with the fact that what I do can actually
save a lot of lives and property.”
He paused and took a deep breath.
First, he had underestimated Automatic Hunting.
Auto-hunting wasn’t a car that moved only as much as he

stepped on the accelerator.
Far from that, it was like a supercar without brakes.
“Wealth and fame are still of great value to me. But they are
no longer at the top of my priorities.”
He paused before continuing. “I want to be the best at my

job. I think I want to create new records and heights in this
industry. This will not be the last broadcast that I am on.
However, it will be the last broadcast for a long time, at
least until I achieve my goal.”
“Is that goal the success of the upcoming dive?”
Yoo-seong looked from the camera to Yang Ji-yeon.
“No.”
“Then, what-”
Yoo-seong raised his index finger.
“First, until I become number one, beyond Lee Jae-hak, I will

not engage in any other activity except hunting.”
From the ends of the studio, Yoo-seong could hear the

murmurs. Those who understood his statement were
gasping.
“I hope this is a good answer,” he asked as his mind drifted

back to the event.
Yoo-seong had learned from Lee Jae-hak that the industry

was more than fame. Jae-hak had built himself to where he
was.
People admired him from far, and he engaged in a lot of

public activities; however, the man had worked hard to
climb to that level.
It wasn’t about being liked. It was about doing what was

right.
Right here and now, that was what he intended to do.

Chapter 42
Episode 42
Yoon Kang-cheol burst into bleak laughter as he watched

Yoo-seong’s declaration on his phone. He was sitting across
the third ranker in Korea – the director of Gung-on- in a
restaurant’s private space.
Anyone would have been surprised at that – QR and Gung-

on representatives sitting together at the same table.
They weren’t exactly friends; however, they kept in close

touch and collaborated in some situations.
“Everyone knows that he’s one person that always exceeds

expectations,” Yoon Kang-cheol said.
He was pleased. Yoo-seong’s career was progressing just as

he had speculated. The only problem was that it was
becoming too much.
“But then, it gets to a certain point that his personality

becomes nauseating,” Yoo-seok replied.
He watched Kang-cheol fix his attention on his phone. “Have

you ever seen him in action at all? You should-”
“Turn your phone off,” Yoo-seok ordered suddenly, cutting

Kang-cheol off.
“Why, if I may ask?” Kang-cheol said, looking squarely at
Yoo-seok.
Yoo-seok liked to pretend that he wasn’t interested in the

trending industry topics and public opinions, but Kang-cheol
knew it was just a front. Yoo-seok’s ears had been up all
through the meeting, listening to the proceedings from Yoo-
seong’s interview.
His attention was perked, especially when the host

mentioned Yoo-seong in the same sentence as Lee Jae-hak.
“Sorry. I came to this meeting thinking that you would be

interested in what I had to offer. This was a waste of time,”
Yoo-seok said, standing up.
“Well, I am listening. However, there are also other things

important enough to talk about.”
“Is that so?” Yoo-seok asked as he watched Yoon Kang-

cheol’s emotionless eyes.
There was a cold smile on Kang-cheol’s face.
“I think this meeting is over,” Kang-cheol said, standing up

too.
He allowed his pent-up emotions to run loose.
“Do I look like someone who would sell QR to China? I would

be crazy to do that.”
“We’re talking about Tenz, not China. Besides, you had

mentioned about selling it in the past.”
“Really? Did you hear me say that? Your ears must have a
problem, then. Since the only reason you came here was to
talk trash, I think you need to know two things.”
Yoon Kang-cheol raised two fingers.
“First. I am not an idiot. Second, whether it’s to Tenz or

Nabal, I have no intention of ending my fifteen-year career
as QR’s boss.”
“Do you know who you’re going against?”
“Do I look like I don’t know?”
“You will be left behind. No, actually, you are already

behind.”
Yoon Kang-cheol knew quite well what Yoo-seok meant.
Generations were changing. Normally, the ability of future

generations should have improved on the achievements of
previous generations.
Unfortunately, the previous generations were still better

than the next ones.
“Ten years ago, we didn’t take China very seriously. No one

expected them to catch up so soon. Now, they have
overtaken us,” Yoo-seok began.
“With the improvements in the CE injection technology and

hunting techniques, the gap between them and us began to
widen. The next generation of Chinese hunters will inherit
techniques to make more efficient use of the increased
CE…” he trailed off.
“I know you’re not wrong. Anyone with eyes knows that. I

just don’t think that the solution is to grovel at their feet and
eat from their scraps. What were you expecting? You don’t
think your special move will do your company any good, do
you? The media will destroy you.”
“It will be worth it.”
Yoon Kang-cheol’s eyebrows flinched at Yoo-seok’s words.
“Of course, the skills they teach are not exactly the martial
arts used by Ship Zone; however, they would allow us to use
reprints.”
“Reprints?”
“There are many techniques kept in the form of documents

and illustrations. It is said that the reprint of various martial
arts has already been underway since ten years ago. Tenz
can give all that to you.”
Kang-cheol shook his head dismissively as both of them sat

down again. Yoo-seok ignored Kang-cheol’s gesture and
continued talking.
“At such a low price, you get the skills, and, with that, we
can develop our territory.”
“Whatever. My ‘no’ remains the same.”
“That’s good. I only came to persuade you to join Tenz

because there is no reason for QR to be left in the mud, but
you’ve decided to remain stubborn.”
Yoon Kang-cheol laughed. He knew that what Yoo-seok

wanted was more than just the reprinted Ki techniques.
Still, Kang-cheol couldn’t help but be slightly shaken.
QR wasn’t the only company that Tenz was reaching out to.
Foreign capital for many Korean hunting firms was
struggling, and Tenz was taking advantage of it.
However, money wasn’t the main problem. The timing was

just right.
Yoo-seong’s sudden appearance and rapid rise up the ranks

was causing a lot of chaos.
Irrespective of whether they liked him or not, there was one

emotion all hunters had towards Yoo-seong.
Envy.
He had such excellent skills, strength, honor, and

recognition. The method of training recruits in the industry
had improved in recent times. However, there were only a
few whose entry skills exceeded the expectations.
Yoo-seong’s skill had far surpassed the basics. The whole of

Gung-on had been embarrassed by Yoo-seong at the last
event.
Cha Jae-gil and Ki Yoo-seok, who were in third place, hadn’t

made the dive team.
This was an excellent opportunity for Tenz to take over the

industry.
“You know it would be a waste of time to hold on to QR any

longer,” Yoo-seok remarked.
“Think about it. I need to leave now,” he stood up.
“They haven’t even served rice yet,” Kang-cheol said.
“I don’t want to eat in such an uncomfortable situation,”

Yoo-seok replied.
He stared at Kang-cheol before continuing.
“Here’s my personal opinion: there are some walls that

cannot be pulled down with one’s strength alone. Well, the
Alpha team that QR is raising this time… there are rumors
that their performance is not so good. Honestly, if you go on
like this, I don’t think things will get any better.”
Yoon Kang-cheol scratched his cheek. “I have never really

seen it as a wall that cannot be overcome. I mean, consider
how Lee Jae-hak managed to become first place instead of
yo-”
“Stop it!” Yoo-seok said as his expression became distorted.
It was a famous story in the industry.
Now, Shin Yu-hee was in second place due to the Shantiga

operation’s score. In the past, second place was like an
exclusive seat for the senior players in the industry.
Now, she had left QR too.
“Shall I say one more word, though?” Kang-cheol asked with

a cold smile.
When Yoo-seok didn’t reply, he continued.
“When I was young, I didn’t study Martial Arts very much, so

I don’t know if it was Ssang-ryong’s eight chapters or
energies that you hope to get in exchange for your selling
out. But whatever the case might be, you, President Yoo-
seok, will never go beyond Lee Jae-hak.”
“We shall see about that, shall we not?” Yoo-seok said after
being silent for a minute.
“We shall, then,” Yoon Kang-cheol said. “No matter how
impressive your skills, talents, or equipment are, the thing
that matters the most is none of them. That’s why my Alpha
team failed, and Yoo-seong succeeded.”
Yoon Kang-cheol had noticed Shin Yu-Hee’s cigarette in Yoo-

seong’s hands after his display back at the venue.
He had seemed more relaxed when he returned to the hall,

and Yu-Hee had been nowhere to be found. It made him
realize that the younger hunter made use of something
others didn’t.
“You are overestimating him because of his broadcast,” Yoo-

seok said.
“Aha! I thought you were not interested in the broadcast?”
Yoo-seok had also been at the event hall and had seen how
Lee Jae-hak had paid so much attention to Yoo-seong, even
defending him.
He had seen the Ki technique with which Yoo-seong had

humiliated Cha Jae-gil. Perhaps, that was the reason why he
accepted Chu Seo-jin’s proposal without hesitation. Of
course, Yoo-seok would never admit it.
Yoo-seok stood and left the room in silence.
Just then, the waiter arrived and looked at Kang-cheol in

confusion.
“Did we do something wrong, sir?” the man asked.
“Oh, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it. I can eat everything,”
Yoon Kang-cheol said cheerfully.
Of course, his thoughts weren’t cheerful at all. Tenz’s
advance would be successful. The Korean industry would
change.
The future of QR was unclear since Shin Yu-hee left. He had

never seen it coming.
Yoon Kang-cheol suddenly remembered Kim Sung-wook.
The man’s veins were damaged, and he had become

obsolete. However, at that moment, Yoon Kang-cheol was
madly envious of him.
ONE DAY TO THE DIVE
Yoo-seong narrowed both eyes as he stared at the clock. It

was 9 pm.
After the afternoon training, he went to his table and started

to read through the numerous files and books provided by
the Special Defense Agency. He’d been studying them for
almost half the day.
Hunters usually gained experience through real-life

operations. However, only a few hunters had actually
experienced Dives.
There were plenty of things to learn, such as knowing how

to survive inside and how to operate the special equipment
they would carry. Yoo-seong still had more to memorize and
understand, and so he decided to train his body less and his
mind more.
He decided to take a break and get a cup of coffee. He

picked up his wallet and went out of the house.
It had been a month since the interview. Now, everyone
recognized him
“Uh? That’s Oh Yoo-seong!” a girl said to her friend.
“Yoo-seong!” the friend screamed breathlessly.
Yoo-seong waved his hand at the high school students

passing by. The effectiveness of the interview was clear. No
one touched him.
Reporters, broadcasters, and the general public did not

approach him though they recognized him on the street.
And there were no hard feelings because the ‘image of

striving to earn his achievements’ had worked properly. Of
course, the consequences of the interview weren’t all about
advantages.
Before, there would have hardly been a person who hated

Oh Yoo-seong. But now, the internet was full of negative
opinions about him.
-Unlucky cub.
-Soon, Lee Jae-hak’s fame will be over too, all because of

Yoo-seong.
-It must be a new celebrity disease…
Yoo-seong was no longer a hero hiding beneath a helmet.

He had revealed his character; therefore, some people
rejected him.
Of course, he didn’t care. He couldn’t satisfy everyone.
Besides, there was no public figure without supporters and

haters.
Even Lee Jae-hak had a huge number of haters. Now, Yoo-
seong’s heart was calmer than when everyone was praising
him.
Tomorrow, it would be time for him to participate in the

Dive.
Two people had already tried to dive before Yoo-seong: 9th

place Lee Sung-cheol and 4th place, Kim Yo-han.
Lee Sung-cheol had gone in three weeks ago and completed

a 19-hour dive. However, according to the Defense Bureau,
there had been no special findings or achievements from
that expedition.
He hadn’t been officially revealed to the public after the

dive, and there were rumors that he suffered injuries.
Kim Yo-han, who had gone in ten days ago, was declared
missing. He didn’t arrive at the designated exit crack 23
hours after being inside.
The hunters in operation waited for him to return for almost

six more hours, but he did not appear.
It was a failure.
In a matter of 18 hours, it would be Yoo-seong’s turn. After

taking an Americano from a regular cafe, Yoo-seong headed
to a nearby park.
He used to spend his summer evening at a bench in the

park’s remote corner several years ago. He drank half the
venti size within two sips, but his heart didn’t thump at all.
Caffeine or alcohol did not affect his body.

Except for the sounds of people coming from far away, the
park was silent. There were hardly any stars in the sky.
“It’s hard to find friends these days, isn’t it?”
The strange voice startled Yoo-seong and made him look in

the direction it came from. It was an old man with gray hair,
slicked back, and separated into two parts.
He wore a white shirt with azure cotton pants.
If it weren’t for his gray hair, Yoo-seong wouldn’t have

known he was an old man. It was more than his physical
appearance – the man exuded an atmosphere of youth.
“These days, I don’t have friends who lift their heads to my

eye level,” the man said with a small smile.
Yoo-seong didn’t want to be disturbed. He stood up and

walked away without saying a word.
The old man shook his head.
“It isn’t too respectful to walk away from an elderly man,

you know? I just came to see your face.”
“I see,” Yoo-seong said, turning back. “What do you want?”
“I watched the interview video live. There seem to be a lot

of people who think it’s cheeky. But I thought you were
impressive.”
“Thank you,” Yoo-seong said, noticing the man’s accent.

“You’re not Korean, are you?”
“I’m not. I came here for business and took a few days
sightseeing after my business was over. I have been to
Korea before, though, so I can speak the language.”
Strangely, something about his statement bothered Yoo-
seong. Before he could put the finger on it, the man spoke.
“You asked a good question. May I ask a question, myself?”
Yoo-seong nodded his head slowly.
“Who do you think I am?”
Yoo-seong followed his intuition.
He didn’t understand why he felt so anxious. However, he

did what he felt was necessary.
Yoo-seong pressed the button, and his judgment was just

right.
Chapter 43
Episode 43
Yoo-seong had nothing to lose.
There was no reason for him to push the button, but he did
so anyway.
At least, Auto-Hunt wouldn’t respond to a non-threat.

However, the button responded.
Yoo-seong twisted his body and leaped away. He moved so

rapidly that his sneakers didn’t even make a sound as it
went against the ground.
Still, he felt the pressure on his clavicle.
The old man did not have a Gellar gun. Both his hands were
in the pockets of his pants.
There had been no movement, but the old man clearly shot
something. It felt like a tiny glass bead had been pressed
against Yoo-seong’s veins.
If he hadn’t twisted his body and the bead had struck him
on the right spot, it would have maimed his legs.
Yoo-seong concentrated his entire Aura on both his legs and

leaped backward.
“Interesting,” Yoo-seong heard as he landed some meters
away.
Suddenly, he realized it. Ship Zone!
He focused his Aura on his legs and moved to leap again,

just as another shot came from the old man.
Debris from the sidewalk block on which he landed sprayed

in all directions, blocking the view of the old man who had
turned towards him.
Yoo-seong steadied himself. He had combined Auto-Hunt

with Spider Walk to do that. He began to step on the
fragments that were still suspended in the angles. He kept
running without falling to the ground.
When there was no more debris to step on, he ran on the

sidewalk blocks. When he was out of blocks, the trees
became his new foothold.
He moved without hesitation. He was giving his all, but a

seemingly harmless old man was chasing him and closing
the gap rapidly.
Just as Yoo-seong left the tree-filled area, the man caught up

with him, releasing another pressure bead.
It hit Yoo-seong’s left side.
“I haven’t missed with Demon Bead more than twice since I

reached the level of invincibility,” the man said.
Yoo-seong realized he couldn’t move his body anymore.
“You dodged it thrice. That’s impressive,” the old man

smiled, as though the chase had been fun.
“What do you want?” Yoo-seong asked as he struggled to
move.
The man remained silent as he looked around him. Cars

were passing by, and people were on the street watching.
Yoo-seong understood that that was what Auto-Hunt had

wanted to do.
There had been no reason to escape from the man in the

first place, but Auto-Hunt had wanted Yoo-seong to stand in
an open area where people could see.
The old man couldn’t do anything to Yoo-seong in front of so

many people.
However, he didn’t intend to do any harm.
He reached out to the nape of Yoo-seong’s neck, pretending

to be a family member trying to show affection.
His attack could not only paralyze a person, but could also
manipulate the person’s body.
“Nice try, but I think I’m going to pass this one,” Yoo-seong
bent to avoid the hand. “You owe me an apology, old man.
You’re not trying to rob me, are you?”
The man was stunned as he watched Yoo-seong.
“You released your veins with your physical strength?” the

man asked in awe.
A simple Ki technique could easily do it, but very few

hunters knew how to do it since blood paralysis was a
hidden art.
“I asked a question first,” Yoo-seong said as he clenched his
teeth. Blood-like sweat poured down his forehead. Auto-
Hunt had raised the energy from his core the moment the
pressure bead had hit.
Since it was Yoo-seong’s first time dealing with such, the

technique was excruciating.
“Is this how you always fight: holding none of your physical
resources back till you win?”
“Does it look like that?”
The old man burst into laughter, loud enough for people’s
attention to be turned towards him. He removed his
sunglasses as he tried to calm himself down.
Yoo-seong saw that there were no pupils in the man’s eyes-

just plain white. It was just plain creepy.
“Since you can now move your mouth, I expected you to

scream for help,” the man said, watching Yoo-seong’s eyes.
Yoo-seong had to force himself to stare back at the man’s

eyes.
“Well, I must say, that was a really fun run, friend. Maybe
we should do that again some other time,” the old man
cleared his throat.
“The more I know you, the more fun it is. Anyway, I am

called Jin Wei-baek. As you probably must have realized, I
am the mentor of the two men you fought the other day. I
run a small business.”
Tenz.
He appeared confident outside, but Yoo-seong almost
cowered with reverence at the old man in front of him.
It was more than just physical appearance. The man had an

air of greatness around him that commanded respect.
“Believe me; I didn’t intend to hurt you. I just wanted to give

you a leisurely massage.”
“I beg your pardon?” Yoo-seong said, wide-eyed.
“Your body. I saw it on the video call and felt it was a

masterpiece. I want to examine it.”
Goosebumps sprouted on Yoo-seong’s forearm.
“Examine?” he managed to say.
“Yes. Examine.”
“Then, I demand an apology for the trouble you and your

mentees have put me through. That’s the minimum
requirement for any conversation between the two of us.”
“Hmm.”
“If you would apologize, I would be more than happy to wait.

If you have no intention of that, I will call the police right
now, and I’m going to accuse you of what you did to me.”
Automatic hunting hadn’t just moved Yoo-seong to a public

place.
It had also positioned him beneath a CCTV camera.
It didn’t matter if Jin was the president of the People’s

Republic of China or the president of Tenz.
This was Korea, and he was going to pay for his theatrics.
Wei-baek observed Yoo-seong for a moment.
Obviously, the younger man didn’t know who he was talking

to. If he could recognize the authority he had, his expression
and demeanor would change.
“Well, then,” Jin Wei-baek said as he put his hand in his

pocket.
Yoo-seong watched carefully for a moment, but he relaxed

when he saw that what was in Wei-baek’s pocket couldn’t
harm him.
“In the first place, I was just trying to notify you, to give you
time to think about my offer- that is until you come back
from tomorrow’s event.”
Yoo-seong didn’t respond.
“If you don’t come in as my disciple by then, I’ll make sure

you never get the chance to.”
“That’s absurd.”
“Is it? But it was you who stole my techniques, wasn’t it?”
Yoo-seong flinched for a moment.
The technique he used against the Habaek was a skill he

never learned. He had copied it from Chu-yeop, Wei-baek’s
mentee.
“No matter how ignorant you are of the basic rules that
guide the industry, you should know you shouldn’t steal
other people’s techniques. But don’t worry. I’ve changed my
mind now about making you pay for that.”
Jin Wei-baek held out a medicine case he had pulled from
his pocket.
“Originally, it was something that you would have had

access to if you had become my disciple. But let’s make a
bet. If you win, I’ll give this ring case to you, and I’ll forget
about the technique you stole. I’ll also apologize to you and
your teacher.”
“And, if I lose?”
“It’s simple. You become my disciple.”
Yoo-seong raised a brow.
“A very fair bet, right?” Wei-Baek asked.
Yoo-seong realized that he had a lot to gain from the bet –

even more than what Wei-baek stood to gain.
However, it meant that the requirements of the bet would

be rather difficult.
“What are we betting on?”
“The opposite of what we did before. If you succeed in

attacking me at least once, you win.”
Yoo-seong was silent for a while. Then, he held out his hand
to Jin Wei-baek.
“Deal.”
“Oh?” Wei-baek said in mock shock as he took Yoo-seong’s

hand. “This is going to be refreshing.”
“So, where do we do it?”

“Do you know any place? Anywhere will be good, like that
park we were at earlier.”
Yoo-seong nodded. Suddenly, he pressed the button with his

eyes,
His hand moved right away. Probably, if he simply attacked

Jin Wei-baek, the old man would have avoided it easily and
strike him with blood paralysis.
Instead, he reached for Wei-baek’s arm.
“Ha,” Wei-baek said as he evaded what was not an attack.

He was a little disappointed.
Jin Wei-baek reached out this time to seize Yoo-seong’s neck

armor.
Instead, to his astonishment, the neck armor disappeared.
There were many tricks to hide things, but no matter how

much experience Wei-baek had, the ‘Slot’ was a mystery to
him.
Jin Wei-baek’s was momentarily flustered, and Auto-hunting

did not miss the opening.
Yoo-seong’s free hand moved and slapped the old man’s

face.
Chapter 44
Episode 44
Jin Wei-baek was silent.
For some, it was only a moment. However, for Yoo-seong, it

was a long time.
He watched the emotion on Wei-baek’s face. First, there was

shock. It was as if he found the situation to be absurd.
Then, the old man’s expression turned to anger. Meanwhile,

around the park, the people felt a change in the air.
“Why… suddenly, it feels chilly.”
“Isn’t it midsummer? It was almost steaming earlier, but

now…”
Everyone walking around them felt it.
They thought it was due to the unstable weather. It was a

rational explanation.
Average humans, who were like deer that have never faced
a predator, could never imagine that one person’s anger
could cause the chills. But when they finally faced a tiger,
wasn’t it natural instinct to be afraid?
“You…” Jin Wei-baek growled in a low voice.

Yoo-seong was no different. Rather, the fear he felt was
more severe. It was because he knew the true power of the
monster he was facing.
However, he kept his composure and stood still.
“You are not running away…” Wei-baek observed.
“There is no reason to do that,” Yoo-seong replied.
With Auto-hunting turned on, he didn’t need to back down.
“No reason, huh? You disrespected me.”
Yoo-seong felt as if his life could be taken away at any

instant, but Auto-hunting was not pushing him to run away.
He decided to remind the old man of their agreement.
“I hope you haven’t forgotten our deal.”
The conditions were perfectly satisfied. Yoo-seong won. The

Slot surprised Jin Wei-baek, but other factors led his attack
to be successful.
First, there was no Aura in Yoo-seong’s hands. If he had

placed even the slightest amount of power in that attack, he
wouldn’t have been able to catch Wei-baek off-guard.
It was just a quick, simple snap of the wrist, only light

enough to annoy a person.
However, it was a great blow to Jin Wei-baek’s pride.
“We haven’t begun yet…” Wei-baek whispered as Aura rose

from his body.
The energy’s quantity and quality were overwhelming, as if

it had the momentum to destroy everything around them.
To his surprise, Yoo-seong simply shrugged. “Would anything
be different if I win again? It seems that you don’t intend to
keep your part of the deal.”
The words struck the old man like needles to a balloon. The
Aura that boiled around him dissolved completely. At the
same time, the weather returned to normal.
“Uh… it’s hot again.”
“Is this the effects of climate change?”
People around the park resumed their lives without putting

much thought into the strange occurrence. The sense of
cold dread that filled the area disappeared in an instant.
Jin Wei-baek took his sunglasses from his shirt pocket and
sighed as he put them on.
“Okay, I lost. After nearly twenty years, I almost used my

Aura without thinking.”
The predator disappeared. Only a fashionable old man

whose age could not be determined remained.
His tone has changed a little as he announced, “I, Jin Wei-

baek, will allow you to use Pacheonma Geukki.”
Yoo-seong felt as if a stiff hand that clutched his throat has

loosened. Cold sweat flowed through his back. He sighed in
relief.
But Jin Wei-baek wasn’t done. There were questions on his

mind that were still unanswered.
“The neck armor you hid… Take it out again.”
Yoo-seong didn’t move.

“What? Do you think I’ll steal it? Is that what you think?”
There was frustration in the old man’s voice.
Who does this kid think I am? I had been slapped on his
cheek, and now I’m being treated like a thief?
Yoo-seong finally took out the neck armor from the Slot. It
appeared instantly on his hands.
Jin Wei-baek stared at it for a moment. He still couldn’t

figure it out. His curiosity boiled.
“What kind of Tech did you use?”
“I don’t have to tell you?”
“What?!”
“It wouldn’t be rude if I choose not to disclose my skills.”
The words incensed Jin Wei-baek further. He did not come all
the way to Korea to be lectured on by a child.
‘Damn it,’ he thought. His curiosity would have to be

unsatisfied this time.
He took out the medicine case from his pocket and lobbed it
at Yoo-seong, who caught it effortlessly.
“It would be best if you kept the case closed until the time
you have to use it. It will work best if it isn’t exposed to air,”
he explained.
“What is it?”
A strange smile settled in the old man’s mouth. Payback

time, he thought, with the playfulness of a child.
“I told you I would give this medicine case to you, but the
terms of the bet don’t involve me explaining its use.”
Yoo-seong was stunned, and the old man’s smile only grew
wider.
“It wouldn’t be rude if I choose not to disclose what I have.

However, I promise you that this is harmless. Just take it.”
This old man is completely childish, Yoo-seong thought.
The tension between them from a while ago has gone away.
“Anyway, this is not the important part of our bet,” Yoo-

seong said.
“The main point of our bet is still unfinished.”
Jin Wei-baek’s expression was shocked. He had just

permitted a foreigner to use Pacheonma Geukki!
On top of that, he had also given him that sweet medicine…

it’s a very wasteful thing to do, even if his students won’t
know about it.
What main point is this kid talking about?
“You have to keep your promise,” Yoo-seong insisted.
For him, the most important part of the bet was neither the
martial arts nor the medicine.
“Apologize to my teacher and me.”
He grabbed Jin Wei-baek’s forearm to lead him.

Jin Wei-baek had barely accepted that Yoo-seong shook the
composure he had held for a long time today. To apologize
would be too much. It would be as if the world has turned
upside-down for him.
Yoo-seong noticed Wei-baek’s movements, but it was too

late for him to respond by pushing the button. No one would
be able to blame him for his slow reaction.
He was against a two-century-old monster, who was trying

his best to protect his self-esteem.
“Ugh.”
Yoo-seong jumped out of bed and immediately checked

every part of his body.
After ensuring that he was unharmed, he checked the time.
It was six in the morning.
He had no memory of getting home. He sat on his bed,

trying to remember what happened.
He remembered his encounter with Jin Wei-baek. After he

grabbed the old man’s arm to take him to Sung-wook, his
consciousness was cut off.
He scratched his head in frustration. That was when he saw

a note on his desk.
The neck armor he used yesterday was on top of an A4

paper, serving as a paperweight.
Yoo-seong picked it up. The words were written in crooked

Korean.
-It may be misunderstood, but I didn’t run away. Something
that I had to deal with urgently came up, so I had to
paralyze you and bring you home to attend to it. I had to
prick you to release the blood flow once more. It would be in
your favor. The process will improve the flow of your energy,
and your body would be more comfortable.
Yoo-seong muttered as he read the note. He definitely felt

refreshed, though.
-Take the medicine with you on the Dive. Good luck, and I’ll
see you again.
Yoo-seong crumpled the note.
‘I didn’t run away.’
Yoo-seong was frustrated at the obvious lie, but it was not

the time to worry about it.
He placed the medicine case into the Slot and immediately

started stretching.
The Dive was only a few hours from now.

Chapter 45
Episode 45
Gung-on’s CEO, Ki Yoo-seok, looked at his watch for the nth

time. He knew it wasn’t considered good manners to do so,
but he couldn’t help it. It seemed as if manners didn’t
matter for this meeting anyway.
Chu Seo-jin, the CEO of Tenz Korea, sat across the table.
There was another seat beside him.
It had remained empty for hours.
“Your Master…”
“He will come soon.”
Yoo-seok seethed with anger.
He was the CEO of a respected firm. There was no reason to

keep him waiting like this, even if he was meeting the
president of Tenz.
“I can’t keep waiting like this,” he raised his voice. “I also

have a busy schedule and no matter…”
The door suddenly opened. Yoo-seok cleared the displeasure

from his face and stood up to greet the guest. It was the
head of Tenz. One of the strongest hunters in the Ship Zone
– Jin Wei-baek.
“Ah, is this your friend?” the old man spoke to Seo-jin.
Yoo-seok did not expect the Master to look like this. He

imagined an old man with long eyebrows and beard,
dressed in traditional Chinese clothing.
However, the man before him looked quite fashionable.
“It’s rude to stare at people,” the old man remarked.
“Ah, excuse me!” Yoo-seok hurriedly bowed to hide his

humiliation.
The Chinese greeting that he had practiced beforehand

came to his mind.
“It’s an honor to meet you! I am Ki Yoo-seok, the CEO of

Gung-on.”
“I heard,” Jin Wei-baek answered in Korean, then yawned in

front of him. Then, the old man turned to Chu Seo-jin.
“Then, let’s go home.”
Both Yoo-seok and Seo-jin were stunned at the response.
“But Master, we have…”
“I thought I’d take a light walk before coming here, but

because of that guy… I’m tired. I think I’m going to sleep all
night.”
The old man rearranged his sunglasses before looking at his

disciple, who had an absurd expression on his face.
“What? I met this man. I saw his face. We’re done. Let’s go
home. I’m tired.”
At that, Chu Seo-jin rose from his seat. He wouldn’t dare
disobey his Master. However, Yoo-seok had a different
reaction.
“Wait a minute!”
He had been sitting for over three hours and had been
drinking only plain water as they waited. He thought this
was going to be a business meeting, but so far, he had only
been disrespected.
His emotions exploded at the rude treatment he has

received. His arms found their way to clutch at the old
man’s arm, stopping him from turning around.
Suddenly, the room felt chilly.
The only sound he could hear was Chu Seo-jin’s sharp intake
of breath. He realized that he had made a mistake.
“I’m sorry to raise my voice, Mr. Jin. However, I have been

waiting for a long time to meet you. I really want to
discuss…”
Jin Wei-baek remained still as if Yoo-seok’s explanation

didn’t mean anything to him.
Then, the old man spoke in a low voice.
“Did I not tell you…?”
Goosebumps suddenly sprouted on Yoo-seok’s arms, and he

took a step back unconsciously.
He was ranked third amongst all hunters, and his body

switched to combat mode. Strangely, Jin Wei-baek still
hadn’t moved from his position, but his body reacted as if it
was facing a horrible threat.
The old man’s gaze was like a dagger, and he could feel it
burning through him from beneath the sunglasses.
“Did I not tell you that I’m tired?”
Chu Seo-jin hurriedly opened the door and went out. Yoo-
seok could hear him from the outside as he conversed with
a waiter.
Inside, the room remained cold and quiet.
“Okay,” Jin Wei-baek sighed. “Do you have something

important to say?”
“Uh, well… I must show you this…”
Yoo-seok picked up something from his seat.
It was a sword within a scabbard. The scabbard was

designed with an ornate pattern. It was his precious
weapon, and he brought it to the meeting, intending to
show his value to Jin Wei-baek.
“Well… why don’t you try pulling it out?”
“What?”
“Try pulling out the blade. Whatever the trick you were
trying to do, why don’t you try it here?”
Yoo-seok felt cold sweat drip from his forehead as he looked

at the sword.
“But…”
“It would be fun.”
Yoo-seok was shocked at the man’s choice of words.
Fun? Pulling a sword against a person?
It was ridiculous, but Wei-baek seemed serious about it.
Yoo-seok looked at the old man in front of him. Although he

had not made any threatening move so far, and he had not
released any aura, Yoo-seok’s survival instinct has been
stimulated.
He desperately denied it to himself, but something about

this person made him feel like he could die in an instant. In
fact, his knees were trembling.
“But… I…”
“Well, I think we’re done,” Jin Wei-baek suddenly

announced, and Yoo-seok suddenly felt relieved.
The dangerous atmosphere that filled the room disappeared

in an instant.
Then, Yoo-seok’s legs gave way, and he sank to his knees

uncontrollably. Jin Wei-baek turned around and approached
the door.
“It certainly looks like you have a lot more to learn,” the old
man said, without turning.
Yoo-seok couldn’t say anything. He felt small and powerless

as he knelt on the floor.
“You are a dog,” he heard, as he kept his head down.

He couldn’t even bear to look at Wei-baek, even if he was
being insulted.
“Dogs only take what their owners throw at them.”
The words crushed him.
“A dog should not dare touch its master’s arm. Keep that in
mind.”
With that, the meeting brutally ended.
Yoo-seok heard the door close. It took him a few moments to

stand and compose himself.
***
Outside, Chu Seo-jin was waiting.
“Master, how did it go?”
“Ah, your friend showed me a cheap sword.”
Seo-jin held his breath, deciding whether to speak further.
Then, he sighed.
“Master… That man, Ki Yoo-seok, is a big name in this

country. I have already confirmed his talent and
achievements with the Samjae Sword he brought…”
Jin Wei-baek laughed. Chu Seo-jin immediately bowed, with

worry written on his face.
“I’m sorry, Master,” he apologized, thinking that he had

disrespected his Master setting up the meeting.
“Ah, I’m so tired. That guy…”

Chu Seo-jin felt puzzled. Since meeting him this evening, his
Master kept repeating that he was tired.
But what made him tired?
“That guy’s quality… is at the level we want,” Jin Wei-baek

yawned once again.
Seeing how the meeting with Yoo-seok went, he was

obviously talking about someone else.
“Can you tell me more, Master?”
“I came to see him. That guy… The one named Oh Yoo-

seong.”
Chu Seo-jin’s eyes widened.
Then, he understood something. The reason why his Master

could criticize Yoo-seok after such a brief meeting was very
simple.
After eating food with a very strong flavor, every other food
you took after it would taste bland.
“It looks like you were satisfied.”
“Well, I am.”
Coming from someone like Jin Wei-baek, it was a

tremendous compliment.
‘He must have been very impressive’, Seo-jin thought.
Of course, he wouldn’t have been able to imagine what his

Master suffered that evening.
Getting slapped in the face, losing to a bet, having an
unpaid debt…
His only thought at that moment was: ‘There will be one

more disciple.’
Chu Seo-jin smiled faintly. Then, another question popped

up in his mind.
“Oh… The business you had to attend to, did it go well?”
“Ah, yes. I got the medicine case.”
“Finally!” Seo-jin couldn’t hide his joy.
“But it’s not on me right now,” his Master added.
“Huh?”
For the first time, he saw his Master scratch the back of his
head, as if in mild annoyance.
“I gave it to that guy.”
“How… what… to Oh Yoo-seong?”
Chu Seo-jin’s heart skipped a beat.
It was unthinkable. Could Yoo-seong impress his Master that

much?
The medicine was of such value that it should have been

given to another disciple who had trained for a long time,
not someone whom his Master just met. Seo-jin had a lot of
things to say about the unconventional decision, but as
always, he checked himself and held back.
Instead, he watched his Master’s face.

It could have been something that he imagined, but he
thought he’d seen his Master’s expression tremble.
‘How could it have happened, he thought.’
His Master handed over the treasure to a foreigner, who

wasn’t even a disciple.
Yoo-seong lifted the button.
‘Later’, he thought. There wasn’t an emergency. He was

lucky. Since it was only a small, low-class crack, there
weren’t many beasts beyond it.
Even before the pulse breaker was fully charged, the rush
team had already cleared up the monsters near the rift’s
area.
“This looks like good luck,” the team leader smiled as he

approached Yoo-seong. “See you in 19 hours, I guess.”
“Yeah.”
“Good luck, Oh Yoo-seong.”
Yoo-seong shook hands with the team leader and the

members who came to escort him.
“We’ll close the crack now.”
“Thank you. Good work.”
There was a loud buzz as the pulse breaker was activated.

One by one, the members of the rush team escaped before
the crack closed completely.
Soon, there was an intense flash of light.
When the glare subsided, Yoo-seong looked around. Finally,

he was alone in another world – the world beyond the crack.
“July 19, 20xx. 1:02 PM.”
Yoo-seong spoke to the tape recorder he brought. It was part

of the equipment provided to hunters who participated in
the dive.
“Hunter Oh Yoo-seong. Dive, start.”
Nineteen hours from now, another crack would open 52

kilometers away from his starting point.
He had to survive and arrive at that point within 21 hours.
“Checking exploration equipment. Everything is working

properly. No issues found.”
Yoo-seong opened the last compartment of his large bag. It

was where hunters usually store personal items or their
favorite foods.
Inside the compartment was his neck armor.
He didn’t know if it was a good thing to bring. It was just

something he just grabbed and placed in the bag at the last
moment.
Suddenly, he felt the ground rumble.
He reacted quickly, turned to where the sound was coming

from, and pressed the button. His body moved immediately.
However, the stance he took was not for combat. It was for
running away.
‘What?’ Yoo-seong thought. ‘Am I facing such a strong
monster from the beginning?’
As he ran, Automatic Hunting opened the neck armor he

brought.
Inside was the medicine case. Automatic Hunting quickly

popped the case open, and the glossy, golden pill inside was
popped into his mouth.
“Uh!”
The moment it entered his mouth, he felt a bitter taste

spreading from his tongue to his whole body.
It quickly dissolved and passed through smoothly down his

throat. It was a move that he wouldn’t be able to reverse.
The Golden Pill was already being absorbed by his body.

Chapter 46
Episode 46
Hunters from the rush team are returning to the control

camp one by one. At the camp, Sung-wook stood, still
staring at the sky, although the crack had already gone.
“Oh… aren’t you Kim Sung-wook?”
He turned his head in the direction of the voice.
A familiar beauty met his eyes. He hadn’t met her before,

although it was the face of someone well-known.
“Yes, I am. Shin Yu-hee?”
At this, the woman nodded.
Then, they spoke at the same time.
“I have always wanted to meet you.”
“I have always wanted to meet you.”
Sung-wook laughed lightly, while Shin Yu-hee tilted her

head.
“You wanted to meet me?”
Sung-wook nodded. “Yes. I heard about you from Yoo-

seong.”
It wasn’t much of a story. Yoo-seong had only met Yu-hee
twice. However, his student had told him how she helped
him when he was in trouble at the event.
Sung-wook had years of experience, and he knew Yoo-seong

well. He thought there was something else between his
student and Yu-hee.
“Thank you again, on behalf of Yoo-seong,” he told Yu-hee,

with a glint of amusement on his eyes.
“Well… As a senior, I did what I had to,” the woman replied

with a flat tone.
Sung-wook, however, picked something up.
She seemed to hesitate and choose her words as they were

talking.
“I guess you were trying to meet him before the Dive?”
“What?”
“Yoo-seong. You were not part of the rush team, so… were
you trying to meet him?”
“Why… I’m not sure why you’re putting it that way.”
Sung-wook’s smile widened.
“Ah, I thought you came to me because you wanted to

convey a message through me. Is there something you
wanted me to tell him?”
Shin Yu-hee’s eyes widened. “There is no such thing…”
She was obviously flustered.

Sung-wook hadn’t met her before, but as a public figure, her
personality was well-known. She was a veteran among
veterans, known to never lose composure.
Yu-hee was also someone known to be straightforward and

could speak her mind if she wanted to.
However, she had been flustered and speechless in front of

Sung-wook several times already.
“I need to meet him for… an item,” she finally uttered.
“What?”
“He borrowed something from me that last time we met. I

need to get it back. Yoo-seong must have told you about it
as well.”
“Ah, yes. The e-cigarette? He told me about it, yes,” Sung-

wook said, striking his palm.
Shin Yu-hee continued to stare at him as if she expected him

to have the e-cigarette.
“Anyway, I don’t have it. I only heard about it, but I don’t
even remember seeing it,” he explained.
“I see…” she looked disappointed.
“It must be something that you really cherish. Sentimental

value?”
Shin Yu-hee’s face turned red.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she said. “It’s just that I
loaned it to him, and I need it back.”
There were still questions in Sung-wook’s mind.

An e-cigarette was an item that could be purchased
anywhere. It was something that could even be bought
cheaply at street stalls.
As a hunter ranked 2nd, Shin Yu-hee’s wealth easily

surpasses the 100 billion level, so it was strange that she’d
need it back.
“That’s a little unexpected,” he admitted.
“Well, it still works. I don’t have to buy another,” Yu-hee

said, regaining her composure.
“Lending e-cigarettes to another person is not common. It’s

a personal product. Asking for it back after he had put it in
his mouth, well…”
Before Sung-wook could continue, Shin Yu-hee turned her

back on him.
“It’s not worth talking about it anymore,” she said, walking

away.
Suddenly, she heard something flying in from behind.
‘An attack?’ she thought.
With her quick reflexes, she turned around and snatched it

out of the air.
“Good catch,” she heard Sung-wook say.
It wasn’t anything that could hurt her.
On her palm was Yoo-seong’s business card.
It wasn’t a rare item. Yoo-seong even gave away copies

during the event. However, this card had another number,
freshly written with a pen.
“This…”
“That’s Yoo-seong’s personal number. After 19 hours, you

could dial that number, and he’ll pick it up right away.”
For the second time in a day, Shin Yu-hee’s face turned red.
“This – “
She crumpled the card and tried to throw it away; however,

Sung-wook interrupted her.
“This job that we have…” he started, his tone serious.
“Especially the quiet people, like us. We don’t seek praise or

popularity. Hunting and training repeat steadily. One day, I
woke up with nothing but money. I don’t even have
someone to enjoy it with.”
Shin Yu-hee stared at the man before him.
It didn’t seem as if he was still teasing her. He sounded

sincere.
“With this hard schedule, it’s not easy to build a

relationship. It’s hard to find someone who’d understand.
Yoo-seong, I think of him as a younger brother.”
Shin Yu-hee lowered her head, staring at the crumpled

business card.
“He’s a good person, don’t you think?” he asked her. “If you
don’t think so, you can tear that card into pieces and
dispose of it right now.”
Shin Yu-hee understood how important the card was for
Sung-wook.
It was more than being an agent exposing his client’s

personal’s information. He felt like an older brother to him.
“I will think about it,” she said, tucking the card in her
pocket.
“Okay,” there was relief in Sung-wook’s face. “By the way, I

heard you quit QR.”
It was one of the hottest topics in the hunting industry these

days.
Although she maintained a good relationship with the CEO,

Yoon Kang-cheol, her withdrawal was indeed a big hole for
the company.
She nodded. “As presumptuous as it sounds, I think I made

the right choice.”
As she spoke, Sung-wook perceived something. There was a

slight trembling in Shin Yu-hee’s limbs.
The crack involved in the operation wasn’t remarkable, and

Yu-hee wasn’t even part of the rush team.
Why would someone of Yu-hee’s caliber have a trembling

vein after that simple operation?
The only reason he could think of was that she had been
training hard before coming to the site.
Sung-wook couldn’t help but admire her further. To think

that someone who had been on the field for over a decade
still trained hard…
It was proof of her dedication and work ethic. He envied her
because she could walk out of a company like QR on her
own terms. It wasn’t his choice to end his career.
“Then, I wish you well on your solo career,” he said.
“Thank you,” she also smiled a little.
“Oh,” Sung-wook remembered something. “By the way…”
The mischief was back on his face.
“Yes?”
“If Yoo-seong asks you how you got his number, don’t say I
gave it to you.”
She nodded. She knew that it was unthinkable for an agent

to expose his client’s personal information.
However, Sung-wook’s intention was different.
“Because he would find it more appealing if he thought that

you wanted to speak to him so bad that you got his number
somehow, rather than me giving you his number that
easily…”
He laughed as Shin Yu-hee turned her back on him and

walked away. Sung-wook scratched his head as he watched
her.
“If it goes well, it would be fun,” he muttered.
Meanwhile, as she walked away, Shin Yu-hee’s hand

unconsciously checked her pocket, as if to ensure that she
still had the card.
Both she and Sung-wook weren’t worried at all for Yoo-
seong. They knew his skills. They believed in him.
If only they knew that at that very moment, in the world

beyond the crack, Yoo-seong was vomiting blood…
“Damn it.”
As he ran through the treetops, Yoo-seong could feel blood

dripping out of his nose and mouth.
Monkey Viper-★★~★★★
He wiped his eyes and found blood spilling out of them as

well. As he did, he remembered what the hunters who
survived said upon return.
We have only fought on our home ground.
He now understood what they meant. He could hear the

cries and the movements of the monkeys chasing after him.
Monkey Vipers.
They were low-ranked monsters that swung amongst

branches with their arms and tail.
Their legs had degenerated into the size of a little finger,

giving the impression that their lower body was that of a
snake. Outside the crack, they weren’t difficult monsters to
subdue.
Even with low-ranked equipment, they could be easily

caught. However, in their natural habitat, they were a
different foe.
Several whistling sounds came from behind Yoo-seong,
warning him of incoming projectiles. The Monkey Vipers
were throwing all sorts of fruits as they ran after him.
With Yoo-seong’s armor, he would not take damage even if

he got hit, judging from the speed and weight of the
projectiles.
However, Automatic Hunting chose to dodge them. It was

indeed the right choice. The fruits exploded on impact, and
poisonous gas oozed out of them.
Even the way the Monkey Vipers attack was different than
when they were outside the crack.
In their natural environment, they were calmer and more

organized. Those behind maintained their distance from
Yoo-seong, while the others ran alongside him as if to
envelope him.
It was almost the same formation that hunters use when

chasing a monster. For them, this was their world, and Yoo-
seong was the monster.
After throwing another volley of poison fruit, one Monkey

Viper thought it found a gap and lunged towards Yoo-seong.
‘You’re dead’, Yoo-seong thought, as he turned and held his

breath.
The fruits were harmless to him unless the gas enters his
respiratory system.
When the Monkey Viper was within range, he swung an

Aura-coated wrist blade. It was enough for monsters with 2-
to 3-star durability.
His blade sliced through the beast. As he did, more and
more Monkey Vipers pounced on him.
He cut through them for a while until he could not hold his
breath anymore. Then, he tried to leap to the top of the
treetops, away from the poison mist.
However, as he flew upwards, he thought he had

miscalculated his lung capacity.
“Ugh!” he gasped as if he was drowning, filling his lungs

with precious air.
Suddenly, blood spurted out from his nose and mouth. He

was dumbfounded. He was already out of range of the
poison.
‘Why…’
Then, he remembered.
The Golden Pill.
Even in martial arts books, something as powerful as this

should be used carefully.
Strong power always came at a price.
Yoo-seong felt that his core and veins were raging. He

realized the grim situation.
‘If I release Automatic Hunting, I will die.’
Auto-hunting was reducing the burden by using up the

boiling CE within his body.
As soon as he turned it off, the energy would boil inside him

to the point of explosion. Medicines such as the Golden Pill
should be given time to settle within the user’s body for a
few days.
The user must be in a place of rest, with an expert

overseeing him and preventing unexpected events that the
user couldn’t handle.
However, in Yoo-seong’s case, there was no moment of rest.
He was in the world beyond the cracks, and he was alone.
Below him, there were crowds of Monkey Vipers waiting to

attack.
If Jin Wei-baek saw what was happening, he would have

regretted giving him the pill.
It was a waste.
Not only a waste of a treasured medicine, but a waste of

Yoo-seong’s life. Absorbing the Golden Pill while fighting in
real-time was unprecedented madness.
Yoo-seong looked below him and gritted his teeth.
He had no choice. He had to hold on to the end.
Yoo-seong allowed himself to fall, down to the screaming

Monkey Vipers, with their bloodthirsty cries.
Yoo-seong opened his eyes.
“Damn!”
He realized he had lost consciousness in the middle of the

jungle. The bodies of the Monkey Vipers were piled around
him.
Somehow, he had endured until the end, but it had cost him
all his strength.
He fell with exhaustion just as he chopped down his last

Monkey Viper.
Yoo-seong immediately checked the time.
“Ah?!”
Chapter 47
Episode 47
(Time remaining: 00: 04: 45: 32)
Yoo-seong had been asleep for more than 14 hours.
“What the hell…”
He quickly tried to stand up, but his legs felt like they were
as heavy as iron.
For the first time since he had gotten Auto-Hunting, he

remained stuck to the ground.
He had pushed himself daily with hard training, past the

limits of exhaustion, in order to build stamina. This was
because he had collapsed at both of the past operations he
went through.
However, for now, it seemed that the training he endured

was useless.
Fortunately, there seemed to be no danger around him. He

looked around.
Most of the Monkey Viper carcasses appeared to be torn and

severely damaged. It seemed that predators and
scavengers had gone through the bodies.
The only reason Yoo-seong was able to survive unscathed
was because of his armor. The Queen’s Hug could hardly be
penetrated by common monsters.
There was no reason for scavengers to struggle against it

when there was an abundance of meat around him.
Yoo-seong took a deep breath and tried to organize his

thoughts. He started by concentrating on his body.
His core and veins, which had almost exploded with raging
energy, seemed alright.
‘Nothing changed’, Yoo-seong thought with a bit of

disappointment, as he continued his inspection. He moved
his fingertips, then his toes, before trying out his legs and
arms once more.
There appeared to be no pain.
‘But why couldn’t I move?’ Yoo-seong thought.
It was a problem, one that he could not understand. That

was, until he realized something.
“The Queen’s Hug…”
Its size was custom-made for Yoo-seong, but it now felt too
tight against his body, thus limiting his movements. He
began to take off his suit, starting from his helmet.
As soon as he loosened the seams of the tight armor, a

disgusting smell assaulted his nostrils.
“Uck!”
Yoo-seong suppressed the nausea that rose in his throat.

‘This is not the smell of blood,’ he realized.
He was covered in Monkey Viper blood from the vicious

battle he endured. However, even dried monster blood did
not give off this odor.
‘What is this?’
As he continued to peel off parts of his armor, he uncovered

dark red stains on his body. It seemed to be the source of
the foul smell.
Although he was quite baffled by it, he did not stop and

continued to remove his armor.
Once he had taken it all off, he placed the dirty armor into
his Slot.
Then, he took out a disinfectant and some tissues from his

backpack, along with a spare inner suit. The suit was full-
body underwear worn inside the armor, made of tough
rubber.
As the material hugged his figure tightly, he noticed the

change.
“This… it’s not my body.”
Yoo-seong’s muscles had undergone numerous changes in

the months that he spent training.
However, this time, the difference was more significant.
The change also happened in a short period of 14 hours, all

while he slept. The thick rot-smelling liquid that filled his
armor was probably a by-product of the change.
‘Pity I didn’t bring a mirror,’ Yoo-seong thought. He felt
uncomfortable.
He stretched his arms and legs and gauged the situation.
In four hours and forty minutes, he had to cover a distance

of about 50 kilometers.
Hunters possessed superhuman abilities. There was enough

time. However, this was the world beyond the crack. The
terrain between the exit crack and Yoo-seong was
unfamiliar, and there was always the possibility of
encountering monsters along the way.
Another battle would mean losing more precious time. He

started to run, turning on his recorder as he did so.
“Hunter Oh Yoo-seong. Current time, 14 hours and 35

minutes after diving.”
His voice trembled slightly as he realized something.
Even if he was able to survive, the operation is already a

failure.
“An unexpected situation occurred 27 minutes after

starting…”
The goal set for Dives was not just pure survival. It was to
investigate the ecology of the alien world, to collect
samples, and find evidence that could explain the cause of
the recent abnormalities in the cracks.
Yoo-seong’s performance was only slightly better than

getting injured or disappearing entirely. There were
countless expectations on his Dive from the companies, the
media, and the general public.
“After that, I lost consciousness due to poison gas for about
14 hours. No abnormalities in current physical condition.”
He was indeed a hero before the Dive.
However difficult it was to just return alive; he could almost

see the reaction he would get when he returned. Everything
would change.
There were people who waited for him to fall, and it seems
as if they have found their chance.
“Currently moving toward the exit coordinates,” he said

before turning the recorder off.
Countless questions filled his mind.
Why did Auto-Hunting take the medicine as soon as the

button was pressed?
Even without it, Yoo-seong could have defeated the Monkey

Vipers and proceeded with exploration.
Taking in the medicine was what brought the unforeseen

results.
Yoo-seong shook his head to clear his mind. It had already

happened, and he had no one to blame.
Whatever the outcome was, he had to accept it and do the

best he could to face the consequence. Now, what he
needed to do was reach the exit.
He ran as hard as he could.
The rush team moved skillfully.

As soon as they squeezed through the rift, they immediately
subdued the monsters within the vicinity by their organized
teamwork.
The team members wore Anonymous suits.
Like the ones worn during the licensure test, the suits hide
the wearer’s face and figure. However, these were modified
for combat and had higher durability and star-rating than
those that the examinees had. It was the trademark of Team
Quartz, one of the teams in 2F4T.
They were known for wearing Anonymous suits in their

operations. Schoolchildren even wore black stockings and
leggings, trying to imitate the famous hunters.
As soon as the pulse breaker was fully charged, they fired

flares at the sky to guide Yoo-seong to their location.
However, the monsters would also notice the flare and may
try to approach them. It was a risk they had to take because
it was their job to escort Yoo-seong out of the crack.
They didn’t have to wait long.
Yoo-seong arrived after a few minutes, gasping for air.
“Nice to meet you…” he greeted the team members.
He looked fine, without any injuries. However, the team

members were surprised at his appearance.
He wasn’t wearing the Queen’s Hug. Instead, he wore a

simple inner armor, with vines knotted over his knees,
elbows, and fists.
They approached him slowly, and Yoo-seong walked towards
them, expecting to be supported.
However…
Tang-!
Yoo-seong was thrown back in an instant. He rolled on the

ground a few times before finally hitting a tree.
“It would be useless to resist,” one of the men in the

Anonymous suits said as he took off his helmet.
Yoo-seong didn’t need to see his face to realize that he was

not from Team Quartz.
He knew it as soon as he heard that Chinese accent.
The Chinese companies had been reaching towards the

Korean industry. They must have reached an agreement
with this famous team.
“Damn,” he muttered to himself.
“Where is the medicine case?”
“What?”
“We saw the footage of you and Jin Wei-baek,” the man said
in a cold voice. “There is no way you’re getting out of here
alive.”
They were inside the crack, and they weren’t wearing action
cameras.
No one would find it suspicious if Yoo-seong failed to make it

back alive from such a dangerous mission.
“So…” the man continued, “Where is the medicine case?
Otherwise, we’ll make sure you’ll suffer before you die.”
Yoo-seong felt anger rising from him.
They didn’t know how much they looked forward to and

prepared for this Dive.
He wouldn’t allow it to end this way.
“We are going to tear you from limb to limb until we get
what we need…”
“Shut up,” Yoo-seong snapped.
“What?”
The Chinese man was stunned at his reaction. It was not

what he expected.
Then, he began to approach Yoo-seong with murderous

energy in his clenched fists.
Yoo-seong stood up and faced the man.
Luckily, he hadn’t encountered a monster on his way to the

exit.
He felt refreshed after hours of rest.
“Where is the medicine case?!” the Chinese man yelled at

him.
Aura rose within Yoo-seong as he prepared himself for

battle.
In his mind, it would have been better if he faced a monster

rather than fight with another human. However, it seemed
as if there wasn’t much difference between these people
and monsters in terms of viciousness.

Chapter 48
Episode 48
Outside the crack, the public’s anticipation was similar to

that of a national sporting event.
People were all tuned in to the broadcasts, waiting for news

about the Dive.
-Exactly 20 minutes have passed since the rush team

entered the crack. The wait for Oh Yoo-seong has begun.-
Those outside their homes and away from the television

kept up with the news through their car radios and their
phones. Even at social media sites, Yoo-seong’s solo Dive
was placed third on the trending topics.
Everyone was looking forward to the results.
-Can Oh Yoo-seong return safely?-
-What sort of remarkable findings could he return with?-
Jin Wei-baek was also tuned in to the news as he ate his

breakfast.
Chu Seo-jin sat across him, with the expression of someone

who wanted to say something. The disciple chose his words
carefully.
“What Master mentioned last night… is it true that Yoo-
seong now has possession of the Golden Pill?”
“He does,” Wei-baek responded between bites.
“Although it is true that it is not as valuable as it used to

be… it is still a priceless artifact.”
The Golden Pill.
It was known to be the last of the Great Pills that still

existed. Only an influential company such as Tenz could
have gotten hold of it.
A single piece contained an estimated 20,000 units of CE.
Even by today’s standards, where a CE injection was limited

to around 5,000 CE per year, it was a valuable asset. The
costs of CE they require, and over four years’ worth of CE –
all of it could be taken care of by a single pill.
“Even if an average person takes it, he would be able to

achieve great heights,” Seo-jin said slowly.
“Would he?”
“Yes?” Seo-jin was visibly flustered at the unexpected

response.
“Hey, you aren’t the only one who misunderstands its

function, don’t worry,” the old man chuckled.
“Master, what do you mean?”
“It is true that when the Golden Pill is absorbed into the
body, it releases a great amount of energy. But would you
think that the Buddhist monks would have taken decades to
create a pill with such simple function?”
Chu Seo-jin was speechless as he thought of an answer.
Jin Wei-baek watched him for a few moments before

continuing his explanation.
“The energy contained within the Golden Pill is just a

stimulant. A fuel to initiate change. The amount of CE in the
user’s core would remain the same.”
“If so, what exactly changes?”
The old man shrugged. “I can’t say for sure.”
Chu Seo-jin was stunned. It was an answer he had never

heard from his Master in the past.
“I believe it strengthens whatever the user lacks in the past.

The first time I ate one, my Aura control had improved
significantly. The second time, I suffered for a while as my
bones and muscles underwent a complete metamorphosis.”
“So, if an average person who had no CE takes it in…”
“The pill would be useless,” Jin Wei-baek’s eyes sparkled as

he brought his attention back to the TV screen.
There were more questions in Seo-jin’s thoughts, but he

pressed them down and focused on the news. He hoped Oh
Yoo-seong would not return from the Dive.
Zhang Liu widened his distance from Yoo-seong as soon as

he saw the Aura rising from him.
‘This guy…’ he thought.

Then, he whispered through the communicator of the
Anonymous suit.
-Get into formation. The one we trained for.
The leader of Team Quartz protested with a trembling voice.
-What do you mean?
-Cooperate. To defeat him.
-Wait, we didn’t agree to this. Our mission was to bring you

inside the rift with us.
-Have you forgotten who you’re speaking to?
-Uh…
The team leader bit his lips.
Then, he spoke to the communicator and gave the

command to the team.
-Formation!
The team leader had goosebumps. The times had changed

for them.
A few years ago, they were a team that stood out, even
reaching the status of one of the 4T.
However, soon enough, they had to hold the hand of the

devil from across the continent.
‘We had no choice,‘ he thought, as he took his place in the

formation.
Zhang Liu had trained them for it. It was a position where
the Chinese hunter’s Ki could raise the skill level of each
Quartz member to the fullest.
‘With this, your team could go further,’ they were told.
The team leader swallowed as he realized what they were

about to do. Not only him, but every member of the team
felt it.
‘If we don’t want to be left behind in the industry… we have

to cooperate.’
Soon, the rising Ki in each of the members manifested. This

was the Demon Slayer Array formation.
It was based on an ancient technique, which had been

improved upon by their master, Zhang Liu.
In the past, the formation was only limited to seven people.
The formation allowed them to supplement each other’s

shortcomings under the direction of their head. Now, there
were eleven people in that formation, including Zhang Liu –
an asymmetrical attack that was enclosing Yoo-seong.
We should not be too confident against this person, Zhang

Liu thought.
He watched his videos. He saw how this man fought against

the Habaek. More impressive was the CCTV footage he
watched, where Yoo-seong was able to make contact with Jin
Wei-baek’s face.
For Zhang Liu, two things were certain.

First, they were going against an unusual talent. And
second, an individual didn’t have a 3333th chance against a
full-strength Demon Slayer Array.
Yoo-seong did not move away.
He was crouching as if he was tying his shoelaces.
-Attack!
Zhang Liu then gave the order.
In an instant, the team members swung their blunt weapons

at Yoo-seong. The members each had a modified three-
stage rod that stretched up to 2.5 meters.
Yoo-seong’s moved quickly, avoiding each swing. Then, he

fired his Gellar Gun.
Pop-!
He was aiming for a team member’s legs. The member

avoided it without difficulty.
A handful of dirt exploded in the air as the bullet missed.
The Team Quartz’ offense continued.
Kwaduk-!
As Yoo-seong avoided two swings in his direction, he was hit

from an unexpected angle.
It was from the team leader, who had been standing quite a
distance from him.
The rod was coated with the Aura of a veteran hunter. Yoo-
seong felt pain burning on his forearm. In retaliation, he
fired his Gellar Gun.
Popop-!
However, he missed again. Both bullets hit the ground. As

he fired the shots, he had exposed himself to the members.
They took advantage by swinging at him while he focused

on his aim.
This will end soon, Zhang Liu thought with delight.
Yoo-seong kept firing and hitting nothing but the ground and
struggled to defend himself against the attacks.
The formation cornered him to a place without any trees or

rocks.
Zhang Liu was aware of his Spider Walk ability and made
sure he won’t be able to escape.
Unexpectedly, Yoo-seong spoke for the first time since the

attack began.
“Finally… done.”
Yoo-seong then made his move.
Each of the bullets lodged on the ground by the member’s

feet was still connected to him, through his Aura.
Eleven Parasitic Bees.
One by one, they moved towards their targets. Each bullet

did not contain much power; however, Yoo-seong was
amazed at his improvement.
The casting speeds.

The number of simultaneous casts.
The control of each bullet.
His technique had greatly improved in such a short span of

time.
-Everyone, don’t panic!
Zhang Liu yelled at his communicator.
However, even he was confused and unprepared for this

retaliation. One team member closest to Yoo-seong swung
his rod.
Yoo-seong used his fists for the first time and smashed the
rod. Then, he captured the member and choked him.
Meanwhile, the Parasitic Bees were flying left and right. Two
team members fell as they were hit on their thighs.
-Ugh!
-It hurts!
Meanwhile, the team member that Yoo-seong grabbed sank

to his knees, unconscious.
Yoo-seong looked around.
‘Three members down, eight more to go.’
One by one, the bullets found their targets, bursting through

the members’ thighs and shoulders, disabling them.
As soon as the Parasitic Bees served their purpose, he

pulled them back to him, recovering the CE he placed on
them.
It was possible because they were connected to him through
strings. The technique wasn’t like Psy, where energy was
shot out of the body.
‘But… I studied enough’; Zhang Liu was beginning to lose

his composure.
The Parasitic Bees was an absurd technique that was

beyond the principles of Ki he knew.
He looked around. Only he and the Quartz team leader was

left standing.
In an instant, Yoo-seong appeared in front of the team

leader, smashing his fist against the man’s face. The team
leader’s helmet was broken, and the man collapsed
helplessly.
Only Zhang Liu remained.
He took off his helmet.
“Did you… did you intentionally leave me for last?”
‘Impossible. Could he see through the Anonymous suits?’
Yoo-seong nodded.
For him, it was simple. Since they were locked in a

formation, he was able to deduce where the commands
were coming from.
“Are you going to kill me?” Zhang Liu asked.
Even as he did, it was obvious that Yoo-seong had no

intention of doing so.
Yoo-seong had turned his back from him and began to walk
away.
Zhang Liu considered the situation.
All the members of Team Quartz were on the ground, but

they were all still alive. Not one had been fatally wounded.
It would be a little troublesome for the members to recover

from their injuries, but there was no way for Yoo-seong to
prove that they had attacked him.
Suddenly, something caught his eyes.
Yoo-seong was back to his original position, where he had

crouched. He was fiddling with something on the ground
before.
Zhang Liu thought he was tying his shoelaces.
But instead-
Zhang Liu’s eyes widened as he realized what it was.
“What… How?!”
It was an action cam.
Yoo-seong has pulled it out of his Slot and planted it while

Zhang Liu and Team Quartz were discussing.
It had captured how the team that was supposed to escort

him took an offensive formation and ganged up on him.
“This is the end,” Yoo-seong quietly spoke as if he was

reading their prison sentence.
Chapter 49
Episode 49
Yoo-seong stood up once the debriefing and video review

were over.
Upon seeing this, the Director of the Special Defense

Agency, Yang Chang-guk, came over to speak to him. The
director held out his hand with a smile on his face.
“We didn’t even have to watch the action cam footage. The
fact that Zhang Liu was there was enough.”
Any unauthorized entry at an operational area merited a

license suspension at the minimum.
“The rush team threatening a solo Diver… We will bring

justice to them,” the director assured Yoo-seong. After
shaking hands, he even tapped Yoo-seong’s shoulder. The
director obviously liked the younger hunter.
“There will also be some members on Team Quartz who will

testify for your case.”
“I see.”
“Don’t worry too much. However, we have to stick to the

protocol. You must stay here while the investigation is
ongoing. I’m sorry that you have to.”
“No, I understand.”
Though Yoo-seong would stay in the detention center at the
Special Defense building, his accommodations weren’t like
the other detention facilities. The facilities were quite
comfortable, and the meals were luxurious. All the people in
charge favored Yoo-seong, knowing that he was the victim
in this particular situation. One of the guards even lent him
a tablet PC so he could be updated with whatever was
happening outside.
As he browsed through the news articles about the issue, he

found that public opinion was the same as Yang Chang-
guk’s.
-How would the Agency resolve the terroristic acts that

happened to Hunter Oh Yoo-seong?-
-Who could be behind the planning and organizing of the

terrorism…?-
The most controversial factor was Zhang Liu’s nationality.
He was from China. He purchased Quartz, one of the biggest

names in the hunting industry in Korea, and had used the
team in order to harm another hunter.
The public couldn’t help but rage against him. However,

Yoo-seong, who was the victim, kept silent. He only read
through some of the articles, then put the tablet PC away.
‘Close your eyes and focus.’
He began light core training in his detention room.
‘There is no change in the total amount of CE,’ he observed.
12,700 CE.
It was about 2-3 years’ worth of CE.
Thanks to his excellent absorption rate and Auto-Hunting,

he was able to handle it even if he had less than a year of
experience. However, something had changed while he was
in the world beyond the crack.
Yoo-seong noticed that there were new veins in places that

he didn’t normally use.
He focused and drove CE through the new veins.
It was quite painful to push through CE on fresh, new veins,

but once the pain was gone, the veins were cleared and
could take on more energy in the future. He felt the same
pain yesterday as he cast eleven Parasitic Bees. The veins
on his right hand felt as if they were being torn from his
body.
They were the same veins that trembled for several days
when he first tried to cast a single Parasitic Bee. Now, they
could take on CE equivalent to eleven bullets.
Suddenly, an officer appeared by his window.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong, a visitor…”
“A visit?” Yoo-seong was puzzled.
People under investigation for serious incidents such as

these normally were not allowed visitors.
“Uh…” the officer seemed to choose his words carefully.

“Usually, this is not the case, but… let’s say it is someone
very powerful.”
Yoo-seong was still confused. The only person who would
pay him a visit would be Sung-wook. He didn’t know that
Sung-wook had enough influence to bypass even a Special
Defense Agency policy.
He was escorted to the meeting place. There, someone was

waiting for him.
It was someone he hadn’t expected. His eyes widened.
“Long time, no see.”
It was Shin Yu-hee, wearing a neat suit.
“The recording equipment has been turned off. You two can
talk comfortably,” the officer said before leaving them.
“I didn’t mean to come in person. Your agent reached out to

me. He said he was unable to get past through here.”
“Is that so…” Yoo-seong thought.
He felt that there must be something important for Shin Yu-

hee to mobilize her connections and meet him. Shin Yu-hee
nodded at him.
Then, in a professional, cold tone, she began to inform him

about the details of the case and all relevant information
that Sung-wook wanted Yoo-seong to know.
“You also have strong public support at the moment. We

don’t think that there’s a danger of license suspension.
However, in any case, Sung-wook has prepared for a legal
battle.”
Yoo-seong nodded in reply. A heavy silence descended in

the room.
Shin Yu-hee had already explained everything she was
asked to convey.
The awkward silence went on. Usually, when two people had
run out of things to talk about, they could shift their focus
on their mobile phones.
However, neither Yu-hee nor Yoo-seong were the sort of

people who would stare at their mobile phones while in front
of another person.
Yoo-seong didn’t even have a cellphone with him in the first

place.
“The e-cigarette…” Shin Yu-hee finally broke the silence.

“Are you keeping it well?”
“Of course. I still have it.”
It was inside Yoo-seong’s Slot.
The liquid within it, Purple Deep, was an illegal substance.

He brought it on his Dive in case of an emergency.
The first thing he did when he went out of the crack was to
hide it in his Slot, just in case the Special Defense forces
searched through his belongings.
“I did my best to hide it,” he assured her.
Shin Yu-hee nodded. In her mind, it meant that Yoo-seong

cherished it. Sung-wook could have thought that it was only
a joke, but…
It was true.
She didn’t really want the e-cigarette back. She wanted it to

remain in Yoo-seong’s possession, so she could have a
reason to keep in touch with him.
After her experience with Sung-wook the other day, she

thought that she was doing a good job of maintaining her
facial expression in front of Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong was released after three days in the detention

facility. From being one of the suspects, he had then turned
into a state witness.
The members of Team Quartz were charged with attempted

murder charges.
Zhang Liu had not been deported to China, despite his

influence. He was the Ship Zone’s fourth-ranked hunter, the
head of Goryong, a large conglomerate.
Why would he try to kill Yoo-seong?
Zhang Liu refused to give any statements. Strangely, Yoo-

seong also did not testify against him.
Because of what happened, the Chinese employees in the

Korean Goryong office had fled. The public has demanded
more action from the Defense Bureau to draw a line.
If China could impose strict measures for Korean hunters

entering their country, why shouldn’t the Korean
government do the same?
They demanded harsher screening for foreign hunters.
***
Yoo-seong and Jin Wei-baek arranged a meeting at the park.

It was on the same bench where they had first met.
Yoo-seong approached slowly at Jin Wei-baek, who arrived
first and waited for him.
“I cannot apologize to your teacher,” the old man began.

“No matter how much I think about it, I couldn’t do it.”
“I thought you would say that,” Yoo-seong replied.
“Yes, then, what should we do about it?”
Jin Wei-baek looked at Yoo-seong with amusement. He

thought that he would allow him a different condition
instead.
Yoo-seong, however, had a different plan in mind.
He leaned close to Wei-baek, and whispered:
“Follow me.”
Chapter 50
Episode 50
As a man who lived alone for more than ten years, the
number of dishes that Sung-wook knew how to cook could
fill up an entire restaurant’s menu.
To celebrate Yoo-seong’s release, he has prepared a special

kimchi tofu dish. However, Jin Chang-hoon couldn’t join
them for dinner because the hospital got busy. Sung-wook
also tried to invite Shin Yoo-hee, but as soon as she heard
what the call was for, she hung up.
Sung-wook shook his head. He had prepared too much for

two people to eat. Suddenly, he heard voices outside his
door.
He recognized one of the voices to be Yoo-seong’s.

However, the other voice was unfamiliar.
It spoke Korean with a bad accent. It sounded foreign.
“Brother,” Yoo-seong greeted him as soon as he opened the

door.
He looked a little tired. Sung-wook threw his head back

towards the full table.
“I cooked too much. If only another person could join us…”
Suddenly, an old man looked over Yoo-seong’s shoulders.

If not for the man’s white hair, it would be hard to determine
his age, based on what he wore. He looked quite
fashionable, wearing a yellow short-sleeved shirt and white
pants.
Sung-wook then bowed his head out of courtesy.
“Welcome! Nice to meet you!”
“Thank you,” the man replied as he and Yoo-seong entered

the house.
“How are you related to Yoo-seong…” Sung-wook asked.

“Grandfather?”
“No!” Yoo-seong remarked as if the idea was ridiculous.
“I’ll use the bathroom,” Yoo-seong added, leaving him with

the old man.
An awkward silence hung between them as Sung-wook

considered how the stranger was related to Yoo-seong. The
old man made eye contact with him.
“Do you have anything to drink?”
“Ah, yes!” Sung-wook remembered his manners. He quickly

pulled out a chair. “Please sit here and make yourself
comfortable. Would you like something cool? Or coffee?”
“If you have some tea…”
Sung-wook nodded. He had some knowledge of making a

proper tea.
As he boiled water and prepared the tea leaves, he felt the

old man’s gaze on his back. His senses were still sensitive,
even if he was retired.
He looked back for a second, catching a glimpse of the old
man. The stranger was staring at him with a serious
expression. However, it was hard to tell what was on the
man’s mind because he kept his sunglasses.
“Your muscles are quite excellent…” the old man remarked.
“Yes?”
“I mean, you’re in good shape.”
“Ah… thank you.”
Sung-wook felt goosebumps and turned around quickly.
From behind, he heard the man mutter something in

Chinese. Sung-wook, who was once a top hunter, was
familiar with foreign languages.
He understood what the old man said.
“It’s more than what I expected. There must be a reason

why Yoo-seong brought me this far…”
Sung-wook turned around and brought a teacup to the old

man. The visitor took a sip and nodded.
“Well? This is pretty good.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s not overdone. I never imagined that I would be able to

taste a proper tea in this country.”
Sung-wook began preparing the table as the old man

enjoyed his cup. There were Kimchi Tofu Stew and rice wine.
“Wow. You prepared all these?”

“I don’t usually like foreign foods, but… these look tasty.”
Sung-wook nodded. “Well, what exactly is your relationship

with Yoo-seong? I didn’t hear the answer earlier…”
“Well… it’s hard to explain. I saw his face for the first time
four days ago.”
The old man laughed before holding his hand out. “Give me
your hand.”
Sung-wook thought it was a strange request. As he

hesitated, he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.
It was Yoo-seong. His expression was as serious as ever.
“Brother, do what he said. Hold out your hand.”
“No, I think…” Sung-wook started to protest.
“Trust me,” he heard Yoo-seong speak with a low voice.
Then, he felt the old man grab his hand.
“Uh, huh!”
Sung-wook was astonished. From the hand was held by the

old man, he felt warmth spreading through his arms,
shoulders; through every corner of his body.
Jin Wei-baek’s CE was flowing into his body.
“No way…” he groaned in disbelief.
Sung-wook’s veins were severely damaged and could not

hold CE properly. Thus, energy spilled out to his organs and
nerves, causing internal injury. However, the old man’s CE
did not spill over his damaged veins.
‘This is… extreme aura control’, he thought.
CE flowed through him, exploring his veins gently. The

feeling soon subsided as the old man drew back his CE.
The man sounded regretful as he took his hand of Sung-

wook’s.
“That’s a waste… You could have been the best.”
Sung-wook kept his head down.
“There is no damage to your core, but it seems as if you’ve

been hit by something pretty damn bad. It would have been
better if you lost your life,” the old man continued.
It sounded too harsh, but Sung-wook simply nodded at the

sentiment. He understood this. No one else could have been
motivated to keep living in this situation.
“You’re right,” he replied to the old man.
Yoo-seong was shocked at Jin Wei-baek’s harsh words. He

knew that the old man didn’t care about Sung-wook. He had
too much pride.
So instead of forcing Wei-baek for an apology, he thought

about a compromise.
If his body and veins could improve by taking in a pill,

surely, there must be something that Sung-wook could take.
With that in mind, he brought Wei-baek to his mentor.
“You may have noticed it already,” the old man hinted.

Yoo-seong looked at Sung-wook with a confused expression.
Suddenly, Sung-wook trembled and stared at his hands.
“My body…”
Jin Wei-baek nodded with a sad expression.
“You’ll be able to use energy for a short time until all the
energy I have overlaid your veins are worn out. But of
course, it’s just for a few minutes…”
‘Like Cinderella’s glass shoes,’ Sung-wook thought.
Still, he did not hesitate.
Immediately, he ran up along the walls onto the veranda.
He made it back in no time. It was a remarkable

Spinnenschrift. He had trained several years for that
purpose.
After three years, he felt as if he was able to shine again.

Tears filled his eyes as he felt the familiar feeling.
“Yoo-seong… and mister… I don’t know what to say. This is

really…”
Jin Wei-baek waved him off as if he understood what Sung-

wook wanted to say.
“Don’t worry about it. Why don’t you take a walk?”
Sung-wook considered for a few moments, then nodded.
And…
Swish!
With a burst of wind, he went out of the window. Yoo-seong
was shocked.
Even if it was nighttime, someone might see Sung-wook

jumping and running around the city.
There would be fines or punishment that may come with

unauthorized use of CE in residential areas. Still, no one
could have stopped Sung-wook.
Three years.
He had been disabled for three years. Now, even for just a
few moments, he was free again.
“He must feel like someone who has recovered a severed

limb. To be as remarkable as him and live as an ordinary
person…” Jin Wei-baek shook his head with regret.
“Are you saying that you couldn’t give him what you gave
me?” Yoo-seong asked.
“Didn’t I tell you that it was a pretty rare item?” Wei-baek

laughed. “Besides, what I gave him tonight…”
Yoo-seong nodded. The expression on his mentor’s face was

enough. He made eye contact with Jin Wei-baek.
“I want to ask you… are there any means to cure him? I’ll
pay for it however I can.”
“Oh… Do you now trust me enough to make a deal?”
“No. I trust myself,” Yoo-seong spoke confidently.
“I will do my best as a hunter to pay for any means

necessary. If there is nothing you can do, we don’t have to
see each other anymore,” he added.
They stood in silence for a few moments. Then, Jin Wei-baek
took off his sunglasses.
“Alright, then.”
He began to discuss his offer to Yoo-seong.

Chapter 51
Episode 51
The door opened, and a sweat-soaked Sung-wook stepped

in.
The magic was over. The glass shoes had disappeared.
When he entered the house, he saw that the old man was
gone. It was only Yoo-seong who was sitting at the table.
“Where is he?”
“He left.”
Sung-wook went straight towards the refrigerator. His throat

was dry, and the drinks on the table were lukewarm.
“I have to thank him.”
“…”
“For real… It was an experience I never thought possible. I

thought I would never be able to run like that again.”
Sung-wook was still breathless, yet he looked exhilarated all

the same. His lips and throat were dry from intense running,
but he couldn’t feel any pain on his limbs or on his veins.
“That one hour was the happiest I’ve ever experienced in

three years. I think it would be greedy to want something
more.”
Yoo-seong kept his silence, Sung-wook observed. He then

changed the topic.
“Oh, you haven’t eaten yet? I am very hungry, too. I ran like
crazy.”
“Brother…”
“Wait a little, let me heat it up again.”
“I talked to the old man…”
“Stop.”
Sung-wook closed his eyes.
“But… there’s a way,” Yoo-seong started to explain.
“And it won’t be free,” Sung-wook cut him off.
Three years.
For the past three years, Sung-wook had looked for any
means to recover.
He had searched not only through the top medical

institutions in the country, but also through the new
technologies available overseas.
The answer was always the same. There was no way to fix

his damaged veins.
There was temporary relief, such as the pill he took to

demonstrate Spinnenschrift to Yoo-seong.
But there was no cure. Only a miracle to get him out of his
situation.
However, the old man that Yoo-seong brought has managed

a miracle.
Even if it was for a short period.
Perhaps, Sung-wook thought, there was really a way. Once

the glass shoes had worn off, as he walked back home, he
organized his thoughts.
That old man. The broken Korean with a foreign accent. The
transcendent Ki control.
They were all pointing towards Ship Zone.
Tycoons from the Ship Zone would not have come to his
house without getting anything for it. As Yoo-seong and
Sung-wook both saw, the procedure that Jin Wei-baek did to
coat his veins was done as easily as if it was routine.
It must be some kind of bait.
The old man wanted Yoo-seong to see how Sung-wook

would react to his temporary recovery. The price for it… it
could only be something worth more than just money.
“That’s enough. You don’t need to go through anything for

my sake,” Sung-wook’s voice was firm.
“You don’t even know what our agreement was. It’s not
something as bad as you think…”
“Stop! Whatever it is, just stop!” Sung-wook raised his

voice.
“Even if it was just for an hour, I am extremely satisfied with
it. There’s no need to do more. Anything in the world comes
with a price. I’m okay…”
“You’re saying you’re okay,” Yoo-seong replied.
“I am. It’s okay. I am okay…”
“Then look at what you’re holding in your hands. Look at it

before talking again.”
There was silence in the room as Sung-wook stared at what

he got from the refrigerator. Yoo-seong and Sung-wook had
developed a close relationship over the past months.
Before and after dinner, Sung-wook quenches his thirst by

downing a can of beer.
The motion was almost automatic every time he opened the

refrigerator.
Yoo-seong asked him about it once.
“When I was active, I had to take care of my body and

couldn’t drink alcohol. Since I retired three years ago, I
prefer beer over water,” Sung-wook explained with a laugh.
Now, what was in Sung-wook’s hand wasn’t a beer can.
It was bottled water.
It was as if his hope, buried deep in the corner of his heart,

has awakened and made itself obvious.
“The condition we agreed to,” Yoo-seong calmly explained

as Sung-wook kept staring at the water bottle.
“A 5-time contract with Tenz. I have permission to operate in
China for five times. After the 5th operation, it’s over.”
Sung-wook’s eyes widened.
“It’s similar to what I did with QR. I don’t have to be signed

with them, but I’ll get my share of the profits and the by-
products.”
“That’s unbelievable,” Sung-wook exclaimed.
“Go look at the contract thoroughly to see if I’m kidding.”
If that was the case, it would be as if Yoo-seong wasn’t

losing anything. He would get paid to work accordingly. On
top of that, gaining experience in China was something that
every hunter wanted.
“Still, it doesn’t matter if you agree with it or not. Because

that person, Jin Wei-baek, and I, have already agreed to it.”
Sung-wook flinched. Contracts have to go through a

hunter’s agent. If Yoo-seong had signed with Jin Wei-baek
himself, then…
“I have decided not to have you as my agent from now on,”

Yoo-seong said.
“Goddamn it!” Sung-wook threw his water bottle. “Don’t

play with me.”
“It’s not a joke. It’s different now, now that there’s a way for
you to recover.”
“But I’m fine! I don’t need it!” Sung-wook’s voice broke.

“You… you’re deciding what I want to do with my body?”
Yoo-seong kept silent.

“Don’t treat me as if I’m an imbecile!” Sung-wook threw a
punch.
Yoo-seong caught it in his grip. Sung-wook tried to pull it

back, and the two men struggled.
Yoo-seong did not even use CE.
“In my eyes, you look like an imbecile now, brother.”
“Shut up!”
“An idiot who thinks too much and doesn’t admit what he
wants.”
Yoo-seong overpowered Sung-wook and brought him down.

Then, he pressed down Sung-wook’s shoulders with gentle
pressure.
Sung-wook fell gently into a chair.
“Brother. You can start rehabilitation starting tomorrow. We

can start with your physical strength.”
Yoo-seong’s voice was soft but stubborn at the same time.
“Then, as soon as I return to Korea…”
“You don’t know what’s going to happen to you there,”

Sung-wook warned.
“Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to think of this as a

debt to me. Aside from everything else, getting to hunt in
China will be a great opportunity for my career,
Nevertheless, if you feel bad about it…”
They both thought about the time Sung-wook offered his CE

to Yoo-seong.
“It’s just for my self-satisfaction,” they said at the same
time.
Sung-wook then turned silent. He had mixed emotions, a

complicated feeling that can’t be described with words.
“Wait for me, brother,” Yoo-seong said, before turning

around and leaving.
***
Three days later.
An airport platform was crowded with reporters.
“Why was it so sudden, what happened?” one of the

reporters yelled out.
“Oh Yoo-seong! Please, answer a question!”
Yoo-seong passed through the roaring crowd in a rush.
The terrorist incident with Zhang Liu has not even been
resolved yet, and now rumors of a contract with Tenz has
dropped like a bombshell to the public.
A solo hunter free contract.
It was unprecedented for a company like Tenz to invite

speculations and rumors were all over social media.
Some said that Tenz and Yoo-seong were already in contact,

and Goryong Company through Zhang Liu had tried to
sabotage it. Others said that Tenz scouted Yoo-seong
because they appreciated how the hunter had faced
Goryong.
Some even pondered whether Yoo-seong was of Chinese
origin.
On the plane, Yoo-seong was led into a first-class seat

provided by Tenz. Yoo-seong sank into it and sighed as he
browsed articles online.
The local opinion in China was also criticizing Zhang Liu’s

actions, but that didn’t mean that they supported the
Korean government.
Rather, there were negative reactions about the Korean

plans to impose regulations on Chinese companies.
Yoo-seong shook his head. He knew that he would bear the

brunt of the negative public opinion.
It was a problem that he would have to face alone.
No one could help him or advise him, not even Sung-wook.

Once he was in China, he would be out of contact.
Yoo-seong leaned against the airplane seat and closed his

eyes, but he couldn’t sleep.
In fact, he hadn’t slept properly for the past two days.
A reminder that the plane was about to take off rang out.

Just before the passengers were asked to turn off their
mobile phones, Yoo-seong’s phone vibrated.
It was a video call.
Yoo-seong picked it up in a hurry.
It was a familiar landscape. Yoo-seong recognized it as the

training room in the basement.
He heard a man’s sigh. It was Sung-wook. His head and face
were all wet with sweat.
-As you can see, I started exercising again.
Yoo-seong smiled.
-Is there anything you want to say about it, huh?
The two men chuckled awkwardly. It echoed both in the

training room and on the plane.
Just then, the reminder to switch off the mobile phones rang

out.
Sung-wook also heard it from the other line.
“Brother,” Yoo-seong said. “I have to hang up.”
Sung-wook nodded.
-Yeah, well. I don’t have much to say to be honest. I can’t

advise you anything. I haven’t been to China either.
Then, Sung-wook raised his fist.
-So… just this. I believe you.
Yoo-seong smiled and nodded.
“Okay.”
The stewardess checking the aisles saw Yoo-seong’s phone

and approached him. Yoo-seong asked her for patience.
Suddenly,
-YOU CAN DO IT!

The stewardess was surprised at the Sung-wook’s shout that
bust out of nowhere.
“Oh, sorry,” Yoo-seong quickly ended the call and

apologized to the stewardess.
Soon, the plane took off.
Yoo-seong closed his eyes. This time, the sleep that he

sought for finally came.
Chapter 52
Episode 52
“Wow…” Yoo-seong took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.

“This is amazing.”
He was on the top floor of the Qinghae Hotel, which had a

whopping 120 floors in total. It was the accommodation that
had been provided by Tenz.
While definitely luxurious, it was by no means too much for

someone with Yoo-seong’s stature.
He was an accomplished ranked hunter whose net worth

was in the billions range. However, he never really had a
chance to fully enjoy that wealth and fame.
He couldn’t help but feel awed by the view and the deluxe
facilities in his room. As he stood by the window with his
mouth open, he heard the bell rang.
‘Who could be visiting me here’, he thought as he opened

the door.
It was a woman. Rather, it would be more fitting to call her a

‘girl’. She looked like a teenager, probably no older than
twenty.
“Is the accommodation comfortable?” she asked.
“Yes,” Yoo-seong nodded. “It’s really great.”

“My name is Seoyu. I’ll be in charge of Mr. Oh Yoo-seong
during your stay in China.”
“Nice to meet you,” Yoo-seong shook her hand. He wanted

to ask her how old she was but stopped himself.
She was quite tall, but the professional suit she wore did not
seem to fit her childlike face.
“If you need anything, please tell me. This is the cellphone
that Mr. Oh Yoo-seong will use. The first number stored is
mine,” she explained.
“Thank you, Ms. Seoyu. I have something to ask…”
“You can speak comfortably to me. Even though I look this

way, I am younger than you, and I serve as your agent.”
Yoo-seong couldn’t help but smile at that. ‘How old does she
think she looks like?’
“I see,” he said. He liked her already. It was like watching a

younger cousin working part-time.
“Anyway, I wanted to ask if you’re Korean? Your accent… it

sounds Korean.”
“No,” Seoyu replied politely.
“I want to meet with Wei-baek. I have not seen him in

person since I arrived here.”
“What?!” she exclaimed. Seoyu’s attitude instantly

changed. Her face turned red.
“Are you talking about the Master?”
“Yes, is there a problem?”

“How dare you… Is he your friend? How dare you talk about
him so casually??!”
There were tears in Seoyu’s eyes as she screamed at Yoo-

seong. Yoo-seong found the reaction absurd. It was as if he
had insulted her parents.
“I just call him the way I want to call him,” he responded

nonchalantly.
However, Seoyu wasn’t taking it. “Damn you!”
Aura rose from her body as she rolled up her sleeves.
“I cannot allow this disrespect,” she growled.
Yoo-seong tilted his head. Looking at her form, she appeared

to be a hunter as well.
He sighed. The friendliness he felt with the young girl was

gone instantly.
“What? Are you going to run?” she taunted him.
“Know one thing,” he said in a serious tone. “I do not

tolerate this kind of behavior.”
He didn’t use Aura, but Seoyu felt the change in the

atmosphere instantly. She had trained to some extent and
recognized the threat she was facing.
Yoo-seong increased his will and concentration, and it

affected his surroundings. He had learned it by watching
someone do it.
At the park, Jin Wei-baek made everyone nearby tremble

without releasing his power. Yoo-seong recreated the
technique unconsciously.
Seoyu froze. ‘I have to say something’, she thought.
However, her throat turned dry. The Aura she had around
her body began to dissolve.
Yoo-seong simply stared at her.
“The only reason I’m holding back now…” he said, as he

relaxed his concentration.
“It’s not because you’re a woman and a child. It’s simply

because you’re from a company I have a business
relationship with. If I crush you, it may be difficult for me…”
Seoyu gulped as she listened.
“Of course, it would be more difficult for you,” Yoo-seong

continued. “You caused a problem with your Master’s
guest.”
Seoyu kept silent and stared at the floor in embarrassment.
“The moment you raise your hand against me… No, the
moment you raise Aura like you just did. I’ll treat you as a
threat, not as my agent. Got it?”
“Y-Yes, yes,” Seoyu mumbled.
“Louder.” Yoo-seong’s voice was stern.
“Yes,” she trembled.
His expression remained cold. “I won’t let this pass.”
He lifted three fingers and folded one down.
“Three strikes. As you said earlier, you are my subordinate

by age and position.”
“…”
“If you continue to bother me, I will somehow contact Jin

Wei-baek directly and tell him that the temporary secretary
he assigned me is a mess. Because of that secretary, I’m
ending my contract with you.”
Seoyu’s body shivered uncontrollably, not because of anger

at how Yoo-seong had said her Master’s name so casually
once more. It was because she realized that the man in
front of him was sincere.
“Look at me,” Yoo-seong told her, who still had her eyes
fixed on the ground. “Do you understand?”
Seoyu hesitated.
“Answer me!”
She was startled and opened her mouth too late.
“Strike two,” he said, folding another finger.
Seoyu was near tears and spoke Chinese without realizing it.
“I’m sorry… I’m truly sorry.”
She closed her eyes tightly.
Yoo-seong watched her calmly.
He didn’t have to go this far. He wouldn’t have done it in

Korea.
However, he was in China now.
The way Chinese hunters operated and treated each other

was different from what he was used to.
Even before the appearance of cracks, they had been
divided by groups or by martial arts schools. Confrontations
between them were active until modern times.
Thus, a Chinese hunter’s disposition was more emotional,

more confrontational.
On top of that, the weak always deferred to the strong.
Of course, even in Korea, the strong ones were always

respected, but there was a definite difference.
No matter how intense one’s emotions were, no matter how

much difference there was in positions, verbal and physical
violence never happened.
A platinum seal hunter abusing another hunter with a low

seasonal rank?
It would surely cause a disturbance. The media and public

opinion would criticize the senior hunter.
However, it was different in this place, Yoo-seong

recognized.
He had no detailed information about their culture, but

based on his previous experiences with Chinese hunters,
they seemed to be more accepting of confrontation.
He had faced Chulyeop and even Jin Wei-baek in public

spaces. Once he appeared to be weak, it would be over for
him.
He had proven his theory with Seoyu.
Even if she was supposed to be her subordinate, she didn’t

hesitate to challenge him when her pride was hurt.
However, when Yoo-seong showed her that he was superior
in strength, she immediately bowed her head and accepted
his authority.
‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’, Yoo-seong decided.
“If you have anything else to say, do it,” he told her.
She shook her head.
“Then, find me a crack as soon as possible. I want to finish

the contract right away.”
Six hours later.,,
“What’s this?” Yoo-seong said as he stood in a public square

near the crack location.
He felt the overwhelming cultural difference. The square

was infested with hunters barking at each other.
At the corner of the square were public security agents who

seem to be protecting a makeshift reception desk.
“You just have to sign up through that desk,” Seoyu

explained.
“Oh… don’t we go through prior registration and

processing?”
In Korea, the Special Defense Agency assigns hunters and

teams to a crack.
However, in here…
“No. The party doesn’t intervene with us. You have to sign
up to your preferred location.”
No hunters had approached the reception area yet.
Closest to the reception desk were groups who appeared to

be the big-shot ones, based on how no one was bothering
them.
“The strong groups,” Seoyu looked at where Yoo-seong was

staring at. “In the case of strong groups, there is no need to
make concessions. However, for hunters and teams of equal
levels, they can make an agreement.”
“Agreement?” Yoo-seong was amazed at the term she used.
The ‘agreement’ she was talking about was obviously a

brawl.
Hunters and teams looked like opposing gangs trying to

secure a position in the operation. Apart from the difference
in zoning, Yoo-seong also observed a significant difference
in terms of information dissemination.
In Korea, the Special Defense Agency sent through briefings

and various essential information through an app.
Here, however… there was no observational support, no

briefings, no prior operational consultations.
Just a loud voice from the desk announcing the crack

opening time every 30 minutes.
‘Is it… confidence?’ Yoo-seong wondered.
The strength of organization in the Korean hunting industry

was something that Yoo-seong had frequently heard. It was
spoken of so commonly in local and foreign news that he
had taken it for granted.
However, faced with this strange environment, he began to

appreciate what they had at home.
No matter how strong these hunters were, given how they

fought to secure a zone, it was unlikely that they could work
together in the actual operation.
“It’s disorderly,” Yoo-seong couldn’t help but remark.
Seoyu, however, seemed unfazed.
“It’s a way to separate the weak from the strong,” she

responded, with her face filled with pride.
“Well,” Yoo-seong sighed. “Okay then.”
He opened his suitcase.
The Queen’s Hug was still in Korea. It had to be re-

assembled to fit his new physique.
Therefore, the suit that Yoo-seong would wear in China

would be supplied by Tenz.
“I heard that the Master himself chose this for you,” Seoyu
whispered with envy.
Click-!
Yoo-seong’s jaw dropped when he saw what was inside the

case.
It was a basic 2-star type suit used by rookies in Korea.

The armband it had on the left was plain white. Since Yoo-
seong had no experience hunting in this country, he
accepted it.
However, on the other arm…
Since he was on a contract with Tenz, the Tenz seal should

have been displayed.
But instead, it had the Korean flag on it.
“The Korean national flag?” Seoyu said as if it was

interesting.
There was a light smile on her mouth. “Did you ask the
Master for this?”
“No…” Yoo-seong considered his level of patriotism as

average.
He was proud of his country, but to walk around carrying the

Korean flag on one arm while participating in a Chinese
operation…
It was like asking for trouble.
It must be Jin Wei-baek’s idea of a joke. As soon as he put it

on, eyes began to gather in his direction.
Even if he couldn’t understand their language, he knew they

were talking about him. All the Chinese hunters recognized
him.
Oh Yoo-seong.
He was the foreigner who signed a free contract with Tenz.

He was the hunter who brought down Goryong and initiated
the talks to restrict Chinese hunters from South Korea.
He was the notorious Oh Yoo-seong.
Suddenly, a huge man walked out of the crowd to approach

him.
The others began to follow suit. Yoo-seong knew it was

trouble brewing, and grabbed Seoyu.
“Oh!” she was startled.
The huge man tried to grab Yoo-seong, but he dodged it by

sliding under the man’s arm.
Then, from a crouching position, he flipped his body by 90

degrees and placed a foot on the man’s arm.
He had no intention of dealing with him. He only needed a

foothold for the Spider Walk.
“Hey you!”
“Sorry!” Yoo-seong yelled behind him as he bounced upon

the structures in the square towards the reception desk.
The security agents were stunned as he landed gently in

front of the table, with Seoyu in his arms.
“Translate what I say,” Yoo-seong told her.
“What, what?”
“Oh Yoo-seong. Rush team. Enrollment.”
As Seoyu explained, the authorities did not intervene with

the hunters. No one could stop him from registering.
“Right. There was only one spot left,” Seoyu remarked.
After a few seconds, Yoo-seong’s name popped up on a

large monitor installed above the reception desk.
Then, an announcement rang out through the square. He

thought it would be announcing that the rush team spots
have been completed.
“Good,” he said.
Then, he turned towards the hunters in the square who had

watched what just happened.
“This time, please translate this to them,” he told Seoyu.
“To anyone who has complains about it, come forward. One
by one.”
Chapter 53
Episode 53
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong,” Seoyo lowered her voice as the crowd

erupted into a cacophony of angry shouts.
“It’s a secret that Master is the head of Tenz.”
“I know it’s confidential,” Yoo-seong answered casually.

Upon hearing this, Seoyu wanted to scream.
‘Then, why?’
She would have understood if Yoo-seong challenged all the

hunters gathered in front of them if he planned on using Jin
Wei-baek’s name.
But this… with a foreign flag on his armband, nonetheless!
“Here in Shanghai… the respect Tenz receives here is…” she

warned.
“I knew that. I did my research.”
Yoo-seong was aware that there were two dominant groups

in this region. These were the Red Dragon Society and the
Dragon Slayers.
Tenz was still considered as the most influential company

globally, but there were areas in China that were not under
their control. They had a footing in several provinces and
administrative districts such as Hanam, Hebei, Shanxi,
Anhui, and Shandong, but there were also areas that did not
recognize their influence.
There were regions where other large organizations had

dominated throughout history, and these organizations still
maintained their power in the area.
‘There must be a reason why he sent me here’, Yoo-seong

thought.
Since the dinner in Sung-wook’s apartment, Jin Wei-baek

had never reached out to Yoo-seong. No conditions, no
words, no information. In fact, the only form of contact he
made was to send in a temporary secretary.
With Tenz’s background, it would have been easy to assign

Yoo-seong in areas under their influence.
Instead, he was sent to a region where he had to compete.

He was thrown in like cold water into a pot of boiling oil.
He didn’t know what Jin Wei-baek’s intention was, but he

assumed that he was being made to suffer. He wanted to
make Yoo-seong give up before he was even able to
complete the contract.
Yoo-seong smiled. The opportunity to hunt in China was not

something to suffer through. Rather, for him, it was
showtime.
A contract for five operations was unusually long for a

Korean, or any foreign hunter, to have. On top of that, Sung-
wook’s recovery was on the line. It was a time to enjoy and
harvest the fruit of his efforts.
Suddenly, a woman of Yoo-seong’s age walked out of the
buzzing crowd. Even at first glance, it was obvious to Yoo-
seong that she was the top hunter in the square.
“This is Yang Biyeon,” Seoyu said in a resigned tone. “The

eldest daughter of the CEO… the heir to Red Dragon
Society.”
The buzz quieted down as the woman walked forward.
Her outfit was the sort that could take people’s breath away.
A hunter’s suit was designed first and foremost to be
functional. Fashion was only secondary.
However, the suit that Yang Biyeon wore appeared to be an

exception.
It was a suit designed as several red dragons wrapped

around her body, with a texture that resembled a reptile’s
scales. The tight suit hugged her body perfectly, revealing
her sensual form.
“I represent the Red Dragon Society,” Yang Biyeon spoke in

an unexpectedly soft voice.
Seoyu hurried to interpret for them.
“Withdraw your name, if you don’t want to die.”
“What?” Yoo-seong was surprised. “Can you threaten my life

in public just like that?”
“No,” Yang Biyeon shook her head before continuing. “I

know you’re a hunter of some skill. Perhaps take this as
some sort of goodwill.”
“Goodwill?”
Yang Biyeon nodded. “The monsters that could be found in
our rifts are entirely different from what you’ve faced in the
Korean peninsula. Threats like the giant turtle that you’ve
struggled to push back have popped out here in the past.”
Yoo-seong managed to read between her words. Although it

sounded as if she was concerned about his safety, it was
obvious that he was being asked to stand down because he
wasn’t good enough for them.
Seoyu observed Yoo-seong, expecting him to react violently.
Instead, Yoo-seong remained calm. “Please interpret this for

me,” he asked her.
“Honestly, I have prepared enough for whatever, but thank

you for your concern.”
He held Yang Biyeon’s gaze. “I fully understood what you

meant, but I am confident in my skills. I won’t remove my
name. So, if you have other ways to persuade me other
than this kind warning, please use it.”
The hunters who heard Yoo-seong’s remarks erupted with

excitement.
Of course, what Yoo-seong meant when he said ‘other

means’ was a type of provocation.
When disputes over the operational area intensified, the

team leaders of the group could settle it by setting up a
simple battle to test the competing hunters’ abilities.
Everyone’s attention shifted to Yang Biyeon. The ball was in

her court.
She was the team leader that would head the rush team.
Yang Biyeon remained silent for a while and considered.
Then, she opened her mouth.
***
“Vice Lord…” one of the Red Dragon rush team members

hesitantly approached Yang Biyeon.
“What is it?”
“Are you really thinking about putting that foreigner in the

rush team?” He spoke for virtually all the members. “If we
put a stranger in, it could mess up our formation.”
“If.” Yang Biyeon said sternly.
“What do you mean, Vice Lord? Do you want me to fight

with him?”
“No!”
In an instant, Yang Biyeon pulled out her weapon.
A pair of twin swords, each about her size, with a dragon

engraved on each blade – the Red Dragon Twin Swords.
This was a family heirloom that had been passed down from
generation to generation. This pair of weapons had been
smelted with by-products of monsters. The swords were
even considered as one of the historical artifacts in the
Chinese hunting industry.
No one knew exactly what the weapons’ grade was, but it

was rumored to have 9-stars at least.
“You and I are part of the Red Dragon,” she said, in a firm
voice.
“Uh… yes.”
“There is no reason to worry about a foreigner joining us.”
Yang Biyeon simply unsheathed her weapons and set their

tips on the ground as she spoke. However, the team
members trembled. It was as if she had pressed the blades
on their necks.
“Vice Lord, I’m sorry, I’m really sorry…” the team member
apologized profusely with his head bowed.
“There is only one foreigner,” Yang Biyeon repeated, this

time in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “It would
not disrupt our operation and take away our glory.”
The team members yelled in agreement.
Then, Yang Biyeon sighed.
‘It’s difficult’, she thought to herself.
Three years had passed since she took on the position as a

team leader and as the Vice Lord of the Red Dragon.
However, she was feeling burdened by it.
She knew she lacked charisma. Although her father had

officially declared that he would hand over the company to
her once he retired, she still felt the stark difference with
how the members treated her.
They respected how she started from the bottom of the

organization regardless of her privilege. The members
recognized her authority and followed her well.
However, Yang Biyeon couldn’t help but wonder if the

members would have questioned the decision to let Yoo-
seong join the rush team if it had been her father.
In the first place, she was used to hunting solo. She had
never enjoyed being a leader.
Yang Biyeon sighed one more time before looking behind

her. Oh Yoo-seong, the foreigner, was doing the basic warm-
up exercises.
‘No matter how much I look at the situation’, Yang Biyeon

thought, ‘I could only end up looking like a fool.’
The other team members were also watching the foreigner.

Some openly laughed at him. Despite that, Yoo-seong was
calmly doing his exercises, as if no one was watching him.
Then, as he changed his posture, their eyes met.
Yoo-seong smiled a little while holding her gaze and nodded

at her. Yang Biyeon nodded back.
‘This person’, she thought. It was the same impression she

wore when she first approached him.
He held her gaze. His eyes never strayed down at her body.
Yang Biyeon hated her suit. However, she inherited it from

her father, who had inherited it from their grandfather. It
was a precious heirloom. Aside from its size, she could not
alter anything on it.
The first time she wore it, she felt ashamed to death.
‘I’m not wearing this’, she thought. ‘I’m not a prostitute.’
Until now, she trembled every time she had to wear it and
show her body in front of others. She worried about it more
than the actual hunting operations themselves.
Of course, given her position, no one dared to stare at her
openly. However, even her team members positioned
themselves to where they could watch her implicitly. No one
was an exception.
But this foreigner… Ever since they met, he had only met
her eyes. It was as if he treated her as an equal.
“Vice Lord?”
A voice broke her concentration. It was the member who

approached her earlier.
“Yes?”
“The crack will open soon. And… I’m really sorry about
earlier.”
Yang Biyeon nodded. “The Vice Lord is right. He’s cheeky,

but he’s not a big deal. I will do my best to focus on
hunting.”
“Okay.”
At that moment…
Kurreung-!
The crack burst open.
Just before the monsters started pouring out, Yang Biyeon

shot a glance at Yoo-seong’s direction. He looked completely
focused.
“Festival!” one of the members yelled out.
Festival-★★★★
They were cow-like monsters the size of a house. They had
sharp horns all over their body, which they could shoot out
like hedgehogs.
Kuung-!
Due to their weight, there were explosions everywhere they

landed.
However, the rush team’s goal was not to deal with them.
They could leave the monsters to the other hunters
assigned underneath the rift. Their goal was to penetrate
the rift and close it from the inside.
Mooo-!
Several Festivals roared and sent horns flying towards the

rush team. In terms of tenacity, the horns were enough to
pierce armor.
None of the team members fled. Instead, those in front

swung their swords.
Kang-!
The horns bounced off the Aura-coated blades.
Meanwhile, the other team members attacked the Festivals

from a distance. The massive bodies of the four-star beasts
crashed to the ground in an instant.
This was the power of each individual, magnified by the

spread of Ki in their formation.
“How do you like that, foreigner?” one of the team members

yelled out.
Every team member was full of pride after showing off their
performance.
The coordination between teams and firms, the division of

ranged and close-combat hunters, the various state-of-the-
art equipment… All of the stuff the Korean hunting industry
was proud of was nothing against pure martial arts
developed throughout history.
Within minutes, the power lift that would carry the rush
team into the crack has been installed.
As soon as Yang Biyeon and the team boarded it, they

noticed something.
“Huh?”
“Where’s that foreigner?”
The lift had begun to rise.
“Hey!” One of the team members yelled. “Come quickly;

you can still catch it.”
“Oh my God,” one remarked. “He froze.”
Yoo-seong was standing still, quite a distance away from

them.
He was just staring at the slowly ascending lift.
“What is he doing? Vice Lord?” one of the team members

sought Yang Biyeon’s guidance. He asked whether they
should stop the lift and wait for Yoo-seong.
“No,” Yang Biyeon bit her lips. “Just go.”

There was no need to inconvenience the whole team by
stopping the lift.
Oh Yoo-seong wouldn’t be much help anyway.
‘Maybe he realized the skill difference’, she thought, ‘and

felt ashamed of himself.’
The lift was soon out of reach.
The Festivals jumped from rooftop to rooftop and kept

shooting horns at them.
However, no matter how many horns were fired, the Aura-

coated blades repelled them easily.
As they neared the rift, several members yelled taunts

below towards Yoo-seong. When the members reach the rift,
it was only a matter of time before the operation would end.
It would seem that Yoo-seong would go home with nothing.
But then, a feet away from the opening, something

unexpected happened.
A Festival, quite larger than the others, fell out of the crack
just on top of the lift.
If it even grazed the rift, the whole thing would crash to the
ground. The members of the rush team would fall to their
death.
Yang Biyeon sprung into action.
“Everyone, bow down!” she yelled, as she unleashed the

Twin Swords.
The giant blades looked tiny against a house-sized creature,

but as soon as they touched the beast-
Quaang-!
The giant Festival split into six in an instant.
“Wohoo!” The members cheered. They did not doubt their

Vice Lord, even for a moment.
Even Yang Biyeon smiled lightly at their enthusiasm. The

huge chunks of Festival flesh fell to the ground.
“What the…” one of the team members noticed something

as his eyes followed the Festival fragments’ trajectory.
The others were also watching.
Everyone saw it. Something was moving in the air, using the
large chunks as a foothold.
“It can’t be…” one team member mouthed as the others

remained still, with mouths hanging open.
Yoo-seong was using the fragments as if they were stepping

stones arranged just for him. In the midst of the stunned
silence, everyone had the same realization.
Even with that, it would be impossible for Yoo-seong to

reach the crack.
There were not enough fragments for him to step on.
Suddenly, from below, a wave of Festival horns came flying

upwards, towards Yoo-seong.
He didn’t make a move to avoid or deflect it.
Instead, he coated his legs with Aura, and used the

momentum of the horns to aid his ascent, pushing him
towards the crack even faster than the lift could.
Yang Biyeon and the team members watched him with a
mixture of shock and amazement. Just as he passed by the
lift, Yoo-seong waved his palms slightly.
It was as if he was saying, “I’ll go first.”

Chapter 54
Episode 54
“What happened just now?” one of the rush team members

managed to blurt out. The others were frozen in place.
They were the Red Dragon Society: one of the strongest and
most elite teams, under the direct control of their CEO’s
successor, Yang Biyeon. However, the other person who
signed up to be with them inside the crack, a foreigner
whom they laughed at…
He had leapt through falling chunks of Festival meat.
He even used the beast’s horns to be catapulted into the

crack, and as he passed by the lift, he waved his hands at
them.
It was unacceptable. No one knew what to say. Even Yang

Biyeon was stunned.
In a way, it was a result of their arrogance.
If this had happened in Korea, the hunters would not have

been surprised. It was to be expected of Oh Yoo-seong.
Everyone, even beyond the hunting industry, had seen his
videos.
However, the Chinese hunters were unfamiliar with it. As

they prided themselves on being the best, they didn’t care
about what had been happening overseas. It was definitely
a shock for them to see something like it.
Luckily, Yang Biyeon soon found her words.
“Everyone, prepare for entry,” she yelled firmly, waking the

members from their trance. “Do not forget who we are!”
Her words were effective, and struck fire in the members’

hearts.
“Yeah!” they responded fiercely.
“Just being a little faster or stronger is not enough to

overshadow our tradition!”
Their pride, which wobbled for a moment, stood stiff and

upright once again. “Let’s show the cheeky guy our skills!”
“Exactly!”
Yang Biyeon nodded as she finished her speech.
‘They were just like fighting cocks being given medicine

before the battle’, she thought. Their elevated emotions led
to an increase of Aura simmering over their bodies.
‘Good’, she thought.
The rush team hacked away on each Festival going within

their range as the lift ascended. Soon, they too had reached
the rift.
“Charge!” one of the team members yelled as he jumped in.
“Go, go, go!” the others behind urged those in front, as if

they could not wait for their turn.
Everyone was pumped up for action. However, they were
not prepared to see what was waiting for them inside.
“Huh?”
“Oh…”
It was bigger than they imagined.
One of the first ones who ran into the crack had been met
by a running Festival.
Although he was quick to defend himself by raising his

sword, there was a huge difference between deflecting a
Festival’s horn and being ran over its massive body.
“Damn it!” the member cursed as he was thrown in the air.
Upon crashing back to the ground, he rolled several times

before he was able to control his body. Unlike the cracks in
the Korean Peninsula, where the world beyond were mostly
subtropical jungles, the cracks in China were mostly open
fields. As such, monsters as huge as a Festival could run at
full speed.
There was nothing to block their path; only yellow wild grass
and clouds of dust from their hooves.
The rush team could not see the horizon from where they
stood. Instead, they saw a view full of countless Festivals,
each running as if they were insane.
In Korea, a team leader would have notified the control area

of the unexpected threat and order a retreat immediately. It
was another situation where the difference in culture was
obvious.
“What the hell is this?” one team member pulled out his
sword. The others also had their weapons out, swinging
wildly.
Certainly, the individual skills of the rush team members

could have been a factor.
Each was confident that they could take on a four-star beast

charging towards them.
Besides, it was an unexpectedly good situation for them.

The abundance of Festivals meant a surplus of prey.
“Everyone, hold your positions!” Yang Biyeon yelled out as

thick clouds of dust began to engulf them.
From beyond the dust, she heard the members respond.

Even in her judgment, this was not reason enough to order a
retreat.
The Red Dragon Society members were strong enough.
“Yell out every thirty seconds to confirm the situation!” she

ordered blindly.
They could slaughter as many Festivals as possible until the

herd quieted down. Yang Biyeon began swinging the Twin
Swords.
Thirty seconds.
One minute.
One minute and thirty seconds.
Even though she couldn’t see them, she heard each

member through the mass of large beasts and the thick
dust.
-Clear!
-Clear!
-Clear!
Every time she heard their call, Yang Biyeon felt relieved.
‘They are elite hunters who can handle it’, she assured
herself. ‘The more they kill, the more we would profit.’
Being a four-star beast, the Festival had considerable value.
When the fuss died down, they could throw out the corpses
out of the crack while charging the circuit breaker. There
may even be some Festivals that could be captured alive.
Suddenly, Yang Biyeon felt something coming from behind

her. She immediately turned and raised her swords.
“What is this?” she said, as she saw a familiar

expressionless face.
Oh Yoo-seong.
The foreigner had a Gellar gun in his hand aimed at her.

Then, he fired.
Caang-!
Yang Biyeon acted in time and blocked it with her sword.
“You’re crazy!” she screamed.
She had thought about it in passing. Why would Yoo-seong

insist to join them inside the crack?
Maybe he wanted to avenge the act of terrorism that a
Chinese company did to him, she thought. Now, she was
convinced.
‘I shouldn’t have trusted him’, she thought, as she activated

her genetically inherited Psy.
Ignition.
A fierce flame burst forth from the engraved dragons in her

twin swords. She steadied herself for battle. However…
Pop-!
The ground beneath her shook, catching her unaware. The

bullet she blocked was a Parasitic Bee that lodged near her
feet.
Before she could regain her balance, she felt an incoming

mass.
‘Festivals’, she thought as she fell. At her current state, she

would surely be crushed.
Suddenly, Yoo-seong was upon her, catching her arm.
Tuk-!
“Ah!” Yang Biyeon wanted to scream as soon as she felt it.
She felt her blood harden, and her limbs go stiff, as if they
were petrified.
‘This… This is…’
A technique that sealed the movement of another person by

solidifying their blood.
It was the stuff of legends, her father told her. Even he, who
was a leader in the Ship Zone, had never seen it.
Yoo-seong’s Automatic Hunting copied it from Jin Wei-baek.
She felt helpless as Yoo-seong carried her away, before the

stampede crushed her. As she looked up at Yoo-seong’s
expressionless face, she felt ashamed.
She struggled to move her body somehow, but it was not

possible. Tears of frustration spilled from her eyes.
She hoped he would kill her immediately, as he set her

down away from the Festivals.
However, he simply stared at her. She felt as if she was

being looked down upon. A few seconds passed. No move to
finish her off came.
Instead, she heard him say something in Korean.
She didn’t know the language, but his gesture was

universal:
‘Wait.’
Then, he disappeared into the dust.
After a minute, he was back with another team member in

his arms. Like her, the team member was rigid as a rock.
He settled the team member down beside her, then he

disappeared again.
Again and again he went, until eight petrified bodies,

including Yang Biyeon’s, were side by side away from the
Festival rush.
“Woo!” Yoo-seong sighed heavily.
The Red Dragon members could not speak, but what they
wanted to say was obvious from their hateful gaze towards
Yoo-seong. It was as if they were blaming him for ruining the
hunt.
Yang Biyeon’s thoughts were different.
Including her, there were seventeen Red Dragon members

who participated as the rush team. Because of the situation,
they wouldn’t have known that their leader and other
teammates had been captured helplessly.
‘Would Yoo-seong leave the other nine alone?’
Tension and fear were in everyone’s eyes as Yoo-seong

approached them.
“Listen carefully,” he said, pointing at his ears. “Listen,

okay?”
He kept repeating the words.
“Listen, listen.”
Even though they didn’t understand the word or his

intention, the Red Dragon members had nothing else to do
in this situation.
Their ears naturally focused.
The cries of the Festivals.
The sound of their hooves.
And after thirty second, the roll-call.

They were glad to hear that the other nine members were
okay, but what was strange was that, there were still
seventeen shouts in total.
-Clear!
-Clear!
-Clear!
‘How could it be, they all thought, when half of the group
are lying here helplessly, unable to speak?’
Yang Biyeon’s eyes widened as she heard her own voice

from beyond the clouds of dust.
“I hope they understand,” Yoo-seong sighed heavily.
He was the first one inside the crack, and witnessed the
Festivals running senselessly.
Yoo-seong had then hidden himself in a safe position and

observed calmly. He had collected information about
monsters appearing in China.
Festivals were rated 4-stars due to their size, not because of

their intelligence. They had no organized command system.
They were dull monsters that lived in groups.
They would not act this way unless something had disturbed
the herd.
‘A predator’, his intuition told him.
As soon as he switched Auto-Hunt on, he was led to Yang

Biyeon. And as he stood in front of her, he heard her voice
from beyond the dust right away.
‘A monster that imitates the voice of its prey.’
It was horrifying.
He had goosebumps on his arms as he listened to the roll-

call along with the captured rush team members.
With Auto-Hunt, he was able to find all the members who

were still alive.
It meant that the group in front of him were the only ones
that survived. The other nine members were already dead.
Yoo-seong switched the Auto-Hunt button off and sat beside

Yang Biyeon.
He would wait until the dust settled so he could find the

predator. It would be difficult to locate it if it was hiding in
the midst of the large Festivals.
He looked at Yang Biyeon and wondered if he should release

her blood.
After contemplating about it, he picked up the Twin Swords

instead. They seem as if they would be more helpful than
another person to worry about.
Yang Biyeon stared at him with a resigned look on her face.
She lost half of her elite members, and now, the symbol of
the family was on a foreigner’s hands. What was worse was
that there was nothing she could do about it.
Time passed slowly.
Eventually, the clouds gradually faded, exposing several

Festival carcasses on the ground. Soon, the rush team
members saw them – The predators feasting on the corpses.
They were also four-legged beasts, slightly smaller than that
of the Festival. Their huge mouths worked nonstop, biting
off chunks off flesh, while mimicking Festival cries and
human voices from time to time.
‘Maybe it was a joke between them’, Yoo-seong thought.

‘Mimicking the voice of their prey while feasting on them.’
It was creepy.
Behind him, the Red Dragon members were shivering. No

one had ever seen these monsters face-to-face. At least, no
one has survived to tell the tale.
Despite that, they were familiar with its appearance and

notoriety. One of the creatures landed near the others,
carrying a familiar figure on its huge claws.
Yang Biyeon closed her eyes tightly. ‘One of my men…’
It was a human body, its face torn beyond recognition.
‘Damn it, damn it’, she cursed. This would surely go down as
one of the worst failures in the history of hunting in China.
No rush team could have prepared for this. One of the four
species of Perils was right in front of them.
Yang Biyeon knew she would die that day. Everyone was
thinking the same thing.
Everyone, except Yoo-seong.
-Blink your eyes…-
He did not have any notions about the brutality of the

monsters in front of him.
All he could think about was the great opportunity to make
use of his new strength. It had been ten days since he
consumed the Golden Pill.
Now, it had been completely absorbed by his body.
And the effect was…

Chapter 55
Episode 55
Yoo-seong’s muscles and bones began to grow larger, his

joints popping with new strength. At this, one of the
predators lifted its head towards the sound.
It licked its gruesome lips as it stared at Yoo-seong. For

them, these preys were much stronger than the Festivals,
but their meat was very tender and tasty.
The predator purred, and the other lifted their heads and
followed its gaze.
-Clear!
-Clear!
-Clear!
Gruesome human voices rose from their throats as they

watched Yoo-seong. Meanwhile, Yoo-seong was still
crouching, his muscles stretching towards his new form.
-Damn, help me!
-Vice Lord!
-Help!
-Mom! Mom!
The sounds that the predators mimicked grow more
horrendous. Then, one of the beasts lunged.
Yoo-seong raised his head and gauged his foe.
Though they were slightly smaller than a Festival, they were

still large beasts, about the size of a water buffalo.
Considering his suit’s durability, it would be best to avoid it

rather than meeting it head-on. Yes, this would have been
the best option.
However, with Auto-Hunt, his body had a mind of its own.

With a Twin Sword in hand, his arm was already moving
towards the monster, faster than a car running at top speed.
Quaang-!
It sounded as if the blade hit a rock. However, in an instant,

there was a ripping sound.
Jeookkkk-!
The beast split in half. Its carcass, which had split in two, fell
with a heavy thud.
Kraar-!
Another beast leaped towards Yoo-seong, its mouth drawn

open. Its huge tongue, about the size of a snake, was
reaching out towards Yoo-seong. The tongue itself had
another mouth on its tip, with needle-like teeth bared.
Yoo-seong quickly spun to avoid it, his muscles changing as

he did so. Then, as the beast passed by him, he brought his
sword down.
His arm had grown twice in size, and the heavy swing split
the predator in half from tail to monstrous tongue.
Yoo-seong stood still, calmly waiting for the next attack.
In Eastern medicine, in addition to Yin and Yang, it was

believed that there was a suitable physical environments. In
sports, for example, there were different body types
depending on which position they were playing in.
Each player may have a separate set of muscles slightly

developed more than the others to aid them in their
position. The human body had the ability to grow and adapt
to a certain action and environment.
They called it the Constitution in the East. It was a general

term used to describe a perfect body for martial arts.
However, could there be an absolutely perfect body for

hunting?
The answer was no.
There were too many variables to consider. The cracks may

each have a different environment, the monsters a hunter
could face may vary, and there were unexpected situations
that could arise.
Caang-!
However, Yoo-seong…
Jeeokk-!
As he continued to easily split the dreaded predators in

half…
Thud-!
It was unbelievable. Even a Ki Master would have found it
difficult not to be astounded.
His shoulders and back had grown 1.5 times wider than
normal. His arms also grew longer and more muscular. It
was the perfect body to wield a pair of full-length swords.
The Red Dragon Society members, who had witnessed

everything, were dumbfounded.
‘Is it possible to change your Constitution with Ki?’
They watched as Yoo-seong continuously swung his perfect

arms, the pair of swords that was the Red Dragon’s pride
splitting predators in half.
Quaang-!
Finally, Yoo-seong killed the last monster – or so they

thought.
Yoo-seong looked up as a huge shadow crept through the

ground. It was a beast of the same species, but was several
times larger than the others.
‘Could it be,’ Yoo-seong thought, ‘that all I have faced so far

were cubs?’
The Red Dragon Society members also looked up. Their eyes
widened in fear as they confirmed what it was. It was a full-
grown beast.
Qiongqi (窮奇). ★★★★★★★★★★★★
It was a monster with a whopping 12-star rating.

It didn’t care for its offspring. It was simply enjoying the
sight of slaughter below – the cries of the Festivals and the
human victims, the bloodshed, the giggling of its cubs.
But now, the plain had turned silent. Even the laughter of its
cubs had been shut down.
It now began to move.
The monster opened its cavernous mouth, letting out a high

frequency that was harmful to anyone within reach. The
Festivals who were still breathing convulsed as soon as they
heard the frequency. Then, they were choked by their own
blood, which spurted in all directions.
This frequency had the power to make one’s blood boil to

the point of explosion. Fortunately for the Red Dragon
Society, their blood had been completely petrified.
Although their eardrums hurt from the sound, they wouldn’t

suffer the same fate as the Festivals.
Yoo-seong, however, was standing in the open.
He was thrown to his knees as soon as he heard the sound,

but he managed to get back up despite the pain. He had no
protective gear against this kind of attack, and he almost
fainted, but still, he forced himself to stay standing.
Yoo-seong endured and waited for the howl to end. Even

Auto-Hunt could not help him against this.
He only had purpose and faith to hold on to. ‘Keep

standing,’ he urged himself as he closed his eyes tight.
The Qiongqi was watching him from above, considering its

next move. Soon, it decided that the creature below must
be immune to the high-frequency howl.
It began to descend, and Yoo-seong was waiting for it.
As soon as he saw the wings move toward his direction, he

filled his legs with Aura. Then, he leapt to meet a 10-m long
monster descending towards him.
It was as if time stopped.
Yoo-seong was face to face with a mythological creature in

the sky.
“Yaaaah!” Yoo-seong yelled and jumped on its back.
-Assault form applied-
His arms were filled with glaring light as he concentrated his

Aura on them.
-Damn it!
-Hey, hey, hey!
-Go!
The Qiongqi’s mouth was spouting different human voices,

trying to distract Yoo-seong.
However, Yoo-seong’s focus was on the Twin Swords on his

hands.
With a shout, he plunged it in, penetrating the beast’s tough

hide. From then on, his developed muscles’ usefulness had
ended.
It was all up to his fine veins and Aura control.

Yoo-seong used a Parasitic Bee and sent it through the
wound the swords made.
-Hey, hey, hey!
The Qiongqi continued to yell out as Yoo-seong stretched

out the Parasitic Bee as far as his CE allowed. Yoo-seong
closed his eyes tight as he spent all of his energy pushing
the Bee on, towards a vital spot.
“The Red Dragon Society is taking too long…” a hunter

observed.
“Do you think something went wrong inside?” another

remarked.
Outside the rift, the monsters had already been subdued. It

wasn’t a big deal, though they were surprised by an outpour
of Festivals at one point.
Still, 4-star monsters such as the Festivals were easy for

them to deal with.
The hunters even had fun and enjoyed the outpour. It wasn’t
usual for them to get so much prey.
“With the foreigner running with them, you can’t tell what
could happen,” a hunter remarked as he lighted a cigarette.
Just as he clicked a lighter, lightning cracked through the

sky.
Something was coming out. The hunter quickly put away his
cigarette and prepared himself for more Festivals.
He smiled inwardly, thinking about money. ‘Come on,’ he
thought.
His eyes widened with fear and shock as soon as he saw

what was coming out.
“Isn’t that…” he struggled to finish his sentence.
It wasn’t only him. Everyone below the rift had frozen in

place.
A Qiongqi has flown out of the crack, crying in pain.
-Sha-ah-ah-ah!
Then, it howled once more with its high-frequency attack.
“Ah, my ears!”
“Oh oh oh!”
The high-frequency howl resonated throughout the city. The

hunters below immediately grabbed their heads and
staggered as their blood vessels swelled, threatening to
rupture at any moment.
Fortunately, the attack ended quickly.
The Qiongqi didn’t seem to have any intention of decimating

them, rather, the howl was released unconsciously, mixed in
with its cries of pain.
Still, the hunters who had been exposed to it fell to their

knees, dizzy from the rush of blood to their head.
No one dared to attack the flying monster. Everyone was

focused on catching their bearings. Rescue teams had been
deployed in the area to assist the victims.
“Why does it seem to be in pain?” an observer wondered.
The Qiongqi seemed to be twisting in the air, as if trying to

take something off its back.
Then, it crashed against a small building, bringing the whole

structure down with it.
“Is it dead?”
Some time passed. No movements seem to come from

where the Qiongqi crashed. Soon, some of the hunters
found the strength to stand and approached the ruins.
“Wow, there doesn’t seem to be any trauma on it,” a hunter

remarked.
The body appeared to be perfectly preserved. No torn limbs,

not even missing teeth.
“Is it really dead?”
Hunters began to gather around it.
Suddenly, a foreign word was heard from behind the

Qiongqi. No one understood what the word was, but
everyone could grasp what it meant from its tone.
‘Don’t touch it.’
Yoo-seong appeared over the Qiongqi’s corpse.
“What the…”
“Uh!”
Yoo-seong looked as grotesque as the Qiongqi itself. His

muscles appeared to be unnatural, as if they had twisted
beyond normal human capacity.
On top of that, blood was spilling out of his nose, mouth,

ears, and eyes.
He held on and endured the Qiongqi’s howls until his

Parasitic Bee had reached the beast’s heart. Yoo-seong paid
a great price. He was spent both physically and mentally.
If he was in Korea, he would have closed his eyes as soon as

he heard the voices of the rescue team. However, he was in
a foreign land.
“I’ll say it again,” he declared as he stood to protect the

Qiongqi’s corpse.
“Don’t touch my prey.”
His muscles slowly twisted back to normal, but the flame in

his bloody eyes was still intense. His hands still clutched the
Red Dragon’s Society’s heirloom, the Twin Swords.
“If anyone gets too close…”
The hunters around instinctively understood what he was

trying to say, even if they didn’t know the language. One
didn’t need to understand a lion’s growl to know not to
approach it.
That was how Yoo-seong appeared to them at that moment.
A lion.
“Let’s step back…”
“His eyes have tasted death…”
The hunters respectfully took a step back.

Other Red Dragon members were lifted up to the rift to
recover their allies and finish the operation.
Through it all, Yoo-seong never closed his eyes nor stepped

away from the Qiongqi. It was only his first strike in a foreign
land, but no one who had witnessed it could deny it.
Yoo-seong had firmly engraved his place in China.

Chapter 56
Episode 56
At a parking lot just beyond the blocking line, a medical tent

had been hastily erected. It was a state-of-the-art tent
specially provided for Tenz hunters during operations.
However, this tent had been built three hours after the
operation ended. It had been assembled for just one person,
a foreigner who signed a free-agent contract with the global
company.
“Woo!” a man loudly exhaled as he walked out of the tent.
He was Seo Hwa-yoon, the current general manager of the

Tenze Medical Support and Research Department.
Seo Hwa-yoon was sweating heavily. He looked exhausted.
“Uncle,” a young woman called him. He turned, and a smile

began to form on his lips.
“Hey! It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a pretty face!”
he said cheerfully.
Seoyu’s smile brightened as she approached him.
“How is he?” she asked.
“He’s asleep now, but he was awake throughout the

diagnosis and initial assessments.”
Both the uncle and the niece sighed. Like Seo Hwa-yoon,
Seoyu was also exhausted.
A few hours ago, she was called into the center of the
operations.
What was waiting for her was a scene she did not expect.
A giant monster corpse surrounded by several hunters.
And in the middle of it all was Oh Yoo-seong, repeating a

single phrase over and over.
Seoyu rushed through the crowd, pushing through the

veteran hunters. As soon as Yoo-seong saw her, he began to
repeat a different phrase:
‘Article 5-2.’
In the contract he had signed with Tenz, Article 5-2 stated

that if he suffered an injury that required treatment by a
professional medical staff, it would be provided to him on
demand.
Regardless of the situation, Tenz was contractually obligated

to fulfill it.
Seoyu had been placed in a tough situation. They were in

Shanghai, a place without a Tenz branch.
On top of that, Yoo-seong was bleeding heavily through his

eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
It was obvious to anyone that he needed medical attention
right away.
Seoyu tried to convince Yoo-seong to visit a nearby hospital,

but he refused.
Instead, he kept repeating the phrase:
‘Article 5-2.’
‘Article 5-2.’
There was no concession.
In the end, Seoyu gave up and dialed her uncle in front of

Yoo-seong. Then, Yoo-seong insisted to personally watch
over the Qiongqi’s disposal with her.
He was in a state where he was depleted both physically

and mentally, but he held on until the end.
Seo Hwa-yoon noticed his niece looking towards the tent.
“Don’t worry. He can’t hear us,” he said.
“Yes?”
Seo Hwa-yoon smiled bitterly.
“Because he can’t hear any sound. The nerves in his ears

were completely damaged.”
Seoyu’s eyes widened in shock.
“Of course,” his uncle continued, “his body has CE, and he
would be able to recover after a while.”
Seo Hwa-yoon looked away as he wondered aloud.

“But the fact that he was able to stand still for a few hours…
a person’s sense of balance depends on their ears.”
The Qiongqi’s scream. It was an unthinkable feat for a

human to withstand a 12-star monster’s main attack.
As Yoo-seong hung onto its back for almost twenty minutes,

his eardrums had been sacrificed.
Seoyu felt goosebumps rise on her arms.
“That person… he’s a monster,” she said.
“He’s a hero. How could someone catch one of the Four

Perils alone?”
“It’s not impossible! Even if we don’t go as far as the

Master, any of the ten Ship Zones could…”
Seoyu stopped herself as she realized what she was saying.
The Ship Zone. The top hunters across all of China.
She was comparing Oh Yoo-seong to the country’s pride.
“It could be considered as the best solo achievement since

the Cheongpung Swordsman,” Seo Hwa-yoon remarked.
“Well. There’s a very slim chance for a Ship Zone to face a

Peril on a one-on-one basis, but I’m sure…”
Seo Hwa-yoon stared at his niece.
He wasn’t a hunter, so he could observe the situation

objectively. However, Seoyu must feel the same as all other
hunters who were in Shanghai, perhaps, even those in other
parts of the country.
A foreigner. From the barren land of the Korean peninsula
nonetheless.
For someone like Yoo-seong to catch a specie of the Four

Perils alone, it was a fact that was too difficult for them to
accept.
Their great pride in the Chinese industry refused to concede

that someone overseas may have a stronger Ki and Tech
than them.
The fact that Tenz had signed a free agent from Korea was a
topic of great controversy, even among the executives of
Tenz themselves. Jin Wei-baek simply laughed at his
subordinates when they tried to ask him for his reason.
“Because,” the old man said, “I want to drop a bomb.”
Seo Hwa-yoon, who was at that meeting, tilted his head. He

did not understand.
However, now… the mystery was solved. The bomb had

gone off in Shanghai.
“I heard that Oh Yoo-seong is considered a bomb in the

Korean hunting scene,” he told Seoyu.
“A bomb?”
“A generational talent, one who could bring about change in

the entire industry. It is said that many young hunters were
inspired by him and started to work harder.”
Seoyu remained silent.
‘Perhaps,’ her uncle wondered, ‘she was also affected by the

explosion?’
Seoyu trembled. She hated to admit it, but Yoo-seong’s
achievements could not be ignored. Even by the high
Chinese standards, his act was worthy of praise.
“Since this has come to pass, why do you think the Master
attached you as his secretary?” Seo Hwa-yoon asked her.
She couldn’t respond. She knew where the conversation was

leading to.
“Isn’t that a key position? Surely, there must be others who

have more experience…”
Jin Wei-baek was known for his sound decisions. He would

hardly assign someone who was lacking in experience and
achievements. Both uncle and niece were thinking about the
same thing.
“If it’s just about translation…”
“Uncle, stop it.”
Seo Hwa-yoon closed his mouth immediately.
Even so, they both knew what the reason could be. Perhaps,
the Master thought that Yoo-seong would prefer to be with a
young woman like Seoyu rather than one of Tenz’s
executives.
There was only one reason for this. One she preferred not to
talk about.
“Master wouldn’t command me to give my body to a

foreigner. Even if he does, I won’t follow him,” Seoyu was
stubborn.
She was a hunter. Not a woman who used her body to get
what she wants.
That is why she felt this much resentment toward the man
she was assigned to accompany. She was madly envious of
his talents.
The doctor advised him that it would take a week for his
ears to recover.
Of course, Yoo-seong wanted to continue training.
As long as he could move his limbs, even if his auditory

nerves were injured, he wanted to keep improving.
However, the problem was that the ears’ purpose was not
only for hearing. It also controlled a body’s sense of
balance.
As much as he wanted to exercise, Yoo-seong struggled in

doing simple things, such as standing upright. He also
needed crutches to walk.
“Damn, it’s a bigger deal than I thought,” Yoo-seong

muttered in his empty hospital room.
It looks like he wouldn’t be able to improve his body for a

whole week.
He had been spending four days in bed, worrying about his

lack of exercise, when an unexpected situation happened.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong,” Seoyu told him. She could only

communicate with him by typing in words on her phone and
showing him the screen.
“Today, you’ll have a visitor.”
Yoo-seong took the phone and typed his response.
-A visitor? Who?
-Red Dragon Society Vice Lord. She said you used her Twin
Swords?
Yoo-seong nodded. Seoyu typed more words on the phone.
-Then, you must say that you took it without her permission.
She may file claims to share the profits in your bounty if you
admit that you cooperated with her.
-Okay.
Yoo-seong thought about it. If that was Yang Biyeon’s

intention, she wouldn’t have to meet him in person.
She was probably trying to offer an apology.
Seoyu typed a few more words, then gave the phone to Yoo-
seong.
-I’ll be out for a while.
Then, she bowed her head deeply toward Yoo-seong before

leaving the hospital room.
Yoo-seong watched her close the door gently. After the

tantrum she threw the day they met, she had turned cold
and professional toward him.
‘It’s better that way,’ Yoo-seong thought.
While waiting for his visitor, Yoo-seong opened his laptop

and started browsing. His struggle against the Qiongqi was
on top of every video streaming site.
As the battle occurred in the sky, even civilians from beyond

the blocking line were able to watch the battle and film.
At first, the Chinese authorities requested the removal of

the video clip. However, the next day, Tenz uploaded an
official video.
-Four Perils – Qiongqi – Tenz Solo Hunting-
The video’s content was about the horrendous power of

Qiongqi and how a hunter signed with Tenz was able to
capture it singlehandedly.
Yoo-seong’s name was clearly stated in the video, even if it

was not part of the title.
This surprised him. He thought that his name and

nationality would be hidden because he was a foreigner.
Yoo-seong then logged into his hunter community account.

It was the first time he tried doing so since going to China.
“What is this?!” he blurted out in amazement as he saw the

number of the unread mail.
Suddenly, a phone screen was placed under his eyes.
-You couldn’t hear the knock.
Yoo-seong looked up.
Seoyu was standing by his bed, with Yang Biyeon beside

him.
Yang Biyeon was wearing a casual outfit, a loose sweatshirt

over jeans. The loose clothing only seemed to emphasize
her body’s figure.
Yoo-seong then asked Seoyu to give them privacy. The

secretary bowed once more and left the room to leave the
two alone.
After offering a chair to his visitor, Yoo-seong pulled out his

phone, where Seoyu had installed a translator app.
He handed it over to Yang Biyeon. Surprisingly, Yang Biyeon

refused to take it.
Instead, she picked up her phone and started typing slowly.
She showed him the screen.
-We don’t need an interpreter,
Then, she began typing again.
-I heard that your ears were badly injured.
Yoo-seong tilted his head in wonder as he stared at the

Korean words shown to him. He took the phone and typed
his response.
-You speak Korean??
Yang Biyeon stared at his message with her eyebrows

narrowed as if she found it hard to read. Then, after about
ten seconds, a light came to her face, as if she finally
comprehended it.
-Yes. Write. Read. Study. For four days.
In China, it was rude to use a translator app. She thought

that to properly apologize to Yoo-seong, she had to learn his
language.
Yoo-seong took the phone and typed in a long message.
-I’m sorry for taking your swords without permission.
He used the simplest words so that she could understand

them as easily as possible. Yoo-seong wanted to state it as
early as possible to see if Seoyu was right about Yang
Biyeon’s intention.
However, as he watched Yang Biyeon smile upon reading his

message, he knew that she was not here to stand against
him.
She then responded.
-Thank you for making your words simple for me.
Then, she began tapping on the keyboard again. This time,

she held the phone closer to her body, and it took more
time than before.
For some reason, her face turned redder, and it seems that
she was hesitating on what to say, typing a message and
erasing it afterward.
Finally, she finished it and showed Yoo-seong the screen.
-Will you marry me?
[TL NOTE: Tenz be dropping the vods like it’s a Youtube

highlight.]
Chapter 57
Episode 57
Yoo-seong couldn’t believe his eyes.
‘What is this?’
He stared at the screen, then at Yang Biyeon’s face, then

back at the screen, over and over again. Each time he
looked at her, she felt her face turning even redder.
‘I thought she was similar to Shin Yu-hee,’ he thought.
They were equally cold and composed in the face of danger.

However, the woman in front of her was literally fire to Shin
Yu-hee’s ice.
He looked at her with new eyes.
Yang Biyeon was a woman in her mid-twenties, and she was

a surprisingly shy person despite her position. As he stared
at her, Biyeon reached out her hand.
‘Is she asking for the phone?’
The moment he tried to hand it over to her, Yang Biyeon’s

hand trembled badly, and the phone fell.
“Oh!” she exclaimed.
It was strange.
Two elite hunters, whose reflexes were far above an average
human’s, dropped a phone in that clumsy manner. They
instinctively moved to pick it up, resulting in another
unexpected situation.
Yang Biyeon’s hand clutched the phone first, and Yoo-

seong’s hand cupped over hers. At this, Yoo-seong quickly
removed his hand.
“Ouch!”
It was throbbing with pain. It was as if he had touched hot

metal.
“Sorry, sorry!” Biyeon cried out in embarrassment and tried

to remedy the situation by pulling her handkerchief out and
wetting it with the kettle at Yoo-seong’s bedside table.
However, the water turned boiling hot, and the handkerchief

wet with hot water wouldn’t be much help to ease the
burning pain. Yoo-seong then recognized it.
‘Ignition Psy.’
“Sorry, sorry!” Biyeon was almost crying.
‘Do emotions directly influence a Psy user’s power?’ Yoo-

seong wondered.
Inside the crack, he witnessed how Yang Biyeon’s Twin

Swords burst into flames when he tried to subdue her. At
that time, she seemed to have perfect control over her
special Aura.
However, this time…

‘How could she be more stressed at this moment than
during the hunt?’
Yoo-seong couldn’t wrap his head around it. Biyeon got up

from her seat and repeatedly bowed to apologize.
As she did, Yoo-seong smelled something burning.
“Ah!” he yelled in shock.
Smoke was rising from the front of Yang Biyeon’s baggy

sweatshirt. If they couldn’t stop the flames, she would be
placed in an indecent situation.
“Uh, what do I do, what can I do?”
In an instant, the smoke that was rising from Biyeon’s chest

turned into embers. Soon, her chest burst into flames.
When the hunt concluded, Yang Biyeon’s mental state was

at its lowest. She blamed herself for the great loss in the
Red Dragon Society.
Of course, no one was asking her to take responsibility. In

the Chinese industry, the perception of the casualties was
that their death was due to their lack of strength and
experience. Organizations were never blamed for lack of
preparedness and support.
On top of that, the recent hunt had the deadliest monster

appearance to date. No one could have blamed her for
losing men against one of the Four Perils.
However, she was being too hard on herself.

‘I had to do something for the Red Dragon Society,’ she
thought.
That ‘something’ she was thinking of turned out to be Yoo-

seong.
She couldn’t stop thinking about him. He was an excellent

hunter, and was someone the Red Dragon members would
be elated to have.
In fact, all they had talked about after the hunt was Yoo-
seong’s performance, not the death of their colleagues.
‘I will bring Oh Yoo-seong into the Red Dragon Society by

whatever means,’ Yang Biyeon decided.
Being a stubborn woman, she acted immediately. Over the

past three days, she practiced reading and writing Korean
with all her effort and passion.
Before she visited him, she searched through magazines to

see what an average woman’s casual attire would look like.
Being an Ignition Psy heir, she had always worn fireproof
clothing customized for her. She had to shop before she
visited Yoo-seong.
‘It’s no different from hunting,’ she assured herself. ’Just

stay calm.’
It had been so easy in her mind. She had it all planned out.
However, now, she realized that it was way harder than
fighting against a monster.
Immediately after making her proposal, she lost her

composure. An accidental moment of their hands meeting
sent her into agitation. Now, she had to face the result.
Flames covered the whole of her upper body.
‘Soon,’ she thought, ’the sprinkler would be triggered.’
It would be a terrible way to end the visit. Suddenly, Yoo-

seong swung his arm.
He grabbed a water kettle and poured its contents onto her.

Of course, it would only be a temporary measure. The
flames within her were powerful enough to make water
evaporate. It would only take a few moments before she
started burning.
However…
Papapat-!
Yoo-seong’s hand danced on her body, with fingers filled

with Aura.
His hands tapped her nape and made their way down to
Biyeon’s lower abdomen, where her core was located.
In an instant, the flames were out. However, another

problem soon came up.
They both realized it at the same time.
Her sweatshirt had burned off entirely, her smooth, white

skin and exquisite figure exposed to his eyes.
“Ahh-!” Yang Biyeon screamed, but Yoo-seong cupped a

hand on her mouth.
“Shh..” he calmed her.
In time, Biyeon quieted down as she realized why Yoo-seong

stopped her from screaming.
If anyone heard her, people would be rushing to their room.
Her body would be exposed to everyone.
Of course, Yang Biyeon was a respected public figure in

Shanghai. She couldn’t afford such a scandal.
After making sure that Yang Biyeon was calm, Yoo-seong

turned around and rummaged under his bed.
Then, from his bag, he took out a T-shirt and a sweatsuit.

With his back turned to her, he offered her the garments.
He waited for her to get dressed without looking. After some

time, he turned around and caught her secretly trying to
leave.
“Hey.”
Biyeon turned red again as they made eye contact. Yoo-

seong pondered for a moment, then grabbed her wrist.
“Meal,” he said.
Yang Biyeon was in a state of panic and could not speak.
“Lunch? Together?” Yoo-seong repeated while making the

gesture of putting a spoon in his mouth.
Yang Biyeon looked at the clock, away from Yoo-seong.
It took her a while to answer, but finally, she managed to

utter:
“Yes.”
-We’ll go for lunch.

Seoyu read the message Yoo-seong typed on the screen.
She watched him steady himself on his crutches and typed
her response with a smirk on her face.
-Looks like things went well.
As Seoyu waited outside the hospital room, she heard a

small scream from the inside.
She also observed that Yang Biyeon had different clothes on

when she went out. It was definitely the clothes Seoyu
brought Yoo-seong earlier.
-You need me to come with you?
-No, it’s okay.
Yang Biyeon waited for him outside the door. Even if Yoo-
seong’s movements on crutches was slow, she still walked
patiently behind him.
‘I should have brought Seoyu,’ Yoo-seong thought as they

walked towards the elevator.
Strange things seem to happen when he was alone with

Yang Biyeon.
Kwook-!
They slowly make their way into the elevator.
Yoo-seong tried to press the button for the second floor,

where the hospital cafeteria was.
However, Yang Biyeon’s hand was already on the basement

floor button.
The parking lot.

Yoo-seong had a curious look on his face. Yang Biyeon typed
in on her phone to explain.
-We’ll eat outside.
Yoo-seong nodded. It wasn’t a bad idea after eating hospital

food in bed for days. Soon, the elevator arrived, and Yang
Biyeon led the way to her car.
Yoo-seong was astonished when he saw it.
“……Se, Selvago?”
He wasn’t interested in cars, but he was knowledgeable

enough to recognize Lamborghini’s latest limited production
model. Yang Biyeon casually nodded her confirmation and
began barking words into her phone with the Aura of a
commander.
‘Does she make a restaurant reservation in that tone?’ Yoo-

seong wondered.
Biyeon hung up the phone and pressed the car key.
Wiiiing-!
The door on the passenger’s side opened up, and Biyeon

held her palms out, shyly gesturing him inside.
Yoo-seong slowly made his way in and couldn’t help but look
around the supercar’s interior as Biyeon took her place
behind the wheel. Suddenly, it was as if thunder erupted in
the parking lot.
The engine’s sound was comparable to that of any giant

monster. Yoo-seong grabbed the handle by the car door
instinctively.
‘Well, with her personality, she wasn’t someone who would
drive recklessly,’ he assured himself.
This time, Yoo-seong was wrong. Yang Biyeon revved up the

supercar and flew along the Shanghai traffic. He could
hardly keep his eyes open as they went.
He didn’t dare look at the dashboard. He knew they were

over the speed limit.
‘This girl…’
As soon as the car halted, Yoo-seong staggered out of it

breathlessly.
It took a few seconds before he was aware of where they

were – and it was a traditional Chinese mansion.
The parking lot was filled with several supercars comparable

to the Selvago they were just on.
“Vice Lord…”
Eight people were waiting for them by the parking lot.
They all bowed down to greet Yang Biyeon and her guest.
Biyeon didn’t pay them any attention and casually threw her
keys at an employee in front of her. Yoo-seong’s eyes
wandered, taking in the view. The mansion and its grounds
seemed to stretch out farther than his eyes could reach.
Shanghai’s skyscrapers were barely visible in the distance.

Yang Biyeon must have driven him kilometers away from the
city in such a short time.
She showed him her phone screen as they walked.

-We’ll have lunch here.
Yoo-seong was of common people and had been barely

introduced to the wealth of a corporate-level hunting
organization.
But this level is something that he had never seen before.
Yang Biyeon caught his attention with a shy expression on

her face. She typed in a message.
-I will change clothes.
Several employees escorted Yoo-seong as he and Yang

Biyeon parted ways.
After walking for a while, they finally entered a building.
Yoo-seong’s mouth was open as he admired the interior.
It looked and felt like he was inside an Imperial Palace in a

historical drama.
The employees guided him to a table where three seats

were set up.
There was a seat on one side of the table, and two seats
close together on the other side.
Yoo-seong didn’t think about it. Of course, he would be

sitting across Yang Biyeon, he thought, as he made his way
towards the single seat. Just as he was about to settle in…
“That’s not where you are supposed to sit,” he heard a

voice.
Yoo-seong turned his head, surprised that he could now

hear.
He was even more surprised to hear someone speak Korean
in this unfamiliar place.
Yoo-seong turned his head and saw an old man walking

towards the table.
“You are younger than I thought. Very, very young,” the old
man said. He sounded confident with the language.
Jin Wei-baek never looked like a Chinese Master to Yoo-

seong. His fashion choices were closer to Western-style.
However, the old man in front of him now was different. He
wore the same clothes characters in martial arts movies
wore. Long, white eyebrows and beard flowed down, making
a pleasant contrast against his bright red attire.
Yoo-seong bowed deeply to greet the man. “Hello.”
“Hello, and go take your seat. Why do you keep standing?

Your seat is over there,” the old man pointed at one of the
chairs placed side by side.
‘Wow,’ Yoo-seong thought. ’Even the way he speaks seems

to be right out of a historical drama.’
He didn’t know who the man exactly was, but he admired

him already. However, the man in front of him was more
powerful than he thought.
Yang Jeong-cheon.
Ranked second in the Ship Zone.
Yang Jeong-cheon smiled at the man whom he thought was

going to be his son-in-law.
‘The man who will inherit the Red Dragon’s flag.’

He looked at the younger man’s body up and down. Then,
Yoo-seong heard a familiar line.
“By the way… can I touch your body?”

Chapter 58
Episode 58
Yoo-seong answered immediately. “I’m sorry, but I refuse.”
Yang Jeong-cheon raised a brow at his tone.
‘He answered me so firmly,’ he thought. Then, he threw his

head back and laughed heartily. As he watched the
unexpected reaction, thoughts were running in Yoo-seong’s
head.
‘It’s really like watching an old Hong Kong movie.’
The only thing he found unusual when he spoke with Jin Wei-
baek was the old man’s accent. If you haven’t heard his
poor Korean, you wouldn’t have noticed that he was
Chinese.
But the man before him… even his laughter sounded

straight out of a martial arts film.
“Good, good,” he watched the Yang Jeong-cheon nod

approvingly. “A man must know how to say no.”
Yoo-seong’s eyes wandered as he admired the unreal scale

of the mansion’s interior from his seat.
“What do you think about us?” Yang Jeong-cheon asked him.

“Honestly speaking, it’s very grand,” Yoo-seong said. “But
there seems to be a misunderstanding. I don’t know what
your daughter told you, but I’m here because…”
“I know,” Yang Jeong-cheon took a sip of tea.
His tone was casual. “I could tell you haven’t accepted my

daughter’s proposal.”
“Yes?”
“As a hunter and a Vice-Lord, my daughter does her job well,

but she’s clumsier than me in terms of worldly exchanges. It
isn’t possible nowadays to get a man to accept a marriage
just like that.”
Yang Jeong-cheon had read the situation completely.
“But,” he added, “somehow, you came here.”
Yoo-seong was silent.
He hadn’t really expected that Yang Biyeon would bring her

to their home. He observed Yang Jeong-cheon in silence.
A man ranked high in the Ship Zone.
Even if he had withdrawn from the front lines, his

organization still controlled half of the great city of
Shanghai.
“So,” Yang Jeong-cheon placed his cup of tea down, “what

do you think about us?”
‘He asked the same question,’ Yoo-seong recognized.
This time, he considered his answer more carefully.

He was a hunter from a small peninsula. He wanted to test
his skills on the mainland. What he saw was wealth beyond
his imagination.
And power.
Biyeon had just sped through the middle of the city with a
supercar’s top speed. It was against the law, no question.
However, Yoo-seong saw how the policemen turned a blind

eye rather than chasing them.
It was completely different from Korea.
At home, a ranker violating traffic rules, even as little as a

signal violation, was scandalous enough and would
definitely get published in newspapers. In this country, it
seemed that the people didn’t follow the law.
They followed power. Yoo-seong was being invited to join

one of the most powerful families in the city.
“Well… I’m not sure. I haven’t seen enough,” Yoo-seong

sighed.
Yang Jeong-cheon tilted his head.
“You’re not sure?”
“It has only been about a week since I arrived. Everything

seems to be larger in scale.”
Yang Jeong-cheon nodded as Yoo-seong continued to speak.
“Of course, the level of Ki I’ve witnessed here is

overwhelmingly superior. However, in the actual operation,
there were a few parts that could be considered lacking,
compared to how we do it in Korea.”
The Red Dragon Society was not an exception.
Even though they were a team, each member acted as if

they were on a solo hunt.
“I thought I could learn something here with regards to

operations, but I feel like the only thing I could bring home
is the reputation of someone who has worked in China.”
Yoo-seong did not hold back. He calmly observed Yang

Jeong-cheon’s reaction.
How would someone who was part of the Ship Zone, react to
getting his country criticized right at his house?
“I think I’ve said too much,” Yoo-seong realized.
“More than necessary, yes,” Yang Jeong-cheon spoke. “You

were trying to be polite.”
Then, he threw his head back again and began laughing.
“Hahahaha!”
Yang Jeong-cheon kept his smile as he stared at Yoo-seong’s

eyes.
“You are saying that you are disappointed and that our
country is nothing more than empty strength,” he said.
“No, I didn’t intend to use such harsh expression…”
Yoo-seong felt his surroundings gradually warming up.
‘It’s getting hot.’
“Father,” they heard footsteps approaching.

Yang Biyeon shyly came up to the table. Like Yang Jeong-
cheon, she also wore traditional clothing.
She felt the ugly Aura in the room as soon as she arrived.
“What’s happening here?”
The heat rising from Yang Jeong-cheon’s body died down as

he watched her daughter arrive. He pointed at the seat next
to Yoo-seong.
“Go sit next to your groom,” he beckoned.
Biyeon blushed. She took the chair and placed it on another

side of the table, thus forming a three-way position.
As soon as Biyeon was seated, Yang Jeong-cheon continued

his conversation with Yoo-seong.
“You are right,” he said. “There’s something wrong with this

country.”
They sat in silence for a few moments. Then, Yang Jeong-

cheon spoke again.
“Okay, for the third time, I’ll ask you again. What do you
think about us?”
This time, the old man pointed at himself and his daughter.
Yoo-seong thought about the Chinese hunters he met. There

were the Tenz members he had spoken with, including
Seoyu, to Yang Biyeon and Yang Jeong-cheon. They were
strong, granted. But there’s something unusual with them.
‘They were like people from another era living in a modern

world.’
“When I was your age, I never thought this would happen,”
Yang Jeong-cheon began.
“Monsters from another world are coming to invade Earth.

What an absurd story.”
But it happened and is now part of history.
Every organization which relied on strength and power, from

martial arts schools to gangs and mercenaries, faced a
great opportunity.
It catapulted them into an unprecedented boom.
“Even if we went back centuries ago, no groups would have

received this much prestige… this much wealth,” Yang
Jeong-cheon continued. “We seem to be stuck in that era
where families ruled the land and enjoy their privilege…”
“You don’t consider yourselves as hunters,” Yoo-seong

finished.
Yang Jeong-cheon nodded approvingly. The younger man

understood what he was saying.
A hunter’s primary duty was to protect civilians from

monsters. They were guardians who provide security and
peace of mind for society to continue.
“So far, the hunters that I have met here…” Yoo-seong said.
“They don’t seem to consider themselves as hunters.”
“We haven’t gotten out of the mindset from the previous

era,” Yang Jeong-cheon agreed.
Everyone’s identity and pride were dictated by the factions

they belong to.
It was one of the reasons why the Chinese industry rejects
foreign hunters. Yang Jeong-cheon then looked at her
daughter.
Even if they spoke in Chinese, she wouldn’t understand the

conversation they were having.
“When my daughter was born, I thought this mindset would

have disappeared in their generation. I didn’t realize it
would remain a problem.”
Young hunters, including Yang Biyeon, inherited not only

their predecessors’ skills but also their spirit.
A traditional spirit that impeded progress.
“We stay faithful to the glory of the past, ignoring the

present. If there was any change or an unexpected
situation, I don’t think we would be flexible enough to deal
with it,” Yang Jeong-cheon sighed.
Yoo-seong considered it.
He thought about Jin Wei-baek – his modern outfits, his

decision to recruit a foreign hunter.
After listening to Yang Jeong-cheon, it had become clearer to

him. He also thought about Goryong Company, which had
purchased Team Quarts in exchange for the secrets of their
Tech.
The movement wasn’t just about dominating the Korean

market. Perhaps, the leaders of the industry had recognized
the crisis.
That is why they were beginning to reach out overseas.

“To my knowledge, Red Dragon Society’s influence is limited
to Shanghai,” Yoo-seong commented.
Of course, that alone was enough to enjoy unimaginable

wealth and power.
Yang Jeong-cheon nodded. “Yes. It’s embarrassing. But a

solution is in front of me right now.”
As Biyeon suffered to learn basic Korean over the past few

days, Yang Jeong-cheon also did his research. He studied
about Yoo-seong.
His unusual talent, his determination, and his tendency to

keep his calm during crucial moments.
Yang Jeong-cheon also learned about this young man’s

impact in Korea and how he performed during his first hunt
in China.
‘If I can hold that energy in my hand,’ Yang Jeong-cheon

thought, ’we could drive towards the future.’
The Red Dragon Society would be revived. No, it would be

reborn.
“You have to be my son-in-law,” Yang Jeong-cheon said

firmly.
“I have no reason to do that,” Yoo-seong responded.
Under the table, he sent his location to Seoyu, just in case.
“You have to. I don’t know how much Tenz paid you. I
understand that the person behind it is much stronger than
me.”
Yoo-seong raised an eyebrow.

‘Does he know that Wei-baek is the power behind Tenz?’
Looking at Yang Jeong-cheon’s expression, he recognized a

strong animosity towards Tenz.
“But look around you,” Yang Jeong-cheon confidently said.
“Yes?” Yoo-seong stared at him.
Despite the luxurious mansion, the Red Dragon was inferior

to Tenz. Whatever price they could come up to could be
easily matched by Jin Wei-baek.
“I am prepared to pay the price,” Yang Jeong-cheon offered.

“You can leave your last name here.”
Of course, if he accepted Biyeon’s proposal to him, he would

be part of the Red Dragon’s Society. However, sons-in-law
are outsiders. They were not in line to possess the Red
Dragon.
However, what Yang Jeong-cheon was offering him…
A successor.
He stood to inherit everything.
The Red Dragon’s Society’s future generation would not

carry Yang Jeong-cheon’s last name, but his. They were
prepared to abandon their tradition for Yoo-seong to take it
towards the future.
“I am prepared to pay the price. Even if my last name would

be cut off in the future generations, as long as the Red
Dragon survives…”
Yang Jeong-cheon spread his arms, gesturing towards the
grand interior of their mansion.
Everything that Yoo-seong was seeing would be his.
Wealth and power.
Techniques and traditions.
All of Red Dragon Society would be in Yoo-seong’s hands.
“I passed some to my daughter, but there are still more

than half of my CE within my core,” Yang Jeong-cheon
added, touching his abdomen.
“No one in this country can offer you as much as I do,” he

said.
Even he, who made the offer, felt excited. However, as he

looked at Yoo-seong’s face, he noticed that the younger man
remained calm.
‘Was it possible to have such extreme self-control to hide his

excitement?’ Yang Jeong-cheon wondered.
‘Or could it be that the offer wasn’t exciting for him?’
It could only be one of the two.
The young man sitting across him had a mysterious

expression on his face. Yang Jeong-cheon held his breath as
he waited for the response.
Yoo-seong then slowly opened his mouth.

Chapter 59
Episode 59
Along the mansion’s corridors, the employees carrying food

toward the table groaned. They all felt the heat burning
from the room where their Master sat with a guest.
“Shall we go back? It feels dangerous.”
The general manager restrained the rest as he wiped heat

from his brow.
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen.”
The head employee was also a hunter belonging to the Red

Dragon Society. Therefore, he was used to sudden increases
in temperature.
It couldn’t be helped. They worked for the Yang family, who

had the Ignition Psy in their blood. Fluctuations in the family
members’ mood could cause disasters. Therefore, every
member of the Yang family, including their Vice Lord Yang
Biyeon, had been taught incredible Aura control.
On top of that, the Yang family members wore customized

fireproof clothing.
Except for the Master, Yang Jeong-cheon.
A person couldn’t always suppress their emotions, but Yang

Jeong-cheon could overcome his feelings through strong
willpower and solid Aura control. However, this time… the
heat coming from the room could not be ignored.
“Father!” Yang Biyeon rose from her seat.
She had no clue about what the men in front of her were
talking about, but she knew that whatever Yoo-seong said
angered her father. She immediately turned towards Yoo-
seong to warn him.
“Coat your body with Aura. You’ll feel better.”
Yoo-seong stared at him blankly.
He watched her lips move, but strangely, he couldn’t hear

her. However, he could hear the old man clearly.
“What you just said…” Yang Jeong-cheon growled. “Can you

repeat it?”
‘Sound Penetration Tech,’ Yoo-seong realized.
Yoo-seong’s auditory nerves were still damaged, but Yang

Jeong-cheon had always been able to communicate with
him.
There was an urban legend among Korean hunters that

Chinese masters are so advanced in terms of Aura control
that they can use it for some sort of wireless
communication. Yoo-seong had realized that he has been
experiencing it firsthand.
“Once again,” Yoo-seong could hear the old man’s voice

clearly. “Tell me. What you just said.”
The old man’s Aura stretches through his ears, beyond the
damaged nerves, to create something that his nervous
system could recognize as sound. The Aura thread that Yang
Jeong-cheon was sending him all this time must be finer
than hair, Yoo-seong thought. Despite that, the old man was
also able to fill the spacious room they were in with burning
heat.
‘Yang Jeong-cheon can burn off my nervous system if he

wanted to,’ Yoo-seong realized.
He closed his eyes. His face was drenched with sweat.
Yang Biyeon kept on talking, but he couldn’t hear her. Yoo-

seong stared back at Yang Jeong-cheon before repeating his
answer.
“Perhaps you were expecting a different answer. I’m sorry.

But the things you are offering… it doesn’t seem that much
to me.”
“This arrogant guy!” Yang Jeong-cheon exclaimed.
This was why the room reached a boiling temperature. Yang

Jeong-cheon’s offer had been rejected.
It was unthinkable for him to offer a stranger from a faraway

land the future of his family.
However, he did, because this was a precious opportunity.
But what did this arrogant guy do?
“It’s not worth it for you? This place? The whole Red Dragon
Society? How dare…”
“Is this it?”
Yang Jeong-cheon’s eyes widened. Yoo-seong’s voice

sounded deeper and more resonant than before.
It was as if… he was speaking directly from within him.
“I couldn’t believe that this really existed, but… it’s simpler

than I thought,” Yoo-seong said.
The temperature in the room dropped in an instant. Yang

Jeong-cheon stared at Yoo-seong with disbelief on his face.
His daughter, Yang Biyeon, had been trained for it since

childhood, but she was still in the process of understanding
its principle.
Sound Penetration Tech.
This was the process of converting Aura into sound and

accurately sending it to another person’s nervous system.
“I learned a technique with the same principle,” Yoo-seong

added.
The Parasitic Bee.
This was the ability to control balls of energy with a very

fine thread of Aura. It had the same principle.
After a couple of attempts, Yoo-seong became successful in

doing Sound Penetration. The reason why Yoo-seong had
been drenched in sweat was not because of Yang Jeong-
cheon’s heat.
It was all from concentration. Now, he had threads of energy

in Yang Jeong-cheon’s head, just as Yang Jeong-cheon had
inside his.
“If you do something to me… you’ll get the same.”
“Calm down,” Yang Jeong-cheon said with pure admiration in

his tone.
The ability to copy his technique in that short while was
astounding enough, but the ability to keep his concentration
in this situation was even more remarkable.
“I think you were born in the wrong era. Being a warrior

suits you better than being a hunter,” Yang Jeong-cheon
remarked.
“It doesn’t sound very good to me,” Yoo-seong responded,

then rose from his seat.
“Are you leaving?
“I have refused your offer. I don’t think it’s acceptable for

me to sit here and eat with you.”
A new emotion rose within Yang Jeong-cheon.
“It’s been a while since I left the front lines…”
“I will refuse your challenge,” Yoo-seong cut him off.
He read through the old man’s words. Yang Jeong-cheon was

asking him for a duel.
“Why,” Yang Jeong-cheon’s voice was clearly provocative.

“Are you afraid?”
His blood was boiling.
He had lived in peace for over half a century. Even though

there was a wide gap between their strengths, the young
man could perhaps entertain him.
Yang Jeong-cheon thought he had no fire left in him, but he

could clearly feel it burning within him at this moment.
“You won’t die if you try your best,” he told Yoo-seong with a
smile.
“No… if we continue, all the secrets that the Red Dragon

Society had will be gone,” Yoo-seong groaned.
Before Yang Jeong-cheon could say anything, Yoo-seong

continued.
“I got into trouble with the person whom you know as

someone behind Tenz because I learned Pacheonma Geukki
in a battle.”
Yoo-seong re-arranged his crutches. Then, he continued.
“But of course, if it’s okay for you for a stranger to learn all
your techniques, then a duel would be a good experience.”
Yang Jeong-cheon remained silent.
“Shall we try it?” Yoo-seong asked him.
He raised a hand and shook it as if to say that he changed

his mind.
“All right, then.”
“Goodbye,” Yang Jeong-cheon dismissed him.
The old man raised a teacup to his lips and listened to the
sound of crutches and heavy footsteps leaving the room.
“Father…”
“That person said he did not want to take over the Red
Dragon.”
Biyeon nodded. Even if she didn’t understand the
conversation, she could read through the situation.
She wasn’t an idiot. At this point, her shoulders had dropped

in disappointment. Her father looked at her with a sad
expression on his face.
“But… I don’t know,” her father said.
“What?”
“Even if he’s not interested in the Red Dragon… if you were

in a relationship with him…”
Yang Biyeon’s eyes widened. His father watched her

expression and smiled.
“I want you to go ahead and try your best,” he said. Upon

hearing this, Yang Biyeon stood and turned away,
embarrassed.
“Where are you going?” her father asked.
“I have to drive him back!” Biyeon cried out.
Then, she began running away, almost colliding against the

employees that were bringing in their food. Yang Jeong-
cheon sighed and took another sip of tea.
“Get me some alcohol,” he told the employees. He had a

faint smile on his lips.
“It wouldn’t be too bad if they fall in love,” he muttered.
“Of course, it’s up to them.”
…
On the ride back to the hospital, Yoo-seong suddenly raised
his hand. Biyeon immediately stopped the vehicle.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
Then, realizing that Yoo-seong could not hear her, she

hurriedly pulled her phone out. Yoo-seong bent towards her.
“Huh?” She felt Yoo-seong’s thumb gently press down her

lower lip.
Yoo-seong left a fine thread of Aura over her lips before

pulling his finger away.
“It would be better to talk while listening to each other’s

voices,” he said.
He wanted to try out the new trick he learned from the crazy
meeting he had with her father. Biyeon quickly understood.
“Can you hear me?” she asked him.
“Yes. Your voice sounds pretty,” he remarked.
Biyeon didn’t know how to react.
“Let’s get out of the car,” Yoo-seong added.
“Yes?”
“We didn’t have lunch. I’m hungry.”
Biyeon looked outside and smiled brightly as she

understood.
The reason why Yoo-seong asked her to stop the car was
because of a food stall across the street. The said stall was
selling lamb skewers and rice.
“Let’s go!” she said as she went out, her footsteps light.
However, as she approached the stall and began to order,

her eyebrows furrowed.
“You don’t take credit cards?”
“Don’t worry,” Yoo-seong spoke behind her.
He brought some cash. As he reached out to give her the

money, he threw a little joke.
“Don’t burn it, okay?” he said with a smile.
He instantly regretted it as he watched Biyeon’s face turned

red. Fortunately, she was wearing her usual fireproof clothes
from home.
The other customers eating nearby felt something strange.
“Why is it suddenly so hot here?” one of them said out loud

while fanning himself.
Yoo-seong smiled at Yang Biyeon, as if telling her it was

okay. Soon, they found a table and began eating rice and
lamb skewers.
Passersby stop at the sight of the supercar parked near a

humble food stall. However, Yoo-seong and Yang Biyeon
didn’t mind. They dug into their food right away.
After a while, Yang Biyeon felt Yoo-seong watching her.
“Yes?”
“My ideal type,” he hesitated for a while before continuing,

“A girl who eats well.”
Biyeon blushed again as she realized that her cheeks were
filled with food.
‘Honestly,’ Yoo-seong thought, ’she’s cute.’
He was turning thirty this year. Over the past year, he had
concentrated on hunting and training.
He did not experience any pleasant feelings toward

someone of the opposite gender for a long time. Watching
Biyeon down food with such gusto, a foolish feeling took
over him, even just for a moment.
She stared at him with eyes wide open.
Then, she pointed at the bowls on their table. There were

two bowls filled with food.
“You have to finish this!” she said, with her cheeks full like a
squirrel’s.
Yoo-seong then began laughing.
Biyeon lowered her head for a moment and finished

chewing, then lifted it up again with a smile. They held each
other’s gazes for a while.
However, there was a sudden change in the atmosphere.
Yoo-seong didn’t hear it, but felt the goosebumps on his

skin. It was the same feeling he had a year ago when he
first received the button.
The feeling of a crack opening.
‘A sudden rift?’
Before Yoo-seong could even speak…

Pang-!!
A terrible pressure hit the streets. Windows broke, and

people screamed in panic.
“Damn it!” Yoo-seong yelled as he looked up at the sky.
A crack of about 300-meters wide was beginning to form.
‘Please,’ he prayed earnestly, ’let there be no monsters

coming from it.’
However, Yoo-seong was out of luck. Shanghai was about to

experience the worst civilian disaster since the early days of
Chinese history.
And this was just the beginning.

Chapter 60
Episode 60
A peaceful cafe street in Shangai, lined with classy terraces,

had now turned into the center of the crack.
Thud-!
Dozens of arthropods crashed over the street. Someone

screamed as he recognized what they were.
“Tri-horned Crabs!” the citizen stumbled backward in terror.
Tri-horned Crab – 2 stars (★★).
They were crayfishes about the size of a large dog, with

claws the size of garden shears. These were considered one
of the lowest-rated beasts inside the rift.
The citizens were trapped inside the cafes as they watched

the arthropods orient themselves in their new surroundings.
“They are a lot smaller than what they showed us in the

manual,” a man with full-sleeved tattoos observed.
Every citizen had been provided a manual that contained

basic information about monsters and instructions regarding
evacuation.
The tattooed man swallowed hard, then lifted an iron chair.

“Baby!” his companion screamed. “What are you doing?”
“Stay still. We can get to the shelter safely if we could

eliminate those things,” the man replied.
He flexed his muscles. He was a gym rat, and was confident

about his body. Besides, it wasn’t just him who would face
the beasts.
“He’s right,” someone spoke out loud, while other men

nodded in agreement.
“If we work together, we can get rid of them!”
The men started grabbing chairs, fire extinguishers, and any

heavy metal they could use as blunt weapons. As people
followed him, the tattooed man felt more confident.
Adrenaline was surging in his head. Every man had once

dreamed of being a hunter who could kill monsters at will.
This was his chance.
“Haaa!”
The tattooed man charged at the Tri-horned Crab closest to

him. With his muscular biceps, he swung the heavy iron
chair at the Crab’s head.
He already knew what would happen. Crab corpses piled up

in front of the cafe. Then, he would lead the citizens towards
the evacuation facility.
Like a hero, the man smiled.
Caang-!
A harsh sound woke him up from his daydream. It was the
sound of metal crashing against another hard object.
Thud-!
“Arrgh” the tattooed man screamed as he felt an intense

pain on his wrist.
He must have been injured from the impact. He had put all
his weight on his swing, expecting to crush his enemy, but
ended up suffering more.
The Crab didn’t seem to mind his attack at all.
Shuuk-!
The Crab’s front claws suddenly stretched forward. The

tattooed man had above average reflexes and instinctively
stepped back, despite the pain.
However, the tip of the claws caught his kneecap, cutting

about 1-2 cm deep.
“Ahhhhhhh!”
The wound was enough to disable his knee completely. He

thrashed helplessly on the ground, trying to get away.
The Tri-horned Crab was approaching him leisurely.

Meanwhile, the men who rallied behind him were stunned.
How could these things, which were only about the size of a
German Shepherd, defeat humans? They thought that even
with only a suitable blunt weapon, they could easily smash
these Crabs.
They were mistaken. They had underestimated the Tri-

horned Crab based on its size and its low rank. These
monsters were no threat to hunters, but a non-professional
facing them?
The results would be disastrous.
The men started to fall back desperately, rushing back

towards the safety of the cafes. As a result, the tattooed
man was left behind.
Snip-!
The Tri-horned Crab cut his skull as if it was made of paper.

Blood and brains splattered on the concrete.
The arthropods had simple brains, but they recognized the

situation.
These animals are weaker than themselves.
In the world beyond the cracks, they were scavengers,

feeding off from whatever the predators left behind.
But here…
At this moment…
They were the predators.
“Lord, we’re dead!”
“Everyone, get inside!”
The streets were filled with panicked screams. However, it

was already too late.
Several Crabs started attacking the entrance of the cafes.

There was no one to stop them.
Over a hundred citizens who were out to enjoy a relaxing
afternoon turned into a massacre. The Tri-horned Crabs thus
began a mighty feast.
Yoo-seong’s Aura blade cut through the air.
Thank God, he thought, as a giant snake’s head crashed

behind him.
With his damaged ear, he lost his sense of balance.

Fortunately, Automatic Hunting still functions perfectly.
“What are we going to do?” Yang Biyeon’s miserable voice

resonated in his head.
She, too, had just lopped off a snake’s head. Yoo-seong

briefly lifted the Auto-hunt button and approached her with
a determined look.
There were no monsters around. In the streets, people were

screaming and running back and forth.
It was an environment that Yoo-seong had never

experienced in any operation.
“I have something to ask of you,” Yoo-seong asked her.
Then, through simple gestures and English words, he

explained to her what he needs.
Yang Biyeon looked surprised when she understood what

Yoo-seong was trying to say. “Get your secretary from the
hospital?”
Biyeon couldn’t understand his point. Needless to say, they

were in a dire emergency at the moment. She could kill a
few more beasts and secure some citizens instead of driving
to the hospital.
However, Yoo-seong’s eyes looked resolute.
“Trust me,” he said. “It’s the best we could do.”
Yang Biyeon had a strong will of her own. Even if she had
any personal feelings for Yoo-seong, it wasn’t enough reason
for her to follow him.
However, she found her feet moving towards her supercar.
Kurrung-!
The thunder-like engine roared alive and threaded its way

among the countless cars and civilians on the street. Biyeon
had only one thought in mind as she swerved to find the
fastest route.
‘Bring Seoyu here.’
After watching Yang Biyeon’s car disappear from his view,

Yoo-seong immediately took out his phone to text Seoyu.
-Where are you right now?! An unobserved crack…
-I know. I’m still at the hospital.
Yoo-seong then asked her a question he already knew the

answer to.
-This city. Is there an emergency hotline or a control center

that connects all hunters?
-Absolutely. No.

The level of organization was much too different from what
he was used to in Korea. The South Korean Special Defense
Agency is obligated to establish and maintain a hotline to
call all hunters to a specific area in case of an emergency.
However, in China, communication was difficult even among

hunters in the same operation.
Hisssss-!
A giant snake popped out from Yoo-seong’s right. It was the

size of a house.
Yoo-seong could have used Auto-hunt but instead opted for

a Spider Walk. He coated his legs with Aura and bounced
around to dodge the snake’s attack while continuing to text
Seoyu.
-Stay in the hospital. Yang Biyeon is going to pick you up

soon.
Bang-!
As soon as he typed that in, he leaped, sending the snake

crashing against the building behind him. Then, he
continued typing.
-We’ll exchange location information in real-time.
The giant snake lunged toward him once more with its
mouth wide open.
Without letting go of the phone, Yoo-seong spread his legs

apart and wedged his feet in the snake’s mouth. His foot
was at the roof of the snake’s mouth, while the other was
pressing down on its tongue, effectively stopping the snake
from closing its jaws.
Then, he read Seoyu’s response.
-Why? What are you up to?
Yoo-seong shook his head and typed a reply.
-Just come.
As soon as he pressed ‘send,’ he pressed the Auto-hunt

button as well. An Aura blade sprang out of his other hand
and reached down the snake’s throat.
“What is that?” a hunter, who was watching the scene,

yelled in surprise.
“Is that an Aura sword?” his companion, also a hunter, was

stunned as well.
Yoo-seong and Yang Biyeon weren’t alone. The two hunters

were also enjoying their free time in the food street when
disaster struck.
All over the city, there were hunters who were off-duty, but
were now fighting against beasts with no preparation and no
equipment.
They had to rely on pure Aura.
“That guy, he’s got a death wish,” the first hunter sighed as
they watched Yoo-seong come out of the snake’s mouth.
“Should we hunt together?” his companion asked him.
“It’s not a bad idea, but… it’s probably better if we spread

out.”
It was not just because of their individualistic tendencies. Of

course, hunting together could make it easier and safer for
them.
However, there were beasts all over the city right now.
There was no time to think about easier hunting. They
should spread out and catch as many as they can.
“Okay, it’s better to spread out,” his companion agreed as

they began walking.
“Right. Hey! We’re going to… Huh?” the hunter look

confused as he saw Yoo-seong’s face.
“Can’t you speak Chinese?”
Yoo-seong is still under Auto-hunt’s control, walking towards

the two hunters purposefully.
Go-oh-oh-oh!
Yoo-seong’s hand filled with Aura. Before the hunters could

even react…
Wooong-!
Yoo-seong’s hands had gone over their faces.
***
“Honestly, I don’t understand either,” Seoyu admitted to

Yang Biyeon.
She had no idea why she was taken from the hospital. Why
Yoo-seong needed her during this dangerous situation.
“What do you think?” she asked Yang Biyeon. “Why would

he need me? You were there, and you’re a lot stronger than I
am.”
There was no answer.
Yang Biyeon merely nodded her affirmation. All her focus

and concentration was on the steering wheel and the road
in front of them.
At their speed, with that much pandemonium on the streets,

they would have crashed against several pedestrians and
vehicles already, if not for Biyeon’s control. Seoyu sighed as
she realized Yang Biyeon couldn’t answer her.
“Okay. I won’t disturb you,” she told her.
She looked out the window. The scene outside looked

straight out of hell.
On top of that, the city streets were almost paralyzed by the

crowd, as well as the vehicles that were all trying to escape.
Seoyu heard from the news here and there that the defense
agency does not even have a list of available hunters
prepared.
Control center, Seoyu remembered the word Yoo-seong

texted her. I wish there was a thing here. Really.
Seoyu bit her lips.
Meanwhile, the vehicle suddenly broke into a drift and

stopped abruptly. It had arrived at the location Yoo-seong
sent them a minute ago.
Even before she stepped out of the car, Seoyu’s eyes were
already wide open.
The reason why the car had to swerve was because of giant
monster corpses along the street. Yoo-seong was standing in
the middle of it.
Seoyu trembled as she observed his face from where she

stood. At first glance, he didn’t seem to have any injury.
However, that expression…
Cold sweat dripping over a pale face…
Any hunter could recognize the symptoms of excessive Aura

control.
Yoo-seong was obviously over fatigued.
Seoyu rummaged to type in her phone, but she heard Yoo-

seong stop him.
“You can just talk,” he said. “I can now… hear it.”
“What do you need me to do?” Seoyu asked politely.
She couldn’t afford to be sarcastic in front of this man, who

had obviously suffered so much.
“Take this,” Yoo-seong said, holding out his empty hand.
“What?” Seoyu frowned.
Then, she was surprised as she felt it.
From the hands of Yoo-seong, dozens of fine Aura threads

twirled into two spirals.
“One branch is for listening… the other is for speaking,” Yoo-

seong explained.
It was the technique he learned from Yang Jeong-cheon,

combined with the Parasitic Bee he learned from Sung-
wook.
“I’ve linked it to all the hunters I’ve encountered so far.”
Seoyu looked at her hand. On the other end of the thread,

she was holding were several hunters moving all over the
city.
Seoyu trembled at the incredible scope of Yoo-seong’s

technique.
“I didn’t call you to fight with us,” Yoo-seong spoke. “You

just need to listen and deliver information from a secure
location. Yang Biyeon will escort you.”
Yang Biyeon nodded. Her authority was also recognized in

Shanghai, beyond the Red Dragon Society.
Seoyu began to understand why she was called. It was

because of her basic knowledge of hunting operations, as
well as her expertise in both Chinese and Korean languages.
Yoo-seong raised his cellphone in front of him and told

Seoyu:
“I’ll give the orders.”

Chapter 61
Episode 61
‘Goddamn it.’
Shanghai Central Defense Agency Chief Ryu Jun-gang’s

hand trembled.
He lit a cigarette, then took a deep puff. He couldn’t even

feel the smoke going through his throat.
He felt numb, helpless.
What could the Defense Agency do in this situation?
“Did you contact Hangzhou City already?!” he barked at an

employee, who scurried out.
Ryu Jun-gang sighed. The only thing he could think of doing

was to request help from outside the city, and this was to
help them seek for more hunters to help them rescue
civilians.
The Defense Agency’s role in the Chinese hunting industry

was minimal. They were in charge of predicting the time and
location for crack appearances and supervise as the hunters
distribute the operation area between themselves.
Until now, that has been enough.
‘I thought we’re doing enough.’

The Chief took another long puff and stared at the distance.
“Chief,” an employee entered the room and approached

him.
“I keep getting calls from the Party…”
Ryu Jun-gang remained silent.
To allow the Party and the military to take over would mean
accepting responsibility and failure. The more chaotic the
situation became, and the larger its scale turned out to be,
the greater the responsibility. Someone would have to take
the blame.
Not just the punishment that came with failing to do the job,
but the moral responsibility.
The lives that were lost.
The lives that they were still losing.
It was unlikely that the Party was calling him to ask about
the current situation.
Every satellite was pointed at Shanghai right now.
Reports were coming to the higher officials in real-time. The

call would only mean one thing. The military was ready to
take over the situation.
‘I’ll just push a button to take the call… and that’s it.’
At this, Ryu Jun-gang’s stomach tightened.
‘There is nothing to be afraid of’; he assured himself as he

accepted his fate. He had seen bureaucrats fall so many
times.
Now, it was his turn.
“I… I will speak to them directly. Transfer the call to my

line,” he told the employee.
He took a deep breath and faced his computer screen. On it,

there was a large blueprint of Shanghai, with flashing red
dots all over it. The dots were moving in real-time,
indicating monster sightings.
‘The people in those areas…’
There was nothing he could do to save them. His phone

finally rang.
Ryu Jun-gang picked up the handset with trembling hands.
“This is Ryu Jun-gang.”
However, it wasn’t the voice he was expecting.
-Chief? Report from the 2nd Report Center…
“What?!” Ryu Jun-gang’s temper flared.
The Report Center was a department that received the

private sector. Their internal communications had squeezed
through the important Party call.
“Why are you calling me directly?!” Ryu Jun-gang yelled at

the phone.
-Huh, but… there’s a report from Shincheonji.
Then, Ryu Jun-gang heard it from beyond the handset.
It wasn’t a request for help. It was far from that.

It was as close to a thread of hope for him and the whole of
Shanghai.
Through the thread, Yoo-seong heard Seoyu’s voice.
-As you said, I delivered everything to the Defense Agency.
“Good,” he replied.
He was feeling dizzy. He had to stop himself from vomiting.

Yoo-seong was standing on the roof of a tall building.
His sense of balance had not recovered yet, but he was

moving with the help of Spider Walk. The reason why he was
filling light-headed was the threads.
It connected him to Seoyu and other hunters at the same

time. As he and the other hunters moved, Yoo-seong drew
out the thread from within him to maintain the connection.
If it wasn’t for the reinforcement given to him by the golden

pill, his fine veins would have ruptured by now. Repressing
his rising nausea, Yoo-seong unfolded a map before him. It
was a districts in downtown Shanghai.
“We’ll designate temporary areas of operations, starting

from the center of the crack as ‘Zone 1’. Take note of…”
-Please speak a little slower.
Yoo-seong then designated areas into operation zones.
The total number of hunters connected to the thread was

27.
Even if they met other hunters and delivered Yoo-seong’s
orders to them, they would all follow the designated
operation zones. Yoo-seong recalled his motto.
‘Do what you can, step by step.’
Right now, they do not have a pulse breaker.
Because of that, the goal of an actual hunt, which was to

close a rift, was not an available option.
Moreover, the hunters could not cover the whole of

Shanghai.
Yoo-seong made a bold decision. He encircled a total of 15

areas around the center of the crack.
‘This would be the maximum,’ he decided.
He had reached the limit of the number of hunters he could

link with. The range he selected also took into consideration
the distance that Yoo-seong’s thread could cover. Blocking
the fifteen areas so that the monsters are trapped near the
center was the best he could do now.
“Inform each hunter of their temporary operation area and

ask them for a location report. Make sure at least one
person is deployed in all operational areas…”
By dividing the map into operation zones and sharing

information within those divisions, he made an efficient
arrangement. There was no hesitation in Yoo-seong’s voice.
“Except Zone 1. The center. I’ll be on it.”
Of course, since his debut, Yoo-seong had worked solo.

Because of the nature of Automatic Hunting, group activities
that require frequent verbal communication were not
suitable.
This was why he had prepared well.
For a few months after he got his license, Yoo-seong’s day

was monotonous.
Training physically with Sung-wook during the day, to the

point of exhaustion. During the evenings, he read books and
watched instructional videos without fail.
The Auto-Hunting that Yoo-seong had given him a great

advantage. However, because of that advantage, he could
not experience how the other hunters worked.
The team play of hunters in a specific situation.
The roles of each member of the team.
How the members should act when separated from the

team leader.
“They must report their status every three minutes. In the

case of CE depletion or injury, bring them to your location.
I’ll leave that to Yang Biyeon…”
He studied hard into the night. There was no worthless

information.
He knew that not knowing how teams work was a weakness.

Even though he could not experience it firsthand, he made
up for it by studying.
He listened as Seoyu translated his instructions. Then, he

folded the map and put it in his pockets.
Yoo-seong looked below him. The streets filled with human
corpses are now filled with monsters.
‘Soon,’ he realized, ’the third period begins.’
For sudden rifts, the first period was when monsters pour
out unexpectedly. The second period was when the
monsters were concentrated in their location, feasting on
their prey.
The third period…
It was when the monsters had run out of prey and started to
move to hunt for more.
Yoo-seong closed his eyes for a moment. Then…
He pressed the button. His body immediately began

stretching and unfolding to adapt to the situation. There
were monsters all around him.
‘What kind of body would be suitable for this hellish

situation?’
Yoo-seong cleared his mind.
‘All you need to do is focus.’
Soon…
Taktak-!
His body had then finished transforming. Yoo-seong began

to run down the building.
…
A state-of-the-art transport aircraft lowered its altitude
toward the center of Shanghai. A young man in his early
thirties was inside.
“The damage is much more than they said,” the man

murmured.
His name was Ha Yuk-il, the tenth place in the current Ship
Zone.
He was the successor of the Volcano, and had inherited a

powerful Psy.
Ha Yuk-il looked up at the crack. It was over a hundred

meters.
Even if he and his subordinates arrived earlier carrying the

pulse breaker, the operation would have taken at least two
hours.
“I heard that three other Ship Zones have come,” he

remarked.
They, too, would have just been arriving in Shanghai. Four

Ship Zones, and hunters from all over China, flocked to the
city.
Ha Yuk-il looked at his subordinates seated at the back of

the carrier and yelled:
“Go go go!”
The hunters dropped one by one into the city. Something

felt strange to Ha Yuk-il as soon as he landed.
He gave a hand signal to his subordinates, telling them to

stop. They were supposed to land closest to the rift.
He expected to be surrounded by monsters as soon as they
landed. However, they weren’t.
Instead, they were surrounded by monster corpses.
“What’s this?” a subordinate behind him exclaimed.
Most of the corpses were from one of the giant species.
Chengdu Black God – 3 to 7 stars (★★★~★★★★★★★)
It was a species which risk level considerably as their

growth deviation was so rapid. A full-grown Giant Snake
could fill up an entire street.
All around Ha Yuk-il’s team were corpses of Chengdu Black

Gods. They were about 5-6 stars, based on their size.
Ha Yuk-il’s eyes turned to the cracks. He had been watching

it until just before descent.
There were no more beasts pouring out of it.
‘A top predator?’ He wondered.
Even among monsters, a hierarchy exists. There were

monsters among monsters, even higher in the food chain
than the Chengdu Black God.
‘It must be hiding somewhere around here.’
Ha Yuk-il’s eyes narrowed.
Threung-!
He then pulled out his Magnetic Sword. The purple blade

buzzed in his arms.
‘I have no intention of letting it go,’ he decided.
He had to catch the top predator. It would be the best way

for him to solidify his position in the industry.
There was no rush to close the crack, anyway. He then

looked around him, watching out for any movements.
Suddenly, he spun around. The sound of something tearing

apart alerted him.
An uncommonly large Giant Snake, at seven stars in his

estimate, was being torn from the inside.
Jahjeook-!
The skin tore apart completely.
“Ugh!” one of Ha Yuk-il’s men blurted out.
“What is that?!”
A human-shaped mass was emerging. It was pressed

against the surface of the snake’s muscles and intestines.
Ha Yuk-il ran towards it.
Threung-!
The tip of the Magnetic Sword sliced through it neatly. The

human-shaped mass would have been split in two as well,
but the blade narrowly missed it.
Thud-!
The snake corpse split in half, revealing the man inside. The
first thing they noticed was the man’s eyes. Between the
blood, torn muscles, and intestines, the human eyes glinted
sharply.
“You’re lucky,” Ha Yuk-il said. “You could have been hurt if

my aim was even a centimeter off.”
It was a lie.
Ha Yuk-il swung his sword at full strength, with little regard

for the human shape. However, the man avoided it, even if
his vision was blocked by the snake’s muscles.
“What group do you belong in? Who else is in this

situation?” Ha Yuk-il yelled at the man.
His tone was as if he was speaking to someone beneath his

level. He wasn’t familiar with the man’s face.
The man remained silent. Then, instead of answering, the

man pointed the finger at him.
“Hey…” Ha Yuk-il was flustered. “What are you gonna do?”
The man’s finger moved to the pulse breaker that one of the
team members was holding. Then, it pointed to the crack.
Even a fool could understand.
‘Close the crack.’
Ha Yuk-il’s turned red. He was speechless.
Regardless of where the operation was, whether in China or

overseas, it was unthinkable for the rush team to loiter at
the center.
It was because of Ha Yuk-il’s greed that is why the

dispatched rush team has delayed their mission. He then
tried to save face by yelling at the man.
“I’m talking to you, but you’re answering by pointing your

fingers?!”
Meanwhile, the man stayed calm, brushing off the dirt and

blood that covered him. Then, it pointed again to Ha Yuk-il,
the pulse breaker, and the crack above them.
Ha Yuk-il was silent for a few moments before he spoke up.
“I am the successor of the Volcano…”
This time, he controlled himself and used a calmer tone. “I

think you could be a great help if you join us in closing the
rift. You seem to be quite skillful…”
Ha Yuk-il had a different meaning in mind as he said it.
‘I’ll give you some credit by including you on our rush team.’
However, before he even finished talking, the man turned

around and started to walk away.
“Hey!”
Ha Yuk-il was indignant and began running towards the man

to stop him. Just as he had taken his first step, the man
turned to face him.
Ha Yuk-il froze as he stared back into those eyes.
The man’s lips began to move. He spoke in broken Chinese.
“Crack. Above. My. Do…”
Then, he turned around and began running. Soon, the man

disappeared from the street.
Ha Yuk-il and his men felt stunned.
“What is with that person?”
“Shall we follow him and teach him a lesson?”
Ha Yuk-il also thought about the same thing.
He wanted to teach the man a proper lesson.
He wanted to drag him inside the crack, where there would

be no evidence left. He thought hard.
There was a hunter who was so popular in China these days.
A Korean hunter who is said to have caught a Four Peril in

solo hunting.
‘Oh Yoo-seong,’ he remembered the hunter’s name.
‘A piece of…’
Ha Yuk-il swore silently and gritted his teeth. Then, he

turned to his men.
“Let’s go.”
As he led his men into the rift, he clenched his fists in

suppressed anger. He felt as if he had been made fun of.
‘He probably sees the Ship Zone as dog poop, doesn’t he?’
Ha Yuk-il admitted to himself that he could not have dealt

with all the monsters piled up on the streets alone, as Oh
Yoo-seong did. Still, if that foreigner wanted to get a lot of
merits, he wouldn’t get it.
‘I will testify to somehow reduce his achievement,’ he
decided.
Even if he hadn’t actually witnessed it, a Ship Zone member

was a Ship Zone member.
His words certainly held weight.
And with his influence, he could probably find a hunter

somewhere in the city and force him to place the credit to
his name.
‘Soon,’ Ha Yuk-il calmed himself. ’That man would face my

fury after this operation is over.’
However, as soon as he stepped inside, he froze.
The men behind him also stopped dead, with their eyes
wide and mouths hanging open. They then remembered the
man’s words.
It all made sense now.
“G-get the pulse breaker ready and let’s go down as fast as

we can,” Ha Yuk-il stammered. He looked pathetic as he
stared at the scene before him.
From as far as their eyes could see, monster corpses were

piled up inside the crack. The rush team didn’t have to do
anything inside aside from closing the crack.
There were no monsters left.

The 7-star Chengdu Black God was the top predator inside
the crack. The last thing it did after swallowing Yoo-seong
whole was writhing in pain until it fell out of the rift.
Ha Yuk-il’s shoulders drooped as he watched his men charge

up the pulse breaker.
His grand plans after the operation had all dissolved into
thin air.
Yoo-seong’s achievement was too huge, much larger than

his influence. He wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
At that point, he wondered if he was still even in the ten

Ship Zone hunters.
Chapter 62
EPISODE 62
Waves of condolences had come from all over the world.

This was because a sudden rift had formed in a city with a
population of more than 20 million. The death toll alone had
already exceeded 3333. The count had not included the
number of those missing, and those that were unaccounted
for.
This was the highest number of casualties recorded from

just a single crack. Media from all over the world were
talking about the Shanghai Shock.
Of course, there had also been unpredictable changes

happening in cracks all over the world. However, so far,
China’s response had been far too insensitive.
Six years ago, a crack outside Qingdao had caused a

whopping total of 124 casualties.
If it had been a different country, it would have been

recorded as a disaster, and they would have completely
changed their response policy. However, despite the
accidents, China’s ability to cope with the crisis had not
improved at all. A year ago, there had been a sudden rift in
the territorial waters near Shanghai.
Fortunately, there had been no major disaster except for the

deaths of a few fishing workers, but the difference between
then and now was the location itself.
The crack had appeared in the middle of a city, and not

within the vast sea.
“It was said that the disaster happened because of bad

luck,” Seo Sang-hwan said on television. He was an advisor
to the Special Defense Agency, being interviewed for the
news show.
“But honestly, I don’t think that’s what happened here,” he

added.
“It’s certainly more than bad luck,” the host laughed bitterly.
Seo Sang-hwan looked heated about the issue. In fact, it

would be fair to say that his opinion reflected the current
sentiment in Korea.
It had not even been a month yet since a Chinese hunter

named Zhang Li tried to harm Yoo-seong. Korea’s anti-China
sentiment was already at an all-time high.
The Goryong Company and the Chinese government had

both taken diplomatic initiatives, but unfortunately, no one
trusted them. The majority of the South Korean population
had the same deduction.
‘The Chinese government tried to kill a skilled hunter to

dominate the Korean market.’
“The opposition is using it as an opportunity to gather

people to criticize the government’s complacent response,”
Seo Sang-hwan further speculated.
In an effort to calm Seo Sang-hwan, the host then tried to

change the subject.
“Meanwhile, isn’t it a city where five-star hunters are
currently active?” the host asked carefully. However, all it
did was to agitate Seo Sang-hwan even more.
“That’s right. That only makes it worse!” Seo Sang-hwan

exclaimed.
“There are four of China’s most ferocious beasts, the Ship

Zone, as you all know. China’s best hunters also have a hard
time dealing with them.”
Everyone in the studio nodded at Seo Sang-hwan’s words.
Through Tenz, it had then been revealed to the world that

Oh Yoo-seong was the one who hunted one of the Four
Perils. This in itself had caused a frenzy in Korea as well.
The name of the monster had occupied the top search terms
of various websites. Even Korean hunters who had been
active in China for a short while had appeared on TV to
present their views about Yoo-seong’s achievement.
Probably, if the Shanghai Shock had not occurred, the
Korean media would still be talking about the Qiongqi until
now.
“As everyone knows through Tenz’ release, Oh Yoo-seong

made another incredible feat this time. What does this
mean?” the host inquired.
The Chinese government thus far had been extremely

reluctant to release video footage of their hunting
operations overseas. The same was true, even for Shanghai
Shock.
“If Tenz had not announced Oh Yoo-seong’s achievement,

we wouldn’t even have known. It is a place where a
foreigner’s performance is ignored,” Seo Sang-hwan
answered.
“If that’s the case, could it be said that hunter Oh Yoo-seong

had a hard time with the Shanghai Shock?” the host asked.
“Maybe.” Seo Sang-hwan shrugged.
“In the case of a disaster involving civilians like that, there is

not much a hunter could do with his power alone. I’m sure
that Oh Yoo-seong tried to save as many lives as he could.”
***
“I guess you can hear me now,” Seoyu said as she

approached.
“It’s still echoing, but I can hear you,” Yoo-seong answered

as he descended from a building’s ruins.
About 30 hours had already passed since the cracks were

closed. Repair and rescue operations were still underway.
In addition to clearing the bodies of monsters and people,

they were also looking for missing people and possible
survivors within the rubbles of the collapsed buildings.
“Lunchtime is over, isn’t it?” Yoo-seong asked.
With Seoyu following closely, Yoo-seong walked towards the

building he was previously working on, and then got back to
clear the debris.
Hunters had plenty of other abilities besides hunting. A

skilled hunter’s body could surpass the strength of heavy
equipment. It was just that their labor costs were too
expensive.
Therefore, in Korea, the voluntary participation of hunters
was “recommended” in case of emergencies caused by
large-scale natural disasters.
“You don’t have to do this,” Seoyu stated. However, there

was no such thing in this country.
“There’s no broadcasting station camera to shoot you.

People are finding it weird,” Seoyu said as she looked
around.
It was just exactly as Seoyu said. As everyone started to get

back to work, people were throwing them stares, as if
wanting to ask him.
“Why is there a hunter here?”
Yoo-seong was indeed a lot of help, but usually, hunters did

not involve themselves with this work.
“I don’t care how you look at it,” Yoo-seong replied as he

calmly lifted the debris.
“Or is it this country’s thing to stare while people do what

they want to do?” he added.
“No,” Seoyu replied reluctantly.
“I have said this before, and I will say it again. I am doing

this because I want to. It is better than lying around in the
hospital room doing nothing.”
Yoo-seong then got back to work, ignoring Seoyu and the

stares everyone was giving them.
“But I would rather.. .” Seoyu swallowed back her words.

She decided to hold back whatever it was that she was
about to say.
‘What would I rather him do? What should Yoo-seong do

right now?’
Even Seoyu was left with no clue with what would happen
next. Meanwhile, rumors were circulating.
Hunters who have participated in the “blocking operation”

had continued to talk about their experiences.
It was said that 27 hunters had received commands through

an Aura thread. Then, these hunters met with other hunters
whom they led, based on the message conveyed through
their threads.
It was a form of centralized hunting, one they hadn’t

experienced before. The first to be spotlighted was the Red
Dragon Society.
Red Dragon Society’s Yang Biyeon protected the wounded

and civilians. However, when the hunt was over, Yang
Biyeon denied her contribution.
“I was not the one in charge,” she said.
Next was Seoyu.
She was a hunter from Tenz, although she was a little

unfamiliar to Shanghai. However, she had said that she just
followed the instructions she received.
No official announcement had been made about this

occurrence. However, the entire Shanghai industry already
knew.
They knew who connected the hunters and formed a system
that controlled several areas around the city. They knew
who the mastermind who gave instructions for Seoyu to
relay was.
It was none other than the foreigner, Oh Yoo-seong.
Seoyu bit her lips as she watched Yoo-seong walk ahead and
continue to clean up the debris. She felt frustrated, but it
was not because of Yoo-seong.
‘Honestly, it was all thanks to him.’
The situation was just literally frustrating. With what he had

done, there should have been a lot of praise and support
around him.
However, right now, he was clearing debris, and no one else

was around him but her, his secretary.
“The reason is simple…” Yoo-seong read her thoughts as he

picked up a huge rock.
“It’s because I am an outsider.”
“That’s crazy.”
It was all Seoyu could say. Perhaps this was the first time for
her.
For the first time, she realized that there was a problem with
the Chinese industry she felt so proud of.
“But the total compensation will be settled without any

problem,” she began to add.
“Anything that can be used as evidence, whether it is a

CCTV or a car black box, will be used as a basis to secure
your rights,” she promised.
“I believe you,” Yoo-seong nodded.
He was under contract with Tenz. Just like what Seoyu had
said, his compensation was guaranteed, thanks to Tenz’
influence. Yoo-seong no longer thought about it as a
problem.
“And…” Seoyu hesitated.
“Huh?”
“I’ll help you,” her words were barely audible.
She was a hunter, and there was nothing else for her to do.
“Let’s do it together… boss.”
Yoo-seong felt dumbfounded. Witnessing this was something

else entirely.
This little girl, who had been full of Chinese thought and
pride, had called him ‘boss’. At this, Yoo-seong could not
help but stifle a laugh.
“Hey! What’s funny?” Seoyu grunted.
“Nothing. It’s just with that you seriously saying ‘boss’ with
that height and face…”
Yoo-seong was barely able to manage his words out as he

laughed. Seoyu’s face suddenly darkened, which prompted
Yoo-seong to stop laughing and avert his gaze.
Just then, a group of hunters dressed in the traditional red

appeared. These were members of the Red Dragon Society.
“Oh, here you are,” said a middle-aged man who
approached as soon as he saw Yoo-seong. He was the
general manager of the Red Dragon.
The last time Yoo-seong saw him was at Yang Biyeon’s

mansion, where he seemed to be in charge of managing the
employees. The way the man spoke to him in Korean was
pretty overwhelming.
“I’d like to formally greet you, Mister Oh Yoo-seong.”
“Oh, yes,” Yoo-seong said, not knowing how he should

respond.
He also felt the same when he saw Yang Jeong-cheon. These

people always looked like a group who came right out of
Hong Kong movies.
“But why are you here? Did the crack open again?”
“No, the Vice Lord said she wants us to help out with the
work here.”
Come to think of it, Biyeon asked Seoyu about Yoo-seong’s

location earlier.
“Yes?” Yoo-seong asked without much thought.
“We are here to help.”
Sure enough, the members of the Red Dragon Society were

already busy putting themselves to work here and there.
The citizens around the area could do nothing but stare at
the unfamiliar sight.
“This is…” Yoo-seong hesitated.
He did not know what else there was to say.

“I don’t usually do this,” the general manager laughed, “But
you have set an example for yourself, and we can’t just sit
still.”
Yoo-seong looked around. The other Red Dragon members

looked at him and nodded respectfully.
“Yes, there’s the Vice Lord’s command,” the general

manager added, “but a lot of people volunteered to come
after hearing what happened.”
Yoo-seong once again felt the stares, but this time, there
was nothing like the ridicule he had felt earlier.
“The Vice Lord is somewhere around here. There are many

collapsed buildings, so we divided up into a few groups.”
At this, Yoo-seong was speechless. There had been

instances when he had no idea what to say, and this was
one of them.
As they worked, he began hearing voices coming from afar.
“Is it this way?”
“Oh! There they are!”
As the work continued, more and more hunters began to

appear. Beyond the Red Dragon Society, rumors spread
through hunters and various organizations.
‘Oh Yoo-seong is helping with the work at the site.’
Less than half a day later, the scene was filled with hunters
rolling up their sleeves.
Not everyone approached Yoo-seong. Some just stared at

him from a distance.
As the number of hunters increased, there was nothing left
to stand the way. Their working speed increased
exponentially.
“Here, I can hear a human voice!”
“There are children and women underground!”
Miracles that would have been impossible were all made

possible. The civilians who were buried for 40 hours were
safely rescued and carried by hunters.
Yoo-seong found himself cheering along with the hunters.
“There must have been times when you have been

disappointed,” the general manager, who was working
silently next to him, said.
“Nevertheless, it is also a thing in this place that once

someone has earned respect, people will undoubtedly follow
him.”
Yoo-seong looked around at everyone who gathered to help,

workers and hunters alike. The general manager smiled and
walked back over where he was picking up debris.
“Did you see that?” Seoyu came to Yoo-seong’s side.
Her smart-looking suit had somehow been grayed out by the

dust.
“This is China’s…e…” her words faded out as she saw the

look on Yoo-seong’s face.
“…to be honest with you, it was too much for me,” Yoo-
seong confessed.
Seoyu wanted to tell him that this scene unfolding now was
a miracle he himself had created. Instead, they just smiled
and bowed down at each other.
The work lasted until midnight.
Surprisingly, what was usually done in the course of 10 days

had been finished in just a day.
Oh Yoo-seong’s reputation started to gain weight.
In China, where there was a clear line between the

government and the hunting industry, reputations were built
based largely on word of mouth.
There were no official rankings in China. Even an agency’s

numerical evaluation meant nothing to the hunters.
However, now, for the first time since Yang Jeong-cheon

retired… There was someone whom everyone had now
recognized as the number one hunter in Shanghai.
***
The next morning…
Yoo-seong had just woken up. He was just about to brush his
teeth when he heard a knock at his hotel room door. There
was a man in round-rimmed glasses waiting for him outside.
“Nice to meet you,” the man said. He didn’t look like he was
from room service.
“Who are you?” Yoo-seong asked.
“My name is Lee Hwi-min.”
Yoo-seong immediately recognized his name.

“Congratulations on reaching the summit of the Ship Zone,
rookie,” Lee Hwi-min continued whilst smiling sincerely.
Yoo-seong’s response was also quite sincere. He raised his

hand. Then…
Bang-!
Chapter 63
EPISODE 63
Yoo-seong immediately slammed the door. However, the

door had immediately gotten blocked by something.
“He’s still a man of no courtesy,” said a man in sarcastic

Chinese.
It wasn’t Lee Hwi-min. The voice belonged to another man,

the one who had blocked the door.
“Oh, look who it is?” Yoo-seong spat out in Korean.
“You’re a professional shithead,” the man smirked.
It was Ha Yuk-il, the tenth place in the Ship Zone, the

successor of the Volcanic Martial Arts.
The last time they had met, Yoo-seong sent him to close an
empty crack.
“I understand why you are reacting like this,” Lee Hwi-min

started as he adjusted his glasses.
He wasn’t as tall as Yoo-seong was, but it was obvious that

he wasn’t weak. His muscles were quite toned and evident
beneath his suit.
On top of his smart clothing, his hair was neatly fixed.

It was understandable if someone had mistaken him for a
researcher or a professor, rather than one of the Ten Ship
Zones.
“I brought him here,” Lee Hwi-min added.
“I know,” Yoo-seong answered.
“So, you’ll understand if I do this…”
Lee Hwi-min was gradually adding force to push the door

open.
“I don’t really want to speak with you,” Yoo-seong sighed.

However, Ha Yuk-il tightened his grip on the door.
In terms of brute strength and the total amount of CE, Ha

Yuk-il was clearly more dominant. However, Yoo-seong had
something else in mind.
The next moment, Yoo-seong make a strange gesture with

his fingers, as if he was imitating a pistol.
Yoo-seong had his index finger pointed at Ha Yuk-il. At that

moment, Ha Yuk-il knew he was screwed.
At first, nothing happened, and he almost let out a sigh of

relief. However…
“What the…”
Just when Ha Yuk-il was about to laugh at what he presumed

was a failure to attack, a Parasitic Bee was triggered. This
one did not require much power.
It felt like a little chestnut was popped right into his chest,
until he was hit by an unexpected pain.
Ha Yuk-il released his grip from the door. At this, Yoo-seong
did not miss the opportunity and slammed the door shut.
Suddenly, he heard a voice from inside his room.
“It’s okay if you keep it shut. Ha Yuk-il does not have to hear
the things we’re going to discuss.”
Yoo-seong spun around. He saw Lee Hwi-min comfortably

sitting behind him.
“Tech,” Yoo-seong unconsciously said.
“That’s right. If I were you, I wouldn’t be as calm.”
As Lee Hwi-min spoke, Yoo-seong smelled something. It was

faint and fleeting, but it smelled like burning paper.
‘This scent!’
Yoo-seong covered his nose and tried to hold his breath.
“You’re right. This scent is the trigger to my technique.”
“Is that a kind of Tech?” Yoo-seong asked him.
“No, it is something you can do, too. A lot of people call it

hypnosis, though I would rather call it a nerve disturbance.”
Yoo-seong’s nose flinched a little. Just then, his vision

started getting hazy.
“Besides, now that I met you, I am sure. You are exactly just
like me,” Lee Hwi-min smiled as he watched him.
“I do not force myself into rooms without prior appointments

or permission,” Yoo-seong retorted.
“No, I don’t think so,” Lee Hwi-min nodded. “But in some
situations, you must.”
“Rather than relying on that stubborn idea, one must be

flexible and adapt to his surroundings,” he added.
“You’re pretty good with words,” Yoo-seong commented.
“Thank you. That’s my specialty.”
Through his glasses, Lee Hwi-min’s eyes resembled half-

moons.
“You should feel it now. The trembling in your lips, your fists,
and your legs…”
Yoo-seong tried to remain calm.
“You’re only thinking about two things,” Lee Hwi-min raised

a finger.
“First, someone had just broken into the hotel’s VIP floor.
Will calling the security work?”
Lee Hwi-min then raised a second finger. “Second, you’re

contemplating if what you’re seeing right now is the ‘real
me’. You did not see me move in. You haven’t even seen me
burn paper.”
His eyes glinted from behind his eyeglasses as he stared at

Yoo-seong. “You’re probably thinking that there is a higher
possibility of Tech that creates illusions rather than someone
that moves this fast.”
Rather than be surprised with Lee Hwi-min’s deductions,

Yoo-seong suddenly felt dizzy.
“I assume you can still understand me despite what you’re
currently feeling.”
Lee Hwi-min suddenly waved his hand, or it appeared that

he did.
Yoo-seong no longer knew.
“You’re actually very interesting. You didn’t even react when

I told you that you have ranked in the Ten Ship Zones,” Lee
Hwi-min tilted his head.
“Should I?” Yoo-seong asked him.
“Don’t you think of it as an honor?”
“Not at all,” Yoo-seong spoke with sincerity. “I can’t believe

that right away, and even if it is, I don’t think it’s okay to
change the list of members overnight.”
“You underestimate the Ship Zone.”
“No. I know what it’s worth. In fact, I am underestimating

my own achievements.”
Despite Yoo-seong’s words, Lee Hwi-min kept his smile.

“Since you caught one of the Four Perils alone, you’d have
already been fully qualified anyway.”
But everyone already knew why Yoo-seong still actually

wasn’t.
If Yoo-seong had been a Chinese hunter, he would have

already become a national hero, renowned across the
continent. However, because of what previously happened,
what Yoo-seong did was considered a fluke. His triumph was
an incident that had to be accepted slowly, little by little.
However, things had changed because the rumors spread
rather quickly. Directly or indirectly, the people of Shanghai
recognized Yoo-seong’s achievements.
Thanks to this man, they were able to protect their home.
Now, for most hunters in Shanghai, Yoo-seong was no longer

a stranger to watch out for. Here, at least in Shanghai, he
was a hunter who had caught one of the Four Perils alone,
and helped them during the Shanghai Shock.
“Six months ago,” Lee Hwi-min began, “I had to beg for a

seat in the Ten Ship Zone. Luckily, the previous hunter who
occupied a spot met an accident.”
Just then, Lee Hwi-min gestured with his chin over Yoo-
seong’s shoulder. The hotel door suddenly opened,
revealing Ha Yuk-il.
His face was flushed red, all in a fit of anger.
“So, I recommended him, the junior I’ve been raising for a

long time. I’ve taught him the Volcanic Martial Arts, which I
have learned myself.”
‘The Volcanic Martial Arts.’
Yoo-seong recognized its name.
It was a legend in the Chinese industry, but it did not

survive beyond modern times, unlike the other
organizations’ martial arts. The Tech, which was thought to
be gone forever, had been restored by a hunter who studied
and mastered it. With that said, Ha Yuk-il was not a
weakling.
He had accomplished enough results during the last few
months. It was only quite natural for him to be interested in
the empty Ship Zone position.
However, the problem was rising in the ranks. It was a

better path than waiting in the tenth place until someone
outshines him.
Ha Yuk-il knew this. And so, with this in mind, he worked

hard and sought achievements one after the other.
All he ever thought was how he could make it higher.
“And then, you showed up,” Ha Yuk-il said as he approached

Yoo-seong.
“Well, I am so sorry about that,” Yoo-seong answered.
Then, he turned to Lee Hwi-min.
“It seems like I have embarrassed you twice,” said Yoo-

seong.
His vision was blurry, but he tried to focus on his

surroundings.
“You think so?” Lee Hwi-min sounded amused. “Let me

count.”
He spread his hand open and began folding his fingers one
by one.
“I was robbed of the golden pill, which unfortunately

entered your mouth; the disciple that I adored, Zhang Li, is
now in a cold cell in Korea…”
Lee Hwi-min then acted as if he remembered something.

“Oh, and my student who had worked so hard to learn the
Volcanic Martial Arts I’ve taught him has been kicked out of
the Ship Zone!”
The very next moment, Yoo-seong again felt the scent

passing through the tip of his nostrils.
He tried to cover his nose.
However…
‘What is this?’
As Yoo-seong tried to move his arm, what moved instead

was his opposite leg.
‘What is happening?!’
He lost his balance and crashed to the floor.
Yoo-seong tried to speak, but even his words felt out of

place.
“I have twisted your senses. You won’t be able to move your

body that way you want it to,” Lee Hwi-min explained.
When Yoo-seong tried to speak again, his shoulder and calf

moved instead of his throat and tongue.
“You should just try and listen. You’d feel more comfortable
with that,” Lee Hwi-min advised.
“What happened in Shanghai was an untimely tragedy… but

ever since you came to China, all I have heard around was
your name.”
Lee Hwi-min leaned forward from his seat so he could watch

Yoo-seong on the floor.
“You know what happens when someone gets older.
Tempers always run short. And unfortunately for you, it is
hard for someone like me to get rid of a grudge.”
Contrary to his previously relaxed demeanor, Lee Hwi-min’s

eyes now burned through the struggling Yoo-seong.
However, Yoo-seong wasn’t just struggling. He was trying to

figure out which parts of his senses were twisted together.
‘I do not know if I have more time, but at least, I need to

figure out how to move even a single limb.’
“Imagine, after just two hunts, you rose over Shanghai’s

horizon. Do you understand what that meant?”
Yoo-seong remained silent. He knew exactly what Lee Hwi-

min was talking about.
Shanghai was a special city. It was an independent area that

did not belong to the realm of giant groups, such as Tenz or
Goryong.
Instead, Shanghai inherited the traditions and customs of

the hunters who had been protecting the city from the past.
It was also a large city with a population of 25 million.
Being an influential hunter in such a city…
“It’s too much power to fall into the hands of a foreigner,

even for someone with your ability,” Lee Hwi-min finished.
Yoo-seong heard him leave his seat to walk towards him.
“It’s a waste of time to get rid of a hero. We can’t make

someone who is like you that easily, and it seems that
people from the higher ranks agree with me.”
All of a sudden, Yoo-seong felt himself getting lifted from the
floor.
He found himself staring at Ha Yuk-il’s eyes. He was

grabbing Yoo-seong’s collar.
Lee Hwi-min continued speaking.
“Well, the reason I was able to come to you so boldly today

is to provide assistance. I know you’re with Tenz, and it’s
that damn old man’s job to convince you, but for some
reason, he literally left you by yourself in Shanghai.”
Lee Hwi-min paused as if giving Yoo-seong a chance to

clearly hear what he was about to say.
“Choose,” he urged Yoo-seong, with an air of exhaustion in

his words.
“Be naturalized citizen of this country and spread your

wings as one of the ten Ship Zones.”
Ha Yuk-il’s grip tightened around Yoo-seong. It was clear

that this was not an option he wanted Yoo-seong to choose.
“Or,” Lee Hwi-min continued,” live as a foreigner here,

without any protection, and be the subject of my personal
vendetta…”
All of a sudden…
Thud-!
Lee Hwi-min was cut off before he could proceed any

further.
Yoo-seong had gained control of one of his arms and struck

Ha Yuk-il’s nose using the back of his hand. Ha Yuk-il almost
tumbled over.
As soon as he felt he was bleeding, Ha Yuk-il gathered Aura

on his fists and threw a punch enough to smash anything
that stood in its way.
Yoo-seong was falling to the floor, but he whipped his legs

and wrapped them around Ha Yuk-il’s arm like ivy.
Then, he made a sharp twist, and Ha Yuk-il rotated

completely.
Crunch-!
“Aaaah!” Ha Yuk-il screamed, his arm suddenly broken. Yoo-

seong landed on the floor.
Then, he heard what sounded like a rush of wind. He lifted

his head and saw Lee Hwi-min charging towards him.
Yoo-seong dodged his path.
However, Lee Hwi-min was one of the Ten Ship Zones, and
Yoo-seong was pushed back by the mere force of his speed.
Meanwhile, Ha Yuk-il struggled to stand. He had gotten

embarrassed once again.
Yoo-seong damaged him badly despite being under Lee Hwi-

min’s nerve disturbance. He could not allow this to happen.
Ha Yuk-il’s specialty was swordsmanship.
No matter what a hunter’s status was, they couldn’t just

carry around such weapons, even in China.
However, it was not the only thing he could use to fight. He

had made himself an elite with his Volcano Tech, which
alone surpassed most Techs.
Admittedly, his opponent wasn’t too bad, either. It was

going to be a tough battle.
Yoo-seong and Ha Yuk-il began exchanging blows.
Even with only one functioning arm, Ha Yuk-il’s

overwhelming amount of CE seemed to give him a better
advantage. However, Yoo-seong had more skills in his
arsenal.
Pancheonma Geukki.
He used the same skill that ruptured a Habaek’s eyeballs to

destroy his human opponent.
Ha Yuk-il tried to stop his attack, but he was too late.
Thud-!
Blood spurted out of his mouth.
His internal organs had gotten damaged.
Yoo-seong turned to look at Lee Hwi-min as Ha Yuk-il lost his

consciousness. However, Lee Hwi-min was long gone from
the room.
***
The tables had drastically turned.
“What the hell?! This was a disaster!” Lee Hwi-min muttered

under his breath.
He neutralized the hotel’s security with his Nerve

Disturbance Tech. He had also brought Ha Yuk-il with him.
According to his calculations, any possibility of Yoo-seong
defeating his disciple could be eliminated by his Nerve
Disturbance. No one could have predicted that something
would go wrong.
His plan should have been perfect.
Even if Ha Yuk-il was not using his sword, it should have

been impossible for anyone to win against him in that state.
‘At least,’ he assured himself as he rushed through the

hotel’s corridors, ’I could buy more time.’
However…
‘What the?’
Lee Hwi-min’s eyes widened.
Yoo-seong stood in front of him, even with an unconscious

Ha Yuk-il on his feet.
Lee Hwi-min frantically looked around.
He was expecting Yoong-seo to rush towards them, but he

did not. There was only silence.
‘What are you thinking?’ Lee Hwi-min wondered.
It didn’t take long, however. Yoo-seong began to move.
He stretched his arm towards Lee Hwi-min’s direction, his

palm facing upwards, curling and uncurling.
“You jerk!”
Chapter 64
EPISODE 64
A little gasp had escaped out of Lee Hwi-min’s mouth. He

quickly tried to regain his composure immediately
afterward, just as Yoo-seong did earlier.
Then, Lee Hwi-min calmly calculated his next move.
“Would you give this sorcerer a bit more time?” he asked

Yoo-seong.
Ki was the use of CE in the form of Aura. However, his Nerve

Disturbance Tech uses CE as a kind of fuel.
Unlike Aura, which could be used as an extension of the

human body, Nerve Disturbance poured CE into an
operation machine.
In short, it was a magic system. A gap would inevitably rise

from it.
This was also called ‘cool down.’ It was one of the main
reasons why Lee Hwi-min had brought Ha Yuk-il as support.
The Nerve Disturbance Tech had its limits.
These few seconds that were ticking away would be the

golden opportunity for Yoo-seong to bring him down.
However…
Yoo-seong wasn’t moving.
He simply raised his palm and stared at Lee Hwi-min.
‘He’s bluffing,’ Lee Hwi-min’s gut feeling told him.
He felt around his pockets for the talisman that he always

carried with him. It had the power to teleport a person
within a certain distance.
‘It’s a good thing I brought it with me.’
“Obviously,” Lee Hwi-min stalled for time. “I still have my

Nerve Disturbance. I just disabled it temporarily.”
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong was also calculating his next move.
‘I still can’t move, but I managed to grasp all my mixed-up

nerves…’
“I have no idea how your trick works,” Yoo-seong’s said.

“But I know you have a cooldown. You’re stalling for time.”
Lee Hwi-min was standing still in front of him.
However, Yoo-seong knew. It wasn’t the real ‘him.’
Lee Hwi-min was using a Tech called Refraction.
What he was looking at right now was a reflection of Lee

Hwi-min, who was possibly in another part of the building.
He was in the corner of a far-off room, preparing for his next
move.
Lee Hwi-min grunted, then took out the talisman on his

pocket.
One by one, he retrieved the talismans he used to hold the
entire hotel under his control.
The talisman he used to soundproof the room, and the one

he used to mislead anyone who tried to come close to their
location. Lee Hwi-min stole a glance at Yoo-seong.
He still hadn’t moved an inch.
‘It’s a quick decision to be made.’ Lee Hwi-min thought as

he continued to retrieve his talismans.
Finally, everything except for the Nerve Disturbance and

Refraction had been removed.
The moment the other talismans were back in Lee Hwi-min’s

hand, Yoo-seong’s body moved slightly. Lee Hwi-min hadn’t
noticed this.
‘Done,’ Lee Hwi-min congratulated himself.
‘I expected him to react,’ Yoo-seong told himself as he

stared at the reflection in front of him.
He had noticed a strange bracelet on the man’s wrist.
‘A bracelet-shaped lighter?’
Yoo-seong remembered how Lee Hwi-min flicked his hand as

Yoo-seong took down Ha Yuk-il. Right after that, he smelled
burning tinder.
Could it be…?
***
Lee Hwi-min saw Yoo-seong leap.

Not toward his reflection, but towards the real him!
“H-how?!” he exclaimed. As quick as he could, he brought

out a talisman and lit it.
As soon as the spark touched the talisman, it was engulfed

in flame. This talisman was called the Grasp of the Heavenly
Gods.
All of a sudden, Yoo-seong was right in front of him, but he

was repelled by the talisman’s effect.
Quaang-!
Yoo-seong was thrown against the far side of the wall,

denting it in the process. However, it did not take long for
him to stand up, blood dripping from his open mouth.
Instantly, he tried to concentrate all his Aura on defense,

but Lee Hwi-min’s Nerve Disturbance was making it difficult
for him.
“Damn it,” Lee Hwi-min spat out in exasperation.
‘If we had only taken him down from the start, this would
not have happened.’
The attacks that they had for Yoo-seong were intended to

quietly subdue him, and therefore, it lacked firepower.
Besides, the talismans he brought were not even made for

an offense.
He only had three talismans left, all of them for

teleportation.
He would use two to get Ha Yuk-il and make him get away.
The last one would be for his own escape.
Sweat was dripping from Lee Hwi-min’s face.
It cost 40,000 CE to create a single talisman, twice the

amount of Yoo-seong’s total CE.
The creation of a talisman was a secret technique that

consumed a lot of energy. However, Lee Hwi-min had no
choice.
If he was going to do it, he must do it quickly.
Yoo-seong managed to keep his body upright, but once

again, he had stopped moving.
‘Did the Nerve Disturbance affect him again?’ Lee Hwi-min

bit his lips.
‘He could be doing this to fool me.’ He stared at Yoo-seong.
‘He may be luring me in. All this time, he may still be able to
move his body.’
However, there was no time for sure.
When Yoo-seong smashed against the wall, it made a loud

noise.
The talismans he used to soundproof the building and

prevent people from coming was gone.
“This is really…” Lee Hwi-min shook his head in disbelief.
‘I must decide before his next move.’
Lee Hwi-min took a deep breath.
Then, he turned his wrist.

Click-!
The talisman caught fire.
Parat-!
Lee Hwimin disappeared and reappeared a few meters

away, where Ha Yuk-il lay.
‘I don’t take risks,’ he thought to himself.
Rather than taking a risk by continuing to fight with Yoo-

seong, it would be better to step back and regroup. There
was no trace that would lead to him, anyway.
If he managed to escape with Ha Yuk-il with the two

remaining talismans, there would be no evidence that Yoo-
seong was ever attacked.
A thought suddenly came to him.
How Yoo-seong rushed towards Ha Yuk-il.
That reaction speed was incredible. If he knew Lee Hwi-

min’s next moves…
‘But it’s too far,’ Lee Hwi-min reasoned.
It was also impossible for Yoo-seong to be faster than the

time it took for the talismans to burn. Lee Hwi-min was
convinced of this.
Suddenly, Yoo-seong appeared out of nowhere with an Aura

blade.
This time, he was aiming for Lee Hwi-min’s bracelet. Lee

Hwi-min’s eyes were wide open in shock.
‘Did he figure out that the bracelet was the key?’
Click-!
Lee Hwi-min struck the lighter before Yoo-seong could reach

him.
He had to leave Ha Yuk-il behind. There was no time. He felt

the sensation of the Aura blade grazing his wrist.
Shuwat-!
Something did not feel quite right.
He could see the interior of the other building he was aiming

for unfolding before him.
The teleportation had been a success. However…
“This…” He was unable to continue his words.
Lee Hwi-min felt dizzy. It was not a side effect of

teleportation.
Rather, it was because he was seething with rage.
There was no one around Lee Hwi-min. He had left Ha Yuk-il

behind, and his disciple wasn’t even the most important
thing he left behind.
“Damn it!”
He screamed as he stared at his empty hands…
***
“Boss!”
Seoyu had exhaustion written all over her face.
She felt as if she had been bewitched within the last few
minutes. The elevators refused to work, no matter how
many buttons she pressed.
She was unable to advance into the next floor, even if she
tried to go up the stairs. She soon realized it must have
been a Tech. As a result, there was nothing she could do.
Then suddenly, everything just went back to normal. And

just when she was opening the door to Yoo-seong’s room…
‘Was it Yoo-seong on the floor?’
Another man also lay beside him, bleeding. She recognized

the man.
“Ha- Ha Yuk-il?!”
The circumstances were clear.
Seoyu walked over to Yoo-seong. However, contrary to what

she was thinking, Yoo-seong stood up.
“I’m fine. I just kind of slid and then fell down.” Yoo-seong
explained, trying his best to explain the situation.
“What kind of crazy…. #@[email protected]#[email

protected]%[email protected] guy!!”
The Chinese swear words that came out of Seoyu almost

sounded like an entire dialect all in themselves. She was
raging all over.
From her point of view, worse than her boss being attacked,
it was unthinkable that someone dared to touch a hunter
contracted by Tenz.
“Hey!”
Seoyu screamed as she kicked Ha Yuk-il, who was slumped

on the floor.
“Fool! A man who is leeching off of Lee Hwi-min’s back! You

son of a…” she rained insults on him.
Yoo-seong was about to tell her to stop, but then, he

remembered their first meeting. Seoyu literally turned into a
small bomb and exploded when her pride was mocked.
Because of this, he chose to remain silent.
“Did you know that this guy works under Lee Hwi-min?”
Seoyu asked as she looked at Yoo-seong.
Yeo-seong, in turn, looked at Ha Yuk-il and shrugged. “It’s an

open secret that Lee Hwi-min is the one who controls
Goryong and these guys,” she explained.
Yoo-seong walked to the bathroom as Seoyu continued to

rage.
‘Maybe Lee Hwi-min will just cut off Ha Yuk-il, as he did with

Zhang Li.’
But of course, this time, the situation was different. He had

Tenz behind him now.
However, as Lee Hwi-min had said, the Chinese Communist

Party seemed to be on his side.
Yoo-seong was lost in thought while taking a hot shower.

‘There is nothing to be afraid of.’
He was sure of one thing, though.

China was a country with a clear line between the
government and hunters, a line that should not – and never
be! – be invaded.
In fact, to put pressure on him to be naturalized, the Party

must have public means in mind, not backdoor pressure
from Lee Hwi-min. It must be because there was Tenz
behind him.
And perhaps that was why Lee Hwi-min was used to

indirectly threaten him.
Yoo-seong wiped his body with a towel.
Earlier, he thought that Automatic Hunting was also aiming

for Lee Hwi-min’s bracelet.
However, it wasn’t. It had been aiming for a bigger fish.
As Yoo-seong got dressed, he pulled out the talisman he

took from Lee Hwi-min’s hands.
***
“Moon Faction?” Yoo-seong asked Ha Yuk-il, who was now

awake. It was a name Yoo-seong had never heard of.
“The Moon Faction nurtured some of the best sorcerers in

the world,” Ha Yuk-il answered.
Yoo-seong folded back the talisman and kept it in his pocket.

Seoyu, who was translating for them, suddenly took out her
phone and began to dial.
“Who are you talking to?” Yoo-seong asked.
Seoyu lifted her head away from the phone and held a palm
up, asking Yoo-seong to wait.
“Are those the authorities?” Yoo-seong asked again.
Seoyu nodded.
“I don’t intend to let this go the legal way. I have something

else in mind,” Yoo-seong told her.
Seoyu’s eyebrows furrowed, but she placed the phone

down. “Okay, I placed them on hold,” she explained and
waited for Yoo-seong’s instructions.
Yoo-seong sighed. Then, he turned to Ha Yuk-il.
“I have no intention of just handing you over to the

authorities. If something like this happens, parties have to
arrive at an agreement. Is that right?” he asked.
Ha Yuk-il felt something was off.
“Yes,” he answered with a trembling voice. Seoyu’s eyes

widened with shock.
The way Yoo-seong spoke was as calm and quiet as ever, to

the point that it was creepy.
“I’d love to have you locked up. But before that, I want to
offer you a deal,” Yoo-seong told Ha Yuk-il.
“What are you trying to do…?” Seoyu tried to intervene.
“Privacy. Keep talking on the phone,” Yoo-seong cut her off.
‘He’s up to something,’ Ha Yuk-il thought. Yoo-seong made

him uneasy.
Ha Yuk-il was so beaten up that his whole body ached, but

his mind definitely felt more alive than ever.
After a while, Yoo-seong took out his mobile phone and
turned on the translator app.
—Can you see this?
Ha Yuk-il looked at Seoyu, who was still on the phone. Then,

he stared back at Yoo-seong.
Ha Yuk-il nodded.
—Your hunting career, whether you’re caught by the police

or dragged by Tenz, is over. Do you understand?
Ha Yuk-il nodded.
—So, let’s have some kind of a deal between us. If it’s done
right, you and I can get into a win-win situation.
Ha Yuk-il was left with no choice.
‘I just have to keep nodding my head,’ was what he thought.
“Good. Good.” Yoo-seong nodded to himself as he typed on

the translator’s keyboard.
“Come on. Look.”
Yoo-seong showed him what he typed in on his phone.
Ha Yuk-il was left speechless.
For a moment, he thought, ‘This man is crazy.’

Chapter 65
EPISODE 65
“Do you know what you’re talking about? This crazy…” Ha

Yuk-il started in Chinese.
“Hey. I don’t know Chinese. And please be quiet.” Yoo-seong

told him.
Tuk-!
Out of nowhere, Yoo-seong hit Ha Yuk-il with the back of his

hand. However, Ha Yuk-il felt more outraged than angered.
He stared at Yoo-seong in disbelief, all whilst ignoring the

stinging pain on his cheek.
‘Teach him about the Volcano?’
It had been Yoo-seong’s suggestion.
-Hand over the Tech of Volcanic Martial Arts. You can just
give me documents or illustrations.
No matter how much Ha Yuk-il thought about it, he could

only come to one conclusion. Yoo-seong must be out of his
mind.
‘I can’t believe this.’

Ha Yuk-il repressed his indignation and thought for a
moment. With a trembling hand, he asked for Yoo-seong’s
phone.
—There must be a lot of great martial arts within Tenz. Why

are you asking me for this?
This time, Ha Yuk-il looked genuinely curious.
—I don’t want them to give me for free.
After typing it in and showing the message, Yoo-seong

glanced at Seoyu. As if he didn’t want her to know what
they were talking about.
‘I was right,’ Ha Yuk-il grinned. At that moment, he already

had a pretty good plan inside his head.
-Yeah, I’ll give it to you if you want.
Ha Yuk-il then continued to type on the phone.
—But you must swear to me. Swear that no one else sees
this. No matter what happens to you, you must not let Tenz
see the reprint.
Yoo-seong read his message and nodded before typing in his

response.
—Alright. I swear it.
Ha Yuk-il still did not trust Yoo-seong. However, it seemed

certain that Yoo-seong and Tenz were clearly not as close as
he thought they were.
—This is my account. All you have to do is log in and copy

the files.
For someone who was unaware, it might seem like a good
deal that favored Yoo-seong. However, Ha Yuk-il knew
better.
‘He’s trying to learn the Volcano using only charts. Even a

common villager knows better.’
Ha Yuk-il secretly smiled. What he handed over to Yoo-seong

was a true reprint of the Volcanic Martial Arts, thought to
have disappeared in the last two centuries.
“They are the originals,” Ha Yuk-il reassured Yoo-seong.
The process of recreating martial arts was practiced a

century or two ago. However, it was not all about restoring
long-forgotten letters and drawings.
Martial arts were done with the body, not with the brain.
Could one learn soccer, basketball, boxing, and gymnastics
with just a book?
It was virtually impossible.
Rather, someone was more likely to be injured by learning

the wrong postures and methods. Simply learning the
theory was not enough.
One must undergo countless trials and errors whilst

receiving guidance and advice from masters or seniors who
had all learned the technique.
Now, the techniques that Ha Yuk-il had handed over were

from two centuries ago. When Lee Hwi-min restored it for
the first time, there were no masters or seniors left.
Unlike other martial arts that continued to live on through

one or two successors every generation, the Volcanic Martial
Arts had completely disappeared. Then, how did Ha Yuk-il
learn all about it?
Sacrifices.
A lot of sacrifices.
‘Was it 500?’
Ha Yuk-il couldn’t even remember. He had lost count. They

were people who did not have the ability, but dreamed of
becoming hunters.
The Goryong Company, led by Lee Hwi-min, gathered 500 of

these people. They were housed in a facility.
The Goryong Company offered promises.
If someone perfectly mastered the Volcanic Martial Arts, that

person would become the company’s successor. None of the
500 questioned their contract.
No one even paid attention to a phrase in the contract that

states that the Goryong Company couldn’t be held
accountable in terms of injuries or accidents.
Even if they did read that part, they still would have signed,
anyway. All they wanted were to be hunters.
Five hundred people, full of dreams and ambitions.
However, out of all the 500, no one had managed to

become one.
No one died, but their bodies had been so damaged that

they could never dream of becoming hunters again.
It was only natural – an expected outcome. After all, it was
not possible to learn a martial art by simply reading a book.
When you learned physical exercises through books, there

were possibilities of injuries or permanently crooked
postures. If you tried to learn Tech from a book, it would only
get worse.
More than the physical damage, you would also suffer

damages to your veins and core. After three years, the
experiment had come to a conclusion.
Lee Hwi-min and the Goryong Company had gathered the

dreams of 500 people, only to shatter them into data.
With the accumulated small successes, a safe reprint had

finally been made.
Then, the safe reprint was delivered to Ha Yuk-il, who in turn

nurtured it.
This was a plan that had been plotted right from the start.
Ha Yuk-il looked at Yoo-seong, who was checking his phone.

The originals were clearly adapted from the original
paintings and old books.
It contained everything from the Volcanic Martial Arts that

thrived two centuries ago. No matter how good Yoo-seong’s
abilities were, he could never do it better than Lee Hwi-min,
and the data derived from 500 people.
Wouldn’t it be better if Yoo-seong was destroyed while

practicing the original Volcano?
After a while, Yoo-seong turned off his phone and looked at

Ha Yuk-il. Ha Yuk-il tensed up.
…
It had been 10 minutes since Ha Yuk-il walked out of the

hotel on his own. Yoo-seong could see the curiosity on
Seoyu’s face.
“Are you not satisfied?” He asked.
“No, boss.”
“I know you think I’m crazy.”
Seoyu’s expression was enough for Yoo-seong to feel her

disappointment.
“It’s done. It’s meaningless to mull over it now.” Yoo-seong

told her.
“Oh, you have such a mature mind, boss,” Seoyu’s words

were dripping with sarcasm.
Yoo-seong then stood up and wore his coat.
“Where are you going?” Seoyu asked him.
“For a short walk.”
Seoyu’s sarcasm changed to disbelief. “After what

happened? Are you serious?”
“What’s done is done. Besides, isn’t it much safer for me to

be in a crowded street than in a hotel room?”
Seoyu knew he was right. “Then, I’ll go too,” she decided.
This time, it’s Yoo-seong’s turn to be surprised.
“No. I like to walk alone,” he said.

“But…” Seoyu objected.
“It’s not your job to follow me. You can rest, take the day
off,” Yoo-seong’s voice rang with finality.
However, Seoyu was not having it.
She bit her lip. She hesitated a few times, then, when she
finally spoke, her voice was barely audible.
“No,” she objected, with a pained look on her face.
Yoo-seong could not simply ignore it.
“I am your employee. It is my job to guarantee my boss’

convenience in this country. And by what happened earlier, I
have just failed at doing my job.”
It was not just because her perception of Yoo-seong had now

changed. In a way, she was also a thorough Chinese hunter.
“That’s what I mean. You don’t have to worry anymore,”

Yoo-seong told her.
“They won’t do anything to me for a while. I can assure you

of that.”
Yoo-seong pulled out his phone and showed her the

documents that Ha Yuk-il handed over.
“You can’t learn Tech with these alone,” Seoyu said in a

matter-of-fact tone.
Contrary to what Ha Yuk-il and Seoyu thought, Yoo-seong

already knew.
This was no different from Spider Walk. A lot of factors must
be considered in that skill alone.
The spine and pelvis, angles around the body, breathing,

which veins must be used, when and how much Aura should
be injected.
‘If your body had wrong timing or posture, it will only take a
moment for you to break. You have to be careful.’
It was as if Yoo-seong could hear his master’s voice inside

his head.
No other Korean hunter knew this technique. It was one of

the reasons why Seong-wook was so passionate while
teaching it to him.
‘I have received such lessons from my master. How can I not

know the risk?’ Yoo-seong smiled.
However, the reason why he needed Ha Yuk-il’s guidance to

some extent was that he was conscious of Lee Hwi-min.
‘Why would Ha Yuk-il simply hand it over to me?’
Yoo-seong didn’t know much about the Volcanic Martial Arts,

but one thing was for sure.
It was not a third-rate technique.
He also remembered Lee Hwi-min saying that because Ha

Yuk-il was the successor, it already made him someone
worthy of the Ten Ship Zones.
‘Soon, Lee Hwi-min will surely learn about what happened,’

Yoo-seong thought.
‘Rather than attacking me, I’m pretty sure he’ll observe and
wait for me to self-destruct.’
However, Yoo-seong had no intention of self-destructing

anytime soon. He also did not intend to give up the
documents that he had just obtained.
Rather, he could use Automatic Hunting.
Automatic Hunting had a function that allowed Yoo-seong to

perfect the technique by just identifying a diagram.
“I have to leave. I’ll call you when I get back,” Yoo-seong

said to Seoyu, who didn’t have the chance to object.
As soon as he left the hotel, Yoo-seong hailed a taxi. Before

coming to China, Yoo-seong carefully studied and asked Tenz
for information about the law on the theft of Tech.
It was brought about by his argument with Jin Wei-baek, the

one about the use of the Pacheonma Geukki. He realized
that things could get really serious if Automatic Hunting
kept on copying other people’s prized Techs.
Jin Wei-baek was the rightful successor to an unbroken clan.

Therefore, he was the clear owner of the Pacheonma
Geukki.
If Yoo-seong used the Tech without Wei-baek’s permission,

he would face not only moral implications, but also legal
consequences. However, in the case of martial arts that had
not been in practice for more hundreds of years…
The limitations were endless.
Right now, no one owned the Volcanic Martial Arts.

Ha Yuk-il must be practicing it for more than ten years, and
fostered at least one disciple before he could be announced
as its owner.
If it happened that Yoo-seong mastered it, say, through

coming across the original diagrams and charts, no one
could say anything about it.
Soon, the taxi arrived at their destination. It was a shopping

center.
He needed to buy new clothes and accessories, to shake off

anyone who could have been following him. It was a
measure to avoid any possible surveillance.
He spent twenty minutes in the bathroom, and when he

came out, it was as if he changed into a completely different
person.
Several women turned their heads as Yoo-seong passed by.
His body’s balance looked solid. His proportions were

excellent.
After walking for a few minutes, he started to blend in with

the crowd.
Once again, Yoo-seong hailed for a taxi.
‘I didn’t have to go far if I wanted someone to stop following

me,’ he realized.
The taxi soon arrived, and Yoo-seong stood in front of a

magnificent gate.
A surveillance camera aimed at him. Then, he heard the

sound of running footsteps.
Kiik-!
The gate to Red Dragon Society’s main building opened for

him.
“Oh, hello,” an embarrassed-looking general manager

appeared. “I’m sorry to have you wait. Come on inside.”
Two steps in, Yoo-seong looked back at the door that was
now starting to close.
“Aren’t there a lot of people who usually enter by foot?” Yoo-

seong asked.
“It is rare that outsiders come directly to us in the first

place,” the general manager laughed, before adding:
“We usually do business over the phone or the Internet.”
“Ah… I didn’t mean to cause an inconvenience,” Yoo-seong

apologized. “It is a little difficult to call. I just wanted to see
if Yang Jeong-cheon is available?”
The general manager’s eyes carefully inspected Yoo-seong.

Soon after, a happy smile began to spread on the middle-
aged man’s lips.
“The Vice Lord overslept because of yesterday’s duties.

When I heard that you came, I immediately sent an
employee to her room. It’s also about time for her to wake
up.”
“What? No, I’m going to see the Lord…”
“I know,” the general manager nodded and beckoned

inward.
His smile seemed to say that he understood Yoo-seong
completely, even though it was obvious that he was thinking
about something else.
“I really came to see the Lord. Yang Biyeon doesn’t need to

be disturbed from her rest. Please tell your employees
that…”
The general manager answered before Yoo-seong could

even finish his sentence, “Of course. I will.”
Yoo-seong wasn’t sure if the general manager meant it.
“This way.”
What came next was a place Yoo-seong had never seen

before. A huge garden spread out before his eyes.
‘Is that a deer that just passed by?’
Yoo-seong was amazed by the scenery but decided not to

think about it too much.
Instead of a pond, a lake came into his view as he walked

further in the garden. A ferry with a small boat was passing
by.
He could see Yang Jeong-cheon aboard it.
There was a fishing rod on the old man’s hands.
“Come join me!” he greeted Yoo-seong cheerfully.
“My father loved fishing so much so as a child, my mother

told me that I must never hold a fishing rod,” Yang Jeong-
cheon laughed out loud.
Then, he noticed something strange as he inspected Yoo-
seong.
“Hmm… you look much better than you used to,” he

observed.
Yoo-seong only looked at him, unaware of what he meant.

Meanwhile, the general manager had set up another folding
chair on the deck.
Yoo-seong took it and sat next to Yang Jeong-cheon.
“It doesn’t look like you’re here to take back what you said,”
Yang Jeong-cheon spoke.
“Yes. I came here to ask a favor.” Yoo-seong confirmed.
“A favor?” Yang Jeong-cheon looked like he was having fun.
“Are we asking favors from each other now? The last time I
remember, you angered me twice. I angered you twice,
too.”
“Our disagreement is between us, not with the Red Dragon

Society.” Yoo-seong reasoned.
Yang Jeong-cheon considered for a while, then nodded.

“Okay, fair point. Go ahead.”
“In the past disaster, I launched a joint operation with the

Red Dragon Society. And that was more of a benefit to you
than it was to me.”
At the time of the Shanghai Shock, Biyeon stayed by

Seoyu’s side at the instructions of Yoo-seong. As the hunters
first thought it was Biyeon leading Seoyu, Biyeon was also
seen as someone who played a great role.
It was Seoyu who commanded through the thread, but it
was Biyeon who had been protecting her, as well as
securing the safety of the hunters and civilians.
Unlike Yoo-seong, she was Chinese.
In addition to that, she was the eldest daughter of the Red

Dragon Society, a prestigious Shanghai clan.
Biyeon had already become a hero among civilians, and the

industry had long since recognized her. It was the Red
Dragon Society’s greatest honor since Yang Jeong-cheon
stepped down from the Ship Zone.
And it was, of course, all because of Yoo-seong.
If it weren’t for him, Biyeon would have also inefficiently

wandered around and fought any monster that caught her
eyes. Of course, no one knew this.
“Your honor has been greatly enhanced thanks to me. So,

apart from Tenz, I consider the Red Dragon Society as a
friend,” Yoo-seong stated.
“Therefore, as a foreigner who is not familiar with Chinese

characters, I am thinking that I can ask the Red Dragon’s
help for literature interpretation,” he added.
For Yoo-seong, no one was more capable of helping him

than Yang Jeong-cheon.
Firstly, it was because he was only asking for a simple favor.

He also thought that since Yang Jeong-cheon has inherited
Psy from generation to generation, he could also be able to
provide some insights on the Volcanic Martial Arts.
Moreover, no matter how excellent the Volcanic Martial Arts
is, Yang Jeong-choen wouldn’t covet it given that he had the
Ignition Psy.
“Dressing up gave you some confidence, young man,” Yang

Jeong-cheon commented.
“Is that so?” Yoo-seong was unnerved.
“Oh, he can’t speak Chinese, I can’t be sarcastic about

anything,” Yang Jeong-cheon mumbled in Chinese.
Yang Jeong-cheon shook his hand in a small rage. “Yeah, let

me see what the literature is.”
“Thank you.”
“Hey, I haven’t said I’ll interpret it yet.”
Yoo-seong opened the file he got from Ha Yuk-il on his phone

and showed it to Yang Jeong-cheon.
Yang Jeong-cheon’s eyebrows went up after reading the first

few characters. Yoo-seong seemed to not notice the surprise
on the old man’s face, “The part I would like to know about
is…”
However, before Yoo-seong finished speaking, Yang Jeong-

cheon’s eyes turned to him.
“Is this the original?” Yang Jeong-cheon asked.
“I think it is.”
“I heard how the Moon Faction got their hands on it, but…
do you really want to learn this?”
“Yes,” Yoo-seong answered sincerely.

“It will be difficult. No, as a matter of fact, I will not want to
recommend it,” Yang Jeong-cheon told him honestly.
However, it was only because he thought Yoo-seong did not
understand the risks.
“You’re going to ruin your body. Why don’t you reconsider?

You can never learn the Volcano by reading a book.
“I know clearly what concerns you. However, I am not

asking for an interpretation without any plan in mind. I am
grateful for your concern but please, just interpret it for
me.”
Yang Jeong-cheon saw the determination in Yoo-seong’s

eyes. There was nothing else he could do.
“I see.”
Yoo-seong continued with his question.
“Can I ask you to check if this has the kind of Tech I’m
looking for?”
“Tell me,” Yang Jeong-cheon said
A Tech associated with physical movements, such as using

fists or bladed weapons were not important to him.
Automatic Hunting could easily capture those.
What Yoo-seong wanted was something else, something he

believed would be difficult to learn, even with Auto-hunting.
Ever since he stepped foot in China, it was what he had

been looking for. However, none of the Chinese hunters he
met said that such a thing existed.
“I would like to know if there is any Tech related to
breathing.”
Yang Jeong-cheon, and even the general manager who was

listening from behind, gasped.
The kind of Tech that Yoo-seong mentioned was the original

version of Volcanic Martial Arts. In fact, it was the core
foundation of every Chinese Martial Art.
Yang Jeong-cheon hesitated. He didn’t want to talk about it

with a foreigner, regardless of whether he liked him or not.
After a while, he sighed.
“Yes. It does,” Yang Jeong-cheon answered truthfully.
“Which part says it?”
Yoo-seong looked at where Yang Jeong-cheon was pointing.

Yang Jeong-cheon narrowed his eyes and read four
characters off the top of the page.
“There are different manifestations of the Volcano. Among

them, this has the highest difficulty…”
He paused and brought the page closer to Yoo-seong, asking

him to read it.
“Zahan Gong? Is this the right way to say it?” Yoo-seong

asked him.
Yang Jeong-cheon nodded gravely. It was the unknown

method that even Lee Hwi-min could not restore.
Chapter 66
EPISODE 66
Before Sung-wook’s Parasitic Bees could make a buzz in the

Korean industry, while Yoo-seong was only in the midst of
learning it…
Pained grunts could be heard in a training room located in

the basement of Sung-wook’s building. There was Yoo-
seong, who was clenching his teeth.
He has his palm over a specially made acrylic table, the tip
of his index finger hovering just above the surface.
It was a tool drawn with a grid that allowed the naked eye to
see the thickness and length of the ‘thread’ that emanated
from it.
Yoo-seong was having a difficult time, so difficult that one

could hear the sure grinding of his teeth.
Above the acrylic plate, the ‘thread’ appeared to have

reached its limit. It was about as thick as the wool used for
knitting, 3 meters in length.
‘I can do more.’
It was impressive that Yoo-seong had managed to manifest

the ‘thread’ after two weeks of learning the theory.
However, by his own standards, it felt like it had taken him
an impossibly long time to learn it. It had only been three
days, and there had been no progress in terms of the
thread’s length and weakness.
Today was the day.
He had had enough.
‘Do it. Remove what you do not need.’
Tremors, pain, and dizziness, everything that strained the

whole body, Yoo-seong tried to forget them all.
His focus was solely on the fine veins that pulled the thread
from the tip of his index finger.
Yoo-seong was unaware of Sung-wook, who was now

walking up to him with a bucket in hand. Sung-wook
tightened his hand around the bucket, then…
Caang-!
“Argh, damn it!” Yoo-seong fell to his knees.
He pressed a hand onto the back of his head. The surprise,

as well as the lightly throbbing pain, were more than
enough to break his tight concentration.
He then turned around and found Sung-wook standing

behind him with a disapproving look on his face.
“What’s wrong with trying to know everything?” Yoo-seong

reasoned.
At this, Sung-wook let out a sigh. “I know that you are trying
to get there as soon as possible,” he stated, “But there is
also nothing wrong with waiting, you impatient young man!”
Yoo-seong tried to get up, but then found that he couldn’t.
“Look at what you did! I’m in shock!”
Sung-wook merely clicked his tongue in reply.
A temporary shock was something that occurs due to the

excessive exertion of pressure on a person’s veins and
cores. It was nothing serious, but it could be quite a bother
since the effects could last throughout the day.
“Here, here.”
Sung-wook handed the bucket he hit Yoo-seong with earlier.

Yoo-seong thusly began vomiting into it.
“Anyway, being too patient is a problem too,” he briefly

remarked, before puking back in the bucket. If Yoo-seong
and Sung-wook had been normal hunters, they wouldn’t be
able to endure the pain of this training without the
aftereffects.
No, as a matter of fact, they couldn’t have done it even if

they wanted to.
Since Yoo-seong hasn’t been able to stand up for a while,

they had food delivered for dinner.
“Let’s skip the Aura training this week,” Sung-wook said

while eating fried rice.
“Let’s call it a day and rest after doing some cool-down

exercises.”
“What?!”
Yoo-seong almost threw a fit when Sung-wook mentioned

resting. At this, Sung-wook glared at him.
“In the first place, you have to rest for about a day to make
your body work better.”
“I’m fine. I can do it,” Yoo-seong answered.
“I don’t think so,” Sung-wook was having none of Yoo-

seong’s stubbornness.
“Just by learning this from you, I think that I am now getting

well ahead of others. I do not want to hold back.”
Sung-wook was silent for a while.
Then, he spoke.
“Well ahead, huh. That’s relative.”
“What?” Yoo-seong asked.
“In this country, you are indeed well ahead of others.”
Sung-wook was debating with himself. Should I tell him this

story?
Eventually, he realized that he wanted to be honest with

Yoo-seong.
“Sometimes, I think about what it would have been like to

have a body that could properly manage Aura,” Sung-wook
began.
“Not just as a hunter, but I think I haven’t fully studied and

completed Ki.”
Yoo-seong was listening intently.
Sung-wook was not talking about the Spider Walk and

Parasitic Bee. Those techniques could match against
anyone, anywhere. In fact, Yoo-seong thought that the two
techniques would even compare against some of the Psy in
the country.
However, Sung-wook was busy thinking of something else.
“I once had a short-term operation in China when I was in

my full strength,” he said with a low voice.
Needless to say, the experience shocked Sung-wook. He

was younger than everyone else, and was discouraged upon
seeing hunters who skillfully handled their own Aura.
“However, I did not let it get to me.”
Rather, it became one of the great moments that made

Sung-wook decide to create his own Tech. However, after a
while, after Sung-wook completed Spinnenschrift and
Parasitic Bee, he noticed something.
“Something was weird. In fact, one of the things that

surprised me in China was that those who honestly looked
like they were lagging behind me were capable of using a
Of course, these hunters had their genes from their

ancestors, and all Sung-wook had was his own strength.
Something was bound to be different in his situation.
“But that’s not the case?” Yoo-seong asked.
Sung-wook did not teach him the Spinnenschrift and

Parasitic Bees at the same time. It was because, when you
learned a new Tech, inevitably, you had to practice new
movements and train fine veins in new areas.
Even if Yoo-seong was known to be exceptional, it would be
quite difficult.
“Isn’t that weird? Even though I was in the middle of active

duty, I have a slight pain in my veins when I use the
Parasitic Bee and the Spinnenschrift. It was because my
veins are still adjusting.”
Sung-wook was definitely an exceptional hunter, but even

he had struggles using his own Tech. As the skills hunters
inherited and learned grew in number, the number of fine
veins to be trained also increases.
Thus, the time required for learning also increased.
This was in the same context as Yoo-seong only practicing

the Parasitic Bee with the index finger of his right hand.
If Yoo-seong had trained himself to pull threads from all over

his body, there was a lot of possibilities that Yoo-seong
would hurt himself, even die.
“But the Chinese hunters use a variety of Techs and

adjusted their posture as needed,” Sung-wook said as he
continued.
Was it really the result of pure effort? Did they endure the
writhing pain that Yoo-seong was experiencing right now as
kids?
Or was it because the Chinese were just naturally born

talented?
Sung-wook knew that this was not the case at all.
“There is something. It’s not just a martial art shot, a knife

swing, and a somersault, but there is something that
strengthens the vein itself or reduces the burden on the
vein.”
Sung-wook sighed heavily. “If only my body hadn’t been like

this.”
Yoo-seong did not know what to say. He only stared at his

master as he mused about the past.
“Does such a technique really exist? If there is a chance to

find out, I would really want to give it a try.”
And just like that, Sung-wook’s story ended. It was all in the
past for him, anyway.
By the time they had finished eating, Sung-wook had not

thought much about it again.
He probably didn’t even remember it now.
But what he said at that time…
It would definitely have a huge impact on Yoo-seong in the

months to come.
***
After explaining Sung-wook’s reasoning, Yoo-seong

answered Yang Jeong-cheon’s question.
“At the first hunt, as I worked with the Red Dragon Society, I
realized one thing.”
“Realized what?” Yang Jeong-cheon asked.
“Breathing.”
Looking at Yang Jeong-cheon, Yoo-seong felt sure. From the
moment he set foot on the Chinese soil, Sung-wook’s story
had been on his mind.
‘If my master’s assumption is correct, if the Chinese hunters

do possess an unknown type of Tech, Yoo-seong thought.
I must be able to find even small traces of it if I observe

closely.’
So, he carefully observed everyone he met and made

contact with. He finally realized what it was when he
petrified the members of the Red Dragon.
“It was all at a constant rhythm,” Yoo-seong told Yang Jeong-

cheon.
Yoo-seong even got goosebumps when he realized it.
A group of Red Dragon members, including Yang Biyeon;

several people with different genders, ages, height, weight,
and body shapes…
They were breathing as if they were one, almost as if they

had been taught how to breathe.
Yoo-seong, however, held a hunch. It was the clue to the

Tech that Sung-wook had suspected to exist.
“If we’re talking about a technique that’s related to physical

movements,” Yoo-seong explained.
“I have Techs that would be second to none. However, I am

completely clueless about breathing-related Techs and
decided that it was necessary to know more,” he added.
“Exceptional,” Yang Jeong-cheon said.

“There’s nothing else left to say. Like I said…”
“Yes, yes. You said there was someone who gave you that
speculation. I’m talking about both of you. That person and
you, you are both exceptional.”
“Are you confirming that my claim is correct?”
“What’s the point of denying it?” Yang Jeong-cheon sighed

and lifted his fishing rod.
“It’s weird.”
The bait was empty.
“The fatigue I’m feeling right now; it feels like it has been
around for a very long time. I feel like I’ve become a frog in
a well that’s filled with pride.”
In the Chinese industry, breathing Techs were the

foundation of a group’s martial arts. Of course, the
existence of such a thing was not confidential.
It was just that there were only a few things to be

mentioned about it compared to other techniques. As a
result, there was nothing to implicitly talk about.
‘But does it actually matter?’ Yang Jeong-cheon thought as

he looked at Yoo-seong.
Even without such a necessity, here was a young man who

was way above any other young hunter in the region.
Without any prior knowledge or concept, he noticed the

Tech’s existence.
He had an open mind.

He wanted to learn.
He wanted to know because he knew that he did not know.
In a way, it could only be deemed as natural. However, this

natural attitude and ambition, no one, including Yang Jeong-
cheon, could pass it on to future generations.
“I will formally accept your request,” Yang Jeong-cheon said

while collecting empty fishing hooks.
“You can come here whenever you want. You can consult us,
and we will give you our full support in deciphering the
literature.”
“Thank you very much.”
“I will do my best to help you.”
“Thank you for spending your precious time for me…” Yoo-
seong bowed his head politely.
“Huh? What are you talking about?” Yang Jeong-cheon

feigned ignorance.
“What?”
Yoo-seong then looked at Yang Jeong-cheon, who was

putting a new bait on his hook. He was puzzled.
“You said you’d help me…”
“Yes, I did. But should it actually be me?” Yang Jeong-cheon

has mischief written all over his face.
“You said it yourself. You and the Red Dragon Society are in
a friendly relationship. So, it wouldn’t be a problem if I had
anyone in from the Red Dragon Society to help you.”
Something felt wrong.
Yoo-seong was now feeling something ominous. He quickly

turned to the general manager, but the man was also giving
him the same smile.
“I’m sorry, but I also have a lot of work to do,” the general
manager stated.
“Maybe the Lord will select among the members who have
time?” The general manager had a cunning look on his face
as he said this.
“Oh, yes, of course,” Yang Jeong-cheon answered while

swinging the baited fishing rod again.
“Actually, I think she’s coming here in a hurry right now.

Probably, you’ll be able to meet her if you went back the
way you came.”
Yang Jeong-cheon enjoyed a small victory. “Now, if you don’t

have any more business with me, I suggest you go back.
The general manager and I have an important topic to talk
about.”
“Yes, it’s a really important topic,” the general manager

echoed. “Isn’t it about the Red Dragon Society’s future?”
“The Red Dragon Society? The fate of the whole of Shanghai

depends on it!”
And in an instant, two elderly Chinese men went about their

business.
***
Yoo-seong walked down the path Yang Jeong-cheon told him
to go. He was lost in his thoughts.
‘If this new Tech is really a kind of breathing method.. .’
He had now started thinking about his future plans.
‘I’ll have to test it out, but it’s definitely not something I can
learn from Automatic Hunting.’
It was a little different from the skills that could be practiced

with items, much like a punching bag.
‘First, I need to grasp the theory step by step.’
How does it affect the veins or cores?
‘My veins have been reinforced by the golden pill…’
Yoo-seong stopped. He had seen an animal from a distance.
He was surprised to see it; then he realized something.
‘They are really rich.’
They had built forests and lakes in the middle of the city.
Owning wild animals wouldn’t be a big deal.
But, no matter what…
“Seriously? A panda?!”
Yoo-seong couldn’t take his eyes off it.
Tatak-!
Yoo-seong turned at the sound of footsteps.

“Ha.. .Ha…”
‘Was she running?’ Yoo-seong thought.
The daughter of the family who also raised pandas in their

huge garden was now out of breath.
“I. .ha.. h-heard. .ha. .ha. .”
She was definitely trying to say something to Yoo-seong, but

she was still out of breath.
“Slowly, slowly.”
Yoo-seong was trying to get her to calm down. Raising both

palms and nodding, she tried to catch her breath.
Yoo-seong then looked at Yang Biyeon. Except for a

misaligned button at her chest, she seemed to be okay.
She seemed to remind him of the old days – Yang Biyeon’s

makeup, that is.
She wore it just like how middle and high school girls would,
like someone who had barely started learning how to put on
makeup and ended up having a different skin tone between
the face and the neck.
It was as if she had done this for the first time.
‘Ah, I smudged my mascara,’ Yang Biyeon thought in

between breaths. ’Was I sweating too much?’
More pandas appeared, and Yoo-seong was distracted once

more.
“A-Annyeong. .ha.. saeyo. .”

“Oh.”
Yoo-seong was surprised that Yang Biyeon was trying to

speak Korean.
“Biyeon, you speak Korean well.”
“Thank you.”
Yang Biyeon nodded shyly.
“I’m still learning.”
“I see.”
As Yang Biyeon tried to converse more in Korean, Yoo-seong

scratched his head.
Her sentences were fragmented. It sounded more like she

was memorizing the words more than understanding what
they meant.
“Oh!” Yoo-seong suddenly remembered. “I have this.”
Yoo-seong took out his phone and turned on the translator.
He then wrote down something and showed it to Yang

Biyeon.
—If you don’t mind, may I walk with you?
“Yes!” Yang Biyeon said, almost too enthusiastically.
Throughout the walk, Yoo-seong struggled with his phone.

Explaining the part that he wanted Biyeon’s help with the
Volcano was quite difficult to convey, even with a translator.
‘But how can I write it down?’ Yoo-seong thought.

Yang Biyeon’s widened with every word she read on Yoo-
seong’s phone.
—Why are you asking me?
—It sounds like you don’t want to.
—I’m not good at Korean.
Yoo-seong was a consistent man.
Consistently determined…
Consistently polite….
However, sometimes these two were simply irreconcilable.

And that time was now.
—I don’t know. I’m here to ask your father for a favor, but he
said you could help me instead.
—But my Korean is bad.
—No. You speak Korean well.
Yang Biyeon seemed uncertain. Yoo-seong then began

typing on his phone.
—I’m looking forward to your kind cooperation.
Suddenly, Yoo-seong felt the surroundings turn warm. It

wasn’t because of his mood.
The temperature itself was actually rising.
Yang Biyeon suddenly became an instant heater without her

even knowing it. She was smiling and nodding her head.
Yang Biyeon then typed in a hurry.
-Then, shall we go to my private study?
Yoo-seong nodded and walked with her.
Along the way, he noticed that Yang Biyeon seemed hesitant

about something.
—Do you have anything to say?
Yang Biyeon hesitated a little more.
Then, she took out her phone.
—Can you do me a favor?
Yoo-seong thought carefully.
Then, he answered.
—As far as I can, as much as I can.
‘Obviously, I owe her this. I have to be polite’, Yoo-seong

reasoned.
‘Oh, and why does it keep getting hotter and hotter around
here?’
This time, Yang Biyeon did not use a translator.
With a determined expression, she placed her phone in her

pocket and looked at Yoo-seong.
The pronunciation of the following words was quite

accurate.
That was because Yang Biyeon memorized the line two days
ago, hoping that she can use it someday.
“Oppalago bulleodo doelkkayo?” (Can I call you oppa?)
Yoo-seong couldn’t answer. The moment he opened his

mouth, he felt a strong wave of heat instantaneously.
Chapter 67
EPISODE 67
The library was indeed huge.
It was about the size of a large shopping mall floor, all filled
with bookcases.
Yoo-seong, who thought that he couldn’t get any more

surprised, couldn’t keep his mouth closed.
This was Yang Biyeon’s private study. This was a place

dedicated to her and her father. This was a place of learning
for every Lord’s successor, those who had inherited the
Ignition Psy.
The scent of old paper then hung in the air. Everything

inside had been very neatly maintained.
“You can read the books here anytime,” Yang Biyeon said,
“but that area is off-limits.”
She pointed to an area sealed with tall iron gates.
“That’s an area where only my father and I can enter.”
Yoo-seong nodded and looked around in wonder. With Auto-

Hunt, he could own all the knowledge that these books
contained.
His mind blankly indulged in sweet thoughts.

Yang Biyeon shook her head. She was here to help Yoo-
seong.
The precious Gong that Chinese hunters had was not passed
down to them, unlike Psy.
Unlike what Yoo-seong thought, Chinese hunters also had to

train diligently. Through constantly sending CE through the
fine veins, they gradually strengthened them.
There was no trick in itself.
Yoo-seong looked confused for a moment.
“So, how exactly do you do it?” He asked.
Yang Biyeon did not answer.
Her lips tightened, and her eyes showed conflicting

emotions. Yoo-seong realized his mistake.
If the Psy and Techs among different families varied, their

Gong must also greatly differ.
Then, his question was almost the same as asking about her
family’s secrets.
‘Of course,’ Yoo-seong remembered. ’They only agreed to

interpretation and advice.’
The Red Dragon Society decided to help him, and he didn’t

want to cross the line.
“Sorry,” he apologized to Yang Biyeon.
“Oh, no,” Yang Biyeon looked as if she was embarrassed.
Then, her eyes lit up as if she had come up with something.

She went to one of the drawers and took out an item. It was
a set of pendulums, each diamond-shaped piece of metal
with different weights.
Yoo-seong was familiar with it.
It was a first-stage tool used for Aura training. In the early

stages, when one could not maintain Aura, they practiced
with this tool by releasing CE little by little with the tip of the
finger.
“Oppa,” Yang Biyeon said as she placed her index finger.

“Would you like to touch my finger?”
Yoo-seong hesitated, and Yang Biyeon realized why.
“Oh, it’s not hot. I won’t heat it up. I promise.”
“Hmm,” Yoo-seong had his doubts, but he still tried anyway.
He stared at Yang Biyeon’s eyes as his fingertip touch hers.
Yang Biyeon’s finger gradually started to heat up. It was a

pleasant heat, just like a hand warmer,
“Wow, that’s great. It’s less hot than I expected.”
Just like what she said, Yang Biyeon indeed had good
control.
Yoo-seong felt a change in her breath, like the last time he

stunned her.
“Wha—”
Yooseong’s surprise was not because Yang Biyeon lost

control, but because Sung-wook once held his finger like
this.
By touching the tip of the finger, one could feel roughly how
much Aura flowed through the veins.
The amount of CE that went into the Corona could also be

estimated according to the degree to which the additional
weight was pushed. They stood two spans away from the
pendulums.
Then, Yang Biyeon shot the Corona out of her fingertips.
Click-!
Click-!
“Huh?” Yoo-seong was amazed.
Then, he realized what the exercise was for. This exercise

wasn’t about maintaining Aura.
It was about creating a corona, just enough to push the

pendulums.
Yoo-seong, once again, began to contemplate the situation.

Clearly, the CE he felt in Yang Biyeon’s index finger was less
than what he would use to push the same pendulum at the
same distance.
To be sure, he tried it himself, two spans away from the

pendulum.
Click-!
He had to release more CE to achieve the same effect

Biyeon did.
“This,” Yang Biyeon spoke in a solemn tone. “is our Red

Dragon Gong.”
“I see, “Yoo-seong nodded with a firm expression.
He bowed deeply as he understood what Biyeon did.
“Thank you.”
Even if she couldn’t teach him her family’s secrets directly,

Yang Biyeon gave him a hint so he could somehow figure it
out.
“No, it’s okay. This wasn’t much. If it’s for you…” Yang
Biyeon said in a faint whisper.
All of a sudden, Yoo-seong was flustered. He nodded,

pretending to be calm, and fixed his eyes over his phone.
“Then,” he said. “Can you help me interpret the documents

on this phone?”
Most of all, this was what he had wanted to focus on.
He had come this far to ask for a favor, and he intended to

try his best. Achieving results was the best thing that could
happen.
Pumped up, Yoo-seong sat next to Biyeon with the copy.
Exactly fifteen hours later…
“What is this?”
Yoo-seong groaned.
***
Jahan Gong.
The diagram, which contained the thousand-year history of
Volcanic Martial Arts, was very easy to interpret. It showed
how to control one’s breathing.
The location of each vein required for the operation of the

Gong was marked with the “blood” character.
“Is that it?” Yoo-seong was disappointed.
“This is too simple and outdated,” Yang Biyeon groaned with

him.
The diagram simply showed which veins were to be used.
It was as if it explained that soccer, a foot-based exercise,

needed the lungs and the heart.
It wasn’t enough information to learn a certain skill. There

was a lot of important information that had not been stated.
How many CEs did each vein require for operation?
At what position?
At what timing?
Instead of such details, it contained utter nonsense and

empty words. The relationship between yin and yang, the
human body and the mind, the harmony between heaven
and earth…
“Isn’t this just a piece of literature?” Yoo-seong is

completely left in the dark.
“That’s what it looks like,” Yang Biyeon nodded gravely.
It was the truth.

With an original, this is what they were going to get.
“Because it is an old book, most of the words are poetic

expressions. They are also focused on ways to train one’s
mind,” Biyeon explained.
The old Red Dragon Society books were also like this.
However, in Yang Biyeon’s case, she received constant

guidance from her father, not just such poetic expressions.
There were also notes from their ancestors to help the

succeeding generations understand the original.
However, in the case of this Jahan Gong, they only had the
original documents. It had no owners to explain it and guide
them.
Even Yang Biyeon, who was accustomed to ancient

literature, was having a hard time with the interpretation.
‘What can I do?’ Yang Biyeon looked at Yoo-seong, who said

nothing.
‘How could I tell him nicely that it is impossible to learn

this?’
‘No,’ she realized. ’There is a way, but it requires a horrible

risk.’
‘Trial and error.’
“Oppa,” Yang Biyeon spoke cautiously.
Her expression was dead serious. If they insisted on trying it

the wrong way, it could cause irreparable damage to his
core and veins.
“You must absolutely, never…”
Yang Biyeon stopped herself. Yoo-seong wasn’t moving, and

kept his eyes closed.
‘Is he suppressing his disappointment?’ she thought. ’That’s

fine. Just breathe in and out, calm down.’
She was actually relieved that there was no possibility of

Yoo-seong learning the Jahan Gong.
Then, she instantly felt guilty and shameful for thinking

about it. She felt guilt and shame for even thinking about it.
However, she couldn’t help but feel hopeful.
“It’s not like you don’t have any other options, you know,”
she hinted.
‘There’s the Red Dragon Gong,’ she thought. ’It’s yours

anytime you want it.’
Yoo-seong could receive the best Gong in Shanghai and

access the books in the forbidden area.
All he had to do was marry her.
“My father will prepare the ceremony right away…”
The wedding ceremony would be held amid numerous

blessings and cheers.
Yoo-seong and Yang Biyeon would be a perfect match.
With Biyeon beside her, Yoo-seong would lead the Red

Dragon Society as the best organization in China.
And between then…

Yang Biyeon came to her senses. Her thoughts had gone too
far.
Yoo-seong was still right next to her, unmoving.
‘What’s wrong with me?’ Yang Biyeon turned to Yoo-seong to

apologize.
“I’m sorry—”
But it was too late.
Blood.
The study table had drops of blood.
Has it always been there?
She turned to Yoo-seong.
It took Yang Biyeon a moment to realize what was

happening.
Yoo-seong wasn’t blinking.
Blood was flowing from his eyes. His nose and mouth also
dripped with blood.
She cannot understand.
‘Was it my fault?’
“Why would you try it out right away?!” she screamed in

panic.
“Hey! Anyone! Is there anybody there?!”

Barely suppressing her screams and tears, Yang Biyeon
called for the employee who was waiting outside.
As soon as they came in, instructions were given out in

rapid-fire.
“Ah, call for my father and the general manager! Tell them
that there is a patient who has gone to the library and
started bleeding! And….”
The employee left right after receiving the instructions.
She had now done everything that she could.
Yang Biyeon looked back at Yoo-seong, who was in a trance.

His eyes and ears were open, but he could neither see nor
hear.
There was nothing she could do, herself.
No, even if her father came, it would not be possible to

touch Yoo-seong.
He was a ticking time bomb.
Yoo-seong had operated the unknown Gong in a rather

anomalous manner.
Whoever’s coming, the only thing they could do right now

was to wait for the chaos happening inside Yoo-seong to be
resolved.
The next thing she could be seeing was Yoo-seong’s dead

body.
“Uh, what should I do…”
Yang Biyeon was now on the verge of a breakdown.

Having both hands on her face because of frustration, she
felt hot tears flowing down her fingers.
‘It’s my fault.’
‘This is my fault.’
“You fool!” she cursed him.
Suddenly, she noticed something.
Yoo-seong was quietly breathing.
Contrary to what it looked like, with bloodstains all over his

face, Yoo-seong’s breaths were consistent.
“Ugh.” Yoo-seong seemingly woke from the trance and

groaned.
Yang Biyeon, who was surprised, raised her head and bolted
from her seat.
“Oppa!”
Yoo-seong tried to speak, but his voice was hoarse.
He had never entered a trance.
All he did was focus on his veins and control his breathing,
as the book described.
By taking the Golden Pill, his fine veins and core had been
strengthened to the point that it would be hard for them to
be damaged.
He took a leap of faith.

He now knew how to breathe and which veins to use
through attempting
He knew that this was the only way.
Yoo-seong had to rely on his own will because, in the end,

Automatic Hunting could only do so much.
Rattle-!
With trembling legs, Yoo-seong rose from his seat. It was a

struggle to even pretend that the pain he suffered was little.
Slowly, he held out his palm to Yang Biyeon, but he
stumbled forward.
He barely caught himself by grabbing one of the

bookshelves.
What? Yoo-seong raised his head as he felt a familiar

sensation.
-Press the button to Auto-Hunt.-
The button had a green light on.
‘Why?’
Yoo-seong was still in a daze, but he knew there were no

threats to his life here.
Why would the button come up?
‘No. I don’t think it matters.’
Yoo-seong’s hand was already moving.
Click-!
He pressed it.
He could still feel the pain inside his body, which suffered
through the failed versions of the Jahan Gong.
Auto-Hunting slowly looked around the entire library.
were stored in the Red Dragon Society.
Both Yang Jeong-cheon, the former owner, and Yang Biyeon,

his successor, did not fully comprehend the possibilities in
their midst.
Yoo-seong’s eyes locked on one of the bookshelves.
-Hunt started-
Chapter 68
EPISODE 68
The secret place where the secrets of the Red Dragon Gong
had been sealed in was not where the Lord or the Vice Lord
resided, nor was it at the training hall where members
practiced martial arts.
It was none other than the library.
The first Red Dragon Lord was a man who enjoyed both
martial arts and literature.
Once, the city of Shanghai was just a small fishing village.

Then, they built a villa purely for the purpose of training
martial arts.
Over the years, the family business had changed, and it

became the main building of the Red Dragon Society.
Was it just a hobby, or was the first Lord a pioneer?
Either way, he bought books from all continents in exchange

for a considerable number of assets he had. Using those as
a reference, he constantly improved his Aura, which was
already highly regarded at that time.
This remained true for the future Lords.
As time went by, the position and reputation of the Red

Dragon Society increased. Its existence valued the
traditional, not just the practical.
It was then transformed into a symbol for the succession of

the chairmanship.
Through this process, the Red Dragon Society became more

solid. The more they did that, the number of ‘outside’ books
that help them diminished.
At first, the iron gate and the forbidden area were simply
safety devices to store the family’s core secrets. Now, it had
become the only space where the successors went for their
studies.
It was only natural.
All the useful knowledge went beyond the iron gate.
Techs, including the Red Dragon Gong, the summary of

various books outside the iron gate, and the essential points
for the warriors of the Red Dragon Society, everything was
already laid out.
And that was enough.
At least…
For the successors of the Red Dragon Society.
***
It didn’t take long for Yang Jeong-cheon to arrive.
A crowd had gathered behind him.
They were high-ranking officials of the Red Dragon. They

wanted to see it, too.
Yoo-seong’s eyes, nose, mouth, and ears constantly bled
while he screamed inaudible screams.
Choreureuk-!
Yoo-seong stumbled repeatedly. He ran through the

bookshelves. Books and other important documents were
strewn all around.
“What the hell is that?!”
“Don’t you think we should stop him? The library is all in a

mess.”
Everyone stared at the scene with a stunned expression.
At Yang Biyeon’s request, they were here to recover Yoo-

seong, who was thought to be in a critical state.
Everyone had their own share of experiences during Aura

training. However, they had never seen anything like this
before.
“Father!” Yang Biyeon said with a face that looked more

frightened than anyone else,
She looked back at her father and clung to his sleeves.
“Please do something! Dear Oppa…”
There was nothing else she could do.
Yoo-seong seemed to have gone crazy. Otherwise, what

would that be?
In one hand, he held a stack of paper scraped from a desk.

And then, in that state, he opens a book he just pulled out,
his eyes darting to and fro.
“With what I see,” Yang Jeong-cheon finally spoke. “It looks

like he’s reading a book?”
“What?”
“Then…”
A puzzled look passed over everyone’s faces.
“Is there any other reason for him to take a book out of the
bookshelf and open it?”
“Ah, Father!”
“Look at how his eyes are moving.”
Yang Biyeon turned away from her father and looked at Yoo-
seong.
Everyone else watched him, and that’s when they saw it.
“Huh?”
A collective gasp was heard from the crowd.
The books that Yoo-seong seemed to unfurl and throw away

carelessly,
Normally, anyone would think that it would either be

crumpled or too worn up to be used but, to everyone’s
surprise, they were actually fine.
The books were lying face down and scattered all over the
library floor, but there were no tears or creases. However, it
was not the only reason why Yang Jeong-cheon came to his
conclusion.
Everyone could not properly see it, but Yoo-seong’s fingers

were dancing madly on his phone screen, but their
movements were not random.
Tatak-!
His fingers were typing on the keyboard.
His translation app was open.
The paper that he seemed to have grabbed randomly at

first glance was actually a note in Yang Biyeon’s
handwriting. The main points were summarized so that the
words of the various authors could be easily translated.
“No way,” Yang Biyeon muttered under her breath.
“Whether it makes sense or not, the guy you call ‘oppa’ is

reading right now.”
Yang Jeong-cheon looked at Yoo-seong’s eyes.
“He’s not even reading all the pages.”
Although it seemed like he opened every book, he could lay

his hand on, his eyes and hands seemed to have a purpose.
Once he opened a book, he slowed down for a while.
As if he was checking if it had what he needed, Yang Jeong-

cheon observed.
“If he doesn’t like the book, he puts it down. If it has what

he wanted, he goes from page to page,” he added.
That was how it appeared to him.

But he could not understand why Yoo-seong was doing it.
“Clearly, Yoo-seong’s CE is running wild inside his body.

That’s the reason why he looks crazed,” he tried to explain.
But why does he need to go through all the trouble?
But, no matter how crazy it seemed, what was unfolding

before them was truly exceptional.
His veins seemed thoroughly stressed, but the pain did not
completely devour him. Yoo-seong was enduring the pain
and continued to read books at an insane pace.
“Just quit that crazy thing for a while and concentrate on

reading,” Yang Jeong-cheon told Yoo-seong.
“I can’t,” Yoo-seong answered.
But Yang Jeong-cheon was not having it as he took a step

closer.
There should be no harm in subduing him for a while, he

decided.
It should be done as soon as possible.
Yang Jeong-cheon stopped in his tracks.
“Father?” Yang Biyeon asked.
“Lord?”
The crowd was tilting their head to get a better view. But as
much as they did not see, they did not feel what Yang Jeong-
cheon felt.
“This…”
What Yang Jeong-cheon just felt was very temporary but
clearly visible.
“What…”
Purple.
Yoo-seong’s complexion turned into a pale purple.
“The Jahan Gong,” Yang Jeong-cheon whispered.
He had never actually seen the Jahan Gong, but he

recognized it.
It was a legendary technique, and its characteristics were

quite famous. A distinctive purple complexion was one of its
trademarks.
The side effects appearing on Yoo-seong could only be

evidence of success.
T-This is impossible.
Yang Jeong-cheon still could not believe what he was seeing.
Is he restoring the Gong with just breathing techniques and

his fine veins?
However, one way or another, everything was bound to

happen.
Yang Jeong-cheon turned his gaze to the floor, where Yoo-

seong placed the books he had read.
There was another thing that puzzled him.
All the books Yoo-seong chose were about the basic know-
how of Aura. These were the kind that was sold on the
streets centuries ago.
Then, it dawned upon Yang Jeong-cheon.
“Are you going back to the basics of Ki while enduring the

pain in your veins?” Yang Jeong-cheon’s voice was full of
disbelief.
“I could bear it,” Yoo-seong groaned as he continued

reading.
He couldn’t see how his skin looked like, but he felt the Aura
within him stabilizing.
Gradually, his Aura seemed to have found a constant route.
Behind Yang Jeong-cheon, the other Red Dragon Society

members were murmuring.
“Did you see it?”
“His complexion turned purple, right?”
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong turned his focus back on the books.
He steadily gathered information from various sources and

pieced them together.
The task of tapping on his phone and writing notes is done

through Automatic Hunting.
As soon as he understood the contents, Auto-Hunt turns the

page over.
Then…
Choreul-!
The speed at which automatic hunting flipped turned the
bookshelves grew faster.
Yoo-seong was now ‘hunting’ for something useful in almost

every bookshelf in the library.
The second change had come unexpectedly.
Swoosh-!
HIs purple complexion suddenly disappeared. It then

returned to normal.
The Red Dragon Society executives then gathered and held

a heated debate over Yoo-seong’s state.
“What, did the energy disappear?”
“Was he not able to restore the Gong?”
“Maybe it was only temporary.”
“No matter how exceptional he is, it doesn’t make sense to

proceed with the restoration this way.”
In the end, it was impossible to restore a Gong with just

references.
Almost everyone nodded in agreement, all except for one.
“No.”
Yang Jeong-cheon.
“Yes, my Lord?” a puzzled employee asked for clarification.

Rather than answering him, Yang Jeong-cheon approached
Yoo-seong.
“Congratulations on your achievements.”
Yoo-seong bowed.
“I couldn’t have done it without you, Biyeon, and the entire

Red Dragon Society.”
After that, Yang Jeong-cheon asked his employees to bring

Yoo-seong into a room.
He badly needed to rest.
***
It was almost daybreak when Yoo-seong woke up.
How many hours have passed, he thought.
It wasn’t only him.
The people who watched him at the library have lost track
of time because of the night’s bizarre happenings. One of
them was Yang Jeong-cheon, who waited with his executives
for Yoo-seong.
“Have you thought of a new name?” Yang Jeong-cheon

asked him.
Everyone who understood Korean, including the general

manager, tilted their heads at Yang Jeong-cheon’s question.
“A name?”
“What is he talking about?”

“He wasn’t able to restore the new gong, right?”
The confusion was only natural.
Based on Yoo-seong’s complexion, he wasn’t able to restore

Jahan Gong.
“Ah…”
Yoo-seong touched his face as he realized what the fuss was

all about.
“I learned a lot today. And… I knew that the hypothesis I

read in books was correct.”
A purple complexion.
It was the trademark of Jahan Gong and was mentioned in

all the books written about its existence.
However, there was also a lesser-known hypothesis. It

stated that upon creating a new Gong, having a purplish
complexion could happen due to a dominance of Yang
energy.
It was a temporary imbalance that needed to be fixed.
Once the energy had been balanced, then a new Gong

would be ready for use.
Suddenly, everyone in the room understood what their Lord

meant. They had goosebumps upon realizing what
happened. The purple color they had seen was not the sign
of Jahan Gong.
It meant something else.

From the beginning, the purpose of reading the books in the
library was not to help him restore the Jahan Gong – it was
to create his own.
“I can’t believe I am going to do this.” Yang Jeong-cheon’s

voice was trembling with excitement.
He was thrilled like an expert who has just witnessed a

miracle in his field.
‘What do you mean?” Yoo-seong asked.
Yang Jeong-cheon’s answer was halted by the sound of

footsteps arriving at the library.
“Lord.”
They were two employees who came as ordered by Yang

Jeong-cheon.
“We brought these, as you commanded.”
Each person had something at hand. It was the Red Dragon

Twin Swords, one of Red Dragon Society’s treasures. The
executives were on their feet immediately.
“Lord!”
“What’s the matter?”
Everyone was startled.
“Father! What is this?!”
However, Yang Jeong-cheon seemed to not hear them.
“Today, I am in good shape like never before.”

He beckoned the employees to come closer and took the
swords from them. He was smiling as if he was about to
have a lot of fun.
It has been a while since he has felt this kind of rush.
There were those who misunderstood Yang Jeong-cheon’s

intentions and tried to stop him. However, Yang Jeong-cheon
pointed the Red Dragon Twin Swords at them.
They froze in their tracks.
The Lord had decided.
However, Yoo-seong was at a loss.
“I don’t know why you are doing this.”
“You do not have to know why. You just have to choose.”
“Do you think I have a reason to attack you? I am… I am a

hunter.”
Yang Jeong-cheon was very well aware of Yoo-seong’s

principles.
He knew that Yoo-seong wouldn’t fight and that he could not

force him to.
“Yes. I’m not a hunter, and I don’t understand your job. But I
know one thing. Everyone always wants better skills.”
Yoo-seong flinched. He knew that Yang Jeong-cheon was

right.
Then, Yang Jeong-cheon spoke as he pointed at the sealed

area behind his back.
“If you beat me, I’ll allow you to pass beyond the iron gate.”
It was a place that neither Automatic Hunting nor Yoo-seong

had touched all night.
Yang Jeong-cheon definitely knew how to play his cards well.

He knew what was in Yoo-seong’s heart.
Yoo-seong stared at the iron gate, the restricted area behind

Yang Jeong-cheon’s back.
“If you can do this with the Jahan Gong… what do you think
can you create out of everything that’s in there?”
Yang Jeong-cheon was offering a bait Yoo-seong could not

say ‘no’ to.
‘Perhaps’, Yang Jeong-cheon thought, ‘I also want to find

out.’
However, Yoo-seong had to beat him first, and he was

planning to go all out.
Yoo-seong took a while to consider.
Then, his eyes met Yang Jeong-cheon’s.
“All right,” he agreed.
“Let’s have it outside.”

Chapter 69
EPISODE 69
Everyone followed after Yang Jeong-cheon and Yoo-seong,
They couldn’t wrap their heads around what was currently

happening. It was impossible to understand this
unconventional situation.
Yang Jeong-cheon, who had retired from the frontlines

several years ago, had the Red Dragon Twin Swords back in
his hands.
This time, they were aimed not at a monster, but a human.

Besides, whatever the outcome would be, wasn’t it too huge
a price to pay to enter Jeokryong-dong’s prohibited area?
However, no one dared oppose their Lord’s decision.
Everyone was tense. It wasn’t just because of Yang Jeong-

cheon.
Both he and Yoo-seong exuded a strange atmosphere.
There was no tension, no visible tremor or strain, just an

endlessly serene atmosphere.
The experienced fighters recognized it. It was similar to

watching two masters both prepared to take the sword
against each other. They didn’t even have to walk long.
Yang Jeong-cheon led them to a training ground located
right behind the library.
It was designed in such a way that applications could be

immediately tested right after the theories were mastered.
However, even the first Lord would not have imagined
today’s turn of events.
“Don’t think about the damage around you. Whatever

collapses or gets crushed, I do not want us to stop the
match.”
Right now, an unprecedented duel in the history of the Red

Dragon Society was about to take place.
“The same goes for you, too,” Yang Jeong-cheon replied as

he turned to the crowd.
“You are welcome to focus your eyes on the match. In fact,

I’d like to recommend that you watch it as much as possible.
But, remember that you should not just move your eyes. You
must also be quick on your feet. Keep that in mind.”
An eerie atmosphere instantly swept through the crowd.
“I can’t take responsibility if any of you gets caught up with

the Twin Swords blades.”
Yang Jeong-cheon’s words rang throughout the silent

training ground.
It was clear to everyone. No one could stop him now, not

even his own daughter.
“Father…”
Yang Biyeon finally found her voice.

‘Should I praise his courage?’
“Why are you doing this? You don’t have to use the Twin
Swords for sparring…”
“This is not a sparring match.”
“What?! Father—”
“Say nothing more. Just watch.”
Yang Biyeon quivered.
She knew.
The role she had to play was clear.
Yang Biyeon was first and foremost Red Dragon Society’s

successor. She couldn’t let her emotions take over her.
She had to watch closely and learn. This was a match where
her father waged everything.
And partly, it was for her sake.
More than anything else, Yang Jeong-cheon wanted her to

see how the Ignition Psy worked in his hands.
‘Still…’
For Yang Biyeon, it was inevitable that there could only be

one victor.
She looked at Yoo-seong wearily.
‘No matter how good Brother is, his opponent is The Yang
Jeong-cheon.’
Number 2 rank in the former Ship Zone was not a hollow
title.
The results were obvious.
‘No.’
Yoo-seong looked at Yang Biyeon, who inadvertently turned

to him. Her eyes conveyed so much pain.
When had he seen her with such misery?
Then he turned, this time, facing Yang Jeong-cheon.
“Let me ask you one thing.”
“What is it?” Yang Jeong-cheon asked.
‘Please,’ Yang Biyeon prayed. ‘Please stop this ridiculous

match.’
“Are you stronger than Jin Wei-baek?”
‘Will my prayers ever be answered?!’ Yang Biyeon wanted to

scream.
“You jerk!”
Anger had risen up amongst the crowd once they

understood what Yoo-seong’s words meant.
Even Yoo Chong-gwan, an executive who was known to be

the calmest among the Red Dragons, couldn’t help himself.
“You damn foreigner! What are you saying…?”
Just then, those who raised their voice fell silent.

They felt it. The change in temperature was instantaneous.
It was hot.
“What? You’re asking the obvious,” Yang Jeong-cheon

laughed.
As the corners of his mouth raised, the blades of the Red

Dragon Twin Swords opened up like an eerie smile.
“Check it out for yourself.”
In an instant, the heat that filled the area aggregated

around Yang Jeong-cheon.
Hwaak-!
Yoo-seong’s hand crossed the air.
Click-!
Yoo-seong pressed the button. The very next moment…
Taang-!
It sounded as if a cannonball was fired.
The next thing Yoo-seong knew, he felt it before he could

even see it, Yang Jeong-cheon’ blade was right in front of
him.
It was Explosive Acceleration. With his age and experience,

everyone knew Yang Jeong-cheon would take it easy at first.
Bam-!
Yoo-seong’s turned his body swiftly, turning his back a little

too much in the process.
However, everyone admired his agility. Yoo-seong felt
different from usual.
Bung-!
The blade on Yang Jeong-cheon’s other hand was aiming for

the gap in his disorganized posture.
The same was true this time.
He turned around and avoided it. This wasn’t something

that Yoo-seong’s Automatic Hunting was used to. This was
the first time he faced an opponent with such a long-bladed
weapon.
Normally, he would turn his body around with minimal

movement and take advantage of the Spider Walk to break
through.
However, now, for some reason, he could not.
On top of that, it was also strange that he could not feel any
heat.
The Yang Family’s Ignition Psy could easily affect their

surroundings just by getting emotional.
‘How many times have I experienced it now?’ Yoo-seong

thought.
Even when he kept narrowly avoiding the blades, Yoo-seong

did not feel any heat. There must be a reason why
Automatic Hunting was trying to avoid the blades
desperately.
He focused the heat on the blades, Yoo-seong realized. If it

touches me, I will burn.
He might be on to something.
Tatak-!
Dodging Yang Jeong-cheon’s attacks was becoming

extremely taxing for Yoo-seong.
He took a quick step back and leaped as high as he could.

He landed on top of a huge tree just outside the training
ground.
In his own calculation, he must have been 6 to 7 meters

above the ground.
Yang Jeong-cheon responded aggressively.
Using Explosive Acceleration, he followed Yoo-seong as he

swung his swords.
Squeak-!
His ascent did not even leave marks on the tree. Then, as
the blades grazed through the trunk, the tree exploded into
more than ten pieces.
Each section of the wood had become completely burned.
It didn’t even burn with visible fire. It had turned directly

into ash.
‘Just how hot is this?’ Yoo-seong thought.
He shrugged off his frightening estimate.
“I have waited for far too long,” Yang Jeong-cheon said.
“Warm up’s over.”

Yoo-seong jumped off from his position.
Yang Jeong-cheon’s Red Dragon Twin Swords were waiting

for him below.
Unlike before, they were shining in a bright shade of red.

This was the minimum level for becoming a Red Dragon
Lord.
Yang Jeong-cheon was awakening two perfect red dragons to

satisfy the greedy fellow before him.
‘You have to put your whole heart into a state of perfection.’

Yang Jeong-cheon thought.
‘You can’t be satisfied with being the best hunter in this

current generation.’
“It’s over!” Yang Jeong-cheon yelled as he jumped.
He crossed the swords over his chest.
Then, a fiery X mark flew from them toward Yoo-seong.
There was no need for any other complicated tricks. The two
awakened red dragons were enough.
It was the continent’s strongest destructive power. The

crowd had begun to murmur.
“It’s over.”
“That young man will die.”
It was as if everyone knew.
It was an attack that no one can ever directly receive.

Perhaps they were right. However, it was a little unfair to
judge a match that had barely just begun.
No one heard the sound Yoo-seong’s body made.
Crash-!
It started right after the match began when Yoo-seong

dodged Yang Jeong-cheon’s first attack.
He wasn’t the only one who was done with warming up.
Go-oh-!
Yoo-seong’s body had now finished adapting.
Out of nowhere, his left-hand pulled out a blade. To fight

against a sword, he needed his own sword.
“Huh?” one of the Red Dragon members mouthed as the

others watched with him in stunned silence.
“Plum flowers?”
It couldn’t have been real flowers.
However, everyone saw it, including Yang Jeong-cheon.
Countless plum flower petals were falling from the sky. Just
then, a phenomenal optical illusion was formed by the
movement of the blades.
Two fiery red dragons contained in the flying X mark made

their way through the myriad of fluttering plum blossoms.
No one heard a thing, but everyone felt what happened.

They felt the petals settling on the scales of the red
dragons. This triggered the red dragons to release the heat
they contained.
The collision ended with an explosion of plum blossom

petals.
“Whoa!”
The crowd, who were already watching from a distance,

couldn’t help but coat themselves with Aura for protection.
When they looked back, Yoo-seong was nowhere to be seen.
Thack-!
Yoo-seong descended behind Yang Jeong-cheon.
“What the hell?”
Turning around, Yang Jeong-cheon broke into laughter.
“How much do you have left?” Yang Jeong-cheon asked.
‘I won’t be able to use the automatic hunting button for a

while,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Unintentionally, he did not answer Yang Jeong-cheon’s

question.
This was because he was ecstatic, once again lost in his own
head.
Yoo-seong just had the perfect realization from the last

clash.
He was breathing differently. It was a breathing technique

similar to someone using a Gong.
Ten hours ago, Yang Biyeon demonstrated to him the power
of the Red Dragon Gong with the pendulums.
Despite using a lower amount of CE than Yoo-seong, she

was able to push the pendulum further than he did.
‘A Gong doesn’t just increase Aura efficiency,’ Yoo-seong

thought.
It was much more specific than that.
It changed the physical properties of the Aura.
It was somehow similar to Psy, but in an entirely different

concept.
The Red Dragon Twin Swords were supposed to contain a

tremendous amount of heat around them.
However, they did not have a trace of warmth, even up

close.
Yoo-seong found it strange.
If an object was that hot, it naturally emitted heat around it.
This was where Yang Jeong-cheon came in.
With the Red Dragon Gong, he somehow contained the

energy, preparing it for an explosion, Yoo-seong speculated.
Gongs were not controlled with fine veins. It was a form of

natural-release Aura.
Thus, it was not as powerful as Psy, but still had the same
Aura-bending characteristic.
For the Yang family, who are born with Ignition Psy, their
Gong was used to stabilize the heat. Thus, it was easier for
them to concentrate on swinging the sword.
Now, Yoo-seong just applied the same concept.
He formed a new Gong to compliment Automatic Hunting.
Go-oh-oh!
As soon as he realized it, he felt confident.
‘I can win.’
He raised his blade before him and dug his feet hard on the
ground.
Now, it was his turn. It was time to hunt a dragon.

Chapter 70
EPISODE 70
Any rational person facing Yang Jeong-cheon would have

panicked upon seeing the Red Dragon Twin Swords.
They were recognized as one of the strongest weapons in

the whole of China when buffered with Psy.
The Twin Blades didn’t just cut through and destroy their
target. They transferred a concentrated heat to another
object with the slightest contact.
A few seconds was enough.
The heat from the Twin Swords would definitely devastate

Yoo-seong’s blade, possibly taking his left hand off in the
process.
Yang Jeong-cheon knew that the Tech Yoo-seong used to

bring out a sword was part of the Volcanic Martial Arts. How
he learned about it in such a short time was astounding, but
it wasn’t the matter at hand right now.
Flower sword or not, they certainly couldn’t match the Red

Dragon Twin Swords.
Bam-!
Yoo-seong lunged toward Yang Jeong-cheon. In reply, Yang

Jeong-cheon raised his swords.
Two red dragons greeted the fearless young man.
The match seemed to last forever.
The show of exceptional techniques combined with

maximum focus seemed to slow down the world behind
them. As it went on, Yang Jeon-cheon carefully observed
Yoo-seong’s blade.
The thin but sharp blade was indeed clashing against his
glowing red swords.
It shouldn’t be able to do so.
The Twin Swords were sure to burn off any object it came in

contact with.
On top of that, it would shoot out the heat it had

suppressed, burning off Yoo-seong’s arm in the process.
However, this wasn’t the case.
Yoo-seong was showing remarkable Aura control.
Phut-!
Yang Jeong-cheon stabbed at him to observe his opponent’s

action.
As soon as Yoo-seong’s blade came in contact with the Twin

Swords, it dissolved into some sort of spray.
The spray then dissipated the heat contained in Yang Jeong-

cheon’s attack.
Then, the scattered Aura regroups to form a sword once

more.
The entire process happens quicker than the blink of an eye.

Kuung-!
Yang Jeong-cheon took a few steps back to build

momentum.
Then, he launched another attack.
He shot out a flaming X mark towards where Yoo-seong

stood. However, Yoo-seong blocked it with his blade and
began running towards him. The burning X mark dissolved
without causing any damage.
The scattered Aura gathered on Yoo-seong’s hand as he ran,

forming the Flower Sword once again.
‘Is this really possible?’
But before Yang Jeong-cheon could even say anything, Yoo-

seong’s sword appeared right in front of him. It seemed like
déjà vu.
However, this time, their positions had been reversed.
It was Yoo-seong continuously striking his blade against

Yang Jeong-cheon’s.
Bung-!
Yang Jeon-cheon was on the defensive.
Phut-!
Paang-!
Successive stabs clashed against his Twin Swords. They

seemed to be coming faster than the previous one. Each
stab dissipated the heat and pressure contained in Yang
Jeong-cheon’s swords.
“No way.”
“The Red Dragon Lord.. . “
The Red Dragon Society was shocked.
No one had ever held up this long against Yang Jeong-cheon.
However, Yoo-seong now seemed to have the upper hand.

How could his blade possibly endure the Red Dragon Twin
Swords?
This battle was different from everything Yoo-seong had

gone through.
Yang Jeong-cheon was a master whose power went beyond

the traditional form of Aura.
As Yoo-seong tried to pierce through with his attacks, he

noticed Yang Jeong-cheon’s movements slow down, as if he
wasn’t entirely focused on his swordsmanship.
He’s planning something, Yoo-seong realized.
He thusly prepared himself.
Suddenly, Aura, in the form of fire, broke out of Yang Jeong-

cheon’s feet.
Explosive Acceleration.
He charged towards Yoo-seong in an unpredictable moment.

However, Yoo-seong was ready.
He dodged a Red Dragon blade and used his own sword to

change its twin’s direction.
“Oh my god!”
The crowd was breathless.
They couldn’t believe what was happening. Yang Jeong-

cheon seemed to be at the brink of an overwhelming loss.
“Uh, isn’t it a little too hot?”
“I think so.”
“Because the Lord’s Psy—”
Even in the open outdoors, the temperature was increasing.

Someone got it right.
It was indeed caused by Yang Jeong-cheon’s Psy.
Phut-!
Every time Yoo-seong’s blade collides with the Twin Swords,

Yang Jeong-cheon was losing both Psy and CE.
It was Yoo-seong’s goal right from the start. He wasn’t

aiming to hit Yang Jeong-cheon.
He was exhausting the Red Dragon Twin Swords all along.
Caaang-!
Even when he saw a gap when Yang Jeong-cheon used

Explosive Acceleration, he aimed to touch his Twin Swords
rather than striking him.
Soon, everyone has noticed a difference in the Twin Swords.

It was growing dimmer.
Caang-!
Yang Jeong-cheon’s CE, which was concentrated on the Twin
Blades, was draining out.
No matter how strong he was, his CE was not infinite.
Yang Jeong-cheon knew it, too.
‘This is frustrating,’ he thought.
Until now, no one had dealt with the Red Dragon Twin
Swords this way.
Suddenly, he broke out in maniacal laughter.
“Faster!” he yelled at Yoo-seong.
He sounded like a madman. He was wielding the Red

Dragon Twin Swords erratically.
As the blades moved at an extremely fast pace, the red

traces it left in the air seemed to form a dragon figure. Yoo-
seong was nowhere to be seen.
Except for the changes in the trajectory of the swinging Red

Dragon Twin Swords and the illusion of the plum blossoms in
between, there was nothing else that hinted at his location.
Only when Yang Jeong-cheon finally stopped did Yoo-seong

appear.
He looked beyond terrible.
It was a level that could be called disastrous.
Although he had completely avoided Yang Jeong-cheon’s

attacks, he could not avoid the heat emitted by his swords.
Yoo-seong’s clothes are all tanned, even the skin
underneath them.
He had minor burns all over.
“I must have brought shame to my predecessors,” Yang

Jeong-cheon sighed.
“I might have been too complacent.”
“You’re right,” Yoo-seong replied.
All this time, Yang Jeong-cheon thought he was invincible.
He had everything.
A Psy that flowed in the Yang family bloodline for

generations…
The Red Dragon Gong that complimented it perfectly…
This was a huge amount of CE brought by experience.
Weapons that were formed by ancient tradition and

strengthened by modern technology.
But in the end, it wasn’t perfect.
“You are a great hunter,” Yang Jeong-cheon acknowledged.
Yoo-seong discovered the perfect way to defeat the Red

Dragon Twin Swords. He wasn’t competing against Yang
Jeong-cheon.
Rather, he was hunting for the Red Dragon’s weakness.
It was exactly how Yoo-seong described himself. He was a

hunter, not a warrior.
His attacks were driven by strategy, not pride.
Yang Jeong-cheon shook his head. Then, he spoke.
“From now on, you’re facing Yang Jeong-cheon, not the Red
Dragon Lord.”
Before everyone even understood what he meant,
Howooook-!
An intense burst of hot air filled the training ground.
“You better stay as far away as you can.”
Yang Jeong-cheon’s words were not directed towards Yoo-

seong.
This was a warning for those who were watching.
Swoosh-!
Slowly, the Psy and CE contained within the Twin Swords

were withdrawn back into Yang Jeong-cheon’s body. He also
stopped breathing in the Red Dragon Gong technique.
Then, he charged towards Yoo-seong.
‘What does he mean?’ Yoo-seong thought as he swung his

blade.
Caang-!
It was a completely different impact from before. This was

because Yang Jeong-cheon’s style had indeed changed.
It was not a martial art of the Red Dragon Society. Now,

Yang Jeong-cheon was moving on his own.
The experience accumulated in his body over many years
and the movement that a natural sense of battle made.
His attacks were now pushing back a surprised Yoo-seong.
Kang-! Kagang-!
Yang Jeong-cheon had completely abandoned his form, and

was now simply depending on his senses.
He had always been known for his fast reflexes, his ability to
fully adapt to the situation at hand.
In his heyday, his senses topped the continent.
Based on how the records described him, his movements

could even be compared with the efficiency of Auto-Hunting.
Hwaahak-!
The air was burning.
Yang Jeong-cheon was leaving a trail of red, burnt marks as

he moves, even drying up the surrounding vegetation. He
was randomly releasing his Psy without any hints of control.
This would inevitably lead to a rapid CE consumption, but

Yang Jeong-cheon no longer cared.
The future, efficiency, the Red Dragon Society…
The pride and purpose he carried right after being a

successor…
All of these no longer mattered.
He was throwing away everything that held him back. With

all his strength, he swung towards his opponent at a
maximum speed.
“Hahaha!”
He was also laughing differently this time.
It was simply the kind of joy that flowed out unconsciously.

To swing the sword like this, to feel such an uplifting feeling
of excitement, allowed him to wield this power with all his
heart.
This time, he was only doing it for victory. And indeed,

victory was coming to him.
Meanwhile, the training ground is now engulfed in flames.

The heat was spreading everywhere.
The Twin Dragon Swords had more destructive power when

it contained Yang Jeong-cheon’s Psy.
However, now, the heat was unleashed.
Its intensity was making it more difficult for Yoo-seong.

However, it may not last long.
The moment the heat reached its peak was the moment
Yoo-seong would make his move.
‘It’s my victory. I’m sure.’
Yang Jeong-cheon swung his Psy with his full power.
‘I must avoid it,’ Yoo-seong decided.
However,
Shuwak-!
Auto-Hunt refused to do so.
Yoo-seong was caught up in Yang Jeong-cheon’s attacks.

Blows after blows were exchanged.
Ca-ang!!!
The roaring of swords was incomparable to before.
Enormous heat bursts were heading towards Yoo-seong.

Instead of stepping out…
Wheeik-!
As his sword was drawn horizontally, Yoo-seong rotated his

body.
Go-oh-oh-!
It was the same as when he had his blade scatter in a full

Aura spray.
This was essentially the function of Jahan Gong. It dispersed

Aura into infinitely small particles.
This all led to an illusion that completely disoriented the

enemy.
This did not only apply to the blade, but also to its
trajectory.
Aura took the form of beautiful plum blossoms, falling all

around them. All the Aura contained in the blossoms rotated
around him and acted like a shield.
However, it still was not as simple as it looked.
Before Yoo-seong could make his turn…

Booung-!
Yang Jeong-cheon sent heatwaves that cut through the air.
Although heat dissipation was possible, Aura spraying along

cannot cope with it. This then led to Yoo-seong using the
second function of the Jahan Gong.
The first function was to disperse the granulated Aura.
However, Yoo-seong’s new technique was entirely different.
Kiik-!
He used his legs as shaft brakes for the rotation. At the

same time…
Goo-!
The Aura spray covering his whole body had disappeared in

an instant, except, they actually didn’t.
Instead, they were concentrating into a single shape.
Once the particles aggregated, it produced a density

stronger beyond imagination. This time, the concentration
point was Yoo-seong’s left hand.
From there, it would be manifested into the strongest type

of blade.
Both Yang Jeong-cheon and Yoo-seong had now laid all their
cards on the table. All that was left was for their match to
lead to a conclusion.
And then, silence.
Kaaang-!
Everyone held their breath.
One of the Red Dragon Twin Swords clanged to the ground.
The sound eerily echoed in the silent training ground. It

sounded the same as funeral bells.
It was as if it was mourning for its Master’s loss.
Yang Jeong-cheon stared at his left arm.
All that was left was a stump just below his shoulder. His
arm had been amputated by Yoo-seong’s blade. Yoo-seong
was right behind him.
His whole body was covered in burns and blisters.
All of his joints, ligaments, muscles, and bones were

screaming in pain. He had been using the Assault Form from
start to finish.
He had been on the receiving end of a power that he had

never seen before.
However, Yoo-seong was still standing.
In contrary to the staggering Yang Jeong-cheon, his legs

stood firmly. His eyes held a determined look.
Yang Jeong-cheon opened his mouth.
“I… lost.”
His gaze fell at his severed left arm and the Red Dragon
Sword that lay on the ground.
Boiling with feelings, he thought he had long forgotten; Yang

Jeong-cheon opened his mouth again.
This time, he wanted to say what he felt to the person who
gave him the best moment of his life.
“Thank you.”
With wonder and respect, Yoo-seong, who raised the button,

nodded.
“…for everything.”
Yoo-seong opened his mouth to respond.
However, his tongue and throat, which had been

overwhelmed by the heat, offered nothing but silence.
Then…
Yoo-seong’s world turned dark.

Chapter 71
Episode 71
‘Itchy.’
Yoo-seong woke up feeling itchy all over his body. However,

his eyes remained closed.
Ordinary people opened their eyes and raised their upper

body upon waking. Professionals like Yoo-seong kept their
eyes closed – to orient themselves and to clear their senses.
Yoo-seong then felt a sticky substance all over him.
‘Oil?’
It must be similar to castor oil that he used at home when

he was younger. However, it smelled much worse.
“Open your eyes. I know you’re fully awake,” he heard a

voice.
“Sorry,” Yoo-seong spoke. “I didn’t mean to faint.”
With a sigh, he opened his eyes. Yang Jeong-cheon was

sitting cross-legged by the foot of his bed.
“You look good,” the older man commented.
Yoo-seong observed him. He didn’t look fine at all.

Yang Jeong-cheon’s left arm, which had been cut in half
during their battle, was bound with thick bandages.
Yang Jeong-cheon followed Yoo-seong’s gaze. Then, he lifted

his left shoulder.
“If you say something lousy about this, I’ll kick your mouth
right there,” he said.
“What is that?” Yoo-seong gestured with his chin toward

Yang Jeong-cheon’s arm.
Yang Jeong-cheon sighed. “I put the severed arm back on,

then tied it back with bandages.”
Yoo-seong was serious. “Do you think that will work?”
The severed arm lay on the ground for a while.
Morevoer, the temperature around it was at boiling point

because of Yang Jeong-cheon’s Psy.
No matter how cleanly it was cut, it was impossible for the

burnt ends to stick together.
“It’s not a problem you should worry about,” Yang Jeong-

cheon sighed.
“But your arm is…”
“This is what’s important,” Yang Jeong-cheon’s voice was

firm.
“If you didn’t severe my arm, it would have been your neck
that was cut off.”
Yoo-seong went silent.

“I dealt with you with all my power,” Yang Jeong-cheon
continued.
“To do that meant that I myself bear the corresponding risk.

It was fortunate that I did not lose my life, just an arm. Isn’t
it a pretty cheap price?”
Yang Jeong-cheon shook his head and chuckled. “Besides,

you don’t even know what you look like.”
There was a small hand mirror on the bedside table. Yoo-

seong picked it up.
“Are you still worried about my arm after seeing yourself?”

Yang Jeong-cheon asked him.
He couldn’t respond right away.
The reflection staring back at him was a monster’s. His skin

was covered with oil, and a pale blue translucent bandage,
similar to fish scales.
It was the Red Dragon Society’s special burn treatment

therapy.
Of course, the scales themselves didn’t ruin his appearance.

What made him hideous was the blistering red skin beneath
the bandage.
Yoo-seong could not even blink.
It was entirely shocking.
Yang Jeong-cheon coughed to break the silence.
As he said, Yoo-seong couldn’t care about his arm after

seeing what happened to himself.
It was a fair result from a fair battle.
Yang Jeong-cheon wouldn’t even have felt guilty if it was

Yoo-seong’s arm that was cut off.
But he can’t help but feel pity at that moment.
“Don’t be so heartbroken,” he advised the younger man.

“Our Red Dragon burn treatment is the best in the world.”
He understood Yoo-seong’s reaction.
Much value has been associated with external beauty these

days.
Even Biyeon, who liked him, had started painting her face
these days.
“Besides… real women should recognize a man’s character

rather than their appearance… Take Biyeon-i, for example.”
Yang Jeong-cheon stopped himself. It was probably too soon

to talk about it.
That day, she looked appropriately sad about her father’s

arm.
Yang Jeong-cheon thought that it was just her nature. She

had always been good at hiding her emotions. However,
when she saw Yoo-seong…
She looked absolutely devastated, with tears shamelessly

dripping from her eyes.
Yang Jeong-cheon shook his head as he remembered the

scene.
‘I raised my daughter in vain,’ he thought.

Tuk-!
Yang Jeong-cheon raised his head. It was the sound of liquid

hitting the floor.
Tuk-!
“What the…” Yang Jeong-cheon’s eyes widened when he

found the source of the sound.
Yoo-seong’s appearance was changing, looking more and

more like a monster every second. The blisters on his burnt
skin burst all at once.
Pus dripped down, wetting the sheet and oozing down the
floor.
***
Yang Jeong-cheon’s mouth hung open as he watched Yoo-

seong’s body adapt.
The damaged layer of his dermis began sucking in oil to

compensate for what it had lost. Meanwhile, his outer
epidermis continued to discharge pus until it ran out.
Then, the raw wounds began to harden quickly and heal. It

continued for a few minutes, then-
“Good God!” a Red Dragon doctor, who came in to bring

medicine, dropped the bowl he brought.
Fortunately, Yang Jeong-cheon caught it before its contents

spilled.
“Be careful,” he told the doctor.

“At this age, I thought nothing could surprise me anymore,”
the elderly doctor groaned.
“I can’t blame you,” Yang Jeong-cheon nodded.
The scene they were watching right now seemed pretty

horrific.
Yoo-seong was standing before them, seemingly petrified.
He was covered in the remnants of the translucent blue

bandage and the deep orange pus. They weren’t even sure
if he was still breathing.
Yoo-seong stayed still for a few minutes.
Then…
Tuk-!
His right arm moved. The burnt skin and the bandages
covering his elbows and shoulders tore.
Then, the freed right hand grabbed his face.
Jeewhook-
In one swift motion, Yoo-seong tore off his skin.
“Oh, oh, oh!” the doctor panicked at the sight.
“You must peel oranges well,” Yang Jeong-cheon remarked.
Before them, Yoo-seong remained standing.
This time, however, there were no scars or wounds on his

skin. His complexion was just pale, unblemished, pink, just
like a newborn baby.
“Oh… ummm…” Yoo-seong ran a hand through his scalp.
It was bare.
“Well,” Yoo-seong turned his attention to the men before

him.
“Those things that fell from your body,” the doctor spoke in
a trembling voice. “Can I study them?”
As soon as Yoo-seong nodded, the doctor gathered the

waste at his feet. Then, the elderly doctor of the Red Dragon
Society rushed out of the room.
Yoo-seong felt Yang Jeong-cheon’s eyes scanning him from

head to toe.
His eyes paused for a while at Yoo-seong’s mid-section.
“Well,” Yang Jeong-cheon tilted his head. “A great leader

needs a long sword…”
“Hey!” Yoo-seong pulled a sheet and wrapped it around his

body.
“How long have I been out?” he changed the subject.
“A little less than two days.”
Yoo-seong’s brows furrowed.
He had come without even telling Seoyu where he was

going.
Excluding the time he spent preparing for the duel, he had

been gone for a full three days.
“There was something special that happened while you
were asleep,” Yang Jeong-cheon added.
Yoo-seong poured himself a glass of water.
“What is it?”
“I spoke with your employer. It seems like you came without

telling Tenz where you were going. I decided I don’t want
them to find you here, unconscious.”
“Thank you for your consideration,” Yoo-seong said.
“This morning, Yeon-i received an invitation.”
“Yes?”
“I heard you’ve had experience with it. She was invited to a

Dive.”
“You look very surprised,” Yang Jeong-cheon observed.
“No. However, it is not a common operation in our country.”
Yoo-seong had heard rumors that some countries, including

China, did Dive operations secretly.
“I thought it was done very secretly,” he told Yang Jeong-

cheon.
“That’s right. In fact, you’re not even supposed to reveal

that you’re invited to a Dive. I just know because she’s
under the Red Dragon, and I am Red Dragon’s head. Nobody
else knows.”
“Wait,” Yoo-seong raised his hand. “Then why are you telling
me this right now?”
“I told you. Something special happened,” Yang Jeong-cheon

told him.
In China, Dives were not done solo.
A nominated hunter could view the list of other nominees, to

help them decide whether they wanted to participate.
Yang Jeong-cheon stared at Yoo-seong, before he continued.
“Your name was on the list as well.”
Yoo-seong walked quickly along the mansion’s hallway.
He felt numerous eyes watching him.
Everyone in the Red Dragon Society knew about his duel

with Yang Jeong-cheon.
Yoo-seong looked around as he continued his brisk pace.

Everyone’s expressions looked sorrowful. Yang Jeong-cheon,
whom they considered as the sky, was defeated.
Now, the person who cut off their Master’s arm didn’t even
have any injury.
“They look good, don’t they?” He heard a voice.
He turned to find Yang Jeong-cheon walking behind him.
“That’s a crazy way to put it,” he replied.

“No,” Yang Jeong-cheon shook his head. “Everyone seems to
have a heavy heart right now.”
”But now, some of them will train harder than ever because
the summit has been reached. It had been possible to break
through the sky,” Yang Jeong-cheon continued.
“Just by having those guys, the Red Dragon Society has

gained enough. It’s worth more than an old man’s arm.”
Yoo-seong walked quietly.
“Have you seen anyone here who looked like they hated
you?” Yang Jeong-cheon asked him.
“No. No one,” Yoo-seong was sure.
Suddenly, they ran into two members at a corner. The two

young Red Dragon members immediately greeted Yang
Jeong-cheon.
Then, they looked at Yoo-seong.
“Hello,” they quickly bowed, and went on their way.
There was absolutely no hostility in their greetings, just

respect and awe.
Yoo-seong was the strongest who won a battle against the

Master. The members and every hunter in the land couldn’t
help but respect that.
“The Red Dragon Society will change,” Yang Jeong-cheon

spoke. “Thanks to you.”
At that moment, the two arrived in front of Jeokryong-dong.

Everyone except Yang Biyeon was barred from stepping foot
in it.
Yoo-seong took his cellphone out and turned the screen on.
‘315 missed calls.’
He groaned.
Yoo-seong’s contract allowed him free time if there were no

operations.
The calls could only be about one thing.
The Dive.
He felt torn.
Of course, he had Dive experience. But that was in Korea.
There was no need to ask if his invitation had any

precedent. A foreigner who signed a free agent contract
getting invited into a Chinese Dive?
‘I’m going.’
Yoo-seong’s eyes turned to the tall iron gates in front of

them.
He won against Yang Jeong-cheon in battle. It was his

reward.
The secrets of the Red Dragon Society lies beyond them.

Secrets that had been passed down through generations.
They were waiting for Yoo-seong.
[AT NOTE: This is it for today, I’ll make up for it next week.
After adding Wed and today’s we should have hit a good
amount of releases. I apologize for the delays!]
Chapter 72
Episode 72
This was a fantasy that all Chinese hunters had.
A common element in the heroic tales of old martial arts

history.
A secret room, a remote cave, or an old library.
A place where masters store indispensable knowledge and

valuable treasures.
Yoo-seong walked over to a bookshelf without hesitation.

Suddenly, he pressed a book, triggering a secret
mechanism.
Yang Jeong-cheon felt surprised.
“How do you know this?” he asked Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong didn’t answer. Yang Jeong-cheon’s heart was

beating fast.
He felt an excitement that he had not felt since he was

young.
It was only natural.
They were inside a place the founders of the Red Dragon

Society built. His predecessors.
It was a place where no foreigners have ever stepped foot
on. The old library was designed to convey enlightenment to
the Red Dragon Society’s successors.
Yoo-seong remained immersed in his phone and the notes

he was holding.
Yang Jeong-cheon looked around in wonder.
Then, his eyes went to a book that Yoo-seong was reading. A

note had fallen out of it.
Yang Jeong-cheon picked it up and began to read. He had

now recognized the name written on the page.
Yang Woo-ryang.
He was also a Red Dragon Lord in the early days of the Ming
Dynasty.
This was a genius who established the Red Dragon society,

providing a framework for his descendants.
Yang Jeong-cheon looked at the document more closely.
Then, he sighed.
Yang Woo-ryang wrote a note about the book Yoo-seong

held.
The book was written by his older brother, Yang Woo-jin.
Yang Jeong-cheon remembered their names from their

genealogical record. Yang Woo-jin’s name was not
remembered in a good light.
According to the records, he was extremely talented.

However…
He did not inherit the family’s Psy.
Of course, it was possible to carry the Red Dragon Society’s

flag even without the Psy.
The Red Dragon has a well-known martial arts technique,

which was powerful even without the flames.
However, the fact that he had not inherited the Psy became
a burden to him.
His father felt very sorry about his situation.
He specifically allowed Yang Woo-jin to study other martial

arts or to join the military. However, Yang Woo-jin insisted on
remaining in the family.
His father, the Red Dragon Lord, was sad about his decision
but secretly hoped for it.
Although the Red Dragon had strong martial arts Tech, the
descendants who did not inherit their Psy could not help but
feel a sense of deprivation.
But what if Yang Woo-jin, who was known to be extremely

talented, remained in the family and worked hard?
Not only would it be a great example to the other members,

but it would also have a positive effect on the development
of the family’s martial arts.
However, his eldest son did not follow that path.
He traveled around, mingling with people of unknown origin,

buying and reading books, and so on.
Still, his father and the Red Dragon looked forward to the
outcome.
However, what Yang Woo-jin was doing was very strange.
Hiking mountains, visiting seascapes.
Listening to stories of bizarre wonders and the bizarre

animals and plants that inhabit bizarre places.
Yang Woo-jin fell in love with stories that were, in truth,

nothing more than interesting stories. As he did, his
strength almost decreased by half.
His body declined to the point where he wouldn’t be able to

learn Techs.
Still, everyone sympathized with him.
A genius who lost his potential because of bad luck.
However, one day, the word got out. It traveled from mouth
to mouth until it reached the Lord. What Yang Woo-jin said
shook the family.
‘Someday, when my studies bear fruit,’ he had been heard

saying, ’I will own the Red Dragon.’
At that time, the nuances were obvious for everyone to see.
Yang Woo-jin was coveting his younger brother’s position.
It went without saying that their father was enraged upon

hearing it. The Lord had tolerated his older son’s bizarre
ways, but this was too much.
Yang Woo-jin was banished from the family. However, he

had been offered a condition for return.
If he decided to concentrate on martial arts again and be
loyal to his family, the Red Dragon would accept him again.
However, Yang Woo-jin never returned.
Seven years after, his cold corpse was found in the slums of
Hangzhou.
‘My brother never intended to harm anyone,’ Yang Jeong-

cheon read.
‘We continued to keep in touch even after the rumors.’
Since childhood, he had always walked a straight path.
‘He would never have wanted to hurt anyone, much more

his flesh and blood.’
After Yang Woo-jin was banished, Yang Woo-ryang tracked

him.
He found his older brother and begged him to go back

home, but Yang Woo-jin shook his head. Yang Woo-ryang
wrote what his brother told him.
‘I am not giving up.’
‘I’m getting close to the end of my research.’
‘The day I finish it, I will return to the family.’
Of course, Yang Woo-ryang didn’t want to give up

convincing him.
However, time had run out for them.
A day after their meeting, Yang Woo-jin died.

‘If it wasn’t just for the Psy,’ Yang Woo-ryang wrote, ’Woo-jin
would have been the Red Dragon Lord.’
‘He had enough talent to lead us.’
He collected the documents that his older brother left and

compiled them into a book. The younger brother thought
that it was the best way he could do to honor his older
brother – to pass on his research to the successors of the
Red Dragon.
It was the same book that Yoo-seong was immersed in right

now.
Some may say that the book was not worthy of being kept
in this exclusive library.
‘To the owner of Jeokryong-dong, who will be reading this

article, it read.
Please generously tolerate this little secret—a little

consideration to comfort my brother’s soul.’
Yang Jeong-cheon had a sorrowful expression as he lowered

the page he was reading. He understood why Yang Woo-
ryang had hidden the book.
The Jeokryong-dong successor had a responsibility not only

to protect the library, but also to improve it.
If any of the records and interpretations found on it were to

be proven wrong, they would have to be trashed and
burned.
‘It’s what I would have done if I found this when I was

younger,’ Yang Jeong-cheon thought.
He watched Yoo-seong, who was reading the book.
‘I should tell him that it’s not worth looking into,’ he

thought.
However, before he could speak, Yoo-seong opened his

mouth.
“If it’s okay, can I borrow this book for a while?”
“What?” Yang Jeong-cheon was surprised.
“If you can’t allow it, well…”
“No. Of course, you can,” he shook his head.
If it was another book, it would have been difficult to take it

outside the library.
However, in this case, it was definitely different. Even its

author knew that it did not belong here.
Besides, didn’t Yoo-seong master the Zahan Gong in less

than a day?
Perhaps, Yang Woo-jin’s research would not end up in vain in

this man’s hands.
“Before you do,” he told Yoo-seong, “I must tell you what

this page says.”
He read out Yang Woo-ryang’s note. Yoo-seong listened

carefully and nodded.
“Thank you. Certainly, it will be of great help in

understanding this book’s contents.”
“Please keep it safe. I’ll tell Biyeon as well, but… I think it’s
right for you to return it once you’re done.”
Yoo-seong nodded, “Absolutely.”
Yoo-seong also wore a sorrowful expression.
‘The person who wrote this,’ he thought, ’resembles Sung-

wook.’
A genius who couldn’t reach his potential due to bad luck.

Yoo-seong turned to leave Jeokryong-dong. As he did, he
placed the book inside the slot.
The slot had Shin Yu-hee’s e-cigarette.
However, even though the book went into the slot, the e-
cigarette did not pop-out into Yoo-seong’s hands. Yoo-seong
was surprised.
Apart from the interesting book, it brought about another

change in him.
He stared at the items in the slot. There were the e-cigarette

and the ancient book.
They each had a slot.
Moreover, there were three more spaces next to them. Yoo-

seong now had five utility slots, as if that alone was not
shocking enough,
There was something else that appeared under the slots.
As Yoo-seong walked towards his hotel room, he was deep in

thought.
‘I should apologize to Seoyu.’
She was not his subordinate.
She was the contact link between Yoo-seong and Tenz.
Even if he was dissatisfied with Tenz, he shouldn’t have left

her clueless for three days.
It was rude.
Yoo-seong didn’t prepare excuses. He hated those.
Instead, he intended to keep his secrets and ask for Seoyu’s

understanding.
Pibit-!
His key card was recognized.
As soon as he stepped into the room, he saw Seoyu

approaching him.
“Boss! Where have you been?!”
She had dark circles under her eyes as if she hadn’t slept in
three days.
Yoo-seong bowed apologetically.
“I haven’t been able to contact you. I am so sorry. I went to

deal with some of my personal affairs, but it took a long
time. If you need an explanation…”
“No,” Seoyu cut him off.
Yoo-seong was surprised.

He couldn’t put the finger on it, but something was strange
with Seoyu. The girl was usually transparent.
She wasn’t used to hiding her emotions.
“I have something important to tell you,” she looked

serious.
“The Dive?”
Seoyu was startled.
“How did you know?”
“At the Red Dragon Society. I heard it from Yang Bi-yeon,” he

explained.
‘Guilty.’
Yoo-seong finally read what Seoyu’s mood is.
‘I wonder why,’ he thought.
“According to your contract, Tenz decides whether you

participate or not,” she explained.
“You have an obligation to follow their decision unless there

is a specific reason for rejection,” she added.
“I know,” Yoo-seong nodded. “So, what is Tenz’s decision?”
Seoyu looked away.
Yoo-seong understood why she looked guilty. “I guess

they’re letting me go.”
“I heard that Goryong Company is managing this Dive,”

Seoyu added in a low voice.
“Alright,” he replied nonchalantly.
“Yes? Did you agree just like that?” Seoyu’s voice rose.
“Goryong is controlled by Lee Hwi-min, who tried to kill

you!”
‘He’s not even Chinese,’ she seethed. ’Why would they even
invite him?’
“No matter how you look at it, they’re obviously planning

something!” Seoyu yelled.
She had a lot of questions in her mind. When she reported

to the head office that Lee Hwi-min tried to harm Yoo-seong,
there was no response.
Even if Yoo-seong was a foreigner, he was still a Tenz hunter

under contract.
Besides, Yoo-seong was a great hunter who brought honor

to the company in his previous two cases.
However, the head office did not make any move.
The only time she received anything from them was when
they sent the invite for the Dive. They wanted Yoo-seong to
join a Dive that Lee Hwi-min controlled.
‘Why the hell?’ She was frustrated.
The only reason she could think of…
It was an answer she didn’t want to accept. They wanted

Yoo-seong to reject the Dive. Then, he would be violating
their contract.
Tenz was trying to put Yoo-seong at a disadvantage rather
than protecting him.
‘This is nonsense.’ She thought as she clenched her fists.
Seoyu looked at Yoo-seong with a confused expression.
He definitely had Dive experience.
He must know that the world beyond the cracks was a

perfect, lawless zone.
“I don’t have any problems with it,” Yoo-seong told her.
“Yes?”
“The Dive. I have to follow the contract.”
Seoyu’s mouth hung open as Yoo-seong continued.
“If there are any prior briefings that I need to know before
the operation, please give them to me.”
Then, Yoo-seong walked to his room, leaving Seoyu behind.
She couldn’t help it.
“Do you understand the situation?!” she screamed behind

him.
“You’re going to die!”
“I know,” Yoo-seong stopped walking but did not turn to face

her.
“But what can I do? To get something I want, I have to pay

the price.”
Yoo-seong closed his bedroom door and sat on the bed.
Pop-!
Out from the slot, Yang Woo-jin’s book appeared in his

hands. Using his phone translator, he began reading.
Yoo-seong took his time, reading it slowly, without using

Auto-hunting.
More time passed.
Soon, Yoo-seong finished it.
‘He really does resemble Sung-wook,’ he thought as he

sighed.
A genius who was struck with misfortune but struggled to

overcome his limitations.
In this man’s time, there was no means to prove his

theories.
The content was simple.
Yang Woo-jin’s purpose was to create something.
The book detailed the materials required for production and

where they could be found. Bizarre places, strange animals,
and strange plants.
In short, it was an unexplored world.
It has not been mentioned anywhere in the book, but Yoo-

seong knew what Woo-jin was referring to – the world
beyond the cracks.
As Yoo-seong placed the book back in the slot, he viewed
the new shape that was available to him. Below the utility
slots was a rectangular button, marked with a hammer and
a human hand.
It had a description on top of it.
-Blink to combine the items on the utility slots-
Yang Woo-jin may be right.
‘The day my studies bear fruit, I will own the Red Dragon
Society.’
It was in Yoo-seong’s hands.
He closed his eyes tightly and thought about something

else.
Lee Hwi-min and the Goryong Company.
The Dive.
Chapter 73
Episode 73
“Ouch!”
Biyeon SOON realized that she had absentmindedly broken

one of her fingernails.
‘Like a fool,’ she thought, as she quickly hid her bleeding

finger into her pocket.
She was in the seminar hall of the Shanghai Special Defense

Agency. She, the other hunters involved in the Dive, key
people in the Party, and the hunting industry were all
gathered here.
‘I am representing the Red Dragon Society’; she reminded

herself.
She repeated it several times in order to calm herself down.
Yang Biyeon couldn’t help but feel anxious.
The meeting was about to start, but Yoo-seong was still

nowhere to be found. The last time she saw him, he was
covered with burns and pus.
‘Would he be able to come?’ She wondered.
She looked around the hall.

It was full of people who shouldn’t even be here.
Click-!
Camera shutters popped continuously. She was seated on

the stage along with other hunters and key officials.
In front of them, reporters from several outlets were

preparing cameras and microphones.
‘This has never happened before,’ she thought.
Dives in China were conducted with strict confidentiality.
Occasionally, if an operation was successful, the

government leaked it out.
It was to promote the industry and the hunters who

participated. She was used to the secrecy. In fact, she
wouldn’t even know about this Dive if she hadn’t been
nominated to join it.
That was why she was surprised when she arrived at the
briefing and found the reporters.
A press release before a Dive had never happened before.
She didn’t even know what to think of it.
Yang Biyeon repressed her emotions as she watched a man

approach her.
It was Lee Hwi-min. He rose from his own seat in the

platform upon seeing her.
“Excuse me,” he said.

Biyeon raised her head, pretending to notice him for the
first time.
“Yes? Are you talking to me?” she asked.
“Oh, yes. It’s about Oh Yoo-seong. We had nominated him

because we wanted to carry out the operation with his
talents. Unfortunately, it seems that he has no intention of
participating.”
Yang Biyeon’s expression was cold.
“I don’t know why you’re telling me this,” she answered.
“Well, everyone knows that Oh Yoo-seong and the Vice Lord

worked together and made great strides in this city,” Lee
Hwi-min’s eyes seemed to glint from behind his glasses.
Yang Biyeon stared straight ahead.
She could feel the reporters looking at them and murmuring

as if they found something interesting. She didn’t care
about them.
However, she was aware that there were other people who
were watching them.
Ha Yuk-il, the man who was said to be the successor of the

Volcano, and was previously 10th in the Ship Zone.
An elderly man was also staring at her. He was Jinchung, the

head of the Doryongbang, which shared the Red Dragon
Society’s influence on half of Shanghai.
Then, a younger man also raised his hand and joined in on

their conversation.
He was Wong Yeong-cheon, the sixth place in the current
Ship Zone.
“I agree. I also wanted to meet Oh Yoo-seong,” he said.
He seemed to be the same age as Ha Yuk-il.
“But of course,” he added, “I’m satisfied with just being able

to do an operation with Vice Lord Yang Biyeon. It’s a great
honor.”
Yang Biyeon tried not to show any emotion, however difficult

it was to hide her disgust.
‘Everybody here is a Goryong underling,’ she thought.
Biyeon did not know about the confrontation between Lee

Hwi-min and Yoo-seong.
However, she knew about the bad blood between them

even before Yoo-seong had come to China.
It was also said that Ha Yuk-il bore a grudge against Yoo-

seong, who was the reason he had been pushed out of the
Ship Zone.
“It’s really, really disappointing…” Lee Hwi-min added

before walking to the podium to address the crowd.
“My name is Lee Hwi-min. As you all know, I am in charge of

the overall command for this operation,” he began. “When I
first heard the suggestion from the Doryongbang to take
this Dive, the Goryong Company and I didn’t have to think
much about it. Whatever the circumstances, it is our duty to
participate, and an honor that I cannot give up.”
According to Lee Hwi-min, the reason why the operation was
disclosed to the public was that it aimed to find out the
cause of the Shanghai Shock.
Through the Dive, they would analyze the world beyond the
crack to pursue people’s safety and strengthen their trust.
Furthermore, he promised to prove the capabilities of the

Chinese industry and its defense system, whose positions
were greatly shaken by the tragedy.
The reporters and the Party officials were silent and hung on
to every word he said.
To be honest, even Yang Biyeon couldn’t deny that her heart

thumped with excitement as she listened.
Lee Hwi-min’s speech touched the hearts of every Chinese

who suffered in the tragedy.
“We will do it. We will not allow such tragedy to occur under
Chinese territory.”
The audience nodded fiercely, with fire in their hearts.
However, there was a slight change in Lee Hwi-min’s tone

as he continued.
“As this is an operation in Shanghai, we decided to send a

Goryong hunter along with three of the strongest hunters in
Shanghai. Fortunately, two of them agreed without any
hesitation…”
Yang Biyeon bit her lips as Lee Hwi-min paused.
‘Here it goes,’ she thought.

“But the hunter whom we wanted to participate more than
anyone else, unfortunately, has not responded. You know
him well…”
Lee Hwi-min began to briefly describe Yoo-seong’s

achievements.
It was a first.
Oh Yoo-seong’s achievements had never been publicly

recognized in China. However, that was not the main goal of
Lee Hwi-min’s speech.
“So, despite him being a foreigner, we decided that his

ability was essential for the operation. Unfortunately,
according to a Tenz representative who acted as his
temporary secretary, she was unable to contact him…”
Yang Biyeon felt disappointment fill the great hall.
“Of course, it is a personal situation that should not be

judged at all, but in a critical operation to analyze the cause
of the sudden crack injured in this injury, such power loss is
just regrettable…”
“We don’t need him!” Someone yelled out.
All eyes turned to the young reporter whose face was

flushed with anger.
“I don’t think there’s a shortage of talent with the hunters

gathered here. We don’t need foreigners!”
“That’s right!” another reporter yelled out in agreement.
“I agree!”
“We don’t need him!”

There were raised voices, even among some of the hunters
in the hall. This was what Lee Hwi-min wanted.
He had planned well.
Of course, Yoo-seong would not come to a Dive that

Goryong Company managed.
It was a trap that Lee Hwi-min had dug.
Through his speech, the Dive has become an important

event on which Chinese pride and safety depended.
Participating companies and hunters would be praised and
supported.
Those who backed out will be ruined.
Lee Hwi-min smiled lightly.
It was only a matter of time before public opinion turned

against Oh Yoo-seong.
The largest Chinese media outlets were concentrated in this

event.
Yoo-seong would be forgotten as the hero of Shanghai and

remembered as the coward who evaded the honorable
proposal Lee Hwi-min and the Chinese government made.
‘I doubt he ever shows his face in public, regardless,’ Lee

Hwi-min thought.
He knew that Ha Yuk-il gave Yoo-seong the Volcanic Martial

Arts originals.
‘He would kill himself, and his honor will die with him.’
Yoo-seong was not the only hunter Lee Hwi-min wanted to
bury with this Dive.
He had another target in his sights – Yang Biyeon of the Red

Dragon Society.
He already had Doryongbang in his palms.
If he could remove Doryongbang’s opposition in Shanghai, it

would be easier to control the influential city. Suddenly, Lee
Hwi-min’s thoughts stopped.
He saw something from the entrance of the seminar hall.
‘A late visitor?’
A man was walking in. Those closest to the door noticed him
and forgot the fiery mood they were in.
“Uh…”
“Is that him?”
Lee Hwi-min’s eyes widened.
It was Oh Yoo-seong.
He was dressed casually, with a beanie pressed against his

head.
He was walking leisurely towards the stage, where Lee Hwi-

min stood. Lee Hwi-min quickly glanced behind him.
He looked at Ha Yuk-il, Wong Yeong-cheon, and Jinchung.
‘Stop him’; his eyes seemed to say.

Then, he quickly composed himself and began speaking
through the microphone.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong! I heard from your agent that you could

not be reached…”
Yoo-seong wasn’t listening to him. He had begun running

towards the stage.
At that instant, the three hunters on the stage stood up,

prepared to stop him.
‘He won’t fight us here with everyone watching,’ Lee Hwi-

min assured himself.
‘Even if he did, there’s no way three Ship Zone-level hunters

couldn’t stop him.’
Suddenly…
Bang-!
Yoo-seong leaped forward.
The hunters watching him considered the thin coating of

Aura on his legs.
‘He won’t make it to the stage,’ they thought.
However, they were missing the point.
The Aura on Yoo-seong’s legs was different. It was not a

smooth surface that professional hunters used. Rather, it
appeared like a fine fog.
The moment Yoo-seong reached the highest point of his

trajectory-
Woosh-!
The fine Aura on his legs sprayed forward, then hardened.
He made a stepping stone out of Aura and used it for

another leap.
“Huh?!”
“What the…”
The people at the venue were shocked.
In the eyes of the cameras and everyone in the venue, it

seemed as if Yoo-seong was walking in the air.
Bang-!
Yoo-seong landed brilliantly on the stage, right in front of

Lee Hwi-min.
“I’m sorry,” he spoke with a serious expression.
“I need that microphone.”

Chapter 74
No. 74
Lee Hwi-min did not hand over the microphone right away.
He first needed to organize his thoughts.
However, Yoo-seong directly grabbed it from him.
“Excuse me, I need it,” Yoo-seong told him.
Tuk-!
Yoo-seong tapped the mic as if to check if it was working. No

one cared about the annoying sound that reverberated in
the hall.
Even Lee Hwi-min, who was biting his lips as he watched

Yoo-seong. Everyone was thinking about what Yoo-seong did
to reach the stage.
‘He walked in the air.’ Lee Hwi-min couldn’t make sense of

it.
‘He walked in the air as if it was nothing.’
‘What kind of Tech…’
Even him, who was part of the Moon Faction, couldn’t

fathom the Tech’s identity.
For a moment, his legs were covered in some kind of a fog.

‘Could it be… the Jahan Gong?’
Impossible, he convinced itself.
If it was, it should have a vivid purple color. That was the

characteristic of the Volcanic Martial Arts.
Besides, it had only been three days since Ha Yuk-il gave

the originals to him. No one could have learned a Gong in
three days, even if someone taught him.
‘But if it isn’t the Jahan Gong,’ Lee Hwi-min was confused,

’then what is it?’
“Excuse me,” Yoo-seong caught his attention.
He spoke casually, as if Lee Hwi-min didn’t attack him a few

days before.
“Can I ask for an interpreter?”
“What?”
“Is there anyone else here who can speak Korean?” Yoo-
seong asked.
Yoo-seong considered this,
Could he entrust Lee Hwi-min with interpreting his words?
Certainly not.
However, they were surrounded by reporters and cameras,

as well as numerous officials.
If Lee Hwi-min distorted his words, there would be evidence

on record. Yoo-seong decided that he had the upper hand.
He began talking.
Lee Hwi-min, who had no other choice, translated after him.
“I apologize for not responding to the Dive invitation that

came two days ago. I was cut-off from everyone and
immersed myself with training after the Shanghai Shock. As
soon as I heard the news, I ran right away.”
Numerous simulations ran in Lee Hwi-min’s head.
‘No matter what he says,’ Lee Hwi-min thought, ’I must twist

them somehow.’
He had to do it in a way that even a person fluent in both

Korean and Chinese wouldn’t think that he had distorted
Yoo-seong’s meaning.
It was very tricky, but it still had to be done.
‘You are trying to provoke me by delegating me as your

interpreter,’ he thought.
‘However, your arrogance will be your biggest mistake.’
Lee Hwi-min waited for Yoo-seong’s next words. However,

the foreigner went quiet for a while.
Then, he looked at Lee Hwi-min.
“Thank you,” Yoo-seong told him.
“I don’t need your help anymore. The longest part is over.”
Yoo-seong was one step ahead of him.

He took a deep breath before he began speaking. He spoke
a simple and easy Chinese sentence that he memorized
prior to coming.
His accent was also very clumsy, but everyone in the hall
understood what he said.
“I will participate in the Dive.”
Yoo-seong’s firm words echoed in the silent hall.
A groan escaped from Lee Hwi-min’s mouth. Things weren’t

going his way.
However, Yoo-seong’s cheekiness did not end there.
He glanced over the other hunters on the platform as a

predator looks at its prey.
“When the hunt is over, it will be proven,” he declared.
His tone was not boastful. Rather, it was as if he was stating

a fact.
“Of these… I am the best.”
The hall exploded in anger.
“What the hell is with that attitude!”
“You think too much of yourself!”
The reporters, seemingly forgetting their duties, raised their

voices.
Yoo-seong remained calm amidst the audience’s outburst.

From the time he memorized this phrase, he had already
thought about the crazy consequences.
He was taking on the Doryongbang and Jinchung.
More than that, he was daring Ha Yuk-il and Won Yeong-

cheon, members of the Ship Zone.
However, it was true.
He was literally the most powerful among the hunters under

Lee Hwi-min, and he was prepared to prove it.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I have nothing to be afraid of.”
Swish-!
As soon as he finished speaking, he threw the microphone

towards Lee Hwi-min.
The microphone soared into Lee Hwi-min’s hands.
Now, it was his turn.
However, he couldn’t think of what to say.
‘He shouldn’t have come here,’ Lee Hwi-min seethed.
Excluding Biyeon, all the other hunters present here were

under his control.
Everyone was a Ship Zone member or a competent person

who could qualify if a position was empty. It was a challenge
to Lee Hwi-min more than anyone else.
The audience was clamoring for him.
“CEO Lee!”
“Please respond to him!”

Everyone in the hall was excited. They were surprised that
Lee Hwi-min seemed to be at a loss after being such
remarks.
It was as if he had allowed Yoo-seong to walk away

unscathed.
With that, the atmosphere was instantly reversed.
“I was surprised because he suddenly appeared…” Lee Hwi-

min began to speak.
There was no other option, even if it was not in the plan.
“But as the head of the operation, we have no choice but to

accept Mr. Oh Yoo-seong’s…”
“No way!”
A voice rang out.
It was Ha Yuk-il.
“As a member of the Dive team, I object to it! This person

did not respond in time to the Party’s notice. To put such a
disrespectful person…”
Ha Yuk-il couldn’t afford to be as calm as Lee Hwi-min.
He was going in with him, in the world beyond the cracks.

Lee Hwi-min promised him that Yoo-seong wouldn’t come.
‘But what happened?’ Ha Yuk-il seethed. ’That damn guy

showed up!’
Not only that, he announced his arrival with an

unprecedented Tech, in front of all the press!
The most important thing for Ha Yuk-il was his position in
the Ship Zone. He had been pushed out, but the Dive was
supposed to bring him back.
He couldn’t afford Yoo-seong stealing his glory.
Woosh-!
Yoo-seong suddenly leaped off the platform.
The place where he landed was just in front of Ha Yuk-il.
Ha Yuk-il felt startled.
He watched Yoo-seong, who stood in front of him without

speaking. Yoo-seong had his arms on his waist, and his
fingers were tapping at his belt.
Tuk-!
Tuk-!
It was as if he was waiting for something. At this point, Ha

Yuk-il’s arms went to his sword’s hilt.
“If you have a complaint,” Yoo-seong spoke in broken

Chinese. “Settle it.”
“No!” Lee Hwi-min yelled, but Ha Yuk-il was in too deep to

hear anything.
He pulled his sword out.
He had no intention of killing or hurting Yoo-seong. He just

wanted to show him his pride and identity.
The spirit of the Volcano.

In front of all the officials.
Go-oh-!
With an Aura that was elevated with excitement, he

unfolded his Magnetic Sword.
Visible bolts of electricity ran through it, mesmerizing the

crowd.
The crowd was mesmerized.
“Whoa…”
It was an amazing sight.
Everyone couldn’t take their eyes off Ha Yuk-il’s sword.
Ha Yuk-il enjoyed their reaction. Then, he stared at Yoo-

seong.
‘If I only had this sword back then…’
He raised his sword and aimed its tip towards Yoo-seong.
The bolts of electricity concentrated on the tip of the sword.
He did not intend to hurt him, just threaten him.
No matter how strong he was, there was no way he couldn’t

help but step back in the face of such a fierce weapon.
However, what happened next surprised everyone.
Yoo-seong took a step. Not backward, but forward, towards

the sword.
What?! Ha Yuk-il was flustered.

No matter how amazing the sword looked, if it injured an
unarmed man, the story would change a hundred and
eighty degrees.
“You’re insane!” Ha Yuk-il exclaimed and immediately pulled

the sword away.
However, it was too late.
The bolts left the blade and rushed violently toward Yoo-
seong.
Go-oh-oh!
The hall was filled with a blue light.
When the glare subsided, they saw Yoo-seong with a blue

sword on his left hand.
The sword shone brightly.
As everyone’s eyes adjusted, they could see the blade more

clearly.
“Are those…” Someone gasped.
The sword was surrounded by shapes that looked like plum

blossoms. It was not a hallucination or an optical illusion.
They could clearly make out the shape of perfect plums

around Yoo-seong’s left hand.
This was a Tech that the world had not seen in over two
centuries. At some point, the blue Aura and the plums
dissolved into thin air.
Ha Yuk-il, who wasn’t hurt at all, fell backward as his legs

lost their strength.
His eyes were staring blankly. Yoo-seong looked around and
picked up a microphone nearby.
“I think I’ve shown everyone enough proof.”
He also had these lines prepared and memorized.
“I hold the true Volcano.”
The hall was hushed.
It was well-known that Goryong Company had the original

Volcano documents. Lee Hwi-min had been using it for
countless studies.
After ten years, he had finally developed it into something

that Ha Yuk-il learned.
But now…
Everything was meaningless.
What they had just seen… was the original, not a reprint. No
one could deny it after seeing those plum blossoms.
When Yoo-seong finished speaking, he fixed his stare at Lee

Hwi-min.
“Continue what you were saying.”
No matter how Lee Hwi-min wanted to control the situation,

it was already decided. Oh Yoo-seong would participate in
the Dive.
Lee Hwi-min’s fists clenched as he realized that his plan

completely backfired.
He had even invited the largest media outlets.

Now, it turned out that he had just given Yoo-seong free PR.
Click-!
Click-!
Countless camera shutters began flashing at Yoo-seong.

Chapter 75
No. 75
Yoo-seong’s impact had been so great that Lee Hwi-min’s

briefing, which was supposed the main subject, had been
largely ignored.
Immediately after the briefing, every reporter sought Yoo-

seong. However, his seat was already empty.
Yoo-seong was walking briskly towards Exit 2 of the Special

Defense Agency.
As he walked, he checked Seoyu’s text messages. She was

providing him with real-time updates.
-There’s a very explosive reaction to what you’ve done.
-Negative?
-Some of it.
Yoo-seong considered this,
That meant the public opinion towards him was not as bad
as he had initially thought.
‘I think this will really work’; he chuckled to himself.
Although he planned it to be that way, he didn’t expect it to

work. The culture in China was indeed different.
If he were in Korea, he would have been literally buried.
What was it like after his live interview?
After his broadcast with the point of “Don’t touch me,” the
public opinion toward him declined.
However, it was different in China.
The virtue pursued here was ambition rather than humility,

to take pride in your skills and prove it consistently.
Yoo-seong had learned it from watching the others. As he

walked out of the building, he reflected on himself.
‘Isn’t this what they call ‘image management’?’ He thought.
‘I’m becoming a real professional.’
Yoo-seong laughed bitterly. Of course, it wasn’t that

everybody loved what he did.
Just before he arrived, Lee Hwi-min had built up antipathy

towards him, using his status as a foreigner to stimulate
Chinese pride.
-It’s not a significant difference yet, but it seems that the

reaction is gradually improving.
Yoo-seong’s action itself did not cause much resentment.

Even the part where he challenged established hunters was
being praised.
-They say your Chinese is improving.
Yoo-seong smiled as he read Seoyu’s text. Then, he replied.
-Any feedback about the sword fight?

-There is, but they were blaming Ha Yuk-il for drawing his
sword first. They say he overreacted.
Yoo-seong thought about it.
Although Ha Yuk-il drew his sword first, it was simply to

emphasize his ‘rank.’
It was a calculated move, much like what Yoo-seong did.
-Besides, plum blossoms… even I was surprised.
No one had ever seen it before.
However, it was common knowledge as to how the

legendary Volcano Sword looked like.
It was said that, when it was unfolded, you could clearly see
the shape of flowers around it. Ha Yuk-il had been referred
to as the successor of the Volcano Martial Arts. Anyone who
had seen his sword in the past believed it was the greatest.
However, when they saw what Yoo-seong unfolded, they

realized how different the original was from a reprint.
The Volcano was a legend. It was martial arts so symbolic

that even ordinary people knew its lore.
Now, the real successor had appeared.
Not only that, he overwhelmed the fake heir in front of

everyone’s eyes.
Wasn’t it such a perfect reversal? Everyone loved this kind

of drama.
-In the midst of all this, the stock price of Goryong Company
fell.
Yoo-seong nodded to himself.
It was a natural outcome. It was a shame for them to even

announce a confidential Dive. Now, with Ha Yuk-il’s and Lee
Hwi-min’s embarrassment, they looked more like villains.
-Now, they can’t touch you in the Dive.
Yoo-seong understood. If anything happened to Yoo-seong,

the company would only be further mired with suspicion.
The times were different now.
The battle between Yoo-seong and Goryong was not Korea

versus China anymore. In the eyes of the Chinese public,
Yoo-seong wasn’t just a stranger.
They knew his character. Proud, arrogant, yet has certain

skills and achievements.
Now, he has dared to challenge Goryong and Won Gyeong-

cheon.
Everyone wanted to see what would happen next.
Who would win?
Yoo-seong could feel Seoyu’s admiration through her text

messages.
-You really did it. Even if we didn’t provide you any support.
‘No,’ Yoo-seong wanted to tell her. ’I was just lucky.’
However, just as he was about to type his response, he

heard footsteps approaching him.
He turned right away, but the figure was approaching at a
speed he didn’t expect.
It was a method that uses Aura for shortening the distance

to the enemy in an instant.
Thud-!
He felt all of Biyeon’s weight crashing against him.
“Oppa!”
“Ugh!”
He swung backward, carried by her momentum.
“Good thing. Really. Really. Really.”
Biyeon mumbled incomprehensible Chinese and buried her

head on Yoo-seong’s chest.
‘Tears,’ Yoo-seong realized as soon as he regained his

bearings.
He felt moisture spreading from his chest. He calmed

himself down.
She was the Vice Lord of the Red Dragon Society, who was
known to be tough and professional.
But now…
‘Wait,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Did he really think she was like how she branded herself
publicly? Didn’t he have an image entirely different from his
actual character?
He couldn’t blame himself because he had never seen her
act this way to someone outside her family.
But now that she called him ‘Oppa”…
“Oooh… uhh…”
Yang Biyeon buried her face harder and sobbed even louder,
like a child.
Yoo-seong was perplexed.
First of all, because Biyeon’s tight embrace was choking

him.
“Biyeon, I can’t breathe,” he groaned.
Yang Biyeon was strong.
She had trained since childhood and even had more CE than
Yoo-seong. Physically, she might actually be stronger than
him.
With such strength, she hugged him tightly, and Yoo-seong

imagined his bones crunching beneath her. Another reason
was that the surroundings were now turning exceptionally
hotter.
Yoo-seong was used to it. It was because of Biyeon’s Psy.
Fortunately, she wasn’t burning everything because she

wore appropriate clothes for a public gathering.
Even so, as she wrapped herself tightly around him, he

could feel intense heat coming from her arms.
It was now hurting him.

“Ughh…” he groaned.
He wanted to reel with the pain, but he had to endure it.
Yang Biyeon’s sobs echoed in the hallway.
If anyone could see her like this, her reputation would be

ruined.
Yoo-seong pondered for a while.
This was not a situation that Auto-Hunting could save him

from. However, he thought of something else – his own new
craft.
Soon, a cloud of Aura began to bloom from Yoo-seong’s

body.
It could be the most dangerous weapon.
He could turn it into a sword or simply a bubble that would

engulf an enemy and squeeze them to death.
However, he had a different purpose. His Aura had a very

soft physical property.
With it, he gently wrapped Yang Biyeon’s body and pushed

her off him very carefully. The effect was excellent.
Yang Biyeon was separated from him with a confused yet

miserable expression.
Her eyes contained what she couldn’t speak of.
Yoo-seong nodded silently to comfort her.
He had a sense of what transpired after the briefing. They

asked Yang Biyeon’s cooperation inside the crack.
The world beyond the rift was a lawless zone.
Regardless of what the public opinion was, it wouldn’t be

enough to stop Lee Hwi-min.
If Biyeon disagreed with them, she might be placing the Red

Dragon in a risky position.
Yoo-seong could place himself against Doryongbang,

Goryong, and the Ship Zones.
Yang Biyeon and the Red Dragon Society couldn’t take such
a risk.
Even so, she can’t just forsake Yoo-seong and join forces
with Lee Hwi-min.
“Biyeon…” Yoo-seong whispered gently.
She nodded, silently waiting for his next words.
Yoo-seong carefully chose his words.
Then, he spoke.
“Do you trust me?”

Chapter 76
Episode 76
Jin Chang-hoon chose to keep himself busy with hospital

work.
He couldn’t imagine why Sung-wook would even call him

down to the building’s basement. However, when he finally
reached the training room in the basement, his jaw dropped.
“You…” his eyes were wide open in shock.
“How do I look?” Sung-wook asked innocently.
“You crazy bastard!” He immediately ran to Sung-wook and

supported his friend’s body.
Sung-wook’s complexion looked very pale.
“You damn bastard! Why don’t you just cut off your wrists if
you wanted to kill yourself?”
He couldn’t help but get upset, immediately going to check

Sung-wook’s limbs. Blood vessels were protruding his body.
“Come on, it’s not that bad,” Sung-wook reasoned.
Fortunately, it seemed that he only suffered from a

temporary shock.
“It’s been four years since I’ve been in this shape. Getting
sick for a day is not bad at all.”
Sung-wook took out a pill with his trembling hands and

swallowed it.
Jin Chang-hoon found this absurd.
“Why are you doing this? You said you’ve moved on? You’ve
already been an instructor, an agent, but in the end…”
“I promised him,” Sung-wook cut him off.
At this, Jin Chang-hoon fell silent. He knew who made Sung-

wook promise.
Yoo-seong.
Nonsense, Jin Chang-hoon thought. He was a doctor.
If there was any way to fix broken veins, he would have

done it for Sung-wook already.
Although he wasn’t considered the best in the industry, he

was still among the elite ones.
He had squeezed everything he could grab his hands on to

try helping Sung-wook. His bookshelf at the Hospital
Director’s office was full of various studies related to the
recovery of fine veins.
In short, there was simply no way.
“It’s not that I don’t believe Yoo-seong,” Jin Chang-hoon lied.

“But you can only focus on training your body.”
“I’ve been doing it,” Sung-wook replied to him.

Since Yoo-seong had left, Sung-wook had trained hard to
restore his physical condition back to what it was four years
ago.
“But I still have a lot of time left every day. I can’t just warm
up and play around,” Sung-wook explained.
“Play around?” Jin Chang-hoon snorted at this. The training

Sung-wook did daily was harsher than even those in active
duty had gone through.
However, it was still natural to have time left after training.

The problem was only Sung-wook’s body was exhausted.
The fire that Yoo-seong had revived never left Sung-wook’s

eyes.
He wanted to prove that his abilities had not been lost. They
had just been repressed all these years. After watching the
broadcast a few days ago, it was as if oil was poured over
the already blazing fire.
It was a live broadcast from China.
Lee Hwi-min didn’t think Yoo-seong would appear in the Dive

briefing. That was why he had handed over the broadcasting
rights to everyone, even to public broadcasts overseas.
He wanted to embarrass Yoo-seong not only in China, but

also in his homeland.
However, Yoo-seong had showed up.
He remembered Yoo-seong’s firm face as he declared that

he’s participating in the Dive.
Yoo-seong ended up burying Lee Hwi-min in the very trap
that was made for him.
In Korea, there was a heated debate over Yoo-seong’s

appearance at the briefing event.
What kind of activities would be assigned to him?
What was the Tech he used to overpower a former Ship

Zone hunter?
How did Yoo-seong get that Tech?
The social networks were buzzing with opinions and more

questions about Yoo-seong.
-Oh Yoo-seong VS Lee Jae-hak: Who’s better?
-Honestly, if Yoo-seong was back in Korea, he would take

first place in the rankings.
Even the patients who had come to Jin Chang-hoon’s

hospital asked him if he was indeed Yoo-seong’s doctor. Jin
Chang-hoon also felt unspeakable pride.
Sung-wook removed Jin Chang-hoon’s hand and struggled to

stand without help.
“There is no one who has his back. He’s all alone there.”
Sung-wook said in a low voice.
“But he’s doing such a great job,” Jin Chang-hoon tried to

reassure him.
“No,” Sung-wook’s voice was firm. “We only see his success.
He must have gone through unknown difficulties to achieve
that.”
“So, I can’t stay here and wait around,” he added resolutely.
Jin Chang-hoon was silent.
“By the way…” Sung-wook tried to break the ice. “How do I

look? I’ve asked you earlier.”
Jin Chang-hoon shook his head and smiled. “Like a

madman,” he teased his friend.
As he did, he prayed earnestly.
‘May Yoo-seong find the miracle he promised Sung-wook.’
‘He has to.’
***
Yoo-seong watched the briefing video once again.
‘No matter how many times I listen to it,’ he thought. ‘It

sounds like it was just for show.’
Lee Hwi-min’s voice flowed out of the tablet PC.
-With this operation, we will find out the root cause of the
undetected rift. A complete defense of the country and the
safety of the people…
Any hunter would recognize the problem right away.
‘There is no definite purpose for this Dive. If there is, Lee

Hwi-min does not say it.’
Yoo-seong definitely had Dive experience.
He had prepared for it and studied with top-secret materials

provided by the Korean Special Defense Agency.
Why did hunters Dive in the first place?
It was because humanity was still clueless about the land

beyond the cracks. Hunters were professionals, but they
were trained to hunt monsters. Research was not their main
strength.
In the past, professional engineers were even brought inside

the cracks to operate pulse breakers. The only reason
hunters in a rush team could operate it now was because
the machines had been simplified enough with the advances
in technology.
The same went for investigating the alien world.
‘If there is no specific goal set and a Dive was made just for
exploration purposes, Yoo-seong thought, ‘They shouldn’t
send a party composed of just hunters.’
It was yet another reason why only rankers were chosen to

Dive in Korea. They only chose people who had the highest
chance of survival.
The Agency could only hope that the hunters could bring
something, anything, back. That was, if they ever got back
at all.
Still, there was a clear goal to bring back samples.
Not on this Dive. It was pure propaganda. This was an event

to make people forget about the Shanghai Shock.
It was also a promotion to show that China was not putting

its hands down.
‘It doesn’t matter to me,’ Yoo-seong thought.

Rather, the Dive would be a great opportunity for him. He
turned off the tablet PC and looked at something else.
Five utility slots.
There were several by-products in them. These were raw

materials Yoo-seong purchased from the Chinese market.
12 teeth of grinder bird-★★★,
3 kg of khaki baobab stems that live beyond the cracks.
There were also 200g of beeswax, and two sheets of 30cm x

30cm leather.
After checking the four ingredients, Yoo-seong’s gaze went

to the shape below the slots.
He stared at the Combination button, the one with the

hammer and fist icon. He blinked. In an instant, the four raw
materials disappeared.
Then, a message flashed underneath.
-Combination complete. –
On the first slot, a brown object shaped like a human hand

appeared.
Yoo-seong took it out of the slot to observe it more closely.
The Crusher Glove.
It was a piece of simple equipment that can be made using

the environment inside the rift in case of emergencies. It
was designed as striking equipment with more destructive
power than most brass knuckles.
Yoo-seong turned it over, then threw it onto the bed.
Chaeng-!
It landed atop a pile of equipment that Yoo-seong had

experimented with.
He had been testing the Combination button for a while

now. The principle was simple.
All that was needed were enough raw materials. They

needed to be placed in the slots.
The Combination button needed to be pressed by blinking.
Then, the raw materials would disappear, and the finished

product would appear on an empty slot.
Combination only needed Yoo-seong to satisfy two

conditions:
One – he must have enough raw materials.
Two – must also know the product he wanted to create.
Once the two conditions are met, the Combination is made

successfully.
With the new function, Yoo-seong could create not only

handmade objects, but also equipment that required the
help of machines.
For him, the limit of utility slots was indeed the most
important.
He only had five. Thus, he could only make simple

equipment because other complex equipment required
more ingredients.
‘It would be nice if I had more slots,’ he thought.
But for what he wanted to do, five seemed to be enough.
Yoo-seong picked up a book placed on the desk. It was Yang

Woo-jin’s book, which he picked up in the forbidden library
of Jeokryong-dong.
The magic bullet that Yang Woo-jin wanted to make required

only five ingredients.
Yoo-seong had decided to take those ingredients while on

the Dive. Tomorrow, he would create the Red Dragon Magic
Bullet.
Just as he was about to open Yang Woo-jin’s book, he heard

a knock.
Tuk-!
Tuk-!
Yoo-seong quickly hid the ancient book in his slot.
“Come in,” he called out.
The door slowly opened.
It was Seoyu. She was pale and trembling.
“Boss…”
“What’s wrong?” Yoo-seong was genuinely worried for her.
From the outside, he heard footsteps coming from behind

her.

“Hoh!”
It was a familiar voice. However, it wasn’t a face he wanted

to see right now.
“I didn’t know that crafting was your hobby?”
It was Jin Wei-baek.
The old man had a strange smile as Yoo-seong greeted him

with purple blossoms unfolded.
Chapter 77
Episode 77
‘Attack first,’ Yoo-seong thought, ’before you get beaten up.’
It was simple.
There was only one reason why Jin Wei-baek would visit him
personally.
‘I guess he’s interested in the Volcano.’
What better way to show it to him than trying it against

him? Yoo-seong also wanted to test his skill against Jin Wei-
baek.
He wanted to find out how far Yang Jeong-cheon, the former

second place in the Ship Zone, was from Jin Wei-baek. That
was the reason why he pressed the button and drew the
sword with plum blossoms.
A beautiful and majestic weapon that could cut through

steel.
Jin Wei-baek responded quickly. He drew a semi-circle in the

air as if he was turning the steering wheel of a car.
Paang-!
Massive pressure was sent in all directions.

Yoo-seong felt the same when he faced Yang Jeong-cheon’s
Red Dragon. It was as if an overwhelming force was trying
to crush him.
He bounced back, traversing the inside of the oversized

luxury room. He smoothly landed past the bed and picked
up a weapon he wanted.
A crossbow.
It was a piece of equipment he made while trying out the

Combination function. Its firepower was comparable to that
of a firearm.
Go-oh!
The crossbow’s arrow buzzed with Aura as Yoo-seong shot a

Parasitic Bee toward Jin Wei-baek. Jin Wei-baek dodged it
effortlessly.
“Nice try,” the old man laughed.
He had the expression of a grandfather dealing with a

grandchild. Then, Jin Wei-baek stepped forward toward Yoo-
seong.
‘Here we go,’ Yoo-seong thought, as he activated the

Parasitic Bee. However, Jin Wei-baek ran to the side,
avoiding the explosion.
Yoo-seong expected it. A thick cloud of purple blooms

around his body as he prepared for Jin Wei-baek.
However…
“Ahhh!”
Something came between him and Jin Wei-baek.

It was Seoyu. She had tried to intervene in a battle way
beyond her level.
She was facing Yoo-seong, and he could see her tightly

closed eyes and lips. It was as if she was trying to be his
shield.
‘You’re insane,’ Yoo-seong thought, as he lifted the button.
Then, with a leg coated with Aura, he kicked Seoyu.
Thud-!
She was thrown to the other side of the room. It was highly
possible that some of her ribs had been smashed.
Surprisingly, Jin Wei-baek also halted and landed gently. He

first looked at Yoo-seong, then at the fallen Seoyu.
Then, he laughed.
“She almost died,” he said, between chuckles.
It was the same reason why Yoo-seong kicked Seoyu. It was

because he had an intuition that, if she did not get out of Jin
Wei-baek’s trajectory, she would be split in two.
“Is it your place to interrupt us?” Jin Wei-baek’s tone

suddenly changed.
Yoo-seong looked at the old man in a different light.
Somewhere, beneath his cheerfulness and youthful energy,

some cruel and overwhelming powers lay hidden.
Jin Wei-baek was shaking his head as if he found Seoyu’s

intention unacceptable.
“I’m sorry, I’m terribly sorry,” Seoyu knelt on the floor and
bowed.
It was hard to tell whether her ribs were broken. She was
controlling her emotions well.
“Done,” Jin Wei-baek dismissed her apology.
There was no mercy in his eyes. He looked at her as if he

was looking at an insect.
“You are free to act,” Jin Wei-baek raised his hand, “but you
have to pay the price.”
“She just saved his boss’s life,” Yoo-seong spoke.
Jin Wei-baek turned to him with a puzzled expression.
“She has a loyal heart. In a way, doesn’t it compliment you

that she chose to help me because she believes you’re
much stronger than I am?”
It was the best course of action for Yoo-seong. This was

something he had learned in China.
The most important thing for these people was their pride.
There was no better way to distract Jin Wei-baek from
Seoyu’s act and bring his focus back to the fight.
Jin Wei-baek’s eyes darted between Yoo-seong and Seoyu.
He gazed at Seoyu’s bloodshot eyes, then back at Yoo-

seong, who had a fiery expression. Then, he laughed again.
“Ha ha ha ha!”
Both Yoo-seong and Seoyu were confused. The old man had
both hands on his belly, rocking with laughter.
“It’s a masterpiece! It’s a masterpiece. You know very well
how to deal with us now, huh?”
Jin Wei-baek was in tears. After a while, he recovered.
“You two made me laugh so much. That girl was quite

annoying, but I forgot about it.”
Then, Jin Wei-baek’s expression darkened again as he

looked at Seoyu.
“If you hadn’t made me laugh like that… you would have
died.”
Yoo-seong tried to say something, but he froze when he saw

what Jin Wei-baek held.
Jin Wei-baek just took out a medicine case from his pocket.
Click-!
The Golden Pill.
It was the same ancient treasure that strengthened Yoo-

seong’s veins.
“That’s…”
“Five operations,” Jin Wei-baek cut him off.
It was the deal he had with Tenz. Despite the fact that Yoo-
seong had been staying in China for a while, he had only
gone through one official operation.
The Shanghai Shock didn’t even count.
“It’s not yet the time for me to give it to you,” Jin Wei-baek
said.
“I understand.”
“But I need you to do something…”
“And if I did it?”
“Then you don’t need to complete five hunts. This will be

yours. Or, should I say, this will be on your Master’s hands
soon.”
Yoo-seong took a deep breath.
It was an indeed excellent opportunity. However, what could

it be in Jin Wei-baek’s mind that could compensate for five
operations?
“Do I have to kill people? Directly or indirectly?” Yoo-seong

asked him.
“No,” Jin Wei-baek answered. “It’s not something that a

hunter wouldn’t do.”
“Then,” there was no hesitation in Yoo-seong’s voice. “Tell

me.”
His eyes were fixed on the medicine case. Jin Wei-baek’s

explanation wasn’t too long.
It only took about five minutes.
“You are out of your mind…” was the only thing Yoo-seong
could say afterward.
“But that doesn’t mean you won’t do it, right?”
Jin Wei-baek immediately placed the medicine case back in

his pocket. He didn’t even wait for Yoo-seong’s answer.
Yoo-seong’s eyes were on the medicine case throughout the
conversation.
“Take a rest. You have a big day tomorrow,” Jin Wei-baek

started to turn, leaving a silent Yoo-seong.
Suddenly…
Jin Wei-baek turned in an instant, heading towards Yoo-

seong.
Yoo-seong’s arm immediately bounced like a spring to press

the button.
Go-oh-oh!
Instantaneously, purple blossoms scattered in the air. Jin

Wei-baek stopped and admired them with awe.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen them,” the old man
remarked.
“A perfect plum blossom,” Jin Wei-baek closed his eyes and

allowed one of them to drop on him.
The blossom cut a horizontal line on his cheek. A drop of

blood flowed out of the tiny wound.
Jin Wei-baek lifted his index finger to wipe it away. “It’s been
a long time since I bled. Let’s see… the last time… it was
probably in this same city. Against a Red Dragon. Have you
met anyone?”
“If you took a step back, you would not have bled,” Yoo-
seong said.
Jin Wei-baek turned his head back again and laughed. He

seemed to be in a good mood.
“You can go anywhere and tell anyone about it,” the old
man chuckled.
“Tell them you made Jin Wei-baek bleed. I won’t deny it.”
With that, Jin Wei-baek left.
As soon as the room door closed, Yoo-seong sighed deeply.

He supported Seoyu and helped her to her feet.
Then, he lay in bed, trying to suppress the beating in his

heart.
‘Tomorrow,’ he thought, ’I would do a crazy thing no hunter

in a Dive has ever tried.’
Chapter 78
No. 78
The sound of something clicking and locking into place

awakened Seoyu. She opened her eyes slowly.
“Ugh!” she groaned.
She tried to rise, but it felt like she was restrained. Seoyu
was unable to move to either side.
She glanced down. There was some kind of medical

contraption placed around her torso.
At this point, she had realized her ribs were broken.
Yoo-seong must have called an emergency team to help her

while she was unconscious.
“You’re awake,” she heard Yoo-seong’s voice.
She moved her eyes towards the direction where the voice
came. As soon as she saw Yoo-seong, she was fascinated.
He had just finished ‘mounting.’
It was the process to fully deck out with the battle suit to try
it out. He should have done it sooner, but due to various
circumstances, it had only been delivered to him the day
before.
‘It’s been a long time,’ Yoo-seong thought, as he checked
himself in the mirror.
He was finally wearing the Queen’s Hug once again.
Yoo-seong tested its mobility.
As always, it was perfect.
What’s more, it had undergone several reinforcements to

suit Yoo-seong’s new requirements.
“Was it your first time to faint?” Yoo-seong asked her.
She did not respond immediately.
“The doctor said you have no serious fractures, but she said
it would be better if you rest for a while and be careful about
eating. It would be best if you stay at the hospital…”
“But… I haven’t done all of my duties. The Dive is going to

happen soon…” Seoyu felt helpless.
“Don’t pressure yourself. If everything goes well, this could

be my last day here. ” Yoo-seong smiled at her.
Seoyu felt that something was different with Yoo-seong.
The man before her was completely different. It was not just
his tone.
Something felt weird. Then, she realized what it was.
Yoo-seong had been kind to her. It felt like this was his real
self.
It was as if he had been wearing a mask all this time.
She thought hard about it.
During their first meeting… Yoo-seong was in a foreign

country, where he couldn’t trust anyone. He had to break
Seoyu’s spirit.
Then, he had to face people like Lee Hwi-min, and the Red
Dragon Society.
Seoyu sighed.
Yoo-seong had been playing the image of an arrogant

hunter to fit in. Now, before his last mission, he could finally
relax and be himself.
Yoo-seong poured a glass of lukewarm water and brought it

to Seoyu along with a pain reliever pill. “Take it,” he spoke
gently.
There was no made-up pride or toughness.
All Seoyu felt was the gentleness and courtesy that Yoo-
seong originally had.
“I have not yet filled up the pre-Dive forms. We only have

six hours left, so time is pretty tight,” Yoo-seong said.
He brought Seoyu’s laptop to her and placed it gently on her

lap. Seoyu’s lips trembled.
It was Yoo-seong’s first and possibly last act of courtesy

toward her. She felt tears roll down her cheeks. She couldn’t
seem to understand why she was crying.
Filling up the forms was indeed not a difficult task.

Yoo-seong could do it himself, with the help of the translator
app. However, he was giving her the chance to do her job.
It was very trivial, but…
She felt that her value had been recognized. In terms of

administrative skills, there had been a lot of better
candidates than her for this position.
Like her uncle thought, Jin Wei-baek’s reason to choose her

over them was probably that he wanted her to seduce Yoo-
seong.
However, Yoo-seong had treated her as a professional, not

just a body to use.
She was respected.
Yoo-seong noticed Seoyu’s tears, but he did not say

anything. After a few moments, Seoyu opened the laptop
and started doing what she had to do.
“Meanwhile,” Yoo-seong told her. “Thank you.”
He was sincere.
It was thanks to Seoyu that he had been able to focus solely

on his personal affairs. Yoo-seong turned and left the room
as soon as Seoyu stopped typing.
”Boss…”
She wanted to say something.
However, even after she heard the door close, she couldn’t
open her mouth.
She wanted to say goodbye to him. She knew what she
wanted to say.
‘Thank you. I am honored to be your acquaintance.’
Once again, feelings overwhelmed her.
She tried to focus on something else. She checked her work

on the laptop screen again. Suddenly, she noticed a couple
of programs open on the taskbar.
The first one was a PDF file.
The other was the notepad.
The PDF file was a copy of her resume, but translated into
100% Korean.
She felt confused.
Then, she opened the notepad.
‘If you lose your job because of what happened yesterday,
It wouldn’t be bad to try changing jobs.
I will consider hiring you.’
***
“Nothing changes. Whatever happens. You know?” Lee Hwi-

min spoke.
At this, Ha Yuk-il remained silent.
“When the Dive is over, I will reclaim the rights I gave you.”
There was still no answer. Lee Hwi-min looked at him with
disgust.
‘The man’s eyes are dead,’ he thought.
‘This is what happens to guys who use fame as their driving

force. When they get attention, they develop fast. However,
when they lose their popularity, it looks like this.’
Since the last broadcast, Ha Yuk-il had wasted away.
How could he not?
Everyone all over China had witnessed him getting

embarrassed in front of Yoo-seong. For Lee Hwi-min, there
was no other choice.
The ‘Heir to the Volcano’ title, which the Goryong Company

gave him, must be handed over to others.
“If you don’t want to be like our five hundred friends, it

would be better for you to cooperate with the take over as
much as you can,” Lee Hwi-min tried again.
“Although the value of your name has fallen to the ground,

you would not like to live the rest of your life without your
core…” he said ominously.
At last, there had been a reaction.
Ha Yuk-il’s eyes widened.
“I will do my best… I will do whatever you instruct me to.”
It was clear how valuable CE was to hunters, even those

who had fallen.
Removing their core was like breaking a bird’s wings.

“Please! Sir! I will-…” Ha Yuk-il pled.
“Lower your voice, friend,” Won Jeong-cheon cut him off.
He and Jinchung were sitting opposite Lee Hwi-min and Ha

Yuk-il.
They were inside a special vehicle for operations.
“Even if this vehicle is sound-proofed, think of all the people

out there who are watching us,” Won Jeong-cheon warned.
They were parked just below the center of where the crack
would open. They were not the only ones at the site.
Dudududu-!
The sound of several helicopters could be heard inside the

vehicle. Of course, this Dive’s purpose was to give the
people a show.
There were several news helicopters, as well as several

ground cameras from numerous broadcasting stations.
“Soon, everyone will see you. Are you going to leave the
vehicle with that kind of pathetic expression?” Won Jeong-
cheon smiled.
As he spoke, he was plucking the string of his bow in a

leisurely manner.
“But… It’s not like that, but-”
Twang-!
Ha Yuk-il instantly felt a sharp pain in his cheek.
“I told you to shut up,” he heard Won Jeong-cheon.

He could feel the vibration of a trembling arrow centimeters
away from his face.
It happened in an instant. He didn’t see it.
The whole process of taking out an arrow, feeding it to the

bow, aiming, and firing happened quicker than the blink of
an eye.
Won Jeong-cheon was still in the same posture as before,

with one hand leisurely stroking the string of his bow. Won
Jeong-cheon shook his head and turned to Lee Hwi-min.
“Why did you give this idiot the Volcano?” he said with a
smile. “If you have given it to me, I would have saved you
time.”
“You’re right,” Lee Hwi-min sighed with him.
Won Jeong-cheon was as successful as Ha Yuk-il.
However, he was more talented than he was. He also knew

how to suppress his emotions.
The problem was that, when his pent-up emotions exploded,

he went way too far.
“Listen up, stupid,” Won Jeong-cheon turned to Ha Yuk-il

again.
“Get this through your stupid head. You only have two
things to do. First, stop frowning and smile when we step
down from the vehicle.”
He placed his palm on Ha Yuk-il’s chin and lifted it slightly.

“Like that.”
“Then, once we go inside the crack, slice that cheeky guy
with your sword. It’s not difficult. Just one slash, and it’s
done.”
Won Jeong-cheon’s eyes glinted. “Of course, if you can’t, it

doesn’t matter.”
Twang-!
Ha Yuk-il raised his arms desperately as soon as he heard

the sound of the bowstring. However, he knew he wasn’t
fast enough.
If Won Jeong-cheon really fired an arrow, it would have

pierced his head even before Ha Yuk-il realized that he was
going to attack.
“If you act as you did during the last briefing,” Won Jeong-
cheon spoke, “I’ll shoot your head from behind.”
Jinchung folded his arms silently and stared at Ha Yuk-il with

contempt. Lee Hwi-min was deep in thought as he observed
the hunters he was with.
‘The next successor should be one who is stable, even if

they are less talented.’
He needed someone who had a cool head and a calm

manner, someone who can’t be swayed by fame or intense
emotions.
It had always been what he wanted for the Volcano.
The problem was that he had never seen anyone who had
that personality.
Perhaps, what he was looking for did not exist at all.

“Ready,” he said, and the doors opened for them.
Four hunters stepped out. Outside, two were waiting.
Yang Biyeon of the Red Dragon Society, and Yoo-seong,

representing Tenz.
Lee Hwi-min immediately felt something was wrong.
“Cool armor,” Won Jeong-cheon spoke while stroking the

string of his bow.
If he had been in an environment where he could use it, Yoo-

seong would have fallen like a bird, Volcanic Martial Arts or
not.
His stare burned through Yoo-seong’s eyes, openly

provoking him.
Jinchung and Ha Yuk-il were also throwing Yoo-seong

daggers with their stares.
However, Yoo-seong seemed uninterested at all.
‘Deep,’ Lee Hwi-min thought unconsciously.
He wasn’t just ignoring his emotions. He was focused on the

task at hand.
Surely, he must be feeling the threat from the hunters

before him. However, he appeared as if he wasn’t worried at
all.
Lee Hwi-min realized that he was looking at a different Oh

Yoo-seong than the person he encountered in a hotel room a
while ago.
‘Is this Oh Yoo-seong as a hunter?’ He wondered.
Goorooo-!
There was a roar of thunder from above.
Everyone, except Yoo-seong, lifted their eyes toward the sky.
The crack was now opening.
Hunters immediately stopped the monsters from pouring

out while the military protected the civilians on site. Then, it
was time for the six hunters to move in.
As soon as they were inside, a four against two battle would

unfold.
No matter how good Yoo-seong was, he would not be able to

deal with Ha Yuk-il and Jinchung in an instant.
That instant was enough for Won Jeong-cheon’s arrow and

Lee Hwi-min’s Tech.
The four members of Lee Hwi-min’s team were like a perfect

team.
‘We won’t kill him right away,’ Lee Hwi-min decided.
First, he would figure out from him how he was able to draw
out the original plum blossoms.
Above all, he needed to take back the amulet that was

stolen from him last time…
Suddenly, Lee Hwi-min’s eyes widened. At that moment, the

amulet appeared on Yoo-seong’s hands.
Chukji.
It was the amulet of teleportation.
Yoo-seong did not hesitate. He took out a lighter and lit it.
Then, he wrapped Biyeon’s waist with one arm.
Biyeon was not surprised. She had known this in advance.
And, she trusted Yoo-seong.
The amulet burned down to the end in seconds.
Papat-!
Yoo-seong and Biyeon disappeared.
Lee Hwi-min’s nostrils flared with anger as he looked up at

the sky. Biyeon appeared inside the crack that just opened.
However, Yoo-seong…
It was his first time using the teleportation amulet.
When he re-appeared, only his legs and knees were firmly

inside the crack.
He was only half-way in. His upper body dangled down the
crack.
The magnetic field caught him from the waist up, making it
hard for him to pull his body in. From far below, he could see
Lee Hwi-min and his underlings.
‘Like hungry dogs waiting for a chunk of meat to fall,’ he

thought.
Chapter 79
Episode 79
‘Inside the crack.’
It was the unfortunate posture Yoo-seong landed in.

However, he remained calm.
Slowly, he was pushing himself in, using his knees. Yang

Biyeon could only open her eyes wide in fear.
If she were to get too close, even she might be pulled in by

the crack’s magnetic field. As Yoo-seong struggled, he kept
his eyes down and watched Lee Hwi-min.
‘No, they don’t look like dogs,’ he realized. ’They were more
like snakes.’
“CEO Lee,” Won Jeong-cheon whispered.
However, even before he spoke, Lee Hwi-min has already lit

up two amulets.
Wasn’t it a saying that snake hearts beat together?
The amulets were burning. Refraction and Trance.
The atmosphere around Won Jeong-cheon seemed to shake

for a moment. Eventually, Won Jeong-cheon stepped
backward.
Seen from the eyes of the others, Won Jeong-cheon was still
standing by the hunters beside him, eyes fixed at the sky.
However, the three men by his side could hear it clearly.

There was the sound of muscles swelling and tendons
snapping into place.
Won Jeong-cheon’s right arm had now deformed into an

insane size.
‘Python Arm Tech.’
The monstrous arm pulled back the strongest bowstring in

the continent.
It was a masterpiece made by tendons extracted from six

different kinds of giant monsters. A single strand could carry
the weight of a ton.
Ki-i-i-i-i-eik-!
The tension in the monstrous arm and the bowstring

reached its limit.
“Let’s go,” Won Jeong-cheon muttered.
Twang-!
The moment his hand released the bowstring, a beam of

lightning soared from the ground to the sky. It was about a
meter long.
Of course, its destination was Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong’s knees were planted tightly behind him, holding

his position. Thus, he wouldn’t be able to turn and avoid the
incoming arrow.
Lee Hwi-min’s team felt convinced.
The arrow would penetrate Yoo-seong’s skull. His corpse

would be sucked into the rift, and it would leave no
evidence.
However…
Pa-ang!
“Yes!”
Someone cheered.
“What the-” Jinchung angrily turned toward the sound.
It was Ha Yuk-il, who couldn’t help but cheer at Won Jeong-

cheon’s failure.
“Shut up!” Won Jeong-cheon tried to control himself.
He couldn’t kill Ha Yuk-il yet. It was his principle.
‘Never aim your bow at another target if the first target still
stands.’
“This… the damn idiot…”
Won Jeong-cheon’s insult was not headed toward Ha Yuk-il.

It was toward the man in the sky.
The arrowhead was almost at Yoo-seong’s chin. A few more

centimeters, a second later, would have killed him.
However, in his palms, he held the quivering arrow tightly.
It was still vibrating.

Yoo-seong filled his palms with Aura, and with the help of
the Queen’s Hug, he was successful in securing the arrow.
With bloodshot eyes, Won Jeong-cheon picked up his second
arrow.
However, he soon placed it back in his quiver. Because of

the loud noise that erupted when Yoo-seong caught his
arrow, everyone’s eyes were on the crack.
People were busy pointing at Yoo-seong.
With the Trance amulet, no one had actually seen the arrow
flying toward Yoo-seong. However, they could now see the
arrow in Yoo-seong’s hands.
Yoo-seong slowly let it go, letting it fall to the ground.
Everyone watched as a thin metal bar hit the ground.
Chaenggrang-!
The impact rang out.
“What is that?”
“Is Yoo-seong throwing away his equipment?”
“It looks like an antenna.”
Wasn’t it fortunate for Won Jeong-cheon that no one saw the

humiliation he suffered just now? Soon, the crack widened
again and sucked Yoo-seong in.
At the same time, another wave of monsters poured out.
Everyone had to fight and clear the wave before Lee Hwi-
min’s team could attempt entry. By the time they were
finally able to get in, only the sights and sounds of an alien
world greeted them.
Biyeon and Yoo-seong were long gone.
***
Yoo-seong was breathing hard, and Biyeon was groaning.
Her Aura was still sufficient, but even with its help, they had
run at such tremendous speeds that their body had to give
up.
They were in the open plains, a familiar sight within the

cracks in China.
In such an environment, it would be fatal to fight against

Won Jeong-cheon and Lee Hwi-min. They could not afford to
be within their sights.
“Hey,” Biyeon said between gasps, “You’re amazing, Oppa.”
It was evident from his expression that he was struggling as

much as she was.
However, he was much calmer, and although he was

breathing hard, he wasn’t busy gasping for air.
It was not a matter of stamina or Aura.
Yoo-seong had a lower amount of CE than her. Since she

was also blessed with Psy, she had been training since
childhood, much longer than him.
It could only be willpower.
Yoo-seong must have undergone harsh training to be able to

exceed his limitations.
Suddenly…
Pop-!
A cellphone had just appeared in Yoo-seong’s hands.
Biyeon screamed a little. ’Where did it come from?’
Then, she focused on Yoo-seong’s message.
-Let’s leave our luggage here. Throw away everything we

don’t need.
Most of the equipment they have been provided with for the
Dive were recording devices. Basic photo cameras and
sound recorders with a simple structure so that they
wouldn’t be affected by the crack’s interference.
Yoo-seong destroyed both his and Biyeon’s devices.
‘We don’t even have a goal in this Dive, anyway,’ he

thought.
Rather, the purpose of the Dive changes, according to Lee

Hwi-min’s taste.
In other words, even if Biyeon did not do anything wrong,

Lee Hwi-min could tell the world that she was
‘uncooperative.’
Biyeon and the Red Dragon Society would be placed in a

difficult position.
That was why…
Pop-!
Yoo-seong brought another type of electronic device into the
slot. They were the very same devices that captured
Goryong Company’s evil assault against him.
Action cameras.
If Biyeon captured various useful things with her action cam,

Lee Hwi-min wouldn’t have any choice but provide her
merit. Although Red Dragon Society was small, they were
counted among the top ten in China in terms of power.
-Want to turn around? I’ll install it.
Biyeon nodded.
The model Yoo-seong brought had been worn over the entire
body.
It enabled the user to shoot footage from multiple angles, as

well as serve as a backup in case of damage to the main
camera.
They were placed on the head, on the right shoulder, on

both elbows and knees.
Biyeon trembled a little as she turned around.
The Red Dragon Society’s exclusive fire armor was very

tight on her body. On top of this, her smooth back was
revealed.
After several years of practical experience, Biyeon thought

she already forgot the shame that her outfit brings, but…
‘I shouldn’t turn hot. I shouldn’t turn hot. I shouldn’t turn

hot.’
She wasn’t even this embarrassed during the first time she
wore the suit. She felt Yoo-seong’s hand pass down her
nape, attaching the camera to one of her elbows.
‘Maybe it’s already too hot,’ she worried.
‘Maybe Yoo-seong was pretending not to notice.’
Anyway, Yoo-seong continued installing the cameras

smoothly. Soon, a crisis came to her.
‘Her left knee.’
The moment Yoo-seong touched the skin behind it…
“Oh!” she groaned.
Then, she realized. She could place the camera on herself.

She didn’t need help to install it on her knees.
Yoo-seong wasn’t even thinking of it. Biyeon was further

embarrassed as he handed her the camera.
“Thank you,” she said.
Yoo-seong nodded and typed on his translator app once

more.
-Please do mine.
Biyeon nodded. It wasn’t difficult.
She began installing the cameras one by one.
However, she realized something.
‘Isn’t this like a wife fixing her husband’s collar and tie…’
She caught herself blushing, feeling rather delusional.
Biyeon rushed to finish her task, and Yoo-seong thanked her

once she was done.
Then, he began typing again on his phone.
-There is one change from what we planned yesterday.
Yoo-seong had no time to explain the proposal Jin Wei-baek

gave him.
-It won’t hurt you or the Red Dragon.
Yoo-seong hesitated. He didn’t know how Biyeon would

react.
However, after a while, he continued typing.
-But, I don’t think we can continue working together now.
Biyeon’s eyebrows furrowed.
“What? What?!” she said in confusion.
-As I said, it won’t hurt you. I need to take care of

something, then help you safely get out.
Yoo-seong had to do something crazy.
-I won’t go out through the exit crack.
As soon as he showed the screen to her, Biyeon did just

what Yoo-seong expected her to do.
Chapter 80
EPISODE 80
Last night.
“It has almost been a decade now,” Jin Wei-baek began,

“but they say they still know nothing about the world
beyond.”
“If you think about it, isn’t it even funny?” He then asked
Yoo-seong. “What kind of unexplored land in the history of
mankind has revealed its secrets in just ten years?”
This entire time, Yoo-seong listened silently.
“In addition, it is said Diving has changed the lives of people

everywhere. However, less than a hundred people have
experienced it. No one has even stayed on the other side for
more than half a day.”
Jin Wei-baek sighed before he continued. “Moreover, thanks

to the magnetic interference, even the advantages of
modern technology cannot be utilized. Then, there is no real
hope of actually ‘knowing’ something.”
Personally, Yoo-seong had agreed with Jin Wei-baek’s

opinion, yet he just chose not to say it out loud.
“Maybe, this generation is too impatient. Four hundred

years ago, humanity’s condition was much poorer, but their
mindset is better and more open to possibilities.”
Yoo-seong continued to listen. Jin Wei-baek watched him
carefully. “It’s not surprising that you aren’t surprised…”
“No,” Yoo-seong finally spoke. “I just don’t know how to

react.”
Jin Wei-baek’s remarks were indeed defying common

knowledge. Cracks had appeared ten years ago.
However, what Jin Wei-baek was talking about dated

centuries ago.
“It’s really simple,” Jin Wei-baek added. “The doors have

only just recently opened, but the absence of an entry does
not equate to the absence of the world beyond.”
Yoo-seong nodded. ‘It’s simple, indeed.’
Was it a mere coincidence?
Or was it that Jin Wei-baek actually did a thorough

investigation of his whereabouts?
‘No. It was just a coincidence’, Yoo-seong concluded.
Even if Jin Wei-baek knew everything that he did, it would be

impossible for him to know about Yang Woo-jin’s writings.
However, Jin Wei-baek was right.
Yoo-seong would actually be more surprised if he wasn’t.
There were people who knew about the cracks and what lay
beyond.
That was the real value of Yang Woo-jin’s book.
“I had no idea when it started, but it was known with quite a

variety of names,” Jin Wei-baek continued.
“Seonggye, Dowongyeong, Kunryunsan, Bongnae,
Bangjang, Yeongju… even if you’re not from this country,
you would have probably heard of them. They were only
considered as myths, but in fact, they are records that were
achieved by sacrificing precious human lives.”
Jin Wei-baek continued.
“It is only natural for humanity to use different methods to

try to explain the world beyond. There have been numerous
attempts to combine the myths and legends of each country
with the world beyond. It is obvious just from the fact that
the names of the monsters, including the Four Perils, were
taken from an old Chinese mythical book called
Sanhaekyung.”
Jin Wei-baek paused for a few moments. Then, he spoke

again.
“But the conclusion was simple. There was a lack of

evidence and data.”
“I thought the pill was valuable,” Yoo-seong’s expression

was serious. “I can’t believe you’re investing to prove your
fantasy.”
“It’s not fantasy,” Jin Wei-baek was confident. “All you have
to do is get what I’m asking for.”
“It won’t end in a day,” Yoo-seong calmly replied.
“It’s great that you noticed,” the old man chuckled.
Jin Wei-baek was also a true hunter.
He was also recognized to have the number one ability in

the whole country.
The fact that he had to send someone in meant that the
situation was dangerous enough to pose a threat to Jin Wei-
baek himself.
Usually, a dive consisted of two cracks with an interval of 30

hours or less as the exit and entrance. If you didn’t come
out in time to match the exit crack, you would get trapped
inside the world.
That was also the reason why humanity did not have much
information about the circumstances of the world.
“I have no idea how to get out of the crack,” Yoo-seong

expressed his main worry.
The moment he couldn’t get out through the exit crack, he

was as good as dead.
“Well, you take yourself too easily,” Jin Wei-baek dragged as

if to praise his grandchild for his brilliance.
Although he had said it with a light expression, it made Yoo-

seong nervous.
“That’s the main purpose of bringing you all the way here. I
planned to send you with a Tenz-managed Dive after four
hunts.”
Yoo-seong fulfilled all the conditions Jin Wei-baek wanted for

this mission. He was a hunter who had the ability to survive
long periods of time within the crack.
This was a foreigner who could disappear from this world

without causing a major uproar.
“In the end, it will be for everyone’s good. Maybe you can
even get a bonus,” Jin Wei-baek said playfully.
“That’s enough,” Yoo-seong told him. As he reached out to
get the USB in Jin Wei-baek’s hands, the old man whispered
something to him.
“If you get scared along the way…” Jin Wei-baek leaned
closer. “You can come out through the exit crack.”
“It’s a bet, anyway,” Jin Wei-baek smiled. “It’s going to be a

shame if you don’t get the pill, though.”
“I don’t think I’m going to lose that bet,” Yoo-seong said

firmly.
“You think so?”
“What I would bring back might be a few times more

valuable than the pill. Then, I would have more options.”
“I suppose so,” Jin Wei-baek nodded.
His plain acceptance surprised Yoo-seong. In addition to this,

his expression was not something that Yoo-seong had ever
seen before.
In his eyes, Jin Wei-baek was a frivolous man who always

dressed up in brilliant fashion. However, right now, for a
very brief moment, he looked like an old man.
Jin Wei-baek seemed exhausted and helpless.
“You’re the right man for this,” Jin Wei-baek returned to his
relaxed expression. “Didn’t you say it yourself? You’re a-”
“Hunter,” Yoo-seong finished his sentence.
Jin Wei-baek dropped the USB into Yoo-seong’s palm.

Tuk-!
“Then, I leave it to you… hunter.”
***
There were a total of five slots.
The first slot had the e-cigarette he received from Shin Yu-
hee. The second slot contained Lee Hwi-min’s amulet that
was used to enter the crack. In the third slot, there were the
action cams worn by Yoo-seong and Yang Biyeon.
Meanwhile, the fourth slot held an old PDA terminal.
He would use the terminal for Jin Wei-baek’s USB.
It also contained Yang Woo-jin’s writings in text form. Yoo-

seong once again took out the terminal and checked the
direction.
—When the jade-colored daytime moon passes over the

awl-shaped mountain range,
Yoo-seong looked up and headed for the ‘awl-shaped

mountain range.’ Because it is a very large flat terrain, it
was a surface that could be seen even from a distance.
This information could only be known only to hunters who

had dived in Shanghai.
However, Yang Woo-jin’s writings from centuries ago had

described the mountain range perfectly.
—Head in the direction of the purple day moon,
Yoo-seong stared at the sky. Seven spheres embroidered the

sky, each comparable to the size of the moon.
Yang Woo-jin recorded how to use them to orient himself.
‘After all, this man was a pioneer,’ Yoo-seong said to himself.

It was also the right choice to send someone to return the
books to the Red Dragon Society before the Dive.
He had copied the contents already, anyway.
Besides, if he encountered any unfortunate circumstance in

the world beyond, the book may be of use for Yang Jeong-
cheon and the Red Dragon Society in the future.
‘They have been nothing but kind to me.’
Something was busy murmuring behind Yoo-seong.
“No,” he answered firmly, for the twenty-third time. He did

not even look back.
“No matter how many times you ask, the answer is still the
same,” he spoke.
“You cannot go with me, Yang Biyeon.”
His voice was cold and unrelenting.
***
About ten hours ago…
“Let me come with you!” Yang Biyeon cried. It was a

decision she made without a second thought. Her voice was
full of determination.
No one had ever tried not going out through the exit crack
for a Dive.
It was truly impossible.

‘How and what are you going to do, Oppa?’ Yang Biyeon
thought.
However, she didn’t need to hear his reasons.
‘If it’s him… then, it’s possible.’
She trusted him completely. However, Yoo-seong refused

her firmly.
—Are you out of your mind?
It was such a cold expression that Yang Biyeon had never

seen before.
—This is work. Obviously, it’s something my company

assigned me to do. I have to do it.
Though she was only reading through a phone, Yang Biyeon

clearly felt the disdain in Yoo-seong’s words.
—Thank you for your words, but I cannot have you join me.
Yang Biyeon struggled to type back.
—It’s not like that. I have no intention of interrupting your

work.
—That’s why you have to stop. Don’t you understand? This

is unprecedented. No one has ever succeeded. Even if it’s
not just a contract issue, why do I have to do it with you?
Yang Biyeon was at a loss for words. Yoo-seong was right.
She was also a professional who had been doing this for
years.
To say that you simply wanted to help was not enough
reason for a professional to intervene with another
professional’s job.
‘Help’ was not an acceptable reason for a professional to

intervene with another professional’s work.
Rather than that, there was a risk that the merit and public
perception would be turned against her, as Yoo-seong had
said. He no longer listened to Yang Biyeon and started
walking.
It had been ten hours.
“Please stop for a while,” Yang Biyeon said as she followed

him.
“Right,” Yoo-seong turned and gave her an icy glare. Yang

Biyeon tried her best to manage her facial expressions.
She tried to concentrate on the surrounding borders, looking

everywhere except at Yoo-seong. But still, she couldn’t help
it as her emotions started to overflow.
Drip-!
The sound of her tears falling on the ground was an echo

they could both hear. It was something Yoo-seong could
hear.
‘Damn it,’ Yoo-seong was cursing inside his head. It was

hard for him to act this way toward Biyeon, but it couldn’t
be helped.
More than anything, the difficult journey in this world had

become a little bit comforting with a companion.
However, as Yooseong had previously established, she could
not go with him.
‘Yang Biyeon and I are different,’ Yoo-seong said to himself.

The effect of both of them not returning would be entirely
different.
Aside from the grief it would bring her family, the Red
Dragon Society itself would be on the brink of tragedy with
the loss of its successor.
Even if they somehow make it out alive after some time,

how much damage would have already been done by then?
The loss of an influential figure in an influential city like

Shanghai may result in chaos due to the power shift.
‘This is for your own good,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Even if he didn’t entirely want to, he had to cut her off.
Whiing-!
The wind blew in their faces. Yoo-seong raised his head.
Then, he was surprised.
What lay before him was enough to paralyze him in shock.
In Yang Woo-jin’s writing, this was the place he had wanted

to go in, but in the end, all he was able to do was gather
information.
Yoo-seong now understood why.
A dragon’s lair lay right before his eyes.

Chapter 81
EPISODE 81
‘If you move toward the direction of… and pass through the
woods… the cliff would appear.’
It was what Yang Woo-jin’s writings had described.
Yoo-seong realized that it had only been half a day since

they entered the crack. He did not expect their destination
to be this close.
Whiing-!
Strong gusts of wind were blowing from below the cliff. Its
depths looked endless.
Yoo-seong tried to stare down at it as far as he could, but he

could not possibly know how far it went.
The vast expanse of darkness lay endlessly before them,

just a few steps away from the sparse forest where they
both stood. They were frozen in awe and fear of the
overwhelming nature.
However, it wasn’t just that.
Yoo-seong could remember when he was young. After

hearing about ghost stories, he would shiver at the sight of
a gap in the closet or in the cupboard.
It was funny, but it felt similar. However, this was indeed on
a different scale.
Whi-i-i-!
The black gap that lay before them could bring terror – not
just to a child – but in the hearts of grown men and women.
It was the reason why they had not encountered monsters

in the forest that they had been treading on for hours.
Whether it was outside or within the crack, if were are rarely
seen in an area, hunters would always be on the lookout.
It was evidence of a top predator.
‘There, one of the nine children of the dragon lives,’ the

writings warned.
Yoo-seong had not seen the monster yet, but he already felt
the immense pressure it gave off. He had only felt the same
thing once when he fought against a monster that turned
out to be Habaek.
He also felt the same way when he battled against Jin Wei-
baek and Yang Jeong-cheon.
Tap-!
Yoo-seong tapped on the button. Yang Biyeon watched Yoo-

seong as his body flinched to retreat as if he was about to
back off.
‘But why?’ Yang Biyeon thought.
Then, as if he had brakes, Yoo-seong stopped. He looked

back at Yang Biyeon.
“Ha, we can do it!”

Yang Biyeon had pulled out one of the Twin Swords. The
other blade had been damaged after Yoo-seong’s battle with
her father.
However, a single blade alone could crush most of China’s

melee weapons. She was also a master. She knew what was
lurking down there.
Furthermore, Yoo-seong told Yang Biyeon about it in

advance. It was the deal they had agreed to.
The deal was for Yang Biyeon to help Yoo-seong catch one of
the Nine. Then, Yoo-seong would ensure that Yang Biyeon
could get out of the crack safely.
Zubbuck-!
Yoo-seong had taken a step closer to Biyeon.
“Let’s go; it will be worth it!” Yang Biyeon said excitedly.
Yoo-seong did not say anything further. When he pressed

the button, Automatic Hunting attempted to avoid the
threat.
However, he felt the same as Yang Biyeon.
Yoo-seong considered this. Then…
Hoop-!
Yang Biyeon’s eyes widened as she felt a familiar sensation.

It was Yoo-seong’s blood petrification Tech. Yoo-seong
hurriedly carried Yang Biyeon’s body into the forest.
There was no sign of any monster in the forest. They

couldn’t even feel the monster’s sight upon them.
However, Yoo-seong could not afford to keep Yang Biyeon
frozen. In five to ten minutes, Yang Biyeon would be able to
move again. In the meantime, Yoo-seong would try to hunt
the predator from a distance.
“Listen carefully,” he whispered to her. “As soon as you’re

able to move, get away from here.”
All he needed Yang Biyeon to do was to gather some

information and arrive in time for the exit crack. Yoo-seong
had already thought about this situation before the Dive.
Thus, he sent Jin Wei-baek a message that night.
-I will do it no matter what. However, please use Tenz’s

influence on the exit crack rush team. The Vice Lord of the
Red Dragon must be able to leave without any problems.
‘If I fail this hunt, Yang Biyeon should not suffer with me,’
Yoo-seong made up his mind.
“I don’t want you to intervene,” Yoo-seong said firmly. “It

doesn’t matter if you’re here or not. The result will remain
the same. So… just go.”
Yoo-seong immediately turned and sped toward the cliff.

Yang Biyeon could only bite her lips until they bled.
This time, however, there was no blood.
***
A pitch-black lizard-like head, comparable to the size of a

tall building, rose from the cliff.
Not even the gigantic Habaek could compare to its size. It

was the Bi Xi, one of the Nine Children of the Dragon.
Its skin was as black as the depths of the cliff, and all Yoo-
seong could see were its red eyes staring down at him. It
looked at Yoo-seong as one would look at an approaching
insect.
What Yoo-seong found strange was its presence.
If he wasn’t facing its direction, he wouldn’t have known it

appeared.
‘Is it possible for a monster of that size to be able to move

so quietly without him noticing?’
As soon as he had been seen, Yoo-seong immediately

pressed the button. He entered the Assault Form.
Regardless of the difference in power, Auto-Hunt would help
him avoid damage.
At the next moment, he felt time slow down.
He felt the sheer weight on his legs. Then, in an instant, he

flew sideways.
He hadn’t been attacked. Auto-Hunt concentrated all his

Aura on his legs, enabling him to pull away like a supercar
on full acceleration.
The Bi Xi watched Yoo-seong’s movement curiously. Yoo-

seong thought that it looked like a puppy following a
person’s hand.
However, its terrifying red eyes sent chills on Yoo-seong’s

spine. What happened next shocked Yoo-seong.
The giant head protruding over the cliff disappeared without

a sound, and without a sign.
It went down at an unbelievable rate, faster than Yoo-seong
could have imagined. He was already more than one
kilometer away from where he started. However, if the
monster could move at that speed, it would catch up to him
in an instant.
Squeak-!
The ground began to shake violently. Then, Auto-Hunt made

Yoo-seong stop running.
Aura began to form around him like a mist. Then…
Paang-!
Yoo-seong leaped to an incredible height. He looked down

the ground where he was moments ago.
There, he saw the head of a black turtle rising from the

ground. It didn’t exactly follow Yoo-seong along the cliff.
Instead, it went on the side of the cliff, splitting the hard
ground in the process as easy as if it was tofu.
Then, it looked up to Yoo-seong.
Until that moment, he saw nothing but the beast’s eyes.
But this time…
Blaarh-!
Its giant mouth opened.
Yoo-seong could see nothing but its redness. It was a sharp

contrast against its black body, a red abyss aiming for him.
Whiing-!
Yoo-seong’s body rotated in the air. He held a posture as if
he was kicking a wall horizontally.
Go-oh-!
The mist that clumped together gathered by the tip of his

toes to form a hard foothold.
Bang-!
Kicking forward to change directions, Yoo-seong’s body

began flying at an insane speed. Then, almost
simultaneously, from the open mouth of the turtle.
Whaaaah-!
A pillar of fire shot out with tremendous momentum. The

tower of fire rose into the sky, reaching the clouds. It was
aimed at where Yoo-seong was.
He could feel its heat even though he was far away from it.
The deafening roar from within the turtle’s throat could
burst an average human’s eardrums.
Whirick-!
Yoo-seong turned around again, this time, head down as if

he was kicking the ceiling.
Bang-!
Yoo-seong’s body plummeted downward, parallel to the fire

that continued to ascend.
Kaching-!
Yoo-seong pulled out the wrist blade from his left hand. His
Aura was concentrated on it, in a thick cloud form. As he
fell, he stared at Bi Xi’s eyes.
Yang Woo-jin wrote that it contained an unimaginable

treasure, more powerful than any firearm on earth.
—What is needed is a vessel that has been smelted at a

high heat enough to handle such energy.
Yoo-seong’s wrist blade had been reinforced with the blade

of the Ant Queen.
‘By combining the two, we can go further than most high-

star monsters,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Qawah-!
The Bi Xi continued shooting fire to the sky. It was as if it did

not know that it missed Yoo-seong.
Or was the eruption its resentment towards the sky?
Yoo-seong was instantly at the turtle’s eye level. He met its

gaze.
‘It’s too late for you,’ he thought.
Whilick-!
With his body rotating in the air, Yoo-seong held the Plum
Blossom Sword. After two centuries, its rebirth was
rewarded with a clash against a dragon.
And the very next moment…
Kaahang-!
Chapter 82
Episode 82
Eight hours ago…
Won Jeong-cheon spat on the ground, then turned his head

to Lee Hwi-min’s direction. The man hadn’t moved for two
hours. Lee Hwi-min had been sitting on a rock with his eyes
closed.
He must be racking his brains out, Won Jeong-cheon

thought.
‘I don’t know what he’s thinking.’
Won Jeong-cheon had no intention of waiting for whatever

Lee Hwi-min was planning. He then began to approach him.
Ha Yuk-il immediately turned his eyes on him.
‘Like a dog that observes anything that gets close to its

owner,’ Won Jeong-cheon thought.
Ha Yuk-il posed him no threat. He had been reduced to a

trembling nervous wreck.
Lee Hwi-min finally spoke.
“Step away,” he commanded Ha Yuk-il.
Ha Yuk-il walked away without a sound. Then, Lee Hwi-min

met Won Jeong-cheon’s gaze.
“Let’s talk, CEO Lee,” Won Jeong-cheon started.
Lee Hwi-min did not respond.
“I’m not your subordinate,” Won Jeong-cheon continued.

“We’re going to act separately.”
“What are you going to do?” Lee Hwi-min then asked him.
“Well, what else can we do here?” At this, Won Jeong-cheon

stretched his arms out towards the deserted plains of the
alien world.
“Hunting and exploration,” Won Jeong-cheon’s expression

was firm.
“Doryongbang’s partnership with you is done. We’ll go by

twos now. See you at the exit point.”
“I have a plan,” Lee Hwi-min told him briefly. His forehead

was full of wrinkles.
“I can’t allow you to get separated from us and It can ruin

my plan.”
“You must be crazy,” Won Jeong-cheon spat. “Are you

kidding me?”
It was an open provocation.
“We are not your subordinates. Doryongbang and Goryong

are equal partners,” Won Jeong-cheon was growling.
“I don’t have to follow your orders just because I lent my

time and name to your ‘show.’”
Won Jeong-cheon had plans of his own, and that was to

track the damn foreigner who dishonored him.
Outside the crack, it was unimaginable for him to speak with
Lee Hwi-min this way. However, this time around, they were
inside the crack.
Whatever happened here, it was separate from the rules of

the outside world. He tightened his grasp on his bow.
A battle between him and Lee Hwi-min could go either way.

Whatever happened, only one thing would be certain.
It would be at a catastrophic level.
“So… think again,” Won Jeong-cheon was confident. Lee

Hwi-min’s expression did not change.
Then, gradually, the wrinkles in his forehead receded. His

expression turned lighter.
Won Jeong-cheon started to feel a strange sense of

discomfort.
“Alright then,” Lee Hwi-min’s unexpected answer came. “Do

whatever you want.”
Ha Yuk-il trembled as he listened to the conversation. His

hand unconsciously fell to his sword hilt. At this point, he felt
like a shrimp caught in a whale fight.
Then, his eyes widened with Lee Hwi-min’s next words to

Won Jeong-cheon.
“Wouldn’t you like to take him with you? Because I’ll be safe
alone with my Tech. I have no intention of doing anything
else. It would be a good experience for Ha Yuk-il to be a part
of the exploration.”
Lee Hwi-min threw Ha Yuk-il a glance before continuing.

“First of all, you don’t know what you’ll face. What if you find
yourself in an unexpected situation that would be difficult
for two people to handle?”
Lee Hwi-min’s horned-rimmed glasses glinted. Won Jeong-

cheon remained quiet.
Then, after a few moments…
“All right,” he decided.
There was no need to fight with Lee Hwi-min. What was

important was that he was now free to do as he wished.
Now was the time to hunt.
***
“How are you going to pursue him?” Jinchung asked.
His question was extremely reasonable. From the time they

entered the crack, he had no idea how they would find Yoo-
seong.
Finding them in the plains of the alien world where he could

go in any direction would be like finding a needle in a
haystack.
Instead of answering, Won Jeong-cheon pulled out a box

from his backpack. It was similar to an insect collection box
used by children.
However, it was much smaller, about the size of an adult’s

palm.
Click-!
Won Jeong-cheon opened it and took out the creature inside.

“Is that a rat?” Jinchung was puzzled. Soon, his face was
colored with surprise.
“A Kumiho?”
“Strictly speaking, it’s a half-baked attempt to make one.”
Despite its name, the creature Won Jeong-cheon held

resembled a dog more than a fox. Its coat was a mixture of
yellow and red, shaggy and missing hair in places.
The limbs and features of the creature were also severely

imbalanced and not well-formed.
-Kee!
The creature twitched as if it was awakening. Then, its nose

began to actively sniff around.
-Kya-ahahah!
Before long, it began to twitch violently. It was so violent

that Won Jeong-cheon had to firmly hold it down.
Kumiho.
This was an attempt to recreate a mythological creature.
When a male Kumiho exudes musk, its odor attracted more

male competitors of the same species than the females.
The males then tracked the scent to the end to locate the
source. Then, the Kumihos fought to the death.
With this failure of evolution, it was natural for this species

to go extinct.
The Goryong Company had gotten an idea from this
creature’s characteristics. It attempted to recreate the
Kumiho by intersecting the genes of the Razor Blade Fox
monsters with canines such as red foxes.
However, the experiment was stopped prematurely due to

questions about the experiment’s ethics, as well as the lack
of technology.
“I thought it was a failure,” Jinchung wondered out loud.
Won Jeong-cheon nodded. He secretly took out a sample

specimen and the musk.
With his natural obsession and meticulousness, he dipped

his arrows in the musk. This enabled him to track his prey if
they survived his first arrow.
When Yoo-seong caught his arrow, a trace amount of the

musk must have been rubbed off him.
-Kyaaah!
The creature screamed as it wriggled violently. It was

obviously itching to track the scent, at this, Won Jeong-
cheon smiled.
“Yes, yes,” he whispered to the creature.
“I know you want to kill that motherfucker, too,” he stroked

its tiny head. “Then, lead me to him!”
He let the creature loose. Then, Won Jeong-cheon turned to

Jinchung.
“I can handle him alone, you know?”

Jinchung nodded. “Then, I will deal with the Red Dragon’s
bitch.” His eyes shone as he recognized the opportunity.
For centuries, the Red Dragon Society had hindered the

Doryongbang from owning Shanghai.
Now, their Vice Lord had even raised the bar during the
Shanghai Shock.
She was causing us trouble, Jinchung thought. With Won

Jeong-cheon beside him and a half-baked creature in front…
The hunt had officially begun.
***
Just before Yoo-seong reached the eyes of the Bi Xi, he

sensed something ominous incoming.
‘An arrow.’
It was as powerful as the arrow that Won Jeong-cheon shot

when Yoo-seong was trapped in the rift opening.
Auto-Hunting took defensive action. It was successful, but

not without any damage to Yoo-seong.
His entire Aura had been concentrated on his blade. There

was nothing left on him to block the arrow’s impact.
The Auto-Hunt had made him cross his arms in front of his
head, in an ‘X’ position. Then, he turned his head to the
side.
Saek-!
Won Jeong-cheon watched Yoo-seong’s falling body from

afar.
“Got you, motherfucker!”
His voice was filled with glee. He turned to Jinchung. “Go

and check the body!”
“I am not your hound,” Jinchung growled.
He was also excited, but not because of Won Jeong-cheon’s

successful attack. It was because of the giant beast in front
of them.
‘A dragon.’
They finally succeeded in hunting the foreigner down, but it

was nothing compared to this. It was an unprecedented
prey, something that could catapult them to the status as
the strongest and the best.
Jinchung raised his Twin Axes.
‘The Dragon Slayer.’
From now on, its name would be literal, not just figurative.
He began charging towards the Bi Xi.
Won Jeong-cheon had also recognized the opportunity

before them and lifted his bow. He aimed it at the beast’s
brow.
‘Good, good, good!’ He thought.
Today seemed to be his lucky day.
He had just killed the arrogant foreigner, and now, he was

about to catch a dragon. His right arm grew to monstrous
size, Aura sizzling around it.
‘With that size, it’s bound to be slow,’ Won Jeong-cheon felt
confident.
An unmoving target. It was indeed his specialty.
Kwook-!
His arrow flew. Then…
Caang-!
Won Jeong-cheon was stunned.
With his skill and experience, he could determine the result

of his attack by the sound of its impact. When Yoo-seong
caught his arrow, he knew it even from a great distance
because of the absence of sound.
He was most familiar with the sound of his arrow

penetrating a hard surface.
However, this unpleasant sound… It could only mean that

his arrow had bounced off.
With the power he placed on his attack, that arrow could

have penetrated anything.
‘What happened?’
The giant turtle didn’t even flinch. For the second time
today, he saw his arrow fall to the ground.
“Haaaaaah!”
He focused his eyes on Jinchung, who was yelling as he ran.
‘Does he even realize that my arrow failed?’ Won Jeong-

cheon thought.
Jinchung didn’t see it. Even if he did, it wouldn’t have
stopped him.
He was confident with his strength and his weapon. He

would cut this monstrous head off.
Bang-!
Two legs strongly pushed off the ground. Two arms raised

above his head.
Jinchung yelled as he brought the Twin Axes down.
“Hayaaaaah!”
Caaaaaang-!
The noise rang out over the plains.
The prized weapon of the Doryongbang.
The pride of the person wielding it.
They all scattered to pieces upon impact with the monster’s

black scales.
It was the price for touching what it shouldn’t have.
[6 more will be uploaded tomorrow, we’re going to touch up

a certain portion of the s first. The five chapters after are
already upload ready… I apologize for the delays. We’ve
already stockpiled pretty far ahead and will increase the
upload rate in the coming week. I only caught on to the
mistake today…]
Chapter 83
[The quality should be noticeably better.]
Episode 83
Jinchung’s eyes widened as he stared at the countless,

shining pieces of metal surrounding him. It was hard to
believe that they had been an ax just a few moments ago.
His arms were stiff due to the unbearable recoil he had

suffered, but otherwise, he was numb.
He was stunned at the incredible thing that had just

happened, at the pitch-black scales of the beast, so dark
that they seemed to absorb all light around them.
There was an invisible pressure enveloping the beast’s

tough scales.
An energy very familiar to hunters.
‘How the hell, he thought, could a monster use Aura?’
As soon as he recovered from his shock, though, he realized

what he needed to do.
Bang-!
Jinchung stepped onto the beast’s scales and used the

momentum to launch his escape.
It wasn’t the same as the Spider Walk; this was a much
simpler method of using Aura on the legs and pushing off
from a surface. It was still effective, though.
‘I must run away at once,’ he realized.
He needed to be as far away as possible, as soon as

possible. All his ambitions had been shattered to pieces, just
like his ax. For now, he just wanted to survive.
It didn’t matter if Won Jeong-cheon was there to assist him.
For the first time in his career as a hunter in the Chinese

industry, Jinchung wanted to join a group hunt.
‘More hunters,’ he thought, ‘we need more hunters.’
Before he could get any further, though, a colossal weight

hit his side. The impact was too much for his body to
handle, and Jinchung’s consciousness faded as the Bi Xi
crushed him with its paw.
Won Jeong-cheon had seen it all.
‘Damn, there wasn’t even a sound.’
In the blink of an eye, the Bi Xi’s paws had lifted from the
ground and crushed Jinchung. The beast wasn’t slow; it just
chose to move when it wanted to, showing the reptilian
instinct to stay still until it wanted to snatch its prey.
By instinct rather than a conscious decision, Won Jeong-

cheon raised his bow, aiming for the turtle’s eye. He had
never shot a monster in the eye before; this would be his
first.
He had learned archery from his father, who taught him to
shoot between the eyebrows.
‘Finish them in an instant,’ had been his father’s words.
As the beast’s eyes turned in his direction, Won Jeong-cheon

felt a primal horror engulf him.
Paaang-!
He let go of the bowstring, the arrow carrying a force that

exceeded the level it could safely handle. The excess energy
made it a little unstable, but Won Jeong-cheon’s aim was
true – it was headed straight for the Bi Xi’s eyes.
The beast remained lethally still.
Perhaps the arrow was coming too fast for it to react. Or

perhaps it was simply that there was no need for it to avoid
something that couldn’t harm it.
Won Jeong-cheon prayed with all his heart that it was the
former.
Unfortunately for him, in the mythical creature’s long

lifetime, it had never yet faced a threat too fast for it to
avoid. With the exception of Yoo-seong’s Plum Blossoms
Blade just a few minutes ago, in an attack born from the
miracle of Auto-Hunting.
Finally, the arrow reached the Bi Xi’s eye, with a sound like
paaat-thhhhh-3333!
Won Jeong-cheon watched as his arrow’s metal melted upon

impact, as if he had shot it into lava. The arrow he had
charged with all his arm’s strength and a massive portion of
his CE had turned into a plume of smoke. Immediately, Won
Jeong-cheon turned and applied his remaining Aura to his
legs.
‘It’s too far away,’ he told himself, trying to calm down. ‘I

can make it. If I can just reach that forest…’
Behind him, the Bi Xi opened its mouth, letting out a

deafening roar before a pillar of fire shot from its throat. The
flame flew in a straight line, toward the forest Won Jeong-
cheon was aiming for. He felt the ground shake beneath him
and a growing heat upon his back.
They were the last sensations he felt.
***
Yoo-seong was woken by a violent earthquake. Instantly, he

felt that his face was numb.
This meant that the arrow had penetrated his head.
Fortunately, it hadn’t gone front to back, mouth to nape, nor

top to bottom, skull to chin. Instead, the arrow had hit the
side of his cheek and come out the other side, missing his
teeth and tongue. The position Auto-Hunt had made him
take had enabled him to survive without dying or losing any
of his limbs.
Goo-goooh-!
The ground continued to shake, the intense power of the Bi

Xi’s pillar of fire causing an earthquake.
Yoo-seong tried to pull the arrow out of his cheek but quickly
realized that his arms had lost all their strength.
‘Damn,’ he thought.
It wasn’t the result of any damage to his bones or muscles.
Instead, it was due to a temporary sensory confusion
caused by shock. In the face of severe injury, the brain
temporarily shuts down some of our nerves in order to
lessen the pain, with the body’s sense of balance and
control also getting paralyzed in the process.
‘Somehow… if I could just press the button.’
Yoo-seong’s arm waved aimlessly in the air as he tried to

push the invisible button. However, it seemed that his brain
could not get his arm to move beyond a certain angle at the
moment.
Gung-gung-gung-!
Another violent series of quakes further disoriented Yoo-

seong. Then, he felt a hand grabbing him and opened his
eyes.
‘Yang Biyeon.’
She was pale and trembling with fear. She had witnessed
everything from the woods, from Yoo-seong luring the Bi Xi
away from her location, to the arrivals of Jinchung and Won
Jeong-cheon.
The sight of Yoo-seong falling from the sky with an arrow

stuck in his head.
As he fell, the Blood Petrification Yoo-seong had placed on

her was lifted and she had instantly begun running towards
him.
She couldn’t think of anything else.

Whatever Won Jeong-cheon or Jinchung were planning to do,
no matter how scared she was of the Bi Xi, she had to save
Yoo-seong.
Finally, she found him lying helplessly on the ground but,

just as she reached him, the ground stopped shaking. A
large shadow fell over them.
Biyeon raised her head reluctantly, dreading that her

nightmare had come true.
The Bi Xi was looking down at them with its red eyes.
Taah-!
Biyeon grabbed Yoo-seong and activated her Explosive

Acceleration. The Tech, combined with her Psy, proved to be
faster than anything else.
This meant they were able to avoid the gigantic paw that
swung at them.
Qwagang-!
The ground they had been standing on sunk under the Bi

Xi’s weight. Dust, boulders and rocks flew upward, blocking
Biyeon’s way. It was the disadvantage of Explosive
Acceleration: it provided a burst of energy but only in a
forward direction. That was why the Spider Walk was a
better option, since it provided more flexibility.
They were able to escape the Bi Xi but only for a moment.

Another paw came crashing down, blocking their path.
Above them, the turtle’s red abyss of a mouth opened wide.

‘It’s okay,’ Biyeon murmured, trying to reassure Yoo-seong.
One of her legs had been damaged by the flying boulders,
Biyeon unable to protect herself because her Aura was
focused on covering Yoo-seong. She hugged Yoo-seong’s
body tightly.
‘Maybe,’ she thought, ‘it would be better to go this way.’
With her fire consuming them, rather than the breath of a

monster.
Yoo-seong was waving his arms in front of himself helplessly.

Biyeon grabbed his hand, thinking that he was terrified of
what was coming and needed reassurance. However, he
shook her hand off forcefully.
As she stared at his determined expression, Biyeon

formulated an idea. Yoo-seong did it before every fight;
Biyeon had assumed it was some kind of fighting pose.
Now, she understood that it might be his way of managing

his tension before going into battle.
‘Maybe he needs it now,’ she realized.
Just before the Bi Xi released another pillar of fire, Biyeon

took Yoo-seong’s hand. Guiding it gently, she placed it in the
same position he always did before battle.
Then…
A miracle happened.
***
Qawahahang-!
The pillar of fire ravaged the ground, causing rocks the size
of houses to bounce up to the sky.
The ground itself had transformed into hell, the soil melting
into lava. However, it was an empty hell with no one in it.
Tik-!
Tik-!
The monster’s eyes had started moving.
It could hear the sound of something jumping between the

rocks as they flew upwards.
‘It’s that creature,’ the beast sensed.
Earlier, just before it got blasted away by something flying,

that creature had made the Bi Xi feel a touch of fear.
Now, the creature was in the air again.
The Bi Xi could make the ground shake. It could also burn

any tree he Yoo-seong could hide in. Thus, Auto-Hunt had
decided that a different location was the best place Yoo-
seong could be.
Quaang-!
Yoo-seong was running upwards, using the rocks around him

as a path. When there were no footholds available, he made
his own, seamlessly transitioning between Spider Walk and
Steel Steps.
The beast’s paw smashed at the heated ground once again.

This time, hot stones and lava sprang up.
However, Yoo-seong was long gone. The beast felt confused
for a moment.
‘Was he dead?’
But then it heard the same annoying noise once more.
Tik-!
Tik-!
The faint sound was coming from its own paw; Yoo-seong
was running up the Bi Xi’s forefoot.
Gryaaaw-!
The Bi Xi stomped its foot on the ground, sending Yoo-seong

flying, but he didn’t lose balance. Instead, he started
running through the air again, and the Bi Xi quickly realized
that it was pointless to shoot a pillar of flame against such a
tiny target.
It knew that Yoo-seong would again aim for its eye, but they
were only vulnerable when it was shooting fire from its
mouth. At all other times, its eyeballs were filled with
molten lava. It was the same reason the arrow shot at its
eye earlier had melted upon impact. The creature ought to
have melted or turned to ashes as a result of its endless
heat.
Yoo-seong continued running upward.
At the same time, the Bi Xi flooded its eyeballs with lava.
Finally, Yoo-seong was within reach.
Pop-!
A heavy weapon appeared in Yoo-seong’s hand: a single
blade of the Red Dragon Twin Sword.
Smelted with heat, it was far more durable than Yoo-seong’s

wrist blade. It was a weapon conceived with the sole
purpose of containing heat.
With the Red Dragon Sword as its base, the Plum Blossom
Sword rose.
Go-oh-oh-oh!
The tip touched the Bi Xi’s eye.
Tremendous heat erupted in all directions, heat powerful

enough to burn everything away to ashes.
At that moment…
The Queen’s Hug.
A Red Dragon blade.
And the Bi Xi’s eye.
Yoo-seong blinked to activate the function:
-Combination-
Chapter 84
Episode 84
Biyeon wanted Yoo-seong to get out of there.
Before she could call out, though, Yoo-seong had already

leaped towards the Bi Xi.
Biyeon was an expert when it came to flames and heat; Yoo-

seong, however great he was, still lacked experience. Given
enough time and training, he had the qualities to control
flame himself someday.
‘But the flame of this black lizard…’
Biyeon couldn’t help but feel small before its flames.
Yoo-seong would probably aim for its eye; the Twin Dragon
blade would be able to withstand the heat. Yoo-seong’s
body, however, wouldn’t. The only reason Yang Jeong-cheon
could handle the heat contained in the blades was that the
heat came from within him.
The moment the blade touched the dragon’s eye, the heat
would flow into Yoo-seong’s body, causing irreparable
damage to him. Biyeon could only watch in despair as Yoo-
seong ran on air.
‘Like a moth to the flame,’ she thought. She couldn’t take

her eyes off him. Then…
Something flashed in her eyes, and she felt the world spin
around her.
***
The beast was astonished.
It had lost its sense of sight in one eye. More than the pain
of losing an eyeball, the Bi Xi felt a greater sense of loss
from this.
The heat that had accumulated in its eye had completely

disappeared, causing the beast to roar in agony. What it had
suffered was not simply a loss. It was plunder. Its eyesight
and power had been stolen, both by a teeny-tiny creature.
With its other eye, the Bi Xi tracked the man trying to cling
to its empty eye socket. The armor he was wearing had
been dark grey; now, it was closer to black, with a faint red
sheen. It looked like a fire ant’s shell.
-Combination success-
The result flashed before Yoo-seong’s eyes. There was no

reason to hesitate anymore.
Gooh-oh!
Aura gathered quickly on his legs.
Taang-!
Yoo-seong rushed toward the inside of the beast’s eye.
The dragon’s scales were too tough, even for Jinchung and
Won Jeong-cheon combined. However, even for such an
incredibly tough creature, an open eye socket remained a
vulnerability.
Fuwoook-!
From a distance, it sounded like a finger piercing through

tight bubble wrap. By now, Yoo-seong was no longer visible.
Then an earthquake started, stronger than the ones before.
The Bi Xi roared in pain, but no sound came from its throat,

nor any flames from its mouth.
It had lost half its heat when Yoo-seong took its eyeball.
Now, it used all its remaining fire in an attempt to purge the

creature inside its body, heating its insides to an extreme
temperature, hotter than any furnace.
It should have been impossible for any creature to survive.
Not Yoo-seong, though. He was as comfortable as a fish in

water.
As he moved around inside the monster’s body, he planted

Parasitic Bees around himself. Then, as one, they activated.
The Bi Xi stiffened briefly. Then its huge frame began to fall,

back into the endless abyss. A surreal silence filled the area.
Only the holes the Bi Xi’s thrashing had made in the ground
remained to prove it had really existed.
Then, suddenly-
A hand grabbed the edge of the cliff.
Yoo-seong climbed out of the abyss.
***
The night before the Dive, Yoo-seong had continuously
practiced the Combination button.
He had discovered that, on top of the five slots, he could

also use the items in his hands. Being able to quickly
combine items without having to put them in the slot would
be a clear advantage.
There had been only one thing he wasn’t sure of.
Would he be able to use the suit as an item while he was

still wearing it?
He didn’t find out until Auto-Hunt made him leap toward the
Bi Xi’s eyes.
‘I’ll think about it later,’ Yoo-seong decided. ‘I need to check

on Biyeon.’
“Congratulations,” he heard a familiar voice say.
It belonged to someone he didn’t want to face in this

situation. Still, he turned his head toward the voice.
Ha Yuk-il and Lee Hwi-min were standing together, tens of

meters away from him.
“No one will know about it, but it’s the first time anyone has
caught a dragon.”
Even without Lee Hwi-min, Ha Yuk-il was a strong close-

range fighter. With Lee Hwi-min ready to light amulets
behind him at any time, it was a formidable combination.
However, they weren’t the only ones there.
A profanity spoken in Chinese rang out from Yoo-seong’s

side.
Standing where he was, the figure who had spoken formed a
perfect equilateral triangle with Lee Hwi-min and Yoo-seong.
It was difficult to believe he was human: he had been
completely burned, and his skin was black, with patches of
raw-looking red.
Nevertheless, his grip on the bow still proved to be strong.
Won Jeon-cheon had survived the flames.
“Did you use me as bait?!” he snapped at Lee Hwi-min.
“I just let you do what you pleased,” Lee Hwi-min shrugged.

“I don’t have a Kumiho, but I know you have it.”
Lee Hwi-min wanted to hunt Yoo-seong without being

disturbed by Won Jeong-cheon. It would be easier to follow
Jinchung and Won Jeong-cheon later than to find Yoo-seong
in the vast alien world.
Won Jeong-cheon grunted. He could deal with Lee Hwi-min

later. Right now, there was another problem at hand.
He turned to Yoo-seong and then pointed at Biyeon, who

was lying helplessly at his feet. As if to show off, he filled his
foot with Aura. Biyeon was conscious, but she was unable to
move her body. Yoo-seong speculated that she was being
controlled by Lee Hwi-min’s Sensory Disturbance tech.
Won Jeong-cheon’s meaning was interpreted by Lee Hwi-

min.
“The rules are simple,” he said. “If you try to get close, I will
crush her.”
A cruel smile crept onto Won Jeong-cheon’s lips. Meanwhile,

Lee Hwi-min spoke in a soft voice to Yoo-seong.
“You know, you can’t close the gap before he crushes her,
Spider Walk or not.”
Lee Hwi-min was right. Yoo-seong’s Spider Walk and Steel

Steps were supreme in terms of flexibility. What he needed
right now, though, was acceleration.
“I offer you a deal,” Lee Hwi-min added. “That suit you’re

wearing… and the dragon’s eye that I believe you took.”
Yoo-seong stayed silent.
“If you give me those, well… I can’t guarantee anything

much, but I will release Yang Biyeon from my Tech.”
Paang-!
Lee Hwi-min’s words were drowned out by the sound of Won

Jeong-cheon’s arrow.
“Dance!” Won Jeong-cheon yelled. His whole body was

damaged, and his CE was almost depleted. However, each
arrow still contained considerable power.
Whing-!
Yoo-seong dodged it. Then, he began dancing in the air as

he avoided a deluge of arrows flying toward him.
‘This was going according to plan,’ Lee Hwi-min thought

with a smile. He was confident of victory.
The reason he had left everything to Won Jeong-cheon was

because of his previous encounter with Yoo-seong, who had
overcome the Sensory Disturbance and almost caused Won
Jeong-cheon great damage.
He did not want to put himself at risk again.

Even while avoiding arrows, Yoo-seong was keeping his
distance, as Won Jeong-cheon had instructed him. He was
exhausted from the battle against the Bi Xi.
‘His limit will come soon,’ Lee Hwi-min analyzed. He was

madly curious because of the incredible dragon hunt he had
just witnessed.
‘What happened to the dragon’s eye?’
‘How did Yoo-seong survive the heat within the dragon?’
He would get the answers soon. Once Yoo-seong was

finished, he would take his body and use it for his
experiments.
His scholarly curiosity would be satisfied.
“Hahahahahaha!” Won Jeong-cheon’s maniacal laughter

echoed through the wilderness, the speed of his arrows
increasing as time passed.
‘It will end soon,’ Lee Hwi-min thought.
Suddenly-
Yoo-seong blinked.
A new function had become available in his options.
‘Yang Woo-jin,’ thought Yoo-seong.
An unfortunate genius born in the Red Dragon.
He had simply wanted to build a tool that could withstand

heat.
However, there was another characteristic in the Bi Xi’s eye.

-Select Properties-
-Attribute: Flame – applied.-
Won Jeong-cheon would never have imagined this.
The temperature around Yoo-seong rose. Then, Yoo-seong

stepped into the air once more.
It was different from the Steel Steps.
Pa-A-A-Ah!!!!
Yoo-seong burst forward like a meteor.
“What?!” Won Jeong-cheon’s eyes widened.
Even Ha Yuk-il and Lee Hwi-min were stunned at what they

saw. The movement was so incredibly fast that it was hard
for the eye to follow.
From Yoo-seong’s feet burned the best Tech in Shanghai.
The Twin Dragon blade appeared in Yoo-seong’s hand faster

than Won Jeong-cheon could load his bow.
“Motherfucker!” Won Jeong-cheon screamed in panic.
However, Yoo-seong was gone in an instant. Won Jeong-

cheon felt himself falling.
As he fell, he looked down to see why he had lost his

balance.
One of his legs had been cut off.

“How dare you…” the low voice of Yoo-seong penetrated
Won Jeong-cheon’s ears. It was as if Yoo-seong’s anger was
burning his eardrums.
“…step on someone…?”
It wasn’t an illusion.
Won Jeong-cheon had seen a flaming fist closing in.

Chapter 85
Episode 85
Because he hadn’t turned on Auto-Hunt, the punch Yoo-

seong threw wasn’t the most efficient. However, he poured
all of his anger into it.
Crunch-!
Any teeth that had survived the pillar of fire were shattered,
and, at that moment, Won Jeong-cheon had a weird thought.
He’d had several media interviews scheduled for after the
Dive. Now, all of that had scattered and disappeared like the
fragments of teeth in his mouth.
Yoo-seong grabbed Won Jeong-cheon’s head and brought it

down to meet his raised knee. The impact on Won Jeong-
cheon’s chin was enough to knock him out.
“Hah!” Yoo-seong exhaled loudly.
Then he turned. He could not lose focus.
This was because, only a few meters, Lee Hwi-min and Ha

Yuk-il stood, waiting like vultures.
Yoo-seong bent down to Biyeon’s body, then rose and

stretched out his hand.
“That’s…?!” Lee Hwi-min’s eyebrows rose.

It was Biyeon’s action cam.
Pop-!
The action cam disappeared as quickly as it had come out.
Even without saying a word, what Yoo-seong was trying to

convey was perfectly clear. If they didn’t clear Yoo-seong,
the footage on that action cam would be leaked. Then, Lee
Hwi-min would be done for.
However big the Goryong Company was, attacking the

successor of an influential group such as the Red Dragon
Society was a different matter than attacking a foreigner.
“Ha!” Lee Hwi-min laughed lightly. “It seems I’m stuck

between a rock and a hard place: getting out of here and
throwing away my company’s future… or staying here with
a killer.”
The first part of his sentence was indeed true. The second
part was intended to provoke Yoo-seong.
Lee Hwi-min was trying to read Yoo-seong.
‘This guy is… the type to feel guilty about murder.’
Lee Hwi-min was confident he could destroy Yoo-seong with

only a few words. “Yes… I know you would kill me too-”
“No,” Yoo-seong cut him off. Short and concise, as his

speech often was. “I didn’t kill this motherfucker.”
Won Jeong-cheon was unconscious, and his face was

disfigured. But he was still breathing.
“Don’t try to fool yourself,” Lee Hwi-min smirked. “With his

wounds, an infection is unavoidable.”
“I know.”
“Then you should know that you are now disqualified as a

hunter. Because you are now a killer.”
‘Something strange is going on,’ Lee Hwi-min thought,

though he maintained his calm appearance.
Yoo-seong did not appear to be shaken. He looked relaxed,

even though, if left as he was, Won Jeong-cheon would
surely die.
“You told me at the hotel,” Yoo-seong began, “that you and I

are the same. That we could adapt according to our
surroundings.”
“I believe so, yes.” Lee Hwi-min nodded.
“Then,” Yoo-seong’s hands closed into fists, “I will hunt you,

too.”
Bang-!
Yoo-seong suddenly vanished.
“What… what happened?!” Ha Yuk-il was breathing rapidly.
“Don’t panic!” Lee Hwi-min was also flustered.
Yoo-seong could close the gap between them in an instant.
‘Is he running away, or will he fight?’
Lee Hwi-min’s eyes fell to the ground. It had been

overturned several times by the dragon’s weight. There
must be countless passages beneath the surface,
underneath the collapsed rocks and soft soil.
“Listen,” he told Ha Yuk-il. “Can you hear that?”
Suddenly, the ground on which Ha Yuk-il was standing

collapsed, and one of his legs fell through.
“Aaaah!”
Kaching-!
In a panic, Ha Yuk-il pulled out his sword and began

plunging it into the ground.
‘He won’t stay there,’ Lee Hwi-min thought. ‘He can’t

escape Ha Yuk-il’s sword.’
Lee Hwi-min turned and focused his attention on another

area.
Kruug-!
His ears picked up a sound. It was as if something was

coming up from behind him.
Lee Hwi-min immediately lit up an amulet. The Giant Fist. A

powerful attack that simulated a giant’s fist crushing its
target.
He spun and unleashed it.
Quazzik-!
The sound of breaking bones. His paranoia made him hit Ha

Yuk-il’s leg, which was behind him.
As Lee Hwi-min had guessed, Yoo-seong was unable to

escape Ha Yuk-il’s sword. However, he could bear it.
The Queen’s Hug.

In an instant, Ha Yuk-il’s leg was crushed.
Ha Yuk-il fell forward, groaning in pain. However, before his

face could hit the ground, something rose from the rocks.
Yoo-seong’s uppercut rose as if aiming at heaven. It

connected with Ha Yuk-il’s chin perfectly.
Yet, the moment Lee Hwi-min aimed for Yoo-seong’s

forearm, it disappeared.
“Damn you!” Lee Hwi-min lost all of his control.
He pulled out several amulets and burned them one by one.
Kwanng-!
Thud-!
Almost all of the offensive tools available to him slammed

into the ground, unsettling and disturbing it.
It wasn’t enough.
However strong Lee Hwi-min’s destructive power was, the

Queen’s Hug, enforced with the Bi Xi’s attributes, was
greater.
Yoo-seong could stay standing for a long time.
In desperation, Lee Hwi-min pulled out another amulet. This

time, it was the Chukji: the teleportation amulet.
However, Lee Hwi-min did not intend to run away.
He was going to use it to reach Yang Biyeon. It was the key,

the only sure way to victory.
Papat-!
The space around him distorted, and then in an instant, he

reappeared beside Biyeon, who was lying helplessly on the
ground.
However, at the exact same moment, something rose

behind him.
His appearance and Yoo-seong’s emergence had occurred

simultaneously, so Lee Hwi-min hadn’t heard the sound of
him rising from the rubble.
“Hey.”
Short and concise vocabulary.
Yoo-seong kicked Lee Hwi-min’s head, smashing his jaw.

Then he kicked his arms, breaking them.
Crunch-!
From the beginning, Yoo-seong’s intuition had driven him to

move underground toward Biyeon. He had known how Lee
Hwi-min would think.
“Hunting success,” he murmured.
Lee Hwi-min’s eyes pleaded with him. Perhaps that gaze

would have worked on Yoo-seong an hour ago.
However, Yoo-seong was different now. He had adapted to

his surroundings.
He strode casually towards Lee Hwi-min and crushed his

legs.
“Eup!”
‘I won’t kill them,’ Yoo-seong reasoned. ‘However, it would
be possible to put them in a condition where they could not
survive.’
As Lee Hwi-min had said, it was pure sophistry. It was only

to allow Yoo-seong to claim that their blood wasn’t on his
hands.
As he had declared before the fight, Yoo-seong had adapted.

He never did accept a compromise.
“As I said, I didn’t kill you guys.”
He could have subdued the three without disabling them

and pulled them out of the rift. Then, they could have been
judged under the law.
However, they had made a mistake.
It wasn’t only Yoo-seong who was bleeding now. Biyeon, who

had nothing to do with this problem, was also hurt.
That had been enough for Yoo-seong.
“You all have a chance to survive.”
Even though their legs were broken, they could crawl on the
ground toward the exit rift.
Of course, they would have to overcome the environment

and any monsters that they encountered, without being
able to utilize Tech.
Not to mention that, even if they survived that, the real

punishment awaited them outside.
The truth would be conveyed to the world through Biyeon’s

action cam.
To die in an alien world, or to crawl desperately toward
punishment; that was the deal Yoo-seong had given them.
Yoo-seong carefully lifted Biyeon’s body. Then, he walked

away without looking back.
***
Jin Wei-baek kept his promise.
Tenz’s rush team waited at the exit rift.
It was led by Chuyeop; the first Chinese hunter Yoo-seong

had encountered.
“Tell your boss,” Yoo-seong said as he pulled Biyeon’s action

cam from his slot.
A team member served as their interpreter.
“Tell your boss, thank you for accepting my request. Apart

from that, tell him I’ll do what I’ve been asked to do,” Yoo-
seong said.
Chuyeop was a young hunter too. He had been watching

Yoo-seong’s progress, which was heating up the Chinese
industry.
Chuyeop’s eyes widened as he checked what Yoo-seong had

placed in his hands. It was an action cam, containing
footage of the Dive.
Any hunter could guess its value.
“This is…”
“It’s not for you to watch,” Yoo-seong said firmly.

“The only reason I am leaving it to you is that I respect and
trust your boss’ promise. Not you.”
Chuyeop looked down.
“When I come out again…” Yoo-seong added matter-of-

factly, as if it were something that was certain and would
never change. “If it turns out that you made a joke out of
me and Jin Wei-baek’s trust, you’ll pay the price.”
It was unheard of, someone saying Jin Wei-baek’s name

casually.
However, Chuyeop and the other Tenz hunters around him

couldn’t be upset about it.
Yoo-seong didn’t wait for an answer. He turned around and

stepped inside the rift once more. Before he walked in
completely, he faced the Earth and took a deep breath.
There was a slight look of regret in his eyes.
“I wish the air inside was this fresh, without yellow dust,” he
murmured.
Then he looked at Biyeon, who was being cared for by the

attending medical staff.
“Sorry. I owe you.”
He would definitely pay her back.
Then he stepped in and disappeared. The hunters who

watched him trembled with a belated thrill.
With that, Yoo-seong officially became listed as one who had

never returned from beyond the rift.
However, a few months later, in a place no one expected…
Yoo-seong appeared.
Chapter 86
Episode 86
It was a spring day, just before dawn.
The day had not yet even begun. However…
Wow, wow, wow-!
An alarm rang out, signaling the appearance of a crack.

Everyone who heard it took out their phones and began
preparing for evacuation.
“Again?”
“Didn’t one open around here just the other day?”
“Oh, I have a lot of work to be done, but what can I do…?”
Even while complaining about the inconvenience, the

citizens continued calmly preparing for evacuation.
Everyone knew the drill. They had been doing it for years.
There was a system in place for everyone to follow, as soon

as the alarm shut off.
For the young ones, it was hard to remember a time without

cracks. They had been part of their entire lives.
However, the difference this time was the people’s attitude.
They seemed to have forgotten the urgency that came with
the warning.
From the time an alarm rang out, there were about five or
six hours before the crack would open. In that time, one or
two control centers would be erected on the outskirts of the
operation area.
Evacuation personnel guided the citizens.
Vehicles carrying hunters began to arrive.
“Have they sent the briefing yet?” a hunter from Team

Bunkers mumbled.
“Not yet.”
“Then I’ll close my eyes for a while… it’s too early.”
“Sure. While we’re waiting.” His team leader nodded. “Set

an alarm and take a break. It’s not even projected to be a
big crack.”
The other team members agreed. Then they began taking

sleeping bags out of their luggage.
Some made do with chairs or tables installed in the control

center. It was a ridiculous way to act. Just hours from now, a
dangerous crack would occur. Even if the briefing hadn’t
arrived yet, the hunters shouldn’t be relaxing. They should
have been spending their time doing other things, like
checking their equipment.
If other teams witnessed Team Bunkers’ behavior, no one

batted an eye.
It wasn’t because Bunkers was an influential team. They
were a typical group, with members averaging around the
Bronze and Silver level. The reason no one found their
attitude alarming was…
“Oops, I forgot my earplugs.”
“I’ll lend you mine.”
They weren’t the only hunters sleeping.
Half of the hunters waiting in the control center were

wearing eyepatches and earplugs. Those from the larger
teams went back to their dedicated vehicles and slept in
their seats. Even those who weren’t sleeping weren’t doing
anything productive. Instead, they were rushing to eat the
lunch boxes they had ordered.
One of the hunters settled himself down. He was Kim Ji-woo,

a hunter from Bunkers with five years of experience.
“Ugh,” he moaned, with his eyes closed.
The side of his body was covered with a bandage. It was wet
with fresh blood.
“Are you okay?” a concerned teammate asked him.
“Yeah, it’s alright.”
With the help of his teammate, Kim Ji-woo changed his

bandages, not forgetting to disinfect the wound before
wrapping it up again.
“Will you be able to join the operation?”
“Of course,” Kim Ji-woo smiled. Then he leaned back on his

seat.
Before going to sleep, he took out his phone. Looking at his
messages, he realized they were all phone calls from other
team members, or briefing messages.
It was his third operation this week.
On his mobile browsing app, the last article he read was still
up.
-Large-scale organizations protest against the Special

Defense Agency’s “compulsory operations.” Is it a
reasonable protest, or a lack of motivation?-
Kim Ji-woo swore reflexively. He wasn’t the swearing type,

but what kind of hunter wouldn’t get upset by the Special
Defense Agency’s orders?
-Looking at the statistical data accumulated over the past

five years, crack appearances have increased in
frequency…-
It had been an ongoing problem for a long time.
National defense agencies had been constantly seeking

countermeasures.
However, before they could find an answer, crack

appearances had increased more in the last few months. To
be precise, they were 1.52 times higher compared to six
months ago.
At first glance, it seemed like an insignificant figure; even

more so in the eyes of civilians. It was not as alarming as a
2x or 3x increase.
However, being ignored was the fact that, six months ago,
crack appearances were at an all-time high.
Kim Ji-woo grabbed his side as he felt another stab of pain.
He was hurt enough that, had he been an ordinary citizen,
he would have been confined to a hospital.
Of course, being a CE holder, he would normally be able to

recover by eating well and getting enough rest.
Unfortunately, due to the increased number of cracks, he
couldn’t do either of those things. Even without injuries,
hunting was an act that risked one’s life.
Also, he felt tired. Stressed and exhausted. These factors

could lead to duller movements and decision making during
the hunt.
It would all add up to accidents and death. Actually, it

already had.
-Last month’s casualties are “close to three digits”…-
The accumulating fatigue, the increased injuries, and the

shortage of personnel had begun to create a vicious cycle.
Now, if a hunter took a day off, it could only mean one of
three things:
First, they were badly injured.
Second, they were dead.
Or third, they belonged to an organization with the power

and wealth to provide them a fake medical certificate.
For hunters like Kim Ji-woo, who belonged to smaller

organizations, as long as their limbs were all intact, they
were required to join the operation.
Kim Ji-woo was in his fifth year. With his excellent skills, he
was at the top of the Silver-ranked hunters, almost
approaching Gold status.
Now, he was being called on again, before his wound had

fully healed.
He put his cell phone away and closed his eyes. Suddenly…
“Kim Ji-woo!”
He opened his eyes. Everyone was already busy moving

inside the vehicle.
“What happened? Did the rift open earlier than expected?”

He was confused.
“What? No! Look at the time!” his team leader yelled out.
Kim Ji-woo looked at his watch. He was shocked.
He’d thought he had only closed his eyes for a moment, but
almost six hours had already passed.
The team leader shook his head.
“Ji-woo, you are resting from this operation.”
“What? My name has already been listed…”
“I’ll take care of it. We could call a substitute. Or you can

come with us but stay outside the operation area. I
underestimated your condition. You need to rest for at least
two more days.”
“No.” Kim Ji-woo’s voice was firm. “Let me go, Team Leader.”
He tried to stand up, but the team leader stopped him.
“Ji-woo, as I said-”
“I know it’s a matter of safety for the other team members.
But, so far, I’m still at a level where I can stay upright. I
don’t want to have someone else do my job.”
The team leader fell silent. Then, after a few moments, he

nodded.
“Okay.”
As a team leader, he was ashamed that he needed Kim Ji-

woo, even in this condition. The other team members
weren’t in perfect condition either.
Kim Ji-woo would help them greatly, even if he was injured.
“I’m sorry,” the team leader sighed.
“No, it’s okay,” Kim Ji-woo assured him.
The other team members were watching them. They all had
the same tired expression.
The team leader considered for a moment. Then he clapped

his hands.
“Everyone! Let’s work hard! After this operation, I will give

you a week off at any cost!”
“Yeah!” It was a short cheer, but it energized the fatigued

members for a moment. Meanwhile, as Kim Ji-woo checked
his equipment, he was mumbling to himself.
“I am a hunter. I am a hunter… I am a hunter.”
It was one of the reasons Kim Jo-woo had insisted on joining

the operation. More than the fines or the poor reputation
that might hit him if he skipped the hunt.
‘I have no choice,’ he thought.
There was only one reason why the government seemed

desperate for the presence of hunters. It was because they
couldn’t help it. Fortunately, no civilian damage had
occurred yet. But still, anxiety was spreading through the
population. Perhaps they were no longer safe.
‘To keep them safe and make them feel so,’ Kim Ji-woo
thought, ‘isn’t that the duty of a hunter?’
He closed his eyes as their vehicle drove toward their

operation area. He wasn’t trying to sleep now. He was
thinking of someone.
‘I haven’t met you. I won’t be able to meet you.’
However, he was the hunter who inspired him more than

anyone else.
‘Oh Yoo-seong.’
A year ago, when he first heard of the guy, Kim Ji-woo had
thought he was just some newcomer who was overrated
and overhyped. However, in the end, like the other young
hunters, Kim Ji-woo was influenced by his outstanding skill
and confident attitude that some considered to be cheeky.
He was thrilled, rather than envious, when Yoo-seong went

to China.
He idolized Yoo-seong, even before he captured one of the

Four Perils, or contributed to the Shanghai Shock. It wasn’t
just Oh Yoo-seong’s wealth and fame that Kim Ji-woo wanted
to emulate.
Yoo-seong presented him with the ideal course and direction
to follow.
‘What an amazing person,’ Kim Ji-woo had sighed.
Then, news broke out that Yoo-seong had not returned from
a Chinese Dive.
Like all Koreans, even those outside the hunting industry,

Kim Ji-woo raised his voice.
It can’t be.
‘Oh Yoo-seong couldn’t die.’
However, all those cries went unheard.
Oh Yoo-seong didn’t return.
Half a year had passed. Still, Oh Yoo-seong wasn’t

completely gone. He had left his mark on young hunters like
Kim Ji-woo.
‘No,’ Kim Ji-woo thought. ‘Every hunter, regardless of age,

must strive to be like Yoo-seong.’
Perhaps the current situation was proof enough: regardless

of the exhaustion that they experienced, there were a
surprisingly small number of hunters who skipped
operations.
‘It’s not all about money and career,’ Kim Ji-woo was sure.
Jiing-
“Huh?”
The reverberation of a long, ringing magnetic field
interrupted his thoughts. At that moment, tension passed
across the faces of the hunters.
“Crack opened!” someone yelled out.
They all looked out the window. Sure enough, the crack was
opening.
It was twenty minutes ahead of the scheduled time. More

than that, it seemed larger than had been predicted.
“Is this really a Typhoon-class crack? Looking at its size, isn’t

it almost a Storm-class?” a newcomer asked.
The seniors didn’t answer right away. Everyone’s head was

filled with the consequences they were about to face.
Kim Ji-woo’s phone buzzed. It was a new briefing message.
-Correction
-Crack scale currently appears to be a Storm-class
-Hunters must continue to their designated locations.
“Fuck it!” the team leader yelled.
were contained in his expression.
A Storm-class crack required double the number of

personnel for a Typhoon-class crack.
The rush team and the center team were almost at their
designated locations.
How long would it take for reinforcements to come and

provide emergency assistance? An hour? Two hours? By
then, the hunters would be wiped out.
“They have to buy us some time,” the team leader

mumbled.
Perhaps the army would be dispatched. It was the only way.

Otherwise, a tragedy the scale of the Shanghai Shock would
befall Seoul.
The team leader raised his eyes.
There were black dots gradually falling to the ground.
No one spoke. Every hunter, not just those in the Bunker’s

vehicle, was preparing for death.
And so, the day had begun.

Chapter 87
Episode 87
Razor Wolf-★★~★★★
They were, inevitably, the size of motorcycles.
“Razor” wasn’t even a description for their teeth; it was for

their fur, made of sharp, metal-like material that could shred
their prey into ribbons.
Of course, when dealing with such creatures, the strategy

was to keep one’s distance.
Skillful hunters could hunt these monsters without any

problems. Unfortunately…
“Heo-eok… huh!”
The skillful hunters weren’t currently on their best form.
Kim Ji-woo was breathing heavily, his panting more dog-like

even than the Razor Wolves. He was busily counting in his
head.
‘Twenty-eight? No, is it thirty-eight?’
He was doing it simply to distract himself. Every part of his

body was aching, and his eyes were about to close any
moment now.
Kim Ji-woo looked around the street. It was lined with the
corpses of the Razor Wolves he had killed. There were too
many bodies, more than he had thought himself capable of
even when he was in peak condition.
However, it couldn’t be helped.
‘I have no choice. I am a hunter’, he reminded himself.
It wasn’t just him. Every hunter around him was exceeding

their limits. They had no choice. They had to.
Right above them, a Storm-class crack was about to reach

its widest point. Kim Ji-Woo could hear his team leader’s
voice through his radio.
-Everyone, assemble at Division C-4.
-The crack is expanding faster. It’s impossible for the rush

team at the moment.
-This is the recommendation of the Defense Agency.

Cooperate and establish a defense at the center.
The team leader’s voice was heavy.
The Bunker wasn’t an organization qualified to defend the

center. It was above their class.
However, the civilian evacuation was not over yet. The

larger the crack was, the wider the area that needed to be
cleared of civilians. In this case, the crack that had
appeared turned out to be twice as large as had been
predicted. As a result, several areas had been caught
unprepared.
The blocking area that had been formed had also turned out
to be ridiculously narrow.
The street where Kim Ji-woo’s team had been assigned was
at the blocking area’s outermost edge. If the monsters could
get past them…
-As the crack widens… the rate of the monsters’ spread is

much faster than the evacuation speed.
The team leader’s voice was heavier than ever.
-If you don’t want to… we don’t have to go to the center.
Immediately, the team members’ answers followed:
-I will go.
-Coming.
-I will participate, Team Leader.
Everyone spoke up, including Kim Ji-woo:
-I will go too.
The team leader went silent. Even if they couldn’t hear it,
the team members knew that their leader was overwhelmed
by emotion.
-Good. I’m proud of you guys. Fuck it; we’re the best team!
Kim Ji-woo couldn’t help but smile as his teammates’ voices

rang out.
-Gosh, don’t swear, please!
-If you’re really proud of us, you should raise our salaries!
The team leader delivered the next message in a livelier
tone of voice.
-The good news is that reinforcements are coming. They will

arrive in twenty minutes.
-Five rankers are coming with them.
-All we need to do is block the center for twenty minutes,

then we can go home…
But at the very next moment…
Guwoong-!
It was the sound of thunder. Kim Ji-woo stared at the sky.
‘There is no God.’
He was sure; the crack had been gradually growing wider as

the seconds passed.
Now, it was the size of a Storm-class rift.
In an instant, Kim Ji-woo’s head went blank. His phone was

vibrating like crazy. Frantic voices were coming from his
radio, but he couldn’t hear anything. He could only think of
the crack above them.
Kim Ji-woo clenched his fists.
Then he turned his senses on. It was time to fight.
Okay, let’s do this!
A wolf was hiding in a blind spot, looking for a chance to

attack. It lunged toward him.
“This dog…” Kim Ji-woo’s response was quick. He drew out
his three-stage stick and struck the wolf in the head.
“Die!” he yelled as he struck its head over and over again.
After ensuring that it was dead…
Bang-!
He sped out of the blocking area, but he wasn’t running

away. He was headed toward the civilians. Block line
boundaries were now completely meaningless, as the
Storm-class crack had reached its full size.
“Run away! Come on!” he yelled at a policeman who was

still guarding his post.
“Huh?” The policeman’s expression was blank.
“Run! Take your car and get as many people as you can!
Run!”
Kuung-!
Something fell from the sky and crashed into the police car.
The policeman turned his head and collapsed in fear when
he saw what it was.
Shantiga.
It was a four-star flying monster that had surprised Korean

hunters months ago. It was now an indigenous species in
the Korean Peninsula. In just a few moments, it would chew
the policeman’s head off.
Kim Ji-woo did his best to move. He took a bold leap forward
while pulling out his Gellar Gun. Its form was similar to a
fully automatic shotgun.
Tattang-!
The shell hit the Shantiga square in its chest.
It was not a durable monster. However, using the Gellar Gun

had used up a lot of Kim Ji-woo’s CE. With the CE he had
used to fight the wolves, his total amount was now at half.
As he watched the Shantiga’s body fold to the ground, Kim

Ji-woo turned. He had sensed another presence behind him.
However, he was too late.
No. Worse than that, he would never have been able to

escape it, even if he’d seen it coming.
A Shantiga Prime.
A six-star beast with transcendental speed.
Koo-!
Kim Ji-woo was snatched and slammed into the ground in

seconds.
“Damn… that…”
It was a struggle even to speak. Kim Ji-woo felt blood

pouring from his side.
With Kim Ji-woo crushed, the Shantiga Prime raised its head
and howled at the sky. Before long, dozens of Shantiga and
a few more Primes flocked around Kim Ji-woo.
‘Like a family sitting together for dinner,’ he thought.
He squeezed out all his remaining strength and lifted his

Gellar Gun.
Tatatatang-!
He shot all his remaining CE at the Shantiga Prime’s

abdomen.
The six-star beast didn’t even grunt. When Kim Ji-woo ran
out of energy, it casually snatched his gun away and
crushed it with its forefoot.
Quazzik-!
Now Kim Ji-woo realized the truth of his situation.
The reason the monster hadn’t killed him yet was that it
wanted to toy with him first.
He couldn’t win, his instincts told him. Even if the whole

team were with him, they would only be wiped out.
“Huh…” Kim Ji-woo trembled.
He felt fear. Resentment. He was just going to die,

helplessly. He had dreamt of protecting people but had
ended up as nothing more than monster food.
Kim Ji-woo closed his eyes and waited for death.
One second.
Five seconds.
Even after waiting ten seconds, death had not come. He

dared to peek.
The Shantigas were all looking skyward. The surroundings

had gone quiet. The screams and cries of the monsters had
all died down.
Even the Shantigas before him were unmoving.
Kim Ji-woo followed the Shantigas’ gaze. The crack was

surprisingly quiet, with no monsters falling from it.
Suddenly, Kim Ji-woo recalled something he read in the
manual.
If you can’t see monsters even though the cracks are open,
it is the sign of a top predator’s presence.
A super monster.
Something that could kill all the monsters gathered inside

and outside the track.
Suddenly…
Booung-!
Thunder.
Something was falling out of the quiet crack.
‘Here it comes,’ he thought.
It was much smaller than Kim Ji-woo had expected. A

Shantiga Prime shrieked just before the dark figure fell on it.
The Prime was flattened. The top predator had used it as a

cushion for its landing.
Once the dust from the impact settled, Kim Ji-woo tried to
see the figure more clearly. It was human-shaped but had a
dark red color, and metallic sounds came from its every
movement.
Then he realized that it was actually a human.

It was wearing armor, but its surface was covered with vines
and leaves of plants.
Cheenk-!
Another metallic sound.
The helmet was pulled off.
Kim Ji-woo’s eyes widened in shock. A man with a shaggy

beard seemed to be taking the longest breath ever. Then
the man turned to look at him.
“I’m… finally back,” the man said, a dreamy expression on

his face.
The beasts began to cry out of instinctive fear.
The man put his helmet back on, then began hunting.
Everyone would remember that day. The worst-case

scenario had happened, yet not one single civilian life was
lost.
On top of that…
It was the day the hero had returned.

Chapter 88
Episode 88
After the hunt…
Kim Ji-woo sat at the debriefing.
He began to tell the story, one that he would repeat

countless times to other people.
It all started with Oh Yoo-seong falling from the sky. The man
they thought was gone forever asked him what the current
situation was.
Kim Ji-woo informed him that the rift size had grown
unexpectedly, leaving them with a disproportionately small
number of hunters deployed.
“He looked at me straight in the eye,” Kim Ji-woo described.

“Then he said…”
“Let’s get to work.”
Kim Ji-woo felt uncomfortable with Yoo-seong’s tone. It was

clear that he didn’t understand the gravity of the situation.
‘Did I somehow mess up my explanation? ‘Kim Ji-woo
doubted himself.
The crack had already grown to a Storm-class.
Even if Yoo-seong could block the Shantigas at the outer

area, more monsters would be pouring out soon. No matter
how skilled the hunters were, they couldn’t split themselves
in two. The problem was the range of the rift.
Whether it was Oh Yoo-seong or Lee Jae-hak, they couldn’t

cover a distance of hundreds of meters alone.
“If the reinforcements do not arrive as soon as possible… we

have a really huge problem.”
Kim Ji-woo was a little embarrassed as he said this.
Yoo-seong’s expression was like that of someone who had

just been told a household appliance was broken. He looked
as if the problem was a little annoying but could easily be
fixed.
“Can you lend me a phone?” Yoo-seong asked Ji-woo.
“Yes?”
“Your phone. Is it connected to the central control center?”
Kim Ji-woo nodded. The terminals were set up so that any

hunter in operation had a direct line to the control room.
Of course, it was only to be used for difficult situations that

management needed to know about. Kim Ji-woo
immediately pulled out his phone and handed it over.
He later learned that the phone call would save everyone’s

lives.
***
At the central control center operated by the Special

Defense Agency, the atmosphere was in chaos.
“Please check the evacuation status!”
“There is no precedent…”
“We can’t just wait to…”
“The fire department and the police department in other

districts must…”
The crack had expanded significantly faster than expected,

rendering the plans prepared by the Defense Agency
useless.
“Reinforcement team,” Yang Chang-guk’s voice was raised,

“report estimated arrival time…”
He soon lowered his head.
They had just finished identifying available hunters and

military support. Thankfully, the waiting time had been
reduced to the minimum.
Ten minutes.
All they could do now was pray that there would be no

monster wave during those ten minutes.
“Director!” an employee called for his attention. “Situation

report from a field hunter!”
He nodded, and the employee sent the call to the

speakerphone. A voice came through the speakers.
It wasn’t just the Special Defense Agency director, Yang
Chang-guk, who raised his head.
-Central control, can you hear me?
Every employee in the control center soon stopped what

they were doing.
It was not easy to recognize a voice that had been amplified

through a speaker. However, the owner of the voice was
someone who had left a deep impression on everyone’s
mind.
Yang Chang-guk and the others couldn’t mistake it for

anyone else’s.
“Yes. I’m listening… Oh Yoo-seong?”
Everyone was exchanging astonished glances.
-Yes, Director Yang.
Yang Chang-guk fell silent. He felt his chest fill with

emotions.
The disappearance of Oh Yoo-seong had shaken everyone in

the Korean hunting industry. However, now was not the time
to wonder at his miraculous return.
Yang Chang-guk composed himself.
“Welcome back.”
-Thank you.
It was far from the welcome celebration that he deserved.

However, it was all Yang Chang-guk could do for now.
-From now on, please convey this to all areas as a briefing.
There are ways to minimize the damage…
Yoo-seong began to explain his plan as concisely as

possible. It took just a little more than a minute.
Everyone at the control center fully understood.
What Yoo-seong advised was immediately sent out as a

briefing. After hearing it, everyone felt giddy.
The voice was persuasive, and everyone found themselves

acting accordingly.
“That…”
“It makes sense…”
They couldn’t believe it.
It was the same with Yang Chang-guk. In the end, he trusted

Yoo-seong’s proposal and moved the control center
according to his plan.
Yang Chang-guk clenched his fist as he realized what had

happened. He had just taken responsibility for what Yoo-
seong said.
If Yoo-seong could make him do such a thing…
This country might have a new “single.”
“Long live Korea. How comfortable it is because a system is

in place.”
Yoo-seong sighed in relief as he handed the phone back to
Kim Ji-woo. Then he pressed the button and started
‘working.’
Tatataht-!
In the world beyond the crack, the glowing rift appeared

inviting to the monsters. If one or two fell through while
passing by, it was not a big deal.
However, sometimes, herd-type monsters could get out of

it.
Other times, apex predators moved toward the rift, causing

other monsters to be driven out as well, in an escape to flee
them. That was the official definition of a ‘monster wave.’
The wave had not come yet.
Bang-!
It was the Spider Walk with maximum acceleration. Yoo-

seong stepped on the walls of buildings and street posts
underneath the massive crack.
He was rapidly passing through the operation area in a

swirling direction, drawing circles around the area.
“There!”
“It’s really Oh Yoo-seong!”
Hunters along the streets that Yoo-seong passed through

couldn’t help but greet him with surprised cries. The
updated briefing messages had begun to arrive on their
phones.
-All hunters in the operation area should climb up to the
tallest buildings nearby.-
-Hunting will commence from the rooftops of the buildings.-
-Long-range personnel must prioritize flying monsters.-
-Close-range personnel must cover the long-range

personnel.-
-Important: No personnel should go outside the buildings,

even if there are no flying monsters.-
This was what Yoo-seong had ordered through the control

center.
Honestly, Yoo-seong was a little worried when he made the

call. No matter how much Yoo-seong’s name was worth, the
plan would fail if the control center did not believe him.
It was a plan that was hard to believe.
However, because he was directly connected to Yang

Chang-guk, who trusted him well, Yoo-seong got a chance.
This was an opportunity to apply the secrets he had learned
during the last six months inside the crack.
Of course, experimenting with his skills was not his main

priority; it was to end the operation without any casualties.
Yoo-seong swirled and gradually approached the center of

the crack.
He was almost at the very center when he noticed it.
Bang-!
He stopped in his tracks. A team of hunters was camped out
on the street. A hunter who was in his forties approached
Yoo-seong.
“I’m Kang Dong-wook.”
Although not a ranker, he was a veteran Platinum-seal

hunter who had been a team leader since the cracks began
to appear. He had vast experience and was proud of his
skills. However, he couldn’t understand the purpose of Yoo-
seong’s instructions.
“Was that you? Did you tell the control center to put out
such… such a nonsensical briefing?”
Yoo-seong nodded.
“I don’t know what your intention is. I know that flying-type

monsters are dangerous.”
Of course, the most threatening beasts to civilians at the

moment were the flying type. They could cover great
distances in an instance. The rooftops would be the best
place to intercept them.
Kang Dong-wook understood that much.
“You want to put all our firepower on the rooftops. What are
you thinking, giving those instructions?”
If they did as Yoo-seong ordered, the hunters could easily

block the flight-type monsters.
But what was the point if they missed all the monsters on
the ground?
Yoo-seong’s expression was unreadable. At this, Kang Dong-
wook’s face flushed.
“You want everyone to stay on the roofs and wait for the
flight type that may not come? It’s not too late, even now. I
don’t know what your plan is, but we can still…”
Kang Dong-wook suddenly fell silent. He sent a warning look

to Yoo-seong.
A Monkey Viper was hiding next to a fifth-floor window. Kang

Dong-wook slowly pulled out his Geller Gun as the monster
leaped towards Yoo-seong.
“Like this trash…”
Tub-!
Before he could fire his Geller Gun, Yoo-seong blocked its

muzzle with his palm.
“What?! Hey, hey!” Kang Dong-wook was shocked.
He tried to pull his gun away from Yoo-seong and aim once
more, but Yoo-seong’s grip was firm. Meanwhile, the Monkey
Viper was approaching, gliding towards Yoo-seong in a
perfect parabola.
Kang Dong-wook’s eyes widened as he foresaw a

catastrophe.
However…
The Monkey Viper didn’t reach them. Because Yoo-seong’s

‘work’ had done its job.
Yoo-seong didn’t even have to turn around to look at it.

Plok-!
Plok-!
The sound of chunks of flesh falling to the ground echoed.

Yoo-seong stared deeply into Kang Dong-wook’s eyes.
There was no need for further explanation.
“Hurry up, please,” Yoo-seong told him. “We don’t know

when the wave will come.”
“Ah… yes, yes.”
Kang Dong-wook had now perfectly understood.
He turned to his team members, who were as shocked as

him upon witnessing what happened.
“Everyone, go up!”
Kang Dong-wook also took out his radio to advise the other
team members who weren’t with them.
“I made a mistake. All teams… cancel your current positions

and move quickly according to the briefing.”
He hesitated a little before adding.
“Never. Never come out of the buildings.”
Kang Dong-wook then followed Yoo-seong with his eyes.
Yoo-seong’s head hovered just below the crack. Then he

went down to the ground, to the very center of the crack.
Considering that he had run through the operation area so

effortlessly, he looked strangely exhausted.
Yoo-seong looked up at the sky, then closed his eyes for a
bit. It would have been best if the crack had remained silent
as it was just then, but…
Jeeeing-!
Finally, the wave came.
species began pouring out the length of the Storm-class

crack. Hunters watched with their mouths wide open.
Even if they weren’t on the rooftops, it would be impossible

to stop them all.
“Don’t we have to go to the streets now and stop them?” a

hunter asked.
“No,” Kang Dong-wook answered. “Trust him.”
Then he turned his muzzle to the sky. “Our job is to stop the
flying monsters.”
Kang Dong-wook began firing with all his heart as if he was

trying to make up for doubting Yoo-seong.
Papapapapapat-!
Amid the monsters and the bullets flying in the air, Yoo-
seong’s eyes remained closed. This was because the air
wasn’t his realm.
His area was the ground.
Countless monsters were falling to the ground now.
Sha-a-a-ah!
Syringe Lizard-★★★★★
These were cruel beasts who drove their pointed tails into
the body of their prey and sucked their blood. One of them
was falling towards Yoo-seong, its yellow eyes flashing
greedily.
The moment its distance was less than ten meters from Yoo-
seong’s head-
“Hueup-.”
Yoo-seong took a deep breath, and-
-Flame-
A flame appeared around Yoo-seong in the form of a black

dragon.
Then it blew fire into the cobweb that covered the operation
area he had passed through.
Yoo-seong had filled the area with Ki threads not visible to

the naked eye.
Monsters fell through it like tofu through blades, chunks of

their flesh scattering in the air.
Beneath the vast crack, the screams of Yoo-seong’s prey

filled the entire operating area. They were caught in Yoo-
seong’s Giant Flaming Spider Web.
After some time, Yoo-seong opened his eyes. The crack was
now closing.
The sky had turned peaceful again.
Yoo-seong borrowed another hunter’s phone to call the

central control office.
Then…
His word arrived on every hunter’s phone as a briefing

message.
-Thank you.
It all happened according to Yang Chang-guk’s guess. Less

than an hour after the situation ended, the announcement
came.
Yoo-seong was considered a ‘single’.
The hunters in the field informed Yoo-seong of it and

congratulated him. However, Yoo-seong himself remained
silent.
Then, after a while, he opened his mouth.
“What is that?”
Chapter 89
Episode 89
Single.
It was natural that Yoo-seong was not familiar with the word.
It was a term that had been rarely used until six months
ago.
In the past, it was only discussed in the academic world in

the studies about monsters and rifts.
“First,” Yang Chang-guk handed him a cup of coffee, “take a

drink, then let’s talk in detail.”
Yoo-seong looked puzzled as he looked at the cup.
“Oh, is that coffee to your liking?” Yang Chang-guk smiled.
“Of course. Thank you.”
Yang Chang-guk went straight to the operation area after

the hunt and brought him coffee. Yoo-seong took a sip and
enjoyed its warmth flowing down his throat.
He hadn’t touched caffeine for six months. However, more

than that, the coffee Yang Chang-guk brought him was his
favorite blend from his favorite coffee shop.
Yoo-seong was wondering how Yang Chang-guk could have

brought it to him by chance. The coffee shop was a small
franchise that can only be found in a couple of places,
including Yoo-seong’s neighborhood.
“Don’t misunderstand,” Yang Chang-guk smiled as if he was

reading Yoo-seong’s thoughts.
“It may sound weird to you, but… when you went missing
six months ago, the country mourned.”
Broadcasting stations organized special programs to mourn

his death. Each program showed simple content about his
life and achievements.
They showed photographs of Yoo-seong on graduation

albums, student records, and testimonials from his
classmates and friends.
-He’s always been a sincere friend…
-No matter what happens, he always stayed calm.
-I always thought he was going to be big.
“Even this coffee?” Yoo-seong’s eyes were wide.
“It was because of the HBS three-part special about you.”
Part 1 showed Yoo-seong’s career after his debut in Korea.
Part 2 was about his entry into China and his controversial
disappearance.
Part 3 featured Yoo-seong’s life outside hunting.
“Don’t think too badly about the coffee shop. The owner was
completely silent about your personal affairs.”
The coffee shop owner only disclosed that Yoo-seong used
to read books in his store during holidays, and what coffee
blend he usually ordered.
The name of the cafe had been blurred out. However, it

wasn’t that hard to decipher what’s underneath the blur.
-Ethiopian Breeze-
After the broadcast, the brand was hit with crowds of

people, and the small franchise, which initially only had four
stores, secured an additional 49 stores in downtown Seoul in
less than three months.
The coffee Yoo-seong liked only cost 2900 won.
Who knew that it would be such a trending product?
“Now, my sons and daughters also go there often,” Yang

Chang-guk laughed. “They say that in high schools, students
have these cups of coffee on their desks.”
Yoo-seong’s expression remained unreadable.
“Well… did I say something wrong?” Yang Chang-guk was

worried.
However, Yoo-seong’s expression soon returned to normal.
“No. But it’s a little surprising.” Yoo-seong sipped his coffee

slowly.
“Going back, can you tell me more about a ‘single’?” he

added.
“Ah, yes,” Yang Chang-guk smiled and nodded. “If it’s okay
with you, let’s get in my car. This is a very noisy place to
talk.”
The barrier lines had just been lifted. They were surrounded
by the noise of loading equipment and teams of hunters
talking.
As they walked towards his car, Yang Chang-guk spoke.
“I didn’t realize it would be unexpected for you.”
“Yes?”
“I mean, the coffee. Your career… The kind of person you

are right now. You’ll get used to it gradually.”
Yoo-seong didn’t have to wait long to understand what Yang

Chang-guk was saying.
As they walked to the car, he noticed the silence. Everyone

was looking their way.
It was indeed rude to stare at someone. However, it was a

different story if you were looking at something huge.
It was never rude to stare at glorious statues or magnificent

mountains. That was how the people stared at Oh Yoo-seong
as they walked.
They stared at him with silent awe. This was the hunter who
returned beyond the rift after six months.
It felt as if he had left his human limits and ascended

further. Although there was a crowd around them, no one
interrupted Yoo-seong and Yang Chang-guk until they
reached the car.
Just before the car door closed, however, someone yelled

out, “Welcome back!”
Yoo-seong tried to answer right away, but unfortunately, it
was drowned out by the car’s engine. He felt a little sorry as
they sped away.
***
“A single refers to a hunter who can handle the operation of

blocking Typhoon-class rifts and below by himself.”
Yoo-seong considered this.
Volcano. Thunder. Typhoon. Storm. Sky.
These were the five rift scales in Korea.
Overall, a Typhoon-class wasn’t that large. Lee Jae-hak had

already entered a Storm-class crack alone to perform an
interception operation.
What Yang Chang-guk was talking about right now was not
simply a matter of combat power. It was a story of effective
concealment or combat, whichever was necessary.
On top of that, the hunter was required to operate the pulse

breaker alone.
It was beyond how many monsters a hunter could catch

solo. It was a common question in civilians’ heads.
Why did an operation need so many hunters to be put in?
From the rush team, the center, and the outskirts, a large
number of hunters were always deployed. Wasn’t it just a
matter of placing just one team with a few rankers inside
the crack?
Unfortunately, this was not the case.

Monsters were nothing more than wild animals that had
fallen to this world.
Some animals were driven by their appetite, while some

simply felt frightened and ran wildly, causing damage.
The hunters’ job was to completely block the rift and

prevent damage, not to defeat monsters. And so, the
Special Defense Agency couldn’t just drop some strong
hunters in an operation.
It would be inefficient.
“Even if there is a 1% chance that a beast escapes beyond

the barrier line, it would mean a minimum of one civilian
dying once a month.” Yang Chang-guk shuddered just by
thinking about it.
“Can you imagine? Once a month! In this case alone, I don’t

know what would have happened if it wasn’t for the
military.”
Yoo-seong nodded and spoke in a grave voice. “I know

someone died in this operation.”
“Ah, yes.” Yang Chang-guk shook his head. “A police officer

was tragically killed by a Shantiga. It’s a sacrifice that
shouldn’t have happened. Compensation for the bereaved
will surely come.”
While it was really unfortunate for the policeman, Yang

Chang-guk couldn’t help but feel relief that it wasn’t a
civilian that had been caught in that accident.
“And the more we go, the more these risks will increase.”
The frequency of crack appearance was increasing rapidly.
Due to fatigue and injuries, the skills of the hunters
participating in the operation were deteriorating.
Therefore, there was no choice but to find an alternative.
“A single hunter capable of blocking operation alone is a

single. A two-person pair is a double; a three-person team is
a triple,” Yang Chang-guk explained.
“Three months ago, the Defense Department was exploring

the possibilities,” he added.
Yoo-seong was genuinely curious. “What is the result?”
Yang Chang-guk had an exhausted expression on his face.

“Lee Jae-hak has been temporarily judged as a double…
other than that. No one else has qualified as a double or
higher.”
There were only a few elite hunters in the country. The

Korean hunting industry’s virtue lay in its system and the
spirit of cooperation. It was also thanks to that virtue that
Yoo-seong’s instructions spread rapidly in an emergency.
Ironically though, it was also the reason why they were in a

dilemma.
The hunters in Korea were used to working in groups. There

were only a few who could handle solo operations.
In that respect, it was only Yoo-seong so far who proved his

skill in the field with his Flame Web. His Tech had a range
large enough to cover the entire operating area of a Storm-
class crack.
“Honestly, I’m so glad you’re back,” Yang Chang-guk said
sincerely. “I’m serious.”
He had a lot of questions in his mind.
‘How did Yoo-seong come to have such an incredible Tech?’
‘What happened in those six months?’
The most burning thing he wanted to ask was about Yoo-

seong’s disappearance.
It was an incident that raised numerous conspiracy theories.

After the Dive that Yoo-seong disappeared in, the Chinese
government thoroughly hid specific information.
The statement they released seemed to be prepared in

advance. It was as if they treated the life of the members
who participated lightly.
Therefore, there were rumors that Yoo-seong did not

actually go missing.
Some said that he had been kept in a Chinese facility and

subjected to human testing.
Naturally, neither the Special Defense Agency nor the

Korean government gave up. Although there was no
information that could be obtained from the Chinese
government, they tried to investigate.
They learned about the situation Yoo-seong was in before

the Dive, and what happened during the briefing.
‘What if Yoo-seong’s disappearance was really planned?’
Yang Chang-guk glanced over at the passenger seat. Yoo-

seong was looking outside the window, deep in thought. At
this, he grabbed the chance to ask the question that burned
on him the most.
“In the Dive…”
“It was not an accident,” Yoo-seong cut him off without even

turning to return his gaze.
“What did you say?”
“It was not an accident that I did not return from the Dive. It
was part of my contract with Tenz. The Chinese government
was not involved. It was my job, and I accepted it.”
Yang Chang-guk was stunned.
Yoo-seong revealed what happened with his own mouth,

without any hesitation.
“Does that answer your question?”
“Yes?”
“I knew there might be some misunderstandings since I

went missing.”
“Now, at present…”
“To be clear, my contract with Tenz is now completely over. I

have achieved the conditions they set for me, and the only
remaining process is to settle the contract. I don’t have to
go back to China anymore.”
Yang Chang-guk briefly considered what Yoo-seong said.
What was important was that he was not going to return to

China ever again.
“The job Tenz made you do inside the crack…” he tried to go
further.
“I can’t tell you,” Yoo-seong said it matter-of-factly.
“No disrespect to your authority as the Director,” Yoo-

seong’s gaze was somehow rebuking.
“If you have questions about a hunter and company

contract, I have no obligation to answer. Even if they are a
foreign company, I do not intend to break the contract trust
we agreed to.”
A bead of cold sweat dripped down Yang Chang-guk’s

temple. As Yoo-seong said, he had no right to ask.
“Do you have any other questions? I will answer anything

that I can,” Yoo-seong said.
Yang Chang-guk considered this for a moment. This young

man in front of him had been cut off from anyone for six
months.
However, he felt like the same person he saw a few months

ago.
Yoo-seong was made of solid wood that could never shake.

Yang Chang-guk stepped back with a white flag.
“No, that’s enough. As you said, I have no right to ask

questions about your contract. I just care about your future
plans, if you will be staying in Korea from now on.”
“No problem at all,” Yoo-seong nodded. “That is, if they

don’t sign me on another contract.”
Yang Chang-guk laughed bitterly. At that point, the car was
already in downtown Seoul.
“Then, you must take a good rest. You suffered more than
anyone, not just today but in the last six months. First, to
the hotel…”
“No,” Yoo-seong shook his head and gave Yang Chang-guk

his address.
He arranged for the house to be maintained before he left

Korea. Even after his disappearance, virtually death, it was
still well-kept.
They arrived in front of his home. Before Yoo-seong opened

the car door, Yang Chang-guk seemed to remember
something.
“Ah, wait a second. I forgot to explain earlier. I have

something for you.”
He pulled out a box the size of a human head from the back
of his car and handed it over.
“What is this?”
“It’s a gift. You’re free to give it away, but I recommend you

use it. Would you like to check it first? It’s a little
complicated. It opens when you press that button…”
Yoo-seong followed Yang Chang-guk’s instructions.
Click-
Shh!
Gas used for preservation leaked out with a hissing sound.

In the last six months, Yoo-seong thought he had
experienced enough surprises.
However, when the gas finally cleared and the inside of the
box was revealed…
“Huh?!”
Yoo-seong was speechless.
Yang Chang-guk enjoyed his reaction. “Isn’t it incredible? It’s

something that didn’t exist until your last Dive…”
By the time Yang Chang-guk finished his explanation, Yoo-

seong completely agreed that he needed this.
Chapter 90
Episode 90
Yoo-seong opened his eyes before his alarm went off. As

soon as he registered the softness beneath his head and
body-
Bang-!
Yoo-seong leaped out of bed and landed in the corner of his

room. Then he laughed bitterly.
He was finally home.
‘There is no danger,’ he reminded himself. Where he had

come from, the touch of softness was a dangerous element.
Huwook-
Yoo-seong shook his hand, pulling the threads of Ki that

filled his entire house back into his body.
Months ago, it had been an insanely painful Tech, but he

had forced himself to get used to it. No matter how skillful
he was, he had no way to defend himself while sleeping. So
he had learned how to weave the Spider Web.
It was too simple, really, to describe the process as

‘learning.’ It was a great achievement born from his sense of
isolation, fear, and the desire for sleep.
However, it was hard to unlearn the habit. Even last night,
he couldn’t sleep without the Spider Web.
After washing his face, Yoo-seong walked toward the table.
The black box Yang Chang-guk had given him was upon it.
Click-!
Gas spilled out.
When it cleared, the shape inside was revealed. It was a

man’s severed head.
***
Sunkyung Villa.
It was in a small, residential district on the outskirts of

Seoul. It was also a peaceful and quiet place, but this
morning, it was crowded with people.
“Is this address correct?”
“He lived here before he went to China. Would he still be

here?”
Countless reporters with cameras had gathered for the

same purpose – to see Oh Yoo-seong.
“Uh? Here he comes!” someone shouted.
Everyone turned to look at the villa’s lobby, where a

handsome man was coming outside. Camera shutters burst
all at once, and the reporters began yelling out questions.
“Welcome back, Mr. Oh Yoo-seong! Please tell us how you

feel after your return?”
“Is it true that you went missing in an accident during the
operation?”
However…
“What?”
“Who is that?”
The man who came out of the lobby seemed as confused as

the reporters.
“That isn’t Oh Yoo-seong…”
“He’s the same height…”
The man’s build was certainly that of a hunter, and he was

as tall as Yoo-seong, but he wasn’t him.
First of all, Yoo-seong’s face was oval-shaped. This man,

however, had prominent jawbones.
“It’s too early in the morning for this noise…” the man
mumbled as he passed by the crowd.
The disappointed reporters gave way. But what they didn’t

know was…
The man who had just passed by them was indeed Oh Yoo-
seong. The severed head that had sat on his table a few
minutes ago was a full mask.
Mimic Gorilla – ★★
This was a monster whose pure combat power was even

lower than that of a single star monster. However, what
made it slightly more dangerous was its mimic ability, which
could be counted among the world’s best.
Its flexible skin tissue, which changed from moment to
moment, could cause confusion among hunters during
operations.
What Yoo-seong had received from Yang Chang-guk was a

mask made from its leather. When worn on the face, the
user could perfectly imitate the appearance of other people.
It was an experimental product made by the Defense

Agency’s laboratory.
“The news of your return has likely reached the media

outlets,” Yang Chang-guk had said.
“Of course, you deserve the spotlight, but… in my

judgment, it would cause quite a stir.”
Yoo-seong agreed with Yang Chang-guk. Even in the taxi he

caught, the driver was talking about his return.
“Did you see the news? I knew he was alive! That guy can’t
die…”
Even the radio program they were tuned in to during the

ride was talking about Yoo-seong. Even before going to
China, he had been popular, but being a “popular guy” was
a completely different thing from being “a popular guy who
came back from the dead.”
Besides, it was not just his return that had made waves. It
was his miraculous performance during the Storm-class
crack. The country was both heated and hungry for him.
“You can’t go outside defenseless,” Yang Chang-guk had

warned.
Yoo-seong hated to think of himself as someone important,
but at the moment, he couldn’t afford to have his
information and location being known at all times.
He needed the means to move around freely until it

subsided.
First, he needed Tenz to contact him.
Yoo-seong had what Jin Wei-baek wanted. The news of his

return had quickly spread to China. Jin Wei-baek would come
to him to settle the contract.
‘For Sung-wook,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Wow wow wow-!
An alarm suddenly rang from afar. It was the siren sound

announcing a crack’s appearance. Not surprisingly, the road
was blocked soon after, and barrier lines were installed.
The traffic was soon restricted.
“Oh, damn it,” the taxi driver reflexively swore. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Yoo-seong assured him.
“These days, that siren is ringing every day, even at dawn.

Yesterday, in Itaewon, the road was blocked too. We had no
customers the whole day.”
These days, Seoul alone was experiencing two to four

cracks a day.
Even in a society that had become accustomed to rifts, it

was starting to affect civilians’ lives.
“You may be feeling it, too,” the driver continued. “We keep
getting traffic like this. Buildings are paralyzed; it’s bad for
the economy. Besides, yesterday, one of those police
officers died. It seems like there will be a big catastrophe
soon.”
“I hope not,” Yoo-seong remarked.
“That’s right. Yes. Me too…. The road is already very busy; I

think it would be best for you to use the subway.”
“I think I should, thank you.”
Yoo-seong paid and got out of the taxi. However, he didn’t

go toward the subway station. He had noticed something in
an alleyway and went straight to a convenience store.
After a few minutes, he came out and headed to the

alleyway.
A hunter was leaning on the wall, gasping for air.
“Are you okay?” Yoo-seong asked him. The hunter was in his
late thirties, with a silver armband and no team band. There
was no sign of serious injury, but he was pale.
His breathing was also a telltale sign that he was suffering

an Aura shock. The hunter shook his head several times as
if he was trying to clear his vision.
“I’m okay… I’m just a little dizzy.”
The hunter looked Yoo-seong up and down and pretended to

be calm. He thought Yoo-seong was an ordinary person.
He didn’t want a civilian to see a hunter so badly shaken.

“There is nothing to worry about. I work in the industry too,”
Yoo-seong assured him.
Then he handed the hunter an ion drink and aspirin from the
convenience store.
“Thank you so much. Do you work in the medical

department?”
Yoo-seong didn’t answer. He had no license, equipment, or

even a cellphone. Even the face he was wearing wasn’t his
own.
Instead, he asked him a question.
“Are you still going to participate in this operation?”
“Ah… yes. I am not injured, and I can rest for a while once
this operation is over.”
“You look very tired.”
“Well, it’s too early in the morning. I also worked in Itaewon

yesterday. And before that, I had another operation.”
The hunter would be on his third operation in less than three

days. Even if he wasn’t injured, the rate of his Aura
exhaustion was quite high.
“You deserve a break,” Yoo-seong remarked.
The hunter considered. “I can try asking the on-site medical

staff. Oh, I didn’t introduce myself. Kim Jin-myeong.”
“I’m Oh Yoo-seong.”
“That’s a great name,” Kim Jin-myeong smiled weakly.

Everyone knew Oh Yoo-seong’s face. Therefore, Kim Jin-
myeong simply thought that the person before him had the
same name as the incredible hunter.
“If it’s okay, Yoo-seong, can you help me to where the

person in charge is? As you know, the medical team is quite
strict these days. It may be helpful if an expert accompanies
me.”
Yoo-seong nodded. Then he supported Kim Jin-myeong and

started walking with him.
“I don’t want to look like a coward…” Kim Jin-myeong said.

Despite being in such a weak state, it was shameful for him
to ask for a break. “But I really don’t have time to rest these
days.”
“I think that you’ve done all you can if you’ve reached this
state.”
Kim Jin-myeong laughed bitterly. “I’ve been better, though. I

can’t help it. I left the firm and stood alone as a solo, but
I’ve been running around from operation to operation since
then. My body is hurt, I don’t have time to see my family…”
“Everyone has a different limit. I think what’s important is

that we do our best to the extent we can.”
Kim Jin-myeong was silent for a while. “That’s correct.”
At that point, they reached the temporary camp. The

employees were busy preparing for the operation.
A medical officer from the Defense Agency stood, evaluating

hunters who were in poor condition.
“License FV-32241, Kim Jin-myeong,” the hunter declared
himself at the desk.
“Are you here for the purpose of requesting a break?”
“Yes. The reason is Aura shock…” Kim Jin-myeong hesitated

for a moment. “I will not ask for a total break. It will be
enough if I can work outside the area where I’m currently
assigned.”
Kim Jin-myeong glanced at Yoo-seong.
As this young man said, what was important was that he did
his best to the extent he could. However, the medical
officer’s response was cold.
“It’s not something you can just do as and when you like.”
“Yes?”
“If it’s Aura shock, you should bring a medical certificate.”
“The medical certificate… because I don’t have time to go

to the hospital…”
“If you don’t have it, I can’t prove it.”
Yoo-seong felt shocked. “I can see the signs of shock at first

glance. You’re a medical person; why can’t you see it?” he
intervened.
“If we just depend on looking at their faces, everyone here

should be on break. We need a medical certificate.”
“Then…” Kim Jin-myeong was at a loss for words.
A team of hunters who were behind them spoke. “If you’re

done, please let us through.”
As soon as Kim Jin-myeong turned around, he recognized
them.
Gung-on.
One of the 2F.
However, unlike Kim Jin-myeong, they looked to be in very

good condition.
“Team License FT-352. This is Yoo Yoo-seok, the team leader.

Here is our medical certificate.”
A bunch of files was placed in front of the medical officer.

The officer took it and scanned it briefly.
Then…
“Good,” he nodded. “Rest is approved for two days. Please

wait for the next operation.”
“Thank you.”
It was a clear picture to anyone.
Yoo Yoo-seok and his team were in a condition to be put into

operation right now. However, they had a medical
certificate.
Large-scale firms could afford two or three medical staff

attached to their teams. For the current operation, the crack
was just between a Volcano and a Thunder-class.
It was too small for large firms.
They wouldn’t want to use their manpower on a tiny rift that

offered no money or achievement points.
Not all big organizations did this, because the majority of
the hunters valued “duty.” However, the others, who valued
monetary gains and fame, used this approach.
They only participated in cracks that fit their class.
Kim Jin-myeong and the other hunters in the camp kept

silent. They were used to seeing preferential treatment for
those who could afford it.
However, Yoo-seong couldn’t help himself.
“Wait a minute.”
“Yes?” Yoo Yoo-seok raised his voice.
Yoo-seong looked at him, then at the medical officer.
“Officer. Please explain what this team is doing.”
“What?”
“I don’t know what’s written in the certificate, but everyone

can see that Kim Jin-myeong is in a worse state than they
are.”
“Hey!” The medical officer blushed. “What are you-”
A calm voice from Gung-on butted in. “Combat fatigue. I

don’t know if you’ve heard of it. A hunter’s job doesn’t
always result in physical trauma.”
“Is it difficult for them mentally?” Yoo-seong asked him.
“Yes?”
“But they can still play mobile games?”

Everyone’s gaze turned to the hunter Yoo-seong was
pointing at.
One of the Gung-on team members quickly hid his

cellphone. Yoo Yoo-seok’s raised his voice.
“Whatever it looks like, this is the diagnosis a doctor gave

us. I got the paperwork. Why are you arguing about it? What
should I do?”
“Don’t ask me what you should do,” Yoo-seong replied

before turning to Kim Jin-myeong.
“Can I borrow your phone?”
Kim Jin-myeong handed it to him.
Yoo-seong glanced at the phone wallpaper. It was a family

photo of Jin-myeong, his wife, and their son.
He quickly began typing a text message.
“I’m calling a doctor,” Yoo-seong said, “and texting the

Director of the Special Defense Agency. All of you here will
serve as witnesses…”
“Damn… what are you talking about?” the medical officer

raged. “In the first place, who are you? Why are you walking
around here in casual clothes?”
Yoo-seong kept on typing on the phone, ignoring him. The

medical officer then called for security, but Yoo-seong didn’t
mind, which aggravated him further.
He had never seen this person’s face. Texting the Director of

the Special Defense Agency? Not even a call. A text. Was
there anyone who could do that?
“Hey. Listen carefully. Everyone is going to be busy. A rift is
opening. We don’t have time to watch your show.” Yoo Yoo-
seok laughed.
“No one is going to be busy,” Yoo-seong responded.
“What?”
“Everyone who needs a break will be rested.”
“The firm could just sue you, you know? You’re wasting our
time.”
Defense Agency guards and police were already

approaching the camp at the request of the medical officer.
“Show me your ID or license,” one of the guards asked Yoo-

seong.
Suddenly…
Swish-!
“Huh?”
Yoo-seong placed the mask into his slot, revealing his face.
To everyone’s eyes, it seemed that his face had changed in
an instant.
He didn’t have an ID card or a hunter’s license.
However, he was someone who could prove himself with

just his face. At this, the medical officer trembled.
“I’m sorry… sorry…”
“You don’t have to be sorry to me,” Yoo-seong said. Then he

turned to the other hunters in the room.
“If you want to request a break, please tell this medical
officer your condition or reason.”
Then Yoo-seong handed Kim Jin-myeong’s phone to the

medical officer. On it was the reply to Yoo-seong from Yang
Chang-guk, the Director of the Special Defense Agency.
“There is no hurry. Please make a better judgment about

them this time.”
Then Yoo-seong took off his outerwear and began walking,

all without any equipment. He walked to the blocking line
where the crack would appear.
The medical officer read through the text conversation

between Yoo-seong and Yang Chang-guk before calling out,
“At least tell me how many hunters you need to run this
operation with you!”
Without even looking back, Yoo-seong answered him.
“I don’t need any.”
Everyone heard it.
“I’ll do it alone.”
Chapter 91
Episode 91
Yoo Yoo-seok felt the blood rise to his head, but he held
himself back.
“No, wait for a second!”
He raised his voice, but Yoo-seong did not look back. “Oh
Yoo-seong! Wait!”
After signaling his team members to wait, Yoo-seok crossed

the barrier line and began to pursue Yoo-seong.
Tatatak-!
Yoo-seong was running on the walls of the buildings using

Spider Walk.
If he hadn’t stopped on a roof, it would never have been

possible for Yoo-seok to catch up with him. Yoo-seok,
breathing heavily, landed behind Yoo-seong.
‘This kid wants to show off here,’ he thought.
Yoo-seok was gasping for air, but he had to end their

conversation smoothly somehow.
”Sorry. The team members have been very tired from the
series of operations… Still, I have taken the wrong actions.”
Yoo-seok’s voice was polite. He could afford to be. No one
was around to listen to them.
“If it’s okay with you,” he added. “I would like our team to
participate in this operation as an apology. Of course, that
doesn’t mean our blame will be erased,” Yoo-seok
continued.
He thought Yoo-seong would not be able to refuse him.
‘He can’t do this operation alone,’ he thought. It wasn’t just

him who thought so. The current opinion of the hunting
industry was the same.
-Only one person blocked the Storm-class rift?
-It’s not like the other hunters on the scene weren’t doing
anything. He probably didn’t do it alone.
-Looks like the Special Defense Agency is promoting Oh Yoo-

seong.
No one doubted Oh Yoo-seong’s ability. However, it was hard

to believe that a single person could cover a Storm-class rift.
Because of the shortage of hunters on the scene, not many

people had witnessed the operation. And even those who
were on the scene did not realize what Yoo-seong had done,
as they had been focused on their own areas. Most
important of all, it had been less than twenty-four hours
since it occurred.
There had not been enough time for people to digest what
had happened.
‘I guess you’re just taking all the credit,’ Yoo-seok thought.

No matter how strong Yoo-seong was, he was just one
hunter.
‘Gung-on is behind me,’ he assured himself.
His eldest brother, Yoo Jun-suk, now headed Gung-on. They

were now on the verge of overtaking Yoon Kang-cheol’s QR,
which had been slowing down recently.
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong was silent.
He was standing still, looking at the streets below them.
“Aren’t these difficult times?” Yoo-seok continued. “If you

look at the bigger picture, this is a waste of time.”
Suddenly…
Clink-!
Yoo Yoo-seok doubted his eyes.
“Well, what…”
Like magic, a suit appeared on Yoo-seong’s body in an

instant. It was the famous suit that everyone knew.
Somehow, it had a strange, red glow.
Before putting on his helmet, Yoo-seong turned and looked

at him.
“It’s more of a waste to be someone like you.”
Yoo Yoo-seok felt blood creep into his face. “What did you
say?!” He raised his voice. “So, you really want to do it this
way? You’re pretending you can do it alone so everyone will
praise you!”
Yoo-seong did not answer. For him, it wasn’t worth talking to
Yoo-seok anymore.
However, he raised his index finger.
“If you come closer, you will get hurt.”
Yoo Yoo-seok clenched his fists. He was wearing an action

cam.
Yoo-seok hoped that Yoo-seong would attack him here.
“If you want to hit me, do it.” He stepped forward with his
nostrils flared.
Yoo-seong did not hit him. However, his warning was not for
nothing.
Yoo Yoo-seok felt heat slicing at his nose. He tried to step

back, but it was too late.
“Ouch!”
A Ki thread had dug about a centimeter deep on the tip of

his nose.
It wasn’t a deep wound, but it was embarrassing because he

had gotten cut.
“You… you are…”
“I warned you. I hope you don’t forget where we are.”
Yoo Yoo-seok looked around. They were inside the

established block line.
“It’s the result of you ignoring my warning and interrupting

a hunter authorized by the Defense Agency from his duty.”
Yoo-seong flexed his neck.
There was a reason why he was standing on a rooftop.
Even if a Thunder-class rift was smaller than the rift

yesterday, there would be no other hunters on the rooftops
covering him. Moreover, he had declared in public that he
would go alone.
To prove himself, he had to make sure to secure the area

with his Spider Webs.
“It’s better not to go down to the ground until the situation

is over,” he told Yoo-seok.
“Still, it’s your choice. You can take responsibility for

yourself.”
After adding that, Yoo-seong leaped away. Yoo Yoo-seok was

frozen in his spot.
After getting his nose cut by an invisible thread, he was

hesitant to leave the rooftop. Instead, he pulled out his
phone.
Before long, his brother Yoo Jun-seok got on the other line.
-Yoo-seok?
“Oh, brother!”
Yoo-seok explained his situation to his elder brother, the

CEO of Gung-on.
“…So that bastard leaped off. He’s going to do the operation

alone…”
Suddenly, Yoo-seok fell silent.

-Hello? Why are you suddenly so quiet?
-Hey, Yoo-seok? Yoo-seok?
Yoo-seok could hear his older brother’s alarmed voice on the

other end of the line, but he couldn’t speak.
He couldn’t take his eyes off the sight in front of him.
“No way…”
Oh Yoo-seong.
The man who had just been in front of him…
He was far beyond anything he could have imagined.
“Brother… wait a minute.”
He couldn’t explain it with words.
He took his phone from his ear and switched it to video call.
Then he pointed the camera so that his brother could see
the incredible sight in front of him.
Other people were holding their cell phone cameras toward

Yoo-seong.
***
For the general public, small cracks such as the Thunder-

class were preferable.
It wasn’t just because the risk they presented was small.

The blocking lines were also narrower and restricted, so
they could watch the operation from their apartments.
For civilians, it was similar to watching a fireworks display.
And so, even though it was officially illegal, when there was
a “visible” operation nearby, people would pack up their
cameras and telescopes and climb up onto rooftops to
watch it.
They were always on the lookout for their favorite hunters.

However, today, a slightly different sight awaited them.
“Why aren’t there any hunters?”
“There are a lot outside the blocking line…”
The citizens were speaking in anxious tones. The hunters

should have been in their positions already.
The crack was erupting with loud noises, signaling the

approach of monsters. However, the hunters behind the
blocking line were not moving.
“It’s opening!” someone cried out.
Kugugugung-!
With a sound like thunder, the crack opened. It only had a

diameter of several tens of meters, but the number of
beasts pouring out was alarming.
“Too fast…”
“Don’t we need to evacuate?”
They guessed the hunters weren’t entering the blocking line

because the number of beasts was too much.
“Run!” someone shouted.
That judgment was the most rational for them at the

moment. However, after a few moments, it would be judged
as an unnecessary fuss.
This was because, soon, their anxiety and fear would turn to
shock and awe.
“The monsters… they are melting,” someone with a

telescope observed.
“What is that?!”
“Awesome!”
To those watching from a distance, it would seem as if the

monsters were melting before they even reached the
ground.
However, to be precise, they were being chopped and

burned by something invisible.
“They’re dying!”
“Is that a new sort of technology?”
The voices were not filled with fear and concern anymore.
They were filled with wonder, as the civilians turned their
eyes and lenses toward the spectacular view.
They weren’t aware that what they were shooting was the
first appearance of a Single.
***
Hundreds of thousands of threads were connected to Yoo-

seong’s fine veins.
It was not a problem for him. He was standing on a rooftop
watching the monsters pour down.
The crack itself was about forty-five meters wide.
The blockage area was completely covered with Spider

Webs, trapping the falling monsters. Compared to the
previous operation, it was not “less” difficult. Although the
area had a narrower range, Yoo-seong had been forced to
make his Spider Web denser.
There were no other hunters to support him, so he could not

afford to miss a single beast.
‘I’m not sure if I can handle a Typhoon-class crack yet,’ he

thought.
As far as this Thunder-class rift was concerned, though, he

had proven to be capable of a perfect solo operation.
Yoo-seong sighed with relief.
He had faith in himself. Even so, he had been worried about

doing what he’d never done before. In the end, though, he
was able to do it.
At least, with this alone, he could say that the hard days
he’d spent inside the crack were not in vain. In those six
long months, Yoo-seong had learned a lot.
With this thought, he focused back on his surroundings. It

was time to do more work.
Keeek-!
He raised his head to the sound.
Wildfire Bird-★★★
This was a flight-type monster that would not fall onto the
Spider Web he had made. They were coming out the cracks
one by one.
Yoo-seong did not move immediately.
He waited until two of them were through the crack. Then,

with his Steel Steps, he ran up into the air.
-Keek!
One of them saw Yoo-seong and dived to attack him.
Yoo-seong turned slightly to avoid it, pushing it a little off

course so that it would land on a rooftop.
Then he fired a Gellar Gun at the second Wildfire Bird.
Papat-!
The bullets hit the bird’s neck feathers but were not
powerful enough to damage its neck. It was enough for what
Yoo-seong planned, though.
Kiik-!
The first bird shrieked.
Yoo-seong had not pushed it off just to avoid it. He had

wrapped a Spider Web around its neck.
It had remained loose until Yoo-seong shot another web into

the second bird’s neck. The birds shrieked as they flew
around wildly.
However much they tried, they could not get away from the
blockage line. They were pulling at each other with every
move, strangling themselves. And Yoo-seong wasn’t done
yet.
Tatatak-!
Yoo-seong ran through the air repeatedly, binding more and

more birds together.
Then…
Go-oh-!
Yoo-seong blew fire into the threads that bound the birds.
Kieeehik-!
Although they were called “wildfire,” the birds did not

breathe fire. They were given that name because of their
bright red feathers.
However, at this moment, they were literally caught in a

wildfire. It was a trap that Yoo-seong himself had designed.
One they would not escape from.
Then…
Tatak-!
Yoo-seong stepped into the crack.
Everyone behind the blocking line had the same expression.

They were watching with their mouths wide open.
Yoo-seong had asked them to wait for the doctor and have
their conditions checked. However, even without that, they
wouldn’t have wanted to leave the area. Initially, it had
been because they were worried.
They had been concerned about whether or not Yoo-seong

could really control the rift alone.
Now, it was because of wonder. They didn’t want to miss the

opportunity to witness the miracle Yoo-seong was making.
In addition to this, as soon as Yoo-seong entered the crack,

they held their breaths. A quiet stillness spread along the
temporary control center.
“There… but…” someone said hesitantly.
Naturally, everyone’s eyes turned to the person who had

spoken.
“Oh, no… it’s just that. Did anyone see him take a breaker
with him?”
It was what everyone was thinking.
They had seen Yoo-seong go into the crack without a pulse

breaker. After exchanging confused and worried glances, a
hunter raised his hand.
He was pretty exhausted from the successive operations

he’d participated in, but he liked Yoo-seong.
“It’s not my expertise, but I had experience in rushing

before I went solo.”
“If that’s the case, we should go!”
Other hunters began raising their hands.
“We also…”
“I have experience too!”
As everyone was raising their voices, a loud noise stopped

them.
Jiii-!
It was a magnetic sound ringing from inside the crack,

where Yoo-seong was standing alone.
Chapter 92
Episode 92
Two kinds of sights could be seen from the outside world

once a crack closed.
Glare and dispersion.
When a charged pulse breaker exploded, the intense light it

emitted could be seen outside. At that point, the crack was
practically closed, but a blue-colored Aura would appear in
its place.
It was like the scab on a healed wound.
Then the blue Aura would scatter into tiny particles and
disappear.
However, those two expected sights did not appear.
Instead…
Jiii-!
The sky was crumpling. The crack’s opening was getting

narrower and narrower.
“How is that…” someone muttered in confusion.
It was as if the crack was being forcibly closed. Now, the

hunters behind the blocking line began raising their
cellphones and action cams.
They wanted to capture the strange phenomenon.
Yoo-seong was working inside the crack. The world beyond it

was a jungle environment, typical of cracks in the Korean
peninsula.
Yoo-seong was jumping between the tops of the massive

trees in the jungle.
Tatatak-!
In his right hand, he held a metallic rod. Its length was

about that of a baseball bat.
It was thick enough for him to grasp it comfortably. It looked

like a giant needle. This was the real prize of his six-month
journey.
Jin Wei-baek had asked him to find something specific inside

the crack. The needle was something else Yoo-seong had
found alongside it.
It was not part of Jin Wei-baek’s request.
The Sky Needle.
Yoo-seong leaped high enough to reach the top of the crack.

Then he poked the tip of the needle just into it.
Howook-!
Surprisingly, the tip of the needle disappeared. Then it

appeared again.
It was as if it had gone through the invisible fabric of the sky

itself. After that, Yoo-seong allowed his body to fall once
more, bringing the needle with him.
A thick Aura thread dragged behind him, coming out of the

Sky Needle’s eye. It was purple-colored, different from the
usual blue-colored Aura.
Yoo-seong landed at the bottommost part of the crack and

repeated his prior action, poking the needle through the air,
then leaping up, tightening the thread.
He did it repeatedly, forming a zigzag pattern of purple

thread to close the crack. Amazingly, the crack was getting
narrower as the thread itself tightened!
After finishing the stitching from one end of the crack to the
other, Yoo-seong paused. He was breathing heavily.
‘This is no joke,’ he thought.
It was his first time using the Sky Needle. He hadn’t even
known that the tool was designed to work that way. He only
knew it was something used to close cracks. In fact, he even
brought a pulse breaker in one of his slots, just to be safe.
Yoo-seong looked at the crack he had sewn.
‘Similar to my Ki threads… but thicker.’
The threads Yoo-seong used for the Spider Web were so thin
that they had practically turned invisible. This was also the
reason he was able to extract a huge amount without
exhausting his CE.
However, the threads used by the Sky Needle were almost

as thick as chains.
If it weren’t for the training he’d had with Sung-wook, Yoo-
seong would never be able to do this without using his
button. On top of the amount of Aura required, maintaining
its length and strength also required tremendous skill.
However, in the case of Yoo-seong, his body had already

experienced a higher level of control through his constant
practice of Parasitic Bees and Spider Web.
Yoo-seong decided he could do this without using the Auto-

Hunt and was trying to control the thick threads by himself.
The result was as Yoo-seong had guessed.
‘Even with just my own skill, I can fully control it.’
Of course, since he had Auto-Hunt, he didn’t have to learn

this. Still, Yoo-seong wore a satisfied smile.
He was proud he was able to do it with his own power.

Suddenly, he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise.
At this, he quickly turned.
“Ha!”
The jungle was dense with high trees, but he couldn’t see a
hint of green leaves in the background. It was all red behind
him.
-Kiek!
-Keek!
Hundreds of Wildfire Birds were perched on the trees,

hungry eyes staring at him.
-Kii!
They rushed at once toward Yoo-seong, who had been
caught unprepared. He immediately leaped away.
Bang-!
His direction was not toward the Wildfire Birds. It was toward
the crack he had threaded.
Guwooong-!
Although the crack was getting narrower every second,

there was still enough space for Yoo-seong to squeeze
through.
Before long, Yoo-seong was back in his world.
Flick-!
He pressed the button and then fell backward, facing the

crack.
The Wildfire Birds were right behind him. It was a horrifying

sight to see hundreds of them trying to squeeze their heads
out of the crack.
As he stared at them, Yoo-seong recovered all the Spider

Webs he had spread in the operation area. There were no
more ground monsters for him to catch.
Once all that Aura was back in his body, he concentrated it

in his right hand.
Go-oh-oh-oh!
In the blink of an eye, his upper-body muscles had grown.
Meanwhile, one of the Wildfire Birds had managed to

squeeze out of the crack.
Yoo-seong used the Sky Needle he was holding along with
the concentrated Aura in his hands.
Huwoook-!
He pulled the threads of the crack closed. For a moment, it

seemed as if the whole sky crumpled. The blue rift, the
hundreds of Wildfire Bird heads squeezing through it-
They all disappeared in an instant.
Just then, Yoo-seong landed gently on a rooftop.
-Kiee!
The lone Wildfire Bird that had escaped felt confused. It

hovered in the air, looking around the unfamiliar
environment.
Then…
-Kiiik!
A Spider Web wrapped around its body, a tremendous force

pulling it down. The beast’s instincts sensed death as it
struggled against the fall.
-Kiyaaaak!
The monster flapped its wings desperately. It helped it stay

in the air, but strangely, it could not climb further away.
“It’s good,” Yoo-seong muttered. “The safety of hunters and

civilians is secured. The capture of the prey would be the
next priority.”
Auto-Hunt helped him capture the monster alive. Although

he really didn’t need it, it was still nice to make more money
from the solo operation.
Quietly humming, Yoo-seong returned to the ground, pulling

a helpless Wildfire Bird behind him.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Jin Chang-hoon declared.
As soon as he arrived at the temporary camp, he began

checking the Gung-on medical certificates.
“Combat fatigue? Whether it is combat stress response

(CSR) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not even
clearly stated,” he explained.
“And even so, isn’t it too soon to diagnose them with

these?” he added.
“No,” the Gung-on doctor began to reason out. “These

hunters have displayed such symptoms even before now,
so…”
“Are you kidding me?” Jin Chang-hoon cut him off.
“Stress, trauma, whatever it is, it requires medical

treatment. Afflicted hunters are like time bombs. So why
aren’t they getting taken care of in medical facilities?”
“Well, that’s…” the Gung-on doctor was at a loss for words.
“If this is the case, and you are not taking care of them
properly, you’ll need to consider suspending your license.
You cannot just write these down with just your
assumptions.”
Jin Chang-hoon was pressing hard. To him, it looked like the

Gung-on doctors were tricking the medical officers.
“Anyway, this makes no sense,” Jin Chang-hoon turned to a
Special Defense agent.
The agent was also someone the Agency had sent to verify
Gung-on’s claims. He wasn’t stupid. He knew that if he
agreed with Jin Chang-hoon, not only the Gung-on doctors
but the company itself would suffer.
“Well… I really don’t know what to say. Obviously, we must

consider disciplinary action…”
He was looking at the head of Gung-on’s medical team as

he spoke. The head doctor was almost crying.
The Special Defense agent considered his next words. Gung-

on was currently at the top of the 2F4T. This scandal would
hit them hard.
Just as he hesitated, someone appeared.
-Kiik!
Dragging a Wildfire Bird behind him, Yoo-seong arrived at

the temporary camp.
The bird was now completely helpless and unable to move,

tied down by Yoo-seong’s invisible threads.
“You are working hard. Nice to meet you. I’m Oh Yoo-seong.”
“Oh… hello.” The agent’s voice trembled without him

knowing.
Only then did he understand perfectly.
Before he left his office, Yang Chang-guk had called him.

“It’s simple,” the director had told him. “Take the side of the
bigger one.”
Gung-on was a large company. Now, with more than thirty

Platinum-grade hunters, they were considered the nation’s
top organization.
Those who belonged there were among the top 1% in Korea.
However…
“So… how is it going?” Yoo-seong began. “I called a doctor I

know for verification, but I understand if you require further
investigation.”
“I was the one who raised a complaint, and I have to take

responsibility,” he added.
The agent had goosebumps on his arms.
The man now in front of him had just returned from hell,
where he had stayed for six months. Even today, he closed
the crack single-handedly.
The man in front of him was a hero.
A hero against a big company.
Although it seemed hard to compare them, the answer was

clear to the agent.
“No, I think I could judge it now, based on what we know.”

The agent’s voice was clear.
“Gung-on is definitely at fault here. I will report it

immediately and notify you of how the disciplinary action
goes.”
The agent looked at Yoo-seong expectantly. He knew that it
was childish, but he couldn’t help it.
He anticipated a small reward.
“Thank you for the concise and accurate judgment.” Yoo-

seong smiled at him widely.
That alone was enough for him. Even if he held a high

position in the Special Defense Agency, he was still a young
man in his late twenties.
Of course, he was Yoo-seong’s fan.
“I can’t believe it!”
Jin Chang-hoon kept laughing as he looked Yoo-seong up

and down.
“Honestly, I couldn’t believe it! Even if Sung-wook was firm

that you would return… wow!”
Yoo-seong held out his hand, and Jin Chang-hoon took it.
“How’s Sung-wook?” Yoo-seong asked. “Is he doing well?”
Yoo-seong had been curious about him since his return.

However, Jin Chang-hoon was silent.
“Chang-hoon?” Yoo-seong was a little worried.
Then Jin Chang-hoon smiled. He summarized how Sung-

wook was in one short word.
Yoo-seong’s response when he heard it was:

“Oh my God.”
Chapter 93
No. 93
Jin Chang-hoon’s BMW 5 had now arrived in front of the

building.
He looked at Yoo-seong. “Would you like to go in first? As

you know, it’s a bit difficult to find parking space.”
Even if Jin Chang-hoon hadn’t said that, Yoo-seong would

have hurried out of the car. Since he had, Yoo-seong
immediately opened the door and got out.
-Sungwook Building-
This was where he had learned the basics of being a hunter.

He immediately headed toward the basement.
As he walked into the lobby, he remembered Jin Chang-

hoon’s words in response to his question about Sung-wook.
‘The symptoms got worse…‘
He wasted all the deposits he had; there was no other

income aside from the building’s rent…
Tatatak-!
As soon as he reached the stairs, Yoo-seong’s steps were

faster than ever. His heart was beating fast.
‘Brother…’
The lights were out in Sung-wook’s training room. Yoo-seong

personally felt that the atmosphere had worsened.
The door had a warning posted on it.
-No entry-
Yoo-seong took a deep breath and pushed it open.
Kwaang-!
The metal door rattled. Yoo-seong’s eyes widened as soon

as he saw what was behind the door.
It didn’t match what he had in his memory.
“Open the door gently,” the man before him said.
It was Sung-wook.
He was standing in the middle of a more spacious, more

colorful training room filled with advanced equipment. The
place had been totally renovated.
Yoo-seong’s mouth dropped wide open. He was filled with

joy.
“Wow!”
Before he could speak further, Sung-wook appeared right in

front of him.
Despite being about eight meters away from the door, he

was upon Yoo-seong in an instant.
It was too fast for an average person. Not, however, for a
hunter who could use Aura.
“Ugh!” Yoo-seong groaned as he felt Sung-wook’s tight hug.
His mentor’s arms and torso felt more defined. Sung-wook

bit his lip and tried to hold his emotions in. Soon, he
released Yoo-seong and faced him.
“Well… you really came back.” Sung-wook tapped Yoo-

seong’s shoulder several times.
Then he turned and stretched his arm towards the room.

“So, how is it?”
“I heard you poured your fortune into it,” Yoo-seong said.
“Chang-hoon told you, right? Actually, I pulled a little loan.”
Yoo-seong looked around.
It was worth it. The material used for its walls turned out to
be reinforced plastic, which was not readily available.
It was a solid material that could easily withstand Aura

released during practice.
“But of course, I didn’t do it for you,” Sung-wook said with a

smile. “It’s mine.”
One important thing was clear to Yoo-seong. Sung-wook

could now use Aura.
There were traces of Aura training throughout the room.

However, there was no sign of any pain in Sung-wook’s face.
His veins were completely restored.

“What the hell happened?” Yoo-seong asked.
It was impossible to heal his veins using existing medical

technology. Yoo-seong even had to go to China upon Jin Wei-
baek’s request in exchange for a cure.
“Did Jin Wei-baek…”
“No.” Sung-wook shook his head. “Since you went missing

from the Dive, I’ve heard nothing from Tenz.”
Of course, Yoo-seong thought. There was no way they would

pay in advance.
‘But then, how?’
Only a miracle could have fixed Sung-wook’s condition.
“Please, let me know,” Yoo-seong pled.
Before Sung-wook could open his mouth, the door opened

again. Yoo-seong turned his head and saw a face he knew.
“You…”
Yoo-seong looked at Sung-wook.
His mentor seemed a little embarrassed.
He hadn’t lied. Tenz had not communicated with him.
Four months ago, the woman who was now visiting him was
independent of Tenz and Jin Wei-baek.
Yoo-seong turned his head back.
“Welcome back…” the woman muttered. Then, in a small

voice, she added, “Congratulations.”
Yoo-seong thought she had gained a little more weight on
her face since they last saw each other. He smiled at her.
Seoyu smiled back at him shyly.
***
Yoo-seong had offered her a job before he left for the Dive.
After her ward disappeared, Seoyu’s employment with Tenz

seemed to be placed on floating status.
She stayed for two months. Then, she decided to change

her life.
She took the plane to Korea.
***
“I thought you would be back soon. A month, two months…”
They were in the cafe on the first floor.
Yoo-seong, Sung-wook, and Seoyu talked while drinking the

now-famous Ethiopian Breeze.
Seoyu was Chinese, so she’d had nowhere to stay once

she’d arrived.
“So she came to me,” Sung-wook said.
She knew that Sung-wook helped Yoo-seong with hunting-

related procedures and tasks.
“At first, she said she was just coming to get some advice on
what to do. So we went to learn the laws and rules she
needed to know and the relevant administrative procedures
in this country.”
“You went with her?” Yoo-seong asked.
“Well… I’ve had nothing to do.”
At that time, Sung-wook’s veins had not recovered yet. He

had enough time to tutor her. Besides, wasn’t he a building
owner?
He allowed Seoyu to run a small office in his building as he

trained her to become his successor as Yoo-seong’s agent.
“I see.” Yoo-seong nodded.
However, there was still a question in his mind.
“But how did your veins heal?”
Seoyu wasn’t talking. Her hands were on her knees, and her
head was bowed. After a moment, she spoke.
“It’s because of me,” she said, with her face red. “I have an
abnormality called Heavenly Veins…”
“What abnormality?!” Sung-wook intervened with a stern

expression. “It’s a miracle. Stay still. I will explain to Yoo-
seong.”
As he spoke, his hand unconsciously covered the back of

Seoyu’s hands. Yoo-seong noticed it for the first time.
‘These two…’ he thought.
The moment he tried to sip some more coffee…
“We slept together,” Sung-wook said bluntly.
”Quiet!” Seoyu gasped.

Yoo-seong almost spat out his coffee. It wasn’t just Yoo-
seong who’d heard Sung-wook’s words. Meanwhile, Seoyu
raised her fist and struck Sung-wook’s cheek.
Then she ran out of the cafe.
“Ah… as you can see, she has a slightly naïve side,” Sung-
wook remarked.
Yoo-seong’s eyebrows were knotted. “Isn’t that the natural

reaction for everyone, even if they aren’t naive?”
“It’s been about two weeks since we first met,” Sung-wook

recounted.
“I asked her out to a movie. To be honest, she’s pretty. My

taste. We’re both adults… there’s no problem, right?”
At this, Yoo-seong shook his head.
It was true, but he knew Sung-wook would be thirty-four this

year. Seoyu was twenty-one.
“I think I want to say something,” Yoo-seong said.
“Go ahead, but if you’re about to confess that you like her,
too…” Sung-wook warned.
“No,” Yoo-seong vehemently denied it. “But what are those

Heavenly Veins?” Then Yoo-seong seemed to realize
something. “Although, if it’s something sensitive between
you and Seoyu, I don’t need to know…” he added.
“No.” Sung-wook shook his head. “You deserve to know. I

already asked her. Yumi was born with veins that are….”
“Yumi?” Yoo-seong interrupted. “Is that what you call her?”

Sung-wook nodded.
“I see…” Yoo-seong wanted to laugh, but he beckoned him

to continue.
“Her veins are damaged, like mine, but she was born with it.
Her constitution is not suitable for handling CE. If someone
born with this condition dreams of being a hunter, they are
unlucky.”
However, the condition had an extremely altruistic

advantage.
“The person they sleep with gains a huge benefit from it,”
he added.
Yoo-seong was speechless.
“Isn’t it absurd?” Sung-wook asked him.
Seoyu confided this to Sung-wook the morning after the two

of them first slept together.
“I was surprised. As I said, it was a miracle.”
Sung-wook’s expression was serious.
He recalled Seoyu’s expression while she confessed

everything to him.
“Her talents and efforts were like nothing because of that

damn constitution. More than that, all the guys she has
encountered wanted to sleep with her.” Sung-wook looked
like he would smash those guys if they were around right
now.
“But anyway.” he forced himself to relax. “Now, I am normal.

No, in fact, I feel much better than before I got hurt. I
wanted to tell you that. It’s all thanks to you that Yumi came
to me.”
They were silent for a moment.
Then Sung-wook added, “You don’t owe me anything.

Rather, I owe you. Thank you for carrying my dreams and
for letting me meet the person I love.”
Yoo-seong shook his head. “You owe me nothing, brother.

I’m really glad. Congratulations.”
The two men looked at each other and smiled.
“By the way,” Sung-wook remembered something. “The

Golden Pill. I don’t need it anymore.”
“Ah, yes.” Yoo-seong had realized.
“Shouldn’t you just take it again? It’s not something that

only works once.”
“I don’t know, really.” Yoo-seong was at a loss. While

overjoyed about Sung-wook’s recovery, it wasn’t a situation
he had planned for.
His contract with Jin Wei-baek was based on it.
But now, if he utilized it himself…
“I have to think about it a little more,” Yoo-seong said as he

drank more coffee.
First of all, shouldn’t he just enjoy this day?
It would not be bad to relax with Sung-wook for a while. It

was his first break in six months.
However, the break didn’t last long. That very evening…
A man from China arrived for a settlement.

Chapter 94
No. 94
The Sung-wook Building had a rooftop balcony. During the

day, any occupant could go up with a cup of coffee and
enjoy the view.
However, it had a better view during the night. Only Sung-

wook and a few close friends could go up at that time.
After dinner, Yoo-seong went up to the balcony with a cup of

coffee. He sighed as he looked at the view. This was
something he had missed while he was in China.
“I think you really like that coffee,” a voice from behind him
said.
“Well, it was the cheapest I could find, so I ordered it often,”

he replied as he turned around.
Seoyu had followed him to the balcony.
“The food was great. Did you learn how to cook Korean food
when you came here?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Seoyu nodded.
She seemed to hesitate. Then she spoke again.
“I should have said this before… but I wanted to say thank

you.”
Yoo-seong was confused. “What did I do?”
He was the first person who had acknowledged her abilities.

More than that, he gave her an opportunity to live a second
life in Korea.
However, Seoyu found it hard to say it in words.
“Here.” She gave him a manila envelope instead.
Yoo-seong opened it. The documents inside held numerous

administrative tasks that he had to complete.
However, Seoyu had fully completed them. They only

needed Yoo-seong’s signature.
“It’s okay if you don’t hire me,” Seoyu explained. “I’d like to
help you in any way in the future.”
“What are you saying?” Yoo-seong asked him. “Would you

just do this work for me without getting paid?”
“It does not matter,” Seoyu bit her lips.
Yoo-seong thought her eyes looked different from when he

last saw her six months ago.
“It’s because this is no different from the life I’ve lived until
now, anyway,” she added.
From the day she had been born, she had been serving Jin
Wei-baek and Tenz.
“The only difference now is that I chose this with my own

will.”
She felt infinite gratitude and respect for Yoo-seong, which

was the same feeling she had felt for Jin Wei-baek before.
Seoyu lowered her body. She felt her knees touch the cold
rooftop floor.
“Now my life is yours. Whatever you ask, I will do with all

my heart. I don’t want any rewards.”
Her heart and gift already belonged to Sung-wook.
However, with her head and the rest of her body, she would
serve Yoo-seong as much as possible.
She bowed her head deeply.
At this, Yoo-seong said nothing.
All Seoyu heard was the sound of paper fluttering in the

wind. Finally, she heard him speak.
“It’s all good… but you missed something here.”
Seoyu raised her head. “Yeah?”
Yoo-seong was riffling through the documents. “What is

this? How could you make such a mistake?”
Seoyu turned pale. More than any rejection, the fact that
she had missed something embarrassed her.
“Oh my… what could…” she mumbled.
“Think about it!” Yoo-seong raised his voice, alarming her

further.
Her brain was spinning faster than ever. She had checked
the documents several times before going to the rooftop. It
was impossible that she had missed anything.
“I’m sorry, I really can’t think of it,” she said, bowing deeply
once more.
Yoo-seong stared at her for a while.
Seoyu couldn’t even dare look at him. Finally, Yoo-seong

spoke.
“I left you a note before I went to the Dive. What did it say?”
“Err… that if I wanted to go to Korea…”
“With what?”
“Oh.” Seoyu realized it. “Resume.”
Yoo-seong placed the documents back into the envelope.
“I have no intention of exploiting labor,” he said.

“Everyone’s eyes are on me right now. If rumors come out
about it, it would only take an instant to be broadcast.”
He handed her back the envelope. Seoyu had an ecstatic

expression.
“Honestly, if you weren’t my best friend’s girlfriend, I would

have bought you a drink. Just work hard, and I will pay you
the right salary without delay.”
Seoyu was speechless.
“So, never talk about serving me without pay. If Sung-wook

hears about it, he will be very disappointed.”
“No… I got permission…”
“Even so. I don’t feel so good that he would have allowed

you to work for me without pay…” Yoo-seong sighed.
Seoyu kept her eyes on the ground. She didn’t know what to
say.
“Well?” Yoo-seong prompted her. “Aren’t you going to say

‘thank you for hiring me’?” He smiled.
Yoo-seong felt glad. There was nothing more he could ask

for.
Sung-wook had been fully healed, and now, he had no more

debts to repay.
“If you bring your resume and a contract by lunch tomorrow,

I will sign them along with these documents,” he told her.
“I really don’t know what to say,” Seoyu said. “Thank you

very much for hiring…”
“Welcome. Work hard,” Yoo-seong said and held out a hand

to her.
After hesitating for a moment, Seoyu took his hand. They

shook several times.
Suddenly, Yoo-seong’s eyebrows furrowed, and he turned

toward the railings.
Tadadak-!
The sound of footsteps against the building’s walls could be

heard above the wind. Before long, two men landed on the
railings.
Yoo-seong felt Seoyu’s hand tremble.
“Oh Yoo-seong,” one of the men said. “We are here to

receive the requested item.”
He looked to be over forty years old.
He was thin, with sharp features, giving a wolf-like

impression.
“My name is Ho Hol-cheon,” he added, “and this one is

Liang Yong.”
“As expected, the turncoat is here,” the other man said,

looking at Seoyu.
The man was a skinhead with a body like that of a

weightlifter and scars all over.
Yoo-seong recognized them.
Hol-cheon was in fifth place in the current Ship Zone. Liang

Yoong was ranked ninth.
“I feel like I want to beat her up,” the big man said out loud.
“Stop.” Hol-cheon raised his hand, but his eyes also burned
with contempt as he looked at Seoyu. Then he turned to
Yoo-seong.
“Congratulations on your return. Did you bring the item we

requested?”
Yoo-seong shrugged. “My deal was not with you but with Jin
Wei-baek.”
The two men flinched upon hearing Jin Wei-baek’s name

spoken so casually.
“I do have the item we spoke about. If the conditions are

right, I can give it to him anytime,” Yoo-seong added. At
this, Hol-cheon smiled and nodded, satisfied.
“You must have suffered a lot. The CEO ordered me to thank
you for your hard work, and…”
“Was I not clear enough?” Yoo-seong cut him off.
Hol-cheon and Liang Yong’s expressions hardened.
“You’re right. I apologize,” Hol-cheon said. Then he

motioned towards Seoyu. “But you have already taken that
girl. There is no reason for you to need the Golden Pill.”
The atmosphere changed in an instant.
“If you continue to disrespect this woman… you will have to

face the consequences,” Yoo-seong warned. “Besides, this
conversation is over. I won’t turn over the item to you,” he
added.
“Once you have provided…” Hol-cheon tried to reason out,

but Yoo-seong cut him off.
“No.”
His voice was firm.
“I made a deal with Jin Wei-baek. What I want is what we

agreed to. If he wants to change the agreement, then he
must at least show himself to me and apologize.”
Hol-cheon couldn’t believe what he heard.
“Your arrogance… has exceeded my expectations,” he

seethed. “Liang Yong. This doesn’t make sense anymore.”
As he spoke, Liang Yong clenched his fists.
Unlike before, Hol-cheon did not stop him.

“Don’t think we can’t do anything to you because this is
your country. In the last six months, we’ve gained quite a lot
of influence here. Your hunters… in order to learn very
simple Techs, they sold their loyalty.”
Yoo-seong did not respond.
“So let’s finish this. The item we brought you to exchange is

not of lesser value than the Golden Pill. We have simply
changed the payoff, not canceled it. If you refuse… you
have to face the consequences,” Hol-cheon continued.
“Please choose. Take the appropriate compensation, or be

too greedy and insist on the Golden Pill.” Hol-cheon paused
before pointing at Seoyu.
“Even if you have that person already,” he added.
Yoo-seong had a habit he’d learned from the world beyond

the crack.
When he stayed in one place for a certain period of time,

not only when he was sleeping, he always surrounded
himself with loose Spider Webs.
Now…
“This…”
He pulled the threads tight.
“I warned you bastards,” Yoo-seong growled.

Chapter 95
No. 95
Liang Yung noticed the Spider Web first.
It wasn’t because he was more skilled than Hol-cheon. He

simply felt it first because he was bigger.
Koo-
Yoo-seong’s thread instantly tightened around his body.

Rather than being embarrassed, Liang Yung was angry
about it.
‘This bastard!’ he thought as he quickly covered his skin

with Aura to prevent the webs from digging through.
He possessed skills worthy of being one of the Ship Zones.

At the same time, Hol-cheon also protected himself with
Aura.
Although the webs were sharp enough to cut flesh, the

hunters coated their skin just in time.
Then the two Ship Zones prepared their Techs at the same
time.
Hol-cheon charged his main specialty: Cactus. Liang Yung

used his fists to prepare his Tech: Gravity.
Although their movements were limited, they could move
enough to attack Yoo-seong.
Go-oh-
The pressure from their energy could cause the space

around them to appear distorted.
Yoo-seong was prepared for it. He focused Aura on his throat

and chest, then…
“Aaaaaaaah!” he yelled out.
The sound wasn’t an attack, but it was loud enough that

even Seoyu had to cover her ears, even though she was at a
distance from Yoo-seong. He was successful.
“Yung, stop it!” Hol-cheon yelled as his Tech dissolved.
Then his eyes turned left and right to check the situation
around them.
The sound would hamper their plan.
From the streets below them, people were looking up,

curious about the strange noise. It was the same in the
buildings around them. People on the same floor or above
them on nearby buildings opened their windows to check
where the sound came from.
Hol-cheon gritted his teeth.
After what happened last year, when Team Quarts tried to

harm Yoo-seong on orders from a Chinese hunter, the South
Korean government’s attitude toward Chinese hunters had
become stricter.
A Chinese hunter could easily be deported if he was caught
fighting, even without using Aura.
That was the reason Tenz had sent two Ship Zones to Yoo-
seong. They needed hunters who could subdue Yoo-seong
as quickly as possible without getting noticed.
However, Yoo-seong’s scream was like a siren that alerted

the people around them. Along with Yoo-seong’s Spider
Web, it was another two Chinese hunters had not expected.
Yoo-seong’s webs tightened around them, with more

pressure than before.
“It would be wiser to stay still,” Yoo-seong advised them.

“Because I know the Techs you use. Fifth in the Ship Zone,
Hol-cheon. Your Tech has a wide range of effects.”
Then he motioned toward Liang Yung with his chin.
“Liang Yung, ranked ninth. You use the Psy of Gravity to

immobilize your target.”
The two hunters’ Techs had the same thing in common.
When cast with full power, noise and destruction inevitably

followed.
With people watching them, they would never be able to

unfold their powers now.
“Quite a few people are looking at us right now. If you wish

to fight, we will find ourselves on the front page of the
newspaper tomorrow,” Yoo-seong warned.
“You studied a lot about us,” Hol-cheon’s voice was cold.

“Did you spy on us while you were in China?”
“No,” Yoo-seong said. “Rather, I studied you even before I
came to China.”
When Yoo-seong had decided to go to China, he began to

obtain and watch videos of famous Chinese hunters,
including those in the Ship Zone. At first, it was just for
knowledge, but after Lee Hwi-min had ambushed him at a
hotel, he developed a different purpose for watching their
videos.
In order to hunt a monster, he had to collect all the

information he could find about it.
At this, Hol-cheon bit his lip. “So what do you want,

bastard?” Liang Yung asked. “This web? I can break it
anytime. Do you think this could really wound me? I can
keep my Aura on for a very long time.”
“No.” Yoo-seong shrugged. “I assume that you studied about

me, too. Did you see what I did today?”
Hol-cheon nodded.
Everyone in the country had seen it.
All TV, radio, and newspapers in the country had featured it

all afternoon. Video-streaming sites were full of footage
taken by countless people around the area.
A Typhoon-class crack had been closed by Yoo-seong alone.
“Let’s just say that I have a switch,” Yoo-seong began to

explain.

“When I switch it on, you’ll wind up exactly the same as the
beasts on TV.”
A chill ran down the two Chinese hunters’ spines. Only now
did they recognize the situation they were in.
“You are free to move,” Yoo-seong said. “But if I feel a

thread breaking or moving towards me, you’ll burn right
away.”
Hol-cheon gulped.
It was as if they had given up their lives by walking into Yoo-

seong’s trap.
At this realization, he tried a different approach.
“I… know about you.”
“Yes?” Yoo-seong raised his eyebrows.
“You’re not the sort to resort to unnecessary violence and

killing.”
“Are you risking your life on assumptions rather than facts?”

Yoo-seong laughed sarcastically.
Seoyu, who was listening, knew Hol-cheon was right. Yoo-

seong, who had removed his mask in front of her when they
last saw each other, was exactly as Hol-cheon described.
He was an upright man.
However, he was also someone who used a mask and wore

it well, according to his opponent and his environment.
“You know what?” Yoo-seong seemed to realize something.

“There are a lot of people looking at this rooftop, but no one
can have noticed that we are hunters. Yet.”
Hol-cheon wondered where Yoo-seong was going with this.

Then another chill ran down his spine as he realized.
No one who was watching them would think that they were
hunters. This was because there was nothing obviously
dangerous about their situation.
However, they were now in Yoo-seong’s Spider Web. This

was the power of an invisible Tech.
“I can break your legs right now,” Yoo-seong said casually,

“and keep you standing.”
Hol-cheon and Liang Yung’s eyes widened with shock.
“I have been patient enough. I also warned you. But you

ignored it and provoked me. So you are responsible for the
consequences.”
The Chinese hunters felt a strong pressure on the joints of

each limb.
“Two arms and legs, a total of eight,” Yoo-seong considered.

“Now I’m going to heat the web up slowly. It won’t be
enough to amputate, but I will burn your nerves and veins
until they are paralyzed.”
“Then,” Yoo-seong smiled coldly, “I’ll let you go.”
“You think… you think we would just allow this?” Hol-cheon

growled.
“Don’t just talk,” Liang Yung bluffed. “Go ahead and prove
it.”
Go-oh-oh!
The pressure on their arms and legs was steadily getting
stronger.
“Hol-cheon!” Liang Yung cried out urgently.
They had to choose. Were they going to attack Yoo-seong

now, with the possibility of eyewitnesses and risking their
lives against his counter-attack? Or should they just stay still
while Yoo-seong paralyzed their limbs?
The threads were tightening with every second. Hol-cheon

was feeling the heat on his forearms. “Wait a minute, Oh
Yoo-seong!” he cried out. “I apologize!”
Liang Yung couldn’t believe it. He turned to Hol-cheon with

wide eyes.
“Hol-cheon… what did you just say…?”
“Oh Yoo-seong is right. We were in a rush and proposed a

ridiculous condition. So… I apologize on behalf of Tenz. In
addition, I will communicate your request to the
headquarters.”
Seoyu, who was watching everything, couldn’t believe it

either.
Hol-cheon was Jin Wei-baek’s close assistant and the CEO of

Tenz in the public’s eyes.
She never expected him to apologize to anyone, except Jin

Wei-baek.
However, Yoo-seong simply stared at Hol-cheon with

uncaring eyes.
“Just words…”
“Of course not. There is a jade inner armor in my right
pocket.”
“Hol-cheon!” Liang Yung exclaimed.
“Be quiet,” Hol-cheon told him.
Yoo-seong put his hand into Hol-cheon’s pocket and took out
a rectangular box. It was roughly the same size as a
fountain pen box.
“So, you were going to give me this instead… Are you giving
it now as an apology?”
“Exactly. With my authority, it is now your rightful

possession.”
“You tried to exchange the item I got from the crack for
something that you can easily give away,” Yoo-seong
remarked. Hol-cheon wanted to curse.
Obviously, it was less valuable than the Golden Pill, but it

was a valuable item that could soothe Oh Yoo-seong inside
his armor.
“Please… I hope you accept our apology,” Hol-cheon said

instead.
It was a mistake to step into Yoo-seong’s trap. Therefore,

this was the best way to end the situation without any risk.
Fortunately, Yoo-seong’s expression seemed to gradually

relax as he inspected the jade inner armor in his hands.
Then Yoo-seong opened his mouth. “In ten seconds, the
webs around you will loosen. It would be better to leave
without trying to do anything else. Do not run down the
building walls as you did earlier but use the stairs.”
Hol-cheon nodded. However, before he and Liang Yung
could move away…
“Don’t think you can just go without saying it.” Yoo-seong

stopped them.
“What do you mean?” Hol-cheon was genuinely confused.
“There is a person you need to apologize to other than me.”

Yoo-seong pointed behind him with his thumb.
“Do it properly. The spider webs are loose enough, so bow

your head properly and apologize to her.”
Seoyu felt stunned.
She didn’t know how long the moment lasted. However,

what was certain was that people who had looked down on
her all her life were now bowing in front of her.
And, with quiet voices, she heard them say…
“Sorry.”
When it was finished, Hol-cheon and Liang Yung walked

away without even looking back. The two Chinese hunters
went down the stairs quickly, without even using Aura. Their
footsteps echoed and resonated in the stairway.
***
After the footsteps had died down, Yoo-seong sighed with

relief.
“Hoo!”
He walked to one side of the balcony and sat down.

Seoyu approached him carefully.
“Were you really going to paralyze them?” she asked.
“Huh?”
There was a slight smile on his face.
To be honest, he hadn’t really been going to.
The fireproof Queen’s Hug was in his slot.
He could have put it on by simply blinking and burned the

two hunters in close range very quickly.
But if he had, he would have been in trouble.
The people watching them would immediately have

recognized his armor.
For Oh Yoo-seong to hurt someone would cause such a great

scandal, let alone if someone witnessed him killing two
people.
In addition, he had never actually learned how to burn veins

and nerves by applying heat gradually.
In other words, he had simply been bluffing.
This was a unique skill Yoo-seong gained through his short

experience in China. In the end, both he and the Ship Zone
hunters were bluffing each other out.
However, it was he who had won.
‘Once you learn about this, you’ll be kicking in your bed

tonight, right?’
Yoo-seong smiled as he thought about Jin Wei-baek.
‘Why would you try to mess up our agreement with this kind
of thing?’
No matter how much he thought about it, there could only

be one reason.
***
The next morning…
After having a simple breakfast, Yoo-seong checked the

documents he received from Seoyu and signed them.
Just as he signed the last documents…
An unexpected guest arrived.

Chapter 96
No. 96
“Nice to meet you!” said the big man who had knocked at
Yoo-seong’s door.
He was in his mid-fifties, with a neat appearance and

clothing.
Lee Chang-bae was a wealthy person who held bio-

engineering company, which had entered the ranks of huge
corporations.
“Do you know me?” he asked Yoo-seong. His voice sounded

like that of someone who had never experienced failure in
his life.
It seemed as if he expected Yoo-seong to be impressed that

a man like him had visited him personally.
“The reason I came to you is…”
“Sorry, who are you?” was the reply that came.
At this, Lee Chang-bae felt confused. When the door

opened, his eyes widened.
The young man who opened the door was not Oh Yoo-seong.
“Oh.” Lee Chang-bae was embarrassed.

“Who are you?”
“This is Oh Yoo-seong’s house…” he stammered.
“No.” The young man scratched his head. His tone sounded
annoyed.
“It’s really irritating. Since yesterday, people keep

knocking…” the man added.
It seemed as if he had just been disturbed from his sleep.
“I’m sorry, Sir,” the young man added, “but I can’t help
being annoyed. I’ve been suffering this since yesterday
morning.”
Lee Chang-bae was at a loss for words. Based on his

information, Yoo-seong had been sighted around here.
“This… sorry, this is me.” He took out his wallet and gave
the young man a business card. He expected the young
man’s expression to change upon reading it.
But, rather, the young man took it carelessly and glanced at

it with displeasure.
“Do you know Oh Yoo-seong, the hunter?” Lee Chang-bae

prodded. “If you see him anywhere near here, would you
please contact me?”
“I have been living here for six months and haven’t seen
him once.”
“Still…”
“Mister. I really don’t want to behave badly, but… I was

trying to sleep.”
“Appropriate compensation will be provided if you can-“
Bang-!
The door closed on Lee Chang-bae.
After making sure he’d locked the door, Yoo-seong turned

away. He opened the window, pretending to breathe in the
morning air.
Unlike yesterday, there were no crowds of reporters outside.
However…
‘They’re trying hard to hide,’ he thought.
The alleys were filled with cars. It was past the rush hour, so
there was ostensibly no reason for them to be there.
Besides, the car models were uncommon for this

neighborhood.
‘They are not reporters.’
Those in hiding were like Lee Chang-bae, who had

confidently knocked on his door.
Yoo-seong closed the window and went to take a cold

shower.
As he felt the water splash on his face, he thought about his

situation.
‘I am the first.’
He had survived in an alien world for six months. Therefore,

the information he had was probably making industry
insiders thirsty.
In addition, Yoo-seong had proven that he could survive for
a while within the crack. For the next Dive, companies would
want to invest in him because of the greater possibilities of
profit over failure.
After the shower, Yoo-seong put on a coat and left the

house. As he walked out of the building, he saw Lee Chang-
bae, who seemed to be scolding someone over the phone.
“What the hell do you mean? Do you even understand your

job…?”
His eyes met Yoo-seong’s for a moment, but soon, as if he

weren’t interested, he turned to face a different part of the
street.
Yoo-seong walked both quickly and quietly. The cars lined up

on the street probably contained industry giants like Lee
Chang-bae or their minions.
What did this mean for Yoo-seong?
It meant that these so-called giants would force a meeting

upon him.
Yoo-seong wanted to have a meeting of his choice. And so…
He headed for Gung-on.
***
The Gung-on Tower was fifty-one stories high, right in the

middle of Seoul. It had only been built two years ago, a sign
of the company’s wealth and influence.
Naturally, Yoo Joon-seok’s office was on the top floor.

Anyone visiting his office for the first time couldn’t help but
feel overwhelmed.
Slydon-★★★★★★★
The whole floor had been built from the skeleton of this rare
seven-star beast. With a monster’s fossil embedded in its
walls, even visiting VIPs couldn’t help but feel intimidated.
In the first place, only those who were classified as VIPs
could even enter this place.
However, five minutes ago, the doors to the exclusive office

opened to a guest who was not on the VIP list. The visitor
was someone who didn’t even have a prior reservation.
“If you had called me in advance, I would have welcomed

you properly,” Yoo Joon-seok said while pretending to be
calm.
“Because it was so sudden, I didn’t have much time,” the

visitor lied.
The person he was meeting with was Oh Yoo-seong. It was

reason enough for him to cancel all his other meetings for
today.
“Thank you for giving me your time,” Yoo-seong said.
However, his face didn’t reflect any embarrassment nor

gratitude.
“It won’t take long. Let’s get to the point,” he added.
Yoo Joon-seok nodded. “It’s not like you, and I have a lot to
talk about.”
Just the day before, Yoo-seong had inflicted much damage

on his younger brother and the company. The news that a
Gung-on team was trying to skip the operation using a false
medical certificate was already widespread.
Yoo Yoo-seok and his team’s licenses were suspended.
The punishment probably wouldn’t be more than a fine.

However, the problem was the damage to Gung-on’s image.
No matter which website you entered, you could find

negative reactions against them.
If he couldn’t make up for the fall in the company’s stock

price the previous night, Yoo-seong would unintentionally
send people to the Han River.
Of course, Yoo Joon-seok did not intend to remain still. He

would give as much as they took.
He wouldn’t let Oh Yoo-seong remain a hero.
“If you came to fix this situation somehow-”
“Why did you do it?” Yoo-seong interrupted him.
“I asked you why did you do it. Yesterday.” Yoo-seong’s

voice was stubborn.
“If you’re talking about the illegal activity Yoo Yoo-seok

committed at the operation, I don’t think you can blame it
on the CEO…” Yoo Joon-seok reasoned.
“That’s not what I’m talking about.” Yoo-seong’s expression

was unreadable. “Tenz.”
Nerves popped out of Yoo Joon-seok’s forehead. Of course.

Two Tenz hunters were staying in Korea using Gung-on’s
name.
It was a secret.
After the incident with Yoo-seong and Team Quarts in the

Dive, the Korean government was strictly monitoring the
entry and exit of Chinese hunters.
The two Ship Zones’ entry was made in secret.
Last year, Yoo Joon-seok established a relationship with Jin

Wei-baek. Now, Gung-on acted as Tenz’s agent in Korea. In
return, Yoo Joon-seok was rewarded.
The secret partnership with Tenz was what had driven Gung-
on to the top.
Yoo Joon-seok, whose skills were previously evaluated as

stagnating, secured a firm hold on second place in the
ranks.
‘Besides, in just a few more months, I will definitely surpass

Lee Jae-hak,’ he was convinced.
With his partnership with Tenz, he had the access necessary

to develop talents that he’d never had before. Now, he felt
no sense of inferiority to Lee Jae-hak.
Because of this, he didn’t appreciate how confident and

proud Yoo-seong was before him.
“I know that Jin Wei-baek is not with Tenz anymore,” Yoo-

seong said. “My deal is with him. Therefore, I could not give
the item to anyone else. It’s now mine.”
Yoo Joon-seok was stunned. ‘How did he know what had

happened in Tenz?’
The problem that had occurred in Jin Wei-baek’s personal
affairs was something that even Yoo Joon-seok had only
learned recently. In the aftermath, there was a huge turmoil
within Tenz, and the power structure changed.
Besides, what about that deal?
Everyone knew that Tenz signed Yoo-seong as a free agent.

However, Yoo Joon-seok didn’t know anything about a
personal deal between Yoo-seong and Jin Wei-baek.
He was Tenz’s most trusted person in Korea. He believed he

was getting all the important information.
When Yoo-seong disappeared, he carefully inquired about it

to Tenz, and the answer they gave him was, “Don’t worry
about it.”
“That’s it,” Yoo-seong told him. “It’s not a very long

message, so I hope you can convey it clearly.”
“Are you sure that’s all you have to say?” Yoo Joon-seok was
surprised.
“Is there anything else you want me to say?” Yoo-seong

looked curious. “Since I can’t meet the new Tenz boss, and I
don’t really want to, isn’t it natural to speak to his servant?”
Yoo Joon-seok couldn’t control his anger. “Servant?!”
Yoo-seong merely nodded.
“I have a partnership with Tenz! This is not a master-servant

relationship, you…”
“If you were hunters, then you could be partners,” Yoo-

seong said calmly. “But you are not hunters. You don’t even
deserve to be called pros. Should humans be treated as
hunters just because they have Aura? You’re just an interest
group that Tenz talks to.”
Yoo-seong’s voice was cold and aggressive.
“Humans who are not hunters should not pretend to be

hunters,” he added.
“You… you have lost your mind,” Yoo Joon-seok stammered.
He could beat Lee Jae-hak. So he wouldn’t allow someone

like Yoo-seong to say that to him.
“You won’t leave this building,” he warned.
He got up from his chair and pulled out a sword from under
his desk.
“This…” Yoo-seong shook his head and sighed. “Look at

you,” he said. “Dogs do resemble their owners. You must be
influenced by the hunters who feed you. Are you so stupid
as not to realize that what you’re doing is illegal?”
“No.” Yoo Joon-seok’s eyes flashed. “This is my building, my

office. I have the power to make it legal.”
Yoo-seong smiled. Upon seeing this, Yoo Joon-seok could not

endure it anymore.
He’d already pressed the button on his desk to call for

support.
No matter how strong Yoo-seong was, he really wouldn’t be

able to get out of this place.
There was only one thought in Yoo Joon-seok’s head.

‘Capture him.’
If he captured Yoo-seong and gained everything that he

knew…
He would have the most valuable information about the

cracks in the whole of Korea.
Yoo-seong stood still.
He could hear footsteps approaching the door. They weren’t

the footsteps of ordinary people. Their speed was that of
hunters.
“We have plenty of hunters with suspended licenses right

now.” Yoo Joon-seok smiled.
“There is plenty of room for them to relax in the building,”

he added.
“Good.” Yoo-seong raised his head. “If there are a lot of

hunters here, I don’t have to feel so guilty.”
Yoo Joon-seok approached him with terrifying momentum.

However, Yoo-seong’s actions were faster.
Jiii-
At the same time, Gung-on hunters opened the door and

stepped in.
Jiii-!
They all saw it.
In Oh Yoo-seong’s hands was the item that Jin Wei-baek and

Tenz wanted so much.
It was now his.
The Sky Scissors.
Jiii-!
The glare blinded everyone as Oh Yoo-seong opened a crack

in front of them.
Chapter 97
No. 97
“What is this?” one of the hunters who had gathered in the

room cried out.
They were all experienced and skilled personnel. Even if a

monster suddenly appeared in front of them, they had the
skills to face it head-on.
However, the shock they felt now was a different story.
How could they not doubt their eyes?
The crack had occurred not in the sky but inside the very
office of CEO Yoo Joon-seok. What was even more curious
was its size.
Everyone had seen a sudden rift before. Although it was

somewhat rare, cracks had appeared indoors before.
However, not one of them had been this small.
This one was only about three meters wide. A blue Aurora
fluttered in the middle of their CEO’s office.
It did not breach any wall, ceiling, or furniture. It was as if

someone had painted it.
“Hey!” Yoo-seong suddenly yelled out.

He turned his head toward the hunters before speaking with
an urgent expression.
“Is the building equipped with a pulse breaker? Please

prepare quickly to block the monsters coming out of the
rift.”
With this said, he turned toward Yoo Joon-seok.
“Meanwhile, I and your CEO will go inside the crack until the
pulse breaker arrives.”
The hunters hesitated.
When they had opened the door, Yoo-seong had his back to
them. Because of this, they hadn’t seen exactly what
happened.
All they knew was that there was something metallic in Yoo-
seong’s hands, and the crack had been created after he
swung it in the air.
“Please be quick,” Yoo-seong urged them.
Besides, Yoo-seong was right. No matter how small the

crack was, this must be considered an emergency situation.
With their CEO and Oh Yoo-seong rushing in to defend

against monsters, they must be prepared to stop any beast
from slipping out.
Nevertheless, their CEO was present. It was only proper to

receive the order from their superior, not from Oh Yoo-
seong.
The hunters’ eyes all turned to Yoo Joon-seok.

“What are you doing? Give them directions,” Yoo-seong told
him.
Yoo Joon-seok was still for a few moments. Then he found

his words.
“Why are you all still standing here? Don’t be amateurs!” he

yelled out.
The hunters reacted immediately. Two of them immediately

ran out to find a pulse breaker. The rest of them started
making blocking formations throughout the office and the
hallways.
Only Yoo Joon-seok and Yoo-seong were left standing, face to

face.
“Shall we go in?” Yoo-seong motioned toward the crack with

his head.
Yoo Joon-seok already understood what Yoo-seong wanted.
At least until the pulse breaker arrived, it would just be the

two of them inside a lawless zone.
“Well, if you’re afraid, you don’t have to come in.”
It was an obvious provocation. Yoo Joon-seok was obliged to

enter.
As he did, he organized his thoughts.
Yoo-seong had just opened a crack. He did not know how

that was possible, but there was no doubt about it – Yoo-
seong had a tool that could open a crack.
How much value could be obtained from that tool?

‘I need to get it,’ he thought.
Yoo Joon-seok’s eyes were burning with greed as he followed

Yoo-seong into the crack.
Jiii-
As he stepped through, the magnetic field lightly irritated

his skin. And as soon as he stepped inside, he felt the
humidity of a tropical jungle.
Beyond the dense foliage, he could hear the cries of

monsters. Soon, those monsters would flock to this rift.
Threung-
At this, Yoo Joon-seok drew his sword.
“I know that Blade is your specialty,” he said confidently.

“Pull it out.”
However, instead of doing that, Yoo-seong only took a step

back.
“As soon as we entered the rift, you pointed the blade at

me,” Yoo-seong remarked. He continued walking backward
as he talked.
“Besides, you called hunters to your office. I didn’t feel safe

at all. I didn’t even come with a combat stance.”
Once the hunters got the emergency call from Yoo Joon-
seok, they had rushed to his aid immediately. They hadn’t
taken into account that they were being called to subdue
another hunter by force.
If they had known, most of them wouldn’t have agreed to

use force against another person.
“I don’t know, but it seems that hunters have changed in
the last six months. It’s quite disappointing. Especially since
you are the second-best hunter in this country.”
Yoo-seong kept walking and talking until he reached a tree.

Then he stopped.
“I’ll give you a chance,” he told Yoo Joon-seok. “You can still
change your mind.”
“That’s funny.” Yoo Joon-seok laughed bitterly. In response to

this, Yoo-seong shrugged.
“All we have to do is stop the beasts from getting out of the

rift as much as possible,” he said, turning his back to Yoo
Joon-seok.
He seemed to be doing something with the tree branches.
Suddenly…
Taaah-!
Spectral Thunder Sword.
It had been given to Yoo Joon-seok by Tenz. A single flash of

light from its blade shone as it flew toward Yoo-seong’s
back.
Surprisingly, Yoo-seong kept still and did not dodge it.
Fook-!
Yoo Joon-seok’s sword penetrated his shoulder.
Feeling ecstatic about his successful attack, Yoo Joon-seok

pulled his blade out and prepared to attack once more.
However…
Chaeng-!
Yoo-seong blocked it with his Blade this time. Suddenly, he

sank to his knees.
‘Was it because his shoulder wound hurt?’ Yoo Joon-seok

thought. ‘Or probably he was weakened when he tried to
block my second attack.’
However, Yoo Joon-seok was quick to react to Yoo-seong’s

change of posture.
Puck-!
He kicked the kneeling Yoo-seong’s side.
If Yoo-seong hadn’t protected his torso with Aura, he would

have suffered several broken ribs from that single kick.
Still, he wasn’t able to block the attack entirely. He rolled

several times on the ground.
When he tried to stand, blood spilled from his mouth.
“Did you say you will give me a chance?” Yoo Joon-seok

laughed arrogantly.
“Then,” he pointed his sword at Yoo-seong, “I’ll give you a

chance as well.”
Yoo-seong stayed silent.
“Tell me everything you know,” Yoo Joon-seok pressed.
He wanted everything. How Yoo-seong had spent the past

six months, his relations with China, and the various Techs
he’d learned.
Yoo Joon-seok would gain everything.
“If you do this, I will consider keeping you alive.” He smiled

triumphantly.
However, something caught his eye.
Something on the branches that Yoo-seong had been

fiddling with earlier was reflecting light onto his face.
In an instant, he realized what it was.
“Action cam…”
This was an essential tool for hunters.
Its lens was staring down at Yoo Joon-seok.
It had captured the duel that occurred between them.
Obviously, it would show Yoo Joon-seok attacking first and

Yoo-seong defending himself.
Yoo Joon-seok immediately swung his sword in the action

cam’s direction.
However, he was too late.
Yoo-seong pulled the thread that he had tied the action cam
with.
In an instant, the action cam was back in his hand.
“Nice catch,” Yoo-seong praised himself. He had a sword

wound on his shoulder and a big bruise on the side of his
chest. However, he also had the footage of Yoo Joon-seok
attacking him from behind.
‘I told you.’ Yoo Joon-seok flinched as he heard Yoo-seong’s
voice within his head.
He had heard rumors about the Chinese sound manipulation

techniques, but it was the first time he had experienced it.
‘That I’d give you a chance, and you could still change your
mind. But now… You are a criminal.’
It was a felony for a hunter to wield force against another

person.
The Team Quartz members who had attacked Yoo-seong last

time were all in prison now.
At this, Yoo Joon-seok trembled.
‘Do you still want to wield more violence?’ said Yoo-seong’s

voice from within him.
There were two options in front of Yoo Joon-seok right now.
One was to surrender himself to the authorities and admit

his crime. The other was to keep doing the crime he was
trying to commit.
“I have no choice.” Yoo Joon-seok’s voice was grave.
The slight fear and embarrassment disappeared from his

eyes. Desperation filled their place.
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong shook his head.
“Why am I not surprised at your decision?” he remarked

with a voice full of regret.
Then…
Chapter 98
No. 98
Sword against sword.
Caang-!
Aura against Aura.
At first glance, it seemed no different from his earlier clash

with Yoo-seong. However, Yoo Joon-seok felt a huge
difference.
The impact he was receiving was enough to make his hands

shake. He opened his eyes wide, stunned at the power he
felt.
Kacaang-!
‘This…’
Every muscle in his body felt a sharp pain upon every clash.
‘Cheeky bastard!’
Kacaaang-!
The Blade in Yoo-seong’s hand was very thin. Glowing with

Aura, it almost looked like a needle of light.
However, each successive blow that Yoo Joon-seok received
felt heavier and stronger than the last.
‘How?!’
Yoo Joon-seok’s eyes had gone red.
How could a sword so light deliver such weight?
Caang-!
He could think of only one explanation.
Gravity control.
Yoo-seong was using the strength in Yoo Joon-seok’s sword

against him, almost like an adult playing with a child.
‘It shouldn’t be like this,’ he thought.
He had to be the best now. He had faithfully served as

Tenz’s dog just to gain this power. How could all his efforts
be meaningless?
He was practically Korea’s number one. He had plans to

overtake Tenz and even take over the entire Chinese hunter
industry.
‘I can’t lose now,’ he decided firmly.
“Aaaah!” he yelled out in frustration.
Of course, his emotions weren’t having a positive effect on

his swordsmanship.
Caang-!
Meanwhile, Auto-Hunt was gaining information on his
weapon. With every clash, it was studying the Spectral
Thunder Sword’s composition. By now, it had all the
information it needed.
Go-oh-oh!
Yoo Joon-seok felt his world slow down.
It was as if he sensed the threat and saw his life flash before
him. Petals fell around him. Plum blossoms.
It was not just a simple Tech but a legendary one that even
Chinese hunters craved and admired.
And now…
Caaang-!!
His ears were filled with the sound of metal breaking.
Yoo Joon-seok’s sword was shattered into countless

fragments. It progressed slowly, from the tip down to the
handle. Then the destruction began climbing up Yoo Joon-
seok’s arms.
Crunch-!
He watched his arms twist together like laundry.
“Damn… this…”
It was a level of pain he hadn’t felt before. He fell to the

ground and rolled to his side, groaning in unimaginable pain.
He had lost.
More so, it didn’t even negate what was waiting for him
outside.
The video Yoo-seong had was key to the destruction that

could take away everything he currently possessed.
“Kill me!” he cried out.
Yoo-seong raised his sword.
It was a beautiful blade made of pure Aura, with plum

blossoms falling around it.
Fuwook-!
It plunged into flesh, killing in one blow. However, it wasn’t

Yoo Joon-seok it was aiming for.
Cargo Weaver-★★★~★★★★
A spider was writhing at the end of Yoo-seong’s long blade.
“No.” Yoo-seong looked surprised. “Why would I kill you?”
Then Yoo-seong suddenly twisted around. Two more Cargo

Weavers that had leaped at them from above were slashed
into pieces.
“CEO!” they heard a voice cry out.
The rush team was there, carrying a pulse breaker.
“CEO, are you okay? Your arm…”
The hunters of the rush team looked at their CEO’s smashed

sword and his ruined arms. The spider corpses around them
couldn’t have done this damage.
“It’s my fault,” Yoo-seong declared as he motioned toward
the monster corpses around them.
“During the battle with a Cargo Weaver, an unidentified

entity appeared. I didn’t realize… but CEO Yoo sacrificed
himself to save me.”
“Ah!” The hunters were shocked at the news.
“I don’t think the entity will appear again anytime soon

because it was injured too… but it would be best to close
the rift as soon as possible,” Yoo-seong added.
The hunters were eager to accept Yoo-seong’s explanation.

Meanwhile, Yoo Joon-seok’s mouth remained shut.
“It’s my fault,” Yoo-seong said again. “Sorry, CEO Yoo.”
Then Yoo-seong stepped out of the crack. The Gung-on rush

team was proud.
The state of Yoo-seong and Gung-on’s relationship was no

secret after yesterday’s events.
However, it seemed that their CEO had disregarded it and

even saved Yoo-seong. Thus, they finished the operation
with a smile. If only they could hear what Yoo Joon-seok
heard at that moment, they wouldn’t be so happy.
‘Mr. Yoo,’ he heard through Yoo-seong’s Sound Penetration

Tech. ‘If you try to hurt me again, I will not hesitate to
disclose what really happened here. I even made you look
good, as my senior in the industry.’
With that, the crack was closed, along with Yoo Joon-seok’s
mouth.
That was the absurd result of the smallest crack in Korea.
***
Three o’clock.
After leaving the Gung-on Tower, Yoo-seong headed towards

his second business of the day. It wasn’t something as
difficult or intense.
“Welcome!” a voice greeted him.
He was at a dedicated store in Gangnam that sold hunter

phones. For hunters, cellphones were very important
equipment.
They used them for a variety of functions, such as briefing,

information exchange in the operation area, and field
measurements when needed.
They also needed to work despite being exposed to

magnetic fields, and their durability had to be high enough
to keep working throughout a battle with monsters. Because
of these requirements, a hunter’s phone was always very
expensive.
The low-priced models had retail prices at around $40,000.

Despite such a price range, the large dedicated store was
quite crowded because anyone could buy the phones.
A hunter’s phone was similar to an expensive watch. No

matter how expensive it was, there was always a demand
for such luxury goods.
Rich people who dreamed of being hunters were always on

the lookout for the newest hunter phone models. In fact, the
majority of the people in the store were ordinary people, not
hunters.
The store manager looked at the customer who had just

entered.
Then he approached the customer. “What product are you

looking for?”
“Oh… I need to buy something.”
“Yes?”
The manager nodded at the other employees, almost as if

to tell them to watch over the customer. It was not a
positive gesture.
The customer was wearing a white hoodie and sweat pants.

His shoes also looked pretty messy, as if he had just come
from a muddy and grassy place.
On top of that, his hood was completely pulled down, hiding

his face.
It wasn’t just the manager. The other customers were also

looking at the young man with unwelcoming expressions.
“Exactly what product are you looking for?” the manager

asked.
“Milky Way 5B-112 model.”
The answer was so straightforward that the manager’s eyes

widened. It was the top model available, with the highest
price.
The choice made the manager more suspicious of the young

man.
“Have you placed a pre-order?” he asked.
“Uh, do I have to?”
“Of course,” the manager said impatiently.
It was a requirement even for low-end models. Stores did

not stock such high-priced items, except for display.
The customers who were listening to the young man and the
manager’s conversation smirked. They thought the young
man was simply bragging.
“You can fill out the pre-order form here,” the manager
offered.
“Ah, I have to wait for a little…”
“Is there a problem?”
The young man seemed a little restless. “I forgot my

wallet…”
The manager’s expression turned very stern. It wasn’t that

every customer had to buy something from their store.
Since they were selling luxury products, it was natural that
many browsers would walk out empty-handed. However,
this young man was making the other customers feel
uncomfortable because of his appearance and behavior.
Some sensitive customers had already walked out after

seeing him.
“I’m so sorry,” the manager began to explain, “but our other

customers…”
“Ah,” the young man said suddenly before walking out.

‘Thank God,’ the manager thought.
However, after a few minutes, his eyebrows furrowed again.
The man was back in the store again, this time with an
envelope in his hand.
“Sir?” the manager’s voice was stern.
“I have it now.” The young man smiled.
They could only see his mouth, with his hood pulled down so
low.
“Yes?”
“My temporary ID and credit card. I left Korea for a while, so

my secretary was still preparing my documents. I had her
bring them here as soon as it was done. I called her with the
public phone outside.”
The manager, like everyone else in the store, stiffened.
This was because the young man had taken off his hood.
‘No wonder his smile looked familiar,’ the manager thought

belatedly.
The young man was someone everyone knew.
“Mr. Chang-sik!” The manager urgently called an employee.
“Yes, Sir?”
“See if the Milky Way 5B-112 is in stock…”
The manager felt intense pressure to please the young man.

“Mr. Choi! Place an inquiry on nearby stores, send someone
to get it as soon as possible…”
The manager knew the probability was low. However, he felt

he had somehow to give the phone to the man in front of
him.
Forget about the pre-order. It would be a sin for this man to

walk away without a hunter’s phone.
If Oh Yoo-seong needed a hunter’s phone, they had to do all

they could to provide it to him. He couldn’t keep calling
using public phones.
‘It was a sin. Definitely, a sin.’ The manager’s idea was

already firm.
The other customers watching the conversation also

thought the same.
***
“Would it really be okay?” Yoo-seong asked again and again.
“Yes, of course!” was the response once more.
At this point, Yoo-seong thought it would not be polite to

refuse.
“Then, thank you.”
He looked down and signed the transfer contract lying in

front of him.
The 112 model was extremely popular. Several pre-order

buyers were at the store to pick up their devices.
When the manager, who had tried everything in his power,
could not find a phone for Yoo-seong within an hour, the
other customers began competing to transfer their device to
him.
After all, they were just ordinary citizens. Their purpose for
buying a phone was just for luxury or for their hobbies. The
phone would be infinitely more valuable in the hands of Yoo-
seong.
The face of the woman who handed her phone over was the
happiest he had seen in a while.
“Oh Yoo-seong…” She hesitated.
“Yes?”
“If it’s okay, can I take a picture with you?”
“Ah, well… yes. Yes.”
Although no one told him to, the store manager took out his
phone and acted as their photographer.
Soon, the manager’s phone was filled with the woman’s

happy smiles beside Yoo-seong.
Then the woman seemed to want to say something more.
“Can I get an autograph, too?”
Yoo-seong thought about it. She would be the first person to

whom he would give an autograph.
Yoo-seong quickly signed it, and the woman received it as if

it were a treasure.
“I really like it! Thank you so much!” At this point, the
woman was pretty much just jumping with glee.
“Well… I’m glad you like it,” Yoo-seong trailed off.
Then he felt it.
He felt the countless gazes bearing down on him. It was like

passing through rough terrain where monsters lived.
As expected, everyone in the store was looking at Yoo-

seong.
-He gave her an autograph. He’s so kind…
-Is it because she transferred her phone to him?
-He seems nice…
The people kept their distance from Yoo-seong out of

courtesy. However, now that a person had gotten an
autograph…
A bead of cold sweat ran down Yoo-seong’s back.
His intuition told him that it wouldn’t be too long now before
the predators began to run toward him in unison.
Unconsciously, Yoo-seong’s hand felt for his button.
However-
Tiririririr-!
His new phone rang. It was his unexpected salvation.
Yoo-seong answered the phone while stepping outside the

store.
“Hello?”
-Oh Yoo-seong.
It was the Director of the Special Defense Bureau, Yang

Chang-guk.
-I called to confirm that your number was re-activated. It

looks like I got the timing right.
“The timing was perfect.”
-There is an operation that I want you to participate in.
There was definite urgency in Yang Chang-guk’s voice. He

had made the call without knowing whether Yoo-seong’s
phone was activated or not. He’d just known he had to get
in touch with him quickly.
-It’s a very special operation. If you say you’ll participate,

you will have to move right away.
Yoo-seong replied immediately.
“Where do you need me to go?”
As soon as he heard Yang Chang-guk’s response, his jaw

dropped. “Damn…”
It was definitely a special operation.

Chapter 99
No. 99
Hunting was actually very simple.
When a rift occurred, hunters would come out to block the

area, hunt monsters, and then close the rift.
As long as no civilians were injured or killed – the primary

goal of hunting – a hunt could be classed as successful.
However, sometimes there were instances when other goals

had to be considered.
Yang Chang-guk’s expression was quite serious as he

briefed Yoo-seong while walking up a staircase in the Special
Defense Agency building.
“The news has not gotten out yet,” he began, “but it will be
broadcast within an hour. With what happened last time, it’s
a very sensitive subject,” he continued.
“I understand.” Yoo-seong nodded.
Yang Chang-guk had not even described the operation in

detail yet. He didn’t know how large the rift was, how many
people were involved, and so on.
However, Yoo-seong knew how sensitive the operation was

just by the location in which Yang Chang-guk had chosen to
speak to him. It was an area where the borders of two
countries coincided.
Both countries usually sent their own teams to handle the

cracks within their borders. Other times, the country with
the larger area covered by the crack handled the operation.
However, what about areas where territorial disputes

occurred?
“The last incident was hell,” Yang Chang-guk sighed.
“I saw news articles about it when I returned.” Yoo-seong

nodded.
“Way more happened than was released in the news.”
A few months after Yoo-seong disappeared, a crack had

occurred in Ieodo, an area where South Korea and China’s
exclusive economic zones overlapped.
At that time, the Korean industry was already suffering due

to the increased rate of crack appearances and manpower
shortages. Pang-guk, the company active in the West Sea,
Jeollanam-do, and Jeju Island, was also suffering from the
same issues.
There were not a lot of hunters that could be dispatched to

Ieodo.
China’s Defense Agency offered to handle the crack by

themselves, which seemed like a reprieve for the Korean
Defense Agency.
After accepting their offer, Yang Chang-guk then focused on

civilian safety. At the same time, the Special Defense
Agency sent ships to Ieodo to help with rescue and
evacuation operations.
Eventually, the Chinese hunters closed the cracks

successfully, and everything ended well with no civilian
casualties.
However, the Chinese government used the operation for its

propaganda. Unbeknownst to Yang Chang-guk and the
Korean Defense Agency, China had also dispatched camera
teams.
They captured footage of the Chinese hunters’ activities and

contrasted it with the empty Korean maritime bases in Ieodo
and Korean ships leaving the area.
China deemed the video as proof that the exclusive

economic zone was clearly their jurisdiction. The effect of
the provocation was indeed enormous. The domestic
reaction was explosive.
“Because of it, people were calling us traitors. Even my kids

were getting flak in school.” Yang Chang-guk shook his
head.
Of course, it didn’t actually mean that Korea had given up

Ieodo to China. Members of the maritime bases returned
after the operation ended, and the area was still disputed.
“It was definitely an aspect I did not consider. But even if I

could go back to that time…” Yang Chang-guk’s voice was
heavy.
“I’d make the same choice. It is my responsibility to do

everything for the safety of the country and its people.”
Considering the situation at that time, if he had forced more
hunters to join the operation, the accumulated fatigue
would have made it risky. Looking at the big picture, a more
dangerous situation could have unfolded.
However, the incident left a bad mark in people’s eyes

because they believed that the Defense Agency was
incompetent and had to resort to borrowing other countries’
power.
“That’s why I’m glad,” Yang Chang-guk tried to smile, “that

a talent like you came back. I don’t have to make that
choice again.”
They reached the rooftop exactly as Yang Chang-guk

finished speaking. Then he threw the door open.
Hooooh-!
Strong gusts of wind now greeted them. A helicopter was

waiting for them on the rooftop.
“I’ve told you this several times already,” Yang Chang-guk

said as they climbed up to the helicopter. “But I’m so glad
you’re back… Thank you.”
Yang Chang-guk had more to say, but it was hard to

communicate due to the propeller’s noise.
Yoo-seong could feel the Director’s tension and anxiety.
‘It’s only natural,’ he thought. ‘If he fails again this time, the
impact will be much greater.’
The place where the helicopter was heading was in a

situation similar to Ieodo.
Yoo-seong clenched his fist and tried to clear his mind. The
helicopter then headed straight to Dokdo.
***
When they arrived in Dokdo, a temporary control center had

already been established. Yang Chang-guk was discussing
the status with an employee.
“The location hasn’t been confirmed yet?” he asked.
“That’s right. Because the variations are so severe…”
Yang Chang-guk nodded. Then he looked over to the other

control center across from them: the Japanese control
center.
Though the crack was expected to appear in Korean

territory, Japan was as close to this area as Korea.
Therefore, any incident that occurred during the operation
would also pose a threat to their population. That was the
reason they were legally allowed to join the operation.
Yang Chang-guk spat on the ground, then began walking

toward the other control center. At the same time, a few
people stepped out from the control center to meet him.
“Nice to meet you. My name is Nakai Yasuo,” a middle-aged

man said.
“I am Yang Chang-guk,” he replied.
Nakai Yasuo narrowed his eyes. “Your job title?”
“Director of the Korean Special Defense Agency,” he

responded briefly.
He was certain that these men knew who he was, but they
still asked him to clarify his identity.
It was a way of looking down on the Korean industry. The

unfortunate thing was that he could not make the same
comment to spite them.
This was because there was no way anyone wouldn’t know

the man before him.
Nakai Yasuo. The CEO of Nakai Private Hunting Firm, Japan’s

representative hunting agency.
“Who are those people?” Yang Chang-guk pointed over

Nakai Yasuo’s shoulder.
“Oh,” the man smiled with obvious treachery. “They are part
of our required personnel.”
Yang Chang-guk threw a look at the group behind Nakai

Yasuo. They were obviously staff and cameramen from
Japanese broadcasting stations.
“Aren’t they reporters? Are you going to broadcast the

operation?”
“Yes. They are part of this operation.”
“Don’t you have action cams? Why do you need to bring

members of the media with you?”
“Because there is a limit to an individual’s point of view. The

perspective their footage provides can be of great help to
our students and future hunters.”
Then Nakai Yasuo smirked before continuing, “It seems that

Korea isn’t doing this yet…”
Yang Chang-guk shook his head as he tried to control
himself.
It was obvious. Japan was going to take the route China had.
They were going to use this operation to strengthen their
claim on disputed territory.
“Your Defense Agency has not responded to our agency’s

request for cooperation…” Yang Chang-guk commented.
“Ah, yes. We are planning to move independently.”
Yang Chang-guk’s eyebrows furrowed. “Independently?”
“We have the expertise when it comes to sea-based

operations.” Nakai Yasuo spoke confidently.
Hunting at sea was greatly different than on land. To hunt

marine-type monsters required different strategies from
hunting flight-type or land-type beasts.
“Because we are an island, our sea hunting methods

continue to progress on a day-to-day basis,” Nakai Yasuo
explained.
“We are also surrounded by three seas,” Yang Chang-guk

countered.
“Well… I think you’re on a level that still needs

improvement.” Nakai Yasuo smiled brightly.
It was an open provocation to Yang Chang-guk.
“You don’t have to worry,” Nakai Yasuo assured him. “We

intend to put all our efforts into this operation. However,
please understand that we are very sensitive when it comes
to protecting our know-how and information.”
Yang Chang-guk’s face turned red. “You’re talking like… like
we’d steal it.”
“Do it your way. We’ll do it our way,” a strong voice said

from behind Yang Chang-guk.
They all turned. Yoo-seong was standing behind Yang Chang-

guk.
The Japanese felt shocked. No one, not even Yang Chang-

guk, had noticed Yoo-seong approach.
“Yoo-seong, what you just said,” Yang Chang-guk wanted to

clarify.
“We will move independently. They are right. They should

protect their know-how and information as much as
possible.”
“The famous Oh Yoo-seong. Thank you for being considerate

of this position.” Nakai smiled at him.
However, Yoo-seong barely acknowledged him with a

glance. He focused on Yang Chang-guk as if the other
people around him didn’t matter.
“Do you want to proceed with their plan?” Yang Chang-guk

asked him one more time.
“Yes, Director. Just as these people are proud of their know-

how and information, I have my own methods I don’t want
them to see. It would be a win-win to move unhindered.”
Yang Chang-guk glanced at Nakai.
Yoo-seong had thrown them a reverse provocation.

“I didn’t know that Oh Yoo-seong was well-trained in marine
operations,” Nakai said in an attempt to get Yoo-seong’s
attention.
“I have never participated in a marine operation before,”

Yoo-seong said in a casual manner.
Then he patted Yang Chang-guk’s shoulder lightly. “Let’s go,

Director.”
Nakai could have let it end there.
What he wanted, an independent operation, was already

guaranteed. However, an unexpected emotion sprung up
from his chest.
“You’d better be careful,” he found himself blurting out.

“The sea is different from the land. I know your
achievements, but if you belittle the sea…” Nakai laughed.
“You haven’t even been in a marine operation before.”
Yoo-seong slowed his pace and began speaking out loud to

Yang Chang-guk.
“I traveled the distance from China to Korea in the world

beyond the crack. How do you think I did that?”
“By walking along the coastline?” Yang Chang-guk guessed

out loud.
“No.” Yoo-seong shook his head. “Why would I do something

so exhausting?”
It seemed as if they were speaking between themselves, but

their voices were loud enough for Nakai to hear.
“Then, how did you do it?” Yang Chang-guk asked.

“I crossed the sea.”
“What? How? What did you ride on?”
“I made a raft.”
Nakai thought it was so incredible that it must be a bluff.
Just then, yells were heard from both control centers at

once. Finally, the crack location was confirmed. It ended up
appearing in the worst place.
Chapter 100
Episode 100
If there was any advantage in a marine operation, it would

be the presence of the Navy’s support.
Due to the nature of the sea, it was difficult to form a

barricade without their ships. Moreover, since the risk to
civilians and property damage was low, military firepower
could be utilized without worrying about collateral damage.
Therefore, in Dokdo, two national Navy troops stood face to

face on the disputed waters.
They were not there to engage with each other but rather to
support their hunters. However, one couldn’t help but feel a
strange tension in the air.
The hunters, on the other hand, weren’t interested in the

atmosphere at all. All their attention was fixed on the grave
scenario before them.
Naka Yasuo was on the deck of PHF’s Mitsu-233 transport

ship. His gaze was fixed on the quiet sea below. There was a
lot to think about.
The cracks would appear twenty minutes from now.
“Mr. Nakai!” A loud voice broke his train of thought.

Yusuke Kano. He was a famous broadcaster in Japan, sent by
a public broadcasting station.
“Yes?”
“We heard it. Two cracks opening at the same time! Isn’t
this unprecedented?” The broadcaster was animated.
‘Unprecedented,’ Nakai thought with an irritated smirk.

‘People just throw that word around.’
There had been many precedents of simultaneous cracks.

The broadcaster’s question was so ignorant that it wasn’t
worth answering, and Nakai simply laughed it off.
A filming team was behind Kano.
In the past, there was no way that broadcasting staff would

have been allowed to join hunting operations.
But before he set off on this operation, a powerful figure had

spoken with him.
-Mr. Nakai, please.
The Japanese Prime Minister’s voice had been full of

urgency. As part of the Japanese government’s right-wing
policy in recent years, the current broadcasting industry was
focused on praising their own country. This was their way of
instilling their citizens with nationalistic pride and total trust
in the authorities.
Thus, Dokdo was a pretty excellent stage for their agenda.
What better way to instill pride than to show Japanese

hunters against their incompetent counterparts in conflict
areas?
“One of the cracks will open underwater, right?” the
broadcaster prodded him.
“Will that make the operation more difficult?”
“Of course.” Nakai nodded.
‘It’s not just going to be more difficult,’ he thought.
An ordinary person couldn’t even guess how an underwater

crack was on a different scale altogether.
The world and the world beyond the crack were parallel. The
overall shape of the terrain was almost identical, except for
the details.
However, there was one glaring difference between them –

height.
The world beyond seemed to operate at a higher point than

this world.
That was why cracks created at ground level in the world

beyond appeared in this world’s sky. The same was true of
the sea.
If beasts living at sea-level beyond the crack appeared in

this world, they arrived tens of meters above the surface.
Hunters exploited this, taking advantage of the momentary
confusion that the monsters experienced once they
appeared in the air.
However, an underwater crack…
For the beasts, it was nothing but a shift from one part of
the sea to another. The hunters would have to adjust and
prepare to fight them underwater.
In addition, the probability of high-risk monsters appearing

increased. Underwater cracks meant that the monsters
emerging were deep-sea inhabitants of the other world.
It wouldn’t be strange to see an unknown monster appear.
“Hoh, that makes sense.” Kano nodded thoughtfully after

Nakai’s explanation. However, he wasn’t here to understand
underwater operations. He was here to present the prowess
of the Japanese Navy and the hunting industry.
“Looking at the layout, it’s not your group that will handle
the underwater crack,” Kano observed.
“We’re in charge of the rift closer to each other’s territory.”
“Can the Koreans really handle the underwater crack?”
This was Kano’s main goal – to show that Japan was far
better.
Nakai Yasuo paused for a few moments before answering

with as much sincerity as he could muster.
“It will be difficult for them.”
Even if they had a hunter who could run on air, a marine

operation was a different problem. Movements were limited
underwater. Wearing a scuba suit and an oxygen tank while
fighting unknown monsters had proved to be rough.
Without a Tech or a Psy specialized in underwater battles, an

underwater hunt was almost akin to suicide. Oh Yoo-seong’s
failure was almost guaranteed.
“Then, what about your team?” Kano asked him.

“We can get through it without any difficulty because of our
group’s training,” Nakai answered confidently.
“Oh! That’s great to hear. So, if something unexpected

happens, Takeshima here would be safe,” Kano teased the
cameraman standing behind them.
Then he turned to the camera and said: “Of course, we have

to hope that the Korean hunters can finish their operation
safely and that we will not have to intervene.”
But neither Kano, the cameraman, or Nakai really hoped for

it.
Oh Yoo-seong had to fail.
The Korean counterparts must appear miserable and in

crisis. Then, the Japanese would intervene.
Nakai would swoop in, appearing heroic, saving their

incompetent neighbors from disaster. It would be a
wonderful presentation of the strength of Japanese hunters.
After the short interview, Kano talked with his colleagues.

“Did you bring underwater equipment?”
“Oh, are we really diving?” his cameraman asked.
“Of course. Nakai and his team will keep us safe, anyway.”
As the broadcasting staff walked away, Nakai turned his

attention back to the Korean side.
With his Aura-enhanced vision, he watched Yoo-seong on

the deck of a Korean ship.
‘You said you crossed the sea in the world beyond?’ Nakai
shook his head. ‘I don’t think it’s impossible at all, but… why
would anyone do such a thing?’
Nakai thought that Yoo-seong and Yang Chang-guk should

have acknowledged their incompetence instead of bragging
to him.
It would have been better for them to ask for help. The rift
assigned to the Japanese team was of low difficulty. Three
elite hunters, including him, could handle it.
Nakai, who had total control, could have assigned his

remaining hunters to help with the Korean operation.
There was a fairly high probability that, with their combined

effort, the underwater crack could be handled easily.
Of course, the control center received the government’s

requests as soon as the crack locations were confirmed.
Oh Yoo-seong must fail. That was what the broadcast teams

and the prime minister wanted.
So Nakai Yasuo, against his nature as a veteran hunter, had

to convince himself.
‘Regardless of the catastrophe,’ he thought, ‘I have no

obligation to help them.’
His only focus must be to close the crack assigned to them.

With this in mind, Nakai gave out his order.
“Two elite members will accompany me to close the crack,”

he declared.
“And the rest?” one of the team leaders under him asked.
“The rest will be devoted to protecting the broadcasting

staff as they film us.”
***
As always, Yoo-seong’s expression was unreadable as he

silently checked his equipment. Yang Chang-guk was
watching him with a hesitant attitude.
“If you have anything to say,” Yoo-seong suddenly said,

“you can go ahead.”
Yang Chang-guk looked quite surprised. Despite Yoo-seong’s

permission, it took him quite a long time to open his mouth.
“Can I be honest with you?” he asked tentatively.
Yoo-seong nodded. “I believe you will not ask unnecessary

questions.”
Yang Chang-guk chose his next words carefully. “What do

you think is the probability that you will… not succeed?”
Yoo-seong stopped checking his equipment and stared

directly at Yang Chang-guk.
Yang Chang-guk blushed with shame. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
He bowed and apologized, even though he had done

nothing wrong. In his mind, he had.
He’d called Yoo-seong out of the blue to join them here.
He’d personally asked a hunter who’d never participated in

a maritime operation to risk his life, and now that he was on
the brink of doing so, he began to worry.
“I don’t think you’re truly sorry, Director,” Yoo-seong said.

“You haven’t even done your best.”
Yang Chang-guk’s face turned even redder. He had not
brought Yoo-seong with any precise information or plans.
Moreover, he was unprepared, just like last time, in Ieodo.
Operations conducted near the East Sea had increased, and

the active teams and firms around it were already
overworked.
However, their counterpart, the Japanese Defense Agency,

had been fully prepared a day ago.
They had even sent him a message that they were willing to
take over the operation.
To be honest, Yang Chang-guk felt afraid. He felt afraid to be

cursed at again as the Director of Special Defense. The
situation in Ieodo was a disaster for him, in both his career
and private life.
Therefore, Yoo-seong was his last hope.
With Yoo-seong’s abilities, he should be able to handle this

operation without any problems.
However, if Yoo-seong failed…
The public and the government would be even more rabidly

against Yang Chang-guk. On top of being unprepared for this
situation, he had even placed Oh Yoo-seong in a position to
die.
“Yoo-seong, I…” He thought hard about what to say.
“It was my decision to come here,” Yoo-seong’s firm voice

interrupted him. “You gave me a choice, believing in my
abilities. When I accepted the task, I took responsibility.”
Yoo-seong continued as he checked his equipment as if he
was saying something unimportant. “I’m not sure what the
outcome will be. So I’ll be honest with you. I don’t know. I
don’t have a way to measure probability.”
Then Yoo-seong stood and relaxed his body.
He was almost fully equipped. He only needed an oxygen

tank to be installed.
“Whether the probability of success is 50%, 10%, or 0.1%…

I’ll give my 100%.” Yoo-seong smiled at Yang Chang-guk. It
was a sincere smile, if not a confident one.
“Please… trust me.”
Those were the last words he said.
What happened next was something neither Yang Chang-

guk nor the Defense personnel around them expected.
Swoosh-!
Yoo-seong ran off the deck and dove into the sea!
“What, what?!” The crewmates and the Defense agent were

in a panic. Oh Yoo-seong had just left behind the most
important thing for an underwater battle.
“He didn’t bring an oxygen tank!” someone cried out.
There were still a few minutes left before the appearance of

the rift. However, Yoo-seong was long gone.
“Director!”
Everyone looked at Yang Chang-guk for direction.

“Stop,” Yang Chang-guk announced.
“Yes?”
“Please stop sending communications to Yoo-seong. He

doesn’t have time to answer. Give him space to work.”
The staff felt confused. It sounded like nonsense.
How could he work when he couldn’t breathe underwater?
However, Yang Chang-guk’s expression was firm.
“Trust him.” He echoed Yoo-seong’s last words.
Yang Chang-guk was no longer afraid.
It wasn’t because Oh Yoo-seong would surely succeed. It

was because Oh Yoo-seong told him what he should do.
Even if Yoo-seong failed, Yang Chang-guk had to give his
100%.
He would do all he could to fulfill his duty, even if he had to

beg the Japanese to help them. No matter how much he
would get cursed at, he didn’t care anymore.
He had to take responsibility.
Still, apart from his own comfort, Yang Chang-guk hoped

with all his heart for Yoo-seong to succeed.
‘If you do well this time…’
His thoughts trailed off as he stared at the sea where Yoo-

seong was.
***
“He’s out of his mind!” Nakai couldn’t help but raise his
voice at the absurd scene he had just watched.
“Without oxygen, what is he going to do?”
Kano, who was watching the scene with Nakai, was also
stunned.
The camera was facing the Korean side, so they were able
to capture Yoo-seong’s drastic action.
“This really is a big deal!” Nakai exclaimed. “Now, we have

no choice but to help…”
Jiiiii-!
The sound of magnetic fields forming started above their

heads.
Nakai pushed Kano away and raised his voice.
“Only I and two others are going in! Protect the

broadcasters!”
It took less than three minutes for Nakai to regret what he’d
said.
Because, as much as he hated the word, the catastrophe

waiting for them really was unprecedented.
Chapter 101
No. 101
To cross the sea in the world beyond the crack.
Even for Yoo-seong, it sounded like an insane idea. However,

he had to do it.
He needed to get to the place where the Sky Scissors and

Sky Needle were hidden: Bohai Bay.
It was located parallel to the Shandong Peninsula in the

outside world. In the world inside the crack, there was a
mountain floating in that area. Chinese legends called it the
Samshin Mountain.
The legends said it was where the ancient Qin Shi Huang
ordered Seobok to find the elixir of eternal life.
Jin Wei-baek had given him several coordinates for where he

needed to go before making the journey. These were
locations of cracks that Tenz had handled in the past.
Jin Wei-baek, with his foresight, ordered his rush teams to

leave supplies and equipment at those locations. There
were even enough materials for Yoo-seong to build a
working raft.
It was a surprisingly advanced raft with parts made by the

first-rate Tenz technology.
Less than half a day after Yoo-seong found the materials, he
was out onto the sea.
Hooowook-!
Bubbles rose rapidly as Yoo-seong sucked in air.
He hadn’t brought an oxygen tank. He was using the hole in

the Sky Needle, which floated above sea level, to breathe.
The needle was connected to his mouth through an Aura

thread. It was one of the techniques he’d learned in order to
survive in an alien environment.
Hooowoook-!
It was dark underwater, but the blue crack’s faint glow could
be seen with Yoo-seong’s Aura-assisted vision.
He began sewing it closed as fast as he could. This was the

biggest advantage of the Sky Needle. There was no need to
carry a pulse breaker and charge it.
As long as the needle’s user could come into contact with

the crack, it was possible to block it completely without
even going into the crack.
‘Fortunately, it’s not that big,’ Yoo-seong thought. ‘It’s

smaller than expected.’
At best, it was a small, Thunder-class crack. Yoo-seong had

already sewn a quarter of it closed.
He was doing the blocking operation smoothly when,

suddenly, Auto-Hunt did something strange.
“Huh?”
Using Auto-Hunt, he made a foothold at the tip of his toe.
Then he kicked the foothold to get away from the crack as
quickly as possible.
The next instant, Yoo-seong realized why.
Cyclops Moray-★★★★★★
It was a sea predator, with an average length of thirty-five

meters. However, since the crack was almost sewn closed,
only its three-and-a-half meter mouth could get through the
crack.
Still, it was enough to let it bite Yoo-seong’s head off if Auto-

Hunt hadn’t made him get away in time.
The Cyclops Moray backed off after missing and peered

through the crack.
It was a horrifying sight.
As its name suggested, it only had one eye stuck on the

center of its head. The pupil darted left to right as if it was
trying to find Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong suppressed his rapidly beating heart and stared

back at the Moray.
However, after a few seconds… the panicked beast still

hadn’t struggled through the crack to attack Yoo-seong.
Instead, it darted away, deeper into the crack.
Yoo-seong thought it was a temporary retreat, a way to lure

him in. It might just be out of his sight, preparing to lunge
again. However…
Bang-!
Kicking off from another foothold, Yoo-seong began to speed
towards the crack again.
Auto-Hunt seemed to disagree with his opinion.
He restarted the stitching process as if the Moray weren’t a

threat.
‘Why?’ Yoo-seong was puzzled.
Somehow, Auto-Hunt’s behavior was understandable.
It had enough reaction speed to avoid another Moray attack.

However, even more puzzling was that the Moray was truly
gone.
Not only that… There were no other monsters even trying to

peek through.
Monsters were instinctively drawn to the rift. That was why

an underwater crack was a blue hell.
By now, he should be fighting various underwater creatures,

but…
It was abnormally quiet. There could only be one reason for

this.
Something that threatened the monsters so much that their

fear overpowered the urge to go through the rift.
‘That’s fortunate for me,’ Yoo-seong thought.
He didn’t care what that ‘threat’ was.
Just like that, Yoo-seong had almost stitched the crack close.
However…
Auto-Hunt formed another foothold. It made Yoo-seong
nervous.
Bang-!
He had been pushed forcefully. This time, it was in a

direction he didn’t expect. It didn’t push him away from the
almost-closed crack but to its inside.
‘Why?!’
He felt confused. However, he did not turn Auto-Hunt off.
Just like that, Yoo-seong disappeared beyond the rift.
Then he finished closing the crack from the inside.
Soon, the faint blue scar under the water disappeared, as if

it had never happened. Only the quiet underwater scenery
remained.
***
“This is it!” Nakai raised his voice.
Koji Ishida, one of his most cherished subordinates, picked

up his sword.
At twenty years old, he was a veteran hunter whose career

was already comparable to Nakai, who was in his fifties.
However, the young man found himself shaking subtly.
Nakai stared at him. He knew Ishida understood the

situation perfectly. They were preparing for death.
This was all because of what had come out of the crack…
“Umibozu…” Ishida’s voice trembled as he muttered it.
Japanese sailors passed down a ghost story to each other.
One rainy night, a pitch-black shadow, tens of meters high,

rose in front of a ship. It sank the ship with just one swipe of
its massive hand.
Then, as if to ridicule the crew further, the shadow morphed

into a variety of forms. However, the monster that took after
its name was by no means a giant.
It was Slime, a myriad of microbes forming a colony.
colony’s size.
Some Umibozu were barely large enough to devour a fish,

while some were large enough to swallow a battleship.
When the colony grew to a certain size, it would float and let
itself be carried by the waves instead of swimming.
At first glance, it could easily be mistaken for an oil spill.

However, beneath the black sheen that appeared on the
surface level, chaos was happening.
By forming innumerable tentacles, the Umibozu snatched

and sucked the life out of any marine creatures passing
under it.
Above sea level, there was no difference. Even flying birds

could not escape the tentacles of Umibozu that had grown
large enough.
And now…
Pluk-!
Pluk-!
Pluk-!
The microbes were now falling out of the crack, looking like
black lava.
What made it even creepier was that the flow of the

microbes coming out did not decrease even after more than
a dozen seconds had passed.
“Nonsense…” Ayana Nakai groaned.
Along with Ishida, she was the other elite hunter who could
deal with the Typhoon-class crack.
She was Nakai Yasuo’s only daughter, as well as a powerful

spellcaster. Moreover, she had hunted Umibozu before.
However, the amount flowing right now was something that

she couldn’t have even imagined.
“Ayana!”
Her father’s cries awakened Ayana’s spirit.
“Raise the sea dragon!”
“Yes, Father!”
The father and daughter duo were on the deck, preparing

their Tech. However, this took some time, and while they
did, the amount of Umibozu slime flowing out continued.
The colony would have exceeded hundreds of tons by now,

judging by the amount that had continuously flowed out.
Gwoooosh-!
The Umibozu took the form of a giant man, its upper body
rising high above sea level. It stood in front of three
Destroyers, including the one that Nakai and Ayanna were
onboard.
Tratatatatatat-!
Without hesitation, the battleships’ machine guns began

spraying bullets.
Nakai had planned to handle the situation with just two

other hunters from his team, but at this point, there was no
other choice. The military had to intervene.
As with other Slime-type beasts, the best way to deal with

an Umibozu was to inflict heat. It was difficult to hurt it
through cutting, tearing, or blunt force attacks. The only
way to damage it was to burn it.
‘It’s not enough,’ Nakai estimated, based on his long years

of experience.
As the size of the Umibozu grew, the amount of heat needed

to damage it also increased.
His Water Tech was ready to be unleashed.
However, if the outrageous number of bullets coming from

three battleships was still not enough…
‘Anti-ship missiles,’ Nakai decided.
It was their only hope.
There were at least two conditions that they needed to meet

in order to complete their mission and defeat the Umibozu.
First, the Destroyers must be at the closest range possible
to deliver the greatest impact.
Second, the Umibozu microbes must be collected into a

single point, a single target.
To satisfy both conditions…
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
Nakai and his daughter spent all their energy preparing the
Sea Dragon Tech. They could only hope for the best.
Kwaaang-!
“Ahhhhhhhhh!” All around them, sailors began to scream.
The Umibozu tilted its upper body and enveloped a

Destroyer on the far right.
Countless tentacles covered the ship, wrapping the deck

entirely and probing its insides. Of course, the tentacles’
purpose was not just to destroy the ship. It was to suck out
all organic matter it could find inside.
Kwaduk-!
Soon, Umibozu finished its embrace of death, and the once

strong Destroyer was crumpled like a tin can.
Gwooosh-!
The giant once again raised its upper body above sea level.
Now, its height had grown to at least thirty meters.
Nakai and the other hunters were on the middle ship, which
stood next to the monster’s path.
Ishida then made his move.
“Aaaaaahhh!”
A beam of light stretched out from his sword.
“Go, split!” he yelled out.
The next moment, the Umibozu was split from its head to its
chest.
Paaang-!
The two halves fell left and right and splashed into the sea.
Shouts of relief came from every sailor, hunter, and
broadcaster around the area.
However, their joy lasted only a few seconds.
The Umibozu’s tentacles began rising again on both sides of

the ship.
Ishida’s majestic technique only served to delay the

catastrophe. Before long, the deck was covered with
tentacles.
However, unlike the first ship, it wasn’t a helpless massacre.
“Nine o’clock!”
“Watch out!”
Nakai, Ishida, Ayanna, and the other hunters of PHF were

doing a great job evading the tentacles despite the
situation.
However, there was something they had failed to consider.

“Uh, uh uh!”
“Mr. Kano! Should I continue filming this?!”
“Film it! I believe in the hunters!”
The broadcasting staff on the ship had not fully grasped the
situation.
Though it could be said that their professionalism was at its

peak, the way they continued to film even if hunters
themselves were escaping for their lives was quite suicidal.
“Ladies and gentlemen, what you’re watching right now…

it’s unbelievable… but our hunters are working hard…”
The broadcasting staff’s professionalism would ultimately

lead the hunters to their demise.
“Hey!” A hunter yelled at Kano and his cameraman. “Get

inside! Quickly!”
Suddenly, tentacles wrapped around the hunter’s neck from

behind and pulled him down off the ship in an instant.
It was the first hunter casualty of the day.
“Hey!”
“Uh?!”
The broadcasting staff shuddered at the frightening scene

that had just unfolded before them.
Meanwhile, while they were frozen, hunters were dying all

around them to protect them. It was what Nakai had ordered
them to do.
Nakai had also seen what was happening, but because his
focus needed to be maintained for his Tech, he couldn’t help
them.
‘This is due to my indifference,’ he berated himself.
There was no excuse.
No matter how unpredictable the situation they face might

be, he had to be prepared for it.
‘I should not have listened to the Prime Minister or Kano,’ he

thought. ‘I should have faced the broadcasters in a safe
place and had my men in formation.’
“Ahhhhh!”
One after another, PHF hunters were screaming and dying

around him.
The only reason the ship hadn’t been totally destroyed yet
was because of Ishida. However, even the young man was
limited.
His sword attacks could only hold off the tentacles, not

destroy them.
“Ayana…” Nakai cried out to his daughter.
“Father?!”
“I can’t just watch this anymore.” He closed his eyes tight.
‘My men are dying around me…’
Qawah-!
Nakai activated his Tech.

The current around the ship began to get stronger. Soon, the
shape of a dragon formed from the waves.
The water dragon raised its head and flew above sea level.
Its girth was about as thick as a small building.
Nakai and his daughter had exhausted their Aura to

summon it.
“Kyaah!”
Nakai controlled its direction.
In an instant, the water dragon wrapped itself around the

Umibozu and pulled it away from the ship.
The water dragon captured all the Umibozu’s tentacles

before gathering them into a huge ball.
It was as if a giant frog egg was floating.
‘It’s really strong,’ Nakai thought.
He was trying to crush the Umibozu using water pressure

inside the dragon, but it had no effect. In the meantime, his
veins were starting to cramp as he maintained his extreme
Tech.
‘The missile should be here soon,’ he assured himself as he

endured the pain in his veins.
His expectations were not betrayed.
Shwoo-!
He heard the sound of projectiles flying above his head.

Then he released the Tech, dissolving the water dragon and
exposing the Umibozu to the missiles.
Nakai turned around and closed his eyes.
Kwapaaang-!
There was a tremendous explosion. It was only the first.
Multiple anti-ship missiles began flying one after another, all

toward a single target.
Finally, the battleship exhausted all its destructive power.
Nakai slowly opened his eyes. He turned around slowly,

desperately wishing for the Umibozu to be nothing more
than ashes after the missile barrage.
However…
“Uh, uh, uh, uh…”
The Umibozu remained standing, unchanged.
Even anti-ship missiles were not enough to destroy it.
Now it was walking back toward Nakai’s ship.
“Uh, uh, try somehow! All you guys…!” Kano cried out in
desperation.
Only his voice rang out on the deck.
All the other hunters there had accepted what was coming.
“You are hunters! Come on! Do something!”

Soon, the massive shadow of the Umibozu was upon the
ship’s deck.
For those who were on it, there was only darkness as far as
they could see. However, those with good ears could hear it.
Jiiiii-!
The sound of magnetic fluctuations in the crack, which was

probably widening at this point.
Then the magnetic field stopped ringing.
Paang-!
There was a crackling sound as if something had been shot

down from the sky.
And…
Kuuung-!
Something landed with a heavy impact in the middle of the

deck.
Everyone on board was stunned.
The Umibozu’s body had cast a large shadow over the deck.
But now…
A familiar red suit shone in the sunlight.
Yes. Sunlight.
Sunlight was pouring out of a hole in the Umibozu’s body,

casting a spotlight on the hunter who had landed.
Nakai’s jaw dropped.
It wasn’t because he was impressed with the movie-like

entrance. It was because the spotlight hadn’t ceased.
The hole Yoo-seong had pierced through Umibozu’s body

was not healing. Somehow, Oh Yoo-seong had delivered
more heat than an entire missile barrage.
Kleek-!
The helmet’s visor went up.
“Hooooo-whoook!”
Yoo-seong took in a long, deep breath as if he had not

enjoyed oxygen for a while.
His face was pale.
It had taken him a very long journey inside the underwater

crack to come out of this other crack.
Yoo-seong stared at Nakai while gasping for air. Then he

spoke.
“Am I interfering with your hunt?”

Chapter 102
Episode 102
”Help me!” Kano cried out and ran to Yoo-seong.
It was a pathetic action, but no one could blame him. It was

not common for ordinary people to have monsters right
before their eyes.
“You are a hunter! You have a duty to help us, even if we are
on different sides…”
Yoo-seong’s expression was blank.
It wasn’t because he was enjoying his sense of superiority at

the moment. It was because Kano was talking in Japanese.
In his fear, he had forgotten all about the language barrier.
Yoo-seong glanced at the Umibozu, which was slowly

recovering, before turning to Nakai.
“I have completed the operation on our side. It won’t be a

problem to help with the operation taking place here.”
Nakai was stunned.
Yoo-seong had already closed the underwater crack. On top

of that, he had just popped out of the very crack the
Japanese team was trying to close.
“I fully understand your position…” Yoo-seong trailed off.
Nakai groaned.
The young hunter in front of him was saying that he could

save them from this situation.
However, Nakai would be in trouble if he allowed Yoo-seong

to take on the Umibozu with his own strength.
How funny things turned out to be.
They wanted to showcase their abilities to the Korean team,

but now, without Yoo-seong’s help, they could all perish at
sea.
The broadcast cameras were still filming.
Fortunately, it was not a live broadcast.
“Nakai! Say something!” Kano urged him.
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong’s action cam was also filming the

situation.
“If you give me an answer, I will move accordingly,” he

added. After all, he had already shown that he could deal
with that beast on his own.
The other hunters on the ship shook their heads and shut
their mouths.
“Nakai! What are you doing?!” Kano’s face was covered with
tears.
The only sound on the still ship was his pathetic sobs.
Meanwhile, the Umibozu was slowly recovering.
Nakai began to speak. “Our current available capabilities are
not enough to hunt that monster…”
His proud and confident expression was nowhere to be

found.
“Help-”
Yoo-seong did not wait for him to finish.
He didn’t mean to be rude, but the Umibozu had started to

move again.
Taang-!
Yoo-seong’s body shot out toward the sky, like a cannonball.

Once again, he was coated with an Aura of flame.
The wrist blade on his left arm shone as he flew toward the
Umibozu’s ‘head.’
However, the Umibozu did not allow itself to be hit twice.
“My God…” Kano could only groan.
The Umibozu’s head contracted just before Yoo-seong’s

wrist blade came into contact with it.
The microbes were not smart creatures, but they could

sense the heat coming toward them and adjusted their
shape at a rapid pace. Regardless of the unexpected
situation, though, Yoo-seong simply turned his body in the
air and attacked again.
Shuwak-!
Once again, however, before Yoo-seong’s blade could reach

it, the Umibozu’s surface split to avoid it. It had a
tremendous reaction rate.
More than being able to dodge quickly, it even had time to

send its tentacles to counterattack.
The destructive power at the end of its tentacles was

capable of crushing a human body.
Everyone held their breaths as Yoo-seong narrowly avoided

the Umibozu’s tentacles.
What followed was truly a strange sight.
Wheeik-!
Hoop-!
The Umibozu continuously stretched out countless tentacles

toward Yoo-seong, who seemed like he was dancing in the
air to avoid them.
Yoo-seong was giving as much as he took. As he dodged, he

also continuously swung his sword.
This was an epic duel in the sky, where heavy attacks with
tremendous power came and went.
Koji Ishida, watching it from below, groaned.
A tentacle had already hit him on one arm, so he wasn’t in

the best condition.
‘But I can’t just watch this,’ he thought. ‘Even just one

attack…’
Even if he couldn’t do damage with his Tech, if he could at

least change the monster’s shape for a moment, it might
give a decisive advantage to Yoo-seong.
Ishida began gathering Aura on his sword. Suddenly, he felt
a strong grasp on his arm.
“Don’t do it.”
It was Nakai.
“CEO!” Ishida was surprised. “I can’t just watch this like a

coward…”
“What are you talking about?” Nakai had a faint smile on his
lips. “Stay calm and watch them closely. His movement
against the Umibozu…”
Ishida followed his mentor’s words with a confused

expression on his face. Then his expert eyes realized what
Nakai was describing.
Yoo-seong’s movement…
How Yoo-seong avoided the tentacles by making footholds

in the air was truly amazing.
His Tech allowed him to make versatile movements that

seemed impossible. Compared to that, however, his
swordsmanship seemed monotonous and predictable.
It appeared as if Yoo-seong was only repeating simple

straight lines and curves.
As if he was peeling fruit…
Then, it struck Ishida.
Yoo-seong’s purpose wasn’t to cut the Umibozu.
It was to shrink its space down, making a narrower target.

Yoo-seong was making the Umibozu adjust its form as
effortlessly as cutting fruit.
In fact, Yoo-seong was only using Aura for his thin footholds.
The rest of his movements were performed using only his
physical strength.
After all, it was simply a matter of attacking the Umibozu

continuously to make it change its shape.
His wrist blade contained only enough heat to make the

monster react.
In the same way that Nakai’s Water Dragon had gathered

the Umibozu for the missile barrage, Auto-Hunt was
preparing its prey.
Suddenly…
Kwook-!
Yoo-seong allowed himself to be hit in the abdomen.
Even if it was painful, the Queen’s Hug was durable enough

to protect him from internal damage. Nevertheless, the
strong hit sent Yoo-seong flying upward.
As if gaining confidence at its successful attack, the

Umibozu sent more tentacles upward.
Now, the Umibozu’s shape was like a pudding, and with

countless tentacles reaching towards Yoo-seong high above
them, it was beginning to look like a cone.
Bang-!
Yoo-seong was now kicking the air to fly further.

Bang-!
Finally, it seemed as if the tip of the cone could no longer be

stretched.
Yoo-seong spun and plunged headfirst toward the tentacles

reaching out for him.
He did not need to put Aura on his legs. Gravity naturally

led him down.
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong’s left hand was moving as he fell.
Plum Blossom Sword.
It contained the fire of a dragon.
Yoo-seong dived with his sword stretched out. The Umibozu,

appearing like a cone with its tip to the sky, stretched up to
meet him.
Kwaaaaduk-!
The sound of their impact drowned out every other sound in

the area. The crowd below them could only watch.
The top of the black cone was now glowing red as if it had
caught fire.
Then red cracks began splitting toward the bottom of the

cone.
The entire Umibozu was heating up. Soon, the upper part of
the Umibozu scattered into the air without a trace.
Slowly, the glowing red fire was creeping downward, and

everything in its path dissolved.
Finally,
Gwoosh-!
The entire Umibozu was gone.
Yoo-seong fell through it and into the sea, creating a huge

splash.
The seawater boiled for a while. Then Yoo-seong floated up

without The Queen’s Hug.
***
“I can’t believe it… I can’t…” Nakai finally managed to say.
Yoo-seong was not moving.
He was floating, letting himself be carried by the waves.
Nakai began to activate a simple Tech to control the water

and bring Yoo-seong onto the deck. However, a voice
prevented him from doing so.
“Stop.”
It wasn’t just Nakai that was surprised.
The owner of the voice couldn’t have been on the ship.
But there he was, standing behind him.
“I do not have any other intention…” Nakai said.
The man opened his mouth with a little contempt in his

voice.
“Seeing what you’re doing with your hands is enough.”

Nakai was silent.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do,” the man continued.

“But this operation is Oh Yoo-seong’s achievement. Don’t try
anything that can take away his credit.”
“What did you say?!” Ishida stood up in anger.
However, Nakai only nodded quietly. He wasn’t in a position

to say anything.
“I’m sorry if I offended you,” the man said.
“No.” Nakai shook his head.
“Alright, then…”
The man jumped off the deck of the ship.
To everyone’s surprise…
The man began walking above sea level.
“Pooh!”
Yoo-seong spewed seawater from his nose and mouth like a

whale.
It had been a long time.
He felt exhausted.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t move his body; he just wanted to

rest in that comfortable, floating state.
He closed his eyes and relaxed. However…

The sound of boots splashing in rainwater disturbed him.
Yoo-seong opened his eyes and turned.
“I came because I was wondering if I could be helpful…”
The man had an awkward smile.
“Long time, no see, Oh Yoo-seong.”

Chapter 103
Episode 103
“Whenever I see you…” Lee Jae-hak’s eyes narrowed as he

spoke. “I can’t help but notice the perfect balance.”
His eyes were resting on Yoo-seong’s body.
“You’re in even better shape than the last time I saw you,”
he added. At this point, Yoo-seong realized that he had
taken off the Queen’s Hug.
Now, he was entirely naked before Lee Jae-hak’s eyes.
“Oh, oh!” At this, he immediately dove into the water,

making a splash.
When he rose once more, he was now wearing the diving

suit he had placed in his slot.
Lee Jae-hak couldn’t help but clap a little. To be able to get

clothed that quickly was quite an impressive feat.
“Wait,” Lee Jae-hak told him. After he spoke, Yoo-seong felt

something cold and hard touch his skin.
It was ice.
A plate of ice had extended from under Jae-hak’s feet to the

point where Yoo-seong was floating.
“Can you come up?”
Of course, the ice was hard enough for him to stand on.
Whenever a wave splashed against the plate, it immediately

turned into thin ice. This turned out to be Lee Jae-hak’s
Freezing Psy.
It was a novelty amongst other Psy all over the world, and it
was also comparable to their level of quality. Yoo-seong
climbed up the ice plate and stood on sea level.
“This is incredible.”
“You are great.”
They spoke at the same time. Lee Jae-hak couldn’t help but
laugh when it happened.
“It isn’t easy to freeze the sea instantaneously, even just a

small area,” Yoo-seong explained.
Lee Jae-hak shook his head. “Yes. It’s not easy. Especially
since the sea is at this high temperature right now.”
Even a slight increase in temperature required much more

concentration as well as CE. The temperature of the water
where they were now standing…
‘It’s almost like a tropical sea,’ he thought.
The sea was indeed wide. As much as it was difficult to

freeze, it was also difficult to heat up in this manner.
Heat and ice.
‘What if we hit the water with equal amounts of CE?’ Lee

Jae-hak wondered.
Would the temperature get closer to the warmer side or vice
versa?
Yoo-seong was also curious about it.
However, neither of them pursued the thought. They were

both confident in their abilities, but they also had common
sense. There was no reason for them to actually test it out.
“But,” at this point, Yoo-seong changed the subject, “are

you here because of me?”
As soon as he spoke the words, he realized how self-

centered they sounded. He had no guarantee that Yang
Chang-guk did not call Lee Jae-hak. However…
“Yes.”
Lee Jae-hak did not deny it.
Rather, he just smiled. After a moment, he asked, “By the

way, is it okay for us to talk here?”
Yoo-seong looked around. They were in the middle of the

sea, a little farther away from the Korean ships. Of course,
both Lee Jae-hak and Yoo-seong could quickly move to the
decks without difficulty if they wanted to.
However, Lee Jae-hak added, “I want to talk to you in

private.”
Yoo-seong nodded. At his response, Lee Jae-hak’s expression

brightened.
“I’m not very comfortable with Director Yang Chang-guk. I

didn’t even know there was an operation here.”

‘Is he saying that he entered this operational area without
permission, all for the sole purpose of speaking with me?’
“Yoo-seong. Are you interested in Ki and Tech?”
Yoo-seong tilted his head, surprised at the sudden question.

Were there any hunters who were not interested in Ki and
Tech?
Lee Jae-hak raised his palm for a moment before laughing.
“To be precise, I’m talking about our Ki and Tech.”
Upon hearing that, Yoo-seong’s eyes widened. There was no

such thing, as far as he knew.
Even civilians were curious about this sort of topic.
Even though they didn’t actually understand the concept of

Ki and Tech, they knew that they were secrets passed down
through history.
-Why doesn’t our country have them?
-We have a lot of tradition, too.
-Even the United States has them.
At one time, it had even become a national interest. Special

programs and documentaries were filmed, all of them trying
to search for the secrets of Korean Ki and Tech.
However, they found nothing.
The reason for it was clear. It wasn’t that there was no Ki or

Tech in the country throughout history.
“The country’s leaders, its history, did not provide the
environment for their growth. As you already know, Yoo-
seong.”
Yoo-seong nodded. Of course, he knew this.
He had learned it in detail when he studied for the licensure

examination. Their culture continuously criticized martial
arts, and it hindered the development of Ki, which had once
been active.
It was no different with Tech.
Records of martial artists being ruthlessly persecuted still

existed as evidence. And Korea wasn’t unique in this.
Spain also held a period of witch hunts.
There were records that, during heresy interrogations,

various practices which were almost certainly Tech had
disappeared.
“What the textbooks taught us was wrong,” Lee Jae-hak

somberly told him. He waited for Yoo-seong’s reaction. After
all, anyone who heard it would surely be stunned or would
laugh.
However, Yoo-seong simply said, “I see.”
It was Jae-hak who turned out to be surprised.
“Go on, please,” Yoo-seong added.
“Honestly, it’s a little disappointing that you had no reaction

whatsoever,” Jae-hak chuckled.
“It’s not that I am not surprised.”

However, compared to what he had experienced in his
career so far, this wasn’t something that would cause an
intense reaction.
“Anyway,” Lee Jae-hak continued, “Korea definitely had a lot

of Ki and Tech. Although there may be no definite
successors, the records and materials necessary for their
restoration are sufficient.”
“I heard that the Special Defense Agency already scoured

the country several years ago to investigate,” Yoo-seong
remarked. “They didn’t find anything.”
“They are lying.” Lee Jae-hak’s voice was firm. He glanced

at the Korean ships before continuing. “I don’t have
anything right now, but…”
He turned his gaze toward the Japanese ships. Yoo-seong

could recognize the hostility in his eyes.
“If you look at China, even if cracks hadn’t appeared, they

would have still practiced Ki and Tech into the present day.
So, what happened to us? The quality of equipment, or is
the culture poor? Or is it because someone didn’t want the
successors to inherit such techniques?”
Lee Jae-hak’s tone and expression didn’t change.
Then he added, “Leto.”
Yoo-seong recognized the word. It would be strange if he

didn’t. Everyone in Korea knew the Leto Group.
“Leto is the cause of the absence of Ki and Tech in this

country?”
“To be precise, they are the cause of why people think we
don’t have them.”
Leto was a corporate group that had been founded a

century ago. It was founded by the son of the prestigious
but fallen Joseon family, who had migrated to Japan and
joined the ranks of Japanese aristocrats.
Now, a century later, it has grown into a large group with

offices in both Korea and Japan and around the world.
However, the great rise of the company only happened

about twenty years ago.
Using the Tech handed down by a famous Japanese family,

the Sukune clan, Leto started hunting monsters.
“It was a good decision,” Lee Jae-hak remarked.
Tech wasn’t originally designed for hunting monsters.
However, as early as the second crack that occurred in

Japan, the Chairman of Leto, along with his sons, had
hunted beasts using the Tech they learned from the Sukune
family.
The public reaction to it was explosive, and the stock price

of the Leto Group began to rise.
Not only had it regained its status, but it had even expanded
its territory.
Now it could be said that they had a significant hold in the

political world, not just in the business world.
“You may be aware of it, but the second year the cracks
began appearing, our government started looking for hidden
Ki and Tech we could use in this country. We weren’t behind
other countries.”
However, Leto was just too fast. Perhaps it was because of

their ability to foresee what was going to become a trend.
They knew that in the future, Tech would be an intellectual

property that would have value above all else. When
families and guilds that had Tech were treated as cults, Leto
wasn’t afraid to showcase their Tech before anyone else
could.
This changed the narrative for them and so they reached

out to the gold mine across the sea.
The Korean Peninsula.
They had hoarded Korean Tech before the government could

release their own money and manpower.
“I understand what you said. Everything,” Yoo-seong told

him. “But do you have any evidence?”
It was a rational question. If Lee Jae-hak had evidence,

wouldn’t it be easy for the Korean government to demand
the Tech back from Leto?
However, Lee Jae-hak shook his head.
“No. They exhausted everything so that it was easier for

people to think our Tech never existed at all. And they never
left any traces of it.”
“So how do you know all of this?”
“It is natural,” Lee Jae-hak responded quickly. “If you, Oh

Yoo-seong, could learn and develop a Tech, isn’t it natural to
think that our ancestors had them, too?”
Lee Jae-hak’s face held a distorted expression for a moment.

However, it lasted only for an instant. This was because Yoo-
seong wasn’t his target.
Yes, Yoo-seong had things that Lee Jae-hak didn’t have. Over
the years, despite having his Psy, it was something he’d
yearned for.
However, now, with Yoo-seong… Now he had a definite bait

to lure the sharks from across the sea.
“Yoo-seong, you will be…”

Chapter 104
Episode 104
Yoo-seong could already see where this was going before

Lee Jae-hak had even finished speaking.
When Yoo-seong showed off the Parasitic Bee, everyone who

was watching it had felt surprised.
‘Ki.’
Even if there was no Tech left in Korea, skilled hunters

supplemented it with their talents and experience. It was a
very rare case to establish a technique as Sung-wook had
done. Still, Korea did well in managing the methods of using
Aura efficiently, which in turn helped them obtain strategies
through multiple years of experience.
However, now, with Yoo-seong openly showing the world the

Techs he learned through Auto-Hunt…
“They must have already scented it.” Lee Jae-hak’s gaze

returned to the Japanese ship. “They will try to check your
roots thoroughly. Perhaps it’s already being checked.”
“So, are you here to warn me?” Yoo-seong asked him. Lee
Jae-hak simply shook his head.
“Twenty years ago, there must have been secrets that

remained in this country. Even though it was severely
declining, there were certainly successors who inherited
Tech.”
He then turned to Yoo-seong. “Do you think all those people

passed their pride to a ‘Japanese’ company called Leto?”
Yoo-seong was tempted to say that he didn’t think so.
“There weren’t many people who took that path. Most gave
it away. Of course, we couldn’t blame them.”
At that time, the world hadn’t seen the value of Ki and Tech.
The Leto group had grabbed that opportunity. They reaped
everything they wanted from families who, even if they
were inheritors of valuable Tech, had all been living average
lives. And when the country started to take interest and
search for it, there was nothing left for them to find.
“What is it you’re trying to say?” Yoo-seong asked him.
“A crisis has always been an opportunity. Now you have to

help us take it back. Our Ki and our Tech!”
Suddenly, a loud shout interrupted them.
“Lee Jae-hak!”
Above the prow of an approaching Destroyer, Yang Chang-

guk was yelling out to them. On his face was a mixed
expression of joy, relief, embarrassment, and anger.
“Get out of here now! You should well know that you
shouldn’t be here!”
Lee Jae-hak turned and stared at Yang Chang-guk. “Can’t

you hear me? If you retreat now, we will not hold you
responsible. But to keep going like this…”
Lee Jae-hak did not respond. He did not have the
authorization to be here. If Yang Chang-guk took measures,
his license could be suspended immediately. He considered
this for a moment and then released a long sigh as he
turned back to Yoo-seong.
“Please don’t forget. We have ancient Ki and Tech, and now

we have to take it back.”
Jeok-!
The sound of ice breaking was heard, and Lee Jae-hak was
already gone. This was a mysterious movement that used
up his Psy.
“Hmmm…” Yoo-seong followed him with his glance.
Lee Jae-hak was already far away, moving towards the

horizon, running on ice.
Yoo-seong turned away and leaped towards the deck.
“Oh Yoo-seong!”
Yang Chang-guk had an entirely different attitude toward

him.
“Thank you, thank you so much!”
His face was filled with sincere emotion as he grabbed Yoo-

seong’s shoulders. “Hey! Someone give us a blanket!”
After a while, Yoo-seong was wrapped in a blanket, listening

to the hum of an espresso machine.
As he smelled the coffee being made, he couldn’t help but

smile. An espresso machine aboard a Korean battleship
simply didn’t make sense.
Soon, a sailor served two cups of steaming coffee to them.
“Here it is,” Yang Chang-guk looked pleased. “Now, drink,

drink.”
The mug was a little less than half full.
Yoo-seong’s hand was shaking so much that if he shook any

more, coffee would spill out.
As he sipped his coffee, he heard Yang Chang-guk ask him,

“What did Lee Jae-hak talk to you about?”
“It was something personal between us,” Yoo-seong replied.
“I see.” Yang Chang-guk closed his lips for a while. Then he

spoke again.
“Yoo-seong, this is just my guesswork… if it isn’t what you

were talking about, you can just ignore that I said it…”
“Please, speak.”
“Perhaps… Lee Jae-hak came to talk to you about Leto.”
Yoo-seong was silent. He neither confirmed nor denied it.
“Regardless of whether it is true or not, nothing can be done

about it.”
The thing was, there was no evidence. If there were, the

Special Defense agency would have shown a different
attitude toward it.
“It might have happened, but in order to do something,

there must be evidence.”
At this point, Yang Chang-guk looked exhausted. “We looked
for evidence with him. We cooperated with Lee Jae-hak, but
in the end, we found nothing. In such a state, do you think
we can just go to Leto and say, ‘You took our Tech, give it
back?’”
From the state’s standpoint, it wasn’t easy to assign

manpower to a purely hypothetical cause. However, since
the other person was Lee Jae-hak, they had agreed.
“I believe I know roughly what kind of request Lee Jae-hak

made to you. Of course, he might not have asked for that.
But if that was the case… I hope you will judge the situation
calmly. Negotiations between countries are impossible
without clear evidence.”
“I understand,” Yoo-seong said.
“That’s good.” At this, Yang Chang-guk nodded fervently.

“The director is right.”
“Oh Yoo-seong, in touch with reality.”
Yang Chang-guk smiled wide with relief.
He didn’t hear what Yoo-seong murmured to himself right

after.
“But I am not a country.”
“Then, shall we go back now?”
“Wait a second.”
“Yes?” Yang Chang-guk was puzzled.
“I need a little time to see to my personal affairs.”

Yang Chang-guk’s brows furrowed. Something was making
him feel anxious.
“During the operation… I got help from the hunters over

there. I would like to take a moment to thank them
personally.”
Yang Chang-guk tried to say something, but there was

practically no time to open his mouth.
Gooh-oh-oh-!
Yoo-seong suddenly soared into the air, leaving the blanket

fluttering down to the deck. He was already wearing the
Queen’s Hug.
With Explosive Acceleration, it took less than ten seconds to

cross the distance between the two ships. He deftly landed
on the ship Nakai was on.
Bang-!
Those who were struggling with a feeling of helplessness

couldn’t help but feel amazed at the sight.
“I have something to say for a minute; sorry if I surprised

you.”
Yoo-seong raised his hands as he approached Nakai.
“I think the action cam I have will be of great significance to

you.”
“What do you want?” Nakai said in a trembling voice, trying

to endure the humiliation.
Yoo-seong simply smiled.

“I have something to ask for.”
***
When Yoo-seong was done explaining, Nakai’s eyes had

gone wide.
“Is that really all?”
He couldn’t believe it.
“Are you going to just keep silent about what happened and
delete the video?”
“I’m not going to delete the video,” Yoo-seong cut him off.
“If I believe you violated my request, I will immediately
release it to the media.”
What Yoo-seong had asked of Nakai was complete silence

about everything that had happened today.
“Total silence. No one should know anything.”
That included the Japanese government.
“But the broadcasting staff…” “Soldiers have died. One of

your ships sunk. But no one really knows what happened
except you and your subordinates. It’s your word against
them.”
What an outsider said was definitely different from what an

insider like Nakai said.
‘But why?’ Nakai couldn’t help but feel confused.
If today’s work didn’t leak out, Nakai didn’t have to take any
responsibility.
‘But what will Yoo-seong gain from it?’
No matter how much he thought about it, it was difficult to

understand. Nakai couldn’t hide his doubts as he looked at
Yoo-seong.
“I don’t understand your motives. If this leaks out, you’ll be

a hero. Why would you give it up…?”
He wasn’t able to finish his sentence.
“Are you going to do it or not?” Yoo-seong cut him off again.
Nakai considered for a moment before speaking. “I’ll do it.”
He had no other choice, after all.
“Great,” Yoo-seong calmly replied. “Oh, and one more

thing.”
He was now holding his cellphone. “Can you take a selfie

with me?”
“What?” A sense of embarrassment came to Nakai’s face.

“All of a sudden…”
Click-!
“Then, see you next time. Please keep your promises.” Yoo-
seong left the ship as soon as he said it.
Before going back to the Korean ship, he landed on the ice

plate Lee Jae-hak had left behind. Then he turned on his
phone again.
He had never signed up for social media before. And so, he

quickly registered an account.
@SexyHunterUsung
Then he uploaded the selfie he’d just taken.
In the picture, Nakai was smiling awkwardly. However, Yoo-

seong wasn’t. He was looking at Nakai with a tired
expression as if he found Nakai pathetic.
‘How long will he be able to keep his mouth shut?’ Yoo-

seong thought.
From the beginning, he had never expected Nakai to keep

his promise, especially with what would happen from now
on.
Everyone would be pursuing Nakai.
Yoo-seong’s purpose was not to keep what had happened a

secret. It was to make the situation a hot topic – hot enough
to lure the prey he wanted.
Lee Jae-hak hadn’t received any reactions from Leto

because he didn’t have a bait they would be interested in.
However, Yoo-seong had one.
In addition to this, he also had a way to offend them.
It was a “Japanese” company.
Wouldn’t a brash Korean hunter be enough to annoy the

whole of Japan?
Yoo-seong uploaded the photo and wrote his first social

media post.
@SexyHunterUsung
-Operation Dokdo is over!

-It was almost a disaster because of the humans who
intervened; so pathetic.
#Lackofprofessionalconsciousness #Dokdo
‘This is it,’ Yoo-seong thought. ‘This just might be an

effective trap.’
Feeling a little excited, he posted it and waited for a

response.
He didn’t have to wait long.

Chapter 105
Episode 105
The Korean battleship soon docked at a Dokdo pier. A

helicopter was there, waiting to take Yang Chang-guk and
Yoo-seong back to the city.
Yang Chang-guk looked troubled. His expression was a mix

of shock, hurt, and regret.
“You don’t have to worry,” Yoo-seong reassured him. “It

won’t be a big deal.”
“Not a big deal?” Yang Chang-guk scoffed.
He lost count of how many reports the Special Defense

Agency sent him as they sat in the helicopter.
It had only been an hour, and yet the whole of cyberspace

was on fire.
The controversy over whether Oh Yoo-seong’s return was

real or not had long disappeared. Now, everyone was talking
about the Dokdo operation and what Yoo-seong’s post
meant.
“How can you say that it won’t be a big deal? It’s already a
big deal… you let yourself get caught by Lee Jae-hak’s
words…”
It was clear to Yang Chang-guk why Yoo-seong was doing it.
There was no doubt that he was now trying to regain their Ki
and Tech after Lee Jae-hak’s wild hypothesis.
“Give it a month,” Yoo-seong said.
“Yes?”
“If I have achieved nothing after a month, I will take

responsibility for the fuss I made.”
“How…”
“Well, couldn’t I just go on a Japanese TV station?” Yoo-

seong said calmly. “I can just kneel and bow and apologize
to everyone. ‘Sorry, Japanese citizens. I did something rash
and arrogant. This is solely my mistake and has nothing to
do with our state. I apologize with all my heart.’”
“Ah, no, you definitely won’t be doing that.” Yang Chang-guk

was convinced.
“No. I will surely do it.” Yoo-seong raised his voice at this

point. “Actions come with responsibilities. If I can’t fix it, I
have to apologize.”
To this, Yang Chang-guk did not respond.
“I cannot promise you this won’t happen again. But I’m not
going to mention the Defense Agency or our country. It will
all be blamed on me.”
At this point, it was difficult for Yang Chang-guk to say

anything.
“I’m not saying… No, actually, I’m not trying to make you
take all the blame, Yoo-seong. I was just worried that…”
“Rather than worry, you need to start making plans,” Yoo-
seong cut him off.
“Plans?”
“Let’s say I do manage to achieve results in a month. If we

prove that Lee Jae-hak’s hypothesis was true and we get the
Ki and Tech back, what would you do?”
Yang Chang-guk’s mouth dropped. It was something he had

never considered.
“What do you do?” Yoo-seong prodded him. “If Lee Jae-hak

is right, then this country has severely neglected the
victims. A foreign company has taken all our traditions, and
even though one of the victims continued to speak out, the
government ignored him.”
Yang Chang-guk had now begun to feel suffocated.
“Director.”
“Yes, I’m listening.”
“Did I say anything wrong? You know I’m not asking you to
be responsible for anything.”
“No.”
“I trust you, Director. It’s up to you to make the right

decisions and choices.”
That was true. That was why Yoo-seong acted boldly.
“I will bring them back… and when that time comes, you
should also be ready to act.”
Yang Chang-guk merely nodded in reply. Meanwhile, Yoo-
seong looked tired now that the important part of their
discussion was over and done with.
“Why don’t we have another cup of coffee when we arrive?”

Yang Chang-guk offered, feeling worried.
Instead of answering, Yoo-seong picked up his cell phone.

On the screen, he had just received a distress signal. This
meant that a crack had appeared nearby.
Yoo-seong politely bowed his head to Yang Chang-guk. Then,

to the Director’s surprise, he jumped out of the helicopter.
It seemed that Yoo-seong was going to miss dinner.
Pahaaang-!
A siren was currently indicating that a crack was due to

appear in four hours. However, despite the early warning,
the streets were still crowded.
According to the manual, all citizens in the crack area must

be evacuated four hours before the crack opened. However,
the frequency of crack appearances had now turned out to
be a problem.
Citizens were experiencing considerable inconveniences due

to the crack frequency. They were very tired of the situation.
“Damn, it’s so loud,” an annoyed bus driver murmured.

Meanwhile, at the back seat of the bus…
“Oh my God…” a high school student staring at his phone

said. His hair was dyed bright yellow.
His classmate, another student with equally neat hair,
moved closer. “What is it?”
“This… it’s really annoying. This stupid fool.”
“Who is that?” The neat-haired kid leaned closer. “And lower

your voice. We’re not the only ones here.”
The blond boy looked surprised that his classmate didn’t

know who the man in the picture was.
“Aren’t you on Twitter?”
“No.”
The blond boy rolled his eyes and moved the screen closer
to his classmate’s face.
“Look, you old-fashioned child.”
An SNS screen was on the cell phone the boy handed over.
@SexyHunterUsung
It was Yoo-seong’s account. The number of followers had

already reached fifty-one million.
“Can you believe it? Less than forty-eight hours after the
account was created, it has already reached fifty-one
million!” the blond boy exclaimed.
His classmate shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“He only posted once, but the number of retweets has

already exceeded 120,000. It’s a whole new record.”
“Hmm.”
“Where did this crazy guy come from? I really hate to look at
him. I wish he’d just died.”
“Hey!” The neat-haired kid stopped him. “Be quiet. It’s not
just us here.”
“What? What does it matter?” The blond boy complained.
Suddenly, the man in front of their seat turned to look at

them.
“Hey, uncle. What are you looking at…?”
It was then, however…
Beep-!
All the cellphones on the bus rang at once. This was a new
disaster alert.
“What is this?!” someone yelled out.
The notification was about a change in the timeframe. It

said that the crack would appear earlier than the previously
reported measurements.
“Fifteen minutes? How?!”
“Mad bastards!”
“Why are they only telling us now?!”
The road outside the bus was already filled with chaos.
People were screaming; cars were making illegal U-turns.
“Hey, we’re in trouble!”

Terrified, the blond student was now near tears. The road
had clogged up in an instant. If they got off here, could they
run out of the operation area? What about the subway?
“Mr. Driver! Open the door!”
The students rushed out along with the other passengers.
They were young high school students with good physiques,

so they were able to hit the road quickly without getting
caught by the rush of people. However…
“Ugh!”
Someone groaned behind them, causing the people nearby

to look toward the source.
In the rush, an old woman had been pushed around and

fallen to the ground. In a short moment of silence…
Everyone’s thoughts were full of conflict. Only one person

acted without thinking.
“Are you okay?”
It was the neat-haired student.
He immediately ran to the old woman and supported her,

and the old woman could only groan. She couldn’t tell if her
leg or hip had been broken.
People looking at her were relieved. This meant that

someone would be in charge of the old woman, and they
wouldn’t have to deal with her.
“Because of that child…”
“She doesn’t need me…”

Before long, everyone had rationalized and freed
themselves from any guilt in their heads. They began to turn
and continue their escape, which made the young student
panic.
“What are you doing?! Come and help us!”
His blond-haired classmate looked confused. “What? My,

I…”
“Hey!” The neat-haired student yelled at him, trying to bring

him to his senses.
However…
“If you want to die, you die alone!”
After screaming that, his blond-haired classmate ran.
The student’s face crumpled terribly. He had never felt more

helpless in his life.
“Somebody, help! A person is hurt!”
The streets around them were swamped with people, but no

one stopped to listen to him.
He bit his lip. He, too, was only a boy. How could he not be
scared? However…
‘I, I will be a hunter…’
Besides, he had also been raised by his grandmother. He

couldn’t just leave this old woman, who was so hurt that she
couldn’t speak, alone in the chaos.
“Grandmother! Are you okay? Can you walk?”

“Uh… uh…”
The neat-haired student calmed his breath. He thought back

on what he had read in the manual to help him keep his
composure.
‘Even if there is an open crack, so long as you move away

from the center, the probability of survival increases,’ he
thought. ‘The chances of being rescued by hunters also rise
significantly.’
As he looked around, he saw a medium-sized mart across

the street.
Fortunately, the old woman was not that big, so if he could

take a cart and place her on it…
“Wait a minute!” A firm hand grasped his shoulder just as he

began to move across the street.
“What….”
The student looked back. A man had appeared behind him.

The man silently pointed to the old woman with his finger.
“Are you going to help us? Thank you very…”
The next moment, he felt himself being carried and placed

next to the old woman.
“Do you want to help? Thank…”
Woosh! It appeared that the uncle was harboring enormous

power under his belt.
“Ah, uncle? What are you doing?!”

The man put his hand on his mouth before he shook his
head.
‘Is he unable to speak?’
Even so, the young man could roughly understand his

gestures.
‘He’s going away for a little bit, so he must be asking me to

stay with the old woman.’
“Yes. Okay.” The boy nodded his head vigorously.
The man also nodded. Then he kicked the ground.
Bang-!
However, his direction was not toward the mart. It was

toward the sky.
The student’s eyes widened.
“That uncle… now… flying…”
He was sailing right toward the crack.
‘He’s a good kid.’ Yoo-seong smiled as he took out the Sky

Needle.
Jii-
The rift was just about to open. ‘It’s fortunate that this rift is
a little smaller than the Thunder-class.’
With its size, it would not cause a major catastrophe, even if

Yoo-seong weren’t to appear.
However, because it was a sudden rift and because of its
location, it could lead to a big disaster.
Paang-!
Stepping on his footholds, quickly moving his arms in and

out, Yoo-seong skillfully closed the crack.
Finally…
“All done.”
He returned to where the boy and the old woman were. The
streets were almost stationary at this point. Everyone’s eyes
were now on him.
Kew-
A pale pink leaf appeared in his hands, which he crushed

into tiny pieces. Auto-Hunt had taken it from inside the
crack before he could sew it closed.
‘Lucky this was there,’ he thought as he applied the extract

to the old woman’s body.
The Uubella leaf extract produced immediate pain relief with

no side-effects.
Soon, the pain disappeared from the old woman’s face. The
calming effect it provided was so strong that she fell asleep.
Yoo-seong sighed and lifted her body. Somewhere, someone

had begun clapping.
The young man, the one who had stayed by the old
woman’s side until the end, stared at Yoo-seong with a
mixed expression of surprise and awe.
“Who the hell are you…?” was all he could say.
Yoo-seong looked at the kid. Unfortunately, he couldn’t

speak their language.
‘I think I should say something, but…’
“Do you speak Korean?” he asked the kid, just in case.
The boy’s eyes were blank.
Meanwhile, the whole crowd was now applauding. If they

had known who they were clapping for, not everyone would
have done so.
Yoo-seong sighed.
“It’s just the first day of my visit, but it’s already…”
He shook his head as he watched the people of Tokyo clap

for him.
Chapter 106
No. 106
Japan Police Department Public Security Department.
The Department’s Special Unit 2 was in charge of

international security measures. This was where Yoo-seong
was currently being detained.
‘I’m hungry,’ Yoo-seong thought as his stomach grumbled.

He hadn’t eaten anything since he had arrived in Japan. The
bus he had been riding in had just stopped in front of a
legendary dumpling restaurant in Tokyo when the chaos
erupted.
According to his original schedule, he should begin his

business in Japan after lunch.
However, things hadn’t gone as planned.
‘When will I get to eat?’
At that moment…
Beep-!
The door of his detention room had opened, and there

wasn’t just one person who came in.
There were ten people, armed with bulletproof equipment

and special shock rods. They separated into two groups of
five and flanked Yoo-seong left and right.
Then a man in plain clothes walked in.
He was very tall and appeared to be in his late thirties. He

wore a dry-fit top that hugged his upper body, making his
muscles stand out. His hair was beginning to thin, and he
wore a long beard as if to compensate for it. His bulbous
nose was almost the size of a finger.
Rimless glasses accentuated his looks, somehow giving an

air of intelligence to his brutish appearance.
‘He’s not a hunter,’ Yoo-seong decided.
However, it was obvious that the man was a CE user.
‘What do they call it… a Sheriff?’
This was a word unfamiliar to the general public.
In fact, it wasn’t even the position’s official name. It was just

something that hunters called them.
Even among hunters, it was very rare to encounter a Sheriff

because hunters had no reason to break the law. If ever a
hunter or CE user got involved in a criminal offense,
suppressing him would be difficult for the police. Therefore,
law enforcement needed superhumans who could suppress
other superhumans who had committed crimes.
Hunters called them Sheriffs.
These were superhumans whose prey was not monsters but

fellow humans. They were trained to do covert work for the
state.
To many, the sheriff was an invisible entity. Most of the
hunters who had encountered them were now in prison.
Kruuung-!
The middle-aged man dragged a metal chair in front of Yoo-

seong and sat upon it. One of the armed personnel on Yoo-
seong’s right moved closer.
He assumed that this one was going to serve as their

interpreter.
“My name is Atsuro Oda. You don’t know me.”
Despite the interpreter’s clear and emotionless translation,

it was obvious to Yoo-seong how Oda felt. His voice was full
of hostility.
“You have no right to hunt in this country.”
Yoo-seong nodded. He had no reason to deny it. However,

this only seemed to anger Oda further.
“Do not just nod; speak, Oh Yoo-seong.”
“Sure.”
“Do you know who I am?”
Yoo-seong felt puzzled. It was a direct contrast to the first

thing the man had told him.
“Well…. are you famous?”
“To those who need to know me, I’m pretty well-known.”
The eyes behind the rimless glasses were cold as they

stared at Yoo-seong. The cold gaze then turned to the
meteor.
“And those who need to know me are those who visit this
country without a clear purpose, Oh Yoo-seong.”
As Oda spoke…
Go-oh-
Aura exploded around Oda’s body. Based on its quality, it

was obvious that his core was at a higher level than Yoo-
seong.
Besides, it wasn’t just Oda.
The armed troops in the room, including the interpreter,

charged their Aura in unison. Although their level was
clearly lower than Oda’s, their combined power couldn’t be
ignored.
“I hate violence,” Oda murmured, “but the things we do are

fundamentally no different from hunting. If it’s for the
general public’s safety, we have to do the best we can.”
Yoo-seong was in an enclosed space, and he was

outnumbered. Most serious of all, there was a master
holding an enormous amount of CE leading the pack.
It was the perfect hunting operation.
“Of course, if you answer my questions to the best of your

ability, we could resolve this smoothly.”
After all, hunters were humans. Unlike beasts, you could

negotiate with them.
“My question is simple,” Oda said. “Why did you come to

this country?”
Yoo-seong’s expression was unreadable. “Vacation.”
Oda’s eyes widened. “How dare…”
“I’m here on vacation. You asked why I’m here. I’m on

vacation.”
“I will ask you again…” Oda clenched his fist.
“Then why don’t you stop using an interpreter?”
Oda felt stunned by that.
Yoo-seong kept going.
“You obviously understand what I’m saying. However, when

you talk, I have to look at his emotionless face to
understand what you said. Psychological disconnection by
talking through a third party… I don’t need it. I haven’t done
anything wrong.”
Yoo-seong scratched his nose before continuing.
“I don’t even know the reason I was brought here.

International special defense provisions clearly state that, in
the event of a disaster that could directly impact civilian
lives, the use of force purely for life-saving is allowed.”
It was a law that was followed in every country.
Oda touched his lips. Yoo-seong was right about the

interpreter. Now that he’d been exposed as being able to
speak his prey’s language, should he pretend ignorance and
continue with an interpreter?
Or should he adjust to his prey?
When he spoke, it wasn’t in Japanese.

“So you think you did nothing wrong? Do you think a hunter
can simply use Aura in the middle of another country, then
immediately use a few lines of an international treaty to
save himself? Do you think you can bluff with just that?”
Oda smiled mischievously after saying it. However, Yoo-

seong didn’t seem to be worried.
“I’m guessing you are thinking the same thing, else you
wouldn’t have brought just that.”
He pointed at the shock rods the armed staff had brought.
“Those rods. They are good equipment. However, if you

really thought I violated your laws, you wouldn’t have come
here with just those.”
A rogue hunter posed a huge risk to civilians and property. It

had to be a priority to subdue a rogue hunter no matter
what it cost.
At the minimum, high-powered Gellar guns should have

been aimed at Yoo-seong, not shock rods. The only reason
for this that Yoo-seong could think of was that they didn’t
have a basis for recognizing him as a real threat.
In fact, there were a lot of witnesses to what he had just

done on the street.
At this, the room fell silent, though not just from the obvious
loophole that Yoo-seong had pointed out. It was because the
armed forces were feeling the effects of Aura exhaustion.
Everyone, including Oda, had maintained a high display of

Aura throughout the interrogation. Some of the armed
personnel were already sweating.
However, while their foreheads were lined due to their
intense concentration, Yoo-seong still seemed as relaxed as
ever. They found it extremely annoying.
“Of course, not everything is certain yet. It was necessary to

gather evidence such as witness testimonies, CCTV footage,
stuff like that. However… I don’t know if there is a need to
create this kind of atmosphere right now.” Yoo-seong
shrugged.
“Hey!” Oda stood and leaned close to Yoo-seong’s face. “I

judge what’s necessary or not.”
He stared into Yoo-seong’s eyes. “I know people like you

well. I promise you; you won’t walk around in this country
for long.”
“Well… do you mean you’re going to deport me?”
“That will be if things work out well for you. But, of course,
we will act depending on what you do. We are elite at
hunting guys like you.”
“Ugh. I’m scared.” Yoo-seong smiled.
Suddenly…
Ta-ang-!
Yoo-seong’s feet were now on the table between him and

Oda. “First, let’s have some lunch. I didn’t even have
breakfast yet.”
Upon being faced with this display, Oda tried to keep his
composure. He could have ignored Yoo-seong’s provocation
with a cold attitude. But somehow, this foreigner got on his
nerves.
“Handcuff this man!” he yelled out.
However, even after he gave instructions, no one moved.

“What are you…?!” Oda raised his voice and turned his head
toward the personnel.
He tried to turn his head, rather, but found that he couldn’t.
A keen pressure near the nape of his neck prevented him

from doing so, and it wasn’t just his neck. Somehow, his
legs, arms, and torso felt as if they were bound by an
invisible thread. It was clear that everyone in the room was
suffering from the same predicament.
“If you’re going to tell yourselves that you are elites,” Yoo-
seong said, “you should at least know what kind of
characteristics your prey has.”
Of course, this was their fault.
Yoo-seong had been alone for almost an hour in a small

room of merely ten meters.
Spiders never rested.
“It’s a technique that I’ve even shown the world before!”

Yoo-seong shook his head in disapproval.
Oda felt embarrassed and angry at the same time. “What

are you doing? We represent the state! You just attacked
us.”
Oda’s eyes caught the CCTV in the corner of the detention

room.
It was the police department’s eye to see what’s happening

inside. Someone was definitely watching them right now.
“You will be responsible for this. You have just become a
criminal.”
“Want to make a bet?” Yoo-seong said, looking straight into

Oda’s eyes.
“What?!”
“I will never become a criminal. No one will care about what

happens to you.”
“You’re dreaming…”
“I’m not done talking.” Yoo-seong brought his feet down

from the table.
“In twenty… no, let’s say thirty minutes, the Superintendent

will arrive here. I haven’t eaten anything since morning. I’d
like sushi, gyoza dumplings, and soba served on a tray.”
“Of course,” Yoo-seong paused for effect, “each of them

must be from the best restaurants in Tokyo.”
Yoo-seong’s mouth watered as he thought of it. “Then I’ll let

all of you go, and I’ll talk to your chief while eating.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
It was not Oda who shouted this but one of his men. “Does
the Japanese Police Department look easy?!”
“You are done!”
The subordinates were all screaming in succession. Inside

their bulletproof helmets, their faces were red with anger.
Yoo-seong had just stepped on the state’s pride. Besides,

they all knew about Nakai’s embarrassment on social media
because of this hunter’s post.
“You are… a crazy guy,” was all Oda could say.
Suddenly, the door to the detention room opened.
Everyone who was yelling insults at Yoo-seong shut their

mouths and looked toward the door expectantly.
They hoped that the police force’s troops would come in and
punish Yoo-seong. However…
Rattle-!
What they heard approaching wasn’t a command or angry

footsteps.
Rattle-!
It was the sound of plates and bowls on a metal tray.
The General Superintendent – he was the top rank in the

Japanese Police Department.
He wasn’t someone you’d expect to bring dishes on a tray.
“Nice to meet you,” the General Superintendent greeted

Yoo-seong.
“Nice to meet you too.” Yoo-seong stood from his chair.
Although his greeting was polite enough, his eyes were on

the food, not the Superintendent.
The Superintendent placed the tray gently on the table. Oda

and the armed personnel could only watch.
The pressure from the thread that bound them was gone in
an instant.
“How could this be…” someone muttered desolately.
There could be only one answer.
What Yoo-seong had told the CCTV was exactly what

happened. The Superintendent had followed his orders and
brought the food he wanted in just twenty-six minutes.
“Uh, how about letting everyone go, Chief?” Yoo-seong

asked.
The Superintendent nodded.
“Everyone out!”
Despite an order directly issued by the general manager of

the Tokyo police, it took quite a while for his subordinates to
move.
“Head out!” The Superintendent raised his voice, and the

startled men began to move.
As soon as the door closed, Yoo-seong reached out to the

tray and dragged it toward himself.
“I will enjoy this food,” he said out loud.
Things were happening faster than he’d expected. So far,

Yoo-seong thought that it had already been a very
productive trip to Japan.
‘Although,’ he thought, ‘I have just begun.’

Chapter 107
Episode 107
“Is there a problem?” Yoo-seong now broke the silence.
“No…”
At this, Yoo-seong smiled. The Superintendent was obviously

flustered.
“Then, I think I’d like to eat alone. I know you’re very busy,”
Yoo-seong added.
The Superintendent’s lips trembled with humiliation and

shame. It was clear Yoo-seong was sending him out because
he was disturbing his meal.
“It’s not your responsibility to deal with me, right?” Yoo-

seong added.
The Superintendent’s face hardened.
Yoo-seong stared at him before speaking. “I can see on your

face that you’re very upset about this.”
The Superintendent felt the same as Oda. After all, he had

only been sent here, by someone higher ranked, to
entertain Yoo-seong until the real person-in-charge arrived.
If the Superintendent had felt friendly to Yoo-seong from the

start, Yoo-seong wouldn’t be in a detention cell in the first
place.
“You’re obviously uncomfortable, and you must have a lot of

work to do. I don’t care; it doesn’t matter to me if you
leave,” Yoo-seong told him.
As he spoke, Yoo-seong continued to eat gracefully with his

chopsticks.
At this point, the Superintendent didn’t know what to do. He

couldn’t engage Yoo-seong with small talk. After all, Yoo-
seong was busy eating, and besides, there was nothing to
talk about.
He couldn’t go and leave a guest alone either. And so, he

just sat there, watching Yoo-seong eat, like a waiter
watching a customer.
More time passed.
Slurp-!
Just as Yoo-seong slurped the last of the soba noodles, the

Superintendent’s redemption came.
“Ah… Mr. Kodama…!”
The door opened, revealing a short man standing at about

160 cm. His thin hair was gruesomely oiled, and he was
wearing a suit that looked too big on him. To finish off the
typical Japanese office worker look, he had thick eyeglasses
on.
“Thank you.”
Kodama politely bowed his head to the Superintendent.

Like a person escaping from a hot place, the Superintendent
rushed out of the prison cell. Kodama sat in the seat he’d
left.
Yoo-seong stared at him, then spoke. “Shall I call you Mr.

Kodama?”
“Call me whatever makes you feel comfortable,” Kodama

laughed coyly. “My name is Yasuhiko Kodama. The Director
of the Disaster Management Bureau.”
Disaster Management Bureau.
Unlike most countries where the term ‘special defense’ was

used to describe the institution handling crack
management, Japan used its existing Disaster Management
System to respond to cracks.
In other words, the man in front of him was Japan’s Yang

Chang-guk.
“Oh, you’re the director…”
Kodama touched his forehead. “I often hear I don’t look like

one.”
Compared to Yang Chang-guk, who appeared authoritative,

he looked insignificant.
However, his appearance didn’t matter at all to Yoo-seong.
‘This person,’ he thought. ‘He has CE.’
Yoo-seong could feel it.
Unlike Oda and the armed forces who had deliberately

displayed their Aura to him, Kodama’s CE release was
natural. Unintentional, even.
It was as if the trace of his CE Yoo-seong had felt was
nothing but a drop of water that had fallen from a moving
bowl full of water. Perhaps, considering the amount of CE
this person had, he could match the top hunters Yoo-seong
met so far.
“I don’t know how to apologize for this,” Kodama began.

“You’ve just arrived in Japan, and despite that, you
prevented an accident and saved civilians. To get this kind
of treatment here…”
Kodama got up from his chair and bowed ninety degrees. “It
was very wrong of us.”
Yoo-seong was pleasantly surprised by the gesture. “I was

just there. I did what I had to do.”
“In that case, we must compensate you for your

contributions. First off, do you already have
accommodations here?”
“No…” Yoo-seong responded without thinking.
“Then, the first…”
“Sorry,” Yoo-seong cut him off. “I won’t be here for long. Just
a day or two. I’m on vacation, but I’m also a hunter. I need
to be available to protect people.”
“Sure, that’s the right mindset!”
“So you don’t need to worry about special accommodation.

I’ll be out of this place in no time at all.”
“Then… may I know what your business is here?” Kodama

looked at Yoo-seong from behind his thick glasses before
adding, “Because we may be able to help you.”
Yoo-seong looked as if he had found an unexpected
shortcut. “I need to meet with the Leto group because I
have something to talk about with them.”
“Yes? Do you have an appointment set already?”
“No. I was going to visit without prior consultation…”
“I see… okay. Thank you for speaking openly.” Kodama

nodded.
“If it’s okay with you,” he then continued, “it seems like a
problem we can help you with. Because the current
chairman of Leto is my friend…”
“Oh my. It would be great if you could do that,” Yoo-seong

almost yelled with delight.
“Then, shall we go?” Kodama stood.
Yoo-seong felt stunned. “Right now?”
Kodama was already up and holding the door open for him.
“I’m glad that your problem is something I can help with

right away.”
Somehow, strange confidence seemed to have sprouted

from the timid-looking Kodama.
“But of course, we can do it anytime you want.”
Yoo-seong found this strange.
Even Yang Chang-guk wasn’t this powerful or influential.

Was it this easy to connect with the giant Leto’s current
chairman?
Nevertheless…
“The sooner, the better,” he told Kodama and went out the
door.
Following Kodama’s lead, he walked down the hallway. After

walking for a few minutes, he felt a harsh gaze directed
towards him.
Oda.
He mouthed a curse word at Yoo-seong just as they passed

by. However, it only made Yoo-seong smile.
They continued walking until they reached Kodama’s

limousine in the parking lot.
Once inside, Kodama began talking more confidently.
“Japan is a good country,” he began. “Of course, Korea is a

good country, too. In fact, it’s up to anyone to decide which
country is better for them.”
“I agree.” Yoo-seong nodded.
“Still, even with that said, Japan can be considered a more

suitable country for main characters.”
“Main characters?” Yoo-seong was confused. “Like in the

movies?”
“That’s right. Someone like Oh Yoo-seong.”
Kodama smiled before continuing.
“This evening, everyone will know about your

achievements. More than half of the media have devoted
their time to writing articles about you. There are already
videos taken by civilians, all uploaded on the Internet and
gaining views as we speak.”
“Is that really necessary?”
“It is but natural. It’s just that the other country you visited
was… let’s say it’s quite a poor place.”
Kodama was, for sure, talking about China.
When he’d been there, Yoo-seong had also managed great

achievements, much larger than what he’d done today.
However, he didn’t get much attention for it.
Until now, the Chinese government hadn’t even officially

acknowledged him for hunting one of the Four Perils. It was
only through eyewitness accounts and promotions made by
Tenz that Yoo-seong had gotten the credit.
“Of course, I understand that for someone like you, fame

and wealth are not that important. Regardless of where you
are, you can get both with your skills… but there may be
people who hate what you’re doing.”
Yoo-seong felt that Kodama’s voice was rising. He kept silent

and looked in the direction the car was heading.
“Of course, they won’t dare offend you by mentioning those

things…”
The car was now beyond Tokyo’s city center. It was driving
away from Leto’s headquarters.
“Don’t worry,” Kodama laughed as if he’d read Yoo-seong’s

mind. “I’m taking you to the chairman. However, we’re
meeting him somewhere farther away.”
“It seems like you have a very close relationship with him,”
Yoo-seong remarked.
“Ah, I do.” Kodama nodded as if it were no big deal. “The

chairman’s eldest daughter is my wife.”
“I see…” Yoo-seong leaned back against his seat.
This was where the confidence had come from.
From the beginning, Kodama had planned to bring him to

the Leto chairman.
“It’s amazing,” Yoo-seong remarked.
“What is?”
“The Leto Group is so strong that they have the whole

industry in their hands…”
For someone like Yang Chang-guk to be linked with a

company would surely mean the end of his career. However,
here in Japan, his counterpart was the son-in-law of the
largest enterprise’s chairman.
“The chairman must be someone who has a very meticulous

personality.”
Kodama shook his head.
“On the contrary, he’s good at developing people. I have

risen from the bottom to the highest position through the
grace of the chairman.”
Yoo-seong sighed. Then he took out his cellphone.
“Is there any problem?” Kodama sounded concerned.

“No, a message came.”
“You look tired.”
“Ah, the sigh? Rather, I’m excited.”
“You don’t have to worry.”
“I don’t worry about anything.”
As they spoke, Yoo-seong’s eyes remained on his phone.

Then he added, “I have a magic button. I can get out of any
crisis simply by pressing it.”
“Hahaha!” Kodama laughed as if he had heard a really

funny joke.
‘If you realized it was true, it wouldn’t be so funny,’ Yoo-

seong thought as he turned his gaze out the car window.
He saw a towering building against a deserted winter

landscape.
‘Like a lab,’ he thought. ‘Or a hospital.’
“What’s inside,” Kodama’s cold voice came from behind

him, “will surprise you.”
Yoo-seong turned his eyes on him.
“As you said earlier, there are conditions that drive the main
character, and it’s not wealth or fame. To be able to show off
my skills on a good stage…”
Kodama stared at him intently. “This will be a private visit,

not a public display.”
“Well,” Yoo-seong said. “It seems they knew in advance that
I was coming, so won’t the chairman blame you if I don’t
arrive on time?”
“Uh… well. Do you need to use the bathroom or

something?”
Beep-!
Kodama’s words were drowned by the winter wind.
Yoo-seong opened the car door.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong?”
“Sorry.” Yoo-seong stuck his tongue out playfully.
It was the mask he intended to use against Kodama and the

Leto Group.
“You said I’d be surprised by what’s in that building. I can’t

stand it!”
Then…
Yoo-seong jumped out of the vehicle. However, his feet

never touched the ground.
Ta-ang-!
Against the cold, winter mountain air, Yoo-seong ran toward

the building, using footholds made in the air.
‘They are waiting for me,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Kodama had led him here because the Leto Group wanted to
show him something. That meant this must be a top-secret
building.
He knew this because, when Yoo-seong brought up the
navigation app on his phone, his location was not
recognized. This place was not supposed to exist.
If so, he thought it would probably be best to see Leto’s real

face before they could show him their made-up image.
“It’s… cold,” he muttered to himself as he landed on a tall

tree.
Yoo-seong stared at the white building in front of him.
What happened now was not something he needed to think

about.
Rather, like the joke he made…

Chapter 108
No. 108
As Auto-Hunt moved his body, Yoo-seong tried to process

what he was seeing.
The building exteriors were painted white, and the delicate

smell of medicine peculiar to medical facilities could be
smelled even from outside. No special security measures
could be observed.
There weren’t even checkpoints on the way in or hoards of

guards moving around. In fact, dozens of civilian vehicles
were parked in the spacious parking lot.
Puck-!
Yoo-seong landed on the rooftop of a six-story building.
The door was closed, but Yoo-seong felt so surprised that he

tried to turn the handle gently. It wasn’t locked at all.
As Yoo-seong walked down the stairs, he was certain.
‘This must be a hospital.’
The smell of disinfectant and medicine was a dead

giveaway. As he reached the hallway at the bottom of the
stairs, he heard footsteps approaching.
However, Auto-Hunt did not make any effort to hide or
escape.
Yoo-seong kept walking casually.
Soon a doctor in a gown appeared at the corner. They

exchanged a brief moment of eye contact.
The doctor gave a little bow and spoke. Of course, what he

said was in Japanese, so Yoo-seong had no idea what it
meant.
However…
As soon as the doctor passed him by, his hand pulled out his
phone.
His translator app was already running. Auto-Hunt had

clearly planned for this.
The translation wasn’t perfect, but what the doctor said

was:
‘It is on the third, fourth, and fifth floor. Please change

clothes and wait.’
Still controlled by Auto-Hunt, Yoo-seong continued walking

down the stairs.
As he approached the fifth floor, the sound of footsteps and

voices became louder. There were nurses and doctors.
From time to time, people who were dressed like patients

also passed through the wide corridors.
No one paid Yoo-seong any attention, as if it weren’t strange

that he was here.
‘What the hell is happening?’ Yoo-seong felt confused.
‘Is this place really just a general hospital?’
Other than the weird circumstance of having its location

hidden from the map, there were no other special security
measures that Yoo-seong could see.
However, he soon noticed the strange condition of the

patients. No one seemed to have any trauma or injuries. In
fact, they all looked like they had just woken up from a deep
sleep.
Other than that, their steps were as steady and carefree as

Yoo-seong’s.
‘The patients here are all…’
The realization hit him.
Beep-
The glass door at the end of the hallway opened, giving Yoo-
seong a glimpse of what was inside the operating room. It
looked no different from the emergency rooms of other
hospitals.
However, the difference was the people inside.
The patients here were not people who were ill, or in critical
condition.
Rather, they would be stronger and healthier than ordinary

people.
The patients in this hospital were all CE users.
A nurse passing by spoke to Yoo-seong.

“You have to change clothes.”
However, Yoo-seong ignored her and kept walking toward

the beds.
“Hey!” the nurse called out.
The equipment inside the operating rooms was different

from that found in an intensive care unit.
Instead of oxygen tanks, ventilators or defibrillators, the

equipment inside the room was mostly pumps.
They were connected to the patients’ lower abdomens,

arms, and legs.
Yoo-seong recognized the equipment. In fact, he had used it

before, once every two weeks.
It was equipment used for CE injection, the exact same

equipment as in Jin Chang-hoon’s hospital.
But this apparatus seemed to have a different purpose.
Go-oh-oh-!
Instead of injecting CE, they were extracting CE from the

people lying on the beds.
‘This…’ Yoo-seong was speechless.
The scenes before him didn’t make sense. The only reason
Sung-wook had given him his CE was because Sung-wook
could not use it anymore.
Otherwise, most hunters did not pass their CE to others,

even in a desperate situation. It was a question of being a
superhuman or an average human.
‘Is this even legal?’ Yoo-seong wondered.
There were common international laws that applied to CE

handling. In the case of human-to-human CE transmission,
the authorities had to be notified prior to the injection. It
was also illegal to store extracted CE in a container for more
than three hours. Since CE was also treated as a part of the
human body, unauthorized transfers were severely
punished.
“How do you feel?”
It was a woman’s voice.
Yoo-seong turned Auto-Hunt off before turning around. A

doll-like girl was behind him.
It was obvious that she was of mixed race at first glance.

Her pale skin seemed like white jade, creating a sharp
contrast against her bright red lips. Her hair was tied back
neatly, making her sailor-style outfit stand out.
“Nice to meet you, I…” the woman began.
“What is this?” Yoo-seong roughly cut her off.
She didn’t seem to care much. Instead, she gazed upward

and placed a finger on her lips as if she were thinking hard.
“Well… what should I say? Since you came here with my

brother-in-law, he must have told you about the ‘main actor’
stuff?”
Yoo-seong stared at her without responding.
“Let’s just say that this is the extras’ sacrifice to make the
main actor shine brighter!” she giggled.
Only then did Yoo-seong realize…
Kodama.
That was how the son-in-law of the Leto Group managed to

hold that amount of CE.
“Are you one of the main actors, then?” he asked the

woman in front of him.
“Oh, how did you know?!” The girl seemed truly happy.
Go-oh-!
It was easy.
Judging just by the amount of CE that Yoo-seong could feel

around her, he could tell. He’d never met anyone with this
much CE.
“My name is Chika Sukune. If you’re comfortable doing so,

you may call me Chika.”
She smiled and tilted her head at Yoo-seong, but he did not
respond.
“Would you like to tell me your name? Of course, I already

know you, but… it’s still our first meeting. You can make it
more romantic, right?”
“You find this romantic?” Yoo-seong’s voice was cold. “You

said Kodama is your brother-in-law. Then where is your
father?” he asked her.
“He’s here, of course. He told me to bring you.”
“Bring me to him, then.”

“Aw, don’t say it so coldly. I’m hurt.” The girl pouted.
Yoo-seong shook his head and sighed.
Suddenly…
“Huh… huh!”
They turned toward the sound of heavy breathing.
“Oh, brother-in-law!”
Kodama came through the glass door.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong… well… you got here first…”
Kodama was pale, as if he had also sprinted after Yoo-seong

in the cold, sharp landscape. However, Yoo-seong didn’t
care about that at all.
“Director, I need to meet your father-in-law,” he said

urgently.
However…
“No,” Chika said firmly. “I’m Oh Yoo-seong’s fan. I watched

all the broadcasts about him. Brother-in-law, I will bring him
to Father. You can go.”
Kodama looked embarrassed.
It didn’t sound like a child’s demand. It sounded like she had

unfinished business with Yoo-seong.
Kodama turned his gaze on Yoo-seong and tried to explain.
“Miss Chika is the chairman’s youngest daughter. It could be

said that among his children, she is his…”
“His favorite and his most cherished treasure.” Chika
finished his sentence off with a proud expression.
“Why don’t you walk with her to the chairman’s office?”

Kodama suggested.
Yoo-seong didn’t even look at the girl.
“His most cherished treasure…” Yoo-seong’s voice was full

of contempt, “created from using people like this?”
He spread his arms toward the beds in the extraction room

they stood in.
The patients didn’t seem to mind them. They looked sleepy

and exhausted from the extraction.
Powerless.
Kodama tried to calm Yoo-seong down.
“I understand you feel bad about this…”
However, Kodama’s voice sounded to Yoo-seong as if he

didn’t really understand why Yoo-seong was angry.
“But don’t get me wrong, we never force these guys…”
“They are useless anyway.” Chika cut Kodama off once

again. “They are humans who can’t use their CE properly.
It’d be a waste. It’s best to give them to more talented
people, like you and me. Right?” she added.
Her expression was bright, as if she really thought they were

doing what was best for these people.
“That’s funny.” Yoo-seong’s reply was brief.

Kodama felt anxious. It was the first time he had seen Yoo-
seong’s chilly attitude.
He shot a worried look toward his sister-in-law, who wore a

big smile despite the situation.
“But… why don’t we take a rest first?” Kodama tried to

salvage the atmosphere. “I am not saying we should delay
you from meeting the chairman, but…”
He appealed to Yoo-seong with his eyes.
‘Please, Oh Yoo-seong,’ he wanted to say. ‘Aren’t you a

courteous man?’
However…
“If you don’t lead me to him, I’ll find him myself,” Yoo-seong
said firmly and began to turn.
Suddenly…
Gooh-oh!
Chika grabbed Yoo-seong’s arm to stop him. Her grasp was

heavy with Aura.
“If you keep ignoring me…” Her sweet voice had a hint of
anger in it.
“Let me go,” Yoo-seong warned.
“You don’t like it?” She smiled innocently.
Kodama was watching Yoo-seong intently over his sister-in-

law’s shoulder.
Yoo-seong was a courteous man. In fact, he had never
shown Kodama any rude gesture before coming here.
However, that was only because he recognized Kodama as a
government official who could lead him to the chairman.
But the way Yoo-seong looked at the hand on his arm right
now…
“This is my final warning. Let go.”
Yoo-seong didn’t have to be polite at all.
The person who had grabbed him was the daughter of a

vicious international criminal. She was a product of his
crimes.
“I don’t want to…” Chika began. However, before she even

finished speaking, Yoo-seong’s hand was already moving.
He pressed the automatic hunting button.
Auto-Hunt seemed to agree with how Yoo-seong felt.
Howoook-!
In an instant, Yoo-seong’s fist shot out.
Kuk-!
It struck Chika square in the face.

Chapter 109
Episode 109
Yoo-seong’s fist landed perfectly. Chika’s body was thrown

back.
Boog-!
There was the sound of heavy impact and the noise of facial
bones and teeth breaking.
Chika’s body spun in the air twice before crashing to the

ground.
It was a perfect attack.
“What?!” Kodama exclaimed.
Even Yoo-seong was surprised by his strength.
‘I didn’t think it was going to be that strong a hit,’ he

thought.
Of course, he trusted Auto-Hunt’s decision. Whether the

enemy was a girl or an old man, Auto-Hunt would find the
most efficient way to attack.
Even so, it was surprising that Auto-Hunt had chosen to

attack Chika this way instead of a simple slap to the face.
Yoo-seong’s fist was even covered with a hefty amount of
Aura.
It would have been enough to kill an average person in one
blow.
Yoo-seong heard Kodama sigh.
‘Just a sigh?’ He was puzzled.
Yoo-seong had thought the brother-in-law would rush right

away to avenge the little girl.
She was the youngest daughter, the favorite of the Leto

Group’s chairman. Now, she was helplessly rolling on the
ground, carried by the momentum of Yoo-seong’s punch.
Should Kodama just sigh about it?
“You really gave it to her.” Kodama shook his head. There

was no hint of concern in his tone.
“I can’t blame you, but with the attitude you showed me

before, I thought you’d be able to control yourself more.
Then you would be more admirable…”
Now, strangely, Kodama sounded as if he was more worried

for Yoo-seong.
“Now it’s going to be a lot of trouble. As I said, Miss Chika is

the chairman’s treasure… that doesn’t mean she’s just a
cute, spoiled daughter…”
Grshh-!
There was the sound of crumbling cement. Yoo-seong

immediately turned to look.
Chika was up.

She was standing like a zombie from a horror movie, her
limbs at strange angles and her head down.
Tek-
Took-
Droplets of blood fell from her face, which was covered by

her now-messy hair.
“Ha…haha…”
Yoo-seong doubted his ears. Chika seemed to be laughing.
“It hurts. It really hurts…”
There was no pain in her voice. Rather, she sounded a little

amused.
Then she raised her head. Her pale face was bloody, but her
features, which the blow should have damaged, looked
intact.
No, it would be more accurate to say that her features were

now moving back into place.
It was as if they were being repaired with every second.
“But I’m a little disappointed,” Chika added.
As she wiped the blood off her face, her recovery seemed to

go faster. Her broken nose had gone back into its normal
position. Between her slightly open lips, Yoo-seong saw
perfect teeth growing back into place.
“Because I thought you’d be a lot stronger than this.”
As she spoke, Chika took something out of her pocket.

Click-!
With a skillful movement, she revealed the item she had

taken out. It was a folding blade, commonly called a
butterfly knife.
“But you have shown me your strength… shouldn’t I show

you mine, too?” she said playfully.
At the next moment…
Kuuk-!
Chika stabbed it into her own neck.
“What?!” Yoo-seong’s eyes widened.
The blade, which was more than ten centimeters long,

plunged into her delicate neck. Her carotid artery was surely
punctured.
“Don’t worry,” Kodama told him. “Like you, Miss Chika is

also a main character…” he added.
“I hope you’ll be satisfied.” Chika smiled at Yoo-seong.
It was a very bright smile as if she didn’t have a knife stuck

in her neck. Then her hand, which held the knife’s handle,
slowly twisted the blade down.
Swoosh-!
The wound on her neck widened, and a tremendous amount

of blood spilled out.
However…
The direction the blood went and the shape it was taking
were unexpected.
Wooong-!
The next second, Yoo-seong found himself narrowly avoiding

a sword. It was a sword made from blood.
Chika’s power was undeniable.
She was able to control her blood from where she stood to
where Yoo-seong was. It was a distance of several meters.
Yoo-seong turned to the wall, which the tip of the blood

sword had crashed into. A large hole had been made in the
wall as if it had been hit by a hydraulic cutter for smelting
metal.
“Wow… you’re fast.” Chika laughed as if she was surprised

that he survived.
Her speech was distorted because of her current state.
Her neck was already bent by almost ninety degrees due to

the gaping wound she had. The knife had torn almost a third
of her neck.
Blood was still pouring out, but…
Not a single drop fell to the floor. Her blood coalesced on a

point slightly higher than her eye level, forming a sphere. In
addition to this, the ball of blood was getting larger every
second.
Weirdly, Yoo-seong thought that it looked like a tree that

was about to bear fruit.
It was only then that Kodama spoke with concern.

“Miss Chika! If you do not pay attention to controlling your
power, it may destroy the whole facility!”
He wasn’t able to say anything more.
The ball of blood had now changed its shape into a giant
human palm aimed at him. Sadly, Kodama’s reflexes weren’t
as fast as Yoo-seong’s.
Pagang-!
The giant palm struck Kodama, throwing him against the

wall.
“I’m a little disappointed at my brother-in-law, too,” Chika

muttered.
She pulled out her knife, and after a few moments, her neck
appeared to be back to its original state.
Shuuk-!
Meanwhile, the giant palm reverted to being a large ball of

blood. Chika tied her messy hair back, then she smiled.
“Now I am ready…”
Bang-!
Yoo-seong moved before she could finish what she was

saying.
He burst toward her.
However, the blood sphere reacted immediately.
Bouung-!
It turned into the shape of a whip, extending toward the
approaching Yoo-seong.
It was aimed toward his legs. Yoo-seong jumped to avoid it

as if he was avoiding a deadly jumping rope.
Paat-!
The whip changed shape once more, turning into what

seemed to be a massive spatula.
It kept coming toward Yoo-seong, who was still in the air.
Ku-kung!
Yoo-seong was hit and sent flying.
The impact was so strong that the outer wall he smashed

against broke. They were on the fifth floor; however, Yoo-
seong did not fall.
His left hand grabbed an invisible thread, and he used it to

maintain his balance.
“That’s cool!” Chika clapped her hands with delight. “This is

the first time I’ve actually seen it. I really admire that Tech.
Maybe it’s all around me right now?”
She looked around the hospital room.
“Unfortunately,” she said, “it won’t work against me.”
A part of the blood sphere separated and formed a

protective layer around Chika. A transparent blood bubble
surrounded her.
Tuwook-!
Yoo-seong pulled the web he had grabbed and used it to get
back inside the room. He landed beside a bed, where one of
the patients lay.
Despite the intense battle going on around him, the

patient’s face remained blank.
After forming a protective shield around herself, Chika’s

gaze turned to Yoo-seong.
There seemed to be regret in her eyes.
“I’m a little sad… you’re not like a main character after all.”
What remained of the blood sphere kept changing its shape

between whips and spatulas, constantly switching and
attacking Yoo-seong. However, this time, Yoo-seong was
avoiding Chika’s attacks more easily.
It was because the blood quality was lessened due to the

protective layer around her.
“Oh no!” She seemed to realize the problem. “I need to add

more!”
Chika casually unfolded the butterfly knife once more.
“The power of this tech is excellent, but the downside is that

it can only control the blood of the person who wields it,”
she began as she flicked the knife open. “So, those who
used this Tech in the past weren’t able to utilize it to its full
potential. It’s one of the reasons it wasn’t passed on from
generation to generation. Not only does it require a huge
amount of blood loss, but you also have to injure yourself to
draw out blood.”
Boowook-!
She slashed her wrists this time, making blood gush out
even more strongly.
“But I’m not worried about that.”
Like what happened with her neck, as soon as she pulled

back her blade, her wounds began to recover.
This was Leto’s “work.”
Techs that had been taken from different cultures had been
combined to create tremendous synergies.
Of course, with more Techs to be maintained in a single

body, a massive amount of CE was required.
Learning different Techs wasn’t the end of it.
Having an unlimited supply of CE for regeneration’s sake

was needed for Chika’s abilities to be maximized.
It was the reason they needed to extract CE from countless

people.
Kuwook-!
“I think this is enough,” Chika said as she looked at the

blood that poured out of her wrist wound.
The blood sphere was now double its size, covering the area
between the hospital room’s ceiling and floor.
“Yep.” Chika nodded at her own question. Then she swung

the blood sphere.
Kwadook-!
It came like a wrecking ball, smashing against the entire
exterior wall. The entire wall was torn apart.
Yoo-seong lay flat on the floor at the last moment to avoid

the massive blood sphere.
“That looked awkward,” Chika pouted. “Why don’t you wear

that nice armor you have?”
There was no response from Yoo-seong.
“Isn’t it forged with the heat from a dragon? It’s a good

enough match for me.”
When Yoo-seong did not reply again, Chika’s expression

darkened. “What? Are you trying to look cool by keeping
your mouth shut?!”
At that moment, Yoo-seong finally finished his preparations.
‘I don’t have to listen to her anymore,’ he thought.
Kew-!
Yoo-seong pulled his arms with all his strength.
He had been placing spider webs, all while avoiding Chika’s

attacks. Now he pulled all of them back.
Chika’s expression hardened.
She had realized what Yoo-seong was doing.
The spider web threads weren’t aimed at her.
Dozens of people lying blankly around the extraction

chamber were being dragged, right towards the hole that
the wrecking blood sphere had torn open.
Yoo-seong pulled the patients out through the wall, one by
one, but not one of them fell to the ground.
Yoo-seong placed a thread on each of them so that they

hung safely outside.
‘While avoiding my attacks…’ Chika’s eyes now widened

with realization.
Yoo-seong had completely protected the patients with his

spider web.
“Huh.” Yoo-seong turned Auto-Hunt off and spat on the floor.
The cloying smell of blood surrounded him.
“You’re right,” he told her. “If I wear the armor, I will be able
to deal with you more comfortably.”
This was not just in terms of defense.
The armor activated his Flame Psy when worn. It would take
only a moment to put it on.
However, choosing not to use it this time was a matter of

emotion for Yoo-seong, not practicality. For him, wearing the
proper equipment meant that he was acting as a hunter. He
respected the hunting profession and the capabilities of his
prey.
Yoo-seong clenched both fists.
“But what’s in front of me right now seems like an unworthy

opponent,” he growled with disgust.
Without even waiting for her answer, Yoo-seong lunged at

her.
Ta-ang!!!
Earlier, the patients in their beds wouldn’t have been able to

avoid damage from Yoo-seong’s attacks, even if it wasn’t
aimed at them. But now that they were safely outside…
“This…!” Chika screamed.
As she did, the blood sphere formed into a huge cone shape,
similar to the weapon used in jousts.
Yoo-seong didn’t avoid it. With his Steel Steps and the
Zahan Gong, perfected with the Red Dragon Society’s help,
he continued to approach.
Tuwoong-!!
Yoo-seong began punching the cone-shaped blood.
“Are you stupid?” Chika laughed.
‘Does he think he can damage me by punching the blood

cone?’
However, they weren’t just punches. This was Pacheonma

Geukki.
The essence of the hooves of a thousand horses, perfectly

copied by Auto-Hunt.
Gou-gou-gouh-!
It took a total of twelve punches. The vibrations caused by

the successive attacks finally reached their destination,
which was the stem of blood connecting the blood cone and
Chika’s body.
The amplified vibrations caused it to collapse.

Splash-!
What Chika used was not Psy.
It was a Tech that used her blood as a medium. Therefore, it

needed to be connected to her body, or else she wouldn’t
be able to control it. In other words…
“Aaaah!”
The massive amount of coalesced blood lost its cohesion

and spilled all over the room.
The girl reflexively reached for her knife again. She had
enough CE. If she could just draw blood again…
But-
Taang-!
Yoo-seong was waiting for it.
Poop-!
There was no hesitation. He raised one knee and struck the

knife out of her hand.
Then he pressed the button to let Auto-Hunt finish her off.
As always, Auto-Hunt didn’t betray his expectations.
Go-oh-oh-!
His fists were filled with Aura.
‘She can bleed, as long as it doesn’t spill outside,’ he

thought.
More intense than ever, he cast Pacheonma Geukki once
more.
Chapter 110
No. 110
Kodama opened his eyes and spat blood out of his mouth.
Then, staring at the sky and the forests below him, he
realized he was hanging in the air.
As he looked around, he also realized he wasn’t alone.

Patients who had been in the extraction room were also
hanging around him.
“Oh!”
Kodama immediately formed a blade. It was similar to Yoo-

seong’s Qi blade.
It didn’t need to be special. He just needed a long and thin

sword to cut himself free.
Poop-!
Just as he broke the thread, he heard a dull thud above him,

on the fifth floor, where he’d last seen Chika and Yoo-seong
fighting.
Kodama bit his lip and began climbing.
Chika was the masterpiece of the Sukune clan. Her talents

were not only exceptional, but she had also been thoroughly
educated to maximize her abilities.
‘If only the chairman… no, if only anyone cared a little about
Chika’s personality…’ Kodama thought with regret.
Since childhood, the girl had been accustomed to people

dying for her. She had been using twice the lethal dose of
adult CE for her daily training. Chika Sukune didn’t care
about other children losing their parents due to CE over-
extraction. In short, she had become a monster of a variety
grown in the labyrinth of the Sukune family.
Kodama was well aware that she was someone to fear. That
was why he climbed the building with the pace of a slug,
even though he could have done it much faster.
He dreaded seeing just what was on the fifth floor.
However, the scene that was waiting for him was utterly
unexpected.
Thud-!
It was a scene that he had never thought would happen.
Thud-!
Chika Sukune was against the wall, getting beaten down

again and again by the furious fists of another monster.
Oh Yoo-seong felt Kodama’s gaze and stopped to look back

at him.
“Huh?”
Kodama’s hand almost lost its grip, clutching the edge of

the wall.
Not just because of Yoo-seong’s insensitive expression, but

also because of Chika Sukune’s appearance. Or, more aptly,
what was left of her.
“Don’t worry,” Yoo-seong told him casually as he tried to

look closer.
The pulp that was Chika Sukune looked as if all its joints and
bones had liquified due to pressure. It barely had any
human characteristics left.
“She’s still alive,” Yoo-seong assured him.
The remaining skin and muscles were all twisted, like a used
mop.
However, there were no traces of blood on her body, not

even a single torn wound.
Auto-Hunt had found an answer to Chika’s seemingly

unbeatable combination of regeneration and massive CE
storage. It was to thoroughly destroy her insides, all without
spilling a drop of blood.
“Oh, Oh Yoo-seong, you… what have you done…?”
“Don’t make such a big fuss. Take a deep breath and look
closely.”
Kodama looked at what remained of Chika’s chest.
Indeed, it was still rising and falling. Somehow, Chika was

still breathing.
“I didn’t touch her respiratory system at all. I don’t know

about her brain, but maybe it’s okay.”
As Kodama walked closer, he could hear tiny whimpers of

pain coming from the pulp of flesh. It sounded like a
monster crying.
Yoo-seong turned completely and approached Kodama.
“So, is this all you wanted to show me?” Yoo-seong asked

him.
Kodama flinched. He was having trouble breathing.
“I was hoping for something different when you told me that

this building would surprise me… not a horrific case of
people being made to give up their CE.”
“It was a misunderstanding, Oh Yoo-seong. The people here

hand over their CE to Leto under their own will…”
“I’m not interested in your explanation,” Yoo-seong laughed.
At this, Kodama bit his lip. Yoo-seong had the same

expression that he’d had just before he leaped out of the
car.
It meant that he was about to do something unexpected

again.
“Okay. I will guide you to the chairman right away,” Kodama

said, trying to calm him down.
“No,” Yoo-seong said. “I will find him myself.”
“But Oh Yoo-seong!” Kodama’s voice rose uncontrollably. “I

sincerely ask, please calm down…”
Yoo-seong ignored him. Kodama continued to plead as he

stepped in Yoo-seong’s way.
“If you keep doing this, you will be embarrassed. I swear we

didn’t bring you here to fight with you!”
Yoo-seong responded with just one word.

“Move.”
That was enough. There was no need for any more

elaborate threats.
With just one word, countless images passed through

Kodama’s head.
At first glance, Yoo-seong’s attitude seemed careless.

However, if Kodama tried to physically restrain him or
continued to interfere…
‘I would die,’ Kodama thought as he dropped his head.
Yoo-seong pressed the button to help him locate the

chairman.
Pook-!
The next moment, he picked up Chika’s body by the nape.
‘Huh?’ Yoo-seong was confused.
It seemed as if Auto-Hunt didn’t want to give up the prey it

had caught.
Holding Chika’s body with one hand, Yoo-seong ran out of

the extraction chamber.
***
It wasn’t that difficult to find the place where the chairman

was.
Yoo-seong would have found it even without Auto-Hunt.
As soon as he stepped out of the extraction room into the

hallway, he found people waiting for him.
Despite the tremendous battle that would definitely have
been heard throughout the building, people had not
evacuated. They stared at Yoo-seong blankly.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
There was not a single word or movement.
Everyone in the hallway was standing to the side, making

way for Yoo-seong. They all had the same expression as
those patients in the extraction room.
However, it wasn’t just the patients.
Even the nurses and doctors were standing beside them

with blank expressions. The only movement that could be
seen was their heads.
One by one, just before Yoo-seong passed them by, they

turned their heads in a single direction, as if they were all
being controlled to point to where Yoo-seong had to go.
The line of gazes continued to the other side of the corridor,

around the curves of corners and under the stairs, and to
the overpass leading to other buildings.
It was as if everyone in this area was guiding him with their

eyes.
It didn’t take long for Yoo-seong to realize what was
happening.
The Leto Chairman.
To control this many people in a six-story building, he must

be a mass hypnotic sorcerer of a transcendent scale.
Before long, Yoo-seong reached the top floor of the building.

He stopped in front of two large doors at the end of the
hallway.
Go-oh-oh-!
An Aura blade had come from his left hand. It was as sharp
as always, although it didn’t have that much volume,
because Yoo-seong had already consumed a considerable
amount of CE while dealing with Chika.
Perhaps the chairman beyond that door also knew that.
He must be leisurely waiting for Yoo-seong. He, too, like his

daughter and his son-in-law, must have a huge amount of
CE.
It was almost a certainty, considering how he could control

hundreds of people at the same time.
Yoo-seong would face an opponent with a huge advantage

in CE and with a Tech that he had never encountered before.
Auto-Hunt lifted the blade. Then Yoo-seong lowered his

posture and stared at the door.
When the blade finally came down…
Pook-!
It slashed at Chika’s flesh.
“Arghh…”
Chika began to groan as blood rushed out of her.
However, Auto-Hunt wasn’t done with the blade.
It continued to cut her on her arms, legs, abdomen, and

back.
This was supposed to be helpful for her. The trapped blood

within her was being released, enabling her to start
regeneration.
However…
“Ah ah ah ah ah ah!”
It was still painful for her.
No matter how familiar she was with pain, too much of it

would make anyone go insane. Chika began screaming
desperately.
Howoook-!
The blood spilling out of her was striking out reflexively as

she writhed in pain.
Wisely, Yoo-seong did not hold her for long.
He just pricked four more wounds into her, in both her eyes
and both her ears.
It would regenerate later, anyway.

However, for now, it would make Chika blind, deaf, and
insane with pain. She would be the perfect grenade.
Quaang-!
Yoo-seong threw her against the doors, pushing them open,

before stepping back.
“Kaahahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”
Her screams drowned out most sounds, but Yoo-seong could

hear thuds and groans coming from inside.
Yoo-seong waited silently for some time.
Finally, when the noise subsided, Yoo-seong walked into the

room. The inside was completely covered with blood.
Perhaps all, or almost all of it, was Chika’s blood.
Just as an inexperienced hunter spills his Aura into a Corona,

she too had gone out of her mind to the point where she
couldn’t properly control her own blood.
But indeed, as Kodama had said, she was the greatest

treasure Sukune ever made.
“Ugh…”
“Uh….”
In the middle of the room, two men lay helplessly, almost as

badly injured as Chika.
Yoo-seong knew their faces. They were the sons of the Leto
chairman.
If it weren’t for the blind attacks that Chika launched, Yoo-
seong would have had to deal with them.
There was another person inside the room—an old man,

gasping for breath, sitting on a wheelchair.
“Nice to meet you,” Yoo-seong greeted him. “You thief.”

Chapter 111
Part 111
Lee Wan-bok.
It was known that he had lived a century ago, yet his exact
history was unknown.
According to theories, he had belonged to the Joseon family,

and after their fall, he had promptly changed his name. No
one heard from him again until he engraved his name on
the family register of the Sukune clan.
That a foreigner from Korea would gain a position within an

influential family across the sea was hard to believe.
Furthermore, his descendants came to acquire the entire

clan. His youngest son, Tatsuo Sukune, was now the current
Chairman of the Leto Group.
However, his name wouldn’t be known, either.
Like his father, there were a lot of blank spaces in his own
myth.
“It’s a typical aura exhaustion phenomenon.” The man who

had appeared out of nowhere looked down on him.
Oh Yoo-seong.
“But you’ll be glad to hear that she’ll recover. There are no
fatal wounds,” the young man added.
Chairman Tatsuo tried to move his Aura and muscles, but he

couldn’t. Exhausted by his efforts, he staggered back into
his wheelchair.
“You can stand?” Yoo-seong tilted his head. “I had a feeling

that presidents of large corporations just used these things
as a fashion accessory.” Yoo-seong nodded to himself before
continuing. “It’s a very confusing time for me. I did one
operation in this country, then I thought I was going to be
arrested, but I was called here instead…”
Tatsuo didn’t pay attention to his words. There were bigger

questions on his mind.
How could someone fight against Chika yet stand unscathed

before him?
Chika Sukune was a monster. He’d thought she would never

be defeated. Whatever Tech or however lucky Yoo-seong
was, it shouldn’t have been possible for him to win without
getting hurt himself.
Tatsuo was shocked by the results. And his misjudgments

hadn’t ended there.
His two sons had been fully prepared to face Yoo-seong as

soon as the door opened. Tatsuo had not at all expected
that it would be a half-insane, blind and deaf Chika who
would burst through.
It hadn’t taken long for his daughter’s wild blood attacks to

incapacitate her brothers, even her father.
Over Yoo-seong’s shoulder, Chika’s body was still
convulsing. It took all of the Chairman’s Tech to reach her
subconscious and suppress her movements.
Chika still had a lot of CE left. It would only take one second
of Tatsuo losing focus…
“It would be quite a big deal,” Yoo-seong said, seemingly

reading his thoughts. “Still, keep your focus. I hope you can
listen to my story while doing it. Here goes…”
Yoo-seong lifted a finger in front of Tatsuo. “Do you know

why I am here? You should.”
“Look-” Tatsuo’s voice trembled as he spoke in Japanese.
“Speak Korean.” Yoo-seong’s voice was firm.
“I have no idea why you’re here!” This time, Tatsuo spoke in

perfect Korean.
At his outburst, Yoo-seong tilted his head slightly. “I don’t

like listening to your lies.”
Tatsuo felt the blood rush to his head.
However, despite his anger, there seemed to be no way of

getting out of this situation.
“If it hadn’t been for me, someone else would have taken
it.” Tatsuo chose his words as carefully as possible. “Do you
think it was just us who had eyes on your Tech? It was just a
matter of who got there first. If it hadn’t been Leto and me,
your secrets would have gone to another company or family.
Or even China. At that time, your country didn’t have the
ability to take care of your secrets properly.”
“I see…” Yoo-seong nodded thoughtfully. “Thank you for
your explanation.”
Pop-!
Yoo-seong pulled an item from his slot.
Tatsuo’s pupils expanded when he saw what was in Yoo-

seong’s hands.
“Th-that…” he stuttered in surprise.
It was a small ampoule.
Its shape and size were quite different from the CE

ampoules used in Korea and other countries.
This was an innovative model that could preserve CE for a

long time or inject a huge amount of CE despite its size.
Perhaps there were more secrets and innovations that the

Leto Group kept within this facility.
“That’s not yours,” Tatsuo said.
At this, Yoo-seong began to walk around the room.
“Well, to use your own words. It’s just a matter of who gets
there first. Someone else would take it eventually, even if it
weren’t me. At this time, you don’t have the ability to take
care of your secrets properly.”
“What are you looking for?!” Tatsuo yelled nervously.
“A database on Qi and Tech you stole from the Korean

Peninsula. Hand all of it over. Even reprints will do if you
don’t have the originals anymore.”
“I don’t have anything like that!”
Yoo-seong approached the wheelchair and leaned in closer

to Tatsuo.
Goosebumps ran down his entire body.
At that moment, Tatsuo almost let go of the concentration

that was restraining Chika. Of course, Yoo-seong’s sole
purpose in coming to Japan was to get the stolen secrets
back.
Twenty years.
That was how long Tatsuo Sukune had kept his crime hidden
without paying the price.
Yoo-seong looked at him eye to eye.
“I’m going to take a slow look around here. Even if there are
no data or reprints here, there are quite a lot of technologies
and information that will be helpful, like this ampoule. If I
bring them to Korea, it will help us a lot.”
“You’re a thief!” Tatsuo screamed. “You think you can get

out of this country after doing that? No, you won’t even be
able to leave this facility!”
Yoo-seong stepped back and scratched his head. “I am a

person who gives as much as I take.”
“What…?” Tatsuo Sukune was at a loss for words.
Yoo-seong’s expression was serious.
Then he pressed the button.

Auto-Hunt began searching. Before long, Yoo-seong
disappeared out of the room.
Only a screaming Tatsuo and his three helpless children

remained there.
***
“Kodama!”
As the Chairman’s cry echoed in the hallway, Kodama ran

with all his might.
He felt frustrated.
Although Chika hadn’t been able to stop Yoo-seong, he

hadn’t thought that he was strong enough to beat the
Chairman and his two sons at the same time.
When he reached the Chairman’s room, he saw the

smashed door and the scene beyond it.
“Chairman!”
Tatsuo was lying on the floor, his wheelchair overturned.
Kodama immediately moved to support him, but…
Splat-!
He felt the old man’s spit between his brows.
“Useless!” the Chairman said vehemently.
“Well, I have no excuse…”
The situation was much more serious than Kodama had

thought. At first glance, it was obvious that the Chairman’s
three children were in critical condition.
The Chairman himself was almost on the brink of

unconsciousness due to exhaustion.
More than anything…
Yoo-seong was nowhere to be found.
“Call…”
“Yes?”
“Sheriffs! Call them all over here, you idiot! No… that’s not
enough. Call Tokyo! Call all the hunters of affiliated groups
here. All of them, now!”
“Chairman… do you require hunters?”
Kodama had no question about calling the sheriffs. But

mobilizing hunters to catch Yoo-seong would be…
“Are you deaf? I said call them!”
Then the names of from the Chairman’s mouth.
First-class hunters who were famous throughout Japan.
corporations.
Formally or informally, they had received numerous benefits

and support by submitting to the Leto Group.
“Right now!”
“But… Chairman…”
Kodama didn’t have the courage to say the words. Instead,
he turned his terminal on and showed the screen to the
Chairman. It was a report that had come in this morning.
However, the Chairman didn’t seem to care about it.
“What is this about?”
“It is a Storm-class crack, Chairman. Within two hours, in the

middle of Tokyo…”
“Then send the minimum number of hunters required! My

kids are the only ones in Tokyo, you idiot! Don’t mess
around with useless problems! Kodama, don’t disappoint me
further!”
Kodama paused to consider.
Rationally, even if it was a Storm-class crack, there was no

room for disaster as long as all areas were covered.
In such a situation, it was possible to bring all of Tokyo’s top

hunters to this place…
“Ah… I understand, Chairman. Immediately….”
Kodama began dialing.
Leto’s influence was enormous indeed.
Most hunters were preparing to respond to the rift but

agreed to drop everything after hearing direct instructions
from Chairman Tatsuo.
Before long, the hunters began to move.
***
Just as Yoo-seong was engrossed in a computer screen…
Jiiing-!
Spider web vibration.
Like Hansel and Gretel’s trail of breadcrumbs, he had left

spider web threads throughout the facility as he searched
for information.
It was a kind of alarm system that would alert him if

someone was approaching.
‘Did reinforcements arrive?’ he wondered.
There was no room for Yoo-seong to be optimistic about his

situation. Auto-Hunt was sympathetic. Instead of waiting to
remove the USB safely, Yoo-seong, through Auto-Hunt’s
control, pulled the entire hard disk from the computer.
Then he placed it in a slot.
‘It isn’t safe to go outside.’
With the Leto Group’s influence, there were probably a lot of

hunters coming after him.
‘A lot of them could be first-class hunters.’
In this situation, it would be suicidal to meet them head-on

or try to escape them. Of course, Yoo-seong had no
intention of committing suicide.
Pop-!
He took something out of his slot.
The Sky Scissors.

Booo-wook-!
In an instant, a small crack was created for him.
As soon as he entered it, Yoo-seong took out the Sky Needle

and sewed it closed.
Now Yoo-seong was literally out of that world.
However skilled the hunters trying to catch him were, they

would not be able to find him.
“Woo!” Yoo-seong took a deep breath.
Then he began running toward Tokyo.

Chapter 112
Part 112
Tokyo Metropolitan Area.
As always, people were crowding the streets outside the

barrier line. The more densely populated the area was, the
tougher the evacuation process.
“Huh?”
“Look!”
“What is that?”
Citizens tilted their heads in the direction of the blocking

line. Vehicles were coming out of the operation area.
“Are they retreating?”
“The crack hasn’t even opened yet…”
“Maybe they are changing the operation layout…”
It was a strange scene in the eyes of the citizens. Even if

hunters had to change their positions due to special
circumstances, they always did it within the operation area.
“There are so many…”
“Didn’t they say it’s a big crack?”

“Why are they leaving…?”
Anxious voices could be heard from the crowd. The

preparations that had been made this morning were for an
unprecedented catastrophe.
So why did it seem the hunters were now pulling out?
Some picked up their cell phones and photographed the

cars leaving the site. Some inquired directly to a policeman
leading the evacuation. Some raised their voices and asked
questions to the hunters.
However, the answers came from a direction they did not

expect.
-Hello. Citizens!
A voice from the portable loudspeakers resonated through

the area. Uniformed Disaster Management Administration
began disseminating information to the crowd.
-Currently, an unexpected situation has occurred outside of

Tokyo.
People stopped what they were doing and focused on the

announcement.
-We need to move some hunters out of the city to take

appropriate action, but we will leave enough hunters to
carry out the rift operation. We are confident that there will
be no impact on the safety of citizens!
After this announcement had repeated several times, the

people’s reactions began to change.
“I heard that something happened in the Shinjuku side this
morning…”
“I’m glad they announced it in advance.”
“Well, manpower should be put in the right place.”
The tone of discontent and anxiety began to subside.
The people were convinced by the Disaster Management

Administration’s explanation.
Since ancient times, Japan had been exposed to continuous

threats of disaster. Its history had resulted in an excellent
disaster management system, and the citizens had
considerable pride and trust in the authorities. The Disaster
Management Administration had not betrayed them, either.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t lying.
“…we will leave enough hunters to carry out the rift

operation…”
It was a factual statement. Statistically, they had left

enough hunters for the operation area of a Storm-class rift.
However, it was only a statistically-correct estimate for an

average crack. They had not explained that removing a
number of hunters from the site also removed emergency
standby personnel in case of emergency.
If something out of the ordinary were to occur, their number

would be insufficient.
“…there will be no impact on the safety of citizens!”
Someone noticed the group badges on the departing

vehicles.
“What, it’s the first-class guys that are falling back?”
But soon, he closed his mouth as he felt the eyes of other

people around him. A good citizen should not doubt the
authorities.
***
For Yoo-seong, today was quite a day to be covered with

blood.
Bigstep Mite-★★~★★★★
Crustaceans with elongated legs, resembling snow crabs.
When their water-balloon-like bodies were cut, blood that

had been sucked from other prey burst out. A single Mite
could fill a large bathtub with blood.
Yoo-seong, who had just dealt with dozens of them, felt a

little confused.
‘This is strange,’ he thought.
The Mites were the third type of beast he had battled in less
than twenty minutes. Of course, he was in the alien world.
A small, weak-looking human like him would definitely

attract predators. This was different, though.
‘They didn’t come for me,’ he realized.
Rather, it felt like his path had just overlapped with theirs.
They were all going in the same direction.
Tokyo.
This was the direction that Auto-Hunt wanted him to go.

If so, there could only be one reason why monsters were
going to the same place.
A rift.
Yoo-seong thought that it must be a fairly large one. He’d

used the Sky Scissors and Sky Needle to escape, but Auto-
Hunt was making him travel through the alien world.
It was leading him to Tokyo without bringing him back to the

real world.
Did Auto-Hunt want him to deal with a large Tokyo crack in

this state?
He turned off the button to catch his breath. He had been

fighting for over three or four hours now, without rest. His
physical strength and CE were not infinite.
The biggest concern right now was his CE.
Even with the strength that the Golden Pill gave him, his
veins were now as stiff as steel due to exhaustion. There
was no way to continue fighting in this state.
Moreover, his total CE was only about 15,000.
The reason Yoo-seong had been able to overcome numerous

adversities so far was that Auto-Hunt allowed him extreme
efficiency.
Considering that Yoo-seong’s first and last CE injection was

half a year ago, at his debut, he would definitely run out of
it soon.
Yoo-seong shook his head and pressed the button once

more.
As his legs began running toward Tokyo again, he couldn’t
help but feel even more disappointed. He realized Kodama
and Chairman Tatsuo must have sent hunters after him
despite a large crack opening in Tokyo.
“It’s the same situation with the sudden rift. Japanese

hunters are so lax…”
Suddenly…
Something happened that he couldn’t even have imagined

happening.
Kwa-ang-!
His eyes reacted first. His ears followed soon after.
Kwa-ang-!
Lightning.
The alien world had clear skies, without dark clouds.

However, lightning continuously flashed from the horizon
beyond him, again and again.
Kwa-ang-!
As if it were sent from an ancient thunder god. Soon, he saw

countless dots running from it.
Monsters.
Countless numbers of different species running from the

direction he was going.
They weren’t coming for Yoo-seong. Instead, they were

running away from the crack.
Dudududududu-!
Yoo-seong and the horde of monsters soon met.
Yoo-seong skillfully navigated between monsters the size of

a house.
‘They look afraid,’ he observed.
Yoo-seong tried to calm his heart. The lightning beyond had

already stopped, but the feeling he had was the same. He
had encountered something similar to this before, after all.
Something that had given him the same feeling – the Turtle
Dragon.
That was the worst monster he had ever faced with Biyeon.
The lightning strikes were like the pillar of fire the Turtle
Dragon breathed.
‘If it’s as strong as that beast… no, even if it was slightly

weaker…’
Countless people would definitely die. Didn’t the Turtle

Dragon handle three of the Ship Zone hunters as if they
were gnats?
At the same time…
Jiiii-!
The fluctuations soon began.
The rift was going to open soon. Still, Yoo-seong continued

running toward Tokyo under Auto-Hunt’s control.
‘What are you planning?’ he asked himself.

He was in no condition to face a Turtle Dragon-level beast.
He couldn’t even say for sure if he had enough CE to sew a

Storm-class crack closed.
However, for some reason, Auto-Hunt continued to lead him

to Tokyo.
“Ah!” He realized something.
Just before he reached Tokyo, he found the answer. It was

something he wasn’t expecting.
He pulled it out of his slot.
***
“It doesn’t make sense!” Tatsuo screamed.
Kodama and numerous other hunters were standing in front

of him with their heads bowed.
“Are you all this incompetent?! What?! I can’t believe it. You
say that after all his traces led to the basement, he simply
disappeared?”
“Mr. Chairman, but…”
“Shut up!”
In the nearly thirty years he had spent serving the

Chairman, Kodama had never seen the old man lose control
like this.
“Find him! No matter what it takes! He took what is mine!

He… argh…”
“Chairman!” Kodama’s voice was worried as the Chairman
began coughing harshly.
At the same time, Kodama’s phone rang. It was the direct

line from Tokyo Operation Control Room.
Kodama didn’t take a second to consider which was more

important.
“Are you okay, Chairman?”
After rejecting the call, Kodama approached the Chairman to

support his frail body.
The phone rang three more times after that, but it took
more than five minutes before Kodama finally answered it.
“What? Why do you keep calling?!” he yelled into his phone.
At the same time, he looked at his wristwatch.
Less than twelve minutes had passed since he first received

the notification that the crack was open.
They had started to call him five minutes ago, which meant
that they had only been in operation for seven minutes.
It was just the initial stages of the crack, meaning it was too
early for any unusual situation to have occurred.
“Do you know what I’m doing right now? If this is not a big
deal-”
Suddenly, Kodama froze with his mouth hanging open.
No sound came out of it. His appearance was so strange

that even the Chairman was curious.
However, Kodama did not answer.
“Hey! Kodama!”
“This… first…”
Kodama’s voice was trembling as he turned his gaze to the

Chairman.
“Later… Oh, no, I will contact you as soon as possible.

Later…”
Click-
Tatsuo Sukune watched Kodama stand before him. The

man’s eyes were filled with fear.
“Chairman…”
Then tears began to run down the man’s face.
Kodama briefly explained what had happened.
Seven minutes.
It had taken only seven minutes to annihilate the rush team

they had sent inside the crack.
***
Yoo-seong fell out of the crack.
Something made him widen his eyes.
The beast wasn’t visible. However, the operation area

before him was totally charred.
Only burnt, black ashes remained.
Yoo-seong’s heart started to beat like crazy.
He looked at what was in his hand.
The Jade Pill.
It was the item he had obtained from the two Chinese

hunters who had tried to take the Scissors from him.
Seoyu, who had also seen the item, had given him advice.
“Use it later, when you have a lot of time,” she’d told him.
“You should be prepared to rest for one or two days after
taking it.”
Yoo-seong had stored the item in his slot, following her

advice.
Since he had been busy in the days that followed, it had

slipped his mind.
But now…
‘Please,’ he thought.
He hoped Auto-Hunt’s decision was right. Before his feet

landed on the ground…
Gulp-!
The Jade Pill went down his throat.

Chapter 113
Part 113
The Jade Pill and the Golden Pill.
A few centuries ago, it might have been quite hard to

determine which was more precious between them.
They had different roles and efficacy, after all. It was hard to
decide which was superior. However, times had long since
changed. With the development of civilization, their
difference grew to be as wide as the gap between heaven
and earth.
The Jade Pill was not worth what it used to be.
That was why Tenz had tried to give it to Yoo-seong as a

substitute for the Golden Pill. “Ughh…”
A vein popped out of Yoo-seong’s forehead. No one

understood pain as well as he did, given what he’d had to
endure during the last year.
However, this was the first time he’d felt this level of pain.
Go-oh-!
In the modern era, the path to gaining CE was through a

medical infusion. Instead of ingesting energy scattered in
the atmosphere, hunters underwent a procedure with the
aid of technology.
“Arggh!”
Modern hunters took the convenience of CE injection for

granted.
Thud-!
Yoo-seong fell to his knees.
The pain was a little similar to when he took the Golden Pill,
but it was also somehow entirely different.
If the Golden Pill changed his veins’ structure, the Jade Pill
was performing a much simpler transformation.
Pure Ki ingestion.
It was not the same as the refined CE injected into human

bodies. To be exact, this was raw energy boiling in Yoo-
seong’s core.
‘Too many impurities.’
That was the result from Tenz’s research institute a long

time ago when they studied the Jade Pill.
Although it contained a tremendous amount of energy, it

contained too many “useless” impurities compared to the
processed CE.
Of course, there was nothing bad about taking the Jade Pill.
It was established that it could increase the amount of CE in
the body. The problem was the taker had to settle for quite
some time as the impurities were purged from their body.
It was far more economical and efficient to extract CE

through a monster corpse.
Seoyu, who had come from Tenz, knew about this study,
hence her advice to Yoo-seong. It was a troublesome
process, and Yoo-seong hadn’t really had to use it before.
“You have to… move… move!” Yoo-seong muttered to

himself.
Despite the pain, he did not lose focus. However…
Bang-!
No matter how many times he tried to deactivate the

button, it did not respond. Perhaps it had decided that this
was the best option to take.
At this moment, Yoo-seong could not move at all.
He was crouching in a fetal position, gagging and trying not

to vomit. This was almost the same scenario as when he
took the Golden Pill.
Immediately after his battle with the monsters, he had fallen

unconscious due to the extreme pain he felt.
‘I cannot let the same thing happen right now,’ Yoo-seong

thought.
The beast with the lightning and thunderbolts was

somewhere in the real world. Auto-Hunt had decided to take
the pill, meaning that despite the pain, Yoo-seong would be
safe.
However, if he lost consciousness…
‘Civilians.’
Wolk-!
Blood poured out of Yoo-seong’s mouth, and his vision
dimmed.
‘People will get hurt…’
Auto-Hunt was forcing him to stay still. So couldn’t he take a

little break for now?
He would be safe, anyway. The disaster was not his fault.
He wasn’t even in his own country. Whatever the

consequences were, it was because the hunting industry in
this country was corrupted.
It was not his fault. He refused to take any responsibility for

this.
But…
Yoo-seong’s eyes closed.
***
Dung-!
Dung-!
Masaru was a young police officer.
After the siren had sounded, his role was to assist in

evacuating citizens from the operation area. Like everyone,
he’d dreamed of becoming a hunter, but he soon gave up
when he realized he was not talented.
Still, he was satisfied with his current profession.
Although he was not a hunter, he was still in a position to

help people. His work also helped the hunters carry out their
operations with confidence.
Although he might be lacking in ability, he too had his own

role and importance.
Masaru felt proud of himself. Up until ten minutes ago.
Douung-!
“Ha! Haaa!”
The drum-like noise had woken him up, and he’d begun
yelling in panic. His fear had been enough to make him wet
his pants.
Dooung-!
Ten minutes ago, they had been leading people near the
barrier line toward the tallest nearby building.
It was a very durable structure with an earthquake-resistant

design, strong enough to function as a shelter. The building
design was a masterpiece that incorporated Japan’s
uncompromising pursuit of safety.
However, this proved to be meaningless in front of it.
Dooung-!
Masaru looked toward where the twelve-story building had

stood earlier. Now, it was gone.
All that was left were large chunks of burnt rubble. Everyone
who had been in it was buried alive.
Dooung-!
Dooung-!
The noise was now coming closer. Masaru crouched and
tried to steal a peek.
At first glance, it could be mistaken for a huge lump of rock.

However, if one were to look closely, the features began to
be more recognizable.
It was a four-meter-tall ape, with limbs larger than timber.
Dooung-!
There were six humps on its wide back, which contained a

constantly fluctuating blue light.
Douung-!
Masaru knew that those six humps were some sort of

generator.
Right now, the creature seemed to be taking a break.
Screech-!
On the other side of the street, Masaru heard the sound of

tires squealing. This meant that some hunters had arrived.
“There it is!” one of them yelled out and pointed to the ape.
Three teams spilled out of the large vehicle.
“Is it alone? No sighting of other monsters around it?”
“Don’t be careless just because it’s not moving! That one

looks at least nine stars or more!”
The hunters then proceeded skillfully. Long-distance teams

took their positions, while short-range teams set up
temporary barricades.
Just before the firing order was given…
Doogogung-!
The ape’s eyes opened.
“It looks… kind of ordinary,” one hunter observed.
Although it was four meters in size, it couldn’t be called

“big” compared to other monsters. And apart from its size,
there was nothing else special in its appearance.
It looked exactly like a dark brown ape. It only had six

humps on its back and an ivory horn on its crown.
With its ordinary-looking eyes, the ape scanned the hunters

around it.
The team leader then gave the order.
“Launch!”
Papapapat-!
Twelve Gellar Guns and three offensive Techs began

attacking the monster. However, at the very next moment…
Jiing-!
A blue flash swelled up from its six humps, and the ivory
horn on its head shone. That was it. An electromagnetic
shield covered the ape, blocking the hunters’ attacks.
Nothing got past the shield. Everything dissolved in front of
them.
“What?!”
The electromagnetic shield disappeared as quickly as it had
appeared.
The team leader, although caught by surprise, regained his

composure and gave the order again.
Once again, the six humps on the ape’s back shone.
This time, they didn’t even get the chance to fire.
Caang-!!
The ape disappeared from its spot, leaving only broken

asphalt behind.
“Huh, it’s gone!”
“Where did it go?”
“Check above you!”
The ape had already reached its destination.
“Behind us!” one of the hunters screamed.
Everyone looked back at once.
Somehow, the ape had managed to pass through every one

of them and reach their vehicle. It meant that it could have
easily killed everyone in its path.
However, the ape didn’t seem interested in doing so.

Instead, it raised a massive fist while the six humps on its
back shone.
Kwagaaang-!
The modified vehicle, which weighed twelve tons, was
crushed like a paper bag.
“Our car…”
“It cut off our escape…” someone who realized what had

happened muttered.
Then the ape slowly looked back at them. This time, no one
thought of it as ordinary prey.
“Fire! Fire!” the team leader screamed in panic.
Everyone began firing in desperation.
They were well trained. Despite the sheer terror they were
feeling, their bodies followed their leader’s command.
However, it was no use.
Jiing-!
The six humps shone once more.
“Huh?!”
The ape disappeared and reappeared in front of a shocked

hunter.
Fa-jik-!
With one swipe of its massive hand, the hunter’s life ended.
It wasn’t hard to see that this was soon going to be a

slaughter.
“Uh… uh…” Masaru turned.

Annihilation was only a matter of time. He tried to crawl, but
he could not move his legs.
Desperate, he pulled himself forward with his arms.
However…
A shadow appeared above him.
Even though he didn’t want to, he found himself slowly

raising his head. The creature stood before him, looking at
him the way one would look at an insect.
Shh-!
The ape raised its massive fist. Human flesh and blood were
dripping from it. Masaru couldn’t even close his eyes to
prepare for death.
“Mom…”
Just as he muttered it…
Papapapat-!
Several bullets from Gellar Guns struck the ape’s face. Of

course, they weren’t enough to damage the beast. The ape
slowly shifted its head to see where the bullets had come
from.
Then…
Jiiing-!
“Huh?!”
In the spots where the bullets had hit the ape, blue light
began to burst out.
Parasitic Bees.
Masaru turned his head.
“Who…?”
Beyond them, he could see the hunter in shining red armor.
There Yoo-seong stood, gasping for breath.
He had reached this place without Auto-Hunt’s help. His

body was still convulsing in places, but considering the
situation, he wasn’t at all in bad shape.
Actually, he had just picked up a Gellar Gun from the field

and used it to cast Parasitic Bees for the first time.
It was an amazing feat, considering that he didn’t have

Auto-Hunt on. Still, it couldn’t be said that his attack worked
well.
The ape was still unscathed.
The Gellar Gun’s power hadn’t been enough to penetrate its

skin, leaving the Parasitic Bees technique useless.
Yoo-seong stretched his neck and observed the ape closely.

Then…
Paaang-!
The ape disappeared.
Yoo-seong immediately curled up, but before he could even

cast Steep Steps, the ape’s fist was already upon him.
Pagak-!
“Uck!” Yoo-seong grunted.
The armor on his right arm had been blown away with just
one hit.
Yoo-seong spun a few times in the air due to the impact and
crashed to the ground, rolling a few more times. His body
felt as if he had been electrocuted.
Yoo-seong clenched his teeth and used his left hand to

regain balance.
He had barely raised his head again, only to find the ape’s
fist flying in once more.
“Damn it!” Yoo-seong swore as he pulled his left hand.
Spider web.
A tiny thread compared to the ape’s massive arm, but

because of Yoo-seong’s timing, it was enough to change the
fist’s direction.
Bang-!
Yoo-seong then used his Steel Steps and kicked upwards.
‘If I could only deal one blow,’ he thought.
Without Aura.
Without even Auto-Hunt.
The answer was his knee.
Concentrate on his aim and use the hardness of the Queen’s

Hug to penetrate the beast’s eyes!
Pagak-!!
The ape’s head was thrown back.
“Okay!” Yoo-seong cheered as he soared over the ape.
However, he could see it: the ape hadn’t even closed its
eyes after the impact. It was looking straight at Yoo-seong,
who was in the air.
“Damn.”
Boo-!
The ape’s massive hand now grabbed at his torso.
Jiing-
The six humps on its back glowed.
“Ahhhhhh!” Yoo-seong could only scream as electricity

flowed through his body.
Hoop-!
The ape threw his frail body away after a few seconds of
dangerous voltage.
After flying tens of meters, Yoo-seong crashed through the

glass of a building’s window.
The ape followed him with its gaze while the six humps on
its back charged. However, unlike before, the ape’s eyes did
not look indifferent at all.
It was as if it was saying, ‘I’ll finish you off this time.’

However, there was something neither he nor even Yoo-
seong knew.
The ape wasn’t the only one charging.
-Conversion work completed.-
-Vol. 2 update complete.-
Words suddenly appeared in front of Yoo-seong’s eyes.
“What… oh…! Crazy.” Yoo-seong laughed. “You could have

told me in advance.”
His weakened left arm felt heavy as he lifted it.
“Ugh…”
‘Will I be able to fight in this state if I press the button?’
Worried, Yoo-seong pressed it.
Suddenly he was overwhelmed by a feeling of fullness he

had never experienced before.
“Huh?”
His legs, which had no strength just seconds ago, stood firm.
His right arm, which had been paralyzed, crunched back
into position. Above all, warmth began to spread from his
lower abdomen throughout his entire body.
Yoo-seong stared at the ape on the street below him.
“Come on!” he yelled out.
Then he realized something.

He had Auto-Hunt on. However, he was still able to speak.
Yoo-seong felt his lips curl up in a smile. Then he yelled out

once more.
“Come on, motherfucker!”
He didn’t know exactly what had changed after taking the

Jade Pill.
But so far, he liked it.

Chapter 114
Episode 114
The ape looked shocked.
There were very few creatures of that size that didn’t die
after he attacked them. Furthermore, this creature was even
standing upright and provoking him. It thoroughly annoyed
him.
Kraah-!
The ape roared angrily. It was loud enough to shake the

entire ground. However, his opponent seemed unfazed.
‘Let’s see…’ Yoo-seong’s mind was somewhere else.
His senses were slowly roaming every corner of his body. His
heart, which had previously been beating with anxiety and
exhaustion, was now calmed.
It was now completely under Auto-Hunt’s influence.
‘What changed?’
He checked his bones and muscles, his arms and legs. Of

course, they were now energized by new fuel, but it seemed
that nothing much had changed.
His core.
‘That’s what changed,’ he decided.
The heat that constantly boiled in his lower abdomen felt

different. Something beyond his understanding had been
created in his core.
Then again, what was Yoo-seong’s limited knowledge

compared to the vast field of nature?
For humankind, CE was practically a new discovery with a

very short history. Researchers had judged the Jade Pill as
full of impurities because it was filled with unidentifiable
energy.
However, Auto-Hunt knew what to do with it. Now Yoo-

seong’s core had changed.
‘And here.’ Yoo-seong looked at the top right part of the

Auto-Hunt view.
There was another change there: a rectangular-shaped

object lying horizontally, with what seemed like vertical bars
filling it. It was a very familiar shape to Yoo-seong and
everyone in modern times.
“Battery?” he muttered. Suddenly…
Dooung-!
The Thunder Ape moved. The six humps on its back were
raging violently.
Jeeee-!
Like a lightning rod, the ape’s ivory horn glowed after it had
been struck by lightning.
Electrical sparks enveloped its dark brown body. It was as if
electricity had the same effect as steroids, as the ape’s
muscles appeared to have grown more massive.
As it prepared to launch forward, the asphalt it was standing

on collapsed due to pressure. Then…
Quazzik-!!
The Thunder Ape leaped. It had a transcendental level of

acceleration that made it look like it had disappeared from
its spot.
In less than a second, it was already upon Yoo-seong, its

fists filled with electricity. Meanwhile, Yoo-seong did not
move.
Swoo-
Aura blossomed around him. It was the same thing that had
happened hours ago when Chika Sukune threw a blood
spear at him.
However, this time, the fist that was upon him was several
times stronger than that.
Bang-!
There was a flash of lightning.
The Thunder Ape felt the recoil climb up its arm until it
reached its shoulder. It gave the sensation of a solid punch.
With its primal intelligence, it was sure that blow had

finished off its enemy.
However…
When the glare of lightning subsided, Yoo-seong was still
standing before the Thunder Ape.
Of course, it seemed that Yoo-seong had taken damage. His

head had been pushed slightly sideways due to the impact.
His cheek had also turned slightly reddish. However…
“Is that it?” Yoo-seong asked the ape.
The Thunder Ape, feeling bewildered, stepped backward as

it groaned.
It was now Yoo-seong’s turn. With a fist filled with blue

Aura…
Pagak-!
The head of the beast was thrown back by the impact. It

was a blow so great that the beast staggered despite its
size. It was by no means a deadly blow to the ape, but it
didn’t move for a few seconds after taking the punch.
Its brain was developed enough to feel embarrassment.

How could this tiny creature survive both its blow and
counter-attack?
“Huh!” Yoo-seong exhaled as he quickly stepped back and

put some distance between them.
“So, this is what it is…”
He now fully understood the changes that had happened to

him. The battery shape at the top-right of his view was now
completely empty, and so was his core.
To block the impact of the ape’s punch, he’d covered

himself with a mist of Aura that turned to steel.
It was the same principle as when he made footholds with
Steel Steps.
However, the difference was that the amount he’d used as a

shield was huge, without reservation.
Yoo-seong did not have a huge supply of CE. That was why
Auto-Hunt always used the most efficient way to deal with
any situation.
However, a few moments ago, he’d gone all out.
Without thoughts of preservation, Auto-Hunt had scattered

CE around him as a shield. Then it had used the remaining
amount to deal a counter-punch.
Now Yoo-seong’s core was completely empty. Something

strange seemed to be happening as well.
Beep-!
A bar was added to the completely empty “battery.” At the

same time, Yoo-seong felt a new energy in his core. Exactly
one-quarter of CE was refilled.
Beep-!
Another bar appeared, and Yoo-seong felt that his core was
already half-full once again.
Beep-
Just as another bar had been added…
Quaang-!
The Thunder Ape was upon him once more. As before, it was
a solid blow, sure to devastate whatever it came into
contact with.
And indeed, Yoo-seong’s body was thrown into the air.
Three-quarters of his total CE evaporated in his attempt to

protect himself. But now…
Beep-
By the time Yoo-seong landed, his core was already half-full

again. Then Auto-Hunt made a beckoning gesture at the
Thunder Ape.
‘This is not to my taste,’ Yoo-seong thought as he watched

himself provoke the beast.
Why would Auto-Hunt make him do so? He assumed that it

probably had an important reason. In addition to this, since
he could now use his mouth under Auto-Hunt, why shouldn’t
he help their cause?
It was his creed always to do as much as he could.
“Hey, you idiot!” he yelled out.
Then he stuck out his tongue, like a child wanting to be

chased.
Kraaaaaa-!
The beast roared furiously. Even if it didn’t understand

human words, Yoo-seong’s gestures were clear.
Kaahahahah-!
The ape charged forward with its massive arms raised.

Then, when it reached Yoo-seong, the ape brought its arms
down like hammers.
Kwakwakwang-!
The impact was so powerful that the entire building seemed

on the verge of collapse. However, the Thunder Ape did not
stop.
Kaak-!
Kwakwang-!
Kaahak-!
Blinded with fury, the Thunder Ape smashed Yoo-seong

continuously. Each blow from its fists was as heavy as a
vehicle weighing more than ten tons. They were powerful
enough to break the foundations of an earthquake-proofed
building.
Finally…
When the ape’s energy ran out, it stepped away. Dust and
rubble filled the entire place.
When it cleared, Yoo-seong was still in his spot.
“Damn it.” He spat on the ground.
There was a limit to his charging speed, and it had

consumed a lot of energy to defend himself. The Queen’s
Hug was broken in several places.
Yoo-seong’s face was also damaged.
One of his eyes was swollen, and he couldn’t open it. His
nose was also broken.
But fortunately…
Beep-
Everything else seemed fine.
Beep-
Now his CE was again half-charged. From a prone position,

Yoo-seong rose to his knees.
Beep-!
As he did, Auto-Hunt retrieved Aura from around him and

stored it in his core.
Beep-
Then…
Kwagang-! With his knee, Yoo-seong kicked the Thunder

Ape’s groin. It was such a powerful blow that the beast
couldn’t even make a sound. The Thunder Ape began
jumping up and down, then it rolled to the ground, groaning
with pain.
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong kept provoking it.
“Honestly, I thought you were a female. It’s too small…”
He was starting to enjoy talking trash to his enemy.
Ka-a-a-a-a-ah-!
Tears and hatred built up in the beast’s eyes. Suddenly…
Kurreung-!
Thunder rumbled above them. Yoo-seong raised his head.

The skies were clear, but there were dark clouds above their
heads.
Thud-!
From those clouds, a thunderbolt struck the ape.
“What?!” The shockwave was enough to push Yoo-seong

backward.
It reminded him of something he had seen inside the crack

earlier. There had been multiple streaks of lightning from
afar.
It was the beast in front of him that had summoned them.

And now the Thunder Ape seemed to be fully charged once
more.
Dooung-!
Dooung-!
The six humps on its back were resonating with the sound of
drums. At the same time…
Thud-!
Thud-!
Two more lightning bolts struck the Thunder Ape’s ivory

horn. This was the beast’s true strength: the power to
summon and control thunderclouds and store their energy
within him.
It was an ability worthy of a god.
Kuung-!
There came the fourth thunderbolt.
Yoo-seong had also seen four lightning strikes inside the

crack. With those four lightning charges, the Thunder Ape
had annihilated the entire rush team.
However, now, it seemed that it was not satisfied with four

bolts.
Kuung-!
The ape had already decided.
It would take as much energy as its body could endure in

order to burn this creature in front of it to ashes.
After getting hit by several lightning strikes, the Thunder

Ape was regaining its composure. No one, not even Yoo-
seong, could be invincible against it.
Yoo-seong had no means to defeat it.
Getting hit in the groin was painful, but it was impossible for
this creature to penetrate its skin and inflict internal injury.
Most of all, he might not even be able to approach it once it
had filled itself with the maximum amount of electricity.
Kuung-!
Lightning continued to gather in the ape’s ivory horn. It had

no way of knowing that, six months ago, another entity of
its level had committed the same mistake.
The Turtle Dragon and its pillar of flame.
Yoo-seong stood his ground, unmoving.

The monster’s instinct sensed that something strange was
happening. However, before the ape could understand what
it was…
Clink-!
A sword appeared on Yoo-seong’s left wrist.
From it, red flames erupted. It had the energy of the

dragon’s fire, comparable to that of the ape’s electricity.
Kuung-!
The last lightning bolt made its way into the Thunder Ape’s
horn. But this time…
Taang-!
The flaming sword on Yoo-seong’s wrist shot out a pillar of

fire in the ape’s trajectory.
Beep-
Yoo-seong’s CE was being replenished almost as quickly as

he consumed it, and the fire raged continuously.
Despite colliding with a lightning bolt, Yoo-seong was not

damaged at all due to the strength of the dragon’s fire.
Kaa-!
The Thunder Ape quickly stepped back.
Although it hadn’t been able to capture the last lightning

bolt, it still had a lot of power stored in its horn.
One blow would finish this creature off.

However, its opponent was already upon it. It only took a
moment’s delay. In a battle between two monsters, a
moment was all it took.
Goo-oh-!
As the Thunder Ape stepped back, Yoo-seong used the

opportunity to approach it, covered by the glare of lightning
and fire. Then, with all his Aura focused on his wrist blade…
Fuwoouk-!
A single blow without reservation struck the Thunder Ape in

the middle of its eyebrows. This time, Yoo-seong’s sword
penetrated the beast’s tough skin.
Thousands of degrees of heat cooked the monster’s brain in

an instant.
This marked the end of the battle.
***
The sound of a helicopter approaching.
Yoo-seong barely lifted his eyes at the sound as he sat on

the corpse of the Thunder Ape. He was deep in thought.
‘It won’t be easy,’ he decided.
He had quite a few things to go through. After his incident

with Chairman Leto and Kodama, it would be a tough battle
to get proper recognition of his achievements for this hunt.
Dudududu-!
Yoo-seong was expecting a Japanese official to get off the

helicopter.
‘Whatever they say,’ he thought, ‘I will not give this up.’
Soon, he saw shiny black shoes stepping out of the

helicopter. ‘Those shoes are…’
“Yoo-seong!” the owner of those shoes yelled cheerfully.
“Huh?” Yoo-seong stared blankly at the man who ran to him

and hugged him.
“We did it! We did it!” The middle-aged man was ecstatic.
‘Why is this person here?’ Yoo-seong remained puzzled.
Yang Chang-guk stood before him with a wide smile.

Chapter 115
No. 115
For Yang Chang-guk, the past few hours had been agonizing.
When he’d learned that Yoo-seong had flown to Japan, he

had arranged for real-time updates about his whereabouts
to be sent to him. Worry had coursed through his veins.
Why had Yoo-seong done this now? Now, when the

occurrence of cracks had been steadily rising all over the
world…
Yoo-seong was a Single. He was a hunter powerful enough

to handle low-level to intermediate cracks alone.
Such a Single had flown over to a neighboring country

without Yang Chang-guk knowing. Of course, he knew that
Oh Yoo-seong wouldn’t be seeking asylum there. He had
flown over to Japan in search of their lost Tech, but that
hadn’t made Yang Chang-guk any less worried.
He, too, was in a top-ranked government position. He knew

that every government around the world wanted an Oh Yoo-
seong on their side. They would do everything to get him to
stay.
Then word had come in, just three hours after Yoo-seong
arrived in Japan.
“What? A sudden rift?”

It had been early morning when he received the
information. A crack had appeared earlier than expected in
the middle of Tokyo.
“Rather than a sudden rift, it was an error in calculating the

time of appearance,” he’d decided.
Yang Chang-guk had honestly expected a catastrophe. A

crack of that size in such a largely-populated area would
surely result in three-digit civilian casualties. However…
“Why did Yoo-seong intervene?!”
Yang Chang-guk’s voice had resonated far outside his office.

Oh Yoo-seong had just prevented a disaster in a foreign
land. Pride and joy had filled Yang Chang-guk, but at the
same time, he felt more anxious.
An emergency meeting had been called. The news had not

reached the public yet. Yang Chang-guk knew he had to act.
He had organized all the information they had and thought

about his decision a few times.
“Prepare the helicopter. I will go to Japan myself,” he had

instructed his subordinates.
“What do you mean, Director?” His employees were

confused.
“I want you to inform the Japanese embassy.”
There had been no information about Oh Yoo-seong after the

operation ended, but Yang Chang-guk had a few
assumptions.
There was a great chance that the Japanese Metropolitan
Police Department had arrested Yoo-seong. They might have
detained him and interrogated him harshly.
However, they might also be doing real harm to him.
“Director! I understand this is a matter that has to be taken

seriously but do you have to go yourself?”
His subordinates were understandably puzzled by their

Director’s decision.
“A Special Defense Agency director visiting another country

without properly seeking permission…”
“I know.” Yang Chang-guk had put on his coat as he spoke.

“But I have to go myself.”
He’d remembered the last conversation he’d had with Yoo-

seong. The young hunter had asked him for a month. Once
that month ended, and his expedition turned out to be a
wild goose chase, Yoo-seong would take full responsibility.
‘Until Yoo-seong has been proven wrong,’ Yang Chang-guk

had thought, ‘I have an obligation to support him.’
Like every other hunter in this country.
‘Isn’t that my job?’
***
Now Yang Chang-guk was fussing over Yoo-seong.
“Are you alright? Your face… your injuries look serious!”
“Well… I’m fine,” Yoo-seong assured him.

Yang Chang-guk had no choice but to accept Yoo-seong’s
words. He looked around.
When he’d arrived at the Japanese Police Department and

the Disaster Management Office for a sudden emergency
meeting, he hadn’t realized that a disaster of this scale was
happening.
Several buildings had collapsed.
The road was turned over almost like a gravel field, and
everything on it – cars, streetlights, stalls – were smashed.
That wasn’t all.
It seemed that a barrier line hadn’t even been successfully

established.
Of course, there were no people around the area where Yoo-

seong and the Thunder Ape had fought. However, just
across the block, Yang Chang-guk could see a lot of people
hiding in buildings.
If Yoo-seong hadn’t been able to stop the Thunder Ape, who

knew how many people would have been buried alive?
Yang Chang-guk tilted his head.
“I heard quite strange news on my way here,” he began.
“Strange news?”
“Tokyo’s top hunters were observed leaving the operation

site after receiving a call from the Disaster Management
Agency. A lot of civilians witnessed it. It’s all over the
Internet now.”
Yoo-seong did not respond. The two men kept silent for a
few moments.
“What could have happened to the Japanese industry?”

Yang Chang-guk thought out loud. “Their director, Kodama,
is not an incompetent person…”
Pop-!
As Yang Chang-guk was speaking, Yoo-seong pulled

something from his slot: a computer hard drive.
Yang Chang-guk’s eyes widened. “That’s…”
“I promised to bring it back,” Yoo-seong said before placing

it back in his slot.
The surprise on Yang Chang-guk’s face did not disappear. “It

really exists…”
“That’s not all,” Yoo-seong added. “But it’s too long a story
to be told here.”
“I don’t know what else happened, but I have a feeling that

you also know where the hunters went.”
“Yes.” Yoo-seong nodded and gave Yang Chang-guk a

summary of what had happened earlier, who he met, where
he went, and what he went through.
“So, you mean that…” Yang Chang-guk could hardly believe

it. “The first-class hunters left Tokyo because of Leto
Group?”
“Yes.”
“They sent hunters after you? And Kodama was the Leto
Chairman’s son-in-law?!”
Yoo-seong nodded. Yang Chang-guk’s mouth hung open.
Finally, when his brain accepted the situation…
“These guys are… god damn them!” Yang Chang-guk felt

dizzy with anger.
The corruption of the Japanese Special Defense Agency had

cost a lot of civilian lives.
“This is completely unthinkable! These men are… crazy

sons of bitches!”
Yang Chang-guk had never felt this angry before. No matter

how much he thought about it, he couldn’t comprehend the
idiocy of his counterparts. They were monsters.
Whatever the situation was, a Special Defense Agency

should always make the private sector’s safety their top
priority.
“Let’s go, Oh Yoo-seong.”
With iron in his voice, Yang Chang-guk pointed at the

helicopter waiting for them.
“Perhaps, by now, a hold departure order has been made to

prevent you from leaving the country. Whether it is to detain
you or to thank you properly before letting you go, they will
do everything they can…”
Yang Chang-guk clenched his fists.
“Once we arrive at our embassy…”
“Embassy?” Yoo-seong’s brows furrowed. “Are we just going

to stay here?”
“Yes. Until the situation is over, things are about to get
busy.”
Yang Chang-guk’s expression showed how nervous he was.

He was literally risking his neck for this trip to Japan but,
somehow, he felt confident.
“Fortunately, there is plenty of evidence of your

contributions to this country. Every post on the Internet is
about you right now. No matter how much they fabricate
information, the evidence will prove them wrong.”
Yang Chang-guk paused for a second before continuing.

“And about what Kodama did… I will make sure he gets what
he deserves. It is my duty.”
They had to arrive at the embassy without delay.
“Come on, come on!” Yang Chang-guk beckoned.
Yoo-seong agreed with Yang Chang-guk’s opinion. He had

got their Tech on the hard drive but besides that…
The Leto Group still had debts to pay.
At this, Yoo-seong and Yang Chang-guk began walking

towards the helicopter.
***
A tense atmosphere filled the room as they watched the

video playing. It was a collection of action cam footage
taken by a hunter and instantly stored in the cloud.
Kodama and Tatsuo Sukune were silent.
-Fall back; the attack doesn’t work!

-Prepare an insulation suit…
-Oh!
The footage abruptly jumped into another scene.
A colossal ape was slaughtering helpless hunters one by

one.
“What did you say the name of this beast was? The Thunder
Ape?”
“Yes.” Kodama was flustered.
They were the first words Tatsuo had spoken since the video
started. The old man looked exhausted. Still, his heavy eyes
were locked onto the monitor.
Kaah-!
The Thunder Ape’s horn glowed with the energy of the

lightning from the crack.
The beast turned its head side-to-side, spewing lethal

voltage everywhere.
Ka-!
Finally, the ivory horn lost its light. From then on…
Dooung-!
The Thunder Ape’s six humps sustained its offensive.
It was enough to finish off every remaining survivor in the

center. The action cams captured the agony of the hunters’
faces as life faded out of them.
“This is useless,” Tatsuo said. “Move forward.”
Kodama skipped about twenty minutes and resumed the

video where the Thunder Ape had already moved beyond
the barrier line. The next pieces of footage were from the
dead hunters.
Although their owners were already gone, the action cams

had continued to film their surroundings. They had captured
the duel between Yoo-seong and the Thunder Ape from
different angles.
The Thunder Ape, perhaps in a desperate move after getting

stunned by Yoo-seong’s blow, began to summon his
lightning once again.
Its ivory horn glowed intensely as lightning continued to be

stored in it. However, before the final bolt could reach it,
Yoo-seong attacked.
“He cut off the horn!” Kodama exclaimed as he witnessed

Yoo-seong’s wrist blade shooting fire.
The chairman’s eyes also lit up with excitement as they

watched the Thunder Ape’s horn disappear.
“I have to recover that thing. Do you understand, Kodama?

He took it.”
Kodama didn’t respond.
“Kodama!”
“Ah, ah, yes!”
“What’s with that stupid expression?!” Chairman Tatsuo

barked.
“Sorry, sorry…” Kodama bowed.
However, he was having other thoughts. What had

happened was their responsibility.
If they had not pulled back the top hunters, no matter how
great the Thunder Ape was, it wouldn’t have gone beyond
the barrier line. Civilian lives could have been saved.
“Are you scared?!”
“No, Chairman.”
Upon seeing this, the old man growled with displeasure.
“Anyway, all the evidence that he caught the monster is in

our hands. If you could secure him, we would have no
problem assigning the recognition to our hunters.”
“You’re right, Mr. Chairman.”
“How could he be in Tokyo, by the way? He must have

escaped this facility, but he shouldn’t have reached as far
as Tokyo.” The chairman couldn’t even guess how Yoo-seong
had arrived in Tokyo with several hunters after him.
“Anyway, Yang Chang-guk is with him now, right?”
“Yes, Chairman. He arrived exactly fifteen minutes ago, and

three minutes ago, we received a report that their helicopter
had left the site.”
Kodama was 100% sure that they were heading for the
Korean embassy.
However, before Yoo-seong and Yang Chang-guk could reach

it, several measures would be put in place.
At Kodama’s instructions, the top hunters who had been
looking for Yoo-seong earlier were deployed for another
mission.
Any of them could fly and intercept the helicopter. As a

safety measure, he also instructed the Metropolitan Police
Department to send a squadron of police officers near the
embassy.
Yoo-seong wouldn’t be able to fight police officers on the

ground, with civilians all around them.
“I hope he gets upset and hurts some of the police,” Tatsuo

remarked. “Can’t we make it seem like he beat up the police
even if he doesn’t?”
Before Kodama could answer, his phone rang. “Hello?”
-This is Team D. We found the helicopter. We’re in position.
“Do it right away.”
Tatsuo Sukune looked satisfied as he watched his son-in-law

give commands.
The pieces were now in place to recover what Yoo-seong

took. More than that, he was determined to get the horn
filled with lightning energy.
The dragon flame that Yoo-seong had shown in the battle

and whatever Yoo-seong had used to leave this place and
reappear in Tokyo…
Tatsuo Sukune must have them all. However…
“What?!” With his phone to his mouth, Kodama raised his

voice.
“What do you mean that he’s not in the helicopter?!”
Tatsuo shifted in his wheelchair. “What happened?”
“Then where is he?!” Kodama was now yelling at his phone.

“Find him right away! He couldn’t have left Tokyo!’
After a few hours, they would learn what Yoo-seong had

done, and it would stun them as if they had been hit with a
hammer.
***
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong was moving.
“Huh… Huh!”
Despite his heavy breathing, Yoo-seong felt indescribable

joy.
Chapter 116
No. 116
It was exhausting, sure. However, what Yoo-seong was

doing right now was probably the most enjoyable work he’d
done ever since he had arrived in Japan.
“Huh… Huh!”
Using Auto-Hunt, he had been doing a simple yet repetitive

task for the last few hours.
“Huh… Huh!”
Despite being exhausted, Yoo-seong was concentrated on

the task itself. Then, finally…
Bloog-!
He dug out a large rock and placed it on the side. A loud

voice of relief spewed from the hole that had been behind it.
“Oh, we’re saved!”
“Rescue!”
“We survived!”
A family had been trapped in the basement of the collapsed

building. Everyone had tears on their grimy faces.
Amid the tearful joy, the head of the family noticed
something.
‘He doesn’t look like he’s from the rescue team,’ the father
thought.
In fact, the young man in front of him looked bizarre. The

armor he wore was broken and tattered in several places.
His nose was broken, and one of his eyes was swollen shut.
Anxiety then passed through the father’s head. Suddenly,

Yoo-seong’s hand reached out to him, holding out a
cellphone.
-I will guide you outside. Trust me and follow me.
Simple Japanese sentences spoken through a translator app.
The father hesitated for a moment, but his ten-year-old son

immediately jumped up.
“Oh! He’s that hunter! I saw him on Twitter!”
“Hey, what are you…?” The father tried to quiet his son
down.
“Dad, I saw him! He is that hunter from Korea!”
With new eyes, the father looked Yoo-seong up and down

once more. He quickly realized his son was right.
Yoo-seong held out his cell phone again.
-Let’s go.
Then he began walking out of the hole he’d made. The

father and son watched his back.
Oh Yoo-seong.
Every person in Japan who had a phone knew him. He was

that foreign hunter who had insulted Yasuo Nakai a few days
ago. Just this morning, even though he was not permitted to
do so, he had used his power and intervened in an
operation.
The news said he was currently under Metropolitan Police

Department investigation. However, public opinion about
him on social media seemed different from what the news
was saying.
-Without this person, many people would have died.
-The grandmother who had been lying in the street…
There were several eyewitnesses, along with the pictures

that they took at the Tokyo crack. Everyone was testifying to
support what this young hunter had done.
Still, many people would find out that traditional media was
more credible.
Soon, articles posted on the internet about Oh Yoo-seong’s

deeds in Tokyo were taken down.
Oh Yoo-seong was a foreigner, first of all. On top of that, he

was an arrogant foreigner. Therefore, it was easy for the
father to think that Yoo-seong was a bad guy. However,
now… This bad guy had saved him and his family.
After a few moments of consideration, the father led his son

by the hand and followed Yoo-seong. Soon, the man realized
something.
The passage Yoo-seong had made was narrow, just enough
for one adult to pass through at a time. Rubble could fall at
any time and cause a cave-in.
However, his wife and his two children had no fear on their
faces as they followed Yoo-seong. He was obviously their
rescuer, but they had only met him a few seconds ago.
‘How could they trust this stranger so completely?’
However, the man set his doubts aside and continued to

follow. What mattered most was that his family was safe.
And before long…
“We’re out!” his son screamed with joy.
The man felt the night air as he walked out of the narrow
passage. After a few hours of being trapped underground,
they were finally outside again.
The father looked around. It was as if they had climbed up

to a post-war area.
Several high-rise buildings had been reduced to rubble. He

could hear the noise of rescue workers working against
time. Overall, the situation wasn’t getting better.
Usually, in such a large-scale disaster, hunters would have

been in the field to help out. However, apart from Yoo-
seong, there wasn’t any other hunter in sight.
‘We weren’t rescued late,’ he realized. ‘Down there, there

are other families trapped like we were.’
The father turned his eyes toward Yoo-seong.

Yoo-seong was already starting to build another passage. He
hadn’t even thanked him.
“Wait a second!” the father yelled out, causing Yoo-seong to

turn his head.
Then the father bowed deeply.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, my family is safe…”
Before the man could finish, a loud voice interrupted.
“Got you!”
The man looked up. On a pile of rubble located a little higher

than them, hunters were arriving one by one.
“He is here!”
“We found him!”
The hunters were dressed in operational attire, their faces

drenched in sweat.
‘Did I do something wrong?’ the father thought. ‘Why were

they looking for me?’
He thought this because there was no one else in that area

other than him and Yoo-seong. The hunters were glaring at
them with murderous expressions, but there was no reason
for them to be this angry at Yoo-seong, who was helping in
the rescue.
It had to be him. But what had he done?
More and more hunters arrived until, before long, they were
completely surrounded.
“You were hiding there all this time?!”
“To think that we haven’t rested for hours trying to find

you…”
“It would be better to surrender…”
“You are surrounded. Even if you try to fly away…”
Dozens of hunters were making threats in Japanese. It was

as if they weren’t looking at fellow humans but had cornered
a vicious beast.
“Hey, hey,” the father intervened. “What is this about?”
His children were trembling with fear.
A team leader began firing instructions. “There are civilians

here. Take them away. You, call the Chairman and the
Director and tell them we found him.”
Like the other hunters, he was soaked in sweat. The father

knew this hunter’s name.
‘Hashima.’
Everyone in Japan knew his name.
The Dragon of Tokyo.
Top-notch skills, often compared to the Korean Lee Jae-hak.
This was a hunter who was proud of his skills. He was one of
Tatsuo Sukune’s favorite dogs.
“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for quite some

time.” Hashima grinned at Yoo-seong as he spoke in Korean.
“It seems that you didn’t learn proper etiquette in the
countries you’ve been to. Here you have to pay the price,”
he added.
Yoo-seong did not answer. He slowly looked around the

siege surrounding him.
“You have to go with us. You have no choice. The Chairman

said that if you refuse to surrender, we won’t have to
persuade you for long.”
Soon, ordinary-looking people began approaching them.

Yoo-seong realized they were police officers in plainclothes.
Needless to say, they had planned well to prevent Yoo-

seong from fighting back.
“If it’s unavoidable, well…” Hashima shook his head. “I have

to get some necessary information from you first. Like how
you got out of the facility. And how you could make items
appear and disappear from your hand.”
Yoo-seong opened his mouth for the first time. “It’s terrible,”
he said as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. “I thought
that Tatsuo Sukune and I had settled things. But it seems
that his hand is itching to steal again.”
“You dare speak that way?!” Hashima seethed with anger.
“Do I have to see that old man again? Why?” Yoo-seong spat
on the floor. “I want to refuse. I hate seeing that face. Age
hasn’t been kind to him.”
“You crazy bitch!”
It wasn’t Hashima who had made the outburst.

Among the hunters surrounding them, there were some who
spoke Korean. Hashima didn’t stop them as they launched
towards Yoo-seong. However…
“Wait! Wait for a second!”
There was an unexpected interference – the father, the

head of the family Yoo-seong rescued.
His wife and children were already in a safe place. Even if

the man didn’t understand the Korean conversation
between Hashima and Yoo-seong, he knew one thing for
sure.
Hashima was angry at Yoo-seong.
From his simple point of view, he could only think of one

possible reason. It must be because Yoo-seong had used his
ability without permission.
However, hadn’t Yoo-seong saved his family with it?
He wondered before how his family could believe in Yoo-

seong just like that. Now, he understood it himself.
It was because Yoo-seong was sincere.
Besides the commitment to save lives, the father couldn’t

feel anything else from Yoo-seong.
“This guy saved my family and me! Is that illegal? I could be

wrong, but… I can testify for him! If this could be solved in
court…” he began yelling desperately.
Hashima sighed and shook his head. Immediately, one of

the police officers grabbed the man.
“Huh? Ugh!”
The man almost choked as he was grabbed violently by his
neck. Suddenly, the police officer heard a voice within his
head.
“Hey.”
It was Yoo-seong’s voice, speaking in awkward Japanese.
“Let him go now.”
‘What the…?’ The police officer was bewildered at how Yoo-

seong seemed to be speaking from within his head.
However, he simply laughed it off after a few moments.
“What will you do if I don’t let him go? Huh? Can you do
anything to me?” he yelled at Yoo-seong’s still figure.
“What?” Yoo-seong acted confused. “Why do you think I’m

going to do something?”
“Huh?” The police officer was further confused.
But before he could respond…
Pagak-!
A rock the size of a fist hit his head.
It wasn’t strong enough to injure him but sudden enough to

make him let go of the man in his arms. It wasn’t Yoo-seong
who hit him, though.
“What are you guys doing?!” the furious police officer yelled
out.
He received no response, but his eyes widened at the sight

unfolding before him.
He was not the only one who was astonished; other police
officers in his squadron, as well as the hunters that came
with them were too. Rescue workers had stopped what they
were doing and were moving toward them with angry
expressions.
“Hey!” Hashima stepped forward to meet the crowd. “Is

there a problem?”
He knew that as soon as these ordinary citizens saw his

face, they would be assured that nothing strange was
happening.
He was a top, respected hunter, after all. However…
“You shameless bastard!” one of the rescue workers yelled

out.
“What?” Hashima was baffled.
“After not showing your face for hours, you dare come here
and take that hunter who was helping us?!”
“You call yourself heroes? Pieces of shit!”
“He alone saved over two hundred people in three hours!

Where were you guys?!”
One by one, rescuers and victims began screaming in

frustration at the hunters.
And it didn’t end there.
“You dogs left Tokyo before the operation even started!”
“There were no cracks of this scale outside Tokyo! Where

the hell did you guys hide?!”
Grimy faces covered with dust and sweat were raging in
front of Hashima and his crew.
“Where were you?!”
“Why did you leave your city?!”
The hunters, including Hashima, subconsciously began

taking steps backward. It was the first time Hashima had
received such abusive language from the public since his
debut.
However, it was a natural consequence of their actions.
A few hours after a disaster, they had been following

Chairman Tatsuo’s instructions to catch a single hunter. In
the meantime, the hunter they were looking for had his
exhausted arms digging through the dirt to save lives.
More than the rescuers he had been working with, there had
been hundreds, no, thousands of eyes witnessing what he
was doing.
Jiiing-!
Although the Queen’s Hug was now torn and dirty like a rag,
the action camera attached to it was still functioning.
It was on livestreaming mode.
A few days ago, Yoo-seong had become an SNS star. Tens of

thousands of followers were watching his work right now.
Their reaction was explosive.
No…
The word ‘explosive’ wasn’t enough to describe it.

Chapter 117
No. 117
Wasn’t it obvious?
Everyone loved witnessing hunters at work. The more vivid

the footage, the more dramatic the situations that unfolded,
the more it drew their audience in.
-What is this?
-It looks like a livestream.
The caption that went with it was simple.
‘They need a lot of attention and help,’ it said.
The streaming had just begun, without prior notice. People

had no idea what it was about, but they soon found
themselves watching it.
-Ruins? The buildings were thoroughly smashed…
Soon, the viewers realized what they were watching.
-Isn’t that Japan?
-Really?! With that much damage to civilian areas…
Despite the limited view of a single action cam, the tragic

scene was brought to people worldwide. Yoo-seong’s hands
could be seen steadily digging through the rubble.
He seemed to be making a passage. Then…
-A person!
-Was he trapped?!
-Whoa, he just saved a person’s life!
The first survivor came out of the passage Yoo-seong had

dug, followed by two more people, one after the other.
The comments section was silent for a while. The viewers

didn’t know how to react as they watched the scene,
watched the recovery of a fellow human from beneath the
rubble…
They could hear Yoo-seong’s heavy breathing in the video as

he continuously cleared debris. Without realizing it, the
viewers’ breathing began to sync up with his. Everyone was
silently cheering him on.
‘Go further.’
‘Save more people.’
They found their eyes glued to the screen with a desperate

hope for their fellow human beings.
-Whoa!
-He did it!
Whenever an individual got rescued, everyone felt as if it

was their own family member who had been saved.
Soon the viewers realized… the scene was in Tokyo.

This wasn’t Oh Yoo-seong’s job. People from Japan started to
comment with a different tone.
-How can I volunteer to join him?
-Anyone leaving nearby?
-Anyone who would want to meet up and go there?
Even viewers from different countries wanted to take action.
-Shouldn’t we raise donations for this? I want to help in my

little way, too.
-I want to send them blankets. Anyone living nearby?
Even if they hadn’t planned to when they logged in to their

social networking accounts, people began to feel invested in
what was happening in Tokyo.
Everyone wanted to know what had happened. The

Japanese media were describing it as an unfortunate
operation failure. Now, those watching felt that answer was
not enough.
-Why can’t I see other hunters nearby?
-If everyone was wiped out, who caught the beast?
-They’re hiding something from us…
-A lot of hunters backed out before the operation started?
As they watched an exhausted Oh Yoo-seong continue to dig

through the rubble, the questions in their minds burned
harder.
-Why did the hunters leave Tokyo?

-The Disaster Management Administration doesn’t seem to
have the situation under control.
Questions continued to pile up in everyone’s minds. Then

someone appeared on their screens.
It was Hashima and his crew. The camera was capturing

everything.
People all over the world heard what Hashima said.
-The chairman…
-He told hunters to capture Oh Yoo-seong?
Millions of viewers were now hearing lines that were only

meant for Yoo-seong’s ears. Hashima had no way of
knowing.
He and his team, too, had been exhausted by the last few
hours of searching for Yoo-seong. He couldn’t have
predicted the impact of what he said.
Hashima’s eyes widened as hordes of rescuers and

paramedics began to surround them.
Just as Oh Yoo-seong couldn’t touch the hunters, they

wouldn’t be able to touch Yoo-seong with all these civilians
around.
Moreover, these civilians… They were furious at Hashima

and his crew.
“You guys are Japanese! Why weren’t you here first?!”
“He used his abilities without permission to save people…”
“If that makes him a criminal… he’s still better than you!”
A brawny rescuer raised his voice in front of Hashima. The
man was from the Special Defense Force, and his sense of
his mission was as huge as his body.
“Where were you when the buildings collapsed?” he yelled

at the hunters. “You don’t even have dust on your clothes!
Where did you go? What had you so busy?”
Some of the hunters looked down with shame upon hearing

the man’s words.
“While you guys are cornering this man, people are dying
beneath us! Not this time! Roll up your sleeves instead of
talking bullshit!”
“Damn it,” Hashima growled. “I can’t listen to this

anymore.”
Hashima shook his gloved arm in the air. Suddenly, the

bulky rescuer stopped talking. His eyes dilated.
“Hey, hey!” A colleague grabbed Hashima’s arm.
If he hadn’t, the rescuer’s head would have burst into

pieces.
“Are you insane?!” Hashima’s colleague screamed at him.

“He’s a civilian!”
“He interfered with the execution of public affairs,” Hashima

stated matter-of-factly. Then he looked around.
“I will lead the paramedics and rescuers here. We can settle

this later.”
Hashima gestured towards Yoo-seong. “Secure that person.”
“Yes!” his crew exclaimed.

“Don’t worry. No one will be harmed,” Hashima said as he
raised his hand to hold Yoo-seong down.
However…
“What?!” Hashima’s eyes widened.
His arm wouldn’t move. Something invisible was pulling it

down.
Yoo-seong felt Hashima struggle against the thread.
“If you keep this up, you will regret it all your life,” Yoo-
seong warned.
Hashima snorted dismissively, but he was shocked by the

ridiculous strength of the web.
“You seem to be mistaken.” Yoo-seong scratched his nose.

“I’m not here to fight. That’s the only reason I haven’t
beaten you up. Whether there are civilians around us or not,
I could smash you if I wanted.”
“What did you say?” Hashima raised his voice.
“I’m here to save people,” Yoo-seong said firmly.
Hashima wanted to laugh, but he felt something. The mood

seemed to have changed. It felt like numerous eyes were on
him, their gazes bearing down on him.
Beep-!
Hashima’s terminal rang. It was a call from Kodama.

However, Hashima couldn’t even look at his phone right
now.
“But after you put hands on that rescue worker… now, I’m
very angry,” Yoo-seong continued. “Countless people are
watching us right now. I believe they would understand,” he
added.
Goosebumps sprung up on Hashima’s back.
‘Countless people?’ he thought as his eyes searched

frantically.
Then he noticed it. It was hardly visible because the suit it

was attached to was ragged. However, the action cam’s
lens was pointed at him.
Hashima felt a sinister intuition.
It was too late. Countless people had just watched him use
Tech on the man.
Suddenly…
Swish-!
“Arrgh!” Hashima felt himself being dragged.
Yoo-seong pulled the spider web, lifting Hashima’s feet off

the ground.
However, Hashima was not an easy opponent. With his

strength, he spun and brought his feet back down safely.
The moment he landed, though, Yoo-seong was already

right in front of him.
‘Explosive Acceleration.’
Yoo-seong must have charged at him the moment the

thread was pulled. Hashima brought his arms up. It was too
late to avoid the attack.
The only thing he could do right now was to concentrate his

Aura on his arms to try and offset the damage. However…
-He’s scared!
-Garbage.
-Isn’t he a top-tier hunter?
-He has no balls.
-An embarrassment to Japanese hunters.
Countless messages of scorn popped up on social media as

people watched Hashima raise his arms. However, the next
instant, they would understand why he’d done it.
Kapang-!
Hashima wasn’t deluded.
Yoo-seong’s fist, reinforced with steel Aura, broke through

his defense in an instant. Hashima’s body spun several
times in the air.
His deputy watched their leader getting helplessly beaten

and screamed in desperation.
“Catch him!”
In his agitated mind, he failed to consider the weakness of

their Tech in this situation. While it was more efficient than
Psy and could of ways, a set-up time was almost always
required, about two to four seconds on average.
With Yoo-seong’s Parasitic Bees firmly planted in place, they
didn’t have that luxury.
Quazzik-!
Quazzik-!
All at once, their feet sunk into the ground as the Parasitic
Bees burst through the rubble.
Auto-Hunt did not miss the gap.
Taang-!
With Explosive Acceleration, Yoo-seong was upon them like

magic.
Pagak-!
Pagak-!
One at a time.
His blows weren’t powerful enough to kill them. He had just

enough Aura to smash their faces.
The police officers in civilian clothes started to panic as they

watched Yoo-seong deal with the hunters.
They didn’t know what to do. They were just ordinary

citizens, after all.
With rescuers and paramedics all around, they couldn’t

even use their guns.
“Watch out!” hunter crew members warned each other.
“Stop it! If a civilian gets hurt…”

Pagak-!
Pagak-!
Yoo-seong wasn’t worried about that. Auto-Hunt had already

picked out the best route to deal with his enemies.
Pagak-!
It was a simple yet powerful punch that would ensure no

innocent was harmed.
The action cam footage would be his lawyer. The millions

watching him online were his witnesses. Yoo-seong had not
touched the general public.
Finally…
“Woo!”
No hunter was left standing. Even the police officers, who

weren’t hurt, were now frozen where they stood.
Yoo-seong began walking towards Hashima’s unconscious

body. Then he muttered to himself as he dragged it outside
the site.
“This feels wrong,” he said to himself. “But it doesn’t matter.

We need to begin the rescue as soon as possible. They were
interfering with the work.”
Paramedics and rescuers around him nodded in agreement

and helped him take the unconscious hunters out of the
rescue site.
Then Yoo-seong faced the camera. For the first time in hours
of streaming, the viewers saw Yoo-seong’s face. He had a
swollen black eye, and his face was stained with blood and
dirt.
-What? What is he saying now?
-Hang in there. I will translate the message for you guys.
-For those who can speak Korean, translate it for them,

please.
Everyone who was watching the broadcast eventually

understood what Yoo-seong said.
“If we lose a life, or if someone gets injured because of their

interference… we cannot bring those lives back.”
“Hunters,” Yoo-seong gestured towards the unconscious

Hashima, “must not act like big babies.”
Everyone held their breath and waited for his next words.
“Whoever it was, whoever told these hunters to sabotage

this rescue, if you try to disturb me or the others before it’s
all over, I will do exactly the same to you as I did to them.”
Then Yoo-seong placed the camera back on his suit.
“So please,” he said solemnly, “if more people come to this

place, I hope that it will be to help.”
And then he turned back toward the collapsed rubble.
With Auto-Hunt leading him, he continued to rescue citizens

buried and trapped in basements. The viewers watched his
hands dig through rubble again in that repetitive manner.
As he did, everyone knew.

No matter who came, no one could stop Yoo-seong.
It didn’t matter if he was in Japan. He was a person who

transcended nationalities and countries.
***
Dawn came.
Yoo-seong came out of the passage carrying a woman with a

serious leg injury.
He handed over the weeping and grateful woman to the

paramedics. Then he heard everyone behind him hold their
breath.
He turned reflexively and saw a face he was not expecting

to see.
Yukio Murata.
The Japanese Prime Minister.

Chapter 118
Episode 118
He was the commander-in-chief, number one in the

Japanese cabinet.
It was as if Yoo-seong were standing before the President of

Korea.
Yoo-seong pushed his sweaty bangs to the side and tried to

shake some dirt off his body.
‘Great,’ he thought, ‘I didn’t think the Prime Minister himself

would come.’
Since last night, Yoo-seong had saved numerous people. It

had all been relayed in real-time through SNS streaming.
Broadcasting was not a big deal in itself. Whether it be

actual hunting or rescue work, hunters were free to use
their action cams as they pleased.
However, what made Yoo-seong’s broadcast different was

the scale of its impact. As the sun rose, illuminating his
surroundings, he noticed that the number of people around
him had grown significantly.
More rescuers and equipment had been dispatched. Every

Tokyo hunter who could afford to do so had come to help.
Still, that didn’t change the facts. Until a few hours ago, the
only hunter at the site had been Oh Yoo-seong.
Japanese hunters had been absent from their own turf.
-Why did Hashima come?
-Still, it feels like Yoo-seong used his hand too hard…
-Shut up. If he’d left Hashima alone, that idiot would have
kept interfering with the rescue.
-Yes, it’s an emergency situation.
Viewers were still talking about the Japanese hunters who’d

arrived a few hours ago.
Hashima and his crew had come to the site not to help but
to catch Yoo-seong.
With everyone hearing what Hashima said, it had been

made clear that the problem was not just between Hashima
and Yoo-seong.
It was something far greater.
-So, why did the top hunters retreat before the operation
started?
-What’s going on with the Disaster Management

Administration?
-They haven’t even released a statement. Crazy.
Now, what the Japanese media reported was not enough for
the citizens.
Their main source of what was really happening was Yoo-
seong’s live stream. Only things reflected through the raw,
unfiltered footage of the incident scene were accepted as
fact.
In this situation, if the Prime Minister were to call for a press

conference, it would be largely ignored. Hence…
“Nice to meet you,” the Prime Minister greeted Yoo-seong in

Japanese. “I am Yukio Murata.”
An interpreter stood by his side, conveying his words to Yoo-

seong. People around them paused to look.
Viewers online also leaned in closer to their screens. It was

as if the Prime Minister was speaking to the citizens directly
through Yoo-seong’s lens.
Murata was a politician who was a master in terms of

showmanship.
He’d decided to visit the incident site personally, going

against the advice of those around him.
It was an unannounced visit without any prior notice to any

broadcasting station.
His sudden appearance surprised people.
‘It will be a bit of a fuss,’ he thought, ‘but it can’t be helped.’
Murata got ready to get down on his knees. His strategy was
to give an unconditional apology. To admit responsibility and
to recognize Oh Yoo-seong. He did not need to expound to
the citizens about what he was apologizing for.
All he needed was to show everyone that he, a Prime
Minister, did not care about his position and humbly sought
forgiveness from their hero.
Who wouldn’t feel sympathy for him in that situation?
By simply getting dirt on his knees, he would regain the

support of the citizens.
Yukio Murata raised his voice for Yoo-seong’s action cam.
“On behalf of Japan…”
He dropped to his knees and placed the back of his hands

against his forehead, preparing to bow lower.
However, Yoo-seong’s hand moved immediately.
Pop-!
He pressed the button, but it wasn’t the button for Auto-

Hunt.
“Thank you… huh?!” Murata, who was just about to bend

over, suddenly stopped.
Yoo-seong had turned off the action cam.
“Hey! Many people are watching!” Murata was both shocked

and embarrassed. “If you suddenly turn off the video in this
situation… what will the people think…?”
Yoo-seong shrugged. “There shouldn’t be any problem. I

think everyone will understand.”
“But you turned off the video without context… The people

will…” The Prime Minister’s face had gone pale.
Yoo-seong shrugged again.
He knew that the Prime Minister was doing it just for show.
Right now, the public thought that the government was

hiding something from them.
It was the public opinion that was protecting Yoo-seong.

Seeing their Prime Minister bow down to Yoo-seong directly
might change their thoughts.
With the video cut off abruptly like that…
“I think you were trying to apologize to me, weren’t you?”

Yoo-seong asked.
Yukio Murata trembled.
“Even with the camera turned off, there are still many
people around us watching.” Yoo-seong gestured toward the
rescuers. The interpreter bit his lips and whispered to Yoo-
seong.
“Why are you embarrassing the Prime Minister?”
However, the Prime Minister’s face hardened with

determination. Then…
Thud-!
He continued bowing before Yoo-seong.
“On behalf of all Japan, I would like to express my infinite

gratitude to Oh Yoo-seong. We are indebted.”
There weren’t any ulterior motives; just a pure “thank you.”

“Oh, it’s no big deal.” Yoo-seong leaned over, approaching
the prime minister.
In the eyes of those around them, it was a very touching

scene.
However, once Yoo-seong got closer to the Prime Minister…
“Come closer,” he whispered to the interpreter.
He got straight to the point.
“How much do you know about the Leto Group?” He looked

into the Prime Minister’s eyes.
“Huh?”
“I’ll ask more clearly. Are you also connected with Chairman
Tatsuo Sukune?”
“You are a psycho!” the Prime Minister hissed.
“Prime Minister. Am I really the psycho?” Yoo-seong asked

calmly. “Your Special Defense Director is linked to the Leto
Group, playing with lives and controlling hunters through
state powers.”
“You.” He turned to the interpreter. “Translate this directly.

Do not sugarcoat it or change any words.”
“Ah, y-yes, yes,” the flustered interpreter stuttered.
Yukio Murata closed his eyes as he listened to the words

that were being conveyed to him.
Then he spoke.
“No,” he said firmly.

“What do you mean?” Yoo-seong asked.
“Chairman Sukune does not have power over me.”
Yoo-seong did not wait further. He began explaining the

purpose of his visit to Japan – what he’d heard from Lee Jae-
hak, the that Leto took from Korea, the secret facility for CE
storage and infusion, the clash he’d had against the Sukune
clan – everything.
He told the Prime Minister everything without adding or

removing any detail. Everything was made clear to both the
interpreter and the Prime Minister.
Chairman Sukune must have mobilized the top hunters to

attack Yoo-seong.
The Prime Minister trembled.
“It looks like,” Yoo-seong remarked, “you weren’t aware of

what’s been happening.”
“No. We haven’t heard about it,” the interpreter said before

the Prime Minister could even speak.
Yoo-seong nodded before he replied calmly.
“Well, what’s done is done. But we can’t ignore the facts.

The Chief of the Disaster Management Administration and
the Chairman of the Leto Group pulled the top hunters away
from the operation, resulting in this devastation.”
“What would you like me to do about it?” the Prime Minister

asked.
“What can you do about it?” Yoo-seong returned the

question coldly.
He had already fulfilled his purpose to regain the stolen
Tech.
Justification for using his abilities in a foreign land?
The means to safely return to Korea?
To stop the Leto Group’s operation and make them pay for
their theft?
It didn’t matter what Yoo-seong needed.
“I have no intention of compromising, Prime Minister. I have

no intention of letting this go so easily.”
No matter how long it took or how difficult it would be, Yoo-

seong wouldn’t settle.
Yukio Murata had been silent for a while. Then…
“Good. Oh Yoo-seong…”
He was the head of a country. These were his people, his

land.
In the midst of that, a young foreign hunter had just caused

a scandal.
Yukio Murata had to raise his hand.
“Now, even if you turn on the action cam, you won’t be able
to stream.” He jerked his head to the side.
Yoo-seong followed his gaze and saw agents watching them

from a distance.
“Because the signal from your camera has now been

blocked.”
It had been Murata’s means of preparing for the worst, to
plan to cut the camera’s transmission forcibly.
He hadn’t expected that Yoo-seong would turn it off himself.
“As of this time, we prohibit unauthorized use of CE. Thank

you for your hard work, but the law is the law. Moving
forward, you cannot break it anymore.”
Yukio Murata raised his hand. The Self-Defense Forces were

waiting for his instructions.
“Even if there is a risk to human life?” Yoo-seong clarified.
“You’ve done enough. We can handle problems with our own

strength. No matter how risky the situation is. I have
delivered our gratitude for your help, and now, I declare this
as the head of this country.”
Suddenly, a roar came from above their heads.
Jiiiing-!
That signaled another crack.
It was about the same size as the crack the Thunder Ape
had fallen through. While Yoo-seong was battling with the
Thunder Ape, additional hunters had been dispatched into
the rift to close it.
The blocking work had gone smoothly, and Yoo-seong had

confirmed it from a distance. That was why he hadn’t gone
himself to close the crack with his Sky Needle.
However, now…
Jiiiing-!
A crack that had already closed appeared to be re-opening
once again.
The Prime Minister and the interpreter’s phones began

ringing like crazy.
“This is impossible!” Murata exclaimed.
Yoo-seong agreed with him. “From my experience, I would

say it will be completely open in five minutes.”
“What?!” The Prime Minister’s face fell.
Five minutes. Upon an already severely-damaged city, filled

with rescuers, paramedics, and people trying to help.
There was no way that the civilians could be evacuated at

this point. And the hunters in the area did not have their
hunting equipment ready as they were just here to help with
the rescue.
“It’s going to be a disaster. For those still waiting to be

rescued, this is going to be a death sentence,” Yoo-seong
said quietly as he stared at the crack.
“You!” Murata pointed at Yoo-seong. “You can stop it! You

have to!”
A few moments ago, Murata had firmly spoken his terms.

Japan did not need Yoo-seong’s help anymore.
If he used CE again, it would be considered an offense. A

crime, even.
Murata now had to swallow what he had just said.
“Regardless of what we just talked about, this… this is

different!”
Yoo-seong nodded and turned his action cam back on. There
was no way to start a livestream right now.
“Unblock the transmission,” he ordered the Prime Minister.
“And declare to the public, officially, as the head of the

state,” Yoo-seong’s voice was urgent. “That Oh Yoo-seong is
authorized to use CE from this point on.”
Chapter 119
Episode 119
Prime Minister Yukio Murata could not speak. It must have

been because of his pride.
Or, perhaps, he still couldn’t wrap his head around what was
happening.
A crack re-opening?
No matter how much he thought about it, he could not

determine the cause of the phenomenon.
The Prime Minister stared at Yoo-seong.
“The crack will open any time soon,” Yoo-seong told the
interpreter. “You must talk to him,” he added before lifting
his index finger toward the Prime Minister.
The interpreter’s and the Prime Minister’s faces hardened.
What they saw in Yoo-seong’s face wasn’t anger or ridicule.

It was just plain pity.
Jeeing-!
The crack was almost open. Monsters were about to get out.
There were civilians all around them who didn’t have time to
even think of an evacuation.
“Prime Minister.” The interpreter’s voice trembled.
Up to this point, he had shared Murata’s opinion. But right

now… it seemed like there was no other answer.
They had to beg Oh Yoo-seong, give him anything he

wanted to prevent disaster from happening.
“Prime Minister!” he pleaded to his boss.
However, Yukio Murata had a different answer in mind.
“Our Defense Forces have a very thorough response system

in case of an emergency.”
“What?!” The interpreter couldn’t believe it.
“They can organize a response. It won’t be too late.”
Their phones were ringing continuously.
The Prime Minister checked the message that appeared on

his screen and nodded. Cold sweat poured down his pale
face, but there was conviction in his eyes.
“In less than ten minutes, hunters and Defense Forces will
arrive and handle it. With luck, there won’t be any
casualties. It’s a sudden rift, anyway. Property damage
would happen in any case,” the Prime Minister continued to
rationalize.
It seemed as if he wasn’t talking to Oh Yoo-seong or his

interpreter. It was as if he was trying to convince himself.
“Prime Minister! No! Please, no!” The interpreter was near

tears.
“Get in the car. There’s nothing else we can do,” Murata
said in a cold tone.
Then he threw Oh Yoo-seong a glance.
Yoo-seong saw it clearly. For some reason, the Prime

Minister had a triumphant smile on his face.
The interpreter didn’t seem to see it because, at that

moment, all he felt was desperation.
Thud-!
He fell to his knees in front of Oh Yoo-seong.
“Please! Please! Stop that crack!” The interpreter burst into

tears.
Rather than simply kneeling, the interpreter brought his

forehead to the ground.
He was almost the same age as Yoo-seong. Perhaps he had

lost a family member in the past due to a monster attack.
Perhaps his family was within the vicinity, or perhaps, it was

just a normal human mindset to hope that no tragedy would
occur in his own country. It was something more important
than pride.
Yoo-seong’s gaze fell to the man on the ground before him.

The interpreter bowed so recklessly that he hit his forehead
violently against the ground. Blood started pouring from the
man’s forehead.
“What?!” someone in the crowd yelled out.
Yoo-seong, the interpreter, and Murata all turned their

heads.
Hunters.
Even without lifting equipment, just pure skill, a team of

hunters was floating toward the crack.
They were hunters who’d arrived to help with the rescue.

However, now, they found themselves in the position of a
rush team.
“They don’t have a circuit breaker,” the interpreter

murmured.
“There’s an unused breaker left inside,” Yoo-seong remarked

unexpectedly.
The interpreter’s eyes widened with belated enlightenment.

There was a total of two breakers inside the crack.
One had been used by the rush team who closed it while
Yoo-seong fought with the Thunder Ape.
And the first rush team that was wiped out had also had a
circuit breaker with them.
“It must be partly charged already from the first team’s

efforts. If they could quickly complete its charging before a
wave comes…” Yoo-seong nodded to himself. “It’s worth a
try.”
Yoo-seong spoke as if he were commentating on a game,

almost as if he had nothing to do with it. He stared at the
crack with no intention of helping. The interpreter felt hands
on his shoulders and allowed himself to be pulled up.
It was the Prime Minister.
“Usui! Wake up!”

The interpreter felt light slaps against his cheek.
“Are you still in a daze? Come on! We’re done here. Things
will end well.”
The Prime Minister’s smile was reassuring.
“Come on! The Prime Minister’s assistant must not fall to his
knees so easily,” the old man scolded the interpreter good-
naturedly.
Then the Prime Minister turned to Yoo-seong.
“In the end, luck will help those who have walked straight.”
Just then, the hunters who had floated into the rift
reappeared. It was as if they had gone through a fierce
battle in the short time they had been in there.
Their clothes were ragged.
However, although some appeared to be injured, there had

been no deaths, and joy and relief filled their faces.
The first rush team who’d entered had charged more of the
pulse breaker than expected.
It was almost full. Now, the crack was about to be closed.
“Look!” the proud Prime Minister’s voice rang loud.
Kuung-
A heavy explosion from inside the crack.
Blue light flashed across the sky.

The breaker had operated successfully. Cheers burst from
everyone in the rescue site.
Everything had happened too fast.
A crack had opened before they could react, and now,

thanks to the hunters in the area, it had been closed before
Tokyo took more damage.
People were crying with tears of relief and joy. However,

Yoo-seong was still staring at the sky with an unreadable
expression.
Was he thinking about why the crack had reappeared? Or

was he regretting that the opportunity he’d had was gone?
There was something else on Yoo-seong’s mind.
When the interpreter knelt before him, Yoo-seong had

pressed the Auto-Hunt button.
However, it hadn’t moved him toward the crack. Instead,

Auto-Hunt had wanted him to stop. To observe.
Yoo-seong had trusted Auto-Hunt’s decision.
That was why, other than talking with the interpreter, he

hadn’t moved at all.
The Prime Minister and the interpreter began walking

towards their car. However, like everyone else, they soon
froze in place.
Everyone saw it.
A sight that couldn’t possibly happen.

The blue aurora in the sky caused by the circuit breaker’s
explosion had not gone away.
It was supposed to scatter into the atmosphere. However, it

seemed as if the gateway between the two dimensions was
still open.
A black dot was falling out of the sky.
“Wow, what?!”
“Well, something’s coming!”
One by one, black dots were beginning to fall.
Soon, the shapes were close enough to be recognized.
Geisha Harpy-★★★★★★
“Isn’t the crack closed?!”
The hunters who had just come out of the crack couldn’t
believe it. They’d charged the breaker themselves.
Together with the citizens on the rescue site, they’d

watched the breaker explode.
But how? Why was this happening?
-Kishaaahhh!
The Geisha Harpy screeched.
True to its name, the upper part of its body was that of a
woman with what seemed like a white-painted face.
The lower half of its body was that of a bird.

It had been named after the monsters of Greek mythology.
However, its actual appearance was not as elegant as its
Japanese counterparts.
Despite the brightness of their skin, their faces were as

horrible as those of apes. In addition, they were grotesque
creatures, with bodies as tall as five meters.
Three Geisha Harpies flapped their wings around, observing

the strange new landscape below them.
“Seems like they called one more to join them,” one of the
hunters in the emergency rush team observed.
They’d struggled against two Geisha Harpies inside the

crack while they finished charging the breaker.
Luckily, they had been able to finish charging the device

and escape the six-star monsters before anyone was
seriously injured. However, now, there were three of them.
-KIshaaaaa!
As if they remembered the hunters they had fought with,

two Harpies immediately dove at the roof of the building
where the hunters were. However, the real problem was the
other one.
It was aiming for easier prey.
“We can’t let it get down there!” the hunters screamed as

they fought with the other two Harpies.
The solo Harpy plunged to the ground without anyone to

stop it.
But before it reached the ground…

-Keek!
Something invisible sliced it in half.
The creature that had been descending to the ground with

hopes of a feast died in an instant.
-Kiiish!
The other two Geisha Harpies froze and turned their gazes
to their fallen companion.
Then they changed their target.
It was as if they recognized the threat from below them.

They descended to the ground at fiery speed, right toward
Yoo-seong.
However, Yoo-seong had no intention of dealing with them.
Taang-!
Taang-!
As if the five-meter tall, savage Harpies weren’t something

worthy of attention, Yoo-seong began running toward the
crack, carrying the Sky Needle in his hand.
He began work as soon as he reached it.
Yoo-seong moved up and down the open crack, sewing it

closed with thick strands of Aura.
The image of Yoo-seong stitching the sky was something

that would remain in everyone’s mind for a long time.
Not only the hunters on the rooftops but also the ordinary
civilians on the ground held their breath.
‘He seemed to be dancing in the air.’
It was how eyewitnesses would describe it in the future.
Two Harpies slashing fiercely with their beaks and claws.

One of the most dangerous flying monster species in Japan.
However, despite their attacks…
Huwook-!
Yoo-seong steadily moved back and forth, as smoothly as a

fish avoiding hands trying to catch it in the water. Finally,
Yoo-seong finished stitching the long Storm-class crack.
Then…
-Oh my God!
Yoo-seong’s body began falling to the ground at high speed.
-Kiiiish!
Above Yoo-seong’s falling form, the two Harpies were stuck

together as if they were entangled.
At the same time, Yoo-seong’s velocity slowed down, and he

began falling at the same speed as the Harpies.
It was like a skydiver opening his parachute.
That was because, as Yoo-seong had stitched with the Sky

Needle, his opposite hand had been spewing out invisible
Spider Web threads. As a result, the Harpies were caught in
several layers of thread by the time Yoo-seong had finished
stitching. And when he pulled the threads together…
“The view was more breathtaking before,” Yoo-seong
thought as he glided down using the two monsters as his
parachute.
However, his mind was not as relaxed as his appearance.
Cracks that couldn’t be closed with circuit breakers. It was

unheard of until now. It might just be a random and rare
occurrence.
‘But what if it isn’t?’ he thought. ‘What if it wasn’t just an

exceptional case but a precursor to what will happen in the
future?’
Then the only way to close the crack would be…
“It’s too early to worry about it.” Yoo-seong shook his head.
He would have time to think more about it later. Right now,

he had other stuff to do.
The Queen’s Hug was totally broken by now, revealing his

casual clothing inside.
If anyone were to look closely, they would notice something

pretty strange attached to Yoo-seong’s clothes.
There was a ballpoint pen pinned to his shirt’s left pocket. It

was something Yang Chang-guk had given him before his
helicopter had sped to the embassy.
“You have an action cam, so better use that. Think of this as

a kind of auxiliary equipment,” the Director had told him.
It was a camera disguised as a ballpoint pen.
It was for those who needed simple, covert shooting

equipment. They had been commercialized twenty years
ago.
“There’s nothing bad about being prepared,” Yang Chang-

guk had told him.
Yoo-seong had agreed with him and taken the ballpoint pen.
Now, as soon as he landed, Yoo-seong took the memory

card from the pen and transferred it to his phone.
The footage it contained was sent to Yang Chang-guk, who

was at the embassy.
It was then released and quickly found its way to the press.
Before the day even reached noon, everyone in Japan knew

everything Yoo-seong and Prime Minister Yukio Murata had
talked about.
Chapter 120
No. 120
Yoo-seong walked briskly through the corridors of the Korean

Embassy in Japan.
He passed by a Japanese employee who was watching a

video on his cellphone. As soon as the employee recognized
him, his mouth dropped wide open.
Yoo-seong continued walking without pause.
How many times had that happened to him today?
Every Japanese person he’d encountered had such a

reaction. Through Yang Chang-guk, Yoo-seong’s footage of
Murata had spread like wildfire.
Yukio Murata was the Prime Minister. He had to put the

country and its people above all else.
But now, everyone felt betrayed by him.
It was a betrayal. There was no other word to describe it.

They’d seen how their Prime Minister had seemed satisfied
with waiting for hunters to arrive.
He had gambled the lives of his citizens on luck.
Even as the interpreter next to him cried and begged Yoo-

seong to help, the Prime Minister himself had not budged.
Rather, he had smiled triumphantly at Yoo-seong.
It was so creepy.
‘It’s what they call karma,’ Yoo-seong thought as he turned

his gaze through the embassy’s wide windows. In front of
the embassy, about ten or twenty people were gathered.
Each one of them wore a headband with red, Japanese

letters on them.
Yoo-seong couldn’t understand what was written, but he

assumed the messages were protests against him.
They were members of a right-wing group supporting the

Prime Minister. However, they were an outright minority.
Twenty people were nothing compared to the large-scale

protests happening in Tokyo right now. Yoo-seong had saved
more than four hundred people by himself.
On top of that, despite the Prime Minister’s attitude, he had

closed a crack that even a circuit breaker couldn’t. And,
after closing the crack and sending the video to Yang Chang-
guk, Yoo-seong had returned to the rescue site and
continued his rescue.
Only after there were no survivors left had Yoo-seong come

to the embassy.
Yoo-seong turned his head and continued walking toward

the basement of the embassy building. Originally, it was a
spacious hall used for events inside the embassy. But right
now, everything inside it had been put away in
consideration of Yoo-seong’s needs.
It was now a large, empty space where he could train.

Yoo-seong placed his sports bag, water bottle, and towel in
the corner of the wide hall.
After taking a seat in the center…
Howoook-!
Yoo-seong raised his CE.
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
He pulled Aura out of his body, controlling it to the utmost,

preventing a Corona. It was all just basic control training,
one of the most basic training moves for beginner hunters.
In the past, Yoo-seong had always kept up such training.

However, in the past year – including six months in the alien
world – he’d had no time at all. It felt as if he had undergone
a non-stop series of incidents.
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
Yoo-seong’s concentration increased endlessly. He pushed

his sensations to the limit, trying to reach every corner of
his body.
This session wasn’t just control training. It was more of a

self-diagnosis, an inspection and evaluation.
‘I knew it,’ he thought as he felt the pulsation of his changed

core. ‘It didn’t grow much.’
He measured the total amount of his CE. The Jade Pill

provided him the ability to regenerate CE. Thanks to it, he
could use CE to his heart’s content without worrying about
exhaustion.
However, his core had remained the same.

The total amount of his CE remained unchanged.
‘What would happen if I increased my CE total?’ he

wondered.
As Yoo-seong had realized countless times before, his total

amount of CE was below average.
Now, he couldn’t get more of Sung-wook’s CE, but he could

use CE extracted from monsters. It was still possible to
expand his core and grow his total CE amount through
injection.
‘I recover one-fourth of my total amount of CE every time. If

the total amount is increased, I won’t need to wait for the
battery to be fully charged,’ he was convinced.
The wider the core, the more CE he had, the more he could
maximize his new ability.
‘When I return, I’ll split my training time and invest in CE

injection.’
Of course, there was no rush. The Jade Pill gave him an

option to use CE beyond the total CE amount of his core.
Besides, with Auto-Hunt, he could also choose to be

efficient.
However, Yoo-seong didn’t want to settle. He wanted to

continue improving his skills and abilities, and not just
because of his duty.
It was something he had realized in his battle with the

Thunder Ape.
‘Defense.’
He had replayed the fight against the Thunder Ape several
times in his mind in the last dozen hours. Whether his
opponent was a human or a monster, Yoo-seong wasn’t
worried about his offense.
His movement and Aura control were on a different level,

thanks to Auto-Hunt. He also had a powerful Aura blade.
However, apart from attack power, the reason Yoo-seong

had successfully overcome the struggles he’d faced so far
was his defense.
How many times had the Queen’s Hug saved his life?
Despite the help of that sturdy armor, though, it had

limitations.
With regards to Aura, offense and defense were vastly

different.
For example, with minimal Aura, he could extract a blade so

thin yet so sharp. It wasn’t something he could do with
defense.
If he wanted to stop a blow, the Aura he had to use must

necessarily equal the power of the attack. Of course, he had
an impact dispersion technique with Steinnible.
But even that, in the end, wouldn’t stop the Thunder Ape’s
fist.
If Auto-Hunt hadn’t taken the Ape’s ivory horn when it did,

Yoo-seong wouldn’t have had a chance against the
maximum-charged beast.
That was why he needed to expand his core. It was to

increase the total amount of his CE that could be devoted to
defense.
Then it would be safer for him to research the object

currently in his slot.
He turned his eye to the item – the Thunder Ape’s Ivory

Horn.
This was the biggest loot from his Japanese hunt.
With Auto-Hunt, he had been able to cut it off neatly, but

Yoo-seong couldn’t handle it with his bare hands. Of course,
he hadn’t just left it in his slot unattended.
He’d tried to combine it with the Queen’s Hug, but he

received a message.
‘No synthesizable items.’
Yoo-seong had thought that it would be a matter of finding

the right combinations for it. When he synthesized using the
Turtle Dragon’s eye, he had based it on the book that listed
objects that could contain the monster’s energy. He needed
some sort of recipe with detailed information, just like he’d
found in that book.
‘This horn would have a handling method like that,’ he

thought.
It had to be in ancient books like Yang Woo-ryang’s.
“Whoo!”
With a long breath, Yoo-seong finished his diagnosis.
His body was soaked in sweat. Six hours had passed without
him noticing.
Yoo-seong took his large water bottle and chugged on it.
‘Not bad,’ he thought. ‘It’s definitely good to have this

room.’
“Just wait three days, Yoo-seong. This won’t take long,” Yang
Chang-guk said with a confident expression.
After three days, Yoo-seong would be able to leave this

country.
It would be impossible for the Japanese government to keep

detaining him.
Yang Chang-guk himself was not at the embassy right now.

He was riding the ripples caused by Yoo-seong, with Korean
Foreign Affairs him.
He was working hard to support Yoo-seong. Yoo-seong

believed in him, so he would wait patiently.
He decided to use his spare time for analysis and research.
“Well then.” He took a few A4 sheets from inside his sports

bag.
There were four printed sheets of paper. Three of them had

diagrams of the human body. They were the first four pages
he’d taken from Leto’s research facility.
It had summaries on how to use energy. He began reading

them over and over again.
“No matter what I think of it,” Yoo-seong said out loud to

himself, “Sung-wook is a genius.”
Sung-wook had invented the Parasitic Bee and Spider Walk

without any reference for systemized Ki. Yoo-seong had
invented the Spider Threads Tech, but its principle was the
same as Sung-wook’s Parasitic Bee. Therefore, it could be
said that Sung-wook was equally responsible for its
invention.
Now, Yoo-seong had to work alone.
He might not have Sung-wook’s genius, but he had a lot of

advantages he could use. Auto-Hunt, as well as the Volcano
Tech and various other Techs he’d obtained over the six
months he’d spent in the alien world.
And a wealth of resources for reference.
Yoo-seong folded the pages and placed them back into his
bag.
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
He raised his Aura once more and regulated his breathing.

All the necessary conditions were in place. All that remained
were enough concentration and time to burn.
Fortunately, Yoo-seong had them now.
‘Five. Four. Three. Two.’
Yoo-seong counted down silently.
‘One.’
Suddenly, a voice interrupted his concentration.
“Yoo-seong?”
It had come from outside the door.

Yoo-seong opened his eyes and saw a tall, scholarly-looking
man approach him. It was Ambassador Joo Young-jin. He was
the man who had given Yoo-seong permission to use the hall
for his convenience.
“Oh, did I disturb you?”
“No, Ambassador. What brings you here?”
The man scratched his head as if he were in trouble. Yoo-

seong had a bad feeling about this. Ambassador Joo Young-
jin was a man of few words and was very considerate. That
he had to interrupt Yoo-seong during training meant that
something big had happened.
“Now, at the embassy… there is an intruder.”
At this, Yoo-seong stood immediately.
***
Walking down the hall with Ambassador Joo Young-jin, Yoo-

seong asked about the trespassing.
“The intruder is in your office right now?” Yoo-seong’s voice

was filled with concern.
“Yes. Actually, a report came in an hour ago. A woman was

looking for you. We couldn’t let her in because, first of all,
she isn’t even Korean.”
After getting rejected at the entrance, the woman had

stepped back. But, a few minutes later, she had reappeared
at the Ambassador’s office somehow.
“She asked me to bring you. No matter what. She looked

pretty desperate. It’s not the usual crazy person,” the
Ambassador said.
“She looked as if she was going to turn the entire embassy

over. Civilians could get hurt,” he added.
Yoo-seong nodded. “You have judged accurately.”
Someone skilled enough and bold enough to sneak into an

embassy. She was probably a hunter, or at least a CE user.
Yoo-seong clenched and unclenched his fingers, preparing

for a fight.
“I think I know who it likely is,” he said.
“Really?” The Ambassador’s eyes widened. “Who is it?”
“I know of only one woman who would be crazy enough to

do it.”
‘Chika Sukune.’
A girl who would destroy everything if she couldn’t get what

she wanted.
“Ambassador, you must not go in. Go to the first floor

instead,” Yoo-seong warned. “I will finish it as quickly and
quietly as possible.”
“Well, please.” The Ambassador tapped his shoulder and left

him in front of the office door.
With a firm expression, Yoo-seong walked in, pushing the

door open with his feet.
Bang-!
“Why did you come here?!” he said immediately as he took
a step inside. “Haven’t you suffered enough-”
He stopped mid-sentence.
The woman that was waiting inside was not Chika Sukune.
This person, with her hoodie pulled down firmly, was much
taller.
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong was berating himself.
How could he not have thought of it sooner?
Was it because he was in the middle of training and thought

it was an urgent matter?
If Chika Sukune were rejected at the entrance, she would

not sneak in.
Instead, she would barge in and destroy everything her way.
Yoo-seong tried to open his mouth.
He had to take back the harsh words he’d just said.

However, when the woman raised her head, and the hood
covering it fell back, Yoo-seong could not find the words to
say.
The woman approached him with tears in her eyes. And as

she ran towards him…
Yoo-seong smelled a familiar floral scent.
Whispering soft words while sobbing, Yang Biyeon hugged

Oh Yoo-seong tight.
Chapter 121
EPISODE 121
It was ridiculous, but at that moment, all Yoo-seong could

think was…
‘This is… I wonder what kind of flower it is.’
It might have been because Yoo-seong was embarrassed;

that was why his brain kept focusing on other, unimportant
things.
‘I can’t figure it out…’
From where her face was almost buried in Yoo-seong’s

chest, Yang Biyeon looked up.
She looked quite desperate. Words flew from her lips.
“I missed you. I really did.”
Yoo-seong could hear every word clearly.
‘Her pronunciation has improved incredibly compared to the

last time we met.’
However, it was not all about the clarity of pronunciation.

Her words could now also convey her emotions well.
“Ah!” Surprise flashed over Yang Biyeon’s face, and she

staggered backward, off Yoo-seong’s body. There was no
way an experienced hunter would lose her balance.
‘It must be because I was embarrassed,’ Yang Biyeon shyly

admitted to herself. Her hugging Yoo-seong was something
she’d done without thinking.
“Biyeon, how did you get here?” Yoo-seong asked.
“B-broadcast. Yesterday morning. I saw it.” Yang Biyeon was

barely managing to keep herself from trembling. “So I came
right here. I am worried. It may be difficult. I do not know. I
think.”
“I see.” Yoo-seong understood.
It was a matter of fact for people who didn’t know much

about international relations or related laws.
‘I knew you weren’t comfortable since yesterday. I was

worried,’ Yang Biyeon wanted to say.
‘Worrying about me and actually coming here are different

matters,’ Yoo-seong thought as he looked at Yang Biyeon’s
face.
‘It would be a lie to say your heart didn’t skip a beat,’ he

thought.
On the other hand, he felt a strange bitterness in his mouth.

It was obvious that Yang Biyeon was more than eager for
Yoo-seong to say something more.
“Ambassador Joo Young-jin!”
The Ambassador entered the room obliviously but retreated

outside upon seeing the situation.
Yoo-seong turned his head and shouted into the hallway.

“It’s not a big deal, so you can come in. This is my guest.”
After a moment, hesitantly, Ambassador Joo Young-jin

entered the room.
“This is Yang Biyeon of the Red Dragon Society.”
“Huh, huh?!”
Ambassador Joo Young-jin’s shocked eyes turned to Yang

Biyeon.
He did not exactly know what Yang Biyeon looked like, but
he knew the name well. How could he not know?
Yang Biyeon.
She was currently ranked seventh in the Ship Zone. The

hottest hunter in China right now.
….
It wasn’t a sudden success.
Even before Yoo-seong came to China, Yang Biyeon was

already a likely candidate to be part of the Ship Zone.
Her father had ranked second in the Ship Zone in the past.
Besides, she was the head of the famous Red Dragon
Society.
What was holding her back was her lack of experience and
personal achievements.
Then there was the last dive. Three Ship Zone hunters and
Oh Yoo-seong, who was at their level, failed to return.
However, Yang Biyeon came back.

With the amount of data and footage she brought back from
inside the crack, it was inevitable that her value would rise.
Due to the various happenings in Shanghai, Yang Biyeon

started gaining a reputation.
The public support she received was more than that of Oh

Yoo-seong.
Unlike Yoo-seong, who was a foreigner, Yang Biyeon was the

successor of the Red Dragon Society.
She was among the prestigious purebloods. And right then,

all the spotlights in China were aimed at her group.
After returning from the dive, Yang Biyeon went straight to

her father, Yang Jeong-cheon. She told him everything that
had happened inside the crack.
As she explained, without adding or removing any detail,

Yang Jeong-cheon sat still and just nodded occasionally.
Finally, when she was done, Yang Jeong-cheon silently
reached out and held her hand.
Then he placed the remaining Red Dragon Twin sword upon

it.
Three weeks later…
Yang Jeong-cheon turned the industry upside down.
***
Even if he had lost an arm in an accident, Yang Jeong-cheon

was still a powerful figure in China. His position and
connections as a former Ship Zone were incomparable.
The Goryong Company was facing a real disaster. They’d
lost Lee Hwi-min and two of his strongest subordinates.
Without him, the company was losing its direction, and its
stock price hit rock bottom.
It was at that point that the dragon swooped in.
In China, where the government held a certain distance and

did not interfere with hunters, Yang Jeong-cheon had more
than enough political capacity to handle the broken Goryong
Company.
It only took three weeks of turmoil.
When Yang Jeong-cheon finished his expedition, he brought

countless contracts and assets from the Goryong Company
back with him.
Like a hungry wolf, the Red Dragon Society entirely

consumed Goryong. In doing so, a giant new powerhouse
encompassing Southeast China was born.
***
Yoo-seong had immediately checked on Yang Biyeon through

the internet right after he returned from the alien world.
He had worried about her even while he was inside the

crack.
‘I owe a lot to her and the Red Dragon Society.’
If something bad happened to her, it would be difficult for

Yoo-seong to set things right. However, upon his return, he
saw that Yang Biyeon was now a big shot.
‘That’s why… she shouldn’t be here,’ he thought.

“Biyeon,” Yoo-seong said gently, “did you come here using
your real name?”
They were sitting around the Ambassador’s table, with three

steaming cups of tea before them.
“No.” Biyeon shook her head.
As much as possible, the Chinese government did not

interfere with their hunters.
However, overseas activities were a different thing. The

Chinese government was very sensitive about sending
hunters overseas.
“What?! Did you get permission? The head of a Red Dragon

Society just entering Japan?” Yoo-seong doubted it.
Yang Biyeon had gone through illegal channels to come to

Japan.
She’d canceled her schedule and taken the risk of being

caught by the Chinese government. All for the purpose of
seeing Yoo-seong.
“You hid your identity and broke into a foreign embassy. You
must have a good reason. I want to hear it.” Yoo-seong felt
upset but managed to keep his voice calm.
Yang Biyeon widened her eyes at him as if she couldn’t

believe what he was saying. ‘Really? You don’t know?’ she
seemed to say.
Yoo-seong kept shaking his head. “It would have been better
if the Director was here. Still, thank you very much,
Ambassador. Please, help us with this matter.”
“Leave it to me.” Ambassador Joo Young-jin’s face was
determined.
For him, who did not know the circumstances, Yang Biyeon
had come to represent China.
“I understand you’re here to present a diplomatic deal,” the

Ambassador said, turning to Biyeon. It was how he had
interpreted the conversation between Biyeon and Yoo-seong
so far.
Yoo-seong clasped his hands in front of Biyeon, almost as if

he were praying to her.
‘Please,’ he wanted to say, ‘don’t tell him you came here to

see me.’
Yoo-seong wasn’t an idiot. He knew why Biyeon had come

here.
However, he had to do this for Biyeon’s sake. If the Chinese

government and the Special Defense Agency caught a whiff
of this meeting, it would become a great scandal. Yoo-seong
had nothing to lose, but Yang Biyeon’s reputation could be
damaged.
The Chinese public and its government were not that

forgiving.
‘Do it for you and me,’ Yoo-seong pleaded with his eyes.
As far as he was concerned, what Yang Biyeon needed right

now was not his appreciation and comfort. She needed to
return to China as quickly as possible, without anyone
knowing. She needed to go back and return to her duties.
It didn’t matter if he looked like a shameless bastard to her.

What was important was that she got out of this situation
unharmed.
“Please, speak,” Ambassador Joo Young-jin prompted her.
“What?” Yang Biyeon spat out in Chinese with her head

down. “Do you think you’re being cool right now?”
Both Yoo-seong and the Ambassador were confused. They

didn’t understand what she was saying.
Then Yang Biyeon raised her head. Her eyes were full of
tears. Her face was flushed, but it was not because she was
embarrassed.
She was furious.
Sensing a storm was about to erupt, Yoo-seong

unconsciously pressed his button. Auto-Hunt’s first action
was to take his phone out and open the translator app.
The very next moment…
“You’re really mean to me! You’re a bad guy!” Yang Biyeon

began ranting at him in rapid Chinese. The translator app
displayed her angry words.
“You keep treating me like a child! Do I look like a child to

you? Am I that stupid? I don’t think I’ve ever done anything
wrong to you. Can’t I do what I want? Can’t I come here and
meet the person I like?”
Ambassador Joo Young-jin, who was looking at Yoo-seong’s

screen, dropped his mouth wide open in surprise.
“Always. I have always accepted reality. This is this. That is

that. But is this too much to ask of you?”
Biyeon continued between sobs.
“If it weren’t for me, you would have been in trouble. What
is wrong with you? Why do you have to be mean to me? I’m
just… I don’t expect much, but…”
“Uh… uh…” Yoo-seong couldn’t say anything.
Other than using the translator app, Auto-Hunt didn’t have

any suggestions, either.
Yoo-seong had no idea what to do in the current situation.
‘Maybe she would feel better if she could slap me in the

face right now,’ Yoo-seong thought. He raised the button.
However, before he could tell Yang Biyeon anything, she

turned her head towards Ambassador Joo Young-jin and
spoke in Korean.
“You wanted me to talk. Well, I have something to tell you.”
She had the same tearful look. And, in the same broken
Korean, Biyeon continued.
“I want to be a Korean citizen.”
“What?!” Yoo-seong felt as if he had been hit on the back of

his head.
Yang Biyeon turned to him with her swollen eyes. Then she
spoke with more conviction than ever. “I got permission
from Father. I know what you’re thinking, and I know that
you do not approve. I don’t care. This is what I want to do
now. So, I will do it.”
Yang Biyeon was literally doing whatever she could to

pursue Yoo-seong.
‘Even if my relationship with Yoo-seong does not work out,
what else is there any way?’ she questioned herself.
Although Yoo-seong had the right to reject her, he did not
have the right to stop her.
Watching Yoo-seong’s stumped reaction, Yang Biyeon wiped

the tears off her face and turned to Ambassador Joo Young-
jin.
“I’m tired. I haven’t slept for two days. Do you have a guest
room I could use?”
The Ambassador immediately called for someone to assist

Yang Biyeon and prepare a room for her. And then she left,
leaving the two men alone.
Both Yoo-seong and Ambassador Joo Young-jin felt as if a

storm had just ravaged them.
“So that’s why she came here…” the Ambassador said

thoughtfully. Then, after a few moments of silence, he
turned to Yoo-seong with a smile on his face. “Well, I don’t
intend to meddle in your personal affairs… but based on
what I have heard, I think you were definitely in the wrong.”
Yoo-seong kept his head down.
“I also dated quite a few girls when I was younger,” the

Ambassador continued. “So I have seen this before. Be
careful. She seems to be a strong-willed one.”
“She is.” It was all Yoo-seong could say. “I know.”
“Then,” the Ambassador’s smile grew playful, “you

shouldn’t be wasting your time here.”
“What do you mean?” Yoo-seong raised his head, confused.

“Ahh!” Ambassador Joo Young-jin’s exasperated sigh filled
the room. “For such a great man, you don’t seem to know
anything about women!”
The next moment, Yoo-seong found himself being pushed

out of the room.
“Come on!” Ambassador Joo Young-jin told him Biyeon’s

room number. “Go get her!”
Then…
Bang-!
The door slammed behind Yoo-seong.
He was left standing dumbfounded in the silent embassy

corridor. After quite some time, he shook his head.
He couldn’t help but feel half-amused at his situation. Then

he began heading to where he had to go.
Chapter 122
EPISODE 122
Knock-
Knock-
Soft knocking sounds came from the door, but there was no
answer from the inside. Yoo-seong kept at it.
Knock-
Knock-
Still no answer.
‘There is nothing I can do.’ Yoo-seong sighed as he turned to

leave.
Right now, it would be useless to force a conversation

between him and Biyeon. If she needed time to calm down
and compose herself, it would be better if Yoo-seong
allowed her.
However, as soon as Yoo-seong turned away from the door…
Click-
It opened. Yoo-seong turned around.
Yang Biyeon’s gaze met his.

“…”
“…”
There was a silence.
Yoo-seong spoke first. “May I come in?”
Yang Biyeon’s eyes widened. ‘It was…’
He had not spoken in Korean. It was slow, and his accent

was as clumsy as when Yang Biyeon spoke Korean, but Yoo-
seong had spoken in Mandarin.
“When…?”
Yang Biyeon stared in disbelief. “I practiced. But I’m not as

good as you are.”
‘No way,’ Yang Biyeon said to herself.
Even though he had gotten an interpreter named Seoyu as

soon as he arrived and had a translator app with him at all
times, Yoo-seong was still slowly learning their language.
“It must be because of my personality.” Yoo-seong looked as

calm as ever.
However, this time, his eyes were on the floor, not Yang
Biyeon.
“I try to learn and grasp everything I can, to control things

as much as I can because… I am afraid.”
Yang Biyeon’s eyebrows raised.
‘What does he mean by this nonsense? Is he saying that

he’s a coward?’
Yoo-seong’s gaze stayed on the ground as he added, “I am
afraid of failing.”
Yang Biyeon was stunned by Yoo-seong’s honesty.
She didn’t know what to say.
“Whether it’s a monster or another adversity in life, when a

situation comes to me, I am afraid I won’t be able to control
it… that I won’t be able to take responsibility. So I push
myself to the utmost to overpower anything that gets in my
way.”
Of course, the people who knew Yoo-seong might not agree.

Even objectively, Yoo-seong was not a coward.
‘Maybe this is how he sees himself,’ thought Yang Biyeon,

who, for the first time, was seeing a different side to Yoo-
seong.
‘I’m not sure. But somehow, doesn’t everyone doubt

themselves?’
Yang Biyeon’s thoughts were cut off as Yoo-seong continued.
“I must not fail. I have to always prepare perfectly for

whatever may happen.”
For Yoo-seong, it had always been like this, even before he

started his life as a hunter. He was always looking to push
himself to another level. It didn’t matter if it meant he had
to put in more effort.
Whatever it took.
In that sense, Auto-Hunt was an irreplaceable blessing for

Yoo-seong. It allowed him to exceed the limits of a human
being.
“I started hunting out of mere coincidence. I never thought

I’d be a hunter. Even now, I still find it hard to believe.”
By continuously grinding, he’d stepped into a world he’d

never dreamed of before. But the thing was, the stronger he
became, the bigger the stage he played on grew.
More people started to depend on him. The consequences of

his failure also grew larger.
“Catching monsters, joining Dives, all this stuff is

frightening. But I can’t fail. I’d be responsible for anything
that went wrong. I simply cannot afford to fail.”
Yoo-seong was terrified of not being able to save the people

whose lives were at stake during every operation.
He was scared of betraying the trust and hope of the

citizens who depended on him.
“What scares me the most is that I could hurt people who

have done nothing but support me,” Yoo-seong sighed.
Yang Biyeon did nothing but listen.
“As much as possible, I want to avoid the possibility of

people trusting me, because I am afraid.”
‘He is a foolish coward,’ she thought.
“I understand,” Yang Biyeon’s answer was barely audible. “I

didn’t know you felt this way. If I’d known…”
“You wouldn’t have come this far,” Yoo-seong finished her

sentence.
“Yes.” Her mouth and throat struggled to let out words she
didn’t mean.
Despair tore at Yang Biyeon’s heart. Yoo-seong had come

knocking at her door, only to draw a deeper line between
them.
“If I’d thought you were such a pathetic human being, I

would not have liked you from the beginning,” she
whispered with regret.
Yoo-seong slowly stepped back after revealing his deepest

weakness to her.
‘I disgust her. I can’t be around her anymore,’ he decided.
“Oh my God. I cannot believe I almost got fooled by

someone like this. I’m angry…”
“I understand.” Yoo-seong helped Yang Biyeon out. “No one

likes pathetic people.”
“Yes, that’s right.” Yang Biyeon reached for the handle of

her door.
She gripped it so tightly that the metal groaned.
‘Let’s close the door,’ Yang Biyeon thought. ‘It is time to

close the door and accept it. You can bury yourself in pillows
and cry it out, or you can push your emotions down and
swallow them. But what is certain is… It’s really over now.
So close the door and forget this man.’
“So I want you to leave now…” she said with a voice that
was growing weaker and quieter.
Summoning every inch of strength she had, Yang Biyeon
pushed the door closed.
But-
Puk-
The door, which should have been firmly closed by now, did
not move. It was only when she raised her eyes that she
understood why.
Yoo-seong’s hand was blocking the door.
He was no longer staring at the floor. He was staring

straight at her.
“Why? Why…”
Yang Biyeon no longer knew what to say or feel.
“As I said. I may be a pathetic human being,” Yoo-seong

replied with an embarrassed smile, “but can I… uh… come
inside?”
Surprise flashed all over Yang Biyeon’s face. Then she

understood.
Yoo-seong had just shown her his bare face and revealed his
vulnerable side.
‘It takes a different kind of courage to do that,’ she thought.
With his personality, he should be in training right now or

doing anything else to push himself harder. However, he’d
still chosen to come here and speak with her. In his own
way, this pathetic man was trying to be brave right at this
moment.
‘If I said no…’ she thought, ‘wouldn’t I be a fool?’
Time passed in silence. Yoo-seong continued standing in the

hallway. Yang Biyeon remained at the doorway. Neither of
them moved or made a sound. After a while…
Click-!
The door closed. The hallway was finally empty.
***
It was dawn when Yang Chang-guk arrived at the embassy.
Politely refusing the Ambassador’s offer of breakfast, he

went straight to the basement. He found Yoo-seong
preparing for training.
“You came early,” Yoo-seong remarked as he heard the

footsteps approaching his door. He knew it was going to be
Yang Chang-guk even before he saw him. However, when
the door opened to reveal the man he was expecting, Yoo-
seong’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Director? What’s wrong?” he asked with concern.
Yang Chang-guk was breathing heavily. He had one hand on

his chest, and he was sweating profusely.
“I came running here… hold on.”
Yoo-seong watched him as he caught his breath.
Yang Chang-guk looked like someone who had not gotten a

good night’s sleep.
There were dark circles under his eyes, and his uncut beard
was growing thick. Even though he seemed to be wearing a
fresh change of clothes, they had creases all over.
His tie was also loose and out of place.
Yoo-seong prepared himself for the bad news. They’d both

known that the diplomatic matters Yang Chang-guk was
handling might not end smoothly.
“Fortunately,” Yang Chang-guk began between heavy

breaths, “you won’t have to stay here any longer. The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs… huh.”
Yang Chang-guk had to pause again and steady his

breathing before continuing. “Needless to say, the public
opinion is very favorable to your cause…”
“Then something else must have gone wrong. What is it?”

Yoo-seong was worried.
Yang Chang-guk walked toward Yoo-seong as he began to

explain the real problem.
“Two days. Thirty-two hours ago exactly. Cracks occurred

near the mountainous area of Hwacheon.”
“Hwacheon? The demilitarized zone? Did you have any

problem with North Korea?”
“Oh, it would have been easier if that was what happened.”

Yang Chang-guk shook his head.
Yoo-seong decided to listen in silence.
“It was a Typhoon-class crack, and fortunately, it was a

smooth operation without the need for further assistance
from the North. Our hunters completed it without any
problems. Then they turned on the pulse breaker to close
the crack…”
At that point, Yoo-seong realized what Yang Chang-guk was

about to tell him.
“But six hours and twenty-one minutes later, a crack formed

in the same location. According to the observatory, in terms
of the size, shape, and location of the crack…”
“It was the exact same as the previous one,” Yoo-seong

finished his sentence.
The Director nodded.
“Typhoon-class. It perfectly matches the previous crack.

Fortunately, there were a few teams that were still on the
site. It was a close call. Thanks to the quick response from
the hunters that remained, no harm was done, and they
were able to complete the operation.” Yang Chang-guk’s
voice trembled as he continued. “But two hours later, the
crack opened again. It’s like that crack you closed in Tokyo.”
“So it’s still open?”
Yoo-seong quickly realized that he already knew the answer

to his question. Yang Chang-guk did not even need to tell
him.
“We formed a wide barrier, and we’re going to have hunters

take turns stopping the incoming monster waves. Thanks to
you, the situation is better in terms of manpower fatigue,
but with this…” Yang Chang-guk pressed his hand to his
forehead.
Yoo-seong understood that there was more to the problem.

It was what he had been worried about when he closed the
crack in Tokyo.
“If there is a first, there will be a second…” he muttered.
“No, Yoo-seong. You’re wrong.”
“What?” Yoo-seong did not understand.
“The crack you closed in Tokyo, and this crack in

Hwacheon… they were not the first and the second.”
Yang Chang-guk leaned closer to him as if the information

he was about to say were confidential.
“As of yesterday, five reports from different countries have

already reached our Special Defense Agency. Such incidents
have already occurred in five other areas. Every Special
Defense Agency is trying to control this information and
prevent panic from spreading out through the media.”
“I don’t think it will be easy,” Yoo-seong told the Director.
With the action cam footage he’d taken during the Tokyo
operation, millions of people around the world had seen the
strange crack that didn’t close.
Right now, the common opinion was that it was a freak

occurrence, something probably caused by a pulse breaker
malfunction. However, the citizens had already formed the
idea that an Unclosed Crack existed.
“I know.” Yang Chang-guk had read his thoughts. “But these

people… they also know someone who could close an
Unclosed Crack by himself.”
Finally, Yoo-seong realized why Yang Chang-guk had come

running to him.
He didn’t have a reason to hide the Sky Needle. It was just
something that could be used to close cracks other than a
pulse breaker.
Also, it was his rightful possession, and no one had any

reason to take it from him. However, with the arrival of this
new phenomenon…
“We’re supposed to be happy, but honestly, I can’t help but

feel worried about it right now,” Yang Chang-guk admitted.
They had a treasure in their possession. However, a treasure

of such value could potentially lead to a disaster of the type
that could hurt its possessor.
“If more of these Unclosed Cracks appear, it will not be easy

for you, Yoo-seong. Why don’t you stay here for a while? The
embassy would be the best…”
“No.” Yoo-seong cut him off. “I will take care of it.”
The time had come for him to return.

Chapter 123
EPISODE 123
“Thank you for everything, Ambassador.”
Ambassador Joo Young-jin, who had been having his

breakfast, looked embarrassed. “What? Are you leaving? I
know we haven’t heard yet from…”
“But I do not have to stay any longer.” At this, Yoo-seong

bowed his head deeply toward the Ambassador. “Thank you
so much for your consideration.”
“Hmm… Yes. I am lucky to have met a great person. I pray

that good things happen to you in the future.”
After saying goodbye, Yoo-seong went back to his room to

start packing. Yang Chang-guk was also waiting inside.
However, as they were packing…
Knock-
Knock-
“Come on in,” Yoo-seong yelled.
When the door opened, Yang Chang-guk’s face froze in

shock. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Ambassador
Joo Young-jin and Yoo-seong had mentioned a hunter
defecting to Korea. He’d thought this was good news.
Hunter defection was not at all common. Although Japan
was not known for Tech or Psy, it was never bad to have
more manpower, especially during these times.
However, this person…
“I heard you were leaving.” Yang Biyeon stood at the

doorway.
Unlike Ambassador Joo Young-jin, Yang Chang-guk

recognized her at first glance. How could he not? She was
China’s hottest hunter right now. It was only right for a
Special Defense Agency Director to pay attention to top-
notch hunters in other countries.
Yang Biyeon’s eyes turned to Yang Chang-guk, and Yoo-

seong nodded at her.
“Hi,” she said in Korean. “I’d like to acquire Korean

citizenship.”
“What… C-Could you repeat that?” Yang Chang-guk wanted

to make sure he’d heard it right.
“Yes. I’d like to acquire Korean citizenship.”
From the moment he saw her, Yang Chung-guk’s head had

been filled with only one thought.
‘It does not make sense.’
This woman was Yang Biyeon of the Red Dragon Society, the
current CEO of the giant company that dominated the
continent. China would never allow a member of the Red
Dragon Society to leave their country, let alone its head.
Moreover, she was also currently ranked seventh in the
legendary Chinese Ship Zone. She was a descendant of a
great family who had a rare, genetically-inherited Psy.
If Yang Chung-guk could collect and combine the value of all

the hunters who had defected to Korea in the past twenty
years, the result would probably still be less than half of
Yang Biyeon’s value.
“Great, great…” Yang Chang-guk said as he stepped towards

Yoo-seong and pulled him close. “How did this happen?!” he
whispered urgently.
“I told you, didn’t I? There’s a hunter who wants to defect,”

Yoo-seong said matter-of-factly.
“No, but this… if she wants to defect, there must be

something they want to take from our country.”
“The Director should not speak that way,” Yang Biyeon

commented. “I can hear everything.”
‘I do not care if you hear it or not,’ Yang Chung-guk thought.

He couldn’t help but feel suspicious. ‘Honestly, at this level,
isn’t it right to be suspicious rather than grateful?’
It was too good to be true. Yang Biyeon could be a bait to

lure Oh Yoo-seong over.
She might be disguised as someone who wanted to defect,

so she could remain at Yoo-seong’s side and steadily
convince him.
There must also be elaborate plans to kidnap or perhaps

even assassinate Oh Yoo-seong. Otherwise, why would a
Ship Zone member be involved?
‘Yes. That’s right,’ Yang Chang-guk convinced himself. ‘No
matter how I consider it, that is the most likely reason. The
Chinese government sent Yang Biyeon to target Yoo-seong.’
“No matter how I look at it, it’s suspicious,” he whispered to

Yoo-seong.
Then Yang Chang-guk glanced back and took a look at Yang

Biyeon.
For some reason, she was avoiding eye contact.
‘I’m sure of it.’
Yang Chang-guk looked back at Yoo-seong.
“I am almost a hundred percent sure that she came here for

a purpose. That’s what my gut tells me. I’m willing to bet on
it.”
“Really?” Yoo-seong couldn’t help but feel amused.
“Defection is just an excuse. She will use whatever means

necessary to stick close to your side.”
Yang Chang-guk had no idea that his gut feeling was way off
the mark. And yet, in some ways, he was also surprisingly
close to the truth.
“If possible, why don’t you subdue her now? It might be an

ungentlemanly act, but I think it can’t be helped if we want
to minimize the risk.”
“Hmm.”
“You can do it quietly and bring her to Korea. We will

definitely gain something from it. Fortunately, she used the
faked identity of an ordinary Chinese tourist, so if only you
could completely disarm her…”
“Let’s do that,” Yoo-seong agreed.
At this, Yang Chang-guk smiled brightly. He couldn’t believe

that Yoo-seong trusted him so well. Defeating Yang Biyeon
would not be easy, even for Yoo-seong, but if anyone had a
chance against her—
“Yang Biyeon!” Yoo-seong shouted as he turned to her.
“Yes?”
“Come over here for a moment.”
Yang Biyeon quickly walked towards them. Yang Chang-guk

felt stunned as he watched what was unfolding before him.
“I think we have to act separately for the meantime,” Yoo-

seong continued.
“Separately?”
“Yes. If you come with me, you will be in the spotlight. It

would be better for you to be seen with the Director. You two
are going to take the flight back to Korea together.”
Yang Chang-guk was just about to speak in disapproval.

‘No,’ he thought, ‘when I asked you to subdue her quickly,
this isn’t what I had in mind. This won’t work.’
“Are you okay with that?” Yoo-seong asked Biyeon, not

caring about Yang Chang-guk’s thoughts.
“But I wanted to come with you,” Yang Biyeon disagreed.

It was quite a different attitude from what Yang Chang-guk
was expecting.
“Can’t I come in disguise? I will never get in your way. I feel

anxious going without you.”
Yang Chang-guk kept his mouth shut and turned to look at

Yoo-seong. His attitude was even more surprising.
“You’re really stubborn, aren’t you? Listen to me,” Yoo-seong

said with a big smile.
“Y-You don’t have to say it that way,” said Yang Biyeon.
This time, Yang Chang-guk felt restless. After a pause…
“Okay,” Yang Biyeon finally said after giving it some

thought.
Despite her reputation, she looked so innocent as she

nodded at Yoo-seong’s suggestion. “I will do it. I will not be
stubborn.”
‘What is happening?’ Yang Chang-guk thought in confusion.

‘I am well aware that Yoo-seong and Yang Biyeon are
personal acquaintances, but the atmosphere between these
two is…’
Suddenly, realization struck him. ‘Something is going on.’
“Then I’ll see you later,” Yoo-seong said as he picked up his

bag and turned to leave.
Right before exiting the room, he stopped as if he’d just

realized something. “Oh, come to think of it.”
He looked back at Yang Chang-guk, who was listening

intently.
“The two of you have the same last name. Yang! You should
be friends!”
Yoo-seong left the room with a bright expression on his face.

An awkward silence fell upon the room he’d just left.
Yang Chang-guk felt uneasy and looked as if he did not have

the slightest idea of what to say. Eventually, it was Yang
Biyeon who spoke first.
“Well…”
“Yes?” Yang Chang-guk responded immediately.
With a very serious expression, Yang Biyeon asked him,

“Which ‘Yang’ character do you use?”
***
Yoo-seong walked out of the embassy’s main gate.
“Oh, oh, oh!”
“That man!”
The eyes of the far-right protesters, who were rallying in

front of the embassy, widened in surprise, but Yoo-seong
walked by without minding them.
He was wearing casual clothing, walking down the street

without attempting to disguise himself. ‘This is quite
irritating,’ he thought.
He was being followed by at least five… No, maybe more

than eight.
As Yoo-seong’s distance from the embassy grew, so did the

number of people covertly following him. Nevertheless, Yoo-
seong walked without care, with both hands in his pockets.
He walked through narrow alleys and less-populated streets.

Then, upon reaching an empty street, he heard a familiar
voice behind him.
“You made a mistake.”
Yoo-seong turned around.
There was a middle-aged man with dark circles almost down

to his cheeks. This was the Director of the Disaster
Management Administration.
Chairman Tatsuo Sukune’s son-in-law.
‘Kodama.’
He looked more exhausted than Yang Chang-guk.
“I don’t know what kind of self-confidence you have, but

what were you thinking walking out here in the open?”
“Is that all you want to say?” Yoo-seong retorted.
“What…”
Before he even finished his response…
“Ha-ah!” A loud shout broke out of Yoo-seong’s mouth.
“Huh?”
Thinking that Yoo-seong was about to attack, Kodama

crouched and raised his Aura, and he wasn’t the only one.
Tatak-!
Sheriffs from the Disaster Management Administration, who
had been hiding all over the street, popped out one after
another.
All of them had Auras raised, ready to capture Yoo-seong at

any moment. They were waiting for Kodama’s orders and
were on constant edge.
Yoo-seong’s sudden reaction startled them, leaving them no

choice but to reveal themselves. However, this “sudden
reaction” did not end there. With his hands still in his
pockets, Yoo-seong bent down and pressed a button.
At this, one of the sheriffs jumped at Yoo-seong.
However, as soon as the sheriff was in the air, Yoo-seong

leaped and met him, kicking him away. He’d done it to
defend himself, but in the eyes of the sheriffs, the arrogant
foreigner had dared to cross the line first!
“What?!”
“He’s crazy!”
They were all caught in surprise.
Yoo-seong spun in the air with his hands in his pockets.
Then he pulled his hands out, revealing a bunch of silver

coins. They were Yen coins used by the embassy’s staff.
Soon after, coins began to bounce one by one off Yoo-

seong’s thumbs.
Ta-ang-!
Ta-ang-!
“Dodge it!”
Even if it was a simple coin flip, Yoo-seong’s Aura made it

almost as strong as shooting bullets.
However, these were sheriffs.
Even when faced with an opponent armed with a machine

gun, for them avoiding bullets was an easy feat. They were
able to easily dodge the coins that Yoo-seong was shooting
all over the alley.
“This is too easy!”
“It’s nothing!”
They thought they might have overestimated Yoo-seong. His

power and speed were not as strong as they had initially
thought.
At best, his shots were a little stronger than a Gellar Gun. An

average person might be seriously injured if they got hit by
these, but not hunters or sheriffs.
It did not matter if they got hit. They could use Aura to
protect themselves.
All they had to do was wait him out. In the end, they knew
that there was a limit to Yoo-seong’s attack.
And in less than ten seconds, it came.
Yoo-seong ran out of coins. The sheriffs steadied themselves

to counter-attack. However… They didn’t have the slightest
idea of what was about to happen next.
Quazzik-!
Yoo-seong pulled his arms together. The coins were
connected with his Spider Web threads. As they bounced
around the alley, everyone in range had been caught by the
invisible trap Yoo-seong had set.
“Arggh!”
“I can’t…”
The threads were now pulled so tautly that it was impossible

for them to move.
Using Auto-Hunt, Yoo-seong tightened his threads at each of

the sheriffs’ vital spots. One by one, his captors lost
consciousness as he pressed their nerves by tightening his
threads.
Soon, it was only Kodama who was left conscious,

suspended in the air like a marionette.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t believe this is over.” He raised his

bloodshot eyes. “We’re just a small part of the hunt.
Everyone in this city wants your blood!” his vile voice
echoed.
“Everyone?” Yoo-seong simply raised an eyebrow at him.
“The Prime Minister, and all those who your cross-border

activities have harmed. You have damaged the system here.
You have meddled in things where you shouldn’t have
meddled.”
Then there was silence.
Not a word came out of Kodama’s mouth after he saw Yoo-

seong’s expression.
Yoo-seong was looking at him as if he were a cockroach
crawling in the kitchen.
Swish-!
Yoo-seong turned around to walk back to the other side of

the street.
“You will not be able to leave this country!”
Kodama felt anger, defeat, shame, all at the same time as

he watched Yoo-seong leave.
“The airports and the harbors, all exits are already blocked!”
It was true. Yoo-seong knew that they were ready to use

everything at their disposal against him.
“You will… never…”
“You have a very poor imagination,” Yoo-seong said without

looking back at him.
***
For the next two hours, no one working under Tatsuo Sukune
sighted Oh Yoo-seong.
He was not seen on roads leading to airports or harbors. Yet,

without using any tricks, not even the Sky Scissors and the
Sky Needle, Yoo-seong reached his destination.
He paused at the view before him.
Then he straightened his clothes a little.
He was, after all, at the official residence of the Japanese

Prime Minister. Boldly and without hesitation, he opened his
mouth and yelled out, “Come out here!”
Chapter 124
EPISODE 124
Yukio Murata had a will strong enough for him to stand as a

country’s Prime Minister. No matter how much the whole
country hated him right now, even if the citizens were
spitting on his photos and tearing them apart, he was strong
enough to endure it.
The road to the top was not without hardships.
The only difference was that, in this case, there was no sign
of an end.
Still, his strong will was the only thing holding him back from
a mental breakdown. That was because, right in front of
him…
Beep-!
The phone on his desk began ringing. Murata tried to pick it

up, but an old man’s voice stopped him.
“How about focusing on what is in front of you?”
It was the sarcasm in the old man’s voice that stopped

Murata’s hand.
‘Tatsuo Sukune.’
He had come to visit the Prime Minister.

“Shouldn’t we know what’s going on right now?” Prime
Minister Murata asked.
“Are you sure that you want to answer the phone?’ Tatsuo
Sukune retorted.
The Prime Minister eventually gave up on answering the

phone and decided to focus on the Chairman. A girl in her
mid-teens was standing behind the Leto Group Chairman’s
wheelchair.
“Did you say you were the Chairman’s youngest daughter?”

Prime Minister Murata asked as he turned to her in an
attempt to ease the mood.
However, as if she weren’t remotely interested in the Prime

Minister, she looked at the other side of the room and
scanned his office.
The Prime Minister had intended to leave all of this

morning’s schedule blank. Even though having some time
alone would not give him the answers to his problems, he’d
still wanted to at least have the time to breathe. However,
about ten minutes ago, two uninvited guests had appeared
at his door.
They had not even bothered to inform him about their visit.
The Prime Minister directed his attention to the door. He

wondered what was happening outside.
There was no fuss, or even a phone call informing him that

something was wrong. The reason for this was not hard to
guess.
“It is a bad habit to avoid the topic at hand, Prime Minister.”

The old man was an expert in mental manipulation. It was
said that he had no rival, not only in Japan, but also in Asia
and the entire world.
And even without this ability, he had a strong influence over

half of Tokyo’s hunters. It would be easy for him to
neutralize the security protecting the Prime Minister’s
residence.
“I did not come to you because I wanted to waste my time,”

Tatsuo Sukune stated. “I have already listened to your
request. You asked for the forced detention of Oh Yoo-seong
at the Korean Embassy, as you’re well aware. So, isn’t it
only natural that we proceed with the next step?”
‘No. It’s not normal,’ Murata thought.
“Think carefully, Prime Minister. Whose gold was it that gave

you the seat you’re sitting in now?”
The Chairman’s words were not wrong.
“It’s not that I do not understand what you’re saying.” Prime

Minister Murata closed his eyes. “But even for the Chairman
of the Leto Group, and even for one in my position, what
you’re asking for is just too much,” he added.
“There is no such thing as absolutely too much. You are the

Prime Minister of this country.”
“That’s right.” Prime Minister Murata opened his eyes and

nodded. “I am the Prime Minister, but just a Prime Minister. I
am not an Emperor or a King. What you are asking for is
something that I cannot do. What I can do, however, is to
help the future of this country and its people.”
The old man’s eyes widened.

“That’s the most ridiculous nonsense I’ve ever heard.” It
was Chika Sukune who spoke this time.
She looked bored and was commenting without a second

thought. Tatsuo Sukune burst out laughing.
“My, my. My Prime Minister seems to have developed a

sense of duty all of a sudden!”
Before Prime Minister Murata was even able to answer, the

old man lifted his index finger and shook it from side to side.
“If you were really thinking about that, you wouldn’t be in
this position, would you? Prime Minister, I’ve seen all your
videos. Everyone, including my daughter and me, saw it. I
heard what you said to Oh Yoo-seong.”
Upon saying this, Chairman Tatsuo Sukune began laughing

again. “You weren’t thinking about your country and its
people then. You gave up!”
“I admit my decisions have not been perfect, and I’m just

trying to figure out how to regain my honor,” Prime Minister
Murata replied in a humble tone. “If I ordered his arrest, that
would immediately result in more backlash. Unless it’s
something that the whole country wants…”
“You idiot!” the old man yelled. “You have the power to
make decisions that move and shape the country!”
Suddenly, Chika Sukune was behind Murata, with her hands

on his shoulder. The pressure of those childlike hands was
unbelievably strong.
“Ugh!” Murata groaned.
“Shall I break it?” A horrifying question came out of the

girl’s mouth.
“I’m still talking to him. It is not the time for you to step in.”
“But I’m bored, Papa,” Chika complained.
“I’ll remind you that it’s not your place to step in,” Tatsuo
Sukune said sternly.
Yet, contrary to his stern voice, Prime Minister Murata could

tell that the old man was embarrassed. The girl’s attitude
was not very submissive to the old man. In fact, no one else
had the guts to talk to the Chairman that way.
“Sheesh!” Chika exclaimed as she removed her hands from

the Prime Minister’s shoulder.
The old man then continued speaking. “The problem with

you is your guts. A man standing on a high cliff should not
be afraid of the waves beneath it. I don’t think you have the
guts to do what I’m asking.”
The Prime Minister noticed what the old man was trying to
do.
No, he had been aware of it right from the beginning.
“Yukio, look into my eyes and listen to me…”
Tatsuo Sukune was planning to control the situation by

placing the Prime Minister under the influence of his Tech.
“This. Think this over rationally!” Prime Minister Murata

exclaimed in desperation. “Do you think people won’t notice
that I’ve been hypnotized? Everyone knows you are a
Puppeteer. Everyone will notice, and what happened will be
obvious to everyone.”
“So what?!” The old man laughed harder. “I told you, it’s
just a matter of guts. And unlike you, I’m not scared.”
The old man’s eyes bore straight in his direction.
“I’m going to take everything I have given you and this

country so far. That is my right and your duty.”
Prime Minister Murata struggled and tried to turn his head

away but a pair of hands was holding the sides of his head
firmly.
“Get it done quickly. Be quiet. It doesn’t hurt much.” It was

Chika’s voice, trying to hold back a yawn.
“You don’t have to worry too much. I have no intention of

making you a ‘puppet.’ Your mind will be fine. Have you
ever heard of Geis?”
Of course, the Prime Minister had.
use of them on humans were strictly regulated under

international laws regardless of type.
Geis was a British Tech that was especially notorious. It was

something that could only be used on humans, not
monsters. Once caught in it, a great deal of pain came to
the “puppet” if they violated the instructions of the
“puppeteer.”
A British family, who owned Geis’s secrets, had tried to use

this to extend their influence across the political and
financial world.
Fortunately, they were discovered by the British sheriffs.

The family members had been sentenced to life
imprisonment, and the secrets to their Tech had been
confiscated and hidden by the British government.
“I got a copy of it by chance. I even improved it to another

level. Even if you don’t violate my command, I can still
trigger pain at the slightest use of my CE.”
With a scream of terror, Prime Minister Murata tried to close

his eyes.
“How will it be? Can you resist the pain from the Geis?
Would you suffer ‘for the people,’ as you said?”
“Hah! Stop! You’re insane!”
“I hope so.”
With sinister laughter, the old man’s fingers danced in front

of the Prime Minister’s eyes. As with all Tech, it required
preparation.
For Geis, the victim needed to see a series of gestures from

the puppeteer’s fingers. Once the series had been
completed, Prime Minister Murata would completely be
under Tatsuo Sukune’s control.
‘Please.’
Screaming and howling, the Prime Minister begged.
‘If I don’t watch those fingers…’
‘If I don’t move…’
It was then…
Ting-!
The sound of metal bouncing off a hard surface.
From behind Tatsuo Sukune, a silver flash flew in and got

stuck in the Prime Minister’s desk.
Chairman Sukune’s fingers immediately stopped moving as

he looked at what had flown in.
“A hundred yen?”
Murata, whose eyes were still firmly shut, doubted what he

had just heard.
‘A hundred yen?’
‘What is he talking about?’
“What the-”
Tatsuo Sukune felt the pressure of something invisible

holding his body down. He tried to turn around, but he
couldn’t move, as if he were caught by something.
“Oh my. The more I use it, the more convenient it gets,” a
familiar voice said in Korean.
Prime Minister Murata’s eyes opened, and he saw Yoo-seong

at the doorway.
“I didn’t mean to come in without permission.” Yoo-seong

shrugged at him before continuing his explanation. “You
weren’t answering the phone, and your security guys look a
little weird, so I was wondering if something had happened.”
“Chika!” Tatsuo Sukune shouted for his daughter.
The Spider Thread was holding him down firmly, but he

recognized Yoo-seong’s voice even if he could not turn
around to confirm it.
How could he not?
Yoo-seong was the hateful bastard that had ruined

everything. However, this time, it would not be easy for him.
At this point, Chika had fully recovered. If he could somehow

remove the thread that was confining his body, Yoo-seong
would have to deal with the two of them.
“Go ahead and untie me! Make that cheeky guy kneel
before me at all costs!”
However, even before he finished speaking, the old man’s

eyes widened in horror. His youngest daughter, standing
behind Prime Minister Murata…
Chika Sukune had a very strange expression.
“I do not want to,” she answered her father.
“What?!” The Chairman could not believe what he was

hearing.
“I don’t want to, Papa.”
There was a hint of laughter on her face. It was her unique,

pure laughter that everyone in the family feared. “I don’t
want to fight him right now. I want something else.”
Then Chika’s upper body jerked and shook violently.
Tatsuo Sukune was a person who took thorough precautions.
Not only his subordinates but also members of his family,

even his precious daughter, were under his Tech’s control.
There were no exceptions.
The pain it caused was similar to the entire nervous system
getting torn apart. The solution to stop the pain was simple.
Follow Tatsuo Sukune’s instructions. However, somehow…
“It has been quite a while…”
Upon hearing this, the Chairman’s jaw dropped.
While convulsing with pain, Chika Sukune was talking.
The pain was enough to render anyone speechless, so this

shouldn’t be happening.
“Whatever I do, I just can’t seem to feel anything. It’s not

just with pain, but even eating or drinking. That is why I get
sick and tired of everything right away.”
Chika raised her head.
Dark red veins embroidered her white face.
“So, at times when I can feel something, it makes me really

happy. It often starts out as fun, but after a while, it gets
boring.”
As she spoke, the dark red lines on her face were gradually
disappearing. Her upper body was going back to a
comfortable, upright position.
In addition to this, the smile on her face was growing larger.
Tatsuo Sukune was filled with unspeakable horror as he

watched Chika overcome Geis right before his eyes.
“The pain I get when I don’t listen to you felt really, really
good at first. So I disobey you on purpose sometimes just to
feel it. But after a while…”
“Ch-Chika…”
“I think maybe since I was fifteen? I got tired of it. I was just
pretending that it hurts so you would feel that you’re still in
control, but…”
Tatsuo Sukune was shaking with fear.
Even when Yoo-seong appeared, he hadn’t felt afraid at all.

He had a perfect weapon he could control at will.
But now, the weapon seemed to be aimed at him.
“But now, Papa, you don’t entertain me anymore.”
Swish-!
In the blink of an eye, Chika’s smiling face appeared right in

front of her father.
“So now I will do whatever I want without your permission.”
The next moment, she was grabbing her father’s hands.
Crack-!
“Ga-aaaah!” Tatsuo Sukune yelled in agony.
He had never been a close combatant.
It was also true that he had little experience in dealing with

monsters.
“You, you! What, what, what, what… ugh!”
“What? Can’t you see?” A cold laugh flowed out of her

throat. “I am taking your throne, Papa.”
Then she threw Yoo-seong an unexpected wink.
Crunch-!
There was the sound of something breaking.
Chika grabbed her father’s face in her palm and crushed his
teeth and jawbone.
The screams had stopped by this point, but it wasn’t enough

for her. With her thumb and middle finger, she pierced
Tatsuo Sukune’s eyeballs.
“You don’t have to worry about the future,” she whispered

to her father in a cheerful voice. “My brothers are in critical
condition. You, unfortunately, met with an accident while
you were dealing with the Prime Minister. I’m the only one
left in our family, so the succession isn’t complicated at all.”
Only then did Chika untie the threads Yoo-seong had placed
over her father. Then she turned her head toward Yoo-
seong.
“You looked surprised,” she said.
Yoo-seong did not know Japanese, so he did not have the

slightest idea of what she was saying.
She seemed not to have realized that, as she continued

talking.
“I wanted to take my time doing this to my father, but I

didn’t expect we’d see each other so soon. It’s really
fascinating. It’s the first time I’ve felt alive since middle
school,” she added cheerfully.
“Say something, why don’t you?” She smiled back at him.

Yoo-seong’s expression didn’t change as he looked back at
her silently.
She licked her lips. “I want us to fight as long and hard as

the last time. However, I’m going to be patient. No matter
how much fun it is, if I experience it too often, I will soon get
sick of it. Besides, I have a lot of things to play with right
now.”
Chika turned the wheelchair around and began pushing it.
A frenzy would erupt within the Sukune family as soon as

she arrived home.
The giant Leto Group would soon fall apart with her father’s
demise. However, she was looking forward to enjoying all
the trouble that would happen in the future.
“I’ll make sure to see you next time,” Chika said as she
pushed the wheelchair past Yoo-seong.
Soon after, they disappeared out of the office.
“Hooh…” Yoo-seong shivered slightly as he let out a sigh.
He then approached Prime Minister Murata. After all that

had happened in front of him, the Prime Minister seemed
out of his senses.
Yoo-seong pulled up a chair and sat down to face him. He

sat in the same spot where Tatsuo Sukune had been just a
while ago.
“Well, anyway, based on the circumstances, it would have

been quite a big problem if I hadn’t arrived.”
Yoo-seong leaned back in the chair, sitting comfortably.

“Shouldn’t we begin?”
“What, what?”
“Don’t we have stuff to talk about right now? I believe you

know it well.”
At this, Yoo-seong gave a unique smile.
To Murata, it looked a lot like those of the two monsters they

had just encountered.
What options did one have in this kind of situation?
The negotiation was brief. Soon enough, Murata found

himself bowing down.
The floor felt very hard against his knees.

Chapter 125
EPISODE 125
“I am…”
The moment he opened his mouth, countless thoughts

passed through the Prime Minister’s head.
A lifetime of pride.
Ever since he was nineteen, when he had decided to

become the country’s Prime Minister, he remembered
bowing his head to others countless times.
However, it was all just an act. ‘I am different.’
Even though he’d bowed his head and apologized, Prime

Minister Murata’s heart had not bent at all.
‘The day will come where I will stand above all of you. I will
never break. Someday, I will be the one holding the hilt.’
However, this time, it was all different.
He felt exhausted and broken. He was in a desperate

situation where his life as a Prime Minister and as a
politician was about to be over.
‘Besides, didn’t I almost become a living puppet just now? In

my own home, the Prime Minister’s official residence, I was
weak and helpless.’
‘Yes, I was helpless.’
In the end, he was just an ordinary person.
His point of breaking was just a little further than that of

others’. He simply hadn’t realized it until it was too late.
“I… I…”
So far, everything that he’d done had only become possible

because he’d believed that he was special.
“I was stupid. No, I’m mistaken. I was under a delusion and

did something that I shouldn’t have.”
Prime Minister Murata’s words were more critical toward

himself than Yoo-seong.
“If only I had been thinking clearly, if I had used my

authority to the fullest, made the most of your ability, the
Self-Defense Forces and the hunters…”
“That’s it.”
Yoo-seong clapped his hands sharply. At this, Prime Minister

Murata raised his head.
“Get up.”
Yoo-seong did not look happy. “What are you doing?” he

asked.
“Apologizing,” the Prime Minister answered.
“I understand what you’re trying to say, but do you think

your apology will fix everything? Just because you
apologized to me, it doesn’t mean that everything is over,”
Yoo-seong said clearly.
Depending on what Prime Minister Murata said and did, Yoo-
seong would act accordingly.
“If you think that your apology will correct and cover up all
of your mistakes, then you are clearly not a Prime Minister.”
Just then, the Prime Minister felt a lump in his throat.
“With only the two of us here, kneeling down and speaking

gibberish means nothing.”
“What then?” the Prime Minister asked Yoo-seong in an

emotional voice. “I won’t be the Prime Minister for long.
Definitely not after a few days. Thanks to you…”
Prime Minister Murata’s words trailed off. He had clearly said

too much.
“Thanks to me? You didn’t do anything yourself?” Yoo-seong

asked him.
“Ah, no…”
“Please sit down for now,” Yoo-seong said as he pointed to a

chair.
“Sit down. The ‘few days’ you talk about aren’t over yet, so
you are still the Prime Minister of this country. I am here to
talk to such a person. If you are not who I think you are…”
Yoo-seong pointed to the door on the other side of the room,
“you can get out of here, and we’ll never have to see each
other again.”
Prime Minister Murata got up off his knees. For the first time
in his life, his apology had gone over without much effect.
“Let’s start with the most basic matter,” began Yoo-seong.
“On my way here, I had an unpleasant encounter with the
Director of the Disaster Management Administration.”
The Prime Minister responded quickly. “The Director of the

Disaster Management Administration, whatever he’s done, I
did not give him direct orders. It was Chairman Sukune’s…”
“That is not an excuse.”
Prime Minister Murata stopped talking.
“Honestly, I don’t know much about politics. I don’t even

know the difference between a President and a Prime
Minister. However, when a nation’s Special Defense Forces
move to capture an individual for personal reasons, doesn’t
that mean that the head of state is tolerating it?”
Yoo-seong did not even wait for an answer. He continued to

speak as Murata tried to open his mouth.
“Cut it out. It’s not an order, but I hope there will be no more
hindrances in my return to Korea.”
“Of course,” the Prime Minister answered.
Yoo-seong’s request would not be difficult to fulfill. However,

he also had other things in mind.
“You might be asking yourself, why should you do such a

thing?”
“I-I don’t feel that way,” the Prime Minister stammered.
“No, I understand. Whether you feel sorry for me or not, it’s

a matter of whether or not you need to take the trouble.”
Prime Minister Murata was about to be dismissed anyway. If
he were left with no motivation, then there would be no
more reason for him to fulfill any of Yoo-seong’s requests.
“So,” said Yoo-seong, “I’d like to offer something to motivate

you.”
The Prime Minister’s eyes lit up. It was an almost

unconscious reaction.
“For now, I’d like you to apologize more. Whether on a live

broadcast or whatever, I would like you to apologize to
everyone for what you said and did,” Yoo-seong explained.
It fell far short of what the Prime Minister expected.
“Now…” He swallowed back what he was about to say. ‘Are

you kidding me?’ He took a deep breath.
“If only that were likely to work,” Prime Minister Murata

reasoned.
“Whether it works or not, isn’t that what you have to do?

You seem to be mistaken – this is not a suggestion. It’s the
least you can do to prove yourself to me.”
“Prove?”
Prime Minister Murata didn’t like where this seemed to be

going.
“How many times do I have to tell you? I’m here to talk to

the Prime Minister. I have nothing to give to anyone who
acts less than human, someone who turns a blind eye to his
responsibilities.”
“Me? Less than human?!”

Yoo-seong’s words were getting harsher and harsher.
However, more than ever, even though his pride deeply hurt
him, Prime Minister Murata did not get up.
‘Would it be more appropriate to say that I can’t?’
The thing was, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Whether it was because of the faint hope that Yoo-seong

might give him or the guilt brought on by his own shame, he
was uncertain.
“When you came to me, you knew that the cracks that
appeared were no ordinary cracks.”
“I saw the report that came up.”
The Prime Minister knew at least as much information as

Yang Chang-guk. After all, he was still the Prime Minister of
Japan, and he was entitled to know such information.
“This information has not yet been released to the public. I

wish, for my own reasons, never to disclose it, but that
would be overly optimistic,” said Yoo-seong.
At this, Prime Minister Murata agreed.
There were already cracks that couldn’t be closed in a few

countries, and the local governments were shutting down
entire regions.
If these cracks appeared at the same pace as before, even

countries with the most advanced hunting systems might
reach their limits unless they found better innovations.
However, an even more terrible risk was this information

becoming public in the future.
“But, as you know, I closed it.”
“How?” the Prime Minister asked.
“I have the ability to do so,” Yoo-seong said casually.
It was the only information he intended on giving.
“The rules are simple,” Yoo-seong continued. “The cracks

that need to be closed, I have to visit them myself, not
someone else.
Prime Minister Murata immediately understood. If Oh Yoo-

seong was right, then the man before him was a hunter who
came with expensive labor costs. In addition to this, if luck
did not smile upon the technological advancement of
mankind, his cost would rise exponentially.
“I don’t think I understand. I don’t know what you’re offering

me.”
It would make a huge difference if he managed to negotiate

with Yoo-seong and employ his abilities for Japan.
Yoo-seong’s achievements would also be his achievements.

And the fact that Yoo-seong was offering him this suggested
that whatever conflict they’d had between them had been
resolved.
Of course, the public’s criticism would remain, but the crisis

that could end his political career could be resolved. As the
Prime Minister wrapped his head around his thoughts, Yoo-
seong took out his wallet.
Pak-!
He pulled out a small, square piece of paper and placed it
on the table. It wasn’t expensive. About 48,000 won had
been spent on about a hundred copies.
It was a new business card that Seoyu had made after

returning to Korea.
As a hunter’s value increased, the number of business cards

with the hunter’s direct number also decreased.
With luxury, after all, came scarcity.
After Yoo-seong placed his business card on the table, Prime

Minister Murata tried to reach out for it, but…
Knock-
Knock-
Yoo-seong placed his index finger on the business card,

preventing him from picking it up.
“What?” the Prime Minister asked.
“Didn’t you say you that you have no idea what I’m offering
you? But you’re going to take it up front when we haven’t
even talked about yet?”
For a moment, Prime Minister Murata was dumbfounded.
“Or did you think I was going to give you a ‘ticket’ to call me
a few times?”
‘He wasn’t giving me a choice,’ Prime Minister Murata

thought. ‘I haven’t even thought about the cost of closing a
crack that doesn’t close.’
What Yoo-seong was trying to give him was just a business
card.
It was not the product itself. It was just the way to negotiate
the price of his service.
“That’s too much confidence. You do things way differently,”

the Prime Minister commented as he watched Yoo-seong.
“Not at all,” Yoo-seong said as he closed his wallet with his

other hand.
“Take your hand back and think about it a little after you
hear it. I haven’t talked about all the terms of the deal yet.”
“Tell me then,” said Prime Minister Murata.
“The facility that Leto operates outside Tokyo. It collects

hunters’ CE without permission. You knew all about that,
didn’t you?”
Prime Minister Murata could not bring himself to readily

answer yes. It was too big of an answer, even for him.
“Close them down and punish everyone involved. And, as I

said last time, acknowledge the existence from Korea and
hand over all related research results,” Yoo-seong stated.
“Leto. That means tearing down Leto.”
Yoo-seong could hear the uncertainty in his voice.
“Let’s not pretend to be weak. As if you couldn’t do it.”
‘It isn’t that I couldn’t do it,’ Prime Minister experiments

were not a government initiative. Leto’s image was also not
as good as it seemed.
‘Wasn’t there a conflict between the Chairman and his
daughter earlier?’
“But,” Prime Minister Murata started as he voiced out his

thoughts, “it’s very likely that many political figures
maintain a relationship with Leto. Tokyo hunters, numerous
companies… My current position and the conditions we are
in are different…”
“Hey.” There was a hint of irritation in Yoo-seong’s voice.

“Again, I don’t know politics.”
The Prime Minister went quiet at this.
“I don’t really know about your ‘current position and

conditions,’ and I believe there is no reason for me to know.
I lose nothing if I get up and get out of here right away. You
are the one who has some thinking to do, not me.”
Tok-!
Yoo-seong’s finger knocked on the desk once more.
“This is the first business card I picked out after I made the
order. This is all I have to give you. Are you going to use this
for a chance to make up for what you have done, or will you
pay the price and disappear into the shadows?”
Yoo-seong looked into Prime Minister Murata’s eyes. Then

his gaze slipped to the business card.
“Choose.”
For a while, there was nothing but silence.
Five minutes passed.
Knock-
Knock-
The door to the Prime Minister’s office closed. Yoo-seong left

his residence without even looking back.
He walked out to the street to hail a cab.
“Found him!”
It was a shout loud enough to shake the whole street, and it

had come from a man right across from Yoo-seong.
At the same time, countless footsteps started to come from

everywhere. People poured out between the sidewalks and
the buildings, including the very street where Yoo-seong
was.
They were the Sheriffs of the Disaster Management

Administration.
Judging from how many they were, as soon as reports about

Yoo-seong’s whereabouts had come in, Sheriffs from all over
Tokyo must have gathered in a hurry.
No one shouted, “Don’t move!” or, “Capture him!”
Goooo-oh-oh-!
Dozens of Sheriffs started to gather their auras at once.

They must have heard how exceptional Yoo-seong was.
Without giving him even a moment to respond, they

intended to overwhelm him into a defeat.
Dozens and dozens of sheriffs were starting to activate their

Techs. Just then…
Yoo-seong raised his hands.

“I surrender,” he said clearly.
There was nothing in his hands. He was completely

defenseless.
The Sheriffs paused while Yoo-seong slowly looked around.
“There’s a lot of you here, huh…”
He soon found Kodama, staring right at him with murder in

his eyes. Yoo-seong was about to tell him something when…
“Shut up!”
Kodama cut off whatever it was that Yoo-seong was about to

say. “Do not listen to whatever he has to say! He’ll try to
deceive you!”
The Sheriffs faithfully followed Kodama’s instructions.
While their Techs were aimed at Yoo-seong, three of their

best close combat fighters approached him carefully. They
had brought restraint balls with them to subdue Yoo-seong.
“Don’t let your guard down!” Kodama cried out.
When he turned to look at Yoo-seong, he could see that Yoo-

seong was trying to mouth words at him.
He did not want to pay him any attention. However, he had

no choice but to be concerned. Kodama knew Korean.
Yoo-seong’s mouth kept repeating a short sentence.
“What?”
Forgetting the instructions he’d given to his subordinates,

Kodama briefly followed the shape of Yoo-seong’s mouth for
a moment. Just then…
Beep!
Kodama’s phone rang.
***
“What the-”
Watching Kodama take a look at his phone, Yoo-seong

smiled in pity.
“I tried to tell you earlier, but-”
“You! Shut up!”
A nervous Sheriff saw what was happening and shouted at

Yoo-seong. However, when Yoo-seong turned his gaze
toward him, he promptly shrank in fear.
No matter how many people came, Oh Yoo-seong was Oh

Yoo-seong. If he resisted, not even this number of sheriffs
would be able to overpower him.
“Oh, come to think of it, you don’t know Korean,” Yoo-seong

said to the sheriff, who noticeably tried his best not to
tremble.
“I told you to be quiet!” he screamed, not understanding a

word Yoo-seong had been saying.
One of the Sheriffs pulled out the restraint ball with

trembling hands. However, when he took it over to Yoo-
seong,
Catch-!
Yoo-seong struck the Sheriff right in the pit of his stomach.
“Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!”
His body collapsed without a sound. The rest of the Sheriffs

were shocked.
Yoo-seong’s resistance meant that he was attacking them.

The man in question clenched his fists and prepared for
their barrage, but…
Plagak-!
Nothing came at him.
Everyone’s heads had turned to Kodama, who had dropped

his phone to the ground. The Sheriffs looked at their
Director’s face in bewilderment.
Kodama’s eyes were dead, and his mouth hung open. What
had he just read from his phone?
“Oh, I mean…” Yoo-seong broke the silence, startling the

Sheriffs closest to him.
Yoo-seong was looking at his phone. He was trying to speak

as the translation app had instructed him to.
It was the same line he had been trying to tell Kodama.
“As of this hour…”
With a sincerely apologetic expression, Yoo-seong

announced to everyone, “Director Kodama is fired.”
Chapter 126
EPISODE 126
Although the word “dismissal” had not been directly stated,

it was basically what the messages Kodama had received
meant.
At the same time, the Sheriffs who had accompanied him to

the scene also received notifications on their terminals.
-Stop ongoing operations.
-Currently, your authority as a Disaster Management

Administration Sheriff has been revoked. Any actions you
take during this time will be subject to the same standard
punishment applied to the general public.
-Please return to the Disaster Management Office as soon as

possible.
It was a natural preventive measure. Just like Kodama,

almost everyone in the Disaster Management
Administration was working under Leto.
This included the Sheriffs themselves.
Rather than rendering service for the country, the Disaster

Management Administration acted like it was one of Leto’s
departments. The loss of their privileges as public officials
seemed to cause significant shock to everyone.
Everyone in the area stopped talking and stiffened with
surprise.
Still, Kodama was not giving up. He needed to try and do

something about his situation.
He firmly believed in the Leto Chairman, even more than the

authorities. However, just as he was about to command the
ex-Sheriffs around him…
Beep-
Beep-
His phone rang again. This time, it was Leto.
Kodama hurriedly picked up the phone he’d dropped and

answered the call. It was from the new Chairman.
The half-mad Chika Sukune.
Yoo-seong had no idea what Kodama was being told.

However, the man’s face went several times paler, even
more than when he’d received the first call. Finally…
“Arghggh!” Kodama screamed like a mad man.
He suddenly turned around, almost blocked the road to hail

a cab, and got in right away. He was probably headed to the
Leto Headquarters or the Sukune family’s home. No one
knew for sure.
The Sheriffs felt stunned.
With their leader gone, they didn’t know what they were
supposed to do next. What was certain was they had to
start looking for another career.
It shouldn’t be hard to enter the competitive hunter industry
at their age and with their experience. However, because of
this issue they were involved in…
Suddenly, someone raised his voice, breaking through their

anxious thoughts.
“Is there anyone here who can speak Korean?” It was Oh

Yoo-seong, looking around.
No one answered him at first.
“I need a car and someone to take me to the airport.”
Some of them who understood Korean raised their

eyebrows.
“Well, I don’t have money with me, but…” Yoo-seong’s voice

was calm.
“I can text or call the Prime Minister that you have been of
great help,” he added.
Their reaction was immediate.
Yoo-seong arrived at the airport within an hour.
And, more than Yoo-seong had originally asked for, they

even paid for his airplane ticket.
***
-No way. Did he really just bow?
In recent months, the Korean public had almost gotten used

to hearing shocking news.
Oh Yoo-seong’s return from the Dive.

His single-handed hunting operations.
And today, they had witnessed two more unbelievable

occurrences.
-He’s apologizing, isn’t he?
-Are you saying that he has a conscience?
-But it’s hard to apologize if you’re the Prime Minister, even

if you know you did something wrong.
-That was unexpected.
Prime Minister Murata’s emergency press conference had

been held an hour ago. There, the Prime Minister issued an
unexpected apology.
A pure apology.
Without any lame excuses, he perfectly pointed out his

mistakes and why he had to apologize.
-Then, can Oh Yoo-seong return to Korea right away?
-Maybe he’s already here.
-It’s weird that he was just laying low somewhere and could
not leave Japan in the first place! He must be given
compensation for the time he couldn’t hunt because he was
stuck here!
Others raised their voices in excitement.
Their faces were flushed, this time not because of anger but
because of joy. It was such a thrilling story amid a flurry of
international news.
Just like sports and cultural topics, the news of hunters
overseas had long been a source of national inspiration and
pride. Compared to what followed, therefore, the Japanese
Prime Minister’s apology seemed trivial.
“What?! You’re the reason she defected?”
Yoo-seong nodded. “Nonsense!” Sung-wook could not

believe it.
“I had the same thought, but what can I do? It’s her
decision,” Yoo-seong said in frustration.
“Oh, well, what do you think she sees in a country like this?”
Fifteen minutes before Yoo-seong’s plane had landed in

Kore, Yang Biyeon’s defection had been reported through
the Special Defense Agency.
Sung-wook, who was at the airport to pick up Yoo-seong,

was also one of the people who had been surprised to hear
the news.
It was only natural to be surprised, though. There were

many unranked Chinese hunters who could easily surpass
the top hunters of other countries in terms of skills, power,
and ability. But for a current Ship Zone hunter to defect to a
country like Korea was unheard of.
‘What kind of work did you do in the Special Defense, Yoo-

seong?’
Sung-wook, who knew the situation in the industry to some

extent, was several times more shocked than most ordinary
people.
A lot of speculation had filled his mind as he waited for Yoo-
seong to get off the plane, but when they’d finally met, all
his doubts had been answered with Yoo-seong’s
explanation.
“I thought you had been hunting hard when you were in

China,” Sung-wook teased him a little. “I didn’t expect this…
you’re good!”
“I never imagined things would get this big,” Yoo-seong

shook his head with his face flushed.
The two were currently in a car being driven by Sung-wook.
“Why did you come to get me?” Yoo-seong asked. “Isn’t it

time for your training?”
Sung-wook dismissed Yoo-seong’s questions.
“I told you to get some sleep. You must not have slept much
in Japan.”
Yoo-seong was starting to worry at Sung-wook’s silence.

Instead of answering, Sung-wook just glanced at him. “You’ll

find out soon.”
“Huh?”
Whatever it was, it was clear that it had something to do

with Yoo-seong, though he had no idea what could be.
‘I don’t think I remember ordering Seoyu to do anything

before leaving for Japan,’ Yoo-seong thought.
“What are you going to do now?” Sung-wook asked.

“I’m planning to fill in my gaps first. CE Injection. Training
alone will not be sufficient…”
“No, not that.”
The car stopped at a red light.
Sung-wook leaned back and sighed. “I’m not talking about

your training. I am asking about your future plans.”
“I’ll just keep on doing what I’ve been doing so far…”
“Will it work?” Sung-wook stared at Yoo-seong. “First of all,

you have changed, in your skill as a hunter, your fame.”
The path Yoo-seong was on was one nobody had ever

trodden through the industry’s two decades of history. Sung-
wook had no idea how to say it. ‘How can I say it? It’s too
much.’
“The thing that you used to close the cracks, the Sky
Needle?”
“Yes?”
“Tens of thousands of people in the world know you have

something several times more efficient than a pulse
breaker.”
Sung-wook himself still did not understand the true value of

the Sky Needle. However, a tool that could close a crack as
soon as it appeared was bound to be something
extraordinary.
“With that tool…”
“You’re talking as if I have some kind of a dangerous

substance,” Yoo-seong smirked.
However, Sung-wook wasn’t joking at all.
“It is indeed dangerous. I think. Just like you, this is also a

first for me.”
Yoo-seong’s growth had increased exponentially over time,

and, given such skills, Yoo-seong had eventually overturned
a country.
He had made the Japanese Prime Minister apologize in front

of everyone. He had changed the public opinion of a country
that hated him into a country that supported him.
More than anything, he had brought back Tech that was the
subject of a fairly complex international ownership issue. As
Sung-wook had said, no hunter had ever done anything at
this scale before.
Yoo-seong was no longer just a ‘hunter.’
“When the cracks open and the monsters pour out, a

hunter’s job is to save people from them. This is a hunter’s
purpose in society,” Sung-wook began to explain.
Some hunters were popular enough to appear on shows or

shoot commercials, and some hunters accumulated
enormous wealth and power over time.
However, Yoo-seong was different. He was doing things no

other hunter could have ever done.
“Ordinary people don’t recognize it yet, but eventually,

everyone will. You are different from all the other hunters
that have ever been. And then, they will decide.”
‘They will decide how to deal with your existence.’

Being treated as a hero must have been something that
Yoo-seong was used to and even enjoyed. However, at some
point…
“There will be people who look at it negatively.”
‘No, there will be many. I have seen hunters who had fought
for the people, only to turn against the people themselves.’
“So I think you should have an alternative for your future

course of action…”
Sung-wook was about to finish his speech when…
Shh-!
Yoo-seong lifted his index finger. Then he pointed it forward.
“What?”
Sung-wook thought for a moment about what it meant.
Beep-!
Loud honks were coming from behind their car. The traffic
light had turned green.
Sung-wook hurriedly stepped on the accelerator.
“I’m a god,” Yoo-seong declared jokingly.
“You’re right,” Sung-wook agreed as he rolled his eyes at

him. He then took a deep breath.
“You must think I’m a fool,” Yoo-seong replied as he

scratched his head.
“No. Well, it’s not that you’ve done anything wrong,” Sung-
wook assured him.
“I have been thinking about it. As you said, it is only natural

that there will be people who think about it negatively. So I
thought, is there any way to reduce it somehow? And…”
“And?”
“I have come to a conclusion.”
Sung-wook stayed quiet as he waited for Yoo-seong’s next

words.
“I decided not to care.”
“Huh?”
For a moment, he completely forgot that he was driving.
He paused to stare at Yoo-seong as if checking he really was

the Yoo-seong he knew.
Sung-wook could not believe he’d heard those words from

the man who was always preparing himself for the future
and all the kinds of issues that might arise.
“Hey, you…”
“Don’t worry. I haven’t lost my motivation. But I realized

something a few days ago…”
“Yes?”
“I was facing the Japanese Prime Minister at the scene of

the accident, right?”
“Um, I also watched that live stream.”

In fact, everyone who had a phone or a computer had been
watching it.
“I don’t know if it was obvious, but I was trembling like

crazy. I was confronting the prime minister of a country, with
hundreds of thousands of people watching it live.”
Of course. No one, including the Prime Minister, had even

had the slightest idea that Yoo-seong felt so worried.
That was how thoroughly Yoo-seong hid his inner self.
‘What if I make a slip of the tongue?’
‘What if I say the wrong word?’
‘What if there are variables that I did not think of?’
‘Will the people who are watching think of me as a jerk?’
‘Will they take my side and not the Prime Minister’s?’
“I was thinking about all those things, and eventually, I

ended up thinking like this.”
“Like what?” Sung-wook asked.
“It’s useless.” Yoo-seong stared ahead.
He had always adjusted his character depending on the

reactions of the people in front of him. However, the people
he could not see, it wouldn’t make any difference to worry
about their opinions and feelings, even if they were tens of
millions more than those he could see.
So Yoo-seong decided to focus on himself instead of the

reactions of people he barely knew.
“I have a purpose. If I move steadily according to that
purpose, whatever the outcome, I will get a decent
evaluation.”
‘You reap what you sow.’
It had been Yoo-seong’s unchanging philosophy. He glanced

back at Sung-wook, who had been quiet, and decided to
change the subject.
“I have an appointment with Director Yang Chang-guk later.”
“Appointment?”
“The Tech from Leto, we have to hand it over to their

original owners. However, there are a lot of Tech that have
lost their successors over the course of twenty years.”
In fact, most of the Tech he had brought back had no rightful

owners left anymore.
“In China and the majority of other countries, the ownership

of such Tech usually goes to the discoverer. In some
countries, they appoint a person in charge to whom they
can entrust the cultivation of the Tech.”
At this, goosebumps sprang all over Sung-wook’s spine. “No

way…”
Koreans had believed for decades that they didn’t have their
own Tech. And now, they’d found that they actually had
quite a number, but these Tech seemed to have no owner.
“Regardless of which standard you apply, I would be the one

to manage these unowned Tech.”
“My God… it’s… wait a second. Is there something more?”

Yoo-seong nodded as if he had something more significant
to say. “I am going to create an organization, a facility to
sort out the handling of these secrets.”
“You mean, like the Chinese organizations?”
“Yes. In that way, we will recruit members whom we could

pass the Tech onto.”
‘This is too…’
Sung-wook felt speechless.
What Yoo-seong was talking about was amazing. It was

much bigger than what he’d had in mind.
If it were implemented, a new organization similar to

Chinese groups would soon be formed. This was a type of
organization that had not existed in their country before.
To think that Tech could take root and grow in Korea, which
had always been ignored in the past…
“Well, there is still time to make more specific plans,” Yoo-

seong shrugged.
The car was now entering the underground parking lot of

the Sung-wook Building.
“Although Director Yang has promised to support us in many

ways, there are still a lot of things that we need to learn and
prepare for. There will be a lot of problems. The biggest
among those is money.”
“Well…” while closing the car door, Sung-wook muttered,

“money? Maybe it’s not that big of a deal.”
“No, you do not have to invest. I may be able to…”

“Certainly. You can definitely take care of it yourself.”
Yoo-seong paused. Sung-wook was acting strange. It was as

if he was holding back his laughter.
Ding-!
The elevator arrived at Sung-wook’s floor. “Welcome back!”
Yoo-seong immediately recognized Seoyu’s voice, and for

the first time in several days, Yoo-seong finally saw himself
in front of a mirror.
It was just as Sung-wook had said.
He had lost a few kilos. Dark circles had formed under his
eyes.
“That’s enough. Just look at this instead!” Seoyu handed

him a bunch of documents.
“What’s this?”
“It’s all organized.” There was a hint of exhaustion mixed

with clear pride in Seoyu’s voice.
“There were a lot of operations that you had been involved

in which included a lot of complications, right? There were
also many overseas operations where it was difficult to
determine the hunting ownership, like with the previous
Shanghai Shock, right?”
“Right.” Yoo-seong nodded.
“For a while, your compensations were not properly

accounted for. So I took this opportunity to sort them out.”
‘Come to think of it, I had forgotten about those,’ Yoo-seong
thought. After briefly thanking Seoyu for her hard work, Yoo-
seong began scanning the documents.
As soon as he saw the first page, which showed the

summary of the settlements…
“Oh my God!”
Chapter 127
EPISODE 127
Yoo-seong was not a young man with poor economic sense.

He had different problems.
For example, his career, his goal to retrieve the stolen Tech.
Without them, Yoo-seong would have taken care of what
possessions he needed and fixed his finances.
But this…
“Uh…”
He couldn’t even imagine this much. “How did these digits

happen?”
“Oh, you haven’t even seen it all yet. If you turn to the back
page, there’s more.”
Seoyu and Sung-wook exchanged glances and laughed.

They, too, had been surprised to see the initial figures.
However, if you thought about it, it wasn’t so strange.
The price of the Peril Yoo-seong had caught in China had

been beyond anyone’s imagination.
During the Shanghai Shock, Yoo-seong had struck down

countless beasts, and each of them was at least four stars
or higher.
“You were lucky. In fact, everything you obtained from China
could have been gone, but before you went diving, the
certificate arrived here, so everything was taken care of.
And I told you, I stayed up all night organizing everything,”
Seoyu proudly explained.
Aside from his work in China, the relief, compensation, and

by-products of operations in which Yoo-seong had
unofficially participated in Korea were also recognized for
ownership. As a result, on the last page of the document,
Yoo-seong saw that there were quite a few zeroes currently
deposited into his account.
“You’ve earned a lot more than I did when I was on active

duty. You’re a rich man. What is it like?” Sung-wook teased
Yoo-seong. For a moment, Yoo-seong felt dizzy, and he
staggered toward a chair.
“What’s wrong?”
“No, wait a minute…”
“The guy who pretended to be cool when he said he didn’t

care about the world. Did he just lose his mind because he
got some money?” Sung-wook could barely contain his
laughter.
“I can’t help it.” Putting the documents on the table next to

the chair, Yoo-seong gave an exhilarated smile. “First of all, I
wasn’t born rich. I can’t help but think this is a huge prank. I
can’t believe that there are tens of billions of dollars in my
bank account.”
“To be precise, not tens of billions,” said Seoyu.
“What?”
Yoo-seong’s face had an ‘Are you serious?’ look written all
over it.
“Are you sure you’ve read it right?”
Seoyu exhaled. She looked like a teacher telling off a lazy

student as she divided the document into parts. “We
haven’t cashed out all the by-products. Even though we
have a price in mind, some items still do not have buyers
due to low utilization, and there are still quite a few that are
under auction and for value investment. There are also
those left in a preserved state and things you can use to
make equipment…”
“Slow down, hold on…” Yoo-seong begged as he pressed his

forehead.
“And we haven’t even quoted your Japan operations yet.”
“Operations?”
Officially, Yoo-seong had taken part in two operations in

Japan: the Tokyo Sudden Rift that occurred upon his arrival
and the crack where the Thunder Ape appeared.
However, in the case of the first hunt, Yoo-seong had

immediately sealed the crack, so there were no monsters
left to hunt. And in the hunt with the Thunder Ape, Yoo-
seong had taken its horn, so he thought that there was
nothing more to gain from it.
Unlike the contract he’d had with Tenz when he was in

China, Yoo-seong’s actions in Japan were unauthorized. The
likelihood of being penalized by international law was higher
than that of being rewarded.
“So you won’t get paid for them?” Seoyu’s brows furrowed.
“Well, I have an excuse to receive…”
“That’s it. I have to make them pay somehow!” Seoyu’s

voice rose in her excitement. “Whether it’s the Special
Defense Agency or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or
wherever, it is only right to ask and appeal that you have to
be compensated. You are a hunter, aren’t you?”
“Eh, that’s right.”
“Isn’t a hunter someone who catches monsters and gets

paid in return?”
“Hey, that’s a bit too…”
“It’s not good to do something worthwhile and not even try

to get paid. How much money could that be? A monster
called the Thunder Ape, with a twelve-star rating? Even if
it’s just for relief compensation, how much could that be
considering Japan’s market price? I cannot give up! I cannot
lose my money!”
“Your money?”
Instead of answering, she looked away and spoke in a

robotic tone. “Agent fees. 4.5%. It’s in my contract.”
‘If I get 4.5% of whatever Yoo-seong is earning, it will be a

pretty good profit.’
“If you are really busy,” Seoyu continued to bug Yoo-seong,

“then please allow me to work on it using your name. I’ll try
to arrange the compensations, whether it’s possible or not.”
“Uh…”
“Okay?!”
“Uh, yeah, yeah.”
Seoyu had such unexpected energy that she’d managed to

render Yoo-seong speechless. ‘Well, I knew that Seoyu was
passionate about her job, but this is…’
“It’s the money,” Sung-wook said as he watched Seoyu

enter her “office,” which was temporarily set up inside the
house.
“I don’t know if all Chinese women are like that or if she’s

just different, but…”
“Did you get robbed, too?” Yoo-seong let out a snicker.
“The last time I paid tax. She saw me organizing the

receipts and asked me this and that. Then she said…” As if
he could not continue the conversation anymore, Sung-
wook shook his head. He merely sighed, “The good old days
are gone.”
“Looking at it, I could be richer than you soon,” Yoo-seong

said jokingly. “By the way, since I have this much, I’d better
go take some and spend it.”
Sung-wook looked surprised for a moment. “You’re spending

it now? Don’t you need to get a financial advisor first?”
Sung-wook was right.
Yoo-seong placed his hand on his mouth in thought. “For

now…”
“For now, what?” Sung-wook asked.
Yoo-seong rose from his seat. “I have to go downstairs. Jin

Chang-hoon’s clinic.”
‘The CE injection that I have been aiming for since I was in
Japan.’
Yoo-seong wanted his physical condition checked and, if

possible, to receive an injection immediately.
However…
“Yoo-seong?”
Yoo-seong tilted his head.
“What, what is it?” he asked impatiently, eager to get on

with the CE injection.
“I have to tell you something about Jin Chang-hoon.” Sung-

wook’s expression was serious.
***
“What is this?!”
As he got out of the cab, Yoo-seong sighed once again.
Jin Chang-hoon had gone on vacation. It was because his

business was doing so well.
Although it was already a reputable clinic, it had become

even more in-demand after it was made known that it was
Yoo-seong’s clinic.
After that, Jin Chang-hoon’s hospital had faced an

unprecedented boom.
Even the cafe on the first floor had experienced an increase

in sales as the hunters used it as a waiting place.
The hospital lobby hadn’t been big enough to accommodate
the number of Jin Chang-hoon’s patients.
Yoo-seong knew it was something to be pleased about.

However, as with his bank account balance, he couldn’t help
but feel flustered at these trivial matters.
Yoo-seong looked up at the hospital building where he’d

arrived.
The entire building was spacious, almost close to a

hypermarket, and had been built as a treatment facility
exclusively for hunters.
The Hankwang Hunter Medical Center.
It was the largest hospital in the Seoul metropolitan area,

operated by the Hankwang conglomerate.
The hospital lobby was filled not just with hunters but
countless people from different walks of life.
However, no one recognized Yoo-seong.
Method Mask.
It was the equipment he’d received from Yang Chang-guk to

disguise his face.
He hadn’t been able to use it in Japan, not just because it

was unnecessary but also because it was a confidential
prototype. It would have been disastrous if he’d been
caught in another country with the Mask in his possession.
“Can you show me your ID?” the receptionist asked.
When Yoo-seong presented his ID card, the receptionist’s

eyes widened. However, he went through the formalities
without any problems, as if Yoo-seong was the same person
as on his ID.
This was because Yang Chang-guk had provided a copy of

his ID card to use with the Method Mask.
“Is this your first time in our hospital?”
“Yes.”
“Apart from the medical records of your procedures, we also

measure your core conditions and simple spec data every
month. There is a measurement area on the first floor of the
injection center. You can finish your measurements there
and get the instructions right after.”
Yoo-seong nodded and headed for the first floor.
‘Surely this is quite different from private clinics,’ Yoo-seong

thought as he looked around.
Unlike the private facilities that freelancers usually visited,

these large hospitals had several employees under contract.
‘Even so, it’s too crowded,’ Yoo-seong complained.

Currently, Seoul was experiencing some “free time” for the
first time in a while. No cracks had appeared in the city for
the last twelve hours, despite the continuous crack
appearances that were now the norm.
It was natural that hunters would use this time to charge

their CE. Therefore, this was a long-awaited break.
“Hey, nurse! How much more should we wait?”
“Our team has been waiting for four hours!”

The lobby was filled with tension. The hunters, more than
anything, felt anxious. After a routine check-up to ensure
that their cores had recovered enough, they would
immediately receive their CE injections. However, many of
them had delayed their treatment and had come to fill their
CE quickly if possible.
Thanks to this, the hospital, which was supposed to be

orderly, was crowded with people.
Just like everyone else, Yoo-seong lined up to get his core

checked. After waiting for about thirty minutes, the line
began to shrink.
“Ugh. Is the line still this long?”
Three people who seemed to have just entered from the

hospital cut into Yoo-seong’s line.
He waited, but no one cared to stop them.
“Excuse me.” Yoo-seong raised his voice. “You can’t cut in.”
There was silence.
“What?!” the man in front of him snapped.
Everyone in the line turned their heads toward Yoo-seong.

The three people who had just come in were wearing the
same jerseys as those ahead in the line.
It was obvious that they were from the same group.
“What did you just say?” the tall man, probably two or three
years younger than Yoo-seong, said with a harsh tone.
“I told you not to cut in line,” Yoo-seong responded calmly.

“Can’t you see that we are from the same team?”
Yoo-seong pointed to a poster on one side of the room.
“For a smooth checkup, please line up unless you have a

special injury,” he read off the poster.
“Well…”
The tall kid clicked his tongue as if he were dumbfounded.
Sighs, or possibly mocking laughter, filled the room.
Yoo-seong could not tell the difference.
He couldn’t even tell if they were aimed at him or the kid.
“Hey. Where do you belong?” The tall kid changed the

subject.
“I’m freelancing,” Yoo-seong answered.
The kid seemed to be trying to say something, but Yoo-

seong paid him no heed. Instead…
“Excuse me! Nurse!”
Instead of dealing with him, Yoo-seong spoke out to the

passing nurse. Then he pointed to the three men in front of
him.
“They cut in line.”
“What the-!”
Even the nurse heard the kid’s sharp cursing. “You’re

making me mad!”
However, he eventually stepped back from the line. He
knew it was very stupid to make a fuss in the hospital.
“I’ll remember your face. See you later,” he threatened Yoo-

seong.
When the line went back to normal, Yoo-seong continued to

think deeply.
‘I don’t think I’ll be able to see Yang Biyeon for a while

because of the defection process.’
Yoo-seong also had no idea what had happened to the crack

that appeared in the demilitarization zone.
Yang Chang-guk had asked him to delay the deployment

saying, “Give me a little time.”
“How much did you say it was?”
“Me? Not much. 79,200.”
“When do I get to catch up to that?”
The closer he was to the inspection table, the noisier the

hunters became. They mainly talked about their CE figures.
Hunters usually had an absorption rate of 20% for CE

extracted from monsters.
Considering the two-week core recovery time, an average

hunter accumulated about 400-500 CE twice a month. Yoo-
seong’s current CE of 12,000 was equivalent to two years’
worth of injections for an average hunter.
It wouldn’t be strange for talented hunters to have that

amount after receiving injections for a year-and-a-half.
However, to have 12,000 CE in less than half a year was
unprecedented.
“Next?”
Finally, it was Yoo-seong’s turn.
Yoo-seong felt the measuring paddle touch his lower

abdomen. Then…
“Hey! It’s that guy now!”
The tall kid’s voice rang all over the place.
“You can’t look at the figures for other patients!” the nurse
in charge of the measurement shouted, but it wasn’t
enough to stop the rowdy hunters behind Oh Yoo-seong.
Like on blood pressure gauges and scales, the measured

values came out on the top of a large panel.
Beep-!
The nurse pressed the button. The checker started running.
The hunters behind Yoo-seong also eagerly awaited the

results.
It did not take long for them to appear.
“Huh?!”
Chapter 128
EPISODE 128
Jing-!
“What is this?”
“A blackout?”
The lights inside the hospital flickered for an instant. It was

more flustering for the hospital staff than it was for the
hunters.
Even if it were a brief blackout, the effect would be much

more severe since the place was a hospital.
However, the flickering of lights did not last long. After

about ten seconds, everything promptly returned to normal.
No one who witnessed what happened even thought of

associating the incident with Yoo-seong.
“I was surprised.”
“Is it a short circuit? In a hospital this huge?”
“Manager!” a hunter named Park Kang-min called.
Then his gaze caught the numbers on the panel’s detector.

“What?!”
Even the nurse was surprised. The machine, which had
suffered an overload, only had the figures that it could come
up with on the panel.
“12,000!” someone behind Yoo-seong exclaimed.
“What? He looks like he’s just in his first or second year!

How did that happen?”
“You said you were a freelancer! Don’t you have any other
jobs?”
Whispers filled the surroundings. The tall kid, the one

named Scratch, had a strange look on his face. It was as if
he was conflicted about whether he’d laugh or get angry
because of how ridiculous it was.
‘This guy,’ he thought.
-HG-
Scratch, Park Kang-min, and the other hunters around them

wore uniforms embroidered with those two letters.
The initials of Hankwang Group, which was under the same

Hankwang conglomerate that owned the hospital. It was the
logo of the conglomerate’s newly formed hunter group.
-Hankwang Hunting International-
The group had been established for less than three months
now, and their numbers were still scarce. This was because
the establishment of the group had been different from that
of previous hunting groups.
Of course, the reason for this was obvious.

Up until now, the hunter industry had always been
dominated by hunters.
organizations were also active hunters. Except for special

cases, such as the Japanese Leto Group, it was rare for non-
hunter organizations to join the hunter industry.
It wasn’t that the companies didn’t want to get involved.

With the insane profits from monster by-products, the
hunting industry was like a spring that never dried up.
However, governments did not want large conglomerates to

own hunter groups.
Such companies’ participation was regulated and limited to

research and development and creating hunting equipment
from by-products.
However, just a few months ago, the world had promptly

started changing. Cracks began appearing more and more
frequently. More ‘exceptions’ were being made that
completely disregarded previous rules.
From the government’s point of view, it became more

urgent to suppress the growing threat and public anxiety
than to keep large companies in check. And, typically, these
companies had not missed their chance.
As a result of endless lobbying and countless other political

appeals, they were finally able to own hunters legally. One
of the first groups established had been the Hankwang
Hunting International, commonly referred to as HGHI.
Despite being a new organization, it was rapidly gaining

ground thanks to its generous funding power.
Park Kwang-min had been one of the group’s first-
generation trainees.
Hankwang had invested in training hunters a few years

back, hoping that the regulations would be lifted someday.
Although he had not been given an opportunity to showcase
his skills yet, Park Kwang-min believed that he could be one
of the best due to the long and intense training he had gone
through abroad and within the Hankwang facilities. That was
what Hankwang predicted Park Kwang-min would be,
anyway.
‘I am going to be a ranker soon,’ was the thought he always

had in mind, and to become one, it was important to
manage his reputation and image.
Park Kang-min turned his head toward Yoo-seong, who was

currently heading the line for CE injection.
“Hey. Next time, you have to be careful. You might think

what happened earlier was just a small mistake, but you
must remember that it is a small industry. You do not want
to have to worry when and where we will meet.”
The majority of the hunters in the room worked under Park

Kang-min.
To Park Kang-min’s mind, it wouldn’t be a bad option to

show them an image of a flexible and empowering man
once in a while.
“Okay? Next time, let us try to think about whatever we

have to say and talk calmly.”
Park Kang-min was trying his best to look friendly. However,

the crazy man standing before him did not seem to get the
point.
Yoo-seong frowned a little and turned toward Park Kang-min
as if ready to give him a piece of his mind.
“What?” Park Kang-min was starting to feel on edge.
“What are you doing?” said a low-pitched voice from

somewhere.
Park Kang-min immediately soared from his seat. A man

who seemed to be of the same age as Park Kang-min had
just entered the hospital.
“Boss.”
“Good morning, sir!”
Almost every hunter in the room stood up to greet the

newcomer.
“Keep it down. It’s a hospital.”
Han Jae-gyu, the head of Hankwang Hunting International,

seemed to be in a bad mood.
He was the grandson of the current Hankwang president

and a leader among the first-generation trainees at HGHI.
It was said, without exaggeration, that he had the innate

skills of a hunter.
He had ranked fifteenth among hunters within a few months

of obtaining a license in Korea. If only he’d had the time to
focus on building his career, it was said he would have soon
been one of the high-profile prospects to be a top ranker
and propel Hankwang further, even beyond Gung-on.
As if feeling the tension, Han Jae-gyu looked at Park Kang-

min and Yoo-seong alternately.
“You got into trouble? What is with that expression?”
“Oh, it’s because…”
Park Kang-min briefly explained what had happened in an

embarrassed tone. However, before he even finished…
“Are you a kid?” Han Jae-gyu cut him off. “Why don’t you
ignore him? Why are you paying him attention?”
Then he glanced up and down at Yoo-seong, who remained

expressionless. He did not seem to care at all.
“Leave it alone,” Han Jae-gyu told Park Kang-min.
“Sorry,” Park Kang-min apologized to Han Jae-gyu.
Yoo-seong sighed and walked away.
“That jerk!” Park Kang-min hissed.
“I told you to ignore it.”
“But boss, your expression says otherwise!”
“It’s not like we won’t see each other again one day. You can
give him a lesson some other time. I’m just saying that,
right now, you don’t have to waste your time on that kind of
thing,” Han Jae-gyu told Park Kang-min, who felt satisfied
with his reasoning.
“We should finish the injection as soon as possible and

return. I will get the next injection and go back first. When
you and the rest of the guys are done, take the lead and get
back as soon as possible,” said Han Jae-gyu.
“Huh? Did a crack appear?” Park Kang-min asked.

“No, it’s a lot more important than that.”
Everyone in the audience, including Hankwang’s hunters,

was listening. Even the hunters who had nothing to do with
them looked his way.
Han Jae-gyu spoke proudly as if intending to ensure

everyone heard what he was about to say.
“Tonight, Oh Yoo-seong is coming to Hankwang.”
“Oh, oh, oh!”
“Wow!”
A series of cheers burst from all over the place.
“Really, is it really Oh Yoo-seong?”
Park Kang-min flushed in excitement.
“Isn’t he still in Japan?”
“It looks like he got back yesterday. I called Oh Yoo-seong’s

agent directly and asked.”
“Well then, when…”
“Actually, we haven’t gotten an appointment yet.”
At this point, Han Jae-gyu slightly narrowed his eyes. The

only thing Seoyu had told Hankwang was that Oh Yoo-seong
had returned.
Despite receiving a direct call from the prestigious

Hankwang Group, Seoyu had responded with a simple, “I’ll
see to it later,” as if they were insignificant.
“As expected of Oh Yoo-seong. He must be a tough guy,”
said Park Kang-min.
“But he will have to come this evening,” Han Jae-gyu

confidently declared. “My grandfather promised to see to it
personally.”
“The president himself?!” Park Kang-min asked in disbelief.
“Yes. No matter what it takes, the Hankwang Group will

make sure that Oh Yoo-seong will be unable to refuse.”
President Han’s generous support for the hunting business

was known throughout the community.
“Besides, he doesn’t have any schedule set for today.”
Park Kang-min, and even the hunters who were listening by

their side, nodded.
“Unless something special happens, he will likely visit our

building. Then we’ll show Oh Yoo-seong our facilities,
equipment, levels, and vision there.”
A year ago, before Yoo-seong had gone to China, every

young hunter had compared their progress to him, seeing
him as their competition. However, that was not the case
anymore.
Now, everyone knew that Oh Yoo-seong was someone they

could not surpass on an individual level.
“This isn’t just about networking,” Han Jae-gyu said with

emphasis. “All those Tech he got his hands on in Japan,
those without successors…”
Yoo-seong was already esteemed on a level that no one in
Korea could match. Creating a connection with him would
mean nothing short of dominating the industry in the next
generation.
“Let us celebrate together! This shows nothing but our

current level. The time is yet to come, but we will definitely
rise to the top!”
“Yes!”
And just like that, everyone seemed to be more pumped up

than ever.
Just in time, a notification that one of the empty injection

rooms was available appeared on the monitor in the waiting
area.
“Oh Yoo-seong?” The nurse’s loud voice cut through the

room.
“Yes?”
Yoo-seong, who was drinking from the water purifier, turned

his head.
The hunters were confused.
“Did she just say Oh Yoo-seong?”
“Where?”
Everyone turned towards Yoo-seong.
However, only disappointment and laughter followed.

Everyone already knew Yoo-seong’s face. This man, despite
his surprising CE capacity, was not Oh Yoo-seong. He was
probably just someone who had the same name.
Yoo-seong dumped his paper cup in the trash and headed
toward the injection room. However…
“I’ll go first,” Han Jae-gyu said as he stepped in front of Yoo-

seong and headed for the nurse.
“Uh… There…” The nurse didn’t seem to know what to do.
“You know who I am, don’t you?” Han Jae-gyu asked the
embarrassed nurse.
Of course the nurse knew him. Han Jae-gyu was a famous

hunter. But more than that, his family owned the hospital
she was currently working in.
“It’s urgent. It’s an important business problem. I hope you

understand.”
“Ah…”
The nurse was left with no choice. She chose just to let it
pass.
However, Yoo-seong wasn’t having it.
“I would like you to explain what is going on.”
Yoo-seong took a firm step toward the injection room.
“It’s my turn, and I’m the one scheduled for the day. I would
gladly step aside if there’s an emergency, but you have to
explain what’s going on first, and you’d need to ask for my
approval too.”
Han Jae-gyu stared at Yoo-seong for a moment. Didn’t this

dumb kid hear anything he’d just said?
“You are a completely insane person.”

Park Kang-min, who was beyond furious, approached Yoo-
seong with arms lifted to attack.
“You’re not going to fit in, but you need to know…”
Pak-!
Han Jae-gyu raised his arm to block Park Kang-min’s attack

and stared at Yoo-seong coldly.
“Listen carefully. It’s a simple story.”
What came out of his mouth was not the explanation Yoo-
seong wanted.
“The value of time is different for everyone. Some people

make only a penny, while others make hundreds and
thousands of times more in the same time.”
“And that’s a good reason to cut in?” Yoo-seong asked,

trying his best to mask his anger.
“That’s a good reason. After all, it’s not just for me and you,
but for all of society.”
Everyone was looking at them, holding their breath.
Someone whistled softly.
“Fine. You can go in first. I do not want to waste your time.”

Han Jae-gyu pointed at the injection room with his chin.
“However, you’d better keep that in mind, how expensive
the time you’ve interrupted is…”
Before he even finished speaking, Yoo-seong was turning to

head toward the injection room.
Han Jae-gyu was about to burst into anger.

Beep-!
The sound had not only come from Han Ja-gyu’s phone.
Dozens of electronic beeps echoed from every hunter’s

phone within the hospital. It was an emergency alert from
the Special Defense Agency. Everyone reflexively picked up
their cell phones. And…
“Seriously?”
A mix of frustrated groans was heard.
It was an alert that a crack was going to appear.
Everyone had thought that no crack was scheduled within

the next twelve hours. But an unexpected Typhoon-class
crack was opening in the district next to the hospital.
More than half of the hunters in the hospital had been

notified.
“We have no choice but to go,” someone muttered in

lamentation.
In the old days, hunters from powerful groups would have

gotten away with just a medical certificate to excuse them
from the action.
However, after Yoo-seong confronted Gung-on about it, the

medical certificate trick had disappeared surprisingly
quickly from Korea.
Most of the hunters bit their lips.
“Today is completely ruined.”

It was not just that they couldn’t complete their injections.
That was just a trivial inconvenience. However, today was
their time to recover from accumulated minor injuries and
get some rest.
The hunters thought that this was very unlucky timing. They
had no idea when a rest day like this would come again,
and, just because they were in a hospital in an unfortunate
location, they would have to work overtime.
Most of them had just been through a recent operation

involving a Storm-class crack.
Hankwang’s hunters, including Han Jae-gyu and Park Kang-

min, also didn’t look very good.
The whole room’s mood was turned upside down. The rowdy
cheers had been replaced by cursing and the insistent
ringing from their phones.
“There is no need to go out.”
Han Jae-gyu spoke with authority.
Everyone looked at their boss.
“Everyone just has to continue waiting until they receive the

medical care they were trying to get.”
Notably, out of all the hunters in that area, Yoo-seong’s

phone had not rung.
“I did not want to use your own words, but…” Yoo-seong

opened his phone and dialed a number. As he did, he looked
straight at Han Jae-gyu. “You are right. Time has a different
value for everyone. So I think you should learn how to use
that time for a worthy cause, not just for power tripping.”
“What…”
Before Han Jae-gyu was able to continue, Yoo-seong’s call

connected.
“Director Yang Chang-guk?” he asked. After verifying the

other person over the phone, he continued, “It’s me. I’m at
Hankwang Hospital.”
Yoo-seong immediately stated his business. It was a very

short conversation, consisting of just a few words.
“I’m coming.”
Then Yoo-seong hung up and placed the phone back in his

pocket.
Quickly, everyone realized the power held in that single call.

Because after just a moment, their phones stopped ringing.
Chapter 129
EPISODE 129
“So…”
Someone tried to say something but quickly realized that no

one else was speaking and decided against it.
In fact, it didn’t need to be said. Everyone was surely

thinking the same way.
Unless what had happened was just a freak coincidence,

what they were currently looking at was a Single. And there
was only one of his kind in Korea.
This man could immediately silence hundreds of emergency

notifications with just a single phone call.
This was someone who had the ability to completely close

cracks below Typhoon-class by himself.
If only anyone had been thinking about anything other than

Yoo-seong… they would have been sympathizing with Han
Jae-gyu.
Han Jae-gyu did not even move an inch. Then finally…
“Well, there…” he said, trying to break the silence with a

trembling voice. “Are you really Oh Yoo-seong?”
Yoo-seong did not answer. It wasn’t that he was ignoring
Han Jae-gyu. He just had to focus on the matter at hand.
“I just… earlier… I was mistaken… I wouldn’t have said that

unless I was mistaken,” said Han Jae-gyu, clearly trying to
hide the tremors in his voice.
Considering the shock and embarrassment he felt, he

deserved praise for his quick response.
Taking a step toward Yoo-seong, Han Jae-gyu spoke out even

more urgently. “I would like to apologize for my mistake. If
you have the time…”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t.”
Yoo-seong did not even let Han Jae-gyu finish, much less
look at him.
His eyes were fixed on his phone. “I’m reading a briefing

right now.”
Yoo-seong’s low voice rang heavily through the silent room.
“I have to close the crack alone. To do that, I need to devote

all of my remaining time to preparations.”
Of course, Yoo-seong had closed larger and more dangerous

cracks in the past. However, as always, even if he could
block the crack by himself, civilian safety was a more
important issue.
No one could ever be sure of what might happen.
“I don’t want to waste time talking about things that don’t

matter. If you are a hunter, you will understand.”
Indeed, everyone agreed right away.

“It is definitely different.”
“Yes, there is weight to his words.”
The hunters wearing the Hankwang uniform were no

exception. They, too, agreed with Yoo-seong. It was an
example of how easy it was for people to change their
stand.
On the other hand, what Yoo-seong had said was an

irrefutable argument.
A while ago, Yoo-seong had been treated like an idiot for

pointing out the line cutting committed by Park Kang-min
and Han Jae-gyu. However, their opinion of him had shifted
as soon as his identity was exposed.
There was a big difference between what a freelance

beginner said and what a hero declared. After all, in this
time of industry, position and power mattered the most.
However, their opinion of Yoo-seong wasn’t the only thing

that had changed.
Han Jae-gyu was a young man who had been considered a

dark horse who could potentially overwhelm Korea.
Right now, no one was seeing him that way, for he had just
made a fool out of himself. He had been reduced to a
nobody by his own mouth.
Han Jae-gyu, who had never received such looks in his life,
felt uneasy all of a sudden. Meanwhile, Yoo-seong kept his
eyes fixed on his phone as he walked around.
He stepped right in front of the hospital entrance. The

automatic door recognized him and opened to let him pass
through.
“Ha, my grandfather!”
After moments of contemplating and weighing his options,

Han Jae-gyu had chosen his best weapon, something he had
never used before.
Didn’t Han Jae-gyu say it himself?
He was the grandson of the Hankwang Group president, but

whatever he had right now, it was all because of his own
ability. However…
“The Hankwang Group President Han Kwang-ho wants to

meet Oh Yoo-seong!”
He was trembling more than ever.
At this very moment, he had resorted to using his

grandfather’s name in order to establish his position. Han
Jae-gyu himself was unconsciously admitting it, though to
everyone else it was rather obvious – he had been relying
on his name all along.
The Hankwang Group’s influence held so much weight that

a few bluffing words could not easily shake it.
“It doesn’t have to be today. But sooner or later, we’d like to

set up an appointment with you.”
Even when he had never felt so disappointed with himself,

Han Jae-gyu felt some sort of relief, for he had managed to
stop his voice from shaking.
Chin-!
Yoo-seong stopped walking.

He turned his head to look at Han Jae-gyu, and Han Jae-gyu
simply sighed with relief. The hunters all around them held
their breath for what might become a part of history.
However, Yoo-seong remained still. He just glanced over his

shoulder, looking at Han Jae-gyu.
“Something… please say something…”
Just like that, Han Jae-gyu’s voice started to tremble again.

All because of Yoo-seong’s eyes.
He stared at Han Jae-gyu without any interest, without an

inch of respect. It was a gaze that made Han Jae-gyu feel
utterly small.
“As I said, my grandfather…”
Looking at the pathetic Han Jae-gyu, Yoo-seong pondered for

a moment. Did he have to say exactly what was going on in
his mind right now?
Soon, he came to a conclusion.
Push-
Yoo-seong took out his phone and pressed the call button.
Then he went on his way.
“Are you taking Hankwang for granted?!”
Han Jae-gyu was near tears.
No one knew who Yoo-seong had called on the way out; they
weren’t able to overhear the conversation.
In truth, Yoo-seong had not ignored Han Jae-gyu.

He’d just tried to convey his thoughts in a slightly different
way.
Yoo-seong walked out of the hospital.
“You will find out soon,” he muttered.
His response was not just for Han Jae-gyu.
It was for everyone.
***
“Let’s go!”
The Hankwang Medical Center was experiencing

unprecedented chaos years after the building had been
built.
“Where are you? Can I go to the West Building?”
“No, I’ll have to go to the roof of the East Wing or Annex to

see you!”
The hunters who had previously been waiting for their

medical treatment inside the hospital began to pour out.
Their reasons were all the same.
“Wow! Are the railings already full?”
“It can’t be helped. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity.”
Everyone wanted to be in a position where they could

clearly see Yoo-seong closing the crack, which was about to
happen anytime soon.
The location of the hospital itself was just across from the
crack’s barrier area. That was why almost everyone in the
hospital had been summoned before Yoo-seong made his
call.
In the past, only the general public loved watching hunting

operations.
For professional hunters, watching their colleagues working

was not much of an attraction, even with hunters more
skilled than they were.
Hunters already had so much work on their hands.
No matter how exceptional those hunters were, their

colleagues didn’t have the time to seek out whatever
operations they were participating in.
Even if they had, they didn’t have time to chase them

around. However, today was different. This situation was
different. The hunter participating in the operations was
definitely someone worth spending that time on.
“Let’s go down!”
“Huh?! Are you not going to watch?”
“No, there’s no more room for us up there! Let’s drive up to

a higher place nearby!”
Everyone was looking forward to seeing Yoo-seong in action.

Did he really have the skills and abilities worthy of being
called a Single?
Could he really face a ten-star or higher monster alone?
He had worked in the vicious Chinese industry. Was he really

as formidable as they were? What was his Tech like? What
about that legendary suit, which was rumored to be
reinforced with unknown material?
Up until now, they had only seen him in action through

action cam videos.
They wouldn’t miss the chance to watch him with their own
eyes if they could.
The exceptional hunter named Oh Yoo-seong. However…
“Huh?”
It turned out they didn’t have to try so hard to see it.
Dudududu-
The noise from the sky distracted them. It was a helicopter.

In fact, on closer look, it was actually a little smaller and
flatter than a typical helicopter.
A total of six such sleek-looking machines were flying into

the operation area.
“Broadcast stations?”
“Can it fly that low?”
In the case of large-scale operations, broadcasters who

wanted to get coverage used to send in competitive
dispatch filming teams for live broadcasting.
However, after the emergence of Shantiga last year, it had

been difficult for the broadcast stations. Permits for
helicopters were rarely approved, but this case was
different. No one was manning the helicopters.
“It’s not a broadcasting station.”

People then realized to whom the helicopters belonged, and
they started to murmur among themselves. They were
unmanned drones for operation video shooting, belonging to
the Special Defense Agency, special equipment deployed to
record exceptional operations, those worthy of future
research and study.
They were used to supplement the action cams used by

hunters and provide a wider view of the action. However, no
matter how large the operation was, the Defense Agency
only deployed one to two units at most.
Since it was ultra-high-priced equipment, it was very risky

for the Defense Agency to fly it at such a dangerously low
altitude.
“Uh? Hey, hey! Everyone, check the website!”
Beep-
As it turned out, the reason the drones had been mobilized

in the first place was quite different from their original
purpose.
“Website?”
“On the main web page for hunters. “
-Multi-angle real-time streaming.-
-Hunter Oh Yoo-seong – Operation Live Stream released.-
-Anyone can watch freely after authentication.-
Beep-
Immediately, the broadcast began. However, the video’s

angle was not that of an action cam like everyone had
expected.
Six high-resolution cameras were showing Oh Yoo-seong

from different angles.
“Is this Oh Yoo-seong?”
“I think it’s him.”
The broadcast exceeded everyone’s imagination.
“That doesn’t make sense!”
***
Click-
Feeling the presence of six major drones orbiting him from a

certain distance, Yoo-seong checked the equipment he
wore. This set of equipment was much more specialized
than he’d used in the past.
He had contacted Yang Chang-guk and requested the

mobilization of the drones. In addition, he’d also directly
requested to use the state-owned equipment.
Yang Chang-guk had agreed to the livestream using the

drones without hesitation. However…
“You mean to use these? Really?”
He’d trembled upon seeing the list of equipment that Yoo-

seong wanted to use.
‘It can’t be helped,’ Yoo-seong thought to himself as he

looked up at the crack.
This was what he wanted to show everyone. This was what
he wanted to spread all over the world for the upcoming
broadcast.
What he was about to do using this equipment would soon

change the industry.
Jiiiiiing-!
The crack began to fluctuate. Yoo-seong prepared himself.

He wanted to show his new equipment in earnest.
Worth 1.36 million won and accessible to any licensed

hunter through a simple phone order.
Today, everyone would see it.
These were not just special; these were exceptional.
And with that, Yoo-seong pressed the button.

Chapter 130
EPISODE 130
Many of the industry insiders watching the video were

confused by what they were seeing.
“What he’s wearing is…?”
“The new equipment that came out…”
The Honeycomb Techsuit – ★ (+)
It was a device modeled after the Beeswax Gorilla (Beeswax

Gorilla – ★★★★), a high-level monster with armor wrapping
its body like a honeycomb shell.
However, ultimately the Beeswax Gorilla had been too rare

to be mass-produced.
The Honeycomb Techsuit – ★ (+) was an inexpensive

version of the armor.
Recently, in order to contribute to the efforts in handling the

more frequent occurrences of cracks around the world, the
U.S. government had given up their copyrights and released
their method of production to the world.
Of course, this was good news for newly-licensed hunters. It

meant that, at an affordable price, they could access cost-
effective, two-star equipment.
However, the hunters who were watching the broadcast felt
skeptical.
“What is this? Is he showing off?”
“No, he must have something else inside, like an inner

suit…”
“There’s no way he could operate in armor like that!”
“He will need hundreds of thousands of CE to defend

himself.”
Even during their heated debates, viewers eagerly checked

Yoo-seong’s armor more closely. They were trying to see if
he had any more special equipment on him. However, they
couldn’t find any.
The only other thing he had on was a utility belt that

allowed the hunter to store items conveniently. There wasn’t
a single hunter who didn’t know how to use one.
Everyone was puzzled to see that all he had was basic

equipment. Anyone who had undergone the process of
acquiring a hunter license would know how to use them.
“Oh, maybe he did it to make his own Psy stand out.”
“Maybe he wanted to show that he doesn’t need such

equipment.”
In the midst of speculations springing up everywhere…
Jiiing-!
Finally, the crack began to reveal itself.
“The crack is open!”

“Will he use it now? The Tech that makes him walk on air?!”
However, it was Yoo-seong’s hands, not his legs, that moved

first. He moved his hand toward his utility belt. Then, from
it, he pulled out a long rope.
Whirring-!
It was an ordinary model with a hook at the opposite end.
Then Yoo-seong jumped with all his strength, using both

legs.
However, it wasn’t the Explosive Acceleration he’d learned

from the Red Dragon Society.
It wasn’t even the Spider Walk nor the Steel Steps that
created mist and steel through Aura.
It was an ordinary jump, something that any hunter could

have done.
In an instant, he was catapulted about five meters in the air.
Then Yoo-seong swung the rope in his hand.
It flew through the air and attached itself to the outer wall of
a building. Yoo-seong pulled it taut to check that it was
stuck firmly in position.
“Hooking?” some of the viewers remarked.
It was so basic that it could be found in both manuals and

textbooks.
When a lift used in operation was broken, hunters from the

rush team often used hooking to reach the crack. It was a
technique used to reach high altitudes as quickly as
possible, utilizing the rebound a stretched rope gives.
From the view of the six cameras, Yoo-seong’s hooking was

superb. Since it was getting recorded on video, it could be
preserved as educational material for beginners.
No matter how perfect the fundamentals he was showing

were, though, that wasn’t what the viewers were expecting
from someone like Oh Yoo-seong.
The level of movement needed to close a crack alone had to

be different, something more extraordinary.
Flick-!
As Yoo-seong bulleted toward the crack, he pulled the rope

behind him. Then he used the drones around him to secure
the hook when there were no more buildings around.
As he skillfully continued his ascent while hooking from

drone to drone, Yoo-seong brought out the Sky Needle.
For everyone watching the livestream, it was the first

special thing that they had seen from the footage.
Because the cracks were too high up for eyewitnesses to

see closely, and the previous footage of Yoo-seong using the
Needle had been from action cams and not high-resolution
drones, this was the first time the public could see what Oh
Yoo-seong would use to close the crack without a breaker.
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
Moving hastily between the edges of the crack, Yoo-seong

quickly moved his arms to sew it closed.
Just when he had sewn half of it, he heard loud cries from
below.
“We’re screwed!”
The wave had already begun.
Thump-!
Thump-!
The monsters pouring out were unexpectedly lethal.
Octolisk-★★★★~★★★★★
This was an octopus-shaped monster three to five meters

tall, covered with rock-like skin.
However, unlike its counterparts from the sea, it only had

two moving tentacles, which acted as the beast’s main
weapons.
Rather than tentacles, really, they looked closer to forelimbs

with developed muscles and serrations sharp enough to cut
through anything. The remaining six tentacles acted more
like an insect’s legs, with three tentacles on each side
moving without any angle restrictions.
Four Octolisks were the first monsters to fall out of the

crack.
Before even reaching the ground, they instinctively

stretched out their two flexible tentacles to hold on to the
buildings’ outer walls. Then they used their six tentacles to
secure their positions as their large eyes rolled back and
forth. This was their usual behavior as their brains
processed their new surroundings and detected prey.
“He has to subdue those before finishing what he’s doing
with the crack!”
“Why is he not catching them?!”
“Why is he still on the crack?”
Ignoring the hunters’ worried cries, Yoo-seong continued

closing the crack without batting an eye.
Octolisks were unable to fly; thus, they wouldn’t be able to

attack Yoo-seong.
However, that was also why it was dangerous.
If the monsters decided to run towards the blocking line

now, the police force surrounding it would be annihilated. A
massive disaster was brewing right before everyone’s eyes.
“What are you doing?! Get them right now!”
As Yoo-seong continued to close the crack, more and more

Octolisks were falling out. The sight of them sticking to the
outer walls of buildings and rolling their eyes was enough to
make the hunters shiver.
“Oh, this won’t work! We need to get inside the block line!”
“Single? Damn it!”
Some of the experienced hunters clenched their teeth and

prepared to enter the operation area.
As they did, Yoo-seong finished closing the crack completely.

By that point, there were already twenty-six Octolisks on the
buildings below him.
Now more than ever, he had to deal with them.

However, Yoo-seong did not move. The viewers were on the
edge of their seats.
Yoo-seong simply stretched his left arm before him with an

indifferent expression. Then, in the very next moment…
Seowook-!
Yoo-seong’s right arm brushed against his outstretched left.

Everyone watching him felt stunned.
This was because there was an Aura blade on his right arm
that had run across his left.
Who could have imagined it?
Yoo-seong had just aimed at an artery, causing blood to

spurt out and spill everywhere.
A normal person would have been rushed to a hospital with

that kind of wound.
Furthermore, with that kind of injury, it would be impossible

for Yoo-seong to use his left arm in battle now.
Blood began dripping toward the streets below.
Octolisks were rare monsters, so ecological study on them

was still incomplete. What was known was that they were
one of the most aggressive monsters that appeared on the
Korean Peninsula. They detected prey using their superior
sense of smell and chased after it using their flexible
tentacles that could walk through any obstacles in their way.
They were intelligent creatures with the curiosity to analyze
the characteristics of other beings.
Even Yoo-seong didn’t know much about them. However, he
had obtained some knowledge about these beasts during
the six months he spent inside the crack.
Goowook-!
Octolisks got excited at the scent of blood.
The Octolisks, which had been starting to scatter towards

the blocking line, froze. They all turned in the same
direction, right toward where the smell of blood was coming
from.
Even though it was a good distance away from them, it was

suddenly all the creatures could think about.
The scent of multiple prey beyond the blocking line against

the scent of blood from a single creature.
It was funny how even intelligent creatures could be fooled

by their bloodthirst.
Wook-wook-wook-wook-! The entire platoon of Octolisks

began rushing in Yoo-seong’s direction.
He did not move.
Go-oh-oh-!
The bleeding on his left arm began to subside as Yoo-seong

applied Aura to it.
However, deep wounds did not heal instantly.
Yoo-seong’s left hand, which had lost too much blood, was
now starting to weaken. He pulled two items from his utility
belt.
One was an ordinary compression bandage, and the other
was a Craig Knife-★★. It was a flat blade of about forty
centimeters, its middle slightly thicker than the rest of it.
This, too, was similar to the Honeycomb Tech Suit.
It was a basic close-combat hunting knife in alloy material,

designed and patented by a famous French hunter. Yoo-
seong did not have to use it.
Everyone knew about his Aura Blade.
Ever since his rookie days, he had surprised people with

what they now called the best Blade in Korea.
But strangely, the top Blade-user was locking a basic melee

weapon onto his wrist.
Click-
Then, with his right hand, he pulled a Gellar Gun from his
waist. The model he had was a sawed-off shotgun type.
Right when he had finished adjusting the power of his
firearm… Bang-!
Three Octolisks landed on the rooftop he was on. Yoo-seong

reacted swiftly.
Bang-!
Bang-!
His right hand raised straight up.
He fired the gun and hit the head of an Octolisk that was
planning to attack Yoo-seong from the left side.
The monster, which had been dashing towards him,
stiffened instantly before crashing down.
Even though it looked like an ordinary firearm, the Gellar

Gun had enough firepower to bring down five-star beasts
such as Octolisks.
The gun’s power had now been increased to its maximum

limit.
The Octolisks kept coming for Yoo-seong. Two of them tried

to attack him from both his front and rear sides.
Boo-woong-!
An Octolisk attacked from the front, stretching out its

tentacles. Rather than a monster’s wild swing, the blow
appeared somewhat similar to a human punch.
Yoo-seong tilted his upper body backward to dodge it.

However, the serrations in the monster’s tentacles grazed at
his chest.
As he looked up from his position, he saw the Octolisk

staring at him eye to eye. It was then…
Bang-!
Bang-!
He fired the shotgun-type Gellar Gun at close range from

beneath the monster.
Bang-!
The Octolisk stiffened, but Yoo-seong was not done with it

yet. Kicking the floor to propel himself upward and raising
his torso, Yoo-seong soared several meters into the air.
Then, using the momentum from his fall back to the
ground…
Tooung-!
Yoo-seong kicked through the Octolisk’s tough head,

crushing its skull. At that point, it was already dead.
Then Yoo-seong turned to the Octolisk behind him.
Bang-!
The Octolisk’s tentacles were neatly blown off. The Octolisk,

rendered helpless by the loss of its two front tentacles,
wildly thrashed about before turning completely still.
Yoo-seong didn’t have time to watch its agony. He leaped

once more to deal with the rest of the monsters.
Guwook-!
Two more Octolisks promptly followed him into the air.
“Hah!”
Pagak-!
Yoo-seong quickly shifted directions in the air. The Octolisks’

trajectories coincided with where Yoo-seong originally was,
and…
Pagak-!
A loud noise erupted as the two huge beasts collided

against each other with full momentum. One Octolisk lost a
front tentacle in the collision. Yoo-seong landed just behind
it and lowered his posture right away. A blue flash
illuminated the surroundings.
It wasn’t Yoo-seong’s Aura blade. It was the basic Craig
knife, coated with Aura.
Yoo-seong filled his legs with strength as his upper body

began to twist. He catapulted forward, spinning, with the
blue-coated knife stretched out. The centrifugal force his
rotation generated increased the penetrating power of the
basic knife. Then…
Crack-!
It was enough to cut three tentacles from the already-

injured Octolisk.
After breaking through, Yoo-seong landed on the head of

another monster. Then he brutally crammed his Gellar Gun’s
muzzle against the beast’s forehead.
Bang-!
Bang-!
Baang-!
Three shots were fired in succession. The monsters

convulsed and shook as they let out blood-curdling
screeches.
However, Yoo-seong did not have time to appreciate his

handiwork. Four more Octolisks had arrived on the rooftop.
***
At that point, many of the hunters who were watching had

begun to realize what was happening.
Why would Oh Yoo-seong suffer through these movements?

He could capture each of the monsters effortlessly using his
thread. He could slice through without having to reinforce
his attack with centrifugal force if he used his Aura Blade.
However, most of the hunters now understood what Yoo-

seong was trying to tell them with his absurd show.
It wasn’t about the equipment. It wasn’t about what Tech or

Psy one possessed.
Hunting was about maximizing the use of the available

equipment and efficient Aura control. Everything Yoo-seong
had done so far in this battle had involved a series of
movements that even a first-year hunter could follow after
repeated training.
No one had realized it at first, but Oh Yoo-seong was

creating some sort of guide for all the hunters who were
watching him.
In the process, he’d had to restrain himself from using his

full abilities. He was risking his life to pass on his
knowledge.
An exasperated veteran yelled, stating into words what

everyone felt at the moment:
“What the hell are you thinking, Oh Yoo-seong?!”

Chapter 131
EPISODE 131
The fourteenth Octolisk stretched out its tentacles.

However, it was not easy to hit Yoo-seong, and not because
he was too far away.
Tooung-!
It was because there were obstacles in the way, none other

than the same Octolisks that had fallen earlier.
Yoo-seong’s choice of stage for the fight was one of the

main factors that had made this strange occurrence
possible. If the fight had happened somewhere else, Yoo-
seong would have been attacked from a higher position.
For example, if they’d battled on the road, Yoo-seong might

have been attacked from a higher angle, such as the outer
wall of a building or a telephone pole. However, this was a
rooftop, and the space to step on was limited.
The Octolisks also lacked the ability to fly.
Now the piled-up remains of the monsters were starting to

become a hindrance. Not all of the fallen Octolisks were
dead, though.
Even though some had suffered a great deal of damage,

others of the fallen Octolisks were still breathing.
Not only did their large bodies take up much of the limited
space, but they were also convulsing and wriggling violently.
Tooung-!
An angry Octolisk struck the body of one of its fallen

comrades, pushing it away.
Adult Octolisks were usually categorized as a five-star risk

rating, but this one was unusually large, perhaps enough to
receive another star. Its tentacles launched forward.
However, Yoo-seong had already leaped backward, landing

on top of another struggling Octolisk that had previously
fallen.
It could have been the perfect moment for Yoo-seong to use

his Spider Walk. However, he didn’t.
Instead, he balanced himself by directing Aura into his legs,

waist, and ankles. Considering Yoo-seong’s abilities, this was
a very inefficient and dangerous approach.
However, it was fairly common practice for hunters who had

not yet mastered any other methods like the Spider Walk.
Of course, Auto-Hunt did its share of helping Yoo-seong

maintain the best balance. However, due to physical
limitations, not even Auto-Hunt could keep up with his free
movements.
Right then, Yoo-seong looked like a clown trying to balance

himself on a ball, just sitting still and lowering his posture.
With Yoo-seong in such a position, the six-star Octolisk was

setting another attack in motion. This time, rather than
using its tentacles, the Octolisk was plunging forward with
its whole body.
Right before the attacking Octolisk reached him, Yoo-seong

straightened his posture. Facing the rushing Octolisk, he
skipped upward at an angle.
This paper-thin difference proved to be very unfortunate for

the attacking Octolisk. On the other hand, it created the
perfect distance for Yoo-seong.
Shwak-!
The attacking Octolisk’s head was split right down the

middle with a rough cutting sound.
Yoo-seong had ended the Octolisk in one blow.
It could have been the best move to end all the chaos.
Unfortunately, the hunt was still far from over.
Puck-!
The fifteenth Octolisk showed itself by hitting Yoo-seong in

midair with one of its tentacles. It was a tremendous shock.
Despite defending his body with Aura, parts of his

Honeycomb Techsuit were still blown away while his ribs
rang in pain. However, Yoo-seong’s reaction bewildered the
monster.
Guwook-!
Unlike other prey when they were hit by its tentacles, Yoo-
seong was not thrown away by the impact. He also did not
bleed, nor was deeply wounded by the blades attached to
the Octolisk’s tentacles.
Instead, right at the moment of impact, Yoo-seong had
turned his body to avoid the blades. At the same time, he’d
used his arms and legs to tightly hold on to the monster’s
tentacles to prevent himself from being hurled away.
The Octolisk tried to shake Yoo-seong off by aggressively

swinging its tentacle. As a result, Yoo-seong’s body was
almost thrown to the floor.
Thump-!
Yet Yoo-seong was able to maneuver his way around the

Octolisk’s tentacles successfully.
Crunch-!
Crunch-!
Yoo-seong’s hand was moving incessantly. While embracing

the tentacles with both of his arms, he was using the
uninjured one to incapacitate the Octolisk.
It appeared to be working, but it proved to be a very slow

task.
“Huh…”
Yoo-seong pressed his lips together and held back his

groans.
There was no need to do this.
Auto-Hunt was certainly moving as he intended, but he

could end it quicker if he wanted to.
He didn’t even have to wrap his arms around the monster’s

tentacle.
He could just wear the Queen’s Hug.
He could just use his Spider Walk.
He could just use his best blade, not the one he had right
now.
Most of all, using Auto-Hunt with his current skills would

result in another acrobatic physical display of his ability. By
now, rather than wrestling with a tentacle, he could have
already slaughtered all the remaining Octolisks. However…
‘No. I can’t,’ Yoo-seong said to himself. ‘Everything I’ve done

up to this point would mean nothing.’
Yoo-seong had come into this battle with a plan.
Needless to say, he was a public figure, a strong,

impressive, and distant figure. To put it a little differently, he
had reached a height that might seem immeasurable for an
average hunter.
Not that this was a problem.
Come to think of it, technically, there was nothing bad about

any of this situation.
Before Yoo-seong, Lee Jae-hak had been the only figure like
that, and so far, Yoo-seong had been praised by everyone
alongside him.
However, that wasn’t what Yoo-seong wanted.
‘I do not need simple envy or admiration.’
Yoo-seong had known about those very well, even before

he’d dreamt of being a hunter. He’d seen himself as
someone ordinary, someone who did not bother aspiring
above his abilities.
‘What if I had managed to become a hunter without Auto-

Hunt?’
Of course, even without Auto-Hunt, Yoo-seong would have

done his best to walk his chosen path. However, if his old
self had seen Lee Jae-hak, would he have made an effort?
Would his old self have thought, ‘I want to be someone like

that’?
Would it have even been possible for him to develop and

improve himself by saying that he wanted to become a
hunter beyond that?
He knew it wouldn’t have been possible.
It was not just because Yoo-seong was realistic. He was

almost certain that the same would be true of any other
hunter.
When Yoo-seong had first revealed himself to the industry,

he had been a great motivator to inspire young hunters.
However, now…
Now that he had built a lot more skills, achievements, and

fame than them, no one was being “inspired” by Yoo-seong.
Because Yoo-seong was already the ‘Yoo-seong’, he was

already someone deemed to be above everyone else.
Oh Yoo-seong’s skills were excellent.
Oh Yoo-seong’s equipment was excellent.
Oh Yoo-seong had a formidable Aura.

It somehow sent out a different message than he’d
previously intended.
No matter how hard they struggled, new and future hunters

would think they couldn’t become someone like Oh Yoo-
seong.
He hadn’t wanted it to turn out that way.
Whoo-!
With more than half of it cut off, the Octolisk’s swinging

tentacle had failed to overpower Yoo-seong. All it had done
was recoil and then fall off on its own.
Instinctively, the monster retracted its tentacle closer to its

body. However, unlike the other half that had fallen apart…
Cheek-!
Yoo-seong was still clinging to its tentacle, like a leech.
Paang-!
Yoo-seong fired the Gellar gun from very close range, hitting
the monster’s eyes without erring. At this, the monster
shuddered.
Yoo-seong rolled down to the floor, falling awkwardly.

However, making efficient use of his body, he immediately
rose up and rushed toward the other Octolisks.
Poop-!
Yoo-seong allowed some of the attacks to hit him. His Aura

was able to offset the damage, but Yoo-seong’s CE did not
come without a limit.
His suit was broken.
Yoo-seong’s body trembled, with wounds and blood all over.
However, right to the end, Yoo-seong did not lose sight of

his purpose. At the seventeenth Octolisk, the knife he was
wielding broke.
He was left with only half of its blade.
By the twentieth Octolisk, both his helmet and his nose were
broken.
He wasn’t able to avoid the tentacle that flew directly

toward his face. Yet, even at the onset of intense pain, Yoo-
seong did not close his eyes.
At the twenty-third Octolisk, his Honeycomb Techsuit

crumbled from the intense overuse. The attack, which
knocked out his suit, also broke his lower leg.
Gou-!
Yoo-seong raised his Gellar Gun at the last of the Octolisks.
However, the Gellar Gun had also reached its limit, its
firepower exhausted. The Octolisk’s tentacles hit Yoo-seong
right in his lower abdomen.
Yoo-seong bounced off.
“Oh my God!”
“Oh, damn it…”
At that moment, almost everyone who was watching the

video groaned.
In their heads, Yoo-seong’s vision of slaughtering the
monsters had long disappeared. For everyone watching, this
was no longer a sight to behold.
Despite the handicap he’d had when he faced the twentieth

Octolisk, the audience had erupted into cheers whenever he
was able to successfully take down another one of the
monsters.
However, those cheers had now turned into groaning.
“He’s not moving…”
“No matter how good Oh Yoo-seong is, he was still hit in the
stomach… his armor is still broken.”
“Isn’t it really dangerous for him to pass out now? Wake

up!”
Yoo-seong did not move.
He lay upon the corpse of another Octolisk.
He wasn’t moving at all, and it seemed that even his

breathing had stopped.
Guwook-!
Guk-!
As if it was delighted to be the last one standing, the

remaining Octolisk approached with a creepy cry.
Thud-!
The beast grabbed Yoo-seong, turned him upside down, and

smashed his head against the concrete floor.
Then, after confirming that Yoo-seong was not moving, the
Octolisk prepared to feast on its prey.
Like an octopus, its mouth was right under its tentacles.
The entwined tentacles started to drag Yoo-seong, bringing

him closer to the monster’s serrated mouth.
Had it been a little more intelligent, it might have realized

that something was off. The concrete floor was broken, but
no blood was coming from Yoo-seong’s head.
Even if it had hit the head, which was a vital spot, Aura
could easily reduce the impact of the blow.
However, for the Octolisk, it was already too late.
Jee-ik-!
Yoo-seong’s right arm was removing the blade attached to

his left arm. Pretending to be dead was certainly effective,
even though it felt awkward.
In return, the Octolisk’s weak spot, which was inside its

mouth, was exposed within Yoo-seong’s reach.
None of the six drones were able to shoot it properly, but

everyone heard it clearly. It was as if a soft sandbag was
being ripped to the point of destruction.
Thump-!
The Octolisk’s tentacles collapsed, burying Yoo-seong

underneath them.
No one knew how much time passed.
Everyone was holding their breath.

No one knew what they were waiting for.
Then a blue light broke the long silence.
Right in the torso of the slain Octolisk…
Boowook-
Very slowly, the dark blue color of Aura was clearly cutting
through the monster’s flesh, revealing a blade. When the
cut grew large enough, a human-sized figure popped out of
it.
It was Yoo-seong. He was covered in Octolisk blood.
“Kuh!” Yoo-seong coughed as he struggled for air.
“Koouk! Kup!”
Whether it was due to the shortness of breath caused by

using a knife without pulling the blade until the last minute
or the intense stench of the Octolisk blood, Yoo-seong felt
sick to his stomach.
Over and over, Yoo-seong vomited violently.
It was a gross sight, Yoo-seong puking his guts out while

covered in Octolisk blood. Yet, no one felt nauseous or even
attempted to mock the scene they were witnessing.
How could they?
No matter how skilled they were, it was a feat that they

could not have accomplished.
Octolisk corpses were piled up on the roof.
On the evidence of his victory, Yoo-seong stood upright.

He shook the hot liquid from his face and swept back his
hair, showing his face clearly. It was the face of a hunter
proclaiming pride and confidence.
He’d had his nose broken. His eyes’ sclera had turned red.
Blood flowed down the side of his face. However, there were
no longer any signs of nausea, groaning, or pain. His
expression was back to normal, calm and indifferent.
Yoo-seong looked up at the drone above him and stared

down its lens.
***
“Oh…”
Han Jae-gyu, who was watching, was both fascinated and

thrilled.
Only when his body ceased trembling did Han Jae-gyu even
begin to understand.
When he’d mentioned his grandfather and Hankwang’s

name, this was what Yoo-seong had been trying to say.
Yoo-seong had not ignored Han Jae-gyu.
‘To me, that name will not get you any special preference.’
Chapter 132
EPISODE 132
“That’s impressive.”
While his grandson was freaking out from excitement, Han

Kwang-ho, president of the Hankwang Group, calmly
observed the livestream.
Right opposite him was a screen covering the entire wall,

showing Yoo-seong’s face.
Yoo-seong’s live broadcast was not only open to hunters.

President Han Kwang-ho had been watching his struggles
along with everyone else.
“It was quite a sight. But that is all,” the president said as
he turned his head away. “What do you think, Mr. Joo?”
He was met with silence.
“Mr. Joo?” President Han Kwang-ho narrowed his eyes.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Joo Hwan-jin, President Han Kwang-ho’s

two-meter-tall personal bodyguard, as he bowed his head.
Aside from his height, Joo Hwan-jin also had an impressive

body structure resembling an inverted triangle.
“It’s very unlike you to have a delayed response,” President

Han Kwang-ho commented. “What were you thinking?”
“I was just thinking about this broadcast,” Joo Hwan-jin
answered.
“Did it give you something to think about?”
Again, Joo Hwan-jin could not answer right away.
‘How could you watch that video and not have any thoughts
about it?’ he wondered to himself.
President Han Kwang-ho did not understand anything at all.
“It was a fairly frivolous show,” the president said as he

turned back to the screen.
It was showing Yoo-seong as he traveled down the building.
“Our young friend here was quite eager to reveal himself.

However, he does not seem to have the sense and self-
control to properly manage the situation. I think he
succeeded in giving the entire operation a dramatic effect,
but everything was too rash.”
Joo Hwan-jin simply continued to listen in silence.
“Did he need to break away from his image just to show off?
It appeared as if he was stripped of his dignity the moment
he started bleeding. That was quite an embarrassment, to
be honest.”
Tss-!
Joo Hwan-jin could not help but stare at the president as he

clicked his tongue. He was trying his best not to speak by
biting his inner lip.
‘Does it really look that way in the eyes of the public?’

He knew that it was only natural for everyone to think that
way on occasion. For some, what Yoo-seong did was nothing
but a show.
Except that it wasn’t.
“It’s just that I think it’s a little too much to say it was all
merely a ‘frivolous show.’”
Just moments ago, Oh Yoo-seong had revealed his presence,

and Joo Hwan-jin knew.
So far, everyone had been mistaken about this rather

famous hunter.
No one really understood the true value of Hunter Oh Yoo-

seong.
The Psy and Aura he possessed? The unprecedented level of

events he’d participated in overseas? They were really
nothing compared to what Yoo-seong had just shown.
“Huh. Yeah, I guess that’s something only you hunters

understand,” President Han Kwang-ho said mockingly. It
took everything in Joo Hwan-jin not to talk back.
“Perhaps everyone is downloading the video by now.”
Joo Hwan-jin was sure of it.
Every hunter group in Korea must have been downloading

Yoo-seong’s hunting footage to watch it over and over.
“I’m sure everyone is thinking the same thing. They will

want to study and learn how they can move like Oh Yoo-
seong.”
“Is that even possible? Are you saying that just by watching
a video, someone’s sloppy skills are guaranteed to
improve?” President Han Kwang-ho asked skeptically.
“No, but…”
Of course, Joo Hwan-jin knew that just watching the video

would not be enough.
No one could just execute the same operation that Oh Yoo-

seong had. It had been a miracle.
However, it might be possible for just a few moments. The

skills that Oh Yoo-seong had exhibited were basic enough to
replicate.
They did not require a lot of conditions.
No equipment, no CE, no Tech – not even exceptional talent.
What Oh Yoo-seong had just shown was a possibility. That

was it.
It had not involved of Tech with limited information or rare

equipment that ordinary people could not even see. Rather,
it had been a style of hunting that thoroughly excluded such
things.
It could be said that every hunter actually had the potential.

However, no one searched for possibilities anymore.
Not until Yoo-seong had shown them one.
After analyzing his hunting footage, many hunters would

soon follow his steps and combinations.
These hunters would then apply these practices in action.

They now had the chance to use Oh Yoo-seong’s basic
skillset in real life.
And, because of that, Yoo-seong was filled with a sense of

pride that his skills might be further advanced.
Just like students competing for the top student’s answer

sheet right after a quiz, hunters across the country would
enjoy this kind of festive competition.
That was the exact reason why Joo Hwan-jin’s heart was
beating faster.
“Even so, I don’t know if it’s going to come to anything,”

said President Han Kwang-ho as he sat next to Joo Hwan-jin,
the business tycoon almost spitting his words in ridicule.
“Isn’t everything you’re going to learn from watching Oh
Yoo-seong’s videos pointless if you do not possess the
skills?”
“Not exactly…”
Joo Hwan-jin tried to explain, but the president ended up

cutting him off.
“It has nothing to do with us anyway. The diligent ones do

not matter. To be a leader, you must be mindful of those
born with talent. You shouldn’t pay attention to those who
are easily trampled on.”
Joo Hwan-jin shut his mouth.
He could not help it. After all, he was nothing but a knight.
He was a racehorse that ran the track according to his

master’s will. This was the way President Han Kwang-ho
looked at the industry.
And no, he wasn’t the only one who thought this way.
The same went for several powerful people who had

followed in President Han Kwang-ho’s footsteps, all of whom
Joo Hwan-jin had been given the opportunity to meet.
They all thought of the hunter industry as something like a

sports business with richer commercial potential.
In recent years, the frequency of cracks, the accident in

Japan that happened a few days ago, the Shanghai Shock
that had happened prior – the sense of crisis all these
brought differed greatly among the government authorities
and the business sector.
Of course, the threat posed by the cracks should be stopped

at all costs. However, for those who saw the world in
numbers, the meaning and weight of what hunters did had
long been erased.
In their eyes, exceptional hunters were nothing but stallions,

athletes, and followers.
Hunters only strained their bodies in order to gain favor in

the public’s eye. Hunters were racehorses bought to
maintain their masters’ wealth.
It was one of the main reasons why Joo Hwan-jin had come
to work for the Hankwang Group.
In his prime, he was one of the pioneers when the first of

the cracks appeared. He was a ranker in the country, a
ranker who had failed to survive amid the rising competition
within the new generation.
Joo Hwan-jin had seen himself as a failed man, not because

he sold his own organization but because of what he had
become: Hankwang Group’s Chief Security Officer, who
received a hefty salary.
For President Han Kwang-ho, he was a racehorse and luxury

item that the president could show off by merely having him
by his side. And right now, his master wanted more horses.
“Anyway, that’s what I’m saying. It’s easier than I thought. It

would be foolish of you to push back on our previous plans
unless you are willing for the risk to rise,” said President Han
Kwang-ho.
“Mr. President, with all due respect…” Joo Hwan-jin tried his
best to explain. “You underestimate him too much.”
“Do I?” the president asked.
“Wasn’t he involved in issues when he had an operation in

Japan? People like Chairman Tatsuo Sukune and the
Japanese Prime Minister…”
“Do you really think it was all Oh Yoo-seong’s doing?”

President Han Kwang-ho snorted in half-amusement. “Of
course,” the president continued, “Oh Yoo-seong might have
done a thing or two, but not everything was because he is
someone great. The Japanese Prime Minister and the
chairman of the Leto group overestimated him. It was their
fault that they fought amongst themselves before taking
care of him.”
“Chairman Sukune was also a hunter,” Joo Hwan-jin

reasoned.
“That’s why he did what he did. I will deal with Oh Yoo-

seong as a hunter, but I do not have to consider anything
else. That is all there is to it.”
President Han Kwang-ho thought of Yoo-seong as nothing
more than a “mere” hunter.
He was certain that there were many ways to deal with

hunters, especially with the privileges and influence that he
had.
“It would be a waste of time to exert too much effort,” the

president told Joo Hwan-jin.
Humans do not run alongside horses.
In President Han Kwang-ho’s opinion, it was enough for a

master to ride on the back of his racehorse or just sit and
watch from a distance as the sheep ran.
“And no matter how crazy the horse is, you do not even
have to hold the whip yourself.”
“But…” Joo Hwan-jin tried to object.
“Maybe it’s only natural that you are unable to see it.”
Cutting off Joo Hwan-jin, President Han Kwang-ho’s words
dripped with ice. “It’s because our positions differ anyway.”
At this, Joo Hwan-jin stood in silence.
Perhaps, even if the president himself would not admit it,

there was still some sense of vigilance.
Joo Hwan-jin knew this. Oh Yoo-seong was someone

different.
He had both his skills as a hunter and popularity. He was

someone who exuded a presence that you wouldn’t want to
cross.
At the moment, Oh Yoo-seong and the Hankwang Group
were still going their separate ways, but…
“I’m tired. I will get some sleep,” said the president as he

rose from his seat. “Wake me up if you hear anything from
Jae-gyu.”
It was an order from President Han Kwang-ho to his horse.
Suppressing emotions that he could not vent, Joo Hwan-jin

obeyed his owner’s instructions.
Just the way he was supposed to.
Yang Chang-guk stood, worried, in a lounge at the far end of

the hallway of the hospital’s first floor.
“Are you okay? Your eyes were completely bloody.”
Contrary to how it looked, Yoo-seong’s broken nose was

actually more of a problem. The doctors had managed to
put a thin protector on top of it by adjusting the nose bone.
However, Yoo-seong found the itch more bothersome to
endure.
“It seems to fall by itself after some time.”
Barely managing to hold his nose, Yoo-seong threw a look at

Yang Chang-guk. “I’m not the one you should be worried
about right now. You look worse than I do.”
Somehow, Yoo-seong had spoken the truth.
Yang Chang-guk looked a lot thinner than when they met in

Japan.
At that time, it had been evident that he hadn’t slept a wink.
However, this time, Yang Chang-guk indeed looked worse.
“I’m… I’m just… Always…” Stuttering, Yang-Chang guk

rubbed his eyes a few times before he was able to speak.
“It’s nothing. It’s what I told you about last time, the crack
near the Military Demarcation Line.
“Oh, that.” Yoo-seong nodded as if he’d just remembered.
It was an unexplored crack that had appeared for the first

time in Korea.
As always, Yoo-seong was ready to carry out an operation at

any time.
“We’re leaving right away.”
“No… No.” Yang Chang-guk shook his hand. Then with a

quivering expression, he spoke. “I’m not asking you to close
it. I think the operation to close the crack will be postponed
indefinitely.”
“What?” Yoo-seong asked instantly. “Why? Nothing good will

come of dragging it out. We have no idea what will come
from the other side of the crack!”
“That’s not my decision to make,” Yang Chang-guk sighed in

exasperation.
“But don’t you have to close the crack?” Yoo-seong knew

the answer even before he asked.
There were rules when it came to closing cracks, and he

knew them well. There were absolute laws that were
followed in the hunting industry all around the world. Laws
such as: ‘Hunters should not harm the public,’ or ‘The
primary purpose of hunting operations is civilian safety.’
Among these absolute laws was: “All cracks should be

closed as quickly as possible.”
So far, there had never been a reason to break this rule,

though there was one aspect in an operation that had
suffered because of it: the actual dive.
Sometimes, from the shadows of the industry, a joke would

come out.
What if the hunters did not close any of the cracks and kept
them open?
What if hunters dove through the open crack, exchanged

supplies, and replaced the injured?
The dive’s success rate would surely be several hundred

times higher.
Such a notion could make individual explorations possible.
However, the risk was far too great for humanity.
“Of course, not a single country wanted to break the rules. A

lot of unpredictable arisen from the continuous opening of
cracks. We have no idea when and what kind of danger will
threaten the safety of the people,” Yang Chang-guk
explained.
However, even if they could not speak out openly, quite a

few thought otherwise.
For mankind, the world inside the crack was full of dangers.
However, at the same time, it was also a fountain of infinite
value.
“Also, it’s not as if the crack could be closed with a breaker.

Technically, we are not breaking any rules,” Yang Chang-guk
said matter-of-factly.
‘But I can close it,’ was what Yoo-seong wanted to say. Yet,
he kept his mouth shut.
His Sky Needle could close the crack, but it still wasn’t an
officially-proven fact.
In other words, what Yang Chang-guk was trying to say

wasn’t simply that there was a delay in the operation to
close the crack in the Military Demarcation Line.
“You are telling me to keep quiet the fact that I can close
the crack.”
Yang Chang-guk did not answer.
As Yoo-seong realized it, veins of anger throbbed in his

temple.
He wanted to shout at Yang Chang-guk, asking if he knew

what his request meant, but he knew it was pointless.
Yang Chang-guk had made no excuses. As he’d said, it was

not his decision.
Aside from Yoo-seong, Yang Chang-guk had also been

working overtime to respond to cracks appearing
ceaselessly in various parts of the country. As absurd as the
order was, Yang Chang-guk did not have the time or energy
to argue.
With these thoughts in mind, Yoo-seong tried to calm down
and reserve his rage. Instead, he asked, “Can you tell me
where the idea first came from?”
“A lot of conglomerates have recently entered the industry.

The politicians are not really doing a good job of regulating
them. One of the heads of the conglomerates…”
For a moment, Yang Chang-guk worried that what he would

say could potentially harm Yoo-seong. However, how could
he lie right in front of him?
“As far as I know, it’s Hankwang.”
“The Hankwang Group,” Yoo-seong said as if trying to

remember.
“Yes,” Yang Chang-guk confirmed.
Just like a predator that had found its prey, Yoo-seong fixed
his eyes in the air.
‘Hankwang. Hankwang. Hankwang.’
He repeated the words over and over in his head. “Oh Yoo-
seong!”
His train of thought was interrupted by a nurse’s voice from

the other side of the hallway.
“I need you to come in. Go straight downstairs to Injection

3,” the nurse instructed.
“Okay.”
At this, Yoo-seong rose from his seat. He firmly shook hands

with Yang Chang-guk.
For a moment, Yang Chang-guk seemed to know what was
running inside Yoo-seong’s head.
“As always, thank you, Director.”
“Yoo-seong.”
However, Yoo-seong had already turned the corner and was

going downstairs.
‘Hankwang.’
Yoo-seong continued to think about it as he walked toward

the CE injection room.
It wouldn’t leave his head.
As he approached his destination, Yoo-seong took a deep

breath.
‘I must let it go, for now. I need to clear my head.’
It had been almost a year since he had gotten new energy.
Yoo-seong opened the door to the injection room.

Chapter 133
EPISODE 133
CE injection was indeed a very simple procedure.
The hunter would enter a room with a specialist. Then a

doctor would use the test equipment to check on the
hunter’s core and veins. After the diagnosis, there were two
ways to go about the injection.
Either the hunter could use the CE extracted from the

monster or take over the CE of another person.
In the latter case, the person handing over the CE had to

accompany the recipient to the hospital. Once the CE was
extracted, it had to be injected into the new owner within
hours, under an expert’s strict supervision.
The first option was much easier to deal with; injecting the
CE extracted from a monster was much like a blood
donation.
When the corpse of a monster owned by a hunter was

handed over to a state-run extraction agency, the state
would give the hunter a “certificate” equal to the hunter’s
CE. With the certificate, the hunter could receive injections
from any hospital that held the CE or sold the certificate to
others for money.
As for Yoo-seong, those certificates wouldn’t have to be a

problem. Since Sung-wook oversaw him as his agent, the
corpses of the monsters he hunted were automatically sent
to the Sin Extraction Agency, which had no special utility
value at all.
“If there are no problems, I’ll start injecting right away,” said
the nurse in charge.
After the examination, Director Jang Jin-wook guided Yoo-

seong directly in front of the injector. A veteran doctor such
as him did not usually get involved with such simple matters
as CE injection. However, when he heard that Oh Yoo-seong
had come to the hospital, he’d dropped every appointment
he had.
‘There seems to be nothing special,’ Jang Jin-wook thought

with slight disappointment.
He laid Yoo-seong on the injector. A sufficient amount of gel

was then applied to his skin, where a pad would eventually
be attached.
Yoo-seong’s core was not significantly different from other

hunters. Compared to his performance, his core seemed
unusually small.
“You haven’t had your injections for nearly a year,” Jang Jin-
wook commented.
“Yes,” Yoo-seong nodded.
“Then…” Jang Jin-wook hesitated for a moment.
“Then what?” Yoo-seong asked.
“Hunters usually get injected with 1000 CE at a time. But, if

possible, how about we increase the dosage?”
“Increase the amount of injection?”
“Yes. In your case, your core has been maintained without

any stimulation for a year. You are a very talented person.
Your core strength and veins must be quite developed. So, if
you agree, I will first give you the normal 1000 CE amount.
Then, at my discretion, I will increase the CE little by little. I
believe this will help avoid the strain in your core,” Jang Jin-
wook explained.
The limit on the injection amount was a medical prohibition

placed to prevent damage to a hunter’s core caused by
excessive CE injection. In other words, depending on the
hunter’s tolerance, there was no problem if they chose to
increase their number of injections. As a matter of fact,
there were quite a few veterans with their own cut lines.
“Okay. I would appreciate it,” Yoo-seong said as he accepted

Jang Jin-wook’s proposal.
Jang Jin-wook asked Yoo-seong to lie down. Then a pad was

attached to Yoo-seong.
At a glance, the injector looked similar to an MRI machine.
The only difference was a lid that closed once the CE

recipient entered the machine.
Once the machine had made a perfect connection, Director

Jang Jin-wook placed a 500 CE energy cell in the injector’s
cylinder. The excitement was evident in the Director’s eyes.
This was the core of a hunter with a transcendental ability.

The record amount for a single CE injection was 3,630.
Would Yoo-seong be able to exceed it?
If so, Director Jang Jin-wook would be the first to know. With
a lot of expectations…
Kwook-!
Jang Jin-wook started to turn on the CE injector. Before long,

each of the 500 CE energy cells started getting injected into
Yoo-seong’s body.
“Huh?” Jang Jin-wook said in disbelief. His eyes switched

from Yoo-seong to the machine repeatedly.
This was far different from what he had expected.
***
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong was oblivious to whatever was

happening outside the CE injector.
In fact, he was oblivious to everything happening outside his

body. He was currently in a kind of trance.
This was a state of high concentration experienced by

hunters being injected with CE.
When CE from the outside environment entered the body,

the hunter’s nerves started to get concentrated only within
the veins and core through which the CE flowed.
Regardless of how strong and trained a hunter was, he

would be totally defenseless in this state of trance.
Centuries ago, this was a very rare occurrence. Hunters

hadn’t usually received this much CE at once. However,
thanks to the emergence of CE injection, it was now
something that hunters could pay to experience twice a
month.
Through the arteries in his lower abdomen, neck, and arms,
Yoo-seong felt the CE flowing through the pads and
machine. It then entered Yoo-seong’s body, flowing
smoothly toward his core, like an uninterrupted river.
‘I… What am I doing?’
Of course, he was lying in the CE injector, having CE

injected into him. Yoo-seong seemed to be trying to talk
with himself.
‘Where are you heading?’
Before receiving the CE injection, he remembered hearing

the name ‘Hankwang’ from Yang Chang-guk.
‘They are insatiable,’ Yoo-seong thought immediately.
‘They will be a problem.’
‘They will be a hindrance.’
‘They will definitely be a bother to my plans.’
‘If I do not do anything…’
Yoo-seong was astonished. Suddenly, he realized that his

thoughts seemed to have gone astray.
‘No. It’s only natural for you to think about Hankwang,’ he

thought.
He knew that, at some point, someone had to stop

Hankwang’s dangerous plans.
‘But why?’
Was Yoo-seong thinking reflectively? He didn’t seem to
know.
‘It does not have to be someone. That someone should be

you.’
The thoughts seemed to flow naturally.
‘I am a hunter.’
It had become one of Yoo-seong’s biggest guiding principles.
Whatever his previous principle was, it had already changed

when he decided to take Auto-Hunt and walk the path of a
hunter. Perhaps he could have used Auto-Hunt for his own
good. However, Yoo-seong had already defined and moved
himself according to this principle.
And so far, he had not violated that principle.
Early in his hunter debut, Yoo-seong went against monsters

beyond any newbie hunter’s capabilities. He’d worked in
China, a country that had an entirely different environment
hunting-wise. Then he got into trouble with the Japanese
Leto Group’s Chairman and Japan’s Prime Minister.
And now, after countless twists and turns, here he was.
Everything Yoo-seong did was either according to his

principles as a hunter or in strict self-defense. Without him
noticing, the scale seemed to be getting larger and larger.
And now, he realized. Maybe he wanted more than being a
hunter. After listening to Yang Chang-guk’s words, he hadn’t
thought too much about it. With his connections, money,
and reputation, he might be able to deal with groups like
Hankwang.
How many times had he dealt with those who were more
dangerous than them?
‘No. This one is different,’ he thought.
Until today, Yoo-seong had always taken a passive stance.

As if facing monsters in an operation, he had simply waited
for his turn to attack. But this time, he was going to initiate
an attack.
‘Haven’t you already hunted like this before?’
Lee Hwimin.
Chairman Tatsuo Sukune.
Prime Minister Murata.
‘And didn’t you like how that felt?’
The thrill of being the predator.
Perhaps it was too late. Perhaps it was a fatal awareness for

Yoo-seong.
Only one thing was for certain. Change was indeed

happening.
The CE injector was a metal cylinder that closed tightly.

Every time a hunter entered and exited, it was a place
where they got and found their strength.
Yoo-seong, right now, was awakening a different source of

his strength: by confronting his desires.
***
‘This can’t be right.’

Director Jang Jin-wook was beyond sweaty.
He swept his hands through his hair as if forgetting that it

had thinned through the years.
Yoo-seong’s trembling leg stepped out of the machine,

hitting an empty energy cell. It rolled on the floor, colliding
against other empty energy cells.
Cang-!
Caang-!
A robotic voice rang out from the CE injector machine,

resonating within the room.
-INJECTION COMPLETED-
As the message appeared on the monitor, Director Jang Jin-

wook reconfirmed the figures. He wasn’t sure what had
happened, but it was clear that something beyond normal
had occurred.
The energy cells that he’d equipped the CE injector with

were all drained.
He had also brought in another cart full of new energy cells,

an amount certainly beyond the record for a single CE
injection.
‘What is this…?’
However, there was something else that did not make

sense. He fixed his stare at the monitor, which had
remained unchanged.
“What the heck is going on?!” he exclaimed.

12,700.
The total amount of Yoo-seong’s CE had not changed at all.
Director Jang Jin-wook himself had placed the energy cells

onto the machine and seen them get sucked up in an
instant. He had seen Yoo-seong’s veins seamlessly
accepting the CE.
No matter where he tried to scan Yoo-seong’s muscles or

blood vessels, he could not find any leaks.
‘Where did it all go?’
Director Jang Jin-wook took a deep breath to calm himself

down.
His hands went through his hair, then across his face, again
and again. As he calmed down, his confusion and
amazement started turning into embarrassment at his own
actions.
‘Okay. First, I must stop the injection and wake up Oh Yoo-

seong.’
It was a case such as he had never seen before. And, as if it

could get any more peculiar, he had not even heard Yoo-
seong complain about anything.
Beep-!
“What is it?!” Director Jang Jin-wook reflexively shouted at

the sound of the door opening. “I told you no one could
enter during the procedure…”
He had already turned around before realizing that the two

men who had entered the room were not from the hospital.
Puck-!
It was a clean hit.
Director Jang Jin-wook was struck in the nape and collapsed

to the floor silently.
“You didn’t kill him, right?” said an impatient voice as he

turned to the man who had just hit the Director.
“No, I was careful. Whatever happens from now on, that’s

what’s dangerous,” the man answered.
“I know,” said the impatient voice.
Compared to their large size and seemingly unstoppable

movement, every step they took was cautious.
Right now, they were committing a grave crime. They were

attacking a hunter during CE injection, a time when hunters
were most defenseless.
During these crucial moments, even a small child with a

weapon could kill a hunter.
“Wow… this amount of injection,” said another man,

speaking for the first time as he looked at the energy cells
scattered on the floor.
“We should take this opportunity,” he continued. “If it had

been after the injection, we wouldn’t have had a chance.”
Sczhik-!
The man with the impatient voice opened the CE injector’s

lid. His grip and arm strength were so strong that he lifted
not only the lid but also the entire machine in which Yoo-
seong was lying.
Yoo-seong was still in a complete trance, unaware of what
was happening. But, with no more CE being injected into
him, he was bound to wake up sooner or later.
Go-oh-oh-!
Before that happened, though, these men seemed to have

other plans.
“You cannot kill him. Not yet,” the third man said.
“I know,” said the man with the impatient voice as his hand
blade slid towards Yoo-seong’s lower abdomen. No matter
how powerful they were, however, they were completely
helpless against what happened next.
Chapter 134
EPISODE 134
Just then, the man dug his blade into Yoo-seong. It went
through his abdominal muscles, touching his very core.
This was every hunter’s Achilles heel, their second heart.
“This…”
Liang Yong, the guy who held the blade, suddenly froze.
“Huh?” said Ho Il-cheon, his companion and the current

holder of the fifth rank in the Ship Zone.
They were the hunters that Tenz had dispatched to Korea

after hearing of Yoo-seong’s return.
“Is there a problem?” Ho Il-cheon asked.
He knew there shouldn’t be. They were running out of time

to take the Sky Needle, an item commissioned by Jin Wei-
baek. It was an object that Tenz had to obtain at all costs.
Right after Yoo-seong came back, they’d tried whatever it

took to take the item away from him.
However, the task was not as easy as they had thought,

even for Ship Zone hunters.
Neither Ho Il-cheon nor Liang Yong spoke about their
disastrous first encounter with Yoo-seong. This was because
of the humiliating realization they’d both had: Oh Yoo-seong
was significantly stronger than both of them combined.
Nevertheless, they still had to complete their mission and

take back the items that Tenz required. They had no choice.
Shortly after Yoo-seong returned from Japan, they had
begun monitoring and tracking his movements.
Before long, they found the gap they had long been waiting
for.
Oh Yoo-seong had scheduled a CE injection. They knew it

was a shameful way to attack, but they had prepared and
made plans to take advantage of the opportunity regardless.
It made Ho Il-cheon and Liang Yong tremble silently in

shame.
In some ways, it might have been several times more

pathetic than when they had grovelled to Yoo-seong before.
They were people who perceived themselves to be more

warriors than hunters. For them, even if this plan
succeeded, they would forever bear the shame with a scar
on their chests.
For that very reason, they could not fail.
However, this time, they were faced with another problem.
Liang Yong groaned. He couldn’t move.
Except for the groan he had just spit out, he could not seem
to move any part of his body. And no, it was not because of
a muscular dysfunction or a nerve problem.
It was his CE.
With Liang Yong’s hand in contact with Yoo-seong’s core, the

Aura currently present in Yoo-seong’s body was flowing
through Liang Yong.
“Liang Yong! Say something!”
Ho Il-cheon was starting to panic. Then…
Go-oh-oh-!
The Aura began to flow in a different direction.
Liang Yong could feel it. He could feel the movement of his
CE from his core.
It flowed through his veins, through his shoulder, arm, and

wrist. Then all of his Aura was concentrated on his hand
blade.
However, it didn’t end there…
“Oh my God!” Ho Il-cheon cried out as he realized what was

happening.
Not long after, Liang Yong’s body began convulsing.
Ho Il-cheon rushed in to push at Liang Yong’s body with all

his might. He had to separate his partner from Yoo-seong as
quickly as possible.
Bang-!
Liang Yong’s body slammed against the wall of the injection

room. He crumpled to the floor as if his bones were liquid,
but that wasn’t important right now.
Considering the situation Liang Yong had been in, what Ho
Il-cheon did actually saved him.
“Oh my God… how can you…”
Ho Il-cheon’s voice was shaking.
Likewise, Liang Yong’s body fell and twitched. Dark-red-

colored veins stood out on his skin in several places. Liang
Yong was barely able to speak.
“The Absorption Method?!” said Ho Il-cheon as his voice

trembled.
The Absorption Method came from mainland China, a

country known to be the main cultivator of Aura.
The entire country was considered a library of various Tech

for hunters all over the world. Yet, there were Tech that were
considered to be myths or urban legends within the Chinese
industry.
One of them was the Absorption Method.
No one knew the exact principle of how it worked.
However, one thing was clear: it was a Tech that stole CE

from another hunter’s core.
No one knew if anyone had been able to use it in China or

even if this Tech really existed.
Except Ho Il-cheon had just seen it with his own eyes.
Liang Yong’s body convulsed before him as his CE was

absorbed into Yoo-seong’s core.
If Ho Il-cheon hadn’t pushed his colleague away, Liang Yong
would have been sucked dry.
“This… this is unreal…” Liang Yong managed to say

between bouts of coughing.
His trembling hand moved towards his lower abdomen.
Ho Il-cheon did not even think of supporting Liang Yong.
Go-oh-oh-!
His Aura started to concentrate in both of his hands.
‘We have to end this,’ Ho Il-cheon thought. His instincts and

fears whispered it to him.
Yoo-seong was still lying on the CE injector. Both of his eyes

were closed.
‘Are you really unconscious? Or are you making a fool out of

us?’
No matter how much he thought about it, he knew only one

thing for certain.
If they didn’t kill Yoo-seong right now, he and Liang Yong

would face a fate more miserable than death.
Yoo-seong was lying down. Ho Il-cheon did not see any Aura
coming out of his body.
‘This is the only chance we’ll get…’
Ho Il-cheon had now forgotten about the Sky Needle. It

didn’t matter anymore. He concentrated his Aura on both of
his hands.
It was the Two-Handed Palm of the Phoenix. In both of his
hands, this Tech used a whopping 210,000 Aura. It was a
tremendous amount of energy that Ho Il-cheon had never
used, even against the most vicious beast he’d
encountered.
In Ho Il-cheon’s eyes, Yoo-seong was more fearsome than

any monster he had ever encountered.
He rushed forward, with his palms facing Yoo-seong and his

arms bent at the elbow and pulled back.
Suddenly, Ho Il-cheon paused.
Yoo-seong’s eyes opened. Like a person who had just woken

up, Yoo-seong’s eyes went around the room as if trying to
understand the situation.
Director Jang Jin-wook was on the floor, unconscious. Liang

Yong was in the corner of the room, looking helpless and
weak. And, before him, Ho Il-cheon seemed ready to destroy
anything.
Ho Il-cheon was screaming inside his head.
‘Just one more inch! When I push my hands forward,

everything in their path will turn to dust!’
And yet, he remained frozen.
He was hesitating.
The situation had already changed. The momentum of his

attack had been greatly diminished.
Yoo-seong seemed as if he would be able to stop him right

away. Despite the terrifying amount of Aura before him, Yoo-
seong seemed unfazed.
“If you take even one step in this direction, you will turn to
dust…” Ho Il-cheon warned.
Yoo-seong cracked the joints in his neck and began walking.
He walked toward Director Jang Jin-wook, who was still

unconscious. With his back facing Ho Il-cheon, Yoo-seong
curled down and touched the director’s pulse.
‘He’s still breathing,’ Yoo-seong determined.
Fortunately, as far as Yoo-seong could tell, there seemed to

be no internal damage.
“This is not right,” said Yoo-seong to Ho Il-cheon, who was

behind him.
“This is all your fault. If you had kept your promise to Tenz,
we wouldn’t have gone this far.” Ho Il-cheon sounded as if
he was whining.
Then Yoo-seong turned his head. A cold shiver went down

Ho Il-cheon’s spine.
Something had changed.
‘But what is it?’
Ho Il-cheon knew that it had nothing to do with having an

unpolished skill or a stronger hand. This was a matter of
something more basic. It wasn’t readily visible, but it left a
bitter taste inside his mouth.
The young man in front of Ho Il-cheon’s was clearly different

from the young man he’d encountered on the roof of a
building some time ago. At that time, the young man had
seen Ho Il-cheon as an uninvited guest.
He’d been an opponent who disturbed and tormented Yoo-

seong, so he had to be pushed away.
However, now…
“By my standards, you are wrong.”
Yoo-seong looked at Ho Il-cheon as prey.
“You have crossed the line. This is not the first time you’ve
done it. And I am sure that it will not be the last.”
Yoo-seong would no longer ‘push away’ his opponents. From

now on, the one who stood before him was nothing but a
monster to be hunted.
It was the same reason why Ho Il-cheon could not attack

Yoo-seong. Under Yoo-seong’s gaze, he felt small and
completely overwhelmed.
“So… I’ll hunt you.”
Everything happened simultaneously.
Ho Il-cheon cried out in fear as Yoo-seong’s hand moved

through the air. Now that he was conscious, Yoo-seong had
more than enough room to evade Ho Il-cheon’s single-shot
attacks.
Ku-woong-!
With a tremendous noise almost equivalent to a missile

launch, a flash of light blinded Ho Il-cheon. As if in recoil, Ho
Il-cheon retreated a few steps back. He struggled against
the glare, but he kept his eyes open.
“Where are you?!”
For a moment, the flash of light remained. Ho Il-cheon’s

eyes swept across the room. He was waiting for Yoo-seong
to appear. However, the man was nowhere to be found.
When the flash of light disappeared, it was already too late.

Yoo-seong was right before him, covered in blood. It was a
stark contrast to the clean injection room.
Then, using Auto-Hunt, Yoo-seong rushed towards Ho Il-

cheon like a demon.
Forming a shield with his gathered Aura, Yoo-seong smashed

through Ho Il-cheon.
What happened next was a gruesome sight. The shield

contained all of Yoo-seong’s concentrated Aura, but it wasn’t
enough to offset the massive amount of energy in Ho Il-
cheon’s palms.
The shield shattered. Then, with both of his hands, Yoo-

seong stopped Ho Il-cheon’s wrist.
“Ugh!?”
Even so, it was nothing but a firm grab on his wrist. Yoo-
seong’s Aura had been exhausted by the previous shield.
It took at least one breath for him to recover. Still, one

breath was too long considering the current situation.
All Yoo-seong had was the tiny bit of energy it was taking to
keep himself upright. Using it…
Bam-!
Yoo-seong stomped his feet.

Fuwook-!
Although Ho Il-cheon’s Tech had not yet been activated, it

was an aggregation of energy that was more dangerous
than most weapons.
Given Yoo-seong’s current condition, Ho Il-cheon knew that

if only he could land an attack, he could easily destroy Yoo-
seong’s helpless body – except that he didn’t.
He couldn’t.
“Uh… that…”
Ho Il-cheon groaned as Yoo-seong pushed his wrists

downward.
“No… No!”
Ho Il-cheon found his hands slipping into the knife wound

Liang Yong previously made in Yoo-seong’s abdomen.
His fingers touched Yoo-seong’s core. Inside his head, he

was screaming and screaming, again and again.
Ho Il-cheon could feel it clearly. Flowing from his veins, his

life as a hunter was slipping away. It went on slowly, bit by
bit, to the last drop.
Just like that, his decades of experience had moved into Yoo-
seong’s core.
Not a single drop of CE was left within Ho Il-cheon, not even

enough to give him the strength to stand.
“Arggghhh!”
Yoo-seong released the weakened Ho Il-cheon, who
collapsed to his knees.
Despite his convulsing limbs, Ho Il-cheon’s physical

condition seemed normal. Perhaps, after a few days of
recovery, he could properly recover.
However, his core was empty. He was no longer a hunter.
Because he wasn’t being a ‘hunter’.
This time, he’d been prey, and Yoo-seong had hunted him.
And Yoo-seong’s hunt was far from over. There was still
Liang Yong, whose convulsions had just stopped.
Liang Yong’s eyes stared in horror as Yoo-seong silently

approached him, like a jaguar stalking its prey.
‘I am not done here,’ Yoo-seong thought as he moved

toward the helpless man.
Chapter 135
EPISODE 135
“Ow, ow.”
Director Jang Jin-wook woke up with a headache.
He got up and looked around.
“Ugh!”
The last thing he remembered was two unidentified men

who had entered the injection room. Questions about why
and what they had come for immediately flooded his head.
However, the scene before him was much different than he
expected.
There were no traces of the two men.
There were no signs of violence anywhere in the injection

room.
“You’re awake,” Yoo-seong said calmly as he looked at the

confused Jang Jin-wook.
In addition to the rather strange scene, the injection room

appeared to have been tidied up. The energy cell containers
that had been injected into Yoo-seong were piled up in one
corner. Jang Jin-wook was not lying on the floor but on a
medical cot.
“What happened? Where are the two men?” Jang Jin-wook
asked.
“Sent away,” Yoo-seong answered.
“What?”
Instead of answering, Yoo-seong pointed to the door of the

injection room. Director Jang Jin-wook turned in the door’s
direction.
It was slightly open.
People were busily coming and going. None of them were

from the hospital.
They were agents of the Special Defense Agency in their

black suits and uniforms.
“It looks like someone from China did not want me to

undergo the procedure. Shortly after they struck you and
tried to attack me, the Special Defense Agency agents
arrived.”
“I see,” Jang Jin-wook answered as he tried to wrap his head

around the situation.
Yoo-seong’s version of the story was slightly different from

the truth.
The Director nodded. He had his doubts, but he felt more

than relieved that they had not been hurt.
“I am lucky you were with me,” he said.
Director Jang Jin-wook viewed diagnosing Yoo-seong as a

monumental achievement.
Thus, he’d instructed everyone in the hospital to leave the
hallway surrounding the injection room. If Yoo-seong had
been harmed due to this, his conscience would not have
been able to endure the blame.
As his surprise and confusion died down, Jang Jin-wook

started to remember the procedure he had been doing right
before he passed out.
Over twenty energy cells had been emptied, but Yoo-

seong’s core had not stretched at all.
“I, uh, have something to say about the results of the

procedure.”
“I know. I have a rough idea about it too. I felt a lot of CE

entering my body inside the injector, and yet there was no
change to my core at all.”
Director Jang nodded with a somber face.
“Could you please try measuring my CE again?” asked Yoo-

seong.
“What?”
“I have a feeling that my core is stretched right now. It may

be because of my mood, but please measure it for me.”
It must have been because of his mood, but Director Jang

Jin-wook had witnessed the unchanging figures. How could
he say no?
How could he tell Yoo-seong that it would not change

anything?
He sighed indistinctly and placed the pad on Yoo-seong once
more.
“Huh?”
Something had changed. This time, he sighed in disbelief.
“This…”
Director Jang Jin-wook just managed to stop himself from

fainting once again.
“Twenty-four thousand… CE…”
It had nearly doubled. He hurriedly turned to the energy

cells on the floor.
Considering the number of used cells and assuming that the

Yoo-seong’s absorption rate was at 100%, the amount of CE
was definitely correct.
“Well… Then…”
‘Did he really absorb all the energy cells with 100%

efficiency? Was there a mistake made in the previous
measurement?’
No, the Director was sure that everything had been done
correctly. And if so, wasn’t this an unprecedented record?
Director Jang Jin-wook’s heart was beating fast. His face was
flushed as he turned toward Yoo-seong.
However, before he could say anything…
“Please keep the records confidential,” Yoo-seong said while

getting dressed. “Thank you for your hard work, and I
understand that something special has happened to me. But
I do not want anyone else to know about this.”
‘Of course, I have to. If that is what the patient wants for
himself,’ Director Jang Jin-wook thought.
Tuk-!
Yoo-seong’s palm touched Jang Jin-wook’s shoulder.
“Thank you and sorry. What happened earlier was all

because of me.”
Then he left.
In the hallway, it was almost as if martial law had fallen.
There was tape blocking entry all over the place. The
Special Defense Agency’s agents were interrogating the
hospital staff. When Yoo-seong stepped into the hallway,
everyone looked his way even if they had not heard him.
It was a young man that Yoo-seong had seen occasionally,

an influential person among the field employees who was
sometimes referred to as “Team Leader Park” by Yang
Chang-guk and reported directly to him.
“The director contacted me…”
“If I am the reason you’re here, I am telling you there is no

need.”
Team Leader Park had heard all about what happened when
the intruders were being led out of the injection chamber.
They had become completely unaware of their
surroundings.
“Did you hear about Yang Chang-guk? He needs to get some
sleep,” Yoo-seong recommended.
“I agree,” said Team Leader Park.
“Well, of course, it’s not a matter of whether you’ll listen

just because I or anyone else said it,” Yoo-seong said as he
finally touched on the project.
“That…” Team Leader Park looked carefully at Yoo-seong.

“How did you defeat them?” he asked.
“Do I need to tell you that? Is there a problem?”
“Oh, no. There is no problem. We have secured the intruders

by filling in the restraint. But the surveillance personnel said
that the two of them are showing signs of mental instability.
Of course, since you are the victim, we’re the ones
responsible for you.”
“You need to know in order to make sure they’re

responsible? Did I do something unusual to them?” Yoo-
seong asked.
Team Leader Park closed his mouth and bowed his head.
Was it too much to ask Oh Yoo-seong directly?
“Don’t worry.” Of course, Yoo-seong did not have the

slightest intention of getting him in trouble. “I assure you. I
have done nothing to tamper with their mental or physical
health. They are fine. Maybe they were just a little out of it.”
“But who are they?” asked Team Leader Park.
“Chinese hunters. They were proud of themselves.”
“Ha, well…”
Of course, that was not the only thing. What Ho Il-cheon and
Liang Yong had lost was several times bigger than what they
would have lost in the future.
They were now inside Yoo-seong’s core.
Yoo-seong could feel it clearly, even before the second

measurement.
‘24,000 CE.’
It was about twice as high as it had been. Though, even at

that, considering that Yoo-seong’s previous CE was only in
the early 10,000s, it still wasn’t a high figure.
Besides, the CE that had caused Yoo-seong’s core to expand

was composed of Liang Yong and Ho Il-cheon’s CE
combined.
It must have amounted to hundreds of thousands, only to be

compressed into tens of thousands in Yoo-seong’s core.
‘It’s something even I cannot answer,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Perhaps the exact principle would only be revealed when

experts such as Director Jang Jin-wook had studied it
thoroughly.
However, Yoo-seong had no time for that. Someday, he

would need to know about it.
‘But there are a few things I can guess.’
The CE extracted from the monster couldn’t expand his

core. But perhaps the monster was not the main point.
‘The quality of the CE could be important.’

In any case, Yoo-seong’s core wasn’t normal, given that it
could instantly recover deactivated CE. In that sense,
doubling its maximum capacity was more than a simple
power-up. At some point, it made sense that there were
restrictions in doing so.
Even if it were just CE from a veteran hunter, it would not

affect his core.
‘If quality isn’t important…’
Perhaps he actually had to extract it from people.
Through the abdomen, through direct contact with his core,

using the phenomenon of draining the CE.
“Mr. Yoo-seong? Are you okay?”
Team Leader Park’s voice brought Yoo-seong back to his

senses.
Yoo-seong had been having a flashback of his earlier

‘hunting.’ He remembered Ho Il-cheon and Liang Yong’s
faces.
They had the look of people who had lost something more
important than their lives, faces that knew the same pain as
Sung-wook.
“Oh, yes. I’ve been thinking for a while.”
However, what Yoo-seong felt was not guilt. If he had been

the Yoo-seong of the past, it would not have been possible.
Apart from a determined attitude, agitation and second-
guessing about what he did were always in his heart, and he
would always suppress it.
However, now, there wasn’t any.
The two Chinese intruders were humans who deserved to be

hunted according to Yoo-seong’s standards. Once a hunter
fulfilled his role, there was no room for guilt or other
emotions to interfere.
Guilt was not for hunting.
Guilt was not for monsters.
Rather, what Yoo-seong felt was joy.
Of course, it was not because he had brought agony to his

enemies.
It was because of the change he had brought upon himself.

The reason was far from the suffering of the prey. He had
merely eliminated things that were not essential to his
hunting.
He was admiring his new ‘feature’ that allowed him to take

the blade more freely.
After a while, Yoo-seong bowed his head at Team Leader

Park and left the hallway. Yoo-seong walked around the
hospital, knowing exactly where he wanted to go.
Before long, Yoo-seong found his prey.
“Ah!”
It was Han Jae-gyu, who trembled at the sight of Yoo-seong’s

eyes. Han Jae-gyu had nothing left to do at the hospital. Yet,
he’d stayed to meet Yoo-seong for a reason.
He was aware of what he had done and wanted to make it

right.
However, when he met Yoo-seong’s eyes, it was as if
everything he had intended to do vanished.
Gulp-!
Yoo-seong approached him first.
“Didn’t you say you were Han Jae-gyu?”
“Yeah? Yes, yes! That’s right.”
He was astonished to hear Yoo-seong remember his name.
“What were you telling me earlier?”
‘I’m screwed,’ was all Han Jae-gyu could think.
For Han Jae-gyu, Yoo-seong was a man who had made him
lose his composure. Of course, anyone could see that Han
Jae-gyu’s previous actions were cheeky. If Yoo-seong was to
try and get back at him…
“Can you repeat it?”
Han Jae-gyu had no way to counter him.
“Sorry, I’m sorry. I… at that time…”
Han Jae-gyu was barely able to finish his sentences.
“You talked about your grandfather,” Yoo-seong said.
“I know it’s not right. It was a cowardly act. After hours of

self-reflection…”
“What?” Yoo-seong tilted his head. “What are you talking

about?”
“What?”
Han Jae-gyu stared at the smiling Yoo-seong for a moment.
“You wanted an appointment, right? Didn’t you say that your

grandfather asked for one?”
“Uh…”
Han Jae-gyu was unsure of what to say.
“Thinking about it, I don’t really have a schedule. If it’s for

the Hankwang Group’s president, I can give you for a few
hours.”
Yoo-seong’s hands tapped on Han Jae-gyu’s back as if they

had been friends for a long time.
“If it’s okay, would you please contact my grandfather?”
Feeling his overwhelming presence, Han Jae-gyu looked at

Yoo-seong with trembling eyes. He had no idea what his
intentions were, probably because Han Jae-gyu already saw
himself as an underdog.
“Right now.”
Yoo-seong immediately went on the next hunt.
“Your grandson will soon arrive with Oh Yoo-seong. He’s

getting ready to park in an underground parking lot…”
“Look at that. Didn’t I tell you?” President Han Kwang-ho

said.
He sat on the table and picked up a heated towel. President
Han Kwan-ho then looked at Joo Hwan Jin, his bodyguard.
“He’s a young man to beat; in terms of age, he’s very

similar to Hwan Jae-gyu.”
Not even the chairman had expected the turn of events. He

had not expected to have dinner with Oh Yoo-seong the very
same day. After showing off at the whole country like that,
he’d thought he would have difficulty even setting an
appointment.
‘He’s much easier to coax than I thought,’ President Han

Kwang-ho thought.
At least, that’s what he surmised.
President Han listened quietly.
Hankwang Group operated the top floor room of the hotel.
Then he heard two steps in the hallway.
It must have been his grandson and Oh Yoo-seong.
Beep-!
Just before the door opened, President Han Kwang-ho was

already practicing what he wanted to say.
“Welcome. It was nice to…”
However, in less than a second, it turned out that the words

President Han Kwang-ho had decided on were all in vain.
Yoo-seong attacked first. As soon as he entered the room…
“What, what?!”
It was something President Han had never imagined.
Chapter 136
EPISODE 136
Swing-!
Something appeared, shining, in Yoo-seong’s hand.
A few minutes ago, Han Jae-gyu, who was following at Yoo-

seong’s side, had been relieved that things had gone well.
Joo Hwan-jin’s heart was beating fast as he stood by

President Han Kwang-ho’s side.
Shwak-!
Yoo-seong immediately swung the Scissors. Joo Hwan-jin

stepped forward to protect the President but soon realized
that Yoo-seong was not targeting any of them.
“Well, that—!” President Han Kwang-ho exclaimed.
A blue line had been drawn in the air right in front of Yoo-
seong.
It was a crack.
“Hmm.” While no one was paying attention to him, Yoo-

seong quickly pressed the Auto-Hunt button and went
straight into the crack.
“This… Mr. Joo! What am I seeing right now…?”

President Han Kwang-ho was trying his best to process what
he saw. Even without receiving an answer, he had an idea
what it was, but…
“It’s ridiculous. What the hell are you going to do?”
President Han Kwang-ho was more surprised than amazed.
“President Han! You have to get out of here right now!” Joo
Hwan-jin exclaimed.
“Leave? I have you and Jae-gyu. Why do I have to leave?”
“Mr. Joo is right, Grandpa!” Han Jae-gyu agreed.
“Hey! What are you doing?!” President Han Kwang-ho

shouted as Joo Hwan-jin grabbed his arm.
Joo Hwan-jin already had his phone in his other hand.
Before wondering why there was a crack in the room, he

was already prepared to call on the Special Defense Agency
and report the situation. Just then…
Wam-!
Yoo-seong’s feet made a cool tapping sound as he stepped

on whatever had come out of the crack. He no longer held
the Scissors in his hands.
Instead, he held something much larger, something heavy

and terrible.
“Oh my god!”
President Han Kwang-ho was astonished.
“You might have seen one of these before.”

Putting down what he was holding, Yoo-seong placed his
weight on his feet and stepped onto it. Then he took out the
Sky Needle and quickly began to seal the crack he had
opened.
Meanwhile, the thing under his feet continued to scream

and make a ruckus.
Guwook-! Guwook-!
It was an all-too-familiar sound, coming from a creature with

eight legs that wriggled nonstop.
It was an Octolisk. Its size suggested it might be a baby that

had just come out of its shell. And yet, despite its size, it
was already big enough to be a great predator.
“What are you trying to do? Get rid of that terrible thing
right now!”
President Han Kwang-ho had already regained his

composure.
He had not been even a bit worried when Yoo-seong brought

out a weapon or when a crack opened right in front of his
eyes. However, the fear produced by the Octolisk wriggling
under Yoo-seong’s feet sent shivers down his spine.
On the other hand, Han Jae-gyu and Joo Hwan-jin were

somewhat relieved that what had come out of the crack was
nothing but a small Octolisk.
With the crack already closed, the worst of what could have
happened was already over. The danger level of the small
Octolisk that Yoo-seong was standing on should not exceed
two stars at its best.
Even if he were to release it right now, it would not be a
difficult monster for Han Jae-gyu or Joo Hwan-jin to subdue.
Even with their bare hands, it was prey they could defeat
without much difficulty.
However, President Han Kwang-ho was not a hunter. He

knew nothing of its danger levels.
“Right now! Get rid of it right now!” he shouted.
No matter how old and strong the person, upon seeing a

predator from the other world for the first time, their body
was bound to react just from being in the same space.
Fear of this kind, fear at the biological level, paralyzed

reason.
“That’s funny,” Yoo-seong said in half-amusement.
And yet, he was not smiling at all.
“He didn’t budge when he saw the crack. He kept calm. And
now, he is acting like this just from seeing a one- or two-star
monster? Even when he has a group of hunters at his
disposal?”
Joo Hwan-jin immediately stepped in.
“It is not something to laugh about. This is a room with

civilians. I have no idea what you’re planning to do, but I
suggest you kill it right now.”
He had no idea what Yoo-seong was thinking, but as the

President’s security officer and a former hunter, he had to
take the best action he could.
However, Yoo-seong’s answer was simple.

“No.”
“What?!”
Joo Hwan-jin could not believe what he was hearing.
“It’s captured and perfectly under my control. I do not see

any reason for killing it and losing its value as my property.”
President Han Kwang-ho raised his voice in anger. “Money?

Is money the only issue?!”
The President was losing his patience over this fiasco.
“I had already guessed you were different, but this is truly

beyond imagination! How much is it?! Whatever the value of
that monster, I’ll give it to you!”
“Oh, you don’t have to. No matter how much you offer me, I
won’t sell it.”
Cutting the negotiation off right away, Yoo-seong stepped

down from the monster and removed his foot. President Han
Kwang-ho screamed.
Han Jae-gyu and Joo Hwan-jin were on edge. Even though

Yoo-seong had lifted his foot, the Octolisk would not be able
to run away.
A fine thread of Aura, invisible to the naked eye, had already

surrounded the monster’s entire body.
“I believe you.”
Yoo-seong was not speaking to President Han Kwan-ho.

Rather, he was looking at the two hunters before him and
speaking to them.
“I am sure you two are nothing like some fool who does not
understand the situation.”
Yoo-seong took a step toward the President with the fine

thread of Aura and the Octolisk in his hand.
“Mr. Joo! Jae-gyu! Can’t you hear me?”
With each step Yoo-seong took with the wriggling Octolisk,

President Han Kwang-ho screamed loudly.
Thud-!
Yoo-seong placed the Octolisk down on the table. Neither

Han Jae-gyu nor Joo Hwan-jin could do anything. Was it
because they feared Yoo-seong? Even they were not entirely
sure.
Only one thing was for certain. There was no way to stop
him. That was… unless they were willing to use force.
However, with Yoo-seong, they knew that was impossible.
“What are you doing?! Get rid of it right now! Hurry!”
In some ways, President Han Kwang-ho was right about

wanting the monster to be disposed of. However, hunters
could not wield their own power against others unless they
were in operation.
They did not even know if Yoo-seong could be considered to

have attacked first.
Yoo-seong had just opened a crack out of nowhere. A

monster had come out, which he had taken under his
control.
There were no laws restricting this behavior. It was a
strange blind spot.
Of course, no one would have imagined that this might

happen. And they knew… they knew that Yoo-seong knew it.
“As long as I don’t loosen the net and put the tentacles right
in front of your face, they can’t do anything about it either.”
“What complete nonsense! This is my hotel! I invited you,

and you are now making a fuss about it. Didn’t you ever
learn manners?!”
“I’m not the one who did not learn,” Yoo-seong said with a
low sigh.
President Han Kwang-ho was something else. He seemed to

be trying to get used to the monster in front of him.
Nevertheless, the cold sweat on his face and the fear in his
eyes were unmistakable.
“Are you scared?” Yoo-seong asked.
“What?”
For a moment, President Han Kwang-ho’s mind went blank

at Yoo-seong’s question.
“I asked if you are scared of what you’re looking at right

now.”
Of course, Yoo-seong knew. It was a question he didn’t need

to ask.
He continued without waiting for a response. “I just told you.

I have no intention of selling this monster to you. Of course,
I will sell it for a reasonable price, but only to people
knowledgeable enough to handle it.”
A person who knew monsters well, in other words. That

person would have to buy the monster for an appropriate
reason and have an appropriate use for it.
It also had to be someone who knew the dangers of

monsters and took proper care of them so that no problems
would occur.
That was the minimum. The law didn’t specifically stipulate

it, but of course, that was how it would have to be.
“Monsters are not a joke.”
Even a beast known to be harmless, if handled incorrectly,

could cause enormous damage.
On the other hand, despite such dangers, monsters and

products of the world beyond the crack were treasures that
brought huge benefits to humanity.
Even if they could be considered trivial and dangerous

goods, they should still never be used in vain.
To be a part of the hunter industry meant that you had to at

least be familiar with monsters, even if you were not
necessarily a hunter on the front line.
Even if you were not in the field risking your own life, you
had to be aware of both the risks and values of the industry
you were in.
“But when I look at you, I see nothing but a joke.”

To Yoo-seong, President Han Kwang-ho was nothing but a
man who bluffed. He was scared out of his wits at a mere
two-star monster. He knew nothing about his grandson and
bodyguards’ skills as hunters. He also knew nothing about
the social constraints they always had to carry on their
shoulders and always needed to consider.
Considering his position, he should be calmer and more

capable of a counterattack.
Yet, he could not.
No, he would not.
He sounded as if he were trying to get rid of a bully who was

making a disturbance.
That was how this old man dealt with the industry.
“You think of this as nothing but a business,” Yoo-seong said

as he pushed the monster to the other side of the table.
“But the issue isn’t that simple. What you’re doing in this
country’s industry is far beyond a simple bottom line.”
The danger of the unclosed crack in the Military

Demarcation Line was still the most important matter at
hand. A few days had already passed since it appeared.
The crack’s operation was consuming a lot of manpower, all

because of the words of a greedy old man.
“The one you’re looking at right now? It is not a threat for

hunters. If a real threat arises, these are the ones you won’t
even be able to see. The danger will be to civilians living
near the scene, not you.”
At this, President Han Kwang-so trembled in silence.

“If you understand what I’m getting at, I think there’s only
one thing left for you to do.”
“Okay. I know for sure,” the President agreed in a shaking

voice. “You jerk!” Suddenly, his voice turned to anger. His
eyes glared at Yoo-seong.
His anger was more intense than his fear of monsters.
“You’re making this show because you think you’re doing

your own thing. That is a shame. But it worked pretty well.”
Interestingly enough, the trembling of his voice had stopped

in an instant. President Han Kwang-ho had found his answer.
“You know that there’s no chance of winning if we play by

social rules. So you came in here and involved me in that
shallow trick of yours. You and your empty threats.”
Monsters and hunters were things foreign to President Han

Kwang-ho.
Yet, looking at it from a different perspective, he saw Yoo-

seong, who had threatened him with shallow tricks. This was
something he had already been through countless times.
With such a simple change in perspective, he had been able

to regain his balance through a combination of ridiculous
self-conviction and logic.
“Now then, have you shown me everything you’re going to

blackmail me into?” President Han Kwang-ho took a deep
breath and pointed at Yoo-seong. “You now have two options
left. Show me something new and somehow work with it or
get out of my sight right now! And take that hideous thing
with you! As you said, I have no intention of paying for
something like this!” he shouted.
It was a perfect declaration of victory. The Octolisk on the
table no longer scared the President. After some time
getting used to it, it was now just a terrible and disgusting
thing that wriggled nonstop.
Yoo-seong pulled back the net containing the Octolisk.
“It’s rather unfortunate, really,” Yoo-seong said as he looked

down. “It would’ve been nice if it had ended here.”
“What a shame,” President Han Kwang-ho said mockingly.
“Yes.”
As soon as Yoo-seong said this, he looked at the President.
It was just a single word, but it was enough to put everyone

on edge, even Han Jae-gyu and Joo Hwan-jin. Unlike
President Han Kwang-ho’s angry voice, Yoo-seong’s was
rather calm and soft.
“It’s a pity. It could have ended like a fairy tale without

causing any damage to anyone.”
The Octolisk had stopped wriggling completely. It was tied

up and covered in Yoo-seong’s thin thread of Aura.
It sounded as if Yoo-seong were sincerely comforting the

President. The reason he was no longer angry was quite
simple.
Hunters did not mix their emotions, even when hunting

monsters.
The emotions that Yoo-seong had previously shown were

evidence that he did not see President Han Kwang-ho as
prey.
At least, until now.
“As if you could do anything to me right now? Do you have

any cards left besides threatening me? What other hideous
things are you planning to try?” President Han Kwan-ho
asked, his voice dripping with confidence.
Yoo-seong considered for a few moments before speaking in

a thoughtful tone. “Well, I’m not really planning to bring out
a monster, but…”
Chapter 137
EPISODE 137
“If you don’t mind,” Yoo-seong started.
No one understood what he meant, not even President Han

Kwang-ho.
“Would you like to talk to me on your way out?”
Yoo-seong wasn’t talking to the President.
President Han Kwang-ho raised his voice nervously. “What

are you talking about?” He could not understand why Yoo-
seong was talking to anyone other than himself. “What do
you think you’re doing?”
“I’m speaking to someone far more important than you,”

Yoo-seong said without looking at the President. Instead, he
was looking at the man next to him, Joo Hwan-jin.
“Ha!” At this, President Han Kwang-ho sighed coldly at Yoo-

seong. “All of a sudden, you’re talking to Mr. Joo? After
causing all that ruckus earlier? Have you lost your mind?”
Perhaps because it was so out of the blue, but the Chairman
could not even make his tone sarcastic.
“Mr. Joo.” Yoo-seong looked serious. “You may be in a

security-related position, but I have nothing to say to people
who clearly do not deserve their position.”
Yoo-seong did not spare even a glance for the President.
“I’m talking to the person who used to be the CEO of Wind
Bar, Mr. Joo Hwan-jin.”
Joo Hwan-jin skipped a breath.
‘Wind Bar. How does Yoo-seong know that name?’ he

thought.
It was a long-forgotten group. Right before Yoo-seong

started his hunter career, the group had been sold with the
stigma of failure and debts.
“Wind Bar?” President Han Kwang-ho narrowed his eyes. “It

has been gone for a long time now. What a useless story.”
“Well, that’s how it looks to you,” said Yoo-seong.
At this, President Han Kwang-ho’s patience finally ran out.

He jumped from his seat and was about to yell at Yoo-seong
when…
“I…” Joo Hwan-jin’s voice trembled as he turned to President

Han Kwang-ho. “You are a failure, yet you order me around
this way.”
“What did you just say?” President Han Kwang-ho looked

back at his bodyguard.
Yoo-seong had said nothing but, “Let’s talk.”
The President knew of no meetings between Yoo-seong and

Joo Hwan-jin before today.
“Mr. Joo, what are you talking about?”
However, Joo Hwan-jin did not answer.

“Mr. Joo!”
His bodyguard did not seem to be ignoring him on purpose.

Instead, Joo Hwan-jin’s eyes glimmered as he looked at Yoo-
seong as if they were possessed by something else.
“What is this…?”
President Han Kwang-ho turned to look at his grandson, who

was standing behind Yoo-seong.
His gaze seemed to be asking for an explanation or an

attempt to intervene.
However, even Han Jae-gyu seemed unable to resolve his

grandfather’s frustration. He looked at Yoo-seong with a face
full of anxiety. President Han Kwang-ho clenched his fist.
He did not have any inkling of what was happening. He did

not understand the atmosphere right now. What kind of
effect had Yoo-seong had on Joo Hwan-jin that had made it
possible for him to react this way?
‘Even if you do something to Joo Hwan-jin, how could that

affect me?’
He was nothing but his bodyguard.
Joo Hwan-jin was close to retiring as a hunter. To President

Han Kwang-ho, he was nothing but an ornament he needed,
one that had been chosen based on his value in the past.
Of course, he’d had his uses.
The Hankwang Group had acquired and bought Joo Hwan-

jin’s group. Wind Bar was the predecessor of Hankwang
Hunting International.
More importantly, Hankwang had money.
With any business, it was most efficient to start by acquiring

a suitable skeleton rather than creating something new from
scratch. Before taking him on as a part of security, the
President had seen Joo Hwan-jin for the first time when
Hankwang was in the process of acquiring his group.
In order to fully acquire the company’s system and skills, it

had been necessary to hire a former representative for a
certain period.
However, that was it.
Even so, to President Han Kwang-ho, Joo Hwan-jin was

nothing but an incompetent leader who’d failed to manage
his organization properly. However…
“You know, if you feel that Mr. Joo Hwan-jin is not enough, it
is the same as saying that no one in Korea is lacking,” said
Yoo-seong.
Yooseong had just dealt the final blow while the President
was still unable to grasp the situation.
“Hey!”
It was the President’s own mouth that ended the game. Only
then did Joo Hwan-jin look at President Han Kwang-ho as if
he had come to his senses.
“Yes, Mr. President?”
“Let me tell you what this is all about right now. Who do you
think you are? You are my guard! I pay you to do as I
command!”
Yoo-seong put his hand on his forehead and shook his head.
Joo Hwan-jin looked down but apart from that…
“You know what…?” Joo Hwan-jin decided to explain the

circumstances to his so-called ‘master.’ “Mr. Oh Yoo-seong
just showed his willingness to hire me.”
“You? What for?”
“As you know, he now possesses a lot of things with which

to get ahead in this market.”
President Han Kwang-ho knew it. It was said that the Leto
Group had taken the Aura and Tech that previously existed
on the Korean Peninsula.
And Yoo-seong had taken it back with his own hands.
How Yoo-seong would work with those things was what

everyone was currently talking about.
“Let us skip the whole story. Don’t you think I know that?
What I am curious about now is why he thinks he needs
you,” said the President.
“I think it’s because he thinks he can use my experience

and skills. It’s also probably because he’s established some
kind of an organization or institution using those ‘things.’”
“Ha!” President Han Kwang-ho said mockingly. “Just because

of that? It sounds ridiculous. He talked to me as if he could
do anything, and then he ends up taking one of my
bodyguards?”
As if he did not need to hear any more, President Han

Kwang-ho turned his head to look at Joo Hwan-jin. “Try it. I
was expecting something more plausible than this…”
All of a sudden, President Han Kwang-ho stopped speaking.
From his position, he could clearly see both Yoo-seong and
Han Jae-gyu. They could not have looked more different.
Han Jae-gyu’s face had paled as white as a blank sheet of

paper.
On the other hand, despite the smile, Yoo-seong’s

expression seemed rather sad. Then, in only a few steps,
one more person came into his line of sight.
It was Joo Hwan-jin.
“What are you doing?”
He’d left the President’s side and moved toward Yoo-seong.
“That’s funny,” Yoo-seong said. “It is as if you were asking a

restaurant owner why he needed a chef at a restaurant.”
Yoo-seong looked away and turned to Joo Hwan-jin, who was

now right in front of him.
He was a former hunter who still bowed his head. Yoo-seong

knew all about him. How could he not? Although Joo Hwan-
jin had become a hunter before Yoo-seong’s generation, he
was an incredibly famous example in the industry.
He was the definition of bad luck, sometimes even a

laughingstock.
No first-generation hunter had failed to manage their group

as badly as Joo Hwan-jin. He was thought of as someone
incompetent.
Actually, Yoo-seong had thought so too, at first.

However, as the years passed, the perception of Joo Hwan-
jin’s failures within the industry had changed a little. Other
hunters, ones considered much more incompetent, were
also able to form a group and succeed.
The only problem had been that Joo Hwan-jin was ahead of
his time.
Until his failure, ‘cultivation’ had involved an unacceptable

level of inefficiency for the Korean industry. There had been
only one route for hunters in Korea to join a prestigious
group in the past: starting in a low-ranking group, hunters
then moved to a higher-ranking job after long years of
experience and achievement.
No matter how talented a hunter was, it was impossible to

enter a first-class organization right at the start.
It was an environment that had neither Psy nor Tech.

Hunters did not have a place where they could grow and
improve.
Unless referring to someone born with a Psy, it was much

more economical to hire an experienced professional than to
raise a talented person from scratch.
Joo Hwan-jin had tried to resist this trend.
Instead of picking up career positions, he invested

enormous amounts of money into hiring a larger number of
first-time hunters and designing equipment and programs to
train them.
‘One does not need to have their Tech right away. Just by
systematizing basic deceptions and practicing repeatedly,
one can develop their talent and be cultivated into
becoming a great hunter.’
That had been Joo Hwan-jin’s vision.
It might have been successful if Joo Hwan-jin had only

possessed the financial power to withstand the losses for a
few more years.
He hadn’t.
The hunters grew steadily, but the growth had still proved
too slow.
If they participated in an operation to achieve results, the

cost of maintaining the Wind Bar with a variety of training
equipment was too much. Eventually, the group’s profits
went down.
Even the hunters who had been brilliantly “raised” by the

group did not want to continue their careers with the Wind
Bar. And thus, the Wind fell.
programs that had not recovered even half of the

investment cost.
The principle of nurturing the foundation, which could have

been useful, had been rendered meaningless.
It was not until Yoo-seong obtained his license, years later,

that the leaders of “2F4T,” including Yoon Kang-chul,
realized the need to train young hunters.
They all remembered Joo Hwan-jin, yet no one called him a

pioneer. They just remembered him as a failure.
Joo Hwan-jin himself was the same.
After his vision of the Wind Bar fell, he had completely

abandoned his dream. However, today, his heart had
started to flutter as it had before.
He had seen Yoo-seong’s broadcast and operation against

the Octolisks. It had showcased the perfect movements,
based on the basics that Joo Hwan-jin had drawn in his
ideals.
Besides, Oh Yoo-seong was now in front of him.
Oh Yoo-seong wanted to hire Joo Hwan-jin.
He intended to give Joo Hwan-jin a second chance to fulfill

the dream he had been unable to achieve.
“Actually, I did not come here to warn him of anything. I am

a busy man.”
Yoo-seong pointed at the chairman with his chin.
And that was true.
Yoo-seong had accepted the dinner appointment not for the

“President of Hankwang Group,” but for “Chief Security
Officer Joo Hwan-jin who is guarding President Han Kwang-
ho.”
What he’d said to the President so far had been both a

warning and a stepping stone to give Joo Hwan-jin a chance.
It was an opportunity to remind Joo Hwan-jin what kind of
person President Han Kwang-ho was.
And indeed, Yoo-seong had proven it all: how uninterested

the President was in this industry and how he thought of Joo
Hwan-jin as nothing but a bodyguard.
It was as if the prey had cut off its own flesh and offered it
to the hunter.
President Han Kwang-ho could not believe everything he’d
just heard. “Come over here right now! You cannot do
anything on your own! How do you think you’ve been
making a living for so far?”
The words barely hit Joo Hwan-jin, who continued to look

down.
He could tell just by hearing it, that the anger did not come
from the loss of valuable talent; it was from pride hurt by
having his own bodyguard turn against him.
“Look at that,” Yoo-seong whispered. “Don’t you know?

What do you mean you let him earn a living?”
Joo Hwan-jin turned his head. He could see the President’s

angry face.
“You’re crazy. I have raised a nobody, and this is how you

repay me.”
“Did you put it up?” Joo Hwan-jin asked.
The President was caught off guard.
It was only for a moment, but Joo Hwan-jin’s voice had

changed.
“Your organization was nothing! We agreed on a price. You

needed the money; I needed an organization. I could always
have afforded to get another! I simply bought it because of
the value of your reputation, not because I appreciated the
company you screwed up!”
That proved to be enough.
“Thank you, President Han.”

Joo Hwan-jin was able to shake off the last of his indecision.
“Now I can leave without hesitation,” he said.
“Leave? Do you think I will allow that?”
“You already gave me your permission years ago, President

Han Kwang-ho.”
The President looked as if he had been hit with a hammer on

the back of his head.
“Huh.”
Acting as if he did not know a thing about it, Yoo-seong

looked at President Han Kwang-ho and Joo Hwan-jin
alternately.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t put any restrictions on the transfer.

Did you?” Yoo-seong then asked the President. “No matter
how ridiculous you are, you cannot have treated a ranker
hunter just like any other worker.”
“That’s exactly what he did. Maybe he was convinced that I

would not go out on my own,” Joo Hwan-jin answered.
“You’re done for,” Yoo-seong said as he shook his head with

a tired expression.
Honestly, in preparation for what was about to happen, Yoo-

seong had been expecting a penalty fee. This was just too
easy.
As if he knew, Yoo-seong glanced at Han Jae-gyu.
Han Jae-gyu had silently watched everything unfold. He

could not have done anything to stop Yoo-seong. Yet, he did
not have the faintest idea what he was capable of until he
saw his own grandfather fuming with anger.
“Fine. Do whatever you want,” President Han Kwang-ho said

in a defeated manner. It seemed as if he just wanted to get
rid of the situation. “Nothing’s going to change even if you
now have Joo Hwan-jin with you. You will look nothing but
ridiculous. That is all. What kind of…”
Jeeing-!
Yoo-seong’s phone rang at just the perfect moment.
“Oh, excuse me,” Yoo-seong said as he waved his hand to

excuse himself and check his phone. “And I think I forgot to
tell you: by my standards, you deserve to be ruined a
hundred times, but I don’t need to do anything else.”
“What? You jerk!” President Han Kwang-hoo exclaimed.
“I just have to leave things as they are. You are bound to

ruin yourself in no time. Look.”
Yoo-seong showed the President his phone. There it was,

right on his screen.
Hankwang’s ruination.
Chapter 138
EPISODE 138
Before arriving at the Hankwang Group’s building, Yoo-

seong had requested one simple favor from the Special
Defense Agency: to dispatch the six drones that had
previously covered him to a certain area.
Yoo-seong had also requested access to the drones’

livestream. The real-time footage was now being displayed
across Yoo-seong’s phone screen.
“What… what is that?” President Han Kwang-ho asked.
Yoo-seong laid his phone down with a sigh before leaning it

on the table so that Han Jae-gyu and Joo Hwan-jin could also
see it.
Their reactions were immediate.
“What…?”
“Uh… uh uh…”
It was a scene that no just anyone could see or understand.
A crack was being shown on Yoo-seong’s phone. To a

civilian’s eye, nothing was alarming about it; it just looked
like the usual crack, no different from the others.
However, Han Jae-gyu and Joo Hwan-jin recognized it
immediately.
It was the crack that Hankwang was currently preserving:

the unclosed crack in the Military Demarcation Line.
Something was protruding out of the crack, something that

couldn’t get out because it was significantly larger than the
crack’s opening. Anyone with a good memory would
recognize it.
Before Yoo-seong had gone to China about a year ago,

massive live news coverage had shown the same ‘thing’ to
everyone. It was the Habaek, the eleven-star monster.
A monster of unprecedented size, whose head alone was

barely big enough to fit into a crack.
“Is that a monster too? It seems to be coming out. It looks

like something I have seen somewhere,” President Han
Kwang-ho commented.
“Grandfather!” Han Jae-gyu quickly reminded his

grandfather about the Habaek. After hearing the
explanation, the old man’s expression turned a shade paler.
However, after a few moments…
“You fool!” President Han Kwang-ho exclaimed.
“Huh?!”
“There is no need to make such a fuss! If that’s indeed the

same monster, isn’t this a rather good opportunity?”
The old man’s gaze seemed to liven up compared to how it

had been a few minutes ago. “No matter how dangerous a
monster is, it’s nothing if it cannot come out of the crack.
Besides, did he not defeat the monster by himself last
time?” President Han Kwang-ho said as his cold eyes turned
toward Yoo-seong.
“Since you are so confident, I’m sure you’ll be able to do it

again. But the priority for operational commitment lies with
us. If we catch that thing, it will be a good chance to
publicize the power of Hankwang on a larger scale.”
This time, it was Han Jae-gyu’s turn to turn pale.
“Hah, but…”
“Is it impossible?” President Han Kwang-ho asked him.
“It’s not that. I mean… We still do not have enough

experience. Grandpa, we haven’t even started a full-fledged
operation. The casualties…”
Han Jae-gyu shivered at the mere thought.
“Isn’t hunting supposed to be like that?” President Han

Kwang-ho declared coldly. “You risk your life to enjoy an
enormous amount of wealth and fame that other professions
cannot provide. Isn’t that the nature of your job? Not only
you but everyone else who chose it for themselves! Yet,
everyone seems so afraid of the golden opportunity!”
President Han Kwang-ho’s eagerness was like that of an

emperor ready to expand an already huge empire.
Han Jae-gyu, who’d never had a strong mentality, felt

somewhat intimidated.
“Gather everyone right now! I will give you my personal

blessing as an encouragement. No, I will even accompany
you to the site and watch. I will make sure that everyone
realizes what it means to bear the name of Hankwang!”
Because of the unwavering power contained in his

grandfather’s voice, Han Jae-gyu’s heart settled down to
some extent. “Yes… nothing is impossible,” he agreed.
The last time Yoo-seong drove out the Habaek, it had been
thought of as a tremendous miracle. However, not everyone
felt admiration.
In preparation for another Habaek emergence, the Special

Defense Agency had led a brainstorming movement across
the Korean hunting industry. The Habaek’s size, its ability to
defend and attack quickly with its flexible tongue, all of its
known characteristics were taken into consideration.
Although the brainstorming led to nothing but a virtual

simulation, they had been able to formulate a perfect
theoretical response for a reappearance. Theory was far
different from application, though.
However, this no longer mattered to President Han Kwang-

ho and Han Jae-gyu.
Why couldn’t the glory fall into the hands of Hankwang?
Why couldn’t Han Jae-gyu lead it himself?
“Okay, grandfather.” Han Jae-gyu’s eyes turned to the

president. “I will do it,” he said with conviction.
“That’s right!”
The pride in their blood rushed to their heads.
They felt an exhilarating sense of victory over Yoo-seong.

‘Was that it?’ President Han Kwang-ho thought. ‘Is this what
you call the “crisis” for Hankwang?’
Far from intimidating them, Oh Yoo-seong had actually

provided them with a great tip.
‘How’s that for you?!’
Ready to see Yoo-seong’s expression, both Han Jae-gyu and

President Han Kwang-ho turned their heads simultaneously,
only to be met with silence.
“Huh?”
Unfortunately, no one had witnessed their drama unfolding.

Joo Hwan-jin, Oh Yoo-seong, and even the phone on the
desk were gone without having made even a sound.
Even with pride and passion pumping them up, the situation
felt rather awkward. The grandson and his grandfather
looked at each other without saying a word.
***
“Well…”
In the taxi they’d taken as they left the building, Joo Hwan-
jin spoke carefully to Yoo-seong.
“Tell me,” Yoo-seong said.
“The video that you just showed to the chairman…” Joo

Hwan-jin hesitated for a moment.
Quickly, though, he decided to say what he honestly

thought. He decided to sail on Yoo-seong’s boat. Unlike
during his relationship with President Han Kwang-ho, it was
a decision he had made on his own. After all, Yoo-seong had
offered him a second life.
He felt hesitant to offend Yoo-seong, but he decided that it

was only right for him to speak as truthfully as possible.
“While you were in China, the industry added the Habaek to

the encyclopedia. Perhaps, with the current power of
Hankwang… they might be able to deal with the beast
themselves.”
Yoo-seong shook his head before answering. “They do not

know the true power of the Habaek.”
The first appearance of a monster did not usually result in it

being added to the encyclopedia. Regardless of it being a
low-risk or a powerful monster, not knowing the monster’s
actual abilities or how to deal with it might result in
casualties.
However, Yoo-seong had already set a precedent against

the Habaek. The Special Defense Agency had already
determined that the colossal beast’s weakness was its eyes.
“The president must have been so confident because he

liked their odds,” Hwan-jin added.
It might not be a perfect “hunt,” but considering the level of

the Hankwang hunters led by Han Jae-gyu, Joo Hwan-jin
thought that they could do as Yoo-seong had.
If that were to happen, Hankwang’s stock price would shoot

through the roof.
“It won’t happen,” Yoo-seong said confidently.
“How could you possibly know that?” Joo Hwan-jin asked.

“To tell you the whole story would be too cumbersome. Oh,
sir. You can stop here. Yes.”
The taxi stopped in front of the Sung-wook building.

However, Yoo-seong did not get out of the taxi. Instead, he
informed Joo Hwan-jin of the floor where Seoyu had created
the office.
“Well, there is a lot for you to know. Once you go up, my

agent will explain the rough plan,” Yoo-seong explained.
“Don’t worry about anything else…”
Joo Hwan-jin was stunned when Yoo-seong asked the taxi

driver to go on. “Where are you going?”
Yoo-seong looked at him as if he was asking an obvious

question.
“The Habaek. I have to stop it.”
“What?!” Joo Hwan-jin spat in surprise.
There was no doubt that Yoo-seong knew the area where the
Habaek had appeared was formally under Hankwang. And
yet, he was saying he would go there.
Of course, looking back on Yoo-seong’s “famous”

accomplishments, there were many cases when his violation
of entering a restricted area had been overlooked due to his
overwhelming successes.
However, this time, that method wouldn’t work.
“President Han Kwang-ho won’t fall for that kind of trick. He

will try to hold you back by law at all costs.”
As long as Hankwang proved to be capable of handling the
Habaek, Yoo-seong’s free entry would violate Hankwang’s
rights.
And, unlike other hunters at the sites Yoo-seong had entered

so far, there was clear hostility between him and this
company. If he ended up doing something that violated
Hankwang’s rights, it could easily lead to an endless legal
battle.
However, Yoo-seong didn’t seem to care.
“Don’t worry,” he smiled as he closed the taxi door and left.
‘Would it have been better if I’d explained it in detail?’ Yoo-

seong worried as he watched Joo Hwan-jin from the rear
window of the car.
‘No, it would have taken too long.’
After a while, he knew he was not wrong. Yet, Joo Hwan-jin

had also been right.
Going straight to the crack where the Habaek was

constituted an act that violated Hankwang’s rights. It would
be categorized as interfering with another organization’s
operation.
That was if Hankwang had the power to stop the Habaek.
The industry had done countless studies on it. Yoo-seong

had reviewed the materials released through the website
several times. There were no mistakes, but there was
indeed a shortage of information.
The only data the hunters knew had come from his last
encounter. Its huge size, its poisonous and flexible tongue,
its eye as the weakness.
These were factually correct, but there was more to the

Habaek than they knew.
In the six months he’d spent beyond the cracks, Yoo-seong

met the Habaek for the second time. It would be better if
they could see Habaek the way Yoo-seong had seen it.
Its huge body had stood out even at a distance from which it
could not see Yoo-seong. The sight of it had been enough to
make Yoo-seong shudder. At that time, even with all his
skills and Auto-Hunt, Yoo-seong had concluded that the
Habaek could not be defeated.
‘At that first encounter, I only faced its head.’
If it had been able to come out of the crack back then, even
Yoo-seong would not have been able to survive.
It was the same with the second encounter. However, this

time, it was different.
Their third encounter would be different.
Yoo-seong now possessed a weapon that would work

against the eleven-star beast. It was waiting quietly in his
slot.
Chapter 139
EPISODE 139
“Oh my God.”
The soldiers who had been on guard duty outside the

Military Demarcation Line could not keep their mouths
closed. It had already been several hours, but no one could
get used to the sight.
The giant turtle’s mouth protruding through the torn blue

crack above them was simply overwhelming.
Just thirty minutes ago, the turtle had squeezed its snout
through the crack to secure enough space to open its
mouth. Then it had poured out poison onto the ground
directly below.
It would have been a bigger deal if the line had not been so
wide. Although the poison had not spread further than the
cut-off area, the purple fog covered the landscape below.
“It doesn’t seem like our guns will work against it, don’t you
think?” a soldier said to his gunner as he looked between
their K-2 rifles and the Habaek.
This was a special operation that was closed to the public.
Two army divisions stationed at the Military Demarcation

Line were supposed to deploy their troops immediately if
the hunters couldn’t stop the beast.
However, the soldiers did not feel ready at all. The weapons
they had—gas masks they had been supplied with an hour
ago and their protective clothing—looked nothing but toys.
Despite their training and their high-powered weapons, they

were just ordinary people.
In order to face such a monster, it was necessary to have

the right mindset before beginning to fight.
“No matter how much power a monster has, the hunters will
catch it.”
The soldiers’ eyes brimmed with admiration as they looked

over at the other side. There was a simplified control center
where more than a hundred hunters were lined up.
Surprisingly, they were all hunters from the same group.
In perfect sync with everyone around them, they looked

more disciplined than the soldiers.
“That’s all. I hope you’re all prepared to die,” President Han

Kwang-ho said as he ended his speech in front of about a
hundred thrilled hunters.
Han Jae-gyu stepped up as the President took a seat at the

“grandstand” that had been built for him in the control
center’s corner. “Five minutes from now, we will commence
the operation. We believe that all inspections, including the
condition of the equipment, have been completed.”
Loud cheers answered Han Jae-gyu.
Suppressing the boiling excitement, Han Jae-gyu slowly

looked around at the hunters. Excluding himself, 134
members of the Hankwang Hunting International were
present, and all of them silver- and gold-class hunters.
Silver-class hunters would oversee support and wouldn’t be
sent to the front lines. Gold-class hunters were those with
the abilities necessary to become an ace in any
organization.
In fact, rather than expanding their careers on a large scale,

a majority of them had continued in small and medium-
sized organizations.
Hankwang had, after all, invested enormous amounts of

money in carrying out aggressive scouting efforts, enough
to be accused of sweeping the industry’s “bottom”
ecosystem with their money.
“It goes without saying that you are all excellent hunters.
But honestly, you haven’t been treated accordingly so far, in
terms of fame or profit.”
To put it nicely, it was a group with higher-than-average

skills.
To put it less nicely, none of the group were at a top-notch

level.
Hankwang did not scout the ace players of large groups

because those who were truly top-notch in the hunter world
would not be easily swayed with money anyway.
“But things will be different after this operation. The gazes

that have looked down on you and Hankwang will be
silenced once and for all. They will turn into nothing but
looks of envy.”
Han Jae-gyu’s speech was greatly influenced by his

grandfather’s.
In a way, he was also talking to himself.

“I won’t say that it is not dangerous. There is always a
chance of getting seriously injured, and some of you may
lose your lives. Yet we are hunters! We will endure the
dangers and enjoy the rewards that await beyond them!”
The tremors and anxiety of the hunters who were listening

to Han Jae-gyu began to fade.
“When the operation is over, no one will be empty-handed.

Silver for gold, gold for platinum! Let us create
achievements that not even Oh Yoo-seong could
accomplish!”
For most humans, greed and longing were effective doping

agents.
Considering that most of the hunters present were not

satisfied with their positions, the effect could not have been
better.
“Wow!”
Everyone was in high spirits.
The Hankwang hunters then stepped into the purple-poison-

filled operation area.
They were wearing the perfect equipment to protect them: a

three-star Water Bear Suit—Version Three.
Hankwang was the most active organization in importing

equipment from the United States.
‘We can do it!’
The same thing rang inside everyone’s heads after hearing

Han Jae-gyu’s speech. Their skills, training, and equipment,
in addition to the unwavering confidence that the Habaek,
who looked up over the thick smoke, could be driven out or
killed, spread to everyone in the Han River.
“Leap base, installation from one to twelve complete!”
“Check the boosting pack fuel!”
“Do you still have a long way to go to install thirteen to

twenty-four?”
Technically, the two pieces of equipment which formed the

core of the operation were fully functional. The nature of the
demilitarized zone had simply unfolded under the crack.
Although it was shallow, no terrain was high enough except

for the sparse trees located along the river.
Unlike the city where buildings could be used for various

cover and attack purposes, it was only natural that hunting
in such an environment would soon become difficult.
The first of the latest equipment to overcome it: the Leap

Base.
The installation of a huge tuna-can-shaped facility, which

weighed slightly more than 0.4 tons, had created a ladder
that stretched tens of meters above.
It looked like a huge cat tower. It had small footholds that

close-combat hunters could use to climb and large footholds
that one or two hunters could use for fire support.
The Boosting Pack, on the other hand, maximized its

effectiveness. It was a familiar design for people who liked
science fiction.
It was a piece of wearable equipment that reached around
the back and waist and then up to the legs.
It would then mix compressed fuel with the wearer’s CE and

pour it into the back-mounted jet. Although the amount of
fuel and CE needed for a single injection would not be
enough for actual flight, it allowed three-dimensional
movement by letting the wearer change directions in midair
quickly.
“Installation complete!”
Everyone’s movement, fueled with motivation and desire,

had been quick.
The installation of forty-eight leap bases had been

completed in an instant. And, at about the same time…
“Uhhhh!”
The Habaek also began to move.
“The crack is widening!”
The news had come from the observation site. The crack
had been only slightly open and holding out the Habaek.
But, suddenly, the monster had started to move.
Jiiiing-!
The crack was tearing open.
It was a lot more dramatic than the last time the monster
had struggled and tried to tear it apart. Last time, it is a
much more rapid increase than the one he struggled to tear
for a long time.
As if the crack was a lot looser this time, the Habaek easily
pushed its head out.
“Its eyes…” someone muttered.
Its eyes were no longer the same color.
“To lower the height of the leap bases, adjust the outer
edges so that they are not exposed,” Han Jae-gyu ordered.
The leap bases were reduced accordingly.
From the Habaek’s point of view, the pillars and hunters

below were not visible.
“Go up the base but do not use the boost. Be careful and
make as little sound as possible.”
Using the forty-eight leap bases, a total of ninety-six hunters

(excluding the support team) began to climb upward.
The Habaek stayed still, other than extending its neck a

little longer and stretching its gaze beyond the operation
area.
It was definitely different than before.
The Habaek wasn’t attempting to destroy or trample on

anything. There wasn’t even a violent cry that echoed
throughout the land and skies.
It was as if the Habaek were not interested in anything.
“Assault group, ready. Report when you’re done targeting.”
“Group A. Targeting complete.”
“Group B complete.”
“Group C…”
Eventually, reports were heard from all groups.
Han Jae-gyu took a deep breath for a moment.
Even at the last minute, he couldn’t help feeling scared, but

his confidence held it back.
‘The possibility of failure is… zero.’
Clenching his fist firmly, Han Jae-gyu gave the order.
“Initiate.”
Everyone was filled with an adrenaline rush.
“Woohhhhhhhhh!”
“Go!”
“Let’s go!”
Paaah-!
An intense roar then shook the sky as a total of forty-eight

boosting packs activated at once. It was like a dragon
ascending as the ‘assault groups’ soared in unison.
The target was indeed the Habaek’s head.
They were aiming for the monster’s right eye, which had
been weakened by Yoo-seong’s last attack. With that very
eye, the Habaek stared at the creatures approaching him.
Was it surprised?
Did ‘surprise’ even exist for a creature like the Habaek?

Blah-!
Its huge mouth opened, and its lurking tongue soon

appeared. All the hunters, including the assault group, took
a deep breath.
The ‘Boost’ that had shot them out was only focused on the
top of the Habaek’s head. If they avoided it, they couldn’t
possibly reach their target.
However, that was not everything that Hankwang had at

their disposal.
“Shooting tank.”
Even before Han Jae-gyu’s words came out…
Click.
The remaining forty-eight “shooters” on the leap base

quickly aimed their Geller guns… except these were not
regular Geller guns.
Whoo-!
CE powered these guns. Yet, they did not fire energy bullets.
Taang-!
Forty-eight hooked warheads were fired.
Reminiscent of Yoo-seong’s Parasitic Bees, the warheads

connected with a special material cable to its tail and hit the
Habaek’s tongue.
“Mount!”
Keeping the cables tightly connected to the warheads, the
launchers inserted their Geller guns into the leap base’s
prepared grooves. With quick movements, they dropped to
the bottom of the column.
In a blink of an eye, the Habaek’s tongue had been tied

tightly to forty-eight pillars.
Of course, given the monster’s size, it would not last long.

But it was enough. It bought enough time for the assault
squads to land stably on the Habaek’s head.
No one said a word.
However, while maintaining balance on the Habaek’s head

and moving quickly, their hearts were filled with joy.
They had done it. All the parts of the Habaek that could
pose a danger were sealed.
All that was left was to use a boosting pack and hook the
cable to blow the Habaek’s right eye out.
No matter how great Oh Yoo-seong had been last time, he

had not been as powerful as the combined power of dozens
of gold-class hunters.
“Hahahahaha!”
Han Jae-gyu could not stand it anymore and let out a

relieved laugh. He then raised his right arm and gathered
his Aura.
The first blow was his. Then, for some reason, everyone
stopped.
All the hunters had gone quiet. Even the shouting had
stopped.
“Team Leader!”
The assault groups who were looking at Han Jae-gyu raised

their voices. Was it because of the urgency and excitement?
Han Jae-gyu was staring over the other side of the Habaek’s
head.
Everyone followed suit, and that was when they saw it.
A Water Dragon had formed from the river below and soared
up to the level of the Habaek’s eyes. It was a thick pillar of
water that twisted and turned as if it were alive.
The first time the Habaek faced Yoo-seong, the crack had
appeared in the middle of the city. There were very few
elements that the beast could manipulate.
However, this time…
The Water Dragon started to turn towards the hunters.
“Dodge!” Han Jae-gyu cried out. The very next moment…
Poong-!
A water column with a diameter of five to six meters hit the

Habaek’s head directly.
Fortunately, no hunters were hit. Unfortunately, there

wasn’t just one water dragon.
‘Three.’
‘Four.’
‘Five.’
No, a total of seven water dragons were pressing their

heads around the Habaek’s head.
“Retreat, retreat a…”
Han Jae-gyu could not even give a proper order. Of course,

even if he could, things had already gotten out of control.
Poong-!
Water dragons were attacking them from all sides.
“Kurk!”
One hunter, who had been hit directly from the air, fell to
the ground. The impact shattered every bone in his body.
Fear began to spread to the rest.
“Ahh!”
“Come on, get down!”
Every hunter had forgotten what they had trained for. The
unexpected threat had reached a transcendent level.
Hunting was not possible.
There was simply no way to respond to this. The only thing

on their minds now was survival.
Their confidence and spirit had disappeared.
They all headed down in unison.
Everyone was trying to retreat and hide.

The shooting and support teams who were waiting near the
leap base were panicking.
Then everyone realized a strange fact: the rising Water

Dragons—where had that enormous amount of water come
from?
It was then they realized that a vast river ran through the
entire operation area.
“Please!”
“Save us!”
Those who were waiting below stretched out their hands

and screamed for help.
Hundreds and thousands of tiny streams of water stretched

out from the river below.
***
Everyone in the control center was speechless.
No one knew what to do, not even President Han Kwang-ho.
“Cut it, cut it!”
Crack-!
Crack-!
The dozens of monitors in the control center were showing

the hell that was unfolding outside.
The operation was already doomed to fail. Hunters had well-

developed skills and hunting abilities these days. Still, there
had been many cases in which hunters were killed due to
unforeseen circumstances.
Even experts who were accustomed to such situations

would not be able to stay quiet.
It was an operation that could not fail. No matter how many

casualties there were, it had to succeed.
Meanwhile, the chair that President Han Kwang-ho had been

sitting on proved to be slanted. It wasn’t until he almost fell
that the President realized he was trembling.
“New Team Leader!”
He tried to hide his trembling. However, he called out the

person in charge of the control center in a much louder
voice than usual.
“Alternatives!”
“What?”
“Are you deaf?! Give me an alternative! Even in this

situation, there will be a way to deal with it as safely as
possible. What is it?”
The man called Team Leader Shin blinked repeatedly.
Finally, there came a difficult answer.
“With all due respect, Hankwang’s current power is not

enough to deal with that monster.”
“Do you think anybody doesn’t know that?”
“Sorry, I’m sorry.”

Then a realistic plan came out of Team Leader Shin’s mouth.
“The best and least platinum hunter… No, I think we need to

ask for help from teams with rankers.”
“There’s going to be a rumor going around in the industry,”

President Han Kwang-ho answered.
Team Leader Shin was left speechless.
‘Is that what he’s worried about right now?’
However, in the middle of worrying…
“Ah!”
An amazing solution had come up.
“Lee Jae-hak,” said Team Leader Shin.
“Lee Jae-hak?”
“Yes. As far as I know, he’s currently working as a freelancer

without any affiliation.”
“Can he stop that by himself?” President Han Kwang-ho

asked as he pointed at the monitor showing the catastrophe
taking place.
Team Leader Shin nodded.
“I know that his Psy is an immensely powerful Psy of ice. If

that monster can manipulate water, he’s the perfect person
to counter it.”
Shin was talking as if he were on the brink of collapsing into

a mental breakdown. What was the probability of stopping it
even if Lee Jae-hak’s intervened?
It did not seem impossible, at least.
Jiiiiing-!
Until just now.
“What, what is it?!”
“The crack!”
The personnel who were looking at the monitor showing the

video feedback screamed.
The crack was getting wider. Even though the Habaek was
not showing much movement, the crack was torn as if it
could no longer hold.
In between these…
“Oh, my god!”
The Habaek stepped out its foot.
Its enormous size was in proportion to its massive head. The

crack only continued to widen.
If the beast didn’t stop moving like this, its whole body
would be completely out in the world even before Lee Jae-
hak or any support hunter came.
Even the president could not say anything.
For the first time in a long time, he found himself praying

silently. He was not looking through multiple monitors in the
comfort of his study. Instead, he was in the midst of a
brewing disaster.
Just then…
“I said it clearly.”
Though it was not particularly loud, it was a clear voice.
It was a voice already familiar to everyone in the control

center.
“If you leave it alone, it will fail.”
The President’s gaze appeared soulless. Yoo-seong pitied

him.
Usually, the President would have been embarrassed, but

now everything in his head had gone blank. The old man
had only one remarkably simple question.
Indeed, everyone in the control center who saw Yoo-seong

had a question.
“What’s in his hand right now…?”
“Well, that…”
Only Team Leader Shin, who had some international

knowledge, could identify its shape.
“Oh, the Nine Python Bow? No, it’s a little different.”
Won Jeong-cheon, a hunter who had once ranked sixth in

the Ship Zone, had perished in a dive six months ago. The
shape of the bow Yoo-seong held was similar to his famous
weapon.
Team Leader Shin had gotten it half-right.
It was one of the spoils Yoo-seong had obtained inside the

crack. Using the Lightning Ape’s horn, a “combination
material” that could handle power, Yoo-seong had merged
the two items.
“This should be enough.”
Yoo-seong raised his bow.
Auto-Hunt had already been engaged.
Stretch-!
The famous nine-pronged bowline, which needed an

immense amount of arm strength, was tightly drawn.
Pajijik-!
“Ugh!”
The devices in the control center flickered, and everyone’s

hair shook from the static.
The Thunderbolt Nine Python.
It was the second treasure he’d finally got. Yoo-seong then

laid the bow down.
Kwajikk-!
A beam of lightning soared through the air.

Chapter 140
EPISODE 140
From a considerable distance, a flash of light seemed to

move swiftly toward the monster. At this, the Habaek looked
away.
It had seen it before.
Some days, when the air around the world became moist, a
sharp light fell from the sky. The Habaek hated it.
From time to time, the light landed on its massive body and
caused it tremendous pain.
But the flash of light approaching it right now was not falling
from the sky.
Instead, it was coming toward him from below.
The Habaek did not see this as a problem.
It wasn’t the same as the one that fell from the sky.
It had already seen the countless ‘little things’ emit ‘light.’
Most of it was to camouflage their insignificant abilities.
Turning away from the light rushing toward the nape of its
neck, the Habaek turned its gaze back down. It was trying to
focus on the things right below.
Just then…
Shlick-!
There came a small prick on the nape of its neck. Then pain
traveled throughout its whole body.
Auarrrrgggghh-!
Cries of pain and confusion poured out of the monster’s

throat.
What had just struck its neck?
The Habaek was sure that it hadn’t been lightning. Yet, the
tremendous pain felt almost equal. At this, the Habaek’s
eyes reflexively turned towards its source.
It saw the control center, the place where Yoo-seong had

drawn his bow. However, he was no longer there.
Taang-!
Along with the flashing lights in the air were traces of

Whoo-!
There was another explosion.
With that, Yoo-seong moved through the air like the arrow
he had just shot.
The Habaek felt different. It recognized Yoo-seong, but it felt

that the tiny creature had almost doubled its power. In
addition to that, Auto-Hunt was increasing Explosive
Acceleration’s power more than usual.
Taang-!
The boost it was giving him now made his movement closer
to flight than a high leap. When Explosive Acceleration
popped out from the tip of his toe for the third time, Yoo-
seong soared up rather than forward.
That was when their eyes met.
“Nice to meet you.” Yoo-seong smiled at the fearsome

monster.
The monster recognized the tiny creature.
It was that guy.
Not long ago, when it had peeked its head out after being
led by the same blue light, the Habaek remembered it had
encountered a small, fearless creature that caused an
unforgettable pain in one of its eyes.
Kaahahahahah-!
The Habaek boiled with rage. Nine Water Dragons rose from
the river.
These were much thicker than the ones the Habaek had
used to shake off the previous hunters, including Han Jae-
gyu.
The dragons also had a different form. This time, they were
shaped like an awl instead of a thick column.
Soon, the nine Water Dragons ascended into the sky like
guided missiles.
Yoo-seong did not dodge them right away. He was using the
momentum created by Explosive Acceleration to reach the
highest point he could.
The Water Dragons were catching up to him quickly. Then…
Ta-ang!
Once again, Explosive Acceleration breathed fire. No, not

once.
Taang-!
Taang-!
Unlike before, when it could only be used at intervals, the

Explosive Acceleration Yoo-seong used this time seemed to
be useable continuously, at will. Moving in zigzag lines, Yoo-
seong broke through the nine Water Dragons.
Of course, it didn’t just end there. The Habaek kept its eyes
on Yoo-seong.
Quaaaa-!
The tip of a Water Dragon twisted in the air.
Then the tips of all the Water Dragons curled forward and
rushed toward Yoo-seong.
“That is awesome…” Someone in the control center, who

was staring at the monitor in a daze, had spoken
unwittingly. Surprisingly, the object of admiration did not
prove to be Yoo-seong.
“Just how intelligent could it be…?”
In the meantime, while tracking Yoo-seong back and forth,

the nine Water Dragons continued to pursue him smoothly
without colliding and canceling each other out. On the other
hand, Yoo-seong could try to do exactly that to destroy the
Water Dragons.
However, he did not seem to have any intention of doing

that.
Taang-!
As he enjoyed the acrobatics in the air, he continued to

dodge at points much higher than the Habaek’s head.
“No, at least attack…”
A sigh was about to erupt inside the control center.
—Control Center!
A crying voice burst through communication.
—Hey, this is Group A. We have two dead, six… we will

retreat immediately.
—This is Group B…
—Send a support vehicle into the Military Demarcation Line!
Of course, everyone in the control center should have cared

more about the other hunters than Yoo-seong. Just when
those who were left inside the control center were preparing
to retreat and recover the casualties…
“But how?” asked someone.
However, as soon as he realized what his question meant,

he covered his mouth. Even if you were to think about it, it
was rather strange.
Shouldn’t they be glad that so many people they had
thought would die were alive? However, until now, it was
not just job abandonment that meant people struggled to
turn away from considering their current situation.
The last time they’d checked, there was hell outside the
control center. There was nothing they could do.
The President even ordered the monitors to be turned off, so

everyone thought the answer was to ignore the situation.
Well, until they heard the surviving hunters’ cries for help.
Toot-
The monitor turned back on.
“Uh!”
Small bursts of exclamations were heard from time to time.
The Water Dragons, which had driven hunters to their death,

disappeared. Instead, all they saw were the hunters
standing in line to help the wounded and to retreat.
There was another difference, but it took some time for

everyone to notice it.
“There is no water!”
That was right.
The shallow river that had flowed beneath the hunters

earlier, and from which many Water Dragons had ascended,
was dry for some reason. Then they realized that the reason
was actually very clear.
Looking up, Yoo-seong was still playing with the Water

Dragons in the air.
As the monster had become further enraged, the Water
Dragons had grown much bigger than before.
—We do not know why but it seems that the Habaek has
stopped with attacks. Control center, I can see something.
No one answered Han Jae-gyu, who was busy panting from

his injuries. Everyone at the control center was watching
Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong was deliberately moving to bait all the Water

Dragons to chase after him. He was giving the hunters of
Hankwang Hunting International time to escape.
—Control center? Hey!
“This is the control center. We will send convoy vehicles to

you as close as possible. Remember to take note of your
surroundings as you retreat…”
It could have been because of their survival instinct.
Booung-
Vehicles were starting to retreat near the border of the

Military Demarcation Line. Up above, Yoo-seong saw what
was happening. Then the second phase of his plan
immediately began.
Poong-!
A popping sound was heard but, this time, it had not come
from his Explosive Acceleration.
The heads of the two Water Dragons that had been aiming
at Yoo-seong from different directions collided.
The shockwave alone was enough to cause waves on the
other Water Dragons’ surface. The two that had collided lost
their form and fell apart.
However, this was just the beginning.
Poong-!
The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth Water Dragons collided

before long and began to scatter in heavy raindrops. As if he
were enjoying it, Yoo-seong turned around to see the Water
Dragons fall apart.
Knock, knock-
He then landed above the Habaek’s head.
Kaahhh-!
Had his previous defeat resurfaced as a memory? The

Habaek shook its head like crazy.
However, Yoo-seong did not intend to let it drag on any

longer. As soon as he leaped forward…
Papat-!
He took out a new item. Holding it tightly…
Taang-!
Yoo-seong increased his Explosive Acceleration to its full

power. He then started with the Habaek’s head. Yoo-seong
rushed downward.
Then…
Bam-!
Stepping onto the ground, Yoo-seong looked back up. From
where the Habaek’s head was to where Yoo-seong now
stood, a trail of light showing his trajectory remained.
With the Sky Scissors in hand, he had torn the crack

completely open.
-Kaak?!
The Habaek did not understand right away. However, soon,

its body felt it.
The crack that had been so cramped only the tip of his
forefoot and head fit through it had suddenly loosened. The
Habaek’s foot and the rest of its body came out of the crack
smoothly.
Kwoong-!
The monster’s front paw seemed like a giant pillar, the size
of a skyscraper. And now, it took its first step into the world.
The Habaek felt relieved. There was a tremendous sense of

liberation from the shackles that had held him for hours.
Distracted by the relief, the Habaek even forgot about Yoo-
seong’s existence for a moment and pulled out all of its
body.
Thud-!
Boom-!
Boom-!
Even though only four of its legs had moved, an earthquake-

like, ground-shaking sound seemed to overturn the heavens
and earth. The river, the rocks, and the trees where it
landed were immediately destroyed.
It even pleased the Habaek. However, it was not what made

everyone watching feel despair.
Tuk-!
It was something that no one was conscious of.
Tuduk-!
One by one, drops of water began falling from the sky. It was
raining.
Tutu Tutu Tutu Tuk-!
As if making up for the winter days when rainfall was scarce,

a sudden shower poured down.
Kaah-!
This time, the Habaek cried out in enjoyment. As raindrops

and moisture soaked its skin, it soon regained its strength.
Just then, the Habaek remembered. Where was the little

creature who had been attacking him just now?
It rolled its eyes around in search of Yoo-seong. Had the

‘little creature’ run away knowing the Habaek’s power was
growing?
In the end, it did not matter. The Habaek knew that

wherever in this world that ‘little creature’ was hiding, he
would find it and crush it.
However, Yoo-seong was not even hiding.

If only the Habaek had turned its heavy head a little to the
side, in the direction it had come from, it would have seen
him.
Soon, though, the moments of confusion and enjoyment at

being in a new world cost the Habaek.
Soon, the monster realized what had changed.
The blue light it had followed to get into this world was
gone. Yoo-seong had already sewn it closed as fast as he
could.
“You wanted to come here,” Yoo-seong taunted as he put

the Sky Needle back in his slot.
“And now you are never going out.”
‘Poor thing,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Yoo-seong pulled out his bow and aimed it at the monster

who now could never return home.
Then he released the lightning.

Chapter 141
EPISODE 141
“Hey! Can’t you go a little faster?!”
“Hah, but sir…”
The winding roads in this remote region of Gangwon-do

were already harsh enough. The rain made them even more
dangerous.
“Why is it raining all of a sudden?” Yang Chang-guk

complained as he looked up at the sky. Then he looked at
his tablet, which also turned out to be useless.
“Crazy old man, are you really planning to capture the

Habaek yourself? If things go wrong, you won’t even know
what to do!”
The target of Yang Chang-guk’s curses, as well as his fury,

was none other than Chairman Han Kwang-ho.
What was making Yang Chang-guk even more resentful was

that Hankwang had run to the scene without even reporting
to the Special Defense Agency.
“This is already over the line. No matter how greedy they

are, there are still rules they have to follow.”
The tablet that Yang Chang-guk held was connected to the

Defense Agency’s drone at the site. However, right now, the
tablet was showing nothing but a black screen.
It was pretty obvious what had happened.
The drone’s channel primary connection was to the control

center. Hankwang must have been preventing Yang Chang-
guk and the Defense Agency, who usually kept them in
check, from intervening in the situation.
“How far…”
‘This is making my head hurt,’ Yang Chang-guk said as he

held his head in frustration. To make matters worse, Yang
Chang-guk already knew that Hankwang wouldn’t be
punished for this. He hated to admit it, but it was true.
Hankwang’s power was categorically enough to handle the

Habaek. Perhaps, if the operation to drive out Habaek
turned out to be successful, Hankwang’s failure to report to
the Defense Agency and the drone channel would be
counted as a “mistake made by a person unfamiliar with
protocol.”
‘And then it gets worse.’
There would surely be an act of superiority over the Special

Defense Agency.
In a way, it was natural.
Regardless of the field, gross overstepping by large

corporations was implicitly allowed. In many countries,
including Europe, large corporations already participated in
the hunting business.
It was almost as if the privatization of the hunting industry

had begun.
If a corporation like Hankwang succeeded in establishing its
position, other large corporations would follow them.
Korea’s current system, which could be seen as the

country’s unique strength, had become possible due to the
close cooperation between the Special Defense Forces and
hunter groups.
In a country that already lacked a pool of talent and Tech,

this change in the system could turn out to be a major
disaster.
‘All because we could not stop the Habaek on our own.’
For a moment, Yang Chang-guk stopped thinking,
“Pathetic.”
He felt ashamed of himself.
‘What is going on? I cannot believe that, as the Director of

the Defense Agency, I cannot do anything to stop the
monster.’
“Director,” started the driver.
“No, I’m talking to myself. I am sorry to have bothered you.

You don’t have to overdo it. Just go as fast as you can.”
“Yes, sir.”
Yang Chang-guk turned his gaze out the window to stare at

the rain. Thick, ominous clouds darkened the sky. “That
could be thunder. It is awfully quiet. ”
Coo-oong-!
Another round of thunder broke through the air and hit the
Habaek right on the neck.
Ka-a-ah-!
The Habaek’s skin was soaked in the rain.
It was the best condition to maximize the effect of the

electric shock. Thanks to the rain, the arrow had been able
to penetrate the Habaek’s thick skin.
‘There’s not enough damage,’ Yoo-seong thought.
When he’d met the Habaek inside the crack, even Auto-
Hunt had made the same judgment. At that time, Yoo-seong
could not beat the Habaek because he’d lacked firepower.
His Flame Salt could not inflict much damage to the Habaek.
Come to think of it, the last time he drove it off, he’d used
the Parasitic Bees deep in the monster’s eyeball.
However, in the end, all that had changed was the color of
its eyes. At that time, the Habaek had shown no signs of
difficulty against Yoo-seong.
‘But now my CE capacity is doubled,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Even now, with his arrow lightning hitting the Habaek’s body
multiple times, he could hear only cries of pain. He was only
inflicting shallow wounds and minor injuries. Yoo-seong
needed a blow that would paralyze it.
‘But how?’
Given all the shooting he was doing, not once had Auto-
Hunt aimed for the Habaek’s eyes. In fact, it seemed not to
be aiming at the eyes or anywhere near the head at all.
Taang-!
Yoo-seong dodged the Water Dragons.
Booung-!
Yoo-seong kicked a semi-circle using Explosive Acceleration.
A myriad of tiny streams evaporated on contact.
The Water Dragons were not the only problem. The rain had
not ceased pouring. Using it to their advantage, the Water
Dragons tried to attack Yoo-seong from a blind spot.
With his Explosive Acceleration, he easily avoided the Water

Dragons. Then he saw a small gap.
Taking advantage of that precious moment…
Kuguguk-!
Yoo-seong’s arm pulled on the Thunderbolt Nine Pythons

Bow.
Kwaang-!
There came a bolt of lightning fire.
However, the target was not the Habaek’s eyes, which were
its obvious weakness. Instead, it was the beast’s left front
paw.
Kaahahahahah-!
The arrow stuck in the Habaek’s left front leg.
‘No matter what happens, I believe in Auto-Hunt.’

As he had done to this point, Yoo-seong just had to stay
focused. Anyway, his core was now doubled in capacity. His
CE was being constantly regenerated at short intervals. So
far, his physical strength had also worked the same.
But was it enough?
The problem did not lie with Yoo-seong. He looked down at

his arrows. They were the ones Seoyu had ordered from a
special workshop.
Of course, they weren’t infinite. Yoo-seong had started with

were sixty-eight arrows.
‘I did not even dream of using all of them in the next battle.
And now, I have only twenty left,’ Yoo-seong thought.
The forty-eight arrows he had used so far had not dealt any
significant damage. It wasn’t easy to believe that the
remaining twenty would make much difference.
Taang-!
However, Auto-Hunt increased the Explosive Acceleration’s

firepower without pause.
Avoiding the Water Dragons set to attack him, Yoo-seong

dodged around in the air and shot arrows all over the
Habaek’s body.
Kwaang-!
He shot its other three legs.
Kwaaang-!
He also targeted the Habaek’s shoulder joints.

Like an oriental medicine doctor who uses acupuncture on
his patient, Yoo-seong focused on getting as many arrows in
as possible rather than focusing on a single point. And
finally…
‘The last one!’
Kwaaang-!
When the arrow hit the turtle’s left foot…
Taang-!
Explosive Acceleration’s direction changed completely.
Auto-Hunt had been keeping Yoo-seong away from the

Habaek’s body before. However, now, he found himself
rushing toward the beast with his final arrow in his hand.
‘Am I going for the head?’ Yoo-seong guessed.
But for some reason, Auto-Hunt seemed to avoid it. Then,

about thirty meters from the Habaek’s head…
Taang-!
Auto-Hunt caused Yoo-seong to turn upward sharply. Looking

down at where he had been just a few seconds ago, Yoo-
seong immediately realized why. Five or seven Water
Dragons, which he had not noticed until now, had appeared
from the bottom of the water.
This wasn’t the end.
The other Water Dragons, which had been hiding quietly

until now, began to appear one by one. It was almost as if
the Habaek had been waiting for Yoo-seong to aim at its
head. Yoo-seong faced another surprise.
“You!”
Around the Habaek’s head, big and small Water Dragons

were intertwined, creating a Water Shield, a thick shield that
made it impossible for the arrow to reach not only the
monster’s eyes but also any part of its head.
‘The Habaek has prepared for my attack…’
It had been waiting for Yoo-seong to aim at its eyes. Once

Yoo-seong fired an arrow, the net it had formed would stop
it. On the other hand, if Yoo-seong decided to attack
directly, the hidden Water Dragons would intercept him.
This made things even more difficult. After breaking through

the Water Shield, Yoo-seong would have to inflict an impact
several times more than his CE and aim it at a vital spot.
Taang-!
“Huh?”
Something felt weird. Yoo-seong looked down.
Taang-!
Auto-Hunt continued to step on Explosive Acceleration. Of

course, it was the perfect way to avoid the Water Dragons
rushing at Yoo-seong.
‘Even so, this is too far,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Taang-!
Wasn’t it coming up? No Water Dragons were chasing Yoo-

seong. He had reached a range that not even the Habaek’s
Water Dragons could reach.
Taang-!
Nevertheless, Yoo-seong’s body continued to shoot upwards.
‘Why?’
Countless speculations ran through his head. Soon…
“…!”
Yoo-seong realized the answer, and it was the right one.
“Then… Yes… Of course… Ha, ha ha ha.”
Yoo-seong could not help his laughter. The moment was so

absurd.
“Yeah, no matter how much damage it has endured, I’m

pretty sure this one will work.”
Even though no one was listening, even though he couldn’t

speak properly because of the thinning air, Yoo-seong could
not keep his laughter down.
‘Now I can feel it for sure.’
His Aura was concentrated on his whole body, not just his
legs. He held the Thunderbolt Nine Pythons tightly with both
hands. And, as if interacting and reacting to him, dark
clouds began to form from above.
The very next moment, Yoo-seong heard a “sound.” It was a

sound so loud that, as soon as he heard it, Yoo-seong’s
eardrums were paralyzed.
“…!”
It hit Yoo-seong’s body directly. His body twitched. He felt as
if his entire being would pop out of it.
No, he felt much more than that. It had not been just a
“flash” of lightning. It had hit evenly across the area below.
The lightning, which usually never reached the ground, had

crushed the poor creatures that reached below its territory.
Even the Lightning Ape, a monster that gained power

through the lightning that struck its horn, would never have
endured this amount of power.
“…!!!!!!”
‘I wonder if it will disfigure my body.’ Yoo-seong was curious.
He could feel his whole body burning. Right then, as if

completely losing track of time, the sound stopped. Yoo-
seong felt the wind against his skin.
‘I can still feel it. I’m not completely burnt.’
As Yoo-seong thought about this, he started plummeting

down from the sky. The inside of his mouth tasted like iron.
In his arms, he still held the Thunderbolt Nine Pythons Bow.

Looking down, Yoo-seong saw the Habaek getting closer and
closer. In his hands was something that held more power
than any attack he knew.
“This…”
Yoo-seong held lightning.
“You monster!”
Yoo-seong, plunging down from the sky as if he were some
sort of heavenly punishment, struck the Habaek.
The impact made its whole body tremble.
The Water Shield that the Habaek desperately tried to use

was easily torn apart. It was fortunate that Yoo-seong had
not yet regained his hearing.
Even feeling the vibrations of the sound through his skin

was enough to make him quiver.
Kaaa-!
He did not have to hear the Habaek’s screeching cries as he

penetrated through its hard shell.
Chapter 142
EPISODE 142
Boom-!
The sound seemed to have come from a distance. Upon

hearing it, Yoo-seong came back to his senses. He
remembered the lightning striking from above. He also
remembered how it had hit the Habaek.
However, his thoughts were still in shambles, as if he had

been punched hard. His eyes were closing on their own from
fatigue that he could hardly bear.
Boom-!
The sound made him notice the smell. It resembled that of a

chicken breast. He felt around. It was like his whole body
was wrapped in a slightly stiff but soft cushion.
Boom-!
Only then did Yoo-seong realize: he was inside the Habaek’s

body.
Boom-!
Yoo-seong tried to move. However, Auto-Hunt was not

active, and the monster’s flesh was tightening around him
so much that he couldn’t press the button.
“Hueup.”
He wrapped his Aura all over his body and rose upwards as
if he were swimming. Finally, after what seemed like an
eternity, he reached the surface and inhaled deeply.
“Poo-ha!”
The first thing he saw was the sky. It was almost dawn.
“Has it already been so long?”
The rain, which had been falling ferociously, had already

stopped. A rainbow hung on the far side of the dim sky. Yoo-
seong was a little captivated by the beauty that greeted
him…
Boom-!
He heard it again. This time, the sound was a little clearer

and louder. It wasn’t that difficult to figure out why: the
Habaek was dead. Its four colossal legs were stiff and
stretched outward. It had been hours since the Habaek died,
but its spasms had not yet ended.
Boom-!
Whenever its dead body moved, the earth shook with the
sound.
Yoo-seong stepped forward.
Stepping out from the Habaek’s head, he proceeded along

the ridge of its neck. The monster’s carcass trembled
countless times, yet Yoo-seong remained skillfully balanced.
He didn’t need to use Auto-Hunt.
And even if he had, he already knew where it would lead
him. The Habaek’s shell had a large area that looked like a
combination of three or four sports stadiums, and ridges
that rose beyond the size of low-rise buildings covered the
creature’s crust.
Yoo-seong wanted to go right into the middle of it.
“Wow.”
Admiration fell unbidden from his mouth. At the center of

the Habaek’s rocky scales was a deep blue lake.
‘The monster’s core.’
Just like the Lightning Ape’s horns, this was the Habaek’s
source of power.
“Here!” someone cried. At this, Yoo-seong turned.
“Oh!”
They were the people of Hankwang.
“All you…”
These were Hankwang Hunting International members, who

looked like they had somehow pulled themselves back
together after last night’s disaster. Even after Yoo-seong had
turned to lightning, the Habaek had barely been accessible
thanks to the post-mortem stiffness.
And now…
“This is it!”
It wasn’t just the hunters.

“Okay! I’ll walk on my feet from now on!” The hunter
carrying President Han Kwang-ho knelt and let him down
onto the floor.
“There is an uninvited visitor,” remarked Yoo-seong.

President Han Kwang-ho turned to look and saw him. Silence
quickly filled the scene.
The hunters were all soaking in so much shame that they

couldn’t even dare to look at Yoo-seong. It would have been
ridiculous for them to get the Habaek’s body. Clearly—
especially from a hunter’s point of view—the Habaek
belonged to Yoo-seong.
Yet, one person thought otherwise.
“You do not have permission from the proper authorities!

You broke into our operational zone and interfered with the
mission.”
The President had already known he would encounter Yoo-

seong. He had already decided on what he would say.
“Do not even think of claiming credit for this mission. Let it
go. This is my loot. I was the one in charge, and if not for
your interference, we would have captured the Habaek.”
In principle, he wasn’t wrong. Hankwang had not formally

requested support.
Of course, in general, it was customary in the Korean

industry that the person who had received unsolicited help
would feel humbled and thankful. However, the one
speaking to Yoo-seong had never been part of the industry.
“Do you have any objections? I’d be surprised if you did, but
I would respond according to the laws of this country. By the
rules of the industry you and I are in.”
President Han Kwang-ho was confident. All he needed was a

justification. And anyway, all the devices and footage on the
site were owned by the Hankwang group. Even if something
needed to be verified, it would be easy to remove anything
that would damage their reputation.
“I can’t give you a single penny,” the President declared.
The President remembered the figures he’d seen on the

monitor only about an hour ago. Drones imported from the
United States had been launched directly from Hankwang to
scout the site. There were sensors mounted on the drones’
lenses that could detect CE, the energy emitted by hunters.
They were used discreetly in situations where the hunters
could not be identified with the naked eye.
But, right now, they were being used to detect valuable

monster parts. Monsters were the main source of CE. Even
with the Habaek dead, the drone had still detected an
enormous amount of CE from within the “crystal” beneath
its shell.
No matter how ignorant the president was of the field, he

knew that those figures detected by the drones were out of
the ordinary.
“If you understand…” the President started.
“Stop!”
From across the lake, someone screamed. Everyone,

including Yoo-seong, turned to look.
“Please… That’s enough, Grandpa.” Han Jae-gyu’s voice

sounded as if his insides were broken. And they really were,
although what he felt was not physical pain.
“What, why are you screaming all of a sudden? What’s

wrong with you?”
The annoyance was evident in the President’s voice.
“What’s the problem?”
Han Jae-gyu was crying.
It was out of shame. He wiped away his tears with the back
of his hand.
Han Jae-gyu was not a hunter that had just come up from
nowhere. With that hand, he had steadily built his career in
another country and trained himself as a hunter. It was the
hunter talking right now.
“We can’t do this. You must stop.”
He knew that, as a hunter, it was the right thing to do. Yoo-

seong had saved his life. Not only his but that of every
hunter in this operation.
The Habaek had been tearing through the crack little by

little before Yoo-seong arrived. It would have escaped and
caused a disaster if Yoo-seong hadn’t helped them.
The Hankwang group had almost caused a tragedy, which

could have led to a stigma and remorse that a hunter could
not simply wash away. Even if Yoo-seong had saved these
hunters’ lives, they would have still chosen to die.
“You ungrateful brat!”
The President raised his hand and slapped his grandson.

“Last night’s event must have gotten into your head! What
are you talking about? Are you really my grandson with that
mindset? Get your act together. You are the grandson of Han
Kwang-ho and a member of the Hankwang group! It means
you must know when to play and when not to!”
Then the President turned toward the hunters who stood

behind them.
“What are you doing? Get your gear and get in there!” The
President spat on the ground. He was not in a particularly
good mood.
‘I don’t know about anything else, but how could he do that

to his grandson in front of everyone?’
Yoo-seong’s nerves were on edge, perhaps as a result of

staying up all night. ‘I need to get what I need right away,’
he thought.
“What?”
Despite the President’s orders, no one had moved.
“What are you all doing? Can’t you hear me? Did you all lose
your hearing?”
Everyone’s ears were fine. As a matter of fact, they had all

heard clearly. Not only the President’s words but also Han
Jae-gyu’s.
They had heard him for who he was. Not the grandson of
their employer, not their team leader, but a hunter who had
shared his feelings.
“I can’t take this!”

Of course, they weren’t much different from their own.
“Yes! I can’t do this!”
Thud-!
Throwing away his diving gear, a gold-class hunter standing

right next to Han Jae-gyu shook his head.
Anger immediately emanated from the President’s eyes.
“Who do you think pays your…”
“Of course, it’s your money.”
The President’s words had no effect on the already-

determined hunter.
“Isn’t that all you’ve got to give? I’m going to quit. The
penalty’s a little bothersome, but I’m sure it’ll work out.
Look, it may not look like it, but I’m a gold-class hunter. I am
not letting myself be bossed around in exchange for money,
especially by someone like you.”
That was just the beginning.
“I agree with you.”
“Me too.”
“I’ll quit.”
The hunters’ declarations rose from all over the scene.
It was only to be expected. What had kept them with

Hankwang so far, besides the financial aspect, was the
dream of “rising above.”
It was the speeches given by President Han Kwang-ho and
Han Jae-gyu before the start of the operation.
They had hoped their reputation within the industry would

rise with an already potentially full group, Hankwang.
However, now, they were flying away like wildfire.
“Honestly, I was looking forward to it. All this time, I thought

President Han Kwang-ho was someone great. But what is
this? All you do is scream. You’re just a stupid old man.”
Far from its potential, the Hankwang unfolding in front of

these hunters was nothing but a trash group trying to ruin
Yoo-seong, who had done a great job. Besides, even the
president’s grandson had cried and rebelled against his own
grandfather.
“And, honestly, anyone can see this beast belongs to Oh

Yoo-seong. Do we even deserve to be up here?”
“If you attack him according to the law, I’ll stand as a

witness to Oh Yoo-seong. We can just say we asked for help
ourselves.”
“That’s right. I actually screamed for help.”
“A verbal request in the field is also sufficiently valid…”
No matter how difficult it was, they were hunters. They

viewed their profession with pride.
“What are you talking about?! You fools!” President Han

Kwang-ho couldn’t understand.
But, at this point, no one cared about President Han Kwang-

ho anymore.
Everyone turned around and descended from the Habaek’s
carcass or went down to see Yoo-seong and hear what he
had to say.
“Jae-gyu, Jae-gyu!”
The President called for his grandson. However, Han Jae-gyu

was already walking away from him to apologize to Yoo-
seong and the rest of the hunters.
“Hey, hey, hey, hey!”
Han Jae-gyu had already made up his mind. He couldn’t do

this any longer.
President Han Kwang-ho’s eyes searched the ground. Then

he saw the equipment that a hunter had thrown off earlier.
It was a four-star Sperm Whale Suit, a product made in the

United States meant for deep-sea operations. It was an
example of Hankwang’s financial strength, showing
enormous durability to water pressure and low
temperatures.
“Mine, mine!”
For President Han Kwang-ho, the convenience was

astoundingly obvious. The suit was patterned after an
existing wetsuit. Given his expertise in scuba diving, he
decided to wear it himself.
“I could probably do this on my own. I don’t need you fools

in the first place,” the President said to himself as he
donned the suit.
Several hunters saw what he was doing.

“What is he doing?”
“You’re not going to jump in yourself…”
“As you said, I am going to cool my head. This is nice to

wear. You do not have to worry. I will not die,” said President
Han Kwang-ho.
He spoke so mockingly that no one tried to stop him.
The President took a step. In his head, this was something

momentous.
He was wearing the suit without needing any help. He would

go into the monster’s core and bring out what rightfully
belonged to him.
And then?
He would be going back to the control center to fire all these

useless fools. And then…
Crack-!
Human greed was endless, and the same mistakes were

often made over and over. What the president was wearing
turned out to be a suit made for hunters. Even if it were
easy to wear, it was not like a normal diving suit.
The President’s body leaned forward a little, which ended

with him lying flat on his face on the monster’s scales. The
path to the monster’s core was a very steep downhill slope.
Poop-!
Puck-!
“Oh oh oh oh oh oh!”
The sky and the ground turned upside down. Pain like he
had never felt in his entire life shot through the President’s
body. Like a bean worm rolling on a slide due to some kid’s
prank, the president rolled down the slope of the Habaek’s
shell.
Then…
Plop-!!
President Han Kwang-ho fell into the lake. His hell had just
begun.
“Uh…”
His limbs and all the nerve endings in his body froze almost
immediately. It was a tremendous chill that he could not
have imagined.
Despite its four-star underwater ability to protect its wearer,

the coldness of the lake quickly permeated into the
President’s body. He could not even scream and not just
because of the cold.
‘S-Save…’
The President’s thoughts were a muddle.
In situations of extreme cold like this, it was said that

retaining your senses was an indication that you were alive.
However, his senses were also being subjected to the

maximum level of pain. It was as if the Habaek was
condemning unqualified and uninvited guests.
Right there and then, President Han regretted his decision.

What was he supposed to do now?
He didn’t even know himself. The cold was unforgiving.
‘I shouldn’t have done this.’
‘I am going to die.’
***
Whaaa-!
Yoo-seong appeared above the water. Everyone was

astonished.
In Yoo-seong’s left hand was President Han Kwang-ho, whom

he had just pulled out of the lake. He looked terrible in the
Four-Star Sperm Whale Suit.
“Uh, it’s frozen.”
“I’m sure it’s supposed to hold on until absolute zero…”
President Han Kwan-ho screamed in pain.
The coldness within the Habaek’s core had frozen both the
President and the Four-Star Sperm Whale Suit.
‘But how?’
How was there not even a single patch of frost visible on

Yoo-seong’s body after he had gone into the same water
and rescued the president?
Rather…
Swooh-!
The heat melted the frost that had settled on the suit.
Putting the President on the ground, Yoo-seong put his
hands on the suit. President Han Kwang-ho’s rigid body
seemed to loosen, and before long, his limbs drooped.
“Oh!”
Everyone was impressed.
“Grandpa…”
This was except for Han Jae-gyu, who was worried about his
grandfather’s condition.
“The cold didn’t reach inside. At least to the extent that it

kills people.” Saying so, Yoo-seong removed the helmet
from the suit.
The old man’s face was as pale as a corpse. It was much

more normal than everyone had expected, though.
Yoo-seong walked away silently.
The actual temperature wasn’t that low, but everyone had

thought it was freezing.
‘There’s something else going on. There’s something in the

water that tricks the senses into thinking it’s freezing,’ Yoo-
seong thought.
It was the Habaek’s very core. The hard shell and the lake
must have been part of its body’s natural defense.
Anyway, one thing was certain.
Even if it wasn’t actually that cold, that lake had inflicted

further punishment on President Han. No one knew what
would become of him as he woke up.
Yoo-seong felt an unidentified chill as he went down into the
lake.
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
Yoo-seong had wrapped his body with CE. It was the best
defense to protect himself under the water.
Blocking the Habaek’s curse was the power of another

monster Yoo-seong had hunted.
It was not long until he reached the bottom of the lake.
‘This is unexpected,’ he thought as he looked at the

mysterious item in front of him.
Chapter 143
EPISODE 143
Yoo-seong was instantly reminded of a Dragon Pearl, a

mysterious crystal ball that a dragon held under its chin,
which contained the power to control the weather.
The crystal before him was slightly smaller than a bowling

ball and had a bluish-green hue, the color of the sea. In
addition to the water that blanketed his body, Yoo-seong felt
another sensation against his skin. It was the familiar feeling
of CE flowing out of the pearl.
The CE of veteran hunters normally felt different than that

of others.
Veteran hunters had years of experience, and with it, their

accumulated CE amount was high. However, their CE felt
light against the skin, as if it had been polished over the
years. Yoo-seong had felt it when he encountered some of
the Chinese Ship Zone members and masters.
Strangely, the CE of the Turtle Dragon and the Thunder Ape

had felt the same. It was also the same feeling that the
Dragon Pearl was giving off right now.
However, Yoo-seong was still not convinced that monsters

had Aura like humans did.
When he’d fought both the Fire Dragon and the Lightning
Ape, he’d not had any time to concentrate on his senses
either during or after the battles. However, two days ago, as
he tried to experiment with Won Jeong-cheon’s bow and the
Thunder Ape’s horn, he discovered something.
‘Doesn’t this horn feel just like a human core?’
It was not just a matter of how much CE the horn could hold.
The purity of the CE it contained was the same as a veteran
hunter’s core, one who had used CE for a very long time.
The same thing could be said of the Habaek’s Dragon Pearl.

Although CE was originally a raw material extracted from
monsters, there were no studies regarding monsters that
actually manipulated CE. But transcendent monsters like the
Habaek, the Turtle Dragon, and the Thunder Ape seemed to
have organs that corresponded to human cores.
While it was interesting information, it was the least of Yoo-

seong’s concerns at the moment. As his lungs were
straining from holding his breath underwater, his mind was
also faced with a struggle.
‘What should I do with this?’
If this had happened two days ago, Yoo-seong would have

just placed it in his slot without thinking. He would just have
waited for an opportunity to synthesize the Dragon Pearl
into another weapon. However, just yesterday, when he
faced the hunters from Tenz, he’d learned something: using
his core, he could absorb another person’s CE directly.
Following the logic that this monster organ acted just like a
human core, he would be able to absorb a tremendous
amount of CE with it. The amount of CE the Habaek had
accumulated would be more than those two Ship Zone
hunters’ CE combined.
‘Should I use the Dragon Pearl to form another legendary
piece of equipment?’
‘Or should I absorb massive firepower into my core?’
Before long, he made the decision and took his loot.
***
“Huh… Heo-ooh!”
“Are you okay, Director? If you are tired, you can take a
rest,” said a worried subordinate to the panting Yang Chang-
guk.
Instead of answering, Yang Chang-guk waved his hand. They

were climbing the Habaek’s back.
An hour ago, Yang Chang-guk had reached the control

center, and all he’d heard was the same thing.
—The President led the hunters and went to see the corpse
of the monster.
It was all they’d said.
The officials left at the control center had not explained any
of the circumstances to Yang Chang-guk. Before he left, the
President must have threatened the employees to keep
their mouths shut. No matter how hard Yang Chang-guk
appealed to them using his authority, they had only
repeated their President’s words as if they were parrots.
Yang Chang-guk had soon given up and decided to

investigate the situation himself by going to the scene.
Of course…
“Heo-wook! Ugh!”
It was not just because he was climbing the monster’s

corpse that he was running out of breath. Yoo-seong had
been here. Nobody mentioned anything about it, but Yang
Chang-guk was sure of it.
The Habaek was surely dead.
Its size far exceeded their estimates and projections.
In addition, considering the extent of damage to the

surrounding terrain, the monster’s ability had also been as
enormous as its size.
Hankwang Hunting International would not have been

enough to kill it. Yet, above all, the sky was clear. The
unclosed crack was gone. There was only one person who
had the ability to close cracks that even pulse breakers
couldn’t.
‘I’m glad Yoo-seong was able to stop the monster and close
the crack, but…’
The problem was President Han Kwang-ho. Why would the

old man have come here himself?
Looking at the operation area, it was evident that the

Hankwang hunters had been in great danger. Yoo-seong’s
arrival must have been their salvation.
Usually, in this case, it was common for the person who had
received the help to transfer all the operation loot to their
rescuer. However, Yang Chang-guk was sure that President
Han Kwang-ho would never do that. The president would
surely have provoked Yoo-seong by saying that the monster
belonged to them.
‘Yoo-seong is a wise person. I believe he would not have
acted rashly,’ Yang Chang-guk said to himself.
However, considering President Han Kwang-ho’s personality,

Yang Chang-guk had no idea what the sly old man might
have said.
It was another reason he was now heading to the operation

site to somehow protect Yoo-seong from whatever the
President might say.
Despite his screaming joints and a sore ankle, Yang Chang-

guk finally reached the end of his ascent. A bluish-green
lake was spread out before his eyes.
“Huh?”
“Director Yang Chang-guk of the Special Defense Agency?”
A group of hunters was coming up from the opposite

direction. There were five of them. Among those who
introduced themselves, Yang Chang-guk saw a familiar face.
“Han Jae-gyu?”
It was President Han Kwang-ho’s grandson. And on his

back…
“President Han Kwang-ho? What is going on here?!”
Yang Chang-guk felt astonished. The hunters turned to look

at Han Jae-gyu as if waiting for his response.
Then Han Jae-gyu spoke.
“Excuse me. My grandfather is in critical condition. He

needs to see a doctor quickly.”
Just as he said, the President’s face looked awful. Yang
Chang-guk immediately got out of their way. He could not
help but think the worst.
“By any chance…”
If what Yang Chang-guk was thinking turned out to be right,

if Yoo-seong was the reason the President was now in a
critical condition…
“Oh Yoo-seong…”
Just then…
Kwaaaaa-!
A sudden roar came from the lake.
A whirlpool?
The violent flow of water covering the lake’s surface

continued to turn towards the center. It was as if a stopper
had been removed somewhere at the bottom; the water in
the lake was being sucked downward with tremendous
momentum.
Koooo-!
The lake floor was soon exposed.
“Huh?”
Yang Chang-guk could not believe his eyes. Someone was

standing right in the center.
Yang Chang-guk turned to Han Jae-gyu, but he and the

hunters were already gone.
Right now, his only option was to go down to the lake. At its
banks, he saw Hankwang hunters talking among themselves
and staring at the lake’s center.
Some of them recognized Yang Chang-guk as he slowly

made his way toward the now dried-up lake. Right in the
middle was Oh Yoo-seong.
With a crystal ball the size of a person’s head in his hand, he

turned towards Yang Chang-guk, who was fast approaching
him.
“Is that the loot from this hunt?” Yang Chang-guk said as he
pointed at the Habaek’s Dragon Pearl in Yoo-seong’s hand
with his chin. Yoo-seong shook his head.
“You’ve seen it, haven’t you?” Yoo-seong asked.
“Seen? What?”
Yang Chang-guk was confused, but after a while, he realized

what Yoo-seong meant.
“President Han Kwang-ho.”
Yang Chang-guk just grew more curious.
“Did you do that to him?”
“It is a little complicated but to begin with, no.”
Yoo-seong then proceeded to explain.
He told Yang Chang-guk about what had happened before

President Han Kwang-ho and the Hankwang hunters arrived.
He also talked about how the President had made a foolish

decision.
“I see. This is not looking good for President Han Kwang-ho.”
“It could be good for me. Maybe even for you,” Yoo-seong
said calmly.
“What? What’s that?” Yang Chang-guk couldn’t believe what

Yoo-seong had just said.
“He will not go back to normal. When I took off his suit and
checked his Aura, the flow was disrupted.”
Yang Chang-guk gasped.
CE was the basic bioenergy of life.
Of course, it existed even in ordinary humans. It had already

become quite common medical knowledge that any
changes in one’s CE would greatly affect the person’s
health.
If Yoo-seong was right, it was highly likely that the President

had suffered irreparable damage. At that moment, a
thought passed through Yang Chang-guk’s head.
‘A lot of…’
A lot of things were about to change.
The first thing that came to mind was that Hankwang

Hunting International could no longer be reckless.
Even if a company had a huge political or social impact, it

was still driven by the direct connections and lobbying of its
superiors, including the head of the company. One of the
reasons why Hankwang seemed “untouchable” was
President Han Kwang-ho’s “direct contacts.”
However, now, with the President incapacitated, those
connections were good as gone.
Even if Hankwang’s power remained the same, the

government would regain its influence once Hankwang’s
connections, which had all been made by President Han
Kwang-ho after showing off the group’s abilities, collapsed.
Yoo-seong was right. The “loot from this hunt” was more
than it seemed.
Han Jae-gyu and all the other hunters on site had already
taken Yoo-seong’s side. In addition to their testimonies, if he
exerted a “little” of his influence as the director of the
Special Defense Agency, perhaps the ownership of Habaek
could even be handed over to Yoo-seong!
“And now they’re all coming to their senses,” Yoo-seong

said.
“What?”
Yang Chang-guk raised his head at Yoo-seong’s words.
“Rumors will start spreading. The news of President Han

Kwang-ho being directly involved in the operation will surely
spread out.”
Even news of Yoo-seong being with him at the scene would

surely be part of it. Stories would surely arise. Even if Yoo-
seong had done nothing to the President, his issue with the
Japan Prime Minister would definitely be brought up.
People would start trying to connect the dots on their own.
Yoo-seong was sure that there would be rumors of him being

involved in the circumstances that led to the fall of
President Han Kwang-ho.
“I do not want that kind of misunderstanding to happen,”

Yoo-seong said.
“It would probably result in something good,” Yang Chang-

guk objected.
Yoo-seong looked into Yang Chang-guk’s eyes.
“Compared to this…”
Yoo-seong looked down at the Habaek’s Dragon Pearl in his

hand.
“That’s not much of a reward at all.”
Pot-!
The orb disappeared into Yoo-seong’s slot.
As he looked at Yoo-seong’s eyes, Yang Chang-guk suddenly

felt goosebumps.
‘Uh, maybe…’
Yang Chang-guk thought that Yoo-seong could have rescued

President Han Kwang-ho sooner when he had fallen into
Habaek’s lake. However, it seemed Yoo-seong had delayed
rescuing him until the President was in an “appropriate”
state.
‘No!’
Yang Chang-guk shook the horrible speculation out of his

mind.
‘Are you out of your mind? Why are you thinking that way?’
Looking up, Yang Chang-guk saw Yoo-seong staring at him.
Yoo-seong had a sad smile on his face as if he were reading
his thoughts.
“Well, let’s leave it at that,” Yang Chang-guk declared.
Squeak-!
“Huh?”
Yoo-seong’s body suddenly fell forward.
“Oh Yoo-seong!”
Yang Chang-guk was quick to support Yoo-seong’s sagging

body. Then he saw it.
Blood was dripping from a gaping wound on Yoo-seong’s

lower abdomen.
Chapter 144
EPISODE 144
Yoo-seong opened his eyes and found himself in an

unfamiliar place.
Instead of finding out where he was, Yoo-seong picked up

his phone.
-President Han Kwang-ho of Hankwang Group, Injured at a

Hunting Operation-
-Reported Currently Unconscious, Detailed Status Private>-
-Hankwang Medical Center under Fire for “Having to be

Saved”-
After checking the Internet articles, Yoo-seong continued to

scroll for more information, slowly and quietly tapping at his
phone for a while. Then…
“By the way,” Yoo-seong said as he put down his phone,

“did you have something to tell me?”
When he’d opened his eyes, he’d seen a woman standing

right beside his bed.
“It is…” Yoo-seong could feel the raspiness in his voice

caused by being unconscious for two days.
“It would be better if you didn’t talk to me. You don’t have to
worry. I was just told to watch you.”
“Ha! This is our second time meeting, right?” Yoo-seong

smiled lightly at the tall woman. As far as Yoo-seong
remembered, the woman before him was called Chae Shin-
young.
“The Second Director of the Welfare and Administration of

the Special Defense Agency,” he added.
“You managed to remember.”
“Your business card is still in my wallet. Besides, you’re the

first person I met in this industry.”
“The first person…” Chae Shin-young looked as if she were

cursed.
“Yes, that’s what you said at the time. That I had no

information and no experience in hunting,” Yoo-seong said.
“You say that as if I lied.”
‘It seems that this is going to be difficult.’
Yoo-seong scratched the back of his head. “But you’re the

one who lied, aren’t you?” he said as he continued staring
at her.
“What?” All Chae Shin-young could hear was the arrogance

in Yoo-seong’s voice.
“As a member of the Welfare Administration of the Special

Defense Agency, no matter how much manpower remains in
the Defense Agency, I will never acknowledge someone like
you.”
Chae Shin-young was beyond furious.
“Now I understand.”
Yoo-seong nodded. When he, an ordinary person, had

caught the Shark Ape, that was why a woman of such
caliber had come to him directly. He hadn’t known then, but
he did now.
Yoo-seong could clearly feel the high-level Aura of the

person before him.
“Being a ‘second director’ in a barren land like Korea, you

failed to recognize someone of value.”
Chae Shin-young offered no answer.
“Well, I don’t think there is a way for the public to truly know
what happened last time, is there?” Yoo-seong was now
taunting her.
Halfway through Yoo-seong’s words, Chae Shin-young raised

her voice. “Oh, in the first place, you were an ordinary
person back then!”
Yoo-seong thought that he was doing quite well at

suppressing his excitement.
“Anyway, let me tell you the situation and why I’m here.”
“Please.”
Chae Shin-young proceeded to recap the happenings of the

past two days. “Two days ago, the Defense Agency’s
Medical Center secured the unconscious Oh Yoo-seong. The
medical staff went right into examining your core.”
That was where they’d discovered the changes to Yoo-
seong’s core. They’d learned about Yoo-seong receiving a
dose of 24,000 CE at the Hankwang Medical Center, right
before he took on the Habaek. Somehow, his core capacity
had increased even further, more than had been
documented.
“The acquirement of CE through any means other than

state-verified medical procedures is legally punished. You
know that, right?”
Yoo-seong nodded, and Chae Shin-young continued with a

stern voice. “In order to determine the means used, the
state reserves the right to secure the person’s personal
information, even if it was merely a mistake or against your
will,” Chae Shin-young said.
“Of course, I know,” Yoo-seong answered nonchalantly.
Chae Shin-young’s disapproving gaze briefly turned to Yoo-

seong. Soon, however, she continued. “We learned that you
‘defeated’ two Chinese hunters while you were at the
Hankwang Medical Center.”
During their arrest and investigation procedures, The

Defense Agency had been surprised to discover that the
hunters’ cores were empty.
Considering the abnormal increase in Yoo-seong’s CE levels

as recorded by the Hankwang Medical Center, what that
suggested had made them shiver.
“I can steal someone else’s CE. Well, that’s just how it is,”
Yoo-seong declared.
“I repeat, even if you feel like it has nothing to do with you,

this is an important issue. Besides, the injuries to the
president of the Hankwang Group have changed your
reputation among the conglomerates.”
The frustration was clear in Chae Shin-young’s voice. She

believed Yoo-seong did not understand that this would have
a complex effect on his reputation.
“Therefore, the Defense Agency has decided to monitor

your behavior as much as possible. As you may have
noticed, this is the National Defense Agency’s Medical
Center.”
“Hmm,” Yoo-seong said as he looked around.
“From now on, all of your actions and schedules will be

managed by me. Of course, you still have the freedom to
move around on your own.” Chae Shin-young’s voice fell
heavily. “But the Defense Agency and I will not be
responsible for the consequences…”
“Okay!” Yoo-seong answered even before Chae Shin-young

finished her explanation. He rose immediately from the bed.
“What…?” Chae Shin-young almost bit her tongue.
Completely ignoring her, Yoo-seong looked around the

hospital room for his clothes.
Rattle-!
Finding them in the far-off corner, he looked up at Chae

Shin-young and said, “I’m going to change. Are you going to
stay?”
“What? Why do you want to change?”
This was already getting frustrating for Chae Shin-young.

“Isn’t that obvious?” Yoo-seong replied, looking at her as if
he couldn’t believe she’d asked. “I’m going out. I’m feeling
better. I am going to go to work.”
“Did you not understand what I just said? If you act

recklessly…”
“What’s the big deal?”
Chae Shin-young could not believe what was happening.
Smack-!
Yoo-seong threw her the patient gown he’d been wearing.

He doubled in laughter upon seeing Chae Shin-young flush
in anger.
“That’s it, that’s your explanation.”
A year ago, when he first met Chae Shin-young, she’d

shown off her incredible upper body muscles.
Yoo-seong looked straight at her eyes.
Chae Shin-young looked straight back. Well, at least, she

tried to.
“What is wrong with you? You don’t trust me? The Director
himself assigned me to you.”
“Shall I guess what the director really said?” Yoo-seong

asked playfully. Then he threw his phone at her.
Even though it was nothing but a light throw, the speed was
the same as a baseball being thrown by an athlete. Its
impact would likely have damaged a normal person, but
Yoo-seong knew she was a hunter.
Argh-!
With great reflexes, Chae Shin-young caught it.
“Look,” said Yoo-seong. “And don’t go too far; that phone

contains my personal information.” he reminded Chae Shin-
young.
The screen showed a news article Yoo-seong had been

looking at. It was a personal page for the hunter community,
a window where you could check the achievements and
trophies of an operation that came up along with the hunter.
The most recent operation was Yoo-seong’s. It was dated

February 25, two days ago.
Operation site, Hwacheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
Only one registered monster appeared on the page, with the

Living Organism identification number BO-12334. It was
more commonly known as the Habaek, and it was registered
under Yoo-seong’s possession.
“There are many reasons why the ownership dispute with

Hankwang ended in two days,” Yoo-seong concluded.
Perhaps President Han Kwang-ho was still under observation

and, in any case, Han Jae-gyu, who now owned Hankwang
Hunting International, was greatly indebted to Yoo-seong.
Even so, it was impossible without Yang Chang-guk’s help.
“You’re right. I may be in trouble. I turned those two Chinese

mascots useless and hollow. President Han Kwang-ho’s
colleagues must have been starting to feel on edge.”
Naturally, opinions about Yoo-seong would soon be divided.
He was now entering a highly sensitive area.
The “higher-ups” like President Han Kwang-ho would now be

more than ready to attempt to monitor and control Yoo-
seong as much as they could.
“Therefore, the director would have told you this.” Yoo-

seong looked at Chae Shin-young. “From now on, stand by
Oh Yoo-seong. Watch what he does as much as you can.
Help him avoid the attention of the ‘higher-ups.’”
“I have no idea why you are being so presumptuous,” said

Chae Shin-young.
“There is no particular reason. Is Director Yang Chang-guk

on my side?”
Chae Shin-young refused to answer. At this, Yoo-seong

raised his hands.
“It’s too reckless to deal with a suspect who, as you say, has
engaged in the ‘illegal injection of CE’ or ‘stealing of CE from
another person’s core.’ I think Director Yang Chang-guk
could have covered up the fact that my CE’s increased
significantly.”
Chae Shin-young’s expression proved Yoo-seong was right.
“Besides…”
Yang Chang-guk knew Yoo-seong well, but the same was

true the other way around.
“If he really wanted to limit my actions, you wouldn’t have

been the only one he sent. That is the reason he’s so sure.
You’re not a shackle; you’re my helper.”
“If so, why would I lie to you?”
The game was almost over for her.
Yoo-seong rolled his eyes lightly at Chae Shin-young’s weak

resistance.
“There could be many reasons. Perhaps there is a faction

within the Special Defense Agency that appears to
sympathize with Director Yang Chang-guk’s opinion right
now but also secretly harbors a different opinion of me. In
that case, he could have asked you to limit my actions with
false threats. But Director Yang Chang-guk does not have
enough ‘eyes.’”
Looking at Chae Shin-young’s expression, Yoo-seong

continued. “You sincerely follow the Director but isn’t that
just because of loyalty? You could be thinking that it wasn’t
right for Director Yang Chang-guk to act this way.”
Chae Shin-young continued to offer nothing but silence.
“It seems like I am right for the most part. Well, I won’t ask
about what our relationship should be; I don’t care about the
age difference these days.”
At that moment, a terrifying energy emanated from Chae

Shin-young. Yoo-seong responded immediately.
Pod-!
His hands moved at a flashing speed. Chae Shin-young’s

eyes widened.
“I can’t stand it anymore,” Yoo-seong declared. He had both

of his thumbs in his pants. “I am taking these off.”
Chae Shin-young’s reaction was amazing.
With a pale face, she ran out of the hospital room. Shaking
his head, Yoo-seong took off his pants.
He changed into fresh, new clothes since the ones he’d

worn previously were barely salvageable. Then, in his casual
clothes, Yoo-seong left the hospital room.
He found Chae Shin-young waiting for him outside. Looking

at Yoo-seong with a tired face, she asked, “So, what are you
planning to do right now? I have to report it right away.”
As if it were obvious, Yoo-seong replied right away.
The rotten ‘higher-ups’ in the country were after him?
If so, then wasn’t the answer simple?
“A trip around the world,” he smiled mischievously.

Chapter 145
Episode 145
“Hmm.”
At Chae Shin-young’s rather blank reaction, Yoo-seong tilted

his head.
“I didn’t expect that reaction. It makes me think you don’t

understand the meaning of those words in English?”
“I… I don’t, okay? It can’t be anything important. Do you

mean traveling outside Korea?”
“What? So you did understand it.”
Yoo-seong kept on walking down the medical facility’s

corridor, only stopping at a drinking-water platform.
Chae Shin-young hurriedly followed him, acting much like a

guardian watching a child.
“I thought you wanted to set up an institution? You received

ownership of countless Tech from Japan and…”
“Oh, I didn’t expect you to know that. Did the Director tell
you about it? But I don’t remember telling him about my
plans…”
“No. I guessed it myself.”

“Incredible. With that instinct, you’d do well in the stock
market. Yes. Perhaps consider a change of career.”
Yoo-seong poured himself a glass of water as he nodded

approvingly. Chae Shin-young struggled to keep her
composure as Yoo-seong seemingly enjoyed teasing her.
“Why would you leave Korea, then, if that’s your plan?”
“Didn’t you say it yourself? If the higher-ups want to pin

something on me, what can you do to stop them? It’s best if
I keep out of their sight.”
The process would be long and difficult. If Yoo-seong stayed

in Korea, the Special Defense Agency acting on his behalf
might have to go through several negotiations and
compromises with those higher-ups. It would only be a
matter of time before Yoo-seong encountered a second
President Han Kwang-ho or even a third.
“Is there any reason for me to endure that?” Yoo-seong

asked her.
In the case of Hankwang, Yoo-seong was fortunate that Han

Jae-gyu respected him and was thankful for his help.
Otherwise, he might have found himself in a long struggle
for ownership of the Habaek while at the same time getting
involved in media play. It would be very inefficient for Yoo-
seong to spend time on such matters.
“But if you leave now, your plans of building an institution

would be…”
“Right now, two things are important to me,” Yoo-seong

interrupted her. “To study the system that my organization
will follow and how to use the Tech in that system. As long
as I have those things, I can build the institution whenever I
want.”
There were only two things.
In fact, as they spoke, Yoo-seong already had allies working

to achieve those things.
Sung-wook, who had been on his side from the start, and Joo
Hwan-jin, the biggest prize he’d taken from President Han
Kwang-ho. Therefore, Yoo-seong did not actually have to be
present to establish his organization. Until the right time
came, the work would be done discreetly.
If there was anything Yoo-seong had to do, it would be to

buy his allies more time away from the media or a greedy
corporation’s eyes.
“More than that, succeeding in an operation overseas will

bring me more recognition than ten operations in Korea.
We’re not even talking about the money. When I get to the
level where my organization can face theirs in terms of
capital, then I’ll start the fight.”
When that time came, Yoo-seong would be even stronger

than he was right now.
“Besides, these higher-ups have no influence over

operations outside of the country, right?”
Getting outsourced for an overseas operation certainly

required state permits, but there was no way for private
corporations to stop those contracts.
More importantly, Oh Yoo-seong had the skill and talent to

be in popular demand even overseas.
“Even if they tried, it would be resolved easily. I’d go to the
press as soon as possible and rant about how an overseas
contract I had was blocked. That would be enough.”
The public loved Oh Yoo-seong. There would surely be

outrage when they heard that their national hero was being
stopped from promoting Korea overseas through his talents.
The public’s sentiment was something that even large

corporations had to fear. Even the Japanese Prime Minister
had suffered when he went against it.
“Have I explained it clearly now?” Yoo-seong raised his

eyebrows at Chae Shin-young.
He was met only with silence.
“Where is the parking lot? I want you to drive me to a place.

If Director Yang had told me he was providing a driver…”
“This way,” Chae Shin-young cut him off and abruptly

pointed to an elevator.
Yoo-seong was right. What the Director had asked her was
to try to help him as much as she could.
‘-You don’t have to worry about your job or authority at all.

You will be my substitute. Stay by his side.’
‘But why?’ Chae Shin-young had been confused.
Director Yang Chang-guk was someone she had held in

respect and admiration for a long, long time. He was the
reason she was satisfied to be working as a sheriff under
him rather than working actively as a hunter.
However, this time… she had been sent, not for a sensitive
surveillance mission, but to take the post of Yoo-seong’s
assistant.
Yang Chang-guk was showing extreme trust in this man.
‘I don’t understand why.’
Two years ago.
When she had been told that a civilian had captured a two-
star beast with his bare hands, she was sent to investigate
it. At that time, Oh Yoo-seong had looked like an ordinary,
innocent man.
She hadn’t really been convinced at first, but it seemed like

it was the truth. He really had been a beginner who didn’t
know how to hunt. That was what she had filed in her
report.
It would become an embarrassment to her in the months

that followed.
A hunter named Oh Yoo-seong began to rise in prominence,

setting unprecedented records everywhere.
‘You made a fool out of me two years ago.’
Due to the nature of her job as a sheriff, she was able to see
the dark side of hunters. Even if some of them were popular
stars that the public loved, she knew that some of them
harbored evil thoughts and manners.
Chae Shin-young had been confident in her judgment of Oh

Yoo-seong. That was the reason she felt betrayed every time
she looked at him now.
‘There’s a monster hiding underneath that skin.’
While everyone else’s eyes glistened with admiration over

Oh Yoo-seong, she had been watching his progress
guardedly. She had even posted a cautionary report to Yang
Chang-guk when Yoo-seong signed a contract with Tenz.
However, now, this was the situation: the Director, whom
she idolized, was spending all of his time at Yoo-seong’s
side.
Not content with that, he’d even sent her to be the hunter’s
companion as his substitute.
‘-For the Special Defense Agency, he is our most important

resource, more than even Lee Jae-hak.’
No hunter ever…
No, no person who had ever worked with Yang Chang-guk

had received this much support. Perhaps even including
Chae Shin-young herself.
Chae Shin-young started the car and re-arranged her

rearview mirror. She saw Yoo-seong sitting comfortably in
the passenger seat. She couldn’t help but feel annoyed at
how he was acting like she really was his chauffeur.
“So…” she began.
“Yes?”
“What’s the first stop on your world tour?”
For Yoo-seong to be contacted by an overseas state, he had

first to make his contact information available. Currently, Oh
Yoo-seong was a freelancer whose information was private.
Of course, he must have established some networks in
China and Japan, but…
‘No, it can’t be China,’ she deduced.
There was quite a complex situation between Korea and

China at the moment, after Yoo-seong’s incident with the
Ship Zone members.
‘Japan, then?’
‘But there’s no situation at the moment that would require

the Prime Minister to reach out to him.’
“You must have some backdoor connections with other

countries? Connections which even our Director doesn’t
know, right?” she prompted him.
‘If that’s correct, then you truly are an ungrateful human

being, working behind the Director’s back.’
“It must be a pretty suspicious connection, right?” she

continued. “For you to hide it…”
Just then…
Yoo-seong leaned forward.
‘Have I gone too far?’
Chae Shin-young found herself holding her breath at Yoo-

seong’s sudden movement.
“What are you doing?” She tried to hide the alarm in her
voice.
Halfway between the driver’s seat and the passenger’s, Yoo-

seong stopped moving. “Well, no one has contacted me
yet,” he said, “but the time is right for one to reach out. I
think it will be better if I see them in advance.”
He held out his phone to her, showing her the screen. On it

was a navigation app, and a pin marked their destination.
Beep-!
Chae Shin-young was confused when she saw the

destination.
‘They haven’t called you yet, but you think they are going
to?’
“It’s not a suspicious connection. If you consider this one

suspicious, then everything must seem suspicious to you,”
Yoo-seong continued.
Chae Shin-young had no choice but to agree with Yoo-

seong’s words. The destination marked on the navigation
app wasn’t suspicious at all.
-US Embassy in Korea>- ***
“What? He came in person? Now? Here?”
He had never received an incorrect report before, but Jeff

McGonner, the current US Ambassador to Korea, couldn’t
help but check what he’d just heard.
They weren’t supposed to contact him for two days yet!
After completing several reviews, McGonner had planned to

call him directly. He’d obtained Yoo-seong’s direct line
through a confidential exchange.
‘How did it happen? Is it merely a coincidence? No, the

timing is too weird.’
They had kept watch over Yoo-seong for a few days now. If
he remembered correctly, it was just two days since Yoo-
seong captured the great Habaek.
‘Then… did he come here right after he was released from

the hospital?’
The Ambassador fixed his tie and cleared up his thoughts.

After checking himself in the mirror one last time, he walked
out of his office and prepared to meet their guest.
‘He must have come here for a purpose. It means that he

needs something from us.’
McGonner wanted to smile.
‘That’s good. I can use it to make the deal more

advantageous for us.’
It had originally been their side that wanted to ask

something of Yoo-seong, but now, they had the initiative.
McGonner fixed his expression to look as if Yoo-seong’s

arrival was a disturbance.
Then…
Kuwook-!
He pushed the door open.
Yoo-seong was waiting for him outside. After exchanging

simple greetings, McGonner immediately got to the point.
“What is your reason for visiting us today? Please don’t

hesitate to state your request.”
Yoo-seong replied with a smile. “I’m not here to request
anything. I’m here to listen to what you have to say.”
McGonner was startled.
“What are you…?”
“I know everything. First of all, where did you get my

contact information?”
McGonner’s mouth dropped open, and no sound came out of

it.
Chapter 146
Episode 146
McGonner was tremendously shocked.
He had been told Oh Yoo-seong’s direct line was extremely

confidential information. His home country’s intelligence
department had gotten it through a secret contact. Even
within the American embassy, only McGonner had access to
it.
However, he tried his best not to show his surprise.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” McGonner said

with a straight face.
However, Yoo-seong’s follow-up was too strong.
“Didn’t you get it from the Japanese Prime Minister?” Yoo-

seong asked nonchalantly.
McGonner hardened his expression.
It was the truth.
After the recent Tokyo Disaster, Japan had been left with no
choice but to resort to seeking aid.
The Japanese Prime Minister had been embarrassed, and

their top corporation, the Leto Group, brought to a
shambles. Even the Disaster Management Administration
officers had stepped down one by one in shame after the
news that they had forsaken their duties in favor of Tatsuo
Sukune broke out.
The public had clamored for accountability, and the

Japanese Prime Minister had no choice but to inflict
punishment on the hunters. It was natural, given what they
had done.
However, the hunters under the Leto Group’s control were

also Japan’s top-notch hunters. Punishing them would drill a
big hole in their country’s special defense. This had placed
Prime Minister Murata in a dilemma.
Should he relax the sanctions that had been given to the

top-notch hunters?
What would it do to the already inflamed public opinion if he

took back his words?
In the end, he’d had no choice but to open his country to

another superpower. That superpower’s response had come
immediately.
“The USA government accepts Japan’s request for

assistance.”
With a few exceptions, such as Korea, the USA was one of

the few countries that could boast about its industry’s
strength even without a long history of Psy and Tech. This
was because of their advanced science and technology, as
well as their capital. The money and manpower available to
them made the US the world’s best in special defense
research. The equipment they produced was top-notch and
was exported to different countries. In fact, their special
equipment could even allow ordinary people to face low-
grade monsters.
Thanks to this, the United States was able to survive the
manpower shortage that had been plaguing the world. It
was no wonder that they could even supply manpower to
other countries.
Nineteen large American firms had sent manpower to aid

Japan, keeping the country safe while their top-notch
hunters were in jail or banned from hunting. It was the
reason Tokyo was safe now. It was also the reason they had
been able to get Oh Yoo-seong’s contact information from
Murata.
As Yoo-seong had assured Prime Minister Murata, the value

of his contact information proved to be tremendous. It was
more than anything money could buy, which was also the
reason the USA had leveraged to get it during their
negotiations with Japan.
However, for Yoo-seong, there was no harm in having his

information available to the leaders of the US. That was
why, when he gave his calling card to Murata, he’d
packaged it as if it were a rare item.
His calculations had been correct: in the end, Murata had

used it as a diplomatic resource.
The US aid to Japan was news that became a hot topic in

Korea as well. When Yoo-seong heard about it, he’d
assumed that his contact information had been used as part
of the deal.
‘But I didn’t think the US would contact me directly so fast,’

Yoo-seong thought with a light smile.
McGonner, who was seated across him, looked flustered.

It was embarrassing how Yoo-seong knew that Japan had
leaked his critical information to the US.
However, McGonner was a seasoned diplomat. Yoo-seong

knew that he should not give him time to recover his
bearings and take control of the negotiations. He had to
push him now while he was flustered.
“So, what do you want to do with me?” he added,

impatience in his voice.
“Wait a minute… Could you please give me a minute…?”
‘Aim for where your prey shows weakness.’ That was the
basis of fighting and hunting.
“If you’re still thinking about what to say, perhaps I should

leave.” Yoo-seong acted as though he was about to rise
from his seat.
“Hold on, what?” A look of panic appeared on the

Ambassador’s face.
“To be honest, I feel uncomfortable about this meeting now.

When I handed my contact information to Prime Minister
Murata, I thought he would keep it confidential. But now… if
you know about it, then who else does? How many of your
superiors know?”
McGonner looked away in shame. Yoo-seong continued

pushing aggressively.
“And now, even with that issue, I am lending you my ears

and speaking with you honestly. Why does it seem like you
are trying to compose a message, changing your words
inside your head? Can’t we be honest and frank with each
other?”
Yoo-seong was acting as if he was not talking to a
representative of a superpower but as if McGonner and
America were just his customers.
“If you don’t tell me directly what you want to do with me,
it’s time for me to leave. And of course, given that you
already have my contact information, I would have to cut off
that leaked number so you could not use it again.”
Finally, a look of surrender fell over the diplomat’s face.
“Could you please sit down? Please hear me out.”
McGonner’s defense had reached its limit. He was left with

no room to maneuver while negotiating with Oh Yoo-seong.
“You may have already guessed this, but… The US needs

your help with our unclosed cracks.”
Yoo-seong raised his eyebrows and waited for the other man
to finish speaking.
“A few days ago, a new type of monster we have never seen

before appeared through our unclosed crack.”
McGonner’s attitude turned slightly hesitant, as if he was

thinking about his next words.
Yoo-seong jumped in immediately. “Would you like me to

hunt that monster?”
“Ah, yes. That’s right. I cannot give you more information

about it right now. Please understand, I’m not trying to
cheat you, but the situation we are in right now is…”
Chae Shin-young felt conscious of her position as a Korean

Special Defense Agent and spoke. “If it’s something you
can’t discuss because I am here, I will leave you two alone.”
“No.” McGonner shook his head. “The information about the

beast will be announced after Yoo-seong is in our territory,
right before the operation. Thank you for your
understanding.”
“I understand,” Yoo-seong nodded. “So, how will I be

compensated for this if I participate?” Yoo-seong asked in a
matter-of-fact tone. What McGonner said next surprised him.
“Just for participating in the operation, we will pay a down

payment of one hundred and fifty million dollars. Regardless
of the results.”
“………!”
“………!”
“If you retreat during the operation due to safety concerns,

you won’t have to return the down payment. We will pay it
just for your participation.”
It wasn’t just Yoo-seong who sucked in his breath. Even

Chae Shin-young, who had nothing to do with the money,
opened her eyes wide and repeated the amount.
A hundred and fifty million US dollars.
It was too much money to conceive of. Even if converted

with a ratio of 1:1000 won:dollar, it would be a hundred and
fifty billion won.
Not even Lee Jae-hak had earned that much for a single
operation. Even top-notch teams or firms with multiple
members didn’t receive this much for a contract. However,
McGonner hadn’t finished yet.
“For the operation itself, we will pay you fifty million dollars
per individual monster hunted.”
The sums that were coming out of McGonner’s mouth were

far beyond common sense.
“In the case of a live capture, we will pay three hundred

million dollars per head on top of the fifty million.”
In other words, a total of three hundred and fifty million

dollars for a live capture. Combined with the down payment,
Oh Yoo-seong would receive five hundred million US dollars
for capturing one live monster.
Chae Shin-young felt dizzy. Of course, she might have

assumed that the USA was willing to spend that much,
because it was unusual for them to hire a foreign hunter.
It was said that America’s greatest power was their money,

and Chae Shin-young’s knees felt weak as she experienced
that power, even if she wasn’t its target.
McGonner’s expression was impassive as he spoke about

the money. He was blurting out unimaginable sums without
much of an expression on his face.
“And…” McGonner continued.
“What? There’s more?” Chae Shin-young exclaimed.
“There are additional requirements, which we will disclose

right before the operation. If those conditions were to be
met, the reward would be an additional one billion US
dollars.”
Chae Shin-young had seen that amount in an article before.

One billion dollars. It was the kind of money that American
blockbuster movies earned. To receive such sales usually
meant that an enormous budget had been spent on its
production.
She had never heard of that amount being paid for a single
man’s labor costs.
“As soon as you guarantee your participation, we will

prepare the down payment,” McGonner continued. “It will
be deposited in a special account secured with a password
that changes in real-time.”
Chae Shin-young didn’t even need to look at Yoo-seong’s

face. She knew he must look shocked. No matter how big of
a hunter he was, that amount would have a tremendous
impact on goals.
However, when Yoo-seong spoke…
“No, I don’t think I need that right now.”
“What?!” The word popped out unconsciously from Chae

Shin-young’s lips.
McGonner was also surprised. “What do you mean?”
“Please don’t misunderstand. It doesn’t mean I don’t like

money.” Yoo-seong placed his chin on his palm. “But if I
accepted the down payment now, wouldn’t that mean that I
accept the other terms and conditions you mentioned?”
“……!”
“It’s definitely an eye-catching amount, but the standards

for setting labor costs are always relative.” Yoo-seong’s
expression and tone were serious. “If I’m correct… please
tell me your requirements.”
“We’re definitely going to do that,” McGonner said, “but not

here.”
“Then let’s go to America first. And I will see and judge the
operation site and what I need to do with my own eyes.
That’s when we will start the negotiations.”
Chae Shin-young couldn’t help but feel anxious. Yoo-seong

was playing against a superpower. “Oh Yoo-seong, I don’t
think this is an appropriate way…”
“I don’t think it’s a matter for me to decide,” McGonner

admitted. “It’s a matter for my superiors. Anyway, if you
think about it, you would receive a hundred and fifty million
dollars just for going to America if you accept the down
payment now. It would be almost as if you were getting it for
free.”
“No.” Yoo-seong was firm. “Perhaps call your superiors and

tell them what I’m saying.”
McGonner bit his lip and considered for a moment. From the
beginning, he’d never had control of their conversation.
“Alright then.” McGonner got up from his seat and made a

call.
***
“Nonsense. This is total nonsense.”
As they walked to the embassy’s parking lot, Chae Shin-

young repeated these words several times.
It really had happened as Yoo-seong wanted.
Less than three minutes after McGonner had grabbed his

phone, they’d received a response from the other line.
-As soon as Oh Yoo-seong is ready, please enter the country

as soon as possible.
“It must be a trap,” Chae Shin-young muttered.
“What?” Yoo-seong turned his head.
After a few moments of hesitation, Chae Shin-young poured

out her thoughts. “No matter how much I think about it… it
sounds too good to be true. Even though you are a great
hunter… even though you’re the only one who can close
that crack…”
“You’re wrong.” Yoo-seong shook his head lightly.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Think carefully. When Ambassador McGonner talked about

rewards, was there any mention of closing the crack?”
“………?”
Chae Shin-young thought hard about it. There wasn’t.
“It’s not about closing the cracks. I think this happened

because they judged it as something not even I could do.”
“That’s… what do you mean?”
“Well? Think about it on your flight.”
Chae Shin-young felt wary of Yoo-seong’s words.

“Oh Yoo-seong! We can’t allow you to go alone. We must
report to our country and secure flights to the United States
as soon as possible.”
“You have to take care of departure procedures and permits

first, right?”
“Yeah?”
“There are documents you need to use when going

overseas.”
“Well, sure…” Chae Shin-young nodded her head.
“Good.” Yoo-seong smiled as if he was satisfied. “So I will go

first. I just got my visa from the Ambassador.”
Before Chae Shin-young could say anything…
“See you in America. Later.”
Fur-huh-!
Yoo-seong activated his Explosive Acceleration and soared

into the sky. In an instant, he soared to a height invisible to
the naked eye, and at some point, he stopped rising and
shot away horizontally.
East.
Toward the Pacific Ocean.
“What the…?”
Chae Shin-young was left with her mouth wide open as Yoo-
seong headed for the United States.
Chapter 147
No. 147
Hawaii.
A small kiosk on the beach of Honolulu Island.
“Woo.”
Connie, a clerk who had just finished installing parasols and

arranging the shelves, wiped her sweaty forehead.
It was a good morning, with great weather. The beach was

still quiet except for a few surfers who were enjoying the
dawn waves.
It was Connie’s favorite time of the day. The brightness of

the morning hadn’t fully enveloped the island yet, and the
sky was still dark.
However, as she looked at the horizon, it seemed there was

something falling from the sky.
“Huh?”
Connie tried to recognize the shape as tension filled her.
“Is it a bird?”
Like the natives who had spent many generations at sea,

she had excellent eyesight.
Poof-!
She heard a loud splash, and spray proceeded to explode in

all directions. It seemed something had fallen from the sky.
Judging by the impact, it was too heavy to be a bird.
‘An airplane, perhaps, or an artificial satellite?’
She put her hand over her eyebrows, trying to see clearer.
She doubted what she saw.
The thing that had just fallen from the sky was now rapidly
approaching the island. After a few seconds, the figure
arrived on the white sand. It wasn’t a bird, of course. It
wasn’t a part of an airplane or a satellite, either.
“What… a person?!”
He looked to be in his late twenties, an Asian male with a

perfectly proportioned body.
Instantly, a strange thought entered Connie’s brain.
‘An alien?’
The height from which he had fallen wasn’t one from which
a human could be fine, even if the water had cushioned his
fall. It was impossible that the figure standing on the beach
was human. Connie grabbed her phone in a panic.
‘Where should I report it? The police? FBI?’
However, she was frozen in fear. The man was walking

directly toward her store. There were a handful of people on
the beach, but no one was as alarmed as Connie. Probably
because they hadn’t seen how he dropped from the sky.
“Ugh…”
She felt her hand weaken its grasp on the phone as the man
stepped up in front of her. Surprisingly, he didn’t seem like
an alien at all. Aside from being soaked with water, nothing
was strange about the man. He was the same as any Asian
man one could find in Hawaii.
However, he didn’t look too good.
‘Was he hurt by the fall?’
She looked him up and down.
There didn’t seem to be any injury on him. However, the

man looked exhausted, and his legs were trembling as if he
had just finished a marathon.
“…….”
The man raised his hand.
Connie flinched for a moment, but she realized he was

pointing at the menu board on the counter. The board had
beverages drawn with chalk and their prices written beside
them.
“Oh, would you like a non-alcoholic piña colada? The price

will be the same as with rum mixed.” Her customer-service
personality took over and set her in motion.
With a slight pause, the man nodded his head.
“It’s four dollars. Do you need anything else?”
“…….”
“Excuse me?”
“Wait a minute.”
Hearing his accent made Connie realize that the man

couldn’t speak English well.
He pulled out his cell phone, and Connie recognized it as a

terminal, a model that hunters usually used.
‘Ah, he’s a hunter…’
Even for a hunter, dropping from that altitude and walking

away uninjured wasn’t normal. However, to the general
public, hunters were associated with many impossible
things.
The tension in Connie’s heart melted like snow. Instead, she

felt a different kind of excitement. Although there were
hunters in Hawaii, she had never seen one up close. As the
man showed her his Visa card’s QR code to pay for the
beverage, she saw his name.
Oh Yoo-seong.
It sounded familiar to Connie, but she couldn’t quite place it.
‘Oh Yoo-seong. Oh Yoo-seong. Oh Yoo-seong.’
As she prepared his drink, she repeated it several times in

her head.
***
He didn’t need a straw.
As soon as she placed the glass in front of him, Yoo-seong

took it and gulped it down.
In the blink of an eye, the tall mug was emptied out. A
refreshing sensation cooled Yoo-seong’s throat and filled his
stomach.
“Pa-ha…!”
After releasing a deep breath, Yoo-seong even took the ice

from the glass and chewed on it. Even now, as he thought
about it, it sounded ridiculous.
‘Crossing the Pacific with Explosive Acceleration.’
He wanted to laugh. It wasn’t an act he’d just committed on

impulse.
By absorbing the Habaek’s energy, his CE had increased

again. Although he hadn’t got the chance to remeasure his
numbers, he certainly felt his core had changed.
He felt a throbbing in his temples.
Yoo-seong was going to need to practice a lot on how to

handle his CE without using Auto-Hunt.
As he adjusted his position in the chair, he felt severe pain

through his entire lower body. He hadn’t expected this to be
the case but apparently, using Explosive Acceleration for
that distance put a strain on his muscles and veins.
After taking the Golden Pill, his veins had been strengthened
enough not to be damaged even by excessive CE use.
However, due to his doubled capacity and the regeneration
ability he’d acquired, even his enforced veins couldn’t help
but be strained as he released large amounts of CE for a
long period of time.
In fact, on the way here, Yoo-seong had dropped several
times into the sea due to the intense pain in his legs. He
would float on the sea for about an hour to recover, and
when the pain felt manageable, he continued on.
‘I need a break,’ he realized. ‘This ideal is not a matter of

will. If I exert more pressure, there will be unnecessary
damage to my body.’
Even Auto-Hunt would have stopped him at this point.
‘I need rehydration and nutrition, as well as at least a day of

sleep.’
Still, he had made enough time to narrow the distance. He

was still ahead of schedule, unlike if he had arranged his
papers and waited for a flight.
‘If I take a nap at the beach for a short time…’
Unfortunately, he wasn’t in a state where he could easily fall

asleep. More than the pain he felt at the moment, his mind
was also restless. He felt anxious as he operations he had
been through recently.
It seemed as if his body had reached its full potential and

was no longer improving. This was a dilemma that most
hunters faced after years of polishing and training their
physical strength. While he could continue to strengthen
himself by adding more CE and acquiring new skills, his
physical condition needed to be able to handle more power.
Then he realized something.
There was pain in his muscles. It was evidence of an

opportunity to grow.
As long as his muscles still hurt, he had room for further
growth. It was clear to him what he had to do. He needed to
train his body through constant repetition of CE release until
it didn’t hurt anymore. Then, as his core continued to
expand, the burden on his muscles would also increase
proportionally.
‘It’s not just the legs. I also have to release tremendous

amounts of CE through my arms and the rest of my body.’
His heart was filled with excitement at the possibilities.

Suddenly…
“Here’s your order!” A sweet voice disrupted his thoughts.
The woman placed his meal and drink in front of him.
As Yoo-seong raised his gaze, he saw the face of a shy

female clerk.
“You… EpicSexyHunterGuy, right? I saw you on Twitter.”
“…….”
She spoke slowly, perhaps because she was aware that Yoo-
seong didn’t speak her language well. Only then did Yoo-
seong realize the meaning of the marker she had brought
with his meal.
“Where?” he asked as he took the pen.
“Here!”
The woman stretched the bottom of her white T-shirt toward

Yoo-seong. As she did, the neckline of her shirt was pulled
down, showing him her cleavage. As the sight unfolded
before him, Yoo-seong felt embarrassed and turned his head
slightly as he wrote his signature on her shirt.
“Thank you! Is it okay to ask you for a photo?”
“…Yes.”
The woman seemed to be very excited, and Yoo-seong

couldn’t help but feel nervous as he posed beside her.
Even though he was a celebrity, he still didn’t feel

comfortable being treated like a star.
It was all the more embarrassing for him to be treated this

way by a foreigner abroad.
After taking a photo with him, the woman walked back to

her stall with a giddy expression. She wanted to stay with
Yoo-seong for a little more time, but there was already a line
forming in front of the stall. Seeing this, Yoo-seong peeled
his eyes away from her and picked up his fork.
As soon as he tried to start eating, he realized something.

There was already a line in front of the stall. The sun was
up, and people were already crowding the beach and the
shops.
They were beginning to recognize him.
“That, isn’t he that guy?”
“Right?! He was in the Tokyo Disaster!”
“Even in China…”
“My cousin is a big fan of his…”

In the blink of an eye, the kiosk was full. Everyone wanted
to talk with him or ask him for a photo.
Yoo-seong obliged at first but soon felt overwhelmed at the

number of autographs he’d had to sign and photos he’d had
to take. He raised his palms to the crowd as if asking for
space.
The crowd was polite and understood his gesture, but one
man entered the shop and walked straight to his table
before pulling up a chair opposite Yoo-seong and sitting on it
without asking for permission.
The look the man gave seemed as if he was challenging

Yoo-seong.
“I, that’s…!”
People who were watching the scene raised their voices.
“It’s Ali!”
“Oh, isn’t he the CEO of Kohala Company?”
Whether they were tourists or native Hawaiians, they

recognized the man in front of Yoo-seong. The man they
called Ali had brown skin filled with tattoos and a large body
with ripped muscles.
‘Those tattoos…’
Oddly enough, Yoo-seong felt a small amount of CE on them

as his eyes followed their shape.
‘Like a hunter’s core; does his tattoo act as some kind of CE

storage?’
“I know who you are.”

Ali opened his mouth, and the crowd held their breath.
“You’re an excellent hunter, but we don’t need you here.”
The crowd oohed and aahed, feeling excited at Ali’s

confident words.
He was a respected hunter admired throughout the island.

The crowd turned to Yoo-seong, waiting for his response
with great expectation. However…
“I…”
Yoo-seong looked a little embarrassed as he spoke,
“English. I’m not good. Sorry.”
The next moment…
Ali’s face turned red as the crowd erupted with laughter.

Chapter 148
Episode 148
Ali’s voice boomed over the crowd’s laughter.
“Danny!”
Soon, another large man – though younger, about twenty

years old – walked out of the crowd. Like Ali, he had a very
well-balanced body of the kind that was unique to hunters.
However, Yoo-seong felt weak Aura within him, typical of
rookie hunters with only a small amount of CE.
The other thing that stood out to Yoo-seong was that Danny
looked Asian.
“The captain says he will speak through me,” Danny said in

Korean. “He said we know you and your recent
achievements. We respect you as a hunter,” the young man
added.
“Thank you for that,” Yoo-seong acknowledged.
“But we’re not sure why you are here.”
“Why I’m here?” Yoo-seong’s eyes narrowed. His actual

reason would be quite embarrassing to admit to the young
man.
“Well, aren’t you here to hunt?”

“Not really” Yoo-seong lowered his voice, despite knowing
that the people around him didn’t understand their
language. “I only stopped here for a break,” he said.
When Danny conveyed the words to Ali, the CEO of the

Kowala company scowled at Yoo-seong.
“Why the hell would you stop by Hawaii on your flight to the
US?!” the big man exclaimed. It was obvious to him that
Yoo-seong was lying.
“I was crossing the Pacific Ocean with my Tech,” Yoo-seong

answered truthfully.
Danny’s eyes opened wide with shock. Then he delivered

the message to his boss.
Ali looked as if Yoo-seong were insulting his intelligence.
“Are you mocking us? Do you think we’re such fools we

would believe that?”
Instead of listening to Ali’s words, which he couldn’t

understand, Yoo-seong paid attention to the crowd’s
reaction. Several of them had stepped back a few steps
after feeling the hostility. Others had stepped forward with
determined looks on their faces.
‘Hunters,’ Yoo-seong recognized.
There were roughly thirty of them, and they all seemed to

be with Ali. Even without feeling their CE, he knew it
because of their tattoos.
“I don’t care who asked you to come here or how great a

hunter you are,” Ali continued. His big hand took Yoo-
seong’s fork and crumpled it into a metal ball. “Leave,” he
seethed. “We don’t need outside help. If you try to intervene
with our operations, even a man who can walk on air can be
put in jail.”
All the hunters in the area felt it. Ali was raising his CE. He
intended no real harm but wanted to show his feelings
clearly, even beyond Danny interpreting his words.
Until that point, Yoo-seong had only been listening silently.

Now, he spoke.
“Did you say your name is Danny?” He turned to the young

man who had delivered Ali’s frustrations to him.
Danny nodded meekly.
“I’ll give you a choice,” Yoo-seong said in a quiet tone.
“What? If you have anything to say, please tell him instead,

and I’ll…”
“No. You can choose one of these two responses. Choose

which one to tell your boss.”
Danny felt intense pressure as Yoo-seong’s eyes bore into

him.
“This is the first option.” Yoo-seong held eye contact with

the young man. “I don’t know what the hell you are talking
about, and I don’t have any intention of trying to convince
you I have no particular reason for stopping by.”
Danny’s eyes widened.
It wasn’t simply because of Yoo-seong’s harsh words. It was

because Yoo-seong was now channeling Aura, like Ali. The
difference between the two was significant.
This time, even ordinary people quickly felt the change in
the atmosphere.
“What?”
“The wind…”
A cool breeze blew against everyone on the left side of the

store.
Only the hunters who recognized it felt astonishment as it

passed behind their backs. It wasn’t a natural wind.
Yoo-seong was sitting still in his chair. Aura was flowing

constantly from his whole body, causing a Corona invisible
to the crowd’s eyes.
One second.
Two.
Three seconds. Four. Five seconds, ten seconds.
The wind continued to blow without showing any sign of

stopping. It was also spreading more widely across the stall
now, even causing a few bills and tissues to scatter.
‘How much CE does one need to make such a sustained

Corona possible?’ the hunters wondered.
“So,” Yoo-seong continued, “if you have any dissatisfaction

about my presence, now is the right time to show it. But I
promise you that no matter how many of you there are and
no matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to make me
leave against my will.”
The very next moment…

Huwook-!
The wind suddenly stopped.
The hunters looked at each other before turning their gazes

back to Yoo-seong.
“The second choice is a bit simpler.”
Yoo-seong looked at Danny with a still-unchanged

expression.
“I understand your meaning well, and I have no intention of

intervening, so I will quietly eat here and rest for a while
before leaving. That’s it.”
Yoo-seong flexed his neck muscles.
“Choose one and tell him.”
Danny bit his lip. Did he really have a choice when the
answer seemed so clear?
‘Is there a hunter here who doesn’t understand how strong

Yoo-seong is based simply on the wind he just caused?’
If he told Ali the first response, the Kowala Group wouldn’t

have a choice. They would have to protect their pride.
However, it would be a battle they would surely lose.
Finally, he decided.
“Boss.” Danny turned to Ali. “He says he has no intention of

causing problems, and after he’s finished his meal and
rested for a while, he’s leaving.”
Ali seemed satisfied with the response.

“Good. Tell him to leave as soon as possible and that if we
sense that he’s trying to overstay his welcome, we won’t
hesitate to act.”
“Yes,” Danny nodded energetically.
Then Ali stood, and taking the group of hunters with him, he
turned around and left.
Yoo-seong also stood from his seat, taking his meal and
drink and walking toward the beach.
After hesitating for a few moments, Danny followed Yoo-

seong.
“Hey, Oh Yoo-seong!” Danny called out.
“What?” Yoo-seong turned, and Danny felt dumbstruck as

he stood in front of him again.
“Did your boss ask you to tell me something? Don’t hesitate

to say it. I don’t care.”
Danny looked around for a moment.
They were already at a distance from the store. There were

no people around to hear the conversation.
He suddenly bowed to Yoo-seong.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
Yoo-seong raised his eyebrows.
“You’re sorry? For what?”
“Well… I heard from my girlfriend that you were here. She

works at that store you were in. I’m the reason Ali learned
you were on the island.”
Yoo-seong pursed his lips and nodded. At least that was

clear. He’d thought it was pure coincidence that Ali and his
team had arrived at the kiosk.
“Okay then,” he told the young man.
“Wait… you said you stopped here while crossing the Pacific.
I know that you use that Tech where you release Aura from
both legs to walk in the air. Is that what you used to cross
the ocean?”
“I never said that,” Yoo-seong shrugged.
Danny’s eyes widened with apprehension. It was considered

rude to talk about the principles of another person’s Tech.
“But honestly, I don’t really care, so don’t worry,” Yoo-seong

said as he sat down in the middle of the quiet beach.
“If you’ve finished talking, you can go. I’ll eat this and sleep
here for a while. Tell your boss that.”
Danny felt like crying. Hunter Oh Yoo-seong was his idol.

How could he not be? Even though he was a second-
generation Korean-American, it was difficult to break the link
with his roots.
Besides, the young man was a rookie who had just turned
twenty years old. From that standpoint, it would be rather
strange if he didn’t idolize the unrivaled star-making
achievements around the world.
‘Someday, I will also become like Oh Yoo-seong,’ Danny

remembered thinking as he trained and reviewed for the
hunter examination.
He’d also cherished the hope of meeting his idol in the
future. If that happened, he’d planned to go up to Yoo-seong
and talk about how he was his inspiration.
However, he hadn’t expected his wish to come true in a

different way.
He had indeed met Yoo-seong face to face, only to convey

Ali’s hostile words to him.
Right now, Yoo-seong’s impression of him wasn’t all that

positive.
‘After longing to meet my idol for such a long time…’
Danny couldn’t help but feel sad about his situation.

Unknowingly, tears began to fall on his cheeks.
“Huh?” Yoo-seong, who was focused on his meal, saw it.

“What’s happening?” He sighed at the young man. “Why
don’t you sit down here for a bit?”
“Uh…” Danny sobbed as he hesitated.
“Sit down,” Yoo-seong said in a firmer tone. “If you’re going

to cry, cry here and finish it quickly. You can’t go back there
with swollen eyes.”
Danny sat on the floor, desolated.
“Why is your boss so mad at me being here?” Yoo-seong

asked instead of trying to comfort the young man.
Danny hadn’t expected the question and wiped his tears to

focus on his answer.
“Captain Ali thought you were sent here from the mainland
for some purpose.”
“Still, that shouldn’t be a reason for him to be hostile.”
“Well…” Danny hesitated. “I don’t know if you know, but

there’s only one hunting firm in Hawaii.”
It was the Kowala Company, headed by Ali. In a sense, it

was a monopoly, but it didn’t feel like one. Rather, the team
felt like a part of the local community, ensuring the safety of
the natives rather than going after profits.
Surprisingly, since the rifts’ emergence, Hawaii had

remained one of the safest places on Earth. The unique Tech
that one of the natives had passed on was the key. For
native Hawaiians, who had been violently exploited by the
“mainland Americans” for decades, it had become a source
of pride for their community.
Aboriginal families with Tech disclosed their secrets to other

families in order to protect their island. It didn’t matter what
race their neighbors were. They had all shared some painful
history. With that, anyone could get a tattoo that was the
medium of the Tech, as long as they had a hunter’s license.
For that reason, the growth of hunters in Hawaii was faster

than anywhere else in the world. For young people, it was
hard to choose a different career.
Thus, all of the hunters in Hawaii were united and had been
protecting their own for the past twenty years.
However, recently, they had faced a problem.
Hawaiian Salamander-★★★★
As the name suggested, this was a rare monster that only

appeared in the Hawaiian Islands.
However, it wasn’t that rare for Hawaiians.
Because of the beasts’ prolific reproduction, the monsters

poured out endlessly every time a crack opened. Their
bodily fluids acted as quite awful biotoxins, causing damage
not only to the hunters’ skin but also to their equipment and
the island’s soil.
As such, mainland hunters were reluctant to send hunters

into Hawaii.
“Sometimes, when the size of the rift is too large… we used

to put in requests for support to the mainland. However,
mainland firms rarely responded to us.”
Despite this, the Hawaiian hunters had fulfilled their duties

and struggled with the tricky beasts without help. That was,
until two years ago.
A researcher had discovered that the Hawaiian

Salamander’s fluids could be used to easily melt a metal
that had previously required astronomical costs to process.
Of course, the price of the Hawaiian Salamanders had

soared.
“Suddenly, mainland hunters began bidding for our cracks.”
“That’s pretty…”
Danny nodded and clenched his fists. “Imagine, all those

years we never received any help, but now…”
‘Don’t come in now and try to disrupt us.’
That was the position of the Kowala Company and their

hunters, who were all native Hawaiians. They wanted to use
the profits from the now-in-demand Hawaiian Salamanders
to restore the damage their agricultural industry had
suffered.
However, they faced quite a bit of opposition.
Several firms that coveted the supply of the fluids had

objected to the Kowala Company, saying that they were
selfishly monopolizing the bidding rights on cracks.
“The motherfuckers.” Danny gritted his teeth as he

recounted the story to Yoo-seong. “While we talked about
our right to hunt, they talked about money and how we
were delaying the advancement of human technology.”
“But shouldn’t it be your right, without question? It’s under

your jurisdiction,” Yoo-seong remarked. He was not familiar
with the rules of the United States, but even he was
convinced that the Kowala Company was on the right side.
“Yes. Finally, after a hard battle, we won exclusive rights,

but… they gave us a wider area to operate in.”
“What?” Yoo-seong was stunned.
The area that the Hawaiian Islands was in charge of had

been limited to the islands’ territorial waters in
consideration of their size. However, in recent years, stating
the increase in the cracks, the government had widened the
maritime area that Hawaii’s hunters were in charge of.
Naturally, as the scope of responsibility increased, the

hunters’ fatigue and injuries had accumulated. Eventually,
they would reach their limit, and by then, they wouldn’t
have any choice but to request external support.
“How can that be…?”

Danny smiled bitterly at Yoo-seong, who was not familiar
with the U.S. government’s design.
“We tried to protest, but… they told us that if we needed

support, they would send in other firms to help us, so there
wasn’t really a problem with the wider range. But so far,”
Danny continued with a forced smile, “we haven’t requested
support even a single time. It’s our pride. But we probably
can’t keep going like this in the future.”
Even if they were enduring the overwhelming increase in

cracks, for now, the Kowala Company would eventually have
to raise a white flag at this rate.
The mainland firms had been waiting for it.
The Salamanders’ bodies and fluids would soon fall into the
hands of businessmen, who would sell them at a much
lower price, decreasing their value.
“On behalf of Captain Ali, I apologize.” Danny bowed once

more to Oh Yoo-seong. “Everyone is sensitive right now. A
Genesis-class rift is scheduled to appear on the island
soon.”
According to Korean standards, Genesis was at the level of a

Storm-class rift.
“There has been a lot of talk that Kowala will have no choice
but to seek support this time. But we don’t hate you here.
Every hunter on this island, especially those my age, knows
you and talks about you.”
It was just a matter of bad timing. Just when they were at

risk of being infiltrated by outsider firms, the best foreign
hunter had been spotted on their beach. It was enough for
Ali and the Kowala Company to assume that Yoo-seong’s
presence was a message.
“I’m really sorry. I apologize again.” Danny bowed once

more.
Yoo-seong placed his plate down with a bland expression.
Just as he was about to say something to Danny…
Riing-!
His phone rang.
Yoo-seong’s eyebrows raised as he checked the caller’s

information. The call wasn’t from Korea.
-You are currently in Honolulu.
An unfamiliar voice on the other line spoke immediately.
-I’m just going to tell you what to do. Soon, a crack will open
there.
“So?”
-Please do not intervene. You have no right or need to do so.
-This is a warning…
“Hey,” Yoo-seong interrupted the caller. “Who are you?!”

Chapter 149
No. 149
-…….
An awkward silence hung over the phone.
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong tried to recognize the voice that he’d

heard.
The pronunciation had been correct but with a slight yet

unmistakable accent that couldn’t be hidden. It seemed the
person on the other line was a foreigner who had studied
Korean well.
-Do you know who you’re talking to?
The voice had lost its confidence. The person seemed to be

stalling for time.
“Is there a problem with your cognitive skills?” Yoo-seong

snapped at him. “If I knew, I wouldn’t have asked. If you
can’t speak Korean properly, why didn’t you call an
interpreter?”
There was dead air on the call once more.
-That wasn’t what I was expecting based on what I’ve heard

about you. You’re known to have good manners.
“Well, I think courtesy should be something exchanged by
both parties. If you call me to warn me about something
without even introducing yourself…” Yoo-seong paused for a
second as he realized something. “Wait, before that, how
did you even get my number?”
It was only a simple phone call. However, a direct line to Oh

Yoo-seong was also one of the most valuable items currently
available. As far as Yoo-seong was aware, there were only a
handful of people who knew how to get in touch with him.
Seoyu and Sung-wook.
Director Yang Chang-guk.
Japanese Prime Minister Murata.
And, of course, the US leaders who had gotten his number

after dealing with the Prime Minister.
It was clear that the person could only be calling him from
Murata’s side or the US side.
-It’s not important who I am. Just having your number is

proof enough that I am in a position to…
“No. That’s it. I don’t have time to waste on lesser humans.”
Just like that, Yoo-seong hung up his phone. Danny had

watched the entire conversation, and his mouth had been
open the whole time.
“I’m not worried,” Yoo-seong told him.
“What?”
“Because in less than ten seconds…”

Riiing-!
On cue, the phone rang again, and Danny realized what Yoo-
seong meant.
The young man’s jaw dropped again in admiration.
-Alright.
This time, the voice sounded as if it were suppressing anger.
“So, what is it this time?”
-We will postpone the details. Depending on what you do,

you will suffer huge losses.
“To keep me from hanging up, the next thing you say needs
to be a lot more helpful. And I’ll make sure you won’t be
able to call me a third time.”
One of the things Yoo-seong had learned in China was the

art of shamelessness.
Generally speaking, he had a polite attitude; however,

sometimes, it was necessary to wear a mask.
And, of course, the effect was significant. There was a small

but obvious change in the other person’s attitude.
-Who asked you to go to Hawaii?
This question somehow felt like déjà vu.
-No, I don’t even need to know. It’s probably those

barbarians. It seems like they had enough money from the
Salamander profit to hire you. So, how much did you get?
“Would you believe it if I told you I got zero dollars?”

-What?
“I’m not here because someone requested me. I’m just

taking a short break.” Yoo-seong’s answer also felt like déjà
vu as it escaped his lips.
-Listen carefully. The capital and time we have invested in

that place are not a joke. We won’t allow a hunter to ruin
our plans just because of money or his famous ‘sense of
justice…’
“I have something to ask you…”
At this, the person on the other end of the line stopped

talking. What Yoo-seong said next shocked him.
“When did you obtain the technology to determine that a

crack would be ‘unclosed’ before it opens?”
-………!
The voice on the phone seemed to be speaking with another

person. They were mumbling in English. Yoo-seong couldn’t
understand them, but somehow he could grasp the tension
on the other end of the line.
He felt as if both sides had misunderstood him. From what

he’d heard from Danny, he could tell quite a few things. He
fully understood why the Kowala Company was upset about
his arrival. This crack was significant because it would
ultimately bring Hawaii to its knees. Yoo-seong’s arrival was
like a flame to an already-shortening fuse.
Meanwhile, Hawaii’s enemies, to whom Yoo-seong was

speaking right now, were also not happy about him being on
the island. They must have thought he was working for the
Kowala Company. Still, because it was only a single crack,
the Kowala Company should have been able to handle it by
themselves.
Unless multiple cracks were opening at once, which would

exhaust their manpower.
In that case, the only reason they could be asking Yoo-seong

not to intervene was…
They knew this single crack would be an unclosed one.
“Why would you spend the time and effort calling to

threaten me? It doesn’t seem like a simple case of your
enemy hiring a strong hunter.”
It was about Yoo-seong’s decisive ability. The advantage

that allowed him to close cracks that pulse breakers could
not.
“Either you or someone else connected to you have the skill

to determine whether or not a rift occurring in a particular
area will be unclosed.”
-What nonsense…?
“It must be quite a secret, just based on your reaction right

now.”
The upcoming Storm-class crack in Hawaii.
If it really were an unclosed crack…
It would be the best thing that could happen for the

mainland capitalists. No matter how hard the Kowala
Company tried, it would be impossible to stop the endless
waves of Salamander pouring out of the unclosed crack.
Naturally, Ali’s team would have no choice but to request
external support.
-Now, wait…
Beyond the handset, Yoo-seong heard a quiet discussion, as

if the person he was speaking with were receiving a report
from a subordinate.
Before long, his unknown caller began to speak in an urgent

tone.
-Now, I have just received information that you don’t

actually have any contract with the Kowala Company. It
seems that… you really were only stopping by…
“I told you. I didn’t come to this island for any purpose. But
now…” Yoo-seong turned to Danny. “Now, I have a purpose
for being here. Thanks to a foolish caller’s tip.”
-#@%&**(!!!!
Yoo-seong pulled the phone away from his ear just as a

string of English profanity erupted. He also heard the sound
of a palm hitting a desk.
-You can’t! I’ll stop you from signing with the Kowala
Company at any cost! You are intending on closing a rift in
another country without permission!
“…….”
-Is it about the money? Or your personal sense of justice? If

it’s the latter, your country will pay the price for your
selfishness. If it’s the former, well, I’m sure that we can…
“You’re not saying what I want to hear.”

-What…?
“I have been waiting for a while for you to give me an

answer. What did I ask you in the first place?”
Yoo-seong had asked him a couple of questions at the

beginning of the call. Who he was, and how he got Yoo-
seong’s number.
Since receiving the second call, he had been waiting for

those questions to be answered. However, the person on
the other line had ignored his questions.
“I’ll say this for the last time…”
-I…
“I don’t have time to waste on lesser humans.” Yoo-seong

took the phone from his ear and brought it close to his lips.
“And you are not going to be able to call me anymore,” he
whispered.
Toot-!
Then… that meant he’d really kept his word.
“Hey, Danny?” Yoo-seong turned to the stunned young man

watching him.
“Y-Yes?”
“Guide me.”
“Guide? Where to?”
“To the place where the Genesis-class rift will appear.”
“……!”
Danny felt confused.
He had only listened to Yoo-seong’s side of the conversation

and had no way of knowing about the unclosed crack. Only
one thing was certain to him at the moment.
Hunter Oh Yoo-seong, his idol, was angry.
“If you don’t want to guide me, I’ll find it myself.”

Chapter 150
Episode 150
The state of Hawaii was made up of several islands.
Honolulu, the busiest capital city, was located at the

southern end of the island named Oahu. It was the largest
and most populated island. It was also where the crack
would appear.
The crack was scheduled to open a little over the highest

peak, ‘Mauna Kea.’ Temporary control centers were being
built there at the moment.
Everyone felt nervous. Those within the barrier line were not
in top condition because of the accumulated fatigue that
had also been plaguing hunters all over the world. However,
more than anywhere else on the planet, the hunters in
Hawaii were the most affected.
“Hueup…”
Ali, the boss of the Kowala Company, closed his eyes and
took a deep breath. He was one of the direct descendants of
Hawaii’s ‘Last Clan,’ who had imparted their Tech among
other Hawaiian residents. One of the Kowala Company
warriors approached him.
“Ali… Sorry, I have no intention of disturbing your

meditation, but…”
“What is it?”
“On the southern beach… they were seen preparing their

equipment.”
‘They.’
Last night, a group of hunters directly affiliated with the

mainland capitalists had arrived in Honolulu by yacht. Just
like Oh Yoo-seong, who’d arrived just an hour ago, they had
turned out to be uninvited guests.
-We came here for a vacation. Why are you guys so

sensitive?
The guy in charge had been lying through his teeth. Their
hunting equipment was all laid out on the deck of the yacht.
Of course, unless the Kowala Company gave up their

exclusive rights and sought support, they wouldn’t be able
to use their equipment.
‘They were sent to provoke us, just like Oh Yoo-seong.’
It was the only reasonable explanation that came to Ali’s

mind. Otherwise, he couldn’t explain why they had come at
this time.
Perhaps it was to laugh at the Kowala Company as they

watched them struggle, or perhaps it was to remind them
that they could always get help if only they’d reach out.
‘Never. There will be no such thing.’
Even as he tried to convince himself, Ali wasn’t sure of it

either as he looked around.
The hunters around him all looked exhausted. It seemed as
if only their sense of duty was holding them up.
‘I can’t let anyone get injured… or die.’
If their manpower were decreased even by one, it would

burden the entire company. Of course, there was a greater
reason even than that.
Every one of them was part of his friends and family. Even
with those who weren’t hunters, it wasn’t strange to feel a
sense of connection to someone who hailed from the same
place.
Moreover, as hunters on the same team, they had protected

each other’s lives so many times.
Like everyone, Ali was also exhausted. He couldn’t help but

second-guess himself sometimes. Perhaps all this resistance
was pointless. Maybe his stubbornness would cost the lives
of his colleagues.
“Huh?”
Something caught Ali’s attention.
The hunters around him began speaking excitedly. He

turned his head and saw something he did not expect.
“Danny!” he yelled out in surprise.
The young man was walking toward them, his face painted
with regret. He was one of the youngest employees in the
Kowala Company, working as an apprentice. An hour ago,
he’d also played a thrilling role as Ali dealt with an uninvited
visitor to their island.
He’d left him behind in Honolulu.
It was not safe for an apprentice to be part of a big

operation. Ali was sure that Danny knew it.
‘But why is he here?’
Then, behind Danny’s large frame, he saw Oh Yoo-seong!
Yoo-seong looked up at the Mauna Kea in admiration.
“Wow, that’s a pretty sight.”
It was as if he weren’t aware of the angry Ali rushing toward

them.
“I’ve only seen it in photos before, but now, in front of the

real thing…”
“Hey, you!” Ali barked at Yoo-seong from just a hand span

away. “I thought I told you to leave this island?!”
Oh Yoo-seong acted innocent as if he had genuinely been

disturbed from sight-seeing.
The poor Danny looked at his boss with pleading eyes. He

wanted this situation to end.
“Tell your boss this,” Yoo-seong said to Danny. “I changed

my mind. I thought it would be a waste to leave Hawaii
without seeing its splendid scenery.”
‘I swear,’ Danny thought, ‘if Ali could understand the

nuances, he would explode in anger.’
That was why the young man delivered a refined version to

Ali.
Veins still popped out of Ali’s forehead.
“You rat!” Ali stepped backward as he exclaimed. At the

next moment…
At a speed that could have been called a flash…
Kluk-!
Ali’s thick hands grabbed Yoo-seong’s collar.
“…!?”
Even Ali hadn’t expected that his action would be

successful. He’d thought Yoo-seong would avoid his hands.
However, Yoo-seong did not even blink as he allowed
himself to be caught.
With an unreadable expression, Yoo-seong spoke in simple

and crude English. “Try it.”
Ali’s eyes widened.
“Hit me.”
“This damn bastard…!”
Still, Yoo-seong’s cold tone made Ali’s hands tremble.

Looking at the situation, Yoo-seong had done nothing wrong
so far. It wasn’t particularly against the rules for him to walk
up to the barrier line. So, if Yoo-seong filed a complaint, it
would result in a huge problem for Ali.
But right now…
The problem was that there was no emotion in Yoo-seong’s

face or voice at all.
“Thing to do. More important. But if not, hit me. I will pay
you double.”
Ali had no choice but to let go. What Yoo-seong had said,
despite the broken English, appealed to his reason.
At any other time, perhaps he would have pursued the fight.

However, right now, he could not afford to, not just before a
significant operation.
Everything he had been standing up for could be gone in a

moment of vain anger.
“Why are you here?” Ali asked Yoo-seong as his hands

returned to his sides.
He thought Danny would have to interpret what he said, but

instead…
“It’s simple,” Yoo-seong replied right away. It seemed that

he could understand that much.
“It pays off,” Yoo-seong added.
“What?” It was Ali’s turn not to understand.
“When it’s finished. You will fall in front of me.”
‘What is this?’ Ali pressed a hand to his forehead. ‘Is he

provoking me even though he doesn’t know how to speak
English well?’
Maybe, right now, Yoo-seong had no other intention but to

stand here and annoy him.
“Oh well.” Ali sighed. “As you said, there’s important work to
do. I can’t afford to waste time on you.” With that, Ali turned
his head and began walking inside the barrier line. “But if
you intervene,” he said, without looking back, “I will end you
in accordance with the same rules you used as a shield.”
Danny conveyed the words to Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong just shrugged as they watched Ali lead his

warriors toward the crack. The sky was darkening, a sign
that the crack was just about to open. Now wasn’t the time
to care about Oh Yoo-seong or anything else.
‘Our job is to close that crack,’ Ali thought as he resolutely

marched forward.
‘No matter the cost.’
***
When Ali and his warriors were beyond their view, Danny
nervously turned to Yoo-seong.
“W-What are you doing…?”
Yoo-seong was stretching and doing warm-up exercises. It

was obvious to anyone that he was about to use his body.
“You can’t do it… You can’t do it!” Danny’s voice broke with
desperation. “You said you didn’t come here for that
purpose! Why did I… I believed you!”
The young man’s expression was filled with disappointment

as he felt betrayed by the man he looked up to.
‘If I’d known he would be like this,’ Danny thought, ‘I would

not have brought him here.’
Even as Yoo-seong provoked his boss, Danny had refused to

accept that his idol was that sort of person. But now, it had
proved to be too much. He had been fooled.
“You motherfucker…” Danny clenched both his fists.
His anger was clouding his judgment.
However…
As Yoo-seong stood up and approached him, Danny realized

something. The man who had sighed on the sandy beach as
he sympathized with Danny’s story, and the man who had
provoked Ali just now…
They seemed to be completely different people.
And now, the man approaching him with cold, silent eyes
was an entirely different person again.
The man before him was unmistakably a hunter.
With a gentle voice, Yoo-seong said, “Thank you for guiding

me here. There won’t be much trouble. Don’t worry, keep
calm.”
Just like that, all of Danny’s anger dissipated.
‘He sounds so sincere.’
He might really be an irredeemable idiot, but…
Danny had no doubt in his heart that this person would not
do anything bad.
“What are you going to do?”
Yoo-seong smiled bitterly at him.
At this moment… What else would a hunter be doing?

Yoo-seong tapped the young man’s shoulder and made his
way inside the barrier line.
“Hunt.”
Chapter 151
No. 151
The Hawaiian Salamander’s skin was translucent green.
One could see its disgusting insides, but the most sickening
sight of all was probably the yellow bodily fluids that moved
through its grotesque veins.
At first, it might remind one of sulfuric acid, but…
It was several times more dangerous than any acid on

Earth. In short, the beast was nothing more than a green
water balloon full of poison. Despite their four-star rating,
though, they weren’t much of a threat in terms of their
offensive and defensive abilities.
Among the amphibian-type beasts, however, the Hawaiian

Salamander had proved to be the most fertile, which in turn
made the species’ threat higher than others. Their ability to
reproduce was what made them such a great danger.
Even the smallest crack could have hundreds of

Salamanders pouring out of it. So, given that a Storm-class
crack had opened, it wasn’t strange that the whole northern
part of the island was now filled with green and yellow.
“Ahhhhhhhhh!!”
With a powerful yell, Ali touched spear-shaped tattoos

engraved on both his arms. At this, the tattoos filled with
blue light, and Ali felt a tremendous pain in his nervous
system as he activated the Tech.
However, it was worth it. The payoff was substantial.
Pa-ang!!
The atmosphere fluctuated.
Ali stretched both his hands forward, and a wave of

compressed air concentrated on his palms, forming a long
spear.
Giri Ri Ri Ri Ri Ri Ri Ri-!
More than a dozen Salamanders, each the size of a small

car, died with just a single throw of the mighty spear.
The spear itself was over thirty meters long. Yet, despite its
size and power, Ali only used a small amount of CE to form
it. That was the power of their Last Clan’s Tech.
It was a tattoo enchantment peculiar to Polynesia, which

stood out for its long history and sophistication.
Each tattoo on the body acted as a dedicated core to a

special function. The tattoo owner supplied and stored part
of his CE in the tattoo on a regular basis. And, in return, they
could cast an ultra-high-efficiency technique from the CE
stored in the tattoo.
Of course, this did not come without restrictions. Each tattoo

could only represent one technique, and a warrior could only
have four to nine of them.
Because of this limit, the warriors’ ability to cope with new

situations was poor. In exchange for efficiency, they were
required to sacrifice flexibility.
Ali himself only had a total of five Tech available from his
tattoos, and four of them were for offense. Therefore…
Jureuk-!
His strength was limited to slaughtering the beasts. He

could do nothing about the yellow fluid exuding from the
corpses and boring holes in the fertile soil. Fortunately…
“Joseph!” he yelled out.
Curiously, the body fluids of the Salamanders had now

stopped flowing.
The amazing miracle had been brought by the Tech of

another warrior, called Joseph. A tattoo on his shoulder,
which had the shape of a boat’s sail, was currently shining
with blue light.
Stopping the fluid wasn’t all he could do with this tattoo.

The fluid made its way back from the soil to the carcasses’
dead glands. Then the trees around the area wrapped their
branches and leaves around the Salamanders, sealing them
perfectly into round shapes.
Joseph’s ‘Flow of Water’ tattoo allowed him to manipulate

natural constructs for purposes other than combat. It was
the perfect Tech to lessen the impact of the acid on the
island’s soil and water.
In the meantime, Ali continued throwing his Spear to finish

off a new crowd of Salamanders.
The Kowala Company had an efficient division of roles. Half

of the warriors were in charge of the battle, while the other
half quickly handled the acid. From the perspective of other
hunter firms in the world, this division of roles was overly
specific, and as such, inefficient. Processing monster bodies
and liquids could have been assigned to non-hunter roles,
and the hunters could have then focused on offensive and
defensive Techs, maximizing their manpower. It was a waste
to use such a powerful tattoo for just manipulating leaves
and branches, but…
For the Kowala Company, it was a necessary waste. It was

through that waste that they had been able to protect their
homeland up until now.
Paaaang-!
“All right!” Ali yelled as he watched another of his spears

pierce through several Salamanders.
Through a communicator, he then checked the situation of

the teams scattered throughout the operation area.
-Clear!
-Clear!
-There are a few more left, but we can handle it…
Except for the overfatigue that everyone had been feeling,

there had been no serious injuries so far. If the current
situation continued as it was, they would be able to finish
the operation without difficulty.
Ali raised his eyes toward the crack.
“We can do this! It is possible!”

It wasn’t out of self-confidence that he uttered it out loud.
They were facing a Genesis-type crack, a size that they had
only experienced a handful of times over the years.
However, because the number of Salamanders pouring out
was lower than everyone had expected, the warriors’ spirits
seemed to be up.
‘Maybe we will get a success as large as this rift!’
“Let’s all work hard!” Ali yelled out, encouraging his team.
The rush team could be seen coming out of the crack, and
the fluctuations had begun.
The pulse breaker had been triggered. It was only a matter

of time.
Jeeing-!
Finally, the Kowala Company had successfully closed a

Genesis-type crack without calling for external support. The
warriors exchanged joyful and relieved glances.
They’d really done it. What was more, they hadn’t even
suffered any deaths or casualties, as confirmed by their
communication channels.
“Don’t be careless! There are still quite a few Salamanders

in each area, so don’t let up until you’ve got them all!”
Amidst the cheers from the communicator, Ali reminded the

group of their duties. Still, even he could not suppress the
smile forming on his lips. That was, until…
-Captain, we need you at the center now…!
…
“What is it?”
A breathless Ali immediately growled at the sight of

unwanted visitors in the control center. They were none
other than the mainland hunters who had arrived on the
island last night by yacht.
The LOC (League of Carnivore).
It was one of the biggest firms in the American Midwest.

They were known for their excellent skills; however, their
notoriety far exceeded their achievements.
LOC hunters were known for their ‘manners.’
Several of their members had been involved in the way they

interacted with other firms.
Ali ran his eyes over the crowd before him. Their numbers
were well above three digits by his estimate, far greater
than all of the Kowala Company hunters combined.
“Wow, don’t look so wide-eyed right from the beginning.” A

man wearing sunglasses stepped forward.
Ali recognized him. He was Milo Cox, the CEO of LOC.
“Because we’re not here to inspire you.”
“If you mean ‘provoke,’ I think you’re doing well enough.”
Holding back his anger, Ali took a step closer. However, in

one sense, he felt relieved.
‘Whatever they’re here for…’
“The situation is already over.”

“Is it?”
Milo winked at him and smiled. At that, Ali felt indescribable

anxiety.
“Is it? What the hell do you mean?!”
“Well, as we can all see, the crack is closed… but you just
can’t tell what the world wants to happen, right?”
As he spoke, Milo turned to his men, who were all chuckling

and smiling with him.
“I mean—” Milo turned his eyes back to Ali, “—perhaps

something will happen to make you need our help…”
“Cut the bullshit…”
Jeeing-!
A roar from the sky.
Without even turning to look, Ali knew what that sound was.
It was a damn familiar sound, one that he had heard
countless times as a hunter.
“………!?!”
He turned to look, and horror filled his expression as his

eyes confirmed what that sound was.
‘Nonsense.’
The crack that had been closed a few minutes ago was
back. Ali felt his knees weaken, and his thoughts zoned out.
Neither the frantic control center employees nor the noise of

hunters running and yelling registered in his brain. Then…
Bang-!
He smashed the desk in front of him as he turned his furious

gaze on Milo.
“You! You damn…”
“Me?” Milo acted as if what Ali was about to say were

ridiculous. “If I could do that, I wouldn’t ‘just’ be a hunter.”
Milo and his men began to chuckle again.
Meanwhile, Ali was dumbfounded. What Milo had said made

sense.
As far as Ali knew, it was impossible for anyone to create an

unclosed crack. However…
‘These guys knew this was going to happen…!’
They must have been certain this would happen. Otherwise,

they wouldn’t have been waiting in the south of the island.
Milo wouldn’t have brought his troops here after the crack
had already been closed.
‘And that confidence…’
“It’s not really a big deal. I’ve been doing this for a long
time, so now I can tell if a crack will open again,” Milo
continued as if reading his thoughts. “Maybe… I can also tell
what will happen next. Someone, perhaps a CEO of the sole
Hawaiian firm, will ask us for help to handle the monsters…”
“Fuck you!” Ali screamed in frustration before heading to

the central monitor of the control center. He wanted to jump
into the operation area right now, but he couldn’t leave
these LOC opportunists alone in the control center.
‘Who knows what they would do to sabotage us further?’
Instead, Ali tried to take control of the situation via the

monitors. He anxiously watched his subordinates’ action
cams and yelled direct commands through his
communicator.
“Inrush tank, with spare pulse breaker…”
“Oh, oh. Are you trying to do this on your own still? I didn’t
know you’d be this cool!” Milo remarked to the focused Ali.
At this, Ali gritted his teeth and ignored him. ‘Now is not the
time to pay attention to that idiot.’
Still, considering that it had been a sudden situation, the

Kowala Company’s hunters were performing very well. The
rush team quickly brought a spare breaker into the rift.
A greater number of Salamanders poured out than in the

first operation, but it was somehow still manageable.
However…
-Oh no, Captain!
After the second pulse breaker detonated, the crack

regenerated once more after less than a minute.
This time, the third monster wave appeared instantly, and

more Salamanders than before poured out.
The problem was the Kowala Company wasn’t done with the
Salamanders from the second wave. Now, the inrush squad
was out of spare breakers.
“Corner! Ugh-”
The action cam footage from one warrior blacked out.

Almost simultaneously, the action cams of the other
warriors on the same team also blacked out one by one.
Ali yelled out desperately, but he couldn’t reach their

communicators. There was no response. What had
happened was obvious.
“Oh no.” Milo whistled. “It’s my first time watching other

hunters from a control center. It’s just like a movie, right?
Cameras blacking out one by one… it’s really no joke.”
The very next moment, Milo found himself struggling to

breathe because Ali had rushed in and grabbed his throat.
A few of Milo’s men had stood in the way, but they weren’t
able to block the big man who had been upon their CEO in
an instant.
“…….”
Ali was shaking with anger, but he suppressed himself. His

massive fist hung in the air, inches from Milo’s face.
“Well…” Milo gasped. “It’d be nice if you stayed rational…

You will need our help soon. And, oh, look! Another bunch of
monitors just blacked out.”
“No!”
Ali turned, just in time to catch more action cam footage

shutting off.
‘That’s it.’
The deaths were occurring on a team-by-team basis, not

individual units. At this rate, the line of defense could not be
properly maintained. Ali turned slowly to Milo, with the eyes
of a man who had lost everything.
“I’m asking for support.” His booming voice had withered

into a whisper. It was impossible for Kowala to hold on
anymore.
Every minute, no, every second he delayed it, the more

casualties would occur. All those lives were his responsibility.
They had already lost everything.
The least he could do was to keep his friends and family

alive.
But…
“Good. But please wait a minute.” Milo smiled at him.
There was no urgency in the LOC CEO’s voice or expression.
“What…?”
“Hey, you!” Milo turned to one of his subordinates. “Get the

bidding confirmation form. I left it in my car.”
“………!”
Veins popped out of Ali’s forehead as he understood what

Milo was trying to do.
“You crazy motherfu-!”
“Ah, but shouldn’t we go through this properly? I can’t just

trust your words, you know.”
The bidding confirmation form.

It was a requirement for hunters intruding on another
company’s operation. It was a way for the supporting group
to prove that the initial group had really sought their
assistance and a way to claim loot afterward.
However, this was a life-and-death situation.
There was an unwritten rule implicitly laid down in the

industry that, in these situations where every second
mattered, even a verbal contract would suffice.
The contracts could follow once the emergency had been

addressed.
“How can I just trust your words? You’ve been acting greedy
all these years; how do I know that you won’t deny
requesting our help when this is all over?”
Ali couldn’t even respond to Milo’s question.
With his mouth wide open…
“Ah ah ah ah ah ah!!!”
A scream, a groan – a sound that could not be identified

escaped his throat.
“Fuck. It’s very noisy.”
Milo wasn’t scared at all.
Ali couldn’t touch him.
If Milo didn’t intervene, the operation would fail.
Salamanders would soon get beyond the barrier line, and

the entire Hawaiian island would literally become a killing
field.
They would be lucky if the residents could be evacuated in
time. However, it was certain that all the infrastructure and
farmland would be unrecoverable after the Salamanders
were done with them.
“Oh, you’re back.” Milo nonchalantly approached his

subordinate, who had brought the contracts.
He took a glance at the monitors, half of which were already

off, before signing the documents. Then he brought the
papers to Ali.
“Just sign here… Oh, look at that. Hold on. I need to review
this for a moment.”
Ali’s knees lost their strength, and he found himself sliding

to the ground.
‘This man… he won’t bid until Kowala is completely wiped

out.’
He slowly turned his head to the monitors and watched the

screens continue to shut down.
It seemed as if an eternity passed.
Finally, all of the monitors went dark.
“Oh, that’s it now. We’re ready. Sign here, please?” Milo

brought the papers to the forlorn Ali.
A sheet of paper fluttered and fell before Ali’s dead eyes.
“Don’t procrastinate. Come on. We have to save the island,”

Milo pushed him with faked urgency.
Ali slowly reached for the papers. His arms were heavy, and
his wrists seemed to have no strength.
[email protected]##%^#&@@$^@#
Suddenly, a foreign language broke through his

communicator.
Milo and his men heard it too. The control center personnel,
who were in despair and weeping, raised their heads.
Everyone stopped talking and listened hard.
-#@%@^^&^$#
It was a language no one knew, all except for one person.
“Well, there…” Danny opened his mouth to respond. “Like

this… You’re telling me to…”
As if he weren’t aware that everyone’s eyes were on him,

Danny turned to Ali and began speaking as if he was
hypnotized.
“He says…” Danny paused before looking around the room.
“Surprise, losers!”
Paat-!
The monitors in the control room, which had turned dark,

regained their light all at once.
Chapter 152
Episode 152
The footage on the screen was such a shock that the people
in the control center forgot about Oh Yoo-seong’s voice for
an instant.
Hawaiian Salamanders.
The beasts were being hunted right that very moment.
“What?!”
It would be fair to assume that Milo’s reaction represented

everyone’s surprise. The Kowala Company warriors were
capturing the Salamanders right before their eyes.
Everyone was alive.
Although they could not hear any sound from their

communicators, it was obvious from the hunters’
movements that they had not suffered any major injuries.
“Then, why did the communication get cut off…?”
Milo couldn’t explain why, but it was clear that, during the
blackout, the situation had been reversed.
Most of the Salamanders on the screen were dead. Not only

that but with the rift remaining unclosed, there should have
been an influx of beasts from time to time. However, the
number of Salamanders on screen didn’t seem to have
changed.
And, as the Kowala warriors’ hunt continued, their numbers

rapidly decreased. Now, there were more Salamander
corpses than living beasts onscreen.
‘What is going on?!’
From the context, it was clear that the hunters had

deliberately blocked their action cams from transmitting
footage.
They had also cut off their communicators, making it

impossible for them to be seen or heard from the control
room.
‘But why did they do that?’
No one in the room had a clue, not even Ali.
Just then…
“…….!!”
“What!?”
One of the action cams’ angles changed as if someone were

trying to move its lens.
Then, through the monitor… The people in the control room

found themselves staring back at Oh Yoo-seong.
***
The Kowala Company hunters in the field felt like they

should stop him.
He was a foreign hunter. More than that, he was an
uninvited guest who was intruding on their operation area.
However…
“…….”
“…….”
They didn’t rush to overpower Yoo-seong, not even to

threaten him into leaving the area.
No, it would be more accurate to say that they couldn’t.
Yoo-seong was not interfering with their hunt. He wasn’t

touching the Salamanders because those beasts were not
his targets.
The prey that Yoo-seong was silently hunting was a

completely different creature.
Still, something had to be done about the Salamanders

spreading out beyond the operation area.
There was a reason Yoo-seong had walked into the

temporary control center to provoke Ali, and that was
because he’d wanted to check the operation area’s layout.
Using a map displayed in the control center, he’d taken note

of the Kowala Company teams’ positions. These warriors
were Oh Yoo-seong’s targets.
As the operation began, Yoo-seong had moved to the

highlands of Mauna Kea and watched it from there.
He’d studied the flow of the Kowala Company hunting style.
Oh Yoo-seong had not moved until the first crack was

blocked.
However, once the crack had re-opened a second and a
third time, the number of Hawaiian Salamanders began to
increase overwhelmingly.
It had been time for Yoo-seong’s entrance.
Taang-!
With Explosive Acceleration, Yoo-seong had sped down to

the lowlands. His destination was those teams who were
close to reaching their limits. These teams had been
positioned in the path of an endless crowd of Salamanders
and, although they were doing their best to hold the
monsters off, they would be overwhelmed soon. The
warriors seemed to have accepted their fate and prepared
themselves for death.
However…
Bang-!
“Something” had promptly landed behind them.
The warriors had turned to look, but all they felt was
pressure on top of their heads, where their action cams
were located.
Almost at the same time, the communicator mouthpieces

they had were crushed.
Hoop-!
The last thing they had felt was a tremendous force

throwing them backward. That was what the foreign hunter
did to them; he saved them.
“You, you…!”
The hunters had been embarrassed by the fact that they’d
had to be saved, but Yoo-seong was not done.
He’d approached them one by one, pressing an index finger

to their foreheads for a quick second. With their
communicators smashed, the teams had needed a new
means of communicating with each other.
However, it needed to be a way that would not reach the

control center. After he was done…
Paang-!
Yoo-seong had used Explosive Acceleration once more and

disappeared.
Now there were questions in the heads of the warriors he’d

just encountered.
‘Why did Yoo-seong save us?’
‘Where is he going?’
‘Why did he touch our foreheads?’
Although the first question was difficult to answer, the

second and the third were soon made clear.
“Wait a minute! Where are these voices coming from…”
“It sounds like our team members? Hello? Can you hear
me?”
They began to hear the voices of their colleagues in their

heads. And it seemed that when they spoke, their
colleagues could hear them, too.
It was thanks to the Spider Thread that Yoo-seong had
connected to them. As he’d moved from point to point, Yoo-
seong had attached every warrior he met to the web. Over
time, the number of hunters connected to this “invisible
line” increased, and even though their communicators were
broken, they were still able to communicate.
Then the warriors near the center of the rift noticed

something strange.
They had their eyes on where Yoo-seong was, but now it

looked like Yoo-seong wasn’t alone anymore.
“Oh my God…”
Of course, they had noticed that, despite the crack

remaining open, the number of Salamanders was only
increasing slowly. It seemed as if there were no more
monster waves pouring out.
As they watched Yoo-seong, they finally understood why.
Hundreds, no, thousands of Salamanders had fallen out of

the crack, but they were all squeezed up against the side of
the cliff.
Something was holding them back, preventing them from

spreading to the island. Or, more accurately, they couldn’t
move forward.
Meanwhile, Oh Yoo-seong was standing before them,

holding a strange item in his hand. Upon closer inspection, it
looked like a large monster eyeball.
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
No one knew what it was. Not even the people watching
from the control center recognized what Yoo-seong was
holding.
It was a red ball, slightly larger than a human head,

continuously glowing with ominous energy. However, it
seemed to be frightening the Salamanders, and that fear
was the reason they couldn’t seem to get out of the rift.
“This is even more amazing than I thought,” Yoo-seong

remarked, sweating all over as he kept the ball
outstretched.
When he’d obtained the first treasure and combined the eye
of the Turtle Dragon with the Queen’s Hug, he’d also
followed the Turtle Dragon down the cliff to see if there was
anything else he could salvage from its corpse.
However, he’d been disappointed by what he found.
It seemed as if all of the Turtle Dragon’s energy had been

taken when Yoo-seong synthesized it with his armor. The
colossal corpse before him had just looked like an empty
husk.
However, something had caught his attention: the Baxia’s

other eyeball was still attached.
Although it didn’t seem to have any energy left on it, he had

taken it with him, intending to make it some sort of a trophy.
However, as he’d journeyed on to the world beyond the
cracks, he’d discovered something about the item.
If he used Aura while holding the eyeball, his Aura would get
sucked into it, and it would glow with an ominous light.
Since it was using Yoo-seong’s Aura, it did not emit heat,
unlike when the Turtle Dragon used it, but its effect toward
lesser beasts was the same.
Simply lifting the glowing eyeball had been enough to

threaten some species of monsters. It didn’t work against all
types of beasts, but Yoo-seong had been sure of one thing: it
did not fail to work against lizard-type monsters.
Perhaps the lesser creatures had instinctive reverence

towards dragons since they were the apex of their kind.
The eyeball had certainly helped Yoo-seong spend a

comfortable night from time to time without worrying about
getting attacked.
And now…
It was the perfect weapon to stop the Hawaiian Salamander

wave.
“Good.”
The Salamanders panicked even more as Yoo-seong infused

the eyeball with more Aura and settled it in front of him.
The beasts were crushing each other, trying to get away.
Yoo-seong, using a communicator he’d taken from a warrior,

spoke to the control center via Danny’s translation.
“Hey. Are you watching?”
With the warriors’ action cameras serving as his broadcast…
Taang-!
Yoo-seong sped up to the crack and pulled out the Sky
Needle.
Pot-!
His cellphone appeared in his other hand, and he dialed the

most recent number.
Tuk-!
Yoo-seong was met with a cheerful greeting.
-You damn bastard! I told you not to-!
“Hello. Are you watching?”
-… You’re completely out of your mind.
“I think it’s too bad to swear at me like that for just a

‘misdemeanor.'”
At best, what Yoo-seong had done was “entering without

permission.” The action cams of the Kowala Company
hunters would prove it.
Although the transmission to the control center was

blocked, the cameras had clearly recorded the whole
process. It would prove that Yoo-seong had not hunted any
monsters in the area. However…
-Closing cracks is a completely separate matter. You know

that, right?
There was no way Yoo-seong could do that without

permission.
“I know it very well.”

With the phone close to his ear, Yoo-seong leaped.
Taang-!!
His distance from the crack quickly narrowed.
Go-oh-oh-!
The end of the Sky Needle was already filled with thick,
rope-like Aura.
Fuwook-!
With sharp and sure movements, Yoo-seong poked its end

through the top of the crack and began stitching. At this,
profanity broke out over the handset.
-No way! You’re letting your emotions control you. This…
“Not really.” And with that, Yoo-seong allowed himself to fall

back. He landed on the cliff safely.
“I am rational enough. Now look.”
The crack in the sky had changed.
It was not closed, but from being a Storm-class rift, it had

been reduced to something very small, just big enough for a
single Salamander to squeeze through. However, it was still
technically open.
“Check it out. It’s not closed.”
-Damnit! Do you think this is a joke?
“Is that crack open enough for you? Is that enough for your
invested capital not to be completely wiped out?
-………!!
“But it’s not too late, you know. If I can close that crack that
much… I can close it entirely.”
-…….
Silence.
However, from his previous experiences, Yoo-seong could

guess what the other person was thinking.
-What do you want…?
Yoo-seong laughed silently.
The other person was offering to pay him to do something

they had been threatening him not to do a few minutes ago.
Of course, Yoo-seong had no intention of enjoying the
“payment” on his own.
He briefly covered his phone’s mouthpiece and spoke

through his communicator.
“Danny.”
“Yes?”
“Tell your boss to come here right now.”

Chapter 153
Episode 153
Yoo-seong immediately turned off the communicator. He had

about ten minutes before Ali arrived, and he planned to
spend that time negotiating with his unknown caller.
“First of all,” he said through the handset, “what is your

name?”
-I beg your pardon?
“Did you forget why I hung up a little while ago? I mean it.
Tell me your name.”
-…Eugene O’Neill. That’s my real name.
“I know.”
At this, a sharp intake of breath could be heard on the line.
-How?!
Yoo-seong chuckled as he imagined the shock his caller was

feeling. “I’m just kidding. Given your reaction, it really must
be your name, but it doesn’t matter. Sooner or later, we’ll
meet each other face to face.”
-You’re overestimating yourself.

“You can tell yourself that. Instead of getting straight to
what you need to tell me, you’re wasting time on useless
words.”
-I got your phone number from one of our leaders…
The emphasis on the word ‘our’ seemed to enforce to Yoo-

seong that his boss could very well be representing the
United States.
“Do you mean someone from the White House?” he asked

pointedly.
-What, what?!
“Ah, so it’s true. I just guessed that was the case. Now, shall
we talk about what you’re offering?”
-…Thirty million dollars. That is the maximum amount of

money we can deposit in an untraceable account of your
choice within hours of your confirmation.”
“What? I can’t hear you well.”
-Thirty million…
“Oh, damn it! My cellphone battery is dying…”
-Forty million…
“A billion dollars.”
-Hey. Instead of trying to push your luck, why don’t you

accept a realistic amount?
“Ah, a realistic amount sounds good. How about we start

from a billion US dollars and work our way down?”
If Eugene had been told that Yoo-seong hadn’t even held a
hundred million won in his own hands, he wouldn’t have
believed it. There was no response from the other end.
However, it hadn’t gone completely silent. Yoo-seong could

hear the sound of papers shuffling and keys being pressed.
After about three minutes…
-One hundred million dollars.
Eugene sounded breathless as he uttered the words.
-It’s the maximum we can offer. We’re only doing this to end
negotiations as quickly as-
“Well, my asking price is a billion. Can you really only afford

a tenth of that amount?”
-What the-
“Ha!” Yoo-seong laughed. “I’m just kidding. I’d be a fool to

let this one go, wouldn’t I?”
-Thank you very much for understanding…
“Sure. So, send me two hundred million.”
Yoo-seong lowered his voice.
“If the negotiations break down at this point, your boss will
punish you, won’t he?”
-But two hundred…
“If you play with a hunter, you might get hunted.”

From the beginning, Yoo-seong hadn’t been doing this for
money. It was clear to him that Eugene O’Neill was not his
real opponent. There was someone more powerful who
controlled the money, someone who must have been linked
to a high government post to secure Yoo-seong’s number,
someone who was rich and powerful yet still hungry enough
to use what was considered confidential information simply
for their personal greed.
“Here’s what’s going to happen.” Yoo-seong checked the

time. “In a few minutes, the head of Kowala Company will
come here, and we will work through the technicalities so I
can completely close the rift on their behalf.”
-What? Is that possible?
Eugene’s voice sounded suspicious. To them, the economic

value of that slightly-open crack was enormous. The Kowala
Company would be crazy to even think about closing it.
“That’s what the two hundred million you’ll pay me is for.

Send me the two hundred million dollars, and I’ll convince
them to close this crack.”
-Good. If that’s the case…
“Okay, we’re done.”
Yoo-seong hung up and looked down at the cliff. The Kowala

Company hunters had formed up to besiege and annihilate
the Salamanders gathered at the edge of it.
Ali was walking toward him, with Danny right by his side.
He had an awkward expression as if he didn’t know what to

say to Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong opened his mouth first.
“What happened? Your eyes look quite swollen.”
Danny quickly translated his question and conveyed Ali’s

response.
“I heard the warriors’ stories… You… saved them.”
“Was that all they told you? I did much more than that.”
Yoo-seong pointed at the bottom of the cliff, then up at the
sky. The corralled Salamanders and the almost-closed crack.
Ali looked exhausted. Then, without any expression…
Tuk-!
He dropped to his knees in front of Yoo-seong.
“You were right. I will kneel in front of you, just like this. It
won’t be enough, but…”
“Of course that’s not enough.” Yoo-seong looked down on

the kneeling Ali as if the gesture weren’t a big deal to him.
“Anyway, you guys won’t be able to pay me back, but I’m

thinking of something else. How about a deal?”
“A deal?”
Yoo-seong pointed to the small, still-open crack with his

thumb.
“I think it would be pretty difficult if we kept that open…

wouldn’t it?”
“…”
From what Danny had told Yoo-seong on the beach hours
ago, it was clear that the proceeds obtained by the Kowala
Company from selling Salamander fluids had been used to
restore the lives of native Hawaiians.
For them, the number one priority wasn’t the large sums of
money they could get from monster byproducts. Their way
of life and the pride of keeping it were more valuable.
No matter how small it was, an unclosed crack might soon

cause the island to be declared a permanent barrier zone. It
would disturb their way of living more than anything else.
Besides…
“Speaking from the standpoint of someone who has dealt

with these before,” Yoo-seong further explained, “an
unclosed crack always has the risk of growing wider
anytime.”
“Well… if that’s the case…” Ali’s words trailed off.
His reaction was what Yoo-seong had expected.
“I could close that crack,” he pushed on, “but it’s not that
simple. Lawsuits for touching a crack in foreign soil without
permission…”
Yoo-seong stared at Danny, then switched his eyes to Ali as

the young man translated.
“I won’t allow it!” Ali was firm. “We will provide all necessary
proof that we requested your help. If it ends up as a lawsuit,
we will cover all the costs!”
“Is that it? Is that all the Kowala Company can offer?”
“…Huh?”
“Did you really think that just by kneeling, you’d be able to

make it up to me?” Yoo-seong scoffed as he spoke. “Have
you forgotten that you almost hit me on the beach earlier?
Why would I save your warriors’ lives with my exclusive
tools?”
At this, Ali lowered his head. What Yoo-seong had just said
was indisputable.
He was the world’s most famous hunter, whose exclusive

service must be worth a colossal sum. With his face heated
in shame, Ali raised his eyes to Yoo-seong. He had already
made his decision.
“If you close that crack for us…”
“Ugh!” Danny groaned as soon as he heard what reward Ali

was offering to Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong pursed his lips as he slowly nodded as if the offer

weren’t bad.
“Hmm… That’s fair. You have a deal.”
He stretched out his palm, and Ali took it immediately.

Everything that followed happened in a rush.
A formal request to legalize Yoo-seong’s participation in

closing the rift was made with Ali’s signature. Then Yoo-
seong finished stitching up the crack and returned to the
control center.
When he checked his account balance through his phone…
$200,000,000
An unbelievable amount greeted his eyes. This meant that
Eugene O’Neill had already completed their end of the deal.
“Wow, this is no joke…” Yoo-seong said, his eyes closing

with fatigue. Then…
Swoosh-!
Yoo-seong collapsed, his body rolling onto the floor, limp

with exhaustion.
“Hey!”
“Someone fell!”
Ali and the other hunters in the control center immediately

supported the unconscious Yoo-seong. After a while, the
medical staff who had taken care of him shared their
findings with the Kowala Company hunters.
“He’s fine. Nothing life-threatening, but… he’s completely

drained. His muscles are all overused. It’s a state of
exhaustion I’ve never seen in a hunter before.”
Yoo-seong had come to Hawaii in the first place to rest.

However, he couldn’t just close his eyes and ignore the
situation he’d arrived in.
Soon Yoo-seong, who was sound asleep, was brought to the

hospital.
***
As soon as Yoo-seong opened his eyes…
Poke-!
He pulled the dextrose out of his forearm and rose at once.
Danny, who was at his bedside, looked surprised.
“How long have I slept?” he asked urgently.
“About sixteen hours…”
“Ouch. In the end, I’m going to arrive without having gained

much difference from waiting for a plane ride.” Yoo-seong
sighed with disappointment. Then he turned to Danny. “Let’s
go. Please guide me. I need to get everything I can before I
leave.”
Danny looked at him with a strange expression.
Of course, there was respect and wonder in his look, but the
young man didn’t know how to feel about the contract Ali
had offered Yoo-seong. Sixteen hours ago, the Kowala
Company had granted Yoo-seong permission to close the
rift.
However, more than that, the contract stated something

else, something more valuable.
Yoo-seong had been signed as a temporary member. A

position that no outsider had ever held.
“For the next eight hours, I’ll be a member of your tribe,

right?”
Danny nodded. It was what Ali had offered to Yoo-seong in

exchange for his help.
As a member, even a temporary one, he had the right to

inherit their traditions. That included the Hawaiian warriors’
pride, the Tattoo Tech.
For the next eight hours, Yoo-seong had the right to take
everything he could from their history. Just as he had with
the Red Dragon Society in China.
With this, Yoo-seong licked his dry lips in anticipation.
“Let’s go.”
Chapter 154
Episode 154
Bishop Museum.
It was the largest museum on the island of Honolulu,

containing the long history of Hawaii.
It was a popular destination for tourists, and its halls were

filled with people looking at related to the island’s natural
history. However, none of those people knew that the
island’s real treasures were in a place never revealed to
outsiders: the innermost basement of the museum, a place
so deep that even artificial lighting could not reach it.
Instead, flame torches filled its dark stone walls.
Ali was waiting for Yoo-seong in the dark and quiet chamber.
“Welcome to the Hall of Hawaii’iloa.”
“Should I say thank you for inviting me?”
“You don’t have to. You earned your right to enter this
place.”
“Indeed.” Yoo-seong nodded as he looked around the room.
The stone chamber was shaped like a can of tuna. Twelve

pillars lined up in a circle to support the ceiling, and the
overall area was about two hundred square meters.
Other than the pillars and the torches, Yoo-seong could see
no other items or structures within the room. However, he
knew that he was standing in a vault of treasures.
“Here”—Ali gestured toward the chamber’s stone walls

—”are our ancestors who laid the foundation to support this
island.”
On the surfaces of the walls and pillars, there were paintings

of human figures. They were depicted standing side by side
and linked arm to arm. Countless patterns were engraved in
each human silhouette.
These were the treasures that this place held. These were
the tattoos containing Hawaiian Tech.
“The Tech’s power differs depending on the area it is carved

into and what the pattern is,” Ali explained.
“Is there anything like a manual I could use?”
“No.”
Ali seemed a little embarrassed at that question, but he

continued speaking with a firm voice.
“Danny and I will give you the oral history of each tattoo, as
well as its abilities. Then, once you have decided on which
one you prefer…”—Ali took out a bottle containing a shiny
black pigment—”I’ll use this to engrave it on your body.”
Ali’s heart pounded. Soon, Yoo-seong’s body would be

covered with tattoos.
‘These tattoos are our pride. To engrave them on a

foreigner…’
Still, he knew that Honolulu and the Kowala Company owed
Yoo-seong that much. Moreover, Ali felt that they were
gaining more than Yoo-seong would from getting a tattoo.
Oh Yoo-seong’s ability as a hunter was already complete.

His skills were considered to be the best in the world. But
even for him, learning a new Tech was tremendous and
could catapult him to an even higher level.
However, in return, the Kowala Company’s traces would

forever be on Yoo-seong’s body.
Ink was an indelible imprint. The tattoos were the Kowala

Company’s pride, and with Yoo-seong’s body covered with
Hawaiian tattoos, wouldn’t he bring pride to them as well?
As time went on, Yoo-seong would keep getting bigger and

bigger. The whole world would remember not only his name
but also his appearance.
And, on the once-in-a-generation hunter’s body…
‘Our pride will be inscribed.’
Ali shook his head and began discussing the engravings on

the walls.
“A battle-related technique may not hold much meaning for

you. Let’s start with utility-related tattoos. We don’t have
much time. It would be good if I could point out only the
essential parts and attributes and move on to the next
design.”
“No.” Yoo-seong stared at Ali before he continued. “Describe

each design to me, one by one, and don’t just go through by
type. I want to learn about them properly.”
“…….”
Ali considered his words for a moment. But there was

nothing wrong with what Yoo-seong wanted, so he agreed.
“Alright. Then… let’s begin.”
Ali began pointing out each mural and explained the

meaning and abilities contained in each pattern. Both he
and Yoo-seong were so immersed in the tattoo designs that
they didn’t notice that over three hours had passed.
“That was everything. Now we’re going to select which

tattoos will go onto your skin.”
It was a process that only natives of the island had gone

through so far, a complicated procedure with permanent
results. A hunter would have to live the rest of his life with
the combination he selected. The presence of another tattoo
pattern, after all, could greatly impact the other tattoos.
Hence, creating a synergy was complex, and reviewing the

possible patterns would easily take another four or five
hours.
“If you want, I can advise you on some proven

combinations,” Ali offered.
He had learned the most common yet effective

combinations through his twenty years of battle experience
and the knowledge his ancestors had passed down to him.
However…
“No, I won’t need that.”
“What?”
Ali was rendered speechless by Yoo-seong’s answer, and he
felt that he was being made fun of. However, what he saw
on Yoo-seong’s face was something that didn’t match the
man’s reputation and abilities.
It was an expression that didn’t have a trace of pride.

Instead, it was full of respect and admiration for the
knowledge Ali had just passed to him. It was the very same
expression that rookie hunters got on their faces the day
they chose their tattoos.
“To be in the presence of such treasures… this… this is just

great,” Yoo-seong muttered in Korean. Then he took a large
piece of folded paper and a pen from his pocket.
The paper was wide enough for a man to lie down on.
Ali was instantly alarmed.
“W-What are you doing?! Didn’t you understand? All the

patterns engraved here are confidential knowledge! It is not
permitted to copy even a single stroke…”
“Of course I understand. I have no intention of committing

such an unthinkable act.”
With a strange smile, Yoo-seong looked up at Ali.
“What…?”
He didn’t even wait for Ali to finish his sentence.
Swish-!
He twisted his body slightly, to an angle where Ali wouldn’t

see him move his hand, and pressed the button.
Auto-Hunt took over immediately.

“……!!”
“Wow…”
Neither Danny nor Ali could help but feel astounded at the
subsequent movement.
Yoo-seong’s hand was moving so accurately and efficiently it

was hard to describe it as “drawing.” It would be more
accurate to call it “printing.”
Yoo-seong’s hand was not using the pen like a normal

human would, by creating lines across the paper. Instead,
his hand was moving from end to end of the wide paper,
putting the pen down in places where a mark should be, just
like how a printer works.
As the swings of his arm gradually descended from the top

of the paper to the bottom, Danny and Ali began to see the
shape of the pattern.
“This… this is just…” Danny couldn’t find the words to

describe what he was seeing.
It seemed that Yoo-seong’s superpowers were not limited to

hunting.
Ali recovered first and made a move to hold Yoo-seong back

but suddenly realized something. The pattern being
gradually completed right before their eyes wasn’t
something from the murals that surrounded them. It was
nothing he had ever seen before.
“What… nonsense…”
The tattoos contained Tech that had been passed down from
generation to generation, and in the process, it was not
uncommon for the knowledge to get degraded. Eventually,
only the principles of engraving the designs had remained,
and the method of developing more designs was lost in
transmission.
Being an island that kept to itself, and with the value of

Salamander fluids only recently discovered, the Kowala
Company didn’t have the funds to invest in research and
development. So the process of learning about the
combinations was one of trial and error, involving a warrior’s
entire life.
Despite realizing the value of research and development, Ali

had put it off again and again. It didn’t help that the number
of cracks had increased during his time. But he’d comforted
himself that one day, if there were enough room for him to
do so, he would definitely make sure to improve their Tech
in earnest.
Not even in his dreams had he imagined seeing a “new”

tattoo being created right in front of him.
Seokko-
Seok-
Seok-
Yoo-seong’s pen continued to scratch upon the paper’s

rough surface, birthing tattoos that had never existed
before.
Seokko-
Finally, his drawings were complete. The paper quickly

sucked up the ink and dried off, and Yoo-seong raised it to
Ali’s eyes.
“What’s in this isn’t anything you have here, right?” Yoo-
seong confirmed. “Thank you for the opportunity to see and
learn about your tattoos. Based on the knowledge you gave
me, I made my own design. I won’t deny that the inspiration
was from these murals, but this is mine alone.”
Ali trembled. Uncontrollable emotions flowed through his

chest. Then Yoo-seong handed him the folded paper.
“This… are you…” he stuttered.
“Ah, no, I’m not giving you this design,” Yoo-seong chuckled.
“You have to engrave it on my body.”
***
Without taking a break, not even a sip of water, for hours,

Ali focused on engraving the patterns on the oily skin before
him.
Frustration rose within him. No matter how much he looked

at the design Yoo-seong had made, he couldn’t understand
what it was. It just seemed to be made up of random lines
and shapes.
The tattoo Yooseong had designed was unmatched by the

basic tattoos in its sophistication and complexity. It didn’t
follow any of the logic that Ali had speculated on and
studied for the past two decades.
The only way to know how it worked would be to see it in

action.
“I want to… How can I do what you just did?” Ali sighed as
the needle in his hand continued to move.
“Hmm?” Yoo-seong looked at him with a frown. He had been
gritting his teeth through the pain of the tattooing
procedure.
Danny wasn’t around as only Ali and Yoo-seong could be

present during the treatment.
Yoo-seong’s brows furrowed as he translated Ali’s words in

his head before he finally found his response.
“Luck.”
“What? Luck?”
“Yes.”
‘What this?’ Ali shook his head from side to side and
chuckled.
Of course, while Yoo-seong’s answer was short, it was

extremely rational. He had definitely been lucky to be born
with transcendent skills. Only then could he have gathered
the knowledge to improve and develop Tech at one glance.
“It must be too easy for you,” Ali smiled.
Surprisingly, Yoo-seong replied immediately this time.
“No. Difficult.”
“Difficult how? Ah… never mind.”
Ali thought that Yoo-seong had misunderstood what he was

saying. However, Yoo-seong had understood him perfectly,
thus his answer.
Yoo-seong knotted his brows, and with as many English

words as he knew, he tried to explain. “The difficult thing is
to remain.”
After all, it was easy to take comfort in reality.
He was lucky, for he had received a cheat code that allowed

him a limitless capacity. Yoo-seong could just keep getting
stronger and stronger.
“Just… at what point do I stop?” he asked the silent Ali.
With Auto-Hunt, he could have lived a comfortable life as a

simple hunter without much effort. He wouldn’t have
needed to learn Tech. He wouldn’t have needed to be in
strange relationships, face evil people, or be in situations
that were of national interest. It wouldn’t have been a bad
life. He could have just participated in operations from time
to time and injected CE every few months, just like any
normal hunter.
Perhaps, even without effort, he would have steadily grown

until he reached the silver or gold rank by the time he
retired. By then, he would have had enough money for the
rest of his life. He would have been able to live the life of
the upper class, with fancy dinners every night.
However, it would have been very difficult for Yoo-seong to

do that. To be content with his current strength without
exploring his maximum potential.
As the needle punctured his skin, Yoo-seong continued to

mutter in Korean to distract himself from the pain. “In the
past, I was very curious about why Auto-Hunt appeared to
me. Why me? There must have been other people who were
better than me.”
However, recently he had realized why.

“It was because I… do not know when to stop.”
It was neither self-praise nor self-pity.
“Even to the point of getting tattoos all over my body. If my

mother sees me like this… she will be very upset.”
It was a self-analysis that Yoo-seong had never told anyone.
“…”
Ali was silent throughout the incomprehensible murmurs.

Perhaps he felt Yoo-seong’s mood despite not understanding
his words. He just moved silently and focused on the
procedure until…
“Wooh-”
Finally, they were done. Yoo-seong slowly stood up and

stared at his body in the mirror.
There were a total of six tattoos covering his body.
Both arms.
Both legs.
The front and rear parts of his torso.
The knowledge accumulated by Auto-Hunt so far and the

principles of the Hawaiian Tech were burning on his bloody,
reddened skin.
Yoo-seong then picked up his clothes. However, before

putting them on…
“What if…”
He looked down at his body. Then he blinked.
Pop-!
“Huh?!”
A dumbfounded groan escaped Ali’s lips as he watched Yoo-

seong. With just a blink of Yoo-seong’s eyes, the tattoo on
his right leg had disappeared. Although his skin was still red,
it was as if he had never been tattooed at all.
It didn’t end there.
Pop-!
Pop-!
Every time Yoo-seong blinked, the tattoos disappeared one

after another.
He’d realized he could place them in his Slot.
“Thank God!” Yoo-seong sighed with relief with his face

shining bright. “Tattoos aren’t that accepted in the culture
where I’m from. Wooh!”
Ali still didn’t know how to react to what he’d just seen and
simply stood there frozen, with his mouth wide open.
“Now then… I’ll see you next time I have a chance.”
With those words, Yoo-seong threw himself out the window.

Many people saw him leaving the place, but no one saw him
fall.
They only saw his rise.
***
Two hours later…
Yoo-seong landed on the West Coast of the United States.

Chapter 155
Episode 155
“Finally here…”
He was finally at Monica Beach, Los Angeles. Yoo-seong

stretched his legs out on the white sand as he checked his
location.
Meanwhile…
“Did you just see that?”
“He just landed from the sky…”
“Is he a hunter?”
Citizens and tourists who had been enjoying the beach

began to make a fuss, but Yoo-seong didn’t mind them.
Based on the mobile application he was using, California
was still a long way from Nevada, where he was supposed to
go.
‘Even if it’s only a state, its land area is larger than the
whole of South Korea,’ he realized.
At this, Yoo-seong began walking with no destination in

mind. The ambassador had told him that the location and
detailed information would be provided once he arrived.
‘They knew when I arrived in Hawaii immediately, so they
should be contacting me soon.’
There was no need for him to fly around the state of

California to draw attention.
Beyond the beach was a row of terraced cafés facing the

sea. They weren’t that crowded at that time of day, so Yoo-
seong decided to take a break in one of them. Despite his
broken English, he was able to order at the counter. Then he
took a seat at a corner table.
‘Maybe it’s time to review my strategy,’ he thought.
He remembered what he had told Chae Shin-young before

he left Korea.
‘-It’s not about closing the cracks. Whatever it is, they

judged it as something only I could do.’
Unlike most countries, the United States had no reason to

be particularly afraid of an unclosed crack. Like China, they
were a special defense powerhouse that’d had no problems
dealing with the increase of rift appearances.
However, unlike China, they didn’t depend on Tech.
Their strengths were their science and capital. Rather than

developing individual hunters through training, the
American hunting culture was focused on developing
equipment that could strengthen an individual.
This mindset had catapulted the United States into a

position where they had an infinite amount of manpower.
Yoo-seong’s experience in had Hawaii proved this.

Even though the Hawaiian Salamander was a dangerous
beast, the companies involved hadn’t seemed worried about
an endless outpouring of monsters. Rather than having Yoo-
seong close the crack, they had actually been waiting to
take advantage of the situation for profits.
‘They wouldn’t call me even if a Habaek-class monster

appeared.’
Without Yoo-seong, Hankwang International would have

been wiped out by the Habaek. However, that had been
because of the size of their manpower, as well as their
quality. Yoo-seong’s hunt had been remarkable because he’d
achieved it alone, but if all of Seoul’s platinum-rank hunters
had come to hunt the Habaek as a group, it wouldn’t have
been impossible to catch the monster. Handling a Habaek
wouldn’t require America to contact Yoo-seong.
‘Perhaps they need people for a Dive.’
‘Or perhaps the monster to be caught is an intelligent and

dangerous beast, yet of a small size.’
In that case, the monster could pick off the hunters they

sent one by one. Working in a group would not be effective
as they would be destroyed individually.
However, in such a case, they could have contacted the

Chinese Ship Zone. Even Lee Jae-hak would have been an
excellent choice for such a mission.
And, of course, there had to be Singles in the United States.

Their government wouldn’t have to outsource talent.
Yoo-seong couldn’t figure out what the mission was at this

point. However, he was certain that he had to be alert. It
was difficult to imagine that the US government would hire
him with malicious intent, but his experience in Hawaii had
put him in contact with some unsavory people. Whether
arbitrarily or unwillingly, fighting was inevitable. Besides,
hadn’t he come here after consecutive fights against
corporations and high-ranked people?
Yoo-seong was already familiar with how that sort of thing

went. When an individual faced a giant company, the
individual was always seen as a villain going against the
current.
However, if he’d left Hawaii alone as his unknown caller

wanted, would he have been able to move around the
United States without any worries?
‘No.’
The unknown caller had been in possession of his phone

number. That meant he was ranked high enough to access
information the US government deemed confidential.
‘It has begun,’ Yoo-seong thought.
He felt a familiar sense of being carried away by a strong

current beyond his control.
‘When did it start happening to me?’
When he’d been a freelance rookie just entering the

industry?
When he’d arrived in a hostile country?
When he’d begun acting like a villain against large

corporations?
Yoo-seong shook his head. He was facing adversities he had
never imagined when he was just starting out as a hunter.
Suddenly… a shadow fell over him.
“Here you go.”
It was the waitress bringing him the coffee and sandwich

he’d ordered. She had a shy smile on her face.
“If it’s okay with you, can you give me an autograph?”
Yoo-seong took the napkin and ballpoint pen she held out
and wrote his name nicely in cursive. The woman’s face
brightened, and Yoo-seong also felt good seeing her smile.
After the woman walked away, he took a sip of his coffee. It

tasted delicious. The sandwich was very tasty too.
The café wasn’t that busy, and from his spot, Yoo-seong
could quietly enjoy the beach’s scenery. He watched surfers
ride the waves as he munched on his sandwich. A quiet and
pleasant ten minutes passed like that.
He took the last bite of the sandwich and drank the rest of
his coffee before wiping his hands and lips with a napkin.
“Whew. That was delicious. Really.”
Yoo-seong had a sudden realization as he uttered those

words: the meal he’d just had was probably the first meal
he’d enjoyed in the past one or two years.
No plans, no calculations, no commitments. Just a pure,

delicious meal and a relaxing view.
Was it because it had been his first meal on the American

continent, or because of the food and atmosphere of the
café? Perhaps it was related to the monologue he’d spoken
while Ali tattooed him.
Maybe…
Just a little…
He was feeling tired of everything.
He was currently the best hunter in Korea, a national hero

who had saved countless people. He had brought back all
the stolen Tech from their history. Perhaps he wasn’t just
tired of facing gigantic enemies, be they people or beasts.
All the grand titles and achievements were also beginning to
pile up on him heavily.
Two years ago, he had been just an ordinary young man. His
grand dream had been a simple future of having his own
restaurant.
Perhaps the simple meal he’d just eaten had reminded him
of his younger self.
After a few moments of silence, Yoo-seong rose from the

table. “I really enjoyed the meal. Thank you,” he said to the
waitress in Korean. She didn’t know what he was saying, but
she understood that he was saying goodbye. She nodded
and smiled as she lifted the napkin Yoo-seong had signed for
her. Just before leaving the café, Yoo-seong turned to look at
the corner where he had just been sitting.
He held on to the view of the beach, and the quiet tables, as

the young man in his heart began to dissolve.
Now he was left with just himself and the questions in his
head.
‘Will I be able to return to that simple life again?’
‘If one day, I decide to do so…’
‘Could I really stop?’
Yoo-seong paused for a few seconds as he searched himself

for the answer.
Then he pushed the door open and walked quietly out of the
café.
***
He didn’t have to walk very far.
Just a block away from the beach, Yoo-seong saw a row of

black sedans. They looked as if they had just pulled out of
the factory.
Considering that Yoo-seong had arrived less than an hour

ago, it was a really quick response.
‘Were they tracking me this whole time?’
“Hello, nice to meet you,” a man in front of the sedan

greeted him in awkward Korean. He seemed to be their
leader.
He was a young, handsome white man, his body built lighter

than Yoo-seong’s but taller.
“My name is Dennis Wilder, assistant to the Vice President

of the United States.”
An interpreter stood next to him and began translating his

introduction.
Dennis Wilder looked pretty polite.
He also looked a little shy, perhaps because he was young,

at the age when most people treated hunters like sports
stars.
“Welcome to America,” he added.
Yoo-seong nodded his head silently but did not take Wilder’s
hand.
“Mr. Yoo-seong Oh? Is there a problem?”
The embarrassed interpreter quickly mediated. He began to

explain that Yoo-seong was supposed to shake Wilder’s
hand, thinking that Yoo-seong might not be aware of the
gesture due to cultural differences.
Yoo-seong chuckled. He wasn’t an idiot, after all. Who didn’t

know about shaking hands?
However, instead of taking Wilder’s outstretched hand…
“What’s your name?” he asked Wilder directly, in Korean.
The young man seemed a little flustered.
“My name is… Dennis Wilder. Uh, I apologize that the Vice
President wasn’t able to meet you himself; we were in quite
a hurry because your arrival was…”
Yoo-seong smiled and turned to the interpreter,
“You can go.”
“Yes?” The interpreter was confused.

“He doesn’t need an interpreter.” Yoo-seong paused before
turning to Wilder. “Right?”
Dennis Wilder’s eyes widened.
“I could hardly understand you on the phone yesterday. It’s

a pity the voice modulator you have doesn’t come with an
interpreter.”
With a smile on his face, Yoo-seong kept speaking in Korean.
“Did you think I wouldn’t recognize you?”
To the unknown caller in Hawaii, who had not answered the

same question over the phone, Yoo-seong asked firmly once
more, this time face to face:
“What is your name?”

Chapter 156
No. 156
From the beginning, Yoo-seong hadn’t been expecting to

meet him. However, the young man in front of him had
introduced himself as the Vice President’s aide.
A Vice President would only have one or two aides at most.

Given his boss’ position, he must have been insanely busy
with important matters. Yet this young man had tracked him
in less than an hour. Besides, above all…
“I recognized you from the moment you greeted me with,

‘Nice to meet you,” Yoo-seong said. “I think you spoke in
English to imply that you don’t speak Korean, but it was so
obvious.”
The young man was silent as Yoo-seong evaluated him. Still,

Yoo-seong couldn’t help but respect the young man’s ability.
At his age, he had already climbed to a high-ranking
position as an aide to the Vice President of a superpower. On
top of that, he had to be a very smart person to master
Korean, which was, in itself, a difficult language.
He was just like the big guys Yoo-seong had been dealing
with. That was why Yoo-seong had chosen to wear his mask.
“Now, why would I get in that car? From the context, it

seems that the Vice President is the one behind the Hawaii
case.”
“What?! No…”
“Then why would he want to see me? As his aide, do you

know his excuse?”
This was Oh Yoo-seong the hunter, whose skills were known

all over the world. Combined with his aggressive, cheeky
attitude, most of the opponents he had dealt with had been
embarrassed and lost their pace.
“It’s not like that. The Vice President wanted to see you as
an act of hospitality…”
“If so, I politely refuse,” Yoo-seong cut him off.
“W-What?!”
“If it’s just a goodwill meeting… why would such an

important person waste time on seeing someone like me? I
am really honored, but I will politely refuse.”
Eugene O’Neill, the Vice President’s aide who had

introduced himself as Dennis Wilder, bit his lip. It was
obvious to everyone involved that they were not asking for
a courtesy visit. However, he could not just state the
obvious and admit they needed Yoo-seong’s help.
“Would you please give me a minute?” he asked, trying to

stall for time.
As soon as his hand moved toward the inside of his pocket

to reach for his phone…
Wook-!
Yoo-seong grabbed his wrist to stop him.
“What are you doing?” he asked, alarmed.

“Tell me the answer now.” Yoo-seong’s voice was firm.
“I was going to ask the Vice President how we should

proceed with this. As soon as I get his answer, we’ll get
moving.”
Yoo-seong was convinced that the Vice President had no

intention of meeting him. That was why he had sent his aide
on his behalf, so that he could deny his involvement in the
operation. If Yoo-seong allowed O’Neill to control the
situation in this way, he would probably never meet the Vice
President. There would be an endless stream of excuses
from his aide instead.
Realizing this, Yoo-seong released O’Neill’s hand.
“The choice is yours. Whatever you do, you’ll upset

someone. Make your decision now.”
O’Neill understood what Yoo-seong was trying to say. He was

in a losing position, whatever he chose to do. His boss
hadn’t planned on meeting Yoo-seong face to face.
However, if he didn’t bring Yoo-seong to his boss, they
would risk losing his services.
After a few moments, he made his decision.
“Let’s go,” he finally said.
“Okay, but wait a minute…”
“What now?” O’Neill looked extremely anxious.
Yoo-seong smiled and gazed down at his jacket. “My clothes

have gotten so dirty. I have to buy some new ones and
make myself presentable, don’t you think?”
It had only been three days since he bought his clothes, but
after the Hawaii incident and crossing the Pacific in them,
they now looked like rags.
“I have to make a good first impression when meeting a VIP,

you know,” Yoo-seong smiled.
“…….”
***
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
The black sedan arrived at a private airfield situated in the

corner of the spacious airport.
“Is that Air Force Two?” Yoo-seong asked, curious.
O’Neill kept his mouth shut as the sedan kept moving

forward toward a private plane. As soon as the vehicle
stopped in front of it, the plane’s stairs unfolded as if
inviting Yoo-seong inside.
Dressed in new clothes, Yoo-seong stepped out of the car.

He was clothed in black, from his ankles to his neck. The
sharp outfit made him look pretty cool.
O’Neill rushed inside the plane, probably to report in

advance to his boss before Yoo-seong made his appearance.
Tuong-!
Yoo-seong’s heavy footsteps clanged on the plane’s steel

staircase.
He took his time getting inside as he prepared himself. He

was about to meet the second most powerful man in the
most powerful country in the world. After taking a few short
moments to consider all the possible outcomes of this visit,
Yoo-seong went inside the cabin. As soon as he entered, he
realized all his considerations had been pointless because
the man waiting for him inside wasn’t the Vice President.
Seated behind Eugene was a man who had astronomical

capital and connections.
‘So, this was the man who wanted to get his hands on
Hawaii,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Sitting cross-legged in a spacious single-seat, the man

raised his head and smiled.
“It’s an honor to meet you in person,” he said, raising a

hand in greeting.
Yoo-seong knew his face well. However, he looked kinder

and humbler on television.
“Miracle Boy,” Yoo-seong muttered.
The man’s eyes glinted. “Ah, thank you for that. Now I don’t
have to introduce myself.”
Alvin Hawkins, also known to the world as the Miracle Boy.

Fifteen years ago, at a time when CE had not been fully
studied and understood, the United States had conducted
secret experiments on human subjects. The goal of the
experiments had been to create a body optimized for
hunting. The researchers had gathered volunteers from the
military via a screening so meticulous that they were left
with only subjects whose physical condition and abilities
were comparable to Olympians. However, the experiments
ended terribly.
Even though the subjects were volunteers, the United States
had suffered tacit criticism from the international
community after the results were leaked by accident. The
death toll had been “small,” but there had been many cases
where the results were so horrible that it would have been
better if the subjects died at the end. Only one subject
survived the atrocious human experiments.
The “boy” in front of Yoo-seong.
Alvin Hawkins was actually in his late thirties, but he had

stopped growing older as an effect of the experiments. He
was the first non-Ship Zone hunter who became famous
around the world because of his achievements.
As the hunting system had not been established yet, he’d

had no problems traveling across the United States to
participate in numerous operations. Of the astronomical
rewards he gained over the years, it was said that he hadn’t
put a single dime in his own pocket. Instead, all his money
was distributed evenly to the families of the volunteers who
had suffered through the experiments, just like him. At
every interview, he maintained the same sentiment.
‘-I was just lucky. All the others who had unfortunate
accidents would have done the same as I did.’
It was hard not to consider him a hero.
With that, his popularity had risen to incredible heights and

extended to his family. His father, Bill Hawkins, who had
previously been a Senator, had run and overwhelmingly won
the seat of Vice President.
“Take a seat,” Alvin told him, gesturing toward the seat

opposite his.
It was a very short order, but there was a strange power in
his voice.
Alvin’s smile widened as Yoo-seong sat.
“Eugene was embarrassed. Your persuasive skills are really

something. If you were a US citizen, you might have a
chance at an election right away.”
“You speak Korean pretty well,” Yoo-seong acknowledged.
“Ah, I have a knack for languages,” Alvin nodded. “I’m not a

genius, but it’s enough to look smart in front of ordinary
people. Right?”
“…”
“When you go quiet like that, it makes everyone in the room

feel awkward.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Perhaps it’s best to get to the point then.” Alvin paused,

then raised four fingers in front of Yoo-seong.
“Four billion dollars,” he continued. “That’s a rough estimate

of the capital I lost this time. If I added the amount of time
and effort I invested, the amount would be much larger.”
In his head, Yoo-seong tried to calculate how much it would

be when converted into Korean won. Then he responded,
“When you place bets, you take that risk. Blaming the dice
or the dealer would only make you look more miserable.”
O’Neill flinched as he listened to the conversation. However,

Alvin’s expression remained the same. No, in fact, the
Miracle Boy looked like he was actually enjoying the
exchange.
“Of course, I have no intention of blaming you, my friend. I

have many other investments, anyway. But that isn’t that
the reason we’re here now? Usually, the conversation starts
there.”
“Then, as you said, it’s best to get to the point,” Yoo-seong

answered.
“Is that so?” A calm smile remained on Alvin’s face.
Yoo-seong felt a solid wall in front of him. The boy, no, the
hunter in front of him wasn’t losing his pace even when Yoo-
seong tried to fluster him.
Perhaps he was also using a mask, just like Yoo-seong was.
It wouldn’t be strange. After all, he had much more

experience than Yoo-seong.
“Anyway, it wasn’t a big deal. Did the government tell you

what you’ll be doing in Nevada?”
“Catch a monster, perhaps. And a secret, special mission.”
“Right. A rescue mission.” Alvin nodded.
‘Rescue?’ Yoo-seong’s eyebrows rose. ‘What sort of rescue

mission is worth billions of dollars?’
“Catch as many monsters as you can; it’s not a problem.

However, what I wanted to talk to you about was that I need
your special mission to be unsuccessful.” Alvin leaned in
closer and winked. “This country won’t hold you responsible,
anyway.”
“Who am I rescuing?”
“My junior,” Alvin answered without hesitation as if it

weren’t confidential.
“Junior?”
“A second-generation Miracle. You know what I’m talking

about?”
Yoo-seong nodded. Safer and less secretive experiments

had continued to create more hunters like Alvin Hawkins.
However, despite the gradual development of technology
and resources, no one as exceptional as the Miracle Boy had
emerged.
“After all, I was kind of an accident, right? Or a masterpiece,

whichever way you want to look at it.”
“But you’re saying you have a junior now?”
“Unfortunately.” Alvin looked sad as he nodded. “It hasn’t

been released in public yet, but it looks pretty capable. So,
they sent it to Nevada.”
For some reason, Alvin’s junior was now in need of Yoo-

seong’s rescue. Yoo-seong burst out laughing.
“Hmm? What’s funny?” Alvin tilted his head at him.
“To protect your interests, you’re taking a risk and betting

that someone who has already embarrassed you once will
help you this time? It’s funny.”
Alvin was silent at that.
The atmosphere in the plane cabin felt cold, and Yoo-seong

gradually had to stop laughing.
“To protect my interests…” Alvin forced himself to smile.
“No, my friend. You’re not getting it. I have nothing of that
sort.”
“What do you mean?” Yoo-seong was genuinely confused.
“If it were really about self-interest, why would I be talking

to you?” Alvin’s eyes looked sad.
At this, Yoo-seong felt a sense of incongruity. To him, it

didn’t feel like the Alvin he was talking to now was the same
man he had met just a few minutes ago, but more like
someone who had gotten entangled with him in a bad
situation.
Yoo-seong felt as if Alvin was confiding in him like a close

friend.
“I guess I have to let you know me more so we can have a

deeper conversation, right, friend?”
Yoo-seong was stunned at what Alvin said next.
“A year from now, I will be the president of this country.”

Chapter 157
No. 157
“You’re insane!” Yoo-seong burst out laughing. Alvin looked

a little disappointed at his reaction.
“It’s a little sad… I haven’t told many people about it, only
my friends-”
“Let’s make one thing clear”—Yoo-seong cut him off—”I’m

not your friend. But even so, I would advise you not to
reveal such an embarrassing plan so easily to other people.”
“How many other countries or friends have reached out to

you?” Alvin asked him out of the blue.
“What?”
“There must have been a lot of other people offering you

money or honor to be their ‘friend.’”
“There have been none.”
“None?!” Alvin’s eyes widened with surprise. “Wow, the

Korean Defense Department must have been working really
hard.”
It did seem that way to Yoo-seong. Yang Chang-guk must

have been working desperately to keep intelligence agents
from away from Yoo-seong.
“Or perhaps they have learned the correct way,” Alvin
pondered aloud. “They must have realized that such an
approach doesn’t work on people like us. But during my
time, offers from various countries were in full swing. It was
probably a decade ago, I think, when a five-star monster
first appeared.”
As Alvin began his story, Yoo-seong felt the plane taking off.
They were obviously heading to Nevada, where Yoo-seong’s
operation would happen.
“My family are well-known patriots in this country. My great-

grandfather, grandfather, and father all had distinguished
military careers as well as government positions.” Alvin
paused and shook his head with an amused expression.
“Can you believe that foreign intelligence agents still tried
to approach me?”
Of course, regardless of where they were from, their

message was the same.
‘-Defect to our country. We will provide you with infinite

honor and wealth.’
“They are idiots, aren’t they?” Alvin chuckled. “Lower-class

hunters would have been persuaded. But people like us?
Don’t they know that with our abilities, we could get all the
wealth and honor we want?”
Alvin’s tone was that of someone talking about children who

couldn’t understand simple things.
“Some of them even offered to match all the money I’ve

donated. The gall! Of course, putting some money in the
hands of poor people isn’t so bad, but it’s not what matters.
What’s important…”
Yoo-seong bit his lip. Somehow, he knew what Alvin was
going to say next and finished his sentence for him.
“…What’s important is to achieve everything you want

alone.”
Alvin stopped talking and gripped his armrests so hard that

they almost bent out of shape. His eyes had a wild look to
them.
“That’s right!” he yelled, his voice resonating in the cabin.

“That’s the only thing that gives value to all that wealth or
honor. Otherwise, it’s all futile!”
His eyes, wet with emotion, stared into Yoo-seong. “I knew

you could understand me.”
Yoo-seong had found himself finishing Alvin’s sentence

unconsciously. He also felt surprised.
“People like us are really, really rare.” Alvin placed a fist on

his chest, then used the same hand to point at Yoo-seong.
“You know what I am talking about, my friend. It’s not just a
matter of talent or ability. Do you know what those
experiments did to me?”
Yoo-seong nodded. Specific details were unknown, but the

gist of what was done to Miracle Boy was widely available.
His body, including his core and veins, had been turned into
a machine with a tremendous cost-performance ratio.
Imagine a sports car that could run at full speed all day with
just a liter of fuel. Similarly, the experiments transformed
Alvin’s body into something that could continue working for
long periods of time with low consumption of nutrients or
energy.
What an ordinary hunter could achieve with an enormous
amount of CE, Alvin could do effortlessly, with minimal CE
use.
“But that is not an important issue at all,” Alvin declared. “If

someone other than me got fortunate enough to get the
same abilities, would that person be able to reach where I
am now?”
“I don’t know…” Yoo-seong answered, trailing off at the end.
“You know the answer! They couldn’t!” Alvin laughed with

uncontrollable pleasure.
It was the joy of someone who had finally found someone

who could sympathize with him.
“You, my friend, probably have ‘something’ like me,” Alvin

said, calming down a little. “Unprecedented, pure talent,
whatever it is… but it didn’t take you even two years to get
to where you are now. I’m curious what your secret is, but
it’s not important, is it?”
What was important was the person to whom those abilities

were given.
“I can last three months without water. You can bend steel
with a flick of your fingers. But if we gave our abilities to
someone else, would they be where we are now?”
Alvin’s question hung in the air.
Yoo-seong already understood what he wanted to say. Many

people would be satisfied just with having their special
abilities.
And why not?

With those powerful abilities, they would be able to reach
the top of the hunting industry without exerting any effort.
No one else would want to test their limits. After all, what
would be the reason to do so? Why would anyone sacrifice
being happy to constantly strain themselves instead?
“You and I, my friend”—Alvin leaned in closer—”we are not

like them.”
As Alvin beckoned, the stewardess pushed the cart from the

front of the cabin to their seats. Two glasses filled with large
cubes of ice and a dark, well-shaped bottle were placed
before them. Alvin skillfully poured the amber liquid into the
glasses and handed one of them to Yoo-seong.
“You must have seen a lot of this stuff in the movies,” Alvin
grinned.
“Yeah. If you drink a lot of this carelessly, it will be a big

deal.”
Alvin laughed and took a sip. Then, turning serious, he

stared once more into Yoo-seong’s eyes.
“This industry needs change. The upper minority should

lead, not the lower majority. You know what I mean?”
“…..”
Instead of answering, Yoo-seong placed his glass on his

armrest.
“Those on top of our world… there are too many non-

hunters there.”
Yoo-seong acknowledged what he’d said. He had already
met a few of them.
Japanese Prime Minister Murata, Chairman Han Kwang-ho,

and those movers and shakers in Korea whom he was trying
to avoid.
“Those people don’t understand what hunting really is. No…

maybe they are pretending they don’t understand it to fool
us.”
“Fool us? Why would they…”
“Because they are afraid of us.” Alvin’s voice was firm. He

took another sip before continuing.
“Compared to last year, the rate of crack frequency has

steadily increased, right? What could happen a year from
now?”
“I don’t know,” Yoo-seong admitted.
“Right. That’s the point. If the trend of increasing crack

frequency continues, most countries won’t be able to handle
the cracks by themselves.”
Things would continue to get worse.
“The worst-case scenario would be the collapse of society as

we know it. My friend, you’ve probably heard of the Doom
plan, right?”
Yoo-seong nodded. During the fearful years before the

discovery of CE and the rise of hunters, it had been what
humanity thought of as a countermeasure against monsters.
If it ever became impossible for mankind’s defenses to
handle the beasts pouring out of the cracks… the plan was
to concentrate defense on several bases in the largest cities
around the world and build walls to create safe zones.
Thinking about it, it all sounded like a fool’s fantasy. Who

would need to build walls when there were hunters who
could face the monsters?
However, now, if the current trend were to continue… Then

perhaps it wasn’t such a foolish idea.
At present, the authorities were fortunate that the

emergence of unclosed rifts had not been revealed to the
public. However, the citizens were bound to know it soon
and realize that humanity might not be able to handle it if
the increased frequency continued.
“When that kind of society emerges… who do you think

should be on top of that world?” Alvin asked Yoo-seong.
“Do you dream of being a dictator in a dying world?”
“Well, if I have to. I don’t want the world to have walls built
everywhere. If I have to scare the public to make them feel
grateful for the things that we do…”
Yoo-seong considered Alvin’s plan. Most of the conditions

had already been achieved.
First, he’d had powerful connections from the time he was

born. Perhaps, if he had not become a hunter, he would
have been a US lawmaker, just like his father. However,
Alvin used politics as a tool without being subordinated to it.
As a result, he was sitting in the US Vice President’s private
plane, with a high-ranking aide by his side.
Second, he had tremendous capital from the several
companies that were supporting him. As he’d mentioned,
the four billion dollars he had lost in Hawaii was just one
part of his many investments.
“In a year… as soon as my father’s term ends, I’ll be there.

Of course, in order to do that, we must constantly expand
our possibilities until the time comes.”
“Is this the part where you ask me to ignore your juniors
during the operation?” Yoo-seong scoffed.
“This is the part where I extend my invitation to a friend.”

Alvin poured alcohol into his empty glass. “You may already
be aware of this, but those juniors will not survive, whether
you accept my offer or not.”
“…….”
“But if a friend does this for me instead of anyone else…

There is a huge difference between ordering a subordinate
and having a friend do it for you in terms of satisfaction.”
The ice in Alvin’s glass clinked.
“Right now, I need a friend.” He raised his glass toward Yoo-

seong. “No matter how many sidekicks there are, a hero can
only be understood by another hero.”
“It would be as if Superman and Batman were friends,” Yoo-

seong said as he lifted the glass he’d placed on the armrest.
“Haha, yes…” Alvin chuckled at the comparison
“That’s funny,” Yoo-seong said in a cold tone.
Then…
He raised his glass to chest level and poured his drink onto
the floor, between himself and Alvin.
Tuduk-!
“You almost had me in the middle of your speech, but…

your words are too verbose to be convincing.”
Yoo-seong let the empty glass drop to the cabin’s carpeted

floor. Alvin’s smile was frozen in place.
“So, has my friend decided to become a villain instead?”
“From the beginning, yes.”
For Yoo-seong, the choice was never Superman or Batman.

Alvin was choosing between Lex Luther and the Joker.
“I think my friend misunderstood my story, but…”
“Enough. I’ve listened to you long enough.” Yoo-seong made

a gesture like zipping his lips.
Only then did the smile disappear from Alvin’s face.
“I’ll make it clear,” Yoo-seong said. “No matter what you

say, I will never allow someone to die because someone
else told me to.”
Alvin bit his lip. “Well… if that’s the truth, then I’m sorry.”
And the very next moment…
Tung-!
The cabin began to shake. Yoo-seong felt an invisible

pressure over his body.
‘Tech,’ he recognized.
“Most people think that I am a hunter trapped in a boy’s

body and that I have maintained a child-like innocence since
the experiments,” Alvin said as he raised his palm to the
sky.
From it, geometric shapes radiated in the form of light.
Like Yoo-seong, it seemed that, despite having abilities

enough to hunt most monsters, Alvin had continued to
acquire more abilities by learning Tech.
“But, as the saying goes: it’s not wise to judge a book by its
cover.”
“…!”
“I get angry at times, too. Especially when someone I’m

dealing with fucks me like this!”
Mold of Oppression Tech.
This Tech allowed the user to place an invisible frame on the

other person’s body to restrict it. With Alvin’s transcendent
CE efficiency, the level of Tech he used could certainly lock
his target’s muscles, including their tongue.
“I don’t know you completely, but I make it a point to know

something about my friends,” Alvin began. “For example,
right before you start hunting, you put one hand in front of
your chest, right? It might be a simple habit, one that can
be easily overlooked, but… I think it triggers a certain skill.”
Alvin raised his chin slightly as if to look down on Yoo-seong.

“In other words, if I lock your arms… even a friend as
powerful as you can’t pose me a threat.”
Chooak-!
Alvin splashed his drink on Yoo-seong’s forehead. As he

watched the cold liquid flow down, he looked satisfied.
“Looking at your situation right now, my assumption was

correct…”
“It wasn’t bad. You have decent reasoning,” Yoo-seong

answered.
‘What?!’ Alvin was stunned. ‘How can you speak-’
Pagak-!
Yoo-seong’s left fist smashed into his face before he could

even get a grasp of what was happening.
Alvin couldn’t understand. It wasn’t that his Mold of

Oppression Tech had failed. It was that, even before he
triggered his Tech, Yoo-seong had already pressed the
button.
He’d done it as he spilled alcohol on the floor. That had been

his purpose when he’d raised his glass to chest level before
pouring its contents out.
Huwook-!
Yoo-seong raised his right knee to strike Alvin’s arm, to stop

him from triggering his Tech.
However, Alvin quickly shifted position and raised his Aura

to minimize the impact.
Except for Yoo-seong’s first blow, which had caught him by

surprise, it was hard to inflict damage on a person they
called Miracle.
Puck-!
Pagak-!
Pak-!
Almost by reflex, the two men dealt and blocked blows

simultaneously.
A man with infinite CE against a man with miraculous CE

efficiency.
They were locked in a narrow space of one meter, dealing

massive blows across two plane seats. It was truly a
wondrous, yet fearful, sight.
However…
The turning point of the game came unexpectedly early.
Just as Yoo-seong’s arm moved toward Alvin’s neck…
‘You’re making a mistake,’ Alvin thought.
By focusing Aura on his neck instead of blocking or avoiding

the blow, he would be able to stop the attack completely
and have an opportunity to counter.
‘Even if you use the Flame Psy, it will be the same.’
Although Yoo-seong’s CE was more than he’d expected,

Alvin had the advantage in terms of Aura to Aura collision
because of his efficiency.
His calculations were over.
Pugook-!
Yoo-seong’s fist slammed against Alvin’s throat, but he did
not feel any shock.
‘I got you.’ Alvin smiled inwardly, convinced of victory. His

fist was filled with an enormous amount of CE, allowing for a
blow that even Yoo-seong would not be able to withstand.
However…
Puck-!
‘What the…?’ Confusion filled Alvin’s senses. This was

because the fist that had struck Yoo-seong had no Aura on
it.
It was drained.
Alvin had studied Yoo-seong harder than anyone else to

figure out what cards he had.
Still, he lacked information.
Beneath Yoo-seong’s black jacket were the six tattoos he’d

acquired in Hawaii.
One of them, on Yoo-seong’s back, countered Alvin’s Mold of

Oppression.
The back tattoo designed by Auto-Hunt could only be used a

limited number of times, but it was a great defensive tool
that could completely block Tech or damage.
It was almost like a cheat.
However, the tattoo on Yoo-seong’s left arm was even more

absurd.
Chapter 158
Episode 158
“Let go of him right now!”
Eugene O’Neill’s voice was serious. Yoo-seong felt

goosebumps rising on his back. He knew instinctively that
Eugene was aiming a gun at him.
“I won’t ask you again,” Eugene added.
Suddenly…
Huwook-!
Eugene’s eyes opened wide as a massive object came flying

toward him. Yoo-seong had just thrown Alvin at him.
“Oh-oh!”
Alvin was flying toward him headfirst.
Eugene wasn’t a hunter, but he was highly skilled in self-

defense. He knew that if he dodged, Alvin’s head would
smash against the cabin’s wall.
Meeting his boss’s body head-on would injure them both,

however. Unsure of what to do, Eugene closed his eyes and
prepared for impact.
Paang-!
The expected impact didn’t arrive.
When Eugene opened his eyes, Alvin had somehow been

able to stop his momentum midair. The Miracle Boy landed
gently without crushing him.
“Sit down,” Alvin told him. “Put down that gun and don’t try
to interrupt.”
“Ha, but…”
“Quiet,” Alvin ordered as he caught his breath.
Then he turned to Yoo-seong and asked, “Why… why did

you quit halfway, my friend? It can’t be because the gun
scared you. Why did you stop after taking just half?” Despite
what had just happened, Alvin’s voice was surprisingly calm.
Yoo-seong did not respond immediately. Half of Alvin’s CE

was now in his core. However, he felt cheated as he realized
the ridiculous deception of Alvin’s ability.
‘How much is it?’ he asked himself. ‘About 160,000?’
That was the total amount of CE in Alvin’s core. It was an

unexpectedly ordinary amount for someone who had held
the top hunter position over several generations. It was
greatly inferior to what Yoo-seong had taken from the two
Ship Zones in terms of quantity.
Just a little earlier, as he and Alvin had exchanged blows,

he’d experienced it firsthand. Unlike Yoo-seong, who spent
thousands of CE on each blow, Alvin’s Aura use was
minimal. Therefore, it would be right to assume that taking
half of Alvin’s core wouldn’t do much against him. His power
would be unchanged.
For someone like Alvin, the amount of CE in his core wasn’t
important.
“Damn it,” Yoo-seong muttered to himself.
“What are you thinking?” Alvin prompted him.
“We can’t overdo it. If I get rid of you completely, the

consequences will be more annoying than facing you.”
Alvin looked stunned for a moment. However, after a few

moments, he understood Yoo-seong’s reasoning.
“Oh my…” He blushed and looked sincerely regretful.

“You’re right.”
“We could easily blow up this whole plane,” Yoo-seong

added. “But would you be ready for what would happen
next?”
“…..!”
“If you’re confident you can knock me out without making a

hole in this plane, or if you’re secure enough in your political
standing regardless of what might happen, then let’s go.”
Yoo-seong was only able to ride in the US Vice President’s

plane because no one knew about it. However, if the plane
crashed with him inside it, it would be a very different story,
something with a massive impact around the world.
No matter how great Alvin’s political power, this was the

United States. This was a country that took pride in its
counterterrorism effort. How would a country with a trauma
such as theirs react to news of the Vice President’s plane
crashing?
“Once it was made known that there were two hunters
involved in the plane crash…” Yoo-seong paused for a
moment and bit his lip. “I’m not that knowledgeable in
terms of foreign politics, but this would obviously be a
massive problem, don’t you think?”
A few minutes ago, Yoo-seong’s words wouldn’t have had

any impact on Alvin. But now, he was on the verge of taking
the mental advantage. Alvin had shared his plans, and
through his own words, Yoo-seong had grasped his
weakness.
Besides…
“You told me we’re similar, so you’ve probably thought

about this as well,” Yoo-seong continued. “Completing your
grand plan will be like walking on a tight rope if this plane
crashes.”
Everything could go wrong based just on
“Ironically, no matter how much you plan, luck and

probability always play a part in the end.”
And, in that case, Yoo-seong was superior.
Both of them had their own plans for moving forward.

However, which of them had the highest stakes and would
suffer the biggest fall if something went wrong?
“That makes sense,” Alvin said after a while.
The Aura rising around his body seemed calmer.
All the while, he had been thinking about how to deal with
Yoo-seong without damaging the plane. After completing the
preparation of his Aura and muscles, he was ready to
attack.
“Now… it’s my turn!” Alvin launched forward.
However…
“No. There will be no such thing.” Yoo-seong raised his

hand.
Kook-!
“Huh?!”
Alvin, who had tried to quickly narrow the distance between

them, could not move. Tens of thousands of invisible threads
engulfed his body.
“Holding your opponent in place by talking to distract them.

Isn’t that a familiar technique?” Yoo-seong asked him.
Of course, in Yoo-seong’s case, the trap he’d made was

much more elaborate than Alvin’s. As he spoke, elaborate
spider webs had stretched out all over the cabin.
“You will never be able to get out of it,” Yoo-seong warned.

“I have tied an infinite number of layers together.”
“You’re wrong.” Alvin raised his Aura and scoffed.
Jjjiiik-!
The spider web threads, which could not be destroyed even

by a nine-star monster, were breaking apart as Alvin forced
his way out!
However…
Blagag-!
“What…” Alvin’s eyes shifted to the source of the noise.
It wasn’t just the webs that were being torn apart by his
movement.
“Sorry,” Yoo-seong said. “I knew you were going to do that,

so…”
The webs weren’t intended to bind Alvin’s body.
It was a different sort of trap. Their actual purpose was to

connect Alvin’s body to every nook and cranny of the plane.
When Alvin began forcing his way out of the webs…
Blagagag-!
A side of the aircraft began to tear apart as well.
“Goddam-!”
A strong gust of wind drowned out Alvin’s curses.
Wheeeik-!
Yoo-seong was already moving. As the plane tilted, he

caught Eugene’s hand.
“Ugh!”
Through Auto-Hunt, Yoo-seong already knew every crew

member’s location in the cabin and where the parachutes
were. Yoo-seong handed Eugene a parachute and let him fly
out of the plane. Then Yoo-seong began moving back and
forth throughout the plane.
Two flight stewardesses.
Two pilots.
One by one, all the civilians on the plane were parachuted

out.
Before he let them go, he did not forget to show them

Alvin’s writhing body and the wall he had torn off. When the
last of the crew had safely left the rapidly-falling plane…
“You!” Alvin screamed at Yoo-seong.
He was in a dilemma.
The plane crash wouldn’t be enough to kill him, but he was

still entangled in the web. Every time he tried to pull away,
part of the plane started tearing apart.
“Calm down,” Yoo-seong said. “You’ll live.”
Auto-Hunt was already trying to move Yoo-seong out of the

plane. However, before he left, he looked around the cabin
and then at the desperate Alvin.
Then his hands reached for something – the whiskey bottle.
Poong-!
He smashed it on Alvin’s head and watched his body get

soaked. Alvin opened his eyes and seethed as he
understood what Yoo-seong had just done.
“Very well…” he said with a bitter tone. “I have learned my

lesson and will remember it clearly until the next time we
meet.”
“Perhaps that will be when I come to visit you in jail,” Yoo-
seong smirked. Then, just before jumping out of the plane,
he raised a closed fist toward Alvin.
“Good luck, President!”
***
The National Guard headquarters, Nevada.
On the parade field in front of the Third Air Defense Shelter,

Chae Shin-young was biting her nails anxiously.
‘Where the hell are you…?’
The last three days had been a mad time for her. After Yoo-
seong literally flew off to the United States, it was on her to
secure all the necessary paperwork and go through the
procedures.
She hadn’t slept properly, and her phone had rung

endlessly. US Military officers had kept asking her the same
questions.
-When is he coming?
-Where is he?
Yoo-seong’s location could not be determined.
She hadn’t any idea if he was still alive until his photos in
Hawaii had gone viral on social media a couple of days ago.
That had made her life more difficult.
The military and defense officials had begun pecking harder

at her.
How could this woman, who was supposed to be Yoo-
seong’s manager, not have any idea where he was?
The operation had to begin as soon as possible.
She had been warned that her security clearance might be

revoked if she continued to fail in calling Yoo-seong.
Chae Shin-young had seldom cried since she was young, but
these past few days, she had been on the verge of a
breakdown.
Just then…
“……..?”
She heard something.
It was the sound of something heavy falling from above.

Before she even raised her head…
Kwa-ang!!
Something fell from the sky right in front of her, sending dirt
everywhere. And it wasn’t just Chae Shin-young who
witnessed it.
In an instant, a loud alarm rang throughout the base.
“Wow.” A familiar voice came through the cloud of dirt. “I

didn’t think you’d come this far. You worked hard.”
Chae Shin-young didn’t know what to say. As she had

worked herself to death the past few days, she’d sworn she
would scold him when they saw each other again.
But now, all she could say was…

“How did you… find me here?”
“Oh, I used what I have.” Yoo-seong held out his phone to

Chae Shin-young. Through the speaker, she could hear an
automated voice.
“Special Defense Agency employee tracking service,

successful.”
“Come on,” Yoo-seong smiled at her. “Let’s get to work.”

Chapter 159
The alarm blared through the base.
Troops immediately arrived at the scene, but no

confrontation arose.
First of all, an Asian man had just fallen from the sky.
Secondly, despite that ridiculous situation, he was now

casually talking to the Korean Special Defense Agency
representative, Chae Shin-young.
Nobody would misunderstand the scene. Everyone knew

who the man was, even if it was the first time they had seen
him.
Besides, the base’s top-ranked official was already with him.

He’d witnessed what had happened with his own eyes, but
rather than awe, he felt somewhat frustrated.
“Next time, I hope you go through the proper security

channels. We have a gate,” the man said with a stern
expression.
Chae Shin-young immediately translated his words to Yoo-

seong. The middle-aged man was Colonel Mike Francis
Foley, whose position was second only to the State Defense
Commander.
Before Yoo-seong could respond, the stubborn colonel spoke

again. “I don’t know if you don’t respect the military in your
country. But here… I hope you behave properly, even just
for the sake of saving your country’s face.”
Although Yoo-seong couldn’t understand the words, the tone

was obviously sarcastic. Chae Shin-young translated it
without changing the words, but she lowered her tone as if
trying to urge Yoo-seong to be rational.
“…..”
With an unreadable expression, Yoo-seong told her, “Please

relay this clearly.”
“Okay…” Chae Shin-young was worried. ‘You can’t be

thinking about fighting him,’ she thought. She was
frightened as to what might happen. Beads of cold sweat
flowed down her back, and she felt lightheaded. The only
thing in her mind right then was how she could subtly
change what Yoo-seong would say.
However…
“I sincerely apologize,” Yoo-seong said.
“Huh? What?”
“Chae Shin-young?” Yoo-seong raised an eyebrow at her.

“Let me finish.”
Chae Shin-young bit her lip.
Yoo-seong turned his head to the colonel and spoke to him

directly. “As you said, breaking in without permission was
wrong and inexcusable. As I was trying to reach Chae Shin-
young quickly, tracking her phone, I made an
unintentionally disrespectful move. I had no intention of
disrespecting the Colonel and the Nevada State Guard.”
Yoo-seong made eye contact with the colonel as he spoke,
and Chae Shin-young translated in almost real-time, only
one phrase late. After speaking, Yoo-seong humbly bowed
his head to the colonel.
It was obvious to the colonel that there was no deception in

the translation, just a pure, polite apology. He acknowledged
it with a simple nod.
“Okay… Let’s make it quick. I hope you faithfully follow the

rules as long as you’re here. Our relationship is one of
cooperation. It would be great if we could finish the
operation without clashing with each other.”
“That’s right,” Yoo-seong agreed.
The colonel then moved on to another matter, signifying

that the situation was over.
“I gave the briefing to your manager. It will be much more

efficient if she gives it to you in your language rather than
go through the hassle of interpreting.”
Then the colonel turned around and left them. Yoo-seong

turned to Chae Shin-young.
“What was that just now? Why did you go ‘huh, what?’ in
the middle of translating?”
“…….”
She didn’t know how to respond.
“Well, I… I thought you would complain about…”
“You thought I would be dissatisfied?” Yoo-seong looked

surprised. “Isn’t he right? I’ve been in the military myself. If
a foreigner just came to our premises, we would surely get
angry. Surely you didn’t think I was so arrogant as not to
realize my mistake?” he asked.
“That…” Chae Shin-young was speechless.
“Also, we are here on business bearing our country’s flag.

My actions will reflect on our Special Defense Agency.”
Chae Shin-young began to consider. ‘Do I have some trivial

prejudice against Yoo-seong?’
“Well, what’s done is done, so I don’t want to take too long.

It’s a little sad, though, that you underestimate my
intelligence…”
“Oh, if you…”
“Let’s talk about the briefing,” Yoo-seong cut her off.
At this, Chae Shin-young effortlessly conveyed the briefing

to Yoo-seong. “The amounts they talked about are the same
as the ambassador told us in Korea. Of course, it will remain
the same unless you negotiate for a revision,” she finished.
“What kind of monsters are they talking about?”
“It’s… they didn’t disclose anything about the monster

species in the operation area. I don’t think they have that
information.”
“Unconfirmed?” Yoo-seong’s eyes widened. “Until now? A

few days have already passed since the crack opened.”
Yoo-seong couldn’t hide his surprise. Of course, he’d been

expecting that the monster or monsters in question were
something really powerful. Otherwise, Miracle Boy’s juniors
would have been enough to take on the job. They wouldn’t
have had to reach out across the Pacific to contact Yoo-
seong.
However, it didn’t make sense that they could not even get
the minimum of information about the monsters after such a
long time.
Chae Shin-young took a few photos from a manila envelope.

“Here you go,” she said as she handed them over.
Satellite photographs and an aerial view of the operation

area. Natsville was a small town, an old western frontier
built in the wilderness of Nevada.
However, it couldn’t be seen in the photos. Something was

blocking the view.
‘Fog? Or some kind of a gel-type shield?’ Yoo-seong thought.
The village was covered in a dull, gray film.
“Per their observation, the gray film started to spread out

right after the crack was created, and it stopped right after
it covered the entire village.”
“What about the hunters who entered?”
“They sent a total of eighty-six people. Of those, eighty-five

were existing hunters who were deployed after the creation
of the rift. The other one…”
Yoo-seong nodded and finished her sentence. “The other

one was a special force sent after those eighty-five people.”
Chae Shin-young’s eyebrow raised a little, but she continued

speaking. “Action cams and communicators don’t work
inside the gray area. Fourteen hours after all eighty-five
hunters failed to return, the National Guard dispatched
another hunter.”
“Of course, he would have been carrying different

communication equipment that should have worked?”
Chae Shin-young nodded. “It’s said that he came in with

different types of equipment, but the only one that worked
was the most basic. A beeper that used Morse code.”
But that hadn’t lasted long either.
“He reported that the village was empty. Then the signal got
cut off. They haven’t heard from him since.” Chae Shin-
young leaned in closer. “Your special mission is to rescue
that person. Bring him back no matter what state he’s in.”
Then Chae Shin-young leaned back and narrowed her eyes

as if she thought it was a little strange.
“Certainly… something is weird,” she muttered. “They didn’t

even talk about the eighty-five people who went in first. I
feel that the focus is on the one missing person rather than
the gray curtain covering the village right now…” she
added.
“Wouldn’t that be natural?”
“Yes?”
“The one in there is version two of Miracle Boy.”
Yoo-seong, with a matter-of-fact tone, began telling Chae

Shin-young what he’d been through after leaving Korea. The
trouble in Hawaii and what happened when he arrived in
California.
Of course, he left out some personal details, but…
Even the gist of the story was enough to make Chae Shin-
young exclaim in surprise.
“This is too, too…”
“…big, yes,” Yoo-seong helped her.
It was definitely something huge, even in her experience.

She was a sheriff in the Special Defense Agency. More than
capturing dangerous hunters who committed crimes, she’d
also had to undertake various forms of dirty work to stop
foreign entities from trying to use or take out domestic
hunters.
“But this scale, my… God damn it! I don’t know what to say!
Do you know what you’ve done?”
“I always know what I’m doing.”
“Well, such a person…! It’s Alvin Hawkins! The US Vice

President’s son!” Chae Shin-young exclaimed. “This isn’t
something you can take responsibility for yourself. No, no
matter what you think, you shouldn’t even try!”
This was an entirely different story. It was a high-level

problem far beyond simply hunting monsters and closing
rifts. The situation involved foreign companies, and there
were astronomical amounts at stake.
Yoo-seong shouldn’t have intervened in Hawaii in the first

place. If he had quietly contacted Chae Shin-young once he
arrived in California, the terrible situation would have been
avoided.
“If anything goes wrong… How many ramifications will come
as a result of your actions?!”
“Hmm.”
“Really, who do you think you are to…”
“I’m a hunter.” Yoo-seong’s firm voice cut off Chae Shin-

young’s words.
“What?! For a man calling himself a hunter…”
“Why wouldn’t I get involved in such a situation, regardless

of the scale?”
Politicians and entrepreneurs had the same choices as

hunters. To make society better for its citizens or to keep
creating more wealth for themselves. Every word they said
or action they took could affect the lives of countless others.
“They have power, and they take for granted the fact that
their actions can have consequences for other people’s
lives,” Yoo-seong stated.
Weren’t they here because they were trying to avoid the

eyes of those in power in Korea?
“But I, as a hunter… I have power, too, and a lot of it. Why

can’t I do something that will affect other people?”
“Well, do you think that makes sense?” Chae Shin-young

challenged him.
“I’m not saying it makes sense. But it is the reality.”
Yoo-seong was firmly convinced that he was right.

“Anyway, even if I choose not to get involved, another
person will use their power to make waves around the
world. What I want is to decide the direction of the waves at
my disposal.”
“You consider yourself the world’s justice. You think you’re

always right and can never be wrong,” Chae Shin-young
scoffed.
“Not at all!” Yoo-seong laughed.
Justice.
“I don’t want to make everything right in the world,” he

explained. “But I can’t just keep still while something is
going wrong around me. It’s my personality.”
‘And I desperately want this personality to change,’ he

wanted to add. ‘As I told Alvin, everything is a matter of luck
and probability. I don’t know what’s waiting for me, but I
eagerly hope that I can find something that will make me
feel satisfied enough to take my weary body out of this
battle.’
“I… I… I don’t know.” Chae Shin-young shook her head.

“Why would the Director like a person like you? He trusts
you so much… You just…”
“It’s probably because I’m a risky ball, and he doesn’t know

where I’ll bounce next,” Yoo-seong agreed.
Then Yoo-seong turned around and started walking toward

Natsville, the operation area.
“Please tell the colonel one thing for sure,” he said. “I

haven’t stamped the contract yet. What I will receive in
return for this operation, I will negotiate after the hunt.”
“Do you think they will accept those ridiculous terms?!”
“They will,” Yoo-seong affirmed without even looking back.

Chapter 160
“You want to change the terms of the transaction?”
The colonel frowned upon hearing Yoo-seong’s position from

his lieutenant. Still, he grabbed his handset immediately
and made a call. He was a soldier, after all. Regardless of his
opinion, it was not his place to make judgments.
It now all depended on someone “higher.”
‘-Accept his request.’
“…Affirmative,” the colonel acknowledged the order.
‘-Report the situation by the minute. Securing the target is

our top priority. We’ll deal with compensation later.’
As soon as the call ended, the colonel turned to his

lieutenant. “Tell Oh Yoo-seong…”
“I’m sorry, sir.” The lieutenant looked embarrassed. “He’s

waiting for you in the car. He says as soon as he hears the
result from you, he will leave immediately,” he added.
“Hmm… I see.” The colonel nodded.
‘He’s taking it for granted,’ he thought. ‘It seems he is sure

he’s going to be approved no matter what.’
The colonel didn’t know how to deal with this man, who had
just demanded a blank check.
‘He doesn’t seem like a man who would go back and forth in
a negotiation.’
The last time they were face to face, Oh Yoo-seong had

humbly apologized to him. The colonel had felt the sincerity,
even though it was shared through an interpreter. Of course,
the colonel knew very well that personality had nothing to
do with business-related matters.
He had already met thousands of hunters from all ranks.

This Oh Yoo-seong was one of those who knew how to fight
back.
Still, he wouldn’t stand up to a powerful opponent such as

the United States without calculating his risk.
‘He must know something valuable to be that confident,’ the

colonel decided. ‘I have to learn what it is…’
As the colonel walked toward the car, he took out his cell
phone and began browsing. He checked the news, not as a
high-ranking military officer but as a patriotic citizen.
“…..”
The results weren’t very good.
The Hawaii Rift was a trending topic not only in the nation
but also globally.
Unclosed cracks had first been revealed to the public in

Tokyo. In that case, things had worked out well, and there
had not been many questions about it. The media and the
citizens had not understood what they were seeing. It was
much easier to believe that a pulse breaker malfunction had
caused it.
However, what had happened in Hawaii was different.
It was an area where hunters and local residents were

closely intertwined. It had been the worst place for an
unclosed crack to appear.
Immediately after the complex incident, a deluge of facts

and rumors had flooded the Internet. And the colonel knew
it was just the beginning.
Soon, the rumors would spread not only from Tokyo and
Hawaii but also in those places where the unclosed cracks
were. Citizens would certainly spread photos and articles
about unclosed cracks in their areas. Soon, the inevitable
would happen. Governments around the world would not be
able to cover up the existence of unclosed rifts anymore.
‘How long will it take? Half a year? Three months?’
It wouldn’t be long before governments had no choice but to

announce it to the world.
Until now, there had only been one proven solution to these
unclosed cracks. The reality was surely bound to make
people angry and frustrated. This would mean that a single
hunter, a single country, could monopolize the industry!
However, more than that, those who were older and had
experienced life without hunters would feel something else.
Fear.
It was the natural reaction to an unusual catastrophe that

could not be understood or prevented. Colonel Mike Foley
couldn’t help but feel it himself. He clearly remembered the
horrors of what had happened twenty years ago.
Even first-world countries hadn’t been able to prevent the
riots and looting in the streets. The economy was
overturned, and society eventually collapsed.
It was hard to believe now, but before, every time the rift
alarm went off, vehicles would crash on the streets, and
civilians would die in stampedes. Opportunists had begun to
build “shelters” and scammed people into buying
occupancy rights. Pseudo-religions had begun popping up
left and right, and many of the heads of these churches
grew in status to the point where they were as famous and
influential as present-day hunters.
‘It was apocalyptic.’ He shuddered as he remembered the

experience. ‘The public won’t react as strongly this time, in
the beginning.’
Even those who had already experienced the horrors of

twenty years ago now felt secure because of the hunters.
However, if the public considered the published statistical
data, they would quickly realize that the hunters were
bound to reach their limits soon.
As soon as they realized this, the fear and panic that would
be unleashed would be out of control. Recognizing that
there was no one who could save them, those very humans
the governments were trying to protect would turn into far
more terrifying monsters.
Perhaps the heads of state knew this.
However, rather than finding a solution to the unclosed

cracks, they were desperately preparing something that
could appease the public, and the United States already had
theirs ready.
Miracle Boy Version 2.

It was more than something that could appease the public.
The colonel hadn’t seen the Boy himself, but they all said
that this one had more abilities and skills compared to Alvin
Hawkins.
The only problem was it lacked experience.
‘But if it’s even stronger than Alvin,’ the colonel thought,

‘what would it need experience for?’
With that thought, the colonel arrived at the Humvee, where

Yoo-seong was waiting.
“Nice to see you again.” Yoo-seong waved at him.
The woman, his manager, was nowhere to be seen. The

colonel wanted to ask about her but changed his mind and
got straight to the main point.
“We accept your terms,” he said.
Yoo-seong nodded, then spoke. “I’m going.”
The colonel raised his eyebrows at the poor but

understandable English.
“Now? Immediately? Without your interpreter?” he asked.
“I do not care. Because she can’t go in with me.”
After hesitating for a moment, the colonel nodded and got

into the car. The Humvee started right away.
“So… you know how to speak English,” he remarked to Yoo-

seong.
“Just”—Yoo-seong showed him a small gap between his

thumb and index finger—”little.” He chuckled before asking
once more, “You? Which is it?”
The colonel looked confused. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Politics. I’m talking.”
“…..”
The colonel bit his lip as he considered. Then he gave a

politically correct answer.
“I am a soldier. I will always stand on the side of my

country.”
“Me too. Although the standards will be relative.” Yoo-seong

nodded. Then his forehead furrowed as if he were trying to
compose another question.
“Do you have anything else you want to ask?” the colonel
prompted him.
Instead of answering, Yoo-seong nodded his head to beyond

the Humvee’s windshield.
“From now on, where I am going. Very dangerous. Why you

send a valuable hunter there?”
The colonel considered for a moment. Then he answered the

question he shouldn’t have.
“Because it’s an excellent opportunity.”
“Opportunity?”
“We wanted the hunter to accumulate experience and

results in such a difficult situation.”
“Nonsense.” Yoo-seong cut through the colonel’s words.

“It’s not an area where you can judge…”
“It does not make sense. From the factory, you throw out
the sample like that?”
“….!”
In an instant, the colonel drew out his gun and aimed it at

Yoo-seong. It was of a caliber that could stop a high-ranked
monster in its tracks.
“How did you know about it?!” The veins on the colonel’s
neck stood out.
“Someone told me,” Yoo-seong responded matter-of-factly.
Even though a gun was being aimed at him point-blank, Yoo-

seong behaved as if it weren’t there.
“You can’t deny it. It’s nonsense, right?”
The colonel was silent.
Yoo-seong was right. He could not deny it.
Obviously, Miracle Boy Version 2 was destined for greatness.

There had been mass productions of elite soldiers with
slightly lesser abilities than Alvin Hawkins, but this one was
even greater than the original.
More so, the existence of a second Miracle Boy could mean

that a third and a fourth might soon follow. As soon as the
production process was perfected, countless hunters could
be turned into Miracle Boys.
It was one thing that the government could use to appease

the American public, no, the whole world!
In addition, the United States would be in a perfect position
to dominate the industry, not only with equipment but also
by supplying Miracle Boys.
And so, it really had been nonsense to send out the first
successful copy just like that.
‘For what reason?’ the colonel questioned himself. ‘To gain

experience? Bullshit.’
When he’d heard the news that the Miracle Boy Version 2
was being dispatched, that was truly how he had felt.
Anyone of American nationality would have felt that way.

Version 2 did not need to go through an actual hunt. His
purpose was to serve as the key to mass production.
‘Then why was he sent to Nashville?’
The colonel knew the answer in his heart. It consisted of two

words.
Alvin Hawkins.
The original Miracle Boy, the unique American hero, was

now on the verge of losing his title.
His influence and power had been enough to send his father
into the Vice President’s seat. Still, even if he or the Vice
President had wished it, the government shouldn’t have
wasted Version 2. But no one could stand in their way.
It was as Yoo-seong had asked him before.
‘-Politics. I’m talking.’
“You’re right,” the colonel admitted grudgingly. “It’s

nonsense.”
Then he asked Yoo-seong, “I’m… not on either side, but
which side are you on? Alvin Hawkins’? Or vice versa?”
“Well? Who said I was on his side?” Yoo-seong shrugged.
The colonel felt relieved. Deep in his heart, he had wanted

to hear those words from Yoo-seong.
Unfortunately, it did not end there.
“If I rescue it…” Yoo-seong stared into the colonel’s eyes.
“Maybe. Maybe you can talk. To the living Miracle Boy. He

knows why he was put in.”
“Well, what…”
Suddenly, Yoo-seong’s hands moved.
The colonel reflexively pulled the trigger, but nothing

happened. His pistol, cut in half, fell to the floor of the
Humvee with a clang.
“How do you think he will react?” Yoo-seong added.
Even if he hadn’t said it, the colonel understood what Yoo-

seong was insinuating. Miracle Boy Version 2 was also
human. Perhaps he was now feeling confused about his
situation. They had probably told him that the operation he
was being sent into wasn’t a big deal. However, now,
trapped in a dangerous place, in need of rescue…
If he realized that it was all because of political

maneuvering…
Yoo-seong’s voice turned cold. “They say the U.S.A. respects

individual freedoms…”
The colonel felt beads of sweat flowing down his back. The
American Miracle might no longer be an ‘American’ Miracle.
If the Boy chose to leave the country…
Or if, in doing so, he opened his mouth to the public about

the injustice he’d suffered…
“No!” the colonel yelled unintentionally.
“Okay,” Yoo-seong casually answered. “So, what do you

think is the right compensation for me?”
The colonel was stunned as he realized what Yoo-seong was

saying.
The blank check Yoo-seong had demanded wasn’t for a

simple rescue operation. He was asking the colonel how
much he valued the heart of America itself.
“Oh, we’re here. I can see it.” Yoo-seong smiled with

excitement.
Beyond the Humvee’s windshield, there was Nashville and

Miracle Boy Version 2 waiting for them.
Chapter 161
Yoo-seong took the action cam out of his slot and turned it
on.
The United States should have provided him with their

action camera. However, they must have been thinking
about the gray curtain’s ability to block reception.
It would be impossible to send out footage from an action

cam.
‘Still, it would have been possible for me to record and show

it to them once I’m outside,’ Yoo-seong thought. However, in
the end, there was no request for such.
He also felt the lack of instructions was confusing.
‘It’s as if they don’t care about this operation at all,’ he

thought as he looked at the gray wall ahead.
Then he pressed the button.
Swish-!
Auto-Hunt threw him directly against the wall.
He didn’t feel anything as his skin touched the fuzzy

surface. However, as soon as he was inside, he felt
something abnormal in the air.
The composition of the air was far different from the
outside.
It wasn’t impossible to breathe, but a normal human would

have had difficulty doing so because of the low amount of
oxygen in the air.
Of course, that wasn’t a problem for hunters like Yoo-seong.
Despite the abnormal state of the air, it felt somehow

familiar to him.
‘This…’
Yoo-seong briefly turned off Auto-Hunt and hid in the

nearest building—a gas station.
The smell and taste in his nose and mouth… It was the
same sensation he’d felt in the alien world, where he had
stayed for six months!
From the inside, the gray film was not visible. He could see
far beyond the boundaries as if the curtain did not exist at
all.
As Yoo-seong moved closer, he observed that the film was

there, but it was transparent.
He could feel the wind flowing through it.
‘That means that objects could pass through this barrier,’ he

realized.
electronic devices, there should be no problem going in and

out of the gray-curtained area.
However, the gray film did seem to have a function,

probably to control a specific land area and make it the
same as the world beyond the crack.
Yoo-seong looked down.
On the side of the paved road, where the soil was exposed,
a young, purple leaf was shyly sticking out.
“Purple dip?!” Yoo-seong muttered.
It was a plant that had the efficacy of a tranquilizer without

any side effects. However, it only grew in the alien world,
making it hard for it to be researched for commercialization.
However, now, it had taken root and sprouted in the middle

of the Nevada desert.
Yoo-seong looked up at the crack above them. Humans

considered it to be hell, but it was closer to being an entirely
different world, with its own ecosystems. Therefore, it was
not uncommon for plant seeds or harmless creatures such
as insects and rodents to fall out of cracks.
The authorities required mandatory reporting and

confiscation of objects from the rift in order to prevent
accidents.
Moreover, these things did not survive in this world.
However, the land within the gray curtain seemed to be

ignoring this law of nature. Yoo-seong raised his head and
looked around.
It seemed that the Purple Dip wasn’t only the alien living
thing in Nashville.
Bouung-!
He heard the familiar sound of a Bascofly’s wings.

The six-winged dragonfly darted in front of Yoo-seong’s
eyes. This harmless insect, almost as thin as paper, was like
a honeybee in the alien world. They carried pollen around
with their legs, fertilizing plants and making reproduction
possible.
If this were to go on for one or two months, Yoo-seong

pondered, Nashville, which looked like an abandoned
western village, would be completely transformed into a
part of the alien world.
Yoo-seong looked up the crack once more.
‘Strange,’ he thought, ‘there don’t seem to be any

monsters.’
He had not been attacked since he arrived. The only reason

why no monsters would appear in a wide-open crack would
be…
‘A strong presence that could drive them away.’
Perhaps the gray film was produced by a single monster.

Through the Habaek and the Thunder Ape, Yoo-seong was
already familiar with beasts that could control natural
phenomena.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled to no one in particular. “I got in

your way.”
Then he pressed the button again to let Auto-Hunt continue

what it was doing.
Go-oh-oh-!
Aura filled the tattoo on Yoo-seong’s left leg. There were a

total of six tattoos on his body, and even he would not know
their exact abilities until they revealed themselves, as with
the one on his left arm.
‘What kind of ability is in the left leg?’ he thought.
It didn’t take long for the answer to manifest.
“……!”
Enhance.
It was a principle that was widely used in Tech as well as in

martial arts. It was also a process of increasing the strength
and function of a body part by using Aura.
However, if you were to go into a more profound state from

there, you would soon reach a level where your senses were
maximized. With this, a hunter could become tens of
thousands of times more sensitive than ordinary people.
Hunters themselves knew about this potential, but

enhancing their senses wasn’t really a priority.
It was a martial arts technique that read life energy, and

through it, predicted another creature’s capabilities and
even intentions.
Naturally, it was a pointless skill for modern hunters. They

didn’t have any need to feel empathy toward the monsters
they hunted.
However, Yoo-seong had experience with the Turtle Dragon,

the Habaek, and the Thunder Ape. He understood that these
beings had the ability to manipulate CE, even more so than
veteran hunters. But what Yoo-seong was feeling right now
was…
“Oooh.”
Yoo-seong’s tattoo was currently detecting tens of

thousands of CEs in a matter of seconds. It was not an
ability that could just detect giants, but…
“Three hundred… no, maybe five hundred meters…”
A radius began spreading out from where he stood, and he

could feel all subjects with CE clearly.
Not only beings like the Habaek; he could even capture the
movements of wild beasts and insects within that radius.
These included even creatures at the microscopic level,

which Yoo-seong hadn’t even been aware of before. His
head began to spin at the unexpected overload.
‘You need to get used to this.’ He gritted his teeth.
On the other hand, Yoo-seong caught something.
Southeast.
In a straight line of about four hundred meters from his

current location, fifteen CE vessels were moving about,
albeit in a limited space. Then…
Bang-!
Auto-Hunt began speeding toward the group. Perhaps

wanting to be discreet, it did not use Explosive Acceleration
or Steel Steps.
Rather, it chose the most basic Spider Walk to move quickly.
Yoo-seong quickly arrived in a half-constructed building. It

looked as if the construction had been abandoned abruptly,
and machines and equipment lay around unattended.
Someone immediately recognized his presence.
“Who is that?!”
The man spoke in English, and tension was high in his voice.
Yoo-seong immediately turned off Auto-Hunt and raised his
hands as a sign of peace.
“Don’t worry. Here to rescue,” Yoo-seong responded in

broken English.
There was no answer for a while. Then, after a few minutes,

a hunter came out and beckoned to him.
“Come this way.”
Yoo-seong followed him behind a pillar of the building and

found a group of hunters.
“You came to rescue us?”
“Are you alone?”
Strangely, they were asking him in Korean.
Yoo-seong immediately counted them in his head. There

were only fourteen.
The one who seemed to be their leader stepped up and

introduced himself to Yoo-seong.
“My name is Mark Dukov, Team A leader.” He, too, spoke in

Korean.
“Oh Yoo-seong.”
After completing the brief introduction, Yoo-seong
immediately asked him, “Can’t you get out of the gray
curtain? No one here seems to be injured.”
Mark shook his head. “The situation is not that good. I’m not
sure what kind of danger lies outside.”
“I haven’t encountered any danger so far. I can’t even feel a

monster around here.”
Mark was silent for a while; then, he turned to one side. “I

have something to show you.”
He pointed toward a hole in the floor leading to the

basement.
“There’s a beast… we hunted it down there.”
Yoo-seong nodded. He felt fifteen CE vessels and counted

fourteen hunters. The last vessel must be somewhere in the
same building.
“What type of beast was it?” he asked.
“Very quick. It was alone, but we would have been

annihilated if we hadn’t worked together. It was a four-
legged beast, something we have never seen before. We
managed to drive it down to the basement…”
“No one else came here? Other teams?”
“We’ve been here a long time, but you’re the only one who’s
come. The other teams are probably annihilated or trapped
like us. Communications are also jammed, so…”
Yoo-seong paused for a while and considered his options.

Then he asked, “So, are you going to stay here? If not, I can
cover for you as you leave through the gray curtain.”
“No.” Mark was determined.
The other team members looked the same.
“We cannot risk our lives on an uncertainty.”
“Then, what should we do?”
Yoo-seong shrugged. “I have work to do. You are free to stay

here if you want, but I can’t hang out and hide with you,” he
said.
Then he turned to leave the building. However…
“Wait up,” Mark called out.
“Yes? Do you want to go with me?”
“Yes. But before that, I want you to see the beast with your
own eyes,” Mark said. “The beast over there… is special. It’s
something you won’t understand unless you actually face
it.”
Yoo-seong raised his eyebrows. “What are you saying?”
“Go down there and observe it yourself. If you figure out

how to deal with it, then we’ll accompany you.”
“…There is nothing that can’t be done,” Yoo-seong smiled.
Mark smiled back as if he was satisfied with Yoo-seong’s

answer. Just then…
Pagak-!
It was a sensation that Yoo-seong hadn’t felt for a long time.
That of a human’s face crushing against his fist.
Mark couldn’t defend himself against the sudden blow. His

body was thrown back, unconscious.
Upon hitting the ground, it convulsed several times.
“You were clever, but you made a mistake. Three, actually,”

Yoo-seong said.
The team members silently surrounded him with

expressionless faces. They didn’t even blink.
‘Just like dolls,’ Yoo-seong thought.
“The first mistake was… Well, it’s a trade secret.”
The fifteenth CE that Yoo-seong had felt was huge beyond

imagination. Based on what Mark had described, was it
possible for a beast with such excellent abilities and
enormous CE to be contained in the basement?
“It’s the same with the second mistake. That’s also a trade
secret.”
The place where the fifteenth CE vessel was located was not
underground, as Mark had described. It was on the rooftop
of the building.
Then why was Mark leading him in the opposite direction?

Was it to keep him from the beast or to trap him in the
basement?
Perhaps it was both. What was certain was that Mark and
the rest of Team A were acting for the benefit of the beast.
“Oh, but the third mistake was too much. Really.”

Almost simultaneously…
Tatak-!
The thirteen team members ran toward Yoo-seong in unison.
“It’s impossible for all of you to be that good at Korean.”
Everyone in the team looked Caucasian, even Mark.
Although he had met Americans who could speak Korean

well, what were the chances that an entire team of active
American hunters knew how to speak his language?
They didn’t even know he was Korean in the first place.
Yoo-seong’s fists moved as he yelled out, “Korean is not that

easy to learn, kids!”
Chapter 162
Episode 162
Wheeik-!
The sound of whips slicing through the air resonated within

the vicinity.
Tada-!
Whips extended from two opposite directions and caught

each of Yoo-seong’s arms. It was a tool called EE-Whip
(Electric Eel Whip).
The hunters who had thrown the whips then activated the
winders that were attached to their hips.
The equipment used the hunter’s CE as fuel for its motor. In

addition, the winders were connected to the hunters’ suits.
This meant that, even without the motor, the hunters could
pull their prey simply by moving backward.
The EE-Whip had been designed with such tremendous

efficiency that it could pull a dozen tons while only
consuming five hundred CE.
Thanks to that, despite being mass-produced equipment, it

had a high rating of 4-stars (★★★★).
Despite that, the EE-Whip’s restraining strength alone

wouldn’t be enough to stop Yoo-seong.
However…
“……!”
An electric shock flowed through the whips and into Yoo-

seong’s body.
The EE-Whip’s mechanism could convert its user’s CE into

an electric shock. Of course, compared to a real Thunderbolt
Psy, the quality of the attack could be considered lacking.
But, on the other hand, the fact that a mass-produced item
could have this function…
“Uggghh!”
Yoo-seong collapsed as eight electricity-charged whips

wound around his limbs and body.
As their eight colleagues restrained Yoo-seong, the other

five hunters went to work.
Cheek-!
An elongated rod popped out from each of their arms.
This was the Needle Harpoon.
Like the EE-Whip, it was a mass-produced, four-star weapon.

It had the thickness of a normal iron rod but was shaped like
a needle with one pointed end.
What made it dangerous was not the needle’s sharp point

but the built-in gunpowder mechanism deep within. When
the tip of the rod came in contact with its target, and the
hunter pulled the trigger, an explosion produced by the
synthesis of the gunpowder and the hunter’s CE promptly
erupted from the tip of the needle.
The machine artificially created a high-level Aura technique
comparable to the efficiency of Yoo-seong’s Blade.
Even beasts with tough armor, such as the Gray Ant Queen,
had proved to be helpless against the Needle Harpoon.
There were a lot of tools like the EE-Whip and the Needle
Harpoon that represented the hunting industry in the United
States.
A hunter did not need to be exceptional to deliver excellent

results. The privileges of science and technology would soon
fill their deficiencies.
Tick-!
His neck.
His left side.
His right thigh and the back of his left calf.
The middle of his abdomen.
Yoo-seong could feel pressure on five different parts of his

body.
In the next moment…
Furoong-!
The five hunters turned their attack up to the maximum.

The tremendous impact of the Needle poured into Yoo-
seong’s body.
The sharp explosion that followed made the hunters bounce

back. Then, after the glare had subsided, they carefully
assessed their prey.
The attack seemed to have been a success. Yoo-seong was
lying face down on the ground, with blood coming out of his
mouth.
However… that was it.
Strangely, other than the blood coming out of Yoo-seong’s

mouth, he didn’t seem to have any other injuries. It was the
same even on the five pressure points the Needle Harpoon
had aimed at.
The moment the Needle Harpoon touched him, Yoo-seong

had prepared for impact by concentrating Aura on those five
points.
It wasn’t as easy as it sounded, even for a hunter. To

disperse Aura in five points at such accuracy was almost like
acrobatics. Perhaps, if the thirteen hunters around Yoo-
seong had been in a normal state of mind, they would have
paused in wonder and awe at what they had just witnessed.
However…
They weren’t sane.
Cheolkup-!
Without any pause in the action, the hunters began

installing replacements for the worn-out tips of their Needle
Harpoons.
Yoo-seong began to stand up with eight whips wrapped

around his limbs and body.
Just then…
“Huh?!”
Yoo-seong’s body suddenly drooped forward. The hunters
holding him with their whips were pulled by the sudden
change in Yoo-seong’s center of gravity.
Yoo-seong did not miss the gap. He concentrated a massive

amount of Aura on his right arm and…
Bang-!
He swung it up as hard as he possibly could. The whips

around his right arm had such strength that they did not
break, but the hunters holding on to his right arm were
thrown upwards in the process.
Go-oh-oh-!
Next, a blue light fluttered on Yoo-seong’s left arm as he

pulled out his Aura Blade.
Of course, he wouldn’t be able to swing his left arm, but the

momentum of his right arm had brought the whips in the
direction of his left arm’s Blade.
Kwaang-!
The whip snapped upon contact with the sharp Aura Blade.
Yoo-seong felt his right arm come free, but he didn’t have
time to rejoice.
Huwook-!
He immediately leaned back as a Needle Harpoon pierced

through the space where his head had just been. The hunter
who’d tried to stab him was going in the direction of the
Aura Blade’s tip and trying to turn away, but it proved too
late for him.
The end of the Blade pierced through the hunter’s chest.
“Haaab!” Yoo-seong swung his right leg, where he had also

placed a massive amount of Aura.
Just like when he’d swung his arm, the hunters who were
holding his leg were thrown forward with tremendous force.
The two hunters who had been restraining his legs then
smashed against two more hunters charging at Yoo-seong
with their Needle Harpoons.
Yoo-seong immediately swung his Blade and cut off the

whips around his right leg.
He didn’t rush to remove all the whips that still bound him,
though. In doing so, he was restraining the hunters’
movements as much as they were restraining him.
Now, he began to hunt them one by one.
Taah-!
He began pulling each hunter to him without moving a

single step. Then, once within reach, he stabbed them with
his Blade. Because his arms were restrained and he couldn’t
press the button, he used Volcanic Martial Arts instead.
The Plum Blossoms that filled the room with each attack
were at a lower efficiency level than Auto-Hunt, but it was
still too much for these hunters to handle.
Soon, there were only two hunters with Needle Harpoons

left.
“….”
“….”
As if finally realizing that it was impossible to defeat Yoo-
seong, they tried to escape in different directions.
However…
Whoo-!
Yoo-seong swung the arm and leg that were still bound by
the whips. The bodies of the hunters attached to the end of
the whip acted like his weapons, smashing against their
escaping colleagues.
Poof-!
That turned out to be the end of the battle.
All in all, it took Yoo-seong a minute and twenty-one seconds

to finish off the thirteen hunters. All of them were rigid with
Yoo-seong’s Blood technique, yet they were still alive.
Yoo-seong’s attacks were made only to incapacitate them,

not finish them off.
Even the Aura blade wounds he’d left on them wouldn’t

leave scars.
Yoo-seong checked his body’s condition. He had suffered a

mild internal injury from the electric shocks, but it wouldn’t
interfere with his actions.
‘I would be fully recovered after thirty minutes of rest,’ he

thought.
It was an obvious victory and success, but…
‘Damn it,’ he cursed himself.
He thought back to the battle he’d just had. Without Auto-

Hunt, there were several instances in which he felt his
action had been lacking.
For example, after getting a whip wrapped around his left

arm, he could have tried to avoid the other incoming whips
rather than suffering the electric shocks. Besides that, he
was thinking about how he had swung the Aura Blade using
the patterns for the Plum Sword in Volcanic Martial Arts.
Ways he could have been more efficient were passing
through Yoo-seong’s head in retrospect.
If someone else had known what Yoo-seong was thinking

about right now, they would probably have thought he had
gone insane. His performance had been more than
outstanding. The fourteen hunters he’d just overpowered
were gold-ranked veterans at the minimum.
It was also a team with first-rate equipment.
That team could have captured a six- to seven-star monster

alive with no difficulty.
Perhaps other hunters had already experienced the same

introspection as Yoo-seong was for the purpose of doing
better at the next opportunity. However, they wouldn’t have
felt as Yoo-seong did right then. He felt depressed at his
perceived weaknesses.
‘What are you doing? This is not the time to think about it,’
he realized.
He shook his head and began to move. ‘Next time. You have
more battles ahead.’
Bang-!
Yoo-seong went out of the building and began running on

the outer wall.
He used his Enhancement tattoo to detect his prey without
having to press Auto-Hunt.
There was the fifteenth CE vessel, the monster that had

controlled the hunters from the roof of the building.
Despite its powerful manipulative ability, it seemed

physically weak.
In fact, it was trying to escape, but it had only managed to

descend one floor so far. Yoo-seong pressed the button as
he neared his target.
Pagang-!
Auto-Hunt immediately made him burst through the

building’s window into a floor just below the rooftop.
Then Yoo-seong’s eyes widened as his leg stretched out and

smashed against the beast.
‘Is this a… Gray?’
His mouth hung open in surprise as he confirmed the

monster’s appearance before him.
It was probably the exact image people imagined when they

heard the word “alien.” A large, inverted-triangle-shaped
head, disproportionate to its tiny body. A pair of deep, liquid
black eyes that took up much of its face.
Its limbs were just like that of a grade-school-age child.
-….
The creature seemed to be saying something.

Was it because of the damage it had just suffered, or was it
because of fear? Even Yoo-seong’s enhanced hearing
couldn’t make out what the sound was.
Anyway, Auto-Hunt didn’t seem to think that what it was

saying was important.
Pak-!
With Auto-Hunt, Yoo-seong struck the creature’s throat,

rendering it unconscious in an instant.
“It’s not dead,” Yoo-seong assured himself. Auto-Hunt’s

primary purpose was to capture, not to kill.
‘This is not the time to worry about its condition…’ he

thought.
The Gray would not be alone. There had to be other

monsters with the remaining hunters under their control.
Not only that, they could probably control other monsters

within this area.
As he had just experienced, the Gray’s physical capabilities

were not something to worry about.
However…
In this small, gray-curtained area, there were seventy more

hunters of the same skill that Yoo-seong had just
encountered.
subduing the Miracle Boy Version Two.
‘This is going to be a pretty annoying fight,’ he realized.
Suddenly, he heard something from the sky.

Huh oh oh oh oh-!
‘Could it be…?’
Just as he recognized what the sound was…
Bang-!
With Auto-Hunt, he grabbed the Gray by the nape and

jumped out of the building. Arriving on the first floor in an
instant, he immediately carried the bodies of the stunned
hunters down to the basement.
Kwaaang-!
This was because the cause of the explosions he had just

heard was…
“Those bastards!” he muttered furiously.
It wasn’t any monster. It was the US Military bombing

Nashville.
Chapter 163
The colonel turned his head.
A furious Asian woman, gasping for breath, burst through

the door.
“What are you doing?!” she shrieked.
“Nothing,” the colonel said.
He was telling the truth. Right now, he was nothing but a

helpless commander pretending that he had everything
under control.
“The real question is,”—he stared into her eyes—”why are

you here?”
The officers and soldiers in the control room all had their
guns aimed at Chae Shin-young. Despite clearly
outnumbering her, the anxiety was obvious in their eyes.
The woman they were aiming at wasn’t just an angry
woman. She was a sheriff, a human weapon with a massive
amount of CE, though ordinarily, her Aura couldn’t be felt by
civilians. However, her fiery emotions were causing some of
her Aura to erupt as a Corona, creating a light gust of warm
air in the room.
It was a ridiculous situation.
Even though she had been the one worried about Yoo-seong
fighting against the colonel before, she’d found herself
bursting into the command room without permission.
She couldn’t help it.
The United States had crossed the line.
Even from where they were now, she could hear the faint
explosions in the background. The United States Military
was currently bombarding Nashville, where their own
hunters and Yoo-seong were located.
“It’s not just your hunters who are out there right now!” she
yelled.
“Do you think we don’t know who’s in there?”
“…!”
It wasn’t only Yoo-seong or the American hunters who were

in Nashville. There was also a precious treasure that the
United States couldn’t bear to lose.
Miracle Boy Version 2.
“There is enough justification. The rift has been open for too
long. An unidentified gray fog has settled in a place where
people live.”
“But they are going to die…”
“Well… we don’t even know if they are still alive.”
Chae Shin-young couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Of

course, she didn’t think that America was good. However…
the greater a country’s power was, the more effort they
tended to use to protect their image.
Moreover, they were dealing with South Korea, which wasn’t
an enemy state, but an ally.
“Instruct them to stop the bombing right away. I will report

this to my home country. Even if you’re America, you can’t
just do something like this!”
“Those who gave the command thought about that too.

Nevertheless, the situation is urgent enough for this to be
done.”
Chae Shin-young felt Aura among those soldiers in the

room. Some of them were sheriffs like her.
She bit her lip.
There were four of them. Nevertheless, her Aura was clearly

superior to all of them combined. The problem wasn’t the
superiority or inferiority of her force. It was the
consequences that would come because of her position.
Officially, she represented the Korean government. If she

got involved in violence against the US military, it could turn
into an international problem. However…
Chae Shin-young clenched her fist.
‘What’s the use of that in this situation?’
It had not been announced to the public that the US

government was employing Yoo-seong. Chae Shin-young
was probably the only non-American official who knew what
was happening right now. If the United States could decide
to bury its own hunters, would they be prepared to get rid of
her as well? Even if she hadn’t rushed in to confront them,
the sheriffs might have come to take care of her.
“Stop the bombardment right now,” she said firmly as she
raised her Aura.
She wasn’t stupid. She knew why all this was happening.
‘Alvin Hawkins and the new Miracle Boy.’
“You are attempting to murder our country’s hunter. This is

my last warning. If you continue to refuse, I will use force
immediately…”
Suddenly…
One of the sheriffs rushed at her.
Chae Shin-young had been expecting the attack. She

immediately turned her body and prepared to counter, but…
Someone suddenly intervened.
“…!”
“…Colonel!”
Surprisingly, the colonel had placed himself between the

sheriff and Chae Shin-young.
Chae Shin-young was agile enough to dodge it, but the

sheriff who’d attacked wasn’t as quick to react. The combat
knife he’d used to attack Chae Shin-young lodged deep in
the colonel’s shoulder.
The injured colonel raised his hand to convey to everyone in

the room that he was okay. Then he turned to Chae Shin-
young.
“Whatever you do with me, we can’t stop the

bombardment.”
“Why…?”
“Again, I didn’t do anything.” The colonel was expressionless

as he began to explain. “The bombardment order came a
few minutes before you came here. I didn’t follow it. Thus,
as of a few minutes ago, I am no longer the commander of
this base.”
Despite his expressionless face, his eyes seemed to flutter a

bit.
He was the head of the Nevada Special Defense. Even

someone higher-ranked than him shouldn’t be able to
bypass his authority and move their planes without his
approval.
However, this military principle had been easily ignored.
“It wasn’t just a bombardment order. There was also an

order to capture the foreigner inside this base and use force
if necessary.”
Chae Shin-young’s mouth dropped open.
Her guess had been correct; they were actually going to

subdue her.
The colonel raised a finger and pointed to the door.
“Get out of the base immediately. I can guarantee your

safety for the next twenty minutes, but more than that… I
don’t even know what’s going to happen to me after twenty
minutes,” the colonel admitted sadly.
Chae Shin-young immediately understood. “So… someone

else will come here and take over the operation,” she said.
“Yes. He has great abilities and reputation, but he is not a
soldier.”
‘Alvin Hawkins.’
“It would be best to leave before he arrives,” the colonel

warned.
Then he pulled the blade out of his shoulder. Amazingly, his

face didn’t even show the pain he felt as he did so.
He dropped the bloody blade on the floor and pulled a piece

of paper from his pocket, which he passed on to Chae Shin-
young.
It was the colonel’s phone number.
“Contact me if there’s a problem… At least I’ll be able to tell

you what’s happening here after you leave the US.”
“I don’t know why you’re doing this,” Chae Shin-young

muttered.
“I am a soldier of this country,” he replied. “Even if Yoo-

seong weren’t in there, I wouldn’t have agreed to the
bombardment knowing that our hunters are. Not even if
they took away my position. Or my life.”
“I’m sorry…” Chae Shin-young said sincerely before turning

away.
As she walked away, she heard the colonel mutter to

himself.
“God bless America.”
***
Unfortunately for Colonel Mike Foley, the situation that
happened immediately after turned out to be quite far from
a blessing.
That same day, within minutes of Chae Shin-young leaving

the main National Guard base, the news dropped.
=Paris, France. A crack that cannot be closed.=
It was the first of many reports from all over the world about
the existence of unclosed cracks. This was a shock for all
the cities around the world that had experienced the
unexpected event.
Still, some places were particularly troublesome.
For example, all three cracks that appeared in New York,

USA that day were unclosed.
Even so, it was just the beginning.
***
Kwaaang-!
Amidst the deafening explosions around him, Yoo-seong

calmly observed the falling bombs.
MM-320.
Anti-Monster Missile.
It was a weapon developed because ordinary missiles could

not effectively deal with beasts ranked ten stars or higher.
It had also been invented with one sole purpose: to destroy

the beast’s defense and damage its insides, killing it or
weakening it for capture.
However, now, unlike its original purpose, it had become a
rain of hell from the sky, destroying what used to be an
ordinary village.
Auto-Hunt was not using Explosive Acceleration. Instead, it

was guiding Yoo-seong through the pouring bombs and their
massive explosions.
Just then…
Swish-!
After checking the situation outside, Yoo-seong was brought

back to the building’s basement. Down below, the fourteen
hunters and the unconscious Gray lay side by side.
‘I cannot take them out safely in this situation,’ he thought.
So, there was only one answer.
Pop-!
Yoo-seong pulled the Sky Scissors from his slot. He tore

open a rift, and with Auto-Hunt, threw everyone into it.
Yoo-seong went in last.
He felt the familiar buzz of the magnetic field, and soon, the
scenery of the world beyond the crack unfolded before him.
However…
“What?”
Yoo-seong immediately lifted the Auto-Hunt button.
It wasn’t the scene he’d expected to be in. The landscape

on the other side of the Nevada desert was a wasteland, a
massive garbage yard.
The pile of clutter in front of him was the size of a small
building, and it looked like it was the smallest of several
towers of garbage covering all directions.
The landscape itself wasn’t that strange, but what confused

him was that the garbage making up the towers was all
objects found in the human world.
From massive objects like cogwheels and heavy machinery

to daily necessities such as beverage cans, the towers of
garbage before him didn’t look like they had piled up at
random.
They looked like someone had deliberately built them in an

elaborate tower shape.
Perhaps these towers of trash looked like garbage to Yoo-

seong, but it looked like they had a different sort of value for
the creatures that had piled them up this way.
‘Just like a beast’s corpse is treated as a valuable resource

in our world,’ he thought.
Suddenly…
“…”
Yoo-seong’s ears caught the same incomprehensible noise

he’d heard from the Gray earlier.
This time, it sounded as if it were coming from a number of

them.
He pressed the button to turn Auto-Hunt back on.

Chapter 164
The first action Auto-Hunt took was “collection.”
Yoo-seong began to reach into the pockets of the fallen

American hunters. He went through their various
equipment, including the Needle Harpoon. For some reason,
Auto-Hunt deemed it important for what he was going to do.
Then…
Kiing-!
Compressed Aura about the size of a spoon and shaped like

an awl began to work on the equipment.
Yoo-seong began speedily cutting through, shaping the

metal as a craftsman cuts through wood. Before long, he
had made thirty thin metal rods, the state-of-the-art
equipment reduced to what looked like barbecue skewers.
Pop-!
He snuck them back into his slot. Then Yoo-seong turned

toward the hunters.
Tuk-!
Tuduk-!
He pressed down on their nerve points to wake them up,

releasing their blood.
“…..”
“…..”
The hunters didn’t move right away; they simply looked

down on their just-freed bodies. They were acting like
people who had just woken up. Their bodies weren’t
harmed, but something else had damaged them both
mentally and emotionally.
Their country, the United States, had betrayed them.
Even in their helpless state, they saw and understood what

had just happened. The military had indiscriminately
bombed Nashville at a time when their status had been
unconfirmed.
Yoo-seong caught their attention as he pointed to the crack

he had just torn open.
“Take care of yourselves,” he said in broken English.
He did not close the crack they had entered through. When
the explosions stopped, these hunters could get out by
themselves.
Several people, including the team leader, nodded weakly.

No word of thanks, requests, or anything else came out of
their mouths. Instead, they all looked drained and defeated.
“How could they do this to us…?”
“Those bastards…”
“Goddamn it…”
Some of them were muttering curses. Yoo-seong simply

gave them a sad look.
After trusting the country they’d served with their lives, they
couldn’t help but feel betrayed.
Alvin’s lust for power would end up causing more pain and
misery. However, Yoo-seong didn’t have the time to
sympathize with them.
Huwook-!
With Spinnenschrift, he began running through the

mountains of trash. He smiled inwardly as he felt Auto-Hunt
improve upon the technique that Sung-wook created. The
surfaces he stepped on remained undisturbed; there was no
noise being emitted from the impact. The Grays weren’t
able to detect his approach even as he ran alongside them
to where they were headed.
Auto-Hunt stopped when he reached its target, which

seemed to be the unclosed rift over Nashville. Yoo-seong hid
behind the mountains of trash and observed what lay before
him.
‘That’s…’
Since Yoo-seong had created the crack in the basement and

went through it, the rift in Nashville’s sky had appeared to
be situated overhead. However, the Grays were walking in
and out of it comfortably.
This was because there was some sort of pedestal standing

between the ground and the crack.
‘It’s like… it’s like an altar,’ thought Yoo-seong.
It was shaped like a pyramid, with the blue light of the rift at
its peak. On the opposite side was a staircase, where
several Grays and humans were walking to and fro, carrying
“spoils” from the human world. The humans, Yoo-seong
guessed, must be the missing hunters.
They were moving along the staircase in a zombie-like state.
The area below the altar was covered by monsters, at least

three dozen of them. It seemed that these were the fighters
that the Grays used for their expedition.
‘They picked only the strong ones,’ Yoo-seong

acknowledged. None of the waiting monsters seemed to be
within the basic three- to four-star range.
Although the beasts seemed dangerous, Yoo-seong turned

his focus back on the Grays. There were about twelve of
them leading the parade of Grays and mind-controlled
humans down the stairs. At the bottom, there were
hundreds more Grays who seemed to be welcoming them.
The bottom of the altar was a fairly spacious plaza, but it

was crowded enough.
Yoo-seong assessed the landscape before him. The sight

implied a lot of things, including that Grays had their own
semblance of society, but…
‘What are you waiting for?’ he asked Auto-Hunt.
Auto-Hunt was still on, but it was choosing to remain hidden

behind the trash, seemingly waiting for a chance.
Yoo-seong soon found out why.
The hundreds of Grays at the bottom of the stairs moved to

the sides as if making a path. Along the newly-formed path,
the Grays were dragging the hunters somewhere.
‘An interrogation, perhaps?’
As Yoo-seong guessed their intention, Auto Hunt began to

move once more.
Pop-!
The Nine Python Lightning Bow came out of Yoo-seong’s

slot, along with the metal rods he’d carved.
“…!”
Yoo-seong felt a massive amount of CE rising.
‘Are you using the CE in the tattoos?!’
Each of the six tattoos on Yoo-seong’s body had unique

abilities. However, the Tattoo Tech’s main purpose was to
build core-like storage on the hunter’s skin. As the activated
CE moved into the Tattoo, it emptied the hunter’s actual
core. The difference was that Yoo-seong had the ability to
replenish lost CE. Thus, his core kept getting filled, and the
tattoos stored more and more CE until he finally reached the
limit.
Because of this, Yoo-seong had hundreds of thousands of CE

in his body at the moment.
A bolt of electricity then flashed in front of his eyes. The

hundreds of thousands of CE had been converted into
lightning through the Bow in his hand.
-…
-…?
From afar, the crowd of Grays began to buzz as they felt

something strange. However, their eyes were not on the
garbage dump Yoo-seong was hiding behind.
Kurung-!
Just above their heads, dark thunderclouds appeared out of

nowhere and began to gather.
‘This is driving me crazy…’ Yoo-seong thought as he began

to understand what was about to happen.
His CE seemed pushed to the maximum. His muscles were

screaming with pressure, and his nerves felt sharpened.
Even when he had fought the Habaek, he hadn’t felt

comfortable using the Lightning Bow because of the
tremendous pressure it put on his body.
Woo woo woo-!
A whopping five arrows were attached to the Bow as it

crackled with electricity. Yoo-seong aimed it at the crowd.
While he was “charging,” the Grays had already dragged

the hunters out of sight, away from the plaza. At the next
moment…
Kwaaang-!!
A bolt of lightning struck Yoo-seong.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!
It was Yoo-seong, not the Grays, that the thunderclouds had

been aiming for.
The task took quite a long time to prepare, even with Auto-
Hunt. The Thundercloud efficacy. It was the exact Tech that
the Thunder Ape had used.
Yoo-seong pulled back the bowstring, and, with a roar that
resonated throughout the whole area, five bolts of lightning
flew from his hands.
Kwa-ang!!!
As they sliced through the air, the arrows were crushed by

the intense pressure and lost more than half their length.
Even so, it was enough.
This was because they weren’t really arrows but bombs.
The lightning bolts were aimed at the dangerous beasts.

After they hit the ground…
Kwagaaang-!
Nothing remained but a massive hole in the ground with

thin wisps of smoke rising from it.
In the place where creatures had once been, only wreckage

remained.
-…….!
-…….!
Yoo-seong couldn’t hear or decipher the Grays’ cries, but

the fear was obvious on their uncanny faces.
Their little mouths were open, shrieking soundless screams.

In the meantime…
Kwa-aang!!!
Five more lightning bolts flew at them.

Just then, the monster appeared.
Arkotodon-★★★★★★★
It was a seven-star behemoth with impenetrable armor.
A Gray manipulated it to block the incoming danger, using

its massive frame as a barrier. However, it was a useless
effort.
Kwagaaang-!
The Arkotodon’s body exploded upon the bolt’s impact, and

the Grays hiding behind it were wiped out.
-………!
Kwaang!!!
Yoo-seong shot his arrows continuously; the noise of his

bombardment filled the whole space.
Another flash of lightning erupted as soon as the glare of

the previous volley subsided. It was a pitiful situation for the
Grays. The monsters they had under control each had a role
in a very tightly-woven system.
For example, the Arkotodon served as their tank at the

frontlines, working as a barrier for the rear.
They also had NitroBats under their control. These were

parasitic creatures with a radar-like ability, perfect for
scouting and tracking functions.
Perhaps, in a real battle against a human army, humanity

wouldn’t stand a chance against the Grays’ tactics.
However, what they were facing now was an enemy that
wasn’t interested in tactical warfare. Just pure,
unadulterated destruction.
Kwaaang!!
If it was any consolation, the Grays didn’t feel any pain. It

took only an instant for them to turn into ashes as bolt upon
bolt of lightning struck the ground.
Meanwhile, for Yoo-seong, lightning continuously struck him

as he loaded his Bow. He felt a burning sensation of pain
every time, but despite it, he did not lose consciousness.
Yoo-seong was a little surprised at himself. Auto-Hunt had

made him thirty arrows, and with five arrows at every
volley, it meant that he had been struck with lightning six
consecutive times.
Before his eyes was a scene of destruction such as he had

never seen before.
The result might even have been worse than what Nashville
was suffering outside with the US Military bombing.
‘This power…’
If he reached the point where he could use this power

against fellow humans…
‘No!’ Yoo-seong shook the terrible, subconscious thought out

of his head.
He was shocked at himself that he had even thought of it.

However, the fact that his unconscious had suggested it…
perhaps the possibility of such a chance existed.
Yoo-seong’s principle was never to kill people.
However, in this terrible world, he didn’t know what

circumstances he might be placed in.
‘But I hope it won’t happen,’ he thought.
It was what he wished for, deep in his heart.
However, he couldn’t control the actions of the people he

encountered.
Go-oh-oh-!
A Blade appeared on Yoo-seong’s arm. It was now time to

finish off those who had survived the bombardment.
Just as he leaped off to hunt them one by one…
-Stop!
A pitiful voice rang in his head.
-Please stop…
Chapter 165
-I want to talk.
Auto-Hunt stopped moving. Yoo-seong checked the button

to confirm it was still on.
There was no physical obstacle that was stopping him from

moving, which meant that Auto-Hunt had determined that
the voice couldn’t harm him and had stopped simply to
listen.
“You must be kidding,” Yoo-seong said out loud as he

figured out how to communicate with the strange voice.
-I want to talk.
‘Don’t try to be funny.’
This time, Yoo-seong answered in his head without making a

sound. The voice responded immediately.
-You have nothing to gain from fighting like this. You must
know… this isn’t even your land.
“….?”
-I know you are not from the land outside this place. You
may be in a cooperative relationship right now, but… it will
not continue that way.
Yoo-seong bit his lip for a moment.

It seemed that the voice wasn’t only telepathic. It also
seemed to know more than Yoo-seong had initially thought.
Not only did it have an idea about humans and the
creatures that occupied the human world, but it was also
aware of human relationships.
More so, it seemed to have mastered several human

languages, including Korean.
Just by the amount of garbage in this place, it was clear that

it had gateways to other places, not just Nashville.
“The rules are simple,” Yoo-seong said, taking control of the

conversation by raising his Bow.
As he did so, the voice in his head screamed.
-No!
It was a bluff. Yoo-seong didn’t have any arrows left.
The dark clouds overhead were now beginning to clear, and

the crackling electricity around his body had already
subsided.
However, whoever he was speaking to didn’t know it.
“I will ask you questions, and you will answer.”
-I’ll do what you want…
Yoo-seong raised the Bow once more.
He was already familiar with the principle of changing his CE

to electricity. Before long, lightning flashed and struck the
space in front of Yoo-seong.
The owner of the voice wanted to bargain with him because
it feared for the lives of the remaining Grays in front of Yoo-
seong.
It was easy to negotiate with an opponent who had already

shown his weakness.
“First of all, don’t interrupt me. Don’t do whatever you’re

planning until I am done with my questions.”
-…….
“Do you understand?!” Yoo-seong raised his voice.
As he did, electricity crackled around his Bow.
-Yes… yes!
First, Yoo-seong wanted to establish who he was speaking

with.
“Are you their leader? Or just one of the guys?”
-Yes, the leader…
“Did you open this crack yourselves?”
-That’s also right.
Perhaps Yoo-seong could get the information he wanted

through a simple question-and-answer procedure. He could
ask the usual “Who are you?” or “What are you trying to
gain by invading us?”
However, as Yoo-seong knew very well by now, the creature

he was speaking with was an intelligent being possessed of
emotions.
He’d never encountered such a monster before, but…
“I’m sick of it,” Yoo-seong spat.
A creature capable of emotion was also capable of lying.
Provocation and mockery were more effective in bringing

out raw, honest responses than a simple question.
“Things that look weird coming over to our world… Terribly

disgusting creatures.”
-Shut up! You’re bottom dwellers who don’t deserve to

breathe the air of Paradise!
“Paradise? Is that what you call our world?”
-Your… Your world…? What a shameless…
“You seem to have a lot of anger about that simple fact,”

Yoo-seong acknowledged.
He was feeling something unusual. It was good that he

could easily bring out the intentions of these creatures,
but…
There seemed to be more twists to the story than he knew,

albeit strange ones.
-If it weren’t for that ridiculous fluke, you ignorant creatures

would have been stuck here.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
-All you remember is an absurdly short history. It must be

because your past was shameful.
“Well, you seem like someone who knows a lot. Why don’t
you give me a history lesson?”
Yoo-seong’s eyes were now scanning the plaza below. While

Yoo-seong had paused to talk with the voice, the remaining
Grays had disappeared.
‘This guy’s purpose was probably to buy them time,’ he

thought.
However, now, with the voice’s emotion reaching its peak, it

had no choice but to continue with its story.
-In the past, you were just beasts.
The voice didn’t say exactly when. For Yoo-seong, it

sounded like a pseudo-scholar who believed in the theory of
ultra-ancient civilizations.
-Paradise… We were the masters of the world that you now

call “yours.” You were simply domesticated breeds that were
of convenience.
“That’s pretty annoying bullshit,” Yoo-seong fired back.
-…it was a mistake to discover this hellish world…
When cracks first appeared in their era, the Grays had

thought it was a disaster. However, using their innate power
and their advanced civilization, they had found a way to
cope with the rifts.
-Then someone stupid thought, “what if we explore the

world beyond?”
It had been natural for Grays to be curious about the world

beyond the cracks. Flora and fauna of a different world,
utilities that could not be found on the planet…
-But it was fundamentally unreasonable. This place was too

dangerous; we could not risk our lives for curiosity’s sake.
Soon, the Grays came up with a solution.
-We decided to use the “tools” at our disposal.
Although humans were considered livestock, their physical

and mental potential had been quite usable.
-Of course, we didn’t send humans as soon as they were

born. At that level, it would be just wasted meat.
Instead of sending Grays, they had decided to experiment

with humans and sent them to explore the alien world.
In addition to training them with basic fighting abilities, their

lower abdomens had been deformed so the Grays could
artificially inject energy into them.
Humans were weak primates, but through training and

scientific development, they could be trained like dogs.
-Not long after, nurturing your kind became a kind of

entertainment and a source of honor among us. The
stronger humans you had, the higher the honor for their
owner. It was also important to get better blood by mating
those who had excellent results in hunting. But… we overdid
it. Because of that, you got things you shouldn’t have.
“…..”
-Eventually, your “king” was born. That damned monster.
For many years, Grays had used humanity as their puppets

for hunting. But soon, a genius had emerged.
He had rebelled against his masters and liberated humans.
The “king” had used the world beyond the cracks as a safe
haven for fellow humans who shared his will. He’d passed
on his knowledge and strengthened his colleagues,
preparing for rebellion.
When the day finally came, their masters hadn’t stood a

chance.
The king of humans did not kill their old masters. Instead,
he had wanted them to experience the same suffering
humanity had gone through.
-He chased us all into this world, and… he closed the sky on
us! Since then, we haven’t been able to return to Paradise,
not until the seams of the closed sky loosened once more.
Yoo-seong understood what the voice described as a

“loosening of the closed sky.” It was the emergence of
cracks that had happened twenty years ago.
“Well, that was an entertaining story,” Yoo-seong said.
-It’s a true story.
“Of course, you would say so.” Yoo-seong spat on the floor.
“But where’s your evidence? If a civilization of some degree
as you described it had already existed on Earth before
mankind, why were there no traces left?”
-Did you get rid of it all?!
The voice sounded as if it had reached the limit of its

patience.
-Your King must have ordered all our achievements in
Paradise to be erased. Thanks to that, you’ve gone through
an age of savagery that you didn’t even need to go through.
“An age just like this?” Yoo-seong raised his arms and
gestured at the pile of garbage around him.
Then his eyes focused on the altar, with the unclosed crack
above it. Obviously, that crack must have a very special
meaning to the Grays, just looking at its scale. However, if
you looked at it closely, it was a fairly crude structure,
something that humans could easily build with a piece of
simple, heavy equipment.
“If this is the great civilization you were talking about…”

Yoo-seong scoffed.
-You took everything from us! We lost everything we had

built!
Yoo-seong could understand where the Grays were coming

from. The story the voice had just told him wasn’t possible.
They must have made humans in that image so they could
blame someone for their situation. If an entire race that had
lived on Earth had been pushed into the alien world without
any tools or equipment, they would all have died.
The strange atmospheric composition alone would have

caused innumerable deaths.
Yoo-seong smiled in pity.
“Is that why? Even so, I think the things you built in the past
weren’t that great either. Why else would you store our
trash like it was precious objects?”
-………!
“I’ve listened to your story, and my questions have been
solved.”
Yoo-seong was able to guess the situation to some extent.

This must only be one of the Grays’ villages, perhaps their
equivalent of a city. Perhaps there were more intelligent
species like them.
“I said you were disgusting before, right?” Yoo-seong said.

“Now, I don’t think so. You’re just pitiful creatures.”
-….
Auto-Hunt was still on.
His presence detection tattoo was also on continuous alert,

and as he listened to the story,
Yoo-seong slowly expanded his radius of detection.
As a result, his range had now reached a little more than a

kilometer.
A military force of a fairly enormous scale had been

gradually moving in from the time the Grays’ leader began
speaking to him.
-It doesn’t matter what you say.
The voice now sounded elated as its reinforcements

approached.
Doo Doo Doo-
The ground began to shake.
-We will take you captive and, like your ancestors, turn you
into livestock. Your power will be at the forefront when we
reclaim Paradise!
“You can’t afford my services,” Yoo-seong spat.
He felt lightheaded from using the detection tattoo at such a

long range. Still, he clenched his teeth and composed
himself.
“Did you think I was just relaxing here while I was listening
to you?”
Yoo-seong had made up his mind.
‘I’m going to wipe out all of these guys.’
At the next moment, Yoo-seong soared into the sky.
“Now, the real war begins.”

Chapter 166
It was the perfect timing.
Just as Yoo-seong’s feet left the ground, the mountain of

trash he had been standing on collapsed.
It was as if something had sucked it down.
“……!”
Yoo-seong soared to a hundred meters above the ground, an

altitude that transcended the height of most high-rise
buildings. From that elevation, he could see countless
mountains of trash spreading out endlessly.
Further beyond, there were structures in the form of towers,

yet which were seemingly made of a different material.
They weren’t made from the “sophisticated” materials from
the human world. They were coarse structures that had
been built with stones and soil from the wasteland.
Perhaps those crude towers were all that remained for those
who claimed to have ruled the Earth once.
‘It’s ridiculous and… creepy.’ Yoo-seong thought about the

Grays’ jealousy and hatred for humans.
On the other hand, he was also feeling unbearable

contempt toward them.
‘Why?’
‘Is it because what the Grays’ leader told you was an absurd
lie?’
‘Or is it because… you think that it could perhaps be true?’
There seemed to be a deep-rooted hatred imprinted within

Yoo-seong. He shook his head and looked below him.
Thud-thud-!
The ground below shook, and cracks began to form on the

surface.
Something really was sucking down the crumbling garbage

mountain!
Despite this, Auto-Hunt did not do anything and allowed

Yoo-seong’s body to fall.
The ground’s visible vibration then stopped, and a massive,

thick creature burst upward from the hole in the ground,
sending dust in all directions.
‘Red.’
It was Yoo-seong’s first impression of the beast as it lunged

for his falling body with its mouth wide open. The creature’s
mouth reminded him of a starfish. It was split into five parts,
and each of those five parts had hundreds of sharp, saw-like
teeth.
From Yoo-seong’s distance, those teeth didn’t look as huge,

but from his estimate, each of them surpassed the size of an
elephant’s ivory tusk.
However, what was more surprising than the creature’s

size…
Yoo-seong was several tens of meters from the ground, but
the massive mouth was already beneath him in an instant.
Taang-!!
Only then did Auto-Hunt move, sending him in a horizontal

direction with Explosive Acceleration.
Yoo-seong threw his head back and glanced at the creature

chomping past where he had been.
A legless creature, constantly rising, like a subway going up

to the sky.
However, its length was at least ten subway cars combined.
The creature’s skin was not covered with scales. Instead, it

looked like a solid rock that had been embedded in the
deepest part of the earth for a long time.
It continued rising, and when it finally stopped, it was tens

of meters higher than the peak Yoo-seong had reached a
while ago.
Considering that the beast wasn’t even fully out of the

ground, its total length must have been more than two
hundred meters.
“Oh, all the treasures you’ve collected so far have been

ruined!” Yoo-seong shouted, mocking the Grays’ leader.
-It’s just clutter through which to gather knowledge on your

kind.
The voice replied with these words right away, in a

defensive tone.
‘Perhaps the owner of the voice is the one controlling this
giant stone snake,’ Yoo-seong thought. ‘There must be limits
to these guys’ mind control abilities.’
If there wasn’t any limit, there was no way that the Grays
would fall to this extent.
They should have been able to manipulate even the

strongest entities and, theoretically, anything that faced
them, including Yoo-seong.
Perhaps they needed their target to be completely subdued

so they could be manipulated.
There also had to be individual differences when it came to

controlling targets. Therefore, those who had been sent to
Nashville to hunt the hunters must have been their elites.
It made sense that the owner of the voice, powerful enough

to communicate with Yoo-seong telepathically, was the only
one that could control this monstrous snake.
The five sections of the giant snake’s mouth snapped open

and closed several times. Other than that, there were no
visible features on its head. There was nothing that
resembled eyes or a nose – just a massive length of rocks
and minerals. If he hadn’t seen its nightmare-like mouth,
Yoo-seong would have thought he was looking at the
creature’s tail.
Suddenly…
Blaah-!
The snake’s mouth snapped open once more. Then it rushed

toward Yoo-seong at a tremendous speed!
However…
‘It’s too big,’ Yoo-seong thought.
Despite its speed, its movements were easily predictable

due to its size.
Taang-!
With just a quick leap to the side, Yoo-seong escaped the

stone snake. Recognizing that it had missed its target, the
snake stopped moving and turned its head.
Bang-!
Using Spider Walk, Yoo-seong ran along its body until he

reached the beast’s open mouth.
Inside, it was a bright red, sharply contrasting against its

dark body, and it was the size of a small playground.
“But that’s all you have…” Yoo-seong muttered.
Apart from the hellish mouth and the quick-burst attacks,

the creature had nothing that could inflict damage on Yoo-
seong.
Of course, with its weight and length, it could crush its

enemies as it moved around. Perhaps if this beast popped
out of a rift and into a populated city, it would result in an
unprecedented catastrophe claiming thousands of
casualties.
However, against Yoo-seong in this free space, in a one-on-

one battle, it had no chance.
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
Aura filled the Lightning Bow. He had no arrows, but Yoo-
seong didn’t need one in close combat. He was going to use
the bow as a spear.
Crack-!
Like an upside-down bat in a dark cave, Yoo-seong plunged

in and ran on the roof of the beast’s mouth. His destination
was the snake’s narrow throat.
For its size, its throat was awkwardly small, barely enough
to fit an adult male.
Fuwook-!
A blow charged with lightning rushed towards the beast’s

weak spot.
The end of the Lightning Bow pierced through the snake’s

throat perfectly and unleashed an explosive burst of
electricity.
Chieeek-!
However…
“Did… did you eat it?!” Yoo-seong exclaimed desolately as

his high-powered attack had no effect.
It wasn’t that the beast had consumed the energy. The

problem was compatibility. Even the strongest lightning
could not burn off a stone mountain. The celestial bolt had
no effect on creatures that lived deep on the earth.
In that instant, the confused Yoo-seong paused inside the

beast’s mouth. It was too late for him to realize that the
darkness was closing upon him.
Snap-!
All of a sudden, the snake snapped its five mouths closed.

Hundreds of saw-like teeth crushed the tiny creature inside
its mouth. The snake survived by consuming the hardest
rocks and metals buried deep in the earth.
A creature made of flesh and bone did not stand a chance

against its teeth.
Wood-duk-duk-!
After listening to the satisfying crunch, the snake swallowed

its prey.
The end had indeed come.
***
Ka-Velin, the leader of the Grays, burst into laughter.
“All that talk! Haha! Livestock! By now, his bones must have
been crushed!”
Through several years of “anatomical studies” and actual

autopsies on humans, Ka-Velin had gained some mastery of
the human body. It was important to keep this prey alive, so
as soon as he felt the sensation of breaking bones through
the monster’s mouth, he swallowed it immediately.
At this stage, the human would still be breathing, but it

would have no more capacity to fight back.
“I will get inside its head and control it. Even if its body does
not fully recover, I will force it to move under my command
until it reaches its limit.”
To be honest, Ka-Velin had felt a little anxious at first. The
human had seemed too quick for the stone snake.
‘But what did it do?’ He grinned at the thought.
The human had felt overconfident in its abilities and jumped

into the beast’s mouth. Of course, victory had already been
decided in the first place. No matter how quick it was,
humans were bound to get tired. It could not keep dodging
forever.
At the same time, its destructive lightning power had no

effect on the snake’s hard rock body. Unless the human
could find where Ka-Velin was hiding, it was a hopeless
battle.
Of course, it was impossible to find Ka-Velin’s hideout.
He felt so relieved that it was over.
‘I have to go see it with my own eyes,’ he thought as he

tried to leave the hideout.
Just then…
Crunch-!
Beyond the walls of the hideout, he heard the sound of

bones snapping.
“What…?”
Before Ka-Velin could even think what the sound was…
Woogoong-!
The entire hideout shook.

The hideout he was in right then was deep inside the
snake’s body. While he was intoxicated with relief and
victory, he had disconnected his senses from the beast’s.
He rushed to connect with them once more. Only then did

Ka-Velin figure out what was happening.
“Aaargh-!”
The pain burned through him, pushing him to disconnect

immediately.
Something that had enormous heat was inside the snake’s

body, turning its hard rock insides into magma.
Then…
Boowook-!
A red-hot blade pierced through the wall of Ka-Velin’s

hideout.
Crunch-!
The sound of bones snapping could now be heard more

clearly.
“Woo!” a familiar voice sighed as the last of its dislocated

bones snapped into place.
“It doesn’t feel good to get chewed on, but sometimes, you
can’t avoid it,” Yoo-seong said as he tore through the walls
of Ka-Velin’s hideout.
The stone snake’s skin had seemed too hard for him to
penetrate. The Lightning Bow hadn’t had any effect. Yoo-
seong had realized he had no choice but to get swallowed to
reach the beast’s soft insides.
While protecting his whole body with focused Aura, he’d
allowed his bones to be dislocated by the pressure of the
snake’s mouth.
Now…
“Let’s start over,” Yoo-seong declared to the stunned Ka-

Velin.
Chapter 167
Ka-Velin felt the heat coming from the red-hot blade in front
of his face. The Queen’s Hug was already too shabby for a
suit, but Yoo-seong wasn’t taking it off.
Despite its condition, as long as he was wearing it, it would

allow him to use the Flame Psy.
“When you first talked to me, you spoke as if you had more
information to give,” Yoo-seong began. “But all you had to
tell me was a bunch of lies.”
Ka-Velin knew human languages, but as a Gray, he didn’t

know human tones or the nuances of gestures. Despite that,
it wasn’t hard for him to recognize that Yoo-seong’s voice
was dripping with venom.
“I hope, this time, you’ll tell me something of actual value.”
-If I do… will you spare my life?
“Of course not. No way,” Yoo-seong spat. “But I will be

pretty upset if I gain nothing from speaking with you. I don’t
think I could get rid of my anger just by killing you.”
-Yes… you…
“Shut up unless you’re going to say something valuable.”

Yoo-seong was dead serious.
Still, the trembling creature before him seemed… just like a
human.
‘No,’ Yoo-seong thought as he hardened his heart. Rather, it

was the leader of a race that regarded humans as livestock.
Disgust filled him once more.
“The same rule: I ask; you answer,” he said firmly.
-If I do so, are you saying that you will spare the lives of our
group?
Yoo-seong nodded. “First question. You just said ‘our group.’

Are there more of your race in other places? Other
communities?”
-Yes.
“Apart from you, there must be other races in this place who
ruled the Earth with you, right?”
-How do you know that…
“If you had been the only ones, you could have compelled
the other humans to capture the king.”
The Grays had the power to brainwash and control humans.

A rebellion wouldn’t have happened if they had been the
only ones in control, which meant that not all of the ruling
classes had mind-control abilities.
Of course, Yoo-seong had just been speculating about that,

but Ka-Velin had now confirmed it himself.
“Then, are you keeping in touch with the other races?”
-……
Suddenly…
Huwook-!
Ka-Velin felt his body losing balance, tilting to the right. In

his moment of hesitation, Yoo-seong had cut his left arm off.
[email protected]#%%&%^$$%!!!
“I see. So you can make sounds with your mouth,” Yoo-

seong calmly observed, indifferent to the screams of the
creature before him.
Ka-Velin’s arm had been cut off above the elbow. Because

the blade was coated with unimaginable heat, his entire
shoulder had been burned off and turned black immediately.
“I have no other option than to do this if you don’t answer

my questions,” Yoo-seong warned.
[email protected]#%&&&&&……!
“Besides, I can’t even tell if you were lying or not. So, if I

think you are lying, I’ll just swing my blade again.” Yoo-
seong raised it as if to drive home his point. “At least it will
be difficult for you to lie if you’re going crazy with pain,” he
added.
Then he stared into the dark pools of Ka-Velin’s eyes.
“So don’t tinker in your head over what to say. Just answer
me straight out.”
It was then that Ka-Velin realized that his death was

inevitable.
“Now, I will ask you again. Are you keeping in touch with the
other races?”
-Yes.
“Even so, there don’t seem to be a lot of exchanges, seeing

how independently you rule this wasteland.”
-We only get in touch when we exchange necessary

resources.
Yoo-seong nodded. Even if the races didn’t appear to be

very close, they must have at least one shared purpose.
‘Opening the cracks and destroying humanity.’
“The technology to open the cracks… are you the only race
that can do this?”
-No.
“Are you causing the cracks to reopen after we close them?”
-Yes.
“Then why haven’t you taken any action other than

reopening the cracks?”
The Thunder Ape that had appeared in Tokyo’s unclosed

crack.
The Habaek that had appeared in Korea.
These were flukes in which a divine-level entity had come

through an unclosed crack. However, in the unclosed cracks
in other parts of the world, such as the one in Hawaii, only
the natural monsters that could be found on the terrain had
appeared.
No intelligent race, such as the Grays, had come out. If only

the Grays had wanted to, they could have unleashed
monsters such as the giant stone snake to unleash hell upon
humanity.
-Because… we want to see you destroy yourselves.
“What?”
-At first, the cracks were just to gather information… about

the sloppy society you’ve built.
Hatred began to overpower the fear in Ka-Velin’s voice.
-The complete trust in the class they call hunters… the

ignorance of livestock.
“How scared you must have been to keep waiting for twenty
years,” Yoo-seong mocked.
-Have you ever thought about it? The chaos a crack that
doesn’t close can bring to your ignorant kind?
Of course, Yoo-seong understood what Ka-Velin was saying.

The world would be turned upside down. Perhaps it was
already being overturned right now.
-Your simple capacity for reason will be consumed by fear,

and you will destroy each other. That is when we will appear
to finish you off.
“I get it. We’re done.”
Suddenly, Yoo-seong’s left arm pierced through Ka-Velin’s

lower abdomen. The movement was so sudden that the
Gray couldn’t even scream this time.
“I don’t know if anything you told me was useful, but this

sure is.”
Through the veins of his left arm, Yoo-seong felt himself
absorbing the Gray’s CE.
“I have no intention of listening to you anymore.”
Soon, all the CE in Ka-Velin’s core was absorbed. His life

ended with it.
Goo Goo Goo-!
The snake’s massive body began to writhe as it regained full

control of its body once more.
Yoo-seong pressed the button immediately. He then

concentrated Aura on his Blade, which was now covered in
flames.
Sook-!
The tip of the blade made contact with the wall of the
serpent’s stomach. Even though Yoo-seong did not apply
any force, the blade easily broke through the flesh due to its
enormous heat. At the very next moment…
Taang-!
Yoo-seong began bursting forward with flaming Explosive

Acceleration.
Taang-!
Taang-!
He cast Explosive Acceleration several times, whipping his

Blade before him as he went. The inside of the stone snake
was heating up like crazy. Before long, Yoo-seong could feel
the outside air blowing into the serpent’s cramped insides.
He escaped through the same hellish mouth he had entered
by.
“Huuh!”
He stayed in the air after he jumped out, observing the

disaster unfolding below him.
“I said I would spare them,” he muttered to himself, “but I

don’t need to save them.”
The stone snake’s massive head crashed down onto the

garbage towers.
Thud-!
Then it began to thrash around in pain.
From among the buildings, countless Grays began jumping

out and running. However, their weak physique made it
impossible for them to escape the wild thrashings of the
massive snake.
Several others of them stood still with their arms

outstretched as if trying to control the snake.
However, it was impossible.
It seemed that only their leader had possessed the power to

control such a large and powerful creature.
The stone snake convulsed for a few more minutes as its

internal organs continued burning.
Finally…
Goo Goo-!
After it breathed its last, only a cloud of dust remained in
the place that had once been home to the Grays.
Auto-Hunt made Yoo-seong land on the now-still snake

corpse.
“………?”
Immediately after hitting the surface of the shell…
Tatak-!
His legs began moving.
‘Are we not done yet?’ Yoo-seong thought as the Aura Blade

appeared once more on his wrist.
Kaang-!
The snake was clearly dead, but Auto-Hunt began striking

its hard-rock skin.
Kaang-!
Kaaang-!
Only then did Yoo-seong figure out what Auto-Hunt was

trying to do.
‘The Queen’s Hug.’
His trustworthy armor only had scraps left of itself. It would

be more accurate to say that it covered a few parts of his
body than to call it a suit.
Kaaang-!
After hundreds of speedy slashes, Auto-Hunt retrieved a fist-
sized fragment from the stone serpent.
‘The earthly dragon’s core…’
It was the part of the creature that devoted all its energy to
strengthening its shell.
After picking it up, Auto-Hunt began to move again. It made

Yoo-seong run from the head to the snake’s tail, slashing
and picking up fragments as he went.
Kaang-!
Kaang-!
Once Auto-Hunt had gathered a pile of stone skin

fragments, Yoo-seong’s hand was placed over them.
‘Combination.’
The Queen’s Hug would soon be reborn using the scales

that Auto-Hunt had just collected.
Yoo-seong hesitated for a moment.
‘The Queen’s Hug.’
It was made out of the Queen Gray Ant shell, the first four-
star monster that he had hunted solo, and Sung-wook.
It had saved Yoo-seong’s life several times in the past.
‘If I synthesize it…’
It would be as if he had made a new suit with new materials.

He tapped the remaining scrap of the Queen’s Hug on his
chest and gave it a brief goodbye.
‘Good work, friend.’
Then, he placed his hand over the pile once more, focused
on the Combination button before him, and blinked.
Pa-oh-!
There came a short flash of light.
The fragments under his hand disappeared, and he felt

something heavy on his body.
“Wow… that’s amazing,” a voice from behind him said in

Korean.
Yoo-seong immediately turned his head.
A young Caucasian male, probably about twenty years old,

was staring back at him.
Chapter 168
At the same time as Yoo-seong turned his head, he pulled

the wrist blade from his left wrist.
Despite the Queen’s Hug getting synthesized into a whole

new different suit, it had retained that feature.
Of course, the reason it had remained was that nothing else

could reinforce it. It was a perfect weapon, containing a
dragon’s flame.
Yoo-seong didn’t need to know who the young man behind

him was. He’d recognized him at first glance. It was Miracle
Boy Version 2.
“…!”
A look of surprise filled Miracle Boy’s face as the wrist blade

flashed before him.
“Whoa! Hey! I’m not being controlled right now!” he

exclaimed and raised his arms.
Yoo-seong paused and raised his eyebrows but did not put
away the blade. Then, after a few moments, he released the
button.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “It was easy to misunderstand…”
“What? But I haven’t done anything…” the young man

whined.
“Korean,” Yoo-seong sighed. “It’s not a language that
anyone can easily master,” he added.
“I d-don’t…” Miracle Boy stammered as if he had just

realized it himself. “I don’t know where I learned it… but I’m
sorry anyway.”
Yoo-seong nodded.
The Grays’ leader was dead.
There must be a few Grays who had survived the chaos, but
there was only a small chance that an entity powerful
enough to control the Miracle Boy would have remained.
“The other hunters…” Yoo-seong inquired.
“Everyone is fine… except for those who were already

gone.” The young man’s expression turned dark as he
spoke.
They had not died from fighting the Grays. For those
creatures, human bodies were just interesting subjects for
analysis. Yoo-seong didn’t want to think too deeply about
what they’d done to “study” the hunters they had captured.
Besides…
“I heard that you saved the hunters from Team A,” Miracle
Boy added.
While Yoo-seong had been fighting the Grays, the Miracle

Boy had encountered the fourteen hunters inside the crack.
“Outside the crack you opened, the military bombing

operation is still going on.”
Yoo-seong sighed as he heard the situation. “It must have
been going on for an hour now,” he said with a tired voice.
Nothing would remain standing in Nashville by now.
“They must have really wanted me dead,” Miracle Boy said

with a sad smile. “Of course, it’s fine by me, but I got people
involved who shouldn’t have been…”
“I don’t think you are to blame for it,” Yoo-seong interrupted

him.
The Miracle Boy’s eyes were dark and heavy, contrasting

with his youthful features. Like the other hunters that Yoo-
seong had saved, he looked betrayed. With his own country
trying to kill him, the realization that he had nowhere to go
must have hit hard.
“First, they send me on this dangerous mission. Then, they

bomb the operation area. Whether it was just a coincidence
or a move driven by politics…” The Miracle Boy sighed. If it
was the latter, it meant that there was no guarantee that he
would be safe once they returned from the crack. And the
fact that they were willing to obliterate Nashville from the
map along with their own hunters meant that they would
not hesitate to do it again.
“I was thinking of waiting for the bombing to end.

Fortunately, this place seemed safe. There weren’t any
monsters except for those under the Grays’ control,” Miracle
Boy shared. “Once it’s quiet, I plan to show up in Nashville
and negotiate. My family…”
“What’s your name?” Yoo-seong asked.
“Oh, yes… It’s Jonathan. Jonathan Mosley.”

“Okay, Jonathan. Where should I begin…?” Yoo-seong
mumbled as he scratched his head. Then he sighed and
added, “Jonathan, this will not end with what you’re
planning to do.”
“No?”
“The situation will not get any better. Nothing will change,
even if you show yourself. Do you think that negotiating for
those hunters’ lives will stop those who wanted to kill you?”
“……”
“All you’ll be doing is increasing the chance of you and your

companions getting killed.”
Jonathan bit his lip with a frustrated expression. He must

have thought about this as well. Yoo-seong had accurately
pointed out the possibility he had been trying to ignore.
“But… there’s nothing else I can do. What can I do?”
Tears began to well up in the young man’s eyes. To Yoo-

seong, he looked even younger, perhaps not even twenty
years old.
“There is another way. Something more certain,” he said.
Jonathan’s expression immediately turned doubtful, yet

hopeful at the same time.
“Follow me,” Yoo-seong said firmly.
“Literally follow me. Go to Korea.”

“Are you insane? That doesn’t make sense!” the young man
exclaimed.
“Think about it,” Yoo-seong said with a smile on his lips.

“You already know that I can close cracks, right? In addition
to that, I have the ability to get a little farther from here,
open another rift, and come out,” Yoo-seong began. “Then,
we can come out at any spot in America without being
noticed.”
“Even so, seeking asylum in Korea would be…”
“Well, what’s so wrong with asylum?” Yoo-seong tilted his

head. “When the bombing is over, and they can’t find
anything, they’ll think you’re dead or missing. They will
eventually forget about your existence.”
In the meantime, Miracle Boy and the other hunters could

slip away to Korea and adopt a new nationality.
“With the Korean government’s help, you can pretend to be

a civilian for a while. Perhaps you’ll have plastic surgery,
and you can live in peace.”
“Okay, wait for a second,” Jonathan raised his hand. “These

people’s families are in America. And their careers…”
“Hey,” Yoo-seong cut him off. “How much money do you

think a country is willing to spend scouting foreign veteran
hunters?”
Jonathan nodded in agreement. Regardless of which country

it was, teams of top veteran hunters were a welcome
addition to the industry during this time of unclosed cracks.
“It wouldn’t be too hard for their families to get Korean

citizenship, and the government would do everything they
could to get them to Korea,” Yoo-seong assured him. “Even
a country like the United States would know better than to
touch civilians. They wouldn’t be harmed.”
Jonathan was silent as he considered what Yoo-seong had

said.
“I think the only uncomfortable part of this deal for them

would be living in a country where they don’t speak the
language. As I said, Korean is not that easy,” Yoo-seong
added. At this, the young man looked as if he had been hit
by a hammer.
“This… what you’re saying is…”
Yoo-seong nodded. “Of course. Go ahead and gather your

fellow Americans. Tell them what I’ve just discussed with
you from beginning to end. If they have any questions, I’ll
answer them later.”
Jonathan blinked a couple of times before nodding in

agreement and turning to go.
Yoo-seong himself had no plans to stand still as he waited

for them.
Taang-!
With Explosive Acceleration, he sped through the crack he’d

opened to evacuate the fourteen hunters earlier. He had
underestimated Alvin Hawkin’s capacity for violence.
If he didn’t close that crack, it would be possible for the

original Miracle Boy to send teams through it and finish the
hunters off.
‘Then,’—a sudden thought passed through his mind
—‘should I close that one, too?’
Something came to mind: the crack on the Grays’ altar.
Yoo-seong couldn’t judge what to do with it. It was an

unclosed crack, one that only Yoo-seong could close. If he
did close it, it would serve as proof that he was alive, and
Alvin Hawkins would surely begin to chase him. That would
inevitably bring attention to Jonathan and the other hunters.
If he allowed the crack to remain open, however, it could

also serve as a passageway for Alvin Hawkins’ men.
They would find the mess inside the Grays’ world and
deduce what happened.
After thinking for a while, Yoo-seong made a decision.
“It’s up to you,” he muttered.
Then, he pressed the button.
***
Port of Los Angeles.
Chae Shin-young was waiting anxiously. With Mike Foley’s

help, she had been able to escape the military base. As she
waited, she had been biting her fingernails to the point of
drawing blood, but she seemed oblivious to the pain.
‘How? How will this work out?’ she thought hard.
She was a sheriff, not someone who hunted monsters.

However, she also cared about the safety of the world.
In the last twelve hours, twenty-seven unclosed rifts had
occurred globally. Chaos had erupted in response. On the
access roads she’d passed through from Nevada, confused
crowds had begun to form. While there were no unclosed
rifts yet in Los Angeles, a few had appeared in New York and
Washington. In this state, the sheriffs after her wouldn’t be
able to focus. It had to be a hectic time for the US Defense
Agency.
Thanks to this, Chae Shin-young had been able to contact

her home country and request support. A ship had been
arranged for her return, ready to dock and pick her up
anytime.
However, she couldn’t just leave.
‘Let’s give it three hours…’ she thought.
She asked the ship’s captain to wait a few more hours

before picking her up at the port. However…
‘I don’t think Yoo-seong is dead,’ Chae Shin-young thought.

‘He must be alive. Perhaps he will arrive in Korea before I
do.’
Suddenly…
Tuk-!
There was a heavy sensation on her shoulder. Chae Shin-

young immediately spun, throwing her elbows out.
However…
Tuguk-!
Her opponent easily blocked her.

“Really? An attack before even seeing who it was?” her
opponent exclaimed.
Chae Shin-young rolled her eyes and sighed with relief.
“I knew it was you even without looking,” she said to Yoo-

seong, who was standing behind her. “I just wanted to
smash your face with my elbow even once,” she added.
She didn’t need to ask how he’d found her. “The ship is
ready,” she told him.
“Good. How many people can this ship carry?”
“Why? Are you bringing people with us?”
“Seventy-two people, to be exact,” Yoo-seong nodded.
Chae Shin-young was stunned for a few moments. “Where

are they?” she asked.
“Not in this world,” Yoo-seong answered. “If you tell me

where the ship is, I’ll open a crack so they can get out and
land immediately on the ship.”
Chae Shin-young wasn’t stupid. She knew who those

seventy-two people must be.
“Is the Miracle Boy Version Two…”
“Yes.” Yoo-seong did not wait for her to finish her question.
“Where is the ship?” He was feeling impatient. “I won’t be
going with you guys. I have to move as fast as I can and
meet someone important,” he told Chae Shin-young.
“If you mean the Director…”
“No, not the Director,” Yoo-seong clarified.

If he left everything to Director Yang Chang-guk, it would be
a lot of trouble for the man.
“It’s just that I promised these people a lot of things, and I

need to make sure they get them.”
Chae Shin-young nodded.
After twenty minutes, a cargo ship heading to Busan Port

sailed with seventy-three undeclared passengers.
Yoo-seong watched the ship moving away for a while before

checking the map on his phone. On it, he plotted a straight
line between him and the Blue House.
Chapter 169
Gulp-!
Yang Chang-guk placed his water bottle back on the table

after taking a sip from it. He cleared his throat in
preparation for the upcoming meeting, the thirty-second
Special Defense Emergency Response Committee
convention.
The last time the committee had convened was twelve

years ago. They had thought then that the committee would
have no reason to meet again. Originally, a convention was
held whenever major issues or catastrophes related to
special defense occurred, whether inside or outside the
country.
Twenty years ago, it had convened at least once a month,

each meeting lasting for several days.
‘That lessened as time went on,’ Yang Chang-guk thought.
Over time, people had learned about the beasts and the rifts
and how to deal with them. Moreover, hunting was now
solely in the hands of hunters. The time had passed when
politicians and bureaucrats sat around a table and discussed
how to protect civilians.
About ten years ago, the committee had been dissolved,

and the burden of its duties was given to the Special
Defense Agency.
It had been more efficient to do it that way, to leave the
work to the experts.
Yang Chang-guk and the employees of the Special Defense

Agency had performed the tricky task of acting as
middlemen between hunters and civilians. They had
endured getting minimal help from the politicians and
bureaucrats in return for being an ‘autonomous’ institution.
‘Now I have to be here and discuss the basics,’ Yang Chang-

guk thought, wiping sweat from his brow.
The Special Defense Agency had so much to do. An

unclosed crack had already opened in the middle of Suwon.
They had to create a timetable rotation for hunting groups
and send out the schedule. In addition, Chae Shin-young’s
report had just come in, and the contents were
unbelievable. Every minute—no, every second he spent
here was a waste of time.
“Director Yang.” A voice came from beyond the wide table.
“Yes, Minister?”
“Now that everyone has gathered, I wonder if you can start

talking about the current situation. I don’t have much time.”
“…Yes. Okay.” Yang Chang-guk masked his annoyance.
‘Is he saying that his time is more valuable than ours?’
Civilian anxiety had already reached its peak after the

unclosed crack’s appearance in Suwon, coinciding with
other unclosed cracks around the world. Everyone, including
the President, was doing their best in their own way.
“As you can see from this data, the unclosed crack could not
be closed with the equipment we…”
“I’m not here to listen to this basic information!”
Pagak-!
A palm slapped on the hardwood table. Yang Chang-guk was

stunned. The man who had slapped the table was the
Minister of Special Defense. He was head of the department
that controlled the distribution of various alien by-products
to public and private enterprises.
“I already know that we had the means to close those

cracks,” the man exclaimed.
“Right,” Yang Chang-guk nodded. “With the ability of our

hunter, Oh Yoo-seong—”
“The question is, where is that hunter now?!”
The Minister’s words had an unnecessary edge, and Yang

Chang-guk knew why.
The Minister of Special Defense was one of the few top

officials connected with the Hankwang Group. And Yoo-
seong had wanted to leave the peninsula because of people
in such high positions.
“You don’t need to make up an answer,” the Minister added.

“I know he has been dispatched to the United States.”
“That’s right.” Yang Chang-guk had no reason to lie.
Some of the people in the hall gasped upon hearing this

information.
News of Yoo-seong’s employment in the United States had
not been made public. At another time, it wouldn’t have
been a big deal. Hunters, after all, were individuals who
could choose where to sign contracts.
However, now, things were different.
Unclosed rifts were happening all over the world, including

Korea. Oh Yoo-seong’s value at this moment was
incomparable.
“Is it possible for you, Director Yang Chang-guk, to contact

him right now?” The Minister’s voice was daunting.
“Not right now.”
“Do you have his current location, at least?”
“Not right now. The latest information we have is that he will

be returning home at the soonest—”
“Is that so? What’s your proof? How can you guarantee us
that he has not turned into an American already?”
“Minister!” Yang Chang-guk was reaching the limit of his

patience.
“What were you thinking when you sent him to the United
States? Why did you give your permission?”
The Minister’s hard questions kept coming.
“Hey! What do you mean by that?” Yang Chang-guk couldn’t

help but feel amazed at the level of disrespect he was
getting.
“In this troublesome time for every country in the world,

including ours, were you unaware of his strategic
importance when you sent him away? Do you think
attaching a special agent with him was enough?”
The Minister wasn’t content with simply raising his voice. He

stood up and began pacing the room. Around them, the
other high-ranking officials began to murmur agreement.
“Minister Kim’s words make sense…”
“Why would the Director send away a hunter of that value?

The temptation of asylum…”
‘This…’ Yang Chang-guk turned pale. ‘These people are…’
It wasn’t that he was afraid the Minister was trying to pass

the blame onto him. It was that they didn’t seem to realize
the crisis the entire world was in.
They were looking at Yang Chang-guk with triumphant faces

as if they were satisfied that they had a scapegoat. It
appeared that the meeting’s purpose was a witch hunt.
Perhaps, when the convention ended, Yang Chang-guk

would no longer be the Director of the Bureau.
His place could soon be filled with someone from the

Minister’s gang.
“What are you going to do?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be doing something right now?!”
Even those who were not originally on the Minister’s side

seemed to have been persuaded.
“Isn’t Oh Yoo-seong the hunter who has been involved in

several scandals? Like the Hankwang case? How can you
just allow him to run around, knowing that his character is
—”
“Stop.” Yang Chang-guk raised his voice and interrupted the

Minister.
The Minister looked at Yang Chang-guk with a surprised

expression. He hadn’t expected an objection.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong is not a person whose character deserves

suspicion.”
“Look, whatever your personal opinion of him—”
“I don’t know what the Minister’s basis is, but Oh Yoo-seong

has never been someone untrustworthy.”
The officials in the room felt uneasy. Yang Chang-guk, who

was known to be gentle, was now almost growling with
anger.
“No. Especially compared to someone like you,” the Director

added.
“Director Yang!” someone yelled out to stop him.
However, Yang Chang-guk wasn’t finished. He slammed

both hands on the table.
“This meeting is to report the current status of the cracks

and to discuss countermeasures. If you want a witch hunt,
then fine, hold me responsible for sending Yoo-seong
overseas.”
Everyone flinched at the Director’s raised voice.

“It’s all my fault. But Oh Yoo-seong is a hunter who has done
all he can to fulfill his duty. He does not deserve to be
shamed by a sloppy politician.”
“This, you really—!”
Bang-!
Chairs screeched backward, and fists slammed on the table

as the Minister and his colleagues stood.
“Now, now, everyone, stop this.”
A calm voice pierced through the room, bringing them to

their senses. The seasoned fox, watching the situation, had
finally opened his mouth.
It was President Kwak Seong-guk, the commander in chief of

the Republic of Korea.
“What is happening? Is this a place designed for you to fight

amongst each other?”
The President looked around the silenced room.
“The important thing right now is not who is responsible for

what, but where Oh Yoo-seong is.”
“That’s right, Mr. President,” Yang Chang-guk agreed.
“It is the Director’s job to manage domestic hunters so that

they are available immediately when their country needs
them. With all things considered, you have failed in this,
Director Yang. Am I right?”
“Yes, Mr. President,” Yang Chang-guk replied with a heavy

voice.
“It wouldn’t be wise to make hasty judgments, but… I’m
having the same thoughts that Minister Kim suggested.”
“Oh, no! It can’t be true. Yoo-seong would never—” Yang

Chang-guk vehemently denied the possibility of Yoo-seong
staying in America. However, the President’s gaze remained
calmly fixed on him.
“Before I came here, I received a direct call from the

Americans,” the President began.
Not only Yang Chang-guk, but everyone in the room fell

silent. A direct call to the President’s hotline meant that the
call was coming from his counterpart, the highest office in
the United States.
“During that call, I was told that—”
Thud-!
Something fell through the ceiling, onto the center of the

oval table.
“Heook!”
“A monster!”
Panic ensued for a few moments.
Even the officials’ bodyguards contemplated escaping.

However…
“Sorry about this!”
From the dust and the smoke, a human voice came.
Everyone turned their heads and waited for the smoke to

clear.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come this way, but the situation
is so urgent that I had to find a shortcut.”
Standing at the center of the oval table like a chef at a

conveyor belt sushi restaurant, Oh Yoo-seong looked around
the surprised faces in the room.
‘This is too much,’ he thought, blaming Auto-Hunt.
He’d wanted the fastest route to the Blue House. He had not
expected to burst into the middle of what seemed to be an
important meeting.
Yoo-seong didn’t know all the faces around the room, but
they all seemed like VIPs.
His eyes stopped on the President’s surprised face for a

moment before turning to a familiar face in the room.
‘Lucky the Director is here,’ he thought.
“Excuse me, can I ask how much of the situation they

know?” he asked.
“Of course,” Yang Chang-guk nodded. Then a complete

summary of what had happened in the meeting was relayed
to Yoo-seong.
Of course, Yang Chang-guk omitted the useless arguments

that had occurred.
“I see. Thank you, Director.” Yoo-seong gave him a little

bow. Then, with a smile, he turned to the President. “You
received a phone call from the United States.”
“Yes. From what they told me, you—”

“I’m sorry, Mr. President,” Yoo-seong cut him off. “Whatever
you heard from them, it’s all crap.”
The President narrowed his eyes. “That’s a pretty big

accusation… I hope you have some evidence to support
your claim.”
“Such a cheeky bastard!” someone in the room belatedly

yelled out.
One of the officials stood and began to move toward Yoo-

seong, but…
Shugak-!
In an instant, Yoo-seong had the Sky Scissors in his hands,

and a crack had been ripped in the middle of the Blue
House.
Everyone froze in shock and fear.
“I’ll show you,” Yoo-seong declared.
Then his hand plunged into the crack he had just formed. He
took something from within, and-
Poop-!
He threw it into the middle of the room for everyone to see.

Chapter 170
Episode 170
Shrieks of horror broke out.
“Ahhh!”
“That’s…!”
The committee was composed of the heads and directors of

different government agencies. Each one was in their late
forties, with dignified and respectable appearances.
However…
All the dignity that came with their age and position meant
nothing before what Yoo-seong had just thrown at them.
“A-A-Alien!” an ambassador screamed.
With its large, deformed head, disproportionate to its

slender limbs, and eyes that seemed to be deep pools of
black liquid, a Gray would undeniably be an “alien” to
anyone who saw it.
Clap-!
Yoo-seong brought his hands together, and the sharp,

unexpected sound silenced the screams.
As soon as the room fell silent…

-Help me!
A clear voice resonated in each person’s head.
“This… this is…”
It was a desperate telepathic message.
-Please save me! I will do anything!
Everyone in the room recognized what it was immediately,

despite this being their first time experiencing it.
“I think everyone knows what this is, even if I don’t bother

explaining it,” Yoo-seong began. “This creature, based on
my experience, has intelligence and learning abilities that
are almost no different from those of humans.”
As he spoke, he raised the index and middle fingers of one

hand and pointed them down toward the Gray on the floor.
Papat-!
-Save…!
At the same time, the telepathic messages stopped.
The Gray, which had been twitching and trembling on the

ground, also halted its movements.
Yoo-seong had petrified its blood, as he’d done to the

fourteen hunters he met beyond the crack.
He looked around at the still-shocked faces in the room. He

wasn’t about to tell them that there was actually nothing in
the crack he’d just made.
The Gray in front of them was the very same Gray he’d
caught in Nashville, which he had petrified and placed inside
his Slot. The moment his hand had gone inside the
miniature crack he’d torn open, he’d taken it out of the Slot.
In other words, Yoo-seong had not actually brought anything

out of the crack. He’d just wanted to make a point: beyond
the cracks, there were creatures like the Gray, who could
speak with humans.
Only Yang Chang-guk, who had the most experience with

cracks, had doubts.
‘Did that thing really come out of the crack Yoo-seong just
made?’
‘Still, regardless of whether or not he really caught it just

now, it must be true that these creatures exist on the other
side.’
Yang Chang-guk chose to keep quiet and silently watch Yoo-

seong’s “act.”
“Up until yesterday, even I didn’t know that we had these

‘friends’ inside the crack. But as I got caught up in a more
complicated case in the United States, I learned a lot of
things.”
As he spoke, the tattoo on Yoo-seong’s chest constantly

consumed CE. However, there was no noticeable change in
Yoo-seong’s outside appearance. What was its purpose?
After the situation inside the Nashville rift was over, Auto-
Hunt had used the tattoo on his chest for the first time.
Before that, Yoo-seong hadn’t any idea about its use.
However, shortly after the tattoo Tech had been activated,
the surviving Grays began to approach him.
‘Provocation,’ he’d thought.
As a result, he had been able to finish off every remaining

Gray in the area.
The purpose of the tattoo inscribed on his chest was to draw

the attention of the creatures within a certain radius. In a
sense, it was similar to mental manipulation, albeit to a
lesser degree.
Of course, within the Nashville crack, the Tech had been

used in a very wide area.
Perhaps that was the reason the effect had seemed weak.
However, in a room such as this, it was a very powerful tool.

Just a little gesture, such as a single clap, was more than
enough to draw and hold attention.
As such, despite the shock and the questions in everyone’s

heads, Yoo-seong was able to convey everything that had
happened in the United States without interruption.
After he finished describing the complex situation he had

gotten involved in abroad, a heavy silence hung over the
hall.
“……”
“……”
“How…” Someone had finally managed to open his mouth.
Unfortunately, it was someone who was linked to Hankwang

and harbored ill feelings against Yoo-seong.
“What have you done?! Fighting in the United States…

smuggling Miracle Boy to Korea…”
“Miracle Boy is a person, not some contraband,” Yoo-seong
answered the red-faced Minister.
“Still! You did it on your own without any report or

authorization? Have you thought about the consequences?
You…”
Yoo-seong stared at the Minister.
His eyes had a look that made the Minister swallow back the
words he was about to spit out.
“I don’t understand…” Yoo-seong’s voice was

expressionless, as was his face.
“What? What do you mean?”
“Do you understand what I have said so far, Minister? I

almost died. Would you prefer I had died instead?”
“I’m not saying that…”
“Then what are you talking about? I almost lost my life for
the nth time, but I survived nonetheless. In the process, I
met American hunters and saved their lives. How should I
have acted from there?”
“Well, you could have returned here without making a

fuss…”
At the next moment…
Poop-!
“Heeook!” The Minister made choking sounds as he flew

towards Yoo-seong, who grabbed him by his collar.
It wasn’t telekinesis. Yoo-seong had stretched out a spider
web and snatched him.
“Let go of me! Don’t you know who I am?!”
“Shut up!” Yoo-seong snapped at him.
The Minister turned pale and shut his mouth as Yoo-seong

growled.
Everyone in the room froze. Even Yang Chang-guk turned

pale as he thought of what Yoo-seong was about to do.
Fortunately, Yoo-seong wasn’t planning to do anything other

than hold the Minister, who now looked like a terrified rat.
“Really… I have suffered enough rudeness here,” Yoo-seong

said calmly as he looked around the room.
“I want everyone to understand that what I am doing right

now is for everyone’s sake, even this person.”
“What… nonsense,” someone from the Minister’s gang

muttered.
Yoo-seong stared at him and calmly asked a question. “Can

you tell us why this was a bad move? What kind of damage
would we get from bringing in American hunters?”
“That… I mean…” the official stuttered.
“Through the rapid action of the Special Defense Agency,

Agent Chae Shin-young and the American hunters are now
traveling across the Pacific without being detected. As long
as no one leaks out this confidential information, there
should be no diplomatic problem, at least for the time
being.”
Yoo-seong looked around the room once more before
continuing.
“Even if the news comes out, however, the hunters’

decisions are firm. There is no possibility that them coming
over will be a problem because they have not been forced
to do so. Now, don’t we gain a tremendous benefit if
America’s top hunters choose to work on our side? Not to
mention the Miracle Boy version 2?”
As soon as Yoo-seong’s explanation was over, Yang Chang-

guk voiced his support.
“I agree. Having dozens of veteran American hunters is an

indisputable advantage, especially in this situation. Even if
we don’t deploy them in operations, they would be helpful in
auxiliary roles, such as equipment development or
manpower training.”
Everyone in the room slowly began to nod.
Not because they were afraid of Yoo-seong, but because

what Yoo-seong had said, combined with Yang Chang-guk’s
agreement, made such perfect sense that even bureaucrats
who didn’t understand hunting were compelled to accept it.
Ironically, it was the only moment when an understanding

had been reached throughout the Emergency Committee’s
meeting.
“Once again, I apologize for all my unreasonable actions

here, including my intrusion on your meeting.” Yoo-seong
bowed slightly. “With the urgency of the situation, I had to
do it,” he added.
Then, his polite and humble expression changed once more

as he looked at the Minister hanging from one of his arms.
“But this man, even after my explanation, continued to
insist on my negligence. I’m not saying that my
achievements are great, but… I can only think that there
may be an underlying motive to his actions.”
“I… I can’t breathe… put me down…” the Minister gasped.
“Alvin Hawkins,” Yoo-seong said. “It’s certainly unbelievable.

How can such a powerful and influential person do
something so cruel? But it is true. Agent Chae Shin-young
can testify for it when she returns… And based on the
Minister’s reactions… how can I be sure that this person is
not under the control of Alvin Hawkins or the United
States?”
The people in the room fell silent at Yoo-seong’s question.
The Minister struggled desperately as he felt the suffocating

atmosphere around him.
“Of course, I may be judging prematurely, but I think that

we should take preventive action, even if we’re not sure.
How about detaining this man until the situation is clear?”
Yoo-seong suggested.
“….”
“….”
Silence.
No one argued for the Minister’s release.
Those who were on his side had already recognized the

seriousness of the situation. Why would anyone try to
defend him at this point?
“Mr. President,” Yoo-seong turned to the chief executive. “I
will ask you again. What did the US tell you about me?”
“…”
President Kwak Seong-cheol seemed to be hesitating.

Then…
“I understand now…” The President nodded with a serious

expression.
“Yes?”
“It does not matter anymore, because as you said, it was all
a bunch of crap.”
The old fox’s thin lips had the shadow of a smile. What was
happening right now could change the game around the
world. No matter which side he chose, he would be taking a
risk. However…
Yoo-seong seemed to have a greater chance of success than

the United States itself.
The seasoned leader placed his bet.
“Then, Oh Yoo-seong, do you have anything else to convey

to the people in this room… or do you need help with
anything?”
Rather than Yoo-seong, it was Yang Chang-guk who felt a

burst of excitement. He knew the President’s language
habits very well. What he had just said was the equivalent
of handing Yoo-seong a blank check from the Blue House.
“Well”—Yoo-seong thought for a moment—“efficiency is of

the utmost importance right now. All the reports that have
to be filed, meetings, etcetera…”
“That’s right, continue.” The President leaned forward to

listen.
“I ask for the expansion of Director Yang Chang-guk’s

authority. In the future, he should be able to deal with an
emergency without unnecessary hold-ups or reports.”
Suddenly, Yoo-seong blinked as if he had just remembered

something. The Minister of Defense was still hanging from
his arms.
Plop-!
“Akk! Ugh…”
“First”—he stared down at the Minister he’d just dropped to

the ground—“let’s send this person away before we
continue.”
***
Yang Chang-guk’s face was blank as he walked down the

corridor with Yoo-seong.
“I can’t believe it…” he whispered.
“But it’s done. It happened.” Yoo-seong cheerfully patted his

back.
The Director of the Special Defense Agency was also the

new Chairman of the Special Defense Countermeasures
Committee. It wasn’t just an honorary appointment. The
members, along with the Korean President, had
unanimously agreed to give him the position.
With it, Yang Chang-guk’s existing power had grown beyond
words.
For example, Yang Chang-guk could now mobilize the

military after the Blue House’s approval. In the past, he
would have had to go through the Minister of Defense and
the generals before reaching the President.
‘-We now face an unprecedented emergency. How we deal

with this will determine Korea’s future.’
No one had objected to the President’s declaration.
“The new person assigned to be the Minister of Special just

became a little less powerful,” Yang Chang-guk realized.
Yoo-seong smiled. “In the future, the Director’s…”
Suddenly, his expression hardened.
“Yoo-seong? Are you okay? What happened?”
“Ah, no. No big deal.” Yoo-seong smiled and waved his

hands in front of Yang Chang-guk.
“But your face just now…”
“I need to run to the bathroom.” Yoo-seong looked a little

embarrassed. “I haven’t been in a while, so please leave
first. I’ll follow you soon,” he added.
Then, without waiting for the Director’s response, he began

running to the bathroom.
However, he didn’t rush into a cubicle. Instead, he stopped

in front of the sink, where a man was washing his hands.
“That’s pretty good,” the man said. “Have your senses
developed to the level where you don’t need to use your
eyes anymore?”
“Well… it’s been a while. They have grown a little.”
The man turned the faucet off and shook the water from his
hands as he faced Yoo-seong.
“But you… you haven’t changed,” Yoo-seong said.

“Especially your fashion sense.”
The man before him didn’t look like a king who had lost his
throne.
Jin Wei-baek was still in perfect shape.

Chapter 171
No. 171
“It’s nothing new, but I’d like to say it nonetheless…” Yoo-

seong began.
Neither man in the bathroom raised his Aura.
“I’m not glad to see you again.”
Before he’d gone inside the room, Yoo-seong’s muscles were

tense. He and Jin Wei-baek hadn’t known each other for a
long time. However, even with those short meetings they
had been through…
Yoo-seong would be a fool to forget what this man was.
He and Jin Wei-baek weren’t friends. Their relationship was

more like a time bomb that could explode at any time.
Jin Wei-baek’s motives were always a mystery. Moreover, he

did not hesitate to wield violence wherever he was, whoever
was watching.
Yoo-seong couldn’t help but be wary of such a person.
It was only business that tied them together, and the last
business they had agreed to was more than six months ago.
It had been a contract to deliver the Sky Scissors. When he

was beyond the crack, and until he had returned, Yoo-seong
had been planning to keep his promise.
However, Jin Wei-baek hadn’t kept his end of the deal.

Instead of him, two of Tenz’s Ship Zone hunters had come to
Korea and tried to take the Scissors away from Yoo-seong.
He knew it wasn’t something Jin Wei-baek would have done

himself. He didn’t trust the old man, but Jin Wei-baek wasn’t
someone who would break his promises either. Even if he
had planned to break the deal, he would have faced Yoo-
seong in person.
Jin Wei-baek would have argued with his own mouth, and if
he’d wanted to, wielded violence with his own hands. The
fact that only Tenz minions had come for Yoo-seong…
“I guess things haven’t worked out for you so far,” he

remarked.
“That’s a nice way to put it.” Jin Wei-baek nodded.
Coup d’etat.
The Tenz power structure had already been shaken, and Jin
Wei-baek had been kicked out.
“Well, it seems this is going to be a long story.” Yoo-seong

took something out of his pocket. It was his cellphone.
Yoo-seong then called Yang Chang-guk to tell him he wasn’t

feeling well.
“Begin,” he told Jin Wei-baek after ending the call.
From the beginning to the end of the phone call, he hadn’t

taken his eyes off the old man. Strangely, Jin Wei-baek
looked like he had no intention of moving. Even his hands
had remained still.
Finally, the old man’s mouth opened.
“Well… it would be nice to have dinner,” he said.
Yoo-seong raised his eyebrows at the unexpected request.
“I haven’t eaten anything in three weeks,” Jin Wei-baek

added.
Yoo-seong pondered if there was any hint or hidden

meaning in what Jin Wei-baek had said.
There turned out to be none.
“…because I don’t have any money,” the old man sighed.
***
A humble, home-style restaurant where a meal cost around

8,000 won.
It was quite crowded during lunchtime as many government

officials opted to spend their lunch break here. However, at
a little past four o’clock in the afternoon, it wasn’t as busy.
“Oh, your father looks very cool. How nice.” The late-middle-
aged lady serving them smiled brightly at Jin Wei-baek.
“Thank you,” Jin Wei-baek acknowledged the compliment.
“Wow. Your voice sounds like a famous singer… do you often

hear that your voice resembles Na Hoon A?”
Yoo-seong visibly cringed at the exchange happening before

him. The woman seemed like she was trying to seduce the
old man, who seemed to be enjoying it.
After a while, the woman finally returned to the kitchen,

albeit with an expression of regret.
Jin Wei-baek turned to Yoo-seong, looking disappointed.
“Why did you act that way?” the old man hissed. “If I didn’t
know better, I would think that you were keeping her off
me.”
“Well, was there a need for me to do that?” Yoo-seong

shrugged.
Jin Wei-baek wiped his hand with a wet towel as he looked at

the side dishes before him.
“It looks like you are jealous because her attention was on
me,” Jin Wei-baek grinned.
“…”
“Maybe, if you used everything you have right now, you

might be able to beat me.”
“There is no need to fight for—” Yoo-seong immediately

answered, but the old man cut him off.
“Right. Your so-called principles…” Jin Wei-baek placed the

towel back in the bucket at the side of the table. “Even if
your heart is screaming to use your power, you will never
use those hands ‘without reason’ against another person.
Perhaps that’s why you wanted to annoy me and make me
strike you first. So you could give yourself permission to
succumb to violence.”
“I hear your bullshit,” Yoo-seong answered as he took a
spoon and placed it before the old man.
Then he got straight to the point.
“I have no intention of handing over the Needle and the

Scissors.”
“Even though we had an agreement?” Jin Wei-baek merely

tilted his head.
“Part of the agreement was that we would meet when I

came out. But you didn’t show up. Instead, two idiots came
for me.”
Jin Wei-baek pursed his lips. “And that young man Sung-
wook also got cured, right?”
Yoo-seong raised his eyebrows.
“Besides, he seems happy now with his new bride. It’s a

little surprising to see. That child’s body is a treasure that
can only be found in great fantasies. To see them both with
such happy faces…”
“Hey.” Yoo-seong’s voice turned cold. “If you do anything to

them, or even keep talking about them… it will be the
provocation you said I was waiting for.”
“Really?” Jin Wei-baek smiled. “Unfortunately, I have no

intention of touching them, so I don’t think it will happen.”
“Were you spying on them?” Yoo-seong asked.
Sung-wook and Seoyu’s relationship wasn’t something a

casual observer would notice. Somehow, Jin Wei-baek had
been carefully watching them.
“Of course. Because I was looking for you.” Jin Wei-baek
took a sip of water. “The reason I asked you to find the
Scissors a few months ago is that I was busy preparing for
something myself.”
“Yes?”
“I was preparing to hand Tenz over to you if only everything

had gone to plan.” Jin Wei-baek stared at him.
‘What is this guy talking about now?’ Yoo-seong was

surprised. ‘No doubt he’s full of crap, but this…’
“Do you know where the Cheonma priesthood originated

from?” the old man asked.
“Not really, but still, go ahead.”
“It’s a story that goes back quite a long time, even before
the Sang-go period in your history.”
Suddenly, a thought passed through Yoo-seong’s mind.
“The King of Humans…?”
Jin Wei-baek’s mouth dropped as if he were genuinely

surprised. “Whoa, you already know. Who did you hear it
from?”
“From the creatures on the other side,” Yoo-seong

answered.
“Ah, I also used to communicate with them.” Jin Wei-baek

nodded happily. “I don’t know how much they told you, so
I’ll explain it. The Cheonma is directly related to what you
call Inwang or the King.”
“…”
At that moment, Yoo-seong realized the coincidences
between the fantasies he’d known since he was a child and
what the Grays’ leader had told him.
“Are you saying that… the descendants of the King are the
founders of your religion?”
“Well, close enough. However, they were not his

descendants. As the King secured humanity’s freedom
against the old inhabitants, there were those who served
him closely. Each of them had abilities comparable to those
of the Inwang.”
One of the King’s closest knights had been the first

Cheonma.
“Cheonma is the name that the King gave him. The same
goes for the British Grandmaster, the Russian Baba Yaga,
the Japanese Sukune, and the African Gguluddene. Although
the descendants’ culture and language were different, all
the titles passed down from generation to generation are
derived from what the Inwang called their ancestors.
They were the descendants of the best hunters.
“Of course, not all Tech come from that era. Most of the Tech
we have now were borne out of human desire and conflicts
after they began ruling the Earth. However, the oldest and
most powerful techniques were handed down to later
generations by Inwang’s closest servants. The King
instructed them to keep records of these Tech. Any idea
why?”
Yoo-seong nodded. “To prepare for this situation.”
“Right. To prevent cracks from reopening. To stop the old

masters who wanted to take control of the world once more.
To always remain in service of the world and of mankind.”
At that point, the food they’d ordered came out.
“Where should I put the sundubu-jiggae?” the woman asked

sweetly.
The hot pot with the strong scent of chili oil was placed
before them.
Jin Wei-baek closed his eyes and savored the scent as if it

were a world-class delicacy.
“I don’t even have to take a meal, but after not eating

anything for three weeks, I couldn’t help but miss the
sensation of food and its taste in my mouth.”
“You really don’t have any money?”
“My money is tangled up elsewhere in the meantime.”
Yoo-seong looked Jin Wei-baek up and down. All his clothes

and accessories looked new, as if they were barely three
days old.
All of them also seemed to be designer items. The

sunglasses perched on the old man’s forehead alone looked
like they cost hundreds of thousands of won.
“The money to buy all those clothes and accessories…”
“I cannot change the way I dress.” The old man sounded

annoyed. Then he quickly downed half a bowl of rice.
As he watched the old man before him wolf down the food
like someone who hadn’t eaten for weeks, Yoo-seong
carefully organized his thoughts.
All the ridiculous stuff Jin Wei-baek had told him so far made
sense since Yoo-seong already had some context. However,
there was a question that was nagging at him.
“I have something to ask.”
Jin Wei-baek placed the rice bowl down and raised his head,
urging Yoo-seong to continue.
“According to you, the Earth’s most powerful Tech has been

distributed to the different countries where the descendants
of the King’s entourage reside.”
“Yes, so?”
“Then… what country are the Inwang’s descendants in?”
As he posed the question, Yoo-seong kept his eyes on the

man before him.
Jin Wei-baek was the strongest creature he had ever faced,

barring no human or monster. Even now, with a bowl of
steaming sundubu-jiggae between them, Yoo-seong had a
hand ready to press the button at any time.
However, the old man was saying that a person as powerful

as him wasn’t even a descendant of the King. If so, just how
strong would the King’s descendants be?
However…
“There are no descendants from the King’s line,” Jin Wei-

baek answered him.
“What?”
“He didn’t leave a successor.” Jin Wei-baek shrugged.

‘That’s a little strange,’ Yoo-seong thought. ‘He ordered his
strongest associates to leave successors to protect the
future of the Earth, but he, the strongest of all, didn’t leave
one?’
“But looking at the records, it’s understandable,” Jin Wei-

baek added.
“Why is that?”
“Inwang was a once-in-a-lifetime intellect,” the old man said

in a solemn voice. “He was said to be a genius with
unlimited talent. He didn’t even have to learn those talents
properly.”
“Well, those ancient records are always exaggerated, no

matter how much you look at them…”
“Of course, he had a wealth of Ki, but it was said that it

wasn’t bound by any form. He used the optimal movement
according to the situation and achieved the best result.
Always.”
“…”
“Sometimes, someone else’s Tech unfolded in the King’s

hands, but no one dared to open their mouth about it. It was
because the power he created was on a different level from
the original, and if the Tech didn’t fit the situation, he would
not use the same technique again.”
Jin Wei-baek shrugged his shoulders again before turning

back to his food.
“It’s up to you to believe this story or not,” the old man

added before turning back to his food. “As you said, ancient
myths are always exaggerated, but… isn’t it amazing even if
it’s fictitious? A human who could use anything around him,
to a level that surpasses believability?”
Chapter 172
Jin Wei-baek looked really satisfied when he finally finished

his meal.
“Good,” he said, turning to look at the woman in the

kitchen. “A house that knows how to use seasoning
properly.”
‘Did he just wink at her?’ Yoo-seong wondered. ‘I hope not.’
“Shall we get back to what we were talking about?” he tried

to steer the old man.
“Right. Inwang’s aides properly passed on not only their

Techs but also their sense of duty. Their descendants
performed quite well, for the first few cycles, at least.”
“What is a cycle?”
“What? You don’t know? This is not the first time the cracks
have opened.”
“Wait a minute.” Yoo-seong’s eyebrows furrowed. If this

turmoil happening all over the world had already happened
before, shouldn’t it have been recorded in history books?
No, more than that, humanity should have perished by now.
The only reason mankind was holding up was because of

modern science and technology, particularly the invention
of pulse breakers.
“Of course, it was impossible to close the cracks one by one,
like how hunters close the cracks now with pulse breakers,”
Jin Wei-baek said as if reading the question from Yoo-seong’s
head. “Instead, what they did was to prevent cracks from
opening at all.”
“…!”
Yoo-seong almost got up from his seat in surprise.
“Just… how?!”
“It’s probably something that only descendants know how to

do so. But think about it. You know it is possible.”
“What… what are you talking about?”
‘How can cracks be prevented?’
If that was really possible, why was this situation happening

all over the world now?
“It is possible to eliminate the bridge between the two

worlds by crossing to the other side and causing a massive
explosion of energy. When that is completed, the unstable
flow of cracks naturally disappears.”
In the past, the descendants of the Inwang’s aides had

quickly hunted the monsters that came out of the cracks.
Then, just like rush teams, they moved to the world beyond
the cracks and cleared out the beasts inside. Finally, they’d
used their energy to stabilize the currents that caused the
cracks before returning.
The descendants were scattered all over the world, but they
did not enjoy particularly close interactions with each other.
They only took care of rifts near them and left cracks closer
to other descendants alone.
“Whenever a cycle finished, it took around a century or two

before the wiped-out beasts could naturally recover, and
mankind flourished during those peaceful times. Those were
recorded as periods of growth and recovery for each culture.
Isn’t it pretty interesting?”
“This means that…” Yoo-seong’s voice hardened as he

realized something. “This time, you guys have cheated
mankind.” He stared at Jin Wei-baek. “All of you collaborated
and lied together. That’s why this situation is happening
now.”
“We didn’t. Surprisingly,” Jin Wei-baek answered

nonchalantly as he pulled out a napkin to wipe his lips.
“What?”
“I swear, from twenty years before this cycle began until

now, I have never spoken to the other descendants. Even if
there were occasional opportunities for contact.”
“Nonsense. Without speaking to each other, why the hell

would all of you behave like this…?”
“Quick,” Jin Wei-baek laughed bitterly, “what do you think

would be a plausible reason? You tell me.”
“…”
“First of all, this peaceful interval was longer than any other
cycle. A thousand years have passed since the last one.
Perhaps the descendants have forgotten their duties during
that time.”
However, that wasn’t the right answer.
When Yoo-seong thought hard about it, he realized the real

reason.
“In the nineteenth century…”
Jin Wei-baek simply chuckled. “It’s taken quite a long time to

remember the exact year, but yes. It was a time of upheaval
in human history, and I can clearly remember the feeling
that the times were changing. We, the descendants, were
standing at the crossroads of human history.”
The era of mass production and societal change toward

equality had begun. Tech, which were previously objects of
worship and mystery, began to be stigmatized as evil
superstitions that could break the stability of the majority.
The descendants had been forced to decide. Should they
actively appeal for their existence against the trend of the
times?
Or else…
“We accepted that we could not stop the tide and retreated,
hidden in obscurity. Some wars cannot be won. And now, we
are here.”
Yoo-seong nodded.
When gathered together, the weak have tremendous power.

A unified public opinion was more powerful than any Tech. If
the public had wanted to progress through the boom of
technology and industry…
For the descendants, the best solution had been to keep

their existence hidden to avoid the public eye.
But twenty years ago, after a thousand years of peace, their
time had come once more. The descendants soon became
heroes.
The reemergence of Tech had seemed like a miracle.

Moreover, the speed and range of twenty-first-century
communication channels had allowed the descendants to
enjoy the world’s enthusiastic admiration.
The descendants of King Inwang’s aides had turned into

heroes.
“Honestly, it was fun,” Jin Wei-baek confessed. “Decades

ago, I thought that the growth of martial arts would be my
only joy, but the fame and glory hunting brought me was
something martial arts never gave me in my three-
centuries-long lifetime.”
If Jin Wei-baek felt this way, could it have been different for
the other descendants? They had been alienated and forced
to hide for centuries. Now, they were regarded as heroes.
The emergence of rifts had been an opportunity to reign

over the world. Just like that, even without talking to each
other, the descendants had unanimously agreed.
They had concealed their fangs and turned away from their
real prey.
Instead, they had enjoyed the fame and glory of hunting.
“Anyway, if it weren’t for us, humanity would have been

extinct immediately.”
“That’s no excuse,” Yoo-seong replied right away. “No

matter what you say, it doesn’t change the fact that you
guys neglected your duties.”
“You’re talking pretty big.”
“Even if you were hungry for wealth and fame, you could
still have taken care of your full responsibilities.”
“But if we had, the fame and glory wouldn’t have been as

much as we enjoy now. Besides,”—Jin Wei-baek’s eyes dug
deep into Yoo-seong’s—”isn’t the power you have now, all
the things you enjoy and will enjoy in the future, also the
result of that ‘neglect?’”
Yoo-seong was stunned. The realization made him

speechless for a few moments.
Then he opened his mouth.
“It does not matter now,” he said with a firm voice. “If I had
been you twenty years ago, I wouldn’t have done what you
did.”
“Because of your sublime ‘principles?’” Jin Wei-baek smiled.
Yoo-seong thought they were far from sublime. They also

weren’t cool enough to be called principles.
Rather, it was just… an obsession.
“I could have done it, but I didn’t. This is why all these
disasters are happening right now,” Jin Wei-baek remarked.
“By my standards,” Yoo-seong raised his voice, “what you

did was disgusting enough that I could spit on your face.”
He spoke with an undeniably provocative tone.
According to what Yoo-seong had heard so far, Jin Wei-baek

was far crueler and more dangerous than he had initially
thought. Yoo-seong acting passively to what he’d just heard
was not a guarantee that the old man wouldn’t do anything
dangerous.
He would rather end this by his own hands.
“From now on, no matter what happens here, you cannot

stop me from what I will do. I will inform the world of what
you and the other descendants should have.”
“Are you ready to deal with the aftermath? And even if what
you’re about to tell them is the truth, do you think hunters
will listen to you?”
“That’s not a problem for you to care about.”
Yoo-seong raised his Aura. He looked sideways and thought

of the people in the kitchen. Fortunately, he and Jin Wei-
baek were the only people in the room.
“Either disappear right in front of my eyes or try to stop me.

I don’t care what you choose. I will do my job.”
“…”
Jin Wei-baek’s nature, as Yoo-seong knew, wasn’t the type

that could endure these insults. So he quickly moved and
pressed the button. However…
“…?!”
Auto-Hunt did not move.
‘Is it waiting for an opportunity to counter-attack?’ Yoo-

seong thought.
“One of the powers you have is the trick of pissing people

off with your words,” Jin Wei-baek said. “But then, that is
also why I chose you,” the old man added.
“What?!”
“I just told you before. I was trying to hand the job over to
you. You must have forgotten.”
Rather than forgetting, it was more accurate to say that the

story Jin Wei-baek shared about the descendants had
overshadowed what he’d said before it.
“It’s not just about the wealth that Tenz has… Yes, you are
right. I…” Jin Wei-baek hesitated before continuing. “I am a
disgusting human.”
Yoo-seong was shocked.
It was hard to believe that Jin Wei-baek was even capable of

criticizing himself. However, the old man looked sincere.
“At some point, I thought about it and realized I had defiled

the name Cheonma.”
So he had thought to pass on his name, authority, and duty

to someone else.
“But the problem was, who to pass it on to? Of course, there

weren’t any candidates strong enough to catch my eye.
Also, the person had to know about the old history, or at
least be willing enough to study it and accept it as the
truth.”
However, he hadn’t found anyone.
“I needed someone who could understand his duty yet was

talented enough to stand above everyone. But it was
impossible to find anyone. None of the talents born in this
era wanted anything but to be the top hunter. Who would
choose to live as a servant of Inwang?”
So, Jin Wei-baek had exhausted himself trying to look for a
successor.
Just as he was about to give up, though, he had discovered

something.
In a little corner of the East, he’d heard the news that the
Pacheonma Geukki had been stolen and used by an
unheard-of name. He sent his men to deal with it, but they’d
failed terribly.
Finally, he’d decided to put himself on a plane to Korea.
He had thought of Yoo-seong as mere entertainment.

However, what he encountered was a one-of-a-kind monster.
“I would have ruthlessly ended your life, but when I realized

what I was looking at…”
From the time Yoo-seong came out after completing his first
dive, Jin Wei-baek had already identified him as his
successor. That was also the real reason he had induced
Yoo-seong to come to China. Chinese hunters would bow
their heads to the strongest, even if they were a foreigner. If
Yoo-seong had developed a reputation in China, it would
have eventually become easier for him to inherit Tenz.
“That makes sense…”
“Of course, I didn’t think it would happen overnight. I’m not

an idiot. I was expecting it to manifest in ten years. But your
growth was unexpectedly fast.”
Yoo-seong was a cut above the rest, right from his first
spontaneous operation in China.
Hunting one of the deadliest monsters, a Peril, alone.

In the Shanghai Shock, he had become a hero.
“And your work with the Red Dragon Society was decisive.”
“Why so?”
“Well, Yang Jeong-cheon lost one arm in a battle against

you, but he seemed to harbor no ill feelings. Besides, his
successor, his only daughter, seems to be addicted to you.
Isn’t that enough?”
Even if Yoo-seong had become the son-in-law of the Red

Dragon Society, it would not have stopped Jin Wei-baek’s
plans.
“The Red Dragon is a group with a long history. They are not
descendants, but they have their own fairly decent spirit
and reputation. Getting their support was an irreplaceable
foundation, even if you aren’t Chinese.”
“If that happened… it would be like The Red Dragon Society

acquiring Tenz.”
“It does not matter, as long as the Chunma’s original duties

and roles are fulfilled. My predecessors would have been
more ashamed of the state of Tenz now than if it belonged
under the Red Dragon.”
“…”
“That’s why I asked you to take the Scissors and the Needle
out a little earlier than planned. It also allowed me time to
prepare for your return.”
While Yoo-seong was gone, Jin Wei-baek had prepared to

hand over everything to Yoo-seong upon his return.
However, he misjudged the situation. When he declared that
Yoo-seong was going to be the next Cheonma, and Tenz
would begin to prevent cracks like descendants were
supposed to, the officials within Tenz did not complain to
him. Instead…
They reported him to the Chinese government and distorted

the truth.
“The Party immediately dispatched a manhunt. The heads of

other organizations, more than half of the Ship Zones…
even officials of our organization joined forces to catch me.”
Jin Wei-baek wasn’t looking at Yoo-seong.
His students, who had followed him all their lives, to whom
he taught the old history and who certainly knew his
intentions, had betrayed him.
“I won’t lose to them,” Jin Wei-baek said, his voice heavy,

“but I can’t use my hand against them.”
No matter how unprecedented the allied forces were, he

was formidable enough to wipe them out.
However, even he couldn’t fight them.
He wasn’t angry at the betrayal. Rather, he was hurt.
“My pupils… they hated me.”
Jin Wei-baek felt the ugliness of his karma. For the first time
in his life, he had retreated in battle. He felt both miserable
and lonely.
“….”
“….”
They were silent for a while. Then Jin Wei-baek suddenly
raised his head.
Not toward Yoo-seong. His eyes were looking through the

restaurant’s window.
“Damn,” Yoo-seong said as he stood and faced the same

direction Jin Wei-baek was looking.
“Hmm… it won’t be just those four. Everyone is probably

here. They have always hunted me together.”
Of course, they weren’t really hunting Jin Wei-baek. He had

been avoiding fights all this time. They were simply chasing
him.
Yoo-seong turned to the old man. “Are you planning to just

sit here silently? Don’t run away this time.”
“Do you need me to help you fight them?”
“No. You have no right to use violence in this country.” Yoo-

seong turned and began walking out of the restaurant. “But
you can do as much as you can to protect those who may
be injured. No matter how big of a coward you are.”
The restaurant employees and the civilians around the

restaurant. Jin Wei-baek could certainly protect them, even
if he chose not to fight.
Without waiting for his answer, Yoo-seong left the

restaurant.
Chapter 173
Episode 173
Jang Ki-ryung wasn’t his real name.
It was actually no different from a stage name, he thought.
His real name was Gillian. It was the name given to him by
his mother, who was pure Chinese in nationality, but whose
heart and soul were British.
She was not a religious person. After the death of her

husband, a former priest in Jin Wei-baek’s temple, she had
fled to England with her newborn son.
That was during the time when cracks hadn’t reopened yet.
To her, the true wisdom that the temple had educated them
on was nothing more than a myth.
Jin Wei-baek hadn’t been hard on her. However, when her

son turned eight years old, the old man had set off to find
them.
‘-Will you come with me?’
Jang Ki-ryung had not hesitated. With his weeping and

wailing mother behind him, he took Jin Wei-baek’s hand and
left.
It had been the natural choice for him. In both strength and
intelligence, Jang Ki-ryung was a natural genius, and he’d
known it. That was why he had hated being in England. He
hated the environment and everyone around him, including
his mother. Jang Ki-ryung couldn’t stand to be with these
nerds, who had looked at him with pity because of his race
and because he didn’t have a father.
‘-Please let me walk the path my father took.’
For the young Jang Ki-ryung, Chunma Jin Wei-baek was his
savior.
For twenty years after leaving England, he never once

missed his house or his mother. The only home he’d known
was the temple. Jang Ki-ryung had been like a fish in water
the moment he stepped into the temple. He’d poured all his
talents and energy into learning and mastering the Chunma
martial arts. By the time he was in his mid-teens, he was at
an incomparable level, considerably the best prospect inside
the school.
However, Jang Ki-ryung, who was full of ambition, hadn’t

been satisfied with it, and for the rest of his life, he had
strived to reach greater fame and glory.
It had come with the opening of the cracks twenty years

ago. Their school had used the shell of a company called
Tenz, and the martial arts pupils had turned into hunters. Jan
Ki-ryung’s success had no longer been limited to the
confines of the temple.
Everyone had shouted his name. People had looked at him

with admiration and respect.
How wouldn’t that be fun?
How could he not delight in it every day?

After that, Jan Ki-ryung had only had one goal left: to inherit
the Chunma title and Tenz.
At that time, the path to his goal had been clear.
All he’d needed to do was wait.
He would soon be the next generation Chunma. However, a

few months ago, an unseen variable had ruined his already
decided future.
“He’s coming.”
“Is he alone?”
“The old man will only run away as before. It would be nice
to take the Scissors and Needles at least, this time.”
“I’ll do it myself,” Jan Ki-ryung said. “Don’t interrupt until it’s

over.”
His four allies nodded quietly.
They were a force created to capture the old man. They

were not just sheriffs from the Chinese government. Tenz
assassins, heads of other organizations, and other
descendants had decided to oust Jin Wei-baek. That was
why the five of them, including Jang Ki-ryung, were
cooperating with each other.
As it was a cooperative relationship, there was no official top

or bottom in terms of their group, but…
Jang Ki-ryung was the number one in the Ship Zone.
Besides, once they had dealt with the old man, he would
stand as the head of Tenz, the pinnacle of the Chinese
hunting industry. His allies, therefore, deferred to him with
respect.
“I know you,” Yoo-seong said as he stared at him. “You’re

Tenz’s next-in-line after Jin Wei-baek.”
“No,” Jang Ki-ryung answered. “I’m not the ‘next-in-line’

anymore.”
“Really…?” Yoo-seong fell silent for a while as he

considered.
Then he asked, “Is it worth doing this?”
“Well,”—Jang Ki-ryung sighed—”the former Chunma tried to

spoil the deep tradition of the doctrine. To pass it on to an
outsider like you…” he trailed off.
“I’m sorry, but I wasn’t talking about that,” Yoo-seong said,

shaking his head. “I’m talking about being the head of
Tenz.”
“……!”
“To create an operation that would risk the lives of even the
most talented people… to oust a person who was willing to
step down… to distort the truth to the government.” Yoo-
seong stared at Jang Ki-ryung, who looked hurt, before
adding, “And to cut your existing ties.”
“You crazy son of a…” Jang Ki-ryung’s anger manifested.
They were standing in a vacant lot, about a block away from

the baekban restaurant.
His Aura rose, filling the vacant lot.

“Doesn’t it seem like, to be the head of Tenz, you have given
up everything that made your life worth living?” Yoo-seong
continued to provoke him.
“That… that is natural, dear child. Only those who are more
capable and powerful have the right to know and have
more.”
“Well…” Yoo-seong pursed his lips. “That’s a nice, generic

statement.”
“It’s an attitude that a Chunma should have. Strength is not

the only qualification. The person who holds the title should
have class,” Jang Ki-ryung said.
“….”
For Yoo-seong, there was nothing else to say. Instead, he

brought an arm forward and pressed the button.
“Ah,” Jan Ki-ryung remarked. “The rumored ‘move.’”
“…”
“We already know about it. It’s a ritual that you always do
before you go into battle. You seem to be using Tech to
make up for your lack of talent, right?”
“Come.” Yoo-seong didn’t answer the question. Instead, with

a palm outstretched, he beckoned Jang Ki-ryung. “Doesn’t
the weaker one attack first?”
“……..!”
The remark hit Jang Ki-ryung hard. In response, his

repressed CE soared in all directions.
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
Even so, there wasn’t a single Corona. The talents and
achievements Jang Ki-ryung had accrued over the years…
Even the four men who had come with him had no choice
but to admire as they watched from behind. Following the
raised Aura…
Googuk-!
Jang Ki-ryung clenched his fist. The sidewalk block his feet
were on was compressed with heavy pressure.
“Watch,” he said quietly, “and die.”
Jang Ki-ryung leaped toward Yoo-seong.
At that moment, everyone saw it.
It wasn’t just one pair of fists.
Five pairs of fists rained upon Yoo-seong. The philosophy of

Pacheunma Geukki was fully unfolding through Jang Ki-
ryung. It was almost excessive, a waste on a single target
with such a small audience to witness it.
However…
“This…”
Huwook-!
Jang Ki-ryung’s feet touched the ground again, about four

meters from where Yoo-seong stood.
He didn’t even look back at Yoo-seong. Was it because he

didn’t need to look back?
Rather than that…

Poop-!
Jang Ki-ryung grasped his face, wiping the blood flowing out
of his nose and mouth.
His arms were limp, and his body stooped forward in a

sloppy posture. His legs were trembling, and pinpricks of
light blinked in his vision. When he was finally able to turn
his body…
Yoo-seong was also turning towards him, looking perfectly

unharmed.
“Hah!”
Jang Ki-ryung leaped forward once more.
The distance of four meters narrowed in an instant.
This time, three fists stretched out toward Yoo-seong.
It was a much simpler technique compared to before. This

was a more efficient killing method without the need to
show off. However…
Swish-!
Just as with the previous attack, the three fists couldn’t hit
their target.
Instead…
Pagak-!
One of Yoo-seong’s fists smacked right in the center of Jang

Ki-ryung’s face.
A flash of light filled his field of view, just before his brain
blacked out for a few seconds.
This was the same thing that had happened to him just
before. As his five pairs of fists embroidered the air, Yoo-
seong’s right arm had pierced through the circle and struck
him.
“I will tell you in advance,” Yoo-seong said.
“……”
“There will be no concessions.”
As before, Yoo-seong didn’t make any follow-up attacks.

Jang Ki-ryung wasn’t in a position to judge the single
punches he received, but he couldn’t help but admire the
great skill he’d just witnessed. It was an automatic
counterattack that was almost muscle memory rather than
conscious thought.
To think that so much power was contained in a reflex

action…
However, he couldn’t just give up.
Jang Ki-ryung stretched out one fist with all his might.
However, Yoo-seong easily blocked it by hitting his arm at
an angle.
Then…
Pagang-!
Yoo-seong’s fist hit Jang Ki-ryung’s lower jaw, crushing it.

Jang Ki-ryung’s face twisted as he was hit in a blind spot he
hadn’t known existed. Then…
Yoo-seong kicked his leg. His shin bones and ligaments
collapsed.
‘I have to find… my flow…’
Jang Ki-ryung, despite the pain, focused on his next move.

The talent and experience he possessed usually would have
allowed him to find the best option in the middle of such a
terrible situation.
However, Yoo-seong’s simple movements were nullifying his

every option.
‘It shouldn’t be like this.’
Jang Ki-ryung clenched his fist once more, preparing what

could be his final attack. His shoulder and arm muscles were
filled to the limit with Aura as he pulled his fist back.
‘Either avoid this… or we’ll die together.’
Jang Ki-ryung found himself desperately hoping for the

former. Unfortunately, the result was neither.
Guoak-!
In an instant, Yoo-seong caught his shoulder between his

arm and his body, stopping it from stretching out. Then Yoo-
seong lifted his other fist, and with a face that looked
expressionless as always…
Pagang-!
His fist struck Jang Ki-ryung’s face once more. Jang Ki-ryung
almost collapsed, but Yoo-seong’s arm was holding him up.
Pagang-!
Another massive punch landed on his face. His features
would be gone by now, he knew. However, he couldn’t
escape. He couldn’t even fall to the ground.
Pagang-!
Pagang-!
Jang Ki-ryeong thought back to what Yoo-seong had told

him.
‘-There will be no concessions.’
As Yoo-seong pulled his arm back once more, Jang Ki-ryeong

felt something else moving in the background. When Jang
Ki-ryeong’s defeat had been made obvious, the four allies
had quickly made eye contact and rushed in.
However, Yoo-seong did not move, even as attacks from

four different directions came in. The only movement that
could be seen was him blinking.
Just then…
Pop-!
The moment their fists landed on Yoo-seong…
“Arggh!”
There was the sound of bones getting crushed. In an instant,

Yoo-seong was covered with the enhanced Queen’s Hug. Its
outer shell, composed of shards from the earth dragon, was
a material that even Yoo-seong’s own attack could not have
penetrated.
“Although I struggled for this,” Yoo-seong muttered, as he

remembered it had taken him hours to extract the earth
dragon’s scales using his wrist blade, “it seems that it was
worth it.”
Then he turned towards Jang Ki-ryung and spat on his face.
“Should I hit you a little more?”
“…Wait…”
“What?”
“Stop… now… enough…”
Perhaps Yoo-seong’s spit on his face was the final blow. Even
if his body could have endured some more, he could not
take any more mental damage.
“I am stronger than you,” Yoo-seong declared.
“…”
“So, as you say, I will know more and have more, including
Tenz.”
Now, he turned to the rest of Jang Ki-ryung’s allies

surrounding him. What had moved his body throughout the
fight was his own consciousness.
The movement of his arm earlier had been to turn Auto-

Hunt off, not to turn it on.
And now, he could afford some inefficiencies.
Pagak-!
He kicked Jang Ki-ryung’s face and watched indifferently as

the unconscious man fell to the ground. Then he raised his
head once more to look at the allies’ faces.
There was perplexity. Fear. Perhaps even a little awe.
“Choose,” Yoo-seong said to the four men who didn’t know

what to do. “Do I need to beat up all of you, or will you fall
on your faces now?”
Chapter 174
When the Special Defense agents arrived at the baekban

restaurant, Yoo-seong was sitting comfortably with food laid
out before him.
“Please, take them,” Yoo-seong said as he put bean sprouts

in his mouth.
He pointed toward five hunters stretched side by side on the

marble floor.
“I heard that the two men who attacked me at the hospital

last time had been repatriated, correct?”
“Yes, yes.” The team leader of the Special Defense Agents

nodded.
“I doubt the Director knew about that. This time,”—Yoo-

seong stared at the agent—”make sure they stay here.”
“…”
“No matter how much the Chinese offer you, without my or

the Director’s permission, these people must remain
detained in the Special Defense Bureau.”
Yoo-seong’s words weren’t just directed to the team leader

and the agents. He was trying to prevent external pressure
that might be exerted from outside the Special Defense
Bureau.
Originally, Yoo-seong, a mere ‘hunter,’ would not have been
in a position to order this of a public official. However, now
Yoo-seong carried much more authority and responsibility
than the usual hunter.
Would it benefit him or lead to a disaster? Even Yoo-seong

wasn’t sure of the answer.
“What are you gonna do?” he asked himself.
“Yes?”
“Ah, no, no. I was just muttering to myself.”
Yoo-seong slowly looked around the restaurant.
Jin Wei-baek had already been gone when he returned.

However, he found out what happened through the woman
in the kitchen.
Jin Wei-baek had remained in position and only left after

confirming that every civilian in the area was safe.
“Then,” Yoo-seong stood. “Please tell the Director I need to

go somewhere before meeting him.”
The team leader opened his mouth to ask where but

immediately closed it as he realized it would be a silly
question.
All the agents in the room knew where Yoo-seong was going.
He was a hunter, after all.
***
Suwon was a real mess.

It wasn’t that there were casualties from the unclosed crack.
The evacuation had been done successfully, the barrier lines
were installed without any problems, and the rotation of
hunter teams was going smoothly.
Of course, the accumulated fatigue was a separate story,

but everything was going well on the hunters’ side, all
things considered.
However…
-Are they not done yet?
-You’ve been doing this all weekend? How much longer do

you guys need?
-It would have been good if we had been notified in

advance…
No matter how familiar the citizens were with evacuation,

an unclosed crack was a new and entirely different matter.
People felt anxious when placed in dangerous and

unfamiliar situations. When groups of anxious people were
trapped in a place, it was inevitable that various violent riots
and troubles would begin occurring throughout the
evacuation area.
“…….”
Atop a skyscraper outside the blocking line, Lee Jae-hak was

looking down, silent and deep in thought. He was going to
be deployed.
For a whole shift, from 8 am to 5 pm, he would fill the

rotation by himself, having recently obtained the “Single”
qualification.
For the weary hunters, he was like a savior. In fact, he had
been treated as such in the command center just earlier.
But at times like this, when he was alone… How he felt

about himself was something no one else knew.
Suddenly…
Lee Jae-hak turned, his muscles tense.
He felt someone approach. However, as soon as he saw who

it was, the alertness he felt melted like snow. Instead…
Tuk-!
Lee Jae-hak’s knees touched the floor.
“No…”
The other person looked embarrassed.
“You don’t need to do this…”
However, Lee Jae-hak’s gesture wasn’t over yet. Both of his

palms touched the ground, and soon, he lowered his body.
If Lee Un-seol had seen her brother bowing before another

man, she would probably have attacked the other person in
shock. However, she wasn’t here to see it. There was no one
else around but Lee Jae-hak and Oh Yoo-seong.
“You have done more than enough to receive this gesture,”

Lee Jae-hak explained.
“Even so… it’s too old-fashioned and burdensome.”
“You think so?”

Lee Jae-hak smiled as he raised his body. He was feeling
very pleased about this meeting; however, Yoo-seong raised
his hand with a grim face.
After about ten minutes, Yoo-seong had completely

summarized the situation and explained it to Lee Jae-hak.
“Yes…” Lee Jae-hak nodded when Yoo-seong finished. “The

oldest lineage protecting this land. The Lee family inherited
the duties of the descendants. I inherited them. Rather, I
should have inherited them.”
“I see…” Yoo-seong answered.
‘-I should have inherited them.’
Yoo-seong knew what he meant.
Lee Jae-hak hadn’t been able to receive the Tech and the
duty that had been passed down from generation to
generation.
The Japanese Sukune clan had stolen their family’s Tech.
“It’s not just the Ki that hasn’t been passed on. I knew the
story of Inwang, but it was only passed on at the level of a
child’s fairy tale. If you hadn’t told me about it…”
After a few moments of silence, Lee Jae-hak began to speak

excitedly. “But it is what it is. I don’t intend to make an
excuse. It is my duty. I don’t know how, but I know for sure
that I need to end this situation.”
“…”
Yoo-seong was listening to him quietly.

Lee Jae-hak’s response was so different from Jin Wei-baek’s.
He had lived without enjoying all the things he should have
inherited.
All that existed within him was the family’s Psy.
Of course, that alone was a huge advantage, but when Lee

Jae-hak was born, his family had already reached the end of
the road. His parents were dead, and they didn’t have
property, they didn’t even have the knowledge of how to
use the Psy.
The only thing left to Lee Jae-hak was his sister.
What could he have done? He wasn’t even a hunter then. If

he’d gone to the Special Defense Agency and told them the
facts he knew, would they have helped him?
And so, Lee Jae-hak made a reasonable choice.
He had lived life as an orphan and trained to be a hunter.
At least he’d had Psy. He hadn’t known how to use it, but
he’d tried hard to make up for that. Every night, he’d stayed
in the training room while forcibly suppressing the Ice Psy
that was running wild within him.
Finally, one day, he had grown strong enough to be the best

hunter in Korea.
“People regard me as a hero. But I know I’m not one. A real

hero would talk about the story his father told him when he
was a kid.”
“So… did you do something about it?” Yoo-seong asked.
“No.” Lee Jae-hak smiled sadly. “I couldn’t. I’m scared.”

“What are you scared of?”
“Everything. For example, other descendants, like Tenz. Not

all families were destroyed like ours. So revealing the truth
could mean turning them all into enemies, right?”
“You’re right.”
Lee Jae-hak turned around and looked down at Suwon.
“Those people… how would they react to me? The hunters

will say that I’m trying to kill the industry by shutting it
down. Plus, it’s not just people who became hunters for
money. Some of them lost their family to beasts and
became hunters to avenge them.”
“That’s not your responsibility,” Yoo-seong reminded him.
“That is true. Still, arrows don’t always fly toward the correct

target.”
There was a short silence. Then Yoo-seong opened his

mouth.
“I’ll do it.”
“…perhaps you can. A person like me can’t even dream of

it. When are you planning to start?”
“Today.”
“…!”
“Today, I plan to wipe out those beyond the cracks. After

that, I’ll let the people know what I know. It will be the end.”
Lee Jae-hak visibly flinched. His voice trembled as he spoke

to Yoo-seong.
“The backlash will be more than you can imagine.”
“I know.”
“The descendant families… everyone will make you their

enemy.”
“They will,” Yoo-seong interrupted Lee Jae-hak. “But there’s

only one thing that matters to me.”
He had no intention of forcing Lee Jae-hak to join him.
“Will you stop me? Or will you just watch from the
sidelines?”
Lee Jae-hak considered before answering.
“What if I stopped you?”
“Then you would have to fight me. What must happen will
happen.”
“…….”
From the moment Yoo-seong appeared in this place, he had

been prepared to give his all.
A cold breeze blew over the rooftop: the two men, each
powerful and strong, locked gazes.
However… nothing more happened.
“Why do you have to stare at me like that?” Lee Jae-hak

chuckled and shook his head. “My benefactor in front of me,
and I’m acting like a baby,” he added with bitter self-pity.
“I don’t care much.”

“I do. I’m already a coward; I don’t have to be any more
trash than that.”
Lee Jae-hak pointed his arm above the skyscraper toward

the unclosed crack.
“Go and do what you want. You didn’t force me, and I don’t
have the qualifications to stop you.”
Then Lee Jae-hak stepped aside as if making way for Yoo-

seong.
“Thank you,” Yoo-seong said as he walked forward to where

Lee Jae-hak stood.
As Lee Jae-hak watched Yoo-seong pass him by, he thought

back to when he first saw the young man.
When Yoo-seong first caught Lee Jae-hak’s attention, he’d

thought they were the same. Excellent talent, but without
any background; surrounded by countless envious criminals,
struggling every step of the way. Lee Jae-hak had felt a
sense of sameness.
‘But it’s different,’ he realized now.
The reason Yoo-seong could act like he just had was that
their positions were different. The burden he carried was far
different from Lee Jae-hak’s. Even if the public put them
both in the same rank, Yoo-seong was a hero who had
overtaken him.
Now, Lee Jae-hak recognized the feeling he had toward Yoo-

seong. Yoo-seong was the man he wanted to be.
Since childhood, he had longed for the heroic stories of King

Inwang and his subordinates. He’d wanted to be a hero.
Now…
In Lee Jae-hak’s mind, uncontrollable emotion and impulse

rose.
Goh oh oh oh oh oh-!
Aura soared from his core, aimed in Yoo-seong’s direction.
“…!”
Lee Jae-hak’s Psy.
The glare of the Millennium Ice, the Lee family’s recovered

Tech, filled Yoo-seong’s view.
And after a while, when the flash subsided, a chill began to

fill the surroundings.
A path of ice had been built from Lee Jae-hak’s feet, through
and beyond where Yoo-seong was.
It continued on to the sky until it reached the crack in the

distance.
‘A stairway of ice.’
“Come to think of it,” Lee Jae-hak said. “I had something

important to tell you.”
“Yes?”
“My family’s Tech, which you recovered. I was thinking

about how to pay you off for it…”
“What are you talking about?”

“The technology training center that you are building. I’ve
heard the rumors. I don’t know if you’re still going to do it,
but if you do…” Lee Jae-hak smiled before finishing, “I will
work for you until I think I have paid off my debts.”
“Huh?”
“Come on; nobody hates having an employee who doesn’t

need to be paid.”
Lee Jae-hak smiled wide.
He could never be Yoo-seong. He wouldn’t be able to walk

that path alone.
However, he didn’t have to.
Yoo-seong would walk in front of him, like how his ancestors

had followed King Inwang…
“If you hire me… I will devote myself and work hard!”
Chapter 175
One week later, the crack in Suwon, which could not be

closed by the existing pulse breaker technology, had finally
been shut.
The citizens felt pleased and curious at the same time.
“It is said that the unclosed cracks in other countries are still
open.”
“Then, does that mean Suwon is unique?”
“Maybe they miscalculated or something. Perhaps it could

have been closed from the start.”
“Then why did it they let it drag on for days?”
Besides, the number of unclosed cracks had been increasing

worldwide. In smaller countries, not being able to cope with
the beasts coming out of the rift was already a common
outcome.
Requesting assistance from other countries was their only

choice.
However, strangely, Korea was fine amid such turmoil, and

not just in the case of Suwon’s now-closed crack.
“I don’t know. Something seems to have changed…”

“It feels like there aren’t that many cracks these days,
right?”
“Yeah! That’s it!”
Medical centers for hunters, as well as various training and

rest facilities, had been experiencing a boon they had not
enjoyed in the past few months. It was quite a peaceful time
for hunters to rest and recover, perhaps more peaceful even
than before the sudden increase of cracks.
“Won’t this mean that the hunters’ incomes will decrease?”
“Perhaps…”
The general public, who did not know the circumstances,

thought so. However, the situation had improved the
hunters’ moods exponentially.
The more cracks that appeared, the more their fatigue

accumulated. This sometimes led to injury and death. Now,
for the first time, the hunters could enjoy the income they
had made from the explosion in cracks.
There were even cases of hunters retiring early, even if they

were still healthy enough to stay active. However…
Just because they were happy at the moment did not mean
that the hunters weren’t concerned about what was
happening.
Rumors had thus circulated.
“In Suwon, Lee Jaeh-hak and Oh Yoo-seong entered the

crack together.”
“Then, was it Oh Yoo-seong who closed that crack?”

“Perhaps, but that’s not what matters…”
“What is?”
“The two hadn’t come out yet when the crack was closed.”
“…!!”
There had been no official announcement yet, but there

were witnesses who’d spread the news.
Oh Yoo-seong and Lee Jae-hak. Those two were still inside

the rift.
And while it wasn’t certain, perhaps what they were doing in

the world beyond the crack was why Korea was not
experiencing cracks at the moment.
Of course, it was just speculation.
Still, the hunters couldn’t help but share their opinions

about it over any other issue.
No one expected the answer to come all of a sudden.
Pibig-!
Then came an emergency notification from the Special

Defense Agency.
It was a reminder to attend a conference meeting two days

from now.
[…by 17:30, all available hunters should watch through the

public community’s FH-23 channel.]
FH-23 was a channel exclusive to domestic hunters.

Originally, its purpose had been only for remote viewing of
license tests.
Everyone was on edge about the meeting. Numerous

hunters emptied their schedules so they could watch the
announcement.
Finally…
***
“What kind of bullshit is this?!” Lee Jun-seok, the CEO of

Gung-on, yelled. “Did you call all the executives of the big
firms here just to speak nonsense?!”
Unlike most hunters, who were attending the meeting

through the virtual channel, the CEOs and key executives of
major domestic organizations had come to meet directly
with Yang Chang-guk.
They, too, were curious about the announcement. However,

what Yang Chang-guk had just told them was…
Lee Jun-seok’s reaction was just natural. Even the other

CEOs couldn’t hide their shock.
Except for Yoon Kang-cheol of QR Corporation, who stared at

the Director with a dull expression.
The gist of what Yang Chang-guk had just declared was

simple.
‘We will amend the hunting laws as soon as possible.’
It was what he’d said next that made Lee Jun-seok burst out.
‘-Hunters, including newly licensed ones, must secure a

hunting certificate under a specific organization operating
under the Special Defense Agency. Hunting without this
certificate is forbidden unless for emergency reasons.’
“CEO Lee Jun-seok… please remain calm,” Yoon Kang-cheok

said.
“No! This… nonsense—” Lee Jun-seok continued to rant.
However…
“Stop right now!”
Everyone in the meeting room froze. Their wide-open eyes

turned to the spot where the voice had come from. The
Director of the Special Defense Agency, who had the
reputation of never showing anger, had pulled out his claws.
“You seem to be mistaking this place for something else, but

listen carefully, CEO Lee Jun-seok. There is a definite reason
why I gathered all of you here, despite knowing your busy
schedules.”
“Do you mean the ridiculous statement you just made?” Lee
Jun-seok fired back.
“Do you think it was my statement alone?”
Lee Jun-seok was rendered speechless.
“Tell me, CEO. Do you think I devised that rule by myself?”
“That…”
“This is an agenda that has been approved by the

Committee and the Blue House. This has been stamped by
your country’s government!” Yang Chang-guk looked around
the room with fiery eyes. “Sure! I know what you think. As
for the committee, they are just outsiders who have never
gone hunting in person, and it is natural that you guys
would object to them. But this—”
His index finger stretched out toward Lee Jun-seok.
“Behavior like this is not acceptable right now!”
“…”
“Also, have you forgotten that this is a live broadcast and

that many hunters and officials are watching us right now?”
At this, the people in the room lowered their eyes.
“I’ll ask you, CEO Lee Jun-seok. Who do you think you are?”
“No… Director Yang. First, listen to me…”
“Do you think you have the right to undermine the

government announcement that was taking place through
this meeting?”
“I don’t think so… I don’t.”
“Then please take a seat right away. It is not only your

patience that can reach its limit.”
There was no answer.
Lee Jun-seok was the CEO of Gung-on. It had overtaken Yoon

Kang-cheol’s QR Corporation and had become the number
one company in Korea through Chinese support.
However…
He was also a person living within the system. He would

have no choice but to lower his head if the government
pressured him.
“Okay… I’m sorry.”
Lee Jun-seok took a seat and licked his wounds silently.
‘I don’t know what the hell your reason is,’ he thought, ‘but
if you can’t convince the hunters watching the broadcast,
the Special Defense Agency will face a heavy backlash.’
“I respectfully ask you to continue what you were saying

earlier,” he told the Director.
However…
“I’ve already said what I needed to.”
“What?!” At Yang Chang-guk’s words, Lee Jun-seok almost

stood again. “Are you kidding me right now?!”
“No. I’m not kidding,” Yang Chang-guk said, stepping back.

“Someone else will continue relaying the news for me.”
Almost simultaneously…
Jiiing-!
A blue line appeared where Yang Chang-guk stood.
“…!”
“That!”
This time, all the hunters in the room stood up and raised
their Aura.
A crack was forming right before their eyes. However…
“How was it?”

Their anxiety soon turned into amazement and silence when
they saw the person walking out of it.
“Another surprise appearance. Quite fun, isn’t it?”
“That’s an undeniable fact,” Yang Chang-guk nodded.
To other people’s eyes, it looked like Yoo-seong had

magically popped out at just the right moment after
entering the Suwon crack a week ago.
In reality, he had communicated with Yang Chang-guk

outside the crack several times now. The timing of his
appearance had already been discussed in advance.
After greeting the Director, Yoo-seong looked around the

room. When he saw Lee Jun-seok, he gave the CEO of Gung-
on a little wink.
The reaction that came back turned out to be pretty violent.
“You… you…”
“How are things going with Tenz?”
Before Lee Jun-seok could refute what he’d said, Yoo-seong

immediately raised his voice and continued.
“From what the Director said, the accreditation body

operating under the Special Defense Agency will be an
organization that I have been building. I will launch it soon.
It will be called ‘Auto-Hunting Company.’ Please take good
care of me.”
A major turmoil now spread among the people in the room.
“What?!”
Not only Lee Jun-seok, but a number of hunters began to
raise their voices.
Just then…
A second person came out of the crack.
“Whoa, there are more people here than I thought,” the

person said. It was Lee Jae-hak, carrying a figure larger than
himself on his shoulders.
Thud-!
The ground shook when he placed it on the floor.
It wasn’t human, but it had a surprisingly human shape. It

was a monster no one had ever seen.
The creature was about fifty feet tall, with bulging muscles
of an ominous purple color. Even more surprising, the
creature seemed to have some sort of ‘clothing.’
The garment it was wearing was made of leather and

seemed like it was tailored to fit its massive body.
“It’s one of the species that Oh Yoo-seong and I captured

together in the unofficial Dive. We have temporarily named
them ‘Dokkaebi.’”
Perhaps it was the actual basis of the myths.
These creatures were once the masters of the Korean

Peninsula, just like how the Grays had once ruled their land.
“Since it was captured without any special trauma, it will be

possible to study it soon. This is a sentient creature, with
intelligence about the same as or even more than a
human.”
Lee Jae-hak looked at the faces of the stunned audience in
the room before continuing.
“The horn on the top of its crown unleashes an ability that

can create hallucinations to trap its prey. It can also
overpower its victims with its superior physical ability. It’s a
pretty powerful enemy, so it’s been quite difficult to catch.”
Lee Jae-hak’s words weren’t mere pretense. His body, as

well as Yoo-seong’s, was wounded and scratched in places.
To think that two of the strongest Singles in Korea had gone
through such hardship to capture a single beast…
“Director,” Yoo-seong prompted Yang Chang-guk.
The Director nodded. As he did, the lights went out, and a

giant projector came out on one side of the room.
A presentation prepared by the Special Defense Agency

unfolded. Slides containing information and photos about
the Grays and the Dokkaebi, the causes of unclosed cracks,
appeared.
“Perhaps these don’t make a lot of sense now.” Yoo-seong’s

voice resonated in the darkness. “But everyone in the
industry must have felt it by now. The pace at which cracks
occur has been slowing down.”
Everyone turned to look at him and listen eagerly to his

story.
“Lee Jae-hak and I went over to the world beyond the crack
and cut many of the ley lines that cause rifts to open.
Following the end of this meeting, we will Dive again, and
after we come out, no more rifts will appear in this country.”
“Now… wait a minute,” a team leader belonging to the 4T
said, his voice trembling. “If there are no more cracks in this
country, this industry…”
For the hunters, Yoo-seong’s declaration felt like a bomb.
“I’m sorry,” Yoo-seong said. “But of course, I am a hunter,

and I don’t intend to starve everyone in this industry,” he
added.
Yoo-seong raised his voice, aware of the hunters watching

his broadcast right now. He knew that his words would soon
spread to the public and beyond this country.
“From now on, the tasks for me and the Special Defense
Agency are as follows. First, I will use my abilities to block all
the rifts that exist in Korea.”
After that, Yoo-seong wouldn’t close cracks in other

countries unless he was requested to do so.
“From now on, all Korean ‘hunting’ activities will be Dives

into the rift.”
Of course, a Dive was something only a few hunters could

qualify for.
“And that’s where the organization I’ve set up comes in.”
With Yoo-seong’s recently obtained Tech from Japan, along

with his experience as probably the best Dive hunter in the
world, he would educate and certify his fellow Korean
hunters.
“Of course, that won’t mean all of you can Dive right away.
But does that matter?” He paused and looked around the
room before continuing. “There are many talented people in
this country. Those who are capable will obtain the
certification as soon as possible. Then…”
Yoo-seong’s firm voice rang through the microphone.
“From now on, this country will no longer be a place that

monsters invade from the rift. It will be the opposite.”
With the ability to open and close cracks at will, Korea would
do things that no other country had ever tried before.
The next words from Yoo-seong’s mouth caused a thrill in

every hunter who heard them.
“From now on, we will be pioneers and colonize the world

beyond!”
Chapter 176
Everyone was silent. However, their heads were filled with

diverse imaginings.
The industry was being overturned.
No, at this level, it would be right to say that it was being

recreated as an entirely different game.
The role of a hunter was now changing.
“You’re crazy,” Lee Jun-seok said.
Everyone’s eyes turned to him. He was obviously at the limit

of holding his anger in. His lips struggled to express what he
wanted to say.
“Do you know how many livelihoods and lives are at stake in
this industry? Hunting brings in astronomical capital every
day!”
“I don’t know exactly how many. But I’ll ask you the
opposite. How many people in the world are not hunters?”
“Random rift openings are a threat to their daily lives. A

hunter’s duty is to keep civilian casualties as close to zero
as possible. Now, what I am suggesting is something that
can definitely bring it to zero.”
“At the moment, with this rate of rift frequency, we can
ensure zero civilian casualties! You don’t have to—”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course! Right now—”
“I forgot to show you this,” Yoo-seong said as the Needle

and the Scissors appeared in his hands. “These tools are
means to open and close cracks at will. It’s also the only
way in the world guaranteed to close an unclosed crack at
the moment. But…”
Yoo-seong leaned forward, peering into Lee Jun-seok’s eyes.
“What if they stopped working someday?”
No one really understood these two tools. It was a possibility

that even Yoo-seong hated to consider.
“If that happened, and an unclosed crack occurred, then

there would be no way to close it forever,” Yoo-seong
warned.
“Well… we could grasp their principles through research and

analysis…”
“I didn’t know that CEO Lee had knowledge of such fields as

well,” Yoo-seong smirked.
Lee Jun-seok’s face turned red.
“Of course, we could, but we would be basing our future on

the possibility that ‘it could happen.’ Until the moment we
actually understood the principles, we wouldn’t know if we’d
always have to live with the plague of unclosed cracks.
So…”
Yoo-seong’s eyes pierced through Lee Jun-seok’s.
“…Why don’t we finish it now? At least, in this country, let’s

make sure that rifts will no longer be a natural
phenomenon!”
Yoo-seong’s voice rang in the silent hall.
“Even if it means damaging the financial gains of the

hunters for the meantime,” he added with regret.
No one in the hall could open their mouth.
Even if they had the same opinion as Gung-on’s CEO, how

could they speak their mind in this place?
Lee Jun-seok had made a big mistake, and he’d realized it

just now. Even though this meeting was intended for
hunters, it was being broadcast nationwide. Yoo-seong was
speaking on the premise that the current discourse would
reach the civilians online.
The broadcast was a permanent record that could be played

an infinite number of times and shared with others. That
was why…
‘-Do you know how many livelihoods and lives are at stake
in this industry? Hunting brings in astronomical capital
every day!’
Lee Jun-seok was permanently on record as opposing the

permanent blocking of cracks in favor of money.
“Well, not to ruin this atmosphere, but if you think more

about it…” Lee Jae-hak intervened.
His voice was a refreshing change; welcome to the ears. “I
don’t think there will be such a big financial loss, at least in
the long run. While we don’t know when those tools will
break, it would also mean that we could make our own
cracks at our disposal after blocking all the cracks.
Fortunately, it has been proven that cracks opened with the
Scissors can be successfully blocked using a pulse breaker,”
Lee Jae-hak explained.
The ability to open and close cracks at will, at a specified

size, location, and time, would bring down hunting difficulty
exponentially.
Lee Jae-hak continued to lead the discussion to address one

of the main concerns of the hunters. “Obviously, until now, a
Dive has been a dangerous act that could pose a risk to
hunters’ lives.”
“But”—he pointed at Yoo-seong—”on the first Dive, Oh Yoo-

seong and I will accompany you to secure an area where we
can build a base camp. If necessary, we will also request
generous support from the military. We will install various
support, medical and defense facilities in the initial base
camp.”
Even after the camp was built, either Oh Yoo-seong or Lee

Jae-hak would always be present to ensure its safety.
“As a result of coordinating with the Special Defense

Agency, it has been decided that it will take about half a
year to build a facility that can safely support fifty hunters
and one hundred support personnel.”
As Lee Jae-hak spoke, some of the faces in the room turned

red with embarrassment. The picture being drawn in front of
them wasn’t as bad as they had initially thought.
“When the facility is completed… even hunters who are
currently at the Gold level will be able to participate in Dives
after going through the half-year training and certification.
Of course, in reality, they will be coming in with Platinum-
level hunters, so it will be possible to hunt without
difficulty.”
When the first camp was fully operational, construction for a

second and a third would begin. As Lee Jae-hak said, this
was a situation that should be examined in the long term. In
less than two to three years, there would be countless base
camps where Korean hunters could hunt safely.
It was a much better deal than having to face randomly

opening cracks.
“That’s it. We’re done.”
Yoon Kang-cheol raised his voice. “I think it will keep

sounding better as we listen to you, but before that, I want
to be the first to raise my hand. Let it be on record that the
QR Corporation is expressing agreement on this.”
Executives of QR Corporation, seated around Yoon Kang-

cheol, were also nodding affirmation.
“Then we’ll be the second,” Yoo Jae-gon of Team Awl

followed.
It was an organization that had quickly built up its position

as one of the 4Ts through its experience and the import of
advanced equipment from the United States.
Yoo Jae-gon had been quite embarrassed in the first battle

between the Habaek and Yoo-seong. However, from then on,
he had been in full support of the young hunter, even from
the sidelines. Now the opportunity had come for him to
stand behind Yoo-seong directly.
Of course, it was a great opportunity, not only in a symbolic

sense but also business-wise.
“We will join, too!”
“We’d like to be involved in this…”
It wasn’t that Lee Jae-hak, Oh Yoo-seong, or Yang Chang-guk

had asked them to voice their consent.
The hunters began raising their hands and voices out of

competitiveness. It was as if they wanted to raise their
hands as early as possible. And it wasn’t just happening in
the meeting hall.
Hunters watching the broadcast were burning with the

intention to be part of the Dives.
“Then”—Yang Chang-guk took the microphone—”we’ll

adjourn the meeting for the day. Further information will be
disseminated through the community or public channels.”
With that, the meeting ended.
However, the Special Defense Agency had to deal with an

overwhelming number of phone inquiries from hunters for
nearly three days.
The inquiries were all about the same thing: how to apply
for training in Yoo-seong’s Auto-Hunting Company.
***
“Ahh…”
Next to the restroom of the meeting hall, cold, refreshing
water splashed against Yoo-seong’s face.
He’d left Lee Jae-hak, who seemed to be taking a nap, in his

seat. The last march he’d endured with Yoo-seong had been
quite difficult. They’d hunted the Goblins in the alien world
for a week without proper food or rest.
Without Lee Jae-hak, it would have taken Yoo-seong longer.
‘Perhaps three more hours?’ Yoo-seong estimated.
He had to recover his body condition to as close to normal

as possible. He and Lee Jae-hak would then enter the rift
once more to prevent further cracks from opening in Korea.
It wasn’t that difficult to find the ley lines causing the

cracks. Last time, in front of the huge altar built by the
Grays, Yoo-seong had pressed the Auto-Hunt button to let it
decide whether to close the crack or leave it open.
However, it wasn’t the crack that Auto-Hunt had aimed for.

Instead, it had destroyed the altar.
The Grays had set their altar on top of a ley line, maximizing
its effect and gaining the driving force to open cracks.
Thanks to this knowledge, the search for ley lines had

become much easier for Yoo-seong.
‘Just find another altar or any kind of totem.’
The master races built structures on top of the ley lines. In

addition, they always seemed to gather around them.
Because of this, it would be easy for Yoo-seong to locate
what he had to destroy.
“Woo.” Yoo-seong wanted to close his eyes. “This is really…”
The word “difficult” remained in his throat.
Lee Jae-hak hadn’t got any proper rest from the time they
entered the Suwon rift. However, for Yoo-seong, his last
break had been at that café on the beach in Los Angeles.
What had happened next was meeting Alvin Hawkins, the

Grays, crossing the Pacific Ocean through the world beyond,
and meeting Jin Wei-baek and the allied forces trying to
catch the old man.
‘Why did I do this? I knew it would be like this,’ he scolded

himself.
However, he couldn’t afford to waste more time.
It was necessary to block the cracks as soon as possible.

Then, as soon as it was stable, he would launch his
company and begin negotiations overseas for those who
needed support.
In short, he had very little time left.
“Oh, I didn’t know…”
Yoo-seong turned to see who it was. It was Lee Jun-seok

standing in the bathroom entrance.
“Well, did your masters ask you to do something?” Yoo-

seong smirked at him.
“Oh, ugh…” Lee Jun-seok flinched in fear.
“Of course, the Ship Zones they sent didn’t amount to

much, so perhaps you have been let off with a warning. But
if you want to finish their job, let’s do it somewhere. I need
some exercise.”
“You… arrogant!” Lee Jun-seok raised his voice like a scared

pup imitating a big dog. “I’m leaving this country. Not just
me, but the talented executives of Gung-on…”
“That calls for a celebration, I think.”
“…and the talented people whom I have connections with. I

will go to China with them and join the new Tenz.”
Yoo-seong considered what Lee Jun-seok had just said. Tenz

had already invested a number of Tech in Gung-on through
Lee Jun-seok. Even if they were second-rate Tech, there was
a huge difference between knowing Tech and not.
“You’ll lead that swarm to slaughter,” Yoo-seong warned.
“This is not a game you can play alone,” Lee Jun-seok

laughed. “Even if Lee Jae-hak is on your side, at the end of
the day, there are just two of you.”
Yoo-seong was almost at his physical limit now, and more

struggles would come soon after this. There would be more
tasks that were too burdensome to be delegated to other
hunters.
In the coming years of exploration, the impact of Lee Jun-

seok taking the most talented individuals away would
quickly be felt by the Korean industry.
Regardless, Yoo-seong would have to endure it till the end.
“So that’s your solution?” Yoo-seong asked. “To leave the

country and join the Chinese?”
“Well… if you had only worked with me, we wouldn’t have
come to this!”
Lee Jun-seok was also worried.
If he went to China, there was no way that the government

would allow him to take Gung-on with him. He would have to
start from scratch by joining an already established
company.
“I… could have gotten everything in this country’s

industry… if it weren’t for you…”
“That’s not my problem,” Yoo-seong shrugged.
“You… I’m not the only one who doesn’t like you,” Lee Jun-
seok spat. “Tenz must have been in contact with a lot of
other hunters already. All you’ll be left with is an empty
Korean peninsula.”
“He talks a lot,” a sudden voice from behind intervened.
Yoo-seong’s eyes went wide open as if he had seen

something incredible. Because of this, Lee Jun-seok felt
nervous and hesitated to look.
“Why are you just standing here listening to this idiot?” the
voice said.
“Because of the law. I have to wait for him to at least hit me

once.”
The voice sounded like an old man’s.
‘Ho, maybe…’
Lee Jun-seok turned, expecting to see Jin Wei-baek.

However, what he saw was an old man he had never seen
before: a one-armed old man with long white hair and
beard.
“Who are you, and what are you…?” Lee Jun-seok asked.
“You’re in my way. Leave right now.”
Lee Jun-seok’s choice was the worst he could have made.
He continued talking.
“In a few hours, I won’t even be a citizen of this country, so I

have nothing to worry—”
Suddenly, his pupils widened, and he felt the strength in his

legs fade away. He almost fell to the ground, but he felt the
old man’s strong arm catch him.
“You’re the opposite of me, then,” Yang Jeong-cheon smiled

at Yoo-seong.
The Lord of the Red Dragon Society.
“I have just been made a citizen of this country, so it would

be okay if I punished a traitor who wants to betray it.”
Yoo-seong’s eyes widened with surprise.
“Oh, don’t worry too much,” Yang Jeong-cheon chuckled.

“Even if a truckload of such slime gets taken out, the
country will suffer no loss.”
“What are you doing?!” Yoo-seong exclaimed.
“Of course, I have given up everything and defected. What

did you think?”
Now, Korea had Yang Jeong-cheon and the Red Dragon
Society.
It was something that Yoo-seong hadn’t even imagined.
Yang Jeong-cheon smiled.
“I heard my son-in-law is launching a big business here.”

Chapter 177
“Damn…”
Yoo-seong couldn’t help but flinch at the phrase “son-in-

law.” However, Lee Jun-seok had a more serious reaction.
‘Then, this person is…’
Even in the midst of being grabbed by the collar so

forcefully as to almost choke, Lee Jun-seok quickly
recognized the old man clutching him.
Lord Yang Jeong-cheon of the Red Dragon Society. He wasn’t

active in the field, and Lee Jun-seok hadn’t recognized him
right away because the old man wasn’t even Korean.
‘This is nonsense,’ he thought.
“How about letting him go? Even if he doesn’t die, if he

looks unsightly, it could become bothersome,” Yoo-seong
suggested.
In an instant, Yang Jeong-cheon released his hand, and Lee

Jun-seok fell to the tiled bathroom floor. As soon as he raised
his head, he found Yang Jeong-cheon looking down at him.
“Huh… ugh…”
It was different from facing Oh Yoo-seong. Not in the sense

of power, as the old man also had overwhelming power that
Lee Jun-seok couldn’t handle.
The difference was their mindset.
Cultural differences.
For Yang Jeong-cheon, the law wasn’t something to be

considered. He was basically a predator who had no
hesitation in wielding violence.
“Ack, he wet his pants even though we’re in the bathroom.

This bastard.” Yang Jeong-cheon clicked his tongue in
disgust as he watched Lee Jun-seok’s pants get wet.
Then he turned to Yoo-seong.
“Son-in-law.”
“…Yes?”
“Is there anything else you need from this guy?”
“I think he was sent here to provoke me. He couldn’t do

anything much, really.”
Yang Jeong-cheon nodded, then looked down on Lee Jun-

seok again.
“Listen carefully…”
“Huh?” Lee Jun-seok’s tongue couldn’t even form words.
“I want you to go to your owners and tell them, instead of

wasting time on useless provocations, it would be better to
learn about how Yang Jeong-cheon does things. A sharper
blade is better than a sharper tongue.”
Lee Jun-seok pushed himself off the floor and ran out of the
bathroom, stumbling on his way. Yang Jeong-cheon kicked
his ass as he passed by.
“Tsu!”
The old man shook his head as he watched the pitiful man
ran away.
“He seems too weak and cowardly for his achievements.

Weak, weak…”
“It may be because he was facing the Lord,” Yoo-seong

offered.
Even he had become alert when he saw Yang Jeong-cheon

appear.
“Are you here alone?” he asked the old man.
“No, all of the Red Dragon Council members are in this

country now.”
Yoo-seong bit his lip.
“Why?”
It was a difficult question, but he had to ask.
“Well? Haven’t I said it already? Do I need any more reason

than helping my son-in-law?” Yang Jeong-cheon laughed.
However, the laughter soon stopped, and the glitter in his
eyes calmed.
“About a week ago… Jin Wei-baek came to me,” Yang Jeong-

cheon said in a grave voice.
“……!”
“He told me a pretty crazy story. Not just about you but
about the world’s history.”
Yang Jeong-cheon and the Red Dragon Society weren’t
descendants of Inwang’s aides. Therefore, Yoo-seong had to
question the reason they had flown to Korea.
“Then, after what he told you…”
“What? What are you talking about? I wouldn’t have come

here just because that dirty bastard told me to.”
Yang Jeong-cheon was a master who had been second only

to Jin Wei-baek during his time. Perhaps there was an
unknown story between the two, as Yang Jeong-cheon
seemed really upset at what Yoo-seong had assumed.
“I just learned a new fact from him and made my own

judgment based on it.”
Yoo-seong nodded slowly.
“You must have left a lot behind…”
“It wasn’t much.” Yang Jeong-cheon shook his hand in front

of Yoo-seong.
Yoo-seong knew the old man was underestimating their

losses for his sake. The Red Dragon Society’s value was
irreplaceable. Yang Jeong-cheon had lost a lot more than
what Lee Jun-seok would lose after leaving Gung-on.
Moreover, the Red Dragon enjoyed an overwhelming honor

and reputation in Shanghai. The recent defection of Yang
Biyeon had caused the Chinese government to keep an eye
out for the Red Dragon.
It must have been hard for such a group to leave in secret.

“Don’t misunderstand.” Yang Jeong-cheon approached Yoo-
seong, whose head and shoulders had dropped. “The Red
Dragon was a family of businessmen before they were
warriors. I never invest to lose money.”
“…….”
“It won’t be difficult for the Red Dragon to secure its place in
this country. Besides, in these times, even a single hand
would be of great help to you.”
Yang Jeong-cheon had judged the situation wisely.
“The game will soon change because of you. Twenty years

ago, the Red Dragon was quick to keep pace with the
trends, and that ensured our success. It would be foolish
and ridiculous if we missed out on this one.”
Yoo-seong opened his mouth as if he were about to say

something, but he stopped himself.
Today he had made the first announcement of his plan

through the Special Defense Agency. Therefore, Yang Jeong-
cheon couldn’t have known about the changing trend. It
wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the Red Dragon had left
everything behind on blind faith in him.
“I will do my best to make sure you do not regret it,” Yoo-

seong said sincerely.
“You don’t have to be so burdened,” Yang Jeong-cheon

assured him. “Before we flew here, I told everyone under
the Red Dragon the circumstances and asked if they would
follow me. If anyone had chosen to stay behind, I would
have left the property to them, so I wouldn’t have to worry
about it anymore.”
However, none of the Red Dragons had remained in China.
Rather, from the executives to the apprentices who had just
started learning martial arts, everyone had raised their
voices and decided to go to Korea with their Lord.
“It’s proof that I haven’t done so badly as their Lord. Even

though I might have lost some gold, this was an opportunity
to gain things that were far more valuable.”
Yang Jeong-cheon’s face was shining with pride.
“Investments can turn into failures or successes; the

outcome is the sole responsibility of the investor,” the old
man added. “And besides, when else would I have this
opportunity?”
Yang Jeong-cheon’s eyes shone with child-like excitement.
“To secure the existence of humanity. Doesn’t this make me

a gangster among gangsters?”
***
At a building’s rooftop near Jonggak Station.
It was the place where Lee Jae-hak and Yoo-seong had

agreed to meet.
Here, a crack was scheduled to appear in about an hour.
It was also fortunately close to the point that they were

aiming for within the world beyond.
“I heard the news about Yang Jeong-cheon and the Red

Dragon.” Lee Jae-hak started the conversation as they
stretched their stiff muscles to warm up.
Both of them had arrived at the meeting point much earlier
than scheduled.
“The Red Dragon has more than the sum of all the 2F4T
combined in terms of quality and quantity. It’s unparalleled
good news for us.”
“….”
Yoo-seong considered for a moment before opening his

mouth. “I prepared a little, no, a lot more… the moment I
declared our plans to those people with entangled
interests.”
He had assumed all possible backlash.
Yoo-seong had even considered a scenario of all the hunters

in the meeting hall rushing him when he announced that
there would be no more random cracks in Korea.
“Even if the plan made sense, it’s a matter of diminishing

their immediate benefits. Besides…”
Public trust was another challenge. What would the public

think about getting rid of the cracks and allowing Yoo-seong
the power of opening and closing them at will?
That was why, a few hours ago, Yoo-seong had felt very
relieved when the meeting ended without much fuss.
“It went much better than I thought it would.” Yoo-seong

released a sigh.
“Even if they had disagreed, no one could say as much in

your presence,” Lee Jae-hak said.
“Is that so?” Yoo-seong smiled bitterly.

‘Not everyone will agree with me,’ he acknowledged.
Perhaps, after he finished closing the cracks in Korea, the

silent dissatisfaction would burst to the peak and pour out.
Yoo-seong had to prepare for that, too.
‘But the people who share my will… there are a lot more of
them than I thought.’
He finished stretching and put aside his worries, fixing his

focus on what he needed to do right now.
Just then…
Jiiiiing-!
The crack began to open. Lee Jae-hak and Oh Yoo-seong

began preparing to enter it as soon as it was wide enough.
However…
“What is that?”
Yoo-seong turned to Lee Jae-hak.
For a while now, he’d thought he heard screams. He’d

dismissed it as the noise made by people evacuating.
However, those sounds would have gradually faded rather
than getting louder.
Curious about the noise, Lee Jae-hak approached the railing

on the rooftop before Yoo-seong did. His mouth dropped
open, and he turned to Yoo-seong with a grave expression.
“This… this is not normal.”
“What is it?” Yoo-seong immediately quickened his steps.

In his anxious mind, various situations began to unfold
about what was happening below.
‘Did China or the United States do something?’
‘Did Lee Jun-seok gather the opposition and start a protest?’
The moment he stuck his head out to peer down the

building, a tremendous wave of sound hit him.
-Ahhhhhhhhhh!
Both his eyes were blinded by the glare from multiple

flashes of light. He didn’t know how long he stood there with
his mouth wide open.
Hundreds—no, thousands of people were on the rooftops

and the streets, cheering for him.
-Oh Yoo-seong! Oh Yoo-seong!
-Look this way!
Crowds had flocked to this place when they heard about

what Yoo-seong was going to do.
“How…?”
The stunned Yoo-seong turned to Lee Jae-hak, who had a

boyish smile on his face.
“I don’t know!” Jae-hak yelled excitedly.
“It’s been less than four hours since the meeting… for the
rumors to have spread this much…”
Immediately after the broadcast was over, thousands of

hunters had spread the meteor video link to as many
communities as possible, adding explanations and praise so
that the public could fully understand its meaning.
Time and freedom.
Those were two things that Korean hunters had much of

these days.
That was why, even before the public announcement

scheduled by the Special Defense Agency had been fully
prepared, such a large number of people had gathered and
begun cheering for Yoo-seong.
The streets of Jonggak were full, the crowds sprawling within

the barrier line.
They weren’t worried about the threat of monsters.
Why would they be?
The person who would close the crack right now was none
other than Oh Yoo-seong.
The hunter who, between his debut and now, had engraved
himself in the nation’s consciousness as an icon.
-Oh Yoo-seong! Oh Yoo-seong!
“There are probably a hundred thousand people here

shouting your name. They are on your side. And not just the
citizens.” Lee Jae-hak pointed to something.
Below them, among the crowds shouting Yoo-seong’s name,

were hunters who had been deployed in case of emergency.
As Lee Jae-hak watched Yoo-seong’s frozen expression, he

thought to himself.
‘It’s probably his first time being in this kind of public event.’
Even if they weren’t rankers, famous hunters, to some

extent, got opportunities to enjoy being surrounded by
crowds shouting their names.
However, this was Yoo-seong’s first time.
Despite the number of lives he’d saved, despite his

achievements and fame, he had never really enjoyed this
feeling.
Lee Jae-hak quietly stepped back and prepared his Tech. He

was going to extend the path of ice to the crack and be
considerate enough to let Yoo-seong lead and enjoy the
crowd.
However…
“It’s the last time you’re going to see this!” Yoo-seong

yelled, breaking out of his trance.
‘What is he talking about?’ Lee Jae-hak was confused.
“-After this time!”
Yoo-seong’s voice rang out in the streets. Aura amplified his

voice, making it resonate over the crowd’s noise.
“-This country, among all the countries in the world! No

more cracks will open!”
In response, a thunderous cheer erupted.
Using the crowd’s energy as a springboard…
Taaang-!
Yoo-seong began using Explosive Acceleration and ran on air
toward the open crack.
“This…” Lee Jae-hak blankly muttered as he watched Yoo-

seong speed away.
“Don’t leave me behind!” he yelled as he followed.

Chapter 178
A few moments after Yoo-seong and Lee Jae-hak had

stepped inside the crack…
“Ugh!”
The observers at the Jongno-gu control center had begun

yelling in panic.
“Director Yang Chang-guk!”
Yang Chang-guk, who was looking at the monitors, replied

with a slightly trembling voice. “Yes… I can see it.”
Countless beasts were pouring from the crack that had just
appeared, as if they had been waiting for the crack to open.
“Several Shantigas observed! No Prime has appeared yet,

thank God…!”
“Gurkaga (★★★) and Meltarisks (★★★★★) are also

appearing in large numbers. What is going on?!”
The creatures that had appeared were all exotic beasts. Like
the Shantiga, which Yoo-seong encountered on his second
hunt, these monsters did not usually appear in Korea.
Since the first Shantiga had appeared, the Korean hunters

had learned how to deal with them, so it wouldn’t be that
difficult this time. However, there was no precedent for
them to appear in these large numbers all at once.
‘-It is not a natural phenomenon that caused them to appear
in Korea.’
Yang Chang-guk recalled his talk with Yoo-seong a few days

ago.
‘-Beasts who fight well have been imported from other

regions to disturb our side.’
The master races inside the rift.
Yoo-seong had already told Yang Chang-guk the story about

the old masters of the Earth. Which meant this enormous
horde of alien monsters was…
“An ambush,” Yang Chang-guk muttered in a grave voice.
Was it just a coincidence? Or had Yoo-seong known the alien

races would use this crack and so had decided to use this
one to enter the world beyond?
“Aren’t we supposed to be putting hunters in right now?

Director?!”
“…”
Yang Chang-guk looked at the monitor. According to the

drone’s footage on the screens, Lee Jae-hak and Yoo-seong
had already disappeared among the surging monsters. They
must have pushed on against the massive wave, destroying
the monsters directly in their way.
“Spread the situation to all hunters nearby right now! Low-

level hunters should help evacuate civilians as far as
possible from the blocking line; leave the gold or higher
level hunters to reinforce the blocking line.”
“Blocking line… are we only sending the hunters to guard
the blocking line?”
The employee who’d received the order had understandable

worries. However, Yang Chang-guk’s authority had recently
been made absolute.
At this, the other agents in the control room exchanged

confused looks.
Can’t he see those monsters pouring out?
No firms or teams had been deployed to the crack’s center

to stop the deluge.
With Lee Jae-hak and Oh Yoo-seong inside the crack, there

was no hunter in Korea who could manage these monsters.
“Do it now!” Yang Chang-guk yelled, shocking the

employees into action. “Don’t procrastinate, and spread the
instructions! I’ll explain to you once the situation is over!”
Soon enough, it turned out that Yang Chang-guk wouldn’t

need to add his explanation. Even before the agents had
completed spreading the information, they understood why
Yang Chang-guk hadn’t needed to deploy teams into the
center.
***
Lee Jae-hak forcefully swung his arm in a horizontal

direction.
Blah-!
A thick ice wall, about twenty meters long, immediately rose

from his Psy of Freezing.
Lee Jae-hak was inside the crack, preventing monsters
about to get out of it by freezing them.
“Yoo-seong!” he yelled out to his partner, who was sealing

the crack with a needle. “One of us has to go out and stop
the ones that escaped…”
“You don’t have to!” Yoo-seong yelled back over the roars of
the beasts around them.
“But…!” Lee Jae-hak looked around him. Countless beasts

were lined up before him; those in front had already been
turned into ice. However, a significant number of monsters
had already escaped the crack before he and Yoo-seong had
been able to get in.
It wasn’t a number that either Lee Jae-hak or Oh Yoo-seong

would have had difficulty dealing with, but it was a different
story for other hunters.
“We can’t afford to do that!” Yoo-seong yelled again.
Through his Enhance tattoo, he could feel the total number

of CE vessels around him. It was too many to count.
The master races must have been prepared for an all-out

attack and sent all the beasts they could.
If either Lee Jae-hak or Oh Yoo-seong stepped outside, the

crowds of beasts might use the opportunity to overwhelm
the person left inside and pour into the streets of Jongno.
“Let’s do our job! We need to empty the cracks!”
“…”
After a moment, Lee Jae-hak nodded firmly.

It had only been a few days since he’d started hunting side
by side with Yoo-seong. However, in that short period, they
had recognized each other as partners in whom they could
put their trust.
There must have been a reason for Yoo-seong to make that

judgment.
Lee Jae-hak focused on the monsters flocking into the crack,

covering Yoo-seong, who was sewing it closed. However…
Hooop-!
A monster swooped in at an incredible speed, flying over

Lee Jae-hak in an instant. It was the superior species of the
Shantiga.
Shantiga Prime (★★★★★★)
***
The streets of Jongno spread out before the beast’s eyes as

soon as it passed the crack’s opening.
The strong smell of blood filled its senses.
It looked around before focusing on the ground it was falling

toward.
‘Red.’
‘Red.’
‘Red.’
Blood and pieces of flesh had been scattered on the street,

the scent and bright color stimulating the monster’s instinct.
The primal lust for flesh overpowered the simple triggers
planted in its brain by the old masters, as well as the
warning cries of the other beasts around it.
Its mind was blinded with a sole purpose, to swoop down

and feast on the abundance of flesh.
Down below, a man was watching the Shantiga Prime diving

at an incredible speed.
‘It looks too good to catch,’ the man thought and chuckled
to himself.
It had been his spontaneous idea to scatter blood and flesh

on the street. Fortunately, there was a big butcher
restaurant nearby. As soon as he’d confirmed the type of
monsters pouring out, the man had pulled all the meats
from the store and placed them on the street.
Sure enough, the beasts had dived in, like flies to garbage.
Now, most of the meat and flesh on the streets was from
those monsters he’d just slaughtered.
-Keeeeek?!
The Shantiga Prime hesitated in mid-air and perched on a

building immediately.
What had made it hesitate was a small, weak-looking

creature standing on two legs.
It was only a small amount of meat compared to the feast

on the street, but…
Even to the brain of a hungry creature, it was shocking to

see a man standing in mid-air.
“Hello,” the man said.
At the sight of such a small, weak-looking creature defying

the physical laws of nature, the Shantiga Prime tilted its
head, fascinated.
Then it realized something else: it was afraid.
The Shantiga Prime felt upset that this small creature had
made it afraid.
It began to lash out in anger.
Quazzik-!
At the next moment, the beast jumped onto the hunter.
The superiority of the beast was obvious to anyone, yet it

wasn’t a very smart decision on the beast’s part.
Somehow, its long and massive claws couldn’t reach the

man, whose name was Sung-wook.
“Wow, it’s heavier than it looks,” Sung-wook remarked.
The confused Prime struggled and looked around. Just then,

it saw something it hadn’t noticed during its bloodlust-filled
free fall.
-Keek keek keek!
-Googgeuk!!
Countless monsters hung in the air, each trapped in some

sort of invisible cobwebs. This was Aura in the form of long
and thin threads, the basis of the Tech called Parasitic Bees.
It was spread out over the whole space, trapping the beasts.
“I got the idea of using it this way from Yoo-seong,” Sung-
wook smiled.
He was the original owner of the Tech, but he hadn’t made it

to be used this way.
Besides, Sung-wook’s web was clearly different from that of

Meteor. The spider webs trapping the beasts over Jongno
Street weren’t as tight as Yoo-seong’s. They were a little
loose and allowed the monsters to move to some extent.
Still, as the beasts struggled, they got more and more
entangled in the web.
Instead of generating strong webs that rendered the

monsters helpless in an instant, Sung-wook’s webs were
designed to gradually tighten themselves around a
struggling prey.
Unlike Yoo-seong, Sung-wook didn’t have CE that recharged

itself constantly. Nevertheless, his greatest advantage was
creativity. He was creative enough to have made his own
Tech in a country that didn’t have any.
Two masterpieces had been born from his mind: the

Spinnenschrift and the Thread Tech.
And right now, in the streets of Jongno where a monster

ambush had been prepared, Sung-wook had found his
comeback stage.
“Now, Shake!”
With a flick of his fingers, Sung-wook presented to the world

the third Tech he had created.
A disturbance erupted in the air.

-Keek keek keek keek!
The Shantiga Prime shrieked in panic and confusion.
‘What is this pain it feels on its skin?’
‘Why is it losing sensation in its limbs?’
The same was true for the other monsters inside the spider
web traps.
-Bzzzzzz-!
The thin threads contained super vibrations, which were

breaking through the scales and shells of the monsters.
An unprecedented Tech to control the flow of Aura that

made up the thread and turned it into vibrations.
Even while his core was broken, Sung-wook had held on to

his ideas and studied them constantly. The Tech he had
developed in the darkness had now come to light.
“Gaso!” Sung-wook sighed with satisfaction.
-Plok plok plok-!
The monsters, including the Shantiga Prime, now looked like

meat after it had been through a grinder. Flesh and blood
from the webs spattered onto the streets, and the threads
stretched out again into position. Of course, even after that,
there were still many beasts in the sky.
“I can’t miss a single one.” Sung-wook looked up.
The crack was now almost completely closed.

Behind the invisible walls of the alien world, Yoo-seong had
to be fighting his own battle.
“This… this is the second chance I have been given.”
Two years ago, Sung-wook had passed on his CE to remove

all his remaining regrets.
However, Yoo-seong had exceeded everything he had

dreamed of.
“Now it’s my turn to live up to your expectations,” Sung-

wook smiled.
He imagined Yoo-seong was looking back at him from

beyond the crack.
“Come back. See you again soon.”

Chapter 179
Alvin Hawkins.
The young man, who had been called Miracle Boy for the
longest time, had never been seen in an angry mood by the
public.
Perhaps that was in part attributable to his family’s social

background and class. He had a politician for a father, from
whom he had learned how to manage his facial expressions.
Thus, he was excellent at hiding his feelings from whomever
he was talking to, regardless of the situation.
However, the problem was that he perhaps lacked

experience.
Throughout his forty years, there had never been a problem

that could affect his confidence. He had always been
confident about solving any hurdle that came before him,
with or without his abilities as Miracle Boy.
That was, until today.
Bibibibibibit-!
In Alvin Hawkins’ office, twelve phones, placed side by side,

were ringing incessantly.
Each phone was a dedicated line for powerful and influential

people from around the world.
It was an unprecedented network Alvin had built to help him
reach the pinnacle.
One of the flashing caller IDs showed him his father’s office,
the White House.
But Alvin didn’t pick it up.
He couldn’t bring himself to answer any of them.
He didn’t know what to say.
His mouth was busy chewing his thumbnail instead of

answering calls.
“…….”
At some point, he leaned forward as if waking up.
He looked at his tattered fingernails and yelled, “Fuck it!”
Pagak-!
One powerful blow smashed the heavy wood desk in front of

him.
The tablet PC upon the table was neatly cut in half.
Just a few seconds ago, the device had been playing videos
on a loop for more than an hour. This included footage from
Jongno-gu street in Seoul, South Korea.
The scene on the rooftop just before Oh Yoo-seong plunged

into the rift had already spread through the Internet like
wildfire, seen and shared by countless people.
Even before that, the Internet had already been in an

explosive state. The contents of the Korean hunter
community meeting had already caused a stir around the
world.
-Can you really close the cracks? Permanently? For real?!
-Why else would they be promoting it in the Korean

industry? But think about it, even if they could actually close
them, the related aftermath would be no joke.
└If it’s true, the post-storm will be even bigger.
└I’ll bet it’s real.
└Me too.
-If it’s real, shouldn’t our government also bring Oh Yoo-

seong in? It seems that we are just a step away from a
catastrophe every day.
└Would Oh Yoo-seong or the Korean government do it for

free?
└Are you saying money is an issue?
└Even if it were an astronomical amount, I think it would be

right to pay them whatever they ask for, right? I think
whatever price they ask is worth it. It’s a matter of people’s
lives.
└Full consent.
-Did the other hunters announce their position separately?
The flow of public opinions was not good for Alvin Hawkin’s
plans. Oh Yoo-seong hadn’t thought it through and had just
yelled it to the world.
And now, this was the result.

Hunters and other special defense-related industries were in
a state of panic. Their livelihood was on the brink of
extinction.
The tycoons who kept calling Alvin on the phones also

belonged to those sectors. They were investors in Alvin’s
grand plan. If the crack phenomenon got worse and its
image as a life-threatening disaster returned, hunting, which
civilians had taken for granted, would soar in value.
Therefore, the entire hunting industry was poised to gain

enormous wealth and influence.
Soon, Alvin and the hunters would have been on top of the
world, taking control of future societies.
However, everything had turned to dust. Yoo-seong’s

declaration had made it so.
While the rest of the world still had doubts on whether Yoo-
seong could really prevent cracks, Alvin Hawkins already
knew he could. Once the Korean hunter returned from the
world beyond and no further cracks appeared in Korea, his
grand plan was as good as garbage.
Alvin had vastly underestimated the man.
He had thought Oh Yoo-seong to be someone with strong

beliefs and obsessions, one who always pushed for what he
believed to be sublime justice. Unfortunately for them,
those types of people couldn’t beat someone like Alvin. At
best, they would be martyrs buried in the flow of history.
However, while he did have those convictions and

obsessions, it looked like Oh Yoo-seong would never be a
martyr.
Pibig-
One mobile phone stopped ringing. Then a short message

appeared on the screen.
It was from the Dukova family, a giant in the special defense

agency, which had dominated Eastern Europe.
‘-We’re sorry, A. Continuing with the investments would be

nonsense.’
“………!!”
Red veins stood out in Alvin’s eyes.
Like all businessmen, the Dukova family was wise. They

would always take the side of money over anything.
In fact, they had invested in Alvin’s plan, even if it was evil,

just because it meant more money for them. However, now
that Alvin was defeated…
Pibig-!
Pibig-!
The other phones stopped ringing one by one, and short

messages flashed on their screens instead.
‘-Sorry, it seems that the tide has changed now.’
‘-Forget about the investment cost.’
‘-Let us know if you have another plan. Perhaps we can try

again, but not this time.’
All of them had figured out that Yoo-seong’s moves had

invalidated Alvin’s plans.
“Aaaaargh!”
‘The bastard wasn’t satisfied with closing all the cracks,’

Alvin thought furiously.
Yoo-seong was planning to build a team of pioneers and

acquire more value in the other world. Rather than being a
martyr, he was full of absurd ambition. He had the tools to
open and close cracks at will. He had the power to face any
kind of monster. And whatever he was lacking, he had their
country’s Special Defense Agency to support him.
With those three things, Yoo-seong’s dream coming true

wasn’t impossible.
Perhaps that was why Alvin’s defeat was heavier. Because,

in the end, he and Yoo-seong were the same. They were two
men who weren’t satisfied with the present reality and
wanted to lead people into a new world.
Pibig-!
Now, there was one last phone ringing.
Miracle Boy stretched out his hand and took it.
It was his father.
-Hey.
Vice President Hawkins.
-You must have forgotten.
“No, Father.”
-There is a need to change your plans. This situation is…

“We still have a chance. Oh Yoo-seong’s abilities are limited
to the tools he has.”
-Alvin…
“You can use what he has done in Nevada to start an

international conflict.”
-We have already…
“You have to keep up the pressure! Do not give them a

chance!”
Alvin had not recognized what the person on the other end
of the line was feeling.
Vice President Hawkins was in a state of shock. It was also

his first time experiencing his son’s unfocused anger.
“We are the United States! You have the power! Use it!
There may be damage, but… if I somehow take those tools
out of his hands… No, if I could get rid of them entirely so
he would have no chance of taking them back…”
-Alvin!
The Vice President raised his voice.
-It’s over now. Give up.
“W-What… what did you say, Father?”
-You may have lost a lot, but you’re still this country’s hero.
And you are still my son. There was always a chance to
recover. But right now… if the situation were normal, it
might have been different. However, right now, there are six
unclosed cracks in the United States.
The cracks in New York alone were causing irreparable
economic damage. And several major media outlets were
increasing the anxiety felt by the general population.
responding positively to Oh Yoo-seong.
It was a country that loved heroes. Therefore it was natural

for its citizens to be enthusiastic about Oh Yoo-seong. And in
this situation, anyone who revealed hostility against their
perceived hero risked being seen as “evil.”
-This is not a defeat.
The Vice President’s voice softened to console his son.
-Someday, you can still be the president of this country.

Then, even greater—
“No. I can’t accept that.”
Vice President Hawkins heard two things after those words.
First, a cracking sound as Alvin’s grip began to crush the

phone. Then, his son’s words.
“A victory that I could not achieve myself is worth nothing.”
-Oh, Alvin!
It was something a boy who hadn’t got what he wanted

would say.
After that, the smartphone shattered in Alvin’s hand, and

the call was cut off.
Perhaps Alvin’s youthful appearance wasn’t a boon but a

bane. It was possible that his mental and emotional
maturity also hadn’t grown. It was easy for a child to
pretend to be an adult. That was… until life got difficult.
“Hmmm…”
Alvin closed his eyes, his brain making calculations.
His father was probably preparing to block all of Alvin’s

public and private authority right now.
“I don’t care…”
Networks and status. They were only tools.
The only thing he could trust for certain was himself.
On his own, Alvin prepared a counterattack.
***
An hour later.
Special Security Forces had now arrived at Alvin’s wrecked

office. However, they couldn’t find any traces of the Miracle
Boy.
The Vice President and other high-ranking executives who

had been informed of the confidential situation had no idea
what Alvin was planning.
All they could do was pray earnestly to God.
***
His stamina was running out.
His core had also been empty for a while now.

“Heo-eok, huh…!”
Lee Jae-hak sealed the stump of his severed left arm with
ice, making sure that it was closed.
Squeezing out the very thin shard of ice cost him a great
effort.
However, somehow, he was able to do it.
The bleeding stopped completely. The only question now

was whether his severed left arm could be reattached.
Despite his injury, he couldn’t help but feel the joy of

victory. The bodies of about a hundred Goblins were
scattered around him. Each of them had been an entity a lot
stronger than those Yoo-seong and Lee Jae-hak had faced in
their first Dive.
‘Elites,’ Lee Jae-hak thought.
As Yoo-seong had guessed, the monsters had been prepared

for an all-out attack. If they had procrastinated and left the
crack, as Lee Jae-hak had argued, these beasts would have
poured out into the middle of Seoul and wiped out the city.
‘It would have been terrible.’
The only reason they’d won was that the beasts were
extremely inefficient and unorganized.
They’d all charged toward Yoo-seong.
Therefore, Lee Jae-hak had been able to attack them from a

comfortable position while Yoo-seong defended himself.
Now, after a long and exhausting battle that had cost Lee
Jae-hak his arm, Yoo-seong was walking toward his
destination, unharmed.
The ridge in the distance.
Lee Jae-hak had no ability to detect CE presence, unlike Yoo-

seong. However, even he could feel a powerful presence
from the ridge.
It was the strongest CE he had ever felt in an individual,

barring no human or monster.
“But… Yoo-seong will win,” Lee Jae-hak sighed.
He settled on a rock and lay down his body.
He had already done everything he could. Now, all he could

do was wait.
The worst thing that could happen would be for another

group of monsters to arrive.
In that case, Lee Jae-hak would be eaten alive.
“Well…” Lee Jae-hak muttered to himself, “I don’t even have

the strength left to lift my fingers, so…”
He felt his eyes closing as he surrendered his consciousness

to sleep.
Chapter 180
It wasn’t that big. The Goblin before him was only about two
to three meters tall.
With its slight build, it looked more like a tall human than a
monster.
It was sitting atop the ridge, staring at the space where he

and Lee Jae-hak had faced countless Goblins.
“You seemed relaxed,” Yoo-seong remarked. Only then did

the beast turn its head to face him.
“…!”
The creature’s face was different from the other Goblins

they had faced. The others had human-like faces,
surprisingly. The only difference they had from humans was
their size, as well as their grotesque horns and fangs.
However, this creature looked different.
Yoo-seong remembered something he saw in a textbook

when he was in high school.
Anyone who had completed their education in Korea would

have seen it at least once.
‘It’s the devil’s face,’ he thought.
“I’m not,” the creature responded in Korean.

Its voice was so low-pitched that it seemed to come from
the depths of the earth.
“I was thinking about what just occurred,” it added.
“Ah, the death of your people?” Yoo-seong asked.
“Huh? Are you talking about those?”
The creature raised itself up and stretched its arms. Only

then could Yoo-seong see the other differences in its body
structure.
The bones on its chest and ribs were at a sharper angle, and
both of its arms hung down below its knees.
‘This guy,’ Yoo-seong thought. ‘A species we have never

encountered before.’
“In this world, there’s not a single entity left I could call ‘my
people.’ Those who you thought were my kindred…”
The Goblin looked down at the field once more.
“They are nothing but my creations, the result of my

handmade improvements. The natural bodies of Garams
could not endure the harshness of this world. That is why I
altered their physical structure, even if it meant their
intelligence would be lost in the process.”
Yoo-seong considered what the creature had said for a

moment.
‘Was the human-like appearance the result of the genetic

manipulation, or was it the horns and fangs on the Goblins’
heads?’
“So, Garam is what your race is called…” Yoo-seong said,
trying to prompt the creature to continue speaking.
However, it did not show any reaction to his words. Rather,

it seemed deep in thought as it looked over the battlefield.
It didn’t even seem interested in the enemy right in front of
him.
After a few moments of silence, it opened its mouth once

more.
“Do you know what, Slave?”
Its eyes turned to Yoo-seong.
“This world you’re standing in was an unimaginable hell

thousands of years ago.”
“You guys tamed it and made it tolerable?”
“It would be more accurate to say that we adapted to

survive. The Garam lost the purity of their blood…”
“One of them survived, though,” Yoo-seong nudged his head

in the direction of the creature.
“I am strong.”
“…”
The creature wasn’t lying.
Yoo-seong knew it and felt the creature’s strength.
In fact, he had already pressed the button before climbing

up the ridge.
However, the strength he felt wasn’t that of a monster.
Rather, the level and the purity of the Aura he could feel
was more reminiscent of an old man he knew.
Jin Wei-baek.
“In both body and mind, I was greater than the average of
my people. I reached the top of the Garam before I even
became an adult. Over time, I developed the knowledge and
ability to change the structure of all life in the world.”
“It would have been nice, then, if you had altered your
people and made them strong before you were sent to this
hell,” Yoo-seong scoffed.
“I lacked foresight at that time. My people were not born

with the same strength as mine; we thought that it was
blasphemy for our bloodline to do things that weren’t
worthy of respect. And that was my stain.”
The Goblin’s eyes bore through Yoo-seong’s. He couldn’t

help but feel goosebumps rise on his back.
“That is the reason I created your kind, Slave.”
“…!”
If Yoo-seong understood it correctly, the monster before

him, like the Gray Leader, had already lived through years of
regret.
“The moment I took the first offspring of your kind into my

hand… I was proud. The greatest masterpiece I have ever
created.”
In that context, Yoo-seong realized he was facing a creature

that had altered and improved the human species.
“The other races said their purpose was to retake our world
and enjoy their old glory,” Yoo-seong said, despite his shock.
“Are you different?” he continued.
“Don’t you find them funny, Slave? You are not weak. Even if
the boundary between this world and your world was gone,
would it be possible to push your kind to extinction?”
“…”
‘No,’ Yoo-seong thought.
The world would change when the world beyond the crack
emptied out into the human world.
It would literally be Hell on Earth. Countless people would

suffer and die. However, it wouldn’t mean that humans
would go extinct.
Modern civilization was strong enough. Even without

hunters, humans would persevere against the monsters.
However, the rich and comfortable twenty-first-century life

as humans knew it would be gone. Countries would
collapse. Weapons of mass destruction would crush the
monsters, even as they turned the world into a vast
battlefield.
In the end, the humans would win. However, all that would
be left for them to rule on would be ash and ruins.
“They don’t want to believe it.” The Goblin shook its head.
“The other races still believe that humans are nothing but
livestock. Every single creature born here was taught that
way, so how could they not be brainwashed?”
“Are you against the other races?”

“No… but humans are my creations. I could not use my own
hands against them, so I sent these creatures to help their
cause instead.”
As their dialogue continued to flow peacefully, Yoo-seong’s

senses were telling him the opposite. The danger was
getting closer as they spoke.
“But now…”
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
Aura boiled around the last Garam.
“Watching the slaughter that happened here revived the

feelings I thought I had forgotten.”
“I would be more comfortable if you got to the point,” Yoo-

seong answered.
In the blink of an eye, the reinforced Queen’s Hug covered

his body.
The Garam’s expression crumpled with fury.
“In this place… you will die!”
The next moment, however, the creature’s expression

became dull once more. It resumed speaking with its usual
slow, calm tone.
“After that, I will go over to your world and do as much as I

can…”
“Didn’t you just say that, even with your abilities, humans
could not be wiped out?”
“Right… but I know what you really fear is not the extinction
of your species.”
“…!”
“It’s the loss of the comfort and prosperity you are currently
enjoying.”
To survive in a world made of nothing but ash and ruins,

that would be the greatest misfortune for mankind.
“As far as my abilities can take me… I will destroy as much

of your world as possible.”
“You know,” Yoo-seong sighed, “I now understand the

characteristics of the race called Garam.”
He felt Auto-Hunt begin to work.
“They are useless and verbose creatures,” he added.
Taa-aang-!
Explosive Acceleration shortened the distance between

them in no time.
“Ah… now you’re going to be angry, right?” the Garam said.
Yoo-seong quickly arrived in front of the creature, his wrist

blade shining intensely with the dragon’s flame.
However, it was a feint.
Just before he struck the Garam’s body with the tip of his
blade, Yoo-seong quickly turned and stretched his leg
toward the creature’s face.
It was the function of the tattoo on Yoo-seong’s right leg, the
Tech of Acceleration. It doubled the speed of the body part it
was engraved on. Combined with Explosive Acceleration
and the ability to regenerate Aura even after placing his
entire CE on one leg, could there have been a better buff for
Yoo-seong?
Fa-oah-!!!
The vibration in the air as his leg moved toward the target
was powerful enough to tear the eardrums of lesser
creatures.
Pagak-!
However…
“…!”
“Such a simple way of solving emotions.” The Garam’s voice

sounded disappointed.
Yoo-seong’s kick did not reach its temple. Despite his

incredible speed, the Garam easily caught Yoo-seong’s ankle
and stopped the impact.
“It doesn’t have any practical value,” the Garam added.
Auto Hunt immediately made Yoo-seong cross his arms

before his chest. Yoo-seong couldn’t even see the counter-
attack flying towards him, but…
Kagang-!
Quick, efficient, and powerful.
The Garam’s fist slammed against Yoo-seong’s arms,

sending him rolling across the ground.
Yoo-seong’s arms tingled with pain. Despite the reinforced
Queen’s Hug and the full coat of Aura that Auto-Hunt had
covered his arms with, he felt the shock of the impact to his
bones.
Shhhh-!
As soon as he stopped rolling, Auto Hunt made Yoo-seong

bounce back up and run toward the Garam once more.
The Plum Sword glowed from his hands, and the two
strongest creatures started dancing.
“…!”
Yoo-seong’s blade passed through the Garam’s skin, and a

red-hot wound swelled on impact.
However, it wasn’t fatal.
Pot-!
Yoo-seong’s left foot suddenly stomped on the ground and

kicked high.
Spider Threads rose from the ground with speed comparable

to bullets, aiming for the Garam’s eyes.
“What…?” the Garam muttered in wonder.
However…
Yoo-seong saw the Garam’s lower body twist to the side.

More than avoiding the incoming Spider Webs, it was able to
attack Yoo-seong’s other leg with a low kick, as his left foot
was still in the air.
“Hngggh-!”
Yoo-seong immediately lifted his other leg to dodge it, but…
Pagak-!
The Garam’s massive fist caught him as he hung in mid-air.
An explosion of shock erupted around his chest.
For the second time, Yoo-seong was thrown back. However,

this time, the shock was quite different from the first.
The taste of blood filled Yoo-seong’s mouth.
Even so, the physical damage was just minor. With Yoo-
seong’s stamina and durability, he would be able to endure
it.
The mental damage, however, was a different story.
‘Twice.’
Yoo-seong was unable to comprehend what had just

happened.
‘I lost twice.’
‘Auto-Hunt lost twice.’
“That’s some great armor,” the Garam remarked as Yoo-

seong lay stunned.
There wasn’t any physical damage on the Queen’s Hug,

despite the Garam smashing it with a fist full of Aura.
“I won’t say you are unworthy of it, but… there’s something

in it that you just can’t use at your current skill level.”
As Yoo-seong slowly staggered up, the Garam appeared
before him.
“Now I know for sure,” the creature whispered as its palm

stretched out toward Yoo-seong. “Your identity, the source of
your strength…”
Chapter 181
“That’s it…” the Garam continued to mutter to itself in

wonder. However…
Cheek-!
“It doesn’t matter!” Yoo-seong yelled.
In the meantime, the Lightning Bow had appeared in his

hands. He immediately nocked an arrow on the bow and let
it loose in an instant.
Lightning flew toward the Garam. The beast turned its body
to dodge, as expected. However, it wasn’t him that Auto-
Hunt was aiming for.
Huwook-!
The arrow pierced through the rock that rose behind the
Garam. Then…
Taaang-!
Yoo-seong quickly ran through the air as the Garam rushed

his way.
Spinnenschrift, not Explosive Acceleration.
The thunderbolt that he’d sent flying had a thread

connected to its tail, and Yoo-seong began to use the thread
as a tightrope.
‘Touch it if you can,’ Yoo-seong thought as he loaded
another arrow onto his bow.
It was different from the previous Spider Webs he’d used.

The thread connected to the lightning arrows was similar to
high-voltage live wires, powered by the Psy of Lightning.
Merely touching it would send out an electric shock
equivalent to tens of thousands of CE.
Even though it wouldn’t be fatal damage to an entity like

the Garam, the shock could at least secure a few moments
of delayed movement that Yoo-seong could take advantage
of.
Hu-wook-!
Hu-wook-!
Two more lightning arrows flew in different directions. Auto-

Hunt had determined that limiting the Garam’s movements
through the lightning threads was the best option at the
moment.
Then Yoo-seong aimed the Lightning Bow at the Garam once

more.
Paaang-!
The Garam twisted slightly and easily avoided the flying

thunderbolt. However, it had a calm expression on its face,
as if it were studying Yoo-seong.
Then, as Yoo-seong climbed another lightning thread…
Hook-!
The Garam grabbed the thread he was stepping on and
began shaking it violently, making Yoo-seong lose his
balance. As he stumbled, Yoo-seong looked closely at the
Garam’s palm, which was touching the thread.
It was covered with the Psy of Flame, protecting the

creature’s skin.
‘This guy… does it have the Psy of Flame, too?’
Yoo-seong quickly leaped off the thread that the Garam was

holding. However…
Go-oh-oh-oh-!
The instant he was in mid-air, Aura shot out of the Garam’s

other arm and struck him.
“………?!”
Yoo-seong felt a strange yet familiar Psy strike his body.
Surprisingly, the Garam had used two different Psy

simultaneously.
One was the Flame Psy it had used to grab the lightning
thread. The other was something Yoo-seong had only heard
about in legends.
The amount of CE in itself shouldn’t have affected Yoo-

seong’s defenses, considering the reinforced Queen’s Hug
he was wearing.
However…
It had pierced through his armor as if it were nothing. Blood

had burst from Yoo-seong’s mouth as his body felt the
shock.
Thud-!
Yoo-seong crashed to the hard ground, feeling helpless.
The Garam calmly spoke as it observed him.
“One is the energy of a reptile that lives in the west; one

that eats lava. Perhaps you got the energy from it.”
“H-huh…” Yoo-seong groaned in pain.
“The other is the energy from a tree with a size comparable

to a mountain; one I made extinct long ago. Its energy was
suitable to erase the energy of the Earth that strengthens
your armor.”
Yoo-seong was familiar with the theory of the five elements.

He’d learned it to some extent through his experience in
China. The Psy of Flame had neutralized his Aura in
Lightning form. And, through the Psy of Wood, the reinforced
Queen’s Hug from the rock dragon’s scales had been
rendered useless.
However, there was something more shocking to Yoo-seong

than the reappearance of what had previously been thought
of as an extinct Psy. It was how his opponent had various
Psy at his command.
“The ability to reap energy was not yours from the

beginning,” the Garam began. “To put it in words you can
understand, I was the first hunter in all of history. I
destroyed and reaped countless creatures before I made
your kind, and even after I was exiled to this place…”
As it continued, the Garam stretched out its hand. It was the

same action Yoo-seong made to call out lightning.
The Garam’s fingertips shone briefly, and then…
Tuduk-!
Yoo-seong almost lost consciousness from the shock that

struck him. As his blurred vision slowly recovered, Yoo-seong
noticed several items on the ground around him.
The Sky Needle and the Sky Scissors.
Items that had been in his Slot. And it wasn’t only that…
Aura in the form of vapor was being pulled out of his body.
The vapor settled on the floor as if it had weight, and soon,
it began to take certain shapes.
One resembled a pair of handcuffs with chains several times

longer than usual.
The other looked like a densely packed leather duffel bag,

as large as a human body.
Letters similar to faded hieroglyphics were etched on its

surface.
As soon as the items appeared on the ground, two features

disappeared from the Auto-Hunt screen in Yoo-seong’s
vision.
The Slot and the Combination buttons were gone.
“These things… they are not yours,” the Garam’s deep

voice rang out.
At the same time…
Tsutsutsutsu-!
The handcuffs and the duffel bag, along with the Scissors
and Needle, slowly began to vaporize.
‘Did the Garam absorb them?’
Yoo-seong didn’t have much time to consider as Auto-Hunt

launched another offensive…
Booung-!
A thunderbolt thrown like a javelin.
After that, with Explosive Acceleration, Yoo-seong stepped

on it.
The Garam did not avoid it. Rather, it swung its arms
around, creating a ball of flame to stop the incoming
thunderbolt.
As enormous pressure rose from the impact, Auto-Hunt

swung a wrist blade filled with the Flame Psy. However, the
Garam seemed to have been waiting for it.
Googuk-!
With its hands stained pale blue, the Garam caught the
flaming wrist blade.
The Aura on the Garam’s hands was the same as the Aura
from the Habaek and from Lee Jae-hak: the Water Psy.
A tremendous amount of steam rose where the heat and the

cold met. Intense pressure erupted at two points. Despite
being in a situation where the slightest change could lead to
defeat, the Garam calmly opened its mouth.
“Didn’t I say that I knew you?”

“……”
“The things you have are masterpieces from the peak of the
Garams’ civilization. Everything you have was mine.”
Yoo-seong did not respond.
Instead, he pulled out the wrist blade and threw a right kick.
However, the Garam easily blocked his sneak attack.
It was a fierce battle between the best offense and the best
defense.
“But at the end of that humiliating war… a servant I had

made with my own hands, whom I once thought to be the
best achievement of my life, stole them from me.”
Meanwhile, the four objects that had completely turned into

vapor seeped into the Garam’s skin.
“Your movements resemble his…” the Garam said in a

heavy voice.
Then…
Kugugugu-!
Yoo-seong’s legs dug into the ground with the immense

pressure he was feeling from the Garam.
The situation had turned for the worse for Yoo-seong as the
Garam had taken the initiative from him.
Around them, the ground was shaking, and cracks were

beginning to appear, spreading beyond their battlefield.
“Are you his reincarnation… or did his power find a way to

wander around the world looking for a suitable vessel? I
don’t know how, but you seem to have inherited the abilities
I gave him…”
Craaack-!
The sound of breaking came from the Queen’s Hug. Yoo-

seong clenched his teeth as the pressure he felt continued
to increase.
“That slave… nothing more than an experiment to see if

your kind could exist with talents similar to mine…”
“No matter…. how much… you talk about it…” Yoo-seong’s

words escaped his gritted teeth. “The past… it doesn’t
change!” he yelled.
“…….”
There was no expression on the Garam’s face, except that it

looked somehow regretful.
Just then…
Huwook-!
The Garam’s hand grabbed Yoo-seong’s right arm. The

armor that covered the top of Yoo-seong’s arm split as easily
as brittle bamboo. Some of it pierced Yoo-seong’s flesh.
“Aaargh!” Yoo-seong screamed.
The bones and muscles on his arm were twisted. The Garam
pulled back, releasing Yoo-seong’s arm. Then, filled with
Aura, it came back, striking Yoo-seong square in the chest.
Kuuung-!
The impact was so powerful that it seemed the whole world
shook.
This time, Yoo-seong was not thrown back. Rather, he

collapsed helplessly at the Garam’s feet.
Now, in his defenseless state, the Garam could hit him as

much as possible, and the creature took advantage of it.
Kuwoong-!
Kuwoong-!!
Kuwoong-!!!
After several earth-shattering blows, there was a deep pit

under the Garam’s feet, with Yoo-seong beaten to a pulp.
The Garam turned around to look at the battlefield where

the goblins had been slaughtered.
“……….”
It felt the furious heartbeat in its chest.
Even before it faced Yoo-seong, its heart had already been

beating fiercely. The Garam had thought it had forgotten the
hatred it felt, but it seemed that it had survived.
“Now… if I could decorate my end with your misfortune,

that would be a proper ending, too.”
Go-oh-oh-!
A blue Aura appeared on the Garam’s hands.
It was the ability of the Sky Scissors that it had absorbed

earlier. With a swing of its arms, it would now be able to
cross over to the human world and bring hell.
The Garam would bring its slaves back to their rightful

place.
Just then…
The Garam turned its body halfway and looked back. Yoo-
seong had climbed out of the pit and stood limply behind
him.
“You’re… strong,” Yoo-seong mumbled.
The Queen’s Hug had been smashed off by the Garam’s

fists.
“But… let’s try again.” Yoo-seong raised his hands. He was

standing by pure will, not with Auto Hunting’s help.
However, he couldn’t even raise his left hand properly.
“Damn…”
Yoo-seong grabbed his left wrist as if fiddling with its broken

bones.
But far from reviving it…
“Eh, uh, uh!”
Crack-!
It sounded as if he had broken it some more. Yoo-seong’s

left hand drooped like a withered branch.
“Pathetic,” the Garam remarked. “I know… you are now

without the slave’s protection.”
Instead of answering, Yoo-seong gathered blood sputum
from his throat and spat at the Garam as hard as he could.
“Come on, fuck you!” he yelled desperately.
As he did, Yoo-seong considered his situation.
‘Without my left hand…’
‘Without Auto-Hunt…’
‘I have to defeat that monster.’
‘Can I do it?’
‘No…’
‘I must do it.’
If he turned Auto-Hunt on right now, it would no doubt allow

him to escape the danger.
If so…
‘I just have to do my best.’
Taaang-!
With Explosive Acceleration, Yoo-seong flew forward with his

right arm pulled back, aiming at the center of the Garam’s
chest.
As expected, the Garam easily blocked it, but Yoo-seong’s

right knee was already flying in.
The Garam turned to the side to avoid it.

This time, Yoo-seong pulled out his wrist blade once more
and swung it. At the same time, he threw Spider Webs over
the tip of his toes toward the Garam.
Even though he knew the Garam could cut off the Spider

Webs, he was hoping to at least distract it.
The result wasn’t really that bad.
Yoo-seong’s attacks missed the Garam, but at the same

time, the Garam didn’t have a chance to counter-attack.
Without the assistance of Auto Hunt, Yoo-seong continued

his offensive. His movements were the result of his endless
concentration, analysis, and training.
His attacks were not far behind Auto-Hunt’s movements.
No, considering that he was fighting without his left arm,

perhaps his performance was already at an equal level with
Auto Hunt.
The Garam couldn’t hide its surprise. It was as if that slave

had successfully passed over his movements to Yoo-seong.
“Ah ah ah ah ah!”
Once again, Yoo-seong’s right arm, infused with Explosive

Acceleration, almost caught the Garam’s chest.
Unfortunately, it was the only way he could inflict fatal

damage at this point.
His attacks were bound to be monotonous. At the same

time, Psy continued to punish Yoo-seong.
Scorching, freezing, electric shocks.

Soon, Yoo-seong’s body had reached such a point of
destruction that no one would be able to recognize him
anymore.
The Garam’s moment of victory had come. As Yoo-seong’s

right arm drew another hook, the Garam easily leaned to
dodge it.
Now, Yoo-seong’s left side was exposed. However,

something shone on Yoo-seong’s left wrist.
Aura.
“I was waiting,” Yoo-seong said as the Garam exposed itself

to his left wrist.
However, the Garam smirked at him.
“You wasted too much time waiting.”
Yoo-seong swung his broken left arm.
It was too obvious and slow an attack to be considered a

surprise.
The Garam easily struck his limp left wrist to stop the weak
attack, severing the wrist and sending it flying off.
That was the end.
Hoo-wook-!
“……….”
“……….”
Both monsters froze as if time had stopped. Everything went

silent.
“Fuck it,” Yoo-seong said.
“……….”
The Garam’s wide-open eyes looked down on Yoo-seong,

then toward its own body. Its own abdomen.
As it struck off Yoo-seong’s wrist, it had exposed the bone

on Yoo-seong’s left arm.
The sharp bone that was now embedded in the Garam’s

unguarded abdomen.
Through the absorption tattoo, the entity’s CE was being

sucked out in real-time.
Inside the creature’s core, the bones of Yoo-seong’s arm had

a sharp tip as if they had been cut at an angle.
Right after crawling out of the pit, just before he rushed

toward the Garam…
As he’d fiddled with his broken arm, Yoo-seong had created

a bone blade.
The limp wrist attached to his arm had acted as nothing

more than a lid.
And when the Garam had struck the lid off…
The blade had reached its destination.
“……….”
The Garam couldn’t turn its head or even speak.
It was the end of it. All its power, its experience, and
achievements…
They were being sucked out of him and into Yoo-seong’s
core.
“It’s over. You damn child,” Yoo-seong whispered.
The pain in his arm was excruciating. However, he had a

satisfied smile on his bloody face.
This wasn’t just about absorbing the Garam and all the tools
and Psy it had accumulated.
The reason behind Yoo-seong’s smile was that last attack

he’d made.
It was a blow that had transcended Auto Hunt.

Chapter 182
Episode 182
“…”
The Garam’s lips moved as if it wanted to say something.
“Enough…” Yoo-seong shushed it.
No matter what his race had done to the Garam, and vice-
versa, it was all in the past.
“Disappear… your time has come to its end.”
Yoo-seong pulled his left arm out of the Garam’s abdomen.
The creature’s body didn’t fall. Instead, it stiffened in place,

the purple skin gradually turning gray. Then cracks
appeared on the gray surface before finally, it crumbled to
dust. That was the end of the first and the strongest hunter
ever.
“I could have given you a name…” Yoo-seong fell to his

knees.
Inside his core, an unimaginable amount of energy was

boiling. It was not just the size of it that felt ridiculous. Its
quality was something Yoo-seong’s veins and core had
never felt before.
The CE felt like it had multiple qualities.

“Is this… how Psy feels?”
For the first time, Yoo-seong had Psy in his core without the
use of tools. Everything the monster had possessed was
now his.
The functions of Combination and Slot had also been

restored to their original state. And, with them, a
rectangular window that represented the Needle and the
Scissors had also appeared.
Perhaps, at this point, Yoo-seong was a creature who

possessed more than anyone else had in either ancient
times or the present.
“I am so… tired.”
Despite it, Yoo-seong’s body felt light.
His right arm began touching his body as if to check its

condition.
The Absorption Tech on his left arm.
The Acceleration Tech on his right.
The Protection Tech on his back.
The Provocation Tech on his chest.
The Detection Tech on his left leg.
“After all this…” He wondered. He had never even used the

tattoo on his right leg. Compared to the other tattoos, the
structure and the amount of C.E. it required seemed to be
different.
As he thought about it, Yoo-seong shook his head. He just
wanted to quietly enjoy a few minutes of rest. He would
have time to understand more about his abilities later. Just
then…
“……?”
As he looked up, he saw a sight he’d never thought he

would see.
***
Yang Chang-guk was running.
“Fuck it. For something else to break out at this time…”
He wanted to reject the summons no matter what and focus

on Yoo-seong’s operation as much as possible. However, he
couldn’t just ignore this one. It was President Kwang Seong-
cheol who had called for him in a hurry.
‘-Director Yang! As soon as possible…’
It was the first time Yang Chang-guk had heard the President
speaking in such a tense tone. The old man was usually
calm, even during Yoo-seong’s performance in the last
meeting. This time, however, the calm fox seemed anxious
and out of breath.
After a short pause to organize his thoughts, Yang Chang-

guk knocked on the door of the President’s office.
“Come in.”
The voice was a little calmer than when they were on the
phone, but President Kwak Seong-cheol’s voice was still
trembling.
Yang Chang-guk immediately opened the door.
“……!”
A surprised groan escaped from his throat.
The President was alone in the office, except for another

face on a huge screen.
“V-Vice President… Hawkins?”
A large monitor was placed on one side of the office. On it,

one of the highest officials in the United States was engaged
in a real-time video call.
“President Kwak… what is this…?”
“Take a seat first.” The President motioned for him to sit.
As he took a chair, Yang Chang-guk analyzed the situation

before him. Both the American and the Korean leaders were
sweating.
‘This does not look like a matter of diplomacy,’ he thought.
Kwak Seong-cheol was not an amateur in terms of politics.

Whatever the situation, he was always calm and collected,
even in the face of the heads of other countries.
‘What the hell could have made these two so nervous?’ Yang
Chang-guk pondered.
-This is a confidential matter…
Yang Chang-guk nodded quickly, prompting the Vice

President to continue.
-There is a rift in U.S. territory that has remained unclosed
for seven years. It’s not an unclosed crack. We…
intentionally left it open.
Yang Chang-guk’s jaw dropped. As he continued to listen, he

found himself sweating as much as the two national leaders.
***
Sector: 41
It was the name of the facility.
Seven years ago, an elite rush team led by Alvin Hawkins

had conducted a classified Dive. The reports they had
brought back were as follows.
-Unusual environment. After many years of tectonic activity,

a huge valley of enormous scale has been formed. It has
traces of a fairly active ecosystem, but only one species
seems to have survived and continued to occupy the valley.
–
The remaining monster species in the valley was a very

small and harmless creature, similar to an earthworm.
However, after ingesting organic matter from the soil, it
released special gases into the atmosphere.
The gas was by no means poisonous, but it had a very foul

scent that could cause some difficulty in breathing.
Perhaps that was why other monster species avoided the

valley, despite its large scale.
It had been perfect for what the Americans were thinking.

-Therefore, it is judged as a suitable place for Project
Columbus-
It was something that had been possible as early as seven

years ago for the United States. A temporary base had been
built right under the crack as they transported manpower
and resources in. A semi-permanent barrier line had been
constructed to keep outsiders away.
Like that…
The first human-established base in the world beyond the

crack had been built.
Sector: 41 had soon been completed.
Of course, it was different from what Yoo-seong had

envisioned.
Most importantly, the personnel at the base could not go

beyond the valley. All other attempts by the United States to
expand and establish sector bases had resulted in
astronomical damage.
However, with the years that had passed, the United States
had been able to make a fully functional base within the
valley. This was because the valley had been as similar to
Earth’s natural environment as possible. With the help of
protective suits for the creatures’ gas, even a civilian could
remain active in the base.
Besides…
“You’ve done a great job here,” Alvin said as he looked at

Colonel Ernest Stroud.
The colonel was Sector: 41’s commander in charge.

Stroud was the Wichasa Wakan of this era.
The descendants of Inwang’s aides were Native Americans

in North America. They had gone through a history of
hardship and suffered worse than the other descendants.
Miraculously, even as most of their traditions and

obligations had disappeared, the vision for the descendants
lived on.
With the Wichasa Wakan’s Tech, the United States had

secured a way to know where rifts would open. It was
several times more accurate than any other observational
technique in the world.
It also allowed them to determine whether the crack would

be unclosed.
Of course, the Wichasa Wakan’s Tech had not been provided

to the authorities without a price. To use the Tech, the U.S.
government had been required to improve its policies and
treatment for Native Americans.
Moreover, they had hired the Wichasa Wakan himself for a

position of authority, with a salary comparable to top
hunters on active duty.
Colonel Stroud had been given full authority as the field’s

chief executive officer.
However, fifteen minutes ago, Alvin Hawkins had crossed

the rift.
He’d defeated all personnel on the base and taken over.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t get the memo,” Alvin said as he twisted

Colonel Stroud’s wrist.
Cruunch-!
“……!”
He didn’t stop there.
With tremendous strength, he tore off the broken wrist. The

colonel struggled, but he wasn’t strong enough.
“Oh huh!”
Alvin then twisted the colonel’s neck and kicked his helpless
body away.
The Miracle Boy’s physical ability was one of the world’s

greatest. However…
There was something else in this base that was much more
powerful.
“It’s certainly powerful enough to kill him,” Alvin muttered.
Taking the colonel’s torn-off hand, Alvin walked over to the

control room.
Most electronic equipment didn’t function inside the rift.

Thus, almost all the equipment in the base was simple, most
of it obsolete technology.
With such poor security…
Toot-!
Alvin pressed the colonel’s hand against a panel, and a

message soon rang out.
-Approved for launch-

The facility began to shake.
A few years ago, the United States government had held an

in-depth discussion about the function of the base.
Being limited to the valley, there was very little the base’s
personnel could do.
Thus, Sector: 41 had been made into the United States’ final
defense instead.
It had been loaded with weapons that could not possibly be

used on Earth.
One day, when the United States could no longer cope with
the cracks, they would turn the alien world into a sea of fire.
“Let’s see how Oh Yoo-seong will build his dream house after
this.” An insane laugh came out of Alvin’s mouth. “Yes. I’m
excited to see what he’ll do.”
The quaking inside the facility intensified.
“He could live here by foraging if there’s anything left in the

ashes… Let’s see how amazing he is after he’s exposed to
radiation.”
Suddenly, the sound of dozens of footsteps came. Special

Forces sent by the U.S. government had just arrived to
capture Alvin.
“Of course”—Alvin did not resist the arrest—” he would have

to survive the blast first.”
The Special Forces stared at the empty launch pad.
They were too late. A nuclear warhead was already on its

way.
***
Yoo-seong squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at

the object in the sky.
A shining object was falling at an enormous speed. It didn’t

look like a natural part of this world.
It also didn’t seem like it would take long to get to the

ground.
In that short time, several thoughts ran through Yoo-seong’s

head.
The first thought was, ‘Should I flee?’
He turned in the direction of where he’d left Lee Jae-hak.

‘With Explosive Acceleration, I could take Jae-hak and create
a crack before that thing lands, somehow.’
He nodded to himself and decided. If he’d recognized at first

sight that it was a nuclear warhead, something that had
been sent not only to kill him but also destroy the world
beyond the cracks in Korea, he might have thought
differently.
However, right now, it seemed to be the best option.
“…………”
A blue light was shining over his Auto-Hunt button.
“Oh yes… I almost forgot…”
Yoo-seong had a blank expression. He was still physically

and mentally drained from the last battle. However, as the
blue light on the button caught his attention, it seemed like
he was waking up.
“I trust you, like always,” he said.
Then, he pressed the button.
***
Kaahahang-!
The warhead spun faster.
Its speed increased as it approached its pre-determined

target.
Inside the spinning warhead, firepower that could destroy a

country was ready to explode.
Nothing could stop it at this point. There weren’t any

variables that would make it change its course.
However…
Ta-ang-!
Down there.
A figure was rising to meet it.
The new Oh Yoo-seong with his Explosive Acceleration.
‘Wow… isn’t that the type to explode upon touching a

surface? Can I grab it?’
He’d seen one of them on a cable program a long time ago.

There was no way to stop a warhead that was already at the
point of detonation. Whatever he did, the ending was clear.
As always, it was all up to Auto-Hunt. Even if he had just

won a battle with a blow that transcended it, he had no
intention of ignoring the “master” that had guided him this
far.
Go-oh-oh-!
Aura soared more fiercely than ever around his body.
Yoo-seong felt it seep into his right leg.
The countless kinds of Psy obtained from Garam were

entangled and fused along the lines of the tattoo. Then…
Flick-!
Yoo-seong rotated in the air, stretching his right leg out with
a mighty spinning kick.
The energy that flew from it was drawn from the creature
who had created and improved mankind.
Now, the energy collided with the most powerful bomb

mankind had ever created. And…
Huwoooong-!
There came a flash, brighter than anything Yoo-seong had

ever seen.
‘The light of annihilation,’ he thought as he fell to the

ground.
The last thing he remembered seeing was the warhead

crumbling into fragments.
The glare soon subsided.
Then, Yoo-seong’s world went dark.

Chapter 183
Episode 183
“Mister…”
Lee Jae-hak widened his eyes at the voice.
“Mister, you can’t sleep in this place. Go back to your

house.”
“…”
He knew the man before him was joking, but Lee Jae-hak
couldn’t laugh.
“You…” he muttered.
“What?”
“I thought you were a zombie.”
“Huh?” Yoo-seong brought a hand to his own cheek. It felt

painful, not only to his hand but also on his cheek. “Well… I
must have done something to deserve it. Come on,” Yoo-
seong reached out to Lee Jae-hak. Jae-hak took his hand and
allowed himself to be pulled up. That was when Yoo-seong
noticed his severed left arm.
“Your arm…”
“Ah, this one? As you can see… it’s an honorable wound.”

“…”
Without speaking, Yoo-seong raised his own severed wrist.

Lee Jae-hak couldn’t help but bite his lip at the sight.
“As you said,” Yoo-seong muttered, “it’s an honorable

wound.”
Coincidentally, their injuries were both on the left side.
“We look like a couple with matching injuries,” Lee Jae-hak

joked.
“That’s a bad one.”
“Well, I said what I said,” Lee Jae-hak chuckled. Then he

added, “However, it would have been better if we’d lost a
right and a left hand. That would have made it more
meaningful; they would have complemented each other…”
Lee Jae-hak put his remaining arm around Yoo-seong’s

shoulders, supporting him. Yoo-seong, who was severely
exhausted, allowed his body to rest against Lee Jae-hak’s.
“S-Sorry,” Yoo-seong mumbled, a little embarrassed.
“It’s alright. I saw a lot of these scenes in comic books. Two

boys, hugging and such…” Lee Jae-hak answered.
“Comic books? Were they Un-seol’s?”
“Yes. Ever since we were in middle school, she’s had a liking

for those.”
“…”
Soon, Yoo-seong allowed himself to be fully supported by

Jae-hak as they walked. He could sense no monsters
anywhere around them.
‘It’s done,’ he thought. ‘It’s really over.’
“Let’s go home. You don’t look good. I’m not kidding,” Lee
Jae-hak said, worried.
“Wait a minute.” Yoo-seong tried to lift a finger. “We still

have to capture…”
“Capture? What do you mean?”
At that point, Lee Jae-hak looked around.
Corpses of monsters were piled up around them. The

accumulated by-products they could collect from the
corpses would be enough to buy them a high-rise building in
the middle of Seoul.
They were far too valuable to be left behind.
Lee Jae-hak nodded.
***
Jongno Street.
The place where Lee Jae-hak and Oh Yoo-seong had last

been seen before they went to the alien world.
The crack they had gone through still had a very tiny
opening.
‘-I don’t know what will happen later…’
The reason for that was simple.
‘-I really hope this will be the last crack in Korea.’

With that thought in mind, Yoo-seong had left a small space,
the size of a palm’s span, open.
Rather than tearing a new crack when they came out, he

had planned to stretch this tiny space open and use it to
exit before sewing it completely closed.
It had been a purely sentimental and impractical move, but

no one could say anything about it.
“It’s funny,” one of the hunters guarding the barrier line

suddenly said to his partner. “In a way, he’ll be making us
unemployed for the time being.”
“Well, honestly, I don’t really believe Oh Yoo-seong…” his

partner responded.
“Right? No matter how much you think about it, it seems

impossible.”
“For example, the pioneering base… huh?”
The hunter who had started the critical conversation about

Yoo-seong suddenly paused. His eyes were being drawn to
the sky. Somehow, to him, the tiny crack seemed to be
growing slightly.
‘Am I seeing things?’ He doubted his eyes. However, it

wasn’t an illusion.
“Ah uh uh uh uh???!!”
In seconds, the groaning turned into an alarmed yell. The

crack had grown large enough for an adult male.
Soon, two people, looking badly injured and bloody even

from afar, popped out.
“Falling! Look out!”
The hunters around the blocking line began running.
Curiously, before the two men began falling, the crack that
spat them out had been completely closed.
Without a doubt, the two figures were Yoo-seong and Lee

Jae-hak. Therefore, the two hunters began sprinting without
hesitation to catch them.
It wasn’t just them. Every hunter who saw the falling figures
began running. Their goal was to save the heroes, to
contribute even a little to this moment that would remain in
history forever.
Unfortunately, a single person would enjoy that glory.
Doo-woong-!
With the sound of rubber being stretched, an invisible web

caught the weight of the two falling men. It was a cushion
that had been prepared early on. With skillful movements,
Sung-wook secured the two bodies with his thread.
Then he set it down so gently that the two men within

couldn’t feel even the slightest shaking. An ambulance
quickly arrived with sirens blaring.
Yoo-seong’s eyelids trembled.
When Sung-wook’s thread had caught him, he had already

been on the verge of fainting.
Lee Jae-hak, on the other hand, had already lost

consciousness. Nevertheless, Yoo-seong didn’t immediately
close his eyes, even as he was carried into the ambulance.
He noticed someone he wouldn’t have expected to see.
“Director… what are you doing here?” he mumbled.
“…”
Director Yang Chang-guk was staring at him with both relief

and disbelief. He could not believe that Yoo-seong had been
able to come back.
“Yoo-seong… first, I have to say you did a great job, but…

that, inside the crack…”
“A nuclear warhead fell. I stopped it.”
“Huh… uh…”
“Don’t ask me how. I don’t know.”
Yoo-seong struggled to get up from the stretcher. The rear

door of the ambulance had a small window that allowed him
to see outside.
“Is that… lightning?”
What he saw outside the ambulance wasn’t the cityscape.

Instead, multiple flashes of light rained on the ambulance’s
door and window, making Yoo-seong even dizzier. Tens of
thousands of flashing lights poured in through the window.
When he sat up to look out of it, cheers erupted like

thunder.
-Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
It was as if the crowd was engaged in a contest of who could

scream and cheer loudest for their hero.
In the meantime, the ambulance began slowly making its
way past the blocking line. Yoo-seong saw the streets of
Jongno and the people who had waited for him to come
back. They had prayed intensely for hours for the hunters to
return safely and quickly. Now, everything was finally over.
No more rifts would open in this country.
From now on, only a bright future remained.
“Oh Yoo-seong!”
“Please look over here!”
Camera flashes came from numerous broadcasting stations

and print media. They weren’t all local reporters.
International media companies had sent their journalists,
and foreign reporters had arrived by plane in droves a few
hours ago to witness this magnificent homecoming.
“…..”
Several minutes passed under the bombardment of non-

stop light and sound.
Yoo-seong silently closed the ambulance door and stared at

Yang Chang-guk, who was still frozen in his spot inside the
ambulance.
“I thought you would say something nice to them,” the

Director remarked.
“…I tried,” Yoo-seong chuckled. “But I couldn’t. It doesn’t

make sense to me.”
“What doesn’t? That you’re a superstar?” Yang Chang-guk

chuckled as he shook his head. “In the end, you did
fantastic, even without a victory speech,” he added.
“….”
Yoo-seong pulled something out of his slot as he lay back on

the stretcher.
“Ah!” Yang Chang-guk’s jaw dropped as he recognized what

it was.
“I think… if I close my eyes now, I’ll fall asleep for a week,”

Yoo-seong groaned.
At Yoo-seong’s own request, Yang Chang-guk had given

special instructions to the technical team to convert a drone
from the Special Defense Agency into a model that could be
put into a Slot and operated within a crack.
Yoo-seong had just handed over the data chip that recorded
everything that had happened to them.
“I’ll leave the editing to you, Director.”
The problem now was whether they could believe what they
would see on the video.
“So goodbye, for now.”
With those words, Yoo-seong closed his eyes.
***
The sore muscles of his back woke Yoo-seong up.
“Ugh!” he groaned aloud.
‘I must have been lying for too long now for my back to hurt
this much,’ he realized.
His nose caught the familiar antiseptic smell of a hospital
room.
He opened his eyes and reached out to a table next to his

bed. There was a cup of water on the table, but it was
empty.
When Yoo-seong turned to grab the pitcher…
Thump-
Water filled his cup. Someone was pouring it for him.
“What a surprise,” Yoo-seong said upon recognizing who it

was.
“…….”
“I never thought I’d see your face here…” After saying so,
Yoo-seong quickly emptied the glass.
“Nothing’s changed,” Lee Un-seol, who poured him another

glass, remarked.
“Hmm?” Yoo-seong was confused. “Are we talking about

that?”
“What, what is it?” Lee Un-seol also looked confused now.
“No, I don’t have to say that… Of course, I owe Jae-hak a lot,

but his younger sibling…”
“….!”
“During the license exam… and before you went to China.

You tried to defeat me, but…”
Lee Un-seol’s ears turned red. He had been defeated
disastrously in two face-to-face battles and hadn’t even
made much impact against Yoo-seong. However…
It wasn’t for that business that Lee Un-seol had come now.
While Yoo-seong traversed the rifts with Lee Jae-hak, a lot of

changes had happened in China.
Hwang Ga-ryun, a generational swordsman, had held third

place in the Ship Zone for twenty years. He was a master
who belonged to the generation of Jin Wei-baek and Yang
Jeong-cheon. He had been Lee Un-seol’s master in China.
Hwang Ga-ryun was also a descendant who had lived in

China along with Jin Wei-baek, but unlike the old man, he
was not involved in any organization and had been doing
freelance activities for twenty years.
Now, he had finally taken action and headed for the Chinese
Communist Party.
With his reputable character, the Swordsman had conveyed

the problems with the current situation to the leadership.
-Currently, we need a solution for the direction that Tenz is

taking.
The situation was quite difficult even for the Chinese

government. At first, they had been in favor of Tenz, who
had turned against Jin Wei-baek and Oh Yoo-seong as
enemies. However, Tenz had not done anything significant
so far with their new leadership.
On top of that, the incident in which Hoil-cheon and Ryang

Lyung had gotten caught attacking Yoo-seong in a hospital
had caused China to suffer tremendous diplomatic damage.
The Tenz leader, the Number One in the Ship Zone, had
engaged in a violent riot in Korea and been shamefully
overpowered.
Now, the giant Red Dragon Society had left China for Korea.
In this situation, in the public’s opinion, Korea and Oh Yoo-

seong were not the enemies.
In addition to that, Yoo-seong’s declaration about closing the

cracks forever and pioneering the alien world had captured
the hopes and imagination of the Chinese people and their
hunters.
‘-Hwang Gar-yun is right.’
‘-It seems that Tenz has crossed the line.’
Even within the Tenz leadership, the rational heads had

begun to change their minds.
Now, with an iconic Swordsman taking the lead, a wind of

revolution was blowing through the Chinese industry.
Tenz’s resistance was weaker than expected. Although not

officially announced yet…
The Jin Wei-baek was rumored to have been seen with

hundreds of masters, including Yang Jeong-cheon and the
Swordsman himself.
While Yoo-seong had been asleep, the continent had been

getting cleaned up.
Thousands of Chinese hunters and masters were waiting for

him. The Chinese and Korean governments had also started
negotiations.
Lee Un-seol’s return to Korea was for the sole purpose of
acting as a spokesperson for the Chinese side.
All that was left was for Yoo-seong, the most important
party, to wake up and stamp his stake.
Chapter 184
Inside a Special Defense Agency limousine, with Director

Yang Chang-guk…
“Ugh,” Yoo-seong groaned in pain as he took the tablet PC

from the Director.
His left wrist, wrapped in a special cast, was still quite sore.
The power of modern medicine was marvelous enough to
have had his hand re-attached. However, there was no way
to lessen the pain Yoo-seong felt. The number of painkillers
that he had ingested was already enough to knock an
ordinary person unconscious.
Yoo-seong couldn’t help but wince as he concentrated on

the video being played on the tablet.
It was a replay of a video that had taken the Internet by

storm while Yoo-seong was sleeping.
‘-My name is Lee Jae-hak.’
The broadcast had been announced as an emergency

report.
‘-What I want to tell you guys is… is something I should

have told you earlier…’
It was a simple video Lee Jae-hak had handed over to the

Special Defense Agency before he went inside the crack
with Yoo-seong for the last time.
The video contained Lee Jae-hak’s confession.
‘-Everything in this video is true… This information was

passed on to me by my father, who learned it from our
predecessors.’
In the video, Lee Jae-hak admitted everything, including who

and what the descendants were.
He didn’t know how many descendants were around the

world or who they were, but to him, it was clear that he had
abandoned his responsibility.
-My sister, Lee Un-seol, didn’t know about this. But I have no
excuses. So… I apologize.
Yoo-seong felt his chest tighten.
He hadn’t known about this video until today. It must have

been quite a burden for Lee Jae-hak to carry.
Yoo-seong knew it would not have been possible to hide this

from people forever. Because of that, he’d planned to secure
Lee Jae-hak’s position and image in preparation for his
announcement against the descendants who had forsaken
their duty.
However, in the end, it was clear that Lee Jae-hak could not
be criticized for not fulfilling his duties.
He was different from the other descendants who had

forsaken their duties to enjoy their positions, like Jin Wei-
baek. However…
“Lee Jae-hak is going too hard on himself,” Yoo-seong said.

Lee Jae-hak’s attitude throughout the video was to take
responsibility himself rather than getting the other
descendants involved.
“I understand what he’s feeling,” Yoo-seong said as he

turned off the tablet screen.
‘Guilt.’
In addition to repaying Yoo-seong for retrieving his family’s

Tech, that had been Lee Jae-hak’s main driving force for
helping him.
“He must be in deep trouble now,” Yoo-seong remarked.
“He said that, aside from nurturing younger students, he

won’t be involved in hunting activities anymore,” Director
Yang Chang-guk answered.
Yoo-seong nodded. Perhaps, even if Jae-hak had wanted, he

wouldn’t have been able to. In Korea alone, the angry
crowd’s reaction must have been tremendous.
“You guys could have waited for me to wake up…”
“Lee Jae-hak insisted. I judged that there would be no harm

in releasing the video,” the Director said.
Yoo-seong massaged his forehead and grabbed his cell

phone. He checked the Internet to confirm the public
opinion about Lee Jae-hak.
People must have been saying the worst things about him.
‘I have to put all my efforts into salvaging his image

somehow,’ Yoo-seong thought.
“Huh?”
Yoo-seong’s fingers froze over the screen.
He hadn’t even needed to search for Lee Jae-hak’s name

because of the trending topics that were emerging as
popular real-time search terms:
Lee Jae-hak
Lee Jae-hak’s girlfriend
Lee Jae-hak’s Instagram
Lee Jae-hak fandom
Lee Jae-hak’s girlfriend, Park Young-joo
Park Young-joo’s Instagram
Yoo-seong’s brows furrowed in confusion.
It seemed true that public opinion was focused on Lee Jae-

hak. However, the trending words that had appeared were
strange.
“What is this?” he asked as he scrolled some more.
Lee Jae-hak. The public did not hate him.
-He is truly a brave one. It wouldn’t have been easy for him
to confess.
-It would have been crazy to swear at him.
-Still, he committed a crime. He deserves to be hated.
Ah, but what did Lee Jae-hak do?
Lee Jae-hak did something wrong!

Did he open the cracks and call the monsters out? He was
the first to confess among all those descendants because of
his conscience! We must find those lazy, greedy…
-It was not fair for him to be silent until now, but it was
understandable. Lee Jae-hak wasn’t as influential in the
beginning as he is now. If he had confessed from the
beginning, everyone would have just treated him as a crazy
guy.
-Besides, society has done nothing for Lee Jae-hak.
What about his house and car?
He earned those.
“It’s better than you thought, right?” Director Yang Chang-

guk grinned at the confused Yoo-seong.
“What…?”
Honestly, it was the best result, far beyond what Yoo-seong

had expected.
“Fans who didn’t want him to retire went and staged a rally
in front of his house. Then, at that rally, Lee Jae-hak
confessed about a person he has been dating in secret.”
“Hmm.”
“Actually, I didn’t publish Jae-hak’s video without thinking

first. If I hadn’t had another video that I could immediately
upload after his confession, I would have waited for you to
wake up and asked your opinion.”
“What do you mean?” Yoo-seong raised his brows.

“This. Without it, Lee Jae-hak’s video wouldn’t have had
such a good response.”
Yang Chang-guk handed Yoo-seong the tablet screen again,

where another video was playing.
“This…”
“Watch it to the end before saying anything.”
As the Director suggested, Yoo-seong turned his gaze to the

tablet.
“…….”
It didn’t take a minute for his face to turn red with

embarrassment.
“This, this… who…?”
“I managed the editing.” Yang Chang-guk looked proud.
The material in the video was already familiar to Yoo-seong.

It was the footage from the drone of the world beyond the
cracks. However… the editing was something that Yoo-
seong had not quite expected.
“You said it yourself. You left the editing to me.”
“Well, I said that but…”
‘Isn’t this too much?’ Yoo-seong thought.
It wasn’t that the video didn’t convey the content properly.

However, it was too much like the videos praising a dictator
of a communist state, from the battle with the Garam to the
scene where Yoo-seong leaped and oxidized the falling
warhead into a single flash of light.
The drone footage was silent, but Yang Chang-guk had filled
it in a pretty clever way.
For example, when Yoo-seong was about to throw a punch, a

slow-motion effect and subtitles about how efficient and
powerful his motion was had been added. Well-known
hunters appeared in the middle of the screen with
comments on Yoo-seong’s movement. The video contained
overwhelming praise for Yoo-seong.
“The number of streams as of yesterday has already

reached 2.1 billion. If you combine it with those with foreign
language subtitles…”
“Oh my God!” Yoo-seong’s face turned pale.
Yang Chang-guk felt very pleased as he watched the

embarrassed Yoo-seong.
“This video had pretty good synergy with Lee Jae-hak’s

video. In fact, the meeting we’re going to right now is
because of the people’s explosive reaction to them.”
Thirty minutes ago, the heads of seven descendant families

from five countries had arrived in Korea, waiting for Yoo-
seong to awaken.
They were not requesting asylum. Rather, they were

seeking Yoo-seong’s permission.
If Yoo-seong accepted them as part of his new plan, they

were willing to support him and apologize to the world,
much as Lee Jae-hak had.
“As you can see from this list, some families from powerful
countries have not contacted us yet,” Yang Chang-guk said.
“I think it’s just a matter of time. I will have to meet the
expectations of these people first.”
Yang Chang-guk nodded. “But it seems that will be a little

difficult,” the Director said in a grave voice. “Everyone will
come expecting the strong Oh Yoo-seong from that video,
not a red-faced…”
“Ahhh!” Yoo-seong immediately ran his hand through his

hair, trying to fix it. “Director, you are just like Lee Jae-hak.
You were both serious in the beginning, but now you like to
tease me.”
“Hahahaha!”
The vehicle approached the convention center, where the

meeting was scheduled to take place. The parking lot was
filled with crowds and reporters. Everyone wanted to see
Yoo-seong. Also, they wanted to know the results of the
talks between the seven families.
Yang Chang-guk turned serious, wiping the smile off his

face. “Moving forward,” he began, “it will be pretty busy for
both of us.”
“It will.” Yoo-seong nodded.
“So, I’m going to tell you this now. Before this car stops.
Before the doors open, and I go back to my duty as a public
official.”
Yang Chang-guk, a middle-aged man in his fifties, stared at

Yooseong.
“When I was younger, I didn’t dream of being a bureaucrat.

In fact, I didn’t want to be anything. I lived comfortably. I
had quite a few homes, and I wanted for nothing in terms of
physical abilities or intelligence. I entered a prestigious
university because I am pretty smart, and I took the civil
service exam just because my friends did.”
When he was first assigned to an elite position in the Special

Defense Agency, Yang Chang-guk had done his best, not
because he liked to, but because it was expected of him.
He had worked properly but without enthusiasm.
“Until my wife died…”
A monster that was too strong for the size of the rift had
unexpectedly appeared. Even the civilians near the barrier
line had suffered.
Everyone had agreed that it was an unavoidable accident.

At that time, the pool of hunters was absurdly small. Even
hunters had died in the incident.
However, Yang Chang-guk, because he was competent,

knew different. Over and over again, he had reviewed the
data at the time and found the answer: a Storm-class rift
had occurred in one of the nearby cities.
During that time, people had still lived in fear of the cracks
and the monsters. Thus, to address the panic, the Defense
Bureau had deployed a ridiculously large number of hunters.
Because of this, the available manpower that could be

deployed to other rifts, including the one where Yang Chang-
guk’s wife lived, had been reduced.
“It is possible that my wife could have survived if someone

had been calm enough to analyze and deal with the
situation properly…”
From that time on, Yang Chang-guk had been engrossed in
his work.
As time went by, everyone forgot their fear of the cracks

and entrusted their lives to hunters and the Defense
Agency.
“Thanks to this job, I failed as a father to my only daughter.

But I couldn’t stop.”
If another tragedy had occurred in Korea, just like the one in

which his wife had died, he had felt as if he wouldn’t be able
to look his daughter or anyone else in the eye.
“But it’s over now,” Yang Chang-guk said, sighing.
“…….”
“I don’t know how long it will take, but… as soon as your

pioneering plan is done, I will retire without regrets.”
The car stopped. Before they opened the doors, Yang

Chang-guk threw one last glance at Yoo-seong. Then…
“Once again…” He spoke not as the Director of the Special

Defense Agency but as a father and a citizen. “Oh Yoo-
seong… Thank you.”
***
A few months later, Yoo-seong landed in the middle of the

Pacific Ocean.
“….”
General McKenzie, Warden of the Sea Tree, who met him,

had his mouth wide open in surprise.
He had heard about this Korean hunter’s abilities, but it was
still hard to believe it.
‘A human being flying across the Pacific Ocean.’
“W-Welcome, Oh Yoo-seong,” the General stuttered.
“Thank you for meeting me.”
Yoo-seong, wearing a formal suit, courteously bowed to the

Warden.
The Sea Tree was a prison facility. As its name suggested, it

was a huge tree with roots planted deep in the seafloor,
while its wide and leafy branches protruded above sea level.
Those imprisoned here were not ordinary people. They were

mostly hunters and CE users who had abused their power.
“Come this way, please.”
Following the Warden, Yoo-seong stepped inside the

elevator of the Sea Tree.
“I believe you already know, but”—the Warden tried to start

some small talk as the elevator descended—”it’s not usually
possible to visit a Level Seven inmate. The prisoners there
are completely isolated; even the cell maintenance and
meal deliveries are done entirely through machines.”
“I see… are you trying to say that whatever might happen

to me inside would be my responsibility?”
“…Well, so to speak.”
General McKenzie bit his lip as he realized something. The

person next to him was the strongest person in the world. In
the last few months, this person had achieved the most
significant human feat in this century.
“Then… see you later.”
When the elevator reached the bottom floor, the Warden did
not step out. Instead, Yoo-seong began walking into the
isolated hallway alone.
After several layers of security checks, he finally reached an

area that other people could not enter.
Ter-oh-!
As the last metal gate closed behind him…
“You look good,” Yoo-seong remarked to the person he was

visiting. “You must have adjusted well to prison food,” he
added.
“…”
Miracle Boy.
The boy who did not grow old.
True to his nickname, Alvin Hawkins hadn’t changed in any

way.
Chapter 185
185, The Last Episode
“You said you wanted to see me…”
“…”
Alvin did not raise his bowed head. In fact, he seemed to be

sleeping on his knees. Then, after a few minutes, he finally
responded to Yoo-seong.
“You…”
“Yes?”
“How…?”
‘How am I alive?’ Yoo-seong assumed that was what Alvin

wanted to ask him.
Sending a nuclear warhead across the crack. It had actually

been a pretty clever and well-thought-out move from Alvin.
He hadn’t resisted being arrested because he had already

calculated what was going to happen.
Once Oh Yoo-seong and the tools that could open and close
cracks at will were gone, the flow of events would have soon
returned to normal. The world would have had no choice but
to proceed with Alvin’s plans. The numerous giants, and
even his father, who had abandoned him, would have no
one else to rely on but him.
He would just have had to spend a little leisurely time in

prison and wait for the world to need him.
“You seemed pretty confident about it,” Yoo-seong

remarked.
“Why wouldn’t I? After all, humans depend on heroes.” Alvin

shrugged.
“And you thought that, with your plan, you could erase the
responsibility of launching nuclear warheads over foreign
territories?”
“Hey! It’s not as if it was the territory of another country!”

Alvin’s laughter rang out in the cell.
“Your father called and warned our government,” Yoo-seong

said.
“He… he’s weak.” Alvin’s laughter stopped abruptly. He

looked like he had just swallowed a bitter pill.
However, before long, he recovered. “Even if he warned

you, they had no way to stop the warhead. Everything
would have worked out so well…”
“If only you’d managed to kill me, right?”
“Yes, if only you were gone!”
Bloodshot eyes stared at Yoo-seong.
“So, why did you come here? To bask in your glory? To enjoy
your time as a winner? What?”
“Of course not,” Yoo-seong answered. “I am a very busy
person.”
Yoo-seong sighed as he fixed his tie.
“When the hell will I be free? Later, I will be in a meeting

with your new government leaders. In fact, your new
president was the one who gave me the clearance to meet
you.”
“…….”
What had brought about Alvin’s complete defeat was not

only the fact that Yoo-seong had survived. No matter how
powerful he and his family were, the United States was not
a country that an individual could control. Complaints about
Alvin and his father’s actions had begun popping up all over
the place since the bombing in Nevada.
Alvin’s unauthorized entry and access to nuclear warheads

had been the final straw.
His father’s call to Korea had been made as a desperate

move to save their political position. The United States
government had wanted it to look like they’d had nothing to
do with Alvin’s actions.
Still, that did not completely settle the situation, and in the
end, the country’s top officials, including Alvin’s father, had
faced impeachment for allowing an insane Miracle Boy free
rein.
“After that meeting, I have to visit a few countries in South

America as well… To be frank, you don’t have any business
value that would make it worth devoting my time to you.”
“……!”
“I just stopped by here for personal reasons.”
Alvin tried to swear. Despite being tied down in chains, he

was desperate to hurt Yoo-seong somehow, even just with
his words.
However, before a syllable came out of his mouth…
Cheek-!
With a short metallic sound, the chains that had been

clamping down on his limbs fell. Almost instantly, he had
been released.
“……..?!”
Alvin was stunned. He did not know why he was being

released.
“I can’t believe it…”
Alvin stared at Yoo-seong, who had his back turned against

him.
Yoo-seong was calmly walking away.
“Is your power gone?” Yoo-seong provoked him without

even looking back.
The distance between them was about ten steps.
Alvin knelt on one knee and raised his arms to the height of
his chest.
2.5 seconds.
That was all it took for Alvin’s brain to calculate the scenario
of defeating Yoo-seong and escaping the facility.
“You are now free to…”
Alvin did not miss the opportunity as Yoo-seong spoke. From

his bent knee, he gained momentum and bounced off for a
tackle.
It was a simple but effective attack, a single blow that

contained all of Miracle Boy’s physical energy.
His speed transcended that of sound, and the impact was

enormous.
Kuwooong-!
The reverberation from the impact was so sudden and

powerful that it seemed to stop all the airflow in the room.
In that frozen moment, there were only two things that were
moving: Alvin’s pupils… and his all-out tackle that couldn’t
quite reach Yoo-seong.
Casually raising a knee as he turned, Yoo-seong struck

Alvin’s chin as the latter rushed in.
Alvin could clearly hear it…
Pagak-!
The sound of his bones shattering.
The next moment, he found his body soaring into the air.
Meanwhile, Yoo-seong had already fully rotated and thrown

his right foot up to follow Alvin’s body.
His foot glowed with intense light.
Annihilation.
The most powerful kick, of such strength that it could
dissolve even a nuclear warhead.
With it, he hit Alvin’s lower abdomen.
“K-oh!”
Blood spurted out of Alvin’s mouth as his body was thrown

backward.
“As I was saying”—Yoo-seong once again fixed his tie and

his suit—”your new president was actually opposed to me
coming here. But as soon as he knew what I was going to
do, he welcomed it with open arms.”
“……”
“In my heart, what I really wanted was to destroy you. You

have done things a human being should not do.”
Yoo-seong’s words were sincere.
Alvin hadn’t just tried to kill him. His attempt had also been
a threat to the Needle and Thread, the tools to salvation
that would save millions of lives.
“But it’s not my way. As much as possible, I wouldn’t want

to kill another human being.”
“You… what did you…?”
Alvin struggled to stand. Not because of the physical

damage, but because of a psychological one.
The physical damage he’d sustained in his lower abdomen

was surprisingly small, considering that he’d been hit by the
Annihilation Kick.
However, a feeling of emptiness stood out to him.
“What… to me…”
Yoo-seong, with his Annihilation Kick, had erased Alvin

Hawkin’s core.
“What have you done to me?!”
“It’s the punishment that you deserve.”
Through Sung-wook, Yoo-seong had learned firsthand how

hunters felt after losing their core. The more pride a hunter
took from their achievements, the more empty they would
feel with their power gone.
“I thought about consuming it,” Yoo-seong added, “but

honestly, the amount is just not worth it.”
“Goddamn, you…!”
At that point, Alvin rushed at Yoo-seong with his fists.
Yoo-seong did not fight back. Instead, he quietly took Alvin’s

kicks and punches.
Even so…
“Oh, ouch ouch!”
Alvin’s flesh was torn, and his bones broke from the impact
against Yoo-seong’s body.
Now, he was just an ordinary person. He couldn’t win even

against the weakest hunter.
“As I was saying”—Yoo-seong watched the broken Alvin

—”you are now free to go.”
Yoo-seong brushed Alvin’s blood off his suit.
“You no longer deserve to be imprisoned here. I spoke with

your new president about your new life. You will be on
parole with an electronic anklet to track your movements. A
police officer will be assigned to monitor you anywhere you
go.”
“Lord, just kill me!”
“Commit suicide, if you want,” Yoo-seong said coldly. “I

won’t stop you.”
He knew Alvin could never do that. He loved himself more

than anyone else. Therefore, being exiled in society would
be hell for him.
While being monitored by the laws he had belittled so much,

he would live the rest of his life miserable.
Yoo-seong turned and left the Sea Tree.
As he’d said, there wasn’t any value to devoting his time

there.
***
‘It would only take a few years for the Red Dragon Society to
establish itself in a new land.’
Yang Jeong-cheon had thought so, but soon enough, he had

to admit that he was wrong. There was no way to push
through the five-year plan he’d had.
This was because things had gone much smoother than

he’d expected. Shortly after Yoo-seong closed the last
Korean rift and woke up, it had been decided in the Korea-
China talks that the Red Dragon Society would surrender all
its assets that still remained in China to the Chinese
government.
Simply looking at the Shanghai base alone, it was

equivalent to astronomical sums of money.
However, the Korean government had promised to treat

them as distinguished guests.
Soon, plans for the pioneer bases in the alien world had
been released.
Three preliminary bases had been identified, and the

cleaning work to rid the areas of monsters would begin
soon.
The bidding for those three areas had been as intense as

possible, as companies were willing to risk everything just to
secure a place.
However, the Red Dragon Society had been granted the sole
right to one of the bases by the Korean government. It
hadn’t been officially announced yet, but the rumors had
spread far and wide.
Big brokers from overseas had been in touch with the Red
Dragon to offer support.
More than the Red Dragon’s relationship with Yoo-seong, the

organization was a perfect fit for the role talent-wise. The
Red Dragon Society had veteran hunters, all with first-rate
Chinese Tech. This fact had not changed even after they’d
left China.
And when they had announced that they were recruiting in

Korea, thousands of hunters flocked to them, paralyzing
traffic around the area. Like this, much earlier than
expected, Yang Jeong-cheon was witnessing the second
heyday of the Red Dragon.
***
“Thank you!”
The voices of new trainees filled the dojo.
“Woo.”
Biyeon took out a towel and wiped off her sweat. The daily
training had just ended, but the day was not done for her.
This was because Biyeon wasn’t simply an instructor in the
Red Dragon.
She was the successor; therefore, she was also in charge of

official duties and foreign activities. Her daily routine was
quite overwhelming.
‘It’s getting exhausting,’ she thought.
It wasn’t as if there weren’t enough executives in the Red

Dragon to take over her tasks. She just enjoyed working for
the organization. Her sighs of exhaustion were all happy
sighs.
From the time she was born, she had already been in the
Red Dragon Council. From a very young age, she had been
hunting monsters. She didn’t even have any hobbies or a
personal life.
Biyeon had thought of trying to get one, but she didn’t know
where to start.
‘Forget about dating,’ she’d thought. There wasn’t anywhere
in her schedule that she could fit that in.
“I guess… I just have to find someone who could work hard

together with me,” she’d said.
However, recently, she couldn’t help but feel that

everything had gotten a little more difficult.
Her footsteps felt heavier as she walked down the hall

toward the reception room. Thirty minutes ago, the general
officer had approached her and told her that a businessman
had arrived.
‘-He mentioned an investment problem… well, he looks

pretty cool. Perhaps there is a purpose for wanting to meet
you other than the investment.’
The general officer had winked at her as he explained it. As

she was focused on the training, she hadn’t thought too
much of it.
It wasn’t anything new. During her several months in Korea,

Biyeon had suffered several of those young men. She was
the successor of the giant Red Dragon Society, her Psy was
world-class, and her looks were perfect. Popular hunters, as
well as various celebrities, CEOs, and other businessmen,
had made a fuss of her.
Perhaps the young man who had come for her this time had
the same purpose.
Take a deep sigh in advance, Biyeon opened the door to the

reception room.
The young man inside was already standing up.

“….”
“Long time no see,” Yoo-seong said, scratching his head,

trying to look cool.
It was a really obvious gesture.
“Yeah. It’s been a while.” As soon as she’d recovered from

the surprise, Biyeon had refined her voice, making it sound
indifferent and cold.
“If I’m not mistaken… the last time we saw each other was
in Japan, right?” he asked her.
“Right…”
The turmoil with the Sukune Family.
That was when Biyeon had left everything and gone to

Japan to be with Yoo-seong. She had conveyed her feelings
to him, but all he’d told her was…
‘-Please go to Korea and wait for me.’
That was all.
Since then, Yoo-seong and Biyeon had never met again.
“Biyeon… Your Korean has become perfect.”
“Yeah. I have been busy. I heard you were, too.”
She knew.
Yoo-seong hadn’t come for her because he’d been busy, not
because he hated her.
Right now, it was impossible to turn on the TV or check the
internet anywhere in the world and not see his name.
‘But…’ she thought, ‘just how busy must he have been that
he couldn’t even see me once?’
“So, what did you come here for?” she asked in a cold tone.
She didn’t know his reason, but knowing him, it must be

something important for the Red Dragon. He was the type of
person who always insisted on the best option available.
“If it’s something I don’t have to listen to myself, I have to

go back to training. You can speak with Father, instead,” she
added.
“…Uh.” Yoo-seong looked down, unsure of what to say. He

looked like he was about to say something, but he kept on
hesitating.
Finally, as if his legs were weak, he fell atop a chair in the

waiting room.
Then…
“People… they don’t change that easily.”
The words that came out of his mouth proved to be strange.
“For as long as I can remember… I have been living like this

—efficiency, cost-effectiveness, optimization. I kept thinking
that one day, all of this would be over, and I wouldn’t have
to think of those things anymore… but it seems that that
day won’t come. In the end, I’m afraid that if I don’t take the
time now, I’ll live like this forever until I die.”
“…But why are you telling me this?” she interrupted.

“I want to slow down.”
Yoo-seong raised his head and looked into Biyeon’s eyes.
“I want to slow down a little, enjoy things for a while.”
There was a sad smile on Yoo-seong’s face.
“I just thought… I wondered if we could catch on to the

things we missed. Of course, you can say I’m a really
shameless guy; I have nothing to say against that.”
“Now, now, well…”
“This evening, I’m going to America again. I have some

unfinished business there.”
The Second Generation Miracle Boy, Jonathan Moksley,

along with the other American hunters who had fled to
Korea.
Yoo-seong respected them and had taken measures so that

they could enjoy rest and seclusion to their hearts’ content.
However, it seemed that the US wanted to regain Miracle

Boy at any cost.
Yoo-seong needed to reconcile that part. And yet…
“I don’t plan on flying myself across the Pacific this time. I

rented a charter. It would be a little slower, but… in a
spacious plane, with good drinks and food, idly watching the
clouds… I think no one would curse me for going at such a
‘normal’ speed.”
And, of course, there was one place he wanted to stop by.

“In LA, there is a café that I accidentally found. It has a
terrace facing the beach, and their sandwiches and coffee
are very good.”
“……….”
“The scenery is very pretty, so I promised myself that I

would go there again someday…”
If possible…
“…with someone I could talk to and watch the scenery

with.”
Biyeon was silent.
The general officer had deceived her completely this time.

He and her father must have known about this in the first
place. That was why Biyeon didn’t have anything scheduled
for the next few days. The upcoming days were filled with
tasks and duties that other people could cover for her.
“Well, I said it the long way. The point is simple: I’m asking
for a date. Now that we have a chance…”
Standing up again, Yoo-seong repeated his question in the

most straightforward way.
“Will you go out with me?
“…Yeah.”
At Biyeon’s answer, Yoo-seong chuckled. It was laughter

mixed with relief and apology.
Biyeon also smiled. Her smile was mixed with tears.
Those were their first steps.

For the first time in their lives, Yang Biyeon and Oh Yoo-
seong would walk a little slower.
Together.
~~~
[Active: Thanks for reading this far! This story started off in

the early days of AT! My girlfriend and I worked on the first
few chapters together haha! It finished exactly 12 months
from when we first started playing around with translations.
Please leave feedback on NU! Cheers.]

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It’s been like this since middle school.

“Seriously, I don’t understand.”

[Click the button to Auto Hunt.]

“This is fun for you?”

I frequently asked people who enjoyed playing phone games

I mean, weren’t people supposed to feel content playing a

One-click of a button and the character automatically grabs

“Hey, watching this is pretty fun. It’s so relaxing.”

However, I never ended up experiencing the content of Auto

I was completely unaware.

Completely unaware that my future had such an intimate

I had actually begun Auto Hunting.

By the time you turn 29, you tend to gain an understanding

“You have no drive.”

This meant we were breaking up.

“Yeah, till when are you going to work part-time at a BBQ

For starters, Oh Yoo-seong was not working part-time.

He was only working part-time in high school. Even before

He was interested in the restaurant business, and all

“I’ve told you already, I’m going to open up a store. I’m

In reality, Yoo-seong’s bank account was signiﬁcantly

“…So what about you?”

Ji-young, his girlfriend, was a beautiful woman. She had

But was diﬀerence did it have with Yoo-seong?

“I think there’s signiﬁcance in understanding your strengths

“Who said otherwise? What I’m talking about is the

“Of course, I fall short if we’re referring to the societal norm

Ji-Young’s face turned bright red.

Well, it had ended. Yoo-seong’s girlfriend didn’t enjoy

“The reason I told you my future plans was because you’re

He had already predicted this farewell for a long time.

All he asked was that they didn’t speak about unreasonable

“You sick jerk!”

Ji-Young stood up from her seat.

“Yeah, ﬁne, I’m embarrassed! You stopped going to your

“I don’t think I’ve ever been stingy in front of you. I worked

“To your standard, you did.”

Ji-Young tried to provoke, but Yoo-seong was unaﬀected. She

It was always this way.

She was a woman who thrived oﬀ of feeling superior,

She was attracted to this, but it didn’t seem to be enough.

“You know something? Whenever I’m with you, I feel like an

“Yeah, you’re proving that to me in real-time.”

“Sit, even if you’re going to leave me, we should at least

Ji-Young turned around.

“Spend your entire life just changing grills. Exactly like

That was her strongest insult, but Yoo-seong was still

Ji-Young then left the cafe.

It was then that Yoo-seong’s face changed.

“Fucking bitch! I’d kill her!”

“So what, like she’s going to marry an heir? Or some

Taking the shot he quietly prepared, Yoo-seong glanced

The Hunter’s interview happened to be on.

“As of recent, I’ve been hearing things. Blind date requests

“Ah…. You said they were trying to do some research.”

In times like these, the profession of a Hunter was enough

Back when Yoo-seong was a child, the world was thought to

However, the world managed to survive.