Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 004
Chapter Title: Are Those Numbers Right?
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Cheon-chang. Taesan. Taeguk.
Ranked first, second, and third by the numbers.
Taeguk, the guild on friendly terms with them, held third place.
It had to be that way.
Cheon-chang and Taesan moved for profit.
They chose paths that grew their guilds.
They accepted foreigners.
They even leveraged guild buffs to aid other countries.
Did other countries grow stronger while their own weakened?
Who cared?
The guilds reaped massive rewards from those nations.
They ballooned in size on that foundation.
No government could stop it.
Who would find out if they operated from the shadows?
Thus, first and second places remained unshakable.
In contrast, Taeguk steadfastly clung to third.
They etched a single creed into their hearts.
They would defend Korea, even in death.
They were a guild united by patriotism.
Foreigners who changed nationality to Korea.
Descendants of national merit holders.
Native citizens brimming with devotion to the nation.
And more.
Taeguk had always aided state institutions.
And now.
The time had come to devote themselves to the nation once more.
"Fill the urgent spots first!"
"If you think you need reinforcements, request immediately, team leads!"
Shouts and footsteps thundered.
Hundreds, thousands moved in a frenzy.
Commanding them all was the guild master's role.
His frame was massive.
Thick, rugged features.
Muscles ready to burst.
A height nearing two meters.
He seemed like an unyielding ancient oak given human form.
Even his name fit perfectly.
Kang Gut-geon. He bellowed.
"Teams ready to go, move out! Destination: Tower of Trials! Stop the Monster Impact!"
"Yes, sir!"
All filed out in perfect order.
Kang Gut-geon moved to deploy as well.
He was one of Korea's rare A-rank hunters, after all.
"Guild master. Call from the director."
"Patch it through."
His dedicated secretary's report.
Slipping in an earpiece, a voice came through.
"Sent everyone out the moment I saw it. What the hell is going on?"
A system change after fifty years of dormancy.
Despair this, despair that.
Was everything so far just the beginning?
Fifty years of humanity's struggle as mere prelude?
"Stopping the Monster Impact by any means necessary."
He cut off the director's trailing words.
One glimpse revealed tenfold truths.
The report alone sent chills down his spine.
Some nations were weaker than Korea.
How could they possibly handle this?
'They can't. It's annihilation.'
He counted the gates encircling the Tower of Trials.
One, two. Easily dozens.
More spawning even now.
And the colors were horrific.
Red meant S-rank difficulty, requiring S-rank hunters to seal.
But Korea? No S-rank hunters.
They emerged rarely, like beans in a drought, only to vanish.
Kang Gut-geon knew why.
'Sabotage from neighboring countries.'
Poached before they could grow, killed if they resisted.
No dragons could rise from this puddle.
Too many assassins lurked beneath, waiting.
They slew the serpent before it became a dragon.
'China, Japan, Russia. Bastards.'
Gritting his teeth, Kang Gut-geon surveyed the scene.
Real-time footage on his tablet.
Crowds already swarming the site.
Broadcasters. Other guilds. Hunter Management Bureau.
Chaos upon chaos.
Every second counted in this crisis, yet all piled in.
"What the hell, no crowd control?!"
"Cheon-chang and Taesan. They're dragging in media for guild PR."
He didn't need to see it.
Obvious.
We'll handle it.
Cheon-chang, with hunters from three countries, will prevail!
Probably blustering like that.
Traitors bleeding national resources daily.
Fattened pigs.
The public cheered them.
Hailing them as saviors.
But did they know?
In true crisis, those guilds would flip.
Flee without looking back.
Abandon Korea for foreign shores.
'Not the first time such guilds betrayed us.'
More importantly, when was the Monster Impact?
Bureau intel, so accurate.
Find and monopolize the seed of despair in three minutes?
Possible?
Nations failing to adapt to gates and towers perished long ago.
Only 73 remained from 195.
122 gone.
Even these battle-hardened survivors had no answers.
Monsters would pour out unchecked.
"Our guild members are scattered nationwide. They'll find the seed."
"Share the global radio channel."
The director didn't refuse cooperation.
Kang Gut-geon's ear buzzed instantly.
Languages mixed chaotically.
Auto-translation made it bearable.
Time ticked mercilessly.
Did they have to search while fending off the impact?
The director's shout pierced all comms.
Kang Gut-geon clenched his fist at the sharp cry.
Trembling tension and fear.
He swallowed it with conviction.
'Defend it, even in death!'
Steeling his resolve.
They arrived at the Tower of Trials in a flash.
All counted down inwardly.
30 seconds.
Weapons drawn.
20 seconds.
Innate abilities, skills activated.
10 seconds.
Everyone in position.
Any moment now.
3. 2. 1!
The director's cry drowned out.
Something else hammered into his ears first.
A system alert.
Every awakener here must have heard it.
Tense faces slackened.
Confused expressions everywhere.
What the hell just happened?
What happened was...
The director roared.
His voice rang clear despite the frenzy.
Everyone understood.
'Korea dodged the Monster Impact.'
What about others?
Kang Gut-geon tuned into the global channel.
Despair. Resignation. Desperation.
Clinging to any straw, seeking weak nations.
But Korea stood apart now.
72 nations weakening in real time.
Korea preserved full strength.
A weak nation poised to rise mid-tier.
The director's reply.
Like rain in drought.
But no free lunch in international affairs.
Help came with debts.
The remaining 72 nations owed Korea now.
America followed with aid.
Russia piled on.
Intel accumulated.
Nations began resolving crises.
But Impacts already underway.
Monsters swarming wildly.
Hunters scrambling to hold.
Failures mounting.
Director's urgent plea.
Responding brought desperate requests.
Not just East Sea.
Shit raining from both flanks.
Classic great power move.
Gritting teeth, Kang Gut-geon moved at once.
They'd collect payment later.
"All units to Pohang! Hurry!"
He led elites swiftly.
West Sea other guilds' duty.
Defending Pohang was Taeguk's.
"Hoo, here they come..."
Thanks to guildmates with teleport skills.
Kang Gut-geon arrived instantly.
Stared at the blue horizon ahead.
His mighty gaze locked targets.
Hundreds at least.
All B-rank flying monsters.
'Hold this with just our guild?'
Impossible.
No reinforcements either.
Everywhere on alert.
Sacrifices inevitable.
Precious patriots who shared his will.
"Prepare for battle, all!"
"Yes, sir!"
All steeled already.
Even if comrades fell beside them.
Even if he died.
Hold. Defend the nation. The homeland!
Kee-ee-ee-ek!
Flying horde closing in.
Their shrieks echoed.
Taeguk roared back.
"Raaah!"
Fearless of death!
Desperate cries erupted.
That moment.
Roaring filled him with surging power.
The might of united hearts?
'No.'
Ditching boyish sentiment.
Kang Gut-geon eyed the change ahead.
All Taeguk members saw it.
"Innate abilities and skills... +10 levels?"
Unprecedented numbers.
Even +1 was legendary.
+10? Permanent buff?
Wait. Then right now, he was...
"Hahaha!"
Kang Gut-geon burst into mad laughter.
His simple, potent innate ability: Body Reinforcement.
Formerly level 40.
Now? A whopping 50!
It empowered his whole body.
He stomped, tearing air.
Craaack!
Sonic boom.
Mach speeds in an instant.
Breaking sound, he air-stepped.
With enhanced skill.
Running air like ground, he reached the center.
Of the flying monster horde.
Ke-heh-heh-hek!
Jackpot!
Prey delivering itself.
Thrilled, they swarmed.
Attacks converged instantly.
A massive black orb formed in the sky.
And that orb...
Boooom!
Detonated spectacularly.
Pohang's monster wave: obliterated.
By one man, not even Taeguk as a whole.
Kang Gut-geon.
A nation-bound S-rank hunter.
He laughed again.
"Hahaha! JYS! Thank you! You're the nation's benefactor!"
The diehard patriot realized.
Instinctively opened system.
New Tower of Despair record ranking.
At -1 floor:
The one who saved Korea from Monster Impact.
Unknown identity, but aided friendly guild.
Rescued nation from crisis.
All told: benefactor. Ultimate benefactor! No, a saint!
"Shout it! JYS! JYS!"
"Wooo! JYS! JYS!"
No full name, just initials.
Yet all of Taeguk chanted.
Proud three letters: JYS.
From now on, he shone.
Salt of the earth, salvation.
He saved Korea from doom.
Spread the word.
Etch those initials into every mind.
"I'm heading to support other areas! Scatter and help!"
Members upgraded at least one rank, maybe two.
Them alone formed a force.
In-nation, Taeguk undisputed first.
Korea's pinnacle: Taeguk.
They dispersed to quell the crisis.
"Not even an F-rank tagalong hunter, but I fell from an earthquake, ate uranium, became a radioactive puffer-man, and melted a goblin army with toxic farts."
Tower of Despair –1 Floor.
I muttered a cartoonish summary of my plight.
Pfft—laughter bubbled up.
Feeling energized.
Laughing really pumps you up.
"Up we go."
I rose from sprawled position.
No thirst, no hunger.
No fatigue, no sleepiness.
Weird sensation.
Still, maximize it.
"Time to move."
Threats around me hadn't vanished.
Ironic, really.
Not outside—me as the threat.
'Radiation. No, can't leave without controlling uranium's immense nuclear power.'
Reaffirmed, opened status window.
No other reason.
Reward from clearing -1 floor: Ring of Death and Circulation.
'Boosted innate control by 2.'
Wondering if meaningful changes.
That's why.
"Huh?"
Something changed.
I squinted at it.
Formerly noise-glitched level.
Now clear.
'Wait. Are those numbers right?'
Level 173? Uh...
Minimum innate level for S-rank hunter?
Oh, right. 50.
"Ha, ridiculous."
Status window definitely glitched.
Otherwise, test it.
Rustle. Pulled cracker from emergency rations.
Not hungry.
But innate lets me eat.
I crunched without hesitation.