Chapter 71
Chapter 71
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Goodwill Dyed in Malice (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Russia's barren wasteland.
It was hard to believe this was a region where temperatures plunged to minus 30 degrees. An unnatural spectacle was unfolding before their eyes.
Hiss—
Lava kept erupting endlessly, bubbling and swallowing the earth whole.
From atop a low hill, Monjiro watched the scene with a look of utter disbelief as he muttered his thoughts.
"What the hell... It's like a natural disaster. Now I get why the former captain warned us not to contract with a Master Ring so recklessly."
Two weeks.
That was how long they'd relentlessly tracked the man presumed to be the Master Ring's owner. They'd ventured so deep into the remote wilderness that they couldn't even reach Kim Gunja.
Though all that effort had ended in the absurd outcome of the Master Ring going berserk.
"......"
Monjiro glanced at Chris, who gave no reply.
Staring at the land being devoured by lava, Chris wore her usual vacant expression. But Monjiro could read the sorrow hidden beneath it.
'...She's thinking of the former captain.'
The final moments of the man who had lunged at Chris evoked images of their former captain's end, which they hadn't witnessed.
Unlike before, the Master Ring's owner they were pursuing this time was an Awakener who knew how to wield its power properly. He'd recognized Chris's Master Ring and attacked to steal it.
'He picked the wrong opponent. Way wrong.'
Chris of the Freeze.
There weren't many who could stand against a Single Number like her.
Not even a Master Ring owner.
Realizing he was outmatched, the man had overtaxed the Master Ring's power. The result was plain to see.
Corrosion by the Master Ring, followed by rampage.
Having lost his reason, the man was drained of all his energy by the ring and sank into the lava.
"It wasn't the captain's fault."
"...Yeah. I know."
As Chris nodded with her still-dazed look, Monjiro gave a wry smile.
Bubble bubble.
One section of the lava, steaming thickly as it met the cold air, began to boil furiously.
Then, like clay being stretched, the lava rose up, forming a single shape.
A colossal giant made of lava emanated a presence rivaling a Single Number.
"...?!"
Sensing danger, Monjiro reflexively summoned Gluttony. Chris, still blank-faced, simply looked up at the giant.
The lava giant ignored Monjiro entirely, fixing its gaze on Chris.
The giant's voice was grand and arrogant.
Monjiro bit his lip.
Its presence was so overwhelming that for a split second, he felt it was only natural for the giant to judge him.
If he felt that way just from being ignored, the pressure on Chris must be even greater, he thought briefly.
Then Chris, looking up at the giant, furrowed her brow slightly and muttered.
"My neck hurts."
[Hm?]
Crack crack—
The ground beneath Chris froze over, slowly rising in elevation. It stopped only when she could look down at the lava giant from a comfortable height.
Chris nodded as if finally at ease, staring down at the giant.
She'd only adjusted her position because her neck hurt. But the lava giant, having just posed its question, interpreted her action differently.
As if she had no right to look down on it.
[Insolent...!]
Bubble bubble—.
The lava on the ground boiled even more fiercely, making the giant's body swell larger.
But Chris offered no concessions.
Crack crack—.
Her platform rose even higher to match the giant's growth.
"Haha..."
Monjiro could only let out a hollow laugh.
Today, Chris's actions seemed to shine especially bright.
In all sorts of ways.
[......]
In the end, the lava giant's momentum faded.
The energy it had absorbed from its previous contractor wouldn't sustain this form much longer.
Dropping the pointless posturing, it spoke to steer toward its goal.
[Impressive. To claim the next Master Ring, you need that kind of nerve.]
A swift change in attitude, signaling equal urgency.
But Chris ignored it, asking what she wanted to know.
"A being bound to the Master Ring?"
[Indeed. I am the Lava Spirit King, Terun.]
Terun answered readily and extended a massive hand forward.
A small ring rested on its palm.
[Mortal. Take this Master Ring and contract with me. In return, you shall gain immense power.]
Its voice brimmed with pride, but it failed to pique Chris's interest.
"I'm already strong."
Terun burst into booming laughter at Chris's reply.
[I know. But contract with me, and you'll grow even stronger! Do you know what I am? I am the supreme Spirit King...]
"Parasite?"
Monjiro clutched his forehead at Chris's blunt words.
Considering how beings bound to Master Rings couldn't act properly without an owner, it wasn't entirely wrong.
But saying it to the entity's face wouldn't elicit a good response.
And as expected.
[Y-You wench!]
Terun's fist, seething with rage, swung toward Chris.
Intense heat and gusts rent the air.
But.
Crack crack—!
Terun's fist began freezing solid before it could reach her.
In this frigid environment, without its contractor, it lacked the power to withstand a Single Number's mana.
In an instant, a massive ice statue formed.
Chris lightly tapped the fist thrust right up to her face.
Crack, boom—!
A fissure ran through Terun's wrist gripping the Master Ring. With a thunderous roar, it crashed down before Monjiro.
"Here. Take it."
Monjiro grumbled as he eyed the solidly frozen lump.
"If you're giving it, at least hand it over nicely..."
He directed his summoned Gluttony to extract the Master Ring.
Chris watched him for a moment, then clenched and unclenched her palm.
The faint warmth reminiscent of the former captain was gone.
She needed a recharge.
Only then could she endure.
"......"
Chris's gaze fixed in one direction.
Toward where she believed the rookie with that warm presence, Kim Gunja, might be.
What defines a successful life?
People might give different answers, but one salaryman responded like this:
—Someone who can fly first class, not economy or business?
Recalling a story he'd heard somewhere, Kim Gunja stuck out his tongue as he boarded the plane before him.
'A charter flight, no less...'
And not just any charter—a ultra-luxury one where every seat was first-class quality.
As expected of Hero Guild's elite.
Team 4 received treatment leagues above the lower teams.
Even the procedures for departure and takeoff were far simpler and faster than for civilians.
It spoke volumes about how Hero Guild matters took top priority at the airport.
'The wealth and power of Hero Guild.'
This was a moment to truly feel the endless privileges and efficiencies those two brought in modern society.
The charter plane took off smoothly and quickly stabilized into cruise.
Team 4's leader, Azure Dragon Jo Changhwi, stood from his seat and stepped forward.
"Alright, let's start the briefing."
Info on the S-grade gate and Asura Guild, received from HQ, projected onto the forward transparent screen.
'An S-grade gate...'
Kim Gunja felt a strange mix of emotions as he read the subtitles.
Word had it that to tell if a Hunter was the real deal, check if they'd cleared an S-grade gate.
It meant few Hunters had such records. And here was Kim Gunja, participating in one.
After just three months.
"...That covers the S-grade gate. Now to the main point."
The briefing on the jungle-type S-grade gate wrapped up quickly.
They'd reviewed it multiple times before departure, and this briefing had a different focus.
"We've confirmed Asura Guild is the successor to Amaterasu Guild."
Jo Changhwi relayed what he'd heard from HQ.
A murmur rippled through the team, who had shown no reaction during the gate talk.
One team member raised a hand.
"You mean... that Amaterasu Guild the Guild Master half-destroyed in the past?"
Jo Changhwi nodded, and the murmurs grew louder.
Everyone else seemed to know, but it was news to Kim Gunja.
Until recently, he'd been a civilian with zero interest in the Hunter world.
Jo Changhwi, who had been subtly watching Kim Gunja due to his Unique Trait, added for his benefit.
"As you all know, Amaterasu was Japan's top guild, eleventh worldwide. But after clashing with the Guild Master, it lost most of its core members and vanished into history."
The team nodded.
"Asura's Guild Master is the daughter of Amaterasu's former leader. Many guild members are ex-Amaterasu too. They hid it well, but no disguise is perfect."
Small exclamations erupted here and there. Kim Gunja gleaned two facts from Jo Changhwi's words.
One: Baek Jincheon was strong enough to overwhelm Japan's number one guild's elites.
Two: Asura Guild, as Amaterasu's successor, had every reason to resent Hero Guild.
"So they named it Asura as in, 'time for revenge' or something?"
"'We'll walk the path of Asura'? How childish."
Team 4 was mildly surprised but showed no worry or anxiety.
They had absolute confidence in their skills.
They frequented S-grade gates; they had every right to that confidence. It manifested in their bold opinions.
"Leader, so we clear the S-grade gate and hunt Asura Guild too?"
Kim Gunja was a bit shocked.
This wasn't about Homunculi or Slayers.
Regular Hunters.
Yet talk of hunting them came so casually?
'...So that's where those rumors come from.'
Team 4.
Inside Hero Guild, they were called that.
Hunting specialists.
People who found aesthetics in the hunt itself, beyond wealth or fame.
The only surprise was that their prey wasn't limited to monsters.
Jo Changhwi smiled coldly at the question.
"Depends on how they act."
Even Leader Jo Changhwi was the same.
He revered strength over outdated morals or ethics. He craved it.
That's why he'd become a Hunter and joined Hero Guild—for a place, backing, and justification to unleash that power freely.
A new heat filled the cabin at his words.
A sticky, unpleasant heat.
Okinawa Airport, Japan.
Asura Guild's Guild Master Shizuku had come personally with her members to greet them.
"It's an honor to meet you. I'm Shizuku, Guild Master of Asura Guild."
Her Korean was fluent.
"Hero Guild Team 4 Leader, Jo Changhwi."
Shizuku smiled as if she'd known, shaking his hand.
She had Team 4's profiles memorized perfectly.
"We've prepared a modest dinner and accommodations for our weary Hero Guild guests."
Unless it was urgent, overseas hunts allowed a day or more buffer upon arrival.
"We won't decline. Thank you for the hospitality."
They smiled at each other, but to Kim Gunja, it looked like they were crossing invisible blades.
Team 4 followed Asura's guidance to a villa.
"Ho."
"Wow."
"Not bad at all."
Team 4's admiration burst out.
The serene scenery, hot springs, and gourmet cuisine pleased them.
Shizuku expressed her gratitude.
"I worried it might fall short with the short notice, but I'm glad you like it."
"We love it. That said, if it's not too rude, could we check security ourselves? We always verify everything the night before a hunt."
"Of course. Be my guest."
Shizuku agreed without hesitation.
Team 4 meticulously inspected the villa and food, finding nothing amiss.
"Haha, sorry for the trouble."
"No at all. Please, come in."
Dinner talk stayed brief on tomorrow's S-grade gate; no issues arose.
As the gathering ended.
"Mr. Kim Gunja. If it's alright, could we speak privately for a moment?"
"Me?"
Kim Gunja looked puzzled as Shizuku approached.
"Yes. I've heard you've been making waves in Korea lately. I'd love to hear some of your heroic tales."
Scratching his cheek at the flattery, Kim Gunja glanced at Jo Changhwi.
Jo nodded but shot a 'be careful' look too.
'What could they do in a villa with civilians around...'
Still, better safe.
Kim Gunja grabbed his artifact coat.
"Sure, why not."
"Thank you. This way..."
He followed Shizuku, who led ahead.
A pavilion a short distance from the villa held a tea set.
"Do you like tea?"
Memories of his grandfather brought a faint smile to Kim Gunja's lips.
"Yes, I do."
"Wonderful."
Shizuku smiled brightly, inviting him to sit. He did.
True to her word, she poured tea meticulously while asking about his exploits.
"You're truly amazing. I could never imagine stopping a gate break single-handed like you did."
"I was the same. But when it happened, courage came surprisingly easy. Probably the same for anyone."
Shizuku covered her mouth, laughing at his modest claim of being ordinary.
"So humble."
"Just facts."
"Indeed, just as I heard... You're not quite the Hero Guild type, Mr. Kim Gunja."
A subtle nuance, a dangerous remark.
"What do you mean?"
Instead of answering, Shizuku sipped her tea. Conversation paused briefly.
A silence both long and short.
Setting down her cup, she stared at Kim Gunja before getting to the point.
"What do you think of Hero Guild?"
The unexpected question narrowed Kim Gunja's eyes.