Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Chapter 35
The Witch's Chapter (2)
The White House, USA. Despite it being early dawn, there were no empty seats at the conference table.
Their emergency meeting had originated from a one-minute video. On the large screen, a peaceful rural village in the eastern United States was visible.
And shortly after, fireballs fell from the sky, bombarding the village. The suddenly pouring rain of fire only stopped after completely burning the village and its residents. And at the end of the video, a woman slowly descending from the sky appeared.
"The thing we feared has happened."
US President Mark Smith began the meeting with a somber expression.
"We must deal with him before the casualties grow."
"What about cooperating with Hunter Hall?"
At the Secretary of the Interior's words, the conference room fell momentarily silent.
Hunter Hall had continuously requested cooperation from the US government for the past 20 years.
However, the US government had refused and maintained its principles.
"The location in the video is also where Hunter Hall's branch was. In the end, they created this situation."
The Secretary of Defense, who had been listening quietly, spoke while openly displaying his displeasure.
The President shook his head at those words.
"Perhaps it was something that would have happened eventually. We must acknowledge that Hunter Hall was keeping it suppressed."
"But Hunter Hall has already created worldwide connections and is infiltrating the governments of all countries. They could cause bigger problems than the reincarnators."
"That's right. That's why we haven't acknowledged them until now."
The President skillfully encompassed everyone as he continued the meeting. He was always famous for gathering opinions with minimal words at meetings like this.
"Our choice to only watch until now was a mistake. We have no choice but to admit that."
The President gave them a moment and stated the reason for convening this meeting.
"We stand at a crossroads of choice again. This time, we must make a decision, not a mistake."
Everyone gathered in the conference room fell into silence. Even they, who influenced not just America but the entire world, found this decision difficult.
"There are two options. Either cooperate with Hunter Hall to catch him using reincarnators, or mobilize our military."
The President narrowed down their options.
The one who broke the suffocating silence was the Secretary of the Interior, who had supported Hunter Hall from before.
"If we mobilize the military, we can't avoid the media's eyes. It would be better to quietly handle it using reincarnators. Even if things go wrong, couldn't we mobilize the military afterward?"
"That won't do. Hunter Hall is a group that engages in illegal activities. We cannot acknowledge a group that ignores national law."
"Citizens are dying right now. To quell the chaos, we must use Hunter Hall."
"If Hunter Hall hadn't existed, today's incident might not have happened. Reincarnators taking extreme actions is because Hunter Hall hunted them."
"That's right. In the end, didn't this incident also involve an attack on Hunter Hall's branch?"
Various opinions emerged. The President listened to their opinions and became certain of one thing.
'They've already penetrated deeply into the White House too.'
Hunter Hall had seeped deeply into the White House as well. It simply hadn't been revealed until now.
The meeting continued for a long time. Opinions clashed tightly, and the President listened to their stories sufficiently.
The meeting proceeding much longer than usual was because the issue was that critical.
The President declared breaks several times to ventilate the atmosphere and, after long deliberation, made a decision.
'Even if Hunter Hall fails, there's nothing bad about it.'
In the end, from the President's perspective, it was good for reincarnators to decrease. However, when Hunter Hall succeeded, he would have to provide compensation in some way.
After long deliberation, the President made his decision.
"Contact Hunter Hall."
In the end, the President chose to avoid chaos.
***
Death Valley, Western USA. The land is known as the hottest in North America.
It was a peculiar land that had developed into a tourist destination as its harsh environment stimulated curiosity.
However, two weeks ago, all tourist schedules heading to Death Valley were canceled.
The government announced it was maintenance work, but not many believed this.
Death Valley, approaching 40 degrees Celsius despite it being May. In the middle of the desert where there wasn't even a place to hide, 176 reincarnators were surrounding a single person. Mage Rena.
There was no information about when she was born or how she grew up. It was only known that she was strong enough for most of Hunter Hall's skilled members to participate in this subjugation.
The 40 mages belonging to Hunter Hall focused on incinerating the mana around Rena. It was to block Rena's magic.
Nevertheless, Rena was relaxed.
"Many good materials have gathered."
Rena smiled cruelly within the encirclement.
***
On the road heading to Death Valley. A silver motorcycle was racing forward without hesitation.
"So Shadow Warrior is that dangerous?"
"It's a contract with the Demon Race. You seal souls according to magical power and use them as slaves. You can use the power of the dead as is."
"So that's why you used Murim people as Shadow Warriors."
"Rena will be looking for good materials."
"In your previous life, how many Shadow Warriors did she summon?"
Na Uram was driving the motorcycle with Na Yuri riding behind. The wind was blowing fiercely, but they could have a comfortable conversation even without wearing helmets.
"300."
"That's terrible."
Murim people who charged in prepared for mutual destruction, were bound to be troublesome.
"In the previous life, they were at least warriors. But if Murim people become Rena's slaves, it's a big problem."
Na Uram also agreed with that part. During the war with the Empire on the Magic Continent, warriors clad in armor were no match forthe Murim people.
This was the most decisive reason for the Empire's fall. The warriors needed to hold out so the mages in the rear could be active, but that was impossible.
While the Heavenly Demon Cult members were exceptionally strong, if you just considered basic physical abilities, the Murim people were naturally superior.
There were some among the barbarians who matched Murim people, but they didn't belong to the Empire.
"Rena will try to create a Shadow army. We have to stop her before that."
Na Uram imagined a scene where a mage used over 100 Murim people as slaves.
'I have to stop it.'
He also reached the same conclusion as Na Yuri.
"Hold on tight."
The motorcycle left the road and began racing across the desert.
***
One hour later. Na Uram discovered dozens of types of vividly twinkling lights. Explosions were bursting as if a war had broken out, and dust was rising.
Just as the motorcycle passed through the bumpy road and almost reached the source of the explosions, all sounds disappeared as if it were a lie.
The battle had ended.
"Hurry!"
At Na Yuri's shout, Na Uram let go of the motorcycle's handlebars. At the same time, he grabbed Na Yuri and leaped vigorously. The place they landed was the scene where the battle had unfolded until just moments ago.
'We're late.'
It was total annihilation. The only one standing upright was the mage floating in the air.
"Rena."
The battle had ended with Rena's victory. They had identified this location through a person Na Yuri had mentally controlled.
Since so many reincarnators had been mobilized, he had joined this place as well. Nevertheless, it was Rena's overwhelming victory.
Rena descended smoothly to the ground as if riding a transparent elevator.
"Suia, we finally meet again."
Na Yuri stepped down from Na Uram's arms.
"You'll die in the end."
Rena, who had the appearance of a woman in her mid-twenties, was a beautiful blonde woman. A silk robe through which the inside could be slightly seen and red boots were eye-catching.
On the other hand, Na Yuri still had the appearance of a young girl in the midst of growing.
"The person who'll die this time is you."
"Try it."
At Na Yuri's provocation, Rena immediately reacted and raised an intense pillar of flame. The pillar shot up to the sky, then bent like a reed and struck down at Na Yuri.
Na Yuri raised her hand and created a circular ice plate. The pillar of flame touched the ice plate, then lost direction and sprayed flames into the sky.
"I waited 100 years to meet you. Waiting for only you."
"Sorry for coming late. I should have come quickly to kill you."
"Insolent bitch!" Rena's gaze changed.
As her pupils were dyed black, black smoke spread in all directions. And the fallen corpses wriggled. The corpses into which black smoke had seeped rose to their feet one by one. All 100 were Murim people.
Na Uram approached Na Yuri's side. They looked at each other and slightly nodded their heads.
Seeing that, Rena laughed. "Think you can win?"
Rena already remembered Na Uram's face.
However, she was confident that 100 Murim people would be enough to handle him. Regardless of skill, 100 Murim people had no fear of death.
They repeated mutual destruction, and even if they actually took an attack, they recovered instantly with a little magical power.
She had made a contract with a demon for this. The battle with Na Yuri would also be fierce, but she was confident she would ultimately win.
She believed that she, who had trained for 100 years, was clearly at an advantage, and this was proven by the previous battle.
'After death, my soul will be rolled around like trash and then discarded. That's why I can't die.'
The contract with the demon stipulated entrusting everything after death. That's why she hadn't appeared while building her power for 100 years.
"After killing you, I'll live buried in a quiet place as you did. Brazenly, as if I did nothing wrong."
"Did you watch me even after death? Still, in your previous life, you hadn't fallen that far, but now you've become a demon too."
"A demon? Think you're different?"
Kwang! Unable to endure, Rena launched a fireball. The battle of the bitter feud, continuing from a previous life, began like that.
Kwang! The fireball hit the ground. It was because Na Uram and Na Yuri scattered to both sides and dodged.
In that instant, 100 warriors rushed toward Na Uram all at once. And Rena sensed the flow of mana and poured fire arrows in the direction where Na Yuri would appear.
Jjeaeng! An ice wall rose and blocked the fire arrows. However, a pillar of fire soon flew toward the ice wall and drilled a large hole in the center.
'Where?'
Na Yuri wasn't at the spot where the ice wall disappeared. Rena stopped her magic and searched for the vanished Na Yuri with Detection. And she discovered Na Yuri's location, which gave off a faint light.
'Why?'
Na Yuri was in an unexpected place. She was next to Na Uram, who was surrounded by 100 warriors.
'Could it be?'
In that instant, 100 warriors rushed toward Na Uram all at once. The moment the gap between the warriors narrowed rapidly. Na Yuri appeared next to Na Uram.
Jjeojeok! With Na Yuri at the center, all the Earth began to freeze. The ice that expanded its range like a storm completely covered the entire desert, and the charging warriors were also trapped in the ice. And Na Uram ran toward Rena.
100 Shadow Hunters and Na Uram. Rena and Na Yuri. The thought that they would fight like this was a delusion. Their plan was for Na Yuri to tie up the 100 Shadow Hunters and Na Uram to face Rena.
Rena ground her teeth and launched a fireball toward the approaching Na Uram. However, his movements were so fast she couldn't follow. In the end, she raised dozens of pillars of flame.
A strange scene unfolded where pillars of fire shot up on Na Yuri's ice land. Na Uram didn't panic even while seeing the rising pillars of fire.
With an expressionless face, Na Uram maintained his speed and ultimately approached right below where Rena was floating.
'Fire Breath.'
Rena's body heated up red, then she spewed Breath toward Na Uram. The Breath widened its angle and spread out as if to burn the entire ground.
As ice and fire collided, Na Yuri also concentrated her mind to maintain the ice.
The 100 warriors were still trapped in the ice and couldn't come out.
'I'm winning.'
Rena was nevertheless confident of victory. It was because she clearly saw Na Uram within the Breath's range.
'Even a Murim person can't endure it.'
It had power comparable to hellfire. Even if the power had weakened by widening the Breath's angle, it wasn't a temperature a human could endure with their body alone.
At that moment, the center of the Breath began to split as if blocked by something.
'Why?'
Na Uram was breaking through the Breath and leaping up. Uwoong. The magic circle engraved on Na Uram's body was emitting a silver light.
—'You'll need it.'
It was Na Yuri's work.
"A bit hot."
Na Uram broke through the Breath and extended his fist toward Rena.