Chapter 103: Even the Absolute Being Is a First-Time Dad
Absolute One Is Also New to Fatherhood - Chapter 103
Simultaneously.
The Lujiazui Financial Trade Zone in Shanghai's Pudong District was an area densely packed with over a hundred skyscrapers.
Landmarks like the Shanghai World Financial Center, Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, Bank of China Tower, and Shanghai Tower stood prominently among them.
Crack—crreeak—crrrrrrk—
Suddenly, a thunderous noise echoed through the city center as a fissure tore through the sky above the high-rise buildings.
What began as a mere crack eventually spread like a spider's web until...
The fissure fully ruptured, unleashing an ominous energy from beyond.
"Magnificent."
A man who had been gauging the quality of the energy emanating from the rift muttered under his breath.
China's top-ranked S-class Hunter and leader of the prestigious Shouhu Men (Guardian Sect)—
Wang Zhuo, the Blood Qilin.
Beside him, an elderly man with white hair nodded solemnly before responding in a low voice.
"Though I've suppressed countless Gates in my time, never have I witnessed one that radiated such peril..."
This was Tai Tianfeng, China's second-ranked S-class Hunter and leader of the equally renowned Tianfeng Men (Heavenly Wind Sect).
"Rather fortunate, wouldn't you say?!"
Tai Tianfeng, a towering old man with a sinister grin, stroked his long beard as he spoke.
"Lately, I've been lamenting how our national Hunters have fallen behind in prestige... Who knew an opportunity would present itself so soon?"
His daughter, ranked fifth among China's Hunters and deputy leader of Tianfeng Men, So Cheon-pung, interjected.
"Father—!"
Ignoring her, Tai Tianfeng kept his gaze fixed on the rift and continued.
"Just look at our neighboring nations—Korea and Japan. Their Hunters have already suppressed two Calamity-grade Gates in recent times, haven't they?"
With unwavering confidence, he added:
"This is our chance."
Tai Tianfeng was underestimating the Calamity-grade Gate that had appeared in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.
After all, a mere vanguard team of a few dozen Hunters had successfully suppressed it...
Had the national Hunters acted swiftly, they could have shared in the glory.
"Prepare for deployment!"
So Cheon-pung protested.
"That's too dangerous!"
But Tai Tianfeng remained obstinate.
"Are you implying that what Korean and Japanese Hunters accomplished with ease is beyond our national Hunters?"
He took a step forward.
"Why should we share this achievement with foreign Hunters when our own are perfectly capable?"
Then he added coldly:
"If that's how you feel..."
"Father, please—"
"You stay behind."
With that, he barked an order.
"Prepare to enter the Gate!"
Then he turned to Wang Zhuo.
"And you?"
A brief silence followed.
"You speak wisely."
Wang Zhuo clenched his fist.
"Admittedly, it looks dangerous..."
A competitive glint flashed in his eyes.
"But as you said, if foreign Hunters handled it with ease, why shouldn't ours?"
With that, he shouted:
"Shouhu Men will also deploy!"
Thus, madness spread...
"Advance!"
Countless figures surged forward.
How much time had passed since then?
Thud, thud...
Dozens of Hunters emerged in the Lujiazui Financial Trade Zone, now under military and police lockdown.
Among them was a figure who had miraculously survived the Calamity-grade Gate in New Delhi, India—drawing global media attention—
And who, without proper rest, had contributed to suppressing the Calamity-grade Gate in Shimane Prefecture.
Korea's top-ranked S-class Hunter—
Jung Yoon-chan.
Leading a contingent of Korea's S-class Hunters, he was the first to arrive at the site of the Calamity-grade Gate in Lujiazui.
Soon after...
Japan's top-ranked S-class Hunter, Nuclear Samurai, and his subordinates from the Shogun Guild appeared in succession.
Then—
A woman in her early twenties, clad in a crimson qipao, stepped forward and clasped her fists in a martial salute.
"Greetings."
She raised her head and added:
"I am So Cheon-pung, deputy leader of Tianfeng Men, temporarily entrusted with command and responsibility at this site."
Jung Yoon-chan, who had encountered her before, subtly inquired:
"Where are the others?"
Though she was undoubtedly one of China's most formidable fighters...
It was unusual for someone so young to hold full authority over command and responsibility at such a critical scene.
"Well..."
So Cheon-pung hesitated, lips trembling, before glancing toward the Gate...
"Don't tell me they've already entered—?"
Jung Yoon-chan pressed urgently, causing her to flinch and nod stiffly.
"My father, Tai Tianfeng, along with Tianfeng Men's Hunters, and Wang Zhuo of Shouhu Men's Hunters have already entered, so there shouldn't be any..."
Jung Yoon-chan cut her off.
"How could they be so reckless—?!"
Not just him—Nuclear Samurai also wore a grim expression.
"This is bad..."
The Calamity-grade Gate, still expanding, was incomparable to the one in Japan.
The difference was stark even in the danger levels measured by the World Awakened Association's monitoring devices...
And the mana concentration leaking from within was palpably more intense.
Meanwhile, oblivious to what had transpired in Shimane's Gate, So Cheon-pung bristled indignantly.
"How rude—!"
With a sharp snap, she unfurled her fan and retorted in a cutting tone:
"Why are you so certain that our national Hunters can't suppress a Calamity-grade Gate that you all handled without casualties?"
She pressed further:
"Before we proceed, I demand an apology for underestimating our Hunters."
The recent successful suppressions had ironically backfired—without knowing the truth, foreign Hunters had begun downplaying the danger of Calamity-grade Gates.
'Yes, otherwise they wouldn't have acted so rashly before allied reinforcements arrived...'
Regardless, the priority now was uniting to suppress the Gate before them.
"I apologize for our earlier discourtesy."
Jung Yoon-chan bowed slightly before surveying the assembled Hunters.
"For now, we should prepare quickly and enter the Gate to assist those already inside."
Nuclear Samurai nodded and asked quietly:
"What about... him?"
Jung Yoon-chan pulled out his phone and checked the messages from Kang-jun.
Before departing for Shanghai, he had urgently requested Kang-jun's help, but in the chaos, he hadn't checked the replies.
[ Unread Messages: 3 ]
Tap—
[ Immortal: Yes. Coming. Now. ]
[ Immortal: $$$, bring. kkwabaegi. ]
[ Immortal: Keh. Hahaha. Hahaha. ]
After reading, Jung Yoon-chan answered gravely:
"Well, for now..."
A brief silence.
"He's on his way."
Pondering how to respond, he finally typed:
[ Thank you for your help. ]
[ In return... ]
[ I offer '●' Choco Pies. ]
The reply came instantly.
[ Immortal: Kehahaha. Too. Funny. ]
[ Immortal: Learned. A. Good. Trick. ]
[ Immortal: Laughing. My. Guts. Out. ]
Fortunately, Kang-jun seemed amused.
"Good..."
Jung Yoon-chan felt oddly proud.
What was this called again...?
Ah, yes—networking.
Thudthudthudthud—
Wang Zhuo, the Blood Qilin, trembled violently behind the towering trunk of a massive tree, teeth chattering uncontrollably.
"Crazy... insane..."
What had greeted the Chinese Hunters upon entering the Gate was a handsome young man.
"Just one of you?"
Tai Tianfeng, leader of Tianfeng Men, had drawn his sword and charged confidently—
Swish—
A single strike.
Just one.
With that single slash, he was split in two.
"M-monster...!"
Within seconds, the Gate's interior became a slaughterhouse.
"Where is ■■■?"
The overwhelmingly powerful boss monster repeated the same question while casually cutting down Hunters with each swing.
"Insignificant creatures, unworthy of even a proper name from the Creator God, dare oppose me...?"
It turned to Wang Zhuo.
"You were granted a name, yet your sole purpose is to die here by my hand..."
Step by step, it advanced.
"Fulfill your fate."
Wang Zhuo fled.
"E-everyone, retreat—!"
Abandoning his subordinates without a second thought, he barely escaped and now hid, trembling.
As he buried his face in his knees, shuddering—
Shink—
A blade pierced through the thick tree trunk—and his left chest.
"G-guh...!"
Wang Zhuo's eyes widened as he stared at the sword protruding from his body.
"G-guh...!"
Even as his vision blurred, the chilling voice rang clearly in his ears:
"Didn't I say? The only reason you were given a name was to die here by my hand."
The Discarded ■■■ yanked the blade free, flicking off the blood before adding:
"Don't resent it."
His gaze turned skyward.
"All flows as the Creator God ordained. Accept your fate..."
Then—text began pouring from his body, swirling violently.
『 The Creator God, who had painstakingly crafted and bestowed a narrative upon it, murmured in contemplation. 』
『 A pity. 』
『 Thus, it was discarded, and a new ■■■ was created... 』
This was the narrative of the Discarded ■■■.
『 Yet the Creator God, having invested so much, struggled to let go. 』
『 For ages, he agonized over granting it a new purpose... 』
『 Until finally, he made it one of the great threats to ■■■—the master of the word Origin (起). 』
『 He bestowed upon it a new name: Discarded ■■■. 』
『 And ordained its fate: to reclaim the title of ■■■ and guard the word Origin. 』
The Discarded ■■■ seethed as its own story spilled forth.
『 Thus, it was sent to ■■—a dimension housing all the world's laws, yet unseen by the Watching Eyes... 』
The final line of its creation narrative dissipated weakly into the air.
『 The Creator God warped the rules slumbering in ■■ for its sake. 』
Suddenly, the void shattered—
Revealing an otherworldly scene.
A cityscape of towering skyscrapers.
"Hm?"
This contradicted what the guides had said.
"You must wait."
They had claimed that if they merely opened a path to Earth and waited, ■■■ would come willingly...
『 Instead, it crossed through the fissure to Earth. 』
A radiant aura enveloped it—
And it vanished into the beyond.
『 The master of the word Origin. 』
『 The Discarded ■■■. 』
『 It descended upon Earth. 』