Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: #14 Heroes
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My bound heroes summoned to this real world totaled four.
Messiah, Elfer, Whistle, and Rianon.
Since hero unsummoning wasn't possible right now, we'd decided that the binders would keep them until we found a way to send them back.
Naturally, some people couldn't take their bound heroes due to circumstances.
Hyunwoo-nim stepped up again this time, either taking the heroes himself or arranging spaces where guild members could stay with them.
And I...
“Uwaaaah!”
As four—no, five heroes including the one on my back, Helcanon—poured into the house, Kim Je-hyun let out a scream.
“Calm down.”
“You think you could stay calm?!”
“They're all my bound heroes.”
“Fine for you since you're a hunter, but what about fragile me?!”
Still carrying Helcanon on my back, I let out another sigh and spoke to the heroes.
“My cousin. Say hi.”
“Hello. My name is Messiah. It's an honor to meet you.”
“I'm Whistle. I understand your concerns, so I promise we won't be any trouble during our stay.”
“I'm Rianon. Thank you for letting us stay in your home.”
Messiah, Whistle, and Rianon greeted him politely, while Elfer—who had been curiously looking around the house and then staring at Kim Je-hyun—broke into a bright smile.
“Let's get along.”
With her elf-like appearance and radiant smile, Je-hyun's mouth fell open in a daze.
Good job, Elfer.
Elfer was disarming Kim Je-hyun's heart with her bright, sunny smile.
“S-seems... okay... maybe...”
I quickly chimed in.
“Yeah. All my bound heroes are good people. Doctor not here yet?”
“Huh? Hyung should be almost here.”
He called Park Tae-seong.
That oppa was too chummy with Kim Dowon, which was a bit much, but since Je-hyun kept calling him, his lips must be sealed tight.
I went into my room and laid Helcanon on the bed.
“Who's that—gasp! He's covered in blood! Shouldn't we get him to the ER right now?!”
“The wounds should be mostly healed by now.”
“What are you talking about—”
Kim Je-hyun looked completely baffled by my words, but he shut his mouth when I quietly drew my sword and sliced open Helcanon's shirt.
Rip!
There were bloodstains everywhere, but the wounds had truly healed.
Healing really is amazing.
Kim Je-hyun, eyes wide, clutched his pounding chest as he stared down at Helcanon.
“Ahem! I-is this okay to do to a patient?”
“What did I even do?”
I checked the wounds once and covered him back up.
Kim Je-hyun couldn't tear his eyes from Helcanon's face. Even a fellow guy could see it was an impressive face.
Here it comes, as expected.
“But this guy is insanely handsome. Like, the kind of good looks that only exist in fantasies...”
“Sigh.”
“Why the sigh all of a sudden?”
“Nothing. Just... can't believe Helcanon is a real person.”
It was a complicated feeling.
If Helcanon became mine, I'd wanted to hug him tight or kiss that handsome face, but knowing he's a real person made it feel wrong.
Of course, Helcanon wasn't my bound hero yet.
I'd swooped in and carried him off with some justification, but I doubted Dart would release his binding easily.
Ding-dong.
Swallowing various regrets inside, I slowly stood up.
“Must be Tae-seong oppa.”
My primary physician, Park Tae-seong, pressed the bell once out of courtesy before punching in the passcode and letting himself in.
Kim Je-hyun flinched and turned his head.
“Huh? Oh!”
Having been lost admiring Helcanon's face like some artwork, he realized a beat late and dashed to the front door.
“...”
A peacefully sleeping face.
Standing still, I gazed down at Helcanon, then glanced toward the door.
The heroes were watching me.
I'd thought about holding his hand at least before the doctor came in, but with all those eyes on me, no way.
I glanced at Helcanon again, smacked my lips in regret, and turned around.
* * *
As Goldbunker resumed activities, a new video went up right away.
["Before we start the broadcast, let's take a moment to commemorate those who met their fate in this war and inside the gate."]
The hosts bowed their heads.
A list of the deceased appeared on screen, along with condolence messages, followed by a brief silence.
["Yes."]
The mood shifted quickly.
["City War Special Edition!"]
["In the first half, the hunter forces were getting crushed by the heroes, but as soon as the first string including Kaisha appeared, the tide turned to a complete victory—check it out!"]
The expertly edited city war footage played out with tense, blockbuster vibes.
["Feels like God Gold suddenly turned into a movie channel."]
["Why's the quality like this."]
["Even if it's real, the editor must've worked overtime."]
Whether the editor added it or not, a quick "Thanks for the recognition" subtitle flashed and vanished.
To the hosts, this dramatic sequence looked like a full movie, and it was heavily reported not just nationwide but worldwide.
In the first half, police and hunters banded together to defend the city, then in a crisis, a transfer gate opened dramatically, bringing Kaisha and the first string who turned the war into a perfect win.
It was plot-ready for a movie right then.
Of course, no actor could outdo the real people in looks or skills, even if they made one.
Kaisha's especially cool moments got replayed over and over.
["Overseas media is spotlighting the incident right in the middle of Seoul's Dang산 Station."]
["Of course they are."]
Right now, domestically and abroad, the top highlight was Kaisha loading mana bullets mid-air right after emerging from the gate.
Foreign outlets all picked that shot for their headlines.
Shield-bearing fallen cops, fleeing heroes, and first-string hunters stunned upon exiting the gate—it was too cinematic to believe as real.
["City War. We coined that term first—ask permission before using it."]
["Everyone's super into Kaisha. Especially in the US, spotlighting Korean famous hunters like Kaisha, Dart, Gilgamesh, Abyss, Hyunwoo, etc."]
Foreign newspapers and online articles scrolled across the screen.
"Hunter" as a pro term originated overseas too, and awakeners were global, but no event matched Korea's dramatic heroics yet.
All eyes on Korea, first through the gate and hit with the City War disaster—natural.
["US is hero-obsessed as always, but as Koreans, it feels kinda iffy."]
["Yeah. Hope they don't snatch God Ka."]
["World's top superpower printing money at will? Doubt they'll sit still. Serious issue. Korean government, wake up and move fast."]
This was also a warning from the hunter world, led by Goldbunker, to the government.
Fix hunter待遇 quick, or it'll hurt national power—a warning.
Internet and world already idolizing hunters as hero celebs, but unlike swift foreign moves, Korean hunter待遇 remained unstable.
Hunters desperately needed national recognition and legal systems now.
["Hope the nation compensates the first string financially too. We're distributing revenue from views for now."]
["So don't forget: subscribe, like every video, watch ads diligently and steadily."]
["Thank you."]
Solid sales pitch even now.
Classic Goldbunker.
Next, a perfectly angled shot of Kaisha from foreign media popped up big.
["While we're trembling at the thought of losing our precious top rankers to foreign countries, what is our God, Kaisha-nim, up to?"]
A photo of Kaisha carrying Helcanon appeared.
["Breaking news: Kaisha-nim finally obtained the Helcanon she's fan-girled—no, longed for so much! True?"]
["True."]
["Note: photo with direct permission, so fans, please understand."]
Goldbunker had contacted Kaisha via Gilgamesh, paid under the table, got approval.
["Kamen."]
The hosts' faces glowed with sincere faith.
Post-City War, Kaisha-ism was spreading wildly; "Kamen" was the magic word bringing peace to all.
Helcanon appeared on screen.
Subtitle—probably the editor's take: [Insanely handsome wtf]
["Helcanon: Midgard's strongest NPC hero."]
["Turns out not an NPC."]
["Rumor post-City War: Dart and Kaisha fought over taking Helcanon."]
["Confirmed true."]
No on-site pics, sadly.
Screen replayed Dart summoning Helcanon mid-air during their standoff at the last Bipa siege.
Kaisha dropping her shield the instant she saw Helcanon—replayed.
Kaisha's fandom for him was infamous.
We all know: Kaisha's fanning for Helcanon.
["If you have a conscience, just hand him over? Heard what went down in the gate—mind blown."]
["Fullminak leading ahead didn't retreat? All dead."]
["Spaceking, do the right thing: surrender Helcanon to Kaisha-nim voluntarily for enlightenment."]
Saying that, the hosts turned skeptical.
["Bet 500 won Dart never releases Helcanon's binding."]
["I bet 1,000."]
Screen: Dart game character flipping the bird meme.
Hosts knew too—considering Dart's asshole personality, voluntary handover was bullshit.
Word Kaisha took Helcanon spread online like wildfire; netizen reactions were explosive.
["What Kaisha's doing with Helcanon? No idea."]
["Kaisha fans on SNS imagining everything: Ka x Hel is truth, etc."]
["Why you laughing."]
["When did I."]
Blush lines slashed across both faces in the footage.
["Anyway, Kaisha finally gets the Bipa world's top she wanted so bad."]
["Wish fulfilled."]
["Hope you spend happy times with your fave."]
["Dart won't give up Helcanon easy, but don't wanna wake up stabbed? Just give to Kaisha."]
Clap clap clap.
Applause celebrating Kaisha's acquisition ended, scene shifted.
New topic.
["Spaceking currently planning measures against the escaped heroes."]
["Heard guild masters and military brass meeting soon. Plus schedules with various officials."]
["Follow overseas' swift hunter law setups—hope for quick domestic response."]
Video ended.
Top comments: reactions to Kaisha-Helcanon something-something.
Then urging fast hunter laws/gov action; anyone but unnie/noona can't abandon us, etc.
Kaisha devotees clinging to her pant leg, whining in comments endlessly.