Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Park Kang-hyuk VS Lucas Howard (4)
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The duel video's view count skyrocketed past one billion in an instant.
Lucas Howard, known as the world's strongest hunter, had been defeated.
People clicked on the video as if they'd been brainwashed.
And the Asian nations that had suffered discrimination exploded with joy at Lucas's defeat.
"...Just how much hatred was he harboring?"
Even in his home country of America, people were mocking Lucas.
The list of crimes he'd committed over the years numbered in the hundreds.
Moreover, his reckless departure from the country had caused massive damage to the U.S.
America had lost hundreds of thousands of its citizens to the armies of demons, beastmen, and elves.
Was this duel really more important than those hundreds of thousands of lives?
"Expel the Zeus Guild right now!"
"Bring Park Kang-hyuk Hunter to America!"
"Trade Lucas Howard for Park Kang-hyuk!"
"Hand the Zeus Guild over to South Korea and bring the GH Guild to America!"
Massive protests marched on, their voices rising in chants.
The government, too, extended an invitation to Park Kang-hyuk.
Only he could keep Lucas in check.
The Zeus Guild fumed at the attitudes of the government and citizens.
"Compared to all the lives the Zeus Guild has saved, these crimes are nothing!"
"America would've been destroyed long ago without the Master!"
"You think Daniel and Gilliam could've replaced the Master?!"
"Now they want to kick out the Master and bring in some Eastern monkey? Ungrateful bastards...!"
The Zeus Guild hurled curses at the protesters while scrolling through SNS and E-tube.
America's national power-level hunters, Daniel Tristan and Gilliam Damian, offered Park Kang-hyuk a contract worth hundreds of billions of won to recruit him.
At the same time, the S-rank hunters affiliated with the GH Guild received massive contract offers as well.
The South Korean government and Hunter Association jumped in shock upon hearing the news.
"We... we have to protect Park Kang-hyuk Hunter!"
"He's an indispensable asset to South Korea!"
"Even if we have to increase his dignity maintenance fee...!"
The South Korean media covered America's moves, swaying public opinion.
Kang-hyuk's dignity maintenance fee shot up fivefold in an instant.
He would now receive 50 billion won annually as his stipend.
On top of that, they dangled all sorts of benefits to keep him anchored.
For reference, America had promised Kang-hyuk around 300 billion won in upkeep allowance.
The perks were similar to South Korea's, but the scale was several times larger.
Kang-hyuk left a single post on SNS.
[I am Korean.]
With those words, the South Korean public cheered for Park Kang-hyuk.
Additionally, out of the extra 50 billion won in stipend, he planned to use 10 billion for personal expenses and donate the remaining 40 billion in portions.
"The 30 billion should go to the military."
Soldiers were always the ones deployed whenever incidents broke out.
Even small-scale raids resulted in dozens of deaths each time.
They were sacrificing for the nation.
It'd be good to help even a little with equipment upgrades.
At that moment, as Kang-hyuk turned down love calls from nations around the world...
Lucas, who had returned to America, regained his senses and erupted in rage.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
Boom! Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang—!
As he rampaged, part of the building collapsed, killing numerous people.
"Kyaaaaak!"
"R... run away!"
"Uwaaaaaak!"
U.S. soldiers and association hunters tried to stop Lucas's rampage, but no one could contain him.
Gunfire didn't faze him as he unleashed his fury.
Only after about an hour did he finally calm down.
Not completely, of course.
Just a temporary lull.
"Haa... haa..."
Zeus Guild members cautiously approached Lucas.
"M... Master."
"Did I... Did I lose? To that monkey bastard?"
"..."
The guild members answered with silence.
"Kuh...!"
Lucas gnashed his teeth, mana exploding from him.
"I'll kill him. That bastard... I swear I will!"
Kuwoong—!
The Zeus Guild members could only break out in cold sweats.
Right after defeating Lucas, Park Kang-hyuk had demolished every S1- to S2-rank hunter.
Even if they faced him again now, could Lucas claim victory?
"M... Master, right now we need to fend off the otherworld races attacking America first."
Lucas's eyes flashed toward the S1-rank guild member who spoke up.
The man flinched and bowed his head.
"..."
Lucas turned to survey his surroundings.
This wasn't Korea.
When had he returned to America?
"Who... Who ordered a return to America without my command?"
"The... The South Korean side issued an expulsion order. All the S1- to S2-rank hunters who had crossed into South Korea were injured from fighting Park Kang-hyuk Hunter... We had no choice but to retreat."
He'd taken down even the S1- to S2-rank hunters who'd been with him?
Lucas ground his teeth.
"Son of a...!"
Kuwoong!
Some tiny Asian nation dared to expel him?
"Arrogant fools...!"
The U.S. government squeezed its eyes shut at the commotion Lucas caused.
The place where he'd been recovering was a major hospital.
His rampage had claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians, hunters, and soldiers.
Pointless deaths.
Not at the hands of magic beasts or otherworld races, but their own hunter.
"Prepare my private jet right now! I'm going to wipe Korea off the map!"
"Master, launching the private jet now is difficult."
"What?!"
The guild members flinched at Lucas's roar.
"The... The otherworld races destroyed the airport and our private jets."
Lucas's face twisted.
"Demons, beastmen, and elves are invading America en masse right now. Their numbers alone approach ten million. Plus, multiple grand generals are on the move."
"Grand generals..."
"The biggest problem is that Gilliam Damian... lost his life to highest-grade demons."
Highest-grade demons rivaled grand generals in power.
The death of America's national power-level hunter, Gilliam Damian, was shocking news even to Lucas.
"G... Gilliam is dead?"
"Yes. A swarm of highest-grade demons overwhelmed him..."
"Hah..."
"America desperately needs your power right now, Master. Could you put Korea on hold for a bit?"
"..."
Lucas clenched his fist and rose from his seat.
'Kill the grand generals and fill my skill experience to 50%.'
Once he reached perfection, he could kill Park Kang-hyuk.
The guy had only just entered the early stages of high grandmaster.
If his slashing power grew even stronger, he could bridge the mana gap.
"Where are the demons?"
"Ah..."
The guild member sighed in relief and hurriedly guided Lucas.
The police, soldiers, and hunters stationed nearby glared at Lucas fiercely but had no choice but to look away.
They needed his help right now.
Even though he'd murdered innocents, America couldn't touch him recklessly.
"We're heading out."
The vehicle carrying Lucas departed the ruined hospital.
At that moment, Britain's national power-level hunter, Alice, watched the duel video between Kang-hyuk and Lucas, her eyes widening.
"H... Black Moon Swordsmanship?"
From the basic stance to the finishing pose.
It was identical to the Black Moon Swordsmanship her husband had devised in her past life.
Had the Dharma Protector reincarnated, perhaps?
There was no other explanation for that skill.
'Early high grandmaster... Few Dharma Protectors reached that realm.'
Who could it be?
Alice narrowed her eyes and immediately contacted the GH Guild.
Meanwhile, Shuran Guild's master, Hwa-ryeon in China, watched the duel video and swallowed hard.
"Lord?"
Hwa-ryeon looked at the middle-aged man standing at her door.
"...So Korea's Park Kang-hyuk Hunter took down Lucas."
"Yes, I've heard the news. But it pales in comparison to your abilities, Lord."
Hwa-ryeon was a being who had entered the perfection stage of high grandmaster.
Moreover, she might possess mana rivaling—or even surpassing—Kang-hyuk's.
"We need to make contact with the GH Guild. Prepare a way to reach Park Kang-hyuk Hunter."
"Yes, understood."
Hwa-ryeon had reincarnated in China and founded the Shuran Guild.
When China's major guilds began using underworld criminals to check her, she swiftly took over the underworld and organized the Heavenly Demon God Sect.
"A Dharma Protector at high grandmaster or above... It couldn't be him reincarnated, could it?"
Hwa-ryeon stared intently at Kang-hyuk's face on the monitor.
Having recovered his past life's memories, Kang-hyuk's appearance had grown even more handsome than before.
Still, it differed quite a bit from his past life's looks.
"Whew..."
Hwa-ryeon anticipated contact with Park Kang-hyuk, harboring a sliver of hope.
The GH Guild buzzed with minor commotion upon receiving contacts from Alice and Hwa-ryeon.
The chief secretary rushed to the master's office.
Knock knock knock.
"Master, it's Chief Secretary Hwang Jun-seok."
"Yes, come in."
Jun-seok entered the master's office immediately.
"Moments ago, we received emails from Caliber Guild's master Alice in Britain and Shuran Guild's master Hwa-ryeon."
Kang-hyuk, who had been handling documents, flinched at the two names.
"What... did you just say?"
"Pardon?"
"Contacts... from Alice and Hwa-ryeon?"
"Yes, that's right."
With a mix of disbelief, Kang-hyuk slowly set the documents down on his desk.
"So... what do they say?"
Jun-seok handed Kang-hyuk printed copies of the emails from the two guilds.
They wanted to communicate personally.
The issue was the image file attached at the bottom.
Written in handwriting, using the common tongue from his past life—not this world's language.
'Heavenly Demon God Cain'
Kang-hyuk shot to his feet.
"Send... Send my contact info to them right now!"
"Pardon? Y... Your personal contact, Master?"
Kang-hyuk nodded.
The chief secretary looked puzzled but replied, "Yes, understood," and left promptly.
Kang-hyuk stared at the image file and let out a small, hollow laugh.
Then he slumped back into his chair, closing his eyes quietly.
"So it really was... the two of them?"
Both had sent image files with the exact same phrase, differing only in handwriting.
Kang-hyuk searched Alice and Hwa-ryeon's names on his computer.
"...So it was you two."
Longing filled Kang-hyuk's eyes.
At that moment, as the GH Guild sent Kang-hyuk's personal contact to Alice...
The elves launched another invasion in Britain.
Alice, who had rushed out in haste, faced the grand generals and gritted her teeth.
Kaang!
"So you're the one. The human who's been slaughtering our kin..."
After repeated failed conquests of Britain, the elves had assembled an elite unit to eliminate Alice.
Their straight swords and greatswords brimmed with spirit energy rivaling mid-grandmasters.