Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Hwa-ryun (1)
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As the three elves charged in simultaneously, Alice had no choice but to fall back.
Clang!
"Tch..."
A battle erupting right in the middle of the city.
If she swung her blade recklessly, the surrounding buildings would come crashing down.
Massive casualties would follow in an instant.
That left Alice with no option but to clash directly against the three generals.
"We must keep the enemies from reaching the Master!"
"No one can get close through there anyway!"
The collision between Alice and the three generals whipped up a massive gust of wind.
Who could possibly push through that gale?
The Caliber Guild Hunters fought off the elves while guiding the civilians to safety.
The crisis, having spread from the United States and the United Kingdom, now engulfed China as well.
Slash—!
"Gaaah...!"
"Damn it!"
"Get the civilians to evacuate!"
"Haaah!"
As Chinese cities crumbled to ruin, Hwa-ryun gripped her smartphone, her face tense.
"...Hello?"
[Hwa-ryun... right?]
It was the common tongue from her past life.
Hwa-ryun's hand trembled.
Being addressed by name meant it wasn't one of the Dharma Protectors.
They had always called her the Third Divine Queen.
Even in her past life, few had ever dared to call her by name.
"C...Cain?"
[...Yeah, it's me.]
"Ah..."
Hwa-ryun sank to the office floor, clutching the smartphone with both hands.
[What the hell happened? Did you take on a reincarnation quest or something?]
"I don't know anything about a reincarnation quest. More importantly, you too..."
[I remember you all dying, then me living leisurely for a few hundred years before ending my life at the Heavenly Demon God Palace...]
"Haha..."
[Have you made contact with Alice?]
"Huh?"
[She sent a similar email.]
"Ah...! D...Don't tell me the UK's national power-level Hunter, Alice Green, is..."
[Looks like you haven't connected yet.]
Hwa-ryun let out a hollow laugh.
Alice had reincarnated too?
"Then Sophia and the others...!"
[No idea. If they reincarnated, they'd surely be operating as S1-rank Hunters by now...]
"Ah, so Cain retained his abilities too?"
[Yeah, precisely three years ago, I recalled my past life's memories and inherited my powers.]
"I... I see."
Hwa-ryun felt a profound sense of reassurance from Kang-hyuk's presence—her creator and husband.
[Anyway, you're not a homunculus anymore, right?]
"Yes, I reincarnated as a human. When I awakened as a Hunter, I regained my past life's memories and became a dragon demon. But... for you, I could give everything. More than that, you'll marry me again in this life, won't you?"
[You want to marry me after spending 10,000 years together?]
"Of course!"
Hwa-ryun's immediate reply drew a soft chuckle from Kang-hyuk.
[Marrying me means another 10,000 years together, you know?]
"I don't care! I must have told you in our past life—everything I have is yours."
[And I told you then: everything I have is yours too.]
Hwa-ryun's red lips curved into a smile.
She couldn't recall exactly when they'd exchanged those words.
But she remembered every conversation they'd shared.
He was the husband who had professed his love to her countless times over more than 10,000 years.
Even if she was no longer his homunculus, everything she had still belonged to him.
"Oh, right—the Ryu Han Empire..."
[Yeah, the nation I founded.]
"Its soldiers and citizens all..."
[Yeah.]
The Ryu Han Empire, built from homunculi.
Kang-hyuk's confirmation made it feel like home to Hwa-ryun.
[How's the situation in China? If you need my help...]
"No, I'm fine. Now that I've confirmed it's you, I need to naturalize into the Ryu Han Empire."
[...You sure? Your parents are over there too, aren't they?]
"Sadly, I don't even know who my parents are. I grew up in an orphanage."
[Ah...]
"If I naturalize, the Chinese government will kick up a fuss... but it'll be okay. Who would dare stand in the way of the Heavenly Demon God's wife?"
[Hahaha...]
Kang-hyuk gave a wry smile.
[I heard there's a Heavenly Demon God Cult in China. Claiming to be the Heavenly Demon God might be tricky...]
"Don't worry. I founded that Heavenly Demon God Cult myself."
[...A criminal organization?]
"I've suppressed the illegal activities as much as possible. We generate income through entertainment districts and casinos. Of course, it's grown so massive that total control is impossible... but still."
The cult's followers alone numbered in the hundreds of thousands.
Controlling every action was out of the question.
Especially since they weren't homunculi.
"Back when I formed my guild, the major guilds sicced underworld crime syndicates on me. That's when I started smashing them one by one and taking over the shadows. With families like the Namgung Clan, Jeogal Clan, and sects like Mount Hua naming their guilds after themselves, I figured Heavenly Demon God Cult was a fine name too."
Kang-hyuk nodded as he listened to Hwa-ryun recount her past.
[So, when you naturalize into the Ryu Han Empire, what about the Shuran Guild and the Heavenly Demon God Cult?]
"I'll hand the master's seat in Shuran Guild to the vice-master. I'll keep the Heavenly Demon God Cult going. It'll help the Ryu Han Empire too."
No attachment to Shuran Guild?
Just handing over the master's position like that?
"You're more precious to me than Shuran Guild ever was."
[...]
Kang-hyuk quietly closed his eyes.
She really hadn't changed at all.
"Alice probably feels the same. More than that, you should visit the UK sometime."
[Hmm?]
"Word is, Alice retreated after losing to the elf generals. Even we couldn't handle multiple mid-level Grandmasters."
[Fair enough. I'll reach out to the Caliber Guild first. Heading to the UK without cause would be risky.]
Britain was friendly toward South Korea but not a formal ally.
Blind intervention wouldn't fly.
"I'll get my naturalization underway right away. My true home country is the one you built."
[...]
Kang-hyuk couldn't help but worry.
China would surely brand her a traitor.
Pressure would mount on the Ryu Han Empire to reject her naturalization.
"Criticism means nothing to me. And China will need the Ryu Han Empire's aid even more now? They'll gain two national power-level Hunters. If Alice joins too... that makes three."
A tiny territory harboring three national power-level Hunters.
[If I reveal I'm the emperor of the Ryu Han Empire and publicize Arbon's allegiance, it'll be four.]
In exchange, South Korea would lose its sole national power-level Hunter.
[We'll naturalize Arbon into the Ryu Han Empire but negotiate so it doesn't compromise South Korea's security too much.]
Whether stationing elite troops or large forces there, they'd have to discuss bolstering South Korea's defenses.
South Korea was the Ryu Han Empire's one and only ally.
Severing ties would put the empire in a tough spot too.
In the worst case, they'd seize parts of Manchuria, Primorye, and eastern Russia for expansion.
Act like they didn't give a damn about neighboring nations.
[Anyway, once the naturalization goes through, we'll cross the dimension gate immediately.]
"To raise us all to the highest Grandmaster level?"
[Exactly. If the dimension lords form an alliance... I couldn't fend them off alone. And there's always the chance of someone on my level existing.]
"Yes, that's why I've been hiding my abilities while farming skill experience. I'll reach the realm of extremity soon. Alice is probably in a similar spot... but getting pushed back by the generals suggests they're at mid Grandmaster peak—or maybe some high Grandmasters mixed in."
Entities rivaling the lords among them?
Not every lord was a highest Grandmaster.
9th Circle mages or high Grandmasters filled the gaps.
They just couldn't recklessly invade other dimensions without assessing their exact capabilities.
After hanging up with Hwa-ryun, Kang-hyuk immediately summoned his chief secretary and sent an email to the Caliber Guild.
[It'd be great if I could at least get Alice's contact info...]
"That's tricky... Wait, no—contacting the UK Hunter Association should get her work phone. Especially since it's a request from South Korea's national power-level Hunter who took down Lucas Howard."
[Ah...]
Kang-hyuk nodded, seeing the logic.
[I'll check for a reply from Caliber first...]
Mid-conversation, the chief secretary rushed in with Caliber Guild's response.
Kang-hyuk read it over and dismissed him from the office.
[They just forwarded my contact to Alice. Should hear from her soon.]
"Then, after you talk with Alice, call me back? It feels like our first chat in ages... I want to hear how you've been too."
[Security solid?]
"Don't worry. Even hackers can't crack my smartphone's security. More than mine, though..."
[The phone I'm on is secured by the Ryu Han Empire. Military-grade secrets level.]
Their conversation would leave no traces.
"Got it. Anyway, I'll hurry over to the Ryu Han Empire. I want to see your face in person, even a day sooner."
[Me too.]
"I love you."
[I love you too.]
Even after 10,000 years together, their feelings remained unchanged.
Hwa-ryun ended the call, her face flushed red.
She immediately summoned the Heavenly Demon God Cult's top executives.
Most were shadow-world Hunters who had reached Swordmaster realm.
"I've gathered you all for one reason. I'm leaving China soon to naturalize into the Ryu Han Empire."
"...?!"
Hundreds of top executives jolted in shock, staring at Hwa-ryun.
"What do you mean? The Ryu Han Empire...?"
"The Heavenly Demon God has descended upon this world."
"...?!"
Everyone flinched.
"Th...The Heavenly Demon God has...?"
"I will bring peace to this world alongside him."
"Wh...What's that got to do with the Ryu Han Empire?"
"Not even Lucas Howard could defeat the Spirit God."
"Pardon?"
Why bring up the Spirit God out of nowhere?
"The Heavenly Demon God is the one who defeated the Spirit God!"
"...?!"
"The Heavenly Demon God has descended to this world and now protects the Ryu Han Empire. I plan to join him there and serve at his side."
"Ah..."
"The Ryu Han Empire will soon implement a noble system. I've been promised a ducal title by the imperial family. I also intend to bring some of you top executives along—and they've promised you all earldoms as well."
Everyone swallowed hard.
Becoming nobles in the modern era?
It meant living in the light, not the shadows.
"Of course, if you've committed acts forbidden by law, I can't take you to the Ryu Han Empire."