Chapter 264
Chapter 264
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 264
Chapter Title: Spear King Jinja (5)
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Spear King Jinja!
The death of China’s number one ranker!
The bloody clash between two top-tier rankers was an all-time event that turned the world upside down.
[Major foreign media like US CNN evaluate the duel between the two rankers as “the greatest showdown in history.”]
[China’s star, Jinja. Passes away at the age of 82. Waves of mourning sweep across China.]
[World Ranking 17th, Dual-Wield Swordsman Octavia Spencer: “Was 19th, then 18th, now 17th? I love Joo Dong-hoon!”]
Hyper rankers—the term for world rankings 1 through 10.
Not only had that ranking, which had been as solid as concrete, finally shifted.
A ranker had died...
It was more than enough to capture the attention of everyone in the world.
└ That was a seriously insane duel. Agreed.
└ But why did they fight?
└ Who knows. Probably some personal grudge?
└ Immortal Assembly Chairman... In my memory, he was definitely a good guy...
└ I’m Chinese. Honestly, I don’t get why Joo Dong-hoon had to go as far as killing our country’s ranker. If he was just that skilled, couldn’t he have taught him a lesson and left it at that?
└ Exactly! Joo Dong-hoon, apologize! And South Korea, compensate us!
└ You think being a hunter powerhouse makes you invincible? Human life is sacred!
Of course, not everyone was cheering.
In particular, some Chinese netizens were furious.
After all, the Spear King was China’s pride and joy, no matter what.
But.
- We understand China’s loss of a precious ranker.
Vice Guild Master Kim Jin-ah of Celestial Realm responded immediately.
- But this fight was a personal quarrel with no involvement from national ideologies or politics. There’s no reason for South Korea to compensate. Plus, to be blunt, we were the ones who got ambushed first. If anything, we’re the ones who should be demanding compensation.
With incredibly strong wording.
- Normally, we could use Celestial Realm’s power for excessive retaliation, but we’ll end it here. We’re an organization aimed at profit, not tyrants. However, if you cross the line again, we can’t guarantee what comes next. It’ll turn into an emotional issue then. That’s all.
You threw the first punch, didn’t you?
But hey, that was the Spear King’s fault, so we won’t say anything to you.
So don’t push it.
Or we might exercise more force than necessary.
That was the summary.
It could come across as arrogant or overbearing.
But.
└ Damn.
└ Yeah, that’s the way!
└ Aaaah, so refreshing! That’s the sweet revenge we wanted!
└ Fr, respecting the weak while saying what needs to be said with that composure. I respect you, Kim Jin-ah-sensei...
└ As expected of a Harvard grad, there’s something different about her.
└ She was famous even before joining Celestial Realm, right?
The overwhelming majority sided with Kim Jin-ah.
Many shouted “Celestial Realm forever!” and crushed the Chinese comments.
└ Spear King? Honestly, he deserved to die.
└ Yeah, didn’t he come to South Korea first? Lol.
└ Heard his reputation’s been trash lately. He used to be nice, but rumors say he’s gone completely senile.
└ Anyway, what do we care? It’s just some fight between otherworldly elites who have nothing to do with regular folks like us. Demanding compensation? Lololol.
No second Spear King should rise!
If we let this slide, we’ll live like wild animals!
And so on.
Countless opinions defending China emerged, but they were buried.
What could they do?
He came of his own accord and got killed trying to kill someone—what could anyone say?
Even if they wanted to complain.
China couldn’t attack South Korea.
Because South Korea had Ha Se-ra.
And besides.
- Joo Dong-hoon was wrong? That’s nonsense! If anyone says that in front of me, look forward to it. I plan to crack open their skull and experiment on how such thinking is possible.
It was an actual statement from the Magic Tower Master, Sophia Silverstone.
As Celestial Realm’s eternal ally, the UK side came out strong.
And it didn’t stop there.
- I agree. Haven’t we adapted enough to this changed world? Whether ranker or nation, if you strike first, you pay the price—that’s the rule of hunter society.
Even world ranking 2nd, the Demon King Jack Smith, stepped in.
It was as good as the entire world siding with Joo Dong-hoon.
└ This what they call connections through school, blood, or region?
└ In a world ruled by power, the organizations that best embody it have all acknowledged it. Case closed.
└ Yeah, situation over. Done. China bb.
Naturally, the controversy had no choice but to settle there.
The problem was.
This video had revealed Joo Dong-hoon’s true abilities.
If anything, the media focused intensely on that.
And people paid even more attention to it.
- Look at this scene! See it? Right here, Joo Dong-hoon with gauntlets throws a punch! But look! After 0.1 seconds? It’s a spear!
- Is it an item that transforms weapons?
- Skill or item, one of the two!
Panels with expert labels came out, capturing and analyzing scenes in slow motion.
- Look! The spear turns into a sword, a dagger, a bow. Even here! Into a club!
- What kind of class allows this? Or does it even make sense?
Overseas experts jumped in too.
Some were rankers in the top 1,000.
But.
They all shook their heads.
- I don’t know.
- Even if it’s a skill, it’s problematic. The way he uses each tool is subtly different. Like giving a fencing athlete a katana—they won’t suddenly swordfight like a national representative, right? But Joo Dong-hoon’s different. Every technique is at master level, beyond that.
- Isn’t it something like this?
- Like what?
- Y’know, possessing ghosts who mastered each weapon to the max in the past. On his own body. There’s tons of manga like that.
- Oh, that Ghost King or whatever?
- Hmm, even so... repeating possessions in 0.1 seconds...
- No! I’m a possession specialist hunter!
- Pardon?
- From thousands of possessions, there’s always a preheat time for possession. Linking that fast with possession? Impossible. That’s the movement of one person who’s completely mastered every technique!
No matter how much they discussed.
Their conclusion was one.
We don’t know why!
While they were at it.
Thunderclap Floa dismissed it all with one line in an article.
“I told you. He’s going to be a legend soon. He’s not someone you try to understand with common sense.”
Even Jang Dae-woong, newly joined Celestial Realm, tossed a line at a reporter.
“Little bro? Little bro’s stronger than me with just his fists. But wait. I’ll catch up soon.”
In the end, the world nodded.
Less understanding, more acceptance.
Let’s not try to understand hyper rankers, Joo Dong-hoon aside.
They’re not human—they’re gods.
* * *
Wurung Do-won, temporary meeting room.
“Whew.”
I sat down after coming out at Kim Jin-ah’s call and swiped through my phone.
“Total chaos. Absolute chaos.”
Checking communities and news.
Most people were still talking about me.
Press here, tap there—everywhere was full of praise for me.
“......”
I chewed my lip.
Why was that.
Back in the day, I’d have been covered in goosebumps and awkward as hell, but now? Nothing.
Was my skin getting thicker?
Well, about time I got used to it.
Hyper ranker—self-proclaimed and acknowledged as Earth’s top celeb.
“Sigh, our guild master can’t rest even when told to. Such is fate, huh.”
Clunk!
That’s when Kim Jin-ah burst in through the door.
She looked exhausted from announcing positions and explaining the situation everywhere.
“Handled things well with the Association side.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, Guild Master. They apologized for the late support? I just brushed it off as fine. Honestly, with the Spear King grandpa showing up, the Association couldn’t have done much.”
“Good job. Good is good.”
No need for Association support.
Wouldn’t have helped anyway, wouldn’t have changed a thing.
“Oh, and the Chinese Association side just accepted it too. Accepted? Pfft, ridiculous. If I could, I’d slice a throat or two!”
Kim Jin-ah mimed slashing her hand viciously.
Coming from someone who’d actually beheaded a president, it felt all too real.
“Daring to touch our Guild Master. Accepted? Suuubmiiit? Should we just wipe out the country and all?”
“Whoa, whoa.”
I smiled and calmed her down.
“Sorry you’re working so hard because of me, Vice Guild Master.”
As always.
I think it every time—Kim Jin-ah’s capabilities are top-notch.
Me? Just killed the Spear King and done.
But in the meantime, how much had she run around.
Coordinating here and there, making judgments.
Must’ve put in real effort.
Yet here she was, worrying only about my mood.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m not bothered.”
“Got it. If Guild Master says not to worry, I’ll forget right away. Should I erase it from my memory?”
Smiling brightly like she’d never been scary.
She reported on the situation.
Ui-wang City land purchase, building blueprints, material prep, organizational changes, even financial accounting.
Concise and easy to understand, and I nodded along without paying full attention.
It was Kim Jin-ah, after all.
She’d handle it perfectly.
Swish.
I stood, rolling up my sleeves.
“Hm? Where you headed?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded.
Truth was, something had been nagging at me since earlier.
“Gotta head somewhere quick. Be right back.”
* * *
China’s capital.
Beijing was enveloped in mourning day after day.
Whoosh!
The Spear King’s ashes, recovered by the Association, burned brightly.
The national chairman and executives soothed the people’s grief at the Great Hall.
Spear King Jinja.
He’d caused an incident and died for it, but he was once the man who shone for China.
The one who elevated the nation to superpower status through hyper rankers.
The funeral had to be grand.
The people came out with candles.
Waves of mourning continued for days.
And in one corner.
“......”
A man with clasped hands and a bitter expression stood.
China’s once-in-a-generation genius.
Spear King’s disciple, Judgment Spear Jang Wei.
He stared at the marching casket, clutching a white flower.
‘Was time this cruel?’
His eyes reddened.
Just days ago, his master had been full of vigor.
The Immortal Assembly chairman who’d preached living righteously had turned to ash.
The collapse of his master’s character hit even harder as grief.
‘Master’s final moments were undoubtedly.’
Greedy.
And not just that.
Laced with killing intent.
Something he should have judged himself.
But.
He was human too.
A master is like a parent in his place.
How could it not hurt?
His hands trembled.
His heart ached.
As he spaced out in disbelief.
Tap!
A hand touched his shoulder.
A man in a suspicious mask.
Judgment Spear recognized him instantly.
‘Friend.’
The one who’d ultimately punished his master.
He’d come secretly to comfort him.
“......”
It was hard, agonizing.
But he didn’t fail to understand his actions.
If anything, he’d have been angry if his master hadn’t been punished.
‘Joo Dong-hoon isn’t the Buddha.’
His friend was just human, like him.
Not some saint who offers his body to a starving tiger out of pity.
The current situation.
He’d anticipated it fully, steeled himself for it.
“......”
Judgment Spear nodded silently.
Pat pat!
The man patted his shoulder once more, bowed his head, and slipped away.
Comfort from the one who killed his master.
It weighed heavily, but was also a solace.
In the end.
He’d judged the one who needed judging, in his stead.