Chapter 27
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Became the Last Giant Clan
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Kang Hyuk tilted his head at their conversation.
Shadow of Swiftness.
An unexpected story had popped out of Abdullah's mouth.
'A legendary item is slumbering here in Gangwon Province?'
There were only 100 artifacts like it in the entire world.
That was why legendary artifacts were said to have the potential to boost a hunter's rank just by existing.
In other words, this wasn't the kind of place where such an item would turn up.
'You'd need to raid an A-rank gate—the highest rated gate currently—to even have a shot at one.'
Considering that, Abdullah's claim was hard to believe.
No matter how much of a monster den Gangwon had become, the odds of it holding something like that were zero.
And that doubt...
"......But are you sure about this? That there's a legendary item?"
Ha Seok-jin, the master of the Tyrant Guild who'd been contracted to clear the dungeon, felt the same way.
"I've reviewed the documents you sent thoroughly...... but I'd still like to confirm it with my own eyes. That a legendary item is really there."
Abdullah tilted back his drink at the sight.
At the same time, the tattoo on his head gleamed.
"Why are Koreans so damn suspicious?"
"......I just want to be certain."
"Fine, whatever. I wasn't planning to show you this much proof, but take a good look."
With that, Abdullah pulled out his smartphone.
Kang Hyuk's eyes flashed in response.
Power of the Last Giant Clan activates.
You acquire Giant's Vision.
Power of the Last Giant Clan: 3%
In that instant, the smartphone's video appeared before Kang Hyuk, ignoring all sense of distance.
'Aaaah!'
'Li Chun-jang! Get back, it's dangerous!'
'B-but......'
'Damn it! We have to save Li Chun-jang!'
'Move, quick!'
The footage showed a team pushing through a dark tunnel.
'Judging by their gear and language, a Chinese hunter party?'
As Kang Hyuk nursed his drink and focused on the video, something sharp and gleaming caught his eye.
His brows furrowed.
One of the world's most famous items had entered his view.
'......Isn't that the Sun Shield?'
A legendary item that freely wielded the power of the sun.
The impenetrable fortress dreamed of by shield-bearing warrior hunters had appeared in the footage.
'Why's that there?'
He couldn't make sense of it.
The Sun Shield already had an owner.
Baibai Corporation, hailed as China's top company.
The chairman's son had bought the Sun Shield at auction.
'Shattering artifact price records in the process. Heard he burned through 30% of the company's shares for it.'
Given Baibai's status, it was an astronomical sum.
Every hunter knew of the Sun Shield because of it.
Meanwhile, Ha Seok-jin realized what it was and gaped in shock.
"......That's!"
"Right. Li Chun-jang, a C-rank hunter—one of the hundred owners of a legendary item in the world."
"Th-then......"
"Look up the news. You'll find articles about his recent disappearance. I discovered he'd entered Korea and vanished in Gangwon Province."
Abdullah turned off the phone screen.
The video had ended.
"Satisfied, Master Ha? That's solid proof, wouldn't you say?"
"......"
"This smartphone runs on mana—an artifact. Can't lie with it."
"But......"
"Plus, I've already scouted ahead. The area where Li Chun-jang vanished is an orc den. Considering their ranks...... well, he probably ran into an orc that's evolved into a boss monster. But when I was there, nothing was emitting that kind of aura."
The explanation felt inconsistent somewhere.
Ha Seok-jin hesitated.
"C-could you give us a bit more time?"
"No can do. We settle this here. If you pass, I'll hire someone else. It's an item worth 30% of Baibai's shares."
"......"
"Low risk for the payoff. Just cull some orcs and grab the legendary item slumbering in the dungeon. If you had the credit, I'd hand this job to anyone."
Under the pressure, Ha Seok-jin squeezed his eyes shut.
He recalled the massive debt hanging over his guild.
'Damn it.'
Not every hunter was rich.
For smaller guilds, maintenance and taxes often meant operating at a loss.
Tyrant Guild, under Ha Seok-jin, had recently fallen victim to a contract scam, saddling them with enormous guarantees and debts.
'Tried to snag the gate monopoly in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do...... overextended the funds and got stabbed in the back.'
If he couldn't scrape together the cash soon, the guild would fold—and his future with it.
In that light, this absurd offer was too tempting to refuse, even knowing better.
'A rotten rope to cling to...... I know it's obvious, but without this gamble, can I and the guild even survive?'
He looked up.
Abdullah, savoring the moment over his drink, smirked.
"We'll do it."
Kang Hyuk set down his glass.
"We'll accept the offer."
The next morning.
Abdullah entered Gangwon Province's Zone 1, explaining as he went.
"Split is exactly 50-50."
He began climbing the mountain with practiced ease.
"50-50 on whatever the legendary item fetches. We'll divide the money right down the middle."
Ha Seok-jin nodded with effort, while his eight guildmates eyed the bald man warily.
"So your job is to handle the orcs in my place. As you can see, I'm no fighter."
But they'd already committed.
No backing out now. They hid their unease and followed.
"......"
Kang Hyuk trailed them silently, concealing his presence, lost in thought.
'Lies. Sun Shield's owner, Li Chun-jang, didn't vanish in Korea. Middle Eastern terrorists kidnapped him and stole the item.'
In the future.
It was a scandal that rocked the world.
The notorious Middle Eastern evil organization snatched a Sun Shield worth 30% of Baibai shares.
Baibai slapped a 100 billion won bounty on their heads for extermination, drawing promising hunters worldwide to hunt the terrorists.
'Meaning neither Li Chun-jang nor the Sun Shield is in Korea. But......'
Shadow of Swiftness Abdullah was cunningly weaving lies to lure them in.
'That mana-recorded footage was real, though. So Li Chun-jang's disappearance...... ties to Abdullah?'
Kang Hyuk cocked his head.
'Why? No reason to pull this stunt in Korea.'
As he narrowed his eyes and observed, Abdullah halted.
"Here."
Ha Seok-jin and the Tyrant guildmates swallowed dryly.
"Typical orc den, as you see."
Abdullah lit a cigarette and exhaled smoke.
"Anything else to check?"
At his toss-away question, Ha Seok-jin signaled.
The Tyrant mage stepped forward and cast a detection spell.
"......Nothing. No life force stronger than orcs."
Abdullah chuckled softly and looked away.
"......"
Ha Seok-jin caught the glance, lips twitching before issuing the order.
"Tyrant Guild. We sweep the orc dungeon now."
"Tanks handle melee! Ranged DPS support the healers and mages—Healers and mages, keep the tanks covered!"
Ha Seok-jin and Tyrant Guild were fairly skilled.
Proof: Ha Seok-jin ranked high among D-rank hunters, the rest E-rank.
"Hold formation! We can hunt any orc swarm if we sync up! Don't fall back!"
Hence the massive debt.
A top D-rank could lead a team in a major guild.
Their credit was sky-high compared to average hunters.
'......Only a legendary item pays off this debt!'
'We'll grab it no matter what. For our future!'
Their elite D-rank status now shackled them.
Tyrant Guild poured everything into hunting orcs.
Squeeech!
Their efforts paid off handsomely.
Orcs, Gangwon's most populous yet dangerous monsters.
Squeeech!
They felled E-to-D-rank variants without a scratch.
"Good! Last one!"
With the shout, warriors buried axes in the final orc blocking their path.
Healers buffed and mages covered in follow-up.
Ranged DPS pierced it cleanly.
Squeeech!
The flawless combo dropped orcs without resistance.
Abdullah grinned.
'左右逢源 (Everything's going smoothly).'
He recalled his Chinese boss, superior Xiao Ran, muttering to himself.
'Last chance either way. No mistakes.'
He addressed Ha Seok-jin, resting after the fight.
"Almost there. Intel says there's a plaza ahead—the dungeon's end."
Ha Seok-jin's eyes lit up.
"......Got it. Stick with us to the end."
"My pleasure."
Ha Seok-jin rose, conferring with his team.
"Just a bit more grind. Then our lives change forever."
One guildmate asked.
"Master, you really think a legendary item's here?"
"We hope. Even if not, low risk. Orc soulstones fetch good prices anyway."
"......True, but if there is one, what'll you do?"
"First, bounty on the bastard who scammed us."
The guild laughed.
"That do it? Nah, smash him flat!"
"Or buy up all Jinju gates. Go full tyrant!"
"Build a massive HQ. 63 Building? We'll do 64!"
Their laughter grew echoing through the dark tunnel.
A long-shot gamble.
But easier than expected, no hiccups—dreams bloomed.
Thus, one by one.
Shaking off unease for rosy futures.
"......?"
A massive plaza appeared, as Abdullah said.
Too vast and grand for a monster den.
Marble floors.
Four enormous pillars evoking a temple.
At their end.
A throne veiled in cunning shadows.
No matter how monsters warped environments, this plaza felt alien.
"......What the hell?"
"This ain't what we heard......"
Tyrant members and Ha Seok-jin sensed the wrongness, whipping around.
Searching for Abdullah.
"What?!"
The front-walker had vanished.
"Wh-where'd he go! That Chinese guy!"
"Why's he gone?! Where?!"
Panicked shouts from Ha Seok-jin and Tyrant.
As they moved—
Thud!
A massive gate slammed down the way back.
Thud!
The shadowed throne stirred.
Or seemed to.
"......"
Stunned, Ha Seok-jin and Tyrant froze.
Terror-filled eyes fixed on the emerging beast piercing the dark.
"That's......"
Someone murmured.
"That's......!"
Ha Seok-jin bellowed.
"Run!"
Another screamed.
"We're all dead—run!!!"
The air warped with the cry.
The shock froze Tyrant; Ha Seok-jin gaped.
Something tore through the darkness.
Kroooaaar!
Greenskin overlord.
Beyond orcs or goblins.
Kroooaaaarrr!!
Gigantic god.
An ogre.