Chapter 52
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Became the Last of the Giant Clan
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The Steel Beak Goblin's Mask, modified by the blacksmith Park Je-woo.
Kang Hyuk, who had entered the funeral hall with his face hidden behind that mask, unwittingly furrowed his brow.
"Kek, ptoo!"
A man standing at the entrance to the funeral hall.
He was brazenly hawking up phlegm and holding a cigarette in his mouth.
In a place that wasn't even a smoking area, Kang Hyuk's brows naturally knitted together at the man's shameless behavior.
'Can't cause a scene at a funeral hall... tch.'
He was trying to pretend he hadn't seen anything and head inside when—
"Ha, you punk. Persistent, aren't you?"
The man muttered as he exhaled a thick cloud of cigarette smoke.
"That's why his son kicked the bucket. Heard he was a D-rank hunter or something. Tch."
Kang Hyuk froze upon hearing the mutter.
Then he turned his gaze.
"What's up, mister? You know me?"
"......"
"Whoa, look at those eyes. You look like you wanna kill someone."
With those words, the man spat out the cigarette from his mouth and approached.
"Lower your damn eyes, or I'll smash you. Already got a headache from that Ha Nam-jin bastard, don't make me wanna see blood, huh?"
"......"
"Answer me, punk! You think you can toy with me...?"
It was the moment the man reached out toward Kang Hyuk's solar plexus.
"Uh, wha?"
Kang Hyuk grabbed the man's hand instead and pulled him close, whispering.
"Ha Nam-jin? From what I know, Ha Nam-jin is the father of Ha Seok-jin..."
"L-Let go! You punk, I said let go!"
"Why would that man's name come out of a scum like your mouth?"
The man bellowed at those words.
"Who the hell are you? You know Ha Nam-jin? Hired bodyguard or something?"
He tried to muster his strength to break free.
"......So, Mr. Ha Nam-jin. If you hand over the company, it'll be easier for you and for us, right?"
Thanks to activating the power of the giant, his hearing sharpened.
That keen hearing picked up the conversation from inside the funeral hall.
"Think of it as fate! Just retire comfortably, buy a country house, and live looking at your family—that might be the will of the gods!"
"H-How can you say such a thing! Even if you're the leader of a renowned guild like 'Thanos'!"
At the same time, Kang Hyuk's lips curled up.
A memory flashed by.
'Park Je-woo the blacksmith. The guild harassing him was Thanos, I think...'
And now.
The ones bullying who seemed to be Ha Seok-jin's father, Ha Nam-jin, inside were also from Thanos Guild.
"Understood. I'll hand over the company....... Please....... At least let my son's funeral end properly."
The voice presumed to be Ha Nam-jin's came through in the meantime.
Kang Hyuk swiftly assessed the situation and turned his gaze.
"Thanos Guild member, right?"
At the question, the guild member struggling to escape Kang Hyuk's grip scowled fiercely and yelled.
"Yeah, that's right, you punk! Now let go! Judging by your look, you're a hunter hired by Ha Nam-jin! If our Charging Lee Han-ul finds out, you're dead...!"
With the answer, something snapped.
"......?"
It was the man's hand, gripped in Kang Hyuk's fist.
"......Aaaargh!"
The Thanos guild member writhed in agony, screaming.
Kang Hyuk grabbed the back of his neck and hurled him into the funeral hall.
"Wha, what?"
"Little bro!"
The surprised Thanos guild members jumped to their feet.
Then they glared and shouted.
"Who the hell are you, punk!"
"Do you know who we are...!"
"Grab him first! Beat him and see!"
And they swarmed like bees.
But their momentum vanished the instant they swung their fists.
"What?"
He hadn't even seen how they fell or passed out.
With just a blink, all the guild members who had charged moments ago were rolling on the floor, groaning.
As Lee Han-ul, who had been watching, recoiled in shock, Kang Hyuk had already approached, grabbed his head, and muttered.
"Trash can't be recycled. Same with Park Je-woo the blacksmith—even after going through that, they should've learned to reflect."
Then he gripped his head tighter.
That instant.
"......!!!"
Indescribable pain dominated Lee Han-ul's entire body.
"Uwaaaah...... guk!"
He tried to scream, but even that failed.
The intruder's other hand had clamped over his mouth.
"Shh. Screaming in a funeral hall is bad manners."
"......Guh, guk!"
"I'd love to chop off an arm from each of you, but count yourselves lucky."
With those words, Kang Hyuk's grip tightened further.
'......!'
Amid the intensifying pain, Lee Han-ul couldn't even think of resisting; his eyes just widened in terror.
'Who the hell is this guy! What...'
An incomprehensible situation.
As his breath grew ragged and his mind clouded, a scene slowly surfaced in his head.
'No! Section Chief Kim! What did our Hyun-wook do wrong?'
Months ago, Na Hyun-wook imprisoned in the Hunter Special Prison.
It was the conversation he'd had with Section Chief Kim, the handler, to get him out.
'That punk committed a crime. What crime? Then why can't he get out!'
In that talk, Section Chief Kim—who he'd thought was fully on his side after long bribes—glared and warned him.
'Drop this, you fool. This is beyond what you can handle.'
'What're you saying, you drunk?'
'Drop it with that guy!!! Do you know who he messed with? One wrong move and your whole guild would've been wiped out!'
With that warning, Section Chief Kim whispered.
The identity of the hunter who had thrown Na Hyun-wook in prison.
And with that memory, Lee Han-ul finally couldn't endure the pain and blacked out.
"Kang Hyuk....... Guk!"
Only after confirming it did Kang Hyuk slowly release his grip.
Then he turned to Ha Nam-jin's terrified family and mourners.
"Wh-Who are you?"
At the question, Kang Hyuk bowed.
Blocking the surrounding view, he removed his mask.
That moment.
"......What?"
Ha Nam-jin's face filled with shock.
"Y-You..."
Kang Hyuk bowed briefly again.
"I've come to pay my respects, Mr. Ha, father of Ha Seok-jin."
* * *
This wasn't why he'd come.
He'd visited the funeral hall to offer condolences to a promising hunter who had died due to his own mistake.
'Even if it's not my fault, the mistake was mine. If I'd been a bit more careful, Ha Seok-jin might not have died.'
But by coincidence, he encountered the incident.
So he didn't avoid it.
As a result, Ha Nam-jin learned his identity, but he didn't mind much.
It was worth it.
"......Kuhuhk. My son!"
The pain of losing family.
Kang Hyuk, who knew better than anyone its weight.
"Seok-jin...... Seok-jin!"
"Oppa!!"
That was why Lee Han-ul had crossed the line.
No, not just crossed—it was an act deserving divine punishment.
"......Mr. Kang Hyuk. Matter resolved. Lee Han-ul and 32 other Thanos Guild members detained under Hunter Special Law Article 3, Paragraph 2: verbal abuse and threats against civilians, abuse of abilities, and 10 other charges. Looking at them....... Brutal. Real scum. Seems they've victimized others besides Mr. Ha Nam-jin."
If anything, he felt regretful.
He wanted to rip out that mouth that had spouted nonsense.
Whoosh!
The burial ceremony concluded amid flames.
Kang Hyuk, who had silently watched it all, realized it was time to leave and turned when—
"C-Could you spare a moment?"
Ha Seok-jin's father, Ha Nam-jin, approached.
"Of course."
Ha Nam-jin staggered to a secluded spot and sat, speaking.
"About this incident....... I don't know how to show my gratitude."
Kang Hyuk smiled faintly.
"No need. It's what any Hunter Association hunter should do."
Ha Nam-jin's eyes twitched.
Tears welled as he muttered.
"Then....... May I ask one question?"
"......?"
"I know I shouldn't say this. But I can't help asking. My son....... Seok-jin had no acquaintance like you."
Kang Hyuk's brow arched.
"Even if he dated secretly....... With his personality, he would've told me. But....... Mr. Kang Hyuk. Your presence here suggests you know something about my son's death."
A sharp insight.
Kang Hyuk's eyes gleamed briefly, then he shook his head.
'Can't tell him. It'd endanger not just Ha Seok-jin but Ha Nam-jin too.'
He still hadn't found traces of the 'assassin' sent by Dragon Lord Xiao Ran.
Revealing more to Ha Nam-jin could lead to unforeseen risks.
'But......'
Seeing Ha Nam-jin's tears and wrinkled eyes in his view shook that rational judgment.
'Do I have the right to block a father's grief over losing his son?'
Deep contemplation.
Cautiously, Kang Hyuk spoke.
"Yes. Ha Seok-jin and I....... weren't close."
"......Then!"
"Yes. It's related to his death. A few months ago, I......"
Of course, he didn't reveal everything he knew.
He glossed over parts Ha Nam-jin shouldn't hear and hid facts he couldn't deeply involve himself in.
But the key message got through; Ha Nam-jin burst into tears again.
"That fool!! If he needed money, he should've said so......! What was that!"
Kang Hyuk fell silent at the sobbing man.
As he reached for a handkerchief—
"Mr. Kang Hyuk....... If I may, one more request."
Ha Nam-jin made an unexpected proposal.
Kang Hyuk's eyes widened.
"Could you....... acquire my company?"
* * *
Kang Hyuk tilted his head at the sudden offer.
"......The company?"
In the short time, it was absurd coming from Ha Nam-jin's mouth.
But the explanation that followed slowly dropped Kang Hyuk's jaw.
"......I run a small pharmaceutical company. With my brother and Ha Hee-jin, who awakened the rare talent 'Alchemist' thanks to my daughter."
Alchemist Ha Hee-jin.
A name he knew well, coming from his mouth.
Ha Nam-jin's explanation continued.
"A few days ago, my daughter used her ability to develop a new drug. A pill that temporarily awakens and boosts physical abilities—passed Phase 2 trials. Only the final Phase 3 experiment left, and I predict it'll pass easily."
He pulled out a small pill.
Then swallowed it demonstratively in front of Kang Hyuk.
As the startled Kang Hyuk moved, Ha Nam-jin picked up a nearby stone.
And—
"Hup!"
Crushed it effortlessly.
"......"
Impossible for an ordinary civilian's grip strength.
Thus, Kang Hyuk realized in shock.
'......Not an illusion.'
The drug from Ha Hee-jin, hailed as one of the future's top alchemists.
'That Ha Hee-jin....... is Ha Nam-jin's daughter?'
The drug she created allowed even non-hunters to temporarily awaken and enhance their physical abilities—the world's first.
She was rumored to be among the world's richest, and in Korea, everyone knew the name Ha Hee-jin.
But more astonishingly.
"This one's already passed Phase 3. Not public yet, so less attention....... But yes. Once revealed, it'll turn the world upside down. As a hunter, you know—even alchemists rarely develop such drugs."
Ha Nam-jin was offering to sell the company of the world's top tycoon.
Thus, Kang Hyuk asked in bewilderment.
"You want to hand....... such a company to me?"
"Yes. After hearing that....... I have no will to run it anymore. In this state, it'd be a betrayal to my lifelong colleagues. So I want to hand over all data on this drug to someone trustworthy, someone who works for the world."
Ha Nam-jin's earnest reply.
His eyes told Kang Hyuk it was no lie.
'......'
Greed suddenly reared its head.
'If I could monopolize that drug....... and Alchemist Ha Hee-jin......'
Money would no longer be an issue in his plans.
Her drug would circulate worldwide, amassing vast funds, enabling far more.
'......'
But seizing that opportunity wasn't easy.
After deliberation, Kang Hyuk shook his head.
"Sorry, but I must decline."
He didn't deserve such an offer.
"......I'm not free from blame in this incident. If I'd warned Ha Seok-jin directly and been more attentive, I could've prevented it."
To Kang Hyuk, a true human knew 'shame.'
Accepting this would discard even that minimal conscience.
Greed tempted, but he politely refused.
He didn't want to be scum profiting slyly from Ha Nam-jin's grief via a small kindness.
"......"
Ha Nam-jin stopped crying.
He looked at Kang Hyuk with surprise.
After a moment's thought, a smile touched his lips for the first time.
"How is that your mistake, Mr. Kang Hyuk?"
Kang Hyuk's eyes widened.
"I don't think so at all."
As he spoke firmly again, the watching bulldogs muttered.
"Korea's S-rank."
The other two bulldogs echoed.
"......To that man."
A rippling shadow.
"Does he smell of the coffin?"
The shadow took the form of a grotesque monster with three heads.