Chapter 44
“It’s not entirely wrong, though, is it?”
“Well, yeah……”
The fairies were spraying spores at the armed hunters, stunning them left and right.
This wasn’t due to some internal rule like in a special-grade gate.
It was the fairies’ own arbitrary decision, born from their religious fanaticism. In simple terms, a sudden outburst from their deranged zeal.
‘The Greenbelt Gate is a C-grade gate.’
A gate that should have closed after dealing with a few boars or orcs.
But the fairies, in a gimmick-like twist, had fallen into corrupt religious teachings and started paralyzing humans to burn them alive as offerings. That was why, even in the future, the Greenbelt Gate Break would be recorded as an A++-grade disaster—thanks to the fairies’ madness.
The fairy dust they scattered had infested the local residents.
Not content with that, it even summoned a locust swarm from the continent.
The Greenbelt was a case where the aftermath was far more horrific than the gate itself.
“The problem with this Greenbelt Gate was the fairies. They were bewitched by the monster tree, chased down armed hunters, captured them, and offered them up as sacrifices. That’s what started everything.”
“……”
“Conversely, what happened after the fairies were wiped out? Did your bodies stiffen while fighting the tree with weapons?”
“No……”
“The reason’s right under your feet.”
Fairy corpses lay scattered in gruesome heaps. Most had been brutally torn apart by the very tree they worshipped as a god.
“The most dangerous monsters are essentially wiped out. So even if a gate break happens, would it really be that dangerous? Honestly, I don’t see anyone here who’d be scared of boars or orcs.”
Except for me, a true D-grade.
“……”
“Anyone want to answer?”
“No, not at all……”
“So my take is, even if a gate break occurs, it won’t be a problem.”
Everyone was stunned by my elaboration. Han Biyeol’s reaction was especially priceless—he’d been thoroughly used by me earlier.
Ignoring those flustered stares, my brother suddenly chimed in.
“Okay, got it. But what does the most toxic monsters to civilians being gone have to do with causing a gate break?”
Seo Boseok, my clear ally, threw the question that preempted everyone else’s.
I seized the momentum he’d handed me.
I jerked my chin upward, pointing at the massive elder tree dominating the landscape.
“The Paju area where the Greenbelt Gate spawned is border territory. Abyss Gates pop up constantly. Locals live in constant fear.”
“……Then just move away.”
Namgung Hyunil muttered gruffly. I shot him a sharp glare.
“That’s your thinking. Folks rooted to that land don’t just up and leave on a whim.”
“……”
Namgung Hyunil shut his mouth immediately.
A situation I couldn’t have dreamed of in my past life.
I’d just chewed out the master of a major guild, North Ocean Guild, based on reputation alone.
‘While we’re at it.’
Time to borrow my brother Seo Boseok’s halo properly, as his little bro.
“With Abyss Gates spawning so often, construction firms avoid building watchtowers here. Monsters wreck them anyway.”
“Wonseok, you’re saying we use that elder tree as a natural watchtower overlooking Paju?”
Sharp as ever, my brother.
I nodded.
“As a watchtower, and if hunters are late and a break happens, as a temporary shelter for locals.”
When a break occurs, the gate’s terrain spills into the human world.
“This spirit tree becomes an umbrella over Paju and the nearby DMZ. A shield against the hailstorm of the Abyss.”
“Extremely……”
My brother grinned.
“Ideal, right?”
Something he’d taught me.
Give the impoverished not fish, but the way to farm rice.
Seo Boseok’s creed as a hunter, his life’s path.
“I’m in favor.”
Seo Boseok declared his support.
The expected outcome, of course.
But after our little debate, it carried undeniable legitimacy.
I turned to the North Ocean Guild members, all eyeing each other warily.
“You came to the Greenbelt Gate to improve your image as hunters, right?”
“……Yes……”
“Outsiders will see the break as unavoidable, even with Seo Boseok involved. If North Ocean sticks around Paju temporarily to protect citizens?”
“……Ah!”
Finally getting it.
“Your guild master—Seo Boseok—is risking a dent in his reputation to give you this shot. It’ll be tiring, inefficient maybe. But long-term for your careers, this is pretty much your only chance to flip public opinion.”
Maybe because of the Surprise Texture Mask on my face.
I could deliver my speech stone-faced, voice laced with conviction.
“I-I’m fine with it, actually?”
“Yeah, me too. Honestly, I’m sick of the dirty gigs. Might as well call this retirement to the countryside……”
“And orcs and boars drop decent mana stones for the clear difficulty!”
The mood was shifting.
Plenty of pent-up resentment toward North Ocean Corp, it seemed. Aimed squarely at guild master Namgung Hyunil, no doubt.
‘This seals North Ocean’s fate.’
Just as I wanted.
On the surface, anyway.
‘Their good deeds are just a temporary show.’
Hard for meat-only hunters to switch to veggies overnight.
They thrived on violence.
Which meant I needed power beyond theirs to rein them in.
‘Even if North Ocean drops from the top five guilds, it’s just a stopgap.’
Another guild would fill the vacuum. Better to keep their position intact but reshape the organization’s nature.
‘To do that.’
I walked over to Namgung Hyunil. Spoke to the man who’d given up on everything.
“Be their anchor.”
Namgung Hyunil snorted, after a brief hesitation.
“With my arms and legs cut off? How?”
“You’re strong, Namgung Hyunil.”
“……What?”
“Unless they swarm you, even if more than half gang up, they can’t touch you.”
Well, well, that smirk.
Feigning stoicism with the Surprise Texture Mask, I coaxed him gently.
“And inertia from following you this long—they’ll fall back in line eventually. So rebuild here in Paju.”
“……You want me to hunt pigs in this hellhole?! Hunters all flock to Seoul eventually! North Ocean’s done for!!”
“You have the ability.”
Doppelganger.
His power to create clones.
The source of his strength.
“Don’t tell me……”
“Leave the Seoul branch to your doppelganger. You control them here.”
Namgung Hyunil swallowed hard.
Terror flashed in his uncovered eye. My masked face reflected in his trembling pupils.
Momentary fear, perhaps.
He spat an impulsive remark he shouldn’t have at an enemy like me.
“S-Say I go along with you. What if I round up the kids and ditch Paju?”
“No, you’ll stay in Paju.”
“What makes you so sure……?”
Hemo regurgitates paper from outside the world.
Right on cue—Hemo puked up the paper. The Eternal Pact Contract I’d splurged on at the 64 Building.
“Ten years.”
I filled out the contract deliberately.
Held it so he could read it with one eye.
“For ten years, you guard this place.”
He’d lost the will to fight. Thanks to my consistent cold-blooded act via the Surprise Texture Mask.
“……Who the hell are you?”
“Just a hunter.”
“No way, no……”
“It’s not who I am that matters. And.”
Namgung Hyunil had spilled much blood with his power to create minions.
Mine, the Eternal Blessing, only shone through blood manipulation.
Though the blessing forced me to drink blood.
I wouldn’t wear the mask of a blood demon.
“North Ocean suits the north. Meaningful to root here.”
Walking the opposite path of these hunters.
“Sign it.”
My vowed path of revenge.
I left Namgung Hyunil, soul drained.
The mood was chaotic. They’d agreed to let the gate break, but now seemed unsure what to do next.
So I’d give them purpose. Something these hot-blooded hunters would love.
“As long as you don’t exit via the gate entrance, the break will trigger.”
I scanned their faces.
“Fairies are mostly gone too—no need to stay unarmed.”
Exclamation marks popped over their heads. The hunters dropped their disarmament. Sword sheaths rang out clearly in the air—shing, shing.
“To cut down rumors, we gotta clear as many monsters as possible, right?”
Before I finished, Han Biyeol vanished like lightning.
‘Obsessed with EXP, as always.’
Offering Triggered
Han Biyeol → Seo Wonseok
Transferred EXP Amount: +565
Transferred EXP Amount: +134
Whoa, in a hurry.
‘Consistent, really.’
Once they were all gone, I quietly approached Baridegi.
She gazed at me in deer form. I smiled at her.
“Korea’s soil is fertile. The tree won’t recover quickly, but you’ll grow to like it here.”
「……How to thank you, I don’t know.」
“I’ve received plenty.”
「You,」
First time I’d seen it.
「are this land’s true spirit.」
A deer smiling kindly.
A few hours later.
“Eh, finally pulling their heads out of their asses.”
The soup house auntie tsked but smiled so wide her cheeks wrinkled.
She switched off the TV and tossed us a casual line.
“More kimchi?!”
I answered.
“Yes!”
“Never say no, do ya!”
Grumbling as always, she piled on the well-fermented kimchi.
Watching me polish off the stone bowl, my brother marveled.
“Feels like our situations flipped since before Greenbelt, huh?”
“You think?”
“Yeah. You……”
He lowered his voice.
“Gonna get some heat now.”
“From who?”
“Every hunter guild out there.”