Constellations Vanished, Namgung in Chaos
Namgung Sega's Constellation had vanished. On top of that, even the apostle contract was severed. Even for an obscure Constellation with little influence on a single nation, this would cause chaos—but the one that disappeared this time went far beyond that. The descendant of the Emperor Who Split the Heavens. A Constellation that influenced all of China and even produced a Master there. With such a being gone, the entire Earth was in an uproar.
And that wasn't all. News spread of the True Mountain Hermit—a Constellation they'd somehow kept contained until now—going missing. Even Leviathan and its subordinate Constellations had vanished entirely. At first, everyone dismissed it as rumors. Leviathan in particular had countless apostles. If such a Constellation disappeared, the noise would have erupted immediately... or so they thought, until Leviathan's apostles knelt before each nation's public authorities.
No one doubted it anymore once the self-proclaimed first apostle of Jealousy—an S-rank Hunter—got subdued by a B-rank Hunter. To make matters worse, countless sellers vanished from the deep web. Some fled after losing their Constellations, but most hid in fear that they might suffer the same fate. Namgung was on the brink of collapse, Hunters who'd committed crimes under Leviathan's protection were getting rounded up, and the global deep web fell silent... In this undeniable situation, everyone finally realized it.
Somewhere out there was a being who could kill or erase Constellations—and if things went wrong, even their patron might vanish too. Even America, which had planned to crush a weakened China immediately, now held its breath and watched the situation unfold.
Among them, China was the most chaotic and noisy. And within China, Namgung Sega Guild faced a situation that could drive them mad. The Supreme Patriarch of Namgung had sealed the gates. No—entered secluded cultivation. A Constellation's seclusion usually lasted about a century, right? Was Namgung facing total annihilation?
Someone picked the contract with the Constellation over Namgung. How would Namgung Bro know? What about Huashan Sect? Wudang? Kunlun? Beggars' Sect? That's just beggars. Emei and Shaolin? Don't worry about them—they're bald. Zhongnan, Jiancheng, Qingcheng, Hengshan, Hainan... Ah, forget it. Focus on the Sega first—the Sega is crucial.
Huangbo and Peng Family's situation... They're heading to Korea? Moyong and Zhuge joined hands... and went to Korea? Tang Clan took compensation for old debts... and went to Korea? Even the Guild Master personally? Isn't that a total jackpot? Ah, but they hit Namgung on the way... Hurry and bring back the Heaven-Splitting Sword Lord. Seclusion or whatever, this isn't the time.
The Heaven-Splitting Sword Lord already went to Korea...? Then at least drag Namgung Pyo back and put him in charge. Even an idiot like him has piled up enough grudges everywhere to buy time. But Namgung Pyo is already in Korea...?
"Then what do we do?"
All of Namgung's executives gathered, argued for five hours, and racked their brains. The meeting's conclusion? "Then what do we do?" It was truly a dire situation.
In the midst of that, messengers and forces from every guild were swarming into Namgung. At this rate, they'd lose every bit of wealth Namgung had amassed. But there was nothing they could do. Without their Constellation or the reliable Namgung Hwi, what could they do? Absolutely nothing. Namgung Sega Guild was forced to confront the truth once more: their guild had been propped up single-handedly by Namgung Hwi.
"What the hell does Korea even have that everyone's flocking there?"
"...Beats me."
"Should we go too? Just the executives."
"We can't..."
"Why?"
"The Heaven-Splitting Sword Lord's return is uncertain, so we're under an exit ban. We're hostages."
"You think that guy would come rescue us?"
"...He probably wouldn't."
Executive 1 and Executive 2 let out heavy sighs and lit their cigarettes in solidarity.
"We're fucked..."
After spending hours cleaning up the aftermath, the Association Chief, Haneul, and Baek Hye-seo entered the chief's office to rest while hearing Haneul's side of the story.
"What the hell happened in one day...?"
"Right?"
"Ha, Haneul, you okay? No injuries? I saw that lightning strike. It was awesome...!"
"I'm pretty awesome, yeah."
"Ah, my head hurts..."
The Association Chief staggered like he might collapse and flopped onto the sofa. Haneul and Baek Hye-seo, trailing behind him, naturally sat across from him.
Namgung Hyeok was originally supposed to join them, but with Namgung Sega Guild in turmoil, the chief sent him back to handle guild matters first.
And the culprit behind it all, Haneul—like a country bumpkin fresh in the capital—glanced around and said,
"For an Association Chief's office, it's surprisingly modest."
"...What's the point of making a workplace flashy?"
"Ooh, fair point."
"So, what exactly happened?"
The chief looked at Haneul with weary eyes. They'd just come from writing a report with Baek Hye-seo on the disaster-grade breach. It was definitely a breach, but every monster that emerged was already dead, so it made sense for the two people with the most info on-site to handle the report.
But a massive bolt of lightning surging over the hospital where Haneul was tied up? That was not normal.
When the chief and Baek Hye-seo rushed to the scene, they found Namgung Pyo collapsed in a puddle of his own piss, Namgung guild members pale as ghosts, and Haneul cheerfully rifling through Namgung's pockets with a bright smile.
If that's all it had been, there wouldn't be such a headache. But after Haneul and Namgung Pyo's spar, Namgung Sega's Constellation vanished and the apostle contract severed... So they couldn't help but think:
Did Hunter Yoo Haneul do this?
"Ah, of course, I'm not blaming Hunter Yoo Haneul. If anything, I want to say you handled it too well. Those Chinese guys were a huge pain anyway... er, top-notch."
"Yeah, exactly. I did it all."
At Haneul's bold admission, Baek Hye-seo whispered in shock,
"H-Haneul. Doesn't that make you the Black Sky from the prophecy...? We might not think so, but other Hunters definitely will...!"
"Huh? I didn't do it. I'm the White Sky. I just severed the Constellation-apostle link. I didn't eat or kill the Constellation."
But if it's the Black Sky, shouldn't they be looking in the West? Just as Haneul was about to voice that doubt, the chief spoke first. A fortunate timing.
"You severed the Constellation-apostle connection...?"
"Yep."
"How?"
"Sliced here, sliced there?"
"How did you do the slicing?"
"Ah, well, actually."
At that point, Haneul felt her words physically blocked. Not because she had nothing to say, but literally.
Dare to silence me? In this democratic nation? Not let me speak?
She chewed her tongue, gnawed her cheek, bit her lip—and finally her mouth opened. Haneul continued with a victor's smile.
"Ah, well, actually, I spammed the 500-Million-Year Button, went lived in another world, and came back?"
"Ah..."
A sigh? Admiration? The chief's voice cut Haneul off.
Haneul's eyes sparkled as she asked,
"Hey, Chief, you know the 500-Million-Year Button? Ever pressed it? How many times? Did you lose your memories? Did the money come? Ah, but if memories are wiped, you wouldn't know, right?"
"I know of it, but wait. Just a sec."
He knew the 50,000-Year Button, not 500 million. One of America's Masters pressed it and became a Master. He forgot what happened inside, leaving his mind unstable, but he's still top-five strongest. So maybe Haneul too? 500 million must be a mix-up—probably the 50,000-Year Button.
As the chief pondered, Baek Hye-seo sidled closer and whispered,
"Haneul, the 500-Million-Year Button... the one where you go to another world for 500 million years?"
"Huh? Hye-seo knows it too?"
"Yeah, I read about it in a creepy stories book once. You get money but have to live 500 million years... and they wipe your memories when you come back, I think?"
Lonely Baek Hye-seo had always been close to books. Her favorites? Mysteries, romance, and creepy tales.
"Ooh, yeah. But it's not a creepypasta—it's real. Hey, does your Constellation know? King of Wisdom with the 72 Demons—know the 500-Million-Year Button? Ever pressed it?"
Baek Hye-seo glanced at the air and shook her head.
King of Wisdom Who Handles 72 Demons shakes his head, saying it's something even he doesn't know.
"Says he doesn't know. And even if it exists, he wouldn't press it."
"Must be rich. Anyway, I just mashed it and went to another world."
"How do you remember it, Haneul?"
"Glitched—memories didn't wipe. And they didn't even pay me? Total scam. Thinking about it pisses me off again."
Baek Hye-seo blinked blankly. She clearly didn't buy Haneul's story.
The King of Wisdom felt the same. Few beings could keep a human alive for 500 million years. Even fewer Constellations could maintain that space that long. And wiping those memories? After surviving 500 million years, the human's stature would elevate—erasing that would be incredibly difficult.
Yet they made the button, implying they could erase it, but glitched? Absurd piled on impossible. So the King shook his head at the impossibility.
But he avoided absolutes like "never" or "impossible." Such a being might exist somewhere. A Constellation whose name truly fit.
True to her patron, Baek Hye-seo didn't press Haneul on it.
"Haneul's amazing... Doesn't that make you super strong?"
"Yeah, super strong. You saw last time."
"Ah... right, I did."
"That was just 20% of my power? If I go all out, the Earth splits in half."
"Whoa... Haneul's awesome. Amazing. Incredible."
"Right?"
The chief, lost in thought for a while, finally spoke.
"Hunter Yoo Haneul."
His expression mixed slight confusion, considerable anticipation, and odd worry—terribly complex.
"For now, how about we keep today's talk just between us?"
"The 500-Million-Year Button? Or sealing that sky-whatever's mouth and eyes? Or my memories not wiping? Or not getting paid? Which one?"
"...All of it."
"Oing? Why?"
"But no need to hide how strong Hunter Yoo Haneul is."
Haneul nodded vigorously after a moment's thought.
"Show the strength, hide the reason? Feels like I'm Korea's secret weapon. Gives diplomatic edge, right? With China shaky, maybe cut a sweet deal with America too."
"...What?"
The chief stared at Haneul in bewilderment.
"Hunter Yoo Haneul, don't get too smart all of a sudden. It's startling speechless."
"I've always been smart."
Even Baek Hye-seo looked at Haneul with bewilderment, for once.
"Anyway, Hunter Yoo Haneul's right. Honestly, I don't get the situation, but we can leverage it somehow."
Haneul unusually stayed quiet, listening.
The chief pressed on eagerly.
"In exchange, I'll issue an A-rank Hunter license within half a year, somehow. S-rank needs a promotion ceremony at the US Association, but you can go right after A-rank. And you mentioned a house—we can provide one."
"O."
"Utilities covered, of course. Need a car? We'll hire a driver too. Housework a hassle? Maid service. Taxes? Master-level full exemption—just pay 3% yearly and get refunded. Need gear? Access to Korea Association HQ warehouse. If not enough, I'll swing US Hunter Association central warehouse rights. Anything else you want, we'll accommodate max. How's that?"
"O..."
An avalanche of perks. Haneul, not fully grasping it all, glanced at Baek Hye-seo. Her usually stoic face gaped wide—must be huge benefits.
Don't change nationality, probably. But Haneul had no plans to leave Korea anyway.
Haneul nodded briskly.
"Sounds good."
And at that moment—knock knock. Someone rapped on the chief's door.
The chief's face twisted.
Korea's fate hung in the balance—who dares interrupt?
"I said not to come up unless urgent—it's posted on the door too—"
"Sorry. But it's a bit urgent—could you make an exception?"
Slightly awkward Korean. A voice new to Haneul, but familiar to the chief and Baek Hye-seo.
"It's Namgung Hwi. Here to see an esteemed guest."