Chapter 5
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Leon Guild (2)
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Kaboom!
The concrete wall that Jeong Seong-woo had slammed into cracked around him like a spiderweb.
It was a blow that would have turned an ordinary person into mincemeat and sent their soul straight to the heavens.
But Jeong Seong-woo didn't meet that fate.
I stared at the golden energy enveloping his body and muttered to myself.
"Protective Aura... So it can even be manifested like this."
However...
"It's amateurish."
It wasn't true Battle Aura—just a clumsy imitation of a protective barrier.
That half-baked Protective Aura shattered under one kick from me and scattered away pathetically.
Krunch!
"Gaaahhh!"
"Hey, I didn't do anything that bad... Why'd you have to pull out that vicious hammer? Huh?"
"This is assault...! It's all being recorded right now...!"
"Oh, really?"
I glanced over and spotted a small orb hovering around the guy.
So that's the kind of cameras they have these days.
Technology's advancing way too fast.
With that thought, I took another step toward him.
"But you know what?"
"...?"
"Returnees right after coming back are treated as civilians until they register as returnees."
"Re... turnee?"
His eyes started trembling violently.
"From what I hear, the scope of legitimate self-defense for civilians against Awakeners is pretty broad. So..."
Rumble...!
Terrifying power gathered in my tightly clenched right fist.
It was jet-black Battle Aura.
The darkness of annihilation that devoured all light.
"Even if I beat you to death right here, I wouldn't be guilty of anything."
There was no need to unleash a martial technique.
Just a plain old punch.
For one who has attained enlightenment, even the simplest gesture carries profound truth.
Boom!
A fist-sized hole punched straight through the wall right next to Jeong Seong-woo's head.
That strike precisely obliterated the orb-shaped camera that had been filming him.
"..."
The guy rolled his eyes back and passed out cold.
I lost interest in him and turned my gaze toward the bushes in the park.
Speaking toward the covert gaze watching me.
"Enjoy the show, Ms. Han Su-hyeon?"
Then...
"...You knew I was here."
Han Su-hyeon emerged from the bushes, scratching the back of her head awkwardly.
**
Han Su-hyeon looked down at her trembling hands.
That single punch of his.
The moment she saw it, a seed of fear took deep root in her heart.
If I had been in that position...
Would the outcome have been different?
Could I have blocked it? Or dodged it?
She was a skilled martial artist who had reached a considerable realm herself, but the truth embedded in that punch was impossible for her to even comprehend, let alone imitate.
"..."
"Why are you just standing there all spaced out?"
"...I was just a little surprised."
"Is it living up to your expectations?"
Baek Seon-woo asked her point-blank.
Han Su-hyeon had already noticed he wasn't one for beating around the bush.
"...It far exceeded them."
"Hmm..."
He tilted his head as if pondering for a moment.
Han Su-hyeon's clenched palms were slick with sweat.
She had seen it in Essedrin.
The transcendent being called the Demon King wielding his authority.
The scene of countless hopes crumbling at a single gesture replayed in her mind.
Was the man before her inferior to that Demon King?
...Absolutely not.
She could sense it instinctively.
A being who could sweep away the earth and all life upon it just because he felt 'annoyed.'
Before such an overwhelming calamity, all one could do was beg for divine mercy.
She knew that fact all too well.
She prayed he was still a being bound by common sense.
That he hadn't fully shed his humanity yet.
Han Su-hyeon prayed fervently.
And after an eternity packed into a fleeting instant...
"Why are you so tense?"
Baek Seon-woo chuckled and spoke.
That smile instantly dispelled the shadow of fear in her heart, bright as sunlight.
"...Hah."
"I thought you figured I was gonna eat you. If I wanted to kill, I'd have started with that guy."
Baek Seon-woo's finger pointed at the man collapsed on the ground.
With his eyes rolled back and foam at his mouth, he looked utterly pitiful.
"Even so, murder on my first day back feels a bit much, doesn't it...?"
"...You're still human. At least."
"Where are you gonna find a monster this handsome?"
"..."
"Kidding."
Han Su-hyeon, momentarily speechless, soon continued.
"...Among returnees, there are plenty who've abandoned their humanity just to survive."
"Hmm."
"Anyway... Thank you for forgiving my rudeness."
Han Su-hyeon bowed deeply to Baek Seon-woo.
Baek Seon-woo waved it off and said,
"Nah, when your subordinate pulls some nonsense, it's natural to come check it out."
Honestly, even I wouldn't have held back.
He added that, then turned away without lingering.
"Oh, and I wanna escape unemployment a bit..."
"...!"
"They said I can't get an ID since my identity got wiped."
At those words, Han Su-hyeon nodded immediately.
"I'll take care of it right away."
Just register as a returnee at the Hunter Association, and his identity would be restored on the spot.
But why make him bother going there himself?
If someone rubbed him the wrong way, it'd cause an incident beyond words.
It was also a chance to build a good image for her and Leon Guild.
With those thoughts, instead of heading home, Han Su-hyeon went straight to the guild headquarters.
**
-Revived your ID.
-(Attached file)
-Handled all the returnee registration stuff, so drop by Leon Guild whenever you have time.
-Looking forward to working with you.
I chuckled at the text on my phone.
What was this "looking forward to working with you" business?
"They said you have to go to the Association to register as an Awakener or returnee..."
Looks like they handled everything so I wouldn't have to bother.
Thanks to that, I got to enjoy a leisurely morning.
"...My horn isn't a toy. Give it back. Please."
"I'll give it back in about ten years?"
"Eeeeng..."
"From a dragon's perspective, ten years is a blink, right?"
"What idiot spouts that nonsense? Even transcendent beings feel time the same way. It's just a matter of how long you can endure it. You're a transcendent too—why do you believe such drivel?"
"That's not it..."
Anyway, no way I'm giving it back.
This is my hostage.
"I'll return it later depending on how you perform."
Aselin's usable mana had plummeted massively after losing one horn.
She'd weakened, but she was easier to handle now—a decent slave, all things considered.
"You bastard..."
"Spend that energy earning points instead. Take a page from Ms. Han Su-hyeon."
"Mention that bitch's name once more in front of me, and I'll rip your mouth off."
"..."
Her voice dripped with killing intent, and my body froze for a moment.
That felt a little genuine.
Is this dragonfear?
"Speaking of which, don't you have treasures in your lair? Can't you fetch them?"
With the gate closed, getting there depended entirely on Aselin.
But she glared at me and shook her head.
"Because you took one of my horns, I can't output enough power to tear space."
"So you can't go?"
"Give me back my horn, and I'll hand over all that gold and jewels."
"Eh, nah."
I shook my head and firmly pushed away Aselin as she clung to me demanding the horn.
Too bad—free life jackpot denied.
Guess I'll have to hustle for cash myself.
"...Gate. Time to check one out."
Hunter license needed for gate raids, but...
There's an old saying passed down through the ages.
If you don't get caught, it didn't happen. If you do, it's your fault.
That held true in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and after five years there...
I suddenly recalled the day a passing cult elder grabbed me for 'voluntary initiation.'
"Alright... First, need to find a gate."
How?
I pondered briefly and found a super easy solution.
-Su-hyeon,
-Got an unraided gate by any chance?
-Biggest one possible.
-Feasible?
Ask our ever-generous guild master who's willing to give her liver and gallbladder.
-Su-hyeon: Shall I give you an A-rank then?
-Yes
-Su-hyeon: One big one for ten slots?
-?
-Su-hyeon: Sorry. I'll give you twenty.
-???
-Su-hyeon: Anything higher would be too much of a loss for us.
What the hell was this lady saying?
The figure of 10 billion suddenly flashed in my mind, leaving me stunned.
Do all hunters print money like this?
My little sister might be loaded?
I messaged her back right away.
-No need. That's plenty.
-Su-hyeon: I'll put together a minimal raid party then. Come to ㅡㅡㅡㅡ by 1 PM today.
And just like that, I secured the appointment.
**
The raid party consisted of, surprisingly, just two others.
"...Minimum for an A-rank gate is twenty people..."
One of them.
A woman with a spear longer than herself strapped to her back.
My one and only little sister, Baek Seol-hwa, stared at me in disbelief.
"Oh, this'll be fun. Been a while since I loosened up."
"Three people is really okay...?"
Why three? Because I'd brought Aselin along too.
"...Heard you caught a dragon, but I haven't seen it with my own eyes."
"Then you'll see it this time."
Without hesitation, I stepped into the massive gate in the mountains.
The gate, at least 100 meters in diameter, glowed as it accepted our entry.
It was a vast desert.
No place to hide, no shadows to escape the blazing sun.
"...Open field? This is... Maybe we should retreat."
"Why?"
"To block monster waves pouring in from all sides, we need a tank."
"Little sis."
I patted her head with my palm.
Then drew the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword from my waist.
With a clear shing, the pristine white blade emerged, and Baek Seol-hwa involuntarily swallowed.
"...!"
"How about trusting your big bro a little more?"
The next moment.
Rumble...!
The ground quaked, something wriggling beneath the sand.
Sure enough.
Whoosh!
Bugs with long bodies thrust their heads from the sand.
Just... really damn big ones.
They started bursting out from all directions.
In that chaos, I tossed my sword into the air.
The blade flew up, then fell following gravity... only to halt abruptly midair.
"Watch closely."
Form 3
God
It is said that martial arts are unleashed not with the body, but with the mind.
If so, then surely there's no issue wielding the sword without holding it.
A massive sandworm lunged at me, its grotesque maw gaping to devour me.
Noise assaulted from all sides.
Yet my mind was calmer than ever.
Emptying all, embodying perfect void.
Thus reaching the transcendent realm.
The seat of gods dwelling above the heavens.
Baek Seol-hwa felt her perception snap for an instant.
And she saw.
All the sandworms reduced to unrecognizable chunks of flesh, scattering everywhere.
As a martial artist before family, Baek Seol-hwa felt overwhelming awe at the sight.
"Pretty cool, right, big bro?"
...If only for that last line, it would have been perfect.