Homecoming and the New SS-Rank
Has everything been wrapped up nicely enough?
I swept my gaze over the ruined hunter campsite one last time.
There wasn't a single sign of life left behind, of course.
A fair number of hunters had managed to flee, but far more had died—so this should count as a decent memorial, right?
The image of Arde, eyes closed as he urged me to devour him, flickered before my eyes.
No. This isn't nearly enough.
Revenge has no set limits.
It doesn't end until I'm satisfied.
Leysia. Kwon Je-na.
And all the other hunters under them.
At the very least, it won't balance the scales until I've taken the lives of some SS-rankers.
Sooner or later, without fail.
"Grrr..."
Monsters began trickling in, drawn by the scent of blood.
Orcs and the like—common types from the Plains Zone.
No layer bosses or zone bosses among them, it seemed.
I turned my eyes toward the ones slinking closer, cautiously watching me.
I ignored the left head's irritated screech.
With all the hunters I'd already devoured, I wasn't short on energy. And as long as they didn't attack first, I had no interest in bullying weaklings.
Besides, without a layer boss in the mix, it'd just be pointless venting.
Better to head back soon.
It had been a while since I'd chased after the subjugation force for revenge.
I'd given Snow a quick heads-up, but she was surely waiting for me by now.
Especially Suli's wrath—that was the scary part.
How long had it been since the showdown with Wang Feng? And now I'd been gone this long again.
Just thinking about her sharp little paw swats made my mouth stretch into a grin.
Can't wait.
I felt the urge to hurry.
I pondered the ninth and seventh heads' suggestions for a moment.
The other monsters under Arde aside, I did worry a bit about the lizardmen.
It had been quite a while since I'd left—had everything been okay?
Part of me wanted to drop by and check, even briefly...
No. We'll return together with everyone.
The seventh head muttered a faint "But..." at my flat declaration, but there was no further protest.
I ignored the growing chorus of voices from the heads.
Feeling the mind quiet down once more, I slowly began to move.
Time to return to my family.
"......"
"...What the hell...?"
The two hunters who arrived late at the subjugation force's campsite wore dazed expressions.
The site was little more than rubble.
Battle scars everywhere, and monsters devouring the charred corpses of hunters in spots.
At the horrific scene, one of them—Kwon Je-na—grimaced fiercely.
"No way—that bastard...!"
"...My mistake. I should've realized he'd target the subjugation force directly, not us..."
Leysia murmured bitterly.
They'd circled around deliberately, assuming he'd chase them straight away. But he'd read their ploy and struck the camp instead.
"Should've set the rendezvous higher up? Or no—should've just told them to leave without waiting..."
"...This isn't the time for that, Leysia."
Kwon Je-na spoke coldly. They'd grown close during their time together.
Leysia flinched at the voice laced with hatred beyond mere anger.
Kwon Je-na glared mercilessly at the monsters scavenging the ruins.
"Let's clean up that trash first. We owe it to the dead to soothe their spirits."
"...Yeah. I'll help."
Kwon Je-na nodded curtly and leaped forward.
As she charged without hesitation, Leysia quietly nocked an arrow.
Her eyes rapidly scanned the campsite perimeter.
From the tracks, plenty died, but some escaped too. Someone drew attention to cover the retreat?
A solid call.
Best would have been leaving without waiting, but given the situation, they couldn't just abandon them recklessly.
Because of me.
As the World Hunter Federation chair and one of the only two remaining SS-rankers, ditching her would bring unbearable backlash.
It's my fault.
Leysia bit her lip against the rising guilt and loosed her arrow without hesitation.
It traced a clean path into a monster's skull, as always.
...Hope Richard made it out safe.
Thinking of her aide who'd followed her here because of her, Leysia hunted more monsters.
With Kwon Je-na rampaging up front and Leysia's arrow storm, the campsite monsters were wiped out in no time.
After recovering the remaining bodies, Kwon Je-na and Leysia pressed on.
Their destination: outside.
The world outside the labyrinth was in utter chaos.
A quick check of the massive screens showed the subjugation force's failure had spread worldwide.
Images of the ragged, defeated survivors emerging from the labyrinth played nonstop.
As a covert operation led by none other than top hunter Leysia—and still a failure—the whole world beyond Korea was abuzz.
Especially after Seong Jae-myeong, Charlotte Michelle, and now Leysia: the Seoul Great Labyrinth had claimed three SS-rankers. Global attention was laser-focused.
The gate entrance swarmed with reporters and foreign press.
Ignoring the crowds, they slipped away quietly.
The outside humans were in an uproar over Leysia and the others' disappearance, but I'd already lost interest in her.
She's not dead.
Even if vanishing in a labyrinth was as good as death, I knew she was alive.
With the new addition of Kwon Je-na by her side, Leysia would return unscathed.
Alongside Korea's newest SS-rank hunter.
...Gotta get back to the labyrinth ASAP.
With a new SS-rank in play, the outside would only heat up more. I wanted back inside yesterday.
They were too busy with Leysia's disappearance and the failed subjugation for now, but once those two returned, the real talks about me would start.
No desire to linger out here for that.
Back to the cozy labyrinth with my family, pronto...
...Not that cozy?
Snow Mountain Zone weather didn't exactly scream comfort.
Still, nowhere else put my mind as at ease.
Better stock up on Suli's favorite snacks and drinks.
Item bag had plenty of space—no issue there.
And sure enough, upon my return to the family, I got the usual enthusiastic welcome from Suli.
I stroked her expertly as she concong-ed away.
Yeah, yeah. Daddy's always sorry.
"So, did things go well on your trip?"
Snow asked cautiously as I soothed Suli.
Her uncharacteristically hesitant demeanor prompted a calm reply.
"Couldn't save him."
"...I see. This one regrets not being able to aid thee."
"It's fine. It happened too suddenly. And Arde went peacefully."
"...Indeed. How was his final moment?"
I blinked slowly at Snow's question.
Arde's end had been utterly pathetic, no matter how I spun it.
Had that massive figure ever seemed so small?
Last moments are always like that for someone.
But still...
"It was cool."
"Was it?"
"Yeah. Arde... the elder passed with dignity."
"I see."
Snow nodded slowly, and I mirrored her.
No more words passed between us.
A quiet, peaceful time flowed.
"So, what's the plan now?"
It wasn't Jeong Soo-ah who shattered the serenity with her usual bluntness.
In her office—where she dropped by whenever bored—two unfamiliar faces waited.
A glance their way drew varied reactions from the man and woman.
"White Rose..."
Baek Jang-mi—Amy's looks with Charlotte's aura—beamed radiantly at my quiet call.
Plenty of questions about her presence, but they could wait.
Something else piqued my interest more.
"...And Song Jae-ha."
I glanced at Snow as the young, handsome man bowed.
She shrugged with smug confidence.
"While thou wert away, I made him fully mine."
"Greetings to the great master and his companions. I am Snow's humble servant, Song Jae-ha."
"......"
I fell silent as he bowed deeply again.
I'd figured Snow pulling strings would succeed, but seeing it firsthand was impressive.
Especially against Song Jae-ha of all people.
He'd been a slow-burn target I'd planned to devour leisurely...
Can't fight him like this, huh?
I'd intended to reveal myself as his uncle's killer personally...
I shot Snow a questioning look.
"How deep does it go?"
"At this one's command, he would smile as he dies. Even if I bade him slay kin, he would obey gladly."
"......"
Snow's chuckling form looked every bit the 'villainess'—hard to describe otherwise.
Monster through and through, so I didn't mind.
"For the great master and his companions, I would gladly lay down this life."
"...I killed your uncle."
"I see."
I scanned him briefly with my Magic Eye of Discernment.
No hostility—just pure goodwill.
As Snow said, one word from me and he'd charge to his death.
Like Toda or Ichijo... maybe even a step above.
"Impressive."
"Hehe. Twas no easy feat. This one laid the groundwork well in advance. Elsewise, even I could not have bent him so."
"Proud of it, are you?"
"Ahem. A fine new underling after so long—how could this one not be pleased?"
Snow coughed lightly and averted her gaze.
I watched her a moment, then looked away.
Lee Chan-geol, Toda, and Ichijo stood quietly.
"The tasks?"
"Completed without issue, sir. The items are sorted per President Jeong Soo-ah's orders."
"Ours yielded less than expected. The Yamamoto brothers had been dead too long... My apologies."
"Forgive me, my lord! This Ichijo failed to—"
"...It's fine. I figured Japan wouldn't pan out much anyway... Glad you're both back safe. Your subordinates?"
"No fatalities, fortunately. They're resting now... Shall I summon them?"
"Same on our end..."
I shook my head at Lee Chan-geol and Toda.
Both sides had wrapped up neatly in my brief absence.
"You two—no, all three—assist Jeong Soo-ah for the time being."
"Understood."
"While I'm gone, her orders take priority. Treat her as you would me."
I eyed their respectful bows, then turned to Jeong Soo-ah waiting patiently.
"Any issues?"
"Association kept sending people after the chairman left in a rush, but I sent 'em all packing."
"...Persistent, huh."
"Yeah. The president's secretary showed up daily, begging... Felt a bit bad for him. Even though the chairman wasn't here."
"Figures."
I pictured Hwang Seok-ho clinging to my pant leg.
The president's secretary wouldn't stoop that low, but somehow, it fit Hwang Seok-ho.
"Anyway, no one's come since the subjugation force returned. They're probably in their own hell."
"Four of the top five guilds involved—not surprising."
"Everyone's panicking, but Dawn Guild's hit hardest. Two guild masters dead in under half a year... That was you, right?"
"No one memorable... Ah, right. The last holdouts? Two stood out."
I recalled the pair burning with fight to the bitter end, even as their comrades fell.
Wrong circumstances, and they could've been a good scrap...
Jeong Soo-ah continued as I reminisced wistfully.
"Hunter world's a mess right now. Especially with Yeogers incoming soon."
"Leysia's raid team."
"Yeah. Didn't hear details, but they're pissed. Still, as the chair's team, they kept their cool... Who knows once they hit Korea."
"Hm... No need to worry. Leysia's alive, right?"
"Pardon? For real?"
Jeong Soo-ah and the others listening all widened their eyes in shock.
"...Why the surprise?"
"Thou never lettest anyone live," Snow said. "Hast thou taken a liking to her...?"
"No. Wanted her dead, actually."
"...And failed? You?"
Snow—who knew my strength best—gaped in genuine astonishment.
I nodded slowly.
"Leysia was tough, but a big variable popped up."
"What kind?"
"A new SS-rank hunter."
A gasp escaped someone.
Jeong Soo-ah, ever-smiling Baek Jang-mi, impassive Song Jae-ha—all stunned.
A new SS-rank was that shocking.
"For real?"
"No reason to lie. Why spare Leysia otherwise? Even I can't handle two SS-rankers without prep."
"...Who reached SS-rank?"
As Song Jae-ha asked quietly, Na Yeon-seong burst in yelling.
"News...! Check the news!"
We rushed to turn on the TV at his frantic shout.
And there on the screen: one scene.
Two hunters emerging from the labyrinth, leaning on each other.
Kwon Je-na and Leysia.
Ragged and wretched, yet somehow beautiful and cool.
Like the hunters I'd idolized as a kid.
I finished what I'd held back earlier, eyes on the TV.
"Kwon Je-na. She's Korea's new SS-rank hunter."
Korea's second after Seong Jae-myeong. The world's eighth SS-rank.
Her bright smile at the cameras made my eyes flash quietly.