Chapter 78
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Shattered Moon (4)
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THWACK!
The small claw hammer came down on the back of Yu Wolha's head.
“Keoheok…”
Thud, thwack, thud!
The gnome swung the hammer like he'd lost his mind.
His clumsy movements made him miss a few times, striking the wrong places.
Only a few of the blows landed true.
But for the defenseless Yu Wolha, it was more than enough.
“…”
By the time Yu Wolha's curses subsided,
the gnome dropped the hammer, his face pale with fear.
His large eyes were brimming with tears.
“It's okay. It's okay now.”
I placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him toward me.
“Heh, heheheheh.”
Yu Wolha, twitching on the floor, laughed.
He laughed even as his cheekbone caved in from the hammer blows and his front teeth were knocked out and scattered.
Seeing the venom still glittering in his eyes,
I could tell this guy was no ordinary man.
“You… you've crossed a line… Kim Hanul. If you kill me here, you won't get away unscathed either.”
All he could do now was move his tongue.
So he spat out the words with a mouth that barely moved.
“Do you understand? You didn't just mess with me. You messed with an organization far bigger and more powerful than the likes of Samwol Guild.”
This was news to me.
A bigger and more powerful organization... Was he talking about the Jeokryongdan?
Or was there something else behind Yu Wolha?
But before I could ask anything, Yu Wolha continued, his eyes gleaming with venom.
“So go on, kill me if you dare. Once it's revealed that you're the one who killed me, you'll be walking through hell. Sanarae? No matter how much that bitch tries to protect you, *cough*, it'll be useless.”
“Sorry to interrupt your bullshit, but let me correct one thing. I have no intention of killing you.”
“…What?”
“You need to pay for your crimes. It wouldn't do for you to just die here.”
Yu Wolha stared blankly, as if he couldn't understand what I was saying.
But soon, he burst into a maniacal laugh and shouted.
“Ha, don't tell me you believe in the law? You naive bastard. The law is nothing. This… this is something my father's power can easily cover up—!”
It was then.
“Who said I would allow that?”
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice echoed from behind.
With it, two figures emerged from the darkness of the passage connecting the waiting room to the arena.
Sanarae in her black bodysuit, and an old man leaning on a cane with a long scarf wrapped around his neck.
“Uh…”
Yu Wolha's eyes widened as he stared at the old man.
“F-Fa… ther.”
The Guild Master of Samwol Guild and the chairman who oversaw its predecessor, the Samwol Group.
And Yu Wolha's father.
Yu Geonha.
That was the identity of the old man who had intruded.
He didn't so much as raise an eyebrow at the sight of his son lying bloodied on the ground.
He simply walked forward slowly and continued to speak.
“You told me, didn't you? That you would prove your worth. That you would prove you were useful.”
“Ah, Father. This is…”
The old man's voice was as dry as a wicker broom sweeping across the floor.
“So I gave you one last chance, and this is the result. Is this ridiculous mess, which you expect me to cover up with my influence, what you call 'proof'?”
Tap.
Yu Geonha's cane hit the floor as he came to a stop.
He stood beside me, staring down at Yu Wolha with cold eyes.
“If so, then you've done an excellent job. You have thoroughly proven yourself.”
“Ah, Father. I-I can explain everything. It's not my fault, this bastard…”
“Proven that you are a completely useless piece of trash.”
Yu Geonha's icy gaze swept over the bloodied Yu Wolha.
“And that my judgment of you was not wrong.”
“F-Fath…”
A hand reached out toward his father.
CRUNCH!
“Gyaaaaargh!”
Yu Geonha mercilessly crushed that hand with his cane.
“You operated an illegal arena behind the Guild Master's back, distributed illegal drug cocktails and narcotics, and created and embezzled illicit funds.”
“Th-that's…”
“Is that all? You were also deeply involved in the last Samwol Group contract corruption case, and you paid enormous bribes without consulting me. The countless lobbying efforts you made to slip through the cracks of the law are too numerous to count.”
At those words, Yu Wolha's eyes widened.
“Ah, Father? The things related to the Samwol, uh, Group, I didn't do those. You told me to stay out of the Group's affairs and gave me the guild…”
“Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
He was cut off without mercy.
Yu Geonha's eyes drifted upward.
Toward the corpses of the Samwol Guild members and Hunters who had annihilated each other in the brawl.
“You, the vermin who turned the guild I built with my blood and sweat into this pathetic state?”
The words that came out were not just sharp, but honed to a razor's edge.
Not for Yu Wolha, but for the decimated Samwol Guild.
Words that showed he only truly grieved for the guild he himself had founded.
“Ah, Father!”
“So, I would appreciate it if you would take responsibility and depart with some dignity. Vice Guild Master Yu Wolha.”
Meeting the old man's cold, sunken eyes,
Yu Wolha's eyes bulged as if he'd finally realized something.
“N-no way. A-are you telling me to take the fall for everything…? Father, Father. I was wrong. Please give me one more chance. I made a mistake…”
“All the corruption within the Samwol Group and the guild stemmed from your own arbitrary actions, Vice Guild Master. You must take the corresponding responsibility.”
“Ah, Father! This isn't right, Fatherrrrrrr!”
Yu Wolha squirmed with a wretched expression.
Once Yu Geonha had made his public declaration, his fate was sealed.
Even if he denied it, the disaster before them was undeniable. It was so great that adding dozens of Samwol Group's corruption cases to the pile would hardly make a difference.
“F-Fath…”
THWACK!
Yu Wolha, who had been screaming while clutching at his father's pant leg, had his head snapped to the side.
Yu Geonha had kicked him in the head with his dress shoe.
Thump.
The screaming Vice Guild Master of Samwol lost consciousness and collapsed.
“A completely useless child. If not for my late wife's dying wish, you would have died by my hand long ago.”
Yu Geonha's voice echoed through the silent arena.
The banquet hall, once filled with club EDM and sweet fragrances.
Now vibrated with nothing but a deathly silence and the stench of blood.
“Hmm, what's all this commotion? I thought something had happened to Sowon, so I rushed over while I was discussing a contract with you, Chairman. Turns out the one in big trouble was our dear Chairman Yu Geonha, wasn't it?”
Breaking the silence was Sanarae's voice as she approached.
Yu Geonha stared at her expressionlessly and opened his mouth.
“You knew this would happen, which is why you dragged out a simple contract discussion for so long. You even mentioned the location specifically to lure me here.”
“Now, now. The timing was just right, that's all.”
“Timing, you say.”
A cynical smile touched the old man's wrinkled lips.
“There was no timing to it. He was a rotten tooth that needed pulling sooner or later. In fact, I should be grateful he threw himself into the gutter on his own. It saved me the trouble.”
Suddenly, Yu Geonha's gaze turned to me.
“You must be that rumored Hunter whose name has been popping up recently.”
I was still wearing my mask.
I showed a hint of surprise.
“Believe it or not, I was quite the famous Hunter among the first generation. I can see through a simple mask like that.”
“I regret that our first meeting had to be under such unpleasant circumstances, Chairman.”
“Actually, I recall seeing you once before.”
He'd seen me before?
But Yu Geonha didn't elaborate.
Instead, he continued speaking, his cold eyes fixed on Yu Wolha.
“This bastard will take full responsibility for everything that happened today, so don't you worry. By the way…”
The old man trailed off, looking at me with a meaningful gaze.
Then, he fell silent and turned his head away.
“What's wrong? Thinking of giving him a hard time?”
Sanarae asked with a playful expression at his action.
“Hah, I have no intention of harming him. Not when the great Guild Master Sanarae is backing him. I still have much to do. I have no desire to die just yet.”
“So prickly. I was just asking.”
“With you, one can never be too cautious, even on their deathbed. Getting involved with you was a mistake from the start.”
With those words, Yu Geonha turned away.
He limped away, never once looking back, and disappeared out of the arena.
Immediately after, Sanarae spoke.
“So that must be the monster you wanted to save.”
The gnome, now the center of attention, hid behind me.
“Yes. He was called Raum, but his real name is Gnome, and he's an earth spirit.”
“A gnome, huh. I've only seen them in fantasy games. I never thought they were real monsters.”
She bent down and patted the gnome's head.
Then she looked at me and spoke softly.
“Shall we get going, then?”
“What about Hunter Jeong Sowon…”
“She needs to stay as a witness.”
“Shouldn't I stay here too?”
“Sowon is staying to erase your tracks.”
Ah.
Sanarae smiled and held up a finger.
“I've already prepared a stand-in for the 'masked chaebol heir' who attended the banquet. And of course, for 'Kim Hanul' as well…”
Sanarae's eyes shifted to the unconscious Yu Wolha.
She continued with a smile.
“I've created an alibi. Even if this vermin claims he saw you here, he'll just be treated like a lunatic.”
She already knew that I had revealed my identity to him.
“…Perfect.”
“Of course. Who do you think I am? So whether it's Kim Hanul or Kim Woohyun, you have no connection to this incident. That is, if you leave cleanly with me.”
Swoosh.
Suddenly, a shadow rose up before her, forming something like a portal.
“Your answer?”
That was all Sanarae asked.
I gave a silent nod.
* * *
A day had passed since then.
- In other news, regarding the Samwol Guild's illegal arena incident, Chairman Lee Jongseong of JS Group has announced through a spokesperson that the group had no involvement whatsoever.
- Mr. Yu Wolha is scheduled to be transferred to the prosecutor's office within a few days…
- Well, it's highly likely he'll receive at least a life sentence. Even without invoking the Hunter-related laws, he did order an indiscriminate shooting against people, did he not?
- Due to severe aftereffects from his injuries, Mr. Yu Wolha has been left half-paralyzed. He is also showing signs of partial amnesia and schizophrenia, making treatment difficult.
Just like yesterday, the TV and various other media outlets were in an uproar over the incident.
The real-time search rankings were filled with Samwol Guild and Yu Wolha, and the evil deeds he had committed began to be exposed one by one.
Naturally, the online communities were fired up as well.
There hadn't been a Hunter-related scandal of this magnitude since the Pathfinder Guild incident.
Ak67 - Yo, they're screwed lollll Samwol Guild is going down the drain because of this
dlweoi12 - Downfall! Downfall! Downfall! Downfall!
L Isn't this insane? lol Hunters going crazy in a gambling den and killing each other, what even is that
L They're all the same anyway. Criminals killing criminals.
L Oof, forced self-purification, nice ;;
leoking12 - But I checked the market today, and Samwol Group's stock is holding up pretty well ㄷㄷ
L The Samwol Group chairman basically threw his own son in jail lolll If anything, Samwol Group's image got better this time haha. Shows he doesn't play favorites, even with his kid.
L Right; he pretty much handed the guild over to Yu Wolha, so people see it as separate from the group.
kkuku - But then what happens to the hunters who participated?
L Heard they're all getting their hunter licenses suspended or revoked. And the tamers have to hand over all their tamed monsters to the Association HQ lol
The Association HQ and other administrative bodies handled the matter with unusual swiftness.
This was because Yu Wolha had stirred up so much trouble that various other scandals came to light one after another.
And while the whole world was in an uproar over the previous night's events,
…
“Sleep well?”
I was still leading a peaceful life.
[The Sage is once again amazed by the wonders of latex!]
“Nyaaaa.”
“Kiruk.”
With these cute monsters.
The gnome had shed his ragged clothes and was wearing a child's pajama set I had bought.
“Time to eat.”
San-gun nibbled at his cat food, while the gnome and Gono ate the bacon and fried eggs I had prepared.
After we finished breakfast,
I dressed the gnome in a child's hoodie and overalls, then asked quietly.
“Are you ready?”
!
The gnome nodded, his eyes filled with determination.
Then, I glanced at Gono beside me.
“Gono, let's begin.”
“Kiruk.”
It was time to send my gnome friend to the Lord's Castle.