Chapter 575: The Conspiracy Begins (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 575: The Conspiracy Begins (8)
Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, was a symbol of pride.
While other places had suffered catastrophic damage, this city alone had been protected.
It was also a symbol of hope.
A promise that other regions, ravaged by monsters and villains, could one day become like Seoul.
And now, that hope had all but become reality.
Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungcheong, Jeolla, Gyeongsang.
Lands that were once so lawless that no one could live there were now habitable again.
Furthermore, development was gradually taking place, breathing new life and vitality into the regions.
It was all possible because of Seoul.
Even when pushed to the brink, there was always that small foothold left to stand on.
That was how the Korean peninsula was able to reclaim its former prosperity.
Yes.
That was what Seoul meant.
Monsters and villains.
It was a symbol of protection that had swayed in the harsh storms but had never fallen.
Therefore, Seoul must always be safe.
Even in the face of a national disaster, it had to stand firm, allowing its people to continue their lives steeped in a peace so profound it was as if nothing had ever happened.
Everything else could be broken, but hope could not.
Even the most incompetent politicians understood that much.
No, even if they didn't, they had no choice but to be at the forefront of Seoul's defense.
Why?
‘Ugh, if my building collapses, it’s all over…!’
‘Just block them, for God’s sake, block them!’
Because all their ill-gotten wealth, converted into buildings and land, was concentrated in Seoul.
If they didn't want to see their assets go up in smoke, wouldn't they naturally have to work hard?
But the situation was not good.
Not good at all.
“Another rift near Dongdaemun!”
“Two more near Jangwi-dong…!”
“The Hunters’ defense line in Eunpyeong-gu is being pushed back! Requesting backup…!”
Despite the many rifts that had already opened, even more were appearing.
The monsters pouring out of them destroyed the civilization humans had built and extinguished lives.
The barriers were down, and the Hunters were in constant retreat against an overwhelming tide of enemies.
And that wasn't the end of it.
“Wh-what do we do?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to request aid from Japan or China now?”
“That’s not an option. Rifts have started opening up there as well.”
“What…?!”
China and Japan.
The same terror attack that had struck Korea was now unfolding in its neighboring countries.
But they were better off.
The scale was considerable, but not as severe as in Korea, so they had enough capacity to handle it.
For Korea, however, this was the worst-case scenario.
The two countries that could have provided the fastest support no longer had the resources to spare.
“Then what in the world are we supposed to do?!”
“……”
“……”
The president's question was met with silence.
It was a meeting of the nation's brightest minds, renowned for their knowledge and wisdom, but even they were at a loss.
A way to resolve a disaster of this magnitude in an instant? Such a thing couldn't possibly exist…
Just as they were all consoling themselves with that thought.
“Mr. P-President!”
An agent from the National Intelligence Service burst through the door.
“What is it now?”
The question was weary.
Naturally so.
Not a single piece of news delivered with such urgency had been good so far.
Just as he was about to sigh, assuming this would be more bad news.
“H-Hunter Kim Do-jin contacted us directly.”
“…What did he say?”
“He said there’s a way to end this disaster quickly…!”
The president’s eyes shot open.
“I-Is that true?”
“Yes… he said so himself. However, he said he needs something…”
“What is it?!”
The agent replied hesitantly to the president, who looked ready to give anything.
“He… wants to borrow Namsan Tower…”
“……?”
“……?”
Countless question marks floated above their heads.
* * *
To really stick it to those Hexagram bastards, I had to quell this terror attack, and fast.
Going around to each region and closing the rifts one by one would take at least a few days.
That was more than enough time for Seoul to be reduced to rubble.
“Half a day.”
To be precise, I had to resolve this situation before the day was over.
That would save some face, wouldn't it?
To show them that the terror attack they had so meticulously prepared was nothing more than a half-day affair.
So, how could I resolve this in just half a day?
I already had a method in mind.
“I just have to make this entire land my domain.”
More accurately, I would create a Domain of Gluttony by mixing Gluttony into the Domain of the Ruler.
Then, I would plant a fragment of Gluttony in every Hunter in Seoul.
They would become my eyes, my arms, and my legs.
Of course, that didn't mean I would take away their physical freedom.
They would move of their own free will, but at the moment they closed a rift, they would simply act as my cannons.
To do that, I needed a few things.
“First… mana stones.”
Turning all of Seoul into my domain with my power alone was out of the question.
So, I needed the power of mana stones.
Just like before, I would plant mana stones at regular intervals and use them as anchor points to expand my domain.
How many mana stones would it take to cover all of Seoul?
“Who cares.”
That wasn't my problem.
The government would foot the entire bill.
It would cost an astronomical amount, but they would gladly accept.
They knew that being a little tight on cash was a cheaper price to pay than watching Seoul crumble.
“Excuse me, Hunter Kim Do-jin!”
“Go ahead.”
“We’ve requisitioned all the mana stones and have begun planting them every 500 meters as you instructed.”
See?
These are the same folks who usually waste time bickering amongst themselves over every penny spent, yet they made a decision this quickly.
The foundation needed to activate the Domain of the Ruler was ready.
Next was the location.
“Ah, and we’ve also begun evacuating everyone who was taking shelter near Namsan Tower. They said it should be clear in about an hour.”
“Okay.”
To spread my influence across the entirety of Seoul, it was best to be at its center.
That way, I could distribute my power evenly without it being skewed to one side.
In that respect, using Namsan Tower was essential.
I looked it up, and Namsan Tower is currently the geographical center of Seoul.
“Lucky me, huh.”
And what do you know, my assigned district is Jung-gu.
In the midst of preparing my counterattack, I spoke to the Association employee who had been trailing me.
“Oh, and send a mass message to all the Hunters.”
“What should it say?”
Hmm.
What would be good?
Something powerful, something that could instill confidence in everyone.
Ah, I’ve got it.
“Whisper, whisper… like this.”
“…Are you sure that’s all it should say?”
“It’s enough.”
“Ah, I understand.”
He moved away to contact the Association again.
While he was gone, I continued to hunt the monsters nearby, and by the time I had cleared most of the rifts around Namsan Tower…
“Hunter Kim Do-jin! Preparations are complete!”
The news I had been waiting for finally arrived.
“Okay, then let’s go.”
I immediately used Fly magic to soar up and land on the very top of Namsan Tower.
Thud!
“Hmm, nice view.”
So this is why people visit Namsan so often.
I made a pointless remark as I surveyed the area around the tower.
Large mana stones were embedded here and there all over the structure.
“Good.”
With a satisfied expression, I activated my domain.
[Activating the Domain of the Ruler.]
[The power of Gluttony is imbued.]
[The Domain of the Ruler transforms into the Domain of Gluttony.]
A boundary line for the domain was drawn at the edge of my vision.
Thanks to my Body of Ultimate Effort evolving into the Body of Extreme Refinement, the range of my domain had increased dramatically.
Just inside that boundary, the mana stones diligently planted by the government agents were showing off their presence.
I immediately touched them, activating their mana and infusing them with Gluttony to make them my own.
FWOOSH!
The domain expanded.
And at the edge of that newly expanded domain, another mana stone was planted.
I activated its mana in the same way, expanding the domain once more.
“Whoa…”
I could feel it.
The presence of the monsters and Hunters fighting for their lives within my domain.
It was all so vivid, imprinted on my mind, causing a headache.
“Ugh.”
Only then did I realize something I had overlooked.
A forcibly expanded domain.
The immense amount of information being transmitted from it could overload my brain.
“…This is dangerous.”
The pain was already severe, and I had only brought about half of Seoul into my domain.
I raised a hand to my head and felt a fever.
A raging one at that.
“Aish, why does nothing ever go smoothly?”
After a moment's thought, I began to expand the domain again.
My head turning to mush?
Not going to happen.
I just had to finish before that could happen.
* * *
It was hopeless.
Screeeech!
Kuaaaah!
Kyak!
Despair flooded the minds of the Hunters as they faced the endless stream of monsters.
“Dammit… no matter how many we kill, there’s no end to them!”
“Is backup not coming?!”
“You think it would?! It’s not just here, all of Seoul is in chaos!”
That made it even more despairing.
They knew that just holding their ground wouldn't change the unfavorable tide of battle.
There was only one way to survive.
Break through the monster offensive, enter the rift, and kill the boss.
They had considered dispatching a small commando unit for this purpose, but…
‘It’s impossible in this situation.’
They were so short on manpower they were desperate enough to borrow a cat's paw if they could.
To have a few of their strongest members leave in the middle of this?
‘We won’t be able to hold out.’
They would be annihilated before the others could close the rift.
They couldn't advance, nor could they retreat. It was a true dilemma.
And even this stalemate would end soon enough.
With an outcome they never wanted to face: annihilation.
Their strength was fading.
‘Is this the end?’
Just as the word "death" began to slowly tighten its grip around their necks.
“Ugh?!”
His colleague next to him suddenly let out a scream.
‘Did he get hit?!’
Gritting his teeth, he turned his head to see his staggering comrade, but there were no visible wounds on his body.
That meant he hadn't been attacked by a monster.
“Hey, what’s wrong?!”
The man replied.
“I-I don’t know. But…”
“But what?!”
“Suddenly… I’m overflowing with power?”
“What? What kind of nonsense—!”
As he was about to retort, something suddenly flew over and struck him in the back.
No, it pierced through his skin!
“Eek!”
The man staggered, letting out an unseemly shriek.
And then he understood.
He understood why his colleague had said something so absurd.
“Wh-what is this…? Suddenly, my power…?”
His mana, which had been on the verge of depletion, surged, and vitality coursed through his entire body.
He felt like he could slaughter dozens of monsters in his current state.
He and his colleague weren't the only ones experiencing this phenomenon.
“Wh-why is this happening all of a sudden?”
“I’m overflowing with power! Uooooh!”
All the Hunters assigned to the same area had regained their strength.
No, they had become even stronger than before.
Strong enough to push back the swarming monsters.
Hope began to bloom.
‘With this power, it’s possible.’
They could do more than just hold on; they could close the rift from which the monsters were pouring.
If they could just do that…
‘We can live!’
Just as everyone was thinking the same thing, erasing the despair that had been etched into their minds.
Vvvvvt!
Ding!
You've got a message!
A message arrived on everyone’s smartphone at the same time.
It must be a mass text from the Association or the government.
“Hey, someone check the message!”
A few who had a moment to spare stepped back and read the message.
“‘You have grown stronger. Charge’…?”
It seemed the Association had lost its mind.