Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 026
Chapter Title: Mad Hunter: ??? (10)
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16.
"I'll watch over your foolishness from the side."
What?
No way, that line from back then...?
At a loss for words from the unexpected turn, Kim Gye-sang cleared his throat.
"White Society... you mean the top organization in the west? The one with at least fifty hunters under them?"
"You're serious? Their boss is famous for being high-level... You're saying you're gonna fight all his underlings?"
Hong Byeong-gyu jumped in at Cha Seung-hyeon's bewildered question.
"Brothers, that's not the point. Bro, what's the reason? What's got a guy like you set on murder?"
Reason, huh.
As I hesitated, Jeong Ha-kyeong shook her head.
"Explain at least a little. Otherwise, we absolutely won't let you go. You gotta think about the princess over there too."
Sure enough, they looked dead serious about it.
After a moment's thought, I let out a sigh and opened my mouth.
"White Society. After taking over the west, they're intimidating other hunters and civilians."
"……………?"
"Anyone who doesn't submit to their thug tactics gets kidnapped, murdered, raped, exiled. They do it all without hesitation."
"……………!"
"And there's no means or manpower to judge them for it."
I looked at Baek Hyun-jong.
His shoulders trembled in misery and helplessness. On the way back, he'd explained White Society's atrocities in detail, and I'd sincerely lamented it.
"So I figured I had to be the one to judge them."
Cold silence.
The next moment, Cha Seung-hyeon stammered as he spoke.
"Hyung-nim...?"
"Speak."
"The world's already smashed to bits. Do we really need to cling to that kind of justice now?"
"……."
"We could just head back east like nothing happened. Live like we used to, ignoring it all."
Maybe he's right.
In this broken world, that might be the rational choice.
"No."
But I, Kim Baek-jun,
don't think that way. And I won't follow it.
Even if that's
the rational argument,
or even
the truth itself.
"Precisely because the world is already broken, we can't let it crumble even further. That's what I think."
Cha Seung-hyeon lowered his gaze.
Good. Nice flow. Keep it going like this.
"What I'm about to do has nothing to do with the hunter business. High risk, no return. Taking down White Society won't even net us soul stones. And... I might die."
I'll explain,
but make sure they won't want to help.
"So I'm going alone."
"…………!"
"I'm just following my own convictions. You all have no reason to follow them or any obligation to risk this danger."
Right on plan.
Hong Byeong-gyu's group froze stiff in their seats. I gave a nod and turned toward the gateway.
"That's just saying you're gonna hunt one crazy hunter, right?"
That's when it happened.
Hong Byeong-gyu burst out laughing and stomped over, his heavy armor clanking.
"Nice. Bro, you could use my help right now."
No, this guy?
Before I could react, someone stepped up beside Hong Byeong-gyu.
"I'll join you. I came to help hunt a mad hunter in the first place."
It was Kim Gye-sang.
As I started to protest, he shook his head.
"I told you before. If there's anything you need help with, just say it. Isn't now the time?"
"G-Gye-sang hyung's right."
Yoon Geon-woo.
"I-I'm not much, but this'll settle the debt for good."
"Well... if it's about catching a psycho bastard."
Finally... even Cha Seung-hyeon.
"Then count me in too. Kinda curious how tough the rear-guard trash can be."
I shook my head firmly at everyone.
"You idiots... Where's this loyalty coming from?"
"Seems like you're the only one thinking that."
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Hold it in. Hold it in. Tears kept threatening to spill.
"Come on, let's hunt that mad hunter quick and grab the meal we missed together."
The otherworld hunter was already hunted. Now it was time to hunt the mad hunter.
And.
In that dangerous hunt,
I wasn't alone.
Five fellow hunter comrades stood by my side.
17.
"We'll execute the plan in 12 minutes."
I finished the brief strategy rundown.
Everyone checked their weapons. Only Hong Byeong-gyu shrugged, looking unconvinced.
"You're going in first alone?"
"Yes."
"Why do we enter 12 minutes later...? Can't we just rush in together?"
"No. Those 12 minutes are crucial."
Hong Byeong-gyu eyed me for an explanation.
"For those 12 minutes, I'll carefully scout whether I've brought allies or not."
"Huh!"
"If no one shows up, the hidden organization members will start revealing themselves one by one."
The key part.
By then, they'll be convinced it's just me.
"Won't that be dangerous?"
"One fell swoop. More than worth the risk."
Hong Byeong-gyu finally nodded.
I slowly scanned the group, then repeated for the third time.
"Everyone, no one dies."
Only after they all nodded did I step toward the gateway.
Paradise mist enveloped my body.
As reality blurred in the fog,
[Region Entry: 'Star Pleasure Garden - New Seodaemun-gu']
The system alert rang out.
The mist vanished in an instant. The moment my vision cleared, I saw it.
Just as expected.
30 meters ahead.
Twenty-odd hunters lined up in formation, hands behind their backs.
"Lead Hunter. You're finally back."
At the center of that line.
A young man sat alone in a chair, looking down at me arrogantly.
True leader, Jin Han-baek.
"Do you know how eagerly I've been waiting?"
"Waiting? For me?"
I played dumb on purpose.
Jin Han-baek's eyes curved like crescent moons.
"I have a good sense for these things."
"Sense?"
"You looked at me earlier like I was more disgusting than a bug. Right?"
"Busted."
"Hahaha. I've seen plenty of your type. That wasn't the look of someone backing down easily. It was the look of someone plotting for later."
Impressive insight.
Even now, those sly eyes carefully scanned the gateway behind my shoulder.
"What can I do? Better to deal with you before you bring bigger threats back, no?"
"……?"
"To keep this bug alive."
"Funny."
I brushed off my [Shadow Exoskeleton Cloak]. Glanced at my watch. 9 minutes.
"Not after this?"
"That's just obvious spoils of war."
"Confident?"
Jin Han-baek grinned viciously.
The executives beside him bent at the waist, cackling.
"That arrogant stance is perfect. Let me tell you two good things. First, care to check my level?"
I raised an eyebrow.
How? An info window popped up over his head.
[Lv: 32]
Up a whopping 9 levels since last time. Now on par with <Romance> raid members.
"Thanks to you, Lead Hunter, I stripped the company reserves bare. Well... got some donations from the north and south divisions too."
"Let's call it what it is. You stole it."
"You wouldn't know, but here, I am the law."
I let out a short chuckle.
I am the law. Short words, but they shut down any retort.
"So it's public funds, right?"
"Exactly."
"Back to the point. Second, you're not the first idiot like you we've killed Nightmare Hunter."
...What?
"There were four more just like you. I can't thank them enough. Thanks to them, we established a manual for dealing with Nightmare Hunters."
Jin Han-baek snapped his fingers, and the lined-up hunters drew rifles in unison.
"I'll let you in on it special."
A chill ran down my spine.
Not cold weapons, but guns that could crossfire from afar... Yeah, if I'd come alone, it would've been dangerous.
"One. Even Nightmare Hunters die to a hail of bullets."
7 minutes.
"Two. Fifteen is the sweet number to take down one Nightmare Hunter."
The words barely ended.
Hunters clutching guns crawled out from hiding spots all over the streets. The ones who'd been concealed.
"So you brought thirty?"
"You think? Against the great Lead Hunter? We called up all sixty-five members."
He said that,
but probably accounted for Jeong Ha-kyeong. As if reading my mind, Jin Han-baek asked.
"Hmm... Time's up, and it's just you, Kim Baek-jun. Where's your lover?"
"Left her at the station."
"Shame."
5 minutes.
Jin Han-baek smacked his lips.
"She's a beauty. Was gonna make her my Darling No. 13. Guess it'll have to wait."
"Darling?"
I got the meaning right away.
Looking again, the two beauties leaning at his feet had eyes glazed like they'd been drugged.
4 minutes.
Now all White Society members assembled.
That's when Jin Han-baek tossed a cigarette pack my way.
"Here's my final mercy and advice."
Inside was a crudely rolled cigarette. The scent was so overpowering it stung my nose.
"It's called Happiness Drug. Made from materials collected from hallucinogenic Heteromorphs. Take it, and all thoughts vanish, replaced by pure bliss. Like these darlings."
2 minutes.
"You charged at the boss to save lives, right? Can't make a guy like that commit murder. Take the drug, and we'll send you off painlessly, happily."
A hollow laugh bubbled up.
Those 12 minutes were also time given to Jin Han-baek.
"Thanks."
Just in case.
Maybe Baek Hyun-jong exaggerated.
But this guy had nothing. Nothing but a tongue laced with repulsive sophistry.
"For being an even crazier bastard than I worried."
1 minute.
Click— muzzles trained on me from all sides. But no one fired rashly.
Good.
My plan was perfectly in place.
"One last question."
"Make it quick. Last Q&A."
"Fifteen hunters per Nightmare Hunter is the formula?"
"Exactly."
Kim Baek-jun, Jeong Ha-kyeong, Hong Byeong-gyu, Kim Gye-sang, Yoon Geon-woo, Cha Seung-hyeon.
Six Nightmare Hunters total.
6 times 15 is 90. I looked at him with pity.
"Han-baek. Then instead of this setup, you should've gathered 40 more hunters."
5 seconds.
"Ahaha, hey now."
1 second.
"Smell the drug and lost your—?!"
Jin Han-baek couldn't finish.
He sprang up from his seat instead.
That's the normal reaction.
A steel giant charged fiercely from the gateway mist.
Hong Byeong-gyu.
Panicked shouts erupted from all sides.
"W-What the fuck is that!"
"H-Heteromorph? Why's a Heteromorph in Paradise?"
"You idiots! It's a hunter! Shoot instead of freaking out! Shoot!"
Rat-tat-tat-tat—
Of course, meaningless against Hong Byeong-gyu clad in [Heavy Armor].
—Ting-ting-ting-ting!
[Heavy Armor] tested against Nightmare Zone Heteromorphs. No way modern guns pierce it.
—Shrieeeek!
The next instant. Eardrum-shattering whooshes rang out.
Four chakrams burst from the gateway mist. Whirling winds howled from the ring blades.
"My 'blade tip' shines, and my 'storm' delivers judgment."
Cha Seung-hyeon.
He strode out amid the orbiting chakrams.
"Those who spill others' 'blood' shall spill their own."
Hm?
Do kids these days mutter nonsense that cool?
"That is the will of 'Lead Hunter' hyung-nim."
...?
"Receive hyung-nim's judgment!"
Chakram throws linked with unique skill 《Wind Blade》.
The chakrams, whipping up winds, flew at them. Agonized screams rose as arms sprayed into the air.
"Aaagh!"
"My hand, my hand!"
"Don't shoot the steel pig! Shoot over there, you morons!"
Cha Seung-hyeon disabled limbs with chakrams, then Hong Byeong-gyu rolled through like a human tank.
Next, Kim Gye-sang. Yoon Geon-woo.
Finally, Jeong Ha-kyeong.
"We'll handle the small fry as planned."
"Uncle, do what you said you would!"
The seasoned Nightmare Hunters turned White Society's front lines into a bloody inferno in seconds.
Reliable. Truly.
Now it was my turn.
I advanced on Jin Han-baek.
One step. One step. Amid screams and wails shaking heaven and earth, my heart stayed utterly calm.
Dawnlight Yeomyeong Sword needed 8 hours to recharge. But I wouldn't need it for this guy.