Bound for Jeju: Revelations and a Tower of Power
“Are you coming along too, Master?”
Lucifer’s question earned a nod from me.
“Yeah, this time I am.”
Me, heading to Jeju Island.
I couldn’t hole up at home forever.
Safety was guaranteed, sure, but my skills wouldn’t grow. There had to be experience gains from facing monsters head-on.
“Finally, I get to carry you into the skies.”
“Master, I’ll turn into a pigeon and cling to your robe like wings.”
No matter how you sliced it, that sounded grotesque.
If there was no other way, maybe. But not yet.
- Mumyeong, there’s a hidden room in your hideout.
I stood against the wall, gazing down at my terminal. Sa Choiheon’s message had just popped up on the screen.
I’d messaged first about wanting to sell some items, and the reply came quick.
Knock on the wall four times at a steady pace.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
I followed the instructions to the letter.
Whoosh...
A rectangular outline materialized on the blank wall.
“Sa Choiheon, that sneaky bastard. Hiding a secret room like this.”
Even Lucifer was impressed, clicking his tongue.
Inside the door, shelves brimmed with gear.
Ropes, oil, detergent, gas masks, canned goods—even guns and ammo. All neatly arranged.
And the space was surprisingly spacious. Spatial and preservation magic woven in. Not a speck of dust anywhere.
“This is full-on apocalypse prep.”
“Y-yeah... haha.”
I pushed past Lucifer’s awkward chuckle and stepped in.
On the top shelf of the third rack, you’ll find a subspace pouch. Load the items in there and bring it over.
◈ Spacious storage for items and monster cores.
It looked pricey at a glance.
“Warehouse has plenty of room, but we can transfer everything here.”
“Master, just pull out the items. We’ll handle the moving.”
We unpacked the mountain of monster cores and gear hogging my inventory.
An insane amount.
Crash—
Cores from instance gate clears poured out endlessly.
“Better use tools.”
“Oh.”
Gabriel crouched, scooping diligently, when Lucifer showed up with a shovel. That much volume called for it.
“Sell this haul, and we might snag a whole building.”
I muttered in awe.
The landlord dream was suddenly within reach.
A crow with the subspace pouch’s strap in its beak soared into the overcast sky.
Caw.
A snow-white pigeon trailed behind.
Gabriel’s eyes discerned truth from lies—essential for a trade spot like this.
The two birds alighted at a café.
The entire building was the café.
Maybe the remote location? No customers in sight.
Lucifer and Gabriel, back in human form, flung open the door.
Sa Choiheon waited inside, sipping tea. Lucifer scanned the place.
“Ain’t this too open?”
“Only insiders here. Perfect for confidential chats.”
Sa Choiheon wasn’t alone. A sunglassed man sat beside him.
“Who’s the guy?”
Lucifer narrowed his eyes.
“I’m Yoo Jincheol, Acting Hunter Association Director. Heard you’re Mumyeong’s apostles. Pleased to meet you.”
The man removed his shades, standing with a bow. Tense, but composed.
“Only me and Director Yoo Jincheol will know Mumyeong’s identity. Just us two.”
Sa Choiheon took another sip.
“He’s trustworthy. Association help is vital for protecting your identity.”
“Hmm.”
The apostles sized up Yoo Jincheol.
The guy from yesterday’s briefing at the Apocalypse Temple.
A rare upright human.
Gabriel’s psych eval came back positive.
Steadfast, loyal to a fault, tight-lipped. Unshakable convictions—won’t hesitate to sacrifice for duty. The type who stakes his life on his word...
Scary accurate profiling.
Verification passed. Joo Kanghyeok gave the okay.
“Follow me.”
Sa Choiheon rose.
Up the stairs, a staff-only room. Beyond it, a pristine white space.
“No eavesdroppers in here.”
“How much cash did you dump into this setup?”
Lucifer gawked at the magical wards: barriers, cloaks, soundproofing galore.
Even vision-sharing with Lucifer held.
A table sat in one corner.
Thud.
Gabriel and Lucifer plunked down the pouch.
Today’s agenda: sell items, hand over account details.
Reveal Mumyeong’s identity to these two. Smooth future dealings.
“No need to drag it out. Let’s move fast.”
Lucifer pulled a paper from his pocket—Mumyeong’s dossier.
Sa Choiheon took it gingerly.
He scanned it, murmuring.
“Ordinary. Eerily so.”
“I’ll check too.”
Yoo Jincheol’s turn. Deep breath, then he queried the Association database on his terminal.
The result:
E-rank Hunter Joo Kanghyeok
Registered less than two weeks ago.
Yoo Jincheol’s eyes widened. He hid it well, but shock hit hard.
E-rank hunter...?
The Association had hunted for Mumyeong too. Ma-in led, but thorough.
Joo Kanghyeok wasn’t on their suspect list.
Sa Choiheon struggled to believe it too.
“Must be possible to hide ranks.”
“Well... Master’s exceptional.”
Gabriel nodded sagely beside him. Lucifer shot her a baffled glare.
Sa Choiheon pondered.
Maybe recently awakened.
It fit: Mumyeong’s late rise, labyrinth records broken now.
But... still too strong.
“Anyway, confirmed.”
Sa Choiheon nodded. Not the priority here.
“Master requests protection for his family too. Vet trustworthy folks.”
“Done.”
Who Mumyeong was didn’t matter now.
Securing his alliance was huge. The sole shot at averting apocalypse.
“Mumyeong intel stays top-secret at the Association. Payment via account. And...”
Sa Choiheon fixed on Lucifer.
“I want to meet Mumyeong personally. Got words for him.”
“Talk to me.”
“Not the same.”
“He says next chance.”
“...I’ll wait.”
Items sold through Bulmyeol.
Payment wired, laundered clean.
“Contact anytime for needs. Association fully backs Mumyeong.”
Yoo Jincheol offered a card. Lucifer’s brow arched.
“Ma-in chaos got you swamped, yet here you are.”
“Right now, nothing trumps Mumyeong Hunter.”
Yoo Jincheol’s gaze burned earnest.
“Fair enough. Master’s top priority... I like it.”
Lucifer grinned, pleased, then pressed on.
“Can you scout a building?”
“Building? New base?”
“Kinda. Hideout’s fine, but.”
Sa Choiheon tilted his head.
Buildings meant zilch if the world ended. Real estate dust.
He shrugged it off.
“I’ll transfer one of mine cheap. Top floor as HQ, customized. Seoul okay?”
“Yeah. Price?”
“Around 120 billion.”
“...”
Lucifer froze at the sum.
20 million per market spree? 120 billion was 6 million sprees.
One weekly: over 10,000 human years.
Master could stack it fast if serious, though.
Joo Kanghyeok reeled too.
Even selling everything wouldn’t cover it. He’d pictured modest, cozy.
Sa Choiheon offered a skyscraper.
“Too pricey.”
Lucifer blurted.
“Can go cheaper, but ownership swap takes time. Paperwork.”
Sa Choiheon said flatly.
“400 billion should do. Money’s no issue for Mumyeong.”
“Yeah... true.”
Lucifer feigned nonchalance with a nod.
1,200 billion down to 400.
Still absurd.
Silence hung.
Sa Choiheon broke it.
“Pay later, fine.”
“For real? No takebacks then.”
Lucifer snapped it up.
No worries, Master. I got this.
Lucifer smirked slyly.
Money irrelevant. World ends? Debt vanishes. Devilishly clever.
“Prep it quick.”
Meeting wrapped.
“Plans next?”
Sa Choiheon’s final query to Lucifer. Dozing Gabriel perked up.
“Jeju bound.”
“Jeju Island...?”
Sa Choiheon’s brow twitched. Yoo Jincheol voiced concern.
“Jeju’s been abandoned ages. Unknown horrors inside...”
He trailed off.
Danger to Mumyeong? Laughable.
Lucifer continued.
“Crawling with monsters, right? So...”
His eyes sharpened. Gabriel leaned in.
“Any support? Like...”
“Helicopters.”
“Hand ‘em over.”
Apostles demanded shamelessly.
Whump-whump-whump!
Rotors thundered.
Two Bulmyeol-logoed choppers sliced Seoul skies side-by-side.
Monster-core refined, state-of-the-art. Perfect for shuttling hunters to Jeju.
First bird: me, Lucifer, Gabriel.
“Gladly loaned ‘em. Sa Choiheon’s playing nice—love it.”
Lucifer beamed.
Practically wrestled ‘em free, but they handed over easy.
“Association greenlit too. Hunt wild.”
Cloak and mask on, I boarded.
Grrr...
Gabriel clutched Kero tight beside me.
“Bringing him here?”
“Leaving him starves the poor guy.”
“You confusing him for a pup? That’s Cerberus.”
Gabriel shook her head at Lucifer’s jab.
He’d forage fine, probably.
Training en route wouldn’t hurt. Already A-rank chomping strong.
“Bulmyeol prepped everything—tents, base. Grunts handle it.”
Lucifer thumbed the trailing chopper.
“Grunts? They’re...”
Bulmyeol elites.
“Big names.”
Prime crew.
Second chopper: guildmates, Cheon Iryeong.
Faces plastered to windows, staring.
“Told the kid to hop on. Experiments pending. Last time helped big.”
Cheon Iryeong? Welcome aboard.
Soul lantern fixed her pride kill claim. They craved lessons(?), fine.
“Sa Choiheon too busy, huh.”
Wonder what one-on-one chat meant.
Time’d tell.
Whump-whump!
Soon, special birds hit Jeju airspace.
Black earth teemed monsters. Media glimpses matched.
Tourist haven turned untouchable demon realm.
“Whoa, no wonder humans balked.”
Lucifer tsked.
Monsters blocked landing. Bulmyeol dropped from the other bird.
Gabriel first.
Boom! Light and flames erupted, scattering beasts.
“Pardon me, Master.”
Lucifer scooped me one-armed, leaped.
Hordes looked up, expectant.
Prey awaited. Some yawned brazenly.
Grrr! Roooar!
Worse than death wave.
Higher levels, obviously.
Kaboom!
Gabriel, with Kero, repelled packs. Kick flung droves.
Krunch!
Kero, full Cerberus, shredded mercilessly.
Grounded, a Bulmyeol landed nearby.
“W-wow... I’ll guide to base point! Follow!”
Space Ruler Yoo Jihun.
His gesture traced a virtual line ahead.
“Follow that! We’ll clear path. ETA one hour.”
Lucifer extended a hand.
“I got it, Master. No fuss—just blast through.”
Kaboom!
Black laser from his grip scorched earth. Beasts along the path melted.
“A-absolutely top-tier.”
Yoo Jihun gaped, awed.
“N-not that! Guiding now! ETA five minutes!”
Time slashed.
His gesture raised a transparent wall. Monster barrier, path forward.
Grrr! Roar! Woof!
Beasts swarmed the wall, glaring. We strolled the gap.
...Convenient.
Follow to base point.
“Let’s go, Master.”
“Kero, come on.”
Gabriel and Lucifer flanked me.
“Yeah.”
I pulled the soul lantern from inventory.
Pure White: Flawless Soul Lantern begins collecting souls.
Pride kill unlocked myth reward. Miracle odds high.
Let’s chase that myth drop.
Before Jeju clear.
Lantern in hand, I advanced into the monster waves.