Chapter 469: A New Beginning (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 469: A New Beginning (2)
His steps were leisurely.
As if taking a stroll, Roman Dmitry walked forward and casually picked up a stray tree branch.
'It’s just like back then.'
His previous life.
When he first began his new life as Roman Dmitry and encountered Blood Fang, he had slaughtered them all with a single branch. The core of his identity remained unchanged: never back down from hostility. Though he could easily crush the soldier ants with his bare hands, he wanted to evoke the memories of that day.
Chit-chit-chit.
The soldier ants aggressively clicked their mandibles.
Five were in plain sight.
Three more were rushing through tunnels underground.
He remained perfectly calm.
Having observed Kang Min-ho's battle to gather information, Roman had already figured out exactly what these creatures were. Compared to the demonic beasts he had fought countless times in the Demon Realm, these things didn't even come close. Against these primitive beasts that couldn't even recognize the predator standing right before them, Roman Dmitry stepped forward without hesitation.
Kang Min-ho's eyes widened.
Unaware of the truth, he believed this clash between a single unarmed human and a pack of monsters would only end in a gruesome death.
And yet.
Flash.
Kieeeeeeek!
A single flash of movement.
The limbs of the leading soldier ants were severed.
The hard carapaces, which had been completely unaffected by Kang Min-ho's greatsword, were sliced open like soft tofu the moment the mere branch touched them. Dark red blood sprayed into the air. Three soldier ants died in an instant. As they collapsed in a heap, Roman Dmitry immediately severed the heads of the remaining two.
Splurt!
Blood splattered across the dirt.
Ten seconds?
No, it hadn't even taken five.
The moment the visible soldier ants were dealt with, the ground shook. The subterranean threats he had already detected burst through the dirt. They must have had their own plan—using their tunnels to launch a coordinated ambush. But the moment they reared their heads, they were met with a despairing reality.
Crunch.
Thud.
He crushed one's head underfoot.
The mana-infused stomp shattered its skull into pieces, leaving the remaining two frozen mid-attack, paralyzed with absolute fear. Soldier ants were creatures of extremely low intelligence. Driven blindly by instinct, they were never known to retreat from a battlefield.
Yet, these very monsters...
...had lost their will to fight.
Forgetting the roles hardwired into their DNA, they instinctively realized just how terrifying of a predator Roman Dmitry was. But a split second of hesitation meant death. Stepping over the scattered carcasses, Roman Dmitry sliced straight through the heads of the frozen soldier ants.
Slash.
Thud. Thud.
The heads tumbled to the ground.
It was over.
Tossing the branch aside, Roman turned to see Kang Min-ho's face pale with sheer shock.
"H-How on earth..."
The sequence of events was a shocking sight that defied all of Kang Min-ho's common sense. It was something he couldn't believe even after witnessing it with his own eyes.
* * *
When Roman Dmitry first picked up the branch, Kang Min-ho had despaired.
Convinced the man was completely insane, Min-ho thought he needed to find another way to survive. But he didn't have much time to think. It wasn't that he couldn't formulate a plan in his desperation; rather, before he could even process his thoughts, the sight of the soldier ants being torn to shreds captured his gaze.
"...Wow."
He was astounded.
He couldn't believe it.
Roman Dmitry's weapon...
...was nothing more than a tree branch.
A branch that would have snapped uselessly if struck against the ground—something that couldn't even be called a weapon—had effortlessly torn through the soldier ants' hard carapaces. It felt as if his brain had completely short-circuited. While he watched with his mouth agape at this logic-defying spectacle, the soldier ants were slaughtered to the very last one.
"H-How on earth..."
Only then did he realize the truth behind the mana detector's result.
The man wasn't too weak to be measured; he was so overwhelmingly strong that the device couldn't measure him at all.
'That means he's at least a B-Rank powerhouse. To think I'd meet a Peak Hunter in a place like this.'
Hunter ranks were standardized globally.
Excluding the highest tier, S-Rank, they were divided into grades from A-Rank down to F-Rank. In South Korea, however, these ranks were referred to by different titles. The lowest, F-Rank, was an Apprentice Hunter. E-Rank, which Kang Min-ho currently belonged to, was an Ordinary Hunter. D and C-Ranks, possessing seasoned combat power, were Special Hunters. And B and A-Ranks, who were treated as VIPs anywhere in the world, were called Peak Hunters.
As for the final S-Rank...
...it was the Hero Rank.
In South Korea, only the Mage in White was officially recognized with the title of Hero Hunter.
'I've heard rumors. From Peak Hunter onward, they are entirely different beings from ordinary Hunters. I thought all B-Rank and higher Hunters affiliated with South Korea operated within the Shelters, so why is he wandering around out here? Besides, no matter how strong a Peak Hunter is, cutting through a soldier ant's hard carapace with a mere branch should be impossible. Could he be an Inheritor, or perhaps a Chosen One?'
His heart pounded.
Hunters.
When ordinary people underwent the process of Awakening, they gained access to special powers and became Hunters. But among these Hunters, there existed truly extraordinary beings: Inheritors and Chosen Ones. Unlike normal Hunters who grew stronger through the Game System, they displayed overwhelming power through their own unique methods.
They were the top 0.01% of the world.
A blessing granted only to a select few.
In Kang Min-ho's mind, there was no other way to explain Roman Dmitry's overwhelming power unless he belonged to that elite category.
'This is an opportunity.'
Kang Min-ho was a typical Ordinary Hunter.
He possessed no special abilities, and because he had Awakened late, his potential for growth was extremely low—he was as common as they came. For someone like him, forming a connection with a Peak Hunter, or someone even stronger, was an incredible opportunity. At first, he hadn't understood why someone who looked like an ordinary person was wandering around out here, but regardless, the man had asked for his help for "one month."
Perhaps...
...this opportunity could help him find a way to grow stronger.
Some might call him an opportunist, but to enter the Shelter with his daughter, he had to seize every chance he got.
His thoughts were interrupted.
"Why are you standing there dazed?"
The voice snapped him back to reality.
Kang Min-ho hurriedly bowed his head.
"Thank you so much. Thanks to you, I survived. As promised, I will take full responsibility and assist you with everything you need for the next month."
* * *
There was no longer any reason to remain in the hunting grounds, so the two set off.
On the way back to the Safe Zone, Kang Min-ho cast Translation Magic once more and began to explain the state of the world.
"Since you asked me to explain the basics, I'll start from the very beginning. Twenty years ago, the Great Disaster began when an entity calling itself 'The Absolute' appeared. The Absolute foretold ten Great Disasters and promised that if we could stop them all, this world would be preserved. The true nature of The Absolute remains a mystery to this day, but as the monster attacks—which were dubbed the Great Disasters—began, Hunters wielding special powers started to emerge. As you know, Hunters grow stronger through rewards granted by an unknown existence, functioning much like a 'Game System.' With the rise of Hunters, humanity gained the power to fight back against the Great Disasters. However... after enduring five Great Disasters so far, the world has been devastated. We managed to fend off the attacks, but fully protecting our cities was impossible."
Five Great Disasters.
It was a devastating reality in the most literal sense.
Every time a Great Disaster struck and monsters swarmed across the globe, cities built with the blood, sweat, and tears of humanity crumbled, and countless lives were lost. The cycle of these disasters was entirely unpredictable. Since several years had already passed since the fifth Great Disaster, people were constantly trembling with anxiety, fearing that the sixth might arrive at any moment.
Kang Min-ho continued.
"To protect themselves from the Great Disasters, people established Shelters. While powerful nations like the United States succeeded in turning entire cities into Shelters, South Korea has a significantly lower ratio of Awakened individuals. As a result, no Shelters exist here outside of the capital, Seoul. Naturally, the Shelter cannot accommodate all the citizens of South Korea, so those of us who were denied entry live in places that are Safe Zones in name only. The place I am taking you to now is one of those Safe Zones."
Kang Min-ho smiled bitterly.
A Safe Zone.
Just as he explained, it was a label in name only.
While not completely exposed to monsters like the Unprotected Areas, the Peak Hunters and those above them—who made up the core military power of the nation—would gather around the Shelter whenever a Great Disaster struck. They secured the safety of the Shelter's residents as their absolute top priority, and only then would they move outward from the capital to clear out the monsters.
Thus, entering the Shelter was everyone's ultimate dream.
The sole reason Kang Min-ho desperately went out to hunt was to earn entry into the Shelter for himself and his only daughter.
The explanation continued.
Kang Min-ho couldn't understand why a Peak Hunter needed to hear such basic knowledge, but since the man had asked, he complied without complaint. This person could be his lifeline. Setting aside what made sense and what didn't, he wanted to use this opportunity to forge a connection with a Peak Hunter by any means necessary.
After walking for some time, they finally reached their destination.
Looking at the buildings enclosed by towering, medieval-style stone walls, Kang Min-ho spoke with a complicated expression.
"We're here. This is Incheon, one of South Korea's Safe Zones."
* * *
South Korea had established Safe Zones in various cities.
Although Seoul was the only place officially designated as a Shelter, Incheon had also built a system to protect its citizens.
After the Great Disasters, eighty percent of Incheon was classified as an Unprotected Area.
The Safe Zone was established on the remaining twenty percent of the land. Once they stepped inside the walls, a bustling city unfolded before them.
Just because the Great Disasters had begun didn't mean society's systems had completely collapsed.
Laborers were still dispatched to work sites, people enjoyed daily activities like taking walks and surfing the internet, and government-run supermarkets sold goods at reasonable prices to prevent mass panic. At least within the Safe Zone, the environment was maintained so that people could live lives as close as possible to how they did twenty years ago.
Peace amidst chaos.
This was the reality of the new world.
Having entered the city under Kang Min-ho's sponsorship, Roman Dmitry was guided to Min-ho's current residence—a small, modest apartment building.
"You can stay here for now. If you need anything..."
"Daddy!"
A young girl's voice rang out.
Seeing his twelve-year-old daughter, Kang Min-ah, running toward him, Kang Min-ho quickly scooped her up and ushered her into a room.
"Min-ah, I'm sorry, but let's talk later."
"That's not fair!"
Their reunion was brief.
After finally settling his daughter down, Kang Min-ho wiped his sweat and turned back to Roman Dmitry.
"Please let me know if you need anything from now on. Also, how should we handle the soldier ants' remains? I've gathered them for now, and since they're worth quite a bit, I can sell them for you if you'd like."
"How much are they worth compared to a Translation Magic scroll?"
"Enough to buy dozens of them and still have money left over. Remains from D-Rank monsters fetch a high price, and since you defeated eight soldier ants, you'll receive a substantial amount of money."
"Then you manage it. Based on what you said, it should help cover the expenses during my stay here."
"Understood."
It was a strange relationship.
Roman Dmitry spoke informally, as if to a subordinate, while Kang Min-ho spoke with the utmost respect.
Yet both accepted this dynamic naturally.
With just a single battle, the hierarchy had been firmly established.
Roman Dmitry spoke up again.
"And there is something I must tell you in advance."
"Please, go ahead."
"You called me a Peak Hunter. If such beings are rare in this world, you will likely report my existence to your superiors according to your reporting system. I will not stop you from doing so. Since you sponsored my entry into the city, hiding my tracks is already impossible anyway."
In that moment, Min-ho's heart sank.
Paying no mind to Kang Min-ho's reaction, Roman Dmitry added,
"Tell them this: one month. Do not approach me within that time. If they rashly attempt anything with me, I cannot guarantee what will happen next."
* * *
Kang Min-ho stepped outside with his daughter.
He planned to leave her with his cousin for the time being, but Roman Dmitry's warning still sent shivers down his spine.
'He only has a language barrier, but he completely understands how our system works.'
It was exactly as Roman had anticipated.
Roman Dmitry was an unidentified individual.
Since an unregistered person had entered the Safe Zone, Min-ho, who had sponsored his entry, was legally obligated to report him to the government.
'What will happen once the Incheon Government learns of a Peak Hunter's existence?'
Without a doubt, it would cause an absolute uproar.
With all the top-tier powerhouses concentrated in Seoul, the existence of an unaffiliated Peak Hunter was something that not only the Incheon Government, but every Hunter guild in South Korea would drool over. He would likely face a chaotic month ahead himself, as anyone trying to recruit the Peak Hunter would view him as the key point of contact.
But...
...it was a risk worth taking.
Kang Min-ho desperately wanted to maintain his connection with Roman Dmitry, no matter the cost.
Thirty minutes later, having dropped off his daughter, Kang Min-ho contacted the Incheon Government.
"I am on my way to see you now. I have something to report regarding the unidentified individual I sponsored."