The Demon God Cultist
Clank, clank.
Thud!
"Aargh, this is exhausting!"
Canteas, who had trudged all the way to the massive building, dropped the enormous sack and shouted.
Damn it!
I told him to buy a bigger spatial bag...
Both the mana stones and the byproducts had exceeded the spatial storage capacity, so they had no choice but to haul everything in ordinary backpacks.
"Ah~ I can't go on. I really can't take another step. It's too hard..."
"How is a skeleton this weak?"
"Because I'm just bones! With nothing but bones, of course my stamina is weak!"
"..."
Do-ha was momentarily speechless at Canteas's words.
In a way, he was right...
Normally skeletons never tired and kept attacking without pause. That was exactly why large numbers of them were dangerous. But when he put it like that, there was nothing left to say.
"Would it kill you to help a little?!"
"Yeah. It would."
"Wow... look at that personality. Hey! People of the neighborhood! The Cheonwaecheon is bullying a poor skeleton over here!"
"You bought the latest phone with cash, didn't you?"
"..."
At Do-ha's words, Canteas slowly turned his head away.
He hadn't taken the phone out in front of him, and he hadn't used Do-ha's card either, so how did he know...?
"Where would you get the money to buy the latest phone? Hmm?"
"Th-that's..."
"Come to think of it, one B-rank mana stone went missing... I wonder where it could be~?"
"..."
"Gasp. Canteas! There must be a thief. One B-rank mana stone worth fifty million won has disappeared! This is a really big deal, right?! If the thief is caught, I think we'll have to turn him into bone hangover soup!"
"Aargh, fine! I'm sorry!"
In the end, Canteas apologized.
That damn bastard...
Just curse me out openly...
"Wow, so the thief was right here. Nothing but bones, yet sticky fingers..."
"I always work hard, so I just took a little labor fee! Don't you know about salaries?! Making me work like this without paying is a human rights violation! If I report you to the Labor Board, you'll get arrested!"
"Shut it."
"..."
When Do-ha raised his hand, Canteas flinched.
"You steal and then play the victim?!"
"Hic... I'm so sad."
"Sad my ass... I'll overlook the B-rank mana stone you stole, so just carry the bag properly."
"Oh, okay."
At that moment.
Vroooom.
Screech.
While Do-ha and Canteas were putting on their little skit, a black sedan stopped in front of them.
Clack.
"So this is her guild, huh."
The being who stepped out of the car looked up at the building.
Wei Chen.
"We're moving again...?!"
Do-ha, about to leave, saw something and his eyes widened.
Is that...?
No—more precisely, the weapon the man who had just gotten out of the car was holding.
Un-jeop-bi-jang...
His own weapon, Un-jeop-bi-jang, had come into view.
He wondered if he was seeing things and looked again, but it really was his weapon. There was no way he would fail to recognize Un-jeop-bi-jang. To a martial artist, a blade was another part of the body.
Who is that guy? How does he have my weapon?
No matter how many times he checked, it was truly his weapon.
"Lord Wei Chen. I'll guide you... Huh?"
The Association President saw Do-ha and was startled.
"Hey, who are you to glare at me like that?"
Wei Chen, frowning, tilted his head. He was already irritated from the long flight, and now some stranger was glaring and picking a fight.
"Deaf? Why are you glaring."
"L-Lord Wei Chen!"
"Move."
When the Association President blocked the way, a thick killing intent flowed from Wei Chen. As mentioned before, most of the Divine 200 were complete bastards.
"Th-that person is... Cheon..."
At that moment.
Ziiing.
Don't tell him who I am.
Do-ha sent a telepathic message to the Association President.
Yes? Why... You're not planning to fight, are you? This is downtown.
Don't worry. It's not that.
Hearing the Association President's worried words, Do-ha shook his head.
"That person is what."
"Th-that person is... o-one of our Association's important staff members."
"...Does the Korean Association have the president referring to subordinates as 'that person'?"
"D-did I? Hahaha."
Watching the Association President babble like an idiot, Wei Chen frowned. What kind of appearance was this for the Hunter Association President representing a country?
"Ah, I'm sorry about that. I'm a fan, and I was just a bit dazed wondering if Lord Wei Chen was really in Korea."
Step, step.
Swoosh.
"Nice to meet you. I'm A-rank Hunter Baek Do-ha."
Do-ha approached, removed his mask, and offered a handshake.
"Heh heh, yeah. Meeting a star like me isn't easy for you."
Tap.
Wei Chen smiled arrogantly and lightly tapped the hand Baek Do-ha extended.
My sword... yeah.
Up close, it was even more certain. The magic staff that guy was holding was his Un-jeop-bi-jang.
"But... you have quite a strong aura too?"
"Even so, I'm below Lord Wei Chen."
"Kwahaha, this friend knows his place. I like him."
"Haha. Thank you for thinking well of me."
"..."
When Do-ha smiled, the Association President awkwardly laughed along.
What is this situation? Why is Lord Do-ha...?
No matter how he thought about it, he could not understand Do-ha's behavior. Why was he acting like this while hiding his identity? If he simply said he was the new Cheonwaecheon, Wei Chen would not be laughing—he would not even be able to look at him.
"Let's see each other often. I really like you."
"It would be great if we could exchange more."
Ziiing.
"Oh! My love!"
Thud.
When the building door opened and Han Se-ah came out, Wei Chen pushed Do-ha aside and immediately approached her.
"Lord A..."
"I'm fine."
When the startled Association President sent a worried look, Do-ha smiled and shook his head.
"I missed you!"
Wei Chen smiled and spread his arms wide.
"I heard you were coming."
"Didn't you miss me?!"
"There's no reason for me to miss Lord Wei Chen. And I'm not your love either."
"Aw, don't be so stiff. I flew all this way on a plane."
"Welcome, Association President."
"It's been a while."
The Association President spoke respectfully to her. Originally they had been close enough to use casual speech, but with a foreign hunter present he could not act as he would in private.
"The person next to you..."
"Ah, this person is... o-one of our Association staff."
"Association staff?"
At the Association President's words, she quietly looked at Do-ha. The aura she felt and the atmosphere he gave off—plus his handsome appearance. If there was such a staff member, there was no way she would not know, yet she was seeing him for the first time today.
Han Se-ah...
Seeing her face, Do-ha immediately recognized her identity. He had never met or spoken to her, but there was no one in Korea who did not know Han Se-ah. She was Korea's first SS-rank Hunter and the one called the Goddess.
So this was the Doksa Guild building.
He had often seen the building on the way to nearby shops, but he only now realized it was the Doksa Guild.
"That guy said he was my fan—did you know? I'm this famous. Even hunters from other countries revere me. Kwahahaha!"
"...Yes. I see."
When Wei Chen burst into laughter, Han Se-ah answered dryly.
"Then you all chat. I'll be going now."
"Come find me before I leave later. I'll give you an autograph. My fan service is top-notch, you know."
"Haha, I think we'll meet again soon."
Swoosh.
When Do-ha gave a signal, Canteas, who had been quiet, packed the luggage and started walking again.
"Oh, by the way, Association President."
"Yes?"
Do-ha, who had been walking, turned his head and spoke to the Association President.
"Do you know of the Demon God Cult? The people belonging to it are called followers, I hear."
"Yes? Demon God... Cult? What's that?"
At his words, Wei Chen's eyebrows twitched slightly.
"It's nothing. Just something made up on the internet, I guess. I'll be going now."
"W-won't you have a cup of tea before..."
"Next time. I'm a bit busy now. I have to go to a B-rank Gate in Paju."
Bow.
At the Association President's words, Do-ha lightly bowed his head and immediately left.
Step, step.
Whoosh.
Tick.
"..."
The being walking into the B-rank Gate. Wei Chen looked at the stone fragment that had fallen at his feet.
"I told you, right? That we'd meet again soon."
Do-ha, sitting on a rock, smiled at Wei Chen. He had even told him the destination was the B-rank Gate in Paju, so he had expected him to come.
"You... the words you said to me earlier... what did you mean by them."
"Words... which ones? Canteas, what did I say earlier?"
Do-ha looked at Canteas beside him.
"Wei Chen is a Demon God follower. And the weapon he's holding was given by the cult. That's what you said."
"Ah, right. That's what I said."
Nodding, Do-ha looked back at Wei Chen.
"Pfft... Puhahahaha! This is really hilarious."
In the end, Wei Chen covered his forehead and burst into laughter. He had come just in case, but the guy really knew about the cult.
"Yeah, you saw correctly. I am a Demon God follower. And this weapon was also received from the cult."
"Wow... it really is Un-jeop-bi-jang?"
Seeing Wei Chen's weapon, Canteas's mouth dropped open. When he first saw it, he had thought he was mistaken. Something that should be in the Demon Realm was on Earth. But looking properly, it really was Un-jeop-bi-jang. Not a fake—the real thing.
Swoosh.
"I have a lot to hear from you."
Do-ha stood up from the rock he had been sitting on.
The cult is here too.
I need to know just how far the Demon God's reach extends.
It had only been ten years since the world changed. In just ten years, even a Divine 200 had become a Demon God Cult member.
"Guy? Your tone has changed a lot."
"Of course. Because you're a bug who worships something like the Demon God."
"Indeed. You are an enemy of the cult."
"Hey, I'll give you a chance to live. Hand that weapon over to me and tell me the cult's location and who the followers are. Then I'll spare you."
"Are you crazy? You don't actually think I'll listen to such words, do you?"
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you. Think carefully."
"I don't know what you're relying on to act so arrogant. Is someone hiding?"
Wei Chen looked around. No matter how strong the power he possessed, he was a Divine 200. It meant a mere Association staff member could not challenge him.
"To kill the likes of you, why would anyone need to hide."
"...I'm starting to lose interest in arguing with you."
Kuuuuuu!
Wei Chen's expression cooled, and he began to emit aura in all directions.
...The Divine 200 are definitely different from other hunters. But something's off?
Feeling Wei Chen's aura, Do-ha narrowed his eyes. His mana amount was overwhelming, but why was his operation strange?
Generally, mages moved the mana contained in their Circles through Mana Roads. It was the same principle as martial artists moving internal energy through meridians. And high-ranking mages sent the mana moving along the Mana Road back to the Circles. It was a bit cumbersome, but it was a process of refining once more through the Circles—and the more mana one had, the more one had to perform this process.
But Wei Chen was simply using mana directly from the Circles. Done that way, the magic's power decreased, and the speed of mana movement and calculation speed failed to match, often causing magic to tangle.
A mage of Divine 200 level doesn't know this basic?
In the world of Belhart, the first thing taught at the Magic Tower was that refining process.
"I'll say this in advance: if you're going to face me, operate properly through the Mana Road."
"...What? Mana Road? What's that?"
"..."
Hearing his words, Do-ha and Canteas both made blank expressions at the same time. They had thought Wei Chen was joking, but he really did not know about Mana Roads.
"Let's stop fighting with words now."
Zwaaaang!
With a bitter smile, Wei Chen immediately moved his magic staff.