Shurike's Fury

"What?!"

It was five in the morning.

After receiving the report from Alex, Shurike scowled and shot up from his seat.

"The Manri Mountain Gate has been cleaned out?!"

"...Yes. I went there just a moment ago, and there wasn't a single monster left."

"Not a single one?"

"Yes..."

"..."

At the unexpected variable, Shurike's eyebrows twitched violently.

Why, of all places, did Manri Mountain have to be cleaned out?!

"Who the hell did it?! When, and why did they clean it?!"

"Well... looking at the gate entry records, yesterday afternoon, someone named A..."

"A? That Cheon-oe-cheon bastard who hunted the vampire?"

"Yes."

"This fucking..."

At his subordinate's words, Shurike spat out a curse.

Of all people, the one who cleaned the gate had to be a Cheon-oe-cheon.

"Find another gate around here right now. It has to be at least A-rank, and it has to be close to the city center."

"Well... there aren't any."

"What?"

"There isn't a single A-rank gate that matches what you asked for, Lord Shurike."

Everything else was either too far from the city center, or, even if it was close, ranked lower than A. Higher-ranked gates still existed, of course, but those were all considerably distant from today's scheduled location.

Being part of the exchange delegation was itself a smokescreen, yet it was still an official event, wasn't it? Completely changing the venue for such an event within a few hours would look far too suspicious.

"Have the guilds all gone insane as a group?! Why today, of all days..."

"Apparently that Cheon-oe-cheon came down to Busan for a trip and decided to loosen up by touring the gates and cleaning them out..."

"Aaaargh!!"

Crack-crack-crack!

Shurike finally exploded. The moment he roared, every pane of glass in the suite spiderwebbed with fractures. It was reinforced glass—standard for a hotel that catered heavily to hunters—yet even that could not withstand his power.

"Hoo..."

After seething for a long while, Shurike squeezed his eyes shut and drew a deep breath.

Today's plan had to succeed no matter what.

If I pull this off, I can claim an Elder seat in New Age and a Bishop's seat inside the cult as well.

Not long ago, Shurike had received missions from both New Age and the cult.

New Age wanted the star hunters dead so public opinion would keep Korea and Belhart from growing closer. The cult wanted the Korean Association President dead so chaos would let them expand their influence into Korea. That was why Shurike had planned the monster wave—belonging to both sides made it convenient to finish both missions at once.

If I can only succeed at one of the two missions...

Then it had to be the one the cult had given him.

For someone who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had languished as a mere Sub-Bishop inside the cult for years, the seat of Bishop of Belhart's Northern Continent was irresistibly sweet.

I've already been educated inside the cult on what kind of place the world of Belhart is.

That was why he understood exactly what the Northern Continent Bishop's seat meant. If he could only seize that place for himself, he would gain so much.

Still, I should succeed at the New Age mission as well if I can.

Only an Elder could enter New Age's treasure vault, and one of the things he wanted was inside it. He had to get in.

"Find another method, quickly..."

Just then—

Ring-ring-ring.

Alex's phone buzzed. He answered.

Click.

"What is it?"

After a few minutes of conversation, Alex hung up. Shurike looked at him.

"The B-rank gate in Haeundae has been upgraded."

"Upgraded?!"

"Yes. It's a B-rank gate that spawns lizardmen. The population spiked so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sharply they raised it to A-rank. One of the men I planted told me."

A grin spread across Shurike's face.

This had to be heaven itself lending a hand. He had needed an A-rank close to the city center, and now ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Haeundae had fallen right into his lap. Tourists everywhere, shops and residences packed tight—there could be no better place.

"I'm almost glad we lost the Manri Mountain Gate. Heh heh heh."

Even better, the exchange delegation's scheduled venue was right nearby. Heaven had clearly chosen him.

"Um... Lord Shurike. May I say one thing first?"

"What."

"Doesn't this feel strange? The way our plan fell apart."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Han Jeong-soo. That bastard is suspicious."

The way he had stepped out of the suite and immediately made a phone call somewhere, the way the Manri Mountain Gate had been cleaned the moment they told him the plan—the timing was far too perfect. Thankfully a population spike had produced a new A-rank, or this entire operation would have been abandoned.

"I only have a gut feeling, but I find Han Jeong-soo suspicious."

"So you're saying that Cheon-oe-cheon is behind him?"

"Looking at how the Cheon-oe-cheon cleaned a gate so close to the city center... yes."

How Han Jeong-soo had gotten close to a Cheon-oe-cheon was anyone's guess. SSS-rank hunters were not common, and they were not the sort of people you could simply approach and befriend because you wanted to. Yet every current circumstance pointed to Han Jeong-soo having sided with the Cheon-oe-cheon.

"Then we'll have to put him to one little test."

Shurike's eyes went cold. He immediately sent Han Jeong-soo a single text message.

Several hours passed. It was eight in the morning.

Click.

Ding-ding.

Alex entered the suite where Shurike waited.

"Well?"

"..."

At Shurike's question, Alex bit his lip.

"I asked you how it went."

"...It's fine. No one came."

Alex hung his head low.

Three hours earlier, after listening to Alex, Shurike had sent Han Jeong-soo a single text: the plan had hit a snag, so they would rampage the B-rank gate in Sasang-gu right this moment. He had even confirmed the reply—"Understood"—so if that bastard really was a spy, the gate in Sasang-gu should have been cleaned out by now.

Yet no one had come. The monsters inside the gate remained exactly as they were. Not a hunter, not even an ordinary civilian, had approached.

Rumble-rumble!

"Ghk!"

Power erupted from Shurike. Alex dropped to his knees.

"Because of your faulty judgment, I wasted three whole hours."

"I—I'm sorry!"

"I trusted your word and waited three hours for your sake even while the plan was falling apart. And all you can do is try to talk your way out of this."

"I will make this plan succeed no matter what."

"Is that so?"

Swoosh.

Hearing Alex's words, Shurike raised an eyebrow, withdrew his power, and held something out to him.

It was an artifact that triggered waves—an item that bore the name God's Wrath.

"What a pity. Not only have three foreign stars already died, but now Alex will die trying his hardest to stop a wave."

At Shurike's muttered words, Alex's pupils began to shake.

That was an order to die alongside the three sacrificial lambs. And "trying his hardest to stop a wave" meant he was to go inside, trigger the wave, and hold the entrance until the monsters had gathered.

Even with a spiked population, a wave still sent one or two monsters out first. That would trigger reports, and nearby hunters would come running. So he was to block them until enough had massed, then release them outside the gate. In short, he was to play the role of a dam.

"L-Lord Shurike! If we're going to kill the hunters in the exchange delegation, I have to be the one to move!"

"I can handle that myself."

"I won't make any more mistakes! Please, just spare my life..."

"Alex."

"..."

Still bowed low, Alex slowly raised his head and looked at him.

"Your family back in America will know all about your sacrifice."

Thud.

Shurike laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled gently.

In other words, a threat. If he did not want to watch his family die, he would follow orders. The moment anyone joined New Age, every scrap of information on their family and relatives was handed over. If he ran, New Age would kill them without question.

"Who knows. If you're truly lucky, you might even come back alive."

Shurike smiled.

Alex, hearing those words, could not smile at all. He knew perfectly well that for all the talk, Shurike would never let him live. Four dead foreign hunters would make for better news than three.

"Hey, the wait over there is insane."

"Let's hit the water this evening."

"The beer hall is open~ Come today and get ten percent off the whole menu!"

Songnim Park, right by the Haeundae beachfront.

While crowds of people laughed and chattered without a care in the world, Alex—cap pulled low—moved carefully toward the gate.

Then—

Whoosh!

The moment the hunters guarding the entrance looked elsewhere, he threw himself into the gate.

This gate belonged to Busan's Daeseon Guild. No accidents had ever occurred here, so security was a little lax.

Squeeze.

"...Hoo."

Inside the gate, Alex gripped the rampage artifact and let out a long breath.

Where exactly had it all gone wrong?

From the moment he joined New Age? Or from the moment he opened his mouth and made that faulty report?

"Damn it."

Alex raised the hand holding the artifact.

In that instant—

"Did I not hit hard enough? You're still moving pretty well."

"?!"

Han Jeong-soo strolled out from behind a tree at a leisurely pace.

"...Han Jeong-soo?"

"Looks like your arm still works."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Hmm, I wonder why I'm here."

"..."

Watching Han Jeong-soo grin, Alex's expression hardened.

Originally that bastard was supposed to stay at the Association on Shurike's orders and delay the hunter dispatch.

"I knew it. You betrayed us."

"Correct."

At those words, Han Jeong-soo clapped.

How had someone that smart decided to pick a fight with him? Clever head, maybe, but no eye for recognizing a stronger opponent?

"You son of a bitch!!"

"Whoa, you're really pissed."

"Because of you, I—!"

"Why blame me? Blame yourself for running your mouth so lightly."

"..."

Grind.

Alex ground his teeth at Han Jeong-soo's attitude.

He was furious, but charging the man in his current state would mean nothing. The situation had already happened, and Shurike had discarded him.

"Heh. You came here thinking you could stop me... you thought wrong."

Whoosh!

Alex immediately raised his arm.

Hummm!

Flash!

The artifact activated at once.

"You can die here with me."

Hummm.

Hummm.

The artifact in Alex's hand vibrated wildly, sending shockwaves through the interior of the gate.

Five minutes passed.

"Yaaawn."

"Wh-what the hell?!"

Han Jeong-soo yawned. Alex was thrown into complete ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠panic.

"Why aren't any monsters showing up?!!"

Normally, the moment God's Wrath was used, the monsters would start trembling, their eyes would turn blood-red, and they would come charging in a frenzy. Yet five full minutes after activation, not a single monster—not even an ant—had appeared.

"What a shame. This gate has no monsters."

"...What?"

"The only living things in this gate are you and me. Just the two of us."

"Th-that's... that doesn't make any sense! I clearly heard from my subordinate that—"

Grin.

"I'm still an Association section chief, you know. You think I wouldn't notice one little spy you planted?"

Han Jeong-soo wore a thin, cold smile.

He had identified Alex's subordinate long ago and had been the one to feed that man false information.

"Then the claim that this place was upgraded to A-rank..."

"That's right. It was a lie. This place has been empty since last night."

"I—I have to tell Lord Shurike this—"

Whoosh!

Boom!

The instant Alex spun around, Han Jeong-soo closed the distance at terrifying speed and drove a fist into him.

"Don't worry. A monster is already heading their way."