Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: The Swordsman Revealed
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In a situation tense as a bomb ready to explode at any moment.
Swoosh.
The War God withdrew his fighting spirit.
And he pulled back the two arms that had been reaching toward Myung-su and Barum.
"Go back."
With the War God withdrawing his will to fight, Yong-un issued the command to the Spectral Assassins.
The Supreme One's orders were law to his subordinates—impossible to defy.
The assassins of the Spectral Assassins retracted their killing intent in unison, as if by prior agreement, and took a single step backward simultaneously.
Then, they vanished from the spot without a trace, not even the faintest presence left behind.
Ghostly footsteps, as if they had never been there to begin with.
The War God spat out his saliva with a ptui.
"This is my consideration for the Yong-un I've known all this time."
What did that mean?
The one in danger had been the War God, hadn't it?
The War God never spouted pointless bravado or empty words.
His words were the truth.
If this had been a wartime scenario like the Demonus incident, at least two Spectral Assassins would have lost their lives in that clash just now.
Though they could have inflicted an irrecoverable grave wound on the War God in exchange.
'He's grown tremendously.'
Even if it meant sacrificing lives, the fact that even the swordless Yong-un of old could wound the War God—a man who couldn't claim certain victory—without a doubt...
Though it was only permissible in that special situation just now, as their lord, he couldn't help but feel joy at the growth of the Spectral Assassins.
"Yong-un!"
"No helping it."
He had tried to avoid it as much as possible, but it was something that had to happen eventually.
In response to the War God's shout, Yong-un drew the Demon-Slaying Sword and raised it toward him.
"Come."
The War God scowled briefly at Yong-un's provocation.
"Bump heads and find out, is that it?"
The War God slammed his fists together at his chest.
Yellow fighting spirit exploded out with a boom boom.
Surrounding himself thickly with yellow mana-infused fighting spirit, he said,
"Yong-un, aren't you a bare-handed fighter like me? How about handing over that sword you can't even use?"
"Not like you to run your mouth."
"Fine."
Bang! Thud!!!
The War God's feet slammed into the ground.
The yellow fighting spirit stretched out like a long line and crashed straight into Yong-un.
With the clash of powerful energies, all the surrounding windows shattered into fragments.
And in the midst of it, Yong-un's Demon-Slaying Sword met the War God's spirit-charged fist.
"Looks like you know how to use it decently."
Seeing the unshaken Demon-Slaying Sword, the War God smiled.
"And it doesn't seem like you've been consumed by that sword either."
From that single clash, the War God had discerned it.
The Yong-un before him had not been eroded by the Demon-Slaying Sword's malice, unlike Daemon.
Reading the War God's thoughts, Yong-un said quietly,
"This was mine to begin with."
At the claim that the Demon-Slaying Sword had been his originally, the War God's eyebrow twitched.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm not a bare-handed fighter. I'm a swordsman."
Yong-un let a faint smile play on his lips.
Then, from the hitherto silent Demon-Slaying Sword, a crimson-black light poured out, and Crimson Heavenly Demonic Energy flowed forth.
Ever since becoming a demon of the Heavenly Demon Cult, Yong-un had always been with the Demon-Slaying Sword.
In no battle had he ever fought without a sword, just as he had in his past life.
For Yong-un, who had lived his entire life as a swordsman, the sword was his martial art itself.
"Wha... what?"
The Crimson Heavenly Demonic Energy cloaking the Demon-Slaying Sword brazenly pierced into the War God's fighting spirit, which he had never once breached.
Clang!
The War God's surprise was fleeting.
The Demon-Slaying Sword sliced through his fighting spirit and struck his abdomen flat with its blade.
The fighting spirit shattered all too easily.
The War God's form flew back, tumbling all the way to the end of the corridor.
"Urk..."
Lying spread-eagled, the War God forced himself upright.
Regaining his senses at the corridor's end, he wore an expression of shock that made him forget even the pain.
'Is this... really the same person?'
Whoosh.
The crimson-black Crimson Heavenly Demonic Energy turned into blood-red flames and wrapped around Yong-un's body before vanishing.
The War God's contorted eyes couldn't tear away from the sight of Yong-un sheathing the Demon-Slaying Sword.
With crimson-black eyes and a smile on his lips, Yong-un looked just like a man who had finally donned clothes that fit him perfectly.
'Swordsman...'
Watching Yong-un, the image of the bare-handed fighter he had known until now gradually faded from the War God's memory.
From that attack, the War God knew for certain.
The rival he had seen as an equal worthy of friendly competition—Yong-un the powerhouse.
All his actions thus far had been shackled, displaying incomplete power.
"That my answer enough?"
Looking down at the stunned War God, Yong-un turned his back without lingering.
His demeanor, as if the War God was no longer his match.
It could have felt insulting, but instead, the War God directed at Yong-un's back the truest, most radiant smile he had ever shown.
"Found it!"
With those cryptic words.
= = =
The Demonus weakening operation had concluded.
It had drawn so much global media attention, filled with twists and accolades alike.
And once again, the name of South Korea rose to prominence worldwide.
[Amidst countless casualties worldwide, South Korea reports zero losses]
[Demonus clear with 0 sacrifices. South Korea's perfect record unbroken]
[South Korea: The rising superpower proves it's no bubble]
Amid this, new information spread, pushing out the heated prior articles as fresh headlines poured in.
And the name appearing more than even "South Korea"—'Yong-un'.
[San Marino Demonus boss soloed?! South Korea's S-Rank Hunter Yong-un—who is he?]
[War God acknowledges South Korea's S-Rank Hunter Yong-un! Etching his name in history]
[South Korea S-Rank Hunter Yong-un! Unrivaled #1 among top 20 hunters lighting up the world]
[Not a rising star—a supernova named Yong-un! What's happening in South Korea?]
[World S-Rank #4 Yong-un. Threatening the War God's throne]
[Can we expect a new Royal Class?]
If the global press was this intense, what of South Korea's media?
Visiting the Unwoo Guild office for the first time in a while, Yong-un couldn't even get a word in amid Jin-cheol's frantic busyness.
And rightly so.
That the Unwoo Guild belonged to Yong-un was knowledge shared only among his inner circle.
Publicly, Yong-un was merely a hunter affiliated with the Unwoo Guild.
Thus, all of Jin-cheol's busyness stemmed from Yong-un.
The Unwoo Guild office was swamped with an onslaught of calls, wave after wave—even direct lines to Guild Master Jin-cheol himself.
"Good call switching offices."
The Unwoo Guild, now unrivaled among South Korea's top five guilds.
Its current office was incomparably larger than the shabby little space before.
And that wasn't all.
Previously, they'd had to face off against hordes of reporters right at the door—but no longer.
To even reach the guild master's office where Yong-un was, one had to pass inspection by four hunters from the Unwoo Guild's security detail.
In other words, no more torment from reporters.
'Though Jin-cheol can't escape them.'
"I'll contact you soon."
The incessantly ringing phone finally went quiet.
But as if to flaunt it, the bell rang again immediately.
Click.
Jin-cheol switched the ringing to silent.
"Sure it's okay not to answer?"
Letting out a deep sigh as if drained, Jin-cheol shook his head.
"It's fine. The Supreme One is here, isn't he? If that last call had come after your arrival, I wouldn't have picked up."
Jin-cheol forced a smile.
His gaze drifted to the Demon-Slaying Sword beside Yong-un.
'He's dying to know.'
Yong-un chuckled at Jin-cheol's expression, curiosity incarnate.
Though Jin-cheol had gained much because of him, Yong-un couldn't help feeling a twinge of guilt.
What a subordinate he had—truly well-chosen.
Without Jin-cheol, those calls would have all fallen to Yong-un himself.
Not that he would have answered a single one.
"Just know it was mine originally."
He omitted much.
But true to his caliber as a master strategist acknowledged by Yong-un, Jin-cheol promptly bowed his head.
"Understood."
"Do you know why I'm here?"
"Yes, I do."
What a sharp subordinate.
Nothing ever stumped him, no matter what Yong-un said.
Jin-cheol rose from the sofa and extended his hand toward his desk.
And shouted,
"Third Hand!"
Flip flip.
Crimson demonic energy of the Crimson Hand Demon Art flowed from Jin-cheol's body.
The scattered energy from his fingertips transformed into a skill, rifling through the stack of documents on the desk and pulling out a single sheet to float it over fluttering.
"Forgot you were a magic-type hunter."
Catching the incoming document carefully to avoid crumpling it, Jin-cheol smiled.
"You made me what I am today, Supreme One."
"Magic and skills... no matter how I look at them, they're wondrous."
At Yong-un's words as he received the document, Jin-cheol's eyes widened in surprise.
'The Supreme One himself finds skills and magic—things even ordinary hunters take for granted—wondrous?'
Undeterred by Jin-cheol's shocked gaze, Yong-un busied himself scanning the document.
But for some reason...
Jin-cheol sensed an odd disconnect in Yong-un's utterly normal demeanor.
'Wondrous...'
The world's one and only Supreme One.
Jin-cheol included, all under Yong-un's banner revered his vast power—the divine might that flipped impossible situations in an instant—and held it in awe.
To his subordinates, Yong-un was an object beyond wonder: veneration itself.
And yet...
That Supreme One found it wondrous?
The natural magic and skills every hunter possessed?
"No way..."
Jin-cheol's face flushed red in an instant.
A ridiculous "what if" flitted through his mind, along with a process so absurd it plunged him from bewilderment into outright shock.
A truly preposterous "what if."
"Supreme One!"
Unable to contain even his curiosity about the Demon-Slaying Sword, Jin-cheol shot to his feet and called out.
Though the suddenness might startle anyone, Yong-un calmly lifted his eyes from the document and asked,
"You're acting strange today. That curious?"
Yong-un glanced at the Demon-Slaying Sword.
"No! It's not that!"
Having arrived at an answer utterly divorced from his curiosity about the sword, Jin-cheol shook his head vigorously and shouted loudly.
"Then what has you so worked up?"
There was an old saying that held no falsehood.
As the proverb went:
"Supreme One..."
What ifs could kill a man.
"What if... you have no skills?"
Yong-un stared at Jin-cheol with a blank expression for a long while, his voice trembling.
And then the what if struck.
"Is that something I should have?"
"Ah..."
Jin-cheol's legs gave out, and he slumped onto the sofa.
A hunter's weapon wasn't merely physical gear.
A hunter's true weapon was the random skill granted upon awakening.
The essential armament every hunter must possess—the skill!
And Yong-un had none.
For an instant, Jin-cheol's mind went utterly blank, all thoughts evaporating.
'No skills... then everything he's shown so far... what the hell was it...'
Like an archaeologist confronted with a truth he was never meant to uncover.
Jin-cheol felt what it truly meant to have all strength drain from his body.
"What a trivial question."
And Yong-un's nonchalant reaction only drove Jin-cheol madder still.