Chapter 199
Chapter 199
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: Path to Royal Class
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GHO Korea Branch.
Seated before Branch Chief Daisy was Yong-un.
Daisy had learned that Yong-un was the closest to becoming the 7th Royal Class.
And to grasp hold of this massive lifeline named Yong-un, she was secretly preparing a project.
But this meeting wasn't one orchestrated by Daisy—it was Yong-un who had arranged it.
"What brings you here?"
She greeted him as brightly and courteously as possible.
The project wasn't complete yet, but just managing to meet like this could build some goodwill.
Exploiting that, she tried her utmost to be polite and ingratiate herself with Yong-un.
"You're different from usual. Have you figured something out?"
But Yong-un found her behavior suspicious instead.
Though flustered, Daisy quickly composed herself and shook her head.
"Not at all. I just thought since you're likely to be the next Royal Class, I'd try to leave a good impression in advance."
Sometimes, a naive truth works better than a white lie.
For someone like Yong-un, who saw right through people, it might even be preferable to share hidden facts sincerely rather than lie.
And Daisy's choice proved to be the best one.
"Is that so? Then it won't be hard to ask."
"Ask what..."
"Royal Class. How does one become one?"
Daisy's eyes widened slightly.
He... was moving to become a Royal Class.
A historic moment.
Daisy swallowed dryly.
"Royal Class isn't something GHO designates. Think of it as an honorary title recognized and bestowed by the world's hunters."
"I know GHO doesn't decide it. If they did, they wouldn't be so deferential to the Royal Classes."
Listening to Yong-un, Daisy couldn't hide her feeling that he was indeed the next Royal Class.
Though he spoke as if it were obvious, most people in the world believed even Royal Classes were selected by GHO.
But that was a blatant lie.
It was an open secret within GHO that someone in Daisy's position would know.
Yet he'd figured it out just from meeting Royal Classes.
He was no ordinary man.
"That's why I've come. How does one become a Royal Class?"
Daisy furrowed her brow briefly.
"I'm sorry. That's not a question I can answer with instructions on what to do."
"You can't answer?"
"Yes. There's no exact method specified for becoming a Royal Class."
Yong-un realized it wouldn't be easy.
But he was also disappointed that even someone in the branch chief's position didn't know.
"However!"
It was then.
"I'll find a way somehow. If I use my authority, there should be records in GHO about how the six Royal Classes came to be. I can use those to devise a method."
In her bid to win Yong-un's favor, Daisy landed the perfect blow.
"Can you do it?"
"I'll make it possible. Just trust me."
Yong-un scanned Daisy from head to toe.
Her clenched fist and flushed face.
She looked like someone who'd seized a golden opportunity, inwardly vowing passionately.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
" entrust it to me!"
Daisy stood and bowed deeply.
It was excessive for the branch chief of the World Hunter Organization to show such deference to a top-ranked hunter.
But both Daisy and Yong-un accepted the bow as natural.
Because Yong-un would become a Royal Class no matter what.
Whoosh.
Yong-un rose from the sofa.
Daisy lifted her bowed head toward him and spoke.
"Ah! Hunter Yong-un?"
Yong-un, on his way out, turned back.
"What is it?"
"To ascend to Royal Class quickly, there's something you need to do as well."
"What would that be?"
"Please meet the six Royal Classes."
"The Royal Classes?"
"With my authority, I can locate them. Just meet them. While checking records on Royal Classes, hearing directly from them should yield a more accurate path. I'm sorry."
Yong-un scanned Daisy up and down once more.
Then he chuckled softly.
'So she didn't become branch chief purely on luck.'
Her sharp mind and quick read of situations reminded him briefly of the famed strategist Jincheol.
Of course, only for a moment.
"Understood. Call me when you have their locations. I'll meet them myself."
"Thank you! Take care! I'll call you!"
Daisy bowed repeatedly at 90 degrees.
Yong-un accepted her courteous farewell naturally as he stepped outside.
After Yong-un left.
Less than 10 seconds later, her secretary came rushing in, breathless.
"Branch Chief? Did Hunter Yong-un really come and go?"
"He did."
"And... you're smiling, right? Nothing went wrong?"
Flashing a wide smile, Daisy clenched her fist and shouted.
"Cancel the project."
"Pardon? Did something go wrong..."
"No, the opposite. We don't need the project anymore."
Leaving her stunned secretary, Daisy sat on the sofa.
"Have you ever heard of 'founding member' or 'early member'?"
"Pardon?"
At the sudden question, the secretary looked bewildered again.
Daisy unwrapped a chocolate bar on the desk and munched on it as she said,
"We might just become the founding members who help Hunter Yong-un ascend to Royal Class."
Daisy, who'd only thought of grabbing the lifeline, smiled at the massive fortune that had come knocking.
"No need to grab a lifeline if we build it together."
Founding member of the massive lifeline called the world-shaking Royal Class.
Determined not to let this huge opportunity slip, Daisy shouted,
"No time. Tell them to cancel the project immediately and await my next orders. Hurry!"
"Y-Yes! Got it!"
The secretary didn't fully understand.
But at Daisy's confident words, she moved without further questions.
House of Ghostly Soul Annihilation.
"Muhee."
At Yong-un's call, Muhee approached.
"You called, my Lord?"
Muhee bowed her head, and Yong-un asked with a serious expression.
"Have you marked the shadows of Ignito and Spellro?"
"You know I have. It's my habit."
"Well done."
Muhee, who had shifted from top sorceress to Wild Slaughter Society Leader.
It was a habit she'd picked up the moment she stepped out from Jinhab Valley into the world.
Marking the shadows of everyone she met.
Even Royal Classes, whom she'd kill or spare in fierce battles, were no exception.
"Do you plan to meet the Royal Classes?"
Yong-un glanced at Cheon-il and Barum, then nodded.
"With no options now, I'll aim for that position first."
"That position..."
"Royal Class. Only then can I act freely without looking over my shoulder."
Muhee trembled with excitement.
Then she looked up with a joyful expression.
"I shall follow you, my Lord."
"Then let's go at once."
"Yes! My Lord!"
At Yong-un's command, Muhee immediately summoned her demonic energy.
Her demonic energy eroded the ground.
Shadows, inevitable wherever light existed, stretched out long.
And soon, they began swallowing Yong-un and Muhee from the toes up.
All while those on the other side remained utterly unaware.
"You refuse to answer?"
Crackle...
Spellro's chill gradually froze every piece of furniture in the War God's home.
And once everything was encased in ice.
"Urk..."
The War God's shoes began to freeze over.
Grip.
His fist clenched involuntarily.
The War God, called the strongest hunter.
If he fought seriously, he could inflict serious injuries even on Royal Classes like Ignito and Spellro.
But.
Whoosh.
The War God forcibly relaxed his clenched fist.
'This isn't about winning or losing.'
The moment he provoked a Royal Class here.
He'd lose his title as strongest hunter and face GHO's punishment inescapably.
And worse yet.
The answers to their questions, which he'd vowed to keep secret, becoming public knowledge to all.
"As far as I know, your only connection to Yong-un is the San Marino Demonus incident. Are you really staking your life on a single piece of intel?"
Cold breath scattered with every word from Spellro.
Despite the bone-chilling cold that made his body shudder, the War God clamped his mouth shut, refusing to speak.
He merely screamed inwardly.
'I can't say it! If word gets out that Yong-un's forces have a Demon Cry, we'll face condemnation from every Royal Class. I won't say a word, no matter what!'
As he stared straight at Spellro, repeating it to himself.
Poof.
In the center of the War God's frozen room, a single flickering flame went out in black smoke.
And from within emerged an unexpected figure.
"Royal Class Spellro. I've found out."
"I see."
Whoosh.
Spellro abruptly withdrew all his chill, easing the pressure on the War God.
At the unfamiliar voice, the War God turned to look.
And was greatly shocked.
"You... you're..."
"I'm sorry. I was ordered by the Royal Classes as well..."
Mind Listener.
Codename White.
He bowed deeply toward the War God.
White possessed a highly rare skill, though not on the level of Royal Classes.
His skill was none other than mind reading.
"You recently visited Korea. And with Deputy Director Charlie, you summoned the UK's Death Demon Cry team and visited Korea together."
"White... stop."
"I'm sorry, War God."
White bowed apologetically.
But his mouth didn't stop.
"Just now, while reading your mind, I learned the reason."
"What is it?"
Spellro, having withdrawn all chill, asked coldly.
And White's following answer.
"Among Hunter Yong-un's forces..."
"White!!!"
"...there exists a Demon Cry. One contracted with a high-ranking demon, no less."
A Demon Cry contracted with a high-ranking demon.
At those words, Ignito and Spellro exchanged glances.
'Damn it!'
Everything was ruined.
No matter the Royal Class, they wouldn't kill the strongest hunter with all his honors and positions, so he'd planned to hold out until the brink of death without speaking.
No, even in death, keep his mouth shut.
But to bring a Mind Listener...
The unforeseen development filled the War God with immense guilt.
'Yong-un...'
To the War God, Yong-un wasn't just a strong hunter.
Though Yong-un might not know, the War God owed him great gratitude over the Death Demon Cry matter.
Because Yong-un had resolved all the grudges from his ties with the Mercenary King.
Yet repaying that gratitude with betrayal by creating this crisis...
"Damn it!!!"
The War God bellowed at the top of his lungs.
Then his mind raced suddenly.
'But how did the Royal Classes know I nominated Yong-un as the next Royal Class?'
And his quick thinking yielded the answer.
There was only one.
Someone with the power to mobilize Royal Classes and extract info on Yong-un from them.
"Charlie?"
"..."
"Was it Deputy Director Charlie?"
No one from the Royal Classes or White answered.
The War God ground his teeth.
As he inwardly vowed to kill Charlie.
Ignito, who had been dazedly watching, approached the War God and yawned widely.
"Yawwwn, why the long face? So what if there's a Demon Cry."
Ignito shrugged.
The War God was stunned by Ignito's reaction.
"What we're curious about isn't the Demon Cry, White."
"Pardon...?"
White looked surprised at Spellro's words too.
'The Demon Cry... isn't important?'
Ignito chuckled at the War God's widened eyes in shock.
"Spit it out. How did you know Yong-un is Royal Class level."
The situation flowed strangely.
What the War God feared most was being treated by the Royal Classes as no big deal.
As if it were something anyone could do.
His mind spinning faster than usual, the War God opened his mouth in a daze.
"That's... all you're curious about?"
"We've been saying the same thing. How'd you know, man."
The dreaded scenario had twisted oddly.
But the War God wouldn't miss this chance.
Instantly changing his expression, he answered Ignito.
"After San Marino Demonus, and after meeting Death Demon Cry and Yong-un's group. Twice like that. I witnessed Yong-un's true power."
"How so?"
"In the fight against a high-ranking demon, Yong-un used purple mana. I saw it produce Royal Class-level power."
"What rank was that high-ranking demon, at least?"
"Minimum marquis-level or higher."
Ignito turned to look at Spellro.
Then nodded.
"Then... one last question."
Whoosh.
Ignito extinguished all the flames he'd lit around, asking seriously.
"That purple mana you saw. Wasn't it similar to demon mana?"
The War God twitched an eyebrow, sensing something off in Ignito's question.