Chapter 206
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 206
Chapter Title: Unknown Existences
The world turns due to unknown existences.
Even the peace of this changed world, maintained because of the Gates...
That too was thanks to those unknown existences.
"Think about it. Suddenly, Gates created by monsters called demons appeared all over humanity. Creatures that even guns and modern weapons struggle to handle—how has humanity survived this long?"
In the ruined guild master's office, the Mercenary King and Yong-un were engaged in a serious conversation.
However, in the midst of their talk, the Mercenary King would occasionally unleash bursts of black-and-yellow aura toward the wide-open outside.
Boom! Bang!
Black-and-yellow aura exploding in midair.
Yong-un pondered deeply, pushing that aura to the back of his mind.
"I heard it was the awakened Hunters who saved the world."
"Half right, half wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"It's true that awakened Hunters brought stability to the world. But could people who just awakened handle demons with established ranks?"
The Mercenary King's heavy question left Yong-un unable to answer easily.
Still, he posed every question that came to mind.
"Couldn't those with powerful skills like Royal Class have dealt with them?"
"Correct."
"...?"
"Correct. That's why I said half right, half wrong."
It was hard to understand.
The Mercenary King unleashed another burst of aura outward and continued.
"Those with powerful skills. The world turns because of them. And we call them unknown existences. Beings who have ruled over this desolate world ravaged by Gates from the very beginning."
"...?!"
"The world has kept turning until now because of them."
Yong-un thought it was bizarre and eccentric talk.
But the Mercenary King's words prompted many questions within him.
"All Royal Classes met one person. And from that moment, they ascended to rule the world as Royal Classes. Still not getting it?"
Boom! Bang!
The Mercenary King fired an even stronger burst of aura outward.
He looked at Yong-un and shouted.
"The thought that some unknown existence might be maintaining the balance of this world as it is—that suspicion started after I became a Royal Class."
"Mercenary King? Nice name."
"Who... are you?"
"Call me ????"
"That's not what I meant... How did you get in here?"
The Mercenary King had met that guy one month before ascending to Royal Class.
He had already ranked among the world's S-Rank Hunters but was still outside the top rankings. As always, he was diving through Gates to climb the ranks.
Then, an incident occurred.
What appeared before the Mercenary King, who had entered thinking it was an A-Rank Gate, was a mysterious being accompanied by fragments of a rift crashing down like the sky itself was collapsing.
And that being's appearance drove the Mercenary King to the brink of death.
No matter what he tried, he couldn't land a single attack.
Not even a scratch—his prized aura couldn't even reach near that existence.
It was at that moment, when he had given up everything, that the guy appeared.
"Not just me entered this place—that one did too."
A terrifying demon that had instantly turned an A-Rank Gate into one impossible to measure.
The moment he laid eyes on it, the Mercenary King finally understood what it meant to have chills run down one's spine.
"How about... making a contract?"
"A contract...? You don't mean..."
"Exactly what you're thinking. So, will you do it or not? If not, I'll ditch you and find someone else. There are plenty of others willing."
Whoosh!
As the demon that emerged from cracking the Gate's airspace changed the color of its eyes, the Mercenary King dropped to both knees.
Intense pain and fading vision.
"If you die, nothing's left. A dog's death. What'll it be? Answer now. Otherwise, I'm gone."
In the end, the Mercenary King had to take the hand of that unknown existence.
And then.
Clang clang clang!
He was able to shove that demon, on which he hadn't landed a single attack, back into the rift.
"That was when it started."
Boom! Bang!
"When my aura turned black like this."
The Mercenary King's aura shot out and exploded again.
And as the black energy permeating that aura dispersed into the air...
Yong-un recalled why the War God had spoken of his rift with the Mercenary King.
"You're talking about Demon Cry."
The Mercenary King nodded at Yong-un's words.
"All Royal Classes... are Demon Cries."
Ignito, Spellro, and the Mercenary King.
The remaining three Royal Classes as well.
For humanity, who relied solely on these six kings hailed as the light that would save the world, this was an utterly bleak reality—that they had all contracted with humanity's enemies.
"You said you wanted to become a Royal Class."
As Yong-un sank into thought from the shock of the truth, the Mercenary King spoke.
This reality seemed gravely wrong, but since Yong-un needed the title of Royal Class within it, he listened to the reason he had come here.
And the Mercenary King revealed a way to become a Royal Class, different from Ignito's.
"Then I'll set the stage for you to become one my way."
"What's the method?"
"First Royal Class, Light of Sky. Survive a duel with him."
Boom! Bang!
With those words, the Mercenary King's final black-and-yellow aura exploded beyond the castle walls.
Following the Mercenary King's final aura explosion, all the Mercenary Guild members began entering the castle one by one.
At first, no one understood why he was wasting energy outward for no reason, but looking back now, it was the Mercenary King's consideration to create time for just the two of them to share secrets undisturbed.
A conversation disguised as ongoing battle by exploding aura.
"You're... unharmed?"
The War God, ascending to the guild master's office, tossed surprised words at Yong-un upon approach.
And rightly so—even he, the War God, couldn't dismiss the stinging mana explosions felt from below as insignificant.
Yet both emerged unscathed from such intense clashes, which was baffling.
"He was strong."
The Mercenary King shrugged, reverting to his usual playful demeanor.
But contrary to that playfulness, his words sent shocked gazes toward Yong-un from many.
'The Mercenary King...'
'Acknowledged him!'
And in their minds, one word had already become fact.
The emergence of the Seventh Royal Class.
In this historic moment, be it the vice guild master or the War God, all stood with mouths agape.
Swish.
The Dancer rose from Yong-un's shadow.
At the appearance of the Dancer, who had been hiding with Void Concealment Technique, those around grew wary.
"Ah, don't worry. She's been here since before."
"Huh?"
William tilted his head at the Mercenary King's words.
"Exactly as I said. She was here in the guild master's office before the fight. Probably connected to Yong-un... right?"
Yong-un nodded.
Indeed, Royal Classes were different.
To notice Void Concealment Technique.
The Mercenary King chuckled and lightly winked at Yong-un.
The Dancer, her suspicions cleared, bowed to Yong-un.
"Supreme One, shall we return?"
Yong-un glanced at the Mercenary King and said.
"Let's go."
"Yes, Supreme One."
The Dancer drew upon her demonic energy.
A flow similar to the Porter vice guild master's began, slowly pulling Yong-un and the Dancer into the shadow.
"As expected, not just any S-Rank top Hunter. You can tell from his subordinates alone."
After Yong-un and the Dancer vanished, William spoke in admiration.
Porter and Oscar nodded in agreement.
"Mercenary King. What now?"
Porter asked.
The Mercenary King curled his lips upward slyly.
"First, finish talking with the War God."
"And then?"
"Prepare. For the Seventh Royal Class to be born."
He tossed those weighty words lightly and plopped down right there.
Then, with a deep smile, he muttered to himself.
"A Royal Class completely different from the ones so far is about to appear... I wonder how that guy will react. Intriguing."
Returning home, Yong-un drew the Demon-Slaying Sword the moment he arrived.
"Dancer."
"Yes, Supreme One."
The Dancer's expression was grave as well.
She had already drawn her daggers.
"Assemble all the Ghost Souls."
"Yes, Supreme One."
Gripping two daggers in both hands, the Dancer unleashed her demonic energy.
Whoosh! Pop!
The demonic energy cloaking her body spread as intense waves to both sides.
Then, one by one, Ghost Souls rose from Yong-un and the Dancer's shadows.
"Supreme One."
"Supreme One!"
First Ghost Soul Myung-su, Third Ghost Soul Poison Witch, Seventh Ghost Soul Kim Gu.
All had emerged, but only three.
Second Ghost Soul Cheon-il, Fifth Ghost Soul Barum, and finally Sixth Ghost Soul Seong-min had not.
Sensing something off, Myung-su immediately gripped his daggers tight.
And they all glared at the House of Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation, thick with ominous energy.
"Shadow movement is being rejected."
It was unprecedented.
Shadow movement was an irrefutable skill.
But complete rejection like this led Yong-un to one conclusion.
"Has it rampaged as a Demon Cry?"
It might not be visible to the other subordinates, but Yong-un could clearly see.
The grayish-black demonic energy filling the House of Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation.
That it brimmed with demon aura.
"After becoming a Royal Class, I tried to stabilize the contract... Was I too complacent?"
"Supreme One, what shall we do?"
Seeing the other Ghost Souls covered in monster and demon blood from the Gate, Yong-un said.
"Wait here. I'll go alone."
"I'll go with you."
"No, wait. It seems to be calling me."
Doubt flickered in Myung-su's eyes.
Yong-un left him behind and stepped toward the House of Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation.
A peculiar energy invisible to the other subordinates.
'It's Man.'
Seong-min's god moving through his body.
Feeling the overt, peculiar energy beckoning him like a call, Yong-un strode into the House of Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation, Demon-Slaying Sword held low.
Whoosh.
The moment Yong-un set foot inside the House of Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation.
A grayish-black curtain descended around it.
Turning to the barrier-like curtain severing the space, Yong-un called out lowly.
"Show yourself."
Flash.
Purple light burst from his eyes as he uttered in a small but resounding voice.
"Man."
With Yong-un completely vanishing into the House of Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The sky responded to their reunion, pouring endless rain onto the dry heavens.
Roooar! Boom!
And striking down not yellow lightning, but grayish-black bolts around them.