Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Path of the Overlord
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Indeed, he felt it once again: crises threatening one's own land and forces had to be guarded by one's own strength.
Unlike South Korea, where all hell had broken loose, the hunters from other countries looked utterly at peace.
'Would it really have been the same if the demon gate crisis had hit America instead of South Korea?'
He posed the question to himself while watching their serene faces, untouched by South Korea's plight.
And the answer...
It appeared plain as day before Yong-un's eyes.
The massive CRT screen at the center of the Washington Dome flickered to life, broadcasting American news.
Of course, Yong-un couldn't make heads or tails of the English, but the video laid out the response to his very question.
The hunters from other countries erupted, pointing at the giant screen and chattering excitedly.
"Jeez... If you don't have the power, you just get screwed. Sigh."
Sword Tiger grimaced at the suddenly rowdy atmosphere sparked by a single news segment.
"What's going on?"
"Do you know what that news is saying?"
"No clue."
"The interpreter said a demon gate popped up in Philadelphia, USA. An A-Rank gate with no rank attached."
An unranked demon gate...
But what was there to be pissed about?
Yong-un shot Sword Tiger a curious look, but the man didn't soften his scowl.
"They had nothing to say about South Korea's S-Rank gate with a commander, but one A-Rank shows up and suddenly all these countries pledge support. Unbelievable."
Scale mattered. Big time.
Only then would neighboring powers offer unsolicited aid to curry favor.
"If they've got that kind of strength, they should help South Korea instead."
The answer to his self-directed question unfolded right before his eyes, perfectly timed.
It was different, alright.
The gap between hunter minnow South Korea and superpower America.
The difference in their power was breeding this humiliating situation.
"I'll have to work harder. I've made up my mind this time. I'll climb to the top somehow. And I'll turn South Korea into a hunter superpower. So we never feel this filthy again."
Yong-un nodded once at Sword Tiger, who clenched his fist tight.
Then, staring at the incomprehensible news, he muttered softly to himself.
"Damn right. That's why we're here."
He swept his gaze around the vast dome beyond the screen, reaffirming his thoughts.
Good call coming here.
South Korea reaching the true main draw—the round of 16—for the first time in six years.
Maybe that's why.
The word "Korea" kept popping up in the American commentator's booming voice echoing through the dome.
Not surprising. Plenty of nations must have been shocked.
Who could've predicted a tiny hunter weakling like South Korea topping the prelims over America, who hadn't dropped first place?
Maybe that's why, too.
Heading to check the pre-set bracket just before the round of 16 kicked off, they drew tons of stares.
"Group B."
"Four countries per group?"
"Yes. And each group has one powerhouse billed as the favorite."
Sword Tiger's eyes shifted to the far left.
At the end of that gaze: the Russian national team hunters.
With all eyes on South Korea as the hot potato after prelims, the Russians were scrutinizing Sword Tiger and Yong-un right back.
"We check the bracket and it starts right away?"
"Yes. Round of 16 in the next hour. Our first matchup is over there."
Sword Tiger's finger pointed toward Russia.
More precisely, Ukraine standing beside them.
Yong-un didn't even glance at Ukraine. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
"I'll take the first one."
"Pardon? But..."
Sword Tiger startled at Yong-un's words.
But Yong-un opened his eyes and stared off somewhere.
Right at the stands below the massive CRT screen.
"Save your strength. They've got eyes on you."
Sword Tiger followed Yong-un's gaze.
The moment he spotted the figures at the top of the stands, his face hardened, and he nodded.
"Understood."
Without another word, Sword Tiger accepted. He clenched his fist and gripped the sword at his waist.
Bracket confirmed, main draw underway.
Tournament format.
Keep sending out hunters until one side's all down.
For Yong-un, it made things a breeze.
He could clear out the dead weight first.
"Uh, you want us to go first?"
The South Korean reps—barely B-team fillers—gawked at Sword Tiger in confusion.
But he raised his voice at them.
"Obviously. Why waste our strength up front and risk losing?"
"B-but..."
Did they crave clinging to that prelim-first glory?
They wouldn't budge, so Sword Tiger played the authority card.
"Defy me, and I'll put in a good word with your four major guilds. Real good."
In South Korea, Sword Tiger's word was law no hunter could defy.
Not these filler picks from the guilds, anyway.
In the end, they went out first, bitter as gall.
Predictable.
The five barely took down one Ukrainian before getting wiped.
No wonder they hadn't made round of 16 before.
Five down for one kill.
Pathetic skills.
The commentator's voice boomed.
Everyone wore translation earpieces, so laughter erupted among the Ukrainian hunters.
The back-and-forth stole the Ukrainians' laughs.
But the smiles didn't fully fade from the lips of the hunters holding the advantage.
"I'm off."
Yong-un rose from his seat, eyes closed till now.
As he strode toward the arena, cheers exploded from all sides.
"Whoa! Path of the Overlord! It's Yong-un!"
"Overlord! Overlord!"
"Yong-un! Yong-un!"
His prelim heroics must've stuck.
The crowd welcomed him with roaring support.
With every step...
Amid the cheers, the Ukrainians' tense heartbeats thrummed in Yong-un's ears.
"Drain him as much as you can!"
"No way one guy takes us all!"
"Hold out for the next ones!"
Standing tall in the arena, their voices carried.
With so many left, strategy for victory.
His opponent nodded and drew up mana.
Unlike when they swept the South Koreans, he hunkered into a full defense.
Yong-un's foot advanced on the defense specialist.
The more he did, the denser the Ukrainian's mana grew.
And then.
The instant Yong-un's step halted...
Boom!
A shockwave rocked the arena, shattering the Ukrainian's mana into fragments.
Clang. Clang-clang-clang.
Mana shards hit the floor with sharp rings.
Silence flooded the stands around the arena.
"......"
"......"
Swish.
With that, Yong-un spun and walked back to his spot.
The standing Ukrainian crumpled and fell.
"Next."
"Whoooaaa!"
"Woooaaahhh!"
The crowd's cheers he'd blasted away with mana returned tenfold, pouring over Yong-un.
Seven straight wins.
It fired up not just the crowd but the commentators too.
The pumped-up commentary stirred the already hyped stands.
Cheers swelled louder as Yong-un lightly returned to his seat after dropping seven.
Amid the stands.
A few figures appeared before the giant CRT.
National team hunters from America, Russia, Japan, China—flags pinned on.
Why visit mid-tourney?
Simple.
To get advice on crushing the rising star, Yong-un.
National reps embodied their nations' hunters.
Even S-Rank hopefuls had superiors who could advise: the top-10 world S-Rank monsters in the stands.
The national hunters bowed deeply to the seated elites, speaking in their tongues.
"How do we handle this Yong-un guy?"
"Couldn't even see what he did. What now?"
"Please, give us answers."
The top-10 S-Ranks began responding one by one.
"Every damn kind's here."
"..."
Sword Tiger spaced out at Yong-un's words after handling seven Ukrainians.
'How's it that easy?'
He wanted to ask but held his tongue.
Why? Those seven S-Rank-chasing Ukrainians hadn't blocked a single attack before collapsing.
Yong-un moved exactly seven times.
One per foe.
Overwhelming gap—like crushing kids. Ukraine crushed.
And his first words after the legend? Every kind's here.
Sword Tiger sighed deeply.
'Don't think normal. Master's not normal.'
Shocks weren't new anymore.
Immunity building from repetition.
"Skills vary wildly, after all."
"True. Makes me curious about theirs."
Sword Tiger's gaze shifted to the stands at Yong-un's words.
Fixed on the top-10 monsters ringed by national reps.
"Think they figured out your power, Master?"
Anxious—those monsters defied common sense too.
Yong-un's reply shattered Sword Tiger's sense again.
"Hope they did. Makes it fun."
"Pardon?"
Sword Tiger blanked again.
"I want to slice the heavens. Face higher skies, test my limits. One of my few remaining wishes."
He'd cleaved Heavenly Demon Cult's skies once.
Revenge-driven then, but now he missed that handfeel.
Separate from guarding family, building forces: one wish burned in Yong-un's chest.
Thinking it made his heart thud faintly.
"Guess I'm a demon at heart. Mad for strength."
Murim's lost heavens.
The thought they might exist here quickened his pulse.
Afternoon hit, quarterfinals started right away.
As expected, their quarterfinal foe: Russia.
True to superpower status, only two losses in the tournament.
Meaning six hunters left for Yong-un and Sword Tiger to face.
"Better than before. Watchable."
Superpowers lived up.
"You going first again? Russia's a whole different beast."
Sword Tiger felt their mana too and stood.
Yong-un grabbed his shoulder, forced him down, pointed at the stands.
"I'm handling all fights from here. Save your power for them."
Yong-un knew how long Sword Tiger had waited for this.
Not as a subordinate—no. But as one now, he'd fulfill that old vow.
"Yes..."
Sword Tiger knew the intent.
And trusted Yong-un's power most, so he sat gratefully, worry-free.
Yong-un headed to the arena, Sword Tiger bowed his head.
'I'll win for sure.'
Glancing at his sword, fist clenched.
Lifting his head full of gratitude to watch...
BOOM! A massive explosion rocked the arena—a lightning bolt crashed down on Yong-un's head.
"M-Master!!"
Russia's might flooded Sword Tiger's mind with dread.