Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Facing the Ranking Monsters
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Finally, the long-awaited moment had arrived.
The time to face off against the monsters who could be called his rivals, just before the ranking battles began.
"Right this way."
A GHO staff member bowed deeply as he guided Yong-un and Sword Tiger inside.
Power really was a wonderful thing.
When he'd first come here under the banner of South Korea, the staff had treated him like dirt. But now they were bowing their heads.
Feeling the need to build his influence once more, Yong-un stepped through the open door.
There, before his eyes, were ten seats, each occupied by a motley crew of figures.
"Those must be the guys."
A woman's voice rang out from one of the ten seats.
It was different from Golden Cat's voice, so there must be another woman in the top ranks.
But regardless, Yong-un let out a scoff at the subtle pressure bearing down on them.
'It's been a while.'
There were no S-Ranks drawing up their mana.
Yet the hostility emanating naturally from their bodies pressed in on Yong-un and Sword Tiger.
'First time since then?'
It had probably been since he'd been paraded before the Martial Alliance Leader and the elders as a hostage after losing that battle against the Martial Alliance.
He'd felt the pressure from the killing intent and hostility poured out by all those masters washing over his body.
The top rankers radiated it so naturally, as if they saw enemies before them.
Feeling the weight in the air grow heavier, Yong-un couldn't help but smile.
'But can it even compare to back then?'
The Sword Demon of that time had been nothing more than a cub tiger.
But Yong-un now was different.
If that had been a cub, then he was a massive dragon now—one that could devour any beast whole.
"Straighten your shoulders."
He slapped Sword Tiger on the back.
It was only natural for one's shoulders to hunch under the hostility of those stronger than you.
But Sword Tiger was his now.
Yong-un could never tolerate one of his own shrinking in front of others.
"Sorry."
"Enjoy it. Chances like this don't come often."
At Yong-un's words, Sword Tiger took a deep breath and tensed his entire body.
Hostility naturally began to flow from Sword Tiger's form as well.
'Must be his first time dealing with this.'
He hadn't been able to stand here before, thanks to Sword Dragon and Golden Cat's schemes.
Yet with just one word from Yong-un, Sword Tiger slowly pushed back their pressure and puffed up his chest.
"This'll be interesting."
With that little skirmish concluded...
Yong-un and Sword Tiger ascended to the prepared platform.
Laughter mixed with voices rose from the monsters below.
"Who's Yong-un?"
Yong-un turned toward the low, gravelly voice.
From the leftmost seat among the ten, a massive man stood up.
"You calling me?"
"Kuhahaha!"
The bold response drew the standing man to stride toward Yong-un.
Matching the man's eagerness for a fight, Yong-un descended from the platform to meet him.
"Stop!"
GHO hunters surged forward, surrounding the hulking man and Yong-un.
But even five hunters couldn't handle his brute strength.
In total, ten hunters dragged along helplessly by the power of Yong-un and the giant.
"H-Help!"
"Hurry up!"
Bam!
Too late for reinforcements.
The forehead of the two-meter giant crashed into Yong-un's with a thud.
Neither budged an inch. They just glared at each other from point-blank range.
"Enough!"
As hordes of hunters rushed in to pull them apart, a loud voice boomed from the entrance.
"Kuhuhuhu."
The giant, who hadn't flinched at the unknown man's voice, burst into booming laughter and pulled back.
He turned on his heel and headed for the exit.
"A fun one showed up after so long. Kuhuhuhu. Win it all. And bare your fangs at me. Kuhahaha!"
The stranger's laughter shook the entire vast room.
Then he vanished through the entrance without a backward glance.
"Hit him in the throat like a cow's wattle? Noisy pig."
Yong-un chuckled and returned to the platform.
But the atmosphere shifted after the cow-throated man's antics.
As the surroundings fell silent and Sword Tiger covered his mouth in shock, Yong-un shrugged.
"What went wrong?"
The briefing on the ranking competition wrapped up far quicker than expected.
The rules weren't much different from the world championship—only one key distinction.
From third place in the S-Rank rankings, raw strength alone wouldn't cut it.
Nothing else worth noting.
But Yong-un grumbled at the idea that he'd need methods beyond skill to crack the top three.
"I thought this was Supremacy of the Strong. But it's rotten here too. All sorts of tricks to cling to their seats. Tsk tsk."
Wasn't that the truth?
Creating these ranking competitions starting from the S-Rank top ten rubbed him the wrong way to begin with.
With true power and skill, anyone should be able to claim a spot. Otherwise, the mighty would keep pounding at the gates.
"Still waters always stagnate, no matter what."
Yong-un clicked his tongue at the current system, desperately guarding old men's positions with its absurd setup under the guise of Supremacy of the Strong.
"......"
But his complaints were short-lived. He glanced at Sword Tiger, who offered no response.
Sword Tiger stared at the floor, lost in thought. Yong-un prodded him.
"What're you pondering so deeply?"
"Ah... It's just, seeing Master again and all."
What nonsense was this out of nowhere?
"Silly kid."
"No, really! Earlier, when Master..."
Sword Tiger trailed off, glancing around and lowering his voice.
"You stood up to that cow-throat guy, right?"
"Speak up."
Yong-un frowned at Sword Tiger's skittish glances.
Sword Tiger stopped peeking and shouted.
"That was the Fighting King!"
Fighting King.
The Spanish hunter known as Daniel, a monster among monsters.
He topped the list of most respected hunters worldwide and held the undisputed number one spot in the S-Rank rankings...
The Fighting King was the king of monsters among the ranking monsters.
Even the current S-Rank top rankers treated him as in a league of his own—his strength acknowledged by all.
And Yong-un had matched foreheads with this king of monsters and held firm.
Even back in South Korea, no one would believe it. It was too outlandish for words.
Plus, the man himself had acknowledged Yong-un. That alone made the rankings a done deal.
Sword Tiger had whispered carefully, lest anyone overhear, but he'd slipped up anyway.
"Fighting King? What's that supposed to be?"
Yong-un's ignorance of the Fighting King.
"They call that wattle-necked pig the Fighting King?"
"M-Master?"
"Fancy name. Tsk tsk."
"Master...? Please..."
Fretting over eavesdroppers, Sword Tiger clung to Yong-un's arm in desperation.
He whispered urgently into Yong-un's ear.
"The Fighting King's the number one in the S-Rank rankings."
Number one?
Yong-un's expression shifted at that.
"That pig's number one, huh..."
A subtle change no one could read.
Before Sword Tiger could parse it, he grabbed Yong-un's hand and hustled him out of there.
GHO research lab.
Inside buzzed with countless machines, thousands of hunters, and researchers toiling at their stations.
But lately, panic had set in.
Every researcher and hunter not on critical projects searched frantically in unison for something major.
A presumed Marquis-level demon's weapon had gone missing.
Yet as the world's hunter organization, GHO had already pinpointed the thief.
"Where'd the trail cut off?"
"Between Alexandria's Jones Point Park and Oxon Hill."
"Heading to Oxon Hill?"
"Confirmed he cleared an A-Rank Gate en route."
"Cleared a Gate, huh..."
A high-ranking lab director nodded.
"How many Gates has he cleared so far?"
"Five. Judging by his path... we'll have to run the ranking competition without spectators."
"Damn it."
The director slammed his fist on the desk, cursing.
Forget the secret research—ruining a global event like the ranking battles sealed their fates.
"That mad bastard Damon went and did it. Worst successor ever. Now our necks are on the line too."
Damon?
A familiar name slipped out.
"Who could've guessed? A director-level researcher touching a Marquis-level demon's weapon..."
"Doesn't matter. Find him, whatever it takes. The vice chairman deployed the Fighting King himself. Get it done, or else..."
The director snatched a photo from the desk, crumpled it viciously, and tore it to shreds.
"Not just Damon—we might all die for this."
"Understood, sir."
He flung the scraps upward.
The dozens of pieces fluttered down from the air.
One with Damon's face landed squarely in a fountain pen's inkwell.
Slowly, Damon's features soaked into the black ink, staining dark.
"Kyaaah!"
A scream pierced the heart of downtown.
Shouts erupted from all directions.
"Over there!"
Hunters swarmed the fallen woman in seconds.
One helped her up. "What did you see?"
"A m-man with gray skin k-killed a p-pigeon and leaped onto the r-rooftop..."
"Target confirmed! Pursue!"
At the command, nearby hunters vaulted toward the roof she'd pointed at and dashed off.
"Thank you. You're safe now—head home quick."
The hunter bowed to her, then chased after the others.
She trembled in terror, scanning her surroundings with fearful eyes. Then she jerked her head skyward.
Her form twisted unnaturally.
The shaking stopped. Bones cracked with grinding sounds as her shape began to change.
But only for a moment.
The eerie transformation halted. In the hand of what had seemed a woman—but was a man—a long sword materialized.
'Demon-Slaying Sword'
With those inscribed words, he lowered his head, his face that of the ink-soaked Damon, twisting into a smile.
"Th-this... reverse... sorcery... kekeke."
Muttering strangely, he contorted and swung the sword.
Black demonic energy erupted. A long sword scar etched across the ground, cracking it wide.
Just like the devastation from Yong-un's demonic sword qi.