Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Igniting Resolve
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With the opening ceremony of the guild competition concluded, all the guilds gathered in front of the four massive chambers arbitrarily created by the Korean Hunter Management Agency for the preliminary rounds.
Amidst the assembly of every prominent guild in Korea.
The attention of hundreds of hunters focused on the group standing at the far left end.
[Unwoo Guild]
To be precise, on Yong-un, standing right in front of the Unwoo Guild sign.
The appearance of Yong-un, the world's fourth-ranked S-Rank hunter, felt like cheating to all the other hunters.
It was akin to an adult barging into a brawl among children.
However, as Yong-un stepped away from the Unwoo Guild lineup awaiting the preliminaries, every hunter let out a collective sigh of relief.
"All you have to do is shift their gaze away from you."
Their eyes screamed that Unwoo Guild was nothing without Yong-un.
At Yong-un's quiet words of encouragement, the three Lieutenant Ghosts and seven guild members steeled their resolve and nodded firmly.
"Yes!"
"Good."
Their aura had sharpened to an incomparable degree compared to when they first met.
From the dull, listless eyes of the Demon Shadow Assassination Ghost Squad, who had been blunt and resigned to death itself.
To the razor-sharp gaze burning with the determination to sweep away their enemies.
"You've not slacked on your training either."
"Yes!"
Though it was an unwelcome turn, the Night Slaughter Society's raid had changed much in Unwoo Guild.
A reason to grow stronger had ignited in the hearts of those who once lived by the bare minimum—clearing gates without much thought.
They had realized that without power, survival in this world was impossible.
Not quite at Lieutenant Ghost level, but their diligent efforts shone through; even the eyes of the regular guild members pleased Yong-un.
"Lieutenant Ghosts."
"Yes!"
At Yong-un's call, the three Lieutenant Ghosts responded in booming voices.
"If you achieve high rankings in this guild competition, you'll be the ones training these guys."
"Yes...? "
The Lieutenant Ghosts wore puzzled expressions at Yong-un's unexpected command.
"Just pass on the exact same training you underwent through the manuals to them."
"But... with the Supreme One here, how dare we..."
"I'll only teach the Lieutenant Ghosts."
The Lieutenant Ghosts looked flustered at Yong-un's firm declaration.
They were concerned about how the other guild members would feel hearing this.
But contrary to the Lieutenant Ghosts' worries, the regular guild members showed no signs of disappointment.
How could they?
They themselves had thrown away the chance to receive Yong-un's teachings.
"The Lieutenant Ghosts will train you. Watch closely this time. See what kind of beings the Lieutenant Ghosts who will guide you are."
Aware of their own shortcomings, the regular guild members fell silent.
Yet Yong-un's following words reignited the fire in their cooling hearts.
"And strive hard. So that you can become Lieutenant Ghosts."
Disappointment vanished in an instant.
Instead, their voices trembled with excitement.
"Does that mean we can become Lieutenant Ghosts too?"
The path to growth, which they thought closed forever, had swung open once more.
Yong-un smiled at their surging passion.
"When did I ever say there would only be three Lieutenant Ghosts? We'll keep recruiting more. If you have the skill, I'll personally teach you."
The road of possibility had opened.
The teachings of Yong-un, which they believed lost forever.
The opportunity to reclaim it had blossomed wide.
'They'll grind their teeth even harder than before.'
Ahead of the preliminaries, the regular guild members gnashed their teeth.
No longer did they see the door to the preliminaries before them.
Not some petty goal right in front—instead, they gazed at a grander one, forging a single arrow of resolve in their hearts.
To become Lieutenant Ghosts.
To receive Yong-un's teachings.
'This is just lighting the fuse. You'll be the wind to fan it into roaring flames.'
Yong-un knew the passion now blazing in their hearts wouldn't stop here.
The transformed Lieutenant Ghosts, mastering the Enemy-Slaying Demonic Arts, would keep fueling that fire.
And fan it higher.
To grow stronger. To become Lieutenant Ghosts.
They would immerse themselves in the pit of training of their own accord.
'Now, there's nothing left for me to do with the Demon Shadow Assassination Ghost Squad.'
From here on, all Yong-un could do for them was select new Lieutenant Ghosts whenever their zeal cooled, to reignite their hearts.
"Turn all the blood and sweat you've shed so far into results."
Having planted that small spark in their hearts, Yong-un glanced once more at the guild members clenching their fists, then turned away.
At that moment.
Just as Sword Tiger and Myung-su's sparring session for training purposes wrapped up, guests arrived at the houses of Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation and Demon Dragon Squad.
"Hello?"
Sword Tiger and Myung-su rose from their seats mid-break at the sight of the harmonious couple who looked like newlyweds.
"Isn't this the place?"
The man double-checked the address hanging outside the house with a puzzled look.
"No, this is it..."
"What brings you here?"
Myung-su approached the tilting man.
But Sword Tiger frowned at Myung-su's demeanor.
"Put the daggers away before you talk. You're scaring them, and we don't even know who they are."
"Ah..."
Was it because of all the recent bad events and his overzealous training?
Myung-su, who had been gripping daggers in both hands, hurriedly hid them behind his back.
"Tsk tsk tsk."
Sword Tiger clicked his tongue.
He turned to the frightened couple, about to offer an excuse.
But.
"Looks like we came to the right place."
Far from frightened, the couple seemed delighted at the sight of the daggers.
Sword Tiger was the one left bewildered by their reaction.
"Pardon...?"
"This is the Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation house, right?"
"Then that next door must be the Demon Dragon Squad house."
Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation.
Demon Dragon Squad.
The two names clearly alternated from the couple's lips.
At the emergence of terms no ordinary person would know, Myung-su and Sword Tiger exchanged glances before drawing their hidden daggers and sword.
"Who are you?"
The couple's delighted expressions shifted at the thick killing intent from Myung-su and Sword Tiger.
Their smiles faded as they eyed each other and slowly drew up their mana.
"As expected! Hunters!"
"They might be from the Night Slaughter Society. Have we been found out already?"
The man and woman smirked faintly at Sword Tiger's shout and Myung-su's murderous tone.
"This must be what Yong-un meant."
Yong-un's name slipped from the woman's lips.
Sword Tiger and Myung-su unleashed even denser killing intent in response.
The man looked troubled by their intense aura and asked the woman.
"Is this really okay? They're not trying to kill us, right?"
"Forgot again? Before the welcome ceremony, we have to shout that line. Shout it, and we'll be forgiven."
Welcome ceremony? What was that supposed to mean?
The man finally relaxed, nodding as his eyes sharpened.
"Who is the Demon Dragon Squad Leader?"
"Who is the One Ghost Soul?"
Sword Tiger and Myung-su exchanged puzzled glances at the woman and man's words.
"Has the Night Slaughter Society learned our aliases too?"
"Impossible. Those are aliases known only to Master and us..."
Their killing intent softened as Sword Tiger raised a hand with a quizzical expression.
"I'm the Demon Dragon Squad Leader. But who the hell are you...? Did Master perhaps..."
The man seemed extremely tense.
Mid-sentence from Sword Tiger, the man drew his sword from his waist.
"I'm Go Jeong-won! I've received Yong-un's teachings and come to join the Demon Dragon Squad! Demon Dragon Leader, receive my sword!"
He kicked off the ground, charging at Sword Tiger.
Sword Tiger, his words cut off, grinned widely at Jeong-won's shout.
Then he bellowed confidently.
"Come on then! I, Sword Tiger, Demon Dragon Leader, shall judge the sword you've honed under Master's teachings!"
Clang! Clang clang!
What kind of development was this?
In this absurd situation that could only arise without a second thought, Myung-su and the remaining female guest, Poison Witch, exchanged awkward smiles.
"They're just alike."
"Totally. Looks like we found the right place."
Clang! Clang clang clang!
"Hahaha! I like it!"
"Raaah!"
Ignoring the enthusiastically clashing swords, Myung-su and Poison Witch drew up their energy toward each other.
"Master's orders, so you too, I suppose."
"Yes, I'm Poison Witch. By the Supreme One's command, I've come to join Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation. Will you face me?"
"So you're Poison Witch. Nice to meet you."
"Hahaha!"
Unlike the joyfully colliding swords of the other two, Myung-su and Poison Witch were so at ease they even shook hands.
Though Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation contrasted sharply with Demon Dragon Squad, as it was Yong-un's order, they finished the handshake and unleashed their auras for a spar.
Were they called Demon Dragon Leader and One Ghost Soul for nothing?
Next to Jeong-won, collapsed on the ground gasping ragged breaths, stood Sword Tiger.
Before Poison Witch, who raised both hands in surrender, Myung-su held his daggers at the ready.
"Haa... The world truly is vast."
"Rise."
Sword Tiger grabbed Jeong-won's hand and pulled him up.
Jeong-won's swordsmanship had become cleaner and more precise than during his Ser Dal Mountain days, but to Sword Tiger, it was like a newborn taking its first steps.
Yet, sensing talent in his swordplay, Sword Tiger beamed like a man who had unearthed a raw gem.
"There's someone besides the Supreme One immune to my poison."
Thanks to Yong-un's teachings, Poison Witch could now control her poison aura.
Not perfectly, but this was the first time her deliberate poison release had been utterly nullified.
Facing Myung-su's dagger arts and strikes like an impenetrable wall, Poison Witch smiled softly.
"Training within Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation might change that. Welcome."
Poison Witch clasped the hand extended by One Ghost Soul Myung-su.
"Thank you."
Myung-su grinned deeply at Poison Witch's bright smile.
The sparring commotion concluded.
Then, Yong-un's voice echoed from atop the Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation house.
"Satisfied?"
Demon Dragon Squad and Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation all looked up at Yong-un.
"Huh? Master, when did you get here?"
"As expected of a ghost-like figure."
The boisterous Sword Tiger and Jeong-won.
"Yes."
"Yes, perfect."
The reserved Myung-su and Poison Witch.
Hearing their responses, Yong-un lightly leaped from the roof to the ground, standing before them.
"Jeong-won, you'll become a Demon Dragon Squad member. Poison Witch, you'll be part of the Three Ghost Souls."
"Yes, I'll train hard, Supreme One."
"Yes, I can't wait. I'll master my poison soon and become your strength, Supreme One."
Yong-un nodded slightly at their replies.
"Do your best."
Then he mentioned the final figure absent from the scene.
"What of Tiger General?"
The original master of Jeong-won, now Demon Dragon Squad member, and Poison Witch, now Three Ghost Soul.
At the question about Tiger General, Jeong-won spoke up.
"He said he'll follow the Supreme One. That's why we came."
Sword Tiger's hand moved at Jeong-won's curt reply.
Smack!
"Ow!"
"You punk, why's your tone like that now that you're safe?"
He wanted to retort, but having fully realized Sword Tiger's power in the spar, Jeong-won could only pout.
Assimilation through combat.
Seeing its essence in action, Yong-un chuckled softly.
"I'll take care of his education."
"Go easy on him."
"Then we're off. Come here, you. Been taking it easy till now, huh?"
Sword Tiger grabbed Jeong-won by the scruff of the neck.
He wanted to resist, but Sword Tiger's piercing gaze made Jeong-won shoot Yong-un a pleading look, like a cow led to slaughter.
"Supreme One..."
But Jeong-won was Demon Dragon Squad now.
With the Squad Leader taking charge as their superior, how could Yong-un interfere in their training?
"Good luck."
"Supreme Oooone!"
"Get over here!"
Jeong-won was dragged by Sword Tiger's hand toward the Demon Dragon Squad house.
"We'll head out too. Need to introduce her to Cheon-il."
With Jeong-won gone, Myung-su bowed to Yong-un.
Yong-un nodded in response.
"Then... let's go."
"Yes."
The front yard of Ghost Slaughter Soul Annihilation house emptied of everyone.
Left alone, Yong-un gazed at the clear sky, thinking of Tiger General, to whom he had given separate orders.