Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: The Dungeon Begins
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“Hahaha!”
Gregory, who had been staring blankly, burst out laughing. The Russian hunters joined in, their laughter loud enough to shake the conference room.
Wang Jin-chun, finally snapping out of it, slammed the table and stood up, his face flushed red.
“What do you think you're doing?”
“It’s a Russian joke. A sort of welcoming ceremony for those who are late.”
“You bastard!”
Unable to hold back, Wang Jin-chun drew his weapon.
*Fwoosh!*
Flames erupted from the blade, which was shaped like a dragon.
It was the Fire Dragon Sword, his signature weapon.
“Don’t just threaten me with it. Swing it.”
Wang-sik provoked him further.
*'It'll be easier if I just overpower him from the start.'*
Just as he was thinking of quickly subduing him, someone grabbed the agitated Wang Jin-chun’s hand.
“Calm down. It's true that we were late. And it's also true that it's ridiculous for us to butt in now.”
The one who calmed Wang Jin-chun was E Suo-lin.
In her mid-twenties, she was the youngest among the S-rank hunters, specializing in ice magic.
Ice Fairy. Ice Angel.
Like the nicknames that followed her, she also possessed exceptional beauty.
“I'll just ask one thing.”
“I don't wish to drag this out any longer.”
“This is for the sake of a swift progression. Although we were late, we're still risking our lives just the same. So you should at least give us a chance to confirm what kind of person is leading the operation.”
It was an irrefutable argument.
“Ask your question.”
“Are you the Super Tanker?”
There was no way China didn't know about the Super Tanker. They just had never been directly involved with him.
There were no Asians among Russia's core hunters. Yet, not only the Russian hunters but also the prideful Gregory was listening attentively to Wang-sik. This alone was enough to tell that Wang-sik was a special individual.
*'An outsider related to Russia whom Gregory would acknowledge. Someone strong enough to command an S-rank gate raid...'*
That was enough on its own, but there was more definitive proof.
*'Because we already know of someone who fits that description.'*
Among the unfamiliar faces, only one person met the above conditions.
The Super Tanker.
“That's what Gregory calls me.”
“I see. Very well.”
E Suo-lin stared intently at Bae Wang-sik before speaking.
“It's an honor to meet you, Super Tanker. We, China, will follow your strategy.”
“E Suo-lin! What are you doing?”
In an instant, the air around the Bureau Director froze.
“Are you angry with me right now?”
White frost formed on the Bureau Director's eyebrows, and his lips trembled as his teeth chattered.
“N-no, that's not…”
“Know your place. Just because I went along with you a few times, do you see me as your subordinate? Shall I make it clear who's on top?”
The Chinese Bureau Director couldn't answer. The light had already faded from his eyes, but E Suo-lin had no intention of stopping there.
“You need to answer, don't you?”
The Bureau Director's entire body began to freeze over.
“I-I'm sorry.”
Fortunately, the Bureau Director was released before he suffocated.
“There was a small disturbance. Please proceed.”
At E Suo-lin's words, Wang-sik let out a small chuckle. The atmosphere had been murderous, but it didn't particularly faze him.
“Then let's continue.”
After that, the Chinese contingent listened without another word.
The meeting ended late.
When Wang-sik checked the time—10 PM—and declared the meeting over, everyone left the room to prepare for the next day.
Wang-sik had one last thing to check and was looking over the list of hunters again when he noticed someone waiting without leaving the room.
“Aren't you leaving?”
“I just wanted to say hello before I go.”
“Do you know me, by any chance?”
“No. This is our first time meeting. But I did want to meet you. I like strong people.”
“You're not my type.”
“I suppose my style is a bit unusual. But you've misunderstood. I don't want you as a man.”
E Suo-lin offered Wang-sik a business card.
—E Suo-lin, Guild Leader of the Heavenly Guild.
The fact that E Suo-lin was a guild leader was already known.
The Heavenly Guild she led was already one of the top guilds, not just in China, but in the world.
“I heard you said something during an overseas expedition. That you want world peace.”
“That's right.”
“Our goals are similar. That's why I really wanted to meet you.”
“Similar doesn't seem to mean the same. What is your goal?”
“World domination.”
Wang-sik thought she was joking.
“And that's similar?”
“Once I conquer the world, it will be very peaceful. So the result is the same.”
“Is that the will of the Chinese government?”
“Do I look like someone who takes orders?”
She didn't answer directly, but her meaning was clear.
“People say there are two S-rank hunters in China. That's wrong. There are two S-rank hunters in our Heavenly Guild.”
“You seem a bit too honest.”
“There's no reason to be discreet anymore.”
There must have been some internal situation in China. Wang-sik didn't ask about it.
“I'll make a formal offer. Come to the Heavenly Guild.”
“The Handshake Party is after the raid.”
When an S-rank gate raid is successful, a party is held, which becomes another kind of battlefield.
Handshake Party.
Hunters called it the Handshake Party.
It meant that those who had finished their negotiations would shake hands and part ways.
The topic of negotiation was, of course, scouting.
In the past, powerful nations would recruit hunters from weaker countries on the condition of naturalization.
But now, guilds had gotten involved.
Multinational guilds began to appear, and a scouting war was raging regardless of nationality.
In fact, hunters often preferred it, as there was no burden of naturalization, and they were backed by multinational corporations with vast funds.
Just a few years ago, the major powers that had anticipated this situation tried to stop it with regulations and appeasement, but in the end, they couldn't go against the tide of the times.
“My answer, in advance, is no.”
“I didn't expect you to accept easily. I'm satisfied with just having introduced myself today.”
E Suo-lin gave a light, smiling glance and left the conference room.
“So she was an apostle.”
An apostle seeking to conquer the Earth.
That's how she appeared in Wang-sik's eyes.
1,055 people.
3 S-ranks, 320 A-ranks, 731 B-ranks, and 1 C-rank.
The number was 500 fewer than originally planned, but no one was worried about the raid failing.
Before setting out, Gregory, as the supreme commander, held a declaration ceremony.
It was a moment when the eyes of the entire world were focused on them.
“I thank all our friends who have come to help Russia.”
Gregory finished his greeting and stood before the gate. Then, he thrust his fist into the air and shouted.
“For Russia!”
As his cry echoed around them, the Russian hunters roared in unison, thrusting their fists into the air. Amidst the spreading cheers, Gregory glanced back at Wang-sik, who was standing behind him.
Wang-sik, standing among the tankers who would enter first, met Gregory's gaze and nodded.
—Keep your promise.
Wang-sik had made one request of Gregory.
It was Gregory's turn to keep that promise. Once the Russian hunters' cheers died down, he raised his fist once more and shouted.
“For the peace of the universe!”
For a moment, the atmosphere grew quiet.
*'I knew this would happen!'*
—Let's just go with world peace.
—That's too small.
—Fine. I'll accept peace on Earth.
—No way. I came here myself, and you can't even grant me that?
The conclusion they reached was peace of the universe.
Gregory suppressed the blush rising to his face as best he could and shouted again.
“For the peace of the universe!”
Shouting it twice was the highlight of the promise.
“Pfft!”
Only then did bursts of suppressed laughter escape from the crowd.
Gregory was still staring at the gate. He didn't turn his head, but Wang-sik could see the back of his neck flush red.
Wang-sik discreetly gave him a thumbs-up.
Gregory scowled and yelled.
“Tankers, forward!”
The snickering tankers took their positions.
Gregory's slogan may not have resonated with everyone, but it succeeded in easing the Awakened's tension.
The tankers passed where Gregory stood and lined up before the gate.
“Entering.”
Wang-sik, who was in the very center of the 80 tankers lined up in the front row, stepped forward.
In that moment, the gazes of all the Awakened focused on Wang-sik's back.
A being who shows his back to everyone.
There wasn't a single ally in front of him.
The area in front of the gate fell silent.
Because all one thousand Awakened had entered.
An unusually deep silence settled over the place where the Awakened had disappeared.
They were confident in the raid's success, but that didn't mean their anxiety had vanished.
“How many will die?”
Doyev, the Bureau Director of the Russian Hunter Management Bureau, let out a long sigh.
Though it was left unsaid, the Russian Hunter Management Bureau was already preparing for funerals. For the casualties that were certain to occur. Of course, no one would speak of this until the raid was over.
That was the proper courtesy for those who were making the sacrifice.
“Time to do what needs to be done.”
First, he had to check on the medical team.
Around the gate were healers who were not participating in the raid. Most were C-rank or lower, but to the Awakened who would emerge from the gate, they were beings of hope.
“Permit the healers to move.”
The healers, who had until now been outside the restricted area, were granted free access.
Just as the agents were relaying the order.
*Vwooom!*
The gate, which had been emitting light, began to shake.
Doyev's expression hardened at the sight, which resembled a mirror shaking in an earthquake.
“What's happening?”
—The mana readings are fluctuating wildly!
An agent measuring the mana in front of the gate urgently reported the situation over the radio.
“What in the world is going on?”
This had never happened before.
“Is it a transforming gate?”
The thought occurred to him, but this was different from the phenomena that occurred with transforming gates.
After a minute, the wildly shaking gate gradually began to stabilize.
“What are the mana readings?”
—They've increased by about five percent.
Since it was already an S-rank gate, five percent wasn't a small amount. Still, he felt it wasn't a change significant enough to alter the outcome.
“Relay this to the inside.”
A waiting agent ran toward the gate to enter. In that instant, the expressions of everyone watching hardened.
The agent who had run into the gate was thrown back as if he had hit a wall.
—The entrance…!
The agents quickly checked the gate's entrance, then said with pale, horrified faces.
—The entrance has disappeared.
“What kind of nonsense is that!”
The change in the gate also shocked the Awakened who had entered.
“We can't get out!”
The oval light that marked the entrance was gone.
Gregory, noticing the change in the gate, went to the spot where the light had vanished.
Wang-sik followed behind him; the energy that had been felt at the entrance was indeed completely gone.
“Looks like they've developed a new technique.”
“What should we do?”
Despite encountering a phenomenon he'd never seen before, Gregory looked intrigued. This was both a strength and a weakness of Gregory's. When he felt intrigued, his decisions became simple.
It wouldn't be a problem if he were alone, but a raid party is a group that cannot move on a whim.
He had to prevent the raid party from wavering.
“Gregory, don't get too excited. There's only one thing we have to do anyway, right?”
“Clear the gate.”
Wang-sik nodded.
Gregory suppressed his excitement and stood before the Awakened.
“Nothing has changed! All units, advance!”
The raid party began to move, but Wang-sik was still looking at the spot where the gate had been.
“If there's something else…, this raid isn't going to be easy.”
***
The first place that greeted them was a vast cavern.
The enormous cavern, which seemed to have been formed naturally, felt unreal, but it was also the most common type of area found within gates.
However, being an S-rank gate, its scale was immense.
It was about five minutes after the one thousand Awakened had advanced in formation.
“Halt.”
Gregory raised his hand, stopping their advance.
The scenery had changed.
The natural cave had disappeared, replaced by smooth, white walls that felt like marble.
As if they had entered a temple of giants, clean and pristine white bricks formed the floor and ceiling, and bizarre patterns were drawn on the walls.
A temple that looked as if it had been built by giants ten times the size of humans.
The scale was reduced to half that of the cavern, but it was still large enough for two hundred people to stand in a single line.
“Friend, what do you think?”
Wang-sik had approached Gregory's side at some point.
“The path splits into three…”
Wang-sik looked back and forth between the cavernous cave behind them and the temple in front.
A temple existing beyond a natural cave, and behind the temple, three paths splitting off like a maze. It was a layout with a clear intention.
This was clearly not a natural structure.
It wasn't that there had never been temple-like settings before, but those had felt more like decorations to enhance the monsters' characteristics.
But this time was different.
“So they've created a dungeon.”
It was the moment the gate began its transformation into a dungeon.