Chapter 28
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Approaching Darkness (1)
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This was the top floor of Seoul's most expensive hotel.
I let out a scream.
"Ah! Aaah!!"
"...Oh dear. Does it hurt?"
"No. Press harder."
"Yes~."
"Aaaah!!!!"
How could the treatment hurt more than getting hit by that Pigman?
Truly worthy of being Korea's top medical group.
They pinpointed the knotted areas and worked them loose with precision.
The only downside was the 50 million won price tag per session, but I had Irina's card.
The elite medical hunters and physical therapists had come straight to the hotel as a team.
True to their 'best in the business' reputation, my wounds healed in no time.
But those stubborn muscle knots just wouldn't budge.
Three expert medical masseuses were working on me at once.
It took a full hour of their efforts before the knots finally released.
After the treatment, my body felt light enough to float away.
I rolled my shoulders easily.
'Money really is the best.'
I climbed down from the bed and headed to the sofa.
Everything in this top-tier hotel was beyond compare.
A half-bath where you could soak while watching TV? Perfection.
"Sir, your meal is ready."
"Yeah. Yeah. Just leave it there..."
"Very well. Have a good night."
The dishes, prepared by a master chef, were laid out on the table.
Every bite melted in my mouth.
7-star hotel stay: 10 million won per night.
Elite medical team: 50 million won.
Gourmet course meal: 1 million won.
Spending like this without a single call from Irina.
She really was filthy rich.
"Ugh... so refreshing..."
After eating, I sank into the bathtub.
My body melted away into blissful relaxation.
Today had been the toughest since my regression.
I swept back my wet hair from the bathwater.
The tension of facing monsters, the pain of my first injury—they were all like an old 'nostalgia' from the battlefield.
I turned on the TV.
The channels were all covering today's events in exhaustive detail.
- 'White Mask': Who is he?
- First city battle in three years. Miraculously, zero casualties.
- Experts say: Gyeonggi Province's defense system is the worst. But a mysterious man saved everyone.
- Korea's Minister of National Defense expresses gratitude to 'White Mask'.
- 'Sonic' Group's only daughter, Irina Delebayne's heroic performance. Turns out she's a hunter too.
- Hunter fatalities this year total 38,332... up 13% from last year...
Everyone was dying to know White Mask's identity.
One channel was even running a live debate about it.
I glanced at the white mask on the sofa.
It was scratched up, stained with Pigman blood everywhere.
Cheap market knockoff—its durability had worn out fast.
I picked up my Switch Weapon.
"Form change. White Mask."
I pictured the white mask in my mind.
The Switch Weapon gradually morphed into mask form.
As S-Rank gear, it wouldn't break anytime soon.
I slipped it on.
"Oh, this breathes easy."
The old one had made every breath a struggle, hindering combat.
Summoning a weapon in this form would be ideal, but that wasn't possible yet.
The Switch Weapon could only shift into one form at a time.
'...No info on this thing.'
S-Rank gear gets endlessly researched by experts.
All its functions get cataloged in the Hunter Network.
I had to figure it out myself.
It was basically free anyway.
I dunked my head under the bathwater.
'Dungeon experience next week. Then finally CDT...'
CDT was a massive training event, rivaling the first tournament.
Like today, it focused on urban defense in a huge city mockup where cadets battled.
It seemed like any other drill at first glance, but this was your first shot at guild offers.
A hunter needs at least three qualifications.
Dungeon raiding skills: Humanity's sword, the only direct preemptive strike against monsters.
Urban defense: Humanity's shield, protecting civilians from sudden attacks.
Personal training: Humanity's armor, honing individual power and mentality.
I'd gotten my grades for personal training and dungeon raiding from the first tournament.
Urban defense was all that remained.
The first semester of first year at the officer academy was crucial.
The whole world was watching the cadets.
'...And here I am in the middle of all this.'
Scores weren't everything, of course.
S-Rank heroes could be scouted later by recommendation.
'Yeah. This is why I regressed.'
I stood from the tub and dried off.
Yawns kept escaping as drowsiness hit hard.
I slipped into a bed that felt worlds apart in comfort.
I was out before a minute passed after closing my eyes.
The rooftop of Namsan Tower in Seoul.
"Hmmm..."
Two men overlooked the cityscape.
"Ugh...!"
"Found him?"
"Ah, don't talk to me. I'm scanning right now."
Kirius scowled as he surveyed the city.
Hundreds of crows were his eyes.
They flew over Seoul, hunting their target.
But their mark, Kang Tae-hyun, was nowhere.
Kirius irritably lit a cigarette.
"Tch. You sure he's in Seoul?"
"Yes. The Queen doesn't lie."
A single card floated in Joker's hand.
The Queen of Hearts from a trump deck.
His Queen of Hearts revealed whatever info the caster desired.
Not the nitty-gritty details—just 'He's in Seoul right now.'
"Ugh. Shit! Nothing. Plan B. We sneak into the school after all."
"...Won't be easy."
"I know. Just kill anyone who gets in the way. Check the first-years' schedule."
Kirius flicked his cigarette butt over the railing.
It spun into the darkness below.
"...Dungeon experience next week. Then CDT."
"Oh, perfect. CDT! Man, it's been ages. Flooded with memories. Settled. Since we're in Seoul tonight, let's grab some soju. What do ya say!"
"...I'll pass."
"What? Don't be such a pussy."
Joker pocketed his card and headed for the door.
Then the wind picked up.
Whoosh!
A sharp needle flew at Joker.
Without even glancing, he snatched it midair with his fingers.
"..."
Joker flicked his eyes toward the source.
Two hunters approached.
"Ooh, caught that? Not bad."
"...Jackson. Stay sharp."
"Got it. You hang back and support. We split merits 7-3. Right, Lina?"
Jackson rolled his shoulders as he advanced.
Joker eyed his insignia.
A-Rank hunter.
Then the woman's.
B-Rank hunter.
Joker scoffed.
Jackson grinned wickedly.
"You two are them, right? The 'Kang' killers. Took us hell to track you down. Come quietly."
"..."
Joker didn't respond.
"Need a hand, Joker?"
Kirius casually lit his cigarette.
"I'm good, Sir Kirius."
Jackson burst into roaring laughter.
"Puhahaha!! You guys doing stand-up? Wow, haven't laughed like this in forever."
Joker drew a card.
The Jack of Spades.
"Grab these guys, and I'll hit S-Rank too, right? Huh, Lina?"
"Don't let your guard down."
"Hahaha. Against these shitstains? Pfft...!"
Blood suddenly sprayed from Jackson's mouth.
His trembling hand clutched his gut.
A razor-sharp blade pricked his fingertips.
An invisible sword had pierced his abdomen.
'Invisi...bility...!'
It hadn't been visible at all.
Not even a sound.
Jackson gripped the blade and looked ahead.
The Jack of Spades materialized.
In human form, it wore a chilling grin.
"...Guhk...urk...!"
"Jackson!!!"
Lina summoned a barrage of needles at the Spade Jack.
Another Jack appeared.
The Jack of Hearts this time.
The Heart Jack sliced through her needles.
Slash!
The steel needles snapped in half effortlessly.
'...Steel needles. In one hit...?'
The female Heart Jack grinned eerily too.
Pshht!
Jackson shoved the Spade Jack away and yanked out the sword.
Blood gushed freely now.
The untouchable Spade Jack vanished into invisibility again.
'Damn. These guys are unbeatable.'
Masters could gauge each other with one clash of blades.
Cold sweat beaded on Jackson's face.
"...Lina... listen up."
"...Jackson?"
His voice shook.
"Run full speed. Report this to Hunter HQ."
"What are you saying? I'm fighting too."
"That's an order!!!"
Jackson bellowed at her, voice raw with emotion.
Lina choked back tears.
"...Jackson... promise you'll come back..."
"...Of course. I'm an A-Rank hunter. Now go."
Tears in her eyes, Lina turned and bolted.
Jackson watched her escape safely, then faced Joker again.
Joker idly shuffled his cards.
'Damn. Shouldn't have come just the two of us.'
Chasing promotion, they'd skipped reporting in.
Big mistake.
But he wouldn't go down easy.
Jackson was top 1% for a reason.
He gathered his mana.
His awakening ability.
Beast-form body enhancement.
Form: Bull.
His body ballooned huge, wounds knitting closed.
Healing drained mana heavily, but it held.
'...Alright. Let's do this.'
Jackson charged the Heart Jack.
She swung her sword.
Slaaash!
He tanked the hit and seized her.
"Raaah!!!"
He hurled her at the wall full force.
Boom!!
The wall shattered in a deafening crash.
No time to breathe.
Stab!
The invisible Jack struck his back.
Crunch.
Jackson clamped onto the Spade Jack's throat anyway.
"...Fuck off. You think A-Ranks are pushovers?"
He wrenched with all his might.
Riiiip!
The Spade's head tore from its body.
Monstrous strength.
Among current A-Ranks, Jackson boasted raw power supremacy.
He pressed a hand to the blood pouring from his gut and glared at Joker.
Joker was still shuffling cards.
"This is A-Rank power!!! How's that!!!"
"...Impressive."
Only then did Joker pocket his cards.
His lips twitched into a beaming smile.
Jackson's eyes wavered.
That grin stretched ear to ear.
"...What the hell are you... human...?"
"Why bother? You're about to die."
"...Ah."
Jacks reappeared around him.
Clover and Diamond now.
The Heart and Spade he'd downed were back too.
Dozens more soldier cards with numbers littered the area.
The trump soldiers all grinned grotesquely.
"Kekekekeke!!"
"Kuhahaha!!!"
"Hohohoho!"
"Pfufufufu!!!"
Jackson swallowed hard.
He summoned his last reserves of strength.
"...Lina. Can't keep that promise."
...Soon, screams echoed across Namsan Tower.
Tat-tat-tat-tat!!!
Lina raced down Namsan at full speed.
Tears streamed down her face.
"...Sorry...! Sorry! ...Sorry...!!!"
Jackson had been her comrade since academy days.
She despised herself for fleeing and abandoning him.
She'd already reported in.
HQ dispatched three A-Ranks and seventeen B-Ranks immediately.
But they weren't enough for these foes.
They needed S-Ranks.
"Haa... haa... haa...!"
Lina ran for her life.
Suddenly, a crow blocked her path.
One became two, then three—the flock grew.
"Kyaaah-!"
She tried shaking them, but they clung tighter.
As she collapsed, the crows merged into human form.
A man shaped like a crow.
He frowned pityingly at her.
"Miss, you're totally my type. Shame."
"Haa... haa... haa..."
The crow drew closer, claws hooking her throat.
"Sorry, miss. Anyone who sees our faces has to die."
"Aa... ah...!"
Moments later, Lina's body tore into three pieces.
Flap-flap!
A crow landed on Kirius's finger.
"...Even the chick bought it. Aw, fuck. Total babe too."
"We should move, Sir Kirius. They've got our position."
"Tch... nagging bitch. Fine!"
Kirius shoved his hands in his pockets and headed for the door.
"Sir Kirius."
Joker grabbed him.
Kirius glanced back.
"Always wear the mask. King's orders."
"Tch. Got it. I know. You talk too damn much."
"...My apologies."
Kirius pulled out his mask and donned it.
A deep, dark 'Black Mask' like the night sky...
(To be continued in the next chapter)