Chapter 109
Chapter 109
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Secret (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Under the stinging gazes, Su-ho opened his mouth.
"Hello, I'm Hunter Cha Su-ho from the 1st Branch."
At the name Cha Su-ho, the people from the 3rd Branch stirred in an instant.
["Cha... Su-ho? That SSS-grade Hunter?"]
Su-ho nodded toward the bearded man who had asked again.
"Yes, that's right."
Then one of the 3rd Branch members asked Su-ho,
["Are you here to clear out the Last Zone?!"]
At the question about clearing the Last Zone, anticipation lit up everyone's faces. It was only natural. They were barely holding the entrance, and if they didn't clean up the monsters for even a day, the entrance would swarm with them again.
For the hunters from the 2nd and 3rd Branches, it was an exhausting, grueling battle. Unless an SSS-grade hunter like Jin Seong-hyeok appeared, nothing would change.
And now, that longed-for, beacon-like existence had arrived.
An SSS-grade like Jin Seong-hyeok. Naturally, the 3rd Branch folks seemed to think Su-ho had come to sweep the Last Zone just like him.
Even as Su-ho opened his mouth under their expectant gazes, he couldn't quite bring himself to speak.
Even if he'd received an SSS-grade rating, his current skills were only a bit better than the SS-grade hunters here.
"...No."
The 3rd Branch hunter froze at Su-ho's response and asked again.
["No...?"]
Dominic stepped forward in front of Su-ho and spoke.
["It's true that Hunter Cha Su-ho is SSS-grade, but the Last Zone is his first time. He came here suddenly today at my suggestion."]
["If he's SSS-grade, first time or not, he can wipe out these damn monsters, right?!"]
Dominic frowned at the 3rd Branch hunter's words.
["You don't get it the first time. He's saying he'll come officially later, not today."]
["Shut up. You're not even his spokesperson, so why are you speaking for him?!"]
With that, the 3rd Branch hunter whipped his head toward Su-ho and continued.
["If you're SSS-grade, then show us! Your skills! Like Jin Seong-hyeok!"]
'That crazy bastard...'
Jin Seong-hyeok spat curses.
["Jin Seong-hyeok died, that's why we're stuck doing this crap! If things were normal, we'd have cleared the Dead Zone and been done!"]
As one of the 3rd Branch hunters shouted in a manic voice, the bearded man who seemed to be their leader glared sharply and said,
["What the hell is this behavior? Don't embarrass the 3rd Branch and shut your mouth."]
["Why?! Am I wrong?! I can't do this shit anymore either!"]
"Ha."
A short sigh burst from Su-ho's lips, drawing everyone's eyes.
"Hunter Jin Seong-hyeok is truly pitiful. No wonder the Association couldn't topple him, and he had to put a leash on himself."
'When did I ever put on a leash?'
Ignoring Jin Seong-hyeok's mutter, Su-ho continued.
"Aren't you ashamed? Whining like that when you're SS-grade hunters."
["...What?"]
"Dead Zone clearance? Ha. Have you ever even taken down the Dead Zone boss, Deadrock? That's what I'm asking while you talk about clearances."
The 3rd Branch hunter flinched.
"When Hunter Jin Seong-hyeok was alive, I know he cleared not just the Last Zone but the Dead Zone bosses too. Even while you lot were whining."
He was angry. Furious at the treatment the world's one and only SSS-grade, Jin Seong-hyeok, had received. Even as the Association treated him like a dog, the only reason Jin had endured was that no one else could stop the world's end.
Moreover, Jin wasn't the type to whine about his own benefits or rights. He'd silently swept away monsters, overlooking everything out of sheer laziness.
And that's exactly what he did.
It wasn't something to say to Jin Seong-hyeok, who had finally given up everything after enduring the same day over and over.
"Because Jin Seong-hyeok died? Why don't you mention how you've survived all this time because he was alive?"
Anger boiled in Su-ho's voice.
"Skills?"
Whoosh—
Everyone, not just the 3rd Branch hunters, stepped back at the sight of the massive flame chains igniting around Su-ho in an instant.
The flame chains writhed like living dragons, rearing their heads as if ready to bite. They were aimed straight at the 3rd Branch hunter.
["H-heek...!"]
Su-ho continued toward the terrified, retreating 3rd Branch hunter.
"Shall I show you? Those skills."
Whoosh—. The flame chain shot out in an instant, grazing just above the 3rd Branch hunter's head.
Severed hairs fluttered in the wind, and the massive tree standing behind him was sliced perfectly in half.
Thud—.
As the neatly cut tree toppled flat to the ground, everyone held their breath.
"Oh, I forgot to mention one thing. The flame chains Hunter Jin Seong-hyeok used and mine are the same. But there's one difference..."
Su-ho smiled brightly.
"Mine don't discriminate between monsters and people. So you'd better watch your mouth."
The surroundings fell silent in an instant, like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over them. No one could say a word.
There was one reason. They'd all been hit where it hurt. They'd all thought the same as that 3rd Branch hunter at least once. If Jin Seong-hyeok hadn't died, the 2nd and 3rd Branches wouldn't be pulling all-nighters guarding the Last Zone teleport.
They'd taken what Jin had done as a given, while acting like their own efforts were some noble, sublime sacrifice.
A hollow laugh escaped Su-ho's lips.
"You've seen enough, right? Can we go now?"
["Ah, we'll go with you...!"]
["No, no need."]
At the sudden voice of Killian, Dominic and the 2nd Branch hunters whipped their heads around.
Killian walked toward Su-ho with a grin.
["You skipped training too, and now you're here...?!!"]
As Dominic raised his voice, Killian tilted his head side to side.
["Don't worry. I just got here this time. Anyway..."]
Killian gave Su-ho a thumbs-up.
["As expected, you're the best. What you said was so cool, it gave me chills."]
Killian dramatically showed off his arm, and Dominic frowned as he asked Su-ho,
["Do you know Killian?"]
They weren't strangers. But Su-ho had no desire to admit knowing Killian out loud here.
The reason was obvious.
["Of course!"]
Because he'd roughly predicted how Killian would react.
["Su-ho and I are super close!"]
Su-ho just blankly watched as Killian now called him by name.
["It's not just close. I'm an official fan acknowledged by Su-ho. The representative of the fans."]
"That's not—"
["Anyway, you were heading back, right?"]
Killian cut Su-ho off sharply and continued.
["Let's go, Su-ho!"]
Su-ho, who had been silently following Killian, spoke up.
"When did you get here?"
["Hm? Who?"]
Su-ho sighed at Killian's shameless question.
"No one's here but you."
["Haha, Miriam was turning the 2nd Branch upside down looking for you. Then I heard you'd gone to the integrated center, so I came."]
For some reason, Killian kept laughing.
["Did you see their faces earlier? They must've been totally stung."]
Killian had never met Jin Seong-hyeok even once. Unlike others who hit the field from adolescence, Killian had tons of tests. His blood was different too, so he spent most of his time in labs.
Jin Seong-hyeok died before Killian had gone out to the field many times. Killian, who had dreamed of meeting him there someday, was that much more devastated.
As someone who admired and liked Jin Seong-hyeok, Killian knew better than anyone how incredible everything he'd done was.
["Of course, I'm not one to talk, skipping training and field ops every time."]
Still, he was angry. Angry at the hunters and helpers who took Jin's work for granted.
Killian, who had obsessively collected and read Jin Seong-hyeok's data countless times, knew full well.
He knew Jin spent more time in the field than outside it.
He knew the Association had worked him like a dog.
["Sometimes I think..."]
Killian stared at Su-ho and continued.
["If I were Jin Seong-hyeok..."]
The Evil Zone, Dead Zone, Last Zone. The reason the man at the top of the entire food chain had suddenly died.
["I'd have killed myself."]
Su-ho's heart sank at the word "suicide."
"...What?"
Killian tilted his head innocently.
["Why? Isn't it obvious? The whole world relied only on Jin Seong-hyeok. Everyone got complacent. They figured he'd handle all the monsters, of course. And what about the trash Association and examiners?"]
Sneer filled Killian's lips.
["They used his name to build their own fame. Even for their political games."]
'Ha. I thought you were just some clueless kid, but you're better than me.'
Jin Seong-hyeok chuckled.
["So what? Who cares if humanity falls."]
As Su-ho started to ask what he meant, Killian continued.
["Wanna smash the Association and all the branches with me?"]
Laughter rang out. Not from Killian's mouth, but from Su-ho's.
"First interesting thing I've heard in a while."
["Really?! Then join me and...!"]
"No."
Su-ho smirked.
"I'll pass."
Killian looked baffled.
["Why? You know it too. You'll end up just like Jin Seong-hyeok. They'll all take it for granted that monsters are your job. No one's thinking of improving; they'll just expect you to handle it. And the Association? They'll just use you."]
"I know."
["You know?! And you're still saying that?!"]
"Yeah."
Unlike the shocked Killian, Su-ho was calm.
"I might get sick of it later. I might feel like I'm running in circles like Hunter Jin Seong-hyeok. But I've dreamed of the field my whole life."
From his F-grade days—no, from childhood. It was what he'd longed for. He couldn't even explain why. It had just been his dream since he was a kid, as naturally as breathing.
"Even if I live on the field forever, I don't care. Even if I grow old and weak, even if I have to quit someday, until then I want to fight monsters. Plus, I don't want to let humanity fall."
["But...!"]
"Of course, that doesn't mean I'll fight like a dog on the Association's leash."
Su-ho looked at Killian and finally voiced the thoughts he'd kept hidden.
"The Association and branches are necessary. As long as there are monsters, we need places for hunters and helpers. But,"
Su-ho's eyes turned ice-cold.
"not the ones we have now."