Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Deadlock (2)
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In an instant, the restaurant fell silent. No one could argue against Su-ho's words. He was the only one who could fight Deadlock, and even if they tagged along, it wouldn't make much difference.
Even though she knew this all too well, Ji-young put on a frustrated expression.
"Still... being by your side might give you some courage."
"It's fine."
"If things get dangerous, we could grab you and run...!"
"No need."
Watching Su-ho reject her so firmly, Kai-cheong finally couldn't hold back and spoke up.
"[That's something she said thinking of you—aren't you being too harsh?!]"
"It might sound harsh, but I have no choice. I need to do my job."
Uk-hwa grabbed Kai-cheong's arm as Ji-young opened her mouth.
"Fine. I'll respect your decision. But."
Ji-young glared at Su-ho with a reproachful tone.
"...don't get hurt. Come back alive."
Ugh.
'Should I just take her with me?'
'...Ha.'
Jin Seong-hyeok let out a deep sigh, as if the ground might cave in beneath him.
'How am I supposed to go alone when she's looking at me like that? She won't cry, will she?'
'An Ji-young, of all people.'
'If I protect her so she doesn't get hurt...!'
'What, trying to be a second Eun-woo?'
A second Eun-woo? Thinking of A-rin, who was always fawning over Eun-woo, Su-ho spoke up.
'That... might not be so bad...?'
'You're insane.'
As Jin Seong-hyeok's nagging continued, Su-ho finally raised the white flag.
'Alright, I get it.'
Su-ho forced a bunch of rice into his mouth with his chopsticks, swallowed it down, and stood up.
"Don't worry."
He flashed Ji-young a light smile.
"I'll come back."
The news that Su-ho was heading to the Dead Zone spread through the 5th Branch training field in less than an hour.
By the time Su-ho finished preparing and came out, Gi-uk and Kwon Oh were waiting to see him off.
"In an emergency, use the watch on your wrist..."
"I know."
Even Gi-uk was looking at Su-ho with worried eyes.
"I'll be fine. I'm going because I'm confident."
To be honest, he couldn't be entirely sure. Whether he could beat Deadlock or not. But he had something to rely on.
'Well, don't say you're switching bodies with me.'
'I know you'll do it before I die, at least.'
'Hey.'
Of course, he planned to handle it alone until the very brink of death. That was the real way to test his power.
The examiners watched Su-ho head to the teleport zone like it was some rare spectacle, all crowding outside the exam room to gawk.
Not just them—the 5th Branch Hunters too.
And it was understandable. Everyone had faces mixed with doubt and worry at the thought of Su-ho, a freshly minted SSS-grade Hunter, going off to kill Deadlock, the boss of the Dead Zone.
Feeling embarrassed by all the stares, Su-ho quickly moved toward the teleport zone.
As he walked toward the whirring teleport with its wing, wing sound, Kwon Oh's voice called from behind.
"Cha Su-ho...!"
Su-ho glanced back just a bit. Kwon Oh waved his hand and continued.
"Come back safe!"
Behind him, A-rin gave a small wave, Eun-woo nodded, and Ji-young waved reluctantly, as if she had no choice.
Su-ho grinned.
"I'll be back."
The moment he stepped into the teleport, Su-ho let out a long breath.
'That felt like watching a whole movie just now.'
'...What was that?'
'I don't think I ever got a send-off like that even for the Last Zone.'
'Jealous?'
'Nah. Just seemed over the top.'
Su-ho burst out laughing.
'Jealousy's for losers, hyung.'
'Talking nonsense again.'
Su-ho knew it was Jin Seong-hyeok's joke to ease the tension.
'Anyway, shall we clean up those damn Catchers first?'
Stellion and Pubkil were already taken care of. All that remained were the Catchers and Deadlock. And he didn't want to deal with any more horrific hallucinations.
'Good warm-up.'
'Alright then.'
With the mechanical arrival chime, the teleport door opened. Seeing the Dead Zone after so long, Su-ho curled his lips.
'Time to really warm up.'
The moment he set foot in the Dead Zone, Su-ho sprang into action. His eyes were chillingly cold, unlike usual, as if he'd erase any monster in sight on the spot.
Snap. One Catcher exploded with a pop!
'One down.'
Su-ho dashed forward again, spotting another Catcher. To avoid its hallucinations, he had to strike first.
He snapped his fingers.
Pop.
Su-ho's face was expressionless as he watched the Catcher die without even a scream.
Now he understood why Jin Seong-hyeok had grown numb. It was the result of endlessly killing, killing, until no emotions were left. For Su-ho, with mountains to climb, he could frame it all as training to grow stronger. But not for Jin Seong-hyeok.
He'd already conquered everything—no thrills, no goals. Nothing left but mechanically slaughtering monsters.
'I think... I get why you were like that, hyung.'
'Suddenly?'
'Yeah. You just seemed kinda lonely all of a sudden.'
'Creepy. Don't want to hear 'lonely' from another guy.'
'...No, I meant you, hyung.'
'I hate pity even more.'
Absurd, Su-ho flicked his fingers again.
Whoosh— the blazing flame chains surged forward.
Meeeooow—!
Nyaang—!
Ignoring the Catchers' wails, Su-ho continued to Jin Seong-hyeok.
'Anyway, that's the gist.'
'If you're gonna spout nonsense, kill one more at least.'
'I will.'
Su-ho moved. Heading opposite the flame chains' path, he spotted a cluster of Catchers. Still as grotesque as ever.
"Bye."
Snap. The clustered Catchers exploded.
Splatter. Blood from the Catchers splashed onto Su-ho's face. He roughly wiped it off with his sleeve.
'Smells less bad than the Evil Zone.'
'That place was a real rotting sewer.'
Shuddering at the memory, Su-ho and Jin Seong-hyeok grimaced together.
'All the Catchers are gathered here.'
He'd thought they roamed solo, but clearly they had packs. Judging by the groups.
They huddled close, their hideous forms pressed together. Su-ho raised his finger. Time for a test—how many of these would survive?
He lifted his hand and pointed at the Catchers.
Snap.
The sound of thumb and middle finger echoed. Instantly, the nearest Catchers burst into the air. Others popped in place.
Only the survivors behind the dead ones backed away.
"Sorry, but I don't plan on letting any live."
Su-ho snapped again.
Snap. The remaining Catchers painted the ground red. Overwhelming power.
Jin Seong-hyeok would be getting a headache by now. Never perfectly Cleaned, his body half-full of clumps, new ones piling on, dragging him down with unease.
But Su-ho was different. Despite all the power used, not even a fingernail-sized clump had formed. It defied logic. Cleaning before clumps could even build up.
Freely slaughtering and moving without headaches—it was a peerless ability.
Having neatly cleared the last Catcher, Su-ho scanned the area. A gruesome scene of exploded remains mixed with blood. With a stoic gaze, confirming no more Catchers, he spoke to Jin Seong-hyeok.
'Looks like we're done here.'
'One left.'
Deadlock.
'Where is it?'
'Probably watching us.'
'Watching?'
'It pops up everywhere. Sometimes feels like it's been observing before showing.'
'Then...'
Su-ho smiled.
'We should head somewhere good for a fight.'
He walked and walked. No monsters in sight now. He'd cleared every one while searching for a battlefield— not even an ant left.
Finally reaching where he'd first met Deadlock, Su-ho peered down the cliff.
The bottom was still a mess from that fight. Pubkil corpses rotted to bones, the leader's half-eaten, gone.
Gazing down, Su-ho looked up. Remembering—Deadlock had loomed from this spot then.
"Pretty sure Deadlock was standing around here..."
As Su-ho muttered, a chill hit his back. An immense pressure, telling him not to turn.
...Cha Su-ho.
With Jin Seong-hyeok's voice deeply lowered, someone spoke right behind him.
"You're back."
Just the voice sent chills from toes to scalp.
"Worth the wait."
His body stiffened. He knew he needed distance, battle stance—but it wouldn't move.
Couldn't even turn his head. Barely rolling his eyes, he glimpsed a massive horn.
Deadlock.
His heart sank. He'd guessed from the voice. That eerie, chilling tone—the most horrifying he'd ever heard. Unforgettable.
Su-ho bit his lower lip hard with his front teeth. Salty blood filled his mouth, but he didn't care. Finally, his body obeyed.
In one leap, he hurled himself into the Pubkil bone pit. To fight Deadlock, secure distance first—away from the cliff.
The moment he jumped, flame chains shot out. They wrapped his falling body swiftly, hot winds swirling around.
Painful for a monster, but Su-ho felt fine. Strangely pleasant warmth.
His chained feet touched ground slowly. About to take defensive stance, Su-ho froze.
Deadlock stood just one step away.
Buffalo-like massive horns, grotesquely goat-skulled face with sunken sockets holding red eyes instead. Those eyes fixed on Su-ho as Deadlock spoke.
"Long time no see, Jin Seong-hyeok."