Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Farewell to Cheorwon
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A forest lined with parched trees on the verge of death was engulfed in black flames, burning fiercely.
No, it wasn't the forest burning. This tiny world was dying, completely wrapped in pitch-black fire.
— G... Aaaah...
"Where do you think you're going."
The corpses that had already died once were dying again right before my eyes. The blazing glares in those charred bodies, fueled by hatred for the living, were fading away.
"According to schedule, this'll be the last one."
I muttered as I gazed at the burning world and at the core of this Erosion Core, meeting its inevitable end while covered head to toe in Paradox Flame.
I'd heard from Choi Seung-gi that the spear made for me was complete. And the Association President was set to announce tonight that he'd be transferring ownership of the crown to me.
That meant it was time to wrap up my two weeks in Cheorwon.
"It was pretty comfortable and fun while it lasted."
I nudged the core of the Erosion Core with my foot—now reverted to a motionless corpse having lost everything—and it crumbled into ashes, scattering away.
"Nine rank 3s, four rank 2s."
That was the result of me diligently roaming northern Gangwon-do on my own. It had pretty much eliminated nearly all the threats from the northern half of Gangwon-do, once divided as North Korean territory and lately crawling with monsters.
The media was spinning tales about how this was an achievement impossible without me—the guy who'd gone toe-to-toe with Choi Yeoreum and even gained the upper hand in the end.
But that's not how I saw it.
Anyone on the level of Lee Se-eun or Kang Hoon could have pulled this off. After Jaun Valley got smashed, the threats left in Cheorwon had dropped to a pretty low level anyway.
"Eh, this stuff doesn't mean much."
With the Erosion Core cleared, a reward box appeared. That wrapped up my morning routine for the day.
I pocketed the box and headed back to the Zanabi branch in Cheorwon, leaving the still-burning interior of the Erosion Core behind.
"Hey, friends. Sparring time is back."
After lunch, I headed to where Han Sang-ah and Jeong O-hun were training and grinned at them.
"Jeong, you're up first today."
"Damn it."
Jeong O-hun muttered and stood up. He looked haggard, but his eyes were ferociously sharp—embarrassingly so compared to before he came to Cheorwon.
"Staring like that doesn't make anyone strong. If it did, we'd all be powerhouses."
I sneered at him, and Jeong O-hun raised his rifle.
"Seriously, I wanna put a bullet right in your forehead!"
There was no signal. Jeong O-hun immediately levitated himself slightly into the air and pulled the trigger, aiming right at me.
"Get your head in the game. Look at your opponent properly. Maintain your stance and breathing."
I dodged the attack and closed in, smacking his side with the spear shaft. Jeong O-hun flew off with a whoosh but corrected his posture midair and fired off bullets.
The bullets ricocheted off my spear and thudded into the surroundings. The spent magazine dropped from the rifle, and a spare one he'd prepared floated up on its own, slotting into place in an instant.
"..."
Then, Jeong O-hun's eyes lost focus for a moment. There it was again. Before I could say anything, he suddenly slapped his own face.
"Good. You're getting it."
"Beating myself hurts less than getting hit by you!"
Both Han Sang-ah and Jeong O-hun had been experiencing these dazed spells a lot lately.
It was happening because their bodies were completing themselves too quickly for their minds to keep up. A side effect dressed up as "no-mind" enlightenment.
In fact, Han Sang-ah had gone through it once before.
Anyway, going through this meant their hard work over the past two weeks was paying off solidly. And it also made this the most dangerous moment.
"If you completely surrender your mind to it even once, it's all over."
All that effort and suffering turns into meaningless wasted time. I'd warned Jeong O-hun and Han Sang-ah about this countless times.
Feeling detached from the world mid-fight, slipping into unconsciousness with a sense of peace?
Your eyes on the opponent but seeing something beyond, your body moving on autopilot through natural offense and defense?
I didn't get strong that way. Even if there were other paths, I didn't know how to take them.
"Your bodies are done. Now catch up. Getting on a wild horse, grabbing the mane, and holding on isn't riding."
You have to tame the wild horse. Put it under control and make it go where you want, at the speed you want. That's riding.
Both their bodies were like fully grown wild horses now. Succeed in taming them, and they could ride anywhere.
And once you tame a horse successfully, you can do it again and again.
Because you know the method and the knack.
That's what I wanted from these two. Not clinging desperately to a bucking wild horse like others might.
"Good work."
With a solid thwack, my spear shaft smacked Jeong O-hun's head, ending the spar.
"You're way better now."
"I know."
He'd improved in every way. Jeong O-hun said it lying spread-eagled on the ground.
"If this is the right way, why don't other hunters do it?"
"It's a bitch to pull off. And people love secrets anyway."
Secrets to getting rich, losing weight, boosting grades.
People think there's some special trick hidden in everything. But not always.
No. Truth is, almost no one succeeds with some special secret.
"Next, Han Sang-ah."
At my words, Han Sang-ah charged with her sword drawn in a flash, swinging it. It was lightning-fast—to a normal hunter, it'd look like a silver flash before their head came off.
I dodged the blade but stepped back a bit. In that instant, along the sword's path, vicious blue-white lightning crackled outward. Dodge the first strike, and you'd still get zapped if you didn't spot the follow-up.
"Feels like I've seen that trick somewhere before."
"I'm copying you. Results are a bit different, though."
Han Sang-ah had been studying me hard. And she'd managed some success with it, in her own way.
"Of course it's different. Our combat styles diverge."
I maintain blue trails for a long time. Because I plan for prolonged fights. But Han Sang-ah had no reason to sustain hers. She needed to end it quick.
Just that difference. She was adapting my specialty to suit her own style and absorbing it well.
As the spar dragged on, Han Sang-ah's eyes started losing focus like Jeong O-hun's.
"Hey."
Jeong O-hun was better at snapping out of it. Experience, maybe? He pulled himself out on his own, but Han Sang-ah was still stuck.
I closed in and slapped her cheek. Her head snapped to the side, and she came to.
"Sorry."
"No need to apologize to me."
"You're still a ways off~"
Jeong O-hun teased her from the sidelines. Han Sang-ah ignored him and stayed focused on the spar.
"It's Kang Hoon."
Mid-spar with Han Sang-ah, I glanced over as Kang Hoon arrived with a few hunters.
"Yoo Chan-seok, focus on me."
Yeah, that's right. At Han Sang-ah's words, I refocused on our fight. Once it wrapped up, Kang Hoon approached.
"Both of them are growing insanely fast. Night and day from two weeks ago."
"They worked hard for it."
"Great teacher makes great students, I guess."
I grinned wide at Kang Hoon's words.
"Thanks for all your consideration in so many ways. We had a great stay. But it's time to head back now."
No reason to linger. I'd come to Cheorwon fundamentally to kill time while preparations finished.
"Figured as much, but still a shame. Then again, you three have a pretty famous goal. And Zanabi's already benefited plenty from you."
Kang Hoon didn't seem inclined to pressure me using his Partner Hunter status.
"I finally got to repay the help Lee Se-eun Hunter gave me."
If she hadn't helped me when I first became a hunter, Taebaek might've been my only option.
"Yeah. Better to part smiling now so we can smile when we meet again. You worked hard. I'll keep the terms sweet, so hit me up if you change your mind."
Kang Hoon extended his hand after speaking, and I shook it.
"Even arranged our ride back."
With that, Han Sang-ah, Jeong O-hun, and I piled into the car and headed to Seoul. Time to get back to work. First stop: Sa Seung-hee.
"Oh, heard you went to Cheorwon. Back already?"
Entering the Oduak main branch in Iksun-dong, Sa Seung-hee greeted us, wiping wet hands on her apron.
"Yeah. Preparations are pretty much done now."
She looked at the three of us seated before her. I jumped right in.
"Samhyeoldong, right?"
Sa Seung-hee nodded.
"The rank 1 Erosion Core in Pyongsong City, South Pyongan Province."
To call it close: way nearer than Jaun Valley over in Changchun.
Plus, the monsters emerging from that Erosion Zone specialized in buffing other undead.
"Even rank 3 Erosion Core undead get boosted to near rank 2 levels."
If Samhyeoldong undead buff those from rank 2 cores, the danger skyrockets. Though not quite rank 1 monster strong.
"And the numbers are insane."
Rank 2s have hordes. Buffed up, they're quality and quantity—a hearty bowl of country-style beef soup in monster form.
"They've got a command structure too, operating organized. And they herd their buffed undead in packs..."
"That's why we need the crown?"
Sa Seung-hee nodded at my words.
"Attempt a raid, and they'll counter with textbook-perfect tactics. You three could handle it fine."
Raids on rank 1s involve masses of hunters. No guarantee the rest could face buffed undead.
Han Sang-ah, who'd been listening, spoke up.
"One more problem. Government's throwing money around to keep hunters in Korea. Hunters prefer safe paychecks anyway."
Hard to say exact numbers till we try, but no guarantee of Jaun Valley turnout even if we recruit.
"And skill levels."
Jeong O-hun added. Top hunters were grabbing well-paid safe gigs.
"What about foreign aces like Adakawa Nanami?"
Jeong O-hun shook his head at Sa Seung-hee's question.
"Jaun Valley was China soil, win or lose."
Now Korean hunters cleared it, Korean firms developing, but back then overseas.
"Samhyeoldong was North Korean controlled till now, Korean turf. They're foreigners. Beefed-up entry procedures mean..."
Jeong O-hun trailed off, miming slitting his own throat with his thumb.
Tough to bring in foreign hunters too. All sorts of headaches.
But hey, obstacles like this don't really count as "difficult."