《The First Hunter》


 1 Episode 1 - Synopsis and Prologue

    The First Hunter


    Genres:


    Action, Fantasy, Supernatural, Korean


    Author: Didart


    Status in the language of origin: 163 episodes (Complete)


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    Release rate: 14 episodes per week!


    Synopsis:


    The world changed, and so did the people.


    On December 31st, 2016, the day before New Year''s, Kim Tae-hoon was just casually out shopping for groceries at his local supermarket, when monsters suddenly appeared out of thin air. With the skills gained from long years, he started to hunt the monsters down and managed to win, saving the other people who were also at the store.


    But there are more monsters, and they don''t stop coming.


    Will he be able to survive until the end?


    Will he be able to beat the countless monsters, that only seem to get stronger?


    And will it just be a monster that he has to worry about?


    The journey of Kim Tae-hoon, The First Hunter, begins!


    Prologue


    On December 31, 2016, monsters appeared simultaneously all over the world.


    On January 1, 2017, I am still alive.


    ____________________________


    The First Hunter is a Korean Munpia novel by Didart, completed at 163 episodes, short by web standards. The intended release rate is two or three episodes per day until finished.


    The story follows a man with a murky background, but obviously an experienced combatant, in the wake of the events above, his continuous improvement over time, and the changes to the world and people around them as they are forced to adapt to new lives.


    The story starts out sparse on the prose, but improves with time.


    ---Khan, Translator


    ---RED, Edito

 2 Episode 2 - At a Large Supermarket, Part I

    Chapter 1. At a Large Supermarket, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    Kim Tae-hoon had experienced the death of many people in his profession. He had killed a lot, and at the same time was threatened with death by many.


    There were a couple of things he learned in such a terrible life: how to die easily, and how to not die easily. Of course, he never thought that he would use what he had learned in his daily life.


    "Whew¡­"


    He saw the green monster for the first time in his life in the car goods corner on the first floor of the local supermarket; it suddenly attacked him. He killed the monster that attacked him, using the methods he had learned in his profession.


    ''That''s crazy!''


    And that was how the story of the first hunter began.


    2.


    Kim Tae-hoon: this year, as of 2016, the 28-year-old man would be 29 years old in just one day, and he visited a large supermarket next to Bucheon City Hall on December 31, to buy washer fluid.


    ''Washer fluid¡­''


    The reason to drop by was really nothing, like most people at a large supermarket. No one came to the mart to buy great things. Naturally, he was looking around in the auto section.


    But at some point, the horrible shrieks "Kieee! Kieee!", the screaming "Argh argh argh!", and the crash sounds "Bump! Bump!" started to burst out in succession.


    And when he responded to the sound, he turned his head.


    ''Dwarf?'', he thought.


    It was a green-skinned monster with a height of 140 centimeters. The skinny limbs and the protruding belly reminded him of a third world child suffering from malnutrition in hunger. But it did not bring out any sympathy.


    The monster had teeth that looked fiercer than a dog, and the red eyes seemed to have rotten blood. "Kieee!" It ran toward him, shrieking loudly.


    He did not show any sympathy for such a monster. He kicked the body of the monster that had charged toward him as he turned around. The green monster fell on the floor screaming, and he opened the lid of the washer fluid he held and inserted the nozzle into the monster''s mouth. The washer fluid entered the monster''s stomach and lungs, and he stepped on its chest to prevent it from struggling.


    "Whew!" ''That''s crazy.''


    And that was the beginning! By the time the light disappeared from the eyes of the monster under his feet, he looked around.


    Bam! Bam! Bam! Like dominoes, there was a deafening roar as the racks fell.


    "Argh!" He heard the scream of a woman.


    "Kieee! Kieee!" He also heard the shriek, probably from another green monster.


    The scene was clearly visible to his eyes. ''Oh, my God.'' It was a scene where dozens of child-sized monsters suddenly appeared, hunting the visitors to the large supermarket.


    "Argh, save me!"


    "Monster! Monster!"


    "Oh no, help me, please help me¡ª"


    In the face of this absurd sight, he was embarrassed. He had seen humans hunting humans, but he had never seen monsters hunting humans.


    "Shit!" What awakened his spirit was the sound of a young man wielding a bat at the three green monsters which had surrounded him, wearing a Yankees baseball cap and a baseball jumper in the sporting goods section.


    "Get out! Get out of here, you bastards!" His voice was rough, but on the contrary, it was a struggle that Kim was familiar with.


    ''It''s not the time to be like this.''


    "Whew!" Kim drew a short breath and immediately looked around.


    ''First of all¡­ let''s survive.''


    Something came into his eyes, and he started to move immediately without hesitation.


    At 4:11 pm on December 31, 2016, the last day of 2016 started like that.


    3.


    "God damn it!" Swish!


    "God damn it!" Swish!


    "Get out! Get out of here, you monsters!" Swish!


    Bang Hyun-wook had a height of 183 centimeters and a weight of 90 kilograms. He was a strong man, and he gave the loudest scream he could whenever he swung a baseball bat.


    "Ahhhh!" Swish!


    His action was never wise. Making a sound while swinging a baseball bat with his mouth open was one of his bad habits, and he was well aware of the fact. Due to the habit, he was punished by his coach, a former professional baseball player, and then recorded 77 home runs in the Korean Baseball League. As a result, his bad habits were no longer punished by his coach.


    "You fucking bastards, get out of here!" Swish!


    Now it was here again.


    "Ahhhh, shit!" He was so embarrassed.


    "Where the fuck did these monsters come from? No, what the fuck is this? What is it?"


    In his rambling, words that should be swallowed inside popped out of his mouth.


    "Huck, Huck!" It was only his breathing that stopped more of the words from coming out. It was a natural result because he continuously shouted while swinging the bat with full power.


    If he found another reason, it would be to lie about running ten laps of running training on the playground after seven laps, and then smoking a cigarette that an athlete did not have any business with it.


    "Shit..." ''I should have not smoked and trained myself harder¡­''


    Of course, at this moment, he started to feel regret for his lazy and insincere ways. And he felt faint, even though he was still a young man.


    ''The regret he has now is the one people often have before they die.''


    ''Damn it, am I going to die here? I cannot survive against the monsters that are in sight alone! As I saw a while ago, I would be like that man in his early thirties who was screaming with his neck being bitten by a monster!''


    "Get ahold of yourself!" It was not the weird cry of the monster that awakened him, but the clear voice.


    "Yes?" He was surprised by the voice and turned his head in its direction.


    The green dwarfs did the same. "Kieee?" "Kieee?" "Kieee?"


    Three monsters turned their heads in the direction of the voice. Only two of them could see the owner of the voice.


    The reason for the third one was simple: the bottom of the frying pan, which had not even been torn out of its wrapping paper, was flying toward its face.


    Clank! The frying pan hit its face.


    Squeak! The monster lost his two front teeth without even saying anything and then fell back with a few more teeth flying. Thump!


    The sudden action of a man who appeared did not stop there. The man stretched his left arm out toward one of the two monsters.


    Chi-i-ik! The paint spray in the man''s left hand turned the monster''s red eyes and face black at once.


    "Kieee!" The monster waved its arms through the air, screaming at the mysterious attack, before falling on the floor.


    Two of the three monsters were on the floor, and naturally, the one left was nervous.


    "Kieee!" The remaining one, which now had no numerical advantage, vented out at the man who had suddenly appeared on, as loudly as it could, crying out with a ferocious voice. This meant it was turning its back on Bang Hyun-wook, who it had been fighting.


    "Attack!" Bang immediately moved when the man shouted. Once again, the bat held in his hand divided the air.


    Crack! And this time, he hit the monster''s temple precisely. The batted monster did not even scream, it just shook and hit the floor! After falling down, it only trembled a little. Deep green blood flowed from its nostrils.


    "Urgh!" An odd sound burst out of Bang''s mouth. It was a mixture of joy when he killed the monster which had tried to kill him, relief for the fact that he was alive, and all kinds of resentment.


    "I said I would kill you, you bastard! I said I would kill you!"


    On the other hand, the man who had suddenly appeared, unlike Bang, calmly proceeded to his next action.


    "Kieee¡­" Out of the two monsters that fell, he sprayed the black paint spray in his left hand into the face of the one which was waking up after the impact of the frying pan. Spray paint was so thick that it drizzled as tears ran down the face of the monster.


    "Kii, kieee!" The monster began to struggle, screaming at this unknown attack. But the bony arms of the monster which could not see anything only flailed in the air and did not pose any threat.


    The man stomped on the monster''s neck. The sound of a vertebra cracking followed. He stomped on it hard several times. His feet stopped after the monster stopped screaming.


    "There." After that, the man called Bang and pointed to one of the remaining monsters with his fingers.


    "Yes?" Bang was embarrassed for a moment. Literally, for a moment.


    "Oh, yes!" Bang realized the intention of the man and began to hit the last remaining monster with a bat.


    Crack! Being hammered so hard, the green monster screamed, twisted, and crouched in front of a ruthless attack. The three monsters could not even struggle.


    The conversation between the two began.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Bang Hyun-wook, Bang Hyun-wook, my age is..."


    "I''m Kim Tae-hoon. If you want to follow me, obey me unconditionally."


    At this moment, Bang was worried for a while. ''Unconditionally? Obey?'' Literally, for a moment, his worries were never long.


    "Thud! Aaaargh! help me!" All kinds of noise, the sound of confusion that he had never experienced before, knocked on Bang''s eardrums, and his worry disappeared like melting snow.


    "I''ll follow you."


    "Get the baseball bats, gloves, and bags, and follow me."


    That was the end of their conversation.


    "Kaaah!" The appearance of the monster with the horrible shriek, far more ferocious than the cry of the dwarf monster that he had heard so far, did not allow them any more time.

 3 Episode 3 - At a Large Supermarket, Part II

    Chapter 1. At a Large Supermarket, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    "Kaaahh!" It was a real monster.


    The 190-centimeter height, a muscular body with a narrow waist, and a neck that was thicker than the waist of an adult woman were entirely compatible with the word ''monster''.


    The most monstrous part of all was its face. Its blackened fangs, longer than the fingers of an adult man, and protruding through the thick lips of a very ugly face, were shining with human blood and gore.


    "Urgh!" Of course, the monster was not something that a normal adult male, now in his forties, who had only exercised playing golf online, would normally face and be willing to fight back. It was worth running from!


    Nevertheless, the reason why the middle-aged man, Park Jae-woon, blocked the monster with the hideous grayish-brown skin, was simple.


    "Honey, honey!"


    "Aahhh, Dad! Dad!"


    He was standing in front of two women. His wife and daughter were now shedding tears full of despair and fear behind him. So, he wouldn''t run in front of them.


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it...!'' The moment he ran away, he would lose something more precious than his life.


    "Well, don''t worry! I''ll stop it! I''ll stop it!"


    That was why he made a resolution to stand against this monster by using the tennis racket purchased today, as always, for the diet that he had decided to start on the first of the year.


    Everyone could understand why he could not back down.


    "Kaaahh!" Of course, the resolution had no meaning to the monster in front of him and his family. His resolution did not give any inspiration to the monster.


    At this moment, in the monster''s eyes, they were just a bit of food to satisfy its hunger.


    "Krrr!" As soon as the imagination of the monster reached the point where it would fill its mouth with fresh meat, the monster no longer cared. Then, the monster took a step towards him.


    Poof! Poof! He wielded a tennis racket that he had never swung in his life at the monster.


    "Aahhhh!" His cry as he swung the tennis racket, was more like a scream than a cry.


    His frantic attempts did not do the slightest damage to the body of the monster. But it didn''t mean anything. Thanks to his attempts to attract the attention of the monster, Bang Hyun-wook was able to approach the monster without being seen.


    Bam! He hit the monster''s head with a bat. His attack was powerful.


    "Argh!" He shouted out at the vibration that fed back into his hands.


    His hit was strong enough that ordinary people would have fallen over, their skulls broken.


    "Kaaah!" However, the monster was not an ordinary person. Its thick neck did not shake, and its hard skull was not cracked.


    The strike just got it angry. So it turned around, opened its mouth wide to the attack, and screamed.


    "Kaaah!" Not just screaming, but the strongest threat it could pose!


    ''Huh!''


    Fear, it was fear! The fear pinched his whole body at once.


    ''What, what...?'' The feeling of an invisible chain tied all over him. He felt like an invisible hand had grabbed his heart. The eerie feeling stopped him from moving, and the monster did not hurry as it saw him freeze.


    It studied at him with its red eyes, and it saw the characteristics of the animal that had attacked it. It was the look of a predator looking at its prey.


    ''The heck!'' He was scared and angry at the same time. ''You fucking monster!''


    It was scary. But on the contrary, the fact that he would be eaten alive while being treated like a prey made him angry beyond his fear. The anger stimulated the power in his body.


    The wriggling that started in his body rose like a fountain at once. It passed through his chest, starting from his stomach, and shook off what was holding his heart and immediately rose up his throat and burst out of his mouth.


    "Ahhhhhhh!" Just like that, a scream came out of his mouth, a cry that sounded similar to what the monster had just done a moment ago.


    He could feel a weird power in his body, and a strange warmth, similar to that of coming out of the sauna. His eyes also changed. They were now tingling, with an odd haze around them.


    "Kaaah?" It was at that moment that the monster stopped moving.


    The expression of its eyes changed. They were not the eyes of a predator looking at its prey, but the eyes of a beast looking at a beast. As a beast was in front of the beast, the monster was wary now in front of Bang, and it focused all its attention on him.


    It was at that moment that Kim Tae-hoon moved. He came in behind the monster who was wary at the threat in front of it. His presence was so faint.


    ''Huh?'' Even Park, who was able to watch Kim approaching the monster, did not notice his appearance and existence until Kim wrapped its neck three times with the fishing line, using both hands behind the monster''s back. In addition, Kim''s skill at wrapping the monster''s neck using fishing line was also very smooth.


    It was by no means a lucky trick. It was a level of skill that could only be demonstrated by those who had practiced hundreds or thousands of times, and who had experienced at least a hundred real fights.


    The fishing line went taut when Kim, who was wearing baseball gloves, heaved back.


    "Ugh ugh ugh!" The monster began to scratch its neck reflexively, trying to cut away the binding on its neck. But the fishing line that was digging in was not easily scratched or cut off with its short nails.


    Above all, Kim did not even give a little chance to the monster. He pulled the line, and with his right foot hit the back of its right knee, and the back of the hamstring.


    The tree-like monster was forced to kneel down after the attack on the hamstring, and as soon as the monster put its knee on the floor, He pulled it back.


    "Kuck!" The ceiling came into the eyes of the monster, which made a gagging sound.


    "Do it!" Kim shouted, and the tingling with the haze around the eyes of Bang disappeared like snow.


    "Yes!" Bang carried out Kim''s order. He took something out of the bag on his back. It was engine oil! He opened the lid quickly and immediately put the snout of the engine oil into the monster''s mouth.


    At that moment, Kim loosened the fishing line that he was yanking back.


    The monster, which was struggling to suck in more air to live, inhaled at that moment. "Kuck!" A mouthful of engine oil!


    "Kuck! Kuck! Kuck!" The engine oil was immediately sucked into its stomach and lungs.


    "Kuck!" At that moment it felt a burst of disgust, burning heart, and instinctive sense of crisis. Of course, its instincts screamed at it to pull it out!


    Kim''s instincts also said, ''I''ll never let you go.''


    He pulled the line tight again so that the monster could not spit anything out. He was naturally faithful to his instincts, and the line was tight again, and it began to tremble as if its power to rebel had disappeared.


    That''s how time passed. One second piled up and became ten seconds, and when the time reached a minute, the light vanished from the monster''s eyes, and there was no sign of any further movement.


    "I think it''s dead now." Bang''s hand, which was guarding the monster with a baseball bat, began to relax.


    But even in his words, the tightness of the fishing line that was holding its neck was not eased.


    "Big brother? Big brother? I think it''s dead now¡­" Bang narrowed the distance with Kim as if he thought that Kim did not hear his words. Of course, the distance to the monster also narrowed. Bang sat with his butt on the floor, and the distance from the sagging monster was narrowed enough to touch one another when they reached out their arms.


    "Kaaah!" It reached out with its hand and grabbed his neck as it screamed out its last word.


    "Uhhhhh!" From his mouth, the sound similar to what the monster spit out a while ago came out.


    Fortunately, that was it. The power of its grip on Bang''s neck quickly drained away, and at some point, it was no longer able to threaten anything. Thirty seconds later, the tautness of the line that had been wrapped around its neck eased.


    Kim, who was now free, said to Bang as he removed the monster, "I judge whether it''s dead or alive, not you."


    "Yes, yes!" Bang reflexively replied, rubbing his neck where it had grabbed him.


    However, Kim''s eyes were not directed toward Bang. He looked down at Park, who was shaking while sitting on the floor.


    "You''re the cleaner now. From now on, your role is a cleaner, dealing with what falls on the floor. If there''s anything on the floor, it''s your job to kill it until it dies." Kim finished speaking and rose from his crouching.


    Then he found an escalator heading to the second floor of the large supermarket...

 4 Episode 4 - At a Large Supermarket, Part III

    Chapter 1. At a Large Supermarket, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    5.


    The food corner on the second floor of the large supermarket...


    "Argh!" This place where visitors were greeted with various kinds of food, was now a battlefield filled with screams, monsters, and blood.


    "Surround that Goblin! Surround it!"


    Clang Clang! Four men rushed toward the three Goblins, dwarf monsters with green skin. The only common feature of the four men, who were all different in age, attire, and shape, was that they each had a crude spear made of a knife, curtain rod, and insulated tape. The four men used the long reach of the spears, to stab the Goblins'' bellies and eyes.


    "Kieee!" the Goblins screamed, and one of them slipped to the floor and fell.


    As soon as the Goblins fell, a baseball bat suddenly hit its head like an ax. The baseball bat crushed the Goblin''s head like clay, and the Goblin went limp on the floor, spilling blood from its eyes, nose, and mouth.


    "Uhhhh-cha!!!!" Bang Hyun-wook, the owner of the baseball bat, screamed out, rushing straight towards the Goblin in front of him. The Goblin''s face was cracked in half. The bat had smashed it precisely between its nose and the brow, and of course, the two red eyes of the Goblins near it were not safe either. The eyeballs had burst like eggs. But the pain and despair never made it scream. Instant death!


    All the Goblin could do was to shiver like a dead body.


    ''I am full of energy!'' Bang was sure at this moment. ''If I''m in this condition, I could hit a home run in the Major Leagues!''


    The strange power that started from his stomach and flowed to the ends of his arms was not an illusion. The conviction was charged with courage.


    "Come on! Come on!" He cried out loudly as if he hoped all the monsters in the food corner on the second floor of the basement would find him and come to him. But there was no monster coming toward him.


    Hammer! The last monster on the second basement floor, a monster called an Orc, with gray-brown skin and nearly two meters tall, was just dead. The cause of its death was a traffic accident. The fork of a forklift was pierced through its chest, and stuck in a wall, leaving it hanging there.


    Kim Tae-hoon, the perpetrator of the terrible accident, came down from the forklift, and at the same time he pulled out the smartphone he had in his pocket.


    At that moment, the lights that lit the second floor turned off at the same time with a bizarre sound.


    "What? What?"


    "I can''t see anything!"


    During the confusion that followed, the light emitted by the smartphone revealed Kim''s face. His expression was not good.


    ''No communication.'' No communication at all.


    It was a factor that caused him to turn on another warning light in his head.


    -----------


    6.


    The end of a battle was always bleak. There was no cheering. The sense of relief of being alive took away the power of the whole body, the power to spit out gossip or even complaints. At the same time, the fatigue that has not been recognized in the extreme situation was doubled.


    Pain also came with fatigue. There was no difference between the one hundred and two survivors who lived through the death fight against the monsters on the second floor of the large supermarket. Everyone just sat down on the floor.


    Some of them sat back against the shelves, or simply fell asleep lying on the floor, stunned. The emergency lights that began to come on as the emergency generator started to operate prompted them to sleep even faster.


    If there was no light at all, they would not fall asleep in fear, but this gentle light gave them relief.


    There was one more element of relief here. Fire shutters! The sense of relief from the fire shutters that completely blocked all the entrances and exits on the second basement floor was incredible.


    Only one person did not relax. ''The monsters suddenly appeared.''


    Kim was not relieved, even the battle was over. On the contrary, now he was much more nervous than the moment he had first met the dwarf monster, which he called a Goblin for his convenience.


    Once the battle began, he did not put any elements other than fighting in his mind. They could be considered after the battle.


    In other words, after the battle was over, he began to consider the elements outside the battle. Now he realized something.


    ''The monsters suddenly appeared.'' The appearance of monsters, obviously, was an event outside common sense. However, there were factors other than common sense that were important.


    ''If they had come through the second floor or the first floor, at least I would have felt them first.'' The monsters appeared suddenly. There were two ways to enter this large supermarket where he was. One way was to come through the ground floor, and the other way was through the subway station connected to the second basement floor.


    If the monsters came in from outside, those on the first basement floor in between should have noticed the emergence of the monsters before encountering them. But no one noticed them, and even he did not notice them.


    ''Even though I took a year off, I am on active duty.'' If his senses were so dull that he could not see the monsters coming to the first basement floor through the ground floor or from the second basement floor, he would have been retired from active duty.


    ''It''s obvious I didn''t see anything¡­ These monsters didn''t come from the road. They came out of nowhere. Monsters appeared without any restrictions on space.


    ''It is useless to build a wall, and it is useless to hide in a bunker.'' The worst situations that could be assumed in his mind began to pass by quickly.


    ''It could be worse than the worst.'' He felt chills run down his spine as his imagination took hold.


    "Big brother." Bang stopped Kim''s imagination. The appearance of Bang, who had taken off his baseball jumper and baseball cap, was quite different from what Kim first saw.


    First of all, his hair was very short and was close to being shaved. His appearance was unexpectedly naive, and the big eyes reminded him of deer eyes. He was fairly big, as he unzipped his jumper. It was a feeling of well-grown rather than simply overgrown.


    "I brought the coffee you had asked for."


    When Bang handed the canned coffee in his hands to Kim, Kim noticed that he did not take off his bloody batting gloves. He put down the coffee that he had received on the floor. He was going to take off his gloves and drink some coffee.


    Bang sat down in front of Kim and said, "Big brother, do you know what''s going on?"


    Looking at Bang asking the most curious question, Kim said while taking off his left-handed gloves, "If I''d known this would happen, I wouldn''t have been here today."


    "Haha, I see." Bang, who laughed awkwardly, gave a long sigh and said again, "A lot of people died. A lot of -"


    "There are a hundred and two survivors." Considering the number of customers who visited this large supermarket at the end of the year, it was not a small number but a terrible number. Not everyone died, of course; most of them ran away the moment the incident broke out, through the subway station on the second basement floor, or through countless exits on the ground floor.


    But even considering that, the number of dead people was high. Right now, the number of people who had been killed on the second floor was as high as that of the survivors, with more than a hundred dead. It was a huge number. Even in a severe accident, it was unusual for more than a hundred people to die.


    "They died because they didn''t fight." However, Kim did not have a big question about this terrible fact. Regardless of the number of monsters that appeared, only a handful of people fought back against monsters until he took part. Naturally, this was the result. It was like that.


    A hundred adult men, armed with a knife or a baseball bat, might be able to kill a lion even if a few people died. But if they ran away, they would never kill a lion. Moreover, Goblins and Orcs were not simple beasts.


    ''They were gathering in groups.'' They formed packs and cooperate. They were like wolves, hyenas, and humans. In addition, the efficiency of herd hunting was great, and the history of none other than the humans who survived showed why.


    Kim was the main factor why a hundred and two people survived. If it had not been for him, they wouldn''t have been able to kill Goblins or Orcs on the second basement floor.


    "Is that so?" Bang did not understand Kim''s words directly, only vaguely. It was clear that he survived because he fought without running away, and it was obvious that if Kim had not been there, the damage would have been even greater.


    "Anyway, what will happen in the future? Or should we stay here? This is a food section, so if we''re going to stay here, we can hold on. If the fire shutter had not kept us on the ground floor ... it would have been terrible."


    At Bang''s question, Kim took off the gloves in his right hand, instead of answering. At that moment, he could see a black mark engraved on the back of his right hand, a mark that reminded him of the sun, as if it were blazing.


    ''This?'' He found the mark of an Awakener.

 5 Episode 5 - The Mark of an Awakener, Part I

    Chapter 2. The Mark of an Awakener, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    The second floor of the large supermarket, where a storm of blood and fury had finally passed, was quiet. The moment the tension was released, the fatigue came, and in the end, sleep followed. Some people slept without even knowing it, and some were so tired that they could not sleep, so they drank themselves unconscious.


    By the time the large supermarket was filled with the sounds of sleeping people, Kim Tae-hoon was enjoying his coffee and the farthest from sleep. Savoring his coffee was really good. He breathed slowly through his nose after filling his mouth with lukewarm coffee, and he was different from those who simply drank coffee for the caffeine. It was his only hobby.


    He always drank coffee before and after a fight. He prepared for the battle or organized the battle drinking coffee. It was not different now.


    ''Eight people, including survivors and dead, had a mark similar to that on my hand.'' He immediately found those who had the same marks as himself after confirming the mark on his hand. He checked the back of their hands with a glance.


    Including him, there was a total of nine: five men and four women, not found on young children, or on the elderly. Of course, there were not many things that could be sure, as there were still few samples.


    ''Some of them, not all of them, and the marks of Bang Hyun-wook''s and my own are similar, but not the same.'' This mark seemed to be as individual as fingerprints.


    ''If it''s like a fingerprint, it''s a mark that represents individual characteristics¡­ But why does it happen to only some people, not all of them? Or is it an ominous sign? Is it an augmentation or a disease?''


    It was Bang who solved the worries of Kim. Now, as if his body was cold, he wrapped up in his baseball jumper again, approached Kim cautiously, tapping his right hand with his left, and said, "Big brother, I''ve got a picture!"


    "What?"


    "This is the stats, our stats!" Bang showed Kim a picture taken with his smartphone camera. The photo, which was taken with a screen-filled close-up of his hand, was accompanied by translucent characters that he had not seen before.


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 16


    - Health: 13


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: D Rank


    - Defense: F Rank


    [Achieved Abilities]


    - None


    When Kim saw this, he did not say anything.


    Snap! He took a shot of his hand with the camera, and immediately checked the picture.


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 19


    - Health: 21


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: F Rank


    - Mana: F Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Defense: F Rank


    - Mana Resistance: F Rank


    [Achieved Abilities]


    - None


    Bang, who confirmed Kim''s ability, looked surprised. "Big brother, are you a psychic? The level of the rank is different. A rank is the best rank, right?"


    However, Kim did not respond to such a reaction. He immediately started thinking with his coffee in his mouth while savoring the fragrance.


    ''It''s like a game system.'' It was not hard to understand. It was a system of abilities that anyone could see in the game. The meaning of Strength and Health was not worth worrying about.


    What he had to worry about was energy and Telekinesis, which were two kinds of abilities classified as special abilities.


    ''Is Energy like the chi of martial arts novels?'' Given the circumstances, Energy was likely to be the same as the chi in martial arts novels.


    Mana was not different. It would be the fuel needed to use Magic, or something like that.


    Telekinesis was the easiest to understand. It was the most easily recognized psychic ability of novels, movies, and comics to the public.


    ''Do I have this Telekinesis?''


    The problem was that he now had such an ability showing on his hand. He was able to make something clear.


    ''It can''t be all true...'' He had no ability to use Telekinesis.


    ''I''ve never had Telekinesis at A rank. I can''t even guess what it is, or how powerful it is. Of course, it is a new ability.''


    ''The world has changed, and I have also changed.''


    At the same time, as the world changed, monsters appeared, and humans sought to change to fight against them.


    To sum up, the mark on the back of his hand was a sign indicating those who succeeded in changing to adapt to the monster era.


    ''An Awakener...'' It was a mark of an Awakener!


    It was not wrong at this time to say such a thing would sound ridiculous, impossible. But as soon as the monsters appeared, existing reason and providence were instantly invalid. Therefore, he ruled out the old reality. He abandoned the values of being ''realistic''. What mattered was whether the ability was real or not.


    And...


    "Bang Hyun-wook, have you ever used Energy?"


    If it was real, how could it be used?


    "I¡­ might have used it." And Bang already knew how to use this mysterious Energy.


    "Wait a minute." After answering, Bang disappeared somewhere and soon brought back two apples. One of them was thrown straight at Kim, and the other one was held in both his hands.


    Frack! Bang cut it in half! Not a bad grip, mused Kim. Bang, who showed off his wonderful grip, looked at Kim after dropping the split apple on the floor. Kim threw the apple he had just received. Bang grabbed the apple with his right hand in the air like a baseball player and grabbed the apple as it was.


    Smash! Bang''s hand began to crush the apple like a paper ball.


    The glitter of Kim''s eyes changed.


    "I thought it was an illusion at first, but I had a clear hand mark on the handle of my baseball bat, and I felt it. It''s not an illusion, it''s like the ability of a real hero."


    "What kind of power?"


    "I mean, I feel something wriggling in my stomach."


    Kim carefully focused on his stomach.


    ''There is something in my stomach¡­ I''m sure.'' He felt something existed as Bang said.


    "It feels like an eel."


    However, unlike Bang''s explanation, the size of the power Kim felt in his stomach was more like a loach than an eel.


    ''I guess it''s the difference in the rank of ability¡­'' Bang''s Energy rank was D, while Kim''s Energy rank was F. So, of course, there was a difference!


    At that moment, Kim''s eyes turned to a piece of apple that Bang had split in half a little while ago.


    Telekinesis.


    Everyone might have had the experience during their young school days: the experience of spending a lot of time thinking about moving something while looking at it with the idea that he might have some kind of telekinesis.


    But now, Kim did something embarrassing even at a young age. He looked at the apple and thought about moving it. He tried to move the apple and wanted to crush it.


    Smash! The apple began to crumble like tissue paper. The apple was crushed to the size of a table tennis ball. His eyes grew wide. His expression was more surprised than anything that had happened in the last ten years of his life.


    "Huh!" It was amazing. It was so surprising. His heart was pounding at this nonsense.


    ''Just thinking, just by thought, I grabbed the apple with the intent to crush it, and I mashed it down to the size of a ping pong ball. This power... this is dangerous.''


    He was not drunk. He has learned through his life that when he was drunk, he couldn''t think straight.


    He was annoyed to find a more important thing while ignoring his excitement and soon found it. ''The important thing is... finding a way to raise the figures and rankings of my abilities.''


    What was the most important point now?


    ''It''s like a game¡­'' Here, he interpreted all of this situation as a game.


    What if this was a game?


    Many hypotheses came to his mind. He came up with a way to test the hypotheses right away. ''One of the biggest features of games is that when I fight a monster, I get experience value and items.''


    In his eyes, the dead bodies of the monsters came in. He got up from his seat.


    "Bang Hyun-wook."


    "Yes."


    "Take the monster body and follow me."


    "Yes?"


    Bang blinked his big deer-like eyes at the unexpected command. ''You want me to follow you with the monster body? Why do I have to handle that hard, annoying, bloody thing?''


    But his embarrassment was short. Since their first meeting, he did not have the will to ask why Kim ordered things. At least here, he did not have any doubts about Kim''s orders.


    "Well, isn''t it heavy? How can I carry it?" There was only one thing to think about, but he needed to know what the difficulties were when he tried to execute Kim''s command.


    "Put it in a shopping cart."


    "Ah! Where do I need to carry it?"


    Kim turned his head before answering and looked around. What he should do from now on was not something that could be done in front of everyone. But it was necessary to have specialized tools. Fortunately, there was something he needed on the second floor of the large-scale mart. His eyes stopped right there.


    "The meat section."


    "Yes?"


    "Bring it to the meat section."


    "The monster body to the meat section¡­ Huck!"


    Bang realized Kim''s intention, and his face turned pale.

 6 Episode 6 - The Mark of an Awakener, Part II

    Chapter 2. The Mark of an Awakener, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    2.


    The monsters appeared at 4 p.m. and a fierce battle for survival began. The battle was over at 5 p.m., and the survivors were sleeping due to the fatigue and pain they were suffering.


    At 10 p.m...


    "Ugh ..."


    The survivors began to open their eyes, one by one. It was not, of course, that their eyes were open in a good or restful mood.


    For the first time in their life, they had fought a life-or-death battle. But the fatigue caused by the battle could not be released by only three or four hours of sleeping all curled up, consumed and struggling to survive in the gap between life and death. Nevertheless, they woke up because they reached their limits.


    "Has the rescue team not arrived yet?"


    "Why the hell are our smartphones not working? Why are we like this? We pay the monthly fee for communication!"


    "How long should we stay here? What happened out there?"


    The worries and concerns about their current situation interfered with sleeping anymore, and as always, their disturbances woke up those still trying to sleep.


    "What are you doing there?"


    "What?"


    "Why are you raising the fire shutter?"


    The starting point of the disturbance was in front of the fire shutter that blocked the escalator down to the first floor. There were four men in front of the fire shutter. Park Jae-woon was frightened and shouted at the men, at a similar age. The four people who seemed to be friends were alert to their surroundings and trying to lift the fire shutter.


    "What are you doing, you idiots? What if there is a monster there?"


    Park''s reaction was intense. To him, the first floor was hell. It was mere hours ago that he had experienced a desperate thing that would be a trauma for the rest of his life. In fact, he was worried and concerned while looking at the fire shutters blocking off the first floor whenever he was awake. He was worried that monsters would appear through the fire shutters, threaten his wife and daughter again, and whether he should stop them again.


    Now, four of them were trying to lift the fire shutters!


    His cry to stop them was full of sincerity. Naturally, the cry caught the attention of the crowd.


    "What is it? What''s going on?"


    "Oh, is the rescue team here?"


    "I don''t think it''s a rescue team."


    One or two, who were still tired, walked to a place where they could see the fire shutters. The disturbed atmosphere began to spread across the floor.


    "Aw, fuck ¡­" One of the four men, who caught the mood, hurled a curse.


    "What are you looking at? What are you looking at?" The others showed a very nervous and sharp reaction towards the gaze of the crowd.


    It was not difficult to figure out why.


    "Eh...?"


    "Isn''t that . . . a MacBook?"


    "An iPad?"


    There were a lot of unwrapped Apple products in plastic bags around the four of them.


    Theft! During all this chaos, the four of them were going to run away with the most expensive things here. They were caught stealing, and their reaction was not subtle.


    "Shit, don''t you turn your eyes!"


    "Hey!"


    Eventually, one of them, the biggest and most bulky man, strode toward Park. Without any warning, he pushed both of his shoulders strongly.


    "Ouch!" Park could not withstand the brute force and fell back.


    "Honey!" His wife screamed at her husband falling down, and her daughter, who was sleeping in her arms, began to rub her eyes with her small hands at the disturbance.


    "What''s wrong with-" Park, who fell, rose up straight to try conversation. But as soon as he got up, the big man pushed Park once again. Harder than before. Harder than a push, so hard that calling it a slap was more appropriate.


    "Huck!" Park fell back to the floor with a breathless sound.


    "Huh!"


    "It''s a fight."


    The cluttered atmosphere quickly became fragmented with uncertainty, different from the sense of silence before.


    "What do we do? Should we stop them?"


    "If we get involved and get hurt¡­"


    The silence was full of fear.


    The four men glared around in the harsh atmosphere. Their eyes glistened with murderous spirit. They were not bluffing. They had seen blood, and not once or twice. They had stabbed a living monster with a knife, chopped down a lump of flesh with an ax, and swung a baseball bat to break a monster''s skull. It was enough for a person to learn the murderous spirit.


    "Did you see it? Did you see it?"


    "It''s really fucked. Don''t you take off your eyes from us?"


    Of course, none of the people in the crowd who were overwhelmed by that look could say "Stealing is wrong!" to them


    "What the fuck are you talking about, man?" In front of the calmed crowd, the four''s murderous spirit and hostility naturally shot toward Park and his family.


    Dozens of people nearby became docile bystanders.


    "I''m sorry, sorry . . ."


    "What are you sorry about? Huh? Huh?"


    "...I''m sorry."


    "What? Tell me loud what you did!"


    As soon as the spectators became the audience, the four men began to burn like angry fires. It was a hunch. They were predators here, on the second floor, a closed space. What they saw around them was not something that could threaten them, but something they could trample on.


    "Hey, man. Get up. Get up."


    There was no let-up.


    Whack! When Park was about to get up, a man with a slim figure behind him kicked him like a soccer ball.


    "Argh!" Park tried to get up, but he fell back to the floor with a scream.


    "Daddy!" His daughter, who had finally opened her eyes, gave the biggest scream that she could from her young throat. "Daddy!"


    One of the men saw Park''s daughter and wife, smiled and headed toward the woman, a knife flashing in his hand.


    "Oh, no! No." Park, who fell on the floor, saw that and threw himself toward the man approaching his wife and daughter. He threw himself forward and clung to the man''s left leg.


    "Er? Er?" Suddenly, the man who saw Park clinging to his leg was scared. Park''s actions were the only desperate thing he could do, but the guy was different.


    "Get off me! Get off me! Kill him!" It was more than a threat to himself. He had seen a lot already, how easily a human died. Of course, the remaining three people, except the man who was holding the leg, set out to take off Park.


    "Let go of me! Let go of me, if you don''t want to die!"


    "Just kill him!" The men kicked and trampled Park.


    "Huck, huck!" Every time they did that, a harsh breath came out of Park''s mouth.


    "What do we do?"


    "Someone should come and stop them."


    The crowd just watched the process with the frightened, disgusting expression.


    "Dad! Dad!"


    In such a situation, Park''s wife covered her crying daughter''s face with her body, in order not to show something she did not want her daughter to see. Terrible things started to fill the second floor and the horror was no different from when the monsters around.


    "Stop it, you bastards!"


    Finally, a woman came out. A woman wearing a thick jumper, with impressive freckles around her nose, shouted out with a loud voice.


    "Oh, someone else?" One of the men looked at the woman with a grim expression.


    The woman, without fear of him, shouted with malice in her eyes, "If you''re going to steal, be quiet and take off like a thief! Don''t bother someone who isn''t worth it!"


    At the cry of the woman, one of the men, spitting on the floor, strode toward her.


    The woman put her right hand on a knife, a hand engraved with a mark.


    "Uh? Uh!" The man stopped walking. The other three also stopped.


    "A knife, it''s a knife!"


    "She is a crazy bitch, kill her! Kill her!"


    There was a strong reaction, but no violent action was taken. They''d already experienced how threatening a knife was. There was plenty of evidence. The blood stains around them, the pools of blood, all were evidence of the danger of a blade.


    If there was a monster body, it would be more definite evidence. Unfortunately, however, there was nobody that could clearly convey that emotion at the moment.


    "Stop all of them," a man spat this out.


    "The four of you, if you move, I will kill you." The man who appeared in a bloody plastic apron took care of all the monsters.


    Kim Tae-hoon returned.

 7 Episode 7 - The Mark of an Awakener, Part III

    Chapter 2. The Mark of an Awakener, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    "If you move, I''ll kill you." After the warning, Kim Tae-hoon slowly took off his plastic apron. The green blood on the apron, dripping as it hit the floor, sounded creepier than ever.


    "Big brother!" Bang Hyun-wook showed up after Kim dropped the apron he had taken off on the floor. When Bang appeared, the surrounding area of people, again grew silent. But this silence was different from the time the previous time. There was a sense of pressure incomparable to before.


    As if they had made a promise, the four men swallowed together!


    "''He is the monster¡­" The four men were not free from this pressure. They froze as they saw Kim, and they remembered what he had done.


    "What do we do?"


    "If it hadn''t been for that damned bastard, we''d have fled¡­"


    Kim had appeared when they had been struggling and shouting against an Orc on the second floor, and he had killed the Orc with the ax he was holding. Quickly he had sprinkled something on the Orc''s eyeballs after splitting its head with an ax, and then had poured lighter oil on the head of the Orc, which was rubbing its dark eyes with a shrill cry, and then had lit it.


    The four were sure of one thing, things were going from bad to worse.


    ''What do we do?"


    "Should we just ask for forgiveness?"


    "Shit, should we have just fled?"


    Three of them were waffling, unsure of what to do.


    "Kill me? Kill me!? Kill me, you bastard!?" Unlike his colleagues, the big man revealed his hostility to Kim. It was proof that he was quite a strong man, with fighting spirit and courage.


    However, Kim did not hesitate. He used his Telekinesis to grab the neck of the big man and then lifted the man up. A scene that could not be understood by normal reason unfolded.


    "Huck!" "What, what? What!" "Go¡­, ghost?" The three remaining men, stunned, sat down on the floor in horror, knowing their friend had become a victim.


    Kim lifted the man up three meters high and then released his Telekinesis. There was a gruesome sound, like a corpse falling to the floor.


    The silence spread again, and now beyond the harshness and the pressure was horror. Everyone looked at Kim with a deathbed face, and he looked at the remaining three people before the eyes of the crowd.


    "From now on, the four of you have no right to speak in anything. If you have a complaint, spit it out, right here, right now."


    Three of them shook their heads, their mouths tight.


    Kim did not give them any more attention. Kim confirmed that Park Jae-woon was with his family, and Kim turned to the watch on his left wrist.


    After checking the time, he said quietly to everyone, "It''s 22:33, but I''m going to start reporting on the current situation from now on."


    4.


    "Our current location is on the second floor of a large mart; an emergency generator is operating normally, and communication using smartphones and radios is impossible. No attempted contact with rescue teams or external survivors has been successful."


    He took a sip of canned coffee. His tasting was not brief, but no one asked him or complained about it. He resumed speaking after savoring coffee to the end calmly.


    "Based on the circumstances, we are in a bad situation, and this area is not as safe as we think."


    Some of them immediately doubted his judgment. "Dangerous?" "Isn''t it safe here?"


    It had been about seven hours since the monster raid. The heat of the battle was now sufficiently turned off, and instead, there were only the aftereffects of the battle.


    Naturally, the survivors did not want to do anything anymore. They just wanted to wait here until the rescue team or the army came to their safe place and rescued them. By the common sense of these people, the second floor of the large mart was safer than anywhere else.


    This was mainly because of the fire shutters, making it impossible for outsiders to come in without warning, and the food was very abundant, with enough food and drinking water to last the survivors half a year.


    The main problem was that there was limited space for washing their body or urinating, but it was not reasonable to seriously worry about that problem in a world where monsters were going crazy.


    However, Kim said that the space which everyone judged safe¡­ was dangerous! "Once the incident occurred, not one outsider, including the rescue team, has come here, even though it had been more than six hours."


    The crowd still looked suspicious at this explanation.


    "The first thing survivors do when social infrastructure collapses is to secure food. If the route to this place had been secured to some extent, someone would have come here, if not a rescue team, then for Ramen¡­ or to loot an iPad."


    At the end of his last words, three men who kept their mouths shut trembled.


    He once again enjoyed his coffee. Again, a short time of savoring passed, and the crowd began to get anxious during that time.


    "He''s right if it had been really safe . . . I''m sure someone would have come here."


    "Yes, if it had been safe ... I''d have come here already to get a drink."


    At the end of the thought, the moment everyone realized that his words were not wrong, everyone''s face was white. The air grew tense. He confirmed the tension and swallowed his coffee.


    "And the situation is quite different from what we have seen or have assumed."


    He showed the back of his right hand to everyone with his words. The crowd opened their eyes wide at seeing the mark of the burning sun.


    "With the appearance of the monster, some of you have a similar mark on your right hand."


    People reflexively checked the back of their hands. The minority was surprised.


    One of them spoke up for the first time., "What is this?"


    The woman with freckles on her face asked about it; she was the woman who came out to save Park Jae-woon. She had a mark on the back of her hand.


    "It''s called the mark of an Awakener."


    "An Awakener?"


    "I couldn''t think of any other expressions, so I''m saying it, and I''m sure the people with these marks have a mysterious ability."


    He did not show what his mysterious ability was. He didn''t have to. It didn''t have to be. It was enough to explain, and he looked at the big man laying on the floor like a dead man.


    "For reference, the mark of an Awakener can be decoded by taking a picture; if you take a picture with your smartphone, the mark will be printed out, and it is similar to a game ability window," he continued on.


    "There are three major types of abilities, and it''s simple to raise your Stats. You just cut out the heart of a monster, acquire a jewel in it, and then eat it as it is."


    With that word, he held out his palm. As if waiting, Bang also quickly pulled out a thumbnail-sized red jewel from his pocket and put it on Kim''s palm. Kim put the jewel in his mouth and swallowed it. Everyone stared at him.


    "Now my Strength is up."


    The crowd looked blank at his explanation. It was not a realistic story. However, Kim continued his explanation without any concern.


    "Note that the jewel obtained from a monster can also be valued by taking a smartphone photo."


    Kim pulled out his smartphone and showed the picture he had taken. The close-up of the red jewel he had eaten a while ago showed clear characters that were not seen before the jewel was taken a picture.


    [Crystal of Orc]


    - A small amount of Strength increase when ingested.


    "This is all the information I have now." The information Kim prepared after butchering the monster bodies in the meat department was not easy to get.


    "This is all I have now, from dissecting of the monster''s body after the battle with the monster." It was not easy to butcher dozens of monster bodies! The public would not be able to butcher a monster even if they were given a day. It was valuable information that only Kim and Bang knew about. Kim told everyone what he had learned.


    In fact, the crowd was grateful to him, but at the same time, some doubted his intention. "Why are you telling us this?"


    They gave him thanks, but Kim did not have the obligation to inform others about this.


    Was Kim armed with a spirit of sacrifice and service?


    There was not one person who had known Kim for more than a day, but everyone could assert that he was not a human being full of sacrifice and service spirit. He was never that kind of person. And it was true. He did not tell them to show off his kindness and generous spirit.


    "The world has changed, and monsters have emerged. If Awakeners are to fight the monsters, it means it''s not a one-time, single event." He had realized that before anyone else.


    "If you want to survive this unspecified change, you must be selfish, and wisely selfish."


    From now on, mankind must fight the monsters. In such a situation, it was meaningless and worthless to monopolize this basic information. The more survivors, the more favorable it was for him.


    Most of the adult Korean men who survived had experienced military service. It would not be impressive giving them an ax or a knife, but if he could give them a gun, the story would be different.


    "The price has already been paid because we ate all the monster stones." Most of all, he had already collected the information fee. He shared the monster stones from the hearts of the monsters with Bang. They ate them all, so there would be no fee for the information. It was a kind of give and take.


    "Do you have any complaints?" All of the giving and receiving was done under the unilateral leadership of Kim.


    "I take it there is no complaint."


    The crowd could guess what it meant to be wisely selfish.


    "The last thing I know is that this is an unproven hypothesis, but the monsters appeared without any space constraints as if they came out of nowhere. The reason for this hypothesis is..."


    He stopped talking, and his eyes changed. While everyone was opening their eyes wide at the change in him, he threw back the coffee in his hand. He immediately shouted after injecting caffeine into his stomach, not even tasting it, "Get away from those doors!"


    Bang! As soon as he cried out, the fire shutters, which were blocking between the second and the first floors, exploded like bombs.


    "Kaaaah!" Beyond the fire shutters that had been blown away, a fierce cry that could not be compared with anything earlier burst out. Soon after, the owner of the fierce cry appeared.


    "Oh, my god..." It was an Orc, over two meters tall and black skin!

 8 Episode 8 - , Part I

    Chapter 3. The First Hunter, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    Kim Tae-hoon obtained a lot of information from the monster''s bodies, and he gave the survivors the information he had obtained. But he didn''t give them all the information. There was something he hadn''t told the other survivors. It was that he had tested his own telekinetic ability against the monster bodies he had dissected!


    The power of Telekinesis he wielded was not limited to the level of being able to lift a big man up by the neck. If he had really wanted to kill the man, he could have twisted his neck 180 degrees on the spot. Now he showed this as an act, not just words.


    Bang! The Black Orc, which was moving to slaughter the survivors mercilessly, was suddenly slammed back into the wall. The wall was cracked, and broken debris fell to the floor.


    "Ahhhh!" It was a tremendous power, and those who heard the bang sound screamed out without thinking about it.


    "Krrrrrr!" But the Black Orc, which became a victim of its power, was not very alarmed. Rather, its orange eyes were staring at the one who had attacked it.


    The rest of the countless survivors, at this moment, were trying to escape to the first floor in a mob.


    Kim grit his teeth. "The level is different."


    In front of the Black Orc, he pictured a clearer image of pushing it firmly at the wall with his palm, as if he were hitting a mosquito on the wall with his hand.


    As soon as the image, the imagination, the scene of painting, his focus was lost, his Telekinesis would disappear.


    "Kaaaaaaah!" The Black Orc was screaming, even as it was struggling free of the wall. The shriek spread quickly, making everyone around it freeze.


    "Ahhhh!" A small number of survivors who tried to escape fell down as their legs stiffened at the sound.


    "Huck!" Some of the elderly fell to the floor, clutching their chests.


    Even Kim was not safe in front of the fearsome warcry of the Black Orc.


    ''Shit.'' Kim''s head, stomach, and heart were paralyzed. His focus stopped in front of the cold fear. And, of course, his mental image disappeared.


    "Kaaaaaah!" The Black Orc did not miss the opportunity.


    It rushed to charge immediately, after confirming Kim''s position again. There was no one to stop it. There was a crunch as the skull of a person who fell to the floor was crushed like a watermelon. The display stands piled up with items were smashed through. Its charge did not slow down but rather accelerated as it advanced. If it hit a person''s body, it would be a terrible sight!


    However, Kim did not avoid its rush. "Hoo!" As the distance narrowed, he focused his mind on the situation he was in, frozen in front of the Black Orc approaching like a train on a railway.


    He drew it again in his mind. ''If I can''t stop it, I''ll catch it!'' He imagined four invisible chains made of Telekinesis, pulling as hard as they could on the Black Orc''s arms and legs. As soon as he pictured it, its rush began to slow down. In the end, it stopped.


    It wasn''t just a stop. It was like it was straining against the force of the pulling, trying to prevent its body from being pulled apart.


    "Krrrrrrrr!" a cry for strength and endurance erupted out of its mouth, and its teeth ground together savagely.


    From Kim''s mouth, a grunt of the will to hold such a monster somehow came out, and the sound of gritting his teeth.


    It was Bang Hyun-wook who moved in the situation. Bang, who was behind Kim, regained his freedom faster than anyone else in the face of the Black Orc''s fear. Energy! It was due to the power wriggling in his stomach. Now he narrowed the distance with it by using this full force to shatter its head.


    "Yaaaaaaaap!" Accompanied by his strong, loud shout, the baseball bat he held in his hand came down on the head of the Black Orc vertically.


    Crack! However, the bat was broken into pieces.


    ''Huh?'' The Black Orc was so strong! Its body was strong, and his power was also strong. The problem was that he did not realize it. His attack was powerful enough to get its anger and attention.


    "Kaaaaaah!" At that moment, it threw up the fearsome warcry again with all its might, but not toward Bang!


    ''Oh, my god!'' It was aimed at Kim since it recognized that his power was interrupted by its shout before.


    "Get out!" As soon as his power weakened in front of its fear, Kim immediately warned Bang.


    Bam! However, by the time Kim''s warning came to Bang''s ear, its fist had already struck Bang''s chest.


    "Huck!" Bang backed to Kim behind him, without even being able to breathe. The two of them were tangled together and fell to the floor!


    At that short moment, Kim thought regretfully, ''... it''s my mistake.''


    He thought a monster could appear at any time. It was a hypothesis he set up that a monster would appear without any restriction of space. He expected a stronger monster to emerge. The Awakener''s stats and rank systems were evidence. If the ability of the Awakener who survived the monster would be stronger, the monster that threatened the Awakener might be stronger, too.


    ''Damn it!'' So he should have done it. Regardless of the others, he should have prepared for a situation where stronger monsters could suddenly appear without warning, without a sign.


    "Kaaaaah!" The only good luck for him was that the Black Orc was now confident of its victory and seemed to be relaxing. It shouted with joy at the fact that it had finished off the man who had hurt it with its fists.


    If he had been in the position of the Black Orc, it would surely have killed him. He did not want to miss the chance. Also, he did not intend to repeat the same mistake.


    "Kaaaaaah ¡­ huck!"


    ''Shut up.'' First of all, he shut the mouth of the Black Orc. This time he drew a picture that he tied its neck with a huge chain, and he pulled it back.


    And its body lurched backward. It gasped, but it didn''t fall back. It stopped itself from being dragged back by giving strength to its legs, belly, waist, and neck. It endured and stared at him with orange eyes. It tried to open its mouth. Its snout began to twitch unceasingly.


    At the same time, the sound of Kim gnashing his teeth began to grow. At this moment, he wanted to shout, "Anybody, bring a forklift and stick into that monster''s body!"


    ''Damn it.'' But he could not open his mouth. He knew that as soon as he opened his mouth, his power would be released, and the Black Orc would use the chance to finish him completely this time. So, he expected only one thing.


    Throbbing ¡­ throbbing ¡­


    It was Bang''s heartbeat, which was still going strong.

 9 Episode 9 - , Part II

    Chapter 3. The First Hunter, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    2.


    When the Black Orc''s fist hit Bang Hyun-wook''s chest, he did not feel pain, because his heart stopped.


    It was the Energy from his belly that moved his stopped heart. It thought of its owner more than any other power, and without hesitation, it ran toward his stopped heart. And it knocked on the heart. The Energy revived his stopped heart.


    "Kuh-huck!" He was then able to feel the mysterious pain and fear. But the Energy did not stop there. It knocked on his heart again and again to make his heart beat harder! Under the repeated beat of such Energy, his heart began to pump blood like crazy.


    Ow! It was like someone forced a hand into his heart and squeezed out blood, or like someone had brought a hot stone into where his heart should be.


    The hot blood quickly circulated around his body. Her head was going to burst, the nails on his hands and feet were going to fly off like bullets, and his eyes were already red.


    "Ow..."


    The bloody battle between Kim Tae-hoon and the Black Orc that welcomed Bang Hyun-wook back. It was a sight that would make him numb all over.


    The battle was quieter than any other bloody battle, and gentle. It was a battle of the lasting against the lasting; it should be expressed like that. Kim and the Black Orc were unable to move.


    The sounds they were making were also trivial. The sound of hot breath came out of the Black Orc''s mouth instead of the scream, and only the sound of teeth cracking came out of Kim''s tight lips. Both sounds were buried in all kinds of noises from those who ran away frantically.


    If someone who did not know the situation had seen it, he would have thought of it as a show. If a game addict had seen it, he would have thought the same thing: the screen stopped during gameplay, or it was lagging.


    But Bang, who experienced all of this situation more closely than anyone else, knew that this was not a show or a game screen lagging.


    "I can''t hold on long," Kim thought himself.


    Bang knew to some extent the ability of Kim''s Telekinesis.


    His Telekinesis was powerful, but there were also weaknesses. The biggest weakness was that it could not affect the inside of a monster. Although he could exert Telekinesis outside, he could not exert Telekinesis inside of a monster. If he had been able to do it, he would have burst the heart or brain of the Black Orc without difficulty.


    Moreover, Telekinesis was very difficult to handle. As soon as the image in his mind blurred, the Telekinesis was released. He would then be defenseless. It was hard to maintain his telekinetic power with only marginal concentration.


    How long could Kim hold on to such a terrible Black Orc? Maybe three minutes?


    ''What do I do?'' And for Bang, the three minutes were all the time he could think how to live or die. Within three minutes, he had to get an answer.


    ''Do I have to run away? Do I have to fight for my life, or do I have to run away to save my life?''


    His survival instinct urged him to choose the latter. It said that the living person should live.


    ''Mom, Dad...'' His survival instincts painted his parents'' faces in his mind to convince him to run away: the faces of the parents who had suffered all kinds of hardships with the intention of making their child a baseball player.


    ''Damn it, but...'' Of course, if it had been for Kim, he would not have been worried about it now. Bang did not make any choice or decision right away. No, he could not.


    "Hold on!" At that time, a beautiful woman, Ahn Sun-mi, with freckles around her nose, appeared. "We have to run away!"


    Having regained her freedom from the fear of the Black Orc a while ago, she once again demonstrated the courage she had shown when Park Jae-woon had been hit by four thieves. As everyone tried to escape from the Black Orc as soon as possible, she came to save Bang, and she started running after catching his left hand with her right hand engraved with the mark of an Awakener. He was not able to resist and started running with her hand.


    "No, wait!" He rejected her hand in front of the fire shutter that the Black Orc had broken. It was a boundary line. If he moved onto the escalator beyond the fire shutter, he would be able to escape to the first level and then to the ground floor.


    And if he ran away, he would not come back. The moment he stepped on the first floor, he would not step on the second floor again. At the same time, he would not see Kim''s face again.


    Bang looked back at the silent battle of the Black Orc and Kim.


    Ahn Sun-mi, seeing his face, shouted, "We can''t kill it! We have to run away!"


    "Fuck!" Bang also shouted, not for her, but for himself.


    "Fuck all this..."


    ''I want to live. I want to live and see my parents'' faces, and I want to protect my parents in a world where I do not know how to go back.''


    Even if it was not, there were a lot of things he wanted to do alive. He played baseball, dreaming of becoming a professional baseball player throughout his school days, and now he would be going to college as a specialist. He wanted to go to a wonderful college campus, become a professional baseball player, and drive an expensive sports car.


    However, it was true that Kim had saved his life before. His father told him, "At least, don''t live cowardly."


    ''What do I do?''


    At this moment, he remembered the scene that Kim had come up and saved himself: a paint spray to make the monster blind, the ability to kill it with fishing line, and the ability to use engine oil to poison it.


    ''Ah!'' Suddenly, Bang''s mind flashed.


    "Cooking oil, Cooking oil!"


    "What?"


    "Cooking oil!"


    There was no longer any thought of escape in his eyes!


    3.


    "We have to run away!"


    When Ahn Sun-mi grabbed Bang''s wrist and ran to the escalator to the first floor, Kim bit his teeth harder. He felt like the pillars that he could lean on in this desperate situation had disappeared like a mirage. But he didn''t blame them.


    ''Run away, if you want to run away, and get it right.''


    Humans live to live. Bang''s decision was a choice to live on, and at least Kim did not have the right to blame him, because he has also made many terrible choices to live.


    ''If I only make an opportunity, if I can only make an opportunity for them to escape...'' Above all, he knew better than anyone else that resentment at this moment was not helpful to himself.


    ''The opportunity to live is not going to come if I blame someone.''


    But the situation was getting worse every moment.


    ''I have to find a way before I lose my power.'' He clearly felt his power weakening. Especially, his physical health, mental strength, and concentration were consumed more than anything else.


    ''Or maybe my body will burst.'' Telekinesis required much more physical health and concentration than he had thought. If the water stream was too strong, the waterspout would be destroyed. Like that, if he used the powerful Telekinesis, his body would be destroyed since it was still only a human-level trained body.


    The fatigue that he felt now was terrible. Because he had been trained as a soldier, he could endure. He was a man who could struggle at the crossroads of life and death.


    ''I would drink a cup of coffee before I die... I can''t ask the monster for that kind of consideration.''


    In his mind, the image of the death was drawn. And the moment he was weak¡­


    "Keeeeee!" A low but clear cry began to leak from the Black Orc''s mouth.


    Thump! Its feet also began to move. It was as slow as walking on the moon, but it took a step at last. ''Shit.''


    It started to overcome his Telekinesis, and its orange eyes were shining. It spoke with its eyes, ''Man, I''m going to chew your head off alive.''


    He felt it in his own eyes.


    ''These... these monsters are smart.''


    The first Goblins and Orcs he had encountered were just fierce. They were overwhelmed by hunger because they were faithful to their instincts. That was why the small Goblins showed their teeth without hesitation to people larger than them.


    But the Black Orc was different now. It was not ignorant, and it knew how to hunt. It did not just destroy and struggle instinctively. Of course, it wasn''t the only one.


    ''Now this world would be full of these monsters¡­ It is just the beginning. There will be some monsters like it, some monsters that are much more powerful than the Black Orc, with terrible abilities.'' He was sure of this.


    ''We need a proper hunter to kill these monsters; not one, but a group of hunters¡­ In the era of monsters that start from now on, mankind does not need only weapons to survive. We need hunters with knowledge, ability, and experience to fight monsters. Of course, the worries about this part are the ones that must be done after surviving.''


    He forced his thinking to turn. He looked at the present, not the future.


    ''If I pull it towards me instead of pulling it back, I might get a chance¡­'' He came up with a way to live.


    At that moment, an unsuitable sound broke out in the stillness of the blood. Clank!


    ''That''s...?'' The source of the sound was a huge can that hit the Black Orc''s head.


    ''Cooking oil?'' It was a big yellow can, an 18-liter can of cooking oil!


    "Big brother!" After the jaunty sound of such a can of cooking oil knocking on the Black Orc''s head, Bang''s voice was heard.


    "Did you see the movie, Home Alone?"


    Kim did not need any more explanation. He immediately changed the picture in front of his eyes. He turned the chain around the Black Orc''s neck, which had been pulling it back, 180 degrees, in his own direction. At the same time, he tied his own body with a chain of Telekinesis and pulled it to the right.


    Thump, thump, thump! In a sudden change, the body of the Black Orc rushed toward him at the explosive speed.


    His body, flying to the right as if hit by a car, was able to avoid the rush in a breathtaking move.


    "Kaaaah!" The Black Orc, which had finally opened its mouth, screamed during its unceasing sprint, and it stopped only after it had broken five shelves.


    "Krrr!" The Black Orc, who took an instant posture, immediately followed Kim with its eyes, and it was running toward Bang and Ahn. There was no hesitation.


    "Kh-aang!" It began to rush again, screaming.


    In the meantime, Kim shouted at Ahn and Bang, "Go up!"


    "Watch out for the cooking oil!" Just as Kim was warned by Bang, he slipped on the floor, which had become a sea of cooking oil. At the same time, he reached out his hands for the ceiling.


    Just like a spider-man, the hero from Marvel Comics, who fired a web with his wrist, Kim used his Telekinesis to create an invisible line between the ceiling and his arm.


    He stopped slipping using the line, and said to Bang and Ahn who looked at him in surprise, "Go!"


    "That''s awesome!" Bang said admiringly.


    "Go!" Kim shouted again to Bang.


    "What? What about you, big brother?"


    At the repeated question, Kim looked at the Black Orc, who had just run back near them. He looked at it again and reached out his hands, painting a picture. It was a picture connecting a big line to its two legs. He waited for the moment it put its huge foot down on the cooking oil!


    Thud!


    As it stepped on the cooking oil, he began to slip backwards, grabbed its leg and pulled it the other way. There were many bangs as it broke down the display stands, and it past him out of sight.


    "Keee? Keee? Keee?" In this unexplained situation that it had not experienced in its life, it cried out in confusion instead of shrieking.


    Kim started to run on the escalator, leaving behind the embarrassed cries coming from the Black Orc. Bang and Ahn followed him. They quickly headed to the first floor. When they started for the ground floor, Bang asked, "Big brother, are you going to run away?"


    It was more of a plea than a question. ''Please let''s run away like this.''


    "Kaaaah!" The cry of the Black Orc shook the escalator to the first floor.


    Bang shook his deer-like eyes more eagerly at the sound.


    However, Kim''s eyes were not on Bang, but on Ahn Sun-mi. "Do you have a driver''s license?"


    "What?" It was a sudden question. "Yes, I do."


    She managed to answer, and Kim said, "We are going to steal a car outside."

 10 Episode 10 - , Part III

    Chapter 3. The First Hunter, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    December 31, 2016, 23:53.


    The streets of the night in Bucheon City, just before 2017, were terribly quiet.


    The wide ten-lane road, which crossed in front of Bucheon City Hall, was filled with vehicles that had hit one another. It looked like dozens of centipedes made of cars were on the huge road.


    There were lots of dead bodies. The bodies in the deflated airbags were in better shape. The scene of a dead body that had been crushed on the ground as it came out through the glass of a car as it had collided was terrible. But even that was no match for the dead bodies bitten by monsters that could not be identified. It was Hell.


    13 degrees Celsius, thanks to the cold of the New Year, was preventing the dead bodies from rotting.


    But one thing was clear: December 31, 2016, would be recorded as the most horrible day in Korean history!


    "Krrr!" On that terrible day, the Black Orc came out of the large mart and onto the road that had become a mess, looking all around wildly.


    There was no light left on the street, and only the lights of the cars that were still on sparsely were able to follow the Black Orc with its dark skin in the night. Nevertheless, the Black Orc was so intense that even the blind could feel its presence. The fierce, murderous will and hostility in its orange eyes were not something anyone could ignore.


    The Black Orc gave off such a presence and stared at Kim Tae-hoon, who stood in a spacious area that luckily existed on the road. It only stared at him.


    It was evidence of intelligence. It had not forgotten that he was not alone. It knew there were other people around him.


    Of course, for the Black Orc, those factors were not real threats, although they were something to be wary of. The previous fight had already proved that.


    Kim was the only one who tried something against the Black Orc in the first place, and as a result, even he only caught the attention of the Black Orc but did not give it a fatal blow. In other words, if it finished him, everything would be over!


    Without him, the Black Orc could pick and choose to eat those who had not yet escaped from the second floor, and those who have fled, but were still hiding in the first floor, without any interruption.


    At this moment the Black Orc imagined filling its stomach with hot blood, there in the cold that made its strong flesh sting, and it was no longer hesitant after thinking all that. It stepped again toward him.


    Thump! There was another disturbance on the quiet road.


    Thump! He once again used his Telekinesis against the Black Orc. He tried to lift its moving body. But¡­


    Thump! The Black Orc blew away his attempt to crush its body with a flexing of muscle.


    There was no way to stop the Black Orc from increasing its power, as his Telekinesis had weakened. His concentration, physical health, and mental strength had bottomed out. Most importantly, he could not draw an image, a picture of his own Telekinesis completely overpowering the Black Orc.


    "Krrr, krrr!" The fact made the Black Orc laugh, and it was not just a laugh, but ridicule. It was also a sound of conviction. It was confident that he could no longer stop itself, and that all he could do was slow itself for a few seconds at best.


    Therefore, the Black Orc once again enjoyed the experience when his Telekinesis wrapped around it and stopped it from moving. Instead of trying to overcome the Telekinesis, it looked at him with its ridiculing gaze.


    He also looked back at it.


    ''The clever are usually mean.'' He looked at it, and he knew that it would be careless, with its eyes of a triumphant air in front of a troublemaker who was weakened.


    "Krrr?" At that moment the Black Orc felt something strange in its eyes. On its left side, the sound of something shattering in the darkness on the road was heard. With that noise, a black car appeared.


    The long black car was the Benz S class, worth over a hundred thousand dollars, and it charged the Black Orc of similar size and color, with the force of two hundred and fifty horses under the hood.


    The Black Orc could not avoid the sudden rush of the car, as he had caught itself for a few seconds. A gruesome crunch sounded as if two cars had slammed together.


    The horrible shriek of the Black Orc once more covered the dark road. The scream was not just a struggle for pain.


    It was the sound of the Black Orc, withstanding the power of a big sedan which had rushed at it, the power of the car with all that horsepower.


    "Kaaaah!" The Black Orc took a stand and began to lift the sedan up as if it was going to chew on the car. It was the power of a monster, literally. Two of the four wheels spinning smoke on the asphalt road began to turn in the air.


    His telekinesis no longer had any effect on the body of the Black Orc. However, he was not embarrassed. Quite the opposite.


    He was hunting. It was why he didn''t run away when he could escape, and he waited for the Black Orc in the cold weather, in an open space.


    ''Hunters never prepare only one trap when they catch a huge animal.''


    At that moment, the sound of another car engine was audible behind the Black Orc, who was still wrestling with the Benz.


    "Krrr?" The Black Orc turned its head in horror.


    Bang! A huge bus compressed the black lump, and they were tangled together.


    "Whew!" Only then did he breathe out a sigh for the first time. The white breath rose like a signal fire from his mouth.


    ''I got it''


    On January 1, 2017, he survived like that.


    5.


    "It''s not as cold as I thought it would be, is it?" Ahn Sun-mi frowned at Bang Hyun-wook at his surprising remark.


    "Are you kidding me?" A thorny reply popped out of her mouth. She thought that Bang was playing a ridiculous pun against her, and it was natural to think so.


    At 0 am, the weather of the New Year in Korea in 2017 was unbelievably cold. The cold biting wind was relentless when walking down a vast dark road without a single streetlight, and above all, the fact that there was no sign of living people anywhere was making the harshness worse.


    It was the coldest day that Ahn had felt during her life. If it were not for Kim Tae-hoon, who was hacking open the Black Orc''s chest with an ax to take out the jewel in its heart, she would not have endured the cold wind with only a hot pack.


    Bang was sincere, of course. "It''s not cold¡­" He was not really cold. It was thanks to the Energy inside him, which was now taking away the cold that he felt.


    Ahn briefly threw words at his appearance. "It''s the worst sign, not feeling cold in cold weather."


    "What?"


    "When the body temperature goes down, the human body, first and foremost, concentrates blood there to maintain the functions of the heart and brain. On the contrary, arms and legs far away from the heart and brain are rapidly cooled as blood flow is cut off. Then, when the limbs are freezing to death, the blood flow is concentrated there to prevent the destruction of the bio-function, and the fever is so great that you can take off your underwear."


    Ahn turned her head with the words and looked at the naked and disheveled bodies everywhere.


    ''The human body is stronger than most people think, but if the mind collapses, it becomes infinitely weak.''


    It would be virtually like a death sentence to be overwhelmed by the fear of monsters in the cold weather where someone could die of hypothermia.


    "The moment one takes off one''s clothes, one''s hypothermia gets worse, and then the countdown starts."


    "Are you a doctor?"


    Ahn had a bitter smile at Bang''s question.


    "The doctor is a slave, just a slave." she thought. If she had been a really proper doctor, she would not have come to a large mart for cigarettes, sweets, and caffeine drinks to spend the night in the emergency room, rather than being on vacation at the end of the year.


    "A slave who runs a cigarette errand at the end of the year when everyone else is resting."


    But now she was grateful. ''So I survived...''


    If she was in the hospital, she would be dead now, or not much different. There were many knives in the hospital, but no weapons or hunters could have killed that terrifying Black Orc.


    However, the situation was too serious to make it a comfort.


    ''Can I survive in the future?''


    Even before half a day, the city had been full of vitality ahead of the end of the year, but now it turned into Hell. And this was just the beginning.


    ''In order to survive in the future, I will have to overcome the same crisis and hardships again.''


    "But I am curious, how much is a doctor''s salary?" Bang, who did not know her feeling, asked a question that lacked any sense.


    Fortunately, she did not have to answer the question. Kim''s ax-chopping had finally stopped. Of course, the conversation between Bang and Ahn also stopped, and the two watched his actions.


    Kim pulled out the heart of the Black Orc, and then ripped out an orange jewel attached to the heart.


    Monster Stone!


    Kim walked over to Bang and Ahn, and ordered Bang, "Take a picture."


    Bang fumbled to find the smartphone in his breast pocket and hurriedly pulled it out.


    "Ah!" Bang, who took out his smartphone, sighed because the smartphone liquid crystal had cracked like a spider web. The Black Orc''s fist had not been kind. "I bought it just last month!"


    "Take a picture." Kim did not accept such a complaint from Bang.


    "Oh, yes!" Bang swallowed a bitter smile and then activated the camera function.


    He turned the camera to Kim''s face and saw his face, a little angry over the broken LCD.


    Ahn said to Bang on behalf of Kim, "Take a picture... of the jewel."


    "Aha!" He quickly changed the direction of the camera to Kim''s palm.


    Snap! The flash went off and the picture was taken. In the picture, described in translucent letters...


    ------


    [The Crystal of a Black Orc]


    - Strength and Health increase when ingested.


    - The skill level of Energy increases when ingested.


    - The skill level of Defense increases when ingested.


    - The power of a Black Orc [Black Skin] can be acquired when ingested.]


    ------


    "Wow, it must be a rare item." Bang was surprised.


    However, as soon as Kim confirmed the contents, he immediately put the Crystal of Black Orc in his mouth and swallowed it.


    Then, before Bang and Ahn could even be surprised, he took the smartphone in Bang''s hand, photographed his hand, and checked the contents.


    ------


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 28


    - Health: 23


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: F+ Rank


    - Mana: F Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Defense: F+ Rank


    - Mana Resistance: F Rank


    [Achieved Abilities]


    - Black Skin (Grade 6): The power of Black Orc consumes Energy to increase Defense.


    ------


    Kim, who confirmed his ability of an Awakener, laughed bitterly. ''I have a rough idea of what I''m going to do. Damn it.''


    It was the moment the First Hunter was born.

 11 Episode 11 - Relic, Part I

    Chapter 4. Relic, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    Kim Tae-hoon was shopping at the large mart. Chocolate, salt, almonds, jam, jerky ¡­ Of course, it was not strange to buy such items at the food corner on the second floor of the large mart.


    It was getting closer to 2 AM., and most of the shelves had fallen like dominoes, so he had to pick the goods up from the floor and put them in a bag, not a plastic shopping cart.


    But he had to add one more thing here, he wasn''t going to pay for them at the counter. In other words, he was now doing the most bizarre shopping in the world.


    "What''s your future plan?" Ahn Sun-mi was following him and started a proper conversation with him while he was pondering between the five kinds of coffee beans in front of him.


    Instead of answering her question, he grabbed coffee beans that had been torn apart and chewed them finely. After savoring the coffee beans, he replied, "I''m going to leave here as soon as possible, and the remaining survivors should try to fend for themselves."


    "I can see that, just by looking at what you are doing."


    "Well, you just need to know what you see."


    "No, I''m curious about what you''re planning in the future, where you''re going if you leave, how you''re going to move, what''s the purpose..."


    He looked at her before she stopped talking. A cold eye dug into her gaze.


    Her words stopped by themselves.


    His eyes were just beyond the cold level, and there was something there that ordinary people could not have.


    There was something special, something so obvious that even Ahn, who had a job as a doctor, that knew the boundaries between life and death better than anyone else, could not fight.


    "You love to wonder, but I have no reason to tell you about my plan."


    After he replied, Ahn kept her mouth shut.


    He continued, "What I need is a person who will obey my orders, not a parasite that will cling to my body for safety."


    Offended, Ahn''s closed mouth opened reflexively. "A parasite?"


    "If there is some give and take, it''s like a crocodile bird, and of course there''s no crocodile bird in reality."


    "You ¡­"


    At that moment, Kim held out his right-hand palm before Ahn spoke. Ahn had a blank look on her face. He turned his hand over. His right-hand mark appeared. When he turned his hand over again and showed his palm, she pulled out her smartphone and unlocked it, showing him a picture.


    ------


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 11


    - Health: 14


    [Special Abilities]


    - Mana: C+ Rank


    - Mana Resistance: C+ Rank


    - Defense: F Rank


    [Achieved Abilities]


    - None


    ------


    Kim spoke after confirming her ability through the mark of an Awakener on her right hand, "Be a survivor or a subordinate to me. Choose one of them clearly."


    It was then that Ahn thought of something.


    Kim was fighting a desperate battle with the Black Orc, but she ran away with his subordinate, Bang Hyun-wook. That was the reason. His bias against Ahn Sun-mi was due to the actions she showed at that time.


    ''Her Mana rank is C+ and she is in her third year of residency as a doctor. Once she becomes a colleague, she will become a powerful member.''


    He wasn''t going to retaliate for what she had done. He could fully understand her behavior of at that time. She was not his colleague or subordinate then, but a survivor, and she showed the courage to escape at that moment.


    It was embarrassing to have run away with Bang, but it was also clear that it was a wake-up call for Bang. But to the extent of it, it''s was understandable that she was a survivor. If she did such a thing in the situation where she was his subordinate, he would never forgive her.


    ''Troops running away from the battlefield where the battle is real were more dangerous than the enemy.''


    Anyway, Kim had now handed the choice to Ahn. Now the decision was hers. She could become a survivor, and just break up with him and go her own way. Or, she could be his subordinate and obey him and move along with him.


    "What are the conditions I need to be your man?"


    "Absolute obedience."


    Ahn bit her lip slightly. "Okay. If you order me to take off my clothes, I''ll be happy to take them off."


    "I don''t want to see such a thing, but it''s enough to understand that if you have my back, you have to risk your life."


    With her answer, Kim got up from his seat. Then he did not pick a coffee.


    "Don''t you need coffee?"


    "I can''t eat this, even in a hurry."


    "Big brother!"


    Kim heard Bang''s voice. Bang had three bags on his back, front, and left hand. In his right hand, he had a new baseball bat. He has collected the items ordered by Kim from the first basement floor.


    Kim moved to the escalator without hesitation. It was time to leave. Ahn took a bag from Bang and followed after Kim with it.


    "Big brother, can I ask you a question?"


    "Do it."


    "...what are you going to do with the survivors who are here?"


    The question was due to the looks of the survivors below.


    At the order of Kim, Bang was taking things from the first basement floor, and the survivors who fled to the first floor of the basement just watched. They looked so pitiful and pathetic. The eyes of those desperate enough did not know how they should ask.


    Bang could not ignore their eyes. So, Bang wanted Kim to become a hero.


    "They have to fend for themselves."


    "Yes?"


    "If you want to protect the remaining survivors, do it, but don''t ask for my help."


    Kim did not intend to become a hero. No, if he really wanted to be a hero, he should ignore the survivors here. A true hero would know how to renounce the small in order to secure the great.


    At the words of Kim, Bang was worried about them. On the other hand, however, he did not worry about it for long. If he left Kim, his eyes would look the same way as the survivors who were staring at him in a few days.


    "I''ll follow you."


    Kim gave him a brief compliment. "It was wise to use the cooking oil."


    "Yes? Ah!" In a sense, Bang laughed at the praise he had heard for the first time since he had met Kim.


    "Really? It was amazing I thought of it. If I had used this wisdom at the last Blue Dragon league baseball game, I would have been nominated for the pros¡­ No, if I''d been nominated, I wouldn''t have met you."


    Ahn, who had guessed that Bang was about to ramble on, cut off Bang''s words at once. "What''s the plan for the future?"


    Ahn could not bear to listen to such chatter as she had not heard what he wanted.


    Kim answered her question this time. "The primary purpose is to leave here first."


    "Why are you leaving?"


    "What do you want, a detailed or brief explanation?"


    "A little more detail¡­"


    "By the time the sun comes up, this place will be Hell."


    Hell. Ahn and Bang''s face hardened at the word.


    "¡­ You mean the monsters are coming again?"


    "Even without the monsters, it will be Hell."


    "What the hell does that mean¡­"


    At that moment, a man approached them when they reached the ground floor.


    "Well, um ¡­"


    It was not just anyone who appeared, but Park Jae-woon.


    Surviving in the turmoil, he approached Kim carefully and asked him, "Well, what do we do now?"


    Behind Park, was his wife, holding their daughter, whose eyes were swollen from crying.


    Kim gave quick advice to such a man. "After securing about five days of high-calorie, easy-to-storage food like chocolate, secure them in the City Hall right next to you. Also, be careful to keep your body warm."


    "Don''t move using vehicles, but it will be useful if you treat them like a tent. Finally, in case of an emergency, you''d better have the tools to carry the child on your backs."


    It was a surprisingly kind explanation. However, it was a harsh explanation from Park''s point of view. After all, it meant that they would have to survive by themselves.


    "Ah ¡­" Park''s face turned pale.


    The fact that monsters he had never seen before were overflowing, the infrastructure of society had collapsed, and he had to survive with his wife and daughter, had made his face so.


    But Park bowed his head to Kim, even though his face was pale.


    "Thank you. Thank you so much for your help." He never forgot the least courtesy and reason. If it had not been for that, he would have long abandoned his family and run away.


    That was why Kim gave minimal advice to him. As Kim saw it, Park was qualified to survive.


    Bang and Ahn looked at Park, who was stepping back like that, with terrible expressions.


    ''Yeah, I guess the big brother is right. That''s right.''


    ''The day comes when the emergency room feels peaceful and hopeful.''


    Who could have imagined this scene here a day ago?


    But what was even more frightening was that they couldn''t even imagine what would happen tomorrow.


    On the other hand, Kim had a cold look, as he could imagine tomorrow right now and the future more easily.


    "The population of Bucheon City is about 800,000, and the number of people who died immediately when the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima, Japan, was about 70,000. In the face of such a devastating disaster, the number of deaths could not exceed 100,000. Of course, even if there is an unprecedented disaster, the number of survivors in Bucheon should exceed 700,000."


    Kim went on to explain after he had stopped for a while.


    "In other words, at this hour, seven hundred thousand people in Bucheon City are waiting for the sun to rise, scared by fear of monsters, without the help of any social system such as electricity, communication, gas, police, or firefighting."


    "Ah." At that, there was a sound like a soul escaping from Ahn''s mouth.


    A scene was painted, of what kind of sight would unfold in the city of Bucheon when the sun rose.


    "Most of the monsters that caused this confusion will still be walking or hiding somewhere in the city, and at any moment a more powerful monster may appear."


    Obviously, the present sight was Hell.


    "First of all, it is unlikely that all this has happened only in Bucheon City. If it had been limited to Bucheon City, help would have come in some way from Seoul or Incheon. Maybe the whole world is like this."


    The important thing was that this hellish sight was not the end, but the beginning!


    "Anyway, what we need right now to survive in this situation is at least two of my own criteria."


    Kim had experienced many such places.


    ''How do humans act when they think that they are at the end of an era, and in a place where there is no proper government?''


    "Common sense, and violence to force that common sense."


    ''What is the most effective way to deal with them?''


    "I''ll tell you what I''m planning now. There''s a police station nearby. We''ll get something to use as a weapon there. Then we''ll move to Ojung-dong!"


    "Why Ojung-dong¡­?"


    "At the military base there, we will secure the right weapons!"

 12 Episode 12 - Relic, Part II

    Chapter 4. Relic, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    2.


    No one stopped Kim Tae-hoon''s party as they left the large mart. It was not that there were no people who wanted to stick to him.


    "What do we do when you go? What do we do?"


    "Please save us ¡­"


    "Take us with you! We won''t let you go if you don''t take us!"


    "Don''t try to live alone, you fucking bastard! If you''re a human, be a human!"


    Some were desperately trying to become a parasite clinging to Kim''s back, with some threatening them. It was a natural reaction because it was a matter of their life. However, he showed them no sympathy.


    "I warn you, you''d better not follow me. I don''t think it''s going to make any difference if I add a few more bodies in a place full of monsters."


    Kim threatened them clearly, and there was no one who showed courage in the face of his threats. And he did not just end up threatening them


    "If there''s anyone who is following us, get rid of them."


    "Get rid of them?"


    "At least, attack them enough to feel the threat of death, even if they don''t die." He made his will clearly known to Bang Hyun-wook and Ahn Sun-mi.


    "Is there a reason to do that?"


    "We shouldn''t get caught up in the mess caused by a crazy survivor."


    The reason was clear.


    Earlier, Kim had caused a huge disturbance to kill the Black Orc, a huge disturbance that would have looked terrible if an insurance company employee saw it.


    He had touched the grass. If there was a snake in the grass, it would not be sleeping in this disturbance. The snakes that were now hiding in the city were not just snakes, but terrible monsters.


    ''If there''s another Black Orc, then there''s nothing to do but escape.'' Kim, who had already spent a lot of power killing the Black Orc, was in a situation where the fight would be even more burdensome.


    That''s why he wanted to raid the police station. He needed a powerful weapon which was more useful than a hand ax or a knife.


    Of course, it took a long time to get to the police station. They had to move more quietly on the street of the night and slowly without drawing attention.


    It was a cold, frozen body that welcomed Kim and his party at the police station when they arrived.


    "That''s pathetic." Bang briefly murmured what everyone felt.


    Kim briefly clicked his tongue as soon as he heard Bang''s words. ''It''s as bad as I expected.''


    The scene of the police station that he saw now was not much different from what he had predicted.


    "...there''s no police officer."


    What Sun-mi said was also what he had expected.


    "It would be rather strange if people were screaming outside and a policeman stayed still."


    "The fuss would be bigger without the police."


    "Yes."


    It was never good. Kim''s imagination meant the worst scenario he could imagine.


    ''If there was one survivor here at least¡­ I''m sure I could use the network in some way.'' Kim did not hope the police station performed its duty. Instead, he wanted to have one of the police officers left, to speak to the survivor.


    ''There are contacts in the army, but there are no contacts on the police side ...''


    In a situation where the communication network collapsed, people have to talk to each other directly, and in order to contact the police network, the current police were needed more than ever.


    But this was a clear reality. There was nothing great about the armed forces of the Korean police.


    How good were the weapons of the police officers who had worked at the police station, not anywhere else?


    The armory of the police in Bucheon City would not be greater than that owned by five or six ordinary people with a hobby of shooting in the United States. There was no possibility of using them properly.


    How many police officers had practiced shooting in preparation for this kind of situation?


    ''If they''d known this day would come, all countries would have legalized carrying guns, like the United States.'' An unfunny idea passed through Kim''s mind.


    "... the army is different, isn''t it?" Ahn Sun-mi asked Kim carefully.


    The next destination would be the military.


    "I don''t know." But the situation of a military base was not likely better than here.


    Obviously, the level of the armed forces of the military was different from the police.


    The number of automatic rifles and ammunition was different, and it was impossible to compare the power of a sidearm with a heavy weapon.


    However, the Korean military had never trained to fight the sudden emergence of such monsters.


    ''No, in fact, most of the Korean army has little experience in combat, because most of them consider military life as slave life.''


    ''It might be faster to beat and kill monsters with shovels than to shoot guns, if they are not at the forefront, and if they are stationed in the city.''


    "It depends on who the commander is."


    ''The key is the commander''s capacity. The greatest advantage of the army is a clear command system that excludes mercy and powerful weapons. Therefore, if the commander is excellent, it can produce results more efficiently than any other group.''


    "The capacity of the commander? Oh, my God."


    "Then it must have ended."


    At the explanation of Kim, Bang and Ahn sighed with a look that seemed to have no hope. Kim frowned slightly at the appearance of the two.


    "You have no military experience?"


    Bang had not even been given a warrant for enlistment, and Ahn was a person who could get drafted because she was a woman. It would not be normal for them to answer with confidence in the army.


    "Big brother, will I know when I go there?"


    "That''s where so much corruption goes on."


    He could not find a basis to refute these two explanations. One of the biggest symbols of the malformed corruption, unfairness, and irrationality of the Korean army was Kim Tae-hoon, in a sense.


    They were right. If the Korean army had been rational and operated normally, Kim would not have been here.


    "Where did you learn all this, big brother? Did you learn this in the army?"


    "I am a soldier, but I didn''t learn from the army."


    Kim found the location of the arsenal, and with a tangible answer, he gave a signal to Ahn and Bang. It meant to shut up and execute the order given earlier.


    Bang nodded and stood near the broken glass door of the police station, holding the baseball bat tightly in his hands with his batting gloves, and concentrated all his senses outside the police station.


    Ahn began to search the dead bodies in the police station, checking the pockets of the dead, and took out a smartphone, checked the presence of the lock screen and the battery residue. She took what she could use, and if not usable, she took only the batteries.


    When Kim started to move to rob the arsenal, Ahn''s actions suddenly stopped.


    ''What is it? ''Surely something ...''


    She was searching the dead body hard and felt something with her fingertips. It felt like a tiny spider web touched the back of her hand on the way. It also felt like nothing. Ordinary people would ignore the feeling, turning their heads sideways for a moment. But she was different.


    ''There''s something, I''m sure.''


    She was a doctor whose hands were her most important tools, and with such important tools, she worked the line between life and death for people.


    ''Doctors never let things go when they feel bad or strange. Sometimes the feeling can decide the life and death of a person.''


    Ahn was faithful to her feeling. She stopped what she was doing to find something that disturbed her and started to look around. One of the old-fashioned bags caught her eyes. Without hesitation, she opened the bag quickly.


    ''This is ...''


    There was a black plastic bag in the bag, and when she pulled it open, a bundle of newspapers appeared. When she took out one of the wrapped bundles and took off the newspaper, she found what was hidden inside.


    It was not a normal bowl, but an antique bowl! ''An antique?'' Not just a bowl, but a bowl that looked like an antique. Some were full of cracks, and some were split in half. She looked at the antique bowl with an incredulous expression.


    ''I''m crazy. I came because I felt strange, but it was not gold or money that showed up, but an antique bowl.'' She sighed briefly, and once more her fingertips felt strange.


    ''Ah!'' This time it was a little more intense. It felt like something was connected to her fingertips by a transparent thread.


    Her expression changed again.


    "I''ll explain how to use a gun before we move." Kim, who had been robbing the arsenal, appeared to teach Ahn and Bang, who had never used a revolver in their entire lives.


    "Wait a minute." Ahn stopped him. "This is weird." She showed him a bundle of newspapers in her hands.


    Kim looked at Ahn inquiringly.


    Bang had a similar expression to Kim.


    "Ah, I mean ¡­" Ahn hurriedly apart the newspaper and pulled out a white bowl and a glass hidden within. It didn''t seem particularly special either. It was literally an antique, nothing more than a thing.


    It didn''t seem like a great antique, and more plainly, it seemed so small that no one would buy it if a merchant asked them to buy it in Insadong. Ahn knew that well.


    "This is weird, or I''m going to look very strange to say this, but ¡­"


    Kim took out a new smartphone from his pocket, instead of answering, and pointed the camera at her. Before Ahn could react properly, he took a picture immediately.


    Snap!


    "Wait, wait a minute."


    Kim, who checked the photo, gave her a hard look and handed the smartphone to her.


    "I guess it''s not just humans that have changed in this world."


    The glass pictured on the smartphone had translucent letters!


    ------


    [A Glass of Therapy]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 7


    - Relic Value: Normal


    - Relic Effect: Water can be generated to heal wounds by consuming Mana.


    --------


    The world had changed. Everything, not just people, had changed!

 13 Episode 13 - Relic, Part III

    Chapter 4. Relic, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    "Oh, it is filling up! It is filling up!"


    Bang Hyun-wook admired the magically clear liquid filling the old-fashioned glass that had nothing in it.


    On the other hand, the expression of Ahn Sun-mi holding the glass was not good. ''I can''t move.''


    Her body was just a conduit. Some unknown power was now pouring into the glass after undergoing a process similar to a water purifier inside her. The problem was that the moment she moved her body, the moment her concentration faltered, everything stopped. The concentration required by this process was beyond imagination.


    Ahn was a doctor, and if necessary, a doctor needed to perform surgery in an operating room to keep a patient alive for ten hours straight. Her concentration could not be lacking. If it had been lacking, she would not have gotten even close to perfect scores on the entrance exam for university and entered a medical school. But she felt her concentration being consumed so fast that she could not compare with surgery. Eventually, she gave up.


    "Huh, huh ¡­" She was panting hard. It was not a trick, as the sweat on her forehead was not from the cold weather.


    "Are you alright, sister?"


    "It''s all right, hoo... okay."


    Bang talked to the exhausted Ahn. Kim Tae-hoon silently looked at her and arranged his thoughts.


    ''Magic¡­ She is like a magician.'' The appearance of Ahn reminded him of the existence of magicians in games, movies, and novels. Magicians had to memorize spells for some time to use magic, and they required a lot of concentration. When they move or were interfered with while memorizing spells, the memorized spells became useless.


    It was high risk compared to the Energy of Bang, and the telekinetic power of Kim. So Kim had to know if there was any merit to taking this risk.


    "Did you say the effect was wound recovery?" Kim rubbed the wound on the back of his hand after taking some transparent liquid onto his finger. It half-filled the glass that Ahn possessed, and it could only be considered water.


    Then the wound started to bubble and it began to heal! The sight took Ahn''s breath away. She looked at Kim''s hand with incredulous eyes and shouted, "Oh my God, this is a miracle, a miracle!"


    "Lower your voice." Kim gave an order to Ahn, not a warning. She shut her mouth promptly.


    The police station was quiet again. Kim, however, carefully moved his feet between the bodies without feeling relieved, and he extended his senses out to the gate of the police station. He examined the darkness around. There was no particular sign, but a sense of silence.


    After Kim made a gesture that seemed to open his mouth with his left hand, Bang and Ahn exhaled softly.


    Hoo¡­, the long wind drifted through the police station.


    The conversation was a little bit later.


    "That''s great. It''s kind of an item, isn''t it?" Bang was the first to open his mouth, and Kim gave an order instead of an answer.


    "Take pictures of all of them."


    "Yes?"


    "Take pictures of all the antiques and check how many relics are there."


    "Ah!" Only then did Bang wake up and take all the antiques out of the bag and start taking pictures.


    Meanwhile, Kim asked Ahn several questions. "How did you feel using Mana?"


    "Mana?"


    "I decided to call it in that for the sake of convenience, but if you want to add something special, it''s fine."


    "Mana does work."


    "So how do you feel?"


    "My body feels like a water purifier. It feels like Energy goes through my heart and then into this glass¡­ But it''s really hard. It''s like walking on a tightrope."


    Kim nodded. ''The risk is big, but the merit is great.''


    The concept of relics and Mana had been put together.


    ''A relic is an item that helps us use Mana or any mysterious power. There exist relics among the historical objects like antiques. If we consider in the concept of games, things made by monsters can also be relics or items.''


    ''Mana requires many restrictions and conditions to use differently than Energy and Telekinesis.


    ''If we get weapons, the next destination will be the museum. Of course, we must secure as many of these relics as possible.''


    In this world, there was no Sotheby auction, and even if an auction was held, Kim would not be able to buy the goods at such an auction with just his lifetime savings.


    "Big brother, there''s nothing else," Bang reported, after finishing checking the relics, shaking his head.


    Instead of answering Bang, Kim handed over the revolver he had brought from the arsenal. He also handed one to Ahn.


    "The cylinder will open this way, put the bullet into it, and close it." He taught them how to fill the cylinder of the pistol and how to shoot. "Check the target, aim, and shoot. Hold it with both hands when shooting. Pull the trigger only once."


    Bang and Ahn began to fill the cylinders with bullets clumsily.


    Kim told them so. "Never point a gun at our people. Don''t point a gun at me even when filling the cylinder and practicing."


    At his words, Bang, who was about to point a gun in Kim''s direction after filling the cylinder, instantly stopped.


    Kim smiled bitterly at his actions. He had anticipated what Bang would do. It wasn''t hard to predict.


    ''It''s one of the mistakes most people usually make when they first touch a gun. They aim at the person in front of them when they hear the word ''aim.''


    ''These two are not bad either, but it would be better to have a career man if I wanted to move along.''


    It was something Kim would have to endure to go around with Bang and Ahn. The two had never been soldiers.


    ''Even if I wanted something like a soldier right away, it doesn''t mean they can''t do the job. I hope there''s someone who will be helpful in the Ojung-dong military base.'' It would be convenient to find an Awakened soldier, and that was one of the reasons why Kim was heading for the military base.


    An Awakened soldier was needed. Of course, there was no guarantee that an Awakened soldier would become a subordinate to him even if there was one there.


    ''I hope there is a man of sense...'' That''s what Kim worried about.


    "We`re moving now. Take sugar with the chocolate we prepared, and arm yourself, then let''s move on to the next point¡­"


    With the first objective done, it was time to move toward the military base in Ojung-dong.


    Kuoooooo! A loud cry rang through the city of Bucheon.


    4.


    ''The most fearful thing to those who survive in a city which had been ruined by bombing is the sound of the fighter jets passing overhead. The sound not only paralyzes the reason of the listener but sometimes even the heart. This is the case; on the battlefield, the body is fine, but a dead man with his ears covered is seen from time to time.


    Even trained soldiers are not free from the fear. The moment a bomber bombs, death is on the way. That kind of fear cannot be overcome. They just get used to it.''


    -------


    Kim''s ability to go without losing his reason in front of the monstrous fear that rampaged through his mind was also due to his familiarity with this kind of fear. He could not overcome the fear. He was lying on the floor, just waiting for the fear to fade away. Soon after Kim Tae-hoon''s fear of everything exploding disappeared, he rose from his seat.


    The first thing he did was look at the condition of Bang and Ahn, who were similar to the dead bodies scattered on the floor. He checked their pulses immediately. Their pulses were running, but there was no focus in their eyes.


    "Huck!" Bang woke up first, but his eyes were full of fear.


    Kim forced the chocolate from his pocket into Bang''s mouth after breaking it.


    "Melt it down in your mouth; do not swallow, let it melt."


    Kim then approached Ahn. Her condition was worse than Bang''s. Her heart was beating, but her eyes were not focused. She was truly in a state of unconsciousness.


    Kim slapped her cheek. "Get ahold of yourself, Ahn Sun-mi. Get ahold of yourself."


    The focus returned Ahn''s eyes after her cheeks were red.


    Kim put the pieces of chocolate in her mouth. "Melt it down on your tongue."


    Kim then spoke to Bang, who was somewhat sober. "Stand here. If anything happens, shout out to me."


    Bang, who had been melting chocolate hard in his mouth, was surprised and asked, after gulping down the chocolate. "Yes? What about you?"


    "We need to figure out what monster passed over our heads. Boil water using the portable pot we brought. It''s dangerous to move in this condition right away. Let''s warm up and move."


    With those words, Kim went out the broken door of the police station.


    5.


    Tap!


    With a short sound, the police car''s door unlocked itself. Kim stared slowly at the car''s window, and he opened the door right after blinking his eyes a couple of times. Soon after, he pushed himself into the wide-open door.


    "Hoo¡­" The cold police car was filled with his white breath. Kim''s hand extended through the cloud to the black box installed in the car. He opened the black box as it was, playing the video that the black box had recorded a short time ago.


    Under the night sky, the image of the dark world, without a street-light, was of course dark. But it was not difficult to see its presence in the video. The video taken by the black box was more than enough.


    It was about three hundred meters long and large enough to cover a gymnasium with the massive wings that could lift the giant body. It was a dragon. At least, among the countless human words, the dragon was the only word that could describe the monster.


    The huge dragon was flying past Bucheon towards Incheon, where the sea was visible.


    Kim grit his teeth tightly. ''Black Orcs¡­ are at the level of wild dogs.''


    There was already a crazy monster in the world. The chance of beating such a thing could not even be calculated without the help of a powerful weapon.


    ''The world has changed well beyond my imagination.''


    Kim did not even dare to dream that such a monster would appear in the world. Instead, he was able to imagine what would happen when such a monster appeared.


    ''If this monster gets settled in Incheon City¡­ I must be determined to return Incheon City to September of 1950 to kill it.''


    How much firepower would be needed to simply kill this monster with human weapons?


    How much property and geographical damage would be taken, and how many lives would be lost?


    Some of the survivors were people who were willing to take the damage and still survive the ruthless violence.


    ''¡­ I need to hurry.''

 14 Episode 14 - Hunter, Part I

    Chapter 5. Hunter, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    It was about five kilometers from the large mart to the Ojung-dong military base. Therefore, Kim Tae-hoon aimed to reach the military base of Ojung-dong by least four AM after leaving the large mart for the first time. In addition, he was planning to mobilize all means and methods to achieve the goal.


    He knew better than anyone else the importance of carrying out the goal and planning thoroughly in a war situation. But now he was in the police station even though the time was well past three AM. He even had the time to drink coffee, using a coffee dripper in the boiled water from a portable pot.


    "Big brother, is it okay to take time to relax?"


    At that sight of Kim, Bang Hyun-wook was suspicious.


    Kim, who enjoyed his coffee, as usual, said to Bang in a low voice, "It''s too dangerous for us to move with our minds and bodies clouded with fear, and the first thing we need to do is ease our bodies and minds. Hmm¡­ This coffee has a good taste. I''ve never drunk this product before."


    Of course, Kim was never able to take a break. However, right now, the three of them were not in normal physical condition. A huge monster that could not be explained by anything had scattered fear in Bucheon City, and the fear was now rooted in every corner of the minds and bodies of his party.


    Moving in a situation where it was not extracted properly was like moving in poison.


    "Right now, the situation is different from when the dragon appeared. The condition has changed."


    More importantly, this fact did not apply only to Kim and his party. The unidentified dragon had scattered the fear of his presence in Bucheon like a shower. All the things that had settled in Bucheon were exposed to the fear.


    After the monsters'' attack, which had started around four PM on December 31, the situation came to a lull temporarily and now was out of control.


    Like a ship, their boat, which had been drifting quietly, was swept over by huge waves.


    Ahn Sun-mi added her opinion to Kim Tae-hoon''s. "The shriek¡­ Most people must have passed out or died because of the fear. Because of the temperature right now¡­ falling into a state of unconsciousness when they can''t expect the right help around is virtually the same as freezing to death."


    Of the three, the dragon fear hit her the hardest, and at the same time, her words as a doctor were certainly convincing.


    Kim Tae-hoon supplemented her opinion by pouring coffee into her empty cup.


    "I wished all of them would be fine, but it''s a bigger problem that all of them will not be."


    "What do you mean?"


    "It''s more likely that there will be something going crazy then fainting."


    Dragon fear was strong. But not everything had fainted to the dragon fear.


    Just now, Bang Hyun-wook and Kim Tae-hoon were stunned but did not faint. There must be Awakeners among the survivors, and a high-rank Energy user among them would surely survive.


    "It would be people or monsters."


    "The monsters aren''t gone yet."


    All the monsters have not disappeared from Bucheon.


    As evidence, there were few bodies of the monsters, which made Bucheon City a ghost city.


    So where did the monsters go? Did they leave Bucheon, and go to Seoul or Incheon?


    It was much more plausible that monsters who had already attacked humans and filled their stomach had hidden in the forests of buildings, taking shelter to avoid the cold winter weather late at night.


    Was it not a shelter that humans loved to use, in places like a subway station?


    "And if I were a monster, I would rather come out and fill my stomach than stay still at this moment."


    In such a situation, a monster who felt a sense of crisis due to the emergence of an absolute upper predator would try to hide in a more secret place, deep, after filling its stomach before it went crazy or felt hungry again.


    In other words, for the time being, monsters would come out and work.


    "The ones who are moving now are strong enough to carry out their purpose, not fainting in the face of the fear."


    At least the monsters that were active at this moment were stronger than Goblins or Orcs.


    He had to keep the Black Orc in mind, at the very least.


    Kim Tae-hoon was waiting for them to quickly fill their stomachs and then hide deep again.


    In front of such an explanation, Bang Hyun-wook and Ahn Sun-mi no longer asked additional questions.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s boiled coffee thawed their cold bodies in the cold weather, and their frightened brains were thawed by chocolate.


    In the silence, Kim Tae-hoon looked at his right hand carefully. His right hand gradually began to turn black by the ability Black Skin acquired after killing the Black Orc!


    Currently, Kim Tae-hoon''s force rank could only turn his skin black up to his wrist. The Black Skin gave him the feeling of wearing an iron glove. It was actually pretty tough. It was not cut by a crude knife, and even hitting the wall as hard as possible, it only stung a little.


    ''If I kill a monster, I get paid!'' This was clear evidence.


    ''Evidence that I can get something if I kill a monster!


    ''I wonder what it would be like to kill that monster...''


    The evidence reminded Kim Tae-hoon of how he could kill the monster in his mind, while weighed down by the fear of the dragon.


    Kim Tae-hoon sipped coffee with a slight smile in his imagination.


    2.


    There was a stretch of darkened road, along a row of one-story storehouses, full of stopped cars that had lost their owners, and frozen corpses.


    Two Goblins were eating there. Clinging to a frozen corpse, they were tearing and swallowing the flesh of the body, using their dog-like teeth.


    It was a pretty nasty thing to see.


    Goblins had the power and sharp teeth to bite the flesh out of a person, but that was based on the flesh of a living human being.


    Bodies of frozen people were different, and there was no shortage of cold. It didn''t even taste good, and their cries complained about it. It was hard to swallow the flesh that had been ripped off, because there was nothing good about chewing, swallowing, or filling their stomach. It was a meal to live.


    The Goblins, who had been struggling to survive, suddenly grabbed their necks. "Keck, keck!" The Goblins who gasped began to struggle to live.


    "Hoooo!" At that moment, a young man appeared, took a short breath and hit the head of the Goblin with a baseball bat.


    Pak! A single eyeball shot out of the Goblin''s head halfway after the attack. The man used his momentum and hit the other one''s head vertically.


    Keck! Its open mouth was slammed closed. It bit off its own tongue, and its teeth were shattered. The Goblin dropped to the ground and spewed out blood like a fountain from its mouth.


    Bang Hyun-wook made a circle with his hand.


    Ahn Sun-mi appeared. She had a sharpened knife, turned the body of the fallen Goblin over to face the sky, and put a sharp knife into the pit of the Goblin''s stomach. After that, she put her hand into the deep incision she had made. When she drew her arm out, gory to the elbow, a red jewel was caught at the end of her finger.


    She did the same thing with the other Goblin, cutting into the softest part of the Goblin''s body in its gut, and plunged her arm in up to the heart, taking a jewel out.


    It was then that Kim Tae-hoon appeared. His right hand was holding a plastic lamp bottle, and he sprinkled kerosene on the Goblin body.


    "I''m still wondering why you''re spraying kerosene?"


    "The only one who''ll eat this body is a monster. I hope they eat them and get sick," Kim Tae-hoon explained briefly.


    In the meantime, Ahn Sun-mi wiped the blood off her hand with a towel and held out her palm to Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Here."


    Kim Tae-hoon handed one of them to Bang Hyun-wook after he picked them up.


    "Eat it."


    The two swallowed the monster stones, still warm with the blood of Goblins, without a word. They swallowed against the strong taste of blood that made them want to vomit.


    Soon Bang Hyun-wook stroked the area near the pit of the stomach and said, "I''m nearly full now."


    When Kim Tae-hoon started moving, the scenery that was unfolded in front of his party was the same as he had predicted.


    The monsters were eating the frozen bodies as if they were possessed by something.


    Kim Tae-hoon did not pass up such monsters. He hunted. And he put Bang Hyun-wook and Ahn Sun-mi on the front line.


    "Bang Hyun-wook, watch out for the bat when you swing it. Never let go of the tension at the moment of attack."


    "Yes."


    "And Ahn Sun-mi."


    "Order me."


    "Stab these two dead eyes with that knife."


    At the words of Kim Tae-hoon, Ahn Sun-mi stabbed the red eye of the Goblin with the end-point of the knife without hesitation.


    With the eerie sound of the eye being destroyed, red liquid flowed out of Goblin''s eyes. It was like the tears of unjustly dead souls.


    Bang Hyun-wook watched the scene and took a short breath. It was a sight that he could not easily get used to. That was why Kim Tae-hoon ordered it.


    ''I am glad they got used to it so quickly. Ahn Sun-mi is a doctor, so she is adapting quickly.''


    Unlike Kim Tae-hoon, Bang Hyun-wook and Ahn Sun-mi were ordinary people until less than a day ago.


    ''The public basically has a rejection of killing, and many people are unable to arrange chicken that has already been slaughtered, and they cannot even defeather a chicken.''


    They could not boldly stab a monster who was seeking their life. The momentary hesitation that happened then eventually cost them their lives.


    Kim Tae-hoon wanted to give Bang Hyun-wook and Ahn Sun-mi the experience of slaughter. It was an experience that human beings would normally never need to build up, but now they could not help it. From now on, they would have to kill something to live.


    "And that''s your destination, isn''t it?"


    In addition, there were not only monsters to worry about.


    "We''ll take a nap for a while and move on."


    "What? We''ll arrive at the military base if we move just a little bit more."


    "No guard welcomes anyone who appears at night. If I had command of that army right now, and if any men approached at night, I would order them to fire if there was no answer two seconds after the warning."


    There was no guarantee that the soldiers of the military base, their destination, would welcome survivors. If the military base was operating normally now, it would set up on guard. The guards would be extremely nervous, because the price of a mistake was no longer running around the training ground with a military bag, nor canceled out by a day''s vacation or long vacation.


    "Take a break."


    Above all, Kim Tae-hoon and his party were quite tired, and they needed a break. It took some energy to run away or fight.


    "When the sun starts to rise, we approach the military base."


    Kim Tae-hoon found a place to take a nap for a while, but there was no suitable building to sleep. In the end, Kim Tae-hoon made an SUV vehicle into a lodging shelter. After opening the locked door with Telekinesis, the three entered the vehicle.


    The car was cold, but it was warmer than any other place nearby, as they had been hunting a long distance through the bitterly cold wind. It was the first break that they had taken, but the rest was not long.


    Blam! By the time dawn was barely up, the gunfire that rang out instead of a rooster''s cry woke them with the sun.

 15 Episode 15 - Hunter, Part II

    Chapter 5. Hunter, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    Tutututu! The gunfire came down like a heavy rain under the blue sky, as the night had just begun to retreat.


    Tututu! The gunfire was so powerful that it affected those who were far away.


    "Wow, that''s not a joke. It''s different from the movies. Damn it, it''s totally different from the movies!"


    As the distance to the gunfire narrowed, Bang Hyun-wook spoke more and more.


    "Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo ¡­" Ahn Sun-mi continuously took in deep breaths and exhaled.


    That was the power of real gunfire.


    It was not what someone saw in the movies. The first time hearing it, legs would stiffen up and minds would freeze. Even if Ahn Sun-mi and Bang Hyun-wook lived in the land of Korea, they never heard real gunfire.


    It was evidence of their courage and the basis of obedience that they closed the distance to the gunfire at Kim Tae-hoon''s order.


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon was not surprised by the gunfire.


    ''The gunfire doesn''t stop.'' Rather, he found meaning in the continuous shooting, that seemed to have no meaning, and drew a mental image based on it.


    ''And it''s definitely moving, too.'' The problem was that the picture that was drawn was not a good picture. ''I''m not going to see anything good this time.''


    ''Guns are very powerful weapons. The power of handguns as well as rifles simply ignores the expectations of the public. Once someone is shot, they can tell how ridiculous it is to see an actor struggling even after being shot several times in a movie. Of course, it was not something good to learn.''


    It was clear that the guns were powerful for monsters such as Orc and Goblin, which Kim Tae-hoon and his party had encountered earlier. There was no reason to have such indiscriminate fire against one monster.


    "The fact that they''ve survived so far means that at least they have stood up against the monsters they''ve encountered."


    The soldiers in the military base were now aware of things. If they were not aware, this battle would be the first time, but that did not make any sense. But now the gunshots were ringing out again and again.


    There would be two main cases. The number of monsters the soldiers were now dealing with was at least 100 units, or there was a scary monster that couldn''t be dealt with using one or two gunshots.


    There was nothing good about either circumstance. Of course, the worst scenario was if the two were one. There was a powerful monster like a Black Orc, and it was the leader of a horde.


    ''Maybe a gun doesn''t work on it.'' Maybe it was a type of monster that guns did not work on.


    It did not make sense, but conventional common sense did not apply to the world already. The presence of the dragon gave an important lesson to Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Arrrrrrrgh!"


    They heard a scream. The first screaming sound came over the green soundproof wall that Kim Tae-hoon and his party were looking at. Kim Tae-hoon stopped in front of the wall. Bang Hyun-wook and Ahn Sun-mi also stopped walking. Kim Tae-hoon turned his head to confirm the attitudes of the two. Of course, their faces were not good.


    ''Hoo, Bang Hyun-wook, let''s calm down. You survived there, relax. You''re with big brother and just stay calm. Energy, yes you have Energy. This bat will crush the shitty monster''s skull.''


    ''Don''t think anything, Ahn Sun-mi, all you have to do is follow orders. Don''t think about things that are messy. You have to survive. You come here to survive.''


    As soon as they crossed the wall, they would see the monster''s screams and gunfire with their own eyes, and the scene could not be compared with horror or gore movies. The faces of those in front of them should be wary.


    Kim told the two of them, "We need a car."


    "Yes?"


    At Kim Tae-hoon''s sudden remark, Bang Hyun-wook and Ahn Sun-mi both posted a question mark on their face.


    "Car."


    "Oh, like a bus?" Ahn Sun-mi recalled Kim Tae-hoon using the bus to kill the Black Orc.


    "A bus is not bad, but I wish I had a truck, like a dump truck."


    "Yes?"


    "If it were fifteen tons¡­"


    At that moment, Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes were filled with what he wanted.


    "¡¤¡¤¡¤ good."


    4.


    ''The landscape of a military base is always desolate. No matter how many trees are planted or if there is a lot of green grass, the desolation does not disappear. It is like a warning. A warning of the fact that a military base is not a beautiful, rich tableau, but a stage designed to kill something.''


    Tutu! Tutu! Tutututu! And now the warning had become a reality. A group of twenty-four soldiers, in a semicircular formation, were pulling the triggers of the rifles on their shoulders sequentially, as if the gears were interlocking.


    "Kieeeeeee!" 150 centimeter screaming Goblins with brown skin were attacking them. The number of brown Goblins that was attacking was significant. Just the visible ones were easily over fifty.


    "Aaaaaargh!"


    "Save, save Sergeant Park, save¡­"


    There were a lot of people being eaten alive on the ground by Goblins. The number of brown Goblins eating them was close to a hundred. It was an enormous number. But it wasn''t the number that bothered the soldiers now.


    "Damn it! Die! Die!" Tutututu!


    However, the brown Goblins did not stop running in front of the gunshots, which were starting to hurt the shoulders of the gunmen.


    Pukpuk, pukpuk! Whenever they were shot full of holes, the red eyes of brown Goblins burned even redder.


    It was like a candle flaring before it went out.


    The brown Goblins, which had been driven beyond their lives and were filled with madness, were faster than before, and their jumping power was greater. They were now even more frightening to the soldiers.


    "Aaaaaaargh!" Against all logic, a brown Goblin, flying forward like a frog, struck a soldier. The moment he fell, it was over.


    "Kieeeee! kieeeee!"


    The Goblin who had attacked the soldier had lost its life, but the Goblin''s colleagues rushed over as if they had been waiting, and with their sharp teeth bit through both uniform and flesh.


    "Aaaaaaaaaargh!"


    "Corporal Kang, Damn it! Kang Il-hyun!"


    The sight of someone being eaten alive was a terrible for the victim and for the viewers. What was worse was that they couldn''t point the gun at the brown Goblins that were swarming their colleague.


    There was no companionship in a gun. The gunshot might end up in his colleague, instead of a Goblin. Even if it was to relieve their pain, it could never be done easily. No, it''s was more difficult. Pulling the trigger to free a dying colleague from pain was a tough task compared to pulling the trigger toward an enemy, a monster.


    Only those who had a cool judgment and a true sense of friendship toward the fallen could pull it. Tututu! "Kuck!"


    Among the twenty-four survivors, now twenty-three, the only one who knew how to do it was the commander, Second Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji, who led the group.


    "Everyone, stay with me! Don''t panic! The number of enemies is decreasing! If we act calmly, we can clean up!"


    Second Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji...


    The cool appearance of a beautiful woman, but bushy eyebrows, strong eyes, and a nimble nose, which was rarely seen on a woman, gave the impression that she was not just a beauty, but a fierce beast!


    She also had a strong physique. She was a tall woman, at least six feet tall, so easily found among the soldiers who had gathered, and her military uniform was better fitted than anyone else.


    Tutu! Above all, her gunshots were the only ones with temperance. Even as she retreated from the front line, the muzzle of her gun was almost unshaken even when she pulled the trigger. She was killing her targets with as few shots as possible.


    "Retreat to the church!" There was no shaking in her voice. Her order was the only light that illuminated this unrealistic nightmare.


    The soldiers grit their teeth tightly. Tututu! Then they pulled the triggers again. They pulled the triggers without stopping back towards the dozens of Goblins which were attacking unceasingly.


    "To the church!"


    "Yes, let''s go to the church, let''s just go to the church."


    The purpose became clear. It was to reach the church about two hundred meters away. It seemed impossible to do that. The confidence that they could do it naturally began to sprout in their minds.


    "Kaaaaaang!" But this cry made the soldiers'' minds darken, and their sprouting hopes shrivel.


    "Ahhhh!"


    "The bastard monster ..."


    In their darkest moment, the soldiers were forced to think; the monsters suddenly attacked the military base ahead of the New Year, when it was a normal time for people to be discharged.


    Among them, there was a huge monster that took hold of a person''s body in the midst of a hail of gunfire and then ripped off his head. It leisurely ate the heads after catching people, even while being shot. No matter how much the body was filled with holes by the bullets, the monster recovered like a white sandy beach where the waves had passed.


    "Kaaaaaaah!" The monster that all the soldiers thought of became reality and appeared in front of them. It was a huge monster. The giant, four meters tall, was huge and unspeakable. It looked like a giant that was extremely obese. Its face was like a dough that had been crushed, the way its nose and cheeks were bulging out. Finally, its skin looked like mud. Its skin looked like it should be sloughing off it.


    "Heck ¡­"


    "Huck ¡­"


    The turbid cry of such a monster became an invisible shackle and tied the soldiers'' feet. The soldiers, tied to their feet, looked at the monster with a bewildered expression. The ceaseless gunfire that had been raining incessantly stopped for the first time.


    "Kieeeee!" The area of the ceased gunfire was occupied by brown Goblins.


    "Kieeeee!" The brown Goblins began to move again.


    "Retreat!" In it, only Kim Soo-ji could shout.


    "Tututu! Tututu!" With that cry, she pointed the gun at the head of a brown Goblin, not the giant monster that appeared, and pulled the trigger.


    "Retreat at full speed!" Her order followed the sound of the shot with a voice that was already hoarse.


    "We will rebuild the line at the church. Retreat!"


    At that moment, her rifle, which had been shooting out ceaselessly so far, sounded as if it had died. Tick, tick!


    Her expression hardened. ''Ah!''


    It was the worst moment, the only light that shone in the darkness was disappearing. The focus was lost again in the eyes of the soldiers.


    Kim Soo-ji, who had been calm so far, was trembling at this moment.


    Honk! It was the honking of a huge dump truck coming toward them fast that woke them up. Honk!


    "What, what?"


    "It, it''s a truck!"


    The sound of the honking horn repeatedly woke up the soldiers who were frozen. Honk!


    The dump truck that appeared did not stop. Without a moment''s hesitation, the truck threw itself at the giant monster. When two giants collided, the enormous sound that reminded them of the thunder filled their ears. Honk!


    The eyes of the mad brown Goblins changed in front of the unspeakable impact.


    Ki? Kie! For the first time, the brown Goblin''s eyes were filled with fear, as if they had come out of a trance.


    "Stop shooting! We''re here to help!" A man''s voice was heard in the stillness of the dump truck.


    Kim Soo-ji turned her head and looked at the speaker. She saw the road the dump truck created, a man walking down a bloody road of crushed and burst brown Goblins, and a younger man following behind him.


    Kim Soo-ji asked him, "Who are you?"


    "Kim Tae-hoon," he answered briefly.


    Bang Hyun-wook, who was excited by the battle after Kim Tae-hoon, added, "Hunters! We are hunters hunting monsters!"


    "Hunters?" Kim Soo-ji asked with a suspicious expression, at the words of Bang Hyun-wook.


    Kim Tae-hoon frowned briefly and answered, "Yes, we are hunters."


    That was all they had time to say.


    "Kaaaaah!" The scream of the Mud Troll monster hit by a dump truck and its amazing recovery ability did not allow them any more time for gossip.

 16 Episode 16 - Creation of a Clan, Part I

    Chapter 6. Creation of a Clan, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    "We are hunters."


    The moment Kim Tae-hoon replied, the painful cry of the Mud Troll instantly shook the battlefield.


    Not only the soldiers but Kim Tae-hoon and Bang Hyun-wook who followed him turned their heads and looked at the body of the Mud Troll trampled by the dump truck.


    Obviously, it was a corpse.


    The dump truck turned the Mud Troll into a burst balloon, and not just that, but had crushed it with six giant wheels the height of a man.


    There was no other explanation than that it was just a crushed dead body.


    Now, however, the body that had to be a corpse was moving slowly, reforming its crushed head and snout, and spitting out a weak but clear cry through its over-long nose.


    It was a nightmare.


    "Aaaargh! Aaaargh!"


    "We''re going to die, and it will eat our heads!"


    The survivors now were those who had experienced nightmares in front of them several times, not just once or twice.


    Second lieutenant Kim Soo-ji, was the same.


    ''What do we do now?''


    Everything was a nightmare from the beginning.


    At the end of the year, there was no manual for a military force to respond to the sudden monster raids in the military base located in the metropolitan area, not the border.


    The damage was severe from the very beginning of the attack.


    The brown Goblins began to hunt unarmed soldiers in a group.


    The worst was that the Mud Troll appeared in the drinking party of the executive officers ahead of the New Year.


    Most of the commanding officers who had to give orders were slain by the Mud Troll.


    If she had been a less flexible soldier, she would have entered the Mud Troll''s stomach early in the drinking party.


    Anyway, after that, Kim Soo-ji had to pay the price of being a survivor.


    She fought to survive with the remaining soldiers. To survive, she had to experience nightmares again and again.


    This Mud Troll, in particular, gave her despair beyond the nightmare.


    ''Weapons don''t work against the Mud Troll.''


    She had used all kinds of weapons against it, but the Mud Troll had never even made a pained sound in front of the powerful firearms.


    The only one thing that could stop such a Mud Troll was a sense of satiety!


    Of course, at this moment, Kim Soo-ji could not think of a way to deal with the Mud Troll. The inside of her head turned blank.


    "State your official rank and name!" Kim Tae-hoon scolded her.


    "Yes?"


    "Your name."


    "I, I am Kim Soo-ji."


    "Rank!"


    "Second lieutenant ... Second lieutenant Kim Soo-ji, I''m leading the remaining survivors of the 1121st unit."


    The glitter in Kim Soo-ji''s eyes changed. She had a gut feeling.


    ''He is a soldier!''


    The man in front of her, Kim Tae-hoon, was a soldier or a similar kind of military who had been through severe encounters several times.


    Furthermore, she felt something.


    ''He''s a soldier, I''m sure!''


    It felt like she had seen a man named Kim Tae-hoon somewhere...


    Anyway, Kim Tae-hoon''s voice was like a lifeline to her, who was a soldier to the bone.


    "I need information about that muddy monster now."


    Soldiers don''t have to worry about orders.


    "It has the power to rip a man''s body apart with its bare hands, its about four meters in height, and it has the ability to recover quickly, even if it is wounded by a bullet."


    "What about the firearm you used against it?"


    "Claymores didn''t work, and an 81-millimeter trench gun worked a little bit, but it not much."


    Kaaaaah!


    While Kim Tae-hoon and Kim Soo-ji talked, the screaming Mud Troll began to regenerate its upper body after its head. The sound of its screams grew louder and clearer.


    Of course, the fear that it emitted grew bigger and clearer!


    The general soldiers trembled, and now they were so scared that they couldn''t even scream.


    "Wow, that''s not a fucking joke." On the contrary, Bang Hyun-wook spit out his feelings in front of the screaming Mud Troll.


    Kim Tae-hoon shouted at Bang Hyun-wook. "Bang Hyun-wook!"


    "Yes, big brother!"


    "Clean around."


    "Yes!"


    At that order, Bang Hyun-wook grabbed his bat without hesitation. His bat began to take in the Energy that flowed through his body.


    ''Okay.''


    Bang Hyun-wook knew now. To survive, he needed the power to deal with the monsters he faced more clearly.


    So he tried to survive and to find ways to use his power more efficiently and more powerfully.


    In the process, Bang Hyun-wook was able to realize some of the ways to wield his Energy.


    ''I know now how to use the power in my gut!''


    It was not only Energy that strengthened his body, but with a little difficulty, it could also wrap around an object in hand.


    The power of that was enormous.


    Pak!


    His swing crushed a brown Goblin''s head like a rotten pumpkin. Bang Hyun-wook shouted between the scattered flesh, blood, and brain fluid, "Bucheon High School, No. 5 batter, Bang Hyun-wook is here! Come on, you bastards!"


    The aura of Bang Hyun-wook changed as he spoke. If Bang Hyun-wook''s reason learned to deal with his Energy, his instincts learned to take advantage of the fight.


    To deal with monsters, he had to be a monster!


    "Second lieutenant Kim Soo-ji, stop shooting and get ready for the alert." Kim Tae-hoon ordered Kim Soo-ji, leaving Bang to do his thing.


    ''Stop shooting? Alert?'' It was a difficult order to understand. ''At this desperate moment, the Mud Troll is recovering and still has twenty brown Goblins left, how can we stop shooting and get ready for an alert?''


    "Stop shooting! Set the line and turn to alert!" Kim Soo-ji''s orders were immediately followed like a soldier, excluding any doubts.


    Of course, there were not many soldiers who quickly fulfilled her orders. Still unable to overcome their fear of the Mud Troll, the soldiers in a state of fear were told not to shoot.


    "Put the gun down."


    "Put it down."


    Only the most important part, the warnings that had been received hundreds of times, had instinctively been implemented.


    The soldiers lowered their muzzles to the floor.


    ''But none of the survivors are mad.''


    Kim Tae-hoon was forced to give up on the soldiers'' help. There was nothing more dangerous than a mad soldier.


    At the same time, Kim Tae-hoon was confident that he could handle the brown Goblins even if he did not have the soldiers'' help.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s gaze left the soldiers and headed for the battlefield.


    ''The muddy monster is still recovering. It will take about forty seconds to recover.''


    He checked the Mud Troll''s condition.


    The number of Goblins with brown skin surviving was twenty-one, but more than half of them were seriously injured. It was bigger and more aggressive than the green Goblins he dealt with at the large mart, but the combat risk was actually lower than it was then.


    He measured the number, condition, and location of the brown Goblins.


    "Yiyaaaaaaab!"


    He also confirmed the ability of Bang Hyun-wook, who was doling out ruthless violence toward a brown Goblin.


    ''Ahn Sun-mi¡­ is coming.'' He noted the presence of an SUV approaching him.


    At the end of his assessments, Kim Tae-hoon pulled a revolver from his waistband.


    At the same time, Kim Tae-hoon looked at the brown Goblin nearby running at him. The brown Goblin stiffened as their eyes met.


    Kim Tae-hoon used his chain of telekinesis and wrapped it around the neck of the brown Goblin.


    Kuck!


    As soon as the brown Goblin grabbed its neck with both hands as it strangled, Kim Tae-hoon pointed the gun at it.


    Bang!


    A bullet mark was made in the brown Goblin''s brow.


    Precise fire! It was a shot that had to be accurate.


    Kim Tae-hoon could now put bullets into the head of a crazy, raving beast. It was boring, in a sense, to shoot a target whose movement was limited by his own telekinesis, and it was the reason for his confidence.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s shots were so efficient that the brown Goblins seemed rather pitiful.


    One shot, one kill!


    Kim Tae-hoon had consumed only one bullet against each brown Goblin, which had been bleeding from dozens of bullets so far, and which had been burning away the murderous spirit rather than letting it build.


    Six bullets used, six bodies fell down with blood spilling from their heads.


    Kim Tae-hoon immediately filled the ammunition after he dropped the spent shells from the cylinder of the revolver.


    In the meantime, Bang Hyun-wook, seemingly competing with Kim Tae-hoon, had smashed the heads of two brown Goblins with a single swing.


    "Oh, a two-run home run!"


    He was like a lawnmower, cutting down the grass mercilessly.


    Kim Tae-hoon, who had filled all the cylinders during Bang Hyun-wook''s performance, started shooting again quickly.


    This time it was a little faster. He pulled the trigger without a break.


    The revolver''s cylinder was emptied in a flash as if it were a fast draw game testing accuracy in the shortest amount of time.


    Of course, the five shots that had passed in a flash were not wasted. They penetrated exactly five brown Goblins'' foreheads.


    So Kim Tae-hoon put down eleven Goblins.


    "I got seven!" Bang Hyun-wook yelled after killing the seventh Goblin. Three of them were left. "I''ll take two!"


    Two of the Goblins rushed toward Bang Hyun-wook, screaming, and the remaining one rushed toward Kim Tae-hoon.


    Kim Tae-hoon did not use a shot for the Goblin. Even though there was still one bullet left, he holstered the revolver.


    Then he grabbed his empty right hand and injected his telekinesis into it.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s fist turned black.


    He put his fist, which was covered with the black armor and which would be not hurt easily, into the forehead and above the nose of the brown Goblin.


    Krak!


    One fist broke the brown Goblin''s nose, its eyeballs were crushed, and even its face crumpled. It was the result of a 33 Strength stat and the Black Skin acquired from the Black Orc.


    "Big brother, I''m done!" The battle had taken thirty seconds, and the brown Goblins were cleaned up.


    The soldiers, including Kim Soo-ji, saw this scene and regained their courage.


    ''What is this?''


    ''What is this? Are we dreaming?''


    It was not because of fear, but because it was so ridiculous.


    ''Well, that easy?''


    It seemed like a dream to be able to so easily kill monsters that have been so deadly to them.


    Obviously, it was not a nightmare, nor a dream.


    Blood began to return to the faces of the soldiers.


    But what really mattered was still right there!


    The Mud Troll, calling out loudly and angrily.


    After the restoration of its upper body, the monster started to regenerate its lower body and look around with orange eyes, smacking its lips again.


    It was ready to show off its picky, disgusting habit of eating only the head.


    Kim Tae-hoon said to Ahn Sun-mi, who was driving the SUV, "Ahn Sun-mi, open the trunk!"


    "I opened it!"


    He tore open the back doors and pulled out a plastic container. He turned its blue lid, and the strong smell of gasoline came out.


    Kim Tae-hoon threw the gas jug toward the Mud Troll some distance away.


    It was crazy, it did not make common sense. It was not easy to lift the weight of a five-gallon container. But throw it?


    It couldn''t be done. The sight of it flying was hard to believe. However, the plastic jug that Kim Tae-hoon threw flew away lightly, spilling gasoline.


    "Did it stop?"


    What was more surprising was that the plastic container flying in a perfect parabola stopped directly on top of the head of the Mud Troll, and it began to vomit gasoline like a waterfall.


    The Mud Troll made a confused sounding, not knowing why the gasoline was running over its whole body.


    At that moment, Kim Tae-hoon drew his revolver again and pulled the trigger.


    The last bullet the pistol fired went through the plastic container. Flames erupted, instantly covering the Mud Troll''s head, washing down its body like clothes.


    At that moment, the Mud Troll began to cry for the first time, not to cause fear, but in pain. At the same time, its body began to harden like clay.


    The soldiers, including second lieutenant Kim Soo-ji, looked at the scene silently and soullessly.


    And Kim Tae-hoon ¡­


    Snap!


    ...took a shot of the scene on his smartphone and checked the picture.


    ---


    [Mud Troll''s Flesh]


    - Mud Troll''s flesh has excellent wound healing ability. Rubbing on a wound will treat the wound, and eating it will temporarily increase the ability to recover.


    ---


    It was the first time that the human race understood the value of a Mud Troll!

 17 Episode 17 - Creation of a Clan, Part II

    Chapter 6. Creation of a Clan, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    2.


    The flames on the Mud Troll''s body did not burn very long.


    Beneath the flames that had burned themselves out, there was only a hardened lump of mud.


    It was a sight beyond belief.


    No one knew that the weakness of the monster, which turned nearly a hundred soldiers, including officers and other soldiers, into headless corpses, was the flames produced by the gasoline.


    It was also the fear of ignorance.


    If they did not know, they would die. The Mud Troll was one of the symbols that told them that such an era had come.


    "Ahn Sun-mi, try to treat the wounded with the flesh of the Mud Troll."


    Kim Tae-hoon was an early adapter in this era. Of course, Kim Tae-hoon was making strong attempts to get rid of his ignorance.


    "If there''s any gas left, there might be a problem with the toxicity of gasoline."


    "Most of the gasoline will have been burned away with the flames."


    "But if there''s a problem-"


    "It''s better to use the troll''s flesh to test it than to let a man who''s been bitten by a monster with excessive bleeding or infection die without proper treatment."


    The Mud Troll''s flesh had information that it helped treat wounds and improve recovery. Now was the time to get a better grip on this information.


    As he said, ignorance is now death. It was time to learn things properly! His instruction was reasonable enough in that sense.


    Because it was so reasonable, Ahn Sun-mi could not even raise a question toward Kim Tae-hoon''s order.


    "I see."


    "Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji." Kim Tae-hoon called out to Kim Soo-ji, who was standing upright when Ahn Sun-mi replied.


    "Yes!" She walked forward as if waiting for an order.


    "We''re going to start treating the wounded. I want three soldiers to help Ahn Sun-mi."


    "I understand." She immediately called over three healthy soldiers and gave them orders.


    Three soldiers, of course, did not have any doubts about treating the wounded...


    "What?"


    "I need that monster''s body over there."


    ...until Ahn Sun-mi asked them to bring the flesh of the crumpled Mud Troll, now solid like a piece of pottery.


    "Is she crazy? Why do we have to bring over the flesh of that monster? Why?"


    "Isn''t that alive? If we touched it, and it could come to life."


    "... do as you are told. There must be something."


    As Ahn Sun-mi and three soldiers moved to treat the wounded, Kim Soo-ji spoke up, "Can I ask you a question?"


    "I''ll hear and answer you."


    "Did you see me at the Army headquarters five years ago?"


    It was an unexpected question, but Kim Tae-hoon could come up with the answer.


    "The granddaughter of Brigadier General Kim Jae-ryong?"


    "You must have been the one with Major General Chang Young-sung at that time."


    At that moment, Kim Tae-hoon''s expression hardened, for two reasons.


    "You have a good memory."


    One was because of the name of Major General Chang Young-sung. The other one was because of the history of Brigadier General Kim Jae-ryong.


    Brigadier General Kim Jae-ryong was the commander of the 60th division, the head of the capital defense command. The commander of the 60th Division under the Capital Defense Command was not a normal position.


    At least, it was a position of power that could dispatch troops to save the granddaughter in Bucheon, not far from Seoul.


    Of course, Brigadier General Kim Jae-ryong had retired three years ago, but the influence of those stars did not disappear easily after retirement.


    ''The granddaughter of a real power.''


    Brigadier General Kim Jae-ryong was not in the wrong lineage. Command of the 60th Division was not a place where a man of the wrong lineage could sit.


    Now, however, Kim Soo-ji had survived by her own efforts without such a background.


    ''Seoul is also in trouble.''


    It meant that Seoul has not been properly defended under the existence of the Capital Defense Command.


    ''The worst imagination is a reality.'' He had expected it.


    When he saw the dragon flying from the direction of Seoul and heading for Incheon across Bucheon, he did not expect Seoul to play a further role as a capital.


    But it was a different story to make an expectation, and to meet the basis for making such an expectation a reality.


    "Does the army know about this situation?" Kim Soo-ji, who did not know the mind of Kim Tae-hoon, asked first.


    "If I had known, I wouldn''t have come here, and if the military had known, your grandfather would have called you home, Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji."


    Kim Soo-ji closed her mouth tight. She had guessed that, too. Her grandfather''s background was not something she could run away from.


    "Then ¡­"


    "The emergence of monsters has been made nationwide, and according to expectations, the cities of Bucheon, as well as Seoul and Incheon, have been virtually paralyzed. Perhaps all the cities in the country are in a similar state, and the military is probably non-functional."


    "Oh, my God," Kim Soo-ji blurted out.


    For her, whose survival was the top priority, and who had barely completed the goal, the reality and truth facing her were terrible.


    Kim Tae-hoon closed his eyes. ''Actually, the army now is not what I know.''


    But there was hope. Hope that the military might play a minimal role in this situation through its own lack of communication.


    ''But now that expectation is meaningless. In this situation, there would be virtually no help from the military. ''In order to survive, we have to survive by ourselves and by our own hands.''


    While Kim Tae-hoon was thinking about it, he looked at his right hand and the mark of an Awakener. And he remembered the dragon, the crazy monster.


    ''What we need now is not the army, but a monster that can hunt the monsters. We must become monsters before the monsters eat us.''


    At that moment, Kim Tae-hoon''s complicated thoughts cleared up.


    "Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji!"


    "Yes!"


    "Take the bodies around, collect them in one place, and bring all the survivors, including the wounded, together."


    3.


    [The Crystal of a Mud Troll]


    - Strength increases when ingested.


    - Defense skill increases when ingested.


    - You can acquire the power of Mud Troll at the time of ingestion [the Vitality of Troll].]


    ------


    Kim Tae-hoon looked at the orange jewel on his smartphone, a picture of the monster stone of the Mud Troll, and he looked at the orange jewel on his palm.


    "All gathered." Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji said, keeping her posture straight as always.


    As she spoke, the twenty-three survivors of the 1121 unit gathered together.


    Looking at them, Kim Tae-hoon started talking with an orange jewel in his hand.


    He started talking about the incident at the supermarket, of the mark of an Awakener, and of the monster stone, and the dragon.


    "This is the reality we''re in," he finished. Everyone who heard the story kept their mouths shut and remained silent.


    ''Is this really real? Is it possible? Am I dreaming?''


    ''Will Mom and Dad be okay?''


    ''Shit, I''ve got a month before I was discharged from the military! A month! Why would this ever happen to me?''


    The present situation did not even give them room to be embarrassed, and Kim Tae-hoon did not give them time to think.


    "I''m done with all the information, and I''ll start with my personal story."


    "I will take all the monster stones from the monsters that you hunted here."


    The one-sided notice gave everyone a blank look. ''What is he talking about?''


    "If it''s a monster stone, it''s an item that raises the stats of Awakeners!"


    Kim Tae-hoon clearly told them the importance of the monster stones.


    After dissecting one of the collected Goblin bodies, he removed the monster stone from its heart and took a picture of it on his smartphone and showed it to them.


    He even said that monster stones would replace gunpowder in the future war.


    He also said he would monopolize all the monster stones, which could be obtained from the dead monsters.


    It was like telling them that a jewel was valuable, and he would take them all.


    "Wait, wait a minute¡­"


    "You just said that the monster stones were valuable."


    "If it''s a monopoly, you are going to eat all of them, aren''t you? Clearly, the monster bodies in the military base were caught by us!"


    Instinctive questions popped out all over.


    "What is your life worth?" Kim Tae-hoon stopped their questions with a short word.


    The soldiers went quiet. Kim Tae-hoon continued his speech, staring at them.


    "This is the price of the information. If you raise your hand, I will give you the right to speak."


    No one raised their hand, of course.


    The value of their lives and this information was not cheap at all, and it was also clear that they owed Kim Tae-hoon their lives. It was not a time to be cheap.


    "Do you need more time to raise your hands?"


    But more importantly, it was the fact that the lives of those who remained now depended on Kim Tae-hoon.


    Kim Tae-hoon was an umbrella.


    If someone dropped out from under the umbrella because of antagonism, then they had to face the monsters on their own. If they faced a monster like a Mud Troll after leaving Kim Tae-hoon, it meant that the life he barely saved would become a wasteful lump of manure!


    "I suppose there''s no objection to my opinion."


    Above all, only two of the soldiers who had survived, one of whom was Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji, had the Mark of an Awakener.


    For the remaining twenty-one, monster stones were like a pearl necklace on a pig''s neck.


    A pearl necklace on a pig''s neck means that a thief who coveted the necklace may catch and kill him at any time.


    "Then there is no debt going forward."


    Kim Tae-hoon gave final notice to the silent ones, and at the same time, he swallowed the orange jewel from the Mud Troll that he held in his hand.


    "Ah ..."


    "Monster Stone ¡­"


    It was a gesture that announced the deal was over.


    With this, Kim Tae-hoon was now the owner of hundreds of monster stones that had been killed all over the 1121 unit. Whether he ate the monster stones or sells them, it is now at his discretion.


    The survivors, in return, no longer need to owe Kim Tae-hoon a debt of life.


    "What I am doing now is a new proposal."


    Of course, the fact that they needed an umbrella of Kim Tae-hoon had not changed.


    "From now on, I will be creating a clan, and I will be taking applicants who will serve as my clan members, not as soldiers."


    Everyone was surprised at this proposal.


    ''What?''


    ''Clan?''


    The same was true of Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji.


    ''What, what the hell!''


    She thought that Kim Tae-hoon would act as their commander in the name of the army. But this way, did he want to start a private organization?


    At that moment, Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji could only recall...


    Five years ago, she passed the entrance exam to the military academy, visited the army headquarters and talked with her grandfather.


    "That is Major General Chang Young-sung, who greeted me a little while ago. If you graduate from the military academy and become a soldier, avoid meeting him personally and publicly. There is nothing good with being tied up with him in any way."


    It was the first warning that her grandfather, Brigadier General Kim Jae-ryong ever gave her.


    "I ask you, what does the word clan mean?" she spoke out.


    "It will be a private organization that moves with my orders and instructions, not the military''s instructions or orders."


    "And you mean ... you intend to use the military''s weapons for your own benefit?"


    "If it''s in your private interest to work hard to survive, you can judge it that way."


    At the word ''to survive'', Kim Soo-ji had to keep her mouth shut. As soon as she was silent, no one else could speak. With their mouths shut, they fell into the agony of choice.


    ''Leave the army and join a private organization? A private organization using military weapons? What crime will be applied? Desertion? Rebellion?''


    ''I can''t die like this. If I want to live anyway, I''d better take out a gun or a grenade.''


    ''But if I get caught...''


    Accepting Kim Tae-hoon''s proposal was actually a criminal act. It is a criminal act so great that they could not easily measure the sentence. They had no choice but to suffer over the choice.


    However, Kim Tae-hoon did not even give them the opportunity to agonize over their choices anymore.


    "Those who do not like my offer will be survivors, and they survive on their own."


    At his words, no one was worried about the choice anymore.


    The first Clan in Korea, consisting of 26 people, including Kim Tae-hoon, was created that way.

 18 Episode 18 - Creation of a Clan, Part III

    Chapter 6. Creation of a Clan, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    Kim put a red gem in his mouth and swallowed it. His breath, after he swallowed it and breathed out, smelled of blood.


    Through the bloody smell, Kim Tae-hoon put in another red gem.


    "Whew¡­" Behind him, Bang Hyun-wook''s long sigh came out. "I can''t eat anymore¡­ I can''t eat."


    Following the sigh came a short speech. He was not really talking to himself.


    They were words spoken to let Kim Tae-hoon know.


    Kim Tae-hoon swallowed another red jewel, instead of answering. He was like a machine.


    Bang Hyun-wook, watching him, stuck his tongue out.


    ''You''re a great brother. I''ve hardly eaten thirty, and you''ve almost finished with more than eighty.''


    Bang Hyun-wook recollected what had just happened.


    After finishing the Mud Troll hunting, Kim Tae-hoon declared the creation of the clan on the spot and received applicants.


    Of course, the applicants were forced.


    There was not a single person who wanted to be thrown into a world full of monsters.


    After that, Kim Tae-hoon took the nearby church as a base camp and started collecting monster stones.


    The monster corpses were everywhere. It was hard to collect all the monster corpses in a short time.


    Also, the number of monsters still surviving on the base was not small in number, so only the monster corpses were collected.


    Nevertheless, the number of monster stones collected exceeded a hundred.


    Kim Tae-hoon ate most of the monster stones collected.


    It was a monopoly.


    No matter who looked at it, Kim Tae-hoon''s greed was beyond excessive, and they could not help but think that it was too much.


    Kim Tae-hoon knew that well.


    Gulp!


    A strong smell of blood rose from his gut. There was always some left on the stone after digging it out of the corpse of a Goblin. They hadn''t really bothered to clean them properly after collecting them.


    Kim Tae-hoon closed his mouth to endure his rising disgust. He looked around with his mouth clamped shut.


    Soldiers resting in the church ¡­ He felt the gaze of those who had become his subordinates now.


    When Kim Tae-hoon tried to meet their eyes, they hurriedly avoided his gaze.


    It was only a moment later when they exchanged glances. But it was not hard to read their gazes.


    ''They see me as a greedy monster.''


    He was sure that his men did not see him as a great leader who they could trust, follow, and respect.


    That was why he could be confident.


    Their new leader, in their eyes, was skilled, but a greedy dictator. It was normal to see it that way.


    So far, Kim Tae-hoon''s actions had been self-righteous, and right now Kim Tae-hoon was right to be greedy.


    ''This will be a risk someday, but¡­''


    The reason why Kim Tae-hoon was greedy, even though he knows it was disturbing, was because he was assessing the situation more realistically than anyone else.


    Gulp!


    ''I can''t help it, for now.''


    Kim Tae-hoon took the last jewel into his hand, and snapshot his hand with a smartphone camera.


    ------


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 60


    - Health: 42


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: E Rank


    - Mana: E Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Defense: E Rank


    - Mana Resistance: E Rank


    [Achieved abilities]


    - Black Skin (Grade 6)


    - The vitality of Troll (Grade 6): The power of the Mud Troll consumes Energy to increase recovery speed.


    ------


    He saw his Strength had exceeded 60 points and the ability, [Vitality of Troll] he had newly acquired.


    Kim Tae-hoon clenched his fist after confirming the data.


    ''This is great.''


    He knew, even without breaking anything, that his power was already beyond human.


    At least now, Kim Tae-hoon would be able to show enough power that he will not lose even if he fought the beasts with his body.


    This was the result of a monopoly!


    If Kim Tae-hoon had shared the monster stones according to a fair or very reasonable calculation like someone else, there would not have been such a result.


    Of course, it was not bad to distribute monster stones fairly and rationally. No one hates rationality. Most things must be treated reasonably, because what is not rational is eventually distorted, and one day it will collapse.


    The problem is that the situation in which he was in now was a state of insane reason.


    ''But it''s still a long way short.''


    Humanity now faced a new enemy called monsters, and Awakeners had appeared to deal with such monsters.


    Simply put, it meant that when the Awakeners hunted monsters, mankind could survive.


    Of course, the Awakeners must get rid of them.


    ''The Dragon¡­ This much power to deal with¡­''


    The dragon. A monster that scared all living creatures just by being present.


    If Kim Tae-hoon had not experienced the appearance of the dragon, he would have planned to build a balanced power rather than a monopoly.


    By collecting Awakeners and then improving the overall power, he would have created an efficient monster hunter group.


    The monster stones that were secured immediately would have been distributed under the concept of the right man in the right place.


    But now, if he ran such an efficient group, it might take more than ten years to build the power and capacity to kill the dragon.


    In the meanwhile, there is no guarantee that the dragon would remain silent.


    ''... at this level, it is not just not enough, but far from enough.''


    And there was no guarantee that there would be only one dragon, and there was no guarantee that there would not be a monster more terrible than the dragon.


    Therefore, what was needed in this situation was not an efficient solution.


    Something extreme was needed!


    Not hundreds or thousands of well-made arrows, but an extremely sharp spear was needed. It was necessary!


    The clan, founded by Kim Tae-hoon, was a tool for making such an extreme sharp spear.


    ''This amount is not enough.''


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon would take most of the monster stones the clan acquired!


    Naturally, if the army functioned properly, Kim Tae-hoon did not have to worry about this, nor would he have to do this.


    ''We can''t expect the help of the nation right now.''


    Kim Tae-hoon had completely abandoned any expectations from the military.


    ''If the Capital Defense Command has collapsed, most of the rear units will have collapsed, and only the front line will have survived the battle with the monsters, but it will be isolated. It will be hard to hold on for a month if they don''t get supplies.''


    We must abandon expectations and assume the worst. If the front line collapses in that situation¡­ It is the worst of all.


    ''... if the monsters that destroyed North Korea come down, and the moment the front line collapses, it will be actually on the edge of a cliff.''


    Kim Tae-hoon, who had assumed the worst of all, once again looked at the mark on his right hand, the Mark of an Awakener.


    ''The only way to survive on that cliff... is to climb the cliff.''


    There was something Kim Tae-hoon had realized as he came and went on a myriad of battlefields.


    There was nothing as meaningless as praying for something to reach out and save you.


    If someone wanted a hero of legend to appear and save the world, it was just like expecting a lottery win when not buying a ticket.


    ''If I want to live, I have to make a way to live!''


    So Kim Tae-hoon got up.


    "Attention."


    At the words of Kim Tae-hoon, the attention of those who had avoided his eyes focused on him.


    "We''ll clean up the monsters in the base in two hours. Our first destination is an arsenal. After securing the arsenal, we''ll finish supplying. The second is to sweep the rest of the monsters in the base. After eliminating the monsters, we will secure the monster stones from the monster corpses we have killed. Then we will take a rest."


    After completing the one-sided notice, Kim Tae-hoon looked at Ahn Sun-mi.


    "Ahn Sun-mi, how are the conditions of the injured?"


    Ahn Sun-mi, who was checking the wounds of the injured, replied with some disbelief, "There''s no problem moving them."


    Even while speaking, Ahn Sun-mi could not believe what she had seen.


    The fact was that men who had their flesh torn off, been hurt with injuries they''d have for the rest of their lives, and those who would be out of action for months... had been treated neatly by the monster''s flesh, making the medical arts she had learned by dedicating most of her life a minor skill.


    Of course, her thoughts were not considered by Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji, what about the key to the arsenal?"


    "I have it."


    "Are there any questions?" Kim Tae-hoon gave them the right to ask questions for the first time.


    No one raised their hand. They were soldiers.


    There are no questions for soldiers. There are only two things: orders, and action!


    If someone raised his hand and asked questions in this situation, he was not a soldier.


    "I have a question: what about our plans after we secure the arsenal, clean up the rest of the unit, and rest?"


    "There is nothing decided yet."


    "Why don''t we go to Bucheon Stadium?"


    "Why?"


    "There''s a museum there, and if there''s anything like the boss has said¡­ I can call you boss, right? Anyway, isn''t it very likely that the relics that the boss mentioned are there? For your information, there is also a bow museum!"


    Kim Tae-hoon studied the person who had asked the question.


    A small figure, a mouse-like appearance, the face of a man in his early or mid-twenties with a look to be wary of, rather than a favorable impression.


    "What''s your name?"


    "I''m Jang Sung-hoon, and I''m twenty-two now that the New Year has passed."


    His name was Jang Sung-hoon.


    "What did you do in society?"


    "Ah, I did a little this and that... but I did not have only one exact job¡­"


    "Tell me three things you did in society."


    "I have forged art, stolen goods, and smuggled them."


    His job was being a criminal!

 19 Episode 19 - Item Making, Part I

    Chapter 7. Item Making, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    "How about that? Is it worth it?"


    "Yes, this is enough for driving."


    "Okay."


    At the words of the driver of the dump truck, a soldier in the passenger''s seat pulled his head over the window and shouted. "No problem for driving!"


    There was Kim Su-ji, who the words were meant for. She immediately told the soldiers waiting,


    "Clean the cargo bed of the dump truck!"


    At her order, the soldiers climbed up the loading dock of the dump truck.


    ---


    In the meantime, in the other place, Ahn Sun-mi checked the condition of the wounded.


    "The reaction of the pupil of your eye is normal. Do you feel dizziness or vomiting?"


    "I''m fine."


    "What about the wound?"


    "It is itching a little."


    "Itchy... is it hard to bear?"


    "No, not that much."


    "He should have been crippled for life, even if he had the right surgery quickly. But his condition was treated in just one hour and the aftereffect is just itching... If this recovery effect is also effective in the internal organs ¡­ Wait a minute, if the effect of the Mud Troll and the treatment from a Glass of Therapy are overlapped, wouldn''t it be possible to expect an even higher recovery? I''ll have to study this, as soon as the conditions are met."


    The injured were in excellent condition. The flesh effect of the Mud Troll was so effective that it left her speechless.


    ---


    Bang Hyun-wook was shoveling against the body of the Mud Troll, which was only seen as a heap of mud.


    It was not an easy task. The Mud Troll''s flesh was much heavier than ordinary soil, and it was thick enough to remind him of a mudflat. It was not easy to put the shovel in the mud without using great force, and it was also not easy to dig out. Already the average soldiers shoveling were injured from a slight twist of the wrist.


    So it became Bang Hyun-wook''s job. After Kim Tae-hoon, Bang Hyun-wook was the one with the highest level of Strength.


    "Oh, God, look at that shoveling."


    "It''s amazing."


    "If a quartermaster saw that shoveling, he would be startled. He could dig the whole mountain out."


    Such shovel work from Bang Hyun-wook was technically excellent, apart from his power. Even the soldiers who were veterans at shoveling looked at him with surprise.


    ''I didn''t know I would be shoveling here to make the mound.''


    However, Bang Hyun-wook''s feeling at his shoveling was not so good.


    He was not unaware of the importance of shoveling; the Mud Troll''s flesh was literally life in situations where there was no right medical service at the moment.


    But it was a completely different story when things were important and were worthwhile to do.


    So Bang Hyun-wook shoveled.


    Vitality began to bloom in the military base, where there was thought to be only death, despair, and nightmares.


    ----------


    Kim Tae-hoon was savoring the coffee he had used with the coffee dripper. In front of him was Jang Sung-hoon, sipping coffee in a paper cup.


    "Oh, it smells good. Is it from Colombia?"


    At the words of Jang Sung-hoon, Kim Tae-hoon looked at him gently as he savored his coffee.


    "Or Ethiopia? You have a good talent for coffee. You look like a barista."


    Kim Tae-hoon still had coffee in his mouth. Jang Sung-hoon swallowed what he was about to say.


    Kim Tae-hoon swallowed the coffee that he had been drinking, before asking, "What do you want?"


    There was an awkward smile on Jang Sung-hoon''s lips.


    "Haha¡­ you''re not a normal person either."


    At those words, Kim Tae-hoon drank coffee instead of answering again.


    It was a signal.


    As he savored the coffee, he would keep his mouth shut, signaling that the other should say what he wanted to say.


    A signal to imagine what will happen if he says something wrong. Jang Sung-hoon did not make any more ass-kissing noises about Kim Tae-hoon.


    "First, the reason why I talked about my criminal record is that what I have to say is related to it."


    Jang Sung-hoon had told him that there was a museum in the nearby Bucheon Stadium.


    So far, there was no problem. Anyone could have told him that. The information that there was a museum there was not strictly confidential.


    However, after that, Jang Sung-hoon revealed that he was a criminal and had a criminal career.


    That was a problem.


    Even if society had broken down, it is not good to confess to a crime. Moreover, Jang Sung-hoon''s was likely not to have confessed sins already punished.


    He was twenty-two years old.


    If he had done all the art forging, stolen goods, and smuggling, and been punished for it, he would have been in and out of prison once or twice. If he had spent a long time in prison, he wouldn''t be in the army.


    His colleagues didn''t know he was a criminal!


    When Jang Sung-hoon confessed, the reactions of his colleagues could be inferred easily.


    In other words, he had made his first confession!


    So why did he do it? Why did he reveal at this moment that he was a criminal had not been caught?


    "I think a lot of people know the location of the museum. Frankly, that isn''t very helpful. But you know what? I know a few rich people who know where and how to smuggle, donate counterfeit goods and keep their genuine works, or keep their art for investing and bribery."


    The reason was simple. If a criminal spits it out, he has information that is reliable!


    "There are two things I want. One is life. If you think I''m useful, the boss will protect me before anyone else. For your protection, I have a lot of good information."


    Instead of answering, Kim Tae-hoon exhaled. The aroma of strong coffee came out.


    "The second reason is that I want to take a share."


    While savoring the scent, he watched Jang Sung-hoon''s eyes as the man continued to speak.


    A fierce beast''s eyes, which did not match the appearance of the mouse, showed the glitter of the eyes of an eagle.


    "I won''t hide it. Now that society has become a mess, it will eventually create a new society. After the Korean War, the world improved in the end. Instead, a new order will be established. You said ''hunter''? Perhaps the hunter will be the power of the new order."


    While speaking, Jang Sung-hoon tapped on his right hand with his left index finger.


    "But unfortunately, I can''t be a hunter. And I don''t think I can be a great hunter like the boss, if possible. So I have to stick to you. I can be a fox... if I am stuck on the back of a tiger."


    He could hear Kim Tae-hoon swallowing.


    "My first priority is survival. It is my first priority to eat monster stones and build up my strength and to increase the power of the army that can not do the job I do. I do not intend to take my share right away."


    At his words, Jung Sung-hoon swallowed.


    ''Shit, is he really doing this to save the world? Is he going to be a warrior of justice?''


    He thought that he had uselessly exposed his personal greed and touched the other person''s wrath.


    Kim Tae-hoon was thinking about whether humans really wanted to become heroes of justice, who acted out of the desire to save the world.


    "So if you want to get your share, take it yourself. Don''t think I''ll take care of it," Kim Tae-hoon answered shortly.


    "Hooooooo¡­" Jang Sung-hoon gave a long sigh instead of an answer.


    Kim Su-ji came in. "We''ve completed the remodeling of the dump truck!"


    "We''ll start the operation in half an hour!"


    With that word, Kim Tae-hoon took something out of the bag next to him, which contained coffee, a portable pot, and coffee drawer.


    "Before then, we''ll take a rest. Divide and smoke."


    It was nothing other than a carton of cigarettes.


    2.


    The 1121 unit was a monster den, and there were so many monsters that it was not an exaggeration to say that.


    Most of them were brown Goblins.


    Those were so strong that they couldn''t be compared with Goblins with green skin. They had aggressiveness and the will to fight, and it was more difficult to deal with them than ordinary Goblins.


    Unless the heart and head were destroyed, soldiers had to consume dozens of shots to kill the monsters which were rushing into their bullets.


    Kim Tae-hoon knew the fact well, so he brought it along.


    A dump truck, a giant monster!


    Of course, it was not simply to break the Mud Troll that he brought the dump truck.


    Making the dump truck''s back end into a mobile shooting board was the decisive reason why Kim Tae-hoon brought a dump truck.


    The presence of the dump truck was really absolute.


    The brown Goblins'' aggressive behavior towards the running dump truck had not diminished at all, but the battle was totally different from when there were no dump trucks.


    The clinging brown Goblins fell so helplessly that the madness of the past was erased.


    Also, there was a completely different sense of stability for a soldier who pulled the trigger from the back end made of steel on the dump truck.


    "Take your time and shoot it right! Save your ammunition!"


    "Yes!"


    The overwhelming tactical advantage made it possible. The psychological stability of that advantage had increased the accuracy of the soldiers to an unmatched level.


    The soldiers who pulled the trigger decisively, now Kim Tae-hoon''s soldiers, were full of wrath to vent.


    "I''ll kill you, you bastards!"


    "Let''s dry the seeds!"


    The body of the brown Goblins piled up on the roads the dump truck ran past, victims of righteous anger.


    However, there was no Kim Tae-hoon and Bang Hyun-wook in the scene.


    3.


    Tututu!


    Kim Tae-hoon and Bang Hyun-wook were moving far away from the place where the shooting sounded faintly. They were alert and careful


    They could see the brown Goblins running toward the dump truck and the commotion it was causing.


    "They''re not just moving randomly, as big brother said," Bang murmured to himself.


    It was clear that there was a purpose in the actions of those who moved toward the dump truck, exactly as if they were ordered. It was a completely different movement from the monsters that had focused on visible targets so far.


    It was why Kim Tae-hoon and Bang Hyun-wook moved separately.


    ''There''s something behind them, as big brother said. It''s great. How does he know this?''


    Kim Tae-hoon immediately had a hunch when he saw a system in the fight with the brown Goblins.


    That there is a leader.


    If there was a system in the fighting, it meant that there was something to give orders and command.


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon was looking for the leader, tracking back the brown Goblins running towards the dump truck.


    "Stop."


    He found the Goblin pack outside the base.


    "About 400 meters ahead."


    "... yeah, I see it."


    The view was dim, but there was no shortage of weirdness at the sight.


    Carcia Shausnia!


    A tall, six-foot-tall, horned brown Goblin with orange eyes, was exhaling like a magic spell. Red breath flowed out of the Goblin''s mouth in serpentine streams, and it was sucked into the mouths of the Goblins around it.


    The eyes of the brown Goblin who had inhaled the red breath went wild, and they immediately began to run in the direction of the dump truck.


    ''Now I''ve seen all kinds of things, damn it ...''


    Bang Hyun-wook, who looked at the scene, swallowed without knowing it.


    "Even big brother can''t kill it."


    Strange as it was, it seemed impossible to say that even Kim Tae-hoon would be able to deal with such a large group with only the two of them.


    Even with a gun, it seemed impossible to hit an enemy more than four hundred meters away with an automatic rifle, not a sniper rifle. Even if it were hit, it would just be a warning informing it of the location of the two of them.


    It seemed wise to come back with those who he was in charge of, after retreating safely.


    However, Kim Tae-hoon''s choice was different.


    Bang!


    A sudden shot.


    "Uhhh!"


    Kim Tae-hoon said to Bang Hyun-wook, who was startled by the gunshot, "Let''s go back."


    In the eyes of Bang Hyun-wook, there was no more sign of a Goblin with horns doing strange things. He could only see a pack of Goblins who seemed to be confused...

 20 Episode 20 - Item Making, Part II

    Chapter 7. Item Making, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    Kim Tae-hoon was looking at the pictures on his smartphone.


    ------


    [Hobgoblin''s Crystal]


    - The skill of Mana increases when ingested.


    - The skill of Mana Resistance increases when ingested.


    - The power of a Hobgoblin [Hobgoblin''s Sense] can be acquired when ingested.


    ------


    Kim Tae-hoon''s fingers flicked through the picture.


    ------


    [Hobgoblin''s Horn]


    - The horn of Hobgoblin has a mysterious power. Some of the effects of that power are exercised when ingested.


    ------


    He flipped the picture again.


    ------


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 69


    - Health: 45


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: E rank


    - Mana: E+ Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Defense: E Rank


    - Mana Resistance: E+ rank


    [Achieved abilities]


    - Black Skin (Grade 6)


    - The vitality of Troll (Grade 6)


    - Hobgoblin''s Sense (Grade 6): You can sense and understand the presence of a stronger enemy than yourself earlier and more accurately.]


    ------


    Kim Tae-hoon took his eyes off his smartphone when he got to the picture with the mark of his right hand.


    Kim Tae-hoon looked up.


    He saw a fairly wide training ground, the bodies of the monsters all over the ground, soldiers atop the corpses and practicing the dissection of corpses to get the hearts out, and soldiers who had already come out of the area and smoking with bloody hands.


    He listened to them talking.


    "Huh, I didn''t know I''d dissect monsters in my life. My hands are still shaking."


    "So are mine."


    "Shit, but this damn hard work makes the cigarette taste excellent, excellent."


    The faces of the soldiers spitting out cigarette smoke were fatigued.


    "It has been a really long damn day."


    "Has it been a day?"


    "I think the clock is wrong."


    "I can''t believe it''s January 1st. It seems that it''s been about ten years."


    It was a day of eternity.


    ---


    The traces were also on Kim Tae-hoon''s face.


    ''A day has passed.''


    Kim Tae-hoon could not easily believe that the year he looked up and was prepared to fall was the New Year, 2017.


    A long sigh came from his mouth. White breath steamed in front of him.


    Memories of the past began to grow dim after hard work and proper rest for more than 24 hours.


    The faces of many people came to his mind. Now the faces could only be seen in memory. At the same time, his expression hardened.


    A woman approached Kim Tae-hoon.


    "We''ve divided and loaded the weapons into the dump truck, two military trucks, and four SUVs."


    It was Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji.


    "Well done." He was sitting on a crudely-made wooden bench and gave a short answer to Kim Soo-ji''s words. He did not turn his gaze to her.


    Kim Soo-ji looked down at him silently without turning around. Kim Tae-hoon finally spoke up.


    "If you have something to say, say it."


    "May I know what your rank is?"


    "It''s Major."


    "Ah."


    Kim Soo-ji nodded, unsurprised at his words.


    Major¡­ She didn''t know his age.


    However, Kim Tae-hoon did not look very old, around the early thirties, so she was surprised.


    The rank of major in the Korean army is that of a soldier who takes an elite course within the shortest period of time possible.


    Moreover, it is the best elite course ever, where he has been promoted without a single stop. If someone took such an elite course, his name would be known early in the military.


    She bet if Kim Tae-hoon did normal activities as an officer, he would never have become a major.


    In other words, all the activities Kim Tae-hoon had done so far are not normal.


    "Excuse me, can you tell me who you served under?"


    "I served under Major General Chang Young-sung, and it''s meaningless to ask further."


    "What do you mean, it''s meaningless?"


    "There will be no official documents to find and read. No matter what I say, there is no evidence to prove I exist."


    "I don''t care about the evidence."


    When Kim Soo-ji kept pressing, Kim Tae-hoon raised his head and looked at her. He could see her eyes were determined.


    ''I do not think that Brigadier General Kim Jae-ryong would tell a good story about Major General Jang Young-sung.''


    Her grandfather, Brigadier General Kim Jae-ryong, would know full well the role of Major General Chang Young-sung.


    That''s why he must have warned his granddaughter, "Don''t get involved with major general Chang Young-sung in any way."


    Nevertheless, she asked the questions. It meant that she was fully prepared.


    Kim Soo-ji was a model of a woman soldier who thought it was a sin to ask questions to her boss.


    Therefore, Kim Tae-hoon told her about his affiliation. "A secret unit created to assassinate or destroy the factors or groups that threaten the nation. The unit that doesn''t even have a name is my affiliation."


    And that brief explanation was enough to guess what Kim Tae-hoon has been doing as a soldier.


    At the same time, she could fully guess that Kim Tae-hoon was a member of such a secret special unit and had a rank that did not fit his age. It was evidence of his outstanding activities beyond active duty.


    In addition, Kim Soo-ji could understand the meaning of the warning that her grandfather gave.


    "Thank you for telling me."


    He closed his eyes without answering.


    When he closed his eyes, he remembered the faces that had just come up with, the faces he could only remember now. They spoke to him.


    ''You must survive, at least you must survive, the boss should survive, and at least you will survive...''


    Kim Tae-hoon swallowed a bitter smile at the words.


    ''I didn''t become a soldier to survive, but from a certain moment surviving became my sole purpose.''


    Kim Tae-hoon talked, swallowing a bitter smile.


    "Is that the end of the questions?"


    Kim Soo-ji seemed to think this was an opportunity, and immediately asked another question. "Why did you organize a private organization called a clan? You could act in the name of the army."


    "If I work in the name of the army, I cannot go hunting monsters without ignoring the people and the nation. Of course, if I look at what the ROK military has done in the meantime, it will not be a big flaw if I go kill monsters in the name of the military."


    Kim Tae-hoon did not add that as he violated the spirit of the military to live, he could call it a real desire to keep living. Even if he did not add that, the meaning would be enough.


    "Boss." An uninvited guest appeared.


    Jang Sung-hoon appeared, and Kim Soo-ji looked at him with a sullen expression.


    The sudden appearance of an uninvited guest, and the title Jang Sung-hoon used for Kim Tae-hoon, seemed to be unsatisfactory to her.


    "Can I make a suggestion?" Jang Sung-hoon asked directly, without paying much attention to Kim Soo-ji.


    "Can I use the monster skin to make a guard?"


    Kim Tae-hoon managed to look surprised.


    "I didn''t think of it. I was just talking to the other soldiers. The world has changed like a game, and I have been told that we can make items from monsters.


    "In the game, we make items with monsters, so we wondered if it would work in reality. We want to try making a protector with monster skin."


    It was a ridiculous idea.


    "No, what is it¡­" Kim Soo-ji tried to spit out a denial reflexively because it was so ridiculous.


    But Kim Tae-hoon''s thoughts were different.


    ''The Black Orc''s skin was very tough and strong.''


    The strength of monsters was not the same as the strength of the beasts that humanity had already met. Their skin was strong enough to hold stop bullets.


    That was why it was meaningful.


    Even if we look at human history, it was a serious idea. Humanity was weak, and its weakness had been reinforced by the strong parts of other animals.


    With the poison of poisonous creatures, the skin of beasts with tough hides, and the ivory of fierce beasts with sharp teeth, they made tools and weapons, and they eventually survived.


    It was not strange that the source was changed to a monster, but it is natural that mankind must choose to survive.


    "What tools do you need?"


    "To be honest, we can''t make even a pair of clumsy shoes with the tools we have now."


    "So..."


    "But there''s an Ojung-dong industrial complex right in front of the base, and if we have the materials, we could build a nuclear bomb. We can get there on foot in about twenty minutes from the base."


    The tools were enough.


    "What about a craftsman?" All that remained were the craftsmen.


    "Is there anyone with gold spoons in the army who don''t have oil on their hands and who only spend all their money? The army is for the people who come to work hard and have oil on their hands. It would be strange if there were no craftsmen from the factory, and if not, there would be survivors in the industrial complex, and they will be able to help us."


    Kim Tae-hoon stood up, nodding his head.


    ''I guess it''s not yet time for bed...''


    5.


    Making clothes using animal skin was not something they could do overnight.


    The skinning process required highly skilled techniques and sophisticated tools, and a considerable amount of time, as well as the equivalent of technology and medicine, to dry the skin even after it was peeled off.


    Of course, it was impossible to make a protector with the monster skin in a short time.


    Kim Tae-hoon also did not intend to leave the base immediately.


    It was necessary to move together, and above all, the armor made with Goblin skin was not proven to be urgently needed.


    They need to assess the utility value of Goblin skin.


    ---


    Pook! Pook!


    "How about that?"


    "Where there are about three layers, a knife doesn''t get through."


    "Three overlapping sheets would be fairly thick, and I don''t think that''s going to get a Goblin tooth on it."


    "But if we overlap three sheets, we can''t move because it''s too heavy."


    "Our main weapon is a gun, isn''t it? Wouldn''t it be all right if we could aim?"


    "Honestly, this is better than a bulletproof suit. Anyway, the monsters won''t shoot."


    Kim Tae-hoon tested those things with his soldiers: how tough the crudely peeled Goblin skin was, and how much unprocessed Goblin skin was needed for armor.


    In the meantime, it was none other than Ahn Sun-mi who made a valid item.


    "It''s a medicine pill that combines the horn of the Hobgoblin, the flesh of the Mud Troll, and therapy water made by a Glass of Therapy."


    Ahn Sun-mi showed off a pill of bottle cap size and took a picture of it with a smartphone camera.


    [Effect]


    - Resistance to fear increases slightly.


    - Recovery ability is slightly increased.


    - Concentration is slightly improved during battle.


    - Pain decreases slightly.


    - Health is consumed quickly.


    Ahn Sun-mi made an item using the materials from monsters Kim Tae-hoon''s clan had acquired so far.


    What a useful item!


    ''It''s better than I thought.''


    When dealing with monsters, guns were a very powerful weapon.


    With a well-armed single platoon, they could handle a hundred monsters, if they were trained and commanded well.


    The problem is that when monsters such as Black Orc and Mud Troll appeared, they caused fear when they screamed.


    Even Awakeners stiffened up as soon as they were exposed to the fear.


    This fear was not something which could be mentally resisted. The energy rank was important. If the energy rank was high, the fear could be ignored, endured, or recovered from quickly.


    Therefore, no matter how large an army was organized, if the average person had a low energy rank, or did not have such a thing, they''d be taken out instantly. It was one of the biggest reasons why Kim Tae-hoon was wary of the monsters.


    In such a situation, the pills made by Ahn Sun-mi were light and salt!


    What if this pill gave Awakeners and the average person tolerance, resistance, and recovery against the fear?


    ''It depends on the effectiveness, but the tactics and firepower available would be greatly increased if the average soldiers or the low-ranking Awakeners could resist the fear.''


    Of course, for a more powerful medicinal effect, a more powerful monster had to be caught, and clinical trials required confirming the effect according to the dose, and whether there were any side effects.


    It is clear that Ahn Sun-mi had done a great deal of work.


    "You''ve made a new medicine, you name it."


    "Yes?"


    "We''ll have to make a lot of similar things in the future, and we''ll need names to sort them out."


    "I know, well¡­ but I''m a doctor."


    The answer to such a proposal came from the mouth of another person. "I''d call it Sun-mi Dan after your name, and it''s intuitive and good, isn''t it?"


    "Do you want to die?" Ahn Sun-mi looked at Bang Hyun-wook, who was talking bullshit.


    Bang Hyun-wook turned his attention to Kim Tae-hoon to avoid her eerie gaze.


    "Big brother, wouldn''t it be better for us to name our clan than the name of this medicine now? Or do you have a name already?"


    At the question, Kim Tae-hoon rubbed his chin.


    He didn''t think about that part. What Kim Tae-hoon needed was not the name of the clan, but rather the clothes he should wear, instead of an army uniform.


    But as Bang Hyun-wook said, he could not just say "clan" without a name.


    A name was very important for any force!


    "I have a good name because I learned some Chinese characters, and the light illuminates the road, Road Light, how about it?"


    "It''s a bit weird." Ahn Sun-mi shot it down immediately.


    "So, sister, do you have a good name?"


    "Just naming a cigarette would be better than that crap."


    "Marlboro Clan?"


    Ahn Sun-mi turned her head as if she did not even want to deal with Bang Hyun-wook anymore. The two were apparently quarreling brothers and sisters.


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon also ignored Bang Hyun-wook''s words. At least, it was clear that Bang Hyun-wook''s suggestions would never help name the clan.


    In the end, Kim Tae-hoon asked for help from someone with the most literary and archaeological knowledge in the clan.


    "Clan''s name? I''ve forged someone else''s name, but it''s the first time I named a clan. Wouldn''t it be bad luck for a human who has forged art to make a name for a clan?" Jang Sung-hoon laughed at Kim Tae-hoon''s request. "So, what do you want?"


    "Which one is better?"


    "Normally, these battle groups are named after a mythical animal. Three-legged Crow, Hatch, Mac, and even the Four Mythical Animals are childish but surprisingly fine. I like the Vermillion Bird, the Vermillion Bird!"


    "What are its characteristics?"


    "When you''re naming, it''s best to remember and say it easily, because it''s all about meaning."


    At his words, Kim Tae-hoon picked a word that didn''t worry him. "Mac."


    The word he chose was Mac.


    "What is the characteristics of Mac, a mythical animal?"


    "It''s different from country to country, but it''s usually known as a mythical animal which eats nightmares. Mac clan, that''s not bad. So where is the next destination of our Mac clan? Are we going to the industrial complex, or¡­?"


    "We''re going to Bucheon Stadium tomorrow morning."


    The next destination of the Mac clan was Bucheon Stadium, where the bow museum was located!

 21 Episode 21 - The Second Relic, Part I

    Chapter 8. The Second Relic, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    A car that had been blocking the road fell into the ditch by the road with a crash of metal. Its nose crumpled loudly. If the owner had seen it, he would have been mortified.


    "I can''t believe that there are so many cars in the small country. Oh, God!" The person doing this was angry rather than reflective.


    What was more surprising was that the cars he had not knocked down the side of the road were not one or two.


    Hundreds of cars were being sent into the ditches, some cars slamming into one another quite loudly.


    Bang Hyun-wook turned his head, looked at what he had done and wiped the sweat off his forehead.


    Jang Sung-hoon, who had just sent a car into the ditch, said to him, "You''re very strong."


    "It thanks to jewels of Strength and Energy. If I made my professional debut right now, I would hit a hundred home runs."


    "Yes, I really hope you make your professional debut. If the car owners here later see you in the black boxes and claim damages, you''ll either file for bankruptcy or go to the Major League and hit the jackpot."


    "Please, I hope that a world like that will come back."


    "I agree." Jang Sung-hoon once again looked at the crowd of cars on the road with his words. ''I''ve done all sorts of bad things to get one of these ... and now they are like garbage.'', he mused to himself


    Among them, there was one expensive enough to whistle at the moment Jang Sung-hoon saw it.


    "Uh? Boss? Boss!" Jang Sung-hoon shouted at Kim Tae-hoon, who was marking a car to push off onto the side of the road ahead of them.


    "Boss, that''s a Cayenne! A Porsche Cayenne!"


    He saw Kim Tae-hoon trying to mark an X-shape with a red oil pen on the back glass of Cayenne, an SUV made by Porsche.


    "It''s worth at least a hundred thousand dollars!"


    For reference, the price of a new Porsche Cayenne was a hundred thousand dollars without any option. Adding options, it could be worth up to twice that.


    At least it was a too much valuable car to put in the ditch, and at the same time, Porsche was a car-maker that could make the man''s heartburn.


    Of course, that was Jang Sung-hoon.


    Kim Tae-hoon did not even look up at the cry, and immediately pushed the back of the car lightly. Confirming it was in neutral, he immediately looked at the back of the car.


    He painted it in his mind. A picture of a huge intangible wall pushing the car away. A picture of a car moving slowly toward the ditch.


    The image in his mind became a reality. The car moved on its own and started to go down the ditch.


    The expensive car went down into the ditch and slammed into the back of another car already there.


    Bang!


    Watching the car like he was losing a lover, Jang Sung-hoon spat out a sigh. "If I could just drive that thing once¡­"


    "Tae-hoon brother is the one who beat an Orc with a Mercedes when he caught it, so it''s nothing."


    "There''s a difference between Mercedes and Porsche!"


    "Different? Aren''t their prices similar?"


    "It''s not the price, but the romance! The romance!"


    Kim Tae-hoon shot a look at the two of them.


    ''Huck!''


    ''Oh, my God ¡­''


    Jang Sung-hoon and Bang Hyun-wook became dumb. The meaning was clear - Shut Up and Get Back To Work.


    After seeing they had shut up, the gaze moved past them.


    He saw the road they had come up was like a graveyard of cars, the dump truck that was slowly moving up the road, and the cars that followed it were like ducklings chasing the mother duck.


    He could also see the soldiers filling the scene.


    "Hey, watch out, watch out!"


    "I''m sorry."


    "Move the dead body carefully, and even if you can''t do a funeral, you have to use at least a little courtesy."


    "I understand."


    "It''s a happy thing to deal with the dead, it''s proof that you lived."


    Some of the soldiers were working on moving the dead bodies to the side of the road and covering their faces with jumpers.


    "Monster stone collection is finished."


    "Ten quotas is finished. Can I have a cigarette?"


    "Yes, I''ve filled ten. Let''s smoke together."


    The other soldiers were working on finding the monster bodies and then grabbing the monster stones by cracking their chests open.


    There was a puff of smoke between the jobs.


    Kim Tae-hoon sighed briefly as he watched the scene.


    "I''m glad there''s less noise than I thought..."


    ------


    January 2nd.


    At the end of the day, which was like an eternity, Kim Tae-hoon and his newly-minted men if the Mac Clan, left the 1121 unit at the moment the sun rose and began marching toward the Bucheon Stadium.


    The march was not so long.


    The distance was about five kilometers, and even if you walked, it was only an hour to reach it.


    However, the Mac Clan, who had left the unit at 7 AM, arrived at the Bucheon Stadium Station near Bucheon Stadium at 2 PM, just past the middle of the day.


    They had to arrange the roads so that the vehicles carrying the weapons could move, including the dump trucks carrying the weapons.


    There were few monster raids. It was a task that took a lot of time.


    Getting rid of the cars which had lost their owners filling the streets by shoving them to the side also a took a lot of time, and it was not an easy job to deal with cars that were tangled up by traffic accidents if they didn''t have Kim Tae-hoon and Bang Hyun-wook.


    But it was a task that had to be done.


    ''Anyway, we have secured a road that links the Stadium Station with the military base.''


    Now the dump truck wasn''t just a truck, but an arsenal with a lot of weapons, and a powerful weapon that allowed them to gain the height advantage in the battle with monsters.


    Securing a road for such a dump truck to move was now the most important thing for the Mac Clan.


    Moreover, the road was supposed to be used as a way out at an emergency moment, so organizing the road stupidly was just like dealing with their lives stupidly.


    ''Living in an apartment or a building is dangerous. If we decide where to live, we''d better go to a military base or Bucheon Stadium...''


    It was also important to dispose of the bodies of the dead. The place where a body sleeps becomes a tomb, but the place where it is scattered becomes hell.


    The difference was huge.


    Organized bodies would be a sign of order still remaining in a world that seemed to be nearing the end.


    ''Uh? There, there!''


    "What is it? What happened? Ah!"


    "The smoke is thick over there. It looks like there''s a fire?"


    "Isn''t that a general fire, with that much smoke? It''s an apartment complex over there, isn''t it?"


    Everyone''s eyes turned to the smoke of the distant apartment complex. Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes also turned.


    ''Now this is the beginning.''


    That performance that everyone is looking at is why we need a trace of order.


    The cause of the smoke was obvious.


    Smoke would not be generated without fire in the chimney, so there is no smoke without fire, isn''t there?


    It was a fire.


    The cause of the fire was obvious.


    "What happened to the fire?"


    Currently, the temperature was minus ten degrees Celsius, but the wind was blowing, rather than the temperature is rising.


    In this cold winter, no electricity or gas was being supplied.


    In the end, we will have to use the old-fashioned methods that mankind used to endure in the cold.


    "I''m sure they set a fire to melt themselves, and if there were no fire in this weather, they''d freeze to death."


    Of course, they would have set a fire.


    Naturally, if they had had common sense, they would have come out of the building and brought out something like a drum, or a large-scale cooking oil, and put some firewood into the fire.


    But some of them, without common sense, would have been burning in their house using portable gas burners and portable butane heaters, and this was not a world that rewarded a lack of common sense.


    The problem is that there were no firefighters to dispatch even if they called 911.


    "Maybe we just have to wait until the fire goes out unless it rains. But it won''t rain in this weather. If it rains, it would be even more astonishing."


    "What happens when the apartment complex is on fire and spreads around?"


    "Well ..."


    The world that people had built was as easy to burn as matchboxes.


    "I don''t know what will happen, but I''m sure there''s no way to do anything."


    "It''s creepy."


    In fact, this applied not to just monster attacks, but also disasters such as earthquakes.


    Experts say that when a disaster like a major earthquake occurs, there would often be more deaths from secondary disasters such as fires in the infrastructure that had collapsed, than the deaths caused by the disaster.


    ''The real trouble is now beginning.''


    It would be monsters, not people, who would be most excited in such confusion.


    ''Hmm...'' At that moment, Kim Tae-hoon''s head went back.


    To his eyes, this was a desolate road filled with vehicles.


    But his other senses said that the desolation was false. The Sense of the Hobgoblin told Kim Tae-hoon that there was a strong being near him.


    "Prepare for battle!" Kim Tae-hoon shouted.


    Ohwwww!


    After Kim Tae-hoon''s cry, an eerie howling that made their legs tremble echoed around them!

 22 Episode 22 - The Second Relic, Part II

    Chapter 8. The Second Relic, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    2.


    A-wooooooo!


    A Werewolf, with gray hair, a huge physique over two meters tall, howled at the sky.


    It sounded like a typhoon.


    It was not a simple sound. At the same time, it was not the sound of a wolf being lonely.


    Howling was also an order, a wolf''s cry for his pack.


    Awww! Aooo!


    Of course, the howling of wolves followed the call of the Werewolf. They saw them coming; they were wolves running on four feet, unlike the Werewolf.


    Of course, it was nothing like a wild wolf.


    Excluding the tail, they were two meters long, gray-furred¡­ but they had huge heads, red eyes, and a pair of massive fangs, like a sabretooth tiger!


    A Sabretooth Wolf!


    As soon as the Werewolf''s howl exploded out, about twenty sabretooth wolves, who had been quietly approaching their prey, began to race down the road full of cars.


    At the end of the rush, there was a dump truck.


    Of course, the dump truck was not the target.


    The purpose of the rushing wolves was the soldiers of Mac Clan, who lifted their heads with guns in the back of the dump truck.


    The soldiers'' purpose was also the sabretooth wolves.


    "Start firing!"


    The battle began with the order of Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji to start firing.


    The first attack was from the gunmen; they naturally had range. The shots rampaged through the bodies of the charging wolves.


    A painful cry came from the mouths of the wolves hit by the gunshots.


    But that was all. The shooting did not stop them at all.


    It was not a lack of gun power.


    "Goddamn it, damn it, damn it!"


    ''My hands, stop trembling, please stop!''


    The reason was that the hands of the soldiers pulling the triggers were shaking like people with palsy.


    The reason for the tremor was, of course, the howling of the Werewolf.


    The typhoon-like cry was strength and wings for the sabretooth wolves, and a handcuff and shackle for enemies facing the fear.


    If it was not for the pills made by Ahn Sun-mi, it would not have been easy to pull the trigger if they had not taken the pill in advance.


    Ting ting ting!


    Ting ting ting!


    "The fucking cars!"


    "What the fuck!"


    The cars, which filled the road here, also earned curses from the soldiers. Even Kim Tae-hoon could not hit the moving wolves with his trembling hands as they ran between the cars.


    Four sabretooth wolves approached the dump truck and were not going to stop. They were going to jump on it and throw themselves into the back of it.


    Kim Soo-ji''s order prevented their expectations.


    "Explode! Explode!" Two short words.


    At her shout, the hundreds of beads from the installed claymore blew out.


    In front of the inhumane weapon, the sabretooth wolves had no choice but to whimper.


    Even that was the last sound, for the sabretooth wolves with holes all over them didn''t even have time to breathe again before they died.


    Awwww!


    The Werewolf, who had seen the sight, once again started howling.


    The howling was stronger, more intense, and angrier than before.


    AOOO!


    At the howling, the sabretooth wolves also lifted their muzzles and began to howl, too!


    A bizarre force began to swirl around the battlefield. It was not a vague feeling.


    It was like casting a spell!


    Just like a memorized spell becomes magic!


    That bizarre power was in the eyes of the sabretooth wolves, and they began to inflate their power and fury.


    At that moment the Werewolf''s howling suddenly stopped.


    ¡­ Ooooop!


    Oop! Oop!


    The Werewolf tried to continue the howling, but its mouth did not open. It was just like someone had chained the Werewolf''s mouth shut.


    Oop! Oop!


    The situation had to be very confusing from the point of view of the Werewolf.


    A water balloon flew toward the Werewolf, a precise parabola, and hit the eyeballs of the Werewolf exactly. It exploded without mercy and doused it with black liquid.


    Ooop!


    After the liquid hit, the Werewolf closed its eyes tightly and began to struggle painfully.


    It was a natural response.


    It would have been strange if it didn''t try to escape or struggle from the pain. The liquid, which was mixed with poisons such as gasoline, pesticides, and agricultural chemicals, various kinds of perfumes to give a bad smell, and plenty of red pepper powder, had gotten into its eyes and nose.


    "Yes!" Bang Hyun-wook, who had thrown the water bomb so precisely, shouted with his fist clenched at the fact.


    "That is the pitching of Bang Hyun-wook, the third starter of Bucheon High School! I''m a pitcher who won a complete game in the Phoenix League! The complete game in the Phoenix League! Eleven strikeouts! Kershaw of Bucheon High School!"


    At his cry, the Werewolf turned toward him, rubbing its eyes.


    At that moment, the force pressing on the Werewolf''s mouth disappeared. Its mouth opened as if it were ripping apart.


    Through its mouth, all the anger it had seeped out.


    Kuhuhuhng!


    Kim Tae-hoon appeared at that moment, while Bang Hyun-wook grabbed the iron stick in his hand like a baseball bat at the Werewolf''s cry.


    Kim Tae-hoon had moved behind the Werewolf while it was looking at Bang Hyun-wook, and now shot calmly.


    Bullets drove into its backside


    One hundred percent accuracy. Of the seven shots, not a single bullet missed its body.


    However, the Werewolf did not fall. Even though it was shot in the head, it didn''t fall to its knees or even make a noise.


    ''It''s tough.'' It was evidence of tough skin, strong and thick bones, and crazy vitality. ''The Werewolf''s skin will be useful.''


    Of course, it was not a special consideration for Kim Tae-hoon.


    The scary thing about the gun is that the countdown started as soon as it was hit.


    When the bleeding begins, and the joints and muscles are damaged, they do not move properly.


    Moreover, the senses of the Werewolf were not normal now.


    The chemical weapons made by Kim Tae-hoon were more effective than the use of trivial materials.


    So Kim Tae-hoon was more relaxed and shot a bullet more accurately into the body of the Werewolf. His telekinesis also interfered with its movements.


    In the eyes of Kim Tae-hoon, the Werewolf, seen beyond the barber of a gun attached to the body, was no different from a scarecrow whose arms and legs were tied to a huge chain.


    ''Ah.'' At that moment, Kim Tae-hoon''s Sense issued a warning.


    Feeling the tingle, Kim Tae-hoon turned his gaze to the left and saw a Sabretooth Wolf flying at him like it had springs, with its huge jaws open and oversize fangs spread wide.


    It seemed impossible for Kim Tae-hoon to avoid the attack of the Wolf, which had almost reached him.


    He did not avoid it. Rather, he thrust his right fist at the mouth of the Wolf, the fist covered by iron Black Skin.


    There was a crack as his fist broke the sabretooth of the Wolf. After punching through the roof of its mouth, his fist drove into its brain in a messy spray.


    "Big brother, be careful!" Bang Hyun-wook''s surprise warning reached him after Kim Tae-hoon''s fist alone had killed a Sabretooth Wolf.


    "You don''t have to..." Bang Hyun-wook''s surprised cry ended with a low murmur.


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon did not listen to the cry.


    Kim Tae-hoon was alert while lifting his rifle again, and immediately after confirming that there was no sign of another Sabretooth Wolf, he planted all the bullets left in the magazine into the Werewolf''s body.


    At the end of the last shot, Kim Tae-hoon exchanged magazine and shouted.


    "Start fighting! Exterminate the enemy!"


    Kim Tae-hoon''s energetic cry became a typhoon and shook the battlefield.


    3.


    [Werewolf''s Crystal]


    - Strength rank will increase when ingested.


    - Health rank will increase when ingested.


    - Defense rank skill will increase when ingested.


    - Energy rank skill will increase when ingested.


    - Werewolf''s power [Howling] can be acquired when ingested.]


    ------


    "Howling ... are you going to shout ''Howl!'' before you fight?" Bang Hyun-wook, who was checking the contents of the spoils obtained by killing the Werewolf through a smartphone photo, imagined Kim Tae-hoon howling out, and laughed.


    But it was only he who was laughing about it.


    The soldiers of the Mac Clan, who were gathered around the campfire near the dump truck, could not afford to laugh at the trembling that had not yet stopped for everyone, even Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji.


    The Werewolf''s fear was much more intense then they thought. When the cold weather was added to it, the effect was doubled.


    "Are you all right?" Bang Hyun-wook threw a worried question to Jang Sung-hoon, who was sitting near him.


    He shook his trembling head. "No, are you all right?"


    "I''m hot."


    "Hot?"


    "The Energy is like chi, but once it''s heated, it doesn''t cool easily, and it still wriggles in my gut. I feel my guts wriggling, damn it."


    The two saw Kim Tae-hoon walking toward them. He had come back after searching for monsters around the bow museum.


    All those who were around the fire rose from their seats at the appearance of Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Jang Sung-hoon and Ahn Sun-mi." Kim Tae-hoon called out to two of them who had stood up. The two named nodded.


    There was no reason to question about it because it had already been agreed upon.


    Whether it was a relic or not, it could be seen by taking a picture with a smartphone, but he had no skill to find hidden relics.


    So it was natural to bring along Jang Sung-hoon, who had the ability, and Ahn Sun-mi, who had already found the first relic.


    "Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji commands the Clan. Bang Hyun-wook, when I''m not here, you''re the captain of the assault team."


    Instead of answering, Bang Hyun-wook made a clumsy salute.


    Kim Tae-hoon looked at Bang Hyun-wook shortly and then headed back to the museum with Ahn Sun-mi and Jang Sung-hoon in tow.


    4.


    Bucheon Bow Museum...


    Located next to Bucheon Stadium, there were various kinds of bows, arrows and quivers, and bow-related items displayed in full view. There was no light, so it was rather hard to see.


    Cameras flashed all over the museum, a scene that would normally only scare a museum official. There was something really frightening about it now.


    "Okay!"


    A man in the dark broke the glass that stored the goods with a hammer. The sound of glass breaking was pretty loud.


    "Just like the thieves said, the sound is really great. It''s addictive."


    With those words, a hand appeared suddenly through the broken glass. It picked up one of the arrows on display.


    "What did you find?"


    "What is it?"


    As one of them pulled out the goods, the two, a man and a woman, gathered beside the man.


    Jang Sung-hoon showed them a smartphone instead of answering them.


    ---------


    [Sun-sin''s Arrow]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 4


    - Relic Value: Rare


    - Relic Effect: The arrow has the power of a Great Admiral. The penetrating force of the arrow increases with Energy rank.]


    ---------


    Grade 4, Rare ... they saw more amazing words than they expected.


    However, it was not about the grade, value, or effect of the relic that Kim Tae-hoon and Ahn Sun-mi saw.


    "Sun-sin''s Arrow?"


    "Wait a minute, if it''s Sun-sin ¡­"


    Sun-sin! There was only one Great Admiral with this name in the history of the Republic of Korea.


    "Does it mean Admiral Yi Sun-sin?"


    Kim Tae-hoon did not answer Ahn Sun-mi''s question. He couldn''t. At this point, the answer was beyond his capacity.


    ''Yi Sun-sin ...''


    "Is it possible that such a valuable relic is in this museum?" The answer came, of course, from Jang Sung-hoon.


    Jang Sung-hoon looked at the arrow in his hand and said, "It''s probably true. Only such an arrow that Admiral Yi Sun-sin shot would be in the museum."


    Jang Sung-hoon continued to look at the arrow and arrowhead in the light of the smartphone.


    "It''s just common sense, asking who would take the arrow shot by an admiral of the Joseon Dynasty? As a great man like Admiral Yi Sun-sin would shoot, someone would pick it up and keep it as a family treasure or amulet, so that it will remain in shape after centuries."


    "No, I mean, such a treasure is in a little museum like this¡­"


    Jang Sung-hoon gave a laugh at the word ''treasure''.


    "This arrow cannot be a treasure, and if it is not an arrow made symbolically, it will be a consumable. There must be more than ten thousand arrows shot by Admiral Yi Sun-sin during his lifetime. The arrows are recyclable. However, there''s no name tag and it''s not a treasure. The value of a treasure in this world depends on who pays for it. The truth doesn''t matter, but the story is different now."


    Jang Sung-hoon laughed.


    "Look at this, the arrowhead that is flashing like it was made just now. The arrowhead during the Japanese Invasions of Imjin did not have any rust on it. This must be a clue that it turned into a relic. It''s not just its ability that has changed, but its appearance. Otherwise, it''s not going to be that good unless it was made of gold..."


    At that moment, Jang Sung-hoon stopped talking. The smile on his lips was gone, too.


    Kim Tae-hoon and Ahn Sun-mi cocked their heads at his appearance. At the same time, they waited patiently for Jang Sung-hoon to start talking.


    "Wait." It didn''t take him long to recover. "There is a place to go now. We have to go there, there!"


    "I want you to sort out what you want to say, exactly where we are going, and why we should go."


    "There''s a European Pottery Museum. Inside Bucheon Stadium, there''s a European Pottery Museum¡­ it is in there."


    "What is there?" Ahn Sun-mi urged him.


    "A glass of champagne."


    "A glass of champagne?" Ahn Sun-mi repeated, and Kim Tae-hoon frowned.


    In response to such a reaction, Jang Sung-hoon swallowed, and spoke the words echoing in his mind, "A golden glass of champagne used by Emperor Napoleon!"


    He swallowed again in the silence following his words.

 23 Episode 23 - The Second Relic, Part III

    Chapter 8. The Second Relic, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    5.


    The Bucheon European Pottery Museum...


    Uninvited guests were swinging cameras around at pricey European art on display and taking pictures without permission.


    "Oh, it''s Meissen."


    At that moment, words of admiration came from Jang Sung-hoon, the most dangerous uninvited guest.


    As Ahn Sun-mi could not bear the boredom of silence, she immediately asked, "Meissen? What is that?"


    "It''s the best of the European luxury potteries. Should I say Benz by car?"


    "Is it expensive?"


    "It''s expensive, and I would have to pay five thousand dollars for that set right now."


    "That little tea set costs over five thousand dollars?"


    "It''s cheap, I suppose. One of the Meissen vases is over eight thousand euros."


    At such a ridiculous price, Ahn Sun-mi opened her mouth without saying anything for a moment.


    "...that''s ridiculously expensive."


    "Well, and so there''s a thief."


    "But I''m curious, can you tell where the product is from looking at that pottery?"


    Jang Sung-hoon laughed lightly at her question.


    "I can do it, so I could become a criminal at this age... but I''m not a criminal, because I haven''t been caught yet."


    Jang Sung-hoon was young.


    He was not only a young man but also a young boy who had not yet received a diploma from a university.


    It is because he had a discerning eye and ability that did not fit his age, of course, that he was able to commit crimes such as forgery, stealing goods, and art smuggling.


    Was it possible for a blind person to forge artworks, a blind person to fake the authenticity of the goods in the stolen goods trade, or to smuggle?


    "But is there really Napoleon''s champagne glass in this place?"


    "Of course, I wouldn''t have asked you to come here without confidence, and a guy I knew once gave me a quote to steal it ¡­"


    Jang Sung-hoon would not have remembered Napoleon''s champagne glass if he was not a criminal.


    "... if you search the online, you can find a related article. Ah, the smartphones don''t work now."


    "Why would such a great thing be in this place ¡­?"


    "It''s not that great, because people are not really interested in Napoleon''s champagne glass."


    Jang Sung-hoon glanced at her after she went silent.


    He saw the expression of Ahn Sun-mi, who had a serious look in her eyes. She must have felt something.


    "This way."


    Jang Sung-hoon and Kim Tae-hoon moved along with her, and soon they saw it; a glass of champagne that gave off a delicate golden light in a glass case.


    "... worth coming." The champagne glass, made of crystal and decorated with gold, seemed expensive in itself, but it did not look so special.


    But the letter "N," a symbol of the person who was prominent in the history of mankind, made the value of the champagne glass special.


    Napoleon, there was a trace of a legendary existence that changed the flow of human history.


    "It is a good thing we are here."


    It glowed on its own. Beyond simple traces, it was a relic that could not be valued.


    "This is because of me, don''t forget!"


    At Jang Sung-hoon''s words, Kim Tae-hoon turned on his smartphone instead of answering, activated the camera function, and immediately touched the liquid crystal.


    As soon as the sound of the photo faded, Kim Tae-hoon''s gaze turned to the smartphone. Ahn Sun-mi and Jang Sung-hoon stuck to his left and right, crowding in to look.


    ------


    [The Golden Glass of Napoleon No.3]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 3


    - Relic Value: Special


    - Relic effect: One of the six golden glasses Napoleon used. When a crisis comes, it creates a champagne that makes you dream of a solution.]


    ------


    A great tactician! The secret of Emperor Napoleon, who could read the right way in an unpredictable era of war!


    6.


    Wharuru!


    Mac Clan''s soldiers were gathering in front of the burning fire, warming themselves.


    It was because the fear of the Werewolf in their body had not gone away. And even if not, the cold weather did not allow them to leave the fire easily.


    Of course, there was only one person who would leave such a fire.


    Bang Hyun-wook, was swinging like taking batting practice with a steel stick cut like a baseball bat in his hand, was free from the fear and cold, knowing how to handle his Energy properly.


    In addition, the sound of his swing, which was channeling Energy, was eerie.


    ''That''s great.'' Bang Hyun-wook was surprised by his own power.


    "If I had had this bat speed before the draft, I could have gotten a blank check from the Major League scouts"


    Of course, Bang Hyun-wook imagined all this.


    If he had had this power in high school, what kind of interest and attention would he have received?


    But the end of the dream was more bitter than anything else, rather than sweet. After he stopped daydreaming, a long misty breath poured out of his mouth.


    "Fuck." The long sigh was a bitter sound that ended his happy thoughts.


    His worries and concerns were catching up with him.


    His parents'' faces came to his mind first, then his friends'' faces. He remembered the face of his classmate who he had been in love with all during high school, and the black smoke rose from a distance from a burning apartment.


    That''s why Bang Hyun-wook practiced swinging in this cold weather.


    There were not many ways to spend time in a world where there was nothing to eat up time, like a TV or smartphone game.


    For him, a time of silence was a time of agony. So he moved and somehow tried to talk about another topic.


    "Ah, Lieutenant! Can I ask you a question?"


    Kim Soo-ji, who was on the other side of the fire from Bang Hyun-wook, was a prey to catch somehow.


    Now that she had stopped shaking, she nodded her head at Bang Hyun-wook''s question.


    "You are an acquaintance with big brother, aren''t you?" Kim Soo-ji nodded silently again.


    Bang Hyun-wook quickly said with a little finger swinging, "So you two are¡­?"


    Kim Soo-ji looked at Bang Hyun-wook''s little finger, seemingly not understanding the meaning straight away.


    For her, Bang Hyun-wook was willing to give a kind explanation. "Are you and big brother lovers?"


    "What nonsense!" Kim Soo-ji was frightened, her face paled, and she refuted it quickly. "In the old days, I met him just once!"


    "In the old days, in the army?"


    "I saw him at the Army Headquarters for a moment. That''s all I''ve ever had to do with him."


    "He''s a soldier, too, right? Good. I thought he was some kind of hitman. Killer''s better, but a soldier is better than a killer. He is from the special forces, isn''t he?"


    "That''s ¡­" Kim Soo-ji was silent at his questions, which came without a break.


    ''It''s not something I can tell you.'' She did not have the right to answer Bang Hyun-wook''s question.


    Kim Tae-hoon was the only person who could reveal that he belongs to a secret special unit that was not officially recorded in the history of the Republic of Korea.


    Of course, Bang Hyun-wook was not really curious about such things, and he did not say that to make Kim Su-ji embarrassed. He just needed to spend time ignoring his own worries.


    Therefore, Bang Hyun-wook did not stop talking, and nobody seemed to be able to stop him.


    "Where can you get a tank or a rocket gun or something?"


    ---


    At some point, Bang Hyun-wook stopped talking.


    He looked at the road with a hard expression, the road that he and the Mac Clan had worked hard on for a long time... and a group of people now walking down the road.


    Kim Soo-ji looked at them, too.


    "Alert!" she shouted as loud as she could.


    "Alert!" she yelled again. "Alert! Alert!"


    The soldiers leaped up at her cry and began to move in a flurry with the guns they had kept at hand


    The driver got into the driver''s seat quickly and started the engine.


    "Get on!"


    "Come up quickly!"


    The soldiers climbed into the dump truck and got ready, with only eyes and muzzles visible in the back.


    Kim Soo-ji also climbed up onto the back at once.


    Bang Hyun-wook was the only one who stayed on the ground and didn''t get on the loading dock. After all, the captain of the assault squad could not just rush up there.


    "Hoo!"


    ''Don''t hesitate, Bang Hyun-wook. You should not hesitate just because they are human. If it''s dangerous, you have to deal with it. You have to do it.''


    They were not a monster who he did not need to feel remorse about, even if he smashed its head at once.


    "Hoo!" Therefore, Bang Hyun-wook, who was preparing for the battle, was pouring out a white breath like a steam locomotive.


    It was evidence of tension.


    As time went by, the distance between them became closer, and soon they confirmed each other''s identities.


    ''Civilians, I''m sure they are survivors.''


    ''What the hell do we do?''


    The soldiers bit their lips, confirming that they were survivors, not monsters.


    "Soldiers, soldiers!"


    "Soldiers?"


    "They are soldiers!"


    The moment they saw that the men in the dump truck were soldiers, the faces of the crowd approaching the dump truck seemed to bend enough to express joy.


    "We are saved! We are saved!"


    "Ung-ung!"


    "We''re saved! A rescue team is here!"


    The screams that could not control the joy, the crying that could not bear the joy.


    They made all kinds of noises and did not stop walking toward the dump truck, as if they were possessed by something, like zombies in movies.


    The soldiers were embarrassed.


    ''What? Why are they coming? Why are they coming?''


    ''Do we have to shoot them? Damn it, do we have to shoot or not?''


    If they were monsters, they would aim and fire at everyone approaching before the shooting order was issued.


    But they were human beings, civilians who were not armed.


    Just by imagining that they were aiming guns at humans, their hearts were starting to pound.


    "No access!" It was the same for Kim Soo-ji.


    She would easily give a firing order to a monster, but it was not easy to take action in a cool manner, even if she had assumed this situation to the civilians.


    "No access! We will fire if you approach any closer!" she shouted again, warning them.


    But the people who were converging on the dump truck did not think to stop.


    "We are saved! We are saved!"


    "Help us! Seoul is now ¡­"


    "Uh-ung, uh-ung!"


    There was no room for Kim Soo-ji''s voice in the midst of the endless praise for saving them, desperation, and crying that burst out endlessly.


    Kim Soo-ji''s expression hardened. ''What should I do?''


    Her mind was hardened, too. ''They are defenseless civilians.''


    There was only one thing that soldiers learned about civilians during military training: Don''t even sneeze against civilians!


    It was impossible for Kim Soo-ji and the soldiers to have any experience in dealing with this situation.


    Bang Hyun-wook, who was not a soldier, was also embarrassed.


    ''Oh, my God, Joo Ha-yeon?''


    There was a girl with a familiar face among the crowd, a girl''s face he could not forget.


    ''Why is she here?''


    While everyone was so embarrassed that they could not do anything, the distance between civilians and the dump truck narrowed.


    It was not a good picture. A picture that was not good even if something big happened.


    Awwwoooo!


    The painting was painted with a new color called howling, a dark color...


    It was not a simple sound. It had a clear power and hostility.


    "Huck!"


    The people who approached the dump truck stopped when they heard the howling. The shots that followed the howling made the civilians'' stopped legs shake.


    "I warned you." The shots were a warning.


    "From now on, those who approach will be killed instantly without warning. I say again, whoever approaches the dump truck without permission, I will fire without warning. Everybody, sit down or lie down."


    So everyone stopped acting and looked at the issuer of the warning, Kim Tae-hoon!

 24 Episode 24 - The Golden Glass of Napoleon, Part I

    Chapter 9. The Golden Glass of Napoleon, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    They were survivors.


    "I''m from Guro District."


    "We''re from Yangcheon District¡­"


    Survivors from Seoul.


    Of course, Guro District and Yangcheon District were located far from the center of Seoul, but it was clear that they were closer to Seoul than Kim Tae-hoon''s party.


    He was able to see the bigger picture more clearly now.


    "Seoul is hell now, and the great monsters are going crazy ¡­"


    "A huge winged dragon, you can''t believe it, but when the dragon spat out the fire, the building collapsed, the trees burned all over, and the people just melted down ..."


    "I heard that the fighters fired missiles at Mapo bridge and Yanghwa bridge, and they destroyed them."


    The capital city of the Republic of Korea was not the most populous place in Korea, but the place with the most damage and the largest casualties in Korea.


    Everyone who heard the story was white, their faces like plaster.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s face was also stiff.


    ''The fact that the fighters were moving means that more than one of the air bases played a role ¡­ Considering the distance and situation, they made a sortie from Seongnam AFB. But they destroyed the bridge ¡­ to stop the monsters from going into Gyeonggi Province? Or to prevent the monsters from entering Seoul?''


    The analysis of new information and the establishment of hundreds of hypotheses based on the information did not give him any room to think about anything else.


    Kim Soo-ji came over to Kim Tae-hoon and said.


    "What are you going to do, major?" As she asked the question, she thought that Kim Tae-hoon''s answer would come after a longer period of thought. She also expected that the answer would be very reasonable.


    However, Kim Tae-hoon answered easily. "Before we move to our next destination, we''ll be briefed and ready to spend the day here."


    "Then the survivors ¡­"


    "I have no plan to work with the survivors."


    In addition, Kim Tae-hoon''s answer was completely opposite to Kim''s Soo-ji''s rational decision.


    "Major Kim Tae-hoon?"


    "I say again, we don''t move with the survivors."


    "So are you going to leave them like this?"


    "I didn''t pick them up, but if I had, I would have left them."


    "Major! They are civilian survivors!"


    Whether you are a soldier or not, if you have any compassion, you should help survivors.


    Isn''t that a reasonable idea for anyone?


    Kim Tae-hoon did not respond to Kim Soo-ji''s opposition. Instead, he approached the survivors sitting on the floor and warming themselves by the fire.


    Twenty-two.


    The survivors did not have anything in common, such as age, gender, or occupation; their only commonality was that they had no life in their eyes.


    Kim Tae-hoon told them, "We can''t afford to escort you to a safe place right now, as we don''t know where it is safe in this situation either. You will have to move on your own."


    The words were blunt, but they came out gently. But there was not one person who felt favorable to the gentle words.


    In the case of Ahn Sun-mi and Bang Hyun-wook, they froze upon hearing them.


    They knew Kim Tae-hoon well. At the large mart, Kim Tae-hoon spoke in front of the survivors in such a way, and then he abandoned them.


    For his own purposes, he did not do anything to interfere and was not swept away by compassion for what he could not do.


    So they knew that Kim Tae-hoon''s words were not merely threats or warnings, but genuine.


    One of them, Bang Hyun-wook, came out immediately. "Big brother! We are on the move, and we can go with them, can''t we? I thought we''d sleep here today! Why don''t we go with them?"


    Kim Tae-hoon, who watched him talking, was able to roughly gauge his heart. There was nothing to think about. He saw Bang Hyun-wook talking to a young woman of his age among the survivors.


    So Kim Tae-hoon spat out his prepared words. "I don''t want to stop you if you''re going to be a hero, but you''re the only one going to be."


    "What? What do you mean ¡­"


    "If monsters appear in a situation where survivors follow us, I will pull the trigger, regardless of the survivors. At least, it will not be heroic."


    "Wait, wait a minute."


    "And to be honest, it''s dangerous for a survivor to be an obstacle in that way, and I''m not going to take any more risks here without any merit."


    Bang Hyun-wook stopped talking. It was meaningless to talk about who was right and wrong.


    Kim Tae-hoon was right in the matter of surviving.


    "If you want to leave Mac Clan to be a hero, I can let you go, but don''t think you''ll come back free the moment you leave."


    Working with survivors was a burden in many ways.


    There were many things that needed to be done as the number of mouths increased. Movement slows down, and more food is consumed.


    But the biggest problem is that there were more to protect.


    It was hard to keep yourself alive right now in this world, and there was no room for someone else in this world. If there was, it was just a delusion or a bluff.


    The conversation between the two was clearly heard by the survivors. None of the survivors could understand the meaning of the conversation.


    ''He is abandoning us?''


    ''What is he talking about? A soldier should protect us.''


    The eyes of the survivors, the dark-dead eyes, began to shake. One of them jumped up.


    "You! You''re going to abandon us now? You''re going to ..."


    "Yes." Kim Tae-hoon answered immediately.


    "No way!"


    "What the fuck is that?"


    Survivors were scared, and everyone got up from their seats sequentially and started to look at Kim Tae-hoon.


    Their eyes were full of fear, and their faces were full of anger. They could not understand. How could they understand that the lifeline they had barely caught onto was clawing their palms and getting out?


    "You''re soldiers, aren''t you? You must protect us!"


    "Shit, if you have received our tax money, you should protect us!"


    "You son of a bitch, are you a human being like that? Are you going to live alone?"


    The angry survivors began to get angry.


    Kim Tae-hoon briefly told them, "Shut up."


    The short command was filled with a murderous spirit. The murderous spirit was not visible, but there was enough power to crush them.


    He was not a normal human being.


    Kim Tae-hoon had already eaten the power of several monsters, and the power that he ate became his own bones and flesh.


    Kim Tae-hoon was an Awakener with A rank telekinesis and could physically exercise his thoughts.


    His murderous spirit was like a cold wind in the cold winter. There was no shortage of cutting flesh and making wounds.


    The anger that the survivors spat out before the murderous spirit cooled down instantly.


    "I''m telling you clearly, we''re not soldiers. Mac Clan, a group organized for monster hunting. Our purpose is to hunt monsters, not to save survivors."


    Kim Tae-hoon continued to speak in an atmosphere so cold that nobody could even swallow.


    "In addition, we hunt monsters to survive. To interfere with us is a threat to our survival, and there is no reason for us to risk our lives to save you."


    There was no cross-questioning.


    "I ask you the opposite, how many men did you save, how many men did you help, and how many monsters did you hunt when you came here?"


    There was no breathing heard.


    "You''ve survived and come all the way here because you''ve turned away a lot of survivors, but do you think we''re the only ones who can not turn away from survivors?"


    There was only one-sided violence in this existence.


    "I warn you, if you interfere with our activities, I''ll do something about it in some way, and you can then call the police or hire a lawyer."


    After he stopped speaking, the sound of breathing and swallowing finally came. At the same time, everyone knew.


    ''It''s real¡­''


    ''He''s a man who could shoot and kill us if we got in his way.''


    Kim Tae-hoon was not just talking a bluff or nonsense, but really thinking about it.


    Therefore, none of the survivors showed any further signs of blaming Kim Tae-hoon.


    Kim Tae-hoon no longer paid attention to them. He ordered his men to look at him.


    "Today, we will spend a day here at Bucheon Stadium. Obtain gas from nearby cars, charge smartphone batteries with car batteries, and get food from nearby marts and vending machines."


    That was all.


    Kim Tae-hoon did not warn the survivors that he would consider them hostile if they entered the area of Mac Clan.


    Even if he did not, the survivors already knew it very well.


    So the day ended, and night came again.


    2.


    Kim Tae-hoon taught many things to his subordinates after he founded the Mac Clan.


    He taught survival knowledge, such as how to charge a smartphone battery using a car battery, and how to dismantle monsters.


    The education was done every day.


    "The Sabretooth Wolf has the thinnest skin between these ribs. The heart is caught when the hand is this deep, to the midpoint of the wrist and elbow after stabbing the hole with a knife."


    Even today, Kim Tae-hoon taught the soldiers how to take the monster stones out of the body of a Sabretooth Wolf by demonstrating to them.


    Of course, this education was not to make an excellent soldier, but a competent hunter.


    "Big brother, I need to talk to you ¡­" Bang Hyun-wook talked to Kim Tae-hoon after the body of a Sabretooth Wolf was all broken down to bones and flesh.


    Kim Tae-hoon wiped his bloody hands with a towel and received a proposal from Bang Hyun-wook. "What do you want to say?"


    "Can you accept even one of the survivors?"


    "No."


    "Just one person, please ... I''ll keep her safe. I won''t interrupt you. I''ll give her my food." Bang Hyun-wook was serious and nervous.


    On the other hand, Kim Tae-hoon was as calm as he always was. "Why should I give you that special favor?"


    "Well..." Because of the calm, Bang Hyun-wook lost his pace. In the end, he spat out what he was holding back, withholding nothing.


    "I''ve helped you, and I''ve got the highest Energy rank in our clan, and you will be in trouble without me."


    A strong statement.


    "Honestly, you have eaten a lot of monster stones from the monsters which I have killed so far."


    Strong to the extent he surprised himself!


    "Umm¡­ I mean¡­ not that you were wrong, that''s not that I was dissatisfied, but that I''ve worked so hard for you¡­"


    In the end, he failed to keep up his words.


    Kim Tae-hoon asked Bang Hyun-wook, "I''ll ask you one question, what''s your relationship with her?"


    "I went to the same middle school."


    "Friend?"


    "No, it''s not ¡­ I had a secret crush on her ¡­" Even though he got the words out, Bang Hyun-wook was ashamed and blurred his words.


    It was foolish and ridiculous to see himself speaking so high up against Kim Tae-hoon, not just for the sake of a friend or lover, but for someone who he was in unrequited love with.


    However, Kim Tae-hoon did not look at Bang Hyun-wook as funny.


    "I understand, but I can''t comply with your request. I''m sorry." It was not worth discussing who is right, humanly and morally.


    Kim Tae-hoon was right only in one thing: that his method was much more likely to survive.


    Bang Hyun-wook''s face also crumpled because he knew it.


    Kim Tae-hoon could not be persuaded at all, the young Bang Hyun-wook couldn''t readily accept the fact that he should give up something.


    It was Jang Sung-hoon who finished the conversation between the two. "Boss!"


    Jang Sung-hoon, who appeared with a serious face, was carrying a bag. Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes changed when he checked the bag. He knew what was in that bag.


    Jang Sung-hoon pulled out what Kim Tae-hoon knew was in the bag.


    "Look at this." The Golden Glass of Napoleon, which glowed with a gentle golden light, appeared. "The cup was filled with red liquid. And ..." Jang Sung-hoon turned the golden cup upside down.


    Of course, under common sense, if the laws of the world did not collapse, the liquid in the golden cup would fall to the floor.


    But the red liquid inside only splashed a bit, and not a single drop fell out.


    Like magic.


    "What, what, what is this?" Bang Hyun-wook, who saw the golden cup itself for the first time, was shocked.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s face was hardened by concern. ''Does it mean that the champagne that makes me dream of a solution is this red liquid? What makes me qualifies as a crisis? Can I predict a solution through dreams? But why was the champagne created now? Is there a condition?''


    "Boss, this is getting smaller and smaller, and if you don''t drink it, it''ll disappear."


    But Kim Tae-hoon did not have time to worry.


    He reached out, grabbed the Golden Glass of Napoleon in his hand, and drank the red champagne in it at once.


    The unbearable alcohol instantly engulfed Kim Tae-hoon''s whole body.


    The last thing Kim Tae-hoon heard was "Boss!" "Big brother!" and the two voices coming towards him...

 25 Episode 25 - The Golden Glass of Napoleon, Part II

    Chapter 9. The Golden Glass of Napoleon, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    Kim had several habits. One of them was to check his left wrist as soon as he opened his eyes.


    It was still true.


    ''Ah.''


    Kim Tae-hoon first checked his left-hand wrist rather than the fact that he was in the passenger seat of a car when he opened his eyes.


    Of course, his eyes always came in with a watch on his wrist, and when he saw the watch, Kim Tae-hoon was surprised.


    ''Why?''


    He saw a smartwatch.


    ''Why?''


    Kim Tae-hoon did not use a smartwatch.


    The features of a smartwatch, with its GPS function, could not go three days without charging, had the poor waterproof function, had weak durability, and even had the possibility of being hacked, were cuffs for Kim Tae-hoon.


    But now the smartwatch was around Kim Tae-hoon''s wrist.


    It was hard to understand.


    But what was really hard to understand was that Kim Tae-hoon''s body did not listen to him.


    ''My body ¡­''


    He tried to move his arms and hands to touch the smartwatch, but his body did not listen to him.


    Rather, his body moved of its own. Instead of moving his arms, he was looking at the man approaching him through the car window that went down.


    "Boss." The man who approached him handed a paper cup to him, and he got in the car. "It''s coffee."


    There was lukewarm coffee in the paper cup.


    "The only thing left was mix coffee, and of course, I took out the sugar."


    Instead of the bright black hue, the mixed coffee had a murky brown light.


    It was also a coffee that Kim Tae-hoon really hated. Coffee was his only hobby, so mixed coffee was an insult to his hobby.


    However, the mixed coffee did not come into Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes. The face of the man who handed him the coffee did.


    He was a man with a wounded face. The three slits across his face, in particular, were obviously done by the claws of a terrible monster.


    It was fortunate that his face was not torn right off. On the contrary, Kim Tae-hoon was still able to recognize the owner of the face.


    ''Jang Sung-hoon?''


    Jang Sung-hoon was the man in front of him. Jang Sung-hoon, who was older than Kim Tae-hoon knew.


    ''Jang Sung-hoon!''


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon tried to call his name, but he was not allowed to either.


    ''Ah.''


    At this moment, Kim Tae-hoon had to look at everything he did as an observer.


    "You''ve made your wish known to have a cup of coffee before you die. Isn''t mixed coffee, coffee too?" Jang Sung-hoon spit out and smiled lightly.


    At that moment, a huge wind, an intense force that shook the world, passed through Kim Tae-hoon''s car and Jang Song-hoon.


    Jang Sung-hoon turned his head around with a frightened look. "Damn it, it''s already here."


    ''What''s come?''


    At that moment, he talked. "Jang Sung Hoon. You''ve had a hard time."


    "Boss."


    "You go alone to Gyeongju."


    "Boss!"


    "I want you to meet with Commander-in-Chief Lim Hyun-joon there and deliver my message."


    The door of the car he was riding in opened up.


    In the meantime, Kim Tae-hoon, looking at himself as an observer, organized what he saw and heard carefully.


    ''Gyeongju? Alone? Commander-in-Chief Lim Hyun-joon?''


    When the door opened, Jang Sung-hoon took a step back, and Kim Tae-hoon got out of the car.


    At the same time, the trunk was opened by itself. Various weapons came out of the open trunk like birds, and they began to hover around Kim Tae-hoon.


    Spear, knife, arrow, headstone¡­


    Kim Tae-hoon looked at each of the weapons and finally said to Jang Sung-hoon, "If I fail this hunt, abandon Korea."


    "Shit, this is ridiculous! Boss, you don''t have to die! You have no reason to die! You always told me! You fought to survive! Because of those damn bastards¡­"


    OOOO!


    At that moment, he heard an eerie cry that could not be compared to any animal in the world.


    "Kuck!" The cry took the focus from Jang Sung-hoon''s eyes at once. He fell down like a broken doll. Kim Tae-hoon brought him up and sat him in the driver''s seat after supporting him.


    When the car door was closed, the car started to run on its own.


    At the same time, a huge shadow fell over Kim Tae-hoon''s head.


    A wind strong enough to pull out the roots of a giant tree whipped around Kim Tae-hoon. Turning into the gale, he looked up at the owner of the shadow with his eyes widening.


    Kim Tae-hoon, who was watching himself, also looked at the monster.


    It was the dragon who had passed by that night.


    A huge dragon, with glowing blue eyes filled with anger!


    4.


    Clatter!


    Ahn Sun-mi confirmed Kim Tae-hoon''s pupil condition, and she got up from her seat by turning off the small flash she held in her hand.


    Behind her were Bang Hyun-wook, Jang Sung-hoon, and Kim Soo-ji, waiting anxiously for Ahn Sun-mi to talk.


    Ahn Sun-mi said with a firm expression, "He is sleeping."


    The three of them cocked their heads, rather than be surprised by the answer that came out.


    "Yes?"


    "As I said, Kim Tae-hoon is sleeping, and he is sleeping very deeply."


    "So he is... sleeping now?" Bang Hyun-wook made a ridiculous expression even though he said the words himself. It was not a situation to spit out cute, sweet words.


    "I''m glad, though, I thought he was going to die." However, at the word ''sleep'', Bang Hyun-wook briefly sighed relief.


    It was not a strange reaction. Sleep was not a negative word for the public.


    On the other hand, Ahn Sun-mi''s expression remained firm. "It''s not lucky to fall asleep suddenly, and we don''t know when this sleep will end," she said to the other two after clicking her tongue briefly at Bang Hyun-wook''s words.


    "It looks like he''s asleep, but I can''t make any judgments more than this, because I can''t take MRIs or CTs. He is not sleeping because of fatigue, but he ate something strange, so we don''t know how long this sleep will last."


    It was a very serious situation to a doctor; someone eating an unidentified liquid and falling into a sudden sleep.


    "Excuse me." Jang Sung-hoon changed the subject. "I am suddenly curious, but when there is no boss, who''s in charge? Is it Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji?"


    "Well..." As soon as Kim Soo-ji tried to answer the question, she looked at Bang Hyun-wook.


    The general soldiers would follow Kim Su-ji''s words, but Bang Hyun-wook''s case was a little different. Bang Hyun-wook was not a soldier, and he had no military experience.


    In addition, the absence of Kim Tae-hoon was a situation where all preconditions were different.


    Except for Kim Tae-hoon, Bang Hyun-wook was the only one who could fight properly against monsters that could use fear.


    So should Kim Soo-ji give such an order to Bang Hyun-wook, or should Bang Hyun-wook move independently?


    Of course, they had never agreed on this part.


    That''s why Jang Sung-hoon brought up his words. If they had not agreed, it was time to make the agreement.


    ''If there is no big brother, then...'' Bang Hyun-wook also fully understood the situation.


    Without Kim Tae-hoon, Bang Hyun-wook was now the most important player. In a sense, he was in the same position as Kim Tae-hoon.


    ''Am I replacing big brother?'' At that moment, Bang Hyun-wook turned his head slightly. At the end of his gaze, he saw a flame rising far away.


    It was the flame of the survivors who were outside of the Mac Clan area.


    They were afraid of Kim Tae-hoon''s warning, but it was impossible for them to completely abandon the lingering attachment.


    Even if Kim Tae-hoon was scary, it could not be denied that the Mac Clan was the only lamp of hope in the present situation.


    How could they abandon their hope? When they turned their back on the lamp, only the darkness and despair would be left.


    ''I''m his substitute.''


    In the mind of Bang Hyun-wook, even as he looked at the survivor group, the conversation that he shared with Kim Tae-hoon came up once again.


    In the conversation, he added the assumption that if he replaced Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Wait a minute." Ahn Sun-mi caught the wrist of Bang Hyun-wook, who had started to worry about the survivors.


    "I''ll talk to him." Pulling his wrist, Ahn Sun-mi led Bang Hyun-wook away.


    Ahn Sun-mi stopped at a place where the other two would not hear their conversation.


    "What are you going to tell me, sister?"


    Ahn Sun-mi said to Bang Hyun-wook, with a stiff face full of freckles, "Recover your senses."


    "What?"


    "I''m telling you because the situation is important. Bang Hyun-wook, wake up. Are you going to take the survivors?"


    "Of course..."


    "I''m the opposite." At the word of ''the opposite'', Bang Hyun-wook closed his mouth.


    On the other hand, Ahn Sun-mi did not stop talking.


    "I don''t think you have understood the situation yet, but who do you think was most relieved when the boss told the survivors not to come?"


    Things had changed.


    If Kim Tae-hoon did not wake up like this, the life and death of Mac Clan will be in the hands of Bang Hyun-wook.


    Bang Hyun-wook was so strong. He consumed the most monster stones next to Kim Tae-hoon, and his Energy rank, which could be said to be the most efficient in battle with monsters, was higher than Kim Tae-hoon.


    The only problem was that...


    "The soldiers, our soldiers were the most relieved."


    Bang Hyun-wook could only fight well, but he did not know how to control the people around him.


    "Will you accept the survivors? Then who will be in the most danger? Who will be harder to protect? To be frank, you and the boss aren''t going to get tough, because fighting is the same."


    It was the evidence that Bang Hyun-wook had lingering doubts about the survivors just now.


    "After all, the soldiers will be in charge of the minutiae. The risk is the same. The boss and you, who always deal with strong monsters, are in great danger. But the risk won''t be greater for the survivors, because you won''t mind the survivors when you have to kill something like a Black Orc."


    Kim Tae-hoon had relentlessly rejected the survivors. Even using the threat of his murderous spirit, he did not give any sympathy to the survivors.


    "But ordinary people are different. The soldiers will fight to protect survivors from a number of monsters. What if soldiers die? Will you regret it then? Or are you sure you won''t even regret it?"


    What Kim Tae-hoon did was not just for himself, but to increase the possibility of the entire Mac Clan''s survival, as well as himself. Therefore, the distinction between good and evil was not important in Kim Tae-hoon''s actions.


    The important thing was that Kim Tae-hoon''s actions were the best for Mac Clan, and if he was a member of the Mac Clan, he should follow the best course of action.


    If you do not like it, you can leave the Mac Clan, as Kim Tae-hoon said.


    Bang Hyun-wook could not respond to any of these words from Ahn Sun-mi. Of course, it did not change his mind immediately or make him agree with Ahn Sun-mi''s words.


    ''Damn it...''


    However, Bang Hyun-wook was more a grown child, than a young man.


    Ahn Sun-mi understood Bang Hyun-wook. He was not even twenty years old yet, a freshman in a society with not even a year of social experience.


    So Ahn Sun-mi gave him advice as a senior in life.


    "We don''t need survivors to just open their hands and take something from us. Remember, we don''t need just survivors to protect."


    Just then, Jang Sung-hoon shouted out, "Boss!" At his cry, Ahn Sun-mi and Bang Hyun-wook turned their heads at the same time.


    ''Ah!''


    Kim Tae-hoon, was now standing.


    "Big brother!" The two hurriedly approached Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Major, are you all right?"


    "Boss, are you okay?"


    Kim Soo-ji and Jang Sung-hoon, who were nearby, asked his condition first.


    However, instead of answering, Kim Tae-hoon gave a long sigh after checking his left-hand wrist, a G-Shock watch still there.


    ''It was a dream.'' The white mist from his mouth brushed through the darkened sky. But the breath was not long.


    ''No, it wasn''t a dream. Crisis... it''s a crisis I''ll be in someday.''


    He couldn''t afford to breathe another sigh.


    ''That''s what it meant to make me dream of a crisis, which meant that I was dreaming of the day I would die.''


    "Boss! Boss! Wake up, do I need to I slap you?" Jang Sung-hoon spoke to Kim Tae-hoon again.


    As soon as he saw Sung-hoon''s face, Kim Tae-hoon''s feelings began to get complicated. It was the sensation of feeling for someone else instead of himself filling his heart.


    But when he thought of the dragon, they disappeared like a mirage. All emotions disappeared, and only feeling of fear and despair began to take their place.


    At this moment, Kim Tae-hoon was more desperate than ever.


    "I''ll ask you one thing; I''d like anyone to get me a cup of coffee, whatever it is."


    A cup of coffee...

 26 Episode 26 - Power Enhancement , Part I

    Chapter 10. Power Enhancement, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    Kim Tae-hoon drank his coffee and kept his mouth shut.


    The coffee was quite hot, so he wanted to spit it out or swallow it. But he put up with the heat until it melted his frozen mind.


    The smell of coffee released Kim Tae-hoon''s frozen mind. Only then did Kim Tae-hoon start thinking.


    ''It is a type of foresight. What I dreamt of is a foresight of my death.''


    He knew one thing clear at this moment. What he saw was not a mistake or fantasy, but a crisis that would come to a man named Kim Tae-hoon someday.


    After his mind cleared, Kim Tae-hoon began to analyze the things he saw in his dream.


    ''I looked at Jang Sung-hoon''s face, and it is not in the very distant future.''


    The most important thing was time.


    The only clue to gauge the timing was Jang Sung-hoon''s age, which he could guess through his face.


    The Jang Sung-hoon in his dreams seemed to be in his mid-twenties.


    Jang Sung-hoon was now in his early twenties, so this was not to far away. But it was not in the immediate future.


    ''Three to five years.''


    It would be as early as three years, or as late as five years.


    The next important clue was the name, Lim Hyun-joon.


    ''Commander-in-Chief Lim Hyun-joon. That means Colonel Lim Hyun-joon now.''


    Colonel Lim Hyun-joon.


    Kim Tae-hoon knew that he was a tactician and an ambitious person.


    He was also a man on the elite course in the Defense Ministry. Not only did he produce good results as an officer, but he also had good political sense, and he was an influential person in the next generation of the military.


    He was an influential person of the next generation, but it was impossible for him to become the Commander-in-Chief, the peak of the army, a general, even if he was given ten years to advance.


    ''He''s the Commander-in-Chief...''


    Of course, the world was already beyond the ordinary. Moreover, he had learned what the consequences would be.


    What he needed to do now is to guess the processes that ended up with the results he had seen.


    ''In the future, the military seems to be operating normally.''


    One, having a Commander-in-Chief meant that the military system was operating. It meant that society was not in complete anarchy.


    ''The fact that Lim Hyun-joon became the top leader of the army, and it is so organized... means that he survived and made a remarkable contribution.''


    Two, the fact that the Commander-in-Chief of such an army was Colonel Lim Hyun-joon meant that he had played a decisive role in reforming the military.


    It would not have been something simple. It would have been at the level of saving the country, in fact, a level of achievement that had created a new military.


    ''Right now he is in the 8th Division.''


    Colonel Lim Hyun-joon''s current affiliation was the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division.


    It was called the "Roly Poly" unit, and it had powerful weapons, excellent means of transportation, and tanks, unlike the general infantry divisions.


    ''He considered the emergence of monsters as an opportunity, not a crisis.''


    Colonel Lim had the ability to set up such remarkable achievements by commanding the firepower and troops under his influence.


    ''I think the 8th Division is the best place to be in, in the present situation.''


    The 8th Division was located in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province.


    The front line was close, but they were not facing the North Korean army directly. That was why it was advantageous.


    Even if the front line encountered monsters, they could not lead their troops to the rear immediately, because they did not know what the North Korean army would do. At the same time, it is not easy to get resupplied.


    Compared to them, the 8th Division could go up to the front line, or it can head down to the rear.


    ''I have to go to Pocheon, too.''


    In other words, Pocheon, where the 8th Division was located, was not safe at present, but it was highly likely that the military was playing a role there, at the very minimum.


    He should go to Pocheon and contact Colonel Lim Hyun-joon. Since he had learned the man would become such an important figure, he could not treat him as a chicken or a cow.


    His thinking on Colonel Lim Hyun-joon got to that point. But there was more important information.


    ''Weapons.''


    In his dream, that Kim Tae-hoon had prepared various kinds of weapons ahead of the battle with the dragon.


    They couldn''t possibly be normal weapons. They would be items made from monsters and high-grade relics.


    Of course, he had to reconstruct the appearance of those weapons, because their appearance would play a crucial role in guessing their identity.


    ''I also handled the weapons freely with my telekinesis.''


    The sense of handling the weapon with the telekinesis was important!


    Right now, his skill at using his telekinesis was not so good. That''s why he didn''t do much with his A-rank telekinesis right now.


    Telekinesis was a force. Some are very easy, some are very difficult.


    It wasn''t that everything was done just by imagining it.


    Even if you think of a picture in your mind, you need natural talent and skill to draw a picture from your mind on paper.


    The Kim Tae-hoon in his dream was very skilled at his telekinesis. He made various kinds of weapons hover around him like they were alive.


    ''If I had looked closely at my stats, I would have been clearer on what to do.''


    Anyway, he had to achieve the skill of using weapons with telekinesis he had seen in his dreams. That was the minimum condition for survival until then.


    Nevertheless, that Kim Tae-hoon failed to survive.


    ''There are fucking bastards.''


    The Jang Sung-hoon in his dream said that there was no reason for Kim Tae-hoon to die. Nevertheless, because of the bastards, he faced death.


    ''There is a group, and they will try to get rid of me.''


    He did not know its name, identity, or number, but it meant that he was up against an organization that wanted his death in the future.


    ''The reason they are trying to get rid of me is that I''m interfering with their interests.''


    They wanted him dead because his actions interfered with their interests. What those interests were was simple.


    What Kim Tae-hoon wanted in the future is to survive, he would remain a hunter for survival.


    But someone did not want that. It meant that they either wanted the monsters to remain, or they did not want him to kill them.


    Kim Tae-hoon did not have much doubt about this part. Even if the world was about to end, there would be someone who would look for their own benefits in it.


    Those who were capable of such things would come out.


    No, rather, those who wanted to build a new order in a world where the order has collapsed due to the emergence of monsters would be overflowing in number.


    In addition, the new order they wanted to build would be entirely favorable to them.


    ''It would be rather strange not to have such people, so I will have to keep that in mind.''


    More importantly, that Kim Tae-hoon was predicted to die, and he was surprised.


    ''He was willing to face death to save Jang Sung-hoon... and only Jang Sung-hoon remained with him.''


    It was a fact that Kim Tae-hoon, who had no purpose other than to survive, died for others!


    When Kim Tae-hoon reached that point in his thinking, he finally swallowed his coffee.


    The sound changed the gaze of the crowd looking at Kim Tae-hoon. They waited for him to speak.


    As they expected, he did indeed speak.


    "I don''t know who got it, but that was the worst coffee ever."


    2.


    Kim Tae-hoon told them what he had dreamed about, everything he remembered.


    He told them his opinion that Pocheon was now expected to be a safe area, and that he should find some way to contact it.


    He told them without hesitation that he would be killed by a dragon a few years from now.


    When the story was over, everyone''s expression was harder than when Kim Tae-hoon fell asleep.


    With a firm expression, Bang Hyun-wook carefully asked the question, "So, am I also dead in the future?"


    It was a ridiculous question, but a serious one.


    How could it not be serious asking someone who had gained knowledge of the future about his destiny, since he had no promise he would see the morning?


    "I can''t say you died, because you didn''t show up in my dream. Maybe you were working somewhere else, maybe you broke up with me for a reason, or you could have betrayed me."


    "Betrayal, I don''t think about it ever¡­" Bang Hyun-wook shook his head, even as the words Ahn Sun-mi gave passed through his mind at that moment.


    What would Kim Tae-hoon think of his thoughts, while he dreamed of his crisis?


    Would he consider it a childish idea, would he accept it as a young man''s heroism, or would he think that it was the spirit of insubordination of a rebel who repeatedly disobeys?


    ''Big brother will not let me off just because it is me.''


    Obviously, no matter what kind of thing Kim Tae-hoon looked at, he would not change his mind. As Ahn Sun-mi said, Kim Tae-hoon did not need survivors who just wanted his help.


    He would not change his mind. To be changed, those who were not Kim Tae-hoon must change!


    "You stopped talking, were you really going to betray me?"


    "No, I don''t mean¡­ it''s not betrayal, but I thought something like that. If you didn''t wake up like this, I''d have to take your place, and then the survivors¡­" Bang Hyun-wook drew a long breath, to gather some strength to speak.


    "Big brother, can we accept an application for the Clan?"


    At the words of Bang Hyun-wook, Kim Tae-hoon, who had just taken a sip, looked at him softly.


    Bang Hyun-wook just swallowed silently.


    "Are you asking if we will accept applicants from the survivors?" Kim Tae-hoon asked at last.


    "Yes."


    "Why does the Mac Clan need to accept additional applicants?"


    "Then we can kill more monsters, can''t we? We can get them more stable. And we don''t need just need combat agents. I need someone to cook, someone to move things..."


    "Can you give us a solid reason for our Clan to recruit applicants?"


    "That''s¡­" Bang Hyun-wook shut his mouth.


    He suggested it because he thought it was a compromise solution, but Kim Tae-hoon seemed to have no intention of doing so.


    However, Kim Tae-hoon was actually seriously considering Bang Hyun-wook''s proposal. If it had not been really worth considering, he would not have asked Bang Hyun-wook the question itself.


    He would have given final notice either to leave the Clan quietly, or said nothing, or to choose between them.


    ''He didn''t think of it alone, and someone gave him a clue about what I want.''


    He had already been thinking of something similar. It was not an option, but a necessity to increase the numbers of the Mac Clan.


    In a world where social infrastructure had collapsed, human resources were the most valuable ones.


    Fighting alone was not enough to do anything.


    Just looking at what the Mac Clan should do right now, there were a lot of things to do, such as monster slaughter, monster-based item production, etc., all starting with monster hunting.


    The same was true of battle.


    When battles are repeated, victims pile up. If you don''t replace them, it will be fatal.


    Above all, Kim Tae-hoon had a chance, thanks to the Golden Glass of Napoleon.


    ''If I go this way unchanging, the end is my death. If I want to live, I had a very valuable opportunity to know that I need to change.''


    "We need gunmen," he said.


    "Most of the surviving adult men will have military experience, and if they are from the artillery or tanker corps, that would be very helpful. We also need drivers," Lieutenant Kim spoke up, supporting Bang Hyun-wook''s opinion.


    ''We cannot ignore the survivors like this.'' It was also why she agreed with Bang Hyun-wook''s idea. ''We can''t move with this force alone.''


    At the same time, for the commander''s sake, she felt that they were at their limit with the current troops.


    Kim Tae-hoon got up in the opinion of the two.


    "Jang Sung-hoon, find three cars with the keys and bring them here."


    "What kind of cars do you want?"


    "Two SUV''s and a truck."


    Jang Sung-hoon nodded and immediately moved out to search for the cars.


    "Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji, gather ten undissected Sabretooth Wolves and a knife for slaughtering them, after collecting the monster stones."


    "I understand." Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji saluted and called for soldiers immediately.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes naturally turned to Bang. "Bang Hyun-wook."


    "Yes, big brother?"


    "You have to set your answers in your mind, including your priorities, ahead of time," he advised. "There''s no time for this conversation in a really desperate moment."


    Bang Hyun-wook nodded silently.


    "Then, Bang Hyun-wook, go to your unrequited love and tell them that we will start testing for applicants who want to join the Mac Clan."

 27 Episode 27 - Power Enhancement, Part II

    Chapter 10. Power Enhancement, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    "Major, we''re all here."


    It was late, and the sun had already fallen and disappeared. Cold breath filled the place, and the group was gathered under the thick darkness where even their cold breath was not visible.


    ''There is no exception.''


    The identity of the mess was the survivors.


    Bang Hyun-wook approached the survivors immediately as soon as Kim Tae-hoon''s permission was given ¡­ approaching and talking to his unrequited love, Joo Ha-yeon.


    The Mac Clan was accepting applicants. If you passed the Mac Clan tests, you could move with it.


    At his word, the twenty-two survivors announced their intention to join the Mac Clan without a single exception. It was natural for survivors who thought that there might be a chance of life, even if was the worst case!


    -----


    "I''ll tell you a few things." Kim Tae-hoon said to those who had gathered.


    "One, our Clan''s name is Mac, the Mac Clan, and two, the monster stones that the Clan has acquired from the monster hunt, and all the monster parts, are all mine. Three, you must obey orders unconditionally."


    Kim Tae-hoon paused there for a moment. He didn''t add a warning, such as, "Don''t say anything later,"


    This was not a training room for new employees in a company, and if they said something else later, he would just deal with it without warning. Those who had such schemes were not worthy of consideration.


    Kim Tae-hoon stopped and looked over the crowd, the expressions in their eyes.


    Most of the survivors had dead eyes. They had seen many deaths, to be exact.


    Of course, not everyone looked that way. Even in this situation, there were those who looked at Kim Tae-hoon clearly.


    The woman, who made Bang Hyun-wook take action, was one of those who looked at Kim Tae-hoon clearly.


    ''Her eyes are not dead.''


    The cute and pretty appearance, the hairstyle that was cut short with a cat-like face, was obviously popular from appearance alone.


    Bang Hyun-wook had said, "She was an aspiring entertainer." Although she had not made her debut yet, she was still a trainee at an entertainment agency of fair size.


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon did not really think much of the fact.


    "Then we''ll start classification." His role was to pick out the good and bad from these applicants.


    "Who had a career in a professional like manufacturing and agriculture?"


    At his question, four people looked around and carefully raised their hands.


    Three men, one woman. The woman looked to be in her twenties, the men in their thirties.


    "What''s your field?"


    "I worked at a factory, not very professional, but I did a lot of things."


    "Well, I worked on the construction site. My career was pretty good. I''m good at tools, though I don''t have a license."


    "I''m a nurse, and I''m very good at it, though I''ve only got a few years of experience. Please¡­"


    There was no power in the voices of those who answered sequentially. They lacked confidence.


    They were suspicious that they could be saved by saying these things.


    One of the four was different.


    "I''m a lawyer." He introduced his job with a pretty confident expression as if he were waiting for the question. "For reference, I''m with the Haesung Law Firm."


    He also had confidence that he had not showed before, adding his own affiliation.


    It was pretty good. The Haesung Law Firm was not the best in Korea, but it was in the top ten of Korean law firms.


    The combined income of the three people who had introduced their professions earlier would not equal the income of the man who said he was a lawyer.


    Of course, he deserved to be confident. And the attitude would be worth if it was a week ago.


    But not now. "The three, except for the lawyer, are accepted."


    "No, wait! Are you saying I''m out? Those three are passing?"


    Kim Tae-hoon answered the lawyer''s question as if he was hard to understand. "I don''t know why you''re so proud of yourself."


    "No, I''m with Haesung Law Firm ¡­"


    "Just tell me one reason why I need to hire a lawyer against the monsters."


    The lawyer was about to say something more, but then he stopped. His mouth closed, and the glitter in his eyes died quickly.


    Kim Tae-hoon ignored the lawyer and continued speaking. "Who was an artilleryman or a tanker during his military service?"


    "I was in the artillery unit." "I was also in the artillery unit!" Two men raised their hands quickly.


    They looked to be in their mid-twenties, and at this moment they seemed to have noticed who Kim Tae-hoon wanted.


    "Who has the first-class license?"


    "I have it, I know how to handle forklifts and cranes."


    The number of people raising their hands began to decrease as the questions were repeated, and later on, there was no one left to raise their hand.


    "Prepare for the test." Kim Tae-hoon gave a signal.


    The soldiers moved immediately. They lined up the dead bodies of the Sabretooth Wolves.


    It was not just a dead body.


    The heart was pulled out to get to the monster stone, the body that was chopped all over for slaughter practice, and it was in a terrible state.


    ''Oh, my God.''


    Of course, the survivors had pale faces as soon as they saw the body of the Sabretooth Wolf.


    Some with weak stomachs began to vomit immediately.


    "The test method is simple." Ignoring them, Kim Tae-hoon continued speaking.


    "Cut off the legs of the Sabretooth Wolf. It does not matter what the condition is. Whether it is front or rear, right or left, bring it to me after cutting it. The time limit is one hour. Tools..."


    Kim Tae-hoon grabbed a knife and threw it at the body of the Sabretooth Wolf next to him.


    Pook! The knife went deep into the Wolf''s belly, only the handle showing.


    "One knife, then, and we''ll start testing."


    4.


    "Oh, shit!" a man working on the sawing off the Sabretooth Wolf''s skin and flesh with a knife shouted loudly.


    "Damn it, argh! Goddamn it!" Harsh words filled with emotions flowed out of his mouth.


    Those who were doing the same thing reacted to the man''s feelings. Some chewed on their lips, some shed tears, and some cried out.


    They were all watched by the Mac Clan''s soldiers.


    Some of them thought to themselves, ''Does this test mean anything? ''What is he testing with this?''


    It was a terrible, miserable sight.


    However, the test to cut off the legs of the Wolves, compared to their desperation, did not seem to have much meaning.


    Kim Tae-hoon did not intend to deny the fact.


    It would be useful to practice stabbing the insides of meat and bones, cutting off the dead monster''s legs was not meaningful.


    But his reason for doing this was simple.


    "There is no reason to accept them unless they are prepared to eat a monster''s corpse."


    Can you do it, or not? It did not mean to see it.


    In the first place, Kim Tae-hoon did not expect much from the survivors. His expectations were just vague expectations.


    So, what Kim Tae-hoon wanted to see was their will to do it, or not.


    If they do not have enough fighting spirit to cut apart a dead monster body and the will to survive, they are just living dead men, eating and making poo.


    He didn''t want to have such a survivor.


    Fortunately, the survivors had strong wills to live. Strong enough that they were able to meet Kim Tae-hoon and the Mac Clan alive!


    The way the survivors came here was hell.


    "The time limit is up."


    Eventually, all twenty-two survivors crossed the line proposed by Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Passed."


    After the short words of Kim Tae-hoon, the faces of the survivors who had wrestled with the hide, muscles, flesh, and bones of the Sabretooth Wolf for an hour, were filled with cheers and deep fatigue.


    "Clean the body."


    Kim Tae-hoon did not give any congratulations or shake hands with them.


    The night was late enough, and the test was over. Now was the time to take the rest that had been originally planned.


    The Mac Clan must move again tomorrow when the sun rose.


    They had to hunt monsters, get food, make roads, and secure relics.


    And they had to repeat it again and again. They had to be ready for tomorrow, which would be more hopeless than today.


    ''It''s over now.''


    Most of all, death was predicted for Kim Tae-hoon. Within three to five years, he would be dead.


    It was a time-limited life. He did not have time to celebrate something and to comfort.


    ''I have to find a way.''


    Kim Tae-hoon did not intend to meet the fate of the dream Kim Tae-hoon.


    That was how the night began.


    5.


    At 5 AM, Jang Sung-hoon was not able to fall asleep easily.


    The cold weather was the reason, but the fact that his mind was full of the shining Golden Glass was the biggest reason he could not sleep.


    ''It lets us see our crisis in our dreams.''


    The Golden Glass of Napoleon.


    It was a shock to Jang Sung-hoon in many ways.


    ''It''s a tool that can change the future.''


    Knowing a crisis meant avoiding it. It was like changing the future.


    It would change the world. It was a shock that such a relic existed in the world.


    ''Such relics are overflowing in the world.''


    But there was something even more shocking.


    ''The world will be crazy¡­ Those greedy people will not leave them be.''


    Jang Sung-hoon was a chick in society at his age, he was still childish> His age was not much different from Bang Hyun-wook, who had a young personality, behavior, and attitude.


    However, Jang Sung-hoon''s social experience was darker than other people. The world he belonged to was filled with the word greed.


    Jang Sung-hoon saw a lot in such a world.


    How much greed could human beings have for art which is essentially useless?


    How terrible is the greed of human beings who can do things that ignore human dignity to get that desired artwork?


    The greed of such people would seem rather crude compared to the three desires of human beings.


    In addition, the art that had an artistic value was now much more than that.


    ''I feel like they have a missile launch button in their hands.''


    What was even eerier was that most of the art was already in the hands of greedy people.


    ''Even if I look at the situation right now, it is so.''


    World-class artworks, historical relics, were not in the hands of ordinary people, but in the hands of those who knew the ability and methods of filling their greed.


    Would they make efforts for the good of the world with those relics, the indispensable weapons which had amazing value now, when dealing with monsters?


    Jang Sung-hoon, at least, did not want to leave his fate to such people.


    ''This fucking world.'' Jang finally gave up sleeping.


    If he slept, he''d have to get up sooner or later. Instead, he''d better get up early and organize his thoughts.


    Jang Sung-hoon opened the car door and climbed out. The cold dawn wind hit his body.


    Naturally, Jang Sung-hoon''s gaze was on the blazing fire, and he headed for the man who was in front of the fire.


    ''Boss?''


    Kim Tae-hoon was in front of the fire.


    He was flying an arrow around himself, a featherless arrow which had only an arrowhead and shaft, while sipping coffee from a mug in his right hand.


    Jang Sung-hoon walked toward Kim Tae-hoon. "Boss."


    The conversation between the two of them began again.

 28 Episode 28 - Power Enhancement, Part III

    Chapter 10. Power Enhancement, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    6.


    "You got up early." While Jang Sung-hoon talked to Kim Tae-hoon, the arrow that hovered around his Boss like a satellite stopped in front of his eyes.


    "I couldn''t sleep."


    "...Because of your dream?"


    The arrow fell to the ground. His concentration was shaken.


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I said useless words¡­" Jang Sung-hoon apologized, understanding Kim Tae-hoon''s feelings. "Boss is also human, I suppose."


    He had learned of his death in his dream. He was actually sentenced to life on a deadline.


    He couldn''t be calm.


    Kim Tae-hoon sipped coffee from his mug instead of answering Jang Sung-hoon''s apology, and he looked at the fallen arrow.


    The arrow slowly began to rise again. It circled around Kim Tae-hoon like a satellite.


    The movement of the arrow was not smooth, and it orbit was slightly distorted every time it escaped his view.


    "Don''t worry too much, you know the future, and all you have to do is to avoid it," Jang Sung-hoon said to him.


    Kim Tae-hoon swallowed his coffee, and he grabbed the arrow that was circling around him. "The problem is that I don''t know what to avoid."


    "Well..."


    Kim Tae-hoon''s voice was serious. Facing it, Jang Sung-hoon swallowed the joke he was going to use to change the atmosphere. He sat down near Kim Tae-hoon with a serious expression.


    Jang Sung-hoon watched the twisted branches burning, and he spoke carefully.


    "Was there really only me? Was there no Hyun-wook or Lieutenant Soo-ji or sister Sun-mi by your side?"


    "I don''t want to hide such things. Do you think I''m lying?"


    "No, I just didn''t think I was going to be so loyal to the boss like that."


    Kim Tae-hoon also nodded.


    Jang Sung-hoon was not a man who could give loyalty to someone. He was quick to figure things out and faithful to his own interests.


    It was why he was attached to Kim Tae-hoon.


    It was not appropriate for him to stick to Kim Tae-hoon, trapped in a corner, when he was forced to die at the will of other people.


    "Well, this is for sure."


    Of course, it was a future story, and there must have been a process.


    "The future we both suffered so much hardship that we had to be so sticky. I am sure something extraordinary happened. If I were to become such a person, it wouldn''t happen with a minor accident."


    Kim Tae-hoon laughed softly and took a sip of coffee.


    "Oh, and this is really my personal imagination."


    When Kim Tae-hoon was enjoying coffee, he didn''t speak.


    "In my own terms, the future Boss is a hunting dog. No, I don''t mean you are a real dog, but your character is wild, like a dog," Jang Sung-hoon said as if he had been waiting.


    "Why would they let you die, even if it was so? Sometimes they could kill a hunting dog. They can kill after the hunting is over. But you said that you fought the dragon at the end, right? It means there''s still a monster left."


    Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes turned to Jang Sung-hoon.


    "If I tell you my story, there are a lot of real geniuses in this field. There are a lot of people who make counterfeit goods better then the original. But do you know why they''re active in the shadows? They''re either weird, or they''re in trouble. No matter how smart they are, if they have no side, and if you have enemies, they will eventually be abandoned."


    Kim Tae-hoon swallowed and said quietly, "To sum up your words, the most fundamental reason I died was that my personality was a frivolous one, wasn''t it?"


    "Well... if the personality of the Boss had been good at this, at least the death scene would have changed." With a bashful smile, Jang Sung-hoon rubbed both his hands in front of the fire.


    Kim Tae-hoon was able to make one thing clear at this moment.


    ''Now I know why he was around me until the last time.''


    Why Jang Sung-hoon stayed with him, why he allowed him to be with him, and eventually he died to save him.


    It was worth it for Jang Sung-hoon.


    He had an extraordinary view, an ability to express his opinion properly, and a different perspective. He was smart and competent.


    Kim Tae-hoon was able to see one fact clearly.


    "If I move according to my character, I will die in the end." With his personality, it was easy to make enemies, but it was not easy to make allies.


    This personality, of course, had been good so far.


    Kim Tae-hoon had been working in a place called the army, where he did not need to make allies or a faction.


    But not now. He had already stepped out of the military.


    ''I almost didn''t know that.''


    What was even more frightening, was that he was not aware of it.


    So Kim Tae-hoon asked a question here. "Jang Sung-hoon, what would you do if you were me?"


    "If I had the combat power and charisma like Boss, I would be a king in Bucheon right now," Jang Sung-hoon grinned and replied.


    "Of course it''s a joke, I didn''t mean it." He laughed playfully.


    "But honestly, if I had had the power to be like Boss, I wouldn''t have thought much about it. I''d bring some people together, make a group, get a gun, capture the monsters, and people will take you as their king. There''s no reason to refuse it. Most of them will be happy to do so."


    But it wasn''t just a playful laugh.


    "I''m sure there are people like Boss elsewhere, even if not like you. You said the level of the Awakeners is different when they are Awakened, right? Add if a relic is added¡­"


    Human beings were the incarnation of greed.


    If they have power and supernatural ability, and if there is a stage to exert their power, not everyone would do what they normally do.


    "I''m sure those who have obtained the power must have created a group, and they are controlling and operating a territory. Some wisely, some as a tyrant."


    Moreover, the situation was that the communication and traffic were paralyzed, and the Republic of Korea had already been divided.


    They risked their lives going to Sejong City from Seoul.


    At his words, Kim Tae-hoon recalled Colonel Lim Hyun-joon.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s purpose now was to move to Pocheon, where Colonel Lim Hyun-joon was, to make contact with him.


    But could Colonel Lim Hyun-joon be just a soldier now?


    ''Colonel Lim Hyun-joon is an ambitious man.''


    He was ambitious.


    He would not be a faithful soldier in this situation, and he would have been very ambitious if he had gained the position of Commander-in-Chief in a short time.


    ''If I met him now, he would use me as a hunting dog.''


    Kim Tae-hoon put the mug on the ground. "Do you like coffee?"


    "Is there anyone in Korea who hates coffee?"


    Kim Tae-hoon started to make more coffee.


    7.


    The start of the new morning of the Mac Clan began with a battle with the monsters.


    "A world where even pigs became monsters."


    "It''s a real crazy world, damn it."


    The monster appeared to be like a wild boar, but it was so large that it could not be compared with a wild boar. It had a horn that reminded them of a rhinoceros.


    A Horned Pig!


    Three dreadful Pigs were charging the Mac Clan vehicles on the move.


    The moment the Horned Pigs appeared, the Mac Clan moved with great speed.


    First, two SUVs became ramparts that blocked the advance of the Horned Pig.


    "Get out of!"


    "Wait!"


    The drivers who were driving the SUV''s facing the Horned Pig got out of the slow-moving vehicle.


    "The driver is here!"


    "Even the left driver came out!"


    As soon as the fact was delivered to Kim Tae-hoon, who was riding in the back of a dump truck, he stared at two cars driving along.


    Two cars revved up and began to accelerate toward the Horned Pigs.


    The result was obvious.


    Three Horned Pigs, unwilling to stop, collided with two SUV''s on a narrow road, and after screaming a bit, were entangled and crushed.


    The sound of the Horned Pigs clearly told the gruesomeness of the situation.


    Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji saw this and quickly ordered the soldiers in the back of the dump truck, "Aim!"


    The soldiers distracted by the intense shock created by the traffic accident in front of them came to their senses.


    In their gun sights, they saw one or two Horned Pigs stumbling around in shock.


    "Start firing!" There was a flurry of gunfire.


    During the rain of gunfire, Kim Tae-hoon threw an arrow high into the sky.


    The arrow without feathers rose up continuously. Kim Tae-hoon raised his arrow high enough that he couldn''t see it anymore


    When the arrow disappeared from Kim Tae-hoon''s senses, it no longer received the help of his telekinesis. It began to fall


    Shiii!


    The sound of the falling arrow was eerie. It sounded like a hawk diving on prey, trying to cut off the target''s life at once.


    The arrow, which fell like that, began to change its path at some point, and it hit precisely in the middle of the forehead of a Horned Pig struggling in front of the gunfire.


    Pok!


    The arrow disappeared into the body of the horned Pig like magic, without a trace.


    Quik!


    The Horned Pig gave a short cry, fell to the ground and began to twitch.


    "What the heck?"


    "It suddenly fell down, didn''t it?"


    The soldiers, who did not see the arrow, cocked their heads at the sudden fall of the Horned Pig that had stood up against their bullets.


    On the other hand, Kim Tae-hoon frowned.


    ''This is not enough.''


    Kim Tae-hoon focused on pulling out the arrow embedded in the Horned Pig.


    But it did not come out. He could not draw the arrow in the body of the Horned Pig properly and clearly.


    This was a characteristic of telekinesis. It was not all done just by mere imagination.


    Just like a top artist who had the skill to visualize a perfect object with his eyes.


    Just like a doctor with experience, training, and ability, who could image the state of a body without opening up a patient''s body.


    Telekinesis did not respond to vagueness. Only when he imagined a clear fact could it show true power.


    ''That''s not enough.''


    It meant that Kim Tae-hoon was still limited and lacking in ability with his telekinesis.


    Kim Tae-hoon clicked his tongue and looked over at Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji.


    Kim Soo-ji nodded. "Stop shooting!"


    At her shout, the rainy gunfire stopped at once.


    If they had been just dazed and pulling the trigger, they would not have stopped shooting.


    Soldiers not shooting was evidence that self-control and discipline now existed, and it was evident that they were now blooded.


    It was evident that they were no longer cowards who were too scared to judge how many empty cartridges they had thrown up, that they had become hunters who had repeatedly fought with monsters, not survivors struggling to live through being slaughtered by repeated monsters.


    Of course, they did not stop shooting just to confirm that...


    Kim Tae-hoon hopped down lightly from the back of the dump truck. Bang Hyun-wook came to his side, holding his steel pipe.


    "Big brother, which one do you want?"


    "You pick first."


    "Me first?"


    "I''ll give you a chance to look good in front of your favorite girl."


    "I think the right one is livelier, so I''ll kill it."


    After finishing the words, Bang Hyun-wook pulled out the Energy in his gut and sent it through his whole body. His whole being heated up in one breath.


    "Uh-cha!"


    The sound of him circulating his Energy caught the attention of the Horned Pig, which was still full of Energy and the Strength to fight, and a mite ornery after being shot all over.


    A Horned Pig stared at Bang Hyun-wook, while the other one was already rushing toward him.


    Looking at this, Kim Tae-hoon also boosted his telekinesis in his gut. At the same time, he held up his fist. His right hand went black.


    That was how the battle began, a battle of the Awakeners!

 29 Episode 29 - The Lawless City, Part I

    Chapter 11. The Lawless City, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    It was Jang Sung-hoon''s idea.


    "The new recruits know well what kind of personality the Boss is. It''s not possible not to know. It takes a long time to see if you''re good, but it takes less than ten seconds to figure out if your personality is dirty."


    He told Kim Tae-hoon needed to show his power to the new faces who had joined the Mac Clan.


    "But the new recruits don''t know what kind of person the Boss is, and even if you''re an Awakener, that''s just vague, and the word ''the Awakener'' was made by the Boss, right?


    "Now is time to fight against monsters, but survive.


    "You need to show them what an Awakener is, and what it means to fight a monster with your naked body.


    "You have to show them how great you are."


    It was necessary to show them how terrible Kim Tae-hoon the Awakener was now.


    "If they see the image of the Boss, they will calculate at that moment, and act as if they have a dirty monster as a boss. At least they not going to put a blood pool around their neck."


    Kim Tae-hoon accepted the idea of ??Jang Sung-hoon, and he stood in front of the monster with only his bare body, holding only a knife.


    And he showed them what the fight between a monster and a monster is, how great a monster he was.


    2.


    As soon as Kim Tae-hoon and Bang Hyun-wook approached the monsters, the early members of the Mac Clan watched expectantly.


    A colleague, a comrade, and a leader who was willing to exercise monster-like violence against monsters!


    However, the eyes of the new recruits greeting their first day as members of the Mac Clan were full of fear.


    ''What the hell is that?'' ''These monsters are still alive! Why?''


    Kim Tae-hoon and Bang Hyun-wook seemed to be committing suicide to the new recruits who had seen countless humans eaten by the monsters.


    In the eyes of Bang Hyun-wook and Kim Tae-hoon, the Horned Pigs were only petty animals.


    "I am going to show off all of a sudden."


    It had been riddled with dozens of bullets after colliding with the running vehicle.


    Because it was a monster, it still had a fighting spirit and was standing on its legs even with a fatal injury.


    The Pigs were no different from corpses that were certain to die in time.


    Compared to monsters that were so fierce that they could even go crazy, they were just petty.


    Above all, Kim Tae-hoon''s abilities were already overwhelming.


    ------


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 76


    - Health: 51


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: E+ Rank


    - Mana: E+ Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Defense: E Rank


    - Mana Resistance: E+ Rank


    ------


    His strength had reached 76 through the monopoly of the monster stones.


    He was far beyond a human being.


    He had surpassed an Olympic medalist, and or even a level at which an Olympic medalist might reach through drugs.


    He was superhuman.


    In addition, Kim Tae-hoon already had four monster abilities, starting with [Black Skin] and [Howling].


    It was already decided who the predator was.


    Cue-e-e-e-ek!


    Therefore, Kim Tae-hoon did not take much time to deal with the Horned Pig that was squealing loudly.


    The moment it screamed and rushed ahead with its horns, he also rushed towards it.


    The distance between the Horned Pig and Kim Tae-hoon narrowed quickly, and he immediately caught the horn of the Pig and climbed atop it as if riding a rodeo.


    At the same time, he stabbed the knife in his right hand into its neck.


    The knife went through the thick hide of the Horned Pig, which had resisted bullets, and all the fat beneath.


    The knife was not a great sword, and it was not a relic.


    The secret was, of course, Energy.


    Kim Tae-hoon was also fully aware of how to use his Energy, as Bang Hyun-wook had realized.


    Not only did he activate his body''s potential with Energy, but he also knew how to cover his weapon with Energy.


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon''s knife, which did not have a high Energy rank behind it, only went in as deep as his little finger.


    Cuik, cu-i-i!


    There was no doubt it hurt, but it was not enough to cause a fatal injury to it. So Kim Tae-hoon went on to his next move.


    He concentrated the power of the Black Orc in his right hand.


    Now his right hand turned black, and the area was growing. It used to be a little off his wrist, but now it was reaching up close to his elbows.


    Kim Tae-hoon hit the knife''s handle with his black fist, like a hammer hitting a nail.


    Every time he hit it, the knife went in deeper.


    Cuek!!


    The cries of the Horned Pig grew more frantic. Naturally, its struggles had intensified. Its body was shaking like a rodeo bull, not a pig.


    However, its struggles didn''t do much to Kim Tae-hoon, who already has his seat and even held its horns like a handle. Whenever it struggled, he smashed down with his fist.


    Pook!


    The knife went in deeper and deeper.


    Pook!


    The blade disappeared.


    Pook!


    Then the handle began to go in.


    Cu-i-i-ik!


    A mournful squeal came from the jaws of the Horned Pig, which seemed to feel death coming.


    But Kim Tae-hoon did not stop.


    Now the knife had entered the mass of flesh and was not visible, but he punched down into that bloody hole.


    Pook!


    The knife went deeper.


    Thump!


    The frantic Horned Pig fell to the ground like a broken doll.


    "Huck!" "Wow!"


    The sight caught the breath of those watching the scene.


    "Uh-cha! What''s the taste of the iron bat of the Barry Bonds of Bucheon High School? This is the iron bat which hit two home runs consecutively in the weekend league of High School!"


    Bang Hyun-wook, who was just ignorant and fierce enough to hit the Horned Pig''s body with a lump of iron, was not really noticed.


    Only Kim''s figure was seen.


    As they watched, Kim Tae-hoon drew a knife from the neck of the Horned Pig, which was still convulsing.


    Hot blood sprang up like a fountain. White steam came up, too.


    Ignoring the gruesome sight, Kim brought his ears down to the body of the dying Horned Pig.


    As soon as he found the sound of the Pig''s heart, he stabbed into it. He cut away the skin and flesh at once, and he shoved his hand into the gash.


    Soon after, Kim Tae-hoon pulled out his hand, holding a coveted red jewel...and swallowed it immediately.


    Everyone else swallowed as they watched the scene.


    3.


    Bucheon Municipal Wonmi Library...


    "Move carefully, be careful! It''s a grenade!"


    "I understand."


    "Where do we move the drinking water?"


    "Second floor! Drinking water to the second floor!"


    Located between Wonmi Mountain and Bucheon Stadium, the library, where quiet is life, was now experiencing its most tumultuous day since its establishment.


    "Everything is moved."


    "Let''s go and smoke."


    "Yes."


    There were as many as fifty people involved in the disturbance. They were constantly moving things into the library from the trucks and vehicles parked in front of the library.


    Under the circumstance, Kim Soo-ji asked Kim Tae-hoon, who was taking a coffee break. "Major, do you really want to make this a base?"


    At the question, Kim Soo-ji answered immediately. "Is there a problem making this a base?"


    "No."


    Kim Su-ji had no doubts about making the Bucheon Municipal Wonmi Library a base. No, the library was the best place to live in under the current circumstances.


    The area was surrounded by hills and was quite distant from where people lived. In many ways, the structure was advantageous to defense. Although not as common as the Ojung-dong Industrial District, in nearby Wonmi-dong there were several factories where they could find useful tools. It would not be hard to get things for item making.


    The library itself had many advantages.


    The books and bookshelves filling the library could be great firewood during winter, and since the Internet, the final edition of modern civilization knowledge, had become meaningless, the library was a collection of human wisdom for their situation.


    If human civilization was rebuilt from the bottom, knowledge was more important than a sword or a gun.


    Ahn Sun-mi and Jang Sung-hoon were already moving around the library collecting books that would help their activities and survival in the future.


    There was no reason for Kim Soo-ji to oppose such a place as a base. She was just suspicious.


    ''Why did he suddenly get a base? I''m sure he didn''t intend to do that until yesterday.''


    Until last night, Kim Tae-hoon had no intention of making a base.


    If he had thought about it, he would have made the library a base earlier, rather than waiting under Bucheon Stadium.


    ''We don''t train in cold weather, and we didn''t need to spend the night shivering in the cold outside using our cars as a tent.''


    Naturally, Kim Soo-ji thought Kim Tae-hoon would move to another place after securing the relics he wanted in the Bow Museum as well.


    As Kim Tae-hoon suddenly said that he was going to build a base in such a situation, it was natural for her to ask questions.


    However, she had not raised any new questions. She was a soldier to her bones.


    Kim Tae-hoon gave her a new order. "Lieutenant Kim Su-ji, bring people together when it''s done. Place the Awakeners in the front row."


    "I understand."


    Kim Tae-hoon drank coffee while watching Kim Su-ji, who was moving to carry out the order right away.


    The strong aroma of coffee filled his mouth.


    But Kim Tae-hoon was not able to savor his coffee at this moment. It was due to the conversation he''d had with Jang Sung-hoon in the early morning.


    Jang Sung-hoon gave his opinion to Kim Tae-hoon without any qualms.


    "Boss, if you monopolize the monster stones, the Boss becomes strong, but the Mac Clan cannot be strong. I don''t care if that''s the goal¡­ to play big, you have to ignore the small things."


    Kim Tae-hoon''s actions might make him stronger, but it wouldn''t make the Mac Clan stronger.


    "And it doesn''t matter if the group is small, but if the group grows big, a rank is needed, right? You know that better because the Boss is a soldier. Of course, we don''t need to use military ranks. In this world, the mark on the back of the Boss will be the rank."


    In order to make the group big, they needed a ranking system.


    To sum it up, Kim Tae-hoon needed to set up a framework early in order to have a bigger military force and a bigger military clique.


    In fact, Kim Tae-hoon knew that part better than anyone else.


    He served as a soldier in a secret society in a third world where a group of warlords prevailed, where civil war, rebellion, and war were constant.


    He knew better than any terrorist how warlords are organized and how they are run efficiently.


    Nevertheless, the reason why Kim had been active like that was simple.


    He didn''t want to make a military faction. That''s why he used the term, Clan.


    If he had intended to create a military faction, he would have used a phrase meaning bigger.


    The word ''Clan'' is not used in the military, or to express forces of big scale.


    ''Not my way, but¡­''


    In addition, it was never Kim''s style to lead a force like a military faction. Until now, Kim''s target had been such military leaders.


    The higher they went, the more they became a target.


    But things had changed now.


    ''Now I know the result of doing things my own way, and I have to throw it away.''


    He found out that his style did not work.


    He found out that if he lived as a hunting dog, he would die.


    There is only one way left!


    ''When the situation is settled after constructing a base here...''


    Being not a hunting dog, but a hunter!


    ''I need to go out into the city and gather the Awakeners who will be my hunting dogs.''


    Kim Tae-hoon saw Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji return. He swallowed the rest of his coffee and got up.


    The monster stones inside his pocket of Kim Tae-hoon touched his chest.


    Meanwhile, Kim Soo-ji stood at attention before him and said, "Major, everyone is here."


    Kim Tae-hoon nodded in reply and double-checked the monster stones around his chest.


    ''It''s best to train a hunting dog with game meat.'' There was no further worry or hesitation in Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes after confirming this.


    There was only the glitter in the eye of a hunter who will do anything and everything for his new purpose!

 30 Episode 30 - The Lawless City, Part II

    Chapter 11. The Lawless City, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    January 10, 2017.


    At 4 PM, when the sun began to set in, the city of Bucheon used to still be crowded with people and vehicles.


    Since yesterday, the snow had been falling all the time, and any traces of the living on the white open snowfield was only here and there, and faint.


    There was no sense of life anywhere.


    A city of the dead.


    "Boss¡­ it''s too quiet," Jang Sung-hoon said, unable to stay quiet. "I hope not everyone in Bucheon is dead."


    Kim Tae-hoon put his gloved index finger on his mouth instead of replying to Jang Sung-hoon''s repeated concerns.


    Jang Sung-hoon shut up.


    Looking at the world that was calm again, Kim Tae-hoon tutted quietly.


    ''What the hell happened here during this time?''


    At the same time, Kim Tae-hoon recalled the events of the recent days.


    After setting up the library as a base, Kim Tae-hoon had to spend busy days in the radical reform of the Mac Clan.


    He had to present carrots and whips to the Awakeners who would be his hunting dogs, and he had to work to fortify the library that had become the base area.


    He could not afford to go out to Bucheon City and do something.


    It was the snow since yesterday that made him move.


    Monsters were more like animals. Animals don''t move easily on snowy days.


    In other words, the snowy day was a good day to contact the survivors and avoid the threat of the monsters. When the snow came, Kim Tae-hoon prepared to come down to the city.


    Their purpose was to contact the survivors, look at the situation, and get the necessary supplies.


    Jang Sung-hoon accompanied him, saying he knew of the secret mansion of a damn rich man who played with art.


    ''It''s so quiet, as Jang Sung-hoon says.''


    He had enough concern about what would happen before he came to the city.


    ''This was not expected.''


    But the situation was outside his expectations.


    "If everything had been done by common sense, there must be a group of survivors here."


    Kim Tae-hoon thought that the downtown might be organized to some extent.


    The scary thing about human beings was that they quickly adapted to the world through trial and error.


    Even in a world full of monsters, even if the social infrastructure collapsed, he thought that someone would adapt.


    Moreover, there was no huge disturbance that surprised Kim Tae-hoon.


    For example, if a dragon had once again passed through the air, there would have been a great deal of confusion, but it did not happen. There was no sign of a monster that was so enormous that it could be heard even in the distance.


    Moreover, Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon were gradually narrowing the distance to the New Jungdong Station.


    The New Jungdong Station of Bucheon was a large commercial area, with department stores, large marts, and the Bucheon Wonmi Police Station, which was fairly large.


    By common sense, there were few more suitable environments in Bucheon than New Jungdong Station area for survivors seeking to survive.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s footsteps stopped. At the same time, his hands went up. Jang Sung-hoon''s footsteps also stopped at the signal.


    Whi-ing!


    In the cold wind blowing past them, Kim Tae-hoon''s gaze turned to the snow piles that decorated the roads they wanted to travel.


    There was nothing special to look at. It was snowy, piled up with fertilizer bags.


    However, Kim Tae-hoon was sure that it was not a fertilizer bag under the snow.


    He looked at the snow pile, his eyes sharp. He painted a picture, a picture of a big hand shaking a snow pile.


    The things under the snow were revealed.


    It was a dead body that had been frozen blue. It was not just a body... but a decapitated body.


    "Ugh!" As soon as he checked the body, Jang Sung-hoon barely swallowed the vomit coming up in disgust. "There must be a monster, damn it¡­"


    At that moment, the image of a Mud Troll came up in the mind of Jang Sung-hoon.


    A monster, which could not be killed with bullets, that pulled off the heads of people and ate them.


    Jang Sung-hoon shivered in the trauma that he will carry for the rest of his life, and the snow piling up on the Werewolf leather he wore fell to the snow softly.


    On the other hand, Kim Tae-hoon''s expression was different. He did not recall the Mud Troll, who had only taken out the human head.


    "It''s not a monster," Kim Tae-hoon said clearly. "That was killed by a man."


    That body was not one which a monster made.


    "Yes?"


    Ignoring the surprised Jang Sung-hoon, Kim Tae-hoon looked around with great caution.


    ''Murder can happen.''


    It is ridiculous to hope that murders would not happen in this situation. Murder would happen as much as possible.


    ''But cutting off the head is another story.''


    But cutting the head off a corpse was another story because accidental murder to live did not make a neckless body...


    "Aaaaaaargh!"


    The scream was close by. Kim Tae-hoon rose from his crouch.


    "Jang Sung-hoon."


    "Yes."


    "From now on, our enemy is human."


    At the words, Jang Sung-hoon made a determined expression, rather than a surprised one.


    In recent days, Kim Tae-hoon had taught Mac Clan''s men that the most important thing is the determination to kill not a monster, but a man that threatened their own life.


    5.


    "Please save me. Just save me."


    The snowy field.


    A woman was naked and seeking forgiveness on the harsh snowfield, which seemed to shake the body just by looking.


    "Please, please."


    Her appearance, rubbing her hands again and again, was so pathetic that even the viewer could get shivers.


    There were three men around her.


    They were wearing thick vests, holding curtain rods and a spear made from a kitchen knife, and wearing construction helmets.


    Despite their crude appearance, they were clearly armed. It meant that they were not ordinary people.


    The three of them gave a spear-sword instead of mercy to the woman who sought mercy in the snow.


    "Please, please save me. There are no others except for me."


    A man talked at the repeated sad tone of the woman. "Shall we have some fun before we kill her? Eh?"


    It was a phrase that made the woman''s face turn black.


    The other two wet their lips with their tongues instead of answering the man''s filthy words.


    "Why don''t we just take off our pants since she''s taken it all off? Don''t you think?" the man repeated to his two colleagues.


    A nasty suggestion.


    However, the remaining two seemed to have no intention of easily agreeing with the filthiness.


    "Shit, let''s have some fun!"


    "Please, please save me. I''ll do anything. Anything¡­"


    Soon after, she spat out her words as if she had resigned herself to her fate.


    "Look! She says she''ll do anything. Anyway, she is the food for the monster. What''s the wrong of doing this? Don''t you think?"


    The man spoke somewhat angrily now. The other two looked at one another.


    Pook!


    An arrow flew into the eyeball of one of the two men who looked at one another.


    All of a sudden, without sound and without a hint of warning, the arrowhead of an Arrow flew through his eye and brain, and it came out through the back of his head.


    "Uh?"


    "What?"


    Everyone, and even the woman who begged for her life, rubbing her hands hard, looked surprised at the sight. Their thinking stopped at that moment.


    Something white began to come toward one of the remaining two men.


    Like a leopard leaping for its prey, a man''s black fist, appearing with a speed that could not be considered human, shattered the skull of a man with a vacant look on his face.


    He broke into pieces with his helmet. Fragments of broken skulls were scattered all over.


    The only man left now was the man who vomited out his zest for rape at a woman seeking mercy.


    However, the man still had a vacant look on his face.


    ''Uh? Uh?''


    The fist of the man who had suddenly appeared sped toward the man with such a foolish expression, and broke his helmet and face at the same time.


    The man who had been hit by the fist screamed and spit out his teeth. But he did not scream for long.


    "Kuck, kuck!"


    As he was about to scream, the fist that had crushed his nose was holding the man''s neck tightly.


    The strangled man tried to wrench at the grip, but it was not a human arm.


    In the meantime, the arrow that had already eaten one person''s life began to move on its own.


    Wii...


    The Arrow, which made a snake-like sound, soon came near the eyes of the man who was caught by his throat, and it lit up hazily.


    The man shivered and pissed his pants with a choked gurgle.


    Kim Tae-hoon spoke calmly. "If you play a trick, you will die. If you hesitate to answer, you will die. If you have a loud voice, you will die. Nod your head, if you understand."


    Even in a choking situation, the man nodded.


    Kim Tae-hoon released the power holding the man''s neck.


    "Khuck!"


    There was a choked gasp.


    "Huh-uck, huh-uck¡­"


    Around that time, Jang Sung-hoon came up to the naked woman and covered her with the hide of the Werewolf he was wearing.


    The leather jacket of Werewolf was rugged and smelled bad, but it was incredibly warm.


    "Hush. Be quiet."


    However, Jang Sung-hoon gave a cruel warning to the woman instead of being kind.


    This place was now the area of the enemy, in a sense. A disturbance would never be advantageous to Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon.


    The woman said, "I know what he knows. I''ll tell you everything if you let me live. I was with him."


    A sudden remark.


    At the words of the woman, the man who was gasping shouted in horror, "That bitch betrays¡­"


    Betrayal!


    As soon as Kim Tae-hoon heard the word, his Arrow, which was in front of the man''s eyes, drove in like a striking serpent.


    The man fell to the ground. Kim Tae-hoon pulled the Arrow from the man''s eye, and he said, aiming at the woman covered by the leather of the Werewolf with the Arrow in his hand, "If you play a trick, you will die. If you hesitate to answer, you will die. Even if you have a loud voice, you will die. Nod your head, if you understand."


    The woman nodded...

 31 Episode 31 - The Lawless City, Part III

    Chapter 11: The Lawless City, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    6.


    When the heavy snow fell, the terrible world began to turn white in earnest.


    Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon, who properly concealed the dead, went into a sushi restaurant with Baek Ji-yeon, the woman survivor.


    The fish that protruded from the water tanks broken by the monster raids were all frozen, and the inside of the restaurant remained a bit fishy-smelling.


    "I''ll stand guard."


    Jang Sung-hoon took out the rifle he had brought there and stood guard. Kim Tae-hoon went into the kitchen with Baek Ji-yeon, who was shaking in the cold with her lips blue. She was wearing only the pants and jumper of a dead man.


    In the kitchen, Kim Tae-hoon threw two hot packs to Baek Ji-yeon.


    Baek Ji-yeon blinked, took the hot packs, and began to rub her whole body with them.


    Because she covered her body with only a jumper, when she rubbed her body with hot packs, her naked body was revealed. But could not afford to worry about her breasts being exposed.


    She was full of the desire to melt her whole body and to live.


    Kim Tae-hoon put her in front of him and said, "What happened on January 1?"


    "Yes?"


    Instead of answering, Kim Tae-hoon glared at her with cold eyes. Then she remembered the three conditions that Kim Tae-hoon had demanded earlier.


    "I don''t know about the first day of January, but when I woke up it was already late at night."


    She would die if she hesitated to answer. The warning alone kept her talking.


    "Everyone was the same. Few of the survivors were sane on January 1st. Awakeners! Yes, only a few of the Awakeners were active on January 1st, but it was not exact¡­"


    Of course, in this situation, she talked about everything at the same time. Cold and fear, these two were very effective factors paralyzing human reason.


    So, it was more meaningful for Kim.


    The words she spoke now were ones that had not been manipulated, without any processing in her mind.


    ''The dragon''s influence was enormous.''


    Once in Bucheon City, it became clear that January 1st was a lost day.


    The cause was obvious.


    The dragon!


    The horrifying monster passed by, killing monsters and humans from fear alone, or stunning them.


    Even if there were monsters or humans that could move, those who were exposed to the fear would not be able to act normally.


    The next important word was the word ''Awakener.''


    The expression of ''Awakener'' itself was not a word that only Kim Tae-hoon could use after applying for a patent. However, if the expression of ''Awakener'' was used in Bucheon City, there was a trace of Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Who used the word ''Awakener''?"


    "The survivors of the large mart by the City Hall spread out, and a rumor that eating monster stones would give Awakeners superhuman strength began there, as well as a rumor that the first hunter had killed a Black Orc¡­"


    As expected, it was the survivors who had survived in the large mart that spread the term ''Awakener.''


    "So what happened on January 2nd? Tell me about the important parts."


    "The survivors who survived in the large mart gathered at the City Hall. They started making a group, saying, ''If we gather around the Awakeners, we will be able to fight monsters, and if we have a lot of monster stones, we can kill monsters.'' The survivors began to gather there one by one."


    "When did you join them?"


    "Well, I didn''t join them. I was working at a department store by the New Jungdong Station. I did not join, but they came."


    "They?"


    "Messiah."


    "Is Messiah the name of the group?"


    "Yes? Yes, it''s the name of the organization. It''s not¡­ the group which was made in the City Hall. No, it started there, but it was, so¡­"


    At that moment she began to stammer. She was trying to throw out something in her head at once, but she was overloaded.


    Kim Tae-hoon looked at her grimly. Baek Ji-yeon met his eyes and shook herself.


    "Well, I''ll tell you soon, please, save me."


    "Just answer my question. Who made the Messiah group?"


    "He''s a guy named Lee Jin-sung."


    "What are his external features?"


    "I''ve never seen him¡­ I don''t even know where he is."


    Kim Tae-hoon started glaring at Baek Ji-yeon at the words.


    "Well, well, it''s a rumor, I''m not sure, it''s said he''s using a sword¡­ a sword that''s so special that it can cut a monster in half. It''s a rumor. I''ve never seen it."


    "What was the date the Messiah group came to your department store?"


    "It''s¡­ the sixth day! I''m sure it was the sixth day."


    "What did they come for?"


    "To get a sacrifice¡­"


    "A sacrifice?"


    "It''s a sacrifice to calm down the yellow devil on the subway."


    "The yellow demon on the subway?"


    "It''s a giant snake, whose whole body is covered with black scales. The shining snake with yellow eyes ¡­so it''s called the yellow devil."


    "What does a sacrifice mean?"


    "We need ten people every day to fill the yellow devil''s belly. We throw ten people into the New Jungdong Station every day. Ten people every day... after cutting off the Achilles tendon to keep them from running..."


    Her whole body began to shake after she said that, and the reason began to disappear from her eyes.


    "I''m sorry, I''ll answer you immediately, I''ll answer¡­"


    Kim Tae-hoon, who thought that further questions were meaningless, took out a chocolate bar and a can of premade coffee from his chest and threw them to her.


    A chocolate bar and a canned coffee were not a good combination, but she accepted it with wide eyes.


    "Take a break, get things straight in your mind."


    "Thank you, thank you." She began to unwrap the chocolate bar with her frozen hands and broken nails. After she managed to unwrap it, she began to eat the hard-frozen chocolate bar.


    In the meantime, Kim Tae-hoon came out of the kitchen and approached Jang Sung-hoon, still standing guard.


    "Boss, do you get anything good?"


    "If the sad news is good, then yes."


    "The sad news? Is that a bad story?"


    "The Awakeners of the survivors made a group, and now they are expanding the area of the city. The name of the force is Messiah."


    "Messiah, that''s a very attractive name. I think we should have chosen an English name for our Clan. To be honest, now that I''m talking about Mac, foreigners will think of McDonald''s or Apple, but will not think of a mythical animal which eats dreams. There was a McDonald''s near the department store, and I want a hamburger now."


    "The Messiah group is dealing with monsters in a way that gives a human offering to them."


    "There is such a thing?" Jang Sung-hoon''s face hardened as he nodded. "What? A human offering? Wait, I didn''t hear you wrong, did I? Did they give someone to a monster? To a monster?"


    "There''s a snake called the Yellow Devil in the subway station, and they are offering ten adults every day to calm it down."


    "Ten people every day? Isn''t that crazy? It''s crazy. Crazy bastards, offering a human being as a sacrifice?" He looked confused even as he swore.


    Kim Tae-hoon, on the other hand, did not lose his coolness. "It''s more cruel than crazy."


    It is clear that he faced an unexpected reality, but Kim Tae-hoon could not deny that the behavior of the Messiah organization was reasonable and efficient enough.


    "If they can''t kill a monster anyway, it''s reasonable for them to make as many sacrifices as the monster wants."


    "But that''s not right."


    "If you were in a Messiah group, that would not have come out easily."


    "Well¡­"


    "To sacrifice the few for the many might be democracy in this world."


    Jang Sung-hoon shut up. Kim Tae-hoon continued on.


    "Moreover, the current group of survivors has a form in which general people are attached to the Awakeners, and it would be hard for the common people who would be sacrificed to oppose it if the Awakeners need sacrifices. In other words, the system of sacrifice is a way of survival for Awakeners, and a means of maintaining power."


    Jang Sung-hoon looked at the snow falling down with a pale face. Kim Tae-hoon did not speak anymore.


    It was his turn to chew on his anguish.


    ''Messiah and Lee Jin-sung.''


    For now, he had two clues. The Messiah group and the leader of the group, Lee Jin-sung.


    ''A human offering...''


    Messiah, the meaning of the name didn''t matter. The important thing was their behavior.


    ''Smart, cruel, and powerful in action.''


    It is understandable that the Awakeners would gather together, and it was natural for a force of survivors to be set up around them.


    But offering a living person to sacrifice was something that is not common. It was not easy to come up with such an idea.


    At this point, monsters were just things to run away from and avoid.


    When a powerful monster appeared, it would scare people into running away, and they wouldn''t think to feed it and keep it calm.


    In that situation, who would think monsters had their own territories and wouldn''t wander if they were full?


    Just because they watched National Geographic often does not mean they would think of it.


    ''Lee Jin-sung.''


    Lee Jin-sung, who came up with such an idea and put it into practice, could not be an ordinary person.


    ''A person who uses a sword and is able to cut down monsters with a single stroke.''


    It was only a story, but it was something even Kim Tae-hoon could not do.


    ''Energy rank is high, or he has a high Mana rank and a relic that uses his Mana effectively.''


    The rank of natural ability would have to be high.


    ''The scary part is that he created Messiah on purpose.''


    He didn''t use his power recklessly.


    According to the story, the starting point for Messiah was the group of survivors from the City Hall.


    In that group, Lee Jin-sung was active step by step.


    At first, he would have become a hero by fighting a monster without cost, and as soon as the organization gathered around him, he would have taken off his mask, after winning the Awakeners to his side who would become his own limbs.


    "The offering of human beings is not the purpose itself."


    Moreover, it was not likely that the Messiah was dedicated to religious rituals. Keeping the monsters quiet was the process.


    "The purpose is to develop power, hunting the small fries."


    In terms of games, they are leveling up while killing the small fries, leaving the powerful monsters alone.


    At the same time, their scope of the activity would be expanded, and the evidence was that they attacked and brought the survivors of other areas under their control to secure sacrifices.


    In the process, they also created a sense of fear by cutting the heads off the bodies.


    "If they expand this way and secure the material of the 17th Division beyond Songnae Station..."


    As soon as this organization gained firepower, he would become a powerful warlord.


    The foundation was already established. The foundation itself was much bigger than the Mac Clan.


    So at this moment, Kim Tae-hoon had to choose whether to hold their hands or remove them.


    He could not leave Messiah like this. He had to decide now to hold their hands or remove them.


    He did not worry about this part long.


    ''I can''t hold their hands.''


    The choice of holding hands with Messiah was not right for Kim Tae-hoon.


    It was not because of the sense of disgust with the Messiah and Lee Jin-sung, or a sense of justice that he should stop their evil behavior.


    ''It''s not a sword I can keep below me.''


    His capacity was just insufficient. In fact, Kim Tae-hoon had never compromised with the men of power of the lawless world or used their way.


    He had only removed the men of power of the lawless world.


    Therefore, if his past was measured calmly, he would never be able to deal with the bloody awl, like Lee Jin-sung.


    Moreover, Lee Jin-sung was a human being who cut the heads of bodies for symbolism.


    That sort of person never quits his ambition, he knew. A sharp sword that cannot be handled is only a weapon that hurts the body.


    That left only one answer.


    Kim Tae-hoon looked out the broken window of the sushi restaurant and saw the scenery. The snow was getting stronger.


    ''Good weather...''


    "Jang Sung-hoon, we''re going back to headquarters."


    "Okay, then what about her¡­"


    Kim Tae-hoon turned his back before the words were out, and headed back to Baek Ji-yeon, who was holding a hot pack in the kitchen.


    Then he looked at her and said, "The choice is either to be a survivor and go alone or to be a prisoner and follow orders. I''m telling you clearly that you''re not worthy of being a hostage. Don''t expect to be treated like one."


    Baek Ji-yeon''s answer was obvious before he finished.


    "I''ll be a prisoner, and I''ll do anything."


    7.


    The library headquarters of Mac Clan did not look much different from the past, but there were booby traps and other preparations for intruders. If monsters or people came in there, they would have to pay a huge price.


    In a sense, it was the safest place in Bucheon City.


    Kim was preparing to leave there.


    "I''m going alone without any companions," he told them directly.


    "Major, can you do it alone?" Lieutenant Kim had already heard the story and his plan, too.


    Kim Tae-hoon was planning to deal with the Messiah solo.


    Of course, nobody doubted that he would remove the Messiah, including Kim Soo-ji, Ahn Sun-mi, Jang Sung-hoon, and Bang Hyun-wook.


    It was necessary to be punished in some way for buying their lives through human offerings.


    In addition, the Messiah was the closest obstacle to the Mac Clan''s expansion. It was natural to break down the Messiah group, both morally and computationally.


    "If the Messiah doesn''t have a firearm, it would be easy to take the soldiers along to finish them."


    The important thing was the method. Unless Messiah had guns, they could not be Mac Clan''s opponent. Never!


    If there were three or four people who were shot and killed, the rest would be scared and would surrender.


    Even an Awakener would be not different because there was no Awakener who could relax in front of bullets at this point.


    But Kim Tae-hoon excluded that method.


    "Messiah is not dealing with monsters, but they are managed by sacrifice. Their realms are virtually monster dens, and moving there is too risky. If I fire a gun or something blindly, monsters would come in flocks."


    It weighed on his mind that the place where the Messiah was located was not a safe place, but a symbiotic area with monsters around.


    Even the monster called the Yellow Devil was like that.


    According to Baek Ji-yeon''s words, only the sword of the leader of the Messiah, Lee Jin-sung, could hurt it.


    If such a creature was only a little bit hurt by a hunter''s sword, which could cut a monster into two pieces with a single stroke, then bullets would not work properly.


    It meant that he needed firepower beyond guns, including claymores and grenades if he wanted to kill it.


    There is a possibility that it won''t work, too. At that time, Mac Clan must be prepared to be wiped out.


    "And there''s nothing good about a war of attrition."


    Most of all, a war of attrition was a loss to Mac Clan, too.


    They always were.


    The price to pay when fighting a war in earnest was enormous, both to the attacking side and to the defending side.


    So, groups of really large size and firepower always run over less well-equipped groups.


    "First of all, this is my specialty."


    That was why such an incredibly efficient existence, Kim Tae-hoon, was born.


    There are times when it was more certain for a specially trained monster to pull the trigger than running expensive fighters, battleships and tanks, and spending tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars an hour on war costs and expending firepower.


    In addition, it is not an exaggeration to say that Kim Tae-hoon is the best in the world in removing a man of power from the lawless city.


    "Currently, it is January 10th, 19:22. If I don''t return by 05:00 on January 11th, you will be on full alert, and all command will be left to Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji."


    At this moment, none of the gathered people, including Kim Soo-ji, worried about Kim Tae-hoon.


    "I wish you the best of luck."


    "Big brother, be safe."


    "Boss, when you come back, bring some Melona ice cream!"


    "Oh, then I want Worldcon!"


    "I hope you come back alive because I don''t want to leave my life to these two madmen."


    "You''re talking too much."


    "Yes, sister Sun-mi, if you have such a bad mouth, you won''t marry."


    They just sent some heartfelt words after him as he left to deal with Messiah.

 32 Episode 32 - Messiah, Part I

    Chapter 12. Messiah, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    A large-scale mall located in front of the New Jungdong Station...


    It was a quiet fortress now, crowded with people all the time.


    All the windows were covered with newspapers, and the entrance, which enthusiastically welcomed the guests, was now walled with tangled shopping carts.


    Three men approached the entrance, with thick jumpers, safety helmets and crudely made spears.


    They stood in front of the automatic door, which was covered with newspapers, and one of them carefully pulled out a business card from inside and swiped it through the door.


    Swish!


    The business card disappeared as if it were a snake''s tongue, and soon the door opened.


    Beyond the door, three men stood tensely, aiming a spear at the door. They relaxed only after confirming the other party.


    "What did you find?"


    "I can''t see anything. The weather looks crazy."


    "What about group B?"


    "I couldn''t find them."


    "You didn''t find them?"


    "There were no bodies."


    It was not a pleasant conversation.


    "What about footprints? You could see footprints, couldn''t you?"


    "Have you seen this weather? Our footprints are already gone!"


    "So, you just came back?"


    "What the hell was I supposed to do? Get out of my way! I am cold enough to die!"


    Eventually, the conversation became intense at some point, and those who were guarding the door stepped to the side.


    Three men, their shoulders and heads covered with snow, strode into the mall.


    The three men who entered the mall immediately took off their helmets, and a man with a chubby face spoke up, "He''s not a damn Awakener, but he handles us like slaves. A---hole! He can''t do anything in front of a monster."


    The words that were spoken out of anger were so low that they were close to speaking to himself, contrary to the fierce expression.


    The two remaining men turned away from the subject as if they did not want to continue the conversation with such a man.


    "It will be colder tonight."


    "I''d sleep with a girl in that case. How about that? Do you want to take one?"


    But the younger man replied to the fat man''s words with an awkward smile, "It''s okay."


    "The only good thing we have in this damn world is that we can do it for free."


    "...what happened to Group B?" Another man in his mid-20s wanted to turn the subject around.


    "I''m sure there was an accident somewhere, trying to enjoy a girl named Baek Ji-yeon." The fat man changed the subject of conversation to an unpleasant one.


    "There was a guy named Ahn Tae-seok who was crazy about women, and there''s no way he''s not going to be excited there with a naked woman lying in front of him in the snow."


    The younger man gave up on continuing the conversation. ''You damn pig, is that the only thing that comes to your mind in this situation?''


    Fortunately, the filthy stories of the fat man did not last long. "Damn it, I''m going to take a shot today¡­"


    "Speak such stories alone." A woman walked out of the darkness, a skinny as a skeleton, as if she were about to fall apart right away.


    The appearance of the woman caused a gruesome distorted expression on the fat man. But as soon as he saw the mark on the back of her right hand, his distorted face turned blue.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry!"


    "Get out of here, you are disgusting."


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, just spare my life, please spare my life¡­"


    "Get out of here."


    The three men nodded vigorously and disappeared as they ran into the escalator and fled to the second floor.


    The woman headed for what was originally a pharmacy, located in the corner of the first floor.


    There were two men in it.


    One stood up as straight, acting as a bodyguard, and the other sat on the couch, tapping his smooth hair, holding a sword with the sheath in his right hand, like something out of a historical drama.


    The woman said to the man on the sofa, "There must be a disturbance."


    "Disturbance?" At the woman''s words, the man stopped tapping his head. "What''s the matter?"


    "The group that went out to execute a woman as an example is missing."


    "Missing?"


    "Yes."


    "Did a monster eat them, or did they run away?"


    "The team tried to investigate, but it failed."


    "Failed? Why?"


    "Because of the snow and wind..."


    At those words, the man let out a suddenly uncontrollable laugh and tapped his head again with the handle of the sword.


    "You should have given the organization by a different name, not Messiah. Everyone looks at us like an angel who was sent from heaven for some paradise. I''ll have to send the men who went out as a search team to the New Jungdong Station in the morning when the sun rises, with their Achilles tendon nipped, and hope the yellow-eyed devil likes it." The swordsman smiled faintly.


    3.


    The blizzard showed no sign of stopping, even in the dark night.


    Kim Tae-hoon was looking down at the large mall from a building located across the street. The blizzard blocked his vision, but there was no problem drawing pictures in his mind.


    ''The gates are strictly guarded, but their armed state is crude, and no one stands guard on the roof.''


    Kim Tae-hoon scanned the area through the blowing blizzard and thick darkness.


    "Baek Ji-yeon said there were about sixty candidates for sacrifice inside, and there were about thirty people watching them and guarding the large mall. In addition, the sacrifices were kept on the second and third floor."


    Darkness and a blizzard.


    What all animals did in front of these two things was the same: they just crouched as much as they could in the dark where they could avoid the wind, and they waited for the cold and long night to pass.


    Humans have escaped such behavior by using tools, but the humans in the large mall were no different from animals.


    Kim Tae-hoon turned around.


    The hunt began.


    4.


    Kwa-kwa-kwang!


    It only took a moment


    A huge truck rushed toward the entrance of the large mall, and after smashing through the automatic glass doors, entered the entrance of the large mall.


    "Aaaaaaargh!"


    The three people, who were guarding the door in this sudden situation, were hit by the car, and they were smashed away helplessly.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Is it an earthquake?"


    People, who were forced to sleep in the cold all over the large mall, were scared and woke up.


    "A truck crashed through the entrance!"


    The disturbance reached the third floor after passing the second floor.


    The watchers, who had originally been in the hair salon and the laundry, now used as prisons for locking up the sacrifices, looked at each other as soon as they heard the disturbance.


    "What the hell happened on the first floor?"


    "A monster?"


    During the turmoil, the iron door of the emergency passage to the third and fourth floors of the parking garage was carefully opened.


    Someone moved swiftly through the open door, and the man who opened it so secretly closed the door so hard that it was obvious secrecy was not his goal.


    Bang!


    It was a really solid door.


    Their eardrums thundered. It was enough for everyone on the third floor to hear.


    "Argh! What is this sound?"


    "Well, it sounds like a door closed."


    "Door? Where is the door here? It''s connected to the parking lot by a moving walk, isn''t it?"


    "Emergency exit, there is an emergency exit, but the emergency exit was locked..."


    People began to swallow hard, tense and nervous about what was going to happen.


    Those who were waiting to be sacrificed with their hands and feet tied up also trembled.


    "Go."


    "What?"


    "Go, it could be a monster."


    "Fuck."


    Eventually, one of them put his helmet on, grabbed his crude spear in his hand, and headed for the emergency exit.


    ''Damn it, why is this happening?'' His footsteps were full of regret and irritation, and his anxiety and fear made them heavy.


    What if it''s a monster?


    What if something happens?


    Will I die here?


    Am I going to be food for a monster?


    In such a situation, the man investigating the emergency door approached it carefully. He glanced around, looking for signs.


    ''Nothing?''


    There were no traces in his eyes. There was only a faint hint of the trail of a man, and the door closed, but not a very noticeable sign.


    No, the man was hoping that this was nothing, and so it seemed to the man that this was nothing.


    "Whew!" At that moment the man sighed with relief.


    With that sigh, the man who decided nothing was going to happen returned the way he had come with a lighter step.


    Then he said, "Nothing! Nothing¡­"


    When the man returned to his original place, the first thing he saw was someone with a hole in his head, and a co-worker on the floor with his neck turned 180 degrees.


    "Hmm?"


    And that was the last thing that he saw, as the man approaching from behind broke his neck at once.


    krak...When the man fell limply, one of the women slated for sacrifice screamed.


    Ignoring the scream, the man acted calmly. He didn''t bother to stop her. Rather, he let her scream and took the jumper and helmet one of the fallen guys was wearing.


    Then, he shouted down at those who heard the scream coming up to the second floor via the escalator.


    "We have a problem on the third floor! Come on!"


    "Problem?"


    "Come on! Quickly!"


    "Oh, okay."


    The man, who replied immediately, headed for the escalator, and behind him came a featherless Arrow.


    5.


    "Goddamn it, there''s no one in the truck!" a man shouted, checking the driver''s seat of the truck that had broken through the entrance.


    The ten men gathered around the entrance showed a similar look at his words. Their heads were cocked, and they knitted their brows.


    "Did the truck move by itself?"


    "Does it make sense?"


    "What the hell is going on? This truck isn''t a monster, is it?"


    The disturbance added a new stir.


    "Something happened on the third floor!" A man came down through an escalator connecting the first and second floors.


    He was not any different from the others in jumper and helmets. No one stopped the men from running down the escalator to the first floor.


    Rather, those on the first floor looked at the person coming down in surprise. One of them asked, "The third floor? What happened?"


    "What? What''s wrong with the first floor? Why is a truck stuck in the entrance?"


    "We don''t know, damn it, suddenly the truck just ran into the entrance!"


    "So? Is that why you''re here? What about the guards? Are they watching the sacrifices?"


    "Shit, that''s not the point! Tell the men up there to come down now. What can a sacrifice do?"


    "So you''re almost all here, then." The voice of the man changed in a flash.


    "Hmm? Wait, wait, who are you-"


    The man acted very quickly.


    Pak!


    He punched the face of the person who noticed that he was not a colleague, smashing in his face as if he had been hit by a huge hammer. His skull crumpled like tofu.


    At the same time, the man pulled the safety pin from the grenade he took from his jumper''s pocket and threw it at the crowd gathered around the truck.


    No one responded in time.


    Of course, everyone was caught in the killing blast of the grenade, without any resistance or preparation.


    It was not even the end.


    "Aaaaaaargh!"


    The moment a scream burst out from the mouth of a lucky survivor, a short gunshot rang out.


    A confirmation shot.


    The confirmation shots finished off everyone gathered around the truck in the time it took to draw a long breath.


    No survivors.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s gaze immediately turned towards the corner of the grocery on the first floor of the large mall, which was visible from the entryway.


    At that moment, his Hobgoblin''s Sense warned him of danger.


    As soon as he turned his head to the left, two crackling baseball-sized fireballs flew towards him.


    The fireball touched Kim Tae-hoon''s jumper, and moved over it like a living creature, setting it aflame.


    Kim Tae-hoon immediately threw off the jumper, pointed his gun in the direction it came from, pulled the trigger, and immediately dove between two counters.


    At that moment, he heard someone say, "I didn''t know I am going to fight a real Awakener so quickly, but this is fun."


    It was the first time he heard it, but Kim Tae-hoon was convinced at this moment.


    ''Lee Jin-sung.''


    Who was the owner of the voice? The chief of the Messiah was here!

 33 Episode 33 - Messiah, Part II

    Chapter 12. Messiah, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    6.


    The first thing Kim Tae-hoon did, after jumping into the narrow space between two counters, was to analyze the situation.


    He didn''t think about the flame. He recalled the moment he pulled the trigger.


    ''I hit him.''


    His shooting was accurate. Two bullets hit the Awakener with the mysterious power of flame.


    ''But he didn''t fall.''


    There was no indication the man had been hit or stopped.


    ''Is it a bulletproof vest?''


    He couldn''t stand up to a bullet unless he wore a bulletproof vest.


    ''No, he wouldn''t wear a bulletproof vest in the present situation.''


    Kim Tae-hoon excluded the idea of wearing a bulletproof vest.


    The bulletproof vest was like an extra life against a gun, but it was different against a monster.


    It would be better than not wearing it, but if you fought against monsters, you will use better armor that was comprehensive than a bulletproof vest specialized in stopping bullets.


    An armor made of tough monsters'' skin.


    ''It''s the skin of the Black Orc.''


    Only then did Kim Tae-hoon remember the monster he had killed.


    The horrifying monster with the black skin, the Black Orc, had he left behind!


    Kim Tae-hoon left its body as it was, taking only its heart.


    ''Tut.''


    If Messiah and Lee Jin-sung were not fools, they would have used all their methods to use the body of the Black Orc.


    Moreover, ten days had passed since Kim Tae-hoon killed the Black Orc. Ten days was more than enough time for the Black Orc to be changed into a protective coat.


    His prediction was right.


    "If it is a gun, are you a survivor of the military? Are you from the seventeenth division? I''m sorry, but the gun won''t work against me. I have great protection here."


    Lee Jin-sung directly told him that his expectations were right. Of course, Lee Jin-sung did not really give him a friendly explanation.


    Even if there was defensive armor against a gun, the power of the gun itself was another story. Guns were a hard weapon to deal with, even if you wore a bulletproof vest.


    So when dealing with a man with a gun, you have to make the man who has the gun uncertain.


    To shoot at the bulletproof vest is powerful enough, but if you know that the other person is wearing a bulletproof vest, you usually aim for a part without protection, like the limbs.


    "Why don''t we have a talk? I won''t refuse to talk with you."


    He was also trying to get Kim Tae-hoon''s attention.


    While Lee Jin-sung was talking to Kim Tae-hoon like a madman, the man who was shot by Kim Tae-hoon was approaching carefully in the direction of the counter where Kim Tae-hoon was hiding.


    "Hey, guy!"


    The voice of Lee Jin-sung grew louder, trying to hide the footsteps in that loud voice and distract Kim Tae-hoon.


    Of course, these were children''s tactics for Kim Tae-hoon. Kim Tae-hoon took something out of his pocket and threw it to where he could hear Lee Jin-sung''s voice.


    "Get out of there!" Lee Jin-sung''s shouted urgently, and the man approaching Kim Tae-hoon fell down on the floor in horror.


    Kim Tae-hoon rose from his seat, facing the man approaching nearby.


    Tutututu!


    His gun went off immediately.


    That was all. There was no explosion. He had thrown a lump of metal, which looked similar to a grenade.


    A scream burst from the lips of the man who had been shot.


    "God damn it!" Lee Jin-sung swore.


    Kim Tae-hoon threw an Arrow straight and fast at the voice.


    "Eup!"


    The Arrow deeply penetrated the chest of a woman who was nothing but skin and bones, blocking for the man like a shield.


    ''He has telekinesis!''


    Lee Jin-sung began to race into the darkness of the mall. It didn''t take long for him to disappear, save for the sound of his footsteps.


    Kim Tae-hoon followed the footsteps of Lee Jin-sung with his ears and approached the man he had shot. He put his foot on the man''s neck.


    "Spare me, spare me¡­"


    He crushed down. Vertebrae snapped, and the man''s body sagged to the ground.


    At that moment, white powder began filling the darkness inside of the large mall.


    Kim Tae-hoon reflected his steps back from the white powder.


    ''Fire extinguisher.''


    The powder was a chemical used in fire extinguishers.


    It was impossible to see and breathe in the powder that clouded the surroundings. It was a trick to limit his telekinesis.


    ''Let''s retreat.'' Kim Tae-hoon prepared to retreat.


    He had already made plans in case there were other Messiah Awakeners besides Lee Jin-sung.


    According to his plan, the battle against Lee Jin-sung was dangerous. It''s unlikely that he was alone, and if he was injured, the guard that was waiting somewhere else would move.


    At that time, the powder of the fire extinguisher split apart like the Red Sea, and Lee Jin-sung appeared in the cleared space.


    His move was surprisingly quick and sleek.


    When Kim Tae-hoon saw him, the sword that Lee Jin-sung was wielding was already touching the muzzle of his gun.


    Shiyik! The muzzle was cut off straight through, and it wasn''t the end


    It wasn''t the end there.


    Lee Jin-sung, whose cheeks were swelled up like a balloon, sprayed out something in his mouth.


    Foo-hoo-hoo-hoo!


    A huge fire swept around Kim Tae-hoon at once. He was surrounded by flames, and he rolled on the floor without stopping.


    Lee Jin-sung followed Kim Tae-hoon, who was rolling like that, with his sword.


    Taang, taang!


    Kim Tae-hoon pulled his revolver from its holster at his waist, shooting twice.


    The bullets both hit the swordsman, and his body jerked as if he had been pushed by something.


    That was all. He did not collapse or bleed from the power of the bullets.


    Kim Tae-hoon, who had put out the fire on his body, stood up and looked at him, his gun pointing at Lee Jin-sung.


    With Kim Tae-hoon in front of him, Lee Jin-sung raised his arms and guarded his face with his sword, like a boxer.


    It was evident that he knew that the bullets wouldn''t kill him right away, except if they hit his face.


    Kim Tae-hoon did not make any special moves in front of him. He just watched Lee Jin-sung.


    Lee Jin-sung did not move too quickly, either. His opponent was, after all, also an Awakener.


    First of all, his whole body was not covered with the Black Orc''s skin. His face was bare. No, even if his face was covered, if he got shot there it was highly likely that he would suffer from fatal injuries, such as a concussion and or eyeball rupture.


    There was nothing to be done if was injured like that.


    ''The car rushed into the entrance, and it was pretty late, so the men he had placed nearby must approach.''


    What Lee Jin-sung expected was that his men would realize there was a disturbance and come to help him. He was not a fool, and he would not walk around with only two people. He arranged his men in several places.


    Of course, the reason for the split arrangement was to monitor the monsters and sacrifices. He''d had no choice but to deploy Awakeners to instill fear among the watchmen who monitored and managed the sacrifices.


    That is, time was on the side of Lee Jin-sung.


    "Are you the first hunter?" Lee Jin-sung asked again, stalling for time. "It seems the first hunter had powerful telekinesis. What was his name¡­ Kim Tae-hoon. Yes, it was Kim Tae-hoon. But he had a colleague. Did you come here alone?"


    Kim Tae-hoon did not reply to such a statement. He stood as if he were a mannequin.


    "I''ve heard a lot about you. Thanks to you, Bucheon somehow became a city of men. By the way, there are few places in the world that are safe now. I fled from the Cheongna district and thought I was the only one who survived until I came to Bucheon."


    Lee Jin-sung kept talking.


    "I recently found out that Bucheon was very lucky geographically. It was between the realms of the dreadful monsters."


    Those words were tempting to the ear.


    "It became an unarmed area. There are huge monsters in Incheon, Siheung, Gwangmyeong, and Gimpo. The owners of this land are not human."


    It was valuable information, all that was necessary for the Awakeners to survive in this world, regardless of the truth.


    It was Lee Jin-sung''s objective. There was no reason to listen if he just talked about personal affairs.


    When he spit out valuable information, he would wait for a reply. A smile was on his lips.


    ''One minute.''


    One minute, or less.


    After that time, at least ten Awakeners would arrive.


    They were not ordinary people. They were elites.


    They had the power to make the inhumane acts of the organization Messiah natural.


    "Rather, why are you attacking us all of a sudden? You don''t like the way we do things, do you? From what I heard, you''re far from a hero of justice."


    To use up the time, Lee Jin-sung kept talking.


    "Why don''t you join hands with us? It looks like you''ve got a gun from a nearby military base. Let''s move together. First, we''re building a monster hunting organization based in Bucheon. We''re lucky. We have made the starting point Bucheon. Let''s have a conversation, putting down our weapons. Huh?


    At his words, Kim Tae-hoon lifted his revolver away.


    Lee Jin-sung''s eyes glowed. ''You idiot!''


    Lee Jin-sung intended to cut Kim Tae-hoon in half after narrowing the distance between them.


    Cut him in two with one stroke of the sword.


    There was no doubt he could do it. The sword in his hand was a great weapon that could be called a miracle from God, and could cut monsters with orange or yellow eyes, too!


    ''I knew one day you''d be a big hindrance!''


    There was no hesitation. He heard about Kim Tae-hoon, and of course, thought he would be the biggest obstacle.


    Lee Jin-sung didn''t want to be under anyone. As soon as you get under someone, you are expendable. The world was like that now.


    To live, you must be a consumer, not a consumable!


    So Lee Jin-sung wanted to move without a moment''s hesitation and steely determination.


    He was... trying to move.


    "Uhhh?"


    But his body did not move.


    An invisible chain was pulling on his whole body.


    If he hid in the fire extinguisher powder, or if he was far away, or if he moved quickly in the dark mall, it would not be possible to catch him easily. However, he is in front of Kim Tae-hoon, why couldn''t he finish him?


    Most importantly, Kim Tae-hoon''s telekinesis rank was A rank. It was a power that held the Black Orc with the terrible physical strength.


    It was only a matter of seconds to tie up the limbs of Lee Jin-sung, although he did not know how much Strength and Energy he had.


    And Lee Jin-sung had given him the time.


    "The bastard¡­" Kim Tae-hoon came up to cursing Lee Jin-sung who was clearly stunned, and pulled the sword out of the hand of the paralyzed swordsman. "Aaaaargh, damn it!"


    Then he held the sword and pointed it at Lee Jin-sung.


    Lee Jin-sung''s face, spitting out angry curses, hardened.


    "Wait, wait¡­ let''s make a deal, a deal! I''ll give you everything I have-"


    That was all he was allowed to say.


    "I don''t need it."

 34 Episode 34 - Messiah, Part III

    Chapter 12. Messiah, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    7.


    Lee Jin-sung was a cruel man who had the innate ability to make cruelty more brutal and powerful.


    ''Something''s happened to Master.''


    ''We''ll die if we''re late.''


    The power of Lee Jin-sung was something that could not be dealt by the Awakeners who did not even know that they were Awakened, or who were awakened but did not even have E rank of some special ability.


    At the same time, Lee Jin-sung was their hope.


    ''Damn it, we hope that there is no problem with the master''s safety¡­''


    ''Without the master, we''ll be finished, too.''


    Lee Jin-sung was their most powerful force against monsters.


    And now, he was the only possibility of killing the yellow-eyed devil, a scary monster that ruled the subway now and could only be quieted by a human offering.


    In a world that now belonged to monsters, including the yellow-eyed devil, Lee Jin-sung was an absolute necessity to survive.


    That was why Lee Jin-sung named the group "Messiah," and his subordinates stepped into the large mall without any help and or hesitation. They headed for the threat, through the heavy snowstorm, to help someone who dominated them through fear.


    "We''re here!"


    "Light the flash! Flash!


    Soon after, eleven Awakeners arrived and entered the large mall with flashlights in their hands.


    The first thing they saw with the flashlights inside the dark mall was a corpse.


    "Ugh!"


    "What the hell is this¡­"


    There was the body of a general member who was killed in the grenade blast.


    More bodies, which had a different kind of gruesomeness than those killed by the monsters, were also shocking to the Messiah Awakeners who had seen so much of such things.


    ''Did they get shot?''


    ''Did a bomb explode? But where was the bomb from?''


    The Awakeners stiffened.


    In that state, some courageous people walked through the bodies, flashing lights, and splashing through the rich blood.


    "Huck!"


    It was the head that ate their courage.


    The head of Lee Jin-sung had been cut off, and the body was missing.


    The hairless shiny head reflected the glare of the flashlights.


    ''Oh, my God, that''s horrible.''


    Their words fell silent and nobody spoke.


    Then a voice came from the darkness, "Put the flashlights on the floor and kneel down with your hands on your head."


    "Who, who is it?"


    "Where did that voice come?"


    No one was on their knees at once, and everyone was too busy turning their heads around to find the voice''s main character.


    Taang! The gunshot woke them up.


    "Aaaaaaargh!" A man who was swinging a light around fell to the floor and screamed, "My, my leg, my leg¡­"


    "Every time I speak, one more person," the unaffected voice again came through the pained cries.


    ''Crazy...''


    ''When I hold up a light, I''ll be the target!''


    The quickest ones, with a keen sense of survival, quickly dropped their flashlights on the floor, and immediately knelt down with their hands on their heads.


    Like dominoes falling down in succession, eleven Awakeners entered the mall lowered their heads.


    Kim Tae-hoon appeared in front of them.


    He was still hiding in the dark, of course, wearing a black jumper. So now, even though his light was shining on the floor, so they could not see him.


    It was even more creepy. What they could not see, they could only imagine. It was not a good thing to think about right now.


    Kim Tae-hoon slowly spoke while the Awakeners imagined Kim Tae-hoon''s existence as a devil.


    "There are two options: turn your back on this and leave here, or become a hunting dog under me."


    Everyone shuddered at his words.


    ''A hunting dog?''


    It was clear, at least, that he was not here for goodwill and justice!


    "I know enough of what kind of group Messiah is, and you''d better get rid of the idea of being treated like a human being."


    Everyone trembled again at his words.


    He knew what kind of group Messiah was, and that they silenced the monster with sacrifices.


    Everyone here knew what it meant to offer sacrifices.


    Even if they could not help it, they should be prepared to be treated the same way the instant they treated a person as food, not a fellow human being.


    His power had overshadowed their determination, and now they were the weak!


    ''Damn it.''


    The fact made them swallow and despair. ''It will be over if we go this way.''


    Someone put his brain to work. "Is it really okay if I leave?"


    A man said, "If you don''t want to come under me, you will be fine. "Kim Tae-hoon answered immediately.


    "Well, I''ll... go out. I''ll stay quiet." At the answer, the person who asked the question rose from his crouch.


    The name of the man who rose was Jang Yeon-seok.


    ''I must get out of here. If I stay under him, I will end up a consumable against a monster.''


    He was the leader of a group that monitored and managed the people who would be sacrificed at a department store across the street.


    In short, he was an executive.


    Of course, he knew the Messiah organization better than any of these people.


    ''I''ll go to the City Hall, join the others, and make a plan. That''s the first thing to do now. If not, I will be good for nothing.''


    Messiah was currently expanding its scope, spreading spider webs around Bucheon City Hall.


    They were engaged in activities; securing food by occupying large malls, capturing survivors who came to the central City Hall building, and going out and capturing them. At the same time they identified the areas of powerful monsters that could not be killed, and then offered sacrifices to them to manage their movements.


    ''Once I go to the City Hall, twenty Awakeners are waiting there.''


    Of course, there were a number of Awakeners gathered by Messiah. Many of them were waiting at the City Hall since the most sacrifices were there.


    In addition, many of them were not awakened but ready to fight for the Messiah. If they didn''t want to be a sacrifice, they had to be on the same side.


    Joining them was far safer than becoming a hunting dog under a man whose identity was unknown!


    Steeling his intentions, Jang Yeon-seok once again asked Kim Tae-hoon, "Really, is it really okay to leave?"


    "If you don''t want to come under me." Kim Tae-hoon gave another definite answer.


    "Thank, thank you."


    Only then did Jang Yeon-seok turn his back when he rose. After that, he didn''t move right away and waited for a hint.


    ''Is he really going to send me off this way?''


    He was suspicious, but there was no particular clue. Only then did Jang Yeon-seok turn his back and start heading back the way he had come.


    Taang!


    A gunshot struck his back.


    "Khuck!" With the short word, Jang Yeon-seok began to tremble after he fell to the floor. Hot blood flowed out from under his body, and began to pool on the floor.


    The rest could not see it.


    ''Is team leader Jang dead?''


    ''Crazy, isn''t he just letting us go?''


    They felt that a colleague, a superior, was dying behind them.


    "Wasn''t it Messiah''s way to cut off the head after killing an enemy or a traitor?" Kim Tae-hoon asked them again.


    There was no answer, there was no question.


    "Then the remaining nine of you are my hunting dogs now."


    The situation was settled.


    8.


    [The Sword of the Imperator]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 2


    - Relic Value: Special


    - Relic Effect: It grows with the blood of killed monsters. The owner of the Sword is unknown yet.


    -----------


    [Flame Liquor Gourd Bottle]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 5


    - Relic Value: Rare


    - Relic Effect: It changes Mana into flame liquor; if the owner breathes in the flame liquor and blows it out, the flame comes out. The more liquor the owner makes, the stronger the power of the fire is.]


    ------------


    Kim Tae-hoon, checked the stats of the relic through his smartphone, and immediately looked at the Sword of the Imperator in his hand.


    He didn''t know who it belonged to.


    However, it didn''t matter to Kim Tae-hoon. He did not care about historical records, and he didn''t have any knowledge about it.


    ''It''s like the Sword I saw in my dream, only the sheath is different.''


    The important thing was that the Sword was different in color, but the shape was the same as the Sword in his dream.


    That dream, of course, was the dream of the Golden Glass of Napoleon.


    In that dream, Kim Tae-hoon took out various weapons to fight against the dragon.


    One of them was similar to what Kim Tae-hoon saw now.


    The sheath of the Sword right now was red, and the sheath of the sword he saw in his dream was blue, but the feel of the Sword was the same as the one he saw in his dream.


    If it was the Sword that he saw in his dream, it was an amazing achievement. He had a powerful weapon to use against the dragon.


    But Kim Tae-hoon could not be happy with the fact. No one knew whether this was the same one or not.


    What Kim Tae-hoon saw was only a fragmentary result, and he did not know the process.


    And even if there was another process, there was no guarantee that the results would be different.


    Lee Jin-sung had given him some meaningful information before he died. He might just have been trying to buy time, but the information he had given out was valuable and strange.


    ''He said Bucheon is lucky, and the surroundings had become a powerful monster''s territory.''


    He said that Incheon City, Gimpo City, and Siheung City, which surrounded Bucheon City, were the lands that monsters now owned.


    He also said that as powerful monsters settled down and claimed their territory, Bucheon, where the areas overlapped, was rather peaceful.


    ''It''s possible.''


    The truth was unknown, but the possibility was sufficient.


    Monsters did not just destroy thoughtlessly. It was their survival instincts that moved them.


    It''s just that in order for monsters to survive; they had no choice but to eat humans and destroy their cities.


    ''It''s the worst.''


    However, if Lee Jin-sung was right, the situation was likely beyond Kim Tae-hoon''s imagination.


    ''A million dead.''


    The death toll might exceed ten million units, with over one million dead in Seoul alone!


    ''No, if something unexpected happened in winter, it could be close to ten million dead.''''


    The current season was winter, a harsh season for mankind to endure without the technology of civilization.


    ''China must be worse. The casualties would be hundreds of millions.''


    Even so, such damage had occurred in South Korea, and it might not be possible to estimate the number of victims in areas where the population exceeded one billion, such as China and India.


    At this moment, even Kim Tae-hoon felt skeptical.


    It was skepticism about a reality more miserable than he thought, and skepticism about the fact that the human race that had survived in such a miserable reality would be struggling with each other for their own benefit, and would be supposed to just go extinct.


    One of Messiah''s Awakeners approached Kim Tae-hoon and spoke to him in a frightened voice. "Sir, as you''ve ordered, we''ve put them all together. We''ve brought all the general survivors, too."


    Kim Tae-hoon rose from his seat at the man''s words.


    The glitter in his skeptical eyes went cold.


    It was good to hope for the future.


    No, you have to hope for a better future. It was important from now on to hope for a better future.


    Messiah was not yet in Kim Tae-hoon''s grasp. Furthermore, the remaining parties would not welcome him.


    The survivors were also the same: not everyone who survived was treated as a sacrifice; those who were treated as sacrifices, and those who watched and managed them, would be different in their calculations.


    Of course, if he left them alone, they would act for themselves.


    Therefore, he had to make them fear so that they could not think of anything else. In this situation, clumsy love and care were meaningless and useless, and Kim Tae-hoon did not know what love and care were. He didn''t want to know.


    At the same time, he needed to show them hope, what line they must hold to survive, what must be valued as much as their lives by those who survived in the land of Bucheon at this moment.


    Lee Jin-sung, the former leader of the Messiah, knew that well.


    His actions were obviously not human, but now the world was no longer a world where human beings were common.


    ''Messiah has made things easier.''


    In addition, Kim Tae-hoon knew that fact much better than Lee Jin-sung.


    He was not a monster, but he had fought in a world where humanity was ignored enough to compare with monsters.


    And he survived in such a world.


    9.


    "It feels like an eel in the stomach is woven like mayonnaise. Try it that way."


    At Bang Hyun-wook''s words, three people, including Kim Soo-ji, began to focus and squeeze the Energy out of their guts.


    "It feels like you''re squeezing it out and sending it to your fingertips and tiptoes. Go on! How''s it going? It''s easy, isn''t it?"


    In the middle of the training, under the guidance of Bang Hyun-wook, the Awakeners were training to deal with Energy, In the corner, Ahn Sun-mi was holding the Cup of Therapy with her eyes closed.


    The empty Cup of Therapy began to fill up gradually. Jang Sung-hoon spoke when the Cup was filled to overflowing.


    "Okay, that''s it! Sister, it is all full."


    Ahn Sun-mi opened her eyes and put it in a thermos bottle that had been prepared for the Water of Therapy from the Cup.


    "You''re suffering."


    "Yes, I''m the only one who''s suffering."


    "I''d like to suffer, but unfortunately you''re the only one who can use the Mana on our side. Can I sing for you?"


    At the words of Jang Sung-hoon, Ahn Sun-mi closed her eyes instead of answering, and again focused on injecting Mana into the Cup of Therapy.


    It was preparation.


    Among the Awakeners, those who were able to use Energy trained to handle it more skillfully, and in the case of Ahn Sun-mi, she wanted to secure as much Water of Therapy as possible when she had time to relax.


    No one gave up on hard work, because it was a matter of life or death.


    "Lieutenant!" Someone came in. He was a soldier. A soldier guarding outside was still covered with snow on his shoulder and head.


    The training stopped.


    "The Major sent a man." Everyone looked nervous at his words.


    "This is a letter from the Major." The envelope was delivered to Kim Soo-ji.


    Kim Soo-j took out the letter, quickly skimmed its contents, and spoke to everyone around.


    "Does anyone have any experience working in a sushi restaurant or filleting raw fish?"


    "Yes?" Everyone looked a little strange.


    "Did he get a tuna? Why does he suddenly need a filleter?" Jang Sung-hoon asked the question as if he represented everyone.


    At his question, Kim Soo-ji said with a steely expression, "From now on, the Mac Clan is ready to hunt the devil with yellow eyes!"

 35 Episode 35 - Territory Dispute, Part I

    Chapter 13. Territory Dispute, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    The third floor of the building, which had been used as the office of a company until a few days ago, was now the home of monsters.


    The monsters were monkeys, but naturally not normal monkeys.


    Their saw-like teeth and protruding snouts were closer to the appearance of a dog, not a monkey.


    It was like a dog''s head on a monkey''s body.


    Moreover, the red eyes on the horrifying face exuded a terrible energy.


    The four grotesque monsters were eating now.


    The menu was a human.


    A man in his mid-twenties, who had just died, his blood still warm, and four monsters were holding his limbs in their hands and eating them with grueling intensity.


    There were four skeletons scattered around them, and the rolling skeletons were clean and even shiny.


    In this cold winter, the flesh could not have rotted off.


    It was a clear evidence and a gruesome sign that these monsters had licked the bones until there was not a piece of flesh left.


    A man entered the office of about a hundred square meters, interfering with the terrible meal of the monsters.


    The monsters who were interrupted immediately threw out ferocious shrieks toward the person disturbing them.


    But it was not a monster, but a man who took the initiative.


    Shiyik!


    A featherless Arrow started to move as the man appeared, and pierced the head of a monkey.


    It fell with a hole in its head, flat on the floor.


    Another monster also fell to the ground like a broken doll. Blood sprang out from the corner of its temple.


    Kung? Kung!


    The two remaining monsters, which were ready to jump at him in rage, burst out with frightened cries.


    The cries did not last long.


    Shiyik!


    The two monsters also fell to the ground with holes in their heads, after the Arrow painted a sleek line between them.


    The Arrow that had destroyed four monsters in one rush returned to a revolver holder mounted on the man''s waist, as gently as a butterfly.


    The man, Kim Tae-hoon, looked around again. His expression was not very good, betraying no satisfaction with what he had done.


    Behind him came Bang Hyun-wook''s voice. "Big brother, the first, second and third floors are cleaned. This place is cleaned¡­ wow!"


    Soon after Bang Hyun-wook saw what Kim Tae-hoon had done from behind his back, he whistled briefly.


    "I feel it every time I see it, but it''s still really scary. I''m glad you''re not my enemy."


    At the admiration of Bang Hyun-wook, Kim Tae-hoon gave an order instead of an answer. "Take the monster stones and hang the flag outside the window."


    "Yes!" Bang Hyun-wook''s answer was followed by a rookie salute. He was trying to lighten the atmosphere, but Kim Tae-hoon''s expression was not loosened.


    It couldn''t be loosened.


    ''This is not enough.''


    What made Kim Tae-hoon''s look solid right now was nothing but his weakness. Lack of power made his mood mixed.


    No one would believe it if he said his mind since Kim Tae-hoon was already too strong.


    The pattern on the back of Kim Tae-hoon''s right hand was evidence.


    ======


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 92


    - Health: 77


    [Special abilities]


    - Energy: E+ Rank


    - Mana: E+ Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Mana Resistance: E+ Rank


    - Defense: E+ Rank


    ======


    Basic and special abilities were already high enough to be incomparable with the other Awakeners. There was a clear difference between him and Bang Hyun-wook, who boasted the highest level of Strength after Kim Tae-hoon.


    For the weak monsters, he did not have to use Telekinesis, but simply could kill them alone, without having to use the powerful relics in his hand.


    In addition, the abilities he had acquired after eating monster stones were also great.


    But was he weak?


    It was unbelievable, and not funny.


    On the contrary, if Kim Tae-hoon was in front of a monster he should face from now on, the story would be different.


    ''Doing this, I can''t even make time for the devil snake.''


    A devil snake.


    It refers to a huge yellow-eyed snake that currently used a subway station as its own nesting place, and actually reigned as the ruler of downtown Bucheon.


    And now it was the target they were hunting.


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon didn''t want to fight the devil snake.


    In addition, if Kim Tae-hoon had any common sense as an individual, he should not fight the devil snake and avoid the encounter itself.


    But now, Kim Tae-hoon was not an individual¡­


    ------


    Outside the building, Kim Tae-hoon turned and looked at the building he had just been in.


    A window broke, and a white flag appeared.


    Kim Tae-hoon turned and looked at the building next to him.


    Not a few visible buildings had white flags flapping outside their windows.


    As Kim Tae-hoon looked at the flags, the day after the snowstorm ended, the day the sun rose, came again.


    2.


    "It''s forty percent."


    At the words of Jang Sung-hoon, five people, consisting of three men and two women standing close, stared at him with cold eyes.


    It was a fierce look.


    It was not a vague expression. There was an invisible but apparent force from their eyes. This was the force of an Awakener, only available to those who had the opportunity to acquire the superhuman power to fight against the monsters in the age of the monsters.


    But Jang Sung-hoon was not daunted by their spirit. Behind him was a boss who the crowd of five Awakeners and leaders of Messiah rushed into and fell before.


    "Don''t stare at me like that. Did you think you were going to become our own favored community?"


    "Not one of us ever said we would go down there, yet we belong to the Messiah," a middle-aged man answered immediately.


    He was a very muscular man and was wearing only a thin, long-sleeved T-shirt, even in the cold weather and without heating. His muscular body was exposed to the cold.


    It was a blatant expression of power, in fact. His Strength and the Energy to endure this cold was showing his power.


    Of course, his snarling voice was also powerful. He was showing that he was not willing to back down.


    "So you''re going to risk your life with my boss? That sounds like it to me. Would you like me to make a plate for you? Would you like to play a game of character removal?"


    "That''s¡­" the muscular middle-aged man turned off his mighty spirit at the gaze of Kim Tae-hoon, who watched him indifferently behind Jang Sung-hoon.


    Jang Sung-hoon looked at him like that and said, "Do you think this is like we''re getting a baseball player, and I''m here to sign a contract with you? I think you haven''t thought this through, yet."


    With his words, Jang Sung-hoon grabbed his shirt and flapped it lightly. "Or does this look like a suit for office workers?"


    At the words, the five Awakeners glanced at the soldiers with guns, who were looking at them from behind Kim Tae-hoon.


    The expressions in the eyes of the soldiers were not just those of those drafted into the army. It was the glitter in the eyes of those who had survived monster attacks, and not for a short time.


    If necessary, they were totally ready to pull the trigger now against people.


    "Well, I''ll tell you again. The story is simple. You Awakeners are now hunting dogs in the Mac Clan''s name. If you don''t like the term ''a hunting dog'', you can change it to ''a hunter''. You can name yourself as you wish. There is only one important thing: you have to pay the Mac Clan forty percent of the monster stones you get from being a hunting dog of the Mac Clan."


    Jang Sung-hoon had summarized his words so far, with his back to his allies.


    The five Awakeners avoided the answer to Jang Sung-hoon''s words. They looked at Kim Tae-hoon sideways.


    ''By chance¡­''


    Everything went on rather abruptly.


    When the night of the blizzard passed, and the new white world unfolded, the news was delivered to the Messiah executives waiting in Bucheon City Hall.


    Their leader, Lee Jin-sung, was dead, and Kim Tae-hoon, the leader of the Mac Clan, wants to negotiate with the remaining Messiah executives.


    The negotiation table itself was easily set up.


    There were virtually no people who devoted their enthusiastic loyalty to the dead Lee Jin-sung in the first place.


    In addition, there were no people who wanted to sacrifice themselves for the war against Mac Clan, without knowing who had taken Lee Jin-sung. On the contrary, the remaining executives of Messiah welcomed the negotiation itself.


    Proposing to negotiate would mean that the other side did not want a war against the Messiah.


    ''This is not a negotiation, but a threat!''


    But the table was not the same as the messiah executives thought.


    Jang Sung-hoon, who came out as the representative of Mac Clan, demanded two things of the Messiah.


    One, the Awakeners of the Messiah would be hunting dogs of the Mac Clan.


    Two, the hunting dogs would devote forty percent of the monster stones gained through monster hunting to the Mac Clan.


    That was the scenario prepared by Jang Sung-hoon.


    ''Bucheon is not a rural town. It was once a metropolis with a population of over 800,000, and it needs a system to rule a place with hundreds of thousands of survivors.''


    When Kim Tae-hoon accepted his opinion and said that he would make Bucheon a base area, Jang Sung-hoon thought that Kim Tae-hoon''s way of operating the Mac Clan could not work.


    The established Mac Clan was a group that existed only for Kim Tae-hoon.


    No matter what Kim Tae-hoon did, they could not refuse.


    They were a group that could perform Kim Tae-hoon''s command perfectly, a group that could be controlled close to perfection.


    It was possible because the size of the Mac Clan was at most fifty or so.


    However, if the group took Bucheon City as a base area and kept survivors under them, the story would be different.


    It was impossible to completely control thousands or tens of thousands of humans. It was something no one had ever done, and no one could do it.


    ''It''s impossible for the boss to monopolize the whole thing from now on.''


    In particular, a system was needed to control a new variable, Awakeners.


    Kim Tae-hoon has been able to take all the monster stones he got through hunting.


    "You don''t understand because you don''t have an answer, but you''ll only have to pay your forty percent of the monster stone you''ve acquired, and we won''t mind what you do with the monster bodies you''ve killed. Every time you kill a special monster, we''ll negotiate. You can eat it. You can give us a notification after you eat it. If you did not notify us, and later there is something strange about an ability you have learned, when I take a look at your Awakener Mark, it will cause trouble."


    So Jang Sung-hoon tried to tie up Kim Tae-hoon and the surviving Awakeners with a very simple relationship.


    "In easy terms, it''s give-and-take."


    Give and take. It was a simple concept that a child could understand.


    Based on the concept, Jang Sung-hoon wanted to receive forty percent of the monster stone that they would acquire, from the Awakeners still surviving.


    "Forty percent¡­ what do we get by paying that forty percent?" Of course, from the listening point of view, it sounds like they were only being deprived.


    That was why the five executives were not able to answer easily.


    Jang Sung-hoon explained it to them. "We''ll give you your life once. You don''t want to die, do you?"


    "What the hell is that¡­"


    "It''s a joke. A joke. If we really want to kill you, why do we have a negotiation table here for you? When we find a man with a mark on his back, shooting him is easy to do."


    "...is that a threat?"


    Threat. Kim Tae-hoon, who had been keeping silent with Jang Sung-hoon in front of him, came forward.


    Everyone was nervous about it.


    To the five Awakeners facing Kim Tae-hoon, as well as Jang Sung-hoon,, the air was naturally tightened.


    In the tight atmosphere, Kim Tae-hoon said in a low voice, "Forty percent is the street tax, and it''s the street tax for hunting monsters in my territory."


    Someone said with great courage, "This isn''t your land, is it? It''s not like you''re asking for forty percent of our income in that situation¡­"


    Kim Tae-hoon did not get angry at the courage. Instead, he asked back calmly, "Then, whose territory is this?"


    "Well..." the Awakeners thought.


    Whose land is Bucheon now?


    The answer was obvious.


    In the world of the law of the jungle, the weak were the prey of the strong. A strong man becomes the master of everything, and now the top predator in Bucheon was the yellow-eyed devil that used the subway station as its home.


    It was good to say that the master of the area within a radius of a dozen kilometers around Bucheon City Hall was the devil of yellow eyes.


    But no one could easily say that.


    To say that is to admit that the land belongs to not a human being but a monster now.


    If they did, it was like they were confessing that they were hanging on the edge of the cliff and putting despair at their feet.


    However, only Kim Tae-hoon spit out the fact without hesitation. "Of course, if someone kills it, he''ll be the master in the territory."


    He also told them what he wanted to give to the survivors.


    It was hope.


    What Kim Tae-hoon wanted to give to the survivors was hope to escape from the fear of predators, now struggling to survive at the bottom of the food chain.


    "It''s forty percent. If you''re sure you won''t get caught, it''s all right whether you cheat or skip it. If you don''t get caught."


    There was no further objection.


    Kim Tae-hoon stepped back, and Jang Sung-hoon said with a smile to the five frozen people,


    "We don''t have a contract. This is a commitment based on mutual trust and faith. I''ll trust your will. You don''t want to die by sacrificing a living human being to live on, and you don''t want to die later, do you?"

 36 Episode 36 - Territory Dispute, Part II

    Chapter 13. Territory Dispute, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    ''Thanks to Jang Sung-hoon, your head won''t hurt.''


    Kim Tae-hoon, who finished reminiscing, settled the situation in his mind.


    Now, Messiah''s Awakeners had become Kim Tae-hoon''s hunting dogs. From now on, the Awakeners must dedicate forty percent of their gains to him.


    Of course, in return, Kim Tae-hoon should provide them with a safe hunting stage.


    ''He''s a smart guy.''


    This did not simply stop there. If Messiah''s Awakeners became Kim''s hunting dogs, ordinary survivors would also be forced to follow him.


    The only way for ordinary people to fight against the Awakeners and the monster was with weapons like guns, which were owned by Kim Tae-hoon and the Mac Clan.


    Of course, it was not perfect.


    ''It''s not just him who''s smart!''


    Not everyone was happy with this system, and there was no way that the system could control everyone completely.


    At this moment there had to be a group of people preparing for a scheme, and a few of them would be smart.


    Surely there would be problems. There would also be some pretty serious problems, to the extent that people died, and the person who caused trouble in return would also die.


    Jang Sung-hoon was also well aware of the facts. That''s why he said, "It''s necessary."


    ''All I have to do is kill the devil.''


    A devil snake.


    Its body would be the strongest symbol and shield.


    Everyone who survived if Kim Tae-hoon captured the devil snake would be indebted to him, and they would have a sense of duty to protect his existence in order to survive in the future.


    ''All I have to do is kill it.''


    That was why Kim Tae-hoon''s thoughts were not so complicated. There was nothing complicated to think about. It was obvious what to do!


    "Boss, boss! I finally made a video! I took a photo of him!"


    It just wouldn''t be easy...


    4===========


    The world was white from the blizzard, and that was all they could see. The horrible traces of the disaster that struck the world for several days were not hidden in the snow.


    In other words, the places where there was no snow were still covered with terrible marks.


    It was the history of the New Jungdong Station.


    The station, which had impressive walls, floors, and ceilings, was nowhere to be found as if a mad herd of bulls had passed by.


    Ssss¡­


    The sound came from a huge monster passing by.


    It was a snake.


    It had black scales, darker then the lightless station.


    But it was too big to call a snake. It couldn''t be compared to the term ''a big snake''.


    At the same time, it was incredibly powerful. When its body brushed the wall lightly, the bricks collapsed like a waterfall.


    The snake that seemed impossible to stop, stopped in front of a mound of dead bodies.


    It fluttered its tongue in front of the stack of dead bodies but did not start eating at once. Instead, it tasted the bodies with the long-forked tongue.


    Sssss!


    Its action of pulling its body back was the same as a little boy who was very picky about food.


    In the end, it ignored the pile of corpses and moved out of the station right away, hunting living things with hot blood instead of cold bodies.


    As it did, the sun fell on the snake as it left the stairs.


    Its inverted triangle-shaped head appeared, and its yellow eyes appeared.


    Its eyes were beautiful enough to be called gold rather than yellow, but they could not be thought of as beautiful by anyone who looked at them right now.


    In front of those eyes, no matter how fierce the beast was, it would be a rat in front of the snake.


    The wound on its solid black body was also apparent in the sunlight.


    Initially, it had no intention of stopping. Its body gradually began to emerge from the dark.


    Then a cold wind blew past.


    At the touch of the wind, the snake paused. It soon turned away as the wind picked up.


    Soon after, it began to swallow the pile of corpses.


    The dirty pile disappeared, and when it the snake was gone, only the cameras were working quietly behind it.


    5.=======


    At the end of the video, everyone who watched it was frozen.


    Even though the image, and even the picture quality, was not clear, and there was only a vague shape of the being in the dark, its existence o overwhelmed everyone who saw it.


    They were at a loss about what to do.


    ''Oh, God, we need to kill this? No way. This monster is entirely different than those we''ve hunted before! No matter how hard we try¡­! It''s a monster that is no match for a Black Orc!''


    "We can''t kill this. We can''t kill it." Bang Hyun-wook was the first person to speak out.


    Shaking his head, Bang Hyun-wook''s eyes trembled like they had when he first faced monsters.


    His voice brought Jang Sung-hoon to his senses. His sober expression soon hardened.


    ''It''s my misjudgment. I did not think it was that strong¡­ I was sure it was a powerful monster, but if we used the grenades and claymore we have, and if we added the Telekinesis of the boss, it would be enough to win¡­ ''


    It was Jang Sung-hoon, not just anyone who claimed to be able to hunt the devil snake.


    No, all plans made by Jang Sung-hoon were based on the fact that Kim Tae-hoon hunted the devil snake.


    Of course, he thought the chance of winning was good, as it was Kim Tae-hoon, and he had the power of Telekinesis.


    Telekinesis was a very good combination with weapons, such as guns and bombs.


    If he controlled something like a grenade with his Telekinesis, he would never miss the target. The Mac Clan now had better firepower than a rifle, such as grenades, machine-guns, and claymores.


    He had thought, ''We can''t kill a dragon or something, but isn''t it enough firepower to kill a big snake?''


    But it wasn''t that much when he saw it. ''I''m wrong. This is not a guy we can hunt right now.''


    Major Kim hunting it was like a good-looking mouse that hunting a cat.


    If he was lucky, he''d bite it, but eventually, he would be a prey.


    "Boss, let''s give it up for a while. Once you look at its patterns of behavior, it doesn''t like the cold. Therefore, if we keep throwing dead bodies¡­" Jang Sung-hoon quickly modified his plan.


    Kim Tae-hoon did not respond to Jang Sung-hoon''s urgent remarks. Instead of answering, he played the video again in his mind.


    When it was exposed to sunlight while coming out, its image was taken by a camera he had installed. He recalled the look of its body.


    ''Its level of protection is beyond that of a Black Orc''s.''


    It was not a vague guess.


    The abandoned subway station was very dangerous. Walking around the station with bare skin was like going naked on a thorny path as a human being.


    Even if it didn''t get hurt deeply, it would get scratched.


    The devil snake, however, had lived for several days in the ruins of the station, and still boasted its beautiful body, just as clean as a glass, not showing a speck of damage.


    But there was a scar on its body.


    ''The Sword works.''


    The Sword of the Imperator, which coveted blood and with an unknown master, had proved that it had hurt the snake.


    ''The conditions themselves are much better than those against the Black Orc.''


    Furthermore, Kim Tae-hoon had various weapons to use against the devil snake.


    The power of the Sword of the Imperator and Sun-sin''s Arrow need not be questioned, and mundane firepower was also sufficient.


    Above all, Kim Tae-hoon himself could set the battle stage this time.


    It was not a sudden battle, and it meant that he could fight where he wanted to after practicing and preparing.


    Yes, the conditions themselves were incomparably better than those fighting the Black Orc.


    There''s only one thing left.


    ''If I can handle my Telekinesis properly.''


    Kim Tae-hoon''s ability to take advantage of this situation was the only thing he can do. If he was capable enough, there would be no reason to fail when hunting the devil snake.


    "Jang Sung-hoon, how much time do we have?"


    "Yes?" Jang Sung-hoon was frightened. "Are you going to hunt the snake?"


    The time Kim Tae-hoon referred to was the time the Awakeners who came under him could afford to wait without implementing their agenda.


    "Boss, we can''t fight that! We can''t!" Jang Sung-hoon tried to stop his plans again.


    "How many days are left?"


    "It''s¡­," Kim asked repeatedly, Jang Sung-hoon answered, "I''m not a psychology major, but as you know¡­ we''re getting the monster stones once a week from now on. For them, they''ll pay you without any doubt. No, they''ll pay you for now, as they don''t want to be suspected. But if you don''t do anything by the second payment, they will start to doubt."


    The world was still unstable now.


    Under such circumstances, if their trust and hope in Kim Tae-hoon were gone, some minority would act out of desperation.


    It would be a catalyst for collapse.


    "First payment in three days, and another week from there, so ten more days from now."


    "That''s a limit. No, it''s not a limit. There may be a stir, but if you explain¡­"


    Even though he is saying it was not a limit, there were only dark things to see in Jang Sung-hoon''s mind after ten days.


    ''It hates the cold, but if the cold breaks, it won''t look at the dead bodies. At that time, we have no choice but to sacrifice someone¡­ and then, we will be finished.''


    Above all, the only way to control the devil snake was to sacrifice a living being. In order to earn time, they would have to do the same thing as Lee Jin-sung did, which was the worst.


    And Kim Tae-hoon knew the fact better than Jang Sung-hoon.


    "What they want is not an explanation."


    Patience didn''t really matter to the hunting dogs.


    "We will begin training for the hunting of the devil snake."


    6.==========


    "Stability is the most important thing for the time being. Don''t be too hard."


    "Thank you, thank you, thank you for saving me."


    Ahn Sun-mi laughed bitterly at the appearance of a man bowing repeatedly toward her.


    ''Stability? That''s funny. Who can be stable in the world now?''


    A woman came up beside her. "Doctor, we have an urgent patient. He''s been bitten by a monster. He''s an Awakener."


    She was the woman who introduced herself as a nurse a few days ago among the survivors of the Mac Clan.


    Now she was serving patients with Ahn Sun-mi, and she called Ahn Sun-mi ''doctor''.


    It wasn''t just her. Ahn Sun-mi was working as a doctor.


    "Where is he?"


    For once, she wanted to see him, because it was the only talent she had that would save her life.


    It was also a very important part of the Mac Clan.


    There was virtually no proper medical service in the world. Since there was no medicine on hand, they might have to risk their lives to get medicine. There were many people dying due to lack of fever reducers and antibiotics.


    In such a world, it was a tremendous thing to have a medical service and a place to visit when they were sick.


    "Arrrrgh¡­ please, please save me."


    "What kind of monster were you bitten by?"


    "A dog¡­ no, a monkey dog bit me."


    "Is your arm the only place you were bitten?"


    Moreover, it is no exaggeration to say that the value of their life was everything for the humans who had a supreme task to survive.


    Insurance and health care were no longer meaningful. It was time to give everything they had for their life. Even more so for Awakeners!


    "Yes? Yes, only my arm was bitten." Ahn Sun-mi''s gaze turned to the right arm of the patient lying on the cot.


    The wound was serious, and it would normally be better to just cut off his arm in a place like this without proper medical equipment.


    "Prepare the tools."


    "Yes."


    However, as Ahn Sun-mi confirmed the wound, she immediately went to treatment without hesitation.


    "A brush and a knife."


    She even took out a brush and knife instead of a scalpel and scissors. It was a mysterious thing to do.


    But she wet the wound with the Water of Therapy she had created, and also applied the flesh of the Mud Troll with a knife.


    The serious wound began to be healed itself at a remarkable rate.


    "The price is eight monster stones." The treatment was over in a flash, and the settlement was required immediately.


    "Oh, yes, here¡­" The Awakener''s colleague immediately paid eight red monster stones for treatment.


    When the treatment was over in such a short time, the people waiting for treatment looked surprised at those who left with clean scars instead of serious injuries.


    Jang Sung-hoon appeared in the stillness.


    "How was your business today, sister?"


    Ahn Sun-mi looked sullen at his words.


    To her, Jang Sung-hoon was like a younger brother who had entered college and had no money. There was no sister who would show a happy expression at the appearance of such a younger brother.


    "What brings you here?"


    "We found a Mud Troll or more like a Mud Troll nest. Three were identified this time. They made a five hundred-unit apartment complex a grave of dead bodies. It will take some time for the Goblins and the Orcs to eat all the bodies."


    "Are you here to let me know that?"


    "No. I''m here to listen. So what happened?" Ahn Sun-mi said with a firm expression to the question.


    "Nothing, nothing special about the body."


    It was a story about dissection. The dissection of an Awakener.


    By eating monster stones, an Awakener becomes stronger. If the Awakener died, was there a stone in the heart of the Awakener?


    Everyone doubted it, but there was no chance to answer the question. They had never got the body of an Awakener who had been steadily eating monster stones.


    So, the body of Lee Jin-sung and his aide were clues to solve the question.


    Naturally, they dissected both men.


    But there was no result. Monsters died and left a stone, but an Awakener died and left nothing.


    "Humans only know how to use something, but they don''t know how to leave something behind, even now that the world has changed."


    Ahn Sun-mi threw a sling bag with filled monster stones toward Jang Sung-hoon, who was speaking more nonsense.


    "Why, why is this?"


    "Give it to the boss."


    "You earned it, didn''t you?"


    "It would not be useful if I ate it."


    "Boss suddenly became a pimp. The Lieutenant and you, both of you, bring in their own hard-earned gains¡­ in this world, a strong man is the best, I suppose. But this is not the usual competition¡­ no, he doesn''t need to insist on monogamy, so who''s his real wife? Is there a problem?"


    Ahn Sun-mi immediately asked a question to prevent Jang Sung-hoon from speaking more nonsense, "So, what''s the situation of the boss? Can he really kill that monster?"


    Jang Sung-hoon smiled lightly at the question. "We''re so lucky. Really."

 37 Episode 37 - Territory Dispute, Part III

    Chapter 13. Territory Dispute, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    7.


    Under a pedestrian overpass...


    Originally, a place where cars should be running was now a bloody battleground.


    Three Orcs and nine humans were going at it.


    "God damn it, what kind of power¡­"


    "Spear! Give me another spear!"


    A simple and brutal war was taking place against monsters, using crude spears made of sharp cut-offs of iron pipe ends, and a crude shield made of car doors.


    It was a desperate battleground.


    "Spray! Spray!"


    Those who were fighting the Orcs were doing everything they could desperately.


    The man with the car-door shield was tanking an Orc like a football lineman, and the men in motorcycle helmets were blackening or yellowing Orc''s eyes and mouths with the spray paint in their hands.


    "Aaaaaaah!" The man with the steel pipe spear drove a spear into Orc''s body with all his might.


    In such a mortal battle, the victory was rapidly passing to the humans.


    "Kuh! Kuhuh!"


    The blood-stained Orcs screamed, looking like hedgehogs with the spears stuck in them, were in great pain and struggling for life.


    "They are almost done!" The faces of the human group gradually began to smile, and the conviction of victory began to spread.


    "K-hung!"


    Until an Orc which is bigger than ordinary Orc appeared on the pedestrian overpass.


    "On the overpass, on the overpass!" The appearance of the big Orc, which had to be the captain of the Orcs they were fighting, changed the atmosphere at once.


    The Orc now inflated its chest as much as possible and bellowed when it was done.


    KAAAAAH!


    Its ferocity swept over them.


    "Uh¡­" Immediately, some of their legs limp.


    "Kuhuh!"


    At the same time, the blood-stained Orcs flared like candles just before they were extinguished.


    The situation had changed.


    "Get ahold of yourself!"


    "Just hold on! They''re all dying!"


    The humans yelled out, but the captain Orc on the pedestrian overpass moved to the railing as if to laugh at their efforts. He was going to throw his huge body into the battlefield immediately.


    "Hey!" At that moment, on the left side of the captain Orc, something approached at a tremendous pace and gave a short cry.


    "Kuh?" When the captain Orc turned its head, what he saw was the head of a huge hammer used in the steel factory.


    Krak! The hammer smashed the head of the captain Orc, crushed its face, and even broke its skull.


    The head of the captain Orc spewed out something red, like a burst watermelon.


    Bang Hyun-wook, the man who finished it in one hit, immediately shouted down below, "I''ll eat this one!"


    At the words, those below burned with fighting spirit instead of anger.


    "Oooh!"


    "Get them! All we have to do is kill these Orcs that are left!"


    The fighting spirit began to fade in the eyes of the Orcs that had lost their captain.


    The battle was one-sided thereafter. The three Orcs died, and those who survived the battle spat out long breaths.


    For some of them it was not enough, and after taking a cigarette from their pockets, they began to smoke carefully.


    Bang Hyun-wook, watching the scene from up on the overpass, turned his head slightly. He saw Jang Sung-hoon looking around the building with a map.


    "Brother."


    "What?"


    "The buildings around here are not cleaned up yet, are they not dangerous?"


    At the words, Bang Hyun-wook looked around the area. No white flags were visible anywhere in the buildings around them.


    "That''s why I brought you here."


    "No, not that¡­ If you have any problems, I can just run away with you, but what about those below¡­"


    At his words, Jang Sung-hoon folded the map and immediately looked at those who were working on monster stone collection under the overpass.


    "To live, they have to risk it."


    "What if they die?"


    "It''s better than just dying doing nothing. At least they''re not trying to die, are they?" Jang Sung-hoon sighed briefly, looking at them doing their best to survive.


    ''The parties are growing.''


    Parties. They were groups for monster hunting in the area of ??Mac Clan now.


    ''I could have wished that.''


    After Kim Tae-hoon demanded a price of forty percent, some of the survivors began to hunt more aggressively than when Lee Jin-sung was the leader of Messiah.


    There were many reasons.


    ''Since we have given them a lot of things, at least they have to show what they''re trying to do.''


    Kim Tae-hoon had shown them tricks needed to hunt monsters through the Mac Clan.


    He did not hide the reason for spraying, how to make poison balloons with perfume, oil, pesticides, and exploit the weaknesses of monsters.


    In addition, the Mac Clan is removing monsters with orange eyes that were stronger than red-eyed monsters, and monsters that moved in large groups from time to time.


    There were only traces of the Mac Clan passing by; a fugitive monster who could not build a pack near a building with a white flag; a fugitive who ran away from other powerful monsters; and a vagrant monster. For the hunting dogs, safe hunting was possible.


    Of course, the biggest reason was the street tax of forty percent.


    ''Is what they are wearing the Orc leather armor? Nice work. I heard a rumor that an old man who was a shoemaker would make a leather set for a monster stone¡­ I''ll have to meet him once.''


    The rest was for the hunting dogs after paying their forty percent tax. With their monster stones as well as their monster corpses, whatever they did was up to them.


    But they couldn''t just use them stupidly. If they had intended to do that, they wouldn''t have hunted monsters in the first place.


    There was something they wanted to get through hunting, so they were hunting.


    In other words, hunting monsters was not just consumption, but hunting to fuel productive activities.


    ''We built an ecosystem, so they''re trying to survive.''


    Of course, all sorts of ways were being tested out, trying to use monster bodies more efficiently.


    The old man who made leather shoes, and the technician who repaired the leather shoes, now making armor with monster hides; the worker from a construction site who made a spear with construction materials; and someone who worked at the car factory, converted a car into a tank to break the monsters.


    ''It''s more like a place where people live now.''


    It was also the way mankind has survived so far.


    The development of technology created to achieve something better had made humans the top predator.


    The same was true of the age of monsters. In order for humans to survive in this age, they had to use this way to survive.


    ''If Boss kills the devil snake, the number of parties will explode at that moment, and a group that has a lot of power in it, and that has a smart person, will try to establish a Clan like us.''


    Of course, if Kim Tae-hoon could not kill the devil snake, everything they had prepared so far would collapse like a mirage.


    "Do you have anything you''re looking for when you keep looking at the map?"


    "We have to check the monsters'' territory, because there''s a high probability that there''s a strong monster in the apartment or housing complexes."


    "That''s great. Honestly, I''m just thinking about whether big brother can kill that snake."


    If Kim Tae-hoon failed to hunt the devil snake and was killed, there would be only despair in Bucheon.


    There would be scenes of desperate humans hunting each other in front of monsters.


    Literally, the humans who survived in Bucheon would self-destruct.


    But at this moment, Jang Sung-hoon did not think he would fail in the hunt, which is why he came here.


    "We cannot get an answer even if we think about it. What we''re going to worry about is after the boss kills the monster."


    ''I''m sure it''s here. There must be a secret warehouse of Baek Sung-taek, where he kept the artwork he has stolen.


    ''I can''t see through the map, so there''s no way to know. Isn''t there a map relic, like a map nucleus?''


    8.======


    Gulp!


    Kim Tae-hoon took a photo of his right hand with a smartphone after eating a monster stone.


    =[Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 100


    - Health: 89]==


    At last, his Strength level exceeded 100 points. It was amazing.


    ''It''s as fast as when I took all the monster stones.''


    But what was even more surprising was that Kim Tae-hoon had not been monster hunting recently. Nevertheless, the speed at which his stats rose was as fast as when hunting monsters on the front line.


    ''Jang Sung-hoon was right!''


    It was all thanks to Jang Sung-hoon. His system made survivors hunters.


    Hunters hunted monsters, and Kim Tae-hoon''s share increased as did the number of monsters they hunted.


    Of course, it wasn''t all for free.


    Kim Tae-hoon raised his head.


    The Sword of the Imperator, the eerie Sword, was hovering like a satellite near him.


    The movement was very smooth. It was like the Sword was moving on its own.


    It was the result of hard training.


    ''I am now at a satisfactory level.''


    The potential and effectiveness of Telekinesis were infinite. Infinite did not mean that a user with that kind of Telekinesis could use everything, just like F1 racing cars mean nothing to the public.


    Just because a child is given a surgical scalpel and scissors that a noted doctor has used, does not make the child a noted doctor.


    The same went for Kim Tae-hoon. The value of his Telekinesis was infinite, but his ability to deal with it was not.


    Of course, through training, real fighting and practice, the endless possibilities would gradually become his potential.


    However, Kim Tae-hoon could not afford to learn something new as the time was limited to him. Instead, he tried to do well what he could.


    Faster, stronger, more precise!


    He practiced moving and controlling the Sword more quickly and more precisely with his Telekinesis.


    ''Cut.''


    At the thought of Kim Tae-hoon, the Sword of the Imperator shot out like an arrow. It flew toward the tire located behind him and passed through the top of it.


    Shi-yik!


    A piece of the tire that had been cut off in passing fell to the ground.


    Near the piece of tire that had fallen off were more pieces of broken tires.


    The ones on the bottom were thicker than fingers, and the later ones gradually getting thinner.


    On the top of the pile of tire pieces was a thin slice of paper.


    Kim Tae-hoon blew out a long breath like a steamboat about to start off...


    9.


    The devil snake had not been in a good mood lately.


    Only cold corpses were served as meals, and eating cold in the cold weather was a hardship and humiliation.


    The devil snake didn''t want to go somewhere colder, so it endured.


    Ss! Ss!


    But the devil snake no longer wanted to bear the hardship. Today it intended to fill its stomach with living beings, and it would not even look at the pile of dead bodies.


    Of course, just in case, it headed to its dinner table, as usual.


    And as always, there was food again. But there was only one corpse this time.


    Churr!


    The devil snake was angry at it. It was going to satisfy itself with only one sacrifice!


    Moreover, the body smelled disgusting.


    Shaa!


    The devil snake could quickly see that the body was not a sacrifice, but a poisoned bait. It was even angrier, and it did not intend to endure its anger.


    It was going to show its dignity once again, and that this was its territory. It began to climb the stairs without hesitation.


    The cold air that descended the stairs did not stop the angry devil snake. It appeared at once in the subway entrance.


    The snake that greeted the sunshine after a long time revealed its great splendor under the sunshine.


    Boo-aang!


    At that time, a huge bus rushed at the devil snake with all its speed, as if to welcome it.


    Kwa-kwa-kwang!


    The bus hit the devil snake, and the vehicle crumpled like it was made of tofu.


    On the other hand, the body of the devil snake was only shaken, not falling, and kept its place without falling.


    The yellow eyes of the devil snake lit up with an awful murderous spirit. It swiped its tail toward the bus that had smashed into it.


    Kwang! The bus broke in two like tofu broken in half by chopsticks.


    As if it was not enough, the pavement of the road was also crushed by the tail of the devil snake, leaving a broad scar on the ground.


    The blow left the world quiet. A terrible silence filled the surroundings of the devil snake.


    "AWWWOOOO!"


    Howling broke the silence. It shook the devil snake''s body, and its eyes narrowed to slits, evidence of a terrible rage.


    It was ridiculous that a smelly Werewolf in its own realm was Howling. The devil snake had no intention of accepting it.


    "AWWWOOOO!"


    The devil snake began to race toward the Howling.


    The place it arrived was an empty lot for building construction.


    A human standing alone in the vacant lot greeted it.

 38 Episode 38 - Territory Dispute, Part IV

    Chapter 13. Territory Dispute, Part IV


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    10.


    It was a vacant lot meant for a building.


    At the center of the vacant lot stood Kim Tae-hoon, surrounded by Mac Clan''s soldiers and a number of other Awakeners who were assigned their missions, waiting for the time to perform their duties.


    ''All I have to do is pull the trigger.''


    ''Let''s just act on orders. It''s not that difficult.''


    While waiting, they had recounted their duties hundreds of times.


    But all of them were stiffened when the devil snake appeared following the Howling of Kim Tae-hoon; it was a huge monster over twenty meters long, and it was big enough to swallow a car in a gulp.


    Ah!


    The devil snake had not yet shown the power of its fear. Everyone, who looked at it, could imagine their own death so easily, and they were paralyzed.


    Awww! It was Howling of Kim Tae-hoon that shook their stiffened minds and bodies once again.


    At the Howling, all the attention of the devil snake was focused on Kim Tae-hoon, and those who came to their senses moved without missing the moment.


    "Water!"


    "Pour water!"


    The main character of the first move was a fire truck.


    Quaquaqua!


    Two fire trucks, already deployed, rose high into the sky and began spraying out water columns over the snake.


    Under the streams of water, the devil snake turned its attention to the fire trucks that were spewing water nervously.


    The streams wet its body. It didn''t like the cold, so the water was much more annoying and nasty than the bus that ran into it a while ago.


    The devil snake intended to hit the fire trucks spraying the water streams if the Sword had not left a finger-deep scar on its scales.


    Sseuk!


    The devil snake''s eyes locked on the Sword which had hurt it.


    The devil snake saw the Sword flying in the air. The Sword rejected the laws of physics and could not be compared to any flying animal.


    Even the devil snake could not easily deal with the movement of the Sword that flashed to attack it.


    The devil snake stood upright and pursued the Sword, but it dodged the devil snake''s attack and began to slice through the body of the devil snake, producing wounds.


    There were no deep wounds. Most of the wounds were only about the length of a little finger.


    Considering the huge body, its thick skin, and flesh of the devil snake, they were just scratches with a tiny bit of blood, definitely not deep enough to stop it.


    ''This is as expected.''


    A hard stab would make the wound deep, but it would end there.


    So he had been practiced cutting thinly, just enough to draw blood.


    Of course, it is impossible to kill it with only thin wounds.


    "Spraying water is completed!"


    "Get out! The fire truck, get out!"


    So he prepared a fire truck!


    The reason he prepared the fire truck was to spray water to irritate the devil snake, and that was not all.


    "But will the pesticides work?"


    "It consisted of half pesticide and half water, and it will work if it gets inside."


    He had put plenty of poisons in the water the engines sprayed out. If they were absorbed through the wounds, it would surely affect the devil snake in some way. Pesticides were a medicine made for killing!


    That was why he chose the ground where the soil was tramped. The soil was loaded with pesticides and became mud. The soil was sticking to the body of the devil snake, and the pesticides would be delivered to its body repeatedly. If the devil snake ate the soil, then it could affect its internal organs. And this was just the beginning!


    ''It was distracted by the blade.''


    Kim Tae-hoon, who saw the devil snake chasing the Sword, immediately pulled an Arrow of Sun-sin from his waist.


    The arrow, without a tail and feathers, was different from usual. It was coated with ice.


    The ice, of course, was not ordinary ice. It was poisoned ice!


    Moreover, the poison was a tetrodotoxin.


    The poison of a blowfish!


    Kim Tae-hoon, when he heard the story of the devil snake, first thought of how to hunt using poison, instead of thinking that he could kill it with physical force.


    At the same time, the place where he heard the story, the place called a sushi restaurant, inspired Kim Tae-hoon. It was the inspiration for using blowfish toxin.


    After that, Kim Tae-hoon immediately collected the poison from the dead blowfish at a blowfish specialty store in Bucheon City.


    He also checked its effect.


    In the case of the farmed blowfish, there was no toxicity, or only really weak, but some of the blowfish collected by Kim Tae-hoon were caught at sea, and the effect of the venom was confirmed against pigeons and monsters which had survived in the cold land.


    Of course, he knew that the poison from only a few blowfish was not toxic enough to kill the devil snake.


    Because of that, he was not expecting a lot.


    Twisting, stumbling, or losing consciousness for a few seconds was all he wanted.


    The arrow flew toward the devil snake, which was focused on the Sword, as expected by Kim Tae-hoon.


    Pok! Then, like a syringe, it drove its little needle into the giant body of the devil snake through one of the small wounds.


    ''That''s it.'' The feeling of the arrow piercing the body of the devil snake was transmitted to Kim Tae-hoon through his Telekinesis.


    At the same time, the presence of the arrow disappeared from Kim Tae-hoon''s senses.


    ''It''s beginning.'' This was the prologue.


    This was not a mere fight, but a fight against the presiding ruler, the predator who dominated the center of Bucheon City, where prey became a challenger to take the land back.


    It was a fight for all or nothing.


    ''The first step is the mortar fire.''


    It is natural to prepare for all-out war, and it was mortar fire that would be the beginning of the all-out war.


    Mortars were different from rifles, but they were difficult to use easily, and they had never been used properly in battle with monsters they had met so far.


    There was not enough distance, and people could not afford to aim.


    In other words, if a target was at the target point, there is no more effective weapon than a mortar against the target, even the target was bigger than a tram. It was a big monster, and they could not miss it.


    What was even better is that it was not difficult to get one or two artillery soldiers if a hundred Korean men were gathered.


    Kim Tae-hoon looked up and saw the Sword against the devil snake.


    The movement of the Sword was playing with the devil snake, and as soon as it found a gap in the snake''s quick movement, it made a wound, racing along the body of the devil snake.


    Only the Sword was in the yellow eyes of the devil snake. It was focused on nothing but the Sword.


    Kim Tae-hoon began to lure the devil snake. He manipulated the Sword with his Telekinesis and led the devil snake closer to the center of the vacant lot.


    ''The right time.''


    The only thing left was to give a signal.


    As soon as he gave the signal, the mortar will fire out their shells continuously.


    At that moment, the glitter of the eyes of the devil snake changed.


    Its eyes, which had been chasing only the Sword, began to shine with a golden light that was not mere light.


    ''Ah.''


    Aura!


    Something that had to be called like that passed through the senses of everyone concentrating on the vacant lot.


    Those who were exposed to it stiffened at the moment.


    He felt that the devil snake was now scouring all of them, like dissecting them.


    Soon the eyes of the devil snake began to move along the force controlling the Sword, not the Sword itself, along with the Telekinesis that could now be seen.


    Of course, there was Kim Tae-hoon at the end of the power.


    The devil snake saw Kim Tae-hoon, its tongue fluttering.


    11.


    ''I was discovered.''


    At the moment the devil snake''s eyes shone, Kim Tae-hoon could feel intuitively that it saw the power to handle the Sword, not the Sword.


    Soon after, Kim Tae-hoon was sure, as the devil snake''s eyes turned on him.


    ''I''m dead.''


    Today, a man named Kim Tae-hoon would be killed by the devil snake.


    It was not a vague conjecture or feeling.


    He''d already experienced death. Through the Golden Glass of Napoleon, Kim Tae-hoon clearly learned how that death felt.


    However, there was no passing light like a revolving lantern in front of Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes.


    ''I will be killed by the devil snake.'' He had never wanted to die, He had tried to live. He had learned what he needed to survive in the ocean of death.


    He had a clinging obsession with the struggle for survival.


    ''I have to kill it before I die.''


    At that moment, his half-paralyzed body began to move.


    His Energy supported its master''s will to live. His Energy revived his body, which had frozen under the glitter of the eyes of the devil snake.


    But the devil snake had already become a black shadow on Kim Tae-hoon''s head as its jaws gaped open.


    ''Run away? No, I can''t run away.''


    His body told him, "Do not hope you will have a chance to run away with your body already half-paralyzed."


    Therefore, Kim Tae-hoon did not avoid it.


    Rather adversely, Kim Tae-hoon threw himself into the huge mouth of the devil snake that opened toward him.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s body was sucked into the mouth of the devil snake.


    Keck!


    There came a strange sound from the devil snake''s throat. It was going to eat its prey, but its target threw itself into its throat; therefore, it was not a natural sound.


    But the devil snake did not mind it.


    Kim Tae-hoon, in the eyes of the devil snake, was an animal without poison.


    No, it didn''t matter if the prey had poison. It was visible in the glowing eyes of the devil snake.


    The only animal that could show its teeth to it was Kim Tae-hoon, and when it ate him, the rest of the animals were just its own game.


    That''s why it swallowed Kim Tae-hoon.


    Soon afterward, the devil snake''s body began to crush Kim Tae-hoon.


    A body was forced to compress, and in the process, the flesh ruptured. Bones were dislocated, and eventually, there was the sound of breaking.


    The sound also reached Kim Tae-hoon. It was simply the sound of death.


    The screaming of the bones in his body knocked from the inside, not outside, was a sound that no one could see and hear, only those who faced death.


    But Kim Tae-hoon did not listen to the sound.


    ''Let''s listen.''


    It was the snake''s sound, not his own sound.


    ...throbbing!


    The heartbeat of the devil snake was slow, like a snake.


    Throbbing!


    As soon as he heard the slow heartbeat of the slow snake, as he waited for the next beat to happen, Kim Tae-hoon ordered the Sword connected to his will-


    STAB THAT SOUND!

 39 Episode 39 - He Got the Eyes, Part I

    Chapter 14. He Got the Eyes, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    When Kim Tae-hoon said he would go on hunting for the devil snake, the survivors had two reactions.


    Some wanted to participate in the hunting for the devil snake themselves, and others prayed eagerly for the success of the hunt.


    There was not a single person who wanted the devil snake hunting to fail.


    At the same time, none of them imagined Kim Tae-hoon''s failure to hunt the devil snake.


    It was not due to a lack of imagination. Just imagining the failure made their whole body tremble and their faces turn blue.


    Just imagining it made them feel hopeless. That was why they couldn''t even imagine it.


    But right now, Kim Tae-hoon was eaten.


    ''Ah!''


    As was said, the devil snake attacked Kim Tae-hoon with a mouth open wide enough to swallow a car.


    Moreover, no one could move properly at that moment. The majesty of the devil snake was as firm as the head of Medusa.


    Eventually, the huge mouth swallowed their only hope, and the devil snake did not stop there.


    In order to swallow Kim Tae-hoon more easily, it straightened its huge body like a tower, in order to push the man who was hovering around his throat into its stomach at once.


    Everyone watched the scene. To turn away from it was not allowed. Their paralyzed bodies could not even turn their heads or close their eyes.


    It was torture. Everyone watched the process as their hope fell into a dark despair.


    The torture ended as a Sword shot fiercely into the devil snake, despite the loss of its master.


    The Sword quickly punched into the neck of the devil snake, and its body began to lean like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.


    But unlike the Leaning Tower of Pisa, its body continued to fall.


    In the end, its body smashed to the earth.


    Qua-reung!


    The ground bounced as if an earthquake had occurred, and those who could not to escape, who stared at the scene in blank amazement, fell to the ground.


    That was all. The fallen were lying on the floor like mannequins, and the ones who did not fall... were not.


    There was still despair, and no one could escape from it by their own power.


    There was only one person who could answer this despair.


    Kim Tae-hoon appeared, saying the fallen devil snake had fallen.


    2.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s head was tilted back with his thermos in his mouth, and his throat was tingling.


    Ahn Sun-mi handed him a small glass of wine after he drank the contents of a thermos bottle.


    Kim Tae-hoon, who had received a bottle full of a Water of Therapy, drank it all at once.


    "How are you?"


    Finally, after putting a lot of pills made of Mud Troll flesh by Ahn Sun-mi in his mouth, Kim Tae-hoon swallowed, and replied, his mouth tasting like dirt, "I''d like a cup of coffee."


    "Oh, really?" After her curt reply, Ahn Sun-mi drew a really long sigh.


    It was a sigh of relief. When Kim Tae-hoon said that, it meant that his condition wasn''t really the worst he could think of.


    "Please take care of it yourself." Ahn Sun-mi rose from her seat after the blunt remark.


    Kim Tae-hoon didn''t give her any attention. Instead, he closed his eyes on the spot and started to think again.


    ''It was the worst.'' All the way from one to ten.


    ''It was all the worst.'' Worst, there was no other word to describe and organize the hunting.


    ''From preparation to action.'' He thought he was fully prepared, but when he actually started hunting, he fell into crisis as soon as the prologue ended.


    Eventually, he was eaten by the devil snake. He heard the sound of his whole-body crumbling.


    It was a life-or-death experience that had nothing to do with being a trauma, a memory that had to be ignored and forgotten.


    ''I almost died before I even saw the dragon.''


    However, Kim Tae-hoon tried to remember the moment more clearly, rather than turning away from it. He concentrated on not forgetting the feeling at that time.


    ''That is the real prize.'' At the moment his whole body was being crushed, Kim Tae-hoon definitely did it.


    ''The Sword reacted to my Telekinesis!'' At that moment, his longing reached the Sword.


    The Sword of the Imperator stabbed the sound of the heart.


    It was the first time.


    ''The only thing I could see was darkness.''


    So far, Kim Tae-hoon has relied on vision when using his Telekinesis. No, the vision was an absolute requirement for the use of Telekinesis.


    Kim Tae-hoon had no talent to move the unseen. He didn''t even think it was possible.


    Of course, the moment Kim Tae-hoon entered the devil snake''s throat, the Sword disappeared from his sight and sense.


    No, honestly, at that moment, Kim Tae-hoon even forgot the idea of manipulating the Sword with his Telekinesis.


    He just wanted the Sword of the Imperator to reach the sound of the heartbeat of the devil snake he heard.


    It was to feel that time more clearly that he was recalling the moment now.


    ''Tut.''


    Of course, the feeling did not come to mind easily.


    It was a miracle created by the persistent obsession of life¡­ no, made by his determination to live.


    It couldn''t be a miracle if he could easily experience it.


    ''I can''t help it.'' Of course, it wouldn''t be easy to experience this feeling again.


    ''I can only be content with the possibility.'' But this made it clear: the possibility of Telekinesis was endless.


    In addition, at this moment, Kim Tae-hoon had another power that was immediately available.


    Kim Tae-hoon rose from his seat and saw the dead body of a huge snake occupying the vacant lot.


    It was time to take the right of the winner.


    3.


    The devil snake, which had fallen in the vacant lot, still had a bloody presence.


    No one dared approach the vacant lot.


    The same was true of the Mac Clan''s soldiers, armed and guarding the devil snake and controlling access to it.


    There was no expression on their faces, standing with their backs to the carcass. The only difference between mannequins was the fact that they were breathing white mist.


    A man approached the land filled with fear.


    Those who were afraid of the devil snake far away but could not take their eyes off it saw Kim Tae-hoon.


    No one immediately noticed that he was Kim Tae-hoon.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s name had already spread, but there were not many people who had seen Kim Tae-hoon directly.


    Even if they knew Kim Tae-hoon''s face, there were few people who had good enough eyesight to confirm his face from that far away.


    However, it was not necessary for someone to explain that the man was Kim Tae-hoon.


    There was only one man who could make the monster, which gave fear, nightmares, and despair to the survivors of Bucheon City, a carcass, and take the right of the winner from the dead body.


    ''Is that him?'' ''It is him!''


    As Kim Tae-hoon drew closer to the dead body of the devil snake, everyone realized his identity.


    When Kim Tae-hoon approached the vicinity of the devil snake in the end, someone saw him and screamed.


    "Hooray!"


    A shout.


    It was a triumphant shout, and at the same time, it was the first shout.


    "Hooray!"


    The war that had begun with the sudden appearance of the monster on December 31 took away the shouts of survivors.


    Everyone had lived in a breathless state to survive. There was no proper victory. They just survived and pretended to be dead to live.


    There was no room to shout, or to be eligible for victory.


    Now, now was the first time.


    For the first time, the survivors who had been deprived and only run away had won their first real victory, and in return, they were entitled to shout as much as they wanted to at this moment.


    "Hooray!"


    The shouting spread out. The enthusiasm of the shouting began to melt the frozen world.


    Furthermore, the shouting urged the heart. Everyone''s hearts began to beat wildly in the rush of the shouts.


    At the center of the shouts, Kim Tae-hoon looked at his own Sword deeply embedded in the neck of the fallen devil snake.


    The Sword was sticking out its handle as if waiting for its master to come.


    Kim caught the hilt and pulled it out, like the legend of a king who drawing a sword from a rock.


    Shiyik!


    Without any trouble, the Sword again cut through the body of the devil snake and revealed its silver blade.


    The silver blade now scattered silver light around, reflecting the sunlight passing through the sky.


    "Hooray!"


    Those who saw the scattered silver blade began to shout with all their might.


    During the shouts, Kim Tae-hoon immediately set out to work.


    He cut the skin like digging a burrow, slicing away the flesh, and revealed the black heart of the devil snake sleeping beyond it. He raised his smartphone over the yellow jewel embedded in the heart.


    ======


    [The Crystal of the Black Snake]


    - Strength and Health greatly increase when ingested.


    - The skill level of Energy greatly increases when ingested.


    - The skill level of Mana greatly increases when ingested.


    - The skill level of Defense greatly increases when ingested.


    - The Power of the Black Snake [The Eyes of Black Snake] can be acquired when ingested.]


    =====


    Kim Tae-hoon tore the yellow jewel off and put it in his mouth.


    There was no hesitation. He ate it in a gulp and swallowed it in a gulp.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s body also took the crystal of the Black Snake at once, and it made the Power of the Black Snake his own.


    ''Hmm.''


    First of all, the Energy inside his guts began to change. The loach went mad and grew hugely. It became a snake.


    The huge snake with such great Energy gave power to his body. It seemed that the power he could not control would burst out of him.


    At that moment, the power of Energy focused on Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes. The whites disappeared from his eyes and only black ones remained.


    At the same time, the Energy that filled Kim Tae-hoon''s guts began to dissipate rapidly.


    ''Is this the Eyes of Black Snake?''


    In exchange for consuming such Energy, the world he looked at had changed. He could see more clearly, and he could count the feathers of a flying bird.


    And the invisible was now visible.


    Kim Tae-hoon looked at the back of his right hand.


    ======


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 135


    - Health: 122


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: D Rank


    - Mana: D Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Defense: D Rank


    - Mana Resistance: D Rank


    ======


    Kim Tae-hoon got the Eyes.


    4.======


    Jang Sung-hoon did not participate in the hunt. He was not qualified to take part in the hunt against the scary monster.


    He received a report after everything was over: Kim Tae-hoon was eaten by the devil snake, and miraculously stabbed its heart, survived, and ate its crystal.


    When he heard the report, Jang Sung-hoon felt dizzy.


    ''He almost died.''


    The only thing that was done as planned was luring the devil snake. Everything after that was beyond his expectations.


    Even if Kim Tae-hoon died, it was no wonder. Ordinarily, he should have died.


    But in the end, he won!


    So now it was time to collect the spoils of the war!


    Jang Sung-hoon got up from his seat.


    ''They said the old man who worked at the leather shoe factory was Park Kap-soo.''

 40 Episode 40 - He Got the Eyes, Part II

    Chapter 14. He Got the Eyes, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    5.


    It was night time before the enthusiasm of the survivors, which seemed not to go out, cooled down.


    The night was dark and cold, and the survivors moved to find a warm place to survive again.


    Kim Tae-hoon was also prepared to spend the night.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s bed was a car, and he sat in the driver''s seat of a car that was too expensive to use as a tent instead of the Mercedes S500, put down the window, and turned his head.


    He saw the dead body of the Black Snake.


    Kim Tae-hoon looked at the dead body and picked up a mug. A partner with a steaming heart told him that it had no intention of spending the night sleeping.


    "Boss."


    "Big brother!"


    Jang Sung-hoon and Bang Hyun-wook appeared at that time.


    "Would you like a beer? It''s very cool because it has been in the snow. I brought you a snack, too."


    Before his answer came out, Jang Sung-hoon got in the passenger seat and Bang Hyun-wook also got in the back seat.


    Jang Sung-hoon, who was in the passenger seat, put his hand in a black plastic bag.


    "Do you have any brands you like?"


    "I don''t need it."


    "Brother, I''ll have Miller, Miller."


    Jang Sung-hoon handed a Miller beer can to Bang Hyun-wook.


    "You''re a young man who just graduated from high school, but you are choosing a brad beer? Huh?"


    "Haha, that''s the way it is," Bang Hyun-wook smiled awkwardly and received the beer can.


    Kim Tae-hoon took a sip of coffee at the sight of the two. He began to enjoy the silence.


    Jang Sung-hoon started to talk in the meanwhile. "You''ve been through it."


    "Now let''s get to the point, then. Now, we''re creating a Clan."


    The story did not have a head and tail.


    "Clan? Brother, we are a Clan, what Clan are we making again?"


    "It means we will allow the creation of new Clans within our territory, and we will be the leader of groups of Clans. For example, Mac Clan becomes Mac Guild and has multiple Clans under its command, and the Clans run several parties internally."


    It was a concept that anyone who had played an MMORPG game could easily understand.


    Bang Hyun-wook immediately expressed his doubts. "Then it''s dangerous, right? If we ever get betrayed¡­"


    "After killing the boss and taking the seat, all they have to do is to fight such monsters as are outside the window. Do you want to do that?"


    Bang Hyun-wook, who immediately grasped the situation, took a drink of beer instead of answering.


    Jang Sung-hoon''s eyes turned to Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Actually, they are not just Clans, but there are some parties that have a lot of power. We just need a system, because they''re getting bigger. I think it''s important to keep in mind to give the Clans a gun if necessary. War is decided by the number of people. Of course, this is not an urgent problem. The immediate problem is the common people. They need a representative."


    Jang Sung-hoon drank a sip of soda and kept talking. "The bomb that might really explode at any time is the common people like me. Right now the Awakeners are at the center of a group of survivors. It''s not a good situation for the public. Two or three out of ten female patients visiting sister Sun-mi are victims of sexual assault. There are such victims among men, too. Of course, none of them confess the damage."


    Jang Sung-hoon''s expression gradually hardened.


    This was the reality.


    "You want to elect a representative for the public, right?" They needed someone to speak for the voices of these people. That way, when the balance was there, the order could be established right there.


    "We can''t elect people, because we can''t run the election in this situation, and we don''t have to, because it''s not hard to pick a representative. The boss can pick one right away. The question is, who do you pick? In that meaning, can I have that snake?"


    At the words he threw out, Kim Tae-hoon drank some coffee again.


    "I have an old man named Park Kap-soo, who has been working on leather shoes for over forty years, and he has good skill. I''m going to let him make items with that snake. And at the same time, I am taking this opportunity to recruit technicians who have been hiding or were unable to reveal their skills. I will make a workshop. And that''s what we need to do to make a complementary relationship between the Awakeners and the public."


    It was meaningless to have politicians who simply represented the voices of the public.


    They had to complement one another.


    They needed the public with skills, groundwork, and labor to support Awakeners who hunted the monsters at the risk of their lives.


    At the same time, a symbol was needed, which could be used as a reference point when someone would record this work later.


    The dead body of the Black Snake would be the most perfect symbol.


    "We''ll make some items of that leather, and then we''ll give them to the newly created Clan."


    At the words of Jang Sung-hoon, Kim Tae-hoon looked over at the dead body of the Black Snake silently.


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon had no intention of opposing Jang Sung-hoon''s words. The silence was a positive expression.


    "Of course I''m not going to do that for free." Jang Sung-hoon also knew that, so he took out a folding map with a smile that softened the serious atmosphere.


    It was a map of Bucheon City.


    "I''ll give you my game, instead of taking the boss''s game." Jang Sung-hoon said, tapping his finger at one place of the map filled with his own writing.


    "There is a possibility that there is a warehouse of Baek Sung-taek here."


    "Who is he?" Bang asked, scratching his head.


    "He is a whale, a whale."


    "A whale?"


    "A whale."


    After swallowing his coffee, Kim Tae-hoon intervened in the funny conversation of the two. "Who is he?"


    "He''s someone who focuses on dealing with stolen goods and the theft of cultural properties. He deals and takes in everything, so he is called a whale. Of course, he could not keep the stolen goods in his house, so he had the warehouse built separately, and the warehouse is right in Bucheon."


    "At this star sign?"


    "It''s one of the candidates."


    "You don''t know exactly where it is, right?"


    "If I had known exactly where it was, I would have deserted from my regiment and robbed it."


    "How do you know?"


    "He''s a man very sensitive to the theory of divination based on topography, and he wouldn''t have made the warehouse just anywhere. The problem is¡­"


    Jang Sung-hoon tapped his fingers around the star-shaped area. There were many apartment complexes in the area he pointed out.


    Bang Hyun-wook, looking at it with his head sticking out from the back seat, frowned slightly.


    "Huh, there are so many apartment complexes?"


    In normal time, an apartment complex would be no place special, but now that it had become a monster land; an apartment complex was the most hellish place in the world.


    The reason for hell was simple.


    "It must be a complete monster den, and it''s a den of powerful monsters."


    It had the richest food.


    The population density of the apartment complexes was higher than anywhere else, and it was December 31st when the monster appeared. It was the time when most people were preparing for the end of the year at home.


    Of course, there were many predators who filled their stomachs with the food where it was most abundant.


    Because of that, so far, Kim Tae-hoon and the Messiah had not easily accessed the apartment complexes... The place where Jang Sung-hoon pointed out now existed in the middle of such apartment complexes.


    "Are you going to get in there with just a few people? I don''t think so if it is possible."


    If it was a normal case, they would not approach there. Even if they approached there, they would approach with all the Mac Clan''s power and full preparation.


    "We''ll be on the move tomorrow morning." But the situation was now changed.


    "Boss, wouldn''t it be hard to move straight tomorrow? You should first clean up the surroundings."


    "I''m enough alone."


    Kim Tae-hoon now was quite different from yesterday.


    And tomorrow he would be totally different from now.


    6.==========


    "Krrr!" The growl of the Black Werewolf passed over the desolate road where the sound of the wind could not be even heard.


    Seueuk! Behind that cry was the sound of Werewolf''s feet stepping quietly on the snowy ground.


    Seuk, seuk! It was not one sound, but six sounds were heard!


    Two meters tall, with a huge physique, the Werewolves had quiet footsteps that did not fit their size. Their red eyes glistened with their footsteps.


    There were many things in their glistening eyes. There was hostility to the prey in their territory, and there was a thirst for the hot blood filling the body of their prey.


    Their prey walked along the road, whether he knew it or not.


    He didn''t want to hide his footsteps, and he moved, unwilling to hide his footprints, revealing his presence.


    Thump!


    Then six Werewolves appeared before their prey.


    The Werewolves, who appeared in formation as they surrounded him, immediately threw their heads back, raised their protruding snouts to the sky, and cried.


    "AWWOOO!"


    The horrifying,eerie howling, which someone would be surprised if he heard just one, began to surge in from all sides.


    Even the howling was short.


    The Black Werewolves began to run toward their prey after a short howling, as if they could not afford to wait for the prey to have time to get afraid.


    Three ran on two legs, and the remaining three ran on four legs.


    Peobeok, peobeok! Their speed was terrifying, no matter how they ran, and the rush that seemed to crush the earth, as if they were not satisfied with kicking hard the earth, was enough to stop his breath.


    AWWOOO! In the meantime, two of them had cried howling, as if they were doing a ceremony early, mocking their prey.


    At that moment, the eyes of the prey in the center of the Black Werewolves began to blacken.


    It was just a moment.


    Whine! From the mouth of the first Black Werewolf, which had met with the Eyes, came out a pathetic sound that a puppy would not even spit out.


    The man rolled his darkened Eyes, but nobody could know the fact,just because when the black thing moved on the blackened drawing paper, nothing could be seen.


    And now there was nothing to notice the fact.


    It was just a moment.


    Whizz! A featherless arrow left the man''s waist, leaving only a faint sound behind, moved around the man largely like a lightning bolt.


    Ppittul ppittul! If someone saw the crooked line from above, it would be seen like a lightning bolt and it followed the irregular line.


    But there was one thing in common in the movement.


    Thud! The brains of the Black Werewolves were the targets of the movement.


    Thud! Thud! Black Werewolves, who seemed ready to start a mad feast after biting the man''s body right away, fell on the ground and began to roll.


    The Black Werewolves who felled like that were not able to get up.


    The man, Kim Tae-hoon, looked at the bodies of those Black Werewolves. The world seen by the blackened Eyes, [the Eyes of Black Snake], was not too different from the world he usually saw.


    Merely it was all clear.


    It was the same before.


    The Black Werewolves, who ran wildly toward himself at the same time, were so slow that they seemed to have stopped in Kim Tae-hoon''s Eyes. In such a world, he was able to draw the picture he wanted more perfectly than ever.


    However, Kim Tae-hoon did not feel any special satisfaction. Rather, it was the opposite.


    "This is not enough." In the clear, distinct world, Kim Tae-hoon''s lacking and inexperience seemed clear.


    Keueoeoeong! At that moment, a huge Black Wolf appeared on his left side with a huge cry.


    The orange-eyed Wolf was huge enough to eat a bear. And it was in a rage, facing an enemy who had turned its own race into meat at once.


    Kim Tae-hoon turned his head toward the rage.


    The orange eyes of the Black Wolf and the Eyes of the Black Snake of Kim Tae-hoon crossed.


    Keureureu, Kuck! As soon as they crossed, a choking sound came out of the mouth of the Black Wolf, and its body stiffened.


    It was trying to hold on to the enormous power of its limbs being pulled in five directions.


    Cheureung! Under that circumstance, the Sword was pulled out of the sheath by itself, which was on the back of Kim Tae-hoon.


    Swish! It flew itself and cut off the head of the Black Wolf in a stroke without a hint of hesitation.


    Kim Tae-hoon, who watched it all happen, was able to see it clearly.


    ''It''s not this feeling.''


    He only felt his own shortcomings.

 41 Episode 41 - Daedongyeojido, Part I

    Chapter 15. Daedongyeojido, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    A vacant lot for a building, which had been full of silence for a while, was now filled with the atmosphere of a construction site.


    "Get rid of this lump of flesh! It''s disturbing!"


    "Need two more people here!"


    "We need three people here! Hurry up!"


    At the center of the atmosphere was the dead body of a giant snake.


    The Black Snake, which had doled out fear and despair, was now paying for it.


    People were clinging to it like ants, gnawing apart its body, little by little.


    There were different ways.


    "The chainsaw has stopped! Oil! Give me some oil!"


    There were those who were cutting off its head using a heavy-duty chainsaw, and some people were digging out the flesh beneath its skin with pickaxes and shovels.


    "Be careful, watch out for the forklift!"


    There was also a crane driver removing the accumulated flesh with the crane which was in the construction site .


    It was hard, of course.


    "Oh, it''s harder than hard work on a construction site."


    "I''d rather do delivery service up and down. What kind of body¡­"


    But still, it was full of vitality.


    "But it''s better to be this tough."


    "I am in sweat after a long time, and it''s good to live now."


    They could see how precious it was to be able to do something hard while sweating.


    "Mealtime, it''s mealtime!"


    Oil was poured onto their burning energy.


    "The menu is ramen, Rice Cake Ramen!"


    A huge cauldron, found in a nearby restaurant, showed up with boiled rice cakes and instant ramen noodles, and saliva filled everyone''s mouths.


    "Let''s eat and then work, let''s eat!"


    Everyone stopped what they were doing for a while, and started enjoying the meal together. The breaths of those eating hot ramen rose from all over the vacant lot continuously.


    It was a warm sight to see.


    However, Jang Sung-hoon''s expression of the scene was not so positive.


    "Brother, would you like a bowl?" Bang Hyun-wook asked Jang Sung-hoon, but there was no answer. Jang Sung-hoon looked at the body of the Black Snake being dissected, with a hard face.


    "Brother Sung-hoon!"


    "If you want to eat, you eat alone."


    "You''re not really going to eat, are you? Don''t ask me for some."


    Bang Hyun-wook ran away with those words to the line in front of the cauldron. Jang Sung-hoon, still watching the scene, once again stiffened his expression that had relaxed for a moment.


    He looked at the body of the Black Snake with that hard face. At this moment, Jang Sung-hoon had one worry.


    ''Where should we go?''


    There was much to be done in the future.


    Once we have made an item using the body of the Black Snake, made the Mac Clan into the Mac Guild, created Clans under the Mac Guild, and selected a representative of the public...


    There were important things to do after that.


    ''The first priority we face right now is to have a self-sufficient system: to secure land for farming. It is necessary to save more survivors because it requires a lot of labor. This winter will pass like a shot, just doing these things.''


    ''The next problem is¡­''


    ''If the words of Lee Jin-sung, the dead head of the Messiah, are true, there are stronger monsters than the Black Snake around Bucheon City. As we have seen, monsters are classified according to the color of their eyes. The lowest grade is red, the next grade is orange, and the above grade is yellow. The monsters are likely to be rated according to the seven colors that make up the rainbow.''


    ''According to that grade, the Black Snake that covered Bucheon City in fear means the third weakest type of monster. It''s the third one down there.''


    The dragon, which had appeared in Bucheon City for a while and just before the death of Kim Tae-hoon in the future, had dark-blue eyes.


    ''He''ll never die if he steps on the yellow one, but if he steps on the green mine, it will be game over.''


    Currently, the grade of monsters that Kim Tae-hoon could kill was the yellow-grade.


    Even he barely killed it. If he met a monster with green eyes, he would inevitably die.


    ''Even he just stays still, it will be game over, in the end.


    ''However, we can not stay in Bucheon City forever. If we stay in Bucheon City, we will be attacked by monsters coming here someday. If we are trapped in Bucheon City, it is not much different then being a farm to a monster.''


    ''We have to move.''


    ''In the end, we have to move. To live, we must move on without stopping. But as said before, no one knows what threat is! It is like walking a minefield without any clues or information!''


    "It''s a real fuck." Jang Sung-hoon threw up curses at the situation.


    If it was a difficult problem, he would be worried about finding the answer, but the problem he faced now was not a difficult problem.


    No answer could be found, even if one was worried about it.


    "Brother!" Bang Hyun-wook came up with a bowl and walked toward Jang Sung-hoon.


    "I don''t want to eat," Jang Sung-hoon said in a slightly irritated voice.


    "Big brother is here."


    "What?" At the following words, Jang Sung-hoon had to make a surprised look. "Has he done it already?"


    Jang Sung-hoon saw everyone, eating their delicious ramen noodles, rise from their seats and bow their heads.


    It was the return of the king.


    Kim Tae-hoon, appearing just like that, immediately walked over to Jang Sung-hoon and said, "I''ll start after a cup of coffee."


    2.


    "Oh, my God."


    "No way, did he really do this alone?"


    Two men, dressed like butchers, with plastic aprons, rubber gloves, and meat-carving tools, were briefly distracted by the sight in front of them.


    It was the path of dead bodies spread out before them.


    There were bodies lying on the road, not of humans but monsters; of not just one kind, but a variety of them!


    What was more surprising was the condition of the bodies.


    "The condition of the bodies..."


    "Is this possible?"


    They all had a hole in the head, or their heads were cut off.


    The only choices given to the bodies were the two. Except them, nobody was found choosing another option.


    If they had been a rag by the explosion of a bullet or a powerful bomb, there would have been no reason not to believe it.


    So those who came to deal with the dead bodies, forgetting what they had to do, stared at the path of carcasses for a while.


    Bang Hyun-wook was also present among them.


    Bang Hyun-wook, who was on duty to protect people in case of attack by unknown monsters, looked silently at the scene created by Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Tut." He clicked his tongue briefly. ''I can''t even be his right toe, let alone his right arm.'' After clicking his tongue briefly, he swallowed the complaint through his neck, and then his eyes sank briefly, with a mixed expression.


    In the mind of such Bang Hyun-wook, the memory of December 31st came to mind.


    He remembered when he responded directly to Kim Tae-hoon''s words, "If you want to live, just follow me."


    Since then, Bang Hyun-wook has thought that he was the only Awakener who could help Kim Tae-hoon.


    He thought that he couldn''t replace Kim Tae-hoon, but he was the only one who could fill the place when Kim Tae-hoon disappeared.


    ''What have I been doing?''


    But now he knew that all his thoughts were nonsense.


    ''In the meantime...''


    Bang Hyun-wook looked at the back of his right hand, and some kinds of emotions began to shake intensely in his heart as he did so.


    And that time there was another man whose emotions were fluctuating as intensely as his.


    "Oh, my God."


    =========


    3.


    "Whale, how much did you eat?"


    Looking at the outside image, it was a plain, detached house, a two-story house with a garden.


    The inside of the house was filled with all sorts of artworks.


    It was another world in the eyes of Jang Sung-hoon.


    "I heard that the Whale had collected whatever he needed, but I didn''t know he had gathered this much. Looking at the level of the collection, I guess he was a kleptomaniac. He wouldn''t collect things like this unless he was interested in stealing them."


    Jang Sung-hoon, who was looking at the artwork on every side, had a bitter smile on his face.


    "It''s funny to say this, but it''s no wonder that if the world, where these people lived in a grand style, collapsed, there was nothing wrong with it."


    His complaints stopped there. Jang Sung-hoon did not forget why he was here. He immediately took out his smartphone.


    "It''s going to be a tiresome job to take photos one by one because there are so many."


    The only reason he came here was to find relics that would help them in the war with the monsters in the future.


    That was all.


    Kim Tae-hoon picked up a small bottle of liquor close to him, instead of answering Jang Sung-hoon.


    He handed it over to Jang Sung-hoon. Jang Sung-hoon received it reflexively and cocked his head.


    ''Why did Kim Tae-hoon suddenly give it to him?''


    At the doubt, Kim Tae-hoon answered briefly, "It''s a relic."


    "Yes?"


    Kim Tae-hoon began to look around instead of answering the question, with his black Eyes shining. The Eyes of Black Snake were in action.


    The active Eyes of Black Snake turned the landscape of this place into another world, with a different meaning for Kim Tae-hoon.


    With the Eyes of Kim Tae-hoon, he could see the relic. As soon as he looked at the relic, it was like he was wearing smart glasses, and could see its ability.


    The same was true of the painting Kim Tae-hoon now saw.


    It was just a beautiful woman painted during the Joseon Dynasty. There was no way of knowing whose painting it was. However, it was different in Kim Tae-hoon''s Eyes.


    ==[Blessed Portrait of a Beauty]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 5


    - Relic Value: Rare


    - Relic Effect: It is possible to create a blessing in which the Strength of an object can be increased by consuming Mana.]==


    The Eyes of Black Snake could see the hidden value of the Portrait of a Beauty.


    In the meantime, Jang Sung-hoon took a picture of a small bottle of liquor that Kim gave to him by his smartphone and realized the situation.


    "Can you see the value of the relics in the Boss''s Eyes?"


    Instead of answering, Kim Tae-hoon looked around and pointed his finger at several items.


    Jang Sung-hoon no longer asked questions. He took pictures of the pieces Kim Tae-hoon pointed at and carefully packed them.


    The search for relics that was expected to take a long time progressed quickly.


    Jang Sung-hoon''s turn came after taking the most visible relics right away.


    "It can''t be all there is to see. I''m sure he has hidden the most valuable pieces all over the place. Of course, the most classic hiding place is the wardrobe."


    Jang Sung-hoon found places where the original owner of the house, Baek Sung-taek, had hidden other pieces, starting with the wardrobe, inside its thick door, as well as hidden in the flowerpot on the veranda. Among them, the jackpot was behind the wallpaper.


    "Actual treasures are not hidden in the safe." Jang Sung-hoon started tearing up the wallpaper, after searching all the places he could easily search.


    A writing, which was quietly placed behind the wallpaper, appeared.


    Dae Poong Moo Ae (´óïLŸo°­): it meant "There is nothing rough before the great wind."


    In front of the simple and clear writing, the name and seal of the owner of the writing were printed intact.


    "¡­ Oh, my God."


    Staring at the writing, Jang Sung-hoon had the most surprised look on his face.


    "That''s ridiculous. This can''t be the original¡­ How did a receiver of stolen goods get a piece of an unpublished work by Choosa¡­"


    Choosa Kim Jung-hee.


    It was the name with such a significant weight that Jang Sung-hoon had to look surprised.


    On the other hand, Kim Tae-hoon was not surprised. He warned Jang Sung-hoon, "Take the writing and step back."


    "Yes? What are you saying¡­?"


    ''Swish'', Kim Tae-hoon''s right hand turned black while he waved it back and forth, telling Jang Sung-hoon to back off.


    Black Skin.


    Kim Tae-hoon, displayed a power that dyed his right arm right to his shoulder, immediately began to press his power against the wall, not anything else.


    Bang! With just one punch, the solid wall had a giant hole in it.


    Splatter! The debris started to fall to the floor, and the things hidden inside the wall were revealed.


    ................................................................


    Daedongyeojido (also Daedong Yeojido: ´ó–|Ý›µØˆD, lit. "The Great Map of the East Land") is a large-scale map of Korea produced by Joseon dynasty cartographer and geologist Kim Jeong-ho in 1861. A second edition was printed in 1864. One source describes it as the "oldest map in Korea". Daedongyeojido is considered very advanced for its time and marks the zenith of pre-modern Korean cartography.

 42 Episode 42 - Daedongyeojido, Part II

    Chapter 15. Daedongyeojido, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    The destructive power created Kim Tae-hoon''s fist was enormous yet horrifying. The wall crumbled like a cookie. Splatter! The parts of the wall fell to the floor like a piece of a cookie.


    ''Ah!''However, Jang Sung-hoon was not surprised by Kim Tae-hoon''s fist. All he could see was a ball of translucent vinyl through the broken wall.


    Tap tap!Kim Tae-hoon took the plastic bag out of the wall and immediately handed it to Jang Sung-hoon. Jang Sung-hoon accepted it carefully and began to release the plastic. After the plastic was removed from the skin, a luxurious blue roll of silk appeared.


    ''It''s not a common silk.''The silk itself looked like a very high-quality product. The texture was the same. Jang Sung-hoon''s touch revealed that the silk was not a relic, but quality silk that was not cheap. Yet it was nothing compared to what was hiding inside the silk.


    "¡­ this is so ridiculous."


    A book was revealed within the silk. It was an old book, which could be looked to a normal person as an ordinary book.


    ''How could this be here?'' The letters written on the cover of the book in black ink were enough to make Jang Sung-hoon''s mind go dark.


    Daedongyeojido ´ó–|Ý›µØˆD


    "¡­ it''s Daedongyeojido."


    Daedongyeojido.


    What kind of explanation was needed?


    It was the most precious thing Gosanja Kim Jeong-ho had seen in his whole life, and it was also a heritage for future generations. For them to explain and evaluate it would just be ridiculous.


    "It''s different from the Daedongyeojido that I know."


    "This is the wood-block printed version. To be exact, the Daedongyeojido was made of wood blocks. The Daedongyeojido we see in the textbooks was combined from each wood-block printed version made of wood-block like a puzzle. And this is¡­ probably an unpublished wood-block printed version," Jang Sung-hoon explained.


    At that moment, he recalled the rumor that a wood-block printed version of Daedongyeojido that was not released to the world was floating around. "I heard a rumor, but I thought it was fake¡­"


    But honestly, when he heard the rumor, he thought it was false. Those kinds of rumors were everywhere, and if it were a wood-block printed version of Daedongyeojido, it would not be just a thing floating around by just rumors. If it were real, very big hands would have moved to take it.


    But the rumor was true. And the owner was Baek Sung-taek! ''So he kept it in the wall. Yeah, it''s worth keeping it in the wall. A thief can''t trust a safe.''


    Jang Sung-hoon, who held Daedongyeojido in his hand, asked in return, "How did you know it was in the wall?"


    His Eyes of the Black Snake only saw something in detail, but there was no such ability as seeing through.


    It meant that he did not have the ability to see through the wall. However, Kim Tae-hoon, as if it were perfectly natural, punched the wall without any hesitation.


    "That''s the only part of the wall that has a different texture."


    "Different texture? Did you see it with your Eyes?"


    Instead of answering, Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes turned black again. With the Eyes of Black Snake, he looked at the wood-block printed version of Daedongyeojido which Jang Sung-hoon held in his hands.


    ==[Daedongyeojido]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 4


    - Relic Value: Special


    - Relic Effect: The location of monsters are displayed on the map.]==


    Jang Sung-hoon also immediately took out his smartphone and confirmed the ability of Daedongyeojido.


    Jang Sung-hoon, who had confirmed its ability, began to flip the pages of the book carefully, with his surprised look.


    Flip-flip! With the sound of turning over the pages, he scanned the great map of Daedongyeojido, which was divided into pieces.


    At the same time, he began to combine the pieces of the map mentally. It was one of his talents.


    A person who was not capable could not make counterfeit goods. He had to be able to make counterfeit goods that could deceive others; when he saw the original art, he could recall it perfectly later and then recreate the same in reality.


    It was not difficult for Jang Sung-hoon to complete the integrated map in his mind while looking at the broken pieces of the map.


    Flip! As soon as Jang Sung-hoon saw the last page, the map was completed in his mind.


    "This map is a kind of map nucleus." He quickly figured out its characteristics.


    "A map nucleus?" Kim Tae-hoon put his head a little to one side. The game term was not familiar to him.


    Jang Sung-hoon began to explain for him. His fingers began to scan the wood-block printed version of Daedongyeojido again.


    Soon his hand stopped, and he showed the page to Kim Tae-hoon. A lot of red and orange lights were clustered on the map which was broken to pieces.


    "This is the map of the place that is now Bucheon."


    "These lights¡­"


    "... mark the monsters."


    "In detail."


    "It marks the monsters around, starting with the owner of the map. It''s like a radar. It can show small things close by, but those far away can only show big ones. The small ones here mean the weak monsters, and the big ones mean the powerful monsters."


    One question came to mind when Kim Tae-hoon heard this. "What''s the highest level of monsters we''ve ever seen?"


    "There is a dark blue light on Mt. Halla and Mt. Baekdu in Jeju Island."


    Dark blue meant that there was a monster of the same grade as the dragon at the beginning and the end of the Korean Peninsula.


    That was not good news.


    It was a kind of evidence that this world had become so much more miserable than they had imagined.


    But there was something else they had to worry about right now; an orange light and a red light were moving on the map!


    That meant the monsters were moving!


    "Take only what''s important."


    "Yes."


    5.


    It was Brown Goblins, attacking the cleaners who were working the road cleared by Kim Tae-hoon. They were familiar monsters to the Mac Clan''s soldiers and Bang Hyun-wook.


    "Everybody, get on the truck!"


    A Brown Goblin itself was weak. An ordinary armed adult man could sufficiently deal with it.


    Kieee!


    The problem was that Brown Goblins moved under the command of a Hobgoblin, not individually. Moreover, the unique spell of the Hobgoblin took away the pain and fear from Brown Goblins.


    The monsters who lost their pain and horror were terrifying over the imagination. The ferocious waves of the monster groups, numbering more than a hundred, destroyed the fighting spirit of those who faced them, before the fight.


    "Awooo!"


    In front of this scene, Bang Hyun-wook used the Howling power which he had acquired by eating the monster stone of a Black Wolf given by Kim Tae-hoon.


    He dashed toward the Brown Goblins running at him, with the Howling. It was to earn some time and to express his confidence at the same time.


    "I''ll kill you all!" At the shout, Bang Hyun-wook''s Energy churned. The Energy made his whole body grow stronger.


    Except for Kim Tae-hoon, he had the highest stats in Strength and Health among the Awakeners. Therefore, being stronger than before would be a terrifying thing for the Brown Goblins that had to face him.


    Moreover, he was wrapped by the leather armor of the Black Orc.


    The leather of the Black Orc was not as strong as the leather of the Black Snake, but it was not the leather which the teeth or the nails of the Brown Goblins could do anything to. Therefore, the battlefield that Bang Hyun-wook threw himself into was like a free batting practice for him.


    ''Free batting is that you set the ball and hit it with a bat, free.''


    There only difference was that a Brown Goblin''s head was in place, instead of the ball.


    Bang! So Bang Hyun-wook started to go crazy. Meanwhile, the Mac Clan''s soldiers in the truck also passed Bang Hyun-wook, and began to pull the trigger at the approaching Brown Goblins.


    Tutu! Now their shots were controlled, not wasting bullets, and not pointing guns at allies. No one was as frightened as before and just fired blindly toward the Brown Goblins.


    "Kieee!"


    Of course, the Goblins that ran into controlled gunshots began to fall rapidly. Nevertheless, the rush of Brown Goblins gradually narrowed the distance to the truck. There was no stopping them. They seemed to be getting faster every time they stepped on a dead colleague.


    Kieee! The same was true of the anger in their eyes. The death throes of their companions fanned their anger.


    It was a featherless arrow from somewhere that reversed the situation.


    Swish!


    The movement of the arrow that appeared was similar to that of a skilled person sewing beads. The arrow began to move like it was sewing the heads of the Brown Goblins.


    Bloosh! The running Brown Goblins began to fall to the ground like puppets with cut strings, some falling on them and others falling on them again, then a wall was made.


    Kieeek!The remaining Goblins fell to the ground, piling onto the bodies of their fellows. It was total chaos. In this ridiculous situation, the survivors were surprised at this absurd jaw-dropping scene, but not for long.


    "Wooooooow!"


    There was no reason to doubt who created this ridiculous sight.


    "Master! Master is here!"


    The main character was like a savior to those here now. A real Messiah.


    There was no one who would not be proud at the appearance of their savior.


    "Master is here!"


    "Kill them all!"


    So now the eyes of those facing the Brown Goblins began to burn. The spirit they created reached the Hobgoblin, who was commanding the Brown Goblins far away.


    Kirr kirrk!


    The Hobgoblin shuddered at the spirit that crushed the madness it had created. It was its last act.


    His shivering head fell to the ground. A well-prepared Sword had sliced through the Hobgoblin''s neck. At the same time, the pain and horror taken away were returned to the Brown Goblins.


    Kiee! Kii, kiii! The Brown Goblins, again feeling pain and horror, began to run away speaking weak death throes.


    Bang Hyun-wook looked at the Goblins who ran away silently, and he saw Kim Tae-hoon, who came back after finishing everything.


    6.


    Jang Sung-hoon carefully wrapped Daedongyeojido and the writing of Choosa Kim Jeong-hee with silk. However, he didn''t need to. When they became the relics, they gained new lives. There was no need to worry about them getting worn out. But he could not dare do otherwise.


    ''I never thought I would get this treasure.''


    To mistreat a relic which could be only described with the word ''treasure'' dared not be done by those who devoted their passion and dreams to art.


    Jang Sung-hoon prepared a bag to put the precious treasure in. The bag was also a bag containing important things that he always had to carry.


    "Eh?"


    For example, it had a crystal glass decorated with gold that contained red liquid.

 43 Episode 43 - Daedongyeojido, Part III

    Chapter 15. Daedongyeojido, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    7.


    Everything was trying to live. The moment things combined together to live, it became an ecosystem.


    The monsters, that we do not know from where they had appeared, also built an ecosystem to live.


    The weak monsters that did not dare to have their territory, and could not even hunt, wandered around in search of bodies or the remains that some monster had eaten and left, and the strong monsters lived there, building their own territory.


    A large stone fell on the ecosystem.


    The Black Snake.


    A terrible snake that had laired in Bucheon City and made its territory there, had died. It was like the death of a king.


    It was not something that you could hide just because you wanted to hide it.


    The news of the death of the king spread faster than the death of anything else and brought a great shake-up. Pointedly, it made the monsters with ambition move. Monsters that wanted to make the area of the Black Snake their own territory began to move more actively in groups.


    It was Kim Tae-hoon, the new king who defeated the Black Snake and got everything it had, that trampled their ambition.


    ------


    Kim Tae-hoon''s right arm, reminiscent of a huge hammer, was black from his fingertips to the shoulder joint. It broke the skull of the Monkey Dog, who had a head twice the size of his own


    Even as the burst pieces of skull and brains of the Monkey Dog scattered to wet the ground, Kim Tae-hoon moved into the twelve Monkey Dogs that followed their boss.


    He passed between the Monkey Dogs like a snake, striking a black fist toward the head of a Monkey Dog.


    The scene looked as if Kim Tae-hoon was moving in a suspended world.


    The reason it looked that way was not that Kim Tae-hoon''s movement was simply fast. It was his accuracy.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s fist was exactly punched in the middle of the forehead, in between two red eyes over the protruding snout of the Monkey Dog, in a situation where everything was moving blindingly fast.


    It was a superhuman skill.


    There was no other word than that to describe the ability to achieve exactly what he desired in all the action that took place so quickly.


    "This is insufficient."


    It was proof that Kim Tae-hoon quickly adapted himself to the new power of the Eyes of Black Snake and made it his own.


    It was why Kim Tae-hoon ignored the blood and gore, throwing himself willingly into the fight against the coming monsters, like they were the most delicious cooking for him.


    "I have nothing to say."


    "Who''s the monster¡­"


    The survivors, who viewed him as a savior, at such an appearance of Kim Tae-hoon, could not help but admire him.


    They dismantled the monster bodies without stopping, but the scene, where the number of dead monster bodies was growing rather than decreasing, was a shock, not just admiration.


    However, Kim Tae-hoon, the source of that violence, was not satisfied with the scene he created.


    Two monsters.


    He was not satisfied.


    ''There are two monsters of the same rank as the dragon on the Korean peninsula.''


    The gruesome horror of the world was palpable to him now. He couldn''t help but know how damned the world was.


    The despair felt at the moment when the horror was enumerated was much more fatal.


    He thought there would be a monster that was equal to the dragon, but he realized that such monsters were in Mt. Baekdu and Mt. Halla.


    At the beginning and the end of the Korean peninsula, an unutterable monster was serving as a gatekeeper.


    In addition, the proportion of land of the Korean peninsula was very small compared to the huge area of the whole Earth.


    So how many monsters were similar to the dragon in the whole world?


    That was not the only thing.


    "There are dozens of monsters around me that are stronger than the Black Snake I was lucky to kill at the risk of my life."


    Daedongyeojido was like a radar, as Jang Sung-hoon had explained.


    Strong monsters such as the dragon were marked even if they were far away, but weaker monsters were not displayed when they were distant.


    Nevertheless, in the Daedongyeojido that they had secured, there were nine blue lights which are under the rank of dark blue.


    The green and yellow lights were too numerous to measure immediately.


    ''The words of Lee Jin-sung were right.''


    The land of Bucheon was the only area among such lights that did not have green and blue lights.


    ''Bucheon was lucky.''


    They survived because of being between the powerful monsters.


    ''We were lucky right now.''


    Of course, it was not positive news.


    ''A country caught between powerful nations can benefit a few times, but eventually, it collapses at some point. History proves it.''


    The ecosystem of the world was being maintained thanks to the overflowing number of humans. This meant that since there were many humans, monsters could survive with the humans as prey right now.


    ''Humans are not like plankton. They do not lay eggs like fish.''


    Right now, the number of humans was overflowing, but if they are eaten and eaten, the number of individuals will eventually decrease sharply.


    Since monsters can not raise humans, they will eventually move to places where there are a lot of human beings to survive, and the land of Bucheon, where a population remained, would be the most coveted for such monsters.


    In the end, there was only one way.


    ''We''ve got to attack them before they come.''


    Killing them before we die!


    Before monsters come in force, in a situation where mankind has the advantage in numbers, and in a condition where we still have the power, skill, and will to fight, including food, we have to seek the end of the monsters.


    To Kim Tae-hoon, killing monsters with red and orange eyes was not exciting. Rather than excited, he felt impatient.


    ''No, not like this, not with this ability¡­ nothing can be done.''


    It was the low whisper of Jang Sung-hoon that took away his impatience.


    "Boss, the Golden Glass is full..."


    8.


    Bucheon City Hall was located in the center of Bucheon City; it was currently being used as the headquarters of the Mac Clan.


    There was a great deal of evidence to show that. One way was the Mac Clan''s soldiers, who stood guard with guns, their eyes alive, and the Awakeners returning from their hunting lowering their postures.


    "He is back."


    "He?"


    "The master."


    "Who''s the master¡­"


    "He! The Savior!"


    And it was also evidence that there was a look of hope and expectation on the survivors living around Bucheon City Hall.


    "I heard there were over a hundred monsters he has killed this time, alone, even with his bare hands."


    "A hundred monsters with his bare hands alone? Does that make sense?"


    "It makes sense since a hundred dead bodies were piled up in a long row. The number might be a lot more than that."


    "But with his bare hands¡­"


    "He caught the yellow devil once, and that''s not hard for him."


    Still, the world was hopeless.


    Communications were paralyzed, and in the absence of any news of the army that they had been waiting for, there was a flood of monsters everywhere and no survivor who would bring news of other places. Now, they could not even find food easily.


    Winter was colder than ever, and in this situation people sometimes even froze to death in the cold, dying of hunger and starvation, praying for a peaceful death when they were seriously wounded.


    There was no one who thought that much could be changed in this situation.


    There was the only hope.


    "Does he intend to clean up all the monsters?"


    "I hope he will clean them all up."


    If there was any change in this reality, if a small hope rose, and if someone achieved it, it was expected that Kim Tae-hoon, the first hunter, not just anyone, would do it.


    ------


    Kim Tae-hoon was sitting in a soft chair, the Golden Glass in his hand, inside the mayor''s office at the City Hall.


    At first glance, the image was that he was an arrogant boss.


    However, the face of Kim Tae-hoon, looking at this bizarre liquid that was only flickering and never overflowing in the Golden Glass, had a look that did not fit an arrogant boss.


    His expression was really bad.


    ''What the hell is the principle?''


    The Golden Glass of Napoleon.


    Once again, this mysterious Golden Glass was filled with a mystery that made unpleasant dreams, without sign or warning.


    Of course, he was curious why this Golden Glass had filled itself. In this regard, Jang Sung-hoon made the following guesses.


    "In my personal opinion, the Golden Glass of Napoleon has the ability to peek at fate. But it can''t be easy to catch a glimpse of fate. Of course, as soon as fate changes, it will take time to see the changed fate again. Maybe that''s why the Golden Glass filled so suddenly. It takes time to see the new future."


    It was a plausible guess.


    If fate was a program, then to read that program, you could try hacking it. It was only natural to take some time.


    ''The fate of the world has changed.''


    If his guess is correct, the fact that the Golden Glass of Napoleon was once again filled with red liquid meant that the fate of Kim Tae-hoon had changed.


    It was proof that his fate of death against the dragon no longer existed.


    Of course, this was not a pleasant thing either. It wouldn''t be strange if Kim''s lifespan became even shorter in his new destiny.


    If that really happened, it would be too cruel to say.


    If the terrible effort to live shortened his lifespan, he wouldn''t be able to use this anymore.


    ''I am afraid.''


    Of course, he was scared.


    Nevertheless, Kim Tae-hoon did not hesitate. He drank the Golden Glass in one gulp.


    At the same time, Kim Tae-hoon slumped down.


    9.


    "Open your eyes! Open your eyes!"


    The cry of a woman struck his eardrum.


    "Open your eyes! Kim Tae-hoon, open your eyes!"


    There was a repeated cry.


    At this moment, Kim Tae-hoon was able to recognize the owner of the voice, even though he didn''t open his eyes.


    ''Ahn Sun-mi.''


    Soon after, a woman came into view.


    He saw the face of Ahn Sun-mi, which had not changed much, and the freckles embroidered on her face had not significantly changed.


    The difference was her long hair. Her long straight hair clearly showed that time had passed.


    ''What year is it?''


    But it was impossible to tell whether this was the future of one year or five. Furthermore, it was as far as Kim Tae-hoon could see. His eyelids had closed again.


    ''Ah.''


    At this moment, he knew that he is on the verge of death, and there was no power to talk to anyone, or even a chance to get some clues from them.


    ''I''m dying this way.''


    It was the worst way. He was dreaming of a situation where he is about to die. Was this how he is going to waste his chance?


    ''What the fuck!''


    What could he get from this?


    Kim Tae-hoon let out a sigh. Of course, he was the only one who could hear his sigh.


    He heard her voice again, "I''ll tell you, hoping you will dream of this moment. I don''t know when you''ll dream of this day¡­ but I''ll tell you the wish list that I have prepared."

 44 Episode 44 - Finding the Owner, Part I

    Chapter 16. Finding the Owner, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    "Boss."


    The mayor''s office in Bucheon City Hall. There, two men faced each other with a desk between them and a cup of steaming coffee rising, as if they were just chatting.


    "Let me get this straight."


    One of them scratched his head with his right hand.


    "So before you died, sister Sun-mi told you the wish list?"


    At the words of the man who was ruffling his hair, the man with the mug of coffee in his hand, nodded his head lightly, enjoying the aroma of the coffee.


    Jang Sung-hoon feigned a smile at the man.


    "I don''t know whose thought it was, it''s a great idea. A wish list¡­ a sure way to use the Golden Glass of Napoleon."


    At the end of the words, a long sigh came out from the lips of Jang Sung-hoon.


    It was not a good sigh.


    "The problem is the wish list."


    The word that came out was close to a complaint.


    Kim Tae-hoon also frowned at the whining remarks, the same as Jang Sung-hoon''s complaint. The bitter taste of the coffee had never made his face look so sour.


    Through the silence that started like that, Jang Sung-hoon began to recall things to organize his mind.


    The start was when Kim Tae-hoon woke up from his dream. He called Jang Sung-hoon, who was waiting outside the mayor''s office, and told him the story.


    At first, when he heard the word "wish list," Jang Sung-hoon clutched his fists without knowing it.


    He never wanted to miss that opportunity, because it seemed like having a crazy power in his hand.


    But when he heard the wish list, Jang Sung-hoon felt everything getting far away.


    "Let''s say that''s the case with the Bell of King Seongdeok and Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje."


    There were six wish lists that Kim Tae-hoon remembered.


    To be precise, Ahn Sun-mi would have recited a long story, but there were only six things Kim Tae-hoon could hear.


    The Bell of King Seongdeok and Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje were the first of the six mentioned wish lists.


    "Let''s also say that''s the case with Gwanggaeto Stele and the Sword of Goujian."


    The things mentioned after that were Gwanggaeto Stele and the Sword of Goujian. From there on, Jang Sung-hoon felt something strange.


    Obviously, the two things were real, but they were obviously different from the above-mentioned Bell of King Seongdeok and Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje.


    "What am I supposed to do if you tell me something like Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Kusanagi?"


    And finally, when Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Kusanagi were mentioned, Jang Sung Hoon thought for a moment.


    He thought that Kim Tae-hoon suddenly became a very humorous man and played a joke on him, or the shock of Kim Tae-hoon''s death was so great that he confused his memories with what he saw in a novel.


    He had no choice but to accept them for now, however. "They are only in stories, aren''t they?"


    They were literally non-realistic things since the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Kusanagi could only be seen in the novels.


    Of course, Kim Tae-hoon was serious.


    Not only at the time when he told the story, but also at the moment he spoke out to Jang Sung-hoon, Kim Tae-hoon still did not lose his serious air.


    "I need a description of what I said about the things in the wish list."


    He couldn''t help but be serious.


    This was the valuable information that Kim Tae-hoon obtained in return for living his future death, information from the future.


    To live, he had to change his destiny again using this information.


    "Once, four of them were real." Jang Sung-hoon also knew that fact, so he stopped talking nonsense any more. "Where are they?"


    "The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje is located at the Buyeo National Museum, and the Bell of King Seongdeok¡­"


    "What is the Bell of King Seongdeok?"


    "Oh, it''s the Emile Bell. It''s at the Gyeongju National Museum. And Gwanggaeto Stele is in Jilin in China, and the Sword of Goujian, as I know, it''s in Hubei in China."


    "Are the two remaining ones not real?"


    "They''re mentioned only as legends."


    Kim Tae-hoon drank some coffee again. Jang Sung-hoon also agreed with the silent time that started.


    The two men kept their mouths shut and organized their thoughts.


    When Kim Tae-hoon spoke again, the conversation resumed. "If there was a wish list, I would have been the one to make it."


    "I suppose so."


    "Then I''m sure I didn''t just tell myself the desire for things I could not get."


    "Ah."


    Jang Sung-hoon got the hint of what kind of man Kim Tae-hoon was. He could not simply have recorded things he could not gain.


    "I don''t know how much more I could hear before I died."


    Moreover, this wish list was made to tell the story at an urgent moment, just before his death.


    It means that there must be something hidden in the order, as well as in the items mentioned.


    Kim Tae-hoon definitely must have made a wish list. Was it even possible that he didn''t have his own personality in mind?


    "The things in Buyeo and Gyeongju are the ones we can get right now."


    "Yes. If we don''t have to fight monsters, it won''t take even half a day to get there. Just three hours to arrive at the Buyeo National Museum after taking the Yeongdong Expressway, and about four or five hours to get to the Gyeongju National Museum. Of course, I doubt that we can get there in a year, even if we risk our lives."


    "There are things in Buyeo and Gyeongju, but not in Seoul."


    The first question was why there is no relic on the wish list in Seoul.


    Gyeongju and Buyeo were definitely full of relics, including historical sites.


    However, Seoul had been a capital city for most of the grand history of the Republic of Korea.


    The National Museum of Korea was located in Yongsan District, Seoul.


    "I''m sure that''s a question. The woodblocks of Daedongyeojido are now kept at the National Museum of Korea."


    The woodblocks of Daedongyeojido, which Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon were lucky to find, were stored in the National Museum of Korea.


    "There are also Crowns of Silla¡­ Yes, there were armors, kimonos, and masks used by Japanese warriors, and there were few Buddhist statues from China.


    The National Museum of Korea even housed relics from Japan and China.


    However, Kim''s wish list did not mention anything at the National Museum of Korea.


    "Why?" That was the first question to be solved.


    "It is one of two reasons." Kim Tae-hoon solved the problem easily.


    "Well, if we had been in Yongsan District instead of Bucheon City, or if we had survived in Seoul and identified the existence of the relics, all of us would have run to the National Museum of Korea.


    "The Ministry of National Defense is located to the north of the National Museum of Korea."


    "The Ministry of National Defense? Ah, yes, the War Memorial of Korea is behind it."


    The National Museum of Korea and the Ministry of National Defense were not that far apart.


    "If something happened, the soldiers of the National Defense Command would be there." In other words, when an emergency broke out, troops from the National Defense Command, an army organized to defend the capital, must have been there.


    Naturally, it was highly likely that they secured the relics there. It was just a guess they had made before, but now this dream had convinced them.


    "To put it another way, Buyeo and Gyeongju are ownerless cities."


    In other words, they would have a chance to acquire relics in Buyeo and Gyeongju if they moved early.


    "Then, why were Gwanggaeto Stele and the Sword of Goujian mentioned?"


    "It is proof that North Korea has collapsed and¡­ we are engaged in an exchange, or had a war with the Chinese survivors or the Awakeners there."


    The next mentioned Gwanggaeto Stele and the Sword of Goujian were most likely factors to inform them situation at the time, not showing that they wanted to get it.


    "I know Gwanggaeto Stele is located in Jilin province. Now airplanes and ships are not functioning properly, and we cannot reach there without North Korea collapsing. And did you say that the Sword of Goujian is in Hubei Province?"


    "Yes."


    "Hubei is a province located in central China. Contacting the relic there means that there is a high possibility that we might have moved into the territory of China or an Awakener who had secured the relic came to the Korean Peninsula."


    North Korea''s collapse and contact with China was also a very important hint. This meant that the situation on the Korean Peninsula itself has changed completely.


    "I roughly understand. Then, what do Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Kusanagi mean? I don''t think there''s anything in existence like that."


    The next mentioned Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Kusanagi were also signals.


    "There can''t be." There is no such thing in common sense. "It means that we should not think about it."


    But it certainly existed somehow. Listing it was a signal.


    When he spoke, Jang Sung-hoon was able to organize his thoughts. ''Yes, we have Daedongyeojido, and we would rather move to get things that are not yet taken, rather than go to Seoul to get things that are already taken.''


    At the same time, Jang Sung-hoon felt a sense of frustration. "I''m sorry the six were not everything, but if you had heard more, I could have made a more definite plan."


    He got this much information just by listening to the six relics on the wish list, and if he had heard more, he could have drawn a clearer blueprint.


    Kim Tae-hoon felt sorry for the fact. ''If I had heard more...''


    It was a great idea to think of delivering a wish list using the relic of the Golden Glass of Napoleon. However, it was also true that there were not many things that could have a good result among the things prepared.


    Of course, rather than regretting this, they had to find something better by recognizing that there was plenty to learn from a bad example.


    And at this moment, Kim Tae-hoon came up with his own solution. "I''ll have to teach you rap."


    "Rap¡­ What?"


    "If we have only a short time to deliver information, we have to put as many words as possible in that short time."


    If Ahn Sun-mi''s words had been twice as fast, he would have gotten twice as much information!


    At the solution of Kim Tae-hoon, Jang Sung-hoon made a foolish expression.


    "So you want me to rap in front of the boss who is convulsing, vomiting blood and losing focus in his eyes, with Davotop, Seokguram, and Tripitaka Koreana?"


    "Is that weird?"


    "Boss, do you think that''s normal? Is it normal to talk as fast as possible about the National Treasures No. 1 to No. 10 in front of a dying person?"


    Kim Tae-hoon had more coffee instead of answering the question. It seemed ridiculous even if he thought about it.


    Jang Sung-hoon first asked Kim Tae-hoon, who was silent much longer than usual.


    "What''s the plan for the future, then? Even if we were to set off for Buyeo or Gyeongju as our destination, we wouldn''t be able to get there right away."


    "We need to get internally stable first."


    "Internal stability¡­ We''ll have to set up Clans under our command and pick a representative of the public."


    The plan was set up.


    Buyeo or Gyeongju.


    From now on, Kim Tae-hoon had to work to get there.


    It was not short, nor was not easy. As much as that, it was necessary to stabilize internally.


    Kim Tae-hoon agreed with the fact. "However, we have something to do first."


    "Is there any urgent work?"


    "This time we need to find the owner of the nine relics we have acquired."


    Nine relics from the warehouse of the whale, Baek Sung-taek. Kim Tae-hoon said that they should find the owner of the relics right now.


    "If you find the owner¡­ will you give him the relics?"


    "They will be useless for an Awakener who cannot use them."


    Jang Sung-hoon agreed firmly with those words.


    Kim Tae-hoon was not wrong.


    Relics were the most certain and powerful weapons that mankind could use in the war against monsters. It was meaningless to give them to someone who can not use such weapons.


    The answer is clearly to find the owner who had handled so many relics in this urgent situation where they had to kill as many monsters as possible.


    There were highly valuable relics among the ones they had acquired this time.


    "Do you really want to give the relics to Awakeners who can use them?" Obviously, it was not a good idea to give such relics away for free.


    Not all of the Awakeners who had distinguished themselves gave their sincere loyalty to Kim Tae-hoon. They followed him because he could kill monsters that they could not.


    Kim Tae-hoon tilted his head at Jang Sung-hoon''s frustrated words. "Give the relics away for free? Why should I do that?"


    "Yes?"


    "I will find the owner, and I will get the price I want. Isn''t that common sense?"


    Jang Sung-hoon nodded happily. "Yes, that''s common sense."

 45 Episode 45 - Finding the Owner, Part II

    Chapter 16. Finding the Owner, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    There was a square in front of Bucheon City Hall.


    It was a stage set up for festivals and events hosted by the city, and so wide that they could not feel crowded even if a hundred people gathered.


    But now the square, where a hundred people had gathered, seemed so full that no one could come in anymore.


    It meant that the spirit of each person filling it was so huge and intense.


    The basis and evidence of such spirit were the marks that most of the people who filled the square had on the back of their right hand.


    Awakeners.


    Furthermore, they were hunters, who used the power of the Awakeners to hunt monsters.


    ''How long do we have to wait?''


    ''Damn it, they told us the time is three o''clock!''


    In addition, among the parties in the area of the Mac Clan, they had paid the highest number of monster stones to the Mac Clan.


    In terms of ranking, they ranged from first to seventh.


    Now they were the predators who were more familiar with the smell of monster blood. It was natural that their spirit was intense.


    ''6 p.m.''


    ''¡­ they have kept us outside for three hours.''


    ''The sun is already gone.''


    They had blankly faced a cold winter wind like a blade for three hours now.


    Their image was not the same as a predator. A predator didn''t need this patience.


    Nevertheless, there was one reason why they stood in the square in front of the City Hall where the cold wind was blowing for more than three hours.


    ''I can''t help it, I''ll have to hold on until I can.''


    ''I''d rather die if I were frozen to death here, I can''t leave.''


    ''When I were left out of his eyes, I would be dead.''


    Kim Tae-hoon, who was the leader of the Mac Clan and those here, had called them.


    That was why they were patient.


    There was no dog that didn''t wait when the owner called.


    "You''re all here."


    Finally, for the first time, a man, not a cold wind, appeared in front of them.


    "Oh, it''s cold. It''s really cold today."


    But it wasn''t the man they were waiting for.


    Jang Sung-hoon, who was Kim Tae-hoon''s right-hand, showed up in a thick jumper that seemed warm to everyone''s eyes.


    ''Is that him again?''


    ''Pht.''


    Some of them grit their teeth at his appearance.


    No one was afraid of Jang Sung-hoon. There was no reason to be afraid. He was not an Awakener, nor was he strong in the public. He was not even wearing a military uniform like Kim Tae-hoon''s soldiers, or carrying a gun.


    "Is it cold, everyone? Can I get you a used hot pack?"


    But there was no one who ignored him, either. His words were the same as those of Kim Tae-hoon.


    "It''s been a long time to see you since I met you at the negotiations after the death of Lee Jin-sung. This is the first time that we''ve gotten together. There are some faces that I saw there, and there are some faces I am seeing for the first time."


    No one complained, and they just looked at Jang Sung-hoon.


    ''They are going crazy to kill me.''


    ''If it was not for Kim Tae-hoon, they showed the will to kill Jang Sung-hoon immediately.


    In front of them, Jang Sung-hoon smiled lightly. ''It''s just the look I want.''


    That was why Jang Sung-hoon came out three hours later than this appointment time.


    ''When they are stuffed and their backs are warmed, lying comes out, and at least at this time they will reveal their true intentions.''


    ''I will change the Mac Clan to a Guild here today, and at the same time, I will select a Clan to work under the Mac Guild.''


    ''I will give guns and ammunition to the Clan that is selected, and even relics.''


    ''It is dangerous, of course.''


    ''Guns are terrifyingly powerful, but if the muzzle of the guns that they received were directed at the Mac Guild, the damage would not be small.''


    ''Above all, they should never trust a human being, a black-haired animal!''


    But nevertheless, he had to let those in front of him hold their guns and swords.


    ''This day finally comes.''


    ''Nothing happens as it is now.''


    ''It is not a good choice to tie the hands and feet of those who can become a competent power in a situation where their present safety may be threatened and if they don''t kill, they will die.''


    Above all, there were already enough threats.


    ''Well, I''d rather be glad if anyone could become strong enough to threaten the Boss.''


    ''Therefore, it will be better to have someone who can threaten Kim Tae-hoon''s stronghold. Kim Tae-hoon has a limit to what he can do alone.''


    "Well, let''s start talking."


    ''Of course, it is foolish to give without end.''


    So he deliberately exposed them to the cold wind for three hours, not to hear the plain-spoken words, but to hear the real thing that popped out without them thinking about it.


    Even if they were an Awakener with power, their heads would become stiff if they were exposed for a period of time to this winter wind.


    "Today, Mac Clan will become the Mac Guild, and at the same time, the Mac Guild will recruit Clans to work under its command. Of course, there will be guild-level support for the Clans that work under the Mac Guild."


    The glittering of the eyes that had frozen coldly began to change at his words.


    "There are two main items of support. One is guns and ammunition."


    Most of them changed the glitters of their eyes in a moment when they heard about the support items.


    ''Finally, we are provided with guns.''


    ''This day finally came!''


    The Awakeners here were strong.


    They had strengthened their ability by eating monster stones, and they had also made items through monster hunting.


    But their power was still not up to a gun.


    ''A gun is such a powerful weapon. It is powerful, and most of all, it is not difficult to use.''


    ''If we are provided with guns, we can kill orange-grade monsters. So if we are given guns right away, it will not be so difficult to kill an orange-grade monster.''


    It was also the reason why the people here had paid a lot of monster stones. They had been loyal to the Mac Clan, waiting for this day to come.


    If the Mac Clan weren''t stupid, they wouldn''t give a gun to those who didn''t show that kind of sincerity.


    But the story was not over there.


    "This is the second support."


    When Jang Sung-hoon gestured, the soldiers of the Mac Clan who were waiting nearby, now the soldiers of the Mac Guild, brought over the goods.


    They were relics that anyone could see and use.


    "I''ll give relics to the qualified."


    At that moment, everyone''s eyes concentrated in one place.


    ''I don''t think that''s a normal item.''


    ''If it''s a relic, it''s a big fish.''


    Dae Poong Moo Ae (´óïLŸo°­).


    Choosa Kim Jung-hee''s writing caught everyone''s attention. Some of them slipped their hands into their pockets and touched their smartphones. Even now, they were anxious to find out the grade and effect of the relic through the smartphone cameras.


    However, Jang Sung-hoon did not intend to relieve their anxieties.


    "This is about support. Of course, there are conditions. There are several conditions. I''ve already prepared a contract of seven pages. It was hard to turn the copy machine to take these¡­ paper and electricity are more precious than Rolexes."


    Flutter! Jang Sung-hoon shook the bundle of contracts, fluttering them in his hand. "I''ll tell you the most important conditions."


    At that moment a man walked towards Jang Sung Hoon.


    Gulp! Everyone swallowed at his appearance, the most obvious sign of who he was.


    Kim Tae-hoon!


    His aura was different from his appearance, wearing ordinary cotton pants and a little jumper, holding the sheath of the Sword of the Imperator.


    His aura was more like that of a beast. The presence of the Black Snake and those devil eyes was flowing out of him.


    "The guns and relics are dangerous things in many ways. I will give you the guns, but there''s no guarantee that the muzzle won''t be directed at us."


    Kim Tae-hoon stood in front of Jang Sung-hoon and Jang stopped talking.


    "The teaching of hunting know-how, the provision of hunting grounds, the provision of items, including guns and relics, and other additional benefits."


    Cheureung! The Sword appeared from the sheath held in Kim Tae-hoon''s left hand as he said the words.


    The Sword, which appeared so quickly, was stuck to the ground so fast that it was hard to measure its speed with the naked eye.


    ''What is it?''


    ''Did he use the Telekinesis to move the Sword?''


    ''But it''s so fast!''


    It was like a thunderbolt had hit the ground. Everyone looked at the Sword of Imperator stuck in the plaza stones, dazed by what had happened so quickly.


    "I can''t give you these things for nothing," Kim Tae-hoon said from behind the Sword.


    "The price for establishing a Clan and receiving support is your finger. It doesn''t matter which finger it is. One finger is enough."


    The Sword of the Imperator flashed its blade like a smile. As if the Sword, which became stronger when it was bloodied, was delighted to think of human blood.


    Everyone''s spine was chilled, and they were frozen so that they could forget even the cold wind.


    On the other hand, Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon were cool. This was not just an evil act for them, but important to them.


    As he said, the establishment and support of the Clan was a kind of double-edged sword to the Mac Guild, and there was no guarantee that those who had guns and ammunition would not betray them afterward.


    Above all, there was no reason to give them for free.


    ''There is no free. It should not be.''


    A price should be paid, of course.


    ''But in this world, money, gold, and unregistered bonds cannot be the currency; in this world, half a pet bottle of gasoline is worth more than ten Rolex watches.''


    The same was true of the red monster stones. They were the only valuable thing they could give right now. But to be honest, the red monster stones were not so expensive compared to the value of relics and support.


    He didn''t want to sell relics and guns for such a cheap price.


    ''What price would he accept? If he receives it right away, he will be at a loss.''


    ''So it is better to get it later, and after a while, those who can''t pay now can pay for it after they are able to pay enough.''


    ''That is the point, whether they can pay the price after a while, or not.''


    ''You must be prepared to pay a finger to get guns and ammunition.''


    They could not give them to those who did not even have the determination to cut off a finger to get guns, ammunition, and relics to hunt more monsters.


    "We''ll take an applicant." Kim Tae-hoon finished his speech.


    Naturally, most of them hesitated. No, they seemed more frightened than hesitant, unable to do anything.


    Above all, they were in the cold wind for three hours, without knowing the reason. It would not be easy to calculate quickly at this moment.


    As Jang Sung-hoon designed, most of them had pure self-conceptions, not calculations, in their minds at this moment.


    ''It''s crazy, do I have to provide my finger?''


    ''They act like Yakuza¡­''


    ''It''s ridiculous. This is crazy. I did not do anything wrong, but I have to provide my finger?''


    Of course, no one was willing to join in this ridiculous thing right away.


    If they wanted guns and ammunition, if it was not crazy to cut their finger, then there was nothing in the world that was not crazy.


    But not everyone did.


    If they were prepared to do that, if they could get a powerful weapon, guns, and ammunition, there was no reason to hesitate for those who were willing to give a finger.


    "I''ll apply."


    "I''ll apply."


    Two people raised their hands.


    It was Yang Jung-hwan and Lee Soo-young, the heads of the top and second-ranked parties that paid the most monster stones.


    The two stepped forward without hesitation.


    They began to walk towards the Sword of the Imperator stuck on the ground, as if they were competing.


    Shiyik!


    However, when they reached a very short distance from the Sword, it immediately entered its sheath. Again, it moved like a lightning bolt.


    "I allow the establishment of only two Clans. You two choose one relic. Jang Sung-hoon."


    "Yes."


    "Write a contract."


    "I understand."


    Kim Tae-hoon left immediately after finishing his speech, and Jang Sung-hoon handed Lee Soo-young and Yang Jung-hwan a contract.


    The two men who received the contract did not read it properly. They immediately wrote their names on the lines.


    Everything was done quickly. The rest of the process was silently watched by the others.


    When all was over, Jang Sung-hoon waved his hand lightly toward the remaining ones and gave the last word.


    "I''ll see you here soon, and I will give you some advice. What my boss wants from you is not loyalty. He wants to know if you are worth investing in. How well and how many monsters can you kill if you hold a gun? That''s all."


    4.


    "This is a contract, and this is a smartphone that has photographed the marks of the Awakeners of the two newly created Clans."


    Jang Sung-hoon handed over a contract with the smartphone.


    Kim Tae-hoon did not look at it, because he could not take back what he had already done.


    "What relics did they choose?"


    "They put their choice on hold because they wanted to use the relics and choose afterward."


    "They''ll find a relic that they can be the owner of, I see."


    "If a pig''s neck is hung with a pearl necklace, the number of people who want to eat the pig only increases."


    Originally, they wanted to find the owners of the relics. Finding the owner meant giving the relics to those who had the ability to use them.


    However, it was not necessary. Therefore, Kim Tae-hoon immediately moved on to the next topic.


    "Tell the two Clans to hunt more than one orange monster a week."


    "Do I give them this mission right away?"


    "Do they need a probationary period or period of adjustment?"


    "I''ll deliver it," Jang Sung-hoon nodded.


    Kim Tae-hoon asked him a surprise question. "When will the leather armor of the Black Snake be completed?"


    "The workshop chief, Park Gap-soo, said that he could complete the prototype tomorrow, and once the boss signs OK, they can produce two sets every day."


    The leather armor of the Black Snake was a powerful item that could not be rivaled by any protective equipment that had been made so far.


    Of course, the moment he got it, he had to act accordingly! "It''s time to find a new target."


    "I''ll check the Daedongyeojido and select the candidate group." With those words, Jang Sung-hoon took out Daedongyeojido from his bag, immediately opening it to the page that he remembered, showing the city of Bucheon.


    "Boss..." Jang Sung-hoon said with a grim expression at that moment.


    "The green dots around Bucheon City have moved..."

 46 Episode 46 - This is My Territory, Part I

    Chapter 17. This is My Territory, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    People entered the Bucheon City Council located next to Bucheon City Hall, and the conference room of the committee, which had been established there.


    However, the atmosphere was different from normal.


    The expressions of the six men and women present at the table and the man in front of a whiteboard with a map of Bucheon City were by no means the faces of those discussing budgetary resolutions!


    "According to the Daedongyeojido, green-grade monsters that were located in Gwangmyeong City, to the east of Bucheon City, have moved about two kilometers."


    Soon after, Jang Sung-hoon, the man in front of the map, drew a line in Gwangmyeong City on the right side of Bucheon City with a green laser pointer.


    The direction of the line was headed toward Bucheon.


    "We''ve never encountered a green-grade monster before, so we can''t specify its power, but it is clear that we are not able to fight a green-grade monster with our current power."


    The faces of Kim Soo-ji, Ahn Sun-mi, Bang Hyun-wook, and Lee Soo-young and Yang Jung-hwan, who were now Clan masters of Mac Guild, hardened.


    It was a natural reaction.


    "Anyway, the green-grade monster would be the top predator that could simply eat even a yellow-grade monster, like the Black Snake."


    It was only a few days ago that they had escaped from the fear of Black Snake.


    But a green-grade monster, one step higher than the Black Snake, now approached Bucheon.


    "Of course we don''t know if the green-grade monster from Gwangmyeong City, is heading for Bucheon. The problem is that with its move, the existing monsters are pushed towards Bucheon. In fact, the Daedongyeojido has detected the inflow of monsters from Gwangmyeong City towards Bucheon."


    Green-grade monsters also meant fear and despair for the weaker monsters. Of course, they had no choice but to run away.


    "One of the monsters approaching Bucheon City is a yellow-grade monster. Of course, if it moves, the monsters below it would move toward Bucheon, as if they were fleeing. Furthermore, the number of monsters in Bucheon has decreased significantly due to constant monster cleaning. From the standpoint of other monsters, it looks like paradise."


    That was the end of the explanation of the situation. There were no questions.


    ''I thought it was quiet, but it was quiet before the storm.''


    There were so many questions they wanted to ask, but no one had the mental and psychological freedom to ask them.


    Kim Tae-hoon, the only man with such composure, was sipping coffee.


    Kim Tae-hoon was not really free and didn''t enjoy his coffee. For him, coffee was not proof of freedom but a tool to maintain composure in any situation.


    Soon after, Kim Tae-hoon swallowed his coffee and spoke. "What choices do we have?"


    "Running away or fighting. It''s one of the two."


    In this situation, Mac Guild had two options. But there was only one option to choose to live.


    "If we want to live together, we have to fight back." A healthy man who seemed to be in his early thirties also knew that fact, so he chose his option without worrying about it.


    His name was Yang Jung-hwan. He was the master of the Starfish Clan under the Mac Guild.


    As soon as Yang Jung-hwan opened the sluice gate, Kim Soo-ji spoke up. "Defense is a war of consumption. With the ammunition we have, it''s hard to fight for long periods of time. Our need for ammunition is urgent, and a new supply of weapons is also necessary."


    Ahn Sun-mi also presented her opinion. "If I give an opinion as a doctor, nine out of ten people would be better left dead if they are seriously injured enough to require surgical operations in combat. There''s no electricity, no blood transfusions, and the survival rate is meaningless. I''m almost out of the flesh of the Mud Troll."


    "Then, is there a place where we can get a supply?" another Clan Master, Lee Soo-young, asked.


    The answer came from Jang Sung-hoon''s lips. At the same time, he organized the situation again. "There is the 17th Division located in the south, so if we go down to Siheung or Incheon, we can get weapons we can use in those subordinate camps."


    "In the end, we have to go through both combat and supply. Of course, there is only one thing the boss can do at a time."


    The crowd shut up again.


    Kim Tae-hoon kept savoring his coffee.


    This was the key.


    Until now, the difficult problems had been left for Kim Tae-hoon, and he solved the difficult problem.


    That''s why everyone bet their fate on Kim Tae-hoon, whether they liked him or not. But this time was different.


    Kim Tae-hoon could only do so much. He might leave Bucheon to get supplies, or he can deal with the monsters that remain in Bucheon. But it was impossible to do both at the same time.


    Eventually, they needed someone to replace Kim Tae-hoon in battle or as a backup.


    "There is the 17th Division, but there is also the Third Military Assistance Command in Bupyeong, Incheon."


    In this situation, Yang Jung-hwan made the first choice. "Of course, there will be nothing at the Command, but there will be a supply warehouse where the Military Command is located. For your information, we have two members of the Samma Unit in our Clan, and one of them is from the Ammunition Company in Gyeyang District."


    Yang Jung-hwan also took out his hidden card at this moment.


    Samma Unit was a nickname of the Third Military Assistance Command. The Military Assistance Command was a logistical unit that managed military supplies, from daily life items to ammunition and artillery!


    If they were from Samma Unit, or if they were from the Ammunition Company, they would know the location of the ammunition dump where they worked.


    Moreover, Yang Jung-hwan said that a member of the Samma Unit was from the Ammunition Company in Gyeyang District...


    "If it is Gyeyang District¡­"


    "The direct distance would be about 6 kilometers from here, but we can''t fly, so about twenty kilometers back and forth."


    Gyeyang District in Incheon was located about six kilometers from Bucheon. There was no reason why they couldn''t go there on foot. That''s why he kept it hidden.


    Yang Jung-hwan''s plan was to use their firepower to advance to Gyeyang District where the Ammunition Company was located, after acquiring guns and ammunition from Mac Guild, and to secure ammunition by occupying the Ammunition Company.


    It was not to antagonize Kim Tae-hoon, but it was necessary to have a purpose to secure the Ammunition Company in a world where ammunition could now replace money.


    Simply put, the Ammunition Company was a treasure island and Yang Jung-hwan was hiding a map that reached the treasure island.


    But now he had revealed the hidden card concerning the fate of Yang Jung-hwan himself and the Starfish Clan in front of Kim Tae-hoon.


    "The reason I did not mention it before was to hide it, as all of you can imagine, but I am showing you all the cards I have in this situation."


    It meant that Yang Jung-hwan took this situation seriously.


    "If I die, the hidden card is not going to make any sense. Anyway, the 17th Division is good, but Gyeyang District is a lot closer. Most of all, the man I said before retired about a year ago from the Ammunition Company, and I''m sure he has an acquaintance there if there are survivors."


    "So can rob the 17th Division?" Lee Soo-young immediately accepted his role.


    It was certainly dangerous to take military supplies from the subordinate units of the 17th Division, but she had no qualms about her choice. If she had intended to ignore it like that, she would not have done anything to follow Kim Tae-hoon when he said that she should do so that day.


    The two Clans chose the supply route.


    "I think the roles are arranged."


    Now the remaining option belonged to the Mac Guild. The Mac Guild must deal with the monsters that come.


    It was time to get ready.


    "Then, let''s prepare the items."


    2.


    With the advent of monsters, most people lost most of what they had.


    But not everyone did.


    Park Gap-soo¡­ In 2017, he was seventy years old and had been making leather shoes for 50 years.


    He was a craftsman who has trained in one field for half a century.


    However, Park Gap-soo has never been treated like a craftsman his whole life. He was exploited from the beginning. He had worked unpaid for years under the pretext of learning skills, and even after he was able to do his part, he would not receive his salary on time.


    Even the last owner exploited him, and the owner of the shoe factory where he worked ran away instead of paying him more than two years'' salary.


    At that age of sixty-five, Park Gap-soo was thrown into the world without a penny of retirement pension and no money saved, and since then, he began to live life like a beggar.


    Free meals given by volunteer groups were the best banquet.


    It was after the appearance of the monsters that he started to be treated as a proper craftsman.


    "Workshop chief! They are here." Park Gap-soo looked at a man in his early thirties who called him.


    He was an amazing lawyer until the monsters appeared. He was a lawyer who was good at his young age and could afford an expensive foreign car.


    In the past, Park Gap-soo was not able to enter the other''s eyes beyond the age difference. But now the lawyer was one of his apprentices. It was not forced. Rather, it was evidence of cleverness.


    He knew that in this world, the skill of how to trim monster skin would help him survive much better than the career of a lawyer.


    And not a few other people thought so, because Park Gap-soo, who became the chief of the workshop with the support of Mac Guild, should have tested them, as there were too many people gathered when he said he would select people.


    From the point of view of Park Gap-soo, he had never had a man who could be called a disciple, and so it was rather unnatural.


    "Prepare the item."


    "I understand."


    At first, he didn''t feel this was all real.


    However, as time went on, Park Gap-soo realized this reality and was able to take pride in the fact that he was a craftsman for the first time.


    That''s why he played his role with full power at the age of seventy, even if he could leave the world at any time by the jaws of a monster.


    "Are you here?"


    "I''m sorry, I come suddenly."


    "No, I have increased output since then, as you asked, and now I have twenty sets of armor made from the skin of Black Snake."


    "So fast?"


    "That''s all I''m doing, isn''t it? There''s no reason to be late."


    Jang Sung-hoon laughed at the words of Workshop Chief Park Gap-soo.


    At that time, Kim Tae-hoon, who was behind Jang Sung-hoon, bowed his head deeply after standing in front of Park Gap-soo.


    "I''m Kim Tae-hoon."


    "Oh!" At the words, Park Gap-soo looked at Kim Tae-hoon with surprised eyes.


    "I should have visited you before, I''m sorry."


    "Oh, no." To the survivors, Kim Tae-hoon was not just a being, but the only lamp in a dark world that they could not see ahead.


    In addition, to him, Kim Tae-hoon was the one who made the life of Park Gap-soo, who had made leather shoes for fifty years, not a useless life, but a great life.


    "I will be rude because things are urgent; may I see them immediately?"


    "Of, of course!"


    At the command of Park Gap-soo, the armor made of the skin of the Black Snake appeared.


    The leather armor which appeared was quite simple. There were not many parts: a vest covering the upper body, and wraps for the arms, legs, elbows, and knees.


    But they were not crude. Basically, the leather of the Black Snake itself had a lovely dark sheen, condensed by the unceasing tanning of Park Gap-soo.


    Of course, that was not really surprising.


    Everyone who followed Kim Tae-hoon took out a smartphone and snapped a photo of the leather armor of the Black Snake being worn by mannequins.


    Kim Tae-hoon changed his eyes, too. His pupils went blackened.


    ------


    [Leather Armor of the Black Snake]


    - Defense: C Rank


    - Mana Resistance: D Rank


    - It increases the recovery rate of Energy.


    - It strengthens your Energy.


    - Injecting Energy increases your Defense.]


    ------


    The Leather Armor of the Black Snake appeared. The stats were remarkable.


    ''Excellent.'' Kim Tae-hoon, the first to read them, was surprised.


    Yang Jung-hwan and Lee Soo-young, who also had not yet received proper reports on the Armor, were more surprised.


    ''With this... there''s no reason to be overpowered if we try close combat against an orange monster.''


    ''Three sets. If we get only three sets of protective equipment, we can use tactics.''


    For those who had fought monsters in close combat, not with guns, it seemed like a greater treasure than a gun.


    "We have now completed twenty sets, and we can produce three sets a day, thanks to the recent speed of production. With the amount of the skin from the Black Snake on hand, we will produce about ninety sets."


    But surprise did not end there.


    "I powdered it as you asked."


    Workshop Chief, Park Gap-soo pulled out a plastic pack, filled with yellow powder in a plastic bag sealed in layers.


    ==[The Eyes of Black Snake]


    - The power of Black Snake, [the Eyes of Black Snake] can be used when ingested.]==


    It was none other than powder made by grinding up the eyes of the Black Snake. It had the effect of temporarily allowing the Eyes of Black Snake to be used when ingested.


    Of course, it was not as good as the Eyes of Black Snake that Kim Tae-hoon used. It was a kind of downgraded version, but it was enough to be useful.


    If a gunman took the powder, his hit rate would rise dramatically. That was not the only thing.


    The doping effect that [the Eyes of Black Snake] would have in battle was beyond imagination.


    "Finally¡­"


    The last item that appeared was four blades. Their length was about the length of an adult man''s arm. But it was a little different. It was more like a sword...


    "These are the Teeth of Black Snake."


    They looked like the teeth of a snake.


    ==[The Teeth of Black Snake]


    - Injecting Energy increases cutting power.]


    They were the four fangs of the Black Snake.


    "Now all we have to do is make a sword hilt. However, since the item is a product, I will make a handle with the hide of the Black Snake to suit the grip of the person who is going to use it. They will get used to it sooner."


    It would be a powerful item as soon as he finished the hilt.


    At his words, Kim Tae-hoon turned his head and looked at Yang Jung-hwan and Lee Soo-young.


    "If you perform your duties, you will be paid, as stated in the contract for the establishment of a Clan."


    At the words of Kim Tae-hoon, the two men began to drool inside.


    "I usually have to pay the price after work, but I will pay in advance, given the circumstances. I''ll give you one fang and three sets of leather armor."


    The two finally managed to swallow.


    But Kim Tae-hoon''s words were not over.


    "It''s not free. I paid you in advance, and if I am not satisfied with the number of monsters you''ve caught, I''ll tear up the Clan contract."


    They nodded silently at his words.

 47 Episode 47 - This is My Territory, Part II

    Chapter 17. This is My Territory, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    "D-Day is tomorrow."


    Everything went very fast. They couldn''t afford to not put their heart and soul into it when the monsters were already moving.


    "Don''t forget secrecy." Of course, they didn''t forget the warning, though they couldn''t afford it.


    "The fact that there is a green-grade monster in particular, and that it might come to Bucheon, should not be discussed with the other survivors."


    Not long ago, all the survivors of Bucheon City lived in fear of the Black Snake.


    If it was known that there was a green-grade monster in such a situation, it was clear that not a few of the survivors would panic. Panic-stricken humans would be involved in accidents.


    When the meeting ended with Jang Sung-hoon''s words emphasizing secrecy, Kim Tae-hoon called over Bang Hyun-wook.


    "Bang Hyun-wook, come to the conference room."


    4.


    "Why did you call me, big brother?" Bang Hyun-wook asked, as soon as he returned to the meeting room of the budget committee of the Bucheon City Council.


    "Why didn''t you say a word at the meeting?" A question was given instead of answers. Bang Hyun-wook smiled awkwardly at the question.


    "Is there anything I could say? I just have to do what I''m told."


    "Do you think you''re going to be left behind?"


    At the words, the awkward smile around Bang''s mouth disappeared.


    "Bang Hyun-wook was supposed to be the right-hand man of Kim Tae-hoon, but now do you feel like you are not even a finger. Does it bother you?"


    At this moment, Bang Hyun-wook thought of himself saying, ''Nah, what is that? You speak nonsense¡­''


    However, Bang did not show what he thought, but his face got harder. He looked like he had been stabbed deep inside.


    "Is it that obvious?" he finally admitted.


    "A man, who used to compete with others throughout his school years to become a professional baseball player, does not change easily, even when monsters have appeared."


    Rather early, Kim Tae-hoon noticed a change in the way Bang Hyun-wook looked at him. His behavior was different.


    At first, Bang Hyun-wook looked like a puppy waiting for an order. He was afraid of monsters, but on the one hand, he was pleased about the fact that he had the power to kill them.


    At the same time, he was proud of being a partner who could help Kim Tae-hoon fight, as well as the incidental things that arose from it¡­ like the satisfaction of the snobbery, such as the surrounding gaze and treatment.


    However, recently, Bang Hyun-wook was not happy. He watched Kim Tae-hoon fight without saying anything, and the gaze he had was dead.


    Furthermore, such his mind was showed as a result. The brave spirit he had shown to the monsters had disappeared.


    "But I don''t want to pat you on the shoulders. I don''t have that personality, and I''ve never done it."


    "I know that."


    "I don''t even think I can allow you to be like a dog with an inferiority complex." It was why he called Bang Hyun-wook over separately.


    "That''s¡­"


    What Kim Tae-hoon needed was the combat power that Bang Hyun-wook had shown.


    He needed the Bang Hyun-wook who ran against monsters with at brave spirit and could sometimes even joke on the battlefield. He did not need the Bang Hyun-wook who only looked like a dog with an inferiority complex.


    "Be a dog with an inferiority complex or a hunting dog. The choice is yours."


    At the words of Kim Tae-hoon, Bang Hyun-wook said, gritting his teeth tightly, "I''ll be a hunting dog."


    His eyes began to glow again.


    5.


    "You seem to really care about Hyun-wook."


    It was Jang Sung-hoon who came to Kim Tae-hoon after he left the conference room and was alone again.


    "At least, he is not one who worries whether it is good to betray me or not, or whether he could replace me."


    "Yes, Hyun-wook is not the type to plot. If he had been a plotter, he wouldn''t have fidgeted in front of the boss to save his first love. However, his romance progress is very slow. As I see it, he could get married tomorrow morning if he just confessed his love to her."


    Jang Sung-hoon sighed briefly while talking.


    "¡­ are you not going to tell others about your second dream?"


    Kim Tae-hoon had not told anyone about his second dream, except for Jang Sung-hoon.


    It was not because he more believed Jang Sung-hoon and he less believed the rest.


    It was a difference of will if he bothered to explain.


    Kim Tae-hoon was the hope and savior of everyone here. Therefore, his death would be hard for himself, but also hard for those who trusted and followed him.


    "I won''t have a better solution, even if I talk about it."


    In a world where it was hard to even live, he didn''t want to put a bigger burden on them.


    Most of all, the clear interpretation of the dream was not done yet.


    "Jang Sung Hoon."


    "If you have any questions, just ask me without having to sugarcoat them, or a humble attitude, calling my name."


    "Guess why I died."


    On that question, Jang Sung-hoon immediately gave his opinion instead of hesitating.


    "I''m guessing the boss was killed by an Awakener."


    Kim Tae-hoon nodded. He was of the same opinion. He didn''t know what injuries he had suffered or why he died in his second dream.


    But there was a clue.


    "When sister Sun-mi tried to cure the boss, she was not involved in the fight, and it''s unlikely that monsters have a virtue of ignoring other humans and targeting the Boss. Virtue is something that goes between people, isn''t it?"


    When Kim died, he saw Ahn Sun-mi once. Her hair was longer than it was now, and she was not involved in combat and did not have major injuries.


    That meant she was excluded from the battle.


    But there was no reason for a monster to leave her alone. If she had been excluded, something would have been limited in the battle.


    "If I look at it very simply, you''re weak, and you''re dead."


    Otherwise, the cause of death itself is simple and clear: the law of the jungle, the weak are the prey of the strong.


    Kim Tae-hoon''s death was due to his weakness. If he were strong, there would be no reason to die.


    Anyway, being killed by an Awakener was definitely different from being killed by a dragon.


    It meant there was a stronger Awakener than Kim Tae-hoon!


    "You said the world looked like a game?"


    "Yes."


    "When I kill a monster, I gain experience and level up through it. That''s the game."


    "Yes, it''s a classic RPG game."


    "So if the number of monsters is limited, what happens in the game?"


    Kim Tae-hoon didn''t pass on what it meant.


    "It''s¡­" At this moment, Jang Sung-hoon thought of a game he sometimes played and imagined what would happen if the monster didn''t come out of it.


    "The one who kills them first and gets the level-up would be the winner." Only then did Jang Sung-hoon understand what the most important thing to survive in this world was. "It''s a zero-sum game."


    ''It is important to secure relics, to make items, and to secure weapons. But all of them end up being used as a means of killing more powerful monsters.''


    That was the result through Kim Tae-hoon''s second death.


    "After my first dream, our goal was to be a military warlord, and defend our castle." Now, they needed to change their goal.


    "I suggested it, and the boss approved it."


    The first purpose of Kim Tae-hoon was to settle down in Bucheon and defend the area.


    But it wasn''t anymore. Just defending the area was not enough.


    "This time, we have to attack, not just focus on defense."


    Along with the words, Kim Tae-hoon looked at the map on the whiteboard that he had used for the meeting.


    "If we kill a green monster in Gwangmyeong City, all the monsters in Gwangmyeong City belong to us."


    "We''ll have to attack them first before others do."


    "The problem is others."


    "I guess so. It''s not possible that there will be no competition in the country, including Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, who appeared in your first dream. You''ll be in trouble from now on. Why don''t you just become the Commander-in-Chief? First of all, the boss is a Major, right? Why don''t you try to be a General this time? Give me a seat."


    To Jang Sung-hoon, who joked to ease the heavy mood, Kim Tae-hoon did not bring up the words "Sword of Goujian" or "Gwanggaeto Stele."


    There was not anything that could be done right now, by telling him the reality that China, which had strong military power, would be a competitor.


    It was only for Kim Tae-hoon to worry about it.


    "The top priority right now is to defend our territory."


    "I''ll organize a search party to identify the monsters."


    "I''ll investigate it myself."


    Before Jang Sung-hoon could say ''It would be dangerous,'' Kim Tae-hoon dyed his eyes black.


    Jang Sung-hoon immediately swallowed what he was about to say. Instead, he asked,


    "Do you need anything?"


    "Put the order into the workshop to preserve the skull of the Black Snake in its original form."


    "Skull? Do you want to make a museum?"


    "When it is completed, we will set it up on the coming road of the yellow-grade monsters."


    "Set it up?"


    "Because they are not that kind of things who will understand it if I just say this is my territory."


    Jang Sung-hoon nodded. "Do you need anything else?"


    "Boil the water."


    "Not coffee?"


    On the question, Kim Tae-hoon said, with sudden uncontrollable laughter, "The coffee you serve is rubbish."


    Jang Sung-hoon answered with a smile, "I can make Mixed coffee."


    6.


    Shiyan City in China.


    Located northwest of Hubei province, China, it was a huge city with a population of 3.5 million. It had a car factory and Danjiangkou Dam which was once the biggest in Asia.


    But now the city of Shiyan was not suitable for the big city. There was some of noise a big city had, but the noise was caused by a man doing his best not to be eaten by a monster.


    There were people who watched the noise from a safe distance. They were soldiers but were not soldiers in military uniforms. Some soldiers were in uniform, but the most noticeable ones were those wearing armor that might have been worn in medieval or ancient China.


    It was like if the history of China was lined up.


    The two standing in the very front were women.


    The 170-centimeter, model-like appearance of the two was very good. They were twins.


    One of the two said, "I don''t understand why we have to fight. All we have to do is drop a nuclear bomb and retrieve the monster stone. It would be better to get caught up in a nuclear explosion than to die by a monster."


    It was a bloody remark, however, there was no other word from the other twin.


    "Not likely." The answer came from a man wearing a military uniform near the two. "We are here to defend the land of China, not to destroy it."


    The woman, who had spat out her cruel words, shrugged her shoulders at the short words of the man.


    "I just said that, Major Chinshan."


    Chinshan with a rank of Major looked at the woman smiling at him with cold eyes, then looked at the other twin who did not have any facial expression, and said, "Prepare for the performance."


    At the words of Major Chinshan, the woman, who had no facial expression, held the lute in her hand. When her fingers touched the strings of the lute made from old trees, a haze began to gather around the lute.


    Ting! As soon as the woman''s fingers flicked one of the strings of the lute, the haze spread to the surrounding area, and the golden energy began to circulate in the eyes of those who wore armor.


    The same was true of the eyes of the woman who had spoken harsh words.


    "Okay." The woman drew a Bronze Sword from her waistband. Then she shouted, pointing at the city of Shiyan with it. "Attack! Along with the shout, letters carved with gold began to shine on the surface of the Bronze Sword.


    Yue Wang Goujian Self-use Sword (Ô½Íõ¹´Û` ×Ô×÷ÓĦ).


    It was the Sword of Goujian, made by King Goujian of Yue for his own use!

 48 Episode 48 - This is My Territory, Part III

    Chapter 17. This is My Territory, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    7.


    ''Fuck, damn it¡­''


    "Goddamn it."


    A man was walking in the hallway of a dark five-story building quietly, as there was no light on. He was a filthy man. He didn''t know when he had last washed, and skin frozen and torn in cold weather made the man''s look even worse.


    "It''s really fucked."


    His name was Kim Hyun-seok. He was twenty-six years old this year, and up until a few months ago, he was a man with a handsome face and a slim figure. In addition, he was full of heart-warming expectations for a new world as he got ready for a trip to Europe in 2017.


    It was December 31, 2016, when his everything changed. A new world had begun.


    ''Why the hell did this happen?''


    However, it was not the new world Kim Hyun-seok was waiting for. Suddenly, a monster appeared and the world became hell. The monsters that appeared made food of humans and enjoyed eating them alive more than anything else.


    The survivors were also the same. Looting, rape, arson¡­ There are even some lunatics eating human flesh.


    He thought that there would be nothing more like hell than this. But that idea was shattered with the appearance of a furry crocodile.


    ''The world is over.''


    The giant furry crocodiles, not one, not dozens, but hundreds of eerie crocodiles began to move around like a tsunami, sweeping through everything.


    Even in the middle of them was a larger crocodile than the two buses combined. A ridiculous monster with yellow eyes spewing huge flames with its mouth was there!


    ''Damn it¡­''


    Kim Hyun-seok, who had seen the monster, shuddered. He also recalled that he had pissed his pants when he had seen the monster.


    ''It''s over now. The world is over.''


    In his trembling, an unspeakable wave of despair swept over himself, and in his despair, Kim Hyun-seok was overtaken with the desire to escape this hell.


    ''If I lived like this¡­''


    He thought he would like to face a peaceful death that no one would know about, somewhere in this building.


    So Kim Hyun-seok started anguishing over the terrible choice.


    ''Huh?''


    It was a sense of smell that had been made extremely sensitive by hunger for days that stopped his agony, and the soft scent tickled his sensitive nose.


    ''Coffee?''


    The smell was coffee. It was a smell he knew well, and something that could not be found anywhere after the monster appeared.


    ''Why coffee?''


    Unknowingly, Kim Hyun-seok headed for the place the odor was coming from. His footsteps stopped at an office which used to be a calligraphy institute before the monster appeared.


    A man was enjoying a coffee under the translucent window in the office, framed in the sunshine that penetrated the window.


    It was a very peaceful appearance, totally disparate. For Kim Hyun-seok, peace was no longer part of the world.


    When Kim Hyun-seok saw this scene, he froze. His brain stopped working in this ridiculous situation.


    The screaming of his stomach woke him up.


    For a few days, the only thing he had eaten was a lump of snow, and the coffee flavor roused his appetite.


    "Huck!"


    Kim Hyun-seok was most surprised by the loud noise, while the man looked at Kim Hyun-seok in a coolly.


    "Hey, hey..." At this moment, the only words that came to mind in Kim Hyun Suk were, "Do you have anything to eat?"


    There was no such thing as a sense of shame.


    It had been such a long time ago since he had a proper meal. What he could call food among the things he has recently eaten was a triangle Kimbab which had been trampled by someone at a convenience store, where everything else had already been stolen five days ago.


    "Please... please."


    The man looked at him at such a desperate request. The cold eyes of the man met Kim Hyun-seok''s eyes. At that moment, Kim Hyun-seok could see that the man in front of him was a monster that was not lacking compared to the most terrible monster he had ever faced.


    ''Is he a monster? A monster that looks like a person?''


    "Are you a survivor?"


    "Yes?"


    "Where do you live?"


    "Oh, well¡­" At the sudden question, Kim Hyun-seok came up with the answer he had to. "Gwangmyeong City! I live in Gwangmyeong City, my name is Kim Hyun-seok, and I am twenty-five... no, twenty-six."


    The man took a chocolate bar out of the inner pocket of his jacket. Kim Hyun-seok''s eyes widened.


    "This is the information fee. I will give you one more if you tell me what happened in Gwangmyeong City, and everything you''ve seen and heard."


    8.


    "It is about three meters long, and its exterior appearance is like a crocodile, but it has fur like a wolf instead of armor-like leather, and it lives in groups like wolves."


    A Wolf-crocodile...


    Kim Tae-hoon, who finished explaining about the newly appeared monster, looked up at the crowd.


    Kim Soo-ji, Yang Jung-hwan, Lee Soo-young, and Jang Sung-hoon, four people looked at their smartphones and had a stiff expression on their faces.


    "And this is the one in the center."


    Four people looked at the photo file that had been transferred to their smartphones. In the picture was a Wolf-crocodile that was too big to be compared to a normal Wolf-crocodile.


    Other pictures even showed him breathing out the fire. It was the leader of the Wolf-crocodiles.


    "There is a Mutant Wolf-crocodile between the leader and the subordinates that is an intermediate boss. It is not externally distinguishable, but it has orange eyes. You should look at the color of their eyes when you''re dealing with them. Red and orange grades are different levels."


    The existence of a Mutant Wolf-crocodile was overshadowed in front of the existence of a flame-spewing crocodile


    "These three kinds of monsters, a total of over four hundred, are moving toward Bucheon."


    At the end of the story, Kim Tae-hoon looked at the crowd. No one had spoken to Kim Tae-hoon, or taken their eyes off their smartphones.


    ''A very different type from the Black Snake we dealt with last time¡­''


    ''The number of the group is over four hundred, we almost died just dealing with a crazy Black Snake¡­''


    ''If it comes into Bucheon, there will be some kind of damage.''


    ''If four hundred monsters eat half a human being a day, twenty thousand people will be prey in ten days. Bucheon was lucky. Bucheon was very lucky. The city of Gwangmyeong has only a small population left.''


    They knew that yellow-grade monsters were moving towards Bucheon City, so Kim Tae-hoon moved in person to scout. But they didn''t know that the yellow-grade monster was not a single individual like a Black Snake, but a leader who led a huge crowd.


    The situation was quite different from the one for the Black Snake. That was why they couldn''t speak. They couldn''t talk about it because they were looking for a new solution to deal with the new situation.


    "Do you have any questions or comments?" Kim Tae-hoon urged them. The effect was certain. To these people, his words meant more than anyone else.


    The first one to spit out was Kim Soo-ji. "In order to deal with a large number of monsters, there is the only firepower, in the end."


    "What is the current state of our firepower?"


    "We are still getting ammunition from the Ammunition Company. We have ample ammunition, but the problem is we don''t have enough guns."


    Kim Tae-hoon turned his attention to Lee Soo-young. It was her job to get guns and other weapons from the 17th Division.


    "We''re working on a route."


    But now she had few weapons in the subordinate units of the 17th Division.


    "You know that it''s a good distance, and it cannot be done in a short period of time, as we have to go over a mountain."


    There were many reasons. The biggest one was the distance. It was quite a distance, and they had to cross a mountain in between.


    She would like to bring an armored car to carry the weapons, but the condition of the road did not allow it. She was trying to secure a route to supply and receive weapons, cleaning up the vehicles on the road and removing the surrounding monsters. It was a task that would take time.


    "Of course, I know this is an excuse, and if you give me an order, I''ll take risks and get things done quickly."


    But the situation had changed, and she was willing to do it if she had to do it.


    The pack of Wolf-crocodiles approaching now was not monsters that could be killed without suffering damage.


    "A week. For a week, I will stop the Wolf-crocodiles from approaching, so you''ll have to get as many weapons and ammunition as you can."


    "Boss!" Jang Sung-hoon asked the cross question directly. "How will you make a week? By the speed of their movements, they will be in Bucheon City as early as two days, and on the third day, they will be in Bucheon City Hall."


    It was not easy for anyone to see a group of four hundred Wolf-crocodiles moving at a rapid pace, eating monsters or humans like bulldozers.


    If there was a way, it would be fantastic for everyone.


    "I will check them out alone."


    "Yes?"


    "What?"


    "What the hell is that¡­"


    Everyone made a foolish expression at Kim Tae-hoon''s answer.


    "Boss alone?" Jang Sung-hoon asked the question, with the narrowed eyes. "Is it possible?"


    Kim Tae-hoon nodded lightly instead of answering.


    The crowd looked dumb again.


    "Major, no matter who you are, you can''t stop a group of four hundred monsters including the yellow-grade one..."


    "The lieutenant is right. It is impossible for the boss to do that¡­"


    Kim Soo-ji and Jang Sung-hoon changed their complexion and spoke to stop Kim Tae-hoon somehow.


    If this decision came from Kim Tae-hoon''s brave spirit and self-sufficiency, the result would be terrible. However, Kim Tae-hoon ''s decision was never something that rose from a brave spirit and self-sufficiency.


    "The goal of guerrilla warfare, with a few troops in operation, is to kill a large number of people."


    It was a decision made by cool judgment. There was no choice but to judge it calmly


    "That''s my specialty." That was what Kim Tae-hoon had done. "There''s no reason for me to get involved in the street battles."


    Moreover, a city was a world that man made for man, no matter what they say. It meant it was not a world that they made for monsters.


    "Do you have any further opinions?"


    Everyone was silent in the face of Kim Tae-hoon''s confidence.


    9.


    A crocodile slid its huge head into the building''s door. The sight of it putting its head in was bizarre. It was about three meters long and had the same shape as a crocodile, but all over it was not armor-like leather, but fur-covered leather reminiscent of a wolf.


    Its legs were much longer than a crocodile, making it possible to run faster and more stealthily than a crocodile.. The Wolf-crocodile''s steps into the building were so quiet that its huge body was meaningless.


    Slurp!


    Rather, the sound of a tongue as long as an anteater, coming out of the snout, was louder. It licked the red blood on the floor, and its red eyes began to glow because the blood was still warm. The heat in the cold winter meant that the owner of the blood had just spilled blood.


    Slurp!


    As soon as it thought about it, the Wolf-crocodile began to move along the blood trail without any hesitation, just as Hansel and Gretel in fairy tales followed breadcrumbs.


    The thing waiting for the Wolf-crocodile was not bleeding prey, but a man holding a silver thermos with blood dripping out of it.


    Shiyik! Shiyik!


    The Wolf-crocodile flicked its tongue at the man. It was excited to see prey alive after a long time.


    That was its last action.


    Shiyik!


    With a gruesome sound, the Wolf-crocodile''s head rolled on the floor, still sticking out its tongue.


    Tsreung!


    The Sword that cut the head off the Wolf-crocodile in a single stroke went back into the sheath on the back of Kim Tae-hoon. At the same time, he filled the thermos with the blood pouring from the body of the Wolf-crocodile.


    The hot blood filled the thermos. Kim Tae-hoon, closed its lid, cut through the Wolf-crocodile''s stomach, ripped the monster stone from its heart and put it in his mouth.


    The last act of the hunt was to renew the number of Wolf-crocodiles he had killed today.


    ''This is the eleventh.''


    Eleven, the moment he remembered the number, a memory from two years ago came to mind.


    Two years ago, Kim Tae-hoon was in Syria. When ISIS appeared in the land of Syria, which was ravaged by civil war, countries around the world dispatched special forces to counter it. Kim Tae-hoon and his men were the same. They were sent to Syria after being disguised as mercenaries under orders.


    Their instructions were as follows: kill as many IS agents as possible in the city.


    Their purpose was to keep the IS agents from escaping the city in fear after the death of their colleagues, and it was to earn the time needed to perform operations elsewhere.


    Kim Tae-hoon completed the order surprisingly well. In other words, he killed so many people that they would call Kim Tae-hoon a monster, despite not even knowing his name.


    ''Not much different from then.''


    What Kim Tae-hoon did now was not much different from what he had done in Syria two years ago, either. He was removing the Wolf-crocodiles outside the pack to hunt for food.


    The method worked well enough.


    A group of simple monsters would have ignored it. However, the group of Wolf-crocodiles was not just a pack but had a hierarchy.


    In addition, the reason why the group of Wolf-crocodiles moved was that they were forced to move by the green-grade monster. They had no choice but to be sensitive to changes around them, and be careful.


    In fact, the number of Wolf-crocodiles searching increased, and the speed they were traveling slowed down. It was evident that they were alert. But they were literally alert, not in fear.


    Therefore, it was necessary for him to instill that fear in order to slow their feet, just like he had done against ISIS two years ago in Syria.


    In the end, Kim Tae-hoon would tell the group of Wolf-crocodiles and its leader, even though they could not speak, "This is my territory."

 49 Episode 49 - Flame-spewing Crocodile, Part I

    Chapter 18. Flame-spewing Crocodile, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    The Sungkonghoe University Stadium in Guro District, Seoul...


    Krr¡­


    It was now a place of nightmare.


    Hundreds of Wolf-crocodiles, covered with fur like wolves, filled the grounds. The Wolf-crocodiles were eating there. Their meal was also like a nightmare.


    The sound of them eating their prey alive using the strength of their powerful jaws was more terrible than anyone could imagine.


    "Aaaaaaargh!" The screaming of humans being eaten was the wonderful background sound of such a nightmare.


    "Save me, please, please¡­"


    Of course, the background sound did not last long. Three Wolf-crocodiles bit the head, body, and legs of a human who was still alive and crying much more eagerly.


    Crunch!


    The man who prayed for God disappeared with the sound of bones crunching, a snack for the belly of the Wolf-crocodiles, becoming a meal.


    The scene was repeated all over the place.


    Screams broke out, bodies were crushed, and there was a gruesome sound.


    The peak of the nightmare was a huge Crocodile coiled in the center of the playground.


    Fahrrrr...!


    The Crocodile with yellow eyes spat out the bright red flame through its mouth and nose every time it breathed. It was the boss of the hundreds of Wolf-crocodiles, the Flame-spewing Crocodile.


    It was a tyrant that not only monsters, but even its own pack of Wolf-crocodiles were afraid to meet its eyes.


    It didn''t seem very happy now.


    It had a land which was full of food and the food was rich enough for its pack to eat every day.


    In addition, it made a lot of efforts to defend its land. It destroyed the wandering monsters that broke into its land, and it went directly to the monsters who challenged its own stronghold and burned them with bites.


    But it lost the land one morning, because of an unknown change of heart of a monster that it could not approach. Without knowing the reason, the Flame-spewing Crocodile had to lose the land and start a journey to find a new home, with the hundreds of its pack.


    It was angry because an unidentified monster had emerged and had gone hunting its pack.


    It was not even a hunting for hunger but as a warning to the Flame-spewing Crocodile.


    ''This is my territory.


    Don''t come in.


    I''ll kill you all when you come in.''


    The mere thought of it made the Flame-spewing Crocodile tremble with anger, and it could not tolerate the provocation. So the Flame-spewing Crocodile waited.


    It hoped it would have the time to find the damned bastard and bite him!


    Kyaaa!


    A Wolf-crocodile came over the Flame-spewing Crocodile eagerly.


    The Wolf-crocodile with orange pupils was not much different from other Wolf-crocodiles in appearance. It came to the Flame-spewing Crocodile, racing over the bodies of Wolf-crocodiles tightly packed in the Sungkonghoe University Stadium.


    It carefully set the skull in its jaws in front of the Flame-spewing Crocodile. The moment it saw the skull, the coiled body ofFlame-spewing Crocodile uncoiled itself.


    It raised its huge body, stood upright on its legs, and let out a roar with flames toward the sky.


    Goohh!


    2.


    The Southern Intersection of Yeokgok Station...


    The time on the wide road, which is visible right from the station, was suspended at December 31, 2016.


    By that time, the cars that filled the road were lying in a pile without their owners, and the snow that had fallen on them was piled up and frozen hard.


    Bang!


    A group of three hundred Wolf-crocodiles moved past the stopped clock.


    Bang, bang!


    The Wolf-crocodiles on the road were better suited than ever to the word ''rush''.


    They smashed into everything in front of them, knocking them away and making a path. It was like a river of fur running by. Nothing seemed to stop the Wolf-crocodile group from rushing on.


    It was a huge bone that stopped the rush of the Wolf-crocodile group, which seemed unlikely to stop. It was obviously the head of a Snake, but its size was such that it could not be called a snake.


    The Wolf-crocodiles, who were terrified in front of the skull, retreated in horror, rather than rushing by.


    Even though it was only a skull, the Wolf-crocodiles were instinctively aware. The owner of this skull was a monster equal to their leader.


    Of course, they could not be afraid of just bones. What was dead was dead, and in a world of the law of the jungle, even the most frightening being was nothing if it was only bones.


    Their fear was for the skull''s owner who made the Black Snake into this shape. Moreover, the skull was a warning. It was a warning that everything approaching this territory would exactly turn to this.


    Naturally, fear began to spread among the pack of Wolf-crocodiles.


    Thud!


    It was the Flame-spewing Crocodile that trampled on that fear without mercy.


    The Flame-spewing Crocodile, which was at the rear of the group, went ahead loudly in front of the group.


    The Flame-spewing Crocodile didn''t advance quietly. No, rather, it took each step with all its might, as if it were kicking its feet louder.


    The footsteps shook the earth, and also broke the fear spread among the Wolf-crocodiles.


    Very quickly, the Flame-spewing Crocodile, standing in front of the skull of the Black Snake, raised its body.


    The Flame-spewing Crocodile standing on its legs shut its mouth tightly. Its body began to swell up.


    The moment it opened its mouth, a huge blast of fire burst forth and began burning the skull of the Black Snake.


    Quaaaaaa!


    It was a declaration of war, to kill the owner of this land and take the position itself!


    "Fire!"


    The owners of this land were willing to accept the declaration of war.


    Boom!


    The battle has begun.


    3.


    Kim Tae-hoon said, "I''ll give you a week."


    However, he failed to keep the promise exactly. He earned ten days, three more than a week. Of course, it was enough to get a supply ammunition and weapons.


    "Fire!"


    "Fire!"


    It was even enough to recruit soldiers to deal with such secured firepower.


    Boom, boom, boom!


    The recruited soldiers'' memories of more than two years in active service were clearly drawn.


    Ten days was enough time to choose the stage and decorate it with all the preparations made.


    Of course, the Mac Guild did not refuse to declare war on the Flame-spewing Crocodile.


    As soon as the Crocodile spewed flames toward the Black Snake''s skull, the artillery units of Mac Guild, who were waiting, immediately began firing.


    The launch of the artillery came down on the pack of Wolf-crocodiles.


    Kyaah!


    The tough fur of the Wolf-crocodile was worthless in front of artillery fire. The Wolf-crocodile began to blow apart.


    It was an attack that a group of Wolf-crocodile had never encountered.


    It was also the first counterattack that the artillery, who were constantly loading shells into a 60-millimeter mortar, had experienced so far.


    "Fire!"


    "Fire!"


    That''s why the artillery, who were shouting to answer the command with the order, cried out, pressing down against the unceasing roar of shells bursting out.


    "You, motherfucking monsters, all go to hell!"


    It was the soldiers who would use the weapons that the Mac Guild had secured while gathering weapons and ammunition for rifles, machine guns, and mortars.


    At first, there was some concern.


    There were very few people who went to war because they liked it. It was very dangerous for the public, who were not Awakeners, to fight against the monsters.


    They thought that there would be applicants, but they didn''t think there would be too many. But that concern disappeared as soon as the recruitment began. Applicants poured in.


    Most of the male survivors had undergone the military draft; it was the obligation of all Korean men. However, it wasn''t a reason to apply for the position.


    It was to vent their anger about not even being able to make a frantic last-ditch effort, rather than counterattacking after the monsters appeared.


    "Wow!"


    ''Right, I didn''t miss the target.''


    ''I''ll kill one more for sure!''


    So they were serious. No one tried to be lazy or skip out on training somehow, as they had done in the military service.


    Regardless of age, the volunteers from the artillery tried to recall the memories and the knowledge they had learned in the military service as much as possible.


    They showed their will to survive!


    Kyaaa!


    And it was the same with the Wolf-crocodiles exposed to repeated bombardment. The Wolf-crocodiles came here to survive, too. They did not intend to be vulnerable.


    Above all, the leader of the Wolf-crocodiles, the Flame-spewing Crocodile, was still standing on both legs during this bombardment.


    Goohh!


    The Flame-spewing Crocodile''s cry exploded. The cry changed the whole situation in a flash.


    Kyaaa!


    As soon as the Wolf-crocodiles heard the cry, they started to run again, ignoring the shells.


    At the same time, the endless bombardment coming down stopped.


    "Uh-oh¡­"


    Fear.


    The fear of the Flame-spewing Crocodile was an irresistible attack to the public, and the behavior of those who constantly put the shell into the cannon shells stopped like a broken doll and began to distort.


    Some of them flopped down and suffered from a spasm, bubbling at the mouth while lying on the ground.


    "Retreat!"


    "Retreat!"


    At that moment, the Awakeners began to load the artillery into the prepared vehicle, and they were about to leave the area with them, after being exposed to the fear and unable to do anything.


    But not everyone was ready to run away.


    Rather, at this moment there were those who chewed and swallowed the pill that made them resistant to the fear, and waited for the Wolf-crocodiles to come. They were in the most dangerous place to buy time for their colleagues to escape, holding the claymore triggers in their hands.


    Even though they had the pill that would increase their resistance to the fear, their bodies were trembling in fear of the Flame-spewing Crocodile, but nonetheless, they did not take their eyes off the Wolf-crocodiles.


    They waited, and pushed the triggers. "Explode!"


    Bam bam bam!


    The rain of iron beads began to pour into the front of the Wolf-crocodiles that were rushing wildly down the road without seeing anything.


    Kieeeeh!


    Their power was frightening.


    The Wolf-crocodiles running in front quickly became a pile of dead bodies.


    Even eerier was that the Wolf-crocodiles did not stop rushing forward after pushing the bodies of their fellows out of the way.


    ''Fucking monsters!''


    ''We''ve been ready and then attacked, now we''re going to be chased!''


    The earlier gunfire was no longer heard anywhere. The situation had turned.


    The Flame-spewing Crocodile was now walking down the path created by the wild rush of the Wolf-crocodiles. It was getting ready to smash, chomp, and burn with flames the enemies that were trying to run away.


    Shiyik!


    A Sword made a long cut on the hide of the Flame-spewing Crocodile that was not be hurt by the artillery. It prevented the rush of the Flame-spewing Crocodile.


    The cut was so painful that its yellow eyes flashed, and it began to look around.


    Kaaah!


    But its eyes, which scanned everywhere, could not find the culprit that hurt its body.


    It was not possible to find him, since Kim Tae-hoon, the main culprit it was looking for, was floating above its head...


    ''It''s been a long time since I shot this against a living thing. Probably four years?''


    ...while holding a Panzerfaust 3, an anti-tank rocket launcher, on his shoulder!

 50 Episode 50 - Flame-spewing Crocodile, Part II

    Chapter 18. Flame-spewing Crocodile, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    On December 31st, 2016, mankind first encountered the monsters. Therefore, mankind did not know that monsters were stronger and more clever than they thought, and humans did not know anything about monsters.


    Kim Tae-hoon was the same.


    It was in the battle with the Black Snake that he keenly felt it. He did not know that the Black Snake was so strong and clever, and he faced it with only the Sword and the power of his Telekinesis.


    The result? He almost died. He was lucky to survive, and the battle with the Black Snake was a mess from beginning to end.


    He had no desire to repeat that same mistake against the Flame-spewing Crocodile.


    ''I need more definite and thorough investigation and inquiry.''


    So he studied. He could not dissect the Flame-spewing Crocodiles, so he dug into the habits, behavior patterns, and body structure of a Wolf-crocodile similar to it.


    ''I need a new manual.''


    He tried something new that could be done with Telekinesis. It was not enough to use his Telekinesis to handle weapons freely.


    It was necessary to make some of the infinite possibilities of the Telekinesis into a certain ability for himself, not just a possibility. Of course, time was limited, so he had to choose one of the possibilities.


    ''The firepower is sufficient, and I need a way to use it, accurately and surely.''


    The way he finally chose was levitation.


    ''If I could fly in the air, then I could fight like a combat helicopter. It would be an unlimited battle in space.''


    If he, who had a strong enough level of firepower from the supplies of the Ammunition Company and the subordinate units of the 17th Division, could fly in the sky, he could be compared to a combat helicopter, in fact.


    It was not easy, of course. If he could have levitated every time he decided to do with his Telekinesis, he would have done it earlier.


    But his troubles were not for long.


    ''I''ll do it anyway.''


    There was no choice. If he did it, he would survive, or he would die. So he did it.


    Pushu!


    He pulled the trigger on the Panzerfaust 3, while standing in the sky.


    5.


    The purpose of anti-tank rockets was not to shatter tanks. A huge anti-tank rocket mounted on a combat helicopter could do that, but you could not hope for that much firepower on an anti-tank rocket used by the infantry.


    A tank is not just a moving mass of steel, it is like a small fortress. If an infantryman could have completely destroyed such a tank with a rocket launcher on his shoulder, no country would have made a tank costing $5 million per unit.


    Because of this, antitank rockets focused on penetration, not destruction. The first goal is to make a hole in the surface of the tanks, whose steel armor was more than just thick.


    The shell with a protruding snout, just like a stork, used by Panzerfaust 3 was the focus of this purpose.


    Pushu!


    The shell was fired in a burst.


    The target was the Flame-spewing Crocodile!


    Kr?


    It only noticed the presence of the shell after the stork-end had already touched its body.


    Boom! Boom! There was a loud explosion.


    But, it was not just an explosion.


    As the explosive force of the bomb exploded in front of the target, it was compressed into a stream like a water pressure cutter, and it pierced its tough skin like a pointed spear.


    Kaaaaaah!, its scream rang out.


    Kim Tae-hoon smiled bitterly, looking at the scene with black Eyes. ''I can''t even laugh.''


    It was definitely a severe wound, but it was not a fatal blow to send the Flame-spewing Crocodile to death at once. The scream was just for pain, not death throes.


    ''It was hit by a rocket with the power to break through the surface of a tank, but it was only wounded badly.''


    Kim Tae-hoon, who knew the power of modern weapons and had even fired a Panzerfaust 3 against a living human, had no choice but to smile bitterly.


    But the bitter laugh was not long, and he was not disappointed.


    Instead of being disappointed, he held the Panzerfaust 3 in his right hand and used his left hand to pull a grenade out of his waistband.


    Ting! The safety clip of the grenade was thrown off by itself, and the safety pin immediately followed.


    He threw it lightly toward the huge mouth of the Crocodile struggling in pain.


    ''The moment I hear the explosion, I will move.''


    At the same time, Kim Tae-hoon thought of a Sword coveting the blood of any target at any time, waiting for his command at this moment.


    Bang!


    He heard the grenade go off.


    6.


    Burreung!


    As soon as they were exposed to the fear, cars carrying the paralyzed artillerymen started running along the cleanly maintained road.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    The pack of Wolf-crocodiles began to run like crazy to catch the cars fleeing before them.


    Kya! Kya!


    During the chase that began, some of the Wolf-crocodiles moved toward something they felt in the buildings near the road.


    Some of the Wolf-crocodiles with keen senses did not miss out on the presence of those hiding in the building to buy time, including the claymore explosion.


    The first thing that the Wolf-crocodiles that came into the building encountered was a huge fire that an Awakener blew out of his mouth.


    Fufu!


    The fire instantly engulfed the bodies of the two Wolf-crocodiles that entered the entrance carelessly.


    Kyaaah!


    Two Wolf-crocodiles were screaming at the fire that had stuck to their fur and the terrible pain that it produced. The pain was not over there.


    "Throw!" Two water balloons flew in from the distance, which the Awakener who blew out


    The balloon burst upon contact with the bodies of the Wolf-crocodiles writhing crazily in the fire, and it soaked the Wolf-crocodiles with what they were carrying inside.


    Woosh!


    The blazing flames made it clear that what was inside the balloons was not water. It was lighter oil!


    The water-mixed lighter oil burned the skins of the Wolf-crocodiles.


    Kyaa!


    As the two Wolf-crocodiles who had become fireballs, were fussing at the entrance, a new Wolf-crocodile appeared.


    It met the most terrible death.


    Crunch!


    A giant hammer that struck it like a lightning bolt shattered its head in a single stroke.


    "Uh-cha!" The man who had killed the Wolf-crocodile in one blow was Bang Hyun-wook.


    Except for Kim Tae-hoon, he had the highest rank of Energy in the Mac Guild, and he escaped the fear of the Flame-spewing Crocodile faster than anyone else. At the same time, the Energy of the struggle to overcome the fear forced him to energize his whole body.


    He felt as if he were high on some drug. Above all, there was no hesitation in his eyes anymore.


    "Come on! Come on! Let''s make a new movie here today! Come on!"


    Bang Hyun-wook was not the only one not hesitating. In the building next to the road, a few Awakeners were ready to launch a street war against the Wolf-crocodiles, and they there was little hesitation among them.


    Of course, there was a reason.


    Tutu, tutu!


    "Fire! Do not spare it!"


    "Keep firing!"


    They had a powerful weapon, a gun!


    "We can eat if we kill them all! Kill another one!"


    "Here is the one with orange eyes!"


    They had received sweet permission to take all the things they killed.


    Of course, the biggest reason was something else.


    "Oh, my God!"


    "What happened?"


    "It''s down, it''s down!"


    Kim Tae-hoon was here, and they were bound to win this battle.


    7.


    The shell of the Panzerfaust created a deep wound on the back of the Flame-spewing Crocodile.


    Of course, it screamed. This scream was not to create fear, but a naive, painful one.


    Kaaah¡­


    By the time the scream began to turn into a fear full of anger, a grenade came into the giant snout, was caught in its throat, and then exploded.


    Bang!


    The explosion was not loud, so it was even more frightening. The intense explosion had only hovered in its throat.


    The explosion took its voice for a while. It also took away its sense and reason. Its brain shook inside its skull, and all five senses were panicked for a moment by intense sound and shock. In such upheaval, a reason could not play a role.


    At that moment, all it could do was to lower its posture and crouch down like an armadillo.


    It was a filthy, miserable thing to do, but it was the only thing it could do instinctively.


    Kim Tae-hoon hurt its back with the shell on what was called the wing bone, not the other place.


    ''As I expected, it has the same reaction as a Wolf-crocodile.''


    He tested the Wolf-crocodiles several times to see what instinctive action they took to survive when they were in crisis or seriously wounded.


    He now knew that if a sudden attack was fatal, it would coil and crouch with its body as low as possible, like a snake. So, he hurt its back!


    If it crouched, the wounds there would be open!


    At the same time, he dissected a Wolf-crocodile and was able to gauge where its heart was.


    The wound would be open, and beyond that, its heart would be beating. It would be pounding even more violently to live.


    A Sword struck down in a lightning-like strike to stop that beat.


    8.


    "It''s down! The captain did it!"


    The soldier holding the receiver of the wired radio reported to Jang Sung-hoon with a bright smile. However, Jang did not smile brightly as soon as he heard the report. Instead, he told the wire carrier, "Get the situation under control, send a search party to check the surrounding monsters, and then count the number of the victims and notify the hospital."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Jang Sung-hoon, who gave the order, recalled the rank on his uniform at that moment.


    Corporal.


    That was his rank. He was a low rank. And that rank has not changed much, even now.


    Of course, the Mac Guild was not an army, so rank was useless and meaningless. But even so, it was certainly funny that he had virtually the right of command now.


    ''So the lower-ranked ones look forward to war, and when war breaks out, if they survive, they can be generals, regardless of ranks.''


    The humor that started it did not last long. His expression firmed up.


    Whatever his rank was, it was all right. What was important was that he should now serve as a staff officer. It was time to worry about the settlement of victory, not the cheers for victory like a staff officer.


    ''Boss is now a ridiculous monster, firing an anti-tank rocket while levitating, throwing grenades... He is an Apache helicopter!''


    In fact, he thought this battle would be very difficult. Even though they had far more powerful firepower then they had when they had faced the Black Snake, the enemy was also leading hundreds of monsters, unlike the time of the Black Snake. Moreover, the presence of fear was very threatening.


    No matter how strong the firepower was, everything would be neutralized when exposed to the fear. In addition, an army of ordinary people in front of monsters was like a candlelight in front of a wind.


    ''Well, the easier the better.''


    But the battle ended more easily than he thought. If he thinks about the reason, it was because of the full preparation, but the fundamental reason was Kim Tae-hoon.


    Kim was willing to make the experience and lessons learned in the battle with the Black Snake his own.


    ''He''s great.''


    And he would be stronger again from today, because he would eat the monster stone of the Flame-spewing Crocodile and gain new power and strength. Furthermore, it was the way Kim Tae-hoon chose to survive. Therefore, Jang Sung-hoon was able to easily predict Kim''s next option.


    ''Rather, Kim Hyun-seok?''


    Kim Hyun-seok was lucky enough to find Kim Tae-hoon, the luck of the heaven; he was able to become a survivor, not a victim. At the price of a cup of ramen and some instant rice, he confessed everything he had seen and heard in Gwangmyeong City, and what he knew. There was a great deal of information he had given.


    ''The factory that makes solar power plants is located in Gwangmyeong City!''


    There was a factory in Gwangmyeong City, which produced solar power plants and was quite large.


    It was a fact that the public did not know. If they were interested in it, you would not be the public. Of course, neither Kim nor Jang knew. None of the survivors knew that.


    ''We must secure it.''


    That''s why it was even more valuable information. The information was valuable enough to change the future of Mac Guild and survivors.


    Without electricity, you could not use the technology of civilization. But if you steadily collected electricity through solar power plants, the quality of life and the probability of survival would increase significantly.


    Therefore, Kim Tae-hoon would have made their next goal securing a solar power plant.


    ''We have to secure it definitely¡­ but there is a problem.''


    The problem was that there was a green-grade monster in Gwangmyeong City now.


    In fact, Jang would not go to Gwangmyeong City.


    It would be a suicidal act to enter a monster den they knew nothing about, only that it was different from the monsters they had been dealing with.


    But Kim Tae-hoon would go, as he knew that he could not avoid the danger of it coming, by closing his eyes.


    ''I know what it feels like to have Superman as my boss.''


    Jang shook his head, took out Daedongyeojido again, and looked at the area of ??Gwangmyeong City.


    "Uh?"


    He was frightened at that moment.


    "Uh, where did it go?..."

 51 Episode 51 - Gwangmyeong City, Part I

    Chapter 19. Gwangmyeong City, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    The advent of monsters destroyed the civilization of mankind in a moment. In such a land where civilization was destroyed, humans became beasts and monsters.


    "Spare, spare me..."


    So was Gwangmyeong.


    The sudden emergence of monsters brought down everything: electricity was cut off, communications paralyzed, and gas and oil, which enriched and warmed mankind, became fuel for burning mankind.


    Those who survived barely or luckily in such a world became monsters to survive.


    "What is it? A man?"


    "I thought you were a girl because you are slim, but you are a man! Shit, I have lost my strength."


    "Oh, you son of a bitch, if you get caught, you get caught meekly! How dare you run away?"


    Four men surrounded a man in the cold, desolate forest of buildings.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, please spare me¡ª"


    It was not difficult to understand what the situation was like. And it was not difficult to predict what would happen in the future, either.


    One of the four men kicked the head of the man who had fallen on the ground with their military boots, like kicking a soccer ball.


    "Khuck!" The man screamed and tumbled over.


    It was the poor, pathetic scene, but the man, who had kicked him rather than feeling sorry for him, trampled over the man''s pathetic chest with his foot like he was trying to break his ribs.


    Puck!


    The scrawny man curled up in pain and fear.


    The four men began to talk, looking at the man under their feet.


    "You look like a real girl. Damn, I ran like crazy, as I wanted to taste you."


    "What shall we do? Should we just kill him here?"


    "Just kill him, and we can''t even use him even if we get him to the hideout anyway, can we? We can''t rape him."


    "Maybe there''s someone who likes him."


    "Isn''t that what you like?"


    "What do you think I am?"


    "Be quiet, we''ll all be done if the monster comes after hearing the noise."


    The man, who was in a frightening conversation, forced himself to speak in a breathless situation. "Spare, spare, spare me¡­"


    But it had a negative effect. One of the other men frowned at the man who somehow squeezed out his voice and was begging for his life again and again.


    "Why don''t we pull his tongue first, since he is so noisy?"


    The man begging for his life shut his mouth at the eerie warning. There was a moment of silence.


    It was thanks to the silence. Because of the sudden silence, they could hear another man around, who quickly approached their vicinity.


    "Uh?"


    "Who, who is it?"


    The man''s appearance was unique. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a black leather guard and vest, and he looked like a member of a police SWAT team.


    But he was not a member of a SWAT team, and there were many differences from a policeman. What he was carrying on his back was the most eye-catching. He was carrying something that anyone could see was a Sword.


    If it had been before civilization had collapsed, he would have looked like a costume player, or an actor in a drama or a movie. In addition, it was not abnormal in a city of lawlessness where civilization had collapsed.


    That was why everyone was nervous.


    A strange-looking man in such attire would only have made their eyes frown before civilization collapsed, but now they did not know what the strange-looking man in the outfit would do.


    "Who are you?" one of the men asked.


    Instead of answering the sound, the man raised the thing he was holding in his hand. Then he tapped it lightly with his left hand.


    Click!


    It was a K5 pistol that chambered with a click, instead of replying.


    "Gu-gun?"


    "Cr-crazy!"


    They didn''t see it when they looked at it from afar, but as soon as they heard the loading sound, the four men knew that it was a gun and began to retreat in horror.


    The fact that there was nothing they could do with the four of them in front of a gun, was not something they should have experienced.


    Only one of them remembered what he should say in front of the gun.


    "W-we belong to Messiah! Messiah!"


    It was a kind of frantic attempt.


    At the threat, the man holding a gun made a slight frown on his brow. He seemed to know the word "Messiah."


    Is that why? That kind of frantic attempt became a threat immediately.


    "If you touch us, our organization will not stay still!"


    "Yes! If you touch us, you''ll die!"


    No less childish, it was really a threat worse than kindergarten children would do.


    But unexpectedly, the front-facing gun was lowered.


    ''Di-did it work?''


    ''We''re saved!''


    At the same time, the four men breathed a sigh of relief in their hearts.


    ''Uh?''


    And one of them saw the eyes of the man who had pointed the gun at them go black.


    Ping!


    At the same time, three out of the four men who made sighs of relief fell to the ground with the sound of whipping wind.


    Thud!


    They fell with a hole the size of a small finger in their temples, vomiting a mixture of the brain water and the blood out through the hole.


    "Huck!" As soon as the remaining one recognized this, he pissed his pants, gasping in fear.


    "Messiah¡­ I guess that''s where the naming sense of survivors is."


    The man with the gun, Kim Tae-hoon, put the gun into the holster on his right thigh when he spat out a word through his bitter laugh. Then he approached the man who had collapsed after losing strength in his legs. He said, "I have a question."


    The man answered in a mournful voice, "Spare, spare me¡­."


    2.


    Choi Ki-soon was a survivor of the monster outbreak.


    There were two ways that survivors of the monster outbreak could survive: kill monsters or kill people.


    He was the latter. He gathered people together and lived with the people who gathered in the world of lawlessness as an outlaw.


    Rape, looting, murder.


    They committed the most atrocious crimes that would have justified the revival of the death sentence, if the Korean judicial body was still existing. No, they did more than just eating, because eating after the monster outbreak was more difficult than anything else.


    Those who survived in the lawless city and enjoyed lawlessness began to gather in one place. That was how the Messiah group was born, which plundered their own race, not monsters, to survive in the monster world.


    It was a group that used all kinds of means and methods to survive, rather than teaching means and methods.


    "That''s all I know. Please, please, spare me."


    Choi Ki-soon, a member of such a Messiah, became a mild sheep in the face of death.


    "I will not forget this grace if you save me. I will never be bad again. I will be good." He made a commitment that would be childish.


    A short memory of three days ago passed through Kim Tae-hoon''s mind, as he looked at Choi.


    The starting point of the memory was the moment when Kim won the victory against the Flame-spewing Crocodile and swallowed its monster stone in return for becoming the winner.


    ---


    "Boss, it''s an emergency."


    When Kim ate the monster stone and everyone in the Mac Guild flocked around and shouted like thunder at their win, Jang Sung-hoon appeared with a grim expression.


    "The green-grade monster has disappeared from the map."


    He spread his expression to Kim with only a few words.


    "The one in Gwangmyeong City."


    At the moment of hearing that, there was no such thing as victory in Kim''s mind anymore. Immediately after breaking through the door of a nearby coffee shop, he heard more details from Jang there: the green light that was located in Gwangmyeong City suddenly disappeared.


    The time needed to look at Daedongyeojido was not so long. After that, Jang told Kim the number of cases he assumed.


    "It has either a good skill to disappear from the map, or it moved out of the searchable range at a tremendous speed.


    "Or someone else hunted him. I guess it''s one of these three things."


    Three possibilities.


    However, there was only one option that Kim could choose for those three cases: to quickly enter Gwangmyeong City and look at the situation. It was a natural move.


    If a green-grade monster had the ability to disappear from the map, it meant that they could not deal with it using only Daedongyeojido, and the solid castle Mac Guild had built could become a sand castle overnight.


    Of course, they had to take a risk and investigate.


    If it had fled, he had to check it out, because he had to secure the solar power plant in Gwangmyeong City, and do a preliminary search before that.


    ''There is nothing strange about having a stronger Awakener than me, because each Awakener has a different rank of ability at the beginning, and if he has a strong relic¡­''


    Finally, if an Awakener had destroyed the green-grade monster, he also needed confirmation.


    ''Maybe he is the one who killed me in the future.''


    The existence of an Awakener who could remove a green-grade monster in a short time could be more dangerous than a green-grade monster. So, Kim entered Gwangmyeong City after preparing immediately.


    That was three days ago.


    ---


    In the meantime, Kim explored and searched Gwangmyeong City as secretly as possible. He avoided fighting with monsters and contact with survivors.


    A little while ago, Kim was convinced that at present, there was no green-grade monster in Gwangmyeong City, nor was any Awakener expected to have killed it. That was why Kim showed up now.


    "Really, I''ll be really nice if you spare me."


    After returning to reality after the recollection, Kim looked at Choi, who had become a mild sheep seeking mercy in front of himself. Looking at him, Kim made a slight nod. "You may go."


    At the gesture, which was not too much to say for the world, Choi jumped out of his crouch.


    "Thank you, thank you very much."


    Choi, who became free as such, seemed not to be relieved and stayed guarded, slowly moving away from him. After getting far enough away, he started to run away hard, muttering softly of his resolution.


    "You''re dead, you son of a bitch!"


    Kim Tae-hoon did not even look at Choi.


    "Hey, hey!"


    The man, who had been hurt by the four and who had barely stopped his bloody nose, was sitting quietly in the corner near Kim.


    He was a slender, thin man with a womanly build and lines that could be mistaken for a woman from a distance.


    "You can''t let him go." Even his voice was reedy thin.


    He said in a thin voice, "If you let him go, he will get revenge on you. He will bring in a group called Messiah and surely punish you! Some of Messiah''s men have guns!"


    At the warning, Kim checked his watch on his left-hand wrist before answering and replied bluntly, "I know."


    There was no threat to Kim. In other words, the most dangerous factor in Gwangmyeong City was Kim, and he did not want to shirk from this danger.


    "That''s why I let him go. I''ll have to talk to you now. Tell me everything you know."


    Kim did not want to give endless mercy to the fragile man in front of him. Kim was also a man willing to become a monster to survive in a world dominated by monsters.

 52 Episode 52 - Gwangmyeong City, Part II

    Chapter 19. Gwangmyeong City, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    Gwangmyeong Industrial High School...


    It was now used as a hideout of the Messiah, located right next to Mt. Dodok. Of course, the conversations there were always nasty things, from boasting of forced rape to competing with the number of people they had killed. It was a den of the devils in human form. Now it was full of tension.


    "He had a gun?"


    "Yes, he was definitely holding a pistol."


    "Not a revolver?"


    "Choi, tell me straight. was that a real pistol? Are you sure you were not wrong?"


    The starting point of tension was Choi. Having survived thanks to the mercy of the monster, Kim, he returned to the hideout with all his speed, and then went to the executive and spat out everything.


    The fact that Choi spat out was enough to make the Messiah executives gather in one place even late at night.


    "No, it was clear. It was a pistol."


    "You''re making us sick."


    The first reason was that Choi''s opponent used a pistol, not a revolver.


    "Where did he get the pistol? The police armory usually has automatic rifles, but no pistols?"


    Normal cops usually used revolvers for many reasons.


    First, the first shot could be loaded with blank ammunition, but if they used a normal pistol, they would have to reload it after using a blank. Second, Korean police do not use a gun in most circumstances.


    Therefore, in Korea, pistols that are not revolvers are used in two places: the army, or the police commando units, such as the special forces in the police.


    "Did he get it from the army?"


    It was clear that wherever he brought it, it was associated with a group with different firepower than the general police.


    "But you said that he didn''t shoot. Hey, Choi. Explain it again. How did the kids die?"


    "Well¡­ the moment he dropped the gun muzzle, a sound of the wind suddenly came and everyone fell to the ground with a hole in their temples."


    "The sound of the wind? Explain it correctly, not a stupid explanation."


    "That, that was the sound of the wind. Shiyik, shh! That kind of sound."


    He had killed three people in an instant with a weapon other than a gun.


    "He must be a superhuman, damn it."


    It made the Messiah executives more nervous than the fact that he had used a pistol. They couldn''t help but notice that some of the men with the marks on the back of their right hands had superhuman abilities.


    "Does he use Telekinesis like the captain?"


    One of them was the head of the Messiah, Lee Ji-seop.


    "But can the captain do that with Telekinesis in an instant¡­"


    "Ha Il-hyun, can I show you if I can or can''t? Huh?"


    "Sorry, sorry."


    Lee Ji-seop.


    He was quite young, sitting on the only fluffy principal chair in the teachers'' room, and he looked like a college freshman, never more than mid-twenties. He was a quiet-looking man.


    "I''m quiet these days, so do I look funny? Huh?"


    "No, no."


    But he was never a kind man.


    Would a kind man be the head of a wicked herd called the Messiah?


    He was a cruel and mean man.


    The world was on its last stage, and there was no more entertainment in the world. Since he was ruthless and evil, he enjoyed bringing people into torture as entertainment.


    In the basement of their hideout of Gwangmyeong Industrial High School, dozens of corpses of those who had been killed by Lee were waiting for spring and summer to come.


    Of course, he did not become a leader just because he was ruthless and evil.


    "Hey, Ha Il-hyun, do you want me to drill a hole in your head?"


    Along with the words, the revolver in Lee''s pocket floated into the air and pointed at a man named Ha Il-hyun.


    Ha''s expression was unseen, for in the teachers'' room they were talking, only two flashlights were flashing instead of a light. They could see how frightened he was by the constant trembling of the flashlight in his hand.


    "Sorry, I''m sorry."


    "Everybody, stay with me. How long are you going to repeat the same story? Are you here to do that? What we need is to find him and find a way to kill him!"


    With the words, Lee grabbed his own gun, which he had made fly with Telekinesis, and withdrew it.


    His expression was serious.


    ''Fucking hell.''


    It was not a look for just this situation.


    ''There''s been some crazy stuff happening since a few days ago.''


    Strange things had been happening in Gwangmyeong City over the last fifteen days. Monsters hiding all over the city began to run away like crazy. Of course, it made it easier for survivors to act. That''s why people, who are not even superhumans like Choi Ki-soon, and who didn''t have a gun, were able to hunt human beings openly.


    But Lee knew that this was not a good sign.


    ''Everything went wrong when the special forces came to Gwangmyeongsageori Station about fifteen days ago.''


    Above all, Lee saw that people, who dressed as special forces, appeared around Gwangmyeongsageori Station.


    It wasn''t like a rescue team. If they were a rescue team, they would try to find survivors, but instead, they appeared at night when survivors kept quiet. Crucially, they entered Gwangmyeongsageori Station without any hesitation.


    ''What did they do?''


    Then suddenly the monsters began to make a fuss.


    ''Should I have run away then?''


    In fact, he tried to escape then, because Lee Ji-seop, who had already committed a lot of crimes, would be the first to be executed when the military or police were in place.


    However, after that, the monsters in Gwangmyeong City disappeared, so he remained. Without a monster, he would be the boss of Gwangmyeong City.


    Now, again, a strange one appeared.


    ''Damn it.''


    Lee was so concerned that he could not even participate in this conversation now.


    Then the door of the teachers'' room opened loudly.


    "Hmm?"


    "What is it?"


    The door opened and everyone who was talking turned their heads naturally toward the noise. But there was nothing in the doorway.


    Instead, the sound of the wind came through the open window. Surprised by the sudden cold wind, people turned their heads again.


    Only two out of six people in the teachers'' room could turn their heads away from the door after the cold wind came in.


    Thud! The other four fell to the floor as they were, dripping blood out of the holes in their heads.


    "Aahhhh!"


    One of the two survivors, Choi Ki-soon screamed at the man floating by the window of the teachers'' room on the second floor.


    "He, he, he¡ª"


    Instead of screaming, Lee jumped up and tried to point the revolver in his hand toward the dark thing over the window.


    "Argh!" But Lee could not. His arm pointed to the ceiling, not his front, as if an invisible line had caught his right wrist and pulled it away.


    ''It''s him.'' Lee was well aware that it was Telekinesis, and thanks to that, he knew who had appeared now.


    Kim Tae-hoon.


    He appeared.


    4.


    Kim Tae-hoon knew the psychology of a criminal group better than anyone else.


    They were like cockroaches.


    When an individual is threatened, the threatened individual heads to the hideout and begins a plot to survive. Therefore, it was not very effective to deal with what you first see when you clean up a criminal group.


    Kim also knew what he had to do to get what he wanted from criminals.


    "Answer the question."


    "Go nuts, you son of a bitch, just kill me!"


    Ptui! Lee, who was holding both arms high above him, not one arm, spat at Kim Tae-hoon before him defiantly. The spit touched Kim''s cheek.


    Kim wiped the spit lightly. After wiping the spit, he closed his mouth tightly. Then he also spat on Lee Ji-seop. Ptui!


    However, what Kim spat was different from Lee''s spit. It was not saliva, but a small fireball. So the fire that Kim spat stuck to Lee''s cheek.


    "Aaaaaaargh!"


    The pain of his skin melting through drew a huge scream from Lee''s mouth, and shook the teachers'' room. The fire did not go out. It was gradually expanding its area by nibbling away Lee''s skin.


    "Aaargh, Aaaaaaargh! Aaaaaaargh!" At this burning pain, Lee''s bloody poisonous eyes filled with fear quickly.


    The fire extinguisher Kim brought from the corner of the teachers'' room saved Lee. The extinguishing powder coated Lee''s face.


    "Koff, koff-" Lee gasped in the extinguishing powder. Kim stood in front of Lee with the fire extinguisher.


    "Forty-seven. It is the number of your men who were deployed here, and the number I removed."


    Lee laughed at the remark.


    "Don''t talk rubbish, just kill me, if you don''t want to get spit on again."


    Ptui! At that moment, Kim once again spat at Lee. The saliva touched Lee''s eyelids, which were stained with the extinguishing powder.


    "Aaaaaaargh!" In this sudden situation, Lee recalled the pain he had suffered a moment ago, and now he was screaming, imagining his eyes burning.


    But there was no pain. Kim''s spit was normal saliva.


    "If you don''t want to get spit on again, keep in mind what I say. When I ask a question, if I don''t get an answer in three seconds, if you roll your eyes for three seconds, or if your answer is different for the same question, I''ll spit on your eyes."


    Lee could no longer muster any malice in his words.


    He, who had a keen intuition, knew that Kim would not let him live; the man in front of him had no intention of sparing him.


    And he realized why Kim had mentioned the number of his men. Forty-seven.


    Some of them were guards who monitored the basement. They were guarding the place where the bodies of Lee had dumped after playing with them were collected. Of course, he''d seen the bodies there.


    "What happened in Gwangmyeong City three days ago?"


    "Nothing-"


    So at this moment, Lee adjusted himself to this situation.


    "I''m sure something happened in Gwangmyeong City three days ago."


    "Nothing really happened. It was rather quiet. I couldn''t see the monsters either!"


    "So what happened about fifteen days ago?"


    "That''s-" Lee looked as if he had been stabbed.


    On the other hand, Kim counted calmly. "One, two-"


    "Special forces. Special forces entered Gwangmyeongsageori Station. That''s all I know."


    "Time? Day or night?"


    "Night, late night¡­"


    "How many?"


    "I don''t know, but I think there were more than ten people-"


    "What happened after that?"


    "Monsters suddenly began to move, and the monsters have been greatly reduced in town-"


    At that moment, a revolver slowly began to float into the air, owned by a member of the Messiah who now had a hole in his head. Lee Ji-seop had started using his own Telekinesis.


    ''You''re dead.''


    That''s why he complied with the attitude.


    Now he knew that Kim would not spare him, and he had to kill Kim to live. Of course, the moment he grabbed the gun and pointed it at Kim, he tried to pull the trigger without hesitation.


    Ptui! However, Kim''s saliva reached Lee''s left eye more quickly than the bullet did.


    And this time, the saliva had color. The fire which the Flame-spewing Crocodile had vomited began to boil Lee''s left eye.


    "Aaaaaaargh!"


    Lee screamed in a panic as the world turned black with his left eye burning. Of course, the revolver he was trying to use with his Telekinesis fell to the floor.


    Kim spoke to Lee without spraying the fire extinguisher this time. "I''m not going to let you live, as you''ve noticed. But I don''t even think I''ll kill you nicely. So from now on, all you have to do is beg me to kill you nicely. I don''t have to explain what I''m saying because you''re quick-witted."


    "Aaaaaaargh!"


    "Then let me continue with the questions."


    Kim was a man who understood the psychology of criminals better than anyone else.


    5.


    Late night.


    Kim was looking at exit No. 4 of Gwangmyeongsageori Station.


    ''Special forces entered Gwangmyeongsageori Station.''


    The information he''d obtained was pretty good.


    ''That''s why the green-grade monster near Cheolsan Station suddenly came towards Gwangmyeongsageori Station.''


    It was a very good piece of information that organized the information in his mind.


    ''If they come to Gwangmyeongsageori Station from Cheolsan Station, they would end up in Bucheon. In the process, the monsters below yellow-grade were naturally pushed toward Bucheon.''


    Of course, the information did not clear all his doubts.


    ''The purpose of the special forces is unknown. It was not a rescue team. A rescue team has no reason to act like that.''


    Therefore, Kim had to guess again.


    ''Their purpose was to hunt monsters. What they entered Gwangmyeongsageori Station without hesitation meant that they knew there was a green-grade monster inside in it. Of course, there was a weapon to kill the green-grade monster.''


    Special forces came to Gwangmyeong City, and they entered Gwangmyeongsageori Station to kill a green-grade monster. The green-grade monster disappeared from the detection of the Daedongyeojido three days ago.


    ''More than ten days.''


    It was unlikely that they would have fought in a subway station for more than ten days.


    Common sense suggested that it was highly likely that they failed. The green-grade monster was alive up to three days ago.


    In Kim''s view, they could not kill a green-grade monster with just a relic. They should have included at least four to five hunters, who had the same level of power of Kim. No matter how powerful a weapon was, it was no use by itself. When there was a man who could handle it, it would be a real weapon.


    ''This is the hunting.''


    Here, Kim focused on that it was not just a battle, but a hunt.


    ''Even if the green-grade monster had killed all the special forces entered, it could have been fatally wounded.''


    Usually, the battle was divided between the winner and the loser, but the hunting sometimes doesn''t finish between the winner and the loser.


    ''If the fatal injury got worse, the prey that ate the hunters would die of the fatal injury in the process.''


    At that moment, after thinking about it, Kim entered Gwangmyeongsageori Station.

 53 Episode 53 - Gwangmyeong City, Part III

    Chapter 19. Gwangmyeong City, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    6.


    Snap!


    The pitch-black darkness with not even a single ray of light brightened after a long time.


    Kim Tae-hoon, who held the light in his hand, shined it ahead of him.


    It was as it was. When he released it from his hand, it started to move by itself.


    With his light in the air, he brought out another flashlight again. He began to walk along the dark subway tracks with two lights shining as co-workers.


    The first thing that greeted him was a corpse. There were several bodies that had been squashed, not just one.


    He could see five corpses right now. They were pretty ugly.


    ''I think they were struck by a blunt weapon.''


    Their wound looked as if they had been hit by a blunt weapon, but it was as terrible as a bomb. The struck area was blown apart. The heads were smashed, to the extent that it was difficult to find pieces, and those who were attacked in the belly were torn apart.


    ''This power is beyond the bounds of common sense.''


    It was like being hit by a lump of metal moving hundreds of kilometers per hour. Such bodies had something in common besides wounds.


    ''Rather, the suit is-''


    All of them were dressed in black.


    ''A counterterrorism suit.''


    It was quite a familiar suit for Kim.


    It was not a uniform worn by certain troops. but a counterterrorism suit, which was used in the counterterrorism operations, and Kim had worn it several times. Of course, he knew the purpose of making that suit.


    ''Their aim was to hunt the monster secretly, too.''


    Black was the color for secret activities in the dark. The purpose of such clothes was to avoid the attention of the public. In addition, costumes such as counterterrorism suits are not based on the assumption of monsters. It''s a product of putting humans as enemies.


    Of course, there were a few differences from the counterterrorism suit Kim knew.


    Tap! Tap!


    Kim tapped the chest of the dead body. He could feel the hard material hidden between the cloth.


    ''They didn''t wear it outside but put it between the clothes. They sewed it in.''


    Sewing.


    They remade the clothes. It was a step further than simply using armor.


    The next thing he looked for was the back of their right hands. As soon as he took off their gloves, the marks of Awakeners were revealed, as expected.


    Kim''s eyes turned black.


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 71


    - Health: 49


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: D- Rank


    - Mana: E Rank


    - Defense: D- Rank


    - Mana Resistance: E Rank


    [Achieved Abilities]


    - Hobgoblin''s Sense (Grade 6)


    - The Vitality of Troll (Grade 6)


    Kim frowned with his black-dyed Eyes.


    ''Their abilities are higher than I thought.''


    Immediately, he also checked the back of the right hand of the other bodies.


    He was also an Awakener, and his abilities were not much different from the body he had just identified. Both of them had acquired the [Hobgoblin''s Sense] and [Vitality of Troll].


    When the third body was found to have similar abilities as the previous two, Kim had no choice but to admit it.


    ''They are soldiers made in a systemic manner.''


    They were not soldiers who hunted monsters and ate monster stones to live, but the ones who were fed monster stones on purpose.


    Kim frowned. "Huh." ''I even expected this much.''


    He had expected it, but he didn''t know that there was a group that could create such an Awakener so quickly. At the same time, he was suspicious.


    ''But that''s not enough.''


    Certainly, they were well-bred Awakeners. There weren''t many in the Mac Guild at this level.


    ''It''s ridiculous to try to hunt a green-grade monster at their level.''


    It wasn''t enough to hunt a green-grade monster.


    ''They wouldn''t have endured the fear.''


    In other words, at this level of Energy, it was not easy to withstand the fear of a yellow-grade monster, let alone a green-grade monster.


    Nevertheless, it was hard to understand that they entered the subway station without hesitation, even if they knew a green-grade monster was within. With common sense, if there had been a monster in the dark-filled subway station, which had only a limited number of places to run away, it would have been an extremely dangerous place.


    They should never come in unless they had something to believe in.


    ''¡­ they must have had a good relic.''


    Relic.


    It is now the most reliable thing in the world.


    Kim immediately began searching inside the jacket of the body. First, he found a Smartphone. Crushed flat, it definitely did not work.


    ''Hanji?'' The next discovery was none other than the finely folded Hanji, which was the traditional Korean paper handmade from mulberry trees. He opened the Hanji.


    ''It''s a rubbing from a tombstone.''


    It was a rubbing made of Korean paper after smearing a huge tombstone. It wasn''t old. The Hanji was stiff, and the smell of ink still remained.


    Above all, Kim''s Eyes, which were still black, were soon able to identify the rubbing.


    ==[The Rubbing of Sunsubi]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 5


    - Relic Value: Normal


    - Relic Effect: It contains some dignity of King Jinheung. It can make weak monsters tremble with fear.]==


    The Rubbing of Sunsubi of King Jinheung of Silla!


    ''They''re from Seoul.''


    The Rubbing of Sunsubi of King Jinheung was located in the National Museum of Korea. Having the Rubbing of Sunsubi of King Jinheung meant they were from Seoul.


    As expected, there were already forces that had taken the relics of the National Museum of Korea. It was not very pleasant news. Kim briefly clicked his tongue.


    ''If a rubbing alone has the effect of scaring monsters, then the tombstone itself¡­''


    On the other hand, he could indirectly learn the effect of the Rubbing of Sunsubi of King Jinheung.


    King Jinheung was one of the greatest war kings in Silla. He was the monarch who fought wars of conquest many times!


    Naturally, the tombstone that his achievements were engraved on would surely have the power to match the dignity and nature of King Jinheung.


    It was understandable enough to scare the monsters. In fact, the rubbing was this strong, so the Sunsubi of King Jinheung would play a role as an invisible barrier to block monsters'' access.


    Kim, of course, took the rubbing, and thought, ''I wonder what the effect of Gwanggaeto Stele would have.''


    The doubts flew from his mind as soon as he found a weapon of one of the bodies.


    ''Panzerfaust.''


    They also had a weapon, a Panzerfaust 3, which Kim had used. But it was different from what Kim had used. At the end of the shell that the man had not yet used, there was a bronze spear instead of a pointed snout.


    Kim looked at the bronze spear.


    ==[The Bronze Spear of a Warrior]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 4


    - Relic Value: Rare


    - Relic Effect: It is a bronze spear used by an ancient warrior. It contains the fighting spirit of a warrior.]==


    It was also a relic. It was not a mere relic, but a relic of the Bronze Age written in the textbook. The relic was put in front of the shell.


    If it were normal times, it would be crazy. A Panzerfaust had the gunpowder of the shaped charge warhead. A relic which was put this way in front of a warhead would be destroyed with the monster.


    When he saw it now, he got chills down his back.


    ''If the power of the shell and the relic are combined¡­''


    Combining a relic with modern weapons in this way was not simply a matter of thinking. Anyone can think.


    But a relic is a treasure that could not be replaced by anything at this point, and it was not something you could practice, using it as consumable.


    If you do, you will have to complete the minimum verification, because you could not afford to consume the relic in situations where the effects are not verified.


    No, before now, this weapon had already proved its worth.


    ''The monster was killed by this.''


    As a result, this weapon would have dealt a fatal blow to a green-grade monster. The fatal wound would have caused it to suffer, and it eventually died three days ago.


    ''The penetration power of a Panzerfaust also worked on a yellow-grade monster. If the destructive power is added to the relic¡­''


    Of course, luck followed.


    ''The combined weapon would have hurt it. However, they were lucky to give it a fatal injury.''


    Luck, however, follows those who try, and luck does not follow those who do not try. In other words, the green-grade monster killed by this weapon was unlucky.


    Kim rose from his seat. ''I''ll have to check it more thoroughly.''


    It was time to find the unlucky monster.


    7.


    It was around dawn when Kim returned from his search in Gwangmyeong City, which was not short.


    At the calmest time, when most people were asleep, Kim returned to the mayor''s office in Bucheon City Hall, where Jang Sung-hoon greeted him with sleepy eyes.


    "Do you have any profit?"


    Before answering the question, Kim took out a smartphone and handed a photo file to Jang, who blinked his eyes to get rid of sleep.


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 215


    - Health: 198


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: C- Rank


    - Mana: C- Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Defense: C- Rank


    - Mana Resistance: C- Rank


    [Achieved Abilities]


    - Flame-Spewing (Grade 5): The fire is generated by Energy. The power varies depending on the amount of Energy consumed. The nature of the flame follows the nature of the Energy.


    - The Hearing of the Bell-tailed Rat (Grade 4): The Hearing of the Bell-tailed Rat can hear even the sound of drops of water.


    "Wow, you''ve done a lot of level-ups! Boss, congratulations. What did you get this time?"


    In response to the high-pitched voice of Jang, Kim closed his Eyes instead of answering. Jang looked puzzled at the sight he didn''t show.


    "Ah." Jang Sung-hoon, who suddenly understood the situation, lowered his voice. "I''m sorry."


    The fourth grade was the same as the Eyes of Black Snake in Kim''s abilities. It didn''t just stop on a level of hearing. He could hear the sound of drops of water, and the sounds which Jang made in front of Kim''s nose would have sounded like thunder.


    "This ability is adjustable, but not right now."


    "I''m glad to hear that it can be controlled." Jang lowered his voice as much as possible. "You got a fourth-level ability, and you found a green-grade monster..."


    But he never shut up. He could not just keep silent. But if Kim had wanted him to be quiet, he would not have woken Jang up.


    ---


    The explanation began. Kim told Jang all about his experiences in Gwangmyeong City: from the story of the Messiah to the story of a green-grade monster, a Bell-tailed Rat, found with a hole in its heart.


    In the story, Kim earned a huge treasure. He got the body and monster stone of the fourth-grade monster.


    However, Jang did not care about the goods.


    "We have a great competitor who is stronger than we thought, and the army which owns the National Museum of Korea¡­ but I don''t think its the Infantry Division, but the Capital Defense Command."


    "I don''t know, and we should not make a wild guess."


    Competitor.


    It was the clearest word to express the group that had appeared this time.


    The reason for being a competitor is simple. The world had become a zero-sum game where you had to secure as many monster stones as possible, with limited monsters.


    "Anyway, if we see them hunting monsters at any cost, they know that securing monster stones is more important than anything else."


    The competitor that appeared this time also knew it. So they ran a special unit for monster hunting.


    "But I don''t understand, no matter how much they prepared, they did not have enough power to kill a green-grade monster. Moreover, there is surely a Daedongyeojido in the National Museum of Korea and it is not a copy, but the original edition¡­"


    There were, of course, some things that he didn''t understand.


    "The stats of the Awakeners there were not simply enough to search for a foe like that."


    The National Museum of Korea had a copy, as well as the original edition of Daedongyeojido, and could print some of them, if not all.


    If they had a Daedongyeojido, they must have known that Gwangmyeong City had a green-grade monster.


    So why did they send a well-trained unit of Awakeners to that deadly place?


    "Maybe they did not secure Daedongyeojido?"


    Kim did not answer Jang''s question. The answer could not be answered by anyone here. Speculation could only make a conjecture.


    So Kim discussed something else. He took out a pocket notebook, and immediately opened its fourth page and showed it to Jang.


    [Gather at Gimpo Airport on March 3rd]


    Jang''s expression hardened at the short passage. It was not difficult to understand what it meant.


    "There was not one unit, and several units moved out of Seoul to collect monster stones and would gather together on a given date¡­ If it''s Gimpo International Airport, are they going to take an airplane?"


    "It''s an open place without people, and it can be safer than we think to the threat of monsters."


    They got information that meant they could contact the unknown forces. What was left was a choice.


    "So are you going to negotiate with them here on that day?"


    There are two options: as it is, we just go without knowing about one another, or we can talk after contact.


    "What do you think?"


    "Doing nothing is a blindfolded thing, and Gimpo Airport is just above Bucheon. No, they are already in Gwangmyeong City, and we can''t avoid contacting them."


    But in fact, there was one option to choose.


    "Boss, they''re much bigger than us, so it''s not too bad to negotiate and get under them. There''s no reason for them to be hostile to a group of survivors, like the boss and Mac Guild¡­ is my opinion.


    "We have to face them someday, anyway. It is better for us to go ahead and talk and negotiate before we meet them, pretending not to know. No, it may be much better."


    ''We must seek to survive through negotiations.''


    Even if you compete, it is a completely different story to compete in a situation where you have agreed, and to compete in a situation where you live or die.


    Above all, there was not one competitor now.


    There will be many survivors in Korea, and on a larger scale, there will be strong competitors in Japan, North Korea, and China. If you looked at it globally, Europe, Russia, and the United States could also be competitors.


    Compared to them, the survivors of the Republic of Korea lacked sufficient power even if they held hands with one another.


    ''Because they are soldiers, they are fully aware of other countries as potential enemies, and the chances of success in negotiations are high.''


    The group that had now settled in Seoul was centered on soldiers. Soldiers are a group that exists because of their enemies. Of course, if they are soldiers, they will know how many enemies are around the Republic of Korea.


    The only problem is one.


    "They''ll have to negotiate, but the problem is¡­ If the negotiations break down, the boss will be in trouble."


    There was no guarantee that good results would come out through negotiations. And the possibility that Kim would be in trouble was not small.


    "Sister Sun-mi''s hair is still short, so you won''t die right away. Don''t worry." Jang said the words to reassure Kim, and Kim laughed at the remark. The smile on his lips disappeared immediately.


    He couldn''t forget the dream.


    "I sent a signal to make Gyeongju the destination, not Seoul."


    In his second dream, Kim made a wish list for himself. He hid information in the wish list: make Gyeongju or Buyeo your destination, not Seoul.


    Of course, that didn''t mean Seoul was completely in danger; it might mean that you should not waste your time on the occupied land, and should find the unoccupied land and be the owner.


    ''It is possible that those in Seoul will be dangerous for me in the future.''


    But there was no guarantee that it was not a warning.


    ''It might be dangerous to meet them at Gimpo Airport that day.''


    This decision may result in narrowing the distance from death.


    Kim closed his eyes for a while.


    ''It''s hard to adapt to this kind of situation.''


    The fact that every moment''s choice could cause his own death, and nevertheless, he should make a choice, made Kim''s lips dry.


    "If I have a problem with myself, I''ll be prepared for it."


    However, Kim did not give up his choice. He would just prepare for the outcome of his choice.


    If you have a problem with your own personality, you must take precautions against it, for even if the dead become dead and rotten, living must continue.


    "Get the technicians together."


    "We''ve already got a list, and all you have to do is give them a job."


    "Recover the data of the smartphone in that bag first, there may be other information in it."


    "I understand."


    "And give the Clans a mission. Transport the available solar power generators in Gwangmyeong City to Bucheon."


    "It won''t be easy because the conditions of the road are not good."


    "Use the subway tracks."


    "Is the track okay?"


    "Except for the dead ones, the sound of monster hearts was so loud that I couldn''t bear it."


    Jang admired Kim''s words. He''d finished cleaning up the subway tracks on his way.


    "That''s great. Starting with Bucheon City Hall Station to Cheolsan Station... however, it''s going to be hard right now, since the distance is considerable."


    "It''s something we have to do someday."


    "Yes."


    "Gather the reliable ones and secure the dead body of the Bell-tailed Rat. Send them first. That''s the top priority."


    "Yes."


    Jang laughed at the appearance of Kim, who did not stop speaking of his future plans.


    The conversation between the two went on until dawn, and the morning sun streamed in. That''s how the day began.


    8.


    ''Ah.'' Kim couldn''t feel anything on his right arm.


    ''Did I have my arm cut off? Shoulder first?''


    He felt as if his right arm had been cut off. But it was not possible to confirm that. His eyes were fixed in front of him. There were two women in sight.


    ''Twins.'' They had the same look, one holding a lute in her hand, and the other holding a sword.


    "You are absolutely the dragon slayer. You''re holding out against us so far. Isn''t that great?"


    ''Chinese.'' Chinese came out of the mouth of the woman holding a sword.


    "I just want to bite you to death."


    Of course, Kim didn''t understand Chinese very well.


    ''Let''s just memorize them.'' I just reminded myself of what she said a little while ago to put it to my mind somehow.


    Then he heard a voice behind him. "If you have something to say before you die, say it. Still, you''ve achieved this feat, so we will let you say a word of your will."


    Only then did Kim realize that a man was stabbing his heart with a sword behind his back.


    "Kuck!" And Kim also knew that not many words were left at this moment.


    ''I was stabbed in the heart. My blood is not up to my neck. I can say a few words.''


    Therefore, he listened to the last words of his dying future


    "Here are six snakes- the name of the traitor is Oh Se-bum. Remember his voice. And use him¡­"


    At that moment, the reaction of those around him changed.


    "Shit, kill him fast!"


    "Cut off his head!"


    His dream was that far in the future.

 54 Episode 54 - Gimpo International Airport, Part I

    Chapter 20. Gimpo International Airport, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    The nightmare, which began on December 31, was now ready to pass through January and February, and reach into March.


    The weather had not changed in a short time. It was still cold. However, there was a change among survivors of Bucheon. There was a lot of energy that had not been seen before.


    "OK, setup is complete!"


    It was due to hope. It was still a miserable world, but there was hope that it was getting better in that miserable world.


    "It''s worth the effort on this cold day, looking at the sun."


    "I used to see this before, and kept calm, but now¡­ The solar panels are beautiful."


    And now there was a lamp that reflected that hope more charmingly.


    A solar power generator.


    The device, which could produce electricity semi-permanently if it was maintained properly, had become a powerful source of energy that would fuel the hopes of the gloomy survivors. Of course, there was the greatest hope separately.


    "The Mac Guild has come from hunting!"


    "The Mac Guild?"


    Now a truck had appeared on a fairly well-maintained road. A ten-ton white truck was carrying a Black Orc. And there was a man standing on that dark thing.


    "We got it!"


    "Bang Hyun-wook killed a Black Orc!"


    "He killed the Black Orc on his own!"


    "He killed it alone! He killed it with bare hands!"


    "Did he really kill it by himself?"


    "Nonsense, did he kill that monster alone?"


    It was a great thing, and at the same time, everyone was happy to see it. Hunters were the only hope left in the world.


    Naturally, the appearance of Bang became a parade soon. People cheered him and he couldn''t help but cheer himself up. The parade began in front of Bucheon City Hall. He entered the City Hall right away.


    "Brother Sung-hoon!"


    The first man that came into his eyes was Jang Sung-hoon, who came out of the City Hall after hearing the uproar. Bang approached him in high spirit and said with a cheerful air, "I killed a Black Orc alone! One to one! Without the help of a gun! Oh, of course there was one¡­"


    The waistline of Bang Hyun-wook who was speaking had a weapon that appeared to be an iron mace. It was an item made from the Bell-tailed Rat.


    In appearance, it was seemingly crude and comical, but it had the ability to turn Energy into a devastating force instantly when it was injected. Its destructive power was beyond imagination.


    It was enough to make a car to scrap in a short time! The item was powerful to crush the hard body of a Black Orc into broken pieces.


    Without the help of this item, it would have been impossible for Bang to kill the Black Orc by himself. On the other hand, even if the item was given to them, there was no one but Kim Tae-hoon who could kill a Black Orc by himself. That was why Bang was so excited.


    "But where is the big brother?"


    It was evidence, the proof that he was not a stumbling block, and he was strong enough to help.


    Jang smiled at Bang, who was anxious to show the evidence to Kim somehow.


    "I''m sick and tired of it. You killed it by yourself. I''ve warned you several times that it''s dangerous-"


    "Gee, it has been a while for me, and I had to kill it!"


    "You win. Take a break for now. I''ll tell the boss. It''ll take a while, so have something to eat."


    "Yes!"


    Jang turned his back on the refreshing response from Bang. But, there was no fresh smile on his face. It was just a stiff expression. He could not help but do that.


    ''The Golden Glass filled the third time.''


    Kim Tae-hoon was now dreaming of his third death.


    2.


    The first thing Kim did when he woke up from the dream was to touch his neck. It was naturally attached. However, he felt as if his head was still falling to the floor from his body. Therefore, he could not take his hands off his neck easily. He gripped his neck and pressed his teeth together.


    ''I can''t be adapted to my death.''


    He dreamt of his third death. Moreover, that death had been the worst so far. His arms were amputated, his heart was pricked, and his head was cut off at last. One alone was appalling, but all of them happened at the same time. He was struck with horror. Of course, the aftermath of dreaming of death was also stronger than before.


    ''Whew.''


    Sounds came to him, as he breathed and endured the aftereffects of the pain: the sound of footsteps, breathing, and hearts beating.


    Knock!


    Finally, he heard the sound of knocking. The sound was so clear that it felt as if the person outside the door was right in front of him.


    "Jang Sung Hoon." Of course, he knew who the owner of the knock was.


    "I always feel it, but that absolute hearing is creepy." As Kim predicted, Jang opened the door and came in.


    "Is there really a difference between breathing and a heartbeat? How can you classify a person apart by hearing such a noise-"


    Kim closed his eyes and rubbed his temples instead of explaining.


    "Oh, I''m sorry."


    Kim''s newly acquired power of the Bell-tailed Rat was precise enough to measure his own heart rate and hear breathing, footsteps, and even a heartbeat. In addition, it was now possible to control his ability. But it wasn''t perfect.


    Therefore, if he was tired, distracted, or mentally disturbed, his ability would run at will. In other words, considering his mental state, who just woken up from his death, his ability had been activated to the limit.


    "How was your dream?" Jang asked, lowering his voice.


    "With my arms cut off, the traitor stabbed me in the back, and in front of me, there were twin Chinese sisters, and one of them cut off my head with the sword she was holding."


    "Wow." Jang whistled briefly. "But you can''t ignore the time, and death gradually becomes a spectacle. So, who is the traitor?"


    It was a gruesome death, but it was the most valuable dream ever experienced by Kim. First, he saw the faces of those who were hostile to him. This was a huge bonus.


    "Six snakes and Oh Se-bum."


    "The six snakes may mean power or group, and Oh Se-bum¡­ you know that name?"


    "Not at all."


    "What else?"


    When Jang''s question followed, Kim recited Chinese. It was a shaky Chinese language. But its meaning was clearly conveyed.


    "Can you interpret what one of the twin sisters said to me?"


    Jang''s face hardened as soon as he heard it. "Uh, um-"


    "Is the interpretation hard?"


    "No, it''s not. I know the full meaning."


    "What''s the content?"


    "They said that you are a dragon slayer. They told you that it was great to have gone this far¡­ And they wanted to bite the boss and kill you."


    When he heard the answer, he opened his eyes.


    "Did they really call me a dragon slayer?"


    "I know the atmosphere is not a playful mood."


    "I must have killed a dragon. I''m not sure whether that''s the dragon we think." Kim''s eyes were cold as he spoke.


    The same was true of Jang. It couldn''t be good.


    ''He killed the dragon, but he died. ''What the fuck are we supposed to then?''


    Killing the dragon was a top priority for survival. The Kim Tae-hoon of the future cleared the assignment. But he ended up dead?


    It was terrible. It was like watching a movie called Destination: no matter what you did, you couldn''t avoid dying.


    So, Kim did not dig deep into it. Even if he dug into the terrible thing, there would only be desperation left.


    ''A traitor.''


    He focused on the word traitor. ''Traitor means that he believed them, or acted with them.''


    ''The meanings of an enemy and a traitor are definitely different. An enemy is just an enemy, and a traitor is the one who becomes an enemy among his colleagues.''


    Kim had lived in a world where a traitor would soon be killed, and he never confused the two words.


    ''The traitor who was near me is Oh Se-bum, who stabbed me in the back.''


    In addition, there were more clues that Kim had obtained.


    "I saw a sword-"


    Everything you see and hear could be a clue.


    Of course, the weapon in the hands of the woman who called him a "dragon slayer" was also an important clue.


    "What shape?"


    Soon after, Kim used a pocket notebook and a pen on his desk to draw a picture. It was a terrible job. It seemed impossible to guess what he was drawing.


    The same was true of Jang. At first, he thought it was just the form of a sword. However, when Kim put a diamond-shaped pattern into the sword and finally eight worm-like letters into the sword, Jang changed his face. Soon after, Jang extended his hand.


    "Pen, please."


    Kim handed over the pen and soon Jang drew a new sword on the new page.


    "This is it. What kind of sword is this?" The sword was the sword Kim had seen in his dream.


    "This sword is called the Sword of Goujian." It was the Sword that Kim put in his wish list in his second dream.


    Ahead of his second death, Kim told himself a wish list. It was like an order: to obtain the goods of the wish list, take all the means and methods whatever they are, or even kill the original owner if necessary.


    "Whew." Kim gave a long sigh.


    He heard loud footsteps. Bang Hyun-wook''s footsteps wanted to show off his presence.


    ''There''s no time to rest.''


    Kim recalled today''s date with a short sigh.


    February 28. Today was the last day of February.


    3.


    Gimpo International Airport...


    It was now the quietest place in the world, where it had once been the noisiest place in South Korea, with planes taking off and landing without stopping. The planes lay like corpses covered in snow, and there was a white field of snow where animal footprints could hardly be found, as if to show that no one was on the broad runway.


    The broken windows, the crumbled walls of the airport terminal, and the trace of animals which came to eat the remaining flesh of the broken bodies and departed, were the latest traces.


    It was on March 3 that the silence, which had begun on December 31, broke.


    Crowds dressed in black began to gather in the desolate airport terminal.


    The gathered people immediately shook their hands or hugged to express their joy.


    "It''s been a long time."


    "I''m glad you''re alive."


    It was the appearance of a man who immediately froze the friendly hours that began.


    "Attention."


    As the man wearing a beret appeared, the cheerful atmosphere disappeared, and a solemn atmosphere began to set up like the blade of a sword.


    The man who appeared looked to be in his mid-forties and gave a strong impression, with a square face and a beard around his mouth. He looked at each of them with tiger-like eyes.


    "There is no Major Oh Se-bum and his team."


    The brief remark that came out soon put the crowd on edge. Everyone here made a promise to meet at a fixed date if they were still alive.


    ''Did Major Oh Se-bum''s team fail?''


    In other words, not being here meant not being alive.


    Of course, everyone here was determined: they would not be afraid to die, but they would fight against death. Nevertheless, the reason why everyone was nervous was simple.


    ''Nonsense. What monster did they meet?''


    ''Were they in contact with something above a blue-grade monster?''


    Major Oh Se-bum could never be killed, by the judgment of those who had prepared to die. He was so strong and clever.


    A middle-aged man, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo Dae-hyun, who was also wearing a beret, was well aware of that.


    ''If Major Oh died¡­ If so, whatever we get in this operation will be a loss.''


    Major Oh was a man who had the ability and talent to become a historical hero to save Korea. He could not have died. No, it shouldn''t have happened.


    ''When we lost Daedongyeojido, it was a big loss. Had there been Daedongyeojido, we wouldn''t have taken risks like this.''


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo shut his teeth hard, thinking of the past. Naturally, the congregation held a silence. Bowing in silence began for the dead.


    Bang! It was a shot from the airport''s runway that broke their silence. Everyone''s eyes changed. They had the eyes of soldiers who could fight at any time.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not do that. He was a man who had not relaxed since he had appeared, and who had planted everything that a soldier should have into his bones.


    "Check and come back."


    When Lieutenant Colonel Yoo pointed out a team and gave an order, the team immediately moved to the spot where the gunfire was fired without even answering. It was not long before one came back and reported.


    "A man with a white flag is on the runway. He describes himself as the head of the Mac Guild."


    It was a very difficult explanation: the gunfire came from the runway, a man was standing alone on the runway, he was holding a white flag, and finally, he was the head of the Mac Guild.


    All that was not understood was not described. However, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not express any doubt about the facts, since he had seen a lot of irrational images of survivors in a world in which the system that was driving the world was completely destroyed. So, he wasn''t surprised and didn''t frown. There was no change in expression at all.


    "What''s his name?"


    "It was Kim Tae-hoon."


    "Kim Tae-hoon?"


    However, as soon as he heard the name, the expression of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo changed.


    "Is he really Kim Tae-hoon?"


    He looked surprised.

 55 Episode 55 - Gimpo International Airport, Part II

    Chapter 20. Gimpo International Airport, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    The empty plain...


    On the wide-open field of snow, Kim Tae-hoon stood silently with his left-hand high. His left hand was holding a white cloth. The thin cloth, which looked like a wrapping cloth, flapped in the wind.


    A man came toward Kim. The middle-aged man, who appeared with his hand pressing his beret against the wind, stopped walking two meters away from Kim.


    "Major Kim Tae-hoon."


    After checking Kim''s face, he stepped forward again. One step, about a meter away, he stood at a distance that would be gone if they reached out to one another.


    "You are alive. No, you''d have to survive."


    "You are Lieutenant Colonel Yoo Dae-hyun."


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo Dae-hyun. In Kim''s memory, he belonged to the Capital Defense Command.


    He was the Battalion Commander of Commandos; the 35th Commandos, under the Capital Defense Command, tasked to protect Seoul, the heart of South Korea.


    ''I''m glad I don''t need to identify myself, but I''m confronted with someone who''s hard to deal with.''


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was not a strange man because he knew the existence of Kim Tae-hoon as a secret national weapon. He had that kind of power. The purpose of the Commandos protecting Seoul was to protect those who lived in Seoul. The position of the Battalion Commander of Commandos was not for those who did not want power.


    "I don''t know what your situation is now, but it''s nice to see you like this."


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo extended his hand to Kim. However, Kim did not respond to the handshake. He still holding his hand high up in the sky with the white flag.


    The reason he came here was not to express his joy.


    "I''m here to negotiate."


    On the contrary, Kim came here to settle with the survivors who had settled in the capital, including Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. He was determined not to avoid bloodshed if necessary.


    ''It is always hard to deal with him. Major General Chang Young-sung has created a really scary monster.''


    When he read Kim''s temperament, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo withdrew his hand. The distance between the two still remained about a meter.


    "Negotiation¡­"


    "The city of Bucheon and its surrounding areas are currently managed by the Mac Guild. I''m the head of the Mac Guild."


    "Guild¡­ That''s a funny name."


    "I want to establish a peaceful alliance with the forces that currently occupy the capital city, Seoul."


    The expression ''A peaceful alliance'' did not surprise Lieutenant Colonel Yoo very much.


    ''After society collapsed, I felt bitter that a human being is a social animal. Even Major Kim Tae-hoon came out like this.''


    He had already experienced this situation several times.


    ''Even when society collapses, survivors try to survive. In the process, they realize that they cannot survive alone, and they create groups. Instead of equality, there are ranks and classes in that group. Of course, those who hold a vested interest will not let it go.''


    There were such groups all over the fallen country now, and Lieutenant Colonel Yoo had made several contacts with them. Each time, they said similar things in front of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo and the special forces he led.


    ''Let''s settle it peacefully. Let''s make a deal. I''ll be glad to cooperate if you recognize my vested interests.''


    "I can''t make bargains in my position." The Lieutenant Colonel Yoo never negotiated or traded with them. "I don''t have the authority to negotiate with anti-government groups."


    It was his job to deal with gangs that committed crimes.


    ''As expected.''


    Kim was not surprised by the threats of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo.


    ''A command system seems to have been established.''


    What Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did now was a very reasonable and proper action to do.


    The presence of the Capital Defense Command was proof that the Republic of Korea had not completely collapsed yet. Of course, they should act to protect the nation. They should remove monsters, and crack down on the anti-government forces that committed illegal acts and wickedness.


    Kim Tae-hoon and the Mac Guild were also anti-government forces from that point of view. There was no such thing as a negotiation. There was the only extermination.


    ''That is how it works.''


    That was why Kim came here in person.


    "Then I''d like to talk to someone who has the right to decide."


    "Why?"


    "It''s because we have to avoid the exhaustive wars."


    "The exhaustive wars¡­ I don''t know how much power you''ve secured, but I doubt how much you can afford to wage exhaustive wars against all those in the Capital Defense Command.


    "If we lead an armored unit and come to Bucheon City, we will be able to kill most people in the city."


    He came here to threaten them in case negotiation fails.


    "But if I survive, then you will have an exhaustive war."


    "What is that-"


    Only then did Kim lower his hands. He took off the glove on his right hand. He showed the mark of an Awakener.


    The expression on Lieutenant Colonel Yoo hardened.


    Meanwhile, Kim focused on the person approaching from a long distance.


    ''Someone''s coming.''


    He heard a man approaching from a long distance. He did not bother to show an interest in the man. Of course, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo still did not notice his appearance.


    "Lieutenant Colonel, I''m sorry for being late!"


    Soon a voice passed between Kim and Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. At the voice, they both turned their heads in the direction of the voice.


    "I overslept when I took a nap. I''m so sorry." There was a young man there whose voice Kim heard in his dream.


    ''It''s him.''


    5.


    Oh Se-bum.


    At the young age of twenty-five, he was a man with admirable good looks. He was also tall. Even if he was not wearing tight clothes, he had a model figure.


    The short, cut-off hairstyle was also very well suited for him, and the figure putting out smoke and breathing with a cigarette in his mouth in the middle of winter was the same as a scene in the movie.


    "So this gentleman is a king in Bucheon City, and he wants us to help him stay like a king? He is a funny guy."


    Oh Se-bum was also one of the most talented of the survivors of the current capital city of Seoul and the Awakeners of the Capital Defense Command. That''s why his nickname was Road Maker. He was a monster who made a road for people to move on to the land that was dotted with monsters. That''s why the charismatic Lieutenant Colonel Yoo permitted him to bite a cigarette in front of his eyes and talk.


    "But from the look of the Lieutenant Colonel, I don''t think he''s a nut to talk rubbish."


    "Who is he?"


    "Major Kim Tae-hoon."


    "Major? He looks young. Is he really young?"


    "He has been affiliated with a unit, but there is no name for the unit. He was under Major General Chang Young-sung, and was usually called a ghost."


    "It''s like a secret special unit. That''s great. So how great is he? They don''t even have the same level because they wear the same uniform."


    "If I had to hire only one person to remove someone, I would hire him unconditionally."


    "Wow, he is a great man."


    When he heard the story, Oh Se-bum spat out the cigarette smoke with an exclamation and then threw the cigarette butt on the ground.


    "What do I have to do?"


    "It''s a test."


    "So, you want me to fight a human being who was a human weapon before he became an Awakener? What if I die?"


    Oh''s eyes were laughing, and in return, surprised. The eyes were telling Kim clearly: he was not worried about his own death, he was worried about killing Kim.


    "It''s just a simple test. You don''t have to kill," Lieutenant Colonel Yoo warned him briefly because he also had a similar thought with Oh.


    ''Major Kim cannot win against Major Oh.''


    Oh had already killed a yellow-grade monster alone, and he had also succeeded in hunting a green-grade monster.


    In the case of the green-grade monster hunting, it was thanks to the relics obtained from securing the National Museum of Korea, but it was not an exaggeration to say that he was the hope of the Republic of Korea even with that.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not think Kim could do anything about Oh, even if Kim was such a great man. The world had changed anyway.


    ''But Kim is not a bit of a deal.''


    The problem was that Kim''s real scary thing was not just his strength.


    The days he had lived have been proof of that. He has won a victory against an enemy that could not be dealt with by simple power.


    If he told Hollywood film officials about his achievements, none of them would believe it.


    ''Because he is an Awakener, he is more powerful than before.''


    It was already a tough thing that Kim was an Awakener.


    Awakeners could strengthen their abilities and acquire new abilities by eating monster stones.


    There was plenty of reason to be wary.


    ''He''s not a man to covet power.''


    On the one hand, he was curious.


    He called himself the head of a group called the Mac Guild, which managed Bucheon City, and now he was showing his teeth in front of a hard opponent to keep his position.


    It could be. There were too many people who gave their lives for power and vested rights.


    However, the Kim Tae-hoon who Lieutenant Colonel Yoo knew, was never a man who tried to do something to become a ruler in a collapsed world.


    ''Anyway, if he is an enemy, he will be a troublesome enemy.''


    In addition, Kim was not given the rank of Major just because he did dangerous things. They gave him the rank of Major to direct the crowd.


    ''We have to check his abilities first.''


    Regardless, what mattered was how much of a threat Kim could be. ''If he is stronger than I think, I should keep the negotiation in mind. In fact, it is too much to protect the capital area right now.


    ''Although the land of Bucheon was given to us, we cannot manage it. Moreover, there is no oil from Bucheon, no important munitions factory, and no power plant. If he collects survivors from the land of Bucheon and removes monsters, we are willing to aid him. However, we don''t have to show that much so soon.''


    "How do I test him rather? We can''t use a gun or a sword."


    "Do it with your fists."


    "I think it''s better to just fight with a gun. You know what kind of fist I have."


    "Be careful. I want to see his abilities. You don''t need to kill your opponent."


    "Yes, I''ll keep it in mind."


    Of course, there was no such thing as Oh''s defeat in the mind of the Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, who knew there were countless kills behind him.


    6.


    ''This is how things work.''


    From Bucheon to Gimpo International Airport, Kim had thought a lot while walking the never-short distance. But he didn''t want to take a test.


    If negotiation was done as desired, he would only negotiate, and if the negotiations broke down, he would only have to show evidence that he could threaten if threats were necessary.


    In the meantime, there was no room for a test, a frivolous act.


    ''Oh Se-bum.''


    However, Oh''s appearance shattered all of Kim''s scenarios without mercy.


    ''I don''t think he is the same person.'' This was the name Kim said clearly in his dream.


    ''A traitor.''


    Kim Tae-hoon of the future spoke clearly to Kim Tae-hoon of the past, who dreamt of himself being killed by a traitor.


    And at the same time, he advised, "Use him."


    ''I didn''t tell myself to kill him as soon as I saw him.''


    It was Kim Tae-hoon himself who knew Kim Tae-hoon best.


    So he could believe it. That Kim Tae-hoon of the future included the word "use" among the few allowed words before he died, had a reason to do so.


    ''It''s worth to use him, so I will use him.''


    Furthermore, the current situation showed that Oh plays the same role as an ace of the Capital Defense Command.


    It was not difficult to grasp.


    - In what way do I test him¡­


    - With fists¡­


    It was easy for Kim to listen to the conversation between Lieutenant Colonel Yoo and Oh from a long distance at the quiet Gimpo International Airport.


    The sound of Oh blowing out cigarette smoke in front of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was clearly heard.


    ''By Lieutenant Colonel Yoo''s tolerance, it means that he cannot help it.''


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was quite strict. First, the 35th Commandos were not a clumsy organization. It is a unit where only the elite of the elites could be placed, and where someone who became a soldier as a job to eat and live could not be a Commander.


    He was not a man who could not readily tolerate a novice who was a subordinate and smoking in front of him.


    ''Major.''


    However, the fact that he, who seemed to be in his mid-twenties, was already ranked Major meant that he has already made the right contributions. There was only one contribution in this world: killing monsters.


    ''I''ll check his abilities first.''


    That''s why Kim was taking the ridiculous test. At the same time, he also created a benchmark.


    ''And if I really think he''s a threat to me¡­ I will remove him anyway.''


    7.


    "Hello, my name is Oh Se-bum. My Rank is Major, the same as you. Ah, you''re not a soldier now."


    Oh threw his left fist into the air with the words.


    A light jab...


    But the sound of the wind was frightening. It felt like pulling the trigger of a gun, not a punch. It was already beyond human standards.


    "Let''s just play the first round of five minutes. Don''t be too hard, because we''re just looking at our abilities. What''s good about hurting each other? If you get hurt, you can''t get insurance and a pension."


    Naturally, that punch wouldn''t stop him from getting sick and bruised.


    Above all, he only fought with his bare hands.


    ''The purpose is to ascertain what power he has.''


    There were no words not to use the powers acquired from the monsters. And that was the point.


    What Lieutenant Colonel Yoo wanted was to check the cards Kim had.


    And that was also what Kim wanted. He was checking the cards Oh had.


    "Now, when we are ready, we start."


    Therefore, neither Kim nor Oh played any games.


    "Start!" The moment Oh''s voice sounded, he instantly narrowed the distance from Kim and jabbed out his left hand.


    The fist that flew towards Kim''s nose was swift. Kim did not avoid the fist and raised his arms to block it.


    Whack!


    Kim''s body did not shake at all.


    ''He must have eaten the monster stones properly?'' Oh thought.


    The two deduced two facts from this attack and defense. Their Strength and physical Defense were similar.


    At that moment, Oh raised the Energy in his gut. His Energy spread to his whole body with the force, and his spirit changed quickly.


    The spine of Kim Tae-hoon, who looked at Oh Se-bum through his arms to play guard, also chilled.


    ''Oh''s Energy rank is at least¡­ above B rank.''


    When the short thought crossed Kim''s mind, the right fist that Oh put out came to Kim''s nose. It was much faster than the previous punch. With his basic skills, Kim could not avoid it. So, at this moment, Kim used his Telekinesis to pull his body sideways.


    Paat!


    Oh''s right straight punch ripped through the air and generated its own wind.


    The place where Kim had been, showed traces of wind pressure, and the snowfield behind him was blowing around.


    ''He is going to kill me.''


    Kim had enough reason to avoid it urgently. He was tense.


    ''He avoided my punch by pulling his body with his Telekinesis? This?'' At the same time, Oh was nervous, too. He was also willing to kill Kim if necessary. However, Kim avoided the attack easily and was widening the distance between them.


    ''His Telekinesis rank and skills are no jokes.''


    Furthermore, Kim definitely used Telekinesis. Otherwise, such avoidance was impossible.


    ''I don''t know what''s going to happen if the distance is widened.''


    ''It is not a good idea to widen the distance to those who use Telekinesis.''


    Naturally, the eyes of the two changed.


    The playfulness disappeared from Oh''s eyes, Kim''s pupils were black.


    With that spirit, Oh ran towards Kim, who was widening the distance between them.


    Oh''s physical ability was strengthened through Energy,and it was virtually impossible for Kim to escape.


    It was also practically impossible to avoid all of the punches which Oh would start pouring out from now on with only his basic ability, even if he had the Eyes of Black Snake. Of course, he used his Telekinesis.


    ''I''ll catch him.''


    He caught Oh''s body with his own Telekinesis and pulled his arms into a chain of Telekinesis.


    Gnash!


    There was a gnashing sound of teeth from Oh Se-bum, who was doing his best to break the Telekinesis that bound him.


    Of course, it was impossible to stop Oh''s body completely. Oh''s hands repeated a one-two punch. However, it was not too fast for Kim to avoid.


    ''Okay!'' In the end, Oh collected his whole power to strike a clear blow, a right-hand straight, not only to shatter Kim''s Telekinesis which tied him up but also to shatter his skull.


    Oh''s punches, which were pouring toward Kim, stopped.


    At that moment, Kim poured out a huge flame as if he had been waiting for this moment.


    Fwoosh!! The flame filled Oh''s vision, and furthermore, wrapped around his body.


    ''Fuck!''


    The flame clung to Oh''s body like sticky liquid. If he left it like this, he would not be able to avoid being burned. He released his Energy all over his body.


    Paat!


    The flame that stuck to Oh''s body was thrown off.


    ''I''ll kill you!'' After shaking off the flame, Oh flashed his eyes to find Kim. This was already no test in his mind. He was fully thinking of killing Kim.


    ''Where is he?''


    But Kim was not visible. Oh''s eyes turned to the ground reflexively, following the footprints.


    ''What?''


    However, Kim''s footprints were not anywhere. At that moment, Oh looked up reflexively as if he had felt something. Kim''s right fist, which had turned black, fell on his face.


    Oh''s memory stopped right there.

 56 Episode 56 - Gimpo International Airport, Part III

    Chapter 20. Gimpo International Airport, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    8.


    Before the appearance of the monsters, the power of an individual was very trivial. However, after the appearance of the monsters, the power of an individual had now become something that mankind should hope for.


    The hopes of those, who had recently survived in the capital city of South Korea, were hanging on a young man named Oh Se-bum.


    He was heroic from the beginning. As soon as the monsters appeared, he fought against them with his bare hands and won. So, they gave him a lot of things.


    He was given the rank of Major, even though he was only in the first year of the reserve army, and the freedom to smoke when he was in front of Battalion Commander of the 35th Commandos, who protected the top leaders of the Republic of Korea.


    "No way!"


    "Major Oh Se-bum is down?"


    "What the hell?"


    He was now stretched out on the snowy field. His tongue was out, and his eyes were turned over, with dark red blood spilling out between the nostrils of a crushed nose.


    ''Oh, my God.''


    In front of the scene, the solemn, serious expression of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo Dae-Hyun changed to dismay.


    There was one more person who couldn''t believe the sight.


    ''No.'' Kim Tae-hoon also couldn''t accept the sight straight away. ''I couldn''t have been beaten by this guy in the future.''


    Oh was definitely strong. There was no shortage of skills to gain the upper hand against Kim, who might have no rival among Awakeners.


    If it was a battle that used all their relics, not bare hands, Kim would never have won a head-to-head battle with Oh.


    But that was all.


    ''He''s not the type to plan a real conspiracy and betrayal.''


    He was just strong, but he was not a man of style, able to paint a big picture and plan it out.


    That was what he has shown right now.


    It was a totally different matter to have a position and background able to show off in front of the Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, and to actually do so.


    If Kim were in Oh''s position, he wouldn''t have shown off in front of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was not an absurd person. To make an enemy by behaving as one pleases is a characteristic of a low-grade player.


    However, when he came to face Kim, Oh revealed his feelings as they were. At first, he looked down on Kim and immediately expressed his intention to kill him after Kim''s provocations.


    People who showed off their murderous spirit according to their mood were one of two types: a puppy, or a madman.


    ''So I told myself to use him in my dream.''


    In summary, Oh was a man who could fight Kim, threaten him, and kill him, but he couldn''t plan it.


    ''There''s a mastermind."


    Of course, there was someone in the background. There was a player who controlled the chessboard and used a chessman named Oh Se-bum.


    ''The head is the real enemy threatening me.''


    Kim''s idea went that far. It was not the opponent behind Oh Se-bum that Kim should deal with right now. He raised Oh, who had fainted, with his Telekinesis. Then he shouted to Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, who was in the middle of the crowd, in a loud voice, "Let''s start negotiating."


    Now Kim had another card to negotiate: the hostage card.


    9.


    "Currently, the Capital Defense Command is located to the north of the Han River. My role is to contact the surviving forces outside of Seoul."


    "How''s the situation in Seoul?"


    "Of the thirty-one bridges of the Han River, the Gimpo Bridge and the Banpo Bridge are the only ones that are safe. This much explanation should be enough for you to understand the situation."


    "Did you blow up the bridges on purpose?"


    "Some of them were blown by the military, some of them were blown by monsters."


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo has begun negotiations with Kim.


    He saw Kim''s ability, and now he could not help but negotiate with Kim, who had taken Major Oh Se-bum as a hostage.


    In addition, Kim was a man who did what he intended to do. If necessary, he would cut off the limbs of Oh and continue to carry out his will to hurt Oh.


    In fact, while talking, Kim was not letting Oh Se-bum go. Oh was still stunned and standing like a mannequin. The place of the conversation was still the runway, cold winds blowing past.


    If Lieutenant Colonel Yoo tried to bluff in front of Kim, the only things he would get were Oh''s fingernails or fingers.


    Kim had decisively showed his ability. He proved how threatening he could be. If Lieutenant Colonel Yoo continued to show hostility against him, Kim would not let him and his forces go like this.


    "How many survivors?"


    "Not a great number, of course, but a lot survived. Seoul was the home of more than ten million people."


    That was why Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, who had been uncooperative so far, changed his attitude and cooperated. When Kim heard Yoo''s story, Kim could see that the situation in Seoul was worse than he thought.


    ''They''ve saved a lot¡­ it''s not good.''


    At this point, the fact that there were many survivors was a very negative factor in some ways. In the view of the monsters, once there were many survivors, they had a lot of prey. Always. The rich prey led to the emergence of higher predators. There was no guarantee that survivors were cooperative. Humans could always be more monstrous than monsters.


    ''There''s a subway.''


    There were also two fatal weaknesses in Seoul at this time. One was a lot of buildings occupied the land, and the other was an underground subway which was like a spider web. These were the best places for monsters to hide. Conversely, they were places which restricted the use of military power.


    The subway was the worst. It was very hard for trams and fighters to go into the subway and kill monsters. The same was true of skyscrapers. If the monsters caused the building to collapse, the additional damage was enormous. A tall building was, in a way, a mine.


    ''They couldn''t find the answer in Seoul, so they came out.''


    Such facts were the reason why Lieutenant Colonel Yoo had led the special forces out of Seoul. They couldn''t find an answer to solve the situation in Seoul.


    At that moment, Kim asked Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. "How about the president or the prime minister? How are they?"


    "Of course, we have secured their safety," Lieutenant Colonel Yoo answered as if he had waited for the question. His expression was calm.


    "Is that so?" However, Kim was able to clearly hear that the heart rate of lieutenant colonel Yoo had changed.


    ''They failed to secure them.'' It was the voice of a person telling lies and acting. ''We are in trouble.''


    It was obvious. Currently, the powers that were in Seoul had yet to secure the defense of the top authority, such as the president or prime minister.


    In other words, they were not different from Kim and other military units.


    To put it simply, there was no justification.


    They could not prove they were the power that represented Korea. It was like a national seal of the Three Kingdoms. It did nothing by itself. The presence of a president at this moment did not mean that the president could escape from the monsters or that he could kill a powerful monster.


    What was important is that the group under the direction of the president could claim the power of the Korean government. Those who were hostile to the force were, of course, anti-government forces. But if there is no president or prime minister, the concept of anti-government forces disappeared.


    ''It''s the best situation to have ambition.''


    For those with military power, this was simply an opportunity to rewrite everything. Of course, if this was known, the Republic of Korea would no longer be able to remain South Korea. They would repeat the history of the Korean Peninsula. There would be several military governments on the Korean Peninsula, and they would wage war.


    It was not what civilized people would do, but those who survived now were not the civilized ones.


    "I''m glad they''re safe." Here, Kim no longer quizzed Lieutenant Colonel Yoo about that fact. "If so, please speak well of us. The Mac Guild will kill monsters in nearby areas, including Bucheon City, and secure the safety of survivors."


    It was time to get what he wanted.


    "If you give me your support, I will also hunt monsters in major cities, including Incheon."


    At the words of Kim Tae-hoon, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo recognized that it was time to finish the conversation. With this, Kim had expressed all his desires. The idea was very simple.


    ''If you want to use the Mac Guild in Bucheon to deal with monsters, you should pay us. In addition, the only remaining power available to the remaining forces in Seoul is the relics.''


    "Okay, I''ll try to get good results."


    At that remark, Kim brought up something to end the conversation.


    It was something from his pocket, and it twinkled like a jewel under the light. But it was not a gem.


    It was a chain with a military serial number.


    It was a chain with a military serial number from the special forces who entered the Gwangmyeongsageori Station in Gwangmyeong City to carry out their mission, but who were annihilated by the Bell-tailed Rat.


    "The funeral was simple."


    "¡­ thank you."


    The voice of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo as he received the chains was more subdued than ever.


    "I''ll meet you here again on March 18th, after fifteen days."


    That''s how they ended their conversation.


    10.


    "Major Oh se-bum is fine. He has just fainted from the shock. He has a broken nose, but we can mend it."


    As soon as he was told that by his subordinates, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo no longer worried about Oh. He summoned two of his men immediately. A man and a woman, who appeared to be in their mid-twenties, were wearing berets, just like Lieutenant Colonel Yoo.


    They were both members of the 35th Commandos, which was led by Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, and both became Awakeners. Their abilities and credits were the most reliable.


    "Find out all about Kim, his surrounding relationships, everything that could be a weakness."


    The two were ordered by Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. Instead of answering, the two disappeared from his eyes.


    From now on, the two would follow Kim and stay in Bucheon to find out everything about him for fifteen days. Of course, they are trying to catch his weaknesses.


    ''If things go like this, we will be led away.''


    The existence of Kim and the Mac Guild had to be accepted. In a situation where it was too hard to protect Seoul, to antagonize the force who had been in Bucheon was not different from having a knife at one''s throat.


    Even if Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was the decision maker, he would have had no choice but to accept Kim''s offer.


    Kim Tae-hoon was also aware of that. As he knew, he came to Gimpo International Airport and showed himself. He gave us a choice: whether we would leave him as a threatening enemy, or a card we could use if we would pay the price.


    ''What he is after is a relic.''


    If the deal started like this, Kim Tae-hoon would win after all.


    ''I need his weakness.


    ''On the other hand, in order not to take the loss, I must somehow grasp Kim''s weakness. The two men who were just sent out will fulfill their duties, even if they have to give their lives.''


    At that moment, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo felt the touch of the chains in his pocket. He gritted his teeth hard.


    11.


    A forest of buildings...


    The two, a man and a woman, were moving secretly to a quiet place, where it was almost impossible to find even an indication of a person being around.


    They were like ghosts. Their movements were silent, and their faces were as cold as ghosts. They didn''t even talk. The dialogue between the two consisted only of eyes and signals.


    Then a man sent out a signal. The man''s fingers pointed to footsteps crossing a desolate forest of buildings. The woman who saw the footprints looked straight at the building next to the footprints. Immediately they went into the building. As soon as they entered the building, they shouted out breathlessly for the first time.


    "Huck!"


    At the same time, their dull faces were filled with astonishment. The cause was none other than the man they confronted the moment they entered the building.


    It was Kim Tae-hoon. The person who the two should be following, and who was supposed to be on his way to Bucheon City, was in front of them. At that moment, a manual came into their mind to deal with the urgent situation: the female soldier tried to grab Kim''s attention, and the man would inform Lieutenant Colonel Yoo that the operation has failed after he had fled!


    That was the contents of the manual. There was no need to exchange a signal or look before carrying out its instructions. All they had to do was follow the manual.


    "Huck!"


    But they could not execute the manual. They could feel that a huge hand held them tight the moment they tried to move.


    ''I can''t move.''


    Kim Tae-hoon spoke low to the two, "I don''t want to confront Lieutenant Colonel Yoo by making you two into corpses. On the other hand, I don''t want to experience a situation where the two of you are all around me and stir up monsters."


    "¡­ What do you want?"


    "Stay and act in my sight for fifteen days."


    "That''s-"


    "Or you`ll be in full custody for fifteen days, and without any results, you`ll be delivered to Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. If you choose to be restrained, be prepared to wear diapers. I don''t want to leave any room for the members of the 35th Commandos who became Awakeners."


    At that moment, the Telekinesis holding the two was gone.


    "I''ll give you three seconds."


    And at the beginning of the notification, the two spoke after checking each other''s eyes.


    "I''m Sergeant Kim Yu-ri."


    "I''m Sergeant Kim Joo-hyuk."

 57 Episode 57 - National Treasure, Part I

    Chapter 21. National Treasure, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    Kim Yu-ri and Kim Joo-hyuk, who were affiliated with the 35th Commandos, had the same nickname, "Ace".


    Even within the 35th Commandos, where the elite gathered, they showed a unique attitude. They had different natural qualities, higher goals than others, and better posture to reach those goals. Of course, they had everything: self-esteem, pride, and confidence!


    All these things gave them confidence in the end. They were confident that they would be able to fulfill the duties assigned to them, no matter what happened.


    But on December 31, everything the two had was shattered. They did nothing in the battles that began with the sudden appearance of the monsters. They did not get rid of the monsters to be killed, they did not reach their goals, they did not protect the ones they needed to protect, and they did not save the one they needed to save.


    It was a series of failures, a series of miserable days. The end of the tragedy was despair.


    When they could afford to turn their heads to the ongoing battle with monsters, the scenery in Seoul was not what they had remembered.


    Skyscrapers were scattered all over the ground, half eaten by monsters everywhere, and screams burst out all over the place, like a ticking clock.


    The climax of despair was the future given to survivors. Many people were mad at the fact that they had to face even greater despair because they had survived. Of course, Kim Yu-ri and Kim Joo-hyuk thought this would be the case everywhere in the world. It was the same in reality.


    Wherever outside of Seoul, there was despair and nothing that could be called hope. But this place, Bucheon, was different.


    In Bucheon, which existed only on the map, and they saw only on the map, there was vitality they thought had already disappeared.


    In the broad park, construction was underway to create space for solar panels, while in other places, disassembling monsters was taking place in real time, along with clearing debris from collapsed buildings, and clearing roads.


    The workers were either smoking for a short break, or laughing and talking with chocolate bars and Ramen as their food.


    ''How can they laugh?''


    Those who did the hard work in a miserable place were laughing and talking. It was a landscape not seen in Seoul. Seoul did similar work, but it was virtually forced labor. If they wanted rations, they had to work in front of guns.


    ''Only this place is like a different world.''


    The biggest surprise was the appearance of those who noticed Kim''s coming. It wasn''t just words like respect, faith, or love.


    It was more than that. So, they couldn''t find words to express what they were seeing. That was another point. The Awakeners and soldiers who became superhuman to the survivors of Seoul were another source of fear, rather than the ones who protected them.


    It was shocking in many ways. It was so shocking that Kim Yu-ri and Kim Joo-hyuk followed Kim, but did not have the slightest intention to escape. Eventually, the two followed Kim into Bucheon City Hall without making any plans.


    Bang Hyun-wook was the first person to greet them.


    "Big brother!" Appearing welcoming with all his body, he flinched when he saw Kim Joo-hyuk and Kim Yu-ri, who were behind Kim.


    "Uh? Who are these?"


    Not only did Kim bring in people, but Kim Joo-hyuk and Kim Yu-ri felt similar to when Bang first had met Kim.


    "The watchmen." Kim explained the two briefly.


    "Yes?"


    "If you feel they are doing an unreliable thing, kill them."


    "Yes?" Bang looked as if he didn''t know what''s going on.


    The same was true of Kim Joo-hyuk and Kim Yu-ri. They could not figure what kind of expression to make in Kim Tae-hoon''s bottomless image, whether to ask a question or just keep quiet. Eventually, the two stood blankly like robots with a program error.


    In the meantime, a new person appeared. It was Kim Soo-ji, who saluted Kim Tae-hoon immediately after appearing.


    "Is the Major here?" She immediately looked at the two behind Kim Tae-hoon and changed her eyes.


    ''Are they members of special forces?''


    She was raised in a military family. A moment was enough for her to know what kind of class the two were.


    ''Soldier? ''Is the Mac Guild a force built on a military basis?'' The same was true of Kim Yu-ri and Kim Joo-hyuk. The two also changed their eyes the moment they saw Kim Soo-ji.


    "They are Sergeant Kim Yu-ri and Kim Joo-hyuk. Keep an eye on them so they do escape from the City Hall."


    "Yes, sir."


    "What about Jang Sung-hoon?"


    "He is on his way."


    "Boss!" Jang appeared as if he were trying to take his time. As soon as he approached, he looked at the two behind Kim.


    "There are two new faces. Similar feelings¡­ couples?? Are you married?" Kim Joo-hyuk and Kim Yu-ri shook their heads with puzzled looks on their faces.


    "Oh, no."


    "We do not have that kind of relationship."


    "The man seems to be happy about something, and the woman looks so determined, I can draw a picture of it."


    They looked at each other at the repeated remarks by Jang. Kim Ju-hyuk gave out a cough and Kim Yu-ri made her face colder. Jang took advantage of the gap and looked over Kim Ju-hyuk.


    Kim Tae-hoon raised his eyebrows. It meant talking in the mayor''s office. In other words, Kim Yu-ri and Kim Joo-hyuk needed to be separated for a while.


    "Well, good to see you. I''ll treat you as a guest. Hyun Wook, take them to the meeting room next to the mayor''s office. Why don''t you join them, Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji?"


    Jang naturally prepared everything.


    2.


    "So, what happened?" Jang, facing Kim across the desk, asked his questions with a serious expression.


    Kim explained all his experiences at Gimpo International Airport.


    The first thing Jang did when the story finished was to breathe out a long sigh.


    "There is no president or prime minister. Is this it? Wait, who''s going to take over without them?"


    "If the situation was normal, it would follow the order of deputy prime minister for economy, then the deputy prime minister for social affairs."


    "Does the chairman of the national assembly or the chief justice of the supreme court have no influence in this situation?"


    "The forces that have survived are the military, after all, but only the president and the prime minister have influence over them. It''s a fight for justification."


    "Are they really dead? Or are they hiding them?"


    "I can''t be sure, but the former would be better if we had to choose a favorable situation. In the latter case, it means that there are those who are willing to use the decision makers¡­ "


    Jang knocked on the desk with his fingers.


    "To sum up the situation, Seoul has been taken by the Capital Defense Command. And one of the Six Snakes that the boss was talking about in your dream is building up his power in the Capital Defense Command."


    Kim nodded once.


    "The best thing is to cut off the buds early¡­ but it won''t end with killing a guy named Oh Se-bum. Rather, it would be even worse if you killed Oh. No, even if you want to kill him, you can''t go straight to Seoul. It''s a problem."


    ''The problem is that whatever they do in this situation, there are a lot of constraints. Going to Seoul from Bucheon alone is too much to consider, and Seoul City, which was destroyed by monsters, is no longer a city in memory. It is a maze of hell.''


    "We cannot leave the Six Snakes alone until they grow bigger by taking the Capital Defense Command little by little."


    The biggest problem was that they treated this whole situation as if it were another country''s. Fate was now fixed. Kim Tae-hoon lived only if he broke that fate.


    "A zero-sum game is that a winner takes everything, after all." In this situation, Kim''s answer was simple.


    "Yes. Eventually, the same pie is shared, and the person who ate the most will eat everything."


    Jang was able to infer the answer that Kim gave. "The relics and the monster stones. The more one eats, the more one wins, after all.


    "You''re going to take the relics of the Capital Defense Command, instead of taking care of the government work?"


    The board was ready.


    From now on, the Mac Guild would be hunting monsters on behalf of the Capital Defense Command, which occupied Seoul as the government of the Republic of Korea. They would do the work that had to be done instead of the government. Of course, they would be paid for it. They would also kill monsters, and receive relics in exchange; that was killing two birds with one stone.


    "But will the Capital Defense Command pay you so easily?"


    The Capital Defense Command should know that, and that''s why they would not easily give out relics. They would do something about it.


    "I''m not asking for them, I''m going to make them give them out."


    "Is that possible?"


    "What if the other person has something I want and doesn''t give it to me?"


    Jang immediately answered the sudden question of Kim Tae-hoon, "You''ll ask if he wants to sell it."


    "What if he doesn''t want to sell it?"


    "If you really need it, take it away from him with threats..." Jang looked at Kim in surprise. He understood Kim''s intentions.


    What Kim wanted was not just a reward he had earned. He wanted a one-sided robbery. If they say they didn''t want to give it, he''d bite it out.


    "I want you to make a list of national treasures that the Capital Defense Command might have."


    Jang''s eyes changed when he heard the command. The tension in his eyes faded and instead, expectations began to grow.


    "The day finally comes when I might touch the national treasures. Yes, we should do something big. If we''re going to steal something, rather than steal a petty thing, we should take the national treasures with force! No problem! Leave it to me!"


    Kim did not smile at Jang who answered so happily.


    ''A relic can be obtained.''


    It was possible to obtain a relic. It was also possible to take it with force.


    But it was also true of their unknown enemy, who were expected to be the Six Snakes. They were also nibbling away at what the Capital Defense Command had even now.


    There was no competition between a man who eats the peel outside and a man who eats only the fruit inside.


    ''I have to put my man in there.''


    Above all, the military was not an organization that simply worked by profit. They couldn''t exist if they had their interests in mind in the first place. There was no organization more wasteful and unproductive than the military.


    The same went for soldiers. Frankly speaking, no one becomes a soldier simply for financial and material gain. If those soldiers chose what they wanted, they want to leave their names in history. Because the history of mankind was the history of war, it is a golden opportunity to leave their name in the war as soldiers.


    ''Lieutenant Colonel Yoo Dae-hyun is an ambitious man.''


    In the first place, the 35th Commandos would have to be close to those in power. If Kim Tae-hoon had been in power, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo would have visited him when things happened in Seoul.


    But now he was in a bad situation. Rather, his situation was the worst.


    First, he himself was not an Awakener. It was a big penalty. Now, even within the military, an Awakener has no choice but to take power. Not only did a single person''s military might have more power than the military, but there was no need for a Commander who became powerless when exposed to fear.


    Evidence of that was that he was out there now.


    ''A man in power never goes to the front. The confusion that occurs when a man in power dies eventually leads to defeat and causes great damage.''


    ''He is an abandoned card.''


    In other words, the Capital Defense Command at this moment did not care if Lieutenant Colonel Yoo died at any time. It meant that Lieutenant Colonel Yoo couldn''t help it in this situation.


    Anyone could see it by looking at Oh Se-bum''s treatment of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. If Lieutenant Colonel Yoo had the right power, the arrogant Oh would not have smoked in his face.


    ''Even if it''s not a good situation, running the actual fight means he is not going to kneel just like that.''


    Nevertheless, the reason why he took risks and acted as an active-duty soldier was that his ambition was not turned off. That''s the characteristic of ambition.


    Kim Tae-hoon closed his eyes and listened for the sounds that could not be heard normally, and they became clear.


    Naturally, he could hear the voices of Kim Soo-ji and the two talking in the meeting room near the mayor''s office.


    Kim Tae-hoon opened his eyes.


    "Is any one of the yellow-grade monsters near?"


    "Yes, there''s one on the Incheon side."


    "We will hunt it."


    "What do you want the troops to do?"


    "I will do it alone, and I will take the two of them."


    Kim made a decision.


    ''I will use Lieutenant Colonel Yoo to dig into the Capital Defense Command.''

 58 Episode 58 - National Treasure, Part II

    Chapter 21. National Treasure, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    Kim Yu-ri and Kim Joo-hyuk were staring at the fish-shaped bun in front of their eyes with blank eyes. It was better food than anything else in the cold winter, but for them, the bun was like the food of another world.


    ''The fish-shaped bun, how did they make it?''


    ''Do they have any materials? No, wait¡­ nothing special is going into the fish-shaped bun?''


    ''In fact, it is never a food that required special ingredients or great effort. All they needed is spare time, and they just needed to wait until the machine is hot and the dough in it bakes.''


    ''It''s nothing¡­''


    It was spare time not found in Seoul. Now, in Seoul, distribution was being made to survivors, but the distribution was very unilateral and mechanical, meaning nothing more than just supplying energy to avoid dying.


    So, the moment they put the fish-shaped bun in their mouths, they could feel it with their heart, not their minds, when its damp and warm sweetness hit their tongues.


    ''Damn it¡­ Which one is right, Seoul and Bucheon?''


    "The boss will be hunting soon," Jang spoke to Kim Joo-hyuk and Kim Yu-ri, who were skeptical about the organization.


    "Then you two will be watching the boss''s hunt."


    ''Observing?'' When the unexpected word appeared, the eyes of the two changed. ''He''s just going to show us? What is his purpose?''


    It was because they could not understand the reason why the word ''watching" came out.


    "You can report to your boss after you watch him hunt it, and of course you can''t interfere with his hunting, or make a fuss."


    However, Jang''s explanation led them to understand the situation.


    ''An opportunity.'' And observation was what they wanted.


    They saw Kim Tae-hoon win a light victory against Oh Se-bum, but it was only a test. They could see a few cards each had, but they could not know how he really fought with the cards.


    The test itself was too easy. It was Kim''s one-sided victory. The information that could be obtained in such a battle was bound to be fragmentary.


    It was quite different fighting monsters and fighting against people. What Lieutenant Colonel Yoo wanted to know now was Kim''s ability against monsters.


    Now came a chance to see it.


    ''What do we do?'' It was a golden chance. ''I should see it, but¡­''


    They were rather suspicious.


    ''What secret designs does he have? Maybe he has other intentions?''


    ''If someone has a bundle of fifty-dollar bills in front of him or her, it is common to look around rather than pick them up.''


    The situation of Kim Yu-ri and Kim Joo-hyuk was similar to that situation.


    "Oh, this isn''t a request for cooperation or anything." Jang Sung-hoon did not give them anything to worry about.


    "You must attend, and if you refuse, you will be forced to watch under control, and if you refuse to speak, we will bind your limbs and carry you with diapers. As for me, I don''t want to add a new experience of wearing adult diapers to my life page."


    4.


    "Get on board! Get on board!"


    "Depart!"


    The black-clad and raincoated men left the place after loading the monsters'' bodies into trucks with unceasing vigor.


    The bodies in the truck immediately went into butchering. They cut their chests open and collected the monster stones. The whole process was done quickly.


    ''Everything is done in real time.


    ''I think I''m looking at the parts of a clock.''


    Kim Yu-ri and Kim Joo-hyuk''s eyes, looking at this rapid work, were moving without hesitation.


    They had been through all sorts of hardships. Nevertheless, everything they saw was amazing.


    ''They are not Awakeners, but they can work this fast?''


    Everything was amazing from the start. Kim Tae-hoon said he would go hunting alone, and instead recruited a processing team to handle the monster carcasses. The recruitment was done in the form of receiving applicants, and everyone rushed to apply.


    ''They applied with a smile when they were recruiting applicants.''


    Even the applicants were ordinary people, who pissed their pants at a monster''s growl. It was a scene that Kim Yu-ri and Kim Joo-hyuk had never imagined.


    Their eyes could not stop. It was Kim Tae-hoon coming down from the sky that stopped their eyes.


    ''Ah¡­'' At the moment of seeing him, they came up to him, who had blocked a group of Mini Bears that appeared in the crowd a little while ago.


    A Mini Bear was a red grade, with an appearance similar to that of a bear, but the size of its body was small enough to be a wolf. But the power and the ferocity was greater than a bear. They were in groups, and sometimes they rushed at the orange-grade monsters!


    Therefore, it was crazy to see that he blocked the twenty Mini Bears.


    Even the drivers inside tanks become pale when they saw the Mini Bears running, so what did they need to explain?


    However, in front of the rush, Kim Tae-hoon did not panic but turned twenty Mini Bears into dead bodies with a single quick glance.


    Only after a featherless arrow returned to the leather pocket of Kim''s waist after all the killing finished, and did they see that it was a weapon used by Kim.


    ''Monster.''


    The bodies of the two began to tremble, reminding themselves of the power of a secretive arrow, with more powerful penetration than guns, and results any modern weapon could not ever produce.


    ''If he had fought with the relic in his hand¡­ Oh Se-bum would not have been able to make any attempt.''


    At the same time, they also learned that Kim''s ability to hunt monsters was at a level incomparably beyond Major Oh.


    Oh was definitely strong.


    With his B+ Rank''s Energy, he had beaten the orange-grade monster with his bare fists at the beginning, and after being armed with the relics secured by the National Museum of Korea and the Capital Defense Command, he was able to deal with the yellow-grade monsters alone.


    Furthermore, when the Capital Defense Command hunted a White High-footed Spider of green-grade, a giant spider with ten legs, he had jumped out of a combat helicopter and thrown the finishing blow to its huge body.


    Therefore, Oh was hope. He showed that humans could fight hard and stand against a terrifying monster.


    ''He is in another dimension''


    But Kim was different from that. Fighting hard, resisting¡­ it was not such a fierce battle that he showed.


    It was a one-sided hunt.


    Therefore, they tried to deny their feelings at this moment.


    ''We can kill a red-grade monster with a gun.''


    ''A Mini Bear is fierce and strong, but a platoon armed with firearms is enough to deal with them.''


    If they admitted the existence of Kim here, the miserable days they had been through would be useless. So the two tried to undermine the presence imprinted on their brains.


    "Be careful of the fear." Kim gave the two short notice.


    "Yes?"


    "What do you mean?"


    They made a retort at short notice, but Kim did not answer.


    Kaaahh!


    Instead, a Huge Bear, as opposed to a Mini Bear, roared fiercely.


    It was the appearance of a chameleon bear, whose skin color changed according to the color around it.


    ''Yellow-grade!''


    ''Oh, my God!''


    Their body froze under the fear that the monster was hurling.


    On the contrary, Kim did not move himself.


    Tsreung!


    What moved was the Sword of the Imperator that Kim carried on his back.


    5.


    March 18.


    The weather was beginning to warm up a little, but the desolation of Gimpo International Airport remained, and the damage that had been hidden was more apparent when the snow melted down.


    A group of people were in this desolate place. They were like wolves, tense, wary, and alertness. Only one man in the center of the group was in a completely different mood from the wolves. His plump cheeks, framing a nose that looked to have been smashed flat, did not belong to a wolf.


    "Is today the date of the appointment? Why isn''t he here?"


    The man''s name was Lee Dong-seok. He was not a soldier or an Awakener, he was an expert at the National Museum of Korea who was brought to negotiate with Kim Tae-hoon today.


    "He''s coming."


    And so Kim Tae-hoon was. There was Jang Sung-hoon, who was brought to negotiate along with Kim, who had appeared at the end of the runway.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, confirmed the existence of the two, and began to twist his mouth. It was not because he hated Kim.


    ''He knows where the sniper is.''


    The problem was that the direction Kim was coming from was the direction of a sniper in place. It was a signal, "I know the location of the sniper, so do not do anything wrong."


    "He''s more of a monster."


    It was, frankly, hard to understand.


    Even if Kim was the world''s best specialist in that area, it was not common sense to immediately grasp the position of a sniper who was deployed a day ago.


    Of course, it was clear proof. It was clear evidence that in this age a common sense did not work anymore.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo gave a signal to his men.


    The men who received the signal immediately began to wave the white flag. If it had been before, he would have simply sent a message through a walkie-talkie, but now it was impossible.


    Soon Kim and Lieutenant Colonel Yoo faced each other again.


    "What result?"


    "We''ve decided to accept your offer."


    There was no greeting. Both of them were not the kind of people who wasted words like greetings.


    "We''ll give you a mission, and if you do it, we''ll pay for it. The pay is a relic."


    "This is our wish list. I''ll only get what''s on the wish list."


    At the same time, they said only what they had to say. The two of them looked at each other. Of the two who had no facial expressions, it was Lieutenant Colonel Yoo''s brow that wrinkled first. He frowned and motioned to Lee Dong-seok.


    Lee went over to Kim, fixing the round glasses that he was wearing.


    "I want to know what you want first."


    "Oh, this one."


    Jang, who was behind Kim, came out immediately. He immediately pulled out a box. It wasn''t a box that looked like a paper box, but it looked like a souvenir box that small walnut-flavored cakes were put in. In addition, on the cover of the box, a mysterious animal with an elephant-like nose was painted with a brush.


    Lee put his head a little to one side.


    "It''s a gift. The Mac Guild decided to produce a small walnut-flavored cake. The animal here is Mac. It is our Guild Mascot. Of course, it is not just a small walnut-flavored cake. We put in some of the monster ingredients.It''s a delicious restorative. I bet you, if we start mass production, it would be a worldwide hit."


    At the following explanation of Jang, Lee still had his incomprehensible expression, and the frown in the middle of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo''s forehead now matched his mouth.


    ''A small walnut-flavored cake¡­''


    He had received a small walnut-flavored cake as a gift several times.


    But at this age, he got a small walnut-flavored cake as a gift?


    Even a small walnut-flavored cake made with some of the monster ingredients which made healing possible?


    It was unimaginable. He couldn''t afford to imagine it.


    ''I''ll have to hear from them, what the hell is going on in Bucheon City.''


    Therefore, the small walnut-flavored cake that Jang put out was like a punch more intense than anything else. It was a punch that drove them out of their mind. But a really strong punch flew right behind it.


    "This is our wish list."


    Jang handed Lee a folded, crumpled bunch of paper. Inside were three sheets of A4 paper, the letters filled out with ballpoint pens.


    Lee began to read the letters and immediately shouted in awe, "These are all national treasures, aren''t they?"


    "No!"


    "What are you talking about? Golden Crown! Golden Belt! Horse Figure Type Earthenware! The Stone Statute of Mireuk Buddha! Bell of King Seongdeok! They are all national treasures!"


    "Danwon Pungsokdo Cheop is a treasure."


    "Well, it''s-"


    "For reference, The King Muryeong set is all the items from the Tomb of King Muryeong. I''m referring to all the things that came out of the King Muryeong, and the Foot Stand of King Muryeong, as well as the Pillow of the Queen of King Muryeong."


    "Crazy!" Lee made a rough sound at this ridiculous wish list. His tone was rough. "Just ask for the entire National Museum!"


    "Hmm? Is that possible?"


    "What are you talking about? All of the items are on display at the National Museum of Korea!"


    "Hunminjeongeum, Gilt-bronze Triad Buddha Statue of Gyemimyeong, and Celadon Inlaid Cloud Crane Vase are in the Gansong Museum of Art. When did they go to the National Museum of Korea? Oh, my God, I could not put it in. I forgot Geumgang Naisan in Gyumjae. Can I have the wish list for a minute? I''ll write a few more."


    Lee turned his head to look at Lieutenant Colonel Yoo as if he did not want to deal with Jang anymore. Then he mouthed silently, "These bastards are nuts!"


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo no longer frowned at the words. He glared at Kim with a dull expression.


    "You''re the one who offered to negotiate, but from our perspective of the situation, you''re not going to agree to the deal."


    A national treasure was not just a national treasure. It was a treasure that the nation of Korea had set to protect its identity and history. Among the things on the list, those that were not national treasures were also comparable to national treasures.


    The relics with options had amazing powers, and even if they were relics without options, they were things that could not be given to anyone as long as the Republic of Korea existed. They were things that could not be traded.


    In other words, Kim had no will to negotiate since he asked for something that they could not give.


    "I think it''s meaningful to get at least a national treasure as a reward, because it is a job that not a man, but thousands, or tens of thousands of people should do, risking their lives, in a world that is full of monsters."


    However, Kim was serious.


    "That''s ridiculous."


    "If that sounds ridiculous, I''ll negotiate with someone else." With his serious expression, he attacked Lieutenant Colonel Yoo with a fatal blow.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo''s expression was cold. He stared at Kim as if he were a beast who had stabbed his heart.


    Kim did not avoid his eyes. Rather, he said with a more intense gaze, "All we''re getting is on the list, and all you do is get the job that''s right for us."


    "... Major Kim Tae-hoon has changed a lot."


    Kim did not answer, because what he wanted to hear was not that kind of talk.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not keep talking at once. He thought for a moment, then slowly spoke. "There is an important figure in Incheon City, and if you rescue the figure, we can pay a national treasure."


    "I will definitely receive one of the national treasures as a reward, and I will take it somehow after I have completed my duties."


    The negotiations began.

 59 Episode 59 - National Treasure, Part III

    Chapter 21. National Treasure, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    6.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was silent on a wide runway. In front of him, a man and a woman stood at attention. Their silence was long.


    "I don''t believe it." It was a word like the sigh of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo that broke the silence. When he opened his mouth, Kim Joo-hyuk and Kim Yu-ri flinched.


    "I thought I wouldn''t change my faith in you, but now I can''t believe what you just said."


    "I''m sorry." They asked for forgiveness at once.


    But Lieutenant Colonel Yoo told those seeking forgiveness. "I believe you, but I just can''t believe the story about Kim Tae-hoon."


    "There is no lie!" "Yes, there is no lie!" At the words of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, who said he could not believe it, both of them emphasized again that the words they spoke were true.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo closed his eyes, and then reassessed the ridiculous information they had told him. ''He killed a yellow-grade monster without lifting a hand.''


    He knew that Kim''s ability was great. He could guess that fact with the skills Kim showed to Oh Se-bum. In addition, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was generally able to maximize the possibilities and abilities of those who did not know themselves.


    The Battalion Commander of the 35th Commandos should do that. He was the head of the Commandos that had to deal with terrorist groups targeting the capital of the Republic of Korea. The damage caused by underestimating an enemy was endured not by the soldiers, but the civilians. Therefore, the enemy had to be portrayed properly in his mind.


    However, Kim''s ability to learn based on the reports of the two was more than he had expected. No, no one would have expected Kim to be so strong.


    ''It''s not more than expected, it''s more than common sense.''


    It was literally beyond common sense. In front of that fact, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo''s heart began to run faster and faster.


    ''Crisis is a chance.''


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was the only one who had contact with Kim. Of course, if Kim''s force increased, the influence of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, who was in contact with him, would grow.


    ''If he does this mission, my position can be changed.''


    If Kim performed this mission, his achievement would naturally be the achievement of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo.


    ''In the end, it is going to follow Kim''s scenario.''


    At this moment, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo decided to bet all of his own on Kim.


    "You two stay in Bucheon and watch Kim. No, you can''t watch him."


    Their expressions immediately distorted at the order. They went to watch, but they were caught, and cooperated with Kim; therefore, it was not at the level of asking for forgiveness.


    "Rather, it came out well."


    But Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was rather satisfied with the fact now, as he was able to put a person next to Kim.


    "If Kim secures her from Incheon, please attach to her."


    Kim Joo-hyuk asked for clarity, "You mentioned ''her''¡­"


    "Kate Kennedy. This time Kim''s mission is to rescue her from Incheon."


    7.


    "Who is Kate Kennedy?" On the way back to Bucheon, Jang Sung-hoon asked questions while walking the long distance.


    "Who on earth is she, and the Capital Defense Command is giving us a national treasure to save her?"


    The demand of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was simple: to rescue Kate Kennedy, a woman in Incheon.


    When her name came out, Kim did not ask a single question about her identity, as if he knew the name, but it was natural for Jang to ask questions.


    "She is a daughter of Douglas Kennedy."


    "Who is he?"


    Kim did not hide her identity. "The U.S. Ambassador to Korea."


    Without a moment of hesitation, he immediately told Jang the identity of the woman they had to find.


    "Yes?" The problem was that Jang dared not even imagine it.


    Jang stopped his steps with his head tilted, and after a little silence, he opened his eyes wide enough to burst and said, "The U.S. Ambassador to Korea?"


    A name beyond all expectations. On the contrary, it was a familiar name to Kim, and it had to be a familiar name, because he knew what it would be like to the Republic of Korea if the U.S. Ambassador to Korea and his family were threatened.


    "But why the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea...?"


    "It''s evidence that they secured the U.S. Ambassador to Korea."


    Jang, who heard the words, looked bitter.


    "She is not a Korean, but they''re paying a national treasure to save an American daughter. No, not just an American, not just himself, but a national treasure to save his daughter¡­ a natural treasure of the Republic of Korea..."


    From the point of view of Jang, a national treasure was something that he could not approach by himself. It was an admirable thing just to look at.


    "Well, I think that the U.S. Ambassador to Korea would really appreciate it if we could save her, and I hope he''s a man who can draw a line between public and private matters so that it''s worth saving her."


    It was not pleasant to see such a national treasure paid for the lives of other countries. Kim was not very happy with this fact in a different sense.


    "I''m sure he will be happy if he finds a family member who is precious in this hellish world."


    "Yes, I''m sure he will be very happy that they will find his family when others can''t even check their families out there."


    "So, the threat will work well."


    "Yes, and the threat will work¡­ what do you mean?"


    "If they put a gun to the head of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea and threaten him, the threat won''t work, but if they put a gun to her head in front of him, the story will be different."


    Jang could not say any words at the words of Kim. He stared at Kim blankly.


    What Kim said was so appalling.


    On the other hand, Kim, who spoke the eerie words, painted the situation of Seoul in his mind.


    ''The U.S. Ambassador to Korea is definitely a good key, but it is too much to offer a national treasure that has become a relic to threaten him.


    ''I understand why they want to get the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea. It is a good key for them to keep her in their hands.


    ''However, from a diplomatic point, to pay a national treasure, which has become a relic, to threaten one U.S. Ambassador to Korea is too much.''


    But Lieutenant Colonel Yoo said he was willing to pay the price. This meant that the situation was not simple.


    ''If it could affect the US Forces in Korea, it would be a good idea.''


    And if there was a problem with the USFK command system now, and the U.S. Ambassador to Korea had considerable influence on the USFK, they do not need to begrudge a national treasure or twp.


    ''If we define the current situation as wartime... Even if there is no president or prime minister, the presence of the USFK alone will be enough to get a pretext.''


    ''The power of the USFK is so powerful. If we look at the bigger picture than anything else, if the US moves in earnest with enough power over time, the group that is in conflict with the USFK is virtually finished for.''


    ''If we could secure her... there would be nothing to lose exchanging her for the national treasure.''


    ''Obviously, even if we do not receive a national treasure, securing the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea is not too different from holding a strong card in our hands.''


    "Boss." Jang now came to his senses and spoke to Kim, who had been focusing on the name of Kate Kennedy. "Do you think they are saving the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea to make a real threat him?"


    "It''s hard to find a reason to pay a national treasure, because at this point the national treasure is similar in value to fighters."


    "So, they''re buying a hostage by paying the national treasure to threaten him?"


    This time, Kim paused to briefly survey Jang. At the moment he heard that, he remembered what Lieutenant Colonel Yoo had said: that he had changed.


    However, Kim did not fall into the mood.


    ''I need to change more.''


    ''I know better than anyone else that there came an era when people could not survive without changing.''


    ''I''ll change as much as I can.''


    8.


    "Gasp, gasp, gasp!"


    The man running down the road looked like a steam train. He ran like a crazy man, and the breath he gave off every time he ran looked like the steam of a steam locomotive running on a railway track.


    The difference was that behind him, something as scary as a steam locomotive followed.


    Kaaah!


    They were unidentified monsters screaming.Their appearance was quite strange. It was similar to a monkey, but it had to be called a floccus because its whole body was covered with dirty fur that reminded him of a mop. Only one body part was visible, a club-like nose that protruded through the fur-covered face.


    A Big-nosed Orangutan.


    They were active in packs, and they were one of the monsters that made the city of Incheon, which was like a jungle with the collapsed buildings and abandoned cars, their home. And they were very nasty and cruel.


    ''Fuck, damn it!''


    They made a plaything of the humans that they caught. They didn''t just eat humans, they played with them. In some cases, they crushed human limbs and prevented them from escaping, threw their urine and feces, tortured them, or raped men and women. So, the condition of the humans who had been caught by the Big-nosed Orangutans was always terrible.


    ''I can''t get caught! I''d rather die!''


    The man who ran, Bae Sung-joon, had seen such bodies several times. That was why he was desperate.


    "Shit!"


    At that moment, Bae saw a collapsed building. It was virtually a dead end, completely covering the road.


    ''Why is the road blocked here? Perhaps, the roar the other day?''


    Bae turned his head to the side.


    Kaaah!


    At that moment, one of the Big-nosed Orangutans that were chasing him threw a stone in its hand.


    The stone hit Bae''s shoulder.


    "Argh!" He fell to the ground with the scream. His mind turned white as he fell.


    ''Aaaaaargh!''


    In his white mind, he began to imagine his fate.


    ''Oh, no...'' It was a desire for life that made Bae wake up. He forced himself to rise. Then he turned and looked behind him. He looked at the Big-nosed Orangutans that were coming furtively toward him. He shouted with all his might, "Go away! Go away!"


    At the shouts, the snaky cry "heuheuheu" came from the moppy heads of the Big-nosed Orangutans. One of them threw a stone in its hand at him, as he was about to get up.


    Whack!


    The stone hit his chest. His face crumpled, and he fell to the ground again. Some of the Big-nosed Orangutans began to pick up the stones on the roadside, slowly walking toward him as he lay on the ground.


    The playing began.


    ''The fucking bastards...''


    Bae, who knew the intentions of the Big-nosed Orangutans, was angry at the fact and also frightened. At the same time, he knew what would happen in the future.


    The Big-nosed Orangutans would throw stones and scare him until he peed his pants. And at the moment they got what they wanted, they would break his limbs and drag him back to their nest. His suffering would not compare to right now


    "Aahhhh! Aahhhh!"


    In the end, he shouted at the sky with a desperate feeling.


    "Please, please save me! I''ll do anything!"


    There was no God.


    He, who had hated God hundreds and thousands of times after December 31, hated God and found God at this moment.


    Of course, there was no God.


    Shh¡­


    There was only a monster.


    "Please! ... Uh?"


    It was a moment.


    With a sound like a passing wind, five of the Big-nosed Orangutans that were approaching him stopped. After they stopped, they fell to the ground in succession. Five consecutive thumps were audible.


    The fallen Big-nosed Orangutans began to shed mixed blood and brain fluids out of both temples. He stiffened in front of this incredible sight. A shadow began to fall over his head and looked up.


    The monster who had saved him, said, "I have a question."


    Kim Tae-hoon had appeared in Incheon City.

 60 Episode 60 - Incheon Landing Operation, Part I

    Chapter 22. Incheon Landing Operation, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    A woman was cutting open the chest of a monster''s corpse lying on the ground with a knife between its ribs.


    The red jewel that the woman who had cut open the chest popped out after she drove her hand into it without hesitation. She approached a man who sipping coffee in a thermos bottle, wiping the blood off her hands and the red jewels with a towel hanging in her pocket.


    "Are you doing that on purpose?"Kim Yu-ri then asked a question to Kim Tae-hoon, giving him the monster stone.


    Gulp!


    Kim Tae-hoon swallowed the monster stone and raised his left eyebrow instead of answering. It meant that she had to clarify her question.


    "Are you trying to save a survivor by intentionally appearing like that in an emergency?"


    Kim nodded at the remark.


    "Why are you doing that?"


    "It would look like a savior."


    "Yes?"


    "They are more cooperative with the savior who saved them than with passers-by."


    Kim Tae-hoon closed the lid of the thermos and moved toward Bae Sung-joon, who was licking the chocolate bar which had been given. Maybe Bae would prove his answer now. As Kim approached, Bae got up in surprise.


    "Oh, thank you. This grace-"


    "Have you ever seen this woman?" Kim sharply cut off Bae''s words, asked questions and took out a paper sketch. A white woman in her mid-twenties with a cold appearance was painted by a well-drawn sketch.


    "Her name is Kate Kennedy."


    Bae looked hard at the sketch and shook his head.


    Kim did not express any sense of frustration at the sight. He wouldn''t have come to Incheon in person if he could find her so easily.


    ''In the end, should I enter Yeongjong Island?''


    According to the information provided by Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, the last place to confirm that Kate Kennedy was alive was Yeongjong Island, where Incheon International Airport was located. Of course, it was highly likely that she was still on Yeongjong Island.


    He just asked questions in case she had come out of Yeongjong Island with the guards escorting her. Therefore, he immediately went on to the next question, "Are there any survivors or any forces that survivors have created in Incheon today?"


    "Yes, there is." This time there was an answer.


    "What about the number of survivors?"


    "I think there are more than a thousand people¡­ I don''t know the details."


    There seemed to be more than a thousand. Kim Yu-ri, who was listening to the conversation behind him, had a terrible look.


    ''Incheon City had a population of nearly three million...''


    Incheon had 2.92 million people. Of course, Incheon City was wide. In terms of population density, it was inevitably lower than Bucheon.


    But even considering that, the fact that the population of survivors was a thousand units was a point of despair.


    The same was true of Kim.


    ''The damage is enormous.''


    As soon as he heard the figure of a thousand, he remembered a remark made by Lee Jin-sung, the head of the Messiah. Bucheon was lucky¡­ Incheon became hell¡­ There was nothing wrong with what he said. The damage in Incheon was no better than that of Bucheon.


    But Kim was not choked by the tragedy. "Where are they?"


    "There are survivors at Ganseok Ogeori and Ganseok Ogeori Station."


    "What is the name of the surviving group?"


    "Yes?" Bae hesitated to answer for the first time.


    Kim Tae-hoon squinted his eyes. He did not appear to be like Marvel Comics'' hero in the eyes of Bae, saving him voluntarily.


    .


    He came here at the risk of his life.


    And it was not just Kim''s life that was at risk. The lives of those under an umbrella named Kim Tae-hoon were also at stake. Under such circumstances, there was no reason to give consideration to a person who was a stranger, or a person who would have died if it had not been for himself.


    "What is the name of the surviving group?"


    "So it''s¡­"


    Kim''s eyes changed. If he didn''t answer right away, if he kept hesitating, he would strongly express his determination to use all means and methods to force the answer.


    "I''ll give you three seconds."


    After the last notification came out, Bae just barely gave an answer in amazement. "Well, it''s not that. They don''t have a name. The survivors are just survivors! There is no name. No, really. But there are some who call them plunderers instead. They are criminals¡­"


    At the answer, Kim withdrew his appalling presence. At the same time, thanks to the answer, he was able to draw the situation in Incheon more properly.


    ''I think the survivors of Incheon City have no contact with the outside world.''


    If they had had contact with an outside survivor in any way, they would have had a name to distinguish themselves from the outside world. However, the lack of a name meant that they did not feel the need to distinguish it from the outside world.


    ''Is it because of Bucheon?''


    And if he looked at the situation in Incheon, it was understandable. Currently, only the city of Bucheon was operating properly among the cities that had a point of contact with Incheon. However, none of the survivors of Bucheon wanted to go to Incheon. The same went for those who moved from Incheon to Bucheon. There was no reason to go back.


    In other words, the city of Incheon was blocked off from the city of Bucheon and became isolated.


    ''However, if they formed a group, they will have factions in some way¡­ I think there is a good leader in Incheon.''


    Another, there was a high possibility that there would be a proper leader among the survivors of Incheon City, because no one followed a poor leader in a life-threatening situation where his or her life was at stake.


    ''Plunderer¡­''


    Of course, that didn''t mean everyone was united. In Incheon, there were people who survived by plundering humans like monsters.


    ''Survivors and plunderers, I like it simple.''


    Anyway, the situation itself was clear.


    "How much weapon power do the survivors and plunderers have?" Kim asked to get more detailed information. But the answer to that question came from elsewhere.


    Kaaah!


    It was a scream that came out at the moment the colleagues of the dead Big-nosed Orangutans noticed the smell of blood. Among them, there was a big guy with orange eyes, unlike the other Big-nosed Orangutans with mops for hair.


    Kaaah!


    "Aahhhh!" Bae fell to the ground at the scream of the orange-eyed Big-nosed Orangutan. Of course, he had no mental composure to answer Kim''s question.


    Kim, who was interrupted by the conversation, frowned. His frowning eyes blackened.


    Shh!


    At the same time, the arrow at the waist of Kim moved. The arrow, which flew through the wind to punish the monsters who had offended its master''s mood, penetrated the noise of the detestable monsters one by one.


    It took only a moment for the six Big-nosed Orangutans to become meat no longer breathing.


    Kuh?


    The leader of the Big-nosed Orangutans, which had been able to grasp the presence of the arrow, avoided the arrow going through its temples as it moved, but the arrow instead penetrated its throat.


    Kuh, Kuhuh! Khuck!


    The arrow showed itself in front of the monster that had started to choke instead of scream.


    Paat! It penetrated the middle of the forehead of the Big-nosed Orangutan at once. Once again, silence had arrived.


    In the silence, Kim lowered his posture to meet the eyes of Bae, who had fallen on the ground.


    "How much weapon power do the survivors and plunderers have?"


    2.


    Ganseok Ogeori...


    As per the term "Ogeori", Ganseok Ogeori was a place where five roads converged. In the center of the five streets, there was an elevated bridge named Ganseok Overpass. It was literally an overpass.


    An elevated bridge that could be called an overpass, the road above the road; it was just a bridge for drivers and traffic monitors. But now the overpass was replacing a tower.


    Men in military uniforms were carrying guns, telescopes, and monitoring the area. It was a sight that had never been seen before. The landscape around the overpass was also quite different from that of Ganseok Ogeori.


    Cars on the road were settled like barricades, and there were clear signs of a struggle between the monsters that wanted to cross the road, and those who tried to stop them.


    The biggest change was that two of the five streets of Ganseok Ogeori were blocked by collapsed buildings.


    Kim Yu-ri looked at the place that should now be called Ganseok Three-way Intersection through a telescope from the rooftop of an owner-less building, and she clicked her tongue slightly.


    "Their defense is more thorough than I thought."


    The defense of the survivors at Ganseok Ogeori was very thorough. It wasn''t just through luck that the city of Incheon survived three months in hell.


    "I think it''s dangerous to make a contact."


    Naturally, blind contact with survivors was not different from approaching an injured beast. Kim Yu-ri''s advice of danger was quite fair. However, Kim Tae-hoon''s actions were different.


    "Stay here."


    "What?"


    "I will meet the leader of the survivors alone."


    At his words, she looked at him in surprise. She repeated what she had said a little while ago, with her eyes: blind contact is dangerous!


    However, he did not listen to her eyes or words.


    "There are children."


    What he was interested in was the fact that the children were running around in the Ganseok Ogeori.


    "What the hell is that¡­" She couldn''t understand his explanation easily.


    ''What does it matter?'' To Kim Yu-ri, it was not worth considering that the children were running around.


    He was willing to explain to her. "There are two major cases in which groups have children with guns without government permission."


    "One is a group of terrorists who want to use the children for suicide bombings by brainwashing them."


    "What''s the other?"


    "The others are fools who risk their lives in a world where their lives are hard to save."


    Her face hardened at the explanation. ''If his explanation is correct, it means that the armed group with children is simply one of the two, an angel or a devil.''


    "Is there a way to classify the two cases?"


    Of course, Kim had the knowledge to distinguish them. "Terrorists usually only have children around the age of ten. If they become thirteen years old or older, they will be in danger of thinking for themselves. If they are under seven years old, they will not be able to carry out orders, because they are too weak to carry bombs."


    At his advice, she did not dare to express her admiration. Instead of admiring him, she had to shut her mouth tightly to keep up with the goosebumps rising on her skin.


    ''What kind of life¡­'' It was too far from her imagination: the days spent by Kim Tae-hoon, who was talking about scary things as if they were very useful knowledge.


    However, he did not give her any more attention. He turned his head as he looked at Ganseok Ogeori. She also turned her head along with him. Of course, there was nothing visible.


    "What''s going on?"


    But he clearly heard the sound of a group armed with weapons approaching at a rapid pace toward Ganseok Ogeori and the distinctive sound of a tank when it moved.


    "The plunderers."


    "There''s a tank."


    "What?"


    "A K1A1. Two."


    Her expression hardened at the explanation.


    ''Two tanks¡­ Oh, my God.''


    Having two tanks means that they actually armed with something they couldn''t hurt easily. Of course, it would be a nightmare for survivors of Ganseok Ogeori. However, it was his choice that she was more concerned about.


    He has already said that he deliberately appeared when the other person fell into an urgent moment and he helped them. According to his logic, he would come out after the tanks had spewed their shells and turned Ganseok Ogeori into a mess. He was a cold-hearted man, beyond the callousness of making such a choice.


    "Sergeant Kim Yu-ri."


    "Tell me."


    "Give the survivors the news of plunderers coming."


    But this time he was different.


    "Then you¡ª"


    He did not answer her question. Instead, he threw himself from the roof of the building.

 61 Episode 61 - Incheon Landing Operation, Part II

    Chapter 22. Incheon Landing Operation, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    Kki-ri-ri! A grotesque sound appeared on the quiet road.


    Kki-ri-ri! It was the sound of wheels made especially to move a huge mass of metal, tank treads moving in an infinite orbit.


    ''It gives me goosebumps.'' Was the sound of a tank so scary?


    It was a horrifying sound. It was not scary simply because it was an unfamiliar sound.


    The tank, which was the result and cause of war, was a perfect weapon that no longer needed improvement. It was a weapon that excelled in driving human beings to feel fear and death.


    If they did not shiver when they heard the sound, they would be a monster, not a human being.


    Kki-rik! Soon the tank stopped, and the road became quiet.


    But there were no people who could keep their composure in the silence. As if to surround the tanks, the riflemen that moved along the tanks swallowed their saliva, more nervous than when the tanks made the terrifying sound "Kki-ri-rik".


    Bang! At that moment the tank''s barrel blew out thunder.


    4.


    Kim Yu-ri, who came down from the building at once, immediately started running toward the Ganseok Ogeori. The road she ran along was not a place where she was allowed to run. All sorts of obstacles, including cars, were filling the road.


    "Whew!" But she started to run without wavering. Her movements were amazing.


    Swish! She vaulted a small car in one jump.


    Thud! She stepped on the van to pass.


    Slip! In the case of a truck, she slid under the gap seen below the wheels without slowing.


    "What, what?" "Something is coming!"


    At her cat-like movements, the watchers, who had been placed throughout the buildings, were surprised. They were so surprised that they forgot their roles for a while.


    "Alert! Alert!" "Swing the flag! Swing the red flag!"


    Those who were late in their roles pushed the flags out of the buildings. A red T-shirt hung on a flagpole formerly used to display a Korean flag, a red devil T-shirt that filled Korea in 2002 fluttered.


    "The flag?" The fluttering flag came into the view of those who were on the overpass of Ganseok Ogeori.


    "Red Alert!" The complexions of those at the overpass had paled.


    One of them immediately raised the loudspeaker and shouted, "Evacuate! Evacuate!"


    Other people were shouting out, "Get into the station! Everybody, evacuate into the station!" they fiercely shouted with pale faces. They were very desperate.


    "Take care of the kids!" "Get into the building!"


    The most desperate were those who were close to the children. Those carrying the children who started to cry began to run with their teeth clenched tightly. The children who could not find someone to carry them fell on the ground while running away.


    It was total chaos. And that was what Kim Yu-ri was aiming for. The situation was urgent to explain, so she tried to warn the survivors of Ganseok Ogeori to evacuate.


    There was one warning she should do in the voice. "The tanks are coming! Watch out for the shells!"


    She shouted at the overpass with all her might. Because she was a soldier, she knew very well that if she was a tank driver, the best target for destroying the survivors'' territory at this moment was.


    "Get down from the overpass!"


    Bang! At that moment, a clap of thunder went over the overpass. No one responded to the sound of the flash.


    The response came after a shell passed over the overpass to hit a building behind it. "Aahhhh!" "Shell, it''s a shell!"


    Screams that only the crazed could spit out began to burst out everywhere.


    Bang! At the same time, a building that was hit by the shells began to collapse as if it was spitting blood.


    Bang! The tank threw up another shell.


    Bang! The second shell bursting before the confusion spread made another building start to collapse.


    "Aahhhh!"


    At that moment, none of the survivors of Ganseok Ogeori were able to make rational, reasonable judgments.


    ''Damn it!'' On the other hand, Kim Yu-ri could be rational at this moment.


    She had seen it a lot, because of her experience. It was due to numerous encounters with the sights in Seoul, and she knew what would happen when the tanks spit out a shell between the forest of buildings.


    Of course, she also knew what the survivors of this chaotic place would choose. The humans who survived at this moment were selfish animals that only take care of their own lives. The ones who would die first in that selfishness¡­ children.


    "Aahhhh!"


    "Mummy! Mummy!"


    That''s why it was hard to find young children when monsters had swept past. Even worse, it was hard to find the dead bodies of such children. The soft bodies of the dead children were the first meat that the monsters ate.


    Kim Yu-ri grit her teeth tight.


    ''Select.''


    The situation was urgent. Tanks began to vomit shells, survivors were scrambling to survive by running into the station and the building, and the shelled buildings were beginning to collapse.


    Of course, it was not easy to take care of her life. So, in this situation, she always took care of her life. It wasn''t because she wanted to.


    Her life did not exist to save a child, but rather to carry out a special mission, so she couldn''t take the risk. It was a directive and an order to her. The guidelines and orders were not different now. Naturally, at ordinary times, she would have moved to save her life.


    But at this moment she was concerned about the image of Kim Tae-hoon who had moved to save the lives of the children. And her anxiety ended earlier than expected. ''He''s right.''


    His actions had always produced good results, but the only outcome that she had from following guidelines and orders had been disastrous.


    The results proved who was right. She didn''t hesitate when she thought to that point. She became a black leopard once again and began running towards the crying children.


    Bang! Bang! At that moment a third and fourth cannon shot was heard.


    Aahhhh! At the same time, screams began to rise in the direction of the gunfire.


    5.


    Around the K1A1 tank that was stationed on the road were plunderers armed with guns. It was not a strange sight.


    Tanks were deadly weapons, but not omnipotent. There were weapons that could threaten tanks. For example, an anti-tank rocket poking its head toward the side of a tank was enough to threaten it.


    It was no wonder that riflemen were guarding the area of the tank, to remove such elements.


    Kwarrng! It was natural that the ears of the riflemen deployed for escort duty would become deaf as soon as the tank fired.


    "Why did we use this good thing now, damn it¡­ if we had used this earlier, we would never have fought with those guys over there. Don''t you think?"


    And it was also natural for an assassin to use the gap created by the roar.


    "Huh?" Between the building and the building next to the tank, a rifleman who was guarding the area turned to hear the answer to his question. At that moment, what he saw was a strangely bent figure of a fellow who falling down and a black fist flying toward his face. Bam!


    The black fists drowned the face of the man wearing a bulletproof hat.


    "Khuck!" This short word was all that was left of him.


    Kim Tae-hoon, after killing two people at once, mentally grabbed the guns that they had held. After catching the guns that came up into his grasp, he pulled the triggers with the guns pointing at the sky.


    Tutututu! The unhindered gunfire took over the place which the shell''s roar had passed.


    "It''s a gunshot!" "There! Over there!"


    The plunderers began to gather like fire moths toward the gunshots.


    Kim Tae-hoon waited for them. The moment they appeared, he shot them with a gun in turn. Tutu! Tutu! Tutu!


    It was not a hard job, but an easy task. It was a much more familiar task for him to fire and kill them as they gathered after hearing the gunfire than to handle an arrow or a sword with his Telekinesis and shoot them out with his power.


    "Keuk!" The short final sound of those who were shot was also familiar to him. And what was bitter in his mouth was also familiar. He frowned around a bitter taste worse than the most bitter coffee.


    ''It''s the worst.''


    He has never been pleasant since the monsters appeared, but he had also never felt more uncomfortable since the monsters appeared. It was¡­ because of the children, of course.


    He was not going to be a hero. He was not going to deny that he was a murderer.


    He was not the only one, but all of them living lives similar to him were killers. But they also had their own lines: the line that should not be crossed.


    The children were one of those lines. He did not want to be a monster pointing a muzzle at children, even if it was a terrible battlefield.


    Kwarrng!


    Of course, he did not intend to give the tank that was shooting at this moment even a handful of mercy.


    Tsreung! He pulled a Sword from his back.


    6.


    In turn, the tanks that spewed four artillery shells began to pause.


    "Aaaaaaargh!" Screaming took over the space where the fire had died down.


    The drivers pushing their upper bodies out of the hatch of the tank, looked in the direction of the sound, between the buildings, frowning at the scream.


    "What the hell is going on?"


    After hearing the gunshots after the gunfire, their companions rushed to the place, where screams came out.


    "Hey! Hey! What''s going on?"


    It was crazy for the tank drivers. They wanted to close the hatch after they put themselves in the tank. But it was not allowed, because someone had to look around.


    ''It''s crazy.'' At this moment, the tanks, which were more reliable than anything else, felt like prisons around them. Therefore, the tank drivers'' minds were filled with fear.


    Something fell into the mess. Thump!


    Something fell from the rearmost tank with a rough sound. Thump!


    With that, the elongated barrel of the tank fell to the ground with it cut off.


    ''Hmm?''


    ''Huh?''


    The faces of those who frowned at this ridiculous sight changed to blankness. As they all looked dazed, the man who had cut the barrel off with a single sword jumped up like a spring as soon as he landed on the ground and climbed on top of the tank whose barrel he had cut off.


    Two men were sticking out of the top of the tank, and he landed among them and painted a semicircle with the Sword in his hand. Shh!


    The two heads within the trajectory of the semicircle fell to the ground, cut off. The man pulled out one body of the two who leaned over the entrance of the tank.


    "What is it?" The question came from a man who did know what was happening in the tank.


    The answer to the question was given by Kim, exhaling loudly. Fuhoohoo! He breathed out a huge flame into the tank.


    "Aaaaaargh!" A terrible scream came from the flames filling the tank.


    "Back! Back!"


    At the scream, the tank in front slowly turned its turret around.


    "Turn the gun barrel around!" The long barrel aimed back.


    However, there was no Kim Tae-hoon there when the gun barrel finally pointed at the tank behind it.


    Thump! Like crossed over the stepping stones, he landed on the top of the tank that had turned its turret in one leap.


    Shh! Again, as before, he cut apart the two men who were leaning out of the hatch to see what was happening. Then he waited near the entrance of the tank with his Sword in the air with his Telekinesis.


    "What''s going on-" A man appeared like a mole, and Kim grabbed the man''s neck and pulled out his body. In the process, the man''s pelvis and legs hit the entrance, so fast that he was bruised.


    "Aaaaaargh!" Of course, the man screamed. However, the screaming faded as soon as Kim''s right hand mercilessly crushed his ribs. "Aaarh¡­"


    There was no such thing as screaming in a situation where he could not even breathe. Kim threw the man out of the tank. The man began to wriggle on the ground like a worm.


    After that, Kim said to the last remaining person, the tank''s pilot. "Come out."


    7.


    The cannon fired four times. There were only those four shots.


    However, the gunfire did not achieve a single thing it wanted. All the shells aimed at the overpass crossed over it, and they broke down only the buildings.


    However, the four artillery shells were enough to turn Ganseok Ogeori into hell.


    "Save me-" "There''s a man buried!" "Baw, mommy¡­!" "Cough, cough!"


    Those who had been buried in the wreckage of the buildings called for help, the children who had been frightened by the gunfire and pissed their pants burst into tears, and there were some people coughing in the dust that was rising.


    It was Kim Yu-ri who moved rationally in the mess. She took the children she had saved and moved to a safe place, and immediately began to help those who had survived.


    "Hands up!" It was those who ran out of the station armed for the battle that stopped her. She responded to their demands. She raised her hands high and bit her lips slightly.


    ''What a fool...''


    If she hadn''t taken care of the children, she could have avoided them. But she didn''t. She was in a crisis. It was a stupid thing to do. But she wasn''t heavy-hearted or complicated.


    "Father! Father!" The man who pointed the gun at her began to look for a priest in a loud voice. Then a young man in a black priest-uniform appeared. The young man looked at her.


    "What are you?"


    "Answer straight!"


    At the following warning, she told her name and rank. "My name is Kim Yu-ri, a member of the 35th Commandos of the Capital Defense Command, and my rank is Sergeant."


    Everyone looked surprised at the confession.


    On the other hand, the young priest did not look surprised and asked, "Are you here to save the companions of the 35th Commandos¡­?"


    This time, she looked surprised. ''The companions¡­''


    But their conversation did not proceed further.


    "Fa, Father, there''s a man in the sky!"a man rushed out in haste and shouted in a trembling voice to the priest.


    "What? A man is coming here, stepping on the air!"


    "What the hell is that¡ª"


    "There, there!"


    "Huh, a human?"


    Kim Tae-hoon showed up in the sky. Everyone looked blank when they saw him.


    ''Ah.'' Kim Yu-ri could feel the meaning of the answer that he had given Sergeant Yu-ri. ''This really works.''


    Kim Tae-hoon looked like a real savior now.

 62 Episode 62 - Incheon Landing Operation, Part III

    Chapter 22. Incheon Landing Operation, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    8.


    On a day when despair and screaming filled the world, a man appeared like a messenger of God. It was a sight that anyone could not help but remember for life.


    "Who is the leader?" There was no such thing as resistance to Kim Tae-hoon after he appeared in such a scene.


    "I, I am the representative."


    The same was true of Baek Jung-joon, a leader of the survivors in Incheon, the priest. He stood in front of Kim, with no resistance, no dust rebellion, and a blank expression that he had never had before.


    Kim''s left eyebrows rose slightly in the appearance of the priest.


    ''A priest?''


    Compared to the leader he had been imagining in his mind, the priest in front of him was so weak that he could not be the leader. Even the big silver cross around his neck seemed hard for him to carry.


    However, Kim did not ponder the question for a long time. Whoever the leader was, was not important to Kim. In addition, he was not here simply to give blessings and joy.


    "This is Kim Tae-hoon, the head of the Mac Guild, who manages Bucheon City."


    "I''m... I''m Paik Jung-joon, the priest who leads the survivors."


    "I''ll make one thing clear before I talk to you." With those words, Kim looked at the crowd.


    The crowd was staring at Kim with blank expressions, and it was hard to believe that their eyes had been colored with fear and despair a while ago.


    Kim looked at their faces one by one and said, after confirming the condition of Kim Yu-ri, "All the plunderers who attacked this place were removed." The news was what everyone here wanted to hear.


    "By my hands."


    Now, it was time for the crowd gathered at the news to cheer and shout. However, Kim did not allow their joy to spread.


    "So, everyone here owes me their lives." With that short notice, his eyes turned bloody. No, from the beginning, his eyes were like that.


    It was just that everyone was in a fantasy, and now was time to wake up from the fantasy. Those who woke up from such fantasies realized that the man in front of them was not an angel, a savior, or a messenger of God.


    "Is there anyone who is dissatisfied with this?"


    And now it was time to realize that the man in front of them was not a charity businessman. The reason he came here was not to get the price of saving the lives of those here.


    9.


    On the roof of the building, Kim, who had climbed up there, was drinking coffee in a thermos bottle and looking down at the Ganseok Ogeori.


    Survivors were busy moving around the overpass, which had been ruined by shell fire. It was like ants moving, but that was not a disparaging expression.


    Rather, there was no desperate and systematic activity to survive as did the ants, among the myriad things he knew.


    It was an expression of admiration for him to compare them to ants. In fact, those who survived here were miracles to be alive.


    ''Lee Jin-sung was right. The city of Incheon¡­ is actually gone.''


    The first question Kim asked Baek, the leader of the survivor group, was about what they had seen and heard.


    At that question, Baek talked a long time: what kind of despair and fear Incheon city faced after the monster appeared.


    ''He had never imagined this much.''


    The story of the priest Baek made the days he had spent in Bucheon City laughable.


    ''A monster with two heads.'' Especially the existence of a green-grade monster, a Twin-head Ogre that appeared in Incheon City, was terrible.


    The Twin-headed Ogre, ten meters tall, with muscles like armor, showed incredible ferocity and violence.


    As a man stepped on a can of beverages, it could step on a car and crumple it, and tear down a huge building with a body check. It was a monster that did not even allow the idea of ??running away, let alone than fighting back.


    ''In addition, there is a group that the Ogre leads.''


    The most terrible thing was that the Twin-head Ogre was not moving alone. It always moved with the Orcs. There were always a lot of Orcs at the scene of its slaughter.


    The Orcs were not an ordinary horde, either. Their headcount was over a thousand, and inside the horde were Mutant Orcs, such as an orange-grade Black Orc. It was a mix of two nightmares.


    ''If it had not been for God''s sake, they would have been annihilated.''


    In that situation, Baek Jung-joon and other survivors were able to settle in the Ganseok Ogeori thanks to the relic Baek wore.


    Kim took a smartphone out of his pocket and pulled up a photo file on the liquid crystal. It was a picture of the big cross that was hanging on the neck of Baek. There were translucent letters in the picture.


    [The Cross of a Saint]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 3


    - Relic Value: Special


    - Relic Effect: The cross left by the 103rd martyr. It emanates a powerful force that prevents monsters from approaching.


    The Cross of a Saint was a cross received from the bishop who Baek served, a cross that one of the 103 martyrs carried all his life. That was why the cross survived.


    It was God''s favor. Of course, Kim was not surprised at the fact that it was God''s favor, and he did not overly appreciate the existence of God.


    ''There are many relics that prevent monsters from approaching, as well as the Sunsubi of King Jinheung.''


    What mattered to him was the fact that there were relics that prevented monsters from approaching.


    ''If one Cross of a Saint covers the Ganseok Ogeori¡­ is the Vatican actually a calm and safe place?''


    That fact would have an impact on the world situation in the future.


    The Cross of a Saint was not common; in the Vatican, only a few people in history were recognized as saints, and even the popes were not often recognized as saints. But the Vatican would have many relics, including the Crosses of Saints.


    ''In fact, it would not be strange if the Vatican itself has become a relic. If so, Italy will form a pretty powerful force around the Vatican.''


    The Vatican would be a base for survivors, and a power would be created around it.


    This was all right. There was nothing wrong with a lot of people surviving.


    The problem was next. ''Italy was¡­ a country for war.''


    The Vatican would of course be the base of the country of Italy, and Italy would start a struggle to survive from its base.


    If so, would they go out to save the world? Or would they want to be a new order in a world where everything had collapsed?


    ''If Italy was next to China¡­?''


    One thing was clear. In the past history, they chose the latter rather than the former, even if they did not know the future yet.


    ''If there is a God, he wants to see me die somehow.'' Kim laughed bitterly.


    At that time, a woman appeared on the roof of a building where he was located. It was Sergeant Kim Yu-ri. He closed the lid of the thermos bottle at her appearance. She, who understood his expression, swallowed.


    He said to her, "Did you finish talking to Sergeant Park Il-sun?"


    Sergeant Park Il-sun. He was a member of the 35th Commandos and was currently being protected by the survivors of the Ganseok Ogeori.


    "Yes."


    He was also an Awakener, with a mark on the back of his right hand.


    "Now it''s time to talk to me."


    Of course, there was a question.


    Why was an Awakener, a member of the 35th Commandos, barely keeping his life in Incheon, losing his legs and left arm, as if he were a corpse? There had to be a reason.


    "Was Sergeant Park Il-sun a member of the rescue team, sent to rescue Kate Kennedy?"


    "To be exact, the mission that was given to the rescue team and Sergeant Park Il-sun was to confirm the lives and whereabouts of not only Kate Kennedy, but also VIPs of various countries who were trying to depart the country through Incheon International Airport."


    "What was the starting date?"


    "... it was January 22."


    On January 22, the Capital Defense Command had dispatched rescue teams to Yeongjong Island, where Incheon International Airport was located. The purpose was to identify the lives and deaths of the family or officials of the Ambassadors of the United States and other countries.


    At that time, the Capital Defense Command, which did not know the situation abroad, could not ignore the demands of the Ambassadors. If the emergence of monsters only happened in Korea, Korea would have to get help from the whole world, and the Ambassadors'' voice and influence would grow.


    The problem was that it was impossible to move a powerful weapon, such as a large-scale force or tank, from Seoul to Incheon, in a situation where social infrastructure had collapsed.


    "What about the members of the rescue team?"


    "There were twenty-one."


    So, the rescue team was composed of a small number of elites.


    "What was the number of Awakeners?"


    "They were all Awakeners."


    In addition, it needed to be composed of the Awakeners with superhuman abilities that had appeared with the monsters.


    "How many relics did they have?"


    "That''s¡ª"


    And unlike guns that were easily supplied, powerful relics needed to be provided to the rescue team.


    "How many national treasures were given to them?"


    Among them were national treasures. There was no choice in the matter.


    "The national treasure¡ª"


    The task of rescuing VIP''s must be successful during the first attempt, because success rates go down exponentially after the first attempt fails.


    Of course, there was a clear reason for Kim Tae-hoon to judge that the national treasures were given to the rescue team.


    "There were two national treasures."


    "That''s why they were going to give me a national treasure for this mission."


    When the Colonel first said that he would receive a national treasure relic from Kate Kennedy''s rescue mission, Kim hypothesized that the position of the US Ambassador to Korea was bigger than he had thought. So, his daughter, who could pressure the US Ambassador to Korea, had a national treasure ransom. But he could not have confidence in the hypothesis.


    "The national treasure is her ransom, so they have to give me a national treasure."


    Even if Kate Kennedy''s ransom was worth as much as a national treasure, there was no reason for the Capital Defense Command to pay the fair price.


    That was the way of the world. The strong do not make an even scale against the weak.


    In the view of the Capital Defense Command, they themselves were strong, and the Mac Guild and Kim Tae-hoon were weak. They wouldn''t pay fair prices.


    "I''m sorry."


    "Nothing to be sorry about. That''s what the government or the army does. I was wrong because I did not notice it."


    Nevertheless, giving national treasures in return for the mission would be worth more than national treasures. That was the background which convinced him that a national treasure was given to the rescue team.


    The rescue team was given national treasures, and the rescue team failed. Of course, the national treasures paid to the rescue team in Incheon City had been lost.


    If he collected them, it was not strange to be paid with national treasures.


    "What are the names of the national treasures?"


    "They are the national treasure No. 91, Horse Figure Type Earthenware, and the national treasure No. 87,Gold Cap of Gold Crown Tomb."


    "Where are the two relics now?"


    "We don''t know where Gold Cap of Gold Crown Tomb is, but the location of the national treasure No. 91, Horse Figure Type Earthenware is¡­ Sergeant Park knows."


    At her answer, he opened the lid of the thermos bottle.


    "I think that the reason you easily revealed the information you have hidden in the meantime is not to confess¡­"


    Then he said briefly before taking a drink, "What do you want?"


    "I want to negotiate with Major Kim Tae-hoon."


    At her words, he drank coffee and his silence began.


    At the same time, the story of Sergeant Kim Yu-ri began, "There''s a traitor inside."


    10.


    ==[Horse Figure Type Earthenware]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 2


    - Relic Value: Special


    - Relic Effect: Injecting Mana can move the mounted doll. The amount of Mana injected determines the amount of time you can move.]==


    Horse Figure Type Earthenware was a very familiar relic to Koreans, because if they had ever opened a history textbook once, they would have seen more than one picture of this relic in the chapter on the period of the Three States.


    A relic that should be kept in the glass tubes of the National Museum of Korea, was now in his hands.


    ''Grade 2, that''s great.'' He was looking at the relic with black eyes.


    Kim Yu-ri''s face, looking at him from his side, was stiff.


    ''The dice are thrown.''


    The fact that a national treasure was passed on to his hands meant that she had failed her mission and committed disobedience and rebellion.


    ''There''s nothing to say if I am sentenced to immediate execution.''


    There were two duties for her.


    One was surveillance of Kim Tae-hoon. The other was to go to Incheon City along with him and collect the relics left by the rescue team who had failed to complete the mission, as he expected.


    In fact, the latter was much more important than the former. Of course, she should not have revealed clues or information about national treasures from him even if she was tortured.


    "How powerful is this relic?"


    "It''s powerful to buy time against a green-grade monster."


    "Explain in more detail."


    "If the Awakener of Mana rank B injects Mana, we can fight for eleven minutes, and during that eleven minutes we stood up to the green-grade monster, the White High-footed Spider. While the earthenware doll was gaining time, Major Oh Se-bum jumped onto the body of the White High-footed Spider, and was able to kill it."


    However, rather than hiding the fact, she revealed it to him.


    "... you kept it."


    "Sergeant Park Il-sun saved the national treasure with his life."


    It was because of what Sergeant Park had said.


    "He said he could never give it to a traitor who had betrayed his fellows."


    Park Il-sun, a member of the rescue team, said the reason for the failure of the rescue team was because of the inside traitor. In addition, the traitors'' goals were relics, and Sergeant Park said he had been able to barely hide the relics at the sacrifice of his companions.


    At the moment of hearing the story, she could no longer trust the Capital Defense Command. When she decided that she could not believe the Capital Defense Command, she negotiated with Kim Tae-hoon: she would give him the relics and let him know the truth. The price was, of course, to find and dispose of the traitors.


    "Thank you." He took the deal for granted. When the deal was concluded, he told her the information he had obtained by torturing the plunderers who had attacked the Ganseok Ogeori.


    "Is all that true, Major?"


    "It is highly likely that the traitor you speak of, or the person involved, will remain in Incheon, and the traitor behind the plunderers is likely to be the traitor." The information was that there was a person who controlled the plunderers from the shadows.


    "It makes no sense for the plunderers to use tanks."


    The beginning of doubt was the fact that the plunderers operated the tanks themselves. So far, the plunderers had not been able to properly loot the survivors. There were many reasons, but it decisive that they did not have the firepower to overwhelm the survivors.


    Otherwise, if the plunderers had possessed the knowledge and circumstances to operate the tanks, they would have operated the tanks.


    "Someone taught the plunderers how to operate a tank."


    A tank was not a weapon that could be driven after a few times, like a car. They had received minimal training and education from those who had proper knowledge of tank operation and shell shooting.


    "Who the hell..."


    It meant that there was a person who trained and educated the plunderers in the operation of the tanks. In Incheon, there were not many people who had the knowledge related to such a military specialty, and who could do the mean work.


    Accordingly, he revised his plan: what he needed to do right now was to dig into the back of the plunderers.


    "I will ask directly who he is."


    Kim Tae-hoon began to infuse his Mana into the Horse Figure Type Earthenware.

 63 Episode 63 - Incheon Landing Operation, Part IV

    Chapter 22. Incheon Landing Operation, Part IV


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    11.


    "What the hell is that?" A man in his mid-thirties threw a beer can in his hand with a rough cry, as hard as he could toward the man in front of him.


    Puck! The can, half full of beer, hit the man in the head.


    "Argh!" The man who was hit by a can of beer screamed and fell down.


    Poowhat! At the same time, the beer from the can burst out and soaked the body of the man who had fallen on the floor.


    "Do you think they seemed to be annihilated? Did they seem to be annihilated, or were they annihilated?"


    The smell of beer rising like a haze, and a man in his mid-thirties... From the mouth of group leader Yang Seok-chun, who was called the Plunderer in Incheon City, angry words spilled out like thunder.


    "Are you fucking kidding me, you bastards?" He was not satisfied with the beer cans, and he threw the things around him indiscriminately, including the beer cans that had not even opened yet, and even the bottles of liquor. He was clearly anger beyond control.


    "Tanks! Tanks!"


    But none of the people there thought his anger was overpowering.


    "I sent tanks and they were annihilated! Can you believe that? You bastards!"


    A tank.


    Even for the users, it was a terrifying weapon, and no one had imagined defeat, of course. All he could imagine was the remnants of the violence the tank would produce. But those who put up the tanks were annihilated. What was worse, it was impossible to judge even if they were really annihilated.


    "Fuck!"


    No survivors, and even those who went to check on the situation did not come back. All of this was making his anger a reasonable anger, but not by much. Moreover, there was one more fact that angered him.


    ''My life is at stake for this work.'' This was not just about looting survivors.


    The story began with a man who came to Yang. He told Yang, "The government forces in Seoul will soon enter Incheon City."


    ''If we mess this up, we''ll all die at the hands of the government troops!''


    It was something Yang couldn''t pass on.


    Under the name the Plunderer, Yang and his fellow men committed numerous and terrible crimes.


    Robbery, murder, rape, and arson were basic, they tortured people for boredom, and they kidnapped children as hostages and took food from the survivors. Those who suffered from the violence and witnesses were everywhere at Ganseok Ogeori.


    If the government had done its job, Yang and his men would have been sentenced to death immediately.


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it!''


    But now the government was in a situation where it could not do the job, and the government would arrest Yang and execute him neatly on the spot by firing squad instead of life-time imprisonment.


    ''I have to run, I have to leave Incheon as soon as possible!''


    But he can not make war against the government forces. He decided that he had to run away as soon as he heard the story.


    ''I need it.''


    The problem was that there was no place to run away in the world now. It was a world full of monsters. The dragon''s mouth was the only place he could get away from the tiger''s.


    So he needed the Cross of Paik Jung-joon, who was at the center of the survivor group.


    ''I need the Cross of that damn priest!''


    If he had the thing that kept the monsters from approaching, he would be free from the threat of the monsters anywhere.


    The man who told the story about the government army also participated in his plan. He also said he was a fugitive and needed the Cross of a Saint, and would help him get the cross.


    The help Yang had received was how to operate the tanks, because the man knew how to drive the tanks and how to shoot the cannon. After learning how to operate the tanks, Yang sent them to finish the survivors'' group. Naturally, the story should have ended there. It should have ended...


    "Give me a real fucking reason! Find out why they were destroyed!"


    It was not over. He was crazy and went mad.


    "Bo-boss! Boss!" A man hurried into the factory, and he ran up to the angry Yang, looking like a ghost.


    "What is it?"


    Yang held a nearby bottle of wine, and if the man in front of him started talking about bullshit, he was going to hit his head with a bottle. But Yang never swung the bottle.


    "A Black Knight is running wild!"


    "What? A Black Knight?"


    It was really crazy, and it was starting to get crazier.


    12.


    Thump! A horse climbed up on a car that had now become scrap metal. The horse was bizarre. It was not a living horse, for one thing, but a horse made of clay. And it was not a usual horse, either. Unlike a normal one, it had a spear in its chest.


    Neigh!


    Atop that harshly breathing horse, there was a knight wearing only lower body armor. He was a warrior rather than a highly experienced veteran who had been on a battlefield for many years.


    The warrior was also made of clay, and the sword in his hand was also made of clay.


    But there was no rugged or crude feeling anywhere about the horse, the warrior, and the sword in his hand. Rather, it was the opposite.


    "What are you doing! Fight! Fight!"


    The movement of the horse that leaped toward the plunderer who shouted out was more sleek and intense than a living horse. Shh!


    The skill of the warrior made of clay, who wielded a sword, as the distance from the plunderer narrowed, was excellent, and the sharpness of the clay sword, which cut through a human body with a single stroke, was amazing. There was no crude or poor element anywhere.


    "Oh, my God!" "Where on earth does that monster come-"


    In many ways, it could be explained by conventional common sense.


    Tututu! Someone pulled their trigger at the rider. But it was useless, too.


    Pook, pook-pook! The clay horse and the warrior''s body were pierced by the rain of bullets, but that was all. The horse and the warrior did not shed blood, nor did they moan.


    Neigh! The shots just caught its attention.


    Bang, bang! The warrior crossed a vehicle like jumping over stepping stones, narrowed the distance to the gunman at a breath, and cut his opponent down with a single stroke.


    Neigh! The clay horse did not stop there. It ran faster toward the next enemy.


    ''We''re done.'' The plunderers lost their wills to fight at a presence outside common sense.


    Then, something else out of common sense happened. The clay warrior on the horse, who did not care about the rain of bullets, began to fade.


    ''Huh?'' Soon it turned into a small clay sculpture.


    "Where did he go?"


    The plunderers, not many of whom were left, stared at this sight outside common sense.


    Twang! An arrow without feathers came to them.


    "Huh?"


    The Arrow that had to be called a silent assassin began to kill the plunderers quietly.


    ''That''s great.'' Kim Tae-hoon, who watched all the scenes from the sky, looked at his right hand with his black-colored eyes.


    ======


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 265


    - Health: 237


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: C Rank


    - Mana: C Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Defense: C Rank


    - Mana Resistance: C- Rank


    ========


    ''I can use it for less than 5 minutes with Mana of C rank, and it is a disadvantage.''


    Horse Figure Type Earthenware.


    The power of a relic that became a horse warrior who did not stop from the moment of injecting Mana was overwhelming and beyond impressive.


    ''But the combat power...''


    The mobility that the horse showed was impressive. Its speed was worthy of a top sports car, and it showed moves that the sports car could not show. The clay warrior''s combat power was overwhelming, and its sword skill was accurate and ruthless so that its young appearance was unashamed; and as it chased the enemy, he aimed for the perfect gaps between them.


    Finally, the sharpness and power of the sword were not equal to the Sword of the Imperator on his back, but it was excellent enough to be compared to it.


    ''I cannot guarantee my life against it in a mere close battle.''


    All of these comprehensive elements were so terrifying that his spine went cold, just imagining facing the Horse Figure Type Earthenware. So he was satisfied.


    ''I got the best partner.''


    The combat power of the Horse Figure Type Earthenware itself was enormous, but the harmony with him was more satisfactory than that.


    The Horse Figure Type Earthenware was a partner who could earn attention and time against a green-grade monster. While the Horse Figure Type Earthenware bought time, his options in the air with his Telekinesis were infinite. There would be no more perfect combination.


    ''There is no reason to hesitate to fight against the green-grade monster anymore.''


    - Boss! Run away with...


    - Taang!


    - That''s a load of bullshit.


    He heard a small disturbance. He pulled his eyes off the back of his right hand. He had seen enough of the power of the Horse Figure Type Earthenware. So now, it was time to perform his original duties here. He began to fall toward the ground.


    13.


    A man came into a coffee shop, its glass wall shattered and doors non-existent. It was Kim Tae-hoon, who put a Sword on his back instead of a bag.


    The first thing he saw in the coffee shop was a shelf next to the counter. Originally full of cakes, there were only fragments of broken glass and blood dripping from someone cutting into it. On the bottom of the counter was a trace of someone picking up a trampled Tiramisu cake and eating it.


    The gruesome traces were everywhere. The wooden chairs and desks were not visible, the counters were already shattered, and the expensive espresso machines were also ripped off in this mess.


    Only the coffee beans that filled the shelves here and there were fine. It was because coffee did not fulfill their hunger, and they could not eat them easily. No one wanted to be a coffee thief.


    It was a good thing for Kim Tae-hoon. He picked one bag of Colombian coffee out of the various kinds of beans on the shelf. Then he put bottled water into the stainless-steel kettle in the drawer. For fire, he used solid fuel. After opening the solid fuel he had brought, he spat a flame toward the fuel.


    Ptui! As soon as the burning saliva reached it, solid fuel began to burn. He put the kettle on the tripod of solid fuel.


    The next task was to crush the beans. After peeling off the sealed wrapping paper, he smelled the fragrance of the beans, and he immediately took them out. Then he began to break the beans with his black-dyed right hand. The hard beans became powder in his grasp.


    A few minutes later, when he the hot water was prepped under the dipper, the coffee fragrance began to circulate in the coffee shop for the first time in about three months. His thinking began as soon as he took a sip of coffee.


    The starting point of his thinking was his conversation with Yang, the head of the plunderers. Yang confessed everything: how bad he had been, how he deserved to die, and who was behind him¡­


    ''The man was in his mid-thirties. His hair was sporty. His voice was husky with a square face. A big dot was under his left eye.''


    The information obtained from Yang gave Kim confidence in some hypotheses in his mind.


    ''The woodblock-printed edition of Daedongyeojido, which was currently kept in the National Museum of Korea, is in the hands of the Six Snakes.''


    The woodblock-printed edition of Daedongyeojido was a more valuable relic than any other one at this point. There were many editions of Daedongyeojido in Seoul. In the National Museum of Korea was the woodblock-printed edition.


    There was no reason why the Capital Defense Command did not have had it. However, Kim thought that the Capital Defense Command did not currently possess it.


    The first reason was that soldiers belonging to the Capital Defense Command had died in battle with the green-grade monster, the Bell-tailed Rat, in Gwangmyeong City, and the second reason was that Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not dispatch his troops directly to Incheon City. This would not have happened if they had the Daedongyeojido with them.


    ''The Six Snakes took the Daedongyeojido away.'' And now it was owned by them. ''If it had not been for that, they could not have been able to work outside like this.'' The movement of the Six Snakes was evidence.


    ''Their purpose is to take relics.''


    The purpose of the Six Snakes was to take away the relics of the Capital Defense Command. Unlike in the past, the Capital Defense Command, which has lost Daedongyeojido, was now unable to engage in full-scale external activities. But that did not mean that they could not do outside activities at all. In the end, a small number of elites should be able to perform external activities. In order to increase the success rate of the mission, high-grade relics were inevitably paid out.


    But what if the missions failed?


    What if the team died on a mission?


    Of course, the relics given out will be ones without owners.


    ''The Six Snakes turns them into stolen goods, and then they take them away.'' That was, they stole the relics.


    ''As long as Oh se-bum is around, they won''t have to worry about the stolen goods.''


    Above all, the Six Snakes currently had Daedongyeojido, and the strongest Awakener of the Capital Defense Command, the road maker Oh Se-bum. They could identify the monsters'' whereabouts, and they had the strongest card that the Capital Defense Command could use, so the risk they took was not great.


    However, at this moment, they had a very serious risk: Kim Tae-hoon. And the Six Snakes were now aware of the risk.


    ''The day the Six Snakes contacted Yang was after I stunned Oh Se-bum.''


    The reason why they approached Yang and informed him about how to operate a tank was to prevent Kim Tae-hoon from entering Incheon City and grasping their plans. When the plunderers put the tanks in front to kill all the survivors and get the Cross of a Saint, if they left Incheon City, there would not be left anything in Incheon City.


    And the tricks against him were still in progress. ''They have already revealed their teeth against me, I see.''


    They failed to destroy the evidence by mobilizing the plunderers, so they would try another if he left it as it was. Of course, he did not intend to allow the attempt itself.


    ''I will make Incheon my land so that they cannot perform any tricks.''


    The Mac Guild''s landing in Incheon had begun.


    14.


    For Paek Jung-joon, the days of hardship that had begun after the appearance of monsters were different from the days of suffering experienced by others. His Cross protected him from the monsters. But it was not just an unconditional blessing. His Cross had brought him to the test. Humans who had no generousness and mercy to give to him, not monsters, rushed to take away his Cross and bite him.


    To prevent them, Father Paik Jung-joon and his survivors, who made him the leader, had to point guns at the plunderers and pull the triggers. So, Father Paik prayed to God every day with the Cross: please do not let people come here where your favor is reached, don''t send anyone, please do not come with a pack of guns.


    Now, hundreds of people were gathering, dressed in armor made of the leather of unidentified monsters. With guns and swords, they headed toward the Ganseok Ogeori, the sanctuary of the priest and the survivors.


    ''Ah.''


    Pit-a-pat!


    The heart of Paik, who looked at the crowd, was pounding. But it was not from fear.


    ''It is God''s favor.''


    On the contrary, the heart of Father Paik was throbbing at this moment with a feeling that something unknown was rising. His heart rate was faster as the armed crowd approached him, standing on the overpass. Of course, it was not Paek who they were looking for. The man beside him, Kim Tae-hoon, who was wearing a Sword on his back, was the reason why they came here. They stopped in front of the overpass.


    The woman at the forefront of the crowd saluted over the overpass. "Reporting! 134 hunters from the Mac Guild, 466 soldiers, and a hundred others have arrived safely."


    Kim did not salute or did not talk flowery words at the report of Kim Soo-ji. He looked down.


    "The thing to do now is to dry the seeds of the monsters here."


    As soon as Baek heard his words, he was convinced that God had not abandoned humanity.


    "Use any means and methods to remove the monsters.


    "We will carry out the Incheon Landing Operation."

 64 Episode 64 - Armed Forces Demonstrations, Part I

    Chapter 23. Armed Forces Demonstrations, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    ''What is important in war?''


    ''There are countless answers to this question. Someone will pick a powerful weapon, and someone will pick a thoroughly trained soldier. There is no correct answer. The important thing is the situation. Sometimes someone needs a powerful weapon, sometimes someone needs elite soldiers. So if someone wants to hear an answer close to the right answer, someone has to change the question.''


    ''What will be more important if the situation of having to fight against unknown monsters came up?''


    The Mac Guild gave their answer: the manual.


    "There is a Goblin community in Incheon First High School."


    "We''ll kill them after we throw the smoke bombs in. How many Goblins are there?"


    "About fifty, I suppose."


    "Ten soldiers and six hunters will be enough."


    The manual.


    "I checked three Mud Trolls in the apartment complex in Ganseok-dong."


    "We can lure them down the road and then burn them with a flamethrower, and according to the manual¡­"


    "Three hunters and two flamethrowers are allotted per Mud Troll. The number of soldiers depends on the number of monsters that eat the dead bodies. The Mud Troll takes only the heads and abandons the rest."


    "Eleven hunters, thirty soldiers, and take claymores."


    The manual that taught how many weapons and power were distributed to monsters, and how to fight.


    "There are Sabretooth Wolves and Werewolves at Incheon Terminal."


    "We''ll have to set up a camp in the terminal intersection and finish all the monsters which come in with firepower."


    The answer the Mac Guild gave was the manual.


    The Mac Guild had built a manual.


    Under the direction of Kim Tae-hoon, they made a manual of the system''s information about the characteristics of monsters through repeated monster hunting; what kind of tactics were effective to hunt monsters; how many troops were needed, and so on. Furthermore, they had enough troops and weapons to carry out the manual.


    To the hunters and soldiers of the Mac Guild, Incheon City was not the land of monsters dominated by fear.


    "Well, let''s kill all the monsters today!"


    "We''ll only pay twenty percent of the monster stones we acquire. If we don''t kill enough, we''ll lose as much as we don''t."


    It was like California, where the nineteenth-century gold mines were found. The gold rush had begun.


    There was, of course, a problem.


    "We found a monster in the Gwangyo Park that looks like the head of Big-nosed Orangutans. Its eyes¡­ yellow."


    "We''ve never seen such a monster before, have we?"


    What if you saw a monster for the first time, which you cannot do anything about with only the manual?


    The answer the Mac Guild had prepared was simple. "Master will go."


    Kim Tae-hoon was the most obvious answer.


    2.


    April of 2017 has begun.


    The harsh winter, which had seemed not to end, disappeared like a mirage, and the warmth began to fill the place. However, the scenery of the Republic of Korea, where warmth came, was worse than winter before the snow disappeared.


    The world, where humans had been gone for only three months, became surprisingly harsh. The city looked degradeded as if it had been decades since the disappearance of people.


    When Lieutenant Colonel Yoo showed photographs and images of Fukushima and Chernobyl for training to prepare for the leakage of radioactivity to the members of the 35th Commando Battalion in the past, it was similar to the scenery seen there.


    But the landscape changed the moment he entered Incheon, which was rated as the most devastated according to a report he had received two months ago. He felt the energy and vigor.


    And when he entered the Ganseok Ogeori, he was able to hear the voices of children with bright laughter and powerful shouts for the first in a long time.


    "Come with me! Come with me!"


    "Ball! Ball! Watch out for the ball!"


    If children are not whole of heart, they don''t laugh.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo initially thought it was an illusion, a hallucination.


    "Have you arrived?" But the moment he met Kim Yu-ri, and the moment he saw her firm expression, he could see that all this was not a fantasy when he entered the coffee shop set up for him. He had to chew on the terribleness at the report of Sergeant Kim Yu-ri.


    "A traitor¡ª"


    There was a traitor within the Capital Defense Command. The traitor was trying to get the relics of the Capital Defense Command. Their trick killed valuable soldiers. The traitors were committing atrocities and massacring civilians if necessary.


    It was a story that made him go crazy.


    "Yes, I suppose so." However, the most terrible thing was the current situation that Lieutenant Colonel Yoo could not help believing in the report of Kim Yu-ri, and the reality that he had to think that it was right.


    There was already a sign. ''There was an enemy inside from the moment the woodblock printed edition of Daedongyeojido was lost.''


    After grasping the identity of the relics, the Capital Defense Command, of course, immediately collected relics from museums and libraries throughout Seoul. In the process, they were able to secure the copies and original plates of Daedongyeojido. At that time, all operations of the Capital Defense Command were planned based on the Daedongyeojido.


    ''It was also thanks to Daedongyeojido that we sent a rescue team to Incheon.''


    It was also because of the Daedongyeojido that they gave national treasures to the rescue team. They confirmed that there was a green-grade monster in Incheon through Daedongyeojido, and they judged that it was possible to rescue a VIP by avoiding the green-grade monster if they were helped by Daedongyeojido. Otherwise, they would not have sent a rescue team.


    However, the rescue team failed, and soon after that, the Daedongyeojido disappeared. Worse, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not inform others of this.


    ''I should have done it then. I should have done it somehow, not hidden it.''


    I didn''t, not I couldn''t.


    In the first place, there were few who knew the existence of Daedongyeojido, and the few were those in power of the Capital Defense Command.


    If the loss of Daedongyeojido was publicized, it was natural that someone should bear responsibility among those in power. But the person with a sacrificial mind could not survive in the Ministry of Defense of Korea now. That was why the 35th Commandos and Lieutenant Colonel Yoo started their outside activities.


    Anyway, the information that he had got earlier from the Daedongyeojido map was valid. Based on the approximate information, he had to do external activities to acquire more detailed information. Of course, for him, the outside activities were not much different from walking in a minefield.


    ''Fucking hell.''But there was a lot more hell than that. ''Incheon was an ant lion''s pit. The information from Incheon¡­ was a trick to eat up the rescue team.''


    Incheon was an ant lion''s pit made by traitors. For the rescue of VIPs and the recovery of national treasures, the Capital Defense Command should send Awakeners armed with relics to Incheon repeatedly.


    And the information actually kept coming. It was reported that Kate Kennedy was still alive in Yeongjong Island, that she had contacted the rescue team, and after recognizing the existence of the rescue team, she repeatedly signaled that she had survived.


    If there had been no such information, he would have never told Kim Tae-hoon to rescue her there.


    But now, the information of the report itself was likely to have been a trick.


    No, maybe the person who received the report and gave the order might also be one of the traitors.


    ''Is Major General Lee Ki-soo a traitor?''


    Major General Lee Ki-soo.


    He was one of the most powerful men in the Capital Defense Command, and he became an Awakener. As soon as he was awakened, his Energy rank was C, and he was also the head of the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Defense.


    He was a former head of the military police, the subordinate unit of the Capital Defense Command, and one of the best elites.


    ''Then Colonel Jang So-gook is a traitor, too.'' Colonel Jang So-gook, who was currently the head of the military police, was one of the right-hand men of Lee Ki-soo.


    The fact was horrifying.


    ''No way...''


    One of the roles of the MP was to be responsible for the security of the president''s schedule. On December 31, 2017, the President''s schedule was to ring the Watch-Night Bell on January 1. It meant that the military organization that most clearly grasped the president''s every move on December 31 was the military police.


    But if the Commander of the MP, Colonel Jang So-gook, was a traitor?


    ''I''m sick of it.'' The most troublesome thing was that they were the superiors of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo.


    "What about Kim Tae-hoon?"


    "He''s out hunting now."


    "Hunting?"


    "Yes, he went on a monster hunt."


    The remark silenced Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. At this moment, he was in urgent need of dialogue with Kim.


    If there was a traitor, it could not be handled by internal force alone. So, with outside power, he had to cut off the affected area, and Kim was the only knife that he could use now. Above all, Kim Tae-hoon was now occupying Incheon.


    ''Monster hunting¡­ he is taking over Incheon steadily.''


    Kim was rapidly making Incheon the land of the Mac Guild.


    ''Is Incheon really the land of the Mac Guild?''


    In addition, Incheon City was a major area that could not be compared with Bucheon City. Incheon International Airport as well as Incheon Port were the closest passage for Seoul to contact overseas. The existence of the harbor was especially important.


    There was Gimpo International Airport near Seoul, but it was virtually impossible to communicate with overseas by plane. Currently, the value of Incheon Port was absolute because Korea has to use the ships for exchange with foreign countries.


    There was one more thing. ''There is an LNG production base in Songdo, Incheon.''


    A production base for liquefied natural gas in Songdo, Incheon.


    ''There should be quite a stockpile.'' It was impossible to produce new gas in Korea where there was no gas, but basically, there was stockpile in the LNG production base. And now that there were not many survivors, the stockpile of the Songdo LNG production base could last for a few months or more, not a few days.


    Furthermore, if the situation got better and gas imports from overseas become possible, the Songdo LNG production base would be a very important base for Korea. Even if the gas was imported, it was useless without a base to process it.


    The Mac Guild taking over that area? From then on, the Mac Guild was not simply a threatening force group.


    ''It''s dangerous.''


    It was the warlord threatening the Capital Defense Command.


    Above all, Kim Tae-hoon did not simply leave the results.


    ''The Mac Guild''s move is dangerous in the view of the Capital Defense Command.''


    They left hope. The hope that remained had rooted and grown. Kim''s presence grew like a tree all over the world. And now the Capital Defense Command, which was the Korean government, had no room to cut and manage it. It was a reality.


    In a world where people had to walk by foot, not by a horse, to come from Seoul to Incheon, and where they didn''t have any communication equipment, Korea was now a huge land, not a small land.


    ''A sharp knife can be used with a sack.''


    It was then- Whoopee! - that the Ganseok Ogeori began to stir. It was easy to figure out who caused the disturbance.


    ''There you are.''


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo got up. He moved out of the coffee shop immediately, and his men who were waiting with him moved. Of course, Kim Yu-ri was among them.


    When they were out, they saw a truck coming down the street. On the hood of that truck, coming down a road that was now cleared, was a furry monster with long horns like spears and a huge nose as big as its horns.


    A Big-nosed Orangutan?


    After the Twin-head Ogre left Yeongjong Island, the head of the Big-nosed Orangutans had settled in Incheon City.


    ''Did he kill it?''


    It was strong, and it was smart and mean. There were always hundreds of Big-nosed Orangutans around it, and if the situation was disadvantageous, it ran away, sacrificing some of its fellows, and then gathered the other Big-nosed Orangutans together and made a new congress.


    ''Did he kill it alone?'' Above all, the body in the huge hair was not large, and it had a talent to hide in a small space.


    ''It would not have been easy to chase it.'' It was not easy to kill it. And it was cruel.


    When the Big-nosed Orangutan found in Seoul was destroyed, they rescued more than five hundred survivors from its pack. The survivors were in terrible condition even if they were not dead. Most of them were insane.


    Now, the cruel monster appeared, its rich silver fur painted with its own blood. And¡­


    "It''s been a long time, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo."


    Kim Tae-hoon also appeared with the monster, in a way that showed he wasn''t hurt at all. He confirmed Kim Yu-ri behind Lieutenant Colonel Yoo and said again, "I will go straight to the point, as I have heard from Sergeant Kim Yu-ri. Leave the traitors alone."


    "What the hell is that-"


    "If I ask you to find them, can you find them?"


    As he spoke, he entered the coffee shop where Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was sitting a little while ago. He checked the water in the kettle, which he had prepared for Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, and put the kettle on the portable gas burner and turned on the light.


    Tack! Tack! Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, looking at the direction of the gas burner''s unique sound, came back into the coffee shop with a look of no small wonder. His expression wrinkled as soon as he saw Kim''s face again.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo said, revealing his twisted feelings on his face, "Are you kidding me?"


    "What kind of joke?"


    "Are you ignoring me?"


    "You''re the one who hid the mission."


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo opened his eyes wide. Kim did not avoid his gaze. There was no reason to avoid it.


    Kim was also a Major in the military. Major was never an easy rank. The Major rank couldn''t be easily controlled by the rank of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. Without the rank, the story was completely different.


    Kim was a monster that killed a yellow-grade monster by himself, and Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was a normal person who would lose his mind if he was exposed to the fear of an orange-grade, let alone a yellow-grade.


    "I have two options."


    "To keep in touch with Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, or to go to Seoul and get in touch with the traitors."


    Predator vs prey. The position between the two now had to be explained like this.


    "Major Kim Tae-hoon-"


    "And I''m still a soldier, and I don''t need a bridge, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo."


    At that moment, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was able to realize it with heart and head. ''The sword ... is me.''


    At this time, Yoo realized that Kim was not a sharp sword that he could wield for his own sake, but that he was the one who could be wielded for Kim''s sake.


    "You''ve changed a lot."


    Kim did not answer.


    "I''ll tell you what, let the traitors of the Capital Defense Command act on their own."


    "Tell me why."


    "The fact that Lieutenant Colonel Yoo didn''t even know the existence of a traitor means that the higher side is in collusion with the traitor."


    "Then we''re just going to leave them like this?"


    "Have you ever seen a whistleblower win in the history of the Ministry of Defense of Korea, or have you ever seen a general who committed a scandal sink low?"


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was silent. That was a fact that even God could not deny.


    "Their purpose is simple, anyway, to steal relics and get them by failing missions."


    "That''s pretty simple." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo expressed his twisted mood.


    "There''s no place to complain about stolen goods."


    "... you want to take them?"


    However, at the words of Kim, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo had to forget that he should express twisted mood.


    "Isn''t it better than for traitors to fill their stomach?"


    "What''s going to fall on me while you fill your stomach?"


    The story was not one that could be judged by personal feelings.


    "Don''t you think you can sell me on your own, rather than I tell you what to do?"


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was silent, to prevent a sighing of his own heart. The kettle on the gas burner began to boil as if to represent the heart of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo.


    "... you''re asking me to bet my life on you." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo said, to clarify the situation.


    Kim was not going to be used by Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. On the contrary, Kim made clear his intentions. He said he would use Lieutenant Colonel Yoo.


    "Then give me more confidence." In this situation, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo had only one choice. No, he was being forced to make a choice.


    There was a traitor in the Capital Defense Command who was taking the assets of the Capital Defense Command, and Lieutenant Colonel Yoo could not get involved in the group of traitors, and could not get rid of them.


    In the Capital Defense Command, there was no rope for him to hold. In the end, the rope that he could hold was the only one that was visible at this moment.


    If this was not coercion, what was coercion?


    Kim was willing to show Lieutenant Colonel Yoo how great a rope he was.


    "I''ll hunt a green-grade monster on Yeongjong Island. Bet after that."


    With those words, Kim picked up the kettle. A time of silence followed.

 65 Episode 65 - Armed Forces Demonstrations, Part II

    Chapter 23. Armed Forces Demonstrations, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    After Lieutenant Colonel Yoo left with his men, Kim Tae-hoon remained in the coffee shop. In his loneliness, he closed his ears. The quiet he felt for the first in a long time was cozy. As soon as he had coffee in the cozy quiet, things that were tangled in his mind began to unravel.


    ''I don''t need to go to Seoul.''


    The first thing that he unraveled was the information that the second death informed him of. There was nothing he could get from Seoul at this moment. Seoul was like a barn with holes already in it. The Capital Defense Command in Seoul was nominal.


    The ruling party of the Korean peninsula would be decided by whoever took the relics of Buyeo and Gyeongju. The two areas, Buyeo and Gyeongju, which were full of national treasures, became the key. Until now, there was nothing different from what he already had in mind.


    ''Next is China.''


    What changed was the interpretation of the third clue.


    ''I will take Chinese and Asian relics, and monsters, too.''


    Kim Tae-hoon had thought that Gwanggaeto Stele and Sword of Goujian which were included in the wish list was a signal to keep China in mind as an enemy. But the moment he saw the Cross of a Saint, his thoughts changed.


    China was not the end.


    ''I must take China so that we can fight against the world.''


    It was rather the beginning. After taking China and even Asia, it was possible to fight for survival against Europe and the United States.


    ''Fucking hell.'' It felt far away only in his imagination.


    Kim knew how much violence the countries gathered under the name of Europe could be, how terribly powerful the country that led the World War was, and what the great war that was unprecedented in human history had done.


    Furthermore, the power of the United States was at a level unprecedented in human history.


    This violence was quiet because the world''s justice and their pursuits were similar. But now, the justice of the world has changed.


    ''I can imagine killing a dragon, but I can''t even imagine dealing with America.''


    Kim, who had watched the results of the US military in the countless disputed areas more clearly than anyone else, swallowed coffee instead of saliva. He had a new coffee and started thinking of a new idea.


    ''Twin-head Ogre.''


    There was a new rule that emerged when monsters appeared.


    Humans and monsters could not coexist, and if humans wanted to regain the land, they must take the land from the monsters.


    The same was true of Incheon. Incheon would never become a human land unless they could kill the Twin-head Ogre on Yeongjong Island. If they killed it, Incheon would be the territory of Kim Tae-hoon and the Mac Guild. In other words, they have to kill it, and then they can move on.


    ''If I kill it and seize Incheon, the following target is Buyeo.''


    At that moment, he had a third coffee, and then he thought of the third idea. The time of silence got him up to there.


    ''I have to call Jang Sung-hoon.''


    4.


    Kieeek! A Monkey Dog fell to the ground, screaming.


    The man, who was staring at the Monkey Dog pouring out blood all over its body, pointed his gun at the ground, still aimed at the Monkey Dog, and set to his shoulder firmly.


    "Hoo-ooo¡­" he drew a long breath.


    After a short silence, the man took a breath that was supposed to double the amount he had exhaled before. He shouted. "Clear!"


    Starting with the cry, the sound of "clear" was heard in succession, as if to echo the man''s cry all over the place.


    When the echo stopped, the man shouted again. "All monsters in Incheon have been cleared! By this time, Incheon City Hall has become the area of the Mac Guild!"


    At the shout, the echo came out again. However, this echo was different from the previous echo.


    Wow!


    We did it! We did it at last!


    There was a completely different sound from what was said. However, the feelings that the words had were the same.


    Passion!


    The Mac Guild had taken over Incheon City Hall. It was so monumental, even though they hadn''t cleared the whole city of Incheon yet.


    "Yes, we did it! We did it! We got it back from these fucking bastards, monsters!"


    It was the first time that a group of people, who had been killed without any resistance since the appearance of the monsters, took back a symbolic space, Incheon City Hall, from the monsters.


    The survivors here were feeling the same thing which the survivors had felt on the day of the successful Incheon landing operation in 1950, with the hunters and the soldiers. The news spread naturally to everyone in Incheon.


    "Incheon City Hall?"


    "That was a monster den, wasn''t it?"


    Of course, people were thrilled.


    "At last¡­ at last¡­"


    In particular, Incheon citizens who had their lives in Incheon felt much more excited. Some laughed, and others cried ceaselessly.


    "I can''t cast a cloud over that reaction." But not everyone was thrilled. "We have to put a flag here so it''s all over." Jang Sung-hoon touched one area of the Daedongyeojido on a large table with his finger with the remark.


    Gulp!Kim watched Jang and swallowed a monster stone down. There was a mountain of monster stones next to Kim. It was an enormous amount, enough to feel bloated just thinking about eating everything.


    Gulp! But Kim swallowed them silently.


    "It seems like the boss has become a more frightening human being in just a few days." Jang Sung-hoon watched the scene and couldn''t help commenting. "But, if you don''t, you''re in trouble."


    Tap-tap-tap. Jang hit the spot with his fingers again.


    "The Yeongjong Island is a place where four islands are made into one island through reclamation projects. As a result, the Daedongyeojido does not provide a clear picture of Yeongjong Island. If there are monsters on land made by reclamation projects, they don''t appear on Daedongyeojido."


    The tapped area was the one where Yeongjong Island was currently located. A green light twinkled like a star in the area. Soon the green light disappeared.


    "This bastard really can''t stay still."


    After shaking his head, Jang painted with his fingers the bridge connecting Yeongjong Island to Incheon City, and the place where Yeongjong Bridge might be located.


    "And now, Yeongjong Bridge has collapsed." Immediately, his fingers moved to the location where Incheon Bridge might be located.


    "There is only Incheon Bridge left, but the number of monsters here is not available because it could not be drawn on the Daedongyeojido. That is, there is no way to know how many monsters are there on the longest bridge in the world, which is twenty-one kilometers long." With the words, Jang Sung-hoon took his finger off the map.


    "Boss, why don''t you just blow up Incheon Bridge?"


    Instead of answering, Kim continued to swallow monster stones.


    "This is a green-grade monster. There are too many variables. We''re better to lock it up on Yeongjong Island. No matter how great a monster is, the distance from Yeongjong Island to Incheon is not normal. Even if a green-grade monster can cross, a horde of orcs will never be able to cross."


    It was a plot made when he received Kim''s call and received a rough report. It was a possible tactic for Kim.


    "You are going to go in alone, aren''t you?" As Jang knew Kim, he would definitely enter Yeongjong Island alone and start hunting for monsters. "It''s dangerous."


    The risk was a big deal.


    No matter how strong Kim was, and even if he has a strong card in himself, he could die against a green-grade monster at any time.


    "It''s really dangerous."


    And Kim was a man who should not die now. When he died, the hope would become despair. At the concern of Jang, Kim looked at his right hand with Black Eyes.


    =======


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 300


    - Health: 277


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: C+ Rank


    - Mana: C+ Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Defense: C+ Rank


    - Mana Resistance: C+ Rank.


    [Achieved Abilities]


    - Stealth of a Big-nosed Orangutan (Grade 5): The power of a Big-nosed Orangutan can make one''s presence faint.


    ======


    After confirming his abilities, Kim looked at Jang with Black Eyes.


    "This risk is less than the danger of having the United States or Europe as enemies."


    "Yes?" Kim''s rebuttal made Jang look rather helpless, not understanding the logic.


    Kim did not explain in detail to Jang.


    "Prepare the boat."


    "¡­ Yes."


    It was time for an order, instead of an explanation.


    5.


    Namsan Tower¡­


    The place, which was once just a sightseeing spot for Seoul citizens, was now a stronghold of the Capital Defense Command that was heavily guarded.


    The reason why Namsan Tower became a base was simple. In a world where buildings that were scratching the sky collapsed easily, Namsan Tower was currently the tallest place north of the Han River.


    The importance of a high tower in a world where radar or wireless communications devices were no longer available was beyond description.


    Of course, Namsan Tower looked completely different from the past. Among the changes, the biggest change was that the new monument inside the entrance of Namsan Tower.


    1.54 meters high, 0.6 meters wide, and 0.16 meters thick.


    It was cracked, it had bullet marks, the left lower part was destroyed, the writing of Choosa Kim Jung-hee was on the one side¡­ it was the Sunsubi of King Jinheung, Korea''s national treasure No. 3.


    The Sunsubi of King Jinheung, which should be in the National Museum of Korea, stood as if guarding Namsan Tower. From the Sunsubi of King Jinheung, a red light was streaming softly.


    The light was like a flame. Even those at the top of Namsan Tower could see the light as a hazy glow.


    At the top of Namsan Tower, originally used as a restaurant, but now used as a temporary headquarters for the Capital Defense Command, they were talking over the red light. There were two people talking.


    "Things happened in Incheon this way."


    A man in his late-fifties with a strong appearance and well-built body, and a man in his mid-forties with a gentle image, were Major General Lee Ki-soo and Colonel of Jang So-gook respectively, who were in power in the Capital Defense Command, and at the same time, were traitors.


    They were traitors who wanted to use the Capital Defense Command as their own after rotting it away from within.


    "Would that be a big problem? Even if he had the ability to fly, that would be all. Even if he was from a special forces unit, he would be just a kid. What could a man who has never dealt with an army do?"


    "No. The problem is¡­"


    "Yes, I think we should end up in Incheon after all."


    "Tut."


    "So, what do you think?"


    "At best, they''re only in Incheon. At any rate, we can lure the monster from Yeongjong Island back to downtown Incheon and it will take care of them."


    "Is there a possibility that the man named Kim Tae-hoon can kill a monster with a green-grade?"


    "It doesn''t make sense. He needs to get into Yeongjong Island to kill it, but under the current circumstances, he can''t bring in a proper vehicle, let alone a tank. I bet if we want to kill it, we have no choice but to bring a B2 bomber and turn Yeongjong Island into a devastated land. If you''re really worried¡­ just give me the order, and I''ll send my men to take care of him."


    Captain Lee Ki-soo sighed briefly at the words of Colonel Jang.


    "If we can afford it, it would be right to send our men to Pocheon, not Incheon."


    Pocheon.


    The word made Jang''s smile disappear from his lips.


    "What is the status of the 8th Division?"


    "If we look at the situation, they are quickly absorbing the troops on the front line. I think they''ll settle in Gangwon Province soon."


    "Colonel Lim Hyun-joon¡­ If we join him, I think everything will run smoothly."


    "It won''t be easy. He knows how to join¡­ but he does not know how to hold hands for free."


    Then a man appeared from a remote place. It was Major Oh Se-bum, with the handsome appearance that anyone could not help but admire. As he approached, Major General Lee and Colonel Jang stopped talking. Major Oh came to the two and saluted them, taking something out of his vest and handing it to Major General Lee.


    "This is Mr. Mao''s letter."

 66 Episode 66 - Armed Forces Demonstrations, Part III

    Chapter 23. Armed Forces Demonstrations, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    6.


    On the sea of Incheon, which was colored by the light of dawn...


    A fishing boat was moving slowly over the sea, making a breathless sound. There was silence above the fishing boat, and the sea was also still.


    In the silence, the fishing boat made a breathless sound, and it stopped as a man appeared from the steering house of the stopped boat.


    ''Yeongjong Island, it has been a long time.''


    The man with a Sword on his back, Kim Tae-hoon, was immersed in memories for a while, looking at a golf course that was dimly visible where the stopped boat was pointed. It was not a memory of golf. The place of memories was the huge Incheon International Airport beyond the golf course. ''Incheon International Airport.''


    There were a few cases where Kim went abroad, leaving through Incheon International Airport. Most of the time, he went abroad through another route, became a civilian after his mission, and returned via Incheon International Airport. For him, Incheon International Airport was the place marking the end of a long mission. It was also a place where he realized that he survived.


    ''I have no bad memories.'' That was the only comfort that Kim could have in front of the green-eyed monster he was hunting from now on.


    "Hoo!" Kim Tae-hoon sighed briefly. He could see that the harsh winter has passed. That was the end of his sentimental recollections.


    He moved to the back of the boat and stood in front of one of the countless boxes there. He opened the wooden box and the bag inside. There was something in the bag that seemed to be like a musical instrument, but it was something quite different: a gun with an elongated barrel, unlike a typical gun.


    ''It''s been a long time.''


    The sniper rifle PSG-1, a luxury beloved by snipers all over the world, and more familiar to him than any other weapon he had ever used. It was his partner, willing to share his fate when dealing with an enemy that was stronger than him.


    That fact has not changed much now. The enemy that he had to deal with from now on had formidable power and force. Of course, he did not intend to play head to head against the enemy. That was what he did best.


    ''I will show you what armed forces demonstrations are.''


    7.


    Armed forces demonstrations were not just an exercise of violence. Its original purpose was to cause psychological pressure to the object through the demonstrations.


    So, what do you need to exert psychological pressure on a target? The answer was simple: fear.


    Nothing was more effective than the fear of death. But that did not work well if you gave them a simple fear of death. You had to make them fear that they would die at some point in time and for some reason.


    ''Hoo.'' On the rooftop of an apartment complex located on Yeongjong Island, he drew his breath, looking through the sight at a Brown-skinned Orc''s head, prepared to deliver the fear.


    Tu-woong! The sniper rifle hurled the bullet forth with a dull sound. The bullet began a short journey and eventually completed it by penetrating the Orc''s forehead.


    The Orc with a hole in its head fell backward. Soon, a crowd of Orcs gathered around the corpse. The Orcs were angry at the death of their kin, and they let loose with their fearsome cries at the threat that fueled their anger. However, the sound did not reach him, as he was about a kilometer away.


    Tu-woong!He pulled the trigger again. The Orcs that gathered at the dead bodies of their same race also became corpses. One by one, the corpses of the Orcs piled up, and at some point, they no longer approached the dead.


    He pulled his eyes off the panoramic sight. Five. It was the headcount of the Orcs that he killed in this hunt.


    ''I''ve barely killed a hundred in four days.'' It was certainly an inefficient hunt.


    If he appeared in front of the Orcs immediately, dozens of Orcs would gather for him. It would take the time to breathe in and out to make the horde into a pile of dead bodies.


    On the other hand, the number of Orcs that he could kill through sniping was not even ten per hour. Nevertheless, the only reason for such efforts was because of the distance of one kilometer.


    ''Now the learning period is over.''


    This distance, which could be reached in one minute by a cheetah running at full speed made death not just death, but death from nowhere.


    ''There will be a crack sooner or later.''


    The option for such an unprecedented fear was always the same: hiding. There was no other option. The Orcs would hide everywhere to escape the death of the unknown.


    ''All it has to accomplish is showing the bottom of ogre''s patience.'' It was their leader that was the real problem, after all.


    Twin-head Ogre.


    When the Orcs hide, it would start getting hungry.


    The Twin-head Ogre was a big two-head glutton, and the amount of food that it ate in one day was enormous, dozens of human corpses.


    How long could it hold on to its hunger?


    No, was there any patience to restrain its hunger on such a crazy monster?


    Kuhuhuh! Kahahah! At that moment, two shrieks from Mt. Baekun began to fill Yeongjong Island like thunder. The two sounds sent a bitter cold through him, like the chill of winter returned.


    ''As expected.'' He gritted his teeth tightly.


    The fear of the Twin-head Ogre was a very simple fear, unlike the fear of the unknown inflicted by Kim. But the power was overwhelming.


    ''Not a joke.''


    It was why he was striking from a distance.


    ''I''m not going to be able to fight this fear head-on, either.


    ''It is impossible to face this fear. The moment I''m exposed to this fear, my stomach is going crazy, my brain turns white, and my heart starts to run like crazy. And that''s all I can do when I''m exposed to the fear: I can''t use my telekinetic force to fly or to handle the Sword and an Arrow, or I won''t be able to protect myself with Energy.''


    Of course, the opportunity for him to attack the Twin-head Ogre at the moment of starting the battle with it was pathetic. In order to save the limited opportunity, he would have to make a gap that was not there.


    Therefore, he did not overdo it.


    ''After a while, it''ll run around like an angry bull without warning, and that''s the only chance I''ll kill.''


    He disassembled the gun skillfully and put it in his bag, and began to run on the roof of the apartment.


    Paat! He leaped straight to the roof of the next apartment.


    He set a new record for a long distance that would shame an Olympian, continued along the roof of the apartment again and made another leap.


    Using the apartments as stepping stones, he vanished quickly.


    8.


    Kaaah! Keu-uh! The Twin-head Ogre was ten meters tall, with a huge body like a building. It grabbed two Orcs in its hands.


    Kr, Kr! Krrrr! The captive Orcs struggled to get out of the grip.


    But when the Twin-head Ogre closed its hands, the bones crunched like sugar sticks, the eyes of the two Orcs burst out with the sound of bone splintering, and the blood began to ooze from their eyes and ears. The Twin-head Ogre put the heads of the dying Orcs in its mouths.


    Crunch! Crunch! Two mouths began to eat at the same time, an Orc in each hand.


    Chomp! Chomp! Two horrifying sounds at the same time.


    The Orcs gathered in front of this horrifying Twin-head Ogre were shaking, but had no thought of running away. Some of the Orcs with black skin pushed a few of the trembling Orcs toward the Twin-head Ogre.


    The Orcs pushed forth were terrified, and the Twin-head Ogre, finishing two Orcs at once, reached out to the closest Orc before it.


    At that moment, the Twin-head Ogre smashed the head of the Orc, instead of grabbing it.


    With a crash that shook the ground, Orc blood and gore splattered all over. The Orc''s body was even worse, it was now a flat piece of meat with no hint of its original form, swatted flat like a human swatted mosquitoes.


    Bam, bam! The Twin-head Ogre slammed down the body of the Orc, which had already been flattened, as if it could not release its anger.


    Kr, Kr¡­ Now the orange eyes of the Black Orcs began to shake in horror.


    There was no Orc who did not know why: hunger. In recent days, most of the Orcs had not provided enough food to fill the stomach of the Twin-head Ogre. It was because they were in a hurry to hide themselves in fear. No matter how many Black Orcs came out to scare the Orcs or abused them, nothing changed. The Orcs were not just afraid of death, they were afraid of death that they could not even understand.


    Kaaah! Kaaahh! Krr!That''s why the Twin-head Ogre exploded with anger. It could not tolerate that they dared to fear something else than itself. It could not forgive them that it had to feel hungry for that reason.


    Even the anger was twice as high for the Twin-head Ogre; its heads looked at one another and poured out angry cries at themselves continuously. The blood and flesh of the Orc stuck between their teeth sprayed out as they screamed. In a moment, the faces of the Twin-head Ogre were covered with blood and flesh stains. The fierce, ferocious faces turned even creepier.


    Keu-uh? Keu-ah?It was some force that made the faces bloodier. The Orcs were the first to react to the force, like an invisible fog.


    Kr! Keu-eu! Keu-uh! The Orcs began to back away, looking frightened, like rats in front of a snake.


    Kr! Keu-ah! It was a power that the Twin-head Ogre also knew. It could not help knowing it. It had been so tired of that power that it had left the land of Incheon and crossed the long bridge and settled in the land of Yeongjong Island.


    However, that was all. It was not an irresistible force, but the Twin-head Ogre was annoyed by the power. Now there was no patience left to avoid the power. The Twin-head Ogre didn''t have the patience to test the situation by sending its fellows. Furthermore, it had no patience to vomit up a ferocious cry to warn against the force. Therefore, the Twin-head Ogre stood up.


    Keu-ah! The Twin-head Ogre started running with the same shouts at the same time.


    9.


    Stomp, stomp!


    Incheon International Airport runway.


    A huge monster that made the planes look like toys began to run over the spacious open area. Its speed, leaving big footprints on the straight runway, was formidable. It seemed unimaginable to dare to block it.


    But a horse and a warrior made of clay were different.


    The clay horse, directed at the running giant monster, burst out a war cry with fighting spirit, and the warrior on the horse shook his wrists, holding his sword and preparing to face the monster in front of him. A large cross shone on the neck of the warrior.


    Then the horse began to move. Two monsters ran inexorably, facing one another, and crossed almost instantly.


    The horse and warrior passed by the side of the Twin-head Ogre, leaving a deep wound on its right thigh. At the same time, the Twin-head Ogre attempted to stop.


    The asphalt road began to crumble like pudding under the force of its mass.


    The Twin-head Ogre stopped, turned, and jumped immediately. Its huge body, which was measured in tons rather than kilograms, jumped more than ten meters.


    It was incredible to see, but as soon as its body began to fall, shadowing the horse and warrior, it was a disaster, not a miracle. The Twin-head Ogre landed on the runway hard.


    The ground quaked. Fortunately, the horse and the warrior were able to escape from the Twin-head Ogre, thanks to the horse''s surprising speed.


    Keu-uh-uh! Keu-ah-ah! The two heads of the Twin-head Ogre both cried out at the same time to terrorize the horse.


    Neigh! The horse also cried out, as if to fight against the fear. The warrior raised his sword, then pointed it at the Twin-head Ogre with the sword, and at the same time tapped his foot on the horse''s belly. The withdrawing horse charged again.


    Clip-clop! This time the horse began to circle around the Twin-head Ogre. The movements of the running horse were surprisingly quick, but not hard for the Twin-head Ogre to figure out. Two heads covered a 180-degree radius each, and they just watched it circling around. But the attention span of the Twin-head Ogre was very short.


    Keu-uh! Keu-ah! There was not enough patience in the Twin-head Ogre to use the word "attention," and even if it had some, it had none left now.


    The Twin-head Ogre began to run towards its target. The horse and warrior charged it again, rather than fleeing, like Don Quixote rushing toward the windmill.


    The battle that started was like a bullfight. The Horse Figure Type Earthenware was hurt, barely avoiding the charged Twin-head Ogre, and every time it was injured, the Twin-head Ogre ran more and more aggressively, a murderous spirit in its green eyes.


    When the battle of the two extended beyond seconds to minutes, and when all the senses of the Twin-head Ogre were concentrated solely on the Horse Figure Type Earthenware, the second Don Quixote appeared.


    Shiii! A Sword began to fall from the sky toward the back of the Twin-head Ogre.


    The Sword was pointed directly at the heart of the Twin-head Ogre. The location was correct. It was inevitable.


    ''I can hear it.'' In order to gauge the exact location, Kim Tae-hoon was waiting underneath one of the spacious Incheon Airport runways at this moment. He was waiting as taking a risk of his life in the situation and condition where his mind became spaced out just by being exposed to the fear even if he was noticed or not.


    ''I hear its heart pounding.''


    He was waiting for it, to hear the heartbeat of the Twin-head Ogre drumming like crazy. And in order to make this situation, he had been playing for not a short time in order to make a situation where it could never notice his existence.


    ''Swoop and strike!''''


    Pook! The Sword, which fell like a lightning bolt, was stuck deep into the back of the Twin-head Ogre, drawing a hawk-like trajectory at the end. The Sword drove half its length into the ogre, penetrating through the tough hide, the thick flesh, and muscles that were tougher than steel wire. Its defenses made even the bullets from the sniper rifle seem like bullets from the toy-guns of young children.


    But it was insufficient to reach the heart of a giant Twin-head Ogre.


    At that moment, the third Don Quixote appeared. Kim Tae-hoon, whose right arm was now blackened to his neck and chest beyond the shoulder joint, was the third Don Quixote.


    The third Don Quixote was noticed by the Twin-head Ogre. Because of the presence of a sharp point approaching its heart, it had to stop. It tried to stop again.


    Kwa-kwa-kwa! Once again, it crushed the runway like tofu, gouging a path, and eventually stopped. When the Twin-head Ogre stopped, Kim crossed its shoulders, stepping on the air rather than on the runway.


    Keu-uh? There were doubts in its four eyes as if it couldn''t understand the reason.


    On the other hand, Kim saw only one thing, the Sword of Imperator stuck into the body of the Twin-head Ogre.


    10.


    The Mayor''s Office of Incheon City Hall...


    There, a man was constantly walking around a large desk in the mayor''s room, which had a new owner. ''I''m crazy.''


    The identity of the man was Jang Sung-hoon. And it was Daedongyeojido that Jang, who was wandering around mindlessly, had unfolded on the desk. Jang''s eyes focused on the glow of the green light on the Daedongyeojido.


    ''Damn it, disappear. Please disappear.'' Jang prayed desperately for the light, but instead of showing signs of vanishing, its presence was glaring like a star.


    Soon after, Jang shouted, pointing his finger at the green light as if he were trying to do some magic. "Please disappear!"


    At that moment, the green light disappeared.


    "Hmm?"


    The moment his desire was fulfilled. However, Jang looked rather puzzled. He looked at his finger.


    ''Maybe?''


    Then he spoke with a very serious look, pointing his finger at the flashing blue light at the location of Sejong City.


    "Disappear!" Of course, nothing happened.


    "Ho-it!" He did something again, but nothing happened again. No, something happened. His face had begun to glow red.


    ''Jeez, I''m going crazy, too¡­'' He soon came to his senses, sighed, and leaned on the desk. Soon, his arms lifted toward the sky. He posed for victory.


    ''Ah! This is not for the time.''


    After the pose, he could only think of his job. Kim told Jang, "As soon as I kill the Twin-head Ogre, bring the troops in front of the Incheon Bridge into Yeongjong Island; have as many witnesses as possible at the historical event, and put a real period on the Incheon landing operation." Naturally, Jang also intended to be a witness to the historical event.


    ''Let''s go quickly.'' Jang quickly folded up Daedongyeojido and turned it into a book, and immediately opened a bag that he valued more than his life.


    ''Ah.'' As he looked into the bag, and his face hardened. He saw a golden glass filled with coveted red liquid.

 67 Episode 67 - Bucket List, Part I

    Chapter 24. Bucket List, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    The sky was gray. The gray, bluish sky was ominous. It was like the end of the world.


    "Cough, cough¡­" In that ominous world, Kim Tae-hoon was coughing. It was not just a cough. Whenever he coughed, his throat and lungs felt scratched by sharp pieces of iron. The pain sent shivers down his spine.


    When he stopped coughing, his mouth was itchy. The tickling in the mouth was due to blood, and it was running down his mouth as it popped out of the blood clots.


    ''What''s going on?''


    It was a plain sign of death. Kim Tae-hoon, who dreamt of dying, was surprised at his own situation.


    ''Why do I feel-.'' Even at this moment, his five senses were not playing their part. He couldn''t hear well, he couldn''t feel any sensation in his fingertips, and he couldn''t feel the bloody smell or the bloody taste at all. Even his eyes were dim.


    ''What the hell is going to happen to me?


    It was something that could not happen to him, who had superhuman eyes and ears from the Eyes of Black Snake and the Hearing of a Bell-tailed Rat.


    ''Tell me anything.''At this moment, he urged himself.


    ''Tell me now!'' He was going to die soon, and he wanted to give himself any clue to avoid this death!


    However, Kim Tae-hoon, who was now dying, did not hear such longing. So, he didn''t say anything. In addition, there was no one around him at this moment to say anything for him. There was no Jang Sung-hoon to talk to him, no Ahn Sun-mi to tell the wish list, and no one to prove his death. There was no word. He only looked at his left-hand palm without saying a word.


    - 170712 Colonel Lim Hyun-joon is killed, stop it.


    - 180203 Cho Sung-yeon''s death. Make him president.


    - 180504 The meltdown of Kori Nuclear Power Plant starts, stop it.


    ''Ah.'' Kim''s left hand had a message written to himself to watch at his death. In addition, it was not just a message.


    ''Bucket list.'' It was a bucket list, a must-do list before he dies. It was also unnecessary to say why.


    The future which he could see by Napoleon''s Golden Glass was arbitrary. No matter how much he talked, it''s not likely to see it all in a dream. If death was scheduled, the surest way was to see a message to send from beginning to end.


    In other words, at this moment, Kim was waiting for his death. He had no intention of avoiding his own death or challenging himself, just waiting for inevitable death to come.


    ''What the hell happened to me?''


    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa! At that moment, he heard a sound in the distance. While looking at the palm of his hand, he lifted his head and looked at the deafening roar. His dim eyes reflected the angelic look. It was an angel made of gray smoke.


    ''That¡­'' Of course, it was not an angel.


    ''Flare?'' A plane, which was more familiar with the nickname "Angel of Death" than "AC-130 Gunship", fired a flare. The scene did not last long.


    As the Angel of Death approached, he focused more on his palm than on looking at it.


    He concentrated all his senses on the palm of his hand.


    His dream ended there


    2.


    Incheon International Airport...


    There were VIP lounges from various airlines within the airport, bound to surprise the first visitors with their size. In one of the VIP lounges, two men were burying themselves on a soft sofa and facing each other. The looks on their faces were not very good. One was massaging his temples with his eyes closed, and the other was frowning enough to distort his whole face.


    One of them, the man with a frown, said, "Boss, can I ask you a question?"


    Kim did not answer Jang''s question.


    "The more dreams you have, the better the situation you should have, but the more you keep dreaming, the worse the situation seems to get, instead of better."


    Again, Kim did not answer, since the question, which didn''t have to be answered, already had an answer.


    "Fuck." Jang, who knew the answer, had answered his own question.


    "Meltdown?"


    Kim dreamt of his fourth death. In the dream, he had a bucket list for himself on his palm.


    It was as it was said. He left the bucket list which needed to be done before death. It was a wise move. It was not just a clue, but a clear statement of what to do. It was the kindest death he had ever seen.


    "I''m crazy. After we kill the dragon, the following threat is radiation? We''ll have to stop a meteorite next time. Should we build a spaceship, land it on a meteorite that''s coming to the Earth, and explode a nuclear bomb? There was definitely such a movie¡­ Bruce Willis¡­"


    But the content was never kind.


    "We will save Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, so let''s start there."


    There were three things in the bucket list.


    First, they should save Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, who would die soon.


    "Who is Cho Sung-yeon? Boss has to make him president."


    Second, after saving Cho Sung-yeon, he should be elected president.


    "And Kori Nuclear Power Plant¡­ No way! It''s really fucked."


    Finally, they should stop the meltdown at the Kori Nuclear Power Plant.


    When Jang mentioned the last item, he covered his face with his hands. His hands, covering his face, were trembling from the heart.


    "It''s definitely something you should do. If you don''t, everyone dies."


    The Kori Meltdown forecast was so shocking.


    "It would be a land of hell. But unlike Chernobyl or Fukushima, there is no way people can rush to deal with it."


    Even Jang, who was not an expert on nuclear power plants, was so shocked that his hands and feet were shaken as he imagined the future.


    Jang, who expressed his miserable feelings, said desperately, "No, we''d rather be safe. Monsters won''t be safe from radiation."


    "Wouldn''t it be possible that the public could become Awakeners if they were exposed to radiation? Shall we take a test? Can I become a Doctor Manhattan in the Watchman?"


    Dr. Manhattan, referring to the character of DC Comics, who was exposed to radiation and had supernatural powers, was certainly not something sane or serious. Kim, who was rubbing his temples in front of Jang''s complaints, stopped his hands.


    Kim opened his eyes.


    "Meltdown refers to the core melting phenomenon caused by poor core cooling. There are three major stages of core cooling. The melting of the fuel container only occurs in meltdown, and then the meltdown of the reactor core penetrates the hangar where the fuel rods are stored. The last melting of nuclear fuel just scatters it on the ground."


    Jang also looked serious in front of Kim. "You know it well."


    "One of the lessons most special forces take often is on nuclear power plants."


    "Really?"


    "Its because nuclear power plants are the most effective targets that terrorists can attack. Any damage to the nuclear power plants can lead to a meltdown, and that fear is much more effective than an airplane bomb."


    Kim stopped talking for a while. There was a sense of silence and tension. After he put his mind together amidst the tension, he spoke again. "If it were a melt-through or melt-out, I would have clearly specified the situation."


    "Not the worst?"


    "It would be the worst if left untouched, but at least not at that moment."


    "It''s a little comforting to hear that."


    "The important thing is the first dream."


    "Yes?"


    "What did I tell you in my first dream?"


    At the sudden question, Jang recalled. As usual, Jang could recall the shocking story Kim had told him during the night in front of the library of Wonmi, Bucheon, as clearly as Kim could. "You had a hard time. Go to Gyeongju by myself, where I could meet with Commander-in-Chief Lim Hyun-joon and deliver your words¡­"


    Jang''s face hardened as he was speaking. "Gyeongju! At the time of the first death, the Kori Nuclear Power Plant had not melted down."


    The Kori Nuclear Power Plant was located in Busan. The straight distance from Gyeongju was about sixty kilometers. If the Kori Nuclear Power Plant caused a meltdown and radiation leaks started, Gyeongju could never be a hub. This meant that at the time of his first death, Kori Nuclear Power Plant did not experience any meltdown.


    "Based on the information of the first dream, Kori Nuclear Power Plant was never a problem."


    "Then why..."


    "Someone must have caused a problem."


    "What? What kind of a nut does that cause? When it bursts, we''ll all die!"


    "I suppose he has no desire, no interest, no affection, and no intention of staying in the Republic of Korea."


    Kim closed his eyes again.


    ''The Six Snakes.'' It was clear that the Six Snakes were the source of all these nightmares. They would not have the right power right now.


    And Kim, who learned lessons and information through his third death, could not have allowed the Six Snakes to be safe. ''That''s why.''


    In other words, the Six Snakes were pushed by Kim to abandon the land of Korea, and it was highly likely that they left a Pandora''s box, the Kori Nuclear Power Plant, for reasons of vengeance or checkmate.


    ''Unintentional actions might have unexpected consequences?'' It''s a damned thing.


    ''It was definitely an AC-130.''


    But it was not meltdown that made Kim''s mood worse at this moment. He saw the AC-130 gunship firing flares before his death.


    Angel of Death.


    The flares of the AC-130 gunship, which had such an eerie nickname, could not be said to have a very powerful killing power in itself. In the first place, the flare was designed to deceive infrared guided missiles.


    It was unlikely that he died in the attack. The important thing was the owner of the Angel. ''America.''


    The scene was the clearest evidence that the United States had expressed hostility toward him. ''The U.S. attacked.''


    And the evidence was much scarier than anything else, the meltdown phenomenon of Kori Nuclear Power Plant mentioned above to him.


    ''After the dragon is America.''


    To be honest, he couldn''t see how to win the war. He couldn''t even imagine.


    That''s why he left it. There was no way to win the war, so he left a bucket list in the sense that he should not start the war itself. In the terrifying confusion and fear, it was the only lighthouse. Therefore, he made it clear.


    ''I will stop the assassination of Colonel Lim Hyun-joon.'' As the bucket list said, the first thing to do was to save Colonel Lim Hyun-joon. There was no other worry right now. ''The work to be done is simple, so let''s be simple.''


    When he thought so, he felt like he was getting rid of his headache. But such peace did not last long.


    "Ummm¡­" Inside the VIP lounge, a soldier in uniform appeared.


    "What''s going on?" Jang, instead of Kim, was the first to answer.


    The soldier slowly talked after hesitating for a moment at the sight of Jang. "We found a survivor."


    "A survivor?" Jang looked puzzled.


    There were survivors at Incheon International Airport, where there was not a bird to see beyond the mess? Furthermore, when a survivor appeared, they did not need to report to Kim directly. Kim was more than the head of the Mac Guild. For those who lived under the name of the Mac Guild, he was virtually like God. However, this meant that they were required to report the discovery of a survivor in such a hurry...


    "Who the hell is it? A daughter of the President of the United States?" In other words, it was highly likely that the survivors were not ordinary people.


    "Well¡­ Kate Kennedy, the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea."


    As soon as Kim heard that, he put his hand to his temples again.

 68 Episode 68 - Bucket List, Part II

    Chapter 24. Bucket List, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    3.


    After crossing the long Incheon Bridge to Yeongjong Island, the Mac Guild''s hunters and soldiers who eventually arrived at Incheon International Airport saw a corpse that could also be called a small hill.


    A Twin-head Ogre.


    This monster was fearsome enough that even dead it still exuded an ominously strong sense of existence.


    "Blarrgh¡­"


    "Ugh."


    "Hey, wake up! Stay with me!"


    The ordinary soldiers who did not have the power of Energy could still the real fear emanating from the Twin-head Ogre just by looking at its body from far away, and they had to check what they had eaten that day.


    "Soldiers, fall back!"


    "Only the hunters, move!"


    Only Awakeners with Energy level above E rank were able to get close to the massive corpse.


    "That''s awesome."


    Those who approached it were given some tasks. The first thing they did was check the toughness of the Twin-head Ogre''s hide.


    The verification procedure was simple.


    Tututu! They pulled the triggers of the rifles that they had brought, pointed at the body of the Twin-head Ogre.


    "Uh-cha!" They beat the corpse several times with all their might, using a huge axe.


    "Explode!" "Explode!" They set up a claymore they brought on on the dead body and then blew it off.


    It was an eerie task, but the eeriest fact was that the dead body of the Twin-head Ogre only had a few scars after such bloody work.


    If they likened the wounds to a person, the person might have been stung by a wasp.


    Considering the size of the Twin-head Ogre, it was like driving railroad spikes into something the size of a building.


    "I can''t speak."


    "How the hell did he kill this monster?"


    In front of the scene, the Mac Guild''s hunters were forced to remain silent. Solemnly, they moved on to the next task.


    "Now we begin guarding the dead body."


    The next mission was to protect the body of the Twin-head Ogre, which was now worth more than gold. It was to prevent people from stealing its body. But it was a funny mission.


    "Who''s going to come to steal this?"


    "My words."


    "I''d rather be a survivor than a thief."


    It was impossible to imagine to stealing a monster with a weight greater than an elephant.


    "Hmm?"


    "Haw?"


    But their common sense crumbled so easily.


    "There, there!"


    While guarding the dead body of the Twin-head Ogre, they saw a group of people approaching. Their faces turned white as ghosts. Of course, at that moment they were unable to carry out the proper orders to be executed.


    "No, no access!"


    "Put your hands up! Hands up!


    They talked all at the same time and just spewed out the thoughts in their minds. What jolted them were the words that came out of the person who appeared in front of them.


    "Please don''t shoot me!"


    4.


    "So you were surprised at English, and couldn''t remember any security protocols? That''s great, that''s great."


    Five hunters'' heads were bowed down by Jang''s thorny words.


    "The Awakeners who stay on in the face of a monster''s fear effect were afraid of English¡­ what did they do, although they have been taught English for twelve years in elementary, the junior, and the high schools? They could not use English¡­"


    Jang was nearly pulling out his hair in a frenzy with the five people in front of him.


    ''Damn it.''


    He has figured out the situation before and after. Survivors from Incheon International Airport had appeared. It was an unexpected appearance, and of course, the hunters were embarrassed. It was the English spoken by survivors that gave a decisive blow to them.


    ''They were embarrassed by English. Do I have to teach English again to the native speakers? Holy shit!''


    At that moment, the security system collapsed, and one of the hunters hurriedly visited Kim Tae-hoon, who was taking a rest in the VIP lounge.


    It was nonsense. If the survivors approached the hunters with bad intentions, there would be a big accident. Jang''s expression inevitably crumpled.


    ''Anyway, is this good news or bad news?''


    But what was even worse was that one survivor was Kate Kennedy, not just anyone. She was the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea who Kim was looking for. To be honest, Jang wasn''t sure how to weigh things properly with the current situation he was given.


    ''Is it better to just hand her over to the Capital Defense Command, and collect the relics?''


    The deal itself would be valid if they rescued Kate Kennedy and transferred her to the Capital Defense Command. But the deal was an unusual deal, filled with intrigue and acrimony. It could never be a normal transaction. Even so, leaving Kate Kennedy alone was not a safe choice, either. Anyway, the Capital Defense Command was looking for her. Her intentions were also important.


    ''What if she causes trouble?''


    It would matter if she wanted to go to Seoul, or if she refused the Mac Guild''s order for her own purpose and pushed ahead with her actions.


    ''What should I do with her when such a problem occurs? Should I make my face so blood-stained that she can''t recognize me, and then calm her down? The daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea?''


    None of the people Kim Tae-hoon and his men met had more political implications than her. Since there was no precedent, there was no easy choice.


    ''What choice will Boss make?'' However, in this situation, Kim Tae-hoon must decide after finishing weighing his options.


    ''No, is he okay now?''


    It was like torture.


    ''I would have been mad if I had been him.''


    This fourth death was the most miserable death that Kim had ever experienced. If the third death was physically painful, the fourth death was a mentally painful death. So far, if death gave new answers, the fourth death left only regrets, not answers.


    It was a tag that said that Kim Tae-hoon''s life failed in the end. In a situation where he was thinking about such a desperate experience, he must make a judgment on a new problem and take responsibility for the judgment he had made.


    ''I need someone to make a decision for Boss, I''m sure.'' At this moment, Jang felt the need for a leader to make a judgment on behalf of him in a similar position to Kim.


    At the same time, he was able to understand one of the three bucket lists left by Kim. ''We should make Cho Sung-yeon president?''


    5.


    "There was a secret bunker at Incheon International Airport, and I''ve been with the survivors there."


    Kate Kennedy was a typical blonde white beauty. Her blue eyes were large, her eyelashes were long, her blond hair was really coveted, her body was so great that it reminded everyone of a model.


    But now Kim''s eyes did not rest on the fact that she was a beautiful woman. ''There was a secret bunker.''


    Once she and other survivors survived at Incheon International Airport, he could see the background; there was a secret bunker at Incheon International Airport.


    ''It'' would be strange not to be there.''


    It was not strange.


    Incheon International Airport was one of the most frequently used airports by Korean authorities, and it was used when lawmakers or conglomerate leaders left overseas. Therefore, it was not strange to have a secret bunker for such VIPs. Most of all, the people who would be using the bunker were not paying for it, it was built by the national taxes.


    There was no reason to wonder if the daughter of the US Ambassador to Korea knew about such a bunker.


    And she and other survivors came to him.


    ''I get this card only once.'' Anyway, from this moment on, their lives were placed in Kim''s palm. He did not intend to ignore it, and he did not intend to show mercy to the card that was put on his palm.


    ''I need to find a way to make the most of it.''


    He should draw the maximum profit he could pull out with this card. So at this moment, he looked at the card called Kate Kennedy from head to toe, who he now had to pull everything out of, and she felt uncomfortable. ''Hmm?''


    At that moment, he grabbed her right wrist quickly and firmly. At the same time, his eyes went black.


    "Ahhh!" She screamed and tried to snatch her hand away. She succeeded in shaking off his hand, which had become even more powerful by eating the monster stone of the Twin-head Ogre.


    Even though he was considerate of her and did not use his strength to not break her wrist, a normal person could never shake off his hand. That was evidence.


    "What are you doing? Are you crazy?"


    That was a clear proof that she was an Awakener. "Her Energy rank¡­ A?"


    That was evidence of a great Awakener!


    6.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo¡­


    Although he could not say that the road was decent, now he was clearly driving on a road where the car could travel.


    Driving.


    It was an act that began after mankind invented the car, and it was no wonderful thing for a modern man, but it had been a long time since he had been able to drive for dozens of minutes without a break.


    The same was true of the man who drove the car. When he stepped on the accelerator pedal for the first in a long time, he found it exciting and amazing.


    It was such a world. There were no roads that people could drive now, and even if there were, they could not afford to drive there. It was a world where the land was not ruled by humans.


    ''He did it.''


    In other words, this drive was the result of the win and of the reacquisition of this land by a human. Of course, that human was not a very big concept among human beings. That human was the leader of the Mac Guild.


    ''The Mac Guild has occupied Incheon.''


    The winner was the Mac Guild, and of course, the Mac Guild was the one who could claim the land. That was the beginning of the problem.


    ''The Capital Defense Command won''t admit it easily.''


    The Capital Defense Command openly pretended to be the Korean government. And, of course, Incheon was the territory of Korea. Under such circumstances, it was impossible for a group called "The Mac Guild" to own the land.


    ''That''s my role.''


    It was now the role of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo to obtain that recognition. The Mac Guild should be the owner of Incheon City, and then the voice of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo would be strengthened.


    ''It''s hard, but it''s worth it to do.''


    At this point, it was highly likely that the Capital Defense Command would allow the Mac Guild to occupy Incheon.


    ''Nothing is impossible''


    Currently, the power of the Capital Defense Command was concentrated in the northern part of the Han River, Gangbuk. It was hard to even get to Gangnam, the southern part of the Han River, right away. Most of the bridges above the Han River that connected Gangbuk and Gangnam had collapsed.


    Against this backdrop, it was not easy for the Capital Defense Command to send troops to take control of Incheon. If it had been possible in the first place, the Mac Guild wouldn''t have had the chance to occupy Incheon. Above all, the Capital Defense Command could not afford to pay attention to Incheon.


    "I hear that the troops of the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division have already taken the front line, so at least for the time being all eyes will be on them."


    The front line.


    The 8th Division, which was located in Pocheon, where the Korean Army was concentrated, was rapidly absorbing the front line.


    ''I heard that Colonel Lim Hyun-joon occupied the 8th Division?


    ''I even heard that he, who is not the Commander of the 8th Division, and only a Colonel, did all of that.''


    In the case of the Capital Defense Command, there was only one card that could reverse this situation, and that was claiming legitimacy with the president or prime minister, but there was such a card.


    When Lieutenant Colonel Yoo thought that far, he felt his complicated thoughts organize.


    ''In the end, a new government and a new military need to be created.''


    In fact, the current government and the military in the Republic of Korea were on a deadline.


    It would have been strange to maintain the status quo in the first place when there was no president and no prime minister, and the generals, who could be called the highest leaders of the military, cannot play a role. It was time for a new order to be established, and of course, the order would be moved by the hands of those who have taken power.


    "We''re here." At the words of the soldier, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo got out of the military truck and looked up at the scene in front of him.


    Songdo LNG Production Base!


    Now was a time where energy would be more precious than gold or human life. He walked on to meet the new order leader, looking at the stage.


    ''Major Kim Tae-hoon¡­ I thought he was a man whose fate was to never be recorded in history, but he will be a man who will be marked in history.''


    7.


    "We secured Kate Kennedy."


    The conversation was one-sided.


    "But I won''t report it to the Capital Defense Command. I''ll hide it."


    Kim Tae-hoon had a solo conversation with Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, a one-sided conversation on the spot. No, it was a one-sided notice, a request, rather than a conversation.


    "From now on, Kate Kennedy will be a hunter for the Mac Guild, with her identity hidden."


    It was evidence that Kim knew well the reality of his situation more calmly than anyone else.


    He had killed the Twin-head Ogre alone.


    The Capital Defense Command had taken a number of troops, firepower, and its best ace, Oh Se-bum, including a helicopter, to kill a green-grade monster, a White High-footed Spider, but Kim killed it alone.


    It was proof.


    It was proof of what he had said.


    It was proof that the price they would pay that when they set him as an enemy would not be small.


    And Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was the sword that Kim would wield against the Capital Defense Command from now on. The master of the sword does not speak with the sword. He just wields the sword at his own discretion.


    "And arrange for a meeting with Colonel Lim Hyun-joon of the Ottuki Unit."


    Of course, if the owner wielded the sword too freely, there would be problems.


    "That''s¡ª"


    "As long as there''s a traitor in the Capital Defense Command, we''ll have to borrow external power, and there''s no outside power better than the front-line forces in this situation."


    At the words of Kim, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo wanted to ask how Kim knew that fact. But the question was pointless. Even if Kim lied with his answer, Yoo was not able to confirm the authenticity.


    "... that''s great." Therefore, Yoo asked questions he could ascertain. "So what''s your next destination?"


    "I''m going to Buyeo."


    "Buyeo? For what reason?" The moment he asked the question, he immediately came up with the word "National Buyeo Museum".


    "Ah." So he sighed and then warned, "It''s dangerous. I sent my men to search Buyeo several times, but none of them came back."


    In response to the warning, Kim looked at his hand before answering.


    [Basic Abilities]


    - Strength: 501


    - Health: 299


    [Special Abilities]


    - Energy: B- Rank


    - Mana: C+ Rank


    - Telekinesis: A Rank


    - Defense: B- Rank


    - Mana Resistance: C+ Rank


    [Achieved Abilities]


    - Herculean Strength of Twin-head Ogre (Grade 4): You can exert the Herculean Strength of the Twin-head Ogre.


    He looked at the back of his hand and said, "That''s why I''m going, and it won''t take long, so please set up a meeting with Colonel Lim Hyun-joon in June, and definitely before July."


    At the end of the conversation, a truck began to slowly approach them. There was no driver. The only thing in the truck was the monster''s hideous head.


    "It''s one of the heads of the Twin-head Ogre. This is my gift to the Capital Defense Command, and the other one will be a monumental souvenir."

 69 Episode 69 - Toward Buyeo, Part I

    Chapter 25. Toward Buyeo, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    Monsters had taken a lot from mankind. They had killed countless people, and they had taken food and living things. They took away the light. Since the advent of the monsters, the nights of the world had returned to darkness.


    If the measure of civilization was based on illumination at night, human civilization had degenerated into a remote past.


    However, in the midst of such a world, there was a place where the light was still in full bloom.


    "Oh, it''s the beginning of the night shift."


    "Let''s get it over with. It''s still spring, but it''s chilly at night."


    "Let''s have a little soju with ramen after work."


    "I''m asking for night work for it. When I work until dawn, eat ramen with a bowl of soju and wake up in the afternoon with baggy eyes, this place really looks like a paradise."


    "Paradise¡­"


    Bucheon City.


    It was not dark there. The mobile street lamps, which were modified to create a city of undying lanterns, made the night a time of hope, not a time of solitude and silence. At the same time, they gave people time to see the night sky.


    "Oh, there are so many stars."


    "I know. I''ve never seen so many stars in Bucheon."


    "There were always many stars. I just haven''t seen them in the meantime."


    The night sky, which the factories and cars had hidden for a long time, was covered with shining stars. The starry night view was not suitable for the word "apocalypse". The sight was a starfield that awed the viewers in many ways.


    Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon returned in silence to Bucheon City on a night when the starlight seemed to fall.


    Ahn Sun-mi and Bang Hyun-wook were the only ones who met them at night. Of course, the two tried to say hello. "Hello... Huck! "


    That was, until the two of them found out that a blonde girl following them blinked her blue eyes.


    "Who, who is this?"


    "Who is she?"


    The answer to the two surprised and inquiring answers came from Jang, not Kim. "Oh, this is the boss''s first wife. She will be your sister-in-law for Hyun-wook, and she will be a Madam for sister Sun-mi."


    The two looked surprised at Jang''s response, and Kim cuffed the back of Jang''s head.


    Kim then formally introduced her himself. "Her name is Kate Kennedy, our hostage in this hour."


    Bang and Ahn looked even more incomprehensible and Jang, who has scratched the back of his head, said curtly, "Boss, I told you. I prefer ''wife'' to ''the hostage''."


    After Kim talked to them about the situation with Kate Kennedy, the situation was settled.


    2.


    Kim explained to Kate Kennedy what had happened to the world during the days she spent in the secret bunker: the world had become a monster den, and survivors had begun fighting back against them to survive.


    After she heard the story, she asked, "Well, where''s my father?"


    "The U.S. Ambassador to Korea, although I did not see him directly, is currently under the protection of the Capital Defense Command, which has settled in Seoul."


    "Then I''ll go there. Please take me there." That was too obvious, at least for Kate Kennedy. Of course, she missed her family, and she was sure there was no safer place than where her father was.


    However, Kim rejected her offer. "No."


    "Why? Is the road dangerous?"


    "You are the card we are going to take an advantageous position in the negotiations."


    "What is that¡­"


    "In a nutshell, you are a hostage." In addition, Kim did not use a kind explanation or a friendly expression, either.


    Kate Kennedy made such an embarrassing face, but Kim was serious. He had to be serious.


    This card of, Kate Kennedy was that important to him now.


    If he was with her, he would be able to set up a negotiation table with the U.S. Ambassador to Korea at his discretion. At the same time, she was also an irreplaceable human resource, beyond the most valuable level in the current situation, as her Energy rank was A.


    ''A, A rank is not an easy rank we can get from eating monster stones.''


    So far, Kim had eaten countless monster stones. However, his Telekinesis showed no sign of moving beyond the A rank. The symbolic significance of the A rank was evidence that they could not get the rank by simply eating monster stones.


    This meant that the A rank''s ability might be of limited grade, like a relic. It also meant that only when they got an A-rank Awakener, the monster stones, and the relics, that they could control success or failure in the upcoming war.


    ''Her Energy rank is A¡­ she can perform her mission in a healthy spirit against a blue-grade monster.''


    Most of all, Kim was desperately in need of an Awakener with an A rank in Energy.


    Energy was the surest force against monster fear. On the contrary, even if you were armed with powerful weapons and relics, if there was not a high Energy ranker, then there was a very fatal limitation when dealing with monsters, which was impossible to fight against.


    It was true of even Kim now. If he had the power to be free from monster''s fear, he couldn''t have used his armed forces demonstrations to kill the Twin-head Ogre. In his judgment, to show the appropriate skills against a green-grade monster, at least a B Energy ranker would be needed.


    That meant you needed at least one level higher than that to deal with a blue-grade monster.


    Therefore, Kim needed Kate Kennedy, even if he was forced to put a collar around her neck.


    ''If I hand her over to the Capital Defense Command, I help my competitor.''


    The same was true for the Capital Defense Command. Even to the U.S. Ambassador to Korea, Kate Kennedy''s power would be precious. Unless the U.S. Ambassador was a fool, he would have made several plans in close contact with the U.S. Forces Korea after the monsters appeared in the world.


    ''If it is necessary for the USFK, they can establish a new government in Korea.''


    One of the scenarios would be that the US would establish a new government instead of the current one. Anyway, as time went by, the U.S. military''s influence would grow again, and then the U.S. Forces in Korea would have a bigger impact.


    Above all, Kim saw that one of the symbols owned by the U.S. military, an AC-130 called the Angel of Death, was coming toward him, firing a flare.


    ''The U.S.A. is the U.S.A., even without relics.''


    Clearly, there were not many relics in the U.S. At present, there would be more relics in Europe than ever before, where the history of modern civilization began, and where it became the heart of globally influential religions, such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. But no matter what, they had no history of widespread internal violence in the United States.


    It was inevitable that the U.S. would become the first partner for those who wanted to become new orders, while securing relics and loyal people. There were several bridegrooms, but a single bride, and they had no choice but to have a war. And he could not just think about the U.S. Forces in Korea.


    ''The story will change if the U.S. Forces in Japan move.''


    Je also kept in mind the U.S. Forces in Japan and Japan itself. No, maybe the most urgent thing to consider at this moment were the two.


    Wasn''t it Japan, in the history of the Korean Peninsula, that showed more than just obsession with land?


    If Japan survived in its repeated war with monsters and was equipped with power, the first place they would pursue was the Korean Peninsula. In addition, the U.S. Forces in Japan were so powerful that they could not be compared to U.S. Forces in Korea.


    There were plenty of reasons for Kim to hold Kate as a hostage.


    "Hostage, what do you mean?" Of course, there was no reason Kate should understand that.


    Kim also did not make any effort to make her understand.


    "I am going to do anything to survive." At Kim''s words, her face turned white and her eyes began to tremble. She was on the verge of tears. The big blue eyes were ready to burst into tears.


    "I''m going to do anything to live."


    However, Kim was not fooled by her expression. He knew better than anyone else that the woman in front of him wasn''t really a woman with a blank mind and whining in this situation.


    The U.S. Ambassador to Korea was not an easy place to sit, although he knew how to work politics.


    Starting with North Korea, China and Russia were the front lines that the United States should check as the last enemies. Of course, it was also a dangerous place. It had to be prepared for all kinds of threats, such as terror, kidnapping, and assassination.


    "Stop acting. It''s not good enough to say something funny about a blonde being stupid. If you don''t know the meaning of the word hostage, you don''t deserve to be here."


    At the words, Kate Kennedy changed her face. She took a long breath, and at the end of it she ruffled her coveted hair.


    "The world has turned into hell." With a short curse, she told Kim, "I''ll cooperate with you, but I want you to ensure my safety."


    At that, Kim answered, "I can''t guarantee your safety, but I''ll risk my life to protect your own."


    "I want to hear that oath from someone who would honestly be my husband. So what''s the plan for the future?"


    "I go to Bucheon, take the items, and then move to Buyeo."


    "Buyeo?"


    "Only the two of us."


    "What?"


    That was the story Kim and Kate shared.


    3.


    Namsan Tower...


    A place where people could not see any of its past had become crowded with noise.


    "Be careful! Be careful!"


    "Stop! Stop!"


    A modified forklift craned up the head of a giant monster on a truck, and soldiers in military uniform were working hard around it, tightly disciplined.


    There were people watching the scene from a distance. The stars were shining on their epaulets, all of them wearing dress uniforms.


    "Green eyes."


    They were the people in power in the Capital Defense Command, starting with Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk, the Commander of the Capital Defense Command; passing Lieutenant General Yoon Seok-young, the Commander of the Military Capital Command; to Major General Lee Ki-soo, the Head of the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Defense. It was a feast of stars.


    "What''s its name?"


    "It''s a green-grade monster, the Twin-head Ogre."


    "How does it compare to the White High-footed Spider we killed?"


    "There''s no big difference."


    "There''s no big difference. Is that true?"


    There was a man among the generals, not a general, but his appearance was more brilliant than the stars.


    "Major Oh Se-bum, what do you think?"


    "Yes, I agree There''s not much difference," he replied with a firm expression at the words of Lee Hyuk, who was now the Commander of the Capital Defense Command, and in fact the absolute leader of the survivors of the capital of Seoul.


    "I wish I''d just let you go, but I gave him a chance and he got me into trouble." At the words of Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk, everyone went silent. There was nothing more eerie for the soldiers than complaints from their superiors.


    It was Major General Lee Ki-soo who stepped in at that moment, "It''s just a hound, you know, and you can throw it away after using it. I think the Ottuki Unit is more urgent than that."


    Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk nodded instead of answering and left immediately. The other stars moved after the first star.


    A man came to the side of Major Oh Se-bum, who had remained in the place when the stars disappeared. It was Colonel Jang So-gook. Major Oh frowned at his appearance. "When are you going to take care of him, Colonel?"


    At the surly words, Colonel Jang did not agree enthusiastically. "It''s not time to care about Kim Tae-hoon. If we don''t deal with the Ottuki Unit right now, Seoul is dangerous. The road from Gangnam to Gangbuk is blocked, but there are too many roads from the front line to Gangbuk. Not only the forces at the front, but the power of the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division is enough to bring Seoul down."


    "Ah, yes." Major Oh spoke out in a tone that seemed to be upset at the appearance of Colonel Jang.


    It was a whine, a whine that was not suitable for a soldier.


    However, Colonel Jang did not intend to admonish Major Oh''s whining. From the beginning, he did not want the attitude of a soldier from Major Oh. "Of course it''s not your concern, and according to the letter from Dr. Mao, he''s going to be packing up the relics soon."


    "What kind of relic?"


    "It''s a second-grade relic."


    "What''s its name?"


    "It''s Okryong Mungakbae. He said he would pay for the other relics, and sooner or later the bird will fly, and you will retrieve them."


    "I''m looking forward to it, so what do I do with it?"


    "You can do what you want."


    The face of Major Oh, which was whimpering, relaxed. "I understand."

 70 Episode 70 - Toward Buyeo, Part II

    Chapter 25. Toward Buyeo, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    While Kim Tae-hoon was active in Incheon City for a short period of time, there were also many changes in Bucheon City. The most noticeable change was the beginning of farmland cultivation.


    The results of cultivating the surrounding land of the Gulpo Stream leading to the Han River during the winter were gradually revealed in the spring.


    "Now it''s a real start."


    "A year of farming started."


    It would be impossible for all survivors to obtain enough harvests to be self-sufficient, but securing farmland and the start of farming were the hope of a minimal future.


    "Let''s go to Incheon!"


    "Depart!"


    In addition, they used the remaining materials from the solar panel production plant in Gwangmyeong City to produce additional solar panels. Tank cars, drivers, and related technicians to transport the LNG stored at the Songdo LNG production base also began to move when the occupation of Incheon City was completed.


    "Now we go to Siheung City! Let''s kill the monsters!"


    The number of Clans under the Mac Guild was now seven, and they gradually started to expand their activities to Gwangmyeong and Incheon, as well as Gimpo and Siheung.


    The medical system has also begun to improve rapidly. The simple hospital operated by Ahn Sin-mi began to use university hospital facilities, as it secured a small number of doctors and nurses, and became able to produce electricity steadily to some extent.


    Ahn Sun-mi, who had been an errand-runner at the university hospital a few months ago, became the new owner of the university hospital.


    The workshop also started more systematic and professional production by having a power supply and facility expansion. Items using monster bodies and items that improved relics have begun to be produced in a steady stream.


    All of those results were confirmed by the number of monster stones secured by the Mac Guild, and by the number of monster stones for Kim Tae-hoon to eat.


    "Do you really have to eat all of them?"


    "Of course."


    Forty percent.


    Kim''s contract with the hunters gathered under the name of the Mac Guild was still valid. Of course, forty percent of the monster stones earned from the hunting of parties under the Mac Guild and Clans'' hunters while he was not in Bucheon became Kim''s share. The amount couldn''t be small. It was just enough to fill a 30-liter hiking bag!


    "This world is like Hell." Kate was so embarrassed when she watched Kim eating them.


    "It will be more like Hell in the future."


    Of course, the most embarrassing thing for Kate was that she had to go to Buyeo with Kim. The reason why Kim took her to Buyeo was simple. Kate had Energy of A rank. Although the stats of her Strength and Health were still low, not many people could stop her if she started to make a fuss.


    So, in the end, they might need an Awakener with a high level like Bang Hyun-wook for surveillance, but Bang also had a lot of work, as he was the spiritual leader of the Mac Guild when Kim Tae-hoon was away. Most of all, Bang was good at protecting people, but he had never even tried to monitor them.


    "It would have been convenient if you had just left me in Bucheon."


    Finally, it was better for Kim to take her with him for her protection and surveillance. Another reason was that Kate was not just a character. but a very important human resource for Kim.


    "In the east, the distance is about 300 meters, Orc." Accordingly, Kim needed to nurture Kate as a very capable hunter


    "The weapon is a knife." Kim threw a knife to Kate with the order. It was not a special knife.


    "Isn''t it too much to ask me to use a cleaver?" It was an ordinary knife that was easily found in marts. "Give me a gun to deal with the monsters!"


    In fact, he gave her a gun at first. It was clear that it would not be necessary to talk about it because in common sense to use guns was better than to use swords well. But as soon as he handed her the K5 automatic pistol, she immediately checked the magazine and the aim, and he listened to her whisper, "Is it an M5949?" Then he no longer gave her a gun.


    He knew that she was not a woman who had shot a gun just one or two times, but a woman who had been willing to enjoy using them in the United States, where freedom of guns was guaranteed.


    From then on, he taught her how to use a knife instead of a gun.


    "If you don''t like it, you can either file a complaint through a law firm, or you can get a gun yourself."


    "You are a man of great wit."


    "My wit has grown a little because of the guy I have been with."


    "You are fluent in English. You must have been an abler man than I thought?"


    "Two hundred meters."He told her its location instead of answering, and she fumed at the remark.


    "I want you to say it in yards instead of meter."


    "One-ninety meters."


    She sighed and looked at the Suwon Gwangmyeong Expressway, which had become a grave of cars.


    ''Let''s adapt first.''


    She was not a fool. She knew that at this moment, the stupid blonde beauty acting did not work against him, and even if she protested that she was the daughter of the US Ambassador to Korea, it did not work, nor did her charming complaints.


    At the same time, she knew this was an opportunity. Anyway, he was teaching her how to hunt monsters and the knowledge she needed to survive in this world. He was giving something that she could not get even if she paid money. In many ways, in this situation, the answer was to play head-on instead of foot-to-mouth.


    Above all, she had a possibility that was incomparable to others. ''The power of the stomach.''


    She believed in the possibility. ''With this power, I can create chances anytime.'' Based on the possibility, she made a plan and played the trick.


    5.


    ''She didn''t learn it right.''


    He closed his black Eyes and recalled her fight, as she was breathing over the body of the Orc under her feet, which had now become a meatball.


    ''It''s at the level of a hobby.'' She knew how to fight.


    Ju-jitsu, boxing¡­ she had a habit of working out at a mixed martial arts gymnasium. However, that was all. She did not seem to have been trained properly in the military. She had learned a level of fighting to protect herself from her father, who was a soldier.


    ''That''s better.'' For him, it was better. If she had had professional skills, she would have had to go through the process of getting rid of habits. The fighting that mankind had achieved over the years would only work on monsters on a limited basis.


    ''It''s not possible to use ju-jitsu or boxing against monsters like a Twin-head Ogre right now. It is only enough to protect herself and be able to respond to incoming attacks.''


    ''Her Energy is beyond imagination.'' On the other hand, Her Energy of A rank was astonishing.


    ''Her Strength stat is 15 at best, but her fighting ability is close to Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji.''


    Energy enhanced physical ability. If the stats of Strength and Health were high, the effect of Energy increases. On the contrary, if the stats of Strength and Health were low, physical ability strengthened by Energy was also low.


    Now, the combined stats of Strength and Health were 25 points because she had never properly eaten monster stones.


    Nevertheless, her ability to show her Energy was now similar to Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji, whose Strength level now surpassed 100, and whose Energy rank reached D+.


    It was a great potential considering that Lieutenant Kim has steadily developed her ability through combat and training. From now on, if the stats of her Strength and Health increased, her fighting ability would be beyond imagination.


    ''Her Energy handling sense is much better than Bang Hyun-wook.''


    On top of that, her Energy was well matched with relics. Even with the Sword of the Imperator and Sun-sin''s Arrow which he had, the higher the user''s Energy, the stronger the relic''s power.


    ''I love the way she puts her brain to work.'' At the same time, she was smart.


    "Her blemish is that the way she puts her brain to work is visible." It was evident from the way she cooperated with him and sometimes looked at the surrounding environment and what would be an indicator when she planned for the future.


    Of course, he had already noticed that she was ready to run if she got a chance at any time, although she was now adhering to it.


    ''Much better than a stupid doll.'' It was better for Kim Tae-hoon. There was no perfect manual for the war against monsters. There was no precedent. In moments, subjective judgments determined life and death.


    When he thought about it, he opened his eyes. Then he saw a sign on the road showing that there was not much distance left to Suwon.


    ''Suwon.'' Currently, Suwon City had three yellow-grade monsters and a green-grade monster. There was no worry about the monsters. Now, for him, yellow-grade monsters were no longer an opponent, and green-grade monsters could be dealt with according to the situation.


    The problem was beyond that.


    ''If we move quickly to Sejong City, we will arrive in three days.''


    They would move along the Gyeongbu Expressway to reach Cheonan City and then would move along the Nonsan Cheonan Expressway. Then, they would naturally pass through Sejong City.


    ''Blue-grade.''


    There was a blue-grade monster that had never been encountered before, and it had settled there.


    It was something he was worried about.


    Taang! At this moment, the gunshot that sounded was nothing for him to worry.


    "Hey, did you hear the shot?"


    "I don''t think you''ve never heard a shot before."


    "This is Korea!"


    He replied briefly to her question, but she had only heard the situation of the world and had not seen it with her own eyes yet.


    "The world we live in has changed, in Korea or anywhere, and the world is better off with shots than with the monsters."


    With those words, he got up from where he was sitting and began to rise in the air.


    "Er? Huh? Uh!" Her eyes began to grow wide.


    6.


    Taang!


    A man fell to the ground with the shot. Blood began to spread over the asphalt road. It was a sight to squeeze out a scream. But no one screamed.


    "Rob, rob him!" The people who fired the shots rushed over to the dead body, and they began to scour the corpse greedily. They undressed the corpse and began to search the bag the corpse carried.


    "God damn it, there''s nothing!"


    "What about the bag? Anything to eat?"


    "There''s nothing to eat, but it''s so heavy. Did he put stones in it?"


    "Oh, son of a bitch. He gives us this much trouble even though he has nothing."


    Taang! At that moment the revolver shot at the dead body, and the other man was surprised by the sound. He shouted at the gunman. "What the hell are you doing?"


    "I''m angry!"


    "Save the bullet!"


    It was a terrible sight. It was a scene where human life and dignity were not even worth a single bullet and human values became worthless.


    It was the man who appeared in the sky that put an end to the scene.


    As soon as he appeared, he looked down at his feet, at three men who were working over a dead body like hyenas.


    ''He''s still alive.'' It wasn''t a dead body, exactly. With two shots, he was bleeding, but he was still breathing. The heartbeat and breathing sound were weak, but Kim Tae-hoon clearly heard them. However, he did not intend to go out to save the man.


    "Uh! What is this?"


    "What is it?"


    "It''s a stone, it''s like a piece."


    Until he saw it, he did not intend to go out to save the man.


    "A statue?"


    "No, it''s not a statue, it''s a sword. That''s weird, I''m sure I''ve seen this somewhere¡­"


    "Yes, I''m sure I''ve seen this before."


    A stone sword.


    ''The Gandol Sword?'' Kim landed on the ground when he saw the Gandol Sword, one of the representative relics of the Bronze Age.


    Thump!


    His body landed on the roof of a car on the road. The roof of the car was crushed like a can of soda.


    "Uhhh!" His sudden appearance shocked the three, and he extended his right hand, looking at them with black Eyes.


    Took! A revolver flew back into his hand.


    Three shots fired immediately penetrated three men, two in the middle of the forehead, one in the thigh.


    "Aaaaaargh!" Of course, there was only one scream.


    Kim walked through the scream filling the highway. He reached out his hand again and recovered the Gandol Sword on the ground with his Telekinesis before looking at it.


    ==[Gandol Sword]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 3


    - Relic Value: Rare


    - Relic Effect: The injection of Energy produces a sharp blade. The cutting power of the blade depends on the Energy rank.]==


    ''According to what Jang said, the Gandol Sword should be at the Buyeo National Museum.''


    A question passed through his mind. However, he did not dwell on the question. The only way to solve the question was not his thinking, but the man who was nearly shot to death in front of him. Kim approached the man and sat him down.


    The focus in his eyes was disappearing, and Kim spoke to the man who was leaking blood from the hole near his belly button where he had been shot.


    "What happened to Buyeo?" He asked a question that could not be answered. But when Kim asked the question, the man gave an answer after throwing up a bloody cough.


    "Save my daughter and my wife¡­ Buyeo¡­ Gilt-bronze Incense Burner in Buyeo¡­


    the Incense Burner to make monsters¡­ watch out for the Messiah¡­"


    The man, who used all his energy to speak those words, died with his eyes wide open. Kim closed his eyes. Then Kim turned his back and approached the screaming man who was clutching at his bloody leg.


    "Aaaaaargh! Aaaaaaargh!"


    Kim said to the man in a low voice, "Let''s start talking."

 71 Episode 71 - Toward Buyeo, Part III

    Chapter 25. Toward Buyeo, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    7.


    "Are you finished?"


    When Kim Tae-hoon came back, it wasn''t a short amount of time, Kate greeted him with a great deal of eagerness. She asked right away, "How can you fly?"


    She seemed to be surprised more than anything that he flew. Even if she wanted to know, she could not even think of running away from him.


    He answered her question briefly, "Well."


    "Do you have laser beams in your eyes?"


    He didn''t even answer her subsequent question. Instead, he injected his Energy into the Gandol Sword he had brought with him.


    Woo-woong! Immediately after that, a yellowish blade of light appeared on the Gandol Sword.


    "Wow! Lightsaber!"


    Kim hit a medium-sized car in front of her.


    Seu-euk! The sharp edge of the Sword started with the roof of the car and cut the car in half.


    She no longer even spoke of admiration in front of the scene. Instead, she began to tremble weakly, as if she were surprised at the gruesome sight.


    It was such an eerie power. He looked at the Gandol Sword in his hand. ''It has a lot of power.''


    Currently, his Energy level was B rank. It was not a low rank at all. With his Energy and Strength stats, he could crush a car like a sheet of paper with his bare hands. However, a cutting power that could slice through a car like this in one swoop was a different kind of story.


    Most of all, the Gandol Sword was not the only one. To his knowledge, dozens of Gandol Swords were kept at the Buyeo National Museum.


    ''If a hunter group is armed with these Gandol Swords¡­''


    Furthermore, Jang Sung-hoon said that the Buyeo National Museum had the Half-moon Stone Sword, as well as the Bronze Sword. If all of them had become relics, their power must have been even stronger than expected. Once, he finished his thought here.


    "Hey!" It was more important for him to shut up the woman who was shining curious blue eyeballs at him.


    "Please tell me what happened! What the Hell is that? Is it like a lightsaber?"


    He replied to her, who was waiting for an answer, "From now on, we will dismantle the monsters."


    "Yes?"


    "If you don''t like doing it, I will do it. The monster stone will be mine."


    "Wait, wait a minute."


    Only then did she shut up and change her eyes. She gave him a resentful look. Of course, it was only for a while. After she finished thinking about it, she turned her back on him and walked over to her own Orc.


    8.


    Pook! While she was struggling against the Orc with a knife, he began to think over the information he had received.


    ''The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner to create a monster.'' The first thing that filled his head was about the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner the man had mentioned before he died.


    There were not many objects in the world that deserved the name "The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner." More importantly, there was only one thing in Korea that the man with the Gandol Sword could use for the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner.


    ''Is it the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje?''


    National treasure No. 287, the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje.


    It was a great work of art. It was like an incense burner from a distance, but it was not just an incense burner up close. A dragon held a lotus peak and a phoenix stood at the end of the lotus peak.


    The lotus flower was also a representation of Three Divine Mountains where the gods of the perennial youth and long life lived, and it was decorated with a variety of animals and mythical animals, starting with five musicians playing five musical instruments.


    ''Creating a monster?'' But the dead man described the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner as creating a monster.


    There was no telling whether it created a monster or a human being. Anything was possible.


    ''Dragon and Phoenix.''


    And if the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner was the one that called the monster back, something very troublesome would happen.


    His imagination about The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje had stopped there.


    What was more important now was that it was in the hands of a group named Messiah. He frowned when he moved on to that part.


    ''Messiah again.'' It was Messiah again. It was the third time, and he felt annoyed.


    But it was not a coincidence if anything was repeated over and over. By the fact that they used the name Messiah, he could measure the characteristics of the organization.


    In fact, normal groups do not use the name Savior. Rather, abnormal groups often used the name Messiah to justify their existence and behavior.


    Of course, there was no good man using the name Messiah as the name of the organization.


    It was no different this time. Indeed, if the Messiah group in Buyeo had been a group trying to become a Savior for justice and peace, the man with a precious Gandol Sword would not have headed to Seoul at the risk of his life. There was no doubt that he had even said so in his will to save his family.


    The last thing that was clear¡­ ''It''s clear that there''s a power to survive in this hellish world.''


    The organization called the Messiah, which was located in Buyeo, was entitled to survive in a monster-filled world.


    "It''s over." She appeared in front of him, with a cleaver in her bloody left hand, and a red jewel in her right hand, and a spotted pattern of blood on her face.


    He looked at her slowly. She frowned at the look.


    "I did what you told me, okay?"


    "I didn''t say anything."


    "Oh, it''s¡­"


    While she hesitated, he took off his bag and opened it, pulling out a thick translucent plastic bag from it. The plastic wrapper was filled with red jewels like candy. You couldn''t count the number of them quickly.


    She looked at it and swallowed her drool. Of course, it wasn''t because the monster stones were delicious. She knew what it meant to gain power through the monster stones. It was the reason for her appetite again.


    "The current number of monster stones left is 255." He gave her the exact figure.


    "Are you provoking me now?" It sounded like his remark was meant to make fun of her. Naturally, her face crumpled as well.


    "I''ll give you all of them."


    "Yes?" That''s why she was even more surprised. "What the hell¡­"


    "I can give you all 255 monster stones."


    "Oh, why?"


    "Forty percent a month."


    "Forty percent?"


    "There are 255, so monthly interest rates 102 red-grade monster stones. Pay back 357 after a month. If you don''t pay it back and move on to next month, you''ll have to pay back 499.8. In three months, 700."


    "Wait a minute. What is that calculation method? That interest rate is ridiculous!"


    "I just made a suggestion. Whether you accept it or not, that''s your right. Complaints about interest rates should be made either through an international lawyer or through the U.S. Ambassador to Korea."


    She shut her mouth tight. Her thoughts became complicated.


    Surely this was an opportunity. If she ate more than 250 monster stones right now, her abilities would greatly increase. Not only basic abilities, but special abilities would rise significantly.


    She was the A-ranked player with Energy, and the merit that could be gained from the elevation of her basic abilities was higher than anyone else.


    The problem was the interest rate of forty percent. In order to collect 357 monster stones per month, she had to hunt more than twelve monsters a day!


    ''I can do it.''


    She faced the monster under his orders and killed it. Killing about ten monsters a day was not difficult. No, if she ate these monster stones, a red monster could not be an enemy to her.


    But monsters were not things she could see when she wanted to see them, were they?


    Most of all, her activities were now tied to his activities. If he stayed still, she should also stay still.


    ''But I have to do it now if I want to do it.''


    The trouble was that she had to take the offer now. Kim Tae-hoon, was not a human being that the word "negotiation" would work on. If she wanted to cut forty percent to thirty percent, he would increase the interest rate to fifty percent. If she wanted to accept his offer, accepting it at this moment was the least expensive way to pay.


    ''That''s all?'' So, at this moment she went all in. "Don''t you have orange or yellow ones, other than red ones?"


    He smiled at the words.


    She pressed again, "I hope you will give me more. I want to borrow about 300, not 255."


    He asked about her ever-growing scale. "What are you going to do if you can''t pay it back?"


    "Take them from my father, and you''d get paid anyway?"


    At those words, he no longer asked.


    ''She is right.'' She would never be able to pay it back. He would somehow get it. If something happened that couldn''t be paid back, it would only be if she died.


    Therefore, he was willing to accept it. He took out a leather case about the size of an eyeglass case from his Twin-head Ogre leather jacket. He put what was inside on his palm. Three orange monster stones appeared.


    "The orange-grade interest rate is three times higher."


    He had already finished his intake of them. He brought them in case he needed to make transactions.


    The only money in this world now were cigarettes, bullets, and monster stones.


    "And three hundred Monster Stones¡­ forty-five deficient."


    In addition, he was willing to meet her demands.


    "¡­ If you wait for one hour, I will prepare them."


    Gulp! She swallowed at the sight. Of course, the saliva this time was not mouth-watering.


    9.


    Buyeo District, South Chungcheong Province...


    In front of them, the Geumgang River passed by, and the place with Mt. Buso and Mt. Geumseong behind them was beautiful and cozy.


    That was at least four months ago. Buyeo District, when it met the winter, felt peaceful even when the snow fell, rather than cold. But since the appearance of monsters, Buyeo had become a place to describe as peace.ful. Even after the monsters were cleaned out to some extent, Buyeo was still not peaceful.


    "Work quickly!"


    "Don''t think you''re goofing off, if you don''t want to die, for example."


    People were constantly plowing up land where there were originally skating, baseball, and soccer fields, using shovels and pickaxes. Soldiers in uniform were pointing their guns at the people.


    It was a scene of forced labor that could only be seen in North Korea or Africa in the past. It was also a terrible scene.


    "Uh-uh-uh¡­" As soon as a man with all skin and bones collapsed without being able to keep up with his pickaxing, the gunman approached the man.


    "Tut." The gunman clicked his tongue briefly as soon as he saw the fallen man foaming at the mouth and showing only the whites of his eyes.


    Then he shouted at the crowd, whose eyes were focused on him. "I don''t know how many times we''ve warned you, but if you''re going to fall, you''d better finish your work before you fall down!"


    Taang! A single shot rang after the shout.


    The man who fell down on the ground like a corpse became a real corpse. People shuddered at the sight. But their eyes did not change. Their eyes were already so dull that they couldn''t get any worse.


    The same was true of the man who made a dead body with a single shot. The man took out a pack of cigarettes straight on the spot and lit it from a lighter while holding it in his mouth.


    Then he said to himself in a low voice. "It''s hard to run a farm. In this way, we are going to have to grow more graves."


    A companion approached the man. "Hey, give me a cigarette."


    The man said to his companion, who asked for a cigarette as soon as he arrived, shooting him a look as terrifying as a gun. "You''re a fucking shit."


    "A cigarette, no, only one drag!"


    "Fuck you!"


    "You''re really too much."


    "Too much? Then, what are you going to give me?"


    "Do you want my turn? Do you want to take my place today?"


    With the words, the man pretended to move his waist back and forth. But the man who smoked did not even show interest.


    "How about this one? A glass of Soju."


    At that word Soju changed his gaze. "Do you have Soju?"


    "I robbed a supermarket in the mountain and found a Soju box. Of course, I kept one hidden."


    The man who was holding a cigarette gave it to his companion. His companion quivered after smoking.


    "Well, I didn''t smoke before this had happened, but now I''m going to die without this."


    "More than that, where did you hide it? You''re not fucking me, are you?"


    "That''s not a lie. I have to get rid of it tonight anyway. The report is over, and they''ll probably come from Nonsan the day after tomorrow. If I get caught, then it''s over."


    "The bastards, we''re working hard, but they take everything. Damn Stigmata! If I had had a Stigmata on the back of my hand¡­"


    The man who was speaking stopped and looked up at the sky. "I can''t wait until night." He wanted the night to come.


    Their conversation went far away into the ears of a man who was breathing quietly under the Geumgang River. The man who was eavesdropping also waited for the night to come.


    Very soon, the night that everyone waited for came.

 72 Episode 72 - Messiah vs. Messiah, Part I

    Chapter 26. Messiah vs. Messiah, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    It was quite a warm night, warm enough to spend the night on the green grass. That night, Kim Tae-hoon began collecting information.


    "The smoke began to flow out of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner and became a monster."


    The man, who was now kneeling naked in his pants and underwear and wearing only his jacket, was Kim''s first target. In fact, it was right to say that they were collected rather than hunting.


    For Kim, hunting was his own determination, and sometimes his life depended on it.


    If Kim dealt with an animal, who had raped a woman by force and was concerned about future trouble and killed her on the spot without mercy, it would not be called hunting, it would be an insult to him who has been hunting monsters.


    "No, it was a beast, not a monster. Tiger, lion, wild boar¡­ elephant! There was also an elephant!"


    Of course, Kim had no intention of showing the leisurely air of the winner, the mercy of the hunter to the man.


    "So, where is the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje?"


    "Yes?"


    "Where is the Messiah you serve?"


    "Well, it''s¡­"


    "If you answer my question, your life will be saved, I''m sure I promised." There was only one deal he wanted to keep, only one deal with the man. "I''ll ask you again, where are they?"


    "Well, I don''t know. She and her Guardians don''t stay in one place and move on. I only see them when the Guardians with the Stigmata come to receive the payment periodically!"


    "Where are they?"


    "I said everything! I told you everything I know! Please let me live..."


    If you answer the question, you will be saved. In other words, if you do not answer the question, you will die.


    "I''m sure the woman who was killed by you, would have cooperated with you, until she died."


    "You, you son of a bitch! You didn''t want to spare me from the beginning¡­ eub¡­ eub¡­ eub¡­"


    It was all Kim wanted to do.


    2.


    Ppuduk! A neck was forced to turn and the sound slid past the silent foothills. It was a feeble sound. It was so weak that it was hard to hear unless one was near.


    "Really¡­" In other words, she heard the noise and it meant that she was close. "Do you really have to kill them that way?"


    At night, Kim began collecting information. After kidnapping the remnants of the Messiah in Buyeo and those who described themselves as the believers of Messiah, he obtained information from them and killed them all.


    She had to look at the whole scene from a stone''s throw. He didn''t do it to bother her. For him, she was a hostage, and he just needed to watch her so that she wouldn''t play tricks. Anyway, it was not a pleasant sight.


    "You don''t have to kill them without conditions." She, who had been silent, complained to him.


    "I don''t have to kill, but they have enough reason to die. Looting, rape, murder, robbery. In American law, there is no shortage of electric chairs."


    "Isn''t it fair to give them a chance to at least reflect?" Kim''s behavior was too much from her point of view. "What you do is not a judgment."


    She was not a good woman. She had no desire to be a good woman. But she had some good, she had her own justice. The goodness she had was a coin. It was a coin with a reflection on one side, a coin with a judgment on the other, an opportunity for those who sincerely reflect, and a judgment on those who do not.


    "Let''s make one thing clear," he answered. "I have no intention of judging them. I remove them because they are potential threats."


    "Potential threats?"


    "A hostage is valid when there is a watchdog. A hostage without a watchdog is not a hostage, but a variable, like a mine that might explode at any time. It is better to be a murderer than to risk myself, my companions, and my men for my mercy and humanity."


    "What is that¡­" Kim Tae-hoon was a little funny and in a frank spirit as Kate was making such an objection.


    "The potential threat is eliminated in advance by any means possible, isn''t that the American style? That''s why agents from the NSA, CIA, and FBI are filming a fake beard and an Afghan in Afghanistan on the other side of the Atlantic with a camera named Global Hawk, which costs 200 million dollars?"


    The United States, not any country, was the most enthusiastic, most thorough, and quickest in the world to eliminate potential threats to its homeland.


    "It''s¡­" Kate, the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea, could not be unaware of it. Finally, Kate shut her mouth.


    She couldn''t answer his cross-question unless she abandoned her own belief in the U.S., and status of the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea.


    He did not explain any more to her. Her values didn''t matter to him and were not important to him. What was important now was to organize the information he had received.


    He immediately took a thermos bottle out of his bag. Hee drank the coffee he had drained before nightfall.


    She sat on the ground with a long sigh at this sign that he would no longer talk. Then she grabbed her hair like she was tearing off her coveted blond locks.


    Meanwhile, he began to match fragmentary information.


    ''The Messiah I met this time is stronger than I thought.''


    According to the information collected, the Messiah organization that he had met was the most systematic and calculating of all the groups he has met.


    ''They take advantage of the characteristics of religion.''


    The Messiah organization had four major classes. The peak was Messiah, or God, in short. Below it were those with Stigmata, the Guardians of God. Next, there were believers who believed in Messiah as God. The last class was slavery, who were not treated as human beings, and they were simply consumed. Of course, there was no much difference to the general group with classes here.


    ''They are well armed with mystery.''


    The difference was the actions of Messiah and the Guardians. They moved in the Chungcheong Provinces without staying in one place, eliminating monsters, and handing out food and weapons to survivors. Of course, food and weapons were given only to those who believed, followed and served.


    They showed salvation and compassion. For those who wanted to survive humanly in the Chungcheong Provinces, and for those with power and status, the Messiah had become a must-believe religion.


    ''It''s a lot better to be a god than a king.''


    That was why Kim considered this Messiah wise.


    Realistically, it was impossible to properly manage a situation where most of the social infrastructure had collapsed. However, Chungcheong Province was not a small area like Seoul, where infrastructure and population were concentrated. Infrastructure and population were scattered all over the open land.


    There were many more mountains than buildings. In these places, areas that could be managed only with intimidation were very limited. But mystique was different.


    ''It is a very good time for the concept of religion to have power.''


    The reason why a man who had never been to the Vatican worshipped the Vatican and Muslims bowed every day to Mecca, which they had never seen before, was also due to the mystery.


    Above all, it was no exaggeration to say that the value of religious relics in this era was perhaps the most powerful in human history.


    ''Rather, the power of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje is¡­'' Even the power of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje that the Messiah had was appalling by explanation.


    According to the explanation, the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje was an object that summoned an animal made of golden smoke. The power of the animal summoned was at least equal to the second-grade Horse Figure Type Earthenware currently in his hands.


    ''It''s more threatening than I thought.''


    It was said that not even one but several were summoned, and since they were made of smoke, no physical attack could hurt them.


    The believers of the Messiah said that there was not a single monster so far that they could not kill by with Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje.


    ''A monster made of golden smoke that is not hurt by physical blows¡­''


    That was enough to be called a miracle. This was not the only thing.


    Instead of calling them an Awakener, the Messiah used Guardian, and they expressed the mark of an Awakener as the Stigmata of a Guardian.


    It was not just an impulsive group, but evidence that the Messiah system was built based on a number of purposes.


    Of course, it was an awkward system for Kim, who had to capture them and then take the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje from them.


    ''I''ll have no problem if I have time¡­'' If he had time, the Messiah would never be an opponent. Kim knew how to deal with a stronger opponent or a stronger group.


    There was no need for the power of an Awakener. All he had to do was take the time to kill them one by one.


    ''There''s no time, and that''s a problem.''


    But now, the time he was given was... until June.


    He must be back in Bucheon in July. Otherwise, he would not be able to stop the assassination of Colonel Lim Hyun-joon.


    He could not afford to trace Messiah''s movements right away, and he knew that it would take the time to destroy them. In addition, using such methods, Messiah and the Guardians might choose to hide or escape. All he needed now was to make them come out by themselves, then knock them out.


    ''That''s what works best for those who use religion as a weapon.'' And he was well aware of how to catch a group that used religion. ''The rise of a cult.''


    He was also more aware of the dangers of a group using religion better than anyone else. He swallowed a cup of coffee and closed the lid of the thermos bottle.


    ''The use of another poison to remove the poison. I will be a Messiah, too.''


    3.


    The arrival of the monsters took away everything: it became an absolute reality in a changed world


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "I think there has been a rebellion at Buyeo."


    "Rebellion?"


    Under the warm sunshine, the car campsite located in the north of Mt. Gyeryong was spectacular. Expensive SUVs were flashing themselves, expensive camping supplies were scattered, and countless kinds of wines and food were everywhere. It was hard to believe that such a sight was real.


    In one place there was even a DJ machine, and some people were dancing to the songs.


    It was a sight that was hard to see even before the monsters appeared. A short-haired woman laying down on a hammock between two trees handed her wine glass to the man standing next to her.


    "Why don''t you take care of it?"


    "Well¡­"


    "What''s the matter?"


    "I sent people, but they were all beaten."


    At this, the woman was no longer lying in the hammock. She sat up from it and looked at the man kneeling in front of her, as she sat in the hammock and held the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje.


    The man continued at her glance, "The rebels seem to be armed properly, and-"


    "And? Are there any more problems?"


    "Some of the survivors who went to quell the rebellion say strange things."


    The man who was trying to spit out his words took a breath and then continued, "The true Savior saved us¡­ The people who revolted in Buyeo said that."


    As soon as he said those words, the golden smoke began to flow out of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner the woman was holding. With the appearance of the golden smoke, not only the man who knelt before the woman, but also the man who stood guard near the woman''s hammock and everyone around her stood stock still.


    Soon the smoke disappeared back into the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner, and the woman held out her right hand. The man who had just received the glass of wine put it back in her right hand, the one with Stigmata on the back of it.


    The woman drank her wine, savored it a while, and said, "Maybe a cult has appeared."


    The woman made a light gesture at the words. At the sign, the people around her gathered beside her as if they had been waiting. All of them had marks on their right hand, which they called Stigmata. Already listening to the preceding conversation, they scrambled to talk to each other.


    "I''ll take care of it."


    "Please leave it to me."


    The woman did not respond to them as they called out their willingness to take on the mission. Before replying, she touched the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner she had in her hand.


    "No, all of us going."


    "All of us?"


    "Yes, all of us."


    "Is necessary?"


    The woman in command sighed. "If the rumor goes all the way to Nonsan, we''ll be in trouble."


    "Due to the crazy monster in Sejong City, we cannot be active in Daejeon City, so Nonsan is our base area. If the rumor spreads in Nonsan, it will be nothing good for us. We will show them, who deny us and resist us, what a cult is treated like!"


    Show. Everyone''s eyes changed at the word.


    The woman''s eyes had changed.


    "Everyone, gather."


    Soon after, at her words, the partygoers at the campsite stopped everything and began to gather at the place where the woman was sitting on a hammock. More than a hundred people gathered in a flash.


    All of them with the Stigmata on their right hand were wearing Bronze Swords or Gandol Swords at their waists.


    The woman smiled at the crowd and began stroking the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner in her arms.


    "Buyeo, this guy is going to its hometown after a long time."

 73 Episode 73 - Messiah vs. Messiah, Part II

    Chapter 26. Messiah vs. Messiah, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    The Buyeo County Office¡­


    Until a few days ago, this place was like another hell. The believers of Messiah chose the Buyeo County Office as the place to hold their slaves. To put it simply, thousands of slaves spent the night piled up like boxes in rooms under the Buyeo County Office.


    "There! Block the way there! Block the road!"


    "Let''s build a camp in that building. Come on! We have a lot to do!"


    It was another look of Hell, and what explanation was needed? Even when they slept, they had to bear death.


    But now, around the Buyeo County Office, there was a power that was not suitable for Hell, and that was vitality.


    "Do it right! This is not the reserve training!"


    The origin of vitality was the slaves of the Messiah who had lived because they had not been able to die, until a few days ago.


    "Be sure to take your ammunition! Make it more valuable than your life!"


    Even now, what they were doing with vitality was preparation for war. It was not easy.


    ''Preparing for war is, in other words, preparing one''s own grave and graveyard. It is not a job for slaves, who have been exploited until they die because they are afraid to die, to prepare.''


    It was an incredibly dramatic change. Of course, there was a reason.


    "The fortification work is almost done, and once we hold on after the bombardment, we''ll play games in the street."


    The Savior had appeared before them, who had only despair. The Savior did his miracle by suppressing the Messiah who had persecuted and exploited them overnight, and he told those who gathered without stopping there, "Let''s fight against those who call themselves the Messiah. Let''s not be their slaves, but become fighting warriors! And then I would be happy to be your Messiah!"


    Everyone was surprised at the shout because the Savior was a white-skinned woman with blue eyes who spoke English.


    "We''re all ready to fight, and now you just have to give us your orders."


    ''I''m crazy.'' Kate Kennedy, she became a Savior. She was to play the Savior, to be exact.


    ''I''m crazy.'' The beginning of the story was a particularly warm night.


    5.


    On a warm night, Kim Tae-hoon told Kate. "From now on, I will use Messiah to catch Messiah."


    "I don''t think I really understood, unless you misinterpreted the English expression, or it''s a saying."


    "We''re building a new Savior group that denies the Messiah here, which is to say, a cult."


    He said he would use the bait of a cult to lure the Messiah group into Buyeo.


    "Do you think that will work?"


    "There''s nothing more threatening than a cult to those who use religion as a weapon."


    "I understand.."


    "Think of ISIS. They destroyed the relics thousands of years old because they were the remains of heresy."


    "Ah."


    "They''ll send a strong fighting power in order to punish us as an example, not just for punishment."


    She was able to understand his plan enough. That was all.


    "Well, it wouldn''t be hard for you to be Messiah. If you come down from heaven like Superman and wield a ray sword like the Jedi in Star Wars, one or two out of ten will serve you as a Savior on the spot."


    She thought she had no room for herself in his plan, and she didn''t want to get in the way of the plan.


    "No, you''re Messiah." However, he put her in his plan.


    "What?"


    "You''re the one who''s going to be Messiah."


    "What?" It was ridiculous, and she needed some time to understand it. "You''re crazy¡­"


    And as soon as she understood his words, she tried to express her surprise in the loudest voice she could. But her cry never reached the mountain. "Eup! Eup!"


    He had shut her mouth with his Telekinesis.


    "Be quiet." After that short warning, he released his Telekinesis, and she said in a low voice. "Are you crazy? You want me to be a Savior of the people here?"


    "There is no reason you can''t be."


    "I''m not like you! I don''t fly like you! I''m an American! I''m not a Korean!"


    "It doesn''t matter who the Savior or God is anyway, and it doesn''t matter how you plan and how you run it."


    "What the Hell..."


    As her voice was about to rise again, he tapped his index finger on her mouth. She lowered her voice again.


    "Why the Hell should I do that? You''re better off playing the Savior than I am."


    "This is an operation to lure. The bait is the bait, and the fisherman is the fisherman. If the fisherman is caught by a hook, he can''t fish."


    "I don''t like fishing. I don''t want to get involved. I''m a hostage, as you say. Have you ever seen a hostage play a Savior?" Of course, she didn''t want to test her acting talent in this place.


    "I''ll cancel your debt when it''s over."


    "I''m only in debt¡­ What?"


    "You''ll act as a Savior, and when it''s all over, I''ll cancel some of the debt of Monster Stones."


    However, he was serious enough to propose a deal with her.


    Monster Stones were a new necklace that he put on her neck. It was worth more than just its value.


    "Is this so important?"


    "If we leave the Messiah like this, their territory will extend beyond Chungcheong Province to Jeolla Province."


    When he first heard about the Messiah organization, he frankly looked down on them. Like the Messiahs that he has met so far, he thought that what they did in a world that was ruined by the emergence of monsters was a garbage group that picked the word, Messiah.


    However, the Messiah organization in Chungcheong Province was completely different from the previous Messiah organization. They had made themselves a religious group, and they were using the element of mystery well.


    "When that happens, we won''t even be able to take the root."


    Crucially, there was a very powerful relic in their hands.


    The Messiah religion, which usually produced miraculous results, would surely turn the grass black, like wildfire after it spread across the plains.


    "I can''t wait to get people like ISIS out of my territory, because monsters are a pain in the ass. Above all, this is our only chance. Now that they haven''t expanded their force, it''s the only chance for a roundup."


    He did not want to see his own fires burning in the flames that had spread so much, because seeing terrible results was already something he had to put up with from the visions of Napoleon''s Golden Glass.


    She did not say any more to his face. Instead, she was anguished about what she had to do and what she could get.


    "...what exactly do I do?"


    "To play the Savior, try to protect the people in Buyeo."


    "And?"


    "That''s all you have to do, and I''ll do it."


    "If I do the right thing, how many will you cancel?"


    He asked in return, "How many do you want?"


    "If this is the case¡­ I''ll need at least fifty reds, or a hundred."


    He replied with a meaningful smile to her proposal. "I''ll give you one hundred."


    6.


    She stopped recalling and sighed. ''I''m crazy.''


    She made a deal with him and eventually became a Savior. In fact, when she accepted the offer, she thought it would be easy. All she had to do was play the Savior on the stage prepared by him.


    She thought it was too easy to play the Savior. But it didn''t take long to realize that the idea was a mistake. The moment she started acting the Savior, the moment she saw those who cried and thanked her like children, and then when she saw those who were willing to die at her command, she realized that it was not acting on stage, but a real thing.


    It was the same now. In a little while, the Messiah soldiers approaching the vicinity of Buyeo would begin attacking. A real and terrible war would begin. She had no intention of acting as a Savior in the war.


    "I should have known when he smiled when I said I would need a hundred."


    She would not be a Savior, but now she would fight to protect those who believed in her as a Savior and willingly devoted their life to her. It was the least courtesy to give to those who were prepared to die and prepared for war after being deceived by her acting.


    And that was why he canceled expensive debts in return for her Savior''s acting. He knew better than anyone what it meant to play the Savior and how hard it was.


    So he was convinced when he heard that he had to cancel a hundred monster stones from her debt in exchange for acting as a Savior. She still did not know what the world was like.


    Bang! A single gunshot passed over her head and fell over the Buyeo County Office.


    "Aaaaaaargh!" A scream of pain and fear began to rise.


    The atmosphere of the Buyeo County Office became a mess.


    "It''s a gunshot! Avoid shelling!"


    "Keep your position! Sooner or later, the Guardians will come in to clean up! You can''t just let them in!"


    Those who survived in the mess, now serving her as Messiah, burned with the will to fight. She looked at them and clenched her teeth. If she hadn''t played the Savior, they would have been slaves, but they wouldn''t have been threatened.


    ''It''s my fault.'' She could not be free from blame for their deaths. Of course, she had an obligation. She had to do her best to save a few more people. She held the hilt of the Gandol Sword in her waistband.


    ''Ten minutes, I''ll hold on for ten minutes somehow, as you said.''


    It was the moment she realized the changed world.


    7.


    "Fire!"


    "Fire!


    Buyeo intersection¡­


    A dozen mortars lined up on the intersection of Buyeo Bridge, which crossed the Geum River and then Buyeo.


    Boom! Boom!


    The sequentially popping fires fell over the Buyeo County Office after making a one-kilometer parabola.


    After a long journey, the faint sound of the shells reached the intersection of Buyeo.


    "We have nothing to do."


    "There was nothing to do in the first place. At best, some slaves rebelled; it''s not necessary for all the Guardians to be here, and there was no reason for the Messiah to come."


    The Guardians with the Stigmata made sad expressions at the sound. The expression was the same on the face of the Guardians who commanded the soldiers.


    "Stop shelling."


    One of the Guardians who stopped the artillery bombs swung his right hand.


    "Finish them."


    "Yes!"


    The soldiers with the guns that were waiting started running toward the Buyeo County Office.


    "Let''s move."


    At the same time, twenty Guardians, who had been waiting, slowly unwound and began to follow the path the soldiers had taken. Twenty Guardians were like the hammer to a nail. They wanted to trample down any bit of resistant spirit the slaves might have.


    "It''ll be clear in about an hour."


    "Will it take an hour?"


    Normal people couldn''t do anything against the superhuman Guardians, let alone rebelling, or even run away, because there was no pig in the world that could escape from cheetahs.


    "Well, if we enjoy it, we''ll be there in an hour."


    "Well... I haven''t been hunting human beings in a while, and I would have applied if I''d known this."


    "It''s fun to rape the runaway bitches."


    "You fucking pervert."


    "It''s more like a normal taste, as opposed to someone who breaks the legs of two men and has them fight each other."


    Of course, as soon as they left, all the Guardians who were looking at the scene resolved the little tension they had.


    ''It''s over.'' There was no reason to be nervous anymore.


    "Get back." But a woman''s voice tightened the tension of the Guardians who had relaxed.


    Park In-young.


    Their eyes headed to her together, who was called Messiah rather than by name.


    ''No way!''


    ''Oh, my God¡­''


    Park In-young, who was reflected in their eyes, held the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje with both hands. Everyone knew what it meant.


    "Do you need to use the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje?" One of them spoke to her with courtesy. She did not answer. Instead, she began to inject her Mana into it.


    Woo-woo-woong!


    The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, stoked by her Mana, began to emit a fascinating golden light. After a while, the golden smoke began to flow through the hole in the incense burner.


    Gulp! The Guardians who saw the scene swallowed without exception.


    ''She is going to send it over.''


    This was the case with the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje. Although they were allies, they could only get goosebumps in front of the outcome.


    The Guardians, who had seen its destruction and scenes that made the weak cry after the work of the terrible monsters, were forced to be nervous at this moment.


    At the same time, they focused. As if remembering a miracle to be remembered forever, they stared at her and the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje in her hands.


    Soon, when the golden smoke from the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje rose to her knees, she opened her eyes.


    Took, Took! It was at that moment that an object of the perfect size to grab in the hand fell from the sky.


    ''Hmm?''


    ''Huh?''


    ''What is it?''


    No one was surprised at the sudden appearance of an object, because no one knew what it was.


    Could anyone be surprised to see something they do not know?


    Of course, they paid attention to find out what had fallen from the sky. Fortunately, it did not take long to identify it.


    Toot! It was only a short time to realize that it was a flashbang that spewed out intense flashes and burst their eardrums.


    "Aaaaaargh!"


    "Oh, my God!"


    The two flashbangs paralyzed the sight and hearing of the crowd in a moment.


    It wasn''t over there.


    "Ugh¡ª"


    "Retch!"


    The physical impact was not great when the flashbangs blew, but the impact on their eyes and auditory damage were worse than any physical shock.


    There were screams and struggling without blood. "Ugh!"


    Park In-young was not protected. She was closest to the flashbang, and she fell back under the explosive force that occurred when it exploded. At that moment, she dropped the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje. However, she could not hear it fall to the ground.


    Whi-rik! Instead of falling to the ground, it was sucked into the hands of a man standing on the middle of the road divider. Kim Tae-hoon had finally caught the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje.


    ''I finally got one of the things on the wish list.''


    Of course, he looked at the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje that came into his hands with black Eyes.


    =========


    [The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 1


    - Relic Value: Normal


    - Relic Effect: It summons a creature made of smoke. The color of the monster stones you have eaten affects the type of creature you can summon.


    =========


    At that moment, he was forced to admire in front of the relic in his hand.


    Part of the heritage of the brilliant kingdom, Baekje, the splendor of this relic, worthy of being picked up by hand, was beautiful and dignified enough to make him, who was ignorant of archeology, fall into it.


    Moreover, the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje was not a simple golden object in the Eyes of Black Snake.


    ''... it was worth putting on the wish list.''


    Taoist hermits, musicians, flying animals, wild animals, the Phoenix standing on the top of the incense burner, and the dragon carrying cintamani with its mouth, all filled the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, are shining bright with rainbow colors on each.


    ''This is the first time a relic looked down on me.''


    While he was so enchanted by this relic he had not seen before, one or two people began to wake up from the impact of the flashbang. Their recovery was faster than he had anticipated.


    "Ugh¡­ what the hell¡­"


    "Flashbang! Someone used a flashbang!"


    Those with the strong physical ability and high Energy rank recovered and saw Kim.


    "There, there! there!"


    They immediately showed some fighting spirit to him.


    "He has the incense burner!"


    "Stop him! Stop him from running!"


    "Kill him!"


    Their fighting spirit began to fly all over the place like arrows. However, he did not respond to it. Instead, he pointed to one place with a chin, and several people instinctively turned their heads toward the tip of his chin.


    Whinny!


    Only those who turned their heads saw the horse made of clay, and a warrior made of clay atop the horse.

 74 Episode 74 - Messiah vs. Messiah, Part III

    Chapter 26. Messiah vs. Messiah, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    8.


    When Messiah Park In-young wanted to create the Messiah organization, the first thing she cared about was the powerful violence that could deal with those who would challenge her beliefs. She gathered Awakeners with Stigmata and armed them with relics.


    At the same time, she gathered soldiers who were properly trained, and she organized the military forces. It was not difficult to gather soldiers. There was the 32nd Division under the Second Operations Command in Chungcheong Province, and there was the largest and most famous training camp in Korea, known best by the name of the Army Training Center, Nonsan Training Center.


    The Messiah organized an army by selecting the best among the soldiers from there. She created an army of God. After organizing the army, she continued to train them and made them elite. That was all.


    "Get him! Get the monster!"


    That was the only feature of Kim Tae-hoon. They were just hard-trained soldiers, no more than that. They had no practical experience. Even if they had had, it would have been a very trivial level compared to his actual experience.


    The difference was similar to the one between a tiger and a rat. In the wide field, the rat would run away hard and the tiger would not be able to catch the rat easily. But if one put a tiger and a rat in a narrow cage, the tiger would not need a long time or a great effort to get rid of the rat. That was the reason he had done all this... the slaughter.


    ''I''ll finish as fast as I can.''


    Kim made a group that denied the Messiah by using a lot of hard work and effort, and he attracted the Messiah to Buyeo. In the process, he made the cruel choice of using the survivors of Buyeo, thousands of lives and Kate''s life, as bait. The reason why he had waited for them to be gathered together in one place, hiding his identity so far, was for the slaughter. Of course, he was going to do his best for his role on the stage.


    Neigh! The main axis of the massacre was Horse Figure Type Earthenware. The Earthenware, which Kim summoned after injecting his Mana before he threw the flashbang, ran up the Buyeo Main Street and started to go crazy between the Messiah Guardians and soldiers gathered at Buyeo Intersection.


    Tututu! Tututututu! The Messiah''s soldiers and Guardians fired bullets against the raging, mounted Earthenware, but it was useless. Those who were called the Plunderers in Incheon proved that bullets did not work on the Horse Figure Type Earthenware, but there was no one here who knew that.


    "Damn it, the gun does not work!"


    "Use relics!"


    "Guardians, forward!"


    Of course, unlike the Plunderers of Incheon City, there were powerful relics in the hands of the Messiah people.


    Woo-woong!


    Gandol Swords and Bronze Swords.


    The relics that flashed along the translucent blade, which were sharp at the moment Energy was injected, sparked the courage of those who held them.


    "Siege it! Siege it!"


    "You can think of it as a monster! It''s not hard!"


    In addition, their sparkling courage made it possible to think calmly. One opponent, versus the number of Guardians left at Buyeo Intersection being over eighty, and the number of soldiers close to four hundred. Among them, the number of Guardians who could use weapons like Gandol Swords and Bronze Swords was around thirty!


    "Don''t be afraid of damage!" There was no reason to be frightened against only one monster. They realized that, and they surrounded the Horse Figure Type Earthenware running wildly on the road, and they began to narrow the area down.


    Tututu! They fired bullets, got the attention of the Horse Figure Type Earthenware anyway, and gave it physical influence.


    "I''ll slow it down!" Some of the Guardians were courageous and willing to fly toward the Earthenware. Of course, they were like moths running to a flame, no more than that.


    Whinny!


    The Horse Figure Type Earthenware was the monster which had fought against the Twin-head Ogre, and it was not an object for Guardians with C or D rank of Energy, with relics of C grade, and barely one hundred total point of Strength and Health, to fight.


    "Aaaaaaargh!"


    Of course, as soon as a Messiah Guardian raised his sword like a spear and thrust out, the horse rotated 180 degrees and avoided the Sword, and at the same time, the warrior''s sword on the horse cut through the Guardian''s head. Seu-euk!


    The guardian''s head was cut neatly above his nose and dropped to the ground. As was said earlier, it was the death like a moth: the death that seemed unworthy, the death that left only fear.


    But those who saw it were angry instead of being frightened. "You fucking bastard!"


    A companion had died with courage. If they were only frightened before that fact, they would not have enjoyed such entertainment in the Messiah. To do bad things took courage.


    "Kill it!"


    "Fire a bullet or a mortar! Fire it!"


    Of course, they were angry again and again, and naturally, they began to blind themselves to anger.


    Pook! An Arrow pierced their distracted temples.


    Sun-sin''s Arrow.


    In the past, the Arrow, which fulfilled the will of the great Admiral Yi Sun-sin, now fulfilled the will of Kim Tae-hoon.


    Pook, pook, pook! It began to pierce the heads of the Messiah Guardians, blinded by anger..


    Moreover, Kim was not blinded, unlike the Guardians. His eyes turned black and looked over the entire battlefield.


    "Come on, come on!"


    It was natural that his black Eyes found soldiers who had set up Claymores to kill the Horse Figure Type Earthenware and were now backing away quickly for the explosion.


    "Detonate it!"


    "We have Guardians in front!"


    "Just blow it!"


    Kim gestured lightly toward the Claymore installed like that. It was not a sign that meant anything. It was a kind of a switch which made the image that he needed when he used his Telekinesis clearer. The Claymore spun 180 degrees on the spot as his hand gesture.


    "Just shoot it!"


    "Flake!"


    The Claymore, which had turned, was faithful to its mission. As soon as the soldier pressed the trigger switch, it threw out a lot of steel beads inside it towards the front.


    Kwa-kwang! A roar burst out, not even allowing one to scream.


    In the meantime, there was a person who had grasped the existence of Kim and approached him carefully with a Gandol Sword in his hand.


    ''I have to kill him.'' He approached Kim with a keen eye and tried to become an assassin, not a Guardian at this moment. Of course, it was the wrong action.


    The sound of footsteps was now the same as the thunder to Kim, who had the Hearing of the Bell-tailed Rat. Kim turned his head as soon as the man approached within five meters of his back. His mouth was bulging as if he''d just taken a huge drink of something.


    Fufu! A huge flame was vomited from his mouth.


    "Aaaaaargh!" The wave of flame hit the assassin square on.


    "Aah? Huh?" But it did not reach the assassin. As if there was an invisible membrane, the flame could not reach the assassin and swept around him.


    ''Er? What?'' It was unexpected for both Kim and the assassin.


    It was Kim who took the next action after this unexpected event. Kim swung his palm up, and immediately the assassin''s body was yanked into the air.


    "Kuck!" An invisible line executed the hanging. Kim approached the struggling assassin and pulled something out of his arms. What came out was a Buddha statue about ten centimeters or so tall. Kim opened his black Eyes.


    ======


    [Gilt-bronze Bodhisattva Statue]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 3


    - Relic Value: Rare


    - Relic Effect: It stops magical effects from reaching the owner.


    =====


    It was National treasure No. 330, the Gilt-bronze Bodhisattva Statue.


    ''They must have robbed the National Buyeo Museum.''


    It was a valuable relic, but Kim threw it out of the Buyeo Intersection, and then he also threw away the Gandol Sword out of the road after he took if from the assassin''s hand. The relics were hidden in the grass off the road. However, the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje was still in his arms.


    "What are you!" At that moment, a sharp cry headed for Kim.


    Park In-young.


    She faced two flashbangs with her eyes and ears, but she stood in front of Kim in a fairly good manner.


    ''She is in good shape.''


    The flare was less lethal than a grenade, but the destructive power to a human was stronger in some areas than the grenade.


    But now her appearance in front of him was so excellent. In her hand was a Buddhist statue about twenty centimeters tall, which was bigger than the Bodhisattva Statue that he had just thrown away. It was an object that could not be compared to the previous Bodhisattva Statue. His black Eyes immediately grasped its identity.


    ===[Gilt-bronze Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statue]


    - Relic Grade: Grade 2


    - Relic Value: Rare


    - Relic Effect: It restores the owner to their original condition quickly.]===


    National treasure No. 293, the Gilt-bronze Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statue.


    That was why she showed up in front of Kim, willingly taking the ridiculous damage.


    "What on earth are you!"And it was the reason for her anger towards Kim.


    She had countless relics in her hands to perform miracles. There was no reason for her to lower her voice, filled with powerful relics from the Buyeo National Museum in an era where relics were power.


    He also had no intention of denying the fact. Such logic was also convenient for him.


    Tsreung! A Sword was pulled from his back and flew straight towards her.


    9.


    Tututu! Tututu!The endless gunfire began to rumble snake-like between buildings and buildings, between the road, and on the road.


    "Aaaaaargh!" The snake-like gunfire was always accompanied by a scream.


    ''Damn it.'' Waiting for a chance to fight back with those who served her as a Savior inside the building, Kate clenched her teeth at the gunshots and screams that tortured her ears without a break.


    ''How many people have died?'' As the gunfire stopped, and time passed, the soldiers and Guardians of Messiah entered the Buyeo County Office. Accordingly, the battle had begun. And the battle was of course one-sided.


    Even if they had taken guns, even if they had enough ammunition for them, it was too much to expect a proper battle from those who had barely managed to remain as slaves for months.


    Even if they had served their country as an active member in the military, how many people had fought in the street battles during their service?


    The opponent was a combat organization created by Messiah after her own screening, to cement her as the extraordinary existence of Messiah.


    Nothing was good for the survivors of Buyeo, be it physical ability, mental power, skill, or experience. Originally, it had to be all over in the earlier gunfire. No, it shouldn''t have been such a fight. The survivors of Buyeo had no intention, no reason, or hope to fight in the first place.


    "We''ll make the time."


    "You must avoid them, Savior."


    It was only because of Kate that the survivors would not give up fighting against the terrible odds. They believed that the hope she had shown was a real hope, so they were willing to fight because there was hope.


    It was the evidence that her performance had been excellent. If her Savior''s acting was awkward, even those who were desperate would not have shown such a noble belief and sacrifice.


    ''I am not a Savior!'' The fact now became a dagger, and it flew and stuck into her heart.


    ''I¡­'' It was so painful, using others'' hopes to eventually give them something in vain.


    ''I am not a Savior, I can''t save you.'' She regretted two things at this moment; she regretted her own inability to grasp the world properly, pretending to act to pay off her debts, and she regretted that she had no power to be a Savior for them.


    "Here you are." At that moment, three men entered the building where she and survivors were. They were the Guardians of the Messiah. The faces of the survivors turned gray at the moment they appeared, for the Messiah Guardians were monsters to the survivors of Buyeo, no different from monsters.


    "Hmm?"


    "What is it?"


    At the same time, the Messiah Guardians were surprised.


    "A Gandol Sword?"


    "A foreigner?"


    Even the Gandol Sword in her hands was unexpected. In such a situation, only she moved, instead of being surprised. She rushed to one of the Guardians, injecting Energy into her body and into her hand. Then she slashed the Gandol Sword in a slant.


    Seu-euk! The Gandol Sword so easily made the body of the Guardian into two pieces at once. Her attack did not stop there.


    "Ugh!"


    She held the Sword high with a shout toward one of the remaining two.


    ''Oh, my God!'' Now the Guardian, who faced the Sword that would strike down like a lightning bolt toward him, took the Sword in his waist and injected his Energy into it as hard as he could. He held the injected Gandol Sword over his head. The two Gandol Swords crossed.


    Seu-euk! But again, it was just the sound of being cut off, the sound of the Sword and the body of the Guardian being cut off at once.


    Energy Rank A.


    The Gandol Sword, with her overwhelming power, was stronger than any other weapon at this moment.


    "Fuck!" The other man, who had lost two companions in a short time, took out a revolver pistol in his waist instead of a Bronze Sword in front of the scene.


    Blam, Blam! The shots went off immediately.


    ''Huh?'' But the bullets were not able to penetrate her armor, made from the skin of the Twin-head Ogre.


    "Crazy!" A cry came out of the Guardian''s mouth that seemed to be unacceptable. In the meantime, she narrowed the distance from the Guardian, and at once she cut him down. In a moment, three Guardians were crushed to the floor in six pieces.


    "Hoo, hoo!" She panted hard.


    It was her first killing.


    ''I¡­'' It was a shock.


    The feeling of cutting a person''s body was clearly felt through her palm.


    The sight of the body crumpled at her feet and the bloody smell that had begun to bloom now, were imprinted on her mind. But she didn''t fall into shock.


    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" The survivors were thrilled by her work, and because of the feelings of those who had prayed beyond gratitude, she could not fall into the shock of the first kill. No, she didn''t even deserve it.


    Was it not she who had pushed their backs as they were being killed in the bombardment, by the gunshots of the soldiers, and by the Messiah Guardians at this moment?


    There was no way she deserved to fall into disappointment. There was only one thing she could do at this moment: pray for the real Savior to come.


    "It''s been ten minutes! Come on!"


    "Sky! Someone is coming down from the sky!"


    Her prayers came to pass. "Ah." Then she said with sincerity. "It''s over now." The war was over.


    10.


    "This is the payment for this month." Yang Jung-hwan, the master of the Starfish Clan, put a heavy black plastic bag on the desk where Jang Sung-hoon sat and left the room.


    Jang looked at the plastic bags filling with his desk silently.


    Then Jang Sung-hoon spoke, "If I were a real Awakener¡ª"


    The identity of the plastic bags was none other than the tax of the monster stones that the Clans under the Mac Guild killed.


    Now that the number of hunters working under the Mac Guild was great, the payment had to be enormous. It was a treasure pile that could not be compared with any treasure for Awakeners.


    ''Oh, it''s heartbreaking.'' On the other hand, for Jang, who was not an Awakener, it was just a stone. Of course, he did not really complain about it.


    He knew the costs they had to pay as Awakeners, and what threats and risks they faced. Furthermore, the stronger they were, the threats they faced also became bigger.


    He was frankly grateful for his situation.


    ''How is he doing?''


    Kim Tae-hoon''s actions and his future actions were enough to make his heart reverent.


    ''Well, he may be doing fine, and who can touch the boss unless he fights the blue-grade monster in Sejong City?''


    Naturally, his complaints were short. After his complaints, he got up from his chair and opened the bag next to him.


    First, he checked Napoleon''s Golden Glass. ''It''s not full yet.''


    Then, he confirmed Daedongyeojido.


    He opened a thick Daedongyeojido map, and first confirmed Bucheon City. ''Now the monsters of Bucheon City are almost gone.''


    After that, he looked around Bucheon City and at Seoul. "There are still a lot of yellow-grade monsters in Seoul. The boss was absolutely right. There''s no Daedongyeojido in the Capital Defense Command. If they had had one, they would not have missed killing such monsters with such a powerful relic."


    The last thing he looked at was Sejong City. When he checked Sejong City, his face turned white. His hands moved quickly. Next to Sejong City, he opened the page where Cheonan City was located. ''No...''


    Immediately, he opened the page where Pyeongtaek City was located. ''No!...''


    Even then, his hands did not stop, and the page where Osan City was located was opened.


    A blue light.


    One blue light was moving rapidly from Osan City to Suwon City. When he found the light, he dropped the Daedongyeojido map from his hand. The great treasure fell to the floor. But he could not respond to the fact, because all he could do right now was to shake uncontrollably, that was all.


    "Goddamn it, damn it!" In front of the trembling that could not be controlled, he made a rough sound, and eventually, he managed to move his shaking hands and hit his cheek. Smash! His body, which had only trembled before, began to move.


    "Hang in there, Jung Sung-hoon, tens of thousands of lives are in your hands! Roll your brain, roll it!" With a screaming order to himself, he immediately picked up Daedongyeojido from the floor, and then checked the blue light again.


    ''It is the Six Snakes.'' At this moment, he came up with one scenario. ''The Six snakes, they''re luring the blue-grade monster here to crush us, or there''s no reason for a blue-grade monster to come to Bucheon.''


    If they wanted to fuck the Mac Guild, if they wanted to crush it, it was the creepiest scenario they could choose. It was a great thing. In front of this overwhelming despair, he imagined the answer closest to the truth. However, he could not think of a new scenario that could prevent the scenario.


    "Goddamn it..." And there was no unique actor here to stop the scenario.

 75 Episode 75 - A Gamecock, Part I

    Chapter 27. A Gamecock, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    With the advent of the monsters, horrors that had never been experienced began. With the advent of the Messiah, the exploitation and plundering which seemed to not end began, but in the end, it was a man who no one anticipated or knew who finished the nightmare of Buyeo. A desperate battle began, and only screams and corpses were left.


    Kim Tae-hoon.


    He no longer allowed the gunshots and screams to ring out in Buyeo. That''s how the nightmare ended.


    "Are you finished?" But it wasn''t over. Kate asked a question of him, who started to enjoy the coffee he had served at the coffee shop after finishing everything. He did not answer, but he stared at her slowly with his coffee in his mouth.


    "It looks like it''s over." She did not play up her anger, as she knew he was not that kind of man.


    "Thank you." She was not angry at his appearance. She knew that she had no right or reason to be angry with him.


    "Thank you so much." She thanked him again.


    Gulp! At that time, he swallowed.


    "I liked your savior''s performance, and I caught the Messiahs properly, and I''ll cancel some of the monster stones, as promised."


    After his words, he enjoyed his coffee again. That was the last sip, and the coffee that had been half-filled in the mug was gone, not because he drank a lot at once, but because of the small amount of coffee that he had made.


    Her face hardened at that moment. "Hey, are you going to leave like this?"


    There was no answer to the question. There was no need to. His eyes, looking at her indifferently, were enough to convey the answer.


    "Are you really going to leave them alone?" Her face was now distorted. "If you just go back, most of the people here will just die!"


    It was the sound of Kim swallowing the last coffee that stopped the words that she was pouring out with her feelings. At that sound, she swallowed without even knowing it.


    "We use the Messiah to catch the Messiah, that was our plan. You play Messiah, and I catch Messiah. I never said anything more."


    "You saved them! You''re responsible for saving them, aren''t you?"


    He got rid of the Messiah. Certainly, they were rooted very well. But there were still plenty of threats around the survivors of Buyeo.


    Once there was a threat from the monsters. The survivors of Buyeo were exploited by the Messiah believers, but they endured since the Messiah protected them from the monsters anyway. But no one would kill the monsters that would be going crazy now that Messiah disappeared.


    "They don''t know how to fight monsters!" Even those who were protected by the Messiah had little resistance to monsters, because they had never fought them.


    The Messiah had hunted monsters from the beginning, using the overwhelming weapon of the first-grade relics, not the crude relics obtained from the Buyeo National Museum.


    When compared, the presence of Messiah was a desperate remedy for the survivors. There was no room for tolerance in the body''s fight against the disease.


    There was a shortage of food and ammunition. Unlike Seoul and Bucheon, there was enough farmland in Chungcheong Province and Nonsan areas, but the rice harvested from rice farming did not have much food stockpiled, and it was not enough to guarantee next year.


    As soon as he left here, all the survivors here were finally sentenced to a deadline to die.


    Her anger was right.


    "I''ll make sure of two things." He spoke to her anger.


    "One, I used these people here as bait, and I threw a wriggling worm into my hook to catch what I wanted, and the fishing was over. There''s no reason for me to look at the state of the worm on the needle anymore


    She glared at him.


    "Two, I don''t want to be a Savior, and even I can''t be a Savior."


    "You!" She reached for his collar as if she couldn''t stand it anymore. He did not avoid the touch. He was willing to be seized by the collar. That was all. He, who was caught with the collar, didn''t budge. She just grabbed his collar.


    "Currently, there are tens of thousands of people who need my protection in Bucheon and Incheon. For their sake, I am willing to ignore the lives of thousands in Buyeo."


    In addition, his will was as strong as his body. She gave up her persuasion in front of the firmness. She relaxed her grip.


    "Then I''ll bear these lives." Unlike him, she could not abandon them.


    Because of those who believed her to be a Savior and sacrificed their life, she couldn''t ignore the survivors here.


    "No." But he didn''t even allow it. "You''re a hostage. I can''t allow you to act the way you want."


    "Let''s make a deal. Please help the survivors here. I''ll bear the price."


    "What are you going to pay with?"


    "Anything will be fine. Whether my body or a monster stone, say what you want."


    She was relieved of part of her debt in return for playing the Savior, and she was now determined to owe an unmatched debt.


    He had a bitter smile at the changed look of her. ''You''ve faced the reality.''


    The first time he saw she was a smart woman. To put it more plainly, she was an astute woman. She was a woman who understood her situation and was willing to act for her own good.


    The evidence was that she pretended not to know anything from the first time he met, and that she understood the situation and calculated quickly by weighing the scales. However, she was now facing the reality: the world in which monsters had appeared was not just about fighting monsters.


    She had no choice but to reveal her true self, facing the reality that just living became hell.


    ''But I didn''t expect this to happen.'' It was the way she was now. She was full of responsibility and a great cause.


    "Well, for Americans, admiration of heroes is not just a preference."


    To put it simply, she was a hero. She was a hero who wanted to achieve something worthwhile through self-sacrifice.


    He was not surprised by her appearance.


    There were not a lot of people in the world like her. Courage had its own use.


    Someone needs courage just to save their life, someone needs the courage to commit evil, and someone needs courage for the sake of the world. That''s all.


    There was no need for him to pay much attention to her appearance.


    "If you really want to become their Savior, what''s urgent right now is not to take them to Bucheon."


    He did not bring her here just to use her.


    "Actually, the Chungcheong area is important to me, too. For the Honam region, the largest granary region in Korea, we need to establish a base in Chungcheong Province in some way. But I can''t do that right now."


    "What''s the reason?"


    "The reason is that we did not come through Sejong City on our way."


    Of course, at this moment, he was planning to use her heroic image for his own good. He was Kim Tae-hoon.


    "There is a blue-grade monster in Sejong City."


    "¡­ what do we do to kill it?"


    2.


    Sejong City.


    Built under the reason of relocating the administrative capital, it was once called the grave of government officials. Of course, it was a joke, a grumbling joke made by goose-fathers, who suddenly drifted around the country to earn money for their dependents who studied abroad, or government officials who became mothers. But now the joke had become a reality.


    Sejong City became a huge tomb. Among them, the Sejong Government Complex and Sejong City Hall were the most splendid tombs.


    Sejong City Hall, which reminded people of a spaceship and once brilliantly shone under the sunshine with glass instead of concrete, was a glass mound, and Sejong Government Complex, which was designed like a snake to follow the Geumgang River passing through Sejong City, was the longest tomb in Korea.


    Rather than survivors, the two areas became a land where monsters digging up the dead bodies lived.


    ''Nonsense.'' He was shocked by the fact.


    ''We shouldn''t hear this.''


    Dangjin Yeongdeok Expressway...


    On the road across from Sejong City, he was listening to Sejong City Hall and Sejong Government Complex, and he could hear the monsters and beasts flocking to eat the leftovers in the mass graves.


    "Well, there''s a really big monster here, right? Are you sure there''s a blue-grade monster?"


    He could hear her voice. However, he could not respond to the sound. He couldn''t afford it.


    ''There''s only one thing that can make a sound here¡­'' This was the stage of the blue-grade monster, and of course, this was not the place where such a noise was allowed.


    It was nothing else, but a blue-grade monster.


    There was no need to feel fear, but the existence alone made the monsters below the yellow-grade stupid!


    But if there was such a monster, why was there so much noise? There was a monster loitering to eat a broken body? Even animals were running around in the collapsed city?


    It was evidence. This was no longer the territory of the monster.


    ''That''s ridiculous.''


    At that moment, he quickly took out the thermos bottle and drank the coffee in it. It was ridiculous to drink coffee in an urgent situation, a situation where there was no room in his mind, but it was a more desperate act for himself.


    "Hey!"


    He ignored her words toward him and began to think with only coffee. Using the Hearing of the Bell-tailed Rat, he interpreted the information repeatedly by accepting the sounds.


    ''Damn it.'' His reason and knowledge always returned the same answer to the information.


    ''I hope it''s not the worst scenario.'' There was no more blue-grade monster in Sejong City!


    Gulp! In the end, he accepted the fact with the coffee that he had been tasting.


    "Are you sure there''s a monster here? I want an answer." She urged him to answer. However, her voice was not audible to him.


    There was only one thing he could hear. - Tututu! It was the gunshots that started to fill the Sejong Government Complex that had collapsed at some point.


    3.


    Tutu! A gunshot broke through the wreckage of the collapsed building.


    Tutu! The shot was quite plain, and it had a lightness that could never be produced by frightened, mad pulling of the trigger. It was evident that the owner of this gun was now a veteran of many experiences and battlefields.


    "Hey! Body! How are you?"


    "Legs, I got my leg bitten."


    "Be careful, You asshole! You are damn bitten!"


    "Did I want to be bitten? The monster bit me."


    Such a veteran had no choice but to spit out a whimper in front of his fellows.


    Tutu!


    Veteran Lee Hyung-woo, who saw monsters with shapes similar to wolves trying to come back, turned his head again and looked at his fellow Pak Jin-seo, who was pressing his left shin with a rag to stop the bleeding.


    Park, who felt Lee''s gaze, said immediately. "Don''t let your eyes wander, but focus on the front! If they come, you''re done, too!"


    "You looked aside, I''m fine."


    "Damn, I am envious of you."


    The disputing, the harsh words came and went. But they both knew that they did not need to say them.


    "...I''llslow them down here, so you run."


    And they knew that they no longer needed to be scolded by words that were no longer true.


    "Don''t be funny."


    "Don''t shoot the drama, Lee, we''re here to deliver the news, not to come to die together."


    "There''s Mud Troll flesh, and that''s enough to recover if you can afford it."


    "It''s an emergency! I''m not using it for this!"


    "Fuck, you''re using it for this! When else do you use it?"


    "Stay with me, you idiot! Our job is to deliver the news to him! Forget it? What happened?"


    They knew, but they could not stop the fake argument. When they stopped the quarrel, one of them would be bait and the other would have to live with regret for the rest of his life.


    "Fuck, fuck¡­" Eventually, Lee wept unknowingly. The fact that there was no one here to quarrel like this made his heart beat cold.


    Park took something out of his pocket for Lee. It was candy.


    Cheap candy one could see when one went to a restaurant and finished one''s bill at the counter.


    It was all coffee candy.


    "You should eat all of this."


    Tutu! Lee, who took another shot before answering, confirmed the candy and laughed bitterly.


    "You''re fucking shit, you''re fucking shitting me. What the hell is that coffee-flavored candy¡­"


    "Well, it''s an amulet. Our good luck charm."


    Aooo!


    The conversation, which was not likely to end, was ended by a wolf''s cry. The wolf''s Howling was so fierce that it was not comparable to a normal wolf.


    As soon as they heard it, Lee and Park shut their mouths to the Howling, which made the whole body get goosebumps, dented, and sent shivers down the spine. The gunshots also stopped.


    ''Aah!'' Lee''s fingers were frozen when he was exposed to the Howling.


    "Fire, Lee Hyung-woo asshole!" Park forced all his energy and shouted toward Lee.


    Lee pulled the trigger with a chuckle.


    But all he could hear was a knock on the empty magazine. His face turned white, and Park shouted out with a red face, "You idiot! Go away! Run! Go!" Park, who squeezed his voice, picked up the K2 rifle that lay next to him. He clearly held a scary weapon, but it was as useless as a death-row convict in front of the death penalty.


    "Go!"


    Lee couldn''t get away with leaving his companion.


    "Go, fuck off! Go!" Park made a sound again toward Lee.


    Thump! At that moment a man fell on the ground from above. A spiderweb-like crack started under the feet of the man, and sand dust scattered in shock waves.


    The only thing that glistened between the clouds of dust was black Eyes.


    The eyes were full of a fearsome dignity that no other monster could compare to. However, Lee and Park, who looked at the pupils, burst into tears.


    "Ma-Master!"

 76 Episode 76 - A Gamecock, Part II

    Chapter 27. A Gamecock, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    A conference room in the Bucheon City Council Hall...


    "There is a blue-grade monster coming here." The comment made by Jang Sung-hoon was shocking enough to snap up the eyes of everyone gathered there, which the key members of the Mac Guild used to share important stories.


    "So let''s take the necessary supplies, and flee to Yeongjong Island." Before their surprise was over, Jang came up with a plan to deal with the current situation.


    Everyone''s faces began to change, as they had no idea what to do.


    "Why Yeongjong Island?" Kim Su-ji was the first person in the situation to ask questions.


    "First, it''s the furthest place we can run."


    "How about Seoul? The Capital Defense Command¡­"


    "Currently, the only bridge that we can cross the Han River is Gimpo Bridge, but the only way to get there is not properly organized. On the other hand, the road to Yeongjong Island has been cleared."


    "Is Yeongjong Island safe?"


    "It''s safer than here. Because it''s an island, there''s a low probability of a new monster entering." Jang answered in the face of the emergency.


    "Do we really have to abandon Bucheon?"


    Jang, who used to speak fluently before this question, had to shut his mouth. The silence started. After a long silence, Jang managed to open his mouth. "We should throw it away."


    Bucheon.


    Until last year, Jang was in the military service in Bucheon. There wasn''t any big affection for him. But now Bucheon had become everything for him. He had risked his life to survive and to protect it. He had tried really hard. It was like his own child!


    "The present world is like that, isn''t it? We should throw it away if necessary."


    How could anyone say that they would abandon such things easily? But that was also the reality that Jang saw. He did not turn away from reality. He looked at reality more clearly than anyone else.


    "Can we get an answer when the master comes back?"


    Of course, what everyone wanted at this moment was not reality. It was Kim Tae-hoon, the Guild Master, who they wanted to see at this moment. He was the only one who seemed to wake up from this ridiculous nightmare. The same was true of Jang, so, he had finished preparing for him.


    "Yes, I have to let the Master know about this news.


    "I''ll organize a special unit, and send it to Buyeo. We''ll send a total of ten teams.


    "Only one of them needs to deliver this letter to the master."


    5.


    After reading the letter, Kim kept his mouth shut. The letter was clearly written about his worst-case scenario.


    The story was that the blue-grade monster in Sejong City was rapidly approaching Bucheon, and that the Mac Guild had started evacuating to Yeongjong Island.


    So far, it had been about reality.


    [This is probably someone''s trick.]


    What came out later was not reality, but Jang''s personal opinion. Jang was suspicious of something about the sudden arrival of a blue-grade monster in Bucheon. And even though Jang didn''t write it down, Jang, who wrote the letter, and Kim, who read the letter, knew who that someone was.


    ''The Six Snakes.'' The mysterious force, which drove Kim to death later, had played a trick.


    Of course, he did not know how. But the other one was definitely sure. ''They''ve got a new relic.''


    The value of a relic that could lure away a blue-grade monster was absolute. Luring includes attracting, as well as pulling away.


    Of course, if they had had such a relic, the Six Snakes would have used it in the past. They even had the original edition of Daedongyeojido, which let them check the location of monsters. With the two relics combined, they would have already taken over the Capital Defense Command. But they hadn''t.


    They were being nice? It couldn''t have been. This meant that they had recently acquired the relics that made it possible.


    ''There is a group that gives out relics.''


    His thinking proceeded that far. He couldn''t know more than that.


    ''Four days ago.'' More importantly, the special forces moved to deliver this letter to him four days ago.


    ''The blue-grade monster reached Bucheon two days ago.'' According to the letter, within two days of sending the letter, the monster would reach Bucheon. So now, a blue-grade monster might already be running wild in Bucheon. It couldn''t be worse.


    But at this moment, he recalled the worst situation, rather than sticking his tongue to the worst. "If the purpose of the Six Snakes was to destroy the Mac Guild¡­ they wouldn''t have allowed him to retreat to Yeongjong Island."


    The depth of human malice was unknown.


    If the Six Snakes wanted to firmly crush the Mac Guild, it was likely that they had identified the Mac Guild''s escape to Yeongjong Island and blown up the only bridge currently capable of entering Yeongjong Island.


    If he were in the position of the Six Snakes, he would do that. As soon as he imagined it, an unspeakable tragedy struck him. But he did not grieve.


    It was not too late to grieve after seeing with his eyes what he had lost.


    "You did a good job." He thanked both of them for bringing him a letter.


    "Oh, no."


    "We just did what we had to do."


    " I will head to Bucheon. Both of you will get back to Bucheon alive."


    And immediately he gave them a terrible notice.


    They had lost countless colleagues to get here. If only the two of them were allowed to return, they would be dead. But the two were not discouraged by the fact.


    "We''ll get back alive."


    "Don''t worry about us!"They did their job and made the sacrifice of their fellow workers into a stepping stone for hope, not a worthless dog''s death.


    Kim clapped the shoulders of the two. At the same time, he promised. ''I will take the price of this blood somehow. Somehow¡­''


    6.


    "Hurry, load them in a hurry!"


    "Depart!"


    Incheon Port...


    After Busan port, there was a lot of cargo in Korea, but now the port, which had been silent for almost half a year, was so busy. People and things kept moving on the ship. Jang''s expression was tired of seeing this.


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it.'' He was scared and angry. ''You son of a bitch.''


    When he decided to abandon Bucheon and flee to Yeongjong Island, he felt like cutting bones.


    For him, the sudden collapse of Incheon Bridge destroyed the heart, not the bones.


    ''I''ll pay you back somehow.'' Of course, Incheon Bridge could not have collapsed suddenly. However, when the Incheon Bridge collapsed, his evacuation plan was inevitable. Everything on the way to the Incheon Bridge was returned to the port of Incheon, and he managed to find a boat and started to travel by boat.


    However, the movement speed was in many ways slower than being on the road. Eventually, time was needed, and he had to force the sacrifice of someone in the Mac Guild to make it happen. This was why the Mac Guild soldiers and hunters had risked their lives against the blue-grade monster in Bucheon.


    ''Fuck, damn it¡­'' Of course, the current battle situation and damage in Bucheon City were reported to Jang. It was the same again.


    A man ran to Jang to report the situation. "Well, er, er¡­"


    Beyond the urgency, Jang felt that someone had carved into his back with a sharp sword and cut him halfway through, all from the face of a man who had nearly run himself to death.


    ''Maybe?'' He had a hunch about what the coming news would deliver, and what the secret information was.


    "What''s going on?" So, the question Jang was now asking in a quiet manner was not a question to satisfy his curiosity. It was prayer. It was an earnest attempt to hope that his intuition was wrong.


    "Bang Hyun-wook has been seriously injured." But the reality had always been more brutal than Jang might think. At the cruelty, he covered his face with his hands.


    "Well, um¡­" It was something that should never be shown.Even if others shouted for despair, he had to show his strength. But in the face of this miserable reality, he couldn''t help himself.


    ''Boss¡­'' He really couldn''t help it. And it was the same for everyone there.


    7.


    There was a ten-story building, and a huge mysterious bird was standing on it.


    Chicken. It was definitely a chicken. But it was not possible to explain its presence with the concept of the word chicken. Its height from head to foot was over twenty meters, and the length of its body was well over fifteen meters.


    Its black and red feathers were also strong. The two-colored feathers glistening with oil were so brilliant that they reminded people of a well-prepared blade. Just touching the chicken''s body seemed to cut through bones and flesh.


    Its golden beak was also overwhelming. Anything, even steel, could be torn to paper. The chicken''s crest, which was made from flames burning atop it, was not only bizarre but also sacred. But most of all, the overwhelming thing were the blue eyes between the blazing chicken crest and the golden beak.


    A Gamecock.


    Something, which also had a long beak, attempted an attack on the monster, which was made for nothing but fighting.


    Bang! The thing with a long beak was a K1 tank. The cannon from the tank shook the ground and headed for the Gamecock above the building.


    Bang! The shell went into the Gamecock¡­ but no one was happy with the fact.


    "Hit! The faces of those who were on the tank were hardened in the report of the tank driver who said ''hit''.


    "We are just going to die."Although a tank was a powerful weapon that a creature dared not fight against, at this moment tank soldiers did not have much inspiration at the power of the weapon. The reason why was shown by the monster they were facing.


    Ki-oh-oh-oh!


    A Gamecock on the top of the building, which was hit by the shell, crowed. It was not the death cry of an injured and dying animal, but the threat of an angry beast.


    "Ugh!" The threat instantly distorted the faces of everyone in the tank.


    "Ugh! Eyes, eyes¡­" Tears started to flow as the small veins of their eyes burst, and their eardrums burst and they could not hear anything.


    Some people vomited blood. But the worst thing was that at that moment their bodies froze and wouldn''t move. There was not even a tremor. Everyone just stiffened up like mannequins. The tank stopped where it was.


    The Gamecock began to run toward the tank. The Gamecock narrowed the distance of hundreds of meters with a single flap of its wings and a couple of runs, pecked down at the tank with its golden beak.


    The tank''s armor began to tear like a sheet of paper. The Gamecock pecked again at a tank soldier who had been revealed.


    Pook! The huge golden beak cut the upper body of a tank soldier in half. There was no scream. The fear of the Gamecock took away even the minimum right to scream in pain. In that ridiculous fear, the only thing that could move were Awakeners with a high Energy-rank.


    "Come on, move quickly!" It was at that time that a group of Awakeners began to move. While a tank bought them a few minutes, a group of people went into the building.


    "Here!" There were other groups inside the building that went in. At the center of the group was a man lying like a corpse. It was Bang Hyun-wook


    "Hyun-wook!" It was Ahn Sun-mi, who still had freckles on her nose.


    "He is not conscious." Ahn''s cry was answered by someone else instead of Bang. Ahn confirmed the pupil response after forcing Bang''s eyelids open.


    "He''s fainted. What''s the damage?"


    "That monster grabbed Bang and threw him at the building. After hitting the wall, he fell from the fifth floor.


    "How many recovery pills did you feed him?"


    "Seven, we fed him everything we had."


    Ahn Sun-mi took the IV out of her bag right after the conversation. "Put it all in four limbs."


    "Yes."


    Inside it was a liquid made from a glass of Therapy, a tube filled with the liquid.


    The needle connected to the supply was plugged into Bang''s limbs. The injected healing fluid began to hover all over his body, mixing with Bang''s blood.


    "With his Strength, Defense, and acquired abilities, he should recover in about three minutes."


    He started to recover at a tremendous speed, surprising the viewers. However, Ahn did not breathe out a sigh of relief. He would certainly recover. The crushed bones would harden, and the torn flesh would mend.


    However, it would not be a miracle for him.The moment he recovered from his injury, he would fight in order to gain time against a crazy monster who turned a tank into a piece of paper.


    There was no guarantee that he would survive the next time. Ahn Sun-mi felt miserable about this fact.


    Ki-oh-oh-oh! At that moment, the Gamecock again crowed loudly throughout Bucheon.


    "U-eup!"


    "Uhhh!"


    Even though it was a sound spreading from a distance from the building with Bang and Ahn, and even though they were in the building, everyone fell to the floor, tottering. Only one person came alive at the sound.


    "Ugh¡­" Bang, who looked like a corpse, opened his eyes. He came to his senses and immediately raised his upper body. At the same time, he checked the needles on his limbs.


    "Sister Sun-mi, you are here." At his words, she just blinked from the floor instead of answering.


    He breathed a long sigh at the sight and got up from his seat, pulling out the healing needles stuck into his body.


    Ppu-deu-deuk! There was an eerie sound from his body. He was attacked by horrible pain. However, instead of screaming at the pain, he looked for his weapon by turning his head.


    After finding the Bell-tail of the Bell-tailed Rat, he took hold of it and turned to leave the building, leaving behind the people who had fallen on the floor.


    Ahn shouted at the sight. ''What are you doing?''"Maaaa¡­" But her paralyzed tongue failed to cry out, and she could only make a pathetic gutter.


    Nevertheless, he understood the nonsense, and said briefly, "I have to buy time until big brother gets here. If that monster goes to Incheon, it is over. I''ll try to lure it some way. It''s okay. I just got a rough feeling."


    The rough feeling came back, but it was not true. "The fifth batter and third pitcher of Bucheon High School, Bang Hyun-wook, is coming, you monster!"


    It was the evidence that he, who knew the facts better than anyone, had brought up his fighting spirit once again. "Yiyaaaaaaaaaaap!" After lifting his fighting spirit once again, he stepped out of the building.

 77 Episode 77 - A Gamecock, Part III

    Chapter 27. A Gamecock, Part III


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    8.


    Ki-oh-oh! The cry of the Gamecock had shaken Bucheon. The cry shook even the listeners'' innermost organs. Their limbs were stiff, and their nausea was rising.


    "Wonderful." It was clear evidence if someone could stand calmly in front of the cry, without any change in complexion, he or she would be an Awakener with Energy rank above B. Even if someone had an Energy rank above B, it would only be possible to relax in front of this fear only from a long distance away.


    "Amazing." Major Oh Se-bum was the only one in Bucheon City that could afford to relax at that distance. At least that was what he thought. He thought that he could afford to see the violence of the Gamecock, which had made Bucheon City a hell.


    He had a horn-shaped glass in his hand. It was an object with a dragon engraved on its outer shape after chipping the jade into a horn shape. It was a thing that could only be seen in a museum. But now it was wasted even being in a museum.


    "Very good." Major Oh, who held the object in his hand, began to smile brightly.


    ''Mr. Mao gave us the right thing. I''m sure most of the Chinese relics are there, and from the point of their view, this is nothing. Even more, considering their situation¡­''


    One of the two men, who were shaking around Major Oh, said cautiously in a trembling voice, "Is that really okay?"


    "What?"


    "Even if we do this¡ª"


    "What''s wrong with this? There is no proof. Even if there''s evidence, there is no problem. They can''t threaten the Capital Defense Command after they have a problem. I am not sure they''ll get a chance to do so against that monster."


    The subordinate shook his head to Major Oh, who spoke out without hesitation. "Well, it''s not¡­ this monster could come to Seoul, couldn''t it?"


    "Oh, that." Major Oh realized that he had spoken out with a bad guess, and said with a funny smile, "We can kill it then, or we can lure it back to Sejong City. We''ve lured it here, and it''s not a big deal to lure it back to another place."


    Major Oh closed his mouth to prevent his own intentions coming out. ''It''s not bad to bring this monster to Seoul at this time, and I''ll be in a good position once again. If not, there''s no harm to me because there''s a monster like this in the vicinity of Seoul.''


    "So don''t worry." Major Oh, who was about to point his telescope at the Gamecock with his last words, suddenly looked back with a puzzled expression.


    The other two men also turned their heads, shaking without hesitation. But there was nothing where the three turned their heads. "Is there a problem?"


    Major Oh shook his head. "No, I must have been mistaken."


    9.


    Ki-oh-oh-oh! In a blink of an eye, the Gamecock that made a tank into a mop shook the city of Bucheon. Everything alive stopped breathing at the sound, and all movement stopped.


    Only one person, Bang Hyun-wook, was moving alone in a situation where everyone stopped breathing and their movement stopped. He was even walking toward the Gamecock.


    ''Oh, shit.'' At this moment, he chewed his curse like gum.


    ''I''m crazy.'' There was a word in his mind that said regret.


    ''Why¡­'' He almost died. He was trying to attract it, but he was caught in its golden beak, and he was thrown through the building.


    It was like a human being holding a frog and throwing it at a wall. His whole body was crushed. That was about an hour ago. He was saved from death. But now he was walking toward the Gamecock.


    ''What am I supposed to do?'' It was something he had to regret. He knew that facts better than anyone else.


    ''Damn it.'' At this moment, he was recalling his whole life. His days of living had passed. His days passing by were days of regret. It was a life full of baseball, but he could not become the baseball player he wanted to be. He lacked ability and effort. But on the contrary, it made him walk.


    ''Yes, it wasn''t a very nice life anyway.'' There would be no big difference if there was one bigger regret for the days regret had been stamped on. ''I will just run away. I don''t have to fight, and I can''t fight. To Gwangmyeong City, or Gimpo City¡­ I will just run away.''


    Soon afterward, his memory reached a meeting with Kim Tae-hoon after his school days, which was dominated by baseball. Bang recalled the day when he met Kim at a large store on December 31, 2016. ''Even if I am not a baseball player, I can still leave behind my best results. A school named after me might be built in Bucheon.''


    "Ha ha!" The half-year of experience since he met Kim was the most intense and desperate. It was worth it.


    "OK." Only then did Bang, who had resolved himself, step out without hesitation. Soon after, he stood in front of the Gamecock looking for a new target.


    On the stretching road, he stood in a place the Gamecock could run to, and he shouted, "I am Barry Bonds Bang Hyun-wook of Bucheon High School! Come on!"


    Before the cry was over, it was already running toward Bang. Kwoong-kwoong-kwoong!


    He looked at it running as sleekly as an ostrich and turned around. He ran. Only then, he could see groups appearing behind his back. ''Huh?''


    Neigh! He could see animals of golden smoke behind him, with the Horse Figure Type Earthenware in front.


    "Aahhhh!" At that moment, his feet twisted, and he fell straight ahead.


    Neigh! A clay horse jumped over his fallen head, and the animals of golden smoke followed behind it. He turned his head as he got up in a hurry.


    Ki-oh-oh!


    He saw that a fierce battle was beginning to emerge.


    10.


    Ki-oh-oh! The first thing, which the Gamecock ran at with a shriek, was the Horse Figure Type Earthenware. The call of the Gamecock was powerful enough to create cracks in the clay body of the Horse Figure Type Earthenware.


    Whinny, whinny! However, the Horse Figure Type Earthenware did not stop. The horse exhaled violently, and the warrior waited for his horse to pass by the Gamecock.


    Ppiik! Soon after, the Gamecock drove its golden beak towards the Horse Figure Type Earthenware. At that moment, the warrior avoided the beak attack from above by ducking, quickly raised his back straight again, and wielded his sword at the body of the Gamecock.


    The warrior''s sword cut across the side of the Gamecock.


    There was a long, cross sound of metal on metal.


    The feathers of the Gamecock literally broke apart into pieces like they were made of metal, and the sword of the warrior was cut off and turned into a saw.


    Ki-oh-oh! The Gamecock turned toward the Horse Figure Type Earthenware that had passed by, clucking angrily. At the same time, animals of golden smoke began to cling to the body of the Gamecock.


    Khung! The lion and the tiger each bit a leg of the Gamecock, and the monkey began to climb onto its body.


    Ppoo-woo-woo! An elephant rushed towards it with its ivory tusks, which were sharper than a spear.


    Ppi-yi-yik! Two eagles, a long-tailed bird and a long-beaked bird, came down with their claws and beaks.


    Golden smoke instantly stuck to the Gamecock''s body and began to break down its black and red feathers.


    Hoo-deu-deuk! In an instant, its feather fragments were scattered on the ground.


    Ki-oh-oh-oh! It began flapping its wings in place as if embarrassed by this crazy offense.


    Hoo-woong! Hoo-woong! At the flap of the great wings, the bodies of the wild animals and the flying animals of golden smoke disappeared like smoke, but in time they reappeared from different positions.


    Khung! The tiger and the lion, which had been biting its legs, appeared on top of the Gamecock.


    Ppoo-woo-woo! The elephant fell down, materializing just above it.


    Ki-ki? Ki-ki! A monkey emerged from a strange place, fell to the ground and started to make a fresh rush toward it.


    Meanwhile, the Horse Figure Type Earthenware began to move cunningly.


    It stepped on a car that had been broken on the road and leaped to the roof of a three-story building as if he were stepping on the stairs, and then he jumped to the roof of an even higher building. Soon, he climbed onto the roof of a high-rise building quite distant from the Gamecock.


    Neigh! At that moment, the clay horse, still carrying its owner, ran along the roof of the building and threw itself out at the Gamecock. It was an amazing leap, but it seemed a little short to reach the body of the Gamecock. That short distance was filled by the warrior with the sword himself. The warrior jumped off his horse again!


    The thrown warrior passed through the elephant of golden smoke on top of the Gamecock and plunged his sword deep into its back. At that moment its eyes changed. It no longer cried out. Instead of opening its beak and making a sound, its beak clamped shut. Then its chest began to swell up.


    The things swelling within its breast erupted through the flaming crest of the Gamecock.


    Foo-hwa-hwa-hwat! The flames of the Gamecock''s crest exploded like a volcano, turning the neighborhood into a sea of fire. Under the fire, the beasts of golden smoke faded, and the warrior of the Horse Figure Type Earthenware attached to the body of the Gamecock was crushed. The clay horse that was waiting for its owner was smashed.


    When everything that had tormented it disappeared, it opened its tightly closed golden beak and gathered its voice. The flames began to gather slowly over its bare head.


    Ki-oh-oh!


    A man on the roof of a building looked at the whole scene with black Eyes.


    11.


    ''It''s the worst.'' Kim Tae-hoon was now frowning.


    There were many things that made him frown like that. No, everything in Bucheon right now made him frown: the appearance of Bang Hyun-wook, who was ready to die and threw himself out as bait, and the appearance of the Gamecock which had shown its amazing splendor. And the presence of Major Oh Se-bum, who was watching the scene.


    ''It''s the worst.'' At this moment, however, Kim did not adapt to his feelings by exploding as the Gamecock had. Rather, he flatly ignored what his feelings demanded, and rejected them.


    He did not go to rescue Bang, nor did he stop the battle right away. He didn''t even go to see Major Oh and get his payment. He knew that it was not the answer. Emotional results were not much different from drunken ones.


    ''It''s the worst, so be calm.'' Furthermore, at this moment, he knew that he was the last card.


    If it fails, it''s all over. Under such circumstances, he should not just let the last card be wasted on emotion. Stay calm.


    ''I found a heart sound once.'' He calmly began looking for ways to kill the Gamecock at this moment. He was able to gauge the position of its heart.


    ''I can measure its defense.'' The problem was its defensive strength.


    It was only wounded by the attack of the Horse Figure Type Earthenware and the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje. In other words, it was only hurt.


    To be honest, the attack was powerful enough to smash the whole body of the Twin-head Ogre. In particular, the attack of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje was terrifying. They were almost invincible to physical things.


    To such a monster, the depth of the injury Kim could make with all his Telekinesis would not be that great. Even if it were deeply embedded, it would not be enough.


    He needed a way to hit the nail again and again, like a hammer, until the nail was stuck in the wall, until the nail eventually disappeared into the wall, and even after the nail disappeared. Of course, during the process, he needed to attract the attention of the Gamecock and to deal with it.


    ''I have to finish everything before it can explode again.''


    And all this had to be done before the Gamecock exploded. At that moment, he held the Gilt-bronze Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statue in his right hand more firmly.


    The Energy in his stomach, the Mana in his chest, the Telekinesis in his head, and the empty place began to rise quickly. Even the Gilt-bronze Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statue began to fill with his mental power and concentration.


    Tsreung! The Sword of the Imperator on his back hummed again. It was time to show who was the owner of Bucheon City again.

 78 Episode 78 - A Gamecock, Part IV

    Chapter 27. A Gamecock, Part IV


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    12.


    ''Oh, my God.'' Suddenly a Horse Figure Type Earthenware appeared, followed by beasts with golden smoke. Beasts that were not different from monsters appeared. And they began a fierce battle with the nightmarish Gamecock.


    ''What is this?'' It was a sight that could not be understood by Bang Hyun-wook''s common sense. Even if he could understand it, the battle was beyond the category of common sense, so he could not help but make a foolish expression. Of course, he froze at the battlefield that started in front of him. He didn''t even think of running.


    "Hey!" Suddenly a woman, who came down to the ground, caught his wrist and pulled at him.


    "Er? Huh?" He was drawn into her hands with surprised eyes. At that moment, his mind came up with a similar scene of the day. The first time in a large mart he encountered a monster, a woman was in a similar situation, and she grabbed his hand and ran away.


    Of course, there was a difference from then. At that time, it was a woman full of freckles on her face that had caught his hand, and now it was a beauty with the blond hair that was pulling his hand.


    Kate Kennedy. He had seen her earlier. "You are the wife of big brother, aren''t you?"


    It was also the woman who Jang Sung-hoon introduced briefly as the wife of big brother.


    "What?" At the words of Bang, she said she did not understand what he was talking about.


    In the meantime, they ran quickly out of the battlefield. To be precise, they were out of range of the fear of the Gamecock.


    After a certain distance, his Energy, which had only been used to hold back the fear, began to energize his whole body.


    "Poo-ha!" After he had vomited out the fear that suppressed his chest, he immediately looked at her.


    "Where is big brother?" The fact that she was here meant that Kim Tae-hoon was here!


    At his question, she made an expression that she did not understand what he was talking.


    "No, wait, English, English..." He thought that the reason why she did not understand was his language, and he started making an English sentence to ask a question.


    Soon he said, "Brother, my brother!"


    It was the moment when the 12-year''s English education from elementary to high school became terrible.


    But she managed to understand that because she was the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Korea, and it made no sense to know no Korean, and she was not that stupid. But she did not answer.


    ''Is this man mad now? It''s time to run!''


    There was a monster right behind them, a monster that was terrible, a monster that they could not dream of as an enemy, and a monster which had become a nightmare just by imagining an enemy.


    Even she, who had the right to be free from the fear by her A rank Energy, was terrified.


    However, why did he ask a stupid question when they were busy running away from such a monster behind them?


    "Brother! My Brother! Brother!" However, there was no sign of stopping him from talking.


    Fortunately, she didn''t have to answer.


    Kwa-kwang! Behind them, a huge explosion on the battlefield blew them away at once.


    "Aaaaaargh!" "Yipe!" Two kinds of screams tangled, flying in the sky, and rolling along the ground. It was a street lamp that standing in the roadside that stopped them from the endless rolling. Of course, it did not stop them gently.


    Bang! The tangled Kate and Bang hit the streetlight and parted.


    "Ugh¡­" A moan came from both their mouths.


    But what really hurt was the curved streetlight. Creak! The streetlight moaned, too.


    A huge shock.


    It was not easy for them to wake up after the shock; after a few more groans and neck exercises, they regained their senses. Then they could see it. Shi-yik!


    "Uh?" They could see a Sword passing over their heads.


    "Huck!" And a flying car followed.


    13.


    Kim Tae-hoon could hold back the fear of a blue-grade monster, unless he was very close. But, that was all. All he could do was hold on.


    As soon as he was exposed to the fear, his ability was reduced. The Energy would be used to hold back the fear, the time to gather Mana disappeared, and the Telekinesis could not be used properly. Of course, fighting at close range with the Gamecock was actually suicide.


    What should he do to pierce the Sword of the Imperator into the heart of the Gamecock?


    He already had an answer to this question. But he had never picked an answer in a real fight.


    ''Now my body can withstand the Telekinesis I use.''


    The reason was his prior lack of ability. At this moment, however, he no longer felt that his ability was insufficient in implementing the answer.


    ''No, I have to hold on.'' Now was a moment that he should not hesitate, even if it felt insufficient. So he fired the Sword of the Imperator.


    Shi-yik! The Sword of the Imperator, which started the flight, flew like a swallow and drove into the chest of the Gamecock like a serpent''s fang.


    Bang! The Sword of the Imperator penetrated the solid wings of the Gamecock and found the flesh. It drove in about the length of a finger. It was a great, but not impressive depth. What made the depth impressive was the small car flying towards the hilt of the Sword.


    Bang! The compact car hammered onto the hilt of the Sword.


    Pook! The Sword went deeper.


    This was the solution that he came up with earlier. It was the reason why he could not use it even once, although he thought of it earlier. So far, he had not been able to use this kind of Telekinesis. He had no experience using such force, and he lacked the physical endurance to withstand such force.


    However, he practiced steadily. With nothing but his own body, he levitated heavier objects and wielded it. Now the results of the exercise came out.


    "Hoo!" After dropping the first car, he immediately picked up another light car that had been moved off the road.


    The small-looking car on the road was so overwhelming that it could not be said to be small, and it was flying like a stone from a catapult.


    Bang! The vehicle that had completed a short flight once again struck the hilt of the Sword.


    Ki-oh-oh! When the scab became an eerie wound, an angry cry came out of the mouth of the Gamecock. Of course, it looked for him with its blue eyes. But he was not visible.


    Ppi-yi-yi! To find him hiding in the buildings, it bristled up its five senses.


    The beasts of the golden smoke started to show up again before the five senses of the Gamecock.


    The golden beasts, who did not know how to give up and die, rushed toward the Gamecock, and it flashed its eyes sharply. There was no chance of it stepping back in front of an enemy that was coming to it, because it was filled with the fighting spirit to the bone.


    The Gamecock, which would die fighting against a monster more powerful than itself, inflated its chest. Then it spat out what was in its chest through its golden beak.


    Ki-oh-oh-oh! Along with countering the enemy''s provocations, the Gamecock and the golden smoke beasts, which were protecting their owners, were once again tangled up. Meanwhile, Kim searched for a vehicle after he took a breath.


    ''A small car.'' The road in Bucheon, once a tomb for automobiles, was now quite clean. It was thanks to the Mac Guild''s constant cleaning of the road. Therefore, small cars were nowhere to be seen.


    No, small cars were not seen in Korea originally.


    Wasn''t there a saying that it was much safer to walk on the roads in Korea than to ride in small cars?


    However, he was not embarrassed.


    ''There''s no time.'' His fist blackened, and it immediately hit the wall of a building nearby.


    Quasic! The exterior of the building was torn apart and collapsed. He floated a heavy piece out of the concrete mass, a little larger than a human body.


    "Hoo!" Instead of gunshots, he let out a breath, and a lump of concrete smashed on the chest of the Gamecock.


    It was also painful for the Gamecock. Ki-oh-oh-oh!


    It was torture to be nailed where its heart was, and to be knocked on the heart by a hammer, it was no wonder that it cried out in fear. But the Gamecock was not scared, just surprised. There was no word for fear in it.


    Ki-oh-oh-oh! Only fight! All its eyes were focused on punishing the golden beasts that attacked it without hesitation.


    Burning! At such a fighting spirit, the Gamecock began to grow its crest, which had been dissipated by the powerful explosion a while ago, little by little.


    ''No way!'' It was unexpected.


    ''Is anger making its crest faster?'' The dying flame crest was going to be alive again, fueled by its fighting spirit!


    ''There''s no time.'' Naturally, the Gamecock was likely to show release its explosion again much earlier than he had expected.


    After the explosion?


    All he could do was run away from Bucheon with all his strength. Of course, returning after a certain period of time¡­ The Gamecock would be the owner of Bucheon and turn Bucheon into a miserable tomb that humans could not live in. The people in Incheon would not be safe, either. Everything he had done so far would go beyond meaningless and become miserable.


    "Hoo!" That''s why he got his breath back.


    ''Pierce.'' He focused his attention and made his mind as clear as possible. He painted only the picture he wanted with a clear mind. The painting depicted only its chest, where a huge concrete mass was raging, and where the Sword of the Imperator was piercing. He did not hurry. He flew the stones one at a time calmly, like one drop of water piercing the rock.


    Boom! His repeated efforts were clearly visible.


    Boom! The Sword of the Imperator put all of its long blade into the body of the Gamecock, leaving only the hilt showing.


    Of course, his repeated attacks have become a threat to the Gamecock. It felt its life was at stake. That was why its fighting spirit was so intense.


    Ki-oh-oh!


    ''A mouse bites a cat if it is cornered, and how about the last pitch when a terrible monster is in a corner?''


    Wharrrr! It must be so intense that it would be unimaginable.


    Ki-oh-oh! The chest cavity of the Gamecock, which burst out with a long cry, had risen greatly.


    Boom, boom! At the same time, the fire that had faded over its head began to soar like a fountain. There was no room to react.


    ''Ah¡­'' As soon as he was aware of the fact, the Gamecock again caused a huge explosion.


    Kwa-reung! An explosion that was more intense than the one before it began to sweep around the Gamecock.


    Kuh-hung! The golden smoke beasts that fought against the Gamecock evaporated in an instant, and buildings around it collapsed in the explosion. The force of the explosion was not just fire. The explosion had an enormous amount of horror and hostility. It was the release of a powerful fear.


    He was at a distance, but it was so powerful that his body stiffened up as he vomited blood.


    ''Oh, my God.'' His Energy began to work hard to save its owner''s body, who was frozen by fear. The Gilt-bronze Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statue, which he held in his hands, also filled his empty body.


    ''¡­ broken.'' But already, the jar of his body was broken. He couldn''t help it. A while ago, he was using his power to the limit. There was no room for something to fill his body. Under such circumstances, it would be strange if his body, which was exposed to the sudden explosion and fear, remained strong. A jar without a bottom was of course not easily filled.


    ''Think.'' Nevertheless, he sought a solution at this moment.


    ''The Bell-tail.'' And he found it.


    ''If I hit the hilt with the Bell-tail¡­'' The Bell-tail of the Bell-tail Rat! With its amazing batting power, he could drive the Sword deep enough! Of course, there should be a hammer and someone to use it. And there was only one person who was qualified to move in the fear that was shaking even his body.


    ''Kate.''


    And she knew it.


    "Fuck!" So at this moment, she rushed toward the Gamecock with the mace made of the Bell-tail which Bang Hyun-wook was holding, releasing strong power and hurling abuse at the temporarily daunted monster.


    ''This will pay off all my debts. All of them!'' She hammered the Sword of the Imperator, of where only the hilt could be seen, with the weapon she held in her hands, into the breast of the Gamecock. Then, for the first time, the terminal word came out of its mouth.


    Cock-a-doodle-doo!It was a chicken cry that woke everyone from a nightmare.


    14.


    ''Nonsense.'' As soon as the Gamecock started its second blast, Major Oh lowered his posture while watching the battle. For a while afterward, he was stiff. He waited for his Energy to energize his frozen body so that he wouldn''t miss out on the reason while paralyzed


    When Major Oh rose up and looked at the battlefield through a telescope, what he saw was the last appearance of the Gamecock, which was more appropriate to say, it was more collapsing than falling.


    ''What the hell happened?'' Without seeing the interim process, he could not understand the situation at all. Instead, he knew what he had to do at this moment.


    ''I have to run away at once.''


    Clearly, the Gamecock was dead. It was not in any of the plans. Of course, his actions in this situation had not been instructed either. It was not a situation which he could judge for his own, and act according to that judgment.


    In this case, the answer was to withdraw as soon as possible. He saw the two men had fainted as soon as they were exposed to the explosion of the Gamecock.


    It seemed impossible to wake them up right away, with foam in their mouths and white eyes. It didn''t seem easy, either.


    No, he could bring them away. For an Awakener, the weight of the two adult men would be only two school bags. However, the problem was that it would be annoying and dangerous to run away without catching the attention of people around, with their cumbersome bodies.


    So he took the gun out of his waist without hesitation and pulled the trigger.


    Blam, blam! With only the sound of two shots left behind, he immediately turned and went out through the door. There was no time to keep his composure when he stepped out.


    ''That''s crazy. What am I supposed to report? No, no. How the hell did he kill it? No, wait a minute. So that monster will eat the monster stone of the blue-grade monster?''


    Of course, Major Oh could not afford to check the existence of an action camera of Gopro around the door, either.

 79 Episode 79 - The Price of the Blood, Part I

    Chapter 28. The Price of the Blood, Part I


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    1.


    ''It''s like that time.'' It was a memory from Seoul on the last day of 2016, when Lieutenant Colonel Yoo visited Bucheon again.


    It was hell in Seoul that day, but that didn''t mean it would collapse helplessly. It was the capital. It was the heart of the country, and of course, its power was stronger than anywhere else. In fact, Seoul has been fighting its own battles against the monsters since they appeared. There were certainly conditioned and willing to fight.


    ''When the monster appeared.'' It was a dragon with navy pupils that destroyed their wills. Every time it breathed out flames, every time it flicked its wings, the scenery of Seoul went back a hundred years.


    The scenery of Bucheon now reminded him of that time. The scenery of Bucheon was so terrible.


    "He''s inside."


    As soon as he saw him, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, who was guided into the coffee shop, had to say this instead of greeting him. "You''ve been through it."


    There was Kim Tae-hoon within reach of the words, already reeking of vertiginous coffee, as if he had drunk several cups, and then turned the caffeine into a fierce look.


    "I don''t need to be comforted." In addition, his tongue spoke out the words like a sharpened blade.


    "Neither do I. You can''t be a comforting person."


    "Let''s get down to business right away."


    After finishing speaking, Kim drank the coffee in his half-full mug. But he didn''t enjoy the coffee as usual. Gulping, Kim drank coffee like water.


    Then he put a clean empty mug on the table and asked, "Why did you come?"


    It was a determined expression. He had no intention of taking time in today''s conversation. He never thought to waste his time like that.


    "I contacted Colonel Lim Hyun-joon. I gave him your message, and got an answer."


    "Is that a good answer?"


    "He said, "If you want to meet, come see me in person. That''s how a subordinate treats his superiors."


    Kim nodded lightly. Colonel Lim Hyun-joon''s response was expected. Now Colonel Lim was the king in chess. He was also a powerful king who had secured military power in the front line, including Gangwon Province. Colonel Lim''s opponent on the chess board was the Capital Defense Command, which held the justification.


    It would be rather strange if Colonel Lim, who was engaged in a fierce war against the Capital Defense Command, came to meet Kim in person. And Kim also had no desire to meet the Colonel right now.


    "I think I should postpone the meeting with Colonel Lim." He should stop the assassination, but something much more important had happened now.


    "Are you putting it off later? Do you have anything to do?"


    "I want to meet the leaders of the Capital Defense Command."


    "What?"


    "Isn''t that your purpose here?"


    The Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was silent. Kim''s statement was true. The position of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was not great enough to come to Bucheon to deliver news about Colonel Lim. Of course, he came to Bucheon because of a different order!


    "You came here to put the dead body of the blue-grade monster, Gamecock, on the negotiating table."


    His goal was a blue-grade monster, the dead body of the Gamecock. Monsters'' bodies were in many ways valuable. The value of the monster stone was indescribable, and if not, the value of the monster was infinite.


    It was ridiculous to discuss the value of the Gamecock. From the standpoint of the Capital Defense Command, it was necessary to obtain the remains of the Gamecock. So Lieutenant Colonel Yoo came to investigate the situation of Kim and that had the Mac Guild that successfully killed the blue-grade monster. Of course, there were many things to look after.


    "If not, do you intend to rob, not trade?" If Kim and the Mac Guild were hit hard, the Capital Defense Command would send troops to take away everything they had gained. No, in fact, such a thought was stronger.


    From the standpoint of the Capital Defense Command, the Mac Guild and Kim were not a good group. The stronger their group, the worse it would be. In other words, Lieutenant Colonel You came to Bucheon for spying. It was his duty to assess the state of the object to be plundered.


    "We have a plan like that." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not hide the fact. He was already on Kim''s side. It was no good hiding dangerous facts from the Mac Guild and Kim.


    That was why he gave advice. "So, it''s dangerous. If you go to Seoul, you''ll have a table to negotiate. There''s no way they''ll let you go if negotiations break down there."


    But the advice was pointless. "I don''t want to let them go because the negotiations break down." Kim didn''t really want to negotiate with them, either. "I''m setting up a negotiation table to get the price for the blood."


    "The price for the blood?"


    "Many people died. They will pay for it."


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo gave a long sigh. "I''ll report it."


    Instead of answering, Kim nodded.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo immediately got up and left Bucheon, heading to Seoul. The very day after that, he visited Bucheon again. "They''re going to negotiate. The place to negotiate is the Namsan Tower."


    2.


    On December 31, 2016, Seoul was the place where the largest number of monsters appeared in Korea, and it was the most fiercely fought place. In a way, it was obvious. Seoul was the home of more than ten million people, in other words, the number of Awakeners was high. From that point of view, Seoul had to be the most splendid in Korea.


    "What a hell this place is!" But now, in the eyes of Jang Sung-hoon, around Digital Media City Station in Eunpyeong District, Seoul, was more miserable than Bucheon, where the Gamecock went crazy.


    "Oh, my God¡­" Among them, the overwhelming one was four claw marks drawn on a tall building where a large mart was located. The huge claw marks were the first seen in Jang''s life, but it was not difficult to tell whose claw it was.


    "That''s its mark, isn''t it?"


    "It''s the mark of a Dragon."


    Dragon.


    The monster that passed through Bucheon was the main character of the terrible devastation in Jang''s eyes.


    "If it weren''t for the dragon, Seoul wouldn''t have collapsed this far." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo turned his head and explained.


    There was an asphalt road that the turned onto. Of course, the road was not an ordinary one. Once the road melted, it seemed as if lava had passed by. Jang swallowed without even realizing it.


    Lieutenant Colonel Yoo continued his conversation by recalling the day with dry lips. "We didn''t even get a scratch on its body after we attacked it with all means. It felt like an ant facing a human."


    "It wasn''t just a human, it had bug repellent in one hand and a lighter in the other. Oh, that''s terrible."


    At Jang''s words, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo frowned with one eye. He was not happy to dilute his miserable memory with jokes.


    "Be careful from here on, anyway. We haven''t finished cleaning up the monsters yet." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo gave his own warning to Jang.


    However, it was not Jang, but the subordinate soldiers of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo who were nervous about the warning. Special forces organized to search and carry out special missions outside of Seoul had sharply raised their senses.


    It was not because of some vague fear. The subway line six, centered on the Digital Media City Station that they were now passing by, was not yet properly cleaned up of monsters, as Lieutenant Colonel Yoo had warned.


    This meant that it was not unusual for monsters to move through subway line six and appear at the Digital Media City Station. There had even been reports of orange and yellow-grade monsters appearing recently. A yellow-grade one was a disaster for the Awakeners.


    "Oh, really?" Of course, Jang was not scared. "Oh, I''m scared. Boss, I''m so scared. Can you hug me?"


    There was a disaster-like Awakener beside him. That catastrophe to the monsters, Kim Tae-hoon shook his head.


    Shh! As soon as he turned his head, the arrow at Kim''s waist immediately shot toward where he was looking. His arrow stuck to the wall of a building that looked like nothing special.


    Thump! A monster stuck to the outer wall of the second floor fell to the ground like a broken doll.


    The monster that fell to the ground looked like a giant lizard, but it was a furry monster like a monkey. And it had orange eyes.


    "The furry lizard!" For the Awakeners and survivors, it was a scary monster called the assassin. It was very difficult to deal with the monster with its amazing stealth skill, a whip-like extending tongue, and poisonous saliva. Due to its tough skin and persistent vitality, it was not easily killed by bullets. Only shooting the brain and the heart could they could kill it.


    Finally, they lived in groups. One was a sign of beginning, not the end.


    "Be careful!" "There''s more around!" At that moment, everyone was nervous and vigilant around.


    Thump! What they saw was a scene where the furry lizards attached to the walls had large holes in their heads, dripping blood out through the holes and falling on the ground.


    Thump! As if playing a musical instrument, the carcasses began to hit the ground sequentially.


    Thump! At the end of the performance, Kim lifted his right hand lightly. As soon as he closed his right hand, a featherless Arrow came back into his hands! He put it back into a leather holder in his left hip. Everyone looked blank at the sight.


    "Let''s move." Kim gave them short notice.


    At the same time, Jang Sung-hoon also made a brief announcement. "Those are something our boss killed. Please pack them so that we can take them on our way back. Don''t eat secretly in the meantime."


    3.


    Namsan Tower¡­


    The only place in Seoul where tension could be eased was filled with tension. The cause of the tension was a group of people walking towards Namsan Tower. The three of them were silently climbing the stairs without much conversation.


    The first thing which welcomed them was the red pillar. In front of the monument, the Sunsubi of King Jinheung, which protected Namsan Tower from monsters, stood three men on the other side, as if to match the numbers on their side.


    "Are you Major Kim Tae-hoon?"


    They were men with stars: Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk, Commander of the Capital Defense Command; Brigadier General Yoon Seok-young, Commander of the Armed Forces Capital Command; and Major General Lee Ki-soo, Chief of the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Defense.


    Three generals were looking at Kim. It was a surprise; it was nothing else, and the only time star-studded generals came to meet him was when he was superior to them. That''s all.


    If they showed up first in any other case, it would never be a meeting. It was a declaration of war or the initial suppression. It was just one of the tricks to press an opponent to face from now on.


    It was Lieutenant Colonel Yoo who was nervous in front of the trick. He led Kim and Jang to Namsan Tower.


    ''Oh, my God.'' He was not informed of such a case. He was just ordered to guide Kim to Namsan Tower. But not one, but the top leaders of the current Capital Defense Command appeared like this? ''What''s this¡­''


    However, if the generals moved, the troops who escorted them would also have to move. Lieutenant Colonel Yoo whizzed around. Currently, the best men under the Capital Defense Command would be filling the area. If Kim were to act rashly, they would move by any means possible to get rid of him. ''They''re all here.''


    Or the moment one of the three gave a signal, they would move to kill Kim, regardless of the reason. Kim couldn''t have known about it.


    "Yes, I am Kim Tae-hoon." However, he acted calmly in this situation.


    "You want to make a deal?" It was Gen. Yoon Seok-young speaking.


    "I want a fair price. As you''ve been briefed on, there''s been a lot of damage done to hunt the blue-grade monster, the Gamecock. Property damage is indescribable, and many people are dead."


    At Kim''s answer, Major General Lee Ki-soo smiled. With the smile, he continued. "I''ve heard the bad news, but that''s the way it is. It''s no joke to get paid here. You''re the one who claimed to be independent."


    Major General Lee''s tongue was pointed like a needle. Lee frankly did not like the situation where Kim appeared in front of him alive and well. Of course, Lee did not want to condone the deal.


    "We hunted the blue-grade monster with much damage," repeated Kim.


    "So it''s¡­"


    "Thanks to that, everyone in Seoul kept their lives."


    "What?" At that moment, the mood changed in a cruel way as soon as Kim said it.


    "That''s what I''m getting for saving these people, the price of their blood."


    "That''s funny. Let''s talk more about it."


    "Lieutenant General?"


    It has changed to something very bloody.

 80 Episode 80 - The Price of the Blood, Part II

    Chapter 28. The Price of the Blood, Part II


    Translator: Khan


    Editor: RED


    4.


    The Capital Defense Command was a military unit created to protect Seoul. The position of Chief Commander of the unit that protected the heart of the Republic of Korea could not be a regular seat. Only the best elites could sit down, and among the elites, only those who wanted to be at the pinnacle were able to sit down.


    Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk was the man who was sitting there. "You said you were under Major General Chang Young-sung?"


    Lee Hyuk was the chief among the stars. Kim Tae-hoon was facing him across just one table. It would be appalling to imagine the situation for those with the rank of soldiers.


    Major General Lee Ki-soo, who was standing behind Lt. Gen. Lee Hyuk, would feel bitter if he took the position instead of Kim Tae-hoon.


    "Yes, I was." But Kim was different. There was no retreat, no hesitation, and there was no sign of wanting to hide the truth.


    "You were... not now, it that it?


    "You don''t even know if Chang Young-sung is alive?" Kim''s harsh response made Lee Ki-soo''s back go cold.


    "No, I''m not saying that, but I am asking whether you''re denying your military status." However, Lee Hyuk showed no emotional change in Kim''s behavior. He asked questions with a calm but rather cold look on his face. He looked extraordinary.


    ''The star is the star. It''s not a joke.'' With that look in the eyes of Lee Hyuk, Jang Sung-hoon, who was behind Kim, felt a lump in his throat.


    "Yes." However, it did not work for Kim. It was also Kim''s presence. "I''m not a soldier now."


    Before monsters appeared, humans were divided into social status, social position, property, etc. The soldier was worse. They used direct distinction between classes. In such a world, an individual''s power had little meaning. But not anymore.


    Kim had power. That was the overwhelming force, at least enough to console those who died for him. And now it was time for that power to distinguish between ranks.


    "I am the head of the Mac Guild, who manages the Bucheon and Incheon areas."


    "You are not a soldier, but you use the weapons of the Korean Army.


    "The weapons are blocking monsters heading to Seoul."


    "It depends on the interpretation. In some ways, the existence of the Mac Guild could be an anti-government force group that looted military weapons without government permission."


    "Do you want me to interpret this whole situation on my own?" Therefore, Kim did not back down in front of Lee Hyuk. At this moment, everyone could see who was in the higher rank by comparing the marks of the Awakeners on each other''s right hand. "Do you want us to be an anti-government force group?"


    "I can''t bear it anymore, stop!" It was not Lee Hyuk, but Lee Ki-soo who vented anger over Kim''s attitude. "You say whatever you want when we''ve arranged a conversation! Are you threatening us?"


    The surroundings began to get cluttered with a harsh atmosphere.


    ''Stand by.'' ''Standby.'' ''We''ll move anytime.'' As soon as the order was issued, preparations were made to suppress or kill Kim and Jang.


    "I don''t intend to threaten you." Kim put the clutter together into one sentence. "I''ve come all the way to the negotiating table." Along with the words, he took a thumb-sized jewel out of his arms. The jewel, which was shining like a blue sapphire, had begun to dye Kim''s palm green. Everyone''s eyes widened.


    "Is that¡­"


    "The monster stone of the blue-grade monster, the Gamecock."


    Snap! At that moment, he could hear the clicking sound of a camera''s shutter in the distance. It was quite a long way off, tens of meters away. It was not a Smartphone camera, but a DSLR camera that sounded like a cannon through lenses. He palmed the jewel again after hearing the sound.


    "I''ve already seen a lot of blood. I don''t want to see blood anymore. Let''s negotiate."


    "Hmm!"


    Lee Ki-soo immediately coughed and stepped back. His eyes were still directed toward Kim''s hand holding the monster stone, and his eyes were shaking. It was proof of his concern.


    ''Damn it, if I get it, the game is over.'' At present, it was ridiculous to estimate the value of a blue-grade monster Stone. He could not get it even if he wanted to. Of course, it was too necessary for the Capital Defense Command, as well as for Lee Ki-soo.What a thing to get by killing Kim Tae-hoon here!


    "How much do you assess as the value of this monster stone?" Kim asked them.


    ''How much will you pay for it?'' It certainly sounded like that to Lee Hyuk or Lee Ki-soo.


    Shh! Lee Hyuk raised his hand. Then Lee Ki-soo, who was backing down, stepped forward again. He talked instead of Lee Hyuk. "If you exclude Hunminjeongeum and the Sunsubi of King Jinheung, we can negotiate with anything. We''ll have to negotiate exactly as you say, but we can do business with anything, except for two things."


    As soon as Kim heard that, he looked at the monster Stone of the Gamecock that he was holding in his hand with black Eyes.


    [Crystal of the Gamecock]


    - Strength and Health are increased when ingested.


    - The skill of Energy is greatly increased when ingested.


    - The skill of Mana is greatly increased when ingested.


    - The skill of Defense is greatly increased when ingested.


    - The skill of Mana Resistance is greatly increased when ingested.


    - When ingested, the power of the Gamecock [Anger Soaring] can be obtained.


    Then he put it in his mouth and gulped it down! Everyone, who looked at him went blank.


    "Er? Huh?" "Did he eat it?" Those who were trying to hide in various places and aimed at Kim even blurted the words in their minds without realizing it. His behavior was shocking enough. The same was true for Lee Hyuk and Lee Ki-soo, both of whom looked at Kim with a stupid expression.


    "Let''s continue the negotiations." It was Kim''s words, coming out of the mouth that ate the monster stone, that made them change their expressions.


    "Well, what¡­ You ate it now. What kind of negotiation..." Lee Ki-soo still looked ridiculous as he spoke.


    "I never said I would be negotiating with the monster stone of the Gamecock."


    "What the fuck is this?" Lee Ki-soo burst into anger. It was rude to show anger in front of Lee Hyuk, but there was no one, including Lee Hyuk, who raised doubts about the anger. There was more than enough all around.


    "I told you a few times before. Many people died to stop the Gamecock heading for Seoul, and thanks to it, the people here survived, and I came to receive the price of the lives of the dead and the survivors."


    But not for Kim Tae-hoon. ''I will be paid the price of the blood.''


    For him, all this was unjust, not just fair. In the first place, if Major Oh Se-bum and the Six Snakes had not brought the Gamecock in Sejong City to Bucheon, there would not have been a dead one.


    Was there a more unjust death? And now, he must not tolerate the injustice. When he accepted the injustice, the damage would be seen, not by Kim, but by those who followed him.


    "I can exchange anything except Hunminjeongeum and Sunsubi of King Jinheung¡­ I will make it a reference point for the value of the monster I have killed."


    "You crazy bastard!" At the words of Kim, Lee Ki-soo no longer had any courtesy. It was a farce from the beginning.


    ''That''s crazy.'' Kim should not have been here. He should have been dead in Bucheon!


    Kim, who should have died, provoked Lee Hyuk in this way? Lee Hyuk was not a na?ve man, and he was not a man full of kindness. He would regard all of this from Kim today as a disgrace, and would prepare to pay off his disgrace.


    In the process, if Lee Ki-soo was found to have ordered Oh Se-bum¡­ It would be the worst. Therefore, Lee Ki-soo wanted to overturn the table itself. He wanted to make Kim and Lee Hyuk a relationship that they would not face again in this way.


    However, Kim ignored Lee Ki-soo and asked Lee Hyuk, "Who is the superior?"


    At the words, Lee Ki-soo, who had exploded like a volcano, became mute.


    Lee Hyuk revealed his unpleasantness with his expression. However, he expressed his displeasure only in his face at this moment, but he did not vent his anger.


    "We can''t stay still if you are uncooperative." It was evidence that he had already completed the calculation perfectly in his mind; who held the sword at this moment?


    "So you''re going to kill me? The dragon, you left that nonsense monster behind."


    The reason why the Capital Defense Command hunted monsters while raising forces outside Seoul, including Major Oh Se-bum, was simple.


    They trained Awakeners to kill the monsters. In that sense, the blue-grade monster stone was important. It was like a piece of a puzzle that was necessary to kill the dragon.


    But the monster stone was now in the stomach of Kim. Even if his belly was cut open, the monster stone of the Gamecock could not be obtained.


    ''Chang Young-sung had a great monster under his command.'' Anyway, Kim had survived the monster called the Gamecock and killed it. Whether he was given the favor of the heavens or thanks to the relics, he survived anyway. It meant that he had the qualification to survive and persist.


    ''Nevertheless, do we have to kill him? We can kill him. But the price to pay for it is too high.''


    Finally, the enemies of Lee Hyuk were not just Kim.


    "Okay, I''ll pay you for the price of the blood." ''I will save you, and Colonel Lim Hyun-joon is more our concern right now.''


    There were the Mac Guild and Kim in Bucheon and Incheon, and Colonel Lim Hyun-joon was in Gangwon Province and the front line. As soon as both of them became their enemies, the Capital Defense Command would be besieged. They should avoid that much. "I want to make a deal after I pay the price."


    Furthermore, if Kim claimed to be a hound, he could willingly pay and use him as a hound. "There''s a green-grade monster on the side of Cheonggye Mountain, leading the Goblins, and its forces are coming down toward Gangnam District, as well as Cheonggye Mountain. Kill it."


    "Lieutenant General, that''s¡ª" At the words of Lee Hyuk, Lee Ki-soo tried to do something, but his action was blocked by the cold eyes of Lee Hyuk.


    They waited for Kim''s answer, and Kim responded to the wait.


    "I''ll receive three national treasures for the price of the blood, and one national treasure for one green-grade monster."


    5.


    "Boss, can I ask you a question?"


    Outside Namsan Tower...


    Now the sunshine felt a little hot, so the shade of the trees around Namsan Tower was pleasant, so Jang and Kim talked for a short break.


    "What would you do if I was murdered?"


    This time, Kim Tae-hoon was originally supposed to go alone. In such a situation, Jang claimed to be a companion. The existence of Jang would be a great help. The problem was risk.


    If the Capital Defense Command revealed its hostility to Kim and put it into practice, the endangered person would be Jang, not Kim. Of course, Jang was fully prepared. However, Kim''s appearance against Lee Hyuk was so aggressive that Jang''s fear of preparing for the resolution was chilled. It would not be surprising if Lee Hyuk caused an accident in a fit of anger.


    "If you''re killed, you can''t help it." Kim answered Jang''s question calmly.


    "That''s too bad to hear."


    "I can make one thing clear if you die instead."


    "Really? What is it?"


    "To wage war with the Capital Defense Command, you won''t have to weigh at least as much as you do now." With Kim''s still calm voice, Jang smiled, as if he was satisfied with the answer.


    "It''s less regrettable to hear that."


    A group of people began to stride toward them as they spoke. Wearing military uniforms, they were soldiers, and at the same time they were Awakeners with marks on their right hands. They were a group of people here to help Kim pick up the relics and watch him. It was Major Oh Se-bum who had the brightest appearance in the group and was at the forefront.


    "I''ll take you to the Bank of Korea." His appearance changed the faces of Jang and Kim. "It''s nice to see you again like this."


    Major Oh was one of the reasons why Kim and Jang came to Seoul. "Did you say Major Oh Se-bum?"


    "Yes."


    "So I couldn''t even shake your hand." Kim gave his right hand to Major Oh. Major Oh held Kim''s right hand after a brief pause. As soon as they held each other''s hands, Kim stared at Oh with his bloody eyes and said in a low voice. "It''s the third time I''ve met you, and we should shake hands."

 81 Episode 81 - The Price of the Blood, Part III

    Chapter 28. The Price of the Blood, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 6.Kim Tae-hoon and Oh Se-bum met today for the third time. However, Oh did not admit it. "The third time, you must have miscounted the numbers? Isn''t this the second time you''ve met me at Gimpo Airport?" Of course, to admit that today''s meeting was the third time, would be to reveal that he was in Bucheon. Oh knew what that meant. ''Damn it.'' At this moment, Oh guessed that Kim didn''t just say that to see how he''d react suddenly. "The distance from Namsan Tower to the Bank of Korea is about 2.2 kilometers, and it takes about half an hour to walk. Make sure we''re at the second or third meeting in half an hour." Kim Tae-hoon was the same. He did not just say that to make a pun against Oh, and make his heart pound. ''I''d like to kill him, but¡­'' Many people had died because of Oh. They were the ones who gave their lives for Kim. For the comfort of those who had died, it was necessary to mete out a clear punishment for Oh. There was enough justification. Kim did not tease Oh, but as soon as he checked the place where Oh had watched the Gamecock die, he left a video of Oh in Bucheon with two Awakeners belonging to the Capital Defense Command. It was enough. It was not like they were in court, to judge who was right and wrong first. The important thing was, as he said earlier, justification and excuse. The video was a justification and excuse that Kim and the Mac Guild were able to declare war against the Capital Defense Command. ''He''s just a tool.'' But Kim did not do that. There were many reasons. For realistic reasons, the moment he killed Major Oh, he would be at war with the Capital Defense Command. Kim was confident of winning that war. He could kill all the officials of the Capital Defense Command alone. However, after the war, there would be few colleagues who would celebrate his victory. It would be a victory of sacrifice. But the biggest reason was the advice Kim sent to himself in a dream. ''So use him.'' Use Oh Se-bum. Kim was not emotionally drunk and did not ignore the advice he had received in return for his own death. Above all, killing Oh would not be the end of the problem. Oh could not have done all on with his own. He was just a tool. He was not a loyal tool, just a useful one. If he shook Oh, they would be shaken. "Then let''s move on, Jang Sung-hoon!""Yes, boss.""We''re moving.""You''re coming! I''ve been waiting!" So Kim waited so that Oh''s trembling, which had just started, would spread even further. 7.The Bank of Korea.It was a special place in many ways, needed to manage the monetary policy of the Republic of Korea. The building was the first sign. In the city center, full of monotonous buildings, the Bank of Korea''s building was elegant and old-fashioned, like the only swan on the lake. It was also the most symbolic safe in Korea. Since it was always a place to keep nine billion dollars worth of money for monetary policy at all times, what more explanation would be needed? And now it was a place to store the relics of Seoul, and it had become the most important place of the Capital Defense Command, instead of the nine billion dollars worth of money that had become pieces of toilet paper if not burned for tinder. " I''ll be right back, boss." Jang Sung-hoon went into the safe. "I''ll pick something good." It was a compromise. Kim agreed to receive three national treasures from the Capital Defense Command. It was natural to decide what to receive, but Kim wanted to choose what he wanted to receive after seeing them. Not all national treasures were relics. And even if it was not a national treasure, there might have been a much more valuable relic that was not designated as a national treasure. Furthermore, the Capital Defense Command could give him a fake. In fact, there were fakes in museums, including the National Museum of Korea. For example, in the case of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, which Kim had acquired, a replica modeled after it was displayed at the National Museum of Korea. There was no sure way to be sure other than to see and choose it, because there was no right way to deal with the words after they gave it to him and said that he did not have the ability to use it. On the other hand, the Capital Defense Command did not want to put the ridiculous monster Kim Tae-hoon in a place filled with relics. Kim agreed. What if he went into the safe alone, and they closed it? Could Jang, who was waiting outside, save Kim in such a situation? "Aha, I''m finally going to open the safe of the Bank of Korea and a nine billion dollar piggy-bank!" The compromise that came out was that Jang would pick them inside the safe. That was one of the reasons why Jang followed Kim. For Kim, this trip to Seoul was not just a trip to Seoul, but a journey to get the price of the blood of those who had died. It was natural to be ready for myriad scenarios. So Jang went into the safe with a watchdog, and Kim immediately spoke to his watchdog, Major Oh. "So, what''s the answer?" Kim asked Major Oh, who was deployed to monitor him, the question he had not heard the answer to at Namsan Tower. Major Oh stared at him instead of answering Kim''s question. During the thirty minutes from Namsan Tower to the Bank of Korea, Oh''s mind had been full of chaos. He had been thinking about it over and over again. ''Damn it.'' But the answer did not come out. It was not a matter for the correct answer in the first place. There was only one thing, Oh''s choice. In the end, he chose. "What do you want?" He chose to be faithful to his own interests. "You''re doing this because you want something from me." If Kim was just going to screw Oh, he did not have to do it like this. That was Oh''s thought, and because of that, Oh decided to deal with Kim. "Do you admit it''s your third meeting?" "Shit, I don''t care about that. Tell me what you want." In addition, the choice was the least damaging choice for Oh. The grounds were simple. ''I will die if I am an enemy to this monster.'' Oh was very scared of Kim. Kim was not discouraged even in front of Lt. Gen. Lee Hyuk, but rather, he was provoked and acted bravely. To deal with such a monster was simply to deal with the Gamecock that drove Bucheon into a nightmare. It was a thing that would be hard for him to do. Above all, Kim was not just a strong man. He was an assassin who had lived through strong violence. To be his target was actually a death sentence, and Oh wanted to avoid such a situation. ''I just followed orders. There is no reason for me to pay my own blood.'' In other words, he intended to blame others for what had happened in Bucheon, if necessary. "One thing I want to know. What method on earth did you use?" "What?" "I''m just curious about the way that the blue-grade monster was attracted." At Kim''s request, Oh''s left eyebrow soared to the sky. He did not easily understand Kim''s request. ''Is that all?'' "If I asked you to betray the Capital Defense Command and be my dog, you wouldn''t be a dog, right?" "That''s true, but¡­" Soon after Oh understood Kim''s demands, he began to worry again. To be honest, Kim''s current demand was a far cry. ''Is this really all?'' It was a much weaker demand than he thought. At least it did not mean that there would be a big change in Oh''s identity right now, though he admitted Kim''s demand. Kim Tae-hoon took an SD card out of his pocket for Oh, who began to worry about it. "This is an SD card containing the original video footage of you leaving the building after killing your two fellows. If you give me an answer, I''ll just hand it over here." "¡­ You might have copied it¡­" "Do I have to convince you for that part?" "¡­ Jade Dragon Pattern Rhyton." At that moment, Oh showed the inside of his vest with the word. Inside, there was a horn-shaped cup carved out of white jade. Kim''s eyes turned black.====== [Jade Dragon Pattern Rhyton]- Relic Grade: Grade 2- Relic Value: Rare- Relic Effect: Injecting Mana produces the Water of Jade Dragon. If you drink it, you can gain strong resistance to fear and Health that you don''t get tired of. However, there are side effects after use.===== Jade Dragon Pattern Rhyton.The item had a buff effect in terms of games. "With this relic, you can temporarily resist fear. And one more thing." At the same time, this item had one more hidden ability. "When you drink this, you become similar to monsters. Should I say that the fear of the monsters comes out of your body?" As soon as they drink the Water of Jade Dragon, energy like a monster''s fear flows out from their entire body. Of course, weak monsters run away from the fear. ''¡­ if the Gamecock saw the strength, it would have been mad rather than avoiding it.'' It would have been a clear provocation for monsters like the Gamecock. ''It''s painting a target.'' Oh used the Jade Dragon Pattern Rhyton to lure the Gamecock. More specifically, Awakeners were placed from Sejong City to Bucheon City, and they drank the Water of Jade Dragon in order. It was similar to Hansel and Gretel. In Hansel and Gretel, if a slice of bread played a role, he used the Rhyton instead of a piece of bread so that the Gamecock would naturally reach Bucheon City after chasing the Awakeners who drank the Water of Jade Dragon. "Is this enough as an answer? Huh?" At Oh''s question, Kim handed him the SD card he had in his hand instead. Oh no longer spoke nonsense the moment he received it. The silence between the two continued until a man appeared outside the brightly opened door of the safe of the Bank of Korea. "Boss!" Jang exclaimed. 8.When Jang came out of the safe, there were three objects in his hands.The Horse Figure Type Earthenware attracted Kim''s attention. =====[Horse Figure Type Earthenware ¨C Servant Statue]- Relic Grade: Grade 2- Relic Value: Special- Relic Effect: Injecting Mana animates the mounted doll. The amount of Mana injected determines the amount of time you can animate it.====== It was a statue of a servant who served the master statue Kim already had. "Now we have only Rhyton left." In addition, there was another national treasure similar to this one, [Horse Figure Type Earthenware ¨C Rhyton] Of course, it was similar, but its history was completely different. The next thing that caught his eye was a gold earring. The gold earring was not an ordinary thing to look at for Kim, an outsider to art. "It was the first item I chose. It''s not a relic, but it''s a must-have." It was shining in gold color and the craftsmanship was great. Not only did the body have turtle shells, but dozens of tiny leaf-shaped things on the bottom of it were so exquisite and beautiful that they could hardly be made by human hands. "It''s the Couple-Burial-Mound Gold Earrings." ====[Couple-Burial-Mound Gold Earrings]- Relic Grade: Grade 2- Relic Value: Special- Relic Effect: It cleanses the mind of the wearer and strengthens concentration.====== "It''s an effect that transcends relics." The Couple-Burial-Mound Gold Earrings of Gyeongju was the national treasure No. 90, and had beauty and sophistication considered the best of Silla''s metal craftsmanship. The last item was Hahoetal. "Hahoetal¡­?" "It''s not a Hahoetal that is sold as souvenirs at chicken restaurants. It is the oldest Hahoetal in Korea. national treasure No. 121! It''s a thousand-year-old item made in the 11th century!" Of course, it wasn''t just a Hahoetal.======= [Andong Hahoetal]- Relic Grade: Grade 2- Relic Value: Rare- Relic Effect: You get [Possessed by a Spirit] when you wear the mask. The moment you wear it, all your capabilities increase greatly. However, as soon as it ends, you temporarily lose all your strength. ======As Jang explained, it was the oldest existing Hahoetal among the Hahoe masks, which had endured for nearly a thousand years. "Note that there were two types of masks, Byeongsantal and Hahoetal. But after I thought about them I brought the Yangbantal, one of the Hahoetal." "Why did you choose the Hahoetal?" "I just thought you would be really strong if you wore the Hahoetal. Who knows? Will this be the boss''s trademark?" Jang''s explanation stopped there. "Now, it''s boss''s turn." This time, Kim began to explain a relic to Jang who had finished explaining. The relic was none other than Jade Dragon Pattern Rhyton which Oh showed him a little while ago. When Jang heard the name and characteristics of the relic, he said in a low voice, "There is only one place in East Asia where there is likely to be such a level of objects, especially relics made with that level of jade." Jang said in a low voice that only Kim could hear, "It''s the National Palace Museum in Taiwan."

 82 Episode 82 - A+, Part I

    Chapter 29. A+, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.The quality and number of relics were proportional to the length of a country''s history. In that sense, China was the birthplace of one of the world''s most famous relic grounds. It was true. Starting with the Yellow River civilization, one of the beginnings of civilization, the relics left through the long history of China were so great that their quality and quantity could not easily be compared with any other country. "It was until the government of Kuomintang moved to Taiwan, as their defeat intensified in the Chinese Civil War." However, in the midst of historical turmoil, China was divided into two countries, and relics could not avoid their fate. "At that time, the number of relics carried by the government of Kuomintang from China to Taiwan was about 600,000. It wasn''t just 600,000 pieces, but only 600,000 relics were selected and picked by the imperial family of the Qing Dynasty. They moved them all to Taiwan." When China fought a war, they divided into the Communist Party and the Kuomintang. The Kuomintang, which was pushed out by the Communist Party, moved to Taiwan. In the process, the Kuomintang also moved the heritage of Chinese history to Taiwan. "Even they had deceived the U.S. that they would carry civilians to Taiwan, but they transported the relics. Because of that, there were a lot of people killed. They carried the relics instead of the lives of people, and the criticism was huge. Later, because of the Cultural Revolution of the Communist Party of China, the remaining relics in the mainland were completely destroyed. Thanks to the People''s Party, the Kuomintang, they protected the relics of China. It''s ironic." On the way back to Bucheon, Jang, who was teaching history in the street, paused and looked at Kim. "Boss?" Kim didn''t look like he was listening to him. It seemed that he was thinking of something else. "Boss?" It was only after Jang called him again that Kim responded. Kim Tae-hoon turned to look at Jang. "Did you hear my explanation?""I heard it." "Can I give you a quiz? Did you really hear that? "I''ll take History education later." "You didn''t listen to me. Boss, did you study bad when you were in school?" Instead of answering, Kim looked at Jang quietly. Jang smiled awkwardly. "It''s a joke. What the hell are you thinking about?" Kim gave an answer to the question. "If I were in Taiwan now, and if I were an ambitious person, what would I have planned?" In the response, Jang wiped the playfulness from his face. "So what kind of picture was drawn?" "Control Tower." "Yes?" "A huge number of relics, geographical location in the middle of China, Korea, and Japan as well as the geographical advantage of not having to worry about monster raids through land routes. If they have the ability to make contact outside of Taiwan, then there would be no better conditions to be a control tower." "Oh¡­ I''m sure it is, but I suppose it''s hard to make a living because they are so isolated." "Taiwan`s food self-sufficiency rate is about 30 percent. There will be people dying of hunger, but there is plenty of room to hold on. Even if it''s winter in Taiwan, the temperature won''t drop below zero." "But it''s a country where people freeze to death when it snows. They must have spent the winter really warm. I envy them. It was hell for me to wake up in the morning during the winter¡­" "More than anything, they call themselves China." Jang smiled at this part. He could help not knowing the relationship between Taiwan and China. Naturally, he knew how ridiculous it was to claim that Taiwan was China. "Even though they claim that¡­" But the laughing did not last long. Jang''s expression had hardened. Now he could understand it. "Taiwan is a country that reveals its hostility to China, and they claim that Taiwan is China. So far, there has not been a big accident because it was just at the level of words, but not from now on." "¡­ it''s troublesome." If Taiwan had any national power or conditions to threaten China, Taiwan''s claim would not have remained a mere assertion. It would lead to a great war that would affect all of Asia. "The headquarter of the Six Snakes is Taiwan. They are now drawing a board to gain supremacy." This was why Kim had to think over his return to Bucheon. The Six Snakes.Now he could guess the starting point of the group that drove one Kim to his death. Jang sighed deeply when he heard the conclusion. "Wow, Taiwan? ¡­ we can''t go there by airplane¡­ this is even more troublesome. Are you sure the headquarter of the Six Snakes is Taiwan?" Although Jang suspected that its headquarter would be outside the country, it was a totally different story from hoping and feeling real. However, Kim made a good face instead. "If we know the location of the control tower, it won''t be complicated if we''re sick." "Yes?" "I''ll attack them first." Kim knew well. ''The difficulty in war is not when the enemy is strong, but when the enemy is opaque. This was why it was difficult to deal with terrorists, anarchists, and an anti-government group, and why the U.S., with power beyond any other group in the world, did not win the war against them.'' ''On the other hand, when an enemy becomes clear, no matter how great the enemy is, he could find a way.'' In addition, it was something Kim had done during all his life: finding the weak point of a strong enemy and taking only the necessary lives. "All we have to do is identify the enemy more clearly, and then kill the one who needs to be killed." "The Capital Defense Command is now more problematic than that." Of course, at this moment, Kim did not miss the problem he was facing. The immediate issue was not Taiwan, but the Capital Defense Command. Kim has already fought with the Capital Defense Command. It didn''t just lead to bloodshed, but a bloody war of nerves that was enough to hurt feelings. "You scratched very well. That''s why I have a question. Why would they ask the boss to kill a monster? Even it''s a green-grade monster¡­ with the power of the Capital Defense Command, they can kill the monster when it gets close." Jang also did not ignore the fact. Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk requested that Kim kill the head of the Goblins, the green-grade monster in Cheonggye Mountain, and they would pay for it. The request was not a lie. Jang had already known through Daedongyeojido that there was a green-grade monster there. The problem was Lee Hyuk''s intentions. "For the Capital Defense Command, the monster stone is the most urgent one." At present, it was the monster stones that were urgent for the Capital Defense Command. They could take relics from Kim, but he could not spit out the monster stones he''d already eaten. In that situation, they were asking Kim to kill the green-grade monster? It was like giving up their game to Kim. It was not free, but they would pay for it. "They want to know what I''m capable of." In that respect, Kim summed up the situation simply. "They want to know your ability?" It was not difficult to determine what Lee Hyuk intended. "The next game will depend on whether a hunting dog can kill a wild boar or a tiger. That''s the personality of Lee Hyuk." "What kind of person is Lee Hyuk?" "He was the only one who would have been promoted to four stars." Jang Sung-hoon clicked his tongue briefly. "So he must be angry now, right? If he had stayed still, he could have become a four-star general, but his chance flew away because of the monsters¡­" In Jann''s understanding, Lee Hyuk''s life was all rosy, but it was shattered by the appearance of the monsters. "Huh, it''s disgusting." Jang himself would not have been able to withstand such a situation easily. "Lee Hyuk wouldn''t be able to get there now if he had had that attitude." But Kim was different. As he said before, he knew what Lee Hyuk was like. "Four stars, he has done everything to get there. For him, the seat of the Capital Defense Command would have been dull." "Dull?" "A hunting dog can never be a pet." Lee Hyuk had fought all his life and had always won the fight. That was when he lived as a soldier. Would Lee Hyuk, who had lived such a life, be able to adapt and accept peace easily? The guy who proved his worth through a fierce war? "It would have been an opportunity for him when monsters appeared." For him, the emergence of monsters, the collapse of the nation, and the end of the world must have felt a historic opportunity. "It''s a great opportunity to leave his name in history books. To put it another way, he is now in a state of wild ambition beyond all control." "So he is being exploited." "Yes." The Six Snakes were taking advantage of Lee Hyuk''s ambition. ''The more ambitious the fire grows, the blinder the person is.'' More importantly, the Six Snakes were taking out what they hoped to gain beneath the eyes of Lee Hyuk, who wanted to build a historical achievement, not just personal benefits. "Then we should use his ambition, too." "So, did you make a plan for the future?" "I am the only one who carries out the liquidation of Cheonggye Mountain." It was a sudden notice. However, Jang was not surprised by the notification. "You''d be bait, that''s it." Now, Jang could figure out Kim''s intention without trying to understand. "So what do we do while the boss is playing a gorgeous bait?" If Kim made a solo strike at Cheonggye Mountain, all the attention of the Capital Defense Command would inevitably be focused on it. Of course, they would not be able to make any rash moves in Bucheon and Incheon, which were considered the headquarters of the Mac Guild. "We need to make the area that the Gamecock occupied our territory." Kim was planning to expand the Mac Guild''s territory as their attention was elsewhere. "Now is the time to occupy Chungcheong Province. This makes me feel like I''m playing a game in Romance of the Three Kingdoms." The target was Sejong City and the surrounding areas, and Chungcheong Province, which had been occupied by the Gamecock. It was also very important. The Chungcheong province would not only be an important route to the Jeolla region but also to the Gyeongsang Province, as well as the most important food supply in the survival battle that would take place from now on. He was not talking about only farming. Fruit trees, of apples and peaches, were valuable resources at this point. Fruit trees never grow overnight. There was another one. "If we occupy Chungcheong region, we can obtain oil reserves in Seosan and Pyeongtaek." The cities of Pyeongtaek and Seosan, located near the border between Chungcheong Province and Gyeonggi Province, were the base for oil reserves in Korea. ''Seosan, in particular, is a base for crude oil.'' Eleven million barrels of oil were stored in Seosan. War required human blood, gunpowder, and oil to be fought. The oil reserve was more important than anything else. When Kim finished thinking, he looked at his right hand with black Eyes.====== [Basic Abilities]- Strength: 561- Health: 502 [Special Abilities]- Energy: B Rank- Mana: B+ Rank- Telekinesis: A Rank- Defense: B+ Rank- Mana Resistance: B Rank [Achieved Abilities]- Anger Soaring (Grade 3): The power of the Gamecock. It consumes all your Energy and causes a huge explosion around you.====== After confirming his ability, he clenched his fist. ''If you want to see what I can do, I''ll definitely show you.'' 2.Cheonggye Mountain¡­ It was the southernmost mountain surrounding Seoul, not small, but insufficient to call grand. It was a mountain one could feel a sense of loyalty from time to time, as it kept its seat like a gatekeeper, blocking those who wanted to cross Seoul. However, at this moment, in the summer of 2017, one could not find any loyalty to protect Seoul in Cheonggye Mountain. Kiii, Kiii! Kiii! Goblins filled Cheonggye Mountain instead of loyalty. It was like a Goblin zoo. There were all kinds of Goblins, and there were countless numbers of them. Among them was a monster whose presence was incomparable to that of other Goblins. Kir! Kirr! Rather than a Goblin, it looked like a troll, huge in size and white skinned. Around the Goblin, whose green eyes shone, there were all kinds of skulls of animals, monsters, and human beings piled up like mountains. It was a history of predation. It was also clear evidence that the white skin Goblin had reigned as the owner of this Cheonggye Mountain for a long time. Snap! Some people took pictures with long-lens DSLR cameras that reminded one of a cannon far away. The number was not one or two, either. "They''re within range.""We can capture this side in range." The number was about forty. It was not a rare sight in Cheonggye Mountain, because there used to be a lot of people who came to take pictures of Cheonggye Mountain with professional cameras, often as part of a photo club. But those who were holding the cameras were not of that kind. "Okay." They were all wearing uniforms. It was not just military uniforms, but black uniforms. At the same time, everyone had a round mark on the back of their right hand. "Everyone, stand by." They were the special forces that Lieutenant Colonel Yoo led. The reason why they brought expensive cameras here to Cheonggye Mountain, which had become a kingdom of Goblins, was simple. "We''re ready." They came here to take pictures of one man''s abilities. That man was, of course, Kim Tae-hoon. He told the Capital Defense Command, "I will clean up the Goblins of Cheonggye Mountain, so be sure to watch." "You''ve managed to let this happen, I thought you''d be interrupting the photographing." It was unexpected. The Capital Defense Command predicted that Kim would do a lot of work to hide his abilities. When Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was assigned the mission of recording Kim''s abilities, he wanted to grab his hair and tear it off at first. However, Kim allowed the filming to be done in a public way. "Is it for me?""Think of it as a good thing." Of course, it was not for Colonel Yoo. "How do you think you''re going to fight?" Kim Tae-hoon was just going to show them clearly: his abilities, and the ability gained after taking the crystal of the Gamecock. "Isn''t there one thing you want to see anyway? I''ll show you the new abilities I have." He was going to imprint his presence on all of the people of the Capital Defense Command, including Lee Hyuk.At that moment, he began to fly.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Readers, due to technical issues, chapters 41, 42, 45,and 47 were not showing, even though they had been posted. We invite you to go back and read them now that they are showing. A special thanks to synthar and Pfeffalofficus for bringing this to our attention.11-18-2018.From Kahn."

 83 Episode 83 - A+, Part II

    Chapter 29. A+, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 3.Jingle! A fine jingle that they had never heard before appeared in Mount Cheonggye, which was filled with the cries of the Goblins. Ki-yi? To the innumerable sounds, the Goblins showed curiosity before hostility. Kiii, Kiii! Curiosity drove the Goblins. There was no hesitation or caution. It was because Mount Cheonggye was as good as heaven for Goblins. There were a large number of Goblins, definitely over a thousand, and the White Goblin, a ghastly green-eyed monster, reigned as the king of the Goblins. There was no reason for Goblins to be wary in a land where only Goblins could survive. Kiii! Then the Goblins began to gather in the direction of the sound. It was a man who welcomed such Goblins. He wore a thick protective coat, a knife-case on his back, a large bag on top of it, and he wore a pair of gold earrings on his left hand that did not match his appearance. Jingle! The sound that had brought the Goblins'' curiosity was the sound of the earrings on his wrists. Kiii! Of course, the moment they found the man, the Goblins were longer curious. Kieee! Immediately, they expressed hostility with the screaming, and some acted before expressing hostility. Pabat, Paat! A dozen Goblins began to rush toward the man like wild boars.They were not hesitant at all. This was a heaven for the Goblins, or hell for any other beings except Goblins. Everything else that appeared to the Goblins was just prey. Furthermore, there was a reason for the Cheonggye Mountain Goblins to have such confidence. There were many Goblins here: not only the Goblins with very powerful combat power but also the Goblins with mysterious magic! Kirururu! Most Goblins was very weak but the Hobgoblins made them strong warriors. Kiii! The eyes of the Goblins who ran ahead at the magical crying of the orange eyes Goblins that had been heard somewhere began to flutter. Krrr! They looked drugged. Furthermore, the disturbance that started like this spread around. It moved all the Goblins of Cheonggye Mountain. Kukuku! The ground was shaking, and the trees began to tremble. It was like a mountain crying. Kim Tae-hoon, the man facing the waves of the Goblins, blackened his eyes. Jingle! His wrist, which was as black as his eyes, made a clear sound and dug into his ears. The pure tone that dug into his ears made his mind clear. It was not negative, but the opposite. ''Everything is clear.'' It was a pure white paper which could accept anything. He felt like he had been drawing TK pictures on a dirty board and received a white drawing paper for the first time. He felt like everything he drew would be clearer than anything else. The scenery Kim Tae-hoon saw was also so clear it couldn''t be any clearer. It was like coming out of the light after the darkness. So he was worried at this moment. What should I draw in this scene?Should I use arrows to make small holes in this broad space?Or should I use the Sword to make headless bodies and scatter them? Kieee! The worry continued until one Goblin was close enough to bite him, and he could smell its rotten breath. Jingle! At that moment, the gold earrings on his wrist made a sound. But it was no longer a clear sound. Kwa-reung! It was a sign of the appearance of a thunderbolt. 4.Lee Jae-seok.As an Awakener, he had survived since the advent of monsters. It was not easy, but in return for his survival, he was able to gain superhuman power. He ate the monster stones, and his ability was steadily strengthened. From a certain moment, it was possible to gain power that could not be compared to an average man, and even those who were called professionals among the public. He had felt strange emotions at that fact. The joy of being chosen, the sense of superiority that ordinary people could not rival him, and a sense of relief in a world where living without power had become a pain. ''Oh, my God.'' But at this moment, the scenery seen through the expensive camera lenses broke down Lee''s feelings. Kwa-reung! "What, what?""Crazy!" It was a powerful explosion. A ring of flames was created around Kim Tae-hoon''s body, and the ring quickly spread out with an explosion. Kwa-kwa-kwa! Exposure to the explosion had become a terrible thing. The trees with shallow roots were pulled out, and the deep-rooted trees were broken. The weak Goblins'' bodies were crushed and hurled away. ''What the hell was that¡­''''Is it true what I''m seeing right now, not a movie?'' Everything for a hundred meters around him was a charred ruin. But even more intense was the horror that swept through everything after with the explosion. Anger.It was anger. Expressing this anger was not different from expressing hostility and murder to the other party. The explosion caused by Kim was deeply mixed with the anger. And it was not just anger. When a tiger expressed anger toward a rat herd, the rats were bound to be frightened. Here in Cheonggye Mountain, Goblins were rats, and Kim, who had expressed his anger, was a tiger. The Awakeners of the Capital Defense Command, who watched the scene from a safe distance, were big rats. There was no one who could stay calm in front of Kim''s fear. The sound of men swallowing was over the place. Those who ended up just swallowing were the strong Awakeners. The bodies of those with low Energy rank were now shaking badly, as if they were naked during a past winter''s night. Snap, snap, snap! During the trembling, the camera shutters blinked, the sounds of some of their trembling fingers pounding the camera shutter button. The sound of the camera shutter sounded like a scream that the tongue, which had been frozen in fear, could not voice. The only thing in this situation that could answer this anger without fear, was anger. Kh-uh-uh-uh! Only the owner of Cheonggye Mountain, the White Goblin with green eyes, was willing to punish the one who dared to spit fear in its realm! 5.[Anger Soaring]. The power of the Gamecock caused an intense explosion and gave Kim enough satisfaction. The ability was also powerful, but the true significance of Anger Soaring was that he could conditionally use the fear. Monsters were able to exert overwhelming violence against humanity because of the influence of fear. Even if they held a powerful weapon, they became helpless when they were exposed to the fear. It was the same with the monsters. In front of him, who was able to use the fear, the monsters were also defenseless. Of course, the price was not small. ''It''s very Energy-consuming.''In return, Anger Soaring demanded all of his Energy. Energy consumption could not be controlled. It was also a risk to consider when using the Anger Soaring. When Energy was consumed, physical ability, as well as resistance to fear, were reduced. It made the enemy defenseless, but he was defenseless, too. His trump for that part was the Gilt-bronze Avalokitesvara BodhisattvaStatue.The relic from Buyeo showed its ability in the bag that he was carrying. His Energy, which had been empty, was restored quickly. Kh-uh-uh-uh! At that moment, the cry of Albino Goblin knocked on his eardrum. It started at a long distance, but it was not a long distance to his hearing, and his spine stood up to the sound of Cheonggye Mountain echoing the cry. The Energy that started to gain weight again wriggled and protected its owner from the fear. ''I can hold against the fear of the green-grade monster.''However, although his reduced Energy did not completely protect him from the fear of the Albino Goblin, it was not enough that he could not demonstrate his ability. Moreover, the gold earrings hanging on his wrist sharpened his concentration and mental strength. Thanks to them, at this moment, even though he was about to battle the green-grade monster, he was able to assess the battlefield coolly. ''I''ll hide the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje.'' Once he tried to hide its existence. He used it in battle with the Gamecock, and the report was passed on to the Capital Defense Command through Oh Se-bum. But they only knew that he was playing with golden smoke animals. Moreover, it was not Lee Hyuk who knew the fact, but the Six Snakes, who wanted to take the power of the Capital Defense Command. In such a situation, it was not necessary to show the existence of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje. It was a different kind of thing to show a strong hand and show all your cards. ''I will also exclude the Horse Figure Type Earthenware.'' The Horse Figure Type Earthenware - Servant Statue was new, so it was not unreasonable to use it, but the story was different if it was the Master Statue. The Horse Figure Type Earthenware was originally owned by the Capital Defense Command, but it was lost in the Incheon entry operation to rescue Kate Kennedy. It was not strange that he found it in Incheon and used it, but it was not good for the Capital Defense Command. Was there a single human being who liked to see things lost from the original owner''s hands being used in the hands of others? And the best relics he had were, of course, a Sword and an Arrow. Ts-reung! The Sword of the Imperator sheathed behind him hummed, waiting and willing to appear. ''Hmm?'' Whoo-woong! At that moment, a stone of the size of a person''s body came flying by itself from behind him. Chop! The Sword of the Imperator immediately cut the stone flying toward its owner in half. The two stones crossed to either side of him. Thump! Thump! The sound of two stones hitting the ground stimulated his sensitive hearing. At that fact, he glared at Albino Goblin coming from his front. In the meantime, once again, stones started to fly to him, this time several of them. ''It is using Telekinesis'', he thought. The ability Albino Goblin had was Telekinesis. After he realized the fact, he stopped thinking because he no longer needed to think about ways to hunt it. He now began to run toward it with his arms black. 6.Kwa-reung! When Anger Soaring shook Cheonggye Mountain, there were those who watched the scene from far away. "Wow, that''s not a joke." Two men were twin brothers, apparently of the same appearance. "I can''t believe there is such a human being. How many monster stones do we have to eat to be that monster?" But their temperament looked different. "That''s awesome. Can I stop him? Huh? Thirty-seconds would be great. I have to deliver a letter to him and is there a chance for me? Damn it, I''ve come to Seoul after a long time, but I am going to risk my life delivering a letter, rather than taking a cup of coffee on the boulevard. I did not have to come here. I think cleaning the Military Demarcation Line would be safer than here, right?" One was constantly talking, and the other, who was far away with a camera in his hand, was silently filming Kim. "Shut up." The man who had been silent then spoke for the first time. "What?" "Is that what you''re saying?" "There''s no reason not to tell you. Shut up. Is that what you''re saying?" "You''re my brother, and I think you stopped at the level of shut up." It was the conversation of brothers that could not be seen anywhere else. "Look at this? Are you trying to get impudent?" "Shut up a little bit." And as with the brothers'' fights, the two began to raise the level of the struggle. Kh-uh-uh-uh! It was Albino Goblin''s grudge that stopped the fight between them. The two of them were silent at the shouting and focused on the battle of monster and monster that would begin now. On the left arms of the uniforms they were wearing, there was a mark with two circles attached like a snowman. It was the mark of the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division, the Ottuki Unit.

 84 Episode 84 - A+, Part III

    Chapter 29. A+, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 7.Running through the mountainside, Kim Tae-hoon showed no hesitation. He completely avoided all the obstacles blocking his way, sometimes using them as stepping stones to run, and narrowed the distance to the Albino Goblin at once. Keu-ung! The Albino Goblin didn''t mind Kim''s approach. It was willing to welcome his approach with a shriek. Each minute the distance between the two quickly narrowed, and when the distance was about ten meters, Kim leaped. Paat! Kim''s right arm was black as he jumped, and at the end spot of his movement was the huge head of the four-meter tall Albino Goblin. It was blatant. So blatant that everyone watching the scene knew that Kim''s aim was not anywhere else but the head of the Albino Goblin. The Albino Goblin, who was directly involved in the battle, was also aware of the fact. Keu-ung! Of course, Albino Goblin counterattacked. It also punched at Kim. The fist of the Albino Goblin flew toward where Kim would be with all its might. Boom! But it punched only the air. Keu-ung? What caught the eyes of Albino Goblin emitting the questioning sound was the image of Kim, who had stopped still in the air. It was a temporary pause caused by Telekinesis! Kim''s body, which stopped just like that, moved again after Albino Goblin swept its all-powerful punch through the air. His body flew once again to the head of Albino Goblin like a baseball hit by a bat. Whack! The black fist stuck into Albino Goblin''s face. Kim''s fist was enough to shatter the sharp horn-like nose of the Albino Goblin, such that its face was completely crushed. Its nose was driven back into its face. It was hard to believe, but it was a natural result for Kim. He had more than 500 stat points in Strength. Even if there were other Awakeners in the world who had higher stat points in Strength than Kim, the number would not exceed five. In addition, his Energy rank was B+! No matter how much energy he had consumed in the Anger Soaring, the basic output was different. If talking about cars, the basic horsepower was different. Added to this, was the Herculean Strength of Twin-head Ogre, the achieved power, which he had acquired after eating the monster stone of the Twin-head Ogre. It was a great thing that its face was just crushed. Koo-oong! Albino Goblin stumbled backward after such a powerful attack. Krrr! But Albino Goblin, instead of a scream of terrified prey, threw out a cry full of anger. With that cry, it regained its balance, which had been about to collapse, after only a few backward steps. Kh-uh-uh-uh! The Albino Goblin was back upright and threw out a shriek. It was the appearance of a real monster. Kim ran towards the screaming Albino Goblin. The Albino Goblin confirmed he was approaching, and first narrowed its distance to Kim, who was running on the ground this time. It was going to attack rather than wait! Bang bang! The huge Albino Goblin''s right fist struck like a lightning bolt toward Kim on the ground. Boom! The ground cried out after the Albino Goblin''s fist hit. However, that was all. Kim was safe. No, he was not just safe. He stood next to Albino Goblin''s fist and stretched his left hand out toward the face of the Albino Goblin. This time it wasn''t a punch. He sprayed instead of punching it, and the spray was pouring out black, sticky stuff, covering its crushed face in the black liquid. Chi-i-ik! A natural shriek came from the mouth of the Albino Goblin. Boom! Boom! Bang, bang! At the same time, Albino Goblin was going mad. It swung its arms around unceasingly and slammed its feet on the ground. Its pain-filled indiscriminate struggle began. Along with the struggle, the stones and trees around the Albino Goblin were fluttering. It was evident that its Telekinesis was being freely exercised in its anger. It was a typhoon-like struggle, and Kim increased the distance from the typhoon. Thud, Thud! As he increased the distance, he threw two grenades on the ground. Ping, Ping! The fallen grenades stopped for a moment on the ground and then threw out their pins themselves. The grenades with the safety pins pulled up like fleas and settled on both shoulders of the Albino Goblin. A moment later, the roar of the grenades shook the mountain. ''It''s over.'' At the moment he heard the sound, Kim no longer thought of fighting hard against the Albino Goblin. It was because there was no more reason to fight hard. ''It can''t use its Telekinesis anymore.'' The Albino Goblin would not be able to use its Telekinesis from now on. That was his goal from the start: making the Albino Goblin''s Telekinesis useless! ''For Telekinesis, the five senses and concentration of the user are more important than anything else. In other words, Telekinesis cannot use its power in situations where the five senses cannot do their job and concentration cannot be exercised.'' Kim knew that fact better than anyone else. So, he attacked Albino Goblin''s five senses in turn. He sprayed its eyes and nose, and the grenades made its hearing useless. For the Albino Goblin, who could not see, could not smell, and could not hear, its Telekinesis was no longer a weapon. Of course, it might be possible if the Albino Goblin concentrated. In the old days, Kim had moved the Sword of the Imperator using his Telekinesis inside the body of the Black Snake, when all five senses had been blocked. However, the problem was that Kim did not intend to give Albino Goblin time to concentrate. Whizz! The Arrow of Sun-sin showed up from its sheath. Swish! At the same time, the Sword of the Imperator, which had not yet been seen, also appeared. Not a fierce battle, but a one-sided killing began. 8.The battle between the Albino Goblin and Kim was not short. It took about 15 minutes. It was a battle that did not suit Kim''s character. He was not a person who played a game, and he did not welcome or enjoy the long battle. Nevertheless, the reason why the battle was longer was that he wanted to measure his own abilities. Until now, Kim had no chance to check his abilities. His battle had been one of the two: like nothing, or intense. Monsters under the orange grade were as nothing to Kim, while other monsters demanded the intensity of risking his life. And it was likely to be the same in the future. In such a situation, the green-grade monster, the Albino Goblin, who lacked physical ability compared to the Twin-head Ogre, was a good subject to check his abilities. Of course, there were other intentions. Kim wanted to show his abilities to the people who saw him. He tried to show his power, not a hunting dog that could be tamed with the little ability they had, and what kind of determination and preparation should be made if they wanted to make him an enemy. When it was all over, Kim earned the price of his hunting success. With the Sword of the Imperator, he broke open the body of the Albino Goblin stained with blood and took the monster stone from its heart.==[The Crystal of the Albino Goblin]- Proficiency in Telekinesis is greatly increased.- You can acquire the power of the Albino Goblin [The Telekinesis of a Mutant].== ''I think this is the first time I''ve got a monster stone related to Telekinesis.'' Soon after, Kim put the monster stone from the Albino Goblin in his mouth. Gulp! Then, he carefully checked the back of his right hand after taking off his glove. At that moment, his eyes became bigger for the first time. ''My rank of Telekinesis became A+.'' 9.Kieee! Kieee! Cheonggye Mountain, a paradise for Goblins, was now a hell of Goblins. The death of the king of Goblins, the Albino Goblin, who had made a heaven for the Goblins so far, had caused confusion. Mt. Cheonggye was in turmoil. It was an irresistible throb, which the power of an individual had nothing to do with. Of course, everyone in Cheonggye Mountain moved to get out of there. "Goddamn it, he is the crazy monster!" The same was true of the twin brothers who visited Cheonggye Mountain. "No matter how many times I think about it, it''s a suicidal act if we deliver the letter to him right now." Ahn Joo-hyung, who was a member of the Ottuki Unit, also wanted to leave Cheonggye Mountain as soon as possible. "What are you going to do, man? Can you go after him now and deliver it? Or do you want to return to the Unit? Hey, Ahn Jae-hyung!" The same was true of his younger brother, Ahn Jae-hyung. "Shut up! I''m thinking about it myself." They originally had a mission to deliver Lim Hyun-joon''s letter to Kim Tae-hoon, the leader of the Mac Guild! "You don''t need to think about it, the moment that crazy monster has a grudge against us, we''re dead!" It was a very important task. The evidence was that none other than Ahn Joo-hyung and Ahn Jae-hyung brothers were put onto this mission. "But we have to do our duty." "Is the mission important? Life is important!" "You know the circumstances of our Unit! I don''t have time." "That''s right. What, then? Let''s play rock-paper-scissors and let the loser deliver it alone." "Stop talking about playing rock-paper-scissors. We need to move together." But at this moment, they were not able to easily carry out their duties, as a man was in front of them now. "Stop what you''re doing." "Huck!" "Huck!" The two brothers were horrified at the appearance of Kim. Being startled with their eyes opening wide, their surprised expressions clearly showed that the two were twin brothers. The expression of the two was identical Kim stared at them. In fact, he had already felt the existence of the two. There was no way he could not feel it. Cheonggye Mountain was a world of the Goblin''s own, and the voices of people in that world were very different. Although it was quite a far distance off, he could not avoid the two brothers'' conversations. Therefore, he had waited for the right time; when the situation was settled, he would track them down. And now he was in front of them. Looking at the two brothers, he checked their left arms with a glance. ''Colonel Lim Hyun-joon sent them.'' The Mark of the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division in khaki, the so-called Ottuki Unit Mark, came into his eyes. As soon as Kim saw the mark, he did not have to make the situation difficult or complicated. "Take out what you have prepared for." There was no reason why the soldiers of the Ottuki Unit that had settled in Gangwon Province and the northern part of Gyeonggi Province would come over the Han River. They came to contact Kim. It was not strange that they appeared, since Lieutenant Colonel Yoo had contacted Colonel Lim Hyun-joon earlier. "This, this is a letter." At the answer of Ahn Joo-hyung, Kim Tae-hoon reached out. Ahn Jae-hyung and Ahn Joo-hyung immediately put their hands into their arms, and after taking out the same letter, they put them in Kim''s hand at the same time. The same letter was doubled, and a natural measure to prepare for the loss that might happen. "Uhhh!" "Uhhh!" Of course, this was not a natural sight for the two brothers who handed over the letter. They looked at each other in surprise. The two of them, with the same expression and the same face, looked at each other as if they were looking in a mirror. Kim Tae-hoon laughed at the funny sight. It was a scene easy to laugh at. But that did not ease his tension. ''They are able men, as they got here without a single injury.'' Unless Colonel Lim Hyun-joon was a fool, he would not have sent a person of little ability to contact Kim. Moreover, a person with little ability could never survive in the world. No matter how good a soldier was, if he was not an Awakener, he could not guarantee his life as soon as he encountered an orange-grade monster. The contact with Kim was important. They should have confidence as well as ability. There was no reason to relax with them in front of him. Receiving two letters like that, he read the letter after opening one of the envelopes. "Well¡­ if you could just give me an answer..." Ahn Joo-hyung carefully said to Kim, who started reading the letter. While reading the letter, Kim''s eyes turned to Ahn Joo-hyung. "It was the Colonel''s request to hear the answer on the spot..." Ahn Joo-hyung spoke his words even under Kim''s gaze. He carried out the mission which had been ordered to in front of the monstrous man, Kim Tae-hoon. He looked like an exemplar of a soldier. "Tell Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, ''If you don''t want to die, come to me.''" Kim was willing to answer the question. After the answer, he tore the letter in his hand apart, put the paper on his palm and blew it. The letter paper was blown into ashes by the flame from Kim''s mouth. 10."Okay." Jang Sung-hoon said to himself and he circled on the map of Korea. It was Daesan Town, Seosan City, South Chungcheong Province. ''We have secured Songdo LNG base and Seosan oil stockpile base, so we will not have to worry about energy for the time being.'' It was one of the oil reserves in Korea. A little while ago, he received the news that the Mac Guild had secured the oil stockpile. So the gaze of Jang headed to the area of Chungcheong Province below it. ''We don''t have to worry about rice for a while.'' In addition, they searched the area of Chungcheong Province and found several warehouses that stored rice. There was also a lot of good news. ''We have secured a lot of proper farmland, so we can start farming in earnest.'' They secured farmland, and they were securing a labor force by collecting new survivors. ''I only need to deal with the remains of the Messiah of Chungcheong Province.'' There was, of course, a problem. The Messiah handled by Kim, the remnants of the Messiah, had employed brutal force throughout the region of Chungcheong Province, and due to them, the entry and activities of the Mac Guild to Chungcheong Province were delayed. However, Jang did not worry much about that part. "The boss, more like a monster than a monster, will take care of it. He is a terrific catcher of the Messiah." The presence of Kim became a lamp that lightened Jang''s troubles. ''Now I have a good-looking picture.'' And now Kim was becoming everyone''s hope. Jang could see the steps rising to hope gradually, not the stairs falling into despair in the damn world where there was no end and no bottom. So, Jang was happy about this moment. "Well¡­" ''At this point, the boss should have finished cleaning Cheonggye Mountain. Let''s check it out.'' With that joy, Jang opened his bag to take out Daedongyeojido. But his expression crumpled at that moment. "Shit, at this time, you certainly throw ashes." Jang, a bitter taste in his mouth, saw the Golden Glass of Napoleon filled with red liquid!

 85 Episode 85 - A Time-limited Life, Part I

    Chapter 31. A Time-limited Life, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.In the empty plain, where only huge stones were gathered, there was a sudden influx of uninvited people. "Boss!" They were noisy, like most uninvited guests. "I''ll definitely secure the Mayan Calendar." At that moment, the stones began to emit turquoise light, high up in the sky! The light really soared to the sky, even to the moon above the sky, and disappeared intensely after a moment. At the same time, the men in the light were gone. A man, now a lonely uninvited visitor, looked at the scene with mixed eyes. "Goddamn it, they''ve already moved!" He could hear a voice, and the voice came far from. "Quick! Go after them! We must reach there before midnight!" The voice came close at a startling pace. When the voice came, the man hid under the shadow of the giant stone, between the darkness and the darkness. Then a new crowd of uninvited guests appeared. There was no sense of unity among the people who appeared. There were various colors, various races, various nationalities, and various cultures. Someone was wearing steel armor that would have been worn in medieval Europe, and someone was wearing armor that would have been worn in Japan during the Sengoku period. The most noticeable of them was the man with the brown skin, dressed in a suit that the ancient Egyptian pharaohs would wear. "Secure Stonehenge!" the man with the brown skin shouted. At the sound, the disparate crowd, who had to be called all different, began to run over the Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire, London. They were men, but there seemed to be nothing rough in their rush, reminiscent of a huge beast. It was a Sword that moved through the darkness to block such a run. Rustling! Everyone who was heading toward Stonehenge stopped at the appearance of the Sword, which left only the sound of the wind, and turned one into a headless corpse at once. It wasn''t because one of them died. "Oh, my God.""No way!""The Dragon Slayer was left!" His presence, and killing that person, stopped everyone from racing. The eyes of the unruly were filled with anxiety and fear. "Is the Dragon Slayer left?" The only man who did not lose his composure in front of the fear was the man in a pharaoh costume. The man shook the golden cane in his hand. A small light came up over the dark night sky, a light that reminded them of the sun. The identity of the man in the shadows of the giant Stonehenge was revealed. He was Kim Tae-hoon. He was carrying two sheaths on his back, and he overwhelmed them in many ways. "I didn''t know you were left." In addition, Kim''s skin, the skin that reminded them of the scales of dragons, gave them a sense of fear beyond the pressure. "... the rumor was true, the rumor that you had been cursed by the dragon." He looked a monster that could no longer be called a person, and it gave them a sense of fear that only such a monster could give. "The rumor is that there''s not much time left before we die." But the man in the Pharaoh''s dress was not afraid of the fear, and he said, his chest straight. "My name is Amoon, the Savior who will save this age." At the words, Kim''s dry face made a slight smile. He smiled slightly at his words. "Messiah?" "Yes." "I like it." At that moment, Kim hit the stone of Stonehenge, a giant stone which was close to him with his black fist. Boom! The giant stone was shattered with the loud noise. "Crazy!" "My God!" The sight frightened the people. It was worth it. Who wouldn''t be surprised to see a historical legacy of mankind, which had endured for thousands of years, now become an irrevocable pile of rubble? The fact was amazing, and the sight of the stone being smashed into pieces at one blow was amazing, too. But the surprise was not the end there. "What?" "Oh, damn!" The broken stones began to float and immediately flew toward people. "Get out of here!" Thump! The world''s most expensive stone-throwing had begun. Amid the stone-throwing, Amoon was angry. "You!" It was none other than the huge golden coffin on his back that reacted to the anger. The Coffin of Pharaoh! It began to react to the fury of the Amoon. A mummy appeared from the open door. The appearance of the mummy changed the air quality around it. Kim''s eyes also changed. His black-skinned pupil began to split in half like the eyes of a dragon. He took out the Hahoetal, which was hung on his waist. 2.When Kim opened his eyes, the first thing he welcomed was the darkness. Inside the room, where there was not a single light on. He watched the darkness for a moment in a daze. After a while, he turned on the light on the desk in front of the chair where he was sitting. The battery-powered lamp began to emit small lights in the dark. "Come in." Jang Sung-hoon came into the tiny lighted room. "How did you die this time?" Kim answered the question quietly. "Mummy." "Yes?" "I died from a mummy." "Mummy? An Egyptian mummy?" Jang, who did not understand exactly and looked surprised, took out the coffee he had prepared and set it on Kim''s desk. Kim immediately drank some coffee. The smell of cold-brewed coffee cooled his mind. "Was there a pharaoh?" The answer did not come out immediately. Kim drank his coffee more slowly, organized things in his mind, and then spoke, "His costume was a pharaoh. His name was Amoon." "Didn''t you just have a silly dream?" "I hope so." Kim then enjoyed the coffee and slowly told him what he saw and heard: starting with the fact that the stage of the battle was Stonehenge in England, the fact of Jang Sung-hoon''s disappearance through the Stonehenge, and the fact that various Awakeners had gathered and he fought with an Egyptian man who claimed to be Amoon. "The Mayan Calendar¡­" In addition, Kim also said that Jang had mentioned the Mayan Calendar before he disappeared through Stonehenge. "Do you know anything about the Mayan calendar?" "There won''t be much difference between what I know and what the boss knows." "Then it''s not a good thing." "At least it won''t say the anniversary date that humans can celebrate. Maybe the date of the End is written in it." Jang trembled at the eerie word ''the End''. They were already facing an end-to-end situation, and the real End was coming? It was something he didn''t want to think about. "Where are the ruins of the Mayan Civilization?" But Kim had to think. He could not pass on the clues he had obtained in exchange for death. "It''s in Mexico." "Are there any other historical sites of the ancient civilization?" "Let''s see... some of them had built the Aztec Civilization in central Mexico after the Mayan Civilization collapsed¡­ the Inca civilization was on the Chilean side. I don''t know the details because I did not major in them. For reference, the Lines and Geoglyphs of Nazca were there. I wonder what it looks like now." Jang Sung-hoon sighed deeply. "What would I do if I told you? All of them must have been taken by the U.S." Kim had coffee at the words, ''the United States''. Jang also began to worry after biting his lips. "There''s nothing left to the boss this time," Jang grumbled in worry. "You have been clear about what you should do before you die, but this time you just left a clue, like when you first died." After recognizing the Golden Glass of Napoleon, Kim had always delivered a message to himself to see before he died. He left a wish list, a bucket list, but this death didn''t. Kim fought against the enemy until his death. He didn''t tell himself what he needed to do or what he did wrong in the process. Of course, he might have talked, but it might not have been delivered. Kim could not fix the moment of death that he had seen by the Golden Glass of Napoleon. Therefore, there was no answer for Jang to give at this moment. This was the reason for the grumbling. "What are you going to do, boss?" "I''ll move on as it is." "If you move on as it is¡­" "The fact that we were in England is clear that we have worked very hard outside of Korea. In other words, we can get there if we go as it is." "I suppose so." "Then, once we have settled down Korea as planned, we will attack Taiwan. Of course, what we need to do right now is to stop the assassination of Colonel Lim Hyun-joon." At the words, Jang nodded. "Well, we''d better deal with it first and think about the next move." He also put his mind in order. ''It''s good to think about our future. It''s not meaningful to live without worries. However, we should not swallow the worries and forget the reality facing us right now.'' For the Mac Guild and Kim Tae-hoon, it was not easy to survive in Korea, let alone the world. "So, will Colonel Lim Hyun-joon really visit the boss?" The dice was already thrown. Kim delivered a very direct message to Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, Come to me if you don''t want to die. "If he wants to live, he''ll come." Kim threw the ball straight to the head of Lim Hyun-joon. "To be honest, I thought it was too strong. Colonel Lim Hyun-joon might ignore the boss, right?" That was why Jang was concerned that there might be an adverse effect at this part. "More than anything, the Ottuki Unit, where Colonel Lim Hyun-joon is currently stationed, has enough power for the Capital Defense Command to keep an eye on. They won''t feel threatened at all¡­" Most of all, from the point of view of Jang, Colonel Lim did have few factors to feel threatened. Wasn''t it the warlord with the power which the Capital Defense Command feared? "The biggest problem with the frontline Units is that self-sufficiency is virtually impossible." Of course, Kim''s perspective was different. "Now, half a year after the appearance of the monsters, the stockpiles of food and fuel are almost at their bottom." "Ah." Kim never threw a ball without any purpose. When he threw a ball, he always had a purpose and a reason. "That''s why the Capital Defense Command is not moving quickly over to the 8th Division, which is almost like an eyesore. From the standpoint of the Capital Defense Command, if they keep the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division on the front line and the Gangwon region, they will be completely starved. Above all, in summer, food decreases faster." "In summer?" "It freezes in winter, but it melts in summer. The frozen and preserved food will start to decay." Kim Tae-hoon saw that the situation of the 8th Division was not so good.The front line was the way it was. The moment supply was not made, hell began. It was not any different from Colonel Lim Hyun-joon''s 8th Division. From their point of view, they could not easily come down to the south because of the existence of the Capital Defense Command. "So, the winter of war is harsh, but summer is terrible, and if it gets worse, they''ll get deserters, because the Capital Defense Command is a government force, anyway." Jang nodded. "Boss, you''re great." At the appearance of Jang, Kim had coffee without words. A message he sent to himself in his dream, and a scene that he did not tell Jang, came to mind. ''The curse of dragons¡­'' It was not the mummy that killed him. ''I was sentenced to a time-limited life.'' The curse of the dragon, which was achieved with the power of the dragon, was the cause of his death. ''Yes, power comes with a price.'' At the same time, it was also a price for the mighty power that was gained by eating the monster stone of the dragon. So, Kim did not feel the sadness at the fact, but he did not have a big question or deny it. He did not turn away from it. ''I need that power.'' If it was not for that power, Kim would have died earlier. Kim swallowed his coffee after the worry. Three days later, Colonel Lim Hyun-joon came to him.

 86 Episode 86 - A Time-limited Life, Part II

    Chapter 31. A Time-limited Life, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED3. The middle-aged man standing there was in keen shape. His face was sharp and shaved so neatly that the end of a hair could not be found. The stiff nose, sharp eyes and thick lips in the middle were impressive in many ways.The most impressive thing was the man''s eyes. They were intensely assertive."This is Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, the Commander of the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division."He was a man who refused to compare himself to an ordinary person, and an ambitious man who could be trusted in this turbulent age. He had no intention of hiding his presence, and he could not hide it even if he wanted to."This is Kim Tae-hoon, the head of the Mac Guild.""I''m here to hear the answer."Of course, Colonel did not intend to hide his true intentions in front of Kim Tae-hoon at this moment. "I''ll tell you what the letter says, but I need your help to destroy the Capital Defense Command, so help us all."There was no such thing as courtesy at the words of Colonel Lim. He made a one-sided notice and coercion, not a suggestion. He seemed to have no intention of even giving Kim a choice, not to mention a reply.Kim was willing to answer Colonel Lim. "If you want to fight, please leave here and move to Pocheon, then bring your troops down to Bucheon, and I''ll take you on in any battles or anything else then."Colonel Lim''s expression changed fiercely at the response. He was likely to kill Kim with his eyes.Kim continued without avoiding Colonel Lim''s eyes, "I don''t have time to cheer you up."Kim''s eyes were more horrifying than intense. He was not acting.''There isn''t much time given.'' Kim was sentenced to a limited-time life via his death in the dream. Of course, the deadline sentence would begin at the moment of killing the dragon and the moment he ate the monster stone of the dragon.If Kim rejected the dragon''s power, he could get away from the limited-time life. However, he did not intend to. The power of the dragon was vital to him. Nor did he intend to accept the fate of a limited-time life. Therefore, he was planning to find how to untie the curse of the dragon, how to avoid his own death, and how to go further. Of course, it would not be easy. Since it would not be easy, he had to move quickly. There was no time to relax, and he did not want to waste any time against Colonel Lim. He wanted to make sure his of relationship with Colonel Lim today. A terrifying look was an expression of that feeling. "Please tell me why you want to destroy the Capital Defense Command." Eventually, Colonel Lim calmed himself down. At the sight of Kim''s eyes, he finally gave in. "The biggest reason to break down the Capital Defense Command is that they are unreliable organization." "What''s the reason you can''t trust?" "Currently, the Capital Defense Command is calling itself the government force. They are playing the role of the South Korean government, and it is based on the fact that they have secured the president and the prime minister. There are two cases in this situation." Colonel Lim, who was speaking, opened the index finger of his right hand. "One, if the President and the Prime Minister are really alive." Then he opened the middle finger. "The other one, if the president and prime minister are dead." Colonel Lim clenched his fist. "In the latter case, once the president and prime minister are dead, the Capital Defense Command is lying, and it is not worth believing." "If they are alive?" "I don''t want to call them my boss if they are breathing in a safe place without showing their face a single time in this chaotic world. In either case, I have no reason to trust and follow the Capital Defense Command."There was no doubt or hesitation in the eyes of Colonel Lim, who insisted on his opinion. So, what he said seemed very reasonable and plausible. Above all, the aura came out of his body. Charisma, the power to influence a person, perfectly filled the gap in his words."I haven''t heard why the Mac Guild should be on one side in the competition between two warlords." However, Kim was not caught up in the spirit of Colonel Lim. He knew that Colonel Lim was not simply a person who spoke these words for justice.''Colonel Lim Hyun-joon is a villainous hero in a turbulent age.'' In the first place, Colonel Lim was a man far from justice. It was the stage of the turbulent age, and the fuel of ambition made him move. He came here not to realize justice, but to realize his ambition."And you''ll stick to one side which will give you more, won''t you?""The Capital Defense Command pays me national treasures every time I do business with them."Colonel Lim shut up at the mention of relics. It was his weakness.''There are not many relics available in northern Gyeonggi Province or Gangwon Province.''The absence of relics¡­There were many famous mountains in Gangwon Province, and there are many famous temples. However, there were not as many as Seoul, which had a large number of national treasures, including the National Museum of Korea.Of course, Colonel Lim was not able to pay the ransom of a monster like Kim Tae-hoon, like the Capital Defense Command."What can the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division give the Mac Guild?"And if they would not pay the price, the transaction would not be concluded."So, you''re going to take the side of the Capital Defense Command?""I think it''s reasonable to stand on the side of receiving, rather than where I don''t get anything.""Then why did you approach me first? If you were going to take sides with the Capital Defense Command, you would have no reason to approach me through Lieutenant Colonel Yoo."Therefore, Kim had no intention of making a deal. "To make a proposal.""Proposal?""Come under me.""Hmm?" At the words of Kim, Colonel Lim showed his first blunt reflection. He looked like he didn''t understand the words. Kim was willing to tell him again. "Be my man, and the power of the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division will be under the Mac Guild.""What the hell is that-""You''re to abandon the rank of a soldier, and be a member of the Mac Guild, as a survivor."Now, Colonel Lim, who understood what he meant, turned into an angry lion with a hard expression. "That''s ridiculous!" But he didn''t jump like an angry lion, because Kim''s presence did not allow it."If you refuse this proposal, Colonel Lim Hyun-joon will die."Colonel Lim had some knowledge about Kim, and even if he did not have that knowledge, he had clearly confirmed Kim''s ability through the two brothers. He knew that even a real lion would not dare to run as it wanted in front of Kim."I''m telling you, accepting my offer is the surest way to survive.""Is this a threat?""The Capital Defense Command will soon send someone to assassinate Colonel Lim Hyun-joon.""I''m prepared for that.""If I were the assassin, how many days could you hold on?"Of course, Colonel Lim could not make a retort before this remark."... what do you want?""The Mac Guild has been recognized by the Capital Defense Command, and the Capital Defense Command has also recognized the autonomy of Bucheon, Incheon, and other areas occupied by the Mac Guild. Of course, when the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division becomes an organization under the Mac Guild, the reason the Capital Defense Command would attack the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division disappears.""Do you think the Capital Defense Command will keep that promise?""Yes, I think they will.""That''s ridiculous! You don''t know Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk!" "It doesn''t matter who Lee Hyuk is. The important thing is that I showed my abilities in front of him."At this moment, Colonel Lim could no longer maintain his hard and sharp image."Give me a minute, please."Colonel Lim finally started to think it over. At that moment, Kim''s eyes narrowed.''It''s a signal.'' Kim had raised his hearing ability.Tap, tap, tap! He heard a hand tapping on the desk in a distant room. The sound was repeated once more, and then someone spoke."Boss, Lieutenant Commander Yoo has come from the headquarters of the Capital Defense Command to deliver a request. The request is that if we secure the three nuclear power plants in the area of Gyeongsang Province, including the Kori Nuclear Power Plant, they will give us relics. I think it''s the situation that the boss spoke about last time."It was Jang Sung-hoon''s voice.Kim closed his eyes slightly at the words.Colonel Lim, who had finished thinking for a long time, talked to Kim. "You said it was a proposal, not a threat.""Yes.""Then let me ask you a question¡­ What will you give me in return for your proposal?""I''ll let you live."Colonel Lim retorted with a firm expression. "Is that all?"Colonel Lim thought that Kim was looking down on him at this moment. However, Colonel Lim was able to see that his thoughts were wrong when he saw Kim''s eyes."Yes, that''s all I will do."Kim Tae-hoon, who answered the question, had the most serious eyes in the conversation today. 4. Namsan Tower¡­Three men were smoking in front of where the red light of the Sunsubi of King Jinheung was still soaring. They were Major General Lee Ki-soo, Colonel Jang So-gook, and Major Oh Se-bum.They puffed up cigarettes, and their conversation started after the cigarette that Lee Ki-soo was smoking became a butt and fell to the floor." Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk has decided to ask Kim Tae-hoon to do so. Sooner or later, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo will deliver the request."After throwing a cigarette that had quite a bit remaining on the floor, Major Oh Se-bum ground it down and had a firm expression at the name of Kim Tae-hoon. After that, Major Oh Se-bum forced his face to relax."Well, we can leave him alone, can''t we? We''ll see about him, then we''ll take care of him when we get a chance?" Major Oh was about to gloss over this conversation."What is it?" Colonel Jang So-gook, on the other hand, led this conversation.Major General Lee replied with a bitter expression to Colonel Jang. "Kori, Wolseong, Uljin.""Really?""Yes, Lieutenant General Lee is going to ask Kim Tae-hoon and the Mac Guild to secure a nuclear power plant."At that moment, Major Oh and Colonel Jang were silent.A nuclear power plant¡­In a situation where energy was needed more than ever, but where there were not many buried energy resources, the only plants able to satisfy the supply and demand of energy were the hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power plants. Among them, the nuclear power plants were very valuable. It was no exaggeration to say that it was a lamp of hope. It was certainly important to have such a nuclear power plant. But it was not for that reason that the two men, Colonel Jang and Major Oh kept quiet. "Nuclear weapons¡­" Everybody knew nuclear weapons, as they were the most powerful weapons created by mankind. "Well, that''s a natural procedure." Therefore, the Capital Defense Command had a plan to secure the nuclear weapons early on. "The nuclear power plant is now a hope." In particular, securing nuclear weapons had become a supreme task for the Capital Defense Command after the battle with the Dragon. The same was true even at this moment when they became aware of the existence of Kim. He was a huge monster, but his presence was only a small one in front of the dragon. No one could imagine him hunting the dragon. "In many ways, the nuclear weapon is hope." The top priority for securing nuclear weapons was securing nuclear power plants. Naturally, the Capital Defense Command has been attempting to secure the nuclear power plants. They had sent special forces to the site of the nuclear plants many times, not once or twice. But all such attempts ended in failure. "It must remain as a hope." It was because of their manipulation. Lee Ki-soo had manipulated all the attempts into failure. It was like the manipulation played in Incheon. The Capital Defense Command did not spare any investment for the crucial mission of securing the nuclear power plants. Thanks to it, they had made a lot of income. The number of relics taken by Lee Ki-soo through the mission to secure the nuclear power plants was quite large. The number of the relics was not even comparable to the relics acquired in Incheon. "What are you going to do, Major General?" This was not the only reason why the nuclear power plant was important to Lee Ki-soo. "If Kim really moves to secure a nuclear power plant¡­" "South Korea''s nuclear weapons development is a scene that should not be in Mr. Mao''s painting." Lee Ki-soo did not want the Capital Defense Command to have nuclear weapons! "There''s nothing good in it for us." Nuclear weapons were unaccountable violence. For Lee Ki-soo, who had already done his calculating in a world full of chaos, and for his partner they called Mr. Mao, the appearance of nuclear weapons was like ink that could ruin their calculations entirely. "Yes. How much effort we put into it¡­" Most of all, the area where the nuclear power plant was located, or to be precise, the area of Gyeongsang Province, was the hub of their efforts. It was not just a stronghold, but a stepping stone to give a leap to Lee Ki-soo in a new era. It was unacceptable for a monster named Kim Tae-hoon to go to such an important stage."So, we will stop him." That was why Major General Lee Ki-soo did not worry for long. "Is there a way?" "It won''t be easy. I''ll call Mr. Mao first." "But if we don''t stop him¡­"Furthermore, Major General Lee Ki-soo did not hesitate. "If we can''t get him in our hands by all the means and methods, we''ll stop him from going into the enemy''s hands. It''s hard to do, but we can do anything to destroy him." Colonel Jang and Major Oh kept their mouths shut at the sight of Major General Lee Ki-soo, who did not hesitate. Major General Lee looked at the two, took out a cigarette again, and put it in his mouth.

 87 Episode 87 - Hunting for Snakes, Part I

    Chapter 31. Hunting for Snakes, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1."You have to secure three nuclear power plants located in the area of Gyeongsang Province. Every time you secure a single nuclear power plant, we will give you ten relics, including five national treasures, and we will acknowledge ownership of all the relics acquired in the process." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo Ji-hyun hit the document in front of himself with his fingers as he was speaking. "This is the document." At the end of the remark, he looked up and looked at the two people on the other side of the desk. Kim Tae-hoon was closing his eyes, and Jang Sung-hoon was rolling his eyes hard. It was not difficult to predict which of the two would speak. "So..." The answer came from Jang''s lips. "Is it alright for us to keep what we find from securing the nuclear power plant?" "Yes." "So, it''s okay for the Mac Guild to take all the relics from the National Gyeongju Museum, Bulguksa, and Seokguram?" Lieutenant Colonel Yoo nodded. "If we find Manpasikjeok in the Tomb of King Munmu of Silla, or Geumchuk of Park Hyuk-geo-se in Najeong, we can take it, right?" "It''s..." However, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not respond to Jang''s question. ''What''s it?'' He had never heard of the Geumchuk of Park Hyuk-geo-se in Najeong, let alone the Manpasikjeok in the Tomb of King Munmu of Silla. Of course, it was not hard for Jang to mention them since they really existed. "Oh, the Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk of Park Hyuk-geo-se are part of the Gyeongju Samgi (three wonderful treasures). These two things and the Bell of King Seongdeok are the Gyeongju Samgi. You don''t know these relics because these do not appear in the textbooks." Only then did Lieutenant Colonel Yoo understand the situation and frown. He realized that Jang played a joke on him. "What would you like to do, the boss?" Jang handed over the ball to Kim in order to avoid the eyes of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. Kim opened his eyes. "What''s the status of the Sobaek Mountains?" Jang was the first to answer the question. ''It''s a heaven of monsters.'' The Sobaek Mountains¡­It was a big mountain range extending from Taebaek Mountain to Yeongnam, and Honam to Yeosu Peninsula. It was also one of the boundaries that divided the Korean Peninsula for a long time. The Sobaek mountain range was now a paradise for monsters. ''Two blue-grade monsters are in Daedongyeojido, and the number of green-grade monsters is enormous.'' Crossing the Sobaek mountain range was not much different from crossing the Jordan River, which symbolized God''s Heaven. Kim and Jang knew the facts through Daedongyeojido, so Kim asked the question at this moment. If the Capital Defense Command hid or reduced the situation in the Sobaek Mountains, it would mean that they had a secret design. "Once there were blue-grade monsters in the mountains of Sobaek and Jiri, and we found green-grade monsters in the mountains of Taebaek, Deogyu, and Palgong. There may be more, but that''s what the Capital Defense Command found out." However, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo''s answer was not much different from what Kim and Jang knew. It meant there was a secret design. "Securing the nuclear power plants, for reference, means not just going to the nuclear power plants and putting a flag on them, but securing them so that we can operate the nuclear power plants, as well as the way to the nuclear power plants." The Capital Defense Command was serious. "It''s not easy." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo gave a long sigh after that remark. ''I never expected that they would request the Mac Guild secure a nuclear power plant.'' In order for the Republic of Korea to establish a long-term plan, nuclear power plants could not be omitted. Of course, the Capital Defense Command had repeatedly tried to secure nuclear power plants after some foundation has been established. But the attempts were not done properly from the exploration stage. It was not easy to cross the Sobaek mountain range, and those who crossed the Sobaek mountain range were also out of communication. In addition, this request of the Capital Defense Command to the Mac Guild was not an exploration, but a securing. The level of difficulty was different. "I''m going to refuse this request." Therefore, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was not surprised by Kim''s answer. "It''s too dangerous, and we would need to use all the power of the Mac Guild to form a route through the Sobaek Mountains." "I suppose so." Even if he was in the position of Kim, he would have given the same answer. "I don''t want to repeat my own experience of bleeding my people, while I''m working somewhere else with my enemy behind me." However, when Lieutenant Colonel Yoo saw Kim''s words and his expression full of determination, his expression was firm. "Give me a break..." Yoo was able to see what Kim had planned and what kind of picture Kim was drawing. "I''m going to kill the traitors in the Capital Defense Command." Kim''s next goal was nothing but the traitors of the Capital Defense Command. It was no strange thing. Kim knew how the Six Snakes would come out if he moved to secure the nuclear power plants. They would do their best to interfere, and as soon as Kim secured the nuclear power plants through the obstacles, the nuclear power plants would explode. Even if they detonated only one of the three nuclear power plants located in Gyeongsang Province, it would become a nightmare land where people could not live. In such a situation, if he spent all his energy to secure the nuclear power plants, he would sow and they would reap. In fact, it was right to kill the Six Snakes when he could do so. Nevertheless, the only reason to keep the traitors alive so far was to use them. "As long as I know Taiwan is our main enemy, there''s no reason to keep them alive." ''Now I will see the end.'' But now, he knew Taiwan was their control tower. Most importantly, he knew where the Six Snake''s heart was. "You don''t know exactly who the traitors are, or how much power they have?" Of course, he did not know how deep or how many roots the Six Snakes had sunk in the Capital Defense Command. "The traitors are not few in the Capital Defense Command, and Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk is probably the peak." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not know who the peak was right now. It could be Lee Hyuk, or it could be another executive. It was clear that it was not a small organization. It was not just a group of three or four executives. In that situation, Kim would pick out the traitors and remove them? It would be impossible. "If I can''t handle parasites, I can just take them with their host." Kim Tae-hoon couldn''t help but notice that. "Host? Are you¡ª" "I''m going to destroy the Capital Defense Command, if necessary." "Whew!" Lieutenant Colonel Yoo sighed. Kim added more words to Yoo. "You will not stand on my side for the existence of the Capital Defense Command?" In that remark, Yoo stopped sighing. "So, it is a coup." He had a look of resolution instead of nervousness. As Kim said, Yoo was on his side for this situation. Yoo was also ambitious. Right now, within the system of the Capital Defense Command, he could not fulfill his ambitions, and it was evident that his role was only a messenger coming and going to the Mac Guild and the Capital Defense Command. He could not dismiss Kim''s proposal. "For now, it is impossible to have a coup with the power of the Mac Guild alone. I am sure that you are good enough to assassinate a VIP, but it will not be possible to do a coup with that power only. You need an army to manage the civilians, soldiers, and Awakeners managed by the Capital Defense Command." Instead of stopping, Yoo gave sincere advice. "There is only one place with that kind of military power, the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division. Please make Colonel Lim Hyun-joon join your side." At that moment, a sound that did not fit the sincere advice of Yoo came out of Jang''s mouth. "Oh, I''m sorry." "Did you think it was funny?" Lieutenant Colonel Yoo spoke some keen words, grumbling. It was natural that Jang''s behavior did not seem polite, and it would not happen anywhere else in the world. "No, I don''t think your opinion is funny." "Then why did you laugh?" "Not because of your opinion, but because of the look you''ll have in a few minutes." Colonel Yoo looked cold. Jang shook his head. "You''ll know what I mean when you go to the next room. Boss, please explain!" Kim complied with Jang''s earnest request. "Colonel Lim Hyun-joon is a member of the Mac Guild." "What?" "Colonel Lim Hyun-joon and the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division joined the Mac Guild." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo asked with a look showing that he did not understand. "Uh, when?" Kim checked the watch on his wrist and said, "Thirteen minutes ago." When Lieutenant Colonel Yoo heard the answer, he thought, ''Am I dreaming now?'' He thought that if Kim was not talking nonsense now, he was dreaming. Kim said to him again, "I refuse the request of securing the nuclear power plants, but please tell the Capital Defense Command that I will accept it." When Yoo heard that, he gave up thinking. He looked blank. Jang looked at his expression and said, "Look, I''m right!" 2."The report is finished." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo immediately left after saluting. It was none other than Major General Lee Ki-soo who filled the seat after Yoo had disappeared. "Lieutenant General, did the Mac Guild give you an answer?" "I got the answer." At that, the expression of Lee Ki-soo wrinkled. ''Fucking hell.'' Of course, his insides were so wrinkled that they could not compare with his outside expression. ''It''s the worst.'' Beyond the Sobaek mountain range, there was a power that Lee Ki-soo had prepared in the area of Gyeongsang Province. Of course, he did not intend to tolerate Kim and the Mac Guild crossing the Sobaek mountain range. ''I can''t help it.'' "That''s really great, and as he has that much power, he is confident." So, at this moment, Lee Ki-soo raised the stakes. "But will he really satisfy the request?" "What do you mean?" "Don''t you think that the Mac Guild will use them as their own nuclear power plants after they have secured them? In fact, the Mac Guild is using the Songdo LNG base after they have secured it. The nuclear power plants would not be any different. And if they try to build nuclear weapons..." "Major General Lee, just say what you want to say." "I think we need a leash to keep the Mac Guild from doing anything wrong, like taking hostage civilians in Bucheon or Incheon, which the Mac Guild has occupied." At the combination of the two words, civilian and hostage, Lee Hyuk looked at Lee Ki-soo with a cold expression. It was a ferocious look. ''Whew!'' The eyes were ones to make Lee Ki-soo sigh repeatedly. ''Now I am branded a troublemaker.'' It was a result of incurring the wrath of Lee Hyuk. What he was looking at right now was not the near future. He wanted to be a historical hero who would save the Republic of Korea from this crisis, and what he looked at was his own image being recorded for future generations. Therefore, it was unacceptable to take the civilians of Bucheon and Incheon as hostages to threaten the Mac Guild. Not because it was unfair, but because it would be a blot on his history. "Lieutenant General, to do the job, we have to do it when Kim Tae-hoon is not in Bucheon. It will be too late if we do it later." However, Lee Ki-soo did not retreat his opinion. "You saw that Kim Tae-hoon was a crazy monster. If he secures a nuclear power plant, he will inevitably eat the monster stones in the area. There is no way to stop a Kim who is even stronger than he is now. He is not a soldier who fights thoughtlessly. He is a specialist trained under Major General Chang Young-sung." ''I''m trying to strike his weakness when he is away, and I''m going to make the time right now and seize his ankle.'' In fact, Lee Ki-soo knew that this was not the answer. ''I''ll have to fight against Kim in return.'' In the viewpoint of Lee Ki-soo, Kim was not a man who would be easily shaken by threat, and even if he could buy time if he held Kim''s aides, subordinates and citizens as hostages, he could not use them as a leash. Rather, over time, Kim would make him pay for taking the people around him as hostages. He would start a full-scale war against the Capital Defense Command. "Fuck, if it were planned, I should have removed Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk after searching for Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk, and I should have taken the Capital Defense Command¡­ none of them have been achieved." It was a painful thing for Lee Ki-soo. He needed the power of the Capital Defense Command. Even if the situation of the CDC was not good, the number of soldiers and Awakeners belonging to the Capital Defense Command was enormous, and the weapons and firepower it possessed were also significant. He had a plan, but now there was nothing to say that it was a plan. In the military, the way a subordinate was given the power of a superior was simple: if a superior was gone, power would be naturally transferred down. In such a situation, it would not be better for the Capital Defense Command and the Mac Guild to engage in the war of attrition. But he couldn''t help it. If he left Kim and the Mac Guild like this, they would take monster stones and relics and expand their force. Later, they would be a real monster which the Capital Defense Command would have nothing to compete with. ''I will sacrifice Lee Hyuk.'' However, it was not possible for Lee Ki-soo to handle this work with his own little ability. The situation was different from the one with the Gamecock. There was no evidence then, but this time the evidence would be left. In other words, a sacrifice would be needed to accept all the anger of Kim, and Lee Ki-soo was planning to make Lee Hyuk that sacrifice. And for Lee Hyuk to be a sacrifice, Lee Ki-soo needed Lee Hyuk''s command. "¡­ Can you do that?" "There are many able monster hunters in the Mac Guild, but there are not many elite soldiers who can fight a war. In order to cross the Sobaek Mountains, almost all of the Mac Guild''s power will be put there, and it will be like cutting trees in an ownerless, deserted mountain." "You''ll have to plan a little more specifically and report it." "I''ll take your order." After hearing the order he wanted, he immediately turned his back after saluting. Colonel Jang So-gook came to his office immediately. Colonel Lee said in a low voice to Lee Ki-soo, "Mao''s Okjo arrived." "What''s the content?" "He''ll send auxiliary troops if necessary." "Auxiliary troops? In Taiwan?" "No, it is Japan that is sending auxiliary troops." Lee Ki-soo clenched his teeth tightly upon hearing of Japan''s involvement. "What would you do? Would you like to ask for auxiliary troops?" "¡­ ask him to stand by in Busan." "I understand." After Jang left Lee, he disappeared somewhere. Lee grit his teeth alone. ''Kim Tae-hoon, I will pay you back the damage I have suffered!'' --------------------------------------------------------------------------Manpasikjeok: It is a flute in the legend of the Silla Dynasty. If someone blows it, all the worries and diseases of the country disappear. Geumchuk: It is a measure of the first King of Silla, Park Hyuk-geo-se had. With the measure, he was able to save the dead and fix the sick.

 88 Episode 88 - Hunting for Snakes, Part II

    Chapter 31. Hunting for Snakes, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 3.There was a story about the vacant lot in front of Bucheon City Hall. In the winter when the cold wind blew, the winter when the world seemed to be different from the appearance of the monsters, Kim Tae-hoon, the head of the Mac Guild, gathered the hunters in the vacant lot, and they were tested. It was a test that only those who showed the determination to sacrifice a finger as evidence of loyalty. Only two passed the test, and the two who had passed became the two biggest Clan leaders of the Mac Guild. The story was repeatedly mentioned by those who survived under the flag of the Mac Guild. Whenever there was no story to tell, people talked about it, and the story got fat. At one point the story became a legend. For the Mac Guild''s hunters, that day was a historic event, as seen in history books. Now the hunters had gathered again in the vacant lot. The number of people gathered was about seventy. It was not many, but it was not few, either, because they were the leaders of the groups, were all in charge of the lives of others, whether they were many or few. Of course, the gathered people knew the story that had become a legend. ''Is it another test?'' So, they were determined. ''I must not miss this opportunity.'' ''Even if I really cut off my fingers, I will not miss this opportunity.'' This time, they were determined not to miss the opportunity with a lame excuse. And their resolve was evidence. ''Our party could be better if we were just allowed to be a Clan.'' ''If we get Clan recognition, our level of item support will change.'' ''There''s a story about the Mac Guild having a lot of relics recently, and if we make a contribution and show loyalty¡­ we''ll get the relics. Then we can climb higher.'' The evidence was that the people gathered here were not the desperate ones who survived the monster era, but the hunters who would not mind a war with the monsters for a better future in the world. So, they gathered in the vacant lot much earlier than the promised time, and they were ready to wait much longer than the promised time. They would hold on until the sun was sinking above them and the moon that followed was sinking. Kim Tae-hoon showed up in front of them at exactly the promised time. June 14, 2017, 2 PM. Thump! Kim''s body fell like a flash onto the iron stage in the open area in front of Bucheon City Hall. Gulp! The crowd replaced their cheers with swallows. "Attention." Thanks to the silence, he did not have to calm down those around him, but he was able to start talking in a low voice from the beginning. "We received a request from the Capital Defense Command," Kim said in a very low voice in front of everyone''s attention toward him. The low voice could not be heard unless they listened carefully. "The contents of the request is to secure three nuclear power plants located in Gyeongsang Province. It goes through three major processes. One, secure the road. Two, remove the threats. Three, protect the nuclear power plants. What we need to do first is to clean the road from the capital area to the Gyeongsang area." "According to our current investigation, the Sobaek Mountains, which block Gyeonggi Province and Gyeongsang Province, have at least two monsters of the same grade as the Gamecock that attacked Bucheon, and a large number of monsters are building their own territories." Kim went on with a voice beyond cool or calm. But his words were neither cool nor calm; it was the opposite, they were horrifying and thrilling. ''Oh, God, there are two more monsters like that?''''To break through that place¡­''''It''s like making a road to Hell.'' The Gamecock had been a nightmare for the hunters of the Mac Guild, many of whom had died, and the terrible signs of the battle were everywhere in Bucheon. But they had to make a road to with not one monster of the same grade, but two monsters like the Gamecock?"I''ll need a volunteer." There was at least no one here who had ignored the nightmare. These people who had gathered here, were willing to die to earn time for civilians to evacuate to Yeongjong Island before the Gamecock. "The party or the Clan who wants to volunteer, raise your hands." So, at the end of Kim''s words, they raised their hands up in the open space. Kim smiled slightly when he saw the scene. ''At least my way was not the wrong way.'' The sight in front of him seemed to prove that his hardships and the adversity that had come so far were not in vain. So, at this moment, he gave a gift to those who proved that he was not wrong. "There is no payment of forty percent for this monster hunt, and you will keep everything you kill." Whoop! Then a thunderous shout began to fill the open space. The cheers were more intense than ever. Even those far away could hear them. 4."The Mac Guild has moved. More than six thousand men, including Awakeners, have now gathered in Suwon. According to the plan announced, after moving to Yeoju City through Yeongdong Expressway, Yeoju City will be the base area and then the Jungbu Naeryuk Expressway will be the first to be attacked." Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk, who received the report, signed the document in front of him without worrying. The signed document was in the hands of the reporter, and immediately the reporter delivered the report using wired communication connected to Namsan Tower.- Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk signed the operational plan. Among those who received the message was Lee Ki-soo. ''There''s no going back.'' Kim Tae-hoon and the Mac Guild''s core power had started a long journey to reach the Sobaek mountain range. Starting with Yeoju City, they would hunt monsters to secure the Jungbu Naeryuk Expressway. The most important part was to handle the high-grade monsters located in the mountains of Wolak and Sokri. It was not something they could finish in a day. Of course, Bucheon City was currently in a state of no owner, and it would not take a day or half day to suppress Bucheon City with the power of the Capital Defense Command. The point was the following reaction. After the collapse of Bucheon City, Kim would not stay still.''Hostage, we have to get the key hostage.'' What Lee Ki-soo could trust in that situation was a hostage in the end. It was impossible to even try to deal with Kim with money or relics. However, if he had a hostage, he could take his time. And there were two people who could easily be taken hostages in the present situation. ''I have to catch these two surely, Ahn Sun-mi and Jang Sung-hoon.'' ''Of course, hostages are not the only thing. Kim is a specialist in this field. If there is a hostage, he can kill the hostage after weighing his options'' Lee Ki-soo also knew that. So, what he wanted was to earn some time. ''Musashi¡­ I just need to earn time for the person who saved Tokyo, which was worse than Seoul.'' It was time for a monster to come to deal with a crazy monster. Lee Ki-soo got up from his seat. ''But I''ll have to get ready to go down to Daegu, in case something happens.'' Standing up, he took out a small item in his arms. It was a bird statue of white jade, the size of his finger. Lee Ki-soo grabbed the bird statue with his right hand and paused a moment. When he opened his hand again, the jade bird statue gradually began to inflate. Soon, Lee Ki-soo began to mumble to himself to the jade pigeon. After completing the recitation, he ordered the bird, "Tell them what I said." The bird nodded and immediately began to flap its wings. Swish! The bird slipped out of the room window and quickly disappeared. He also left the room, but through the door. 5.Bucheon was the first of the ruined cities to start reconstruction after the monsters appeared. There was a clue that showed it most clearly. One was a solar panel park located south of Bucheon City Hall, and the other was a nearby university hospital that used the electricity generated by the solar panels. The Mac Guild had made a lot of efforts to rebuild the medical system, among the many things rebuilt in the city. A proper medical system itself had a powerful force to reassure people. Even the newly established medical system of the Mac Guild had a much more advanced form in some areas than before the monsters appeared. "How much Water of Therapy is left?" "About 1,300 packs." "Increase the production amount as much as we can." "I understand." "How much flesh of the Mud Troll have we got?" "We have about 590 kilograms left." "Use 300 kilograms for making recovery pills, send all the amounts we produce to Yeoju City, and send as much of the Water of Therapy and the flesh of the Mud Troll as possible." "I understand." It was thanks to the monsters'' dead body parts and relics. They brought results that humans could not achieve with medicine, and the Mac Guild took the most advantage of it. The relics that could help the medical system were used unsparingly, and the monsters'' dead bodies were also generously donated. Ahn Sun-mi was at the peak of the medical system here. "Then I''ll finish the June 15th briefing with this." At the briefing, the people who were seated at the long table bowed their heads deeply. It was a funny sight. Until last year, or even half a year ago, the conference room of the university hospital where she was now was a stage only professors could participate in. It was a place she could not gain save in the distant future, as an intern at a university hospital. Now that she was the director of this place, it was ironic. Of course, for someone, it might seem a huge success. But at least she had never thought it was a success. She didn''t like this situation. ''I never did anything.'' She was left alone in the conference room where people were escaping, and she looked at the mark of an Awakener on her right hand. It was evidence of a chosen person who had the opportunity to fight against the monsters. ''I never did anything again this time.'' But she had never done anything right as an Awakener. When Bang Hyun-wook had taken a risk of his life and walked onto the battlefield, when Kim Soo-ji had led the soldiers in a dangerous battlefield, she has been always dealing with the lives of others in the safest place. That was why she didn''t like her situation. ''Am I helpful?'' Above all, she was wondering if she would really help Kim Tae-hoon. It was because of her first meeting with Kim Tae-hoon. Kim clearly said at the first meeting, when he fought the Black Orc at a large supermarket. He would only take those who would help him. If they were not helpful, he would leave them unremittingly. Of course, things had changed. Kim did not abandon them because they were not helpful. However, the relationship between Kim and Ahn was not much different then or now. There was no reason to change. "Ms. Director." A woman in a nursing suit came in carefully. "What''s the matter?" "Jang Sung-hoon is here." At the nurse''s words, Ahn stopped worrying. ''What''s going on?'' Jang often came to her, but he did not come without reason. "Where is he?" "He''s in the director''s office." "Thank you." After Ahn got up with a greeting of ''thank-you'', she immediately walked towards the director''s office. The nurse who had informed her watched the back of Ahn without words. Then the nurse walked away, too. She took down the stairs and went into one of the rooms. The place was full of patients in their suits. "Ahn and Jang made contact." But their eyes were not those ones of patients, those who suffered from wounds and pain. "They''re both in the director''s office now." They were the eyes of trained hounds waiting for the time to come, with their prey in front of them. "We''re lucky, we don''t have to spread out our power. What''s the security level at the hospital?" At that remark, a man lying on the bed rose up. "Except for the Awakeners, one platoon is all, and most of them are guarding the entrance." "Okay." The man answered and checked his watch. The clock pointed to eight. "Three hours from now, we''re going to start operations at eleven." Everyone checked their watch. There was no answer. The ticking of their watches filled the quiet room. They started to make sounds at 11 PM when the night came. 6.One of the most precious things since the monsters appeared was electricity, which was now a tremendous power and a great luxury to use it at night. The five men were able to avoid spending a long time looking for their targets. There was only one place to shining through the doorways lined up by the darkened corridor. The five men moved slowly toward the light-emitting door without making a sound. Then they stood in front of the door, listening to the room inside, waiting for the sound. They waited, breathless, for the sound of colleagues outside the building breaking into the building. ''When?'' ''Why not move?'' But no matter how long they waited, they could not hear any sound they wanted. There was no sound even in the room. They could hear two men and women talking, but they could not hear the words. ''There is a problem.'' It was natural to be aware of the problem at this point. One of the five men gave the signal to the other four. His fingers moved quickly. ''Two people behind me break in.'' But at the signal, they were still quiet, and his men were not even showing signs of moving, not even the sound of them alive. ''What the hell¡­?'' The leader turned his head. Then he saw an arrow with a sharp point toward him. ''Ah.'' That was the last scene he remembered. 7.Screech! A brightly lit door opened, and a man entered the door. "Boss, are you done?" The man and woman in the room rose immediately. "Now is the beginning. There will be fighting all over the place." "The damage will be great, right?""The commandos from the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division will try to avoid massive casualties." Jang took a short breath at the words of Kim. "You''re certainly an expert in this part, and you figured out all the lines and plans of the other person¡ª" "Most of the assassination and kidnapping manuals used by the Korean Army are based on my reports." "¡­ I''m glad you''re my boss." Instead of answering, Kim looked over the window. He saw the quiet apartment complex, which stood between the hospital and a road. However, his eyes did not miss the secret movements on the verandas of the apartment complex. "What the hell is going on?" On the other hand, Ahn, who did not know the situation, looked at Kim and Jang alternately, not hiding her surprise. "Why, why are you here?" She had to be scared from the moment Kim suddenly appeared. She didn''t get any warning in advance. "You should be in Yeoju! Why are you here?" Kim still gave a short answer to Ahn while his gaze was still over the window. "Hunting for Snakes." "What the hell is that..." At that moment, Kim''s eyes narrowed. "The tail is coming to look for its head."

 89 Episode 89 - Hunting for Snakes, Part III

    Chapter 31. Hunting for Snakes, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 8.The Capital Defense Command planned to hang a leash on Kim Tae-hoon and the Mac Guild. Major Oh Se-bum''s role in the kidnapping operation was as a watchdog. ''Damn it! It''s over¡­'' It was also the task that none other than Lee Hyuk directly gave him. He was going to do his job well, of course, and he had the time to relax to do it. There was no threat to him in Bucheon without Kim Tae-hoon. ''This operation is over!'' It was at eleven o''clock in the evening that his thoughts had changed. As soon as he saw that the men who were waiting on the roof of the university hospital for the kidnapping of Ahn Sun-mi were taken down by two men who had suddenly appeared, his spine froze coldly in crisis. The operation had failed. ''They knew it all, damn it!'' No, it was not an operational failure. ''Failure is a word used to express its appetite where the beast tried to hunt, but the game ran away. No one uses the term failure in the situation where a predator is screaming in a trap prepared by a hunter.'' ''What do I do?'' Of course, when he saw the scene, he no longer wanted to be in Bucheon. He was going to get out of Bucheon. ''Who do I go to?'' The problem was where to run. Oh Se-bum, who was going to run away, wondered whether he should go to Lee Hyuk at this moment or Lee Ki-soo. If he followed orders, he should go to Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk. Lee Hyuk sent him to Bucheon. ''No, not Lee Hyuk.'' But it was not the case for Oh Se-bum. It did not seem proper for him to get an answer from Lee Hyuk. ''I have to leave Seoul now.'' What he needed now was not to prepare for the Mac Guild''s counterattack, but to run away. Why should he do that? ''I do not know when the monster Kim Tae-hoon will come to Seoul.'' Kim, who had grasped the intentions of the Capital Defense Command, could not stay still. Lee Hyuk also knew that, and when Major Oh went to tell him the news, he would ask Major Oh to escort him. However, Major Oh had no intention of escorting Lee Hyuk, who would be the top target of Kim from now on. ''Major General.'' Oh Se-bum started running for Lee Ki-soo. 9."We''ll run away." 12:11. From Bucheon City Hall to Namsan Tower in Seoul, Major Oh ran the distance with only two legs, but Major General Lee Ki-soo did not give him a chance to breathe. Major Oh paused for a while to catch his breath and asked, "Right, right now?" Instead of answering, Lee Ki-soo turned his head and looked around. There were only trees around. He could not find any indication of a person being around. No matter what they said, no one would overhear it. "If it''s not now, there is no chance to run away." So, Lee Ki-soo spoke on the spot. "Yes?" "Where''s the main force of the Mac Guild?" "They''re all in Yeoju City¡­" "The Mac Guild that read our plan and set up the trap, will not leave their main power in Yeoju City, and are already moving to Seoul." At the moment he heard that, a map of the capital area was drawn in Oh Se-bum''s mind. ''Ah.'' It was as Lee Ki-soo said. The Mac Guild, who had known the intentions of the Capital Defense Command, would not stay in Yeoju City and go to the Sobaek Mountains. What would happen then? "They''re going to build a trap for a siege." The could not run away to Bucheon and Incheon. Those were the areas of the Mac Guild. The same was true of the northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon areas. It was the area of the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division. In such a situation, more than 6,000 elites of the Mac Guild would come to Seoul from Yeoju City, which was located in the southeast of Seoul? "That was his plan." Then, the siege of Seoul would be completed. Moreover, in order to move from Bucheon City to Seoul, they would have to cross the Han River, but in Yeoju City, there would be a little burden. "There are no troops there." "Well, yes." Crucially, there were few troops in the southeast of Seoul. Currently, the main power of the Capital Defense Command was concentrated in the west and north to guard against the Mac Guild and the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division, and the south and east were virtually open holes. There was no room to stop the Mac Guild''s sudden attack. Six thousand elites organized to clean up monsters in the Sobaek mountain range would enter Seoul without any bleeding. It would not be easy to get out of Seoul at that time. "Then where¡ª" "We move to Daegu first. We''re ready to move. We will travel from the Han River to Paldang Lake." So now was the golden time. "Call Colonel Jang So-gook." "Yes, sir." "And I¡­ Argh!" Lee Ki-soo, who was talking, screamed in pain at the moment. "Aaaaaaargh!" He fell to the ground, holding his right thigh, screaming. "Major General?" Oh Se-bum, who was surprised and looked at Lee Ki-soo, immediately saw why Lee Ki-soo was making such a noise. "Keuk!" A Sword had passed through the right thigh of Major Oh. But he did not fall to the ground. He stood upright on his left leg and shouted, "Kim Tae-hoon!" At the end of the cry, Kim Tae-hoon was there. He was carrying his bag with a sheath on his back, and he was slowly approaching Major Oh and the fallen Major General Lee. Major Oh''s body was trembling at the sound of his heavy footsteps approaching. ''Fucking hell.'' In addition, Kim''s eyes, which were black even in the dark, had given Major Oh the most overwhelming fear from any stares he had ever encountered. The fear caused Major Oh''s Energy to rise to the extreme. His body began to pump up its strength. ''Other than now, there is no chance.'' Major Oh''s instincts shouted, ''This is the only chance to kill Kim Tae-hoon!'' So, Major Oh ran like a sports car, like a machine, and his body began to accelerate. He narrowed his distance to Kim at once¡­ and that was the cause of his defeat. ''Ah.'' As soon as Oh Se-bum punched Kim Tae-hoon, he realized that his body was moving on its own. The fist that had to be directed toward Kim''s face moved toward Kim''s left. It was a magic trick. ''Fuck!'' It was a magic created by Kim''s Telekinesis, and Oh''s fist was drunk on the magic and stuck elsewhere. On the other hand, Kim''s fist was accurately directed to Oh''s face. Whack! Kim''s black fist shattered the face of Oh Se-bum. "Fuhub!" Major Oh fell to the ground spraying teeth. The blood began to flow out of his fallen head like spring water, and his body began to twitch. Kim walked toward the fallen Lee Ki-soo as he passed the body of Major Oh. In the meantime, the Sword of the Imperator, which was stuck in the thigh of Major Oh, removed itself and re-entered the sheath. Click! When Kim heard the sound of the Sword being stuck in the sheath, his footsteps stopped. He looked down at the head of the Lee Ki-soo, who had fallen to the ground. "You are a member of the Six Snakes." The face of the screaming Lee Ki-soo went white. "How, how did you-" Kim knew that he should not know. That was the biggest reason for making his face white. "What was your mission?" Kim Tae-hoon asked him a question. Lee Ki-soo''s face was white, but as if he was awake, he closed his mouth tightly instead of answering. He remained silent. Kim used his own Telekinesis to control the Arrow in Lee''s thigh. He slowly pushed the Arrow deeper. "Aaaaaaargh!" Kim moved his Arrow very slowly, like a cicada larva. "Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!" He squeezed a scream from the mouth of Lee Ki-soo. "I''ll let you talk, or even scream." "Argh!" In front of the pain, Lee Ki-soo was rather patient. It was because he was now aware of Kim''s intentions. ''He won''t kill me.'' Kim wanted to get something from him, and as long as he wanted to get it, his life could be spared. It was worth keeping him alive. On the other hand, the moment he said the information Kim wanted to know, he would be dead. ''He is going to keep me alive until he gets information from me.''''I''ll start acting.'' Kim could not help but notice what Lee Ki-soo was thinking about. "We''ll negotiate." "I didn''t, I didn''t say anything." "You don''t have to tell me everything. First, we need to set up a negotiation table. Take out one of your cards. That''s the price for a negotiation table." And it was not the first time for Kim Tae-hoon to deal with those who regarded this kind of information as a lifeline. "I will not say anything-" "If you want to beg for your life with information, you have to judge what''s right, or if you really want to die-" Tsreung! During the words of Kim, the Sword of the Imperator rose by itself, and then it was inserted close to Lee Ki-soo. "Just kill yourself." At the message, Lee Ki-soo gave a trembling look at the Sword of the Imperator. He just looked at it. He had no reason to kill himself for keeping silent to save his life. "¡­ how did you know about the Six Snakes?" In the end, Lee Ki-soo talked. "And how much do you know about the Six Snakes?" "That''s-" "The headquarter of the Six Snakes is Taiwan, and its purpose is to support the chaotic countries to secure the ruling forces. From that point of view, who should the Six Snakes approach? You, or me?" Lee Ki-soo''s eyes trembled again. "No way¡ª" "The deal has been around for a long time, and I doubted why the Six Snakes had contacted you, not me." This remark, of course, was not true. ''I''ll twist your mind.'' The time and effort he had spent to make this trap were not small. Once it was more important than ever to get more information from the Six Snakes, he had thoroughly prepared to get the information. Kim looked for a way to shake Lee''s psychology and how to get information from the other''s mouth. He had gathered a lot of the survivors under the Mac Guild, including psychologists. "I¡ª" "My job was to send the monster stones I had acquired through monster hunting in Korea to Taiwan, and in return, I received relics and information, so it was a deal rather than a mission." "I¡ª" Lee''s eyes were not shaken anymore by the attack of Kim. Instead of shaking, they were just blurred. "I was on a mission¡­ to find a legendary relic." At the moment of hearing that, Kim immediately pulled out the Arrow in the thigh of Lee Ki-soo. "Yaaah!" "What legendary relic?" "Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk¡­" Lee Ki-soo poured out information obediently. At the moment of hearing that, in the memory of Kim, Jang Sung-hoon came up with a word against Colonel Lim Hyun-joon. ''Were there really a Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk?'' At that time, Jang mentioned them as a joke. ''But is that real? That''s why.'' On the other hand, Kim was able to understand the intention of the Six Snakes and the movements of Lee Ki-soo. If the purpose of the Six Snakes was simply to secure the military power of Korea, they would have been more active. The Capital Defense Command would have been in contact with the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division. Except for Awakeners, the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division, which absorbed the front-line forces, was much more powerful than the Capital Defense Command. But the Six Snakes did not do that. They hid themselves and caused confusion. Finding what they wanted to have in the chaos was the point. The ultimate thing the Six Snakes wanted was not the power of the Republic of Korea but chaos here. The Republic of Korea must remain in chaos so that they could get what they wanted. What they wanted was not just a relic. If it were a real relic in a textbook, or in a museum, they would have already taken it. In other words, what they had been looking for had an unknown location and existence. Here, Kim did not forget the advice of the second death. ''They really exist.'' It was the advice to put Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Kusanagi, which existed only in the imagination, legend, and mythology, on the wish list. They were what the Six Snakes wanted. They were not real relics, but the legendary relics that existed only in stories! ''If so, it means that there is a relic in Taiwan that can roughly grasp the location of the legendary relics.'' Kim stopped thinking there for a while. "I guess you still haven''t gotten them since you''re here." There was a lot of information to get. "I''ll save you." So here, Kim released the tension on Lee Ki-soo. "To be honest, Lee Ki-soo, your life is important to me, and if we bite each other, we have nothing to gain. Rather than, the first thing we have to do is to find why the Six Snakes hid each other''s presence from us." At that moment, the focus came back to the eyes of Lee Ki-soo. "Well, yes." Click! The Sword of the Imperator inserted in the ground went back into its sheath. "Above all, if we fight like this, my side will also suffer greatly. If you had not known my identity until now, you would have asked for help to deal with me¡­ I am not going to be bled by the supporting force. Major General Lee Ki-soo, you have to stay alive to talk to them." At this part, Lee Ki-soo no longer felt much pain. ''We can live.'' Knowing that Kim had many reasons to save him, hope for his survival brightened Lee''s face. "Uh?" At that moment, Lee Ki-soo''s body began to sink into his own shadow. "Er? Uh? Uh!" While Lee Ki-soo was surprised, his body fell into shadow for a moment. At the same time, gray smoke began to bloom around Kim. The smoke filled the surroundings in an instant. Kim stopped breathing. On the other hand, his eyes were shining, and his ears were open. His vision and hearing began to absorb all the information around him. ''No sound, no sight.'' However, nothing was captured by Kim''s senses. In the meantime, shadows scattered under the heavy smoke began to move. Ten moving shadows!The shadows escaped from the thick smoke. At that moment one of the shadows rose as it was. The rising shadow soon became a human form. That was not what the person directly involved wanted. Damn! The bitter sound of the person was the evidence. The bitter words were the man''s last words. Thunk! A Sword was stuck in the chest of the person who showed up, and Kim saw a dead body, his chest pierced by a Sword in the thick smoke. The man was wearing black clothes and a black mask that only exposed his eyes. He was a Ninja. When Kim saw a man dressed like that, he stopped looking around. Instead, a ring of fire began to form around him. Anger Soaring! Rumbling! The crazy explosion at Cheonggye Mountain covered Namsan Mountain.

 90 Episode 90 - The Moon of Seoul, Part I

    Chapter 32. The Moon of Seoul, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.Rumbling! The explosion that started at Kim Tae-hoon''s body shook everything around him. The trees that filled Namsan were shaken like waves, and stones flew like leaves. The same was true of a human body. "Ahhhhh!" The ninjas, swept away by the huge explosion, began to roll like garbage, screaming. It was not easy for anyone to regain their balance on the slope, but the ninjas regained their footing almost instantly. "¤·¤Ã¤«¤ê¤·¤í!" Wake up! They reacted immediately to someone''s cry. The ninjas stopped on the slope and pulled swords from their waists. Whiz! The ninjas held leaf-shaped throwing-knives between the index finger and the middle finger, between the middle finger and the ring finger, and threw them at the same time toward Kim Tae-hoon. Swish! Dozens of throwing-knives, which cut through the wind thinly and sharply, moved toward Kim, drawing a unique trajectory like a boomerang.It was like a shower. No matter how big his eyes were, there was no place to avoid them. But Kim was not surprised by the showers of throwing-knives. He did not actively respond. What he did at this sudden attack was open his black Eyes wide, open his ears as wide as possible, and to stretch his arms out with his palms open, as if pushing an invisible wall. Ttuk! Dozens of throwing-knives that were heading for Kim stopped in the air. Then they fell to the ground with a sound like falling rain. The sight gave the ninjas a look of horror that could be seen behind the masks. ''Oh, my God.''''What the hell is this¡­?''The Ninjas'' thinking stopped in that state. It was an error. Just as the program that received the uninterpreted command stopped, the ninjas, who assumed that Kim would avoid or pause, were forced to stop in front of this action taken against the throwing knives. Kim, on the other hand, moved.''I set a bait.'' Kim took the gun out of his waist and pulled the trigger toward the ninjas who were far away. Blam, blam! The gunshots were like a thunderstorm waking up the dumbstruck ninjas. ''Gun!''''We must avoid it!''The ninjas refocused their minds and focused all their five senses on Kim. ''They took the bait.'' This was what Kim has wanted. Zing! They focused on the gunshot; in other words, they did not focus on the Arrow. Thunk! The Arrow of Sun-sin, the relic of the great Admiral that did not need an explanation, began to reproduce the nostalgia of the past. It began to penetrate the skulls of the ninjas, who were totally focused on the gun in the hand of Kim Tae-hoon, and who had stepped on the land of the Korean Peninsula in the midst of these turbulent times. Ping! When the third shot broke out, no one was looking at Kim anymore, just dead bodies that had lost the focus in their eyes were crumpled near the devastated area of Namsan. However, Kim did not care about their dead bodies. His gaze hurriedly chased one person. It was a dead body with a dagger in his chest that stopped his gaze. "Hoo." The moment Kim found the dead body of Lee Ki-soo, his eyes closed. ''Fucking hell.'' Kim''s mouth was twisted. His expression could not be easily seen, the feeling that Kim felt now was intense. He had succeeded in seizing the psychological gap of Lee Ki-soo. If the conversation had continued, there would have been a big income. But all that was left now was regret. There was no way to get information from the dead Lee Ki-soo. So, regrets rose in Kim''s head, and the questions followed regret again and again. Where did they come from? ''The forces of the Six Snakes must have built power in Japan, too.'' It was, of course, Japan. This part was so blatant that it was absurd. ''Lee Ki-soo asked for help to check me out.'' The problem was the capacity.The fact that there was enough room for elite Japanese Awakeners and ninjas in Korea meant that Japan had built some power within the Japanese archipelago. ''This is beyond what I expected.'' But it was not easy for them to send ninjas if it was the power of Japan that Kim has known. Japan was not a weak country, but basically, it lacked the most effective army power to deal with monsters, and there were very few army trainees who were decisively skilled, as well as weapons. When they rescued the Japanese VIP, the Japanese government had used its ties with Korea to ask Kim for help. Here, the great surveillance system that Japan boasted of would have been destroyed with the appearance of monsters. The strength of Japan was that it had a good preparation for disasters, but expectations for monsters were not good. There was a big difference between an earthquake and the monsters. Of course, with the advent of monsters, Japan should have been a much worse mess than Korea. At least that was what he had thought. ''I did not expect that Japan would already have this much power.'' But now he had to acknowledge it. Japan was equipped to hunt powerful monsters.It was obvious that the ninjas were dispatched to Korea, and the ninjas actually counterattacked Kim after they were struck by Anger Soaring. ''The relics they secured are not common. No, if the Six Snakes are behind them, they surely have excellent relics.'' Kim''s Anger Soaring was comparable to a green-grade monster''s, and if they could hold it off with pure Energy, they would not have been slain helplessly by him. It meant that they had overcome the fear with the help of relics. It also meant that they could maximize their power against a green-grade monster. ''¡­ Kusanagi.'' ''Above all, it is clearly in Japan. There is the relic of unheard-of that has been mentioned in the myths in Japan.'' It was none other than Kim Tae-hoon, who had guaranteed it through his dream-death. At that moment, Kim heard a disturbance."Search!""Encircle the area! Circle it wide!" It was the sound of those who were surprised by the noise at the heart of the Capital Defense Command, Namsan Tower. It was also a signal that Kim should take his next action. He opened his eyes. Opening his eyes, he looked at the moon above the sky. ''I will finish it before the sun rises today.'' There was no tremor in his eyes. 2.The hospital director''s office¡­ There were a lot of people in the place where Ahn Sun-mi usually worked alone. It was crowded with men, to be precise. "What the hell is going on?!" Ahn Joo-hyung and Ahn Jae-hyung were surprised by Ahn''s shout, but Jang Sung-hoon shrugged his shoulders. "It''s nothing." "So, what the hell is going on?" "We''re going to take this chance to destroy the Capital Defense Command and take over Seoul. I''m sure it''ll be settled as early as tomorrow morning." At the calm appearance of Jang, who had spoken such crazy words, Ahn looked at him as if he was an idiot. It was the same with the twin brothers who had been deployed to guard them. ''He is talking about the mission that our troops have been planning using all sorts of means and methods, but we haven''t even dreamed of, like buying things at the local supermarket.'' ''As early as¡­'' The two of them, members of the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division, knew well what efforts they had made to take down the Capital Defense Command. But the Capital Defense Command was more than they thought. If there had not been a problem in the Capital Defense Command, Colonel Lim Hyun-joon would have taken over Seoul on behalf of the country. However, the two brothers could not deny Jang''s words. ''Well, if it is that monster¡­'' Nothing else, but they had seen Kim''s ability, and they thought that he could do anything. However, Ahn was different. "Explain it to me." She could not understand everything in the words of Jang. No, that wasn''t what mattered to her now. "It''s simple. If we show a loophole on purpose, the Capital Defense Command will come to attack the loophole, and we''ll be attacked by the first punch. As you know, whatever we do after we are beaten, is for self-defense, right? At least it''s both our faults, and the other side which is beaten more is the worse off." Jang, who was speaking, smiled lightly. "Well, don''t be too sorry, because information security is important, and I couldn''t tell you." "That''s not what I''m sorry about!" At that moment, Ahn burst forth with anger. It was an explosion of the agony and the anger she had been having. At her appearance, the light laughter on the mouth of Jang began to turn into a bitter laugh. It was not hard to know why Ahn exploded with fury, because he was quick-witted. ''Finally, she is furious.'' Jang knew Why Ahn was angry now. She was worried that she might become a useless person just like this, and that she might be abandoned by Kim as soon as she became a useless person. ''Well, we are all the same.'' It was not her own concern. It was the worry and concern of all those who have been with Kim from the beginning. By looking at Bang Hyun-wook, they knew that. He was killing monsters like crazy to catch up with Kim somehow, and Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji was doing her best in her role. The problem was that Kim did not care for them or look back. The people who had followed Kim were upset. They wondered if they were doing well, and they were worried. Then they exploded with anger. ''Then, Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji is going to explode next?'' The first explosion was Bang Hyun-wook who lacked patience, and now Ahn Sun-mi had exploded. But that would not change Kim. He would be the same in the future. "Sister Sun-mi, don''t think he''ll care about you. He won''t care if you get married and become his wife." Therefore, at this moment, Jang did not say nice things to Ahn. "Find your own place." Jang knew better than anyone else. "The boss can''t afford to look back, because he is just too busy looking right in front of him." It was too much for Kim to just look at the matters facing them right now. "And now we have to solve the invisible problem." After completing his words, Jang turned his gaze from Ahn, who had her mouth shut, and looked at his bag with a sideways glance. ''If we get the Capital Defense Command, the only remaining area is the Gyeongsang Province.'' ''As soon as the Mac Guild takes the Capital Defense Command, the entire area except Gyeongsang and Jeolla Provinces will become the territory of the ??Mac Guild. Moreover, as long as Chungcheong Province is already secured, securing Jeolla Province will proceed smoothly. There is no monster above the blue grade.'' ''The only thing left is the area of Gyeongsang Province. It will not be easy, but the area will be cleaned up in three months.'' ''Jeju Island is now irrelevant to the subject.'' ''Jeju Island will be left, and Jeju Island has a dark-blue grade monster, so we will postpone the attack to later, and anyway, the Mac Guild will regain most of the country of Korea.'' ''Then we''ll have to go through North Korea and go to the continent, or we''ll go across the sea to Japan.'' ''And that is the starting point. It is never the end. If we remain isolated in the Korean Peninsula, we will be the prey of the world powers and those who will lead a new order. We have to move to live. We must go without rest, whether in the sea or on land.'' ''At that time, Daedongyeojido is virtually useless.'' ''As soon as the world becomes a stage, Daedongyeojido, which has been the best guide of the Mac Guild so far, becomes useless.'' ''We have to start a struggle for survival once again on a stage where we do not know where the monsters are, and where our enemies are.'' ''It is none other than Kim Tae-hoon who has to stand at the forefront and make the way.'' He could not afford to take care of someone like that. "Well, let''s move now." Jang could not afford to look back, either. "Let''s see the boss take over Seoul, because it''s a historic moment going to appear in the textbooks." 3.At the moment of the huge explosion, troops gathered around Namsan Tower, where Lee Hyuk was located. "Everyone, watch out!" "Don''t lower your guard!" The best elite soldiers, who were preparing to protect Lee Hyuk, were ready for the chaos. They were not the inexperienced ones; they had survived in a world full of monsters, and they had increased their stats by eating monster stones with the continued help and support of the Capital Defense Command. They were the most reliable soldiers of Lee Hyuk. However, Lee Hyuk, who was escorted by them, was clearly aware that nothing could stop the typhoon that would come to him now. ''Kim Tae-hoon is here. We can''t stop him.'' Therefore, Lee Hyuk told his determined subordinates, "When Kim Tae-hoon comes, send him to me." "Yes?" "Don''t stop him when he comes, just let him go." "But, but¡­" At the order of Lee Hyuk, his guards looked white. But no one asked him or tried to persuade him. They did not even try. Kim had already shown them; he showed them what he was like and everything in the battle with Albino Goblin without holding back. That was why Kim showed his ability without filtering it. ''I think it was also a strategic move that he showed his identity in Cheonggye Mountain.'' There had been always a reason for Kim''s actions. Even if he showed his strength, he did not show it without a reason. It was a ploy to use in the future. ''He sent the troops to Yeoju City to siege Seoul. It was also a ploy.'' Moving the troops to Yeoju City was not just a move to deceive the eyes. It was also a strategic move. ''Chang Young-sung made a monster. ''This ability is not an ability you are born with. It is an ability to be cultivated with long training and made through countless practical exercises in battle.''''No¡­'' Kim was not born with this ability. He went through training which others could not stand under the goal of protecting his country. ''The Korean government has created a monster.'' Since then, the Korean government had put him into all kinds of practical exercises, unlike its original purpose, for the sake of the Korean government''s taste and the interests of those in power. Even though there was no need to go to the Middle East, he carried out operations without proper support for the interests of businesses and politicians on the battlefield of the Middle East, and even though there was no reason to go to Africa, he carried out his duties against all kinds of enemies. In the process, he lost many colleagues and learned lessons in return. In other words, if Kim had been just an ordinary soldier, his ability would have been incomparably low. ''This is karma.'' When Lee Hyuk reached that point, he smiled bitterly. "Lieutenant General¡­" And that was the last laugh he could make today. "Ki-Kim Tae-hoon is coming down from the sky." Kim Tae-hoon was floating under the moon of Seoul...

 91 Episode 91 - The Moon of Seoul, Part II

    Chapter 32. The Moon of Seoul, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 4.Early at dawn, a conversation started at the highest point of Namsan Tower, aiming to end the turmoil. It was Kim Tae-hoon who said the first words when the two faced one another. "I want you to delegate all the authority of the Capital Defense Command to the Mac Guild." It was a strong punch from the start. Kim asked for the full authority of the Capital Defense Command without any negotiation. It was like asking for Seoul. It was like asking for the legitimacy of the Republic of Korea. And it was like asking for everything that Lee Hyuk had. "No." Lee Hyuk rejected Kim''s proposal without any consideration. "I admit my mistake, but I don''t think that''s the kind of thing that gives away the full authority of the Capital Defense Command." It was never a grudge of Lee Hyuk, and it was not an endless grudge. At this moment, he was drawing a picture. ''There is still room for negotiation. I can''t threaten Kim, but I can threaten what he has.'' ''Clearly, I cannot stop Kim. If Kim resolves to do so, he can render most of the officers of the Capital Defense Command into dead bodies. But he cannot kill the Capital Defense Command itself. It should not be possible.''''Once that happens, the Capital Defense Command will not be silent. It will do its best in any way. The area of the capital will be filled with terrible scenes.'' ''Even if all the officials of the Capital Defense Command die, it will be a problem. Many of the soldiers who lost their command posts will follow Kim, but not all of them. In addition, how do uncontrolled soldiers behave?'' ''Clearly, uncontrolled soldiers are not any different from monsters. If they make a fuss, the damage will leave a great scar on the Mac Guild, even if they don''t touch Kim himself.'' That was what Lee Hyuk thought. On top of that, Lee Hyuk planned to add a game changer. ''I''m making a deal with Colonel Lim Hyun-joon. Then, if I can''t reverse the situation, I can avoid the worst. The Mac Guild''s greatest weakness is their number of men. That is a very lethal weakness. Winning the war is possible with a small number of troops, but managing the land cannot be done with a small number of troops. The only thing that can fill this weakness is the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division, which is now the only one available in the current situation, and if I succeed in appeasing the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division, the situation will be reversed.'' "I''ll give you a hundred relics, including twenty national treasures, and you can go to the Bank of Korea''s safe and pick them up free." In other words, the price for this operation would be paid for with relics. No, from the perspective of Lee Hyuk, it was necessary to pay for it. Only then could he keep his position and think of the future. He knew it was not fair, and he knew that a guilty man was pulling a really dirty trick for his own good. But if he thought that was wrong, he could not do anything. ''I can give him the liver and gallbladder, but I can''t give him the heart.'' "I want one thing." On the contrary, Kim did not intend to negotiate against Lee Hyuk''s resolution, aim, and attempt. "If you don''t want to give it to me, it''s war." Now was time to get the reward for the groundwork. "War¡­ then you''ll kill me first." "I don''t intend to do that, because the power of the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division under the Mac Guild is enough to win a full-scale war against the Capital Defense Command." The strategic move, where Kim had made Colonel Lim Hyun-joon of the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division a subordinate, became checkmate. "What, what is this..." Lee Hyuk stopped himself from saying more, and then he stroked his mouth with his hand. At this moment, he had a suspicion. ''Colonel Lim Hyun-joon is an ambitious man, whose ambition is so high that all the military leaders know it. He is a man who will do almost anything to achieve his ambition! He wants to be the king of a new kingdom, rather than a country official.'' That was why Colonel Lim had rejected Lee Hyuk''s proposals so far. It was common sense, Lee Hyuk must have tried to win over Colonel Lim to his side. He even suggested Colonel take the second place in the ranking, but he also rejected that proposal. Who did Colonel Lim go under? No way! Lee Hyuk could not imagine it had happened. ''However, if it is Kim Tae-hoon, I should re-evaluate. It is possible for Kim Tae-hoon to win over Colonel Lim to his side, and to bluff with it.'' ''Of course, Kim may be bluffing. If he succeeds in accepting a declaration of surrender through falsehood, it will be recorded in history as a very good negotiation. In fact, there are not many historical events created by a three-inch long tongue.'' But when did Kim make contact with Colonel Lim? He had to cross Seoul to get in touch with Pocheon from Bucheon. Was there any other way? Lee Hyuk''s worries began. "The choice is one of two." Kim Tae-hoon released his worries. "You can either take responsibility for this and step back from the front line and delegate all your powers to me, or you can be recorded in three lines in a history book that will be published about ten years from now, mentioning Lee Hyuk''s rebellion." Among the two choices, he did not need to worry about the results. Hoo¡­ Lee Hyuk gave a long sigh. ''This is my end.'' "I''ll delegate my full power." 5.Kaboom! The fireworks began to explode over Namsan Tower, and they were more brilliant than ever. Even the small stars were shining in the sky of Seoul, where the pollution had disappeared and the world had stopped. Thanks to this, the light of the pyrotechnics that started to burn around Namsan Tower could be seen anywhere in Seoul. "Success." A man who was far away and not able to see Namsan Tower without a telescope could still see the lights. "Kim Tae-hoon succeeded." Colonel Lim immediately pulled his eyes off the telescope. What came into his eyes were dozens of tanks with their gun barrels aimed toward Seoul, armed soldiers hiding in the shadows created by the tanks, and artillery waiting for orders all over the place. They were the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division. Since the advent of the monsters, they were the veteran warriors who had protected the northern part of Gyeonggi, the Gangwon area, and the front line from Pocheon. They were all equipped to advance to Seoul with their lives once they were ordered to attack. "We stand by as we are," Colonel Lim ordered them briefly. It was a word to quiet the storm.----- "Okay, it''s boss." There was a person in Yeouido who checked the flares dotted around Namsan Tower with a telescope. Jang, who checked the flares, ordered, "Now, let''s get ready to enter Seoul." Jang looked at the troops that were ready to cross the Han River at any time with the order. Now was when the owner of Seoul had changed, and when the newly changed owner would give his first impression to those who would follow him.--- Finally, there were those who checked the flares near the Han River. They could see Namsan and they were gathered around a ship that floated alone on the Han River. "What happened?""I think they''ve been killed.""What about Major General Lee Ki-soo?""It looks like he is dead." They were ninjas dressed in black. "Those idiots." They numbered ten. Only one of them was wearing white, not black.But it didn''t feel clean, and the fiery eyes behind the mask were sharp, and the spirit that was coming from his body was very fierce. "I can''t even save a man. I have to report a mission failure! What a disgrace!" At the growling of the man named Kazami Hayato, the nine men left turned their eyes or bowed their heads. They had no words to say in excuse, so Hayato turned and looked at Namsan Tower again. His face was not good as he watched the bright light of the flares. ''All right'', but his mind was different. ''The mission is complete,'' Hayato Kazami said to himself. The order he had received before leaving the Japanese archipelago was to support Major General Lee Ki-soo. They wanted to make a tool of Lee Ki-soo. But as soon as he stepped on the Korean Peninsula, he was given a new order: "If you have a chance, kill Lee Ki-soo!"''All I have to do is report to my master.'' The order was issued by a man named Musashi, who had saved Tokyo from hell, and was ordered by the man named Musashi who now wanted to establish a new Japan. ''This will enable us to invade Korea.'' Musashi. No one knew his real name, and no one cared about it. He was called Musashi and treated like a Savior. He had a great ambition. ''If Japan could occupy Korea¡­'' The first thing to do for that ambition was to get out of Japan. It was not the job of only Musashi. It was the process of all those who had ruled Japan earlier, and those who had tried to advance beyond Japan to a wider stage. It was also the reality that Japan was facing. The Japanese archipelago was not good for living in isolation, the land was too constrained to have their ambition realized. That was why Japan had always sought the Korean Peninsula in history. But Musashi and Japan had been hiding this ambition, because the forces of Lee Ki-soo, supported by the Six Snakes, had settled on the Korean Peninsula. In the situation that Lee Ki-soo played a good role, the Six Snakes would not allow Musashi to advance to Korea. In other words, if Lee Ki-soo died, only the antagonists against the Six Snakes would be left on the Korean Peninsula, and there was no reason for the Six Snakes to stop Japan from entering here. Hayato felt the time was coming, and he felt that Japan would repeat its history from a century ago, but it would produce a different result this time! Based on the lessons learned a century ago, he was sure they could really build an empire this time! At such thoughts, he was smiling without knowing it. "No other alternative, we''re the only ones on the move," he said, trying to hide his smile. "Yes!" All nine ninjas bowed their heads. ''Huh?'' At that moment Hayato was able to see a person who did not bow to him. ''What is this guy?'' Hayato was so embarrassed that he forgot to be angry. Coming to his senses, he immediately made his eyes fierce. He had turned into a fierce lion and took a dagger from his waistband. He threw the weapon, called a kunai, at the man who was staring straight at him. The Kunai flew away with a creepy sound. Then it stopped. ''Uh?'' It stopped in the air, and everyone was surprised. Hayato''s men were surprised that Hayato had suddenly thrown it, and Hayato was surprised at the sight in front of him. Kaboom! Another firework was fired from the tower above Namsan, and the light of the flare, which was a particularly bright, sparkled in the new man''s black Eyes. 6.A blue flame rose in the blackness of the darkness, coming from the burning of paper dolls. Nineteen dolls were burning, and only one doll remained intact. A woman was seen dimly between the blue will-o''-the-wisps. She was wearing priestess robes that could be seen at a Japanese shrine. Another woman came into the darkroom where the woman was. "Musashi is coming." At the words of the woman who was wearing the same clothes as her, the priestess in the darkroom rose from her seat, came out of the chamber, and showed herself. She was a beauty with bobbed hair. In front of her was a wide-open land, a deep moat that girded it, and collapsed buildings waiting for dawn beyond the moat. Edo Castle was the place where the woman stood; only the site and the buildings remained, instead of the splendid castle. A group of people was approaching her with the rattling of armor. They were samurai dressed like those from the Sengoku period, and the sound of armor rose with every step. At the head of such samurai, the only man wearing kimono without armor showed his slender build. He was barely over 160 centimeters tall, and he looked young. His skin was lovely, soft and smooth. He was a handsome man with a youthful appearance. He was a man unusual in many ways, but the most unusual thing was the sword which a man was wearing at his waist. Even though he had put the sword in the black sheath, the light from the sword came out through the sheath and illuminated its surroundings like a beacon. Musashi. With the emergence of the monsters, he was the man who had saved Tokyo, who was saving Japan, and who would save even the future of Japan. "Is everyone dead?" Musashi asked as he stood in front of the shrine maiden. She bowed her head once and answered, "The only one who survives among the twenty is Hayato." "What about contact?" "Okjo hasn''t come yet." "Kazami is an outstanding man. He''ll tell us after he escapes. So, what about him?" At his question, the woman opened her eyes. There was a smile on the mouth of Musashi. "It''s time to set sail," he said through the smile.

 92 Episode 92 - The Moon of Seoul, Part III

    Chapter 32. The Moon of Seoul, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 7.It was late enough to call it dawn. People came over to Colonel Jang So-gook, who was waiting for someone with his eyes shining, even though it was time for everyone to be asleep. But they were not the ones he was waiting for. "Colonel Jang So-gook, you are under arrest for rebellion." It was soldiers who came to Colonel Jang, and they showed a killing spirit to him. However, he did not resist in front of them, but not because he was afraid of the soldiers. "¡­ Lieutenant Colonel Yoo Dae-hyun, you are a traitor." The fact that it was Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, not anyone else, who came to arrest him, was what rendered Colonel Jang immobile. "You''re with Kim Tae-hoon..." Colonel Jang knew the role Lieutenant Colonel Yoo had served as a moving bridge between the Mac Guild and the Capital Defense Command. He could easily see that Lieutenant Colonel Yoo had betrayed them. In other words, he was attached to Kim Tae-hoon. "You have talked a lot for a man who tried to sell the country to Japan," Lieutenant Colonel Yoo remarked without any mercy. There was no reason to be merciful. His opponent was the one who wanted to sell the country out and pursue his own interests, and from now on he would be punished for it. It would be Lieutenant Colonel Yoo who would carry out the punishment. "Major General Lee Ki-soo and Major Oh Se-bum are dead, and Colonel Jang So-gook will be punished as a warning to others." That was the mission Kim Tae-hoon had given him. ''No, he must be punished as a warning to others. The chaos will be reduced as he is cruelly treated.'' Kim Tae-hoon gave Lieutenant Colonel Yoo the authority after the death of Lee Ki-soo: to find the traitors, and to punish them. Kim Tae-hoon, who was entrusted with the full authority of the Capital Defense Command, gave the right to Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, and in fact, he was like the Grim Reaper. "Take him out." To Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, the Grim Reaper was not a handsome man with a black hat and a wet eye, but a man who could take someone''s life without hesitation. "If he resists, kill him." At that terrifying order, Colonel Jang was dragged out and saw the sky. The moon of Seoul was as bright as the sun. 8.The fireworks in the sky near Namsan Tower woke up those living near Seoul from their hard-earned sleep. "Mom, what is that?" Even the children rubbed their eyes and woke up. "Is it fireworks, huh?" At the words of a child, a woman looked up at the sky with her daughter in her arms. Their faces were haggard, their eyes dark. That was the reality of Seoul. The land of Seoul, which had the highest population density in Korea, had no room to satisfy the survivors. Food had run out of for a long time, and there was nothing good to eat, just a lump of calories that could fill the stomach. Sometimes they filled the calories with cooking oil. But the worst was that they did not have any expectations for the future. Hope for the future meant that they would have food that would eventually make their stomachs full. But around the Han River, it was too terrible to farm. It was not easy to break down and clear away the expensive apartments set up by the Han River, so no one could imagine seeing golden rice fields in the land of Seoul. This meant that the future of Seoul was very bleak. Then, trucks began to enter Seoul. Br-br-br-! The trucks carrying the huge trailers woke up the night of Seoul with the roar of their engines. People could see a fantasy animal called a Mac, which they had never seen before, drawn on every trailer of the rumbling trucks."This design was well drawn, right? I did it myself." It was the mascot design of the Mac Guild by Jang Sung-hoon. Jang had drawn the design on the trailers of all the trucks entering Seoul carrying food. "They''ll never forget it once they see it, and they''ll probably dream of it." It was done to completely rule Seoul. The Capital Defense Command was guarding Seoul, but it was not completely dominating. The truth was that they were taking control of Seoul through fear and violence. Although the Mac Guild was entrusted with the full authority of the Capital Defense Command, the minds of the citizens of Seoul would not change by themselves. Therefore, a new approach was needed. "I actually wanted to write Messiah down, but I quit because I would be crushed by the boss. Boss and Messiah don''t get along very well, no matter how hard I thought about it." The Mac Guild needed to let Seoul know that it was an organization to bring hope for the future. They needed to make an image, and the Mac Guild''s mascot was the beginning of the image making. "We''ll run the food trucks that we''ve modified right after we''ve supplied food. There''s a design that made the Mac Guild''s mascot cute, and we are going to make a fish-shaped bun in the food truck and give them to kids all over Seoul, and for reference, copyright and trademark rights are mine. In a decade, it''ll be more popular in Korea than Mickey Mouse." Jang had prepared a lot of image making. He wasn''t alone in preparing them. The Mac Guild did not just leave the survivors as survivors; they made a list to help them use their abilities and skills. They had given a role to each engineer and technician. Some of them were famous in the marketing department of companies. It was easy to organize a team for image making, and it was not hard to make them work hard. Everyone had done his best to demonstrate his ability in a world where he was more likely to live by revealing his value. "If I build a company, it''ll be the Mac Company. I''ll give you a share, so let''s do it well together." Kim did not have much to say to Jang. He was fiddling with the jade piece in his hand, looking at the sky where dawn had begun to look smudged. At this moment, he was worried. ''They have secretly built a base area in Daegu and Busan.'' He had gotten new information that Lee Ki-soo has secured a base in Busan and Daegu. It was possible, but it was thanks to the many relics filling the Gyeongju. The Tripitaka Koreana of Haein Temple played a very important role. Haein Temple in Hapcheon, where the invincible relic, Tripitaka Koreana, was sealed, defeated the monsters. Even though monsters were swirling around the Sobaek mountain range, there were no monsters identified by the Daedongyeojido in Kaya Mountain, a stem of the Sobaek mountain range. ''The relic has an effect from the starting point of Haein Temple to Daegu¡­ The power is far beyond the silver cross that the priest had, and the influenced area is much larger than the Sunsubi of King Jinheung.'' Furthermore, the influence of the Tripitaka Koreana was also affecting the adjacent Daegu Metropolitan City. This range was wider than any other relic, and its power was great. ''Daegu¡­ I''m in trouble.'' For Daegu City, it was simply a blessing from the heavens. The fact that there was little interference from monsters meant that most of the infrastructure was the same. Moreover, Daegu City had some powerful merits that could not be compared with other cities. ''The Second Operations Command in Daegu; without any fighting, the outcome would have been easier than I thought.'' ''Once in Daegu, there is the Second Operations Command. The scary thing about monsters is that in front of their fear, the general armed forces are useless and their appearance is sudden. No matter how great an army is, there''s no way to deal with the sudden rise of a monster from the inside. Conversely, if there is some security guarantee from monsters appearing, then the situation is totally different if there is room to prepare.'' If the appearance of monsters in Daegu was not great, especially monsters with strong fear, the Second Operations Command would have been able to perform far better than expected. ''The armaments and artillery of the Second Operations Command were so small that it would have been easy for the Capital Defense Command to win them to their side.'' ''Of course, there are weaknesses in the Second Operations Command. There are no armor or artillery units among the troops under the Second Operations Command. Most of them are infantry units.'' ''Surviving from monsters requires powerful firepower to regain the land that has been taken away, even though it is with the help of relics. With its firepower, the presence of armored units and artillery units is absolute beyond the crucial level.'' Therefore, the proposal to the Second Operations Command, sent by Major General Lee Ki-soo of the Capital Defense Command, would have been undeniable. It would not have been difficult for Lee Ki-soo to make it a base area. ''Gyeongju and Busan are already their territories.'' And Lee Ki-soo took Gyeongju as the next target after using it as a base area. They expanded their activity area with the strong relics of Gyeongju, and they were in the process of exerting influence on Busan City. ''The good news is that they have not found Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk yet.'' Lee Ki-soo was still looking for the legendary relics, the Geumchuk of Park Hyuk-geo-se and the Manpasikjeok of King Sinmun. ''When I appeared and the stage was twisted, they brought Japan to this stage.'' For that, they had received support from the outside forces of Japan. "Hey, boss." Jang said to Kim, worried about his silence. "What are you so worried about?" Jang had made many plans for his future: after establishing the Mac Company, he would be a big success and buy a lot of expensive artwork at Sotheby''s auction on the Internet from a mansion in Miami. However, Kim did not listen to Jang, and Jang gave Kim a pretty upset look since he had not heard his future plans. "You didn''t hear me, did you?" "Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk." Kim turned Jang''s pouting mouth back to its original shape with two words. "The Gyeongju Samgi (three wonderful treasures)? Why?" "They really exist." "Yes?" Jang looked puzzled. " Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk are somewhere beyond the Sobaek Mountains. Lee Ki-soo was looking for them." However, the expression of Jang, who understood the situation, soon hardened. "So, did they find them?" ''Gyeongju Samgi refers to three relics representing the history of Silla; the Geumchuk of Park Hyuk-geo-se, the Manpasikjeok of King Sinmun, and the Bell of King Seongdeok. Of course, the two things in front are literally a story, and only the Bell of King Seongdeok really exists.'' But the world had changed. There was no surprise that they were real. Jang also learned that lesson from Kim Tae-hoon''s death. So, their surprise was not the fact that the relics existed. "They didn''t find them, did they? When they fell into their hands..." The power of the relics was the power of surprise. Even in case Kim Tae-hoon''s first-grade relic, the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, its power was creepy. It was fortunate that Kim Tae-hoon used his wits and robbed it before the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje was in use. If Kim Tae-hoon had to face the monsters created by the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, he would not have been guaranteed victory. That was the value of a real relic. How great would the power of Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk, mentioned in the legends, would be? It was true that no one could even measure their power. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they would be a game changer, if they were relics of such power. "Ah." Jang was able to draw the same picture as Kim was painting. "The Six Snakes'' current goal is not just to secure a base, but to collect legendary relics!" ''It is not easy to obtain real relics. No, to tell the truth, at this point, half a year after the monsters appeared, the famous relics are already owned, and the fast-paced searchers would not have left the relics behind. But it will be different if it is an unrealistic relic.'' ''The owner is whoever finds it first.'' "If it is a relic of legend¡­ it''ll be necessary for a powerful monster hunt, to kill the monster. Those who search for it first can take the lead in the upcoming monster stone battle." "Not everyone is like you." ''That''s the answer. If all the Awakeners in the world are like Kim Tae-hoon, they can concentrate on hunting monsters rather than doing such things. But there are not many people like Kim Tae-hoon.'' ''No, not many, but no one has become stronger like Kim Tae-hoon in the world. If so, it is rather ridiculous. Even Kim Tae-hoon is not able to give a proper answer to the dark-blue grade monster right away.'' ''What about others?'' ''Legendary relics are the least tools needed for Awakeners to kill more powerful monsters.'' "If they monopolize the legendary relics that are essential for hunting monsters¡­ in fact, except for the nukes, weapons to hunt monsters are gone, so the Six Snakes could rule the world. If a group monopolizes the tools, they will be kings of the world." "These guys are not kidding. It is not strange that the Six Snakes did this." "The Japanese Awakeners are in Korea now. And no matter what they are doing it, it''s easy to understand." "Japan? What do you mean?" "Ninjas were here." "Yes?" "He said he was a ninja of Iga." "Is he from the Leaf Village?" "What''s the Leaf Village?" "Nevermind. So¡­ explain it to me." During the cross-questions from Jang, Kim told him what he had obtained and the information he had got from Kazami Hayato. Jang''s face hardened when he heard the information. "Oh, my God, no matter how many times history repeats itself, there are still fucking guys selling the country to Japan." Jang was angry. They had sold their country from the moment they were supported by the Six Snakes. But getting Japanese support was quite different; at least for Koreans, Japan had been a terrible thing. But Kim Tae-hoon was not angry. ''They sell out their country?'' Kim had already seen too many of them. That was not what he was surprised about. ''There is no time.'' According to the information obtained from Hayato, Japan did not intend to save Lee Ki-soo in the first place. ''Musashi, he is aiming to make Korea a base and advance into the continent.'' By killing Lee Ki-soo, the goal was to make Korea a public enemy, not a target of cooperation with the Six Snakes. It was their plan that Japan would become the tip of the sword, pierce Korea first and get everything about Korea. The plan had already begun. The death of Lee Ki-soo had already been passed on to them. Lee Ki-soo was dead, and the news was delivered to the mainland of Japan. ''Spells¡­ they are a cause of anxiety.'' Kim heard that they could use a spell to tell if a person was living or dead from a distance. ''Of course, Japan will move to advance into the Korean Peninsula. Their starting point will be Busan, of course. There is already a facility in Tsushima Island to support maritime movement between Japan and Busan. Above all, Japan''s maritime power is so powerful that it can not be compared with their land power.'' ''Once Japan is in Busan, it is almost impossible for Korea to prevent Japan from entering.''''In that state, we will be dealing with those who have settled in the Gyeongsang area with the Tripitaka Koreana and Gyeongju relics, and with monsters filling the Sobaek mountain ranges!'' ''It is not easy. The damage will be immeasurable if we are to win. Of course, we have to stop their attempts right now. We must root out the Japanese forces that have entered Korea now, and build a front line to prevent them from landing on the Korean mainland.'' ''It''s hard to get our men over the Sobaek Mountains right now. The problem is that it is not easy for us to cross the Sobaek mountain range with the power of the Mac Guild. Monsters in the Sobaek Mountains are not laughable opponents.'' ''Eventually, by the time the troops leave the Sobaek mountain range, Japan will have at least occupied Busan. Then it will be war. It''s not just a war, it''s a civil war. Korea will begin to engage in a fratricidal war of its own again, with the land divided in half.'' ''In the meantime, Japan will take over the remains of Korea again, and will never leave, because Japan will never consider the future of Korea.'' ''The blood is worth for the Gamecock, and we don''t need that lesson anymore.'' So, Kim did not hesitate at this moment. "I can''t forgive them this time. A lot of art has been leaked out to Japan by pro-Japanese groups! Why should we go to Japan to see the Mongyudowondo, our own painting? Boss, leave it to me, and if you give me the authority, I''ll remove them-" "Jang Sung-hoon, I will delegate all the authority I have to you at this time." "Yes?" "You have all the authority, including the right to command and the power to appoint the Mac Guild and the Capital Defense Command." "Wait, what-" "I will cross the Sobaek Mountains alone." At that moment, Kim looked up. Now he saw the dawn, which indicated that the night had passed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------Mongyudowondo: In the Joseon Dynasty, in 1447 (the 29th year of King Sejong''s reign), this Shan Shui was painted with ink and colors on the silk background by An Gyeon. It contains a scene where Grand Prince Anpyeong walked through the peach garden in a dream.

 93 Episode 93 - Résistance, Part I

    Chapter 33. R¨¦sistance, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.It was July in Daegu City. It was hot, and even in the shadowy buildings, it was sweaty and irritating.The same was true of the messy office on the sixth floor of the ruined eight-story building, and the woman gasping in it. Her body was covered with sweat. Fuck! The woman was untidy, and her hair was cut short, like a man''s. Her hair was covered with oil and sweat, and her sweat, was black and dark as if she had not properly washed for a long time. Nevertheless, she was attractive enough that she could call herself a beauty, and especially a lacrimal point under her left eye was impressive. In addition, the lacrimal point was the most obvious evidence that she was an actor, Lee Yeon-ah. ''It''s the worst.'' Lee Yeon-ah had been an idol singer and had been popular during her idol days. After turning to an actress, she had appeared as the main supporting actor in a considerable number of films and had appeared twice in public TV dramas. She was not the woman who had been always under the glare of light, and she was not the kind of woman who could gasp for breath in this place. ''Everything is the worst.'' Her misfortune began on December 31, 2016, as everyone else''s did. That day she was on her way to Seoul after finishing a drama shoot in Busan. The first monsters she saw began to mingle with or crush the cars running on the Gyeongbu Expressway, as if killing ants. At the absurd sight, her manager escaped out of the Gyeongbu Expressway with an amazing show of driving skill. ''At that time, I should have run to Seoul.'' The end of the nightmare that had started was Daegu City. Daegu City was the only place with very few monsters to appear, and the survivors flocked to Daegu City. To be precise, only those who came to Daegu could survive. Until then, she had the hope that this nonsense would be stopped. With that hope, she followed the orders of the Second Operations Command. It was not enough to just follow. She had helped the Second Operations Command to reassure people. She used her fame to become the face of the Second Operations Command in front of people. In addition to her, entertainers and celebrities came out to help the activities of the Second Operations Command. It was a kind of talent donation, and at the same time, it was a struggle to benefit. ''If I would have run to Seoul at that time, I might have died, but I would not have seen those mad bastards do anything crazy¡­'' At some point, the situation began to change. No, the situation didn''t improve over time. The support that they thought would come soon did not come, and millions of people who flocked to the collapse of the social infrastructure created an unimaginable disorder. Looting took place all over the place, and once arson occurred, it would be a real disaster. But that was not the worst. ''Those bastards took people to the monster''s dens and they forced people to work¡­ the crazy bastards.'' The Second Operations Command began to make strange moves from a certain moment. The first abnormality was when the Second Operations Command headed to Gyeongju City with those who committed a crime and were isolated or imprisoned. At first, no one was very interested in it, and most of them welcomed the move; at least, no one wanted to share the space with the criminals. However, there was no support to the massacre of the criminals who had gone to Gyeongju City. It was a natural thing, for there were plenty of hungry monsters in Gyeongju, and the smell and sweat of thousands of people were not different from the smell of delicious food. The problem arose after the Second Operations Command began to send people to Gyeongju City repeatedly. There were people who started to doubt the fact that even criminals being thrown into hell was inevitable, and everything changed when it became known that the reason was to dig up the royal tombs and ancient tombs in Gyeongju City. People asked the Second Operations Command why thousands and tens of thousands of people risked their lives and walked through the royal tombs and ancient tombs of Gyeongju with nothing but shovels and songs. The answer to that question was simple: they were shot dead. The Second Operations Command did not spare r those who complained and voiced their opinion. ''Damn it.'' After that, the Second Operations Command forced not only criminals but also innocent people who did not commit crimes into Gyeongju City, and they forced them to work. From then on, only two categories of people remained in Daegu. Those who were obediently taken away, and those who did not want to be taken away. Lee Yeon-ah was the latter. She did not want to be taken away, so she became a member of the R¨¦sistance. "Here!" And that was why she was breathing hard in the ruined building. "She''s in here!""Fucking bitch, you''re a rat in a trap." She grit her teeth at the voice in front of her building. ''How the hell do they know where I am? Did they use a spell?'' But she didn''t close her eyes tightly. "Capture her alive! She would know where Cho Sung-yeon is!""Can we just capture her?""You guys, the first one to catch her can fuck her first! If you keep her mouth unhurt, everything is okay!""I am finally fucking her, I''ve been waiting for this day-" Despite the ghastly and miserable talk of the soldiers toward her, she never showed any weakness. ''That''s a load of bullshit. How did I keep my virginity in the entertainment industry? If I am fucked by you guys, I''ll set my body on fire.'' Rather, at this moment she checked the number of bullets in her own cartridge belt. ''There''s one left. Only one bullet is left.'' When she put the magazine in the K2 rifle she was holding, she still had about forty rounds of ammunition. ''I can take three of them.'' She weighed the amount of ammunition left and the life of a man. "Hoo!" Then she drew her breath. Her eyes cooled down as she breathed, her eyes slowly lost all hope. ''The last moment¡­ I will kill myself.'' Finally, with the readiness to die, she thought of a man''s face in her mind. ''At least I have to save the captain. If he dies, it''s over.'' She remembered the face of the man who had fought against the Second Operations Command for justice, not injustice. "Hoo!" The moment she finally breathed, the moment she prepared for the battle, the moment her concentration reached its peak, her sense of smell finally caught the odor. ''Hmm?''''What is it?'' Deep, gentle, yet intense¡­ a fragrance that was not like other fragrances. ''Oh, this was the aroma of coffee.'' The scent was a coffee flavor.''Oh, God, I forgot the flavor of coffee.'' She felt a lump in her throat then, surprised by the first smell of coffee in some time, the coffee flavor she used to savor. It was because she felt deeply how precious the things she had lost were. On the other hand, her reason tinged her. ''Where does this coffee smell come from?''''Who is it?'' It was not an illusion, because the fragrance was too thick as an illusion. It was clear that this was not the smell of the soldiers of the Second Operations Command, the dogs of the military who risked their lives trying to rape her. So, the soldiers who entered the building and started running up the stairs like dogs had no choice but to stop in front of this coffee smell. Sniff!"What is it? What does it smell like?""I''ve smelled it a lot of times¡­ coffee! Coffee!" The soldiers also looked surprised by the smell, as it had been some time for them as well. They were surprised that they had forgotten the smell that had been blowing all over the world just half a year ago, and they were also surprised that the odor was in a ruined building. Their surprise turned into tension. Gulp! Then one of them gave a sign with a swallow. "We''ll go to the fifth floor, and be careful if it''s a trap." "Yes." With the order, those who had been climbing the stairs opened the door and entered the fifth floor of the building. ''Hoo!'' Lying on the stairs between the fifth and sixth floors, Lee Yeon-ah, who was about to shoot at the soldiers who were coming up, held her breath again. She heard some voices: starting with the voice of a soldier, passing the voice of a man she had never heard before, and even the sound of the direct fire order. - There! There''s someone over there!- Stop moving. If you move, I''ll kill you.- Fire! After that, there was no sound for a moment. ''What''s going on?'' Thud! And after a while, Lee Yeon-ah heard things fall on the floor, one after another. She could tell that the sound was the last sound of those who had abruptly become dead. ''What, what...?'' So, she had to panic. She had heard the sound several times when a dead body fell, but she has never heard them without a shot. But her surprise was not the end of it. Huck! Lee Yeon-ah was able to tell that the coffee smell was gradually getting stronger. The source was getting closer to her. Screech! The door to the stairs, which had been closed, opened again by itself. The doorknob moved on its own, and the door opened itself. A voice came from beyond the open door. "Drop the gun." It was a warning. It was a warning to Lee Yeon-ah herself. At the warning, she worried, and when the worry was over, she took the gun upside down instead of throwing it away. She pointed it at her head. ''If I am taken any information¡­'' And without a moment''s hesitation, she pulled the trigger. ''Ah!'' But the trigger didn''t move. The reason was simple. She didn''t know that the safety was on. ''Why, why?'' She was embarrassed by the fact. In the meantime, a man carrying a deep coffee odor came toward her. There was no sound of walking up the stairs, since the man climbed the stairs in the air and stood in front of Lee Yeon-ah, who was lying on the stair landing between the fifth and sixth floors. He had bushy hair and there were two swords on his back. However, above all, his black Eyes were the most impressive and overwhelming. "I, I-""My name is Kim Tae-hoon, the head of the Mac Guild, which manages the capital city Seoul, Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, Gangwon, and Incheon." Even Lee Yeon-ah, who had made up her mind to suicide, was overwhelmed and she made a foolish expression. So, she answered without even knowing it, "I, I''m¡­ Lee Yeon-ah.""So?""Lee, Lee Yeon-ah. Lee Yeon-ah.""So what?""Lee, Lee Yean-ah." The man frowned strongly, leaving Lee Yeon-ah silent in front of him. Then he said, with a look that seemed to be truly unaware of her, "The unit, the rank, the information you wanted to hide so much that you chose suicide. All I want to hear is those three things." With the words, Kim Tae-hoon had coffee in a mug in his hand. 2."They were wiped out? Does that make sense?" A soldier bowed his head at the question of the man who was pouring out sweat like a flood in the heat. "How many people died just trying to capture a girl!" The name of the man who yelled again was Jang Kyun. He was also a Major under the Second Operations Command. That was all. Jang Kyun had only a rank, but he did not have proper power or status. He was not a Major in the first place, and it was only because of the mark on the back of his right hand that he was able to receive the high rank of Major. The Second Operations Command needed to increase the loyalty of their Awakeners, and in that situation, all the Second Operations Command could do was to give them a decent rank. For that reason, there were more Majors than Second Lieutenants under the Second Operations Command. "Get her right now!""It''s dangerous, and Lee Yeon-ah could have set up a trap.""So what? Get her now! We have to catch her, so we can find the true location of the R¨¦sistance!""Well, it''s still dangerous-" Currently, the biggest problem of the Second Operations Command was the R¨¦sistance, and Lee Yeon-ah was an executive of the R¨¦sistance. That was why Major Jang Kyun was furious to catch her. "Get Lee Yeon-ah!" Major Jang Kyun would be able to acquire the right power and status as soon as he caught the actress Lee Yeon-ah, who was the executive of the R¨¦sistance and all the Korean people knew her. ''Fucking bitch, I will catch her¡ª'' There was also a desire to vent his personal sexual desires. The men under Major Jang Kyun were angry, of course. ''Crazy bastard! You could go and catch her yourself. If we were able to catch her, we would have caught her.'' Everyone knew that they had to catch Lee Yeon-ah to clean up the R¨¦sistance. But she had never been caught. Above all, even though they had known her location clearly, the troops who had gone to catch her were slaughtered. It was more likely that the place was a trap created by the R¨¦sistance than anything else. ''We should throw ourselves into such a trap?''''We can''t fucking run away¡­''''Does it mean that we should die?'' "Major Jang Kyun." A man in the distance spoke; he was young enough to be described as a young man rather than a man. Behind him was a man who was dressed in a suit that anyone could see was a ninja. "Mr. Tanaka has something to say." The young man was none other than a Japanese interpreter. Of course, the object of interpretation was the man in the ninja outfit behind the young man. "If you give him permission, Mr. Tanaka will catch Lee Yeon-ah directly." Major Jang Kyun was very pleased with the words of the interpreter. "Really?" "But he has a condition.""Condition?""If he catches her, you''ll have to give him a day or so." Major Jang Kyun laughed at that. ''Well, she was famous in Japan, too.'' Major Jang Kyun couldn''t help but notice the meaning of that, and he had no intention of complaining or rejecting the fact. Most of all, he knew the ninja had a very special ability. It was the ninja who had found the location of the elusive Lee Yeon-ah. Of course, he did not hesitate. "Please tell him to give me a favor."

 94 Episode 94 - Résistance, Part II

    Chapter 33. R¨¦sistance, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 3.Lee Yeon-ah was sitting in a chair. She wasn''t sitting normally. Her body was tied to a chair. Her body was tight to the back of a chair, her arms were on the armrests, and her legs were on the legs of a chair. "Eup eup!" Finally, there was a gag in her mouth. "I''m telling you a few things." Kim Tae-hoon was sitting in a chair in front of her. His expression while sitting on the chair without a backrest was very dull. "The only thing I want to know is the information you wanted to hide until you chose to kill yourself. I don''t care about your name or your unit." On the other hand, Lee was staring at Kim. Of course, at this moment she had no intention of cooperating with him. And Kim did not want to be in a cooperative relationship with her, either. "And I don''t have much time, and I don''t want to waste time torturing a person to get information that I don''t know, even if I have plenty of time." In the first place, her appearance was a surprise event for Kim, and no more than that. Her appearance was unexpected, so it was not a meaningful relationship. "That''s the same for you, so you have an hour." Above all, Kim''s purpose in Daegu was not to find something. Cleaning.Kim was here to clean up the threats to the Mac Guild, including Daegu City. And the cleaning work did not need to be helped by someone else.At least, there was be no one in Korea who could give advice to him in such cleaning work. Nevertheless, the reason he had saved her life was that she had tried to kill herself for information security. ''There''s a reason to risk her life.'' Trying to kill herself for information security was not easy for non-religious fanatics. One more reason was that she was chased by soldiers of the Second Operations Command. Those two reasons were all Kim needed to keep Lee alive and interrogate her.Of course, he did not intend to invest a lot of time in her. "If you look at me like that in an hour, I''ll make you the dead body you want to be." If her attitude would not change in an hour, the interrogation would be over. In addition, Kim did not intend to regret in the future, leaving room for her. "If you want to talk, tell me." As soon as Kim finished the notice, he closed his eyes. There was no coercive interrogation or torture. ''This man¡­'' Lee stared at Kim turned into a look of absurdity. ''What the hell?'' Everything was questionable for her now: Kim''s existence itself, his intention, and his ability. ''Doesn''t he know me?'' Even Lee had doubts about the fact that Kim did not know her. ''Is my face that bad?'' Lee didn''t have any doubts because of her pride. Her image and fame were more important than she had thought in a land of unbelievable monsters. To be honest, ordinary people preferred to listen to the words of celebrities who they had often seen on TV, rather than what soldiers said. Reliability was also much higher for celebrities with their own good image than mere soldiers. In addition, Lee was a woman who became the manager for the R¨¦sistance from the manager of the Second Operations Command. If Lee had been just a normal person, it would have been meaningless. But she was not a normal person, and that was why the Second Operations Command was trying to catch her. Not knowing her was definitely a matter for her to go over. However, there was no way to solve her suspicions. "Eup eup! Ugh!" She wasn''t even allowed to ask questions. And as time went by, there was no room for doubt for her. ''What do I do?'' It was sometimes more painful to be forced to suffer than to be tortured. ''Am I really going to die like this?'' When she was ready to kill herself, she was desperate and urgent. That was why she could be decisive. But it was different now. She had to agonize over her death at this moment. To live, she had to sell her out co-workers, but if she didn''t, she might die, has been forced into her mind. Even the office, which Kim had taken for a conversation with Lee, was used as a warehouse. There were no windows, no sunlight, and it was a place where she could not tell how much time had gone by. Then Kim opened his eyes. ''Ninja''s here.'' His eyes were black. When Lee saw the sight, she let out a gasp. ''Good to have a trap set up.'' Meanwhile, Kim got up from his seat and moved near the door. His mouth was puffed up like a frog. Soon after, he expelled out his mouthful of energy into the door. Foo-hoo-hoo-hoo! A huge fire broke out. The flames began to fill the door and the hallway behind it. "Aaaaaaargh!""Argh! Aaaaaargh!"Then there was a scream from a place where there was no sign. No, five screams. Swish! The arrow from the leather holder in Kim''s waist moved toward the five screams. Thunk, thunk! The arrow pierced the screams at once. It was all done in a flash. After finishing his work, Kim sat down again. There was no conversation. He started meditating with his eyes closed again. Lee could not glare at Kim anymore. ''What the hell¡­'' At that moment, Kim opened his eyes and said, "You seem to be a very important person, and you''ve got a lot of people looking for you." "Ugh!" Lee was delighted with the voice. But her joy did not last long. "Team leader, head, nigger." The funny words mentioned by Kim made her shake. ''Ah¡­'' The words were nicknames for her colleagues, who she knew well. "I''ll change the condition." Kim acknowledged her shaking eyes. "I don''t think I''ll get information after killing colleagues against a person who decides to kill herself to save her colleagues. If you give me information here, I will save you and your colleagues together. If not, I will kill you and your colleagues." It was the last notice. ''Oh, no!'' "Eup!" Her eyes changed sadly at the notice. Kim released the gag that was hanging in her mouth. 4.Between the building Kim was in and the next, three people gathered together under a deep shadow. They were two men and a woman; a man in his mid-thirties, a man in his late twenties with an unusually large head, and a woman with dark skin in her mid-twenties. They were gathered together in a cluster under a deep shadow. What they were looking at was an eight-story building that had become a ruin. "She is right there, isn''t she?""There''s definitely a trail here.""But why isn''t there any signal? Let''s send a signal again." Their identity was none other than the members of the R¨¦sistance who Lee was supposed to meet up with. "Team leader, let''s just go in." However, Lee did not come to the meeting place. It wasn''t unusual. Daegu City was the area of the Second Operations Command, and there was nothing strange about the accident. Therefore, they had a second and third place to prepare for such a situation. One of the places was the eight-story building that the three were looking at. "Clearly, there were traces. I''m sure she is inside. However, there is no answer to the signal¡­""Team leader, let''s just go in!" So, when they found traces of Lee on the way, they thought there would be no big problem. But when there was no answer even after sending several signals to the building, the story changed. There was a trail, but there was no answer¡­ In this case, she might not answer because of a serious injury. "Head, Nigger, be quiet." At this moment, however, a man in his mid-thirties, who was called the team leader, did not move quickly. At that moment, shadows began to shuffle between the dark shadows behind their backs. "Team leader, what are you waiting for? There''s nobody around, isn''t there?""There are footprints there. There are a lot of traces of military boots.""So she''s in danger, isn''t she? We have to get in there quickly.""If there had been a battle, there would be traces of fighting, but there was no sign of it. Maybe it''s a trap.""But¡­" The three were unaware that the black masked ninja appeared behind them. It wasn''t just because of their incompetence. Ninjas were not even breathing. Soon after, five ninjas who appeared without a sound simultaneously threw out the throwing daggers in their hands. Whizz! Only then were the sounds that the knives cracked the wind, and team leader Ko Suk-woo turned his head to notice them. ''Oh, my God!'' It was a late response. When Ko turned his head, the throwing daggers were already too close to them. The throwing daggers were all like butterflies, their arcs completely arbitrary. Some were flying straight, some were drawing a parabola from top to bottom, and some were flying like ducks and drakes on the ground. They were unpredictable. Of course, it was impossible to avoid them. ''Ah.'' In front of the scene, Ko just let out a sigh. Then the throwing-daggers stopped in midair. "What is it?""What?"The remaining two turned their heads along with Ko, and they could see what was going on as well. "Ugh!""Huck!"The two were frightened in front of the throwing-daggers, which had come so close to them, but had stopped, just like that. "What, what?" And it wasn''t just them who were freaked out. "¤Ê, ¤Ê¤Ë?"The words of the ninjas that threw the throwing-daggers also sounded the same as those of the first two. Thunk! The arrow which suddenly appeared penetrated the ninjas'' heads, and the ninjas became dead and fell to the ground. Tanaka, who was wearing a white mask and watching the scene from the roof of the building, was also frightened. ''What is this?'' Originally the purpose of Tanaka was to help Major General Lee Ki-soo when he came down to Daegu City while waiting with the Second Operations Command in Daegu. Of course, the real mission was to remove him if he made it alive to Daegu City, due to Hayato''s mistakes and incompetence. However, at the moment of the death of Lee Ki-soo, the mainland of Japan gave Tanaka a new mission. In order to invade the Korean Peninsula, they needed to build a base area in Busan where the Busan Port was located. From then on, he began actively helping the Second Operations Command. Of course, he started to clean up the R¨¦sistance, the biggest headache of the Second Operations Command. There was no trouble. All he had to do was tag something, and he could see where they were, in real time. To him, taking care of Lee Yeon-ah, who had already been tagged for tracking, was virtually a game. Tanaka, who had done what he came to do, came here to play with his toy. He came here for that reason¡­ ''Who the hell is it? Who¡­'' There was something in front of him that he dared not even imagine. ''I must run away!'' Fortunately, at this moment Tanaka knew what he had to do. ''I must run away first!'' It the most important lesson Tanaka had learned in return for surviving in the hell that was Tokyo: never face the unknown fear! But he did not carry out the lesson... ''Oh, my God!'' As Tanaka turned around to escape, a man appeared in front of his eyes in the sky. The man really fell from the sky. ''Let me attack first!'' The moment Tanaka saw the man, he was not astonished. He took out a kunai. ''The first attack gets victory.'' He tried to take advantage of the first attack. However, it was up to the other side. Swish! As Tanaka pulled out the kunai, a Sword appeared like a lightning bolt from the sky and cut the wrist holding it. Thud! Tanaka''s eyes opened wide enough when he saw his hand holding the Kunai fall to the ground. But he was not allowed to be surprised or scream. "Ugh, ugh-ugh!" Tanaka''s body began to rise, like he was being pulled up by a noose. He touched his neck with his hands¡­ no, he was touching his neck with a good hand and a severed stump. In the meantime, the man in front of Tanaka came toward him slowly and said in fluent Japanese. "Kazami Hayato.""Ugh?" For Tanaka, it was not good news that the man in front of him was good with Japanese. "He confessed all of the descriptions of Musashi''s people in ten minutes. I thought it would be difficult because he was a ninja, but he had no resistance to torture, and he asked for a deal when I pulled out three of his fingernails." "Ugh, ugh¡­" "I wonder how long you''ll last." 5.The office with the soft smell of coffee¡­ "That is our story." After finishing the story in front of the coffee smell, Lee looked at the man who was drinking it. The man, who was savoring it, did not reply easily.But Lee was no longer surprised. She knew now that it was impossible to open the mouth of Kim Tae-hoon when he had coffee. Kim started to think with his coffee. ''Cho Sung-yeon.'' The most important information that Kim learned was that the leader of the R¨¦sistance was Cho Sung-yeon. ''I can''t believe I am seeing him here.'' It was one of the three things that must be done in the bucket list that he delivered to himself through his death in a dream; Kim was supposed to make Cho Sung-yeon president. ''I''m sick of it.'' The problem was that he had heard the name of Cho Sung-yeon from others, as well as Lee Yeon-ah. Kim swallowed. Four people, including Lee around him, swallowed, too. They were nervous ahead of his answer. "Your leader has been captured by the Second Operations Command." Kim dealt them a hard blow. "What, what¡ª" "They caught him two days ago." Tanaka was the name of another person from whom Kim had heard the name Cho Sung-yeon. In front of Kim''s torture, he gave up everything he knew: he had been able to catch Cho Sung-yeon, the leader of the R¨¦sistance that he had wanted so much, with his ability to track his opponent, two days ago. "Nonsense! Then they would have no reason to come after me!" Lee denied Kim''s words. Her denial was appropriate enough. "It''s their purpose to catch a leader¡­ and if they''ve got a leader, why would they come after me? Where did you hear that crap?" The reason why the Second Operations Command was trying to catch the R¨¦sistance executives was to learn the location of Cho Sung-yeon. Was there any reason why those who had already caught Cho Sung-yeon would hide the fact and chase the executives? However, Kim did not raise any doubts about this situation. Rather, from his point of view, the actions of the Second Operations Command were reasonable. "The rebel group in the point formation makes two choices when a leader is caught: one is to do everything in its power to rescue the leader, or to select a new leader. Whatever they choose, there is something in common." "What is it?" "Changing the hideouts and networks that they used to use." "Ah¡­" "It''s the basic of the basics." ''The capture of the leader is proof that the secrets of the organization have been exposed to some degree. Of course, as soon as the leader is caught, the organization must change the basic system totally.'' ''So, when they root out groups such as rebels and terrorists, they do not inform anyone if they catch a leader. Rather, they act as if they did not catch the leader, and they use the information they get from the leader to find the remaining parties, including the executives.'' The Second Operations Command was now doing the same thing, for they would want to root out the R¨¦sistance as far as possible. Although they had caught Cho Sung-yeon, it would be only known after his execution ceremony and after some achievements were noted. ''I can''t guarantee his life, or maybe he''s already dead.'' As Kim knew, there was no expert in the Second Operations Command who could torture a person until he was on the brink of death. Above all, Cho Sung-yeon, who Kim heard about from Lee, was a man with a strong will and determination. If there was a moment, if there was a chance, the man would be willing to kill himself. He was a man who would not tolerate his life harming his organization. ''¡­ the bucket list and the wish list never reverse.'' Kim did not hesitate any more. No, there was no reason to hesitate. Even if it was not because of Cho Sung-yeon, there was a good reason to attack the Second Operations Command. The time was just a little faster. "We are going to rescue Cho Sung-yeon immediately." At that remark, Lee asked reflexively. "When, when are you going to do it?" It was a reflexive question, literally. She was so eager to save Cho Sung-yeon that she blurted it out. Answering her question in return, Kim started to calculate the time for the plan by looking at his wristwatch. "Now, it''s 7:22 PM, it takes about 5 minutes to get to Daegu City Hall, where the headquarter of the Second Operations Command is located. If I add time to understand the situation and the operation plan¡­" Kim finished his calculation and said, "We attack Daegu City Hall at 7:30 PM, eight minutes from now."

 95 Episode 95 - Résistance, Part III

    Chapter 33. R¨¦sistance, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 6.It was a dark basement. Only one light, a yellowish lamp, glowed in the darkness. Under the lamp was a metal chair. A man sat in an iron chair that reminded someone of an electric torture chair, expertly tied up. His limbs were firmly fixed on the metal chair.The man looked terrible. His two hands were tied to the armrests, and all ten fingers were bleeding, with no nails, and broken multiple times. The shape of his thighs was even worse, with dozens of nails sticking out of them. The name of the man with terrible wounds and a gag was Cho Sung-yeon. ''Ah.'' The 28-year-old young man was on the verge of death. The only reason for his death was that he had said that something wrong was wrong. ''Damn it.'' Of course, he was angry at the fact. In other words, he kept his will in spite of this terrible wounds. Screech! There was finally a sound in the basement. It was the sound of the door opening. ''Who is it?'' Clump. A string of footsteps followed. Cho carefully opened his eyes, which were burning very brightly, unlike his horrible shape. Was that why? Cho was able to see two men coming toward him from beyond the darkness. One was a man in a military uniform. His rank was Major, but his image was not at all like a soldier. He looked like a civilian in a military costume play. The other was a man dressed in an outfit reminiscent of a Japanese Samurai of the Sengoku period, wearing breathtaking armor and a sword at his waist. It was an extraordinary combination, but it was a familiar combination one to Cho. ''Here they are, the damned Japanese and the pro-Japanese bastard.'' Kojima and Jang Byung-wook. It was already the third time that they had come to Cho Sung-yeon. The two stood in front of Cho. When Kojima gave the signal, Jang immediately pulled out the gag in his mouth. "Whew! It''s numb." As soon as the gag disappeared, Cho Sung-yeon immediately spoke to Jang. Jang was not surprised, as this was not the first time for him, but the third time. "Oh, I''m tingling," Cho said after his jaw was loosened to some extent, because he had been gagged. "I don''t want to kill myself by biting my tongue, but you keep gagging my tongue. You fucking bastards, I will not die if I bite my tongue." Jang did not answer to Cho''s complaints. Instead, he conveyed his words to Kojima in Japanese. The samurai, with his thick beard covering his chin, nodded and smiled. Then Kojima said something, and Jang interpreted the words."He says the offer is still valid.""What? What? I can''t hear you because you''re a pro-Japanese bastard." Jang''s face hardened, and Cho smiled deeply. "What are you doing? Just interpret it. You got the Major''s rank to do it. Of course, under the Second Operations Command, there are more people with Major ranks than Second Lieutenants. They have no pension, and they have to make their own rank-insignia and attach it to their clothes by themselves. The Major is a rank that everyone ignores."Jang interpreted the words again after he clenched his mouth tightly at the words of Cho. Kojima''s expression hardened when the interpreter had properly delivered it.Then again, Kojima spoke, and Jang Byung-wook translated it. "If you accept the offer, the Ninja and Samurai on the Japanese mainland will be your power, you can destroy the Second Operations Command, you will manage Korea, and you will be the king of Korea." "No, I can be a king by myself. Why do the damn Japanese decide that? Funny little bastards." The conversation was repeated through the translation. But in fact, the interpreter was actually meaningless to Cho. ''I''m annoyed to hear the translation in the middle, pretending not to speak Japanese.'' Cho knew how to speak Japanese. But he pretended not to know Japanese, and then he could hear it straight away."You must win him over to our side somehow, and he must not die." "But you see, he is so stubborn¡­ you know that he is a real tough cookie." "He has to be alive." "Well, it''s not something I can do..." The two talked to each other, giving up the conversation with Cho¡­ Anyway, thanks to acting like he could not speak Japanese, he learned important facts. Kojima, this samurai from Japan, wanted to save Cho. He had never told Jang why, but Cho was able to guess the reason. ''Maybe he''ll release me soon.'' That way, the R¨¦sistance led by Cho would harass the Second Operations Command as ever, so that the Second Operations Command would pay tribute to these ridiculous 21st-century ninjas and samurai. Or, on the other hand, the R¨¦sistance would quake and bow down to Japan to destroy the Second Operations Command. To Japan, it was much better than one side pushing the other side. ''Shit, they really piss me off.'' It was ridiculous to Cho. "Tanaka went to catch Lee Yeon-ah. He''ll catch her sooner or later, and then I''ll talk to him again." Cho heard the name of Lee Yeon-ah. ''Damn it.'' When he heard it, he closed his eyes to hide how shaken he was. Thump! A sudden roar shook the Daegu City Hall building above them. Screech, screech. The light shook above Cho''s head, and it told them that the shock they felt was not an illusion. "What''s going on?" "I, I don''t know." "We''re going out. If an earthquake happens, it''s not good to be underground." The two left the basement immediately. For their benefit, Cho responded with all his might. He clutched the fingers of both his hands, still tied to the armrests, except the two middle fingers. 7.Kim Tae-hoon had been unusually weak. It was not a joke. He had always had to deal with overwhelming enemies, and of course, he knew better than anyone how to deal with a strong person. But it did not mean that the strong did not know how to deal with the weak. Rather, in order for the weak to catch the strong, he had to know how the strong catch the weak. Therefore, he knew better than anyone else how to deal with the weak. "It''s a monster!""A monster of smoke!" Kim''s choice against the Second Operations Command was not difficult, it was a straight frontal breakthrough. He attacked once he summoned the golden smoke using the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje. "Well, I think that''s a person.""That''s not a person." Now, the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje used Kim''s mana. He had eaten the monster stone of the blue-grade Gamecock, so now it summoned figures made of wild animals, flying animals, and humans. The summoned creatures of the golden smoke that appeared began to hunt the soldiers who were filling the area around Daegu City Hall. It was a one-sided hunt. "Aaaaaaargh!" The summoned creatures'' teeth and claws ripped into the soldiers'' bodies without mercy, but they responded with a rain of gunfire. Tututu! "Fuck, the guns don''t work!" Rather, the shots passed through the body of the summoned and hit the bodies of their forces beyond it. "Stop shooting! Stop shooting!" someone with a Major''s rank shouted, but someone else with a Major''s rank also shouted. "Shoot! Get that monster!" It was a mess."Fire!" It was the fire that started to fill the surrounding buildings of Daegu City Hall and made it an even greater hellish mess. Foo-hoo-hoo! The fire was caused by Kim. He started to set fires everywhere. He knew the power of fire, especially in this confusing situation, and people never approached a place where fire was located. Of course, people were driven to a place where there was no fire, and where they were driven¡­ Boom!"Aaaaaaaaaaargh!" The booby traps that Kim installed were in operation. The booby trap, which was created based on grenades, caused a lot of casualties. "Ugh¡­ help, help me.""Get away! Run!""Aaaaaaaaaaargh!" It created a huge fear that could not be compared with the casualties. In front of that fear, proper leadership and command were no longer possible. ''As expected.'' In addition, they were not able to receive proper leadership and command. ''Their ability to fight against monsters is very weak.'' ''Daegu City is currently under the influence of the Tripitaka Koreana of the nearby Haein Temple; they are free from the threat of monsters.'' ''It is not bad. It is a miracle and a good fortune given by heaven. But it is also true that the miracle took away the monster R¨¦sistance that Daegu people should have. It is the opposite of the Mac Guild.'' If it were the Mac Guild, they would have certainly shared their roles in this confusion. They would have evacuated, and the commandos would have risked their lives to earn the time to evacuate. Of course, the situation would not have changed much. If that ability was present in the Second Operations Command, Kim would have devised a new plan accordingly. ''I will go in.'' Soon Kim changed his dress. As soon as he had arrived in Daegu, he had donned the Major''s uniform and held a bag and a Sword at his chest. Kim went into Daegu City Hall, leaving behind the chaos he had created. No one was deterring him. It was 7:33 PM. 8.The door to the machine room was a steel door. Standing in front of the solid iron door, Kim looked at the doorknob. The doorknob started to turn slowly. But the door did not open. It was locked. Kim realized that, and he twisted the doorknob.Crack! The doorknob screamed as it was crushed. He opened the door and went in. The pitch darkness welcomed him. It was not difficult to find what he wanted in the dark machine room. There was only one man under a lonely lamp. "Who is this time, huh? Where are you from?" A little while ago, Kojima and Jang forgot to gag Cho because they left in a hurry, and he was willing to confront the new visitor as best he could. Kim narrowed the distance to Cho. When it was close enough, he examined Cho''s face carefully. He had the image of a man in his late twenties, his lips split from torture, and his skin and bones dried by dehydration. His dark eyebrows were like a pine caterpillar drawn on the skull. But his eyes were the most impressive. Even in front of this absurd torture, the eyes of Cho were not dead at all. "There''s another weird bastard again." In the eyes of Kim, Cho vomited his words without his spirit not being pressed. "Name," Kim asked him the first question. "What? What?" Cho questioned in return with a wry smile. "Name." "Look at this. Do you have¡­ eighth-grade syndrome?" "Name." "My last name is Mother, and my first name is Fucker. Together, it''s Motherfucker. That''s my name." Kim smiled at the repeated defiance of Cho. Cho''s spirit died for the first time with the smile. ''What''s with this bastard?'' Cho considered Kim a Major of the Second Operations Command. He had no choice but to think so. It was enough to think that the uniform with a Major''s rank he was wearing was not a Japanese military uniform. However, Kim''s eyes and attitude were completely different. Above all, that smile was totally different. Since December 31, 2016, Cho has never seen anyone smile like that. "Who are you?" "Kim Tae Hoon." "No, I did not ask your name. Why are you here?" "I''m here to save you." Cho did not rejoice at the remark. Rather, he made his first serious look. Then he swallowed and said, "Okay, kill me now." His words had not been a joke. "I''m serious. There''s nothing good about me being alive. Look at my body. Can I ever be a leader with my body in this condition? I have to die and then they can have a new leader. So kill me." Kim did not answer at the sincerity of Cho. Cheureung! Instead of answering, one of the two Swords he was holding at his chest, the Sword of the Imperator, was picked up.The self-picked Sword flew back behind Kim. Clank!Immediately there was a harsh sound of iron meeting. It was the sound of two blades hitting. Kim''s eyes narrowed. "He''s called Kojima, he''s a samurai," Cho explained to Kim. "Be careful, his skills aren''t normal. My colleagues couldn''t even touch him. No, just kill me and go. Considering that you''re here, your skills are not normal¡­"he warned Kim. "Does he have good information?" "What?" "Is he worth not killing?" "Well, well, it depends on you being able to take out the information." Of course, it was the most useless warning in the world.

 96 Episode 96 - Freezer, Part I

    Chapter 34. Freezer, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.Before the appearance of the monsters, Kojima was a policeman. As a special note, he had a fourth grade in kendo. But after the monsters appeared, he had changed. He became a warrior fighting against monsters. He survived in Tokyo, as a warrior. That was enough. Surviving in Tokyo, which had become a hell, was its own medal and evidence for Kojima, proof that he was strong. "Do you know how to handle a sword?" There was no reason for him to step down against Kim Tae-hoon. No, he was enjoying the situation. ''I was bored, that''s good.'' Since he had stepped in Korea, everyone he dealt with was weak. Not only were they weak, but they were not able to fight properly. Even those with the marks on the back of their hands did not know how to handle the relics, and most of them did not handle guns in a skilled manner. It was ridiculous. It was so absurd that he was annoyed beyond his boredom.In such a situation, Kim''s appearance was a pleasant stimulus to Kojima, and enjoyed the battlefield. Swish! As if to enjoy the pleasant stimulus, Kojima moved his sword. He added his left hand to the sword he had held in his right hand. ''Higekiri will taste the blood of a man after a long time.'' He held Higekiri, his favorite sword, with both hands. Of course, Higekiri was not an ordinary sword. The first thing to consider was its name. When they cut a person''s head off with the sword, they cut his beard along with it. Because of that, the name Higekiri was given to it.(TL Note: Hagekiri literally means ''Beard Off'') At the same time, it was a treasure formerly on display at the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto, Japan, as a national important cultural asset. It was a sword sharp enough that it was not unusual to cut a person''s body in two even if he swung it with one hand. The fact that he held such a sword in both hands meant that Kojima would fight with all his might from now on.In front of Kojima, Kim also picked up the other Sword. Tsreung! He pulled the other Sword out of the remaining sheath of the two he had in his arms. The Sword that appeared was splendid, decorated with the same gold as its sheath, and on the end of the hilt was attached a ring ornament. Cheonmachong Hwandoodaedo.It was a Sword that Kim had newly acquired; it was evidence that Kim had changed. So far, he has only used the Sword of the Imperator, because it was the only sword he owned. Kojima, who did not know that, moved as soon as Kim grabbed the Sword. Kojima concentrated his Energy on his toes, and he injected Energy into his sword. Tsu-tsu-tsu! Higekiri took the Energy and began to emit purple energy with a scream. ''The first attacker gets the victory!'' What Kojima aimed was as clear as daylight. But the first attack was Kim''s share. ''Huck!'' It was Kojima who moved first, but the Sword that Kim swung toward the coming Kojima was faster. There was no particular reason. If their weight and physiques were similar, the car with superior emissions and horsepower was faster. If Kojima was a pretty good sports sedan, Kim was a sports car made by Bugatti. Even if Kojima pressed the accelerator first, Kim would have been the first to take the lead. ''Let me stop it once!'' In the end, Kojima gave up on the first attack. Instead, he lifted the sword with both hands over his head to parry Kim''s sword, which was coming down to split his head with great force. He drew a horizontal line with the sword over his head. Clank! The two swords clashed and a rough sound came out. "Ugh!" At the same time, the two legs of Kojima, which prevented Kim from hitting his sword, were stuck in the ground. The footprints of the Kojima were carved into the cement floor. ''What, what power!'' Even though Kim held the sword with one hand and Kojima with both hands, Kojima could not push him back. "Aahhhhh!"Kojima screamed and squeezed all his strength out, but nothing changed. Kojima could barely endure Kim''s crushing power. ''Next, next attack¡­'' At this moment, Kojima waited only for Kim to make his next attack.Kim, however, did not intend to do so from the beginning. As said earlier, Kim carried two Swords because he had a good reason. The reason was now apparent. Swish! The Sword of the Imperator, which was rolling on the floor, began to move by itself. The number of swords that Kim could handle perfectly was two. That''s why Kim had two swords. ''This, this crazy monster, where¡­'' Only then did Kojima see properly. Kim was a monster incomparable with any monster he had faced in Tokyo. Kim spoke slowly to Kojima in Japanese, "I won''t kill you." 2."Oh, my God." The R¨¦sistance was created to resist the perpetual violence of the Second Operations Command. They were David and the Second Operations Command was Goliath. It was never a good story. David originally could not beat Goliath. The same was true of the Residence. It was virtually impossible for David''s men to defeat Goliath''s Second Operations Command. "Is it really true what we are seeing?""Oh, it''s real." The Second Operations Command has been controlled most of the people who rushed to the city of Daegu. They early identified the Awakeners and the existence of the relics, and they made the Awakeners their own forces. The Second Operations Command was not just a force, but a group of already privileged people with power. On the other hand, the R¨¦sistance was a gathering of exploited people who did not have power. Therefore, the R¨¦sistance could not win the fight against the Second Operations Command in the first place. But now the Second Operations Command was being taken down by a man. "Only one man¡­" The Second Operations Command was screaming in front of only one man. No, now, there was no screaming to be heard anymore. The survivors ran away without looking back, and the only ones left were the dead. ''That''s absurd.'' Lee Yeon-ah and the members of the R¨¦sistance who watched the scene felt fear rather than excitement at this moment. ''How the hell did this happen¡­'' It was the fear that the world had changed while they were trapped in the land of Daegu, and that it had turned into a form that they could not even imagine. In that fear, Kim appeared on the roof of the building they were at. Thump! Kim appeared with a heavy sound, with two Swords on his back and a third in his hand. He was an overwhelming figure. Kim made a one-sided gesture. "Come along." "Yes?" Everyone was just as surprised as they were. "How did you know where we were?" Lee asked in return. There was no answer to the question. Kim immediately headed toward the stairs that led up to the roof. Lee turned her head once again following Kim, and she looked down at Daegu City Hall. ''I know one thing for sure.'' Lee, looking at the burning Daegu City Hall, was able to be sure of one fact at this moment. ''I must not make him an enemy.'' ''Don''t make Kim an enemy.'' It was a very important lesson. 3.A building which was not far from Daegu City Hall¡­ "Leader!" "Hey, nice to meet you, I''m so glad to see you." In the building, Lee and his colleagues were able to meet their leader. But the meeting was not pleasant. "What the hell have you been through?" It was because of Cho Sung-yeon''s terrible appearance. It was hard to find a good place on his whole body as he lay on the floor. If the eyebrows like a pine caterpillar and the eyes still glistening under them were not the same, they would not think of him as Cho Sung-yeon. They could not believe that the last time they saw his face was only five days ago. "Suddenly the samurai and the ninjas came into the secret hideout, killed everyone else, and tortured me after they saved me." "What the hell was that..." "We''ll talk about it later." In addition, Cho did not intend to make this moment a pleasant situation. "Tell everyone through the emergency contact network right now, leave the hideouts and wait until they hear from me." Cho''s eyes were serious. "Move right away." Cho reiterated with his eyes. It was more important to act than to talk about his body and his wounds. That was the driving force when everybody became David and fought against Goliath. When everyone turned away from what was right, he was facing what was right and dignified. He was the most honest lighthouse. If the lighthouse showed what it had to do, it was only necessary for them to do it. "I understand.""I''ll move." The moment the R¨¦sistance moved again, Kim was downstairs. He wasn''t alone. Kojima was sitting on the iron chair in only his underwear, where Cho had sat a few hours ago. Kim was boiling water with Kojima in front of him. At the fact, Kojima opened his eyes wide and asked Kim why he was boiling water. "Ahhhhhh!" However, the gag in his mouth made it impossible to have a proper conversation. "I''m going to make some coffee." Nevertheless, Kim managed to understand Kojima''s words, and began to pour water into the coffee dripper he had prepared after the answer. Dribbling! With the faint sound of water, the subtle aroma of coffee began to spread. The eyes of Kojima at the sight were full of fear and doubt. ''What the hell are you doing?'' He was expecting to be tortured. But the act of making coffee before torture was not something he expected. Fortunately, Kojima''s doubts did not last long; Kim, who poured as much water as he wanted in the coffee dripper, approached Kojima with the kettle and tilted the kettle over his right thigh. Dribbling! "Aaaaaaargh!" The hot water scalded his thigh, and moaning came out of his mouth. "Aaaaaaargh!" The crazy pain stopped only after Kim''s tilted kettle found its original horizontality again. Chalang! Chalang! Kim shook the kettle to check the remaining amount of water and filled the kettle with more water. He put the kettle back on the flames of the burning solid fuel. "I have some ideas to think about when torturing people," Kim spoke calmly."I think you thought, ''when I torture someone, I will never be tortured like this. I can''t get hurt, and I''m safe''. I''m sure you thought that when you tortured Cho, because it was too much to see." "Aaaaaaaargh" In front of Kim''s eerie notice, Kojima looked at the melted skin on his thigh as he screamed. Kim did not speak to Kojima any more. He did not ask questions or notify him. Now was the time to wait. It was the time to wait until this pain and his words were rooted in the mind of Kojima. Then, Kim organized the questions that he was going to ask. He looked at the mark of Kojima''s right hand with his black eyes. ''The sum of Strength and Health is 310, the Energy rank is B, the Defense is C+ rank, and the remaining Mana and Mana Resistance ranks are D+.'' Kojima''s abilities were excellent. ''He was raised.'' It was evident that an Awakener named Kojima had eaten monster stones through proper monster hunting. It''s not just what he had killed; he could not make that much if he hunted and ate alone, so he also ate what others killed. Kim turned his eyes and looked at the Sword he had obtained from Kojima. ==[Higekiri]- Relic Grade: Grade 2- Relic Value: Special- Relic Ability: It is a noted sword that boasts a cutting force. It cut down an Oni, a supernatural Ogre, and it has a mysterious power that even cuts down unreal things, as if to match the nickname Onikiri.]== It was a second-grade special relic; not a common relic, but a weapon of great value. It was a thing that would not be given to ordinary people. These two things were telling him the value of the man named Kojima in Japan. ''He is an important person. He is in a very important position.'' But Hayato didn''t know much about Kojima. The problem was that Kim did not have any information about Kojima from the information he obtained by torturing Hayato. Hayato could not have forgotten an important person like Kojima at all. And if Hayato had known, Kim would have known about Kojima, because Hayato had vomited everything he had known to Kim. ''Kojima came to Korea after Hayato had come to Seoul, and that fact was not told to Hayato.'' In other words, a new operation was established while Hayato was performing his mission in Seoul, which meant that Kojima was newly dispatched to carry out the operation. The man named Musashi, who was currently called the master, would have given the mission to Kojima. Kim combined the information and created questions that would penetrate Kojima''s shaking mind. "What is the new command that Musashi gave you?" The question that penetrated the core caused Kojima''s eyes to open wide. Then, Kojima pressed the gag tightly, displaying his willingness not to tell. It was also the reaction Kim had hoped for. So, he picked up the kettle again, and finally, he warned Kojima, "Don''t think Koreans will tolerate Japanese who are playing tricks on the Korean Peninsula." 4.Jang Sung-hoon was actually the second most powerful person in the Republic of Korea, and he was sitting in a chair and chewing on his anguish. ''I''m crazy.'' There had been a lot of work for him recently. Once the full authority of the Capital Defense Command was delegated, the Mac Guild had to make a major reorganization. But it was not tormenting Jang now. In fact, that part was easily processed. ''When one organization is reorganized, the most problematic part is the backlash from the losers.'' However, the reorganization was smoothly proceeding, as there was no such rebellion under the Mac Guild. It was because there was no bigger deterrent than having Kim as an enemy. ''Japan¡­'' It was none other than Japan that worried Jang. Japan was once again burning its will to invade Korea, and it was already on the move. If the information obtained through the ninja and Colonel Jang So-gook was true, it was more serious than expected. ''It''s a real war now.'' It was not a normal problem. In fact, the confrontation that had existed on the Korean Peninsula had been close to a civil war, but the minimum line was not crossed. ''But if we start a war with Japan, it is literally a national war. There is no line to keep each other separate. But if the target is Japan and Korea, they will be beyond the line that they shouldn''t cross at all. So far, the history of the Korean Peninsula and the history of the Japanese Archipelago has proved this fact.'' ''There''s nothing strange about what Japanese people do. So we have to keep in mind whatever they can do.'' That was the reason for the agony. Japan would do whatever it could do to Korea, and the scope of what might happen had to be taken into consideration. "Hmm?" Jang, who was looking at Daedongyeojido hung in his office, rose from his seat. "Er?" A number of lights on Daedongyeojido, which was reflected in Jang''s eyes, began to move quickly. "Huh!" The moving lights were green and blue ones. ''Why are these bastards moving all of a sudden?'' And the movement was centered around the Sobaek Mountains. Green and blue lights were moving to Mt. Gaya and the city of Daegu. It was clear proof. ''It''s too creepy, isn''t it?'' It was proof that the huge wall, which had been blocking the monsters so far, had disappeared. It was evident that someone had crossed the line that should not have been crossed. Jang searched through the mountain Gaya. ''What''s in Gaya?'' "Shit, Haein Temple is there!"

 97 Episode 97 - Freezer, Part II

    Chapter 34. Freezer, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 5.Lying like a corpse in the middle of a dark room, Cho turned his head and saw a man coming into the room. "Oh, are you here?" Cho welcomed the man''s visit. "How do you do? I hope you had a good result. Let''s talk a little bit more." However, Kim Tae-hoon''s atmosphere was not good compared with that of Cho, who expressed his welcome joyfully. It was the worst. His image was frightening. ''Because of that?'' Cho recalled the moment when he had met Kim the first time. It was never the best kind of a first meeting. No, if Cho had been Kim, he would not have let go of the first meeting. At least he would have used the fact to negotiate. "Haha¡­ I was so rude in the first meeting, wasn''t I?" Cho was willing to apologize. "Please understand, as you can see my current condition, I was so badly tortured that I didn''t see anything, and I apologize if you were offended anyway." It was a heartfelt apology. It was not just a person''s apology, but an apology that should be done as a leader of the organization called R¨¦sistance. ''I have to deal with this guy somehow.'' Although Kim had destroyed Daegu City Hall, the headquarter of the Second Operations Command, all of the power did not collapse yet. The headquarters had just collapsed, and the power of the Second Operations Command still remained sufficient. Of course, the Second Operations Command would recognize all of this as a masterpiece of the R¨¦sistance. So how would the Second Operations Command move? Would they lift their arms up into the sky and declare surrender, or would they do their best to root out the R¨¦sistance forces? ''If we miss this guy, the damage will be uncontrollable.'' The answer was obvious. In such a situation, there would be no victory if they missed Kim, the only lifeline of the R¨¦sistance. If necessary, they should kneel naked and bow down. In addition, Cho was a man who could do that much, a man who was willing to do so if he could save the life of his colleagues in exchange for his disgrace. However, Kim''s expression did not change at all at such a sincere apology.It was eerie, severe, and bloody. "Please blow your steam off, and if you want, I''ll kneel before you here..." "How many troops are in Haein Temple?" For the first time, words flowed out of Kim''s firm face. "What?" "What is the number and quality of troops of the Second Operations Command stationed at Haein Temple?" At that question of Kim, Cho wondered, ''What is he talking about?'' However, Cho was quick-witted. Rather, he changed the question mark on his face to an exclamation point as if he had noticed something. Cho''s eyes had changed to look like Kim. "Once in Haeinsa, almost all of the 201st Commando Brigade''s troops are stationed there at all times, and three more infantry battalions are deployed throughout the Gayasan National Park. In addition, the 52nd Military Support Team regularly transports supplies, and the 52nd Military Support Team has about two battalions of escort troops." It was a detailed explanation. Thanks to the explanation, Kim was able to move on to the next question. "What is the number of Awakeners?" "Awakeners? Ah¡­! Three of the men who have been appointed Colonel are always stationed there." "How strong is a Colonel?" "Well¡­" Cho recalled the Awakened who had received the Colonel rank. The Second Operations Command gave them a Major rank to the Awakeners first. Since then, those who made a contribution, or the Awakeners with excellent ability, had been given a higher rank. A colonel was a rank that was received those with outstanding ability and achievement. "What if you compared them with me?" "They can''t be compared with you." Naturally, they were not that good. They could not be compared with Kim. "They could stop that Kojima, the Samurai who you caught. They are not weak. Indeed, the three Colonels there are ones who survived in the war against the green-eyed monster that once appeared." Kim closed his eyes when he heard the words. He finished his calculations in his mind. ''With that power, they cannot stop it.'' When he finished his calculation, Kim took something out of his arms. It was a bird sculpture, Okjo. He injected Mana into the Okjo, and then the size of the Okjo, half the size of a cigarette pack, began to grow. Then the Okjo, which was now a dove, waited for its order with its head on the palm of his hand. He said to the Okjo, "Jang Sung-hoon, the Tripitaka Koreana in Haeinsa is damaged now. The culprit is Japan. Watch the movements of monsters in the Sobaek Mountains and remove our troops waiting near the Sobaek Mountains. Deliver the monsters'' movements through the Okjo." Kim, who finished his speech, recalled Jang''s face in his mind while looking at the eyes of the Okjo. The Okjo, after listening to Kim''s words quietly, nodded. "Go and tell him what I said." When the order was given, the Okjo began to flap its powerful wings. It quickly left the room. After sending off the Okjo, Kim turned his attention to Cho again. At this moment, he could not find any more leisure or playfulness on the face of Cho. "What do you mean that the Tripitaka Koreana is damaged?" Kim Tae-hoon answered the question immediately, "It''s my mistake." "What?" "Samurai Kojima came here to burn the Tripitaka Koreana of Haeinsa if the situation was not good." "No, what is it¡ª" Kojima was a man who Japan had prepared, just in case. Even if things didn''t go as planned, Japan desired to leave an indelible scar on the Korean Peninsula that could not be taken away, and to plant a terrible confusion on the wound. Japan was aware of the amazing treasure, the Tripitaka Koreana, and if the situation was not good, it also planned to burn the Tripitaka Koreana. At first, Japan intended to move the Tripitaka Koreana to Japan. There was no treasure in Japan that protected a vast area of forty kilometers from the threat of monsters. The problem was that the Tripitaka Koreana was too big to just take it. It was the reason why Japan prepared to burn it. "In that situation, I tortured Tanaka who came to catch Lee Yeon-ah, and then I killed him. The problem is that they have a way to check their colleagues'' deaths through Shikigami (Japanese ghosts). As soon as Tanaka died, the ninjas who were waiting around Haeinsa immediately burned the Tripitaka Koreana." And the switch of the fire was not only because of the death of Tanaka and Kojima.Japan had no difficulty deciding what to do because there was a way to grasp the death of a colleague in real time using Shikigami. When Kim tortured Tanaka and got information from him, and killed him, the fact was transmitted to the ninjas who were waiting around Haeinsa in real time, and they immediately acted. Kim had actually pressed the switch of the bomb installed in Haeinsa Temple! "What the hell?" However, it was just absurd for Cho, who did not know the details. No, even if he knew the details, he could not accept this fact now. "No, what kind of crazy bastard burned it!?" It was a treasure. It was a pride that the Republic of Korea would give to the future generations on the Korean peninsula. Therefore, even in the situation where the Second Operations Command and the R¨¦sistance killed each other, the Tripitaka Koreana was excluded from the battle. The R¨¦sistance did not touch the Tripitaka Koreana, and the Second Operations Command did not withdraw the troops to defend the Tripitaka Koreana, no matter how severe the R¨¦sistance activities were. But now the treasure was burning. The absurd thing happened. It was something that was not acceptable. It was something that shouldn''t be. But at this moment, Kim was able to clearly explain why it burned. "Because it''s a war." It was not just a war, but a war between two countries, Korea and Japan, who hated each other. They could do anything in such a war. Once Japan showed its will, they did something to Korea. In other words, no matter what Korea would do against Japan from now on, it would not be a problem. So at this moment, Kim was not enraged. ''War is not fought by emotion. No matter what we do, a war is not an easy one. When you get emotional, everything collapses.'' Kim judged it that way calmly and coolly. ''The most problematic thing at this point is the blue-grade monster that is now moving.'' First, Kim faced the most important issue. The issue he faced right now was not the Tripitaka Koreana burning. It was already lost. What they lost was not coming back. The problem was that Daegu City, which was protected by the Tripitaka Koreana, was exposed to monsters after the disappearance of the Tripitaka Koreana. Currently, most survivors of the Gyeongsang area were gathered in Daegu City. For monsters, Daegu City was the most coveted fishing ground in the world.Above all, Daegu had no owner, and that was important. The absence of a master meant that they did not have to occupy the area through a struggle with another strong monster; the first one to come would be the owner. ''Absolutely, a blue-grade monster is coming to Daegu.'' That was the problem. And it was a problem that had to be solved. Kim had no intention of going to Japan, leaving a threat to the land of the Korean Peninsula behind. ''I''ll kill two blue-grade monsters.'' In other words, the moment when the threat to the Korean Peninsula disappeared, Kim''s next target would be Japan! 6."At first, all the Sobaek mountain monsters moved at the same time, but at some point, the movement stopped, and instead, only the two blue-grade monsters moved. One of them is moving to Daegu. The expected route is to enter Daegu City after going through Palgongsan."Jang Sung-hoon''s voice came out clearly from the Okjo''s mouth. The story was long. But none of the long stories were good. It was all terrible. "Oh, my God." When the Okjo finally said everything, Cho, who had finished grasping the situation before and after, spoke with a sigh. "The blue-grade, the blue-eyed monster was right around..." Cho also knew that the grade of the monster varied depending on the color of the eyes. The strongest monster that he had seen so far was a monster with green eyes. In addition, the green-grade monster was the trigger for him to organize the R¨¦sistance. In March, a green-grade monster appeared while the Second Operations Command was digging up the royal tombs to find Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk in Gyeongju while snow was still on the ground. The result was terrible; there were 6,000 deaths and 400 dead Awakeners. Cho saw the scene in person, and he could not accept that he had to keep working on digging up the royal tombs without knowing the reason in a world full of monsters. But now Kim said that there was a stronger monster than the green-grade monster. "No way..." Cho was stunned by this terrible fact. And at the same time, he remembered his duty. "... we have to evacuate." "We need to tell Daegu City about this fact. We need to inform the Second Operations Command. We need to evacuate them! Aaaaaargh!" Cho tried to raise his body as it was, but he screamed at the pain coming from his legs and fingers. He could not stand up alone, but he tried to get up again somehow, even though he screamed. "No, if we let it go, it''ll kill us all. I''ll have to evacuate them all..." At this moment, he only thought that he should evacuate everyone. All he could think was that he could save one more. Cho thought that one of them could live, even if he was a soldier of the Second Operations Command who wanted to kill him. He was such a man. In the first place, he did not organize the R¨¦sistance forces for his own benefit. To say the right thing was right and the wrong thing was wrong, he organized the R¨¦sistance. "Goddamn it!" Kim was impressed by such an image of Cho. Furthermore, it was the first time he saw such a sense of justice from Cho. Cho was the only one who cried so sadly about the values that everyone should follow. ''He is like a lighthouse.'' Only then did Kim know why he had asked himself on the bucket list to make him president. Cho was the one who would walk toward the right values in the midst of chaos. He was the man of the greatest virtues necessary to be the leader of the great group. However, Kim was not impressed so much at this moment. It was not the time to be so moved that his heart was overflowing, since he was a hunter. What mattered to hunter Kim Tae-hoon was his attitude toward the monster who was coming to Daegu. ''Blue grade.'' ''The first thing a hunter has to do before he hunts is to measure the level of his game.'' Currently, he did not know the identity of the blue-grade monster to Daegu City. He did not know whether it was a wild animal or a flying animal, and he did not know what it was capable of. Even so, he had to assess its strength. ''The point of reference is the Gamecock.'' For now, Kim had set the Gamecock as the starting point. He thought over the battle with the Gamecock and pointed out the present differences from the battle at that time. ''There is no first aid. There is no Kate and Bang Hyun-wook around me now.'' He did not take down the Gamecock just with his power. In a way, Kate''s help was huge. He did not know what the outcome would have been if it had not been for the Bell-tail of the Bell-tailed Rat. ''I''m much stronger than I was then. The level of the relics I have is different. There are the Couple-Burial-Mound Gold Earrings, Cheonmachong Hwandoodaedo, Horse Figure Type Earthenware ¨C Servant Statue, and Higekiri from Kojima.'' ''I''m much stronger now. The abilities I have are different. The Telekinesis of A+ rank and Anger Soaring both made me a stronger hunter. However, I''m not sure.'' But this alone was not enough to ensure victory. He needed more help. ''K-2.'' Here, Kim recalled the K-2 Air Force base in Daegu. ''Radar or wireless communications are currently unavailable. Therefore, fighter jets are also extremely inefficient. Just taking off and landing right away will cause an accident. But the firepower prepared to arm the fighters are valid. The Balkan guns that are used for fighter jets are very powerful. If the Second Operations Command were not fools, it would have made several modifications so that it could use the firepower at the K-2 Air Force Base in situations where it could not operate a fighter plane.'' ''A few more.'' However, Kim was not easily convinced, even if he included that firepower. This would be a single combat against a unique monster. A false conviction would be death. Therefore, he asked questions, "What kind of relics did the Second Operations Command bring from Gyeongju?" "They brought everything from the National Museum." "What is the most important relic?" The question immediately reminded Cho of a relic. "There is the Bell of King Seongdeok at the K-2 Air Force Base. In the hangar." Kim asked in return, "Do you have any pictures of the Bell of King Seongdeok?" "I don''t have any pictures at hand." Kim tightened his mouth at the answer. It was a useless question. Right now, Cho was just wearing his pajamas. "But I remember." However, Cho''s memory was much better than he expected. "If someone rings the bell, it defeats all the evil power and weakens monsters. The relic is of the first grade, and its value is special." Furthermore, Cho quickly noticed what Kim wanted to hear. "When we hunted the green monster, the Bell of King Seongdeok became a game changer. As soon as the Bell rang, the green monster screamed." As soon as Kim heard it, he was confident. ''I can kill it.'' Considering the given power, the current power in Daegu, the match was worth a try. Only one thing was left now. ''Is it worth killing? ''Hunters do not hunt for prey that is useless and worthless.'' Kim looked at Cho and asked a question, "If I kill the blue-grade monster, can you take control of the Second Operations Command?" At the remark, Jo thought long and answered briefly. "It''s certainly possible, as long as you show everyone that you''re on my side." 7.Jjeojeok! It was a beast made of ice with a lion''s head, eagle''s wings, and a snake''s tail. It was a giant beast measuring ten meters in length. Jjeojeok! It was also a beast that froze whatever was around it whenever it moved. Keureung! At the same time, it was the leader of Wolves with white fur numerous enough that they looked like they were covering the snowfield, and all had orange eyes. Kkeoeoeoeong! The beast stood at the top of Palgongsan, Birobong, looked down at the city of Daegu and gave out a huge cry. At that moment, its eyes glowed bluer than its body. The monster, Freezer, declared that the city of Daegu was its territory at this moment, and that everything there was its game!

 98 Episode 98 - Freezer, Part III

    Chapter 34. Freezer, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 8.K-2 Air Force Base¡­ The house of the fighter planes, the hangar, was set in the background of the wide runway. It was filled with turmoil for a long time. "There''s a monster.""What monster?""A monster made of gold smoke-""What the hell are you talking about? Are you crazy?""I''m not crazy, it''s true!" The main cause of the disturbance were soldiers and survivors belonging to the Second Operations Command evacuated from Daegu City Hall. The numbers were not small, and there were so many large hangars built to keep fighters that they made the hangers into a mess. "There was a monster!" No, it was more like turmoil than a mess. Those who had evacuated from Daegu City Hall were constantly shivering, voicing their fears, what they had heard and experienced, and the fear began to occupy the hangars easily. "What the hell is going on this time-" That was the reality. If someone was to say that an elephant with golden smoke appeared in 2016 and threw a streetlight with its elongated nose, he or she would have been taken to a mental hospital under the treatment of a madman. But 2017 was different. In the world where monsters had appeared, Awakeners were born, and relics existed, the elephant made of golden smoke was now a reality and a fact that everyone should accept. There was no reining in the fear that had begun to spread like that. "Shit! Stop it, anyway!""Brigadier General, the situation is¡ª""Don''t talk about the situation, just come up with countermeasures! Countermeasures!""Brigadier General, we''re don''t have any way to control it.""Who told you to control it? Build up your military power! Get back to Daegu City Hall somehow! How many times did I tell you to make an operation plan and gather troops to recapture Daegu City Hall!?" The turmoil was because the commanders who should be reining in this fear could not do their part. Of course, no one could blame them simply for their incompetence. Apart from incompetence, the situation was something that no one had experienced or expected. Daegu City was too calm to anticipate and experience this situation. Daegu City, which was protected by the Tripitaka Koreana, did not even allow the monsters to leave their footprints, and Daegu City Hall did not even allow the R¨¦sistance''s footprints. It was too much to ask those who took such safety and serenity for granted to come up with a proper response to the current situation. "Shit, get it done!""Brigadier General Lee Dee-joo, please, calm down-""Calm down? If we keep going like this, I will be in danger!" Crucially, it was Lee Dae-joo who felt the most terrible fear at that moment, not the commanders. He was the Wing Commander of the 11th Air Force, and he had already been nearly killed by the R¨¦sistance. Therefore, Brigadier General Lee Dae-joo knew better than anyone about the R¨¦sistance organization. ''If the R¨¦sistance had that power, it is obvious that they would only go after the top leaders!'' The purpose of the R¨¦sistance was not to destroy the Second Operations Command but to reveal the truth. So far, the R¨¦sistance had focused on the leaders and executives rather than the general soldiers, and they had focused on propaganda rather than war. That was why the Second Operations Command wanted to capture Lee Yeon-ah, as it was totally different from what the average person said on the propaganda and what Lee Yean-ah said on propaganda. On the other hand, that was all the R¨¦sistance could do so far. The war against the Second Operations Command was not even attempted, and there was an overwhelming power difference between the two forces. But things had changed. The R¨¦sistance now had the power to break down Daegu City Hall in a moment. ''It''s dangerous.'' Here was another factor that drove Brigadier General Lee Dae-joo crazy. Contact with the Capital Defense Command, which had supported the Second Operations Command, was no longer available. Even the last contact was to ask for them to prepare, as the Capital Defense Command was in danger and was planning to evacuate to the Second Operations Command. However, since he received that information, he had not been contacted. ''It''s really dangerous.'' There was no wall to lean on behind Brigadier General Lee Dae-joo. There was only a cliff. "Goddamn it!" Brigadier General Lee Dae-joo clicked his tongue again, and his men sweated in front of him. There was no answer from the men''s side, and their situation was not so different from Brigadier General Lee Dae-joo because they were all colonels and commanders. Someone arrived at a run. "Re, R¨¦sistance Lee, leader, Cho Sung-yeon asked for a meeting and a conversation.""What?" Brigadier General Lee Dae-joo made a foolish expression at this ridiculous message. "What do you mean?""Cho, Cho Sung-yeon came in person." At the words of his subordinate, Lee Dae-joo began to comb his dark beard like crazy, with a dumbstruck look. "What do you mean, that madman?" Panic was the most obvious word to express his state of mind. Of course, it was impossible for Lee Dae-joo to make a proper judgment. "Is Cho Sung-yeon here?""Yes? Yes.""What are you doing?" All he could do was make an extreme judgment. "Go and kill him! Kill him!""Yes?""You crazy bastards, if he is here, you kill him! Are you going to let him live?" Brigadier General Lee Dae-joo was rather angry at the blank faces of his men, and now he stood up as if he was going to kill Cho Sung-yeon himself. He laid his hand on the pistol at his waist. It was the biggest and last mistake he made. Swish! An arrow entered the office and penetrated the head of General Lee Dae-joo instantly. "Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!""Huck!" The men jumped up in fright. One of them fell over the couch he was sitting on. Hardened as they were, everyone looked at the dead body of Brigadier General Lee Dae-joo with a face as white as a corpse, without words. A few minutes later, a new man came up. "Cho, Cho Sung-yeon wants to make a deal with Lee Dae-joo''s successor." 9.The F-15K fighter jets were waiting for a run which would happen some day, and at that moment, something rare to see in the hangar appeared. It was a wheelchair. Cho Sung-yeon was sitting in the wheelchair. It was unusual in many ways in the hangar, so all of the hundred or so soldiers of the Eleventh Air Force Squad who were filling the hangar were looking at Cho. ''I''m crazy.'' Of course, the soldiers who looked at Cho were more vigilant than afraid. Some were ready to pull the triggers on him and aimed guns at him. At this point, Cho was confident that he would accept this fact in his own way, because he had courage and capacity which very few people possessed. ''I''m really crazy.'' The problem was that Kim Tae-hoon, who had been pushing Cho''s wheelchair until now, acted a little while ago. Kim killed Brigadier General Lee Dae-joo. Cho came to negotiate with Lee Dae-joo, but Kim killed him at once. Not just that, Kim killed Lee Dae-joo with an Arrow without feathers from a long distance away. The reason was that Lee Dae-joo had no intentions of negotiating. ''Wow, it''s driving me crazy.'' The reason and the process were all nonsense. At this moment, however, Cho did not look surprised by events, but rather adopted a seemingly unconcerned image, contrary to his amazed thoughts. He looked so calm that it defined his image. Like an injured godfather of the mafia, he sat in a wheelchair and began to show his weight. The atmosphere of the hangar began to change. In the changing atmosphere, Cho was able to find the approaching crowd and instantly identify the face of one of them. ''Colonel Baek Ho-seop!'' It was Colonel Baek Ho-seop, Commander of the 110th Combat Squadron. His face was white as a sheet. It was so strange that his face could turn so white. With such a frightened face, he stood in front of Cho and barely managed to ask, "Do you want to negotiate, Cho?" At that moment, Cho pulled his body a little bit out of his wheelchair and said, sitting like a piece of a chewed string, "Uh." It was a leisurely figure. It was a performance. It was acting in which one had to twist one''s mood in conversation. Colonel Baek Ho-seop, of course, frowned. "You are surely crazy. You wanted to negotiate, but killed the Brigadier General!" At the remark, Cho shrugged his shoulders. "I didn''t want to negotiate the first round, or the second round, of talks that way. We have to negotiate right here, today. But Lee Dae-joo didn''t want to negotiate with a partner. What was I going to do? I had to change my negotiation partner." Those who heard the conversation at this moment could see that this was not a negotiation. It was a threat, not negotiation. If it had been usual times, Colonel Baek Ho-seop would never have responded to the threat. "¡­ so what do you want to negotiate?" However, Colonel Baek Ho-seop calmly asked a question at this moment instead of acting angry. When Cho saw his face, he was convinced. ''The game is over.'' He came to negotiate, but in fact, the negotiation was over. "I will tell you briefly." So, at this moment, Cho did not waste time or words for an argument. "The blue-eyed monster will come here soon." "Nonsense!" "What doesn''t make sense is sending someone to dig a royal tomb in a world full of monsters." "It, it''s¡­" "Shut up and listen to me. Sooner or later, there will be a monster with blue eyes in Daegu City, and we will kill it." How! Colonel Baek Ho-seop expressed his feelings with a look of dismay, instead of an answer. At the words of Baek Ho-seop, Cho looked at Kim behind his wheelchair. Baek Ho-seop''s eyes naturally turned toward Kim. But his gaze did not last long. Baek Ho-seop couldn''t meet Kim''s eyes for long. It was like a rat could not see the snake''s eyes. "The situation is exactly what Cho said. The monster is coming and I will kill it. So I need your full cooperation," the snake spoke to the rat. "Full cooperation¡­" "Give me everything you have, not only weapons but also the Bell of King Seongdeok." "That''s ridiculous. It''s¡­" Kkeoeoeoeong! At that moment, a mysterious and unknown shriek swept through the K-2 Air Force Base. "Huck!" In the distance, even though it was a very distant cry, it affected those who filled the hangar. There were a lot of soldiers tottering, falling, and kneeling. It was the same with Cho. "Damn, damn, damn it¡­ it really came¡­" Trembling! Cho began to tremble in his wheelchair, and Colonel Baek Ho-seop and his men, who had been facing them all the time, also struggled to avoid falling down on the floor. ''With this distance, direction¡­ is it Palgongsan? It came there much faster than I thought. And seeing that it screamed out to cause fear, it doesn''t want to spend any time. It''ll be right here.'' Only Kim stood upright. Kim, standing so upright, turned to the ceiling. Then he opened his mouth and exhaled the Energy in his gut. AWWWWWWWWW!Howling! The Howling that came out of Kim''s mouth after a long time, began to soften the power of the fear that was filling the hangar. "Huck!" There were the sounds of breath coming back all over the place. Colonel Baek Ho-seop, who had been trembling all the time in front of Kim, seemed to have calmed down, focusing on his eyes again. Of course, the amount of fear implanted by the pupils of Kim remained. "I''ll tell you again," Kim demanded Baek Ho-seop. "We need the M61 and the Bell of King Seongdeok." There was no answer. There was only a nod. 10.The straight distance from the Birobong of Palgongsan to K-2 Air Force Base was about 13 kilometers. The path, situated in a steep mountain range, was a road that literally never had a straight stretch. But now a road was being built on the mountain range. It was not just a road, but a white road. A broad white road, about twenty meters wide, was being made in real time, at an alarming rate. Freezing! The white road was the path of Freezer, an ice monster with blue eyes. Freezing! The chill from its whole body was freezing everything all around. It was an incredible sight. But the amazing sight was not the end of it. There were Wolves running on the white road. There was constant howling. A group of Snow Wolves was following Freezer with all their might. The numbers of Snow Wolves were hard to measure. In the world that was turned white by Freezer, they were completely hidden. The fact that they were moving in groups was not easily confirmed by the naked eye. This was a scene that could not be seen or trusted. But the amazing sight was their speed. Even on steep mountains and hillsides, they had no hesitation. On the downslopes, they threw themselves and accelerated down them, and on the uphill, they pulled their strength out. It took them about ten minutes to reach the city of Daegu after leaving Palgong Mountain. It was a mere instant. Before the city''s citizens, who were exposed to the fear that Freezer worked its best, could regain their freedom from the fear, hundreds of Snow Wolves led by the Freezer and its teams were in the city. Of course, there was no battle. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!""Sa, save me¡­" There was just a one-sided meal. It was also a voracious feast. Wooguck Wooguck! Snow Wolves ate everything they could to fill their empty stomachs after the explosive race. Sniff! They bit off what they could see, and then they chased after what they could not see with their noses and bit it. The white Snow Wolves began to roam through the city of Daegu, leaving traces of red footprints, howling in their eagerness. Freezer only stared at the scene. It didn''t seem like It was going to stop the Snow Wolves from eating too much. It was a time of gluttony permitted by the owner. Only the sound of the Bell stopped the gluttony that could not stop and had no reason to stop. Doo-woo-woong! Rather than being pure, it was a melancholy, sad, and horrible sound. Instead of impressing the listeners, the actions of Snow Wolves who enjoyed the gluttony stiffened at the sound that made them shiver. Doo-woo-woong! When the Bell rang again, some Snow Wolves began to back away with terror-stricken eyes. Yelp! Some began to tremble with their tails drooping as they called out. Doo-woo-woong! As soon as the third Bell rang, the unsustainable Snow Wolves looked up. Owwwwwwww! Howling, Snow Wolves gathered their mouths together to fight against the sound of the Bell. It began to spread and grow louder. The drooping tails of the Snow Wolves also gradually began to rise toward the sky. Tututututu! It was the artillery that stopped the healing. Tututututu! No, it was more a monster than a cannon. It was an M61 Vulcan. The sound making up something launching 6,000 rounds per minute with six guns rotating, twenty-millimeter-long, adult palm-length shells was a perfect match for the term "monster." What was more monstrous was Kim''s shooting of an M61 Vulcan with his hands like a machine gun, and even a barrel full of dozens of kilograms of bullets on his back. Tututututu! Kim continued his shooting, even aiming at the targets accurately, despite the constant gunfire. Yelp! There was no such thing as a Snow Wolf coping with the attack.The 20-mm shell, not just a bullet, ripped them apart, far more than merely piercing the skins of the Snow Wolves. Tututu¡­ When the M61 Vulcan, which threw out thousands of bullets in one breath, took a pause, Kim looked at Freezer, who was still surveying the whole scene on the road, with his black Eyes. It was not showing any interest in this scene. In other words, it was not feeling any threat at this fact. Kim aimed at it with the M61 Vulcan. However, he did not immediately fire. ''The moment I shoot, it''s the beginning. It is impossible to kill this monster with just a few shells from an M61 Vulcan. That would only make it angry. The battle will start as soon as the gunfire begins.'' So, Kim waited for the Bell to ring again. Doo-woo-woong! As soon as the Bell rang, Hahoetal, the mask, which was gently resting on Kim''s shoulder, settled across his face. Tutututu! Kim''s M61 finally shot off shells. Kkeoeoeoeong! Freezer, who had been indifferent until now, vomited fear towards Kim. The battle had begun.

 99 Episode 99 - Freezer, Part IV

    Chapter 34. Freezer, Part IV Translator: KhanEditor: RED 12.What is the most important thing when hunting? The answer to this question is clear. The fatal point, the factor that can certainly lead the prey to death, is the most important. Isn''t it common knowledge that a person who doesn''t know how to kill their prey, cannot hunt properly? It is even truer if the prey is not just an animal, but a monster, not just an ordinary beast. ''I need to find it.'' Monsters have everything beyond the natural. Their body''s defense, physical strength, life force, and physique are all over the common-sense level, and thus the imagination is easily trampled. One can''t be sure of death if one breaks its head and makes it bleed. Hunters hunting monsters, therefore, must keep in mind the most important thing about hunting. ''I need to find its heart.'' Hunters must keep in mind that every monster''s weak point is its heart. When they think about something other than this, the thinking is meaningless, and the hunting that they perform after they worry about this is an unconditional failure. Kim Tae-hoon knew it better than anyone else. So, when he looked at Freezer, and when he saw the blue eyes embedded in the translucent body made of ice, he knew that finding its heart was his top priority. Then, how could he find its heart? ''I can''t see it.'' He couldn''t immediately find its heart with the Eyes of the Black Snake. He could not see anything inside its translucent body that he was sure was its heart. ''If so, when I take to the next step, I have to make its heart move in some way. I must make it angry, scared, or in pain.'' That''s what Kim was doing now. Tututututu! Kim, who ran between the building and the building, between one roof and the next as easily crossing stepping stones, bombardedFreezer with the Vulcan as it was following him. The shots were accurate. His shooting ability and the Eyes of the Black Snake made the Vulcan in his hands as accurate as the sniper rifle. It was perfect shooting. Ping, ping! The shells of the Vulcan began to pock Freezer''s body. However, that was all. Though deeply embedded, the 20mm scary shells failed to penetrate in. It was a result that did not fit the power of the Vulcan, which could punch through. Even the scars caused by the Vulcan did not last long. Patter! The icy body was fragmented and fell to the ground, and the wound that had opened so quickly recovered by itself. Kim''s mouth twisted as he looked at the scene through the eyes of Hahoetal. ''I didn''t think it would be hurt with the Vulcan, but¡­'' The power of the Vulcan is overwhelming. It is not because it seems reasonable to have a Vulcan cannon, which weighs more than 100 kilograms, on an expensive fighter jet which is struggling to reduce its weight every little bit. Of course, Kim did not think he could kill a blue-grade monster with only a Vulcan. ''It is too strong.'' Still, the sight Kim saw now was quite shocking to him. What was even more shocking was that at this moment, Freezer, who was running between the buildings after him, has never used its fear, the most obvious weapon it had. ''I can''t even get it to use its fear.'' Fear is the most obvious weapon of the monster. It is a powerful weapon, especially against humans. The blue-grade monster''s fear has a terrible effect on those who have Energy levels below A rank. Of course, monsters use fear without hesitation when they feel threatened, or when things are difficult. All the monsters Kim had encountered so far were the same. Most of all, monsters had learning skills, and there was no possibility that Freezer would not know that fear was more powerful than any other ability. So, he wore the mask, Hahoetal. ''There isn''t much time.'' The effect of Andong Hahoetal was to significantly increase the level of ability by giving the wearer a [Possession by a Spirit] effect. Of course, Kim was in a situation where he was possessed by a spirit. It was evident on the back of his right hand, not anywhere else. [Basic Abilities]- Muscle: 911- Health: 902 [Special Abilities]- Energy: A- Rank- Mana: A- Rank- Telekinesis: A+ Rank- Defense: A- Rank- Mana Resistance: A- Rank Kim''s ability to receive the [Possession by a Spirit] was overwhelming enough. He could clearly feel the ability that had increased so drastically. Infinite power was exploding inside his body. At the same time, it was also clear that this power would not last long. When a sports car over 500 horsepower ran in a circuit, it was similar to watching the fuel needle fall. ''9 minutes 33 seconds.'' According to his calculation, the duration of [Possession by a Spirit] was 9 minutes 33 seconds. After that, he would be a normal person who has lost all his ability. In other words, he needed to accomplish what he wanted within that time. Even one-second longer was the same as getting into a desperately dangerous moment. In such a situation, it was very bad that he could not even pull out the Freezer''s fear. ''I must throw away what I can''t do.'' Kim no longer had a fuss about the M61. Being absorbed by the fact that he could use this terrible Vulcan with his bare hands, he did not force himself to do what he could not. Accordingly, he abandoned the Vulcan. Bang! The Vulcan, thrown from a six-story building, fell to the ground and clanged loudly Chewreung! He pulled his Swords from their sheath. It was the sound of the Sword of the Imperator and the Sword of Hwandoodaedo, the two Swords that Kim was carrying on his back. The two swords began to fly. Clank! The target was Freezer, and the goal was to leave as many wounds as possible in the shortest time on the Freezer''s body. Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa! The goal was making long, deep wounds. The two Swords performed these orders well. Keureureu! They earned nothing but the first growl from Freezer''s mouth. At the same time, the Freezer gave up its pursuit of Kim and focused on the two Swords that circled around it. Freezer avoided the Swords, while on the other hand, it tried to strike the Swords by moving its legs, tail, and wings. However, the two Swords moved in dazzling patterns, making the Freezer''s work useless. "Hoo!" At that moment, Kim gave out a long sigh. With that sigh, he brought his hand to the two Horse Figure Type Earthenwares that he had hung at his waist like decorations, one for a master and a servant. Kim injected Mana at the same time into the two Earthenwares, which were originally a pair. He threw them at the Freezer. The two Horse Figure Type Earthenwares flying in the air began to inflate surprisingly quickly, and by the time they reached the edge of the Freezer, they revealed their enormous splendor, a size that was not lacking compared to the ten-meter-long Freezer. Whinny! At the same time, their attack began. The first attack was at their owner''s command. Whinny! As the horse ran at the Freezer at full speed, the master threw his sword at the Freezer. Bang! The sword, which had flown so hard, buried half of itself into the back of the Freezer. Keu-aang! Freezer''s eyes flickered. What came into the eyes of the Freezer as it turned its eyes was the master''s horse, with a spear coming out of its chest. Kwajik! The spear that coming out of the horse''s chest drove into the Freezer''s body. At the same time, the horse began to crumble in the process of breaking the body of the Freezer. In the meantime, the master warrior stepped on his own horse as a stepping stone climbed into the body of the Freezer. The warrior hit the tip of the hilt of his sword on the back of the freezer with his fist. Kwajik! First was the right hand, second was left hand, and then right hand again. Bang, bang! The hilt gradually descended deeper and deeper with the repeated blows of the warrior, hammering it in. Kwajik! In the end, the body of the Freezer was split in half. But it was not the result of the warrior''s sword. Rather, it was by the opposite, done by the Freezer''s will. The evidence was that the cloven body of the Freezer transformed into different animals; an ice lion in front, and an ice tiger in the back. Keu-wang! Keureureu! The two separate Freezers surrounded the master back and forth, and immediately bit and clawed at it. The warrior''s right shoulder and left leg were bitten, and in front of the claws, a lump of clay-like flesh was crushed. The warrior, having lost his arms and legs, fell to the ground. Ding-dong, ding-dong! At that time, the servant who had been looking at the master''s work until now shook the bell in his hand. Ding-dong, ding-dong! The miracle that the bells produced was giving arms and legs to the warrior who lost his arms and legs. Even a sword was made as a bonus on the restored arm. The warrior, who had instantly regained his form, swung his sword at the ice tiger in his vicinity. Kwaang! The ice tiger grabbed the sword into its mouth and bit down. In the meantime, the ice lion threw itself at the servant, who was shaking the bell over and over on the road below the building, jumping from the high building to the ground. Ppoo-woo-woo! At that moment, an elephant with golden smoke hit the ice lion falling to the ground in midair. Bang! Smoke and ice, the two things made a strange sound. It was a moment when the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, the amazing relic, once again exerted its power. Doo-woo-woong! The Bell sounded for them. It was a sound of destruction toward the Freezer, a sound of cheering for the beasts of golden smoke and the Horse Figure Type Earthenware. The bodies of the Freezer began to move slowly at the bell sound, while the beasts of the golden smoke, the master and the servant, were courageous and began to press the two-part Freezers. In the end, the Freezer had to use its fear-making roar. Kkeo-eo-eo-eong! The fear, bursting simultaneously from the mouths of two Freezers, shook the whole city of Daegu at once. Its power was formidable. The golden beasts created by the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje were shaken and faded like haze, and the clay fragments of the master and servant began to pour down like rain. Kwa-aang! But it didn''t stop the two Swords. Kim, with his black Eyes shining behind Hahoetal from a long distance, did not show any shaking. After the Possession by a Spirit, the Energy that ranked-up exploded as soon as it was exposed to the fear of the Freezer. It began to squeeze all its power to protect its master from threats. Even with the fear, the threat did not disappear. Keureureu! Freezer no longer kept its face, its dignity. The Freezers, the icy tiger and the icy lion, began to turn into hedgehogs as thorns rose from their bodies. The thorns of the Freezers swept all over the place with their self-destruction. Concrete walls and asphalts crumpled like tofu, pudding, and flew for several kilometers, even destroying a small shopping mall at once. It was a formidable power. What was even eerier was the figures of the Horse Figure Type Earthenwares and the golden smoke beasts penetrated by the ice thorns. Rather than recovering the wounds after being penetrated by the thorns, they began to freeze white. The Horse Figure Type Earthenware became white ice statues with holes in them, and the golden smoke beasts created by the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje began to fade away with holes in them. Ice Blaster was the most powerful power of Freezer. Of course, the ability demanded a price. In exchange for exploding its body, Freezer revealed the heart it had been hiding and covering. The transparent heart was the size of an adult man, and the blue jewel in the transparent heart was glistening under the sun''s direct sunlight for a long time. ''I found it.'' Kim did not miss the light. He did not miss what he had to do. ''It''s the beginning.'' It was now the beginning, and Kim, thinking this, quickly left his seat. While he ran, the heart of the Freezer created its body anew. Keueoeo! This time its body was an ice Ogre with a height of five meters. The Ogre, the Freezer, created an ice club and began to swing it around.It was an expression of indiscriminate rage. A truck engine roared as it approached the Freezer. Kim was in the luggage compartment of the truck, which had no driver present, the steering wheel moving freely. There were lumps of iron bound together behind it. The long, elongated mass that seemed to be a rugby ball was a GBU-31 bomb, which was built to be mounted on the F-15K and had a 900-kilogram explosive. One of the bombs was lifted by the Telekinesis of Kim. It was like when he had hurled a small car with his Telekinesis to punch the Sword of the Imperator into the chest of the Gamecock. But it was definitely different then. At this moment, there was no Sword of the Imperator in the body of the Freezer. ''Two minutes left.'' And the Sword didn''t have to be stuck. "Hoo!" The GBU-31 missile, coming into the air with a short effort of the Telekinesis, began flying toward the Freezer''s heart. 13.Jang Sung-hoon was looking at Daedongyeojido. At that moment, the blue light in Daegu City faded. It was a situation that deserved to be enjoyed. It was evidence that Kim succeeded in killing a second blue-grade monster. However, Jang did not rejoice. Instead of expressing his joy, he turned his head and looked at the Golden Glass next to Daedongyeojido. Looking at the Golden Glass filled with red liquid, he clenched his teeth tightly...

 100 Episode 100 - Check List, Part I

    Chapter 35. Check List, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.For Cho Sung-yeon, the blue-grade monster Freezer that had appeared in Daegu City would be remembered for a lifetime. ''Oh, my God.'' He would also remember the Freezer as a terrible monster. ''Does that make sense? It was a crazy monster that had endured nine GBU-31s,a lump of explosives weighing close to a ton. It was not dropped from a few thousand meters above like a jet, but thrown from the ground like a shotgun. Enduring the explosion of the crazy-powerful bombs nine times was beyond the common sense of Cho and any of his imagination. ''He killed the insane monster! What a freak!'' And of course, Cho would remember Kim Tae-hoon, who killed the terrible monster with the tenth missile and swallowed the blue crystal of the Freezer, the only payout he got from the monster he killed. That''s how the hunt ended. 2.''The ability of a person shines in a crisis, so the value of a person shines in a crisis.'' In the crisis that came to Daegu City, there were two people who proved it to Kim. One was, of course, Cho. He proceeded with the plan that Kim had prepared as soon as Kim killed the Freezer. He informed Daegu City, which was defenseless due to confusion and fear, that now the world has changed and it was only he who could become a leader in this changed world, and Kim was behind him. "In a world full of monsters, I can''t say Daegu is safe anymore, but how long are you going to follow the nonsense orders of the Second Operations Command? Huh? Those incompetent people? Are you willing to let those who sit on the floor and tremble in front of a blue-eyed monster order you around? So don''t think about it, give me all the rights. If you don''t like it, say no, but I''ll give you a piece of advice¡­ finish it when you talk to me. If you say no when you talk to my partner, not me, he''ll never let you go." Cho also actively used the fact that Kim was his backer. He used all the situations given to him favorably. Above all, he insisted that it was not to merely an individual''s benefit, but an honor, a desire to pursue the worthy values that those who survived from now on should take. His cry for justice became his most powerful weapon in the world where all order was broken. He was able to take over all the powers of the Second Operations Command, which had been in control of Daegu City, in just three days. "How have you been, Boss?" The other one who was shining in the crisis with Cho was Jang Sung-hoon. The disappearance of the Tripitaka Koreana of Haein Temple! When everyone fell into a state of dejection amid the chaos created by the crazy incident, Jang did not shake. "I haven''t seen you in a long time." In this crazy situation, Jang somehow found an opportunity and turned it into a chance for change. His opportunity was for large-scale change. Until now, monsters in the Sobaek Mountains had been building their own territory. In such a situation, the sudden movement of monsters above the green grade was the same as a large-scale change. There were very strong changes that humans, as well as the monsters lower than the yellow-grade ones, could endure easily! Jang led his forces into the Sobaek Mountains to find opportunities in the large-scale change. "Oh, I''m sorry I disobeyed your order." It was in direct opposition to Kim''s order. Kim clearly ordered the troops standing near the Sobaek Mountains to move back. But it was Jang Sung-hoon who was right. He hunted the confused monsters. The strong firepower of the Mac Guild''s hunters, the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division, and the Capital Defense Command, the combined strength of those who won the right to survive in fierce battles and struggles, not power created like a flower in a greenhouse like Daegu City, had been spewed on the monsters. The effect was impressive. "But I thought I was right." ''The reason monsters are so scary is that their ability to create fear is strong, and they also have their own territory. A game in one''s own territory is never a game. Rather, it is a real hunter who eats what comes into one''s territory. In other words, monsters that have come out of their domain are better targets than ever.'' "In the end, we secured the Gyeongbu Expressway." And through the hunt, the Mac Guild was able to secure a very valuable road, called the Gyeongbu Expressway. The road, which reached from Seoul to Busan, was taken back from the monsters. The evidence was the presence of Jang, who had led the Mac Guild to Daegu City. "Oh, and this is a small gift." Jang handed Napoleon''s Golden Glass, and the red liquid within, to Kim. 3.It was a room about ten square feet, with only one desk in it, and walls on all sides. The elongated eyes reminded them of dragon eyes, and the skin was grotesque, mysterious, and horrifying, as if the dragon''s scales were hidden under the skin. Right now, a dragon seemed to be born in the man''s body. But even more frightening was the infinite and bizarre power that wriggled in the man''s body. ''I couldn''t lift the curse.'' Kim, dreaming of his death, could see that he was repeating the same death now. At Stonehenge, England, at this moment, he was dying by the curse of the dragon. ''Couldn''t I find a way?'' It was the first time. Until now, Kim had never relived the same death. That created a strong sense of hope. It was hope that the future has changed, and it was the belief that he had learned a lesson through the deaths. It was also a hope that he was going to proceed further, on the basis of his own death. But at this moment, he was repeating the same death. "It''s a great power, and I''m going to explode my body right now."The curse of the dragon, a price that could not be dealt with, was being paid for with the man''s greed. It was a painful and sad thing, a terrible thing. It was more painful and desperate than any death he had ever experienced. ''Rather, that room¡­'' But Kim did not chew on despair at this moment. ''What was the room for?'' Rather, he did not worry about his death at this moment. The death was what he had already experienced. He did not have to worry about why he died, how he died, and who killed him. And it was the same for him, and the future Kim Tae-hoon who he dreamt of.He was dying, but he did not think of despair. He was looking around the room without hesitation. ''Ah.'' Only then did Kim know. ''This is information.'' This room was the place that the future of him made to die, the place made to struggle in front of the same death. This was the information he did not know. There was a lot of information on the wall of the room. It was a visible map of information! There were large continental maps all over the walls, and maps of the six major continents. Around the map, there was a lot of information, like a spider web. Military information, information about relics, information about monsters, and information about people! ''I have collected only the best ones.'' It was very good information for Kim''s taste, and it was so vast. It was impossible to remember all the information. ''It''s just like me.'' Kim was satisfied. ''It''s just like me, since I don''t admit that too much is as bad as too little.'' It was his job to gather a lot of information to the maximum level despite the obvious inability to digest it all. He was grateful at the same time. ''If I die a hundred times, I''ll see all the information here.'' Even in this death, he was grateful that he had not lost himself, and he was proud of him who had not given up yet. His footsteps stopped in front of the map of the Asian continent, one of the six continental maps. He stood and scanned it. He, who was dreaming of himself, also saw Kim Tae-hoon. Among them, Kim paid attention to Japan. ''It''s funny.'' The Japanese archipelago¡­ There was a lot of information around the map: information on important relics, including the story of Musashi, who was now a Japanese monarch, and Japanese military information! ''The only legendary relic in Japan is Kusanagi, and there are lots of swords, not as valuable as the Tripitaka Koreana, but I can still get some payback for their debt. It''s funny. It''s so funny because it is childish¡­ there are the four heavenly guardians under a man named Musashi, who is not the monarch of Japan. The essence of Japan¡­ is not lost, and even in that situation, the weapons are hidden all over the place. If there is a war, they will somehow take advantage of it. After the Fukushima nuclear crisis, their failure to get rid of the executives of the Tokyo Electric Power Company was to prevent the secret nuclear weapons project from being leaked.'' Kim''s eyes turned to China. ''China''s actions are so explicit that until the monsters appeared there was nothing new anymore.'' And finally, Kim looked at Korea. ''Hmm.'' Here, he was suspicious. Most of the information about Korea he had already been grasped, and the things that had been grasped had now become his. He did not need to see the land of Korea anymore. ''Ah.'' But the doubts didn''t last long. There was a note: there is only one thing that can calm the curse of the dragon. Only the Manpasikjeok, which eliminates all the turmoils of the world. It was a clue, a clue to survive. "Ugh¡­" And that was the last thing Kim saw. The dragon''s curse began to melt his heart. 3.There was a dark room with a single light glowing. Two men were facing each other across one table, two cups of coffee in front of them. "Is this Mr. Cho Sung-yeon?""Yes, and you?""I am Jang Sung-hoon." Their first conversation was to introduce to each other. They recognized each other''s names, and the greeting was over. "Can I call you elder brother?""Elder Brother?""I can tell somebody''s fortune by physiognomy, you will be president one day." Jang Sung-hoon, at the end of the greeting, immediately said some unbelievable words to the other."Well, I''d appreciate it if you would, because I honestly didn''t know how to treat you." However, Cho Sung-yeon was merely surprised for a while and soon accepted the unbelievable words."So what''s my brother doing?" the conversation began."I was in the military until last year.""Really? Where?""Bucheon Ojung-dong.""I was on duty in Pocheon.""Pocheon, the Ottuki Unit?""Yes, I worked at the Armored Search Party of the Eighth Mechanized infantry Division.""Really? Do you know Colonel Lim Hyun-joon?""No, I don''t know, who is he?""The Commander of the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division.""Really? You said he was a colonel?""He''s also Commander of the Capital Defense Command.""¡­ I think he should have had some guts to do that. So, what''s your relationship with Colonel Lim Hyun-joon and you?""He''s my man now, and he''s going over the Taebaek Mountains and Uljin to Wolsong." In many ways, it was an absurd story. However, Cho did not smile or look surprised at the absurd story. "I think the world has changed a lot." Everything would be a small change in the presence of Kim. "What kind of person is Kim Tae-hoon?""Boss? He''s a good man." Cho frowned a little at the words ''a good man''. Kim had never hurt him, but Kim was by no means a man who matched the words ''good'' or ''kind''. "If you''re on the same side, there is no one better than him." However, at that explanation, Cho had to agree. At the same time, he was sure at this moment, ''Jang Sung-hoon, his code is right with me.'' He was sure that Jang was a man whose morals matched his own in many ways. Of course, the conversation between the two was soft. "Don''t worry about the wounds, we have a wonderful doctor.""We have a wonderful actress.""Who?""Lee Yeon-ah.""Wow!" Screech! The sound of the door opening in the room stopped the long conversation between the two. "Jang Sung-hoon, give the order to Colonel Lim Hyun-joon." Beyond the open door was Kim Tae-hoon, who didn''t mince his words. "Make a warship ready for Japan."

 101 Episode 101 - Check List, Part II

    Chapter 35. Check List, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 4."Where are they now?""Namchang Station has been cleared.""Namchang Station¡­""With this situation¡­ they are going to get here within half an hour¡­" At the report of the subordinate, Lieutenant Colonel Kang Je-wook, the commander of the newly-built Armored Hunting Battalion under the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division, turned his head back. There was a vast expanse of sea in that direction. It was a cool sea. It was a sea that opened his mind. However, the appearance of the sea did not come into the eyes of Lieutenant Colonel Kang. All he could see was the buildings that had the sea in front of them, huge concrete masses with round roofs. "Stay as long as you can." The Kori Nuclear Power Plant produced the largest amount of electricity of the Korean nuclear power plants, and it would have the largest number of victims when it was destroyed. "Stay as long as you can anyway.""Yes." Now it was the place Lieutenant Colonel Kang had to protect. ''Damn it.'' At this moment, Lieutenant Colonel Kang felt deep despair and nervousness. ''I did not expect that I would be assigned to the Kori Nuclear Power Plant.'' Jang Sung-hoon tried to secure two things during the large-scale change, after the disappearance of the Tripitaka Koreana. One objective was the Gyeongbu Expressway, and the other was the three nuclear power plants built along the East Sea coastline. There was no guarantee that those who had burned the Tripitaka Koreana would leave the nuclear power plants alone. Jang delegated everything to Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, and Colonel Lim, who felt the urgency of the situation, moved all his spare troops. After crossing the Taebaek mountain range, Lim moved along the coastal road by the East Sea and forced a way to reach the nuclear power plant through repeated battles with fierce monsters. So, starting with the Uljin Nuclear Power Plant, they passed the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant and eventually reached the final destination, the Kori Nuclear Power Plant. The problem was at this moment. ''There''s no other way¡­ we can''t get support for more than two hours.'' At present, about a thousand monsters, including a green-grade monster, were approaching the Kori Nuclear Power Plant at a rapid pace. There was no way to stop the monsters. ''But we have to stop it.'' Lieutenant Colonel Kang couldn''t give up. When the Kori Nuclear Power Plant collapsed, the Gyeongsang area would become a land of death. The blow would be beyond description. The hope of Korea, which had just been gained and had just become a flame instead of a mere candle, would be inevitably shaken. He did not want to condone it. He did not want to tarnish the hope that had begun to grow in such desperate days, and he would not tolerate the destruction. "Get all our troops together.""Yes?""And take out all forces around the nuclear power plant." So, at this moment, Kang made an extreme choice. "What do you mean-""The target of the monsters is not the nuclear power plant, but people. If there is nobody near the Kori Nuclear Power Plant, there is no reason for the monsters to attack the Kori Nuclear Power Plant." "Ah!" The order made the subordinate soldier gasp, and then he clamped his mouth shut. He felt bitter despair. However, the fact that there was no clear way to protect the nuclear power plant did not even allow him to question it. The man raised his hand and saluted. It was now to defend to the last. Thump! At that moment, something dropped down behind them with a heavy sound. Subordinate and commander turned to look at him in shock and sudden fright. "Report to me about the situation." 5.Owwwwwwww! The Howling of the multicolored giant Wolf began to flow through the mountains. The flowing Howling wrapped around various kinds of Wolf monsters that were constantly descending the mountains. Kuh-hung, Kuh-hung! The madness began to flutter in the eyes of the Wolf monsters wrapped in the Howling. Owwwwwwww! The Wolf, with its colorful fur, once again let out a long howling. This time, the Wolf monsters ran even faster, just like a car that had already reached its limit had triggered a booster. Owwwwwwww! The master of this mysterious Howling was none other than a Witch Wolf. It was a monster with green eyes, a monster who knew how to sound a Howling with a mysterious magic to it, not a simple howling as its name suggested. Of course, it was also a monster that showed its presence when conducting a pack rather than when it was acting alone. Under the Witch Wolf were a variety of Wolf monsters, numbering over a thousand. It was a nightmare that could turn a small city into a grave within a day or two. "Shoot! Don''t stop and shoot!" It was hard to resist such monsters. "Hold on!""Stop, stop, please stop!" Moreover, the Fear of the Witch Wolf hit their enemies hard, although it gave its forces a stronger ability. Fear! There were not many people who could keep moving in front of the widespread fear. Those who were merely shivering were in better condition. "Kuh-huck!""Vomit! Just spit it out! Breathe!" Those with low Energy levels were also convulsed or breathless, falling to the ground. It was hard to find anyone who could do his job. On the other hand, there was no surplus force for the monsters who gained strength from the Howling of the Witch Wolf. Kuh-hung, Kuh-hung! The racing Wolves did not feel pain, nor did they feel fatigue. Instead, those only felt a thirst for blood, and still had a terrible drive even if their limbs were cut off. They were devils. It was a candle in front of the storm, anyone could see it; a group of Wolves led by the Witch Wolf was a storm, and the Armored Hunting Battalion facing them was a candle. It was one man who changed that fact. Thump! As always, Kim Tae-hoon appeared in the sky and landed on the ground. But there was something different than usual this time. Seueueu! Kim was wearing a thick thorn armor made of ice, a thorn armor that reminded them of the shell of a durian fruit. It was a lot more impressive than his usual look. Especially the thorn armor helmet, the black Eyes shining within, was at a level that could be expressed as ''super-impressive''. Krrrr! Of course, the Witch Wolf was wary of Kim''s appearance, but it didn''t run away. It was proud, the pride of a monster with green eyes, and running was not allowed. It was unacceptable to show its tail in front of a human being. That was the pride of the Witch Wolf! While the Witch Wolf grew vigilant and hostile, Kim raised the thorns of his ice thorn armor. Seueueu! The thorns of the ice thorn armor had now become long and sharp enough to remind them of daggers, all from the new ability he got. He did not get the same ability as the ice blast explosion that Freezer showed after its body turned into thorns. Therefore, he used a different ability. Rumbling! The ability acquired from the Gamecock, Anger Soaring was activated in Kim''s ice thorn armor. Of course, the ice thorn armor wrapped around him shattered and mixed with the explosion created by the Anger Soaring. The explosive power could not be compared with the destructive power that Anger Soaring had showed so far. It was like a massive fragmentation bomb going off. Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa! The fragments of ice thorn armor mixed with the explosion of the Anger Soaring cut, smashed, and penetrated through everything. The thorns of the ice thorn armor did not stop after simply scarring. There was a curse on the ice thorn that made it impossible to repair, cure and recover the wounds. Keheng! The body of the Witch Wolf, which was closest to the explosion, was left full of holes at once. The color of its fur began to turn red. Owwwwwwww! But the Witch Wolf did not fall. It let out another Howling, even with the ice thorns in its body. Its wounds began to heal, and the pain began to fade rapidly. It was a spell. The spell took away the fear of the Witch Wolf and replaced it with anger. As the fear was great, the anger that filled the place was also huge, as the pain was great. Keuaaang! The Witch Wolf threw out the roar of a wounded beast, not a Howling, toward Kim Tae-hoon. But at this moment, Kim did not listen to the sound. He was listening to the beating of its heart. ''It is near the neck.'' When he heard the sound, he painted a picture of three Swords from above, each stabbing the heart of the Witch Wolf from different directions. Swish! And the picture became real. 6.=====[Basic Abilities]- Strength: 702- Health: 689 [Special Abilities]- Energy: B+ Rank- Mana: B+ Rank- Telekinesis: A+ Rank- Defense: B+ Rank- Mana Resistance: B+ Rank [Achieved Abilities]- Ice Thorn Armor (Grade 3): Consumes Mana to produce Ice Thorn Armor; anything stabbed by the thorns of the Ice Thorn Armor is cursed and its ability to recover is greatly weakened.- Howling of the Witch Wolf (Grade 4): With the power of the Witch Wolf, it gives magical power to the Howling. When using Howling, it removes elements that are harmful to the Allies and user, and it increases their basic abilities. Kim turned his head after he looked at the back of his right hand, seeing a group approach. It was Lieutenant Colonel Yoo and his men. They came up to him and saluted him immediately. After receiving the salute, he said, "You can speak freely.""I haven''t seen you in a long time, but I think you have changed a lot." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo and his men were dressed in black special forces uniforms and looked like the Grim Reaper. "I think Lieutenant Colonel Yoo Dae-hyun has changed a lot.""Since the role has changed, I should change.""When will you start?""You''ve already set the stage, there''s no reason to waste time. I''ll do it right away." And in fact, they came here to replace the role of the Grim Reaper. "We can''t just let the soldiers who exploited the people for their own benefit, abused them, and even slaughtered them, go, at least if Korea is a country." Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was not an Awakener. Therefore, he could not be a hunter who fought against monsters, even if he had a great deal of ability to command. The role which Kim had given him was to deal with people who were monsters. Inspection!It was the role of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo to punish the corrupt practices that took place within Korean territory. Kim gave him enormous power to inspect, ranging from military to civilian. Furthermore, the current force Lieutenant Colonel Yoo could show off to soldiers was enormous. It was a war situation. In wartime, the military''s corruption and unfair practices would not end up in jail or a fine mixed with suspended sentences. Summary Trial!The tip of the sword of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was ready to cut the heads of the top officers of the Second Operations Command. "There will be a lot to do." Punishment of the ugly, inhumane acts of the Second Operations Command would begin. "A lot, a little bit, that''s not important. It''s important to root out the poisonous plant this time." Of course, he would not defend anyone who had committed billions of dollars worth of corruption for a living. "Please deal with it properly. I have to leave Korea for a while, so don''t leave any room while I''m away." Kim was hoping so, too. "You won''t be in Korea?" Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was surprised at Kim''s answer. "What does that mean? Are you leaving Korea for a while?" Others might not know, but if it was Kim, the story would be different. Right now, the Republic of Korea was able to come here thanks to a man named Kim Tae-hoon. His absence was not a hole easily filled. "I''m going to Japan." At the answer, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was able to calm down, with only a little bit of surprise. He knew that Major General Lee Ki-soo had borrowed Japan''s power to check Kim Tae-hoon and the Mac Guild. Lieutenant Colonel Yoo himself was the one who had captured and interrogated Colonel Jang So-gook, the closest subordinate of Lee Ki-soo. Furthermore, he had learned that the Japanese ninjas were responsible for burning the Tripitaka Koreana. Kim''s trip to Japan would be enough. "For revenge?" The point was why. Lieutenant Colonel Yoo now thought that Kim was going to Japan to pay back what he had suffered in revenge. Obviously, revenge was important. Even more so, if one is a soldier! If one shows mercy after the enemy''s attack, one will have only a stronger attack to come back to. After all, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth! But now, it was definitely a matter of weighing the scales enough to accept Kim''s absence in return for his revenge on Japan. "Of course, it''s also for revenge." Kim was well aware of the fact. Had it been just for revenge, Kim would not have headed to Japan right away. "Well¡­" In other words, there was a reason besides revenge. "But what''s more important than revenge is to deprive Japan of all its power." What he was after, was all Japan had. "Do you mean its relics, by all its power?" "The relics are also included." "Is there anything else besides the relics?" When asked that by the Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, Kim answered with a question. "How would they come if China were to pursue power and attack South Korea?" "It''s¡­" Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, who stopped speaking for a while, put his thoughts together and answered. "It is hard to get through the land. The military strength in Korea is enormous. If our army is in front of the entrance to the Korean Peninsula in a situation where an air force is not available, it will be impossible for them to use a human-wave strategy. If the commander of the Chinese army is not an idiot, he will attempt a landing via the sea. Korea''s naval capability is at a low level compared to China. Ah¡­" After speaking, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo realized that he had answered Kim''s question correctly. "Do you intend to deprive Japan of its naval forces?" Kim did not answer, because he didn''t have to give a definite answer.

 102 Episode 102 - Any Room, Part I

    Chapter 36. Any Room, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.August 13th. Eight months after the emergence of the monsters, Korea was still full of monsters and ruins. Among the broken buildings, no straight building could be found, the roads were still graveyards of cars, and a lot of people were suffering from the water shortage, not to mention not being able to wash their hands. On the other hand, monsters were still threatening humans, hiding themselves in every corner or building their own territories. There seemed to be little change in the gruesomeness of reality. However, the sense of despair, which was felt not just by the eyes, but also the body, was clearly different from the past. On December 31, 2016, a blaze of hope was ignited in some cities in South Korea, where there was nothing but despair. Among them, the hottest place was Bucheon. Previously, this small city, which was just sandwiched between Seoul and Incheon, was now the hottest city in South Korea. There were many reasons. Having more solar power plants than any other city enabled a stable electricity supply; the nation''s most advanced health care system; and the infrastructure of living was better than any other city, and crime rates were the lowest. Most of all, there was something else in Bucheon City. "That''s the headquarter of the Mac Guild." "Looking at the flag of the Mac Guild there, it looks like this is the safest place in South Korea." The headquarter of the Mac Guild, in what was once Bucheon City Hall, made Bucheon the hottest city. Naturally, the nation''s people gathered in Bucheon City. "We sell yellow-grade monster leather! You can trade with monster stones any time!" "We''re looking for Clan members! All Awakeners are welcome!" "We''re looking for party members to join in the hunt for monsters! It''s a Starfish Clan party!" The Awakeners who had gathered there made Bucheon a hotter city through their activities in Bucheon.Monsters'' bodies were traded here and there, and such traded bodies were made into items in the workshops. The items were the basis for hunting stronger monsters when held in the hands of the crowded Awakeners. A virtuous circle was formed to kill stronger monsters. It was the Mac Guild who fueled such a virtuous cycle. "Did you hear that? I heard the Mac Guild will release lots of relics this time." The Mac Gild did not want their possessions to rot in a safe. "Oh, I heard the story. There are rumors that they will release the relics that they gained from Gyeongju." "According to the rumors, the items made from the hair of the Gamecock are finally being auctioned, and there are also the elite goods made by Park Kap-soo and his disciples! There''s a rumor that they are more powerful than a few relics!" "There will be some great things, I''ll have to pack up the monster stones!" "It will be hard for an individual to get a successful bid at an auction. The top Clans are holding hands before this Mac Guild auction, it''s going to be a huge deal." The relics wanted to find their masters and become weapons to hunt monsters. For that reason, the Mac Guild auctioned off items made using relics and monsters they had hunted. For the hunters, it was basically the only place where they could get powerful weapons without bleeding for them. "This auction will be more intense than ever because it''s a place where the Clans can show their strength." "They can show their loyalty to the Mac Guild." Furthermore, the Mac Guild-sponsored relic auction was now a place where the Clans of the Mac Guild, whose numbers now exceeded a hundred, could display their strength. It was not just an immature struggle. "The powerful Clans will have a lot of rights now." In the world of monsters, the hunter groups and the Clan had no choice but to exercise absolute influence. It was no wonder that a community was formed around such a Clan. Talented engineers and talented people who wanted to receive protection and support gathered under the talented hunters. The community that combined in that way showed great performance in the process of restoring the infrastructure of the Republic of Korea, which had obviously collapsed. "If they are smart, they''ll have to realize that this is a historic opportunity." That meant a great deal. In the land of Gangnam, which no one dared to approach and where the monsters were overflowing in the ruins and the buildings, if someone built a building, who would be the owner of the building? It would be hard for the old owner of the building to claim full rights to the new building. What if they recaptured an area full of monsters and rebuilt a city there, not just a building or two? In Korean history, those who had taken the opportunity before and after the Korean War became a power, becoming the chaebol who controlled the Republic of Korea. Therefore, they could not help but know what to do now to get wealth and power in the next ten years. The Mac Guild''s auction made many people boil up. There was one more event that attracted attention as such an auction. "This time there is a new recruitment announcement for a hunter." "Really? Where is it this time?" Hunter Recruitment Notice.It was a notice that the Mac Guild was recruiting volunteers to hunt high-grade monsters that were hard to hunt with the power of just a Clan or small party. An ambitious Clan or party competitively applied because it could then hunt powerful monsters, and could get a stake in the monsters. Above all, the participation rate of parties that wanted to be a Clan recognized by the Mac Guild was higher than ever. It was a true gateway; the moment they climbed up, there was a chance they could be a top Clan! "Let''s see¡­ huck!" But this time the story was different."¡­ this hunting spot is Jirisan, isn''t it?" Jirisan!If they were Koreans, they cannot help but know that Jirisan was the representative mountain of Korea, next to Mt. Halla and Mt. Seorak, and better known than either. "Jirisan? Wait, wait, what if it''s Jirisan?" "¡­ the realm of the Golden Horn Spider, a blue-grade monster." "Oh, my God." And now it was notorious for housing a blue-grade monster, the Golden Horn Spider with its golden legs. It was a place the living were not allowed to approach. Indeed, the Mac Guild announced that Jirisan was an area of the Golden Horn Spider because hunters and the public carefully avoided the dangerous place. "Isn''t this the first time for a blue-grade monster?" Of course, the Mac Guild had never issued a hunter recruitment announcement for a blue-grade monster. "The first time is not important, it''s not a case of how many times!" No, they couldn''t afford to refuse the hunter recruitment announcement. "There''s only one person in Korea who can be a hunter, not a prey, against a blue-grade monster!" There was only one hunter who could hunt blue-grade monsters! 2.Bucheon City Council Preliminary Board Meeting Room... It was crowded with people since it had now become the Mac Guild''s conference room. The addition of new members to the early days of the Mac Guild''s foundation had made it more crowded than ever before. Two of them were prominent: Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, now Commander of the Korean military, and Cho Seong-yeon, Interim Commander of the Second Operations Command. They were the first to be here, but their facial expressions were not much different from those of the rest of them. ''I don''t know what they''re thinking.''''What the hell are they thinking?'' They were frowning, revealing their agony. ''They''re hunting a blue-grade monster, and they offer a hunter recruitment announcement!'' What bothered them was the recent hunter recruitment announcement of the Mac Guild. It was announced that it would recruit hunters to participate in the hunting of the Golden Horn Spider which had settled in the area of ??Jirisan. It was a public announcement made by Kim Tae-hoon. In the first place, there was no one who could plan a blue-grade monster hunting without his opinion. The problem was that no one had been informed that the hunting recruitment announcement would be made in advance. It was a surprise. It was natural that their heads were about to burst, because they had to grasp Kim''s intentions in the situation where they were raiding. Screech! The door of the Preliminary Board Meeting Room opened, and Jang Sung-hoon stuck out his head. "You all look like shit." At the end of the sentence, some people turned their eyes toward him, who whistled cheekily. In a situation where they had to complain about Kim Tae-hoon, only Jang was of no account. At their angry looks toward him, Jang responded by shaking the coffee pot in his hand. No one in the room was unaware of who the coffee pot with the white steam coming out was for. Kim, as everyone expected, appeared behind Jang. Everyone was silent. In the silence, Kim received the coffee pot from Jang and immediately began to pour hot water over the coffee drier he brought along. As the water fell, the quiet conference room melted with the coffee beans. "I''ll be going to Japan soon," Kim Tae-hoon''s words thunderbolted into the quiet conference room. "Yes?""What is that?""Japan?" Everyone was surprised at the announcement. The only ones who were not surprised were Jang Sung-hoon, Cho Sung-yeon, and Colonel Lim Hyun-joon. Jang and Cho were the first to hear of Kim''s trip to Japan, and Colonel Lim was contacted by Jang and had prepared a ship for Kim''s trip to Japan. However, that did not brighten the faces if the three. "I''m ready to go to Japan." Kim continued to speak in the shocked atmosphere. "But the reason I have not left yet is not to leave any room." Any Room.The meaning of Chinese characters was ''the remaining land''. "I don''t want to leave any room for Jirisan if you can''t kill a blue-grade monster without me." Jirisan was the only place in the Republic of Korea, except for North Korea and Jeju Island, where there was a blue-grade monster which the Mac Guild could not kill. Kim did not want to leave the land as ''any room''. Of course, this alone could not explain why he issued a hunter recruitment announcement. "In addition, we will get volunteers for this hunt." "They cannot help you." Someone stopped Kim. Everyone looked at the man who interrupted Kim''s words with surprised eyes... Cho Sung-yeon! Cho shrugged at the audience''s gaze. "Why? I didn''t say anything wrong, did I? What would ants do to hunt tigers? Oh, this time they''re not tigers, they''re huge spiders." However, at the image of Cho Sung-yeon, who still spoke without being discouraged, those who saw him at this moment could catch a certain sense of what kind of person he was: a man who said what he wanted to say, under any circumstances. Kim was willing to answer the words of such a man. "The moment I go to Japan, the war begins. The result is one of two: whether Japan is defeated, or Korea is defeated." It was an eerie answer. But Kim''s story was not over there. "For reference, Japan is not the end. There are two reasons why I am attacking Japan. One is that they declared war on us first, and the other is that we need Japan''s relics and naval power for the next war. The next war is likely to be China." China was after Japan. Some of them felt a deep dizziness at his story, of someone who was going to deal with the mountains rising one above another.But Kim''s story was still not over. "It will be a good thing if the war is over there, but there''s no guarantee that it will be over, and we might fighting the world; Russia, India, Europe, and America." With that, Kim picked up a cup of the coffee that he had just made in front of them. He drank the coffee just as it was. Silence came, and during that time, everyone in the conference room organized their thought. It was Kim who broke the silence. "What I need in this situation is a man who will be willing to risk his life with me." A comrade.It was a word that Kim did not use easily. For him, the object of war was not a monster, but a human or a nation. The word "comrade" was also much stronger than the feeling of being a colleague fighting against a human being, rather than a colleague fighting against a monster. Of course, that was why he used the word "comrade". "This hunting announcement is a process for finding my comrades. ''I''ll be with you,'' and with that remark alone, they will be at my side in the coming war, and such crazy guys will be willing to follow me to the hell where the blue-grade monster is located." Kim took another drink of coffee after the words, swallowing without savoring it. It was a surprise. He said, "And I want to show to those who will be my comrades, who exactly I am, and how capable I am, to be able to trust me and risk his life with me." Kim''s words were heard more sincerely than ever. "I don''t want to leave any room in their minds to doubt the power I have, and the power of my country and the Mac Guild. That''s why I made a recruitment announcement." As soon as the words were finished, no one could even look unhappy with Kim anymore. He smiled lightly at the crowd. "That''s why it happened, so the details should be taken care of by the people here." At the end of his words, Kim left the conference room with his mug in his hand. Everyone looked after him with blank eyes. Jang stood where Kim disappeared. "Well, let''s start the meeting." And that was how the meeting began.

 103 Episode 103 - Any Room, Part II

    Chapter 36. Any Room, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 3.The announcement for hunters to kill the Golden Horn Spider greatly shook the hunters of Bucheon City. The storm had subsided over time, and after the storm, the hunters came up with rational and reasonable answers. "There''s no reason to apply unless we''re crazy." They insisted that they should not apply for the Mac Guild''s Hunter recruitment. "The risk is too high, even with the merit. It''s a blue-grade monster, and we might faint or die of a heart attack just by being exposed to its fear." It was a wise decision. A blue-grade monster was like a natural disaster, which was not easy to measure the risk of. No one was calculating profit and loss against the blue-grade monster, as no one was worried about what they would gain with the typhoon, in front of the typhoon. "There are not many people." As a result, only 3,000 applied for the Mac Guild''s Hunter recruitment. "There were fewer applicants, but they had stricter qualifications. I hear there''s a thousand passing through." Even when they excluded those who did not meet the qualifications, those remaining numbered only a thousand. Only a thousand of the countless hunters who made Bucheon City boil like a furnace were passed! "A thousand people, isn''t that too few?" "Well, if the guy who''s participating is being called crazy, and there are a thousand crazy guys, then there''s a lot." After that, someone said that there were still more than a thousand crazy people left! They did not need to explain how terrible this hunt would be. "If it had not been for the Mac Guild, he would have lost his life. However, when the Mac Guild asked for help, the bitch ran away, afraid for his life. So, a volunteer is better than a fucking bastard." "The leader is a woman, and she''s a madwoman." "Yes, I''m a crazy bitch!" Park Joo-yeon and her colleagues were some of the three thousand people who had applied for the ridiculous hunter recruitment. They were also some of the thousand people who had passed through the quite difficult qualifications. The Park Joo-yeon party.Having a simple and ignorant party name, they were quite famous in Chungcheong Province, unlike the funny party name. A large flute that Park Joo-yeon, the leader, had inherited as a family treasure, was a very powerful third-grade relic, and her skill in using it was also excellent. After they received a lot of recruitment attempts from the Clans and were ready to succeed in a world full of monsters, they said that they would apply for the hunter recruitment and surprised the people around them. Others asked the party why they would walk on their feet into a place like a grave. They even said that if the party hunted down weak monsters and improved their ability and skills, the party could be successful enough. However, Park and her colleagues did not hesitate to apply for hunter recruitment. "Even this crazy bitch knows that I have to pay for the price of my life!" Park and her colleagues were once saved by Kim Tae-hoon. By the time he took out the Messiah in Chungcheong Province, they were freed, and thanks to the hunters sent by the Mac Guild, they were now safe from the monster threat and survived thanks to the Mac Guild''s support. "I think they''re all making a mistake, and I think this war hasn''t even started yet. There are too many people who think that killing a Golden Horn Spider is going to end the war." So, Park and her colleagues were willing to volunteer when the Mac Guild asked for help. That was why they were talking while eating at the Gurye County Office, where they could see the Seomjin River below and Nogodan, one of the three peaks of Jirisan, in the east. "Except for that reason, it''s a chance to fight alongside the first hunter, isn''t it? This is not a common opportunity." "That''s right. It is a scene that we couldn''t see even if we paid for it." After finishing the meal, they were about to embellish the story ahead of the monster hunting that would start tomorrow morning. "Take coffee." "Hmm?" A mug of coffee was given to volunteers of this hunting gathered at the playground of Gurye Middle School in front of Gurye County Office. "Mug?" "Not a paper cup, coffee in a mug¡ª" In addition, the mug was not just a mug, but a mug with the Mac Guild''s mascot, Mac. Everyone looked stunned at the fact. But it did not take long for their expressions to change. "Hey! That''s Bang Hyun-wook!" "Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji is also there!" Now, those who had become famous had appeared one by one, and everyone changed their expressions in surprise. It was when Kim Tae-hoon appeared with Jang Sung-hoon that their expressions peaked. At first, there were not many people who immediately noticed that Kim was there. But when they saw Jang, whose face was well known, standing beside Kim with a serious posture, and Bang Hyun-wook and Kim Soo-ji saluting Kim respectfully, there was no one who could not notice that he was Kim Tae-hoon. Gulp! Everyone swallowed the same way with the same expression, holding the same mug with the same coffee in their hands. "I have a few things to say before the briefing on the Golden Horn Spider that will begin tomorrow." In a world where everyone had become a mannequin, Kim talked with a mug of coffee in his hand. "The original meaning of a hunt was that something strong eats something weak, and it was common for a fox to catch a rabbit, a tiger to catch a boar, and so it was with human beings. It was originally a hunt to eat the weak, but the concept of the hunt began to change at some point." Kim turned his head toward Jirisan. "At some point, a human being began to kill something stronger than himself. He began hunting wolves and hunting tigers." Kim turned his head back to them. There were a thousand hunters looking at him with a surprised expression. He smiled at them lightly. It was a very small figure after seeing that the number of hunters registered in the Mac Guild now exceeded ten thousand people, but he was rather satisfied with this number. ''There are many crazy guys.'' For Kim and the Mac Guild, there were about a thousand crazy people who would walk onwards, even if it was directly into a grave. They were proof that what he had done so far was not wrong. So he continued to speak with a little excitement. "Tools, strategies, tactics, and cooperation, these things have allowed humans to hunt stronger things, and that doesn''t change even when monsters are present." Kim had dealt with two blue-grade monsters so far. It was amazing, a great feat, even if it was a surprise that it was almost done by him alone. However, the fight with the two monsters was close to a struggle to live, not hunting. The power, tactics, and weapons used in the battle were the masterpieces and tricks created by Kim''s improvisation. It was not a thorough hunt. Rather, the hunting that he had tried after thorough preparation was usually unsuccessful. That happened in the hunt of the Black Snake. He was all ready to kill it, and everyone was working together, but the result? Everything that was prepared was meaningless, and only Kim''s final attempt to survive was able to save him. It was a clear failure. Since then, Kim has never succeeded at real hunting. As said before, he survived in the fights with his tricks and skills. The problem was the result. The hunting of the Black Snake failed, but he was able to learn a clear lesson from the failure. On the other hand, there was no lesson in the struggle after using the tricks. That was the reality. Tricks could not give people faith and trust, even though they would bring out their admiration. If Kim wanted to kill the Golden Horn Spider on his own, he could kill it, and everyone would be amazed at it. However, that was all. The battle would never leave a lesson that would be a stepping stone for someone else. "The same is true of the Golden Horn Spider. If you try to kill it with your bare body, no one can kill it now. But if you use tools, use strategies and tactics, and finally collaborate, there''s no reason you cannot kill it." It was that part Kim wanted to say right now. Furthermore, it was such a feeling that he wanted to give to those who gathered here for this hunt. "This is a hunt like that, not just to defeat the catastrophe we face, but to deal with it with our own hands. This will be the first true hunt against a blue-grade monster." After finishing his speech, Kim had coffee. As always, a short silence of savoring began. But no one questioned this silence. Everyone was willing to wait for the silence to end. " I''ll start the briefing." And the silence was over. 4.A Golden Horn Spider.The way this giant spider, with its eight long golden legs and a coal-black body well over ten meters long, worked was so simple. It spread a wide spider web across its territory.And that was it. The Golden Horn Spider did not come to find the prey on its web. It just waited to take the energy of the prey the spider web had caught, drain away its health, and eventually suck away its vitality. That was the power of the Golden Horn Spider. Its web was not just tough and sticky, but it had the eerie ability to suck the energy, health, and vitality of an object. That Golden Horn Spider''s web was spread widely around a peak of Jirisan, Cheonwangbong. Of course, the Golden Horn Spider did not intend to come out of its own area. On the other hand, in order to kill the Golden Horn Spider, the most basic rule was to fight it in a place other than its area. If Kim had to fight alone, it would not be difficult. Using his Telekinesis to fly, it would be possible to fight enough where the spider web did not reach. But if he was going to do that, Kim would not have made a fuss. He prepared for the event. Even if they excluded his existence, they could make a valid attack on the monster called a Golden Horn Spider. "We secured Banyabong!" Once Kim ordered the hunters to remove the monsters that were crowded around the Golden Horn Spider. Individual Battle.Through that method, they secured the main area around Cheonwangbong and an area where they could secure visibility. "We also secured Nogodan!" Their process was being revealed on the map. Every time they secured a target point, a black Go stone was placed on the map, and the number of the Go stones set down reached about thirty. The black Go stones had perfectly surrounded Cheonwangbong in Jirisan. Based on the situation, Kim also gave a new order without moving himself. "Put the Armored Hunting Battalion into the area." 5.The Armored Hunting Battalion. It was Colonel Lim Hyun-joon who came up with the concept of this newly established special unit after the emergence of monsters. Its origin was simple. Colonel Lim Hyun-joon took over the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division at once, and authority over the front line and the Gangwon area, and began to reorganize his power to fight with the monsters. In such a situation, there were two things that worried Colonel Lim.One was that the front line and the Gangwon area were mountainous terrains, where armored power could not be used freely, and the other was that the number of relics secured by the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division was insufficient, so they needed great firepower, like a tank, for monster hunting. Colonel Lim interpreted the situation simply. "A trained artilleryman can carry a sixty-millimeter mortar alone, so if he is a soldier with high Strength, Health, and Energy, he can disassemble and transport towed artillery." It was a terrible thought for the soldiers under Colonel Lim, especially the soldiers who were Awakened, but he personally implemented the idea. Of course, he did not practice it himself, but his men practiced. The result was impressive. The Armored Hunting Battalion fought with great firepower in any harsh area. After that, Colonel Lim joined the Mac Guild, and as soon as the Mac Guild actually took over the full power of the ROK Armed Forces, he focused on fostering and supporting the Armored Hunting Battalion. The result was now revealed to Mt. Jiri. "I can''t believe I set it up, because I''m hauling an artillery cannon into the middle of Mt. Jiri." In the middle of a rough mountain, a tank could not access and even helicopters could not reach easily, a KH179 155mm howitzer was standing upright with a long barrel in a good shape. It was the work of the Armored Hunting Battalion. It was a great achievement. Was there a Unit in the world that could take the giant howitzer apart, bring it to the mountains, and assemble it again? "I might carry a tank later.""I hope not." Of course, the faces of the Armored Hunting Battalion, who had made a great achievement a reality, were not so great after doing this glorious thing.They knew that there was no end of work in the military. "But there is a rumor that the Division is building an M61 Unit." "What is that?" "A Unit carrying an M61 and supporting firepower..." "No, what the hell is that? The M61 is for a fighter or a warship, not for a man! Who did that?" "The Guild Master¡ª" "¡­ let''s hope it''s not us." "Wouldn''t it be more effective to just pray for the disappearance of the monsters?" In addition, they knew that this army was a childish organization that really used all means and methods to appease their superiors. Anyway, the howitzer was ready to show off its splendor immediately. The howitzers installed in thirty places pointed their long barrels toward Cheonwangbong. In addition, mortars installed everywhere were ready to pour in additional firepower. "They brought the real towed artilleries in with their bare hands and installed them." "I''m glad I am a hunter. If I was in the military¡­" "Look, I am still in the reserve troops, but they are not going to call up reserve forces to do this, are they?" Hunters who had secured safety for the members of the Armored Hunting Battalion by removing monsters were crowded around them. "Well, I''m sure now that I see this." Now they could truly understand the conversation the day that they had all shared the same coffee and mug on the grass playground of a ruined middle school. "Why did the master call it hunting?" "I agree." The hunt began. 6.Tokyo, Japan.There was only one new building rising up in the world, in what was the largest ruin in the world. It was a building. The building, which was still under construction, was so large that it reminded them of the skyscrapers and Burj Khalifa in Dubai, but the impact of what construction had been already been completed was tremendous. The building was a double-sided building in many ways. In someone''s eyes, it seemed to be the hope of a land that had been ruined, and on the other, it seemed to be a hideous thing that did not fit in with the ruined land. Obviously, in the eyes of the man who was looking at the building now, Musashi, it was the same hope as the sun above the sky. "How long will it take to build the Rising Sun?" Because of this, Musashi gave a name directly to the building: the Rising Sun. Musashi was planning to declare Japan an empire, not just Japan, the moment the building was completed. "If only we had the labor force¡­" Of course, it was only a vision of Musashi, and for those who had to make his vision a reality, the building seemed to be a disaster. In fact, the building, which would be called the Rising Sun by most of those who survived in Japan, was considered a hideous thing beyond the ruins. The resources and manpower used to build a building in the ruined land were enormous. It was in fact not different from building a huge building with human bones and blood in a situation where even urban restoration was not done properly. Many people had already died during construction.But Musashi didn''t mind. "We will soon be able to bring in a labor force from the Joseon Dynasty in Korea, so plan your work accordingly." Rather, he smiled hard, remembering the conversation he had shared a few hours ago.A few hours ago, the Six Snakes had met. At the meeting, Musashi finally got consent from all the Six Snakes; the Korean Peninsula was his now. It allowed Japan to attack the Korean Peninsula and then gave Japan all rights to the Korean Peninsula, with the promise of full support from the Six Snakes in the process! It was not different from making the Korean Peninsula Japanese territory for Musashi. Of course, Musashi had no intention of taking any more time. ''We failed to get Busan, but it doesn''t matter, because South Korea''s naval power is so weak that we can get through it any time we put our full power in. It would be easier if China could check South Korea through North Korea.'' He has waited for only one thing, the support of the Six Snakes. The Six Snakes, which had acquired even China, said they would attack the north area of Korea with Chinese troops. Then all the troops in Korea would be assigned to the north. If the Japanese naval forces were to launch a landing operation, they would get virtually bloodless entry to Korea. ''The Six Snakes were right: there is no reason to disregard the opportunity to establish a new order.'' Musashi turned and looked north. For now, Mount Fuji came into view. But at this moment, Musashi saw beyond Mt. Fuji. He saw it at least until he heard the news."Lord, Lord! Korea sent you a letter." "What do you mean, a letter?" "An Iga Ninja who was sent to Korea brought back a letter." "How could a dispatched man get a letter from the Korean government?" "¡­ he was caught and sent back." The smile disappeared from Musashi''s lips. At the same time, he reached out his hand and the man who arrived handed the letter to him.After that, he opened the letter, scanned it, and handed it back to his subordinate.It was because the letter was written in Korean. His subordinate immediately read the letter to interpret and became pale. "Tell me the contents." His pale subordinate told him the contents of the letter. "¡­ the arrangements are over, and now he''s coming here to claim the price of Korean lives."

 104 Episode 104 - Any Room, Part III

    Chapter 36. Any Room, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 7.The Golden Horn Spider had eight golden legs and was ten meters long. With a huge body and head that fit such legs, it had never hidden itself. No, it couldn''t hide itself. The huge body was the second. The eight blue eyes on its head made the legs of its prey numb with fright hundreds of meters or even kilometers away. It didn''t have to hide itself. Unlike other monsters, the Golden Horn Spider did not have to work hard to hunt. The Golden Horn Spider had only two things to do: to widen the area of its web when it was in a good mood and to punish those who dared to live in its own territory. In fact, so far, it had only done those two things. It had no experience doing anything else. Therefore, it was confused. Rumbling!The Golden Horn Spider could hear dimly the rolls of thunder from a long distance away. Even the thunderstorm came not from one direction, but all directions, dozens of rolls of thunder in sequence. Cheee? This was a situation it had never experienced and never thought of before. Cheee! The power of the rolls of thunder, however, was beyond imagination. Whenever a shot hit the ground, the ground turned upside down and soared like a fountain. Cheeeeee! Dozens of thunderstorms arriving in a single breath left indelible scars on the body of the Golden Horn Spider. Two of its legs were ripped off, creating terrible scars on the huge body. Cheee! Cheeeee! A painful cry burst out to the Golden Horn Spider. But this was not the end. Boom! Boom! Boom!It was a small noise compared to the preceding thunder, but still powerful little bolts of lightning began to shower down on the Golden Horn Spider. Chee¡­! By that time, there was no longer a faint cry from the Golden Horn Spider. Doo-woo-woong! Instead, a sad and heartrending sound was heard. 8.The power of a 155mm shell transcended common sense. The sight of the earth rising up like a fountain at the moment of the bomb blasts was amazing that humans made such weapons to kill humans. When hundreds of 60mm, 81mm, and 4.2-inch mortars began to fill the gaps between the spouting shells in a separate sequence from the 155mm towed artillery guns, the destructive power generated by the concentrated saturation would have crushed the giant mountain, Jirisan. The figure of the Golden Horn Spider, who had received such an absurdly intensive bombardment, looked terrible. Doo-woo-woong! Above all, the peal of the Bell of King Seongdeok, which was being run steadily, made the Golden Horn Spider vulnerable. It was the most fatal thing. Even with its natural armor, it could not hold on under the intensive bombardment, but it was shot naked. Doo-woo-woong!In the end, even when there was no further bombardment, the Golden Horn Spider was weak enough to shudder at the Bell of King Seongdeok.Of the eight eyes, only two were fine, and only three of its eight legs were left. However, the Golden Horn Spider had still survived after this absurd intensive bombardment. They were not just the shells, but it was a bombard made out of a Bronze Sword third-grade relic, being exposed to the Bell of King Seongdeok. It was a certain proof that this monster was far beyond the common sense of a human being. Kim Tae-hoon stood in front of the Golden Horn Spider. He was holding three Swords on his back, carrying a bag, and looking at it with his black Eyes. ''This is the first time.'' At the same time, the past image of the monster with the blue eyes that he was now looking at, was passing by. ''When I face a monster that has become a rag¡­'' The first was the Gamecock. The first meeting with the Gamecock was the peak of his desperation. Kim had to fight it without preparing at all. Then it was the Freezer. He was not very pleased to see it. If there had been no Bell of King Seongdeok and without a missile usually mounted on a fighter, he would have had to step down, with hundreds of thousands of survivors still left in Daegu City. To the two monsters that he had faced like that, Kim was an insignificant being.As evidence, there was no vigilance or fear in the blue eyes of those who had looked at him. There was only the ferocity of a hungry beast in front of their prey. ''And even when I see this so scared.'' But now the blue eyes of the Golden Horn Spider were embarrassed, frightened, and afraid. That was the obvious evidence. At this moment, the Golden Horn Spider was game. Now it was time to finish the hunt. As always, it was time to stab the monster''s heart and take the monster stone out of its heart. But Kim Tae-hoon waited for it. Toot-toot! He waited for those who were coming to this place where the Fear of the Golden Horn Spider still remained, with the help of the power of all kinds of musical instruments, including the large flute heard from far away, and the instruments that became relics. Trembling! He waited for the crowd shaking all over who wanted to come here, trembling in front of the fear that they could not control even though they were helped by the relics. In that manner, Kim waited for the comrades who willingly risked his or her life for this hunting. "There, there!""Oh, my God..." And when the comrades gathered, Kim finally finished the hunt. Tsreung! The Sword of the Imperator in the sheath flew like a lightning bolt toward the heart of the already weak Golden Horn Spider. Thunk! The Sword of the Imperator brought an end, and at the same time, the trembling of those who flocked around the Golden Horn Spider began to stop. Everyone felt the hunt was over, and they were free now. "Whooooooooooooooooooo!" It was a freedom to make the biggest shout that could be used by those who had stopped shaking. "Whooooooooooooooooooo!" Kim had confidence in the situation where everyone was shouting like thunder. ''There is no room now.'' There was no room left. So now Kim no longer hesitated. ''Tonight, I will attack Japan.'' 9.Yeosu Port.It was a dark night, and the night sea of Yeosu was visible. However, unfortunately, there was no light that could have shown a beautiful sight. There was a man instead. Colonel Lim Hyun Joon was looking at night sea of Yeosu. He still had a strong figure and a burning look. Thud! And now there were two men. "Here you are." Kim had landed from the sky, and Colonel Lim immediately spoke to him, "What happened with the hunt?" "The Armored Hunting Battalion has done well." At the response, Colonel Lim smiled with satisfaction. "I''m glad to hear that they helped you." The Armored Hunting Battalion was the Unit that Colonel Lim had created. He was the most confident with the Unit. Its value was recognized by Kim, not just anyone else. It was like getting the highest praise for Colonel Lim as a commander. "The Armored Hunting Battalion may take a more active part in the future war." "I suppose so. Special forces with the firepower of the tank will actually be the masters of the battlefield. Above all, if a person who has the Eyes of a Black Snake or the Hearing of a Bell-tailed Rat like you becomes a commander, the deeds of the Armored Hunting Battalion will be even more powerful." "I think we need to increase the size of the Armored Hunting Battalion. In addition, we need training for mountainous terrain, for desert terrain, and for street fighting." "I''ll apply it to the training soon." "This time, I think we need to organize the troops in detail. Based on the ability of the soldiers who handled the 4.2-inch mortar, the 4.2-inch mortar can be operated by two people, not a group of three. The 60mm mortar including artillery shells can be operated by an individual, if they are trained properly." If the members of the Armored Hunting Battalion heard this, the contents of the conversation might have made them dizzy. Fortunately, the story ended there. "Did you send them a warning note?" "I don''t know what''s going to happen during the delivery, but I did. We sent five of the ninjas we captured, and one of them should arrive." It was an order given to Colonel Lim before Kim went on hunting for the Golden Horn Spider: deliver the letter to Japan using the captured ninjas. The message was, of course, a warning note. "But what was your intention in doing so?" "I threw a stone, so they are going to react anyway. And there will be some kind of gap." "That''s great." The reason for sending the warning note was to make a gap. Colonel Lim admired Kim''s move. No matter how ambitious, capable, and qualified Colonel Lim was, he could not have had more experience in war than Kim. Kim showed lessons that he wanted to buy, even if he had to pay a billion dollars. Kim did not respond to Colonel Lim''s admiration. Rather, he made his cold face colder. ''It''s war now.'' The dice had been thrown. For Kim, the Korean Strait between Korea and Japan had become the Rubicon River. The difference was that Caesar crossed the Rubicon with his army instead of crossing it with a single body, while Kim crossed the Korean Strait as a single body. That was all. "In thirty-six hours, send troops to Tsushima Island and take it over." The result of Kim who would cross the Korean Strait and of Caesar who had crossed the Rubicon would be the same. Just as Caesar had made a new Roman history, Kim would rewrite Japanese history. Colonel Lim read Kim''s intention, and did not make any more admiring remarks. He breathed out a long sigh. ''Now it''s a real war. ''War is a word of fate, for soldiers. Someone wants to avoid it, and someone wants it to come.'' Colonel Lim was the latter. He was an ambitious man, and he wanted a historic war to happen in his heart. Now the war he wanted was coming. It was not just a war. ''I''m not going to be at the center of this war.'' Korea''s Conquest War of Japan!It was a war that was hard to find even in the long history that had existed between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese islands. So far, there has been no war in their history in which the nations of the Korean Peninsula had fought against Japan on the mainland of Japan. The target of the invasion was always the Korean Peninsula, and the battlefield was also on the Korean Peninsula. Kim''s war was inevitably a historic war in many ways. "Hoo!" Colonel Lim, who was just realizing the fact, felt his heart shaking with all kinds of emotions. Kim briefly told him, "Don''t get emotional and don''t get sentimental. All you can appreciate is those who haven''t experienced war." Kim finished the warning and immediately flew out to a fishing boat that had already sailed out into Yeosu Port. Colonel Lim looked after it and rubbed his face, erasing the expression on his face.''I almost made the same mistake as Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk.'' Kim was right. ''War is nothing but war. Evaluation of the war, or mourning or reverence of the war, emotion and appreciation, criticism and blame, are the responsibility of those who have not experienced it; for those who have experienced it, war is nothing more than war.'' The act of making an emotional face was not something a commander should do to lead a war and shed the blood of others. Colonel Lim removed his expression, straightened his right hand and put it to his temple. He waited that way until the fishing boat disappeared from his sight. 10.Tsushima Island.The island, which was called Tsushima Island in Japan, was the closest island to both Korea and Japan. Therefore, it was a place for tourists and passenger ships, rather than tension, guns, or a warship at the island. Although Korea and Japan were anxious because they could not take over each other politically and diplomatically, it was evident that they were in harmony on military matters. On the other hand, the fact that the military had come into Tsushima Island was evidence that Japan was blatantly revealing its intentions to invade the Korean Peninsula. "How long do we have to wait here?" "How could I know that?" And now there were warships, not a few soldiers, and Awakeners with marks on their hands. "Someday the order will come." The time they were waiting for was, of course, the time of the invasion. As soon as the order came down, everyone on Tsushima Island would immediately move for Busan. The moment they arrived in Busan, they would acquire Busan according to a set plan, and then, a powerful force from the Japanese Archipelago, settled in Busan, would take over the Korean Peninsula. It was their role to be the advance guards of the war. In that situation, the days of doing nothing to those on Tsushima Island with all their resolutions were not free, and they were feeling itchy all over. "Goddammit, if they''re going to do this, just leave us on the mainland! There is no water to drink, and it''s hard to take a shower here! What a hard time!" "My words too!" There was nothing to do but complain. It was a minor disturbance that silenced their complaints. The whine of sirens! The noise of the warning began to spread rapidly in the dark of the Tsushima Island. "What''s going on?" "A boat is coming here!" The main culprit of the disturbance was a boat heading for Tsushima Island. The incoming boat made a faint sound and it did not show any threat to them. But those who looked at the boat didn''t relax at all. "Who''s on the boat?" "I can''t see anyone." Nothing was on the fishing boat. Then, the answer was one of two: it was a ghost boat, or some people were hiding themselves inside the boat.Either way was nothing good for Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force nestled on Tsushima Island. They didn''t hesitate. "Sink the boat!" Major Szuki ordered immediately, and soon the machine guns on the tower on Tsushima Island fired, quickly turning the fishing boat into a hole-ridden wreck. The fishing boat sank with bubbles. After that, the people with telescopes looked at the area the fishing boat had been. Situation Terminated. But at this moment, no one felt like the situation was over. "Is it over?" "It''s weird." "I feel weird, too. I don''t think it''s over." It was because of the feelings of the Japanese. ''Japan is a country full of earthquakes which can occur daily. If such happened in another country, it might be a national disaster. It is natural that people living in such a country have the ability to sense an inevitable disaster.'' At this moment, they could feel it. An overwhelming disaster that they could not dare to face was coming to Tsushima Island!

 105 Episode 105 - A Hunter from a Foreign Country, Part I

    Chapter 37. A Hunter from a Foreign Country, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.No place was free from the nightmare that began on December 31, 2016. In that sense, the nightmare that Japan had faced was enough to say that it was nearly the worst nightmare. It was the worst from the start. Four dark-blue monsters settled in the Japanese islands and built their own territory. But that was the beginning, as was said earlier. On the nightmare that began with the emergence of monsters, an unavoidable monster called "natural disaster" came to Japan. It began with a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Kyushu, Japan on March 11. After that, earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 6.3 came to Tokyo sequentially. The tsunami that came after the earthquake drowned those that had survived in the forest of buildings. Of course, the blow was fatal. Japan had a better disaster preparedness system than any other country, but the system was useless after the monsters appeared. Then, as July started, a typhoon swept through the Japanese mainland. It was simply a series of disasters at which even monsters would scream, and Japan could no longer play its part. At the time of the typhoon''s arrival, the country of Japan no longer existed in the islands, and a new nation was built there. The great Japanese Empire.It was the official name of the new nation established in the islands. Musashi founded the empire so that he could put himself on the throne as the empire''s first emperor. He had driven away monsters with the Sword, Kusanagi, from the Tokyo ruins that had become hell. Of course, there was no such thing as democracy. There was no equality either. Instead, classism and inequality took their place. Musashi divided the citizens of the Japanese Empire into nine classes, from first to ninth. Those who were not Awakened became ninth-class citizens, and those who were Awakened were fifth-class citizens, each of whom was able to become higher-class citizens, depending on their role, performance, and achievements. Most common survivors remained ninth-class citizens, who were treated like slaves. Ironically, this system helped the Japanese Empire recover its infrastructure quickly. Those who wanted to survive in a world where they had to prove their worth in any way in order to survive were desperate. Hiyoshi Taiyo was one of the survivors of this new Japan. "Hooooo!" In addition, he was a successful man who could puff out long cigarette smoke from his office at any time. ''That''s crazy.'' The background of his success was the Imperial Hunting Unit. It was a core organization of the Japanese Empire, a group that took charge of everything about monster hunting as it was. It was the most supported group in Japan that was still full of monsters, and it was a powerful and influential organization. Hiyoshi belonged to such an Imperial Hunting Unit. "Goddammit!" In addition, he was a third-class citizen of the Imperial Hunting Unit, a great place to describe his success. It was really great. He was living a much better life than before the monsters had appeared. Until about a month ago, when Matsumoto Kanyo, his superior, one of the closest aides to and one of the four heavenly guardians of Musashi, named him as the head of the Kyushu branch of the Imperial Hunting Unit, he had nothing to envy. ''It''s better to go to hell.'' "Goddammit!" Kyushu.This huge island, located south of the archipelago, was one of Japan''s two largest Hell islands, along with Hokkaido. The 7.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Kyushu did not leave any social infrastructure, and anEight-tailed Fox, with its dark-blue pupils, had made Aso Mountain, located in Kumamoto City, its territory. He became the branch manager of a place like that. It was a demotion. This alone would leave him feeling bad. ''How the hell am I supposed to solve the problem that is on Tsushima Island?'' However, the bigger problem began a week ago, when Tsushima Island, a base for advancement into the Korean Peninsula, fell to the enemy overnight. As said earlier, Kyushu was now a monster''s territory. Of course, Hakata Port in Fukuoka City, located in Kyushu Province, the nearest port to Korea''s Busan Port, was currently unavailable. So, Tsushima Island was important. Once they had a naval base on it, they could send a ship to Busan Port or Yeosu Port from the central location of Tsushima Island, even though it was insufficient. In fact, Musashi was able to show his willingness to advance to the Korean Peninsula immediately thanks to the construction of a minimal facility to accommodate the naval forces on the island. But now that they had lost Tsushima Island, it was no wonder the plan was broken. Of course, the Japanese Empire was now trying to recover the island. The effort included recapturing Hakata Port in Kyushu Province, which could send enough powerful naval force without needing Tsushima Island Naturally, an urge for Hiyoshi, a branch manager of Kyushu who had been demoted, began. ''I am crazy. I have to match the number of the monster stones which should be sent home country somehow¡­'' This urge was not simply done by a word. It was done by increasing the number of the monster stones which the Kyushu branch of the Imperial Hunting Unit had to pay back to Tokyo, the home country, which demanded action, not words. ''I am done if I can''t fill the number of the monster stones this time again.'' In addition, this was his last chance. If Hiyoshi could not prove his worth here, he would be demoted once again. ''I will be deployed to the Korean Peninsula without conditions. It will be the first¡­'' The next region for his demotion was a hundred percent likely to be the Korean Peninsula. It was clear that he would become a prologue actor in the war to make the Korean Peninsula a bridgehead for the Japanese Empire. It was actually a suicide squad. ''No, there''s a crazy monster in Korea. If I am deployed to the Korean Peninsula right now¡­'' Moreover, Hiyoshi knew that currently, there was an absurd monster in Korea that the Japanese Empire wanted to hide somehow. Hiyoshi was an able man. If he had wanted, he could have become a samurai of the Empire, not an Imperial Hunter. In other words, if he stepped into the Korean Peninsula, his mission was highly likely to face the monster of the Joseon Dynasty. ''Fuck!'' That''s why Hiyoshi now smoked incessantly. Knock! There was a knock on his office door. Hiyoshi did not answer. He looked at the door with nervously. Screech! Then the door opened, and his subordinate showed up. "Well, sir?" "Why?" Looking at Hiyoshi''scigarette and his sharp eyes, the subordinate acknowledged that he came at a really bad time and lowered himself as much as he could before speaking cautiously. "Oh, I''ve brought in the payment for the home country for section 392, led by Arashi." Hiyoshi breathed out a long cloud of smoke at the report of his subordinate. "Really?" It was not a matter of anger, since the payment for the home country had arrived at a time when the monster stones were in urgent need. The only thing that bothered him was the name Arashi. ''A group leader, Arashi¡­'' A branch manager of Kyushu, Hiyoshi remembered Arashi because he was incompetent. "Bring it in." However, Hiyoshi was in need of the monster stones that even Arashi had brought, and he couldn''t help feeling annoyed. The subordinate, unaware of his thoughts, carefully put a heavy pouch on his desk. ''Huh?'' The moment Hiyoshi saw a heavy pouch the size of a young child''s head, his eyes changed. Then he opened the pocket and saw the red stones filling it. He no longer worried. "Call in the group leader Arashi." 2.Arashi Jun was a very good man on the outside. It was hard to find a problem on the outside. It seemed difficult to sum up the man named Arashi Jun with only a few characteristics. "This is him." On the other hand, next to Arashi was a man of a different type than Arashi. He was a man of short cut hair, bushy beard, and sharp eyes, with a Horn Bow on his back! Everything about him was impressive. "This man from Korea, his name is Kim So-hoon." Arashi introduced the Master Sergeant. "He was a member of the Capital Defense Command in Korea. His rank was a boss." At the next introduction, Hiyoshi opened his eyes slightly and looked at the man named Kim So-hoon. "But since he is wanted for rebellion in Korea, he risked his life to arrive in the territory of our great Japanese Empire." "Stop." Hiyoshi stopped Arashi. Instead, Hiyoshi directly asked a man named Kim So-hoon, "Do you speak Japanese?" "Yes." "How much can you speak?" "I have no problem communicating with Japanese people." "Why did you come to Japan?" Arashi made a grim face at the question. He had explained why the man named Kim So-hoon came to Japan. Hiyoshi asked this question again to the man named Kim So-hoon again. Arashi did not think that Hiyoshi would ask this question just because he wanted a simple answer as Kim had been driven to Japan on account of rebellion. "I''m here to go back to Korea." "Go back?" "I was under Major General Lee Ki-soo. I know to some extent what kind of deal he made with Japan." Major General Lee Ki-soo. ''I''ve heard of him.'' It was a vague name in Hiyoshi''s memory. Of course, it wasn''t important if it was vague. ''The name was mentioned several times when Matsumoto was referring to Korea.'' What was important was about the dim memory character was Kanyo Matsumoto, the leader of the Imperial Hunting Unit. ''A runaway from a power struggle?'' At this moment, a picture was painted in Hiyoshi''s mind. Lee Ki-soo, who was in contact with Japan, died, and the new group would have moved to root out Lee''s remnants. If he didn''t want to die, he would have to be a fugitive. So, what was the escape route that a fugitive could take from the land of the Korean Peninsula, not from North Korea? To North Korea or Japan. A man named Kim So-hoon chose Japan as an escape route, and he eventually reached Japan. This was the picture Hiyoshi painted. "What do you want?" "I want to take over the plan of Major General Lee Ki-soo. Of course, I''d like to speak to someone who can talk about it." ''He shows his ambition.'' As soon as Hiyoshi heard this, he was sure of one thing. ''He''s worth a lot of use.'' Kim So-hoon was a man who could only benefit from him, from Hiyoshi''s perspective, no matter how he used him. ''How do I use him?'' He was a pumpkin that had rolled in. It wouldn''t hurt to just send this man to the home country as he was. At least Hiyoshi would hear the praise. ''A compliment is not enough.'' Listening to such praise would not improve Hiyoshi''s situation. What he needed right now was performance. ''I think his ability is good.'' The speed of gathering the monster stones after contacting Arashi, as well as having the guts to come from Korea to Japan, was definitely impressive. ''But he must have come this far because his ability was good.'' He must have been a good hunter in Korea. The key was that. ''I can use him anytime, and throw him away if necessary.'' Right now, Hiyoshi was in a hurry for monster stones, and a sharp knife came in, which would not harm him if he broke it. It was simple, then. "I cannot accept your offer right now. As you know, now Korea has attacked our empire. Very recently, Tsushima Island was attacked. Under such circumstances, it is impossible to send a Korean to our home country. Not killing you right now is the greatest consideration I can show." "I guess consideration isn''t free. What do you want?" "I''ll be a middleman, if you prove you are faithful and if you pay for the introduction." Hiyoshi would only use this knife until he could use it no more. "You don''t want me to write with my blood, and what you want are monster stones?" "It''s nice to have a quick understanding. There are now monsters in Kyushu. There''s no better place to play." "So, what do you want?" "Hmm?" Hiyoshi looked sideways at the following reaction. ''Did my communication fail?'' Here, Hiyoshi thought the man named Kim So-hoon didn''t really understand what he was saying. No matter how good he was at Japanese, it was almost impossible to master another language. ''Even though the people talk with their own people in their own language, there is a person who can''t understand the words. That''s a human being.'' So Hiyoshi tried to explain it again. "So now Kyushu is full of monsters and¡­" "So what do you want?" But this time, the conversation went wrong, and Hiyoshi remained silent. Then he stared at Kim with an angry look. Kim said in front of such eyes, "So what color do you want?" Hiyoshi relaxed his expression at the remark. "¡­ what color is possible?" "Yellow. If I get the right support and assistance, that''s what I can do." "Yellow?" Hiyoshi expressed his admiration for the remark. ''Oh, God, only someone that is at least a samurai is needed to kill a yellow-grade.'' Instead of responding to him, Kim took a smartphone out of his pocket. Snap! Soon after he took off his gloves, he took a picture with his smartphone and showed it to Hiyoshi. [Basic Abilities]- Strength: 294- Health: 217 [Special Abilities]- Energy: B- Rank- Mana: C Rank- Telekinesis: C Rank- Defense: B- Rank- Mana Resistance: C Rank Hiyoshi''s eyes changed after reading the contents of the smartphone. ''Not normal.'' Those stats were enough to express such confidence. But the surprise did not stop there. "If I can bring my team here, and if I can get some solid support, I can kill a green-grade. Actually, my team has a lot of experience killing green-grade monsters in Seoul." "Is, is that true?" "Ask the man who knows the situation of the Capital Defense Command about Major Oh Se-bum. I hunted monsters with him. If you learn of his achievements, you will find that I''m not talking nonsense." Hiyoshi didn''t worry about it anymore.

 106 Episode 106 - A Hunter from a Foreign Country, Part II

    Chapter 37. A Hunter from a Foreign Country, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 3.Kitakyushu City, located in Fukuoka Prefecture, was the first city you met upon entering Kyushu Province in the Japanese islands. The Kitakyushu City Hall was a six-sided building with glass walls instead of cement. For this reason, the building was impressive in its own way, as it exuded a sophisticated office building image, rather than a sense of the city hall. Of course, that was the old story. Now, the Kitakyushu City Hall has become a horrid, skeleton-like building where it was hard to find a glass window after of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that had buried men and monsters. The Kyushu branch of the Imperial Hunting Unit was currently using the Kitakyushu City Hall as its headquarter. It was a far from a convenient choice. ''That''s Kokura Castle.'' The reason why the members of the local Imperial Hunting Unit, which could be called a precious force, used the Kitakyushu City Hall as a headquarter was not a because it had a few good spaces to avoid the night wind. It was because of the ancient castle, Kokura Castle, located just in front of the Kitakyushu City Hall building. ''They take sacrifices to protect something that is not a relic.'' That did not mean that Kokura Castle was a relic. Of course, the old objects kept in Kokura Castle became relics, and it was not strange to guard Kokura Castle because there was still a high possibility that there were still unfound relics in Kokura Castle. But it was certainly not reasonable for an Imperial Hunting Unit, who normally risked their lives monster hunting, to take bitter sacrifices instead of sweet rest to protect Kokura Castle. ''Then why do you keep Kokura Castle? They''re going to make a legend, not a history.'' It was because of the command of Musashi, who had established the Japanese Empire. He had an uncommon obsession with keeping this ancient castle intact. He made a lot of sacrifices to recapture the area where the castle was located from the monsters, and he invested a lot to protect the castle that he had secured. Musashi was not a man with a perverted taste for height. ''The Sengoku period, he wants to reproduce it.'' The ancient castles, which were located in various parts of Japan''s islands, were the most obvious symbols of Japan''s Sengoku period. Japan''s Sengoku period was absolutely true to the maxims of ''The weak are the prey of the strong,'' and ''Winner takes all''. By recreating that era, Musashi wanted to make all he enjoyed and everything he did true. The current behavior of Musashi to democratic Japan was nothing more than violence, but the current behavior of Musashi in the Japan of the Sengoku period would be a legend or a myth. ''That''s so funny.'' Anyway, the residence of Kim So-hoon, a hunter from a foreign country, was also set up in the Kitakyushu City Hall. On the 11th floor, the elevator did not work, so he had to take a bit of trouble to walk up. The only good thing was the scenery where he could look at Kokura Castle if he ventured out a little. However, Kim did not like the scenery of Kokura Castle. There was only one thing he liked. ''Nothing I like except coffee beans.'' The smell from the coffee mug in his hand Kim was better than he thought. Kim grabbed a mug in his right hand and pulled out a smartphone from his pocket with the other. With a few manipulations, he turned on a picture on the liquid crystal that he had showed in front of Hiyoshi, the head of the Kyushu branch, several hours ago. Kim pressed the picture with the thumb holding the smartphone. An application that was not visible on the background screen was executed. [Strength: Enter the number you want][Health: Enter the number you want] Kim wrote a few numbers as indicated, and then switched to photography mode again. After that, he lifted his mug with his TK, and he took a picture of his right hand with the smartphone held with his left. Snap! The picture was taken with the typical sound of photographing. [Basic Abilities]- Strength: 111- Health: 111 Kim laughed thinly as he looked at the picture. ''The application is better than I thought.'' Kim put his smartphone in his pocket immediately and scratched his right hand with his left hand. Something black, covering the mark, began to peel off like dead skin. It looked like a picture was hidden under a picture. Kim looked at the real mark that was revealed with his black Eyes.====== [Basic Abilities]- Strength: 749- Health: 733 [Special Abilities]- Energy: A- Rank- Mana: B+ Rank- Telekinesis: A+ Rank- Defense: B+ Rank- Mana Resistance: B+ Rank [Achieved Abilities]- Golden Web (Grade 3): With the power of the Golden Horn Spider, it creates a spider web with Energy.The higher the Energy rank, the stronger the spider web is.The higher the Mana rank, the more adhesive the spider web is.The higher the Telekinesis rank, the greater the ability to feel and control with the spider web is.====== The real mark, hidden below the specially designed Henna tattoo, revealed the real numbers. The revealed numbers were the clearest evidence of his identity. ''They were deceived by this simple trick.'' It was the clearest evidence that the man looking at Kokura Castle out of the Kitakyushu City Hall was Kim Tae-hoon. A week ago, he had made Tsushima Island an uninhabited island in exactly forty-nine minutes. It was not an accidental move, of course. ''I appreciate it from my point of view.'' Kim, through his death-dreams, has already figured out how Japan would be going forward, and what was in Japan. There, he picked out what he needed. There were three major needs: navy power, relics, and the monster stones of monsters in the Japanese archipelago.======It will not be easy to steal them. In the case of the power of the navy, I will have to steal a warship, but a warship is not a toy for children, and even if I took a few technicians, I cannot take dozens or hundreds of warships. The same is true of relics. Most of the important relics already in Japan have already found their owners, and it is not a matter of stealing one or two, but stealing all of them is not something I can do right away. But the most troublesome of these is the monster stone. The relics and battleships remain in place unless they are stolen. But the monster stones end the moment they enter a person''s stomach. They can''t be stolen then even if I want to. If I want to steal them, I have to steal them before someone eats them.====== So, Kim made it his top priority. ''On October 15, I will eat the heart of the Eight-tailed Fox.'' That was why he was here now. ''Before that, I need to kill the core fellows of the head of the Kyushu branch, Hiyoshi.'' And it was also the reason why Kim, who had coffee, did not smile, even a little. It was for the war that he came here in the end, so he never intended to give any mercy here. Above all, he was not the one who had started this war. ''It''s a war where the blood of an ally is reduced as much as the blood of the enemy.'' Kim swallowed his coffee and turned his head in the direction Tokyo was. 4.Kyushu, called the second hell of the Japanese archipelago, was a land of opportunity for some. It was a contradictory analogy. There were a few features that applied only to the Kyushu region that made such contradiction a reality. There were no survivors in Kyushu. The absence of survivors was because Kyushu Province had no room for long-term food to be grown without a lot of problems versus the food remaining in the wide land. In addition to the preserved food, alcohol and cigarettes remained like treasures, and even the Self-Defense Force''s guns and ammunition left behind in Kyushu remained like jewels. The second reason was that there were a lot of monsters here. Monsters were threatening, but the value of monster stones had become a real jewel that could not be replaced by anything. There were real jewels that could not be compared to the diamonds and sapphires that were now so useless! In such a situation, the Kyushu region, which was full of monsters, had to look like a land of opportunity for someone searching for a place full of jewels. Crucially, everything was done without any clear plans in the Kyushu region. There was no condition to monitor or punish someone''s corruption or illegal activities. "Goddamn it." That was why Samurai Nakagawa Genji was willing to come down to Kyushu. The Samurai was an important group in the Japanese Empire, and along with the Imperial Hunting Unit, were a group of elite Awakeners. Of course, no one could easily enter such an elite group. The sum of Strength and Health had to exceed 400 points, and the Energy and Defense rank had to be above C+ or one of them B- or above to be qualified for Samurai. Those which just preconditions for the test, and after that, they had to prove their ability against monsters and people, and then they became a Samurai. The treatment of Samurai was better than any other group. If it was not an important matter, they were not bothered by it. The reason why the Samurai were born in the first place was to carry out operations against monsters which normal Awakeners could not perform properly because of the fear, such as the monsters of the green-grade or higher. There was no reason to use such a knife to kill chickens. In addition, a certain amount of monster stones was always paid to the Samurai to improve their abilities. Finally, a few Named Swords in Japan were given to them. No, a Named Sword was the most obvious proof that he was a Samurai. ''It''s all messed up because of that Zainichi!'' The problem was that the number of Samurai increased, and the number of Named Swords was limited. Therefore, there were more people who did not receive a Named Sword than those who received them among the current Samurai. ''Fucking bastard.'' In the end, it was necessary to prove their value among the Samurai to receive a Named Sword. ''I can''t gather the monster stones because of that fucking bastard, Zainichi.'' It was the reason why Nakagawa Genji came down to Kyushu Province by himself. He collected monster stones in Kyushu, trying to gather a bribe to achieve what he wanted. His plan was going very smoothly until a few days ago. A branch manager of Kyushu, Hiyoshi, who had been in short supply of monster stones and recently been transferred from Tsushima Island, had been urged to meet his demands rather than to interfere with the work of Nakagawa Genji. Especially in a situation where a yellow-grade monster should be killed, hunting was not done without the help of Nakagawa Genji. The relationship between Hiyoshi, the branch manager of Kyushu, and Nakagawa Genji was close to the relation between a servant and a master. But the strange man who suddenly appeared broke the relationship. He hunted monsters at a tremendous pace and began to relieve the biggest worry of Hiyoshi. ''If it weren''t for the branch manager of Kyushu, Hiyoshi, he could not stand a single stroke of my Sword¡­'' His skills were not great. To be exact, they were not great at all. It was not a trivial level, but it was not comparable to Nakagawa Genji. But he was smart and competent. He shot the arrows using a relic, Horn Bow, and he never missed the target; the arrows penetrated only the hearts and heads of the monsters. He was predicting the monster''s habits and behavior patterns more accurately than anyone else, and he was coming up with the right numbers. He was hunting monsters like a real hunter. That made it even more difficult. If Kim was a strong man who Nakagawa Genji could not do anything about, Nakagawa Genji would not have worried about it. Genji must have told the homeland all about Kim. ''If I take this kind of job and let the headquarter know about him¡­'' Kim said that he was a Korean-Japanese citizen, but there was no reason for Genji to let a strong person who was not clearly identified hunt around. ''¡­ I will have totally lost my face.'' But now the man, Kim So-hoon, was not a man with such strength. In such a situation, if Genji informed the headquarter about Kim So-hoon, it was clear that they would ridicule him, with the evaluation that he was a useless person who could not even handle such things with his own strength, and was trying to borrow their power to cover his weakness. That was why Nakagawa Genji was worried about his troubles at the same time. ''And sooner or later, if he succeeds in hunting a White Snake¡­'' Moreover, sooner or later, the Kyushu branch of the Imperial Hunting Unit was planning to hunt a yellow-grade monster, the White Snake, that had settled in Mount Umami in Asakura City. The branch manager of the Kyushu Hiyoshi had not yet said anything to Nakagawa Genji about when the hunt would start. That meant that Hiyoshi recognized the ability of the Korean, and would go on the White Snake hunt centered around the man. ''My position is over. The White Snake is a monster as worthy of the yellow-grade as the Black Snake.'' If Kim So-hoon succeeded in hunting the White Snake, there was no reason for Hiyoshi to humor Nakagawa Genji and ask him for anything. In the case of killing the White Snake, the ability acquired from the White Snake was one of the most valuable abilities. The ability to see distant objects was extremely good! ''I have to take it.'' In fact, it was a monster Nakagawa Genji was after. So, he was able to decide one thing. ''I have to get rid of him somehow, before he goes hunting for the White Snake, without letting Hiyoshi know...'' It was none other than Kim So-hoon that gave him the solution to his problem. 5.If the Japanese archipelago was compared to a long coal mine, Kitakyushu City, the entrance of the Kyushu region, was like the blind end of a mine tunnel. It was one of the ends where someone could escape from the Japanese island, where the sea was blocked everything. There were several places in Kitakyushu City where evil and ugly humans would show up. Among them, the Yakuza, even if a nuclear bomb once again exploded in Japan, would survive with the cockroaches to the end. The businesses they ran were the worst places. Drugs were a joke, human trafficking was basic, and if someone paid the price, even assassinating people or killing for pleasure was provided. Monsters with human faces¡­ no, they showed the cruelty that only humans could show. The underground bar which Kim Tae-hoon was now heading to was one of the worst places. It was originally a building where an illegal Yakuza bar was located, and it was now a place where illegal activities which would never have been dreamt of in the past were carried out. When Kim stepped in, drug users were on the floor of the bar, and there were dirty sexual activities going on everywhere. He stood there looking for a seat. A man in a neat attire appeared in this atmosphere. "What do you want?" "The strongest drink." With the order, Kim immediately took five red jewels out of his pocket and put them on the table. "How much strong drink do you want?" "I want the fire to go on blazing." "Such a stiff drink needs a monster stone per bottle." "Five bottles." The waiter nodded and immediately opened the menu in front of Kim. There was a variety of things on the menu: a jewel for a bottle of wine, a jewel for a methamphetamine, a jewel for a woman, five jewels for murder, ten jewels for rape and murder¡­ It was a menu filled with the cruelty that would be hard to find in hell. Kim did not cover the menu. He read the menu slowly from the beginning. ''This is a Yakuza bar protected by Nakagawa Genji.'' And he waited. ''It''ll take about 16 minutes for him to come.'' After thinking about it, he set the timer on his wrist.

 107 Episode 107 - A Hunter from a Foreign Country, Part III

    Chapter 37. A Hunter from a Foreign Country, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 6.''If they have monster stones, they can buy drugs, buy people, and kill people.'' It was around the time when the bottle was raised on the table where Kim Tae-hoon sat, when the atmosphere of the place where it was like a devil''s den, which was so terrible and beyond the clutter and even evil, began to change. "This is the strongest one in our store." One by one.Every time the bottles filling Kim''s table increased by one, the atmosphere around him changed. Those who were drunk and fallen were dragged away by one or two people, and the people who had sex violently enough to look cruel began to disappear one by one. The seats of those who disappeared were filled with new guests. The guests had a shrewd force and sharp eyes that did not fit the bar. Thump! The climax of all this was a sound heard from the iron door that warded the underground bar as soon as Kim had five bottles on the table. With the sound of the iron door closing firmly, there was no longer a cluttered atmosphere anywhere in the bar. A man appeared at the table of Kim, where he was sitting alone. "Zainichi." The man who spoke in an unfriendly manner was wearing a kimono and a Japanese blade on his left hip. The two factors were sufficient to discern the fact that he was a Samurai, a third-class citizen, and an Awakener, Nakagawa Genji. It was no trouble to identify that this was a bar managed by the Yakuza under his protection. Anyway, he had suddenly appeared, and he was smiling in front of Kim. "I was thinking about how to kill you, but you came into the tiger''s den by yourself." The smile was a hearty smile. Nakagawa Genji was rather grateful, happy to see Kim at this moment. It was like a big tiger now trapped in a trap that a hunter threw away for being useless. "It''s funny how the world works. When it''s bad, it''s bad luck, and if it''s lucky, it''s always good." He was so happy that he was dumbfounded. Moreover, when Nakagawa Genji came here in one step, the stage was already set. The Yakuza who ran this bar understood the mind of Nakagawa Genji and set the stage early where they could remove a person without noise or rumors. He felt like he was the main character of the finest surprise party. It was why Nakagawa Genji was willing to give consideration to Kim Tae-hoon. "You didn''t drink all the bottles after ordering, did you? Would you like me to wait until you have a drink, which will be your last drink in the world?" Of course, the consideration did not last long. "Drink it when I show my respect, because this may be the first and last time I''ve ever given this kind of consideration to a Zainichi." The patience and empathy of Nakagawa Genji were not so great. "I have never liked the Zainichi. They are not only ruining a country, Japan, but they are a crude, uncivilized people who commit crimes. Josenjin is a dirty blood-stained land, and they must be barbaric and uncivilized, right?" A laugh came out from around at Nakagawa Genji''s question. Kim did not react much to the atmosphere, which was really a nightmare. He did not drink or give a glance at Nakagawa Genji. It was because there was still time left. "Anyway, the moment I step on the land of Joseon, I will kill all the men and cut off all the limbs of the girls and make them sex slaves-" Beep! And the time that remained was gone. "What is it?" Beep, beep! Kim''s wristwatch began to spit out an alarm, and Nakagawa Genji, surprised by the sound, took alert. Click! Click!Those around him also immediately pulled the guns out of their waistbands and pointed them at Kim. Of course, it didn''t take long to realize that the sound was a watch alarm, because Kim pressed his watch and turned off the alarm. Some made disbelieving expressions, some of them were full of anger. Nakagawa Genji was the latter. The fact that he was surprised by the clock alarm melted away his small consideration at once. "You Zainichi bastard!" It was the moment he was about to express his anger. Swish! The arrow that was silent in Kim''s waist started floating. Swish! The arrow was moving surprisingly fast, fast enough to be invisible. Thunk! At the same time, it was surprisingly powerful. It easily penetrated from temple to temple, a piece of flesh between the bones the length of handspan. Thud! It was the sound of bodies beginning to fall on the floor that announced that the flight of the arrow was over. ''Huh?'' Nakagawa Genji has stiffened up where he stood. It was because his thinking stopped at this situation that could not be understood by common sense at all. Of course, he realized the most important thing immediately. ''Dangerous!'' It was not possible for him to get the position of a Samurai with just luck, as only those who had excellent ability and skill qualified. He recognized the desperate crisis he was in, and he dropped his hand to his waist to cut down the crisis into a single stroke. He wanted to pull out the sword in his waistband. Tsreung! And the Sword was pulled out by itself. Huck! The Sword that was drawn out was caught by Kim, now facing Nakagawa Genji. A sudden feeling of helplessness rose up in front of the absurd things that had happened in a short time. No, at this moment, his ability to detect danger realized that any ability to sense danger or act was completely futile. So, he was scared stiff, and Kim just looked at the man who was now the color of a corpse. "I''m sorry, but I can''t kill you right now. If I kill you right here, the fact will be delivered through the Shikigami [Japanese ghosts] to Musashi." Along with the words, Kim threw something golden in his palm toward the mouth of Nakagawa Genji. "You fucking bastard - Eup!" It was sticky, and it sealed his mouth at once. Kim got up. It was the first time since he had entered this bar. But it was not just Kim who got up. The bottles on Kim''s table also began to emerge. Clank! The bottles exploded and sprinkled alcohol all over the place. Ptui! Kim spat on the scattered alcohol. Fwoosh! The strong liquor ignited as if it were trying to prove how strong it was. The bluish flames reflected off his black Eyes. 7.The Kyushu region was like the blind end of Japan, and the Kitakyushu area, which was the beginning of the Kyushu region, was always overflowing with accidents. "It''s completely collapsed." It was not unusual for a building outside the city to collapse overnight. "What do you want me to do?" "What?" However, some of those who had just been dispatched to Kitakyushu City did not know that. Of course, it was not special either. "The building has collapsed..." "So what do you expect me to do?" "Yes?" "What do you want me to do when the building collapses?" It was natural for a new recruit to know nothing, and it was the role of the senior to teach them "Well¡­" "Do you have any equipment to clean up the building or something important inside? Enough to put all your manpower in here right now, huh?" "Oh, no, uh, no." That was what it was now. The senior made it clear to the new recruits the reality of Kitakyushu, and even Kyushu. It was not easy to remove the wreckage of the collapsed building and rescue people before the monsters appeared, and in the present age, it was wise to leave this building as a grave. "Do you get a bonus for cleaning this up?" And doing this would be of little help to the survivors. "¡­ No, I don''t get a bonus." "What should we do then?" In front of such a senior''s instruction, the new recruit learned a lesson that he could not forget even if he wanted to forget. "I''ll just deal with it as an accident." "Yeah, just make it happen. Write a report. The building is down, and no victims." "I understand." So, the report was written on the spot. 8.Hiyoshi, the branch manager of the Kyushu region, was currently in charge of Kitakyushu City. It was not unusual for him to be in charge of the Kyushu region, where the role of the Imperial Hunting Unit in a monster-filled land was more important than ever. Of course, the branch manager of the Kyushu Hiyoshi received a significant amount of reports every day. The monsters were everywhere, and accidents were common when there were so many people of the worst character. However, he wasn''t the type to read his reports carefully. "I''m sorry, it''s such a noisy place." All he did was read the title and stamp his seal on the bill as soon as he saw it. It was still the case. He was not particularly interested in the report of [The collapse of an outer building of the city, No Victims].His only interest was directed at the man standing in front of him. "Was there any matter?" At the question of Kim, Hiyoshi approved the report and read the title again. "Fire destroyed a building. No victims." Kim calmly answered at the words of Hiyoshi. "It''s not a big deal." "Yes, it''s not a big deal." At the moment of speaking out the words ''Not a big deal,'' Hiyoshi no longer had the report in mind. "It''s not important." Instead, Hiyoshi had a monster, a giant snake with a white body, in his mind. "What do you think? Can you do that?" "You mean the White Snake?" "Is there anything else besides that important thing right now?" The White Snake was a huge snake, a yellow-grade monster; it was a scary monster. However, just because it was the only yellow grade, Hiyoshi did not give his keen attention to it. That way, his attention should be directed to an Eight-tailed Fox, a dark blue-grade monster on Mount Aso.The reason to get the attention of Hiyoshi wasn''t the grade of the monster. "The Eyes of the White Snake is more valuable than a green monster''s ability." ======The Eyes of the White Snake is the ability obtained when someone eats the crystal of the White Snake. The Eyes of the White Snake can give someone better eyes than a hawk. In addition, an ability to improve the five senses, such as the Eyes of the White Snake, is treated as much more valuable than other abilities. The reason is that the Awakeners are superhumans. No matter how good they are, they can''t function properly if they are deaf. Conversely, if they lack the ability, they can demonstrate their ability at 120 percent if they have five excellent senses. Therefore, the value of the Eyes of the White Snake that gives human visions to transcend is equal to a crystal of a green-grade monster, or it has more value, depending on the situation.====== In addition, the crystal of the White Snake was not an object they needed to send on to the home country. ''My assessment is going up recently, and if I clear Fukuoka City, I can go to Tokyo by using the Eyes of the White Snake as a bribe.'' A bribe.Even if Hiyoshi just paid valuable goods like the Eyes of the White Snake to his home country, there would be nothing for him. On the other hand, the reality was that someone was more likely to intercept and eat it during transportation. Of course, Hiyoshi did not even report on the White Snake, so few people even knew about it. To be precise, it seemed to belong to the Samurai Nakagawa Genji so far. In the position of Hiyoshi, it was an object that could not be taken even if he was willing to take it, until this man appeared before him. "So can you hunt the White Snake?" Until Kim appeared, Hiyoshi was suppressing his greed for the White Snake. But now that Kim appeared, he could no longer suppress his greed. "I can''t give you a definite answer." That was about it. Kim showed a great ability to make Hiyoshi burst into the greed that he had formerly suppressed well. Kim''s monster hunting ability had been excellent enough to be considered outstanding among those he had seen. "Can''t you make it more clear?" "I''ve never seen a monster called a White Snake, and a yellow-grade is not something I am certain I can kill with just my confidence." So, at this moment, Hiyoshi nodded rather than urging him at the words of Kim. "Finding it is a priority." He did not have any complaints or questions about this. "Do you need anything?" "If someone is an able man like me, I''ll go with him. But if he is not, I''d better go alone." "I suppose so, when are you going to leave?" "I don''t have to stay here long, so I''ll move right away." At the response of Kim, Hiyoshi smiled. ''I can''t believe a sword I can throw away any time is so useful.'' Of course, there was no consideration or worry for Kim in the smile. It was the same with Kim. ''There''s no reason to give him the White Snake.'' 8.A city that had been ruined. Now, a giant snake with a pure white body appeared in the street, where it was hard to find even bones, let alone a dead body. Chyureup, Chyureup!The color of its skin, as well as the tongue that came out through the gaps in the tight mouth, was shining white. The only other color on the snake''s body were the yellow eyes that clung to both sides of its inverted triangle head. It was a pale-yellow eye, well matched for the white body, but it was not a beautiful eye. Rather, instead of beauty, it was horrifying and bizarre instead of the beautiful. It was the shape of the yellow eyes. The circle in the circle, the circle in it again¡­ The shape of the circles overlapping in that way reminded him of a camera lens. Even its eyes were moving like camera lenses. As it looked into the distance, the pupils of the White Snake began to move like camera lenses. The White Snake scanned its territory with its own eyes. Chyureup! Then it could see that a mile away, a deer was moving in the mountains, avoiding the predator''s eyes. Kyaa! At the same time as the White Snake found the deer, it opened its mouth and shrieked out its fear. That was the end of the hunt. A deer had no power to endure the fear of a monster. Thud! The deer fell on the spot, its heart still, and the White Snake moved to eat, not hunt, to appease its hungry stomach. Swish! It was about that time that a Sword fell down like a lightning bolt. When the White Snake was all relaxed and its mind was filled with the pleasure of eating, a Sword, falling like a lightning bolt, penetrated deep into the back of its neck, between the head and the body. Thunk! The Sword penetrated the White Snake''s body and stuck into the ground. Swish! Then a second lightning bolt came. This thunderstorm was from the left, not at the head of the White Snake. A Sword, like a missile, struck the left of the White Snake and passed through and out the right side. Two attacks were enough to take the light out of the pupils of the yellow eyes. Thump! The White Snake fell to the ground as it was. A man stepped toward the White Snake. Clump! A man, who reminded them of ghosts rather than people, stood in front of the White Snake. Whizz! At the same time, the Sword that had passed through the White Snake flew toward the man. The man snatched it from the air, and he began to cut through the skin of the White Snake from the starting point of the wound in its body. Red blood spouted like a fountain from the white body of the White Snake, staining the pure whiteness bright scarlet. What the two Swords pierced and cut were not just blood vessels, but an organ filled with blood. It was definitely the heart of the White Snake! ''Here you are.'' The man could see the heart of the White Snake, and the yellow jewel that had stuck to the heart, through the gap of the open skin. The man changed the color of his eyes. ==[The Crystal of a White Snake]- Mana increases when ingested.- Mana Resistance increases when ingested.- You can acquire [The Eyes of the White Snake], the power of the White Snake, when ingested.]== The man could see the value of the yellow crystal of the White Snake with his black Eyes. He didn''t hesitate. The man reached out his hand to strip the jewel from the White Snake and put it into his mouth immediately, still covered with blood. Gulp! He swallowed it. At that moment, his Eyes began to turn into something like the Eyes of the White Snake. The black Eyes began to change like camera lenses, and at the same time, they began to see things in detail far away. He smiled despite himself. ''I get an income from an unexpected place.'' With his new Eyes, the man looked at Mount Aso, which was dimly visible in the distance. ''If I kill the Eight-tailed Fox on Mount Aso, then it''s¡­ Jeju Island, Korea.'' There was no sign of a smile on his lips then.

 108 Episode 108 - Trojan Horse, Part I

    Chapter 38. Trojan Horse, Part ITranslator: KhanEditor: RED1.Tokyo was now not the capital of Japan, but the home of the Japanese Empire, and looked like something out of a historical drama. In the vast space of Tatami, kimono-wearing men and women were sitting in rows, like rails on a railway. At the end of the rail, a man in a kimono was looking down at everyone with a brightly shining Sword beside him. It was not a historical drama. There were no cameras filming this, and the man''s ferocious eyes were shining brightly. The crowd accepting the eyes turned pale. The eyes and expressions were not acting."So it''s impossible?"The man sitting on the podium spoke into the silence. Everyone swallowed at that. Only one neatly-shaved bald man in his early thirties, with an angular face, dared to speak. "We must lead a large army at once to take over the Korean Peninsula, in a situation where the Tsushima Island has been taken away. But as you know, if we move a large army, we will irritate the King of the Sea." "So it''s impossible?""If we encounter the King of the Sea, we must think about throwing away half of our troops. I do not know if you can achieve what you want at the expense of the damage, but according to the report of the Iga Ninjas, Korea is deploying defensive forces quickly. Most of all, the army power of Korea¡­""So it''s impossible?"But in front of this same third question in return, Matsumoto Kanyo, the only man who dared speak, the leader of the Imperial Hunting Unit, had to keep his mouth shut.There was no longer a man who could defy the words of Musashi on the podium, and there was silence. It was a hard silence, and one of the people who could not bear it finally spoke. "If you want a way, there is only one way to get there, and we will have to travel through Hakata Port in Kyushu. It is the shortest distance from Hakata Port to Busan. We could take the risk because the distance is short."Only then did Musashi take back his ferocious eyes. He must have wanted that answer."Then that''s what we''ll do."At that time, Matsumoto Kanyo, who was silent, spoke again. "There is an Eight-tailed Fox in Kyushu. It is possible to regain Hakata Port, but if there are warships, troops, and logistics bases there, there will be inevitably tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of people, around Hakata Port. There are not a hundred people there now, and if there are tens of thousands of people, the Eight-tailed Fox will not be still. ""Well, why don''t we kill the Eight-tailed Fox?"However, the words of Matsumoto Kanyo were once again blocked by the cross-question of Musashi.''Finally¡­'' In fact, Matsumoto Kanyo knew better than anyone what Musashi wanted to hear. Nevertheless, Matsumoto Kanyo did not intentionally say that. ''Is he going to raise the stakes?''It was because he wanted to prevent Musashi somehow from trying to kill the dark blue-grade monster, an Eight-tailed Fox.''Apparently, we have to kill an Eight-tailed Fox.'' Of course, if they could kill such a monster, it was only right to kill it. Furthermore, the Kyushu region was more important than any other region to the Japanese Empire, as it sought to enter the Korean Peninsula.''But it is suicide if we want to kill it now.'' The problem was that the cost and risk to take to kill an Eight-tailed Fox at this point were too great."Lord, it''s dangerous."Musashi was definitely strong. He was a man who regarded the hell of Tokyo as a trial to be strong, and a man who built a great Japanese Empire alone in collapsed ruins of Japan.The Kusanagi in his hand was not different from evidence that God looked over Japan. But such a Musashi could never guarantee a chance of winning against a dark blue-grade monster. Even if Musashi was alive and killed the Eight-tailed Fox, many others would be sacrificed regardless. Musashi knew that. Because he knew that, Musashi had been staying in Tokyo all this time. "Kanyo, you want me to be treated like a jerk?"The changes in the mind and attitude of Musashi were caused by a jade bird Okjo from Taiwan yesterday."The Chinese army is already in North Korea, and soon they will come down to the Military Demarcation Line as promised and begin a military demonstration against South Korea. What will it look like if I don''t do anything?"Musashi told to the Six Snakes that the Japanese Empire would destroy Korea and make the Korean Peninsula the territory of the Japanese Empire.The Six Snakes said they would use the Chinese army to strike the Korean border and the Military Demarcation Line to help him.''Look one way and row another!'' While South Korea''s military power was concentrated in the north to check the Chinese army, Japan was planning to use a very simple but effective operation to land on the Korean Peninsula.And the operation was now under way. The Chinese army was now ready to cross the Yalu River. It was not an ordinary matter."The Chinese army is moving, bearing the danger, even though there is a dark blue-monster in Mt. Paektu, but if I am stuck in Tokyo being afraid of the Eight-tailed Fox, what would they see me as?"''There is a dark blue-grade monster in Mt. Baekdu. No matter how far apart they move through Mt. Baekdu, there is no guarantee that the monster of Mt. Baekdu will tolerate it. And if the monster of Baekdu Mountain is hostile toward the moving troops, the troops will be annihilated.''However, the Six Snakes were moving at that risk. But Musashi and Japan, who had strongly advocated this operation, could not do anything? Musashi''s pride did not find this acceptable.''I should have informed them when Tsushima Island was taken. Because of my pride¡­''In fact, because of his pride, Musashi did not even announce the current situation and the situation that he had lost Tsushima Island through the Okjo. If he had informed him of the fact, the Six Snakes would not have moved the troops to the Korean Peninsula unless they were insane.''So, after all, my pride has done this to me.''It was a situation where his pride had made things worse, and Musashi had no intention of bending his pride at this moment. He was determined to make a reckless choice because of his pride.''We must stop it.'' Of course, now it was just a word.''We have to stop it somehow.'' The moment a word was acted, it would be the end. So, at this moment Matsumoto Kanyo said, "Then I''ll see what''s going on with the Kyushu branch manager, and I''m sure it won''t be too late."''You have to have time to do that.''At that point, Musashi looked at Matsumoto Kanyo with a cold eye. But this time, Kanyo did not avoid the look."Do it as soon as possible."Musashi finally took a step back.2.''Fuck!'' Hiyoshi Kyushu Branch Manager, the recent days for him were really hell days.''Who the hell killed the White Snake?''The starting point was Kim Tae-hoon''s report. The news brought by Kim, who went out to search before hunting the White Snake, was that the White Snake had disappeared.The plan to use the crystal of the White Snake as a stepping stone to change his position and to use the good sword Kim Tae-hoon, who he could abandon anytime, was suddenly gone with the wind. The problem was, as said earlier, the starting point!''Nakagawa, that bastard, is also missing.'' The absence of the Samurai Nakagawa Genji had been too long. Of course, the fool had never reported his actions to Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi.Nakagawa Genji was not the subordinate of Hiyoshi, nor was he demoted to Kyushu. He always did as he pleased, and sometimes he treated the Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi as if he were a subordinate. However, if there was a problem with the life of Nakagawa Genji, the responsibility was on Hiyoshi.''Damn it! Did he die while hunting the White Snake?'' If Nakagawa Genji had died, the responsibility would be on Hiyoshi. Moreover, his sense told him that there was a connection between the disappearance of the White Snake and the absence of Nakagawa Genji.''But if Nakagawa Genji died, the homeland would have known it. They can always check the life and death of Ninja and Samurai through the Shikigami.''The common sense and system that Hiyoshi the Kyushu branch manager knew denied his thinking.If something was clear, he would act. But it was not, so he could not even do anything.''What the hell happened?'' It was also the reason why Hiyoshi was going crazy."Sir!" With a sudden burst, the door opened and a man came in.Hiyoshi, who was already angry, shouted out with eyes reminiscent of an ax blade. "What?!""I''ve received a call from the home country.""What?""Sir, they want your report."3.==[Achieved Abilities]- The Eyes of the White Snake (Grade 4): It is the power of the White Snake. It improves vision significantly.]==Kim Tae-hoon looked at his right hand with his black Eyes for a moment before looking away. A view came through the broken windows of Kitakyushu City Hall.For Kim, who was using the Eyes of the White Snake, all the scenery seemed to be detailed. His black Eyes began to change like camera lenses. Things in the distance looked detailed. Kokura Castle was now quite close. He could see a rat moving along its roof.''The Eyes of the White Snake and the Eyes of the Black Snake overlap!''The view was familiar to Kim in a sense, because it was very similar to what he saw through a sniper scope. ''I can work it more clearly if I can see it.'' In other words, he had the confidence to do what he could with a sniper rifle and scope.At this moment, Kim set up a hypothesis in his mind. ''I can do physical actions with my Telekinesis even if they are not visible now, but it will be the most accurate and powerful if I see and move things with my eyes. If I can see what is far away, then wouldn''t it be possible for my Telekinesis to take actions at that far distance?''As soon as the hypothesis was established, Kim thought of the arrow in his waist. He quickly drew a picture that the arrow seemed to penetrate the rat moving along the roof of Kokura.Shooting an object that was far away was so boring that Kim no longer needed to do image training. The sniper rifle was just turned into an arrow.However, Kim Tae-hoon did not put the attempt into practice. ''Someone is coming.'' He heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs from a distance.Kim''s eyes returned to their original form. At the same time, he put the sticker he had prepared on the back of his right hand. When he removed the sticker, his right-hand mark changed. He put his gloves on top of it.It was a double security device installed so that no one could know his abilities unless someone cut his wrist."Sergeant Kim So-hoon!" By the time Kim finished all his preparations, the subordinate of Hiyoshi appeared in front of him."The branch manager is calling for you." His voice was urgent, and his eyes were nervous. When he saw it, Kim felt intuitive. ''Musashi must have given up on taking Tsushima Island and chosen to hunt the Eight-tailed Fox.''Now the time had ripened.3."Can you kill a Green Monster?" The heart of Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi was running more urgently than ever as he asked the question.Kim''s ears were sore at the sound of that frantic heartbeat. "I don''t want to say I can kill a green-grade monster in a situation I haven''t even killed a yellow-grade one¡­ but you asked me a question, and I''ll answer it. I''d be able to kill a green-grade monster if I had my men.""How would you do that?" "Do I need to explain to you, Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi, who belongs to the Imperial Hunting Unit. You shouldknow it better than me.""Just tell me.""¡­ it is possible to kill the yellow-grade monster with the ability of an Awakener himself, but for the green-grade one, the hunting is different depending on the relics secured. The reason I say it is possible if I have men is if the relics they can handle are worthy and capable."At the moment he heard that, the Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi relayed a command from his home country.''They suddenly urged me to report.''What came from the home country was nothing but a demand for a clear report on the current achievements of Kyushu. To Hiyoshi, it meant submitting a report card in which his fate was at stake.''Damn it!''It was the worst because the report card of Hiyoshi was not good at all.Recently, thanks to Kim''s performance, he had filled the monster stone payments required by Tokyo, but it was merely a given task.''What the high people want is not to do well at the given homework, but to finish the homework and do something new. That way I can get a good evaluation.''''But I couldn''t even maintain it.''The bigger problem was that now, rather than homework, deductions were everywhere for Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi.''Nakagawa Genji is still absent.''He could not kill the White Snake, and the absence of Nakagawa Genji had not been solved yet.======The moment Tokyo receives my report, they will come to check if the report is correct, and then Kim Tae-hoon''s existence becomes a large bomb that can burst at any time. Currently, Kim is a sword that I have hidden and used well, but from the perspective of Tokyo, I held a weapon without permission.Fuck! In other words, when the situation is settled as it is now, my fate is over here. Perhaps, the next demotion area will be a grave, if not hell!I don''t have a choice now, I need an accomplishment that can cover all my wrongdoings.======So at this moment, the Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi was going to gamble in a desperate attempt to reverse his situation."There''s a green-grade monster in Hakata Port.""I know.""Do you know what it is?""The green-grade monster search is harder than the yellow-grade, so you have to give me more time to explore." "You don''t need to search."The gambling card was, of course, Kim Tae-hoon. Hiroshi the Kyushu branch manager handed a document file that he had already prepared to Kim."The Green-grade Monster Ghost Turtle now occupies Hakata Port. How many men do you need to kill this one?"Kim closed his eyes as soon as he saw a document file, a picture of a huge turtle with a bizarre shape on the back shell that reminded him of a ghost. He started calculating. And when the calculation was over, he opened his eyes."You know, killing a hard monster is harder than just killing a monster. Moreover, according to the report, it''s one of the monsters of the highest grade among the green-grade monsters."Kyushu branch manager Hiroshi was already fed up with his words.The Ghost Turtle was one of the most powerful green-grade monsters, and if they divided the green-grade monsters into top, intermediate, and low according to power, it was a top grade one. It was not a monster that dozens of people could kill. Hundreds or thousands of people might die trying to kill it. "So how many people do you need?" Of course, the Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi, who knew the fact well, was curious about the number needed to kill this monster. "I need 200 men, at least." "Can 200 people make it here?" "25%. It''s a probability that anyone who leaves Korea can reach Japan. If I bring in several warships, the possibility goes up, but crossing the ocean on a ferry is like walking a tightrope between a cliff and a cliff. If the Japanese see a ferry right away, why wouldn''t they sink it first? I''ve been in a lot of trouble. Even I had to swim ten kilometers to get to mainland Japan." "If we send eight hundred men to bring two hundred people, six hundred of them will die." "If we look at it simply, it is so." At the words, Hayoshi said firmly, "What''s the price of six hundred lives?" Kim looked surprised. "It''s¡­" "If you kill this guy, I''ll introduce you to Matsumoto Kanyo, the captain of the Imperial Hunting Unit. I promise on my neck." Kim was silent again at the answer. The Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi did not grill him, as if he had finished the calculation. He waited for the man weighing his ambitions against the sacrifice of six hundred men to finish the scales. "¡­ do I have to hand over the crystal of the Ghost Turtle?""If you kill it, you can have the crystal. The dead body of Ghost Turtle belongs to the Imperial Hunting Unit." "How much can you help me to attempt an illegal entry into the country?" "If it''s a port near Kyushu, you can pass with my personal connections." "How many can you pass? More than two hundred?" "Of course. A hundred or a thousand is okay, but ten thousand will be hard." Hiyoshi smiled wryly on the inside. ''It doesn''t matter if there are 1,000 or 10,000. They''re all consumables that I can throw away at any time.'' Kim Tae-hoon, who did not see his bitter smile, replied, "Okay." 4. ''For Manpasikjeok, there is a legend that two flutes are combined together, and I must focus on that.''Jang Sung-hoon, who was studying the data in a space in Busan, put the booklet he was holding down on his desk. He leaned back in the creaking chair.''The Japanese have already acquired a legendary relic, and the problem is that we have no legendary relic. Musashi would not have come into the eyes of the boss, unless he had had a legendary relic. If there was something in the boss''s hand¡­''Currently, Jang Sung-hoon was working on finding the relics that existed only in the legendary folk tale, Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk. It was a specialized field he was adept in. He was that kind of guy in the first place. He was a man who had no talent in commanding an army or leading the country, and he did not want to have such talents.''¡­ I''ve got to find Manpasikjeok or Geumchuk, but the best strategy is to steal what the others have.''He heard a noise from the window. A jade bird was tapping on the window with its beak.''Boss!''Jang immediately rose from his seat, approached the window, and opened it. The jade bird came in through the window. He raised his arm, and the Okjo sat on his arm. The Okjo checked his face, and after confirming his identity, said, "Send Trojan Horse."Kim Tae-hoon''s voice came out of the beak of the jade bird. Jang smiled at the voice he had not heard in a long time.

 109 Episode 109 - Trojan Horse, Part II

    Chapter 38. Trojan Horse, Part IITranslator: KhanEditor: RED5. Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, was l not far from Kitakyushu. The beautiful terraced rice fields with the blue sea as a landscape was now a land of ghosts, but there was only a sense of silence. The port was desolate as well, the mighty port of Nagato looking like something built for ghost ships.Two ships were slowly approaching the city in the chilly silence. The ship was none other than a passenger ship, and terrible one, at that. The passenger ship was so rusty it looked painted with rust instead of paint, and none of the equipment needed to fill the passenger ship was intact. The ferry only looked like a rusty lump floating on the sea.A light shone on the ferry from Nagato Port. A dozen minutes after the light shone, five rubber boats arrived at Nagato Port, exhaling breathlessly. Rattling¡­Click! It was a gun that welcomed those who arrived. The soldiers, who had been hiding in the darkness, pointed their guns at the rubber boats, and the people in the rubber boat raised their hands over their heads without any resistance, as if they were expecting it.The conversation began in that state."Are you runaway troops?"The question, which started in Japanese, was answered by a man on a rubber boat."Yes.""What are the numbers?""There are 126 on the right and 134 on the left.""More than I thought, I heard there were two hundred people coming.""¡­ when we left Pohang, there were more than a thousand people on seven-passenger ships.""About eighty-hundred people dead. You are lucky, if you''d met the King of the Sea, you''d have been killed."The conversation was both unilateral and provocative. "Yes, if we''d just met the King of the Sea and all died, we wouldn''t have had to do anything so annoying at night. It''s annoying."However, at the provocation, there was no change in the face of those who were riding in the rubber boat.The man who tried to provoke them briefly clicked his tongue the moment he saw their expression.''It''s hard to get anything out of them.'' The man realized that his provoking would not work, so he stopped, because he knew that it wasn''t a place for it."Six people per boat, and move five boats. If the boat has more passengers, or if the number of boats increases, you will be killed immediately." After the warning, the rubber boats began to move between the passenger ships and the port again.There were those looking at the scene from a distance."Hiyoshi, I''m willing to do this for you, but this is dangerous." "You know my situation, and you are talking like that?" They were Inoue Mayor, a tall man with a thin face who oversaw Nagato City, and the Kyushu branch manager, Hiyoshi. "I got a call from Tokyo to report on the situation in Kyushu. D-day is ten days away. If I can''t show something good at that time, my job place will be Hokkaido only if I''m lucky." "It''s a very sensitive thing. It is likely that the sudden visit from Tokyo is for other reasons. I don''t know what''s going on in Tokyo, but I heard that they are not trying to catch you. If they wanted it, they would have caught you in the first place. If they raised the payment by one and a half times from the current payment, you would have to commit hara-kiri." Hiyoshi did not want to talk about the topic anymore and handed the Mayor a bag he had in his hand instead. After Mayor Inoue picked up the bag, he beckoned to a man behind him and handed it over to him. That was all. Mayor Inoue did not confirm such things as what was in the bag, whether it was promised, or whether the quantity was right or not. ''Damn it.'' Hiyoshi knew that the Mayor Inoue''s actions were not due to his faith or trust in himself. ''He''s got my weak points right.''The most obvious weakness of this situation was that Hiyoshi, the Kyushu branch manager, had helped more than 200 Korean soldiers get smuggled into the country without notifying Tokyo for his own benefit, let alone receiving their permission. That was why Mayor Inoue did not immediately confirm the price of overlooking this smuggling. If Hiyoshi did not pay the right price to be paid, Mayor Inoue would report the whole situation to Tokyo immediately. In other words, Hiyoshi had no chance of making a mockery of Inoue. The weakness caught in this way would surely continue to be used against him.Hiyoshi knew the fact better than anyone else. Inoue was also in a position to be demoted, and he had to use someone else as a stepping stone to climb.''I''ve taken everything he has.''In addition, the monster stones that handed over to Mayor Inoue for this transaction were almost all of the monster stones that Hiyoshi had collected in hand. Hiyoshi put all his monster stones into one thing. If there was no income here, his fate would no longer be his own. He would become a consumable, and he would be spent in any place where it was necessary.''So somehow I must use these men to reverse my situation.''Therefore, there was no room in the eyes of Hiyoshi looking at those who came into Nagato. It was not just the work of Hiyoshi. All of these people here were his accomplices, and at this moment they could not afford to care about anything else.Of course, they couldn''t even imagine that hundreds of people were sneaking onto the land from behind the passenger ship floating in the distance."All two hundred twenty-three of the First Special Operations Unit have arrived safely."There was no one who imagined that as soon as they reached the land by swimming, they saluted in front of a man at full attention.6. The Kitakyushu campus at Waseda University...This place, which had been ruined since the appearance of the monsters, had remained in ruins since then. There was no one to come to a university in a world where getting something from college was meaningless. But now the college gymnasium, which no one had any reason to visit, was filled with people. The number of people gathered was about two hundred or so. However, the feeling of being crowded was not seen anywhere, even though it was not a small number. Rather, it seemed to be dispersed so that there was no crowding, even if people were overflowing.The crowd was showing military discipline.''Excellent.''Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi, who watched this from beside Kim Tae-hoon, admired it sincerely.''They are elites of the elites.''Hiyoshi had also suffered all sorts of hardships, and even though he was demoted, he could not have been the branch manager of a huge land called Kyushu, if he had not seen and done things. He had seen many people who did not lack the expressions of the best elite, not only seeing their performances closely, but also how they worked together.But what they were showing now was perfect enough to make most of the flawless elites he remembered full of blemishes.''I understand why they are sure of the green-grade monster hunt.''''Once they kill the Ghost Turtle, there is no reason to be afraid of my evaluation right away.''He was convinced that they would kill the green-grade monster, the Ghost Turtle.''Then¡­'' At this moment, expectations began to swell in the hearts of Hiyoshi.''And then if I use them¡­'' Furthermore, Hiyoshi began to imagine what he could get if he gained them, including Kim Tae-hoon, as his own soldiers. He imagined himself controlling and commanding a hunter group who could hunt green-grade monsters. The products of his imagination were so great that his face turned red.''Maybe I can get to a higher position than I used to be.It was Kim''s voice that stopped his rosy dreams. "Everyone pay attention." Kim Tae-hoon continued, "We will pay silent tribute to the 892 victims."In the Korean language that came out of his mouth for a long time, the man next to Hiyoshi immediately translated it."All, silent tribute."Of course, the man did not need to interpret Kim''s words right away. There was no one to not know the meaning of that since the gathered men standing upright bowed down at the word of Kim. After the moment of silence, Kim said again, "We take a day off and the preparation for a day. Three days from now, we will move to hunt the Ghost Turtle which has settled in Hakata Port, and the grade is green."''Straightforwardness!'' Hiyoshi and the interpreter who was rather surprised by the brutally unilateral notification, like a verbal sword.''Oh, my God.'' ''Hunting a green-grade monster is actually a death sentence. Even if they are the best hunters, those who will make a silent tribute for those who have died after this hunt will be fifty percent or less. That is, the survival rate is just fifty percent!''''Their life is connected to the front or the back of a coin.''But Kim just said such words in front of them, without giving them any time to prepare or make up for it. ''Huck!'' What was even more surprising was the expression of those who were told the brutalities of the one-sided. ''Nonsense, there''s not a single person moving!''If someone received such a ridiculous notice, he would either look hard or sigh briefly, or he will be moved to tears.'' But there was not a single person in the crowd who swayed. "It is more dangerous than ever. Moreover, this is no longer our country. We have nothing to lean on but our backs; we cannot expect to be buried intact. It''s more dangerous, desperate, and miserable than anything we''ve ever faced." The same was true of Kim''s repeated remarks. There was no agitation. Rather, in Kim''s words, some people began to smile at the corners of their mouths. ''Wow, smiling? Smiling in this desperate situation?'' Hiyoshi had never seen such men. No, he never even thought there would be such men. "That''s great, that''s great, that''s really great." After all, he was so surprised that Hiyoshi spoke out his inner words without knowing it."Kumum!" Hiyoshi, who noticed the fact, immediately covered his mouth with his fist and let out several coughs.However, Kim did not look at Hiyoshi, and he finished his speech, studied his men. "Remember, this place is more dangerous than any other place, and we must perform the most dangerous mission in the most dangerous place."At that, the smiles of the crowd began to get darker rather than disappearing. Some began to frown rather than endure a smile. It was unavoidable. This was the safest place in the world for them because it was near Kim Tae-hoon!7.It was a hundred meters long. A giant turtle, who could easily fill a school playground, was swimming slowly towards Hakata Port. As it approached, it began to get closer to the surface, and eventually, its shell came out of the water first. The figure on the back of its shell looked like it had been engraved in the shape of the devil. What a horrible sight! It was not just a metaphor... Kkiru kkiru! Several seagulls, who were rushing to escape from the appearance of the monster, fell from the sky paralyzed when they saw the evil ghost on its shell. The fallen seagulls fell into the sea with small splashes, and they were gone. Instant death. The giant turtle set foot in the harbor of Hakata, with an eerie noise that would suit a monster. Thump! The four legs sticking out of the dreadful shell left their tracks clearly on the asphalt road. More footprints already filled the harbor of Hakata. This was not the first time the monstrous turtle had trampled through the Hakata Port; it walked through the port dozens or hundreds of times, and it was very hard to find an intact building among the countless buildings filling the port. Goooooo! Two long snake-like things appeared on its horrifying back shell. They were its heads. Two faces, not one, long like snakes, and ghastly like crocodiles, faced each other in the center of the shell where the devil was engraved. Goooooo! The eyes facing each other shone green. It was a sight that would be astonishing beyond the horrifying level, a sign that no one dared step on the back of this Ghost Turtle.Thump! A small thing fell on the shell as the two heads faced one another.Ggooo? Ggooaa? In this ridiculous situation, the two heads focused on the thing which had fallen on its back with surprised eyes.It was nothing but a man. A man with three Swords on his back, carrying a bag, and with black Eyes.Kim Tae-hoon started hunting.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Due to my current health, my uploads will be reduced to two chapters for a short time. Please bear with me and smite the bug that is eating at me as you do! Thank you!== Khan

 110 Episode 110 - Trojan Horse, Part III

    Chapter 38. Trojan Horse, Part IIITranslator: KhanEditor: RED8. ''The monster is nonsense in existence, its existence is nonsense, and beyond the yellow-grade monster, it has irrational ability beyond common sense. Some have the ability of fire, some have the ability of witchcraft, and some have the ability to detect beyond the range of normal senses.''In that sense, the Ghost Turtle was incompetent for having green eyes. It didn''t have fire, it didn''t have a superhuman sense, and it wasn''t the kind of thing who could show a great deal of activity. It did not even have a lot of monsters under its command.It was true that those who saw the devil of the back skin went stiff with fear, and that was its special ability, but it was doubtful whether they could call it special compared to the fear of another green-grade monster.So, what was the specialty of the Ghost Turtle?Rumbling!A huge back shell a hundred meters in length, huge legs like a pillar suitable for carrying its shell, and a long neck as thick as a tree. That was the specialty of the Ghost Turtle.Its body was a very powerful, an overwhelming weapon that refused to compare with any monster. Just moving its huge body was a disaster for humans.Right now the body of the Ghost Turtle was racing over the port city of Hakata at about thirty kilometers per hour. It was not slow, but it was a cumbersome speed compared to other monsters that showed absurd performance.But the huge body regarded a five-story building as a mere cumbersome obstacle when moving at that speed, enabling a destruction that no other monster could easily show."Get out!"In front of such a Ghost Turtle, the port city of Hakata, a forest of buildings built over decades, was like sand castles on the beach. They thought it would be better for a tsunami to come in, or an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0. Worst of all, there were people in the commotion."Never show your back!"Those wearing specially designed black uniforms were moving away from the Ghost Turtle in the broken port city of Hakata. It was in a state of unimaginable disaster, a situation where they could not even think of running away in despair. They could suffer a heart attack just by listening to the footsteps like a thunderstorm."Okay, it''s gone.""That''s awesome, the asphalt road is crushed like a tofu."However, there was no sign of despair even though the faces of those who were caught up in this situation were nervous."Sergeant Park Jin-seo, five buildings just flew into the sky.""That''s about nine people on that scale.""No, ten people have to pretend to die.""Yes, it''s better to die a lot anyway."Rather, in this situation, they were playing with the word, death."There must be more than a hundred deaths now."Of course, it was possible to talk like that because it was not real."To be exact, it''s 109."In the first place, the Ghost Turtle was not a disaster for them. The one that the ghost turtle was dealing with was none other than Kim Tae-hoon, their savior, and a nightmare to the monsters.To call such a big green-grade Ghost Turtle a disaster to Kim Tae-hoon was nothing more than an insult to the real disasters that Kim had faced so far. In other words, the situation itself was a lie."You guys are dead from now on."Kim Tae-hoon did not do that even though he could get rid of the Ghost Turtle at once if he had the heart. He intentionally provoked the Ghost Turtle and taunted it to break the buildings that were barely left in the port city of Hakata.Kim made a great and terrible stage for them to cover their mouths with both hands, and his men pretended to die. Death washed their identity as a ghost, not smuggled men."You will join the First Special Operation Unit and carry out the operation.""Yes!""I wish you good luck." "Yes!"And now they were ghosts, and they would dig into the major facilities in Japan with the ghosts that had come before. That was the real reason they came here. These were not here for monster hunting, but for the war that Japan had begun, willing to respond to the war."There are now 98 survivors.""I don''t need any more deaths.""Okay."And when the moment no longer needed dead men..."Send a signal to the master, we don''t need any more dead men, so he can kill it now.""Yes."Red smoke that had risen from somewhere began to rise above the sky. Exactly three minutes later, the smell of coffee bloomed in the totally ruined port of Hakata Port.9."What''s the situation?""The Ghost Turtle is destroying Hakata.""What''s the situation around us?""We''re trying to stop people from going to Hakata, at the command you gave us, and in fact, we don''t have to stop them. Who would go there if they''re not crazy?"At the question of his subordinate, Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi tapped his desk with his finger instead of answering.''We have to kill it,'' he thought, ''Somehow, we have to kill the Ghost Turtle.''At this moment, Hiyoshi was experiencing the most intense irritation of his life.''I bet everything I have.''The fundamental reason for this Ghost Turtle Hunting was that he had taken ahold his destiny, and the additional reason was that the Kyushu Branch of the Imperial Hunting Unit did not participate in this hunting.''Damn it, I should have just put in an Imperial Hunting Unit? Even if it was the best elites, it was reckless to kill the green-grade monster with only two hundred men.''The reason why he didn''t put in an Imperial Hunting Unit was simple. The presence of Kim Tae-hoon and his men had not yet been reported to his home country, so they were illegal weapons that were not allowed or easily explained.There would be nothing good coming if there were many people who knew about such weapons. Because of that, he did not support them, and no one was allowed to go to Hakata Port, and he had to arrange his trusted men on the way to Hakata Port. He put the reliable men there to stop those who were heading there. He was going to make this hunt one without witnesses.Even Hiyoshi himself grasped the progress of this battle situation only through intermittent reports in his office in Kokura Castle, not on the battlefield. Therefore, he had to be nervous.Furthermore, the situation of the battle that was reported was not good. The Ghost Turtle was going crazy, and the port city of Hakata was returning to the Stone Age.''God.'' In the end, Hiyoshi skipped all his troubles and anguish, and he prayed earnestly to God."Heck, heck, heck!" A man appeared through the open door with a panting breath. "They got it! They got the Ghost Turtle!"At that, Hiyoshi did not answer. He just stood up and ran to Hakata Port with all his might.10.Even though the giant Ghost Turtle was still dead, it still boasted an eerie presence. Those with low Energy rank were not even allowed to approach the body. Therefore, Hiyoshi was looking at the body of the Ghost Turtle from a distance, too.''How did they kill it? I can hardly see any external wounds¡­?''Next to him was a man with a pretty serious injury, his head bandaged, a crude sling around supporting his broken right arm.Kim''s subordinate reported on behalf of Kim to Hiyoshi, "There are 112 dead, 13 missing, and 36 injured, and now Kim¡­ Master Sergeant Kim So-hoon is being treated for a serious injury."It was a serious report. The hard-faced expression of Hiyoshi began to be distorted. ''We got it.'' But the distortion was not really for any serious concern about what he was told.''That''s the best scenario.'' It was a distortion that occurred when he tried to resist the smile he wanted to display in this serious situation. That was all.''God is looking over at me, too!'' The situation was so perfect that the nervousness that Hiyoshi the Kyushu branch manager had faced so far became meaningless.''Once we killed the Ghost Turtle, we have achieved the most important thing we wanted. And there were no victims in the Imperial Hunting Unit!''Of course, the report would be written: the success of the hunting of the Ghost Turtle, the recapture of Hakata Port, no deaths, no injuries¡­ ''Is there a more perfect report card than this?''And during the hunt, Kim Tae-hoon was seriously injured...''If I do well¡­''The eyes of Hiyoshi looked at the man Lee Hyung-woo reporting to him. The mouth of Hiyoshi began to twitch in the eyes of Sergeant Lee Hyung-woo, who did not show any shaking even in front of his injuries and the terrible deaths of his colleagues.''I can make them mine if I do well.'' The men, brought by Kim Tae-hoon, were only illegal immigrants. Those had no place to lean on. They had been abandoned even in Korea. If Kim disappeared from them, who would be the one they should choose their destiny with? The answer was obvious. ''If this level of elite soldiers and the relics they brought from Korea come into my hands¡­'' Because it was so obvious, Hiyoshi did not worry anymore."Thank you. I pray to God that Master Sergeant Kim will recover quickly."Now it was time to get the prize of gambling and winning everything!11.The recent atmosphere in Tokyo, as October loomed before them, was the atmosphere of the night before a storm. The storm they were waiting for was nothing but a report to arrive from the Kyushu branch."A report from the Kyushu branch has arrived.""The storm finally came."It was not unusual to express the report as a storm, as the Kyushu branch report determined whether or not to hunt an Eight-tailed Fox. Of course, the report could not be read by an individual as he pleased."Call the council in the royal presence. Until then, keep this report sealed, and keep a close watch on it. No one is to open it!"The report was sealed until the meeting was convened again, and it was of course Musashi who read the sealed report for the first time.The process was not simple, either. Matsumoto Kanyo, the head of the Imperial Hunting Unit, opened the sealed report and handed it to Musashi. It was to completely block any noise that might happen or any tricks.So Musashi read the report and handed the bundle to Matsumoto Kanyo, with words that seemed to be madness beyond meaning."Kanyo, God is in favor of my will."So, at the moment he heard that, Matsumoto Kanyo guessed that everything was wrong. And the guess was convinced the moment he read the report.''Does God really want us to hunt an Eight-tailed Fox?''In front of this conviction, Matsumoto Kanyo forced a cool expression to disguise his introspection, and Musashi spoke to the crowd, "The Kyushu branch has successfully recaptured the port of Hakata. They hunted the Ghost Turtle, without a single death!"At that point, the people gathered in the crowd somehow struggled to follow the expression of Matsumoto Kanyo.''Oh, my God.''''How the hell?''''¡­ if this happened, we''ll have to kill an Eight-tailed Fox.''''A dark blue-grade monster hunt, isn''t it a hunt no one has ever succeeded at?''They did their best not to express their anxiety and fear. "The Kyushu branch has done so great for the great will of the Japanese Empire, and it is impossible without God''s protection that there were no deaths in the recapturing of the Port of Hakata!"Musashi, on the other hand, did not hide his inner self and blatantly said, "It doesn''t make sense if I am afraid, even the demoted Kyushu branch manager has been under God''s protection! I will hunt the Eight-tailed Fox!"Then he nailed it. "We will hunt the Eight-tailed Fox and reclaim Kyushu; we will head for the Korean Peninsula through the port of Hakata, and we will use the Korean Peninsula as the cornerstone of the great history for the Japanese Empire to be written!"There was no objection. No one could break through the spirit of Musashi and utter any advice. It was the same with Matsumoto Kanyo.''How could he have recaptured the port of Hakata, if he was not so competent?'' There was obviously a question. The Kyushu branch manager Hiroshi, who Matsumoto Kanyo knew, was not incompetent, but he was not one who could have such an amazing result. But Matsumoto Kanyo did not stick to the facts.''No, whatever the Kyushu branch manager did is fine.''''In such a situation that the dam has already collapsed, it is stupid to worry about the reason why the dam has collapsed. Likewise, Musashi will go on a hunt for the Eight-tailed Fox, and there is no way to stop it now.''''What matters now is¡­''If so, there was one best choice left. By using all means and methods, he had to lead the hunting of the Eight-tailed Fox to success and keep Musashi safe."Lord, I''ll prepare Kamikaze."At the appearance of the word, the faces of the crowd, who were trying to remain calm, began to get white."Kamikaze?" Musashi also questioned."It is to kill a dark blue-grade monster for the first time, and no matter how much we prepare for it, we are not sure of everything.""How many Kamikazes do you intend to put in?""I think we should put everyone in if we need to."At the words of Matsumoto Kanyo, Musashi closed his mouth tightly. Kamikaze was not an immediate unit. It was more of an operation than a unit.The operation was that the Samurai would make their live candles before their deaths by using the power of the relics, making impossible things possible by burning their last flame.Kamikaze was the last choice, of course. Even if he succeeded in the hunt, the Samurai would be virtually out of power.''We put all that Kamikaze in as needed?''If all Samurai became kamikaze, it would be a loss even if they killed the Eight-tailed Fox. This was a resistance of Matsumoto Kanyo, in a sense.''Without that much determination, we can''t do it.'' It was Matsumoto Kanyo''s final resistance against Musashi. At the resistance, Musashi spoke, "Yes, we should. Rather than being a coward trapped in the archipelago without even following what I said, it would be better to be a light for the history of the Japanese Empire. Matsumoto Kanyo, you''re right. Gather the Samurai. If necessary, I will hunt the Eight-tailed Fox at the cost of them all." Everyone bowed their heads at the answer. The hunt for the Eight-tailed Fox was ready to begin! 12. Kim was drinking coffee in a temporary shelter. No one could find any trace of a man who had led a fierce battle to victory. Not a scratch, not a bit of fatigue was found. "I finished the report." In front of him was Sergeant Lee Hyung-woo, wearing a bandage. With those words, he saluted at attention with his right arm. "Thank you for your service." As soon as he heard the report, Kim answered and drank another cup of coffee. Holding the coffee, he closed his eyes. "If it is Musashi, of course, he will move to hunt the Eight-tailed Fox." Over his closed eyes, the information he had seen before his death was shining. ''The Samurai will serve as a suicide squadron for that Musashi.'' Step by step, Kim recalled the information he had seen. He measured information about the person, and about the monster. ''In the end, they will fail in the hunting of the Eight-tailed Fox.'' Eventually, Kim came up with a note in his mind: a memo in his dream stated that Japan would fail to kill the Eight-tailed Fox on October 15, 2017. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Due to my current health, my uploads will be reduced to two chapters for a short time. Please bear with me and smite the bug that is eating at me as you do! Thank you!== Khan

 111 Episode 111 - An Eight-tailed Fox, Part I

    Chapter 39. An Eight-tailed Fox, Part ITranslator: KhanEditor: RED1.A hospital in Kitakyushu City...A room in a place now ruined and a scourge that even animals did not wander into was filled with dim light. The dim light was from a candle. The blazing light was brighter than someone thought. It was thanks to the candlelight. A man sitting on a single bed in a private hospital room was able to read his pocket notebook freely thanks to candlelight. ''Musashi is strong, and Japan is also capable of hunting the blue-grade monster at this point, and there was actually a record that they have already hunted it.''The main character of the pocket notebook was Kim Tae-hoon.''First of all, the relic grade of the Kusanagi is first, and its value is legendary. The success rate that Musashi will kill the Eight-tailed Fox is more than forty percent, I can guess.''In addition, the pocket notebook was a checklist that Kim Tae-hoon had written down the last time he had seen his death, the information he had gotten from his death, and the contents of the checklist he read now were about the relics of Japan. The first thing he saw was a record of the Kusanagi.==[The Kusanagi]- Relic Grade: Grade 1- Relic Value: Legend- Relic Effect: It consumes the Energy of the user and produces a powerful cutting chi that can slice anything.]==The option itself of the Kusanagi was plain. However, there were more contents on the checklist made by Kim Tae-hoon.''It is a great weapon.''The Kusanagi.Kim was able to gauge its power only through letters, but he could not help but be surprised by its power. It was an amazing weapon that turned crazy monsters that survived in a missile bombardment into a T-bone steak baked rare.''The problem is the price. The time for an Awakener with the Energy rank of A+ can maintain the Kusanagi is up to 59 seconds...''But it was a weapon that demanded a huge price for its tremendous power.The time for a person with an Energy rank of A+ could use the Kusanagi was just less than a minute!''Even if he uses relics and items to increase the speed and total amount of Energy recovery, it will be just over a minute. On the other hand, when he enters the battle, he will endure the fear and consume a lot of Energy to display his superhuman ability. At this point, even if Musashi is supported by the great power, the time he can use the Kusanagi is around thirty seconds.''It was not a weapon that could be used at will.Of course, Kim was confident. ''Well, thirty seconds to kill is enough.''59 seconds is a short moment for an ordinary person, but that time is like an eternity for a hunter who is about to kill.''Thirty seconds was enough to kill!.Kim Tae-hoon immediately looked at the next relic.==[The Black Armor of Oda Nobunaga]- Relic Grade: Grade 2- Relic Value: Special- Relic Effect: It is the armor that the legendary hero wore on the battlefield. It has the power to resist any horror.]==The Black Armor of Oda Nobunaga.This was also an item that Musashi had at this point. In addition, the value and level of relics secured by Japan at this time were not much behind those secured by Korea.''Moreover, if he can properly use the Seven-Branched Sword, a relic of the same grade as the Golden Altar of the Konjikido¡­ he can actually lower the Eight-tailed Fox to the level of the blue-grade. If he pulls it down to the blue-grade level... If I look ahead this far, the chance of success in the Eight-tailed Fox hunting is over seventy percent.''The power of Japan was enough to hunt the Eight-tailed Fox, which was the weakest among the dark blue-grade monsters.Musashi and his aides knew that too. If they tried to hunt the Eight-tailed Fox, there would be some sacrifices, but if they took those sacrifices, there was no reason they could not kill it.''Because of that calculation, Japan is trying to hunt the Eight-tailed Fox.''If, in common sense, the hunting of the Eight-tailed Fox was unsuccessful, and there were only sacrifices, Musashi, who thought he was chosen by God, would not have forced the Eight-tailed Fox hunt.Musashi was arrogant, but he was not a stupid man without end.''That''s the reason they''ve survived.''Kim did not ignore Japan''s power. They had survived in a place which had become hell. That was a surprise.If there had been no Kim Tae-hoon in the land of Bucheon, Korea on December 31, 2016, what would have been the future of Korea now? So, he questioned at this moment.''Then, why did he fail?'' Obviously, Japan''s hunt for the Eight-tailed Fox was a failure. But given the circumstances, there was no chance that the hunting would fail simply because of its lack of capability. It was clear that there was a mistake if it failed. ''There''s something about it.'' It was now Kim''s job to figure it out.He should not reverse the mistake. Above all, the Eight-tailed Fox hunt was very important to him. ''If I eat Eight-tailed Fox''s crystal¡­ I may be able to elevate my Telekinesis to a higher level.''Kim saw his future, and in the future death, he could not hunt Eight-tailed Fox. In other words, the surest way to change the future was to kill it. ''And my death may change.'' Kim needed to change his future, somehow, and why he died. ''No, I must change it. Once again¡­ once again, I cannot die of the curse of the dragon.'' If Kim''s death were due to the curse of the dragon in his next dream, he didn''t even know what to do. On the contrary, at this moment, Kim had a different way of thinking. ''I''d rather see the future through someone else¡­ If I am forced to die from a dragon''s curse, then I will have someone else drink Napoleon''s Golden Glass...'' But the question of how to do it was not long. Clump¡­Kim heard footsteps inside the hospital, where there was only one patient. He stopped worrying and waited for the owner of the footsteps to appear before his eyes. Soon afterward, Sergeant Lee Hyung-woo presented himself. "Master Sergeant Kim So-hoon, Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi is coming here." When he said that, Kim gave an order while covering his pocket notebook. "Prepare for the play." "Yes." 2. As soon as the Eight-tailed Fox was scheduled to hunt, a state of emergency was declared throughout Japan. Japan''s archipelago actually entered a state of war. The hail began to fall on the calm lake like a shower, and of course, everyone began to bounce the abacus before the Japanese Empire''s monumental historical event called the Eight-tailed Fox Hunt. The people who finished the calculation quickly took action. ''Damn it!'' Among them, Hiyoshi finished his calculations the fastest and moved the fastest. ''What the hell is wrong with me?'' Until he succeeded in hunting the Turtle, succeeded in recapturing Hakata Port, wrote about the situations and submitted the report, Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi was inflated with anticipation. ''Maybe I could go to Tokyo!''However, the answer from Tokyo was that the power for hunting the Eight-tailed Fox would arrive in Kitakyushu City, and be prepared to welcome them. At the moment he received the order, the mind of Hiyoshi went blank.''Why on earth so suddenly...?''To be honest, Hiyoshi did not even know that the answer to his report was "Eight-tailed Fox hunting." ''No, I don''t mind that.'' On the contrary, it was enough to calculate how Eight-tailed Fox hunting would affect his situation. ''I need to get rid of Master Sergeant Kim So-hoon first.'' Sooner or later, a large number of influential people and powerful people who represented the Japanese Empire would come to the city of Kitakyushu. If Kim So-hoon and his men were found by them, it would be obvious what would happen to Hiyoshi. That was why he had to get rid of Kim. "Now that this is the case, keep your presence hidden during the Eight-tailed Fox hunt." That was why the Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi was facing the haggard face of Kim, who had raised his upper body arduously in the bed of the ruined hospital room."Don''t talk nonsense!"Because of that reason, Kim also protested against the words of the Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi."Isn''t this different from your promise? If we risked our lives and succeed in hunting the Ghost Turtle, you''d risk your life and introduce us to the head of the Imperial Hunting Unit, Matsumoto Kanyo?"What Hiyoshi wanted for Kim and his men was simple: be ghosts until the end of the Eight-tailed Fox hunt, and wait in a desolate place."So this is the right time, isn''t it? It''s nothing else, and Matsumoto Kanyo himself will come! But you''re hiding us!... It''s nonsense!"It was a completely different story from the promise. Kim and his men did not hunt the Ghost Turtle with their lives because they wanted its monster stone. It was the sincerity, the expression of the will, and a payment of the price that they showed to lean on Japan, as they had to find a new place to lean on because they were driven out of Korea as rebels."I can''t accept it!"In such a situation, the notification of Hiyoshi was not any different from violating the promise he had made."I can''t help it, this is not what I expected." Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi knew that well.''As expected, he resists strongly. But I can''t help it.'' He was well aware that he was making a cold, hard look."And if you continue to be uncooperative, I''ll be forced to be uncooperative as well." As his face looked, he began to threaten now, not a notice."What the fuck is¡­ ''cough, cough!''" Kim, who was shouting something toward Hiyoshi, began to cough suddenly and violently."Master Sergeant!"The cough made the surroundings of Kim, who had barely raised his body in the bed, reddish. Lee Hyung-woo, who was waiting nearby, was scared and ran over to Kim, who was soaked in the blood that he had spit out."Cough, cough!""Are you alright, Master, Master Sergeant? Master Sergeant!""It''s okay, it''s okay, it''s okay..."The viewer saw the symptoms of anemia, and Kim''s blood was the proof.''The injury must be serious, and I think that blood transfusion is impossible here... and I''m sure he will soon be dead with this condition.'' On the contrary, Hiyoshi was convinced at the pathetic appearance of Kim.''With this display, it''s easy to tell.'' Nothing was as easy as threatening a weak human being. Now, Hiyoshi, who had the power to decide the death of Kim, made the final notice to Kim, who was like a candle in front of the wind."When the Eight-tailed Fox hunt is over, there will be a major reorganization in the Kyushu branch, and my position will be different. If the hunt succeeds, I will be able to go back to Tokyo. So if you stay with me, you''ll naturally be able to settle here, but if I die, you''ll all die."With the notice, Hiyoshi took something out of his pocket. It was a leather pocket."I''m not going to throw you away. I will keep my word. I''ll give you the crystal of the Ghost Turtle as proof."And it was the crystal of the Ghost Turtle that filled it. The Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi carefully placed it on the leg of Kim, who raised only his upper body while lying on the bed."I have kept my promise, and you and your men will show your own goodwill. I assure you, if I do well, it will not be bad for you. What can you do with that body, meeting Matsumoto Kanyo? Matsumoto Kanyo will never deal with a man that looks like a corpse, so I think you will be in the hospital for a while recuperating. I''ll tell you about a nice hot spring nearby."There was no further question about the notice. Kim took the leather pocket without saying anything. Hiyoshi released his cold expression."Please leave this place tomorrow, with your men. There shouldn''t be any traces of you in Kitakyushu. Of course, I won''t give you any specific orders. I know you''ll do your best if you are the best elites." After that, Hiyoshi left the hospital room, leaving silence behind in the hospital room. Then the smiles began to spread in the silence. "You have great acting skills. He''s been fooled by a hundred percent. I was almost fooled along the way. I thought you were really bleeding!" When Sergeant Lee Hyung-woo said that a smile, Kim smiled and shook his head. Of course, Kim was fine. The haggard face was a disguise, and the image of a blood-splitting death was just an act. It was one of the few acts that Kim could do. ''This is how it helps to pretend to be dead when I was captured by the enemy.'' The best way to survive at the last moment was to pretend to be dead and to be sick.It was the reason why Kim, who had survived better than anyone else, had to do better than anyone else."I think your performance has finished the operation neatly."The reason for this performance was simple. In fact, the request of Hiyoshi was what Kim and his men wanted. It was not good that he and his men were exposed on the surface in the first place. Being just like ghosts was what they wanted.If he obediently accepted the disappearance, he would be suspicious. So he acted.''Now this is the end of the act.'' His acting career was short."We''re going to stage two, and inform the First Special Operation Unit and the mainland via the Okjo." The next time Kim Tae-hoon revealed himself, Kim So-hoon would not be needed anymore. "Yes." "And you''re moving to Kyoto." "Yes." "Don''t forget to bring some coffee-tasting candy." "Yes?" At the last words, Sergeant Lee Hyung-woo looked surprised, and soon gave an excited look and answered with a salute. "Yes, I''ll eat it the next time you need my help!" After that, Sergeant Lee left the hospital room. Now alone, Kim put the green jewel in the leather pocket on his palm. ==[The Crystal of the Ghost Turtle] - Health level will increase significantly when ingested. - The proficiency of Defense rank is greatly increased when ingested. - The power of a Ghost Turtle, [the Devil Shield] will be acquired when ingested.]== And he put it right in his mouth. Gulp! The Ghost Turtle''s crystal went down his throat, and he looked at his right hand. ======[Basic Abilities] - Strength: 765 - Health: 777 [Special Abilities] - Energy: A- Rank - Mana: B+ Rank - Telekinesis: A+ Rank - Defense: A- Rank - Mana Resistance: B+ Rank [Achieved Abilities] - Devil Shield (Grade 4): With the power of a Ghost Turtle, you can give the power of the Devil Shield to everything you create with your own Energy, Mana, or Telekinesis. If the object is given the power of the Devil Shield, its resistance to fear and its defense greatly increase. ====== ''Not bad...'' Kim was not impressed at this moment. There was no reason to feel that. ''It''ll help in hunting a little bit.'' As said earlier, he no longer had to play Kim So-hoon. The only thing that existed now was the hunter Kim Tae-hoon. That was why he took out his diary again and prepared for the hunting. On October 15, the hunting day dawned.

 112 Episode 112 - An Eight-tailed Fox, Part II

    Chapter 39. An Eight-tailed Fox, Part IITranslator: KhanEditor: RED3. Thunder rolled across the land...The sound awakening the stillness of Aso Mountain began to spread. The source of the sound was a tank. There were forty-five tanks of Type 90, fifty-five tanks of Type 74, and so a total of a hundred tanks were moving toward Aso Mountain. It was a great thing in many ways.''The number of tanks in Japan, which did not need to have a large army in the first place, is not so many, and after the emergence of monsters, the number of tanks in Japan operating properly does not exceed four hundred.''So, the sight of the tanks moving forward was obviously spectacular."Isn''t this enough¡­ to kill the Eight-tailed Fox?"''Even if we don''t kill the Eight-tailed Fox, this firepower could give it a fatal blow!''''Yes, I was unnecessarily worried. Even it is a monster, it is hopeless in the presence of modern weapons? Nothing to fear!''It was such a spectacular sight that the hopes of the people who were watching the scene became more intense than their despair. But the man, who was watching the scene with black Eyes like a camera lens, was different.''Firepower is powerful, I''m sure.''The appearance of the tanks in his eyes was not a spectacle.The word "devastation" that filled his head.''I''m sure they will start with a big blow if they''re going to use firepower against a blue-grade monster.''''The firepower that a hundred tanks can show is overwhelming. It is also true for monsters. It is Kim Tae-hoon and the Armored Hunting Unit that proved it, more than anyone else.''''But it''s not true for the dark blue-grade.''Kim knew better than anyone else the reason why modern weapons were valid against monsters, and why they are powerful.''The fear range is not comparable.''''The horror of modern weapons is not the firepower, but the shooting range. It is frightening that the shooting range is a few kilometers or dozens of kilometers; however, missiles can hit the target accurately from hundreds of kilometers away.''''Then, how far is the range of the fear used by a dark blue-grade monster?''The fear range of the blue-grade monster Kim Tae-hoon had confronted was about several kilometers. In the case of a monster with Howling, it was possible to attack with the fear even farther away.''At least five kilometers, and if someone is below the D rank of Energy, he is helpless even with the help of any relics and items.''''If I keep that in mind, the fear range of the dark blue-grade monster should be at least five kilometers in radius. It is similar to the effective range of the latest tanks.''''The scope of activity is even more incomparable.''''The bigger problem is that the scope is not fixed. The monster moves with absurd speed, ignoring the law of physics. The fear also moves according to the movement of the monster.''''Unless the members of the armored forces are filled with Awakeners above the C rank of Energy, and unless they raise resistance to the fear with relics and items¡­ they are sacrifices.''At this moment, Kim was able to see why a hundred tanks were gathered there.The tanks were sacrifices, sacrifices to hold the Eight-tailed Fox for a while.''They used a hundred tanks as bait¡­''It was a huge offering.''If someone said he had to use a hundred tanks as a sacrifice to kill a monster, everyone will say that he is a madman. Apart from the money, the tactical value of a hundred tanks is beyond description. Crucially, a hundred tanks are not something someone can produce in a moment even if he wants to produce more tanks later. It is fatal beyond the level of sacrifice.''''They took decisive action.''However, Kim Tae-hoon was rather admiring of this fact, rather than surprised.''A tank is certainly the best bait to kill time against a dark blue-grade monster.''''It is impossible not to use bait to hunt a dark blue-grade monster.''''Then, what should we use as bait?''''It''s hard to use a human being as bait. They are too weak to use as bait. No one hangs a tubifex on the fishing hook to catch a whale. But the tough hard bait is meaningless; someone can''t catch a shark by hanging a diamond on a hook.''''A bait is needed to attract the attention of the prey and to make time. In that sense, the tanks have enough power to attract the attention of the prey.''''As soon as a hundred guns burst out flames, the moment the shells fall near the Eight-tailed Fox, it will run to the tanks with all its might to tear the tanks apart. Even if it is an Eight-tailed Fox, it will take a lot of time to crush a hundred tanks. Of course, it is not something anyone can do. It is a terrible idea.''But Kim Tae-hoon was not surprised, and he did not think the man who had made such a judgment was scary. The scary thing was the monster that made this sacrifice natural just by looking at its face.He heard the roar in the distance.So, the battle began.4.The simultaneous gunfire of a hundred tanks began to shake Aso Mountain, and the pure white Eight-tailed Fox revealed itself.The monster who showed up was not so big for having dark blue eyes. The length of its body, except for the tails, was about ten meters, and the tails were similar to the length of the body. In total, it was twenty meters. Although it looked bigger because of its bulging tails, it certainly didn''t give them anything overwhelming by its physique. Of course, it wasn''t a good story. On the contrary, its small body, which did not fit in with its dark blue eyes, made the Eight-tailed Fox a more frightening being. "Fire!" Guns thundered.It was not easy to hit a twenty-meter target several kilometers away. And what if the twenty-meter target could run up to two hundred kilometers per hour in some situations? "Fire! Fire with aim!" Cannons roared.''Fuck, how can I hit that?'' In fact, firepower was meaningless. Even he was happy to recognize the fact. The distance between the Eight-tailed Fox and the Tank Unit was greatly reduced with each blink of an eye, and every time the distance was reduced, the soldiers'' rationality of the Tank Unit began to drop with terror. "Ugh!" In the end, there were a lot of people who died of drowsiness or heart attacks. Unable to release the fear, it just led to death with its presence. That''s what happened two minutes after the battle began with the gunfire of the tanks. Even that horror was just the beginning, not the end. Bang! The tanks around the Eight-tailed Fox to turn over with a loud noise. Telekinesis! The Telekinesis of the Eight-tailed Fox, beyond the expression of being strong and startling, began to turn tanks into dead frogs. Toward the overturned tanks, it showed a beastly appearance that meant it had succeeded in hunting.Kkiiii!The golden claws and teeth of the Eight-tailed Fox began to tear the metal of the tanks like paper, just like a beast ripped open a bat''s skin and eating the flesh and intestines in it. It was the meal time of the ferocious beast that no one should interfere with.Tutututu! It was the sound of dozens of helicopters that interfered with the meal time of the predation. All the helicopters that appeared and surrounded the Eight-tailed Fox had Torii, used at the doors of a Japanese shrine, hanging beneath them.The helicopters began planting the Torii around the Eight-tailed Fox. Their number was forty-eight!"Put Mana into the Torii!"The Awakeners clung to the forty-eight Torii. They shivered like aspen leaves, touched the legs of the Torii, and began to inject their Mana.The Torii began to shoot out various light pillars with strange cries and sounds.Gyareureureu! For the first time, a cry came from the mouth of the Eight-tailed Fox because of the light pillars. The dark blue eyes of the Eight-tailed Fox flashed sharply. It shone its eyes toward the Torii surrounding it, and the plants and stones that had been crushed and scattered around the Eight-tailed Fox began to rise up as if they were in zero gravity.The Eight-tailed Fox was going to shatter the Torii, which were getting on its nerves, using the powerful Telekinesis that even overturned the tanks.Kkii, Kkii, Kkii! But the Torii did not easily break down, even though they were making an eerie sound that seemed to die right away.Gyareureureu¡­! There was no difference, even though snarls came out between the tight golden teeth of the Eight-tailed Fox. It was not just about the power of the Torii."Hoo! Hoo!""Hoo, hoo!"It was because of the Golden Altar of the Konjikido that appeared on a palanquin carried by four men. It was the moment when what was considered a precious treasure that people were not allowed to photograph, the first national treasure of Japan, and it was the moment when it left the temple of Chuson-ji and showed its appearance to the world for the first time in the last ten centuries.Gyareureureu!The effect of the relic was certain. The great Telekinesis of the Eight-tailed Fox began to lose its power. But that was it.''Not enough.'' Kim Tae-hoon, who just watched the battlefield quietly, began to gauge the battlefield again at this moment.''They only weakened its Telekinesis. The Eight-tailed Fox is an overwhelming monster without its torrent of Telekinesis.''It could weaken the Eight-tailed Fox, but the teeth and claws that had been used to ravage the armor of the tanks were still there.''This will only make the Eight-tailed Fox angrier.''Krr! Above all, in exchange for weakening the Telekinesis of the Eight-tailed Fox, they had to face its anger. In the dark blue eyes of the Eight-tailed Fox, a powerful murderous spirit that could not be compared to before was now visible. ''Its view narrows as angry as it is.''At the same time, the Eight-tailed Fox had to pay the same price as the moment it released its anger and murderous spirit.So, Kim was able to see the card that Japan presented against the Eight-tailed Fox next.''Now is the chance to hold the Eight-tailed Fox and try a close-up fight, when its vision is narrowed.''As if to respond to Kim''s expectations, a group of warriors began to rush toward the angry Eight-tailed Fox."Ahhhhhhhhh!"It was the Samurai who started the race. There was no sign of fear in their eyes as they threw themselves into the fear of the Eight-tailed Fox, their hearts skipping, and even breathless. But it was not because they had great courage."We don''t have much time!""I''ll take the left!""Then I''m on the right!"Kamikaze.It was possible because they got the power beyond their ability for a while in return for being like a mayfly. Their purpose was to put the Seven-Branched Sword into it.''They''ll try to put in the Seven-Branched Sword.''''As soon as the Seven-Branched Sword is stuck into the body of the Eight-tailed Fox, weakened by the Golden Altar of the Konjikido and forty-eight Torii, the Eight-tailed Fox is virtually a blue-grade monster. Of course, it is still an absurd monster that we are not allowed to fight against.''''Musashi will appear then.''But Musashi was different.He and his Sword Kusanagi could execute a fatal attack on the Eight-tailed Fox after it had weakened to a blue-grade level. He didn''t have to attack many times, anyway. The Kusanagi was not a long-term weapon. Musashi could attack with the Kusanagi three times at the most. And three times was too many. It was ideal to finish it with a single blow when hunting.''A blow.'' Because of this, Musashi would try to kill the Eight-tailed Fox with only one attack.''If he hits the head of the Eight-tailed Fox with a blow¡­''''That''s the reason for failure.''Kim Tae-hoon was able to figure out here why they failed to hunt the Eight-tailed Fox after such preparation, determination, and sacrifice. At the moment he grasped the fact, he was no longer an audience.5.A hundred tanks were used as bait. The number of Awakeners used was five thousand five hundred and forty-nine. And so far, the number of Samurai put into Kamikaze was forty-seven."Hoo!"The face of Musashi, a battlefield in front of him which would inevitably result in a costly victory, was more peaceful than ever. It was not a pretense.''The time has come.'' He felt more serenity than ever. There was only one reason.''Now it was time for me to be the sun that will illuminate Kyushu. By killing the Eight-tailed Fox, the Kyushu region will be also filled with the same tranquility as Tokyo.'' That scene was glimmering in the eyes of Musashi.Simply put, Musashi was already sure. It was not just anyone who could kill the Eight-tailed Fox, but God''s wish in heaven.''Man proposes, God disposes.'' He prepared everything and even heaven wanted to do this, so he did not have any reason to doubt he would fail, rather than look for the reason for failing."Lord!"And the time had come."The Seven-Branched Sword is put in!"The moment he heard it, Musashi opened his eyes.6.The Eight-tailed Fox was still powerful. No matter how great the relics were, they were still just garbage in front of its claws and teeth. In fact, no one had even been able to counter the Eight-tailed Fox after it was weakened by the Golden Altar and the Torii. It was simply a fight between a fox and mice. All the mice could do was run as hard as possible and attract the attention of the fox. That was what the samurai who became Kamikaze were doing. They tried to do their best to irritate the Eight-tailed Fox and attract its attention. They made the Eight-tailed Fox obsessed with catching the mice.Kyaang! And when the Eight-tailed Fox began to get angry beyond the level of mouse-catching, when everything was focused on it, a samurai leaped up and fell on its body. In the hands of the falling samurai, was the Seven-Branched Sword with the seven sword tips. One of those seven tips stuck into its body.The depth was not deep, just of two joints of a finger; it was a scratch, compared to a person.Kr!But when Seven-Branched Sword was stuck in its body, the Eight-tailed Fox felt that this attack was more powerful and dangerous than any attack it had ever received. The dark blue eyes of the Eight-tailed Fox, which felt the fact, shone ferociously. At the same time, translucent beads appeared at the end of its eight tails. The translucent beads that appeared began to sweep around it at a tremendous rate. The telekinetic beads that showed up began to hit everything around it.Boom! The power was enormous. They were like wrecking balls used to break down buildings, the power to make hard concrete and rebar lumps into cookie crumbs at once."Keuaak!"Of course, the power was enough to make a human body into meatloaf. It was done in an instant. The samurai, who were bustling around the Eight-tailed Fox like mice, flew hundreds of meters away from it and became meatloaf.Pook! At that moment, the Seven-Branched Sword stuck in the back of the Eight-tailed Fox drove in on its own. The second tip of the sword was stuck into it. In other words, the Seven-Branched Sword was deeply set in now, deep enough that its depth could not be measured with finger joints now!Keheng!A painful cry came out of the Eight-tailed Fox''s mouth, and at the same time, it began to shake its body to relieve the pain. It was just an instant, of course. At that moment, a black man appeared near the Eight-tailed Fox.Tsreung! The sound of pulling a Sword from its scabbard sounded as soon as he appeared.Poowhat! It emitted a huge light that so intense that it blinded everyone.Crunch! The light that emerged cut everything apart. The first thing to be cut was the ground. A gap appeared which they could not measure right now. Then it was the head of the Eight-tailed Fox. There was nothing to interrupt it. There was not even a cutting sound. The light cut down on its head and soared into the sky.Click! The last sound was the one of the light that had appeared like that entering the sheath.''It''s over.'' At that moment, only Musashi was able to feel that all the situation was over. It was a proper intuition.''It''s over now.'' He cut its head off. Needless to say, it was perfect. Now its head would fall to the ground, and its body would be spraying blood like a fountain. There could not be any more definite finish. At least to Musashi, no, to all the Japanese, cutting off the head meant death. That was common sense. But that was the reason for its failure. This world was already beyond common sense.Boo-woong! It was a moment. As soon as the Eight-tailed Fox''s head was cut off, its telekinetic beads approached the front and back of Musashi, like clapping with both hands to catch a mosquito.Bang! Two great forces struck Musashi''s body, and his body and armor were crushed in the air by the absurd attack. The third telekinetic bead flew toward the floating body, and the crushed body of Musashi was smashed away like hitting a fly with a fly swatter. All this was done in an eyeblink. ''Khuck!'' This was done in such a short time that there was no time for Musashi to scream at the blow. Even those who saw it could not understand what was happening now.Thud! The Eight-tailed Fox''s head, cut off in the midst of all that was happening in a flash, fell to the ground.A man fell down on top of the Seven-Branched Sword stuck it in the body of the Eight-tailed Fox.Thunk! The fallen man, wearing Hahoetal, drove all the tips of the Seven-Branched Sword into the Eight-tailed Fox''s body, and its dark blue eyes on the ground grew bigger, like a flash lamp.''I can hear it.''But the man did not stop, because he knew the common sense that had not changed even in this age when all common sense was denied, this time of monsters.''I can hear the sound of its heart.''''The common sense is that monsters die when their hearts are stabbed.''And at this moment the man put the common sense into practice.Tsuneung, Tsuneung, Tsuneung!The three swords on his back showed up, and three swords were simultaneously stuck into the one place where its eight tails were gathered, its backside. The attack was not the end of it.''Its heart beats.''The sound of the heart-pounding on his eardrum was still intense, even though three swords had been stabbed into it.''More swords.'' It was was a where he needed more swords. The man was not embarrassed by it. There was no reason to panic. Around the Eight-tailed Fox were powerful relics, the Swords used by the samurai.Swish! Now the Swords moved to the heart at the back of the Eight-tailed Fox, following the orders of their new master.Kya, kya! As the number of Swords that were inserted increased, the number of shrieks that its severed head yelled out increased, and in the end, it was no longer able to spit out the last shriek. That was the end of the Eight-tailed Fox hunting.''I killed the Eight-tailed Fox.''But the man''s hunting was not done. ''Now they have to pay for the burning of the Tripitaka Koreana.''The body of Kim Tae-hoon was covered with ice thorn armor, and at the same time, a ring of fire was created around him.Ice Blaster announced the start of a new hunt!

 113 Episode 113 - An Eight-tailed Fox, Part III

    Chapter 39. An Eight-tailed Fox, Part IIITranslator: KhanEditor: RED 7. Nature is always cold. Successful hunting does not guarantee a day when it is fully stuffed. Rather, if something succeeds in hunting, they have to fight to protect their game from others. So, one of the most dangerous things in the world is to touch a beast that is feeding itself on the prey after the hunt.''It is war now.''Kim Tae-hoon knew the fact better than anyone else. It was a completely different story to have a successful hunt for the Eight-tailed Fox, and to get the game that he killed. The fact was that when he succeeded in his hunt, everything around him would jump to take his prey.Therefore, he needed to show his power. The man who hunted the Eight-tailed Fox now was not just a lone eagle who took a chance, but a more brutal, cruel, and terrifying beast than the Fox. The roar informing everyone was the Ice Blaster!The ice thorn armor wrapped around Kim Tae-hoon''s body was shattered with the explosion of Anger Soaring, and it scattered all over with a thunderous explosion.The power was enormous. Just being exposed to the power was enough to wound even a blue-grade monster.The first group that was exposed to the attack by Kim were the Samurai who had approached near the Eight-tailed Fox for hunting. There was no way to stoop the ice thorn fragments that were suddenly shooting at them, after they had already suffered a lot of injuries and damage due to the battle with it."Aaaaaaargh!""Get out of here!"All they could do was to choose to run away with all their might at this urgent moment. Running away was the only possibility, but no one succeeded. ''I will kill all of the Samurai.'' Kim had no intentions of letting them live. That reason was enough.Swish! Their fellow''s Swords moved toward the fleeing Samurai without showing any mercy. The result after that was obvious.Pook! The flying katanas penetrated through the armor they were wearing and they became dead bodies crumpled around the blades. The Swords that had been prepared to kill the Eight-tailed Fox became daggers to pierce their armor. In the meantime, an attempt was made to save the Samurai from a long distance and to take the game from Kim."Charge!""Charge!"Kim turned his head toward those who were approaching from a long distance. It was a long way. It was hard to measure the distance without the help of a telescope if there was a moving object at a long distance, but he was able to grasp the movements of those who came toward him clearly.He saw a Samurai approaching with a lowered posture and a firm determination to kill him somehow in this situation.Kim painted a picture in the scene that looked like that.''It''s possible now, with the help of Hahoetal.''He painted a picture that a featherless arrow on his waist flew across the long distance and pierced the target''s brow at once.Whizz! The arrow moved to make the picture its master painted in front of it real.Pook! The arrow, flying quickly, sleekly, and in a straight line, penetrated the Samurai''s brow at once.Kim turned his head and saw the men around the Samurai. They were not only the Samurai, but Awakeners who were well armed.Thunk! And now they became dead bodies with a hole in their heads. They couldn''t believe their eyes."Run, run away!" "The curse! The curse has come down!"Those, who experienced it in close proximity, however, denied reality regardless of their belief. It was natural to express the sudden death of a colleague as a curse.On the other hand, Kim did not feel much inspiration at this fact. ''Not bad, but not efficient.'' He realized that this was not a very wise way to solve this situation. In addition, he did not forget that what he should do now was not just murder, but make war to protect his prey. He swelled his chest largely."Fuhuhu!" He began to breathe out a huge fire through his mouth. The fire started to burn rapidly and quickly with the surrounding grass and plants as fuel. That was the signal."It''s the master''s signal!" It was a signal to Kim''s men who were waiting in the distance."Start shooting!""Start shooting!"Bang! Shortly after Kim set the fire, gunfire began to spread on the stage, which was already a mess."It''s an enemy attack!" Despair began to spread in the eyes of those who had been staring at Kim."Not an enemy!"There were two main ways to keep his game: Showing the power of the owner of the game, and showing the owner of the game was a group rather than alone. At this point, it was only right to back down.In fact, no one was approaching near the Eight-tailed Fox."The Kusanagi! Get the Kusanagi anyway!""Take your life and retrieve it!"Instead, there were those who rushed toward the Kusanagi that Musashi had dropped as he had flown awayOf course, Kim did not intend to allow it. ''I will never give them anything on the wish list.''Kim started running like an angry beast toward the Kusanagi.8.''What the hell happened?''Matsumoto Khan, the head of the Imperial Hunting Unit, was negative from beginning to end about this Eight-tailed Fox hunting.There were more than a hundred tanks sacrificed immediately, and dozens of Samurai, regardless of the victory or defeat of the battle, were forced to receive notices of the required sacrifices.Moreover, Kyushu was not the only province which the Imperial Hunting Unit managed. Still, the Japanese archipelago was full of monsters, and the Imperial Hunting Unit had to deal with all of them.In such a situation, concentrating power for hunting the Eight-tailed Fox meant that there would be a power vacuum elsewhere. There was no chance that the monsters would leave the power vacuum alone, and if they added the damage that would occur that way, the Eight-tailed Fox hunt demanded so much in return...Therefore, the hunting of the Eight-tailed Fox had to be successful. Not just a success, but it needed success to become a legend of the history of the Japanese Empire in the future.So, when Musashi cut off the head of the Eight-tailed Fox by using the Kusanagi, Matsumoto Kanyo thought that this hunting barely made ends meet right now, rather than feeling joy. He thought it was more natural and proper than that it was great. He thought about like that¡­''Who the hell is he?''Everything fell apart. Of course, what should be done was now shattered. The hard-built tower was now being blown away as dust as it collapsed."Captain Matsumoto, orders!..."The worst was that Matsumoto Kanyo, who had the highest command in this situation, was himself. It was a hunt. It was strange that someone other than him, the leader of the Imperial Hunting Unit, gave orders in a monster hunt.In the situation that he was not able to confirm even the life and death of Musashi after the attack by the decapitated Eight-tailed Fox, it was impossible for someone other than Matsumoto Kanyo to make a decision."The order¡­ the Eight-tailed Fox right now..." Matsumoto Kanyo, of course, tried to order them to secure the Eight-tailed Fox at the urging of a subordinate.He could not even imagine such a thing as not securing the dead body of the Eight-tailed Fox, or even the crystal, as they had suffered so much damage! Regardless of the damage, it had to be secured, as much as the crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox.''Now, wait.'' But at that moment Matsumoto Kanyo reconsidered the judgment he was about to spit, in his mind.''Is that really true? No matter what damage?''''How much damage do we have to take to regain the crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox at this moment? And can we really get what we want by taking that damage? The obvious thing is that we can''t do what we want at any cost, because if it were a real world, it wouldn''t have happened now.'' "Not one enemy. We''re being shot at from everywhere. We can''t locate them.""They''re obviously soldiers, and there''s been bomb attacks all over the place, as well as booby traps.""There are fires everywhere, and the fires are getting stronger. The enemy prepared the fire attack.""We have the sign of monsters from other regions who are coming here!"In front of the new information, Matsumoto Kanyo rolled his head.Then someone exclaimed, "The man who killed the Eight-tailed Fox is Kim Tae-hoon, the monster of Joseon, Kim Tae-hoon!"The moment he heard it, Matsumoto Kanyo turned his head and looked at the man who spoke. He was an Iga ninja in a black ninja suit. Originally, he was acting with his identity hidden, and now he was raising his voice in front of everyone. Even the Iga ninja was embarrassed and frightened. It made Matsumoto Kanyo''s choice possible. He gave the order."Take all the relics we can secure and retreat to Kitakyushu City, and block all the ways from Kyushu to the mainland! Land route, and sea route, of course! And contact Hiroshima Port! All naval forces have to block Kyushu! Don''t let anything get out of Kyushu!"9.''There is a man who knows how to make bold decisions on the Japanese side.''Kim Tae-hoon knew war better than anyone else.''I know better than anyone that it is the commander who moves the flow of war. ''A commander of that kind never decides on the impulse of all or nothing.''He knew of course what a bold, decisive commander would do.''There is no all-in in this situation.'' Kim was confident because of this.''In this confusion, the Japanese commander will never fight with all-in. Naturally, the forces that fill the surroundings will begin to retreat like the ebb tide.''And his predictions came true. The sounds heard by Kim began to disappear gradually. He knew that it was not just a retreat, but an operational retreat.''Now they''re going to block Kyushu.''''Kyushu is a large island. If the land route and sea route are blocked, they cannot leave. In other words, from now on, Japan''s power is concentrated on the outskirts of Kyushu.''''Now I can take a break.'' So Kim was able to take short rest for the first time and was able to inspect the game that he had succeeded in keeping for the first time: the dead body of the Eight-tailed Fox. Its head was cut off, laying on the ground, and the Kusanagi was in his hand.10.==[The Crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox]- Telekinesis can reach the transcendental rank when ingested.- The power of the Eight-tailed Fox, Telekinetic Beads, will be acquired when ingested.]==A dark night.Kim Tae-hoon was staying up at night, with a cup of coffee for company."Hoo."Kim''s whole body was filled with a sense of lassitude. He could not feel his Energy, his Strength, his Mana. It was the price that he had paid for using the amazing power of Hahoetal. It was a dangerous time. Now, in a situation where Japan was the enemy, it was eerier than being a normal human being and entering a lion cage with his naked body. But Kim did not feel particularly afraid of it. It was a usual routine for him. At this moment, it was not a fear of such a thing, but a choice that was tormenting him.''The rewards were big.''Today, Kim had really gotten so much. The biggest prizes were the crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox and the Kusanagi. He had gotten the indescribable treasure. He had secured had many other relics. The number of relics that he had taken from the dead Samurai was twenty-seven!Of course, there were things he had not gotten. He had not acquired the Golden Altar of the Konjikido; it was too much larger than the others. It was possible to steal the Golden Altar, but it was virtually impossible to escape after stealing it. He felt sorry at the fact.But now Kim''s anguish was not agony for his sorrow. The starting point of agony was the dark blue monster stone now grasped in his hands. ''If I eat a dark blue monster stone, I will definitely be cursed.''Kim died because of the dragon''s curse, not once, but twice. He eventually repeated the death he had thought would not be repeated.''If I eat the crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox, I''ll surely be cursed.''From that point of view, it was also likely for him to be cursed if he ate this crystal.In the case of the curse of the dragon, the curse was not just a stigma caused by the fact that the monster stone was eaten.''It''s a price for transcendental power, rather than a clear curse.''The curse was a kind of side effect of transcendental power, gaining its power, and overusing it.''It would be strange to use such a crazy power without any cost.''And it was a very reasonable side effect.''No matter how an Awakener is chosen, there is a limit; there is always a limit to everything, and among them, strong power always comes with danger. When mankind transcended the speed of sound with repeated technological developments, the air itself becomes a wall in the end. Like that, if someone gets the transcendental power beyond the superhuman level, the power itself will become a wall in the end.''Of course, even Kim was afraid of it, he did not intend not to eat the crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox.Kim was a man who wanted to set a new record, by doping if necessary. What he wanted was to run faster than anyone else to survive, not Olympic medals. Even now, the resolution did not change at all. ''I''m not afraid to eat it.''''In an age already full of enemies, if I eat the crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox, I will die in the distant future, but if I do not eat it, I may die right away. No, if I had an intention not to eat it in the first place, I would not even have had to worry about it. I have to eat it, so I have to worry.''''I can''t die of a curse again, in the end.''''The moment I eat it, I will be sentenced to a deadline.''''The curse of the dragon was so, but it is not so good to die of a curse, for the limits of what can be obtained by that death are clear. Above all, the death that can be seen as Napoleon''s Golden Glass was very fragmentary.''If Kim died again with the curse of the dragon or the curse of the Eight-tailed Fox, the time of death will not change much, and the reason for his death or the surrounding situation would not change much.''The fact that the surrounding situation does not change means that the possibility of acquiring new information from the surroundings is lowered. In other words, the golden opportunity, Napoleon''s Golden Glass, will be meaninglessly blown away.''''The next Napoleon''s Golden Glass must be drunk by someone who can see the age after I die.''That''s why he needed someone who could drink Napoleon''s Golden Glass on behalf of Kim Tae-hoon, and who would look after Kim''s death.That was the reason for the trouble.It would be irresponsible to leave Kim''s fate to someone else, in the end. Could Kim Tae-hoon do that? And was there anyone who would be willing to bear that fate on behalf of him?In the agony, there was one face which came up in the mind of Kim."Hoo." Kim drank his coffee with a long sigh. After a while, he swallowed his coffee and put the crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox in his mouth.Gulp! A small sound rang out in the dark night.

 114 Episode 114 - The World After Death, Part I

    Chapter 40. The World After Death, Part ITranslator: KhanEditor: RED1. "The worst that can be expected is not the worst.""What do you mean by that?" "Well, well¡­ Kobe and Osaka are in a state of panic over terrorism. Only the key facilities have been attacked with precision." "Who did it?" "Well, we are trying to figure it out." "You didn''t even figure that out?" "I''m sorry, I''m sorry." There would be no more appropriate expression to express Matsumoto Kanyo''s current situation.''What the hell is this?''The body of the Eight-tailed Fox and the Kusanagi were taken away. Needless to say, it was the worst situation, and Matsumoto Kanyo had withdrawn all the forces at Aso Mountain in Kyushu that had been hunting the Eight-tailed Fox, bringing them back to Kitakyushu City. It was to prepare for the worst.''How could this be¡­?''However, after retreating to Kitakyushu City, what was waiting for Matsumoto Kanyo, who was moving to prepare for the worst, was sad news from all over. Major and key facilities in each city were lost to sudden terrorism. The military facilities were hit particularly hard, and even though they were hidden from the outside for their own security, their opponents struck them as if they knew all about them. "We...we''re in big trouble." The peak of the sad news came from Hiroshima."What else?""Hi-Hiroshima Port has been attacked, and no ship can sail."Hiroshima Port, where most of the Japanese naval forces were crowded, had been attacked, and Matsumoto Kanyo no longer even sighed in front of the sad news. He didn''t want to be surprised by this anymore. He didn''t deny the reality."Did you figure out who attacked?"Instead, he just wanted to know the identity of those who were pulling this nonsense. But his little desire was not fulfilled, either."Well, it was attacked by monsters.""Monsters?""The monsters came suddenly. It seems that someone intentionally lured the monsters near Hiroshima."The moment he heard the story that it was attacked by the monsters, Matsumoto Kanyo''s thoughts virtually stopped.''We were fooled completely.''At the same time, he realized that he could no longer serve as a commander.''This is the worst.'' He could see that this moment when he could not act as a commander was the worst situation."Captain Matsumoto, the Lord has come to his senses.""Really? What about his condition?""All the practitioners are responding to treatment, and their physical wounds are likely to be treated soon, and there seems to be no major mental problems or abnormalities."For the first time, he saw hope in the worst."Good." Kano Matsumoto was delighted. His expression, which was so clear, was evidence that he saw hope. However, it was also the evidence that Matsumoto Kanyo did not know yet what the worst was."Yes, as long as the lord is alive, there will be some chance. There is no place to fall any further, so there is nothing left to climb."The worst he could expect... was not the worst.2."Hiroshima team has succeeded in its operation."Kim Tae-hoon received the report, nodded, and drew an X on Hiroshima City, on the map of Japan that was unfolded in front of him. The map of the Japanese archipelago was now full of X marks. "With this operation, we have succeeded in temporarily neutralizing more than seventy percent of the major facilities in Japan."It was evidence that Kim Tae-hoon, and the first Special Operation Unit that had landed on the Japanese archipelago at risk of their lives, had completed their mission perfectly. So, everyone with Kim Tae-hoon was looking at the map with a good feeling.''We did it.''''We really did it!''''We have virtually neutralized Japan with less than a thousand men! We won the war!''If they did not cheer up at once, their big hearts would burst out. However, Kim did not give them the opportunity to cheer. On the contrary, he looked at the crowd with his cold sunken eyes."Don''t relax."This was the enemy camp. And although they had been neutralized many of their opponent''s forces and facilities, the difference in power in the Japanese archipelago was still devastating to the extent that they felt shameful using the words ''numerical inferiority''. "This is just the end of the second phase."Also, Kim knew well that there was no eternal victory in war.''If we win a war, that''s all. The loser will start a new war when the winner is careless. History proves that.''"There is still the third phase left."Above all, it was not over yet. He had certainly gained a lot, and he had acquired a great deal of valuable relics, including the dead body of the Eight-tailed Fox, and had also hit Japan with a fatal level of damage. But there was something very important that has not been done yet."I say again, I will not let you lower your guard or relax until the leader of our enemy is dead."Musashi, the head of the Japanese Empire, was not dead yet. And that was what Kim had intended.''War never ends until a period is reached that everyone can understand.''If he wanted to kill Musashi in the confusion, he could have done so easily. There was nothing hard about it.''The Kusanagi basically consumes the Energy of the owner at a tremendous speed when it is drawn. Energy is the source of life, and of course, the moment he uses the Kusanagi, his body will have a great decrease in resistance to external attacks.''In such a situation, being attacked unexpectedly by the Eight-tailed Fox was like being shot without a bulletproof vest. It would not have been difficult to get rid of Musashi, who was in such a defenseless state, even though it would have required some hard work for Kim Tae-hoon.But Kim did not.''Musashi fits for the end of this war.''The risk was much greater than the merits of killing Musashi there.''It is always so. People hate defeat, and if they are defeated, they want to make excuses for the defeat somehow. Killing Musashi obviously stamps the stigma of a loser on Japan, but it also gives the most perfect excuse to them.''''Japan will not accept it as a legitimate defeat. The death of Musashi would not be a legitimate death, but the dirty work of Kim Tae-hoon.''Even though Musashi might have died there, they would never have put all their weapons down and lifted the white flag above their heads.''If Japan is the opponent, we need a more definite end.''What was Japan like? In World War II, Japan, which had nothing left because of its defeat, did not give up the war. They were crying out, "Fighting Spirit, Fortune, Divine Wind!" and just saying that they would die as a suicide squad, if they were supposed to die. In the end, it was a country with a madness that could not be understood by rational thinking and reason.''We need a finish like Little Boy.''It was two nuclear bombs falling on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that broke their madness.It was not any different this time. In a world where common sense and its value collapsed due to the emergence of monsters, a world where they could not survive without madness, a definite finish would be needed to end the war.Of course, there was a big reason for making this choice. Kim glanced at the back of his right hand.=======[Basic Abilities]- Strength: 770- Health: 781[Special Abilities]- Energy: A- Rank- Mana: B+ Rank- Telekinesis: S- Rank- Defense: A- Rank- Mana Resistance: B+ Rank[Achieved Abilities]-Telekinetic Beads (Grade 2): The power of the Eight-tailed Fox can make Telekinetic Beads, to which any ability of the maker can be applied.======''Musashi is no longer even an opponent to me. There is no possibility that Musashi, who has lost his Kusanagi, will win against me. Even if Musashi makes himself Kamikaze right now, he can not be the opponent of me.''That was why he had made the choice to let Musashi go.''The winner of this game is already decided, and the important thing is to get as much as possible from the planned victory. It is like trying to get more territory in the game of Go.''''We must prepare for war with China, beyond North Korea, with what we will get here as a foundation.''''What we get from Japan will be an important foundation for the future war.''Furthermore, Kim Tae-hoon did not want to go to war with Japan behind his back, a country that had never been a true ally in the history of the Korean Peninsula.''I will get everything I can get from Japan thoroughly, terribly, and desperately.''"Send a war declaration to Kitakyushu City tomorrow morning."The starting point for it was a declaration of war to be sent soon."We start the third phase."The moment the order was given, his men did not look any more expectant. They used his words as needles to burst their swollen hearts, and instead, had a determined eye. At the same time, they had faith! ''Yes, we have the master.''''All we have to do is follow the master. It''s not our job to be happy and sad.''Then a new man came into the room. "The Okjo has arrived!"A bird made of jade, carefully held by his subordinate with both hands, jumped over to Kim Tae-hoon''s shoulder."I will report about the current situation."From the mouth of such a jade bird, along with the voice of Jang Sung-hoon, the report on the current situation in Korea flowed out without hesitation. Some details were important, and some seemed to have little meaning."Therefore, there seems to be nothing impossible now."The same was true of this phrase. When this phrase came out, no one thought it was a word with a special meaning.Only one, Kim Tae-hoon, grasped the meaning of the phrase. ''The Golden Glass is full.''"Hoo¡­" At that moment, a long sigh came out of his mouth.3.Jang Sung-hoon was always pleasant. He was a friendly man. He was young, he had lived a life that would not normally be experienced by young people, and he did not lose himself in such days. However, he did not feel good at this moment. Sitting in a chair with a table in front of him, he was holding his face in his hands."Uh-hoo." Through the palms of his hand, a sigh, which those who heard seemed to droop his shoulders, came out. On the desk in front of him, Napoleon''s Golden Glass was dangling a red liquid of promise before his eyes. Standing beside the Golden Glass, an Okjo was looking at the Glass and cocking its head."Uh-hoo." Once again, with a sigh, he looked at the Okjo, releasing his hand from his face. Then he remembered what the Okjo had said.''The boss said that I have to drink it!'' It was he who had to drink Napoleon''s Golden Glass on behalf of the boss.''Boss.'' The Okjo had spoken in the voice of Kim Tae-hoon, not just anyone. And the words were not the end.''It''s been a long time since I heard the word, "please", from the boss.''Kim had added, "I beg you to do it, please." He had also added, "Of course, I will not force you to do it."However, Jang Sung-hoon did not listen to the words afterwards. At the word ''please'' from Kim Tae-hoon, he was ready to give his life. In other words, he had no fear of drinking Napoleon''s Golden Glass. There was no reason to be afraid.''I have often wondered how I will die.''''It''s a dream in the first place. It is not a real death, but an opportunity to avoid death by experiencing it. It is a golden chance.''''But can I drink this?''That was the reason for the worry.''Can I do it like the boss?''''The moment of death which can be seen by Napoleon''s Golden Glass is fragmentary, and it is extremely difficult to get an opportunity to avoid the death in that fragmentary situation.''''Since it was Kim Tae-hoon, he has been able to go to the next stage on the basis of his death. If it had been for others, they would have urged their death on rather than going beyond.''''A bloke like me?''Jang was a person belonging to the "others" mentioned above.Jang couldn''t help it. He was not an Awakener, nor was he a great strategist, nor was he a leader who was willing to risk his life for what was just. He was just a young man with a good artistic eye. He was not just the second man of the Mac Guild, but a brother who stuck to Kim Tae-hoon. He was that kind of man. Well, could he get something to control the fate of the world in the fragmentary situation ahead of his death?"Oh, God, really..." Finally, his feelings were vomited out through Jang''s mouth. At this moment, he no longer considered his feelings. He would never drink it that way. Instead, he tried to do what he could do better than anyone else. He measured Kim Tae-hoon''s feelings. He imagined how Kim felt and how Kim thought about asking him for this.''The reason why the boss wants me to drink this is that the boss wants to see the world after his death. In other words¡­ the boss is not sure he''s going to live too long.''Jang picked up Napoleon''s Golden Glass as if he had finished his determination. Then he prayed to God, ''Let me live as a landlord in Gangnam, Seoul, in my future life.''With an unworkable wish, he drank the liquid in Napoleon''s Golden Glass, all in one go. At the same time, he started to dream about the world after Kim''s death.

 115 Episode 115 - The World After Death, Part II

    Chapter 40. The World After Death, Part IITranslator: KhanEditor: RED 4. Taang! With a clean shot, a middle-aged man grabbed his chest and backed away. The man''s back steps were immediately blocked by a gray wall, and the man fell back against the wall and began to slip to the floor.Flop! Blood began to gurgle out of the chest of the man that had fallen on the floor. No matter how much he tried to force himself to stop it with his own hands, he could not stop the blood that had burst out.The man realized then, "¡­ Now I see how it feels to see red HP decrease in a game."At the words of the middle-aged man, the man who had aimed his gun at him, put the gun down on the floor.The murderer and the victim.It had now become such a relationship, but there has been no vicious atmosphere between the two. On the contrary, the man who was shot had a bitter smile on his face, and the gunman was shivering. It was not a tremor of anger. It was a tremor caused by an overwhelming feeling, such as regret and confusion. The trembling young man seemed to be out of his mind. So, it was the man who was shot that said first. "You shouldn''t have done it, if you shoot and regret it." "But, but¡­""I''m not hit on my heart, so I can talk to you a while, so why did you kill me, who was forty years old and could not even get married?""I, I heard. We¡­ we ruined the world like this.""I''ve heard that because of the Mac Guild, the world has become like this and monsters have come to dominate the world, and that if it had not been for the Six Snakes, mankind would have been destroyed?"The man who was spitting out the words, Jang Sung-hoon, breathed a long sigh at the words.A long sighing cough was accompanied by red blood. Jang''s vision also turned blurry, as if the lights were out before the movie started in the movie theater."¡­ Boss has been dead for over fifteen years. Jun-hyuk, you''ve never seen him before?""The first hunter...""He was the first and strongest hunter, and he was the one who created the Hunter system and the guild system, and he was the first person who had killed a dragon.""But he¡­ the Mayan Calendar¡ª""He destroyed the Mayan Calendar, and he lost the chance to turn all this around, to stop the monsters from appearing?""Surely, surely I heard that."Jang smiled lightly at the young man''s objection. "It''s a lie, but¡­ I''m telling you clearly. If the Mayan Calendar was destroyed or not, if the boss was alive¡­ At this moment we could have been hunters hunting monsters, not saving lives from monsters."The young man shook his head in disbelief. "That''s, that''s ridiculous! Then, why did he die?""Look¡­ He fought against the Emperor of the Orcs.""The Emperor of the Orcs was definitely killed by a nuclear weapon-""We fired nuclear weapons, but the Emperor of the Orcs survived. It became a radioactive monster in the world, trying to cover the world with radiation. It was a funny nightmare. Who knew that mankind was going to pay for radiation that way." Jang, who was spitting out his words, coughed again. Blood was pouring out, but it was not severe. He secretly guessed his body condition."¡­ I could talk more, but anyway, someone had to kill it, and the boss went out.""So he died of radiation?""No, the boss was already dying at that time." Jang, who was spitting out his words, sighed again. "It was a price because he had eaten so much, a very strong force, and the boss was willing to fight because he was dying.""Yes?""So someone would see the world after his death, and he thought it would be an opportunity.""What? What...""Haha! Khuck!" Jang, who was spitting his words, threw up more blood. The amount of blood that he was spitting out was enormous, as if the composure that came after the cough was the calm before the storm. "Now the real death is before me." So, he was able to feel that his death was coming. "I think this is the right time." The time has come to spit out the last words. "The Manpasikjeok can only calm down the Curse of the Dragon, but the boss will continue to decline. So to survive, he has to eat the immortal Wolf Chernobog in Russia. The only answer is to get the power of immortality. Bogatri''s Great Sword will make it possible.""What, what?"Jang smiled at the surprised man, and said, "This is my message to send to myself."5.- I finish my report. Oh, shit. What a funny! I did not get married even when I was forty years old. I was the same as a eunuch. Wait, wait! Take the words out! Delete the words! Damn it, how do I delete this?-In front of the voice of the Okjo, which was constantly talking, Kim Tae-hoon started to drip coffee down once again into an empty coffee cup. The room, which was already full with coffee odors, began to fill with the heavy aroma of coffee once again.He did not have to drink coffee, just with the coffee fragrance alone.However, he had coffee again, as if that was not enough after he had already had a lot of coffee. In that state, he closed his eyes.''If I say this is the afterlife, it is the afterlife.''He drew a picture of the world after his death in his mind. ''The monsters are still everywhere.''After Kim died, it was the Six Snakes that brought order after such monsters, and the world was still overflowing with monsters. The world was dominated by the Six Snakes, and the Mac Guild was the only resistance to those Six Snakes, and I became¡­ the worst villain on the Earth, who had led the world to its end.In the situation where they set the new order, the Six Snakes began to erase the history of the Mac Guild, and to paint over the colors where they had been erased.''After all, Jang Sung-hoon, who led the Mac Guild to the end, was shot by a subordinate who had fallen to the temptation of the Six Snakes.''The peak was Jang''s death. His closest aide was tempted the Six Snakes, and a single shot became his end. Just before his death, he left a clue about how Kim Tae-hoon could survive.''Chernobog and Bogatri''s Great Sword, I think we need to investigate.''When Kim finished thinking, he opened his eyes. There was no nervousness or shaking in his eyes.''Not bad.''If he said that there was no agitation, it would be a lie. But the situation was not complicated enough to shake him long. The situation was rather simple.''Nothing is complicated.''There was no need to doubt someone new, and what to do right now was also clear. Furthermore, the distinction of the enemy was clear, and the clues were overflowing.''There was no loss at all.''Most of all, the most faithful thing was that Jang Sung-hoon followed Kim Tae-hoon until the very end.''I think I''ve earned more than ever.''''The fact that there is a man who will work hard for me in the world after my death, means that I have already acquired thousands of troops and horses. Why should there be anguish and distress in such a situation?''''Thanks to this, I don''t need to change my plans now.''Kim smiled lightly and rose up from his seat after the last coffee.When Kim moved on, left his room, and entered the new room, all the people in the room got up and started saluting.Kim asked them, "What''s the answer to the declaration of war?""None yet." "Did the other party confirm the declaration of war?""I don''t know.""Then send it again.""Yes."A declaration of war. It was a letter of war, literally, and the contents of it were equally simple."And on October 31, as scheduled, we attack Tokyo." On October 31, 2017, Korea would launch a national offensive against Tokyo, Japan. It was a basic courtesy that the nations had to fight a war. It was also the last courtesy to be used."Everyone in Tokyo is an enemy unless Japan surrenders unconditionally."''There is no more courtesy after this. There is only inhumane and more irrational violence than anywhere else.''But there was no new resolution to that."We will keep in mind."It was Japan that had pointed the gun at Korea and pulled the trigger first. If their opponent ignored the declaration of war in a situation with justification and courtesy, then they believed they didn''t need to respond. All they needed would be anger."Then deliver it to everyone." At the words, the people in the room moved briskly.Someone rushed into the room. "Master, this is their reply."Kim read the letter in a loud voice that his subordinate had handed him immediately."They want a summit match.""Yes?" The men reacted in surprise.Kim explained at the surprise response. "It''s not a notice of a war between nations, but a duel notice that says Musashi and I will bring an end to this with our bare hands.""Fighting unarmed?""No way!"There was a violent reaction. It was a natural response to this funny situation, where they had sent a declaration of war and been answered with a duel, they even suggested unarmed combat? It would be better to put a head full of blood in the hungry tiger''s mouth.However, instead of answering the reaction of his men, Kim took out the letter he had already written in his pocket and handed it to his subordinate. Then he said to his man, who looked puzzled."It''s a reply, send it."6.There was a letter in the hand of Matsumoto Kanyo. It was a declaration of war from Korea: Korea would attack Tokyo on October 31, and that the only way to avoid war was the unconditional surrender of Japan.It was plain in many ways, and the use of the words and sentences in Japanese was also flawless. Even a young child could understand the contents of this declaration of war.''It''s the worst.'' It was the worst, since Matsumoto Kanyo could easily predict what Musashi would answer when he saw the contents of this letter."Captain Matsumoto, the Lord calls for you."And now it was time to check on his predictions. Matsumoto gave a long sigh as he realized, ''It was not the heavens that saved the lord. He, the monster of Joseon, deliberately saved the lord.''He really recognized what the worst thing was. "It''s a war."Musashi was fine. There was no sign that he nearly died a few days ago. The secret was the bottles with the long snouts beside him. They were filled with Waters of Therapy to the brim.The first secret was to drink the healing water made by the power of the relics, and the second secret was to fill up the powerful recovery items obtained by killing the monsters. The last secret was the anger he had now."I saw the letter. Kim Tae-hoon declared war on us. There will be no surrender."Musashi, who had everything away by Kim Tae-hoon, could no longer afford to see anything else. Now there was only a life to kill Kim Tae-hoon. That was why Musashi was more energetic than ever. ''As the racehorse runs toward the finish line, it is the fastest and most energetic.'' Of course, Matsumoto Kanyo had no power to stop such a Musashi. And there was no reason to stop it. "Lord, suggest a duel, not a war." He just turned the direction."Duel?""This is war, but the times have changed. We don''t have to use bullets. I think it''s right to end with a summit match.""Do you want me to fight him alone?""Yes.""Why should I?" Musashi''s expression was cold."Because I have no doubt of your victory." Matsumoto Kanyo answered him calmly, and the answer relaxed the hard expression of Musashi."Yes, it is you who understands my heart and will, and you are right.""However, what''s bothering me is that the Kusanagi is in his hands...""It doesn''t matter, because the Kusanagi is like a double-edged sword. The moment he lifts the Kusanagi, it will be the moment he dies, and he won''t use the Kusanagi against me, either.""But just in case, you have to ask for a duel of empty hands.""Is it because I lost the Kusanagi?""It''s a fight that will decide the fate of a country, and it''s not good to have something to argue about.""What if he avoids the duel?""No one is afraid of a dog with its tail down. By the way, no matter how much they prepare for it, it is not enough against Tokyo. In Tokyo is our entire power. He may have provoked this with that in mind, and he is thinking of a duel, not a war.""Kim Tae-hoon, does he have the confidence to win against me?""It seems that he has the capacity and ability.""Of course, you''re right," Musashi nodded and gave him a quick glance. Matsumoto Kanyo nodded in his eyes."Then I''ll prepare a duel notice.""Show me when you''re done. I''ll sign it myself.""Yes."Matsumoto Khan, who came out like that, immediately painted a picture in his mind.''If he accepts the duel, we will use the lord as bait and put in all our power and take Kim Tae-hoon down.''Matsumoto Kanyo had no intention of having a legitimate duel.''If it makes the lord angry, that''s all.''Rather, he was trying to kill Kim Tae-hoon by putting all the power into the fight using the opportunity of the duel. He didn''t mind if it became a disgrace and shame in the history books.''History is written by the winner, anyway. When Kim Tae-hoon dies, Korea loses all the cards it has.''As Matsumoto Kanyo thought, history would be written around the victorious. ''If we win, the shame of the day will remain a very clever and great tactic, an operation and deception, not a disgrace.''So, at this moment, Matsumoto Kanyo had to worry about only one thing: to assess Kim Tae-hoon, who would be caught in the trap.''It is important to measure his strength. We have to think that Kim is as strong as the Eight-tailed Fox.''At this moment, Matsumoto Kanyo began to worry about Kim Tae-hoon being at the same grade as the Eight-tailed Fox. A reply came in while Matsumoto Kanyo was worried about it.[Acceptance of the Duel; the place is the Asagiri Jamboree Golf Club, east of Mt. Fuji]

 116 Episode 116 - The World After Death, Part III

    Chapter 40. The World After Death, Part IIITranslator: KhanEditor: RED 8. Asagiri Jamboree Golf Club...''It is a golf course located on the east side of Mt. Fuji, the Divine Mountain of Japan, and it has many advantages. Famously, it is one of the few golf courses where someone can see his own ball flying toward the top of Mt. Fuji. It is also a place where many golfers want to play a round once.''Of course, all of this was before 2017. As it entered the fall of 2017, it was not possible to find an image of a golf course anywhere in the Asagiri Jamboree Golf Club. The lawns, which had always been neatly trimmed, were dead, and the place was occupied by swathes of hearty weeds, and the landscaped trees were now showing a wildness belying the hands of man.The finishing stroke was taken by two guests who had visited this golf course about a year ago. Kim Tae-hoon appeared in the black military uniform of the special forces, and Musashi was wearing a colorful kimono. There was no room for the words ''golf course'' to intervene in the presence of those two."Kim Tae-hoon."They were facing each other, ten meters away."I heard you speak Japanese."It was a distance where they only needed to raise their voices a little to talk to each other."So I''ll speak Japanese." The voice spitting out the words was loud, and the emotions in the voice were also strong and explicit. He was angry, wary at the same time, and yet confident on the other hand."You touched something you shouldn''t have touched." On the contrary, there was no sign of fear."Now, you will pay for it. Starting with your death, everything will be ravaged. Everything you want to protect and everything on the Korean Peninsula will be wiped out. I promise!"However, the words of Musashi, which were blocked by nothing, did not continue. "Why don''t you speak?"Kim kept silent! It was not so good to see Musashi talking to Kim, who was not answering.Kim finally answered at the question of Musashi. "Ten seconds. I''ll attack in ten seconds. This is the last of my courtesy." After finishing his speech, he shouted "TEN!" in Japanese. Then, he began to lower the number in turn.''How dare you¡­!'' Musashi''s face was firm. It was the first time he had ever been ignored since he had become an Awakener after the monsters appeared. He had never been ignored, even by monsters. He was always a threat to monsters. It would be strange if he was not angry. But he did not leave himself in anger at this moment.''Yes, this is the end of your bluff.''The opponent in front of him was such a monster that he could not guarantee his victory. No matter how much they promised to fight without the help of any relics under the understanding, he was the monster of the monsters who ate a dark blue-grade monster stone.''I''m the one who will win.''Of course, Musashi could not guarantee victory, but he did not doubt his victory. He would be hurt, but there was no doubt that God would choose him in the end. He thought this moment was one of the great hardships and adversity that God gave him, and the page he had to go through before he moved on to a new chapter."¤¤¤Á."When Musashi was preparing for his decision, the moment the number 1 was spoken, the number made Musashi charge ahead like a Formula Racing car.''Jerk!'' He injected the power God had given him to his powerful body, his A Rank Energy. His body was an iron horse moving at a dead run. It became a monster that nothing could stop. It was at the level that just bumping into it was enough to crush someone. Even few monsters could avoid him physically.''Don''t ask for mercy!''There was nothing wrong with his action. His choice was right, his body and Energy synergized wonderfully. The only problem was one¡­ the man in front of him was Kim Tae-hoon.''Huck!'' His rush stopped. The chains of an enormously powerful Telekinesis had tied his whole body in a moment. He stopped and stiffened up.''Oh, no way!'' He struggled to tear away this oppressive power, but it was not easy. No, if he was given time, Musashi was confident of being able to shake off this power. But he didn''t have a long time. He needed just a second. He was confident that he would be able to shake off the chain if he was given about a second, frankly.On the other hand, a second was all the time Kim needed to kill Musashi, who had come too close to him.''Ah!'' Only then did Musashi actually see Kim Tae-hoon. ''It was all his aim,'' he thought, ''and the countdown was a trap¡­''Musashi could see the hair that had turned white, like the fur of the Eight-tailed Fox, and the eyes of the Fox that reminded him of it, and the image of Kim''s black fist coming at him.Ppaak! And that was the last thing he saw.9.Kim Tae-hoon and Musashi promised three things ahead of the battle.One, only two fight.Two, they don''t get the help of relics.Three, defeat is accepted as a defeat of the nation.The reason why the wide golf course became the stage of the duel was due to the first promise.''If they see something, if a lot of power moves, there are not many stages where they can notice it.'' Of course, this promise had a blind spot. For the Iga ninjas who could hide themselves in the shadows, it was not difficult to hide in the golf course and approach them without being seen by the target, with the power of the relics. Matsumoto Kanyo secretly called the ninjas and ordered them, "When the Lord and Kim Tae-hoon attack together, when the battle begins, and when the gap is seen, all of you attack Kim Tae-hoon. Don''t worry about the Lord''s anger. Kill Kim Tae-hoon with enough determination to crush your own bones."It wasn''t over there. Since then, the disciplined ninjas began training with a number of scenarios in mind. They made a manual for all situations.''Huh?''''What?''But there was no such thing in their manual, after the battle began, a single punch shattered the sun they were supposed to protect and serve. It was a shock that didn''t even allow for embarrassment.And that was what Kim Tae-hoon aimed for. He had already anticipated that there was no reason for Musashi to come alone, and there was already ninjas everywhere. So, he intentionally provoked Musashi to end the duel in one punch.He knew that if the battle against him was prolonged, it would be dangerous for himself. Of course, having achieved what he wanted, he moved on to the next step.A ring of flame began to hover around his body.Anger Soaring! The skill that had already worked against the ninjas hidden in the shadows once again appeared.The explosion that burst out with thunder and fire blew away the ninjas as they were quietly breathing around him."Aaaaaaargh!""Khuck!"Screams began to rage all over the place. But even those screams didn''t last long.Kim, whose hair had turned white, lifted his palms and showed a lump of basketball-sized bundle of translucent spheres.They were Telekinetic Beads.The beads were the power achieved after, eating the crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox. He gave his power to the Telekinetic Beads that he created.''I did not expect that the power of Ghost Turtle is used like this!''As he injected the power of the Ghost Turtle, the Devil Shield, into it, the shape of the Telekinetic Beads changed to the devil face on the back of the Ghost Turtle."Ugh¡­""Huck!"The Devil Shield that terrorized everything it faced made them mannequins as those who survived in the explosion regained consciousness, and attempted to attack him. The battlefield began to tingle with fear. Kim moved in the fear.10.A man was walking on the golf course, now reddish with blood. The man was Matsumoto Khan, who had to lead the battlefield from a safe distance. But now he was on the battlefield himself. There was only one reason: to declare surrender.''It was my misjudgment. I dared to misjudge the monster Kim Tae-hoon, and I ruined everything.''''I have to surrender unconditionally.'' It was an inevitable choice.''The result of a war of attrition is destruction.''Japan has lost Musashi. He was hope. He was the sun that rose in Japan, and he was the only sun. His sun could brighten the nightmare world dominated by the two dark blue-grade monsters still in Hokkaido, and a monster called the King of the Sea ranging the East Sea. But now there was no Musashi. There was no way to stop one of the monsters of Hokkaido coming down to Tokyo right now. That was the first reason for surrendering. "I will surrender unconditionally, and I will hand over all the rights of the Japanese Empire to Korea.""I will also humbly accept any punishment for this." And the second reason for surrender was to plan the following. ''I will give you everything. I will dedicate you everything. I will plan the following in return.''''There is nothing perfect in this world, nothing eternal. The same is true of defeat. There is no perfect defeat, no eternal obedience.''''I''ll bow my head right now, but one day I''ll look up and see the sun again.''There was no way that Japan could not do that. Joseon was independent only until the Japanese colonial period. At least that was what Matsumoto Kanyo thought. So, he came here to survive, and then he knelt down to make life somehow in exchange for the unspeakable humiliation, and to get Kim Tae-hoon''s sympathy and mercy by showing the most depressing appearance that could be shown."Please accept our surrender." Matsumoto Kanyo''s attempts and thoughts were not wrong."If you survive, you can do anything." The only problem was that the man in front of him was Kim Tae-hoon."Betrayal, revenge, retaliation, reversal¡­ those are the things you can do when you are alive. Nothing is possible if you die."Kim Tae-hoon blackened his fist with his words. "Matsumoto Kanyo, so will you. If you want to survive, you''ll do anything, and wait for a crack."Matsumoto Kanyo shouted with some embarrassed eyes at the words. "Show me mercy! If you do not, you will be criticized internationally!" In such a situation, Matsumoto Kanyo made his last vocalization."An international criticism?""Yes, yes! In this way, the world will think of you as an enemy! Will you turn the world against you?"At the last words, Kim punched with his fist instead of answering. Ppaak! A horrifying sound rang through the world.11.Kim knew the fact better than anyone else about what the group that the collapsed command team would face later. He had to know because it was the main mission he did during his military days to remove the head of a group, the leading members, and the command structure.''Surprisingly, the time for confusion when the command collapses is not very long, because they are human beings. When the head at the top is cut off, those who are below him start their own judgment. Now they start tapping the calculator without reading the countenances of their superiors.''''The confusion comes when the thoughts and judgments from a lot of heads are set to a controversy. In other words, the time they knock on the calculator is a golden time that can calm the confusion.''"Hiyoshi, the Kyushu branch manager, I will now appoint him as governor of the Japanese Government-General."Kim had no intention of missing the golden time. At the same time, he knew who should be his agent at this moment."You mean the Kyushu branch manager, Hiyoshi?""Yes."Kim Tae-hoon was planning to put Hiyoshi as the new head in Japan when its old head disappeared."Can I ask you why?"''It is hard to understand, of course. The Kyushu branch manager Hiyoshi is not a man close to Korea, nor is he a man of respect and courtesy to Korea. He is not a faithful, loyal man. Rather, he is a man who is willing to give the profit of the organization to a dog for his own benefit. Is not that the reason why Kim Tae-hoon and his men were able to enter Japan without blood?''"He''s already a traitor." It was the basis for setting him up as a head of Japan. "If I give him power, there will be a group of rebels against him and then he will want to crush them to live, because he is greedy. He''ll fight to keep what''s in his hands.""But he''s Japanese...""As we remember Ye Wanyong the traitor, who we should have killed more than Ito Hirobumi, most grudges will turn to him if Hiyoshi becomes the head."The men nodded at the explanation of Kim, who was so reasonable. At the same time, the men had their last question. "Hiyoshi, will he accept this offer?"Kim answered the question calmly. "Do you think he''ll choose to kill himself?"There were no more questions at the answer. In addition, Kim no longer filled his mind with worries about Japan.''Now, the Six Snakes won''t be still.''As long as Japan had been attacked and had fallen, the Six Snakes would not let this fact go. So, Kim was worried.''What would I do if I were the Six Snakes? What will be the next step the Six Snakes take?''At that moment, Kim''s gaze turned in the opposite direction of Mt. Fuji, where the largest island of the Republic of Korea was located.''They''ll use that method.''After finishing his thought, Kim turned his head north.''Then I''d better clean up North Korea first.''12.It was a more luxurious room than anywhere else, a room filled with brilliant relics, powerful and unbelievable relics that emitted light on their own.There was a young man, with a magnifying glass, staring at a globe. Then the man began to write something down on a sheet of paper, as if he had found something over the magnifying glass.A woman entered the room where the man was. "Mr. Mao."As soon as she appeared, the man, who was still looking at the globe with a magnifying glass, said to the woman, who had knelt on the floor and bowed her head, "Tell me briefly.""Musashi has died."At that, the young man, Mao, turned his head and looked at the woman. "Send an Okjo to Major Chinshan, who entered North Korea.""What''s the contents to be sent?""We must withdraw the troops. What does it mean to hit Korea right now, when Japan is down?""Then what about Japan..."Mao paused and began to worry at the question of the woman. The woman spoke to him cautiously. "If Japan''s military and South Korea''s military forces are combined¡­ it will not be easy to put pressure with military action. If you want to do so, you have to lead a lot of troops, and it will be easier to become a monster''s target.""I suppose so.""And the assassination of Kim Tae-hoon...""It''s not possible. According to the information of Major General Lee Ki-soo, he''s the best assassin in the world, and we appreciate him being a hunter."Mao, who was speaking, smiled lightly as if something had come to his mind. "Then we just have to give the hunter a suitable, serious problem. Send some people to Jeju Island.""Yes?""I''ll see if Kim Tae-hoon can stand in front of a real dark blue monster.""It can''t be...""Wake up the dragon." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Readers, I will not be posting new chapters from tomorrow even though I''ve nearly finished translating the First Hunter. There''s some stuff going on behind the scenes at Qidian here, and I am going to wait for them to get resolved. It may be a few days before the story restarts... or never, if these things don''t get resolved. I thank you for your understanding, and I hope to get new chapters out to you as soon as possible!" - From Khan.

 117 Episode 117 - Pyongyang, Part I

    Chapter 41. Pyongyang, Part ITranslator: KhanEditor: RED1."Everyone, check your clothes again!""Yes!"Busan Port.Like a wall that had collapsed in a brutal attack of barbarians, the voices of the people were echoing for a long time in the place where container boxes collapsed by the monsters were scattered around like playing cards."Hey! Put your hat on right!""Yes!"At the heart of the activity were soldiers. They aligned in straight rows with strict discipline, each dressed in a neat military uniform that showed their belongings. The tightness of the strict discipline was so sharp that it seemed to cut their skin."Pay attention!"The person they would face from now on was a man who had no shortage of achievements compared to anyone in the history of the Republic of Korea, and even in the history of the Korean Peninsula."It''s the first time for us to meet the master who has conquered the archipelago! Don''t look distracted!""Yes!"Kim Tae-hoon was the man who took over the dark blue monster, the Eight-tailed Fox; who crushed Japan alone, when it claimed itself to be an empire and showed an unbelievably arrogant ambition toward the Korean Peninsula. Finally, after finishing the conquest of Japan, he would arrive at Busan Port with his spoils. He was the man who the soldiers gathered here now had to meet.It was a historic moment. In the future¡­ No, it was a moment that would be a legend tomorrow morning, not to mention in the future.Maybe it would be no wonder that today would be established as a national anniversary, in about ten years. So, it would be strange to be without strict discipline."They are in sight!"Soon, a ship showed its presence in Busan Port. The type of the ship was an Aegis Destroyer. It was the youngest of the Aegis ships owned by Ashigara and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces. It was a treasure that could not be exchanged with anything in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces. But the flag above the Aegis Destroyer was not the Rising Sun flag of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces.The Taegeukgi, the Korean flag, which could not be confused with the Rising Sun flag, was flapping on the top of the Aegis Destroyer''s mast, and indicated intensely and fiercely about who the owner of this ship was.''Oh, my God!''''Something more incredible than the monsters happened.''Gulp! Some of the people who checked it through the telescope first swallowed without knowing it.''He has really brought back warships¡­ Has there ever been anything like this done in the history of war?''An Aegis Destroyer.In truth, the utility of the Aegis in the present situation was definitely worse than before the monsters appeared. The best value of the Aegis was not only its combat capability of a simple battleship, but also the ability to respond after processing the information through a supercomputer, acquired through a high-performance radar system.It was clear that the value of the Aegis Destroyer was not the same in a world where radar didn''t work well. However, for that reason, no one deprecated the value of the Aegis ship approaching Busan Port. Bringing a battleship worth over a billion dollars in as spoils of victory was hard to find anywhere in the history of human war. ''That''s the beginning¡­''''Since all the warships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces have become ours¡­ how much is that?''Moreover, the Aegis ship that was now coming to Busan Port was just the beginning. In fact, all of Japan''s warships had become spoils of war, and their value was virtually beyond the level of money.Who would have expected the Republic of Korea to take these spoils from Japan?''Huck!'' Sitting on the Aegis was a monster''s body that chilled their spines.''The Eight-tailed Fox!'' ''Wow, he killed it by himself?''The dead body of the Eight-tailed Fox.Although it was cut off and bloodstained, the remains of the Eight-tailed Fox, who still had its charming white fur, were decked out, and those who identified it could no longer think straight."Ah¡­" They were blank, forgetting that they had to report the facts they had checked with a telescope in real time. As soon as the Aegis arrived at the port, the soldiers'' discipline reached their peak.''Here he is.''''I can finally see him!''Even the officers, who were watching for those who were disorganized in posture and uniform, were dumbed down. So, they waited for the appearance of the man who would mark the end of this historical moment.''Why isn''t he coming?''But the man they were waiting for did not appear. Rather, the man who got off the ship was the first person they saw. Even the man who got off the ship began to run in front of the soldiers, showing an urgent appearance. The man stood in front of Colonel Yang Jung-hoon, the conductor directing the scene at Busan Port."¡­ the master is not coming."Colonel Yang''s eyebrows wriggled when he heard that. "What do you mean? It was only a little earlier that I was told that the Master was on board."It was yesterday that he was informed that Kim Tae-hoon would come to Busan Port with his spoils, and of course, Colonel Yang prepared to welcome Kim with all his might. The soldiers had also prepared all the cameras for the historical scene, fearing it might not be recorded properly due to lack of historical records.But Kim Tae-hoon was not coming?"Didn''t he get on board?""Oh, no, I''m sure he was there a little while ago.""A little while ago? And now?""Well¡­"The talking soldier looked up at the sky. ''Ah.'' That was enough explanation. There was no one in Korea who did not know how Kim Tae-hoon appeared. Of course, Colonel Yang did not intend to finish the story there.''Let''s say he flew into the sky.'' "Where did he go, then? Didn''t he leave any words?"Where the hell had he gone?"No, he told me where he was going.""Where is it?"He replied with an expression that he who was speaking words even he could not believe. "Well, he is going to Pyongyang..."2.When the monsters appeared, Kim Tae-hoon thought, "We can be self-sufficient on the Korean Peninsula, but it is impossible to maintain military power through self-sufficiency. To survive, we must eventually take over North Korea and then advance to the continent."''In order to secure the future, not for our immediate survival, we must go through North Korea and to the continent.''This idea was not for just Kim Tae-hoon.There was another man who thought the same thing: Colonel Lim Hyun-joon. He, who had taken control of the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division and succeeded in winning the forefront power and Gangwon''s military forces sequentially, knew that he could never guarantee the future with having North Korea as it was above South Korea. So, he started preparing to advance to North Korea early on.He dispatched a search party to the border, as well as the Military Demarcation Line, to collect information, and worked to secure a route to advance to North Korea at any time.The work was accelerated when Kim Tae-hoon occupied the Capital Defense Command, in fact, and when the Republic of Korea began to function again and confirmed that the North Korean regime had collapsed.Under the command of the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division, the entry into North Korea began.Tututu! Tutututu!"Keep shooting!""Yes!""Don''t stop! Shoot without being seen! If the shots stop, the damn Goblins will come in flocks!"The advance to North Korea that started like that was not easy. Once, the route itself to North Korea was basically limited. It was not easy to get past the demilitarized zone right now.Passing through one of the densest minefields in the world was virtually the same as crossing a bridge between two cliffs. It was not easy to move armored power, and supply was not easy. It certainly proved true here."There seems to be no end to the damn monsters, no matter how many we killed.""I''ve never seen a North Korean before."North Korea was full of monsters. It was because no monster hunting had been done. This was a natural thing.It would be strange to expect the right preparations for an unprecedented disaster which no other country in the world had responded to, in a country with an abnormal dictatorship that did not control even its own people."Perhaps the demilitarized zone stopped the monsters from coming south, or we would have been no different than North Korea.""I agree."Moreover, the monsters in Manchuria, China and Russia also flocked to the Korean Peninsula. In the position of monsters who recognized humans as food, it was natural for monsters to follow survivors, and it was also natural for such monsters to be driven to the Korean Peninsula, where many people still survived.If the minefields in the demilitarized zone had not prevented the enormous number of monsters from stepping into South Korea, Korea would have become no different from North Korea, which was now a world of monsters.In other words, they could no longer rely on the protection of the demilitarized zone, as they stepped onto the North Korean land beyond it."When is backup coming?""Master Sergeant Kim, we are running low on ammunition."They could not expect protection, support, or supply."Mas, Master Sergeant Kim!""What''s going on?""Smoke! There''s smoke!""What color is it?""It''s green.""Goddamn it!"Of course, there was no such thing as freedom to avoid the fear and despair that would dare to challenge them."Hoo!"And they had no intention of avoiding this fear and despair."There is no backup, no ammunition left, and what are the chances of running away and surviving?""When we throw a coin, we''re going to get a chance of the coin standing.""Really?"If they had intended to avoid fear and despair in the first place, no one would have come here."How many stimulants do you have?""There is only one doping left.""Okay, let''s buy some time for others to run away."At the words of Master Sergeant Kim Se-hyung, all of his troops began to smile at the firm expression. It was not a pretentious smile. They smiled sincerely. The fact that they had to face death now only made them harder."I''m sorry, guys." Kim Se-hyung asked for forgiveness for such troops."It''s okay, you know that.""Well, it was good to survive. How many of the GOPs have survived and stepped on North Korea?"The troops were willing to forgive Kim Se-hyung. Finally, they were silent for a moment.Tututu! Everyone prepared for a worthy death among the scattered shots to check the crowd of Goblins. They took out a plastic wrapper that reminded them of candy. They took the edge of the sawtooth off by hand and peeled off the wrapping paper, and the pill hidden in it appeared.Arousal.It was made from a monster as a material, and it had the effect of raising resistance against monster fear for a time. It was not something easily made.It was virtually impossible to hold on against the fear of a green-grade monster. They just didn''t lose their temper. The moment they faced a green-grade monster, their whole body would shake, and at that time they would not even be able to pull the trigger of the gun, or even shake their legs.Gulp! But no one hesitated to swallow it. Everyone ate the stimulant at the same time. A yellowish aura began to circulate in their eyes."Hoo!" There were strong breaths everywhere. Their actions were not over yet. Everyone put their hands in their pockets again. They brought out something that reminded them of candy. No, it was candy. It was coffee-flavored candy.The brands were different, but all of them were coffee-flavored candy. Everyone took out the coffee flavored candy carefully, with a more serious look than when eating the stimulant, and they ripped the wrapping paper off and put it in their mouth. And they wished, ''Please, let us have luck. Please let our sacrifice be the basis for our colleagues, not the struggle. Please be a survivor and enjoy the sad luck of telling our child or grandchildren what we are doing today.''When everyone was so eager to speak, something fell from the sky. Thump! It fell like a lightning bolt, and without looking around, it approached Kim Se-hyung, who was the highest-ranked here, straight away. "Report the situation."Kim Se-hyung, who was chewing a candy, was so surprised by this sudden situation that he swallowed the candy.''Kuck!'' His esophagus and stomach screamed. Kim Se-hyung''s instincts also screamed. Of course, the scream of instinct was not a scream of pain."I am, Master Sergeant Kim Se-hyung of the 22nd Division, and I am reporting now. There is a green-grade monster ahead and we are working on buying time to help the troops retreat.""Did you take the stimulant?""All of us took it.""Then we''ll resume fighting.""Yes?"At the words, the men, who were making surprised expressions, stood up without knowing it.Kkiii! At the same time, the Goblins who had been after them began to rush toward them. Everyone turned their heads in surprise. Some of the quicker responses in the crowd immediately moved to point their rifles at the Goblins. But there were no gunshots.Thud! The thirty Goblins that were approaching began to fall on the dirty ground, with blood dripping through the holes in their heads.''Huh?''''What, what?''Kim Tae-hoon stepped forward to the scene.Keueoeoeo! At that time, a scream that could not be produced without a monster burst out from a place not far away.Keuaaa! There were two screams, not one, bursting out at the same time. The cry reminded everyone of what they had learned: the information that among the green-grade monsters, the Twin-headed Ogre was the most powerful!''T, Twin-headed Ogre!''''The green-grade monster is Twin-headed Ogre!''''Ah!''They remembered the story of the hunter who had first killed the Twin-headed Ogre. So, in front of it, Kim Se-hyung and his troops smiled instead of crying.Kim Tae-hoon also smiled gruffly. ''If I stay this way, I will be fooled by the tricks of the Six Snakes.''Kim Tae-hoon was convinced that the Six Snakes would not stay still. He knew that they would use all means and methods to destroy him and the Republic of Korea. Of course, he was going to stop their work.''Being hit is not in my personal history.''Of course, he didn''t want to be satisfied with the blockade. No, Kim Tae-hoon was not such a man in the first place. He was a man whose job had been to destroy impregnable fortresses and to destroy the elements of hostile groups.The essence now was no different. The best defense was an attack, and Kim was willing to carry out the needs of the war. He would be beaten, but would pay back as much as he had taken, and would further infringe their territory so that they would not even think of doing it again.''We take over North Korea and then we go to the continent.'' North Korea was a bridgehead for it, and that was the reason why Kim crossed the Military Demarcation Line without wasting time at the parade of Busan Port. Of course, there was no time to waste against a Twin-headed Ogre.Kim turned toward the direction of the Twin-headed Ogre. "We will take Sariwon today, and cross the Daedong River tomorrow."At those words, Kim Se-hyung and his troops shouted with all their might, "Yes!"

 118 Episode 118 - Pyongyang, Part II

    Chapter 41. Pyongyang, Part IITranslator: KhanEditor: RED 3. The Kaesong Industrial Complex...It was the only place where landmines had been removed between Korea and North Korea. Of course, the South Korean army was supporting all soldiers and hunters working in North Korea, using the Kaesong Industrial Complex as a base for the occupation of North Korea."A green-grade monster appeared in Seoheung County, and many victims were reported. I think we need some support.""Yonan County has requested assistance. It''s an urgent request.""Geumcheon County has also requested for assistance."It was also a place where all the sad news in North Korea was gathered.''Damn it.'' Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, who was in charge of this Kaesong Advance Base, clenched his teeth tightly in front of the repeated sad news.''It is not even Pyongyang... it is so hard to reach Sariwon, which is just on the way to Pyongyang.''Colonel Lim Hyun-joon.He was only a colonel, but in fact, he was the commander of the Korean army. He seemed to be the person who was in charge of the Advance Base of the Kaesong Industrial Complex.But the reason why he stayed himself at the Kaesong Advance Base and took the risk was simple. ''We must build defense lines in North Korea as soon as possible, and at least secure supply routes over Pyongyang, if not the Yalu River.''The fate of South Korea was at stake in occupying the land of North Korea.''The minefields in the DMZ stop the monsters from coming down to the south, but if we fail to move up, we''re virtually isolated¡­ if we are isolated, we will die.''That was a good reason. It would be strange for a soldier, whose duty was to protect the fate of the nation, and carry out missions with the fate of the nation at stake, to not do all he could.Moreover, Colonel Lim knew the army better than anyone else. ''The army is an organization, as the highest must put to practice and the subordinates do their best. In other words, if the superiors spare themselves, no army can exert its ability.''''Damn it.'' So it was more problematic. Although Col. Lim Hyun-joon, who was now the Chief Commander of the Korean military, became the general manager of the Kaesong Advance Base, the situation showed no sign of improvement, even though his men were exerting more than 120 percent of their power. The wall before them was still solid when they could no longer squeeze more power out. ''The number of monsters coming to the South recently increased. In the worst case¡­ there is a possibility that the forces of China and Russia are coming to the south for the occupation of the Korean Peninsula.''The recent increase in the number of monsters southward had been shaking Colonel Lim''s spirits. Because of that, Colonel Lim''s expression was solid. "It''s an urgent report!" A man rushed into the operating room. "We succeeded in killing the green-grade monster near the Pyongyang Gaeseong Expressway, which is located on the way to Sariwon City!" ''Oh, my God! Is it true?'' At the voice of the man who conveyed the good news, the faces of the crowd who had only heard sad news glowed. Colonel Lim was also the same. "The green-grade monster?" "Yes! The monster they killed¡­" Once again, the man who answered in a loud voice read the note in his hand, which had been written by a bad writer. "Twin-headed Ogre." Twin-headed ogre! ''What?'' ''Wait, wait!'' The expressions of the crowd were more doubtful than joyous when he said that they had hunted a monster like a nightmare, beyond their power. Colonel Lim was also the same. ''Twin-headed Ogre! How did they kill it?''''It is very difficult to kill a Twin-headed Ogre. In order to hunt it, a large number of the Armored Hunting Unit must be put in, and even that is not easy.''In the past, the Armored Hunting Unit succeeded in hunting the Golden Horn Spider, but it was thanks to the tendency of the Golden Horn Spider to work in its own domain. Thanks to its tendency, they were able to build a siege network around Jirisan safely, and after that, they could kill it because it was hit hard by the salvo bombing.''The activity radius of the type of monster that actively wanders is unreachable, such as the Twin-headed Ogre, and it is the most difficult type for the Armored Hunting Unit to deal with.''But they hunted it."Which unit?" Colonel Lim asked on behalf of all who had doubts, and the subordinate immediately read the note in his hand."The 22nd Division''s Master Sergeant Kim Se-hyung and his platoon¡­ no, Kim Tae-hoon killed it." At that moment his subordinate''s expression was stiff. "Wait, wait a minute¡­ well¡­"Then the subordinate, who felt something strange, began to go white with embarrassment, and the color of his face began to spread out.''Really?''''The Master?''There was no person who did not know the name Kim Tae-hoon here. On the other hand, Colonel Lim shook his head with a bitter smile. ''Kim has not been changed at all.'' He knew so well that Kim was such a man."I''ll check it out again.""You don''t have to do that, because he is the Master."Furthermore, Colonel Lim was able to gauge what Kim wanted at this moment."The master will secure the way to Sariwon City, and the rest of the men will follow him. Give my order to them; the monsters on the Pyongyang-Kaesong Highway will be cleaned up, so move with peace of mind."What Kim wanted was to occupy North Korea as soon as possible. That was all.''We are bound to believe him. Such a figure of Kim Tae-hoon takes away the freedom to doubt from those who follow him.''''I will just believe and follow him.''"And inform Seoul.""What shall I say?""The Master is back." 4. Sariwon City¡­It was a place they could reach if they followed along the Pyongyang-Kaesong Highway connecting Kaesong and Pyongyang, and a place where the railways connecting Kaesong and Pyongyang passed.''If Korea takes over North Korea and the trains can run again on the Gyeongui Line, it will be a key point of transportation. That''s why so far, many people have tried and been sacrificed to secure this place first.''"When I last heard it was definitely a monster''s heaven, but I think it''s like a hell of monsters."And now no one was needed to sacrifice themselves to recapture Sariwon City."Boss, it''s been a long time.""It''s been a long time."Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon.When they faced each other for the first in a long time, they looked at each other and sighed as if they had promised. For a moment after that they were silent."Oh, it''s cold. It''s definitely winter, and it''s finally coming." It was Jang Sung-hoon who spoke in the silence first. "How was your trip to Japan?""It wasn''t bad.""Then, of course, you brought me a souvenir?"A souvenir.At the word, Kim Tae-hoon said with a bitter smile, "There''s a ship at Busan Port. I''ll give it to you as a souvenir. You can sell or use it.""Hey, you learned how to joke since I last saw you, boss, and I''m thrilled."The atmosphere of the conversation that started was not bad. It could not be bad."Rather, what was I like? What did you think of me when I was forty years old and never forgot my loyalty to you?"Now, beyond the relationship between the boss and the subordinate, it was the relationship that they could understand best as survivors of the world."I don''t have time to waste on such a story. We will take over Pyongyang in the shortest time, and then build a line of defense around Pyongyang."Of course, Kim did not waste his words for a good conversation. Jang nodded at Kim''s appearance. There was no sadness or anything for him. This was what Kim looked like."What''s the next thing we need to do, if we need to do it in the shortest time?""I will kill the dragon that has settled on Mt. Halla, Jeju Island.""¡­ wow." Of course, Jang was forced to pause in front of Kim''s announcement, which was so sudden and shocking."I expected something, which was not a joke, to come out, but I never thought it would come out." Jang heaved a long sigh at the words of Kim."Well, I''m not going to stop you, because you don''t want me to stop you. Tell me why.""We''d better get rid of the Six Snakes before they touch us first, and if I want to fight against them, it''s best to fight on Jeju Island.""Is there a reason for the Six Snakes to touch the dragon?""Why not touch it?""Well¡­" Jang, who was about to ask a question in return, gave himself an answer. "Now that neither Korea nor Japan is the Six Snakes, they don''t care about them. No matter where the dragon is on the Korean Peninsula, or on the archipelago, they will merely look at it from the position of the Six Snakes."It was as he said. From the standpoint of the Six Snakes, they must now clean up Korea and Kim Tae-hoon by all means possible. In such a situation, the dark blue-grade monster, the dragon, which was on Mt. Halla in Jeju Island, was the surest bomb they could blow. When Lee Ki-soo was alive, or when Musashi led the Japanese Empire, they could not blow it. On the other hand, there was no reason not to burst it now.''Even if the bomb is disposed of, it is a very terrible bomb that leaves a fatal aftereffect to someone in some way.'' "We haven''t found the Manpasikjeok yet. The dragon''s curse...""You''re the one who advised me to take the power of immortality because I''ll die of another Curse if I undo the Dragon''s Curse."Jang shook his head at the answer. In front of Jang''s eyes, Kim''s hair color began to turn white. Jang looked surprised. "That''s...""Even if it''s not a Dragon''s Curse, I already have one Curse.""¡­ is it the Curse of the Eight-tailed Fox?""It''s the price for using the transcendent power rather than a curse, and if you put an airplane engine into a small car, it''s like the car breaking down.""Ah¡­" With a long sigh, Jang had many worries. But he did not express his concern. He was worried, and he just buried what he was worried about for later.He didn''t need to speak. It was Kim Tae-hoon who was determined to do so, anyway. What Jang should do was not break Kim''s determination, but give his strength, instead."Do you need anything for the dragon hunt?""As I said, first of all, clean up Pyongyang.""Do we really have to go to Pyongyang? If we were to build a front line in the north, it would be enough to settle down near the Daedong River. There is nothing left to take in Pyongyang.""We''ll have to kill the rest of the party.""The rest of the party?""The North Korean leaders."Jang asked, "Will they be alive?" North Korea had virtually collapsed, according to current figures. For a country that had been at the brink of collapse in the first place, the monsters'' appearance was like strangling a patient who could not live without the help of a ventilator. Now it was not easy to find survivors. As proof, the number of survivors found in recent months by South Korean troops working in the North was only a hundred. It was a disastrous result. "We are almost a year away from the appearance of the monsters¡­ I wonder if they''re all dead or ran away." Under such circumstances, it was unlikely that North Korean officials would be alive. However, Kim''s ideas were different. "The enemy of North Korea was the United States." "Yes. It was the main enemy." "In other words, the underground bunkers made by North Korea were made with the United States in mind." Kim knew North Korea better than anyone else. "That would certainly mean that they have the most amazing underground bunkers in the world. But who knows the bunker''s locations¡­ Ah!" And Kim had no choice but to know. "Boss was a top expert in this field." The original purpose of the unit Kim belonged to, was to assassinate the North Korean VIPs. Though the greed of those in power had led him to a mission that had nothing to do with him, it didn''t mean that its essence disappeared. Kim had all the rights to access all the information needed to assassinate the North Korean VIPs, and he always took full advantage of it. There was a more complete map of Pyongyang in his mind than the citizens of Pyongyang. "Then, all we have to do is follow the boss. Then it is dragon hunting after cleaning up Pyongyang?" "Yes." "So, after you finish hunting the dragon, are you thinking of going to Russia to get the power of the immortality? To withstand the Curse of the Dragon?" Kim answered Jang''s question without any consideration, "No." "Then where are you going? China? Europe? or America? Shall we go to the Louvre and clean it up?" "I''m going to Taiwan." "Yes?" Kim answered the surprised Jang quietly, "It''s much wiser to deal with them before we are hit by them, rather than to pay it back after we are hit." With that answer, Kim rose from his seat. "The operation is simple. If I make a way, you follow. Tomorrow evening, we eat in Pyongyang."

 119 Episode 119 - Pyongyang, Part III

    Chapter 41. Pyongyang, Part IIITranslator: KhanEditor: RED 5. ''We will eat dinner in Pyongyang Tomorrow.''When the words were delivered to soldiers and hunters who were active throughout the country trying to advance to Pyongyang, no one accepted it as a serious story."We are having dinner in Pyongyang tomorrow¡­ we can''t get to Pyongyang even if we start to run right now.""There are so many monsters around Pyongyang!""Did he say that from the heart? I think that it''s just the name of the operation."It was natural. Even though they had tried to go north for several months, they had never even drunk water from the Daedong River. Therefore, it was impossible for anyone to reach Pyongyang in just one day. "Kim Tae-hoon? The Master is here?""That''s why we came up with that operation.""But it''s impossible to eat dinner in Pyongyang tomorrow unless the master eats alone."No matter how Kim appeared on the battlefield, they did not believe that it would be possible. However, they began to change their minds when the sun went down and the new year came up."Am I dreaming?""¡­if this is a dream, we''re having the most brutal lucky dream in the world."Pyongyang-Kaesong Highway.The road that should have been filled with cars was now occupied with the dead bodies of monsters. What was more surprising was the state of the dead bodies. The monsters'' bodies were all beheaded and crumpled on the street.It was a sight that even hunters who had hunted many monsters could not easily accept."How the hell could he kill all this?""It is possible to cut off the head.""No, I mean..."It was not just because the heads were cut off. Cutting the head off was a very effective way, because some of the monsters were still alive even after they were struck by a hail of bullets. So, cutting off the head was one of the most obvious treatments, after destroying the heart."I don''t know how it''s possible to make hundreds of monsters into a pile of bodies dead at once."The problem was the numbers. Usually, when a monster group was hit hard enough to almost wipe them, it was when an artillery-led intensive bombardment was carried out. Of course, in that case, the condition of the bodies was far from clean. In other words, it was a common-sense picture to those who had survived in the present era.The testimony of those who witnessed the scene in person made the already unusual sight more unusual."It was five swords.""What?""Five swords moved to the monsters and cut off the monsters'' heads together."The fact that five swords moved freely and cut off the monster''s heads was so unusual that even those who had seen it were unable to express it properly and explain it. But no one was frightened by it."In a word, it was¡­ wonderful."Rather, they were the opposite!"I just felt that when I saw the monsters came in a horde and then fall to the ground as a headless body, all I have to do is trust the master and follow him." Everyone was encouraged by the dead bodies of the monsters and the stories of their colleagues who were witnesses. Of course, those who gained that courage no longer doubted!"If I trust the master and follow him, I can eat dinner in Pyongyang tonight!"And their faith had become a reality. 6. Pyongyang... The capital of North Korea was more or less as attractive as expected. The presence of the Ryu Kyung Hotel, once the highest building in Asia, was much more intense than expected, as well as the high-rise buildings that did not match terrible North Korea known to the world. But those who visited Pyongyang directly felt something heterogeneous in its splendor. Eventually, they realized that Pyongyang was not a city, but a film set that directed the city. So if a stranger who did not know anything saw Pyongyang now, he would think they are filming a movie on the set. They would also think that the actors were monsters, not humans, and among them was a giant bloody-furred bear-man measuring at least ten meters long. Blood Werebear was the leading actor in a movie filming in Pyongyang. Keureureu! Of course, as soon as they stepped into Pyongyang, they realized that it was not a movie, but a tragic reality. The Blood Werebear''s blue eyes were full of the fear that could not be produced in any other way. But now there were groups approaching the Blood Werebear, monsters made of golden smoke. Starting with an elephant, the group comprised a lion, a tiger, a bird, and humans! It was a herd of animals that had no sense of unity. At the same time, it was a group that could not be any threat at all. There was no reason to be afraid of their claws and teeth, which were otherwise devoid of substance. Blood Werebear was one of the monsters with blue eyes! It didn''t even intend to take this ridiculous threat seriously. Therefore, Blood Werebear opened its mouth and vomited its fear out through its huge mouth. Keueoeoeong! The ferocious fear that could destroy the heart of the listener shook Pyongyang.The animals in gold smoke were the same. Their bodies began to tremble like a haze in front of the fear that the Blood Werebear was letting free. Twang! It was nothing but the sound of a geomungo, a six-stringed Korean zither, that stopped the shaking. Toot-toot! Then the two sounds of the tungso, the six-holed bamboo flute, and the zither began to blend together. Dum-de-dum! Dum-da-dum! Drumming began to give strength to the performance. That was how the five musicians, made up of golden smoke, began. The golden beasts of the play began to change. The golden smoke beasts, which were swaying like a haze in the fear, were no longer shaken, and it wasn''t just that. Ppoo-woo-woo!Every beast began to get bigger, and their claws and teeth turned sharper and sharper. They became beasts which even Blood Werebear could not help but respond to seriously. Keuwawaang! Of course, the Blood Werebear did not feel a sense of crisis or shrink back. On the contrary, it charged toward the golden beasts that were now clearly its enemies. The Blood Werebear started to run on the road, its paws thudding loudly, while golden beasts also began to race, too. The battle that began was astonishing. Keuaang! Whenever the Blood Werebear swung its arm, the building nearby became a garbage dump. Furthermore, unlike regular bears, a two-legged Blood Werebear had longer arms than legs, and its upper body was larger than its lower body. Its offense was very diverse. As long as the Blood Werebear just ran up and swung its arms, it used its arms as if it were a human boxer. Above all, its power was enormous. Its might, which made the Twin-head Ogre''s strength laughable, was so powerful that it could fling the golden smoke elephant nearly a hundred meters away. The elephant was oppressed that much, so the tiger and the lion couldn''t do their best. Keuwang!They tried all they could to leave the marks on the body of the Blood Werebear with their teeth and claws, but the damage was only a scratch. They were clearly inferior. No one could see a winning chance for the beasts of the golden smoke. At that time, a Sword flew from a long distance and stuck into the Blood Werebear''s chest with breathtaking speed. Keueoh? While the surprised Blood Wearer was in a state of confusion, another Sword flew over and drove into its chest again. Keuaaah! The Blood Werebear, who had been attacked on its chest twice in a row, looked in the direction the Swords had come from with surprised and angry eyes. Pook, pook! At that moment, two more swords, two katanas, dug into the eyes of the Blood Werebear. That was the beginning. Pook! From a long distance, a kilometer or farther away, a sword began to fly unceasingly and stuck into the body of the Blood Werebear. All the flying swords were katanas. However, they were not ordinary katanas. The named swords, which were treated as national treasures in Japan, had now become relics and the teeth and claws of humans hunting monsters! They were also no ordinary relics. Pook! The seventh Japanese sword in the body of the Blood Werebear was a katana named Tojigiri Yasutsuna, which was one of the five most powerful swords in the world. Pook! The eighth Japanese sword was one of the five most powerful swords in the world, named Mikazuki Munechika. Pook! The ninth sword was named Onimaru Kunitsuna. Keueoeoeo! This sword, which pulled out the loudest scream from the Blood Werebear''s mouth, was considered to be the peak of the Japanese swords. King''s use! It was a treasure among the treasures, and not even designated as a national treasure because it was a possession of the Heavenly King, the Japanese Emperor. Only one person would use such a treasure as a substitute for an arrow, and that was Kim Tae-hoon.''It''s more powerful than I thought.'' From a distance where they could not see the Blood Werebear with human eyes, he saw it very clearly with his black Eyes, as twenty-five Swords waited for their owner to call them.Tsureung! Now the tenth sword showed itself, and without delay began its flight toward the Blood Werebear.7.3 p.m.By the time hunger began to circulate, soldiers and hunters began to enter Pyongyang City.For monsters, it was a pleasant situation that their prey appeared at their feet after a long time. But no monster dared approach the crowd. It was because of the man who led the crowd: Kim Tae-hoon.There was no monster willing to show its teeth to him, who had defeated the Blood Werebear and become the new owner of Pyongyang."From now on, we are getting rid of all the monsters in Pyongyang."Of course, it did not mean that Kim Tae-hoon was giving mercy to the monsters who did not attack."There is no meal until we clean up the monsters in Pyeongyang." Furthermore, Kim did not give unconditional mercy to the soldiers and hunters, either.What they needed in the first place was not mercy."I certainly ordered that we will have dinner in Pyongyang tonight."What was needed was a command from a trustworthy leader and its leader."Yes!" At Kim Tae-hoon''s order, the soldiers and hunters who came to Pyongyang felt their eyes burning, and so the cleaning began.----"Boss." The conversation between Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon began."You easily killed a blue-grade monster now, that''s great."At the words of Jang, Kim rubbed his temple with his right hand instead of answering. "It''s not enough.""Yes?""I''m not sure about the dragon hunt with this much." In fact, Kim was not very happy now. He was not as sure as he had claimed."This isn''t enough?" Jang was dumbfounded at the fact. Moreover, Kim''s poor appearance and uttering that he was not so sure about his hunting was almost unheard of in his memory. If Kim made a weak sound, those who followed him should have exaggerated their pain. However, he did not want to hide the reality with his awkward confidence at this moment."I''ve already died once." He had already experienced that death."Ah¡­ the first."The first death he had experienced after drinking Napoleon''s Golden Glass was the one by a dragon. So he knew better than anyone what the level of battle with the dragon was.Jang, who knew that fact, shook his head. "So you came to Pyongyang," he suddenly said.At the words, Kim cocked his head. "So I came to Pyongyang?""Yes?" This time, Jang cocked his head. "Isn''t this reason why you came to Pyongyang?""The reason I came to Pyongyang was to take over Pyongyang and deploy a defensive force here, as I explained yesterday.""That''s natural, but what I''m saying..." At that moment, Jang made a sudden expression, as if he had just realized something. "You didn''t know. No, you could not help but not know, because I never told you." He continued carefully, "There is a royal tomb of King Dongmyeong in Pyongyang, the tomb of Dongmyeongseongwang, also known as Jumong of Goguryeo!"

 120 Episode 120 - The Sword Given by Heaven, Part I

    Chapter 42. The Sword Given by Heaven, Part ITranslator: KhanEditor: RED1."The underground bunker hidden by the North Korean officials is closely connected to the subway station building of Pyongyang Metro. It is natural that the Pyongyang Metro itself was not built for transportation purposes in the first place, but as a concept of air defense against propaganda and bombardment. Therefore, all the subway station buildings in Pyongyang are the entrance to the underground bunker. They don''t have electricity to run the subway, that''s why they cannot operate it."When Kim Tae-hoon went through hard training and joined the Secret Special Forces, a so-called Ghost Unit, the first education he received was about their goals."The most secret underground bunker among them is the Tongil Station of the Chollima Line. It is located deep enough to take 20 minutes down the escalator and is located closest to the Taedong River. Because securing drinking water is easy, it is possible for them to survive for five years in a secret underground bunker located here. There are also things that North Korean officials can cash in at any time, including the Rolex watch Che Guevara liked, gold, artworks, and relics."The targets of the Ghost Unit were, of course, North Korean officials. It was their duty to get rid of those who had helped and served as tools to the North Korean dictator."In other words, it is virtually impossible to get in there and escape after the mission is complete. As I said earlier, the place is deep and well guarded. It''s impossible to kill someone and to come out alive."Only the mission was all about the existence of the Ghost Unit."I tell you clearly, if you complete your mission at the Tongil Station, kill yourselves as soon as you complete it."In other words, at the moment of completion of the mission, the reason for the existence of the Ghost Unit seemed to disappear."I say again, kill yourselves as soon as you complete your mission, and I will not allow you to die until then."These were the orders he had received in training.------At this moment, Kim Tae-hoon was walking toward a secret underground bunker hidden in the Tongil Station of the Chollima Line.''This day finally came.''Each step was strange. It was as he said. At this moment, Kim did not know exactly what his feelings were. He did not know whether he was happy, sad, regretful, or satisfied.''Here.'' Kim''s footsteps stopped in front of a big iron door. The iron door was so firm that the scars created by the monsters'' claws were nearly nothing, and it revealed its determination that it would not allow an unpermitted person to visit.In front of the door, Kim was able to make one thing clear. ''This is the end of the duty of soldier Kim Tae-hoon. Today, the military''s mission for Kim Tae-hoon will be over. But it does not mean that Kim Tae-hoon will be killing himself here. If there is anything that will die here today, it is only the soldier Kim Tae-hoon, not the hunter Kim Tae-hoon.''Therefore, Kim Tae-hoon did not hesitate. His right fist, standing in front of the iron door, began to blacken. The black skin passed his arm at once, making his upper body and even his face black. Then he threw his black fist toward the iron door.2.The Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong.Located a little distance away from Pyongyang, it was literally the tomb of King Dongmyeong, the founder of Goguryeo."Is this really the tomb of Jumong?""I don''t know."Of course, there were different opinions about the fact that it was the tomb of the real King Dongmyeong."Yes? It was called the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong, and King Dongmyeong must have been Jumong¡­""No, it is clear that Pyongyang is not the first place where Jumong died."Once King Dongmyeong, Jumong, became a king, the capital of Goguryeo was Jolbon."Pyongyang became the capital of Goguryeo when it was under King Jangsu, you learned that in the class on Korean history, didn''t you? Silla and Baekje formed the Naje Alliance against the Southward Advance Policy, which was established during the reign of King Jangsu. You''ve been getting tired of hearing it in elementary, middle, and high school, haven''t you?" "Isn''t it Korean history we forget first when the College Scholastic Ability Test has ended?" It was during the reign of King Jangsu that Pyongyang became the capital of Goguryeo. King Dongmyeong''s Tomb in Jolbon was moved to Pyongyang at that time, which was the current speculation about the existence of the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong in Pyongyang. There was no definite evidence found that it was truly the tomb of Jumong."But the historians would not have called it the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong¡­ there is definitely some reason for it.""That''s what we do, in common sense, but this is not a country of common sense."North Korea never conducted a full-scale investigation and research to confirm the authenticity of the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong."Even after the North Korean officials who visited South Korea saw Cheonmachong, the Tomb in Gyeongju, he insisted that the height of the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong not be lower than that of the South Korean Cheonmachong, so they raised the height of the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong by two meters.""For that reason, they raised the height?""Yes."The high official of North Korea said that it was the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong, but what kind of crazy historian would try and work to deny it? So far, the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong had never been properly verified, unlike the royal tombs of Baekje or Silla. That was why Jang was concerned. "Even if it''s real, it''s a problem.""Yes?"And that was not the only reason Jang Sung-hoon was worried. "My specialty is the forgery of art.""Well, is that true?""Come on, everyone knows about it. Why do you pretend you don''t know? Anyway, North Korean relics are classified separately at the art black market, especially in the Chinese art black market." "What does that mean?" "It means that the trade volume is high." North Korea was a paradise for robbers. Survival was the supreme task of the nation, so to protect their national treasures and history was another nation''s story. "For example, if we say that the mayor of Gyeongju ran away stealing the relics of the Cheonmachong on one big last job before leaving Korea, no one would believe it. But if a North Korean official stole the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong and fled to China to secure funds for escaping from North Korea, most people would believe it, right?"If it were real, the relics in it would be even more dangerous."First of all, the worst murderer in the world is reigning as king in North Korea, and it may be too much to wish that the real relic in the murderer''s front yard is intact.""Then it''s no use investigating the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong?"Nevertheless, the reason why Jang Sung-hoon came to the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong was simple. ''In Lotto, you have to scratch it before you know whether you won or not.''"We need to know whether we lost the draw, so we can move on to the next.""And I told you honestly, but my feeling is telling me that I''m going to get a bit hit in Pyongyang."Furthermore, Jang felt that something great would happen when he stepped on Pyongyang."Is that very accurate?""I had a similar feeling about eleven months ago.""Eleven months ago?""It was when most of my fellow troops were eaten by the Mud Troll in the Ojung-dong military base, and only Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji and twenty of us were still alive and trembling.""Did you find a treasure then?"Jang smiled before the answer to the question of his subordinate."No.""Then what-""I met the boss." Finally, Jang held a prepared shovel with his last words. "Now, let''s get started!"3.Colonel Lim Hyun-joon''s Armored Hunting Unit was the best combat unit combining Awakeners and the army. Naturally, with confidence in the Armored Hunting Unit, he wanted to create a power of the new generation that combined Awakeners and the army. Here, he once again came up with a new idea."The Special Engineer Unit is not a joke.""I think it''s faster for them to use a shovel and a pickaxe than a folk-crane."After combining Awakeners with the engineers, Colonel Lim created a very strange unit called the Special Engineer Unit. It wasn''t the end. In planning a Special Engineer Unit, he visited Park Kap-soo, the chief of the workshops, and demanded the production of powerful engineer equipment with the materials from monsters that could break iron. The chief of the workshop, Park Kap-soo, produced better equipment than Colonel Lim had expected, and the ability of the Special Engineer Unit was beyond his imagination.The following was the creed that Colonel Lim gave to the completed Special Engineer Unit: when a General Engineer Unit sets a tent, a Special Engineer Unit builds a house!It was not a big task to work on the small royal tomb for such a Special Engineer Unit. They started to work after breakfast, and before lunch, the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong was already revealed.---"Fuck!" Jang Sung-hoon was also revealing his inner self. "Shit!"He could not be sure of the truth of the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong. But there was no relic in it, not even one. He didn''t even see the sarcophagus to enclose the bones, just a few cement structures supporting the empty space. It was not even made properly, some space was buried as it was.''Fuck!'' Jang Sung-hoon had no choice but to swear.''For the Japanese, the Kusanagi just fell out of the sky by itself, but why are we like this?''Honestly, expectations were high. The desire was even bigger than the big expectation.''Damn it, Kim has to kill the dragon, the dragon!''Kim was ready to kill the dragon right now. He was going to try what no one else in this world could do. It was a great job, which no one could even sacrifice for on behalf of Kim Tae-hoon. In such a situation, a legendary relic was the most obvious thing to save Kim''s life.Therefore, Jang had to be desperate. Of course, in the situation that his expectation and longing were crushed, the disappointment that he felt was also great. ''I felt it!'' Moreover, Jang really felt something. If not, there was no reason to have expectations. As he had told his men, the probability that the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong was a real tomb was low, and even if it was real, the probability that the things in it would be fine was even lower.''I still feel it!'' Even Jang was strongly felt that something would come out at this moment."Isn''t there anything in it?""No, there''s nothing more to come out, unless they built a tunnel and hid in it.""Just in case, take a look at it again, especially things that look like an arrowhead or a bow¡­ no, even just sticks are okay, so take a picture of everything that comes out of it.""I understand."Therefore, Jang could not easily turn his back on the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong. He measured other clues in his mind. ''Is there something in the Kumsusan? According to the records, there was Jocheonseok, a stone to heaven, in Kumsu Mountain, on which King Dongmyeong stepped when he went to heaven¡­ Maybe there is a giraffe cave in Kumsusan where Jumong raised a giraffe. Or maybe they had hidden all the relics from the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun¡­''In order to get something somehow, Jang wandered through his historical knowledge. He overworked his mind to the point of bursting. It was the appearance of the person who made Jang so desperate that stopped such self-abuse."The Master is here."Kim Tae-hoon showed up at the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong. He appeared above people''s heads, as always, just as Haemosu, the father of Jumong, came down from the sky in the myth of Goguryeo.In front of Kim, Jang gave a long sigh. "Boss, I''m sorry, I thought something might come up, but there was nothing."It was Jang who had given Kim an expectation. If he had not brought up the story of the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong, Kim would not even know there was such a thing. So, Jang did not stop here. "But something was kept in the Royal Tomb of King Dongmyeong, and there is a sign that someone took it. If we look through the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun or wherever, something will come out."Jang couldn''t stop there, because he could not stop Kim Tae-hoon''s dragon hunting."So if you give me a little more time and budget-""It''s okay." Kim stopped Jang''s words and handed him a sword in his hand."I''m sure of the hunting now."''I''m sure.''Jang looked at the sword with surprised eyes at those words. It was a sword made of gold, the length of an adult man''s arm, and it had a form that would have been used in rituals, not combat.Most impressive of all was the pattern carved on the blade. A peculiar pattern, made of the scales of an animal, covered the blade.''The pattern of a dragon''s scale¡­'' It was like a dragon''s scales. Also, the light emitted from the sword was not an ordinary one. It was not golden.''The radiance like the sun¡­'' It was a radiance when he looked up at the sun, a mysterious light that could never be measured by the naked eye of a person.''The dragon pattern, the radiance, the sword. The dragon, the radiance, the sword¡­''At that moment, Jang thought of a story closer to a myth rather than the history of Goguryeo."Oh, my God¡­"3.Taiwan.There was still warm weather, and there was no winter season.Mao''s attire was the same. Even in November, he was wearing only a thin black silk suit. In front of him, there was a pile of fur leather clothes that promised to be hot even if he wore them in the winter when the cold wind was blowing.A woman entered Mao''s room. As soon as she came in, she bowed her head and handed Mao the note she had in her hand.Mao read the note and said, "The Six Snakes meeting came to a conclusion.""Is it about the dragon?""The deadline is after December 1, and the conclusion is that we can wake up the dragon any time after that.""Why December 1¡­?""They''ll need time to prepare for the situation after the dragon wakes up.""What are they preparing for?""I think there''s a lot of stuff they are not telling us, just like a typhoon isn''t something people can do."The woman nodded. She looked at the furry clothes. It was a dress that did not fit in the season and weather of Taiwan, but on the other hand, the woman knew the reason for the existence of the clothes."¡­ are you going to take over Russia?""The only time that we can move in Russia, which has already become a world of zombies, is in the winter when the zombies freeze. Above all, if the dragon wakes up, it will not be satisfied with Japan and Korea alone, and its anger will reach China, or even where we are. We must pioneer a new path in preparation for that time."The woman asked carefully. "It may not happen, but if Kim Tae-hoon kills the dragon, what kind of measures¡­""Measures?" Mao made a somewhat fishy smile at the question. "It''s absolutely impossible. I admit he''s great, but he can''t do what is impossible."With that somewhat fishy grin, he asserted, "Unless he''s been dealing with a dragon, he''ll never kill a dragon."

 121 Episode 121 - The Sword Given by Heaven, Part II

    Chapter 42. The Sword Given by Heaven, Part IITranslator: KhanEditor: RED4. "Oh, my God, this is Johnnie Walker Blue Label, isn''t it?"The underground bunker the North Korean Party leaders made for themselves was more like a treasure storage than an underground bunker."There''s a room filled with Ballantine''s here, twenty-one years old.""Crazy bastards, how much is it in total?"The warehouse in the bunker was full of fancy drinks, closer to luxury goods rather than just liquor. Inside the safe, there were valuable relics, art, gold, silver, and a bundle of dollars."The obvious thing is, if they had sold everything here, the North Koreans would have never starved."It was a product of intense bloodshed extracted through mad exploitation."But why did they tie this dollar bundle with the white paper, and this dollar with the red paper?""Maybe one of them is a Superdollar.""A Superdollar, a counterfeit note made by North Korea?""They can''t use them if they mix them."Furthermore, there was a pile of products of vicious crimes."What a crazy country!"The secret underground bunker in North Korea was a space filled with all the maliciousness that humans could show. Even the soldiers who came to get the goods there would sigh rather than express admiration and joy in front of the treasures before their sight, and they felt terrible instead of joyous."Goddammit¡­ when the world was dying for the monsters, the North Korean Party leaders were here enjoying their lives, drinking Ballentine''s or gorging themselves.""But because they survived, they met the Master¡­ and they paid the right price for their crimes."What comforted them was the current image of those who had enjoyed themselves in the bunker.''This is the Politburo Commissioner Lee Seo-hong, this is Cabinet Deputy Prime Minister Im Woong-cheon, and this is¡­ the big fish.''Their bodies and heads were neatly separated, and their dead faces were filled with screams and pain. It was proof that they had not died easily."This is the second-ranked North Korean leader, Park Kwang-seo, who is the head of the military and political affairs department."Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, who was examining their bodies one by one, straightened up after checking the face of the last body. Then he looked back along the road he had walked. On the road, about forty bodies were arranged, all headless. Most of them were in the top hundred of the power order in North Korea.''It is surprising and wonderful that so many powerful men who survived the advent of the monsters and the capture of Pyongyang by monsters died in an instant.''Colonel Lim''s gaze immediately turned to the goods that the soldiers had brought up from the deep underground bunker. He could see alcohol, all kinds of luxury goods, and gold and dollars they had collected for their escape overseas.Even the crumpled bodies were wearing expensive luxury watches on their wrists. There were also some with two watches on their wrists.Although measures were taken to prepare for an emergency escape, not just Colonel Lim, but all the people of the world knew that those watches were not earned by their own sweat and effort. Hundreds of North Koreans'' blood and tears would have been forcibly drawn for just one watch.''I never imagined that this was what they had collected through exploitation.''''The fine liquor in gold wine-jars is the blood of a thousand people.'' It was a scene where Lee Mong-ryong yelled out a thundering cry toward the corrupt officials.''I''m sure since they kept this kind of stuff hidden in a secret underground bunker warehouse, they could say they didn''t have any money. They couldn''t have had money to spend because it was all there.''Soon after, Colonel Lim turned his head and saw Kim drinking coffee while standing there.Colonel Lim walked up to Kim and said, "Congratulations, you''ve completed your mission. You don''t have to be a ghost anymore."At that remark, Kim added a bitter smile. Colonel Lim also had the same bitter smile. The bitter smiles gradually disappeared. The story to be shared from now on was not a story that they could laugh at. "The war for over half a century has come to an end."The war, which had begun on June 25, 1950, ended on November 9, 2017. The bodies killed by Kim Tae-hoon actually meant the disappearance of the North Korean regime, and it was an evidence that the Republic of Korea had finally won a war that had lasted for 67 years.However, Colonel Lim was not pleased with the fact. "The monsters helped us unify."The reality was still too terrible to be happy. Above all, the end of the occupation of Pyongyang meant that a new page, a new enemy, would be welcomed."So, who is the next enemy?" The new enemy would be decided by Kim Tae-hoon."It is Jeju Island.""Hmm?""I''ll kill the dragon on Jeju Island."Colonel Lim made a surprised expression at the calm reply of Kim. However, Colonel Lim seemed to accept the situation and gave a long sigh instead of an agitated reaction. Hoo! Now, because of the chilly weather, the white breath added color to his sigh. At the end of the sigh, Colonel Lim said briefly, "I''ll risk my life to protect this place."After that short talk, Colonel Lim turned his back, because he realized that it was not the time for him to feel sentimental over the spoils in front of him."Boss!"The place where Colonel Lim disappeared was immediately filled with Jang Sung-hoon. He was holding a lot of pictures, using both hands.Kim asked a question, "Is it an important relic?""Oh, this? It''s not important. These pictures are for praising Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.""Why did you bring them?""I could not bear that this shit was in the treasures. I brought them out to burn." As soon as he finished, Jang threw the pictures on the ground. "Can you spit on them?"Kim was willing to spit at his request. Ptui! The spit started to burn the pictures, which were now not different from garbage. The heat gave warmth to the cold air.Jang rubbed his hands toward the warmth and asked, "Did you tell the Colonel?""A little while ago.""That''s why his face was so." Jang looked at the golden sword hanging on Kim''s waist. Kim followed Jang''s eyes, and he also looked at the golden sword on his waist. His eyes were black.=====[Dragon Light Sword]- Relic Grade: Grade 1- Relic Value: Legend- Relic Effect: Under the sunlight, it can cut any monster.=====The value of the Dragon Light Sword was plain."Under the sunlight, it can cut any monster¡­" But the content was not plain. It could hurt any monster under the sunlight. It meant something amazing."It''s the Sword of Haemosu."There was no shortage of those using the name Dragon Light Sword, which was one of the Three Sacred Treasures which Haemosu, the son of the Heavenly God, had borne, he who was called the father of Jumong in Goguryeo mythology.It was the sword given Korea by heaven!"I don''t know why this was in the hands of the trash guys."If it had not been given by heaven, the Dragon Light Sword that was sleeping in the secret underground bunker would not have come into the hands of Kim Tae-hoon, who was about to hunt the dragon."But, boss, can I ask you a question? Were you confident you would kill the dragon without the Dragon Light Sword?" On the other hand, there was the question of Jang. It was not a thing that Kim found, but a thing that came to Kim. Kim didn''t even know where the Dragon Light Sword was in the first place.Kim Tae-hoon was already preparing for the dragon hunt before finding the Dragon Light Sword. It meant that he was going to hunt the dragon without the Dragon Light Sword."I was sure of the plan I had prepared for the dragon hunt, and I was sure if I moved on with the plan, I would kill the dragon.""Really?""I just didn''t have the confidence to do it 100 percent perfectly."At the answer, Jang gave a long sigh. "¡­ so are you confident that you will carry out the plan now?""The Dragon Light Sword is in my hand, so it''s about 80 percent confident.""Twenty percent short?""That twenty percent is filled." At that question, Kim looked at his right hand for the answer.=====[Basic Abilities]- Strength: 824- Health: 857[Special Abilities]- Energy: A Rank- Mana: B+ Rank- Telekinesis: S- Rank - Defense: A Rank - Mana Resistance: B+ Rank [Achieved Abilities] - The Heart of the Bloody Werebear (Grade 3): The power of the Bloody Werebear allows you to have a heart that emits a powerful vitality. If you have even a tiny bit of remaining power, your heart does not stop.=====The power of the Bloody Werebear, which he had newly acquired!The power made the blood of Kim Tae-hoon''s heart special. It was like the coffee that always woke him up was hanging around in his blood vessels on behalf of his heart. This power gave him confidence. He was convinced that he could stand in front of the dragon in a completely different way from the first time it had passed by him on January 1, 2017.At such an image of Kim, Jang realized that no one could stop Kim anymore."Boss, won''t you say hello to Hyun-wook or sister Sun-mi before you go? Kate or Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji, too. Why don''t you come and have a reunion once?"Jang did not want to stop Kim anymore. He was ready to send him on."There is no time for that, by now the Six Snakes must have sent a commando team to the Jeju Island to stimulate the dragon, and there is no guarantee that the dragon will not come to Seoul tomorrow.""Would you like to leave a message for them? Do you know how hard it is being in between you and them?"Kim left a word at the repeated requests of Jang: "Survival." It was a good enough word.5.Jeju Island.It was always a bright place, even far from civilization, where its beauty could not be denied by anyone. The blue sea, which filled the surrounding area of the island, made the sky blue, and the sunshine scattered the forest around Mt. Halla with green and pleasant scenery. Right now the beauty of Jeju Island was reaching its peak. The world was full of green trees and green shades. Nature was openly revealing its existence."There''s not a single survivor." In other words, it meant that no person had survived. No matter how much people tried, nature was the liveliest when there were no people around. The same was true of Jeju Island''s full vitality, as there were no survivors on Jeju Island."Most people died of heart attacks...""It''s so scary. Even within the same dark blue grade, it is not like those in Japan or China."It was the dragon who had caused the heart attacks, and who had made Halla Mountain of Jeju Island its own territory. The three hundred-meter-long dragon with dark red skin had landed on the top of Mt. Halla, and it immediately cried out with its huge body. Dragon fear! In front of the fear, the nasty monsters and humans on Jeju Island could no longer continue to live."It was just a disaster." A terrible disaster that could not be compared to typhoons and earthquakes."The scariest thing is that it is not the end." What was even more devastating was that such an outrageous disaster was not alone."And even more frightening is that when the orders are given, we must wake up this crazy monster."At the moment the last words came out, the others shut up. At that remark, the crowd once again realized their position. They were not survivors of Jeju Island, but they were willing to come to hell to make one place of the world hell. There was no vitality in their faces, and the silence that came over them could not be easily loosened. In the silence, one began to feel something strange. "Something strange¡­" He felt a sense of it and tried to express it in words. But the man did not have to finish all the words. "Kuck!"The unspeakable fear struck their place and encircled their bodies. In front of the fear that made their souls stand up, not just their hair, they practiced what they had trained thousands of times. They put mana into the relics, the crosses, or the pieces of jade they had, and at the same time chewed and smashed the little capsules that were already in their mouths.The moment everyone swallowed, a cry that could not be explained by anything began to tap their eardrums.Keuaaaa!At that moment, one of them fell to the ground, bleeding and vomiting. The rest of them were not fine, either. All four of them began to shake and shiver madly.For three of them, the shaking was so intense that their teeth began to break!"Recover your senses! Hey, hey, hey, Wake up!" Only one person spoke to his colleagues repeatedly, holding his reason. But even that person barely kept his reason, and he was not in his best mind, either. Even here, the owner of Jeju Island did not stop using its fear!Keuaaaa! Once again, it let out the fear.''Ah-!'' Only then did he realize that the dragon was not simply awakened from sleep, but it had started fighting something. ''Oh, it''s a fight, the dragon has started a fight with something! But, what the hell dares go against the dragon?''Of course, at this moment the man could not even guess. What could fight against an overwhelming creature like a dragon?''This is not the time for this. I have to let them know. I have to figure this out and report it!''

 122 Episode 122 - Dragon Slayer, Part I

    Chapter 43. Dragon Slayer, Part ITranslator: KhanEditor: RED1."Hoo, hoo!" Kim Tae-hoon''s world, which was seen between rough breaths, was shaking red. The redness was due to the blood flowing from the burst veins in his eyes, and the shaking was due to the power of the low Energy which could no longer endure the presence of the monster in front of him.Krrrrrrrrrrr¡­And the monster was the dragon.''Just looking at it, I feel I have a long ways to go.''The dragon.The body of the monster, which did not tolerate any enemies, was covered with wounds that did not suit its dignity. Among them, the biggest wound was its right eye. The blood was dripping out through its closed right pupil. It was a wound created by Kim Tae-hoon''s Sword of the Imperator.At that moment, the dragon opened its right eye. The eye which reappeared was scarred, and the pupil of dark blue had cracks like spiderwebs. The lines were gradually fading, just like rainwater wet dry rice fields after an endless drought.''It''s really a long way to go.''In the end, the dragon''s dark blue eye was restored to its original form, the wounds were gone, and the center of its normal dark blue eyes began to split vertically. It looked at Kim Tae-hoon with eyes that had returned to normal.In front of its eyes, Kim once again recalled the battle. ''Surprising defense and amazing resilience.''The dragon was very special. The skin of the dragon was strong enough to be barely hurt by the Sword of the Imperator, which had the full power of the Energy of Kim Tae-hoon behind it, but even so, the wounds that were inflicted were recovered surprisingly quickly."The defense of its scales is natural, and ts amazing resilience is the result of the formidable level of Mana of the dragon''s heart."It was a long way off. ''What amazing resilience the dragon has! It is hard for me to hurt!'' Even worse, it was just the beginning.Keuooo! The dragon fear it was crying out was already a formidable weapon in itself.Fear¡­ no matter how high his Energy level was, he would be hurt, and if he was exposed to the fear when he ran out of Energy, no more battle was possible. It was really a long way to go.It was not easy to hold on against the fear with a low Energy rank, and even if the Energy rank was high, the amount of Energy consumed to withstand the dragon fear each time was terrible. The worst thing was that it was a dragon.It had wings. ''This sight is so embarrassing.'' It had unbelievably huge wings which lifted the colossal body and made even ridiculously acrobatic flight possible.Cuu! Cuu! Cuu! Every time it flicked its wings, it created a small whirlwind around it. It created a gale that was not easy to hold on against, and it began to fly with the wind. This alone was already despairing. The ways a wingless man could hurt a monster who had just started to fly were extremely limited and weak. But as always, the worst was more terrible than he had imagined.Krrrr!It did not allow the wounds, it did not tolerate the scars, it demanded a terrible price just for revealing his hostility to it, and now the neck of the dragon, who did not tolerate any adversary in the sky, began to heat up. Eventually, the dragon opened its tightly closed mouth.''It is really impossible to defend the Dragon Breath. If it grazes me, it would be over.''Dragon Breath!The worst peak and the ending, the Dragon Breath flew toward Kim Tae-hoon, who was standing on the ground and who had lost his power at that moment. An attack that no creature could withstand, a spear that could penetrate any shield, had come. Kim closed his eyes to the fact.''End.'' His recollection ended right there.---Kim opened his eyes. He saw the dragon sleeping with its huge body sprawled across the top of Mt. Halla, where he could see Baekrokdam Crater Lake. 2. The first death Kim Tae-hoon dreamed of was a battle with the dragon. He fought hard, but he was defeated in the battle. It was not a defeat to be desired much. The gap between that Kim Tae-hoon and the dragon was so big that he could not feel sorry for the loss.It had become a valuable defeat, and through the defeat, Kim Tae-hoon knew what he needed to kill the dragon and how to kill it.So he set three of the most important details.''One, if I fight from a distance, I die.''The most important thing was not to keep away from the dragon.The moment the distance was far, especially when the dragon started its fly, he could no longer chase it. The dragon''s movement in the sky was astonishing, and the dragon, once it began to move, was a weapon in itself.''A massive body three hundred meters long. It is not the physical power of its body, even if it is calculated by tons, but a body weighing that much flying at hundreds of kilometers per hour.''''I can be killed if the dragon just passes by. So, to hunt the dragon, whatever it does, I have to stick to its body. And I have a very good ability to make that possible.''''I will use the Golden Web.''The Golden Web, the power of the Golden Horn Spider!The Golden Web, which was made up of Energy, was strong, very adhesive, and ultimately its bond with Kim Tae-hoon was crucial. The Golden Web was actually like his skin. It conveyed the feeling of something being touched to him, even far away.Thud! Kim landed on the body of the dragon, and immediately began to apply the Golden Web created on his palms to the body of the dragon.Flash! It was at that moment that the dragon''s eyelids rose. The dark blue eyes showed up, split again vertically, and the darker blue light inside appeared.Keuooo! At the same time, it began to straighten itself out, roaring out the dragon fear. The intense fear attacked Kim''s body."Hoo!" At that moment, Kim''s eyes were shaking. But the tremor calmed down quickly.''Two, the power to withstand the fear.''The power of various relics, including the Energy of A rank, made it possible.''I can hold on.''Kim was satisfied with the fact.The dragon noticed that. It grasped the existence of Kim, who was not afraid of the fear it had given voice to.Keuooo! It let out the Dragon Fear again. But the fear was no longer a threat, it was the proclamation of war. Kim Tae-hoon was not just an annoying fly, but a threat to itself, and now it was announcing that it would start a war to crush the threat.Kuu, Kuu! With that, the dragon began to flap its wings to drop Kim Tae-hoon and kill him surely as he fell. That was the way the dragon did things. The winged dragon never fought on the ground. There was no reason to fight like that. The moment it started to fly, everything was in the Dragon''s favor.He would die to the dragon''s breath if he remained on the ground because he was afraid. Clinging to the body of the dragon who started to fly up in the sky, meant death from a fall the moment he was thrown off.Of course, Kim Tae-hoon had no intention of falling down. Furthermore, he hoped that it would fly higher and higher. He hoped it would fly closer to the sun. As if answering his wish, the dragon began to fly high into the sky. The sunlight in the clear sky of Jeju Island began to shine brightly on the dragon''s black-red scales and his white hair clinging to it.''Three, a weapon sure to hurt him.''Kim began to shine the golden sword in his hand. His second dragon hunt began. 3. "We have succeeded in securing the legendary relic Gandhibagh, and luckily we figured out Vasavi Shakti. We believe it''s in the Elora Caves. We''ll move right there and secure Vasavi Shakti."Mao smiled lightly as he listened to the constant mutter of an Okjo. Then, as the story of the Okjo stopped, Mao immediately wrote something in his pocket notebook.Tap tap! Another Okjo appeared at his desk and immediately spoke."We found the Qin Shi Huang Sword."The words from the Okjo''s mouth were short, and Mao immediately wrote something down in his pocket notebook and recorded what he had gained in a new code letter he only could recognize.''It''s going smoothly.'' There was a smile on his lips. But the smile began to contort at some point. ''I''m sorry I missed the Kusanagi.''It was because of the name of a man who came to his mind. His smile was so distorted that it didn''t come back easily. Mao clicked his tongue briefly, his face crumpled. ''If it was anyone else, but the Kusanagi is in the hands of such a man.''Mao knew how to survive in the age when monsters appeared. Furthermore, he knew how to rebuild the order of the world that had collapsed with the appearance of monsters.''That''s why I missed the crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox. The damage is already severe.''The key was to get as many monster stones as possible. In short, the world had a limited number of monsters, and the man who secured as many monster stones as possible would be a king. The world was not like a game.''In the case of the Kusanagi, I can retrieve it anytime, but I can''t replace the monster stone¡­''The problem was that no matter how many monster stones were eaten, it was impossible to raise the ability above a certain level of monsters. It was necessary to have a powerful relic to hunt monsters of the dark blue grade, which was hard to even label as a mere monster.In other words, monopolizing the powerful relics was like monopolizing the opportunity, ability, and conditions to hunt dark blue-grade monsters. Mao gave the answer when the monsters appeared and exactly a week had passed. He, who found the right answer sooner than anyone else, immediately put his answers into action. He contacted survivors from all over the world through Okjo, and the community that was created was named the Six Snakes. The activities of the Six Snakes that were born like that were going smoothly.''The plan is still being distorted because of Kim Tae-hoon.''It was successful until Kim made the Mac Guild and actively moved.''He is a monster.'' Kim Tae-hoon''s performance was tremendous. No, beyond the tremendous level, he denied the new providence that had arisen since the monsters appeared.Of those who had survived the appearance of the monsters, those who gained strength and power were lucky. Luckily, those who had acquired powerful relics and legendary relics in the world had become men of power.Musashi was typical of them, and that was no strange thing. Human beings were originally animals with tools, and surviving in a world full of overwhelming beasts was easier for humans with better tools.But Kim Tae-hoon was not. He survived, eating strong monsters even when he was thrown into the wild with his bare body.''No, he''s already a monster.'' In the end, Kim became a monster.That was why Mao wanted to wake up the dragon. In order to remove the monster Kim Tae-hoon, he had to borrow the power of a more dangerous monster: the dragon!''So, we gave up the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese islands because of him.''In addition, it was a pretty big loss for the Six Snakes. ''As soon as the dragon wakes up, the Korean Peninsula and Japan will actually become the territory of the dragon, and there is no guarantee that the anger of the awakened dragon will be satisfied with the Korean Peninsula and the archipelago alone.''''But this is the end.''In other words, there was no more definite method than this one.''He can either abandon them all and run away, or he can fight for everyone and die.''The only choice Kim Tae-hoon and Korea could choose against the awakened dragon was desperate. The fact let him smile again.''We have a problem, but it''ll be settled.'' It was a new Okjo that interrupted his smile. Unlike other Okjo, Mao''s expression wrinkled as soon as the Okjo made of red jade appeared. ''''The red Okjo!'' As soon as the red Okjo stood on Mao''s desk, it said in a trembling voice, "Some, some, someone is fighting with the dragon!"In front of that voice, Mao rose immediately.''No way!'' His racing footsteps brought him over in front of the globe, the Globe of Martin Behaim!''No way!'' He stood in front of the globe and immediately brought his eyes close to the globe with a magnifying glass. He could see that two small lights were glittering at the end of the Korean Peninsula, so small they could not be seen without a magnifying glass!

 123 Episode 123 - Dragon Slayer, Part II

    Chapter 43. Dragon Slayer, Part IITranslator: KhanEditor: RED4. There are many ways to hunt. There is hunting using bows, using spear and sword, and using traps. And there is fishing! In addition, fishing is a very good hunting method. When they pick up only a few kilograms of fish, they don''t realize it, but they can see it clearly why fishing is good hunting when hundreds of kilograms of fish bite the hook. As soon as people take a fish weighing hundreds of kilograms, far out at sea, with a fishing rod, they know how great fishing is.''It''s impossible to kill it with a single stroke.''The hunting method that Kim Tae-hoon prepared against the dragon was fishing. Of course, it was not about putting a hook into the mouth of the dragon.''What I want to use is the method of anglers who have a long battle with the fish, to wear the fish''s stamina down to the bottom and then fish it out.''Kim Tae-hoon was planning to have a long battle with the dragon.''In case of the Eight-tailed Fox, it died immediately after eight swords were stuck into its heart. If it is the dragon¡­ even if I stabbed a knife into its heart, it would not stop its heart immediately.''It was a natural choice, the only one.The weakness of monsters was definitely the heart. But stabbing its heart didn''t end everything. In addition, as everything about the monsters of the dark-blue grade was beyond the standard, the hunt for them did not end just by stabbing its heart. It was even more so when it came to the Dragon''s ability to regenerate. Even if a sword was stabbed into its heart, the wound was healed away. So, what do you do to weaken that recovery?''So, I have to consume the Health and Mana that lays the foundation of its ability to recover, somehow. As I said before, I have no choice but to wear down its stamina to the bottom. I have to make it exhausted, giving it repeated fatal wounds and forcing it to regenerate them.''''Stabbing its heart is after that.'' To put it simply, Kim Tae-hoon''s work from now on was to hurt the dragon until it became noticeably weak in its ability to regenerate.The problem was that the work had to be done on the body of a giant dragon flying a few kilometers in the air at a speed of more than three hundred kilometers per hour!His eardrums screamed at the sound of the wind passing through his ears.Whoo-woong! The dragon''s flight was not a simple flight, but an acrobatic course meant to fling off Kim Tae-hoon, who was sticking to its body. It rose freely, fell arbitrarily, drew a big circle in the sky like the Blue Streak at Cedar Point, and in the process, it turned its body like a top. It was using everything.Krrr! The dragon began to rise up at right angles to drop Kim Tae-hoon, who still occupied its back.However, Kim Tae-hoon did what he had to do on it. Pook! He drove the Dragon Light Sword into the body of the cliff-like creature, and then hung his whole body on the Dragon Light Sword.Then the sunlit Dragon Light Sword began to cut through the scales along the back of the black dragon. Moving with it, Kim Tae-hoon''s body also slid down the dragon''s body.Kim Tae-hoon''s body, which had been near the neck of the dragon, arrived near the tail.''More.'' If he fell a little more here, it was time to fall to Jeju Island, which was now the size of a fist below him.''I need to make deeper, longer wounds.'' In that situation, Kim Tae-hoon was greedy, and eventually, the Dragon Light Sword that hung Kim Tae-hoon fell from the dragon''s body. At that moment, Kim Tae-hoon reached out his left hand. The Golden Web which came out of his left hand became a rope that caught Kim Tae-hoon as he fell off of the body of the dragon.Kim Tae-hoon used the rope to climb back onto the dragon''s body at once. He put the Dragon Light Sword onto the back of the dragon''s neck again, where he had just wounded it. Pook! The act of madness which had to be called beyond crazy began again. Kim Tae-hoon did it over and over again. He went through the acrobatic feat of risking his life. Keuaaa! The series of acrobatics of Kim Tae-hoon also gave the dragon a sense of crisis. The dragon, soaring high into the sky, turned over with a scream. The sunlight that was shining on Kim''s body disappeared, and a deep shadow was cast to him. At the same time, Kim''s body fell from the dragon''s body. But there was no fall. Kim had the Golden Web and Telekinesis that was more useful than any rope. Just like a spider hanging from the ceiling, Kim hung himself on the back of the dragon. ''Rebound.'' Kim drove his body with the force of Telekinesis. Kim Tae-hoon drew half a circle around the body of the dragon and reached its belly. Sunlight fell on him again. Kim cut Dragon''s belly scales again with the Dragon Light Sword. The wound was deep, but the cut began to heal immediately. ''Recovery speed is a little slower.'' But at that fact, Kim had hope instead of despair. If it was like cutting down running water when he had first slid down the body of the dragon, it was now like cutting mud on a rainy day. The ability to recover was slower than at the beginning of the battle.''I can plant it now.'' At the fact, he added something new. A grenade was drawn from his waistline. Ting! As soon as the grenade was out, the safety pin and safety ring were removed on their own. Kim planted the grenade into the wound of the dragon, which is now ready to explode. When the dragon''s wound healed over and the grenade was covered, the wound exploded. Poowhat! Keuaaaang! The dragon, who was flying in the sky like doing the backstroke, looked up at its belly skin in fright. Krrrr! It stared at Kim Tae-hoon, there on the scales of its belly. Kim did not avoid the cold-hearted eyes. He looked at them with his black eyes. ''Still, a long way to go.'' It wasn''t easy. Just having a staring contest, the Energy settled in Kim''s stomach, even though it was huge, began to churn. On the other hand, the two relics soothed his roiling Energy just like that. The Couple-Burial-Mound Gold Earrings on his wrist and the Gilt-bronze Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statue in the bag on his back filled quickly refilled his exhausted Energy. ''But there''s nothing if I can''t hold on.'' The two relics also filled Kim''s confidence. In his confidence, he put the Dragon Light Sword back onto the belly of the Dragon. Pook! The sunlit Dragon Light Sword cut the unbeatable dragon''s belly easily. The dragon just watched the process. Instead of crying out in pain, it just looked at it without spitting out a roar of anger. Kim Tae-hoon was willing to show it again in front of such a fellow. He put a grenade into the wound which was being healed over. It was a special grenade made by melting relics, not just iron. Poowhat! Then the grenade exploded again, and the blood and flesh of the dragon scattered in the air. Krrrr¡­ At that moment Dragon looked straight ahead again, and it turned itself upside down again. Kim moved along the dragon''s body horizontally, in line with its rotation. Whoooooooo! Then Dragon began to fall towards the blue sea of Jeju! It seemed about to fall into the sea. It was a declaration: "Let''s see how far you can hold on!" The dragon''s blatant will was conveyed through his whole body as he clung to its back. He, who grasped its will, clenched his teeth tightly. ''That''s what I want.'' Bang! Soon afterward, Kim Tae-hoon and the dragon drove into the sea. ---------------------------------------5. National Palace Museum in Taiwan... It was considered one of the four greatest museums in the world. The outside image was unusual. The National Palace Museum, which had a blue-green roof and yellow walls, settled between the feet of a mountain full of green trees and shade, showing off its splendor by shining gold when the sunlight came down. It was the same now. The sunny old Palace Museum was shining more brightly than ever. But the people who gathered at the museum looked the opposite. The colors of their faces were the black of a dead body. "It doesn''t make sense. No matter how great he is, he''s making a pre-emptive strike against the dragon¡­" "Korea can''t afford it. Even they can afford it, there''s no reason why we didn''t notice an inkling." "Right, right now, Korea''s whole power is concentrated in the occupation of Pyongyang. But Jeju Island, where the dragon is located, is in the southernmost part of the Korean Peninsula, and he had to cross the sea. No matter what South Korea wants to hide, it can''t hide a large troop movement over that long distance." "But if Kim Tae-hoon goes on a solo dragon hunt¡­" "Don''t talk nonsense. Is that possible? A solo dragon hunt!¡­" Those who looked so dead were now all in power in Taiwan and the Six Snakes. "Mao, why don''t you give us your opinion?" "Please tell us something."Of course, Mao was at the center. Accordingly, he also had a terrible face.''No matter how I think about it, it''s impossible.'' Mao, no matter how hard he tried to think, could not figure out how Kim Tae-hoon planned to hunt the dragon.''Even if Kim has the Kusanagi in his hands, nothing would change.''Clearly, Kim had the Kusanagi in his hands. The Kusanagi was definitely a powerful weapon. If it was the power of the Kusanagi, it could rip through the dragon''s scales and stab the heart beyond it. ''But if Kim could kill the dragon with only the Kusanagi, we wouldn''t have suffered this much.'' However, the duration of the Kusanagi was limited. If he were in combat, he would have about thirty seconds to maintain the Kusanagi. The problem was that if it was a dragon, it would not die by being stabbed into the heart. ''Moreover, the target that the Kusanagi stabs is still the dragon.'' ''Furthermore, Energy is also the resistance to monsters'' fear. If Energy is consumed quickly, resistance to the fear also reduced. This fact is bound to be even more deadly in the dragon hunt.''''Even if he has Energy of A rank, in fact, it''s only ten seconds or so. If I calculate the time correctly, the effective window of time to use the Kusanagi is ten seconds. He can''t kill the dragon unless he totally mutilates the dragon''s heart for those ten seconds.'' ''However, the Kusanagi is not a weapon capable of mutilation. It is not easy to swing once, and it is not too much to say that it is a miracle if he does it twice.'' In fact, Musashi was also able to cut with it only one time, apart from maintaining the Kusanagi. With this in mind, the probability that Kim would succeed in the dragon hunt was zero!''Even if he has a new legendary relic, it''s unlikely to become a game changer.'' No matter what a new legendary relic he acquired, nothing would be changed greatly. ''Then, what the hell?...'' But Kim had moved. He was hunting the dragon. And given the circumstances, it was highly likely that Kim went on a solo hunt, unlike when Japan had fought with all their might to kill the Eight-tailed Fox. ''On what basis does he dare to hunt the dragon?'' Even Mao, who had been called a teacher, was unable to understand the situation, although he has shown his insight with the same information as the wisest man so far.That was why his face was so terrible. Even a desperate story could be accepted if he could understand it, but the situation itself was not understandable."Uh!" "Red Okjo!" A crow made of red jade came into their place, landing right in front of Mao. He met the eyes of the Red Okjo with a stiff expression, and the Red Okjo said with its beak wide open, "The dra, dra, dragon went into the sea."The words frightened the crowd. "What!" "Why did the Dragon go into the sea?" "Does it intend to swim to the Korean Peninsula?" "Stop talking nonsense, it doesn''t need to swim since it has wings!" Mao was the only silent one in the space where everyone was vomiting out their horrified feelings. "Quiet." He was only aware that the crow made of red jade had not shut its beak. As he expected, the open-beaked Red Okjo spoke again after about 10 minutes. "The dra, dra, dragon has risen out of the sea. Its, its, its whole body is bleeding. The dra, dra, dragon is screaming." Once again, the Red Okjo stopped talking. But it did not shut its beak. The Red Okjo was still open-mouthed. ''Oh, that''s not the end.''''It has more to say.''Everyone swallowed, looking at the Red Okjo. That was all. No one spoke in this situation. After a long time, about thirty minutes, it spat out more words from its open beak, "A flash shone over the dragon." The voice of the Red Okjo was no longer shaking¡­ "Ah¡­ the dragon is falling from the sky¡­"At the end of those words, the Red Okjo shut its beak. It was now time for anyone to talk. But there was no one who could open their mouths.

 124 Episode 124 - Dragon Slayer, Part III

    Chapter 43. Dragon Slayer, Part IIITranslator: KhanEditor: RED6. It fell like a meteor coming down. Boom! It was like a bomb went off. A huge disaster struck the middle of Mt. Halla and the vast expanse of green grass. It was literally a disaster. The earth shook with the roar, and with the powerful shock, a huge dust-colored shock wave swept out. Kukukuku! The world let out a wild scream. The identity of the disaster was revealed after the eerie scream that. ''Oh, my God.'' And now the first witness of the disaster, Zhihong, was unable to shut his mouth at the sight that had unfolded before his eyes. ''Did you really kill it?'' At the center of the disaster was the dragon, full of wounds. It was deeply wounded in its long neck, a huge wound passing right through it. ''Did he kill the dragon?'' There was a dragon that had now become a corpse. ''What the hell¡­'' The sight was incredible. In fact, Zhihong did not believe what he saw and heard at this moment. At this moment, his body was the only thing he could trust. The fact that there was no more tremor was the true evidence that the dragon in front of him was a corpse. ''What the hell is this nonsense¡­'' Even with such evidence, Zhihong was unable to move his feet easily at this moment. Crack! It was only after he pounded his cheeks with his hands that he began to move. The intense sound of his face burning red at once changed his eyes. He had the same eyes as his first time here on Jeju Island.''Confirmation is first.'' He moved toward the body of the dragon, the trigger that would lead to death and despair for tens of millions of people who had survived in the Republic of Korea and Japan, and with the eyes of those who were willing to pull the trigger of a massacre that no slaughterer had done in human history.''This may be an opportunity.'' In the mind of Zhihong who changed his eyes, the calculation began immediately.''No, it''s a chance!'' In fact, this moment was a lifetime opportunity for Zhihong. In a time when the body of a monster had more value than anything else, the body of a dragon was in front of him at such a time.The chance of a life-change was in sight.''If only I could eat the crystal of the dragon¡­'' Above all, Zhihong had a mark on the back of his right hand, and he had the minimal qualifications to be the owner of the priceless treasure in front of him.''Yes, I will eat it.'' The only thing left for him was to remove his rival, who was only as qualified as he was. As soon as he thought of that, Zhihong began to search for something other than the dragon.''¡­ there he is.'' And he found him. Over near the great crater the dragon''s body had created, a man was lying on his back.''Is he dead?'' He was like a dragon as if he were not different from a corpse. The man was in such a terrible condition.''He looks terrible.'' All his clothes were torn to pieces, and the bare flesh that had been revealed was just a lump of flesh, even though the bruises that had been painted all over his body made it impossible to imagine what kind of shock he had. His left knee was also turned the wrong way, and his right arm was broken, its bone coming out through his skin.''He is surely Kim Tae-hoon.'' It was a corpse, no matter how he looked at it. So, without hesitation, Zhihong approached the body and turned the body over. Then he saw the man''s face.''Hahoetal.'' The man was wearing a Hahoetal. On the other hand, it proved his identity.''It is Kim Tae-hoon.'' The only one who would be wearing a Hahoetal beside the dead dragon in this world would be Kim Tae-hoon. And as soon as he found out, Zhihong''s heart began to throb violently with anticipation and joy.''Once if I make sure he''s dead¡­'' Once he had confirmed life and death, if he found out that Kim was dead in front of him, everything here would be his! With that expectation, Zhihong, whose heart swelled, lowered his posture and carefully brought his ears to Kim Tae-hoon''s chest.Pow! At that moment something caught Zhihong''s neck."Ugh!" There was a breathless noise from his throat, and it was the last sound he would make.Kim Tae-hoon''s left hand, which had caught Zhihong''s neck, ripped out his throat. Zhihong fell to the ground without even spitting out his last breath."Gasp! Gasp!" Kim Tae-hoon, who had fallen down, rose up. He was in danger. As soon as he got up, his body staggered again and again.Even now, his left leg, which was no longer functioning as a leg, was stifling, but there was no sign of him calming down.Thump! In the end, Kim fell to the side of Zhihong. He reached out and pulled out the pistol at the waist of the fallen Zhihong.With one gunshot, Zhihong''s struggle stopped."Hoo-oo." At the same time, a long sigh came from Kim''s mouth.''If he were a student of mine, I would be dead.'' Kim Tae-hoon did not put his ear to the enemy''s chest to confirm the enemy''s life and death, and he did not teach his men that kind of thing.If Zhihong had been Kim''s student, he would have pulled the trigger until the magazine was empty as soon as he saw Kim.''I was lucky.'' Kim was as lucky as he felt. He kept his life because of the inexperience of a man named Zhihong. And¡­''I was so lucky.'' The dragon who had become a dead body would save the life of Kim Tae-hoon, who was dying now. Literally.Kim was dying now. His physical body and health had already bottomed out due to the long battle with the dragon, the Hahoetal which he wore in such a situation setting fire to his body, and the unsheathed Kusanagi from the sheath made the fire a short and strong explosion.Everything in Kim Tae-hoon was burned out. After that, his remaining body would not be intact, nothing but ashes in the wind. It was a weak, emaciated body which was staggering in the passing wind.''I expected it, but¡­'' And Kim was expecting this sight as well. He did not intend to hunt the dragon in a relaxed manner without burning everything. He was not so arrogant.At the same time, Kim knew what would save him dying at this moment."Ugh!" Kim, who rose again to perform the method, moved toward the dragon, limping with his left leg, which had already become useless. His footsteps stopped in front of a huge hole in the neck of the dragon. Beyond the level of ripped flesh, there was a light beyond the hole that penetrated the dragon''s neck.''I can''t say a word.'' But what came into Kim''s eyes was a sign of hope. Even in the situation of being stabbed by the Kusanagi, there was a sign that somehow it was trying to heal the wound.If the power of the Kusanagi was insufficient, or if the dragon had any remaining ability to recover, he would have been passing through its throat at this moment, chopped into small pieces by its teeth.At that moment, Kim put his body into the hole in its neck. When he pulled out himself again, he had a shiny jewel of dark-blue hue in his hand.Kim put it in his mouth. Gulp! There was no hesitation in swallowing it.Furthermore, he was not hesitant to use the power of the dragon that became his own from now on. It was quick. His body, which was colored with blood and bruises, began to regain its original color at an amazing rate.Not long after Kim forced his left knee back to its original position, he was able to move his left knee at will, and the bone in his right arm was forced back to its original position. His whole body recovered its original state very quickly."Hoo!" The change was not the end of it.Kim''s normal arms began to change into the hide of a dragon, and his black Eyes began to split vertically. He looked at the back of his right hand, which looked like a dragon''s hide now, with his dragon-like Eyes.====== [Basic Abilities]- Strength: 999- Health: 999[Special Abilities]- Energy: A+ Rank- Mana: A+ Rank- Telekinesis: S- Rank- Defense: A+ Rank- Mana Resistance: A+ Rank[Achieved Abilities]Draconian (Grade 2): You can open the dragon''s power, but you can''t use any special abilities with the dragon''s power open.=====The change was like a death sentence, a death sentence Kim had never passed. However, he did not make a bitter expression. He was very satisfied.''With this power, it deserves to be a death sentence.''The open power of the dragon was overwhelming beyond the level of attraction, even the death sentence seemed sweet. However, his appreciation of the power of the dragon was totally valid.Kim turned his head and looked over at Zhihong''s body. ''The Six Snakes must have figured out I started hunting the dragon.''He expected the Six Snakes would use the dragon to play tricks. Anticipating it, he went on the dragon hunt. And now, when he had succeeded in hunting the dragon, there was one thing to do: make them pay for trying to play tricks.''I will attack them before they prepare.''---------------------------------------------7. The National Palace Museum in Taiwan... The place, which was shining with golden light in front of the sunlight, regained its original colors as the sun went down. The spectacular scenery disappeared as if the plating had been peeled off, and scenery that seemed to be childish took its place.A man was walking down the street in the landscape.''He killed the dragon.'' Mao felt a sense of crisis at this moment for the first time.''The Codex Gigas clearly described the dragon as one of the strongest dark blue-grade monsters¡­ but he killed it.''It was the first time. Mao had never felt a sense of crisis in the first days when monsters appeared. The globe he had, the Globe of Behaim, and the Codex Gigas, called the Devil''s Bible, made it possible. The Codex Gigas had information about the monsters that had appeared in the world, and the Globe of Behaim had information about the legendary relics, the only way to kill them. It was actually like an answer sheet. It was an answer sheet with answers to the problems mankind was now facing!''He caught a monster we couldn''t kill.''But not anymore, he felt a sense of crisis. What he had dared not expect had happened.''Goddammit! I have to give up on the plan I''ve been preparing for because of one human being.''The problem that Mao had not had anywhere in the answer sheet was now beginning to threaten him. That was why he felt a sense of crisis. His first sense of crisis in the era of monsters shook him greatly.''¡­ but I can''t help it.'' Shaking, Mao was forced to make a decision. ''The size of the Six Snakes is too big. The bigger size makes me unable to escape or hide. I must reduce the size of the Six Snakes first.'' He needed to destroy everything he had made using the names of the Six Snakes. ''Survival is now a priority. If I am alive, I can make new plans.''He was going to give up the plan in which the Six Snakes became saviors and created a new order in the world. ''I''ll have to break the balance at the same time.'' Of course, Mao did not intend to leave a balance in a world without the Six Snakes. ''Kim Tae-hoon, if you want to be a savior, be the only savior.'' Mao intended to pass everything on to Kim about the huge chaos that began like that. ''Be the sole savior and die bravely.'' When Mao thought up to there, he stopped walking. "Soso!" Standing in place, he called someone''s name and immediately a woman came from a long distance. "Yes, sir." "Tell Major Chinshan to destroy the Great Wall." "What¡­""Destroy the Great Wall." "Yes?" "It is just as I say, tell Major Chinshan to destroy the Great Wall." "Then the monsters will cross the continent¡­" The woman named Soso looked at Mao in surprise. Mao said firmly, "That''s why I''m telling you to break it. And one more thing¡­ tell Major Chinshan to get ready to greet us."

 125 Episode 125 - Judgment Day, Part I

    Chapter 44. Judgment Day, Part ITranslator: KhanEditor: RED1."Move it carefully!"Just as the flowers bloomed on the spot where the typhoon passed, and the grass grew on the ground collapsed by the earthquake, vitality began to flow around the mid-slope of Mt. Halla in Jeju Island, where there was an unbelievable disaster. "If you can retrieve a drop of blood, you''ll get it back!" "The earth on the spot where the dragon was, dig it up to the end! Dig it all out!" It was soldiers who were exuding the vigor. Uniformed soldiers were carrying the disassembled dragon carcass, like holding eggs to their chests, and descending the mountain. They were carefully digging up the soil soaked with the blood that had flowed from the dragon''s body, and carrying it in prepared plastic bags."That''s great, I can''t imagine how many great items will come out with this dragon."It was a job that only the hunters who succeeded in a hunt could enjoy, so all the soldiers who participated in the work were lively."I can''t imagine the master killed this crazy monster alone."Furthermore, the fact that this amazing achievement was accomplished by the man who protected them, not just anyone, fueled their vitality. It was the reason why everyone was smiling, and some of them were working without any complaints, even though it was difficult to climb and descend Mt. Halla."It seems that the world has changed since the soldiers are doing their best to participate in the work. Originally the soldiers were the men who swore when they were given work." Jang Sung-hoon, who was watching the scene, expressed his appreciation. Kim Tae-hoon, standing next to him, tilted a mug in his hand instead of answering. Kim, savoring his coffee, watched the scene taking place slowly before his eyes. "You''re here, boss. I thought you''d just run to Taiwan." Jang asked. Of course, he waited after asking the question until he heard Kim swallowing. It was evidence that he was now used to the habits of a man named Kim Tae-hoon. "There were Awakeners sent from Taiwan here." "Yes, I checked the dead bodies. Considering that they already sent a group of Awakeners to Jeju Island¡­ I am sure you''re right. No, I guess they moved much faster than the boss expected."So the Six Snakes are likely to have figured out now that I killed the dragon."Then, you have to move earlier, don''t you?"Jang knew the moment Kim killed the dragon faster than anyone else. There was nothing hard about it. He could always figure out the life and death of the dragon using Daedongyeojido. Of course, he contacted Busan Port as soon as the dark blue light disappeared from Jeju Island. There was nothing strange to say after that. However, when he arrived at Jeju Island, he had no choice but to question the moment he heard that Kim was still there."As you said, they''re starting to prepare, and it is the boss''s style to attack them first before that."Kim Tae-hoon said that Taiwan, the main body of the Six Snakes, would be next after the dragon.If he had not been ill, he would have gone to Taiwan as soon as he killed the dragon. In fact, his original plan was to do so. He had a plan to move on Taiwan if he could afford to at the moment he killed the dragon, until he checked the Awakeners dispatched from Taiwan to wake up the dragon. "No, there are no Six Snakes in Taiwan.""Yes?""I honestly didn''t expect them to move so early."It was something Kim did not expect. The reason why Kim was in a hurry to hunt the dragon in the first place was to hide the whole process from the Six Snakes. However, the movements of the Six Snakes were much faster than his expectation."What does it matter?""It means that there is at least one person in the Six Snakes, who thinks like me and has the ability to put that idea into practice." It meant that there was someone in the Six Snakes who was at least half a step ahead of Kim Tae-hoon."So?" "If I were the Six Snakes, I wouldn''t even think about fighting against a man who had killed the dragon alone.""Ah¡­"Kim was convinced that if the person had such judgment and behavior, he would surely think about what was best at this moment and put it into practice. That was the reason."Well, if I were your enemy, I wouldn''t stay in Taiwan, an island country where there is no place to run away."The reason why Kim stayed in Jeju Island was that the real Snakes that he wanted to catch right now ran away, so there was no reason to hurry."So are you going to leave Taiwan as it is?""No." Of course, it did not mean not to attack Taiwan!"Hey, boss, I don''t want to be surprised anymore, saying ''Yes'' or ''Ah''. Can you just summarize and tell me?"At the words of Jang, Kim was silent with coffee. Gulp! After summarizing the words in his mind, he said, "The Six Snakes would have left Taiwan with important relics and Awakeners, but on the other hand, the Taiwanese authorities would have been left as they were.""Those remaining are bait.""The bait that attacked us, without any declaration of war, unilaterally, with inhumane values and ideologies." With the words, Kim got up."Then I''ll have to let them pay for it."At that remark, Jang did not ask why Kim gave them time to prepare. He knew better than anyone that they could not stop Kim, no matter what they prepared for. So, he prayed briefly instead of such a question, ''The day the boss arrives in Taiwan will be Judgment Day.'' He prayed for those who were as good as dead now.2.On December 2, 2017, snow was falling in the sky in Taiwan, which had entered winter. It was mysterious in Taiwan, it was hard to see because the temperature here stayed above zero degrees year-round.But it was dangerous. In Taiwan, if the temperature dropped below five degrees Celsius, dozens or hundreds of people could freeze to death, and cold weather was a more frightening disaster than a storm. They could not afford to appreciate the snow that fell on the Taiwanese. The same was true of the citizens of Taipei. Monsters that had appeared on December 31 last year took much from the Taiwanese. The raving monsters had crushed everything in Taiwan.To counter such monsters, Taiwan had to unite around the military, and everyone who survived in the process had to give up their freedom and human rights to survive. Everything was centered around the military, and the Taiwanese fully cooperated with their military. That was why they couldn''t afford to look at the snow."Don''t play the wag!""The lazy cubs will be executed by firing squad!"At the angry scolding of the soldier with a gun, the movements of people who clearing away the wreckage of the building became busier. Moreover, as soon as the snow began to fall in this sight, it was no longer the scene of Taiwan that the world remembered. It was a sight that was only seen in North Korea.A man appeared at the scene. The man in black uniform was carrying two swords and a bag on his back. It was a heterogeneous dress."What is it?" So, when the man appeared, some of the soldiers were willing to show interest in the man."You there! What the fuck are you doing?"The man who appeared before the attention brought the loudspeaker in his right hand to his mouth. Then the man said through the loudspeaker, "From 2 PM. on December 2, 2017, the Republic of Korea will begin a war against Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea will wage a war with a fair and full force against Taiwan."The Chinese language spread through the loudspeaker was very awkward and uncolored, the mark of a person who did not know Chinese speaking with memorized words.Of course, no one really accepted the man''s words. No one warned the man. The only reaction was that a soldier aimed at the man with a loudspeaker with his M4 carbine rifle.Tutu! It was not long before the shooting surprised the neighborhood. Those who were work slowed down reflexively, as if they were familiar with the gunshots, and the soldiers also smiled reflexively, as if they were tired of the familiar situation.''Huh?''''What?''But the crowd froze at the sight of the man who tore off the distorted bullet-heads from his cheek with his hand, rather than bleeding and screaming at being shot. ''What, what?'' Everyone froze in front of this ridiculous sight.In front of the scene, the man once again spoke to the loudspeaker. This time, it is fluent Korean, not awkward Chinese. "It''s 11:22 a.m., I''ll attack Taipei City at 2 PM. This is the last courtesy."At the end of the words, the man Kim Tae-hoon turned his back. Kim later appeared at 2 PM.3.Draconian.This ability acquired through the dragon''s crystal was fearsome. As soon as the power of the dragon opened, his physical Defense was invulnerable to bullets, and his Mana resistance and tolerance to fear also rose very sharply.At the same time, the basic ability was strengthened beyond the numerical representation. His Strength was at the level that he could carry a mid-size car like a shield, and the meaning Health was virtually eliminated.There was only one constraint, that he could not use special abilities if he was in Draconian mode, and using the power of the dragon. Literally. In Draconian mode, he could not use special abilities. In other words, in Draconian mode, he could use any basic abilities and achieved abilities, except special abilities.Fufufufu!On December 2, at 2 PM, Taipei City, Kim Tae-hoon announced his appearance by throwing out huge flames. Of course, this fact did not matter to the Taiwanese soldiers who started fighting not just a battle against the enemy, but a war for their nation. "Shoot!"Tututu!"Don''t stop and shoot!"Tututu!The important thing for the Taiwanese soldiers was that Kim Tae-hoon''s absurd physical Defense ignored the bullets, and his crazy Strength let him throw a bigger passenger car than the medium-sized car they using as cover at them.Bang! It was a ridiculous sight."Crazy, crazy!" Even if they concentrated on the battle, their lives were in danger, but the soldiers who pulled the triggers forgot to shoot for a while at the sound. The sight of the Lexus LS flying towards a Toyota Camry was tremendous."Be, be careful!" When a Ford truck, not a small car, flew toward the soldiers who were shooting from the window of the building, there was virtually no one eager to fight anymore.''This is a ridiculous battle.''''It''s a monster that cannot compare with a monster!''The rabbit''s front teeth were never eager to bite a lion.''I''m going to get out of here.'' Soldiers who lost their fighting spirit naturally wanted to escape from the fight. Several soldiers, not one, began to flee the battlefield, as if the platoons had made a mutual promise. It was true that fleeing during wartime would be judged by summary execution immediately. But no one judged them. It was because a lot of commanders who had to judge them also ran away!The problem was that Kim Tae-hoon did not intend to allow them to escape. His vertical-split black eyes swept around. It was not the Eyes of the Black Snake, nor the Eyes of the White Snake.The Eyes of the Dragon.Everything was visible to the eyes of the predator who was at the peak. Each one of the fugitives was clearly visible; it was like looking at ants and identifying them one by one. Of course, it was pointless. When killing ants, it was not necessary to distinguish and identify the ants one by one.All he needed was one method, overwhelming violence. Kim Tae-hoon used the violence at this moment. He raised his head and opened his mouth. His heart began to swell up. Soon he released it from his chest.Keuaaa! The sound of a dragon''s roar shook Taipei City, a sound that could not be produced by a human voice. The legs and heads of the soldiers who ran or fought shook together."Khuck!" Those who fought fell down on the spot, and those who ran away crashed down as they were. Everyone began to tremble with fear.Only one person, Kim Tae-hoon, who had created all of this fear, walked leisurely in the world where everyone else had collapsed. Walking casually, he showed a cold heart and determination that matched the war. Instead of punching the fallen soldiers in this situation, he showed the wisdom of using the guns the soldiers had.Tututu!So, the judgment day began.

 126 Episode 126 - Judgment Day, Part II

    Chapter 44 - Judgment Day, Part IITranslator: KhanEditor: RED4. The world''s assessment and view on Taiwan was not good. It was not because Taiwan lacked potential and national power. The biggest reason was that it had an enemy: China.The national power and military power of China were behind that of the United States, but the fact that Taiwan had the more ruthless and amoral China as its enemy, had made the world look at Taiwan with a sympathetic eye.Taiwan''s military power was not at a level of sympathy. On the other hand, they still had the power not to kneel against China, and were even playing a mean trick for their own benefit that a small man would not do.Major General Li Su-kwang was a person with faith and pride in the potential of Taiwan. So, he accepted Mao''s proposal, allowed the Six Snakes to play in Taiwan, and gave them full support. Furthermore, he dreamed of Taiwan becoming the Republic of China and a great nation to dominate the world beyond Asia, with the Six Snakes, to win the Chinese Civil War, the war against the Chinese People''s Liberation Army that Taiwan and China have been playing out for over half a century.Li Su-kwang dreamed of becoming the protagonist and the leading player of historical achievements.''Why the hell did this nonsense happen?''It was not until three hours ago that he had given up on the dream. It was the same when he had heard that the dragon of Jeju Island was killed. It was certainly a matter of caution, but he didn''t want to give up everything he''d ever achieved, and the dream.Therefore, he just kept alert and had only prepared for it. He still had the same dream, preparing to guard against an attacker.''What on earth is this Kim Tae-hoon?'' But now his dream was blurring for the first time.Kim Tae-hoon, the man who had killed the dragon, declared war in person and alone in Taipei City, Taiwan on December 2nd.Often, in the history of war, civilians were informed of an attack in order to reduce death tolls prior to the massive bombardment and air raids, but it had never been done in the history of human war like Kim Tae-hoon, who appeared in the center of the city alone and gave notice of the attack with his own voice.What was even more surprising was that he started the war alone, and now the war situation was overwhelmingly directed toward Kim Tae-hoon.''What kind of monster can do this? What kind of monster is he?''Even Kim Tae-hoon''s tactics, which were reported in real time, had embarrassed Li Su-kwang.Kim Tae-hoon was moving himself openly. He ignored the concept of modern warfare that a soldier should not be a target, and he appeared in front of an armed army, ignoring the concept of numbers and firepower, and he won with simple and one-sided violence against the bullets and shells that were pouring toward him. There was no concept of tactics in Kim Tae-hoon''s movements.''How the hell do we stop this guy?'' It was not a tactic, so it was not possible to aim for the gap in the tactics."Major, Major General Li Su-kwang." A man appeared in front of Major General Li Su-kwang urgently.Major General Li, who confirmed the face of the subordinate who had suddenly appeared, asked instead of shouting at him, "What did Mr. Mao say?""Well, well¡­""Well?""He, he''s not there.""What?""No, no one is there, and I didn''t even see the relics that Mr. Mao kept."The moment he heard it, he did not dream anymore. Instead, he faced reality, a very cold reality."¡­ we''ll move to the port. We''ll leave the island as soon as possible."5."Ugh¡­" The car that he had been riding in a while ago came to the eyes of Major General Li, who opened his eyes with a low groan. The car he was riding in was turned over like a dead frog.There was a man near the upside-down car.''Kim Tae-hoon¡­''Li Su-kwang had never seen Kim Tae-hoon, but he was convinced that the man in front of him was Kim Tae-hoon. Furthermore, he was sure that Kim Tae-hoon''s actions of not using tactics at all, were the result of his shaking the grass of Taiwan to pull out the Snake.''He stirred the bushes to surprise the snake¡­ He did it on purpose¡­ on purpose.''It was the right answer. The reason why Kim showed a clear and active movement, as if he were putting on a show, was to stimulate the key commanders of the Taiwan army. In fact, Taiwan was a place harder to attack than he thought. Just as North Korea has created countless secret underground bunkers to survive from the enemy the United States, Taiwan also had a lot of secret underground bunkers to survive from their enemy China. Moreover, Kim knew about North Korea well, but there was not much information about Taiwan. If the VIPs of the Taiwanese military hid in the secret underground bunkers that Kim did not know about, it would be inevitably painful. So, he did this, and the trick succeeded in pulling out the biggest snake.Kim stood in front of Li Su-kwang."Wait, wait¡ª" Li Su-kwang barely squeezed his words out in front of Kim. He also used English, not Chinese. At this moment, Li Su-kwang was calmer than Kim had thought, evidence that he was not a normal person.Kim looked down at him without taking any other action."I am Major General Li Su-kwang, and I have all the military power of the Republic of China in my hands." In front of Kim, Lee Su-kwang introduced himself. It was the most miserable introduction in the world."Let''s, let''s negotiate." After completing his introduction, Li Su-kwang immediately made a proposal."If you will save me, I will give you full cooperation-""A lot of people died because of the work of the Six Snakes, and you guys would have sat at the table and applauded and delighted in it." Of course, Kim did not intend to receive the proposal. "Well, that''s-""And now you propose a deal? Do you think I''ll accept it? With the people who tried to kill me and use the dragon to destroy my country?"The Six Snakes and Taiwan.They had incredibly good luck. The relics in the National Palace Museum, the number of monsters appearing in Taiwan, and being an island gave them a choice of becoming a savior to the world, or a conqueror to infringe on others and reign over the world.However, they chose the latter without hesitation among the two options, and they made a move to attack and reign over the world. Instead of reaching out to those who were hanging on the cliff and asking for help, they stepped out and trampled on the hands of the people barely holding on.Kim did not intend to ask why they acted. He just came here for revenge of those who were killed by the choices of the Six Snakes, and to administer judgment for the choice."Nevertheless, it''s good to save me." However, in front of Kim, Li Su-kwang repeatedly proposed negotiations. It was a matter of his life, and at the same time, he knew his worth better than anyone else."I''ll give you information! Information¡­ eub eub!" Kim said quietly, after blocking the mouth of Li Su-kwang with the Golden Web, "That''s why I will keep you alive, to get information."6.-The situation is terrible. Kim Tae-hoon is attacking the mainland of Taiwan.-The faces of those who listened to the story of the Okjo were hard.''Nonsense.''''How could this be¡­?''The story that the Okjo relayed was so unbelievable.''Who can believe that an individual has won an overwhelming victory against a nation?''But Mao was not surprised by the story because he was expecting it. ''As expected, if he is a human being who has killed a dragon, he''ll have to show this much.''He knew so well that Taiwan could not do anything to the great monster that had been a monster before the monsters appeared, the monster that had been a monster after the monsters appeared, and now a monster that had even eaten a Dragon. Rather, he was satisfied.''I see Kim Tae-hoon attacked Taiwan much later than I thought¡­ he expected us to run away. And he gave up chasing us and decided to clean up Taiwan first.''The fact that Kim Tae-hoon attacked Taiwan later than he thought meant that Kim would give up chasing him and destroy Taiwan alone. In other words, Mao had succeeded in escaping from a monster called Kim Tae-hoon.There were more reasons for Mao to be satisfied with this situation.''I''ve got all the relics.'' He had taken the important relics, and all the powerful relics he had collected so far."Mr. Mao, Major Chinshan is here.""Mr. Mao, I''m seeing you for the first time."And he also had powerful Awakeners, to bring out the value of the relics at 100 percent."Major Chinshan! It''s good to see you like this."Furthermore, Mao knew that he had nothing to lose now. So far, he had a lot of things to lose. However, he has nothing to lose now that he has lost enough."I have destroyed the Great Wall as ordered.""Good work, it could not have been easy.""The Qin Shi Huang Sword, the new sword, was very helpful, and so we didn''t have to worry about our lack of troops.""And what about the movements of the monsters?""The monsters that have been waiting for the Great Wall to collapse are crossing the Great Wall, and some of them are expected to head toward the Korean Peninsula.""I suppose so."From now on, Kim Tae-hoon would be a man who would keep a lot of things. He would not have time to worry about other places as he had to protect his country from the monsters that were coming."Where would you rather go?""We are going to move to Moscow along the Siberian railway, and then we are going to England."That amount of time would change the winner and loser again. There was no doubt that it would happen. "I''ll be home in a year." His home ground was not Taiwan.7."Kill him!"Taipei City.The capital of Taiwan, where violence was now raging, screaming and bloody. At the center of the violence were the Taiwanese.Soldiers and civilians.The two groups, pointing their guns at each other, began to fight a civil war of life-and-death.It was a natural procedure. In the situation where the soldiers who maintained order with strong violence were completely collapsed by Kim Tae-hoon, the civilians who had been persecuted could not stay still. They began to spit out their anger in the most violent way after being suppressed for nearly a year.Kim Tae-hoon was watching the scene. It was proof of their determination. What he did today was a judge with a justification, but that did not mean that he could become a warrior of justice. He knew that fact better than anyone else. He had no right to ignore the sight, and he had no intention of turning away.''Mao.'' Therefore, Kim made his determination stronger by watching the scene in front of him. Furthermore, he reminded himself of what he should do and what he should be again, in front of the scene. ''If you think of me as a hero and play a trick about it, you will surely die to me.''On December 2, 2017, the day of judgment was over. 8. Pyongyang.It was hard to find the past image after it had become a city of the Republic of Korea, no longer the capital of North Korea. The most prominent new thing was the presence of Torii, which had once been seen at the entrance of the Japanese shrine. The red Torii were showing their presence everywhere in Pyongyang, like utility poles.Around the planted Torii were tanks and self-propelled guns, and the soldiers and Awakeners who were fully armed around them were refilling.''Once we build a Maginot Line.'' It was a way which Colonel Lim Hyun-joon prepared, to protect Pyongyang and Korea from monsters. It was a wise method.''The Torii weakens the monster''s power after injecting Mana, and at the same time creates a protective area around itself. In such a protective field, resistance to the fear increases greatly. Even if some appropriate monsters appear, it will be a situation where we can use close to 100 percent of our firepower.''Furthermore, it was not the only thing that Colonel Lim had prepared."I''ll report, the dragon armor and the dragon bone lance made from the dragon, and the leather armor made from the Eight-tailed Fox, have arrived from the Mac Workshop in Bucheon." "They have finally arrived, I''ll check them right away. Please tell the Head of the Mac Workshop, ''Thank you for making them so fast, and I''ll send you the results after checking the power of the prototype goods.''""Yes!"Colonel Lim planned to do everything he could on the final defense line in Pyongyang. He was going to test the power of the powerful items that were now being created. He would not be satisfied with winning the battle and surviving, but he was going to grow and develop everything based on the battle.''I won''t just bleed.''One of his men came up to him. The soldier was wearing thicker clothes than the other soldiers, and although Pyongyang, which had entered December, was cold, it would be a little overdone in Pyongyang in December. But it was not a strange outfit."We are reporting on the search for the Rason Special Economic Zone."They were the ones who had returned after the end of the search for the Rason Special Economic Zone, the northernmost in North Korea, which was located in front of the Tumen River. That was why his thick clothing was not strange. "Report.""We have not found any surviving North Korean residents in the Rason Special Economic Zone."Colonel Lim was convinced after the soldier''s report. ''It''s over.'' The fact that there were no survivors of North Korea even at the northernmost point meant that there were no survivors of North Korean ancestry anymore."But we contacted a group of Awakeners from Russia during the search." There were survivors, not North Koreans."Russia?""Yes, they expressed their intentions to cooperate in any way, and to be protected by the Republic of Korea. In addition, one of them identified herself as a member of the Russian SSO Unit.""SSO?" Colonel Lim responded for the first time. The SSO Unit was worthy of that reaction."Yes."''A member of the Special Forces of the Russian Defense Ministry¡­''The Special Forces of the Russian Defense Ministry.If someone was a soldier, he would have to respond to the Unit like that."Once you disarm them, investigate thoroughly."Of course, Colonel Lim did not intend to believe what they were saying right away."Investigate thoroughly. You can push them to the limit. If you see anything strange, you can kill them right away on the spot." Colonel Lim didn''t want to show them a favor of mercy and kindness. "I''ll take responsibility for everything.""Yes!"It was the surest way to protect his country in this world.

 127 Episode 127 - Musical Chairs, Part I

    Chapter 45. Musical Chairs, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED1.Tututu!Kkieee!The ear-splitting gunfire and screams from monsters shook the city area of Daedong County, South Pyongan Province."Shoot!" The main characters of the gunfire were the soldiers who wanted to defend the final defense line built around Pyongyang.Kkie! Kkiee! The main characters of the scream were the giant Wolf Ants covered with shaggy hair."Fuck, we''ve met the ones we didn''t want to see most."Wolf Ants.The monsters who started to appear on the Korean Peninsula recently were very scary and threatening ones."Captain, I think we''ve lost the draw."One, each individual was strong. The lower-class Wolf Ants with red eyes could not be killed with one or two bullets, and the strength of the yellow-eyed Wolf Ant leaders was the highest level of yellow-grade monsters. But the scariest thing was not the strength of such an individual, but the habit of the Wolf Ant race."The proportion of Soldier Wolf Ants is high, and they must have come to build nests, not just search stations."The Wolf Ants had the habit of crushing everything in their territory and building their new own nests there."We have to stop them unconditionally. When the nest is built...""Yes, the queen will come."And as soon as a nest was built, the Queen Wolf Ant would move there, with hundreds and thousands of troops!"We must stop the Queen Wolf Ant from settling here. If they take over this place, Pyongyang will be very dangerous."The distance between Daedong County and Pyongyang City, where the battle was now being held, was less than twenty kilometers in a straight line, and in the middle of it was just a plain."If the Queen Wolf Ant settles here¡­ it might be an hour to Pyongyang."At the words of the soldiers, Captain Park Il-sung, who led the 9th squad under the Armored Hunting Unit and was in charge of guarding Daedong County, gave a short sigh."What about support?""We''ll need a battalion force to deal with the Wolf Ants, and I expect it will take more time for backup.""Then, we''ll hold on until backup comes." Il-Sung clenched his teeth tightly after sighing. "I am sorry, but there''s no retreat."If they were other monsters, he would have been willing to retreat, and join the backup forces and sweep away the monsters. But the Wolf Ants were different. As said before, the moment the Wolf Ants built a nest in Daedong County, the Queen Wolf Ant would come here.Building the nest did not mean building a splendid palace, but the moment when the Wolf Ant recognized Daedong County as their home.That was why they couldn''t retreat. Until the backup forces came, they had to convince the Wolf Ants that Daedong County was not their home."You don''t have to be sorry, we''ll be able to hold on until we get the backup." At the words of Captain Park Il-sung, the subordinate soldier replaced the answer with a determined smile instead of a desperate expression."Captain!" A soldier rushed in, with a hail of gunfire sounding behind him. "Support troops have arrived!" Then he said something everyone wanted to hear. Of course, Captain Park turned his head back, but his turned face immediately stiffened, because there was no sign to be seen after he turned his head. "What do you mean support? Where are the backup forces?"At the words of the question of Captain Park, the soldier pointed to the north, the front which the Wolf Ants were advancing in a rush. "There!""What the hell is that nonsense-" At that, Captain Park turned his head to the battlefield again with a strange expression.''What?'' And he could see that the Wolf Ants who had been running madly toward them turned their heads and ran backward.Boom! He also saw that the dead bodies of the Wolf Ants scattered all over by a huge explosion.''Could it be¡­''The most powerful support force in the world had arrived. 2. "The landscape is always the same every time I meet you." Colonel Lim looked at the scene in front of him for a while. The dead bodies of the powerful Wolf Ants were scattered all over. It was the scene which Kim had made."Are you looking for the most dangerous place on purpose?"It was always like that. When Kim returned to Korea after finishing his work, he appeared in the most dangerous place and made it the safest place."I don''t want to waste time walking down the flower path."It was not a coincidence, and it was intentional. Kim always focused his five senses when he returned to Korea, and he headed toward the place with the most gunshots and screams in the crowd.Colonel Lim smiled lightly at Kim''s appearance, not hiding his admiration. "That''s great." It was an admiration for the existence of Kim, who allowed a smile in a world full of monsters, and in a situation where everyone risked their lives to protect their country from monsters in the world."Please report the situation." However, Kim was not happy with the admiration.Colonel Lim erased his smile and started reporting. "We are currently building a defense line around Pyongyang. The immediate threat is the Queen Wolf Ant and Wolf Ant army in Kaechon City, South Pyongan Province. The number of Wolf Ants now is about twelve hundred, a mixed number of lower Wolf Ants and Soldier Wolf Ants.""I''ll remove the Queen Wolf Ant tomorrow. I want you to organize a backup unit. Anything else special?""After discovering a group of Russian survivors in Rason City, we''re currently investigating them. One of them has identified herself as an SSO operative."SSO... the word changed Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes.Colonel Lim immediately began a briefing on the reaction, as if he had expected such a reaction from Kim. "She is twenty-nine years old, and her name is Maria Alexandrovich Solovijov. As she said¡ª""She must have said that after working for KGB for three years and becoming a member of SSO, she was in Syria and Libyan Civil War until the monsters appeared."But the briefing was over immediately."Do you know her?""She is a daughter of Victor Solovijov, Deputy Director of the FSB.""The daughter of the Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Security Agency?""She was originally a member of the Alpha Group, a Counterterrorism Unit of the Federal Security Agency, and was recognized for her ability to intervene in the Syrian Civil War. She made such a great contribution that the Syrian government officially obtained support from the Russian army."Colonel Lim''s expression began to harden at the story that was much more amazing than expected. "¡­ I think there''s an amazing story, so what''s your relationship with her?""I saved her life three times at the request of our government."In this part, Colonel Lim shook his head. It was pointless for Kim to get his briefing if they were in such a relationship."Then it''s you''d better meet her than I do. She''s in detention in Pyongyang now. I''ll arrange the meeting now."Kim did not nod at the proposal. "I''ll kill the Queen Wolf Ant first.""You don''t have to hurry-""It''s much more important to hunt the Queen Wolf Ant and reduce the damage to soldiers and hunters than to talk to a smuggler from Russian whose intentions are unknown.""¡­ I''ll prepare for it right away." Colonel Lim did not try to persuade Kim. What he had to do was not to stop Kim, but to provide full cooperation and support for what Kim wanted to do."Captain Park Il-sung!""Yes, Commander."Colonel Lim called Captain Park, who was standing nearby as firm as a mannequin."You''ll lead the 9th squadron to help kill the Master''s Queen Wolf Ant." He ordered on the spot. It was not really an order to those who had risked their lives to defend Daedong County until just a while ago, and those who had not even taken a proper rest yet.At the order, Captain Park shouted as hard as he could, since there was no safer order in the world, "It''s an honor!"3.There was a room full of frustration, and a small light the only illumination. A woman was sitting in a chair. The tall woman''s hair was very short, and yet she had a beautiful appearance that was not lacking for all her nearly 180 cm height.Maria Alexandrovich Solovijov was the name of the beautiful woman, who was still attractive even after a wound that passed through her nose.But those who knew her remembered her by a nickname, rather than a real name."It''s been a long time, Writer."Maria turned her head at the word "Writer" from the man standing by the now-open door. She was surprised, "Messiah?"The man who appeared was Kim Tae-hoon."You call me Messiah?""Because I owe you three lives. Rather, why are on earth you here?" "From this side, I want to ask you why, of all occasions, the person from Russia is you."Maria answered Kim''s question immediately. "I have only come this far since I ran away; it is such a world, isn''t it?"There was no problem with that remark. Maria''s expression was showing her feelings, as well. There was nothing to find fault with.Kim did not think she had any fault."If the opponent is another person, it will be no problem, but not you." The only problem was that the opponent was Maria. "You always move to write a scenario."Writer.Even in the Alpha Group, Russia''s leading special forces, the nickname was not fit for a soldier who had been recognized for her ability. Nevertheless, it was because of her role that she had such a nickname.Before the advent of the monsters, the world powers longed for the pretext to exert overwhelming violence in an era where violence could no longer be exercised, and they tried to create a cause.Maria was a writer who wrote the necessary scenarios to make the cause.''It was Maria who was able to intervene in the Syrian Civil War.''It was the Syrian civil war that showed the most promise. If she hadn''t caught the weak spot by entrapping a CIA agent inversely who had been caught in the Syrian Civil War, the U.S. could not have just watched a blatant intervention of Russia for its ally, the Assad regime of Syria. It was Kim Tae-hoon who saved her and her Unit when they were in danger of an ISIS attack after that had happened. And as she said, it was the third time. He moved to rescue her whenever she was in a crisis while carrying out a very close scenario. "Don''t play a clumsy trick." Naturally, Kim knew what kind of scenario she wrote every time he went to save her. "I have no intention of playing with you, and there is no time." With the words, Kim immediately took off his pack and started putting it on the desk. He down put his bag first and then put two Swords on the desk. As soon as he sat across from Maria, he grabbed the Sword of the Imperator, which he put on the desk, and pulled it out. Tsreung!The Sword sounded eerie and revealed its hideous nudity. The naked body of the Sword was covered with blood that smelled rotten. The evidence showed that Kim was in the bloody battlefield just a little while ago. Maria''s eyes changed before the evidence. Suitable for her nickname as a writer, she understood the meaning of Kim''s actions. ''Kim Tae-hoon will kill me without hesitation, the moment he judges me to be a threat.'' Maria also knew Kim as much as the man in front of her knew her. That was why at this moment she was able to see the priority of what she had to do first: she did not play tricks on Kim. ''The first thing is to prove that I am not a threat.'' "Do you know the current situation of our country?" "I ask the questions." Kim also had no intention of letting Maria off because he knew her. He had a slight acquaintance with her. Never have they been together in the concept of co-workers. ''There is a possibility of contact with the Six Snakes.'' Above all, it was more likely that she came here because of the Six Snakes. ''If I find any problems with her, I will kill her.'' If she showed any signs of working as an agent of the Six Snake, Kim would kill her with a single stroke, and he showed it without hiding it a bit. That was why he took a Sword and wiped the blood of the Queen Wolf Ant on the Sword. It was a blatant threat. Maria, sensing the meaning of the threat, did not play any tricks. "Russia has become a zombie-overflowing world with the advent of Chernobog." She only talked about the truth that she knew. "Tell me about Chernobog." "I don''t know its identity. There is only a vague clue about a monster with a wolf figure, but no one knows exactly what skin color of the Wolf or what size is. No witnesses survive seeing it that close. Instead, I''m just sure it has purple eyes." "Abilities?" "The places where Chernobog has passed are full of zombies. The dead rise and use violence. I''d be glad if it was just people, but it''s crazy and includes monsters." "Is it a virus?" "Fortunately, it''s not contagious. Being bitten by a zombie doesn''t make people a zombie. Of course, it''s not certain." "What is the Russian government''s response to them?" "Nuclear weapons." At that moment, Kim stopped wiping the Sword and raised his hand. The conversation went off without a hitch. Soon afterward, he tapped into space with his hands as if he were knocking on the air. Tap tap tap! The door in the distance knocked on its own. Immediately a man opened the door and came in. The man had a kettle of boiling water, a coffee dripper, and a tray of crushed coffee beans. Maria sighed briefly at the sight. Drinking coffee instead of polishing a sword, she didn''t have to explain which was less threatening.Kim used his Telekinesis to move a coffee draper and a kettle in front of Maria. He continued his talk after lowering his coffee, using his Telekinesis. "In winter, zombies freeze and cannot move, and it the only time a nuclear operation can perform.But if it had been simply because of that, Maria, you wouldn''t have come to the Korean Peninsula¡­You are opposed to the plan."Maria nodded at the remark. "That''s right. I''m against using nuclear weapons. Of course, this is not because I am an opponent of nuclear weapons. All I''m worried about is¡­" "It''s a case where they can''t get rid of Chernobog with the nuclear weapons." "That''s right." "What you need is some forces to support the opposition."Finally, Kim stopped talking and immediately picked up a cup of coffee. Then he drank coffee. The hour of silence had begun. After the silence, Kim said, "I''ll help you." Maria did not cheer in his reply. "What do you want?" She knew that Kim''s answer was never an answer from justice and charity. And as she thought, Kim wasn''t helping her for charity and the right value. "Everything." "All?" "The cost of helping is all the resources and supplies Russia has." At the words, Maria revealed her feelings for the first time. She shouted with a surprised look, "What''s that nonsense? It can''t be possible, right? Does it mean we should actually be a colony?" Kim responded calmly to her reaction, "Ask Japan whether it is possible or not, Of course, if I have a chance." Kim Tae-hoon, drank his coffee and closed his eyes. Maria clenched her teeth at the sight and racked her brain. ''Kim Tae-hoon is a cool-headed man. He is not talking nonsense. He knows his ability better than anyone else.'' She imagined why Kim said this, and she made a story out of her imagination. ''He really wants everything, so he asked for it all. And¡­ he thinks he is worth asking for all of it.'' In the end, she was able to come up with the most obvious way to sort out countless stories in her mind. "I want to know your ability. That way, I can decide whether to bet or not." At the words, Kim once again knocked into the air. Tap tap tap! There was a knock again, and the man who brought some coffee came back. Kim said to the man, swallowing his coffee. "Deliver my order to Colonel Lim, get ready to climb Mt. Baekdu." And Kim, who had his coffee again, thought, ''Six Snakes, I''ll take the place you''ve fled to.''

 128 Episode 128 - Musical Chairs, Part II

    Chapter 45. Musical Chairs, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 4. Sejong Center Chamber Hall. It used to be a performance hall representing Korea. However, it faded after the establishment of the Seoul Arts Center. This place, without showing its past reputation and presence, was finally crowded with people after a long time. In many ways, it was a strange thing. It was strange that people gathered at a performance hall like the Center Chamber Hall in an era when the monsters still dominated the world, and it was also strange that the faces of the gathering were various. It was also strange that the languages spoken by the gathered people were varied. "If anyone who does not know sees this, they would think you are hosting a UN conference."Of course, the strangest thing among them was Jang Sung-hoon, who had appeared in a tuxedo. His tuxedo was not lacking, he wore a fedora, and he appeared with a cane that seemed to be useless, attracting everyone''s attention. There was no shame in the appearance of Jang Sung-hoon, who responded with a bright smile to such gazes."Hey, you should have worn like that?" In the end, the shame fell on those who came with Jang Sung Hoon. Cho Sung-yeon and Ahn Sun-mi, both of them were digesting the shame of Jang Sung Hoon instead."No, I think it''s polite to dress up for the invitation of the ambassadors to Korea, but you''re rather weird. Didn''t you both get tuxedos and dresses?""I''m pissed off that it''s not a serious talk.""It''s a serious talk.""Let''s not talk, let''s not."Ahn Sun-mi closed her mouth at the end of the words, and Cho Sung-yeon said carefully between them. "¡­ more than that, brother, can you tell me why you''ve assembled this meeting?"In the mind of Cho Sung-yeon asking the question, the memories of the last two days ago came to mind. Two days ago, Cho was doing support activity for survivors. It was a task to find survivors who they might not know, to rescue those who had suffered from the monster damage, to collect children who had lost their parents, and to create a database so that parents who had lost their children could see their personal information. It was a task that someone had to do, but nobody was doing, so Cho was willing to spend his days doing it. But two days ago, Jang suddenly sent a letter to him, ''I am going to gather all the ambassadors to Korea and talk¡­''It was a letter stating that Jang would gather the surviving ambassadors to Korea at Sejong Center Chamber Hall and talk. It was a letter asking them to attend, and when. There was nothing strange about it.Now, for the Republic of Korea, which had begun to function as a nation once again, it was necessary to go beyond internal stability and strengthen diplomatic interests. For diplomatic interests, the role of the ambassadors to Korea was very important, and was something that even anyone who had no deep knowledge of diplomacy knew.''What is he going to tell them?''The problem was that it was not exactly stated what he was talking about. It was a place to invite all the ambassadors to Korea. It was not for one or two, but a place to gather a large number of them, and it was also a place where various races, nationalities, and cultures would meet. It was very inefficient to go beyond politeness to just talk without a more definite proposition.Nevertheless, until this moment, Jang did not tell anyone what the topic of the meeting would be here today. At this point, it was no wonder Cho was not curious about what Jang would talk about, and he was worried."It''s nothing, I''m going to negotiate with the ambassadors to Korea today." At this moment, Jang told them why he gathered people here today."Negotiations?""Now, there are just a handful of countries around the world that are functioning as nations. Its function is not a matter, but in most countries, their survivors are dying right now. Of course, they will need help." "That''s a natural story, isn''t it?" "It is no wonder that the ambassadors to Korea should work hard to negotiate with Korea, which can help their country at this moment." At that moment, Cho Sung-yeon''s eyes changed. Ahn Sun-mi also opened her mouth as if she understood the situation, and asked, "So, what are you going to ask for in negotiations?" "Ah!" When she asked her question, Jang made short exclamations of admiration, as if he had something in mind. "I''ll correct my words." "What are you correcting?" "I think I used the wrong expression. It''s not a negotiation." Cho Sung-yeon and Ahn Sun-mi looked at Jang Sung-hoon, their eyes narrowed. Jang smiled and said to the two, "I am going to threaten them." 5. It was like a medieval armory, where classical weapons, such as well-sharpened swords and armor, were breathing while waiting for the time of the battle. There were two notable ones among the weapons. A vest made of a dragon''s dark red scales, and a leather coat made of the hide of a fox with white hair.==[The Leather of a Dragon] - Resistance to fear increases significantly. - The rate of recovery of all abilities increases very significantly. - Proficiency in all abilities is greatly increased. - Injecting Energy or Mana produces a draconic aura with strong defensive ability. ]== ==[The Leather of an Eight-tailed Fox]- Resistance to fear increases significantly. - It has a strong tolerance for Telekinesis attacks. - It has a strong resistance to fire and cold.- Injecting Telekinesis will make the body lighter. ]== They were the items made from the leather of the Dragon and the Eight-tailed Fox. "They are prototype items. The Chief of the Mac Workshop, Park Gap-soo made them in haste, and although the outer image is not the best, the effect is perfect." Kim, who had checked the items with black Eyes, did not turn his head in the direction of the voice. Instead, he asked a question. "Are these the only prototype items?""No, I''ve left them for display."The answer came right away, and as soon as Kim heard it, he pulled the vest made of dragon leather with both his hands. Chick! The vest tore promptly. Colonel Lim, seeing this, stood there with a blank expression on his face. It was around that time that Kim turned his head to him. "The seam is weak. Please tell them we need an improvement." "¡­ I''ll deliver it." "So, what brings you here?" "An Okjo arrived from Seoul. It said that the nineteen countries are going to visit." Visit.Kim did not show any special response at the word. "I honestly still don''t understand." It was Col. Lim who spoke the word himself. "Why are you forcing the ambassadors to Korea to watch the hunt for the Blue Qilin?" The Blue Qilin. It was a dark blue-grade monster currently located at the Heaven Lake of Mt. Baekdu. It had the body of a deer, the tail of a cow, the hooves, and the mane. It had two buckhorns on a dragon''s head mounted on the bizarre body, and it was walking on the Heaven Lake of Baekdu Mountain, considering itself as a celestial being on the divine mountain. Of course, the words ''a celestial being'' were applied when it was not threatened. When it was threatened, it became a scary monster vomiting lightning with its two horns, killing everything indiscriminately. Naturally, it was strong. It was not as strong as a dragon, but it was as good as an Eight-tailed Fox. It was just a walking disaster. It hadn''t mattered so far. For the peace of the Korean Peninsula, it had to be killed. If Kim Tae-hoon, who had killed the dragon, took the lead, the chance to kill it would be higher than ever. The problem was that the ambassadors to Korea were visiting the scene to hunt such Qilin, by force. "They can make a decision by looking at the level of ability we have. That''s the reason." "What decision?" "Whether they choose the Six Snakes or us?" Kim Tae-hoon knew war very well. ''War is not just about exchanging blows. If they win, they plunder, but if they lose, they are plundered. That is what war is about. If they hit and wait for the opponent to recover, and if they overlook things when the opponent declares surrender, if the referee intervenes when a problem arises, it is not a war, but a game.''This time was the same, too. Kim Tae-hoon hit the Six Snakes. So, what should he do next? He should take everything away from them. All that the Six Snakes occupied should now be occupied by Kim Tae-hoon, and the Mac Guild and Korea."Are you going to do the same thing as the Six Snakes did?""If I save a country that is about to be destroyed by monsters, I naturally would get the corresponding price." From now on, he was going to make them a subject country in exchange for killing the monsters of each country and supporting them."It''s not a righteous thing." Of course, it was not a just thing."Colonel, do you see me as an apostle of justice?"Kim Tae-hoon had no intention of becoming an apostle of justice. If he was beaten, he would be punished more than that, and he would demand the right price for whatever he did. He had done it in the past, and he was doing it now. That was why many people believed and followed Kim Tae-hoon.Kim Tae-hoon had not claimed to be a hero, and he had placed more importance on the lives of his colleagues and subordinates than on saving the world. Furthermore, until now, he had always paid back those who had hit himself and his surroundings.Was there a more reliable leader than this in the current era?"No way!" Therefore, Colonel Lim no longer questioned forcing the ambassadors to Korea to attend the Qilin hunting. As always, he would do his best to help Kim Tae-hoon."When are you going to move?""I''ll finish it before the new year.""I''ll have to move tomorrow."6."This is ridiculous."Pyongyang...It had been a long time since visitors came to this city, now part of the Republic of Korea. The visitors were ambassadors to Korea, and of course, their nationalities and races were diverse. But it was not difficult to find a sense of unity among them."Watching monster hunting..." Everyone had stiff faces and turned white."We might die if you make a mistake!""We would be lucky if just one person died. If we are annihilated, there''s nothing wrong with it. A dark blue monster hunt¡­"Of course, having lost their own countries due to the emergence of monsters, making them watch them hunt the dark blue monster, the Blue Qilin, was not much different from making them do bungee jumping that did not guarantee safety.The atmosphere of Pyongyang, where the ambassadors to Korea arrived, was also clearly telling; the tanks ready to fire with guns at any time, the soldiers around and the hunters of the Mac Guild were telling them that this was still a battlefield where a fierce fight was taking place.''Damn it¡­''''This is the worst. I thought I''d barely survived¡­ I can''t hold on to this year.''Their expressions disappeared as soon as they entered the armored car which was prepared.There were a few of those who kept their minds in the armored car running on the Pyongyang Heecheon Highway, where the bodies of monsters that had not yet been processed were still scattered. Most of them were practiced enough not to express their emotions on their faces."What is your intention?" Some were different, of course. Kate did.She attended as one of the representatives of the US Ambassadors to Korea during the visit to the Blue Qilin hunting, and she visited the person in charge of this work while the armored car stood for a while to deal with the monster bodies that were scattered on the roadside."I''m not great at English, so can you speak slowly?" The director was Jang Sung-hoon."What are your intentions?" At the question of Jang Sung-hoon, Kate spoke the words clearly one by one in Korean, not English.Jang shrugged at her words. "It''s exactly what I said at that time. Check our abilities with your own eyes, and then sign the negotiation contract if you need our strength."----------- Sejong Center Chamber Hall... Jang Sung-hoon said something similar to what he had said to the ambassador to Korea there: check the power of the Republic of Korea and the Mac Guild directly, and negotiate if you need that power.Of course, if it was over, the ambassadors of Korea would not have been at the hunting of the Blue Qilin, with pale faces."If you don''t attend, I''ll banish you, that''s a threat!" said Kate.Those who would not cooperate in this process should return to your home country! The words added by Jang Sung-hoon were the decisive reason for bringing the ambassadors to Korea here. In this situation, returning home was virtually not different from going back to hell.At the words of Kate, Jang Sung-hoon shrugged. "The situation in Korea is not good enough to take care of people who do not cooperate. It is not a threat.""That''s ridiculous!" Kate turned on her eyes with fire at Jang Sung-hoon''s appearance.Jang Sung-hoon extended his palms for her, saying, "whoa, whoa, whoa," he began to explain."Miss Kate, it''s nothing. It''s like Jurassic Park, not a monster hunt, but you just have to watch it and make a decision. It''s a decision about the fate of a country, and it''s no wonder you''re ready for it.""Jurassic Park?""Jurassic Park, directed by Steven Spielberg. Don''t you know that amazing movie?" With the words, Jang Sung-hoon bent his fingers and took a gesture that reminded her of Tyrannosaurus.Kate spoke to him with a cold, sinking look. "¡­ you don''t know what the movie is about?"Jurassic Park by Steven Spielberg.It was a film about the story that takes place in the theme park where the dinosaurs are reborn through genetic manipulation and released."I completely know it. I''ve seen it a hundred times."In addition, the characters of the movie survive against the dinosaurs in the troubled Jurassic Park. If this situation was Jurassic Park, there would be a hundred percent chance for the monsters to appear at this moment.And that word came true so quickly.Kate turned her head reflexively to the left.Keuaaaa! At the moment she turned her head, there was a fierce shriek."Ugggggggh!""Mo...monster!"The ambassadors to Korea who were taking a break responded with voices that seemed to be soul-stricken by the monster''s shout. But there was no fear effect on them, because the special armored car with relics installed inside had the ability to block the fear."Save, save me!""Goddamn it, damn it, damn it!""Oh, God save us."It was, of course, a nightmare for the ambassadors to Korea. They would normally have been dozing off when they were exposed to the fear, but now they had to face fear in real time without falling unconscious.On the other hand, Jang Sung-hoon smiled in the direction of the monster''s screaming. "I like the relics, too, it lets me see the monsters, even if I''m a public figure."Kate did not answer Jang Sung-hoon''s words. Instead, she took the Gandol Sword she had brought with her.In the meantime, she was not the daughter of the US Ambassador to Korea, but a hunter, who did not run away when a monster appeared, but protected people from monsters and spent busy days hunting monsters in Korea. That fact was not going to change now. Kate looked straight ahead.''I''ll go out and kill it, if necessary.'' She focused on the giant monster running madly toward them now, an Ogre with yellow eyes.On the other hand, Jang Sung-hoon looked at the sky, not the Ogre. He found something in the sky, turned his back to the Ogre, and looked at the crowd."I''ll introduce him to you."Thump! At that moment, lightning from the sky cut the body of the Ogre in half instantly. ''What?'' Everyone opened their eyes at the sight. They were captivated by the unbelievable sight.Jang Sung-hoon bowed and introduced, "This is our master, Kim Tae-hoon."

 129 Episode 129 - The Blue Qilin, Part I

    Chapter 46. The Blue Qilin, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1. There had been a singularity everywhere.The fact also applied to the war with the monsters in the era of monsters.If the emergence of Awakeners and relics was the starting point, the singularity was nothing but the items that were made using monsters as materials.Relics were more restrictive than they thought. Their use was fixed, and the powerful relics required more from the users. In short, the users had to align themselves to the characteristics of the relics.However, items were different. Items made of monster leather, bones, etc. were made to suit users. Of course, no matter how limited their use was, items that surpassed the power of relics had never been made.There was not enough material for an item to surpass a relic, and even if there was material, there was not enough technology and environment to make them.But it was not true anymore. Park''s Workshop had steadily developed technology under the full support of the Mac Guild, and when they were given the strongest materials of the dark blue-grade monsters, the Eight-tailed Fox, and the dragon, the items were in a transition period.Items that were comparable to first-grade relics were born!"Everyone, stand by."The ultimate accomplishment was done by a group of hunters who grew up and fought with monsters for a year under the name of the Mac Guild.The Mac Guild.The group created by Kim Tae-hoon was not just a group of Awakeners who killed monsters. Kim Tae-hoon had always encouraged members of the Mac Guild to compete. After a fierce competition, he paid more for those who won the race, and he treated the outstanding as they deserved. Now the survivors of the process had been given items made from the dragon and the Eight-tailed Fox. It was no exaggeration to say that a beautiful picture of the dragon has been completed at this point.- Dragon Knights, remove the monsters in front. At this moment, Kim Tae-hoon was directing a powerful group from the sky. "Remove the monsters in front!" At the sound in their heads, twelve hunters who have been given the new name Dragon Knights, and who had been waiting, finally made their appearance. Kkrr? Those who showed up faced a horde of Orcs that filled the vast plains. They numbered at least a thousand! Furthermore, the Orcs were of many different kinds: from hairy Orcs like snowmen, to the ones with black skin, the ones with red skin, to the ones with white skin!The color of their eyes was also varied. The number of orange eyes that appeared between the red eyes was not small. There were so many monsters with yellow eyes that they could not be counted with one hand. They were legion. They were so many powerful groups that it seemed to be difficult for only a dozen people to make an attempt to fight. Even the men who appeared had no firearms, the powerful weapons of human beings. Spears, swords, and shields were all of their weapons. Keueoeoeo! Of course, the Orcs cried with joy at the appearance of the small group. It was only natural since food has appeared before them all of a sudden. Keuaaa! Even more, those greedy for hot human flesh and blood rushed at the Dragon Knights without paying attention to the commands of their leaders. The battle was launched immediately, but it didn''t last long. The moment the battle started, it became a one-sided massacre, not a battle anymore. The spears and swords of the Dragon Knights cut the Orcs like cutting water.Shiik! A single stroke split the body of an Orc in half, and a single stab of a spear opened up a huge hole in another''s chest. Bang! Even the bodies of the Orcs did not hold out against one simple punch. With one punch, an Orc''s chest was crushed like a can of crushed soda, and the crushed body flew several meters and knocked down other Orcs like bowling pins. - Front, a Bigfoot Orc Approaches. Three people, take care of it.-The vigor did not stop in front of the Bigfoot Orc, one of the leaders of the Orc army.Kreung, Kreung! As the command echoed in their heads, the three Dragon Knights charged the Bigfoot Orc, who was running at them, leaving huge footprints with a bizarre cry.One of the three sprinters blocked the front of the Bigfoot Orc, and the other two slid past it and took their positions. Triangle-formation!- Get rid of it as soon as possible. The rest of the members, clean up the surroundings so others do not interfere in the killing of the Bigfoot Orc.-They were simple, but with a simple but powerful formation, they immediately began the battle. The battle was also fast and sharp.Kreung, Kreung! One of them caught the Bigfoot Orc''s attention while the other two swung their swords at the Bigfoot Orc.Shiik! The sharp sword left a wound deep enough for all the fingers to go in on the thigh of the Bigfoot Orc. As soon as the Bigfoot Orc changed its target to get its revenge, the other two moved freely.Shiik! Shiik!After the swords crossed several times with the eerie sound of the wind, the Bigfoot Orc knelt on the ground. Thump!Krreung! It was not because of lack of strength, the loss of power, or the severe bleeding. The reason for its kneeling was that it had been hamstrung and had no way to stand anymore. It was evidence that the Bigfoot Orc''s resilience could not keep up with the cumulative speed of the wound.Krreung? Kreung? The Bigfoot Orc, who would never have kneeled like this, was embarrassed.During its embarrassment, the eerie blades moved toward the Bigfoot Orc''s neck, where the swords could now reach without leaping.Its neck was cut, and its blood was spraying like a fountain.Keueo? In front of this scene, the Orcs no longer bore the same gruesome vigor as before. Fear began to spread through the Orc army. The fear slowed the Orcs'' footsteps.Keueo, Keueoeo! The Orcs, who knew nothing but the rush of combat, began to run away with a terrified scream."Oh, my God.""What the hell¡ª"The faces of the ambassadors of Korea, who were looking at the scene from a distance away, were filled with surprise and embarrassment. It was a natural result.''How the hell did this happen?''''What has happened in Korea in the meantime?''After barely saving themselves from monsters, the ambassadors to Korea have been busy surviving rather than fighting monsters. To them, the monsters who were escaping from humans was shocking. Furthermore, the sight was also shocking to many soldiers and hunters who participated in this battle.''Is it the effect of the items made from the Dragon and the Eight-tailed Fox?''''Those items have surpassed the relics.''The combat capability that the Dragon Knights showed, and the power of the items which were the basis of their combat ability, were so great.''Not bad.'' Only one person, Kim Tae-hoon, was simply satisfied with the sight beneath him.''With that power, they can hunt a blue-grade monster.''Kim''s eyes turned to the back of his right hand.======[Basic Abilities]- Strength: 1008- Health: 1012[Special Abilities]- Energy: A+ Rank- Mana: A+ Rank- Telekinesis: S- Rank- Defense: A+ Rank- Mana Resistance: A+ Rank[Achieved Abilities]- Telepathy (Grade 4): The power of the Queen Wolf Ant allows telepathic communication to the object. The higher the Telekinesis rank, the wider the range and effectiveness of telepathy. However, telepathy does not reach them if the object rejects it.======''The power of the Queen Wolf Ant is satisfactory.''Telepathy.Kim liked the ability gained through the crystal of the Queen Wolf Ant. In fact, what he wanted to confirm in this battle was not the combat power of the Dragon Knights, but the power of the Queen Wolf Ant.It was not difficult for him to measure the Dragon Knight''s ability even if it was not a real battle, but Telepathy was the ability he used for the first time. ''With this much, there is no shortfall in the hunting of the Blue Qilin.''The scope and effect of the Telepathy that had been tested in the real battle were very impressive. In an era when wireless communication was still impossible, the effect of Telepathy was endless in a battlefield where life and death came and went in seconds.''We are ready.''The place where Kim Tae-hoon''s gaze was headed was the place where the ambassadors to Korea had gathered. It was a long distance to naked eyes, but Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes, which began to change like a camera, were able to clearly grasp the movements of the ambassadors to Korea. It was not just that he could see it. He had the Hearing of a Bell-tailed Rat. Thanks to that, he could hear."What do you think?""We have not been able to get in touch with our homeland, and we are not even sure what the situation is. I believe that we will not lose anything, accepting the proposal from Korea.""What was the contract about?""In fact, it''s similar to being a subject country, and we just avoid being a colony.""At other times, it would be ridiculous, but¡­ it''s better to be a subject country then to be ruled by monsters.""We could change the deal later, right? We''d better accept the offer first. No, we have to negotiate before the rest of the country, and the later our order is, the less we will have."He could hear the sounds of the ambassadors to Korea who, after waking up from their shock, were knocking on their calculators.''Their reaction is as expected.''The position of ambassador to Korea was not just a seat where any diplomat could sit down. It was a seat where they faced North Korea, which they had never missed when discussing international affairs in the era before the monsters appeared. It was also a seat where diplomats of the world''s great powers came together.Having excellent ability and experience was the basics of basics. A close relationship with the top man of power was also essential.Would it be all right to send someone who is not close to him to call him on his personal cell phone if necessary when he sends an ambassador to Korea?''Their ambition is starting to burn.''Crucially, they must be ambitious. Basically, the position of ambassador to Korea was a busy and difficult seat. If North Korea shot off a missile, they should not even think about sleeping properly for a few days. It did not mean that they were getting more money than other diplomats because they are busy and working hard, and they did not get honorable rewards like a soldier did through distinguished military service.Ambition.There was no reason to sit in the position of ambassador to Korea unless they had a strong ambition to climb to a higher seat, based on the backgrounds of previous Ambassadors to Korea.And not just diplomat could sit down in the position. There was no way to allow anyone else to sit in a position where a person with close ties, very good ability, career, and ambition, wanted to sit.What did the suggestion of the Mac Guild and the ability Kim Tae-hoon showed them mean?The obvious thing is that there was no advantage to not acting.It was not the end that Kim Tae-hoon wanted to show.''When I am done here, they''ll weigh their options.''Rather, what he had shown now was an appetizer; Kim Tae-hoon, as he has already said, would hunt the Blue Qilin in front of them. He would show them in the hunt that one person, one individual, had killed by himself the Eight-tailed Fox that Japan had attacked with the bait of more than a hundred tanks and armored cars and failed to hold on to. So, he would clearly imprint who they should hold hands with for their ambition.''Between the Six Snakes and the Mac Guild, I''ll make them not have to worry about which one is better.''Kim Tae-hoon, who had the will, turned his head. He could definitely see the slopes of Mt. Baekdu.A week later, on December 30, the hunting of the Blue Qilin began.2.Moscow¡­The picture drawn in the minds of those who think of this place, the capital of Russia, is always the same: the Kremlin situated inside Red Square, and St. Basil''s Cathedral.And now, at the end of 2017, Red Square was still in a good shape. Two men were talking there. "I am sorry I didn''t get good results." The man who spoke was a big man in a thick fur coat. He was also an impressive man with white skin, an angular face, and a mustache that reminded them of the waves."My offer is always valid."It was Mao who stood in front of the man. He seemed to have not changed much, as he had traveled a long way along the Siberian railway, which was now just a guide. But his position was different."Okay, goodbye, take a good rest and leave." The Russian turned his back on him as soon as he spoke.Mao smiled lightly at the fact. A man approached Mao and said, "His attitude is so different. I think that he was the one who was sending you the Okjo to ask for Mr. Mao''s opinion a month ago."The expression of Major Chinshan who spoke the words showed a sense of discomfort and anger.But Mao did not release his smile even at the words. "It is natural.""Isn''t it ungrateful?"Ungrateful.There was no word more suitable for the present situation than that. The man who had rebuked Mao a while ago was a man who would have died as a disposable item in the battle with the monsters after the monsters appeared, if it had not been Mao''s help.Mao was a lifesaver to him, and even now most of those who had real power in Russia could enjoy what they now enjoyed with the help of the Six Snakes.But now it was different. As soon as the Six Snakes lost their main base in Taiwan and became wanderers, those who were supported by the Six Snakes changed their attitude. It was clear that they must seem ungrateful.Mao didn''t want to deny it either. "It''s natural because humans are naturally ungrateful.""That''s¡­""And we were the ones who left only the ungrateful in the Russian regime, weren''t we?"At that question, Major Chinshan remembered what the Six Snakes had done. The Six Snakes helped those who held hands with them gain power. After that, they removed the elements that could threaten their power.In particular, those who claimed freedom and rights, and those who considered justice more important than injustice, had been removed completely. They were the most disturbed at the new order that the Six Snakes wanted to make.Of course, where the Six Snakes touched, only those who chose injustice rather than justice, and those who could treat the freedom and rights of others like garbage for their own benefit, remained.Only one place, Korea, was different."Yes, we were." Major Chinshan, who knew all the process, could no longer refute Mao''s words. Mao did not worry deeply about his situation."Then what are we going to do..."Most of all, Mao had fully expected this situation."There''s nothing you can do.""Yes?"He had already prepared himself, as he had expected."Sergei is already moving.""Oh!"Sergei.At that name, Major Chinshan was able to see immediately that Mao had already taken action. That was why Mao didn''t lose his smile."I hope he likes Vasavi Shakti.""He''d be happy with the Divine Spear. And if he held the Divine Spear...Russia was now powerful. Under the support of the Six Snakes, they knew how to deal with monsters, had strong military power, and had powerful relics from a long history. So, Russia no longer felt sorry for Mao and the Six Snakes.Then what was needed to make them feel sorry for?"Yes, it will be a disaster for Russia."The answer was clear. That was why Mao was in Moscow now.

 130 Episode 130 - The Blue Qilin, Part II

    Chapter 46. The Blue Qilin, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 3. The night before hunting is a night that cannot help but be covered in tension and nervousness in many ways. If the opponent is a dark blue-grade monster, the Blue Qilin, and if it is a monster of monsters, it wasn''t necessary to say anything."The night sky looks so pretty." But the night before such a Blue Qilin hunting was so beautiful that they could not spend the night trembling with taut nerves."I didn''t really expect that the day when I saw the moon and the stars above Baekdu to come this way." The night sky, which they could see on the background of Mt. Baekdu, was so beautiful."Didn''t you agree, boss?"Of course, the biggest reason he was able to appreciate the night sky without being caught up in the anxiety was because of the existence of Kim Tae-hoon, not anyone else.Kim Tae-hoon slurped his coffee and looked up at the top of Mt. Baekdu. He pondered it silently.Jang Sung-hoon spoke to Kim, "You can use Telepathy now, and you can talk to me even if you drink coffee."At the words of Jang, Kim still did not answer. Instead, he smiled faintly.Then, one of the uninvited guests appeared. Jang Sung-hoon turned his head. "There''s a guest here."It was Kate who had shown up.- Two.- At that time, Kim''s voice was heard in Jang''s head, and Jang looked around. He saw a woman approaching between the background of a large base camp around them. It was a woman who marked her presence more clearly than anyone else, with a wound on her nose. It was Maria.Maria and Kate, both of them walked toward Kim and Jang as if they had made a promise.Jang shrugged at the sight. "Boss, it''s not a bother, is it? It doesn''t matter if you have a love affair with a woman or two at the same time. But if you choose one, don''t cut the other off. Just tell me. Isn''t that your right-hand man''s job? You have to tell me beforehand, and I''ll go to the woman and said, ''Please, break up with my boss.''"Of course, Kim ignored Jang''s words.Kate and Maria stood near them, glancing at one another.''Who is it?''''Kate Kennedy?''Kate wondered at Maria, and Maria quickly understood her identity. The personal information of the US Ambassador to Korea was something that any elite of Russian special forces should be aware of.While the two women were nervous about each other for different reasons, Kim Tae-hoon said, "You, make it clear whether you''re here as a representative, or as an individual."Maria and Kate looked at each other at the words."As an individual.""As an individual."At the same time, they said the same words. Naturally, a strange air began to flow between them. In the air, Jang made a gesture to get up from his seat quietly. Of course, Kim looked at Jang. Then, Jang said carefully, "I''m going to get some popcorn, and I think it will be more fun than tomorrow''s Blue Qilin hunting."Of course, such a thing, which Jang would get up and bring some popcorn, did not happen. At Kim Tae-hoon''s scary eyes, he sat down on the ground again with his hands lightly lifted.The full-scale conversation began after Jang sat down again."Just get straight to the point, Kate first.""Who is she?"Kim answered briefly to Kate''s question, which was really clear and short. "It''s Maria from Russia.""What''s your relationship?" "Is that important?""If a Russian is in love with you, then America has to make different judgments in many ways."Jang Sung-hoon, who understood Kate''s words, said as if he had waited for it, "Wow, now is the day when the nationality of the boss''s wife changes the world situation. I envy you because I can''t marry anyone over forty."While Kate''s face hardened at Jang''s complaint, Kim turned his attention to Maria. Then he nodded his chin lightly. It meant she should speak now."I''ll make one thing clear, I don''t have that relationship with Kim Tae-hoon, and the reason I''m here as an individual is that I''ve got to give you a few things to tell you.""Tell me briefly.""The current Russian government''s power has been restructured, and in the course of the reorganization, the Russian government has suspended all ambassadors abroad. The Russian ambassador here, in other words, cannot represent Russia at this time.""What''s the point?""I''m the closest one to the Russian representative right now, and I''m here to be recognized.""I recognize it." Kim Tae-hoon, who answered immediately, turned his head back to Kate. "Is that all you had to ask?"Kate was embarrassed by the look. She was not here for a reason, to be honest. She just wanted to see Kim''s face after a long time and this was the only time she could do. In such a situation, her mind couldn''t be completely clear because she said something strange even to her mind. So, she asked vaguely, "Rather, where is Bang Hyun-wook? What about Lieutenant Kim Soo-ji? Aren''t they participating this time?" The answer to the vague speaking came from Jang''s mouth. "A closer doesn''t play from the start. He''ll be here when he has to finish the game." With those words, Jang rose from his seat. "I''d rather you two move to the assigned area, because if both parties of the United States and Russia are here, you''ll have trouble. This is like a campsite, but you''re not here to camp."There was no more playfulness in Jang''s eyes. "I won''t explain anymore, but I''ll tell you what I want to say after the hunt." Instead, there was a firm will and charisma that no one could easily reject. "Go back."Kate and Maria had to back off. Jang Sung-hoon, who spoke the words, was one of the most powerful men in Korea, and now he was a man who had no desire to discuss the world situation.When the two turned their footsteps around, Jang erased his serious eyes and said, "Boss, you''re really sucking nectar with Telepathy."The beautiful night passed like that, and the sun rose.4.Mt. Baekdu.It was unquestionable that this mountain, like the Soul Mountain of the Korean people, was beautiful. And on December 30, the last day of the year, Baekdu Mountain''s Heaven Lake was frozen white and showed that it was the coldest place on the Korean Peninsula.A deer was walking through the frozen Heaven Lake of Mt. Baekdu. It was a giant deer with a big body that reminded them of an elephant. But the huge size was colorless in front of the deer''s appearance. The deer was so unusual. The head that reminded them of an oriental dragon had two horns that seemed to be a deer''s, and its body was covered with the scales of a strong dragon, not a fuzzy fur. It could not be compared with anything, and it could not be confused with something else. Because of that, it was so easy to gauge its identity.Qilin!The existence, which could only be seen in legends and myths, now existed before them as a real being. Of course, the Qilin in front of them was not the same kind of bird of good luck that appeared in mythology or legend. Rather, it was a monster that had appeared to bring humanity to despair and an end. A man appeared before the monster. Whoo! The man with a long breath was also wearing a unique outfit. The man''s clothes were not a hiker''s. He was dressed in a white animal fur coat over a suit made of the black-red hide of the Dragon.The five Swords which were hovering around the man like satellites orbiting a planet, clearly showed why the man had come here. He was here to wield a sword.The man openly revealed his intention to paint the frozen Heaven Lake of Baekdu Mountain with the blood of the Blue Qilin. The blatant hostility was not ignored by the Blue Qilin. Cheee! With a strange cry, the Blue Qilin turned to the man. That meant that the presence of the man was strong enough to be defined as an enemy to the Blue Qilin. Of course, there was no need for greetings. The battle began immediately. Shiik! The first movement was made by a sword made of gold: the Dragon Light Sword. As soon as the sun was shining, the powerful weapon that even cut off Dragon''s skin ran over the frozen lake. With nothing to hide the sun from the sky and the Heaven Lake of Baekdu Mountain, the stage was set for the Dragon Light Sword. The Blue Qilin also moved at the movement of the Dragon Light Sword. The clatter of hoofs! The horseshoe-like feet began pounding on the frozen Heaven Lake constantly. The knocking was eerie. Ddageudak! Ddageudak! The sound of footsteps of the Blue Qilin with the elephant-sized body, which was likely to reach tens of tons, was low. Nevertheless, its movement was fast and rough. Ddageudak!In one leap, it moved dozens of meters like flying, and its four feet created a dynamic movement without a break, as if watching a pair of tap dancers.With that dynamic movement, it avoided the Dragon Light Sword that was flying constantly aiming for it. Even as it avoided it, it began to narrow the distance to Kim Tae-hoon.Of course, Kim also moved. He put his body on the frozen Heaven Lake of Baekdu Mountain and started a running fight where he was chased and he chased. During the chase, Kim moved two more Swords toward the Blue Qilin.The Sword of the Imperator, and the Onimaru Kunitsuna.The named sword, which was excluded from the national treasures because it was owned by the Japanese Emperor, and the sword who Kim Tae-hoon first used, moved toward the Blue Qilin, flashing ruthless blades more then simply sharp.Three swords began to perform acrobatics, leaving no gaps, and avoiding what could not be even imagined.Swish, swish! In front of the acrobatics created by the three swords, the Blue Qilin avoided the dancing blades with amazing grace. Even its dark blue eyes were staring at Kim, not the blades moving toward it in this situation. The Blue Qilin looked so relaxed.On the other hand, Kim''s eyes were not focused on the Blue Qilin. His eyes were watching some golden objects that were scattered on the ground.Golden Web! Kim was moving and waiting for the Blue Qilin to step on the Golden Web that he had scattered around.As soon as the Blue Qilin stepped on the Golden Web, it became a mine that caught the ankle of the Blue Qilin.Chihik! Of course, it was only a moment that it caught its ankle. Even the expression "catch" was almost meaningless. But it was enough.Shiik! The small gap was enough for the flying swords to taste the blood of the Blue Qilin that they had anticipated so much.At the same time, the wound was enough to pull out the instincts of the Blue Qilin who had been playing around so far.Pazik! As soon as the Dragon Light Sword made a finger-deep wound on the back of the Blue Qilin, sparks began to splash between its two horns.The blue lightning!The blue lightning gave an extraordinary presence to the Qilin.Pazijjik! Now it began to increase its size enormously and emit an overwhelming presence. The blue lightning, which rose like a bamboo, spewed intense thunderbolts around the Blue Qilin. The shape of the lightning arcs looked like a net. In fact, it was a net.Pazik! Pazik! In the net made of the blue lightning, the three swords were caught repeatedly flying like acrobatics.''They can''t move.'' The power of the net was powerful enough to ignore even the power of Kim Tae-hoon, who had reached the S- rank of Telekinesis now.''Approaching is dangerous.'' But Kim was not embarrassed by the fact. ''But it doesn''t seem easy to move around using that technique.'' Instead of embarrassment, he calmly analyzed the situation and came up with a response to the situation he had analyzed.Kim opened his palms and the haze began to rise over his palm. The rising haze became a sphere the size of a human body, taking its place like a snake coiling itself. It was the power of Eight-tailed Fox, the Telekinetic Beads.The Telekinetic Beads appeared and began to freeze, the eerie ice thorns materializing around the hard, solidly frozen beads. Ice Thorn Armor!Of course, there was a power of Anger Soaring in it. Kim threw the Telekinetic Beads into the net of the blue lightning created by the Blue Qilin.Pazik! The net of the blue lightning also caught the Telekinetic Beads¡­ but that was all. There was no way to stop the countdown that had already begun. The short countdown started, and the moment the countdown ended, the Telekinetic Beads exploded and blew the ice thorns all over the place.At the same time, the powerful explosion caused cracks in the frozen Heaven Lake of Baekdu Mountain. It was like a volcano bursting out.Du-woo-woong! A sad bell began to ring at the scene. After a long journey, the Bell of King Seongdeok began to cry out in the Heaven Lake of Baekdu Mountain. It was not the end of revealing new presences. The Golden Altar of the Konjikido that came from Japan began to shake the senses of the Blue Qilin by spreading its own sacred power.Chii! Chii! While the Blue Qilin, who was wounded and enduring the Bell of King Seongdeok and the Golden Altar, was crying frantically, Kim Tae-hoon, who had disappeared with the explosion, began to fall from the sky. Kim Tae-hoon who was falling held the Seven-Branched Sword with his hands covered with scales of a dragon. The Power of a Draconian! Kim''s fall, led by an unimaginable power the Power of a Draconian and the powerful relic Seven-Branched Sword, struck like a thunder strike on the body of the Blue Qilin through the net of the blue lightning it had created. Poo-ook! The Seven-Branched Sword was deeply embedded in the body of the Blue Qilin. Chiiii! The Blue Qilin''s mouth opened and screamed at the power of the Seven-Branched Sword that was stuck in its body. Keuaaaa! Kim Tae-hoon also screamed while pushing the Seven-Branched Sword deeper into the body of the Blue Qilin. "Eu-ryat-cha-cha!" As soon as the scream was over, powerful cheers began to come into the Heaven Lake of Mt. Baekdu. "Everyone, charge!" The Dragon Knights. They had already showed up on Mt. Baekdu, proving their strength. The difference was that there were thirteen people, not twelve. "I''m here, big brother!" One of them, who called himself an ace of the Mac Guild, was Bang Hyun-wook. At the fact, a smile rose the lips of Kim Tae-hoon, who was enduring the pain of the lightning striking him on the body of the Blue Qilin. ''It''s been a long time.''

 131 Episode 131 - The Blue Qilin, Part III

    Chapter 46. The Blue Qilin, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 5. Kim Tae-hoon did not think of himself as perfect. In particular, there was no perfection in battle. Therefore, after the battle was over, it is always necessary to reflect, and through reflection, he could realize the lack and find a way to fill the shortcomings.The same was true of the battle with the Dragon. In the bloody battle with the Dragon, Kim Tae-hoon had reflected on many parts and at the same time, he took better measures.The answer which he came up with was simple: use bait.Anyone was fine. If someone became a bait and drew the monster''s attention for a second, it would be a chance for Kim Tae-hoon."Bucheon High School''s fifth batter is here! Come on!"In that sense, Bang Hyun-wook, who appeared in an improved Dragon armor with perfect armament, was a bait close to perfection. It was not simply because his abilities were excellent, and his relics and items were powerful.Bang grew up differently from the hunters of the Mac Guild. Other hunters tried to become hunters like Kim Tae-hoon, but they were not him. He wanted to be strong, but he wanted to help Kim Tae-hoon, rather than resemble Kim. It was like that from the beginning. He always acted as bait for Kim and faithfully performed his role.And so did Kim Tae-hoon. When he faced the unexplained disaster of the Black Orc, and when he tried to kill it, who filled the gap and made an opportunity? Bang Hyun-wook made it.That was the beginning. Bang had lived thanks to Kim, and Kim had also survived with the help of Bang. Of course, they knew each other well, they did not have to talk to each other about how they would move and how they would want the opponent to move. The teamwork, which had been created by risking each other''s lives, would not lose its light in the separation of a few months. "Yipe! It''s hurt! Shit, it''s really hurt!" Bang had avoided and withstood the blue lightning that the Blue Qilin was now blatantly pouring out, and he had gained time from the Blue Qilin."You son of a bitch! I am going to hit you!"Furthermore, he drove the specially made bone lance, the Dragon lance made from the Dragon''s bones, not anything else, into the body of the Blue Qilin, and drew out its anger."Yes! I''m the best at throwing! I am Randy Johnson of Bucheon!"Chii! While the Blue Qilin was so angry with Bang, Kim was willing to take advantage of the opportunity.''Bang Hyun-wook, you are the best at provoking monsters.''Kim Tae-hoon, who held the Dragon Light Sword in the Draconian state, slipped under the body of the Blue Qilin and created a big wound along its belly. At the same time, his eyes could feel the throbbing under the belly skin.''¡­ here is the heart.'' The moment he grasped where the heart, he delivered his words by telepathy. -Bang Hyun-wook, draw its attention once more!-"Yes, brother, I''ll do what you ordered!"Bang Hyun-wook inflated his chest. Foo-hoo-hoo! He turned quickly to the Blue Qilin who was chasing him, and he poured out an intense flame. He released the ability of the Flame-spewing Wolf Crocodile he had gained by his own strength. Of course, it was impossible to draw the attention of the Blue Qilin with just the flames. The flames could only interfere with its gaze for a moment¡­ but that was just what Bang wanted.As soon as the Blue Qilin came out of the flames, Bang threw the Bell-tail of the Bell-tailed Rat as if throwing a stone. The Bell-tail flew toward the head of the Blue Qilin.Clank! The Bell-tail of the Bell-tailed Rat knocked on the head of the Blue Qilin and made a clean sound. It was a more wonderful and magnificent sound than "Doo-woo-woong", the sound of the Bell of King Seongdeok, which resonated repeatedly.With that sound, the Blue Qilin looked at Bang with an eerie eye. It was not just an angry look."Uh, sorry."It was annoyed anger, very damned anger that someone felt when he was suddenly hit on the back of his head in class. Of course, at that moment, the dark blue eyes of the Blue Qilin were all on Bang.Chii! Chii! The Blue Qilin ignored the Dragon lances that the Dragon Knights threw at it, and it rushed to kill Bang."I''m sorry!" Bang started to escape with a cry for forgiveness from the Blue Qilin.A flash of light that seemed to cut Mt. Baekdu in two finished the funny chase that started like that.6.Colonel Lim Hyun-joon was staring silently at the river flowing in front of him. The river was quite large. That was all. The river was not especially clear, nor did it have a beautiful landscape around it.Colonel Lim lowered himself in front of such an ordinary river, and after putting one knee on the ground, he opened the lid of the canteen in his hand and put the waters of the flowing river into the canteen. Soon he, who had filled the canteen with water, looked up at the sky.''On December 31, the monsters appeared. In exactly one year, I am drinking the water of the Yalu River.''Colonel Lim, who dropped his head again, looked at the Yalu River.''Now I can put the words, "a soldier who drank the water of the Yalu River", in the slogan of the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division.''In the mind of Colonel Lim, the slogan of the 6th Infantry Division came to mind. The 6th Infantry Division, which was the first of the Korean army and the UN forces to advance to the Yalu River during the time of the Korean War and the first to put the Yalu River waters in their canteen, always regarded it as an honor, boast, and pride.And now the Unit led by Colonel Lim would be the new protagonist of the slogan. "Hoo-oo." Colonel Lim gave a long sigh at the fact. When the long sigh was over, he saw a man walking toward him.Kim Tae-hoon.His expression, which had been writing a legend that no one could believe for a year after the monster appeared, was not so good. It was an uncharacteristic expression for the hunter that had killed the last dark blue monster, the Blue Qilin, left in the territory of the Republic of Korea.Of course, Colonel Lim was nervous. "What happened? You look bad."Kim Tae-hoon answered the question with a cool reply. "Bang Hyun-wook is drunk and is making some trouble."Colonel Lim immediately remembered. At the end of the hunting, the moment when Kim''s Kusanagi pierced the heart of the Blue Qilin, Bang suddenly started to dance on the spot when it fell. It was an expression of his own joy. And it was also an expression that he could do anything.''The ambassadors to Korea were shocked in a different way.''The problem was that this Blue Qilin hunt was not just a hunt, but a hunt in front of the ambassadors to Korea. In the minds of the ambassadors to Korea, only Bang Hyun-wook, who danced in front of the body of the Blue Qilin, was left.After that, Bang had drunk a lot during the entertainment after the ceremony. It seemed that Bang lost control of himself against Kim in such heavy drinking."Bang Hyun-wook is an adult, so he can be drunk, can''t he?""A child or an adult should not be drunk, and they should not lose control of themselves."Colonel Lim burst out laughing at the reply. "But it is great, and there will be only Bang Hyun-wook who loses control of himself in the heavy drinking against you in the Republic of Korea." ''And there are few people who you will let drink like that...''At that, Kim Tae-hoon did not answer. He looked at the Yalu River silently.Colonel Lim no longer talked about Bang. The story about Bang was definitely pleasant and entertaining, but the reality that they had to face from now on was neither pleasant nor entertaining."We''re going to build a new front line around the Yalu River. It won''t be easy. Pyongyang was close to Seoul, and there was a lot of firepower near the Military Demarcation Line, but this is the northernmost part of the Korean Peninsula. Moreover, it''s January tomorrow, and the winter in the North is harsh."The final defense line must now be extended to the Yalu River. It would not be easy. A lot of people would be sacrificed, and more would be sacrificed after expanding the final defense line."It will be a hard winter in many ways."From now on, the monsters in China, Russia, and their vast territories would come to the Korean Peninsula for food.Frankly, Colonel Lim could not even gauge the future he would face from now on.''I didn''t know I would come here, but I can''t imagine what the future will look like from now on.''"How did the negotiations go with the ambassadors to Korea?"Colonel Lim could not imagine what the future Kim was painting would be like."You''ll have to ask the guy who''s coming.""Boss! Boss!"Then he heard a voice calling Kim Tae-hoon from a long distance. He did not even have to worry about who was the main character of the voice."Why! Why did you just run away?"Jang Sung-hoon was walking toward the place where Kim Tae-hoon and Colonel Lim Hyun-joon were. Jang''s expression was very similar to the expression Kim had made a while ago."Hyun-wook is throwing up now!"At the end of Jang''s words, Colonel Lim laughed again. "I''ll leave you alone."At the end of the sentence, Colonel Lim stepped down with his canteen, and Jang came over to Kim."Boss, do something about Hyun-wook. He drank and became a dog."At the appearance of Jang, who was angry straight away, Kim replied with his eyes: What can I do?"No, you have raised him wrong, so you have to take responsibility?"Kim did not even respond to the answer, as if it was not worthy of dealing with.However, Jang did not stop. "When you drink with him at least, the situation will be going well. Since you have raised him wrong, you have to drink as punishment."With that, Jang slowly pulled something out of his arms. The Golden Glass was showing a red liquid within."You''ll have your first dream of the new year."Kim received the Glass from Jang, and stood silent for a while. He had to dream of his own death as his first dream of the new year. It was desperate beyond unpleasant, but it did not silence him. Rather, he was neither offended nor discouraged at the moment. The silence was only due to worry. As he worried, he looked at the back of his right hand. [Achieved Abilities]- The Blue Lightning (Grade 2): The power of the Blue Qilin consumes Energy and Mana to produce the Blue Lightning.''I have acquired three abilities of dark blue-grade monsters.''With the ability of the Blue Qilin, Kim has now acquired three second-grade abilities. Already, it has exceeded the power that human beings could tolerate. To be honest, he could not easily imagine himself dying of something other than the curse.On the other hand, Kim had to imagine it.If he was the head of the Six Snakes, what would he do to kill a monster named Kim Tae-hoon?"Boss, if you''re scared, will I drink it?" Jang, who was looking at the worry from the side, carefully asked a question.At Jang''s question, Kim broke the silence. "No."Jang resisted the resolute word of Kim. "What? Why? I drank it the other day and got some pretty good information. Why not?""You''ll find out why you didn''t get married, not why I died.""Oh, don''t make me laugh! I''m getting married, definitely. No, do you think I''m not capable? If I make a public proposal now, applicants will be lined up from the Yalu River to the Han River. I''m not kidding. I''m going to marry over a hundred times!"Kim smiled lightly when Jang huffed irritably. With that smile, he remembered today of a year ago, looking at Napoleon''s Golden Glass: December 31, 2016, that day at a large mart when he did not even have time to dream.''So, this will be the first dream of the new year, after the monsters appeared.''On December 31, 2017, Kim Tae-hoon was still alive!...

 132 Episode 132 - New Year, Part I

    Chapter 47. New Year, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1. It was a warm sunny winter in Hawaii. A man was walking slowly toward a container which was arranged under the sun. The man''s appearance was unusual. Wearing two swords on his back, carrying a bag over two swords, waving his shaggy black hair and carrying a dragon-shaped flute in his right hand, his shape was not suitable for the warm sunshine in Hawaii. The man''s steps did not stop. The man continued to walk towards the container and as the man approached, the door of the container opened by itself. That was all. There was nobody in the container. It was mysterious. The man, however, did not seem to be surprised at all, and he walked into the container. When he came into the container, the first thing he saw was a map filling the walls of the container.A map of the world, the wide unfolded map was filled with various X-character markings, and not in monochrome. There were three colors, blue, dark blue, and purple. Most were blue, followed by dark blue, and the least numerous were purple. The number of purples was only five, compared to the blue filling the map as if they were coloring it: Russia, Central Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. And at this moment, a purple pen moved on its own, drawing a sixth X-marking in Latin America."It''s over." The man who was watching it spoke slowly, "The long war is over. Mankind has won, and I have survived."Only then did the man speaking move on to the table inside the container. On the table were the tools needed to make coffee. The man began to use it to bring coffee down slowly, as if to savor the process itself.Then, when the coffee began to steam in the mug, the man continued to say his paused words after a sip of the coffee."I was the only one who survived." The man who spoke the words had a bitter look. "It''s not strange. It was a long war and a hard one. Many people died, and I was able to win because of their deaths."The man who had coffee again continued his story on the stage without one listener. "Even if I regret it, it''s a thing to chew on after the war. That''s the situation now. The war is over. I have killed the last purple monster, and there are no monsters to threaten the world."He said again, "The only thing left to me who have survived is to chew on my regrets. That''s what this is about."The man who had been drinking coffee instead of saliva as if his mouth was dry continued to say, "If I had prevented the Six Snakes who destroyed Russia with nuclear explosions, it might have been easier to hunt Chernobog, and if I had found Bogatri''s Great Sword hidden in Lenin''s Tomb a little earlier, I might have prevented Chernobog from coming down to Europe and making an end to the Vatican''s history."The man who swallowed the coffee again and immediately gave a long sigh. "Hyun-wook would not have died to protect the Vatican."The man began to recall, and with that recollection, he carefully rubbed his temples. "After all, the fall of the Vatican eventually brought Fafnir in its wake, and Europe became hell. There were countless victims in the hell equal to world war to find the Balmus, and in the meantime, killing Chernobog and gaining the ability of immortality was good luck."The man looked at the back of his right hand with the words. "But in the end, the Six Snakes acquired the Balmus, and the sacrifices were repeated to kill Fafnir¡ª"The man who was recalling stopped again and took more coffee. It was so clear, and in front of the memory, the man had been silent for a while with coffee.Then the man said, "Mao Spencer, if I had made a deal with him, if I had obtained the Mayan Calendar from him, if I had prevented Quetzalcoatl from waking up, the war would have ended earlier, and sacrifices would have been less."Then the man gave out a bloody tone, like a beast growling. "If I had done so, Sung-hoon would not have died."The man finished his speech and put the empty coffee cup on the table. Instead of a coffee cup, he held the dragon-like flute in his hand. "I have won the war, but only regrets remain. Fortunately, now is the time when I don''t need to be, and there''s only one way to reverse regret in this situation."The man looked at the flute with his black Eyes.=====[Manpasikjeok]- Relic Grade: Grade 1- Relic Value: Legend- Relic Effect: Any anxiety and worry can be silenced.====="The only way is to undo the immortality that has been given to me." With those words, the man injected Mana into the Manpasikjeok, and it began to emit a bluish light. The light enveloped the man.In the light, the man said softly, "My story is that far."2.January 1, 2018, the first day of the New Year, which Kim Tae-hoon looked at, was not warm.It was not because the place to see the sun was the northernmost part of the Korean Peninsula, where Baekdu Mountain and Yalu River could be seen at the same time. Nor was it because he spent hours watching the dawn before the sun rose, nor the coldness of the coffee that Kim Tae-hoon held in his hand.''That was terrible.'' Making the first year of the new year so cold was Kim''s dream, which he had lived through before the dawn.''That was the most terrible death ever.'' The Kim Tae-hoon of the future was dead. No one, nothing, but he killed himself.''Fucking hell.'' It was literally suicide. It was a noble thing in a way. There were not many greater things than giving up on himself for something.But it was not so for Kim Tae-hoon.''Suicide¡­''So far, what made Kim Tae-hoon move was his will to survive. It was an undeniable fact, and he did not want to deny it. His obsession with survival had made the present Kim Tae-hoon. If it had not been for that will, he would not have struggled so hard to survive. For him, suicide was not just death.''I''d rather be grateful for the deaths I''ve been through.'' It was the most terrible, tragic death he could face. It was denial and disgrace to everything he had done so far."Hoo-oo."Therefore, in front of the first dream of the new year, Kim could not easily organize his mind. Even coffee did not give him a clear picture. In the end, he had to admit that the reality he faced now was not that he could understand and solve. There was the only thing that could be obtained by dreaming of this death: anger.''I cannot tolerate such a death.''Only the intense anger about the future him who died in that way remained to Kim Tae-hoon now.''Never.'' On January 1, 2018, Kim made a New Year''s resolution, "If I go this way, I will someday gain the history of victory, but I will deny it!"3."Boss!"On the first day of the new year, Jang Sung-hoon raised his voice on the day when he gave a pleasant New year''s greetings and smiled in front of the big New Year''s gift money."What do you mean, going to Russia?"The reason for his high voice was due to a word from Kim Tae-hoon. By the time the morning sun was just rising, Kim said briefly, "I''m going straight to Moscow."Of course, it was foreseen. Now Kim had three curses: Dragon, Eight-tailed Fox, and Blue Qilin! The strong power made him a terrible monster, but at the same time it demanded a huge price from him, and what could free him from the curse was eating the crystal of Chernobog, the Immortal Wolf who occupied Russia."Of course, it''s not strange to go to Russia, but..." Jang Sung-hoon was not just anyone. Kim had experienced his death and said what would happen. It was natural that Kim Tae-hoon''s next destination would be Russia."So just because you are going there right now does not mean that there is a solution, right?"The problem was that Kim said that he would start his trip to Moscow right away, using the Siberian railway as a guide without any preparation, without any new operations or new orders. At this moment, on January 1, Kim said he would go to Russia."We need to plan and prepare properly."In the situation where the ability of immortality became the key to judge the life and death of Kim Tae-hoon, the attack on Russia could not proceed carelessly. That was why Jang Sung-hoon worked with the ambassadors to Korea, even with the show.The ability of immortality could not be extorted by simply ignorant force, but it was something that could be obtained after steady preparation. It was clear that it would not be better to run into Russia with a naked body, and without a proper understanding of the situation."Moreover, it''s purple, purple!" Crucially, Chernobog was a purple-grade monster, as it was now known.Kim Tae-hoon was a monster. However, he had never fought a monster of the purple grade. It was the same in the dream of Napoleon''s Golden Glass, and he had never experienced dealing with the purple grade or even faced it, not even in the dream. In other words, no one in the world knew what kind of strength a monster of the purple-grade had.Kim Tae-hoon was just throwing himself with little ability against such a monster?"This isn''t like you, boss." This was not Kim Tae-hoon''s way. In fact, he did not want to rush to Chernobog, but after winning the Russian government over to his side, he would try to solve the problem sequentially. That was his way. It was rough, but it was not foolish, ignorant, or reckless."What the hell did you see?" So, Jang was curious and worried about why Kim suddenly showed such a change because of what he dreamed of.Kim answered Jang, "I can''t tell you."Jang gave a long sigh to the answer. In the sigh, Jang realized, ''Boss''s will is firm.''Kim''s will was more firm than ever, and in some way, he was putting his priority on starting with Russia.''I need a guardrail.'' There was no way to stop Kim from driving. He was the one who had killed the Dragon alone. It would be better to stop a rushing locomotive than to stop him. That was why Jang used the term guardrail. If there had been something that could stop Kim, he would have used the term "brake" instead of "guardrail." In other words, Jang felt the need for a scapegoat to sacrifice himself when Kim fell into crisis."Boss, I will never send you alone." In this part, Jang also had no intention of withdrawing or compromise."Tell me what you want to attach.""I''ll attach the Dragon Knights.""Dismissed, the Dragon Knights are the most obvious alternative power to fill my absence. Instead, I will take the Unit that Colonel Lim Hyun-joon has. One platoon, Jang Sung-hoon, you build the members with your discretion." "Then please include Hyun-wook in the members.""Dismissed.""There is no need for Hyun-wook to be left behind because the Dragon Knights are left. And you saw it during the hunting of the Blue Giraffe. The teamwork of Hyun-wook and Boss is the best.""It''s meaningless against the purple-grade monster, and Bang Hyun-wook is a competent hunter, but he''s not a competent soldier.""Then add Maria. What are you going to do in Russia alone? You don''t speak Russian. Of course, you''ll have to negotiate on the way.""That''s it?""And one more, a very important, essential, valuable, and excellent Joker card."At the words, Kim cocked his head. He couldn''t think of anyone who was a very important, essential, valuable, and excellent Joker card.Jang answered seriously in the tilting. "Please include me.""Dismissed." Of course, Kim immediately dismissed him. "You won''t be able to bear it."It would not be easy to hold on to the hard schedule to Moscow unless he was a Dragon Knight. In addition, he would not be traveling to Moscow.The reason Kim was rushing to Russia now was that he wanted to kill Chernobog faster than the Six Snakes were trying to destroy Russia with nuclear weapons.It was to not allow the history that he had told himself in his dream.''Do I take Jang Sung-hoon, a civilian who is not an Awakener, to the crazy battlefield? It''s nonsense.''Jang asked a question in return in such appearance of Kim. "Am I that important to you, to keep me from going to a dangerous place?"Kim did not answer. It wasn''t a question that needed an answer. For him, Jang was the most reliable subordinate, colleague, and friend. This fact did not need to be expressed in words.Jang was also like that. He did not ask that question because he wanted to hear the answer. He just spat out such words to make Kim think."Then, can you be relieved if you leave me here on the Korean Peninsula, and are you sure you won''t regret it? Can you be sure that the Korean Peninsula is the safest place for me?"Kim did not answer Jang''s question.

 133 Episode 133 - New Year, Part II

    Chapter 47. New Year, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 4. Vladivostok...It is the easternmost city of Russia, the largest country in the world, and the center of the Far East, and one of the most developed cities in Russia."Boss, do you know what Vladivostok means?"It was also a city with an arrogant name."Dominate the East!"The ruler of the East was the meaning of the name Vladivostok. It was evidence of what Russia had in mind when building the city of Vladivostok, and what kind of country Russia was at that time."Well, there is nothing strange about it. The founding of Vladivostok was during the Russian Empire, and from then until the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia was one of the strongest nations in the world. Who would say that Russia is a load of bullshit when naming the city in order to dominate the East?" Now it was evidence of Russia''s reality. The world''s greatest power, which was willing to use aggressive and provocative words to dominate the East in the city name, was no longer present."But now it''s different. There''s no more Eastern ruler in this city."At the end of the words, Jang, looking up at Vladivostok, gave a long sigh. The sigh spread around like an epidemic."Hoo-oo." Everyone stopped for a moment and sighed at the scenery.The landscape of Vladivostok was terrible. The city, which was economically, politically and culturally prosperous enough to be called the third capital of Russia, had now become a city that had no traces of people.The buildings that filled the city were crushed by the struggles of monsters whose size could not even be guessed; decent roads were hard to find, and the cars that had become scrap iron were crumpled like dead bodies all over the roads.What was even more creepy was that this sight was familiar to Kim Tae-hoon and the men who visited here now.''I feel like I''ve gone back a year.''This was the view of the Republic of Korea a year ago. By that time, all the cities in Korea were this terrible. The difference was the flow of time, but the gruesomeness and despair dominating the city were not much different.''If there had been no Master Kim, Seoul would have looked like this.''If there had been no man named Kim Tae-hoon, the appearance of Seoul would not have been much different from Vladivostok. Everyone stopped sighing and looked at Kim. They felt renewed.Even though Russia was a toothless tiger, its military power was far greater than Korea''s military power. Not to mention, Vladivostok was also a military strategic point of Russia, and important when it came to the world situation. It was a military city where the Russian Pacific Fleet was crucially located. It was a city that Russia had built up to deal with Japan and even the United States.Nevertheless, Vladivostok did not last a year in the monster era. Far from a year, the wreckage of the car bodies everywhere told them that Vladivostok had been out of function for months, and that Vladivostok had not survived even three months before collapsing.''We were so lucky.''By comparison, the Republic of Korea was willing to welcome the new year of 2018 without collapsing, because of a single man with no peer.Under the eyes of those surrounding him, Kim Tae-hoon said briefly, "Don''t get sentimental. There''s no lesson to learn here."The short words changed their eyes. Kim Tae-hoon was right. There were no more lessons to be learned in front of these scenes, to those who had seen the same scene a year ago.The lesson was meaningful when they got it before and deeply engraved it. It was meaningless to recall the same lesson every time they saw the same scene. The eyes of the men who had escaped from their recollections were immediately turned into the eyes of veteran hunters.''Master is right, we are not here to learn a lesson.''They held their breath and stifled their spirit. Wearing the Black Lion furs which became hot on their own, their presence was like a dark shadow.''That''s great.''Maria, the only outsider among them, was nervous. She had to be nervous.''Kim Tae-hoon is Kim Tae-hoon, but his men are not ordinary, either.''The level of these people, who had been selected to help with Kim Tae-hoon''s sudden trip to Moscow, was so intense that it could easily exceed Maria''s common sense.''How on earth did he nurture these soldiers? In just one year?''And that was natural. They were not just soldiers or hunters, but elite agents who had been tested several times in the absurd typhoon that had driven the Republic of Korea for a year, and Colonel Lim Hyun-joon had strategically nurtured them under the support of the Mac Guild.An agent who was fostered not only for monster hunting but also for special purposes!Even the adviser to the process of fostering these agents was Kim Tae-hoon, not just anyone.''Korea may become a game maker who will move the world from now on.''Even though they did not show such a battle yet, Maria felt her spine creeping in the winter of Vladivostok, where even the sea was frozen, at the presence of Kim Tae-hoon''s men. Of course, the chill was not comparable to the one that she felt when she faced the man.Kim Tae-hoon said while looking at Maria who did not show her chill, "We''ll move to our next destination, guide us."Maria opened her frozen mouth and said, "I''ll have to check the map once I''ve moved to Vladivostok Station. There is something you need to keep in mind, even though it is too late to say.""Let''s talk on the move." Their trip began again, and the story with it."I don''t know what orders would have been given to the letter, but if there were no specifics, the next destination will be Khabarovsk, because the Russian Far East is located in Khabarovsk. It will take five days to get there if we walk along the Siberian railway.""Who is the head of the place?""I think it''s a name you know. Major General Vladimir Duprinski.""A big shot.""Yes, he was a big shot."Jang Sung-hoon, who was listening to the conversation, interrupted, "Who is it?""He is the former chief of presidential security.""He is quite experienced and not fit for being in the Far East, far from safety?" "He was the top of the influential men.""He was the top of the influential men, but the monsters came along and now he is in charge of the dangerous place¡­ I''m thinking of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo."Maria, who did not know Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, cocked her head, but on the other hand, at the explanation of Jang, the agents were able to gauge the position of the man named Vladimir in the present country of Russia.''He is exiled from power.''He was a man of power who has been forced out because he did not adapt himself to the new power and order after the monsters appeared.''But he''s not giving up his power.'' But he was still ambitious and looking for an opportunity.Of course, Jang suddenly intervened in the conversation to naturally inform the surroundings of such facts. Maria had noticed that, too. She did not miss the sudden disappearance of the vigilance and doubt that had been dimly in the eyes of the agents, after this short conversation."¡­ and if I continue to talk, the main task of the Far East is to focus on materials search and monster searches, but there''s something more important than this.""What is it?""It''s a new rule you must remember, as you have stepped into Russian territory from now on."Before she could speak, Maria turned her head north. "We are going to follow the Siberian railway. Of course, we will visit the city where the station is located, and we will resupply there. The visit to the city and moving will be made mostly at night. This is the first rule to remember."The crowd cocked their heads at the words. Moving at night was dangerous in many ways. The night in Russia was cold, and even if they traveled the same distance, they would be more exhausted than if they were moving during the day. The ability to prepare for a monster''s attack and the ability to fight also decreased. There was no reason to move at night unless there is a special reason."Why?"Of course, there was a reason. "When the sun rises, the dead move."At that reason, everyone''s face stiffened. Jang was also the same."Isn''t that the opposite? You know, Zombies are weak during the day and they move at night?" In the end, Jang once again intervened in the conversation."There''s no such thing as day and night for a Zombie. There are only warm enough to move and cold enough to not move. It''s not exact, but the standard is minus fifteen degrees. If it''s higher than this temperature, we can''t avoid fighting Zombies."Maria''s explanation continued, "I''ll tell you the second rule here. From now on, what you are dealing with is literally a Zombie. They can live without eating, they don''t die even though you cut off their heads, they don''t die if they''re shot with holes like cheese, and they don''t die if their hearts are destroyed."In front of the second rule, the faces of some people hardened."I''m not underestimating your abilities. You''re the best specialists in monster hunting. But the monster you''re dealing with is not the one you''ve been dealing with. There''s only one thing that can stop them, the cold of Siberia."The explanation made the crowd understand. From now on, the enemy they had to face was a completely different kind of monster than the enemies they had faced before. Of course, everyone was nervous.''It''s not going to be easy, I''m sure.''''A Zombie monster¡­ a world that is not even funny.''"Is that the end of the explanation?""Yes? Yes."Only one person was not nervous about it."We''ll step into Khabarovsk on January 4th, remember."5.Khabarovsk¡­The New Year here was always harsh. What further explanation did they need, since the average temperature in January was minus 20 degrees Celsius, minus 30 degrees Celsius at night, and sometimes minus 40 degrees Celsius in a crazy cold.But surprisingly, it was much warmer than usual in Khabarovsk on January 4th: Five degrees below zero! It was a warm New Year, hard to find in the long history of Khabarovsk."Goddamn it!"At the same time, Khabarovsk was facing the worst nightmare since."Major General Vladimir, a bunch of Zombies are coming!"Once proud of its beautiful scenery, Khabarovsk was now a city dominated by humans and monsters with frozen, rotten flesh. It was a nightmare brought about by a warm New Year. In front of the nightmare, Vladimir, the head of the Russian Far East branch in Khabarovsk, had no choice but to feel despair.''Why the hell is this happening?''On December 31, 2016, when the monsters appeared, Khabarovsk had won the war with the monsters. But in the summer and warmer temperatures, Russia had no choice but to give up Khabarovsk in front of the Zombies coming down from the north. They took a rain check.The next was the New Year 2018. During this winter, when the bitter cold raged, it was the role of the Far East to collect military supplies and relics in neighboring cities, based out of Khabarovsk. It was a very important role.Nuclear warheads were included in the munitions to collect here. Of course, there was a lot of investment in Khabarovsk for this work. Russia, which was already suffering from a shortage of goods, made the maximum investment that they could.But now the investment was on the verge of going out of business even before it really paid off.''We must keep it somehow. If Khabarovsk is taken again, it is over. There is no next year.'' Major General Vladimir had no intention of accepting it.''But how?'' There was no way for Vladimir to do anything about the Zombies who had already begun to occupy Khabarovsk. Most of all, there were too many of them. The number of Zombies coming into Khabarovsk was too high, but the biggest problem was that there were also many Zombies hiding in Khabarovsk.It was virtually impossible to fight a proper battle against Zombies that popped out from all over the place, and from unexpected places. Moreover, their opponents were not just weak Zombie that would not die, from an old Zombie movie.In the cold winter of Siberia, the flesh that could only be wiped out by rotting away had frozen hard like steel, and their movements were not slow at all.Even as their reason had disappeared, pain and fear had gone away too, and there was only ferocity left. Above all, the Zombies were not human beings, the weakest animals. They were beings who had become monsters."Major General Vladimir, please give us an order!""¡­ how many flame-throwers are ready?""All are ready, sir. Will you attack?"Of course, they have prepared. Instead of guns and swords, they prepared gasoline and flame-throwers as their weapons, and they also brought special armored cars made to crush Zombies beneath their treads."A serious thing happened." However, this preparation was not that meaningful to Zombie monsters."What''s going on?""It''s an Ogre. Ogre Zombies have appeared."In front of a monster that had already crossed the category of common sense, such preparations had no meaning."Oh, my God, an Ogre Zombie¡ª""Do you really want to order an attack, Major General?" Their preparations had no meaning for an Ogre Zombie. Fighting with a flame-thrower or special armored car against an Ogre Zombie was no different than stopping a running wagon with a mantis. "Do we have a procedure for hunting Ogre Zombies?" "Yes, we do.""What is it?""A Napalm Bomb..."At the word, Napalm Bomb, the expressions of everyone including Major General Vladimir hardened. It wasn''t that there was no Napalm Bomb. Nor were they ignorant of the power of the Napalm Bomb. That was why his face was so firm.''We will have to use a Napalm Bomb in the city ourselves? The manual is practically telling us to burn Khabarovsk with our own hands, isn''t it?''A Napalm Bomb was a very good weapon to destroy a city, after all. The fact had already been confirmed during World War II. Of course, if they used the Napalm Bomb in Khabarovsk, the city was done.''Does it fall into the hands of the monsters, or burn it with my own hands?''Of course, Major General Vladimir was anguished. But at this moment, he knew what he had to choose.''It''s obvious. If I have to lose the city anyway, it is better to burn it all with the Zombies.''It was the second option to avoid the worst by using Napalm Bomb rather than just retreating. There was no need to weigh. The only problem was one.''Is my life over here?''As soon as he made the choice, all the achievements made by Major General Vladimir disappeared, and he became a normal person.That was why General Vladimir could not easily speak out the obvious option. But the time given to him was not long. There was no other way, except to lower the temperature of Khabarovsk to minus 15 degrees."Napalm Bomb¡ª" Finally, Major General Vladimir spoke."It''s, it''s breaking news!" A new guy ran into the operating room. After swallowing the words he was about to say, Major General Vladimir looked at the soldier who had emerged and asked, "What''s going on?""The Ogre Zombie is dead."Everyone was surprised at the fact, and they questioned it.''It is a Zombie because it is not dead, but that Ogre Zombie is dead?''But that was the beginning of a story that they could not understand, since the sight they would face from now on was one they had never seen before. "A-a man from heaven burned all the Ogre Zombies with blue lightning, and¡­ now the golden-smoke beasts are hunting Zombies."

 134 Episode 134 - New Year, Part III

    Chapter 47. New Year, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 6. There were two effective ways to kill Zombie monsters: burn them to death, or crush their bodies with overwhelming physical force.That was not the best way. The strength of the monster''s bodies was far beyond the beasts that mankind had encountered so far.There was a monster with skin so hard it ate away the saw-blade of an electric saw after only one layer, and there was a monster that kept its flesh firmly in the fires, rather than melting.Eueoeoeo¡­An Ogre was a monster where both things applied. Their body was so strong that even a bullet could not easily pierce into them, and was so tough that it would not easily melt down in the flames.Eueoeoeo¡­It was also huge. Even if there was a way to hurt its body, even if there was a way to hurt it deeply, it was only a scratch, not a deep wound, in the huge body of the Ogre.Bang! ''Oh, my God.'' It was at the time that Master Sergeant Oleg realized that the RPG-7 he was holding was empty and the empty barrel was pouring out a fuzzy sigh."How, how does it withstand this?"RPG-7 was a powerful weapon that did not need an explanation. It was a weapon made to destroy a tank, a lump of iron with an amazing defense, not just anything.Of course, Master Sergeant Oleg himself did not expect that one RPG-7 shell would make a Ogre Zombie truly dead.''Fuck!'' But it was unexpected that the absurd cannonball would end up just like one shot of a gun on a human being, just a small hole.Eueoeoeo¡­! ''Fuck, damn it!'' Decisively, the thing which made Master Sergeant Oleg desperate was that the result of approaching it to take the shot had drawn more attention and anger from the Ogre Zombie. ''It''s over now.'' At this moment, Master Sergeant Oleg did not even think of running away. He couldn''t even afford to run away. The effect of doping, which he used to get near the Ogre Zombie, was not so long.His whole body trembled like an aspen leaf in the unprecedentedly warm January of Khabarovsk.''Damn, damn, damn it!'' It was amazing he did not fall on the ground with his trembling legs. Even that didn''t last long.Thump! Something fell down suddenly in front of Oleg, and at that shock, Oleg fell to the ground helplessly."Eu-huck!" A man in unusual attire came into his eyes as he fell on the ground and let out a gasp. The man with the two swords on his back was exceptionally impressive.''Who, who?'' The man who appeared like that made his right hand a gun shape and pointed at the Ogre Zombie with the end of his index finger. He moved his hand lightly, like a gunshot, and a blue spark splashed on the tip of his index finger.Pazik! The spark immediately became a blue lightning arrow and struck the two pupils of the Ogre Zombie.Eueoeoeo¡­ ¡­ the Ogre Zombie, who was rushing toward Oleg, stopped for a moment with a relaxed cry. It was only a moment, of course. There was no pain in the Ogre who had become a Zombie. The Ogre Zombie''s pause was like a program that was working well stopping for a while because of a sudden change. It was literally a moment, and when the Ogre Zombie began to move again, there was a blue bead about the size of a man''s head in front of it.The absurd bead that emitted blue lightning began to stab and burn the whole body of the Ogre Zombie without rest.Eueoeoeo! It was an unspeakably terrible sight, and at the same time, it was overwhelming.''Am, am I in another world?'' The blue lightning was reducing the Ogre Zombie to ash. Under the repeated attacks, the body of the Ogre Zombie moved differently from its will.The program that made it move seemed to be in error, and repeated blue lightning attacks cracked open the body of the Ogre Zombie, bursting its joints, and began to shatter its bones.The Ogre Zombie''s body fell to the ground with a grotesque sound. After that, the body of the Ogre Zombie began to make popcorn popping sounds again and again.Master Sergeant Oleg was lost at the sight.The man who created this ridiculous sight to him approached and said in somewhat awkward Russian. "Now tell Major General Vladimir everything you saw and heard."7."¡­ the story is so far."As soon as Master Sergeant Oleg finished his story, a heavy silence began to weigh on the crowd. Even though they were wearing Russian uniforms which were not lacking compared to other military uniforms, and which were symbols of strength in world history, no one could overcome the silence that pressed them now. Even the only star-ranked person among them, Major General Vladimir, was the same.''It''s a ridiculous story.''Major General Vladimir knew about the strength of the Awakeners. To the extent he knew, he believed that only Awakeners could end the monster era. Nuclear weapons were not a solution to the monster era, but Awakeners and relics were.But even Vladimir, who highly appreciated the value of the Awakeners could not easily accept the strength of the man that Oleg had told him about.''And¡­ no, I don''t think he is the one I know.'' Furthermore, his name was Kim Tae-hoon, and it shook Vladimir''s mind even more. There were not many Korean names that Vladimir knew, and most of them were Korean generals and very special people, like the president and the prime minister.In a different sense, the only name that Vladimir remembered was Kim Tae-hoon. Even the Russian army, which was proud of being the world''s strongest in the special forces, could not help but recognize his abilities. He was a man the Russian army was willing to ask for military assistance.''It can''t be.'' So, it was more problematic. If Kim Tae-hoon was the same person as the amazing Awakener that Oleg had described now, he would be in fact a man who no one could manage in the world. Unfortunately, the hopeful prediction of Vladimir did not last long."Major General Vladimir, Major Maria is here.""Major Maria?""She''s waiting outside.""Fortunately, if we had lost her, there would have been no greater damage.""She says she has something to report.""We''re all here, and I''ll get a report here.""Yes.""I hope she can bring something we can hope for from the Korean Peninsula."Maria, who had come to visit Vladimir, appeared and began to report in front of all. "Currently, Korea is ready to fight the monsters now. It is said that South Korea has already occupied North Korea''s land, and that Japan has been defeated after a war with South Korea, although it has not been confirmed. It is now a colonial state in return for handing over all sovereignty to Korea."She started a more unbelievable story for those who could not come to their senses after the nonsense story of Oleg. Therefore, no one could ask a question about Maria.''Major Maria is either crazy or we''re crazy, or if both of us are not, this is all a dream.''No one came up with a question when they didn''t even understand her words."I''ll ask you one thing." Only one, Vladimir, opened his mouth and asked, "Is Kim Tae-hoon the one I know?"Maria nodded cautiously at the question. At that moment, there was no choice left for Major General Vladimir."I''ll have to see him."8."The mineral rights of natural gas and other resources, lease of farmland, tanks, warships, missiles, and-" a young man, who spoke Russian quite fluently, smiled and finished his speech, "Nuclear weapons. You can pay for anything among these. Ah, Red Square is fine, too. I''ll figure out the Kremlin''s value."The man who finished his talk picked up a Choco pie on the table with a smile. The wrapping paper of the individually packed Choco pie was engraved with the divine bird mascot Mac, raising his thumb, unlike the usual wrapping paper."Of course this Choco pie is free."He ripped the wrapping paper off and took out the Choco pie in it. The man who started eating looked at the man beyond the table.Major General Vladimir had served as the head of the Russian prime minister''s security department, and he had been in power in the Russian army. The eyes of the man who could kill a person just by blazing his eyes were quite ferocious. The blue eyes made him feel bluer. However, Jang Sung-hoon, who was eating a Choco pie in front of the spirit, did not feel daunted at all. There was no reason to be afraid."That''s more dry and crumbling than I thought. Boss, can you get me some coffee?"The presence of the man who was staying calm and cool behind Jang Sung-hoon was so great that he was not intimidated.The same was true of Major General Vladimir. The days of a man who has been the head of the Russian prime minister security department were out of ordinary. During the Cold War era, he served as a first-year soldier, and he played an active role as an ace of the KGB at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. He became the top person of the influential people in the Russian army. And now, even in the absurd age of the monsters, he was active without losing his ambition.However, even Vladimir could not maintain his composure in front of the presence of Kim Tae-hoon."Hoo-oo." A long sigh came from the mouth of Vladimir. It was the sound which he should make at the table. With that sigh, he spoke slowly, "In short, if we pay for the monsters that are now occupying our country, you will get rid of them."His words were immediately translated into English through Maria, and Jang nodded and answered in Russian."I can talk, but I can''t listen; now I am in trouble. That''s why we shouldn''t study foreign languages with a book, right, boss?"It was a not-so-funny happening created by Jang''s Russian ability. However, Kim did not raise any issues at it happening. Even before the monsters appeared, Jang had not been able to speak Russian as well as English. Kim knew that Jang would have gone through much effort and hardship to speak this level of Russian. Furthermore, the reason why he studied such a foreign language was not simply for his own benefit. In addition, Jang''s Russian skills were actually not important in the conversation."Let me ask you a question.""The questions are free, so you can ask me as much as you like.""How much would it cost to kill Chernobog?"At the question, Jang cleared the Choco pie powder from his mouth instead of looking surprised, and he said with a light smile on his lips, "How much are you offering?"The cross-question made Maria and Vladimir harden. This kind of question was unexpected. Jang waved his hand lightly as if he expected the reaction of the two."It''s a joke, a joke, but is it true that Chernobog is a purple-grade monster that now occupies all of the northern parts of Russia?""Yes.""What colors have you even killed?""If it''s a monster color¡­ blue.""It''s lucky.""Lucky?" "Yes, it''s lucky, you''ll fully understand the price needed when we kill the purple-grade monster.""What the hell is that-""All of them."The conversation that had been smoothly going stopped, as if they did not understand what Jang said."You''ve killed a blue monster, haven''t you? And then isn''t that a fully understandable price?"On the other hand, Jang continued to speak with an expression that was hard to understand when he saw the reaction of the two. "We have killed three dark blue-grade monsters, for the sake of the country''s fate, so I can assure you. At this point, killing a dark blue monster would be a matter of controlling the fate of the country. Not to mention, do you think you could end up just using a few nuclear warheads and killing a purple-grade monster, more easily than the dark blue-grade?"Jang''s words were outspoken. He spoke Russian more fluently than the Russians. Of course, it was not because his linguistic ability increased sharply because he talked with native speakers for several minutes. It was because he had expected this situation, and spoke out the words prepared for this situation.It was not just words that Jang spit out on his own, but words that contained the will of the man watching this conversation behind him. So, as soon as Jang Sung-hoon spoke, Vladimir''s eyes were heading toward Kim Tae-hoon. Vladimir''s eyes, looking at Kim, were the fiercest eyes, like a commander on the brink of war. They were appropriate."Our country has never been ruled by another country." They had lost wars a few times in the long history of Russia, but they were only once under control."Come on, you were ruled by the Mongol Empire." It was in the mid-thirteenth century, the Mongolian era that had brought nightmares to Europe at that time.But now in the 21st century, would Russia become a vassal power of the Republic of Korea?A great country with a long history, with the most land in the world, would be humiliated to serve under a small country on the Korean Peninsula, a country that was only a little larger than Lake Baikal?It was the most insulting provocation ever received by Vladimir. So, his eyes were ferocious."Oh, well¡­ I think, Goryeo, Korean Dynasty was in a similar situation. I''m just saying." Now, even Jang could not afford to relax in front of those eyes."Boss, can you change seats? I''m dizzy." Of course, Jang''s role only went so far. His role was to make Vladimir look like a tiger at the edge of a cliff. In other words, the time when Kim stepped forward had come."This is the first time seeing you in person, Major General Vladimir." He had been silent until now, and after he had stood up, he walked toward the table. He made eye contact with Vladimir, "So, are you going to war with us?"At the appearance of the word ''war'', the eyes of Vladimir, which were fiercer than ever, were trembling. Kim Tae-hoon''s presence was that strong. In order to protect his country, he was ready to become a torch for war, even by burning his body. Most of all, he realized at this moment that he was truly afraid of Kim Tae-hoon. His situation at the edge of the cliff made him realize it."¡­ show me your abilities in front of me." In the end, Vladimir made a compromise. Instead of lowering his head right away, he made the most reasonable choice he could make in this situation.Kim Tae-hoon stepped down from the table, and Jang Sung-hoon continued his speech with a short cough. "What do you want us to kill?"The door opened with a knock and a man appeared. "I''m sorry." The man, whose face was red as he held his breath, carefully approached Vladimir and spoke in a low voice. "We''ve received an emergency call from the Tiger Unit waiting at Lake Baikal." The remark changed the expression of Vladimir. It was evidence of suppressing forcibly a rising sense of surprise, embarrassment, and crisis. And for both Kim and Jang, there was evidence that the game had finally shown a big gap. Of course, the two did not intend to miss this chance. "We''ll start the promotion. I''ll take one destroyer in Vladivostok, and take care of it."

 135 Episode 135 - Lightning Spear, Part I

    Chapter 48. Lightning Spear, Part ITranslator: KhanEditor: RED1.The reason why Zombies are scary can be seen in countless movies and dramas based on Zombies. There is no way to win against an immortal army that can not be killed by bullets, all they can do is run away. Because of this, in the war against Zombies, the climax is the moment when the place to run away to is no longer there.The ammunition from repeated escapes and resistance runs out, and in the end, a situation arises where they can not flee, they can only make a fort to earn a few hours against the Zombies. As soon as they make the fort, the Zombies start to attack the fort. It is rather hopeful that the end is invisible. The results are always the same. A lucky man escapes, and the ones who cannot escape are just victims of hunger that is never filled.Eueoeoeo¡­ The landscape of Birobidzhan was like that now. The small but beautiful city, with a population of seventy-five thousand and a trans-Siberian train passing through, had no survivors, but was instead a sea of Zombies, with thousands of Zombie monsters remaining there.Eueoeoeo¡­ What was even more creepy was that the overflowing Zombies and Zombie monsters did not show any movement. It was clear evidence that there was nothing for the Zombies to be interested in, and that the smell of the living could not be found anywhere in the city of Birobidzhan.Peep! Peep! In that situation, a skinny mouse appeared. It seemed to be out to eat anything since it could not bear hunger anymore. Of course, the hunger disappeared as soon as it checked the Zombie monsters that were scattered everywhere, and the mouse''s run for survival began.Woowoo! All the Zombies reacted and moved in pursuit. There was no cooperation among the Zombie monsters who had only one will: Kill whatever lives" They moved only for their own purposes, and in the process, they hit each other and fell, or were wounded.Thump! In a corner of the alley, a large Zombie Orc fell, and the Zombie Goblins that followed were tangled up with it. Nevertheless, there was no stopping. The fallen ones tried to move even if they crawled, and those who could not crawl even screamed. In many ways, a sight that could not be seen in the human world, but it was simply a scene of hell.Thump! A dot fell down from the sky.Peep! Peep! The panicked mouse ran toward whatever fallen. It was not an attack. It was like reaching out for a rope that came down from the sky at the worst moment. The mouse instinctively realized where the chance to survive was at this moment. The survival instinct of the mouse was correct.Kerblam! As soon as the racing mouse reached the man''s feet, the ring around the man''s body exploded with thunder. The explosion blew away the crowded Zombie monsters, ruthlessly and harshly, and it crushed them.Eueoeoeo¡­ From the mouths of the Zombies, the eerie sounds began to come out. The man took in a deep breath at the scene. Take a deep breath? It did not look like that. The swollen man''s chest was too big, and the man''s face was still, decisive. The man who took a deep breath to soothe his mind and soul, from tension and nervousness, was making an expression that was inappropriate.Fufufufu! The man threw up his chest and a huge flame began to blow. In a moment, the flames started to seethe all over the place.Eueoeoeo¡­ In the flames, the Zombies began to cry out loud. The fire, of course, did not stop them; the Zombies began to rush toward the man, regardless of whether they were burning or melting. The rush of Zombie monsters, which had become fireballs, seemed fiercer. The great sea of fire seemed to be pushed toward the man who had appeared in the Birobidzhan.In that hellish sight, the man was making something. A terrible mass of head-sized thorn ice was formed on his bare right hand, and a Golden Web from the man''s left hand was lined with a mass of ice thorns.Whoo-woong! Whoo-woong! The ice flail that was made began to rotate around the man with a gruesome sound.Poo-what! The ice flail shattered the body of the Zombie monster running in a very funny way. The bodies of the Zombie monsters with red eyes, as well as the Zombie monsters with orange eyes, were just crumbs in front of the ice mace wielded by the man. Even monsters with yellow eyes earned fatal wounds if they did not properly receive the ice flail.That was how the movie started. The movie was called "Zombie Massacre", starring the main actor Kim Tae-hoon.2."Maybe if you make a movie out of what the boss has done, there''ll be a demonstration outside the theater where the movie is being screened.""Was it too cruel?""No, the Zombies were pathetic."Jang Sung-hoon, who was looking at the flesh of thousands of Zombie monster bodies that were hard to call a corpse now, clicked his tongue. "I always feel it, but you''re amazing."Zombie monsters formed nightmares. The only weakness that the monster had was its heart, but it had disappeared.But the nightmare was just a joke in front of Kim Tae-hoon."There''s nothing great about it, but it''s more difficult for an ordinary monster to deal with." "Yes?""Monsters instinctively seek opportunities to live under any circumstances, so no one knows what living monsters will do, but monsters that become Zombies just move the same. They just move to kill what is alive, with no instinct for survival." The black Eyes of Kim Tae-hoon were looking around thoroughly as he spoke.Jang Sung-hoon carefully asked him, as if he felt a sense of it. "Don''t you think it''s hard to deal with Zombie monsters?""It won''t be easy.""It''s not easy, but is there a reason for the response manual to be complicated?"Kim Tae-hoon did not answer. Even if he did not answer obstinately, Jang Sung-hoon would be able to reach the answer that Kim Tae-hoon had given. It was true.''Russia survived in the Monster Age, and from Moscow to Vladivostok, however, they have endured, at any rate.''In Jang''s view, Russia was not a powerless country.Could a powerless country have crossed over 9,000 kilometers in Siberia, sending trains from Moscow to Vladivostok, or using other means than trains, in a world full of monsters?''And there are more experiences and procedures for war with Zombie monsters than any other country.''Russia fought against the undead monsters left by Chernobog, the Immortal Wolf. The response manual for Zombie monsters would be considered to be better than any other country in the world, even Korea. But such Russian elites were still beaten by Zombie monsters. Of course, the monsters could still be beaten.''It feels so easy to get beaten.''But they shouldn''t be beaten so easily. The strength of Russia and the year they had endured did not allow it. There was a variable. In other words, if it was easily beaten, it meant that there was something unexpected in the manual.''The Six Snakes would have done the trick.''Jang Sung-hoon was able to guess what the main factor of the variable was. There was only one thing left: physical proof. Here, it was necessary to find out the cause of death through the bodies of the Russian army guarding the Birobidzhan: whether it was a monster or something that killed them. That was what Kim Tae-hoon was looking for.Peep! Peep! The squeak of a mouse softly filled the silent Birobidzhan.Peep! Peep! Jang Sung-hoon, who was suffering from the repeated sound, made a sullen look."Boss, I think we have a mouse. Do you want me to catch it?"At the words of Jang Sung-hoon, Kim Tae-hoon raised his hand instead of answering. Jang Sung-hoon was silent.Peep! Peep! The squeak of the mouse sounded more clearly, and the squeak began to hover at some point.Kim Tae-hoon moved to the place where the sound was coming from. What was waiting for Kim Tae-hoon was a body that was already torn apart by monsters. The flesh was already ripped out, only the skeleton remained. Therefore, Jang Sung-hoon, as well as Kim Tae-hoon, was able to clearly understand the cause of death. They had seen so many different kinds of bodies, considering what the hole in the head of the body was like, be it by the monster''s teeth or bullets."Boss, how did you know the mouse would find the Russian corpse?""It is not going to eat a Zombie monster''s flesh."Of course, the moment they saw the evidence, they accepted the hypothesis in their minds as fact now. "Well, I''m sure about this. It wasn''t a Zombie, but a person who attacked the Russians in the Birobidzhan: the Six Snakes, or someone else."In Birobidzhan, a man had killed a man here.There was only one thing left... why."It''s a trap.""A trap?"Kim Tae-hoon knew the reason well. "The rescue request was a lie, a lie to lure Major General Vladimir''s forces to Lake Baikal.""Did the lie work?""What makes a soldier move in the most terrible battlefields is not a sense of duty or loyalty to his country."Kim Tae-hoon had experienced it many times."It''s comradeship."Ten soldiers risked their lives to save one colleague. That is war. The soldiers at the front line don''t know what commanders think, and they don''t want to know. They don''t care whether commanders or people in power are talking about world peace.They just don''t want to leave a colleague next to them, a colleague who has crossed the places of death together, and they don''t want to run away from the battlefield alone. The more desperate war became, the more such things remained.It was a war against monsters. When a monster becomes an enemy, comradeship will soon be love for mankind.Kim Tae-hoon was convinced. Among the cities near Lake Baikal, in Ulan-Ude, where the Tiger troops were made up of only the elites among the Awakeners were stationed, some guys might be waiting to kill the troops of Major General Vladimir. ''This trap is not small.''And they would not be cast-offs. They would be able men with the ability to use monsters to play games in the era of monsters.''They are able men who can handle legendary relics and who can kill a blue-grade monster at their discretion.''"But boss, if this was done by the Six Snakes, why are they attacking Russia? Isn''t Russia the object of their conciliation? Do they need to make Russia an enemy?" Jang Sung-hoon asked a new question.Kim Tae-hoon gave the answer that he had already given without worrying about the question. "Only humans who have some shortage will sit at the negotiating table.""Ah.""If they cut off Russia''s hands and feet, the men of power in Moscow will visit the Six Snakes again.""¡­ crazy people." Jang Sung-hoon, who spoke out the words, was surprised and looked at Kim Tae-hoon. "Boss, no way!"At the surprised expression of Jang Sung-hoon, Kim Tae-hoon had a calm expression."No, wait! You''re going alone, aren''t you?"Kim Tae-hoon still looked cool."You said it was a trap, and are you going to attack there alone?" Jang''s voice grew louder. "No, what are you going to do?"When Jang Sung-hoon''s voice grew so loud that it could no longer grow, Kim Tae-hoon replied, "If I cut off the limbs of the Six Snakes, they''ll be sorry."3.Ulan-Ude...It was the capital of the Republic of Buryatia, a large Russian federal city, with a population of three hundred thousand.It was a trade center crossing the Trans-Siberian Railway Network, and the Trans-Mongolian Railway connecting Mongolia and China, a place where facilities and resources were built to occupy an axis of the Russian aviation industry.But there was only one image in most people''s minds about Ulan-Ude: a city with a huge lake called Lake Baikal! It was inevitable. In front of the oldest and deepest lake in the world, anything else would be just a little thing. The winter of Lake Baikal was magnificent. The frozen Lake Baikal boasted a very clear and beautiful color, like crystal.A man was fishing on the frozen Lake Baikal. He was a strange man in many ways. Once the man had worn armor that was worth seeing in ancient China. On the other hand, what he had in his hand was a tool called a Vajra, used in ancient India. Finally, the man was a white man with long blond hair.The white man in the blond hair wearing the ancient Chinese armor and the ancient Indian weapon¡­ there was no word for unity anywhere in the man. But the most unusual and bizarre thing was the man''s fishing method. The man who made holes in the frozen Lake Baikal did not put a fishing rod in the hole.Whack! He just kept digging holes. In addition, the man was not just digging holes, but making a square shape with holes, like a dotted line of stamps. Then, when the holes made a square shape, the Vajra in his hand began to vomit lightning.Pazik, Pazik! The sudden appearance of the golden lightning turned into a throwing spear. The man put the changed lightning into the hole he had made. Then, with a huge burst of thunder, the cracks spread across Lake Baikal, which had been frozen hard.But the cracks did not spread across the whole of Lake Baikal, because the man had blocked the cracks from spreading. Inside the square fence, the stunned and electrocuted fish began to float up, one by one. The man smiled slightly at the sight."Mr. Sergei." A woman came up to him from a distance."The forces of Major General Vladimir have passed through Birobidzhan.""They are moving faster than I thought.""They seem to be moving with the best power available.""I''m sure they are. Without the Tiger Unit, Major General Vladimir and his forces in Khabarovsk would be dead." With those words, he made a huge smile, looking east for a while. "I hope this will be a bigger fish than I thought."

 136 Episode 136 - Lightning Spear, Part II

    Chapter 48. Lightning Spear, Part IITranslator: KhanEditor: RED 4. Moscow, the Kremlin¡­The flower, the heart of the Red Square was always the stage for the supreme powers of Russia."Contact with those on duty has been suspended! What the hell is going on?"This fact, even in the era that the monsters appeared, did not change.Generals.Those with stars over their shoulders and with heavy medals above their chests, filled the tables of the most luxurious large banquet halls in the Moscow Kremlin. It was like looking at the starry night sky."We''re working on it now.""How can you say such words, ''We''re working on it now''?"However, the atmosphere was so gloomy that the glittering of the stars and medals were put in the shade. Everyone in the room looked stiff."We must somehow recover the nuclear warheads as soon as possible, before the winter is over, and start the operation!""Who doesn''t know that? The problem is that the people who are in the process of recovering the warheads are lost.""Then we need to dispatch rescue teams or search teams to figure out what''s going on!""We''ve put all the elites in the process of securing the warheads, and do you want me to send some ordinary soldiers where they went missing?"On December 31, 2016, monsters appeared. It was the beginning of despair, and Russia, which had the largest territory, became the country with the most land devastated by monsters. The days had been terrible. It was only because of hope that Russia could last for a year in those days."So, are we going to end this operation, as it failed? Are we going to reopen it next year?"The hope was that the moment they could cover the monsters and Zombies with the cold of Siberia, if they used the Soviet Union''s heritages throughout Russia, they could reverse the war against monsters! Furthermore, it was also Europe''s hope! Besides Russia, there were many countries with nuclear weapons, including France and Britain in Europe. But the number of nuclear weapons possessed by France and Britain was about four hundred. On the other hand, Russia''s nuclear weapons exceed fifteen hundred in actual deployment, and the number of weapons they possessed was over five thousand.The fact that Russia was the country with the largest number of nuclear weapons and armored power in the world was not a simple expression. Of course, if all that was blown up, mankind would be destroyed, not monsters, but it was clear that nuclear weapons seemed to be a solution to the present era.Crucially, Russia had the largest territory in the world, and a monster named Chernovog: a purple-grade monster, the peak of monsters. Russia was at the surest experimental stage. It was an experimental stage to determine whether or not they could kill a monster of the purple grade with nuclear weapons.From that point of view, it was no exaggeration to say that using nuclear weapons to kill Chernobog was very important not only to Russia but also to mankind. Even if the results were not good, the attempt should not fail.Therefore, someone said, "Why don''t we ask Mao Spencer for help?"The stars were quiet as the name Mao Spencer was mentioned. No one asked who said the name, because if someone had no contact with Mao Spencer, he would not have been able to sit here now. "That''s dangerous talk.""He''ll ask for some nonsense."That was why the moment the Six Snakes had lost their mainland, the Russians in power had coldly cut off their relationship with Mao. The Russians in power owed too much to the Six Snakes to continue their relationship with them.But again, would they borrow the power of the Six Snakes?It would not be different from the sound of kicking the debtor out of the house and calling him again and borrowing more money.Of course, no one said that that idea was good."Why don''t we ask the Vatican for backup?" All they could say was the next best option."It''s not going to be good for the Vatican to have our Russia fail like this." The next best option that came out was the Vatican. The Vatican, the city itself, was history and a relic, and it was the only place in the monster era that had kept its integrity without any damage. Of course, after the emergence of monsters, the leaders of each country, Europeans in power, and Awakeners were all gathered in the Vatican.Asking for help there meant asking for help from Europe."They won''t be able to help us for free.""But it''s better than screwing up this operation. After this winter, there''s no answer. How do we wait until next winter?""I think it would be good to talk with them."Of course, there was no definite answer here. It was beyond everyone''s expectations to have such a meeting in the first place. There were only two things that were clear at this moment.''That''s crazy.''''Why are things so messed up?''First, those who were here were in a position that they needed something."Mr. Mao, the Russian generals meeting is over. There was nothing special in it. They''ll send someone from Russia to the Vatican sooner or later.""What''s the situation of Sergei?""He is waiting near Lake Baikal.""Lake Baikal?""He sent a false rescue request there, and after he destroys the Far East Branch, he will return.""That''s his method, loving fishing."The Six Snakes were waiting for a gap between the leaders of Russia, who were in need of something, and they would not be still."And there is new news. The twins have secured a nuclear warhead. They stand by with the Terracotta Warriors. We can blow it anytime you want.""That''s great."So, the more severe winter in Europe began. 5. Ulan-Ude, once housing over three hundred thousand people, had now become a land where only Zombie monsters remained. A man had appeared there. The footsteps of the man in Russian military uniform were cautious.Eueoeoeo¡­ It was to avoid Zombie monsters that were spread like living alarms all over the place. He even exhaled carefully, the white breath covered by a mask over his mouth.The man arrived at Ulan-Ude Station, a part of the Trans-Siberian Railway Network. All the windows were broken, and the door was broken, and Ulan-Ude station reminded him of a ghost house. It was a place he would not enter normally enter sober.But the man in the uniform took a deep breath and went through the window into Ulan-Ude Station. The man who entered the station lowered his mask and began to make a sound with pursed lips.Whiii, Whiii¡­ The whistle with a strange rhythm began to flow through the quiet station of Ulan-Ude.Whick! Whick! Not far away, a small whistle sounded, and the man, who was lowering his posture and nervous, relaxed and immediately stood up and began to walk forwards. When the man reached the spot the whistle had come from, a man with a blond hair in ancient Chinese armor was standing there. The moment the man in the Russian army uniform saw him, he stopped immediately.The blond guy, on the other hand, smiled. "I hoped I could catch a big fish at once, but it''s not easy, either. But I''m glad I got a bite."At the words of Sergei, the man with blond hair, the man in the Russian army uniform did not answer. Instead, he glanced around quickly."I''m sorry, but your colleague is dead. No, I killed him." Sergei delivered the terrible news to the man.The man who was glancing around looked straight at Sergei.Sergei whistled briefly at his eyes. "Your eyes are burning. Judging from the fact that you are here alone, you''re competent enough. The mark on your uniform says you belong to the direct command unit of Major General Vladimir, and he has raised you well."At that moment, the man wearing the Russian army uniform immediately held the AK-47 rifle and pointed it at Sergei.Tututu! There was a flash of gunfire. But Sergei did not avoid the shots.Tingting! The three shots that flew toward Sergei''s chest were crushed, not even scratching his armor. As soon as Sergei raised his arm to cover his face, he was in fact in a situation where bullets did not work.Sergei rushed straight forward. It was an explosion, more than a rush. Boom! With a single foot stamping down, Sergei''s body flew forward like a cannon shell.Swish! At the same time, the Vajra in Sergei''s hand cut the air. It was a very nip and tuck movement. If the man in the military uniform hadn''t suddenly lowered his position, Sergei would have cut the man in at once.''He is better than expected.'' Sergei was briefly impressed with the fact, rather than embarrassed. At the same time, he understood. ''Well, unless Major General Vladimir is a fool, he can''t send a mere rabble as the search party where the Tiger Unit has requested a rescue.''It was not very strange for the man in front of him to avoid his attack. Of course, he was for sure that the member of the search party would never be able to avoid his second attack.''Luck only happens once. I will kill him right away.''Sergei had no intention of keeping the searcher alive. If the searcher returned alive to the main camp, the big fish who Sergei wanted would not bite the hook of his fishing rod. He shouldn''t even give him a chance to scream. So, Sergei had no intent to hide his ability. Before he could complete his jump and land on the floor, he pulled out all his skills at once with full force.Pazik! Vajra, Vasavi Shakti in his hand spewed out lightning and now had the shape of an elongated spear. It was not just a spear, but a javelin. As soon as it left its owner''s hand, the spear, like a flash that could penetrate any target the owner was aiming for, was the deadly spear of Karna, an ancient Indian myth hero, obtained from Indra, a god of lightning, in exchange for his golden armor.Sergei, after forming the spear, landed on the floor and now looked for his target to die under this deadly weapon. He turned around, with the pose of a javelin thrower. He found the target looking at him with black eyes, instead of running away.Swish! At the same time, a sword that had flown out from somewhere cut off Sergei''s right wrist.Thud! His right hand, and the Vasavi Shakti that his hand was holding, fell to the floor with a clatter.''Ah.'' Only then did Sergei''s face begin to stiffen, feeling that something was going wrong."Who are you¡­?" Sergei managed to open his mouth through his stiff face. It was the beginning of a nightmare. "Kim Tae-hoon."He, who lost his right hand and his most powerful weapon, had to deal with a monster from Korea."Hunter."Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes began to split, like those of a dragon. 6. ==[Vasavi Shakti]- Relic Grade: Grade 1- Relic Value: Legend- Relic Effect: It is a spear which the hero Karna received from Indra, a god of lightning. A powerful lightning spear that can penetrate anything.]==Vladimir, who confirmed the contents of the smartphone, looked up at the man in front of him.Jang Sung-hoon, who had already annoyed Vladimir, was facing him across only one table. But it was quite different from before. Unlike that time, when it was full of playful and fun attempts to provoke his opponent anyway, Jang was more serious than ever."There''s no better evidence we can show you." Jang had to be serious because he claimed that the Six Snakes and their head Mao had attacked Russia."But I need to hear the answer here." And now, Jang was asking Vladimir for a choice. "Will you hold hands with us?"At that question, Vladimir gave a long sigh that he should release at the negotiating table. But he did not regret the sigh he had spoken.''There is only one choice.'' He was thinking this was a threat table, not a negotiation table. It was not wrong. Kim Tae-hoon showed his ability perfectly. He annihilated the Tiger Unit alone, and he shattered Sergei and his forces, who had set a trap. At the same time, he showed that there was an enemy who threatened and had attacked Russia.In this situation where the enemy of the unheard-of was in front, and an overwhelmingly violent person had reached out his hand, there was no such thing as choices for Vladimir."What do you want from us?" All he could do was hold that hand. At the question of Vladimir, Jang said, "Everything.""¡­ then what do we have to do?" Vladimir spat out the next question.To the question, Jang replied, making his playful and fun face. "Can you give us a false identity?""A false identity? What is that...""We need a false identity, just like Tom Cruise, who was able to enter the Moscow Kremlin with a false identity in Mission Impossible 4."The playful look on his face reminded Vladimir. ''What happened to the Moscow Kremlin in Mission Impossible 4?'' At the same time, the expression on his face hardened. He remembered the scene where the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square were shattered by an explosion in Mission Impossible 4.Jang grinned at the expression of Vladimir. "That movie was fun, wasn''t it?"

 137 Episode 137 - Lightning Spear, Part III

    Chapter 48. Lightning Spear, Part IIITranslator: KhanEditor: RED 7. In mid-January, Lake Baikal, which was again bathed in severe cold, was as beautiful as the surface of a planet made of crystal.Looking at the beautiful background, drinking a cup of coffee that had just been made, with the night view of Lake Baikal where the stars were shining, was so romantic!"Hoo-oo!"How wonderful this was!"For this taste, the Boss is drinking coffee."Jang Sung-hoon, who could feel the smell of coffee engraved deeply on the breath he was exhaling through a nose as red as a strawberry in the cold of the frozen Lake Baikal, seemed to understand a little why Kim Tae-hoon was so crazy about coffee.A man started walking on Lake Baikal toward Jang Sung Hoon. The man who appeared sat down on a fisherman''s patio chair that Jang had prepared in advance. That alone could tell the identity of the man."Boss, did you finish your work well?"The face of Kim was not so bright because of his calm expression."Not yet.""He must have a heavy mouth."Jang did not urge Kim. "Would you like a cup of coffee?" It was Jang''s frank feeling that he wanted to stop Kim for a while, who had been running without stopping, somehow."No.""What? Does the Boss refuse coffee?""Your coffee doesn''t taste good."Whether he knew the intention of Jang or not, Kim rejected Jang''s consideration and prepared his coffee using the tools Jang had prepared to make coffee, which was exactly Kim''s. "No, I used the same beans and the same tool, it would be the same. How can it be different¡­?" Jang complained at Kim''s words."Different." Kim cut off the complaints of Jang coldly. Jang shook his head.While Kim was making coffee, Jang threw out, "So, what does he say?"''He'' was Sergei, who had been captured by Kim. Of course, Kim did not kill Sergei. Sergei had a lot of information to tell them, as long as he was surely one of the Six Snakes and Mao''s closest aide. He could also be a tool of intimidation and a subject of negotiation. Lastly, if he killed Sergei, Mao would be likely to find out immediately.There was no need to have a broad prospect. Japan had confirmed the life and death of the ninjas using Shikigami, and if a relic and an Awakener that made it possible were next to Mao, he could grasp the life and death of his aides no matter how far away they were.Even if not, it was the Six Snakes, with more mysterious relics than anyone else, including Okjo. It was not necessary to kill Sergei and give Mao a signal; it was a signal that Kim Tae-hoon was carrying a sword to kill Mao now."He said about belief."It was not easy, of course, to get information from Sergei. He did not give any major information in front of Kim''s torture."Belief?"Instead, Sergei only told Kim why he followed Mao and acted as a member of the Six Snakes."Isn''t their belief to become kings in a world that has been ruined by monsters?""That''s a purpose, not a belief.""This and that, that''s all bad anyway." "If it had not been for the Six Snakes, someone else would have done it, and it is what anyone would do. In fact, all who have survived now are new leaders who have new power in an era where the existing order has been collapsed by monsters.""That doesn''t mean that a bastard is not a bastard, right?""That''s right.""Really?""So it doesn''t really matter if such people die. As you say, man is a god-damned race."Then Jang was able to know the intention of Kim, and the belief of the Six Snake members, including Sergei."Since a human is a god-damned race, it doesn''t matter if they die? Wouldn''t they rather be the order of a new era, and lead the world?"Instead of answering, Kim took a half-full mug, brought it to his mouth, and drank."The bad guys became the enemies. Since they''re the bad guys that much, they have harassed you. If they were nothing, the boss would have killed them. Now I am curious to know how much more they are going to do."Taking advantage of Kim''s silence that started like that, Jang laid out his complaints without hesitation. But Kim did not hear the complaints. Instead, what Sergei had said hovered in his ear for a moment: Let''s check out whether the night sky before the monsters appeared was beautiful, or the night sky after the monsters appeared was beautiful.Kim, who remembered the words, looked up at the sky.Jang, who looked up after Kim, looked at the night sky and said, "The night sky is so cool."8.Major General Vladimir made a decision to leave his destiny to Kim Tae-hoon. As soon as the decision was made, he no longer hid his cards. He finally pulled out the card of Avia Zavod."The biggest reason the Tiger Unit is located in Ulan-Ude is because of the Avia Zavod."Avia Zavod was not a very special name. It was just a factory name. The special thing was the factory''s production."I had to protect the Avia Zavod factory that produces the Mi and Su fighters in Russia."The aircraft was produced by a factory named Avia Zavod. Of course, since the advent of monsters, wireless communication, including radar, was not possible. It meant that it was virtually impossible to operate a fighter or an aircraft, which was a high-tech product.Therefore, Jang was surprised and asked, "Didn''t Russia have radar or wireless communication technology?" "We''re working on it, but we haven''t got radar or the right wireless communication technology yet." Maria shook her head at the question."Then how are you going to operate the aircraft?""Rather, the opposite.""The opposite?""The Wright brothers didn''t build a plane with wireless communication technology and radar, did they?"At that moment, Jang and Kim''s expressions were firm.Maria stepped up and continued to talk. "At first, Russia was in a panic because the latest Russian fighter jets and aircrafts became useless. The pilots were concerned right away. No one calmly said that they would take off and land in a situation where they couldn''t communicate with the control tower."It was Kim Tae-hoon who received her words. "The rapid development of fighter aircraft was around World War I, but radar was used in World War II." Speaking out the words, Kim''s face was not good. It was evidence of reflection and regret. ''Why didn''t I think of it?'' It was a reflection and regret that he did not think of what Russia had prepared. Jang, on the other hand, cocked his head. He understood the words of Maria and Kim, but he did not understand all of them. "No, to state in a brief way, did they build a plane without radar and wireless communication? No, they can make it float. Even a hot air balloon can float in the sky. The problem is if they can run it or not."For ordinary people with common sense, an airplane did not just end up flying in the sky. Rather, it was the opposite, and it is the most dangerous thing to fly in the sky.Among those who cannot get on planes, there are not many people who cannot get on the plane because of fear of heights. Most are afraid of the planes because it might fall.But on the contrary, those who participated in war know. An airplane is not an object that falls more easily than you think. And considering those who die in a plane crash, there were far more survivors on the plane.Of course, the important thing now was not to persuade Jang. She didn''t have to try to persuade Jang."What shape?""It is based on the propeller engines used in World War I.""What''s the speed of flight?""We''re still developing it, but the prototype we''re working on is up to three hundred kilometers per hour, but the average speed should be around two hundred kilometers per hour for safety and other problems.""What is the distance with one load of fuel?""About two thousand kilometers.""The driving route is¡­ the Trans-Siberian Railway Network.""There will be no better guide in this age."If they persuaded Kim Tae-hoon, everything would be solved. And he was willing to be persuaded."What''s the number who can board?""Six people, including the pilot.""That''s a good number.""There''s a problem, instead." Kim cocked his head at the word "problem.""What we''re developing is a transporter, not a fighter, and combat capability is virtually eliminated. It''s impossible to have a fancy air show at high altitudes, like a fighter. Of course, there''s no way to respond to exposure to flying monsters."Kim answered briefly at the issue. "Fill up the fuel."Maria warned Kim again, "It''s dangerous, is that okay?"Jang answered at her warning, "Is it us that''s dangerous, or the poor monsters that will attack our boss?""¡­ I''ll fill up the fuel."9.The Red Square was beautiful. Especially when the snow fell from the gray sky, the Red Square turned into the reddest square.It was so now. The snow, calmly falling from the sky, was making the Red Square glow."I''m sorry, Mr. Mao." Two men were talking in front of the beautiful sight. They were Mao and Lieutenant General Dmitry with the thick fur coat and mustache, who had driven Mao out earlier. "I don''t think we need to talk about anything uncomfortable to each other. Tell me why you called me today.""I need your help.""What exactly do you mean?""I won''t hide it, we are currently disconnected from the troops that were sent to collect the warheads, and I need a search party to identify their situation and a rescue team to rescue them.""Didn''t you ask the Vatican for help?""I have asked the Vatican for help, but I cannot leave my country''s fate to the Vatican alone.""Are you going to make me compete with the Vatican?""I don''t mean to make you feel bad, I just made a choice that would help our country''s interests."Mao paused for a moment, then looked at the red wall where the snow had begun to build."I don''t have much time, and I want you to answer me here today."Dmitry looked at Mao and urged him to answer. At his appearance, Mao said, "I''m sorry."At the apology, the eyes of Dmitry had cooled more rapidly than the falling snow."Is it about the other day?""It''s not irrelevant.""I don''t think you are one to make up your mind because of regret.""No, it''s not. The reason why I declined your offer is not what you think.""What is different?"At that moment, the crazy explosion began to emit a huge roar. Bang!Rumbling! The explosion was accompanied by an earthquake and a powerful storm that could not be described.In the explosion, Dmitri''s body and Mao''s body staggered like a sailboat on a raging wave. But the two equally tottering faces were not the same at all.The expression on Dmitry''s face was beyond surprise, and it was a shock. ''Oh, my God!'' It was a natural expression in front of the scene where the Red Square collapsed under a repeated explosion.Mao''s expression was different. He was smiling at the explosion.''No way!''The smile was evidence. It was the evidence that the main culprit of this crazy explosion in Red Square was Mao, not just anyone."You bastard!" Dmitry, who had noticed it, reached out his arms as if to grab Mao''s neck.Swish! A single Bronze Sword cut his stretched arms off as they were."Haha!" A pleasant laugh came from near the hilt. There was a beautiful Asian woman there with a lively smile."Ugh!" On the other hand, Dmitry, who had lost his arms, fell to the ground with his balance lost.Bang! Bang! In the meantime, the explosions were repeated and became a series of explosions, and the explosive sound gradually began to get closer to Mao and Dmitry. In that situation, Mao looked at Dmitry."As always, humans need an example to know their place."Of course, it was impossible for Dmitry to hear Mao properly in the repeated explosions. Mao himself did not care whether Dmitry was listening to him or not. Anyway, Dmitri would die soon regardless."That''s the difference between dogs and humans. Once a dog is mad there is nothing we can do about it, but if humans see an example, they can figure out what''s going on and adapt."Mao, who had finished his talk, chopped his neck with his hand, and the woman with the sword struck the neck of Dmitry with her Bronze Sword.Swish! The golden letters on the Bronze Sword that cut off the head of Dmitry were shining: Yue Wang Goujian Self-use Sword. The glittering letters were gone as soon as the woman put the sword into the sheath.Mao turned to the woman. The woman smiled a little. Behind that smile, Major Chinshan showed up. The face of Chinshan was full of red spots. They were blood-spatter marks."We have removed most of the VIPs, but we couldn''t remove them all. I''m sorry.""It doesn''t matter, because a survivor is a real example," Mao spoke and gave a short sigh. "Now we can talk to the people in the Vatican.""Then we''ll take you to the Vatican." "No, the next destination¡­"Bang! At that moment, an explosion exploded closer, and Mao swallowed what he was about to say. When the explosive sound stopped for a moment, Mao spoke again, "We''re going to Finland.""You really mean Finland?""We will wake up the Huge Giant Hrungnir there, and make it advance to Europe."As soon as the monster Hrungnir was mentioned, the twin sisters behind him, as well as Chinshan, looked surprised. They had to.Hrungnir, the dark blue-grade monster, was as crazy as the color of its eyes. It was a monster of the monsters who would be willing to compete with the Dragon, called the strongest monster of the dark blue grade! Furthermore, there was one difference between Hrungnir and the dragon."If Hrungnir moves, the Giants will move with it."The giants were the monsters who made Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway a land of death that humans could not live in! Hrungnir was the head of the giants. In a sense, it was a more threatening nightmare than a Dragon for humans. Of course, it was clear what the most threatening nightmare was."With that much, the Vatican will lower its position and reach out to us. There is no such thing as Korea''s crazy monster, though the legendary relics are overflowing there."There would be no greater threat than forcing that nightmare to happen for his benefit!

 138 Episode 138 - The Vatican, Part I

    Chapter 49. The Vatican, Part ITranslator: KhanEditor: RED1.The droning of a plane with several propellers began to pass over Moscow. It was quite dangerous, since it didn''t send out a warning as it flew over the center of Russia, and it was flying low enough to be visible to the naked eye.In fact, an attempt was made to crash the plane at its appearance. But it was not started by fighters or shooting from below.What appeared were monsters. Three bizarre monsters reminiscent of pterosaurs flapped their powerful wings and headed toward the plane, making horrifying screams. The distance was narrowed instantly. It was a dangerous situation since at the moment of collision, both sides were inevitably hit hard. But there was no fear in the flashing orange eyes of the monsters flapping their wings at the plane. The propellers, which were rotating so strongly that ordinary people would be frightened just imagining their approach, did not threaten the monsters.And the plane itself did not hesitate at all to confront these monsters, and it sped up, as if it had decided to hit the monsters in front of it without any inclination, rather than turning around. A game of chicken started over Moscow. However, the losers of this game were themonsters.Thunk! A single arrow appeared from somewhere and pierced the bodies of all three monsters at once. There were no screams at all.The heart-pierced monsters stopped flapping their wings and began to fall down straight to the ground. However, those aboard the plane did not look at them. Their eyes were directed at the front."Damn it, boss. I think someone came before us and filmed Mission Impossible."The appearance of Red Square, which had been devastated by an unknown explosion, was shocking. No one could express his own appreciation or cross-question the words that Jang Sung-hoon had said.- I''m going down first.- At that moment, Kim Tae-hoon''s voice was heard in everyone''s head."Boss!" At the voice, Jang called out for Kim reflexively, but the thing that welcomed him was only the strong wind coming in through the airplane door as it opened.2.Kim had visited Moscow several times, but he had never been allowed to visit the Kremlin. When he came to Moscow at the invitation of the Russian government, Russia did not invite him into the Kremlin Palace. Of course, the biggest reason was that he did not have to go to the Kremlin Palace, but the thoughts of those who knew him were different. They said Russia was afraid of Kim Tae-hoon, a crazy bomb, stepping into the Kremlin Palace. At this moment, he had lost his chance to visit the Kremlin Palace forever."Wow, it was completely destroyed." There was no more Kremlin Palace in this world."If I''d known this, I''d have borrowed a loan to travel to Moscow¡­ I wouldn''t have had to pay back the debts, anyway."It was a terrible sight in many ways. But what mattered right now was not the fact that they could no longer see the Red Square, the Kremlin Palace."Did a monster sweep it away?""It was a bomb.""Bomb?""It wouldn''t lead to this much collapse unless it was placed in the right place."After finishing the explanation, Kim raised his head and scanned the entire Red Square again. It was unspeakable devastation, but it did not impress him. Nevertheless, his expression was hardened for another reason."I don''t know if Lenin''s Tomb is okay."Lenin''s Tomb was the place the founder of Russia, the communist hero, had been buried. It was also the reason why Kim and Jang had to wash their identities before coming to Moscow."At first, Lenin''s Tomb was not located in the underground facility of the Kremlin Palace, but..."Of course, it was not because Kim and Jang were Communists."You''re all right, aren''t you? What can you do to Chernobog without Bogatri''s Great Sword?"Apparently, Kim had told himself in his dream that the weapon that could kill the Immortal Wolf Chernobog was in Lenin''s Tomb. So, he made a plan.With common sense, how could he ask them to open the coffin, saying, "There is a weapon in Lenin''s Tomb that can kill Chernobog."But now it was all meaningless."I will ask Maria first."Kim went to Maria immediately. She was not far away. She was silently looking at the Kremlin Palace nearby. Her condition was so terrible that it could not be compared with Kim or Jang''s.It was natural. It would be strange if she could easily accept the collapsed Red Square, as she has risked her life for her country and walked on the battlefield for it. But Kim did not console her. He did not even put rhetoric into the words that he wanted to speak out. He asked her a question as if staring at her blurred eyes. "Where did you keep Lenin''s Mausoleum?" "Yes? What¡ª" "Lenin''s tomb, in which there is a weapon that can kill Chernobog." It was not just a statement, but a shocking statement that could not be accepted even in normal condition. But rather it worked. "What, what''s that..." As a shock therapy, the new shock that entered the mind of Maria returned her eyes to normal. "His coffin is..." Of course, it was only for a while that the pupils were clear. "¡­ we carried it to a secret bunker in the underground of the Kremlin Palace in case something happened." Her eyes, began to shake violently as she spoke. It was the same with Jang. "Well, well, is the only weapon which can kill Chernobog buried deep down in the underground of the Kremlin Palace which has been collapsed, under a pile of stones that would take at least a year to clean up using hundreds of heavy movers?" After the question, Jang shut his mouth.What more could he say? The only weapon that could kill Chernobog, the only clue that Kim would escape from the curses of the monsters that he had gained so far, and that he would gain from now on, had become something he might not promise next time.However, Kim was different. He judged the situation coldly. ''I will exclude Bogatri''s Great Sword at once. What I cannot get I cannot get. Here, spitting out complaints and chewing despair, there is no way for Bogatri''s Great Sword to come out of the bunker deep in the collapsed Kremlin Palace. So, what matters right now is the background of what happened now.''''It was not a simple explosion. Someone decided to destroy Red Square.''It was bombs that had destroyed Red Square, and to be precise, the Kremlin Palace. It was not just a bomb, but a huge amount of explosives were used, and it was not just used but designed for an explosion. If it were just a simple explosion, it would not have collapsed to this extent.Who would have done that? ''Not a monster.''It was clearly not a monster.If a monster had the ability to deal with explosives at this level, Kim would just give up the war with the monsters here. It was unlikely that any force in Europe would be the culprit, as Moscow was a huge breakwater that would prevent the monsters in Siberia from entering Western Europe.''Without the lips, the teeth feel the cold.'' There might be a man who expected the fall of Moscow, especially those who were located around the Vatican, but no one wanted it to be a reality.The only thing left was one. ''Then, the culprit is just the Six Snakes.''The Six Snakes broke down Russia. ''So now it''s time to move on. I need to figure out why.'' What did they gain by destroying Russia? The Six Snakes would not have destroyed Russia for no reason. The Six Snakes were interfering with the plans of Russia once more. They were actively interfering with Russia''s attempt to recover the warheads during the winter. They had cut off the hands and feet of Russia.''Russia would have tried to negotiate with the Six Snakes.''When he realized that, Kim thought that what the Six Snakes wanted was to occupy a favorable position in negotiations with Russia. He thought that the Six Snakes, who had lost their stage in Taiwan, would settle on Moscow and reveal their ambition to dominate the world once again, based on Europe.''I had the hidden intention to take advantage of it in reverse.''That was why Kim forged his identity.He intended to hide his identity and kill the Six Snakes who had settled in Moscow. He was going to hide his identity and enter the snake cave to catch the snakes.But the Six Snakes did not settle on Moscow, they made it hell. Was it because the negotiations didn''t work out?''If the negotiations do not go well, they change the partner at the negotiating table, but they don''t change the negotiating table.''Nor was it highly likely. If the Six Snakes had wanted to settle in Moscow, they would have settled by any necessary means.''This means that they did not intend to settle in Moscow in the first place.'' The only certain thing was that the Six Snakes had no intention of settling down in Moscow from the beginning.''Then, what is their aim?''''Conviction is forbidden, conjecture remains conjecture. This is not known immediately; I can only guess, and I must not be sure of the conjecture that comes from it.''Therefore, Kim measured the impact of Moscow turning to this state, rather than guessing the purpose of the Six Snakes.''Western Europe will be shaken.''The news of Moscow''s collapse would naturally spread rapidly throughout Europe. Europe would naturally be tainted with fear. At the same time, they would be anxious. In the fear and anxiety, the existing power structure would once again shake greatly.''A hero in a warlike age.''At that moment, Kim gave an answer."Two.""Yes?""What?"At the moment of giving the answer, Kim did not waste his time worrying anymore. "We''re going to the Vatican."3.In 1999 and 2012, a lot of people said, "Humanity will come to an end, and only those who believe in God will be saved!"The world thought that such a thing would never happen, and of course, they called the other people crazy. In fact, the next year those who said that were gone. By 2016, no one was talking about such a thing anymore. But by 2017, everyone in Europe has become a lunatic shouting about the end and salvation. The Vatican...Even in the era of monsters, it boasted a strong presence, making those in Europe the madmen mentioned above. In front of the madness that started, all the power of Europe was reorganized at the center of the Vatican.The power of the Vatican began to change into a form that could not be found in history. The Vatican''s owners were not just religious people, but the men in power that controlled the fate of Europe, and even the world. That was why the Vatican discussed the fate of Germany, not anywhere else."The Giants have attacked Germany now. Hamburg has already fallen, and they are moving toward Cologne. Cardinals, if you have any keen insight, please make it clear here without hesitation or adjustment."It was evident that the Vatican was now the owner of Europe, beyond the leaders of Europe. Of course, they did not have duty and responsibility along with their power."I think all we have to do is to accept the refugees."Even in the days of monsters, there was no sense of crisis for the owners of the Vatican, which had never been invaded by a single monster. Even if there was a sense of crisis, the firm belief in the fact that God would protect them made the small sense of crisis even more discolored."If Germany has already collapsed, it is dangerous to put more troops into Germany, and there is a high chance that the Giants will not cross the Cologne. Isn''t it there is a cathedral in Cologne?"It was still true. The Vatican Cardinals did not have fear, even though they had a sense of crisis of the Giants who had destroyed Finland, Norway, and Denmark as soon as they appeared, and were now moving south"The Giants have been silent over the Baltic Sea. It may be temporary. If they''ve filled their stomachs enough in Germany, they might be quiet after that, or they might go back over the Baltic Sea. So, it would be better to watch them than to make war with all our might."The absence of fear made them feel ambivalent toward the monsters."I think it is Moscow that is dangerous now. Didn''t the bomb attack happen? There''s no guarantee that such a disturbance will not happen in the sanctuary."The news that scared the owners of the Vatican was the news of the collapse of Moscow, not the presence of the Giants who had destroyed Germany, nor Hrungnir, the monster with the dark blue eyes that led them."The rumor is that the Six Snakes committed a terrorist act-""Why would the Six Snakes blow up the Red Square in Moscow?""Didn''t Russia reject their offer of help, and cut off their ties with the Six Snakes? So, Russia has asked us for help, not the Six Snakes."The Vatican was safe from the monsters. It was possible because the Vatican maintained the most complete form of a sacred place of any religion.However, that was all. The Vatican relics blocked the monsters, but there was no ability to prevent humans. That was why the Vatican Cardinals were reluctant to send troops to war against the Giants. In a situation where only people could stop people, the Vatican owners were worried about the absence of their troops."Do you mean that''s why the Six Snakes broke Moscow?""It is a warning. It is an example of how a person who refuses their offers is treated."In that sense, what the owners of the Vatican were now afraid of was not the Giants, but the Six Snakes. It was still true."Now that we have a story about them, let''s move on to the Six Snakes." To the congregation, the story of the Giants had no sense of weight. All their attention was, after all, on the Six Snakes that threatened them. "Mao Spencer of the Six Snakes suggested that they would hunt the Giants if we need them to." As evidence, everyone who attended the meeting looked at the remark differently. "I don''t think it''s free." "I think it''s dangerous to accept an offer right away." "The Six Snakes themselves are dangerous, not a suggestion. We''d rather declare war on the Six Snakes this time¡­"Of course, their attitudes changed too. "If Moscow is really the result of the Six Snakes, it''s no good to fight against the Six Snakes, is it? The Six Snakes'' suggestion may be that they want to reconcile with us.""There''s no reason to say ''no'' about killing the Giants, of course.""What if we reject the Six Snakes, and they hold hands with Muslims? If Six Snakes are placed in Mecca, the Muslims will be glad to accept it."Everyone was serious and thoughtful in front of the schemes of the Six Snakes."Then we''ll vote on whether to accept the Six Snakes'' offer or not."At last, they began to make decisions in a way that would fit the Vatican''s long history. There was no more talk of the Giants between them.

 139 Episode 139 - The Vatican, Part II

    Chapter 49. The Vatican, Part IITranslator: KhanEditor: RED 4. On December 31, 2016, there was one thing that survivors found when monsters came out. God!Most people who sought and prayed to God in that way were frustrated that God did nothing for them. But people in Europe, especially Italy in Western Europe, were different. When they sought God, God was willing to answer the young sheep who were looking for him. The Vatican was the answer. "It''s still as a beautiful city as it used to be. It remains alive and protected from monsters." The Vatican''s appearance, which had been able to maintain its presence after monsters came out, was the clearest proof that God''s will was in this land. In the face of that evidence, Europe had no choice but to enter an age of fanaticism beyond blind faith. In that era, the Vatican, which proved that God still existed, became the most powerful group of a new order. "Since the Vatican remains undiminished, the Cardinals must be doing well." A Cardinal''s presence among them was absolute. The seventeen remaining Cardinals in Vatican City were just like agents acting at God''s will. "They have to stay healthy." It was a superficial story that the public knew."They carry a cross instead of you." There were more hidden stories to be said than done. ------------------There was something to talk about. It was certain that a Cardinal''s dignity was absolutely undeniable in an age in which faith in God was so fanatical. But could they make the right decisions? There was no need to mention the incompetence of the Cardinals. There was no need to describe incompetence in the first place. What mattered is whether the Cardinals had knowledge, experience, judgment, or examples to consider when making decisions during the age of monsters. Of course, there were no such things for the Cardinals. Indeed, the Cardinals did not know monsters. Staying in the Vatican, the safest place in the world from monsters, they had never seen a living monster with their own eyes. Nevertheless, survivors of Western Europe left their fate to the Vatican, and they were willing to risk their lives in a war against the monsters if the Vatican cried out for war. Their faith in God made it possible for some of them, but they were only part, and most of them, even though they made rational judgments before faith, were still willing to leave their fate to the Vatican. ------------------"Isn''t that right, John?" "Sir Spencer, you have harsh words." The above- mentioned was possible due to a man saying this remark, who had a long horse-like face and a golden ponytail, dressed in the black priestly robes.Archbishop John Gabriel was the head of the Vatican City State, which had been newly established, and he had made it possible. He, who was originally one of the deacons of the former Pope, now led Vatican City in the monster era.When the Cardinals concluded that they would pray to God to defeat the monsters, John Gabriel led an army armed with powerful relics and weapons through Europe, starting with the Louvre Museum as well as the relics of the Vatican, and won the war against the monsters.John Gabriel had shown the decision that the Cardinals had made through inefficient processes was not good. His accumulated results were the basis for people to be willing to leave their fate to the Vatican.He was really a hero of rare caliber. Now, he was talking with Mao, the head of the Six Snakes, in front of the peaceful scenery of the Vatican."So why did you come here?""There''s something the Vatican has to do.""Why should the Vatican help the Six Snakes?""Because you''ve been helped."If anyone knew the identity of the Six Snakes, they could not help but know what he meant. Mao gave John Gabriel a scenario: put all the responsibility on God and the Cardinals by putting out the symbolic existences of the Cardinal in front, and take all the good results for himself.It was a wise and touching scenario. Even if he was defeated in the battles with the monsters, he did not have to take responsibility for the failure. If he said that defeat was God''s will, everyone was convinced and nodded.The Cardinals were like a cross for John Gabriel. Just by making people admire the Cardinals and holding them sacred, John Gabriel was able to be forgiven all his failures.In other words, to John Gabriel, the Six Snakes and Mao Spencer specifically were an Achilles heel. Of course, he was not satisfied with this conversation now."What I want is simple. You lead the Crusaders, and fight with the head of the Giants, Hrungnir."Not to mention, he didn''t like the speaker, nor the content of the conversation."The Crusaders are not allowed to lose."The Crusaders were the army of the Vatican City. It was literally an army that fulfilled the will of God, a group that had gathered the Awakeners representing Western Europe, armed them with the most powerful relics in Western Europe, and planted faith close to madness in God. It was the best weapon the Vatican had ever built with their power.Now, Mao was asking the Crusaders to hunt Hrungnir?"And when the Crusaders are defeated, Europe is shaken."At the viewpoint of John Gabriel, it was a hunt that was more likely to be a defeat then a win. In addition, as he said, the Crusaders were not an army that could be allowed to be defeated."Yes, that''s why I want you to do it, and as terribly as you can, the faces of those who fight with you will be so terrible when they are so desperate."It was not just a defeat, but a desperate defeat. Of course, John Gabriel had no intention of receiving this proposal."What do we get by doing that?" That was why he was asking this question now."You''ve already learned the lesson, right?"But as said before, Mao and the Six Snakes were Achilles heels for John Gabriel."Lesson?" "The lesson of Moscow."As Achilles had been shot dead by an arrow in his heel, John Gabriel had no way of doing anything to his fatal weakness. It was still true. In front of Mao, he could no longer express his intention to refuse."¡­ what is your intention in doing this?" Eventually, John Gabriel decided to defend his Achilles heel.Mao was glad to answer at his reply. "A hero appears in a desperate situation, in a war that the holy army of the Vatican cannot even win.""You are going to be a Messiah, and are not going to hide in the shadows anymore?"At the cross-questioning of John Gabriel, Mao looked at the Vatican landscape instead of answering. ''If the Six Snakes become a Messiah, Kim Tae-hoon, you will have to cross the dead bodies of the Vatican and Europeans before you kill us.''Mao looked at the scene and smiled at the corner of his mouth.5."Huck, huck!"Frankfurt, Germany...Germany, whose main river was the Rhine, was not only one of Europe''s major economic centers, but also always crowded with people before the advent of the monsters. However, since the advent of the monsters, Frankfurt had become a land of monsters, where there was no reason to visit unless it was a mercenary who made monster hunting their job.''Fuck!'' In other words, Emma''s job, a red-haired beauty who had been panting in the Dreieich Nature Reserve in Frankfurt before it was ruined, was now nothing but a mercenary. She was also a mercenary who would now lose her life in exchange after encountering a powerful monster.Awwww! In addition, it was a group of Werewolves with orange eyes that were chasing Emma. There were no less than ten of them! Even that was considered small now."Werewolves have been seen in hordes of over a hundred, and the monsters are mad!"The number in the werewolf packs that Emma and her colleagues encountered for the first time was over a hundred. It was crazy.''Damn it! Damn it!''If a dozen Werewolves formed a pack, the level of hunting difficulty became yellow grade. Even Emma, who had survived for a year since the monster appeared, had never heard of a hundred Werewolves forming a pack.''All monsters are going crazy because of the Giants.''It was the Giants who crossed the Baltic Sea and set their huge feet on German soil that made such nonsense a reality. The Giants were a powerful threat to humans and monsters alike. Of course, to fight the ruthless Giants, monsters began to unite, dozens of them becoming hundreds, hundreds becoming thousands.But Emma and her colleagues didn''t know that."Huck, huck, huck!" The result of that ignorance was Emma''s rough breathing. To survive, she and her colleagues had scattered. They had scattered in all directions and run away.''Damn it!'' At the cost of nine sacrifices, it was a way to escape with one or two people surviving. It was the highest survival rate in this situation.''I did not expect that I would die here even before I got married!''And at this moment, Emma was sure she was one of the nine sacrifices. Her face, which turned purple for lack of breath, was evidence."Huh-uck, Huh-uck!" ''I''m sure I am really about to die, damn it. I can smell the coffee that I''ve never had since the monsters appeared¡­'' It was also evidence that she could smell the deep aroma of coffee between gasps of breath. It was evidence that her nose had lost its sense of smell as she was about to die.''Hmm?'' In the end, Emma saw a phantom in her eyes. ''What, what?''A long ways away, in the trees, in front of a campfire, the sight of two men and a woman drinking coffee with marshmallows as if camping, filled Emma''s eyes.''Am I dreaming because I am already dead?'' Of course, she thought it was a fantasy."Yipe!" Emma fell to the ground, not seeing the roots in front of her feet, looking at the phantom. She fell forward and turned over and looked behind her.Awwww!She saw twenty orange eyes running madly to eat her, and¡­Whizz! There was something dimly passing fast through those orange eyes with an eerie sound.Bloosh! Angry Werewolves fell like broken dolls, shedding blood at their temples.''Ah¡­'' Of course, Emma thought this was a dream, a vain sight until a man extended her his hands and words."Are you all right?""Ah¡­ Ah ah¡­""Oh, you can call me Jang. And those are my bodyguards, you can call them Kim and Mary."You''re so surprised that you can''t talk." It was then that Emma could see that this was not a dream, but a reality."Have some warm coffee and Marshmallows, and warm yourself." Of course, the reality that she saw was the most unrealistic reality ever since the monsters had appeared.6.After the advent of monsters, mankind was deprived of many things. Most of the things that enriched mankind were taken away. Humans could no longer expect to drink coffee after eating rich salads and oily steaks. So it was with Emma. As an Awakener, she knew how lucky it was to be a mercenary and be able to eat food and not to starve to death in exchange for killing the monsters. Now, however, she was in the middle of a quiet forest, sitting in front of a bonfire, and she was soaking her mouth with the most delicious coffee she had ever had, eating moderately melted Marshmallows.It was a luxury she had never imagined. Of course, in front of this unrealistic luxury, she was forced to melt."How did you get chased by monsters?""I ran into a hundred Werewolves, and I had to run away.""Then why did you come to Frankfurt? To this dangerous place?""The mission we were given was to clean up the surroundings so that the Crusaders could fight the Giants." In front of the man named Jang who had saved her from death, she did not intend to hide or do anything."Where are the Crusaders?""They''re waiting in Stuttgart." She said everything she knew. "I heard that they''re going to attack the leader of the Giants in Frankfurt on February 14.""If it is the leader of the Giants...""It''s a monster with dark blue eyes that makes the Giants look like children.""Then Emma, why did you participate in such a dangerous thing? You would not be able to live after being exposed to the fear of the dark blue-grade monster." Jang was surprised at the words that she spoke of her own accord.Emma gave a bitter laugh at the words."The Vatican told me to do so, so I should do it. How can I resist His will? Much more, since the Crusaders are present in full force, it is a holy war. Not to get something, it''s about paying back what I''ve been given." "But it''s too dangerous, isn''t it?""It''s all right, and there''s a rumor that the Oracle has come down.""The Oracle?""On February 14, God sends a Savior to save the world on his behalf, and the Savior will save us from the Giant."Emma, who said the words, sipped her coffee and scanned the crowd. Emma''s eyes stopped at a man who was looking at her, drinking coffee in the same way as her.A wry smile hung at the corners of his mouth, Kim had bushy hair that gave her a sharp impression.''What is it?'' Emma, who could not guess the meaning of the wry smile, cocked her head."Savior, do you mean the Messiah is coming down?" Jang asked her again.Emma swallowed her coffee quickly and said, "Yes, it''s not one, but five. Those five will save us from the trials.""Messiah¡­" At the word Messiah, Jang also made a similar smile to the man named Kim, who was smiling wryly.Emma cocked her head again and asked, "Is there a problem with what I said?" The advent of the Messiah, it was not a story for them to smile at like that.At the question of Emma, Jang smiled and said, "There is no problem. It''s just my face looks weird. Who doesn''t like it when the Messiah is descending? Isn''t that right, Kim?"At Jang''s sudden question, the man Kim swallowed the coffee he was drinking and said, "I''m really looking forward to it."

 140 Episode 140 - The Giants, Part I

    Chapter 50. The Giants, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1. Thump! It was a Giant with a huge body, about twenty meters tall and so big that it was impossible to estimate its weight. At the same time, it was a walking disaster. The huge thing moving was a disaster itself and it was not possible by physics.Thump! Furthermore, the physical impact of such an enormous body could not even be imagined.Thump! Thump! Thump! The Giants did not number one, but crucially, hundreds.At a glance, it was hard to even estimate the whole number of Giants who were crossing the river like a stream, and just strolling over a small hill as they advanced. The most overwhelming of them was the biggest Giant at the back. It had a huge body, with a height of about a hundred meters, which made the previous giants look like nothing.With its advent, this monster Hrungnir had made the land beyond the Baltic Sea, the land that had once been considered the best place to live, an uninhabitable land. It looked down at Frankfurt, the center of Germany, with the dark blue eyes of its huge body from on high.Wooohohoh! At that moment, the Giants with the green eyes, the green J?tuns everywhere, opened their mouths and let out a howl of domination. The cry shook Frankfurt. The cry and the advance of the Giants started to turn over Frankfurt.The ground began to emit the sound of thunder. It was like the sky and the earth were upside down."Lord." The moment they saw it, they could not help, but seek God on the spot. "Please look over us who follow and love you..."In front of this scene, the image of those who prayed for God, transcending everything, was not at the cliff of despair. Rather, it was the opposite. "Fill our minds and bodies with the Holy Spirit..."There was no sign of terror on their faces and bodies, or anywhere else, as they recited prayers. The clothes of those who were decisively looking for God, were not the typical attire of those who desperately prayed. They were wearing armor instead of priestly robes, and they were holding a sword instead of a cross, and a shield instead of the Bible. "Let us be the swords and shields of the world."They had the eyes of fierce beasts hungry for battle. Of course, when they finished their prayers, they did not run away. They did not turn away. Everyone looked straight ahead. Among them was a man with a long head like a horse.John Gabriel was the head of the Vatican City State, and he was leading the Crusaders to prevent the invasion of the Giants. At the end of the prayer, he opened his eyes and looked at the sight he had to face. Now he remembered a man''s face, not the Giants who had just made Frankfurt a city where nothing existed.''Mao.'' Mao Spencer demanded that John Gabriel lead the Crusaders to fight the Giants, in hope of a terrible defeat.John Gabriel accepted that demand, which was bound to be bloody. But it was not a declaration of surrender to the Six Snakes. On the contrary, when he heard the proposal, he was going to stab a dagger in the Six Snakes.''You won''t have the chance to be a Messiah.'' By victory, not the defeat, he intended to block the opportunity for the stage Mao wanted to come out. There was nothing wrong with it. Even if Mao just wanted them to lose, he did not tell John Gabriel to be defeated on purpose.Even if he won the war against the Giants, it was never a breach of their agreement.That was why John Gabriel did not argue about the deal in vain. Of course, there was a requirement for that: to kill Hrungnir.''We will kill the Huge Giant Hrungnir. We''ll kill a dark blue-grade monster for the first time.''The Vatican had never killed a dark blue-grade monster. It was not that they avoided hunting because they lacked confidence. The Crusaders had already succeeded in hunting more than ten blue-grade monsters, and through the hunting, they had gained experience, won monster stones, and were able to get powerful relics and items. Their faith grew stronger.''Today we will change history.''Due to the belief that God''s grace protected them, John Gabriel, who was about to fight the Giants, could shout more confidently than ever. "Today we will prove that the Lord''s will has descended here!"The Crusaders shivered at the cry and the glory it promised."Ring the Bell of Jerusalem!"Ding-dong! When the very clear sound of the Bell began to ring, there were no more people who shivered.Whoo! There were only fanatics who were not afraid of death.2.Kkureung! The Giants'' footsteps were like thunder as they raced across the Main, the river that was not going to stop their passage south.Boom! The sound of cannons from those who wanted to stop the Giants from moving south beyond the Main was also like a thunderstorm. That was about it. The battle on the stage of Frankfurt was different from the sound. Of course, the landscape of the battlefield was also different.Boom! Boom! A number of mortars, including the Leopard II tanks and their cannons, which represented Germany and its tanks, spewed shells, and the Giants marched through the baptism of shells.Keueoeoeo! When the Giants who had reached the main body of the Crusaders beyond the Main River repeatedly roared out, the Awakeners of the Crusade who were waiting began to work on the Giant''s bodies with their weapons, clinging to them as they moved."Attack!""Eyes! Aim at the eyes!""Cut the ankles! Break it down!"A tram was crumpled like a soda can by the feet of a Giant who went on the rampage, and the Giant''s body collapsed under the attack of the ant-like Crusade, falling to the ground and creating an earthquake. The sight of a hell, which humanity had never experienced or imagined before, was unfolding around the Main River across Frankfurt.Ding-dong! The so-pure and beautiful sound of the Bell ringing in the scene made Frankfurt''s stage an unrealistic stage that could never be understood by reason."Boss, the Crusaders are more powerful than we''ve heard from Miss Emma, and are not getting over the Main River." Jang Sung-hoon, who used a telescope to confirm the fact next to Kim Tae-hoon, was calm in front of this unrealistic scene. "If they go this way, the Crusaders will win." It was a sight he was familiar with. "Then your plan is going to go wrong, isn''t it?"Rather, Jang had a sense of crisis at the combat ability of the Crusaders. "I don''t think there''s any chance of the Six Snakes coming out here."Kim Tae-hoon, who was looking at the battlefield with his black Eyes without a telescope, said, "They''re stronger than I thought.""So does the boss see it? Right? Some of them are not Awakened, but they fight well in front of the fear of a Blue-grade Monster. I think their relics are not normal. Needless to say, as they''ve plundered human history, it would be odd if they didn''t have that many relics.""It is just what you say. The relics are powerful.""What?""That''s all."Kim Tae-hoon, who spoke out the words, once again looked at the battlefield wide. The power of the Crusaders who built the final defense line at the south of the Main River and the Giants trying to cross the Main River to somehow crush the Crusaders was visible. It was simply chaos, and there was no proper order anywhere."They have strong relics, but their skills at using them are no better than the hunter-applicants of the Mac Guild.""Ah." Then Jang could understand Kim''s intention. "Well, they don''t have the concept of tactics or strategy, as the boss says. They just fight with strength against strength. To fight with just strength against strength¡­ even animals will not do that."It was just as Jang said. The Crusaders were powerful, but that was all. They were fighting a power-to-power battle against the Giants, over just a river called the Main.''Man cannot win against a monster by using power against power, and even more so if it is the dark blue-grade.''Kim Tae-hoon, the Mac Guild, and Korea could feel the fact that it would never be an answer in the fierce struggle to survive against monsters. In other words, the Crusaders were not aware of it as they had not had to realize it."They''ve crushed the monsters only with the power of their relics¡­ in that sense, it''s natural."When most people tried to survive in the war against monsters, the Vatican did not have to make such an effort. The relics that Europe had were plundered from the world over the years, including the Louvre Museum, gave Europeans the power to fight monsters. It was like teaching a child how to hold a gun and use it. Anyway, if a child knew how to shoot a gun, he or she could kill a beast with violence. In other words, the child who grew up like that did not have an opportunity to learn other ways to kill a beast.The Huge Giant Hrungnir would give a great lesson to the Crusaders, which they had not learned.It would teach them so intensely that they would never forget it again, and it would be imprinted in history beyond the level of imprinting on their mind.''Mao would have expected this, too.'' Mao, the head of the Six Snakes, would have made the same prediction as Kim Tae-hoon.''And he would set the stage to take advantage of this situation.'' That was why Kim was here. He predicted Mao''s aim in front of the collapsed Red Square in Moscow.''He wants to be a Messiah.''He predicted that the Six Snakes that had been trying to become the reality in the darkness came out under the bright sun and wanted to be the Savior. Of course, it was not to be a holy martyr who sincerely burned everything for the world.Mao and the Six Snakes would not burn themselves for the world, but would they burn the world for their own benefit?''Their purpose is to use Europe as a shield.'' What they wanted was a scapegoat. The fanatics of God had secured all the power of Europe in their own hands. Therefore, if they could be a Messiah to Europe, Europe would do anything to protect their Messiah. If someone were to target the Messiah, they would block anyone who threatened the Messiah without a moment''s hesitation. They would do anything for the Messiah. They would gladly be a shield to protect the Messiah.''A shield to stop me.'' The shield was what the Six Snakes wanted. Through the shield, the Six Snakes were trying to stop the crazy monster Kim Tae-hoon. Of course, he did not intend to let the Six Snakes have shields.At that moment, Kim''s eyes stopped in one place. He found a group of about a hundred people gathered there, just a little distance away from the battlefield where the fierce battle took place. He found two women in front of them, twin sisters with the same appearance."I found her.""Yes? Who?""The bitch who killed me."3."Sir, the number of the Giants crossing the Main River is decreasing."Half a day...The fight against the Giants stopped for a while after a time, like watching a movie. The world''s most horrifying long film has stopped."The Giants are not heading south now. They seem to be getting their breathing." But at that fact, Johan Gabriel did not express his joy."Sir, God has taken care of us, and we will win if we continue on this way."In contrast to the bright voice that came out of the bright expression of his subordinate, his face was stiffened as he looked at the battlefield.''The battlefield has collapsed.'' There were certainly no living Giants on the south of the Main River. There were only the dead bodies of the Giants who were attacked by repeated bombardment and the Crusaders around the Main River. There were about two hundred huge dead bodies dominating everything.An enormous number of Giants'' dead bodies lay all over the place. It was similar to the image of the city center, whose buildings had all collapsed. That was the first reason to make John Gabriel''s face hard.''It will be hard to bomb from the banks of the Main River anymore.''It was crazy to fight with tanks and artillery in the middle of a city where the buildings had collapsed. The mobility of the tanks was secondary, and it was difficult to secure the launch angle for the shooting. In other words, the tanks and artillery that made the greatest contribution to the collapse of the Giants were now unable to exert their power.Of course, they have not lost yet. The damage to the troops was not serious, and the munitions to continue the battle were still overflowing. They had planned on a long fight in the first place. The use of Frankfurt as a battlefield was to occupy the advantageous ground. But it had not provided a basis for overcoming the current situation, even if it might be comforting. Above all, John Gabriel was feeling a clear limit as he commanded the battle.''The huge Giant has not moved yet.''Although the Crusaders did not bring out all their power, John Gabriel more than anyone else could see that it was the same for the Giants. He had never forgotten that the Huge Giant, Hrungnir, who could change the situation of the battlefield at once, was still watching the battlefield from the back. Above all, he could not think of what tactic to use next.''How do we fight next?'' They had never been in this situation. The Crusaders had always won a simple and light victory with powerful relics. This tough fight was not suitable for the Crusaders. In other words, the Crusaders had never had such a hard and difficult fight.Then the dark clouds overhead began to let out the faintest raindrops. It didn''t seem like heavy rain. But there was great anxiety in John Gabriel''s heart. Then, a sound began to come down from above. Woo-oh-oh! "Huck!" The man who was reporting grabbed his chest and fell on the ground and began to shake like an epileptic.Ugh! So did John Gabriel. He had to take two steps to the side to regain his balance.''What the hell is it?'' John Gabriel looked up at the sky in surprise.Woo-oh-oh! Woo-oh-oh! It was then that John Gabriel could see that the sound was not coming down from the sky, but from the mouth of the Huge Giant, who seemed to reach the sky.''Ah.'' And he realized that this sound, which made the reason in the head white even though it was only heard, was not at the level that a weak human being could fight against with a spear and sword. He also realized that he was so full of faith in God that he could not make a rational judgment for a while. But the nightmare was not the end, it was the beginning.''Oh, my God!'' Some of the Giants'' dead bodies lying on the battlefield began to move."Giants are moving!""The dead bodies are moving!"The heart that had stopped, or the Giants who were barely breathing, began to move at the sound of their leader. Some of the fallen Giants were not dead, but waiting for their bodies to recover. It was a failure of the Crusaders. They did not know that a monster was not dead until its heart was crushed.Whoo-woo-woong! At the same time, huge stones began to fly over the Main River."Get, get away!"Boom! Boom! The Giants who they thought would no longer cross the Main River began to throw the stones they had collected instead of charging ahead."Aaaaargh!"The three elements were enough to break down the front line beyond the Main River, which had been victorious: Waking dead bodies, the stone-throwing of the Giants, and the fear of Hrungnir! The three things erased the word victory in everyone''s mind.''The front line is collapsed.'' It was the same in John Gabriel''s mind. The moment the word victory disappeared, John Gabriel was already running to the place where the Six Snakes'' soldiers would fight against the Giants on behalf of the Crusaders anytime.''I need the strength of the Six Snakes.'' When he went there, it was the twin sister who welcomed John Gabriel first. One of them smiled at John Gabriel, who appeared, and said on behalf of everyone. "Here you are, you idiot." The smile spread to the mouths of a hundred people waiting behind her, like an epidemic. Then when Johan Gabriel stood before them, he heard a voice. "Is this all?" Everyone looked up in the direction of the voice. Everyone looked over their heads. John Gabriel also raised his head and looked over his head. They could see a man who was looking down at them from the sky, which was dulled by the dark clouds. Of course, most of them were not able to grasp the identity of the man at once.Only one of the twin sisters who had just smiled, Lin Siyi, identified the man. "The dragon slayer?" Of course, the man did not answer. Instead of answering, he waved his right hand toward the ground as if he were greeting them.Whizz! Dozens of swords began to fall from the sky like a shower."Get out of here!"The battle had begun.

 141 Episode 141 - The Giants, Part II

    Chapter 50. The Giants, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 4. Kim Tae-hoon did not underestimate the Six Snakes. Even if he had dozens of powerful and significant relics, even if his body had already reached a level that transcended a human being, even if he had acquired the power of the dragon and countless monsters, Kim did not underestimate the Six Snakes.It was not simply because his personality was so careful.The Six Snakes was a force that wanted to rule the world in the era of monsters. In a world where civilization had collapsed, they had planted roots throughout the world and achieved what they wanted steadily.Then, how could he look down on them? If he did, it would be too funny.There was no reason to underestimate them, not at a single point. The fact was the same at this moment."Get out of here!"As soon as the sword showers fell, the warriors of the Six Snake who were waiting to kill Hrungnir moved frantically. The embarrassment they felt was enormous. It would be strange if they did not panic when Kim himself made an unexpected sudden attack. But their movements during their surprise were in perfect order. Under the heavy rain of swords, someone made a quick dodge, and someone lifted a shield.Clank! There were a sound of iron and a wind-splitting sound."Ugh!" A faint groan came through it. That was all. No one screamed noisily. Even the dying swallowed their last words before they died. It was evidence that the people gathered here were not a disorderly crowd, but well-trained, and able men who could smile in front of Hrungnir with the dark blue eyes."Don''t be inattentive! Our enemy is the dragon slayer Kim Tae-hoon! He''s the monster who killed the Dragon alone!"As said before, Kim knew better than anyone else at this moment that they were not enemies to look down on. And he knew what to do to kill them. Thud, Thud! That was why something fell to their feet when everyone was looking for Kim, who was flying in the sky, with their weapons sticking up against the shower of swords.Phou-shou-shou-shou! The thing which fell like that immediately began to pour out a thick cloud of smoke.''A smoke bomb?'' It was nothing but a smoke bomb. Not one, but dozens of smoke bombs exploded, making everything a world full of smoke.Everyone swallowed at the fact. The sound of swallowing was also proof that they were veteran warriors.The smoke bombs restricted their vision and smell. Even if anyone could not tell how the stage was advantageous between more than a hundred warriors of the Six Snakes and only one, Kim Tae-hoon, there were those here who soon realized that. Their nightmare became reality too quickly and too easily."Ugh!" A scream was heard through the thick smoke, and a bloody smell revealed its presence clearly among the acrid stench of the smoke."There!""Don''t move rashly!"Even in that situation, everyone remained calm. They knew better than anyone the power of the spears and swords in their hands. The spears and swords were powerful enough to tear, pierce, and cut the skin of monsters that could not be harmed by bullets.If they swung such a weapon indiscreetly and attacked their colleagues, it would be a bigger misfortune."Ugh!" When a new scream burst out, everyone was patient. Instead, they set their five senses up to find Kim immediately and start fighting as soon as the smoke disappeared. ''If the smoke disappears¡­''''We will kill him then.''Even at the death of their colleagues and the coming death, they did not shake and waited for the right time.Whoowoowoo! Someone''s huge breath blew away the smoke that filled the surroundings at once.''Finally!'' Of course, the warriors of the Six Snakes now flashed their eyes and opened their ears wide to find Kim. It was dozens of objects floating in the air that welcomed them. It was something similar but different from the smoke bomb that tormented them a little bit ago. ''Ah.'' The flares, hidden in the smokescreen, started to explode as soon as the smoke was gone. First, the light burst, and then there was a shrill, ear-piercing sound."Argh!" The impact of the flares on the acute five senses was so intense that it was fatal. It would be better if a grenade exploded. Indeed, the physical defenses of these people and the relics they wore were powerful enough to withstand the power of a grenade. On the other hand, no matter how great a relic was, and no matter who had a strong physical ability, their eyes and ears were not as strong."Ugggh!" So, everyone started to stagger as if they were drunken, with their eyes closed tightly. It was a pain they had never experienced before. But swallowing them at this moment was not the pain that they had never been used to. ''What attack is next¡­''''Dangerous!''The fear of being in the defenseless condition in front of the monster Kim Tae-hoon devoured the warriors of the Six Snakes. In that fear, there was only one thing the warriors of the Six Snakes could do; they took as defensive a posture as possible, just as a turtle hid in its shell.''At least I have to save my life.'' It was a natural act that would be taken by any animal with a survival instinct. The natural survival instinct that animals took was an opportunity for a hunter. It was an opportunity to predict the behavior of the prey and to pull the trigger firmly in accordance with the action. Of course, Kim pulled the trigger toward the warriors of the Six Snakes who took an extremely defensive posture.Swish! The Kusanagi that could cut anything in this world painted a semicircle flash. 5. Lin Siyi and Lin Yining, the twin sisters had always been winners. It has been true since the advent of the monsters. The two sisters fought against the monsters with their bare hands when all others ran away from the monster. Since then, the two sisters had never turned away from the monsters in front of them, and they had never thought about defeat. It was the same when the Six Snakes suffered hardships and adversity, when Japan collapsed, and when Taiwan collapsed. At that moment, Lin Siyi and Lin Yining sisters performed their given roles with Major Chinshan without a single failure.''The Kusanagi!'' The same was true when everyone became a turtle in front of the explosion of the flare. She never considered defeat. She had protected her eyes and ears just before the flare burst, and she waited for her chance. She waited for Kim Tae-hoon to take out his card first, and as soon as he pulled out the card called The Kusanagi, her mind drew a card to cope with it.''The Energy consumption of the Kusanagi is high.''The Kusanagi was powerful. It was impossible to stop the Kusanagi with a few relics since it was beyond imagination. At the same time, it''s consumption was beyond imagination. The Kusanagi demanded a price so high that even an owner of S Energy rank could not use it more than once.''After he uses the Kusanagi, his power drops sharply for a while.''Lin Siyi thought it as a chance. Because of that, she sent, -The Dragonslayer uses the Kusanagi! First, avoid it by any means!-Her telepathy was passed on to her twin sister and the people around her, and those who received her telepathy waited in a situation that was invisible and unheard.''We''ll surely kill him now.''Swish! Soon after, Kim''s sword, the Kusanagi slashed through a huge semicircular arc and cut everything that was caught in it. The world was cut in half like a sheet of paper.Click! Kim put the Kusanagi back in the sheath. The flash disappeared, and for a moment silence replaced it.Poohhwat! Then the cut-offs began to make a creepy sound as they started to come apart.In that situation, the counterattack of the Six Snakes'' warriors began.Dding! The beginning was the lute that Lin Siyi''s twin sister held.As soon as she thrummed the strings of the lute, the dull eyes of the people around her began to glow golden, and the golden light brought back the focus to their eyes. At the same time, it stimulated the Energy in their guts. "Ugh!""Ahh!"Their eyes, which were tinged with a golden light, seemed to be filled with hostility and bloodthirstiness. There was no room for fear in such hostile and bloodthirsty eyes. Those who forgot their fear immediately rushed at Kim as he put the Kusanagi in its sheath and took a breath for a while.''It''s quantity, not quality. If we want to kill that monster, we have to press him down with quantity.''In the meantime, Lin Siyi pulled out one of the two swords she had. It was a brightly shining Bronze Sword. It was a sword that was plain without useless ornamentation, but it was so beautiful in and of itself. After she put the sword on the ground, she shouted, "The Emperor commands, the military, carry out an attack!"The moment the spell-like cry ended, the ground began to shake, and the soldiers and horses made of soil began to shoot up from the earth.Thump! It took only a moment for an army of a thousand troops to be built. The army of one thousand that appeared like that moved after the warriors of the Six Snakes attacking Kim Tae-hoon.Thump! Thump! Thump! The ground resonated loudly at the footsteps of the earthly soldiers and horses who rushed to line up for battle.In front of the scene, Kim did not perform any special action.After he put the Kusanagi back in its sheath, he breathed calmly and changed only his eyes in front of the enormous army that was rushing toward him. His black and shining eyes split in half. Opening his Draconian power, his right hand, covered with the scales of the dragon, pulled out a new sword to replace the Kusanagi.At that time, the clouds that covered the sky retreated, and the sun that showed up began to shine on the sword that he pulled out.The Dragon Light Sword began to shine brilliantly under the sun. 6. John Gabriel had tried to stab a dagger into the Six Snakes, but he had never ignored their power. There was no way he could ignore it. It was not God, but the Six Snakes that made John Gabriel a new power in Europe, the top person among the influential people, and even the Emperor above the Pope, holding all the power of the Cardinals of the Vatican. Because of that, he could not understand what was happening in front of him.''What the hell¡­'' The warriors of the Six Snakes were being slaughtered. Not just anyone, but the warriors who the Six Snakes had selected, nurtured, and armed themselves!''This is nonsense¡­''The massacre was being done by not a large army of tens of thousands, but only one. A single man was slaughtering the one hundred and seven warriors of the Six Snakes.Clang! The end of the massacre was the battle between Lin Siyi and Kim Tae-hoon.Clang! The Sword of Goujian, which could cut anything, and the Dragon Light Sword that could cut anything under the sun, hit with the sound of metal colliding. Of course, the sound did not last long.Lin Siyi was definitely strong. All her stats were A rank, she had eaten countless monster stones and she could not be weak. But her strength could only struggle in front of Kim.Clang! In the end, at the third collision, Lin Siyi was no longer able to receive Kim''s attack.The Sword of Goujian endured the Dragon Light Sword, but her arm holding The Sword of Goujian was cut and hurled back, and the blackened left fist of Kim struck her chest in the gap.Ppudeuk! Her ribs crumbled, and there was the sound of her chest caving in. At the sound, Lin Siyi shouted at Kim, throwing out a gout of blood and squeezed out her last strength. "???!!"Boom! The sound of a bomb blasting were her last words. Of course, her last words did not leave much impression on Kim."Uhhh!" Rather, the last cry she uttered gave a great shock to Johann Gabriel, who was watching from far away."Huh-uck, Huh-uck!" A horrified sound broke out from John Gabriel''s mouth. It was not the sound of reason, but instinct.''I, I have to run away¡­'' It was the instinct that Kim''s next target was him, after leaving not a single survivor.And as his instinct had warned him, Kim, who had killed all of them, stepped toward John Gabriel as soon as he confirmed that he no longer had any survivors left to kill.Stomp, stomp, stomp... Kim left his footprints clearly on the ground covered with corpses and blood. His walk was not fast. It was slow enough to get him a breath of wind.Nevertheless, John Gabriel could not escape from Kim. He just sat down on the ground and waited for Kim. When Kim stood in front of him, he said reflexively, "God¡­"It was the only word he could say at this moment, the most desperate call of his life, when he had been looking for God for a lifetime. But God did not respond."My name is Kim Tae-hoon." Instead, Kim Tae-hoon said, "I am the head of the monster hunting guild, the Mac Guild, now in Korea."Instead of answering, John Gabriel blinked his trembling eyes."I will kill the Giants and their leader, the Huge Giant," Kim suggested to him.Woo-oh-oh-oh! Then, as if waiting, the big cry of Hrungnir the Huge Giant flowed down from the sky.The sound made Johann Gabriel tremble like an aspen leaf.But Kim said without any tremor, looking at the shaking eyes of John Gabriel, "If you pay the price."It was the last notice. Instead of talking anymore, Kim wiped off the blood on his face and the blood that Lin Siyi had poured a while ago. With that appearance, John Gabriel was able to recall one of the most perfect words to explain Kim. Devil!"What''s the price?""The Vatican."And at this moment, John Gabriel made a deal with the devil.

 142 Episode 142 - The Giants, Part III

    Chapter 50. The Giants, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 7. There were many reasons why the war with monsters is scary. The strength of monsters that transcended common sense was one of the reasons, and their behavior that could not be measured by common sense was also a scary reason. One of the reasons is that surrender did not work. Against monsters, no matter how hard they shook the white flag, and even if they cried and begged for mercy, it did not work.Woo-oh-oh-oh!The fact had not changed in the battlefield that was now centered around the Main River."Ugh¡­" The moment the Hrungnir''s fear hit the battlefield, the Crusaders were virtually incapable of combat. It was natural.''Why, why did this happen to me even though I have a relic¡­''The fear of a dark blue-grade monster was not something they can tolerate just with the power of a relic. Only the combination of the help of a legendary relic and an Awakener with a high Energy rank could gain the qualifications to face the dark blue eyes. Of course, most people didn''t know this because they died when they encountered a dark blue-grade monster.Koowoowoo!''I, I must avoid¡­'' No one could avoid the huge stones being hurled while nearly incapacitated by the fear.Bang! A stone smashed a tank and the men within."Uggggggggh!""My, my legs, my legs!"As screams burst out, trams were crushed, and human bodies splattered, the Giants who were once smashed apart beyond the Main River like corpses, moved once again.Eueoeo¡­ The leg-cut Giants crawled, wielding their arms like whips and hammers using their remaining power.Whack! The Giants'' arms struck the bodies of those who could not even stand properly because their legs were trembling. ''If Rodin had seen this scene in his lifetime, perhaps the door of hell would have been like this.'' Jang Sung-hoon, who looked at the scene from a distance, closed his dry mouth. His thoughts as he looked at this scene of hell were not pleasant. However, he did not let his personal feelings color his decisions.What Jang had learned from Kim was that "the more fierce and desperate the war is, the colder and more calculating his action should be." It was still true. From the cold viewpoint of Jang, there would be nothing to change now even if the special forces that Jang and Kim brought were put into the battlefield. They could save a few more people, but it was not profitable when he checked the situation. Above all, Kim had not intervened in the battlefield yet.''As the boss said, they placed too much confidence in the effects of the relics, and they were overconfident about their abilities. I suppose why this situation happened was that they were so irresponsible that they thought God would do it all.''They could not win a war without a leader. Therefore, without a leader, they must not fight. It was a core rule.So, Jang waited, and the men who had followed him waited without turning away from the scene of hell in front of them. They saw that a sword passed through the center of a Giant''s chest as it was walking toward the Main River, where the sound of artillery could no longer be heard.Thump! They saw that Giant with its heart pierced by the sword falling forward.Jang opened his dry mouth at the scene. "Now, we begin the operation called ''Gleaning''."8.Faith is proportional to betrayal. And betrayal makes humans miserable.That was why the vicinity of the Main River in Frankfurt was filled with misery."Lord¡­" The only thing that survivors in the southern Main River, which was now the stage of the Giants, could look for was not a fellow or a boss, but God.Woo-eo-eo-eo! But it was the Giant''s huge hands and feet that came to them.Bang, bang! The God they cried and sought did not answer them."Ah¡­" By the time those who were looking for God in front of the fact began to shudder at the unspeakable betrayal, the Giant, who had carried out the massacre that made the betrayal more miserable, fell down. Thump!That was the beginning. Thump! The Giants who were advancing to cross the Main River grabbed their chests and fell forward, or began to fall back. The huge Giant''s bodies crashed against the ground, shaking the already gruesome land.''What''s going on?'' Everyone was captivated by the fact for a moment."Oh, God!" Some found the God that they had been crying for. They truly believed that God had finally begun to save them.Of course, it was not God who saved them.---"Hoo!" A man was breathing somewhere away from the Main River, where he had piled up more than a hundred spears and swords. He was Kim Tae-hoon, the main character of the miracle that took place around the Main River.The way he did the miracle was simple. He measured the distance to the target, once he activated the Eyes of the Black Snake and the White Snake at the same time. Then he turned his gaze toward the swords and spears piled up behind him.==[Oliver''s Sword]- Relic Grade: Grade 1- Relic Value: Special- Relic Effect: It is the sword of Olivier, one of the 12 Paladins of Charlemagne. Its strength and sharpness are extraordinary.]==He picked up one of them and threw it without a ready posture as if he throwing a javelin. With all his power, he threw it at the chest of a Giant who seemed to be too close to him, although it was far away.Whizz! The sword that flew out like that pierced through the Giant''s heart in a flash.That was the background of the miracle that had happened on the Main River. But this miracle was not free.''Nineteen.'' Kim was calculating the number of Giants he had killed correctly, and of course, he was calculating the price of killing the Giants. Furthermore, he was going to receive the price of their lives from those who survived here today. If they would not pay for it, he would force them to pay out, and he was going to get paid in some way. That was the background of winning the war that Kim Tae-hoon had thought would be impossible.Kim never suffered a loss in any battle, and, he received the cost of his wounds in some way through the war to match the risks he took.''The remaining Giants number one hundred and seventy-seven.''However, Kim''s dark eyes turned black like a lens and looked at the Huge Giant Hrungnir. ''No, I''d rather kill a big one first.'' At that moment, Kim no longer turned his head to the pile of swords and spears. Cheu-cheu-cheu! Instead, the swords and spears themselves approached Kim as if they were alive, and began to hover around him like satellites. He picked one of them. ''First, I will go with the Sword of Goujian.'' 9. A man was stumbling as if he was drunken. Stomp, stomp¡­ When the man''s weak steps stopped, there was a battlefield before the man. No, it was more like a grave than a battlefield. There were huge fallen Giants all over the place. There was a huge hole in the chest of every dead carcass. The man, Johann Gabriel, was distracted for a moment.''Is this really real?'' But in front of this absurd sight, he did not look for God as always.''He really did this¡­'' Instead of looking for God, he thought of a man. ''Kim Tae-hoon.'' He remembered the man''s face, which he had no choice but to call a devil, and then he closed his eyes."Hey! Take that! The bell!" John Gabriel could hear a language unfamiliar to him, and he turned his head. Then he saw the men in black and red leather, and pure white feathers, moving briskly around a head-sized bell which was shining with brass.Some of them laid down the fallen people in one place, and some moved to take the bell. The sight frightened Johann Gabriel because the bell was not a normal one. ''The, the Bell of Jerusalem?''The Bell of Jerusalem was literally a bell of the Holy Land with the dignity of God. It was indeed a tool that could make God''s voice."Oh, no!" Of course, John Gabriel ran away, screaming. It was unacceptable, either by instinct or by reason, to be robbed of the Bell of Jerusalem by those who he did not know the identity of. But his run did not last long. Bloosh!"Ugh!" In the state of being exposed to the fear of Hrungnir, in the situation where he had lost his fighting spirit, his body, which was still frightened by Kim Tae-hoon''s appearance, fell to the ground after taking a few steps.A man stepped toward him after he had fallen, stomping the ground. The man was unique in many ways and he had many accessories; the fingers of both hands all had gold rings, stone rings, and jade rings, and on his neck, there were three necklaces, such as a Buddhist rosary, a gold necklace, and a cross necklace made of silver. There was no sense of unity in the things he wore. The man held out his hand to the fallen John Gabriel."Are you all right?""Who, who are you?"Of course, John Gabriel did not accept the favor. Even though everything was broken, he gave out the greatest sense of anger that he could."Oh, you didn''t hear the explanation from the boss." The man who held out his hand to him took it back and smiled. "I''m Jang Sung-hoon, and I belong to the Mac Guild."The Mac Guild, the words shook John Gabriel''s eyes again. It was words he heard today for the first time, but it was words that John Gabriel would remember as clearly as his name for the rest of his life. Of course, it was not remembered in a good sense.Jang smiled at the reaction of John Gabriel because the reaction was the most obvious evidence that he had met Kim Tae-hoon. He said with that smile, "For reference, I''m in charge of the appraisal of the relics in the Mac Guild.""The appraisal of the relics?""You heard it from the boss, didn''t you? He''ll get paid for killing monsters since it''s not free.""Well, that''s..." "You accepted the offer, and you can see the Giants dying here." Jang, who was speaking, pointed to the Bell of Jerusalem behind him with his thumb."And what good are the euro, the dollar, and the gold in this age? It''s obvious, isn''t it?""You''ll get relics in return?""We''re taking relics." At that moment, Jang said carefully, with his mouth at the ear of John Gabriel in a very low voice. "Not only relics but historical art, even if they have not become relics, can be also paid the price. For example, the Mona Lisa. I don''t think it''s a relic since it''s not here. Where is it?"At the whisper of Jang, John Gabriel could see again."I''m the second-in-command of the Mac Guild, and if the boss is in charge of the actual fighting, I''m in charge of the practical affairs. If you have a close and intimate relationship with me, you''ll have nothing to lose. Oh, of course, I''m not asking for bribes, just because I''m interested in art. I dreamed of decorating the house with the Venus De Milo and the Nike of Samothrace. Oh, I''m not asking you to give them to me, but I''m just saying it''s my simple dream."John Gabriel could see that the Mac Guild was a devil''s den.Then, one of his men approached and told Jang. "We found the Nike.""Oh, really? Was it there?""Yes, it''s a first-grade legend." "What''s the effect?""It enhances combat capability.""Take it carefully, because it should be displayed at the Mac Guild Museum later."The conversation between his subordinates and Jang proceeded in Korean, but it was not difficult for John Gabriel to gauge the words. He did know what the word Nike meant.''Oh, no.'' The Nike of Samothrace was a valuable Vatican relic, as valuable as the Bell of Jerusalem, and at the same time, a human treasure that showed that mankind had built a brilliant civilization in this land. It was a treasure of treasures that could not be measured!''We have to stop them.'' So, John Gabriel tried to overcome the situation by making an armed demonstration, if necessary. Bloodthirstiness and fighting spirit began to grow in the eyes of John Gabriel. The fact was caught by the subordinate who was reporting to Jang. It was meant to be caught. ''He''s dangerous.'' The special forces Jang brought were those who would sacrifice on behalf of Kim Tae-hoon as needed. In other words, it meant that they were good enough to replace Kim Tae-hoon for a while. Of course, they were much better than the elites of the Crusaders. They were different from experience.They did not survive in the war against the monsters with the help of relics; they had climbed from the bottom and gained the power of their own. Assuredly, none were weaker than John Gabriel, even if he was ready to fight. Of course, as soon as John Gabriel started to attack Jang, at least one of his limbs would be cut off. Fortunately, no such thing occurred.At that moment, there was a huge boom of thunder, and everyone turned their heads in the direction of it. They saw a blue flash of light cut the sky and stick into the chest of the Huge Giant. The Spear of Indra, Vasavi Shakti, had pierced the heart of Hrungnir!

 143 Episode 143 - Disaster, Part I

    Chapter 51. Disaster, Part ITranslator: KhanEditor: RED1.Lightning and thunder had always been fearful to mankind. When lightning struck the sky and thundered, humans were terrified and frozen.Rumble! The same was true when a single lightning bolt penetrated Hrungnir''s chest with a thunderous sound."Huck!" Everyone on the battlefield was frozen in front of a flash of light and the thunder rumbling that swept through the sky.''What''s going on¡­'' The absurd sight in front of them did not even allow them to shout out in shock.Rumble! The feet of Hrungnir, which shook the frozen world, had stopped for a moment.Woo-oh-oh-oh-oh! The cries as well as the feet-stomping¡­ no, the vibrations began to shake the surroundings of the Main River. Hrungnir poured out his feelings with the scream. It was angry, and the reason was obvious. There was a huge hole in its chest, and blood bursting out through the hole.Now Hrungnir was under the threat of death and was angry about it. Of course, its steps were not simple steps, but the beast facing a threat did its best, displaying its full power.Rumble! At every step, the ground shook with the power of the giant."Aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"Woo-eo-eo-eo?The world was stumbling, and even the Giants fell down, losing their balance at this shaking. A sight that seemed like the end of the world loomed in front of everyone.In the haze, a sword flew once again toward Hrungnir''s chest, moving with a sharp sound that cut the wind.Thunk! A katana, with a pure white blade, penetrated deep into the chest of Hrungnir after flying like a missile. Whizz! Soon after that, a golden-colored sword was inserted into its chest. Whizz! Whizz! Like the bullets of a machine gun, dozens of spears and swords flew toward the hole in the chest of Hrungnir. Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! They continuously, constantly, repeatedly, drilled into the hole in Hrungnir''s heart. Every time Hrungnir took another step, its heart was filled with another three swords.Woo-eo-eo-eo! Of course, the more it walked, the more holes were drilled in its heart, and the more it screamed. The cry was weak after Hrungnir walked ten steps. Its body began to wobble like it had anemia. Hrungnir''s body, which could not hold after it staggered, began to lean, and slowly and grandly fell to the ground. BOOM!The impact was enough to send the bodies of everyone, who had been suffering from suppression, into the air, and let experience zero gravity for a while.A Miracle. It was a scene that could not be explained by anything other than those two words.It was a man coming down from the sky that put the finishing dot on the scene.2.Kim Tae-hoon had learned a great deal through the dream that Napoleon''s Golden Glass allowed him. The dream that gave him the greatest and most important lessons and knowledge was, of course, the first dream. In his dream of being killed by the dragon, he had seen how he had handled his weapons in the battle. He saw several spears and swords hovering around himself like satellites.It was a hint, an idea for the best battle method, which Kim Tae-hoon had refined through repeated trial and error. The hint told him, "Use a lot of relics as bullets." Having many weapons hovering around him was, to put it plainly, like a revolver''s cylinder circling around.Now Kim had used the best battle method for the first time. He had his weapons hovering around himself and fired them off like pulling a trigger. He used the Sword of Goujian to gauge the location of the heart, used the Lightning Spear, Vasavi Shakti, to neutralize the hard skin, and then shot dozens of relic weapons like bullets of a machine gun toward the exposed heart.''Not bad.''The power of the attack was now proved by the dead body of Hrungnir, which was under Kim''s feet, the heart completely destroyed, and by the dark blue jewel in his bloodstained hand.==[The Crystal of the Huge Giant]- Strength and Health increase significantly when ingested.- Proficiency of Mana rank can reach Transcendental when ingested.- Anyone can acquire the power of the Huge Giant [the Mana of the Huge Giant] when ingested.]==Kim Tae-hoon, after confirming the value of the Crystal of the Huge Giant, swallowed it, and then checked the back of his right hand with his black Eyes.=====[Basic Abilities]- Strength: 1277- Health: 1313[Special Abilities]- Energy: A+ Rank- Mana: S- Rank- Telekinesis: S- Rank- Defense: A+ Rank- Mana Resistance: A+ Rank[Achieved Ability]- The Mana of the Huge Giant (Grade 2): Anyone given the Mana of the Huge Giant can gain the power of the Huge Giant.===== ''Mana has reached the Transcendental rank.'' It was an income beyond his expectation.''I like the new skill I''ve learned this time.'' Mana had reached the Transcendental rank, and there was no problem in measuring its utility value.''The value of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje will increase.''Mana is consumed as fuel to bring out the power of relics.'' Considering that, it was not difficult to gauge how the Mana of the Huge Giant would affect things. In addition, Kim had many relics that could use the Mana of the Huge Giant properly: The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, the Horse Figure-Type Earthenware, and¡­''The Qin Shi Huang Sword will be helpful, too.'' This time, he had the newly acquired the Qin Shi Huang Sword. It was a lucrative hunt in many ways, but Kim did not smile at the fact. Instead, he lifted his head and looked around, and saw a flag flying. It was a huge flag, on which the symbol of the Mac Guild, Mac, was drawn. The flag clearly told everyone on this battlefield who the true winner of this battle was. It was also telling Kim that the disaster has begun. ''Now, it''s time to clean up what Mao has done.''3.When Hrungnir fell down, John Gabriel thought there would be nothing that would surprise him anymore. He expected that he would not experience any more unrealistic days. But it did not take long for his thoughts and expectations to break. Kim Tae-hoon made it happen.''Coffee¡­?'' As soon as the unrealistic battle was over, the stage of dialogue was created, and the leader of the Crusaders, Johann Gabriel, sat down with the Mac Guild''s representative, Kim Tae-hoon. It was no surprise. They had made a deal, and now that it was over, it was time to calculate the price. But the scene of boiling water and dropping coffee on the spot was something no one expected. Even Kim enjoyed his coffee. Not just to rinse his mouth, but holding his coffee in his mouth, he just looked dispassionately at John Gabriel.John Gabriel could not find the word ''negotiating'' anywhere in the image of Kim.And in fact, Kim had no intention of negotiating here. He swallowed his coffee and said, "I will tell you again."In that way, the conversation began."The price is all the Vatican has, and remember it."John Gabriel opened his mouth and let out a full sigh of relief. ''Anyway, he is a human.'' The fact that Kim was talking reassured him because at least he realized that Kim Tae-hoon was a conversational partner."I have something to say about that, and I will certainly not forget the grace you have shown us today, and I will pay for it, but I cannot give you all of the Vatican." So, John Gabriel regained his composure and began to say the words he had prepared. ''I can''t give him everything.'' To be honest, John Gabriel had no intention of paying everything in the Vatican for saving their lives in this battle. What the Vatican had now was virtually everything in Europe. It made no sense to give it all.''There''s no contract, so I''ll have to finish a negotiation here. I''ll minimize the losses.'' Especially, if he gave everything here, the relics, the existence of the Vatican would be meaningless. The Vatican knights who lost their relics could not wage a war properly against the monsters in the future?"Of course I don''t mean I won''t pay, but I can''t give you any of the relics with the Vatican''s honor and history."In this situation, John Gabriel did not have a sense of shame. Shame and dishonor did not matter to him in the negotiation that concerned life and death. What if it took hundreds or tens of millions of lives, not just a few lives? There was no reason why he could not commit a sin against heaven. The only problem was that the man in front of John Gabriel was Kim Tae-hoon."Once the Bell of Jerusalem-""This is how your conversation would have gone after Mao and the Six Snakes killed Hrungnir.""What, what''s that-?"In front of John Gabriel who asked a cross-question, Kim kept his coffee instead of continuing his words. The silence started like that. John Gabriel did not dare to open his mouth and break the silence. It was simply a time of torture.Gulp! Kim swallowed his coffee again, and slowly spoke out words with a deep aroma of coffee."If the soldiers of the Six Snakes on standby had killed the Huge Giant, you would have tried to negotiate this way. ''We can''t give it all. We have our situation, so, let''s change the deal.''"John Gabriel did not answer. It was not easy to breathe or speak in the situation where he seemed to have been stabbed with a dagger. But it was the beginning."Do you think the Six Snakes didn''t expect that?"At the words of Kim, John Gabriel turned his opponent in front of him into Mao Spencer, not Kim Tae-hoon.He imagined what he would do when he visited the Six Snakes'' warriors and asked for help, when they accepted his request and killed the Huge Giant Hrungnir, and when they made the same request. He would not be as surprised as he was now, but he would probably be trying to negotiate with the Six Snakes.''Oh, my God¡­'' And John Gabriel''s attempt to negotiate would have failed.He would not expect a reasonable negotiation from the man who blew up the Red Square in Moscow purely for the purpose of punishing Russia, which had refused his proposal and request and been made an example. Furthermore, Mao and the Six Snakes would have expected John Gabriel''s actions to revise the deal. They would have prepared something accordingly.''That can''t be right.'' When he reached that point, his face was white as a sheet. Now he realized that the disaster prepared by the Six Snakes and Mao was not the end, but the beginning."¡­ would the Six Snakes prepare a new monster?"It had already been proven that the Crusaders were not capable of dealing with a dark blue-grade monster. In such a situation, what would happen if a monster above the dark blue grade came to Europe? There was no need to worry long. The Vatican and Europe would dedicate their bodies and souls to those who would stop the monster, hoping for salvation."When a miracle once happens, people deny it; but when a second miracle happens, they long for it."It seemed time for a real Messiah to be born. There would be no choice for those who would desire salvation from the Messiah who was born like that. The fact was still true. The second disaster prepared by the Six Snakes would soon hit Europe, and there was only one person who could deal with the disaster."I will return to the point, and I will somehow take the price of killing the Huge Giant, and if I kill the monster in the future, I will also take the corresponding price."The moment John Gabriel realized it, negotiating was no longer in his mind.Kim Tae-hoon did not speak out any more words that he did not need. He just enjoyed his coffee quietly.4.Siberia, where harsh winter winds were still raging¡­In the biting wind, people in white uniforms were gathered in a cluster. No matter how warmly dressed they were, they were in coldness like their whole bodies were being chopped, but no one complained about it. Of course, there was no fire.Even more so, they all had keen eyes that would defy even the severe wind. The keen eyes showed that their determination, responsibilities, and obligations were not simple. It was the men in the white uniforms that appeared in the distance that changed their eyes."It is not here.""It is not here?""Yes, the warhead is gone. There''s a sign of invasion. I think someone took the warhead."At that report, the keen eyes of everyone began to shake like candles in front of the wind.The man who was reporting said with unshakable eyes, but with a mixed expression, "¡­ deliver the news to Major General Vladimir as soon as possible. We''ve lost a nuclear warhead."

 144 Episode 144 - Disaster, Part II

    Chapter 51. Disaster, Part IITranslator: KhanEditor: RED 5. "To reiterate, the Vatican will have the right to use the relics on this list, and instead, you will pay forty percent of the monster stones of the monster that you kill with the aid of this relic to the Mac Guild."The conversation between Kim Tae-hoon and John Gabriel ended easily and briefly. There was no reason for the conversation to be long or complicated since the winner and the loser had already been determined. "This right is valid for one year, and if either party does not require a termination or change of the contract three months before the contract expires, the contract will be renewed automatically for another year."But the real story was what came next. After the leaders had finished their conversation, the men who served them had to verify everything was practical and valid. It was troublesome and complicated in many ways. They had to check each sentence and word used in the contract and measure the merit of the contract."Now, sign it."That role was, of course, Jang Sung-hoon''s. In addition, Jang''s role was not over at that point."Oh, and this is a personal request, but I''d like you to put this poster around the Vatican City State. It''s not special, but I''m going to make a European branch of the Mac Guild, so I''d like to advertise it."Jang immediately set out to work on creating a branch of the Mac Guild in Europe. It was part of their original plans."The good things are to be shared with you, of course."Even if Kim Tae-hoon was so powerful, it was not easy to have a strong influence on the lands of Europe unless he settled there. Human history had proved it. If he wanted to rule a country, it was impossible unless he eventually won the help of the people in the country."Oh, anyone can join the Mac Guild, and there are no restrictions on race, religion, or nationality."Of course, in the absence of any merits, the Mac Guild European branch would not put down roots properly. Naturally, Jang had prepared the merits. "In addition, some of the relics that are not on this list will be rented to hunters in the Mac Guild European branch. It will be at a lower price, I will lend them to the hunters if I like. I am not sure if I''ve told you I''m interested in art, but certainly I told the head of the Vatican City State, haha!"Some of the relics received from the Vatican in return for the fight would be held in the hands of hunters joining the Mac Guild European branch. It would be the creation of something from nothing. It was crazy from the standpoint of the Vatican."I can give you an application if you want? For reference, if you sign up, I''ll give you a cute Mac doll."Arriving at this point, the Mac Guild European branch would build their force and get organized incredibly quickly."Oh, don''t you care? I don''t intend to push you. Huh? The boss? Are you asking where he is?"It was his responsibility to represent the presence of the Mac Guild European branch, which began to be structured."The boss is in France now."The Mac Guild Master, Kim Tae-hoon would definitely show Europe who they should choose to back in a world full of monsters. At the moment it happened, the ends of the Eurasian continent would be placed under a single name.===================6.The movement of more powerful monsters greatly changed the map of territories claimed by lesser monsters. The Mac Guild had identified this in countless cases. Furthermore, the Mac Guild had also confirmed that when powerful monsters appeared, monsters did not just move, but showed different patterns of movements, according to their grades and characteristics. For example, a blue grade monster that led a group of at least five hundred did not simply run away. As soon as possible, it explored its new territory, and when it found a suitable place, it used its full power to occupy the place. In the process, some clever individuals deliberately saved their prey, rather than kill them all, to keep them as an emergency food supply.This was exactly the case for the Goblin King, the huge golden-skinned Goblin with blue eyes. It was originally located in Belgium. There, as its name suggested, it had reigned as king. But it boldly abandoned its territory as soon as the Giants came over the Baltic Sea to Germany. Furthermore, after abandoning a large number of the Goblins following him, it moved with only 5,000 elites. Its target was none other than the capital of France, Paris, where it made its new territory.-Fuck!-The entry of the Goblin King and the Goblin Corps into Paris, which began like that, was not hard.Hundreds of thousands of survivors and troops residing in Paris failed to even fight properly against the Goblin Corps.-Fuck, damn it!-So far, the first reason was that the blue-grade monsters were hunted solely under the Vatican''s initiative, and the second reason was that those with great talents and powerful relics residing in Paris had gone to Germany to fight the Huge Giant. The third reason was the people left in Paris. The survivors of Paris, as they had done so far, went to war, believing that God would take care of them in any crisis and hardship. Of course, proper combat was not possible. Virtually all of them were made useless by the fear of the Goblin King, and the neutralized men were nothing, but plentiful food for the Goblins that the Goblin King had selected. On the street of Champs-Elysees, under the Eiffel Tower, under the Arc de Triomphe, the sound of chewing flesh was heard. "Goddamn it..." That''s why Leo LeRoy was watching hell now. "Damn it! Damn it, damn it!" But at this moment Leo couldn''t escape from this hellish landscape. -I need to save Catherine.-She was too frightened to run away even when he saw her being dragged to the Bois de Boulogne after being beaten indiscriminately by a group of Goblins. That was why he felt more desperate. -Find a way somehow, Leo! Find a way somehow! I can''t lose even her!- In the situation where he had to save his lover, the fact that even if he risked his own life, there was nothing to be changed, put Leo into the deepest despair. -If I go to the Vatican and ask for help¡­-The Vatican was the only place that he could think of at this moment. The blue-grade monster was an evil thing that only the Vatican could punish, and saving the world from the monsters was also a miracle that only the Vatican could perform.-Damn it, it can''t be true...-But in this situation, it was difficult to get even get out of Paris right now. The distance from Paris to Vatican City, a thousand kilometers away, was too far.Even if he ran the whole distance to the Vatican, even if the Vatican showed him the mercy of God, there was no guarantee that his lover would be alive when he came back."Ugh!"In the face of this reality, a sense of misery flowed through Leo''s tight lips.---"I''ll ask you a question."The sudden penetrating voice made his clenched jaw drop.Ulp!Leo turned his head, frightened. Looking behind, he saw an Asian man there. The man with the two swords on his back was impressive. Leo pointed at the man with a gun in his hand reflexively."Who, who is it?""Can you speak English?"In front of the gun, the Asian spoke stilted French calmly. Leo shook his head reflexively as he listened to the French.The Asian man clicked his tongue briefly.Then, Leo looked at the Asian man and asked, "Korean?"Leo spoke awkward Korean, and the fact put the Asian man in a good mood. "You speak Korean?""I lived in Korea for five years.""I want to understand the current situation in Paris. Anything is good, whether it''s about monsters, survivors, or relics."Leo paused at the sudden and inexplicable man''s request. But his concern was not long. The man in front of him was not a man hunting a human, but monsters. Most of all, he didn''t think he could do anything about the guy even if he pulled the trigger. "Hoo!" Leo lowered his gun, calmed himself down, and then slowly continued, remembering the words in Korean after a moment. "Paris is now occupied by the Goblin King. There is the camp of the Goblin King. People are being captured. The Parisian army has retreated. No survivors have been identified. All the survivors have scattered."The man''s eyes went black during the explanation in Korean, which was awkward but enough to understand the general meaning.Leo stumbled back, surprised, but the man looked at the Bois de Boulogne, the castle of the Goblin King, with his black Eyes, unconcerned. It was a very long distance, not visible to the naked eyes, but in the eyes of the man, the Goblins moving through the forest park constantly came in."Kkii, kkikki! Kkiii!" He could hear the distant sounds that a Goblin was threatening another Goblin with, as it was about to bite the arm of a living human, as well as the bizarre sound of the other Goblins.The man, who had checked the situation, turned his black eyes back to their original color and said to Leo, "My name is Kim Tae-hoon, master of the Mac Guild, a hunter guild hunting monsters." The man walked forward with the brief explanation.Leo shouted, surprised at the sight. "Goblins are dangerous!"Kyaah! As soon as the words were finished, five Goblins, who had heard the conversation and sneaked in to ambush them, appeared and flew at the man with open jaws, intending to wet their dry throats with fresh blood.Thunk! However, the ground was promptly soaked with blood from the sides of their heads. The man, Kim Tae-hoon, walked toward the forest without looking at the fallen dead bodies. Leo''s mind as he looked at the scene was stamped with the words, "The master of the Mac Guild, Kim Tae-hoon." "Ma, Master! Help, help! Please help!" ======7. Folkston...It was a city in the southeast of England. Few outsiders knew the name of this coastal city, which was located overlooking the Strait of Dover. But to the UK, the value of the city of Folkston was unbelievably high.Folkston was valuable because of the Channel Tunnel, a submerged tunnel across the Strait of Dover between England and Europe.However, the scenery of such Folkston was both horrific and bizarre. The roads, mountains, and fields were filled with cars, as if all the cars in England had gathered here. But with so many cars, there was no indication of any people being around. A deep silence! There was a man standing alone in this graveyard silence. The man standing alone between the ownerless cars was looking at his palm with his head down.The man''s palms were full of the ashes left behind after something was burned. The man looking at the ashes was silent."Krrrr!"Then a cry which was clearly from a monster began to vibrate through the cars.Finally, a Giant Tiger with two heads appeared, leaping over the roof of a car. The body of the monster, which flashed yellow eyes, was all skin and bone, in spite of its huge size. It hadn''t eaten properly for a long time. Perhaps that''s why the bloodthirstiness that flashed in its yellow eyes was more intense than ever.Naturally, the hungry monster threw itself at the man without any hesitation.At that moment, a spear showed up out of nowhere and cut through the monster''s necks. The headless body fell to the ground."I''m sorry." The man who immediately apologized was none other than Major Chinshan. "I''m just¡­"The man receiving the apology was Mao Spencer. "They are all dead.""Yes?""Everyone left in Germany to kill the Huge Giant was killed, including the Lin sisters." With those words, Mao Spencer began to dust off the ashes in his palms. The black ashes crumbled and soon disappeared.Major Chinshan tensed up when he heard that. "What do you mean..." The words coming from the stunned Chinshan were quite weak. Mao did not answer his question. Instead, he looked at his palms, which were now empty. At that moment, a weird laugh burst out of Mao''s mouth.In front of the laughter that he could not help but call insanity, Chinshan closed his mouth.Mao''s laughter filled the quiet space for a long time. When the laughter stopped, Mao looked again at his palms with the words. "I made the Six Snakes in the hope of dominating six continents, and I lost all of them.""Mr. Mao, for now...""Empty hands and naked fists." Mao grabbed his fist. Empty hands and naked fists were everything he had now. But he was not about to cry. Instead, he only laughed bitterly.Major Chinshan spoke carefully again in front of Mao. "Then what are you going to do?""We''ll leave.""To leave...""The Eurasian continent has left our hands, there is no reason to stay here anymore.""Then where are you going?"There was no answer to that question. Instead of answering, Mao looked at the end of the Channel Tunnel, toward France, beyond the Strait of Dover. "The good news is that we can earn enough time thanks to the prepared nuclear bombs." Mao turned his head in the opposite direction after he finished his low-pitched talking to himself. "We will go to Stonehenge first, and then we are going to the United States."At the answer "the United States," Chinshan appealed to Mao with tears in his eyes, "If we go to America, the Pentagon will never follow Mr. Mao. If they know Mr. Mao is in trouble¡­ Why not go to Egypt, where you still have influence and power?""Egypt is too close. We will be caught if we go there.""But the United States...""The person who is in need should lower his head, and if the Pentagon won''t follow me, I''ll just lower my head and go underneath them."Major Chinshan closed his mouth at the teeth-grinding sound at the end of Mao''s words. There was no way he did not know Mao''s character. Mao felt it was a great humiliation to serve underneath someone who was once his equal. Nevertheless, he had to accept the humiliation.Perseverance! Mao was willing to compromise with humiliation for the future. The bitter smile at his lips began to turn into a little bloody smile as he determined to make the compromise."I wonder if he can stop the army of the Orc Khan, and..." That was the end of what Mao had said. He moved his chin without finishing his words.Chinshan checked the direction of the chin and nodded. He shouted, "We are going to Stonehenge!"Shortly after the cry, the entrance to the Channel Tunnel collapsed with a loud explosion.

 145 Episode 145 - Disaster, Part III

    Chapter 51. Disaster, Part IIITranslator: KhanEditor: RED 8.The Bois de Boulogne¡­ Located in the city of Paris, this forest park was a beautiful resting place for Parisians and a wonderful thing to see whenever they looked west from the Eiffel Tower. It was a place Paris'' citizens deserved pride at having made it, and the tourists who visited Paris remembered. Kkii!But at this moment it was a nightmare for the citizens of Paris. Kkik Kkik! Kkiee! Shriek!"Shut up! Be quiet.""Goddamn it, damn it¡ª" Countless people were shivering in terror at the shrieks of dozens of Goblins. None of them were healthy. Not only were most of them covered with wounds, but not a few of them were barely breathing, bones broken and already unconscious. In addition, they were all muddled up with their own or others'' waste, because they didn''t have a chance to clean themselves. It was the fate of uncared-for livestock. "Aaaaaargh!" A scream was heard by the people living in the sordid, miserable conditions. The scream, which rose far away, was strong enough to shake the Bois de Boulogne forest. "Sa, save me! Don''t eat me! Please don''t eat me!" The horrible scream that followed drove the survivors thicker and deeper into despair. "Aaaaaargh!"Khuck! Khuck! As soon as the scream that shook the forest was gone, the breathing of those still alive stopped for a while. ''Damn it¡­''''It''s a dream. It must be a dream.'' Everyone was tight-mouthed, forgetting to breathe, and forced themselves to savor the fear. Kkiyr, kkiyr! Kkii! Goblins who looked at them whet their appetite. But a Giant Goblin with yellow eyes looked on with glaring eyes and warned the Goblins with its gaze: the humans here were emergency food, so don''t even think about taking a nip. Kkii¡­ In the end, some Goblins couldn''t resist their hunger, and they ran to the lake in the Bois de Boulogne forest nearby. They drove their heads into the lake and began to drink deeply. Kkiik? One of the Goblins who had been drinking so much water stopped and looked up, as it felt something strange. The Goblin rolled its orange eyeballs around, but there was nothing strange about the lake. Kkii? The Goblin tilted its head once and then pushed its head back into the lake to drink again.At that moment the Goblin was able to identify the strange scent it had felt. Kkii! The Goblin saw soldiers made of earth moving under the lake. Kkii! Kkii! As soon as the Goblin backed away in a fright, the soldiers moving under the lake appeared. Kkieeee! The Goblins who were drinking water in front of the soldiers were horrified. Boom! It was a good response to the appearance of the soldiers, who boasted a huge height of four meters. Kkieeeeek! The reaction of the Goblins began to burst forth throughout the Bois de Boulogne forest. The slaughter began.______________________ 9.''Oh, my God.'' In front of Leo there was now a Giant Goblin; a giant, big enough to be an Ogre, rather than a Goblin, with fangs that reminded him of Shabel Tiger, and blue eyes. This was the second time he had seen this Goblin. The first time, Leo saw this huge Goblin from a very long distance. When its bell-like cry came out of its mouth, he fainted. It was as it was. Leo''s reason was cut off, and his body collapsed like a broken doll. When he opened his eyes again, hell was already out. In the hands of the Goblin Corps, people were treated like meat, not just corpses, and some had been taken alive to the Bois de Boulogne forest. ''This ridiculous monster¡­'' In such a situation, the Goblin in front of him, the Goblin King, walked leisurely around the city of Paris, eating. It pulled off the head of a man who fainted in its way, then chewed it like a candy and filled its belly. The number of heads it had eaten was at least three hundred! Leo, who had run away with his lover before this, Katrin, prayed earnestly to God at that moment. ''Please don''t let me see this monster again.'' But now he had seen the Goblin again. ''I can''t believe it was so easy to kill.'' Goblin King was crumpled in front of Leo, a corpse with a frightened face. There were five swords in its chest, like a flower arrangement. ''Am I dreaming now?'' Leo turned his head as if he couldn''t believe this nonsense. The scene around him was hard to understand. Goblin bodies were ripped up, and there stood soldiers of ancient China, made of earth, who could only be called giant statues. The spears, swords, and feet of the soldiers were stained with dark red blood. The blood reminded Leo of the giants'' stabbing and the Goblins that became meatballs in front of them. It was a sight so pathetic that the Goblins looked more pitiful than anything else. ''Ah!'' The last place Leo''s gaze went to was the sky. As the man fell down on the corpse of the Goblin King with a thump, the five swords stuck in the chest of the Goblin King moved by themselves and began to orbit him like satellites. He drove his arm deep into the bloody chest of the Goblin King and pulled it out quickly. In his hands was a brilliant blue jewel. That was the end of the story of Mac Guild''s Master Kim Tae-hoon, which Leo would tell his lover and the people around him, and to himself for the rest of his life, savoring the memories instead of a drink.------------------------------------- 10.=========[Achieved Ability]- The Dignity of the Goblin King (Grade 3): With the power of the Goblin King, you can force Goblins into submission.========= Kim Tae-hoon, who confirmed on his right hand with his black eyes, closed his eyes slightly. His expression, after closing his eyes, was not good. ''It is much weaker than I thought for a blue grade.'' Kim Tae-hoon opened his eyes again and looked around. The newly acquired relics, the horse soldiers created by the Qin Shi Huang Sword, decorated his eyes. The pressure of the horses, which had become even greater thanks to the mana of the giant, was beyond description. In addition, the combat power of the giant horse soldiers was astounding. Mere moments were enough for the horse soldiers to make the Goblin King and its elites, who had destroyed Paris, into corpses at once. But in front of that fact, Kim Tae-hoon never fell into the illusion. ''I can''t believe the power of Paris is this weak.'' Kim Tae-hoon, the city he knew as Paris, and France were strong. France was one of the five permanent members of the United Nations. If they had been weak, France would never have been given one of the five permanent seats of the United Nations. ''No, it must have been weakened.'' Strength did not mean that it simply possessed nuclear weapons. It had many fighter jets, warships, and tanks. The strength that Kim Tae-hoon knew of was the power to survive the wars, surviving as a strong nation after the great wars that dominated human history for many years, including two World Wars. Such Frenchman gave away Paris, the heart of the nation, so helplessly against the blue-grade monster. That was the reality of France now, the reality of Europe. ''They''ve had their teeth pulled out perfectly; not only are they a toothless tiger, but they have become a toothless pig.'' They no longer had teeth to survive in the Age of Monsters. ''This is his snare.'' It was what the Six Snakes wanted. ''A beast without teeth can never be a beast. The toothless beast has no choice but to leave all its fate to the real beast in order to survive in the Age of the monsters.'' Of course, it was more important than anything for the Six Snakes, who were trying to control everything in the Age of Monsters. It was necessary to turn the beasts who could bite them into toothless dogs and pigs. The work of those Six Snakes was so perfect. ''China and Russia have collapsed.''China and Russia, two of the U.N.''s permanent members, had virtually collapsed. They could no longer exercise their proper powers.''France''s perfect teeth were pulled out.''And at this moment, France clearly understood that it had no more teeth. ''The British won''t be any different.''With the situation in France like this, chances were not very high that Britain was different. It was doubtful how much Britain, which was completely and miserably sealed off, could have endured, compared to the Continental Sealing Act that France took to block off Britain. ''Is the U.S. the only one left?''Under these circumstances, the only country left was the United States. ''It''s pathetic.'' In front of the facts, Kim Tae-hoon remembered his dream of the day again, and his dream of self-determination. He had done everything. He killed the Emperor of Orcs, the Immortal Wolf, the Evil Dragon Fafner, the Dragon of Disaster, Quetzalco¨¡tl. Nevertheless, he chose to die on his own. There was nothing left in the world. In fact, he could not keep everything he had wanted to protect so much. ''Then, how is it now? There are no more predators with sharp fangs in the place where the Six Snakes have passed. Monsters, on the other hand, still inundated the world, and none of the purple-grade monsters have been killed.'' It was Mao Spencer who knew this better than anyone else. He had not expected that Mao Spencer was a member of the Spencer family, the English aristocrats. ''There will be no one in the world who knows that better than the one who planned it all. I''ll have to be determined about this.'' ''Naturally, Mao Spencer will somehow make active use of the situation. I will also have to. Anything he can do against an enemy like me will save his life.'' ''I will also have to prepare, so I can face him.'' When Mao appeared in front of Kim Tae-hoon, he was ready to make a choice with no regrets left. Chirrup!At that moment, a jade bird, an Okjo, flew over the shoulder of Kim Tae-hoon, who was in deep thought. He immediately looked at the Okjo, and it opened its mouth. - Boss.- Jang Sung-hoon''s voice that came out. His voice was heavier than ever. -This is breaking news from General Vladimir. The mushroom clouds rose in Mongolia.- He was quick to guess why. When Kim Tae-hoon heard the words, he could tell what Jang Sung-hoon would say next. -The Orcs'' Emperor, the Orc Khan, is leaving Mongolia, moving to Kazakhstan. Its final destination is likely to be Europe.- The Orc Khan was the Emperor of all the Orcs scattered around Mongolia, as well as of all the Orcs that had appeared in the world, and a monster with purple eyes! It was a crisis that the Six Snakes designed to become the true Messiah of Europe and the Vatican. Now the Orc Khan was coming toward Europe. Not alone, but by forcing all the Orcs that existed on every road, leading over 100,000 Orcs this way! ''I avoided the worst.'' Kim Tae-hoon was relieved by the fact. Right now Bogatyr''s Great Sword, which could kill the Immortal Wolf in Siberia, was buried in the collapsed Moscow Square, and the Orcs'' Emperor was easier than the Immortal Wolf. ''There is a way.'' The Six Snakes knew it too. ''If there had been no way, he would not have chosen the Orcs'' Emperor as a European crisis.'' Furthermore, the Six Snakes would have already learned a way to attack the Orc Khan, and they prepared what they needed to do so. Otherwise, the Six Snakes would not have brought a purple-grade monster to Europe, which they wanted to be their stronghold. ''All the relics of the Six Snakes are now mine, and so there is no reason I cannot kill the Orcs'' Emperor.'' Everything that the Six Snakes had prepared to deal with Orc Khan became his. There was only one thing left, to find out how to use the tools he had. ''I must have the key in my hand; among the relics I have recovered, there is the key to killing the Orc Khan.'' - Ah, and I''m sorry to be late, but I know how to kill the Orc Khan.- At that moment, Kim Tae-hoon turned his head and looked at the Okjo sitting on his shoulder. The Okjo spat out the remaining words. - I saw it in my dream when having a drink yesterday.--------------------------------------- 10.Vatican City¡­The capital of Italy, the center of Rome, a majestic place, was now ruined. Two men were talking to each other in the background of the terrible sight. When the conversation between them was over, one of them suddenly put something in his mouth. Then the man, after swallowing what he had put in his mouth, said with a salute, "Then, boss, I''ll see you again within four weeks."

 146 Episode 146 - Orc Khan, Part I

    Chapter 52. Orc Khan, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.Changchun City...Originally, it was located in the north of the Korean Peninsula, and seven million people lived there. But now, it was hard to find any trace of them, let alone living human beings. There were footsteps there after a long time. The main source of the footsteps was the soldiers. The footsteps of those, who wore the national flag of the Republic of Korea on their right shoulders and the divine animal Mac on the left, were cautious, but there was no cowardice. In Changchun City, which now belonged to the monsters, they were walking more imposingly than anyone else. It was not a bluff, nor the courage of ignorance. As if to prove it, as soon as a Giant Centipede rose from under the ground, the soldiers began to move like wolves on the hunt rather than in surprise. Restrained shots burst out, and as the Giant Centipede struggled against them, some of them pulled back bows they were holding instead of guns. Twang! The arrows that left the bowstring rose and drove deep into the head of the writhing Centipede. Twang! Five arrows from all sides punched into the head of the Centipede in succession. In the head of the Centipede, flowers made of arrows bloomed. It was incredible to see such accuracy. Such archery skills, which were really close to the miraculous, made the body of the Centipede like the Tower of Pisa. The Giant Centipede began to totter. Of course, unlike the Leaning Tower, the body of the Centipede fell to the ground without delay. There was a heavy thump, and sandy dust spread out. "Go up and take a look." It was the first time they spoke. A man who was given the order immediately began to climb the ruined building. The man climbed the wall, clinging to it like Spider-Man. The man who had climbed up the building and secured his lookout point took a telescope and looked around. "Sergeant!" At that moment the man stopped his head as if he had found something and called out to the ground. "The Orcs are moving." At the word, Orc, the soldiers below smiled with a deep tension. "What are their numbers?""About five hundred." But the pale smiles disappeared like melting snow in front of the number of five hundred. The same was true of Sergeant Lim Jung-soo, who got the report. In the head of Lim Jung-soo, the report sent by the search party came to mind. ''The search party'' report was correct; there is an Orc community near here.'' The search team, which was searching Manchuria, told him that there was a large Orc community in Changchun City. That was why Lim Jung-soo and his men were here. Their job was to remove the monsters in the north of the Korean peninsula before they crossed the Yalu River and caused problems. It was especially important to remove monsters that gathered together, like Orcs, when they could be removed. If a powerful Orc appeared, the Orcs would become an Orc army under the powerful Orc, and it was obvious where the Orcs would head. Of course, five hundred was not an unreasonable number. ''Five hundred is enough to kill in the city.'' Nevertheless, Sergeant Lim Jung-soo was considering fighting instead of retreating. Because he was stupid? It couldn''t be. Because of the resonance? Of course not. There was only one reason to try to engage, because of the Mac embroidered on his shoulder. To a Mac unit, five hundred Orcs were not things to avoid, but creatures to annihilate. They were now the best in Korea and even the best elites in the world. "Huh?" Lim Jung-soo heard the surprised voice of the watching soldier. "What''s going on?""The Orcs suddenly changed direction.""What?""They''re heading in the opposite direction, west... toward Mongolia." The soldier put away the telescope in his hand and immediately dropped to the ground. He landed in front of Lim Jung-soo at once reported with a firm expression. "Not a group, but all groups of Orcs from every side are moving in one direction at once. The numbers are not normal. The Orcs around here are gathering in the same place at the same time." After the report, Sergeant Lim Jung-soo no longer considered combat. "I think something''s going to happen, which we''ve never experienced before." At the words of Sergeant Lim Jung-soo, his men''s expressions hardened. A chill ran down their spines.________________ 2.Vatican City¡­In a world where everything was falling and collapsing, something new emerged there that was even more glorious than before. Flags, new flags, were fluttering all over the Vatican. It was a beast that occupied the flag. It was a beast that has not existed in the Vatican, or in Europe. The animal was Mac. It was amazing. Who would have imagined that Vatican City, the real ruler of Europe, would hang the flag at the same height as their flag, an animal they had never seen? "Did you hear the rumor? I heard that he had taken Paris back in one morning.""He finished it in an hour, not a morning." But even more surprising was that no one had any doubts about it. "The degree of recapturing Paris is an after-lunch level of exercise compared to his display in Frankfurt.""I''m glad Mac Guild came to Europe. If it had not been for him, the Vatican would have been trampled by the Giants.""Yes, I''m so glad." Everyone was grateful for the flag of the Mac Guild flying there in Vatican City. "What about my directing?" Two men were walking down the streets of Vatican City where the flags of Mac Guild fluttered. "For reference, I have changed our Mac mascot design a little bit, in a more ferocious way." Jang Sung-hoon was the man explaining things. "Maybe next year, Mac Guild will be more famous than McDonald''s. I should have made a corporation and listed it." Of course, it was Kim Tae-hoon next to him, listening to the explanation. "Oh! There it is." The place where the two of them were heading for a cool conversation could be called the heart of Vatican City. "That''s the Sistine Chapel." The Sistine Chapel was the place where the mass of the Pope was held, and the conclave was held to elect the Pope. "I didn''t know I would see the creation of heaven and earth and the Last Judgment like this." It was also the place where the masterpiece of Michelangelo''s soul, one of the most famous artists in the world, was left. The first thing that welcomed Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon as they visited the Sistine Chapel, was the soldiers who were camping in front of the cathedral. "Wow, they''ve collected a lot." The number of men was considerable. A hundred units were roughly visible. "This is what we see, and the deployed numbers¡­ Whew." If they added the number of those who were hiding around the Sistine Chapel, it was possible to say that the number would be more than a thousand. It was a large enough number that shrinking back was expected.However, it was not Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon who were shrinking at this moment, but the soldiers facing them. As evidence, the soldiers'' necks, which faced Kim Tae-hoon closer, were tensed. But no one thought of it as blame or shame. Kim Tae-hoon killed the Giants and their leader alone. It would be strange if they kept a calm face, in a situation where they might face him as an enemy. In the middle of such tension, a man showed up and walked toward Jang Sung Hoon and Kim Tae Hoon. "Welcome. Come with me." John Gabriel was the real owner of Vatican City. He met Kim Tae-hoon and immediately led him into the Sistine Cathedral. A short conversation was held coming and going. "I want you to be polite to the Cardinals.""What if I am not polite?""Please, I beg you to show your sincerity. Even if anything happens¡­ I don''t want to see blood. They''ll be angry with you, but they can''t threaten you." It was a conversation that was not very pleasant. The conversation made it possible to guess the atmosphere of the conversation that would take place here today, at the Sistine Cathedral. "The moment I leave here, this place will collapse, and I have no reason to see blood." Today, Kim Tae-hoon was planning to deal with the Cardinals, who decided everything for the Vatican. After the manipulation of the Six Snakes and John Gabriel, the Cardinals with the authority and arrogance, who had no idea of the changed world, now had to deal with the strongest man in the world, the man who used any means and methods for his purpose. "¡­ I beg you, though." John Gabriel was confident that this conversation would not end well. "Whew!" With a sigh of relief, Johann Gabriel opened the door of the Sistine Chapel. The Cardinals were waiting beyond. They were gathered under the west wall of the Chapel, the wall of the Last Judgment painted, as if they wanted Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon to take care of themselves and kneel before this great work. "Wow, that is beautiful. Boss, do you want me to hang it up at Bucheon City Hall?" However, the first words of Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon the Cardinals heard, made their bones cold, rather than satisfying their expectations. "How dare you say that? So impertinent!" a Cardinal shouted reflexively at Jang''s words. It was a natural reaction. The Last Judgment was a treasure of human and Vatican history that no longer needed explanation. It was a treasure that did not even allow photography to avoid any damage to somehow leave it in the posterity. But Jang was going to take it off and use it for decoration somewhere else? It was insulting beyond the ridicule of God. For the Cardinals, the representatives of God, it was humiliation and disgrace beyond insult. In response to such a reaction, Jang Sung-hoon laughed. It was a smile that a predator with a very ridiculous target in front of him would make. "Boss, I don''t think they know what''s going on yet. I don''t think they''ve heard how many monster stones chief John Gabriel pays for the Sistine Chapel a year." At his smile, the faces of the Cardinals were surprised at the words Jang Sung-hoon spoke. After closing the door of the cathedral, the expression of John Gabriel, who was waiting near the door, hardened. Kim Tae-hoon had gained authority over everything in the Vatican in return for saving Europe from the Giants. The Sistine Chapel was no exception. Now the Sistine Chapel was all owned by the Mac Guild, not only just the brick, but even the dust rolling on the floor. The Vatican City had to pay the rent for the Sistine Cathedral every year to the Mac Guild. "Chief Gabriel! Is this true?" Of course, the Cardinals had no choice but to find Gabrielle for this situation that had never existed in Vatican history. "Oh, my God, you sold Sistine Chapel, what the¡ª""What nonsense to sin against the Lord!" The Cardinals were ready to burst into anger, making their old bodies redden like active volcanoes. Fortunately, John Gabriel had no trouble explaining the situation. "Quiet." Kim Tae-hoon opened his mouth, and everyone else quietly shut up when he spoke. It was a surprise. ''Ugh!'' "Ha¡­" The Cardinals had dedicated their lives with patience and faith to the invisible, unheard, untouchable, and unappealable God. No matter if they went in the wrong direction now, their patience and faith would not fade. They were willing to accept death for God. Such Cardinals were weighed down by a sense of oppression. "Let''s talk about it in a short way." That was the extent of Kim Tae-hoon''s presence. His presence was the result of the days he had walked so far. He walked from end to end of the Eurasian continent, killing countless monsters alone. What could they compare the weight of that process with? "There are Orc armies coming here now." Above all, the monster that Kim Tae-hoon would discuss today was a very big thing. "It is the Orcs'' Emperor, the Orc Khan, who leads the horde. A purple-grade monster." The Orc Khan was a monster that did not need another explanation, only the fact that it had purple eyes. "There''s no information about it yet, and I don''t want to judge it poorly." The monster was leading a horde of Orcs toward Europe. "Obviously, there are only two things: it''s coming to Europe, and Europe can''t stop it." Genghis Khan, the emperor of the Mongolian Empire in the past, had painted Europe as a nightmare. The wild run of Genghis Khan had never reached the Vatican, but he was not the Orc Khan. It was a monster of monsters, that would not be satisfied with trampling through the entire continent of Europe, from the Vatican to Spain and Portugal. "I''m the only one who can kill it." After that, Kim Tae-hoon stopped talking. The crowd became quiet. "So¡­" In the silence, one spoke. "So what do you want from us?" Kim Tae-hoon did not answer the voice. The answer came from the formerly silent Jang Sung-hoon''s mouth. "We don''t want anything from you.""What the hell is that-""You don''t know the reality yet, but as I said, everything the Vatican has already belonged to the Mac Guild." There was no laughter in Jang Sung-hoon''s voice. "The power of the Vatican and Europe is nothing more than a toothless pig that cannot deal with even a blue-grade monster like the Great Giant. How much will that power help us in front of a purple-grade monster? It would just be a piece of meat that feeds the Orc Khan and the Orcs. So we don''t need anything, and we don''t need any help." The fate of Europe was not something to laugh at. "It is your job to give us a reason for our boss to fight the Orc Khan, and defend the Vatican and Europe with his life." Jang Sung-hoon, who spoke the words, looked at the Last Judgment behind the Cardinals and said quietly, "Lord, please don''t ask me for my sins on the Day of Judgment." The faces of the Cardinals hardened in front of the low-voiced words, and Jang Sung-hoon spoke the last words toward them. "You''d better make a wise and clever decision, so that you can kneel in front of the picture behind you and not say what Paul III said." At the end of the words, they could hear a knock over the door as if someone had waited. The knock sounded like a heartbeat pounding. John Gabriel, who had been standing near the door like a stone statue, opened the door halfway. A woman''s voice came through the door. "This is a photograph of the Orc Khan and the Orc horde coming to Europe. They''re near the Caspian Sea." Maria had appeared there. "More than five hundred soldiers were killed to take this picture." There was a huge Orc in the picture she handed to Johan Gabriel through the door, ripping the body of a blue-grade Gamecock apart with its bare hands.

 147 Episode 147 - Orc Khan, Part II

    Chapter 52. Orc Khan, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 3. A Gamecock with ferocious eyes under a blazing comb never runs away with its enemies in front of it. The fact does not change even if it is faced with a strong enemy. It was the same now. The blood-stained Gamecock, flesh torn all over, was still facing the enemy, its eyes burning. Furthermore, it never uttered the sound of death or a cry of pain because it was close to death. As its feathers and flesh were torn apart, the Gamecock, soaked in its own blood, gave a cry of tearing up the sky. With the sound, it spewed out the last of its power. The blazing comb of the Gamecock rose up. Anger Soaring, the formidable power of the Gamecock, was activated. A huge explosion burst out around the body of the Gamecock with a clap of thunder. The explosion of power seemed to send everything near the Gamecock to the far end of the horizon. But in front of the explosion, it didn''t fly away. Far from flying, it broke through the overwhelming explosion with a single leap and climbed onto the body of the Gamecock in one fell swoop. Then it began to tear away the flesh of the Gamecock, its sturdy feathers, its tough hide, and its hard flesh, with its big hands. As if to dig out the soil, it dug out the flesh of the Gamecock, and then, as soon as the heart was revealed, the giant Orc with purple eyes put its fist into the heart and pulled out the heart of the Gamecock. Blood spurted out, the explosion died down, and the Gamecock that had been burning its fighting spirit collapsed. It was a disaster. The end of the scene, which was inevitably called for, was a shout of triumph from the monster who had just destroyed the Gamecock. The Orc Khan had arrived in Europe. ------------------- 4. Jang Sung-hoon, Maria, and Kim Tae-hoon sat around a crude table where they could see the chimneys of the Sistine Chapel. There were mugs in front of them with coffee, blooming in the morning. Its aroma was quite good. Even the Italians, who were some of the most finicky coffee drinkers in the world, could admire it. But the coffee in front of Maria had not been touched. Instead of sipping her coffee, she looked nervously at the chimney of Sistine Cathedral and then at Kim Tae-hoon, who was enjoying his coffee. Finally, she looked at Jang. Jang Sung-hoon, who had just wet his lips with a sip, put his mug down and asked, "Do you have anything you want to say?" "Why are you so calm?" Maria spoke, but could not hide her anxiety. She had accumulated a lot of experience and ability on the battlefield so that she did not lack the experience. In other words, the reality she faced now meant that she was serious enough to disturb her. "Now that ridiculous monster is coming to Europe, can we stay like this?" The Orc Khan, the Emperor of all the Orcs was leading the Orc army to Europe. "They''re approaching the Caspian Sea, and detouring around it." If it bypassed the Caspian Sea, then what was next? It would be the Black Sea! "And then, if they cross Ukraine or Turkey, there''s no way to stop them." As soon as they passed the Black Sea, Europe must wage a bloody war with the Orc army: a war without a winner. "We''ll have to deal with it before then." Maria thought there was only one way to stop it after she knew the existence of Orc Khan. Before the Orc Khan and the Orcs crossed the Black Sea, the only solution was to detonate nuclear weapons in Ukraine or Turkey in the Black Sea and crush them. In fact, Maria and Russia tried to do so. However, Kim Tae-hoon did not give an OK sign for the operation. That was the problem. "It''s not time to do this. At once, nuclear weapons..." If they really wanted to stop the Orc army and the Orc Khan in Ukraine or Turkey, they had to step up now. Even now, they could not do such a thing like regular soldiers. That was because as Orc Khan headed for Europe, the monsters in Turkey and Ukraine were going crazy as well. In this situation, Kim Tae-hoon was the only one who could install nuclear weapons. It was natural that Maria''s heart would burn. "Hey, if we use nuclear weapons every time we have a problem, will the humans in this world remain? Nuclear weapons are a self-destructing weapon. We''ll only use them right before the end of mankind." "That''s the only way we can stop it now!" "Who said that? Did the boss say that?" "It''s..." At Jang''s objection, Maria looked at Kim. Instead of answering her eyes, Kim only savored coffee. Finally, Maria looked at Jang again. "So there''s another way to kill the monster?" "I don''t want to tell you about it here because it''s a secret! You and I know each other, and if you could arrange a meeting with a woman for me, I''d really like it¡­" "It''s rising." Kim Tae-hoon''s voice crossed the line between Maria and Jang Sung-hoon. The two, who were facing one another, turned their heads and looked at the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. They could see white smoke streaming up through the chimney. ---------------------- 5."That''s all we can give." Along with the words, the Cardinals began to put the papers in their hands slowly and in order on the table. It was a subscription, a Mac Guild subscription. "After a long discussion, we have come to the conclusion that there is nothing else we can give you. And again, after a long discussion, we unanimously agreed to give this to you." The Cardinals accepted the fact that they no longer had any materials to pay Kim. And now they realized that all they could give was mental things. The result was this just now. "Please accept it." It was what Kim Tae-hoon and Jang Sung-hoon wanted. Apparently, in exchange for the Great Giant, Kim Tae-hoon took possession of everything the Vatican had. He also wrote a contract. But how effective would the contract be? It was not very reliable a contract in the first place, and there was nothing as useless as a contract at this time. Furthermore, their opponent was not just a group, it was the Vatican. It was a group that had shown faith and commitment to one being for more than twenty centuries. Putting them under with only material difficulties had never been done by anyone in human history, and attempts to subdue them in that way had always created greater chaos. Kim Tae-hoon was no different. He would not make the Vatican give in from the bottom of their heart just with force and violence. All he had to do was make the Vatican defeat itself. It was the only way to make the Vatican a comrade, not an enemy, and to admit that mankind was facing a disaster that had never been encountered before, and that the Vatican must follow Kim Tae-hoon to survive the disaster. "I checked my subscription." So, the Mac Guild accepted the Cardinal''s choice. "By this time, the Cardinals have become members of the Mac Guild, and I now ask for active cooperation and service for the Mac Guild." After Jang Sung-hoon received the subscription from the Cardinals, he began to organize it. "In addition, the Mac Guild will do our best to protect its members." Jang Sung-hoon, who had arranged the subscription forms, finished the words and looked at Kim Tae-hoon. Everyone looked at Kim Tae-hoon. Kim Tae-hoon spoke in front of their eyes. "We''ll finish it in the Black Sea, prepare the battleship." Kim Tae-hoon moved to protect the Mac Guild. ------------------------- 6.The Black Sea¡­Until December 30, 2016, it was the tensest sea in the world. While countless countries claimed the Black Sea as theirs, the occupation of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia, which began in 2014, made the Black Sea a chessboard of world powers, not just Eastern Europe. It was funny that the monsters ended the tension. For a while, the screams of humans filled the Black Sea that had become the monsters'' hunting ground, but it was literally only for a while. In Turkey, where humans had disappeared and the Black Sea was to the north, peace, and abundance, which could not be compared with the past, had begun to take its place. It was the Orc Horde that broke the peace, the abundance, and the stillness. They were overwhelming from the beginning. As the hundred thousand Orcs marched on the ground without rest, the ground shook like an earthquake and screamed. The sound alone scared the powerful monsters and made them run away. On the other hand, those who could not escape had to face the most terrible death in the world. The hungry Orc Horde ate anything that was alive. There was no hunting in the process. There was no battle. There was just a process of eating it if there was something alive. No matter how huge the monsters were, only bones were left when the Orc Horde ran. But it was the presence of a Giant Orc moving at the rear of the horde that produced more overwhelming results than the 100,000 Orc Horde produced. It was about four meters tall. It was obviously rather big. Of course, it was not so big compared to the monsters that were called huge. But the muscles that filled its body were definitely different. The muscles seemed to be twisted with steel, and they were so intense that just moving its body lightly made the viewers gasp. The figure with the green skin reminded them of the Hulk from Marvel Comics. The difference from the Hulk was that four sharp fangs were protruding up and down from the muzzle of this monster, and that its eyes were shining purple.That was the only difference. The destructive power that it could show was not lacking compared to what the character Hulk showed in the comics. Kr! There was no difference between the ferocity of the Hulk and the ferocity of this monster. It was impossible to face even at long distance, not just right before it. "It''s not a joke." The soldiers, who were watching the Orc Khan from a distance with a telescope, felt the fact. "We could not imagine that it was this bad." They were Russian soldiers, all fluttering. They were not just soldiers, but those who qualified to fight monsters, with patterns on the back of their right hands. "We''ve got more than the B-rank in our Energy, but we can''t get any closer." Furthermore, they were not merely Awakeners, but also elites. Everyone had a combined strength and stamina of more than 500, and a higher Energy rank than B. They were those who had the qualifications and abilities to not be disturbed in front of powerful monsters. "We wouldn''t have been able to get this close without this Cross." But the presence of the Orc Khan affected them, too, before the could even see the Orc Khan without a telescope. It had them pissing themselves at that distance, and that wasn''t a metaphor. "It''s a good thing I wore diapers as ordered." Those here were actually pissing, even wearing adult diapers to prepare for it. Even that was a relief. "It doesn''t have a monster to attack, so we are just pissing. Let''s thank it for that." Those who were monitoring the Orc Khan and the Orc army ahead of them died while watching the Orc Khan fight with the Gamecock. The reason for their death was simple. As soon as the Orc Khan bellowed towards the Gamecock standing in its way, most of those who were watching the Orc Khan died of a heart attack. Diapers were merely lessons left for the survivors. "This appears a monster that doesn''t make sense. I don''t understand why such a monster has been silent in Mongolia all this time" In addition, there was one more lesson left by those who had died before; this monster did not condone any enemy. "It''s crazy to be able to live by killing a monster like this." Fortunately, there was one person in the world who would be free from the lessons. The man was on the side of the soldiers who were here now. "... he is here." At that moment a soldier raised his head and looked up at the sky. The rest of the soldiers followed. A plane flew rapidly over the sky toward the Orc Horde. The most noticeable thing they could see from its low flight was the Russian flag decorating the plane. But it was not the flag that came into the eyes of the soldiers, but a new Mac on the tail of the plane. The soldiers who confirmed the new Mac immediately crossed themselves or gathered their hands. There were different ways, but the prayers were the same. "May the grace of God be with the Master." With that sign, everyone immediately bit the capsule in their mouth. The bitter liquid that burst out of the capsules began to double the amount of the Energy in their guts after it descended their throats, and their eyes changed. Bang! At the same time, shells fell off the low-flying airplane and began attacking the Orc Horde on the ground. The Orc Khan bellowed out its warcry. The fear of death began to spread rapidly around the Orc Khan, and even reached the soldiers who were still very far away. "Ugh!" "Ahhhh!" The soldiers began to scream with a look like Munch''s scream. Of course, the fear reached the plane passing over the head of the Orc horde. But the plane was not shaken at all by the fear. However, the plane turned its nose toward the Black Sea to the north and continued spitting out shells. The fact changed Orc Khan''s purple eyes. It stopped bellowing, and instead grabbed one of the Orcs nearby and threw it at the flying plane, an unconventional attack. Whizz! What was more unusual was that the body of the thrown Orc passed by the plane more than two hundred meters above. The Orc Khan did not stop there. Thump, thump, thump! It started running after the plane, and when it leaped up, his body was high enough to look closely at the plane. The impossible chase between the Orc Khan and the plane began. "Oh, my God." The soldiers'' eyes, looking at the ridiculous sight, the wingless monster chasing the airplane flying by, were shaking nonstop. Everything was so shocking. Despite the situation, the soldiers did not forget two things: the fact that they were still alive, and the fact that they had a mission to complete as long as they were alive. "Now, let''s move." It was the Land Rover Range Rover, called the Rolls Royce of the desert, that was waiting for the soldiers who turned their heads to complete their mission. "We risk our lives now, and deliver the weapons to the Master." The hunting began.

 148 Episode 148 - Orc Khan, Part III

    Chapter 52. Orc Khan, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 7.Samsun Carsamba Airport in Turkey¡­ The airport at Samsun, overlooking the Black Sea, was desolate. A smashed and broken runway told them that it was an airport, but there was no other element that indicated one. In that situation, a plane appeared over the airport. It seemed that the time for the airport to act like one had come after a long time. But the appearance of the plane was not good. It was a fall, not a landing. It looked like it had been hit several times by huge stones, and the airplane, without a single thing except for its wings, could no longer be called an airplane. An Orc that had flown from the ground pointed to it. The Orc, who appeared with an unheard scream, tangled up with a propeller on the wing of the plane. The result was naturally terrible. The Orc''s body was cut off by the propeller, and the motor that had been driving the propeller was overloaded in the process. The plane, which had lost its wings, barely managed to stay aloft, and it fell heavily towards the ground. It was all over in a flash. The plane crashed on the runway at Carsamba Airport, and the debris scattered all over the place with a crunch of impact. The bombs in the plane burst in succession, and the remains of the debris were blown away. But it was not the end, merely the beginning. On the runway at Carsamba Airport, the tide of Orcs came in, shouting fiercely. The Orcs were not afraid of the fires everywhere, the sharp wreckage of the plane, or the bombs that might explode at any moment. They rushed to the plane and surrounded it at once. One of the Orcs strode toward the cockpit of the plane, looking past the blazing flames. But when it realized that there was nothing in the cockpit, a question formed in the Orc''s mind. Then, another Orc screamed, looking at a place that had nothing to do with the plane. All the Orcs looked over. Huge Horse Soldiers made of soil faced the Orcs. Unlike a horde of Orcs, who were free and unruly, the Horse Soldiers appeared to take the same steps at the same time, keeping the line together. Thump! Thump! Thump! The Horse Soldiers began to walk faster. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! The Horse Soldiers began to race. As they did, the spearmen at the front line of the Soldiers leveled their spears straight ahead. The Orcs did not back down or panic before the appearance of the Horse Soldiers. Rather, they began to run toward the Soldiers that were coming at them. Very quickly, the two groups clashed like clapping hands together. Bang! Bang! A bloody and soiled battleground unfolded over the runway at Carsamba Airport. Kohohoh! In the meantime, a huge Dragon made of golden smoke began to fall down on the runway. The Orc-hunting began. --------------------------- 8.The war between mankind and monsters demanded a completely different mindset from the wars that had come before. A typical figure was numbers. Numbers were the most important factor in war. But numbers in the monster and human war were no longer important. No matter how many numbers there were, the numbers were meaningless in front of an overwhelming presence. The same was true of the monsters. To Kim Tae-hoon, the numbers of the Orc Horde were also meaningless. The fact that the airport was now crowded with more than 100,000 Orc Horde proved it. Thump! The beginning move was a thousand of the Horse Soldiers of the Qin Shi Huang Sword, showing that each had power equal to a hundred warriors against the crowded Orc Horde. It was no strange thing. Originally, the Horse Soldiers were able to cope with an orange-grade Orc. Now, the Horse Soldiers were able to gain the power of the Giant using the Mana of Kim Tae-hoon. It was a nightmare for the Orcs. The great spears and swords wielded by the Soldiers of the Qin Shi Huang tore the Orcs, crushed them, and the giant Horses trampled on them and filled the airport with the screams of Orcs. One soldier, in particular, played the most outstanding role. It was made of clay, but it looked completely different from the Horse Soldiers of the Qin Shi Huang: the Horse Figure Type Earthenware, Master Statue. The Master Statue and the Servant Statue, who became much more massive due to the Mana of the Giant, carried out a massacre across the Orcs. They took an outstanding active part in the combat. But even that great performance was not comparable to the Dragon who was going through the battlefield. A giant Dragon, a hundred meters long, made of golden smoke, was making its way over the Orc Horde, wandering around the airport. The Dragon of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, which supported the great work of art, was spreading its prestige in the distant country of Turkey. Of course, the Dragon was not alone. Various animals of the golden smoke filling the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje were also rampaging throughout the battlefield. Even though Kim Tae-hoon had not yet participated in the battle properly, the 100,000 Orc Horde was not able to achieve the right results. There was only one thing that could change this situation. The Orc Khan with the purple eyes walked toward the battlefield. Its eyes were angry. The same was true of its actions. The Orc Khan stood there, hit things that interfered with it without mercy, or crushed them with its feet. The Orcs with yellow or green eyes screamed under the anger of Orc Khan. With a cry that humans could grasp the meaning of, the Orcs began to move away from the Orc Khan. Its surroundings turned into an empty field. The Master Statue of the Horse Figure Type Earthenware ran in without hesitation. A war horse made of clay breathed hard, and a warrior of clay mounted on the horse stared at the Orc Khan with a sword in his hands. The warrior of clay had no ulterior motive for fighting the Orc Khan on its master''s behalf, and Orc Khan did not condone such a warrior''s challenge. The Orc Khan reached the warrior with just one leap from place to place, without any help. Then, with a single punch, the warrior''s body was shattered. The startled horse spewed out a harsh breath. The breath became its last. Orc Khan lifted the horse with one hand and smashed it down the ground.The Horse Figure Type Earthenware, which had performed wonderfully against the Orcs, became garbage in an instant.Of course, there was still a chance. Jingle! The Servant Statue of Horse Figure Type Earthenware rang the bell for his master, so his owner could again compete against the Orc Khan. However, the attempt was shattered by something suddenly flung out. The Master Statue that the Orc Khan threw out shattered the body of the Servant Statue. It was overwhelming. The Orc Khan, who showed such a commanding presence, began to swell its chest greatly. The Orcs looking on trembled and covered their ears with both hands, even though they were fighting. Soon after, Orc Khan vomited what had been filling its chest into the world. Keuaaaaaa! A great fear, far beyond dragon fear, devoured the Carsamba airport in one gulp. It was thunder, a devastating attack. The attack caused the eardrums of Orcs to burst, and some of them fell to the ground, vomiting blood as they were. The solid bodies of the Horse Soldiers of the Qin Shi Huang cracked like the land in severe drought. The worst was the golden smokes of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje. They disappeared without even screaming. The fierce battle had become a futile struggle. It was a wretched sight that went beyond appalling. Only two in the scene could keep their previous intentions in a high tide. One was Orc Khan, calmed this battlefield with only one roar, and the other was Kim Tae-hoon, who had created this battlefield. "Hoo!" Kim Tae-hoon, who had appeared with his back to the Black Sea at the end of the runway, informed the Orc Khan of his appearance with a long sigh. Kim Tae-hoon was already preparing for the fighting. Draconian Mode was activated, with the Dragon Light Sword in his right hand, and a new Aegis shield in his left hand. His appearance seemed ready but weak. It seemed that he had spent all his strength holding back the fear of Orc Khan.That was the difference in power between Kim Tae-hoon and Orc Khan. He was seemingly out of power against it. The Orc Khan could not help but notice. It immediately noticed that Kim Tae-hoon, despite withstanding its fear, could not threaten it. Of course, the Orc Khan had no such hesitation. The Orc Khan ran toward Kim Tae-hoon. The distance between them was about a kilometer, but it was only a short distance of a hundred meters for the Orc Khan.Eight seconds were all the time Kim Tae-hoon had against the Orc Khan running at him. It was enough time to breathe once and end. It was enough time to blink a few times. "It is entrapped." It was enough. It was the time it took to invoke the trap Kim Tae-hoon had already set. "Gleipnir!" With his cry, golden chains began to rise under the ground. ----------------------------- 9."The Orc Khan is never tired, so it never stops, and it has enough vitality and resilience to survive a nuclear explosion." It was the information that Kim Tae-hoon, who had finished the hunt, handed to Jang Sung-hoon, who would kill himself in front of him. "You will never kill it just by cutting it." The Orc Khan was a paragon of the impossible. "Even I can fight it for a few minutes at best." The Orc Khan, with the strength close to infinite, could fight without rest, and its vitality and resilience overwhelmed even a dragon. It seemed to be a god of war. In a fight to see blood, it was the incarnation of battle that could win against any monster. In other words, the way to beat it was to avoid close-quarters. In some ways, it was a contradiction. But in that contradiction, they found the right answer. "That''s why the Six Snakes prepared Gleipnir." The Six Snakes found a way to kill the Orc Khan, despite it seeming impossible to anyone. "We will grab Orc Khan with Gleipnir and use a warship to drown it in the Black Sea." They were going to bury it at sea. At this moment, Kim Tae-hoon used the method on behalf of the Six Snakes. As the Orc Khan charged at Kim Tae-hoon, gold chains began to rise from under the ground, wrapping around the Orc Khan in a flash. The Orc Khan groaned and exerted strength all over its body, but the chains began to melt into its skin, rather than breaking. It was enough time for the snare of Gleipnir, which had held even a god, to hold the Orc Khan. As soon as Gleipnir caught the Orc Khan, its real power was revealed. The gold chains that had been concealed under the sea like a submarine optical cable began to reveal themselves. At the end of the exposed gold chains was a great warship. It was aMoscow-class battleship, second largest after the aircraft carrier among Russian warships. The battleship, of course, began its voyage toward the center of the Black Sea when the bait was caught. Fighting hard, the Orc Khan worked to defy the power of the chain dragging it towards the Black Sea. The tug-of-war between the warship and the Orc Khan began. It was ridiculous, actually.The Moscow-class warship had more than 100,000 horsepower. But a four-meter-high monster, no matter how much muscle it had, was impossibly tugging at the giant battleship. Common sense was unacceptable. The Orc Khan had never recognized common sense. It screamed as it realized the uncommon sense as reality again. It began to endure the power of the battleship dragging it towards the sea with its screams. It was something they could not believe. Of course, the power competition could not last long. As time went by, the battleship began to speed up, and if the battleship was at full power, not even the Orc Khan could sustain its efforts. Furthermore, the land on which Orc Khan was standing was giving way as it fought this ridiculous competition of power. The body of the Orc Khan held out, but the ground began to crumble under it. The Orc Khan''s body gradually moved toward the Black Sea, and it did not seem that Orc Khan had much time left standing. But that was enough time. Orc Khan had no intention of just fighting with brute force ignorantly. It began to rip off the golden line, the Gleipnir, which held it. It tore the Gleipnir away, and its flesh came with it, but it did not care. It would rip out all its hide if it needed. It knew by intuition that if it was dragged into the sea like this, it would die in the deep sea no matter how much power it had. It feared death that it had never feared before. The struggle seemed to work. Chwaak! Although Orc Khan''s body was gradually dragged into the Black Sea, the method of tearing out the Gleipnir merged in its skin along with the skin began to work. It was really going to rip the skin off its body and remove Gleipnir with it. If a sword had not been drilled deeply into its back, its attempt would have worked. Surprised, the Orc Khan turned its head and looked behind it. In its eyes, Kim Tae-hoon, who had set himself as bait, had come in. Toot! And it saw a Land Rover Range Rover racing toward Kim Tae-hoon. ----------------------------- 10.Moscow¡­ The Red Square had been beautiful, but now it had become a place of ruins, and heavy equipment to restore the ruins. Major General Vladimir''s complexion was whiter and colder than the accumulated snow as he looked at the scene. ''It was human beings who had finally destroyed the castle that had endured the monsters'' invasion.'' What was firm in the face of the monster''s emergence, its elusive disaster, was crushed by human hands. Major General Vladimir knew better than anyone what it meant. ''Even if we win the war against the monsters, that''s all. After that, there will be a war between the Awakeners.'' The war would not be over unless humans survived. Vladimir sighed a long breath. Through that sigh, a man approached. "Major General, the collapse is worse than we thought." At the report of his man, Vladimir''s eyebrows wriggled. "How much?" "They didn''t just blow up a single bomb. They set up a large amount of explosives inside the building, and they set them up in locations that could accelerate the collapse." "¡­ did they do it without being noticed?" "It''s not something they could do in a short time. I''m sure they worked at it for a minimum of more than a fortnight. Vladimir felt dizzy at the word. ''Mao Spencer never intended to negotiate with our country. He just needed time to build a bomb.'' But Vladimir remained unmoved by the dizziness. "So how long will it take to excavate the underground bunker?" "As you know, the underground bunker is located at the bottom. It''s not just digging in, but we have to work carefully that the surroundings don''t collapse. Therefore, at least twenty days are required." "Twenty days¡­" Major General Vladimir turned his head south while talking. In his mind, the face of Kim Tae-hoon came in. ''He must have started now. Is, after all, the fate of man in his hands?'' By now, his battle with the Orc Khan was both a subject of fear and a subject of faith for Vladimir. It was also the last hope of mankind. The only presence that could face the overwhelming disaster and could rush toward it was now him. That was why Russia was now using all its might to clear the ruins of the Kremlin palace that had collapsed. ''First of all, as he said, it''s best to secure Bogatyr''s Great Sword. Under the debris, there is a weapon to destroy the deadly monster that dominates Siberia, and Kim Tae-hoon will be happy to use that weapon to restore Russia''s vast lands. There''s still time to spare.'' The good thing was that they still had plenty of time. The bitter cold of Siberia was still raging, and now that it was, catching zombies was the last chance to prepare for a nightmare, unless something special happened. "Ma, Major General! We''re in trouble." "What''s the matter?" "An earthquake was detected in the eastern part of the country." There was no reason for trouble until the winter was over, unless strange things beyond common sense happened. "¡­ it looks like a nuclear bomb went off."

 149 Episode 149 - Advent, Part I

    Chapter 53. Advent, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.The Black Sea was always quiet. Unlike other seas, the Black Sea, which had a lot of hydrogen sulfide in it, did not have many living things. A huge battleship floated on the eerie stillness. It did not show any such thing as dignity or great honor. The battleship looked like a Hordee floating on the water. Even though it was big enough to carry thousands of people,, they could not find any trace of human beings anywhere. It was no wonder it was dead. Kim Tae-hoon was drinking coffee on the deck of the ship, a place where a bizarre silence could be felt. "Hoo." However, Kim Tae-hoon''s expression of breathing out seemed more relaxed than ever. ''Now I feel a little relaxed.'' Kim Tae-hoon, who had coffee again with his spare time, turned his attention to the deck. He could see another sea, not so black. "Hoo." Kim Tae-hoon, who made a long sigh again, reviewed the battle he had just had. ''A ridiculous monster.'' The Orc Khan was strong. ''If I had just confronted it in a normal way, it would have been terrible.'' It was too strong. As a matter of fact, the Orc Khan was not something Kim Tae-hoon could beat with his own strength. It had a tug-of-war against a battleship for a short time! If he had engaged in a physical fight, he would not have been able to withstand its fist, even if he was in Draconian Mode. If it were not for the way the Six Snakes had prepared, or if they had not saved Gleipnir, Kim Tae-hoon would have only run away quickly from the Orc Khan. That was why the Vatican had become ashes in the scene before Jang Sung-hoon''s death. To find out how, Kim Tae-hoon took time for the Orc Khan and the Orc Horde to trample Europe. So, this fruit was sweeter than ever. "Hmm." Kim Tae-hoon closed his eyes, savoring the strong aroma of his coffee. ''As the Vatican was guarded, the appearance of Fafnir was prevented.'' In addition, the success of the hunt for the Orc Khan was significant in many ways. The most important thing was that he kept the Vatican. Kim Tae-hoon had never forgotten what he had said to himself in his dream. Kim Tae-hoon had told himself before his self-suicide, "The moment the Vatican collapsed, the Evil Dragon Fafnir from myth appeared." If the Evil Dragon Fafnir, who could not be killed without the sword of Siegfried, Balmung, had appeared, Europe would have become a land empty of humans. ''The Bogatyr''s Great Sword can be recovered in a month.'' Here, the work to secure the Bogatyr''s Great Sword, sleeping in the underground bunker of Kremlin Castle, was proceeding smoothly. It did not seem difficult to secure Bogatyr''s Great Sword before the bitter cold of Siberia ended. ''With the Bogatyr''s Great Sword and the jewel of Orc Khan, there is no reason to fear Chernobog.'' Finally, Kim had gained the strong power of the Orc Khan''s heart, the jewel of the Orc Khan. He did not know what the power of Orc Khan''s jewel was. However, it was clear that it would give power that could not be compared with any power he had. Furthermore, what if Bogatyr''s Great Sword were added here? It seemed that all preparations for hunting the Immortal Wolf Chernobog were over. The game would soon be actually over. ''And if I kill Chernobog, then¡­'' After he killed Chernobog, Kim Tae-hoon would no longer need to be afraid of death. After that, there would be only one thing left: the Six Snakes. ''Mao Spencer, now it''s your turn to be beaten.'' Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes, which were planning the next hunting in the leisure time, began to sink cold and black, like the Black Sea. ''I will get the blood-price somehow.'' As he watched, a bird flying over the Black Sea came into him. ----------------------------- 2.The Sistine Chapel¡­ It was the noblest stage of the Vatican, the Pope''s stage for Mass. But now the Sistine Chapel was occupied by soldiers in military uniform. Of course, there were no such things as charity or sacredness anywhere in Sistine Chapel. Only the harshness, the murderous spirit, and desperation were seen there. At the center of the grueling atmosphere was a map, a map of Russia. Around the map, several people were making serious faces. Jang Sung-hoon was also present. "So, here, in Yakutsk, a city in northeast Russia, a nuclear explosion occurred?" It was Maria who answered the question of Jang Sung-hoon. "Yes." "Is there anything special here?" "No, nothing special." "Is there really not anything special?" "There was no report or any major military facility in Yakutsk City that I knew of." John Gabriel was also in a position to talk here. John Gabriel, the chief of the Vatican City; Maria, the representative of the Russian military; and Jang Sung-hoon, the second leader of the Mac Guild, were there. The theme of their conversation, like a summit meeting, was the nuclear explosion in Yakutsk, a small city in the northeastern part of Russia. "Then why did a nuclear bomb go off in Yakutsk, northeast of the vast Siberian fields?" "The Six Snakes would know that." The nuclear explosion, the terrible violence that man created, had hit Siberia. That was why the atmosphere of the Sistine Chapel was so bad. Moreover, a nuclear explosion was the worst violence created by mankind, and the violence that only mankind could create. ''We need to figure out what Mao is trying to do.'' The nuclear explosion that hit Yakutsk City was not a coincidence, but a result of a human being with intentions. Jang did not miss that fact. ''Why did he detonate a nuclear bomb here? For what? A nuclear bomb can never be detonated remotely now. This means that they had set the timer... but it''s unlikely that they set the timer recently. It is more likely that the nuclear bomb timer was set up in Mongolia to stimulate the Orc Khan.'' The reason for the nuclear explosion in Mongolia was simple. It was to provoke the Orc Khan so that it would lead the Orc Horde to Europe. With an offering of the Orc Khan, the Six Snakes would become the savior of Europe and rule everything in Europe. But Jang could not easily guess the intention of the explosion in a small city in northeastern Russia. ''Is it to provoke the Immortal Wolf?'' It was the Immortal Wolf Chernobog that came to his mind right now. It was likely that Mao had used a nuclear bomb to move the Immortal Wolf, just as he had brought the Orc Khan to Europe using a nuclear bomb. ''However, even Russia does not know where the Immortal Wolf is now. In a situation where only a timer setting can trigger a bomb... The chance of this explosion making the Immortal Wolf move at will is not high.'' But it was hard to say that the possibility was high. First of all, the activity radius of the Immortal Wolf was not certain, and its range of activity included all of Siberia, one of the world''s largest areas. On such a stage, could they move the Immortal Wolf with a nuclear explosion? ''If the Immortal Wolf is headed for Europe, even if it stimulates the Immortal Wolf¡­ the Six Snakes would be between a rock and a hard place.'' If the Immortal Wolf moved to Europe, there would be nothing worse for the Six Snakes. ''The Six Snakes wouldn''t take a gamble like that, and they never operate that way. They don''t bet on nuclear weapons instead of chips, even if they do. Betting on a nuclear weapon means there''s something else to be sure of.'' From the standpoint of the Six Snakes, they would now lose their Europe, which would be their base, without being able to use it properly. It would be the same as killing themselves. ''It is not the Immortal Wolf that they want to move.'' Jang Sung-hoon knew better than anyone that the Six Snakes were not those who would kill themselves. Here, Jang measured the person who had planned this. He thought of Mao Spencer, who was capable of anything for his own purposes. At that moment he figured out what the man really wanted to do. ''What Mao Spencer wants... He''s going to destroy the Korean Peninsula. The reason he detonated a nuclear bomb is that he''s going to destroy the Korean Peninsula. With what? With monsters. But the Immortal Wolf should be excluded. Then, what''s left?'' Not long before, Jang came up with an answer. "Ms. Maria, has Russia ever seen a monster above the blue-grade?" Maria answered without hesitation, "There have been a few blue-grade hunts, but they''ve never hunted a blue-grade monster before, and I''m honestly sure that Kim is the only one who can hunt a blue-grade monster." "So how many dark blue and blue-grade monsters has Russia discovered in its territory?" "Er¡­ I don''t know the exact figures. Because of Chernobog and the zombies, it was difficult to search¡ª" "Just tell me the number you''ve figured out." "Twenty-one blues, and nine dark blues." "What happened to those monsters?" "Well... those who could escape from Chernobog would have run away, and those who could not escape would be frozen in Siberia as zombies." "How much heat is generated at the moment of a nuclear explosion?" "Yes?"When Maria asked a question instead of an answer, Jang no longer continued the conversation. Instead of talking, he put his hand on the map of Russia and near nations. It was Mongolia that he picked up. "It was because of the Orc Khan here that most of the monsters in Russian territory did not come down to the south." So, he moved his hands near the Caspian Sea. "And now the Orc Khan has moved toward Europe." He went back to Russia. "The zombies would have woken up from the heat of the nuclear explosion, and they would naturally follow the living. And now, where the survivors of East Asia are gathered..." The last journey ended on the Korean Peninsula. "Ah¡­""Um¡­" When they reached that point, everyone was silenced. Jang Sung-hoon also fell into a depression. ''What Mao wanted to move was not the Immortal Wolf, but the monsters that were zombified by the Immortal Wolf.'' In the silence, Jang Sung-hoon''s worst scenario was drawn. ''And if Chernobog moves along with the Zombies...'' With a harsh sound, the door of Sistine Chapel opened as if it were breaking, and a man appeared. The door itself was a treasure, and in the Sistine Chapel, no one ever manhandled it. Of course, the soldiers waiting there would normally go out and deal with this rude visitor. But no one moved in that situation. All that anyone could do in front of the appearance of Kim Tae-hoon was harden themselves, that was all. "Boss!" Only one person, Jang Sung-hoon, approached Kim Tae-hoon without hardening. As soon as he approached, Jang said, "Mao left a trap." That explanation was enough. The conclusion that Kim Tae-hoon had come to was also the same as the one that Jang Sung-hoon made. The Six Snakes were not satisfied with only possessing Europe. It was their plan to take Europe and destroy the Korean Peninsula. In this situation, the answer they chose was decided. "The heat of the nuclear explosion will bring the Zombies to the Korean Peninsula. The worst thing is¡­ the worst is the Immortal Wolf moving, but it will be hard to stop the Zombie Horde with the power of the Korean Peninsula." ''The power of the Korean Peninsula is great. But it is not enough to stop the blue and dark blue-grade monster horde that has become Zombies. Further, it is not all about stopping them. What is more important is to reduce the damage as much as possible.'' "We need to issue an evacuation order, and we need to move to Jeju Island, and if necessary, to Japan. Boss, wait here until Bogatyr''s Great Sword is secured." There was nothing Kim Tae-hoon could do about this problem. ''If Kim Tae-hoon comes out, he will be able to stop the Zombie Horde. But the worst situation that Jang Sung-hoon said before, is if the Immortal Wolf appears. Now, Kim Tae-hoon cannot kill the Immortal Wolf. There is no way, no tool.''If Bogatyr''s Great Sword is secured, the winner will eventually be Kim Tae-hoon, no matter what the damage is. ''All they had to do is take the damage. If they made time for the evacuation of the citizens, and they used the sacrifices of soldiers and hunters to prevent the Zombie Horde from entering the Korean Peninsula, then everything will be sorted out. ''Furthermore, if Kim Tae-hoon kills the Immortal Wolf, the risk factor disappears.'' Therefore, Jang Sung-hoon did not doubt that Kim Tae-hoon would make the same choice as himself. "Boss?" However, when Jang saw Kim''s eyes, Jang was able to guess Kim''s intentions. "No! No! Never!" Jang Sung-hoon protested. "It is a monster who won''t die! You can only kill it with Bogatyr''s Great Sword! You can''t win the fight! In the end, you''ll be exhausted and go down!" At the objection, Kim Tae-hoon showed the purple crystal in his hand instead of answering. ---------------------[Orc Khan''s Crystal]- Strength increases significantly when ingested.- Health increases significantly when ingested.- Energy rank can reach the transcendent rank when ingested.- Defense rank can reach the transcendent rank when ingested.- Anti-Mana rank can reach the transcendent rank when ingested.- You can acquire the power of Orc Khan [ Inexhaustible Infinity] when ingested.--------------------- "I don''t know anything else, but I won''t be exhausted." With those words, Kim Tae-hoon put the purple crystal in his mouth. Gulp! Inside the tranquil Sistine Chapel, the sound echoed quietly. Then Kim Tae-hoon looked up. Beyond the frozen crowd in front of his throat, Michelangelo''s masterpiece, the Last Judgment, came into view. He saw a picture that made viewers fear the Day of Judgment, and the dignity of God. ''I will survive, but not alone.'' In front of the picture, Kim Tae-hoon did not feel fear. It was Kim Tae-hoon who led the Day of Judgment this time.

 150 Episode 150 - Advent, Part II

    Chapter 53. Advent, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 3.Constant gunshots fell through the city. Explosions appeared repeatedly between the gunshots, Lee Hyung-woo bit the candy in his mouth. The cheap coffee smell filled his mouth. "Damn Zombies!" Lee Hyung-woo, sucking on his cheap coffee-flavored candy, looked up with a bitter sound and looked at the front. The Zombie monster horde came into his eyes. Euuhuh! The Zombie Monster horde was advancing, ignoring everything around them, even the enormous amount of shells and bullet baptism pouring toward them. It was like magma flowing from a volcanic eruption. "Now we''re looking at all sorts of unexpected things, and what happened in Sejong City was nothing." At the scene, grumbles came out of the mouth of Sergeant Lee. Of course, no one heard his low complaints between the endless gunfire. Even if they heard it, no one paid attention to the complaints. The same was true for Sergeant Lee. He did not care about the complaints, even though he spoke them. ''Damn it.'' The situation was too urgent to care about such complaints. ''We shouldn''t give up Tonghua City.'' Tonghua City itself was nothing special. It was not a place where great resources were buried, there was no important infrastructure, nor was it a historical point. ''The next after Tonghua is the Yalu River. ''The problem is that Tonghua City is the last city on the Yalu River, which is the baseline of the Korean Peninsula. In other words, if the front line retreats from Tonghua City, then the next place to fight is near the Yalu River.'' ''It''s a deadline.'' ''If the Zombie monster horde crosses the Yalu River, it means that the Korean peninsula has been invaded both realistically and symbolically.'' ''We have to buy as much time as we can, even if we give it to them¡­ In many ways, it''s a damn war. The goal is to buy time before defeat.'' The worst part was that the purpose of this battle was not to annihilate the enemy, but to draw time. It was virtually impossible to win against Zombie monsters, who did not die. Such was the judgment of headquarters. Even if Korea had the world''s highest power and was experienced in the battling monsters, it was against monsters. Now, the opponents were Zombies, not monsters. So headquarters declared the purpose of this battle was to earn time for citizens to evacuate. ''This war, I am already tired.'' To be honest, Sergeant Lee Hyung-woo did not have the will to fight this battle. It was strange to have a will to fight a war that would be lost regardless. If the veteran Lee Hyung-woo, who had fought and fought with the monsters, was that demoralized, there was nothing to say about the soldiers who had little experience. "Sergeant!" A soldier wearing a helmet appeared by Lee Hyung-woo as he was caught in his anguish. "What''s the matter?" "The order to retreat." "Retreat?" At the end of the cross-question, five fire trucks appeared on the battlefield. At the same time, someone shouted. "Stop firing!" An intense cry that could not be said to be human swallowed the city at once. Meanwhile, the soldiers from the fire truck moved quickly. "Pour the water!""Pour the water!" A stream of water began to pour from the fire hose pointed at the Zombie monsters. At the same time, a thick smell was blowing all over the place. It was gasoline they could smell when they visited the gas station. The gasoline soaked the Zombie monsters that had started to move more actively in the gap between the bombardment and the shelling. In the meantime, the soldiers who built the front line began to withdraw from the battlefield. The same was true of Sergeant Lee Hyung-woo. "Come on! Move faster!" He began to move away from the battlefield, urging his men. It wasn''t long before the smell of gasoline no longer pierced his nose. The city of Tonghua was engulfed in flames with huge explosions. Lee Hyung-woo, who turned his head and looked at the scene, held his teeth tightly. ''Oh, my God.'' In front of this insane war, Lee Hyung-woo felt like reality was a long ways off. However, in front of the fuss, Lee did not seek God. At this moment, all the people here wanted was not God, but a man''s advent. ---------------------- 4."The troops are withdrawing from Tonghua and Byron." With the report of the subordinate, the small horses on the map came down near the Yalu River. However, Colonel Lim Hyun-joon did not look at the horses. Instead, his gaze was on a horse sitting near Vladivostok. The horse was different. It was a piece that looked like a chess horse, but unlike the usual horse, was engraved with the word, ''soldier.''" In addition, the piece was a piece of the divine animal Mac. "What''s the situation of Mac Unit?" The sculpture represented the most elite military force of the Republic of Korea. "The last news came that they were engaged in a battle with a Zombie-grade green monster, a Zombie ogre." Of course, the missions given to them were also the most difficult tasks. It was to remove the monsters above the green grade, which general soldiers and hunters could not kill. Without any support, they had to do everything on their own. "What about the damage?" "So far... five dead, twelve wounded." The damage was as bad as it was difficult. However, in front of the terrible result, Colonel Lim Hyun-joon did not express any emotion. Instead, he looked at the map and asked again, "What about civilian evacuation?" "We''re on the right track, but there are too many people." "Search party, report." "The number of Zombie monsters on the Korean Peninsula is increasing, the activities of the search party are impossible." It was a nightmare report. In front of the report, Colonel Lim did not reveal his feelings at all, nor did he change his expression. The situation was straightened out in his mind without any signs. ''Even if they''re Zombies, monsters below the orange grade can be brought down by ordinary soldiers, as well as by the armored hunting units.'' The situation was not good. The war itself was too sudden. It was not just a monster, but a Zombie monster was outside the scope of the plans of Colonel Lim. ''The problem is that when Zombie monsters above the green grade or higher appear, no more engagement is possible, and the frontline is forced to retreat.'' The bigger problem was that even if they built a barrier line to block Zombie monsters, the line would actually collapse when a monster above the green grade appeared. This was a battle where they could not help but retreat. In short, there was no hope or possibility of victory in this battle. The whole point was to earn some time for a few more people to escape. Since they were the military and hunters of the Republic of Korea, they were able to carry out this battle without any strain. If it were other countries, they would not be able to stand against the Zombie Army this far, the citizens would have already panicked, and there would have been a riot of disorder, not any evacuation. ''We can''t endure bad news anymore.'' In other words, South Korea was now at its breaking point. If more bad news were added, it would not be strange if everything suddenly collapsed. "It''s a report, report!" A subordinate appeared in a hurry. A jade bird was in his hands. ''That jade bird?''''No way!'' At that moment a chilly thunderbolt passed through the spines of everyone there. In a few moments, the Okjo opened its mouth in the quiet space.-This is Artyom, the small town above Vladivostok.- According to everyone''s intuition, the Okjo let out a terrible nightmare.-We found a dark blue-grade Zombie monster. The identity of the monster¡­ is determined to be a Hatch with horns, on the body of a sheep.- It was the voice of Bang Hyun Wook. ----------------------- 5.''Remember, Hyun-wook. After all, it''s a physical strength fight. In the world of professionals, neither a pitcher with a speed of 150 km/h nor the slugger can survive if he has no physical health. So don''t skip physical training. That''s the only way you can make it to the pros.''It was a memory from his senior year in high school. It was from at most two years ago. "Captain, are you sleeping?" Bang slowly opened his eyes, brooding over the dimmest memory. "No, I was thinking about the old days." "Once upon a time?" "When I was in high school." "So, you said you were a baseball player?" When asked again, Bang only smiled bitterly instead of answering. His smiling face showed signs of weariness. It wasn''t just him, but all of them. Everyone in front of Bang''s eyes looked tired. It was unbelievable. Mac troops were a group of hunters with outstanding skills. With Bang Hyun-wook, the troops were the elites of the Mac Unit. Their average Health level was over 300 points. They had acquired many abilities from monsters. They would be beaten to death by monsters, but they would not be exhausted. However, the fact that they felt physical limitations meant that the daily rigor of their battles was beyond imagination. Under such circumstances, they were facing a desperate battle that was incomparably harsh and hopeless. "Now let''s get ready." A monster came up between the Zombie monster horde before the eyes of Bang Hyun-wook, who looked up at the words. It was a monster of a peculiar appearance. It was about five meters long, its body looked like a sheep, but was covered with steel-like silver scales instead of a fluffy fleece, and a pointed horn rose up on its head. On either side of the horn were two dark blue eyes that had lost focus. It was a Hatch. The dark blue grade monster became a Zombie, and it stood out in the Zombie horde. With such a powerful presence, it gave the Mac troops a sense of despair. ''Of all times, a dark blue-grade monster Zombie...'' ''A monster that has become a Zombie does not die even if they pull out its heart and smash its head. There was only one way, to cut apart the body and set it on fire.'' There was only one man in the world who could kill the dark blue monster in that way. "We''ll have to hold on until he gets here." Because of that one man, they did not run away in front of a monster that could not be fought by Bang Hyun-wook and the Mac Unit. The role of the Mac Unit was to replace Kim Tae-hoon, who would finish the nightmare. ''When he is not with us, I am, on behalf of him.'' At the same time, it was also a request by Kim Tae-hoon to Bang Hyun-wook.Before leaving for Russia, Kim Tae-hoon told Bang Hyun-wook, who wanted to go with him, to stay in Korea. He asked him to protect Korea from threats on behalf of himself, not an order. "Then I''ll give you an operational briefing again." Therefore, Bang Hyun-wook did not intend to turn his head in front of this despair. "Our goal is not hunting, but buying time." However, he did not intend to burn his life to the ground. The ultimate thing that Bang Hyun-wook had learned from Kim Tae-hoon was survival, not struggle. The same was true of this time. "First of all, I would like you to step up and clear your area while I catch its eye." As said before, the Mac Unit had no means and methods to kill the Hatch that had become a Zombie now. Then there was no reason to be mindful of killing. It was just to lure, and if they could buy time, it would be enough. That was all. "Then I''ll lure it back north. Well, let''s cheer up for the last time." Bang Hyun-wook, who spat out his words, stood up, his whole body feeling heavier than ever. But Bang did not collapse. "Hoo!" With a long sigh, he raised his head, and now saw the monster he had to face nearby. Seeing the monster, he took a deep breath. He exhaled with all his strength, his breath ready to burst out his chest. "Come on!" At that moment, a thunderbolt fell on Bang''s head. Kim Tae-hoon descended from the sky. ---------------------- 6.There is a word used to describe where a nuclear explosion occurs: ground zero. Where everything is gone, and now nothing can live. In a sense, it is the cleanest place in the world. A grotesque wolf appeared there. No, it was more than a wolf, as if flesh that had been ripped from a body had been gathered in wolf form. Only the purple eyes told them that it was not just a monster. An Immortal Wolf, the monster that turned the vast land of Siberia into a world of Zombies, stood motionless for a while on Ground Zero. How long had it been like that? It turned its head to the east, toward the Korean Peninsula.

 151 Episode 151 - Advent, Part III

    Chapter 53. Advent, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 7.God descends from heaven into the human world is the original meaning of Advent. Therefore, it is a misrepresentation of the dictionary to use the expression when descending against humans. Ah! However, for the members of the Mac Unit, there was nothing else to express the appearance of Kim Tae-hoon but Advent. It was the reason why everyone was fascinated by Kim Tae-hoon''s appearance. As if to repay their expectations and expressions, Kim Tae-hoon, who had dropped down from the sky, immediately started to move toward the battlefield. Kim walked through the city toward the Zombie monster horde that was pushed between the buildings. As he walked, Kim grabbed the handle of the sheathed sword in his left hand with his right hand. Then he drew the sword at once, without hesitation, toward the Zombie monster horde. Thunk! A flash of light cut the city in half. 8.[Achieved Ability]- The Inexhaustible Infinity (Grade 1): Orc Khan''s power does not consume Health, Energy, Mana, or Telekinesis. The Inexhaustible Infinity gained by killing the Orc Khan was an ability that did not tire. No matter how hard he worked, he did not feel the limit of his physical Health, and even if he used special abilities such as Energy, Telekinesis, Mana, his abilities never touched bottom. It was like he could drive a car without gas. Therefore, it was a terrible encounter for the monsters when Kim Tae-hoon was holding Kusanagi, which demanded the most consumption. Thunk! Kim Tae-hoon, who no longer had to worry about the consumption of Energy, repeatedly wielded Kusanagi. The sharp flashes from the sword of the Kusanagi cut apart the bodies of the Zombie horde and the buildings of Artyom. Euuhuh¡­ Zombie monsters with upper body and lower body or legs or neck were cut off and fell to the ground, breaking in half with grotesque cries. Of course, the Zombie monsters did not die by that alone. Those who lost their ankles or feet still ran with their legs cut off, while those who were separated from their lower bodies used their arms to crawl and move, and those who fell on the ground repeatedly made noisy threats. The bodies of the Zombie monsters that were cut off were buried by the buildings of the city. The sight of dozens and hundreds of buildings being cut off and collapsed was more bizarre than eerie. It looked like a disaster, as if the city was hit by a tsunami, like a city collapsing in front of an earthquake, like a tornado tore its buildings apart and was soaring high into the sky. It was not a human-made result. So to speak, it was the punishment of God. ''Am I dreaming now?'' In front of the scene, the members of the Mac Unit, who were now superhuman, were stunned. Bang Hyun-wook looked at the battlefield with blank eyes. Of course, the battle was just the beginning. If it had been a battle that ended with just cutting the bodies and covering the bodies with the wreckage of the buildings, Kim Tae-hoon would not have come here. As soon as Kim Tae-hoon put the Kusanagi back into the sheath, something ran out of the wreckage of a collapsed building. Whoosh! It was a dark blue-grade monster, the zombified Hatch, flying toward Kim Tae-hoon. The Hatch charged horn down, its speed hard to believe. The physical force of the Hatch, with a sheep''s body five meters in length, larger than a lion, moved so quickly it was unimaginable. In front of the sudden, powerful, and aggressive attack of the Hatch, Kim Tae-hoon pulled his body sideways using his Telekinesis. The Hatch, horn down, shot past Kim Tae-hoon like a missile. The wake flapped Kim Tae-hoon''s clothes. The body of the Hatch punched through the buildings behind Kim Tae-hoon as if it were an artillery round. Huck! The men of the Mac Unit around came to their senses after the Hatch moved a kilometer away. However, waking up did not change anything. There was nothing they could do in this ridiculous battle. "Big brother!" Only Bang Hyun-wook tried to move at this moment. ''That ability is dangerous.'' The Hatch''s ability was to propel its body like a cannon shell. It was a power beyond common sense. The Hatch had just moved a kilometer away in four seconds or so. Two hundred fifty meters per second was nearing the speed of sound. A few tons of an object moving at a speed close to the sound speed¡­ its destructive power was clearly shown by the city buildings behind Kim Tae-hoon. ''It''s really dangerous.'' Bang Hyun-wook''s spine, who had been preparing to buy time against the monster with such a ridiculous ability, cooled quickly. ''It''s not easy for big brother, either.'' At the same time, Bang Hyun-wook realized that the ability of the Hatch was also threatening Kim Tae-hoon. ''That attack of the Hatch is hard to defend against, and it is impossible to stand up to. Instead, there are plenty of gaps. After one attack, it can not control itself.'' It was still true now. The Hatch, which crashed through buildings like paper, could not stop until its body was stuck in the ground. ''If someone baits and lures it into a trap, we can kill it.'' "I''ll help you!" In this situation, it was Bang Hyun-wook''s role to always be the bait, and he did not want to give that role to someone else. However, Kim Tae-hoon did not answer the cry of Bang Hyun-wook. Instead, Kim Tae-hoon untied the golden bracelet on his left wrist and threw it on the ground. "Baaaaaaa¡­" In the meantime, the Hatch, which had regained its position, took a position facing Kim Tae-hoon again, after pointing its horn.It looked like a rocket on the launch pad. Kim Tae-hoon shouted at it, "Gleipnir!" At that moment, the golden chains leaped out of the ground under the Hatch''s feet and wrapped around its body. "Baaaaa¡­?" Everyone in sight, even the Zombie Hatch tied in a golden chain now, had a stunned look.Only one, Kim Tae-hoon, accepted all of this and pulled out the Sword of the Imperator on his back to face the Hatch caught in Gleipnir. --------------------- 9.There is a saying that war is a battle of information. It is also because of the great influence of valuable information and information treated as confidential can decide victory and defeat on the battlefield. But that was not the only reason. Even if it was not such a secret, the ability to deal with general information is also very important in war. Simple information is not simple information on the battlefield. When the battle begins right away, there is countless amounts of information on the battlefield. In addition, there was a lack of communication facilities, and all that was possible was wired communication. Even if the conditions are not good enough, all kinds of information come in freely. In some cases, information which is transmitted through human resources, information may arrive three hours before the information dispatched five hours earlier.It is the commander''s ability and role to find the answers in the information gathered. Colonel Lim Hyun-joon was faithful to the role and was competent at the same time. He made the best decision, and his decision brought him to the peak of the Korean military in the flood of information coming in from all over the battlefield. But at this moment, he could no longer be a competent leader. "It''s breaking news from Hoeryong City, the Zombie Monster horde has been removed.""It''s breaking news just in from Hyesan City! The Zombie Monster horde has been destroyed!""The Zombie Monster horde was destroyed in Manpo!""The monsters that appeared in Sinuiju were wiped out." The breaking news that flowed in simultaneously from the cities along the Yalu River was unbelievable. "The advent of the Master is done." And at the end of all the reports, the word master and advent were attached together. The soldiers never used the words, but Colonel Lim Hyun-joon could not find words that could clearly convey the situation now. He showed his emotions on his face for the first time. "Huh-huh." He smiled awkwardly on his flimsy face. At his laugh, the first since the battle with the Zombie Monster horde, his men seemed to understand rather than be surprised, and they were also laughing awkwardly. "The Mac Unit has arrived from Vladivostok." It was the return of the Mac Unit that stopped the laugh. "I''ll get a report right away." Mac Unit and Bang Hyun-wook had arrived at the headquarters, and of course, Colonel Lim Hyun-joon called them.Bang Hyun-wook immediately told Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, "Big brother said that he would deal with the Immortal Wolf in the Manchurian field, and there is something for the battle." Colonel Lim Hyun-joon''s expression was firm at the report, since the Immortal Wolf was the fate of Kim Tae-hoon, as well as the fate of the Republic of Korea to deal with a monster of the purple grade, a monster that could not die. It would be necessary to support the war using all the support of the country. "What do you need?" While spitting out the words, Colonel Lim Hyun-joon had a lot of things in his mind - the best elite Mac Unit and the Dragon Knights, as well as the Armored Hunting Units he had devoted himself to, including the terrifying tanks! In response to such a question by Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, Bang Hyun-wook scratched his head and said cautiously. "So it''s..." ---------------------- 10.A purple-grade monster was like a moving end... the end of the human race. Therefore, it was easy for humans to grasp the presence. The same was true of Kim Tae-hoon. ''Here it is.'' On the wide plain of Manchuria, Kim Tae-hoon was able to feel it even before he saw it. At some point, as he felt, it showed up. The Immortal Wolf Chernobog appeared on the Manchurian field. It was alone. There was no Zombie Monster horde. There was no need. It didn''t need to be protected by anything, and it had no reason to be afraid of death. Kim Tae-hoon also did not have any new determination with such a guy in front of him. From the distance, he made the first attack. The weapon of the first attack was Indra''s spear, Vasavi Shakti. The thunder and lightning spewed a thunderstorm of light, and stuck in Chernobog''s body. It immediately released a thunderbolt that turned the grass all over the place ashes in an instant. The attack turned Chernobog''s body to ashes, too, shredded and scattered all over the place. However, that was all. Its whole body was shattered, but the presence of the creature filling the Manchurian field did not disappear at all. Soon after, one piece of the flesh that had fallen from Chernobog''s body began to grow, and then it was restored to its original shape. Vasavi Shakti, which had always left a surprising wound, was just a tool to earn a minute or so in front of Chernobog. At that moment, a gold chain rose from beneath the ground, and it clung to Chernobog''s body. Gleipnir! The chain that led to the death of Orc Khan turned Chernobog into a mummy. Chernobog was crushed. As if clutching jelly, Gleipnir grabbed Chernobog and its body was scattered into shattered pieces. The same scene was repeated after that. One piece of flesh popped out of its body began to form a wolf again. It was enough. ''As expected.'' The fact that Kim Tae-hoon''s countless weapons could never kill Chernobog was not just speculation, but the fact. He also recognized that all he could do was buy time, and delay Chernobog reaching the Korean Peninsula a little longer. So, Kim Tae-hoon did not hurry. He didn''t push it. Instead, he took out something he had never used before when dealing with monsters. He opened his bag and took out something as important as a relic in it: a coffee dripper, solid fuel, bottled water, and new beans from Italy. Kim Tae-hoon, who spent the time making coffee, took a sip of the coffee.He filled himself with the deep coffee scent. He then drew a picture with his black eyes, looking at the distant Chernobog, palms open; it was a picture of a straitjacket made by his own Telekinesis on Chernobog''s body, a picture that would pull the body of the creature bound like that and tie it to one place. At that moment, Chernobog''s movements stopped for the first time. The fight between the undying monster and the tireless hunter began quietly, with a cup of fragrant coffee.

 152 Episode 152 - Advent, Part IV

    Chapter 53. Advent, Part IV Translator: KhanEditor: RED 11.Since the appearance of the monsters, Moscow, the capital of Russia, had become a city of silence and tranquility. The new powers of Russia wanted to maintain their power and status through fear, and of course, they did not allow anyone but themselves to raise their voices. "Come on! Move fast!" But now there were countless voices filling Red Square."Here! Get through this way!""Get this out of the way!""Send someone! How many times do I have to tell you, huh?" It was not just one voice. The languages and races of various countries, including English, German, French, and others, were coming together to raise their voices. What was even more surprising was that the noise, the talk all at the same time, was organically intertwined for one purpose, like when the tower of Babylon was built, when everyone in the world was not subject to language barriers. ''This is great.'' Jang Sung-hoon admired the scene. ''I feel like the integration of Europe that no one has ever done, has been done here.'' At that moment, Jang Sung-hoon''s memory returned to a few days ago, the day Kim Tae-hoon had left for Korea. On the day Kim Tae-hoon left, Jang Sung-hoon made a public announcement throughout Europe with the help of the Vatican: a notice that they were recruiting applicants to clean up the debris of Red Square. There was no compulsion. It was not a situation where coercion was possible. In the situation where Kim Tae-hoon left alone for Korea to stop the Immortal Wolf, what Jang Sung-hoon could do was more limited than he thought. ''Life is always unexpected.'' To be honest, Jang Sung-hoon did not expect much when he made the announcement. In the age of monsters, who would walk to Moscow, where there was still cold weather, and who would take shovels and pickaxes there and take on the hard work? There was no great benefit to be given. To put it bluntly, Jang wondered if he could even give them something to eat. However, the results were different from Jang''s expectations. Tens of thousands of people were willing to take a long journey on their own, and they were breaking and removing the wreckage that had fallen, on their own. Everyone was willing to take the priceless abuse under the flag of the Mac Guild, not the flag of a country. Kim Tae-hoon made Europe move. ''If I take a picture, I''ll get a Pulitzer Prize, and if I paint it, I''ll be able to step on the threshold of Sotheby''s auction.'' It was a monumental event, really. Jang Sung-hoon, who had to call it, felt the art-soul that he thought had disappeared without leaving ashes. He felt a desire to make the traces of what he saw now through his own hands, not anything. ''Well, what does it mean to leave it like that?'' However, Jang was not drunk with the art-soul. ''That''s not the point.'' Instead of lifting his brush, he put on a tattered woodworking glove. ''Boss, hold on a little longer.'' "Come on, let''s all work hard!" With the cry, Jang Sung-hoon threw himself into the work. ------------------------- 12.Kim Tae-hoon, who swallowed the coffee he had been holding, opened his eyes again. Into his black eyes suddenly entered the Immortal Wolf, which had reached a distance of about three hundred meters from him. ''It''s been one hundred and fifty hours.'' It had been that long since the match between the Immortal Wolf and Kim Tae-hoon began. The Immortal Wolf had no change. It was not very angry about the situation, nor did it try anything different.It just walked when Kim Tae-hoon''s Telekinesis, which was just trying to tie it down, broke down and stopped walking when it was tied by Kim Tae-hoon''s Telekinesis again. That was all. ''I''m at the limit.'' On the other hand, Kim Tae-hoon was not. The power of the Inexhaustible Infinity was certainly great, endless. No matter how much Energy, Mana, and Telekinesis he used, he felt it was still full and boundless. ''He''s moving faster.'' The problem was that Kim Tae-hoon''s body was not infinite and not eternal. ''I''m sure I''m good enough to stay here.'' Moreover, Kim Tae-hoon''s body was not much better than he thought. It couldn''t have been good. After eating the crystal of the Eight-tailed Fox, Kim Tae-hoon''s body was virtually the same as receiving a death sentence. Even after that, he kept filling his body with transcendental power that was not allowed to human beings, again and again. He filled his body with the Dragon''s power, with the power of the Blue Qilin, and with the power of the Great Giant. He even possessed the power of the Orc Khan, which would drive him crazy, the power that he could not but call a curse because it was too powerful. In the end, he used the power as much as he liked. If he wanted his body to be safe and eternal, it would be a delusion, not greed. ''It''s been a long time, and this feeling of death coming right is right in front of me.'' In a sense, Kim Tae-hoon was in the midst of the most dangerous moment. If he could not kill the Immortal Wolf in front of him, if he could not eat the monster stone, Kim Tae-hoon would face death from his own power. There was not much time left. Kim Tae-hoon knew his condition well. He knew that his body could not last three months without the power of immortality. He also knew that the more he used his strength, the faster his life span would be shortened, and in order to stop the Immortal Wolf for more than a week, Kim Tae-hoon had spent most of his life. ''This is the first time I''ve ever wasted my life like this.'' Kim Tae-hoon always used means and methods to live. So, it was a strange thing. However, Kim smiled lightly at this situation. ''So much has changed.'' At that time, Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes, above his pale smile, wriggled. He sensed something coming here, toward the vast Manchurian field. ''¡­ yes, there is no way it is going this quietly.'' The Zombie Monster horde was converging with all its might toward the place where the Immortal Wolf was. Its numbers were considerable. ''Is it near ten thousand? No, it''ll be more.'' Of course, it was not likely that they would be a threat to Kim Tae-hoon, even if they were united. ''If I miss this guy, it''s over.'' The problem was that it was virtually impossible to hold this guy as it was now, if the Immortal Wolf was buried in the surging waves of the horde. Even now, as his concentration fell, it was becoming harder to catch the Immortal Wolf. Kim Tae-hoon did not think of the word abandonment in his mind. He grabbed the sword of the Qin Shi Huang, which was wrapped at his waist, instead of taking another coffee cup. ''With the Horse Soldiers of the Qin Shi Huang, the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, and Horse Figure Type Earthenware¡­'' He measured the battle in his mind. He looked for a way to never back down, to keep things behind him. At that moment, the voice that Kim had waited for so much knocked on his ear. "Big brother!" In that voice, he raised his hand that was moving toward the Qin Shi Huang Sword to the hilt next to him. He caught the Kusanagi. ------------------------ 13."Euuhuh¡­" The sound of dying at the moment, but the sight of the things that were spitting out the sound, never mingled with it. Ten thousand, the vast numbers of the Zombie Monster horde were racing through the Manchurian field. It was a tsunami, made of rotten bodies, eating at the Manchurian plains. At the end of the tsunami was a wolf with a body that was beyond even the coming Zombie Monster horde. The Immortal Wolf tied by Kim Tae-hoon''s Telekinesis slowly advanced, overcoming his Telekinesis. The way a rotten wolf, who seemed ready to be crushed if touched, and to fall down if kicked, walked over, seemed to be unbelievably pathetic and hard to explain. However, nowhere else was the image of the Immortal Wolf pathetic. It was still spreading its despairing presence, and fear beyond the overwhelming level. Above all, its purple eyes were shining more than ever at this moment. It was a clear proof that it was waiting for this moment. The Immortal Wolf was waiting for the moment, when the monster horde, which had become Zombies by its own power, disrupted the power trapping it. It was not hard to wait. It could wait forever if necessary. Its patience was rewarded. The Zombie Monster horde rolled over the Immortal Wolf. It was a short time. The moment the Immortal Wolf was buried in a huge roar, the Telekinesis to tie it down was lost. It now started running again. No, it didn''t have to run. The Immortal Wolf was swept forward by the crazed surge of the Zombie Monster horde. It did not resist it, nor did it show anger, sigh, or a cry of a word about its body being tangled with other Zombie monsters. The Immortal Wolf mixed itself into the tsunami of the running horde. It became a tree in a dense forest. No trace of the Immortal Wolf could be seen anywhere. Thunk! In that situation, a long flash of light ran under the knees of the Zombie Monster horde. The flash brushed under the knees and around the ankles, and it made the Zombie Monster horde a footless horde. The Zombie Monster horde, which had just lost their feet, began to tumble forward and get tangled up. A huge wall made of a pile of cramped undead soared over the Manchurian field. Euhuhu¡­ There were terrifying voices everywhere. In front of the tangled pile, a lump of rotten flesh protruded out and began to wriggle back to shape. The Immortal Wolf saw the man again with its purple eyes, a man who had black eyes and was lifting a sword too big to be a sword. The man, who charged at once, wielded the sword and cut its body in half. It was the last sight the Immortal Wolf ever saw. ------------------------ 14."It''s over!" Bang Hyun-wook''s words were like a spell. As he spoke, the Zombie monsters returned to being rotten bodies. It was the most obvious evidence that the Immortal Wolf Chernobog had died. Evidence that the historical moment was here. "Big brother!" Bang Hyun-wook, a witness of the historical moment, ran toward the protagonist of the historical moment. "You did it!" However, the main character in Bang Hyun-wook''s eyes was silent. It was not enough to be silent. He put his hand through the dead body of the Immortal Wolf, which had now become rotten, crumpled meat. He pulled out the purple crystal and looked at it with his black eyes. "Huck! Big brother?" Bang Hyun-wook was frightened by the appearance. "That, that''s rotten! That''s rotten!" Instead of answering in front of the frightened Bang Hyun-wook''s cry, he put the purple crystal he had brought out in his mouth. He swallowed it even though the rotten smell stewed in his mouth. "Ugggh!" Bang Hyun-wook grimaced as he watched the scene. On the other hand, the man looked at the back of his right hand with a calm, but very generous look.========== [Basic Abilities]- Strength: 1932- Health: 1955 [Special Abilities]- Energy: S Rank- Mana: S- Rank- Telekinesis: S Rank- Defense: S Rank- Mana Resistance: S- Rank [Achieved Abilities]- Immortality (Grade 1): The power of the Immortal Wolf. You have a body that cannot be killed by anything.========= When the man finished checking his right hand, the man gave his gaze to Bang Hyun-wook, who had drawn near. Then he opened his mouth, "Now is the time." "Yes?" At the cross-questioning of Bang Hyun-wook, Kim Tae-hoon handed over the three-meter-long sword he was holding to Bang Hyun-wook, instead of answering. "Oh? Huh? What''s wrong with you all of a sudden?" Surprised, Bang Hyun-wook received the great sword. Soon, however, Bang Hyun-wook laughed. "You want me to take it with you? Yes, sir, I''ll carry your weapon from now on!" Kim Tae-hoon did not laugh at the laughing Bang. Instead of laughing, he said quietly, "You''re the only one who''s going back." "Yes?" "I''m not going back." "What the hell does that mean..." "It''s time for them to pay for the price of our blood." After finishing his speech, Kim Tae-hoon turned his back on Bang Hyun-wook and walked away from Bang Hyun-wook, who had a blank expression. As such, Kim Tae-hoon''s appearance disappeared over the Manchurian field. ----------------------- 14.The Pentagon was one of the most famous buildings in the world, and also one of the most curious buildings in the world. The greatest curiosity of all was about the building in the middle of the Pentagon. America was a great country, unprecedented in human history. What is in the middle of a pentagonal concrete mass that oversaw the military power of the great powers? The answer to that question is surprisingly simple: a cafe. In the park in the middle of the Pentagon, in the building between the forests, was a cafe. The caf¨¦ was called Ground Zero. It was a pleasant name, in the sense that if a nuclear war happened, it would be the first to be hit. But after the monsters appeared, such joy was no longer in the Pentagon.What remained in the Pentagon was the new American powers who now ruled the Americas. Mao Spencer was there now. He was in a position to report after receiving the news. "We''ve got the position of the Resistance executives. This will help us deal with them sooner or later." Now Mao was a subordinate of John Smith, the head of the Pentagon. "The Panther Unit sent to secure the Mayan Calendar has entered Mexico." "Good work." It was humiliation. It was usually impossible for a person who once wanted to take control of the world, and who thought he had done so, to bow his head to a man like a horse. "Yes." In other words, Mao had a reason why he was enduring humiliation and now was serving as not the head of the Six Snakes, but as the subordinate of the head of the Pentagon that dominated the United States. He turned his back, his head down at John Smith''s gesture, and was out of the center of the Pentagon. "Mr. Mao." "What''s the matter?" "I think he''s dead somehow." "He?" "I think he died in the battle with Chernobog." At this moment Mao could taste the very sweet price of the humiliation he had endured. "It was worth the setup of the second trap."

 153 Episode 153 - In America, Part I

    Chapter 54. In America, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED1.Highway 95¡­ The view of the road across Nevada was always desolate. Unless people had a unique taste for the rising yellow clouds of sand, there was nothing interesting about it... and even that was no longer enjoyable. Highway 95, which had not been managed for more than a year, was actually like a minefield. It was better to run on the broad expanse of the wasteland than on the road. That was why Carlos Perez, an impressive-looking man with coppery skin and a mustache, was racing along through the rough wasteland, not a road, on his beloved Wrangler Jeep. In addition, that was why the monsters following Carlos''s Wrangler also ran through the wilderness. Cuhung, Cuhung! The monsters, who were constantly screaming, looked similar to a Werewolf. But they were a little different, their physique was smaller than a Werewolf. The Werejackal was a monster about 160 centimeters tall. However, even if it was small, it could not be ignored. The Werejackals, with their wicked and cruel habits and clever hunting skills, were very dangerous, and even orange-eyed monsters would not easily attack a horde of red-eyed Werejackals. An ordinary human naturally could not do anything against such Werejackals. "Fuck!" That was why Carlos swore constantly in his constantly bouncing vehicle. "What?!" A man who changed the choice of Carlos''s words. In the distance, a man was holding out his thumb. It was a hitchhiking gesture seen often in the broad United States and could be seen at any time on the American roads. ''Crazy!'' Of course, it was a gesture from before December 31, 2016, before the monsters appeared. It was a gesture that was never seen in the untamed land next to Highway 95, heading for Las Vegas at two PM on June 5, 2018. It was a gesture that was just not seen now. Even ghosts didn''t make it! ''Am I looking at a phantom?'' Naturally, Carlos was in a panic. His mind was beginning to go crazy in front of a situation he had never dreamed of. ''What do I do?'' As he was approaching the man who had made the hitchhiking gesture, Carlos had a lot of thoughts and anguish in his mind. ''Will I stop?'' He never had so much trouble making a decision in such a short time in his life. ''Should I just pass?'' He made a decision in the end. "Damn it!" He stepped on the brakes he had never intended to step on and shouted loud enough to reach out of the car without opening the window. "Get on board, you crazy bastard!" The door opened with his cry, and a black-haired Asian man boarded the car. "Fuck!" At the same time, Carlos swore and stepped on the accelerator as hard as he could. Jeep Wrangler began to run again, making a rough sound, puffing out smoke over the wilderness, leaving behind the corpses of Werejackals with blood at the temples on the ground. ------------------ 2Kukuku! Carlos, who had checked the rearview mirror in a rough-sounding lover on the dirt road, sighed after confirming that nothing coming behind him. "What are you, crazy fucker?" The conversation began after the sigh. "Hitchhiking in this place? Are you crazy?" "I''m sorry." At the apology from the man''s mouth, Carlos checked the rearview mirror again and turned to the passenger seat. Only then did Carlos see the face of the man who had driven him crazy. He was a sharp-looking Asian. That impression alone showed that he was not trying to hitchhike because he was mentally ill. "Are you from LA?" "I don''t have a place to live." "You must be a Hunter, I suppose." The man took off his glove instead of answering and showed him the pattern on the back of his right hand. Carlos sighed again, confirming it. It was different from the previous sigh. It sounded like a whistle. ''It will be a threat, but it won''t be a stumbling block.'' In the age of monsters, the value of a Hunter, the only opponents of such monsters, was absolute. That was why Carlos felt a strange sense of relief for this man who he had met for the first time. "You must be a quite good Hunter, hitchhiking here." The man who filled his passenger seat was more likely to be a Hunter with a good ability than a common Hunter. Otherwise, he could not be in good condition working alone in the wilderness. "Good enough to make a living." "So why were you hitchhiking there? You could not have done it simply because it was hard." "As I entered Las Vegas, I felt like I was going to get shot by someone if I went there. So I was looking for a companion." Carlos was sure of things. The man in the passenger seat was not a lunatic, but a much more rational man than he had thought. "That''s wise, but it was unnecessary." Carlos was also convinced that the man in the passenger seat knew nothing about Las Vegas. "You wouldn''t have been shot in Las Vegas just because you were alone." At Carlos''s words, the man did not raise any questions, and Carlos didn''t bother waiting for the man to respond. "Mayor Dean has more common sense than any other Mayor." For Carlos, it was something to boast of. "At least, unlike the Mayors in other cities, he does not demand ridiculous tolls because you are an outsider, and you''re not treated like a slave." It was the pride that would not have been funny before. A Mayor was the most greedy, incompetent person sitting and wasting the most taxes in most countries and most cities. However, he was proud of this kind of Mayor. It was a very unusual case. In other words, the Mayor in Las Vegas was now a person with the ability and personality to be proud of. "If we had to start the U.S. presidential elections right away, James Dean, he should be elected." Named for a legendary actor who was an icon of American youth culture and an icon of blue jeans in the past, James Dean was a man worthy of the name, a man worthy of the pride of the surviving citizens of Las Vegas. "It wouldn''t have been possible if it had not been for him, for a normal human like me to drive around like this." In the days of monsters, James Dean was a better Hunter than anyone else. At the same time, he was also a smart man. He fought against the monsters and founded a castle that could go to war with them before anyone else, while everyone else was looking for a safe place after the appearance of the monsters. "Do you know the story where he took Hoover Dam as a base?" The story of James Dean making Hoover Dam his base was evidence that he was brilliant and clever. "It''s the biggest and the thickest castle in the world, a castle larger than the Great Wall of China." Hoover Dam, which would probably remain even if mankind died, was the strongest castle in the world where monsters went wild. Furthermore, the castle was the easiest place to get drinking water, as well as a huge energy source. But when the monsters appeared, no one thought of that. Only James Dean remembered it. James Dean, who made Hoover Dam his own castle, saved Las Vegas during the world of monsters. "Then what he showed us was¡­ Messiah, he was himself." Instead of asking for a price for the fact, he showed mercy. He treated the survivors as human beings. With the advent of monsters and hunters, ordinary humans were hardly seen in a world where they were merely something to exploit. "I dare not compare him with a madman group like the Pentagon¡­" It was never seen in the Pentagon, which had become a new order to dominate the U.S. "My goodness." Of course, it wasn''t very good to speak out about it. "What I said a little before..." Carlos'' coppery skin was white when he said something he wasn''t sure he should. The man in the passenger seat spoke to Carlos. "I don''t like the Pentagon, either. Above all, I''m not a member of the Pentagon. I wouldn''t have hitchhiked like this if I was a member of the Pentagon." "It is a good thing to hear, and please don''t tell the others that I said that..." ''I don''t know what you are talking about. What did you say?" Carlos''s expression finally released. "Thank you." A long sigh came out of the expression. "So, what''s your name?" Then, as if to change the mood, Carlos asked a question that had nothing to do with the conversation so far but could not be avoided. The man answered the question briefly. "You can call me Kim." "What''s your name?" "It''s Jung-hoon." "Jung-hoon Kim. I heard they would call their family first in Korea, so you will be Kim Jung-hoon. Is that right?" "You can call me Kim easily." "I''d like that." A city came into their eyes; Las Vegas, a city of tourism and gambling in the past, but now a city of freedom and equality. Carlos, who saw the city, looked at Kim Jung-hoon with a pale smile, as if he had found some peace now. "Kim, welcome to Las Vegas." ------------------------ 3.It was a bar. Of course, as a liquor seller, the odor of all kinds of alcohol and of all kinds of people was thick. Two guests appeared at the bar. "Carlos, you''re still alive!" Jacob, the bartender and liquor store owner, greeted Carlos with a smile. "I didn''t hear from you any news for a while, so I thought you were dead." "You''re pouring out curses!" "But isn''t it better to live and hear curses, than to die and hear harps?" "I''d rather live and hear good music, though the best thing is to live and drink a beer." "I agree, but who''s this next to you?" "Kim, I met him on the way. To be exact, I saved him." "Oh, then he''ll pay for the drinks today." At the end of the conversation, Jacob and Carlos'' eyes were directed at Kim. So naturally, Kim Jung-hoon had to pay for the drinks today. They had done this before, obviously. Eventually, Kim put his hand in his arms, took out a pocket instead of a wallet, took out a red jewel from it and threw it at Jacob. "Order!" Jacob smiled. "Give me a beer, Budweiser." Carlos''s order for Jacob was an extraordinary one. It was impossible for Budweiser beer to be produced in an era where most of the infrastructure had collapsed? In fact, few of the drinks sold at Jacob''s bar were famous in the past. There was nothing but wine and vodka, and not a single beer. But Jacob was not embarrassed. He didn''t even get angry. Because he knew in the first place that what Carlos wanted wasn''t a real Budweiser beer. "I like Budweiser." Jacob didn''t even have to give Carlos a Budweiser. All he had to do was put the handmade beer made by himself in a jar labeled Budweiser. In addition, Jacob, who operated a bar after the appearance of monsters, was a man who had experienced countless things. He would not be surprised at anything. "And what about you? For your information, vodka or wine is expensive. I can only give you a cup with a red stone. That''s a small cup." "Coffee." "Hmm?" Jacob was surprised by Kim''s order. So was Carlos. ''Coffee?'' Carlos had to think for a while what the word coffee meant. "What does that mean, coffee?" After the agony, he made a ridiculous face. On the other hand, Kim Jung-hoon looked at Jacob and said, "Is there no coffee, here?" "¡­ even if there is coffee, but it''s just the beans from almost two years ago." "It''s all right. I''d like a drink, please." Jacob shook his head with a snap. "I''ll get you when you''re in the seat." While Jacob went to prepare a drink and coffee, Carlos and Kim Jung-hoon took a seat. And as soon as he took the seat, Carlos said, "You have a unique taste for coffee. Oh, no. Coffee is not a unique taste. I drank three cups of coffee every day for a long time. Yes, I did. I''m sure I used to have coffee in my mouth." At Carlos'' words, Kim did not answer. In addition, Kim was not even looking at Carlos. His gaze was directed at a group in a corner. "Is there anything interesting over there?" Carlos followed his gaze and looked at the corner. There were people there who were wearing leather jackets made of the skin of a scaly lizard, completely different from their surroundings. ''Huck!'' As soon as he confirmed the fact, Carlos quickly turned his head to fear that his eyes might run into them. Then he warned Kim in a low voice. "It''s Hunters from the Pentagon! Don''t look them in the eye. If you touch them, you''ll be dead from summary judgment!" The warning turned Kim''s eyes. The two shut their mouths for a moment. The silence was long. ''I did not expect to meet the Pentagon Hunters here¡­ If they are going to provoke a quarrel with me, what can I do? Damn it!'' Carlos''s anxious mind revolved around the conversation he had had with Kim in his jeep car before coming to Las Vegas shortly before. Is that why? As soon as a waitress put a beer in the bottle of Budweiser and the coffee in the cup of Budweiser, Carlos grabbed the bottle and put it in his mouth. He began to gulp down his beer, as if to swallow the anxiety that had choked his throat. "Chuh!" The effect of the beer was certain. His blocked neck was pierced, and the coolness filled his chest. "Yes, I live for this taste." Carlos''s closed mouth opened. On the other hand, Kim held a glass of beer hot with coffee and put the coffee in his mouth. He closed his eyes and mouth for a while. He listened to the voices of Hunters from the Pentagon who were secretly talking in the corner. "So the date?" "A week from now, in Death Valley. On the day the Vegas Rangers go on a blue-grade monster hunt." "We will get rid of Mayor Dean there." At the voice, Kim Jung-hoon, who had coffee in his mouth, smiled faintly. Carlos asked him a question, "Why did you come here?" Kim answered the question. "I''m looking for a man." Carlos flinched unknowingly at his changed expression, at the horrifying smile at the end of the reply. ''Finally, I''ve found the starting point.''

 154 Episode 154 - In America, Part II

    Chapter 54. In America, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 4.When the age of monsters came, when the world was in a mess, and the world began to flood with despair, James Dean was grateful for three facts. One, being given the ability to kill monsters, and two, the freedom of the gun laws of the United States. The third was his trusted colleagues and followers. The Vegas Rangers, a gathering of James Dean and the Hunters who followed him, was based on these three things. They were literally rangers, those who would fight for the safety and peace of the citizens, not for the personal interests and greed of the individual. Their values did not change even after Las Vegas was subordinated to the Pentagon. "We''ll go hunting the Desert Dragon in a week, as planned." That was why James Dean and the Vegas Rangers planned the Desert Dragon hunt, the creature that owned Death Valley National Park west of Las Vegas. It was a great and noble set of values. It was something that impressed and was admired by everyone, showing rather than hiding. But James Dean didn''t reveal it to anyone. It was because of the Pentagon. "There is one thing to remember: don''t let the Pentagon dogs know that." From the moment the Pentagon made a strange demand to the managers of each city under their command: do not hunt monsters above green grade without the permission of the Pentagon. It was a demand that did not fit the reality of the facts, that one more monster had to be killed faster for the safety of the citizens, and for the safety and future of the nation. But the Pentagon began to do something ridiculous to fulfill its demands, as well as make such a ridiculous request. "The moment, they know that there will be some kind of interference." They ruthlessly punished those who attempted unauthorized hunting. In addition, in this era, relentless punishment was not simply throwing people in prison. "Maybe they are trying to kill us. Though there''s no clear proof of that, there''s plenty of conviction." It was a situation that deserved to be prepared for death. "Yet we have to do it." In this situation, James Dean and Vegas Rangers ignored this request of the Pentagon. There was a reason. "If we continue this way, we''ll all be the dogs of the Pentagon." The purpose of the Pentagon was the reason. "Not just us, but the whole world." The Pentagon was going to use monsters to completely control the land of America. They were going to use the monster''s threat to humans as a tool to rule humans. The problem was that it was an amazingly effective way to do things. "And the Pentagon has enough power to do it." James Dean and Vegas Rangers were the evidence. It was not a democratic process of voting that allowed them to become Las Vegas managers. It was because they had the power to fight against the monster''s threat. So when he realized the Pentagon''s purpose, James Dean no longer intended to accept the Pentagon''s demand. Furthermore, he realized that the only way to fight against the Pentagon was to become stronger. "So we have to move before them, and if we kill the Desert Dragon in Death Valley, we can work closely with Los Angeles and San Francisco. They are creating forces to fight against the Pentagon in the West, where the Pentagon can''t reach." The hunt for the owner of the Death Valley, the Desert Dragon, was the first starting point. It would be the starting point of resistance to the Pentagon''s ambition. In other words, the beginning of the war with the Pentagon. "I believe that we can do it!" But James Dean did not feel any fear about it, because he had his three things. --------------------- 5.Death Valley National Park¡­ It has an eerie name, the Valley of Death, but had a slightly different landscape then its eerie name. For this reason, those who saw Death Valley for the first time often express their admiration, rather than feeling dizzy or getting goosebumps. The scenery of Death Valley in the eyes of tourists was wonderful, they could feel the grandeur of nature. So the tourists who admire Death Valley''s scenery immediately questioned the name: how did this wonderful scene come to be given the appalling name of the Valley of Death? The way to know the answer to the question was simple. A walk through Death Valley in the middle of summer showed everything. If they experienced their sweat drying under the sun of Death Valley, where the temperature could rise to 60 degrees, they had no more questions about why it was called Death Valley. "Hoo!" Now a group of thirty men was moving through Death Valley. Moving on foot, without vehicles, they were carrying loads that looked heavy to everyone. It was a strange sight just by looking at them. For the monsters who made Death Valley their home, the sight was a sweet thing that made them hungry. This was the case with the Black Horned Lizards, who hid giant bodies reminiscent of alligators under the barren wasteland, only showing the black horns on their heads. Knowing that thirty prey had come from the senses of their protruding black horns, the Black Horned Lizards had no desire to wait before the sweet temptation. Zizz¡­ They slowly began to rise from the sands. There was no warning; as soon as they appeared, the Black Horned Lizards began galloping along the parched ground, orange eyes shining. They were like a sports-car trying to set a zero-60 record. It was that fast, that dynamic.To the group of Black Horned Lizards, the distance from the target was virtually zero. Of course, no matter how fast they were, they were not faster than gunfire. In one moment, six shots were fired from each of the thirty men that turned towards the approaching group of Black Horned Lizards. That was a hundred and eighty gunshots. What was surprising was that the one hundred and eighty shots sounded like a single shot.They were quick shots that could not be made by a simple pistol. There were two secrets to the quick shot. One was that they used revolvers. The other was that the gunmen were not simple ones, but Monster Hunters. The ten Black Horned Lizards that were racing in front of the results of these two secrets became meatballs spraying blood. Upon seeing this, the Hunters immediately opened the huge revolvers they had in their hands. From the cylinder of the revolver, shells thicker than the thumb of an adult man fell onto the ground like rain. It was a hunting revolver and bullet specially designed to kill monsters, now the standard of the United States. The perfect handling of such revolvers was the reason these Vegas Rangers were now called Rangers. "We don''t have to get any bait." James Dean, the head of the Vegas Rangers, smiled at the pile of dead. The results that he and his colleagues produced at the same time always made James Dean smile. It was not just him, the Vegas Rangers all expressed satisfaction at the sight they had created. "It''s better to finally hunt like this after a long time. I''ve been a little bored after being stuck in Hoover Dam all these years because of the Pentagon." "I agree. A Hunter has to hunt." It was proof that they were already skilled Hunters; not those who were desperate to survive against monsters, but Hunters who were willing to devour monsters. They were Hunters who preferred the smell of blood that dried rapidly under the scorching sun to the smell of dried beer in a tavern. "Ugh!" "What, what?" When they suddenly felt an unmarked fear of starting to wash over them, they could tell the reason for the fear, like any skilled Hunters. "Huh, no way!" "De, Desert Dragon?" The Desert Dragon had come for the Vegas Rangers. ----------------------- 6.There are several iron rules to follow when hunting predators. When one of them meets a predator in an unexpected situation, he or she should not fight. If they could meet in an unexpected situation and be guaranteed victory, they wouldn''t have to prepare for the hunt in the first place. That is the characteristic of a hunt. When things go as planned, a group of cats can hunt tigers, but on the contrary, there is only one thing left for the cat to do when the plan goes wrong: to survive with as many as possible. ''We need to minimize the damage.'' That''s exactly what James Dean thought when everyone was terrified in front of the unexpected appearance of the Desert Dragon. As soon as he reached it, James Dean looked up at the sky and shouted out loud. Auuuu! Howling came out of his mouth, and the howling that he uttered relaxed the Vegas Rangers'' bodies, paralyzed by the sudden appearance of the Desert Dragon. "Hoo-eup!" "Hoo, hoo!" The Vegas Rangers began to breathe in the clogged air. The one who breathed before anyone else shouted quickly, "Retreat!" James Dean''s long-awaited order froze the Vegas Rangers once again. ''What do you mean, retreat?'' ''No way!'' Everyone came to the same conclusion with the same resolve. At this moment, James Dean was willing to sacrifice himself, stay alone and buy time for Vegas Rangers to run away. "Captain! We''ll stay!" The order, of course, was not accepted by Vegas Rangers. They couldn''t accept it. Kkeueoeoeo!At that moment, not so far away, a cry flowed like a river rising through a towering canyon. Behind the cry came a blue-eyed monster, the Desert Dragon. The thirty-meter-long monster had no wings. Instead, it had four thick legs, covering piles of sand instead of ironclad scales. It was far from the common dragon, more like a lizard than a dragon. Kkeueoeoeo! But its presence and the fear of spreading around proved that there was worthy to be called a Dragon. "Uhhh!" "Kuck!" The Vegas Rangers were starting to tremble. In such a sudden situation, being exposed to the Dragon fear this way was not different from being shot while defenseless. Only a few of them who had a high Energy rank suffered instead of trembling. ''What do I do?'' ''I must endure the fear first and unleash the power of the relics!'' ''What about the captain?'' And James Dean, the only one with A-Rank Energy, was running towards the Desert Dragon. "Captain!" "My God!" When the Vegas Rangers called for James Dean, he was already climbing up a cliff rising vertically. After climbing up the canyon, he was going to throw himself directly onto the tail of the Desert Dragon. After provoking the Desert Dragon, he intended to run away in the opposite direction from the Vegas Rangers. In just a moment, James Dean had worked out the simplest, most effective and sure way. ''I''ll lure the Desert Dragon away one way or another.'' In the process, there was no need to renew his determination not to avoid sacrifice to save someone. He had been a victim more than anyone so far. Of course, he kept thinking angrily. ''It''s most likely the Pentagon''s trick.'' As planned, it should have been another day before they encountered the Desert Dragon. ''There''s no way that the Desert Dragon randomly came out here.'' The last place the Desert Dragon was seen was forty kilometers from where they were now. Moreover, the Desert Dragon was not as active as it once was, and it o lived in a desert full of sand rather than a canyon. The sand covering its body was proof. To the Desert Dragon, if the desert was a comfortable home, the barren canyon was like walking out naked. In other words, it was so angry that it ran outside even though it was naked.Unless someone provoked it and mocked it, the chances of meeting it here were infinitesimal. It was a matter of rage. ''Who the hell¡­'' This time the Desert Dragon hunt had been prepared in more complete security than any other hunt. ''Who betrayed¡­'' In other words, if this information leaked out, it meant that one of James Dean''s most trusted colleagues was a traitor. James Dean was more heartbroken that there was a traitor than the fact that he had to fight for his life. ''Who made this plan that the Pentagon moved so thoroughly?'' Furthermore, he felt a sense of crisis about the Pentagon. ''John Smith could never have come up with a plan like this.'' The Pentagon was not originally a thinking force. They were simple and ignorant, but strong! They were the group that used violence the most violently. But now the Pentagon was using violence cleverly. ''¡­ damn it.'' James Dean had run over the canyon and past the Desert Dragon as he reached the thought, was flying through the air now. He landed behind the long tail of the Desert Dragon. He immediately aimed at the Desert Dragon with the large-diameter Revolver in his hand. If he pulled the trigger, there would be a gunshot, and the Desert Dragon would turn its giant body around and roar at him. A race of death for survival would begin. ''Hoo!'' James Dean, who recalled that fact, pulled the trigger as he breathed. Blam! The gunshot went off. The chase began. ---------------------- 7.James Dean was at his limit ten minutes after the chase began. "Gasp, gasp¡­" It was not easy to run away from the Desert Dragon, which was rushing after him with tremendous speed. It was amazing that he had run away for ten minutes. In fact, the distance James Dean ran in ten minutes was just over 5 kilometers. It was no wonder that he reached his limit. ''This is enough to get everyone to a safe place.'' It was far enough that he didn''t have to worry about his colleagues. James Dean was now getting ready to die, rather than run away anymore. As he was running, he quickly and skillfully inserted the bullets into his revolver''s cylinder. Click! James Dean, who had just finished loading up, turned around and faced the Desert Dragon, pointing the gun at it. Of course, he didn''t think he could kill the Desert Dragon with just a gun. Considering his ability, it would have been more likely to hurt the Desert Dragon after holding the metal in his hand and injecting Energy. Nevertheless, holding a gun was to mark his end like a Ranger! ''I can''t believe I am going to end my life like this.'' James Dean wanted to decorate his end with gunfire, not a crude sound. His dream came true right away. Blam! Gunfire, intense gunfire, shook Death Valley. At the same time, something like a thunderbolt fell down on the body of the Desert Dragon. Poowhat! It penetrated the body of the Desert Dragon, which was much harder and denser than steel, in a breath. The sight shocked James Dean. ''What is this? It was an unthinkable sight. ''Is my gun a relic?'' But what was more surprising was what happened next. ''Ah.'' The scene shocked even James Dean, who had seen all the hardships of life. The Desert Dragon, its body made of sand, began to collapse and crumble. It was a sight that could only be seen the moment the Desert Dragon was destroyed, the moment it died perfectly. "Oh my God¡­" So the moment James Dean saw the scene, he sought God without realizing it. But it wasn''t the God James Dean was looking for that showed up on the body of the Desert Dragon, which had fallen into a pile of sand. An Asian man who was standing there now. "James Dean, Mayor of Las Vegas; from now on, your life belongs to me." it was a man with black hair and two swords on his back. It was Kim Tae-hoon.

 155 Episode 155 - In America, Part III

    Chapter 54. In America, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 8.Las Vegas¡­The city of tourism and gambling was also a city of crime. Those who lost everything were often more likely to be criminals, and those who gained everything were more likely to be targeted by criminals. There was no better environment for crime to play. Las Vegas was full of hideouts with crime syndicates and secret spaces that were nowhere in the city''s design.Even in the days after the monsters appeared, those facts did not change. One of the high-end houses with swimming pools lined up on South 14th Street in Las Vegas, one of the fine homes of a lawyer or accountant, was one of those places. In the basement of the house, where the leader of a small drug-trafficking organization lived, there was a bunker built for a nuclear explosion, and inside it was filled with untraceable methamphetamine, guns, bullets, and dollars. It was a place to turn the eyes of criminals red. "Failed?" But the two men who were now there, apparently related to their superiors and subordinates, were not paying any attention to the mess around them. "We''ve confirmed that¡­ Mayor, uh, Dean, moved to lure away the Desert Dragon as planned." "But why is Mayor Dean okay now?" "I don''t know..." It was proof that they weren''t just criminals whose greatest pleasure was to get high on drugs. Of course, it didn''t mean they were good, righteous, and just people. "The number of reasons I see is three. One, Mayor Dean succeeded in running away from the Desert Dragon. Two, Mayor Dean killed the Desert Dragon on his own. Three, you guys were like shit. "I don''t think the two things in front are likely." "Well, that''s, uh..." The leather jackets they wore, made of Dragon''s skin, and the Pentagon designs were far from subtle. They were Hunters from the Pentagon. "Stop the damn excuses! This case does not allow an excuse!" They were now gathering in this secret place and talking. Of course, there would be no such thing as a normal story. "Damn, unless Mayor Dean is a fool, he''ll solidify the guard from now on, and find the traitor." James Dean was the target of the Pentagon Hunters who were now in Las Vegas were. It was a story to be shared only in private. In addition, Colon, who was now running wild in front of his men, was a Hunter, sent from Texas for this important mission. Of course, he was a trusted, strong man with good experience. The Pentagon would not have sent just anyone to get rid of James Dean, who was considered a hero of Las Vegas. That''s why Colon knew better than anyone else how the Pentagon would treat the incompetent and the failed, and how they would deal with him and his men who had failed to eliminate Mayor James Dean. He knew it so well that Colon didn''t bother himself for long at this moment. There was only one thing he had to do now. "If we leave Mayor Dean alive, we will die. They will kill us to get rid of the tail, damn it! "Gather." "Yes?" "Gather them all together. All the Hunters in Las Vegas. No, not just Hunters. Gather everyone you can. Gather the mafia, the gangs. Gather them together¡­" "We will kill Mayor Dean directly." To eliminate Mayor James Dean himself was the only way Colon and his men could survive. Boom! The door of the underground bunker where they were hiding was broken in loudly. "What is it?" Colon and his men sprang up from their seats in astonishment. The two of them could see a man crossing a broken door. He was an Asian with a sharp appearance. The Asian man stepped slowly towards Colon. Thud! Then he took the chair that Colon had just sat down with, and sat down between him and his men. All this was done while Colon and his men stood firm and watched. There was no resistance, no rebellion at all. ''What, what¡­''''What is it?''It was because invisible forces were entangling them. The man sitting between the two men who were as helpless mannequins spoke slowly, "Let''s start a conversation." "Yes¡­" At his words, the closed mouth of Colon was allowed to open. "Who are you?" At the question, the man didn''t show a flicker of expression, let alone an answer. Colon also realized that what he was talking about could not even be carried away by a man.So Colon quickly changed his words. "Do you know who I represent?" It was a sneaky threat. There was a manly response to the threat. "A Hunter of the Pentagon." The reaction was not very good for Colon. The fact that his opponent came to him even knowing who Colon was meant that he was ready enough. But Colon didn''t give up. ''This is¡­ dangerous.'' He had a hunch that the moment he gave up here, he would be dead.So he was going to do everything he could before he died. That was the reason why Colon had gone beyond the frivolity of a child and was now speaking childish threats. It was the only thing he could do. "If you touch me, the Pentagon won''t stay still!" "I know. That''s why I''m here." "What''s that¡­" "From now on, you only answer my questions." --------------------------------------- 9.Hoover Dam¡­There were many words attached to this huge block of concrete. One of them was that it was the last structure of mankind. It was not an exaggerated expression. Buildings that were no longer under human control, or their roads, could last for only two to three hundred years, but Hoover Dam could last for thousands of years. It was a building that would survive to the last minute when mankind died. "I think the Pentagon really wants my head." James Dean, the owner of Hoover Dam, had an expression on his face that was not characteristic of the master of the great structure. "It was not unexpected, but¡­" His face was dull and grim. "I didn''t expect they were going to make a real plot like this. They bought off a colleague of mine." James Dean had known for a long time that Pentagon considered him an eyesore. It was natural. The two were opposites in what they were pursuing. The Pentagon wanted to divide the world into kings and slaves, and James Dean wanted to make the world a good place to live in. It was natural that the two of them were in one land and collided. The reason for the lack of collision so far was that the Pentagon was located in Washington DC, and Las Vegas was located in western America. It was too far away to make a move. "I didn''t even know that a man of that kind, Colon, had come to Las Vegas, which means that not just a man or two was bought off, but a whole part of the city was bought off." But the distance to the Pentagon was now colorless. The evidence was that they had tried to kill James Dean far away in Las Vegas. It was why James Dean looked so terrible. "This is my situation now." On the other hand, the man, who was drinking coffee and looking at James Dean, had not changed much. "I don''t know how I can help you, but you can tell me what you want, because as you say, my life is in your hands." Kim Tae-hoon listened to James Dean with a cool expression and swallowed the coffee he was holding. "What I want is a man''s life, and now he''s at the center of the Pentagon." "You want to attack the Pentagon? You want me to help you? No problem. There''s no reason not to go on that." James Dean laughed bitterly. At the same time, his eyes were sharp. He had fear of the war against the Pentagon. However, Kim Tae-hoon''s expression was still cool. "It''s okay to take down the Pentagon. I can do that without other people''s help." With a calm expression, he uttered words that were not calm. "What the hell is that..." "It''s exactly what I said. If I am just knocking down the Pentagon, I wouldn''t have to be here." James Dean was embarrassed for a moment. Kim Tae-hoon''s appearance came to mind: he killed the Desert Dragon, a blue-grade monster, with just a gesture. It indicated strongly that Kim Tae-hoon''s words were not just bluffs. Kim Tae-hoon continued to explain to him. "It took a year or so to bring down the group that committed the crime on September 11, 2001, but it took ten years to catch the main culprit." In that explanation, James Dean was able to draw a clearer picture of what Kim Tae-hoon wanted. "I understand." James Dean was able to understand the picture enough. "So what should I do for your plan?" "Oppose the Pentagon." "Do you mean I should distract the Pentagon while you find the target?" James Dean thought for a moment and said, "The power of Las Vegas will not be enough to deal with the Pentagon." The idea of fighting against the Pentagon was already happening. The Desert Dragon hunting was also to build forces to resist the Pentagon. If so, it was a great opportunity, not a crisis, now that Kim Tae-hoon could support it. "We need to establish an organic partnership with at least San Francisco and Los Angeles, and the Western Alliance, that is the least we have to do." James Dean immediately brought out his plan. "The problem is that these three places need to remove the monsters that are the obstacles to organically cooperate, but ... it''s not easy." He also brought out the greatest difficulty in carrying out the plan. "Especially in Yosemite National Park, there are seven blue-grade monsters, the most troublesome." At the end of his words, Kim Tae-hoon answered briefly. "That''s no problem." James Dean was happy with that. "If you help me, I''ll be able to subjugate the monsters as soon as I can!" "You don''t have to." But at the answer of Kim Tae-hoon, James Dean had to tilt his head sideways. "What does it mean..." "I removed everything on the way." At this moment James Dean looked blank for a moment. In more detail, James Dean could not grasp the meaning of Kim Tae-hoon''s words and could not accept the facts he had deduced. In front of James Dean, Kim Tae-hoon took a sip of coffee in his hand. ''Oh my God.'' After the long silence, James Dean''s sigh burst out. James Dean stroked his face with his hand. Clearly, what Kim Tae-hoon had told him was good news, and he should be pleased. But James Dean could not feel the joy of this fact. "What the hell..." The efforts he had made so far seemed to be just a trivial struggle. But Kim Tae-hoon did not intend to comfort him. "How long would it take to build a Western alliance that combined LA and San Francisco?" Kim Tae-hoon knew better than anyone that comfort was not very helpful in the current era. He knew that only those who felt discontent could survive until now. James Dean did the same. He did not retreat from his fear. "The Pentagon has forces in the West, so it will take time to move away from their eyes. I expect it will take about a month." "What if you move, regardless of the Pentagon''s movements?" "Ten days is enough, but the Pentagon won''t be quiet unless they are distracted elsewhere¡­" A plan flashed into James Dean''s mind as he spoke. "Texas," he said immediately. "If we can destroy Texas, we can build stronger forces to fight against the Pentagon, as well as to earn time." The word "Texas" narrowed Kim''s eyes. "As you know, Texas has oil fields." The Texan oil fields were the largest oil fields in the United States. They were basically supplying the rest of the country. In addition, the value of oil fields would be absolute in a situation where most civilizations had collapsed, like now. "And Texas is in the center of America." Texas was located in the central southern part of the United States. If the Pentagon and the Western League started a war, Texas would determine the scale of the victory and defeat. "So the Pentagon used all its means and methods to make Texas more secure." Of course, the Pentagon was more focused on securing Texas than anywhere else. "That''s why the Pentagon has the greatest influence in Texas, and at the same time, their anger at the Pentagon is the greatest." The Pentagon had never done anything with charity, mercy, or morality there. As he had said before, there were only kings and slaves in the world of the Pentagon. "The Resistance is there, and the people of Texas believe in the Resistance because real values are admitted everywhere." In Texas, which had suffered the greatest damage and persecution of the Pentagon, the number of people who resisted the Pentagon was also the highest. "Who should I go to Texas and help?" "Jennifer Mitchel is the head of the Resistance." "What are her outward features?" "Don''t you know her?" She was a big actress who had starred in more than a dozen Hollywood films. She was a woman everyone knew. At the question, Kim Tae-hoon made something other than a cool expression for the first time. "I''ll show you a picture." James Dean said quickly. Instead, he asked, "Can you do it?" Kim Tae-hoon did not answer the question. "I need two identities that I can get into Texas City quietly with, so I can contact the Resistance." Kim Tae-hoon was here to make it work even if it did not work.

 156 Episode 156 - Black Dragon Down, Part I

    Chapter 55. Black Dragon Down, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.The Pentagon building¡­Once the largest building in mankind, it had so many rooms that it matched its grandeur. There were rooms that had not been used properly for more than half a century since the Pentagon had been built. The same was true of the days after the monsters appeared. When the Pentagon building became the headquarters of the Pentagon, not the United States Department of Defense, nobody felt there was not enough room for the small number of people belonging to the Pentagon who began to live in the Pentagon building. Mao Spencer could quietly watch the Globe of Behaim, which showed the location of legendary relics, alone in a room with a sunny window, with a magnifying glass. He was looking at Asia now. It was a small piece of land on the globe, but not China or Japan: the Korean Peninsula. Mao was breathing, staring silently at it with a magnifying glass. In Mao''s eyes, several very small lights, little more than dust, shone on the Korean Peninsula and disappeared. Mao looked away from the magnifying glass. "If I see that most of the legendary relics still remain in Korea¡­ there is no particular movement." The Globe of Behaim, the first globe of mankind, had the ability to tell the location of legendary relics in the world. It did not inform easily. Once a day a light came up like a lightning strike from the dry sky in the area of legendary relics. The light was not observable by a camera or anything, and only visible to the naked eye. That was why Mao spent his time holding a magnifying glass in front of the globe. ''Everything is going well.'' Of course, Mao had no complaints about it. He would not have come here without this Behaim Globe. "If we gain the Mayan Calendar and Dr. Chang''s research is fruitful, there will be no more games." Most of all, what Mao was satisfied with was that there would be nothing to stop him sooner or later. Just remembering that, Mao could smile at any time, and under any circumstances. "Mr. Mao." Major Chinshan came into his room. "What''s the matter?" "The Pentagon is getting busy." As he spoke, Major Chinshan also moved his mouth without any sound, like a carp.-Paul Fork left the Pentagon with his troops.- Mao received the silent message and immediately analyzed what Chinshan had told him. There was nothing hard about it. ''If the Hyena moves, there''s only one reason.'' Paul Fork was the leader of the Hyena Unit, one of the core Hunter units of the Pentagon. In addition, the Hyena Unit was a unit that handled what someone had left behind. The fact that they moved meant that someone else did not perform their mission properly. There was only one place where the mission the Pentagon assigned was urgent and important enough for the Paul Fork and the Hyena Unit to move. ''There''s a problem in the West.'' It was not difficult for Mao to reach that conclusion. He was not particularly interested in the fact. -They found the Mayan Calendar.-The subsequent words of Chinshan did not let Mao worry about anything else. The Mayan Calendar was what Mao had hoped for. ''Finally, I can wake Quetzalcoatl whenever I want.'' The world that the Six Snakes wanted needed monsters, especially a very powerful monster. That way, the world would be afraid of monsters and would be absolutely loyal and obedient to those who fought against the monsters. In other words, the ability to control powerful monsters was the most necessary ability for Mao''s world. ''The strongest and worst Dragon is now in my hands.'' The Mayan Calendar, the relic, was a terrible thing that could wake up the Quetzalcoatl, the strongest and worst of the purple-grade monsters. It was the monster of the monsters, and could not be compared to the Orc Emperor or the Immortal Wolf that had appeared so far. It was a disaster that could lead the world to an end, to final destruction. ''I''ve got the best shield.'' In other words, it was the best shield. No one in the world would want to face Quetzalcoatl in exchange for killing Mao. Even Mao himself did not intend to face Quetzalcoatl. So it was the best shield. ''There''s only one left.'' So now Mao had only one thing to do: getting the strongest spear that could break anything in the world at once. ''When Dr. Chang''s research is fruitful, even the best spear will come into my hands.'' It would not be long before even the spear would come in Mao''s hand. And as soon as the day came, Mao would not spare what he had. ''Judgment Day is coming.'' Mao smiled a deeper smile. At this moment he was sure the game was actually over, until he heard the news from the city of Dallas, the center of Texas. -------------------------- 2.The biggest problem that mankind had faced since the advent of monsters would be sufficiently explained by this short word: energy shortage. People lacked the energy to move their bodies, and they didn''t have enough energy to rebuild civilization. In such a situation, the value of oil was could not be matched by dollars and gold. It did not take long for those who survived the appearance of the monsters to realize that. The same was true of America. The survivors of the United States, who had the most powerful army in the world, were freer to carry guns than any other country, and were able to win more victories than any other country in the war against the monsters that started suddenly. "The world once blamed the legalization of American gun possession, and it was America that was right, because only those with guns could survive when the monsters appeared. That''s why all the Hunters carry guns." Those who had won naturally began to flock to Texas, where the Texas oil fields were, the most important oil fields in the Americas. "That''s how the smartest of the survivors knew where to go with there guns." So until mid-2017, Texas was virtually the center of the United States. "The major cities, Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, of the state of Texas were full of people." All the survivors were in Texas, and the power gathered in Texas was beyond common sense. "The army was gathered, of course. Everyone believed that this war would not last long." So the Americans in Texas did not doubt that they could win, and establish a great America again, until the Black Dragon with blue eyes appeared. "However, as soon as the Black Dragon came in, everything collapsed. Texas became Ground Zero. No one dared to deal with the Black Dragon. Texas was Hell at that time. It was even July 4th when it first appeared." On July 4, 2017, with the appearance of the Black Dragon in Texas, virtually all functions of Texas were suspended. "It was no different than the Independence Day movie. No, the scene that the Black Dragon vomited its breath was more shocking than the UFO spaceship shooting down the laser beam over the White House on Independence Day." It was an age of despair. It was heavenly luck that the sky had given them to stop the era of despair. "But it suddenly fell asleep in the vicinity of Lake Eagle Mountain in Fort Worth." In Fort Worth, one of the most prominent cities in Texas and one of the major cities of survivors gathered in Texas, the Black Dragon fell to sleep. "However, an Indian Cherokee said it was because of a crystal totem in Eagle Mount Lake." The legendary relic, the Cherokee Totem, made the dreadful Dragon fall asleep. "Of course, at the moment, everyone was distracted by the escape, and before the Dragon woke up, they ran away madly. Some to the west, some to the east, but the Black Dragon did not wake up. And then people started to change their minds." It was a sign that bad luck often brought good luck. "There are no monsters where the Dragon sleeps, and paradoxically Texas has become the safest place in the United States, because the Black Dragon is asleep." Animals could not live by the beast, but humans were animals that could live on cliffs as well as with the beasts if it meant surviving. The Black Dragon was no different. The fugitives flocked back to Texas. For those who had come so far, there was one absolute rule that everyone kept: never touch Cherokee Totem; never wake the Black Dragon from sleep. "As long as the Cherokee Totem is safe, the Dragon will be the guardian of Texas. That''s the only rule you''ll have to follow in Dallas City from now on." Kim Tae-hoon, riding in a Ford truck, nodded at the words. ---------------------- 3.When the Black Dragon began to sleep in Fort Worth, the biggest beneficiary was Dallas, which was next door to Fort Worth. Dallas City had become virtually the center and the whole of Texas. Naturally, everything in Texas was gathered in Dallas City. Oil gathered, people gathered, and Hunters gathered. Dallas City began to enjoy an unprecedented boom. The most popular thing in the boom was the bar. It was a natural procedure. Now, the best way to spend time in a boring world without baseball, football, or ice hockey was to play poker, darts, or chat with a red-faced drunk. The same was true of a bar named Dallas Cowboy, located outside Dallas. The bar was crowded, even if it was outside of the city. The bustle did not change much when a new Asian guest came alone. No one was very concerned that the man had two unique swords on his back. The bartender was the same. The bartender did not ask where he came from, what his nationality was, how hard it was to get there, what his job was, or if he was a Hunter. They weren''t something to be curious about in Texas. "What would you like to order?" So the bartender spoke briefly and to the point. "Coffee." But when the man answered, the mood changed a little. The bartender smiled awkwardly for a moment in front of this ridiculous order. "I''m sorry, but I don''t sell coffee here." "Then a glass of hot water and a mug." The bartender cocked his head again, but it was not a statement of doubt. The bartender''s eyes were proof of it. There was no question mark in the bartender''s eyes. A man approached in the strange atmosphere of the bartender and the Asian guest. "Hey, there." He was a man drinking from a large beer glass filled with beer nearby. "I don''t know where you came from, but this is a bar. There are only two things you can order. Drinks and women." Kim Tae-hoon said quietly at the words of the man filled with the smell of beer, "Jenny, Mitchell." At that moment the mood changed. Those who seated at a table far away from the bar moved. The men holding the glasses laid them down on the table, and the men who were not holding the glasses moved their hands toward the guns that were on their thighs or sides or at their backs. The atmosphere began to spread, eventually reaching the point of an Asian man who said the name, Jennifer Mitchell. Click! The sound of a revolver hammer being thrown back entered the ear of the man in front of the bartender. The bartender, who had not lost his courtesy in the midst of the situation, stared at the man with an eerie look on his face. "Where are you from?" "Las Vegas." "What about the proof?" At the cross-question of the bartender, he slipped his hand quietly into his trouser pocket. As soon as he saw it, the bartender winked at the person who was pointing the gun at the customer in front of him: don''t pull the trigger, but if something suspicious appears in that pocket, pull it without delay. The man took out a finely folded paper between the gruesome glances. To be exact, it was a movie poster cut off, a short-cut poster with only the leading actress. Inside the poster, a blond woman with emerald eyes wearing red lipstick was posing in a stiff posture. She was an indescribably charming, captivating woman. The Asian man who took out the poster looked at it and then turned to the waitress who was looking at him from the corner of the bar. "Jennifer Mitchell." Blam! Instantly, the gun went off, and with the shot, everyone pulled their guns in response. Dozens of guns locked on one place. The many eyes of those holding the guns also looked at that place. They could see that the man had snatched the bullet from the air as it was. No, to be exact, no one had seen it properly. It was something they could not see with simple eyes, done in an eyeblink Instead, the man who grabbed the bullet with his hand dropped a small hunk of lead, clattering to the floor of the wooden bar, letting them guess what had happened before and after at that moment. ''No way!''''Did he catch the bullet?'' It was an absurd situation. The man who did such a crazy thing in such a situation was still looking at the waitress, without even glancing at other people. "Let''s start the briefing. Sooner or later, the Black Dragon will come to the city of Dallas. All the functions of Dallas will be paralyzed. Take control of the city of Dallas, aiming at the cracks." The waitress asked the man, "Who are you?" The man spoke briefly at the question. "I''m Kim Tae-hoon, the Master of Mac Guild."

 157 Episode 157 - Black Dragon Down, Part II

    Chapter 55. Black Dragon Down, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 4.Jennifer Mitchell¡­The description of her did not need to be that long. She had blond hair, green eyes and was a beautiful woman that most of the world could not help but admire, a world-class actor with nine Hollywood movies behind her. Her appearance and career were also well-known. She had the power to attract and persuade people to follow her. It was often called aura or charisma, and Jennifer Mitchell had it. In addition, she had her own stubbornness and style. She was not just charismatic, she had an aura that could make her one of the most brilliant stars on the stage of Hollywood. It was impossible to become a global actor without a clear sense of self-worth and stubbornness to adhere to her ideals. Her passions were intense, unrivaled, and of course, they did not change much in the monster era. She had charisma and the aura to lead people, and she never intended to live her life because she was not satisfied with the unfairness. That was why she became the leader of the Resistance, a so-called Free Liberation Army leader in Texas, which was in the hands of the Pentagon. Would Jennifer Mitchell look sad, like a pathetic heroine in a movie, to an Asian man who she had never seen before, even though he had shown an absurd ability? Of course, she wouldn''t "You said Kim, didn''t you?" Ting! She took out a grenade she had hidden in a pocket between the shabby wrinkles of her skirt, and she pulled out the safety pin at the same time. She asked, keeping the safety handle depressed, "Kim, what do you want?" "The occupation of Dallas City by the Resistance." "Why are you helping us?" "Don''t get it wrong." Of course, Kim Tae-hoon was not a man to be daunted in this situation. "This is not a negotiation or a deal." Rather, the opposite, Kim Tae-hoon'' enemies so far had been too great to be frightened by a grenade. If he was really scared and lowered his posture here, it would be an insult to the enemies who had died by Kim Tae-hoon. "I''ll tell you again. I don''t intend to negotiate, or make a deal." Crucially, Kim Tae-hoon had many experiences dealing with groups like the Resistance. So at this moment, he did not intend to negotiate or deal with them. What he wanted to do was a one-sided demand. To put it bluntly, it was a threat. Jennifer Mitchell''s eyes flashed sharply at Kim Tae-hoon. But Kim Tae-hoon''s eyes were overwhelming enough to make her nervous, who had been fearless against even against the Pentagon. ''Where on Earth did he come from...?'' In front of Kim Tae-hoon, Jennifer Mitchell, who had great charisma and aura, could not show her hostility right away. Instead of getting angry, she put her brain to work. She acknowledged that her opponent was out of the ordinary, and she began to consider getting something more advantageous in this situation. "Did you say that you are going to wake up the Black Dragon? Don''t be ridiculous. If you wake up the Black Dragon, Texas, including Dallas, will be destroyed." She got to the point. The most shocking and key thing Kim Tae-hoon had said was that he would wake up the Black Dragon sleeping in Eagle Mountain Lake! "Please don''t think that we didn''t do it because we didn''t know about it." What the Resistance forces of Texas were pursuing was not like overthrowing the regime. It was to prevent the unjust, inhumane, immoral Pentagon from hurting anyone. Of course, the Texas Resistance had never thought of waking the Black Dragon just to hurt the Pentagon. Using the Black Dragon to drive out the Pentagon would be like bringing a tiger home to deal with a local mad dog. It was not a good idea for anyone who called Texas their home. If anyone wanted to wake the Black Dragon, the Resistance would be willing to hold hands with the Pentagon to stop them. From that point of view, Kim Tae-hoon, who was going to wake up the Black Dragon rather than the Pentagon, was more dangerous. Kim Tae-hoon answered her question with a cool expression. "The role of the Black Dragon is to paralyze Dallas with the fear for a while." Jennifer Mitchell asked back, with a ridiculous laugh. "You can kill the Black Dragon any time you like it, as I see your babbling about like that way?" In her cross-question, Kim Tae-hoon lightly spread his right hand instead of answering. "Ugh!" At that moment, Jennifer Mitchell''s grip on the grenade faltered. Thud! The grenade fell to the floor. ''Oh, no!'' Jennifer Mitchell was surprised, and the people around her were shocked. At that moment, lives flashed before people''s eyes. The grenade that fell to the floor was sucked into Kim Tae-hoon''s hands. Kim grabbed the grenade tightly and squeezed. The grenade crumpled like an empty can of drink. Three seconds later, there was rumbling bang, and a small explosion broke out in Kim''s hand. Kim Tae-hoon''s hand was covered with the scales of the Dragon, and his eyes were slitted like a Dragon''s. It was the Draconian mode. The explosion of the grenade was just a minor nuisance to Kim Tae-hoon, who wielded a power that was mighty and transcendent. Kim Tae-hoon kept his Draconian mode and unfolded his palm covered with scales. The grenade fragments tinkled to the floor. Nobody could sigh or even show surprise in front of the scene. It was so shocking it made them impossible to judge it rationally. In the stillness, Kim Tae-hoon said quietly. "A couple of days from now, at 11 pm, the Black Dragon will appear in Dallas> There may a slight error on the time, so take it and prepare." Kim Tae-hoon looked at the bartender for the last time and said, "Hot water and a mug." ------------------------ 5.The first thing the Pentagon did after it took over Texas was to replace the mayors of Texas'' major cities with those who suited their tastes. In the process, the Pentagon was supported by many influential, experienced, and talented people. It was so natural. It was like holding some of the absolute power that Texas would become the center of the Americas, and even of the world, in the future. The Pentagon, furthermore, only admitted kings and slaves. Being the owner of the city under the Pentagon was virtually the same as being a king. In this background, Bean Cohen, who had become the Mayor of Dallas, was, of course, one of the most influential figures in the Pentagon. ''I am not satisfied with only Dallas.'' In addition, Mayor Bean Cohen had no intention of being satisfied with his position now. There was also more prey! ''If I eat up to Houston, Texas is practically mine.'' In fact, Houston was not very attractive, geographically and economically, in the present situation. ''If I eat up only the institutes there¡­'' Instead, Houston had the most famous state-of-the-art research institute in the world, NASA. The Johnson Space Center, one of NASA''s affiliated organizations, was also located in Houston. ''Now it''s NASA that''s going to develop a new era.'' In the present era, there would be a question of what use rocket scientists were, but if they were smart, including the Pentagon, they had to notice them. Rather, it could be said there was no one as important as NASA researchers in the present age. This was a characteristic of space research. Studying the universe was like studying the way of survival in the unknown future of a terrible, harsh universe. In a way, NASA''s researchers were the ones who fired rockets at the moon with computers that were worse than people''s smartphones. They were the best brains to face the monsters and the unknown times beyond. ''If they''re all in my hands, it''s not impossible for me to devour the Pentagon.'' That was why Mayor Bean Cohen coveted Houston. If he had the oil fields of Texas, the countless Hunters and combat weapons gathered here, and the manpower and technology to face the future, he would no longer be afraid. And it was not long before it might be possible. ''Not long. By the end of the year. There''s nothing to worry about. There''s nothing to fear.'' Mayor Bean Cohen''s plan was making steady progress. There was nothing to fear now. ''But what the hell¡­'' In that situation, the Mayor of Bean Cohen was feeling creepy all over his body. It was so strange. ''I''ve never felt this way before¡­ No, I think I''ve had this feeling before¡­'' What was even more strange was that Mayor Bean Cohen felt that this strange sensation was not the first time. It was not the first time that his whole body felt creepy, and his spine was cold without knowing anything. It was not the first time. But if this experience was not the first time, he should remember when. In the end, Mayor Bean Cohen had to frown while he was groping for memories. ''What the hell is it?'' The frowning face of Mayor Bean Cohen began to spread. He looked beyond surprised and startled, to pale. ''No, no way. The Black Dragon?'' He remembered the monster that had made Texas a crucible of fear and despair in only one morning. Keuooo! The Black Dragon appeared in Dallas. -------------------------- 6.The appearance of the Black Dragon, which crushed human reason and common sense by just appearing in the sky, was sudden and intense. Soon after, it slowly came down to the ground, flapping its wings, and the buildings of Dallas were buffeted by the winds. When it reached ten meters above the ground, the Black Dragon stopped flapping its wings. The body of the Black Dragon, ten meters high, created a shock wave that everyone could feel throughout Dallas. Keuooo! With its neck raised high, the fear that it had vomited to the sky left all the living things in Dallas City just barely alive. Almost everyone in Dallas fell to the ground, mindless with fear. "Uh¡­""Run, run away¡ª" Only a few people with high Energy rank did not faint, but that was all. Even if reason and thinking remained, they could not hope to do anything. There was only one person on Earth who could withstand the Dragonfear without any preparation or preparation. In other words, only those who had prepared could move. "Hoo-oo!" That way why the Texas Resistance, after long sighs and some trembling, could bear the Dragonfear. Jennifer Mitchell was one of them. "Move." So they began to move to regain Dallas City, where everything had stopped. At that time, the only man on earth who could stand in front of the Dragonfear without any preparation was facing the Dragon. That was enough to stop the Black Dragon, who could melt the whole city of Dallas with its deadly poisonous breath. Krrr¡­ It was amazing. A monster that could not be confronted by anything was warily watching a man who stood in front of its fear. Frozen with vigilance, it could not move at all. Krrr¡­ It just stared at the man with its own eyes, the man with two swords on his back. However, the man didn''t care much about the Black Dragon''s attention, vigilance, and anger. Instead, the man was only looking at a watch on his wrist. At last, when ten minutes had passed, Kim Tae-hoon confirmed the time and looked at the Black Dragon, not the clock. At the same time, behind Kim Tae-hoon''s back, three beads made of blue thunder, red flame, and blue ice appeared, sparking with power. The Black Dragon hunt began.

 158 Episode 158 - Black Dragon Down, Part III

    Chapter 55. Black Dragon Down, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 7.Dallas, Texas¡­The number of security guards and Hunters stationed in City Hall was over a thousand. But the important thing was that they were elites, not lacking in quality. The quantity and quality were not just in theHunters. There was nothing lacking in the relics and items they owned. Their weapons were among the best. Armed with weapons from America, not the rest of the world, the beginning and source of the power of the United States, the forces of Dallas had the power to fight against any country. On every road into the City Hall M1 Abrams tanks were stationed, now eerily quiet, and inside the City Hall, a week''s worth of ammunition was stored. It was a fortress that could not be conquered by any force. "Uh¡­" But now all that power was fallen and groaning on the floor. The impregnable castle had turned into an ownerless one. "Go in!""Move fast!" The Resistance quickly entered the ownerless castle. There was no battle, nor did the rebels kill the fallen soldiers of the Pentagon. "Avoid battle as much as possible! Find Bean Cohen!" The Resistance did not have much time, and what the Resistance wanted in the first place was not blood vengeance, but the realization of legitimate value. The slaughter of the defenseless did not fit the values they followed. "Don''t be in a hurry to fight if you find Mayor Bean Cohen!" Above all, Mayor Bean Cohen, who they wanted to catch, was not a Hunter who could be helplessly hurt by the Dragon fear. As a Hunter of the Pentagon, he was one of the most experienced Hunters who had ever participated in powerful monster hunting. The mere act of dealing with him had already run out of time. ''As soon as possible.'' Crucially, Jennifer Mitchell, who led this operation, was still not sure. ''He may not kill the Dragon.'' Kim Tae-hoon, who had suddenly appeared and called out the Black Dragon, had been silent for a long time. It was a great thing in itself. Anyone could wake up the Black Dragon, but it was impossible for anyone to attract the awakened Black Dragon to Dallas. The problem was what came next. If Kim Tae-hoon could not kill the Black Dragon, the problem would become so big that nobody could control it. ''No, it makes no sense to deal with the Black Dragon alone.'' And it was true that the possibility that Kim Tae-hoon would kill the Black Dragon alone was not good enough to imagine itself. ''Where on Earth did he come from?'' For Jennifer Mitchell, in case of the worst, they needed to get at least something. Securing Mayor Bean Cohen was the minimum profit she could get at this moment. ''Quickly, anyway.'' So when she moved to the City Hall, leading her subordinates to find Mayor Bean Cohen, a huge roar shook the City Hall. The subsequent cry of the Black Dragon shook everyone''s Energy once again. "U-eup!" The Resistance was also affected. Jennifer Mitchell''s face stiffened for a moment. One of her men came to her and reported the situation. "He started fighting the Black Dragon." "What''s the situation?" "Well¡­" Jennifer Mitchell guessed that the situation was going badly at the appearance of a blurred subordinate. And her guess was not totally wrong¡­ as the situation was not so good for the Black Dragon. "The Black Dragon is being overwhelmed." -------------------- 8.Kim Tae-hoon came to the United States and did not bring a single legendary relic with him. Bringing a legendary relic with him in a situation where Mao had a tool to locate legendary relics was in fact no different then revealing his whereabouts to him. It was obviously a matter of power, because Kim Tae-hoon''s legendary relics were overwhelming and powerful enough to make them incomparable to other relics. However, Kim did not care much. He was confident even if he was weakened in power. He had the confidence to kill a monster of the blue grade with his own ability, without the help of legendary relics. He was showing the reason for his confidence against the Black Dragon now. The start was the flames of Furry Crocodile and Telekinetic Bead of Freezer''s ice thorns. Two fire and ice beads, now large enough to encapsulate a human body, roamed over the Black Dragon and began to melt or freeze its scales. On top of such melted or frozen scales, the Telekinetic Bead of blue thunder vomited the power of lightning. The blue lightning the Telekinetic Bead constantly threw out was a terrible attack. The Black Dragon lost its armor as its scales burst. A scream burst from the Black Dragon''s jaws. Even its amazing resilience couldn''t deal with the pain. Of course, those attacks were not the end of it. The two swords brought by Kim Tae-hoon, the Sword of the Imperator and Onimaru Kunitsuna, flew into the air toward the Black Dragon. Their flight stopped in the eyes of the Black Dragon. The Black Dragon closed its eyes tightly. It was a gesture of pain, and at the same time, a sign that the Black Dragon was exhausted. The angry Dragon closed its huge mouth tightly after looking at Kim. The thick darkness began to wriggle in its throat. When the Black Dragon opened its mouth, a black liquid was spewed out of its mouth like a laser beam. The liquid swallowed Kim Tae-hoon''s body instantly. It was poison and acid. The poison was so powerful that it could melt a lump of concrete or an asphalt road. Just smelling it would kill someone. The poison naturally affected Kim Tae-hoon''s body¡­ but that was all. Kim Tae-hoon was still alive in front of the poison. "Ugh!" Although he frowned at the pain and moaned for a second, Kim Tae-hoon did not die. His flesh, which had been poisoned to death, quickly began to regain its original color, and his eroded body quickly gained new flesh. Kim Tae-hoon could not die, because he had the immortal ability. His ridiculous recovery ability refreshed his body. Of course, there was no Energy or Health consumed in the process, since the Inexhaustible Infinity of Orc Khan was now Kim Tae-hoon''s. Even Kim Tae-hoon''s clothes did not melt in front of the Black Dragon''s acid breath. Only the dye melted away and the original color of his leather clothes, made from the Orc Khan''s skin, was revealed. The most powerful attack which the Black Dragon could use did not work on Kim Tae-hoon at all. It was a worse situation then the Black Dragon could believe. But, as always, the worst it could expect was not the worst. Kim Tae-hoon was ready to show the Black Dragon the worst. He took the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje from his bag. In the distant lands of America, a golden phoenix appeared. -------------------------- 9.The great phoenix, made of golden smoke, screamed a clear tone toward the sky. At the foot of the Phoenix was a huge Dragon''s carcass, which had been torn to pieces in a mess. The Black Dragon who had horrified the whole country, including Texas, was bleeding, the most miserable thing in the world. A man appeared between the biggest wounds on the Black Dragon''s body. Dripping! The appearance of the man, who had the black blood and poison of the Black Dragon all over his body, was terrible. His whole body seemed to be melting. But every time he stepped out of the body of the Black Dragon, his body gradually regained its original color and form. Soon after, Kim Tae-hoon, who had regained his original appearance, looked at the dark blue crystal in his hands with his black Eyes.============== [Black Dragon''s Crystal]- The level of Strength and Health increases when ingested.- The skill proficiency of Energy rank increases when ingested.- The skill proficiency of Mana rank increases when ingested.- The skill proficiency of Telekinesis rank increases when ingested.- The skill proficiency of Defense rank increases when ingested.- The skill proficiency of Mana Resistance rank increases when ingested.- You can acquire the power of the Black Dragon [Black Poison] when ingested.============== After checking, Kim Tae-hoon put the Black Dragon''s crystal into his mouth. The skin in his mouth burned from the poison. It was a poison of terrible power. But Kim Tae-hoon didn''t mind the fact and swallowed the crystal. The burning sensation in his throat made him feel sick to his stomach. He smiled bitterly and checked the back of his right hand. ========[Acquired Ability]- Black Poison (Grade 2): Black Dragon''s power can consume Mana to create a powerful Black Poison. The higher the power of Black Poison, the stronger the acidic ability.======== ''Not bad.'' To be honest, it wasn''t exactly the kind of ability he needed. He already had so much power that it was nearly nothing. However, he had no intention of reusing it. When a snake had legs, it would become a monster. He was willing to be a monster. He could hear footsteps approaching him. It was not difficult to gauge their identity. The only group that could move in the city of Dallas were those who had listened to his warning and prepared for it. "You¡­" Jennifer Mitchell, who saw the Black Dragon''s dead body in the distance, was unable to even make a face. In front of this ridiculous scene, she was simply unable to decide what expression she should have. The situation at the moment was that weird. Even though she was wearing tights that clung to her body, she just looked dull at this moment. "What about the Mayor?" Kim Tae-hoon asked her a question. Only then did Jennifer Mitchell come to her senses, and opened her mouth. "We got him!" When he heard the answer, he did not bother to ask a new question. Now there was only one thing he had to do. ''Preparation is over.'' Cracks were made in the West, and cracks were growing in the middle. Now, the place Kim Tae-hoon should go to next was one place. ''Now, I will catch Mao.'' Washington DC, to the east, was Kim''s next destination. ------------------- 10."Urgh¡­" When Mayor Bean Cohen woke up with a moan, it was a gray world that faced him. ''Damn it.'' But Mayor Bean Cohen was not very embarrassed in front of the world he faced. ''I was caught.'' He understood the situation easily. It wasn''t hard to figure out that he was tied up now, that he had a sack on his face, and that the sack that covering his face had carried coffee beans. ''Resistance bastards!'' Finally, Mayor Bean Cohen could even recall the fact that Jennifer Mitchell was among those who had attacked him. Naturally, all these facts were saying that he had been taken hostage by the Resistance. ''Crazy people.'' The only thing that complicated his mind was the Black Dragon''s fear. ''I had never thought that they would wake the Black Dragon to catch me.'' Anyone could use the Black Dragon to mess up Dallas City. The problem was that no one would try it. ''They finally made the attempt.'' In addition, this attempt was irreversible. ''They are done.'' No matter how good the rebels pretended to be, no one in Texas would follow the Resistance after they woke the Black Dragon. The Resistance had now become a public enemy in Texas. So Mayor Bean Cohen thought that this moment was a crisis of desperation, and at the same time the best opportunity. ''If I escape¡­ I''ll go to the Pentagon and bring the troops back to Texas. Texas will not help the rebels anymore.'' If he could reclaim Texas with the help of the Pentagon after his escape, he could completely root out the Resistance that was his biggest headache. Furthermore, once the Black Dragon woke up, the Pentagon would eventually go Black Dragon hunting with all its might. The oil fields in Texas were something the United States could not give up, and that, of course, meant the Pentagon. Then, Mayor Bean Cohen would no longer have to tolerate the gruesome Black Dragon next to him. The crisis had become an opportunity! ''How should I escape?'' Of course, overcoming the crisis was more important than anything else. If he did not escape like this, he would be used as a hostage, and he would certainly face the worst. "Hoo, hoo, hoo!" Mayor Cohen took a breath and listened to the sounds around him. Then he heard the voices of the Resistance. "Why aren''t we killing Mayor Cohen?" "They say he will be used as a hostage." "Damn it, why don''t we just take a hostage after we kill him? He is Bean Cohen, a Hunter of the Pentagon! He is a superhuman who could escape by himself at any moment!" "What can we do? Now we are in trouble because our boss woke up the Black Dragon. We should have a hostage." From their voices, Mayor Cohen relaxed more. ''As I thought.'' It was then he that heard their voices exclaim in surprise. "Huh?""Hmm?""Who is it?" There was a cry, but that was it. Nothing else was heard¡­ Instead, the sound of two bodies hitting the floor tickled the waiting ears of Cohen. At that moment, Bean Cohen felt intuitive that some unwelcome visitor to the Resistance had come here to find him. ''Someone''s here!'' Cohen''s prediction was right. The sound of a person came close to him, and the person peeled off the sack covering his face. "Are you Mayor Bean Cohen?" Mayor Cohen looked at the man who had saved his life, an Asian man with dark hair and a sharp expression. "Who are you?" "Mr. Mao sent me." "Mr. Mao?" "Yes, as you know, Texas is¡­" "I know, Mr. Mao is interested in the NASA Institute in Houston. Anyway, that''s a relief. Through his good intentions¡­" "I''ll help you escape to Washington DC." "Thank you. What''s your name?" "You can call me Kim."

 159 Episode 159 - Judgement Day, Part I

    Chapter 55. Judgement Day, Part I Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.John Smith, the head of the Pentagon, which was now the controller of the land of America, was not the kind of person who used his brain to do things. He thought that the most valuable thing in the monster era was power, not intelligence. That was why he didn''t have a meeting with his men, staying in one place and working hard on a difficult problem. He knew better than anyone that he could not do anything at such a meeting, and so he didn''t feel it necessary. John Smith was a man who might not be clever, but he was not stupid; he was a man who focused only on what he could and should do. "A general meeting¡­ unexpected." As soon as John Smith called all the key executives of the Pentagon into the Ground Zero Cafe at the center of the Pentagon, and Mao was included in the list, Mao could see that it was not just a simple situation. "Did you see any signs?" In addition, what Mao asked Major Chinshan was that he did not sense any signs of this not-so-simple situation. "No¡­ nothing. The parking lot was clean, and there was no movement from other people." If there had been any sign, Major Chinshan would have informed Mao. ''Something came straight¡­'' Without such a sign, what John Smith was doing something he did not normally do, meaning that something was delivered through direct lines of communication. ''Something serious¡­'' It must be breaking news. ''If it''s enough to make John Smith move like this¡­ it must be a huge threat. Did they even rouse the Black Dragon in Texas?'' John Smith, who was confident and convinced that he had already become king of the world, was an arrogant and leisurely man. So at this moment, Mao felt something of a crisis. ''¡­ whatever it is, I''ll have to do something dangerous. Prevention is better than a cure.'' That was the secret of Mao''s survival so far, and at this moment he stood by it. "Major Chinshan." "Yes, sir." "Go there now, and if you don''t hear from me¡­ just do what I said." "Then¡­" "Destroy it." At that remark, Chinshan only nodded instead of answering. ------------------------ 2.Bean Cohen knew Mao Spencer when the Pentagon was organized and he became an executive in it, not just a Hunter. John Smith called Bean Cohen and told him that there were the Six Snakes behind him, and that there was a man named Mao Spencer at the center of it. He also told him about what the Six Snakes were after and the world Mao Spencer hoped for. Bean Cohen admired him. When Mao Spencer lost everything, came to America, and bowed his head to John Smith, Bean Cohen did not see him as a weak man. All the more, he was impressed. ''This guy is definitely different! This is someone who wants to be the ruler of the world! This is a scheme to bury his pride for the next step!'' Furthermore, Bean Cohen was sure that Mao Spencer had not lost everything, and there must be a secret weapon for a quick reversal of his situation. ''For Mao Spencer, there may still be one hidden thing. And this man is one of them.'' And at this moment, he was sure that one of the hidden weapons was the man in front of his eyes. ''Kim.'' The man who had only introduced himself as Kim now easily escaped with Cohen from the city of Dallas, which was now under the control of the Resistance. ''What kind of training can give him this ability?'' In the process, Kim had completely avoided the surveillance of the Resistance. Without a single battle, without a gunshot, Kim made Cohen escaped from Dallas City. What was surprising was after that. "We are going to Washington now. The distance to travel is about twelve hundred miles, so we are going to move sixty miles a day, and we''ll be in Washington in twenty days." The distance for the journey to Washington, which began with the escape from Dallas City, was nineteen hundred kilometers. Kim showed his amazing ability during the journey without a single proper tool in a situation full of monsters, not just a journey. ''How can we not meet a monster once in a trip of more than a thousand miles?'' They had not encountered a monster, and Kim always found something to eat in some way in the wilderness. It was not simply something that a powerful Hunter would show. It was more than that. It was the ability that only a survival specialist could show in a place where survival was harder than anything before becoming a Hunter. It was on the level of astonishment beyond admiration. "That''s great. Can I ask you a question?" "I''ll answer any questions I can." "What the hell happened in Asia? Can you tell me why Lord Mao Spencer came to America with a man with such a great talent?" Cohen asked Kim at the end of the long journey, why Mao Spencer, who had a man as strong as Kim, had moved to the United States after losing everything, and who it was that had knocked down Mao Spencer and driven him so far away. However, Mao Spencer had not told anyone but John Smith about his story. He was humiliated, but he did not speak about it as much. From Cohen''s point of view, it was a big question. ''What kind of monster is there in Asia?'' Kim shook his head at the question. "I can''t answer that." "What kind of monster is there in Asia? Just tell me what you feel." "I''m sorry." Kim shook his head again, and Cohen no longer asked Kim, because now was time to face something more important than this question, and he did not need an answer. "No, it''s okay. I''m already grateful to you." After speaking, Cohen looked up far away. The picture of Washington came into his eyes. The twenty-day journey was over. ------------------------- 3.Washington DC¡­The capital of the United States, the world''s strongest country, the most powerful country in human history, was just a wonderful city on the surface. It was planned and designed. In other words, it was a city where everything from one to ten was planned to make its capital, so it could not just be cool. Of course, the Washington DC, which the world saw was not the real face of the city. The truth of Washington was revealed when they feel a fatal threat. At the moment of a fatal threat, everything in the city proved to be prepared for urban defense and war. In particular, after the September 11 terrorist attacks, the United States remodeled everything in Washington, so that they would not go through the same incident again. The United States had hidden a powerful thorn inside itself, and nothing dared to do anything in Washington. -------------------------- Now Washington was covered with its thorns. "I didn''t know Washington was like this." "I didn''t know either. There are so many weapons hiding all over Washington." Numerous weapons, including tanks, had been deployed throughout Washington. It was armed with enough weapons to fight the world right now. "What on Earth are they guarding against?" "Anything that is not normal." The same was true of their vigilance. It was virtually impossible to pass without a trace, without sound, through the strict borders. The road to the Pentagon was even worse. Inside the Pentagon, the security was so severe that no one could enter even if they wanted to. The reason for the security was simple. "According to the report by the Hyena Unit, the Western Alliance has already been formed, with locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas." "There must be strong monsters between the three cities, including Yosemite National Park." "All the blue-grade monsters in Yosemite National Park have been removed." "The blue grade?" "I guess they have been preparing for it." "The rebels of Texas succeeded in killing the Black Dragon that appeared in Dallas." "The Black Dragon is one of the most powerful dark blue-colored monsters. Were the rebels alone? Are you sure?" "The body of the Black Dragon has now been identified. In addition, the news is spreading in Texas, the news that the rebels have killed the Black Dragon¡­ and it''s not easy to stop the news from spreading. The Resistance forces are using this momentum to expand their influence in Texas." Not one, but two great threats shook the Pentagon. It was their first time.The Pentagon had never been in a crisis. The Americans were so rich that it was not lacking to call them blessed by God. The crisis they had faced in the meantime was an opportunity to grow one step further after a crisis. "There''s a rumor that some organizations have helped the Western Alliance and the Texas rebels." The threat to them now, the threat to the existence, was hard to bear. John Smith was forced to massage his temples repeatedly in front of the report. And so was Mao. ''Clearly, it is Mac Guild.'' He was intuiting that this report was not simply a simultaneous coincidence. Furthermore, he was able to clearly measure the existence of the culprit who had committed all this. In fact, Mao had expected it. ''The Mac Guild is expanding its territory, starting in the western United States. Yes, they can''t be bound by the Korean Peninsula forever.'' Kim Tae-hoon was dead. It was the conclusion Mao had made using all the information networks he had. Kim Tae-hoon''s death was, of course, a fatal event for Mac Guild. But that did not mean that the Mac Guild had lost all power. Without Kim Tae-hoon, the power of the Mac Guild was still very powerful. The number of legendary relics they had was not only extraordinary, but above all, they had the legacy left by the strongest Hunter, Kim Tae-hoon. The influence of the Mac Guild was felt across the whole of Eurasia, and it was natural that their next purpose was to come to the Americas. ''It will not be easy to bring down the Pentagon.'' But Mao did not worry much about it. The Pentagon and the city of Washington, where the Pentagon was located, were perfect enough fortresses for Mao to have confidence in them. Intruders were coming into a system that the United States had set up for war with the world, but they could not come in without a sound, without damage, without any trace. "Mayor Bean Cohen has arrived in Washington, and he''s on his way here." And then there was news that Mao and the Pentagon executives had been waiting for, for so long. Two days ago that they were contacted by Bean Cohen, who was captured by the Resistance forces, but lucky enough to escape. The moment they were contacted, the Pentagon decided to listen to him and make a judgment. That was why John Smith''s right hand, massaging his temples, stopped, and had a clear sign of awakening. John Smith looked up. "Call them all here." ------------------------ 4."Hoo." The National 9.11 Pentagon Memorial¡­When he looked at the place erected in honor of the 9/11 victims, he felt his heart cool. Now calm, he walked toward the Pentagon. There was a man behind him. Kim was moving along with Bean Cohen like a shadow, and no one stopped him. Bean Cohen''s name and face were the most obvious ID card amid the tight watch. None of the fully armed soldiers stopped Bean Cohen from proceeding. Everyone was saluting and glad to welcome Bean Cohen. Their first stop was in the center of the Pentagon, in front of the door to the Ground Zero Cafe. Now they stood there, where the specially designed iron door was blocked. "Thank you." Bean Cohen reached out to Kim for a handshake. Only Bean Cohen could enter through the door, and for that Kim had escorted him this far. "I wouldn''t have been able to get here without you." Bean Cohen did not miss out on his heartfelt gratitude. But Kim did not respond to that handshake. He did not even nod without saying anything. "Kim?" Instead, Kim ignored Cohen and opened the door to the Ground Zero Cafe. In this sudden situation, not only Cohen but everyone waiting by the door were shocked. But that was all. Their astonished bodies were still stiff and unable to move. ''I can''t move¡­'' As soon as the door opened, a building was seen between the trees and the green grasses that were located before him. "I am Kim Tae-hoon, the Master of Mac Guild!" Kim Tae-hoon shouted at the place. "I''m here to get the price of blood!"

 160 Episode 160 - Judgement Day, Part II

    Chapter 55. Judgement Day, Part II Translator: KhanEditor: RED 4.Ground Zero Caf¨¦¡­The grove in the center of the Pentagon was like the heart of the Pentagon. The reason it was the heart was simple. That was where John Smith was. The fact was the obvious reason for the heart. "Kim Tae-hoon of the Mac Guild?" "Ah." John Smith was such a person for the Pentagon: the organization''s center, the core, and all-in-one man. He was a man of violence who could fight against a monster with overwhelming strength in an age full of monsters. In short, he was the strongest man in the Pentagon. To John Smith, Kim Tae-hoon''s presence and his visit were, of course, not pleasant. "That''s him. That''s him." Kim Tae-hoon complicated his mind, made his chest stuffy, and caused irritation and anger. It was all there. "Mao, didn''t you say he was dead?" John Smith was angry and irritated by Kim''s appearance, but showed no other feelings. "He must have been alive." There was no sign of panic. Mao''s pale, weary look and John Smith''s face were perfectly contradictory. "Huh." Seeing Mao, who looked like a frightened little boy, John Smith asked no more questions. He didn''t even have questions. He rose immediately from his seat and walked out of the cafe without any hesitation. There was no one to stop him. The strongest man here was John Smith, and no one could stop him from doing anything. Of course, there was no one who could protect and escort him, the strongest. Protecting John Smith was an insult to his strength. When John Smith left the cafe, he was able to face Kim Tae-hoon. "I am John Smith, the head of the Pentagon." Introductions were over. Considering the characters of the two, the introductions were all they could do to each other at this time. "You said you are Kim Tae-hoon, what did you come here for?" Kim Tae-hoon did not answer John Smith''s question. He gave a brief notice. "You can choose whether to cooperate by yourself or to cooperate by force." John Smith laughed at the notice, as if he were grateful that Kim Tae-hoon had said that. "Yes, you should do that." He nodded further. "It''s fun for you to come out like that." John Smith was a Hunter who had been chosen by God beyond his natural level. He was different from the beginning. When the monster appeared, he became an Awakener, and from the moment he became an Awakener, his ability was different. All his ranks were above B rank. Among them, Energy and Mana were A rank. It was so ridiculous that it could not be explained simply by the word "luck". It was more appropriate than anyone to say that God had chosen him. Of course, he was different from the beginning. He was on the eating side, not the being eaten side, from the start. He had destroyed or devoured quite powerful monsters, as well as clumsy Awakeners. He was even different from the starting point. Most people entered the age of monsters in homes and buildings with nothing, in blocked subway stations, and in big marts. John Smith entered this era in the military. In the U.S. military, regarded the strongest in human history, he had started a war with monsters. He had not experienced a real defeat or crisis. In the days of monsters and repeated fighting, he felt bored. It was the boredom that there was no enemy to fight against with his full power. It was the thirst to test his strength properly once again. Those who had power at the apex were supposed to have it! "When I heard about you, I wanted to fight you." "It''s my last warning. Decide whether you will cooperate or not." Kim Tae-hoon gave notice to John Smith. John Smith smiled instead and pulled up the Energy inside. His eyes turned golden. The golden light that began in his eyes wrapped around his whole body. His muscles were swelled to bursting and at the same time became so strong that even a bullet could not pierce them. The muscle fibers had become steel. It was a clear answer. John Smith had no intention of cooperating. That was all he could do. As soon as John Smith finished all preparations for the battle, Kim Tae-hoon finished everything. Whack! Kim Tae-hoon''s body narrowed the distance to John Smith at once, and his black fist made John Smith''s golden body a headless body. It was a futile but natural result. If a puppy was not afraid of a tiger, the result was obvious. John Smith, who lost his head, fell to the ground, just like that. ''What is this?''''What the hell?'' No one moved. Everyone stood there paralyzed, unable to even swallow. It was Ground Zero. Literally, everything became zero without being able to resist. Only one man moved there. Mao Spencer appeared before Kim Tae-hoon. -------------------------- 5.The Spencer Family where Mao was adopted was a noble family of England.Theirs was not a great story. The Spencers needed a talented person to shine and decorate their family, and Mao, a Hong Kong-born child with an outstanding talent for art, was their desired person. For Mao, the Spencers were the best stage to unleash his talents to the fullest. It was no loss to anyone. The life after he had the name Mao Spencer was so flat. Everything he wanted was his. There was no failure, no frustration. It was the same after the advent of the monsters. By the time the monsters appeared, Mao was managing artifacts for a new exhibition of the British Museum. Behaim''s Globe was one of them, and the Codex Gigas was also one of them. There were a lot of relics in his hands. Even Mao was preparing for the exhibition by filming all of them over and over with his camera. The first person to discover the relics was Mao. That alone was the end of the game. Mao was able to grasp the value of relics before anyone else after the arrival of the monsters, and the name Spencer became a power in a chaotic age. In the meantime, after he grasped Stonehenge''s ability to move through space, Mao then put into practice the idea that he only imagined before. Mao moved to Taiwan with everything. He was quickly aware of the limitations that the country of England would face in the age of monsters. In England, Mao Spencer was just an outstanding man, but the moment he appeared in Taiwan with everything, he could be a savior. There was no worry about choosing between hero and God, the difference was obvious. After that, everything went smoothly, as planned and as hoped. Mao created a group called the Six Snakes, and he used the relics of the British Museum and the Taiwan Palace Museum to extend the influence of the Six Snakes. In an era of chaos, the truth of the Six Snakes was the only truth that could deal with the confusion. Mao, who created the truth, was like God. That was what he wanted. Mao didn''t want to be the ruler of the world. He didn''t mean to be a king or an emperor. He didn''t mean to be a mortal, with only one line in the history books, and a name and a story left. God! As time went by, he wanted his existence to become more and more enormous and great. Mao did not want to be a man who was loved or chosen by God, he wanted to be God himself. So, at this moment, Mao was confident that he would be God himself and immortal. ''There''s still a chance. I''m not dying. No, I can''t die.'' So, Mao was confident that he would not die here today. ''If I live here, no one can kill me.'' That was why Mao appeared in front of Kim Tae-hoon. -------------------- 6."You''re smaller than I thought. I thought you''d be an absurd monster." The first meeting between the two, Mao and Kim Tae Hoon, which could not be explained as simply enmity, was achromatic. They were looking at each other with ghastly expressions on their faces, and their words showed no emotions. There was only a general notice. "I''d heard that you were dead¡­ Did you disguise your death just for this? That''s amazing. You have hidden yourself from my eyes like that in this age. No, maybe it''s just that I really wanted to believe in your death." The relationship between the two was not close enough to tell the details to the other. "Of course, it''s not very important now." It was a relationship where either side had to disappear to attain what they wished, nothing worse, nothing better. For Mao, that was all of the conversations he had to share with Kim Tae-hoon. In addition, it was not as important as he said. No matter what the process was, Kim Tae-Hoon was alive and standing in front of Mao, and Mao''s actions now were only to survive. So, Mao went straight to the point."If you kill me, the Mayan Calendar will be destroyed immediately. If the Mayan Calendar is destroyed, exactly 15 days later, the Quetzalcoatl will appear in the world." It was a threat. " Quetzalcoatl is a monster in a different dimension than the two purple grade monsters you''ve encountered. Even if you kill it, then half the world will already be burning." It was the most powerful and formidable of all threats. "You''re the only one who may survive." The threat was enough to make saying something like he intended to shoot nuclear weapons laughable. In fact, Mao''s words were not false. "In the Codex Gigas, called the Devil''s Bible, there is information about monsters. So, I hope you don''t take my words for nothing. The Quetzalcoatl is a disaster greater than you can imagine." Mao, after intimidating him, began trading on the basis of the threats. "If you spare me, I''ll hand over the Mayan Calendar. That''s all. After that, you will try to kill me even if I tell you not to kill me. Isn''t that a simple story? You just let me go once, get the Mayan Calendar, and kill me afterwards. No matter where you look, it''s not a losing business." Kim Tae-hoon answered the proposal. Blam! A single shot from somewhere penetrated Mao''s chest. It was made by a gun floating in the air under the power of Kim Tae-hoon. "Ugh!" Mao knelt on the floor, a startled look in his eye, his hand grabbing his chest where the bullet had penetrated. Mao shouted out loudly, burning the life that was escaping him. "If, if you kill me, the Mayan Calendar!..." "I''ll give you three reasons." Only then did Kim Tae-hoon speak to Mao. "One, all I believe in is my colleagues, my men, and my comrades. Mao, you are not included in those." A gun floating in the air came into Kim''s hand, and he pointed it at Mao''s head. "Two, I''m not here for a deal, I''m here for the price of the blood that has been shed so far, as well as the price of the blood that will be shed in the future." "You, you''re making a mistake, if the Quetzalcoatl wakes up..." "Three, when it wakes up, I''ll just kill it. That''s why I''m here." Blam! The conversation finished, Kim Tae-hoon pulled the trigger again. There was just one more shot. Kim Tae-hoon no longer needed to speak to Mao. Kim Tae-hoon, who had killed the two without a break, now spoke to the crowd. "I will only say this once. Decide whether you will cooperate on your own or not." The crowd didn''t answer but lifted their hands overhead in a flash. Seeing that, Kim Tae-hoon took a jade bird out of his sleeve and spoke to it. "Jang Sung-hoon, the judgment is over. Starting now, we''re going to hunt the Quetzalcoatl."

 161 Episode 161 - Judgement Day, Part III

    Chapter 55. Judgement Day, Part III Translator: KhanEditor: RED 7.Above the blue sky in Washington, D.C., and the vast expanse of the sky, where there was no pollution at all, black dots appeared. The black dots that appeared were AC-130 gunships. Ugly planes, nicknamed Angels of Death, were continuing their flight to Andrews Air Force Base in the heart of Washington, D.C. ''It''s similar to the scenery then'', Kim Tae-hoon mused, looking at the scene without a word. At this moment, he recalled one of the many scenes of death that Napoleon''s Golden Glass had shown him: the scene of the dying, watching the incoming AC-130 gunship, all firing at him in the devastated land. In that dream, he had left himself something to do before he died. He had left a bucket list. ''You''ve kept everything, but one.'' Two of those three things were done, and one was not done. Kim Tae-hoon smiled at the fact. ''When this is over, I''ll finish the rest.'' Kim Tae-hoon''s recollection ended there. He got up from his seat. -------------------- 8.Andrews Air Force Base¡­The Navy and Air Force Integrated Base in Washington D.C. was one of the most important and special of the countless air bases in the United States. There were two reasons. Washington D.C. was the US capitol, and was where the Air Force One''s home was. These two facts alone made the presence of Andrews Air Force Base incomparable to any other air base. "Boss!" The title, which had never been used before at Andrews Air Force Base, echoed out. Jang Sung-hoon was the starting point of the title, and at the end of the title was Kim Tae-hoon. "I haven''t seen you in a long time!" Jang Sung-hoon, who was approaching happily, immediately opened his arms, as if to hug him. Kim Tae-hoon said to Jang Sung-hoon, "What about what I ordered?" "Oh, boss, I''ve just met you for the first time in a few months, and can''t tell you after you hug me? We should take a picture. How cool would that be? It''ll be a great picture of the future generation. It''ll be in history books, too." "I can''t do what your wife can''t do first." "Well, you''ve must''ve made a lot of jokes in the meantime." "I don''t do jokes." At the words of Kim Tae-hoon, Jang Sung-hoon turned his head back as if he were sick of them. Behind them, he saw the soldiers carrying the things in the transport plane. Everyone was wearing a black lizard leather uniform, and on both shoulders were badges of the Taegeukgi Korean flag and Mac Guild. Jang Sung-hoon once again laughed at Kim Tae-hoon and then shouted in a saluting posture. "We have completed the preparation of a total of 896 relics, including 533 special relics of the second grade, 271 rare relics of the first grade, 77 special relics of the first grade, and 15 legendary relics." At the report, Kim Tae-hoon put his hand lightly on Jang Sung-hoon''s shoulder. Jang Sung-hoon''s smile was drawn. However, his smile did not seem so bright. Through the smile, he carefully spoke out, "Boss, if you hadn''t killed Mao, it would have been easier. You wouldn''t have to fight Quetzalcohu¨¡tl right away." Jang had already received the report that Kim had ignored making a deal with Mao and killed him. Instead of saving Mao and postponing the battle with Quetzalcohu¨¡tl until later, Kim killed Mao and chose to kill the monster. "Did you have any reason?" In fact, it was not related to Jang Sung-hoon. He was not a Hunter. So, he did not have to face a terrible monster. But Kim Tae-hoon was different. Only the strongest Hunter, Kim, could face the most powerful monster, Quetzalcohu¨¡tl, in the present situation, and go hunting it. It was a very natural, and very difficult fact. Even if he had an immortal body, even if he had an unlimited power that would not tire, it would not eliminate the fear and pain that Kim Tae-hoon would face. The same was true of the battle with Quetzalcohu¨¡tl. While Kim killed it, the pain and anguish he would have to endure during that time no one would dare to imagine, and would not be able to take it in his place. Therefore, Jang Sung-hoon had wanted Kim Tae-hoon to negotiate with Mao. If Kim negotiated with Mao, the world would be a little more troublesome, but instead, Kim would be a little more comfortable. "Dealing with him¡­ I definitely had that in mind." It was the same with Kim Tae-hoon. He was firm, but he was not a very stubborn man. If it was more profitable and more rational, he could ignore his personal feelings. It was not that much different from Mao. If he had decided that Mao was not a threat, Kim Tae-hoon would not have killed him immediately. "But why did you just kill him right away?" However, Kim Tae-hoon did not talk to Mao for long, killing him after a short conversation. "Houston." Kim did not do that without any reason, without any feeling or with the hatred of Mao. "When I heard about Houston, I decided I wouldn''t make a deal with him." "Yes? What does Houston have to do with it?" When the word "Houston" came out of Mayor Bean Cohen''s mouth when Kim rescued him, Kim immediately remembered. "There''s a NASA lab in Houston." "Oh, really? And?" "Do you know what the most important technology in space research is?" "Isn''t that¡­ rocket technology?" "Wireless technology." "Wireless technology?" One of the most important things in space research was wireless technology, because space research was impossible within the scope of wire. The same was true of NASA. They were studying how to send and receive more information faster and more in an extreme space that they could not experience on Earth. They studied wireless communication technology that could get information out from a ridiculous environment. It was perfectly possible for them to conduct research that would enable wireless communication even now, a time when wireless communication was not possible. It was also possible that NASA researchers, who had found a way to communicate wirelessly even in space, could find a way to communicate wirelessly on Earth. "Boss, how the hell did you think of that?" But it wasn''t something anyone could think of. How many people could actually connect the word Houston to wireless technology research? And how many people would conclude that wireless technology would be an absolute threat to mankind? There must be only one person in the world, Kim Tae-hoon. And Kim Tae-hoon was not the only one who managed to reach out for it. "It was a dream." "Dream?" "I don''t wear a smartwatch." "A smartwatch¡­ in front of the Bucheon Library¡­ Ah!" In the first dream that Napoleon''s Golden Glass showed, Kim was wearing a smartwatch on his wrist. That was a definite clue, indicating that wireless communication technology would be restored in some way in the world of the future. Otherwise, he would never have worn a smartwatch. Eventually, Kim had come up with the answer Jang had reached. "Nuclear weapons¡­ Mao was going to use nuclear weapons. If we have wireless technology, we''ll be able to use nuclear bombs." If Kim had given him time, Mao would have threatened Kim and Mac Guild with a nuclear weapon launch, not Quetzalcohu¨¡tl. It was when Kim reached that fact that he was determined to remove Mao. He didn''t have any hesitation when he made up his mind. "My God, if you let him live..." In front of Kim Tae-hoon, Jang did not express his admiration for a long time. He put out his tongue with a short spit and smiled. "Now, let''s move on to climax." Jang Sung-hoon, who said those words, took a Golden Glass out of his bag. "I hope this is the last time. Honestly, it''s much better not to have this." The red liquid filled the Golden Glass. It had been of the most valuable help to them, yet was the most useless thing in the world. "I don''t know when it will be, but I''ll see you in the future." At the words of Jang Sung-hoon, Kim Tae-hoon closed his eyes. ------------------------- 9.When Kim Tae-hoon opened his eyes, a great wilderness filled his eyes. There was a huge shadow, a dark cloud, over the wilderness where a creature could not grow. But it was not a dark cloud. The darkness was a shadow created by a huge dragon moving over the sky, covering the sun. It was a huge monster. The snake-like green body was over a kilometer long, with a red mane that resembled the lion''s mane on its head, and a wing on its back that reminded him of an angel. But the most intense thing was not that appearance, but the two purple eyes on its head. ''It''s awesome.'' Refusing to compare with anything else, Quetzalcohu¨¡tl, who was in itself a disaster and an end, had a silence that did not match its grandeur. It was not even crying. It did not do anything to threaten the other monsters to face it, or scream to make them feel fear. It was not necessary. ''It is going to burn half the world.'' Its existence itself was a disaster and a terror. The same was true of Kim Tae-hoon. Shivering, his arms trembled slightly; he had not thought he would not tremble before any monster again. He took his trembling right hand in his left hand. He looked at the back of his right hand with black Eyes. [Basic Abilities]- Strength: 2313- Health: 2441 [Special Abilities]- Energy: S Rank- Mana: S Rank- Telekinesis: S Rank- Defense: S Rank- Mana Resistance: S Rank Kim looked at his ability, which had nothing more to add. At the same time, he looked around. There were countless relics standing around him like a tombstone. There were many different kinds. There were various kinds with unique personalities in one place, starting with spears, knives, and swords, and there were stone statues made of huge monuments and stones all over the place. There was one thing that they had in common, which was not visible on the surface; they served only one master. Over a thousand powerful relics were talking to their only master, Kim Tae-hoon, that everything was ready. At that fact, Kim Tae-hoon smiled lightly and grabbed a sword to meet their will. At the same time, he recalled today''s date and his situation. ''It''s September 3, 2018¡­ I am still alive.'' As soon as he finished thinking about it, he threw the Sword of the Imperator in his hand at the Quetzalcohu¨¡tl in the sky. Phat! At the same time, the relics everywhere began to soar along the pillars of light high up into the sky, followed by all sorts of bells ringing themselves grandly. That was how the hunt began. The final hunt of Kim Tae-hoon, the First Hunter, who would be remembered long and who had changed history, began.

 162 Epilogue

    Translator: KhanEditor: RED 1.On December 31, 2016, monsters appeared in the world. It was unexpected and the presence of the monsters was unimaginably powerful. In front of the monsters, people shouted, "The world is coming to an end!" and through that cry, no one dared to say that man was the lord of all things. Human beings, far from the lord of all things, had become prey for monsters. It was a series of miserable realities, and miserable days went by. In that wretchedness, the end of mankind seemed to be at hand. Even if mankind survived, there would be no more glory than in the past. That was what everybody imagined. However, the Republic of Korea and the land of the Korean Peninsula denied all of that. The 51-story Mac building, towering in the middle of Bucheon City, Gyeonggi Province, Korea, was proof. Above all, the building, which rose upright and dignified, was clear evidence that the world would regain its glory of the past, as well as move on, based on the age of monsters. At the same time, the building was also proof of a man''s influence. "On December 31, 2016, that big mart over there was the beginning of Mac Guild. There was a revolution in that place that changed the history of mankind." It was Jang Sung Hoon, the second master of the Mac Guild, and now a man of power ruling the world. He was a very young man, with the power to decorate his private mansion or villa, with the enormous art treasures of the Louvre or the British Museum. He had no choice but to be very young. On December 31, 2016, when monsters appeared, he was a young man who was just over twenty years old, and that was only five years ago. Naturally, he was still in his twenties. "And that hospital over there is where the famous doctor Ahn once worked. If Dr. Ahn hadn''t come to buy energy drinks at the large mart at the end of the year for an errand, she would not be here now." It was even more amazing that he had more than twice as many days to live in the future than he had lived in the past, since he had accumulated everything he could, power and wealth. Of course, the world envied Jang. "If you''re done with the explanation, can I ask you a question now?" "As you wish." "What do you think about the fact that President Cho gave preferential treatment in the Mac Building construction process?" At the same time, they were both jealous and suspicious of Jang. Now, the beautiful reporter in front of Jang Sung-hoon, Song Hye-sun was the same. She was determined to fight against the absurdity of the world with a strong journalistic spirit, and she did not want to condone the Mac Guild, which had saved the world and was still saving the world. If they were full of injustice and corruption, if they were covered with absurdity, she was willing to dig it out. When she had the opportunity to interview Jang Sung-hoon, she naturally did not avoid it! When asked such a question, Jang laughed before answering. "Is my question funny?" Song Hye-sun''s eyes flashed sharply. "It is funny." "What''s so funny?" "If you look down here, you''ll see a vacant lot next to the big mart I mentioned earlier. It was originally a plaza in front of Bucheon City Hall, and in the process of developing Bucheon City as a special zone for Hunters, I demolished Bucheon City Hall and the surrounding area, but I left that park alone. Do you know why?" "Well¡­" "Many people got a chance there: Yang Jung-hwan, master of Starfish Guild in China, Lee Soo-young, one of the executives of Mac Guild, and Bang Hyun-wook, who is now a Hunter representing Mac Guild. There was a historical and legendary event in that vacant lot, and that''s why I left that park there." Song Hye-sun shut up, since if they were reporters, if they were Koreans, if they knew the history of Mac Guild, they would know what Jang was talking about. At the same time, it was a fact that everyone who had survived the world should remember, keep in mind, and appreciate. "And you wouldn''t have been a journalist without that historical event, because monsters don''t do an interview, and it''s funny in many ways." "Is that the answer to the recent rumors of special preferences for the Mac Guild''s second master, Jang Sung-hoon?" Of course, Song Hye-sun was not discouraged by the fact. If she was going to be discouraged by this, she wouldn''t have come here in the first place. After Jang Sung-hoon made a sullen look on her appearance, he muttered to himself. "... she does not condone it. They usually condone it here." "What?" "Nothing." Jang Sung-hoon, who spoke to himself quickly, continued his speech. "Preferences, that''s ridiculous. Before Cho Sung-yeon was elected president, he was rescued by Mac Guild, protected, and became the first president of the new unified Republic of Korea, but the process was conducted by democratic procedures. If he was a person who gave preference to someone, would he have been president?" "But there are many indications that President Cho''s recent policies are closely related to the Mac Guild." "Korea is still under the threat of monsters, and right now seventy-three percent of the world is still the territory of a monster. Right now, Africa, South America, India, and Southeast Asia are still at war with monsters, and that close relationship is natural when the role of Korea is more important than ever.." "Then what do you think about the claim that the Mac Guild holds exclusive rights to all the relics and that the other guilds cannot go on a proper monster hunt?" To that question, Jang Sung-hoon smiled lightly before answering. With that smile, he turned his head. Then a sheet of Daedongyeojido, which was filling one wall, came to his eyes. He opened his mouth in front of the map where no light was visible anywhere. "Why do you think I''m sitting in the Mac Guild''s second master''s seat?" "That''s¡ª" "The first master said that human greed is endless, and they repeat the same mistakes." "Did he really say that?" "No, he did not¡­ anyway, he left some words similar in nuance." "What exactly do they mean?" "If they eat and become fat, they''re not satisfied by it, and they''ll try to eat more." At the answer, Song Hye-sun closed her mouth tight. Jang Sung-hoon smiled at her and said, "It''s kind of a shame that the master of Mac Guild, the world''s strongest and best Hunter guild, beats those guys who try silly things, and that''s why I became the second master." At the end of the words, Jang Sung-hoon turned his head and looked at Bucheon City, which was more brilliant than ever. ''As Boss said, it was not the end of the game to kill Quetzalcoatl. Now that the monsters are gone, humans are going to be monsters.'' He looked at the Bucheon City and remembered a man. ''How is the boss doing?'' Jang Sung-hoon greeted the man in his heart. ''I''m doing fine, except I haven''t made a girlfriend yet.'' He gave a very sad greeting. ------------------------- 2.South Africa¡­Located at the southernmost tip of Africa, it was a place of the greatest despair in the monster era. The reason was simple: South Africa could not expect any help or aid from any country, nor did it have the military power or relics to win a victory in the war against the monsters. It did not take long for Johannesburg, one of the major cities of South Africa, to become a huge tomb. But there were those who survived in such a world. "Come on! Quickly!" It was the case for a boy and a girl who looked to be about ten years old at best and looked enough alike to be siblings. It was a miracle to have survived in a world that had been worse than hell for a long time. At the same time, the two young siblings were evidence that there was still hope in South Africa. "Brother!" But now that hope was becoming a candle in front of the typhoon. Khung! Khung! It was because of a huge dog with yellow eyes that tried to eat that hope in a terrible and grueling way. It was unusual that the dog had two heads, and was big enough to chew up even the elephants out on the savannah. It was a yellow-grade monster, a Killer Dog. This monster of the monsters was twice as ferocious as the two heads, and the two young siblings could not deal with. Khung! Khung! Nevertheless, because of the pattern on the back of the two hands, the brother and sister could escape in front of the bloody monster. Though the pattern on the back of the hand might give the young children the power to escape from the monster of the monsters, there was no way they could do anything about it. "Ugh!" The girl, who was crossing the collapsed building, fell on the ground, and the boy, who was reaching out to his sister through the little hole, was frightened. "Lia!" At that moment the boy ran towards his sister without worrying, without hesitation. "Run! Run away!" The boy knew that if he threw his body at the monster, if he wet his skinny neck, his sister could run away while the monster savored him. It was the only way in the world to save one, not two. He knew that there was no such thing as a miracle or salvation in this world. The world in which the eleven-year-old boy lived was such a world. To a boy, no, to a much-too-young man, his sister''s life was more precious than his own in this fucking world. "Quickly!" The boy''s cry had become a howl at some point. "Quickly!" The fallen girl rose from the ground. At that moment the girl''s eyes changed. Like a brother and a sister, the girl''s eyes were just the same as the boy''s. "Brother, you run away!" the girl shouted at her oncoming brother. The cry baffled the boy. At this moment he agonized over what to do to change his sister''s mind. Khung! Khung!! Meanwhile, the Killer Dog burst into a pleased cry at the tender smell of flesh that was just around the corner. "Brother!" "Lia!" Khung! Khung!! The despair of the living and the joy of the monster filled ruined Johannesburg. Thump! The end of that sound was one of something falling from the sky. Khung? Khung? The appearance of the sound changed the cries of the monster, while the two had looks of admiration and surprise. At that moment the screaming Killer Dog fell to the ground. Blood oozed from its two-headed temples and began to soak the ground. Then, the two, who were hugging one another, looked at a man who they could see only in silhouette, his back to the sun, with their trembling eyes. Soon after, young George asked as he looked at the man, "You, you¡­" George was speechless. At that moment he recalled a word that people had been looking for in the sky from a dark memory. "Are you a Messiah?" The man answered the question. "No, I''m Mac Guild''s Hunter¡­" Keueoeoeoeong! Before the man''s words could finish, there was an intense scream, incomparably more powerful than the monster before. The source of the scream was a giant dog, Cerberus, with three heads, and burning blue eyes. At the absurd scream, the faces of George and Leah went white. They remembered that there was not a single being who had survived in front of this monster that ruled Johannesburg. On the other hand, the man frowned as if he were a little annoyed, instead of being nervous or worried. Tsreung! Simultaneously, as he frowned, one of the two swords on his back moved. Whoosh! The sword flew through the wind and cut off all three heads in a single breath. The process was so easy, so simple. Soon the drawn sword returned to its original home. The click of the sword going into its sheath was very clear. At the end of the clear sound, the man uttered his words. "I am the First Hunter, Kim Tae-hoon." ----------------------- 3.On December 31, 2016, monsters appeared all over the world simultaneously.And on January 1, 2022, I''m still alive. -The end-_____________________________________________________________Translator and Editor''s Afterword:This novel is over. It''s been a very different sort then the usual slay-all-the-monsters teenage hero sort of thing, which gave its own flavor and charm. We apologize for the delays. We hope you enjoyed this book, it''s definitely different than any we''ve worked on in the past, and Khan would tell you that the guy writing this novel did so in terribly formal, archaic speech, like listening to some royal historian from early last century, so it was definitely interesting for both of us.Good luck and good reading out there!