57-65

Chapter 57

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

Although Ho Sung remained unharmed from the explosion, the building wasn't able to withstand the blast. Using his skill, Ho Sung hopped from one concrete block to another, away from the building, and fell to the ground from a height of roughly two hundred meters. Though he was falling from a good height, he was still in awe of the Warlord's Sword and its ability. He landed on a car, crushing it beyond repair. However, Ho Sung remained unharmed.

Hunters, by default, were incomparably more resilient than ordinary people, and being well over level 200, Ho Sung was able to walk away without a scratch. However, what was even more important and astounding were his legendary weapon and its special properties. In order to get a closer look at the weapon's properties, Ho Sung checked the item information.

[The Warlord's Sword]

[Property: Protection from magic explosion damage]

'I was so intimidated by the guy that I'd completely forgotten about the weapon's protective property! So, it works against the enchanted stones too, huh?' Ho Sung thought, swallowing and looking up.

'If this sword protects me from enchanted stone explosions, maybe I stand a chance against Ace…! That means I'll be able to keep him distracted until Min Sung Kang arrives!' Ho Sung thought, clenching the handle of his sword tightly while something fiery welled up from within him. Although Ho Sung was only a level-213 hunter, the special property of his weapon gave him an advantage against opponents like Ace.

'I can do this. The weapon will get seriously damaged after a while, and it might cost me an arm and a leg to repair it, but it must be done.'

Then, after messaging Min Sung that he was chasing after Ace, Ho Sung rushed off to his car at full speed, his adrenaline pumping like the pistons within the engine of a supercar.

—

Small, unpleasant raindrops fell from the sky. Standing in the middle of the road, where there was no car to be found, Ace looked up at the dark sky and enjoyed the rain. As ecstatic and satisfying as it was to see the world falling apart at his fingertips, he couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Blatant destruction wasn't the thing he was after. Rather, it was utter chaos that Ace craved. The kind of chaos from which the world could never recover.

At that moment, a large car drifted and stopped with a loud screech in front of Ace, who looked at it with his head tilted. When Ho Sung got out of the driver's seat, Ace's eyes widened.

"Hey there, Bomberman. Where do you think you're going?" Ho Sung said, spitting on the ground, taking his sword out and sneering condescendingly.

At that point, Ace looked ferociously at Ho Sung and said, "How did a worthless hunter like you survive my bomb?"

"Life can be unpredictable sometimes. Didn't you know, you sadistic, bomb-loving piece of shit?"

Ace's gaze moved to the blood-red sword in Ho Sung's hand.

"That's a nice sword," he said, smiling ominously.

"Don't even think about it, you pervert."

"How long do you think you'll last?" Ace asked, chuckling evilly.

Scoffing, Ho Sung replied, "There's only one way to find out."

However, unlike his confident attitude, his limbs were shaking uncontrollably, and unfortunately, it wasn't long before Ace caught on to Ho Sung's mental state.

'Very cute,' Ace thought as he pulled two bombs out of his inventory simultaneously. Although the sword provided protection against magic explosions, there was still a limit to how much damage it could withstand before needing repair.

With a blank look on his face, Ace tossed the bombs

toward Ho Sung. The dirt around them soared to the sky with the explosion. Running through the thick cloud of dust, Ho Sung charged toward Ace.

"Die!" Ho Sung shouted, aiming his sword at Ace's forehead. However, looking at the sword glowing with faint aura, Ace chuckled. Then, dodging the blade, Ace punched Ho Sung's side, sending Ho Sung flying, slamming him against the wall. Walking toward Ho Sung, who was on the ground, Ace chuckled ominously and said, "You didn't think of me as some moron who likes to play with bombs, did you? Ape?"

Leaning against his sword, Ho Sung got back on his feet weakly. At which point, Ace, snickering, tossed another bomb at him. The explosion left a gaping hole in a building just behind the hunter as his sword dispersed the blast. Although Ho Sung was standing, his legs were shaking precariously as if they were about to give out, not out of fear, but from the damage he had received. Looking in his direction, Ace smiled slowly and said, "You won't accomplish anything swinging your sword around like that these days. This world is… unreasonable and imperfect."

However, Ho Sung, despite being in pain, responded with a smile, and Ace gave him a puzzled look.

"I don't think you know what you're talking about."

"…"

"There's someone you'll come to know soon enough, whether you kill me or not."

"And who might that be?"

"The most unreasonable existence of this world."

"That's a lofty title, don't you think? Especially considering how tiny this country is." Ace said, scratching his Cupid's bow with his index.

"Oh, not at all. In fact, I wouldn't wanna mess with this person if I were you. Though, it's unfortunate that you already have."

"I don't know who this person is, but there's no one in this tiny little country that can beat me," Ace said with a sly smile, adding, "Do you know why? Because the ones who can, are all on my side."

"… What?" Ho Sung let out, staring at Ace wide eyed.

"I think we've talked enough. Now, let me teach you about pain management," Ace said, smiling evilly and sticking his tongue out like a snake. He had the look of a monster. With a look of fear washing over his face, Ho Sung backed away only to be backed against a wall. At that point, realizing that he had no other choice, Ho Sung charged at Ace, who dodged his attack swiftly and with ease like a dancing butterfly. Ho Sung swung his sword frantically. However, he couldn't land a single strike. Then, Ace threw a kick that landed on Ho Sung's side.

The heavy impact sent Ho Sung flying and rolling across the ground. Covered in dust, Ho Sung grasped his side, shaking uncontrollably, vomiting blood. Meanwhile, Ace walked toward Ho Sung with a confident smile.

"Oh, this is just the beginning, my friend. Heeheehee."

With that, Ace kicked up at Ho Sung's chin, launching him into the air. When Ho Sung came down, Ace kicked him on the side, and Ho Sung glided across the ground. Looking at Ho Sung, who wasn't moving, Ace shrugged as if he was getting tired of beating the hunter up. Walking over to him, Ace flipped Ho Sung with his foot so that the hunter was looking up at the sky. Although still breathing, Ho Sung was completely incapable of fighting back.

"I'm gonna walk you through this process, so I need you to listen very carefully, all right? I will now break each and every bone in your body from head to toe," Ace said as he pulled out what looked like a hammer and a healing potion.

"This potion here is very, very hard to find, and for a reason. Let's just say that you'll feel just about everything I'm doing to you instead of dying from shock."

Then, looking down blankly at Ho Sung, he flicked his tongue and murmured, "Where to start? The fingers? The toes? Ah, choices, choices."

After some contemplation, he nodded and turned his gaze toward Ho Sung's feet. Just as the hammer was about to come down on them, what sounded like a roar of an engine blared through the rest of the noise. At which point, Ace straightened his back and looked back slowly. There was a blonde charging toward him on a motorcycle. Ji Yoo Kim, the miscellaneous type and leader of the Central Institute, pointed a Desert Eagle at Ace and fired. With the intimidating-looking muzzle flash that came out of the barrel, a bullet traveled across the air at an unperceivable speed and grazed past the terrorist's cheek.

"Is that all you got? A pistol?" Ace said. At the same moment, upon hitting the wall behind him, the round created a large, gaping hole.

"A black mithril round," Ace murmured, staring at the impressive power of the bullet. Then…

"Look alive, asshole!"

Charging toward the terrorist, Ji Yoo leapt from her bike midair and pointed the gun at Ace. As soon as the gun went off, Ace threw a bomb in Ji Yoo's direction. The bullet and the bomb collided in the air, causing a massive explosion. Undeterred, Ji Yoo charged at Ace through the flames and threw a punch at him. Clenching his teeth, Ace blocked the blow by crossing his arms in an X shape. Followed by what sounded like leather busting, Ace slid backward from the impact. With smoke rising from his shoes and while feeling a throbbing pain in his arms, Ace snickered and said, "Not bad, lady. Not bad at all."

As the smile on the terrorist's face turned into an evil, ghastly grin, Ji Yoo, with a cold look on her face, pulled out a rapier from her inventory.

"The only answer I have for your question is death, Paul Ace," Ji Yoo said.

"Wait a minute! It's you, isn't it? You're the leader of the Central Institute!" Ace said, taking his jacket off. Rolling up his sleeves, he flicked his tongue like a snake.

Chapter 58

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

"Seriously? This girl is the only person capable of protecting this puny little country? God can be so cruel at times," Ace said. Paying no attention to his sarcastic remark, Ji Yoo, glaring at him with ice-cold eyes, charged at him. Reaching the terrorist in the blink of an eye, she thrust her rapier toward his forehead. Then, just as the edge of the rapier was about to touch Ace's forehead, the terrorist said quietly, "Your Director of investigations…" and the rapier stopped midair. Ace kept on, "… is wearing a bomb powerful enough to take out Seoul in its entirety."

Hearing that, Ji Yoo froze in place. At which point, Ace, chuckling ominously with his fist glowing with aura, took the opportunity to deliver a powerful blow to Ji Yoo's stomach. Caught off guard, Ji Yoo took the blow, which sent her flying about thirty meters away. Seeing her rolling across the ground, Ace snickered and chucked a bomb in her direction. With the loud explosion, came a thick cloud of dust through which Ji Yoo staggered out of, her eyes gleaming and deadly.

"Why, of course! They wouldn't call you a miscellaneous type for no reason, would they?" Ace said, looking at Ji Yoo, whose eyes were burning blue, and at her rapier surrounded by a thick layer of aura. Staring into her eyes exuding inconceivable energy, Ace started to chuckle as if he found it all too funny.

"Heeheehee! Heehee… ah… I'll just cut to the chase and tell you. I met him when all the inmates started escaping after I blew up the Villains' Detention Center."

"…"

"Ji Yoo Kim, if you wanna save Seoul and all the innocent lives within it, drop your weapon," Ace said, taking a phone out of his chest pocket. Then, he pulled up a video on and tossed the phone at Ji Yoo's feet. The screen was showing Tae Gyum, bound and covered in blood, breathing laboriously. Seeing that, Ji Yoo, teary-eyed, dropped the rapier in her hand, and a metallic sound echoed through the streets as the sword hit the ground.

"Now that I think about it, I don't see any of your soldiers. Where'd they go?" Ace asked, sniffling. Then, looking at Ji Yoo, he sneered and said, "Oh, I get it. You pulled them out in case there were innocent casualties. Am I right?"

Ji Yoo was frozen in place, and her eyes were fixed on the phone at her feet.

"How tragic. This country's only hope, but completely incapable of fighting back. Heeheehee!"

Then, he threw another bomb at Ji Yoo. The blast sent Ji Yoo flying, wounding her internally.

"Hm, hm. Who should I start with first?" Ace said, humming while his gaze darted back and forth between Ji Yoo, who was on the ground vomiting blood, and Ho Sung. When he fixed his gaze on one of them, he grinned and said, "I know."

—

"Ugh! Cough!" Ho Sung coughed, swallowing blood, which smelled like iron.

'Damn it… This is bad,' he thought, furrowing his brow at the sight of Ace walking toward him. Ho Sung's injury had left him with no strength to fight back.

'I was cocky… I should've kept it at stalling him. I shouldn't have depended on my weapon so much when I'm just over level 200,' Ho Sung thought. As impressive as Ji Yoo's power had been, she was being swayed by the terrorist.

'… I guess this is it,' Ho Sung thought.

"Now, where were we? Oh, right. Torture. Exciting, isn't it?" Ace said, spinning the hammer in his hand. Meanwhile, Ho

Sung felt his body growing stiffer by the minute.

"Mark my words. I will bring hell to this little country you call home. Soon, there will be nothing left on this land but chaos, darkness, blood and death."

Although Ho Sung's couldn't move a muscle, the fact that he was about to get tortured by a psychopath overwhelmed him with fear.

"All right, Ho Sung Lee. Soon, your bones will look like a boxful of jigsaw puzzles. There are plenty of potions to go around, so there should be plenty of time for you to savor the pain. All right! Here we go! I hope you're ready!" Ace said ecstatically. Then, just as the hammer was about to come down on Ho Sung's foot, Ho Sung started to laugh out loud.

"Ha! Haha! Hahahahahaha!"

Looking at Ho Sung, who was laughing almost maniacally by that point, Ace tilted his head while furrowing his brow.

Looking up at the terrorist with teary eyes, Ho Sung said, "Hey, Bomberman! You're done for."

"…?"

"I thought I wouldn't be able to stay alive long enough to keep you distracted, but who would've thought you'd be such a chatterbox?"

"What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind?"

"He's here. He's finally here," Ho Sung said with a smile.

"Who?"

"I told you. The most unreasonable existence of this world."

At that point, realizing that there was somebody standing behind him, Ace felt a chill run down his spine.

—

"Is this the man who's been causing the ruckus?"

Sensing a presence behind him with some delay, Ace looked back and jumped back, startled.

"You. Ho Sung Lee. You had one job. All you had to do was give me a location, and you couldn't do that right?" the champion said, looking down at Ho Sung, who was still on the ground, smiling wearily.

"I apologize, sir. I couldn't get a hold of you and I couldn't find the time to message you."

"I was napping."

"…"

Then, looking toward Ace, Min Sung kept on, "Forget it. Is this the man?"

"Yes, that's him. Paul Ace. Cough! He's the psychopath behind all the recent bombings in Seoul," Ho Sung said laboriously while coughing. At that point, Min Sung, annoyed, glared piercingly at the terrorist.

"Are you the man who ruined my fried chicken experience?" Min Sung asked.

"Heehee… You… just don't get it, do you?"

"Just answer the damn question," Min Sung said, his face twisting into a scowl. When Ace blinked, the champion appeared right in front of his nose. Bending his knees slightly, Min Sung punched Ace on the thigh, sending the terrorist flying and spinning in the air like a squirrel on a wheel. Falling flat on the ground, Ace, with his mouth agape, groaned in pain, his teeth covered in blood.

"Ughhh…"

Looking down at him with cruel, ruthless eyes, Min Sung took his Orichalcon Dagger out of his inventory. Then, just as he was about to stab the terrorist, Ji Yoo screamed, "No!" At which point, Min Sung lowered his dagger and looked toward her.

"Why are you here?"

"… You can't kill him," Ji Yoo said laboriously, getting up to her feet.

"And why is that?"

"He put a bomb on our Director of investigations, a bomb powerful enough to take out Seoul as we know it."

Darting back and forth between Ji Yoo and Ace, Min Sung turned toward Ho Sung, who had crawled toward the bottles of Ace's healing potions and was drinking them.

"What are you doing?" Min Sung asked as Ho Sung rose to his feet after being healed of his wounds.

"Whew… Sir. I'll go find the Director of Investigations."

"You? What for?" Min Sung said, looking away from Ho Sung and glaring piercingly toward Ji Yoo instead.

"Sir…?"

"He's your responsibility. You go get him yourself. I'll keep this man alive in the meantime," Min Sung said, kicking Ace on the butt while he was still groaning in pain.

"But I don't have his location…" Ji Yoo hesitated, her expression growing darker. At that point, Min Sung grabbed Ace by the collar and picked him up. Despite groaning in pain, Ace looked down at the champion, chuckling.

"Wow! That really, really hurt. I didn't even see it coming. You were standing pretty far away from me too."

"The director. Where is he?"

Hearing that, Ace snorted as if overjoyed and said, "You are unbelievably strong. In fact, I almost don't even wanna fight you. The thing is… I'm not afraid to die. Heeheehee! Let go of me this instance. Otherwise, I will set off that bom…" Before Ace finished his sentence, Min Sung slammed him on the ground and stomped on his wrist, shattering it and the asphalt underneath it.

"Aghhhhhhhh!" Ace let out in excruciating pain. Getting down to one knee, Min Sung grabbed Ace by the hair, brought him up to eye level and asked in a low voice, "The director. Where is he?"

"Ehehehe! Hehehe! You can beat me to a pulp, but it won't change a thing. But, if you let me go…" Ace said, chuckling as if groaning in pain, his face covered in blood.

To which, the champion replied, "Why should I trust you?" and drove the Orichalcon Dagger into the back of Ace's hand. The blade pierced and pinned the terrorist's hand to the ground.

"Aghhhhh! Kehehe! Hehehehe! Ehehe!"

After that, Min Sung rose to his feet slowly, looked toward Ji Yoo and said, "Ji Yoo Kim, was it?"

At the sound of Min Sung's voice, Ji Yoo looked at the champion with apprehension.

"I will settle this myself. You go back to the Institute and do what you need to do."

Chapter 59

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

"Do you have a plan?" Ji Yoo asked, looking at the champion with desperation.

"Seems like you have no other option but to trust me, don't you think?"

At Min Sung's reply, Ji Yoo immersed herself in thought. Then, upon making up her mind, she clenched her eyes tightly, opened them, gave the champion a short, affirmative nod, kicked the ground and disappeared into the distance.

"Heeheehee. Where's this confidence coming from? You? Settle this? You?? Ehehehehehehe!"

Despite shaking due to pain, Ace didn't stop laughing. At that point, Min Sung took the dagger piercing Ace's hand and pulled it out in one swift motion.

"Ughhhhh! Aha! Ahahahaha!"

Clenching his blood-gushing left hand, Ace rolled on the ground to and fro. Then, glaring piercingly at Min Sung, he said, "Oh, you don't think that this will be over when you find that director, do you? No one else can diffuse that bomb but me! Do you really think I'll give into your threat when I'm not afraid of death? Heeheehee! Seoul will be in ruins no matter what, and it will become a barren land! All because of me!"

However, Ace's confidence in himself quickly dwindled when he looked at Min Sung's cold, heartless eyes. Min Sung was responding in completely different ways to those Ace was used to seeing in other humans.

"You… have practically no emotions, don't you? But why? Why try so hard to save this city?" Ace asked, his eyes filled with extreme curiosity.

"I have my reasons."

Hearing that, Ace waved his wounded left hand, splattering blood all over the place, and said, "Hehe! You can torture me all you want, but you'll never find out where that bomb is, and neither will you do anything to stop it. Soon, Seoul will be wiped out from the face of the Earth, and it will be BEAUTIFUL! Countless innocent lives will be lost, all because you maggots weren't strong enough! Heeheeheehee!"

Looking at the champion with glistening eyes, Ace, staggering, rose to his feet, spread his arms open and kept on, "You CANNOT stop me, and it has nothing to do with brute strength. There's just no way. Heeheehee! Now, tell me. How does that make you feel? Go ahead! Torture me! Break me! Kill me!"

Looking at Ace, whose face was exuding madness, Min Sung put the dagger away. Shortly after, Ace felt his vision blur all of a sudden. By the time a puzzled look appeared on his face, Min Sung, who had closed in on the terrorist in the blink of an eye, threw a heavy punch on Ace's stomach. The impact sent the terrorist flying. Landing on his back, Ace rolled across the ground. However, he was still laughing despite vomiting blood.

"Ahahaha! Cough! Hahaha!"

Then, sitting up on the ground, Ace fanned his hand and said, "Again! Again! Again! Heeheehee! Clock's ticking! Time is on my side!"

Walking toward the terrorist, Min Sung furrowed his brow and asked, "Is it a time bomb?"

"Heeheehee! At the end of the day, you and I aren't so different."

"I asked you a question," Min Sung said, stomping Ace's knee, shattering it in a similar manner to his arm.

"Aghhhhhhhhh!" Ace let out in harrowing pain. However, he grasped and rubbed his face, laughing maniacally.

"Heehee! Heeheehee!"

Looking up at the champion with blood-shot eyes, he kept on, "Of course, it's a time bomb! This tiny little city will go up in flames, and countless people will die. Heeheeheehee! Fantastic, isn't it!?"

"This day will be

your last, and you will never play with bombs ever again. Doesn't that make you sad?" Min Sung asked. At that point, a serious look never before seen on Ace appeared on his face.

"You can't kill me as long as you have a reason to protect Seoul."

"You're not getting out of here alive," Min Sung said, scoffing at Ace.

"If you kill me, the entire city will be consumed in flames! Now that you know that, will you still kill me!?" Ace said. However, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded by how completely devoid of emotion the champion's eyes were.

"You really mean it… Heeheehee! You really are planning on killing me. Ahahahahahahaha!" Ace said, laughing maniacally. Furrowing his brow, Min Sung stomped on Ace's shoulder, shattering the bones to pieces.

"Agh! Heehee…"

Trembling from the pain, Ace looked up at the champion, his eyes gleaming with intrigue.

"Ahhh…! I didn't think I'd come across a hunter like you in a country like this. I couldn't have known in my dreams!"

While Min Sung stared intently at him with cold eyes, Ace kept on, "But in the end, you're just a speck in the sky. You have no idea about the things that are unfolding."

"…"

"If you think that girl represents this country, you're gravely mistaken. She, too, is just another ant."

"You're becoming more of a chatterbox. A way to cope with your death, perhaps?"

"Soon, all hell will break loose, and there will be nothing you can do to stop it. You too will be swallowed by the great chaos. The day the 'Tower of Demons' opens up, this world will turn into hell."

Hearing that, Min Sung's face suddenly hardened.

"Did you say… demons?"

"Huh! You know about them too, don't you!? Heehee! This just keeps getting more and more interesting. Who the hell are you anyway?"

Instead of answering, Min Sung picked Ace up by the collar slowly as if he weighed hardly anything.

"Not only are you clearly beyond the realm of miscellaneous types, but you also know about the demons… Heeheehee! Things are taking an interesting turn!" Ace said.

"Tell me more about the demons."

"It wouldn't change a thing even if you were to know more about them. Seoul will be destroyed, and you too won't escape the grasp of death…"

At that moment, Min Sung pulled Ace closer and said, "Enough blabbering. The demons. Explain them."

"Why should I? That just doesn't sound like a fair trade to me," Ace said with an evil grin on his face. At that point, staring at him with eyes that seemed to be bursting with black flames, Min Sung's expression hardened.

"I've fought those 'demons' you're referring to. I know a thing or two about them."

Hearing that, Ace's eyes shook.

"… You've fought them? You fought the demons? You!? That's impossible…"

"Why don't you experience it yourself?" Min Sung said, his lips curling into a subtle smirk. Letting go of the hand with which he was holding the collar, he grabbed Ace by the neck. With a loud snapping noise, demonic energy started to flow into the terrorist from the tips of the champion's fingers.

"Agh! Ugh!" Ace let out as his veins started to swell up, writhing while throwing his head back in unbearable pain. It felt as though every cell in his body was being torn to shreds.

"Aghhhh!"

Despite being wide awake, Ace was trapped in a nightmare, hallucinating as if suffering from a delusional disorder while hell unraveled right before his eyes.

"Painful, isn't it? Those creatures caused me a lot of trouble when I first came into contact with them, and I'm sure it won't be any different even for a nutjob like you."

"Aghhhhhhhhh!" Ace screamed, his mouth agape, tears running down his cheeks. As if trapped in the gaping abyss, his eyes were filled with hopelessness beyond that of extreme terror.

"Ugh! Agh! Ugh… Sniffle."

When Ace started to sob, a subtle smile appeared on the champion's face.

"P-p-please…. Please… Stop this… M-make it stop! Please…" Ace said weakly, his skin drying up and cracking like a drought-stricken land, his hair turning gray and falling out by the handful. The extreme terror swallowed his heart whole.

"P-p-please! Sniff. Sob. I'm scared. Please! Get me outta here…."

Then, just as Ace was about to fall unconscious, Min Sung let go of him and let him fall on the ground.

"Ugh… Eugh…!" Ace moaned, shaking uncontrollably, covered in tears, unable to look at Min Sung in the eyes.

"Your perception of chaos is mere child's play in comparison to what you've just experienced: pure, unadulterated chaos."

Avoiding looking directly into Min Sung's black, gaping eyes, Ace curled up in a ball. However, Min Sung kicked him in the ribs, shattering them, the sternum, and parts of his spine. With half of the bones in his body broken, Ace was sent flying toward Ho Sung.

"What the!?" Ho Sung, who had been watching quietly, let out, startled by Ace flying toward him. At that moment, the sword in Ho Sung's hand pierced through the terrorist's heart.

"…?"

Confused, Ho Sung's eyes darted back and forth between Ace's lifeless body and the champion in the distance. Then, Ho Sung's body started to glow gold.

[A large sum of honorary experience points has been awarded to the player for slaying a full chaotic villain.]

[Level up!]

[Congratulations! You've now reached level 300! You've learned Expert Grade Aura.]

[You've acquired a new title: Hero.]

"… Eh!?"

Chapter 60

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

Unable to make any sense of the situation, let alone accept it, Ho Sung blinked awkwardly.

"Is he… dead?" Ho Sung murmured, looking back and forth between Ace's corpse and Min Sung

"S-s-sir?" he called to the champion, panicking. At that point, Min Sung, annoyed, tilted his head and glared piercingly at Ho Sung.

"You did it on purpose, didn't you? Why didn't you move out of the way?"

Ho Sung, startled, dropped the sword in his hand along with Ace's corpse stuck to it.

"I-I'm so sorry! It was an accident! I swear! It-it just happened so suddenly… Agh! Why did I have to level up now of all times!? It's not like I killed a monster! What do we do now? He's dead, and we didn't find out where the bomb is," Ho Sung said, still in a panic. Then, collapsing to his knees, he murmured deliriously, "Agh… what do we do? We've lost the only way to know the director's whereabouts now…"

"Get up," Min Sung said.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. It's all my fault. Now, Seoul will lie in ruins all because of me," Ho Sung said, clenching his teeth in shame.

"What are you saying? Why would Seoul lie in ruins?"

At that question, Ho Sung replied wearily as if he found the answer obvious, "Well… Ace is dead now, and we didn't get to find out where the bomb is. Now, the bomb will wipe out the city…"

"Bowl."

At its master's voice, the doll crawled out of Min Sung's pocket, jumped down and landed on the ground.

"Yes, master?" the doll asked, looking up at Min Sung, who pointed toward the body with his chin and said, "The body. It's all yours,"

"Really? Can I?" Bowl asked, its eyes bursting into black flames.

"That's right."

With its master's permission, the doll waddled toward the corpse. All the while, Ho Sung watched it in a daze as the doll spread its bony hand out toward the corpse, cackling. Then, the black flames in Bowl's eyes grew larger, and it started chanting a spell.

"I now claim ownership of your death, deceased one. Death, my prisoner, my soul, rescue this soul with great mercy, for it will serve me as the living dead for all eternity."

A black Aura flowed out of doll's fingers, coiling itself around Ace's lifeless body.

"Rise, my undead minion!" Bowl cried out. At that moment, the ground started to shake and shatter, and the flames on the doll's eyes became even larger. Shortly after, Ace rose to his feet slowly, waddled toward Bowl, and stood next to it as if waiting for its master's command. A jaw-dropping experience, Ho Sung watched the ritual take place with widened eyes and his mouth agape. Unlike Ho Sung, the champion remained completely unfazed. With his hands in his pockets, he walked toward the doll and said, "Ask him where the director is."

At its master's command, Bowl looked up at Ace and said, "Where is the director?"

"Central…Institute…Underground…Villains…Detention… Center…" Ace said ominously and incoherently.

Hearing that, Min Sung called for Ho Sung.

"Ho Sung Lee."

"…Sir. Oh! S-sir!" Ho Sung let out, startled after staring at the undead Ace in a daze.

"Tell Ji Yoo Kim to look through their underground prison. I don't care how you get into contact with her."

"Y-yes, sir. But, uh… Shouldn't we learn how to defuse the bomb too?" Ho Sung asked. At which point, Min Sung signaled to Bowl with his chin, and the doll asked its new undead minion about the bomb. However, as if his intelligence had been lost after becoming undead, Ace shook his head slowly instead of giving an answer.

"What do we do?" Ho Sung asked anxiously.

"She'll take care of it," the champion replied nonchalantly, and a drop of sweat fell from Ho Sung's temple.

—

'I will settle this myself. You go back to the Institute and do what you need to do.'

Thinking back to

Min Sung's remark, Ji Yoo closed her eyes, a dark expression on her face. the champion's voice lingered in her head.

'Seems like you have no other option but to trust me, don't you think?'

The sense of powerlessness brought about a type of pain that was almost unbearable. It wasn't an overstatement to say that the country's military was mostly composed of Central Institute soldiers. Yet, the entire country fell into a crisis at the hands of a single terrorist, the one named Paul Ace.

Having told the citizens to evacuate to the outskirts of Seoul, Ji Yoo put her pale, skinny hand on her warm forehead. At that moment, the door to the control room opened, and Ji Yoo's voluptuous secretary rushed in, greeted her with a quick bow and said, "Ma'am."

"So, anything?"

"No, ma'am… Nothing worth noting."

At the secretary's reply, Ji Yoo brushed her bangs up and bit down on her lower lip. Then, the secretary's phone started to go off. As the secretary answered it, Ji Yoo looked at her anxiously.

"Ma'am, good news. We've identified the location of the Director of Investigations."

"Where!?" Ji Yoo asked in a hurry.

"He's being held at the Villains Detention Center."

At that, a blank look appeared on Ji Yoo's face.

"The Detention Center…?"

"Yes, ma'am," the secretary replied, nodding affirmatively.

"He was right under our noses all along," Ji Yoo said, chuckling. Then, turning to the secretary with a serious expression, Ji Yoo said, "Put a search team together. Now."

—

Armed to the teeth, the Central Institute soldiers started searching through the rubble of the prison. Although the building itself was durable enough to withstand the explosion, the previous bombing had still caused substantial damage. The walls were cracked and the debris complicated the search, making it difficult for the search team to move around the scene.

"Get a move on! There's not a minute to waste! We have to find the director at all costs!"

At the captain's command, the soldiers hastened their pace. Then, while the search was still in progress, Ji Yoo arrived at the scene.

"How's the progress?"

"We've already swept through the premises, but no sign of him. Is he really here, ma'am?" The captain replied with a troubled look on his face, looking away from Ji Yoo. At that point, a wave of confusion washed over her.

'Did Ace trick us?'

When that thought entered her mind, she felt sick to her stomach. However, shaking that feeling off, she reminded herself of the urgency of the situation.

'There's no time. I have to trust Min Sung Kang.'

"Don't let up. Keep searching until you find him," Ji Yoo said emphatically. Bowing to her, the captain urged his team to keep searching, and Ji Yoo, too, joined in with the team. Walking around while clenching her sweaty hands, she heightened her senses.

'If Tae Gyum really is here, then Ace wouldn't have made it easy for us to find him.'

Getting into contact with headquarters, Ji Yoo requested a detailed map of the prison. Shortly after, the map arrived on her cellphone. When she started examining the map, her eyes began to sparkle.

'This would be a good place to hide a hostage.'

After moving at the speed of light through the soldiers who were searching through the rubble, Ji Yoo arrived at the exact spot she had seen on the map.

'This is it…' she thought, looking ahead nervously. In front of her, was the solitary confinement block, where criminals with the highest villain rating were held. However, it hadn't been used for a long time. No matter how heinous the criminal might have been, the confinement was a harsh enough environment to infringe on the inmate's human rights, forcing the Institute to shut it down.

In the tight, confined space of the cells, there was just enough room for a person to sit. Not only that, there was not a single window or opening, which meant that there was no light source whatsoever. The possibility of her subordinate suffering in such a place while wearing a time bomb broke Ji Yoo's heart.

Taking her rapier out of the inventory, she cut the chains wrapped around the metal bars. The thick, sturdy chains unraveled as the blade cut through them like paper. Catching her breath, Ji Yoo opened the cell door.

"Ah…" Ji Yoo let out, staring into the cell with somber eyes. In that tight, claustrophobic room, she saw the Director of Investigations sitting on a chair. He was covered in wounds and dried blood. Bound by a magically-reinforced chain, there was a thick roll of cloth around his mouth and a bomb made with an enchanted stone next to him.

'Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.'

[00:20:07]

There was much less time than Ji Yoo had expected. Should it have taken her longer to find the director, Seoul in its entirety would have been swallowed by the explosion.

'Ace wasn't lying,' Ji Yoo thought. Bigger than any of the bombs Ace had used up to that point, the bomb was big enough to cover Tae Gyum entirely. A timer ticking down on a bomb that size was already terrifying in and of itself.

Although weary, Tae Gyum looked toward Ji Yoo with eyes filled with loyalty. At the same time, they were also filled with guilt and shame for putting the country and the Institute in danger.

"We found him! Get me the bomb squad! Now!" the captain shouted. Meanwhile, Ji Yoo walked toward Tae Gyum, kneeled in front of him and placed her hand on his shoulder, saying, "This isn't your fault. Don't blame yourself. In fact, this is on me."

At Ji Yoo's kind words, Tae Gyum dropped his head and tears started streaming down his eyes.

"It's all over. Wait just a little longer. Bomb technicians will be here any minute now."

Just as Ji Yoo finished her sentence, the bomb squad arrived. She backed away to let them through, and the team rushed to Tae Gyum. However, while Ji Yoo was waiting anxiously, she sensed trouble in the air. Sure enough, the team leader turned toward Ji Yoo with a dark expression on his face.

Chapter 61

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

"Ma'am, we have a problem… The bomb was made so that it can't be defused."

"What do you mean it can't be defused!?" Ji Yoo shouted with wide eyes.

"It's not an ordinary bomb. It's designed so that it goes off the moment somebody attempts to defuse it," the team leader said, his face growing even darker.

"What…!?"

A look of terror washed over everyone's face, including Ji Yoo's.

"Damage estimation. What are we looking at here?" Ji Yoo asked.

"Half of Seoul… at the very least," the leader said, grief washing over his face.

"Is there really no way to defuse the bomb?" Ji Yoo asked, and the team leader dropped his head in shame.

"Couldn't you try to defuse it yourself?"

"There's nothing we can do, ma'am," the team leader said, shaking his head.

[00:17:04]

'Alright, I gotta stay calm. Think Ji Yoo Kim,' she thought, her heart racing with apprehension. However, no matter how hard she thought, she simply couldn't think of a solution.

"… Damn it!" Ji Yoo let out, clenching her teeth. At that moment, her phone started to go off. When she checked the name of the caller on the phone, she couldn't help but feel puzzled.

'The Shadow Guild?'

Ji Yoo answered the phone without hesitation.

[Please say the code.]

"E802AT4"

[One moment.]

[Background check completed.]

[Your call will now be directed to the Guild Master.]

"Yes, Sung Woo Moon speaking."

When Ji Yoo explained the situation, the Guild Master responded, "We've actually just found someone capable of defusing that bomb and sent him your way. I would've found someone a bit higher level if we had had more time in our hands, but I don't think it'll be an issue as long as you work with him."

"So, who is this person?" Ji Yoo asked, swallowing nervously.

"His name is Ho Sung Lee, the Head of the Diamond Clan."

—

"Son of a bitch…! There's way too much action in my life for my liking," Ho Sung grumbled with dark circles under his eyes. He was driving toward the Central Institute.

"Hell! What are the odds of me being the only person in the whole damn country who can defuse an enchanted stone bomb?"

Laughing as if he had lost his mind, he murmured, "What was the government doing this entire time!? What if I'd never gotten that sword from Min Sung? They would've been sitting ducks!"

At that moment, his phone went off, indicating a new text message. Picking up his phone, he checked the message.

'Take care of the bomb and get ready to go out for dinner. – Min Sung Kang, your Lord.'

Tossing his phone on the passenger seat, Ho Sung sighed and said, "How can he think about food when everyone around him might get blown to pieces!?"

The car screeched loudly as Ho Sung stomped on the gas pedal while turning a corner.

[In six hundred meters, you will arrive at your destination.] the voice from the GPS said.

At that point, Ho Sung took the Warlord's Sword out of his inventory to check its remaining durability.

[Durability: 85%]

Seeing that, Ho Sung breathed a sigh of relief because he had been taking blows left and right from Ace without being able to fight back. However, the sword remained relatively undamaged. Nevertheless, the bomb was powerful enough to blow up most of Seoul, or so he had been told.

'Will this sword really be able to absorb the blast?' Ho Sung wondered, blinking rapidly while licking his lips anxiously.

'Shit, I might as well make friends with death.'

On his way to drop Min Sung off at home, Ho Sung had received a call from the Shadow Guild about a bomb that was impossible to defuse by design, requesting Ho Sung to head to the Central Institute with his weapon.

Not only was Ho Sung responsible for Ace's death, but Ho Sung was also the only person capable of doing something about the bomb. On top of that, since the weapon had already been inscribed with Ho Sung's name, giving the weapon to another person was impossible. In the end, there was no other option but to face the

issue head on.

"Why do I have to get involved with this?"

With a loud screech, the car stopped in front of the Central Institute. Getting out of the car, Ho Sung looked up at the building, clenched his eyes tightly and let out a deep sigh.

"You know what? I REFUSE to die like this! Ace, you batshit crazy psychopath! I'm putting an end to your bullshit TODAY!"

After that, Ho Sung enhance his movement speed using his 'Wind Walk' skill and took off at full speed in the direction he had been previously given.

—

[00:03:11]

Standing in front of the solitary confinement cell of the Villains Detention Center, the officials of the Central Institute, including Ji Yoo Kim, waited for Ho Sung to arrive anxiously. Then, just as the timer on the bomb was passing the two minute mark, they heard footsteps approaching their direction. When they looked toward the noise, they saw a man, who was sweating profusely and whose face was flushed red, dashing toward them.

—

Sitting in his front yard, Min Sung drank his coffee while looking up at the crescent moon lighting the night sky. As the warm liquid flowed into his mouth, the strange sensation of caffeine spreading through his body followed and cleared up his head. Fixing his gaze on the moon, he rubbed his belly and murmured, "Startin' to get hungry."

Because he had been waiting for Ho Sung to return and take him to a restaurant, Min Sung had been waiting on an empty stomach.

'I'm sure it'll be worth the wait,' Min Sung thought, savoring his late night coffee under the moonlit sky.

—

Upon arriving at the scene, Ho Sung looked around with a pale face. With a number of high-ranking officers of the Central Institute around, including their miscellaneous-type leader, Ji Yoo Kim, the pressure on Ho Sung was immense. Not only was the fate of Seoul now on Ho Sung's shoulders, but he was going to be under the scrutiny of miscellaneous types whose powers were at a-whole-nother realm from those of an ordinary hunter like Ho Sung. Knowing that made Ho Sung feel out of place and insignificant. However, in reality, the fate of the country's capital lay on the sword that happened to belong to him.

"This way," the leader of the bomb squad said to Ho Sung, pointing toward the bomb. Standing in front of the solitary confinement cell, Ho Sung let out inadvertently, "Well, shit…"

At the sweat-inducing sight of the four-star officer covered in dried-up blood wrapped by a chain crafted of a dozen top-tier explosive enchanted stones, the severity of the matter at hand became very clear to Ho Sung. It was up to him to dismantle the bomb with his sword.

[00:01:59]

Feeling more nervous than ever, Ho Sung walked up to the officer and looked down at him. Meanwhile, the timer kept ticking.

'Looks like the twelve stones are all connected,' Ho Sung thought, looking at the stream of Aura surging from the bomb.

'You've got this Ho Sung Lee… You've got this,' Ho Sung reminded himself repeatedly as he took the Warlord Sword out of his inventory, determined to succeed. With thirty seconds left on the timer, his heart started to thump like the pistons of a runaway train. Anxiety engulfed his brain, causing Ho Sung to breathe quicker and feel slightly lightheaded. His legs shook uncontrollably, and it felt as though they were melting away. At that moment…

"Mr. Lee."

When the voice called his name, Ho Sung looked back. It was Ji Yoo. She was supporting him from behind.

"The impact will be massive, but I'm right behind you. We can do this," she said. Swallowing nervously, Ho Sung looked ahead at Tae Gyum. There were also healers on standby in order to heal Tae Gyum after the explosion.

'I'm not alone. I have support. Focus, Ho Sung lee. Focus! You can do this!' Ho Sung thought, gripping the handle of his sword with determination. Then, with ten seconds left on the timer, Ho Sung found himself thinking about the champion.

'I wonder why he didn't come here himself? Maybe he's not powerful enough to dismantle the bomb? I mean, he seems like the type who doesn't take sides, but he is an Aura user, a ridiculous one at that! Shit, five seconds to go. C'mon, Ho Sung Lee! Concentrate! Here it comes! Here it comes!'

When there were three seconds left on the timer, Tae Gyum looked toward Ho Sung and Ji Yoo and gave them a determined nod.

Three… Two… One…

'Here it comes!'

When the timer reached zero, there was a fiery nuclear explosion before Ho Sung's eyes. At that point, Ho Sung felt the memories of his childhood up to the moment he met the champion play through his mind like a film.

'I've seen this before and I'm not planning on dying today!' Ho Sung said to himself, clenching his teeth and driving the sword into the fire. At that moment, the ground started to quake, and the sword started to vibrate violently in Ho Sung's hands as it absorbed the blast like a vampire feasting on blood.

[The Warlord Sword has been damaged.]

[Caution: Your weapon's durability is below 45%.]

[Durability: 35%]

Since the bomb was rather large, the explosion continued for quite some time. Nevertheless, Ho Sung had to stand strong against the impact.

'C'mon! C'mon! Just a little longer!'

Ho Sung's body shook as if he was holding a drill. Had he been alone, he would have dropped the sword or fallen unconscious before the explosion died down. However, thanks to Ji Yoo, who was supporting him from behind with her Aura, Ho Sung was able to withstand the powerful blast of the bomb. Like a cup filled to the brim with water, the hunters resisted the blast precariously.

[The Warlord Sword has been damaged.]

[Durability: 9%]

'How much longer is this explosion gonna last!? My sword is falling apart!'

[The Warlord Sword has been damaged.]

[Durability: 5%]

[Failure to repair the weapon will result in its permanent destruction.]

'C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! Stop it already!'

[Durability: 0%]

[The Warlord's Sword has been destroyed.]

Chapter 62

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

When the Warlord's Sword shattered into pieces like broken glass, the fiery storm came at Ho Sung. As his face became pale and his pupils dilated, Ji Yoo pulled him toward her and swung her aura-enchanted rapier, keeping the fire from touching him. Pieces of debris scattered all over, and the fire spread in all directions as if the place was filled with gasoline. Thankfully, the flames soon scattered in the air.

Burned to a crisp, Tae Gyum fell backward weakly.

"Healer!" Ji Yoo cried out, looking back, and the healers on standby ran toward the director.

Confirming that the explosion had died down completely, Ho Sung, looking at least fifty-years older, fell on his butt and sprawled across the ground, staring at the ceiling and chuckling.

'Central Institute my ass. Useless. They could've prevented this from ever happening.'

Teary-eyed, Ho Sung breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Nice work, Mr. Lee," Ji Yoo said, looking down at Ho Sung and smiling wearily.

'How is she still pretty at a time like this?' Ho Sung thought. Although her smile seemed forced, her face glowed with angelic innocence.

"Seoul is safe now, and that's all because of you. Thank you, Mr. Lee. From the bottom of my heart," Ji Yoo said, looking at Ho Sung with sincere gratitude.

'If only they knew… The entirety of Korea as we know it would've been wiped off the face of the Earth if it hadn't been for Min Sung Kang. Though… I guess it's pretty meaningful that I've kept Seoul from its fiery end, so maybe, I can give myself some credit?' he thought. A strange sense of accomplishment washed over him.

'… Well, here I am. Still in one piece.'

"I did it," Ho Sung let out, staring at the ceiling of the prison while chuckling. At that moment, Ho Sung heard a voice call for Ji Yoo.

"Ma'am."

"How's he looking?" Ji Yoo asked.

"It was… too late by the time we got to him."

At the heartbreaking news, Ji Yoo looked toward the Director of Investigations with eyes filled with tears. Sitting up, Ho Sung stared intently at Tae Gyum's charred corpse. As noble as the director had been, his death had been far from a dignified one.

—

After the conclusion of the bomb case, Ji Yoo called for a conference. Standing behind a podium in front of countless people, Ji Yoo started off, "Should Mr. Lee not have had the Warlord's Sword, this city would've faced a terrible fate."

At that moment, the conference hall sank into a heavy silence.

"As you all may remember, two years ago, we had an extensive meeting about preparing for potential terrorist attacks. However, our plans never came to fruition as many of the high-ranking officers and officials believed that our budget wouldn't allow for them. As a result, here we are," Ji Yoo said, looking down with sad eyes and sighing deeply.

"Originally, hunters were meant to protect this world of monsters. Saviors, if you will. For that reason, they were given wealth, honor and treated with proper respect," Ji Yoo said, and the atmosphere grew tense.

"However, I, too, have been blind to what's really important."

Looking at the high-ranking officers, who were unable to look up from shame, Ji Yoo smiled subtly and kept on, "I am just as responsible for the recent incidents. In fact, we're all responsible for what happened."

Then, with eyes gleaming sharply with determination, she added, "I'm aware that the damage has already been done, but we are planning on taking severe actions against those who are neglecting their duties as hunters. Our vision as the Central Institute is to become an organization willing to sacrifice anything for the sake and future of humanity. Now, as the Great Lord of the Central Institute, I order you to set aside all personal wealth,

fame, and honor, and move toward the redemption of humanity."

At that moment, the officers in the conference hall rose from their seats simultaneously and saluted the leader of the Central Institute, their determined voices filling the room.

—

"Mr. Lee! Could you give us more details on the situation at the time?"

"The Institute seems to give you the most credit for dismantling the bomb! How do you feel?"

"The Central Institute stated that you, a level-300 hunter, were the only person capable of solving this case! How did you come to taking up such an important task?"

Ho Sung looked around anxiously at the endless sea of reporters surrounding him and shoving microphones at his face, their cameras flashing.

"Ah… So… "

'Where do I even start? How do I explain?' Ho Sung thought, confused and flabbergasted. At that point, he felt it would be best to avoid starting any controversies by keeping his answer simple.

"I was lucky enough to have the Warlord's Sword in my possession. It was a wonderful weapon that came with the special ability to disperse magic explosions."

"Does that mean the Central Institute didn't have the means to dismantle the bomb?"

"I can't take all the credit for myself. If it weren't for all the officers on site, the damage would have been far more catastrophic," Ho Sung said with a short sigh.

"There's been a report that a four-star officer was killed in the explosion. What are your thoughts on that?"

At the reporter's question, Ho Sung's face fell.

"…"

"Mr. Lee?"

"I think it was a sad, unfortunate incident. I would like to express my deepest respect to the officer who sacrificed himself, carrying out his duty as a hunter to protect his country."

'Click! Click! Click!'

As if unaware of the look of displeasure washing over Ho Sung's face, the cameras around him flashed unceasingly.

—

After the news was spread, the funeral for Tae Gyum took place. The death of the four-star Director of Investigations of the Central Institute was of national importance, and the funeral was big enough to be aired on national TV. Meanwhile, the Central Institute was under severe criticism for their poor response to the terrorist attacks. Nevertheless, the Institute remained undeterred and focused on their responsibilities.

—

Upon arriving at the champion's house, Ho Sung rolled the window down and lit a cigarette.

'Here, I am. Still in one piece. Casually smoking my cigarette.'

The fact that he was still alive dawned on him repeatedly. Smoking his cigarette, Ho Sung took his phone out and checked the news, which was obviously overtaken by articles on the recent terrorist attacks. Among them, were also articles on the Central Institute, Tae Gyum's funeral and Ho Sung's interview. After appearing on national TV, Ho Sung's phone was burning with countless calls and messages from all over, including those from childhood friends he couldn't even remember.

Putting the phone back in his pocket, Ho Sung turned the ignition off, got out of the car, looked at the champion's house and sighed.

"What does one do after becoming a national hero? The director's dead; I'm still a slave to Min Sung; and most importantly, my sword's been destroyed.'

"Sigh… I could use a drink."

—

"Sir, how does soju and pork belly sound?" Ho Sung asked.

'Soju and pork belly, huh…' Min Sung thought. It was a combo that had stood the test of time, perfect for satisfying late night hunger.

"I'm sure you have a place in mind?" Min Sung asked.

"Of course," Ho Sung said with a confident smile.

"Let's go."

—

The car came to a stop in front of a Korean barbecue restaurant. As soon as Min Sung got out of the car, the champion was met by the aroma of grilled pork in the air. Furrowing his brow, Min Sung looked at the sign.

[Dot Chu Ryum]

Underneath it, was a brief definition of the phrase in small letters: to pitch in money for a pig.

'So, that's what it means,' Min Sung thought, nodding. The name of the restaurant alone was enough to put a smile on the champion's face.

"Well, enjoy your dinner, sir."

"Stay."

"Sir?"

"The meat won't cook itself."

Clearing his throat, Ho Sung followed the champion into the restaurant, which was much bigger than it seemed from the outside. It was bustling with people and filled with the aroma of grilled pork. At that moment, recognizing Ho Sung' face, the restaurant grew silent all of a sudden.

"Isn't that him?"

"That's him! The one who dismantled the bomb!"

"Oh! It is him! Ho Sung Lee!"

"Wow! Isn't that the guy who saved Seoul?"

Soon, the silence turned into waves of muttering that turned into an explosive applause.

"Great job!"

"This is what a REAL hunter does! What did the Institute even do to help, anyway?"

"Thank you for all that you've done!"

"Tell you what, dinner's on me!"

"No! It's on me!"

"Then drinks are on us!"

Ho Sung stood bewildered as the people applauded him from all directions. Looking at him, the champion smiled subtly and said, "Let's sit."

With that, the two sat at a table by the window.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. Seems like I'm stealing your thunder…"

"Ho Sung Lee."

"Sir?"

"I can't stand that kind of attention. From now on, you're gonna have to be in front of the cameras on my behalf."

"Of course," Ho Sung replied, smiling bitterly. Hearing that, Min Sung glared piercingly at Ho Sung and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It just… It sounds like something you would do. You know, like you're meant to do great things. I didn't mean anything bad by it."

Then, Min Sung looked down at the menu in his hands and said, "Well, I could use some suggestions. Seems like there are two different kinds of pork belly, and one is slightly more expensive than the other. Would you say this is a you-get-what-you-paid-for situation?"

Chapter 63

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

"In this case, no. The cheaper option would actually be the better choice," Ho Sung said.

"And why is that?" Min Sung asked, staring intently and sharply at Ho Sung.

"Some might disagree with me, but personally, I think the five-layered pork belly has a much richer flavor to it."

"I see…" Min Sung said, nodding.

"Would you like to try it, sir?"

"Yes. When it comes to food, I trust your judgment."

"Thank you, sir," Ho Sung said, ringing the bell on their table. Shortly after, a waitress came rushing to their table with a welcoming smile.

"Hello! What would you like?" she asked with her hands clasped together politely, waiting patiently for Ho Sung's reply with sparkling eyes. Clearing his throat, Ho Sung said, "We'll take four orders of the five-layered pork belly and a bottle of soju."

"Sure! We'll bring it right out," the waitress said, returning to the kitchen upon taking Ho Sung's order. Then…

"Sigh…"

… Ho Sung let out deeply, and Min Sung, who was wiping his hands with a warm wet towel, looked at him and asked, "Why the long face?"

"Sir? Oh, right. You know, the whole thing at the Institute. I guess I'm a little frazzled and weirded out. Haha," Ho Sung replied, chuckling awkwardly.

"Well, whatever is on your mind, you can stop thinking about it now. The pork bellies are here."

"Yes, sir."

At that moment, the waitress brought out their order on a cart and set the pork belly on the table along with some basic side dishes. There were layers of pink and red meat in between yet even more layers of fat, which made the champion's mouth water.

'I can't remember the last time I had pork belly,' Min Sung thought, impressed. Then, while he was still marveling over the fresh cuts of pork belly, a waiter came to the table with hot, burning charcoal.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" the waiter said, smiling and putting the charcoal into the grill. Min Sung nodded inadvertently in agreement. Just like the waiter had said, there was something mesmerizing about the ember, making it look like the ore of an enchanted stone.

While Min Sung was mesmerized by the burning charcoal, Ho Sung picked up a tong. However, to Min Sung's confusion, Ho Sung froze in place like a statue, glaring piercingly at the grill.

"Why aren't you cooking?" Min Sung asked.

"I'm waiting for the grill to heat up."

"I see," Min Sung replied, nodding affirmatively. Then, after some time, Ho Sung took a slice of the five-layered pork belly and place it on the grill. The loud, mouth-watering sizzle was comparable to the sound of an orchestra. Licking his lips and swallowing anxiously, Min Sung couldn't take his eyes off of the meat cooking on the grill. Nothing else entered his mind or view.

Resisting his hunger, Min Sung refrained from eating anything in order to best experience the fresh pork. Soon, Ho Sung picked up the meat with his tong and flipped it onto the grill, revealing the side of the pork belly that had been cooked to golden-brown perfection and was glistening with its oils and juices. Ho Sung seemed to know exactly when to flip the meat when grilling it. At that irresistible sight, the champion's stomach cried out for the meat desperately, and Min Sung had to remind himself that the wait would be well worth it. The fruits of perseverance would surely be sweet.

Despite the vent just above the grill sucking up most of the smoke, the deep, enticing aroma of the pork belly still tickled the champion's nose. Then, Ho Sung flipped the slice of pork belly yet again in order to cook the sides that hadn't touched the grill. Since cuts had been made to the meat in the kitchen prior to it arriving at the table, cutting it into pieces was hardly a challenge. While the pork belly was cooking, Ho Sung picked up some wild leek leaves and cut them into smaller slices, which made him almost seem like an artisan of sorts to the champion. Ho Sung's eyes were like those of a bear snatching its prey.

After cutting the wild leek leaves, Ho Sung pushed the perfectly-cooked pieces of meat to the side of the grill and picked up the bottle

of soju.

"Sir, the meat will taste twice as better after a shot of soju."

When the champion looked down in order to pick up his shot glass, he realized that his hands were shaking. Even a hardened fighter who had survived his time in the Demonic Realm couldn't resist the excitement and anticipation that came with perfectly-cooked pork belly. Clenching his teeth tightly, Min Sung raised his shot glass and let Ho Sung pour him some soju, also pouring Ho Sung a glass in return.

"Here's to you!" Ho Sung shouted.

"Shut up and drink."

"Yes, sir!"

Raising his glass, Min Sung poured the shot of soju into his mouth. Having grown used to drinking by that point, he was starting to appreciate the different flavors of alcohol. Then, without hesitation, he picked up his chopsticks and went straight for the pork belly, his heart racing with excitement. Picking up a piece of the meat, Min Sung brought it up to his mouth. The piping hot piece of pork tossed about in his mouth. Then, when his teeth sank into the meat, the savory juice came pouring out of it like a waterfall.

'Holy sh…'

The meat was unbelievably juicy. The pork bellies he had had in the past paled in comparison. Upon a closer look, Min Sung noticed that the meat was cut significantly thicker than in most restaurants. However, the thickness of the meat couldn't be the only contributing factor to its juiciness. If anything, it had to be the freshness and the quality of the meat that determined the depth of flavor.

'I see why Ho Sung brought me here,' the champion thought.

"What do you think?" Ho Sung asked, looking nervously at Min Sung. The answer was a simple one.

"Superb."

At the champion's simple affirmation, Ho Sung breathed a sigh of relief. Looking much more at peace, he started eating and drinking.

In the meantime, Min Sung placed a slice of wild leek leaves on another piece of pork belly and brought it all up to his mouth. Sweet and sour, the thin leaves melted in his mouth like ice cream, creating a breathtaking combination.

'Exquisite,' Min Sung thought, furrowing his brow with deep satisfaction, something that to others would appear as if he was troubled.

'This is some quality meat.'

Then, looking up at Ho Sung, the champion said, "Order some rice and soybean paste stew."

"Already? Aren't you gonna eat more?"

"I'd like to eat mine with rice and stew."

"Of course."

After ringing the bell, Ho Sung ordered one bowl of rice and one of soybean paste stew, staples of Korean barbecue. When the two finished the remaining pork belly slices and ordered three additional servings on top of it, the bowls of rice and stew arrived at their table. Leaving the lid on the bowl of rice closed, Min Sung waited patiently for the next pork belly.

While Ho Sung cooked the new batch of pork belly like a professional chef, Min Sung enjoyed the product his labor with a bowl of rice. Scooping a spoonful of rice up, he placed a piece of pork belly and a dollop of ssamjang on top of it and put it all in his mouth.

(TL's Note: Ssamjang is a mixture of gochujang and doenjang, or the soybean paste, and is one of the most common and popular sauces in Korean barbecue.)

The intense flavor of the juice pouring out of the tender piece of meat coated the grains of soft rice, creating a beautiful, dream-like piece of art in his mouth.

After that, Min Sung moved on to the soybean paste stew and scooped up a spoonful of broth, pieces of tofu squares, and peppers.

'Slurp!'

The warm broth came rushing into his mouth, making the already-soft grains of rice even more tender. It was like the first patch of snow melting away in spring.

"Sir, would you be interested in some cold noodles? Just so you know, their cold noodles are slightly unique. They use flour noodles instead of the typical buckwheat counterpart, so they do taste a little different, but they're still just as refreshing as the buckwheat version."

"Go ahead," Min Sung said, nodding while drinking some soju. In response, Ho Sung rang the bell and placed an order for a bowl of cold noodles: another staple of Korean barbecue. It was a proper feast.

'Well worth the wait,' Min Sung thought. Though slightly buzzed, he was readier than ever for more food.

Despite the restaurant being quite busy, the champion's bowl of cold noodles arrived at the table much sooner than he had expected. Surrounded by the icy broth, was a ball of flour noodles, revealing itself like a lady bashfully showing her skin. Then, after taking some mustard and vinegar, Ho Sung mixed those into the broth, stirred it all with a fresh pair of chopsticks, and placed the concoction before Min Sung with the utmost respect.

Taking a deep breath, Min Sung picked up some noodles, wrapped them around a piece of five-layered pork belly as he would with spaghetti and slurped away. The sensation of the ice-cold noodles mingling with the piping-hot piece of pork brought about a pleasure like no other. The sweet and sour broth was unbelievably refreshing and clean-tasting. After that, Min Sung took a shot of soju and put the glass down audibly, deeply satisfied.

"Ho Sung Lee," Min Sung said.

"Sir?" Ho Sung asked, ready to stand up at any given minute.

"I need you to do some research on demons."

"Demons?"

"That's right."

"Demons… I vaguely remember hearing about them when you were talking with Ace. What are they exactly? Monsters?"

Leaning back on his chair, Min Sung smiled bitterly and replied, "They're beasts of the Demonic Realm."

"… the Demonic Realm!? Is that even real?" Ho Sung asked, startled.

"Go talk to the Shadow Guild if you have to. See what you can find out about the creatures."

"Yes, sir."

Then, as Min Sung nodded and poured himself a glass, Ho Sung said, "But uh… sir?"

"…?"

"Do you know how I went to the Central Institute with my sword?"

"And?"

"Did you send me because it was something outside of your capability? You know, dismantling the bomb."

"Can't say."

At the champion's ambiguous answer, Ho Sung immersed himself in brief thought. Looking toward Min Sung, he asked, "But why did you send me? Were you not worried that I'd mess up?"

"Not at all."

"Was it because… you trusted me?" Ho Sung asked, his eyes widened.

"…"

Looking at Min Sung, who remained silent, Ho Sung chuckled awkwardly and said as if he had given up, "Eh, what am I saying? It was probably the sword that you trusted. Haha!" Then, with a sigh, he added, shaking his head, "… But let me tell you, it was a close call. Way too close. One slip up, and everyone would have been toast. I can't believe that you were that calm about sending me there.'

At that moment, Min Sung broke his silence by saying, "I did trust you."

Chapter 64

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

"What did you just say?! You trusted me?" Ho Sung asked.

At which point, Min Sung downed the liquid in his shot glass, put the glass down audibly, and replied, "I thought you had what it took."

"…"

Ho Sung stared at Min Sung, both flabbergasted and moved to his core by the champion's unexpected reply.

"T-thank you, sir."

"Shall we?" Min Sung said as he rose from his chair. Walking up to the counter, the champion took his debit card out in order to pay. At that moment, Ho Sung beat him to it and said, "Sir, allow me. It's been a while since we've eaten together."

Then, the owner of the restaurant told them with a friendly smile, "Actually, it's on the house. You are the hero who protected our city. It's the least I can do to repay you. Did you all enjoy your meal?"

"So… uh… about that. It wasn't me who did all the work…" Ho Sung replied, breaking out into cold sweats while looking at the champion anxiously. Paying no attention to it, Min Sung walked out the door and said, "Let's go."

After looking in Min Sung's direction briefly, Ho Sung gave the owner a quick nod and said, "Thank you. It was incredible. My boss seemed satisfied too."

"I heard in the news that you were the head of a clan. Isn't that right? But if that man is your boss, he must be up there! Who is he?" the owner asked.

'How do I explain this?' Ho Sung thought, deep in thought. Then, he nodded and said with a smile, "The future of humanity."

"… I'm sorry?" the owner asked, confused. To which, Ho Sung replied, still smiling, "Have a nice day," and left the restaurant. After he left, the owner tilted their head, still clueless about Ho Sung's answer.

—

On the car ride to Min Sung's house, Ho Sung looked at the champion through the reflection of the rear-view mirror.

"Sir?"

"What?" Min Sung replied while staring out the window.

"So, I was looking at my phone while I was in the restroom, and apparently, the most popular search on the internet is 'Warp Gate,'" Ho Sung said.

"Warp Gate?"

"Yes, sir. It's essentially a machine that allows you to teleport to a destination of your choosing. For example, if we were to have traveled to Germany through the Korean Warp Gate, our trip would have taken less than a minute."

"When is this going to be available for commercial use?"

"There hasn't been any official announcement, but from what's going around to the public, it won't be much longer."

"Seems like eating out won't be much of a hassle."

"That's right. It won't be long until we can travel to other countries for food. The only thing is that the fee will be exorbitant," Ho Sung said.

"How much?"

"It'll be eighty thousand US dollars per trip, which makes it about eighty-seven million won. But that's overseas. When the system becomes available in Korea, I'm sure the fee will shoot up to one hundred million won plus tax, easy. "

"You can always make more money," Min Sung said, unsurprised by the extravagant amount.

'That's two hundred million won for a roundtrip ticket! This isn't some train trip we're talking about! Man, this guy is really something else…' Ho Sung thought. Then, yet another thought occurred to him at that moment, 'Wait a minute! The only way for Min Sung to make money is by raiding a dungeon, which means I might be able to tag along and leech some experience points off of him! Besides, my level's over 300 now, so I might be able to get into the labyrinth, which means even more experience points! My level will be through the roof by the time we're out of the dungeon!' Ho Sung was grinning. As long as he could tag alongside the champion, the reward would surely be unimaginable. However…

"Ho Sung Lee."

"Sir?"

"You're thinking about mooching off of me in the dungeon, aren't you?" Min Sung

asked in a low voice, his eyes still fixed on the view outside the window. Feeling as though a spear had pierced through his heart, Ho Sung felt the back of his neck soaked with sweat.

"S-sir? How could I dare!? I could fill the sky and the oceans with all the favors I've received from you…"

"You make it really obvious."

Hearing that, Ho Sung rubbed his sweaty face quietly.

"Standby," the champion said, a code word between him that implied Ho Sung had to be on call for twenty-four hours. With a forced smile on his face, Ho Sung replied, "With pleasure, sir."

'Damn it! I gotta level up, run a clan and get myself a new weapon…'

"The human desire knows no boundary, don't you think? Once our body becomes comfortable, then we want peace in our hearts. Once there's peace in our hearts, then we want to live in a better environment. And once we're in a better environment, then… That's when we want to get rid of the things that hamper our lives," the champion said.

Meanwhile, Ho Sung's heart was throbbing as if he were wearing an enchanted stone bomb around his neck.

"S-s-sir! You-you've got it all wrong! H-how could I dare take advantage of you!? Besides, I'm a changed man now! I'm serious! I think of you as my lord, and it hurts me to hear you question my loyalt…" Ho Sung said, hesitating at the sight of Min Sung smiling like a devil through the reflection of the mirror.

'They say that one should never let success get to their head… I'd forgotten what kind of person I'm serving,' Ho Sung thought, a chill running down his spine

"F-forgive me, sir. I've forgotten my place," he said. Then, as the car stopped in front of Min Sung's house with a loud screech, Min Sung said, "Don't even think about sleeping in the car. Unless you wanna get blown up with it," and got out. At that point, Ho Sung, who was pale and was staring into the air blankly, got out of the car and bowed to the champion at a ninety-degree angle, saying, "Enjoy your rest, sir!"

Paying no attention to Ho Sung, Min Sung walked into his house. It wasn't until Ho Sung heard the door close that he looked up. Looking toward the house wearily, he thought, 'All right. The man's got a point. Maybe I've gotten a little too confident, but would I dare to turn against him and pull the rug from under his feet? Even if I were at level 2000, that'd just be suicide,' shaking his head. 'That ruthless devil. I better keep my mouth shut from now on. Damn it, Ho Sung! You just had to let your mouth run. I can't even rest in my own damn car!' he thought, slapping himself on the neck when he heard a mosquito flying about.

"Why, you little!"

Then, his phone started to go off. When he checked the caller ID, the screen showed a number that started with 040, which was the area code used exclusively by the Central Institute.

'The Institute?' Ho Sung thought, his eyes widened. Puzzled, he answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Yes, hello. I'm calling on behalf of the Human Resources Department of the Central Institute."

Hearing that, Ho Sung stooped forward nervously and replied, "Oh! Uh… What can I do for ya?"

"There's an important matter we wanted to discuss with you. Will you be available sometime tomorrow, Mr. Lee?"

Glancing at the champion's mansion, Ho Sung replied, "Tomorrow is not the best day for me, unfortunately…"

"Is there an issue? If so, we'll be glad to aid you in any way possible."

Hearing that, Ho Sung moved the phone away from his ear and looked down at it with narrowed eyes. As omnipotent as the Institute was, there was one thing that they couldn't do, and that was to excuse Ho Sung from the champion's order to be on standby for twenty-four hours.

"Well, it's not that there's an issue or anything," Ho Sung said. There was no way that he was going to tell the Institute about him having to be on standby for twenty-four hours because of Min Sung's order to do so.

"There's gonna be… uh… a bit of a schedule conflict. I'm sorry, but would you mind telling me what this is about over the phone?"

"Hm, I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Lee. Then, allow me to cut to the chase. I'm calling you because the Central Institute would like to have you as part of our team."

"Me?! The Institute?" Ho Sung asked, staring into the air in a daze and blinking awkwardly.

"That's right."

The Central Institute was even more powerful than the Blue House. Needless to say, wearing a badge that indicated one's affiliation with the Institute meant moving up the social ladder. However…

(TL's Note: The Blue House is the Korean equivalent of the White House in the US.)

"I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to turn that offer down."

"… Sir?" the voice on the other end of the line let out as if moaning, caught off guard by Ho Sung's answer. A mere level-300 hunter turning down an offer made by the Head of the Institute's Human Resources Department was unheard of.

"May I ask why, Mr. Lee?"

"It's just… uh… I don't know if it'll make any sense to you if I were to tell you that I already have a master… I'm sure the Great Lord will know what I'm talking about," Ho Sung said, smiling bitterly. "So, if she asks, you know what to tell her."

"Understood."

With that, the call ended, and Ho Sung, crossing his arms, stared intently at the Min Sung's mansion, feeling newfound respect for the champion: the only man capable of standing above what is inarguably the most powerful organization in the country. That was the kind of man Ho Sung was serving as his master, and for most people, it would be an honor to be able to serve under such a powerful man. Yet…

'Snap!'

… Looking down at the speck of blood on his hand, Ho Sung let out a deep sigh.

"Why am I so confused? Why am I not happier?"

With a sad look on his face, Ho Sung let out yet another sigh and scratched his body, "Ugh! Itchy!"

Chapter 65

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

With his subordinate's report, the head of the Institute's Human Resources Department chuckled and asked, "He turned down the offer to be part of the Institute?"

"Yes, sir. Mr. Lee said that he's already serving under a master and that the Great Lord would understand…"

"Haha… He's somethin' else, isn't he?" the department head said, fastening his loose tie and rising from his seat.

"Thinking he's some hotshot after dismantling some bomb…" he muttered, clicking his tongue annoyedly and almost kicking open the door on his way out. The department head had had only one reason for wanting to bring Ho Sung on board: to leverage his positive image in the media. The department head had no interest in Ho Sung's hidden potential or how he could contribute to enhancing the Institute's military might. To him, Ho Sung was the perfect tool with which to play the media. Of course, Ho Sung turning down the Institute's offer was putting a dent on the department head's pride.

Stressed out, the department head stopped in his tracks and leaned his head back, cracking his neck in all directions. Taking a deep breath, he made his way to the top floor of the building.

When the department head arrived at the VVIP room, the secretary informed the Great Lord of his arrival through the intercom. As soon as he was given permission to enter, the secretary opened the door for the department head. Upon entering and seeing the Great Lord herself, the department head stood with his feet together and saluted her.

"Ma'am."

Since taking over the administrative duty of the Central Institute, Ji Yool had been officially made the Great Lord, which meant her subordinates were obligated to treat her with the respect worthy of her title.

"Have a seat," she told the department head. However, he shook his head and replied, "With all due respect, ma'am, I'd prefer to stand."

"Suit yourself. So, what brings you here?" she asked, taking her glasses off.

"Our public image has been deteriorating. As a countermeasure, the Executive Board has decided to bring the Head of the Diamond Clan, Ho Sung Lee, on board. We made an offer to him, but he turned it down," the department head said with a clear look of displeasure on his face. To which, Ji Yoo smiled bitterly and said, "That's not surprising."

Hearing that, the department head stared at the Great Lord wide-eyed and added, "According to Ho Sung Lee, he is currently serving someone whom he considers his master, but something's not adding up. It doesn't make sense that one would have someone lord over them at the cost of ruling out the Institute. I propose that we look into anyone who's affiliated with this man…"

"Look," Ji Yoo said, her eyes gleaming sharply.

"Ma'am," the department head replied, straightening his back.

"The media will calm itself in time. The monsters won't stop attacking us anytime soon, and we're the only ones who can protect the citizens from the attacks."

"But, ma'am! Don't you find it suspicious that Ho Sung Lee is declining the Institute…"

"I'm sure he has his reasons. More importantly, all of our regional branches still remain unoccupied."

"He mentioned your name! What if this master of his…"

"Are you done?" Ji Yoo said sharply, her eyes turning ice-cold. At which point, the department head lowered his gaze and said, "Forgive me, ma'am."

"Our regional branches remain without leaders to this day, and frankly, the reports I've been getting about them are seriously disconcerting. What puzzles me is that we still haven't found replacements for them. Was the Executive Board able to come up with a solution for this?"

"So…" the department head hesitated, embarrassed

"Seems to me that the board is getting distracted by the small things and forgetting what's really important. I gotta say, my disappointment is growing."

"We will set things right, ma'am."

"Organize that meeting this instant."

"Yes, ma'am," the department head said, saluting the Great Lord. At that moment, just as he was about to leave, Ji Yoo added, "One more thing."

"Ma'am?"

"From here on out, I want you to have nothing to do with Mr. Lee," she said, her eyes growing even colder, and added, "That's an order."

After bowing, the department head left the room, biting down on his lower lip.

—

the dark, the man in the black robe opened the thick metal gate to a large factory. As the door opened, the bleak view of the factory filled his eyes. The factory was filled with blacksmiths crafting or repairing weapons under bright lights, sweating profusely. Walking past them, the man in the black robe made his way to a room in the inner part of the factory. Upon arriving, he opened the door and was met by a scraggly, middle-aged man, who looked up from his laptop and greeted him with a bright smile, "Been a while!"

Without greeting back, the man in the black robe took his podao sword out of his inventory and tossed it toward the scraggly man. The sword fell with a heavy thump upon hitting the ground. At the sight of the sword, the owner of the forge laughed heartily and said, "What did you do with that sword? Hunt dragons with it?"

"Cut the chatter. How long will it take?" the man in the black robe asked.

"Hm… Let's see. Say… a week?"

"I'll give you four days."

Hearing that, a troubled look appeared on the face of the forge's owner.

"C'mon, now. You know how busy things get around here! Four days is pushing it!"

"Four days. No more," the man in the black robe said with an intimidating look. At which point, the owner swallowed the words he was going to say, sighed heavily and said, "All right! All right! Man, I can't remember the last time I got some sleep. Say, I've always been curious. Why the podao sword? Why don't you just get a new weapon while you're at it? There are so many good weapons out there these days."

Staring at the podao sword on the ground as if reminiscing about something, the man in the black robe said, "Four days," and left the room. Standing awkwardly, the owner stared in the man's direction.

—

Upon exiting the factory, the man in the black robe got in his Ferrari and started the ignition. The engine roared loudly, and the car took the man away from the factory. At that moment, his phone started to ring. When he pressed a button, a hologram of the man in the wheelchair appeared on the right window.

"Were you at the forge?" the man in the wheelchair asked.

"Yes," the man in the black robe replied brusquely.

"I have news. Should I wait till we meet in person, or should I just tell you now?"

"Tell me now."

"Things have taken an unexpected turn. Ho Sung Lee is all over the media now instead of Min Sung Kang."

"I don't see how this can be an issue?"

"You're right. Besides, we're expecting the arrival of a hunter soon. His name's Jan Bred."

"You mean the one who got kicked out of the American Masters' Institute?"

"That's right. Seems like things are speeding up because of this Min Sung Kang character."

"What's in it for Bred? Regaining his title as a hunter?"

"No. He chose to take over Korea. That was his condition for taking up our offer. My guess is that he's planning on gradually expanding his influence."

After that, the man in the black robe pushed another button and ended the call.

—

After waking up, Min Sung got out of bed. Most of his old habits from the Demonic Realm were gone by that point. Back then, no matter how much he had wanted to sleep, the natural rhythm of his body had prevented him from doing so. As a result, he had never felt fully awake during his time in the Demonic Realm. Now, having been back on Earth for some time, the champion was able to sleep soundly. His peaceful life had made it unnecessary for him to be on constant alert. However, there was one thing that had been bothering him as of late.

'If what Ace said about the demons is true, I'll make sure to obliterate them without a trace.'

—

Next morning, the champion started his day with his usual routine: coffee. A cup of freshly brewed coffee had the effect of clearing his head. Although subtle in its effect, it did make a noticeable difference in his awareness and ability to control his body both internally and externally. Sipping his coffee, Min Sung went out to the front yard and was greeted by the buzzing cicadas. Though loud, Min Sung didn't find them noisy. Rather, he embraced it all as the sound of nature, which had the effect of relieving his stress.

Listening to the birds chirping nearby in conjunction with the buzzing cicadas, Min Sung savored his morning coffee. Then, when he looked to the side, he saw Ho Sung sleeping on the lawn in the shade, scratching himself all over. Looking at that, Min Sung thought, 'What to eat for breakfast?'

Determining what to eat was as important as determining the restaurant where to eat. Besides, Ho Sung excelled when it came to recommendations, which made the champion's decision-making much more convenient. Thinking about restaurants and the asset that Ho Sung was, Min Sung started to feel hungry. Rubbing his belly, he looked up at Ho Sung. Since it was still early in the morning, the Sun was just starting to rise, and there was no rush.

Putting down the empty coffee mug, Min Sung rose from his seat slowly. Since Bowl had been keeping the house clean, Min Sung didn't have to worry about doing any of the cleaning. However, the front yard didn't seem to be as well maintained. The grass and the trees were starting to look slightly dry, and the automatic irrigation system on its own wasn't enough to keep the entire front yard fresh and green.

'Maybe I should water these plants before we go out for breakfast,' Min Sung thought. Opening the faucet, the champion picked up the hose and started to walk around the front yard, watering the grass and the trees. Shortly after, Ho Sung woke up, rubbing his eyes.

"Sir? What are you doing?" he asked, his eyes still half-closed as he scratched the mosquito bite on his neck.

"Any recommendation for breakfast?" Min Sung replied while watering the plants. After looking around, half-asleep and with a swollen face, Ho Sung looked toward the champion.

"Sir," he said, letting out a small sigh and adding, "Is this really necessary? People treat their dogs better than this! I mean, who goes to sleep and wakes up on the lawn!?"

"Then, leave."

"Sir, that's not what I meant," Ho Sung said, closing his eyes.

"Then, get ready to go out," the champion said, tossing the hose to the side. "And clean this up. What's for breakfast?"

"Soondubu soup," Ho Sung said, looking like he had given up.

"Good."

With that, the champion went into the house, and Ho Sung, rising to his feet, picked up the water hose and followed the champion.

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