147-157

Chapter 148

***

As Min Sung looked at the Devil sitting on the throne, he thought about how boring and tedious his journey to the 50th floor was.

He was now at the end of the tiring Black Tower.

Min Sung took out his Orichalcum Sword form his item window in order to finish it off.

Whoosh!

The Orichalcum gave off a stronger magic spell than usual.

The Devil, who had his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

The Devil's eyes weren't red like the other devils.

It was completely black.

"… Black Slaughterer," the Devil whispered as he got up.

Roarrrrrrrrr!

At that moment, the tower shook as if there was an earthquake.

The floors, walls, and even the ceiling were filled with black words of the Demonic language.

The sound of the Devil laughing spread throughout the inside.

Ho Sung Lee gasped.

It felt as though just his smile alone made his heart feel as if it was being suffocated.

Ho Sung Lee grabbed his chest and stepped back.

The earthquake-like shaking stopped, and the Devil walked over to Min Sung from his throne.

After leaving about a 5-meter distance from Min Sung, he stopped in front of him.

"… Long time no see."

"Really? I don't remember you."

In response, the Devil grimaced.

However, he soon loosened up his expression and grinned.

"I'm one of the 72 Devils. When I first heard that the Black Slaughterer appeared, I couldn't believe it. So it feels strange to see you right in front of my eyes. I still remember the past. I'm sure you do, too."

The Devil laughed at Min Sung.

It was a laugh that penetrated the abyss.

He felt as though his eardrums were about to blow, and his body trembled like a withering tree.

Bowl also trembled and clattered his teeth.

The only ones not trembling were Min Sung and Ssol, who was watching from a distance.

It didn't seem like Ssol knew the concept of fear.

On the other hand, Ho Sung Lee glanced at the Devil one more time and then closed his eyes out of fear.

His heart was pained just looking at him.

"What is this Black Tower all about anyway?"

Min Sung asked as he looked around.

"If I put it in human terms, it's a type of server test…"

"A test?"

Min Sung nodded and continued,

"So what's the main game?"

"It'll begin soon enough. Countless humans will shed blood, and their limbs will be ripped off of their bodies. The whole world will drown in blood, and fear, death, and chaos will ensue."

Min Sung looked at the Devil and smiled.

"I won't let that happen."

"The light will disappear, and on top of that, human bodies, blood, and cries of anguish will take over."

"Why?"

"…"

"What are you doing here?"

The Devil, who was three hands bigger than Min Sung, smiled at Min Sung.

His black teeth and gums showed.

"You probably know better than anyone why we're here."

A memory then passed through Min Sung's head.

Hell, where not a single piece of grass grew.

That place was the Demonic Realm.

There was no water, so he had to drink blood, and there was no food, so he had to eat flesh.

Those who lived there weren't particularly at peace.

The living beings of the Demonic Realm were all… greedy.

"That place is better suited for you. That's your world to begin with."

In response to Min Sung, the Devil's black eyes squinted.

"A place with human bodies and mountains of blood is where we belong. We will dominate the human world. We will rip human flesh and feed it to the monsters, and we will mix blood with alcohol for a celebratory festival. Chaos and death will ensue…"

"Stop your chatter, and let's go. My ears hurt."

Min Sung stepped forward while holding his ORichalcum Sword.

"… I have a question or you. How did you begin another life in the human world? You died in the Demonic Realm."

"I don't know."

Min Sung shook his head and knitted his brows.

Dealing with one Devil was easy.

After all, it was just one.

Before the battle began.

The Devil lifted his arm and showed his hand.

"I'm the Devil. Do you think you can kill me that easily? The passing of time is different in the Demonic Realm and the human world. That means we have more time to grow. You know how much blood and war we face. I became much stronger…"

"Shut up."

Min Sung swung his Orichalcum Sword.

A white magic spell charged toward the Devil.

Swooshhhhhh!

Boommmm, Kaboom!

A huge explosion

could be heard.

The Devil's left arm was ripped off.

However, he recovered quickly.

The Devil shook his recovered arm around.

"Let me repeat myself. I watched my son die in your hands. And I know how many devils you've killed after that."

"…"

"Yeah, you're still strong. I forgot. Time is not on my side. You're very strong, indeed. I can't believe you're this strong when you didn't even try. Yeah, you can probably kill me. But… just like I said, this Black Tower is nothing but a test. The human world will soon become the Demonic Realm's territory."

Min Sung looked at the Devil with tired eyes.

"You just keep on talking."

"But I've fulfilled my duty in this Black Tower, which was made for testing purposes. You could say finding the Black Slaughterer was more than I expected to accomplish."

"…"

"I'm fully aware that you probably won't let me live."

"…"

"But today isn't the day I die. We'll meet again soon. I can't let you kill me here. I, the Devil!"

"So what's your point…?"

"Don't kill me."

"…"

A cold air blew between the two.

***

The American hunter master, Ethan, explained the situation to the world hunters just as the robed man, Jae Hyuk Han, instructed.

As soon as he explained that Samchunkyo wanted to kill Min Sung Kang and that they had to follow along, the world hunters didn't hide their troubled feelings.

They knew that they had to obey Samchunkyo since they ate the item, but they felt burdened that they were planning something against a strong hunter like Min Sung Kang.

"If Min Sung Kang clears the tower and arrives back at the assembly, World Hunter Team A must lure Ho Sung Lee and the pets away. I want the search team and the avant-garde teams to become Team A."

Ethan used his hands to divide the teams.

"And the back group is Team B, and you must block Min Sung Kang's view and distract him."

The world hunters looked at each other.

They had mixed emotions.

"We won't have to participate in the battle. Once we fulfill your duties, step out."

In response, the world hunters looked a little more comforted.

"We don't have much time. We have to figure out how to split up Min Sung Kang's party and how to distract him."

Ethan continued with a stiffened face.

"If Samchunkyo loses… we'll all die."

The world hunters grew pale.

***

Ji Yoo Kim, who was watching the Black Tower from afar, showed a dark face just like the weather.

Below Ji Yoo Kim were rough waves.

Crash!

Thunder and lightning continued.

The lights were already on on the 50th floor, but her eyes still seemed worried.

Ji Yoo Kim held her two hands together as she watched the Black Tower and then turned to the assembly.

When the lights on the 50th floor turned on, the vibe of the assembly changed.

She caught on that this progress wasn't something she could look at as favorable.

Ji Yoo Kim was forbidden from entering the assembly.

As she looked at the assembly with a stiff face, she heard footsteps.

She was in an area in the mountains where very few people passed.

'So who…?'

Ji Yoo Kim turned with a startled look on her face.

Rustle-!

"You're…"

Ji Yoo Kim stared at the man in front of her with widened eyes.

It was the robed man, Jae Hyuk Han.

He took off his hood.

On his closed eye, a huge scar could be seen.

And the open eye met eyes with Ji Yoo Kim.

Ji Yoo Kim instinctively flinched and stepped back.

Rocks fell from the edge of the cliff.

She looked down below and then glanced back at Jae Hyuk Han.

"… What do you want?"

Jae Hyuk Han fixed his gaze on Ji Yoo Kim and sighed.

He then responded.

"If Min Sung Kang returns to the assembly, I'll kill him. We already have a plan, we just have to carry it out."

In response, Ji Yoo Kim glared at Jae Hyuk Han.

"So you want to get rid of me first?"

Instead of responding, Jae Hyuk Han took out his sword from his item window.

Ji Yoo Kim clenched her teeth.

"I'm the commander of Korea. If you kill me…"

"I don't' care."

He continued with a machinic tone,

"I don't care who you are."

"Why do you want to kill me?"

"I just have to eliminate variables. Nothing else."

"I can't believe you're killing hunters when we should be banding together… On top of that, the hero who cleared the tower…"

Ji Yoo Kim clenched her teeth.

"You should be ashamed of yourself."

She then yelled loudly.

"Hero…?"

Jae Hyuk Han smirked and continued,

"That only applies to those who are living."

Ji Yoo Kim scoffed and laughed bitterly.

"Min Sung Kang will soon clear the tower all by himself. So you probably won't be able to kill him so easily."

"He'll be very tired."

In response, Ji Yoo Kim's eyes shook.

"No matter how strong he may be, he'll be tired after clearing the last floor."

She gulped.

"It's possible as long as we find the right moment. After all, he's just human. And Samchunkyo is much more powerful than you think."

Ji Yoo Kim's breathing quickened, and her eyes widened.

"No, he won't be killed by you. There's no way he'll be defeated by you, who only act on your own selfishness."

Jae Hyuk Han laughed bitterly at Ji Yoo Kim.

"I'll send you to the afterlife soon enough. Wait for him there. It won't be long."

Ji Yoo Kim pulled out her Silver Rapier from her item window.

Chapter 149

Swoosh!

A blue aura radiated from the Rapier.

But rather than the aura around her Rapier, Jae Hyuk Han focused on Ji YOo Kim instead.

"… I thought you'd run away."

Jae Hyuk Han let out a laugh.

"I figured you were different ever since you didn't eat the item."

He continued.

"Whether you eat the item or not, Samchunkyo will take over the world. This has all been decided on. The title of the hero will be added to Samchunkyo. That's the reality."

Ji Yoo Kim shook her head.

"No, that's not true. Monsters with only greed can't win. Never."

She glared at Jae Hyuk Han with blue eyes.

In response, Jae Hyuk Han's face stiffened.

"You're so sentimental. Watch from above. You'll see how long it takes before the world is in the palm of Samchunkyo's hands."

Jae Hyuk Han's gaze turned cold.

Ji Yoo Kim gripped onto her Rapier and gathered her power.

The air around her turned hot.

Ji Yoo Kim attacked first.

After seeing that, Jae Hyuk Han secretly felt sad.

'How stupid. She should have run away.'

Ji Yoo Kim's thin but sharp Rapier was headed in Jae Hyuk Han's direction.

But Jae Hyuk Han blocked the Rapier with his sword.

Clang-

It sounded sharp and powerful.

The defense made Ji Yoo Kim's rapier bounce off.

She didn't let go of the Rapier, but Ji Yoo Kim's guard opened up.

Ji Yoo Kim's pupils dilated, and the sword came in where the guard went down.

The strong aura from Jae Hyuk Han's sword hit Ji Yoo Kim.

Slash!

Ji Yoo Kim's bullet-proof vest was ripped, and her blood splashed everywhere.

Her face turned pale as she stepped back.

When Jae Hyuk Han approached Ji Yoo Kim to finish her off.

Ji Yoo Kim fell off the cliff, disappearing from Jae Hyuk Han's line of vision.

Jae Hyuk Han walked over with a stiffened face and looked down over the cliff.

Spash!

She sank into the water.

On top of the waves showed bloody water.

Jae Hyuk Han's eyes contained the sight of the waves mixed in with her blood.

Jae Hyuk Han, who was looking below, sighed and then looked over at the Black Tower.

The light was still on on the 50th floor.

Jae Hyuk Han put on his hood and walked off quickly.

***

Ji Yoo Kim's body sank to the bottom of the ocean.

Her body was losing blood, and it scattered all around her.

As Ji Yoo Kim sank within the ocean, she opened her eyes.

The excruciating pain began to subside.

'Is this how endorphin works before you die?'

No.

She was dying.

She felt herself dying away.

She lost all senses.

It was a matter of time before her brain deteriorated at a rapid rate.

And what she saw before dying wasn't a panorama of the life she lived.

All she saw at the moment was Korea's future, her disappointment that she didn't protect her country properly, as well as the sadness that she didn't support Min Sung Kang as well as she could.

Her brain and heart were filled with regret.

When her pulse began to slow as she died away.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

She heard something entering the water.

She saw a few people swimming toward her as if she was looking at a noisy screen.

After seeing that, Ji Yoo Kim lost consciousness.

***

"Don't kill me…?"

Min Sung laughed at the Devil.

Min Sung knew very much about these creatures.

Even their habits and their personalities.

When Devils were strained, they showed off various effects.

They became loyal to their instinct of loving blood and war, and their rage worsened to hatred.

Devils, who followed the commands of their leader, pounced while putting their lives at stake.

However, the leader's stance was different.

He had experienced it in the Demonic Realm before.

The Devil had a great deal of greed, and that led to a weakness.

They easily surrendered to great power.

Just like the many Devils that had made deals with their lives before, the one in front of him was just the same.

He surrendered to power.

"… I want to live."

The Devil sighed with a sad-looking face as he said it.

As soon as Min Sung lifted his

head, he continued,

"The truth is… the fact that I was in charge of a test server means that I'm at a low rank for a Devil… I don't want to die in the hands of Black Slaughterer after doing something as trivial as working on the test server…"

Min Sung spoke without much strength while looking at the ground.

But Min Sung didn't perceive him as pathetic.

That was because he knew them better than anyone.

They all sought after opportunity.

That was the role of a leader, and as much as he was from a ruling tribe, he cherished his own life.

Both Devils and their devil subordinates were like cockroaches.

That belief was deep-rooted within Min Sung's mind.

"You shouldn't play so many games when you already know I'm Black Slaughterer. Do you think I'll really let you live?"

The Devil's sad face quickly turned into that of an evil being.

"You're so stubborn. All you are is a human…"

"I know. But so are you."

Min Sung lifted his sword.

In response to the challenge, the Devil swung his nails with a grimacing face.

Swoosh.

He cut into the space with the sound of paper ripping.

The Devil propped his feet up on that space and smirked.

"You're mistaken if you think I'll fight you. I'm not stupid. Why would I fight you? I have no intention to fight. I'm going to come back. You might be able to survive, but not the human world. Humans will cry amongst the bodies, blood, and chaos. See you again, Black Slaughterer."

The Devil disappeared into the space he created and turned around.

"Who said you could do that?"

Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword left his hand.

A technique of his.

The Orichalcum Sword flew at an incredible speed toward the Devil.

It then went through the Devil's back through his chest.

"Pfft!"

Blood poured out of the Devil's mouth.

He wobbled and fell over the space that he created.

His wound started to heal, but Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword was enchanted with a spell.

As a result, the Devil's ability to regenerate slowed down.

When Bowl showed flames in his eyes and tried to attack the Devil on his shadow board, Min Sung stopped him.

"Don't. The Devil shouldn't be turned into the Undead."

In response to Min Sung's command, Bowl stepped back.

Min Sung walked toward the Devil, who was hanging over the rip he created in the space.

Step, step.

The Devil looked at Min Sung and grimaced while clenching down on his teeth.

"You damned human… You're still so strong…"

Min Sung pulled on the Devil's horns.

The Devil got dragged out in the hands of Min Sung.

"You damned Black Slaughterer! How are you so strong when you're only human?"

Min Sung held on tightly to the Devil's horns and sighed.

"Shut up and show your true self."

Min Sung's eyes flashed with white light.

Boommm!

Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword made a loud thunderous sound.

The Orichalcum Sword then went right into the Devil's heart.

"Cough!"

The Devil spat out blood and plopped on the ground.

Ho Sung Lee approached cautiously and stuck out his head.

"Back off."

In response, Ho Sung Lee immediately stepped back.

It wasn't over yet.

Min Sung was alert.

He knew that this was just the beginning.

The Devil flipped over and dragged himself on the floor.

And as he crawled, a dark trail of blood was left behind.

"Agh!"

The Devil spat out more blood.

But Min Sung simply watched with a bored look in his eyes.

"Ugh, damn it…"

The Devil stopped crawling and dropped his forehead hard on the floor.

"Damn it. Why did it have to be the Black Slaughterer… Ugh."

The Devil looked back at Min Sung with his black eyes and smiled showing his gums.

"Even if I have to go, it won't be easy. Your future will be filled with blood, bodies, cries, rage, and hatred."

The Devil began changing in form.

The horns in his head began to disappear, and his body began trembling as he grew in size.

The Devil, who wasn't that much bigger than Min Sung, suddenly grew to a very large size.

Min Sung watched the process.

During a transformation process, any kind of material attack wouldn't produce results.

For that reason, it was much easier to kill him after he had transformed.

On top of that, this place was fixed unlike in the Demonic Realm, and since there was only one of him, he didn't feel pressured.

But in order to make enough damage all at once as soon as he transformed, he began adding more Aura power to his Orichalcum Sword.

Min Sung's sword acquired great magical power.

And the Devil completed his transformation.

The tower shook as if it could tumble down at any moment.

Cracks formed in the walls and floor, and gravity intensified due to the magic spell, and all of the grand halls became covered in magic words written in red blood.

Chapter 150

Min Sung looked up at the Devil that grew in size.

The Devil's small horns were now so big that it was bigger than a human body, and his entire body was covered in hard scales.

His body looked like that of a dragon, and his thick and long tail reminded him of a snake.

The human face he previously had, transformed into a skull and around it was all sorts of decoration made of bones.

He flaunted the visuals of a devil that appropriately suited his name.

The Devil looked so threatening that if a normal person saw him, they would have had a heart attack.

For that reason, Bowl ran into a corner and trembled while Ho Sung Lee also trembled and fell on his butt.

Ssol cried without making a sound and hid behind Ho Sung Lee.

But Min Sung looked at the Devil without changing his expression.

"Even if I go, I'll make sure to at least eat one of your arms…"

The Devil growled.

"Are you sure you can do that?"

Min Sung spoke as if he thought he was pathetic and began running toward the Devil.

And at the same time, he swung the Orichalcum Sword.

Boommmm!

The Orichalcum Sword made a thunderous sound and the magical Aura flew toward the Devil.

In response, the Devil blocked Min Sung's attack with his shielded hand.

Thud!

The strong Aura exploded.

But Min Sung ignored his shielding abilities and continued to attack.

He approached him even closer.

A strong light formed on the sword held by the Devil's monstrous hands.

Flash!

The strong light engulfed the dark spell and the sword attacked Min Sung.

However, Min Sung dodged it lightly. He passed by the Devil and swung his weapon behind the Devil's back.

Slash!

He cut one of the Devil's legs.

"Aghhhhhhhhh-!"

The Devil screamed with pain and lost his balance.

"… You damned human son of a b*tch!"

He got overexcited and swung his snake tail toward Min Sung.

Min Sung stabbed the tail with his Orichalcum Sword.

Slash!

Slashhhhhh!

After getting stabbed, Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword sliced off the Devil's tail.

Despite getting hit by blood, Min Sung didn't close his eyes and proceeded to give off a strong Aura toward the Devil.

When the Devil looked back at Min Sung in fear.

Pinggggggggg-!

The magic within Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword exploded, causing it to attack the Devil.

Kaboommmmmmmmm!

As the magic unleashed, a thunderous sound rang loudly.

And that power…

Slash!

Cut through the Devil's body.

Despite how powerful the Devil was, his body was sliced in half.

"Black Slaughter…!"

Without being able to finish his sentence.

Slashhhhhhhhh!

He shed a crazy amount of blood as he was cut in half.

Thuddd!

His body parts dropped on the ground with a bulky sound.

Zappp!

Min Sung continued to hold onto his shining Orichalcum Sword and watched the Devil's final moments.

[Top floor of Black Tower has been cleared.]

[The Black Tower will be destroyed in 120 seconds.]

***

Ji Yoo Kim blinked her eyes.

Her hazy sight came back into focus.

As soon as she regained consciousness, she was hit with great pain.

When Ji Yoo tried to get up, she realized how difficult that was, and she breathed heavily as she looked around her.

It was a private hospital room.

There was a needle in her hand, and her chest was covered in bandages.

She then remembered what happened.

The robed man, Jae Hyuk Han.

She fell off a cliff because of him.

Ji Yoo Kim squeezed her eyes tightly and sighed.

At that moment, the door opened.

It was a 5-star commander from the Central Hunter Institute.

The commander bowed in respect and entered the room.

"What happened?"

Ji Yoo Kim asked while still laying in bed.

The commander looked at Ji Yoo Kim with pity and answered,

"Do you remember calling the Central Institute men back to Manhattan saying something was suspicious at the assembly?"

Ji Yoo Kim blinked in thought and nodded.

"I do… Did you save me?"

Ji Yoo asked.

She thought he would say yes, but the commander's face seemed strange.

"When we reached the assembly, something

strange appeared."

"A monster?"

"No, not a monster. Or maybe you could call it that… It was something unknown. It looked like a ghost. In the form of a slime."

The commander continued with a confused look on his face.

"The driver was so shocked that he stopped the car, and we immediately prepared for battle just in case it was a monster from the Black Tower…"

"…?"

"But that ghost stretched out into a monitor and showed us a video. It was you and a Samchunkyo hunter facing off."

"How…"

Ji Yoo Kim showed a confused expression.

"By the time we arrived, you had already been defeated, so we focused on saving you first."

"Did the Samchunkyo hunter…"

The commander shook his head.

"Rest assured. He didn't notice us."

Ji Yoo Kim sighed out of relief and closed her eyes.

She then opened her eyes again and gulped.

"He's going to try to get rid of Min Sung Kang at the assembly."

In response, the commander looked shocked.

"Oh no!"

"Commander, I don't want to ask you of this… but please take the Central Institute men and go to Min Sung Kang."

The commander's face grew dark.

"But… we don't even know if we can be of help, and that could lead to a big sacrifice on our part…"

Ji Yoo Kim smiled.

"We mustn't lose him. This is for our citizens as well as the world. Although I'm sure he won't lose to those Samchunkyo hunters."

The commander thought for a moment with a stiffened face before looking back at Ji Yoo Kim.

"What should we do?"

In response, Ji Yoo Kim gave the orders as the general of the Central Institute.

As soon as he received his orders, the commander bowed and left the hospital room.

Ji Yoo Kim watched him leave while clenching her teeth.

She prayed that not a single person got hurt in the process.

***

[120 seconds]

[119 seconds]

[118 seconds]

[117 seconds]

[116…]

When the letters appeared in the air, the Devil disappeared and dropped his items.

Roar-!

The Black Tower shook as if it was about to tumble down.

As soon as the tower shook, Ssol flinched and immediately began picking up the fallen items.

Bowl quickly ran into Min Sung's pocket, and Ho Sung Lee scanned the shaking tower with nervous eyes.

Meanwhile, Min sung looked into space and went deep into thought.

'How is it that even the devils and the head Devil were affected by such a system?'

He had no idea how this was possible.

When he was in the Demonic Realm, such a system didn't even exist.

The system only appeared as soon as he returned to this world.

'Maybe it's because this place is the human world, and that's why they're affected by the system.'

That was the easiest way to think about it. But wondering why the system existed in the first place gave him an even bigger headache.

He was then reminded of a young man that he met when he was asleep for a really long time.

Min Sung sighed deeply and shook his head free of the thoughts.

Roarrr-!

[The Black Tower will be destroyed in 10 seconds.]

Ho Sung Lee and Ssol stood right next to Min Sung with great anxiousness.

When Min Sung elbowed Ho Sung Lee and Ssol out of annoyance-

There was 0 second left.

Boommmmmmmmm-!

The Black Tower blew up and exploded as if the pieces were in outer space.

Min Sung, Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, and Ssol dropped from the air into the ocean water below.

***

The Samchunkyo hunters and the world hunters watched as the Black Tower blew up into little pieces.

That moment was one for the books, and this was the point when another historical event was about to begin.

They watched the sight of the Black Tower being destroyed with nervous looks on their faces.

"Get ready for the mission," said the robed man, Jae Hyuk Han.

In response, the Samchunkyo hunters and the world hunters got ready to face off against Min Sung Kang.

The air around the assembly felt heavy.

***

Splash!

Ho Sung Lee dove into the ocean water first.

On the other hand, Min Sung held onto Ssol as he used his powers to pull the boat toward him.

The boat flew over faster than the speed of the motor itself and landed right in front of Min Sung's feet.

Min Sung got into the boat like a feather.

As soon as he put down Ssol, he watched the destroyed Black Tower in awe and expressed his excitement.

As for Bowl, he rode his shadow board like a skilled surfer and circled Min Sung's boat.

"Get on," Min Sung said to Ho Sung Lee.

Ho Sung Lee got into the boat with a bright smile.

"Phew! Thank you, Sir."

Ho Sung Lee bowed in gratitude and squeezed out the excess water from his hair and clothes from inside the boat.

Chapter 151

Ho Sung Lee squeezed out all the water before starting the boat.

Vroom!

The motorboat took off.

Min Sung sat on the railing and enjoyed the fresh air.

While he admired the view, Ho Sung Lee quietly took out a cigarette from the item window and lit it.

The wind was strong.

And it was blowing in the opposite direction.

So he was worried the smell of his cigarette might blow in Min Sung's face.

Just in case, he minded Min Sung as he smoked.

At the same time, he quietly watched as the large Black Tower broke up into a million pieces.

The loud thunder subsided, and the heavy clouds began to clear.

"Oh…"

Ho Sung Lee expressed his awe while watching the view.

The sun started to shine over a place that was overcast for a very long time.

It was a sight to see.

Ho Sung Lee threw his cigarette into the ocean and sighed at the view of the Black Tower.

"I thought it was going to be a very long adventure, and I was afraid I was going to die. Haha, but you're so strong that we were able to end it pretty quickly," Ho Sung said.

"Like the Devil said, that was just a test. The real thing will be here soon enough. And you'll die for sure," Min Sung said while enjoying the breeze.

Ho Sung Lee looked at Min Sung with a bitter look on his face and smacked his lips.

He wanted to say, 'You might as well just curse me yourself', but he held back.

Tap, tap!

"… Hm?"

Someone tapped him on the shoulder.

He looked beside him to see the Gold Goblin, Ssol.

"What?"

In response, the Gold Goblin, Ssol, pointed at the Black Tower tumbling down in front of their eyes.

Ho Sung Lee looked in that direction and smirked.

"Do you like it?"

Ssol didn't look back at Ho Sung Lee and smiled at the ashes that fell like cherry blossoms.

Ho Sung Lee smiled at Ssol and then tilted his head in a different direction.

Dozens of boats were headed toward them at a high speed.

They were far away, but since hunters had good eyesight, Ho Sung Lee was able to see the Korean Central Institute badges on their chests.

Around a central boat, the rest of the boats followed its lead as they headed toward them.

"Sir, that's the Central Institute," Ho Sung Lee said.

Min Sung, who was looking far into the distance, looked toward the direction Ho Sung Lee was talking about.

"Didn't the Korean Central Institute already go back to Korea?"

"Yes… My thoughts exactly. What's happening? Why is the Central Institute here? I'll ask them as soon as they get here."

A moment later, a boat of the Central Insitute hunters arrived.

Among the Korean Central Institute hunters, the one standing in the center greeted Min Sung with respect.

"I'm the head commander of the Central Institute. I came to report something to you as General Kim ordered."

The commander glanced toward the assembly and then briefed Min Sung on the contents that he prepared.

"It sounds like Samchunkyo is telling everyone to get rid of you. They thought General Kim could be a threat and tried to kill her as well. That means it's very likely that Samchunkyo will target you…"

"By attempt, do you mean Ji Yoo Kim is still alive?"

"Yes, Sir."

The commander explained how they saved Ji Yoo Kim.

"A ghost?"

In response to Min Sung's confused face, Bowl snickered.

Min Sung looked down at Bowl.

"Was that you?"

Min Sung asked.

Bowl looked up at Min Sung as if he was expecting a praise.

"Why did you do something I didn't even ask?"

In response, Bowl showed a sad face and shoved his face into Min Sung's pocket.

"Oh… So that was you. I see! Thank you…! Thank you so much!"

The commander bowed deeply.

"Not me. It was Bowl."

"… Pardon?"

The commander lifted his head and asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Forget it… Are you saying Samchunkyo tried to eliminate Ji Yoo Kim just in case she would get in the way?"

"Yes, Sir."

Min Sung nodded.

"Just go back," Min Sung said.

The commander looked taken aback, but he did as he was told.

"… Yes, Sir."

The commander showed his greetings and turned to leave.

At that moment.

"Let's go," Min Sung ordered in the direction of the assembly.

Ho Sung Lee

also looked in the same direction and started the boat's engine.

***

The robed man, Jae Hyuk Han, frowned.

He had no idea the Korean Central Institute soldiers would come back to the assembly and notify Min Sung Kang of his plans.

'… I'd better step it up a notch.'

But the only chance was right now while Min Sung Kang was out of energy.

The situation got more difficult, but he had no other choice.

He couldn't expect things to always be easy.

There was no second chance.

'But…'

Jae Hyuk Han thought.

He thought about whether to go through with the order to attack immediately or go according to the original plan.

He didn't have time to think for long.

The robed man, Jae Hyuk Han, decided to go through with the original plan.

In response, the men around him began moving in perfect order.

***

As soon as Ji Yoo Kim stepped down from her bed with a groan, the door to her hospital room opened.

It was the 5-star commander.

Ji Yoo Kim looked at him in anxiousness.

"What happened?!"

The commander greeted her with respect first.

"The timing worked out, so I delivered the message."

Ji Yoo Kim sighed out of relief.

"Is it okay that you start walking?"

Ji Yoo Kim smiled.

"I talked to the doctor. The surgery went well. Thank you for saving me earlier, Commander."

In response to Ji Yoo Kim's gratitude, the commander scratched his head.

"Um, about that…"

"…?"

The commander trailed off to which Ji Yoo Kim responded with a suspicious face.

"I think Min Sung Kang helped."

"… What do you mean?"

"That skill that's in Min Sung Kang's possession."

"Are you talking about Bowl?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Bowl. I think he was responsible. The ghost you talked about must have been Bowl's skill. That's how we were able to locate you."

Ji Yoo Kim couldn't hide her surprise.

Bowl was inside the Black Tower with Min Sung Kang.

'So how…?'

'Does that mean he has the power to monitor me even when he's far away?'

Ji Yoo Kim was impressed by Bowl's abilities.

"Anyway… It sounds like I owe him another one," JI Yoo Kim said with a smile.

In response, the commander smiled back and shook his head.

"That's not true."

Ji Yoo Kim lifted her head and looked at the commander.

The commander continued,

"You're doing a good job. Thanks to you, Min Sung Kang caught on to Samchunkyo's plan. You helped him."

Ji Yoo Kim looked into the space.

"I wanted to apologize to him in a lot of ways."

"…"

"As a fellow hunter, I've given him too many responsibilities. And I don't feel like I'm much help…"

Ji Yoo Kim's eyes filled with sadness.

"You've done your best. It's just that the environment is making things a little more difficult."

Ji Yoo Kim looked to the ground and smiled.

"You've always put the country first, treasured the citizens, and you kept your own beliefs without being swayed by others. You put the country and citizens before your own pride…"

The commander continued with warmth in his eyes,

"… I respect you. Cheer up, General Kim."

Ji Yoo Kim wiped off the sadness on her face and flashed him a smile.

"Thank you. I'm so lucky to have you."

"That's because you're good to me. Haha," the commander replied.

Ji Yoo Kim sighed and nodded.

"I should cheer up."

In the afternoon when the warm sun shined into the hospital room.

Ji Yoo Kim closed her eyes and put a lock on her heart that felt the temptation to grow weak.

***

Ho Sung Lee glanced at Min Sung.

Min Sung looked relaxed.

Although the head commander of the Central Institute notified him of Samchunkyo's plans, he looked relaxed as if he wasn't bothered by it even by a bit.

It almost looked like he was going somewhere for a nice stroll.

Ho Sung Lee wondered what Min Sung was thinking.

He just heard that Samchunkyo and the world hunters wanted to kill him, but he wasn't getting worked up at all.

He looked like a peaceful lake.

'I never know when he'll get mad…'

'That's why he's even scarier.'

'Considering his personality, he could kill all of the Samchunkyo and world hunters at once, but maybe he cares about the justification.'

'Or is he worried that killing everyone would make mankind go extinct?'

'I don't know.'

He figured it was best to stay quiet.

Ho Sung Lee shut his lips.

***

"You're impressive!"

"I can't believe you cleared the tower on your own."

"You're such a great man!'

"How strong do you have to be to clear that tower on your own? I'm amazed!"

"Congratulations!"

The world hunters surrounded Min Sung and applauded.

Min Sung kept his hands in his pockets while staring at the Samchunkyo and world hunters.

In response to Min Sung's silence, the assembly grew quiet.

The world hunters started glancing at each other.

"Make way," Min Sung commanded to the wold hunters around him.

"We set up a meal with the Michelin chef you liked before. Right this way," one world hunter told Min Sung.

"Stop messing around and make way. Or you'll all die," Min Sung said coldly.

As a result, the air at the assembly grew cold.

Min Sung took his first steps to which the world hunters moved aside.

When the world hunters made way, he was faced with 6 Samchunkyo hunters in front of him.

Min Sung kept his hands in his pocket and walked ahead slowly.

Chapter 152

***

The world hunter that spoke to Min Sung glanced around before giving up on Min Sung and trying his luck on Ho Sung Lee.

"Ho Sung, come with us. Slender and beautiful women will pour you alcohol."

Ho Sung Lee realized just how clueless they were and sighed.

He strongly wanted to ask them, 'Do you even have a brain?'

But being noisy could get him in trouble with Min Sung, so he waved his hand and ran after Min Sung.

When things didn't go as planned, the air between the Samchunkyo and world hunters turned strange, but it was quickly resolved by the robed man, Jae Hyuk Han.

The world hunters quickly stepped back to stay out of the battle, and at the same time, the Samchunkyo hunters took out their weapons from their item windows.

Since their plan was exposed, they had to make sure they caught Min Sung Kang while he was still tired.

But Min Sung didn't bat an eye at their movements.

The 6 Samchunkyo hunters surrounded Min Sung.

Min Sung took out his Orichalcum Sword from his item window without even taking out his hands from his pocket.

Kaboom!

The Samchunkyo hunters flinched at the sound of thunder, but they had no intention of backing down.

6 Samchunkyo hunters.

They charged toward Min Sung.

As Min Sung watched then attack, he thought it was quite fascinating.

He sensed this before when he killed a Samchunkyo hunter last time. The form of their attacks were significantly different from what he had seen before.

It almost looked like attacks made in martial arts novels.

'Is that how the Aura was invented?'

It was a new form of attack that couldn't be called a simple skill.

Min Sung found that interesting.

The attacks being made from 360 degrees around him were vibrant.

The 20 meters of ground in front of him cracked as an Aura of light flashed toward him.

Min Sung dodged all of their attacks by contorting his body.

The weapons of the 6 Samchunkyo hunters hit each other.

Clang!

Min Sung pushed out the strength of the Aura around the 6 weapons with his own power.

Pow!

As a result of Min Sung's power, the Samchunkyo hunters stepped back, and once they established their balance again, they attacked once more.

Min Sung thought of their attacks as quite elaborate.

Rather than just swinging them around, they all had their own ways of working their weapons.

That meant they learned it properly.

Min Sung saw that they were taught techniques of how to fight.

And he found that interesting.

He was fascinated, and seeing them use their weapons in such an educated manner reminded him of himself in the Demonic Realm.

But what made him more interested was how different their methods were from his.

The ultimate textbook way to kill an opponent.

But…

Min Sung lost interest as soon as their limits were revealed.

No matter how good their techniques were, there was no use if there wasn't enough output.

Min Sung's gaze cooled down.

He was hoping that the Chinese hunters were more impressive.

Min Sung clicked his tongue.

***

'Who is this monster…?!'

'He cleared the Black Tower on his own. He should be out of energy by now. He should look tired…'

'Damn it…!'

'He's beating us.'

The Samchunkyo hunters frowned as they attacked.

They had already unleashed their full potential, but they were the ones getting tired.

On the other hand, Min Sung continued to dodge freely as if he was air itself.

In addition, Min Sung didn't attack but only dodged.

At this point, only one thought crossed the Samchunkyo hunters' heads.

Once he put his mind to it, he would kill them.

The fear made their whole body shiver.

And that fear quickly turned into reality.

Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword slashed through the Samchunkyo hunters' shoulders, waists, and backs.

His relaxed swing made the Samchunkyo hunters pour out with blood.

They clenched their teeth and attempted another attack, but they were slow due to their recent damage.

While the world hunters watched, Min Sung began putting the Samchunkyo hunters through one-sided pain.

Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword made shallow cuts through the Samchunkyo hunters' bodies.

The number of cuts increased, and they

continuously shed more and more blood.

After seeing that, the world hunters held their breath.

They felt it too.

That Min Sung Kang was doing this to show them.

The fact that the Samchunkyo hunters were slowly dying.

"Ugh!"

Groans could be heard in all directions.

Min Sung dodged their attacks while putting the Samchunkyo hunters through endless humiliation.

The more humiliation, shame, loss, and despair washed over them, the more frustrated they got.

A moment later.

The Samchunkyo hunters stopped their attacks due to their tired arms.

The clothes the Samchunkyo hunters were wearing were ripped apart everywhere, and their bodies were dripping with blood.

"Huff… huff! Huff!"

"Huff. Ugh."

"Ugh!"

The Samchunkyo hunters breathed heavily.

Their eyes lost focus, and their shoulders and chests pumped up and down due to their heavy breathing.

On the other hand, Min Sung seemed just fine.

The sight of Min Sung having killed the devils as well as the Samchunkyo hunters bleeding due to Min Sung attacks sent the world hunters a very strong message.

The realization of Min Sung Kang's power absorbed through their skin.

The world hunters felt it strongly, and the Samchunkyo hunters did their best to put strength in their knees so that they could keep standing.

At that moment, footsteps could be heard.

"Move."

The robed man, Jae Hyuk Han, made the Samchunkyo hunters move aside.

Min Sung looked at Jae Hyuk Han.

He was holding his big weapon in his right hand.

As soon as he took off his hood, he revealed the scar over his eye as well as the coldness in his other eye.

His gaze looked empty.

Those were the eyes of someone who couldn't feel fear.

He wasn't the type to be arrogant about his own power.

From the look in his eyes, he didn't fear death at all.

Tsss

The air around them blew due to the new Aura.

Everything stood still for a moment.

The robed man, Jae Hyuk Han, was the one to make the first move.

He walked toward him at a speed that was quite average.

Min Sung threw his Orichalcum Sword into his item window.

The robed man, Jae Hyuk Han's face, which previously showed no expression, turned into a grin out of pure confidence.

His sword made swooshing sounds as it gave off a blue Aura.

Min Sung saw that Jae Hyuk Han's performance showed off potential for strong output, but he still didn't take out his left hand from his pocket.

Jae Hyuk Han's sword flew through the air and went down on Min Sung's head at a very high speed.

Min Sung kicked the ground and dodged back.

The sword hit the ground.

As a result, the ground shook.

Boooooooom!

What sounded like an earthquake created a crack, making the ground very uneven.

At the same time, Jae Hyuk Han charged toward Min Sung at high speed.

He swung his sword, aiming to slice off Min Sung's neck.

After seeing that, Min Sung charged toward Jae Hyuk Han's body.

He pushed off Jae Hyuk Han's swinging arm and tried to elbow his chin, but…

Dysmorphism.

Jae Hyuk Han situated himself behind Min Sung.

His sword then swung down toward Min Sung's back.

There was an opportunity, and he thought he had it, but…

Min Sung displayed an even faster dysmorphism as if he was mocking Jae Hyuk Han.

In no time, Min Sung stuck right by Jae Hyuk Han's side and struck his gut with his hand.

Pow!

Jae Hyuk Han's pupils shook.

He coughed out blood. He flew through the air and rolled onto the ground.

Jae Hyuk Han immediately got up, but he stumbled backward and wobbled from side to side.

Jae Hyuk Han then covered his mouth.

"Cough—"

More blood poured out.

Min Sung walked toward Jae Hyuk Han with a gaze that didn't contain much emotion.

In response, Jae Hyuk Han clenched down on his bloody teeth and charged toward Min Sung once more.

The air around them became distorted.

The Aura light spread everywhere.

The large force of the sword was targeted toward Min Sung.

Min Sung twisted his shoulder and dodged quickly.

Jae Hyuk Han's sword, which missed Min Sung…

Splashhhhhhhhh!

Split the ocean in two.

Min Sung looked behind him.

He saw the ocean water rippling from side to side as a result of Jae Hyuk Han's sword.

"…!"

A surprising force.

Min Sung looked back at Jae Hyuk Han.

'Maybe he hasn't shown his full potential yet.'

His body seemed to shake for a moment, but he reappeared like a ghost and swung his swor.d

Min Sung took out his left hand from his pocket and punched him with his right fist.

It was hard to believe that such a sound could come from punching a human being.

His body was hard, but the shock was so powerful that Jae Hyuk Han landed on his knees and coughed out blood.

Min Sung looked down at his own left hand.

But what he was surprised by was the fact that he made him use his left hand in the first place.

Min Sung looked back at Jae Hyuk Han.

He then walked toward Jae Hyuk Han, who was still on his knees, and stretched out his right wrist.

Min Sung tilted his head.

His eyes still didn't show any fear of death.

'Is he that loyal to Samchunkyo?'

Chapter 153

Jae Hyuk Han's blood vessels popped out of his neck as he got himself up.

The power of the Aura began taking over Jae Hyuk Han's body.

Min Sung had yet to see the Aura until now due to Jae Hyuk Han's very large sword.

Min Sung opened his eyes wide.

He was slightly in awe.

Roarrrrrr-!

The ground shook and the wind around Jae Hyuk Han began to spin.

"Come at me," Min Sung said with a light smile.

Jae Hyuk Han's neck, face, and arms all had blood vessels popping out.

His arms were covered with flexed muscles.

Jae Hyuk Han clenched his teeth as he swung his large sword.

Roarrrrrr!

An Aura powerful enough to wipe out buildings without a trace came out of Jae Hyuk Han's sword.

Min Sung watched the large Aura charge toward him as he took out his Orichalcum Sword from his item window.

Swoosh!

The Orichalcum Sword split Jae Hyuk Han's Aura into two as if it was separating water.

Jae Hyuk Han's Aura disappeared without a trace.

In front of the shocked Jae Hyuk Han's forehead… the Orichalcum Sword scattered its powers into the air and stood still.

Jae Hyuk Han's hair and clothes flapped in the wind.

His body felt frozen stiff, keeping him from being able to move.

Min Sung walked toward Jae Hyuk Han, who was standing still and shaking.

He then grabbed his Orichalcum Sword from the air and threw it into his item window.

"What are you staring at?"

Min Sung asked as he swung his fist.

Pow!

Three teeth flew out of Jae Hyuk Han's mouth.

Once he plopped to the floor, Min Sung kicked him in the gut.

Along with a heavy sound, Jae Hyuk Han's body rolled away on the ground.

"Cough! Cough!"

Jae Hyuk Han's pupils shook as if he was losing consciousness, and his body shook as a result of the force he just endured.

A shadow appeared on top of Jae Hyuk Han.

It was Min Sung's shadow.

He grabbed Jae Hyuk Han by the throat.

Min Sung then began punching his face over and over.

***

Min Sung looked down at the robed man, Jae Hyuk Han, who was covered in blood.

Only the sound of wind could be heard at the assembly.

The site was quiet, but the silent message Min Sung was sending them continued to resonate.

Min Sung showed them.

He showed the world hunters and the Samchunkyo hunters who he was and what they were going to do to him.

Not a single person at the assembly could breathe loudly.

That was how powerful Min Sung's presence was.

"I'm curious," Min Sung said while breaking the silence

"Why didn't you kill Ji Yoo Kim? You should've been able to with your powers."

He didn't seem to have the will to answer.

Min Sung kneeled in front of Jae Hyuk Han on the ground and looked him straight in the eyes.

"It's weird. It's not like you to let her live."

Jae Hyuk Han stared back at Min Sung while clenching his teeth.

Min Sung gestured with his chin while looking at Jae Hyuk Han with a cold gaze.

"You probably weighed between me and Samchunkyo."

"…"

"If you're not certain, that means there's something you want to protect."

Jae Hyuk Han's one eye responded intensely.

Min Sung kept staring at him with cold eyes and continued,

"Answer me. If you don't, I'll do whatever it takes to find what you're trying to protect and remove it."

In response, fear appeared in Jae Hyuk Han's eye for the first time since he met him.

His lips dried up, and his eyes darkened with fear.

Fear was spreading quickly throughout his eyes.

And it wasn't fear of him.

He was anxious about something else.

"Where's the Samchunkyo leader?"

Min Sung got straight to the point.

Jae Hyuk Han was in a position where he had to choose between Samchunkyo and Min Sung Kang.

Jae Hyuk Han's eyes began to wander for the first time ever.

***

A royal palace located behind Taehwajeon.

Junghwajeon

Inside the building for resting before an event or receiving regular briefings, the leader of Samchunkyo remained seated while wearing a full robe.

The leader looked down at the man in front of him, who was bowing while reporting what was happening at the assembly and stroked his beard.

Whenever he thought, he stroked his beard.

"So you're telling me all 7 soldiers and Jae Hyuk Han have

been attacked?"

"I deserve to die," the man said while trembling on the ground.

"I thought they were enough. I guess the world hunters grew since I last saw them. I can't believe a man like that appeared."

The leader of Samchunkyo laughed.

"What should I do?"

The man asked.

The leader of Samchunkyo laughed again.

"Just wait and see… I'm excited to find out what that Min Sung Kang is all about."

The leader looked into the distance and laughed hard.

The man glanced up and then immediately put his forehead back on the ground into a bow.

***

Min Sung quietly watched as Jae Hyuk Han worked through his dilemma.

After some time.

His eyes showed that he came to a decision.

Jae Hyuk Han opened his dry lips.

"Kill me," Jae Hyuk Han said while looking into space.

He appeared to have given up.

"Let me just ask you one thing. What are you trying to protect?"

Min Sung asked.

Jae Hyuk Han's eye shook once more.

His face showed a pained expression.

Before Jae Hyuk Han said anything, Min Sung beat him to it.

"You must only choose one. The leader of Samchunkyo or me decide."

Jae Hyuk Han's eye was filled with chaos.

"Answer me," Min Sung growled.

"My… my little brother."

"Name?"

"Kim… Min Ho."

Jae Hyuk Han answered with a pained look on his face.

His brother's name was Kim Min Ho.

Kim Min Ho.

A Korean name.

That meant that he even abandoned his home country in order to save his little brother, who was held hostage by Samchunkyo.

It could be clearly seen that he did horrible things just to save his only brother.

Min Sung nodded at Jae Hyuk Han.

"Any last words before you die?"

Jae Hyuk Han held back his tears with all his might.

"Forget everything… Forget everything," Jae Hyuk Han said.

Min Sung's eyes sunk low.

Min Sung took out his Orichalcum Sword from his item window and struck Jae Hyuk Han's neck.

He then looked over at the 6 Samchunkyo hunters.

They flinched in response.

Min Sung's cold eyes scanned the Samchunkyo hunters.

"Where is the leader of Samchunkyo?"

Min Sung asked while radiating in magic.

The 6 Samchunkyo hunters glanced at each other and gulped.

Min Sung Kang swung his Orichalcum Sword.

Swoosh!

The 3 Samchunkyo hunters at the front were sliced like a paper.

The 3 Samchunkyo hunters died before the blink of an eye.

The remaining Samchunkyo hunters began breathing heavily.

It could be seen in their faces that they knew their end was near.

Min Sung slowly walked toward the 3 Samchunkyo hunters.

They stopped breathing and opened their eyes wide.

"Let me ask again. Where's the leader of Samchunkyo?"

"I-I'll tell you."

"I'll tell you!"

The 3 hunters all spoke at the same time.

Min Sung stabbed the Samchunkyo hunter standing in the middle right through his neck.

"Ugh!"

Min Sung then lowered the Orichalcum Sword, which was still in his neck.

The Samchunkyo hunter fell while bleeding out.

"Don't play any games and tell me where he is," Min Sung said as he brushed off his bloody sword.

The 2 remaining Samchunkyo hunters trembled.

While one of the 2 hunters began shaking his lips, Min Sung swung his Orichalcum Sword without any hesitation.

Slash!

The Samchunkyo hunter in the back got ripped to shreds by Min Sung's magic power.

"H-Ho Nam Sung!"

The last remaining Samchunkyo hunter screamed with his eyes popping out of his socket.

Min Sung looked at him and then called Ho Sung Lee over.

"Yes, Sir."

"Bring the car."

"… Yes, Sir," Ho Sung Lee answered with a gulp.

***

The world hunters took one of the sedans to the Warp Gate.

Min Sung and Bowl rode in the back seat while the last remaining Samchunkyo hunter was trembling in the passenger seat.

Ho Sung Lee was the driver.

"Don't bother contemplating if you're going to die in the leader's hands or mine," Min Sung said.

The last Samchunkyo hunter flinched.

Min Sung continued,

"You'll live as long as you don't try anything smart. But if you do and try to make things complicated with the leader of Samchunkyo…"

Min Sung's voice grew dark.

"You won't just die. You'll regret it even after you die. I promise you that."

Tremble, tremble, tremble!

The Samchunkyo hunter shook as if he was convulsing.

***

Bowl erased the memory of Ssol, who was crying silently.

He then smiled and looked around him.

At that moment, the sedan arrived at the Warp Gate.

Ho Sung Lee got off first, and the Sanchunkyo hunter got out of the passenger seat as if he was being sentenced to death.

Min Sung got out of the car and led the way.

"I'm going to wash up. Keep an eye out," Min Sung instructed.

"Yes, Sir."

Ho Sung Lee bowed and made sure not to tick off Min Sung while he was in a sensitive mood.

Bowl and Ssol followed Min Sung.

***

He threw off his bloody clothes and took a shower.

He washed himself of the bloody smell and put on a fresh set of clothes.

After checking himself out in the mirror, he left the VIP room located within the Warp Gate building.

While going downstairs in the elevator, Min Sung's eyes were fixed on a poster that was on the wall.

Chapter 154

The poster was of a restaurant located within the Warp Gate building.

The poster was featuring a limited time offer of "Special Fried Shrimp", which showed off impressive visuals.

Grumble!

He was hungry because he was too busy handling the Samchunkyo hunters.

Bowl poked his head of out Min Sung's pocket and looked up at him.

The Gold Goblin Ssol looked at Min Sung's belly and laughed.

Min Sung texted Ho Sung Lee and pressed the button to the 2nd floor restaurant.

***

"Phew."

Ho Sung Lee was in the VVIP room on the 1st floor right across from the last remaining Samchunkyo hunter.

Ho Sung Lee looked at his watch and then glanced at the Samchunkyo hunter.

His eyes lost their focus, making him look out of his mind.

Ho Sung Lee's heart sank.

He knew Min Sung Kang had a tough personality, but he still couldn't get used to it.

'I can't believe he just killed all of them.'

'But then again, he's been calm for a while.'

"Phew."

Ho Sung Lee sighed.

He got the chills.

He realized just how cold and scary he was.

'Wait, is he even human…'

'Even a Devil begged him to spare him…'

Ho Sung Lee was trembling at the thought of Min Sung when he felt his phone vibrating.

He got a message.

I'm going to have some fried shrimp before we go.

Ho Sung Lee stared at the message with blank eyes.

After staring blankly at the message, Ho Sung Lee looked for him at the restaurant located in the Warp Gate.

He saw an advertisement for fried shrimp at the new restaurant that opened at the Warp Gate in Manhattan.

"Wow…"

Ho Sung Lee shook his head.

'He's going to eat fried shrimp right now?'

Ho Sung Lee showed an astonished face before putting away his phone and keeping an eye on the Samchunkyo hunter.

Even if he was focused on his meal, it wouldn't be weird if he was killed at any moment.

'I need to pay attention.'

Ho Sung Lee coughed and strengthened his eyes in order to look stronger.

Even if he was badly hurt by Min Sung Kang, he was still a Samchunkyo hunter.

A hunter more powerful than a word hunter.

He had to keep a close eye on him just as Min Sung Kang instructed.

Ho Sung Lee watched the Samchunkyo hunter as if he was a prison guard watching a prisoner.

***

One of the lunch specials, "Special Fried Shrimp", was placed on the table.

He was worried the shrimp wouldn't look as good as the one on the poster, but that wasn't necessary.

It was fried shrimp.

Fried shrimp of the same shape and size.

The huge fried shrimp were stacked into a pyramid.

The fried shrimp looked so beautiful that it had the power to make anyone stare blankly for a moment.

It looked like it would scratch the surface of one's tongue in a pleasurable way.

Food like this had to be eaten with bare hands.

Min Sung adjusted the temperature so that it could be properly appreciated before biting into the fried shrimp.

Crisp!

The first sensation he felt was the feeling of the fried batter falling apart.

After that, a beautiful sound of the fried shrimp blessed his ears.

The sound of crispness.

The beautiful sound penetrated his ears while the soft and bouncy shrimp meat danced around the inside of his mouth.

"Ha…!"

He didn't make that sound because it was hot.

Min Sung closed his eyes as if he was in pain and knitted his brows.

It was too good.

'I'm glad I decided to eat this.'

Min Sung opened his eyes and licked the oil off his lips.

Comparing this fried food to the one he had for lunch at the Black Tower was almost an insult to the fried shrimp.

The fresh fried shrimp needed to be respected.

It was its own entity.

Min Sung Looked down at the fried shrimp with a touched look on his face

'Wouldn't someone who hates shrimp like this, too?'

It was so good that

he even got that idea.

When he disposed of the tail and picked up another shrimp, the waiter arrived with a plate of just fried heads.

Min Sung's eyes fixed on the shrimp heads, and they would not leave.

On the shrimps' heads were its whiskers as well.

It looked so alive that he thought it would move at any moment.

Min Sung picked up a fried shrimp head and put it into his mouth.

Crackle-!

The shell of the head was a little hard, so it made a fairly loud sound.

The whiskers were sharp, so he felt them poking his mouth, but he was capable of overlooking that part.

The inside of the head spread throughout his mouth with a decadent flavor along with oil that lubricated his tongue.

The chewy shrimp heads showed off another charm from the shrimp body.

And they were so filling that he could get full off of fried shrimp alone.

But he still felt like something was missing.

So Min Sung ordered 500cc of beer.

A glass of foamy beer arrived at Min Sung's table.

Min Sung picked up the beer glass and brought it to his lips.

Gulp-! Gulp-! Gulp-!

The refreshing beer washed down his throat.

"Phew."

He breathed out. He put down the beer glass and then picked up another fried shrimp.

The crispiness of the outside together with the soft meat on the inside put him in a trance.

Min Sung bit into the crispy fried shrimp with a smile on his face.

***

"Goodbye."

Following his satisfying meal, Min Sung left the restaurant.

He then took Ssol and went to the VVIP room where Ho Sung Lee was waiting with the Samchunkyo hunter.

As soon as Min Sung appeared, the Samchunkyo hunter flinched.

He didn't look at Min Sung and stared at the ground.

The Samchunkyo hunter was hunched over with no strength in his shoulders.

"Let's go."

In response, Ho Sung Lee dragged the Samchunkyo hunter out.

His legs wobbled due to the lack of energy, so Ho Sung Lee kept him upright.

***

On his way to the gate room, the people who previously evacuated Manhattan were returning.

People began to fill Manhattan, which was empty for a while.

They were anxious that their buildings tumbled down, their houses disappeared, or the base flew away, so they were happy that the city remained intact.

The people returned to their homes with relief, which meant countless citizens were crowding into Manhattan.

The media officially reported that the Black Tower had been destroyed.

The sky, which used to be filled with thunder and lightning, was now clear with the bright sun shining down.

The citizens were still slightly uneasy, but they made an effort to adjust to their lives in Manhattan all over again.

***

The Samchunkyo leader, who was admiring some works of art by famous artists, paused his movements and looked behind him.

"How's it going?"

The Samchunkyo leader asked into the empty space.

At that moment.

Men in black robes appeared out of nowhere and bowed.

It was Heukrangdae who were monitoring the Samchunkyo and world hunters.

"The Korean hunter, Min Sung Kang is coming to find you. Only one Samchunkyo hunter is alive now. He's leading the way."

In response, the leader snickered toward the ceiling.

"Please give us a command."

The Samchunkyo hunter turned to Heukrangdae and smiled.

"You don't stand a chance against him. Just make it so that he can comfortably arrive."

Heukrangdae received his order and disappeared.

Once they left, the Samchunkyo leader looked into the distance and let out a laugh.

***

Hyungsan, which was located in Hunan, Hengyang.

Min Sung, Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, and Ssol followed the Samchunkyo hunter up the steep path.

The view of the mountains was breathtaking, but it was only Ssol who was admiring the sight.

He looked at all sorts of wildflowers that grew there, and it was up to Ho Sung Lee to drag him along.

Bowl traveled comfortably in Min Sung's pocket.

As for Min Sung, he quietly climbed the mountain following the Samchunkyo hunter's lead.

The sound of the fresh breeze, as well as the sound of birds, could be heard endlessly.

Since all of them were not average people, they climbed the mountain at a very quick speed.

They could have gone even faster, but Min Sung didn't press the Samchunkyo hunter to strain himself.

He just climbed quietly.

After a long trip.

They arrived at the front doors of Samchunkyo in the deep mountains.

"Phew, here we are."

Ho Sung Lee looked up at the Samchunkyo sign with his hands on his hips.

Ho Sung Lee's face was filled with tension.

This was where the Samchunkyo leader was situated.

The words written on the Samchunkyo sign showed off an unusual power.

Min Sung glanced at the sign and looked over at the Samchunkyo hunter.

His face was frozen and blue.

He appeared to be ready to accept his fate, which was to die.

The Samchunkyo hunter stood in front of the front doors without moving for a bit.

As Min Sung went ahead and proceeded to pass through the front doors…

Chapter 155

Swoosh!

The explosive sound of air splitting could be heard.

When Min Sung looked back at the Samchunkyo hunter, an enchanted dagger flew toward the Samchunkyo hunter's neck.

Min Sung immediately dashed over. He caught the dagger and then threw it back in the opposite direction.

Swooshhhhhh-!

It made a thud sound as it hit a solid object.

One of the Heukrangdae hunters appeared from between the trees and plopped down on the ground.

Min Sung scanned his surroundings.

It seemed like there were a few more, but they couldn't be sensed with his radar.

They were good at hiding their trace as much as the devils.

Min Sung looked down at the dead Samchunkyo hunter and then walked through the front doors.

Ho Sung Lee glanced around and then took Ssol and the Samchunkyo hunter and followed behind Min Sung.

The Samchunkyo hunter kept his eyes wide at the expectation of his soon-to-come death, and his heart pounded at a very high speed.

***

The Samchunkyo leader changed his clothes in his luxurious room.

A slight smile remained on his lips and didn't think about going away.

The Samchunkyo leader finished getting changed.

The leader put his hands behind his back and looked at the art on the wall.

It was art that represented his accomplishments.

It was a mountain of bodies, and someone was standing on top of the mountain of bodies.

It was him.

He lived a life of luxury after becoming the Samchunkyo leader, but he didn't forget to keep to his studies.

He thought about adding another corpse to that work of art.

The Samchunkyo leader smiled at the art.

He hadn't felt this excited in a really long time.

The Samchunkyo leader turned around and left through the doors.

He then started running.

New magic.

The Samchunkyo leader ran at a very fast speed.

He almost teleported and arrived at the large square called Taehwajeon.

He stood in the middle of Taehwajeon and looked around him and at the sky.

The blue sky didn't have a single cloud in sight.

The Samchunkyo leader walked toward the fancy hall located at the center.

He walked up the stairs and sat down in the decorated bridge seat.

He then looked over the big square with a smile and awaited his guest.

His eyes were filled with excitement.

***

Min Sung's feet stepped into Taehwajeon Square.

Behind Min Sung was the Samchunkyo hunter, Ho Sung Lee, and the Gold Goblin, Ssol.

Min Sung stood at the center of Taehwajeon Square and looked at the man sitting in the bridge seat.

It was the Samchunkyo leader.

He was wearing a robe with a dragon on it.

The robe was red like blood, and the shape of the dragon glistened with gold color.

As soon as Min Sung appeared, the middle-aged leader, who looked to be around 50 years old, smiled softly.

"So it's you. The Korean hunter that cleared the Black Tower," the Samchunkyo leader said with a smile.

His voice rang and echoed through the square.

Min Sung looked at the Samchunkyo hunter and smirked.

"What a sight. The fact that you named this place Taehwajeon, and you playing the role of an emperor."

Min Sung's teasing didn't erase the smile off of the Samchunkyo leader's face.

"I want to check for myself to see if you have the skill to back up your arrogance."

As soon as the Samchunkyo leader said that, people began appearing in the square one by one.

And in no time, a large number of people surrounded Min Sung in the shape of a half-circle.

They were all wearing black shamanist costumes, and their eyes gave off piercing looks.

"Let's play," the Samchunkyo hunter said.

Someone hit the drums.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sound of the drums grew faster.

The Samchunkyo hunter smiled even wider.

The way Min Sung saw it, he was enjoying this as if he was holding a banquet.

Min Sung smirked.

'He's making me perform for him?'

Swoosh!

Min Sung took out his Orichalcum Sword from his item window and looked at the Samchunkyo

leader.

The Samchunkyo leader continued to smile as he looked down at him.

Below the Samchunkyo leader were hundreds of men as well as Min Sung.

In the current situation, the Samchunkyo hunter, who followed from the assembly, dripped in sweat with a pale blue face.

"Go back," Min Sung instructed.

Ho Sung Lee pulled the Samchunkyo hunter and Ssol back.

Bowl also crawled out of Min Sung's pocket and ran toward Ho Sung Lee while shaking his big head back and forth.

After checking over his surroundings, Min Sung walked toward the hundreds of men who were ready with swords.

The eyes of the Samchunkyo men sparkled.

Min Sung stopped at an appropriate distance.

The Samchunkyo hunters held their swords next to their faces and charged toward Min Sung.

Despite that fact, Min Sung didn't look at the men coming toward him.

Min Sung's eyes remained fixed on the Samchunkyo hunter, who was sitting on the bench.

One of the Samchunkyo hunter's sword stabbed Min Sung.

Or so he thought, but Min Sung disappeared into thin air.

And at that moment.

Loud thunder and bright lightning lit up their surroundings.

Slash! Slash!

The bodies of slain Samchunkyo hunters fell like dominos.

In order to overcome their fear, the Samchunkyo men clenched their teeth and charged toward Min Sung with their swords.

Swords charged in from all directions.

However, none of them could get past Min Sung's Aura.

Min Sung moved like a ghost, and every time he swung his Orichalcum Sword, another Samchunkyo man fell.

Kaboom! Kaboom!

Every time the Orichalcum Sword made a thunderous sound, there was another death.

The magic power that came from Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword wasn't something the Samchunkyo men could handle.

Kaboom!

The Samchunkyo hunters became dead bodies and filled the hall with a rotting smell.

After seeing that, the Samchunkyo leader wiped the smile off his face. He got up from his bench and looked at Min Sung.

It was just for 16 seconds.

Not even 20 seconds afterward, the hundreds of Samchunkyo men were reduced to just over 30.

The Samchunkyo hunters could no longer approach Min Sung and rather stepped back while holding their swords.

Their swords were shaking.

Blood dripped from Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword and soaked the ground.

Beyond Min Sung were hundreds of bodies of Samchunkyo hunters covering the ground.

Min Sung looked at the Samchunkyo leader and gestured for him to come down with a smile.

"Stop fooling around and come down here."

The air around them turned cold.

Min Sung's eyes met the eyes of the Samchunkyo leader.

The Samchunkyo leader laughed bitterly and nodded.

"Well, they're not Samchunkyo's main force, but I'm guessing it wouldn't be too different with them either. Your skills are surprising," the Samchunkyo hunters said as he got up.

He was 2 meters tall.

He also had broad shoulders and a strong physique.

The large Samchunkyo leader didn't take out a weapon from his item window and slowly walked down the stairs toward Min Sung.

"Back off," the Samchunkyo leader commanded.

In response, the remaining 30 men bowed and disappeared.

Min Sung, who was standing in front of countless bodies, was faced with the Samchunkyo leader, who came down the stairs.

"Just because my underlings died doesn't mean you can get me so easily. You'll have to give it everything you've got. Our capabilities are completely different."

Min Sung swung his Orichalcum Sword with a straight face.

Boom!

Min Sung's white magic power flew toward the Samchunkyo leader.

Boommmmmmmmm!

The Samchunkyo leader blocked Min Sung's magic power with the palm of his hands.

White smoke slipped through his hand.

There was no injury to be seen.

"You were arrogant just because of this?"

The Samchunkyo leader laughed at Min Sung.

Min Sung looked at his hands.

It didn't look like he used any kind of weapon.

His weapon was his own body.

He used the martial arts of his fist.

'His shielding is no joke.'

'Auras aren't the only things he can block.'

'He uses Auras to his advantage.'

'How surprising.'

The Samchunkyo hunter laughed while Min Sung was deep in thought.

"Why aren't you talking? Are you scared?"

The Samchunkyo leader widened his eyes.

Flood.

The Samchunkyo leader's palm charged toward Min Sung as if it was going to eat him alive.

Wind strike.

A powerful Aura radiated from the palm of the Samchunkyo leader's hand.

Min Sung tried to dodge it with his body, but the Samchunkyo hunter's hand chased him.

The way the Samchunkyo hunter's hand chased down Min Sung's body almost made it look like he was stretching long and hard.

Min Sung struck the Sacmhunkyo leader's hand with his Orichalcum Sword.

Boommmmmm!

The noise tore through his eardrums.

It was a strong explosion.

Min Sung stepped back and looked down at his right arm.

It throbbed.

Min Sung looked at the Samchunkyo leader with curiosity.

The Samchunkyo leader stared at him with ghost-like eyes as white air radiated from his body.

Just as he said, he was different from all of the other Samchunkyo hunters he had met.

Chapter 156

Ho Sung Lee gulped as he watched the fight between the Samchunkyo leader and Min Sung.

The battle between them was hard to watch.

Despite it having just begun, the two showed off substantial power.

Around Min Sung and the Samchunkyo leader was what looked like a construction site in a 5-meter radius.

Ho Sung Lee watched the situation unfold without being able to properly breathe.

He then sensed something strange on his leg, which was Bowl grabbing onto his leg like a koala.

Bowl seemed worried that Min Sung might have been hurt in some way.

On the other hand, the Gold Goblin, Ssol, enjoyed the fight between Min Sung and the Sacmhunkyo hunter with a smile.

Ho Sung Lee laughed at Ssol and then turned his eyes toward Min Sung again with a stiffened face

The Samchunkyo leader smiled at Min Sung.

The reason why he wanted to dominate the world wasn't because he believed in some useless rouser.

His underlings were nothing but errand boys.

The reason why he decided to dominate the world was because he believed in his own capabilities.

He stepped on countless bodies to get to where he was today.

And in that process, he realized it over and over again.

That his power was unbeatable.

That was when it started.

He began to feel an urge to face off against anyone strong enough.

He was excited to hear that he resolved the Black Tower on his own, but he didn't seem that powerful in person.

He was just fast with a pretty decent Aura.

Nothing more, nothing less.

On top of that, he didn't have the basics down.

Unlike him, who researched martial arts through fights with thousands of people, he was simply strong because he rolled around a little bit in the wild.

Seeing him in person made him realize he was weak, which made the Samchunkyo leader want to tease him even more.

After all, it wasn't easy meeting someone as strong as him.

He planned to enjoy himself before finishing him off.

"I'll go easy on you. Come to me. Use your best skill," the Samchunkyo hunter said with clenched fists.

"Know your place."

Min Sung gathered magical power with his Orichalcum Sword.

As soon as he released the magical power, the Samchunkyo leader felt his body grow cold and stiff.

An unknown power flowed out of Min Sung's weapon.

The Samchunkyo hunter widened his eyes and gathered his own Aura while biting down on his lip.

'What the hell is that?!'

Since he had his guard down, he didn't have a way of dodging it.

Meanwhile, what looked like fog released from Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword so the Samchunkyo leader put out both of his hands and unleashed his power against his.

This power was different from the one he had seen before.

The Samchunkyo leader's hands activated a force that would absorb the shock.

Min Sung's magical power and the Samchunkyo leader's absorption collided.

Bangggggg!

"Ugh!"

The Samchunkyo leader put all his strength into it.

'What is this?!'

His absorption normally obliterated just about anything without leaving a single trace.

But that person's magical power appeared to be stronger than his absorption.

"T-this is nonsense…!"

The Samchunkyo leader lost to Min Sung's magical power, forcing him to back down.

Whooshhh-!

The Samchunkyo leader looked shocked.

"Mmph…!"

The magical power ripped the Samchunkyo leader's skin.

Half of his left shoulder was ripped off and…

"Ugh…!"

His side, thigh, and even his ankle took a hit.

He ignored the intense pain and got ready to make his next attack when…

"…?"

The Samchunkyo leader stared blankly at Min Sung in confusion.

Min Sung lowered his Orichalcum Sword as if he no longer had the intention of making any more attacks.

After seeing that, the Samchunkyo leader gritted his teeth.

"Are you scorning me…?"

The Samchunkyo leader growled with a low voice.

"Tell me if you're about to die. I'll go easy on you," Min Sung said with an expressionless look on his face.

Roarrrrrr!

As soon as the Samchunkyo leader gathered his strength, the ground shook as if

there was an earthquake and began to split into half.

"You little bastard…! Let me teach you a lesson."

Devil Sacrifice

Devil Obliteration Ball

The Samchunkyo leader gathered his hands as if he was holding a large ball in his hands.

In just a short period of time, the Samchunkyo leader gathered a substantial amount of power.

The Samchunkyo leader's eyes shook coldly, and his hands emitted a light.

The skill was powerful enough to destroy anything within 100 meters of its target.

"You don't even know how powerful I am…! Let me end you once and for all!"

Swooshhh-!

The Devil Obliteration Ball charged toward Min Sung.

Min Sung lifted his Orichalcum Sword and held it as if it was a gun.

When Min Sung let go of his weapon slightly, the Orichalcum Sword recovered and gathered substantial power.

And then…

Flash!

The Orichalcum Sword began swallowing up the Devil Obliteration Ball that the Samchunkyo leader sent his way.

The Samchunkyo leader widened his eyes as he watched.

The Devil Obliteration Ball disappeared into thin air.

And a bigger shock than that took over the Samchunkyo leader's head.

"… That skill."

The Samchunkyo leader mumbled to himself as he looked at the Orichalcum Sword in Min Sung's hands.

He couldn't believe it.

'I can't believe there's someone who can use that sword skill.'

He thought that was just a myth.

But after realizing that the man in front of him just used it, he hoped that his reality was actually a dream.

But it was reality, and that delusion couldn't influence reality.

He lost strength in his body.

"He's so strong…"

The Samchunkyo leader dropped his arms with a blank look on his face

He was at a whole different level.

He never should have started.

He let out a laugh.

He was embarrassed that he felt so superior and excited in front of an opponent like that.

He even wondered what he fought so hard for all this time.

The Samchunkyo leader clenched back on his teeth.

"I lost. Kill me…"

He lost.

He no longer had a reason to live on.

He had dreamt of many things while climbing to the top.

He had no intention of begging for his life to be spared.

The Samchunkyo leader abandoned all intentions to shield himself and stuck out his chest.

If he was going to die, he wanted to do it confidently and willingly.

"I told you. I said I'd go easy on you if you were going to die."

Min Sung spoke in a not-so-loud voice, but the Samchunkyo leader heard it clearly.

The Samchunkyo leader grimaced.

"Just kill me…! Kill me already," the Samchunkyo leader said with a tiger-like face.

At that moment, the Orichalcum Sword stabbed his thigh at a speed that was impossible to catch with his eyes.

Slash!

Crack!

"Ugh…!"

The Samchunkyo leader dropped his jaw and stared down at his stabbed thigh.

It was incredibly painful.

It wasn't just the pain of being stabbed, but the magical power ripped each cell to shreds, causing even more pain.

When he froze in place due to the pain…

The Orichalcum Sword came out all on its own.

Despite the excruciating pain, seeing that made him feel like he was possessed.

He almost forgot about his pain for a second.

It was a very selfish skill indeed.

He felt a strong sense of jealousy as well as defeat.

The Samchunkyo hunter looked at Min Sung with a helpless face.

He felt as though he was standing in front of a god.

"… What do you want from me?"

The Samchunkyo leader asked with a blank stare.

Min Sung grabbed his weapon that flew over through the air.

"There are basics for fighting used by those who come from Samchunkyo. I wanted to learn about it."

"That's why you're not killing me…?"

"Yeah."

"Why do you need to know that when you have that sword skill…?"

The Samchunkyo leader was unable to finish his sentence.

He realized something.

'Does this mean he didn't obtain the sword skill by learning it…?'

Gulp—

The Sacmhunkyo leader gulped without realizing it.

He felt the hairs on his back stand up.

If he were to learn martial arts, it would allow him to grow even more powerful.

That realization made the Samchunkyo leader's pupils shake and laugh.

Min Sung Kang mastered the skill with his body, but not with his brain.

That meant that although he could use it, he was unable to teach it to anyone.

But then again, his sword skill wasn't something that could be taught by anyone.

But if he happened to 'learn' martial arts, Min Sung Kang could open the doors to a whole new floor of potential.

The Samchunkyo leader was jealous.

Of Min Sung Kang.

He was so impressive that he felt resentful.

How could he still have the potential to grow so much when he was already so powerful?

The Samchunkyo leader wanted to die.

He was unable to think of what he was living for all this time.

And the answer would never come to him.

Chapter 157

The Samchunkyo leader dropped his eyes to the ground.

"Stop insulting me… The least you can do…"

Min Sung ignored him completely.

"The magic spell you use. Your way of controlling your Aura. I feel like that has to do with your martial arts. You probably organized how to use it in a book, right? Where is it?"

Min Sung asked.

"… I told you to stop insulting me."

"I think that'll be useful for slaying devils. It allows for maximum output of your strength."

Min Sung looked at the Samchunkyo leader with an intense gaze.

"So I need to take it."

The Samchunkyo leader's beard trembled.

"You arrogant little…! Do you really think I'd leave something like that with Samchunkyo? Samchunkyo's records are everything to me as well as my life's work. Why would I ever pass along my life's work to you?"

The Samchunkyo leader shouted while spitting out blood.

"That's your problem, not mine."

"I might have lost to you, but I'm the leader of Samchunkyo and I intended to…"

"… Yet you have the courage to die?"

Min Sung asked.

The Samchunkyo leader laughed bitterly in response.

"Haha…! I've lived my life as the King. If you think I'm afraid of death, you're mistaken! Why would I be afraid of death?"

The Samchunkyo leader yelled with a sharp look in his eyes.

Blood vessels began to pop out of his body.

His eyes showed his willingness to die.

And that will led to a strong force in the Samchunkyo leader's right hand.

He planned to put an end to his heart with his own hands.

In a short period of time, his journey as the Samchunkyo leader flashed through his mind.

The Samchunkyo leader widened his eyes and reached for his heart.

Before he reached it…

The Orichalcum Sword sliced the Samchunkyo leader's right arm.

"…?!"

The Samchunkyo leader stared at his arm that had fallen off with shocked eyes.

Thick drops of blood dripped to the ground.

The Samchunkyo leader stared at Min Sung blankly with his jaw dropped.

He wanted to know what this was about.

"I didn't say you could die yet," Min Sung said with dry eyes.

Those words hurt the Samchunkyo leader's pride, making his heart sink.

The leader stared at the Orichalcum Sword in front of him and clenched back on his teeth.

"What do you think you're doing? You're not even going to let me decide my fate…?!"

The Samchunkyo leader asked without much energy.

He turned into a cripple in the hands of Min Sung Kang.

But what made him feel even sicker was the shame and humiliation he was going through.

His face turned pale, and he stared blankly into space.

His mind grew hazy.

***

Grrrrrr!

The Samchunkyo leader's body underwent a transformation.

The Aura's form lost its direction causing his energy and blood to become distorted.

Life Extraction.

The Samchunkyo leader was undergoing Life Extraction, which was when a physical or mental hit led to the distortion of one's energy and blood, concluding in a fatal form.

The Samchunkyo leader bled out because of the noise, and his body became blue like a corpse.

His body was stiff.

His body was wasting away.

Min Sung knitted his brows at the sight and ran over to him to grab the Samchunkyo leader by the throat.

***

Crack!

He was grabbed by the throat with great strength, but he had already lost half of his consciousness.

Min Sung unleashed his magic spell into the Samchunkyo leader's body.

Since he was able to control his magic spell, Min Sung used it to scan the Samchunkyo leader's entire body for problems to resolve.

His Aura, which was normally stable, was exploding in all directions.

Min Sung used his magic spell to control the Aura and relax the flow of the energy and blood.

As a result, the Aura's flow began to stabilize again.

The Sacmhunkyo leader's nose stopped bleeding, and his pupils also found its focus.

That was when Min Sung let go of him.

The Samchunkyo leader gasped into consciousness and began breathing heavily.

His already rough breathing turned even rougher due to his growing rage.

"I told you to kill me!"

The Samchunkyo leader yelled.

"Whether you die or not is up to me. You have no right to decide," Min Sung said

with a dark look in his eyes.

"You little…!"

"Most people turn the energy of nature into Aura, but it seemed like you form that Aura energy in your abdomen. I'm impressed. I've never thought of that before."

"…!"

The Samchunkyo leader's pupils shook.

The astonishment about the ability that he had forgotten about made his heart sink.

'He had that kind of power without making a core inside his abdomen?'

"I'll get even stronger thanks to you."

The Samchunkyo leader looked at Min Sung as if he had seen a monster.

"Also."

Min Sung whispered something in the Samchunkyo leader's ears that he never wanted to hear.

"I cast a simple curse on you. You'll like it."

"A curse…?"

The Samchunkyo leader asked.

"I had to calm down the inside of your body, and in that process, I touched a few parts of the system that allows you to use nature's energy as your core."

The Samchunkyo leader's eyes were filled with fear.

"Y-you're saying…"

The Samchunkyo leader stared back at Min Sung as if he didn't want to believe what he was hearing.

"Yeah, you now have an average, yet not so average body. When you use your Aura, you'll experience great pain. But you won't die. And as long as you can't use your Aura, you won't be able to hurt yourself with any weapon."

Min Sung laughed bitterly.

"Your passive skill. Because of your shielding ability…"

Min Sung's eyes sank low.

"… You won't be able to kill yourself."

Min Sung continued,

"So now, you're in a state where you can't live or die."

The Samchunkyo leader felt as though the devil was speaking in front of him.

He was so mentally shocked that he plopped down on his knees.

"What do you think? Do you like it?"

Min Sung asked.

The Samchunkyo leader's eyes shed tears.

He lost his worth as a fighter.

And that meant Samchunkyo was nothing now.

'I can't even die even if I wanted to…'

'How am I supposed to live on when I lost everything?'

For a fighter, losing their Aura meant losing everything.

'But on top of that, I'm forced to keep on living?'

The Samchunkyo leader looked up at Min Sung with teary eyes.

"I-I'm sorry. Please kill me. Please… I'm getting you. It's hell to stay alive like this! Please kill me!"

The Samchunkyo leader pleaded.

"Then give me the book and explain what I don't understand. Then I'll kill you."

The Samchunkyo leader covered his face with despair at the thought that he had no other choice.

The leader lifted his head and shook as if he was convulsing.

"Do you really think I'll listen to you? I'm the leader of Samchunkyo!"

***

Inside the library of Samchunkyo.

Ho Sung Lee was fanning Min Sung as he read the book of combat.

Bowl was wriggling in Min Sung's pocket while sleeping, and the gold goblin, Ssol, massaged Min Sung's shoulders from behind.

In contrast to Min Sung, who was sitting comfortably as if he was the owner of the house, the Samchunkyo leader was standing with his hands up in the air wearing just his underwear.

"How fascinating. I didn't know you could use the Aura this way."

Min Sung continued to read the book of combat.

The principles of Samchunkyo's book were more groundbreaking the more he read.

Unlike simply borrowing nature's energy to use it temporarily, their standard was to form a core within them where they would collect the Aura and later use them in combat.

The abdomen, which would become the core, was connected to an alveolar vein, which meant that just by collecting magic energy inside, the power of the Aura was capable of boosting one's power exponentially.

This was exactly why the Chinese hunters were superior to the rest.

But he only later found out that he had plenty of Aura within his own abdomen.

And magic energy was flowing through his alveolar vein, which meant that the book that he just read was useless.

"Ho Sung."

"Yes, Sir."

Ho Sung Lee bowed down and stuck out his neck in response.

"Stop fanning me and read this."

Min Sung threw the book that he was just reading.

The Samchunkyo leader grimaced at the sight of Min Sung treating his book like trash, but he simply bit down on his lip and held it in.

No good would come out of expressing his rage, and he would only be humiliated as a result.

The Samchunkyo leader sighed at his own state.

It was only a few hours ago that he lived as the great leader of Samchunkyo.

"Sigh…"

In response to the Samchunkyo leader's sigh.

"Stop sighing. I don't want to hear it."

Min Sung glared.

The Samchunkyo leader held in his next sigh. He dropped his head and grimaced.

He really wanted to go to the afterlife.

'I should look on the bright side.'

'At least there will be a descendant to Samchunkyo.'

The leader continued to comfort himself with such thoughts.

He didn't think he could endure this otherwise.

On the other hand, he just wanted to go crazy.

At that moment…

"Hey, Leader."

In response to Min Sung's calling, the Samchunkyo leader gulped and lifted his stiff face.

"Bring me food."

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