CHAPTER 18

- Go Gunhee (Korean Hunters Association) -

The chairman sat at his desk, sitting opposite the strongest man in Japan, Goto Ryuji. Gunhee carefully appraised the S-rank hunter in front of him, concluding Ryuji was stronger than any active Korean hunter, besides Mars. Ryuji was known for being the only Asian hunter that could rival Liu Zhigang, the so called 'Hero of China'. Although maybe Hwang Dongsoo is in that conversation now, thanks to Norma Selner's second upgrade.

But now that Mars has recharged his powers, the chairman knows he is currently stronger than the Blade guildmaster. And judging by the sweat on Ryuji's forehead, the Japanese hunter is well aware of that fact, too.

For this meeting Gunhee is in control, unlike his previous discussion with Thomas Andre, who could destroy the building and kill his innocent Association members in the process. If he got into a fight with the Goliath right then and there, maybe thousands of civilians would die in the resulting high-ranked showdown. Despite his power boost, he still lags behind two of the strongest hunters alive, Thomas Andre and Liu Zhigang.

Since Ryuji foolishly sent five of his S-rank hunters to die to the ants, the guildmaster is now more desperate, there's a good chance he might lose his stranglehold on the power in Japan. It was common knowledge that Goto Ryuji wanted to be considered among the National-rank hunters, the survivors of the Kamish gate. If Ryuji goes home empty-handed, he'll have a lot of explaining to do.

"My name is Hanekawa and I will be in charge of translating." The A-rank hunter introduced herself to Gunhee, fluent in both Japanese and Korean. "I will relay Ryuji-san's words from here on out."

The tension was pulpable, as both men stared each other down.

"Due to the incident with the Blade guild members, we have decided that we can no longer neglect Jeju Island anymore." She cleared her throat, clearly having practiced the speech beforehand. "Hence, we promise our full-fledged support to South Korea."

"Before we continue... Let's discuss this without interpreters." Gunhee replied in Japanese, surprising the woman. "My father ran a small business in Japan when I was young."

"That makes it easier then." Goto Ryuji said calmly, before he motioned for Hanekawa to step to the side. "In short, the reason why I came here is simple. How about we unite and create an allied force composed of elite hunters?"

"Are you saying that you would like to create an allied attack force to raid the ant colony?" Gunhee asked him, slightly moving forward in his chair. "You should know after your incident that despite Blade guild's excellent hunters, it's far too dangerous to enter Jeju Island."

For some reason, in his gut, Go Gunhee couldn't trust this man. As if there is a secret agenda Ryuji is plotting, one that wouldn't end well for him or Korea.

"Since it's an S-rank gate, we have prepared a suitable plan for it." Goto Ryuji countered, signaling Hanekawa to bring him a folder highly detailing the ants. "This is the data we collected from investigating the ants. Each ant is as strong as a top rank hunter, but they have a fatal weakness."

"...Lifespan." Gunhee answered, having scanned the intel with speed.

"Precisely, the ants have a lifespan of 1 year." Ryuji nodded his head. "In other words, if we can eliminate the queen, all the other ants will die naturally after a year and Jeju Island will be free of their presence."

The chairman reviewed the information, now contemplating his own plans. Only having to eliminate the queen ant does sound more realistic than eliminating every mutated ant on the island. But getting rid of a single queen ant is no different than exterminating thousands of soldier ants.

"Don't you know that the ants are willing to die for their queen?" Gunhee questioned the plan, as the queen ant is in the most fortified area of the island.

"Of course, we will have to break through a defensive line of thousands of ants. But the tides will change if all of them were to leave their ant tunnel." Ryuji paused, holding three fingers up. "It happened a total of three times in the past. When the South Korean hunters landed on Jeju Island for the raid. On all three occasions, the ants left their tunnel and swarmed the hunters."

"How sure are you of this?" The monk asked him with serious eyes, the Koreans had no idea of this information.

"It's the result that has been confirmed by our very own magic-detection techniques." Hanekawa stated, looking rather smug.

"All 6 remaining S-rank hunters in my guild plan on participating in the upcoming Jeju Island raid. The rest of my members have all entered the country." The Japanese hunter revealed his plan. "We will take on the role of drawing in the soldier ants' attention, while the Korean hunters take care of the queen ant."

It's not the worst plan, if his S-rankers were to draw the attention, only the queen ant and a few guards will be left in the tunnel. It just might be possible.

- Goto Ryuji (Blade Guild) -

Ryuji fought the smile that was beginning to form on his face. He was surprised at first, he was expecting the obsolete Go Gunhee: the washed-up, weakened chairman still clinging onto his glory days. Not the vigorous, high-spirited hunter worthy of the title S-rank among S-ranks.

That should be Ryuji's title! He desperately wanted to be acknowledged with the strongest hunters. With his previous performances until now, if he cleared Jeju Island, it wouldn't be weird if he was recognized as a National-level hunter. He basically had complete control of Japan, all that was missing was the official title.

"Our S-rank hunters will split into teams and launch an attack from multiple directions. The ants will rush to the location of our attacks, leaving the queen vulnerable." Ryuji continued, having noticed the thoughtful expression on Gunhee's face. "The Korean hunters will infiltrate the island through a helicopter, eliminate the queen, and leave the island in the same helicopter."

As Go Gunhee thought about the plan, Ryuji closed his eyes, imagining the future. There's no reason for South Korea to refuse, they had failed miserably three times in a row, and received no help from the international community.

"I appreciate the offer and the work you have put into it, but I'll need some time to think it over." Gunhee uttered out, a determined look on his face. "I will come to a proper decision after our joint training exercise, if you're still up for it, Goto-san."

"Sure, that won't be a problem, Go-san." Ryuji stood up, sporting a fake smile before he shook the chairman's hand. "Me and my members will meet you at the training gym later tonight."

Ryuji confidently strode out of the office, trying to suppress his anger at being dismissed like that. His A-rank hunter and translator followed closely behind him.

Okay, old man, if this is how you want to play it then so be it. Go Gunhee is just being stubborn since he got stronger out of nowhere. But reality will hit the rest of Gunhee's pathetic Korean hunters. That geezer better not get mad once he and his Blade hunters rough up the Korean hunters. It's time for the old to step down, and let the new leaders of the world to take over.

- Go Gunhee (Korean Hunters Association) -

"Sir? Are you sure that's a good idea?" Woo Jinchul asked him, who was quietly listening in during the negotiation. "Goto Ryuji didn't seem that pleased afterward."

"It's fine... For some reason, I think it'll all work out." Gunhee chuckled, as he checked his watch, thinking of his bet with Mars. "Something tells me we won't even need them."

"If you say so, sir." Jinchul sighed, always trusting in his decisions.

"Let's prepare the gymnasium for the joint-training event." Go Gunhee stood up, flexing both of his arms in excitement. Energy began to glow across his body, shining under his suit. "I haven't gone all out in years... Just what will Mars show me next?"

- Mars -

I'm currently on Esil's bed, confused how I even entered her surprisingly girly bedroom. The princess herself is laying underneath me, her eyes closed and cheeks stained red. She's wearing a black negligee, I can even see her pink nipples poking through the transparent night gown. I wipe the string of saliva connecting our lips, as I try to remember how I got here.

Esil's room is lit by a lone candle by her bed, the moon providing a rather alluring atmosphere. Thanks to my enhanced vision I have no problem seeing her in the dark.

The last memory clear in my mind is toasting with Esil's father, before downing a glass of demonic booze. How much did I drink? I try to clear the drunken fog, random memories are starting to piece together as I recall the last hour.

"Esil... What happened?" I ask the squirming girl, as I sit up on the bed, shaking my head, trying to erase the dull headache. "I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"Sir Mars..." Esil moves next to me, a hint of concern in her voice. "Do you really not remember?"

I remember leaving her father's office, before stumbling into her room. Then I relive taking her lips, and then dragging her to her bed in a lust-fueled haze.

"It's all coming back to me now. I just got lost in the moment..." I give her a real smile, taking her hand in mine. "I'm sorry for ambushing you like that."

"No... I liked it!" She said quickly, before blushing even harder. "I mean-mph!"

I cut her off with a kiss, knowing that she awkwardly rambles whenever she gets overwhelmed. As she moans into my mouth I pull away, grinning even wider at her.

Name: Esil Radiru

Level: 71

Race: Demon Noble

Class: Fighter

Thoughts about you: She loves kissing you, she is worried about scaring you away. Hopes you don't hate her after her father declared you as her fiancé

Affection: 85

What a sweet girl. How could I possibly leave her behind?

"Do you want to know what I've been discussing with your father?" I ask her, trying not to laugh as she looks at me anxiously. "It's about our engagement your father announced to the rest of the clan~"

"Ugh. Sorry about him, my father can be scatterbrained at times..." Esil said with a remorseful tone, the embarrassed expression clear on her face. "Don't listen to him, we'll clear it up in the morning."

"We talked about it at length after you left. Actually, I kind of asked for your hand in marriage..." I reveal to Esil, her ears perked up in surprise. "And your dad sort of agreed already..."

"W-What?!" She looked up at me with questioning eyes, not believing what I'm saying. "No, my father wasn't serious about it, he was just trying to smooth over the situation with the rest of the nobles..."

"Do you really hate the idea so much?" I genuinely ask her, firmly holding both of her hands in mine now. "I'm serious about it... I wouldn't ask your father if I didn't truly believe you're an amazing woman."

"It's not that..." Esil pouted at me, looking adorable.

She suddenly turned away from me, as if she couldn't bear to look at my face.

"Sorry, I guess you can't stand me." I rise up from the bed, feeling the unexpected urge to tease her. "I'll go find your father and cancel the whole thing..."

"NO!" She squeaked out, hugging my arm into her chest. "Don't leave!"

Esil face is buried into my shoulder, not letting me go.

I let out a snicker, brushing her smooth hair with my free hand. Feeling the need to comfort her, I wrap around her with my wings, bringing her even closer to me.

"Esil Radiru." I whisper into her ear. "I've only known you for a short while, but my feelings for you cannot be contained. When I first met you, I thought you were the most brazen yet oddly charming demon ever. But getting to know you more, I realized just how lovable you really are. And ever since you helped me against Baran, I didn't want you to leave my side."

I can't see her reaction, but judging by the way her eyes are dyed red, I can't help but laugh.

"Will you be mine?" I finish my confession, pulling away slightly so I can look at her flustered face.

She's quiet for a moment, but she had a lopsided grin, as if she couldn't control her emotions.

Since I have to gather women around me, I'm only going to settle for the best, and I can't think of any better first wife than the loyal and tough Esil. Of course I won't be stopping with her, I plan on marrying all of my maidens, Cha Hae-In included.

"Yes." Esil said meekly, her bright red eyes lit up with love in her eyes. "I will!"

Before I could respond to her, she planted her lips on mine, immediately trying to pry my lips open with her tongue. She pushes me on to the bed, where I'm more than happy to let her take the lead.

After a passionate kiss, we stop to breathe, clearly she's no longer feeling embarrassed.

"Since I eliminated the remaining demon clans, does marrying you make me the new Demon King?" I jokingly ask Esil, as I pull her on to my lap.

"I think you became the new Demon King as soon as you killed Baran." Esil said happily, grinding on me.

I can't tell if she's doing that on purpose, but with this sensation plus her moans, I feel myself harden underneath her.

"Esil. If we go any further than this I won't be able to control myself..." I breathe out into her ear, kissing the soft tip.

"Then don't." She nibbled on her bottom lip, her glistening eyes begging me for more. "I'm yours~"

And with that, it feels like a fire has been lit under me, I can't be held responsible with what happens after this.

I tenderly strip my bride-to-be of her black nightie, revealing her pale skin, glistening under the moonlight. Her perky breasts are begging to be groped, and I don't waste a second, planting a kiss on both of her nipples.

"Ahh..." She sang out, pushing my face into her chest even more, as I began to squeeze and fondle her. "Mars~"

I flip her onto her back, leaving a trail of kisses from her breasts to her toned stomach, stopping right above her crotch. I tear off my jeans in record speed, taking a moment to enjoy the view of Esil sprawled out on her bed, only wearing a cute pair of purple panties.

"Esil..." I sigh out, placing my member directly on her mound, the thin purple lace fabric was moist.

I rub myself on her, enjoying her lust-filled moans as I move faster. Feeling impatient, I move her panties to the side, unveiling her pretty, fleshy pussy.

As I directly tease her, I coat my dick with the nectar freely flowing out from her. Inserting just the head into her maidenhood, I look into her eyes one more time.

She's looking up at me with complete trust, allowing me free reign over her sexy body. Esil is physically and mentally preparing herself to receive me, I want her to enjoy her first time.

"Hnghhh." I can only groan out, as I start to slowly sheathe myself in her, at a steady pace.

With every inch, I feel every part of her warm folds trying her best to accommodate me. She's seriously tight, even more than Jinah was. Once I'm fully sheathed, I stay completely still so she can get used to me, it's quite satisfying just being in her, Esil's insides are slick and warm.

She doesn't seem to be in that much pain, I guess her many years of training as a warrior and riding horseback prepared herself for this moment.

Esil gives me an encouraging smile, holding my hand in hers as I begin to rock back and forth, creating an easy rhythm. Her sweet moans only inspire me to go faster, and soon after the only sounds in the room is our bodies slapping against each other and our subsequent moans filled with pleasure.

Now that she's used to getting filled up, I surprise her as I pinch her nipples, causing her to tighten even more.

"Marssss~" Esil sings out, loving the dual assault from top and bottom. "MMMph!"

I capture her lips with mine, feeling the selfish desire to take all of her, squeezing her hips as I begin to pound her even harder. If I was going this hard with Jinah, I would be worried I would break her hips, but a S-rank demon noble like Esil can take it without any issues.

After who knows how long, she starts to match my thrusts with ease.

"Haa..." Esil gushed out, wrapping her legs around me. "Ha-Harder!"

"Esil..." I follow her instructions, harshly sucking on her neck as I speed up. "I'm not going to last much longer..."

"Let's finish together~" She quivered around me, placing her hands on my ass, pushing me even deeper.

Her eyes never leave mine, a permanent smile is visible on her face.

Reaching as deep within her as possible, I finally come, her pussy milking me for all my worth.

[Esil Radiru's Affection has been Maxed and Locked]

Collapsing on top of her, we both sigh out in euphoric bliss. I'm not sure if I can go another 4 days away from any of my women, but starting from tonight I should have a demonic fiancée that can take refuge within my own shadow. I could still go for a couple more rounds, but I'm feeling pretty tired, and I most likely have a long day tomorrow.

One thing is for sure, I definitely learned I need to rebuild my tolerance for alcohol. I don't want to be caught off-guard if a social gathering becomes an important meeting.

"Let me wash up really quickly~" Esil beamed out after a blissful moment in my arms, playfully kissing me on the cheek before she left the room.

You have completed one of Venus' Tasks

Corrupt Maidens (3/3)

Reward: Lewd Perk

Perk added:

[Lover's Link]

You can connect any of your Maxed out Maidens, sharing what they feel with one another

Well this Perk sure sounds like fun, I wonder if it works from all the way here?

Whatever, I'll have plenty of opportunities to thoroughly test the ability out soon.

Esil returns, having cleaned herself of our various mixed juices, eagerly joining me under the covers in a close embrace.

"Let's sleep, Esil." I blow out the candle, as we both drift off to pleasant dreams.

"Mars... I love you~"

- The Next Day -

My eyes drift open, the bright sun shining in my face, when I quickly realize I'm alone in the bed. The smell of sex lingers still, despite the open windows bringing in cool, fresh air.

A Bet with the Chairman (9 hours left)

Damn how much did I sleep? Or was I drinking for a lot longer than I remembered?

Oh well, I still have plenty of time. Now that I have some time for myself, I should map out what to do once I return to Korea. The Jeju operation should be starting as soon as I'm back, but hopefully my meeting with chairman Gunhee goes well, and I can have his support as I solo the raid. Worst case, I'll have to clear the island myself under everybody's noses.

Reflecting on the past couple days, I feel ready to take on the next challenges. The Demon Castle was harder than I thought, but I feel accomplished, making clear progress on many of my goals.

The empty sensation in my second black heart suddenly feels whole again, closing my eyes I'm aware of my missed companion.

Ashborn, you're back!

Be proud, you have done well, young Mars.

Not going to lie, it felt weird when you were gone. Were you watching me?

Indeed, partner. I watched you every step of the way, you are finally ready to stand face to face with the other Monarchs.

I feel much more powerful, that's true. As much as it was a tedious grind to climb the tower, it was strangely fun. But I have a question for you, Ashborn. How much stronger was the real Monarch of White Flames that betrayed you?

Demon King Baran was a fair amount more powerful than the copy you faced. But worry not, young Mars, the rapid speed at which you are improving is truly impressive. The Hell's army you faced was very real, I had increased their strength so you would not over rely on the Shadow Soldiers during the battle.

Still got a long way to go, huh? I'm glad you're back. I missed you, partner.

Likewise. I have a gift to commemorate your successful adventure.

As if waiting for Ashborn's cue, Metus appeared from my shadow, where the demon lich was waiting since last night.

"Lord Mars." Metus greeted me with a bow, reaching into his cloak and pulling out the Hellhound Familiar egg I had given Ashborn a while ago. "With the assistance of Lord Ashborn, I was able to add a demonic essence to the beast within the egg."

"What do you mean?" I hold the now glowing red egg in my hands, before a black window appears in front of me.

[Familiar Egg is Hatching]

As if I was in Pokémon, the egg began to twitch, increasing in speed until the egg cracked into pieces. The shells magically dissipated, leaving only a tiny black puppy in my hands.

The noticeable difference between a normal puppy and my new Familiar was that this magical beast had three heads, looking a lot like the gatekeeper to hell my orcs generals took down. Casting [Observe] only confirmed my suspicions.

Name: Cerberus

Level: 1

Race: Demon (Canine)

Studying the terribly adorable demon canine, it's a carbon copy of the S-rank beast, the right head had a grey mask while the other two each had a set of horns.

"Thank you Ashborn and Metus!" I pat my demonic lich on his spine, as Cerberus' three heads yawned in unison.

It is truly a shame demons cannot be turned into shadows, so I hope this helps for the future.

It definitely will, I can't wait to see this little guy at full strength.

Recognizing me as its master, Cerberus yapped at me affectionately. My cold heart grew warmer, as the puppy Cerberus licked me all over my face. If anything happens to it I'll kill everyone in this universe and then myself.

- Later -

After cleaning myself up in Esil's luxurious bathroom, I'm surprised to see Esil patiently waiting for me in her room, an expensive set of armor next to her. She herself was wearing the same red and gold armor that I met her in, the one set next to her was a perfect match.

"Mars!" Esil approached me warmly, dragging me by my hand to the gold and red armor set on the bed. "This is a gift on behalf of the Radiru clan. Our blacksmiths have been working non-stop, creating personalized armor for you. Let me help you put it on!"

The excited princess got to work quickly, dressing me up with a beautiful smile on her face. After a few minutes, I'm fully suited up, and it's quite comfortable. It's a perfect fit, just how did they get my exact measurements? Even down to the customized backplate, giving my wings full mobility.

"Wow!" Esil admired my new appearance, pulling me to the mirror, where I look like a full-fledged member of the demon clan. "How does it feel?"

I haven't put that much thought in my own attire, but this does look worthy of a king. I feel like a real warrior, I had been fighting in black jeans and runners for too long. And the best part is I can just store this in my Inventory.

"It actually feels pretty lightweight." I test my movements while in full armor, this shouldn't obstruct me at all. "Send my regards to the blacksmiths."

"I will!" Esil said with glee, taking off my helmet and giving me a quick peck. "We're late, the rest of the demons are waiting for us!"

Esil leads me to the throne room, where the rest of the clan is assembled. There were two thrones, placed next to each other.

Igris was at the front, seemingly in conversation with Lord Radiru.

"Ah, Lord Mars!" Esil's father spotted me from afar, motioning us to come over. "You look like a true noble in that!"

"My King. Lady Esil." Igris approached me, bowing to both of us. "I have informed the clan leader of the Pledge. He has fully agreed to serve you."

"Excellent." I nod to my knight, before turning to Esil's father. "Lord Radiru, Esil tells me you have an announcement?"

"Yes, I do!" He confirmed, amplifying his voice so the rest of the nobles can hear him. "I would like to announce I am officially stepping down as clan head!"

Many of the demons assembled looked shocked, I could hear their gasps and mutters of surprise. They anxiously glanced at each other, before staring at me and Esil.

I look to Esil, who doesn't seem at all surprised. I guess she and her father had a heart to heart this morning.

"Therefore, my eldest daughter Esil shall now be known Queen Radiru." He said proudly, gesturing her to sit on one of the thrones. "And as I mentioned last night, Mars here is set to marry her!"

Esil reaches her hand out to me, holding it tightly as I sit by her on the other golden throne.

The former Lord Radiru is now standing with the rest of the clan, smiling up at us. A few loud detractors voiced their displeasure in serving a human.

"Quiet!" Metus shouted at them. "Any demons who don't want to serve King Mars in life, will end up serving him in death."

With that threat, the rest of the hall was silenced.

I quickly try to come up with a pledge as the demons look up at me. Loyalty, obedience and bravery seem like the most important qualities for my Pledged.

[You have activated the skill Pledge of Servitude (Deal)]

[Once the skill has been granted, the acceptors must serve the initiator. Disobedience will be met with instant death]

"Proud Demons of the Radiru clan... Do you swear before me, that you shall serve and bravely fight for your new Demon King?"

Just like with Metus, my words materialize into black chains, attaching to the hundred or so demon nobles, knights and servants.

"Yes, King Mars." Esil's father was the first to accept the pledge, dropping to a knee as the chains settled around his neck permanently.

The rest of the demons really had no choice, many of them willingly accepted, feeling the shadow links bind them to me. The few who were voicing their unhappiness all swallowed their pride, not wanting to end up as one of Metus' demon puppets.

[Pledge of Servitude (Deal) has been formed]

[By the mutual consent of both the initiator and the acceptors, the Radiru clan shall serve you until the contract is terminated]

"Stand up, Queen Esil and I will lead your clan to heights you could never imagine!" I announce to the demons sworn to me. "You will all live in my shadow, until I can find a permanent home for us. Prepare all of your belongings... We shall be leaving at once!"

As the rest of the demons disperse, I turn to my queen who is smiling ear to ear.

"Esil, I'll be needing your help when it comes to demon politics." I ask my fiancée.

I want to stay out of the clan politics as much as possible, leaving it to Esil should be fine.

"Of course... So much has happened since I first met you." Esil whispered to me, still holding on to my right hand. "We went from the weakest demon clan, to the one true demon royals!"

A lot really has happened, I now have a whole demonic faction at my disposal, to match with my heavily upgraded shadow army.

"I can't wait to show you my world..." I softly rub her hand. "You're going to love it!"

- Later -

- Go Gunhee (Korean Hunters Association) -

Gunhee stretched in his traditional Dobok, his white uniform he fought hundreds of monsters in over the years. He hasn't worn it in years, but it fits just right, as the volatile energy radiates all around his body. As a monk he doesn't need to rely on fancy armor or special weaponry. By channeling his power in his body, he becomes the ultimate weapon.

"It still fits you well." Woo Jinchul commented on his appearance.

"I am tired of wearing a suit every day." He noted, greatly preferring the simple uniform for Korean martial arts.

"HAAAH!" Baek Yoonho shouts in his partial transformed form, rushing at his fellow guildmaster Ma Dongwook.

The gigantified Dongwook was wearing an almost identical Dobok. Ma Dongwook was a master at Judoka, and skillfully flipped the White Tiger guildmaster onto his back.

"Master Baek! A young person like you should be able to use more strength!" Dongwook roared out with a smile as large as he is.

"I'm no master compared to you, Ma." Yoonho admitted, getting back up for another round.

Gunhee felt at peace, as the Korean S-ranks sparred with each other, waiting for the Japanese hunters to arrive.

Hunters Lim Tae-Gyu, Choi Jong-In and Cha Hae-In sat nearby, watching the two physical S-rankers trade kicks and blows in the middle of the gym.

Retired healer Min Byung-Gyu was also present, but insisted he was just there to observe the training. If only Gunhee could convince him to join the raid. An S-rank healer would make him feel a lot more confident.

The air in the gymnasium instantly doubled, as Goto Ryuji walked in accompanied by his own Blade guild S-rankers.

All of the Korean paused what they were doing, staring down the Japanese hunters.

The magical energy with so many S-ranks gathered meant a danger to any lower ranked hunters or humans, as countless members of the Association and all the Korean guilds assembled to watch the rare international training exercise. In the huge gym with them were a considerable amount of press, both Korean and Japanese. Whatever happened in here would be broadcasted to millions, so it was important the Korean S-ranks didn't look foolish.

"So these are the best hunters of South Korea." Hanekawa, the Blade guild A-rank hunter and Korean translator, noted in Japanese. "There's not much for us to see."

"Is that so?" Ryuji carefully scanned each Korean hunter.

"Well I have witnessed Goto-san clear so many raids. Maybe other S-rank hunters just might not cut it for me anymore." She sighed out.

"That's not completely true." Ryuji said, his eyes falling onto Cha Hae-In. "There is one useful hunter, and we were both surprised with Go Gunhee, earlier."

"Hey, translator lady. What did you just say?" Park Jongsoo, guildmaster of the Knights guild, confronted the Japanese hunters. "South Korean hunters are lousy? Did you think I wouldn't hear you just because you're speaking in Japanese?! I learned Japanese as my second language during high school."

Despite being an A-rank, Park Jongsoo is a bold one, he had no problem talking back to any S-rank hunters. He is quite smart, he knew to focus his recruitment on Korean hunters who awakened at A-rank strength.

"As expected of Hyung-nim!" Jung Yoontae, A-rank Knights vice-guildmaster cheered out from behind Jongsoo.

"Who are you..?" Hanekawa genuinely asked, having no clue who she's speaking to.

"Huh?!" Yoontae rushed to his senior's defense. "This man is the guildmaster of the Knights Guild! Park Jongsoo Hyung-nim!"

"Park Jongsoo? That's the first time I'm hearing of that name..." She said bluntly.

"Hyung-nim is A-rank and not S-rank so you might've not heard of him!" Yoontae began to shout, having been offended by the Japanese hunter's disrespect. "But our Knights guild is still of one of the top 5 guilds in South Korea! Not to mention we've recruited more A-rank hunters than any other guilds!"

"Yoontae, stop it. You're making it worse..." Jongsoo grumbled out, keeping his hand on his vice-guildmaster's shoulder.

"Are you joining the Jeju Island raid as well?" She questioned the two men. "I heard that only the S-rank hunters would be participating..."

"Ugh..." Jongsoo sighed out, feeling disgraced.

"Hanekawa what you guys talking about?" Ryuji asked her, not wanting to make a huge scene in front of the media.

"Hyung-nim is part of the DEFENSE SQUAD. It's an important role that entails blockading Jeju Island!" Yoontae continued to scream out, getting even louder.

"Hm, that's a relief. We can't rely on A-ranks for an important task like this." Hanekawa hissed out.

"Hanekawa, if you're causing trouble, you should stop there." Ryuji warned her.

"Stop it. What would a girl only here to work as a translator know?" Jongsoo dissed her, finally fed up.

"Do you want to check my skill with your own eyes?" She scoffed at him, taking off her suit jacket. "I am Hanekawa, Japan's strongest A-rank hunter. You're not going to say that you can't even beat a hunter that's only here for the translating job, right?"

"Ah, really now. Translator lady... you should stop looking down on us." Jongsoo glared at her, his eyes becoming hostile.

Due to the commotion, all of the S-ranks gathered around the A-rankers bickering with each other. In the world of hunters, words don't mean anything, when arguments can be solved in combat.

"Well this is going to be quite interesting." Choi Jong-In snickered to himself.

Go Gunhee was watching the exchange closely, he was ready to step in if things were to get out of hand. But really, in a gym full of S-rankers, two A-ranks brawling would be easily stopped.

Unexpectedly, a pitch black knight stepped out from underneath Gunhee, surprising all of the hunters gathered.

"What the hell is that?!" Hanekawa blurted out, pointing at the knight.

"That's one of Mars' summons?!" Cha Hae-In immediately recognized one of Mars' soldiers.

Wait a second, did that summon just come out from his shadow?

The soldier then began to flicker, the black knight turning gold and red. The intangible shadow became real, shifting into a tall figure in luxurious armor.

"No way..." Yoonho said out loud, his eyes glowing through the dark mist where the knight once was.

Once the shadowy smoke cleared, a lone figure stood there, 6 black wings on his back.

"Hey." The winged man spoke, taking off his helmet, revealing himself as Mars. "Sorry I'm late."

- BONUS -

- Thomas Andre (Scavenger Guild) -

The Goliath was sitting in an empty restaurant, his plates were full of Korean specialties: dumplings, pork belly, barbeque short rib. His secretary Laura, privately booked the establishment for him and Dongsoo, between the two of them they could eat an entire day's worth of food.

"This is good grub!" He spoke with his mouth full, crudely throwing a ball of rice onto his plate with his bare hands.

"Yes. This is one of Seoul's best restaurants, I'm surprised you were able to book it privately." Dongsoo replied, his English has improved a lot.

"Of course, the restaurant had the choice to either close for the day and let Mr. Andre eat or close for the next 6 months because they refused Mr. Andre..." Laura uttered coldly. "They made the right decision."

"Come on, Laura, just call me Thomas!" He licked his fingers, which were covered with sauce. "So tell me, Dongsoo. Did you find your brother's killer?"

"No, apparently the bitch fled the country. But when I find that freak... I'll make sure he suffers tenfold for what he did to my big bro..." Dongsoo spat out. "How did your meeting with that useless geezer go?"

"Hmmm? Would you call him that to his face?" Thomas smirked at Dongsoo. "He was a lot stronger than I remembered, he's National-rank without a doubt... Of course, I would still destroy him if he came at me, but he would make me earn it."

"Pfft. Whatever, let's just get this Mars bastard and get the fuck out." Dongsoo growled out.

"I don't know anymore..." He placed his sunglasses back on, having devoured the food in front of him. "I've got a feeling some serious shit is about to go down here in Seoul."

Thomas remembered the ominous message he received from Norma Selner before he left: Be cautious of Mars Valentino.

He knew to always take what she said seriously, she never missed with her predictions. Thomas suddenly sensed a disturbance in the mana nearby, is it a group of hunters fighting?

"Come on, let's go." He ordered the two members accompanying him out of the country. "There's something interesting happening nearby!"