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Chapter 139: The Desert’s Sun Pt. 4
Chapter 139: The Desert’s Sun Pt. 4
Chapter 139: The Desert’s Sun Pt. 4
The current state of Cairo could only be said to be appalling.
Although it had been safe from the explosion of the black sun, one of its most sacred pyramids had collapsed, and the traces of the Hunters’ battle had turned the city into a ruin.
Cairo had turned into a restricted area, and the citizens of Egypt were at a loss as to how it had happened.
–Hunters: Is it really okay to leave them like this?
The entire world had been shaken.
The existence of the Hunters had always been a concern in the worldview, but nothing this severe had ever happened.
Hunters had fought openly in a capital, and the Association had sat on its hands. The power that the Hunters had unleashed was beyond imagination.
The whole world was appalled.
–The Ever-Increasing Hunters. The Day the Ordinary Person Loses Their Right to Stand Tall is Fast Approaching.
There were quite a few articles accurately reporting on this issue, but the Hunters stayed silent.
Suddenly, the articles stopped appearing in the public eye—the secret organizations had made their move.
Holding on tightly to governments, media, businesses, and even the Hunter Associations in each country, the secret organizations quickly moved to erase any story that mentioned the Hunters.
However, as the situation had already gotten to where it was, the people were already sharing the relevant information among themselves.
–You never know. Regular people like us really may end up being kicked out of our own land.
The general public chatted about what had happened in Egypt whenever they gathered.
To think that a fierce battle, one that had gotten to a point where part of a nation’s capital had completely disappeared altogether, had happened before their very eyes.
The more shocking part was that it wasn’t a battle against monsters or even a gate.
This was a battle between humans.
The public realized they might not be able to stop the Hunters anymore. No, they were slowly realizing that the Hunters were already unstoppable.
–Disaster in Cairo, Egypt.
–Could This Actually Be the Influence of the Gates?
The world media had eventually wrapped up the mess in Egypt by blaming it as the aftermath of a gate, but it was already too late.
Egypt’s affairs spread like wildfire.
Set.
The devastation had happened because of the atrocities of a Hero and Hunter that people had already feared.
Then, soon, the narrative turned elsewhere.
–Set. Who Was the One to Stop Him?
Among the following topics, people were most interested in exactly who had been the one to hold Set at bay.
After all, this was a Miraculous Hero who had held back the man who had raged and destroyed the capital.
–Korea’s Underdog. He intervenes once again.
The Underdog’s name circulated once again.
***
"How are you feeling?"
"I’m fine."
Won-Hwa was speechless at Lee Jun-Kyeong’s response.
Simply put, Lee Jun-Kyeong’s condition had been quite grave.
He had absorbed an incredible force while treating Horus from Madness.
Moreover, combining that with having to endure the sudden sponsorship of <The Desert’s Sun>, Lee Jun-Kyeong’s body had been like that of a torn changhoji.
His body had been so fragile that it could have disintegrated just from a gust of wind, but it had somehow returned to normal.
“Wait, you’re right,” Won-Hwa responded incredulously.
Lee Jun-Kyeong’s twisted and torn veins had returned to their original shape, and quite frankly, they seemed to be even stronger than before.
“You really…”
Won-Hwa shook his head as he thought back to what Jeong In-Chang had said–that he would have to get used to it.
“You really are a monster.”
Lee Jun-Kyeong smiled bitterly.
They were in a hotel outside of Cairo. Both the pyramid, which had been the home of the Nile, and the accommodation that they had originally been staying in had been destroyed by the battle with Set.
The Hunters of the Nile had said that they would return to stay at the Association or their original homes. However, Lee Jun-Kyeong was someone who was drawing the attention of the entire world, so he couldn’t stay in the middle of the capital.
‘I’ll be there soon.’
Lee Jun-Kyeong looked out of the window as he recalled the message Yeo Seong-Gu had sent a few days ago.
They were in a hotel on the outskirts of Cairo, but they could still see the capital through a window.
It was something he had done with Set.
‘That’s my doing…’
A disaster.
There was a vast hole in the capital of a country.
It was a disaster that could only be said to have been a complete and total devastation.
Fortunately, when Set had rebelled, there had been no ordinary people in the vicinity due to the swift handling of evacuation by the Nile. Thus, they had been able to avoid having any ordinary people die pointlessly.
“Mr. Lee!”
Another companion of Lee Jun-Kyeong, Jeong In-Chang, opened the door and came in.
“It’s all just crazy!” he said, shaking a newspaper he had gotten from who knows where that was written in Korean.
“Everyone’s raving about Underdog this, Underdog that! Mr. Lee, right now, you’re…!”
His face was red as if he was riled up as he shouted excitedly.
“You’re at the top of the ‘Do you know’ club!”
“The ‘Do you know’ club…?” murmured Won-Hwa. He had learned Korean through Merlin’s Necklace, so he tilted his head as if he couldn’t understand what Jeong In-Chang meant.
Flap.
Leaving Jeong In-Chang to talk his nonsense behind him, Lee Jun-Kyeong stole his newspaper.
He couldn’t find a single line regarding any articles about Hunters that had been filling the newspaper just days before.
Instead, all that filled the newspapers was information about himself.
“Are you saying you’re going to shift their gazes…”
The secret organizations had tried to wrap up the devastation as an influence of a gate, but failing to do so, it seemed as though they had decided to rile people up using the name of the Underdog.
Lee Jun-Kyeong understood it.
He was the right scapegoat to turn the people’s attention away.
Moreover, it was something that helped Lee Jun-Kyeong as well.
[<The Sky of the Apocalypse> is satisfied by your impressive reputation.]
Lee Jun-Kyeong had yet to receive the title that represented a Hero. But now, he was finally seeing the possibility of receiving one from <The Sky of the Apocalypse>. This was something that he had originally not been able to even estimate when he would reach that point.
‘The Demon King…’
The Demon King was often referred to as The Demon King instead of his given title, and he also had <The Sky of the Apocalypse> as his Sponsor.
Lee Jun-Kyeong thought that he would most likely inherit the Demon King’s title.
‘I don’t know what the Demon King’s title was though.’
In fact, no one knew what it was.
Even Lee Jun-Kyeong, who had the book of the Demon King, which was basically equivalent to the Demon King’s autobiography, didn’t know the Demon King’s title.
“It looks like the public has been very surprised,” Jeong In-Chang suddenly said.
Once Lee Jun-Kyeong finished reading the newspaper and put it down, he saw a different side to Jeong In-Chang. He smiled because he could see the Hunter showing a little bit of seriousness.
"I suppose so."
“This is probably their first time seeing the power of Hunters in person…”
There had been no video of the battle of Egypt, but videos portraying the aftermath, which resembled the crash site of a meteorite, were quickly spreading.
“Still, it isn’t like just anyone could do something like this…” Jeong In-Chang muttered.
Although the Hunter was making excuses about the reaction, downplaying it by saying that not just any Hunter could cause such devastation, Lee Jun-Kyeong was satisfied with how the situation was unfolding.
“This actually is a much better result than I expected,” he said.
Not only had his own reputation risen so much, but in fact, the world also needed to know what was coming anyway.
He added, “People should be wary of Hunters. The articles that appeared in the beginning weren’t just nonsense or speculation.”
Things would become like the things that the articles had described. Hunters would dominate the public, and ordinary people would be reduced to livestock.
They had to be vigilant.
Someday.
'Hunters will rule the world.'
The Hunters would have overwhelming power, and it was a power that transcended the control of money or authority.
Moreover, that money and authority already belonged to the Hunters in the first place.
‘One day, ordinary people won’t have any avenues of competitiveness.’
When that time comes, it would be an era of culling and domination.
Only if they were wary of it from this point could they possibly change anything in the future.
“I…”
Lee Jun-Kyeong spoke to himself as he looked down at the newspaper he had placed down.
“Did I fail?”
He wasn’t talking about his eventual goal.
He was referring to the reason why he had come to Egypt.
Lee Jun-Kyeong was wondering if he had failed in trying to eliminate the variables to stop the present from continuing to change and preventing the future from shifting.
After the battle with Set, Lee Jun-Kyeong had some time to think.
‘This was a ridiculous goal in the first place.’
His actions of trying to come to Egypt for the sake of eliminating a variable were meaningless.
The act of trying to remove a variable was a variable in and of itself.
Lee Jun-Kyeong realized he had been stuck in trying to keep the timeline together. He had been fearful of Park Yu-Jin’s trip to Olympus happening earlier than expected and the constantly changing present, which made him unable to think properly.
However, the results of that change had been as satisfactory as the impact was big.
"May I ask you one question?" Jeong In-Chang asked Lee Jun-Kyeong.
Lee Jun-Kyeong replied, enjoying the Hunter’s genuinely curious voice, “Depends on what you want to ask me.”
Knock, knock.
Almost scarily, as soon as Lee Jun-Kyeong finished talking, someone knocked at the door.
"Mr. Underdog."
A guest has arrived.
Squeak.
“Mr. Inebu.”
It was Inebu, a Nile Hunter with whom they had become a little closer to.
He spoke to Lee Jun-Kyeong with a slightly serious smile.
"Will you come with me?"
***
They hadn’t met with Horus yet after the battle with Set. Although Lee Jun-Kyeong’s condition had been serious for some time, it still wasn’t as bad as Horus’.
His was a body damaged from being sealed for a long time, combined with the sudden absorption of Madness and a harrowing battle.
Moreover, Horus had also been wounded countless times by Set.
The Hunter needed immediate treatment and had been in recuperation for the past few days.
‘The new…’
Moreover, there was something else as well. The right to be the Pharaoh of the Nile.
“...”
Inebu’s expression as he walked forward wasn’t good. It was inevitable as he was someone who belonged to the Nile.
The Nile’s home base had already collapsed, and many members of the Nile, which had originally boasted a large body, had died.
Moreover, there was him as well.
‘Set.’
There was a reason no one had been able to restrain him, even though they all had inklings that he would one day rebel.
He had been one of the representative Heroes of the Nile.
He, his men, the Jackals, even…
[A Skull that Contains Souls is absorbing Anubis’ soul.]
[Absorption rate 31%.]
Anubis.
Most of the hunters who could be said to be strong in the Nile were now dead. At a time when special gates were still actively appearing, they had suffered indelible wounds.
"The Nile is grateful to you, Mr. Underdog," Inebu said to Lee Jun-Kyeong while continuing to walk forward.
They had arrived at the Egyptian Association, where the Nile was temporarily residing.
Bow.
People bowed their heads whenever they saw Lee Jun-Kyeong.
It was the same as what Inebu had told him.
They were grateful to him, full of respect on one hand.
‘Could it be fear?’
But, they also seemed to be showing fear.
As those who had seen his fierce battle with Set, their reaction was natural in some ways, as they had seen strength wholly outside their level.
In addition, some of them were even staring at Lee Jun-Kyeong and his party with a light in their eyes that made the party flustered.
"Mr. Underdog...”
Inebu began to explain further to Lee Jun-Kyeong as if he had noticed the party’s discomfort.
“Even though you’re not one of us, as you have received the glory of Ra…”
Before the Hunters had ever appeared, even before the gates had appeared, even before mana had appeared, the glory of Ra was something that had always existed.
The Egyptians were a people who believed in it, regardless of whether it was all a delusion or reality. Furthermore, they believed that anyone who had received the glory of Ra deserved to be the pharaoh of Egypt.
“That’s why, once again, the right of Kingship has…”
"I am not interested in the throne of Egypt,” Lee Jun-Kyeong said firmly as if ending the discussion on the subject.
"I don't want to cause any trouble." Lee Jun-Kyeong's voice was full of sincerity. “Moreover, the glory or Ra or whatever you call it will disappear soon.”
A subtle golden aura still enveloped Lee Jun-Kyeong’s body.
<The Desert’s Sun>.
[<The Sky of the Apocalypse> frowns at the light of the sun.]
[<The Desert’s Sun> is flustered.]
His sponsorship hadn’t faded just yet, but <The Sky of the Apocalypse>, who hadn’t shown much reaction during his battle with Set, was slowly beginning to complain.
Anyways, due to the nature of <The Desert’s Sun>, it would be impossible for it to even support multiple sponsorships.
Moreover, if it was this bastard, Lee Jun-Kyeong already knew that it was only natural for it to choose Horus.
There was no reason for it to fight with the tough bastard named <The Sky of the Apocalypse> just to sponsor him.
Inebu responded with all of his heart after hearing Lee Jun-Kyeong speak, “I’m sorry this had to even be brought up… but thank you.”
Step.
The Hunter stopped.
They had reached a crudely made shelter in an annex of the Egyptian Association.
Compared to the pyramids, which had been the home of the Nile, it was a shabby place.
“I’m sorry to introduce myself so belatedly.”
There was Horus, still wrapped in bandages all over. He seemed to be better than before, but the flow of his mana was still not consistent, and his movements still seemed quite uncomfortable.
Inebu hurriedly aided him up.
"I owe you my life. Not only did you save the Nile, but you also saved me…”
He came straight to the point without saying much.
"You are a benefactor of Egypt."
His eyes were visible through the bandages, and the red gem in his forehead continued to spew light.
Around him, the Hunters began to gather.
“...”
Isis, his mother.
Bastet and Numek, who had aided him.
Thoth and Sekhmet, who were the representatives of Memphis and Hermopolis.
The Heroes who had survived with the Nile stood next to Horus and stared back at Lee Jun-Kyeong.
"Egypt is determined to grant you anything you may desire,” Horus continued. “Thus, speak with ease. Whatever you may want…”
Lee Jun-Kyeong chuckled inside. He had only just come to talk about a few things, so he couldn’t believe they were treating him like this out of the blue.
‘It seems they really are grateful.’
The corner of Lee Jun-Kyeong’s lips curled up into a smirk as he opened his mouth to speak.
“I…”
Somewhere along the line, Lee Jun-Kyeong’s smirk disappeared.
“I want you all to change.”
With it, his heavy voice rang through the hall.
1. A Korean paper door. It is often used in older houses.
2. This is a reference to the meme turned pseudo ranking of Korea, popularized by the video in which a Korean man asked, “Do you know Psy? Do you know Gangnam Style?” to an American on the street. It’s comparable to being trending on Twitter.