abcnovels
Chapter 147
Chapter 147
Chapter 147
“Let’s disband and head back.”
“... D-Did we do something wrong?” One of the hunters mustered up the courage to ask, but Hwang Gyeongryong just waved them away instead of answering.
“It has been a while since I’ve come to Jeju Island. I need to go and eat something,” he then told his secretary, who was next to him.
“Would you like to call a pilot?”
“It’s fine.” Hwang Gyeongryong launched himself off the ground with a kick.
Bang!
With the same speed as a fighter jet taking off, Hwang Gyeongryong rose high into the sky. At the same time, several layers of wings made of magic power spread on Hwang Gyeongryong’s back. Magic was activated even though Hwang Gyeongryong didn’t use any!
‘An artifact!’
‘As expected, Dragon Industries is...!’
All the hunters present looked at him with admiration, feeling his greatness as an S-grade hunter. Tricky flying magic was installed into an artifact, making them realize the power of the huge group he led as well! During times like this, they always felt a sense of pride as hunters working under him.
Leaving the gazes of the people aboard the ship behind, Hwang Gyeongryong quickly flew to Jeju Island.
‘Jeju Island is still here.’
Considering there were still vehicles and people rushing all over the place, it seemed that Choi Yeonseung really had killed the monster.
There was a joke between the first-generation hunters.
-If people run toward where the monsters come out, the subjugation has succeeded. If they run away from it, the subjugation has failed.
‘That jerk, seriously...’
Of course, Hwang Gyeongryong knew why Choi Yeonseung contacted him in advance. Choi Yeonseung was still just one person, and he was restricting his constellation powers. Failing to slay the monster could have led to a major disaster. It was far better for Hwang Gyeongryong to needlessly suffer than for people to die. Nevertheless, the nasty feeling didn’t go away.
‘I want a bowl of gukbap.‘
He couldn’t eat comfortably after rising to a higher rank. In the United States, the moment Hwang Gyeongryong went to a restaurant, the paparazzi would immediately take photos of him and write articles about it.
-Dragon Hwang ate pasta... He likely plans to cooperate with the Italian government to hunt monsters...
-Dragon Hwang ate mapo tofu... Is this a sign that he’s increasing the factory facilities on the Chinese side?
‘Crazy bastards.’
Hwang Gyeongryong opened the door of the restaurant while cursing reporters. He didn’t expect he’d be coming to South Korea today, but since he was here already, he decided to at least eat a bowl of gukbap in comfort!
“?”
“......”
Hwang Gyeongryong opened the door and entered, only to freeze. The Iron-Blooded Ice Emperor, Lee Changsik, was moving his spoon in a corner with a lonely expression.
“I’m sorry but you have to go out. Thank you for your understanding,” the Korean hunters escorting Lee Changsik said, failing to recognize Hwang Gyeongryong. A-grade hunters were strategic assets of the country, so agents of other countries and the evil god constellations often targeted them. The escorts acted according to the principle of preparing for any situation.
… It naturally didn’t sound fair to Hwang Gyeongryong, though.
“Don’t touch me. If you do, I’ll crush your head down into your body,” Hwang Gyeongryong said, his voice filled with killing intent.
“......!”
“!!”
The hunters were surprised. Threats like that normally wouldn’t even make them blink, but the killing intent Hwang Gyeongryong’s words contained made them tremble. At that moment, they realized who they were up against.
“Hunter Hwang Gyeongryong?!”
“W-what brings someone as amazing as Hunter Hwang Gyeongryong to this humble place?”
“Gasp...!”
Hwang Gyeongryong clicked his tongue when the hunters panicked. “Does the Korean government kick out good citizens and ban them from entering establishments just because A-grade hunters are inside? Anyway...”
“I-I’m sorry, Hunter Hwang Gyeongryong, but that’s what we have been instructed to do...”
‘America does the same thing...!’
The hunters found it unfair, but they couldn’t do anything about it. They were up against an S-grade hunter, so they had to keep their mouths shut.
“... Stop. It isn’t their fault.”
Lee Changsik got up from his seat, his bowl empty. It seemed he was already done eating.
The air instantly grew heavy when their eyes met.
‘......!’
‘This is going to suffocate me to death!’
One was an S-grade, and the other was A-grade. If they fought, half of Jeju Island would be blown away. The hunters nervously watched them. However, such a fight didn’t happen.
Lee Changsik nodded coldly and walked out. “Please take care of Yeonseung.”
Bang.
“... Who is he to ask me that?”
Hwang Gyeongryong later grew furious, but he couldn’t say anything about it anymore. Lee Changsik had already closed the door and left. Hwang Gyeongryong had too much pride to chase after and shout at him. He paused in the middle of his huffs.
‘Why is he even on Jeju Island?’
***
-It was a good fight, Successor.
The goddess meant it. It was a much smaller battle compared to battles between constellations, but Choi Yeonseung’s fight was still beautiful in its own right. Above all, his Realm Declaration skill surpassed expectations. Had it been the power of another constellation, it would have created an area that was advantageous to the constellation.
However, Choi Yeonseung’s realm didn’t give him advantages. It just guaranteed a fair one-on-one battle by preventing him and his opponent from leaving and blocking anyone from entering!
It put the confidence of Choi Yeonseung as a constellation on display. The spirit of the young constellation brought fresh joy to the Goddess of Defeat and Sloth, who had been alive for so long.
“It was really amazing,” Lee Changuk said, his voice filled with awe. He arrived a little late, but he still got to watch the fight.
“What’s so amazing about a fight where I had to borrow the power of a constellation?”
“Even if you were buffed, you still won mainly using your capabilities as a hunter.”
Lee Changuk meant what he said, and the other hunters present thought the same.
Argo vs Choi Yeonseung.
Despite having received a constellation’s support, Choi Yeonseung was still clearly weaker than the Argo. Choi Yeonseung struck the monster over and over again, but the monster just kept shrugging it off and retaliating. In that precarious fight, one hit could have been enough to end him. However, Choi Yeonseung didn’t seem to care. He danced on the edge of a blade until he eventually defeated the Argo. He repeatedly hit and backed away, making his opponent accumulate damage even though he wasn’t using any special powers or skills. As a result, despite being weaker than the Argo, he still overwhelmed it.
Naturally, the hunters watching the battle were surprised.
“Did you take a photo for proof? If you did, you should post it on social media.”
“... Changuk. You don’t have to teach me these things. I know how to post it as well.”
“Ah. I’m sorry.”
Choi Yeonseung decided to take a photo first and post it later. In truth, he still didn’t have a clue about what to write on social media.
‘I’ll ask Aine later.’
“You all worked hard,” Jeong Wanuk said, having arrived late. He didn’t know what was going on, but he was relieved. The monster was killed before it could do any real damage. From the organizers’ perspective, it was enough to make them puff out their chests.
“I didn’t expect the hunters here could kill it. I salute you all.”
“We didn’t do anything. That man killed it alone,” Antony said while pointing at Choi Yeonseung.
“He killed it... Alone??!” Jeong Wonuk doubted his ears. No matter how experienced Choi Yeonseung was, he was still just a B-grade hunter. How could he kill an A-grade monster by himself?
“It’s thanks to my constellation’s power.”
“Ah...!” Jeong Wonuk became convinced. Even so, Choi Yeonseung still showed amazing skills. Although they could get help from constellations, hunters were still the ones fighting monsters. Not everyone could utilize the powers bestowed upon them properly.
‘Amazing!’
Han Seha poked Jeong Wonuk’s side. She looked so excited that it was as if she was the one who killed the Argo.
“Look. Isn’t he amazing?”
“... Y-yes. I agree.”
“Go and talk to him.”
“What do you mean?”
“You promised. You will sit down and talk to him with me so that I don’t feel awkward,” Han Seha said as if he should already know what she was talking about.
“No... Isn’t it too much to do that now?” Jeong Wonuk looked very troubled. Although the monster had been killed, the area was still in chaos because of the evacuation and reinforcement orders. He would only have free time after he had cleaned up everything. In addition, honestly, Jeong Wonuk didn’t want to be caught between the two of them.
‘I don’t know if I can keep making excuses and getting out of this until the end of the exchange.’
“When will you be free?”
“This case has to be closed first.”
“Will you help me once you’re done?”
“... Of course.”
“If you don’t help me, I will go to the artifact warehouse of Golden Blood Fish and turn everything into powder.”
“......” Jeong Wonuk started sweating.
“What are those two talking about?”
“Who knows? They’re A-grade hunters. They are probably thinking about how to deal with the current situation.”
“That’s cool.”
The hunters at the top of the mountain admired the serious conversation between the two. The hunters didn’t know what they were talking about, but they thought the two A-grade hunters were still cool anyway.
***
Before going down, Choi Yeonseung checked the Argo’s body one last time.
“The staff... Won’t they come up and handle it?” Illeya cocked her head.
“That is true.”
Monster dismantlement. It was easy to forget because of the fancy raid overshadowing it, but it was also an important task. Cutting the bones and skins of monsters with unique structures, separating the useful parts from the useless ones...
The Icarus clan and other large clans all had their own dismantlement experts. Even if Choi Yeonseung didn’t do it, they would come and start dismantling it. But Choi Yeonseung was a first-generation hunter. He was the type to dismantle the monster he had slain with a saw or an axe! The old clans didn’t have money to hire specialists, and even if they did, there were only a few of such people.
Above all, Choi Yeonseung himself was the greatest of all the dismantlement experts. Didn’t he dismantle all types of monsters in the Abyss for over 10,000 years?
“What is he doing?”
“Is he dismantling it… himself?”
“What is wrong with him?”
The hunters at the top of the mountain stared at Choi Yeonseung’s strange behavior. D-grade and E-grade hunters acting like that could be understandable, but B-grade hunters no longer had to attend to such chores themselves. However, the look in their eyes soon changed.
Choi Yeonseung’s skills were so...
Amazing.
“!”
Choi Yeonseung raised his sword and started to dismantle the Argo without hesitation. Its hard, iron-like scales and skin came apart with ease. Usually, dismantling monsters this large was a major task that required all types of equipment and heavy machinery...
Even so, he did it alone and with just one sword. He never stopped or made any mistakes. As if they were possessed, the hunters instinctively took out their smartphones and started filming him.
[The skill ‘Path of Relying on the Heavens’ of the ‘Heaven Reliant Sword’ has restored magic power.]
The Heaven Reliant Sword, which was gifted to him, restored his magic power if it was used according to its will. Choi Yeonseung’s swordsmanship was close to perfection, and the Heaven Reliant Sword was very satisfied with it.
… However, it was currently being used to dismantle a body. The Heaven Reliant Sword turned red and cried out.
The cat constellation, an accomplished blacksmith, interpreted it.
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says it seems very dissatisfied that you are making it do this.]
‘Gyeongryong hyung will be upset if I use the Sword of Goujian.’
He already felt bad for making Hwang Gyeongryong come here for no reason. Hence, he had no choice but to use the relatively formidable Heaven Reliant Sword.
“?”
As Choi Yeonseung dismantled it without hesitation, he found something in the Argo’s head.
‘... Isn’t this a soul stone?’