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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Aldebaran
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“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah-!”
Inside the 'Arena' on the first basement floor of the Bureau's Seoul Branch, a roar so fierce it felt like it would sweep the entire venue away echoed through the air.
- Hunter Kim Bong-gu, the Filial Son, has taken control of the match in a completely unexpected fashion, showing us a dominant performance that instantly overwhelmed his opponent!
- Among all the Hunters who took the combat evaluation test today, he has achieved the tremendous feat of scoring the fastest KO victory!
- After a series of outstanding performances in recent months, one can only say he has fully demonstrated why he is the most anticipated rookie Hunter....
- Hunter Kim Bong-gu's opponent, Hunter Lee Ho-yeon, is also known as a C-rank rookie who has received recruitment offers from several prestigious guilds!
- It seems the fatal mistake was not anticipating that Kim Bong-gu, a magic-type Awakener, would engage in close-quarters combat with such aggressive movements....
Snapped back to reality by the commentators' words, a mix of awe and excitement, Bong-gu stared blankly at his opponent, who lay collapsed in the middle of the arena stage, foaming at the mouth.
*What just happened...?*
Just a few seconds after the combat evaluation began, Bong-gu had succeeded in knocking out his opponent with a single blow.
As soon as the whistle signaling the start of the test blew, the other Hunter had charged in like a hawk, unleashing a flurry of threatening attacks....
After dodging a few of the opponent's attacks, he channeled a current of mana into the wooden sword in his hand, electrocuting him, and then planted a fist on his chin.
That was all it took.
The moment the punch landed on his jaw, the opponent's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed forward limply, like a machine with a blown fuse.
*Is this the effect of my training?*
Perhaps thanks to his consistent hand-to-hand combat training against monsters, he had been able to effectively strike the precise pressure point.
Furthermore, his opponent's movements had seemed endlessly slow, as if in 'slow motion.'
It was to the point where he felt the Black and White Twin Fiend brothers, his sparring partners for the last fortnight, would have been faster even if they were hopping on one foot.
- Hunter Kim Bong-gu, the Filial Son, also recorded an outstanding, near-perfect score on the privately held physical and written theory exams today....
- And now with this spectacular victory in the combat evaluation, it seems we can consider his promotion to 'B-rank' to be all but confirmed!
Still looking dazed, Bong-gu bowed deeply and politely to the audience several times....
Then, he began to slowly scan the front rows of the stands, trying to find where his brother and the Elder were sitting.
The companions of the Hunters taking the test were usually assigned seats in the very front row, so they had to be here somewhere....
*Huh? Why can't I see them?*
Just as Bong-gu was looking around, an announcement suddenly started blaring from the speakers throughout the venue.
- Atten- atten- attention, distinguished guests. We have received information that 'signs of a terrorist attack' have been discovered inside and outside the building, and a full-scale investigation has been launched....
The sudden announcement instantly threw the arena's atmosphere into disarray.
There are currently several high-rank Hunters stationed in the venue, so we ask our distinguished guests not to panic and to proceed swiftly to the building lobby, following the guidance of the on-site staff....
- We repeat the announcement. We have received information that signs of a terrorist attack have been discovered inside and outside the building and a full-scale investigation has been launched. We ask our distinguished guests to....
Despite the broadcast announcing a critical situation, Bong-gu remained standing in place with a blank expression, taking in the scene of the arena, which had now descended into utter chaos.
“What the hell are you dawdling for!”
“Move, get out of the way!”
“Please, let the children out first!”
Fear and a sense of crisis quickly turned into a desire for survival, and that desire, in turn, transformed into selfishness and anger.
Soon, everyone in the venue was creating a chaotic scene devoid of any order.
People pushed and shoved each other to get out even a second sooner, shamelessly spewing vile curses....
The cries and whimpers of frightened children squeezed through the gaps in the noise, buzzing ceaselessly in his ears.
“This is no time to be standing around....”
He might not be of much help, but wasn't he a Hunter who had sworn an oath to contribute to the safety and public good of all people?
*I have to help the other Hunters.*
Having barely gathered his wits and reached a conclusion, Bong-gu hurriedly made his way toward the building lobby, the designated evacuation area....
“Huh?”
Amidst this urgent situation, a thought suddenly flashed through Bong-gu's mind.
*What if the reason my brother and the Elder left their seats was because they sensed the signs of a terrorist attack?*
*What if they noticed the dangerous atmosphere and moved quickly to take action....*
“Everything will be alright....”
Calming his pounding heart, Bong-gu continued walking toward the building lobby.
At that very moment.
The first-floor lobby of the Bureau's Seoul Branch was already packed with a massive crowd.
Looking utterly exhausted and panting for breath, 'Ice Witch Seol Eun-bin' turned around and shouted.
“Everyone, stand back!”
Then, focusing her mind once more, she began to channel her magic, and dozens of massive 'ice spears' materialized behind her.
“Please....”
Murmuring to herself in desperation, she thrust both her hands toward the lobby's main entrance.
The dozens of ice spears floating behind her shot through the air like arrows.
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwang-!
The aftermath of her spell shook the ground and kicked up a thick cloud of dust that completely enveloped the area, but....
“Dammit...!”
With every ragged breath she took, her slender shoulders heaved violently up and down.
She had squeezed out nearly all of her mana in an attempt to break the barrier that had completely sealed the building's entrance.
But, unfortunately, the barrier was far more durable than expected, and in the end, she hadn't managed to put even a single crack in the imposing structure.
“Why won't it break-!”
Divine Spear Kang Ju-won placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke in a deliberately calm tone.
“We have a duty to remain composed. As you well know, negative emotions like fear are contagious.”
He then glanced sideways, subtly indicating the crowd standing behind her with faces full of despair.
“But what are we supposed to do now....”
With a serious expression, Divine Spear Kang Ju-won paused for a moment, assembling his scattered thoughts.
“Seeing as they've completely sealed the building's entrance, they must be planning something inside. The most immediate guess would be a 'wide-area magic terror attack'....”
At his words, Seol Eun-bin's expression began to harden.
“If that's really what this is....”
Divine Spear Kang Ju-won replied grimly.
“It will undoubtedly lead to countless casualties.”
It was a barrier so tough and sturdy that even Seol Eun-bin, an S-rank Hunter, couldn't scratch it despite using magic until her mana was depleted.
If a mage capable of casting a barrier of this level were to cast a wide-area attack spell....
Seol Eun-bin shuddered at the thought of the outcome, as if not wanting to even imagine it, and spoke again.
“Then...?”
Divine Spear Kang Ju-won answered in a very serious tone.
“Now that we know this barrier is beyond our capabilities, I think our priority should be to search the inside of the building thoroughly.”
He then added.
“First, let's gather all the junior Hunters and have them assist with the civilian evacuation, while we search every nook and cranny of the building.”
The Warlock was certain of the forbidden spell's success.
“Good....”
Although he had sensed someone attempting to break his barrier, that was all it amounted to.
It seemed they had ultimately accepted their inability to do anything and given up trying to breach it.
*Incompetent fools.*
No doubt those fools were now frantically combing through the building, desperate to find them.
Hadn't they given up, unable to even break the barrier surrounding the entire building?
Around the machine room, which he had chosen as the location for the spell's activation, he had cast a barrier several times more durable, so they would be completely helpless.
“Kekekek....”
Meanwhile, the mages, driven by the sole purpose of activating the forbidden spell, maintained extreme concentration and continued their incantation.
For the forbidden spell to activate, all twelve 'runes' embroidered along the edge of the massive magic circle had to be filled with a brilliant light.
And now, the 'tenth rune' was blinking rapidly, as if about to light up at any moment.
“A little, just a little more....”
The mages, who were concentrating on the chant to activate the forbidden spell, also realized they were nearing the end and focused even harder.
Soon, a vast amount of mana began to swirl around the giant magic circle, blowing back their hoods and whipping their hair about.
Shwaaaaaaaaaa-!
The eleventh rune lit up, and as the twelfth began to flash erratically, a glint of madness shone in his eyes.
“All of you, become living sacrifices for the holy return of our god!”
Just as the forbidden spell's activation was moments away.
Kreeeeak....
The tightly shut door to the machine room swung wide open....
“Huh...?”
Bright light began to pour into the dark space.
“Hey, what are you guys doing with the lights off?”
Though he couldn't make out their faces due to the backlight, the Warlock noticed that the intruders were just two people: a young man and an old man.
“Lackeys of the Bureau, are you....”
He added, a smirk curling his lips.
“You're too late.”
Then, the young man spoke again.
“I felt a mana vibration reeking of a familiar stench....”
It was Kang-jun.
“So you were casting that forbidden spell he was so fond of.”
At those words, the Warlock furrowed his brow and asked back.
“How in the world did you know it was a forbidden spell....”
Kang-jun continued speaking in a voice laced with anger, slowly closing the distance with deliberate, unhurried steps....
Crabslie, too, followed behind Kang-jun with an unusually grave expression, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.
“I, too, have started my share of wars and conquered numerous dimensions....”
*Step, step.*
“But at least I was never insane enough to kill innocent people as casually as 'he' did.”
As the two men closed in, their bodies made contact with the Warlock's barrier, causing thick sparks to fly....
Chijik, chijijik-!
But as if unhindered by any such barrier, they passed through it smoothly, without the slightest resistance, and stepped into the machine room.
“H-how did you pass the barrier....”
At that moment, an immense amount of mana erupted from Kang-jun's body, beginning to rage violently like a typhoon.
It was a sinister mana, reminiscent of the deep darkness that might exist at the edge of the abyss.
The sinister mana emanating from Kang-jun finally interfered with the forbidden spell, which had been on the verge of activation.
The light held within the runes on the magic circle began to flicker all at once, before finally dying out one by one.
“I'll ask just one thing before I kill you.”
Kang-jun surveyed them all before speaking.
“Aldebaran.”
He then continued in a chillingly cold tone.
“Where is that pathetic rat hiding now?”
The name of the one who had paid the price for daring to rebel against him, losing his throne, his domain, his people, his power, and furthermore....
The title of 'King of the Dead' itself, before fleeing into the pitch-black darkness of the Abyss.
Aldebaran.
The moment that name was mentioned, the Warlock's pupils began to tremble violently from side to side.
*Aldebaran.*
It was because a conversation he'd had not long ago with the 'Leader' of the alliance suddenly flashed through his mind.
*'This is the sacred and noble true name of the god we must serve with all our hearts, He who is called the deposed King of the Dead....'*
