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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: A Brewing Storm
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The next morning.
While busy getting Seol-i ready for daycare, Kang-jun glanced at the live IV News broadcast.
Beneath the young anchor’s chest, the text “Breaking News: Nation’s Rank 1 S-Class Hunter, Jeong Yun-chan, Returns Safely” scrolled slowly across the screen.
“We have news that Hunter Jeong Yun-chan, the nation’s Rank 1 S-Class hunter who went missing in the Cataclysm-Grade Gate in New Delhi, India, has returned safely.”
The TV screen suddenly switched, now showing Bureau Director Seo Do-cheol at a press conference.
“We at the Bureau have determined that Hunter Jeong Yun-chan is still in need of rest and recuperation. Therefore, we have created an environment at the exclusive Awakener hospital where he can focus solely on his adjustment and recovery…”
A barrage of questions from reporters followed.
“When you say adjustment and recovery, are you implying that he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, like other Gate survivors?”
“Are you still unable to disclose the specific details of Hunter Jeong Yun-chan’s return?”
Bureau Director Seo Do-cheol, seemingly accustomed to such situations, handled the questions skillfully without a hint of panic.
“Fortunately, he is not suffering from any severe aftereffects. We have simply concluded that it is too early to begin a detailed investigation into the circumstances.”
After a brief pause, Seo Do-cheol emphasized his next words, “Furthermore…”
He looked directly into the camera lens and added enunciatedly.
“We at the Bureau are optimistic that Hunter Jeong Yun-chan will be able to return to duty in the near future.”
As soon as he finished, the sound of camera shutters, “Click, click,” filled the air, and flashes of light flickered relentlessly across the screen.
“This concludes the press conference.”
With that curt statement, Bureau Director Seo Do-cheol neatly gathered his documents and promptly left the conference hall.
“Daddyyy-!”
Just then, Seol-i gently tugged on Kang-jun’s sleeve, her cheeks puffed out slightly.
“Ah, sorry.”
Kang-jun murmured softly and began to neatly tie Seol-i’s hair with the rubber band in his hand.
“All done.”
A glance at the clock showed that it was almost time for Seol-i’s daycare bus to arrive.
“Seol-i, let’s go.”
As Kang-jun and Seol-i stepped outside the villa, they were staring at the corner at the entrance of the alley when…
“Pwetty…”
Seol-i murmured, looking up at the cherry blossoms in full, glorious bloom on the trees lining the residential street.
“Cherry blossoms.”
He’d thought the weather had gotten quite warm lately; it seemed the cherry blossom season was already upon them.
“Cherry blossoms…”
Kang-jun muttered under his breath, then asked.
“Want to go see the flowers on Saturday?”
“Weally-?!”
“Yeah, with the whole family.”
At that, Seol-i shouted, “Yay!” and jumped up and down with excitement for a moment.
“Daddy, but when is Satuday?”
Like most children her age, Seol-i had yet to grasp concepts like ‘time’ or ‘days of the week.’
Finding her adorable, Kang-jun smiled faintly and explained in a way she could easily understand.
“Tomorrow. You just have to sleep one more night.”
Seol-i suddenly hugged Kang-jun’s leg tightly, rubbing her cheek against it as she spoke in a voice overflowing with happiness.
“Seol-i likes Daddy the best!”
Meanwhile, Kang-jun couldn’t help but let out an involuntary groan, “Ugh…” reflexively clutching his left chest.
Spring was in full bloom.
And.
This spring, of all springs…
He was seized by a happy, pleasant premonition that this might be remembered as the most beautiful spring in his entire, long life.
At the same time.
Though no one was watching, the anchor on the living room TV continued to report the next piece of news in an urgent voice.
“Th-this just in!”
Her voice grew agitated.
“The World Awakener Association has just officially announced that signs of a Cataclysm-Grade Gate have been detected near Shimane Prefecture, Japan…”
“In response, the Japanese government dispatched a large number of its S-Class hunters for an immediate initial response, but they are reportedly facing difficulties…”
No matter how you looked at it…
Still.
It was a perilous world.
*
In the basement of the Bureau’s Seoul branch building, a large-scale arena facility was set up.
It was originally a space for ‘interpersonal combat training,’ one of the events in the Awakener ranking test.
But now, only the nation’s Rank 1 S-Class hunter, Jeong Yun-chan, stood alone in the center of the arena.
Under the pretext of rehabilitation, he was using the entire vast arena as his personal training ground.
“Kirrrrrk…”
“Kieeeeek…”
Before him stood dozens of high-ranking monsters, including trolls and ogres, rendered by state-of-the-art hologram technology.
*Click…*
He slowly placed his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist, closed his eyes, and began to concentrate.
“Was it all a waste of time…?”
He had come to serve a master whose guidance could only be described as a stroke of fate.
Thanks to him, he had even grasped the ultimate secrets of the sword; he had thought he’d reached a new pinnacle.
However.
It wasn’t long before he was forced to realize just how arrogant and foolish that judgment had been.
“You possess some rather interesting little tricks.”
The words of contempt spoken to him by the boss monster he faced inside the New Delhi Cataclysm-Grade Gate came flooding back.
“No matter how many times you repeat this, the result will be the same.”
It was an insurmountable wall.
“A primitive being like you cannot even hope to touch me.”
He had turned back time again and again.
“Go on, try as many times as you like.”
Despite swinging his sword using every possible ‘variable,’ he couldn’t inflict even a single scratch on Hela’s body.
“Just why…”
He felt like a mere speck of dust floating in the vastness of space.
The days spent in arduous training felt meaningless.
This was something he couldn’t easily accept…
And something he never wanted to accept.
“Just shut up and watch.”
Then, another man’s voice echoed clearly in his mind.
He was the one who had shattered the wall that seemed impossible to overcome.
“Let’s finish this quick.”
The man’s back flickered in his memory.
“I have to go to my daughter’s entrance ceremony.”
Even when everyone else was engulfed in deep despair, he alone had remained perfectly composed.
Immortal.
He was the one his own master, Nazgûl, served as lord, and yet he was a human, no different from himself.
“I, too, will reach it…”
Jeong Yun-chan gripped the hilt of his sword tighter than ever.
Even if it meant walking a tightrope between life and death countless times, it didn't matter…
He wanted to reach a level where he could at least glimpse the distant realm the man had reached.
“I will reach it, no matter what…”
As he finished his words, he drew his sword from its sheath, unleashing a wide, horizontal slash that scattered sword energy in all directions.
*Swoosh. Click.*
After a flawless draw, he flicked off imaginary blood and neatly sheathed his sword.
And then.
The bodies of the holographic trolls and ogres were severed without resistance, dissolving into mere polygons and scattering away.
“Hoo…”
Jeong Yun-chan let out a long breath and looked toward the distant ‘control room,’ shouting loudly.
“Is it possible to generate stronger monsters?”
Just then, the voice of the staff member monitoring his ‘rehabilitation’ from the control room came through the speakers installed throughout the arena.
—I’m very sorry, but with our current technology, the limit of monsters we can generate is still trolls or ogres…
At that, Jeong Yun-chan reluctantly nodded and was about to say, “Then again…” when the voice continued.
—Also, the Bureau Director has just issued an emergency summons for all domestic S-Class hunters, including yourself, Hunter Jeong Yun-chan.
Jeong Yun-chan repeated, “An emergency summons?” and a voice laced with deep anxiety came back through the speaker.
—Signs of a Cataclysm-Grade Gate have reportedly been detected near Oda City in the central part of Shimane Prefecture, Japan, a neighboring country.
Jeong Yun-chan replied immediately.
“Understood.”
Less than a week had passed since his miraculous return after being missing in the New Delhi Cataclysm-Grade Gate.
Yet, he exuded a dignity that perfectly matched the word ‘hero,’ with not a trace of fear to be found.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for responding to this emergency summons, despite having returned from a difficult mission not long ago…”
Bureau Director Seo Do-cheol, who had just entered the conference room, adjusted his suit and looked over the assembled S-Class hunters.
Most of them had been dispatched to the Cataclysm-Grade Gate in New Delhi, India, and had only recently returned to the country.
“First, let’s review the situation.”
The lights in the conference room dimmed, and a projector began to cast a bright light onto the screen at the front.
“My god…”
A video showing the situation in Oda City, Shimane Prefecture, where signs of the Cataclysm-Grade Gate had been detected, began to play.
“This is footage filmed with an action camera by Japan’s Rank 2 S-Class hunter, ‘Minami the Ghost,’ and the hunters from her Demon Slayers Guild, who were the first to be dispatched to the scene.”
The state of Oda City, captured in the video, was nothing short of catastrophic.
Not a single ray of sunlight penetrated the thick, dark clouds that blanketed the sky.
The damage from the storm accompanying the Cataclysm-Grade Gate’s emergence was spreading uncontrollably.
Wooden houses crumbled like sandcastles, and cars on the road were tossed about.
Signs from various shops, and even streetlights, were uprooted and sent flying through the air.
Amidst the chaos, a crack appeared in the sky over the coast, northwest of the residential area.
“Unfortunately, the point of origin for the Cataclysm-Grade Gate is observed to be in the East Sea, between Korea and Japan.”
That meant if they failed to suppress the Gate early, the damage could potentially spread to their own country.
“In fact, a typhoon originating from the sea northwest of Oda City is currently moving north toward the Korean peninsula at high speed.”
“Then…”
“Before we worry about damage from the monsters that will emerge from the Cataclysm-Grade Gate, we must first be concerned about the damage from the typhoon.”
Sighs escaped from around the room.
“What is the response situation?”
At Jeong Yun-chan’s sudden question, the eyes of the hunters in the conference room instantly focused on the Bureau Director at the podium.
“First, it appears the Japanese government has dispatched all of its S-Class hunters and hunters from major guilds to the vicinity of Oda City, but…”
He trailed off before adding.
“They have determined that their current forces are insufficient to successfully suppress the Gate and have requested support from various countries around the world, including our own.”
The people gathered in this room knew the dangers of a Cataclysm-Grade Gate better than anyone.
Although a few hunters seemed to be feigning indifference, indirectly expressing their reluctance to be dispatched again…
“Then we have no time to waste.”
At Yun Hui-su’s abrupt statement, Bureau Director Seo Do-cheol licked his dry lips and asked in a cautious tone.
“It hasn’t been long since you all returned from the subjugation mission. I’m concerned if it’s alright for you to be deployed again so soon…”
Yun Hui-su picked up her sword from the table and replied in her characteristically blunt tone, “It’s fine.”
“I’ve never particularly feared death, but after what happened recently, I find I have no choice but to wait for it.”
Jeong Yun-chan also chimed in.
“This seems like a fitting venue for my official return. I, too, wish to participate in the suppression of this Cataclysm-Grade Gate.”
Next was Go Du-yeol.
“A man’s life is a straight path forward.”
Kang Seong-hyeon added his support.
“I’ll join as well.”
Just as the majority of the assembled S-Class hunters were declaring their intent to participate, one by one…
“Just a moment…”
Bureau Director Seo Do-cheol suddenly took out a vibrating smartphone from the inner pocket of his suit jacket and answered the call.
“Japan’s Rank 2 S-Class hunter, ‘Minami the Ghost,’ who was first dispatched to the scene, and all the hunters of her Demon Slayers Guild…”
The Bureau Director trailed off, then asked the person on the other end of the line with a look of utter disbelief.
“Are you saying they were annihilated?”
Inside the Cataclysm-Grade Gate.
A man in human form, clad in ornate armor, sat comfortably cross-legged atop the head of a giant snake.
The snake he was riding had, astonishingly, a total of eight heads.
The man occupied the central head, his cold gaze fixed on the scene unfolding before him.
“How dull.”
At the man’s waist was a finely crafted sword, with the characters for ‘Ame-no-Habakiri’ meticulously engraved on it.
“Devour them.”
With those words, the man leaped down from the snake’s head where he had been sitting.
The eight-headed snake began to devour the corpses of the humans who had just been fighting its master.
They were the hunters of the Demon Slayers Guild, led by Japan’s Rank 2 S-Class hunter, Minami the Ghost.
“P-please, spare me…”
The man began to stride purposefully toward ‘Minami the Ghost,’ the only one still breathing.
“I’ll ask you one thing.”
Trembling, Minami the Ghost looked up at the unknown being who had slaughtered all her comrades with a single sword strike and answered weakly.
“A-anything…”
He then asked.
“Where is ■■■?”
She shook her head rapidly from side to side, as if to say she didn’t know.
“I will personally spare you and send you on your way. You must find ■■■ and deliver this message.”
Finishing his words, he grabbed her by the hair, forced her to her feet, and added.
“That this great one, Susanoo, a god of the Great Constellation Takamagahara, has descended to mete out divine punishment upon the one who dared to insult my mother.”
Then he added again.
“Go.”
With a single nod, Minami the Ghost, her face pale with terror, scrambled toward the Gate’s exit.
At the same time.
Having put Seol-i on the daycare bus and returned home, Kang-jun looked at the gloomy weather visible through the veranda window and said.
“Huh, the weather…”
They were supposed to go see the flowers tomorrow.
“It suddenly turned gloomy.”
Just then, Kang-jun’s gaze shifted to the TV screen, which was broadcasting breaking news.
“The Japanese government has now officially declared the full manifestation of a Cataclysm-Grade Gate in the sea northwest of Oda City, Shimane Prefecture.”
“They have announced that Japan’s Rank 2 S-Class hunter, ‘Minami the Ghost,’ and the hunters of her Demon Slayers Guild, who were on-site, have been deployed for suppression…”
“To minimize damage, the Japanese government has evacuated all civilians and has taken measures to completely restrict access to the area…”
“Furthermore, the worsening weather, including the typhoon that originated in the East Sea, is presumed to be an aftereffect of this Gate’s emergence…”
“In response, the government has announced that the typhoon is rapidly moving north toward the ‘Korean Peninsula’ and has already passed Busan…”
“As significant damage is expected, they have made a major announcement urging the public to refrain from going outside as much as possible until the Gate is suppressed…”
Kang-jun scratched his head.
“Ha, damn it…”
The memory of his daughter hugging his leg tightly, her face lit up with a bright smile at the promise of seeing the flowers on the weekend, made his heart stir.
“We have to go see the flowers…”
Kang-jun began to pick up the tracksuit top he had carelessly tossed on the sofa and put it back on.
“This is a pain.”
It seemed that for the sake of the weekend flower viewing…
“Still, it would be a problem if the typhoon knocked all the petals off the trees, so I guess I have no choice…”
It looked like he had somewhere to be for a little while.
