๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐: ๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐
Choi Sung-il, Lee Ye-ji, Kim Eun-ju went out to find their other colleagues who had been scattered by Balok.
It was a moment when the pride of the Korean rankers hit rock bottom, but it was all luck that they were able to escape like this.
If Felix hadn’t shown up, they might have ended up like Gi Il-yeon.
No, they would have all died.
Dozens of Hunters moved aimlessly after the S-Rank.
“I never knew an S-Rank Gate would be like this.”
“Me neither. Nothing matches the reports from other countries. Except for the demon Balok. . . .”
Kim Eun-ju interrupted Lee Ye-ji’s sigh.
She didnโt know that they would be this helpless.
She was a Hunter ranked among the top in Korea.
Choi Sung-il, who had been watching from the side, comforted them.
โYou donโt have to blame yourself too much. Isnโt it just that your abilities donโt match this opponent?โ
“But Hunter Choi Sung-il. . . it’s true that we were scared.”
Lee Ye-ji felt great remorse as a leader for being scared and not fighting properly.
If she had fought more actively.
Then maybe fewer people would have died.
“That’s true, Hunter Lee Ye-ji. But it can’t be helped considering Balok from the myths.”
Choi Sung-il’s words made Lee Ye-ji and Kim Eun-ju look confused.
Well, there weren’t many rankers who were free enough to read useless books.
Choi Sung-il gave a brief explanation of Balok, emphasizing the most important part.
“. . . It’s a being that fought and defeated even dragons. Furthermore, it’s said that just hearing Balok’s roar can make even great beings lose their minds. No matter how strong it is, it’s an ancient demon.”
โJust listening to you makes me think that itโs not an existence that humans can fight against.โ
Kim Eun-ju replied with a very discouraged voice.
If Balok’s existence was really that strong, there was nothing they could do.
“It was discovered in America too. . . but the discovery is actually based on a dead body, not a confirmation of Balok. No one has ever seen it, let alone subdued it.”
Whenever Kim Eun-ju recalled the existence of Balok, the expression ‘on a different level’ kept coming to mind.
Even with two S+ Hunters, they couldn’t deal any proper damage. Rather,
‘๐๐ ๐๐ก-๐ฎ๐๐ค๐ฃ. . . ๐ฅ๐ค๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐.’
The Guild Leader of the promising [Limitless] had her shoulder torn off and one of her arms ripped off by Balok.
The healers quickly intervened, but all they could do was dress the wound, stitch it up, and freeze the cut surface.
She would need to quickly go outside the Gate and meet a high priest of the ใAgape Orderใ or buy an expensive potion that was worth its weight in gold.
“I definitely don’t think it’s a being that humans can handle. The fact that there are demons is already a pain, and the existence of a demon is not very welcome.”
“Even so. . . we should clean it up, right?”
“. . . . . . .”
“We are Korean rankers, after all.”
Choi Sung-il and Kim Eun-ju nodded at Lee Ye-ji’s words.
It’s not that they weren’t prepared to die.
They just wanted to risk their lives when they could really fight back.
Not a death where they would be killed by themselves and become the bastard’s plaything, but a ‘death’ where they would chew on even one of the bastard’s eyeballs and die.
“Let’s have the Hunters rest here for now since it’s tiring, and let’s just split up and search a little further?”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
The Hunters who followed examined their wounds and relaxed for a moment.
A few Hunters volunteered to assist Choi Sung-il, Lee Ye-ji, and Kim Eun-ju, and they scattered in different directions to search for the Hunters.
Unbeknownst to them, a man’s gaze was watching them over the hill.
โI found it.โ
๐ท๐ท๐ท๐ท๐ท๐ท
Siwoo’s body shot towards his opponent like a bullet.
From the very handle of Balmung he gripped, magic power radiated, emitting a brilliant blue sword energy.
ใฦาฝ, ฦีดเน, ีฐีดษพษพแง ษีฒีช sาฝษษพฯฒีฐ!!ใ
Balok flapped its wings, sending sharp, blade-like magic flying.
Dozens of pitch-black lumps flashed towards Siwoo.
Siwoo swung Balmung down in a diagonal line.
A huge wave of magic that devoured space surged forward like a deep blue wave.
Kuooooooooo!!
The sharp lumps of magic tried to pierce through the wave and reach Siwoo, but the majestic aura of Balmung didn’t allow it.
As the magic advanced as if to sweep away the evil being, Balok leaped into the air and once again caused a sonic boom as it fell.
A deafening roar ripped through the atmosphere.
Kakahahahaha!!
The incredible supersonic world that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye unfolded again,
[Song of Iron: Shield of God]
Instinctively, the deployed skill tried to block the front.
However,
ใ กใ กใ กใ กใ ก Too ใ กใ กใ กใ ก Kua ใ กใ กใ กใ กใ ก Ang!!
Balok crushed the shield and embedded Siwoo’s body, shooting him forward in a straight line.
A beam of light leaving a streak like a shooting star.
At that very moment.
Balok used Siwoo’s body as a shield and crashed through the ground with a loud noise, digging dozens of meters before finally stopping.
Kugugugug. . . .
Two bloody figures wriggled amidst the thick dust and dirt.
Balok gathered the flesh that had fallen all around.
Just when its body was about to be completed,
[Takemikazuchi: Root of Lightning]
The darkness underground was devoured as a dazzling flash of lightning emerged with a tingling sensation.
ใฦษพาฝีดฦ, ฦีดเน. . .?ใ
Paใ ก Jiใ ก Jiใ ก Jiใ ก!!
Balok’s body burned to a crisp black cinder.
Twitch.
From the pile of burnt ash, a lump of flesh gathered magic and swelled up like a dividing cell.
Once it had taken on some form, the sharp lightning once again dug into the flesh and burned it.
Every time Balok’s flesh tried to regenerate, a strong current ran through its body.
ใฦาฝ, ฦีดเน. . .!!ใ
Balok, who had first manifested a mouth, vocal cords, and lungs, growled in a voice full of anger, but Siwoo didn’t stop.
Deep beneath the dug-up ground, the smell of something burning occasionally wafted up.
“Whew.”
Siwoo emerged from the ground covered in blood.
This was because his whole body was almost torn apart from the shock of being dragged to the ground by Balok.
โI almost died if I wasnโt a Healer.โ
If he didnโt have the ability to regenerate, he would have died with his upper body blown apart the moment he collided with Balok.
Even Siwoo hadn’t fought for his life like this in a long time.
Still, the fact that it wasn’t over yet meant that his opponent’s abilities were that great.
“Who are you?”
In an instant, a sword was pointed at Siwoo’s neck along with a rough voice.
It was Do Kyung-hoo, of Brawler, who emitted an aura of murderous intent without restraint.
“Identify yourself.”
Do Kyung-hoo was searching for his scattered party a short distance away.
Then, when he heard a tremendous shock, he thought his comrades might be facing Balok again, so he rushed over here.
When he arrived, he couldn’t help but be taken aback.
Balok, whose wicked magic had grown even stronger, no longer seemed like something humans could handle.
However. . . .
A man was fighting Balok on equal terms.
No, he was even slightly overpowering Balok.
The speed of the demon descending to the ground while causing a sonic boom could be called despair, but surprisingly, the man blocked it with a ‘sword.’
Do Kyung-hoo, Korea’s best swordsman, the Sword Demon.
This was the first moment he felt ashamed of the words describing him.
Could he have achieved that speed?
From the side, at that speed, he wouldn’t have been able to see it properly from the front.
‘๐๐๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ช๐ฎ!’
Do Kyung-hoo pointed his sword at the man’s neck without hiding his worry and doubt.
“You have the German relic Balmung too. Who are you?”
“This old geezer has gotten old but his eyes have gotten worse.”
“Old geezer. . . .”
Do Kyung-hoo gasped.
There was only one person in this world who could call him that.
The man cast water magic and splashed it on his own bloody face.
Do Kyung-hoo burst into a hollow laugh at the sight of his bare face with the blood wiped away.
“Min Siwoo. . . this damn bastard!”
Then he hugged Siwoo tightly.
He was the most trustworthy and needed person in this situation.
Siwoo was taken aback by Do Kyung-hoo’s actions.
‘๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฃ’๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง, ๐ฌ๐๐จ ๐๐?’
Do Kyung-hoo smiled broadly with his unkempt beard.
“I heard you were abroad, but you came quickly.”
โI couldnโt really rest easy. Itโs not satisfying to have so few people blocking an S-Rank Gate.โ
“Hahaha. You’re the only one who can say that in front of me.”
ใ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง? ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก ๐ก๐’๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง. ๐๐จ๐ง’๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ ๐ซ๐ข๐๐!ใ
“What is this?”
“You can ignore it. He’s an idiot.”
As they exchanged such a happy reunion, Do Kyung-hoo’s party arrived late.
“Hy. . . huh?!”
Min Si-joon called out with a mix of joy and bewilderment.
โWhat the. The two of you were together?โ
โI ended up getting separated with your younger brother. The Hunters behind you are also quite great.โ
“Master!!”
At that moment, one of the Hunters behind him approached Siwoo and shouted.
“Ha-min is here too.”
Chu Ha-min of [White Lion] nodded his head in greeting.
“I heard you were in America, so how did you get here so quickly?”
“I jumped through space.”
“Huh??”
ใ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐๐ข๐จ๐ญ๐ฌ. ๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ค๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ก๐จ๐๐จ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐.ใ
Pre clicked his tongue and fanned Min Si-joon and Chu Ha-min with his wings.
“But who is that?”
Siwoo asked, pointing at the woman standing behind him and looking this way.
“Ah. . . let me introduce you. This is Gi Il-yeon. She’s the current Guild Leader of [Limitless Guild].”
“She’s Choi Dae-soo’s successor?”
The first Guild Leader of [Limitless Guild] was Choi Dae-soo, the current president.
Once a great mountain range along with the [Brawler Guild], Guild Leader Choi Dae-soo entered politics and appointed Gi Il-yeon as his successor.
“She’s the successor, but you could say she has almost no personal connection with him. She was chosen solely for her abilities.”
Gi Il-yeon stared at Siwoo with a face that was half-dazed due to her severed arm.
She was also pale from excessive bleeding, and it was obvious that she had used up a lot of magic fighting Balok.
“And this is. . . Min Siwoo. He’s the older brother of the Guild Leader of [Empire], and he’s my and Choi Dae-soo’s old rival.”
“What?!”
“What???”
The Hunters gathered around gasped in surprise at Do Kyung-hoo’s unexpected statement.
There was no name ‘Min Siwoo’ among the current rankers, and he seemed too young to be called a rival.
“It’s complicated to explain you.”
“Why are you explaining? And you’re making things more complicated because of you.”
“Hahaha, sorry.”
However, Siwoo’s attitude towards Do Kyung-hoo was enough to surprise the people once again.
He was talking informally to the second-ranked Hunter in Korea. . . .
“Where is that severed arm?”
“Ohใ ก Now that you mention it, that’s perfect timing.”
“???”
Gi Il-yeon frowned as she listened to the conversation between Siwoo and Do Kyung-hoo.
Who the hell is this suspicious man, and why is he looking for my arm?
“Gi Il-yeon, don’t make that face. You’re the one who got the biggest luck in this Gate.”
Gi Il-yeon tried to reply with her mask down.
However, Siwoo covered her mouth with his hand.
“???”
“Are you a spellbinder? Keep your mouth shut and stay still because your magic power is being consumed.”
“Hyung, I brought the arm here!”
The people who were waiting and the healers gathered around Siwoo.
Siwoo first melted her frozen arm.
Then he attached the cut surface together and resumed the chant.
Hundreds of letters and shapes were haphazardly carved into the huge circle, and soon it began to shine with a golden light along with vast magic power.
Kuuuuuuuuใ ก Ung!!
A brilliant flash of light enveloped Gi Il-yeon’s body, instantly repairing and regenerating her body.