The entire street was filled with an atmosphere of mourning. It was something someone had to do, yet no one wanted to step forward. The position of the inaugural Chairman of the Hunter's Association was exactly that kind of role. Chairman Ko Gun-Hee. When a figure was needed who could rally powerful Hunters together, he didn't hesitate to wrap up his thriving business and roll up his sleeves. Under Chairman Ko Gun-Hee's leadership, the Korean Hunter's Association had accomplished many things. It regulated and protected Hunters while also taking the lead in compensating victims of magic beasts and quietly supporting the bereaved families of Hunters. At the memorial ceremony honoring him, victims who had received the chairman's help gathered and wept openly. Citizens packed the streets with no room to stand, keeping their candles lit late into the night as they grieved together. Broadcasting stations also suspended regular programming and aired videos documenting the late chairman's life. On the city's large electronic billboards, footage of Chairman Ko Gun-Hee delivering a sharp rebuke to Assemblyman Nam Joon-Wook during the hearing played on repeat.
[I'd advise you to think carefully about whose hands will be protecting your life the next time an S-rank Gate opens on this land. No amount of money—hundreds or thousands of times what you paid for your house—will be able to buy your life.]
The traffic light changed, but the pedestrians didn't move. The frozen citizens couldn't tear their eyes away from the billboards or their phones. An interview video of the doctor who had served as Chairman Ko Gun-Hee's personal physician for many years also aired.
[When Hunter Sung Jin-Woo was fighting the ants in Jeju Island, the chairman said to me as we watched the broadcast together. He said his lifelong wish had been fulfilled, and that he could close his eyes with no regrets. But I never thought he would actually leave us like this...]
The doctor, whose eyes had already reddened before the interview even began, finally broke down in tears. Viewers fell silent as they recalled Chairman Ko Gun-Hee's tearful appearance in front of the families of victims after the ant extermination operations all ended in failure. Just as there were many who respected Chairman Ko Gun-Hee, there were no small number of those who envied him. But. Even those people mourned Chairman Ko Gun-Hee with the same heart today.
Late at night. Jin-Woo stood at the top of the 100-story supertall skyscraper "Daeseong Tower." A fierce wind blew ruthlessly at his dizzying position, but Jin-Woo's posture didn't waver in the slightest. Jin-Woo looked down below. Seoul, brimming with the fervor of mourning, spread out before his eyes. On the large billboards, a documentary covering Chairman Ko Gun-Hee's life was still playing.
'...'
Jin-Woo's sharp gaze swept across the city like a hawk searching for prey. The shadow soldiers, who had once carried out a similar command before, combed through Seoul far more skillfully than last time. A torrent of information flowed into Jin-Woo's mind. But the information he wanted wasn't there. No matter where he searched in the city, he couldn't find a trace of that old bastard White Fang.
'So this approach won't work after all.'
Jin-Woo knew perfectly well that this method was inefficient for catching a magic beast that could freely cross between spaces through Gates. That was why, just before the creature fled, Jin-Woo had tried to attach a shadow soldier to it for easier tracking. But it had failed. The one thing that should have existed if the creature was real—it had no shadow.
'It's an spiritual entity.'
The King of Giants had told him that both Monarchs and Rulers were composed of spiritual bodies and therefore could not become shadow soldiers. By that same logic, if a Monarch didn't generate a shadow, then Jin-Woo's most excellent tracking method was effectively cut off. However.
'...It doesn't matter.'
The King of Giants had warned that once the Monarchs learned of Jin-Woo's existence, they wouldn't just stand by and watch. They would come searching for this place again before long. This time not for Chairman Ko Gun-Hee, but for Jin-Woo himself. Of course, when that time came... murderous intent spread outward from Jin-Woo. Ever since he'd survived the Double Dungeon and gained the System's abilities, Jin-Woo had never let an enemy slip away. The only one who had escaped was that one "Ice Elf." Whether the target was a magic beast or a human, Jin-Woo had always seen his enemies through to the very end. He had absolutely no intention of making an exception for that creature. But.
'Huh...?'
Wait a moment. While running through the enemies he had fought so far in his mind, Jin-Woo noticed something odd. Now that he thought about it.
'Did a System message pop up when I fought Hwang Dongsuk or Thomas?'
The System would warn him with a message and issue an Emergency Quest whenever there was someone nearby with murderous intent. Hwang Dongsuk, Kang Taesik, and Kim Chul. There had been no exceptions. Even Koto Ryuji, who for just a brief moment during their sparring match had put genuine intent behind his attack—there had been a warning message then too.
'But there was no message for Hwang Dongsuk, who tried to avenge his brother, or Thomas, who had threatened to kill me?'
Strange. No matter how he thought about it, it didn't add up. After pondering for a moment, Jin-Woo took out his phone to verify the facts. Fortunately, he had the contact number his manager had given him. It was 1 AM now. Considering the time difference with the US East Coast, it wouldn't be rude. Trilling. Just as Jin-Woo predicted, the other party answered before even a few rings had sounded.
-Mr. Sung, I didn't expect you to be the one to contact me first?
Thomas spoke in a slightly surprised voice, as if caught off guard.
"There's something I want to ask." -You? To me? Anything. I'll answer honestly within the bounds of what I know. "That day, when we fought..." -...When we fought? "Did you really attack me with the intent to kill?" -I thought we'd settled that matter between us.
To Thomas, who clearly didn't want to recall that day's events, Jin-Woo explained it was simply curiosity. What was there to hide? After a brief hesitation, Thomas gave an honest answer.
-Truth is, when I get angry, I tend to lose sight of everything else... At that time, I really did think I was going to kill you.
As expected. The murderous intent Thomas had harbored that day was no lie. And yet the System had stayed silent. Clearly.
'Something has changed.'
A hypothesis that had begun as suspicion was gradually transforming into conviction.
-Mr. Sung?
Perhaps uncomfortable with the silence that followed his answer, Thomas tried to change the subject with an energetic tone.
-Let's put aside that gloomy talk. I've prepared something absolutely fantastic for you—
Click. Jin-Woo wasn't in the mood for banter with Thomas, so he hung up with a brief greeting. Thomas's answer had made it certain. Now the System no longer reacted to enemies with murderous intent the way it used to. Compared to the early System that had forced him to protect himself, this was a major change.
'This isn't something to take lightly.'
At first, when he'd seen the coercive Quest threatening to stop his heart if he didn't kill the enemy, Jin-Woo had vaguely guessed at the System's purpose.
-Perhaps the System is trying to move me according to its own desired method.
That was what he had theorized. But now, the fact that Emergency Quests no longer appeared could mean that purpose had changed. Thanks to that, his range of choices had expanded, and he had been able to spare Thomas, who had shown him his fangs.
'If an Emergency Quest had appeared, that would never have been possible.'
A wider range of choices was undoubtedly welcome news, but at the same time, he was curious about the cause. Was this also connected to the fact that the original owners of power had betrayed the Monarchs? Or had killing the architects twisted their plans at the root? Jin-Woo shook his head at the chain of speculation and hypotheses that kept piling up.
'Let me clear my head.'
Right now, he needed to solidify his objectives. Kill the old bastard White Fang. And extract information about the Monarchs from him. It would be fine if the creature came looking for him first, and even if it targeted other Hunters, Jin-Woo was setting more traps. As long as it got caught. He could resolve both objectives in one fell swoop. The problem was time. Since he didn't know when the Monarchs would appear, he had to prepare for battles against powerful enemies until then. Fortunately, he had set up a place where he could steadily earn experience points. Japan. Still not fully recovered from the damage inflicted by the giants, Japan currently had vast stretches of abandoned land. While Jin-Woo had been in the United States, numerous Gates had triggered Dungeon Breaks, and magic beasts had settled into those areas and were expanding their territories. To the Japanese, those magic beasts were objects of terror. But to Jin-Woo, they were simply nutritious prey. One by one. The thought of pushing out the magic beasts that had claimed each piece of land and leveling up made his heart race in anticipation. Just then, his phone buzzed briefly, alerting him to an incoming message. When he checked, it was an email from Thomas.
_Mr. Sung, could you give me another call? There's still something I want to say...
They say the ground hardens after rain, and it seemed Thomas wanted to maintain their connection in the wake of their fight. Naturally, Jin-Woo welcomed it. He wasn't so socially inept that he'd refuse an outstretched hand without reason. But conversations could happen anytime. He liked that Thomas held no grudges, but it was too late for small talk. Jin-Woo fired back a quick reply.
_Okay. But later. Something suddenly came up.
Sent. A smile crept across Jin-Woo's face.
'Nothing has changed.'
He would steadily level up for the days ahead. It was the same as the beginning and the same as now.
'Good.'
As Jin-Woo descended from Daeseong Tower, his steps were lighter than ever, his mood noticeably better than when he had climbed up.
* * *
But. Jin-Woo wasn't the only one preparing for battle. The Monarch of Frost, who had retreated to his hideaway, summoned all the Monarchs who had descended. Three men and one woman appeared inside the frozen cave. Before the four kings, the Monarch of Frost spoke.
[The Shadow Monarch is here.]
The Monarch of Frost explained to them what he had seen and heard.
[...] [...]
The chilling atmosphere among the Monarchs, who hadn't flinched at the cave's freezing cold that could freeze flesh and blood, grew even colder.
[Weren't we told that there was no vessel capable of containing his power?]
Wasn't that the very reason the Emperor of Dragons couldn't remain on the surface? But the Monarch of Frost shook his head.
[I saw it with my own eyes. He was real.]
Two other Monarchs who had already felt the Shadow Monarch's power on Jeju Island also sided with the Monarch of Frost. In the frigid atmosphere, the Monarch of Frost spoke.
[He is a far greater threat than the fragments of Brilliance. Let me eliminate him. Will you help me?]
But even with that request, the other Monarchs' responses were cold. And understandably so. The target was one of the nine kings who ruled Chaos, counted among the most powerful of them all. Fighting him meant courting death. So they could only be cautious. One Monarch spoke.
[Why not wait for the Emperor of Dragons instead?]
The Monarch of Ruin. He would surely be able to execute the traitor. But the Monarch of Frost bared his teeth.
[Even if we are fugitives at the moment, we are all kings of armies. How long do you expect us to keep waiting for the Emperor of Dragons?]
The dagger embedded in his shoulder. That wasn't just an ordinary wound—it was a blow to his pride. The Monarch of Frost owed the Shadow Monarch a debt.
[If we are to eliminate him, the chance is now while he is still human. Lend me your strength. I will take responsibility and send him back to nothingness.]
But despite his iron resolve, one of the Monarchs stepped back.
[Count me out.]
And another Monarch invoked the precedent of Varan, the Demon King who had fought the Shadow Monarch, and disappeared.
[Same here. I'd rather not end up like the Monarch of White Flames.] [...Cowards.]
The Monarch of Frost clicked his tongue at the two who vanished. Of the five kings, three remained. The muscular giant asked the Monarch of Frost.
[What proof do you have that he's still human?]
The Monarch of Frost, as if he'd been waiting for the question, presented the dagger that had been lodged in his shoulder. The blade was gleaming an eerie green.
[He coated the dagger in poison.]
Manticore venom. It was useless against Monarchs, but for an ordinary inhabitant of Chaos, even a touch would cause festering wounds—a lethal toxin. Jin-Woo had applied the poison to his own dagger in anticipation of a future moment when it might prove useful. It was a meticulous and cunning act, but it was clearly not the Shadow Monarch's style. This was definitive proof that the one moving him right now was human. The Monarch of Frost asked the remaining two Monarchs politely.
[Will you stand with me?]
The Shadow Monarch, still merely human, was his equal in power. So if two more Monarchs joined his side, he was certain they could overwhelm the Shadow Monarch. After exchanging glances and deliberating briefly, the two Monarchs eventually nodded.
[We'll help you.] [We'll kill the Shadow Monarch.]
The Monarch of Frost curled his lips upward, vowing to teach true fear to that wretched human who had planted a dagger in his shoulder.