Deep into the night. Jin-Woo climbed to the top of a tall hill and sat down comfortably. The forest lay spread out below him under the bright moonlight. His shadow soldiers, granted their freedom, could be seen passing the time doing whatever they pleased. Among them, the gargantuan Kaisel and the dragons were particularly eye-catching. The dragons were deep in conversation with Kaisel, all wearing serious expressions, when they started discussing something among themselves, and before long, the largest one stepped forward.
'What are those guys up to?'
The shadow soldiers gathered around the four of them were all scattering at once, which made it seem like something unusual was about to happen. Sure enough, the dragon soon spewed fire toward the sky. Kraaaah! Kaisel let out an amused huff at the sight of the flame's thickness and took a step forward. Kuuuuu! An enormous pillar of fire erupted from his mouth, surging upward and lighting up the dark night sky. The High Orcs let out whistles and cheers as the dragon slumped its shoulders and walked away. It seemed they'd made a wager over whose firepower was stronger. But then.
'Doesn't holding the Orb of Greed while making that kind of bet count as cheating?'
Kaisel, who seemed to know he was in the wrong, tried to quietly stuff the Orb of Greed he'd been clutching back inside his chest, only to lock eyes with Jin-Woo. He scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward smile. Jin-Woo burst out laughing at Kaisel's brazenness, then waved a hand to tell him not to worry about it. Kaisel grinned broadly and bowed to Jin-Woo several times. A peaceful scene. But Jin-Woo's heart was not as calm as the expression on his face.
'...'
Jin-Woo tilted his head back toward the sky. He could feel the otherworldly beings gradually approaching this land. Their malice. Their power. His maximized senses tingled and stung. Although right now it was still at the level of seeing something faint approaching through a thick fog.
'At any moment, their approach could become tangible and manifest.'
The inescapable truth that he would have to fight them weighed on his mind. Lost in thought for a moment, Jin-Woo raised his head. Something caught his attention, and he looked more closely—the ant soldiers were busily hauling pieces of wood and boulders.
'...What are they doing now?'
Before Jin-Woo could call Beru over to ask, a voice came from behind him.
"It seems they would like to build a small quarters for you, my Lord, so that you can rest comfortably while staying here."
A soft voice that didn't match his large frame. It was the Supreme Commander, Bellion. Without even turning around, Jin-Woo nodded.
"Commander Beru."
If there was one Legion Commander who would carry out an order he hadn't even been given this quickly and eagerly, it was Beru. Igrit, on the other hand, tended to execute what he was told to perfection, and Bellion was... well, there was still a lot he didn't know about Bellion. The strong bond connecting Bellion to him right now belonged to the previous Shadow Monarch, Ashborn. Jin-Woo wanted to learn more about it. Perhaps that feeling had reached him—Bellion silently approached and stood behind Jin-Woo.
"My Lord. Why do you not summon the soldiers back into the shadows?"
Jin-Woo answered without taking his eyes off the soldiers.
"I figured they'd be restless. They'd been cooped up in that dimensional rift the whole time before we arrived here." "..."
Seemingly caught off guard by the answer, Bellion fell silent for a while. So Jin-Woo spoke up.
"Are you not saddened by the fact that you can no longer meet the previous Shadow Monarch... Ashborn?"
What it felt like to lose someone precious—Jin-Woo had painfully realized this just days ago while looking at his father. Bellion's feelings could not be any different. He could understand the sense of loss Bellion must be feeling.
"I stood by his side even when he rose up against the Absolute Being. When he obtained the power of death, I was the first to volunteer to become his soldier."
Bellion continued in a calm, even tone.
"I spent an eternity at his side assisting him, yet I never once doubted his judgment." "That's not what I asked."
Jin-Woo pointedly clarified what he had actually asked. After wrestling with how to answer, Bellion finally opened up.
"I have never considered my own feelings." "That's exactly why I gave you the chance. To think about it." "..."
A long, heavy silence. In that silent answer, Jin-Woo could feel Bellion's sincerity. Not a word was spoken, yet it was enough. Only then did Jin-Woo turn his head to look back at Bellion.
"I'd like to hear the story between you and Ashborn. Can you tell me?" "It may be a very long story." "That's perfect. I actually need a very long story to kill time until my eyelids start getting heavy."
Jin-Woo turned his gaze forward again, and Bellion quietly sat down beside him.
"It was back when I was still a fruit of the World Tree." "A fruit? You were a fruit?" "The soldiers of the heavens are all born as fruit on the branches of the World Tree. A boundlessly enormous tree that can cover the entire sky with its branches." "Wow..."
As the story began on a scale unlike anything else, Jin-Woo became absorbed, and the night deepened further.
* * *
Before sunrise. At a time when the darkness had not yet lifted, Jin-Woo jogged slowly through the forest. A ten-kilometer run had long since become a habit. Even knowing that the Daily Quest no longer came, his body moved on its own. Inhaling the refreshing dawn forest air and exhaling it fully, Jin-Woo had nearly finished organizing his thoughts.
'...It's time to go back.'
He needed to let people know about the existence of the eight armies, whose arrival date was uncertain. He had to warn them that a real war was imminent. He couldn't promise that everyone would be safe. He couldn't promise that the world would remain as it had been. That was how great the power of the Dragon Emperor had been in the memories of the Shadow Monarch he'd seen. The Dragon Emperor and the Legion of Destruction that followed him had reduced everything before them to ashes. Those were the enemies that now had their sights set on Earth. So. It was time, not just for himself, but for everyone to brace themselves. When the distance reached exactly ten kilometers—even without the System telling him—Jin-Woo stopped running. A habit etched into his body from the Daily Quest he'd rarely missed a single day of. But what was etched into him wasn't just a habit. He had learned from countless battles. He had gained overwhelming power. The gift the Shadow Monarch—who had longed for rest—had left behind at the end was now being repurposed under the name of opportunity. Jin-Woo turned toward the direction where the sunlight was beginning to fall. The morning sun was rising over the distant mountain ridgeline.
* * *
Now able to use Shadow Exchange freely, Jin-Woo teleported into the Ah-Jin Guild building. He didn't go straight into the office out of consideration for his employees' heart health, which was how he ended up bumping into a woman leaving the office. Unfamiliar, but a face he felt he'd seen somewhere. The woman seemed to feel the same way, because as she was about to walk past, she suddenly turned back and spoke to him.
"Excuse me, but..." "...?"
When Jin-Woo stared at her, she looked startled, muttered that it was nothing, and quickly hurried away.
'What a bland woman.'
Jin-Woo stepped into the Ah-Jin Guild office.
"Huh?" "Huh?"
The employees' eyes went wide as if they'd seen something unbelievable, and they froze on the spot.
'I should have at least said good morning before walking in.'
What was the point of making a dramatic entrance through the front door instead of just teleporting inside, if this was the result? Before Jin-Woo could even scold them for the looks on their faces while the guild master was visiting the guild office, Yoo Jin-Ho came bounding out with a bright smile.
"Hyung-nim!"
Before they could exchange pleasantries, Jin-Woo asked the question that had been on his mind.
"Who was the woman who just left?"
She looked awfully familiar. He didn't even need to add that explanation—Yoo Jin-Ho's answer explained everything.
"Oh, that's my older sister, Hyung-nim. I kept avoiding her calls, so she came all the way here. But did she perhaps say something rude to you, Hyung-nim?" "No, nothing like that."
No wonder she looked so much like someone—it was Jin-Ho's family. Jin-Woo glanced back toward the office door and nodded, then asked another question.
"Why was she here?" "Ah..."
After hesitating, Yoo Jin-Ho glanced at Jin-Woo's expression before speaking.
"Before the massive Gate opened, I was right by your side, wasn't I, Hyung-nim?" "You were." "It seems that was caught on camera, Hyung-nim."
Jin-Woo had a rough idea of what must have happened.
"Since he's vice president of the Ah-Jin Guild now, the family wants him to hand in his Hunter license and step back from anything dangerous."
Just as he'd suspected. Since Jin-Woo, the Master, was a Hunter, there was no reason for Yoo Jin-Ho, the vice Master, to remain a Hunter as well. There was clearly merit to the family's argument. But knowing what Yoo Jin-Ho was thinking, Jin-Woo didn't bother trying to persuade him.
'He wants to stay by my side as a Hunter, from beginning to end.'
Although Jin-Woo had shouldered most of the hardships, he felt a swell of fondness for Yoo Jin-Ho, who had weathered life and death alongside him. He reached out and ruffled Yoo Jin-Ho's hair.
"Hyu—Hyung-nim?"
Leaving the flustered Yoo Jin-Ho behind, Jin-Woo went into the representative's office, changed out of the clothes he'd been wearing for days into fresh ones, and came back out.
"I'm borrowing the car." "Huh? Should I drive, Hyung-nim?" "No. I'll be right back." "Where are you going, Hyung-nim?" "The Hunter's Association."
Yoo Jin-Ho hurriedly tried to stop him from taking the keys, but.
"Huh? Hyung-nim, there are reporters outside..."
Before he could finish saying that they'd set up camp and it would be a hassle to get through, Jin-Woo walked right out of the office. Sure enough, reporters hungry for a scoop were waiting outside the building with gaunt faces, having given up sleep and food like zombies. Given how long they'd been waiting, the reporters' reaction upon spotting Jin-Woo was nothing short of explosive.
"Mr. Sung! It's Mr. Sung!" "Hunter Sung Jin-Woo has appeared!" "Cameras rolling?"
But their voices didn't continue.
"Huh?" "Wha—what?"
They looked down at the ground with confused eyes, unable to comprehend what had just happened to them, then quickly looked around. Only then did they realize. Their feet—and everyone else's—were hovering more than ten centimeters above the ground.
"What on earth...?"
Fortunately, this highly suspicious act of levitation didn't last long.
"Hah!"
The reporters all landed on the floor at the same time. But Jin-Woo had already vanished. The reporters exchanged bewildered glances and then let out bitter laughs.
"Ha..." "Well, then."
There was nothing to say. They had one more line to add to their articles about Hunter Sung Jin-Woo.
* * *
Jin-Woo drove the "Bongo" straight to the Hunter's Association. President Woo Jin-Chul and his staff had been notified and were already waiting outside. They came into view as Jin-Woo approached. But then.
'...What's this?'
Woo Jin-Chul's expression was unusual. The staff beside him were the same. Getting out of the car, Jin-Woo was approached in a hurry by Woo Jin-Chul, who steadied his trembling voice and asked.
"Mr. Sung... Have you heard the breaking news?"