"It" appeared suddenly. One day in late April, already looming close to May, a call came through to an emergency response center in the United States.
-Oh, I'm a traveler crossing the desert.
Travelers getting lost was nothing unusual. The operator assumed this was just another distress call from some poor soul wandering the middle of the desert and asked:
"Have you been stranded?" -No, that's not it. "Then is something wrong?" -No, no. I'm not calling because something's wrong with me. I'm calling to report what I've seen.
The operator prepared to transfer the call to the emergency dispatch center, staying as calm as possible so as not to panic the caller.
"Is it urgent? Shall we send someone your way?" -Urgent... I suppose you could say that? Honestly, I'm not sure how to even explain this.
The caller's voice, sounding like he was hesitating a great deal, prompted the operator to verify the caller's identity. Judging by his occupation as a university professor, his family background, and his call history, he didn't seem like the type to make a prank call for fun.
"Sir. You need to explain what's happening so we can respond appropriately." -..."Can you explain it to me slowly?"
After that, the operator heard the sound of breathing being steadied on the other end of the line.
-Something is cracking. There are a lot of fissures.
What building could collapse in a desert? The operator tilted his head and asked again.
"Where exactly are you saying these fissures are?" -Well, that's the thing...
After a long moment of hesitation, the voice burst out, as if the caller himself couldn't believe what he'd seen.
-The sky... the sky is breaking!
* * *
April. While all students were busy during this time, Jin-Woo—facing midterms and the track-and-field competition—was particularly swamped. Jin-Ah brought him some Korean melon to help him study late into the night.
"Oppa, Mom told you to eat this and keep at it."
Jin-Woo, who had been concentrating under the desk lamp, looked up.
"How about Dad?" "Dad has another night shift starting this week."
Jin-Woo took the plate with neatly arranged slices of melon and nodded. Then he quickly snatched the ponytail of his sister, who was quietly trying to sneak out of the room.
"Stop." "Eek!"
Jin-Woo asked his wide-eyed sister as she turned around.
"Why are the seeds missing from the middle ones?" "I-I don't know..." "You should at least take the melon seed off your lip before you answer." "Tch."
The sight of his sister's indignant face after being caught made Jin-Woo burst out laughing. He plucked the seed from the corner of her lip with his thumb and made a mock-angry face.
"If I catch you scooping out the insides of the melon just one more time, I'll make you eat only the hard parts of the melon all day instead of rice." "Aww... fine."
Jin-Woo patted the head of his pouting sister as she turned away and saw her out. Jin-Ah was currently in sixth grade of elementary school. Having already watched her grow up once before, Jin-Woo found everything his little sister did simply adorable, no matter what it was. Crunch. Jin-Woo took a bite of the melon and turned his eyes back to his workbook. That's when Igrit, who was perpetually worried about his lord's academic performance, sent his usual advice.
[My lord, you shouldn't approach question number 24 that way...] 'Going to check the answer key?' [I'll think about it a little more, my lord.] '...'
It was nice that he cared so much about his master, though.
'Well, at least I'm not bored while studying...'
Crunch. As the problems in the workbook dwindled, so did the melon. Tick, tick. How much time had passed? Suddenly. Jin-Woo, sensing a chill, raised his head.
'What is that? Where is it?'
He shot up from his seat and closed his eyes, focusing his mind toward the direction where he'd sensed the disturbance. ...It wasn't a mistake. The worst-case scenario flashed through his mind, and his expression hardened.
'That business card I received before...'
Jin-Woo rummaged through his school uniform pocket and pulled out a business card he'd stowed inside. It was the one the Rulers' envoy had left behind. He dialed the number, and the call connected almost immediately.
-It's been a while, Shadow Monarch.
As the envoy began greeting him in a warm tone, Jin-Woo, devoid of emotion, stated the location of a place. Then he added one more thing.
"Was this your doing?"
Startled by the unusual atmosphere, the envoy answered quickly.
-What do you mean... Give me a moment to check. "..."
The brief silence was broken by the flustered voice of the envoy.
-It wasn't us. We only just learned of this ourselves from the Monarch's call. As you're no doubt aware, our means of travel are different from theirs.
As expected. It seemed the worst-case scenario wasn't the case after all. But that didn't mean the situation itself had improved.
'Someone—or someones—are coming to Earth.'
Whether they harbored goodwill or hostility was impossible to know at this point. The only option was to prepare for every possible contingency without ruling anything out. Jin-Woo, lost in thought with the phone still in his hand, spoke.
"Would you come find me?"
At Jin-Woo's words that there was something he wanted to discuss in person, the envoy answered as though he'd been waiting.
-I'll come see you tomorrow without fail.
* * *
The location was decided to be the same cafe where he'd first met Yoo Jin-Ho privately. Jin-Woo arrived right on time and spotted the envoy waiting for him in a corner of the cafe. He slipped inside and sat down soundlessly across from him. Only when Jin-Woo came into view did the envoy realize he'd arrived, and he offered a courteous bow. Given the circumstances, Jin-Woo got straight to the point.
"These things coming this way... do you have any idea what they are?" "They're outsiders who once set foot in our world. Chased out by the Army of Heaven, they've apparently redirected their course here." "Why come here?" "They're a giant species that feeds on the rock of planets where living things can exist. In their world, they're called the 'Giants.' Their reason for coming to Earth is obvious."
Jin-Woo leaned back in his chair and nodded.
"So not friends, then." "Correct."
Now that he knew their purpose, the course of action was decided. But there was still one question left unresolved.
"This never happened before you used the Cup of Reincarnation."
In Jin-Woo's memory, there had been Gates and monsters, but never any alien species that devoured planets. The envoy, who had initially been reluctant to answer, admitted it freely.
"Yes, that's correct. In fact, the time I mentioned recently already referred to a timeline that has since vanished." "The enemies who were originally targeting your world diverted their course to Earth?" "Yes."
The envoy glanced at Jin-Woo as he spoke. Jin-Woo understood the reason immediately.
"I'm the cause." "They traced the presence of a Monarch with immense power... At least, that's what the Rulers believe."
Just as a traveler on a sea of darkness might follow a lighthouse's beam, the Giants had traced the Shadow Monarch's tremendous power to find this tiny planet. Jin-Woo's power—an existence that should not have been—and the influence it could still exert on this world. The very concern the Rulers had worried about had now surfaced. But the Rulers, who considered themselves deeply indebted to Jin-Woo, had no intention of simply watching Earth's crisis unfold. The envoy made that clear.
"The Rulers have dispatched the Army of Heaven."
Jin-Woo shook his head.
"No. That'll be too late."
Even if they opened a Gate connecting their side to this one, it would take a minimum of several years. By then, everything would probably already be over. So.
"I'll handle it."
The enemies would be stopped by me and my soldiers. They were foes the Army of Heaven had already repelled once—Jin-Woo was confident he could handle them too. The envoy swallowed dryly at the heavy, imposing voice of the Shadow Monarch. No power in existence would want someone like this as an enemy. The envoy felt sorry for those "Giants." But then—if the purpose wasn't to call for reinforcements, why had this meeting been arranged? As if peering into the envoy's thoughts, Jin-Woo spoke.
"That thing you asked me about before... I think it's time I gave you my answer." "Ah. You mean about that."
The Rulers' proposal to provide a place where the Shadow Monarch's immense power would have no effect. It seemed this incident had helped him make his decision. Seeing the resolve in Jin-Woo's expression, the envoy nodded.
"Your will is clear, Monarch. Then once this matter is settled..." "I'll be staying here." "...Excuse me?"
The envoy's eyes widened at the completely unexpected decision. But Jin-Woo wore a faint smile and spoke calmly.
"After all, I want to live here."
He wanted to spend whatever time he had left in this world—this world filled with family, friends, and people he wanted to see. Meeting Woo Jin-Cheol, the president of the Hunter's Association—no, the detective he'd since become—had made him realize that for certain.
'Getting invited out to meals all the time is a bit annoying, I'll admit.'
But he was a good man. That young detective who'd been dragged along with him probably wore such a happy expression for the same reason. I want to be with them too, Jin-Woo thought. He wanted to be tucked among them, laughing together. The envoy, watching Jin-Woo's smile, laughed sheepishly.
"To be honest... staying here had gotten a bit boring. This is a relief. Now I can return to our world."
One year. Short by some measures, long by others. His mission—remaining on this land and waiting for the Shadow Monarch's decision—was over. Judging from the Monarch's expression, there was no chance whatsoever that his decision would be reversed.
"Then..."
The envoy rose from his seat with a look of relief. He then bowed—not to Jin-Woo, but to the supreme hero who had ended the war between two worlds.
"Please take care of this world."
* * *
Jin-Woo, rummaging through his wardrobe, scratched the side of his head.
'This is a problem...'
He couldn't find a single piece of clothing that could hide his face. Of course. The hoodies and caps he'd worn to cover the scars on his face from his days as a low-rank Hunter wouldn't still be around. With no other choice, Jin-Woo fashioned the clothes he wanted. The black smoke wrapping around his body thickened like liquid, then transformed into a hooded jacket he used to enjoy wearing. He pulled the hood low and stood before the mirror in his room.
'It's been a while since I wore this...'
Seeing his former self brought a wave of nostalgia. Soon, the lips peeking out from under the hood curved into a smile.
"Good."
Preparation was complete. Jin-Woo's figure slowly sank into the shadow at his feet.
* * *
The desert region of the American West. The U.S. government had completely sealed off the surrounding area and summoned every expert they could find, but no one could offer a meaningful answer.
"Well, this is..." "I've studied meteorological anomalies for thirty years, but I've never seen anything like this."
No matter how many scholars gathered, how were they supposed to explain a sky that was cracking apart? Crrrk—even now, the atmosphere was fracturing bit by bit. The U.S. military, surrounding the entire region as a precaution against the worst case, was on edge. To put it mildly, enough firepower had amassed to annihilate an entire country. The commander answered the president's call with confidence.
"If something does come out of there, we'll handle it. Yes, yes. It's gotten considerably larger since initial detection..."
Glancing casually toward the fissure, the commander spotted a man approaching. His face was completely hidden by a hoodie, and he was walking straight toward them.
"Who the hell is that? How'd he get in here?" -Is there a problem? "No. I'll call you back in a moment."
The commander hastily hung up and ran toward the man with his adjutants.
"Hey, who are you?"
An ordinary-looking civilian had wandered unopposed into a zone that had been locked down tight by armed military. The commander's face twisted with irritation at the nuisance. But. The man, surrounded by armed soldiers, showed not a trace of fear. The uninvited guest who had come seeking the commander spoke.
"Please withdraw from this area. It's dangerous here."
An unfamiliar accent.
'Foreigner?'
The commander furrowed his brow and puffed up his chest, intending to put a little fear into the visitor.
"Do you have a death wish? Don't you know which side is actually in real danger here?"
That would be your side. Knowing words alone wouldn't work, Jin-Woo opened a fraction of his power. Instantly, the commander, his adjutants, and every soldier watching him were lifted into the air.
"Wh-what?"
The panicked commander frantically looked around. The only person whose feet remained on the ground was the man. Even vehicles, machinery, and heavy tanks had risen more than a meter into the air. The commander's pupils trembled violently as he witnessed the impossible.
"H-how?"
Deciding that was enough, Jin-Woo set them back down. But the moment the commander's feet touched the ground, he drew his sidearm. His agitated voice echoed across the desert.
"What the hell are you?"
Jin-Woo raised both hands to shoulder height to make clear he had no intention of fighting, then calmly explained.
"Enemies with power like this will pour out from over there. And..."
Jin-Woo used his mana to pull the handgun from the commander's grip and levitate it beside his own head. The soldiers tensed as the gun drifted toward Jin-Woo, their weapons clicking as they prepared to fire, but the commander quickly raised a hand to stop them.
"Wait!"
While the commander restrained his men, Jin-Woo used an "invisible hand" to pull the trigger of the gun pointed at his own head. Bang, bang, bang! The bullets, never even touching Jin-Woo's body, clattered uselessly to the ground. The soldiers' stares—already fixated on the single firearm they'd relied on—turned to sheer horror. Jin-Woo could feel their hearts freezing in their chests. He looked at their shocked faces and calmly explained.
"Weapons like these are useless against them."
Before long, Jin-Woo's gaze settled on the commander, whose expression had been frozen for some time.
"Are you going to watch your men die for nothing?" "What... what should I do?" "Pull your soldiers back as far as possible. I'll stay here." "You alone... intend to stop those things?"
Alone... Jin-Woo couldn't find a reason to explain further, so he simply nodded.
"..."
The commander, who had been clenching his jaw in deliberation, suddenly drew the spare sidearm from the small of his back and fired at Jin-Woo. Bang, bang, bang, bang! The bullets fired from the commander's hand likewise fell powerless to the ground the moment they touched him. A monster. No—at this point, was "monster" even the right word? Wasn't he more like a figure from myth? The commander, having witnessed miracle after miracle, dropped his gun. He turned toward his soldiers and shouted loud enough for all to hear.
"Full retreat! Move quickly, as fast as possible!"
The adjutants relayed the commander's orders to the entire force.
"Retreat!" "Retreat!"
The well-trained army vanished from the battlefield in an instant. Jin-Woo, watching them go, turned toward the fissure forming in the sky. He could feel it. The fierce desire of enemies who wanted to swallow this land whole. Their breathing was almost within arm's reach. The black heart, stirring at last after so long, heralded the arrival of the enemy. Jin-Woo smiled and summoned daggers from his inventory. Soon after—CRACK—CRASH! With a shockwave that shook the atmosphere, space tore open, and giants of stone stepped onto the ground. They noticed a small creature radiating hostility at their feet and scoffed.
[What's this? You think you alone can stop us?]
This feeling. Jin-Woo, who had been savoring the calm before battle with his eyes closed, slowly opened them. Thump, thump, thump, thump. His heart was pounding. Jin-Woo released every ounce of his power and spoke.
"Do I look like I'm alone?"
From the shadow that had already turned the ground behind him pitch black, a legion of ten million rose.