Chapter 34

Translator: Azure, Flameu Editor: Yunan
 

 

The masked hunter who killed the Ogre Leader with a single shot.

 

 

 

An F-class Hunter who identifies himself as Kim Hyun-woo was now in front of him.

 

 

 

 

Although he could be mistaken, of course.

 

 

 

But one thing was certain…

 

 

 

“That voice…”

 

 

 

He could never forget it.

 

 

 

Han Dong-hyun waited for Do-jun’s answer, admitting that he is indeed Kim Hyun-woo.

 

 

 

“I’m sorry, but I think you’re mistaken.”

 

 

 

Do-jun said and continued on his way.

 

 

 

However, Han Dong-hyun quickly blocked Do-jun’s path.

 

 

 

Do-jun looked at Han Dong-hyun’s desperate expression and sighed.

 

 

 

“My name is Lee Do-jun, not Kim Hyun-woo.”

 

 

 

Han Dong-hyun asked him to show him his resident registration card.

 

 

 

However, having confirmed that his name was indeed Lee Do-jun with the resident registration card, he froze on the spot.

 

 

 

Seol Yoon-hee, who was watching from the side, recalled a Hunter ID card she had found in Do-jun’s drawer a few weeks ago. The card clearly had the name ‘Kim Hyun-woo’ on it.

 

 

 

‘What happened between father and the Magi Guild…?’

 

 

 

Han Dong-hyun looked at Do-jun and bit his lips tightly.

 

 

 

Do-jun’s expression was resolute with his resident registration card in hand.

 

 

 

Han Dong-hyun was still suspicious of him, but he had no proof.

 

 

 

He says it’s not him, so what could he do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

“…I’m sorry. I think I was mistaken.”

 

 

 

“It’s okay, it happens. Then, we’ll get going.”

 

 

 

 

After that, Do-jun left.

 

 

 

Seol Yoon-hee looked back and forth at Han Dong-hyun and Do-jun’s back with her head down then ran towards Do-jun.

 

 

 

People waiting to get autographs started murmuring, ‘What’s going on?’.

 

 

 

Yoo Mira, who was sitting on her chair, ran to Han Dong-hyun.

 

 

 

“Was that really Kim Hyun-woo?”

 

 

 

“He said he wasn’t.”

 

 

 

“But what made you think he was Kim Hyun-woo?”

 

 

 

“His voice.”

 

 

 

“Huh?”

 

 

 

Han Dong-hyun clenched his fist as he looked at Do-jun walking away.

 

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

 

Crackle!

 

 

 

 

An endless Rift piercing through the sky.

 

 

 

The Rift was seemingly just about 10 stories high, that is until morning came and by then it had already gone beyond 20 stories high. In line with that, the faces of the 11 operations teams who were watching it gradually hardened.

 

 

 

Beep. Beep.

 

 

 

Han Min-ji checked the figures of the measuring meter on her wrist.

 

 

 

Upon glancing at it, she felt a cold sweat on her back.

 

 

 

The average figure for S-class Great Rifts was 1,000.

 

 

 

However, the meter reading now was over 2,000.

 

 

 

‘Please, stop…! Masalys was 2,200!’

 

 

 

The figures did not stop.

 

 

 

It was still rising little by little.

 

 

 

How high was it going to go?

 

 

 

Currently, there are a total of 100 hunters gathered here.

 

 

 

Seven are S-class Hunters and the rest were either A-class or B-class Hunters.

 

 

 

“Just when the Behemoth Guild is not here…”

 

 

 

One of the team leaders of the operation murmured while looking at the Rift.

 

 

 

Han Min-ji was able to discern that from the beginning, the morale of the Hunters already hit rock bottom.

 

 

 

It was understandable. Hunters usually target Rifts one or two ranks below their own. In this situation, A-class and B-class Hunters were now feeling a lot of pressure and fear for what was to come.

 

 

 

Moreover, the fact that the Behemoth Guild could not participate in this operation also played a big role.

 

 

 

For them, the Behemoth Guild, which was composed of the first three hunters including Lee Kang-hyun, was nothing short of their spiritual pillar.

 

 

 

Riiiing.

 

 

 

Kang Min-hyuk took out his smartphone.

 

 

 

[Director Jung Yeong-cheol]

 

 

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

 

 

– We’re evacuating the civilians and the area will be under strict control.

 

 

 

“…I understand. I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

 

 

– The Behemoth Guild is still on their Dive. As you know, you’re the only one qualified to be the commander-in-chief while Lee Kang-hyun is away. Do you think you can do it?

 

 

 

Wweeeeeengg!

 

 

 

Sirens could be heard all around the city.

 

 

 

And the emergency broadcast rang out.

 

 

 

[Fellow citizens, this is the Rift Control Team of the Hunter Management Agency. Currently, an S-class Rift can be observed in Umyeon Mountain, thus a Rift Warning is issued. If you hear this warning, immediately stop what you are doing and move to the nearest underground shelter according to the instructions of the management office staff and officials, the military, and the police. We ask all citizens to take heed of our instructions. Once again…]

 

 

 

“I’ll do my best.”

 

 

 

– No. You have to do well.

 

 

 

“……”

 

 

 

Kang Min-hyuk looked through the 11 operational teams gathered at the entrance of the Rift.

 

 

 

It looked like their morale was already significantly down even before their raid had started.

 

 

 

All except the team leaders, which are S-class Hunters, were already planning their deaths.

 

 

 

Of course, he had been trying to boost their morale, especially among his members.

 

 

 

However, as they were faced with the reality of an S-class Rift, his ‘encouragement’ was of no use.

 

 

 

For the first time since three years ago, ever since Masalys appeared.

 

 

 

An S-class Great Rift appeared with a measured value of 2,000 or more.

 

 

 

Of course, Masalys alone hit a figure of 2,200 at that time.

 

 

 

Either way, it was all too dangerous.

 

 

 

– According to the forecasted data, there are only two hours left until the Breakout. The data is 70% accurate. Within that time, we will evacuate as many civilians as possible inside the bunkers. I’ll send you a signal when to enter, so wait until then.

 

 

 

“…Yes. I understand.”

 

 

 

Beep.

 

 

 

After three years.

 

 

 

An S-class Great Rift with a crisis rating of more than 2,000.

 

 

 

Han Min-ji saw Kang Min-hyuk’s body shaking and bit her lip.

 

 

 

Then she took out her smartphone.

 

 

 

She looked through the contacts list.

 

 

 

[Officer Lee Do-jun]

 

 

 

And pressed the call button.

 

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

 

Riiing.

 

 

 

5 PM.

 

 

 

Do-jun, who was resting on the sofa after taking a shower, took out his smartphone at the sound of a text message.

 

 

 

[Sent from Web]

 

 

 

[Guidelines for emergency call response following the detection of the S-class Rift in Umyeon Mountain, Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. As soon as you read this message, all civil servants should gather at Seoul City Hall and follow the instructions of the department head.]

 

 

 

“Umyeon Mountain?”

 

 

 

Not too far from home.

 

 

 

It was a place close enough for him to call it a mountain behind his neighborhood.

 

 

 

Do-jun picked up the remote control and turned on the TV.

 

 

 

– Breaking news. At around 4:20 PM today, an S-class Rift was detected around Umyeon Mountain. The Rift Wave crisis rating has now gone over 2,000 and is now nearing the crisis rating of the highest ever recorded incident which is the Masalys incident which recorded 2,200. The Hunter Management Agency, the military, and the government are urgently evacuating residents within a 10-kilometer radius of Mount Umyeon to nearby underground shelters…

 

 

 

Do-jun looked at the kitchen.

 

 

 

Seol Yoon-hee was humming while preparing their dinner.

 

 

 

“Yongyong.”

 

 

 

Yongyong, who was drooling in the kitchen, rushed to Do-jun’s call.

 

 

 

「Did you call me, Master?!」

 

 

 

“I have to go work overtime, so keep an eye on Yoon-hee while I’m away.”

 

 

 

「…Uh, Master?」

 

 

 

“Yeah?”

 

 

 

「But our dinner for tonight is stir-fried chicken though?」

 

 

 

Izaas naturally thought that Do-jun would stay at home tonight.

 

 

 

Since the side dish for dinner was spicy stir-fried chicken.

 

 

 

“There’s somewhere I need to go urgently.”

 

 

 

「If that’s master’s will… then I will just eat them all.」

 

 

 

“That’s up to you. Anyway, if Yoon-hee gets even a small scratch…”

 

 

 

Do-jun deliberately didn’t finish his sentence.

 

 

 

However, Yongyong’s complexion had turned pale and he was shaking.

 

 

 

Do-jun smiled and walked to the front door.

 

 

 

Seol Yoon-hee, who was tasting the soup, turned her head and asked.

 

 

 

“Where are you going, father? This will be done soon…”

 

 

 

“I got an emergency call. Go ahead and eat first.”

 

 

 

At that moment,

 

 

 

Wweeeeeeengg!!

 

 

 

[Fellow citizens, this is the Rift Control Team of the Hunter Management Agency. Currently, an S-class Rift can be observed in Umyeon…]

 

 

 

Then, the evacuation broadcast warning rang out.

 

 

 

Seol Yoon-hee was surprised to hear it.

 

 

 

“…S-class Rift? F-father, are you going there?”

 

 

 

“No. They’re asking us to gather at City Hall.”

 

 

 

Do-jun said, showing the text.

 

 

 

Civil servants were stipulated to convene and respond in the event of a national emergency.

 

 

 

Furthermore, an S-class Rift appeared and Do-jun belonged to the department related to Rifts, thus he was required to respond.

 

 

 

「Master, why don’t you just take care of it? Or maybe I could go.」

 

 

 

At Yongyong’s words,

 

 

 

Seol Yoon-hee recalled the first time she met Yongyong.

 

 

 

Yongyong fired Dragon’s Breath, and Do-jun easily blocked it.

 

 

 

And with one shot from the Mana Gun, a whole mountain was blown away.

 

 

 

“No. That’s up to the Hunters from the Hunter Management Agency.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do-jun was not a Hunter.

 

 

 

He was just a civil servant.

 

 

 

‘Those guys won’t fall down easily.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last time he saw Lee Kang-hyun, the one they called the ‘Sword Emperor’, even from afar he could tell that his skills were on par with one of the ten masters in Murim.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riiiiiiing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Han Min-ji]

 

 

 

“Yes, Hunter Han Min-ji?”

 

 

 

– I’d like to ask you a favor, is that okay?

 

 

 

At Han Min-ji’s words.

 

 

 

Do-jun hesitated for a moment.

 

 

 

But it didn’t last long.

 

 

 

 

“Speak.”

 

 

 

Because when he had asked Han Min-ji for a favor about Kwon Hyuk-soo.

 

 

 

She immediately ran straight to him.

 

 

 

– As you know, there’s an S-class Great Rift in Umyeon Mountain. Later on, a Breakout will happen… Simply speaking, there are now only two hours left before monsters start coming out of the Rift. That’s why we’ll get in there before that happens.

 

 

 

He wondered what she wanted to say.

 

 

 

Do-jun knew that Han Min-ji was vaguely aware of his power.

 

 

 

However, she didn’t know the exact scale of his power.

 

 

 

It was clear that she was pretending not to know about him hiding his power.

 

 

 

 

– Originally, the commander-in-chief of these kinds of operations would be senior Lee Kang-hyun. However, Lee Kang-hyun is currently on a Dive expedition at the Central Plains and isn’t scheduled to return for another three weeks. Now in his absence, Kang Min-hyuk has become the delegated commander-in-chief for this operation under the command of Director Jung Yeong-cheol.

 

 

 

Do-jun could roughly predict what Han Min-ji wanted to say.

 

 

 

– Officer.

 

 

 

“Yes.”

 

 

 

– We have 11 operational teams. Among them, 7 team leaders are S-class Hunters, and the other 4 team leaders are A-class Hunters. The rest of the members of each team are at least at B-class. If we get our act together, it would not be impossible to subjugate an S-class Great Rift.

 

 

 

After that,

 

 

 

Han Min-ji came up with a conclusion.

 

 

 

Do-jun pressed the end call button.

 

 

 

And then, he called Kwon Hyuk-soo.

 

 

 

– Yes, Do-jun?

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m sorry sir, but I don’t think I’ll be able to go there right now.”

 

 

 

 

 

– I understand. I’ll tell the chief.

 

 

 

Do-jun was a bit confused.

 

 

 

Naturally, he would’ve asked why he couldn’t go there.

 

 

 

However, Kwon Hyuk-soo did not ask him.

 

 

 

“I’ll be right there when I’m done.”

 

 

 

– Alright, I’ll see you later.

 

 

 

Beep.

 

 

 

Do-jun changed from a loose casual outfit to a suit for work.

 

 

 

And checked the map that Han Min-ji sent him.

 

 

 

“…Father.”

 

 

 

Seol Yoon-hee looked at him with worried eyes.

 

 

 

And just now, he remembered what Han Min-ji said.

 

 

 

– Officer, I’m not asking you to hunt those monsters inside. There must be some reason why you are hiding your power. All I ask is that…

 

 

 

Do-jun wore his civil servant ID around his neck.

 

 

 

And patted Seol Yoon-hee’s head.

 

 

 

– For this operation, please take over as our commander-in-chief.