The Great Decapitation (4)

Fwwoosh!

As expected, Baltman activated a protective fire mechanism to shield himself.

Kang-hoo, having anticipated this response, had already retreated and was quickly regulating his breathing.

Baltman, temporarily blinded, had no idea where Kang-hoo had gone.

Thus, Kang-hoo resorted to an old but reliable method of attack in this situation.

“Haap!”

With a shout, the Spear of the Sky’s Delight left his fingertips, roaring as it hurtled towards Baltman.

It was a simple dagger throw.

“I’ll kill you! I will definitely kill y— Argh!”

Baltman’s words were cut off as his body, ablaze with flames and revenge, was pierced right between the eyes by the thrown dagger.

There was no need to check; it was a clean, lethal blow that killed him instantly.

Baltman fell to his knees, motionless as if time had stopped.

“Loose lips often lead to a bad end.”

Kang-hoo clicked his tongue as he confirmed Baltman’s extinguished life amidst the flames.

Two messages appeared simultaneously.

He had reached level 39.

Level 40, which would unlock basic skills for assassins, was just within reach.

The excitement was inevitable, as the skill would be acquired at maximum proficiency.

“With my level at 39, monsters or hunters below level 13 will face instant death,” Kang-hoo noted, satisfied as he examined the Great Decapitation skill.

The skill configuration would have been disastrous if learned with an occupational penalty.

However, without any penalty and with maximum proficiency, the composition was nearly overpowered.

A billion won spent on the license rental?

Not regrettable in the slightest.

Considering its potential value, it might be worth ten, or even a hundred times more.

“The loot isn’t bad either.”

He picked up two green magic stones that had dropped where Baltman had died.

With each stone worth a hundred million won, he had recouped two hundred million won.

He was eager to reach levels 40 and 50 as quickly as possible.

The joy of gradually acquiring new skills was undeniably satisfying.

The Dimension Plunderer, who seldom spoke, started a conversation after a long silence.

Hearing from the usually reticent constellation was a pleasant surprise.

“Thinking about tackling higher-level dungeons now.”

“I’m ready for any challenge. It would be nice if you’d suggest one without hesitation.”

“When more constellations start taking an interest in me, you might just end up as a forgotten old man in the back room.”

“Huh, time is on my side.”

Kang-hoo responded with a sly smile.

It was an expression of his confidence.

Had he been an ordinary hunter, the constellations would have certainly held the advantage of time over him.

But Kang-hoo viewed himself as a hunter with considerable investment potential from the constellations’ perspective.

He had already mastered dungeons below level 100 with relative ease.

The only real challenge lay in the boss monsters, which still fell within the realm of problems he could solve.

For a level 39 hunter, soloing dungeons between levels 40 and 50 was generally the upper limit of their capabilities.

Yet Kang-hoo was dismantling these limits, turning the impossible into the possible.

This was why he was monopolizing experience points in higher-level dungeons, experiencing rapid growth.

His success was not merely a matter of luck.

His decision to utilize 200% of his capabilities was a testament to his wisdom.

That night, Kang-hoo made his way to a bar near Suwon Station to celebrate his recent successful skill acquisition.

As was his custom, he ordered a Solarkium Burst.

The bar’s atmosphere was lively and inviting. Security seemed to be well-managed, as there were no causes for concern.

He mused that if only the ambiance of Suwon Station could be replicated elsewhere, it would make for a quite livable city.

At least here, there was no threat of sudden battles or bloodshed.

Yet, complacency could be dangerous.

In places where peace breeds complacency, predatory wolves inevitably emerge.

Daejeon Station, now engulfed in a major war, was once a haven of safety.

The catastrophe unfolded when Eclipse and Heuksaja, greedy for the prosperity cultivated in peace, set their sights on Daejeon Station. Lee Ye-rin’s faction, Cheong-an, added fuel to the fire, transforming it into a living nightmare.

“Hmm.”

Kang-hoo grimaced as he realized he was the only person at a table by himself.

It wasn’t that he minded solitude, but that didn’t mean he preferred it to company.

The absence of a friend to share his thoughts with during challenging times was a profound loneliness.

He could have sought the comfort of Han Seo-yeon’s company, but he knew that wouldn’t be fair to her.

‘Friendship. Love. These emotions don’t hold much weight for me, probably because my feelings are so numbed.’

A hint of self-derisive cynicism crept into his thoughts.

Shin Kang-hoo had become this way, a character devoid of warmth.

Yet, he wasn’t perpetually cold-hearted; on rare occasions, he would feel a spark of warmth.

‘I wonder how my friends from Cheongmyeong Detention Center are faring.’

Like at this very moment.

His mind occasionally wandered to past memories and companions. But it never went beyond that.

Empathy and pity never drove him to make inefficient or perilous choices. He was governed by unyielding reason.

‘One day, I’ll take a proper break.’

After savoring his Solarkium Burst to the last drop, Kang-hoo rose from his seat.

He had pushed his body quite hard in the battle with Baltman.

The ambiance of Suwon Station was soothing enough to make him want to sleep there in peace.

His business there was now finished.

Next on his agenda was Ground Zero.

From collecting Mad Solarkium to dealing with Jo Gu-bin as requested by Lee Ye-rin.

At that moment,

“I wonder how he’s doing?”

In the VIP room, also known as the top floor of the Rikou Hotel, a man reminisced about Kang-hoo over a glass of wine.

It was An Yeong-ho.

After returning to Japan, he utilized his guild’s intelligence network to investigate Kang-hoo.

Naturally, since Kang-hoo had used the alias Jung Sun-kyu, the information gathered corresponded to that name.

There seemed to be a significant amount of data.

However, when compiled, it barely filled half of an A4 sheet, revealing its scarcity.

From this, gauging Kang-hoo’s actual abilities or level was impossible, not to mention understanding how he acquired such skills.

“Each skill he used to save me was extraordinary… even my uncle doesn’t believe it.”

An Yeong-ho vividly remembered every moment he spent with Kang-hoo.

Although he hadn’t witnessed it himself, he had learned that Kang-hoo had single-handedly overpowered two level 80 hunters.

Killing trained hunters in one blow is an almost insurmountable task.

Yet, Kang-hoo had effortlessly defeated his adversaries and rescued him by leaping across buildings.

His class was undoubtedly ‘Assassin’, but the array of skills he employed seemed to transcend the limits of his class.

That’s why his uncle and assassin Suzuki Fumiya also misjudged and disbelieved the feats.

Of course, An Yeong-ho was immensely thankful to Kang-hoo for saving his life.

The privileges and rewards promised to Kang-hoo by the guild were not mere empty promises. He intended to treat Kang-hoo with the utmost respect.

He just suspected that his nephew’s recollections of Kang-hoo might have been slightly embellished.

“I hope he visits Japan soon. There are some good dungeons here. It would be nice to sync our rhythms.”

Thinking of Kang-hoo, feelings of admiration and awe towards the powerful surfaced.

It was akin to the feeling of seeing a celebrity, perhaps more intense because he was a lifesaver.

“Maybe I should leave him a message?”

He thought casually about contacting him, wanting to know when he would come to Japan.

Due to his dislike of being indebted, An Yeong-ho wanted to express his gratitude to Kang-hoo more concretely.

“Jung Sun-kyu hyeongnim, how are you? I am An Yeong-ho, whom you saved before…”

His decision and action were swift.

An Yeong-ho began typing a message to Kang-hoo right away.

The exorbitant cost of living in Seoul.

For the average person, the cost of living in Seoul is so high it’s like having to drink tap water from the bathroom instead of bottled water.

But for Kang-hoo, whose bank balance had significantly increased, it was no longer a concern.

Indeed, Seoul was stable in every aspect.

Guards were stationed in every building.

And safety shelters were mandatory in all buildings.

These shelters became safe havens for civilians when uncontrollable hunters committed violence and crimes.

They were designed to withstand attacks for at least an hour, but usually, the Hunter Public Safety Bureau’s officers arrived before then.

‘Seoul isn’t wrongfully called the city of CCTV.’

Kang-hoo shook his head as he noticed CCTVs everywhere he went.

While people saw them as a robust protective measure, Kang-hoo perceived a different picture.

Jang Si-hwan and his group effectively controlled and monitored the public through CCTV.

Anyone who fell out of their favor in Seoul could not escape their surveillance network.

In other words, once targeted, there was nowhere to run. You were inevitably caught.

Just then, breaking news flashed across the giant screen at Seoul Station.

A meeting between Jeonghwa Guild Master Jang Si-hwan and Fortuna Guild Master Casey Rex just took place.

The two Masters proceeded to a conference room to sign an agreement on mutual cooperation and comprehensive exchange.

“Ha! Is the Jeonghwa Guild going global now? The Fortuna Guild is recognized in the U.S., right?”

“Exactly! Even the guilds in China and Japan can’t keep up with them, but Jeonghwa Guild broke through in one fell swoop?”

“It’s all thanks to Master Jang Si-hwan, isn’t it? Nothing’s impossible when you’re that skilled!”

“Ah, it’s intoxicating, really intoxicating!”

Upon hearing the news, people were quick to shower Jang Si-hwan and his guild with praise.

In fact, all of Seoul seemed like a massive fan club for the Jeonghwa Guild, or more specifically, for Jang Si-hwan.

Given his stature as Seoul’s hero, such reactions were to be expected.

However,

‘The problem is that Casey Rex is one of the Thirteen Stars.’

Aware of the unsettling truth, Kang-hoo could only view this theatrical display as trivial.

What a charade it was.