Seizing The Initiative (3)

Level 418.

After time had passed, it was the result of leveling up that Kang-hoo received after finishing the battle with the hybrids.

His leveling had been slow in the meantime, but with the battle at Perth Airport, he raised his level nicely in one go.

Park Dong-jae and Ayane had also steadily secured experience points, so their expressions were also filled with satisfaction.

It was not for nothing that hunters flocked to the Western Australia hybrid zone. There were many factors to profit from.

Since it was a typical case of high risk, high return, hunters who wanted growth always gathered.

‘There was an unexpected variable called the feint-to-the-east strategy, but still, it’s a relief that it was a happy ending. It even felt like it helped as a sort of dress rehearsal, too.’

Kang-hoo nodded as he looked at the gate’s situation as it entered the phase of being brought under control.

Thanks to slaughtering a large number of Yellow-Eyed Magicians, the hybrids’ formation collapsed after losing many leaders.

So the gate had been breached temporarily, but they could not push in any deeper.

It was because too many hybrids had died to Kang-hoo’s party’s focused attacks in the process of crossing the wall.

He openly scattered Dark Energy and then burned it all at once to carry out a massacre of flames, so the hybrids had no way to endure it.

The fact that Dark Energy Ignition had better staying power and lethality than mage hunters’ flame skills was also a strength.

Hybrids that were hit by a mage’s flame skills could fight on while enduring it fairly well.

But the dark flames produced by Dark Energy Ignition were powerful enough to melt bone and flesh in an instant.

It was to the point that even hybrids that did not learn emotions of fear and terror flinched as their bodies reacted to an instinctive fear rising from within.

“Thank you very much. Thanks to you buying time here, we were able to send support from Gate One and gain time to bring the situation under control.”

“I only did what I had to do. In any case, we came here saying we’d fight here. We can’t just stand by.”

“Once the combat area is fully secured and the nearby re-scouting is completed, movement will be resumed. Would you wait just a little?”

“Of course.”

“I’m sorry for the chaos, but on behalf of the Australian Hunter Public Safety Bureau, I offer our thanks once again.”

A representative of the Australian Hunter Public Safety Bureau also repeatedly conveyed words of thanks to Kang-hoo and the two companions.

Everyone had been preoccupied with Gate One, so when this gate was breached, they had all been aghast.

But Kang-hoo blocked the advance effectively and bought time.

Strategically, that became a very major turning point, and as a result, the situation had been wrapped up in a happy ending.

“You worked hard, hyung.”

“We all worked hard. I don’t want to brag like I suffered alone.”

“The way I see it, hyung doesn’t just go one-against-a-hundred against hybrids—he could go one-against-a-thousand, even one-against-ten-thousand.”

“If you two support me like you did this time, it’s not impossible.”

“Ah! I want to live as Shin Kang-hoo for just one day……! Not some buffer nobody, but an assassin who eats it all by himself—man, that would feel amazing!”

At Kang-hoo’s awe-inspiring yet, in a way, enviable existence, Park Dong-jae twisted his whole body as he expressed his envy.

A typical assassin hunter was specialized in one-on-one. In other words, it was the class most vulnerable to mass slaughter.

But Kang-hoo had a mass-slaughter skill like Dark Energy Ignition.

That was also a trait that strongly granted a mage-like characteristic to Kang-hoo the assassin.

It even ensured specialization, so his ability to control Dark Energy was also outstanding.

It wasn’t simply that he had a supplementary attack option; it was, in itself, another main attack option.

‘Hyung Kang-hoo is an assassin, sure. But even if you called him a black mage, nobody would feel it was out of place.’

That was Park Dong-jae’s thought.

A diverse identity. It wasn’t the concept of meaningless “hodgepodge,” but a colorful “substance.”

A hunter who could become an assassin like a chameleon, then become a black mage, or even become a tanker, depending on the situation.

To Park Dong-jae’s eyes, Kang-hoo was a master of change and a god of battle.

Throughout the earlier battle, he himself probably didn’t know how much he had marveled while watching Ayane and Kang-hoo.

Did he even know, on his own, that he was incredible?

He was the type to act modest, so even if he knew, he would pretend not to. Even so, it was skill that couldn’t be hidden.

Park Dong-jae was certain.

That as more time passed, the world would pay more attention to Kang-hoo.

That along with positive gazes, negative and jealous gazes would also be drawn toward him.

He hoped that Kang-hoo, at least, would not be targeted by crooked people. He hoped he would not die in vain.

They didn’t show it outwardly, but Park Dong-jae and Ayane felt the same in how much they cared for Kang-hoo.

He was that precious.

Around that time.

“Haa…….”

Ju Haemi, who had spoken on the phone not only with Sinwol but also with Celestial Assassin, was shedding tears endlessly.

Unlike the tears she had shed before, these tears contained the meaning of relief.

It was because her father, Celestial Assassin, was safe and well, and she could hear in detail what had happened during that time.

To state only the conclusion.

Celestial Assassin said he would, for now, return to Ground Zero. He also added that it seemed they would end up having many conversations.

When Celestial Assassin asked after Kang-hoo’s well-being in addition to hers, Ju Haemi told him that Kang-hoo had left for Australia.

Then Celestial Assassin let out a small laugh and complained that that guy was busy even while I’m being kidnapped like this.

Of course, it wasn’t that he was truly upset.

It was praise for the sturdiness of his disciple, who maintained composure and continued daily life even in the middle of that.

If, instead, he had been wailing, flipping his eyes back in rage, and saying he’d find Master, that would have been even more pathetic.

After the call ended.

K, who had heard the overall story from the side, stroked his fairly long-grown chin beard and spoke.

“I can roughly see what kind of picture it is. Hyungnim must have suffered a lot, too.”

“It’s a relief that he isn’t hurt anywhere and said he’ll come back here in good health.”

“Yeah. I was quite worried too, but in the end, it seems the gap between Sinwol’s intent and actions was a bit large.”

What had surprised K while listening to the call was the “emotion” he felt from Sinwol, who was rumored to be cold.

Sinwol, who did not readily express emotions even if he was suffering, even if he was in pain, even if a cherished subordinate died.

Such a Sinwol pointed out Celestial Assassin’s importance several times and made it clear that he was indispensable.

Desperation. That emotion could be felt without reservation, to the point that it made him wonder, Is that really the Sinwol I know?

And on top of that.

He showed blatant interest in Kang-hoo, the disciple who saved Celestial Assassin’s terminal life and became an important factor in his decision-making.

What Sinwol showed to Celestial Assassin and Kang-hoo was clearly “greed.”

It was an emotion he had never revealed in the past, but this time, a very emotional side showed.

Meanwhile, Ju Haemi wiped the tears that had flowed down along the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and continued calmly.

“Was a key to untangle this situation given to Kang-hoo-nim?”

“Yeah. Hyungnim also said that, at least regarding this matter, he would leave the final decision to his disciple.”

“My father always said it. That the second life he got to live thanks to Kang-hoo was no longer his life. He said it was a life for Kang-hoo.”

“Hyungnim really has gotten old. He’s not the type to say such sentimental things.”

“Right? That’s why I think my father cherishes Kang-hoo-nim that much, and also trusts him.”

“If even Sinwol takes interest, it seems he’s really grown a lot. He’s not the type to even glance at someone.”

“Will it become a bad thing for Kang-hoo-nim? I just hope he won’t suffer for nothing…….”

“It’s proof that the number of talented people who will stand on Sinwol’s side is gradually decreasing. The flow doesn’t look very good.”

K analyzed the board coldly.

Even at this moment, somewhere unseen, Sinwol and the forces opposing him were clashing.

K also was not affiliated with Sinwol, and Celestial Assassin also refrained from detailed stories, so he could not know clearly.

But one thing was certain: there was an elite group in conflict over the macroscopic hegemony of this world.

It wasn’t the concept of conflict among guilds, warlords, and criminal organizations happening all over South Korea right now.

It was a war over whether to dye the night sky black, or to dye it white.

It was ambiguous to simply call this a confrontation of “good and evil,” because it was hard to classify one another as good or bad.

But one thing was certain.

Sinwol’s position, which was disadvantaged by nature, had never been overturned even once.

Rather, the power of “that faction,” which had seized the advantage, was growing stronger now than before.

Since Sinwol, who was in the disadvantaged position, was taking interest in Kang-hoo, it couldn’t exactly be welcome.

Isn’t that so?

If anything, it was only natural for a spectator of a fight to want the winning side to be their side.

In the end, cheering for a weak side that was bound to lose and collapse—well? At least, K himself did not want to do that.

“I just hope he doesn’t get dragged in by Sinwol…….”

K muttered as he put a cigarette in his mouth.

A massive force—their influence had, before he knew it, arrived right up to Kang-hoo’s nose.

What choice would Kang-hoo make?

Would he make the choice to ignore Sinwol’s interest like K had in the past? Or would he choose to be embraced by them?

Or would he come up with an even smarter method? For now, it was hard to gauge.

One thing was certain: it wasn’t Sinwol but Kang-hoo who had been given the key to untangle this situation.

Even that lofty Sinwol, this time, was in a position where he had no choice but to wait for Kang-hoo’s decision.

K was newly realizing the changed stature of Kang-hoo.

Thinking of a few months ago, it felt like ages.

The pale-faced young man who had been unusual from their first meeting had, before he knew it, become the core of gusts and typhoons.

Western Australia, Nightmare Forest - 07.

It was the Western Australia hybrid zone that Kang-hoo’s party reached by taking a light aircraft from Perth Airport.

It was a place that required 70 minutes to arrive from the airport, and in particular, Area 7 was farther than the others.

To put it badly, it meant it was difficult to receive support when it was dangerous, and to put it well, there were few precedents of it being cleared.

As such, the hybrids had energy piled up in abundance, so the probability of dropping high-quality items and magic stones was high.

Kang-hoo, who had gotten off at the base camp, felt the markedly different air.

The pilot who had brought Kang-hoo’s party to the site immediately returned. There was no need to stay long at a dangerous site.

They called it a base camp, but it was only a makeshift runway and a concrete building.

Since there were naturally no personnel stationed on-site, the surroundings were filled with a bleak atmosphere from the moment they got off.

And when Ayane and Park Dong-jae also kept their mouths shut as they adjusted to the site, a long silence settled in as well.

Unlike the two companions, who were feeling intense unfamiliarity at the strange scenery.

‘It’s all exactly the same as the scenery I drew in the novel, without a single particle different. At this rate, I could go even with my eyes closed.’

Even though it was his first time, all routes were plainly visible to Kang-hoo, and his mouth was filled only with a smile.

The golden route.

The route he would take while extracting only the necessary gains to the extreme was already spread clearly in his head.

A well-prepared table! Above all, a table that would become honey-sweet was set right in front of his eyes as if to show it off.

Area 7, which hunters who had come to the Western Australia hybrid zone had avoided to the very end because they could not establish a clearing method.

But to Kang-hoo, this place was a land of opportunity and blessing.

Moreover, it was also the place where Jang Si-hwan would come later and obtain a hidden skill that would be beneficial.

Not for any other hunter, but he didn’t want even a single spoonful of trivial honey to enter Jang Si-hwan’s mouth.

Because the more he dragged down his expected growth value, the more he could catch up twice as closely.

Stealing what others should have had.

There would be no sweeter plunder than obtaining what, originally, he could not have obtained.

That was precisely now.