Chapter 152 – What It Means to Become One (1)

-Breaking News!

-France’s National Hero, the Revolutionary Jean Pierre, Dead!

The entire world was turned upside down.

A top hunter from the Global Hunter Association, one of the so-called “Strongest Twelve,” was dead.

-Sole survivor, David Henri, critically injured.

David Henri did not hold a press conference himself.

This was because he couldn’t very well say they had been using dimensional rifts to massacre people from other dimensions.

The Union Hunters immediately debriefed Henri.

They couldn’t easily accept the loss of an S+ rank hunter and the annihilation of over fifty team members.

Henri told them the truth.

He said that the S-rank dungeon the subjugation team had challenged, the Floating Island, was home to an unbelievable monster.

And that its rank had come out as EX-rank, an unmeasurable level that far surpassed S-rank.

Of course, he completely omitted any mention of the Courier, Lee Hyunbin.

As expected, the Union Hunters were somewhat shocked by the story but quickly began preparing another operation.

An EX-rank meant there were likely immense profits to be had there.

To that end, they felt it was necessary to prepare thoroughly and try again, even if it seemed reckless.

‘Is this really okay?’

Henri was acting as his new master, Hyunbin, had instructed, but he couldn’t help but wonder if this was the right thing to do.

These weren’t the type of people to give up after a single failure.

As for him, his master had said he would take care of everything, so all he had to do was follow orders.

‘Still, he trusts me a lot.’

Henri thought as he left the debriefing.

He had been Hyunbin’s enemy.

Yet Hyunbin had placed his trust in him and even offered to scout him.

The hunter society.

On the surface, it seemed like a world full of romance, teeming with heroes.

But it was different. A tense atmosphere of jealousy and competition to get ahead was pervasive.

Imagine you had a competitor in the same line of work and you were supposed to teach them the ropes.

A hundred out of a hundred times,

a person who has ten would not want to teach the other even one.

It’s their livelihood, after all. But Hyunbin was different.

He gave away ten, thirty, everything he had.

During the few days they spent together, they had sparred, and Henri had learned a great deal.

He couldn’t tell if Hyunbin was just that generous or if he simply considered Henri no match for him. But it was clear that he was being treated favorably.

It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.

Don’t they say a man will die for someone who recognizes his worth?

A normal person might have been suspicious of Henri and not sent him back to his home country.

After all, if he so much as opened his mouth, Hyunbin could be in danger.

‘The only thing he asked of me was to join a system called the Knight Order.’

He didn’t know the details, but it seemed to be something necessary for them to operate as a group.

‘He really is a man of great caliber.’

Henri was once again impressed by Hyunbin.

Once you join a Dominator’s Knight Order, you become incapable of any action that could harm the Dominator.

Henri had no way of knowing this.

France suffered a huge blow with the loss of its number one ranker. But then, a series of even more shocking events unfolded.

“Chicken Man, Henri, is now retiring as a hunter.”

The retirement of a hero who had always been at the forefront, fighting monsters with his passionate infighting style.

The shock among the French public was immense.

Only 34 years old, he announced his retirement, stating that the loss of his comrades had made it impossible for him to continue as a hunter.

Unlike his fighting style or his appearance, he had a very introverted personality.

Those who knew this didn’t complain. They were simply disappointed.

“What are your plans for the future?”

“Will you take a break and then consider returning?”

Henri answered the reporters’ questions.

“I plan to rest and recuperate in my mother’s country, the land where my wife was born. I have no other plans for now.”

It was a well-known fact among those in the know that David Henri had a great interest in Korea.

“Although, I might have to take up a part-time job to make a living.”

Everyone laughed at Henri’s words.

The idea of the world-famous Chicken Man going to a small country like Korea to work a part-time job sounded like a rather amusing joke.

After all, most of the public didn’t even know a place called Korea existed.

The rumor that Henri had chosen to go to Korea caught the attention of agents all over the world.

Emotional wounds heal eventually. If so, Henri might return to being a hunter, and it would be best to be the first to extend a hand.

In the current era of Great Gates, there were many who would be eager to recruit a talented hunter.

Korea was no exception.

With Henri coming to their country of his own accord, they felt like they’d hit the jackpot.

Korea currently had four S-rank hunters. Compared to its neighbors, Japan with 12 and China with 26, it was a paltry number.

“Make preparations so that Hunter Henri can settle in the country.”

Director Shin Chae-ho of the Disaster Agency felt the same way.

For its small size, Korea had a considerable number of top-tier hunters. But they had all defected to other countries.

Originally, Korea had 13 S-rank hunters, more than Japan. But time and again, they had their hunters poached by other nations right under their noses.

Because of this, the Disaster Agency was ridiculed for being unable to protect its own hunters, and its very existence was called into question.

When you’re risking your life as a hunter, choosing double the pay and support was a more logical answer than staying in Korea out of pure patriotism.

“And I heard Hunter Henri’s wife is suffering from Magic Stone Disease. Find a hospital for her on our end. If we take care of these things one by one, it’ll be easier to make him an offer later.”

“Someone has already made a move.”

“A move?”

The director asked, puzzled by the official’s words.

“She’s reportedly being admitted to a hospital run by the Hanul Foundation.”

“Hanul?”

“Not only that, there are also rumors that Hunter Henri will be working unofficially as a trainer for Hanul.”

“What?”

The director was speechless.

Hunter Henri, who was currently on a plane from France to Korea, was connected to Hanul.

It was as if he were coming to Korea specifically because of the Hanul Guild.

“Director, with all due respect…”

“Then don’t say it. If it’s disrespectful.”

“But I must say this…”

The official felt a sense of unease at this series of events.

A guild that was moving one step ahead of the agency.

Moreover, a single guild was providing everything from hospital care to a residence for an individual whose recruitment was uncertain even at a national level.

“Hunter Lee Hyunbin… aren’t you letting him get too powerful?”

The official was uneasy about the existence of the Courier, Lee Hyunbin.

He had already become so famous in Korea that even a toddler knew his name.

With the death of Lucky Boy Lee Han-seong, there was much speculation that Lee Hyunbin was now Korea’s strongest.

No, looking at his achievements, it was likely true.

In other countries like the United States, there was a title called “Nation-Level Power Hunter.”

It referred to titans so influential they could sway the will of the nation itself.

Korea had no such hunter.

Until now.

“That again? I told you it’s fine. Do you know how many decades I’ve been in this business?”

The director gave a gentle smile with his wrinkle-filled eyes.

Of course, his pupils remained intensely dry and cold.

“He gets his wings, and I use him to expand my influence. It’s a win-win for both of us. Don’t worry.”

The director believed he was the one who had discovered and nurtured Lee Hyunbin.

Indeed, the director had trusted his keen eye and invested in Hunter Lee Hyunbin by granting him special authority.

And that investment had been a success.

In the end, the official couldn’t bring himself to say anything more.

Because that cunning director had an unusually high level of trust in Lee Hyunbin.

* * *

“Give me back my residents…”

Here she goes again.

“I said give them back…!”

This Karin girl was whining at me, her nose all red.

-The Hero Cult has been established in the Rania territory.

-All residents of the territory have begun to follow the teachings of the Hero Cult.

The Rania territory was now mine—no, it was under my influence.

I call it the Muscle Cult, but the system keeps calling it the Hero Cult.

Well, thanks to that, I’m getting a lot of divine power, which is nice. I’ll be able to buy a lot with this.

-A landmark has been constructed in the Rania territory♡

The hero statue I’d erected in the main square had apparently become the territory’s symbol.

Upon seeing it, the light vanished from Karin’s eyes, as if she’d given up on something. And she started muttering to herself frequently.

I mean, isn’t it a good thing, honestly?

Instead of everyone being shriveled up like dried anchovies, being buff and muscular makes their clothes fit better and gives them a certain presence, you know?

“Waaah. Everyone’s bodies look like overturned cockroaches now! The men! And the women!”

Karin protested.

Seriously, why does she have to use bugs as a comparison…? Though, I guess they do kind of look like that.

“Do you have any idea how much money I spent on your territory?”

The funds needed to prepare the training rooms—no, the prayer rooms—for my missionary work weren’t cheap.

I also had to prepare protein for them to drink.

Thanks to that, everyone cast off their worries and worldly desires, and now they always have bright, smiling faces.

How nice is that?

“Nice? Ajeossi. Because of you, the residents’ sprites have so many more pixels!”

The residents are drawn with pixels, and since their bodies have gotten bigger, they’re made up of more pixels than before.

It’s what you’d call pixel grinding.

It’s a sight that would probably make old-school game developers’ blood boil.

They say that back in the day, they would meticulously place each pixel with an artisan’s spirit just to create a single character.

“You never know when the bad guys might attack again. It’s good to build up some muscle in preparation.”

“What are you talking about? The dimensional rifts are all sealed, so they can’t get in anymore.”

I replied to Karin.

“Then you should have done it sooner.”

“……”

You should’ve sealed them in advance. What’s the point of sealing them after you’ve already been attacked?

Though, not sealing them after being attacked would be an even bigger problem.

For now, the Floating Island shouldn’t be a problem anymore.

The task at hand for me now is to raise my synchronization rate.

Thanks to saving the Rania territory, it went up by 3%, bringing it to 80%.

Of course, I can’t be the only one getting stronger.

I could probably win on my own somehow. But there’s something I learned from the war in the other world.

Unless you have overwhelmingly decisive power, your side will suffer damage all the same.

In other words, there’s such a thing as a Pyrrhic victory.

I didn’t want to repeat that.

“What’s your Lord synchronization rate?”

“Me? 34%.”

“…”

“I-I’ve been working really hard, you know? I provide relief aid every day. I listen to people’s problems…!”

At this rate, it’s going to take her forever to reach 100% synchronization.

Honestly, guys like the three foreign brothers have already maxed out their synchronization rates.

The Villains are probably the same.

The greater your capacity for power, the more data you have to download, and the longer it takes.

In other words, the mass of power that Karin and I possess is so high that our synchronization rates increase slowly.

There’s only one thing to do in a situation like this.

“You, manage my cities too.”

You just have to grind like hell.

It’ll go up eventually.

“Cities? Ajeossi, you were managing cities?”

Karin asked, blinking.

I had already shown this Karin girl that I had the same ability.

No, mine is actually bigger.

She only has a single territory, but I can control all the cities where the Muscle Cult is active.

“Here, I’ll transfer management authority to you.”

Given Karin’s trait of raising her synchronization rate through city management, this would be a good method.

Soon, Karin, who could now view my cities, fixed her glistening eyes on me.

“You have too many secrets lately, Ajeossi. It’s upsetting.”

“Says the one who kept her mouth shut about being a goddess candidate.”

“That’s…”

Unable to come up with a good excuse, Karin gave an awkward laugh.

But all this talk about goddesses is making me feel a bit strange.

Others might see her as all grown up, but to my eyes, Karin still looked like a child.

A child left by the water’s edge.

The kind you can’t take your eyes off for a second, lest she get into some kind of trouble.

“Do whatever you want.”

Dad’s got your back.

Just then, I got a call from the Coach.

Ah, looks like everything’s ready.

“Hello.”

-Yeah, honey, it’s me. That thing you mentioned before is ready.

We had decided to merge with the Hwarang Guild.

The Hwarang Guild and the Hanul Guild.

When two different guilds merge, discord is inevitable.

There was a high chance of factions forming, just like in the old Hanul Guild.

That’s why I had prepared something.

“Let’s proceed as planned.”

I said with a smile.

To be honest, I truly…

I’m not really tormenting people.

I’m simply striving to cultivate the strength they need to overcome any danger that might come their way.

“Ajeossi, you’re thinking evil thoughts again.”

Karin clicked her tongue.

If there were a Nobel Prize for Violence—no, a Nobel Prize for Training—I’d probably be the one to get it.