Chapter 243 – Choice (2)

-The International Hunter Federation is dedicated to eradicating the corrupt practices of Union Hunters…

A new era had begun.

-The International Hunter Federation will provide aid to any nation in need, free of charge…

Union Hunters, a criminal organization that spanned the globe, was dismantled. In its place rose the International Hunter Federation, with Danny McGuire as its president.

-Union Hunters’ Atrocious Human Experiments.

-International Hunter Federation Declares War on Villains.

The International Hunter Federation’s achievements were dazzling.

They supported weaker nations that lacked Hunter forces.

Of course, their power wasn’t greater than that of Union Hunters. However, they at least didn’t repeat the inhumane acts the Union had committed.

This was entirely thanks to the self-purifying influence of Danny McGuire and David Henry.

After all, water eventually stagnates, and stagnant water is bound to rot.

-The Hero Who Saved All of Europe. Where is the Korea Monster?

In Korea, articles about Lee Hyunbin, who had gone from the greatest hero to the worst villain, were also rampant.

This started after it became known that Hyunbin had provided decisive help in the 6-star boss monster raid in Europe.

At first, people dismissed it as a mere rumor. But then, renowned European hunters mentioned the Korea Monster in interviews, bowing their heads in respect.

The vivid testimonies from the European hunters who participated in that battle illustrated just how absurdly powerful Hyunbin had been.

Everyone who was there at the time became a fan of Hyunbin, praising him.

But like someone who didn’t exist, he couldn’t be found.

With the international mood shifting, the domestic media also began to change its tune.

-Why Did Deliveryman Lee Hyunbin Choose the Path of a Villain?

The Union Rankers Hyunbin had cut down.

Articles began to surface claiming that they had tried to kill the domestic special forces members first, and that Hyunbin had actually protected them.

This was the work of the reporter who had first covered Hyunbin’s dragon raid.

Gradually, the media started publishing articles favorable to Hyunbin.

And slowly, one by one, secrets began to be unveiled.

The story that the human experiments conducted by Union Hunters were also taking place in Korea.

And even information that the murdered director and others were all involved in it.

Witnesses who couldn’t come forward before began to testify, and evidence trickled out.

It reached a point where the full, unedited version of the doctored video—originally edited to frame him as a criminal—was released, leading to petitions to clear the Deliveryman’s name.

Of course, it was still a fact that Hyunbin had killed people.

No matter how justified the reason, in the law-abiding nation of South Korea, he was a criminal.

The media’s coverage of Hyunbin grew more lenient, but not everyone felt the same.

-Hyun-ji, isn’t it about time you came back?

Seo Hyun-ji received the same phone call again today. In the past, they would cautiously bring it up once in a while, but now they were being blatant.

-That person isn’t around anymore, anyway, right?

Just as the management team leader said, the ‘reason’ Seo Hyun-ji wanted to remain a Hunter had disappeared.

Because she didn’t even know his current whereabouts.

Seo Hyun-ji checked the messages on her phone.

-Seo Hyun-ji: Where are you causing trouble now?

-Seo Hyun-ji: Why haven’t you contacted me?

-Seo Hyun-ji: At least let us know if you’re dead or alive. Everyone’s worried.

But he never replied to her messages.

A wave of disappointment washed over Seo Hyun-ji.

He was a ridiculously strong person, so she didn’t think anything had happened to him. But his disappearance left her feeling stifled.

“I’ll try a little longer.”

-Hyun-ji. *Sigh*, fine. I get it. But I don’t think you should be doing such dangerous work forever. With your star power, you could easily make it in this industry…

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to return to the entertainment industry.

However, the reason she couldn’t leave so easily was because she believed he would return someday.

Until then, she planned to hold her position here.

As the Hanul Guild’s only S-rank Hunter.

The Hanul Guild, even after Hyunbin’s disappearance, was still running well.

They had lost the number one guild ranking to Shinhwa, but in terms of market share, they held onto second place by a narrow margin.

The hunters trained by Hyunbin, especially Kim Tae-yang and Kim In-ho, were gaining recognition as the next generation of hunters.

*Thwack, thwack!*

Kim Tae-yang was alone in the training room, hitting a punching bag.

After clearing dungeons, on days with no schedule, he always devoted himself to training according to a set routine.

Contrary to his punk-like appearance, he was extremely diligent and sincere.

“*Phew*, is that bastard not coming today either?”

Kim Tae-yang wiped his sweat and looked around the desolate training room.

With Hyunbin gone, the training room had grown quiet.

Seo Hyun-ji was always busy, having become the guild’s only S-rank, and Kim In-ho, that once-diligent guy, was skipping training every day.

-Alright, one more time! That’s it, push it, push it! Now for real, the last one! Harder, harder, harder! Last finish! Good, now the final round!

The image of Hyunbin, who had trained them so viciously, felt distant.

It had been agonizing at times, but it was because of him that he was able to change this much.

“Guess I should get going.”

Kim Tae-yang muttered to himself, finished his shower, and changed his clothes.

Today was the day for his individual rank evaluation at the Hunter Management Bureau.

“Hunter Kim Tae-yang, what do you expect your rank to be today?”

“There are assessments that you’re an A+, or even an S-rank specializing in PvP. What are your thoughts on that?”

As he exited the guild lobby, reporters swarmed Kim Tae-yang, eager for an interview.

Thanks to being thoroughly beaten up while sparring with the doll-lover and Hyunbin, Kim Tae-yang’s already formidable PvP skills had become top-tier.

In fact, even Karl Thomas, an S-rank from the Shinhwa Guild, had been utterly defeated by Kim Tae-yang.

Three months. It had already been three months since the Deliveryman disappeared.

And Kim Tae-yang wasn’t the only one who had grown during that time.

-Paladin Seol Ji-hoon Takes Over the Deliveryman’s Position!

Seol Ji-hoon, once a villain, had taken up the baton of the now-vacant Special Guarder position, working directly under the Hunter Management Bureau.

As a handsome and capable hunter working for the public good, his popularity was skyrocketing.

“He’s really pretty. Unlike someone who has the image of a bear.”

Lee Hyun-ah admired Seol Ji-hoon’s good looks while watching the news.

“With a face like that, why is he a hunter? If it were me, I’d live comfortably as a celebrity.”

Saying that, Lee Hyun-ah looked at the man sprawled on the floor.

“Right, In-ho?”

Kim In-ho was drenched in sweat, panting heavily.

Kim In-ho was taking a break from his activities with the Hanul Guild. He had earned enough money from his hunter work, and it was more than enough to raise his son.

Thanks to Hyunbin and Seo-yeon, he no longer had to worry about medical bills.

Instead, the path he chose was to become even a little bit stronger.

“Tsk, tsk. You’ve got great grit, but you’re too reckless. Do you think our Gang-cheol is just any ordinary Gang-cheol?”

“I know. I can feel it.”

Kim In-ho said, barely pushing himself up.

He had been sparring with Gang-cheol.

And he had witnessed a completely different level of strength.

This feeling was exactly the same as when he had sparred with Hyunbin.

He thought there would never be another person like Hyunbin, but he was mistaken.

“I think that’s enough for today. How about you take a rest?”

Gang-cheol said with a worried expression.

“No, please, one more time. Noona, can you restore my stamina?”

“Wow, what do you think I am, a healing vending machine? Huh? Huh?”

Lee Hyun-ah grumbled as she pressed down on Kim In-ho with her bare feet.

Thanks to the healing power flowing from her feet, Kim In-ho shot up from his spot.

“I’m putting all of this on your tab, you know? Nothing’s free, got it?”

“I know.”

If you’re weak, you die. And if you die, money and possessions become completely useless.

To survive, to struggle on, Kim In-ho was trying to surpass his limits.

“You hear that, Gang-cheol? Looks like he hasn’t been beaten enough yet. Seeing how he wants to go again. Don’t go easy on him.”

As Lee Hyun-ah spoke with a smirk, Gang-cheol sighed and prepared to spar again.

Kim In-ho raised his spear. He focused, evenly distributing the mana throughout his body.

The man with muscles as rugged as his name. The man who was called a Hero in another world raised his sword to face him again.

He was strong, and his reflexes were good. On top of that, his swordsmanship was outstanding.

The sharp-eyed Kim In-ho thought he was no less skilled than Hyunbin.

Of course, he hadn’t seen Hyunbin’s full power. But the man before him had never revealed his full strength either.

At least, not to an opponent who was only at his level.

‘I have to get stronger.’

Hyunbin won’t be there to help anymore.

Kim In-ho readjusted his grip on the spear and moved like lightning.

*Clang, thwip!*

He charged straight ahead, then fluidly swerved to the side and swung his spear.

To attack without entering the range of his opponent’s sword.

But Gang-cheol, with muscles as resilient as a rubber ball, moved even faster.

*Shing!*

Kim In-ho, who barely blocked Gang-cheol’s sword strike, was pushed far back.

The throbbing sensation in his wrist.

He was clearly holding back, yet the difference in power was overwhelming.

He drew out everything he had and threw it at Gang-cheol.

“He’s got grit.”

Lee Hyun-ah muttered indifferently as she watched.

She didn’t exactly dislike a guy who tried so hard.

“He was raised by Ajeossi, so of course.”

A woman with her red hair tied back had approached Lee Hyun-ah’s side at some point.

“Just keep your promise.”

“Of course.”

The Regressor looked down at Lee Hyun-ah with dry eyes.

She let out a low sigh as she met the Regressor’s emotionless gaze.

“*Sigh*. I can’t even trust you.”

“You can’t trust me even after we made a Verbal Contract?”

To earn Lee Hyun-ah’s trust, the Regressor had made a system contract with her, exchanging the terms of their rewards.

On the condition that Lee Hyun-ah and Gang-cheol fend off the first invasion, the Regressor would receive a dimensional transfer.

To the coordinates of their choosing.

“How can I possibly trust you?”

Muttering this, Lee Hyun-ah scratched her head.

Even though this was the moment she had waited ten years for, she felt uneasy.

She was sick and tired of fighting those damn Demon Kings.

Because she had been fighting Demon Kings in the previous survival game world too.

‘But Oppa has been fighting them for over ten years.’

Lee Hyun-ah had heard that Lee Hyun-woo was still fighting for supremacy.

If she could cross dimensions and meet him again, she desperately wanted to confront him.

About why he couldn’t ask them to fight alongside him and instead had his acquaintances escape like that.

After a moment of gloomy thoughts, Lee Hyun-ah glared at the Regressor standing beside her and spoke.

“Ugh, but can’t you take off those clothes?”

“No.”

“You look like a pervert. It looks extremely indecent.”

“I can’t take it off, this Justice Armor.”

Hearing the name Justice Armor, Lee Hyun-ah gagged and stuck out her tongue as if she’d heard something she shouldn’t have.

Justice Armor.

A combat suit made from Lee Hyunbin’s clothes, tailored to fit her.

She wanted to feel his warmth, even just a little. She wanted to feel that she was with him, even just a little.

When she saw him alive, her heart tightened.

She wanted to touch him, to talk to him. But such things were nothing but a luxury.

This time, she wanted to finally take off this cursed Justice Armor.

‘This time for sure.’

The Regressor mulled it over again.

***

The world’s greatest military power and the nation with the best hunters.

The United States of America.

Even though Ian Kruger, once called humanity’s strongest, was dead, America was still home to many renowned and powerful hunters.

“What’s that?”

Dark clouds suddenly began to gather in the sky.

Citizens walking down the street looked up as the sky abruptly darkened.

The entire city was plunged into shadow.

Something felt ominous.

Just as that feeling was imprinted on people’s minds.

A change occurred in the sky.

Soon, they began to pray to God, curse, and run.

Over the skies of Washington, a massive gate reminiscent of a wormhole formed.

Monsters, letting out terrifying howls, began to fall from the rift.

*Splat!*

The head of a monster that crashed to the ground was crushed.

A vehicle, trying to avoid the monster’s corpse, swerved sharply and collided with a car in the next lane.

A pedestrian with earphones in was instantly killed, crushed beneath a suddenly falling monster.

From the sky, now stained by the gate, countless monsters were pouring out.