Chapter 261 – Choice

Everyone faces moments of choice.

A choice cannot be undone.

Whenever you choose one thing, you lose another.

Of course, there are ways to gain both. But whether that is truly gaining both is a question worth considering.

The beings known as Demon Kings are not eternal. Of course, there are exceptions like Agares.

If Dantalian dies, another demon is chosen to become Dantalian.

This was true for all 72 Demon Kings.

Even the king of all Demon Kings, Baal, was the same. The title of Demon King is one that is inherited.

All things require balance.

The scales must not tip to one side.

The existence known as the ‘System’ is, quite literally, the phenomenon that allows all things to be.

If the Hunter Awakening System exists to strengthen weak humans for the coming battles, it also creates the Dungeon System to allow monsters to escape their habitats.

As a simple example, if a Demon King is strong, a Hero is summoned. Conversely, if a Hero is strong, Baal is summoned.

The Order System is not some absolute god, nor is it a being that enjoys playing capricious tricks.

It merely initiates algorithms to maintain balance.

Im Jae-joon felt a sense of kinship with the Hero from their very first meeting.

When he was first summoned, he was nothing more than a naive, clueless boy. But he felt a sense of responsibility and sought to save people.

His values grew along with his strength.

People are not beings who live alone.

They live for others, and they receive help from others.

He obtained the title of Demon King for the sake of the oppressed demons. And the Hero subjugated the Demon King to end the war, even going so far as to wage the Seven Kingdoms War.

Though they were enemies, they were looking in the same direction.

A place where senseless death does not exist, a world not overflowing with absurdity.

Their role was to empty the overflowing trash can.

They met again in the modern world and joined hands.

As expected, the two were excelling in their respective domains.

But that was only for a moment.

Various incidents occurred. And they came to realize that the entire series of events was connected to the Demon Kings.

The young Saintess.

She became a Regressor to protect the Hero, who was like family to her.

The sacrifice she made to become a Regressor was far too great.

Still, she does not regret it.

It’s not just the Saintess.

This time, the people connected to the Hero are trying to protect him.

Im Jae-joon gathered the members of the Hanul Guild.

The guild members seemed to have an idea why Im Jae-joon had called them.

There wasn’t a single person who didn’t know that Lee Hyunbin was currently attempting a solo raid in the Demon Realm.

It was a fact known not just in the country, but by people all over the world.

The talk of him being a Villain or what-have-you had already become the narrative of a small minority of dissenters.

“The Hanul Guild will proceed with a solo raid of the Demon Realm.”

“…!”

It was just as everyone had expected.

Im Jae-joon chose the path of least bloodshed. That meant keeping the Hero out of the fight.

But both he and the Regressor had made a mistake.

They had completely misunderstood the being known as the Hero.

Even if his honor is tarnished, even if the people he protected point their fingers at him. He still raises his sword.

After all, he didn’t save people to be praised or thanked by anyone.

He has power, so he bears the responsibility.

A simple truth that no one abides by.

“Participation is not mandatory. This is a dangerous mission from which you might not return.”

Everyone held their breath.

As Hunters themselves, they wanted to go save their comrade. But Gate raids, unlike dungeon raids, were inherently extremely dangerous missions.

A gate could suddenly close, trapping them inside, or an overwhelmingly powerful enemy could appear.

This Demon Realm was a place swarming with monsters stronger than any seen before. Going there was akin to throwing one’s life away.

“I’m looking for volunteers…”

“Me, I’ll go. I’m going!”

He hadn’t even finished speaking when a man was the first to raise his hand.

No, there were two.

A blond-haired man who looked like a delinquent, and another who, in contrast, looked like a model student.

Kim Tae-yang and Kim In-ho. Their nickname was the “Kim Twins.”

The two were Lee Hyunbin’s disciples and had been with him from the very beginning.

“You might not be able to return. Are you volunteering with that knowledge?”

Everyone has something precious to them.

A beloved partner, a loving family, a cherished pet, and so on.

Thinking of them, one couldn’t help but hesitate.

“I’m going.”

“You might regret it.”

“I’m going.”

“Very well.”

His simple-minded determination was like looking at the Hero himself.

No, perhaps if Kim Tae-yang had been summoned to another world, he might have become the Hero.

“Good. However, Hunter Kim In-ho.”

Im Jae-joon looked toward Kim In-ho.

“Hunter Kim In-ho, I understand you’re raising your sister’s son. If you’re not there, that child has no one else to look after him.”

“…”

A stir went through the guild members.

Only a few knew that Kim In-ho had adopted and was raising his sister’s son.

More than that, it was only natural that someone with a child wouldn’t go on such a dangerous mission.

“I’m still going.”

“You might regret it.”

“I think I’ll regret it if I don’t go.”

At Kim In-ho’s words, the corner of Im Jae-joon’s mouth lifted slightly.

These two would definitely be a help. They were Hunters that Lee Hyunbin had perfected.

“If something happens to me, I would be grateful if you, Chairman, would look after the child.”

Kim In-ho looked as though he had already made up his mind.

To that, Im Jae-joon said quietly.

“I’m afraid that will be difficult.”

A clear refusal from Im Jae-joon. And he continued to speak.

“Because I’ll be going with you.”

At Im Jae-joon’s words, everyone began to murmur.

No one had expected that the chairman of the Hanul Group, a chaebol, would personally go into the jaws of death.

“Me too, *huff*, *huff*. I’m going.”

Seo Hyun-ji, who had just entered the meeting room late, raised her hand while catching her breath.

Looking at her, Im Jae-joon let out a dry laugh. Then he spoke.

“Anyone else?”

There were no more volunteers.

It was only natural.

“Very well. Only the volunteers will remain. The rest of you are dismissed.”

No one could blame the Hunters who didn’t volunteer.

They already had the experience of fighting the Demon King’s army once before.

The Demon King’s army aside, the overwhelming presence the Demon King himself exuded was immense.

“Chairman. Are you really going with just these people?”

Kim In-ho’s question.

“Yes, it’s just right.”

“Won’t it be too much for us…?”

“If you’re scared, you can back out, Kim In-ho.”

“Just being realistic.”

Im Jae-joon chuckled at their bickering and said.

“Of course not. We aren’t the only suicide squad.”

Im Jae-joon spoke in a cryptic manner.

“We’ll depart first thing tomorrow morning. Settle your personal affairs and gather at the guild hall.”

There was weight in Im Jae-joon’s words.

Hyunbin’s team members. Kim Tae-yang, Kim In-ho, and Seo Hyun-ji had volunteered for the suicide squad with unwavering eyes.

And the next morning.

Im Jae-joon’s words became reality.

“Does anyone have any regrets?”

The guild members who had simply left yesterday were all gathered in the hall.

Humans are creatures who are strong in a crisis.

And they are beings who cling to their bonds.

If Lee Hyunbin is defeated, destruction will literally follow.

The current battle with the Demon Kings was not his fight alone.

Im Jae-joon led the guild members who had become the suicide squad toward the place where the Demon King’s gate had opened.

The gate that had been spread across the sky was now making its presence known even on the ground.

At the site of the large-scale gate, military forces were controlling civilian access.

“You’re late, aren’t you? They won’t let us in without you, Chairman.”

Lee Hyun-ah was there.

She scanned the people around her with her arms crossed, her annoyed eyebrows twitching.

“I see some unfamiliar faces.”

“Yes, they’re old comrades. They said they wanted to stretch their legs.”

The reclusive first-generation Hunters.

Quite a few Awakeners from the survival game had gathered.

“I received a gift from that pervert, so I figured I could at least do this much. Besides, it aligns with our own goals.”

Lee Hyun-ah had gotten what she wanted from the Regressor.

The person she was originally trying to find was also currently confronting the Demon King of the West.

Im Jae-joon nodded.

Besides the first-generation Hunters, there were others present.

The silver-haired special Gader, Seol Ji-hoon.

Yeomje and Kaldoma from the Shinhwa Guild, and so on.

It wasn’t just them; elite members from other guilds had also gathered.

“The decision from the higher-ups came down.”

Lieutenant Colonel Baek Hyun-joo of the Administration Bureau was also there.

“I got this budget by grabbing my superior by the collar, so feel free to pour it all out.”

It wasn’t just Hunters being dispatched as support this time.

“Excellent.”

They made the powerful cough up all the mana stones that had been lining their pockets under the excuse of saving the budget.

As a result, a special forces unit was formed that could now use mana stone bullets without restraint.

“Everyone, fighting!”

“Save the Deliveryman!”

“Wipe them all out!”

Despite the area being controlled, countless citizens who had gathered somehow knew and were cheering for the suicide squad.

***

The Demon Realm raid began.

“Chairman, the European Union, the United States, and the Asian branches are also on the move.”

“I see.”

Im Jae-joon nodded at Olivier’s report.

Olivier was trying her best to report on the overall battle situation calmly, but her eyes were bloodshot from sleepless nights worrying about the Hero.

“Don’t worry.”

“Pardon?”

“You, who have attempted to assassinate him more than anyone, should know better than anyone. He’s the type who won’t die even if you kill him.”

At Im Jae-joon’s words, a slight smile formed on the lips of Olivier, who had been as expressionless as a doll.

“And his feet smell terrible.”

The invasion of the Demon Realm was easy.

This was thanks to all attention being focused on the Hero.

Not only that, but thanks to Karin, the gate’s trajectory was shifted to a location near the enemy’s center.

In other words, the Demon King’s army was getting a taste of its own medicine.

As the Korean Hunters suddenly stormed in, the ambushed Demon King’s army couldn’t mount a proper resistance and met a gruesome end.

Looking at the dead demons, Im Jae-joon felt a complex mix of emotions.

These could also be called his own people. And yet, he had to fight them.

He was reluctant. But to stop them, he had to change the leader of the Demon Kings.

The very one who continuously creates wars and discord across all dimensions.

‘Agares.’

He must be killed.

“I-It’s an invasion by the human bastards!”

The Demon Kings’ fortress was in great panic at the sudden appearance of the allied human forces.

“So this is what an invasion feels like.”

“Let’s hurry up and save the princess, and teach them a lesson so they never dare to invade again!”

The Hunters from the European Union were also showing strong fighting spirit.

No, it wasn’t just them.

People from all over the world, Hunters who normally wouldn’t even be able to communicate, were now gathered here with a single goal.

The Hero, Lee Hyunbin.

Because of him alone, people from all over the world were on the move.

Inspired by his deeds and his sacrifice, heroes who willingly walked into the jaws of death are gathered here.

“Look, the prey has walked right into our laps! Everyone, feast to your heart’s content!”

The Demon King’s legion commander found it absurd that their prey was invading them.

The castle gates opened.

Seeing this, the Hunters were pleased that they wouldn’t have to conduct a siege.

But upon seeing what came out from within, everyone was at a loss for words.

Giants with massive bodies were running out.

And charging alongside them, in an agitated state, were mammoths so large they made the giants look like children.

*Kwoooar, Kwoooaaang!*

But they were opponents they had faced once before.

Mortars meant to support the Hunters bombarded the giants and mammoths.

*Kkeueo!*

The giants were struck by mortar shells, their heads crushed and legs blown off as they collapsed.

The army here now was no ordinary army. All personnel were equipped with Hunter-exclusive gear and had re-armed with special ammunition treated with mana.

Modern firearms with mana-treated rounds were no longer just water pistols.

It wasn’t just Korea; several other nations also launched interceptions.

The mammoths and giants, hit by concentrated fire, fell over gruesomely, their entrails bursting out.

Over the fallen giant monsters, the Demon King’s army began its charge.

The Hunters also drew their respective weapons.

Because their range was so superior, countless enemies died as they approached.

However, among them, some incredibly powerful warriors even ignored the shells and charged forward.

Modern firearms were certainly excellent.

They melted the enemy away before they could even get close.

“Stupid bastards, all they know is how to mindlessly charge.”

The allied forces jeered at their incompetent foes.

Once they took formation and fought properly on flat ground, these enemies were nothing but a disorderly mob.

Watching this, Im Jae-joon felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

He himself was once a demon.

The mass death of demons was not a pleasant sight. Human and demon. The person caught in the gap between them was none other than Im Jae-joon.

“Well, well. To think I’d live to see the day human bastards invade.”

Just then, a Demon King with a sinister voice appeared.

“A D-Demon King…!”

“Show some respect, you sacks of meat.”

*Pshik!*

A young man with huge horns on either side of his head appeared alone, riding a phantom horse.

The formation began to crumble due to the Demon King who had suddenly appeared in their midst.

Demon King Barbatos. The man called the God of War was freely swinging his spear in the middle of the bombarding army, slaughtering them.

“Hunters, support…! Keoheuk!”

“Dammit, a Demon King appeared at the rear! S-ranks, all of you, provide support…!”

“It’s already too late. You insects.”

Barbatos chuckled, “Heh heh,” and raised his hand.

*Kwoooaaa!*

A jet-black, thorny serpent swept through the area once.

*Tuk, tuduk.*

It created a flood of blood in the area around Barbatos.

“7th Legion, I permit you to slaughter to your heart’s content…!”

Barbatos shouted with a strange laugh.

Behind him, Death Knights on phantom horses began to charge, swords in hand.

The allied human forces were thrown into chaos in an instant by the large army that appeared from the rear.

With the fire support gone, the Demon King’s army charging from the front was also gradually closing the distance.

They had expected it wouldn’t be an easy battle, but they hadn’t predicted that a single Demon King could turn the tide of the war.

Im Jae-joon gritted his teeth.

‘Not yet?’

The Saintess had not yet arrived. To change the tide of battle now, they needed the Saintess.

Of course, the allied human forces wouldn’t collapse this easily. But Barbatos’s martial might was overwhelming.

Three American S-rank Hunters who tried to oppose him were killed instantly in less than a few minutes.

An S-rank carries the same weight as a general.

Seeing such powerful warriors die in an instant naturally lowers morale.

The Demon King’s army had been pushed back for a moment by the overwhelming firepower, but they were now quickly displaying the predatory instincts that had allowed them to plunder Earth.

‘Choice.’

– The Crown of Sins is watching you.

Im Jae-joon was continuously being forced to make a choice.

Even now, at this very moment.

***

“Sorry I’m late, Hero.”

“Dantalian?”

“This crazy bastard dares to kill a high-ranking Demon King?”

The Demon Kings who had surrounded the Hero glared at the suddenly appeared Im Jae-joon. No, at Dantalian.

Dantalian loosened his necktie.

As the suffocating tightness around his neck eased, he felt his heart grow lighter.

Seeing the Hero in danger, Dantalian had urgently broken through the enemy forces.

Seeing the Hero’s life hanging by a thread, he no longer hesitated in his choice.

This friend was too precious to die like this.

And above all, this strange alliance between a Hero and a Demon King wasn’t so bad.

“Dantalian, what is the meaning of this?”

Even the wise Marbas asked, seemingly enraged.

They had finally caught the Hero, only for one of their own—and a low-ranking Demon King at that—to interfere. It was impossible not to be furious.

“…Did you by any chance meet Barbatos?”

Marbas asked with trembling lips, seeing what Dantalian was holding in his left hand.

“Barbatos.”

Dantalian smiled.

And he threw what he was holding in his left hand toward them.

What Dantalian held was the head of a Demon King.

It rolled and rolled, coming to a stop at Marbas’s feet.

“I brought him here.”

There was Barbatos, beheaded, his bloodshot eyes staring in disbelief.

“H-how could a mere low-ranking Demon King…!”

Dantalian. The 71st Demon King. Rank doesn’t represent absolute power. But low-ranking Demon Kings have pitifully low demonic energy compared to high-ranking ones.

“I am.”

Dantalian did not regret his choice.

“Baal.”

In the end, he had chosen.

People are always forced to choose. And they can never go back.

“Kneel.”

From his back, a single red wing soared upwards.