Chapter 38

D-666.

The place known as the Devil’s Dungeon was about to manifest.

Perhaps in less than a month.

The Necromancer within would likely possess greater power than Kang Yuseong currently did.

If even the National Dungeon Management Bureau’s exploration team, comprised of seasoned Hunters, had been annihilated without a single distress call…

It meant attacking directly would be suicide.

However, he had the advantage of foreknowledge.

What kind of foe lurked there, what abilities they wielded…

Everything was etched into Kang Yuseong’s mind.

Knowing the problem made finding a solution considerably easier.

And the fact that he had a month left to prepare worked in Kang Yuseong’s favor.

‘A month.’

Kang Yuseong smiled coldly.

That would be enough.

‘I’ll catch up to him!’

His reason for finding the Necromancer was clear.

He intended to find him, suppress him, and take everything.

He was about to embark on the path of a true Necromancer.

A clear objective had been set.

And once an objective was established, the subsequent steps naturally became clear.

‘First…’

What he needed most right now was Karma Power.

Chakra Points were also necessary, of course, but he was steadily accumulating them through Chakra Pills, so Karma Power was his most pressing need.

‘Normally, the Black Society would have carried out a massacre through Chinatown, but…’

But Kang Yuseong had already utterly crushed them.

It was unlikely China would openly bare its fangs for a while.

But they weren’t the only option.

Busan would soon become noisy.

And one more place.

Kang Yuseong’s eyes turned north.

‘Ah, the Red Jackals… you bastards were there.’

The Red Star Military Guard Unit.

They were always called the Red Jackals rather than their official name, the Red Star Military Guard Unit, because they wore red sashes on their helmets during combat.

But that didn’t make them easy targets.

Their power, enhanced by the Chakra Points gained from massacring North Korean citizens, combined with their unique North Korean assassination techniques, was formidable.

When their power, accumulated by monopolizing dungeons across North Korea and dedicating twenty-four hours a day to hunting, was revealed to the world, it sent shockwaves.

And the period when they first revealed that power was precisely now.

The Bloody Sunday, when both the South Korean army and Hunters would be instantly slaughtered by their masterful camouflage and deception tactics, was fast approaching.

That time was only a few days apart from China’s ‘Second Incheon Landing Operation.’

It meant the Bloody Sunday was imminent.

‘I’ll hunt you bastards down.’

Bloody Sunday.

They would certainly come.

To dye this land with blood.

And Kang Yuseong would hunt them.

* * * * *

North Korea’s Red Star Military Guard Unit was strong.

And because they were originally special forces, they were highly skilled in covert operations and assassinating key figures.

They possessed exceptional stamina, handled personal firearms with great proficiency, and were even trained to operate tanks.

For such individuals to awaken their Chakra and become Hunters was truly terrifying.

It meant killing people without a trace was nothing to them.

Moreover, they hadn’t just cultivated Chakra.

They were individuals who had monopolized dungeons across North Korea, hunting relentlessly.

*Shing-*

Kang Yuseong sheathed his longsword at his hip and unfurled a map.

His gaze fell upon a mountain range in northern Gangwon Province.

There lay the D-87 Dungeon.

It was a C-rank dungeon, classified as a large-scale dungeon, and a popular spot for novice Hunters.

However, its poor connectivity with nearby cities made quick responses impossible in case of an incident. In the past, this very location was identified as the Red Jackals’ first infiltration site.

Hundreds of Hunters inside had been found massacred.

And the news wasn’t reported until days later.

Cunningly, they had used a heavy snow warning as cover for their surprise attack, then leisurely made their escape.

Kang Yuseong’s eyes gleamed.

‘Heavy snow warning.’

According to the current weather forecast, the area was still cloudy.

But that weather was predicted to turn to snow starting this coming Saturday.

Whether it would be a heavy snowfall or just light snow, it was a detail he couldn’t overlook.

Since he didn’t know the exact date, he had to make predictions based on this.

If he missed them, a terrible tragedy would unfold.

Their massacre in the D-87 Dungeon was one problem, but the slaughter they committed while moving south after leaving that place was so brutal it made one’s blood run cold.

The horrific scenes of them raiding homes, killing infants, gang-raping women, and beheading men had ignited the fury of all Hunters in South Korea.

Kang Yuseong, never forgetting those events, had indeed laid North Korea to waste after becoming the Monarch, but he couldn’t undo what had already happened.

But now, Kang Yuseong had been given a chance to prevent that catastrophe.

Kang Yuseong stared intently at the map depicting the D-87 Dungeon, then folded it and tucked it into his pocket.

‘I’ll stop them here.’

For him, hunting them down not only meant gaining Karma Power but also preventing innocent sacrifices.

He couldn’t let the organization known as North Korea continue to manipulate South Korea indefinitely.

It was time to sever that persistent, cursed tie.

* * * * *

Gangwon Province’s crisp air was, as expected, superb.

Moreover, in these deep mountain ranges, that sensation felt even more pronounced, bringing a sense of satisfaction.

However, Kang Yuseong, trudging through the mountain range, seemed oblivious to the fresh air, his eyes gleaming sharply as he advanced.

The D-87 Dungeon was right around here. But he didn’t enter the dungeon immediately.

He intended to scout the surroundings, checking for potential ambush spots.

Surveying the terrain and exploiting it was Kang Yuseong’s specialty.

In hundreds, thousands of battles, that ability had never once failed him.

No matter how much terrain application training the Red Jackals, the special forces unit of the Red Star Military Guard Unit, had received, they couldn’t evade Kang Yuseong’s experienced eyes.

Furthermore, he had memories from the past.

‘The infiltration route…’

They had traversed this mountain range, killed the Hunters, then quickly escaped, crossing the range at an astonishing speed.

In doing so, they had committed atrocities, killing civilians and annihilating military units.

Yet, even before those events were fully reported, they had entered Seoul directly, attacked the Blue House, and attempted to assassinate various Guild Masters.

All of this had unfolded over approximately two to three days.

Their numbers were estimated to be around fifty to seventy, but the exact figure was unknown.

It was because they were so elusive.

In fact, if not for the three great Hunters of the Immortal Guild at that time, it would likely have been only a matter of time before Seoul was devastated. Their ingenuity had bought time and provided an opportunity for a counterattack.

That was how terrifying a surprise attack could be.

Gangwon Province had been breached, and Seoul ravaged, all in an instant.

But if he set a trap and waited, the story would be different.

The infiltration route was unclear to others, but it was being clearly drawn in Kang Yuseong’s eyes.

‘They must have followed this ridge, then exited this way. That’s how they could enter the dungeon without being detected. After that… they headed in that direction. No doubt about it.’

Just by looking at the predicted route, he could tell what formidable experts they were.

A daring route.

And the monstrous strength to traverse it in a single breath.

The brutality to wipe out the Hunters inside the dungeon in an instant.

Perfect.

‘It won’t be easy.’

Kang Yuseong narrowed his brows, gazing at the ridge.

At least fifty, perhaps close to a hundred, murderers.

He had to stop them.

He couldn’t contact Baek Myeong-han and call him here.

Because they could never contend with these foes.

But a faint smile slowly spread across Kang Yuseong’s lips.

‘Yes… this is what makes hunting interesting.’

He had grasped the infiltration route.

Then, he could ensnare them in return.

Of course, there was no guarantee they would come this way.

But Kang Yuseong was certain of it.

His eyes had never been wrong.

*Whoosh-*

From the heavily overcast sky, snow began to fall, accompanied by a biting wind.

Heavy snow.

Its harbinger was now visible.

* * * * *

*Crackle- hiss-*

Kang Yuseong dug a dugout, and from within, turned on a radio.

It was Friday night.

Outside the dugout, snow was falling heavily.

“- Heavy snowfall in parts of Gangwon Province… *crackle*… some roads are closed… *hiss*…”

The blizzard had begun.

‘Soon… it will begin.’

A snowfall of this magnitude could easily turn into a heavy blizzard in an instant.

Once today and tomorrow passed, it would be Sunday.

‘Bloody Sunday is about to begin.’

Kang Yuseong’s lips twisted into a smirk.

Whose blood would it be?

The thought sent a strange thrill through Kang Yuseong.

One who had tasted blood would never forget its flavor.

Slaughter, in truth, was nothing special.

Drunk on blood, intoxicated by that fervent heat, he would find himself wielding his sword, becoming a killer.

But whether he became a killer or a hero depended on *who* he cut down with that blade. Kang Yuseong’s sword had struck down evil, making him a Monarch, while others, failing to do so, had fallen to his blade and rotted into bones.

But Kang Yuseong already knew.

Such distinctions held no meaning.

Only one thing mattered to him.

To risk his own life and take another’s.

The exhilaration of wielding his sword, intoxicated by the adrenaline surging madly through his body during that process.

*Clank-*

Kang Yuseong stroked the sword resting on his shoulder.

He felt the cold, ominous aura of the blade, which would soon drink immense amounts of blood.

“- Breaking… *crackle*… news. We bring you a special report. Currently, parts of Gangwon Province…”

Kang Yuseong’s eyes widened.

The radio continued to broadcast news amidst the static.

“- A heavy snow warning has been issued. Those in the vicinity are advised to return home immediately or… *crackle*… evacuate to a safe place. We repeat…”

Kang Yuseong’s eyes settled into a cold gaze.

A heavy snow warning was in effect.

Time had passed; it was now Saturday.

Just one more day, and…

‘I’ll get a taste of blood.’

Kang Yuseong once again replayed the route in his mind.

Then, he opened the dugout’s lid and stepped outside.

In the pitch-black night, white snow covered everything.

The towering trees, the massive rocks, even the infiltration route he had mapped out.

Kang Yuseong vanished into it as if swallowed whole.