"Haaa~this is so frustrating. In the past, we had so much to hunt, and now, all we get is wild mutts and rodents...I can't even get my body heated up with this quality..." Near the western border of Seoul, two hunters could be seen currently walking out of the dungeon after finishing their raid in just a few hours.
Due to the decline of dungeons these days, even A-rank hunters have to raid C to D-rank dungeons to prevent themselves from getting rusty.
The economic status of the Guilds these days is degrading because of low-ranking gates. As such, many guilds have stopped hiring new hunters, and many of them have even begun exterminating the contracts with low-ranking ones.
The world was slowly returning to that phase where import and export reigned supremacy in the field of economy and development. And this change was making many feel bitter and annoyed.
"If things continued like this...I might have to return being an off-" Seeing his partner suddenly halting in his way and his eyes widening, the previous speaker raised his brows and followed his comrade's line of sight...only to find his eyes stretching wide in astonishment.
"What...the heck?!" Above Seoul, there hung a dungeon gate which was several times more massive than the previous S-rank one against which Hunter Sung Jin-Woo fought
The radiance of this dungeon made the whole city illuminate. The ethereal glow from the dungeon was both mesmerizing and horrifying.
Not only the city but the whole of Seoul city was beneath the radiance, and everywhere, a sense of panic arose.
******
[A few minutes earlier]
Jin-Woo could be seen in a jewellery shop along with Hae-In, as they selected a couple ring which they could wear.
It was Cha Hae-In's idea to have something matching other than just a coffee mug.
Jin-Woo didn't have anything pressing at the moment and his family was there to take care of Jinah...whose belly was now swollen enough to make her look like she was pregnant.
Since Jinah was comfortable here, not even once Haru's parents thought before they decided to stay here in Seoul so they could come and see Jinah as much as they could.
Haru was spending most of his time with her as well. Recently his behavior has changed so much that Jin-Woo sometimes couldn't recognise him.
Responsible, mature and caring. He has become a person to whom Jin-Woo can now leave his sister.
"How does this look?" While lifting a pair of rose gold rings she asked.
Jin-Woo looked at his carefully, discerning what was the difference between the one she showed previously and this one, before he nodded, "Yeah, looks better."
Cha Hae-In chuckled, "Jin-Woo, it's the same one."
Jin-Woo blinked in surprise, as he realised his mistake.
Cha Hae-In wasn't just his girlfriend but a hunter as well; that's why she knew his reason for concern. Resting the rings back on the shelf, she asked, "Are you worried about something?"
She fondly held his hand, a gesture which she might have fainted to attempt in the past, as she asked.
Jin-Woo heaved a sigh as he told her, "I have had this weird feeling since morning that something is about to happen. You know...the curse of everything going well is that bad news immediately follows up."
Cha Hae-In was about to tell him that everything will be fine and he was just overthinking when suddenly, what he feared turned out to be true,
"Sunbae," Suddenly, inside the shop, a familiar blue-eyed teenager appeared—making the other customers squeal and gasp in shock and astonishment.
Haru ignored them and told Jin-Woo, "Come with me,"
Jin-Woo's face darkened as he sensed 'it' as well before he turned towards Hae-In.
The blond hunter's heart rate elevated. For Haru to appear this panicked means the situation was going to be significantly disastrous.
Tiptoeing, she kissed him briefly and told him, "Take care,"
Jin-Woo was a little surprised to feel her lips here in public for the first time. He collected his girl in his arms for a brief moment before releasing her and saying,
"I will."
******
The place where Haru brought Jin-Woo was a deserted forest land situated near the coastal region.
"Haru? What exactly is that?" While looking at the sky, or to be precise, at the giant hole, Jin-Woo asked. He could feel the presence of the Almighty One but until now, no sign of invasion.
Haru solemnly told him, "The Outer Gods are coming."
Jin-Woo's eyes widened, "What do you mean? Isn't the Absolute One the deterrent that should have kept them away?"
Haru nodded, "I also assumed so...but it seems the Monarchs and the Ruler changed the rules of the game, a little." Looking at his Sunbae, Haru said, "The Absolute One actually provoked the Outer Gods just after rebirth. And now .."
"They are coming for a war." Jin-Woo finished what Haru intended to say.
Jin-Woo's eyes were a little stretched as he looked at the dungeon gate. Not one but multiple problems can arise if the Outer Gods even enter the orbit.
People will die even if they try to protect them. And in the confrontation, Earth might not be able to recover from the aftereffects of the incoming war.
Jin-Woo didn't have enough of his army to keep the Outer Gods away, and there was this looming danger of the Absolute One as well, who clearly was under the Monarchs' control.
"Haru...can you take care of the Absolute One?" Hearing Jin-Woo's words, Haru raised his brows and said,
"I can but I was thinking of keeping the Outer Gods away-"
"You can't. There is so much risk...and now you have a family to return to." Jin-Woo sounded stern and left no room for argument.
This might be the first time Haru got scolded by his Sunbae, however, he was far from offended.
With a smile, Haru reminded the man, "Sunbae...Jinah is your family too. And will I ever be able to look at Hae-In in the eye, if something happens to you?"
Jin-Woo clenched his fist, "Despite that...I can't let you go out there and fight those many deities all alone."
Haru smirked and informed his ignorant Sunbae, "The matter of fact is Sunbae...those guys are not worth to spend even my five percent of strength. And if you still don't believe me, then I will keep the Outer Gods away with a huge barrier around the Earth, and once you finish the Absolute One, we will go to fight them together."
Jin-Woo was baffled hearing those words....again asking himself that how strong is he actually?
After a bit of thinking, Jin-Woo yielded, "Okay fine, but you aren't going to leave until we finish things here."
"Got it, Sunbae~"
******
A/N:- The final batttttttttle!