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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Brotherly Reunion
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In just one day, too many things had passed by.
And none of them were minor matters.
"Mr. Yong-un! Just one word, please!"
"We've confirmed your application to join the Unwoo Guild. Why on earth did you choose to join them?"
"What exactly happened during your 12 years of disappearance?"
"Is it true you were trapped and subjected to Hunter rank experiments?"
These were massive events that could shake the entire nation, and as a result, the police station was suddenly bombarded with a barrage of reporters' camera shutters.
The police officers who had filled the station rushed to the entrance, desperate to hold back the journalists.
Thanks to that, the inside of the now-quiet police station.
Officer Nam and Officer Kim had been summoned by Sergeant Park.
"Did you two handle that case properly?"
"We're sorry. It's because of us that the station got so noisy."
The camera shutter sounds and the reporters' shouts echoing from outside.
In the midst of the hectic atmosphere inside the station, Officer Nam and Officer Kim bowed their heads.
But Sergeant Park grabbed their shoulders and burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! That's not what I meant, you idiots! You did great—absolutely great!"
"Pardon?"
It had felt like waging a one-hour war.
They pushed back the surging reporters, even calling in officers out on patrol to block them.
Because of that, Sergeant Park was drenched in sweat, while Officer Nam and Officer Kim, acting as Yong-un's temporary guardians, stood in front of him to shield him from the cameras.
And now, with things somewhat sorted out.
They had expected a scolding, but instead, Sergeant Park was stripping off his sweat-soaked uniform and praising them.
"The chief is coming."
"Pardon?"
Officer Nam and Officer Kim's faces twisted in dismay.
The chief? What did that mean?
"Don't freak out. You two might get promoted because of this. Me too, of course."
"W-what did we even do..."
"What did you do? You did something amazing! You were too busy to check your phones, right?"
Sergeant Park tapped on a news article and placed his phone in front of Officer Nam and Officer Kim.
📰 Breaking News Found a Missing Person from 12 Years Ago—Turns Out to Be an A-Rank Hunter?! Yeongdeungpo Police Station reports finding a missing person from 12 years ago. But the individual turned out to be a Hunter, and upon rank evaluation, they were confirmed as the 12th A-Rank Hunter. Lee Yong-un, the 12th A-Rank Hunter, is currently...
"Look at these articles blowing up the nation right now. An A-Rank Hunter is big news, but what's the other issue?"
"Finding the missing person... right?"
"Exactly! And who found the missing person?"
"..."
Officer Nam and Officer Kim exchanged glances.
Sergeant Park slammed the desk and let out a hearty laugh.
"Hahaha! Every article is full of praise for Yeongdeungpo Police Station—that is, us! So what does that mean? Heh heh heh."
"P-promotion? Can we really get promoted?"
"Promotion's just the start. You'll get commendations too. It's the first time I've taken a call from the chief, and I've never heard him laugh that heartily! Officer Nam! You must've been possessed or something! Where'd you bring such a treasure from? Hahaha!"
At Sergeant Park's laughter, Officer Nam and Officer Kim looked at each other and grinned broadly.
"P-promotion... Is this really happening? Heh heh."
"I can't believe it... Hahaha!"
The laughter slipping through their lips soon echoed throughout the station.
The unexpected joy doubled, reddening the eyes of Officer Nam and Officer Kim.
Sergeant Park, who had made the promotion list thanks to the two officers, looked around as he prepared for the final procedures.
"Now, all that's left is asking that Yong-un fellow for an interview..."
Sergeant Park stood up and scanned the station interior.
He wanted to speak with Yong-un himself.
But strangely, Yong-un was nowhere to be seen on the sofa where he had always been sitting.
Just as he thought maybe he'd gone to the bathroom.
One of the officers came running up to Sergeant Park's desk.
"B-big trouble!"
"What's with the fuss? On a day like this?"
"Yong-un... Mr. Yong-un is gone!"
It was like a bolt from the blue.
"W-what are you..."
The startled Sergeant Park stammered.
"I'm sorry. We were right there guarding him... It was really just a blink... I swear. I blinked once, and he was suddenly gone."
"Suddenly gone? Without a word?"
"Actually, while checking Officer Nam's desk, he looked at some documents and then suddenly..."
"Documents?"
Sergeant Park glanced at Officer Nam.
Officer Nam jolted as if remembering something and shouted.
"Ah, the Unwoo Guild gate!"
"What does that mean?"
"It had the current location of Mr. Myung-un marked on it."
"What? Myung-un? Yong-un's family?"
"Yes, and it was marked on a map, so Yong-un must have seen it and..."
"What are you doing?"
Sergeant Park's expression grew colder as the conversation continued.
"Pardon?"
Officer Nam and Officer Kim looked at him in confusion, not understanding.
Sergeant Park's face flushed red as if holding back anger, then he gritted his teeth.
"Find him. You have one hour."
Bam!
He slammed the desk.
"If you don't bring that missing person back here in one hour, your promotions are canceled."
"Pardon...?"
"Starting now."
The cheerful atmosphere in the station turned icy in an instant.
The words "promotion canceled" lit a fire in their chests.
"Yes, sir!"
Saluting sharply, Officer Nam and Officer Kim bolted out with pale faces.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Is this the place?"
Yong-un looked around briefly while staring at the map.
Identical-style buildings and a rift in space at the center.
"Myung-un is inside there?"
Seeing the gate marked in the center of the map, Yong-un ignited Samadhi True Fire and incinerated it in one go.
"Ah..."
Yong-un gaped at the gray ashes falling away.
Habits were truly frightening.
In the Heavenly Demon Cult, he had burned every order after reading it.
It was because there were too many secrets, and exposure could reveal the cult's command structure.
But that was the story of the Sword Demon in the martial world.
In this reality, it didn't matter to him.
Even if the map fell into someone's hands, nothing would change.
Yet Yong-un had burned it as if it were the most natural thing.
Just like a long-ingrained habit his body remembered.
He shook his head at the gray ashes fluttering away.
"Even if I discarded the Demon-Slaying Sword, the Sword Demon remains."
Unable to fully shake off those habits, Yong-un shook his head once more.
Then he let his floating body plummet downward.
His form, falling at high speed, vanished just before hitting the ground.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Not all gates are the same."
He had entered the gate where Myung-un was.
But the landscape differed from his first gate entry, adding another piece of modern common sense to his mind.
Not all gates were identical.
The first gate had burning ground and cracked earth, but this one was a mountain thick with lush grass and towering trees.
Rumble.
His smile at the mountain air tickling his nose lasted only a moment.
Yong-un's senses detected a clash of energies.
"Over there?"
He spread his demonic energy to envelop all visible mountains.
Demonic energy was now everything to Yong-un.
The thin veil settled over the peaks, revealing every event unfolding there before his eyes.
"Twelve people, over forty monsters."
The thick scent of blood suggested multiple battles had already ended.
Blood no longer stirred Yong-un's heart.
How long had he lived drenched in it?
To Yong-un, who had honed his blades through dozens, hundreds of battles, the smell was barely a curiosity.
But.
Grip.
"Things are different now."
Among that blood soaking the ground, could he be sure Myung-un's wasn't there?
Clenching his fist, Yong-un kicked off the earth with the sharp gaze that once made righteous warriors tremble.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Block it!"
Unwoo Guild.
A small guild that couldn't crack the top 100 nationwide and only entered the rankings by limiting to regional scope.
Even their strongest, the guild master, was just a B-Rank Awakener.
Today, as always, they were clearing a gate to fulfill the Hunter Management Agency's daily quota.
Thwack!
At the guild master's command, gripping his spear, the C-Rank tanker charged and raised his shield.
Arf! Arf arf!
The wolf blocked by the shield slashed with its front paw and barked furiously, instilling fear.
It looked like a normal wolf, but monstrously, its blows rocked the shield twice its size.
"Myung-un!"
Feeling his strength wane, the tanker urgently called out.
Myung-un, hiding behind the shield, circled right and thrust his sword into the wolf's right neck.
Squelch!
Yelp!
Crack!
As the sword embedded, Myung-un twisted it swiftly.
With a bone-snapping sound, the rampaging wolf monster stilled.
"Huff... huff..."
Myung-un panted as if exhausted.
The tanker wiped sweat from his brow and smiled.
"Today's a good day, isn't it? Shouldn't you be moving faster?"
"It is. So good it feels like a dream."
Myung-un smiled back and ducked behind the tanker.
Bam!
The charging wolf shook the shield violently again.
As the shield lifted, a sword stabbed through the gap.
It pierced the wide-open maw and twisted once more.
Crack.
"Hoo... Number 13?"
"Damn, we haven't even hit half."
"Let's be glad the boss hasn't shown."
Myung-un deflected a lunging wolf's attack and gritted his teeth, stabbing it.
As he moved to hide behind the tanker, his body froze abruptly.
Not just him.
All the Hunters flinched and scanned their surroundings.
"Did you feel that just now?"
"Looks like we weren't the only ones. Look over there."
At the guild master's words, the tanker pointed ahead with a stiff expression.
The guild master stared gravely, unable to continue.
"W-what the..."
All the snarling wolf monsters had suddenly lowered their heads and tails.
An unbelievable sight, unseen in dozens of cleared gates.
It filled the guild members with extreme unease.
"Guild master...? What rank was this gate?"
"C-Rank. It seems correct... What's going on?"
Like prey before an apex predator, the cowering monsters made every Hunter tense up and gather near the guild master.
"This won't do. Let's retreat for now. Out of the gate to the Hunter agency..."
Knowing his members' anxiety, the guild master opted for the extreme choice.
But just as he spoke, something dropped rapidly between the Unwoo Guild members and the monsters.
Thud! Whoosh—
The trembling ground and rising dust cloud.
All the tense Hunters gripped their weapons and swallowed hard.
"Myung-un."
The thick dust blanketed like dense fog, blocking all vision.
But the familiar name from within made every guild member furrow their brows.
"Myung-un? Did he just say Myung-un from in there?"
One guild member voiced the confusion.
"I ask once more. Is Myung-un alive?"
At first odd, now it was clear.
The voice came from right ahead through the dust.
Confused and unfamiliar, no one answered rashly.
But soon.
"He's alive here. Who are you?"
Myung-un, who rarely spoke up, suddenly addressed the figure in the dust.
All guild members stared at the strange Myung-un.
"Alive... Yes, that's enough."
Just as they puzzled over Myung-un's unusual behavior.
A response came from the dust.
A fierce wind then blew, scattering all the dust.
"A person?"
Vision cleared, revealing the speaker as human.
But at the stranger's appearance, the guild members gripped their weapons again.
Soon, however, the scene left every one of them slack-jawed.
"I've missed you, little brother."
The shocking words came with a massive energy wave.
It cleaved all the rear wolf monsters in half, spraying blood.
Forty monsters that were hard to handle singly.
"W-what the hell..."
Witnessing the impossible, a curse escaped the guild master's lips.