Solo Leveling: Ragnarok Chapter 206-209[End]

Chapter 206

A land melted by the blizzard.

“…” In the center of the massive crater, Liu Zhigang sat helplessly, his limbs drooping. His body was completely exhausted, but the faint smile at the corners of his mouth made him look so relaxed.

‘How refreshing.’ Finally, his inner demons were gone. This was the result of draining the ominous mana that had been tormenting him endlessly for the past two years. Of course, the relief was temporary, but the pain seemed to have finally been washed away from the terrible headache he had endured. “Yes, I had to fight an S-rank from the beginning.”

Due to various political reasons, Liu Zhigang never had the chance to go all out against any S-rank hunters. If two S-ranks from the same country fought for their lives, it would be a national loss, and if you fought against another country’s S-rank, it would be a war in itself. But today he was really lucky. “I never thought I’d run into an S-rank villain in a place like this.”

‘…And loose.’

Cough.

Suddenly, blood spewed out of Liu Zhigang’s mouth. Of course, he’d be lying if he said he didn’t have any regrets. There were too many of them. ‘If I knew it would be like this, I would have saved my energy a bit.’

‘If I had fought again when I was in the best of shapes, the outcome might have been a little different…’

‘But, if I had won, I wouldn’t have been able to shake off all of my inner demons as I did now…’ A lot of thoughts flowed like a beacon of realization in just one breath. But one thing was certain. He could afford to indulge in these extravagant feelings, and his life was still hanging around his throat.

“…To have mercy on the tip of your sword.” Suddenly, Liu Zhigang’s tired eyes glared into the eyes of Suho, who was looking down at him. “Why don’t you kill me? Aren’t you a villain?” Suho took full advantage of his straight gaze and turned to Ryo Singh, who was approaching from behind.

“Ryo Singh, translate.”

“Yes. Thank you for saving me.”

“…?”

So short? For a moment, Suho looked suspiciously at Ryo Singh’s interpreting skills. But even with that gaze, Ryo Singh just nodded confidently.

“Hmm, Suho really is amazing. I can’t believe you were strong enough to beat Liu Zhigang by yourself.”

“…He was tired from the start which is why I won so easily.”

“Too much humility becomes deception. When you return to Korea this time, you must be re-evaluated. If they were to hear that the man who defeated Liu Zhigang is only a C rank, it would be a great disgrace to Liu Zhigang.”

Even as he spoke, Ryo Singh had a somewhat regretful expression. It was only today that he was convinced that Suho was a hunter who can constantly grow. ‘If the world finds out about this, they will be shocked. Hmm. Should I take this opportunity to change guilds? Of course, Suho won’t mind an elite like me, and if I join now, at least I can become vice guild master in no time…’ Leaving Ryo Singh to reconsider his thoughts. Suho grabbed the Spring Water from the Echo Forest and approached Liu Zhigang.

“What’s this– Gulp, gulp.” Liu Zhigang, who was completely exhausted, had no choice but to obediently accept the mysterious potion and drink it. The effect was immediate.

Aa!

“…?!” Liu Zhigang couldn’t help but be taken aback when he suddenly saw a pair of blue wings spread out on both sides of his back. The true nature of his inner demons, who had been tormenting him for so long, was finally revealed.

[Aaaahh!!]

Presently an ashen angel with outstretched blue wings fell from his back, screaming in agony. But the energy he felt from it was quite different from that of Thomas Andre. Like Liu Zhigang, the ashen angel, exhausted from all strength, flapped his wings desperately to escape from this place.

[Don’t let it fly away, young lord!]

Boom!

Before Beru could finish speaking, the hand of Suho snapped at its neck, as if it had been waiting for this moment.

Ring!

[You have killed the Apostle of Itarim.]

[Level Up!]

“Oh great!” With a series of messages, Suho, who had been quite exhausted, returned to his perfect condition. However, the situation was the same for Liu Zhigang. The dust of light from the shattering of the ashen angel’s body seeped back into Liu Zhigang’s body. Suddenly, his eyes filled with astonishment. ‘…What are these memories?’ The remnants of the Apostle of Itarim, which had melted into Liu Zhigang’s body for the past two years– who had rejected Itarim’s power– revived the memories of his past life that he had forgotten until now.

―――――――!

Two lifetimes. Two memories. The shock of them colliding with each other in Liu Zhigang’s mind was indescribable. But. ‘…So that’s how it is.’ He quickly accepted it. The shock was great, but the relief that followed was greater. Presently a cheerful smile escaped his lips.

“Yes. I was stronger than I am now. It wasn’t just vain ambition that I was chasing.” China’s one and only 7-star hunter. A state-powered hunter who tore off the limbs of a giant demon beast that crossed the sea to China. ‘…That was me, Liu Zhigang.’

Liu Zhigang muttered in vain. “I can see why the inner demons came and went…” Now that he had figured out the cause, he was relieved. And he knew what he had to do. “All that’s left is hard work.” Of course he knows. Training doesn’t increase your strength as a Hunter. However, when he felt the “remnants of the Apostle” that had just permeated his body, he had a vague feeling that perhaps he could reach a level similar to that time.

“Can I get a hand?” Liu Zhigang reached for Suho. He didn’t know the language, but Suho understood what he was trying to say, and obediently grabbed his hand, lifting him to his feet.

“Interpreter, will you translate my words for this young man?” At Liu Zhigang’s request, Ryo Singh nodded with a determined look. As a key member of the Asura Guild, he didn’t feel hurt by being treated as an interpreter.

On the contrary, he wondered if there could ever be another honor as important as this one! ‘This is the first conversation between China’s Liu Zhigang and the man who single-handedly defeated him. This historic moment is being achieved entirely through my intercession!’ From now on, the conversation between the two of them could be written in history books. Ryo Singh swallowed dryly, straining his eyes and ears as if he didn’t want to miss a single word. Meanwhile, Liu Zhigang stared intently at Suho’s face, and then smiled. ‘…How could this young man be so strong?’ Now that he sees it, isn’t this boy quite similar to someone he knows? Liu Zhigang suddenly remembered his past life, and he had a lot of questions to ask, but he decided to ask the most curious and important one first.

“I’ll ask. Where is your father and what is he doing?”

“Ryo Singh, interpret.”

“… Suho, don’t get me wrong, listen.”

“What?”

Gulp.

Ryo Singh interpreted Liu Zhigang’s words with a face that was more serious and desperate than ever. “Liu Zhigang is suddenly asking how your father is, which is grammatically a very severe insult in Korea, but in China, it is possible that it is a genuine expression of greetings…”

“…” Lately, Ryo Singh has been improving his Korean language. As expected, it was the ability of the Asura Guild’s core talent.

* * *

“…Indeed. I get it.” Liu Zhigang had a long conversation with Suho as he nodded seriously. There was a minor(?) accident in the middle where the interpreter was surprised to hear that time had been turned back, but it was also not incomprehensible if it were considered as a special ‘skill’. More important was the current situation. “In any case, there is a high probability that Siddharth Bachchan fell into his inner demons like me.”

To be precise, it was different from his own possession, but the reason was the same. What mattered was that Siddharth Bachchan didn’t seem to have struggled to shake off the inner demons like he did. “Back then, our National Level hunters were comrades who fought together against a formidable foe called Kamish. There are some guys who didn’t get along with each other until the end simply due to their personalities, but I still know what kind of person they are.” Liu Zhigang smiled bitterly and continued.

“Me and Thomas Andre, in particular, were fighting chickens that the whole world recognized. Well, that’s when we were both in our prime at least. I can’t say it’s the same now.” Liu Zhigang and Thomas Andre were once praised as the strongest forces of mankind, and their personalities were also very aggressive. “But Siddharth Bachchan… He is good, unlike us.”

“Good?” Liu Zhigang nodded at Suho’s rebuttal.

“Yes. Hypocrisy is good.”

“Hypocrisy?”

“Hypocrisy indeed!”

“Our Guildmaster isn’t like that… Um, is that right?”

Ryo Singh, who was interpreting, momentarily bristled one moment and then deflated the next. Suddenly, he remembered the smiling face of the man who had demoted his capable and loyal subordinate.

“Well, actually, most humans are similar more often than not. When they acquire too much wealth and fame, they get drunk and lose themselves. And that’s true for military power.” Liu Zhigang smiled bitterly and thought of the hunters he had seen countless times in his past and present lives. “And Siddharth Bachchan among them… How can I put this? He was kind of stricken with a ‘Savior Complex.'”

“Savior Complex?”

“Yes. They say that with great power comes great responsibility, and so they want to help people as much as possible. They say it’s a force for good, but sometimes it’s just a desire for honor.” Ryo Singh’s expression became a little complicated by the scathing assessment that followed.

The head of the Asura Guild and one of India’s leading figures, Siddharth Bachchan. In fact, he was known as a good man who worked harder than anyone else to save the common people, but Ryo Singh, who had been by his side for a while… He was also someone who knew a little more about him than others.

“…He is driven by his desire to elevate himself, and just wants to intervene in other people’s lives as he pleases. He doesn’t care about the wishes of the parties involved.”

And before the words ended.

[Master, after studying the mutants…]

Harmakan came to his side, pointed to the mutants he had captured, and reported what he had discovered.

[By all appearances, it looks like these guys were all human.]

“What?” At that, Suho’s eyes widened as he stared at the mutants. “They’re human? Are you sure?”

[Yes, I’m sure, it’s a hybrid created by injecting hemolytic blood into living humans using Star Pieces as a medium.]

“…!” Suho realized what the hypocrite Siddharth Batchan is doing on earth right now.

[Apparently he is trying to force awakening the humans who have not awakened.]

Quieeeeee!!!

Mutants, humans whose reason had collapsed and had been reduced to a single magical beast, were screaming desperately.

….I beg you to kill me.

Chapter 207

Suho’s expression hardened. Right now, the state of Manipur has a population of 3 million. At first, he was worried that all of them would turn into Mist Burns and die, but it turned out that the problem was even more serious. ‘In a worst-case scenario, all three million could turn into mutants.’ Either way, the loss of 3 million people is the same. However, the problem was that, unlike Mist Burns, which dissipates over time, mutants had the potential to leave this dungeon and expand their damage.

Also, even if it was only half-hearted experiments, the danger of the dragons was nothing compared to that of a Mist Burn. If all of this was really Siddhart Bachchan’s plan, it was horrible. It had to be stopped.

“Harmakhan, how do you turn them back into people?”

[Unfortunately, this is not possible.]

“Antares, what about you?” At Suho’s question, Antares shook his head firmly.

“It’s impossible. In the first place, they infused dragon blood into the bodies of other races that were not dragons, it is a wonder that their bodies have not yet been destroyed.”

[That’s right, it seems that the Star Pieces implanted in their bodies are forcibly blocking the fatal side effects, and their intellect has collapsed due to the immense pain of the process, even at this moment.]

“…”

Kieeee!! nove(l)bi(n.)com

Kyaaaa!!

As he listened to their explanations, his gaze shifted silently to the mutants who were screaming under Harmakan’s spells.

[My lord, there is no other way for them than to kill them as soon as possible, death is their only salvation.]

At Beru’s words, Suho nodded silently. At that moment, Harmakhan’s spell destroyed the Star Pieces embedded in the mutants’ bodies.

Boom!

Zeng!

The moment when the blue gems are shattered and scattered everywhere, the mutants collapsed on the spot of their demise.

[Defeated Mutant No. 8.]

….

There were no additional level-ups. But Suho looked down at the mutants’ fragmented corpses with a more frightened expression than ever.

[Targets that can be cast with shadow extraction.]

He’s glad he could. Their lives have been tainted by intellect, but their souls have not been tainted. After a moment of contemplation, Suho reached for their shadows.

“I’ll give you a chance. If you want to take revenge on yourself with your own hands… Arise.”

Awaken!

At that one word, the wailing of the poor souls who had been reduced to mutants began to echo in the air.

Aahh!!

“!!!” Liu Zhigang’s eyes widened at this. If it had been before the memories of his previous life returned, he would have mistaken it for the power of an ominous demon again. But now it was different. ‘Did you inherit your father’s skills?’ Sung Jin-Woo’s skills, which he had always been eyeing in his previous life, were unfolding right in front of him!

Shwaaaa!!!

Soon, in front of Liu Zhigang, a large number of Shadow Soldiers stood up.

[Shadow Infantry Lv.1]

….

The souls of those who had shed the name of mutants through death knelt solemnly before Suho and bowed their heads. “Guide me.” In their ears came the chilling voice of Suho. “To the bastards that made you like this.” The shadow infantrymen, trembling at his gruesome rage, reared their heads again and scrambled to their feet. From their raised heads, hot tears were streaming down their eyes, endlessly.

* * *

Imphal. The capital and largest city of Manipur, was a mixture of traditional Indian buildings and modern residential facilities. With beautiful natural scenery overlooking the shores of Loktak Lake in the distance, the city is a complex mix of extremely modern multi-storey apartments and commercial buildings. Even though it was now part of Loktak Field, there were still a lot of people living there in the same way as before.

“Master, are you going to just stand by and watch?”

“Why? what’s wrong with you now?”

“The Asura Guild. Even in such a situation, this city is still under the jurisdiction of our Imphal Guild.”

“…And what do you plan to do about it?”

Ali Hassan, the Guildmaster of the Imphal Guild, muttered to himself as he chewed on the cigarette in his mouth at the words of the Vice-guildmaster. “You know this already. If it weren’t for Stardust, this city would have collapsed soon.”

“Would it have though? Either way, if it wasn’t for Stardust, we’d all move to another city a long time ago.”

“That’s exactly what I mean.”

“It’s practically like it has collapsed either way…”

“Oh just shut up.” Ali Hassan, who had dismissed the Vice-guildmaster’s words, had a crumpled expression.

At present, the Imphal Guild had lost its entire territory to a large guild called the Asura Guild. It was definitely a bad situation, but he had to admit it. Stardust distributed by the Asura Guild. The mysterious necklace was a great thing that kept civilians from turning into Mist Burns when they inhaled the Blue Mist. It was an undeniable truth that thanks to Stardust, Imphal people were still able to live their daily lives in the city.

…But.

“Still, there’s something wrong here.”

“Ah, so does the Guildmaster agree with me?”

“…” Ali Hassan stared out the window in silence. The city is uglier than it used to be.

A faint Blue Mist spreads over it. Outside the Imphal Guild’s building, the atmosphere was clearly different from what it had been. It’s clear that Stardust has allowed people to live their daily lives as before, but why is this city getting quieter every day? It’s like a ghost town in a third-rate horror movie. And one more thing. “Why… have the Asura bastards still not been able to conquer this dungeon?”

“That’s exactly what I mean! They managed to capture the first one, but after that, it feels like They’re just dragging their feet.” Siddharth Bachchan, the master of the Asura Guild, was a recognizable powerhouse in India. In spite of his own initiative, the Loktak Fields, including Imphal, were still shrouded in Blue Mist. “If they were going to drag it out like this, at least they could have let us attack from the beginning!”

“I do as well, so shut up. You have a problem in only choosing the words that suit you.”

“Ugh. I’m sorry, but in the first place, this is our jurisdiction, and it’s so frustrating to just look around with a gate in front of you and being incapable of doing something.”

“…”

Ali Hassan wordlessly spat his cigarette on the floor and smashed it with his foot. ‘…I’m not so easily fooled, you know.’ If this is also some kind of tyranny in part of the large company, then keep it coming. In the name of the safety of the citizens, the Asura Guild proudly took away all the offensive rights from the Imphal Guild. The Imphal Guild could not make any protest against him. All three million citizens whose lives were saved by Stardust welcomed the Asura Guild’s intervention with open arms.

As a result, the Imphal Guild has become such a slap in the face. Of course, that didn’t mean there wasn’t a lot of work to be done. In any case, the whole area had been turned into a den of demons, and it was the duty of the Imphal Guild to stand guard from time to time to prevent the beasts from approaching the people. But how long will this last? Eventually, unless someone stepped inside the gate and tackled the dungeon, the city of Imphal would never be able to escape from the Field Dungeon. Yes, so to speak….’It means that from now on, this city must live under the care of the Asura Guild forever. If it’s not even a city-state, what’s this supposed to be?’

It was then. “Master!” Suddenly, there was a small commotion outside the building, and an employee hurriedly opened the door to the boss’s office. “It’s a big deal! I think you’ll have to come out!”

“Why? Did any magic beasts show up again?” As he spoke, Ali Hassan tilted his head. If a pack of magic beasts had appeared, their characteristic mana would have been felt long ago. However, there was no such sign, and the expression on the face of the employee who came to visit him was different altogether. “What the hell is going on….”

Bang!

Suddenly, the door slammed into the employee’s office, and someone stepped into the boss’s office.

“Who are you?!”

“You bastard!”

Startled, Ali Hassan and the Vice-guildmaster were instantly ready for battle, glaring at the uninvited guest who had burst in unannounced. ‘Is he a villain? Or from a gang?’ Whatever it was, it was ridiculous. No matter how much the Imphal Guild’s reputation has declined, what kind of madman thought it was good to have invaded his Guild?

“Hmm.”

“…?” Something was wrong. An uninvited visitor to the Imphal Guild checked the identity of the people in the boss’s office and tilted his head.

“Are you sure this is the right place? I don’t think they’re from a Foreign Religion.”

“What did he say? Which country does he come from?” As unfamiliar words spilled out of the uninvited guest’s mouth, Ali Hassan glanced back at the Vice-guildmaster while being wary of him.

“It’s a language I don’t know.” The Vice-guildmaster shook his head hastily. Well, if you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.(1) The Vice-guildmaster jumped out at the uninvited guest with a grim expression.

“I’ll call an interpreter once I’ve subdued him! Who the hell are you, and how dare you break into our guild!—”

“No, wait…!” Ali Hassan hurriedly reached out to dissuade him, but it was too late.

Bang!

“Cough!–”

Ali Hassan sighed as he watched the Vice-guildmaster bounce off the wall helplessly.

“…You have to seize up your opponent and then attack him.” Who is to blame? It was the Vice-guildmaster’s fault for his lack of ability to read his opponent’s senses.

Gulp.

Ali Hassan swallowed hard and calmly pulled up the magic power in his body. But ignorance is brave, and you see as much as you know. He didn’t have the courage to rush forward like his unsightly stunned comrade. ‘…Strong. I can’t fathom just how strong he is. Could he possibly be S-rank?’

Ali Hassan was the master of a guild, and he had met S-rank hunters a few times in his life. But he was sure that none of the S-rank Hunters he knew were anything like this. ‘Who the hell is this?’ And then, unexpectedly.

“What? They’re not even wearing necklaces, are they? Are you sure it’s them?”

Suddenly, another uninvited guest stepped into the president’s office with an expression on his face.

“!!!”

A white-haired old man who speaks Chinese. The moment he saw his face, Ali Hassan’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. “Liu– Liu Zhigang?!” There is no hunter in the world who doesn’t know Liu Zhigang’s face. China’s one and only 6-star Hunter. Even though he has such overwhelming power, he is always wandering aimlessly, looking for a battle. Why did the great Liu Zhigang suddenly appear in this city?

There was something that confused Ali Hassan even more.

“Hmm. So what are you going to do now?”

“!?!” Even the Chinese government did not dare to stand in his way, and yet the terrifying Sword Demon Liu Zhigang was like a gentle lamb, politely addressing the young man who came in first! Ali Hassan was stunned by the sight.

“What the hell is going on…?”

1: The real idiom here is ??? ??? ?? ???? ?? ? and it’s literal translation is “If one’s mind is bad, then one must suffer physically” which is often used to refer that if someone lacks intelligence or makes poor decisions, they will inevitably face the consequences or hardships physically. I changed it to another idiom which is more commonly used in english instead.

Chapter 208

Ali Hassan, 30 years old. He was originally from a beggar in the back alleys of Imphal.

But life comes in many wonders Inshallah! (1)

He was a beggar, but at the same time as the cataclysm, he suddenly awakened as a B-rank hunter, and his life changed 180 degrees.

He was now Ali Hassan, the master of the Imphal Guild, representing the Imphal where he had been born and raised. Of course, even now, he sometimes has nightmares about his days as a beggar, but when he opens his eyes, he is happy to return to a reality that has become as happy as a lie.

So why?

Even throughout all those horrible years as a beggar, he had a premonition that this was going to be the longest day of his life.

“Ryo Singh, please interpret.”

“Oh, Namaste. Thank you for your hard work, please don’t panic, this is just how we do things around here.”

“…” Updated from nov𝒆lbIn.(c)om

Ryo Singh sticks his face out from behind, as if waiting for Suho’s call. Like a skilled salesman, he approached Ali Hassan and held out his business card. Hassan’s eyes widened as he looked at his business card.

“Asura Guild?! Are you from the Asura Guild?” In the middle of the business card, the name “Asura Guild” that took over Imphal was inscribed proudly. This business card is the honor of the family that has firmly supported Ryo Singh over the years…

Rip.

“Haha. I don’t care about that anymore, just remember my name.”

“!?!” Ryo Singh committed the barbaric act of coolly tearing up his business card, which he usually offered, into tiny pieces. The reason, of course, was that he had succeeded in changing jobs. Ryo Singh, who managed to get permission from Suho on the way here, greeted them with his hands clasped together like a majestic but humble celebrity.

“Let me greet you again. My name is Ryo Singh, a former A-rank hunter of the Asura Guild and now an interpreter, plus a new employee of the current Woojin Guild. I’m going to be a vice president soon.”

“…The Woojin Guild?”

“Was there such a guild?”

The hunters of the Imphal Guild whispered to one another. At least in India, it was a name none had ever heard of. Ryo Singh naturally elaborated.

“Alas, of course you don’t know. Our Woojin Guild is from Korea.”

“Korea?”

“Yes, as you can see, it’s the strongest guild in Korea.”

‘Korea’s Strongest?!’ With the last explanation, Ryo Singh’s gaze briefly stared at Liu Zhigang, who was behind him with his arms folded, which was quite a deliberate gesture. And the intention was very successful. ‘Wait, no way…?’ As soon as Ali Hassan’s gaze turned to Liu Zhigang, who had been confused for a long time, there was a powerful alarm in his mind.

“So then, that crazy old man– No, I mean, Liu Zhigang is also a member of the Woojin Guild…”

“Hush. I don’t think that’s something I dare to mention because it’s a secret. Do you understand what I mean? Hahaha.”

“Uh-huh?!” Ryo Singh’s suspicious squinting of one eye said a lot. Ali Hassan, who had guessed what the secret was, covered his mouth with both hands and shuddered. ‘Wait, really? Liu Zhigang joined the guild? Is that also in a guild in another country?’ Good lord. He felt like he had discovered a huge secret.

Who is that mad old man! Sword Demon Liu Zhigang! He was the pride and pride of China, and the only Six-Star hunter who enjoyed the utmost favoritism of the Chinese government. That Liu Zhigang suddenly joined a certain guild? Is that also in a guild in another country? Does the Chinese government know this? No, it can’t be. There is no way China can stand idly by and watch the situation where its representative hunters are stolen from other countries. ‘No, wait! That’s not what matters right now!’ Suddenly, Ali Hassan realized something even more shocking, and his gaze hurriedly turned to Su Ho instead of Liu Zhigang.

“So this young guy has Liu Zhigang as his subordinate, right?! Who the hell is this hunter?’

“…?” Ali Hassan’s ghostly reaction only bewildered Suho. However, Liu Zhigang, who could only speak simple Arabic, looked at Ryo Singh disapprovingly from behind.

“Hey, when did I say I’d join the Woojin Guild?”

“Oh, senior! Ha ha ha! When do you say I said that? But if you’ll excuse me, wouldn’t it be easier to work like this?”

Liu Singh’s willingness to openly use his name value made Liu Zhigang click his tongue.

“What a snake. You’d be better suited to be a politician than a hunter.”

“Haha. Thanks for the compliment. That just means I’m doing a good job.”

“No, quite the opposite. If you’re going to use my name in vain, then you are not doing it to the full extent.”

“Huh?”

Liu Zhigang, who had been quietly observing the situation, suddenly folded his arms and stepped forward. Then his momentum began to grow.

Gooooooo!!!

“!!!”

“!?!”

All the hunters in the Imphal Guild, including Hassan, looked up at Liu Zhigang, shivering, as if they were in front of a giant. Liu Zhigang, accustomed to this kind of treatment, ordered them with a very arrogant smile on his lips. “I, Liu Zhigang, will ask. Those who don’t want to answer should come forward now. See if they truly dare to go against me.”

!!!

The moment they heard those words, they felt a chill in his throat.

Ryo Singh had forgotten it. The true meaning of the name Liu Zhigang. He’s… Not only his fighting ability, but also his unique personality is at the level of Thomas Andre. So far, no one, including the Chinese government, has dared to stop what he has set his mind to. And from his mouth fell a solemn order, almost a death sentence.

“From now on, tell me all that you have done on earth. And if you so much as utter a single lie..” But Liu Zhigang wasn’t the only one here. Suddenly, Liu Zhigang paused and glanced at Suho’s face next to him. Then he turned his head again, looked ahead, and smiled meaningfully. “… No, it doesn’t matter if there is a lie. After all, even after you’re dead, you’ll eventually tell the truth.”

Chills!

Liu Zhigang’s ‘sincere’ words made the hunters’ spines wet with cold sweat. They saw it, too. Liu Zhigang stared at him briefly. A long black shadow stretched beneath his feet.

Ahhhh!

Beyond them, in the depths of the abyss, the ominous black demons were watching them, tears of sorrow.

* * *

After interrogating Ali Hassan, Suho was able to uncover a lot of information about the Asura Guild. “…I thought Siddharth Bachchan would be here, but they aren’t even affiliated with the foreign believers.”

[It seems that they are all ignorant errand boys.]

The Shadow Infantrymen that Suho reaped were the victims of the experiments conducted here with Mutant 8. So, when he was guided by them, he found that the Imphal Guild was just an ordinary place. “The Asura Guild has been treating all the small guilds in Imphal like this.”

“It’s a subcontractor, but really it’s just an unpaid errand boy.”

“They have a noble cause for the city, and we have no choice but to do what they tell us to do.”

One of the most common things the Imphal Guild did at the behest of the Asura Guild was to distribute Stardust, or Stardust Necklaces, to the citizens of the city. The reason for this is, of course, that the number of citizens is so large, and the expensive Asura Guild members can’t make a margin to move directly, so they treat all the hunters in the area like pawns. But one thing. There was something strange.

“By the way.” Among the members of the Imphal Guild, who were scrambling to answer all of Suho’s questions, Ali Hassan spoke cautiously.

“I don’t think Stardust is 100 percent effective.”

“What do you mean?”

“I come from the back alleys, and the slums tend to be a bit scruffy. But somehow, a lot of the beggars who got Stardust didn’t show up one day.”

Suho’s eyes lit up coldly at that. “… People are missing?”

“Yes, of course, if you don’t see the beggars, you would usually report it to the city hall, but I was a little nervous. Are there any side effects to Stardust?” Ali Hassan, who was answering without hesitation, suddenly felt a strange gaze. For some reason, the dark demons have been staring at them from the shadows of Suho all along… It was strangely familiar. ‘Maybe I’m just thinking too much?’

But Suho had a different idea. The Shadow Soldiers are of low rank and cannot speak, but he knows what their gaze means. “Did they secretly kidnap the poor and experiment on them? So the reason why you led me here…”

[I think it’s because he’s from the same slums, so he’s the only one they can trust.]

“Does that mean that you can’t trust the other guilds that have been subcontracted by the Asura Guild?” After thinking about this, Suho nodded and immediately stood up. “Alright then. Let’s start here.” He turned to Liu Zhigang and Ryo Singh, who were just waiting for their decision. “Before I meet Siddharth Batchan, I need to find out exactly what the Asura Guild’s plans are.”

“What do you mean?”

“From now on, I’m going to hit all the Hunter Guilds in Imphal.”

Hehe.

At that, Liu Zhigang clenched his fists and smiled fiercely. “Well, that’s enough for us to split up and move around. Can I kill them if they resist?”

“I’ll leave it up to you to judge. Just leave the corpses behind if you do.”

“Yes.” Ryo Singh swallowed silently as the two men exchanged glances between his interpreters.

Today. Two nightmares have come to the city of Imphal.

* * *

Ahhhh!

‘…It’s raining.’

From shady alleyways. A small boy stepped into the humid air behind the buildings of Imphal, looking up at the sky and breathing heavily. His clothes were drenched from the damp rain, but he had no intention of escaping and no energy to do so. No, that’s rather good. There was nothing like this in the position of being hunted.

‘…The rain will wash away the smell of my blood.’

He’d blamed God all his life, but at least for this moment, he’d never felt so grateful. The boy forced himself to his feet. The pain from the wound was enough to bring tears to his eyes, but he gritted my teeth and held back the tears. ‘God… Please…’ The boy swallowed his tears and prayed more desperately than ever. ‘Please help me…No, it’s okay even if it’s someone other than God, just please…. Save me.’ The boy limped on one leg and slowly disappeared into a dark alleyway.

Splash!

Hideous reptilian paws stepped into the alleyway, stepping through puddles of rainwater. They sniffed, looked around, and muttered softly.

“There’s no trace here.”

“They are lucky. The smell of blood was clouded by the rain.” (2)

Gurrrrrrr!

Then there was a flash of thunder, and their hooded faces were pressed deep into the air, revealing for a glimpse. Lizardmen. No, rather, it’s a hybrid that looks like a human. The corners of their mouths clenched long, and their hideous tongues flickered as they closed their mouths.

“I don’t think it’s gone too far yet, anyway. Find him.”

[I found them.]

“You found them— What?” Their heads turned back involuntarily, following the sudden sound of voice. From there … A sinister black shadow loomed over the walls of the dark alleyway, smiling at them.

“!?!”

————

1: As Allah wills it. A phrase commonly used in Islam.

2: In case people are wondering. While rain may have some ability to diminish or mask odors, it may not completely eliminate the smell of blood, especially in situations where the blood is prominent.

Chapter 209

Someone said something along the lines of:

‘The greatest luxury is giving!’

In that sense, Ali Hassan was one of the most extravagant people. Ali Hassan, who grew up in the slums, used to visit the slums whenever he had time after his awakening. ‘Wahaha! I’m here again! You bastards!’

He didn’t go empty-handed though. Every time he went, he brought a truckload full of bread. He squirmed at the beggars who looked up to him, sprinkling bread all over the place on the top of the truck. ‘Hey, do you see! That’s how rich I am! Eat this, you bastards! Uh-huh!’

Good deeds? For noblesse oblige? He’s never learned such difficult words. He just wanted to brag. Yes, that’s why he started doing it. Even if he flexed a few trucks, it didn’t compare to the amount of money the hunter was making in the dungeon. But no matter how much he boasted, there was one thing Ali Hassan would never do.

Give them food, but not money.

‘If we do that, they’ll just fight each other. Rumors will come and other local thugs will flock here.’

So he gave just enough to keep a stomach from being hungry in the nick of time. Just so that tomorrow’s hunger will not be as scary as this evening. Ali Hassan, who knew the psychology of the slums better than anyone, knew the line of deprivation very well.

So why?

One day, the number of people in the slums began to dwindle. There was more and more bread left each day. By the time Ali Hassan found out, many of the beggars were already missing.

“…I didn’t know if they had really gone missing, or if it was just a bunch of unlucky beasts roaming the backstreets.”

“But I think I’ve found out why.”

Slice!

“Kagh!”

Ali Hassan, who was explaining through Ryo Singh’s interpretation, swallowed hard and looked forward. In front of him, a group of strapped dragonfolk lay face down in the mud. They were found by Beru in the back alleys of the slums.

Suho spoke, stomping on their skulls with his foot, looking down at them with a cold gaze. “I’ll ask. Who are you?”

“Grrrrrrr.”

Reptile-like eyes gazed at Suho with a smug expression. It looks like a mixture of a lizard and a human. Large Star Pieces were implanted in their bodies. He didn’t have to bother to answer them, but his name was already in his sight.

[Variant No. 13]

“Since you are 13, you can talk. And it also means the experiment became an ongoing project.”

“Tsk.” Antares, who was riding on his shoulders at Suho’s words, clicked his tongue in disapproval. Seeing them made it even clearer.

[The Beast Monarch, the King of Beasts, frowns as he recalls the humans who became werewolves who fed upon Grey’s blood.]

“Yes. It’s a similar situation to back then.”

Grip.

Suho tightened his grip on the mutants’ heads, and questioned them. “Ryo Singh, translate. Are you with the Foreign Religion?”

“Gurrrrr I don’t know!”

“Where have you been arresting people?”

“I don’t know! We don’t know anything!”

They snarled with venomous expressions, and blue blood flowed from their eyes. Iron, a former priest of the Foreign Religion, and Greed, a former high priest, recognized it and advised Suho.

[They are already firmly possessed by the Star Piece.]

[If their mind is contaminated to this extent, there is no choice but to kill them.]

Suho nodded and interrupted the useless conversation. “Got it. Then I’ll directly ask your soul.”

Slice!

Without hesitation, Suho smashed their skulls and immediately extracted their shadows and turned them into soldiers. “Guide me to your home base.”

* * *

The dragonfolk, who had become Shadow Soldiers, obediently led Suho to their hideout.

“Kubera Guild?” Ali Hassan, who was following Suho behind, had opened his eyes wide upon recognizing the place.

“Do you know this place?”

“I just know the name. It’s a small guild of about 10 people.” According to Ali Hassan’s explanation, there are a total of 17 guilds operating in Imphal. With the exception of the Imphal Guild, the only medium-sized guild among them, the rest of the guilds were all small guilds with only about 10 members. Of course, it was not possible to gauge the strength of a guild simply by the number of guild members.

Like the Woojin Guild led by Suho, the Guildmaster has overwhelming skills that no one else can match. There were also a handful of elite guilds where individual guild members were as good as a single party. But even with all the incidents, there was no chance that Suho would be overwhelmed.

Bang!

Without even bothering to open the door, he smashed the wall and went inside.

“Who’s there!”

“….”

While the mutants inside were startled and ready for battle, Suho’s eyes went elsewhere.

“…Oh my God.”

Ali Hassan slumped to the ground, his legs giving out.

A prison– No, a chicken coop. Along the cramped prisons, barred with flimsy iron bars, squalid beggars crouched alongside each other. And in their bodies were Star Pieces that seem to have been forcibly implanted on…

Kieeee!

The moment he witnessed them being trapped in a laboratory and their skin mutating like reptiles.

Thump.

One emotion vanished from within Suho.

“Harmakan.”

[Yes, my lord.]

“Kill.”

Wowahh!

[Harmakan has activated ‘Instant Dungeon’.]

Harmakan immediately exterminated the hunters of the Kubera Guild and turned them into experience for Suho. He looked at Suho, checked on the condition of the detainees, and reported back to his lord.

[Fortunately, the majority of them haven’t had the Star Pieces transplanted properly as of yet, there might be a possibility for me to recover them.]

“That’s good.” But Suho’s stern expression showed no signs of fading. Ali Hassan said that the number of people held here was too small compared to those who disappeared from the ghetto. “I’m sure the same will be true for other small guilds! Our Imphal Guild is a medium-sized guild, but the rest of the smaller guilds have long since fallen under the umbrella of the Asura Guild.”

“We don’t have much time.” Liu Zhigang’s eyes, which had been silently watching all this devastation, were quietly glowing. Perhaps the reason why the current situation is so unpleasant is because it reminds him of his past life.

At least there was some romanticism back then when competition between guilds was fierce, but the premise was that all of humanity would work together to fight against the magic beasts.

But now…

“It’s disgusting. Humans experimenting on their kind and turning them into magic beasts. It would be unthinkable in the past.” Liu Zhigang drew his sword.

* * *

BANG!

“Who are you?”

“Liu– Liu Zhigang?!” The hunters of Imphal’s other small guild, the Lama Guild, were shocked to see the face of the rogue who suddenly burst into the office.

“I’ll ask. Are you with the Foreign Religion?”

“…What’s that?”

“You’re late in answering. Would the loss of one of your arms speed up your answer?”

Rumble.

“!!!”

“AH, it’s really Liu Zhigang!”

Seeing Liu Zhigang draw two blades, the hunters of the Lama Guild involuntarily looked into each other’s eyes, and then began to flee in several directions at the same time. Behind them, however, was a long tail that resembled a lizard. Seeing this, Liu Zhigang nodded.

“A leg is better than an arm.”

Flash! Slice!

Ahh!!

“My, my legs…!”

Without hesitation, the sword slashed both legs of the fleeing hunters. Blood gushed out. Blue blood. These ones were no longer human. Liu Zhigang left the screaming people on the floor, and ran after the hunters who had fled in the opposite direction.

* * *

Unlike Liu Zhigang, who showed his ruthless hand, Esil was relatively gentlemanly.

Knock knock.

“Excuse me. Is this the Chandra Guild?”

The demons were a race that could understand and communicate with them, and it was no different in India. Of course, simply being able to speak the language did not guarantee a smooth conversation. The door opened, and a hunter appeared, scanning Esil from top and bottom with a wary look.

“Yes, that’s right. What have you come for?”

“Are you aware of the kidnappings of beggars around here?”

“…Why are you suddenly being so disrespectful?” (1)

“That necklace.”

Gooooooo!

As everyone now knows, the main ingredient in Stardust is demonic blood. Seeing the Stardust necklace around the hunters’ necks, Esil’s whole body exuded the majesty of a demon noble.

“Take off the necklace for yourself. If you don’t, I’ll judge you as part of the Foreign Religion.”

“…Foreign Religion?”

“Or would you like to be called an Itarim’s bastard?”

Smirk.

The moment the word ‘Foreign Religion’ jumped out of Esil, the hunters’ eyes were already tainted with a fierce aura. Their reptilian pupils appeared.

“Who the hell are you!?!”

Esil nodded seeing that the rest of the hunters rushed at her, so she revealed her bloodlust as well.

“I guess I can kill you all then.”

Slice! Slash! Slice!

If Liu Zhigang was a ruthless swordmaster, then Esil was a demon, and not just any demon, but a demon of the purest lineage.

“AHHK–”

“SA– SAVE ME—!”

Slash! Slash! Slice! Stab!

Esil slew all those who resisted, and handed over their bodies to the Shadow Soldiers who followed her.

“Send them to Suho.” She turned her head and sighed softly, looking at the secret space hidden in the corner of their hideout. “…And tell Harmakan that there are people who have been experimented on here, as well. ASAP.”

* * *

Swift and fast. How long did it take for Suho to rob all the small guilds operating in Imphal and wipe out all the hunters who had become part of the Foreign Religion? Half a day was enough. In the process, he ruthlessly killed those who resisted, and after that, he turned them into Shadow Soldiers and found hidden hideouts one after another. He succeeded in rescuing all the people who were trapped there and being experimented on.

Harmakhan’s role here was crucial. Fortunately, most of the people who were still being tested were able to remove the Star Pieces from their bodies without difficulty. Harmakan explained why it was possible.

[In the first place, I assume the experiment itself is a process of adapting one’s body to the hemolysis and Star Pieces, and once the adaptation is complete, the results will come whether it succeeds or fails.]

And once the results were in, there was no need to lock them up any longer.

[If you fail, you’ll become a demon without any reason, just like Mutant No. 8 when you first discovered them, and you’ll be abandoned outside the city.]

“And if you succeed, will you be like these guys here?”

!!!

Was it because they made too much noise while trying to rescue people? Before they knew it, Suho found himself surrounded by countless members of the Dragonfolk.

“Where are all these guys hiding?” Liu Zhigang and Esil muttered as they drew their weapons, and Suho glared forward, his eyes flashing. Isn’t it obvious?

A place where those who have successfully been implanted a Star Piece feel the most comfortable.

“In the Void.”

Apparently there is a Void Gate somewhere in this city.

——————–

1: Esil dropped her formal speech tone (???, jondaemal) to an informal one (??, banmal)

As for some extra info: the Kubera name refers to Kubera the god of wealth, and the god-king of the semi-divine yashkas in Hinduism. The Lama name likely refers to the Dalai Lama title from tibetan buddhism. And Chandra is the name of the Moon god in hindu.

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