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Chapter 294

If asked what statistic could easily overwhelm a living being, without hesitation, I could confidently say size.

A gigantic enemy can leave you breathless just by its mere presence. Just look at the Frozen Alligator resurrected by Toyo’s Demon King.

“Actually, it seems like something that big wouldn’t give much feeling at all.”

“…Sometimes I think you might not have any thoughts at all.”

Looking up at the sky, Yeon-woo muttered in a calm voice, while Baek In-hwa shot her a disbelieving look.

To see a monster so massive that one could say it was the very sky itself, and to make such a statement was mind-boggling.

“Is it really that much to say?”

“…Don’t you hear that scream?”

With those words, Baek In-hwa pointed behind them. When Yeon-woo strained to listen, faint voices drenched in fear began to emerge. Voices talking about monsters and how to deal with such terrifying creatures…

“Well, I guess it seems like I’m the only one feeling that way.”

As Yeon-woo scratched the back of her neck awkwardly, a large figure approached from behind. It was a grand shadow, even bigger and bulkier than Hyuk Mu-ryeon sprawled over there.

“Haha, still as fiery as ever, Hunter Choi.”

A warm, furry arm came to rest on Yeon-woo’s shoulder. Yeon-woo was well accustomed to this sensation. Recognizing the identity of the figure instantly, she turned around with a grin.

“Wow, it’s been a while, Director Dan! Coincidentally, I’m still just a rookie Hunter!”

“Are there still fools who don’t recognize you as a proper Hunter just because you’re a student at the Academy?”

“I haven’t seen them lately. Thank you for coming to help.”

“The branch leaders nearby are cautious types. It looks like the old-timer had to step up.”

Saying that, Danjae-woo crossed his arms and gazed up at the sky.

Though one might feel that being at the branch leader level would mean being a mediocre Hunter, in reality, becoming a branch leader required numerous achievements and a reputation. Danjae-woo was no exception.

Reaching the branch leader level was something only heroes with remarkable accomplishments could attain, drawing many people’s attention when summoned.

There’s no way hundreds of reinforcements would have been possible without Danjae-woo’s charisma.

What’s more, the person before them was known by the nickname “Fierce Bear,” a figure who had traversed many battlefields in his youth.

“My fur stands on end just thinking about it. Are you out of your mind to fight such a monster?”

“We have no choice but to fight, right?”

Dan-jae-woo smiled wryly at Yeon-woo’s calm response.

As a Hunter, one must always have that kind of mindset, but it was rare to find someone who could speak so composedly in such a situation.

“It can’t be helped. The fact that you managed to stave off the Demon King’s mana was entirely thanks to Hunter Choi’s skills, so it seems we can only trust in that expertise.”

Saying that, Danjae-woo turned to observe the terrified Hunters. The sound of their shivering breaths made Yeon-woo plug her ears with her fingers.

When Baek In-hwa tilted her head in confusion, Yeon-woo urged her to cover her ears quickly.

“What a pathetic bunch!! Can they still call themselves the elite of the Guild?!”

Dan-jae-woo’s booming voice echoed through the shattered city. The intensity of his shout was so powerful that it was barely surprising if one ended up bleeding from the ears listening up close.

“Even a sixteen-year-old is preparing for battle so calmly, and what are you all doing!? Grab your weapons! Grip them tightly with both hands and get ready for the coming fight!! How much longer will you cower in fear of a name like Demon King?!”

At his words, countless gazes turned towards Yeon-woo, the renowned sixteen-year-old Hunter who had made a name for herself through a contract with a Dragon.

At first, many were envious of her.

They said she was just a spoiled child riding on the Dragon’s coattails, claiming they too could achieve what she did if they had a Dragon.

However, at some point, people started recognizing her not just as the Dragon’s contractor but as Hunter Choi Yeon-woo.

There were rumors about her discovering new monsters, rescuing the Ice Palace’s little lord from an incident, and even collaborating closely with the Noblesse Guild to produce various items.

And when the rumor spread that she had a beautiful blonde lover, people began to feel that jealousy and envy were utterly foolish.

With Danjae-woo’s shout and Choi Yeon-woo’s presence, the Hunters felt something boiling up from deep within their hearts.

How to express it? As countless people pondered, Danjae-woo smiled.

“Let’s prove it!! Not out of pity from people, but to show that we, as Hunters, deserve the benefits we receive!! And that we can continue to reach for more!!”

That was the desire that can be said to be the essence of humanity. It wasn’t about shouting that one must save others; it was a statement that stirred deep-seated desires.

Once again, all eyes focused on Yeon-woo’s back. She was all too aware. How could she not know?

A kid of sixteen holding everything good in her hands, the envy from others sparked by her looks, her divine lover, and she was liked by people across ages and possessed a fortune.

“It’s only natural to feel envy when a sixteen-year-old brat gets to have it all!!”

As true as those words were.

*

“Those Hunters really know how to rattle around.”

Yuri clicked her tongue while watching the Hunters who suddenly began to act out in fear.

Kim Hyun-soo had a decent understanding of this realm, but Danjae-woo’s approach was different.

Kim Hyun-soo would mix carrots and sticks to boost morale, while Danjae-woo’s tactic seemed to stimulate the most base desires of humanity.

Jealousy and envy were the most effective emotions to elevate a person’s spirits.

Bringing down to the status of a “sixteen-year-old kid” someone who was too renowned to be an object of jealousy, he drew her into the realm of envy. It was almost close to incitement.

“You turned me into the bait for incitement, how does that feel?”

“Doesn’t feel bad. To think I could become an object of envy for so many people.”

After that, she would undoubtedly receive countless requests for handshakes.

Watching Yeon-woo speak so nonchalantly, Yuri chuckled. Though her words appeared casual, her fingers were subtly trembling.

“Look at that kid pretending to be tough.”

“Well, you caught me. It was okay usually, but when the attention suddenly turns towards me, it feels different.”

Anyway, whether it was Noel or this girl, they might seem totally different yet have similar traits. I just hoped they wouldn’t share the fate of a hero.

Thinking that, she gazed up at the sky where stars were shimmering. Initially, the object she thought was the original form was nowhere to be seen; only a giant star that could be described without doubt was shining brightly.

“Master, Master.”

“What is it?”

“How do you kill something like that?”

“I have no clue.”

Yeon-woo smacked her forehead as she heard Yuri’s answer.

*

Countless beings are reborn as Demon Kings. Toyo’s Demon King is a god, the Friday Demon King is a type of monster. The Demon King of Fire is a demon, and the Monday Demon King is even a human.

So then, what kind of being is the Wednesday Demon King? Yeon-woo’s eyes clearly deduced the answer.

‘A phenomenon…?’

Why do they say one’s body stiffens when facing a wild beast? How often do people freeze up even when they know they should dodge a vehicle zooming straight at them?

There are explanations for it, but there’s no clear name for it, a ‘phenomenon’ that causes one’s body to stiffen.

The Wednesday Demon King was a living embodiment of that phenomenon.

‘Then what does it mean to eat time? How can such a trivial phenomenon do that?’

[It’s not a passing phenomenon but rather an active one!? Tae-oh knows for sure!]

‘Ooh, that could be it.’

Most cases of this phenomenon occur when life is on the line, so it could be making a similar reaction to a passing light-show? It’s confusing yet familiar.

‘It truly deserves to be called Medusa.’

From its form to its abilities and origin. Everything bore a striking resemblance to Medusa. No wonder it made one want to call it Medusa even for convenience’s sake.

“But can we even fight that thing?”

Darius, who had joined from the east thanks to the Guild’s reinforcement, asked along with Kim Yoo-min. Frankly, Yeon-woo had no answer to that question.

It was truly a phenomenon. No matter how powerful a Hunter is, no one swings a sword to cut down a sandstorm in the desert.

‘In my current state, I might be able to cut through a sandstorm…’

But given that this is a phenomenon without a flowing type, Yeon-woo couldn’t cut it down either. It was uncertain if it would even come down to the extent of making contact with the sword, or what criteria to judge it by to say it had made contact.

‘What should I do?’

While standing around lost in thought, the gazes of the Hunters fell upon Yeon-woo’s back.

Feeling extremely pressured and sweaty on her back, something moved in the sky.

The movement of gleaming, star-like eyes caused the dark clouds that formed its eyebrows to writhe. A chill ran down her spine. Unknowingly, she had swung her sword through the air.

In an instant, the colors of the world flipped entirely. Following the swing of Yeon-woo’s blade, the distorted colors of the world were returning to their original state as if tearing through a dirty canvas.

“Grah…!!”

However, Yeon-woo, the one who swung the sword, collapsed, clutching her chest.

Although she had certainly cut through the mana, the pressure of mana from confronting the embodiment was on a whole different level and flooded through her senses.

“W-what’s happening!?”

Startled by this scene, Kim Yoo-min quickly rushed to support Yeon-woo. But Yeon-woo pushed her away and swung her sword again.

A phenomenon has no will of its own. It is not influenced by anyone’s value standard, nor can it be classified as good or evil; it is a pure act.

That was a natural disaster. A mere object that existed without the will to act benevolently or malevolently.

To consume the time of the living, that thought might be the embodiment of it, but the main body of the Demon King didn’t require such acts of consuming.

The living were merely unlucky. And the living beings here were also just unfortunate.

The Demon King sought to gain human form, or rather a will, by creating an embodiment.

For a being without will to acquire will is only possible at the cost of immense power. It was an act that defies the laws of the world.

Thus, the Demon King could not unleash its mana freely. There needed to be intervals when opening the mana.

However, now that it has returned to a phenomenon, there was no need for that. It hadn’t closed its eyes yet, and the use of mana would never end. If compared to a camera, it would be in continuous shooting mode.

The world’s colors began to twist once again. Just like applying a filter through a camera app, the world was starting to dye in strange hues.

(To be continued in the next part)

 

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