Ch.102Revenge Plays Are Dangerous (11)

“What do you plan to do with those guys?”

“What’s there to see? They’re just traitors through and through. We might as well bury them right here and be done with it.”

“…Though my feelings are complicated, it would be difficult to take them outside when we still have the dungeon to clear.”

That was certainly true.

The hunters were already furious, and there was no one here to defend them.

The American hunters who weren’t involved in the incident fidgeted uncomfortably, but even they couldn’t say anything in this situation.

Seeing their reaction, Michael’s group turned pale. Their deaths were truly approaching with each passing moment.

At that moment, Michael, who had been secretly gathering his strength, began to move, seizing his final opportunity.

However.

WHAM!

“Kuhurk!”

Chae Hwain wasn’t one to just stand by and watch. As if she had anticipated this, she immediately blocked his movement before he could fully gather his magical power.

After subduing Michael, Chae Hwain released a terrifying killing intent toward the three people.

Everyone present knew. From now on, they would all, without exception, meet their deaths at Chae Hwain’s hands.

“Kugh! S-stop. If America finds out about this, they won’t just…”

“…Then tell them to come. I’ll send you all to join them.”

The raid party hunters weren’t going to stop her either, so Chae Hwain had no reason to hesitate any longer.

Drawing up refined magical power and quietly raising her sword, Chae Hwain, with an extremely calm face, swung it lightly once.

There was no trace of regret on her face, nor any sign of complicated emotions. It just felt like she was completing a task that needed to be done.

SWOOSH!

Thud.

Plop. Plop.

Three heads fell to the floor as fountains of blood gushed out.

They belonged to none other than Michael and his companions.

After glancing once at Michael’s head, frozen with eyes wide open, Chae Hwain turned away without hesitation.

It was the pathetic end of cowards who had lived in wealth and glory as S-rank hunters of a powerful nation, their past buried.

#

I decided to store Michael’s group’s corpses in my Book of Death. They might be useful in future disputes with America, and they would make excellent undead material, which was satisfying for me.

‘……’

With this, we could say we’ve overcome the biggest hurdle. Especially resolving the situation without breaking the seal was a significant achievement.

‘The situation is more or less set up now.’

Given the many witnesses, most of whom were high-ranking hunters from various countries, we should be able to clear our names, but America certainly won’t admit their guilt so easily.

They could claim there’s no way to verify what happened inside, or even if it were true, the American upper echelons could simply deny any involvement.

‘It’s obvious what those higher-ups are thinking.’

Having skimmed through most of Michael’s group’s memories earlier, I could identify the key figures involved in the incident quite clearly.

While there were several political figures and current American officials tangentially involved, the main player was a man named Hudson, the former president of the American Hunter Association.

According to Michael’s group’s memories, he had retired shortly after the incident seven years ago and had been living in seclusion ever since.

I relayed this information to Chae Hwain, but she shook her head slightly.

“…This is enough. We have more important matters now.”

She was surely referring to her younger sister, Chae Hwaryeon, who was also Seoha’s guild mate.

But separately, I felt it—that unique, inexplicable intuition that had helped me many times back in Thebes.

Although he hadn’t shown himself during this incident, I somehow felt that I would eventually cross paths with this Hudson character.

When that time comes, I’ll make him pay as well.

I nodded and approached the raid party members who were taking a break. Seoha and Lee Jicheol, who had joined near the end of the battle, were there too.

“Ah, oppa. Are you done talking?”

“Yeah. But why did you come here? You could have gotten hurt for nothing.”

“…It wasn’t that serious of an injury.”

Although she joined late in the battle and couldn’t help much, I heard she had been fighting an S-rank hunter known as the Executioner.

I could definitely sense that Seoha’s aura had changed from before. In her current state, she wouldn’t be inferior to any of the S-rank hunters here.

The Path of the War God, was it? I’ve never seen that type of skill before, so it piqued my interest.

‘Come to think of it, there was a similar training method among the ancient warrior tribes of Thebes.’

Anyway, it was undoubtedly a dangerous situation, so I gave Lee Jicheol a disapproving look.

But all I got in return was a look that seemed to ask what the problem was.

“It’s natural for her to worry about family. Baek Seoha is also a combat professional who can make her own judgments. I couldn’t arbitrarily restrict her actions.”

“Tsk.”

Since I couldn’t argue with that, I turned away and asked Sanada, who was temporarily leading the raid party.

“How’s the situation?”

“We’ve expended a lot of energy fighting a meaningless battle against each other. We still have enough supplies, but if we don’t recover quickly and clear the dungeon, it could be dangerous.”

“That sounds fine to me.”

“……”

At my nonchalant attitude, the raid party hunters looked at me with disgruntled expressions.

Although there had been misunderstandings, the awkwardness remained since we had been fighting each other until recently.

After a day of preparation, we resumed clearing the dungeon.

“Did you say Sand Eaters appear ahead?”

“We only spotted a few, so I can’t be certain, but all that’s left should be the deep-level monsters.”

Sand Eaters—bizarre giants made entirely of sand.

They’re powerful monsters that have been spotted in the boss room of a previous A1-rank dungeon.

The fact that such creatures had been sighted made it clear that breaking through the deep levels wouldn’t be easy.

Moreover, our side still had people who hadn’t fully recovered from their injuries.

The losses from battle would be severe in many ways.

“Still, if you and she lend your strength, we should be able to break through.”

“Huh? I’m not going to fight.”

“…What do you mean?”

Sanada asked with an expression that seemed to say “what nonsense,” but I was serious.

“I’ve used up all my strength and I’m tired. I’m going to rest until we reach the boss room.”

“Look, our hunters are in the same situation. If you, who’s most suited for large-scale battles, act like this, it doesn’t make sense.”

“Don’t care. I’ll follow behind and sleep, so handle it yourselves. I’ll lend you Chae Hwain.”

“This is insane…”

With just those words, I really fell behind the group, summoned a Lizard Wolf, and started to sleep on its back.

‘I need to replenish my strength as much as possible.’

I might have been deliberately spiteful just now, but it was necessary for my plan.

In the upcoming boss battle, I intended to use Khan’s necromancy and pour out all my strength.

‘…That’s the most certain way.’

Both in terms of clearing the dungeon without further losses and for future matters.

What would be the most effective way to check America, with whom we’ve now had serious friction?

Power.

They can make excuses for their crimes all they want, but in the face of overwhelming force, they’ll naturally be left speechless.

After this boss battle, the hunters from various countries will likely return to their homelands with a sense of wariness about me etched in their minds, and share that information with their superiors.

And that information will flow through various routes to the American side as well.

Since everyone will be saying the same thing, the credibility of the information will be high, and the me they observed is one who has regained part of my original power by touching the seal.

What would their assessment be then?

I don’t know for sure, but it would likely be exaggerated beyond expectation.

In reality, I become a shut-in for a week after using my power once, but to them, I would appear as an indescribably powerful being.

Naturally, if America has any sense, they wouldn’t dare to provoke me.

Thinking about all this, I quietly closed my eyes, using the sounds of the raid party’s battle as my lullaby.

The end of this long journey was drawing ever closer.