Ch.10736. The Beginning of the Struggle (4)

The rain falling on Busan Port grew more intense.

It was a summer afternoon, the sun not yet set. But the pitch-black storm clouds made everything as dark as dusk.

And everywhere, the pungent smell of sulfur. Jung Yoon-hyuk, who knew the reason for that sulfur smell, tensed up.

‘What the Secretary General mentioned beforehand. Something even beyond that might happen here.’

Nevertheless, Jung Yoon-hyuk maintained his composure as he hid atop stacked containers, observing the situation in the container yard.

Jung Yoon-hyuk. In his late forties, he was the Secretary General of the Korean Hunter Association and a loyal subordinate of Choi Seung-hoon.

So while officially he belonged to the Hunter Association, few people besides a select few in the association knew his true identity.

The government’s National Intelligence Service was an intelligence agency in name only. Currently, the Special Operations Department of the Hunter Association was fulfilling that role instead.

And Jung Yoon-hyuk was a member of the Nameless Squad, the most secretive organization within that Special Operations Department.

He was a hunter belonging to the Nameless Squad, a group without even a proper name, formed by the Secretary General from the most trusted people of the Light Guild, the predecessor of the association, since its establishment.

The Nameless Squad had operated alongside the association’s history, in its shadows. They handled the dirty and dangerous work that couldn’t be done in the association’s name.

They were elite hunters who had worked covertly to help the current association dominate Korea.

‘Lee Min-soo. So there was a reason why the Chairman was so concerned about that nameless hunter.’

The sulfur smell had grown even thicker. Undoubtedly, this smell was evidence that a demon had appeared.

Jung Yoon-hyuk had come to Busan on the orders of Hunter Association Secretary General Choi Seung-hoon. A high-ranking villain specially monitored by the association, specifically Lee Seon-woo, had appeared in Busan.

‘Since he’s also a member of the Red Lake, I shouldn’t be surprised that demons are being summoned in Busan.’

Jung Yoon-hyuk was currently an A-rank awakened.

And while he officially had no hunter rank, having retired from the hunter industry long ago, if ranked, he would be at least S+ rank. He was skilled enough to easily be counted among the top 300 highest-ranking hunters.

So he had naturally experienced numerous missions related to demons. Demons, beings from another world far more dangerous than ordinary monsters.

Ordinary hunters would inevitably panic when such demons appeared.

‘The demonic energy emitted by those demons is unbearable for ordinary hunters.’

Moreover, the monsters commanded by demons are three times stronger than ordinary monsters. Those monsters also emit intense demonic energy that quickly raises MCI to the limit.

However, the Busan hunters facing those demons—specifically, the hunters gathered around the Red Breakers guild in Busan’s divided power structure—were surprisingly calm in the face of the demon’s appearance, methodically reforming their formations.

‘Are they all following Lee Min-soo’s instructions?’

He had already grasped Busan’s political situation through the association’s informant in the city.

That informant had made contact with a café owner who knew a lot about Busan’s hunters.

The fact that behind Red Breakers was a guild called Flame.

And that the daughter of Cheonma had come down to Busan as the person in charge of Flame. Not only that, but the informant had also organized and sent him information that Lee Min-soo was the real power.

‘When I first heard it, I thought the assessment of Lee Min-soo was exaggerated.’

But now, Jung Yoon-hyuk had to admit that his assessment had clearly been an underestimation.

KYAAAAAAAK—

The hunters of Dead Arms, who were at odds with them, suddenly attacked with inhuman screams. They no longer looked like normal humans.

Blood-red eyes. And their entire bodies transformed into a blackish leather color that made them seem inhuman.

Demonization. Evidence that they were now being controlled by a demon.

However, the Red Breakers-affiliated guilds, the so-called allied guilds, didn’t panic and instead pushed back against the demonized hunters.

A formation centered around clerics. The blessings of those clerics were blocking the debuffs caused by the demon’s demonic energy.

‘And that green fire illuminating the area…’

As if divine power were manifesting on earth.

At the center of the allied guilds’ formation, a green aurora spread through the air, burning away the surrounding darkness.

It was a sacred light that made people feel reverent, even those who weren’t followers of the White Cross Society. And the one who created that light was none other than Lee Min-soo.

‘So it was true that he acquired a sacred artifact from the White Cross Society.’

He mentally revised his impression of “as if divine power were manifesting.” That sacred light was undoubtedly a divine manifestation.

‘How did a nameless hunter like him obtain a sacred artifact from the fastidious Cross Society?’

A sacred artifact powerful enough to affect not only its user but also surrounding people was undoubtedly an S-rank artifact or higher.

While it would make sense if a high-ranking priest like an archbishop or a high inquisitor had been granted that artifact, as far as Jung Yoon-hyuk knew, Lee Min-soo had no connection to the White Cross Society.

The White Cross Society was an even more fanatical group than his own Nameless Squad. They would inevitably reject anyone who went against their doctrine, especially those with even the slightest connection to demons.

That was precisely why they maintained powerful armed groups like the Cathedral Knights and the Inquisition.

Yet such a Cross Society had given Lee Min-soo an unimaginable privilege.

‘And the Chairman too. He was extremely interested in that Lee Min-soo.’

While thinking busily, he eavesdropped on the allied guilds’ communications through his earpiece. At that moment, Lee Min-soo’s voice came through.

“Hunters with low thresholds and squads that cannot gather around clerics, maintain your formation in the rear. I will now head directly toward the demon. I’ll clear the path!”

Jung Yoon-hyuk surveyed the battle situation below the containers. Not only were there demonized Dead Arms hunters, but newly summoned monsters were surrounding the allied guilds.

And at that moment, he saw a small flame the size of a tennis ball flying through the enemy ranks.

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWABOOM—

Soon, blue flames exploded with an intense blast. The firepower instantly neutralized dozens of monsters and demonized hunters.

‘How could such a small flame spell have such power… Could it be?’

And Jung Yoon-hyuk suddenly recalled the new combat magic theory created by his superior, Secretary General Choi Seung-hoon, an exceptionally talented magician.

Resonance Compression.

That cutting-edge magic theory created by Choi Seung-hoon, who was considered on par with the Five Great Sages, after dedicating his entire life to it. And Lee Min-soo had created a spell that exemplified that theory.

‘The Chairman said he provided that theoretical paper, which he hadn’t shared with anyone outside his inner circle, to Lee Min-soo.’

It was a paper coveted even by SS-rank hunters and the elders of the Magic Tower. But the Chairman had given that paper to Lee Min-soo without asking for anything in return.

And the spell that Lee Min-soo had created based on that theory was…

Clearly, it had power far beyond the theoretical effectiveness that Choi Seung-hoon had described to him.

“Then I’m going in!”

Lee Min-soo’s voice reached Jung Yoon-hyuk’s ears as he was momentarily lost in thought. Jung Yoon-hyuk quickly regained his focus and followed behind him toward where the summoned demon was.

***

I had already anticipated the demon’s appearance.

Even before Lee Seon-woo’s appearance, the atmospheric MCI in Yeongdo and around Busan Port was abnormally high.

It wasn’t as blatantly high as it is now, but during the deep night, the atmospheric MCI in this area would often surge strangely.

‘So it was obvious that there were forces allied with demons behind Dead Arms.’

Then the strongest card they could play would naturally be demon summoning. And not a low-ranking demon, but one with a title even in the netherworld.

‘Such a demon would be at least on par with an AA-rank dungeon boss.’

But the aftermath of its appearance and the demonic energy contamination were comparable to an S-rank dungeon boss, making it an extremely difficult opponent for Busan’s hunters.

“If the Vice President hadn’t been here… this Busan Port would have become our grave,” said Pyo Seong-hoon, running alongside me.

As he said, if we hadn’t anticipated that the opponent would be a demon, the allied hunters would already be corpses.

A demon’s demonic energy instantly raises MCI close to the threshold.

Hunters suffering from mental confusion and curses would have no chance against Dead Arms hunters who had gained at least one rank through demonization.

‘But we handled it well.’

Busan lacked priests from the White Cross Society. However, being a region where Buddhism was strong, there were quite a few Buddhist clerics.

Through their anti-demon chants, we quickly reorganized our battle lines and formations to temporarily withstand the demonic energy. I replied to Pyo Seong-hoon:

“No, it’s too early to feel relieved. What we just faced were only familiar spirits, not the demon itself.”

“But the sacred fire you’ve raised, Vice President! It’s encouraging that our MCI is being maintained by that fire!”

That’s why there are still no casualties. The Flame of Parma not only enhances firepower but also creates a divine power buff.

In the current situation, that effect was extremely valuable. Without wasting time, I was quickly heading toward the center where the demon had been summoned, primarily with hunters who had high thresholds.

‘We need to eliminate the demon quickly.’

As expected, it was good that we didn’t divide our forces. If our elites had been separated, all the allied hunters would have been annihilated.

However, dealing with the current demon wouldn’t end the conflict. Although a demon has been summoned here, the executives of Dead Arms and their guild leader, Seong Tae-seok, are nowhere to be seen.

‘And Lee Seon-woo too.’

To truly end this conflict, we needed to keep these forces alive and head to Yeongdo.

I checked the MCI of our allies.

========================

[Party Member / MCI / Threshold]

* Yeon So-so(S) : 44 / 91

* Pyo Seong-hoon(S) : 52 / 85

* Jung Yu-ha(S) : 55 / 81

..

..

[Atmospheric MCI]

*Within 50m radius : 270

========================

The core of our allied elite consisted of So-so and me, along with Red Breakers’ guild leader Pyo Seong-hoon and executive Jung Yu-ha.

‘Everyone still has room before reaching their threshold, but…’

That MCI was rising little by little in real-time. The group soon reached the epicenter.

There was a monster emitting demonic energy incomparable to ordinary monsters, and beside it stood a woman with demonic wings.

“A demon… and a demon contractor.”

So-so was right. Like Crosel and Chae Min-ah who controlled Crosel.

The already summoned demon and its contractor were emitting intense demonic energy throughout the area. As soon as we entered the range of that demonic energy, everyone’s MCI skyrocketed.

========================

[Party Member / MCI / Threshold]

* Yeon So-so(S) : 58 / 91

* Pyo Seong-hoon(S) : 69 / 85

* Jung Yu-ha(S) : 73 / 81

..

..

[Atmospheric MCI]

*Within 50m radius : 301

========================

‘As expected, giving them time is dangerous.’

I summoned the Flame of Parma again. As the green aurora enveloped our group, their MCI dropped by about 10 points.

“Huff… th-thank you! Vice President!”

Jung Yu-ha, blessed by the sacred fire, thanked me. But I couldn’t use the sacred fire indefinitely.

The fire of divine power that doesn’t use mana. Instead, once that divine power is consumed, it takes time for the fire to build up again.

‘I just used the sacred fire widely for the allied hunters. So for a while…’

Our eyes met with the demon’s contractor. The woman spoke to us in a seductive voice:

“My, such trash humans… Hehe. How nice of you to come directly to Baron-nim for his meal. You’ve saved us the trouble.”

It was a leisurely voice, as if looking at inferior animals.

“Kim Yu-na! That damn whore made a contract with a demon…”

Red Breakers’ Jung Yu-ha burst out in anger. When I inadvertently looked at her, Jung Yu-ha suddenly avoided my gaze when our eyes met.

“I-I’m sorry, Vice President. That bitch… I mean, that woman’s establishments have quite a notorious reputation…”

Since Dead Arms’ main source of income was the water trade, the words that Jung Yu-ha blurted out might not be false.

Anyway, there was no time to worry about that. As the woman said, if the currently summoned demon was of baron rank, the longer we waited, the more disadvantageous it would be for us.

I whispered to So-so:

“Can you quickly take care of that woman?”

“If it’s your word, I shall follow.”

So-so’s sword glowed with aura. Then her body shot forward. It was an acceleration so fast that it was difficult to follow with the eyes.

Soon, a silver flash cut the neck of the demon’s contractor, that woman. At the same time, So-so whispered to me through the earpiece:

“…And since I did as you said, something more than a kiss.”