Ch.146The Massive Gate Is Dangerous (2)

I said those words, but I had no intention of simply leaving Song Hayeon to her own devices.

I actually found her dedication to training day and night quite admirable, and during this incident, she had even stood alone against Gildeon to buy me time to arrive.

On top of that, considering what I had said to her, I planned to raise her level at least enough so that she wouldn’t be disrespected by others.

“You’ve accumulated quite a bit of experience now, so there’s actually more I can teach you.”

“Really?”

“But which of those skills you master and develop is something you need to decide for yourself.”

Like those who have reached mastery, it was time for Song Hayeon to start drawing her own independent path.

And Song Hayeon already had a senior with a good precedent right beside her. That was Helena.

“Honestly, I was surprised this time. It seems you’ve mastered most of what I taught you?”

“Thank you for saying so.”

Helena had essentially already moved beyond my teachings to the next level.

And she too, upon hearing that I was training Song Hayeon, had come straight to Korea to join us.

“Since I’ve already surpassed my goal of defeating the head of Hades, I thought I could start focusing on research at a more leisurely pace.”

“…”

Of course, she was barely a match for Gildeon, but honestly, that part deserves some consideration.

When you think about it, wasn’t it like a modern philosopher facing Socrates himself in direct combat?

Rather, it was quite remarkable that a necromancer of just six years could accomplish that much.

‘…In terms of pure talent, isn’t she actually above me?’

I had numerous teaching materials and negative examples, and simultaneously continued to develop over more than 100 years in Thebes.

No matter how much her growth accelerated due to the energy accumulated on Earth, Helena’s talent was certainly at an unparalleled level in every aspect.

“Well, do as you like. Help Song Hayeon a bit too.”

Spending days like that, I somewhat listlessly waited for the new type of dungeon that would come.

It was unavoidable, really. After regaining the power I had so desperately sought, what ultimately came to me was yet another void.

‘Nothing much has changed, has it?’

It was the same over there. Having become far too powerful, there was no one who could stand against me, and no matter who I faced, I would only encounter predictable results.

There were no longer any matters in Thebes that required my direct intervention, nor should I have intervened. Whether high officials of various countries, citizens, or primordial beings—everyone wanted that.

‘It’s not as joyful as I thought it would be.’

In fact, even after returning to Earth, I was simply displeased that someone had taken the power I originally possessed, but I didn’t particularly have any plans to do anything with that power.

Of course, if comparing good and bad, the former was obviously better, but this sense of exhaustion that came with it was, in a way, a natural emotion.

‘…Well, it doesn’t matter.’

Unlike in Thebes, there are many things I can do on this Earth that don’t necessarily involve necromancy.

And to enjoy such days with peace of mind, I needed to completely resolve this dungeon situation and restore Earth to a safe planet, no matter what.

For now, that was all I needed to think about.

#

Beatrice, an S-rank hunter from Italy, kept fidgeting with her teacup while facing Samuel, the head of the Florence Guild to which she belonged.

Samuel sighed and spoke to Beatrice.

“I understand roughly what happened.”

Through the recent Mallorca incident, the Florence Guild had to bear considerable losses.

It was because of their guild member Fabio, who had deceived everyone and arbitrarily joined Hades.

“I didn’t notice at all, when did he start doing such things…”

The S-rank hunter Fabio, known as the Slaughterer in public, was actually quite a promising talent despite everything.

Just in Italy alone, there was no hunter who could match him except for Beatrice, which said it all.

“…Perhaps something unfulfilled had been residing within him all along.”

Since Beatrice had maintained a fairly good relationship with Fabio, she honestly wasn’t completely at ease with the current situation.

After all, Fabio, who had been sent to a special prison, would never again see the light of the outside world.

But that was ultimately the consequence of his own actions.

And now, she needed to discuss something else.

“Yes, Baek Eunha… A name I’ve been hearing quite frequently lately.”

The reason Beatrice had participated in the battle against Hades this time was entirely due to a personal request from Baek Eunha.

And there, Beatrice witnessed Baek Eunha’s true power.

“Honestly, it was at an absurd level.”

“I heard a bit over the phone, but is it that significant?”

“Yes. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s beyond that.”

In Beatrice’s opinion, Baek Eunha had long since transcended the framework of hunters and ranks.

While she felt pure awe at how such power had been cultivated, Beatrice couldn’t help but say:

“She is too dangerous an existence.”

Modern defense systems? Agreements and rules between countries?

All of those things were actually meaningless in the face of overwhelming power.

And Baek Eunha had it—the power to manipulate the entire world at will if she so desired.

“If one were to truly upset her, the destruction of an entire country would be nothing now.”

“…It’s chilling when you put it that way.”

“Because it’s not an exaggeration.”

At Beatrice’s words, Samuel tapped the table and spoke with concern.

“Then what attitude do you think our Italy should take toward her?”

“Blind support and thorough disregard.”

Always act on her side if problems arise, and completely ignore everything else.

That was Beatrice’s answer.

And Italy wasn’t the only country that had reached such a conclusion.

“So, Mr. Sanada, are you saying we should bow our heads to her alone?”

“It seems my message wasn’t conveyed properly. I’m saying we shouldn’t create situations that upset her.”

Sanada, who had joined the Mallorca Island dungeon raid at the request of the Spanish authorities, had seen it—the sight of Baek Eunha summoning the underworld to the mortal realm.

That’s why he couldn’t help but be concerned. Japan and Korea occasionally had friction at the national level.

“Refrain from such things from now on. If you have any sense, that is.”

“…For someone known for their high pride to say such things, I’m quite surprised.”

“If you had seen that sight, anyone would say the same.”

Shinjo, a close aide to the current Prime Minister, knew that Sanada before him was never one to speak empty words.

Therefore, he had to believe. If Sanada’s testimonies were true, then Baek Eunha was essentially:

‘Already a monster that no one can stand against.’

After all, she possessed a power that was simply beyond human reach, making her the strongest hunter of this era.

#

“W-why are you doing this…?”

In a deep forest with indiscernible location, a terrified man bleeding asked someone in front of him.

“I-I know your face.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Aren’t you Hudson, the former head of the American Association! But why…?”

Hudson’s hand, sharp as steel, plunged into the abdomen of the shouting man.

Soon, making gurgling sounds of blood boiling, the man finally fell silent.

Looking at the man’s corpse, Hudson took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hands.

“I have no particular grudge against you.”

It was simply necessary. A sacrifice to fulfill His orders.

The corpse of the high-rank hunter would, combined with the power of the spell Hudson received from Him, serve as a kind of coordinate.

He had already created more than a dozen such coordinates.

Not all of them would be meaningful, but at least some that met the conditions would be reborn as sacred passages for His will.

“Soon, the true day of salvation…”

The so-called Second Gate.

A dimensional passage to summon beings of higher power, at a different level from what had come before.

Imagining the sight that humanity would soon face, Hudson gritted his teeth as he thought of someone.

“Baek Eunha…”

It truly displeased him that his great nation, the United States, was being cautious of such a mere girl.

But he was also afraid. After all, Hudson too had sneaked into Mallorca Island that day and witnessed that scene.

‘Her power is abnormal.’

Perhaps even this Second Gate, Baek Eunha might have enough capability to clear.

‘But…’

Baek Eunha herself is just one person.

Hudson smiled secretly as he recalled a trick he had prepared in advance during the process of setting coordinates.

He vowed to make her pay the price for daring to mock his homeland.