Ch.50Chapter 50 – Discovery

“Haaap-!”

KWANG-!!

The mace swung with all his might crushed the skull of the last remaining demon. Immediately after came the level-up message. He could clearly feel his mana had increased compared to a few seconds ago.

“Whew!”

“Good job, Jaehyuk! Your strength is really something else!”

The B-rank hunter known as “Mr. Kim” among the gate raid team patted Shin Jaehyuk’s back as he finished off the boss. The armor and gloves collided with a satisfying clang. That sound triggered cheers from the raid team members as they set down their weapons—machine guns, axes, and the like.

“Good work, everyone!”

“Hya- Finally, it’s over!”

No one in the raid team complained about Shin Jaehyuk landing the final blow. When a boss monster dies, the experience points are distributed equally among all gate participants anyway. Considering the monster could have made a final desperate attack, they were actually grateful that Jaehyuk, a regeneration-type hunter, took the risk for them. They didn’t want to waste the potions they’d received for free from Paradise Church at the last moment.

“No luck today! No artifacts at all! Let’s just calculate the monster corpses.”

A hunter rummaging through one corner of the boss room shouted loudly.

“Ah, what a shame.”

“Still, we cleared this faster and easier than usual, right? All thanks to Jaehyuk giving us a carry.”

“That’s right, he was amazing! I don’t think there’s anyone else who could perform like that as a B-rank without using potions or guns. Instead of calling you occasionally, I wish you’d join us permanently…”

The hunters of the Goguryeo raid team, mostly men in their thirties and forties, praised Shin Jaehyuk’s performance while savoring their victory. Everyone was in a good mood at the thought of finishing work early today.

The raid team leader, Mr. Kim, spoke to Shin Jaehyuk as he wiped the green blood from his weapon.

“Today was really good. Should I send the settlement money to the usual account?”

“Yes.”

Mr. Kim glanced at Jaehyuk, who was silently cleaning his weapon, and carefully suggested:

“For the past few months working together, I’ve always felt that we have great chemistry… Would you consider joining the Goguryeo raid team?”

“I’m sorry. I have my circumstances… That would be difficult.”

After the polite refusal, Mr. Kim waved his hands apologetically.

“No, you don’t need to apologize! We’re always grateful just to have you carry us occasionally like this.”

“That’s right! It would be a waste of your talent to stay here! Unlike us old folks, you could definitely aim for A-rank!”

One of the men checking his personal machine gun teased Mr. Kim. The other raid members burst into hearty laughter at the playful jab.

“Hahaha, that’s true. I guess I was thinking too much from our perspective. It’s a shame, but can’t be helped.”

“Thank you. Then I’ll be heading out first.”

Since they were used to Shin Jaehyuk leaving early without joining the after-party, Mr. Kim didn’t try to stop him. The Goguryeo raid members each expressed their gratitude to the departing hunter. Mr. Kim called out to his retreating back as he exited the gate:

“We should be thanking you! Whenever you need to enter a gate, just call us anytime-!”

***

In the hunter taxi heading home, Shin Jaehyuk muttered quietly.

“Status window.”

A status window showing level 810, invisible to others, appeared in the air. It had increased by 26 since his awakening.

‘I can’t tell if this is slow or fast…’

Because his level was so high, he needed many times more experience points than others to level up. After working so hard clearing gates, seeing the number change only twenty-six times felt somewhat empty.

‘It can’t be helped since I’ve mostly been clearing low-rank gates. Clearing A-rank gates too often could draw attention, and S-rank gates rarely appear anyway.’

Shin Jaehyuk tried to rationalize his gloomy feelings.

He had insisted on fighting without guns, deliberately choosing the harder path with the excuse of honing his weapon skills since ordinary firearms wouldn’t work against the Four Heavenly Kings. But now, thinking back on the past year of struggling without guns and gaining only 26 levels, he deeply regretted it.

‘Not using potions makes sense since I can regenerate myself, and they’re made from demon blood which feels unsettling. But not using guns really feels unfair. I should have just used guns and focused on leveling up by clearing more gates…’

Regardless of Shin Jaehyuk’s thoughts, the taxi continued toward its destination. As he absentmindedly surrendered to the swaying of the taxi, his eyes habitually drifted to the bottom of his status window.

‘Civilization level experience is already around 70%… That’s definitely fast.’

He bit his lip tightly. Compared to the numbers at the top of the status window, the numbers at the bottom were increasing too quickly.

‘I need to build my strength quickly…’

It had been over a year since the Incheon Disaster.

During that time, Shin Jaehyuk had been diligently training and clearing gates to raise his level in preparation for the Four Heavenly Kings’ invasion.

He’d been walking a tightrope, clearing as many gates as possible without becoming famous. This would have been impossible without the National Intelligence Service managing the media. Now, among those who knew him, Shin Jaehyuk was known as “a B-rank hunter who definitely pulls his weight for two” or “the low-rank gate bus driver.”

But even after clearing dozens of gates, Shin Jaehyuk still felt anxious. The power of Belial, the first of the Four Heavenly Kings, was so deeply imprinted in his mind that he couldn’t feel secure despite his insanely high level approaching 800.

Not finding any clues related to Eden also added to his impatience. It was as if the Christmas Gate, where he had obtained so much information at once, had been just a stroke of luck—no small clues had been given since then.

Still, his efforts hadn’t been fruitless. His mana capacity had increased significantly during those twenty-six level-ups. Now it would be believable if someone said he was at the highest C-rank, or even lower B-rank.

Unfortunately, the information shown by his awakening skill, Insight, remained unchanged, but through experience, he could guess the effects of some achievements.

<Master> had an effect that enhanced weapon techniques. It eliminated unnecessary movements, enabling efficient and clean motions.

<Chaos Origin> allowed simultaneous use of mana and divine power. Just being able to stack physical enhancements was satisfying enough.

He had no idea what effects <Slayer of the Four Heavenly Kings>, <Agape>, and <One Watched by Fate> had. They might just be decorative achievements with no actual effects.

‘And <Divine Blood> is…’

Shin Jaehyuk concentrated his consciousness on his palm. Particles of light flowed from his fingers, forming a sphere of light. He had cast the divine spell ‘Light’ without chanting an aria.

‘My control has improved further. The divine power feels like a part of my body…’

Since the moment of awakening, when he felt something in his blood completely permeate his being, divine power had been responding well to him as if it had always been his.

He could even cast simple spells without reciting arias. With consistent practice, he might be able to cast more powerful spells without incantations too. Considering the common mistake of accidentally biting one’s tongue while reciting an aria during battle and canceling the spell, this was a tremendous advantage.

‘Divine Blood… that must be it.’

Shin Jaehyuk had a good guess about the achievement’s cause. During his awakening, he must have completely fused the divine blood—which he hadn’t fully accepted in his previous life—with his soul. Longinus’s innate divine element, the source of his endlessly flowing divine power. A precious artifact entangled with the story of his birth, Project “God’s Hand,” and the betrayer Iscariot…

‘And strangely, my hacking skills seem to have improved too… though that’s probably unrelated.’

Speaking of hacking reminded him of his main job. The problem solver work. Shin Jaehyuk turned on his smartphone and accessed the “Gehenna” website after a long time. The clean interface, supposedly designed by Mr. B himself, appeared.

‘…! My VIP status is about to expire.’

He was at risk of automatic demotion because he’d been too busy clearing gates to do any activities. To maintain his rank, he needed to complete at least one request.

“I’d hate to give up the highest rank.”

VIP status came with various benefits that could be used in emergencies, so he wanted to maintain it if possible. Shin Jaehyuk scrolled through the list of requests he could accept.

[Shin Jaehyuk! Must check this. – Mr. B]

‘Hmm? What’s this?’

A designated request from Mr. B. Shin Jaehyuk’s curiosity was piqued by a request directly from the chairman of Gehenna. What could it be? He clicked on the request to check its contents.

[I’m leaving a note instead of calling since I’ve been busy lately and you haven’t been logging in much.

This request is a personal favor from me, and I’d appreciate it if you could help.

The reward is one wish token.]

‘A wish token!’

The right to ask Mr. B for a favor without compensation. Though they had been in contact since Shin Jaehyuk was young and were on friendly terms, Mr. B wasn’t someone you could treat like an ordinary middle-aged man. He was the boss of “Gehenna,” the largest criminal organization in the underworld.

Naturally, the right to make a wish to the emperor of the underworld wasn’t given to just anyone. What kind of request would warrant a wish token as a reward? Shin Jaehyuk continued reading the note.

[These days, a cult called Paradise Church is rapidly expanding its influence worldwide. They’re infiltrating not just civilians but high-ranking politicians, military officials, and criminal organizations.

But their infiltration speed is abnormally fast. They’re starting to reach into the underworld too, and I’m worried this might interfere with my business. Considering my business extends like an octopus into almost every field, conflict with Paradise Church seems inevitable.

So I want you to investigate Paradise Church’s weaknesses. Whether it’s tax evasion evidence, a list of key figures, or business details—anything I can use as a bargaining chip.

Deadline: within 2 weeks.

I’m counting on you.

P.S. – If I may offer advice, looking into their potion business might be good.

P.P.S. – I noticed your VIP status is about to expire. If you handle this job, I’ll extend it by 10 years.]

The promise of a wish token plus 10 years of top-tier service completely tipped the scales in Shin Jaehyuk’s mind. The exceptional reward solidified his decision.

“There aren’t many worthwhile gates to clear these days anyway… I should take this request.”

Having made up his mind, Shin Jaehyuk wrote a reply. His finger pressed the send button without hesitation.

[I’ll accept the request.]

***

In a dirty, dark alley, a man was searching through a corpse’s pockets among piles of garbage.

Until a year ago, he had been a celebrity who frequently appeared on TV. Even foreigners would have seen his face at least once, not just Koreans.

Kwak Taewoo.

Known to the public as the Chopstick Killer.

Taewoo removed a ring from the corpse’s finger.

“So this is the famous perception-hindering ring. Now I can freely walk the streets without having to hide.”

Sitting on what was once the body of someone who would have become known as the Assassination Emperor, Kwak Taewoo wiped his bloody hands on the corpse’s clothes. Then he took out a smartphone from his pocket and turned on the internet.

Checking the news whenever possible had become a habit since the Incheon Disaster in April. The shock of that day still unsettled his mind.

“Truly, it’s all incomprehensible.”

What he “knew” and what had “happened” were vastly different.

‘Why did the Incheon incident happen already? It shouldn’t have happened at all, since I killed that company chairman.’

Song Suhyung of Modification Corporation. Had he remembered the name wrong? He hadn’t even memorized the “timeline” that every “resistance member” should know. With such a stupid head, he could have easily made a mistake.

“The butterfly effect? But there are too many unexplainable variables for that.”

The Four Heavenly Kings summoned in a weakened state without the terrifying Six Hundred and Sixty-Six Branch Whip. Incheon not destroyed. An unidentified S-rank hunter who shouldn’t have existed in the original history…

His head was confused by developments so different from the established history.

‘To catch a Heavenly King with just that much damage… Even Kim Jaemin is fine. Originally, he should have been critically injured fighting Belial who had gone mad after devouring most of Incheon.’

He couldn’t understand why fate had changed. Was it simply the childlike whim of destiny? It was as if the eyes of an already rolled die had changed.

The fortunate thing was that the die had changed from 1 to 6. The permanent lung damage that “Light Warrior” Kim Jaemin would have suffered was gone, making him a significant force for future battles.

“While it’s certainly beneficial for preparing for the final war,”

The incomprehensible variables frightened him. His stupid brain couldn’t understand the cause and effect.

Recognizing his limitations naturally led to self-deprecation.

‘Fuck, what a pathetic bastard… She could solve all these problems instantly.’

For the sake of the greater cause, he had willingly become a murderer. He had no qualms about bloodying his hands for the world, but the fact that he could no longer be with her tore his heart to pieces. She was like his lifelong friend, having crossed countless dangerous situations together.

‘She would have done better than me… why was it me?’

She and he were too different. Whenever Kwak Taewoo saw his closest friend, he felt proud but also deeply inferior.

She was an S-rank who survived until the end against the Dark Knight, a sword saint, and the leader of the final resistance. The greatest leader who led the resistance members.

In contrast, he had been a one-armed cripple, an incompetent blockhead who couldn’t even memorize all the past information he needed to know. An ordinary human who could only fight and kill, replaceable by anyone.

He was weaker than her in power and lacking in wisdom. That he had taken her place was due to an unexpected, unavoidable disaster—merely luck. She should have been the one to use the Holy Grail, to get a second chance, not him.

‘…No. Let’s not show weakness now. What’s done is done. As much as I’m inferior to her, I must work that much harder. Only I can save this world from its cursed fate..!’

The obsession born from horrific knowledge drove Kwak Taewoo further. It whispered to him in her voice: The fate of the world rests in your hands. This path must not be stopped, even if its end is predetermined doom.

“…I wonder how she’s doing.”

He was curious about her news after a long time. It had been a year since he last looked her up, afraid to search for information about her with his current self. He typed a woman’s name into the search bar. The name of the woman who would still be a police officer now.

News from around May of last year appeared.

[New A-rank Emerges! Spotlight on Police Officer Cha Eunkyung!]

[On May 5th, at a celebrity invitation event held at the Korean Hunter Association Headquarters… Police Officer Cha Eunkyung of the Special Abilities Response Unit successfully upgraded from B-rank to A-rank, becoming a hot topic…]

‘Already an A-rank. She’s growing better than in the original history… Is it because I’m not there as a burden?’

Once again feeling his own incompetence, he bit his lip tightly. When would he be able to stand by her side? The news he saw after so long further gouged at his low self-confidence. Jealousy and longing, inferiority and pride tangled complexly into an indescribable emotion.

With a complicated expression, Kwak Taewoo absentmindedly played the news video. It looked like an ordinary waiting room inside the Association. She was whispering to someone sitting in a waiting room chair. When that person turned his head—

“…!!!”

Kwak Taewoo’s eyes filled with shock as he peered intently at the screen. Wondering if he had seen wrong, he zoomed in on the image.

“This guy..!”

There was a familiar face. A face he knew all too well. A face he had engraved in his memory hundreds of times, determined never to forget.

He was the cursed enemy he had been searching for,

The one who killed Cha Eunkyung in the final operation,

The traitor of humanity who had brazenly visited him in prison as if to mock him.

His name was,

“Dark Knight, Shin Jaehyuk…!!!”