episode_0656

A flight that lasted a full 12 hours.

When I arrived at the end, I saw that New York was completely covered in pure white snow.

They say there was heavy snowfall on Christmas, just two days ago.

It was said that over 30cm of snow had piled up, making it impossible to even go outside.

Although the snow on roads and highways has been quickly cleared of traces, traces of the record-breaking snowfall still remain in places untouched by human hands.

“Wow… Look at all that snow piled up on that car.”

“They said it was a record-breaking snowfall… , it really was that bad.”

“It happened on Christmas day, so people called it ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’.”

Team members added words one by one, grabbed a handful of the snow around them, and rolled it around on their palms.

The person who was most excited during the process was definitely Shin Yu-jeong.

“Oh, I always wanted to come to America at least once, but I never thought it would end up like this.”

A guy who takes a deep breath through his nose and feels the chaotic atmosphere of America.

It’s surprising once again.

Just a few days ago, he was sitting in the corner of the room with a sullen face.

Jooyeon, who was watching this together, comes up to me and whispers.

“That’s really fortunate.”

“Okay.”

I was held for nearly three hours on the plane, questioned as to why I didn’t come looking for them.

It was so hard to appease the guy who climbed on top of me while I was sitting on the toilet and expressed his frustration by asking all sorts of questions like why I didn’t come, were you planning to just leave me, weren’t you worried, etc.

Since I became an S-class, my physical strength became much stronger than before, so it was not easy to satisfy me.

That kid seems to know me well, but he doesn’t seem to know me.

Weren’t you worried?

There’s no way I wouldn’t have done it.

However, I just couldn’t comfort him easily.

What would I say to a frustrated kid?

I think it’ll work out if we just do a little more, so let’s try?

Or maybe you just give up since it seems like you can’t do it?

Neither is the answer, and the issue itself is not what to say when you meet.

The country itself was a huge burden and a wall to Yoo-Jeong.

That’s why he didn’t show up.

Believing that the guy can overcome it on his own.

The lead actor whispers in the guy’s ear.

“Your worried brother-in-law’s face was so cute.”

“… So cute.”

Anyway, that’s fortunate.

The guy didn’t give up and climbed over the wall.

No, I’m more than happy to be back to my original, vibrant self.

“Hey, let’s go quickly! If you don’t come, I’ll throw away all the snow here?!”

Shin Yu-jeong is best when she’s a little cocky.

“Hey!”

A guy who can instantly create a giant snowball and throw it.

Look at this kid.

Use your magic to stop a snowball from flying towards you, then throw it at him again.

“Ugh… !”

Phew!

A snowball hits the face of a guy who lets out a final scream without any time to dodge.

After the pure white snow fell, veins were visible on the guy’s forehead.

“You… , lost… !”

He ran away to the hotel.

* * *

The nightmare before christmas.

The record-breaking snowfall in 30 years fell on Christmas Day, causing some to feel a little discontent.

That was because I was stuck at home on a day that set the hearts of countless young men and women on fire.

That’s why they were so eagerly anticipating another festival.

December 31st.

New Year’s Eve celebrations begin in Times Square.

It is expected that many more people than usual will flock here this year, as people look to relieve their sorrow over a wasted Christmas.

This was bad news for Kim Do-jin and good news for Chris.

A large crowd means that when a problem occurs, there will be greater confusion, and it also means that it is difficult to respond immediately to rapid changes in the situation.

On the contrary, it could have caused even greater confusion for Chris, so it was a perfect situation.

“I got completely screwed.”

What is even more surprising is that this situation is not a natural phenomenon created by nature, but an artificial accident created by humans.

“… The eyes were filled with artificial magic.”

The snow I touched and played with a little while ago was not snow that fell naturally from the sky, but snow that was artificially created by humans.

That means the record-breaking snowfall in New York in 30 years was not a natural disaster, but a man-made disaster.

It was intentionally induced.

So that more people can run away on December 31st, without enjoying Christmas.

The more people involved, the more effective their operation will be.

“Is this what they meant by part of the preparation?”

The guy didn’t make it clear what he was preparing for.

I just said that we are working on making the operation more perfect.

One of those tasks would have been a heavy snowfall.

But that’s not enough.

“December 31st… , It’s definitely an event with a lot of people.”

In places where many people gather, incidents and accidents inevitably occur.

That is why, whenever such an event takes place, various personnel such as police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and hunters are stationed there in case of an emergency.

It is also natural that all kinds of equipment are installed to prepare for possible terrorist attacks.

To carry out the operation, we would have to neutralize that much manpower and equipment… .

It was just then.

Bam!

Jooyeon opened the door urgently and came in to deliver shocking news.

“Brother-in-law, I just heard from a friend… , cracks are forming all over the United States right now.”

“… crack?”

Cracks are nothing more than natural disasters that inevitably occur in hunter society.

It’s definitely not a good thing, but it’s not threatening enough to warrant such a fuss.

But if Jooyeon acts so desperately like this… .

“From yesterday to today, more than 50 cracks have already appeared. The average grade is also above B, so it seems that a quick attack will not be easy.”

Over 50 gates in less than two days.

“The hunters of the guild and association are all busy conquering dungeons.”

“Yes, that’s right. But they say it’s tight because they don’t have enough workers.”

It was truly a coincidence.

Cracks are opening up out of nowhere ahead of the December 31st event.

Even New York is fine, and the surrounding areas are the only places that are causing trouble.

The lips of the angry man are twisted.

“Ha… It looks like our boss has prepared a lot.”

The plan is moving steadily toward success.

On December 31, more people were gathered and personnel were dispersed to prepare for the operation.

Now all that’s left is to finish preparing the plan in the meantime and blow it up on the set date and time.

Jiiing-

Just then, a text message arrived.

『Han Ju-hee: The magic circle has been completed with Times Square as the center.』

『Han Ju-hee: Photo』

『Han Ju-hee: It’s a magic circle pattern. I’m seeing it for the first time, so I don’t know exactly what effect it has.』

Han Ju-hee sent the pattern along with the news of the completion of the magic circle.

A single shape created by numerous lines drawn on a large circle.

The sight is exactly like the face of a devil smiling wickedly.

I don’t know exactly what effect it has just by looking at its shape, but it’s probably used to summon the Abyss Gate.

Jooyeon lifts her face up onto my shoulder and pouts.

“It’s my sister.”

A faint hint of jealousy seeped into his speech.

“We’re just exchanging operational details.”

“chi… , I know that too?”

“… … .”

Why are you sticking out your lips when you know?

“By the way… , this is really scary. I didn’t know you would use the cracks to prepare a plan.”

“Okay.”

I was surprised too.

At the same time, I had doubts.

If you can open a rift, why don’t you just open it all in New York without having to do anything complicated?

But there must be a reason for doing things so complicatedly.

For example, there may be restrictions on opening cracks.

Or maybe there is a reason why the Abyss Gate must be opened here.

Either way, it was a blessing for me.

Otherwise, we would have had no choice but to watch New York being destroyed without even thinking about this opportunity to counterattack.

Preparations for the operation are almost complete.

So I was planning to just kill some time and do some final checks until December 31st, but I changed my mind.

“Since it’s come to this, I should do something.”

Jooyeon, who was now practically in my arms, tilted her head and asked.

“What’s going on?”

“What could happen?”

Our job is hunter.

There’s only one thing a hunter can do.

“Let’s do some light dungeon raiding.”

There is one goal for this dungeon raid.

Yu-jeong, who just became an S-class, is planning to properly raise the guy’s senses.

* * *

The American society has been likened to a giant melting pot.

Because the different cultures of people of different races are melting together to become one culture.

A small smelter was created in New York, right in the middle of that huge smelter.

Confusion, desire, justice, judgment, disgust, anger.

Because people armed with all kinds of emotions gathered together with different goals.

Son Si-woo was also one of them.

Arriving in New York via private jet, he gazed out at the snow-covered city through his black sunglasses, lost in thought.

‘I feel strange.’

My body, trained through tens of thousands of battles, feels it first.

A strange current permeates this city.

It was like a fuse.

A fuse that advances towards the detonator, burning out little by little with a small flame.

There was only one reason why he set foot in a dangerous city where it wouldn’t be strange if it exploded at any moment.

“Is this definitely it?”

“Yes, Master. I’ve checked it several times, so just trust me.”

“If that’s what you’re saying, then so be it.”

Son Si-woo trusts Michelle.

Not once in her life has she ever told a lie.

“Here it is.”

Son Si-woo takes another deep breath and slowly looks around the city.

The city, which was like a bomb that could explode at any moment, now looks a little different.

Land of opportunity.

“Wait a minute, Kim Do-jin.”

Here he intends to have it all.