Chapter 169: Breathing in the Nightmare

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“Finally, he’s coming.”

A conference room in the White House basement.

There, the National Security Advisor, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and CIA Director were all gathered.

“I never imagined he’d grow this much in such a short time.”

“A misjudgment. No one could have predicted it.”

“If we’d known, we would have pushed the naturalization process much more aggressively…”

It had been quite some time since they first learned about Lee Tae-sung.

They’d first encountered his name when Ryan Anderson, a talented Ranker, was on the verge of death, and Lee Tae-sung had come to the United States claiming to have the cure.

Thanks to a Hunter from the Republic of Korea, Ryan’s life was saved, and that was the extent of what they knew.

But at some point, Lee Tae-sung began growing at an astonishing rate, and before anyone knew it, he was being called the strongest in the world.

“Cheon Jun himself acknowledged Lee Tae-sung as the world’s best. What do you make of that?”

“From what Alex told me before, Cheon Jun is a man of immense pride. If he acknowledged him to that degree… then Alex would likely struggle as well.”

Alex, America’s greatest Hunter and the First Hunter.

Originally, he was called one of the world’s top Hunters.

Sword Saint Cheon Jun, Alex, Russia’s Death King, Mexico’s Slaughterer.

Naturally, the United States claimed Alex was the best Hunter in the world, but with Cheon Jun’s recent statement, Lee Tae-sung had suddenly surged ahead.

“Did you ask Alex about this?”

“Yes. He said he’d met Lee Tae-sung before.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he’d lose in under five seconds.”

“…”

“…”

The entire situation room fell silent for a moment.

“…Remarkable. Alex isn’t the type of man to speak so weakly of himself.”

“I thought the same. I asked him several times, but his answer never changed.”

One of the few Hunters in the world capable of clearing the Black Mist.

Contrary to public perception, if top-tier Hunters also consumed the Taesung Guild’s Elixir, clearing the Black Mist became possible.

That was why Alex had been slowly purifying America’s Black Mist Areas.

But unlike Lee Tae-sung, who could plunge straight into the heart of the mist and clear it in an instant, Alex had to slowly work his way in from the outskirts, clearing zones and carving a path forward.

Resisting the power of the Black Mist while eliminating monsters made his progress agonizingly slow.

Because of that, he hadn’t managed to clear a single Mist zone yet.

From the outside, it might look like the United States was simply abandoning the Black Mist like other nations, but in truth, America was working diligently to conquer it.

Lee Tae-sung was simply beyond all norms, and Russia and Mexico, who possessed Hunters of similar caliber, were likely doing the same.

“Whatever else happens, the symbolism of being the world’s strongest is something our nation must hold…”

The National Security Advisor clicked his tongue.

As a member of the White House, he was one of the President’s most trusted confidants.

His words might as well have been the President’s will.

“The President is also watching with great interest.”

“Yes. This time, we will bring him into the United States no matter what.”

That was the CIA Director’s remark.

If this were the 1980s, and the world’s strongest belonged to another nation, assassination operations would have been the primary approach.

But what era was this now?

Such brutish methods would never secure victory in competition against others.

America was famous for treating its number one well and was one of the most prosperous countries for the wealthy to live in.

They had every confidence they could naturalize Lee Tae-sung.

“Is the welcome ceremony being prepared properly?”

“We’re preparing a reception befitting a head of state.”

That was the Secretary of Defense.

Lee Tae-sung could be considered an ordinary civilian, but he was deserving of such treatment.

“Good. Let’s proceed well. Make sure he has the best experience America can offer.”

“Yes.”

“We’ll do our utmost.”

This was the content of a meeting held the day before Lee Tae-sung’s arrival.

---

Lee Tae-sung arrived in the United States aboard a private jet.

This private jet was also provided by America’s Astral Guild as an unlimited loan.

When he’d first accepted it, he never imagined he’d be returning to the United States under circumstances like this.

Truly, you live long enough to see all sorts of things.

Of course, he hadn’t actually lived that long.

Whoosh

From the moment the private jet carrying Lee Tae-sung entered American airspace, five US fighter jets escorted it, and it arrived at Van Nuys International Airport just like that.

The moment the private jet’s wheels touched the runway, the US honor guard already lined up beside the runway snapped to attention in unison.

Soldiers in crisply pressed blue uniforms and white gloves held rifles with bayonets fixed at gleaming right angles.

Beside the runway, the Stars and Stripes and the guest of honor’s national flag fluttered from tall flagpoles in the wind, and beneath them, the military band in star-spangled uniforms waited with golden brass instruments glistening.

“Everyone, to your positions!”

A short while later, the private jet came to a complete stop and the boarding stairs attached to the aircraft.

The Secretary of State and a US Army general stood at the base of the stairs, ready to greet Lee Tae-sung personally.

As the jet door opened and the commander’s command rang out, the honor guard raised their rifles in unison.

The military band’s performance rang out.

The sound of trumpets and the rhythm of drums reverberated through the air.

At the same time, Lee Tae-sung descended the stairs one step at a time.

“Welcome. I am Secretary of Defense Richard Callahan. We welcome you to our nation.”

“I’m Lee Tae-sung. Thank you for the warm welcome.”

Lee Tae-sung said this with genuine admiration.

He’d expected someone modest to come greet him, but to receive treatment befitting a state guest of honor.

In truth, Lee Tae-sung wasn’t a representative of any nation, just the Guild Leader of a single Guild.

And a small Guild with fewer than ten affiliated Hunters at that.

Even a mega-Guild Leader couldn’t receive this kind of treatment, yet the United States was doing so willingly.

It was a display of just how much attention they were paying to Lee Tae-sung.

---

Hmm… forgive me for asking, but what exactly did they do to get the meeting reported in a single paragraph?

Unless I provide suitable entertainment to make up for it.

As it is… it seems excessive to declare they saw Lee Tae-sung’s power and that alone convinced them.

Perhaps something like intercepting all his communications after landing and realizing he communicated with South Korea?

Or acquiring the assessment from the Chinese and Japanese Hunters who fought alongside him directly?

Surely they must have planted listening devices in the banquet hall.

Though foreign powers engaging in such espionage in the US is possible, but unlikely enough to warrant special consideration of someone capable of global annihilation by spies.

Let’s give Lee Tae-sung meaningful time to do his job for the next 50 minutes while I formulate something suitably impressive.

Korea refuses a prior offer of dialogue.

North Korea refuses a simultaneous offer for de-escalation talks with South Korea.

Now the US interprets a refusal as proof of Lee Tae-sung’s ignorance of high-level diplomacy with direct counterparts abroad and makes far-fetched claims about security.

1,000

‘Please don’t do that…’

Regardless, being welcomed like this meant there was no reason to feel bad.

So Lee Tae-sung in the footage was smiling continuously, and America’s high-ranking officials were all beaming as well.

A warm, friendly atmosphere.

Lee Tae-sung boarded a vehicle waiting at the airport.

“A welcome party has been prepared.”

“A welcome party?”

“Yes. Isn’t this a historic day, with Taesung-nim, the world’s strongest Hunter, visiting the United States? A party is absolutely essential.”

The Secretary of State, who had boarded the seat beside him, smiled gently.

It was a party to which famous celebrities and Hunters had been invited in droves.

There was a blatant intention to deeply instill a favorable image of Lee Tae-sung at that event.

“Hmm… is attendance absolutely mandatory?”

“…It’s not mandatory, but… are you uncomfortable?”

It wasn’t so much discomfort as the fact that he’d come to clear the Black Mist and wanted to focus on his mission first.

“Yes.”

“Oh!“

The Secretary of State was inwardly astonished, as if he’d never met anyone like this before.

Most Hunters, suddenly granted power and authority, were extremely vulnerable to temptation, but Lee Tae-sung was quietly seeking out his work and doing it first!

‘If this continues, the naturalization effort will be more difficult than expected… but for the nation itself, this is good.’

Right now, more than a few people were suffering in real time because of the Black Mist.

If Lee Tae-sung moved quickly, America could only be grateful.

“Understood. I’ll escort you there right away.”

The vehicle heading to the party changed course.

Lee Tae-sung smiled slightly, as if relieved.

‘This isn’t the time for a party.’

The desire to surpass the wall of the Transcendental Realm surged within his heart, and he also needed to finish things with the Outer God.

His mind was too full of such thoughts to waste time on something like a party.

---

The Black Mist Area was in East Los Angeles.

A region in Los Angeles where the impoverished lived.

It was an area with poor public safety where ordinary citizens were reluctant to go, and the Black Mist had spread widely across the region.

“It’s fortunate in that regard, but the citizens of LA are anxious every single day. They worry the Mist zone will expand or that new monsters will emerge from within it.”

That was CIA agent Jake speaking.

A Hunter agent as well, his role was to support Lee Tae-sung during this entry into the Black Mist Area.

Including him, it was a team of four composed of CIA Hunters.

“We’re counting on you to clear it. We’ll help as much as we can.”

“It’s fine if I go alone, honestly…”

“No. How could we just stand by and watch when it’s our own nation’s problem? Even if we’re reduced to ordinary civilians inside, we’ll help with our lives on the line!”

Jake declared proudly.

Inside the Black Mist, even Hunters had their powers restricted to that of ordinary civilians, but wouldn’t lending a hand still be better than nothing?

Additionally, there was also the purpose of directly assessing Lee Tae-sung’s abilities, which were only known through rumor.

They’d managed to extract intelligence from China and Japan, but there was no way they could just believe it.

‘Even if I die, my deeds will be recorded honorably for my homeland.’

Every member of this CIA support team had come prepared to die.

“Well, honestly, I don’t think I’ll need much help. Let’s head in.”

After nodding casually, Lee Tae-sung entered the Mist zone.

What followed was Lee Tae-sung’s one-man show.

-Whoosh!

-BOOOOM!

Every time he swung his sword, waves of flame surged and swept across the roads.

As if the restrictions of the Black Mist didn’t affect him at all, every step he took left everything around him engulfed in fire.

“Wh-What is this…”

Jake and his team members stared with their mouths hanging open in shock.

They’d come in prepared to die, but once things got underway, there was absolutely no need to be tense.

Monsters suddenly leaping out?

They burned to death before they could even approach.

A horde of hundreds advancing down the road in the distance?

They were already consumed by the waves of flame shot out and reduced to ash.

The Black Mist, called the nightmare of Hunters, looked as easy as taking a stroll down the street to Lee Tae-sung.

As they kept walking, the mist grew thicker and the monsters appearing grew more numerous.

-Whooosh

The only difference was a slight increase in the amount of ash, but Lee Tae-sung’s breathing remained completely steady.

Eventually, they arrived at the center of the Black Mist Area.

‘Already!?’

By now, Jake’s initial resolve had vanished from his mind, replaced only by the relief of survival.

No matter how determined he’d been, now that hope of living had appeared, how could he not feel relieved?

‘I heard there’s something at the center that generates the mist, right? If we just destroy that, we can get out!’

As they drew closer, what came into view was a single Stele, writhing and spewing out black mist.

According to intelligence extracted from the Japanese Hunters, the moment Lee Tae-sung touched that Stele, the mist had begun vanishing nationwide.

Mission clear.

The odds of survival had become nearly certain.

Now all they had to do was break it or take it and bring it back.

Jake watched Lee Tae-sung with that thought in mind, but suddenly, Lee Tae-sung sheathed his sword.

“Inhale— exhale—“

Then he closed his eyes and began breathing in the mist with intense focus.

He even sat down cross-legged right next to the Stele and made himself comfortable.

“Inhale— exhale—“

“……?”

“???”

Jake’s team members tilted their heads, wondering what on earth he was doing.