Kim Jeong-won.
He was a Hunter from Jeju Island who had awakened about four years ago. Generally closer to a commoner than a Hunter, he was a D-rank Hunter who had lived as a porter for three years.
He had wanted to live not as a porter, but as a Hunter who subjugated dungeons. Since he had awakened at the relatively young age of nineteen, he trained in a Hunter-only gym until he became an adult. As soon as he turned of age, he entered dungeons as a porter to gain experience.
‘Since I’m young, I’ll rank up soon.’
‘Since I work in dungeons every day as if there’s no tomorrow, more diligently than anyone else, I’ll rank up soon.’
‘Since I work out at the gym every day, my skills will improve.’
With those thoughts, he had moved without rest until he was twenty-three. However, his skills were always stagnant.
Jeong-won had made a promise to himself that he would only participate in subjugating dungeons once he became a C-rank Hunter. This was because participating in subjugation without even reaching C-rank would be nothing more than a nuisance to other Hunters.
However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t rank up, and he couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of frustration.
That was when someone approached him.
It was a B-rank Hunter who had hired him as a porter multiple times.
A year ago, that B-rank Hunter had been a friend who lived as a porter alongside him as a D-rank Hunter.
After living as porters together for about three months, the friend claimed to have ranked up to C-rank and began participating in subjugations, calling Jeong-won as a porter ever since.
He always gave extra pay as a bonus, spoke kind words, and treated Jeong-won as a good friend rather than just a porter.
Then, about another three months passed. That Hunter ranked up to B-rank. Currently, he had even reached Tier 2 of B-rank.
Growing from a D-rank Hunter to Tier 2 B-rank in just half a year was truly incredible growth.
Then, that Hunter approached him.
“You want to rank up like me, don’t you?”
Kim Jeong-won still couldn’t forget his friend’s expression at that moment, which had previously seemed so kind. It was a cold look that made goosebumps crawl over his skin.
Combined with his desperate desire to rank up and an intuition that he shouldn’t refuse, Jeong-won ended up nodding his head.
Lee Ho-jong.
Jeong-won’s friend, the Hunter who had ranked up in an instant, handed him a pill. It was a drug in the form of a red bead.
Lee Ho-jong said that as soon as he took this drug, various buffs would be created and he would be able to grow at a rapid pace.
Jeong-won felt it instinctively. ‘I shouldn’t eat this!’
“Shouldn’t I avoid eating this? Isn’t it something illegal?”
It was then.
*Flash!*
A hand flew out at high speed, grabbed the red pill, and shoved it into Jeong-won’s mouth. It happened so suddenly that Jeong-won swallowed the pill without even realizing it.
At that moment, a fishy smile he had never seen before formed on Lee Ho-jong’s lips.
***
I approached the Hunter who was struggling to tell me to run away. His powerful magic began to fly in all directions, but I raised my sword and neutralized the spells.
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “Jinwoo, can you feel it?”
‘Yes, can you see it even through the video?’
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “Yeah, the demonic energy is too thick.”
I could definitely feel it.
This man was possessed by demonic energy.
And a very large amount of it, at that.
Before using Demonic Energy Absorption, I had to deal with the public’s gaze and settle this situation immediately.
‘Father of Crops.’
(Father of Crops): “I’m searching the warehouse right now.”
He found a detox-type food ingredient item that reduces demonic energy, even if only a little, and sent it to me. I used my teleportation skill while holding the maddened Hunter.
*Whoosh!*
After entering a deserted mountain at high speed, I knocked him unconscious.
[**General-grade Constellation, ‘Father of Crops,’ has sponsored a buff-type food ingredient!**]
As soon as I received the Demonic Energy Herb, which was said to detoxify demonic energy, I shoved the herb into his mouth.
I didn’t know if I could use Demonic Energy Absorption in a situation like this, but safety came first. I decided to wait until he regained his senses and a minimum level of safety was secured, just like with Cheolgyu last time.
After some time had passed and the rampaging demonic energy was suppressed, the unconscious Hunter slowly opened his eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“…Who are you?”
“What is your name?”
“…I’m Kim Jeong-won.”
I looked the man, who introduced himself as Jeong-won, in the eye and asked, “Do you really not remember anything?”
(Anonymous 1): “If you’re consumed by a large amount of demonic energy all at once, you lose your memories for a while. If you keep reminding them, their memories might return occasionally.”
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “Hmm, in this case, I’m the expert.”
(Anonymous 1): “True, since you’re a Demon King.”
(God of Rain and Sunlight): “But Jinwoo has played the role of a Demon King, too. You even sponsored the Demonic Energy Absorption skill for him.”
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “I’m not ignoring Jinwoo, but he and I are different. I’m a real expert, you know? My title is Returnee of the Demon Realm.”
(Anonymous 1): “Fine, tell us your theory.”
Ah, I could imagine it.
Brother Kang Minseok’s dignified expression and the way he typed in the chat.
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “Don’t just absorb the demonic energy; try to push out all the impure energy by injecting your mana instead. Think of it as cleaning that man’s entire body with your mana. Then his memories will return a little more.”
(Martial Artist Who Lives for Death): “That’s a method similar to Marrow Cleansing. The effect should be similar to helping a martial artist who has fallen into Qi Deviation.”
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “Exactly. Demonic Energy Absorption only removes the demonic energy, but it’s hard to respond perfectly in this case. Last time with Cheolgyu, there weren’t any special internal or external injuries.”
Following Brother Minseok’s words, I injected mana into Jeong-won’s back.
***
As Jeong-won slowly regained consciousness, he began to recover his lost memories.
From receiving the drug from Lee Ho-jong and being forced to eat it, to the memory of ranking up tremendously in just one month.
“…I was a D-rank Hunter, but I became a B-rank Hunter in a month. Even though I was Tier 5, it was a truly incredible achievement, right?”
(Anonymous 1): “He did go up a lot.”
“But in the end, I couldn’t even deceive myself. It felt like an illegal drug, like Hunter steroids, so I was on my way to surrender.”
He had been forced to eat it, but he had still eaten it. Therefore, he intended to pay for his crimes and tell everything he knew about Lee Ho-jong.
“That’s when your power went out of control.”
“…Yes, thank you for saving me.”
Jinwoo understood the whole situation. He only felt relieved after checking Jeong-won’s pulse again to see if any demonic energy remained.
‘Everything’s gone. Even the small bit of demonic energy left was purified by my mana.’
(Starlight Lancer): “That’s a relief!”
(Anonymous 1): “But… that was a close call.”
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “If Jinwoo hadn’t been there, the area around the museum would have been devastated.”
(God of Rain and Sunlight): “There are probably many others like that Jeong-won person.”
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “Yeah, I think so too. Would they have given a drug that plants demonic energy and makes it go out of control only to Jeong-won? Absolutely not. They must be villains acting as an organization.”
(Anonymous 1): “They’re acting as villains in a way I’ve never seen before, feeding people drugs.”
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “It’s likely a cell organization.”
Jinwoo asked Jeong-won to tell him everything he knew.
Since he was his savior, Jeong-won had no choice but to tell him everything about Lee Ho-jong.
Somehow, Jinwoo was the kind of person who gave off a strong sense of reliability, making one feel like, ‘I can trust this Hunter!’
“…Come to think of it, he went to many different places. He always had drinks with wealthy people, and he seemed to get stronger every time I saw him.”
“Do you know where he is now?”
“…I think he said he was going on a subjugation today.”
Jeong-won furrowed his brow and recalled the subjugation site Lee Ho-jong said he was going to.
“Oh, I remember! It’s a B-rank dungeon in Seogwipo. Should I send you the location on the map?”
“Yes.”
Jinwoo helped Jeong-won to his feet.
“Hunter, thank you for saving me.”
“It’s nothing. I’m just glad there were no major casualties. Go and surrender for now.”
Jeong-won nodded, sensing that Jinwoo’s gaze had turned cold.
“I will definitely pay for my crimes.”
Jinwoo nodded.
He probably wouldn’t receive a heavy sentence. Jeong-won was a victim who had been forced to take the drug, and more than anything else, no one had been hurt in the end.
(Anonymous 1): “Well, in the end, you’re going to catch the leader of that villain organization, aren’t you, Jinwoo?”
‘I have to catch them.’
Only then would something like this not happen again, and unfair victims like Jeong-won would not appear.
He had rarely encountered villains recently, so his tension had been loosening.
Jinwoo realized once again through this opportunity that there were many bad guys he had to catch.
“Thank you, thank you so much!”
Jeong-won bowed to Jinwoo so deeply his back must have hurt. Jinwoo simply nodded and disappeared from before his eyes.
“…I should have at least asked for his name.”
He felt a sense of regret.
He was secretly surprised by the fact that Jinwoo had left without even checking if he actually surrendered.
‘Does he trust me that much?’
‘Or will he come looking for me if I don’t surrender?’
He felt that he was truly the kind of person who could do that.
That feeling of his mind being overwhelmed just by a glance. Jeong-won felt his hands go numb. Even though he had the body of a B-rank Hunter, he couldn’t even meet Jinwoo’s eyes.
‘S-rank?’
With that thought, Jeong-won ran to a nearby association with a chill running down his spine.
This was because reporting it to the association was faster than going to a police station.
At that time.
Jinwoo sent a text message to Baek San, saying that he had discovered a new type of villain on Jeju Island and to investigate it.
The chances of them committing such evil deeds only on an island like Jeju were slim. Even if he didn’t know for sure, there would be similar people, or members of the same gang, on the mainland.
After sending the text, Jinwoo entered the dungeon where Lee Ho-jong was said to be using high-speed movement.
After checking the inside of the dungeon while activating his Stealth skill, Jinwoo was surprised by the eerie atmosphere.
“Ahhh, ahhh — !”
As soon as he entered the dungeon, screams were rampant, and five Hunters were seen bowing deeply while looking at something.
“Ahhh! Ahh!”
With monster blood smeared on their faces, the Hunters were praying while looking at a monster’s head hanging on the dungeon wall.
(Anonymous 1): “They’ve gone mad.”
(God of Rain and Sunlight): “…This is scary.”
(Father of Crops): “Wasn’t the motto of Jinwoo’s broadcast healing?”
(Cheongha’s Water God): “It’s turned into horror.”
(Endless Waiting): “Indeed.”
(Liberated Swordsman): “…But that really looks dangerous.”
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “It’s a Demon King Summoning Ritual. It’s something villains have always wanted. They’ve never succeeded, though.”
(Starlight Lancer): “Crazy, it’s so f*cking scary… what if they actually succeed?”
(Last Chef): “Earth’s Hunters can summon a Demon King? That should be impossible.”
(The Last Blacksmith): “I think so too.”
(Martial Artist Who Lives for Death): “Even if a Demon King comes out, I think Jinwoo can just kill it.”
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “There probably isn’t a Demon King who can beat Jinwoo. Well, it’s also nonsensical that a Demon King could be summoned.”
The fanatics were praying while looking at the monster’s head, not even knowing Jinwoo had arrived.
Jinwoo drew his sword to knock them unconscious. He intended to only knock them out without killing them.
He had to pull out the roots of the villain organization, and to do that, he definitely needed information.
It was then.
*Pabat, pababat — fwoosh — !*
The dungeon began to lurch as if an earthquake had occurred.
(Anonymous 1): “I want to go see Byeol soon, but this has become a nuisance.”
(God of Rain and Sunlight): “For Anonymous, who loves subjugation so much, to say it’s a nuisance.”
(Anonymous 1): “Byeol is cuter!”
(Cheongha’s Water God): “Eric took Byeol to the camper, right? I wonder what they’re doing.”
(Anonymous 1): “She’s probably drawing on Eric’s face.”
(God of Rain and Sunlight): “Maybe so.”
Even though something big was clearly happening, the Constellations weren’t worried at all.
It meant they trusted Jinwoo that much.
*Whoosh — ! Whoosh — !*
A red wind blew fiercely —
“Ah, the Great One is descending!”
Lee Ho-jong shouted.
A Demon King had descended.
(Returnee of the Demon Realm): “…A real Demon King was summoned?”
Kang Minseok was surprised by the fact that Earth’s villains had made such thorough preparations to be able to summon a Demon King.
(Anonymous 1): “We don’t have to worry.”
And when the summoned Demon King finally appeared, the Constellations chuckled and felt relieved.
Jinwoo also grinned as he deactivated his Stealth skill.