Silence flowed.
It was so quiet it felt as if time itself had stopped.
Even the passing wind had gone still, as though by agreement.
If it were day now instead of night, wouldn’t only the clouds be drifting slowly across the sky?
“?”
And my head, after witnessing the scene just moments ago, was filled with nothing but question marks.
When Maru swung his sword, the Death Knight went flying.
At Maru’s blade, the Arch Lich collapsed.
No.
What the hell are those guys doing?
No matter how much of a demonic sword Maru’s blade was, his opponents were a Death Knight and an Arch Lich.
Even if the current Maru swung it, he couldn’t possibly produce that much power.
Could Maru have awakened?
Thinking maybe, just maybe, I even lifted my smartphone to check.
“……”
And learned that the Death Knight and Arch Lich were still safely present on the monster list.
Maru was the same as ever, too.
Well, considering what rank those guys were, there was no way they’d fall to a single sword.
The way they looked now seemed like nothing but a show to my eyes.
They were my monsters to begin with, and since I knew exactly what ranks they all were, I could only find it absurd.
But the hunters in the distance seemed to have taken it differently.
They were far enough away that I couldn’t tell exactly who had come, but they were probably hunters sent by a guild or the Association.
Apparently flustered by the current situation, they stood frozen in place, not moving a muscle.
In any case, it was the perfect timing for me.
The hunters were standing still, and my monsters were only holding their positions without clashing with one another.
I quickly ran toward Maru.
Then I grabbed the Arch Lich in front of him.
He was putting on such an all-out performance that even after being caught in my hand, the way he kept hanging limp was truly a masterpiece.
‘Ha.’
It was so ridiculous that all I could do was laugh.
Still holding the Arch Lich, I looked around.
Celia and Azmo, of course, and even the hunters in front were looking at me.
‘It would’ve been bad if I hadn’t had the robe and mask.’
Maru and I were currently covered from head to toe in robes and masks.
Of course, the monsters seemed to know it was me, but at least the hunters wouldn’t even be able to guess who I was.
“What on earth is going on?”
I asked Maru, my voice filled with doubt.
I had definitely ordered Maru to bring those guys in.
Maru had charged forward according to my order, but when the situation suddenly turned out like this, of course I couldn’t help being baffled.
“Clack, clack.”
Maru moved his jawbone as he spoke.
And thanks to my trait, I had no trouble understanding what Maru said.
“What? So you’re saying I’m trying to rule this world?”
What was that supposed to mean?
Thinking I might have misheard, I asked again.
But Maru nodded, indicating that was correct.
“Ha.”
It was even more absurd than I’d expected.
At what point had my intentions been twisted like that?
Only now did I realize it.
‘I’ll have to manage them thoroughly from now on.’
No, at the very least, I needed to give orders with precise meanings.
If there was one relief, it was that I learned they hadn’t ignored my words, but had acted out of excessive loyalty.
Still, the situation had already unfolded.
I wanted to say something here, but the circumstances weren’t favorable.
Celia and the others aside, there were far too many hunters watching this place.
“Let’s wrap this up soon.”
But I couldn’t exactly tell them to go back here either.
If I ordered the monsters to return obediently right now, how would that look in their eyes?
At the very least, we needed a minimum degree of naturalness.
In a low voice, I whispered to the Arch Lich.
“You can make all those ghouls explode, right?”
A skill the Arch Lich had possessed even before evolving.
Corpse Explosion.
Unlike its name, it could only explode undead-type monsters, but that didn’t matter.
I formed a plan in my head.
We would detonate the ghouls one by one, draw the enemy’s attention as much as possible, and then slip away leisurely in the meantime.
At my question, the Arch Lich nodded ever so slightly.
He was still pretending to be dead to the very end.
‘This guy’s really immersed in the role.’
I immediately ordered him to detonate the ghouls.
As soon as the Arch Lich heard the command, he made the ghouls explode.
Boom—
Bababoom—
Bang—
As ear-ringing roars spread out, the ghouls exploded one after another.
Boom—
The exploding ghouls raised a thick cloud of dust.
The dust created smoke, swallowing everything around us.
At that moment, when the smoke had completely blocked everyone’s vision.
I threw the Arch Lich and gave Celia an order.
“Celia! Take them and return at once!”
Now, while the ghouls’ sacrifice had bought us time, was our chance.
This was the second time I had seen Celia in person, after that dream last time.
Since we had met, I wanted to talk about many things, but I couldn’t afford to waste time.
“Take all of them to the dungeon and wait there!”
As soon as this mission was completed, I would change the system.
At the very least, in a way I could control.
Celia also looked like she had many things she wanted to say, but there was no time right now.
“Understood, Master.”
Celia lowered her head and answered.
Then she began controlling the remaining ones and leaving this place.
“What?”
Before I knew it, the Arch Lich had come up beside me, holding a thick book and writing something down.
It seemed to be a notebook.
Beside him, a skeleton armed with hunter equipment was holding an ink bottle with both hands.
I was curious what on earth he was recording, but I had no time to check.
“You hurry up and follow them too.”
At my words, the Arch Lich bent at the waist to a right angle, then began following Celia.
“?”
Was that the Arch Lich’s way of greeting?
At the very least, he was a polite guy.
Once even the remaining Arch Lich had left, I swept my gaze around.
There were no monsters left here now.
Considering Celia’s abilities, they would safely return to the dungeon.
“Let’s go too, Maru.”
The thick smoke was gradually thinning.
Before all the smoke disappeared, Maru and I just had to get out of here.
* * *
The sudden explosions of the ghouls.
The dust raised by the explosions blocked everyone’s sight.
“What the hell! What’s going on!”
Hunters shouted, one after another.
The dense smoke showed no sign of settling.
Each time, another ghoul exploded, spreading even more dust.
“Hold your current positions and stay on guard!”
Han Jeongcheol shouted to the hunters.
Their opponent already possessed tremendous power.
And in that situation, their vision had been cut off too?
It was the worst.
If there was one small mercy, it was that before the ghouls exploded, there had been beings who had shown an incredible display.
Two figures wearing robes and masks.
Of course, because their appearances were hidden, their identities were unknown.
‘Summoners?’
Perhaps they were hunters who operated together as a pair.
Whatever they were, their abilities were truly extraordinary.
When one being charged forward and swung his sword, the Death Knight was pushed back.
And that wasn’t all.
He dealt with the Arch Lich in an instant as well.
‘We have to recruit them no matter what.’
Had there ever been a hunter who dealt with A-rank monsters so easily?
Even if they were a two-person hunter team, their achievement just now was remarkable.
If they were truly summoner-type hunters, it would be nothing short of a jackpot.
The summoned creatures hunters called forth were generally weak.
In theory, they possessed the power to control a mighty army, but reality was different.
If those really were summoned creatures accomplishing something like that—
‘A new wind will blow through the hunter industry.’
This was not only Han Jeongcheol’s thought.
Kim Suho was thinking the same thing.
However, his expression was deeply distorted.
He simply stared ahead, waiting for all the smoke to clear.
At last, the smoke that had swallowed everything began to thin.
Everyone raised their weapons and prepared to attack, but—
“……”
But there was no one there.
* * *
When day broke, news articles poured out.
Since an enormous incident had occurred, not only broadcasts but also portal sites continued to release news related to the monster wave.
[The Worst Monster Wave? Damage Was “Minimal”]
[“The Monsters Just Let Us Go…” Testimonies from Citizens Pour In…]
[Hunter Association Failed to Detect It in Advance—Is This Acceptable?]
[Not Only Failed to Identify It, but Dungeon Location Still Undiscovered… Government and Hunter Association Ineptitude Under Fire]
[Is It Not Over Yet? Expert: “This Monster Wave Was a Plan by a Highly Intelligent Monster”]
[Was There Someone Else Who Ended the Monster Wave? What Is His Identity?]
[Mysterious Hero—“Perhaps S-Rank?” Some Reactions Say…]
The articles appearing on portal sites were largely about two things.
The damage caused by the monster wave.
And curiosity about the identity of the one who had appeared at the end.
Still, the general reaction was that although the worst monster wave had occurred, fortunately, the damage had not been severe.
Of course, the damage was minor, not nonexistent.
Han Jeongcheol, who led the Association’s Emergency Response Team, had lost his deputy team leader.
Far from being able to mourn his colleague, he was being called around in all directions to explain what had happened in this incident.
He might even receive some kind of disciplinary action for failing to respond in the early stages.
But he didn’t care.
Han Jeongcheol’s thoughts were focused elsewhere.
On the being who had defeated the Death Knight and the Arch Lich.
If only he could recruit that power, the Emergency Response Team’s status would soar.
‘This really might be the appearance of an S-rank.’
But rumors spread quickly.
The story that there was a mysterious hero who had ended this monster wave spread in an instant.
The media was reporting on it too.
Other guilds had probably heard the news and begun moving as well.
‘We have to recruit them no matter what.’
Resolve appeared in Han Jeongcheol’s eyes.
There was a guild that moved exactly as Han Jeongcheol expected.
Kim Suho of Shinsung Guild.
He, too, had been shocked by the events of last night.
—So what should we do about Lee Ganghyeon? Seems like now’s the perfect time to deal with him while things are chaotic.
At Gang Jinsu’s text, Kim Suho merely clicked his tongue and did not send a separate reply.
Right now, his mind was occupied not by Lee Ganghyeon, but by someone else.
“How did they overwhelm an A-rank monster?”
The mysterious being who had defeated the monsters.
Of course, there were quite a few hunters who could face A-rank monsters.
But this time, it wasn’t one A-rank monster—they had defeated two.
And with a single blow at that.
That fact deeply displeased Kim Suho.
This was the guy who had faced the Death Knight that Kim Suho’s own attacks had failed to bring down.
At the Hunter Academy, and even on the continent of Eldorad, he had been acknowledged.
And now, as well as in the future, he had to continue being acknowledged.
The world’s attention should be wholly on him alone, yet someone had snatched it away.
That displeased Kim Suho tremendously.
“I need to know who it is.”
One question occurred to him: why had that guy tried to hide his existence?
At the end, not only the monsters but even that unidentified guy had disappeared.
‘Surely he’s not in league with the monsters, is he?’
For a moment, that thought crossed his mind, but he soon shook his head.
Even he thought that was going too far.
Perhaps the monsters had withdrawn because an unexpected powerhouse had appeared.
Leaving the monsters aside, why had that guy hidden himself?
He possessed that kind of power and still concealed his appearance?
In other words, perhaps he was in a situation where he couldn’t reveal himself.
At that moment, another possibility flashed through his mind.
Kim Suho grinned.
“…Maybe he’s a villain.”
A villain.
An awakened person who did not formally register as a hunter, and who harmed other hunters and people.
Kim Suho immediately gave an order to the guild member nearby.
“Bring me all the data on villains registered with the Association. Every single bit of it, without leaving anything out.”
Of course, it didn’t matter even if that guy wasn’t a villain.
If he made him into one, people’s attention would cool down again.
Kim Suho’s expression turned sinister.
They were not the only ones shocked by the monster wave from the night before.
The same was especially true for Jeong Yerin, a hunter from the Firebird Guild who had faced the Goblin Lord.
“Was that the true power of a Goblin Lord?”
The Goblin Lord that had appeared in the monster wave.
She had faced that Goblin Lord.
But that being had been far too powerful.
She, too, had entered the Goblin Lord dungeon.
And after a drawn-out battle, she had succeeded in subjugating the Goblin Lord.
Of course, all of it had been thanks to one man.
‘Lee Ganghyeon.’
He had said this.
If they killed the goblins commanded by the Goblin Lord, the Goblin Lord would grow weaker.
And his words had proven correct.
Jeong Yerin had bought time with her team members while whittling down the goblins’ numbers.
And in the end, they had dealt with the Goblin Lord.
That was why she believed this Goblin Lord, too, could be handled easily.
But.
The goblins commanded by that Goblin Lord were no ordinary creatures.
Not only were their movements swift, even their equipment was of high quality.
It was hard to see them as mere goblins.
Their combat strength was far beyond what could be dismissed as that of ordinary goblins, to the point that they looked at least D-rank.
“More than anything, where did they get those weapons?”
That Goblin Lord had not used ordinary weapons.
Mana guns.
Guns that used mana instead of bullets, unlike conventional firearms.
They were Hunter weapons that could, in effect, be used semi-permanently as long as the user had mana.
And the Goblin Lord had been using such a weapon.
Very skillfully, at that.
On top of that, perhaps because its mana grade was high, its power was formidable as well.
Because of that, Jeong Yerin had lost some of her team members.
“……”
Most of the media reported that the damage had been minor, but at least for her, it was not.
If the Goblin Lord and its horde had not suddenly withdrawn, they would have suffered even greater losses.
“I need to become stronger.”
This incident had ended here only because several coincidences had overlapped.
But there was no telling what might happen from now on.
In fact, even now, powerful monsters continued to appear.
The monster wave that had just occurred was proof enough of that.
She immediately rose from her seat.
In order to grow stronger, she first intended to find the man named Lee Ganghyeon.
“If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve at least gotten his number.”
Jeong Yerin felt a slight pang of regret.
* * *
“Mr. Death Knight.”
At Celia’s words, Death Knight raised his head.
As soon as Celia returned to the dungeon, she had begun carrying out Master’s will.
Master had been very angry over what Azmo had done this time.
Azmo had already been confined within the dungeon and could only come out when Master gave permission.
And that was not all.
Master had even moved the location of Azmo’s dungeon.
‘As expected, Master’s power is truly remarkable.’
And he had left the punishment of Death Knight and Arch Lich, who had neglected Azmo, entirely to her.
“You are forbidden from going outside for the time being. Until I give you permission, remain in the dungeon and devote yourself to the repair work.”
At her words forbidding him from going outside, Death Knight was shocked.
And on top of that, he was to begin dungeon repairs.
Death Knight sagged, looking as though he had lost the whole world.
Celia turned her head and looked at Arch Lich.
“As for you, Mr. Arch Lich…”
Arch Lich, too, stared intently at Celia.
“As punishment, inspect the nearby dungeons for the time being. If I hear that you’ve been fooling around, I’ll forbid you from going outside as well, just like Mr. Death Knight.”
“Clack!”
Arch Lich nodded his head vigorously.
Under Celia were four dungeons.
[The Red-Haired Tribe]
[The Village Shrouded in Fog]
[The Dregs of the Demon Realm]
[The Sticky Pool]
There had once been a time when the masters of the neighboring dungeons surrendered to Celia.
And Master had merged those many dungeons into four.
Until now, there had been too much to do, so she had not been able to manage them properly.
She had left each dungeon to the discretion of the masters who managed them.
But with this opportunity, she needed to send Arch Lich and get a detailed grasp of the dungeons’ situations.
At Celia’s command, Arch Lich immediately began packing.
The thick notebook Arch Lich carried around was held by the skeleton on his left.
The feather quill Arch Lich used for writing was held by the skeleton on his right.
The ink needed when Arch Lich recorded things was held by the skeleton behind him.
The skeleton behind him was a subordinate newly made on Earth this time.
Arch Lich nodded.
All preparations were complete.
Arch Lich and the three skeletons left the dungeon.