LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 120
Chapter 120 A Not So Unfamiliar Guest 2
“Every time I think about it…”
With each cold word from Yeonseo, the space fractured, and the equipment was destroyed.
“Truly, they are such annoying bastards.”
The spatial fracturing spread and shattered the laboratory into pieces.
Amid destruction after destruction, everything turned to ashes.
And the unidentified Awakeners, who had not been reported, attacked Yeonseo from behind as if they had been waiting for her the moment she teleported.
“It’s as if they predicted that this old woman would come here, huh?”
Crunch!
“They’re not artificial Awakeners anymore; we might as well call them ‘Weapons of Yeonseo’.”
In reality, all the mechanical methods of attacking Yeonseo had some resistance to her abilities.
The infectious power of spatial fracturing slowed, and some of the attacks even pierced through the space, firing thorns that slightly counteracted Yeonseo’s powers.
However, Yeonseo hadn’t carried the title of the strongest hunter for over 60 years for no reason.
She deflected every attack that the ordinary human cognitive abilities couldn’t even detect with just a flick of her fingers.
She broke them.
Counterattacked.
And crushed them.
“Director Lee, is this the last confirmed location?”
[Yes, it is. The place identified by the National Intelligence Service and the International Hunter Association is indeed the final one, Liyanchai.]
Director Lee’s voice, assisting Yeonseo, came through next to the drone.
Although he was always getting scolded by Yeonseo as the Vice Minister of the Hunter Association, he was actually the only supporter capable of assisting her, having also worked with her during her peak hunter days.
[Though most of their identities haven’t been verified, some have been registered as unidentified Awakeners. They likely seem to be criminals or unregistered individuals in China, but…]
“No, these are not human.”
[Pardon?]
“Director Lee, have you ever seen a deep-sea fish dragged onto land, spewing blood and guts from every hole in its body as it dies?”
[Oh, no, I haven’t.]
“Then, have you ever seen a corpse suddenly disintegrate into dust?”
[Even flame-based Awakeners don’t do that. When an Awakener dies, their body is just like any other human’s—a corpse. Once dead, they’re just meat. That’s all.]
“Well, I’ve never heard of anyone decaying into such a grotesque form after death.”
[………]
Director Lee understood that what Yeonseo was describing was exactly what was unfolding before her eyes.
[….Are you alright?]
“What’s this compared to what I’ve seen before?”
Yeonseo shrugged her shoulders lightly as if it were nothing, and with a flick of her finger, she sent the grotesquely twisted chunks of flesh in front of her somewhere else.
The strange corpses and debris that didn’t seem human, as well as the equipment and fragments, would be investigated by the forensic experts and Awakeners with psychometric abilities that the Yeon family had prepared in advance.
“How’s the situation up there?”
[Well, it’s not going as smoothly as we’d hoped.]
“What do you mean?”
[Many legislators are still doubting your assessment.]
Even though the Hunter era had arrived, the lawmakers who created policies and formed the legislature were still stuck in the old ways.
In Korea’s case, at least, society and laws were advancing thanks to Yeonseo’s presence. However, many old-fashioned legislators couldn’t truly grasp the Returnee’s talk about the Demon King’s fragment and such.
Some legislators dismissed it as absurd.
Others speculated that maybe the Returnee brought the fragment back to Earth when they returned, suggesting that it should be the Returnee’s responsibility to deal with it—remarks that were nothing short of ridiculous.
Their motivations were easy to deduce.
Being in high-ranking positions of power, they detested change and only sought to maintain the status quo.
Even though they claimed to represent the people, in reality, they cared only for their own safety and comfort—these were the so-called elites.
It was the same before the Great Rift, and it hadn’t changed afterward.
Though they were still somewhat useful, it was inevitable that these stagnant elements would have to be dealt with eventually.
‘Those scumbags are just as infuriating now as they were back in the 2030s.’
They never change.
Is it time to replace them all…?
Yeonseo suppressed the rising urge to kill.
[Yeonseo, it’s about time to head back. This is still an officially unacknowledged facility by the Chinese government, but public security Awakeners will soon detect your presence.]
The place Yeonseo had attacked was a remote location near an unverified gate within China.
It wasn’t just the secret laboratory of the Mountain Guild.
There were also various warehouses and labs belonging either to the guild or to unknown criminal organizations or unnamed groups. Piles of strange creatures and minerals that gave off an unpleasant feeling, including the Demon King’s fragment that Shia had mentioned, were stacked high.
‘Just as Shia said, the fragments are already invading our world. No, it’s not that they’ve just started… perhaps these fragments have been on Earth far longer than we thought.’
The Demon King’s fragment.
At first, it sounded like a story straight out of a fantasy novel, and it didn’t seem like such a significant threat.
But after witnessing members of the Mountain Guild—who originally didn’t have the capacity to handle such power—exerting forces beyond their capabilities, Yeonseo realized the serious distortion and danger of these Demon King fragments.
These fragments didn’t belong in this world.
“How much time do we have left?”
[Three minutes… no, in two minutes, public security Awakeners will arrive at the scene.]
“I’d better go.”
Snap!
“The human desire to touch the ends of the sky abandons reason atop glass and stone.”
Well, it’s always been that way.
It’s nothing new.
[Compress.]
At the flick of Yeonseo’s fingers, the entire space distorted.
The building shattered and disassembled.
The artificial lifeforms that resembled humans also broke apart and disappeared. All the fragments and equipment, along with the structures, dissolved into the rift in space that Yeonseo had created.
All that remained was dust.
○○○○
A while later, the promotion match ended.
And in every medium, from smartwatches to newspapers, news channels, and even the Hunter gallery forums, a massive headline was plastered.
[S-Rank Promotion Final Results Announced!]
[New S-Rank Hunter, Icicle Nine—Yeonhwa!]
[Yeonhwa, the only blood relative of the living legend?]
[She became an A-rank just a month after becoming an official hunter. Who is this person who became an S-rank hunter in less than half a year?]
[Even China and the United States are sending love calls! But Yeonhwa expresses her intention to stay in Korea…]
[This promotion match saw a total of 439 hunters and Awakeners competing. The final result was Yeonhwa, the youngest contestant, proudly rising to the S-rank. On-site reporter…]
The mere announcement of an S-rank promotion match was enough to turn all of Korea into a festival, but with the birth of a new S-rank after more than a decade, the entire nation erupted in a massive celebration.
Yeonhwa was the youngest S-rank hunter.
Moreover, she achieved S-rank far faster than her grandmother Yeonseo, a living legend, creating a record that drew attention from all sectors of society.
“Yeonhwa! How do you feel about becoming the protagonist of the first S-rank promotion in 11 years?”
“Congratulations on your promotion!”
“What did the other hunters think?”
“As Yeonseo’s granddaughter and the next leader of Korea’s Hunter community, what are your ambitions?”
“I’m Jung Mun-soo, a reporter from Weekly Entertainment! There’s a rumor that you’re dating an idol…”
Thanks to this, Yeonhwa faced countless ridiculous interview requests the moment the promotion match ended.
Of course, there were also requests for interviews from professional, respectable journalists.
There was even a request from the National Assembly for Yeonhwa to give a public speech.
In addition, third-rate media outlets and so-called “giraegis” (trash reporters) with nothing better to offer also swarmed Yeonhwa like bees. She had to turn down hundreds of interviews and requests.
Even as the esteemed young lady of the Yeon family, Yeonhwa couldn’t escape the nationwide attention.
Of course, the Yeon family’s executive officer, Yeonju, quickly cut off access to the horde of reporters in less than a day, but it still gave Yeonhwa chills.
“An idol? I didn’t even know such a person existed! Where did that reporter even come from?! I’m seriously speechless.”
“Why? He was pretty handsome, though.”
“Unnie, don’t say that. Seriously.”
Sitting in a cafe, sipping coffee while wearing large sunglasses like a celebrity, Yeonhwa complained to Shia.
“Pffft… sure, an idol and a hunter, huh? It’s an odd but fitting combination.”
“Don’t laugh, unnie! Do you know how absurd it was? I don’t even have anyone to hang out with besides you. Ever since entering the academy, I’ve barely watched TV. The only shows I watch are yours and some hunter broadcasts, and they think I’m dating an idol? I haven’t even seen one!”
“Still, congratulations. Everyone’s probably saying all that because they’re so happy for you.”
Yeonhwa had become an S-rank hunter after more than 11 years.
And not by cutting any corners either. She had confidently demonstrated her strength and abilities, standing tall among top-notch hunters, earning the S-rank with honor.
It wasn’t surprising that national attention was focused on her.
Furthermore, being the granddaughter of the strongest hunter, Yeonseo, it created a synergy effect that exploded into a national phenomenon.
‘This might be even louder than Korea making it to the World Cup semifinals in 2002.’
Shia hadn’t been born back then, but she’d heard it had been absolute chaos.
“Still, congratulations again. Hehehe.”
“…Well, thank you. Honestly, I’m happy too. But, it’s just so different from what I expected…”
“You did great. Really great.”
However, as Shia patted her head, like she was proud of her, Yeonhwa’s face turned a little red.
“My Bingu. You did so well.”
“…I’m not Bingu anymore. Please call me Icicle Nine now.”
“Sure, Bingu.”
“Sigh, unnie…”
Even though she wasn’t fond of the nickname “Bingu,” Shia was still one of the few people who could congratulate her like this in private.
“Yeonseo-unni is super busy right now. Something serious must be going on.”
“Well, it can’t be helped. Grandma’s always been busy.”
“Are you upset?”
“No way. When I was younger, sure… I used to feel a little sad when she couldn’t make it to my birthday. But now, I realize she was out there saving people, right? Not just from gates or monster incidents, but from building collapses and subway fires—there were so many disasters where she saved people.”
“My Bingu has matured?”
Shia gazed at Yeonhwa with pride as she sipped her 18th cup of chocolate latte.
“Honestly, I was supposed to compete in the promotion match with you… Sorry.”
“Family comes first. You did what you had to, and as long as you have no regrets, that’s all that matters. By the way, how’s your… mother?”
“She’s living with me now! Hehehe.”
“No wonder you’re smiling so much today.”
But Shia’s laughter today wasn’t solely because of that.
Of course, she was happy that Yeonhwa had been promoted to S-rank.
She was also happy to be living with her mother, Yoon-jung, again.
But what made Shia feel the happiest and most elated was the fact that someone from her previous world had reached out to her once again.
Hehehe, I’m so happy. So, so happy.
Hehehehehe.
Sadness?
Of course, I’m sad.
The guilt and karma from the past had reappeared in the form of Tia, who had become a Skeleton Knight. Yet, Tia had said she would forgive me.
She didn’t remember anything, and she was essentially a completely different person now, but still, she said she would forgive me.
Moreover, just knowing that Tia was on Earth gave Shia a glimmer of hope that she might also meet Teresa, the one who had turned Tia into a Skeleton Knight—a person Shia longed to see the most.
It was astronomically unlikely.
The chances were so slim.
How could I meet her again? I can’t even begin to figure that out. It might take a year… or maybe even 10 or 100 years. But as long as she’s alive, isn’t it possible to meet again one day?
Just that alone gave Shia a small hope that she might meet Menelapie or Teresa again. And the fact that Tia had forgiven her made Shia feel higher than she had in a long time.
While Shia chuckled to herself, Yeonhwa took a sip of her Americano and asked.
“So, is your mother at home now?”
It was rare for a Returnee to reunite with their parents, so Yeonhwa thought she might introduce herself to Shia’s mother someday.
Yeonhwa, after all, saw Shia as her real older sister.
Since Yeonhwa viewed Shia as the benefactor who had saved her life, she felt it was only right to greet the person who had given birth to Shia, even if Shia had reincarnated.
“Yep, she’s teaching Yane Korean.”
“Yane? Wait, who’s that?”
Hearing the unfamiliar name, Yeonhwa’s expression hardened for a moment.
“Oh, do you remember the Rotten Mountain?”
“The Rotten Mountain Dungeon? The one where you made your official first broadcast?”
“Yep! The one where I made that yummy centipede-dragon fry!”
“…Right.”
Whether it was delicious or not, Yeonhwa hadn’t missed a single one of Shia’s past broadcasts, even though she hadn’t caught her recent live streams. She did remember seeing Shia do an absurd mukbang with fried centipede.
Regardless of whether it tasted good or not, it was that mukbang on Rotten Mountain that left a strong impression on the Genre Hunter Gallery.
It was during that first broadcast that Shia earned her nickname “Antics Saintess.” And when she caught the S-rank monster Centipede Dragon in less than 10 seconds, the entire scene was broadcasted, and ever since, millions of users in the Genre Hunter Gallery believed in Shia’s S-rank strength, even if she hadn’t officially passed the promotion match.
Of course, it was true that Shia had given up the promotion match to rescue Yoon-jung. The netizens on the Hunter forums didn’t know the full story, so it was inevitable that public opinion fluctuated a bit after the match.
“Yane is a lucky centipede!”
“…What?”
“She was pretty cute before, but now she’s even cuter!”
“………”
That’s…
That’s cute?
Yeonhwa imagined a massive centipede skittering around with countless legs.
As a hunter herself, she wasn’t exactly scared of large insects, but from an objective, aesthetic perspective, how could a centipede several meters long be considered cute?
She had always known her unnie was a bit odd, but sometimes the strange things she did were still hard for Yeonhwa to adapt to.
Even with that in mind, Shia was still a good unnie, and someone Yeonhwa wanted to stay with.
“And now she talks too?”
“…Talks?”
“Yep, although most of it is cursing, like ‘screw you’ or ‘give me food’ or ‘get lost.'”
“………..”
What am I hearing?
While Yeonhwa vaguely knew Shia wouldn’t lie, even considering that, she couldn’t comprehend what she’d just heard.
A centipede… that swears? Says ‘feed me’ or ‘get lost’?
What’s going on… is it really a centipede?
“Hehe, I’ll introduce you to my mom next time you come over. I’ll also show you Yane. She’s super cute, just like me!”
“Ah, okay…”
A centipede that looks like unnie…
What kind of monster could that be?
Yeonhwa could only nod along as she saw how cheerful Shia was.
Yeah, she’s really a good unnie. But sometimes she says such weird things.
Well, I’m starting to get used to it now…
Boom!
“…Huh?”
Boom…!
“Unnie?”
“……….”
“Unnie, what’s wrong? Are you tired of the chocolate lattes? Why are you suddenly…”
And then, the smile on Shia’s face abruptly hardened.
Noticing the subtle change in her expression, Yeonhwa felt the air around them suddenly grow heavy.
“Bingu.”
“Unnie?”
“It’s coming.”
Boom!
[Miracle – Sanctuary of the Orphan]
“What’s coming… huh?”
In the middle of the city, Shia suddenly manifested a miracle, and the barrier of the miracle enveloped both her and Yeonhwa, and it didn’t stop there.
It expanded to cover the entire cafe building and the surrounding area.
As passersby started to wonder, “Huh? What’s this?” the sky began to turn blood-red.
“……..”
“…….Invasion…?”
A dungeon invasion.
It was a phenomenon from the Great Rift era when the normal world would suddenly be swallowed up by a dungeon gate, transforming the area into another realm.
Fortunately, it seemed that the air and atmosphere weren’t contaminated, as the Sanctuary of the Orphan, which Shia had set up just in case, didn’t detect any foreign substances.
Shia canceled the miracle and gazed up at the now crimson sky.
“Could this be… the Great Rift…?”
The Great Rift.
The First Great Rift was the first great catastrophe that covered Earth in monsters and gates, while the Second Great Rift had sounded another alarm during the era of the stabilized Hunter society.
Of course, there was no certainty that this was the Third Great Rift.
But the sudden appearance of a dungeon gate, engulfing a city-sized area, was an emergency in and of itself.
“How could there be a rift in a safe zone…?”
“Bingu, are you okay?”
“Yes. But this situation…”
The place where Yeonhwa and Shia had been was the bustling area around Hapjeong Station and Hongdae Street in Seoul.
This was a designated safe zone that had never been devastated, even during the First and Second Great Rifts, which was why it had become a major commercial district.
Yeonhwa couldn’t hide her confusion in the face of such an unprecedented event.
However, having recently been promoted to S-rank, Yeonhwa quickly drew her sword and gathered her mana.
Ready to freeze anything and protect the people should the situation escalate.
[Weeeeeeeeeeeeewoo!]
[Warning, warning, warning.]
[Dungeon invasion detected! Dungeon invasion detected!]
[Civilians, please evacuate immediately! Evacuate immediately!]
“Ugh… it’s an emergency.”
“…Sigh, it was such a good day, too…”
With the belated alarm blaring, Shia and Yeonhwa immediately stood up.
‘Ah, these dirty things…’
In the reddened sky and tainted air, Shia could smell the sweet scent of malevolence.
A scent she could never forget… no, a scent that was impossible to forget.
Shia twisted her lips into a crooked smile, hiding it from Yeonhwa.
Ah, yes.
I was in such a good mood…
And you dare to disturb me?
All the better.
You’ve come straight to me.
You’ve saved me the trouble of finding you.