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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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The next day…
“I’m off.”
Lee Seong-joon left the house early in the morning, his face brimming with energy as he headed towards the gate. He’d spent four days relaxing at home with his family and had achieved significant growth by consuming the elixirs.
It had been the perfect break, and now it was time to get back to work. Or rather, he had to get back to work.
‘I can’t believe I spent 300 billion won in a single day.’
While he’d intended to make a bold investment with the elixirs, he’d spent more than he’d anticipated.
‘I need to keep some cash on hand, just in case a good property becomes available.’
While the Hunter Association had provided him with decent housing, it couldn’t compare to residences in central Seoul. In present-day Korea, location was directly tied to safety and security, so there was no room for compromise.
‘No matter the cost, I’ll find the safest house in Korea.’
Fueled by this clear goal, Lee Seong-joon walked with a newfound determination. But his brisk pace was soon interrupted.
“…”
He sensed someone following him.
‘…Who is it?’
He would have ignored it if it were an ordinary presence. Reporters had followed him before, ever since he’d made a name for himself as a rookie. But this presence was too light, too agile to be a reporter.
‘At least an S-rank hunter.’
He’d sensed this presence near his house before.
‘I should check it out.’
He hadn’t been strong enough to pursue them back then, but now, after his significant growth, it was a different story. His eyes turned cold, and he leaped into the air.
Tap!
He landed on the roof of a nearby four-story building. He then swiftly moved across the rooftops, using the Wind-Thunder Step of the Wind-Fiend Magic Style, a movement technique renowned as a divine-grade martial art.
Even an S-rank hunter wouldn’t be able to detect him. But the reality was different. The man in the black suit, who had been following him, looked surprised, but he was clearly looking directly at Lee Seong-joon.
“To close such a distance so quickly… As expected, Returnee Lee Seong-joon, you’re as formidable as I’d anticipated.”
The man nodded briefly and introduced himself.
“I am Yoon Gi-sung… an S-rank villain.”
There was no reply. Lee Seong-joon simply stared at him with cold eyes, making no move. But that was enough. Yoon Gi-sung felt a suffocating pressure.
‘…He’s a monster.’
When he’d given up on Kim Dong-jun’s request, his instincts had screamed at him. Driven by curiosity, he’d investigated Lee Seong-joon.
‘A returnee who’d been back on Earth for less than a month at the time.’
Even now, it had only been two months. Yet, the aura Lee Seong-joon exuded was overwhelming, even for an S-rank villain like himself. It meant Lee Seong-joon had reached S+ rank in just two months, a feat that took most hunters years, if not a lifetime.
‘At this rate, he’ll reach SS+ rank soon…’
If he continued growing at this pace, he could reach SSS rank, or even become a world-ranked hunter.
‘My instincts weren’t wrong.’
Lee Seong-joon was someone he shouldn’t make an enemy of. Having quickly assessed the situation, Yoon Gi-sung bowed his head apologetically.
“I apologize if my sudden approach was unpleasant. I have urgent news for you, but I couldn’t find a way to contact you directly, so I took the liberty of seeking you out.”
“Get to the point.”
Despite Yoon Gi-sung’s polite tone, Lee Seong-joon’s reply was cold. But he wasn’t fazed. This was a common occurrence ever since he became a villain. He could easily lower Lee Seong-joon’s guard with conversation.
He soon realized his arrogance.
“As I mentioned, due to my… status, would it be possible to speak somewhere more private?”
“…I told you to get to the point.”
An overwhelming pressure, far beyond mere words, pressed down on him. His mind went blank. His SS-rank skill, Heightened Intuition, screamed a warning.
‘…I’ll die.’
If he tried anything funny, he would die. It hadn’t happened yet, but it was a very real possibility. Yoon Gi-sung spoke quickly.
“I-I came to warn you and your family about a threat to your safety.”
“…”
A warning from a villain? He would normally dismiss it. But anything related to his family’s safety, no matter how small, demanded his attention.
“If this is nonsense, you’ll pay with your life.”
Lee Seong-joon nodded, slightly lessening his oppressive aura. The suffocating pressure eased.
‘Phew…’
Yoon Gi-sung sighed in relief, but he couldn’t relax yet.
‘If he deems my information useless…’
He would die. His intuition warned him that Lee Seong-joon was capable of carrying out his threats. He gulped and spoke cautiously.
“The Myung-hye Group has brought the Rookie Slayer, an SS-rank villain named Jo Se-hyuk, back to Korea.”
“…”
Lee Seong-joon showed no reaction.
But his lack of aggression indicated some level of interest, so Yoon Gi-sung continued, “As his SS rank suggests, his skills are on par with the masters of Korea’s five major guilds. But what makes Jo Se-hyuk truly terrifying is his obsessive nature…”
Yoon Gi-sung’s expression hardened.
“Jo Se-hyuk uses any means necessary. He relentlessly targets the families and loved ones of rookies, breaking their spirits, or taking them hostage. You need to take every precaution to protect yourself.”
After he finished, Lee Seong-joon slowly nodded.
“Useful information, indeed.”
If he hadn’t known, his family could have been in danger. But he couldn’t fully trust Yoon Gi-sung, a villain, based on a single warning.
“But why are you telling me this?”
Yoon Gi-sung didn’t flinch at the pointed question. He answered as if he’d been expecting it.
“Would you believe me if I said it was out of respect?”
Lee Seong-joon’s narrowed eyes scanned Yoon Gi-sung.
‘…He’s not lying.’
Despite the immense pressure, Yoon Gi-sung’s eyes didn’t waver. He didn’t seem like a liar. But Lee Seong-joon didn’t believe he was acting solely out of respect.
‘There must be another reason.’
Various thoughts crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed them.
‘It doesn’t matter what he’s thinking.’
He smiled and nodded.
“Alright, I’ll trust you this once.”
“…Thank you.”
Yoon Gi-sung inwardly cheered.
‘It worked!’ He knew Lee Seong-joon wasn’t easily fooled, so he’d mixed truth with lies.
‘Lee Seong-joon’s growth has been nothing short of extraordinary.’
His rapid growth and immense potential were truly remarkable. As a hunter, before a villain, he couldn’t help but feel respect. But he hadn’t revealed the information about the Myung-hye Group and Jo Se-hyuk solely out of respect.
‘If everything goes according to plan… my Scavenger Crew will rule the underworld.’ It wasn’t just guilds that manipulated others for their own benefit. Villain crews also sought opportunities to weaken their rivals.
In that sense, the Myung-hye Group’s actions presented a golden opportunity for Yoon Gi-sung and his Scavenger Crew.
‘…Knowing Chairman Kim Seok-hoon’s personality, he’ll do anything to kill Lee Seong-joon.’
Kim Seok-hoon, known for his pride, had been humiliated by Lee Seong-joon. He would definitely seek revenge.
‘Even if his plan is exposed, he might retreat temporarily, but he won’t give up.’
He would constantly target Lee Seong-joon.
‘And most of the major crews will help the Myung-hye Group.’
This wasn’t a guess, but a calculated conclusion.
‘Many high-ranking villains have long-standing relationships with the Myung-hye Group.’
It was said that if the Myung-hye Group fell, the villain economy would collapse. The Myung-hye Group was their most valuable client.
‘They’ll have no choice but to help eliminate Lee Seong-joon to maintain their relationship with the Myung-hye Group.’
Several crews were already supporting Jo Se-hyuk in the name of helping the Myung-hye Group’s revenge. They’d acted boldly, believing they had overwhelming odds of success.
How could a rookie like Lee Seong-joon possibly withstand the might of the Myung-hye Group, which had accumulated wealth and power for decades?
Of course, this was a misconception based on their ignorance of Lee Seong-joon’s true capabilities.
‘Lee Seong-joon won’t go down easily.’
While he might not win against an SS-rank villain like Jo Se-hyuk hired by the Myung-hye Group, he would definitely inflict significant damage.
‘If he had more time to grow, he might have won…’
But there was no need to dwell on hypotheticals. The important thing was that this fight would significantly weaken the Myung-hye Group’s affiliated villains and the other crews who constantly harassed the Scavengers.
‘By leaking information about the Myung-hye Group to Lee Seong-joon, I can eliminate my rivals without lifting a finger.’
He could rule the Korean underworld without a major conflict. The thought of the power and wealth he could gain sent shivers down his spine, and a smile almost escaped his lips. But his joy was short-lived.
Lee Seong-joon said something completely unexpected.
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