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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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“Full rights?”
As Lee Seong-joon tilted his head, a deep troubled expression settled on Kim Gi-young’s face.
‘…Is there no way to bring Lee Seong-joon into the alliance without conflict?’
He did have a trump card, but that was only a last resort.
‘How should I speak to persuade him?’
For a moment, various thoughts came to mind, but the answer was clear.
Considering the prestige he had shown so far, Lee Seong-joon must have been a powerful and influential figure who had reached a high realm in the Otherworld.
This meant he was likely a rather intelligent individual with keen insight from his accumulated experience.
It would definitely be better to speak frankly and truthfully without resorting to empty ploys.
‘Even for the sake of working together towards the Returnee Alliance’s long-cherished wish… it would be better for him to know the true purpose.’
Having made his decision, Kim Gi-young cautiously opened his mouth.
“Our Returnee Alliance is working towards the liberation of returnees.”
“…”
There was no reply, but the continuous fixed gaze alone was enough for Kim Gi-young to know that Lee Seong-joon was listening, so he continued to speak.
“Isn’t this an absurd situation? Why must we, who possess great power, live under more restrictions and surveillance than ordinary people? Wasn’t it always natural in the Otherworld we lived in to enjoy power commensurate with the strength we possessed? No, even in this era, where the strength of hunters directly equates to national power—an era where the strong reign supreme—why are we, who rule as the strong, being oppressed…?”
Lee Seong-joon cut off Kim Gi-young’s incessant words with a wave of his hand.
“That’s enough. I understood everything. You said you’d restore my rights, but in reality, you were seeking privileges for yourselves.”
“…It’s not a privilege. It’s merely the rights that we, the returnees, should originally enjoy.”
“Well, you can think that way. Having thoughts is free.”
Kim Gi-young’s sunken eyes swept over Lee Seong-joon, who was shrugging his shoulders.
It was an action to try and read his hidden thoughts and discern what he was thinking.
However, regrettably, nothing was visible.
It was as if he was facing a massive darkness hidden behind a veil.
It was the same feeling as when he faced the Alliance Leader, Tae Sang-cheon.
‘As expected, I can’t measure him with my current ability…’
He couldn’t read his precise intentions, but his outward expression was clear.
‘He’s scoffing.’
The corner of his mouth, upturned on one side, was clearly a sneer.
It felt as though his current life’s goal, his cherished wish, was being denied.
Naturally, Kim Gi-young’s brow furrowed.
“Hunter Lee Seong-joon seems to find our Returnee Alliance’s cherished wish amusing.”
“Rather than amusing, I just clearly see the end of those steeped in a sense of chosenness.”
“Our Returnee Alliance has been preparing for a longer period and more diligently than you imagine. The result you are thinking of will not come about, Hunter Lee Seong-joon.”
Perhaps it was due to feeling ignored, but Kim Gi-young’s voice grew increasingly agitated as he spoke.
“I dare to assert that soon, our Returnee Alliance will reclaim our full rights from the Hunter Association and establish a proper world where we possess power commensurate with the strength we hold.”
“Yes, the bigger the dream, the better.”
Lee Seong-joon, who had observed Kim Gi-young passionately making his case and nodded once, took a step forward.
“I highly regard your passion, so as long as it doesn’t cause me any harm, I won’t interfere at all. Do your best.”
Kim Gi-young urgently grabbed Lee Seong-joon’s shoulder as he passed by, raising his voice.
“Hunter Lee Seong-joon, do you not think this situation is unreasonable?”
He had extended his hand, unable to control a sudden surge of excitement, but the person in front of him was none other than Lee Seong-joon.
A Hwagyeong master, an overwhelmingly powerful being.
“Was what I said difficult? I told you not to cause me harm, didn’t I?”
It was the moment he met Lee Seong-joon’s cold, sunken gaze.
His body felt stiff, like a plaster statue.
It felt as though he had become prey standing before a predator.
Under the pressure that crushed his entire body, Kim Gi-young hurriedly removed his hand.
However, he didn’t immediately leave.
Before meeting Lee Seong-joon, he had braced himself considerably.
If he were to retreat so readily, he wouldn’t have braced himself like that.
Kim Gi-young, his expression hardened, spoke once more.
“I feel it is utterly unreasonable and unfair… Suddenly dragged into another dimension, barely surviving countless life-or-death situations to finally establish myself, and then one day suddenly returning to Earth, losing everything! How can we simply endure and move on when we haven’t received any compensation for the power, honor, and authority we painstakingly accumulated?”
Lee Seong-joon listened to Kim Gi-young’s story without saying a word.
It was obvious, but he wasn’t expressing agreement with Kim Gi-young’s words.
He was merely utilizing it as information, as Kim Gi-young’s words were clarifying one of the questions he had harbored.
‘I wondered how the returnees came back to Earth… so they were forced back, just like when they were taken.’
This meant they could return to Earth simply by the passage of time.
In other words, they could return to Earth comfortably without any special effort.
He, Lee Seong-joon, who had returned to Earth after tens of years of various hardships, from the Celestial Continent to the Immortal Realm, could be said to have returned in the most unreasonable and unfair way of anyone.
Of course, he had no intention of painstakingly explaining his own circumstances, so he would have normally left without saying a word.
However, Lee Seong-joon remained standing motionless.
‘The more I listen closely, the more absurd it sounds.’
The Returnee Alliance’s preposterous sense of entitlement and chosenness provoked Lee Seong-joon’s displeasure.
‘When was it that they neglected Razaka rampaging…?’
And now, they were claiming their rights.
Lee Seong-joon’s brow furrowed, feeling disgusted by the incredibly hypocritical nature of the Returnee Alliance.
“You might have a right to feel aggrieved for the efforts you made, but you made those efforts in another dimension, so why are you seeking compensation from the people of Earth? What have you and the Returnee Alliance done for Earth, for Korea?”
Kim Gi-young, who had been stiff, couldn’t reply to Lee Seong-joon’s piercing question.
He merely trembled, clenching his fists.
“Originally, rights are only given legitimacy when a corresponding price is paid. If you truly desire full rights, then you should behave properly from now on.”
Kim Gi-young, his face flushed red like a ripe apple, let out a deep sigh, then slowly parted his lips.
“…If you continue to maintain such a negative attitude, we will have no choice but to change our persuasion method.”
“What, are you going to threaten me with force?”
“One could say so.”
“Can you handle those words?”
Even excluding Alliance Leader Tae Sang-cheon and Vice-Alliance Leader Baek Mu-jin, the number of S+ rank or higher hunters belonging to the Returnee Alliance amounted to no less than 20.
It could be said to be a formidable group, but it couldn’t pose a significant threat to Lee Seong-joon, who possessed ranker-level power.
Despite this, Kim Gi-young’s expression was utterly calm.
“Indeed… with the current power of the Returnee Alliance, we could never surpass Hunter Lee Seong-joon. But what about others?”
Lee Seong-joon’s eyes narrowed at Kim Gi-young’s sinister smile.
“What do you mean?”
“Upon investigation, it seems Hunter Lee Seong-joon cares quite a bit for his family members. However… while you tightly secured your younger sibling in a safe home, you weren’t able to do the same for your parents.”
“…”
Even under Lee Seong-joon’s sharp presence, which seemed ready to tear him limb from limb, Kim Gi-young did not flinch in the slightest.
‘As long as his family is held hostage, he will never lay a hand on me.’
There was no need to be needlessly afraid; in fact, he could say he had the upper hand.
“Don’t resent me too much. This is a result brought about by Hunter Lee Seong-joon’s choice in the first place. If you had accepted my proposal initially, you could have been a good comrade with us… Just think of it as kicking away good fortune that rolled into your hands.”
It was then that a relaxed smile played on Kim Gi-young’s lips.
“You must think I’m a fool with no learning ability.”
A cold voice flowed from Lee Seong-joon’s mouth.
Afterward, a chilling smile appeared on his face.
“Did you think you were the only ones targeting my family?”
At Lee Seong-joon’s completely unexpected reaction, Kim Gi-young’s voice began to tremble.
“W-what?”
“To prepare for guys like you, I recently took on a very capable subordinate.”
“No way…?”
Kim Gi-young swallowed hard.
It was because he instinctively felt that Lee Seong-joon was not bluffing.
‘Until now… not a single call has arrived.’
If the plan had proceeded smoothly, they would have received contact long ago. Yet, not a single executive had contacted him first.
This meant that the original plan had gone significantly awry.
‘Looking back, everything was impossibly smooth.’
Even though the guard unit that was originally serving as escort had all withdrawn, Lee Seong-joon’s family continued their social activities.
‘There’s no way he would carelessly expose his weakness…’
He had been blinded by urgency and completely played into Lee Seong-joon’s hands.
‘…Damn it.’
Kim Gi-young, whose eyes darted around, quickly moved his feet.
Thud-ak-!
He had chosen to flee as a last resort, but it was an utterly futile action.
Lee Seong-joon, a faint smile on his lips, moved his body lightly.
Like mist spreading, Lee Seong-joon’s scattered figures, like a mirage, instantly twisted and ripped out Kim Gi-young’s arm and leg bones.
“Gahhh! Help me…!”
He tried to scream as loudly as possible to attract attention as a last resort, but no sound came out.
It was because Lee Seong-joon had sealed Kim Gi-young’s vital points by releasing his blood energy.
‘W-when on earth?’
Kim Gi-young’s face turned stark white.
‘Surely Lee Seong-joon didn’t directly move his hands?’
Then there was only one method: he had sealed his vital points using the released energy.
‘He can use energy so precisely in this way…?’
He couldn’t believe it, even having experienced it directly.
And for good reason: to control energy, the user must also clearly perceive that energy.
It wouldn’t be very difficult for energy of a certain size, but the energy Lee Seong-joon had just controlled was almost invisible to the naked eye.
This meant it was incredibly small.
Simply controlling energy was a remarkable feat, but Lee Seong-joon used that tiny amount of energy to precisely seal his vital points.
‘Unbelievable.’
Alliance Leader Tae Sang-cheon, who reigned as a ruler over the executives of the Returnee Alliance, couldn’t control energy with such precision.
The internal energy manipulation ability Lee Seong-joon had just shown was, quite literally, overwhelmingly powerful.
‘M-monster…’
Thump. Thump.
As Lee Seong-joon slowly walked towards him, Kim Gi-young admitted his mistake. No, he had no choice but to admit it.
‘Never, never… should I have provoked him.’
Lee Seong-joon, who had unleashed his previously contained presence, was no longer a being that could be called human.
The chilling crimson light emanating from his eyes and the overwhelming presence that inspired awe just by looking at him were the very embodiment of the Asura from legends.
“You know, don’t you? That every action has a price.”
A chilling smile bloomed on Lee Seong-joon’s lips as he gazed into Kim Gi-young’s eyes, who was trembling on the ground.
That alone made Kim Gi-young feel his breath hitch.
Despair began to fill Kim Gi-young’s eyes at the immense, inexpressible terror he had never felt before.
‘I-I was wrong. Please, forgive… forgive me…’
He was desperately begging for forgiveness, but no sound escaped his lips.
In the end, all Kim Gi-young could do was scream a desperate plea internally.
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