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Published at 4th of February 2022 04:50:54 PM


Chapter 303

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Chapter V2C64

“I’m sorry, but can’t we postpone the meeting with Dragul until tomorrow?”

When Lee Jong-hak suddenly said this, Keegan, who was prepared to leave the building, turned around with a strange expression.

“Didn’t you come here demanding to see our leader in the first place?”

“I think it’s too late to have the meeting now… and there is something I’d like to discuss with them.”

As he said this, Lee Jong-hak turned to look at Joanna, his eyes hinting at her to play along.

She knew that, but…

Joanna withheld her judgment with a surprised look on her face.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think that would be okay.”

This was said in a strangely heavy voice.

 

Keegan looked down at Lee Jong-hak and folded his arms in a cold manner.

“We have something called face here too. I’ve already reported to our leader about you guys, and he expects to see you soon. Do you think if I go to our leader and tell him that the guests are tired and that they’ll meet him tomorrow, he’ll accept it with a nod and a smile? My position would be in jeopardy.” (TL: Long story short, ‘face’ is basically respect.)

Though this was said in a harsh tone, his words weren’t wrong.

“I can’t believe you’re staying in our city but won’t meet our leader. I heard that Asians valued courtesy, but now, I’m wondering if I heard correctly.”

“…”

“It won’t take long. You’ll be back before you know it.”

Lee Jong-hak looked down at his cup and seemed to be lost in thought for a moment.

He didn’t know why, but he felt that the hunters, employees, and even civilians in the restaurant were all focused on what was happening at their table.

After a while, Lee Jong-hak finally opened his mouth.

“Understood.”

“Now, we’re on the same page.”

Keegan smiled brightly before turning around and leaving first, Lee Jong-hak close behind.

Joanna stared at their backs for a moment before shaking her head.

“What’s going on? Am I the only one who feels this strange tension?”

“No.”

After giving this brief answer, Lukas got up and walked out as well.

With a strange expression on her face, Joanna could only follow him.

A jeep was already waiting for them outside the building. And there were three others surrounding it. Inside these jeeps were men who appeared to be hunters.

“…”

Joanna’s expression became even stranger.

Even an inexperienced hunter like her was able to realise that this was way too much for a simple escort.

“Hop in. We’ll take you there quickly.”

“Where is Mr. Dragul?”

Keegan pointed towards the end of the road.

“See that mansion? It looks close, but it would be annoying to walk to it.”

“Let’s walk.”

Keegan’s expression became one of irritation.

“I don’t know why you keep trying to annoy me.”

“I just want to move my body after my meal to help with digestion… Is that a problem?”

As he said this, Lee Jong-hak turned to look Keegan in the eyes. Keegan’s lips twitched for a few moments before he averted his gaze and clicked his tongue.

“…tch. Sure. Guys.”

When he beckoned, the hunters who had been sitting in the other vehicles piled out. There were at least ten of them. They spread out around the four of them with practiced ease.

The atmosphere became tense.

“…”

Lee Jong-hak carefully looked at all of them before turning around and walking down the street.

The hunters surrounded him as though they were escorting him.

And like this, this large group of people slowly began walking towards the mansion where Dragul lived.

After they walked for a while, the bustling streets gradually calmed down. For some strange reason, the further they moved, the darker their surroundings became. And by the time only their own footsteps could be heard, they could no longer see buildings with lights in them on the sides of the street.

The only things offering light were the few streetlights that lined the street, causing the walk to suddenly feel lonely and ominous.

It was at this time when Lukas heard a voice.

[Just listen.]

Sound Transmission.

It was a technique at a much higher level than the Telepathy spell.

It was Lee Jong-hak who had sent sound transmission to Lukas. No, from the slight change in her expression, it seemed he’d sent it to Joanna as well.

Just being able to use sound transmission was a feat that showed incredible skill, but at the same time, he’d done it so perfectly that the hunters around them didn’t notice anything.

[I don’t know what your mission is or why you are here. However, it was a mistake to enter this city.]

A mistake?

[Do not move. Stay completely still. I swear that I won’t hurt you.]

Then, after sending that, Lee Jong-hak drew his sword in a quick, smooth motion. His sword-drawing was so fast that even the word ‘fast’ was a bit lacking when used to describe it, and barely any sound was released.

The drawn blade lightly reflected the light from the streetlights around them.

It was a beautiful sight. However, contrary to the beauty of the sword, the swordsmanship that was unleashed with it was incredibly fierce.

Shuk-

“Kuk!”

“Gurk!”

The two hunters who were working in front of them let out soft cries before collapsing to the ground. Blood spurted from the backs of their necks.

Only then did the others react, drawing their weapons.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“This crazy bastard!”

Lee Jong-hak slid into a stance without responding, a fog of ki slowly billowing from his body.

“Wh-, what’s going on…?”

Joanna turned to look at Lukas with a shocked expression.

But Lukas was looking elsewhere. Keegan, who had been walking in front of them, clicked his tongue once before turning around immediately and running away.

It seemed that Lee Jong-hak had expected such a response as he threw his sword lightly.

The motion was light, but the force behind the throw was enormous.

The sword, which whistled through the air, cut Keegan in half. And although he’d tried to dodge it just before it hit him, the speed and force of the attack made him completely unable to block or dodge.

“Kuk…!”

Keegan’s body was sent flying in two different directions with fatal injuries that probably caused instant death.

“You arrogant bastard!”

“He threw away his weapon!”

The remaining hunters all attacked Lee Jong-hak, who was now unarmed. However, without any changes to his expression, Lee Jong-hak simply kicked off from the ground. His body was propelled backwards, allowing him to avoid the attacks directed at him.

Then, a hunter pulled out a submachine gun.

“Die!”

But Lee Jong-hak’s finger moved before he could pull the trigger.

With a single gesture, the sword that had cut Keegan in half suddenly flew towards him as though it had a will of its own.

The hunters were all shocked by this sight.

“Th-, that!”

“Controlling the sword with ki…!!!”

The sword flew through the air like a swallow. Then, it dyed the street with blood.

The level of these hunters wasn’t low. Every one of them was a veteran, and if they were sufficiently equipped, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to hunt low-rank Demon Nobles.

Nevertheless, they had met the wrong opponent.

Lee Jong-hak was already only a half-step away from the peak of swordsmanship.

Shuk.

“Ku-, urk…”

The last hunter’s chest was split open, and his blood spurted out.

The sword stopped in the air, covered in dark red blood. The

Chapter V2C65

Lee Jong-hak walked towards the west. He didn’t say anything, but Joanna and Lukas had no choice but to follow him.

“Can we trust this person?”

Joanna whispered in a soft voice. Lukas looked at Lee Jong-hak’s back for a moment before responding to her.

“The Human Dragon, Lee Jong-hak, is a man of great character.”

“Have you met him before?”

“…no.”

“Then that’s just a rumor.”

“Yeah.”

Joanna seemed a bit apprehensive.

 

Not long afterwards, Lee Jong-hak stopped walking. He was standing in front of an angel statue.

Maybe it was because of the angle or the ominous aura that surrounded the entire city, but the angel, who was supposed to be a holy being, seemed to make the atmosphere feel even more bizarre.

“Do you know ‘The Crying Angel’?”

“What’s that?”

“…it’s fine if you don’t know.”

Joanna rubbed her forearm and shook her head.

Lee Jong-hak pressed on a corner of the statue with his foot. Then, something strange happened.

Grrrk-

The angel statue moved slightly, revealing a hidden space beneath it.

Joanna flinched violently when the statue moved.

Without any hesitation, Lee Jong-hak entered the space below. Lukas and Joanna followed suit.

In the underground space below the statue, there was a dimly lit passage. After walking for a while, hearing only the sound of water droplets softly hitting the ground, they saw a man standing in the middle of the passage.

This man appeared to be in his mid 20s, and he didn’t seem to have any characteristics that stood out. Except for the fact that he wore dark sunglasses in this dark space.

The man looked at Lee Jong-hak and spoke.

“You came earlier than we expected.”

“Kaisa, so it was your turn today.”

Lee Jong-hak sighed before he said, “There’s work to do.”

“Hmmm…”

The man named Kaisa then turned to look at Lukas and Joanna with surprise.

“Who are the people behind you?”

“They’re hunters from North America and Europe. They almost got involved in all of this.”

“Looks like something happened… Let’s go to the hideout and talk. It’s still dangerous here.”

After saying that, Kaisa turned around first. And it was at that moment when Joanna was surprised to see a tattoo on his right arm.

“Gray Sun…?!”

When Joanna started drawing upon her mana with a suspicious expression, Kaisa waved his hand.

“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s a misunderstanding.”

“What misunderstanding?! How could you say that…”

“Please trust us.”

It was Lee Jong-hak.

He looked into Joanna’s eyes and spoke with a calm voice.

“I know this isn’t really a good time to say something like this, but I swear. I have no intention of hurting you.”

“Mm…”

When Joanna still didn’t let down her guard, Lukas had no choice but to speak up.

“Let’s listen to them for now. If he wanted to kill us, he would have made a move earlier when he was dealing with those hunters.”

“That’s… true.”

Joanna reluctantly released her mana. This sight caused Lee Jong-hak’s eyes to shine slightly as he turned to look at Lukas.

Perhaps it was because of the fact that he had not lost his calm even once despite the ever-changing situation.

Perhaps it was his ability to calm down Joanna, who seemed to be quite stubborn.

Or perhaps it was both, but the latter had more traction.

Lukas was well aware that he was viewed either as Joanna’s manager or subordinate.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t a good thing to attract Lee Jong-hak’s attention. Though unlikely, it was still possible that he would realise who he was.

Lukas decided to be more careful from now on.

Lee Jong-hak soon retracted his gaze and followed Kaisa.

This underground passage was probably a part of a sewer system. But since it didn’t smell bad, it probably hadn’t been used yet.

It was hard to tell how long they’d been walking in the tunnel, but after a while, they reached a large iron door.

Kaisa, who was at the front, knocked on the door.

Krrrr…

The door slowly opened with a loud noise, revealing a large space within.

There were also quite a number of people within the room. About 20 or so.

They were either sitting on boxes and talking to each other or exercising and training.

Then a man approached them.

“Lee Jong-hak, you’re early.”

It was a middle-aged man whose short white hair contrasted with his dark skin.

Joanna looked up at him, and her mouth fell open subconsciously.

This man was three times larger than the average adult male. In particular, the muscles on his upper body were so large they appeared as though they would tear through his shirt at any moment.

He gave off a ferocious aura, like a mafia boss with thousands of subordinates.

‘…no. This man is really…’

Joanna’s eyes drifted down to look at the man’s right forearm. There, she saw five suns overlapping on each other. As far as she knew, there was only one person in the entire organisation who was allowed to have five suns.

The big boss of the organisation, Elijah Kipatosh.

Lee Jong-hak bowed his head to him.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Elijah. Our plan failed.”

“No. I prefer to do it this way. I didn’t feel very comfortable sending you in alone from the start.”

Elijah spoke with a strangely soothing voice. For a moment, Joanna forgot that this man was the notorious boss of the Gray Sun.

“And the young people behind you?”

“They are hunters from North America and Europe. They said they came to this land for a special mission.”

“Hmmm. Their timing is rather poor.”

Elijah chuckled before he turned to look at them.

“You must have come here using a Warp Portal. Which facility did you use?”

“The Congo Branch.”

When Lukas responded, Joanna turned to look at him. It seemed she was unsure whether it was wise to reveal that information or not.

“That’s Destin’s territory.”

Elijah took a large cigar from his pocket before lighting it.

“I know what you might think about the Gray Sun. But I’ll tell you now that most of that information is false.”

“…false?”

“Right. We’re not a mafia or criminal organisation.”

“Then what are you?”

Elijah stroked his dark beard.

“The resistance.”

* * *

“I apologize for the lack of hospitality.”

“It’s fine.”

Joanna sat on a box and responded in a casual manner.

This group claimed that they bore no hostility, but she couldn’t trust them so easily. It wouldn’t be strange if their attitudes suddenly changed and they threatened them.

Nevertheless, Joanna appeared indifferent despite this.

This attitude was very important in situations like this. There was no rule that said because they were comrades now and they couldn’t be enemies later. And in such an ambiguous relationship, it was best to stand your ground.

The pressure exuded by Elijah Kipatosh’s entire body was incredible. Lukas could tell he was no weaker than Lee Jong-hak.

As for the men and women who sat around them? Each of them had a tattoo of three overlapping suns on their forearm. According to Joanna, these were Gray Sun executives, and each of them was equivalent to a Titled Hunter.

And there was also Lee Jong-hak, who led them there. No matter how they looked at it, there weren’t many who could take on such a group.

This group’s attention was mostly on Joanna. Not just because she was from North America but because she was also a world famous hunter.

This was a good thing for Lukas. Thanks to that, he was able to look around and observe this group with ease.

“Did you come to Africa for a confidential mission?”

“Yes. So I can’t tell you.”

“Hmm… no matter what?”

Elijah had a solemn expression on his face.

Joanna clenched her fist, which was hidden beneath the table, as she felt pressure in her stomach.

‘He’s such a tough old man.’

She wasn’t sure how strong he was, but she was sure that he was very formidable. Those huge muscles were definitely not for decoration.

That wasn’t all. He also had a piercing pair of eyes in conjunction with his hideous size. As soon as she met his eyes, she felt that he could see all of her secrets.

Nevertheless, Joanna didn’t look away. In fact, she steeled her resolve under the pressure.

She could not back down.

Because she was the next Great Wizard who had been chosen by the Great Mage.

“Hoh.”

Elijah looked at Joanna with interest before bursting into laughter.

“Joanna Goldberg. I heard you were a disgrace to North America, but it seems the truth can only be revealed when seeing something for yourself.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Elijah seemed even more pleased when Joanna responded in a calm voice.

Then, when Kaisa, who was standing beside him, coughed lightly, he finally stopped laughing.

“Fine. You must have some guts to step foot in this land. Apart from that, I don’t think you are reinforcements since you don’t seem to know anything about the situation.”

“North America ignored our request for assistance for 10 years. There’s no way that psycho would send reinforcements now.”

This was said by a young woman sitting on the right. She spoke in a cold voice that didn’t match her soft features. On top of that, her hostility towards Joanna was obvious.

Joanna was never the type to take such things lightly.

“Psycho? You’re not talking about President Neil, are you?”

“What if I am?”

“I’d make you pay the price for running your mouth.”

“Ha.”

Just as the woman sneered and was about to say something, Elijah lifted his hand.

“That’s enough, Camilla.”

“…sorry.”

The woman named Camilla bowed her head, her dissatisfaction clear on her face.

Elijah chuckled.

“Will you forgive my subordinate’s rudeness?”

“There won’t be a second time.”

Camilla frowned at her attitude, but she didn’t open her mouth again.

“Thank you. Still, it might be better if you hid the fact that you’re from North America. Camilla isn’t the only one who would react in such a way.”

Joanna didn’t respond.

Elijah smiled and took a drag from his cigar.

Sssp-

In one breath, half of the cigar was burnt away, dense smoke then flowing from his nostrils.

“Kaisa, those things you captured during your last mission, are they still alive?”

“One should still be alive.”

“Good. Bring it here. They would understand it easier if we let them see for themselves.”

Kaisa nodded and left the room.”

Noticing the unusual atmosphere, Joanna spoke.

“What are you going to show us?”

“The situation in Africa can’t be summed up with one word. So it would be easier to understand if you were to see it with your own eyes. Is there a Chinese proverb that’s suitable for this situation, Lee Jong-hak?”

“Seeing something once is better than hearing about it a hundred times. Doing something once is better than seeing it a hundred times.” (TL: T~T)

“Right, that’s it.”

Kaisa returned almost at the same time.

He was pulling a cart, on top of which sat a steel cage. It was a large and secure cage that would usually be used to transport fierce animals.

However, Lukas’ expression became strange when he saw what was inside.

What was trapped in the cage wasn’t some ferocious beast. Instead, it was a small boy who looked like he would have a hard time harming a single bug.

The boy was so motionless that he appeared to be a doll at first, and he looked at the humans outside the cage with an expressionless face.

Joanna’s expression became one of disgust and loathing.

“Is this what you wanted to show me?”

“Right. How is it?”

“…it’s disgusting. I’m not sure what your goal is. All I can see is you treating a fellow human like an animal.”

The boy’s limbs were covered in large chains, and there was a collar around his neck. He was also covered in dirt. It was clear that he hadn’t been washed in a long time. This meant that they didn’t even give this boy basic human rights.

That wasn’t all.

Joanna could see the humans who had been enslaved by the Demons in this little boy. She’d heard that the Demons who enslaved humans would also put collars on their necks.

A man on the left spoke up at that moment.

“This boy killed dozens of humans with his own hands.”

“Are you sure he’s the murderer?”

“Yes. However, if that was all, we would not have placed him in such a special cage… Kaisa.”

Kaisa nodded once before muttering in a soft voice.

“Punish.”

Crackle!

“Aaaak!”

The boy let out a scream of pain. The culprit was the collar. Blue sparks of electricity could be seen bouncing from it.

It was electrical torture.

The current was so strong that it brightened the surroundings for a moment.

“What the hell are you… Ah!”

Joanna’s expression became hard.

She realised that the current flowing from the collar was strong enough to instantly burn any normal person to a crisp. Nevertheless, the boy only seemed to be in pain.

Then, the boy’s face twisted in a hideous manner.

His skin also became red, and his eyes became yellow. Not only did they become yellow, but his eyes also became elongated, similar to the eyes of a reptile.

Joanna couldn’t help but open her mouth in shock at the sight.

 

“Is this boy a Demon?”

“Half of one.”

“Huh? What do you mean…?”

When Joanna asked this question in a confused voice, Elijah finished his cigar.

“Did I not say it properly? I’m trying to say that this boy is a mixed race.”

“Mi-, mixed?”

“Right.”

Elijah nodded while looking at the boy who was squirming in pain.

“They have the traits of both humans and Demons. So we call them Hybrids.”

n, with a ‘brrr’ sound, it shook itself clean like a wet cat before flying towards Lee Jong-hak.

Click.

And with a soft sound, Lee Jong-hak returned it to its sheath.

Joanna, who had been stiff for a while glanced at Lukas before taking a step forward. She was pretending to be calm, but she couldn’t stop her chin from quivering slightly.

“Human Dragon, Lee Jong-hak. I never took you for a murderer.”

“…”

“Are you going to kill us too?”

“Leave this city immediately. There is an exit on the west. Don’t go anywhere else.”

Lee Jong-hak looked at the building at the end of the street coldly before continuing.

“I don’t know what mission you’re here for, but now isn’t a good time. Ask the people in the forest to the west for help. If you use my name, they will even help you use Warp.”

“…you haven’t even explained the situation, yet you want us to do as you say?”

Lukas looked around.

The Lee Jong-hak he knew wasn’t someone who would carry out murder for no reason. Despite the hatred he had for him, Lukas still admired this human called Lee Jong-hak.

“What is wrong with this city?”

Lee Jong-hak turned to look at Lukas when he heard this question before giving a brief answer.

“…it is a breeding ground.”

“Huh?”

Just as Joanna blinked in surprise, a powerful wave of energy rippled through the city. This energy caused the streetlights to buzz and flicker. And a disturbing pressure seemed to cover their bodies.

Lee Jong-hak sighed.

“That guy has already sealed the entire city. It’s no longer possible to escape.”

 

“That guy?”

“The Demon, Gullard, the owner of the mansion we were being guided to.”

“Huhhh?!!”

Horrified, Joanna cried out in a trembling voice.

“B-, by Gullard…”

“Yes.”

Lee Jong-hak nodded.

“The true identity of Dragul Phisfounder, the leader of this city, is the Vampire Duke, Gullard.”

(TL: So it seems only the demons so far have the names from Lukas’ old world. Is the person from his homeworld working with the demons?)





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