Avante-Garde Guild Master Lee Chan-taek.
Hes 52 years old this year.
He has slicked-back hair, an angular face without a hint of fat, and cold, sunken eyes.
He was a man with a cold heart, who strictly pursued the interests of the guild and would ruthlessly discard anything that was detrintal.
Even in my last life, after Cheon Myeong-guk executed the great compromise, Lee Chan-taek protected his guild and did not participate. Thats why we had never t.
Lee Chan-taek, who had greeted Cheon Myeong-guk first, looked at and said.
I ca here because I wanted to hear information about Nuri.
Speaking informally from the first eting?
The atmosphere cooled at my abrupt words. But I was already putting up with this elitist who talked behind my back. What did this snob say? That the kids beginners luck wouldnt last long? That I was only good for fast transactions.
If the Avant-Garde Guild hadnt been the first in the hunting order, I would have taken care of him first.
If hes pissed off and wanted to pounce now, I would definitely welco it. What choice would this snob make?
Pardon my rudeness, Im here for information on Nuri. Can you tell ?
His attitude changed quickly. I smiled to hide my disappointnt. He was being polite and even using honorifics.
Im curious why youre asking a kid that question.
I think there might still be traces left by Nuri on the Black Wyvern.
Hes a quick-witted person. He had rembered that Black Wyvern was driven away by Nuri, and he had guessed that it might even have left a mark.
Thats the correct answer.
Yes, there are traces in the Black Wyvern.
What kind of traces?
There are scorched marks at the tip of the tail.
I saw traces of it while dismantling because of the black marks on its skin.
Is it of the fire attribute?
And there are also marks as if it was cut with a sword.
Could it be traces left by the hunting team that resisted the Black Wyvern?
Thats possible, but there is another possibility.
What is it?
Nuris Gift.
Lee Chan-taeks expression crumpled at my words. Did it sound so absurd?
Nonsense!
Think what you will. Ive inford you.
There doesnt seem to be any useful information. Still, Ive obtained the information I needed, so Ill be on my way.
Hes back to informal speech now. Maybe I should completely make him use formal speech. But I decided to let it slide due to Cheon Myeong-guks expression, as if hes about to poop or sothing. Besides this guy would have a hard ti hunting, anyway.
Instead of stopping Lee Chan-taek from leaving, I said to Cheon Myeong-guk.
The Avant-Garde wont have it easy.
Do you really think Nuri has a Gift?
Consider Daons case.
Daon was the seventh danger level 8 monster that traveled between sea and land in the form of a turtle, ravaging the Yellow Sea.
When Daon took its last breath, it created an enormous tidal wave, sparking debates about whether monsters could use Gifts.
It was concluded as a coincidence, but the incident left various lingering doubts.
Monsters can use Gifts.
Its just a matter of proficiency. Accepting this or not would make a huge difference.
The level of monsters was gradually increasing, and the difference in level between the first danger level 8 monster and eight danger level 8 monster that appeared ten years later was like heaven and earth. Even monsters had to climb to level 8 to survive in the era of infinite competition.
There was talk in previous life that it might be a danger level 9 monster, but I was not in my right mind back then, so I wasnt really sure.
I hope not. I hope Transcendent-nims words are wrong this ti.
Well see.
Even if the prediction went wrong and the Avant-Garde Guild succeeded in the hunt, it wouldnt be a loss for .
But I knew they wouldnt succeed.
***
Guild Master, I hope your visit to the Blue House went well
Vice-Guild Master Ha Sung-hoon, who greeted Lee Chan-taek, who went out to get information about Nuri, blurred the end of his words as he saw the guild masters stiff expression.
That brat, I dont like him.
Are you talking about Choi Jun-ho, sir?
He even used informal language with .
Ha Sung-hoon burst into laughter.
It seems that the Blacklist is true.
Director Cheon, Im disappointed that hes using his talents to beco Choi Jun-hos dog. He used to handle his work flawlessly in the Reapers Guild.
Well, theres nothing we can do. Choi Jun-ho is a crazy dog. Soone has to be there to gently coax him. By the way, how did your visit to the Blue House go?
Lee Chan-taek pondered for a mont.
Monsters using Gifts? The idea of monsters using Gifts had only been briefly ntioned as a fallacy back in the day.
Theres nothing wrong with being prepared. But if the hunt was interrupted by worrying about a Gift that was unlikely to exist, they might miss the kill.
This was a hunt that requires the guilds full effort. If successful, astronomical wealth could be earned, and the guilds honor would stand at the pinnacle of South Korea.
If they failed, Choi Jun-ho would be next in line to hunt. Lee Chan-taek, who had staked his guilds fate on this hunt, believed that what Choi Jun-ho said was a trick to distract him.
They had to prepare on their own.
I got nothing. So, well go as planned.
Yes!
Three days later, in Gosan-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, Nuri erged.
***
The na of the eighth danger level 8 monster beca Nuri, because mber countries of the Typhoon Committee assigned nas in the language of the country where the monster would appear.
They nad the monster in the native language, without considering its attributes and characteristics.
The nas given were mostly positive in aning. This was to avoid creating a sense of fear when ntioned in the news. It was also to boost the morale of hunters and to include elents of safe hunting.
There was criticism that it had no real effect, but that was quickly dispelled when the hunt took the form of an all-out war against a monster.
From the mont Nuris appearance was announced, the Awakened Security Office and the National Guild Union selected three places where Nuri might appear.
They were Cheongju City, Eumseong County, and Gosan County in North Chungcheong Province.
Cheon Myeong-guk explained the situation at a eting held at the Blue House.
Nuris appearance was very similar to a falcon. It is about 12 ters in size, and its characteristic feature is that its entire body is reddish in color and it is emitting high heat. This ans that the traces left on Black Wyverns tail are indeed caused by Nuri.
Nuri would breathe fire high enough to scorch the Black Wyverns hide. It was the mont when the hypothesis turned into a fact.
Nuri attacked the civilians in Eumseong County.
What about the casualties?
The Presidents voice was lowered.
Evacuation took place, but there were significant casualties among civilians and the monster response team.
Monsters instinctively antagonize humanity.
This tendency beca more pronounced as their level increased, and the Nuri that erged from Gosan County had attacked Eumseong County, which was located directly above it.
The governnt tried to evacuate as much as possible, but there were always people who didnt listen. The damage to civilian hos this ti was also because of that stubbornness.
The President sighed.
How is the Avant-Garde Guild moving?
They are preparing to enter Eumseong County from Ichon City. They plan to confront the enemy in an undeveloped area with no interference.
Do they have sufficient manpower?
All the core forces of the Avant-Garde Guild are mobilized.
If they succeed, theyll gain great honor, but if they fail, it could shake one of the major guilds.
No matter how much the major guilds covet national power, the benefits the governnt obtain through them could not be ignored. Its important not to be overshadowed by the major guilds, but its also the Presidents duty to maintain and develop the Awakeneds power.
Ho do you think their hunt will go, Transcendent Choi Jun-ho?
They will fail.
Why was he asking for my opinion and then reacting like this?
Can you tell why?
The most important thing in monster hunting is to understand the monsters capabilities. Mr. President, when you see the strength of a monster, what do you think is the most important?
Isnt it the size?
Absolutely not. If that was the case, Nuri should have made Black Wyvern its master.
The strength of a monster lies in its purity.
Pureness?
It refers to their original form at birth. Nuri has a form almost exactly like a peregrine falcon. This signifies that it was born with powerful abilities.
The more complex the transformation, the more unstable the power output and the more unnatural the Force manipulation would be.
I suppose that ans its dangerous for it to have reached the level 8 with that kind of purity, but why do you think the hunt will fail?
They lack power. And there are too many mbers in their hunting team who are not needed.
In my opinion, to face Nuri, it would take two Level 8s and support from at least five Level 7s, along with the backing of twenty Level 6s to have a chance at catching it.
If the Level 8s Gift was a long-range attack, it would be easier. However, Avant-Gardes forces didnt quite match that, and Lee Chan-taek was a typical self-centered general who believed only in his own abilities.
If he succeeded, he would be a charismatic boss, but if he failsed, then hed only be branded as a stubborn fool.
In this case, the latter was more likely.
Of course, if I was the one hunting, it would be a different story.
The atmosphere was chilly.
Dont worry, he cares a lot for his guild mbers, so he wont recklessly throw away their lives.
The problem is dealing with the monster.
Why are you worried about that? Ill go.
I was speaking with confidence, so why were they looking at like that? Its kind of disrespectful, lets rember than for now.
I turned to the President, breaking the surrounding silence.
But if I catch that thing alone, would the byproducts be all mine?
I know that the price for capturing a danger level 8 monster was at least 1.5 trillion.
And if I handled the core processing, it would beco even more valuable.
If one miso stew costs 6,000 won, thats 250,000 bowls.
As long as you can hunt them, theyre all yours.
All right.
***
Sitting alone with Cheon Myeong-guk, the president recalled the earlier conversation and asked, What do you think of Choi Jun-hos analysis?
I think its vague.
I felt the sa way. But he was surprisingly persuasive.
Choi Jun-hos words had a strange charm. A strong self-confidence despite it just being unconfird facts. It strongly resonated enough to shake the trust in the accumulated data.
Choi Jun-hos words have mainly consisted of content that has never been analyzed before. We shouldnt believe it, and we shouldnt act on it. But
Cheon Myeong-guk, who t the presidents gaze, continued, There has never been a ti when his words were wrong.
Thats the problem.
Yes.
So, do you think it will go as he says this ti, too?
The probability is high.
If they had to choose between data and Choi Jun-hos words, they would choose the forr.
The problem was if his words beca reality.
If the monster break through Avant-Gardes defenses, we will try to stop it in Gwangju or Yongin, and if we cant stop it there, Seoul would be next. Contact the Reapers Guild. Tell them to be fully prepared, just in case.
Cheon Myeong-guk was a forr Vice-Guild Master of the Reapers Guild. Even if he ordered preparations a bit early, he could get sufficient understanding from the other side.
Understood.
I hope our worries wont co true.
But what they were worried about beca a reality.
***
At the first encounter with Nuri, he thought they had enough firepower to hunt it down easily.
It wasnt very big for a danger level 8 monster, and it didnt exude much montum.
But the mont the battle began, everything changed. Nuri possessed a strength unlike any level 8 monster he had seen before.
Less than five minutes into the battle, hell broke loose. The acrid smoke from the winters dry trees and grasses obscured their vision.
Its my fault.
Lee Chan-taek tightly clenched his fists while looking up at the sky. The one who created this hell was looking down on the world as if it didnt care.
Nuri was agile and fierce, unleashing a fire breath powerful enough to lt away the armors that the hunters wore.
Above all, what Choi Jun-ho had warned about, the Gift, was conclusive. The Blade Storm it triggered with its wing flaps was an unavoidable disaster.
When the Gift Blade Storm was activated, it swept within a radius of 50 ters, and each blade was powerful enough to rival a Force blade of a Level 7.
Over a dozen Hunters were torn to shreds by the first Blade Storm. They were reduced to chopped flesh, no trace of their forr selves.
Attempting to confront Nuri in a clear space turned out to be a mistake. There was no escape from its fire breath and Blade Storm.
Nuri was beyond the reach of their Gifts, while taunting the guild mbers who had worked tirelessly their whole lives.
If they continued like this, it would be annihilation.
Lee Chan-taek acknowledged that his choice was the worst.
Everyone, retreat! Ill take care of the rear.
Guild Master!
Nobody but can catch his attention. Listen to ! Ha Seong-hoon! Take the kids and get out of here!
You must stay safe.
With those words, Ha Seong-hoon managed to regroup the remaining forces and retreated.
Left alone, Lee Chan-taek faced Nuri, but he knew he wouldnt be enough.
To deal with a flying monster, it had to be brought down, but with the guilds full force sent back, his attacks wouldnt be able to reach.
Is this the end?
Nuri appeared above, looking down at Lee Chan-taek. He had thought it would be an easy opponent, but at this mont, it seed like a monster that could destroy the world.
Kieh!
That cry seed to mock him.
Such a futile end for such a proud man. The world would laugh at him.
His guilds status would fall, and it wouldnt be able to rise again to its current position.
Lee Chan-taek felt like everything he had worked for his whole life was crumbling in real-ti.
Thats when it happened.
There was soone approaching from behind at a breakneck speed. Soaring into the sky as if stepping on air, they dashed straight and struck Nuris head.
Kieeek!
Nuri, who scread in agony, breathed out fire, but the person easily avoided it and struck its head once more.
Step back.
Choi Jun-ho!
Lee Chan-taeks eyes widened at the sudden appearance of a reinforcent, but quickly stepped back. anwhile, Choi Jun-ho, who had approached and bypassed Nuris Blade Storm, struck Nuris head.
Crash!
A trendous explosion resounded.
Nuri staggered and, with a sinister aura, released heat from its entire body, flying higher to escape Choi Jun-hos attack range.
Its not breaking.
If Choi Jun-ho marveled at the strength of Nuris head, Lee Chan-taek did not miss the others strange fixation on the head.
Head Breaker.
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