Chapter 31

Dark Shadow Unit (3)

“I’ll tell you everything.”

As I spat out the words with a resolute expression.

“Good, that’s more like it.”

Go Jae-young momentarily pulled back the dagger he had pressed against Kim Jun-seo’s neck.

Then, he licked the blood smeared on it.

What a grotesque sight.

Wasn’t this the kind of scene you’d only see in Japanese comics?

“Heh heh, if you want to save your life, that is.”

Wow.

Was he always this style?

It’s not like his mental age stopped at middle school.

But right now, I had to play along with his tastes.

No matter how rapidly I’d grown recently, realistically.

There was absolutely no way to defeat three A-ranks and ten B-ranks.

“Of course. If even one of the hunters here steps forward, those guys wouldn’t even be a match. I’m simply grateful for the chance to live that you’re giving me.”

“Hmph, you’re still smooth with your words.”

Go Jae-young snorted, but he didn’t seem displeased.

I continued speaking.

“The opportunity is simple.”

“Yeah, speak.”

“I have a teacher who instructs me.”

“A teacher? That old man Kang Jae-ho mentioned back then? The one even Gi So-yul had trouble dealing with?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I nodded.

“To be precise, he’s a powerful old man who could utterly crush the Dark Emperor even if he challenged dozens of times.”

“Whoa. I’d heard, but it’s still shocking to hear it again. To think such a being really exists.”

Go Jae-young sighed.

As a fellow assassin.

It seemed he still couldn’t believe that Gi So-yul, who was on a completely different level from him, had been crushed.

The nearby Dark Shadow Unit hunters also stirred.

“A teacher capable of overwhelming rank 380? That’s certainly an amazing opportunity, but…”

“Right, if what he says is true.”

“Of course, Lord Jakan wouldn’t move without reason.”

“But where is this teacher? Is he only visible to that guy? Then he’s useless to us!”

As expected.

Someone voiced their doubt.

“Ah, about that.”

I said.

“My teacher is a ghost, so he won’t be visible to you right now, but I can make him visible through a special method. And not just that. I can share him with you. With all of you.”

I moistened my lips as I spoke.

Do you know how to lie well?

Mix 10% lies into 90% truth.

Most people, tempted by the 90% truth, miss the 10% lies.

Just like now.

“Is that true?”

“You can show us your teacher too? And he’ll teach us?”

As the hunters stirred, I grinned.

“Of course. That’s why the Dark Emperor stuck by my side, you see.”

“……!”

Go Jae-young’s eyes widened.

“As expected, that girl. She had an ulterior motive.”

“I wondered why she was clinging to the kid like he was a hidden treasure trove!”

“Was she getting private lessons or something?”

Some still harbored doubts.

Others nodded as if they finally understood.

“However, the training process might be a bit painful. Our teacher is quite eccentric and Spartan. Frankly, I don’ think you all can endure it.”

I trembled all over.

This wasn’t acting; it was real.

My entire body ached from the massage I’d received this morning.

“So.”

Go Jae-young opened his mouth.

“Can you impart it right now?”

And.

Clearly, the emotion of ‘greed’ was evident in his eyes.

‘He can’t help it.’

That’s what I was aiming for.

He had been obsessed with my ‘opportunity’ from the start.

He wanted to hear about it and obtain it.

‘But he must have had to be cautious now.’

Because Jakan, the leader of the Dark Shadow Unit, was personally involved!

The priority rights to spoils would belong to his superior, Jakan!

‘Therefore.’

I lied that I could impart my opportunity to everyone.

So he could covet it first, without it necessarily going to Jakan.

But.

Why go to the trouble of telling such a lie?

“Of course. I can impart it right now. However, it will take about 30 minutes to chant the incantation and prepare.”

Because I can buy time.

Actually, the full story was this.

After Gi So-yul left.

Zing!

With a vibration sound, a few text messages flew in.

[Gi So-yul : Mr. Dong-hoon.]

[Gi So-yul : Please don’t try to fight alone recklessly.]

[Gi So-yul : The connections I said I’d introduce you to. It might be a bit early, but if it’s my request, they’ll surely go?]

[Gi So-yul : Just 30 minutes. Please hold out for just 30 minutes.]

That’s right.

I was buying time.

Waiting for Gi So-yul’s acquaintances.

‘Even if they don’t come, it doesn’t matter.’

Coming here was my choice.

Even if it meant losing, I had no intention of avoiding it.

‘Because Tae Yangi is here too.’

He said it.

If I just give the order, he’ll do his best to handle it.

He’s my subordinate, but he was once an absolute being who slaughtered all of humanity.

Surely, he wouldn’t be an easy opponent for them.

“Then, shall the assassin receive the impartation first?”

Well, the ball has been thrown.

The ball of greed, whose truth or falsehood is unknown.

To catch it or not.

The choice is yours.

Time passed.

“Hmm.”

Go Jae-young’s facial muscles twitched.

‘He’s mumbling something, but it feels strange.’

The guy who said he’d give the opportunity.

Had been chanting incantations for over 30 minutes.

He did apologize and ask for more time, saying it wasn’t going well.

But something felt uneasy.

The other hunters seemed bored too, frowning.

‘Come to think of it, it was like that last time too.’

The situation was different, but structurally it was the same.

That guy cleverly bought time, and ultimately, with Gi So-yul’s appearance, he had to flee.

Was there any guarantee that such a thing wouldn’t happen again?

‘That relaxed expression too.’

This Ju Dong-hoon.

He certainly wasn’t an ordinary person.

How could a mere E-rank hunter.

Not be intimidated when facing a group of high-rank hunters like himself?

‘As expected, it seems he has something to rely on.’

As his thoughts reached that point, Go Jae-young’s face contorted.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

Ju Dong-hoon, who had been chanting, raised his head as if asking why again.

His actions were very impure.

“When on earth will this end? There’s a limit to my patience.”

“I’m sorry, but please wait just a little longer. And if you keep interrupting like this, my concentration might break? Then I’d have to start all over from the beginning.”

“…….”

“Perhaps.”

The guy added another layer.

“Are you scared? Ah, if you’re scared, you can quit, no problem.”

Pop!

A vein bulged on Go Jae-young’s forehead.

‘Is he really insane?’

He acts like that knowing the value of the ‘opportunity’ he possesses.

Well, then there’s no helping it.

Swish!

Go Jae-young elegantly twirled the dagger in his grasp.

Then he placed it back against Kim Jun-seo’s neck.

“Ugh! Ugh ugh!”

“What are you doing right now?”

Sure enough, a reaction came from the guy.

Go Jae-young replied in a cold voice.

“You clearly said 30 minutes. You broke the promise first, so it should be fine if I take this guy’s life, right?”

Simultaneously, he looked around at the other hunters.

A gesture asking if they agreed with his action.

“Kehehe, that’s right.”

“Yeah, as long as that guy is alive, it’s fine, right?”

“I agree. Kill him first. Come to think of it, we were being too nice, unlike ourselves.”

The Dark Shadow Unit hunters agreed with sinister laughs.

“Hoo, don’t blame me.”

Go Jae-young tightened his grip.

“You brought this upon yourself.”

And just as he was about to swipe! slice—

Thwack!

Suddenly, an immense pain shot through his hand.

‘What? Where did it come from?’

As he grabbed his throbbing hand and stepped back—

Flash!

A long spear flew and nearly impaled itself right in front of his face.

‘Huh?’

What?

An attack this fast and accurate?

Although the power was clearly weak, the combination was so swift and precise that a misstep could lead to serious injury.

“…….”

In the end, Go Jae-young, gritting his teeth, let go of Kim Jun-seo and retreated completely.

And the one who caught Kim Jun-seo was.

A single skeleton holding a flimsy bone spear.

Go Jae-young couldn’t believe his eyes.

“A mere skeleton made such an attack?”

Its spear art was simply astounding.

As if Changwang, the Chinese rank 10 hunter, the Spear King, had manifested.

The creature’s demeanor was imposing.

And.

“Ha.”

It was then that Ju Dong-hoon’s previously relaxed expression completely changed.

“I thought I could drag it out a bit more, what a pity.”

A voice that sounded like a completely different person from before.

Go Jae-young felt fury surge to the top of his head.

He had finally realized he’d been tricked.

“That, that thunder-stripped brat doesn’t know his place and acts up!”

Go Jae-young spat out as if chewing.

“You dare mock me? Did you think you could break this situation with just one slightly unusual skeleton?”

What a ridiculous joke.

Although he was briefly startled, that was all.

He was A-rank.

Just as a 4-year-old, no matter how good at boxing, can’t defeat a 20-something adult.

There was a fundamental power difference between that skeleton and himself.

“Kill the hostage, and capture that guy! Make him pay the price for deceiving us!”

He shouted to the hunters.

“Let’s go!”

“Kill him!”

“No, he said subdue, not kill!”

The hunters rushed towards Ju Dong-hoon in a frenzy.

More precisely, they unleashed a barrage of skills at the five skeletons forming a formation.

Each one was an unstoppable attack of B-rank or higher.

“…….”

But.

Ju Dong-hoon’s gaze as he watched those attacks was cold and icy.

“Tae Yangi.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“It will be a difficult fight, but I’m counting on you.”

Swish!

Tae Yangi’s spear danced brilliantly.

A flash of sunlight lit up the dark night sky.

Skill.

Sun Chain Strike!

A hot wind swept through violently.

The hunters were momentarily bewildered by Tae Yangi’s attack.

‘What?’

‘A sinister technique.’

‘I should dodge for now.’

One by one, driven by an ominous sensation, they stepped back.

Falling into a situation where everyone dodged, thinking, ‘It’s fine if I step back, right?’—a complacent thought.

And all because of a single skill from a mere E-rank hunter.

The ridiculous sight of all the high-rank hunters stepping back.

A furious Go Jae-young lost his temper.

“You idiots! It’s obviously just a flashy skill with nothing to it, what are you all doing!”

Even if the Dark Shadow Unit was a criminal organization.

How could everyone be so selfish?

After watching the hunters’ pathetic display, Go Jae-young finally stepped forward himself.

‘I’ll catch that guy.’

Swoosh!

He carefully hid himself within the shadows.

In the dark night, an assassin’s stats become even more effective.

‘I am the assassin who will become a Ranker.’

Somehow.

I’ll uncover why Gi So-yul is attached to that man.

Whoosh!

Go Jae-young erased the killing intent from his dagger.

The essence of assassination is making the opponent die without even knowing why.

‘First, I’ll take the head of that spear-wielding skeleton.’

Swoosh!

Just as Go Jae-young’s dagger was about to elegantly pierce the back of Tae Yang-chang’s neck—

Kugung!

Suddenly, the ground shook.

No, it felt like Seonyudo Island itself was shaking.

“Huh?”

A sensation that made his hair stand on end; Go Jae-young unconsciously halted his attack.

Simultaneously, he held his breath and lowered his stance.

“Kugh!”

“Wh-what?”

“What kind of energy…?”

The other hunters who were about to attack Ju Dong-hoon were the same.

An immense force.

An unknown energy was dominating the space itself.

Everyone’s gaze naturally turned towards the source of the flowing energy.

“…….”

And there.

A man with densely packed upper body muscles stood.

Judging by his sudden appearance, it seemed he had fallen from the sky.

Like a meteor.

“Aigoo, am I very late?”

A man with a very relaxed-sounding tone.

Cold sweat dripped from Go Jae-young’s forehead.

He couldn’t help it.

My god, was there anyone who didn’t know that man?

“Why is Jang Dae-ung here…….”

Berserker Jang Dae-ung.

A Ranker and world rank 20, no less.

The appearance of the world’s most famous madman.