Chapter 160
‘Can these hunters help at all?’?Elisabeth suddenly wondered as she ran.
Douglas used to be a B+ grade hunter and the closest to A-grade. Having been given the power of a constellation, he had to be an A-grade now.
The Icarus clan hunters were at least B-grade, which meant they had at least one or two spells they could use against A-grade monsters. In comparison, all the other hunters seemed to be below C-grade...
Wouldn’t it be dangerous? Choi Yeonseung knew that as well.
“Use that sword technique. I will be with you.”
“... Copy that!”
Choi Yeonseung’s words fired up the Mount Hua Sect hunters. The martial artists aligned their locations and directions for their current strategy, which involved using the formation that the Mount Hua Sect practiced the most lately. Unlike magicians who could respond flexibly, martial artists could do almost nothing if their rating was different. However, this formation changed that by amplifying the power of the weak many times over so they could face the strong!
Choi Yeonseung was also part of it, which was so reassuring for them that it didn’t even matter anymore that their enemy was a giant spreading ominous energy.
“Execute the Clear Jade Sword Formation.”
“We haven’t been able to perfect it yet...”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m here.”
The Clear Jade Sword Formation was a new formation that Choi Yeonseung had created after the Six Channels Sword Display. The Mount Hua Sect hunters couldn’t properly implement it due to its high difficulty level. Fortunately, it just didn’t matter if Choi Yeonseung was with them.
[The ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training’ is leading his men to their deaths!]
[The formation ‘Clear Jade Sword Formationis activated!]
Choi Yeonseung’s strong power forced the formation to activate. The hunters felt a tremendous power enveloping them.
-What is Clear Jade? It’s such a great name!
-... Uh, Did the Mount Hua Sect always have a sword technique like that?
-No?
-I’m sure there’s already a martial art called that... No. Forget it.
Choi Yeonseung learned Chinese through martial arts, so the reality was a bit different. Regardless, the name didn’t matter much. Only one thing mattered right now!
-■?
Bewildered, the giant looked at the unpleasant and sticky energy that swept over him.
-■!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The giant swung his shadow fist as if wielding a hammer, each strike destroying the road and scattering asphalt debris. However, the Mount Hua Sect hunters dodged back surprisingly quickly, the formation increasing their speed to insane lengths.
At that moment, Choi Yeonseung accepted the formation’s power and flew toward the giant’s blind spot.
Glowing brightly, the white sword energy accurately cut the giant’s ankle.
-■■■■■■!
The giant fell down to one knee.
[The ‘Noble Crown Collector’ is enraged by his household member’s foolishness!]
Douglas’ stupidity outraged the collector constellation. How could he be deceived and fooled by this formation? However, it couldn’t be helped. Douglas had lost all reason, and it was difficult to break through using instinct alone. Whenever the giant moved in one direction, the wide encirclement moved in the other, applying immense pressure.
The moment Douglas let down his guard even a bit, Choi Yeonseung would come up using the power of their formation and split him apart with?sword energy. As a result, the giant’s movements dulled.
“Attack!"
The Icarus hunters started to release the spells that they had prepared. The most powerful 5th-circle magic they could use! The soldiers bombarded the giant with artillery fire, having finally snapped back to reality. Their concentrated attack was so much stronger than the one before that the giant started to howl and roll around.
[The ‘Noble Crown Collector’ is ordering you to move and do something!]
“Don’t listen to the collector bastard, Douglas! The more you play into that bastard’s hands, the more miserable you will be!”
[The ‘Noble Crown Collector’ asks if you are going to disobey your master’s orders.]
The collector constellation snorted at Choi Yeonseung’s cry. Douglas was a greedy and arrogant human being. Moreover, his soul was already bound by the contract. There was no way he would listen to the words of an insignificant mortal. However, Choi Yeonseung appealed to Douglas’ selfishness, not his conscience.
“Douglas, think about it. What is the collector doing right now? He isn’t doing anything. A proper master should’ve given more support!”
[The ‘Noble Crown Collector’ says he summoned his household members!]
He spent so much of his power of existence, yet this mortal still dared question him?
Ignoring him, Choi Yeonseung continued, “What about you? You could’ve eaten and lived a good life if you had just signed with another constellation! A strange constellation conned you! Isn’t that unfair?”
-... You’re extremely persuasive!
The goddess admired Choi Yeonseung for effectively messing with Douglas’ selfishness.
As a result, Douglas started to complain. The giant stopped moving and shook his fists in the air as if in protest.
[The ‘Noble Crown Collector’ is upset about his household members’ rebellion.]
The collector constellation seemed to unexpectedly cool down, however. He didn’t show the humiliation of not being able to control a household member. The giant stopped, and the shadow that made up the giant started to disappear. The collector constellation had taken away his power. Inside it, Douglas flopped down, now a mere skinny, mummified body.
[The ‘Noble Crown Collector’ warns you that he won’t forget what happened today.]
-Hmm. Ignoring the constellation seems to be a clever strategy.
The constellations had never been ignored, so they reacted quite violently whenever they were.
-I agree.
Certainly, it was true. The collector constellation’s scheme on Jeju Island was stopped, and his cherished household member had been taken down. It was only natural for him to be mad. However, that also meant his judgment was blurred.
‘I should take advantage of this somehow to reduce his strength.’
***
However, before he could do that, he had to clean things up here first. Before Douglas died, he had caused far more damage than expected.
“He devastated the area.”
Choi Yeonseung clicked his tongue. The huge, state-of-the-art stadium had been destroyed, and all the roads around it had been torn apart. They at least only suffered a few casualties amid such a catastrophe, which was a miracle.
“We would like to thank Hunter Choi Yeonseung, the Icarus clan, and the Mount Hua Sect for your dedication,” the commander of the dispatched special forces said. He sounded sincere.
Everyone who had been evacuated from the side of the road and taken shelter in the surrounding buildings applauded them.
[You are appreciated and worshiped by the people. The power of your existence has greatly increased!!]
A force rose from within him.
Everyone here knew it. If the hunters hadn’t stepped up and stopped the enemy, everyone here would’ve died. The hunters who didn’t join the battle now looked very uncomfortable and awkward. No matter how shameless a hunter, it was still hard to bear such an atmosphere.
“What are you doing? You?over there?”
Choi Yeonseung spoke to another hunter standing in a sloppy manner.
Max, who had been arguing with Choi Yeonseung earlier, cleared his throat with a very complicated expression. “I wasn’t hiding.”
“Uhh... What was your name? Macmorning?”
“It’s Max, Hunter Choi Yeonseung.”
Choi Yeonseung nodded in gratitude to the person who answered him. In response, the man waved his hand as if he was embarrassed. “Yes. Max. Stop lingering there and come over here.”
Max instantly looked moved by Choi Yeonseung’s words. Was he taking care of the other hunters here? In the hunter industry, hunters only cared about themselves and never showed others any consideration. They didn’t even join the fight!
When Max saw the hunters of the Schreiber or New York Fires clans saying things like, ‘I’d like to thank Hunter Choi Yeonseung for saving my life in the dungeon,’ he had thought, ‘They’re making up stories for money. Did they think they could fool me with that?’
However, Choi Yeonseung had now proven himself to be a hunter of a different quality. Was it because he was a first-generation hunter?
“Hunter Choi Yeonseung! That man didn’t even participate! He just stood by!” one of the onlookers exclaimed while pointing at Max.
Choi Yeonseung looked at Max. “What? Is that so?”
Looking at the person who complained, Max angrily retorted, “You didn’t even have the courage to risk your life. How dare you... ”
“You didn’t go out either. Why are you being rude to citizens?”
Bam!
Choi Yeonseung hit the back of Max’s head. Max looked at Choi Yeonseung with shock in his eyes. The 13th-ranked hunter in the UHC B-grade League dared smack him? Even if any other hunter had done such a cheeky action, it still couldn’t be forgiven.
Max glared at him viciously.
“Lower your eyes if you don’t want to be beaten,” Choi Yeonseung coldly replied.
“......”
Max did as instructed. Actually facing Choi Yeonseung was scary. Moreover, when he thought about it, Choi Yeonseung might look weak, but he had just won a one-on-one match against Douglas. Afterward, he overpowered Douglas again even though the latter was running wild due to the power of his constellation imbued into him. He was only a B-grade, but it was safe to say he was already an A-grade hunter!
People burst out cheering when Max showed fear. However, Choi Yeonseung waved his hand to stop them. “This M... Oh, I strangely don’t remember your name. This?Macsomething?is rude and selfish, which is just like any other hunter, but being scared for his life isn’t a bad reason not to join a fight. I hope you understand.”
In the past, hunters had often fled whenever things worsened. Hunters were also humans. Putting their lives on the line was bound to be frightening. Choi Yeonseung understood how they felt.
However, his words naturally fired up Max. “I wasn’t scared. I made a calm judgment!”
“Ah. Shut up.” Choi Yeonseung reached out his hand and jabbed Max with it, causing the latter to collapse.
The soldier next to Choi Yeonseung was surprised. “D-did you kill him?”
“... Do I look like someone who would do that? He just fainted. Shut up.”
The people clapped again as if they understood what Choi Yeonseung meant.
-That's right. Anyone should be allowed to run away when they’re scared.
-Doesn’t Hunter Max usually talk about being fearless, though?
-Those were all probably just bluffs. He was probably scared.
-Aha. He was scared a lot.
“... You’re not clapping because you think I killed him, don’t you?”
Choi Yeonseung was slightly embarrassed for the first time.
***
“Yeonseung. Have you seen the article?”
“Huh? Ah. Let me see it.”
Choi Yeonseung had already returned to the headquarters. He checked out the articles as he honed his martial arts at the training ground.
[Dragon Damage Control successfully repaired the damages the evil god constellation has caused... What is the secret?]
[How to join Dragon Damage Control? Preferential treatment for awakeners, extra points for possession of earth-based magic...]
“? ?”
“No. Not that...!”
Hwang Gyeongryong was embarrassed. The articles advertising the restoration of the damages came out bigger than expected. Did he give too much money?
[Champion Glenn Douglas’ dark side: a contract with the Noble Crown Collector...]
[How did Glenn Douglas deceive people?]
[The hideous champion! Authorities should tighten security so this doesn’t happen again…]
[Hunters contracted with constellations are a type of drug user! Get out of the league!]
“Hyung. I get that you hate Douglas, but?coming?here so early in the morning to show me this...”
“Not that, dude! Why do you keep picking and looking at strange articles? Page 1! Look at page 1!”
[A new hero appears. 1st-generation hunter, Choi Yeonseung stops the California hunter arena terrorist attack...]
[A citizen’s interview: ‘When other hunters ran away, he alone...’]
[The hero who saved countless citizens...]
[An A-grade promotion is practically definite. A new A-grade hunter is about to be born...]
[The foresight of Icarus, Dragon Hwang’s clan. Is it finally coming to light?]
“You told them to write the last article, didn’t you?”
“... Yes....”
How did he know?
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