Chapter 99 - Chapter 99 (1/2)

"Mister Chairman, by any chance, do you have anyone near you who is a Hunter, or someone who's not a Hunter yet but has been evaluated as an Awakened?"

The doctor suddenly asked about something rather strange.

Yu Myung-Han asked if there was something wrong with his body, yet why was he talking about Hunters now?

Yu Myung-Han asked back feeling puzzled now.

"What are you talking about? Why Hunters, all of a sudden?"

"Have you heard of Eternal Sleep?"

Hearing the term "Eternal Sleep", Yu Myung-Han finally lost his cool, and his eyes trembled.

The Eternal Sleep Disorder. An endless slumber that no one could wake up from.

Not only was it impossible to wake up from its death-like slumber, but the lifeforce of the sufferer would also decline quite sharply, so it was a necessity to use life support machines that utilised magic energy.

Appearing for the first time after the advent of the Gates, it was a terrifying illness that managed to kill scores of people who lacked the wherewithal to borrow one of those life support machines.

"It's an illness where you'd be assaulted often by drowsiness, and eventually, you'd be unable to wake up at all."

The doctor carried a complicated expression. There had not been a single case of the sufferer of the 'Eternal Sleep' waking up, so far.

Even if one's life was extended via machines, you'd still be unable to open your eyes. It was no different from a death sentence for the victims.

"...."

Yu Myung-Han waited for the doctor to finish explaining before asking his question.

"How does that relate to Hunters?"

"The 'Eternal Sleep' is widely believed to be deeply related to magic energy."

There were those people who, by nature, couldn't endure magic energy all that well. One of the abnormalities displayed by these people after being exposed to surrounding magic energy for a long time was this Eternal Sleep Disorder.

"Wait, isn't magic energy used to power the life support machines that supply lifeforce to the patients?"

"That is true, but...."

Just like how one could safely use the electricity generated by the dangerous material fuelling the nuclear reaction, the doctor explained, magical devices and magics utilising magic energy did not harm people.

"What you need to be careful with are the Magic Crystals, Mana Stones, as well as people possessing magic energy."

'People possessing magic energy.....'

Yu Myung-Han immediately recalled the sole Awakened in his family, Yu Jin-Ho. Meanwhile, the doctor cautiously carried on.

"I've heard that your second son is a Hunter, sir."

When Yu Jin-Ho was mentioned, Yu Myung-Han's face visibly hardened.

"So, the gist of it is... you want me to never meet my own son? Is that it?"

"If it's at all possible, that is indeed my recomm....."

"Don't make me laugh!!"

Yu Myung-Han abruptly cut the doctor off and empathised his point.

"Don't speak of nonsense."

And then, as if he was annoyed, he gestured the doctor to leave.

"Chairman...."

The doctor hesitated, not knowing what to do, but he soon left the room as if he was being chased away after being glared at by Yu Myung-Han's furious eyes.

He continued to glare at the door the doctor used to escape with barely concealed fury in his eyes.

'Distance oneself from one's son, just because one fears the illness getting worse? Is that something a father should even say??'

Sure, let's say that did happen.

What if Jin-Ho heard that news? What would that boy think of, then?

As a father, he could not bear to burden his son with something that heavy. At least, that's what Yu Myung-Han believed.

'Not only that....'

With each passing day, people found more and more practical applications for magic energy, and the number of people innately possessing magic energy was steadily increasing, as well.

So, if you couldn't withstand magic energy when living in a world like this, didn't that already mean you had been eliminated from the natural selection?

Yu Myung-Han harrumphed unhappily.

'I, Yu Myung-Han, have failed to make the cut?'

Such a thing could never happen.

'I will not submit.'

Even when everyone else ridiculed him and predicted his failure, he always managed to succeed so his detractors could take a good look at him.

He was the very person who, after inheriting the Yujin Construction that barely cracked the top 30 in the country, turned it into the number one corporation in South Korea.

'So, you think I'll kneel in defeat over a stupid illness like this?'

He wouldn't give up.

Yu Myung-Han inwardly told himself this over and over again.

***

Before leaving, Jin-Woo carefully opened the door to his sister's room.

As it was still in the early hours, Jin-Ah remained blissfully stuck in a slumber so deep that she'd not be any wiser if someone kidnapped her right now.

Suddenly, he felt worried.

'There might be a jacka*s or two who'll try to get closer to her while I'm away.'

Of course, there should be no one stupid enough to harm the little sister of a rank S Hunter, but well, it was hard to tell what was in a human's heart sometimes.

At least, he needed some sort of a contingency plan.

'Wait a minute. I can hide my soldiers inside shadows, right?'

Jin-Woo recalled the time when he sent out his Shadow Soldiers on the patrol of the district, in case that serial killer decided to show up again.

Back then, soldiers moved by hiding in the various shades found in the surroundings. By utilising that, he might be able to protect his sister without anyone even noticing it.

Which was good, because he just so happened to possess the perfect candidates for this role.

'Come out.'

Jin-Woo called out those monster soldiers that had been guarding 'Fangs' when they were still alive.

Shururu....

Three of the biggest, burliest High Orcs appeared simultaneously and ended up making the already-tiny room of his sister feel even more claustrophobic.

However....

'Huh? Why are there only three?'

There definitely had been four guards, though?

Jin-Woo combed through his memories, only to spit out a soundless groan.

'Ah.'

Only now did he remember that he 'planted' one of the guards in the ceiling of the boss room. And naturally, he forgot to extract that guy's shadow.

'I guess I should pay closer attention next time.'

Jin-Woo smirked softly, before shifting his gaze over to the three monster soldiers, who used to be High Orc guards while still alive. All of them were elite grade.

They were on another scale altogether when compared to the shadows extracted from the 'regular' High Orcs. With these three, they would still be fine even if their opponent was a rank A Hunter.

He wasn't exaggerating here – the leader of the Hunters' raid team, the rank A Sohn Ki-Hoon, was pushed to a corner while fighting off three regular High Orcs, after all.

So, there was no reason to worry about these guys.

Jin-Woo pointed with his chin towards the sleeping Jin-Ah. And when that happened...

Shururu....

The guards returned to 'shadow' forms and moved along the floor, and they assimilated into her shadow.

'Very good.'

Hide in there quietly, and when Jin-Ah finds herself in danger, get rid of the opponent, regardless of who it is.

Jin-Woo gave that order to the guards and carefully closed shut the door to her room.

'I can relax a little now.'

Indeed, he felt less worried.

He made sure to lock the front door properly and exited from the apartment, and found Yu Jin-Ho waiting for him there, just as promised.

"Hyung-nim!"

Yu Jin-Ho greeted Jin-Woo with a bright face.

"Was it okay sleeping in that place?"

"Yes, it was fine, hyung-nim. I had no idea, but motels nowadays seem to feature pretty good amenities."

Since his little sister was staying at home, Jin-Woo had Yu Jin-Ho stay in a local motel nearby. Thankfully, it must not have been too bad there.

"Until we can find some office space for my Guild, stay there for the time being."

"Got it, hyung-nim."

He must've been enjoying himself, since Yu Jin-Ho continued to giggle.

Jin-Woo already heard the most of what happened from the kid last night. While listening to the tale, he was hoping against hoping, but to think, this kid would show up here after really rejecting the golden chance to become a Guild Master.....

When he heard that, Jin-Woo was so dumbfounded that he just had to ask, and that prompted Yu Jin-Ho to reply while sounding like a victim.

["You really came over just because I made an offer?!"]

["But, hyung-nim, you said I should come!!"]

Even then, Jin-Woo couldn't really kick to the curve a kid who gave up on a job equivalent to being a chairman of a company just to be next to him.

"Okay, well, let's go."

"Yes, hyung-nim."

Yu Jin-Ho climbed into the driver's seat of the van, and Jin-Woo settled down on the passenger's. And the van containing two people drove towards the Daesung Tower.

Yu Jin-Ho sneaked a glance at Jin-Woo.

'What business does he have in the Daesung Tower so early in the morning?'

He was curious, but he also thought that asking hyung-nim this and that would be quite insolent of him, so his lips didn't want to part that easily.

Screech.

By the time their van came to a stop in front of the Daesung Tower, though, he managed to work up some courage.

"By the way, hyung-nim. What about this Daesung Towe...."

"I'm off."

"Eh?"

Yu Jin-Ho hurriedly turned his head to the passenger side. However, the door was already wide open, and hyung-nim was nowhere to be seen.

Didn't something similar to this happen before?

Yu Jin-Ho scratched the side of his head.

'Hyung-nim can be so elusive sometimes, you know.'

***

[You have entered Demon's Castle dungeon.]

Jin-Woo cancelled his 'Stealth' skill.

'I've finally returned.'

Thinking that he had returned to the place where he could cut loose without worry, his heart began pounding harder.

As soon as he walked past the castle's gates, the mechanical bleep went off as if it was waiting for his arrival.

Tti-ring.

[A new quest is available.]

Unlike the first time he got here, Jin-Woo wasn't surprised.

Well, the quest he got the first time was called 'Collect the Souls of Demons! (1)', after all. He expected the next part of the quest to show up sooner or later.

Jin-Woo opened the message window.

Tti-ring.

[Normal Quest: Collect the Souls of Demons! (2)]

The sovereign of the demons, 'Baran', can be found residing on the top floor of the Demon's Castle. Defeat Baran and collect his soul.

If you succeed in sealing the soul of the Demon King, you will be rewarded handsomely.

Quest generation conditions:

- Completion of 'Normal Quest: Collect the Souls of Demons! (1)'

- Re-entering the Demon's Castle

Quest completion condition:

- Slay the Demon King

Rewards:

1. One highest grade Rune Stone

2. Bonus Stat points +30

3. Unknown reward