Chapter 159 - Chapter 159 (1/2)

The Hunters of the Monitoring Division arrived on site. There were a total of seven high-ranked Hunters. Woo Jin-Cheol had scrounged up the top elites of the Association that could be mobilised on such short notice.

However, he knew the truth. He knew that this little fighting power would not be of any help to Hunter Seong.

'Even still, for the worst case scenario....'

These Hunters from the Monitoring Division would buy enough time so Hunter Seong would be able to escape from the dangers. They came to this location with such a resolve in their hearts.

"Is that the one, Chief?"

"Looks that way."

Hunters from the Monitoring Division stepped out of the minivan and entered the school's athletics field.

They found the Hunters from the Bravery Guild who had made the report earlier waiting for their arrival. Their expressions brightened once they saw the members of the Monitoring Division.

"Over here, mister agents!"

The Master of the Guild came running and greeted the Hunters of the Monitoring Division. However, Woo Jin-Cheol's gaze remained fixed on that Gate in question.

He could pick up on an ominous aura coming out of it already. Woo Jin-Cheol looked at his subordinates and issued an order.

"Let's hurry."

"Yes, sir."

Their steps became hurried and they crossed the field to arrive before the Gate in a proverbial heartbeat.

But then, Woo Jin-Cheol's steps came to an abrupt halt.

"Chief?"

"Senior?"

The subordinates behind him naturally came to a stop, as well. Woo Jin-Cheol cautiously took off his sunglasses. His hand holding the accessory was trembling imperceptibly.

'This... what the hell is this....?'

He picked up on the utterly horrifying maelstrom of magical energy all around the Gate. As a matter of fact, the magical energy leaking out was so savage and brutal that the space around the portal looked as if it was being distorted to his naked eyes.

He was startled by what he saw and quickly took a step back.

Was this simply an optical illusion, or the sign of an impending ill omen?

He thought that, all of a sudden, a dark veil seemed to be enveloping this Gate from above. He had seen this somewhere before. It was the looming shadow of death.

All the hair on the back of his neck stood up.

Woo Jin-Cheol instinctively knew it.

He knew that the fight taking place inside was not something he or his boys could possibly butt in on.

The subordinates saw his complexion getting paler and gasped out in surprise. They hurriedly asked him.

"Section Chief?? Are you alright?"

"...."

Rather than an answer, Woo Jin-Cheol threw out a question, instead.

"Is there a... major Guild with a team ready for a raid nearby?"

One of his subordinates checked the Association's database and quickly made his reply.

"Yes, sir. The Hunters Guild is getting ready for a raid at the moment."

"What about their two rank S Hunters?"

"According to the data, both Choi Jong-In and Cha Hae-In Hunter-nims are scheduled to partake in the raid, sir."

Choi Jong-In and Cha Hae-In. If it were those two, then they might be able to do something.

Woo Jin-Cheol shifted his gaze back to the Gate. That imperceptible trembling that started from his hand had slowly but steadily spread out to the rest of his body.

Gulp.

Dry saliva slid down his throat all on its own.

Woo Jin-Cheol barely managed to rein his trembling voice and spoke to his subordinate.

"Send... the emergency cooperation request to the Hunters Guild."

***

He finally asked it.

Just as the angel statue had recommended it, he changed his question from "What are you?" to "Who am I?"

In that short moment, Jin-Woo's heavy and laboured panting relaxed to his usual rhythmic breathing. The sound of his breaths was so measured and calm that it was hard to believe he was involved in a fierce life-or-death battle just now.

Even his panting shoulders had stopped quivering completely.

[….]

The answer from the angel statue seemed to be getting delayed for some reason, and Jin-Woo pressed the shortsword deeper against its skin as a reminder. The blade dug into the neck of the stone statue.

If this thing was a human, its skin would've been cut open and began bleeding by now. Since it was seemingly made out of stone, it didn't bleed, but he knew there was no problem with cutting its head off like this.

Perhaps the angel statue also knew this truth? It belatedly opened its mouth.

[Finally.]

Hearing it from such close proximity, this thing's voice sounded even more freakish than before.

[You have asked a proper question.]

It then formed a smile next. There was not one hint of fear on its face even though several of its arms were sliced off and there was a blade pressed just below its chin.

'Maybe, its real body is somewhere else?'

Jin-Woo's exceptional sensory perception scanned his surroundings but he couldn't pick up any other aura. If the real body was indeed somewhere else, then the current him couldn't even begin to imagine just how incredible the technique being employed here was to conceal the connection this perfectly.

The angel statue carried on with what it wanted to say while that smile remained etched on its stony face.

[The answer is within you.]

'...In me?'

Jin-Woo had been glaring at his query until now, worried that this thing would try another petty trick on him. But when he heard that, his eyes became even sharper than ever before.

He spent four years of his life as a lowest-ranked Hunter and had to fight against countless enemies that were stronger than himself and could have killed him instantly.

Even though he was classified as a rank E Hunter, and not only that, as the lowest even among the rank Es, Jin-Woo still managed to survive in those four years as he bravely roamed around in various dungeons. That was no mean feat, indeed.

It was only possible because of his sixth sense, honed through experiencing several life-or-death moments, helped him to pick the best possible option available during the worst of all the worst situations.

And his ultra-sharp sixth sense was warning him of a certain shift in the atmosphere. Sure enough...

Tti-ring!

The mechanical beep abruptly rang out in his head, accompanied by the usual voice of the System. It was definitely not the angel statue's voice – he only heard that of a mechanical-sounding female.

[Recalling the stored data in the System's memory.]

[Will you consent to its playback?] (Y/N)

It wasn't just the voice this time, but even the actual message window also popped up, as well. It was asking him 'Yes' or 'No'.

The alphabets 'Y' and 'N' lazily blinked in front of his eyes as if they were patiently waiting for his answer.

'Just what on earth is this....?'

Just what was this d*mn thing trying to pull this time?

Jin-Woo's gaze shifted away from the message and landed on the angel statue. The smile was long gone from the statue's face. It spoke to him with a completely emotionless face.

"The decision is up to you."

Unlike before, its voice was now separated from the System. The machine-like, stiff male voice grated against his eardrums. Jin-Woo shut his mouth tight after seeing that face.

'Data saved in the System's memory, is it....'

Just like how it was with various video games, did the System also possess a save file or something similar to that? And, he could view what that save file contained, right now?

'…..'

In this short span of time, all kinds of thoughts raced in and out of his brain. Of course, his answer had already been decided.

He finally earned what could be his one and only chance to confirm the truth for himself, so why should he back out of it now?

If the System wanted to trick him into a trap, then well, it didn't have to go through such an elaborate process, either. After all, the System possessed the power to decide when his heart would stop beating, didn't it?

'Just as the angel said, if all these were just the processes of a test, then…. Then, I have earned the right to view this data.'

He suddenly recalled what the angel statue told him before the battle commenced.

["If you still manage to stand on two feet by the end of the test, then everything you wished to know will be revealed to you. That will be my reward to you."]

Most likely, the reward the angel talked about meant his right to view the data. He finally arrived at this conclusion.

Jin-Woo made his decision and slowly opened his mouth.

"....Yes."

When he did, darkness immediately enveloped him.

Tti-ring.

The familiar mechanical beep hit him in the eardrums, and the voice of the System followed right after.