Chapter 200 - Chapter 200 (1/2)

Would talking to 'it' work?

The Association President Goh Gun-Hui quietly observed the uninvited guest.

"..."

However, the creature didn't say anything.

Different from other monsters, though, it didn't immediately bare its fangs. No, it just sat there in silence while ignoring the owner of this office altogether.

As this uncomfortable silence persisted for a brief period, Goh Gun-Hui found himself with an opportunity to study his new opponent in detail.

'It looks exactly like an Ice Elf.'

An Ice Elf, often referred to as the White Phantom, was a monster commonly seen within upper-ranked dungeons. The unique appearances of these creatures were well known among the Hunters by now.

Strangely enough, although this uninvited guest's countenance did possess all the general features of an Ice Elf, there were a few clear differences present as well. That made him question whether this creature was actually from the same Ice Elf race or not.

'It's as if....'

….If the Ice Elves were trees that formed part of a forest, then this silent guest of his was like an aged tree guarding a desiccated forest all by itself.

Its skin was cracking up like the bark of a tree; its fingers were bony; a tangled, messy beard on its chin and two deeply-sunken, hollow-looking eyes.

If an Ice Elf managed to live for hundreds, no, thousands of years, then it might look like this guy. It was that kind of face.

The unusual points didn't end at the creature's face, though.

Gulp.

Goh Gun-Hui swallowed his dry saliva, unbeknownst to even himself.

'Its presence... I couldn't sense its presence at all.'

An uninvited guest had entered in complete silence and settled down on the couch, yet he had failed to sense its approach until he got to confirm the truth with his own two eyes.

His ultra-sharp senses wouldn't have missed this creature's arrival if it was nothing but an ordinary monster.

'….This is not an opponent that I can deal with.'

Goh Gun-Hui quickly assessed his situation, and then, very softly flipped his smartphone up to glance at the screen in order to signal for help.

When he did that, the monster shifted its gaze over to him.

[All contacts with the outside world have been cut off in this space.]

Flinch.

Goh Gun-Hui confirmed that the smartphone had no signal, just as the creature had said, and put the device down.

"Am I dreaming a bad dream right now?"

Not only did a monster intrude into the HQ of Korea's Hunter's Association right in the middle of Seoul, it even began speaking in Korean, too. If this wasn't the very definition of a bad dream, then what else could be?

It was then.

"Keuk!"

Goh Gun-Hui felt a sharp pain brush past his left shoulder and quickly grabbed it tight.

'Something' happened the moment this monster pointed at him. He cautiously lifted his hand away to discover a cut wound on the shoulder, as if something sharp had sliced him up.

The truly mystifying thing was, even though his flesh had been sliced open, not a drop of blood came from the wound. Instead, the area around the cut had been frozen solid and white frost had settled around it.

'Just... how??'

Goh Gun-Hui dazedly stared at his wound before raising his head back up. The monster was still sitting relaxedly on the same spot in the couch.

[Do you think that pain is also a part of your dream?]

Goh Gun-Hui nodded his head.

"I see. So, this is reality. In that case, let me ask you again. Just what are you?"

[I wanted you to recognise me first, but, in the end, you were just a simple human.]

"Just a human....??"

The monster slowly stood up from the couch.

At the same time, couches, the coffee table, and other furniture nearby the creature were shoved violently away and crashed into the walls.

Kwa-du-duk!!

The furniture froze up in an instant and got stuck on the walls.

'Oh, my god....'

Goh Gun-Hui's eyes opened wider.

The goosebumps-inducing chill slowly permeated into the office of the Association President.

[I don't have a habit of toying around with a weakling. Reveal yourself, Fragment of the Brilliant Light.]

Just who would dare to label Goh Gun-Hui as a weakling in this world?

However, he realised that he couldn't dispute that claim. The creature before his eyes possessed this Mt. Tai-like authoritative power, and whenever it opened its mouth, its voice reverberated and exploded like a thunderclap.

[Hurry up!]

This thing was on another realm compared to him.

He possessed incomparably excellent senses, so he could instantly figure out the differences between his and his opponent's power level.

Cold perspiration soaked his forehead.

[Are you worried about your vessel breaking? Even if it was not you, your vessel's lifespan is almost over, anyway.]

The monster then added, [But, if you're hiding away because you're scared, then...] before flipping both of his palms up to face the ceiling. Right away, spine-chilling cold air began condensing there.

[….Then, there is no point in talking to you anymore.]

"...??"

Goh Gun-Hui fell into an extreme case of confusion from the indecipherable utterance of his opponent, but in the meantime, that incredibly cold air flew out from one of the monster's hands.

KWA-BOOM!!

A powerful explosion swept away the spot where Goh Gun-Hui had been standing on.

White smoke created from the extreme coldness rose up like a veil of fog and covered the surroundings until it was impossible to see anything.

But then, a pair of flames emitting pure light began burning brightly within this smoke. Those were a pair of eyes glowing in a golden hue.

The monster confirmed the colour of the light oozing out from the screen of whiteness and formed an eerie smile, before throwing the remaining clump of cold air in its other hand.

"Hmph!"

Goh Gun-Hui swung his arm and swiped that cold air away. It was flung away and crashed heavily against the wall.

Boom!!

The cold air exploded and the entirety of the wall was blown away. Through the gaping opening, one could see a space filled with endless pitch-black darkness.

The white smoke obscuring the view slowly dissipated, and the unhurt Association President Goh Gun-Hui was revealed in full. Not just his two eyes, but his whole body was enveloped in this stupendous golden aura that wavered around gently in the air.

"You separated the President's office and hid it in between dimensions. Quite impressive."

A completely different voice than how he normally sounded came out from Goh Gun-Hui's mouth. The monster began speaking again.

[Finally... finally, we get to meet each other. Oh, Fragment of the most Brilliant Light. I've wandered around for a long time to locate you. But, who'd have thought that you were confined in a broken vessel and couldn't even wield your own powers.]

Unlike the tone of voice that sounded emotional, the monster's expression remained unchanging. With a frozen-stiff face, it continued to speak.

[We have already located the whereabouts of your other seven comrades. And we have destroyed two fragments by now.]

This time, it was Goh Gun-Hui's expression's turn to harden. Not only him, but the locations of all the Rulers had been exposed, and two had already lost their vessels, as well?

Such a counterattack was out of the Rulers' expectations.

[That look on your face.]

The monster formed a creepy smile.

[I always wished to see the panic and fluster in that arrogant, haughty expression of yours. And now, I can destroy your vessel with no regret.]

"Do your worst, Sovereign of Frost!!"

Goh Gun-Hui roared out thunderously!

The wavering golden aura surrounding his body intensified by a step, before transforming into a figure emitting this bright light from his entire body. The darkness filling up the space beyond was illuminated brightly in an instant.

However, even though it was being subjected to this incredible power, the Sovereign of Frost didn't bother to wipe that ridiculing smile off its lips.

[Are you planning to resist me? How foolish.]

Ice-cold white light oozed out from the Sovereign's eyes. At the same time, the floor beneath its feet began freezing up.

Just like how the bright golden light was enveloping Goh Gun-Hui, the intense and bitterly cold air surrounded the Sovereign's entire figure. And then, the creature bared its fangs.

[You merely borrow a human's body, while I have taken over mine. Do you believe that you can even touch a hair on my body?]

At this moment, when the Sovereign had let down its guard – Goh Gun-Hui instinctively realised that this could be his only chance and dashed forward like an arrow to pounce on the Sovereign.

Unfortunately, the opponent's reaction was definitely not slow, either.