Chapter 299

“It looks like we can begin now.”

The Seoul Branch President’s signal to proceed came more than ten minutes after the Peace Guild, led by Choi Minwoo, had begun protesting.

A Gate was a fierce battlefield where life and death could be decided in an instant. No one expected Jin Taekyung to survive after being left alone against a Named Monster commanding a force of hundreds of Skeletons.

“Do you think he’s still alive?”

“It’s been exactly one hour and eight minutes. We should be grateful if we can at least recover his body.”

“Damn it. This isn’t a rescue operation. It’s a body-recovery operation.”

“Can they really keep doing this? Every second matters, yet they’re dragging their feet.”

“What else can they do? It isn’t an ordinary A-rank Gate. A Named Monster appeared. If you look at it from the Association’s perspective, their position is understandable. If they rush in and a major disaster occurs, it’ll be over for everyone.”

Hunters preparing to enter and reporters filming the entire situation chattered in groups.

Some were furious about the delayed rescue operation. Others defended the Association’s decision.

But no one spoke of Jin Taekyung’s survival. There was no need to add needless words to an obvious fact.

“Still, the Peace Guild really got screwed.”

“Yeah. Jin Taekyung is already… Well, it’s unfortunate, but that’s how things turned out. And the Peace Guild openly raised hell with the Seoul Branch President in front of the cameras. The backlash is going to be brutal.”

“Exactly. That guy’s a political appointee, and he’s already ridiculously sensitive about the media.”

Choi Minwoo’s face grew rigid as he listened to the whispers around him.

The disadvantages the Peace Guild would suffer later?

He didn’t care about any of that.

Who the hell says he’s dead?

He wanted to charge out right then and there. He wanted to grab the collars of the idiots spouting nonsense, then knock down the Association Hunters blocking his way.

And yet, he had waited until now because of something Butler Kim had said while restraining him more than ten minutes earlier.

Didn’t you say so yourself, Young Master? That you trusted Mr. Jin Taekyung more than you trusted yourself?

Those words had forcibly cooled his anger.

It was true. Taekyung had always shown them miracles, turning the impossible into the possible. Today was simply another continuation of that.

He had believed it.

He wanted to believe it.

Isn’t that right, Mr. Jin Taekyung?

Choi Minwoo took a deep breath and stepped forward. More than fifty Peace Guild members followed behind him, their faces filled with resolve.

“Our Peace Guild will take the lead.”

The Seoul Branch President replied with an unpleasant look.

“That falls under my authority as the commander of this operation. But the way you’re speaking sounds more like a notification than a request.”

“That’s correct.”

“What?”

“Would you like me to repeat myself? I said it was a notification.”

Before the Association President could say anything else, Choi Minwoo continued in a cold voice.

“I have no intention of delaying any longer, and no reason to keep talking with you. The Peace Guild will take the lead.”

“How dare you—!”

The Association President’s face turned red enough to burst.

That was when a toneless voice came from behind him.

“Let them.”

The Association President turned his head.

Standing where his gaze fell was Go Jun, Lee Jungryong’s right-hand man and head of his security team. He had his arms folded and wore an expressionless face.

“Team Leader Seok?”

“Please consider the feelings of the Peace Guild members who have lost a colleague they shared hardships with. The media will look favorably on it as well.”

“B-but there’s a Named Monster inside the Gate. If we put Hunters whose abilities haven’t been verified at the front, something unfortunate could happen…”

The Association President had been about to continue when Go Jun’s dry gaze silenced him.

For a moment, he had forgotten. His opponent was not merely a team leader in the Ares Guild. He was Lee Jungryong’s head of security—and his right-hand man.

More importantly, the “unfortunate incident” Go Jun wanted was precisely what the Association President was worried about.

The Association President’s deliberation was brief.

“Let the Peace Guild take the lead. Then, three minutes later, the Association and the Ares Guild will…”

But Choi Minwoo had already turned around and begun walking toward the Gate.

The gazes of the Association President, Go Jun, and countless others clung to him, but he paid them no attention.

“Let’s go. We’re going to save Mr. Jin Taekyung.”

At Choi Minwoo’s quiet words, a roar thundered across the grounds, loud enough to make their ears ring.

Butler Kim, Im Kkeokjeong, Song Song, and more than fifty Peace Guild members followed Choi Minwoo, cutting through the hundreds of Hunters like a current as they advanced toward the Gate.

That was when a deep shout burst from Butler Kim’s mouth.

“All Peace Guild members, form an attack formation!”

Clack-clack-clack!

Armor and blades flashed in the sunlight as they moved. In an instant, the more than fifty Peace Guild members transformed into a wedge formation and shot forward like a single arrow.

At the very front was Choi Minwoo, charging toward the magic field with a thunderous cry.

“Enter!”

Swoooosh!

Had the Gate’s magic ever felt this unpleasant?

Choi Minwoo opened his eyes with a crawling sense of foreboding in one corner of his chest.

His heart sank.

This is…

Scorched earth.

Was there a more fitting way to describe the sight before him?

The trail visible from the hill where the Gate entrance stood was completely engulfed in flames.

Mr. Jin Taekyung.

The foreboding he had felt while passing through the Gate seemed to be slowly taking shape.

Im Kkeokjeong spoke from behind him in a trembling voice.

“Team Leader Choi. Could Taekyung have…”

“Stop. We’re in the middle of an operation. Jumping to personal conclusions is prohibited.”

But this time, even Team Leader Choi’s words failed to give them strength.

The situation before them looked that hopeless. Im Kkeokjeong wasn’t the only one shaken. Every Peace Guild member was in turmoil.

No. That can’t be.

Choi Minwoo bit down hard on his lip as if to steady himself, then moved forward with heavy steps.

“We’re continuing our approach. Don’t lower your guard, and keep advancing.”

Preparing for the possible appearance of monsters, they cautiously moved forward.

And yet, the closer they came to the trail, the deeper the despair felt by the Peace Guild members grew.

“This can’t be.”

A mountain of broken bones and weapons. Ash blanketing the blackened earth.

There was no trace of life anywhere in that place, where only death and destruction flowed over everything. The same was true of the one person they had desperately hoped to find.

Dead? Him?

One question flashed through everyone’s mind.

The longer someone had known Jin Taekyung, the more blankly they blinked at this unbelievable reality.

In the suffocating silence, Butler Kim’s words sounded like a doctor’s final verdict.

“According to the results of the detection magic… we found no movement or living creatures within a three-hundred-meter radius.”

Choi Minwoo’s eyelids trembled.

“You mean…”

“I’m sorry.”

Butler Kim answered with a devastated expression and extended his hand. From the direction toward which his fingertips pointed, something rose into the air and slowly flew toward them.

“That’s…”

“Judging by the considerable magic I can sense from it, it appears to be a trace left by the Named Monster.”

The object in Butler Kim’s hand was a palm-sized metal fragment.

Its black sheen had not faded despite being covered in ash. When a skull emblem that looked terrifying even at a glance came into view, several people sucked in startled breaths.

“The skull emblem! Th-that’s the armor the Named Monster was wearing!”

“That’s right! We saw it clearly.”

Then someone searching the area shouted as if screaming.

“There’s a dagger here too! That isn’t equipment used by Skeletons!”

“It belongs to Senior Jin Taekyung. It’s the one he used all the time.”

In the atmosphere shrouded by shock, Butler Kim spoke in a subdued voice.

“It appears he was oxidized along with every enemy, including the Named Monster…”

“……!”

The air surrounding the trail seemed to crackle.

Now everything was certain. Jin Taekyung was dead. He had thrown away his own life, taking his enemies with him as companions on the road to the afterlife and leaving his comrades behind.

It was Im Kkeokjeong’s wail that finally broke the silence that seemed as if it would never end.

“Ghk. Nghh…”

The small tremor that began in his hands climbed up through his arms, shoulders, and back before spreading throughout his entire body. Tears poured from Im Kkeokjeong’s large eyes.

“Taekyung… Taekyung…”

No one mocked him as his massive frame shook with sobs.

The size of their grief might have differed, but everyone there felt the same.

Grief over Jin Taekyung’s death. Guilt that they had been unable to fight alongside him. And the helplessness they felt toward themselves.

The Peace Guild members’ eyes grew red and bloodshot, while tears ran down Butler Kim’s and Song Song’s cheeks.

Only one person did not cry: Choi Minwoo.

He’s dead. Jin Taekyung is dead.

With dark eyes, he looked around the trail, where acrid smoke still rose into the air.

It felt as though Taekyung might be hiding somewhere even now, ready to spring out like a jack-in-the-box.

I thought you would survive any situation.

His chest suddenly felt tight. It was the first time he had felt this way since losing his parents.

His grief swelled like a balloon, stretched taut as if it might burst at any moment.

That was when a voice drifted over.

“My, what a gruesome sight.”

“Jin Taekyung is nowhere to be seen. It seems he really is dead.”

Choi Minwoo slowly turned around. Hundreds of people had just entered the trail and come into view.

At the front of the Association and the Hunters who had participated in the rescue operation stood two men.

“It looks like the rescue operation has failed. Wouldn’t you agree, Association President?”

“Indeed. Everything’s been reduced to ash. I wonder if we’ll even be able to find the body. That aside, where is the Named Monster?”

“We’ll have to search thoroughly, but according to the detection magic, it appears all the problems you were concerned about have been resolved.”

At Go Jun’s words, the Association President’s heavily furrowed face opened into a broad smile.

“Oh, that’s welcome news. I thought we might have another casualty on our hands.”

“We were able to reduce the casualties thanks to your judgment, Association President.”

“What are you saying? This was all thanks to the Ares Guild stepping forward. Once everything is wrapped up, I’ll make absolutely certain that you receive a commendation plaque. Ha ha. It’ll be the first achievement of my term, so I’m thinking of holding a grand ceremony… Guild Master Lee Jungryong will be there too, won’t he?”

“He’s not the Guild Master. He’s the Vice Guild Master.”

“Ah, right. Goodness, I’ve been getting so forgetful lately.”

A dry smile appeared at the corner of Go Jun’s mouth.

“That can happen. And when the commendation plaque is presented, the Vice Guild Master will be delighted to attend as well.”

“I’ll get to see him again after all this time. Please put in a good word for me, Team Leader Seok.”

“I’m sure he’ll be greatly pleased even if I simply pass along exactly what I saw and heard.”

“Ha ha.”

The conversation between Go Jun and the Association President was a sharp needle—a needle capable of popping Choi Minwoo’s ballooning emotions.

“Shut your mouth.”

“……!”

Every sound came to an abrupt halt.

The Association President belatedly realized what he had heard, and his face twisted in rage. But Go Jun was one step ahead of him.

“You should watch your mouth.”

“I told you to shut it.”

“Young man, you don’t know the meaning of manners. Don’t you agree, Team Leader Choi Minwoo of the Peace Guild?”

His words had a barb.

To Go Jun, Choi Minwoo was a kite with its string cut. The Ares Guild, founded by his grandfather, was as good as being in Lee Jungryong’s hands already. And now that Jin Taekyung, the troublesome figure, was dead, there was no reason to keep his fangs hidden.

“I understand that you’re upset over the death of a Guild member, but you seem to need to calm down.”

Choi Minwoo muttered through clenched teeth.

“You could have saved him if you hadn’t dragged your feet.”

“We did our best. The Association President’s judgment was correct, too. And…”

Go Jun continued in his dry voice.

“You people bear responsibility as well. Don’t you agree?”

“……!”

“What were you doing when Jin Taekyung died? Leisurely reading a newspaper in your office? Or sitting in a bar since noon?”

Choi Minwoo bit his lip. Every word Go Jun said was true.

Because he trusted Jin Taekyung, he had abandoned everything else and devoted himself to training.

But…

At least he should not have done that.

Another needle flew at him as he struggled to speak.

“You killed Jin Taekyung. All of you killed him—the pathetic weaklings who forgot your duty.”

“……!”

Go Jun let out a short laugh.

“It’s too late to regret it. The dead don’t come back.”

That was when Choi Minwoo clenched his fists so tightly they felt ready to burst.

“What the fuck are you saying, you motherfucking bastard?”

A low but powerful voice pierced everyone’s ears.

Those who did not recognize the voice were bewildered by the sudden profanity. Those who knew it froze like stone statues.

No way…

Choi Minwoo slowly turned his head.

Far away, one person was trudging down the trail toward them.

“You finished the whole forty-ninth-day memorial rite while I was off taking a piss, you fucking bastard.”¹

Jin Taekyung spat out a wad of phlegm.

“Bring it, you son of a bitch.”