Chapter 440

The day Jin Taekyung’s private jet landed at Incheon International Airport, cameras from around the world turned toward Korea.

Countless flashes erupted without pause, bright enough to make people forget the sun was already setting. Despite the midwinter cold, hundreds of thousands packed the surrounding area and greeted the returning hero with thunderous cheers.

And at the center of it all stood one man, staring blankly at the welcome that had far exceeded anything he’d imagined.

“…What the hell is all this, goddammit?”

His voice was no louder than an ant’s, but the world’s media outlets had brought their best equipment. They didn’t miss the young hero’s offhand remark.

“What the sibu-leol?”¹

“Que veut-elle dire par là?”

“Was meint sie damit?”

Korean profanity was famously diverse—so much so that even translation devices struggled with it.

The Western reporters hesitated, unable to grasp the full-bodied meaning of sibu-leol¹, but the Korean reporters, who had mastered all manner of wildly inventive curses since their school days, moved like lightning.

“An article! Get it online now! We have to be first!”

“W-With this?”

“You idiot, don’t you know that everything Jin Taekyung does is breaking news right now? Stop wasting time. Get a shot of his mouth as he swears, grab the audio, and upload it immediately!”

“Yes, Senior! But, Senior… won’t this cause trouble?”

“Trouble? What trouble?”

“If it looks like we’re attacking Jin Taekyung, there could be a backlash. You know, something like Jin Taekyung Profanity Controversy…”

The veteran reporter scowled at his junior.

Was that kid in his second year now, or his third? After working in the field this long, he should’ve learned to think, but he was still hopelessly slow on the uptake.

The veteran barely held back a curse when he remembered that the idiot in front of him was the bureau chief’s nephew.

“Hey. Reporter Hong.”

“Yes.”

“Jin Taekyung is allowed to swear.”

“What?”

“When a politician or celebrity swears in public in this country, they become the worst person alive. But when Jin Taekyung does it, people nearly die of happiness. Understand?”

“Yes, yes, Senior!”

Only then did the junior nod. The veteran let out a deep sigh and looked at his smartphone.

The chatroom for the live stream currently airing on iTube, the world’s largest video-sharing website, was already going berserk.

└ ㅅㅂㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Sibu-leol.

└ Lord Fuck… he is back.

└ Lord Balls too. I saw him bet his balls on the Chinese news earlier and laughed my ass off, seriously lmao.

└ King Taekyung. The bastard who pulled off an incredible achievement, told every interview to fuck off, and wrapped up his official press conference in thirty minutes…

└ And yet fought like hell to rescue the survivors until the very end…

└ The bastard who bet his balls instead of money on a Chinese state-run broadcast watched by at least ten million people…

└ The bastard who says sibu-leol in front of the entire world…

└ King Taekyung. Infinitely warmhearted, but completely insane…

└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Is he even a Hunter, or is he some kind of eccentric?

└ Nope, he’s Lord Sibu-leol.

└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Lord Sibu-leol is pretty good.

└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Actually, didn’t King Taekyung say something about this in an earlier interview? He asked people to stop calling him Lord Fuck.

└ Really? Got it, hyung!² From today on, I’ll call him Lord Sibu-leol!

└ He doesn’t like Lord Fuck? Then we have to call him Lord Sibu-leol from now on lmao.

└ Lord Fuck + Lord Balls = Lord Sibu-leol.

└ Look at that buildup lmao. At this point, was it intentional?

└ Hello, everyone. What do you think about the fact that Mr. Jin is a descendant of Jin Chui, a general of the Ming dynasty? China is a great and powerful country, so if he were to become a naturalized citizen, it would be an even better opportunity for him. Oh, and for the record, I’m Korean.

└ ??????

└ Why are you suddenly dumping jajang³ sauce in here…

└ Take care on your way home, Mr. Wang.

└ If that bastard is Korean, then I’m an Asgardian. I drank beer with Thor in Valhalla yesterday.

└ Heh, Chinese as expected. You give yourself away immediately because you’re an idiot wwwww. Of course, Jin Taekyung is an idiot too. I’m Korean as well, but I think it’s a nuisance to everyone when he uses such vulgar language at an official event like today. At the very least, there’s something to learn from our neighboring country Japan when it comes to national character.

└ ????

└ Jajang³ sauce wasn’t enough, so now you’re dumping wasabi on us too…

└ “Heh” lmao. You sound like some Japanese right-winger trembling with rage at King Taekyung. Why are you so stupid?

└ ??? : Magdonaldo. Ssankyu!⁴

└ Please watch your own country’s broadcasts. Stop coming to Korea’s official channel and pretending to be Korean.

└ Wwwww, it’s hilarious how hard you’re denying reality. I really am Korean.

└ Where do you live?

└ Seoul City, Busan District.⁵

└ Ha…

└ There’s a reason people call this place Hell Joseon.⁶ What is this, left Azure Dragon and right White Tiger?⁷ We’ve got left jajang³ and right wasabi.

└ There’s even a Devil Fruit user up north.⁸

└ ??? : Uncle-in-law, uncle-in-law, total barrage!⁹

└ Don’t get baited by weirdos. Watch the broadcast. The car parade is about to start.

└ It really is. Don’t get angry over pointless stuff, hyungs.² Let’s just watch King Taekyung.

Broadcast networks, cable channels, and general programming channels were all showing the scene. On top of that, viewers around the world were watching through iTube’s live stream.

With untold numbers watching, the massive limousine bus carrying Jin Taekyung and his companions began to move.

The cheers grew louder, flashes burst everywhere, and drones filled the sky overhead, painting patterns across the night.

└ Wow, this is insane. There are so many people that the cameras can’t even fit them all in the frame ㄷㄷ;¹⁰

└ This is bigger than the Olympics. How many drones are there, anyway?

└ A lot, I guess?

└ I know that much…

└ I got goose bumps the moment the bus started moving. My chest actually swelled up. Is this for real?

The limousine bus carrying Jin Taekyung and his companions moved at ten kilometers per hour¹¹ through a wall of people.

Brilliant fireworks exploded without pause, and flower petals scattered by the crowd whirled through the air on the wind.

At first, Jin Taekyung watched the scene with an awkwardly stiff expression. Before long, however, he smiled and waved at the crowd.

They’re people who like me.

Six months ago, Jin Taekyung had been no more than a grain of sand on a beach.

An F-rank Hunter who could be found anywhere, ignored by everyone and swept away whenever a wave rolled in.

He had never once imagined that a day like this would come.

All I ever dreamed of was retiring without dying…

He had gained so much. He’d been forced to walk a thorny path with death on every side, but the fruit hanging along the way had been sweet. Power beyond his wildest imagination, enormous wealth, and even fame.

And…

“You’ve worked hard, my son.”

“I’m really proud of you too, Mr. Jin Taekyung, but these flashes are so bright I can barely see your face. How long are those reporters planning to keep this up?”

His family, who had always been with him.

His mother’s warm hand stroking his back made his throat tighten, while the sight of his sister scrunching up her face against the flashes drew a quiet laugh from him.

“Mom worked harder than I did. You too, Sis.”

“I know. Mom and Oppa¹² worked harder.”

“I thought you were barely human, but you do have a shred of conscience after all.”

“Wow, listen to him.”

“Smile, you idiot. Do you have any idea how many cameras are filming us right now?”

With that joking remark, Jin Taekyung pulled them both into a hug. Then he met a pair of eyes watching him from behind his family.

“You’ve truly been through a lot, Mr. Jin Taekyung.”

“You too, Team Leader Choi. I’m just a big, dumb brute. Without you, I really would’ve had a hard time.”

“I only did what I had to do. And I’ll continue to do the same.”

“You’re saying something scary with a smile.”

“You know this isn’t the end.”

He knew.

That was why his resolve hardened even further.

Jin Taekyung had made it this far across a perilous field of thorns. He couldn’t allow his precious family and friends to walk the same path.

Even if his feet became covered in blood and he collapsed from the pain, he would protect them from the threats drawing ever closer.

Sometimes they would join forces. And even if it meant sacrificing himself…

“I’ll be counting on you for a long time to come.”

Team Leader Choi stared at the hand Jin Taekyung held out. Then a deep dimple appeared beside his mouth.

“Yes. Always.”

Just as the two firmly clasped hands, a grumbling voice rang out inside Jin Taekyung’s head.

You’re all having a grand old time.

Are you still sulking?

Who is sulking?! Does this body, reborn as a great king, look as though it would feel such a petty human emotion?

You’re definitely sulking.

I am not!

The attention seeker—no, the Skeleton King—who had been forced by circumstances to hide in the Inventory had been sulking bitterly for quite a while.

Jin Taekyung smiled faintly and spoke inwardly.

Hey.

Do not speak to me!

Thanks for everything so far. I’m counting on you from here on out, too.

H-Hmm.

The Skeleton King cleared his throat and continued hesitantly.

Since you put it that way, I shall consider it.

Consider what?

Staying with you, you vile human.

Oh, you don’t need to consider that.

What?

You’re joining Peace Guild no matter what. I’ve already had the contract drawn up, so go put your thumbprint on it. No, wait. Your fingerprints won’t show up in a records check, so I guess you’ll have to stamp it with your skull.

What is this?! Is this not a free and democratic country?!

Nope. I’m going to work you like a slave and suck out every last drop, right down to your marrow.

Release this body immediately! Turn the car around!

Unable to hold it in any longer, Jin Taekyung burst out laughing and leaned toward the driver’s seat.

“Could we head straight to the next destination?”

“Pardon?”

The startled driver stammered out a reply.

“That’s different from the instructions we received beforehand.”

“Can’t we?”

“I’m sorry, but we can’t.”

“We really can’t?”

“I’m afraid not…”

“Seriously, truly, we can’t?”

The driver answered in a voice halfway to surrender.

“…I think we might be able to.”

“Then please take us to Peace Guild’s guild house.”

The driver relayed the request to his superior. After it passed through several levels of reporting, the higher-ups were bewildered but readily agreed.

And the roughly three thousand drones followed the seemingly endless car parade.

The limousine bus carrying Jin Taekyung and his companions eventually stopped in front of Peace Guild’s guild house.

Every moment of their meeting with the Guild members waiting there was captured on camera and broadcast around the world.

Even after midnight passed and the long-awaited Christmas Eve arrived, the fervor showed no sign of dying down.

If anything, people seemed to compete to feed fresh wood and wind to the fading flames.

The name Jin Taekyung was everywhere, and for someone still suffering from severe aftereffects, it was unbearable torment.

“This morning, the United States’ S-rank Hunter Magic Johnson announced through his official social-media account that he is pursuing some kind of agreement with Peace Guild—”

Bang!

The announcer’s face vanished from the holographic television. The man who had smashed the machine screamed.

“Jin Taekyung, Jin Taekyung, Jin Taekyung!”

Bang! Crash!

His eyes were bloodshot. Powerful qi shot from his wildly swinging fists, smashing everything around him and reducing it to dust.

That name was more hateful than any other.

At the same time, it belonged to the man who had shown him a fear he could never forget.

“Aaaaaaaagh!”

Just as Go Jun howled amid the devastated room, a faint sound of movement reached him, followed by a cautious voice.

“T-Team Leader.”