CHAPTER 42
042 - Conversation

Jinwoo's sword split the heart that was as large as a building. The slash, imbued with mana, bisected the heart, and the Erosion began to collapse.

Kugugugugugu—

A colossal energy was released, dissipating as if it were melting into the air.
However, there was something that only Jinwoo could see.

Island's Black Flame. It scattered and rose toward the sky before changing direction and pouring into Jinwoo.
Just like the souls of the Elves in Tokyo.

'Did this free it from the Erosion?'

Was the turtle's soul now free from the Erosion? At the very least, it must have escaped from the Monarch that was consuming Earth.

'The turtle's final answer.'

There had been an answer.
When Jinwoo asked for the Monarch's name, the turtle had given him one.

[A Fragment of a Past Life emerges. That sword will finally cleave the heavens.]

He recalled the skeleton's helmet he had obtained earlier, still in his inventory. The helmet was said to be imbued with the curse of the Sky God.
The other name he had heard for this entity in the village of Belen was the Lord of Oppression and Ceiling.

"It stopped! I don't know what happened, but it stopped moving!"
"Now's our chance! Hit it with everything you've got!"

Seeing Island suddenly halt, the Hunters snapped to attention.
Until now, Island's legs had never once stopped, though they had slowed.
Was this finally the result of their relentless assault?

Though they had reason to celebrate, they didn't let down their guard, wringing out every last drop of their remaining energy. Believing this was their first and last chance, they poured all their power into their attacks.
A massive chunk of power, a rock resembling a meteor, fell from the sky. Lightning crashed down, and the ground split apart.
Then, suddenly.
Island began to rapidly disappear.

"Huh? Wh-what?"
"Did we get it?"

Even though it was disappearing quickly, its sheer size meant it took time. During its dissolution, the Hunters' barrage rained down upon it.
The black Erosion vanished from Island's eyes. For the first time since appearing on Earth, the creature regained its true consciousness.
Was it a sad thing, that this was its final moment? Or was it a joyous one, to be able to die with a clear mind at last?

Wuuuu...
Wuuuuu...

With a weak cry, Island used its last remaining strength to curl its body inward. It couldn't disappear just yet.
If it did, the being inside its heart would be exposed to the Hunters' attacks.
It had to withstand this final barrage to protect him.

KWA-GWA-GWA-GWANG!

A short while later, the Hunters' bombardment subsided.
At the same time, Island, relieved, was finally able to enter the peaceful rest it had so longed for.

"We... we did it! We defeated it!"
"What, who finished it? How!?"

While celebrating their victory, they were all filled with questions.
Everyone present was far from ordinary. They were among the strongest individuals from their respective nations.
They could tell whether their own power had dealt a perfect blow to an enemy or not.
No one here believed they had landed the fatal strike. They had only managed to destroy and scorch its outer shell and flesh.
If so, then who on earth had brought down Island?

"Are you alright?"
"Yes. I'm fine."

Just then, a single figure was spotted where Island had vanished. In truth, there were two people, but only one was visible to the others' eyes.

"Who's that?"
"Hey! I haven't seen you before. Which S-class are you?"

The gazes of the S-class Hunters poured down on him. Receiving the attention of so many renowned figures, Jinwoo's eyes grew somber.

'Until the very end...'

He was not so dense as to be unaware of the turtle's final act.
He had seen it all from the inside. He watched it curl up, shielding him one last time before it departed.
Suddenly, the final scene of the memory he had seen earlier came to mind.
The small turtle, which had lived for a very long time, had succumbed to its lifespan before he did.
He remembered carefully lifting its body and burying it in a corner of the garden.
He hadn't shed tears, but he recalled the sadness.
He felt the same way now.

"CRAZY!"

All of New York erupted in cheers.
The citizens, who had been receiving real-time updates even while evacuating, roared at the news of Island's defeat.

"They said it's been defeated!"
"We won! Humanity has won again!"
"This isn't just New York's victory, it's a victory for the whole planet! If everyone hadn't come to help, it would have been a terrible ending!"

They hugged each other, shedding tears.
Of course, much had been lost. Many had died, and many more were injured. There were also those who had sacrificed themselves for others.
But their wish had been granted. The city was safe, and many of its citizens had survived.
Restoring the barrier, rebuilding the ruined western district, dealing with crimes and incidents that occurred during the evacuation... many problems remained, but for now, everyone rejoiced.
Gratitude to all who fought to protect New York. Gratitude to the Hunters from other nations who had rolled up their sleeves to help, even though it wasn't their own country's problem.
And preceding all those names, one name spread like wildfire.

— Kang Jinwoo of Seoul. Ends the battle by cutting down Island's core.
— Hunter who dealt the fatal blow to Island revealed to be an E-class from Seoul.
— Kurenai Masato, S-class of Tokyo: "Stopping Island was a feat of us all, but killing it was the feat of a single man."

Island, which had seemed like an unstoppable disaster, which some had even considered the end of New York.
The news that the one who stopped it was an E-class Hunter sent the city into a frenzy.

This is insane! He's E-class? Isn't he an S-class that Seoul secretly raised?
Why does Seoul classify him as E-class? Anyone can see he's S-class!
Did you see the video? The way he split a heart the size of a building in one slash!
I don't care what he is. E-class or S-class, he's Kang Jinwoo. The savior of New York!

The reason Jinwoo's name had spread so far was due to a single video submitted to the New York media.
In the video, a red object as large as a building squirmed, surrounded by hundreds, thousands of black tentacles woven like a spider's web.
It was clearly Island's heart, an extraordinary sight.
The video captured the entire sequence: Jinwoo bisecting that heart with a single sword stroke, and the Erosion simultaneously beginning to collapse.
It was definitive proof that Jinwoo had been the one to defeat Island, filmed by Kurenai Masato's bodycam.

Whoa, look at this! Who would think he's E-class after seeing this?
He's at least A-class. There's no way a B-class or lower could fire off a slash like that.
Everyone's focused on the slash, but what's more amazing is his swordsmanship. I'm a swordsman Hunter too, so I know. A form that clean is extremely rare, even among A-class Hunters!

Though the video was short, its impact was immense. Hunters who knew a thing or two about swordsmanship flocked to analyze and marvel at Jinwoo's strike.
Some said Jinwoo was a Hunter who had been properly trained, while others claimed he was a self-taught combat veteran. Everyone analyzed his technique with their own conviction, but no one's opinion matched.
It was a style of swordsmanship that appeared different to every beholder. The mystique it held captivated swordsmen all over the world.

While the citizens were buzzing with all sorts of topics,
at the Golden Haven Hotel, a five-star hotel standing tall in the middle of New York, most of the S-class Hunters who had participated in the battle gathered for a victory celebration party.

"Everyone fought well! Our hard work paid off."
"Enough with the stuffy talk, let's have a toast!"

The city authorities had booked the entire hotel to host them. Since all reservations had been canceled due to Island's appearance, they were able to book it quickly.
The party was scheduled to last for a full week.
The reason for such a long schedule wasn't just for celebrating the victory.

"Hey, Mr. Kang. Tell us a bit. How were you able to find and destroy the core?"
"Yeah, that's right. I can understand finding it being your ability, but how did you stop Island's regeneration?"
"In my view, he's a brilliant magician. The sword is a fake-out. He must have analyzed Island and constructed a spell to suppress its regeneration."
"Hey, you only say that because you don't know swords. Didn't you see the video? It's impossible for a magician to swing a sword like that!"

In the hotel hall, complete with popping champagne and all sorts of luxurious dishes, wines, and desserts, people gathered around Jinwoo.
They had come to help New York, but they had also come to gather information on the new Erosion phenomenon. In a way, fighting Island was also for the purpose of acquiring combat data.
Therefore, they were more eager than anyone to hear from Jinwoo, who had single-handedly defeated Island.

"I can only say that it's the power of my past life. Like all of you, it's a power that's difficult to explain with words."
"Tsk. We were comrades-in-arms, even if for a moment. Are you going to be that stingy?"
"I'm not hiding anything, it's the truth. If I were a magician, I might have been able to analyze it, but since I've only ever used a sword, it's hard for me to explain the principles of my power."

An interpreter relayed Jinwoo's words, spoken with a bitter smile, and the S-class Hunters clicked their tongues in disappointment.
Now that a case like Island had appeared, it was hard to believe another Erosion of that form wouldn't appear again.
For the future, they desperately wanted to know about Jinwoo's ability to find and destroy the core, but...

"Still, the chances of another monster the size of Island appearing are low, right?"
"Right. If it's a normal size, we can just keep stabbing and smashing it until the core eventually breaks. As long as it's not as big as Island, we'll be fine."

"Hahahaha!" They laughed loudly as if they had heard a funny joke.
Another monster the size of Island appearing? Please, let that remain just a joke here. Even as they laughed, cold sweat trickled down their backs.

"Excuse me, Mr. Jinwoo."
Just then, someone approached and called out to Jinwoo.
It was a woman dressed entirely in plain black clothes, holding a baby dragon in her arms.
It was Mahiri, the S-class Hunter from New Delhi.

Grrr.

Jinwoo looked once at Mahiri, then at the red baby dragon nestled in her arms.
Its name was Kalesian, wasn't it?
He felt a strange urge to say something, but decided this wasn't the place and held his tongue.

"What is it?"
"I heard you were attacked by Johann. Is that true? If it is, does that mean you defeated him?"

The laughter of the S-class Hunters, who had been chatting merrily, stopped. All eyes shot toward them. The whereabouts of Johann, the S-class Warlock from New York.
The matter had been buried by Island's appearance, but there had certainly been an issue before that.
The grandson of Seoul's Cheonok Group had been attacked by Johann, and in the process, an E-class Hunter had been killed.
But that E-class Hunter was here, and Johann had not returned. If that was the case...

"David."

Before answering, Jinwoo called out David's name.
David, who had been sipping a drink alone in an inconspicuous corner, scowled deeply.

"Why did you order Johann to kill me?"

The interpreter flinched and asked Jinwoo if he really wanted that translated. Before Jinwoo could even answer, one of the S-class Hunters fluent in both Korean and English translated it in a loud voice.

"He says David ordered Johann to kill him!"

At the sudden bombshell, the atmosphere turned icy.

— [Breaking News] Kang Jinwoo of Seoul: "David instigated Johann to try and kill me."

The single line of breaking news struck New York like a thunderbolt. The city was already in an uproar over the Island and Kang Jinwoo incident.
Now, with a major scandal involving Johann and David, public opinion was not just hot—it was on the verge of exploding.

Is it true? Was what the Cheonok Group's grandson said true?
I don't want to believe it, but... he said it himself. What can you do?
Everyone, calm down. Nothing has been proven yet. In matters like this, we should remain as neutral as possible.

With David now involved, public opinion was cautious. Some were outraged, others remained cool. For now, it was the calm before the storm.
Until another article was published.

— Tokyo's Blackout Guild Secret Ledger Revealed. Is David's Name Among the Clients?

There was no proof that David had instigated Johann. That's why neutrality was possible. But the request to assassinate Chartia in Tokyo was a matter with clear evidence.
With that, public opinion completely turned, and the voices condemning David grew endlessly louder.

"Kurenai. Did you do this to help me?"

Jinwoo, who had been watching the events unfold, asked Kurenai Masato.
No matter how you looked at it, the timing was too perfect. Unless Kurenai Masato had arranged it beforehand...

"...What foolishness. It's true I hold you in high regard, but I'm not so smitten as to break the assassin's code."

No matter what, keeping a client's information secret was the code of an assassin.
It was a matter related to the credibility of the entire industry and had to be protected at all costs. If any member was found to have broken it, they would be immediately ostracized.

'He seems very angry.'

Kurenai Masato was furious.
He was so enraged that his Blue Flame was trembling. Today was the first time Jinwoo had seen emotions affect a soul to this extent.
It meant that Kurenai Masato's spirit was of such a high caliber that it was comparable to his soul.
It also meant that despite possessing such a spirit, he was overwhelmed with rage.

"Did I mention it before? That internal discipline has been lax."
"I thought you were just saying that."
"It seems there are many who have a foot in several camps. My, my, why are there so many bastards in this world that need to be killed...?"

"I wanted to stay and enjoy New York a little longer since I'm here," the old man said as he left the hotel. He was probably returning to Tokyo.
After he left, Jinwoo shrugged. To Kurenai, it was an unforgivable act that undermined the credibility of his entire industry, but for Jinwoo, it was a fortunate turn of events. The credibility of the assassination industry had nothing to do with him in the first place.

'Where's David... still in his room?'

Jinwoo lay back on the rocking chair in his suite and closed his eyes.
He had a grasp of every Blue Flame in the entire hotel, and he was focusing his senses on David's.
With his ability, Jinwoo could monitor him from his room without needing to linger nearby. Since he wasn't using any sort of magic or familiars, there was no risk of being detected.
He silently closed his eyes, monitoring him, and at the same time...

'Memories of my past life.'

Jinwoo was constantly replaying the memories of his past life that he had seen earlier.

"Damn it!"

David tore at his hair, pacing anxiously around his suite.
He thought he could just deny the matter with Johann. It happened inside a Gate, after all. There was no chance he would be arrested based solely on the claims of Cheon Juhyeok or Kang Jinwoo.
But the matter with Chartia was different. There was concrete evidence, and because of that, the Johann incident was now tied to it, making it impossible to completely deny.

'Even so, it's just the ledger of some lowly assassin. If I deny this too, I might be able to get through it somehow, but...'

He might be able to smooth things over for now. But with a scandal of this magnitude breaking, the future he had dreamed of was effectively blocked.
His plan was to leave the dangerous life of a Hunter behind and ambitiously enter politics.
He didn't want to enter perilous Gates even when he became an old man. Most other Hunters felt similarly.
That's why everyone prepares for their later years. Some establish guilds to discover young Hunters, others become technical advisors for corporations or join volunteer organizations.
Among them, there were cases like Seoul's Ma Doo-sik, who successfully entered politics and established themselves. David had dreamed of that path as well, but...

"Room service."
"Just leave it there!"

Just then, room service arrived. A luxurious meal was brought in, but David had no appetite.
Then, he discovered a small note under a plate.

'What's this?'

He unfolded the note. There was no sender's name, just a single sentence.

— Hong Kong will always be waiting for you.

'Tch, that den of vipers is getting clingy again.'

As if accustomed to this, David casually crumpled the note and tossed it into the trash.
S-class Hunters receive offers from many places. It wasn't just him; all S-class Hunters likely received various proposals from many countries.
Hong Kong was one of them. In particular, Hong Kong had been pouring money and planting spies in New York for a long time.
Even before becoming the Bureau Director, David had lost count of how many love calls he had received.
He had always ignored them because he had no reason to leave New York, but...

'...Should I hear them out this time?'

When things were going well, he ignored them without a second thought, but now that things had come to this, he was tempted.
It wasn't unheard of for an S-class Hunter to change their affiliation. Every country poured immense amounts of money and resources to bring in even a single S-class Hunter.
In fact, hadn't Chartia left New York for Seoul?
He didn't want to leave New York, but he might need to prepare a place to escape to, just in case.
It wouldn't hurt to just hear them out once.

'Let's see, the contact number is...'

He knew several congressmen in Hong Kong who were swimming in money. He chose one who was deeply involved in the Hunter industry and made contact.
In the meantime, the victory party and the Erosion countermeasure meetings continued, and five days of the scheduled week passed.
Five days later, David arranged to meet with an agent from Hong Kong in person. There were too many things that couldn't be discussed over the phone.

'There are security cameras and too many watching eyes.'

Especially since he was at the center of a hot topic, many people were paying attention to him.
He couldn't just walk out the main entrance in this situation. In the dead of night, he secretly opened his window and clung to the hotel wall.
He then leaped up, his body quickly ascending to the building's rooftop.

'They don't put security cameras or guards on the building walls.'

Escaping like this, he felt a strange sense of freedom. It had been a long time since he'd felt this way.
Basking in the fierce wind of freedom, he leaped powerfully toward the rooftop of the adjacent building.
Just then.

SWOOOOSH!

A sword slash shot up from below, aimed directly at him.

"Kuh!"

Startled by the sudden ambush, he drew his sword and blocked it. The force of the slash was so tremendous that his body was flung even higher into the air.
By the time he managed to regain his posture and land back on the rooftop, his enemy was already there.
It was Jinwoo, standing with a sword from which the remnants of mana were rising.

"Kang Jinwoo! How did you...!"

He had carefully checked for surveillance before leaving. The reason he had opened the window and climbed the building wall instead of going through the hallway was precisely to avoid being watched.
So how had he detected his movements and attacked?
As David ground his teeth in confusion, Kang Jinwoo took out a smartphone with his free hand.
He sent a signal to Chartia, whom he had contacted in advance, and then opened the translation app he had been using most frequently since arriving in New York.
He muttered a few words into the phone, and a generic AI voice flowed out, striking David's ears.

— I want to have a conversation with you.

"A conversation with a sword in your hand? You crazy bastard!"

David's face twisted into a vicious snarl.