Suho’s face hardened. The population of Manipur was a staggering three million. At first, he had only worried about all of them turning into mist burns and dying, but the truth was far worse. In the worst-case scenario, all three million could become mutants.
Whichever case occurred, there would be three million victims. But while those afflicted by the mist only survived for a limited time, mutants could leave this dungeon and wreak havoc elsewhere. In addition, though dragonkin weren’t true dragons, they were far more dangerous than mist burns.
If all of this was a part of Siddharth Bachchan’s plan, it was a terrifying prospect. The plan had to be stopped.
“Harmakan, is there a way to make them human again?” Suho asked.
“Sadly, no.”
“What about you, Antares? Can you do something?”
Antares also shook his head. “It’s impossible. Injecting dragon blood into a body that isn’t even of the dragon lineage… It’s a miracle that their bodies haven’t been destroyed already.”
“Exactly. I believe the Star Fragments embedded within them are fighting the deadly side effects. That immense pain is what’s causing their sanity to shatter, even now,” Harmakan added.
Listening to their explanations, Suho’s gaze fell silently on the mutated creatures, who were shrieking in pain while restrained by Harmakan’s spells.
“Young Monarch, the only mercy we can offer them is a quick death. That is the only salvation they will ever have,” Beru advised.Suho nodded silently.
Harmakan channeled his magic, crushing the blue Star Fragments within their bodies. The stones cracked and shattered. With final, anguished cries, their forms dissolved where they stood.
[Mutant No. 8 has been defeated.]
[Mutant No. 8 has been defeated.]
[Mutant No. 8 has been defeated.]
[……]
No additional level-ups came. Suho stood, looking down at the fragmented corpses of the mutated creatures, his expression more grim than ever.
[Target is eligible for shadow extraction.]
[Target is eligible for shadow extraction.]
Was it a relief, perhaps? Despite the dark magic that had tainted their lives at the will of another, it seemed the creatures’ souls remained uncorrupted.
After a moment of deliberation, Suho stretched his hand toward their shadows. “I’ll give you an opportunity. If you wish to take revenge with your own hands… Arise.”
At those words, the agonized souls of the fallen mutants began to wail, their lament echoing in the air.
Liu’s eyes widened. Had his memories from his past life not returned, he might have mistaken it for a sinister power. However, things were different now.
Has he inherited his father’s power? Liu wondered. Sung Jinwoo’s skill, which he always admired in his previous life, was now unfolding before his very eyes.
Countless shadow soldiers rose from the ground.
[Shadow Foot Soldier - Level 1]
[Shadow Foot Soldier - Level 1]
[Shadow Foot Soldier - Level 1]
Released from their mutant forms by death, their spirits kneeled solemnly before Suho. “Guide me,” he commanded coldly. “Take me to the people who did this to you.” ṝäNỘΒÈⱾ
The soldiers quivered in his fierce presence, but raised their head in resolve and rose to their feet, tears flowing freely from their eyes.
***
Imphal was the capital of Manipur and its largest city. Within the city, the charm of traditional Indian architecture was blended with modern residential blocks. The landscape was a vibrant mix of the picturesque Loktak Lake in the distance and sleek new apartment buildings and shops. Although it now lay within the Loktak field, many people continued to live as if nothing had changed.
“Master, do you plan to do nothing?”
“What do you mean?”
“About the Asura Guild. Even with everything that’s going on, this city falls under the jurisdiction of the Imphal Guild.”
Ali Hassan, the guild master of the Imphal Guild, bit into his cigarette as he considered the words of his vice guild master. “What could we do?”
“You do realize it, don’t you?” the vice guild master continued. “Without those necklaces, this city would be in ruins.”
“Hardly. Without them, everyone would’ve just moved elsewhere,” Ali retorted. “That’s the same as being ruined, you idiot. Especially for us.”
“We’re basically ruined already—”
“Shut up,” Ali interrupted, his expression just as sour as his subordinate’s.
Indeed, the Imphal Guild’s territory had been completely taken over by the giant Asura Guild. As frustrating as it was, the Stardust necklaces Asura had distributed offered an incredible shield, allowing civilians to live amid the blue mist without succumbing to it and becoming mist burns. As a result, life in Imphal went on, undisturbed by the poisoned air.
“But something just doesn’t seem right,” Ali muttered.
“See? You think so, too.”
Ali stared out the window, silent. These days, Imphal felt bleak, shrouded in the omnipresent blue mist. While it was true that people were protected from the mist and went about their daily lives as usual, the city outside the guild’s headquarters had grown oddly quiet, like a village of ghosts in a low-budget horror movie. Also, there was one more thing.
“Why the hell haven’t the Asura bastards cleared the dungeons yet?” Ali wondered aloud.
“My thoughts exactly! Sure, they cleared one dungeon initially, but since then it’s like they’ve just been wasting time. It’s like they’re stalling.”
The Asura Guild’s master, Siddharth Bachchan, was a renowned powerhouse in India. However, despite his direct involvement, the Loktak field—which included Imphal—remained cloaked in blue mist.
“If they planned on taking this long, they could’ve at least let us help,” the vice guild master complained.
“I know. Enough already. You know what your problem is? You’re always right.”
“Sorry, it’s just… I’m just upset. This used to be our jurisdiction. There’s a gate right there in front of us, and all we can do is watch.”
Ali spat his cigarette on the floor and crushed it underfoot. Trust me, I’m just as frustrated as you are, he thought. After all, this was the tyranny of a powerful organization.
The Asura Guild had taken all clearance rights from the Imphal Guild, claiming they would ensure the safety of the citizens, and the Imphal Guild had been forced to comply. All three million citizens who had survived thanks to the Stardust necklaces had welcomed the Asura Guild with open arms. As a result, the Imphal Guild was fresh out of work.
Still, it wasn’t as if there was nothing they could do. With the field infested with magic beasts, the Imphal Guild had been relegated to guard duty, ensuring no harm came to anyone nearby.
But how long must we keep this up? Ali wondered. Unless someone actually entered that dungeon and cleared it, Imphal would remain a field-type dungeon, forever dependent on the Asura Guild’s protection. Who do they think they are, the government?
“Guild Master!” An employee burst through the office door, her voice filled with alarm. “There’s trouble outside! You need to see this.”
“What is it? Another horde of magic beasts?” Ali asked, puzzled.
Even as he spoke, he frowned. If it were monsters, he would have sensed their auras by now. There were no such signs of that, and the employee’s expression was… strange.
“What in the world is—”
Crash!
The door the employee had just come through was suddenly crushed, and someone strolled inside, stepping over the fragmented remains.
“Who the hell are you?”
“What’s the meaning of this?”
Shocked, Ali and his vice guild master took combat stances, glaring at the intruder.
A villain?Or maybe a member of a gang? Ali wondered. Either way, this was absurd. Even though the Imphal Guild’s reputation had faded, what kind of lunatic would dare storm the headquarters of a hunter guild?
“Hmm,” the young intruder said in an unknown language. Something about him was off. He looked them over, then tilted his head. “Is this the right place?They don’t seem to be from the Church of the Outer Gods.”
“What is he saying? What language is that?” Ali demanded, eyeing the stranger cautiously.
“I-I don’t understand it either.” The vice guild master shook his head, confused.
But if words failed, actions could take over. The vice guild master lunged, intent on subduing the intruder. “I’ll capture him and call an interpreter! Who does he think he is, breaking down the door and—”
“W-wait!” Ali reached out to stop him, but it was too late.
“Gah!”
Ali shut his eyes tightly as the vice guild master was sent flying into the wall. “You should think before you attack…” he mumbled. His colleague had no one to blame but himself. He’d failed to sense the stranger’s power.
Ali swallowed dryly, channeling his power. Sometimes ignorance was courage, and knowledge a burden. He simply didn’t have the guts to jump forward like the vice guild master, who had fainted instantly.
This guy is strong.So strong, I can’t even detect his power properly.Is he an S-rank hunter? As a guild master, Ali had encountered S-rank hunters before. However, he could confidently say that he’d never seen anyone like this. Who is he?
“Huh? They’re not even wearing necklaces. Is this really the right place?”
Another figure entered the office and Ali started in surprise. It was an old man with white hair, speaking Chinese. As soon as Ali recognized him, his eyes widened in shock. “L-Liu Zhigang?!”
There wasn’t a single hunter who didn’t know Liu’s face. He was China’s one and only six-star hunter, a nomadic warrior who roamed the land constantly seeking new battlefields, though they couldn’t challenge his overwhelming strength. What was such a man doing in this city? And there was something even stranger.
“Well, what now?”
This veritable demon of the sword, whom not even the Chinese government dared to cross, was meekly deferring to the young man who had come in first!
Ali couldn’t contain his astonishment. Just who… is this guy?!
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