#1

  The season has passed summer and fell into winter.

  A lot has happened in the meantime. Somalia was completely changed in just half a year by the power of astronomical money poured out by Jaehwang. Surely it was hard to get rid of the poverty that existed for more than a hundred years. Again, the most troubling thing was the matter of religion and race.

  But Jaehwang did it and as he was advised, he poured out money that could not be protested against. The money that he had given them created a time of harmony beyond religion and tribes.

  There were many who resisted, but they also fell to the power of money one by one, and while the whole of Somalia cannot be freed, Pantland had certainly caught up with the other states around it.

  Trillions of dollars were poured into this country.

  The World Hunter Secretariat was also excluded this time. Including them will reduce their financial burden in exchange for the added psychological burden to the people, and they didn’t want that.

  Jaehwang, who wanted an army to move with him, casually paid the money by himself. Without the help of the Invincible Palace, they would not have been able to stabilize the situation in just half a year.

  The Invincible Palace gave full human and physical support to what Jaehwang was trying to do and when Somalia became stabilized to some extent, Jaehwang began recruiting hunters and hunter-seekers from around the world.

  Hunters move on money, but Jaehwang gave them a condition that could not be ignored.

  ‘You could volunteer at Martial Arts House for the next five years, provided that you would fully support everything for our growth.’


  At first glance, one might think that it was similar to the Awakening Army’s conditions, but it has a different merit. If they could turn an individual into a group called an army, the soldier on the battlefield would be considered as a horse.

  In some cases, the military could also be used as a channel to discard people to take its usual death tolls for granted.

  Jaehwang’s offer was supported by a proven Hunter training processor of Invincible along with a forced awakening.

  Since Somalia has not started the monster hunt, the place right outside it turned to be a monster’s paradise. A little out of the area where the humans live lies a land infested by monsters. There was no better place for them to level up.

  Jaehwang also ran around the world raiding Tier 9 monsters to level up and earn some money.

  It could be strengthened through training and meditation, but a Hunter’s most basic means of strengthening was to upgrade his/her tools. People naturally thought that Jaehwang would now be sitting at the highest level.

  However, Jaehwang was not yet full. To be precise, he was ranked S in the early autumn.

  His rate of improvement was unreal. In the case of Kwon Je, it was only in his mid-50’s that he became an S-ranked hunter. It was only possible because he raided around 9-tier monsters. There were still two more stages of SS rank and SSS rank that he could attain.

  As Jaehwang’s 9-tier monster raid accelerated, the world slowly began to stabilize. Occasionally, a new gate would be generated, but since 9 tier monsters were being raided, the threat coming from the front line of monsters was reduced. The other hunters were now sufficient enough to stop the waves on their own.

  Of course, some countries did not receive such benefits.

  Such as Japan.

  Jaehwang completely rejected Japan’s raid requests because of the Oogamushi incident. They tried to criticize Jaehwang in name of humanitarian rights but Jaehwang did not buy any of it. The reason why Japan was so frustrated was that the other nations were starting to regain their glory while they were still stuck with their predicament.

  Additionally, the unenlightened Liberal Democratic Party declared, “we will admit Dokdo as a Korean territory forever.” Nowadays, so many citizens were giving up their citizenship that even without monsters, their country was on the verge of collapsing.

  Moreover, a huge gate was once again opened in Japan.

  Fortunately, it was an Elus Gate not the Dark Earth Gate as before, but the location and the monsters that appeared made Japan declare a state of emergency.

  [9 Tier Lava Golem Appears at the top of Mount Fuji]

  Along with a huge article, a picture was wired around the world.

  Mt. Fuji was not small. Although it was not a year-long snow-capped mountain, Mt.Fuji, covered in four seasons of snow was a national heritage and a symbol for the Japanese people. Now, there was no snow at the top of Mt.Fuji. The fires and smoke were soaring, and inside it was a huge rocky creature with a size that could be seen from afar with the naked eye.

  Its estimated size was about 100 meters in height and dozens of flame-based monsters have been found around Lava Golem. But it doesn’t stop there.

  [Lava Golem triggers a massive eruption at Mt. Fuji!]

  Whether the high-heat lava golem appeared at the top of Mt. Fuji or if it was time to burst, Japan’s earthquake offices began to talk seriously about the volcanic eruption of Mt. Fuji.

  Mt. Fuji is only 100km away from Tokyo. The people of Tokyo who had already suffered physical damages due to Ogamushi had to prepare for evacuation once again.

  A volcanic eruption would make things worse but of course, it would only just be the beginning. An eruption would be accompanied by massive earthquakes that could possibly result in a tsunami and it still doesn’t end there.

  The lava going down from the volcano would help the monsters with their waves and with that, Japan called for its salvation towards the Republic of Korea and unlike the last time, Jaehwang agreed to help them.

  It’s late autumn on the 27th of November.

  The Martial Arts House announced that Jaehwang decided to hunt the Lava Golem.

  Knowing the relationship between Japan and Jaehwang, countries around the world gave a great significance to Jaehwang’s decision and wired the news around the world.

  ‘I am still not satisfied with the Japanese government, but I would not turn away from the Japanese people.’


  The Japanese cheered and rejoiced.

  Knowing about the dual behavior of the Japanese government who had considered Jaehwang’s raid at the time as well as the use of nuclear weapons, they had no choice but to accept him now.

  Jaehwang hated the Japanese government but he did not intend to abandon its people, so as soon as the raid request came in, he accepted it. He only delayed his response because Irumi advised that they should not easily grant the Japanese government’s requests.

  And it was 7 pm, about 5 hours after the announcement of Jaehwang’s raid.

  There was a piece of news for the Japanese that could be devastating.

  [Lava Golem Raid has been completed successfully.]

  The Lava Golem was a 9-tier monster that frightened their country. Its high temperatures and the thousands of flame-based monsters scattered around Lava Golem had hindered almost anyone from making a move.

  The Japanese hunters, who were up for the challenge, came down the mountain after being hunted by flame monsters without even being able to touch the Lava Golem. The Japanese government even considered the use of nuclear weapons as the worst-case scenario, but Jaehwang had completed his raid in just five hours.

  The actual time was much less than that.

  It took him five hours to prepare for the raid, to ride the raid quadcopter, and to get from where he was to Mount Fuji.

  Jaehwang did not even go to Mount Fuji. He only fired an arrow ten kilometers away from his target. Someone in the copter even said, “geez, save some face for a 9-tier monster.”


  Then, the Lava Golem, who was hit by one arrow, fell on Mount Fuji. Its size was so huge that the volcano’s height rose slightly. The monster disappeared too vainly in contrast to the fear it installed in so many people.

  Everything seemed to go on smoothly but at this moment, no one knew that bigger events were happening in Elus than on Earth as well as the Lava Golem in Japan.

  #2

  *many hunters panting heavily*

  *Clink*Clink*

  “Run!”


  Dozens of hunters in the latest power suits proudly made by the US military were running through an unknown woods.

  “We would no longer be chased if we get to point A! Run on full capacity!” The leader with blood on his face shouted at the center of their group.

  “Yes!”


  He ordered them as he pushed a few buttons at the side of his helmet. “Pigeon! This is Team Alpha! Can you hear me? ”


  *radio wave phasing*

  “Pigeon! Pigeon! Damn it, it has to be me.”


  He could already imagine what happened to the other team.

  The Suin people who they had made friends with secretly helped them out, but as for the other team, if they have not answered by now, he knew what that meant.

  “El Temple Knights at 70 degrees! 30 new aircrafts coming in! ”


  “We’ll break through without enganging! Tanker!”


  Dozens of tankers running in front him pulled out some huge balls from the subspace.

  *Cheep! Cheep!*

  When they were put together, a steel structure shaped like a giant siege weapon was created. It has a shield in the middle to block the projectiles coming from the front.

  “Breakthrough! Breakthrough!”


  The tankers carrying it quickened their pace at their leader’s call.

  The Temple Knights were forming their way forward. At nearly four meters in height, they were clad in armor with their auras waving.

  *grrrrrr*

  The walls that they were about to run into was built by shields and bayonets with someone who appeared to be their commander standing on its center.

  “Hah! You measly giants! How dare you step in with those dirty feet!”


  Lee, the leader of the knights, shouted in El language.

  But this side was not going to listen to him. The language of the Suin came through the translator but they ignored it. They have already crossed an impossible river with a bit of luck just as he thought.

  “Shoot!”


  Kwak! Kwak! Kwakwat!

  When dozens of them fired their 50-caliber rifle all at once, their opponents jumped a bit and then, the humans went through the shields without missing the gap. Some knights slashed the hunters down with their weapons but most of the hunters broke out of their formation to save themselves.

  Some time has passed and the conductor’s hand then went up.

  “Stop!”


  *gasping for breath*

  Those who followed him at his cry sat down on the floor.

  “Hah…… you are in the right place.”


  The leader sighed again after confirming his current position. This place was something that they had considered as a sacred land. The knights believed that the sacred lands from ancient times were from the gods, but they didn’t believe in such old superstitions.

  “James…… is the pigeon……”


  “Yes, Charlotte,” he replied and at his response, the woman cried.

  “This is why I said that we should wait for the Mana Stone’s deal!”


  “Damn it! I’m a soldier! Hah…… ”


  He saw the tears in her eyes as he shouted at her. The Peace Team and the Pigeon Team included many scholars who were like their own siblings.

  “Damn it, only if Colonel Powell didn’t force this plan……”


  Shaking his head, he pondered again at what happened.

  The fact that the Suin girl rescued by the Daehyun Clan of South Korea was a senior noblewoman of the Elus giant tribal nation made the US Hunter Secretariat insist that they should escort her safely through her country so she could interact with the other Elus inhabitants. With this excuse, a peace mission was made.

  They had a long journey but the earnest welcome they got made them forget all of their hardships. The work went very smoothly because unlike other ethnic groups, the Suin was a tribal nation made up of many other groups so they were not wary of humans with unusual features.

  Although informal, they signed a peace treaty with the king and shared their culture with them but the problem arose when they brought up the idea of economic exchange.

  “You can’t trade mana stones?”


  “It is absolutely impossible. Mana Stones are collectively managed by the temple.”


  They insisted firmly and they had a valid reason for it. Mana Stones were also an important resource in Elus.

  They also used mana stones in their secret rituals and the problem was that mana stones could only be obtained through a sacrifice of a life.

  You can also get them from monsters, but when a Suin dies, they would also leave a mana stone.

  The damage caused by the mana stones were so severe that they had annihilated each other’s tribes to obtain mana stones in the past. Therefore, the mana stones had been taken care of by the temple of the goddess L and its distribution was strictly prohibited. The national law strictly forbade the trade of Sasaroy mana stone and the temple killed all the people involved in the trade.

  The problem was that Lieutenant Colonel Powell, who was an axis of the peace mission, secretly tried to build a mana stone trade route. That was the reason why they were now being chased by those knights.