Chapter 215. A Single Serpent Pt. 2

Whoosh.

A cold, harsh wind swept over the desolate land.

Destroyed buildings dotted the landscape, and there was so much snow that the chill felt like needles piercing a person’s eyes, making one cry alongside the wind.

Boooong!

The ringing sound was becoming more and more serious as people were riding deer through the ruined city.

As if the riders had thoroughly prepared themselves, they were completely covered in winter clothes, moving quickly, as if they were being chased by something.

“It would have been nicer if they could have dropped us closer to at least Beijing…” Jeong In-Chang said, pouting as if he was dissatisfied.

The party had passed through a gate in order to ask for aid from the Chinese forces. However, they didn’t arrive at Utgard nor Beijing, where the Chinese had settled. Rather, they were in some place in the middle of nowhere.

Fortunately, they at least had Won-Hwa, who, being from China, was able to recognize where they were and guide them to their destination.

“We should be able to arrive within the day,” Won-Hwa said, smiling as he replied to Jeong In-Chang’s grumbles.

After such a long time, he was returning home. Of course, while it wasn’t a normal situation, he still seemed to have stirred up some feelings of reminiscence.

“But…” Jeong In-Chang chose his next words carefully. “Something must have changed since we left, right?”

Led by Liu Bei and his two brothers, the survivors of China had established an independent settlement, departing from Utgard, the city of Giants. They had settled down in Beijing once more, the former capital of China.

“So far, it seems like the China I've seen before,” Won-Hwa replied.

Although there was still some distance left to the settlement, all they had seen in passing so far was the same as before. This place had long become a land of ice that emitted only a chilling frost.

It was a frozen wasteland of death, where everything was broken or destroyed without a single sign of people or life able to be felt.

“Even the monsters…”

Jeong In-Chang shook his head as if to shake off his anxiety and continued.

“...”

In turn, Won-Hwa also seemed to be deeply troubled. He both loved and hated his homeland, China. He hated the country for watching on the side as its citizens were oppressed by communism, while he also loved it for being where he was born and raised.

Thus, there was a little part of him that might have been even more hopeful of their return. Hopeful to see his country rise above all the hardship and return to what it had been before, even if it was only a little bit.

However, his expectations had been badly shattered. Nothing had changed, and China was still a land of death.

“It’s still too early to make any hasty conclusions.”

"That’s true."

“I wish we could have passed Utgard or Thrymr’s city on the way, but…”

Jeong In-Chang wished to have been able to go to where the giants were as they were also a group that they would have to meet.

“Unfortunately, the road we must travel on doesn’t cross in that direction. We’ll have to cross the river to get there as we did back then.”

“Hmm.”

The two were silent for a while. Then, as the sounds of the strong winds brushed by their ears, Jeong In-Chang looked up at the sky.

“Mr. Lee…” he mused. “Do you think he’s doing well?”

Won-Hwa responded confidently in his usual monotone-like voice, “Isn’t he the Lee Jun-Kyeong?”

***

“I was…”

Lee Jun-Kyeong racked his brains. The intense shock had shaken his skull, and his mind was hazy.

‘In order to knock down the last head of Yamata no Orochi, I…’

He suddenly remembered that he had driven his mana to the limit. But why? Why had he put in so much effort and punishment just to do it?

“Set…”

Because he was lurking around. Lee Jun-Kyeong knew that he should have saved his strength in order to deal with the Hunter, but it was for that very reason that he had to try to kill Orochi by using all of his strength to the very limit.

After the advent of Orochi, the monster clearly possessed enormous power, but it had also shown an inability to focus its full attention on his party. Moreover, Lee Jun-Kyeong saw that the serpent had been unable to properly use the great power that it possessed.

Lee Jun-Kyeong thought that the reason behind it was Set. Orochi had to have been dealing with the Hunter at the same time.

‘He was dealing with Set.’

However, Set had been invisible on the battlefield, and Orochi had never actually directed any attacks at the invisible Set. It was only after realizing that, that Lee Jun-Kyeong had understood what was going on.

“The ritual wasn’t over…”

In the first place, the ritual that had been performed by Yashin through offering living sacrifices hadn’t simply been an act of incarnating a Sponsor into the Hunter’s body. There was some other reason behind it. That was why after Orochi had descended, the serpent had resisted the ritual.

“What sort of ritual was it that the incarnation of the descending Sponsor would resist…”

Lee Jun-Kyeong couldn’t even begin to imagine what sort of ritual it could have been. After thinking through everything that had happened, Lee Jun-Kyeong suddenly remembered where he was.

Sssss.

He finally realized that he and Orochi had both been consumed by the pillar of darkness. Lee Jun-Kyeong glanced around.

Everywhere he looked, his surroundings were completely different from the battlefield he had fought on previously, almost like he was now in a cave. He knew where he was without even having to ask: within the pillar of darkness that had swallowed him and within the ceremony.

Lee Jun-Kyeong took a step forward and looked around. Although an orb of flame floated around him and emitted light, his ability to see the surroundings didn’t improve.

That meant that this wasn’t a normal space. Then, where exactly was he?

He wondered idly if it was okay on the outside, but then he reassured himself that things would still be okay.

The pillar of darkness had engulfed both him and the serpent, so there was no way for Orochi to still be outside. Thus, the safety of Heracles and Odysseus should have been secured. However, that didn’t mean the fight was over yet.

“Set~~!”

Set would be waiting for him where he was right now. Lee Jun-Kyeong was sure of it.

“Se~~t!” Lee Jun-Kyeong raised his voice again and shouted, the inherent mana erupting and forcing the cave to resonate violently.

Rumble!

‘It’s devouring my mana…?’

The space around him shook, but Lee Jun-Kyeong could feel something strange about how it reacted. The mana that he had exuded by shouting was being absorbed.

It was only then that he was able to completely feel it. His surroundings were unusual.

“It doesn’t have any mana.”

The mana that was inherent in his body remained the same, but the mana that should have just existed in space didn’t seem to exist. Whether it was Earth before the cataclysm had started, Earth after the Cataclysm, or even within the gates that had tormented humanity to no end, any space was bound to contain some mana.

However, this space seemed to be an exception: there was none.

‘I can’t recover here.’

Because of that, his mana couldn’t recover. It meant that anything he used would be consumed and would disappear. Lee Jun-Kyeong pondered for a moment, but his answer already lay before him.

Flicker.

The spear in Lee Jun-Kyeong’s hand, Muspel’s Spear, lit up with flames.

Even if his mana would disappear, he didn’t spare anything whatsoever.

‘I will meet with Set here.’

Thrust!

Muspel’s Spear seemed to strike the air, but the sound of flesh being pierced echoed through the cave.

***

"Looks like we're almost there."

Jeong In-Chang stretched a hand out into the air with a smile. Although it was simply an outstretched hand, on the ends of his fingertips, he could feel that the air was different.

“Looks like the sun has been doing its job well.”

“It seems so.”

Won-Hwa and Jeong In-Chang looked at each other and smiled. It was a gift that Lee Jun-Kyeong had left the settlers before they had left China, a little sun.

As the Chinese Hunters had chosen to stay in an environment that ordinary people couldn’t endure, he had left the sun in order to make it easier for them to create a semblance of the life they had used to live.

Now that Jeong In-Chang and Won-Hwa had returned, the two felt that Lee Jun-Kyeong’s attempt had been a complete success. On their way here, the soft warmth felt like velvet to the two of them, who had to face such bitter chill just moments before.

Squish. Squish.

They had trekked all this way while stepping through snow and were now able to hear their own footsteps again.

Step. Step.

A smile spread across Won-Hwa's face. His homeland was becoming alive again. The further they walked, the warmer the air became.

“Wow…”

The sight of the destroyed buildings having been completely demolished and in their place, the framework for an arrangement of plots being constructed, was a sight so unfamiliar to them, almost as if they were seeing the germination of life right before their eyes.

Jeong In-Chang and Won-Hwa inspected the grounds around them as they moved forward.

“I can’t believe the changes in China occurred due to our intervention.”

It was hard to believe that they had an influence on these mysterious changes and grand events.

“…”

Won-Hwa kept his mouth shut as if he was feeling a sense of overwhelming emotion. The changes to the scenery before him as they progressed were no different in impact than the cataclysm had been.

This was especially true for Won-Hwa, as he knew how it had been even better than Jeong In-Chang. Thus, his shock at the stark difference was even greater. The two of them were full of anticipation, excited that they would be able to meet people in a little while.

However, suddenly, the two of them stopped.

Thud.

Standing in place, they looked up at the sky. Unexpected changes were taking place.

Rumble!

Suddenly, dark clouds gathered from the sky, accompanied by the loud clap of thunder. Darkness covered the sky in an instant as the world began to grow cold once more.

“That…”

“It’s mana!”

The problem behind the phenomenon was that the dark clouds hadn’t risen naturally. Someone was messing with nature. More importantly, that person was upending the sky and creating a storm. Enormous mana enveloped the sky, encompassing the settlement as if creating a barrier.

“…!”

Jeong In-Chang moved forward, almost throwing his halted body forward. The same went for Won-Hwa. They both had noticed it.

There was a mana storm raging in the sky over the settlement, and a mana storm that could herald only one thing.

‘There’s only one person who could do something like this…!’

Mana that could fill the sky and control the climate indicated someone special was here.

Rumble!

“Odin!”

The Lord of Asgard had come to China.

***

Crack!

Lee Jun-Kyeong curled up his lips at the deafening sound. All that was visible was still only the flames from Muspel’s Spear.

However, he was sure that something had been pierced by the spear and that there was a way to escape this space. But then, a different sound than what he expected played out.

Pat, pat, pat!

It was almost like the sound of iron shavings falling to the ground. Lee Jun-Kyeong had only instinctively moved his body, so he looked over to where he had just been. Although he couldn’t see anything, he was sure that something was definitely there.

“Set.”

He could sense that the Hunter’s sand was there.

“How quickly you caught on,” a voice called out from the dark.

Clang!

At that moment, Lee Jun-Kyeong thrust firmly with his spear toward the place he still couldn’t see anything in. What he heard in response wasn’t a cracking sound but the sound of metal colliding.

“What a hot temper you have,” Set said.

Sssss.

At the same time, Se slowly revealed himself. The space they were in was no longer painted with darkness. Now, he and Set, the two were clearly visible, both emitting light in the dark space. Lee Jun-Kyeong took a stance.

“How about calming down?” Set suggested.

Lee Jun-Kyeong immediately rejected, “Sorry, but I have to get out of here.”

He was about to stab his spear through Set’s throat, but was quickly forced to stop by Set’s next words.

“Do you even know where here is?”

Set was trying to begin a conversation with him. Although Lee Jun-Kyeong knew he should refuse, tear the Hunter apart, and escape from the ceremony immediately, he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

There were times when he would have to drink, even if it was from a poisoned chalice. The information Set had would be able to solve many things he had been curious about. Lee Jun-Kyeong lowered his spear, and only then did Set roll up the corners of his mouth.

He opened his mouth slowly, "This place…”

Seth's voice seemed to ring in Lee Jun-Kyeong’s ears.

“Is Andlangr. The forgotten dimension.”

“…!”

Lee Jun-Kyeong's eyes widened to the point where they looked as if they would tear. He knew that he was inside the ceremony, but to think he was currently in Andlangr.

‘Andlangr…’

"It's where the secrets of all the top Hunters are hidden,” Set continued to speak with satisfaction after he read Lee Jun-Kyeong’s expression. “It is a space where you can come in direct contact with the Sponsors.”

Lee Jun-Kyeong questioned why he didn’t realize something like that. The ceremony and the reason they had brought down the incarnation of the Sponsor…

“Andlangr…”

It had all been to use this space to get in contact with the Sponsors.

“So, what do you think? Do you still think you can get out of here on your own? And, well, now do you understand why I stopped you?” Set asked in a gentle voice.

Flash!

From behind his back, huge eyes appeared for a moment before disappearing.

***

Crack!

The thunder that roared through the sky was intense. Although there seemed to be countless lightning strikes from the incessant roars of thunder, Jeong In-Chang and Won-Hwa couldn’t see any lightning bolts, just the deafening sounds of thunder in their ears.

“Everyone has gathered there!”

Jeong In-Chang and Won-Hwa ran toward the source of the commotion, able to feel the numerous aura gathered in one place. It seemed that Jeong In-Chang’s predictions weren’t wrong. Odin was definitely there.

The gathered auras included the auras of China’s three strongest Hunters, Utgard’s ruler, Thjazi, and the exiled king of giants, Thrymr. The strongest people of the destroyed China, the absolute Apex Hunters, were gathered in one place.

There would only have been one reason they would have gathered in this manner: to face an enemy that brought danger to them all.

‘It must be Odin!'

Jeong In-Chang sped up even more. As the princess trembled as if frightened, they could finally see their appearances.

“Liu Bei! Thjazi! Thrymr!”

As if surprised by Jeong In-Chang's voice, the three looked over at the party. Jeong In-Chang looked back at them for a while. As expected, they were confronting a single being.

The aura he could feel from that being, looking back at him with proudly opened eyes, was so vast that it could only have been described as overwhelming. However, it wasn’t who he was expecting.

“It’s…not Odin…?”

It was definitely a different being. Just from the aura alone, that person was completely different from the feeling he had been given by Odin.

Then, Jeong In-Chang’s gaze turned to the weapon the man was holding. It was somewhat familiar: a massive hammer. In addition, the person had an Asian face.

Putting it all together, Jeong In-Chang was soon able to uncover the identity of the existence. He was the fear of all Hunters, the one they called the Korean Heracles.

“Chi-Woo!”

He was the one to be confronting the Chinese Hunters here.

Boom!!!

A lightning bolt flickered through the dark clouds that covered the sky.