Chapter 189. When Did He Get Here?

At the White House in the United States, President Logan’s desk was flooded with information as usual. His primary concern these days was Drake’s whereabouts.

The revived Dead Roots cataclysm had finally subsided, and the shattered civilization had been under reconstruction for quite some time. And yet, since losing contact early in the crisis, Drake's whereabouts remained unknown.

At this point, only two possibilities remained: either Drake was the perpetrator, as Kim Do-Joon claimed, and had gone into hiding out of fear, or he had perished in an unforeseen disaster.

The latter seems highly unlikely.

This was Drake, after all—the man once hailed as the world’s strongest Hunter.

Besides, even Hunters like Ko Cheong-Cheon and others had survived the ordeal. Kim Do-Joon’s theory was the most plausible explanation.

—Mr. President! There’s an anomaly reported in Indonesia!

Just then, an urgent voice interrupted his thoughts.

The report detailed a bizarre situation, in which an entire island had gone silent. A strange structure, previously non-existent, had appeared there. Undead creatures swarmed the area, along with a massive black dragon.

“A black dragon? Are you sure?” President Logan asked, his eyes narrowing.

—Yes, sir. According to information from South Korea, the black dragon recently left Seoul’s airspace. All indications point to Hunter Kim Do-Joon.

President Logan’s expression faltered. A mysterious structure, undead creatures, and the reported condition of the island all eerily mirrored the Shanghai Incident.

Drake must be there.

Then, he wondered how Kim Do-Joon had detected the anomaly and arrived on-site before anyone else.

Could there really be an Information Management Bureau out there superior to our own? Or does he possess abilities that rival such systems?

Either way, this was no ordinary situation. Adding to the chaos, South Korea was dealing with its own colossal monster appearance.

—What are your orders, sir?

“Request immediate cooperation from all relevant parties!” President Logan snapped. “Whatever happens, we can’t let this opportunity slip. We must capture Drake or at least contribute significantly to the effort.”

Drake was an American Hunter. If Kim Do-Joon resolved this alone, America’s reputation would take a severe hit.

—Yes, sir!

That very day, notices were sent to every guild in the United States, calling for assistance from any group capable of handling the crisis on the Indonesian island.

Preparations had been underway for situations like this, so the response was swift. Within hours, a large contingent of Hunters was mobilized and en route to the island.

***

Villagers' faces came into view—once bright with smiles as they called Siwelin "Saintess," now twisted in torment, beyond recognition.

Uuh... uuugh...

Aaargh...

They were Ghouls, weaker than other undead in the area. Compared to Death Knights, they were nothing more than cannon fodder.

Even so, Siwelin could not move.

Then, a chilling voice echoed around her.

—I’m not sure how you’re here, but I watched your last moments closely. Touching, really. It moved me so much that I thought I should let you meet them again.

Heh heh heh.

Thud—!

Kim Do-Joon suddenly emerged, slamming the iron-hard skull into the ground with such force that it shattered completely. Yet, the eerie voice persisted.

—Why the anger?

The voice asked, as if genuinely puzzled. The owner of the voice remembered the first time he met the old man. Back then, as a boy, he had wished for the return of the dead.

How overjoyed he was when that wish came true! Even now, his feelings hadn’t changed, but one thing was different. He understood the devastation it could bring to others.

—When the dead come back to life, isn’t it a joyous occasion?

Beneath the innocent-sounding question was a bitter mockery.

Kim Do-Joon, of course, wasn’t fooled.

“Ushas,” Kim Do-Joon growled, snarling like a feral beast. “Don’t think you’ll die in peace.”

His killing intent, sharper and more primal than any predator’s, bore down on the entity, enough to make even the bravest cower.

Not even Ushas, who wasn’t there, could ignore it. He fell silent. Was it fear of that overwhelming aura? Or was it unease, seeing the once benevolent man transform into something so fierce?

Crack—!

The next moment, Kim Do-Joon’s foot came down hard, crushing the skeletal remains into dust.

Immediately after, a brilliant light erupted behind him.

Fwooosh!

Turning around, Kim Do-Joon saw Siwelin, her eight wings unfurled. The radiant light emanating from her enveloped the area, washing over the tormented ghouls. Slowly, they began to be purified, their gnarly forms returning to rest.

Siwelin watched over them with sorrow. Kim Do-Joon’s eyes met hers, and she nodded, silently conveying that she was fine.

Acknowledging her with a brief nod of his own, he turned back around and headed further into the castle.

I must find him.

That was the only way to put an end to this catastrophe.

As he pressed forward, Ghouls blocked his path. A flick of his finger would’ve been enough to obliterate them. However, he refrained. These ghouls, too, deserved the right to rest under Siwelin’s purifying light.

Therefore, instead, Kim Do-Joon reached out.

Thunk.

Grabbing the Ghouls by their collars, he flung them one by one back toward the radiant light. It was a rough method, so hopefully Siwelin would forgive him.

With each ghoul he dispatched this way, Kim Do-Joon continued his advance. Any lurking Liches or Death Knights met no such mercy; they were obliterated on sight.

Weaving through the Ghouls, he found undead servants loyal to Ushas hiding among them. These creatures were never consumed by shadows to join Ushas’ ranks. Instead, they used the Ghouls as shields, smugly launching attacks from safety.

Disgusted by their cowardice, Kim Do-Joon dealt with them swiftly, sparing no effort. Leaving Siwelin behind to continue her purification rites, Kim Do-Joon began his descent into the castle’s underground depths.

***

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

“He’s coming.”

In the darkness, Ushas sat with his eyes closed. This castle, or rather the entire island, was his domain. He could observe everything by simply sitting in his chamber.

At the moment, his attention was fixed on two locations. One was the saintess above ground, and the other was Kim Do-Joon descending into the depths below.

They’ve split up.

Things were going just as planned. This was why he had gone to the trouble of bringing forth Ghouls from forgotten corners of the abyss. More specifically, it was to isolate Kim Do-Joon.

Although Hylasa accompanied Kim Do-Joon, she was hardly enough to shift the tide.

Besides, the purification ritual above will take some time...

Kim Do-Joon didn’t have a choice. He’d feel the pressure, fearing that Ushas would escape again. After all, with Alcyone dead, failing to capture Usha could mean losing him forever.

That desperation, so typical of a pursuer, was Kim Do-Joon’s weakness.

Meanwhile, Kim Do-Joon pressed deeper into the castle. Extending his senses, he realized the upper floors were filled only with Ghouls and the real threat laid below.

Descending further, he came across undead monsters directly under Ushas’ command.

Swish!

A sharp gust of wind cut through the air beside him. Swift, precise, and destructive, Hylasa’s strikes were as efficient as they were deadly.

Even as he wiped out the undead with Hylasa’s support, Kim Do-Joon’s pace didn’t falter. Together, the two made their way deeper underground, toward the chamber where Hylasa had once been held captive.

Eventually, they arrived at a vast hollow space. In its center stood a single object. Hylasa gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

“Alcyone...” Kim Do-Joon muttered under his breath, his voice strained with disbelief.

Alcyone’s corpse leaned against the wall.

Hylasa frantically and wildly bolted forward, throwing herself over his body, holding him tight. Tears seemed about to fall from her eyes.

Swish!

As she fumbled to examine Alcyone’s lifeless form, a sudden flash erupted.

“...

Huh?

”

A blade descended upon her. Hylasa scattered into particles of wind, narrowly avoiding complete destruction. However, even with that escape, she sustained devastating damage, enough to render her almost irreparable.

Left with little strength, Hylasa made a choice. Instead of confronting her attacker, she focused solely on retreating, carrying Alcyone’s body as far as possible.

The assailant raised his weapon again, ready to strike her down.

Noticing that, Kim Do-Joon hurled his spear toward the figure with explosive force. The attacker hesitated, retracting his hand and leaping back to avoid the weapon. That brief hesitation allowed Hylasa to vanish from the chamber, disappearing into the shadows of the underground tunnels.

Once assured of her safety, Kim Do-Joon turned his full attention to the enemy. The attacker, too, seemed to abandon any interest in Hylasa, now focusing entirely on Kim Do-Joon.

Through the dark folds of a robe, two red eyes glimmered ominously.

When did he get here...?

Kim Do-Joon tensed up, muscles coiling as unease gripped him.

The figure in a tattered robe was strange and otherworldly. Kim Do-Joon hadn’t just failed to notice his arrival, but was also caught off guard by the attack on Hylasa. But that was the least of the worries.

Hylasa’s Core had been struck by a wind blade similar to her own.

That makes no sense...

Kim Do-Joon’s mind reeled. Hylasa was the Wind Spirit King, embodying the absolute pinnacle of elemental power.

Only one being was capable of such a feat: Alcyone, the Spirit King who’d once been Hylasa’s source of power, and he was dead.

How was this attacker wielding a power so eerily similar to Alcyone’s?

The figure subtly moved their hand, conjuring a swirling mass of water. It rippled and twisted before solidifying into a sharp, vibrating blade.

The aura emanating from the weapon was unmistakable. It bore a Water Spirit’s essence, reminding Kim Do-Joon of Nereid, another Spirit King.

This isn’t Ushas... Could it be Vango?

Vango had appeared in the old man’s memories, but there had been no mention of him wielding Spirits or their powers. Something didn’t add up.

Regardless, it didn’t matter who or what this enemy was. None of them could stand before the power Kim Do-Joon had inherited from the old man.

The robed figure suddenly lunged, taking advantage of the moment’s hesitation. The water blade came slashing down in a fierce, chaotic arc.

Kim Do-Joon met it head-on, raising his spear to parry the strike.

Boom—!

Their weapons clashed, unleashing a massive shockwave that tore apart the walls and collapsed the floor beneath them. The impact plunged Kim Do-Joon deeper into the underground, breaking through layers of stone and soil.

In the aftermath of the collision, the figure’s hood was knocked back, revealing his face.

Kim Do-Joon’s eyes widened in shock.