Chapter 215: #Hunter War of Destruction (3)

Snow-white hair and skin, like vast, untouched snowfields. Pale blue eyes, like a clear sea. While most elves were stunning, her beauty embodied Mother Nature’s perfection, as if sculpted by the gods.

She was none other than Jack White, one of the two famous elves on Earth. Her name didn’t match her otherworldly appearance, but not that she cared. Most elves shared the same first name, differentiating only by their last names—the sole exception being SSS-rank Hunter Royce. Even so, Royce placed little value on her name, said to come from her first taste of chocolate on Earth.

Camera drones and media shutters worldwide raced to capture Jack White on the field. Yet, she wasn’t here for the Hunter War. With the arena in ruins after Zan Le Mang and Sam-Shin’s match, Jack White arrived as the representative of the elf community, the organizers of Hunter War.

“Sie dal ruman te Gilconia.”

Tap tap—

She chanted a bizarre incantation while tapping her staff on the ground. Then, a scene that seemed more unreal than her beauty appeared.

Swoosh! Swish!

As if time was rewound, the ruined arena slowly reverted to its original form. The audience gasped at the magical sight. Meanwhile, a special event was created to fill the time gap.

—Viewers of Hunter War from around the world! I’m Shane Crossway, an all-rounder entertainer hosting the Hunter War! The previous match between Hunter Zan Le Mang and Hunter Yu Il-Shin was incredible, don’t you think? However, the Bone Dragon’s appearance seems to have made some of you anxious, so we’ve brought one of the best necromancers in the field, Master Ko Sa-Deuk. Master Ko, please greet our viewers.

The camera zoomed in on the grizzled old man clad in long black robes.

「I’m Ko Sa-Deuk!」

Touching his ears, the MC continued awkwardly.

「...Haha. He’s still hale and hearty like always. As an expert in this field, what do you think of the Bone Dragon? From what I understand, you have strongly assured the management that it was harmless?」

「That’s right! How is that Bone Dragon a monster?! It’s the ultimate achievement that all necromancers aspire to!

Keke,

as expected of my

son-in-law.

」

Flap! Flap!

Ko Sa-Deuk smiled, subtly putting emphasis on the word “son-in-law.”

「Oh! Hunter Yu Il-Shin is actually Master Ko’s son-in-law? That’s news! You must have been disappointed then. Although Zan Le Mang admitted defeat, he was later disqualified from the video replay. What do you think of that?」

「If you say that, then what about Zan Le Mang who used the Dragon Slayer?! A familiar is like a weapon to a necromancer! How is that against the rule?!」

Flap! Flap!

The MC then pointed to Lilith, who had been frantically flying around the two men from earlier.

「

Kyaa?

」

Lilith tilted her head.

「The issue is with the familiars. The rules prohibit external intervention, and the video replay caught him summoning a Bone Dragon to the arena. By the way, she’s quite cute. Her cheeks are as soft as a baby’s and...

Huh

, Master Ko? Are you feeling alright? You suddenly turned grim...」

「You bastard! How dare you call someone else’s wife a familiar! Why are you touching her?! I’m the only one who can touch Lilith!」

Ko Sa-Deuk fiercely strangled the MC.

「

Aghk, ugh!

Master Ko! Please calm—」

***

In the waiting room for Team Korea...

“

Haa...

How embarrassing. I can’t show my face because of you, Grandfather.” Ko Myeong-Ji covered her beet-red face.

Her grandfather had made an embarrassing spectacle on a global broadcast. Beside her, a boy with a scratched black helmet let out another sigh.

“Des...troy...”

Sam-Shin was dejected after being disqualified due to Lilith’s interference. No matter how much Zan Le Mang insisted he had won, her words fell on deaf ears.

Seong-Yeon patted Sam-Shin on the shoulder, comforting him. “Uncle Sam-Shin! You were so cool!”

Sam-Shin looked up. “Des...troy?”

“Yeah! You're the best!” Seong-Yeon then grabbed his hands tightly and said, “Uncle! Do you want to have ice cream together?”

“Des...troy!”

A bright smile soon lit up Sam-Shin's ghostly face.

“I’ll escort both Missus Niece and Little Sword God!”

“I'll come with you, Kang Geom!”

The bodyguards, Sword Demon and Shin Yoo, stuck to the kids like gum.

Meanwhile, Sung Mi-Ri sat in the corner of the waiting room, her heart racing.

What should I do? Will I be able to do it?

After Yu Il-Shin—no, Sam-Shin's—loss, the score was now 2-0 against France, and she was up next. Sung Mi-Na approached her nervous younger sister, wiping off the sweat on her forehead.

“

Geez,

you’re sweating so much. Don’t be nervous, Mi-Ri. I know it’s your first time, but once you go on the field, it’s no different from the usual combat.”

“Ah, okay, Unni...”

“Besides Zan Le Mang, the rest of Team France is shit—crush them!”

However, Sung Mi-Na’s words fell on deaf ears.

Could a newly-minted S-rank Hunter like her possibly go up against world-class veteran Hunters? She grew more anxious, afraid of embarrassing the team.

***

Clunk! Bam!

Just then, a man angrily stormed through the door, grunting, “Damn you, Sam-Shin! I trusted you, so how could you get me disqualified?!”

“Mr. Il-Shin!”

“Hey! Where were you!”

The Sung sisters' faces lit up at Yu Il-Shin’s arrival, and they ran to him.

Yi-Shin scanned the waiting room, clicking his tongue when he didn’t see Sam-Shin. With a sigh, he dropped into the seat where his helmet lay.

“I heard from Gal Joong-Hyuk. Sung Mi-Ri, you're up next?”

“Yes, I am...”

“You must win, you hear me?”

I nearly clashed with Royce and Jack White, but President Liam stepped in with an irresistible offer.

Mighty God Project.

The space under the colosseum was part of America and the elves’ plan to create a god. If I could obtain the essence from that system, I could become even stronger. However, the deal was that I had to win in both team and individual battles.

Sam-Shin, that punk! He got me disqualified and messed shit up!

Yu Yi-Shin gave Sung Mi-Ri a disapproving look. With her nerves getting the best of her, she couldn't show her true potential.

“Sung Mi-Ri. I’m sure he has told you before.”

“He?”

Yu Yi-Shin cleared his throat awkwardly. “No, nothing. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that your potential goes above SS-rank.”

“M-me? SS-rank...? No way...”

Sung Mi-Ri couldn’t believe his words, nor did she recognize the man before her. Yu Il-Shin could be cold at times, but this man felt like someone else entirely.

Suddenly, her teacher pulled her into an embrace.

“

Eek!

M-Mr. Yu?!” Sung Mi-Ri was taken aback, but eventually calmed down when he nervously patted her back.

Mimicking Yu Il-Shin’s way of speaking, Yi-Shin said, “If you can’t believe in yourself, then believe in me who believes in you[1]. Mi-Ri, you can do it.”

“Can I...really do it?”

"Of course. If you unleash your full ability, no Hunter in South Korea—or even the world—can defeat you.”

Aside from me, that is. Since I’m the great malevolent god, not a Hunter.

“So show the world, Sung Mi-Ri. Show that there isn’t just me and Sung Mi-Na in Korea, but also Thunder Emperor Sung Mi-Ri!”

“

Waaah!

Mr. Yu!”

Overwhelmed with emotions, Sung Mi-Ri buried her face in Yu Il-Shin’s arms. She must’ve misunderstood and thought that her teacher had changed!

“As your student, I’ll be sure to make you proud!”

“

Hmph!

You have a way with words sometimes.” Sung Mi-Na silently cried on the sides.

Yu Yi-Shin then glared at the television, which showed Jack White.

Just you wait, Elves. We’ll settle this in the finals.

***

The arena’s restoration was akin to a performance by Jack White.

“Jack White is the best!”

“Ice Goddess Jack White! Unni! You’re so pretty!”

As the audience cheered enthusiastically with a thunderous applause, she returned to her team.

The MC, still bearing the handprint evident from Ko Sa-Deuk’s assault, picked up the microphone and made an announcement.

—To our viewers around the world! Thank you for waiting, we’ll soon be resuming the quarterfinals! With the disqualification of Hunter Yu Il-Shin, the current score between France and South Korea is now 2-0! Going against the winner of the second match, Hunter Zan Le Mang, is... Breaking news! Hunter Zan Le Mang is unhappy with the decision made by the organizing committee and announced that she will no longer compete!

“She is withdrawing?” The sudden news stirred the audience.

The MC hastily announced the newly appointed representative from Team France.

—In her stead, S-rank Hunter Hunter Armand Dre, the Orichalcum Rapier master, will go up in the next match! As for Team Korea, we have Hunter Sung Mi-Ri! Not only did she become an S-rank in her teens, but she’s also Hunter Sung Mi-Na’s younger sister!

A tall, gray-haired man with an orichalcum rapier at his waist stepped into the arena. His opponent was a dark-haired young girl in a full-body, insulated latex combat suit.

Then, their names appeared on the LED board.

France vs South Korea

Third Match: Armand Dre vs Sung Mi-Ri

Although he wasn’t as famous as Zan Le Mang, he was still one of the top ten Hunters on the World Hunter Association ranking. And regardless of how the public claimed her to be a prodigy, he was still a formidable opponent for Sung Mi-Ri, who had just attained her S-rank. Few could predict her victory.

Shrnnnng—

Armand Dre unsheathed his rapier, its enchanting golden brilliance enamoring the audience.

Clenching her fists, Sung Mi-Ri recalled Yu Il-Shin’s words. “I-I can do this!”

Because her teacher believed in her.

Ruuuumble!

Lightning began to swirl wildly around her.

“W-what’s that?”

“Oh my god!”

The audience was struck with horror. The rapier’s golden dazzle was engulfed by Sung Mi-Ri’s blast of light.

Armand Dre was struck with bewilderment. “I-Is that the lightning beast?!”

He’d fought against Gillian before—the so-called Lightning Man of New York. However, he had never seen a lightning bolt take the form of an actual beast like Sung Mi-Ri was doing now.

Sung Mi-Ri whispered to her Lightning Beast, “Let’s go. Skill, Thunder God.”

Ruuuumble! Baaaam!

Riding on her Lightning Beast, they galloped faster than the speed of light.

Thus, the world saw that Sung Mi-Ri’s old B-rank nickname was no mere title. That day marked the birth of a true Thunder Emperor.

***

Back in The Forty-Fourth Floor of the Tower of Warriors, the Great Cosmic Empire...

A fan signing event was underway for the star of the new premium blockbuster,

Space God

.

Ding!

Hunter War Quarterfinals

France vs South Korea, Victory goes to South Korea with a final score of 2 : 5!

South Korea’s advancement to the semi-finals has been confirmed!

I jumped to my feet with an excited yelp. My protégé, Sung Mi-Ri, secured a five-win streak against powerhouse France!

“

Waaaah!

Our Sung Mi-Ri is the best!”

1. 2025 Kamina’s reference, everyone? ☜