CHAPTER 228: MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS (7)

[OF COURSE, it wouldn’t be easy to kill a high-ranking World Ranker.]

Yejun watched in dismay as Bride pull the ice spear out of her throat, the hole on her neck closing quickly.

[That’s regeneration for you.]

He actually sent more ice spears towards the World Ranker.

But Bride was prepared this time— creating a barrier around her, causing the ice spears to bounced off the invisible shield.

"I heard your skills were downgraded when you were demoted to being an X-Class, but it seems like you’ve recovered already," Bride said when the hole on her throat completely closed up. "I already put a barrier around myself before you dragged me here. But you didn’t only grab me at the back of my neck earlier— but you also managed to pierce my throat from behind. As expected of the previous #1 Hunter in the world."

Ah, right.

Yejun was hailed as the #1 World Ranker during his prime.

South Korea had been spared from stronger countries’ invasion because of the Big 4— and especially because no one was crazy enough to mess with the strongest Hunter in the entire world at the time.

But since he ignored UAN’s invitations in the past, he lost his position.

[UAN, after they gained the right to grade Hunters, started organizing official matches that determine an Awakened Person’s rank. But they only started that for profit. There are undocumented Hunters out there who are probably even stronger than the Big 4 and the World Rankers.]

Hence, Yejun never showed up to the organized matches by UAN even though he lost his position and people started to criticize him for being a "coward."

He had no regrets, though.

[Why would I waste my time fighting other Hunters when our country was being invaded by Cracks left and right? I don’t need UAN to acknowledge me as the strongest Hunter.]

"You’re ignoring me, aren’t you?"

Yejun raised an eyebrow at Bride who was now giving him the death glare. "So, what if I am?"

"Then I need to punish you," Bride said coldly. "But since I’m fighting against the former strongest Hunter in the world, I’ll apologize in advance— I literally need divine intervention for this."

Divine intervention?

Was that a skill?

Well, no matter what it was, Yejun was prepared.

[I should use my few L-Grade skills to end this fight...]

Yejun’s thought process was interrupted when his Status Window popped up...

... and it was blank.

[The fuck?]

"I told you— divine intervention it is."

Yejun was surprised when Bride was suddenly standing right in front of him.

[When did she close the distance between us?]

He tried to move away from her, but he realized that he couldn’t move.

His body suddenly felt heavy.

Once again, his Status Window popped up in front of her.

This time, half of his Status Window had turned black as if it was corrupted.

[Heavyweight Champion Skill activated.

The skill is being used on Hunter Hwang Yejun.]

The hell?

It was Yejun’s skill that allowed him to change his body mass, but he didn’t activate it!

[No wonder my body is so heavy I can’t even lift a finger!]

Why the fuck was his ability attacking him?

"Your L-Grade Skills are indeed amazing, Hwang Yejun," Bride said, laughing. And the woman suddenly wrapped her arms around him. "Now succumb to me and become my new boy toy."

Yejun wanted to curse at the disgusting woman, but even his lips felt too heavy to open!

"Iron Maiden Skill," Bride said, obviously summoning a skill of hers. "Activate."

Oh, damn.

***

BLERGH!

Soobin saw Wonhee’s Administrator cough up a huge chunk of blood.

Black blood, to be exact.

He almost missed the child(?) because he was focused on Song Moonho and Graham’s fight.

"Who is that child, Hyung?" Hwang Minho asked curiously. "Is he a Hunter?"

"You can say that," Soobin said vaguely. "Let me just check on him."

Soobin tried to teleport, but that damned Song Moonho threw an undead ape monster in his direction this time.

Fortunately, Hwang Junsang— an A-Class Hunter known for his ability to transform and make his body bigger as he used more physical strength— caught the undead monster with his gigantic hands.

"Go," Hwang Junsang said without looking back at Soobin. "You need to get to that child, right?"

Soobin was about to answer, but another undead monster was thrown at his direction.

This time, Hwang Minho caught it for him.

Soobin wanted to thank the Hwangs, but he saw Song Moonho about to summon another undead monster in his direction.

But, this time, Semi stepped up.

The God Alchemist threw a ’water ball’ as big as a basketball in Song Moonho.

It was the Necromancer’s turn to curse.

As Song Moonho got busy blocking Semi’s attack, Graham took that chance to throw a small sun— a smoldering ball of fire— at the Necromancer.

Soobin took that opportunity to teleport.

It was just a short distance, so he was able to get to the Administrator in just the blink of an eye.

And he was glad that he got there in time.

After all, the Administrator almost hit the floor when his knees buckled.

"Hey," Soobin said, catching the child in his arms. "Are you alright?"

"No," the Administrator said, black blood trickling down his neck. "Hwang Yejun’s Status Window has been corrupted by the Virus."

"What?!"

"Bring me to him..." the Administrator said, weakly grabbing Soobin by the collar. "Hwang Yejun needs to be purified before it’s too late!"

***

[YEJUN-AH?]

Wonhee felt a chill down her spine.

And, for some reason, Yejun’s image flashed in her mind.

"Are you alright, Wony-ah?" Yool asked worriedly. "You look pale."

Ahyeon, who had been looking around the Sleeping Salon while admiring it, immediately walked towards them. "Noona, are you hungry? Thirsty? I have food and drinks in my Inventory. Can I use my Inventory here?"

"Only I can use my Inventory here in the Sleeping Salon, but I’m alright," Wonhee said, assuring her friends. "I’m fine..."

She trailed off because her Status Window suddenly popped up.

[Cabbage Kid: Wonhee, there’s only one and a half hours left before our meet-up. How’s everything in your end?]

"It’s a mess," Wonhee said. "We were attacked by a World Ranker."

She was relieved that Hamin couldn’t read other people’s Status Windows.

Bitna would often interchange her usernames (Legendary Friend and Cabbage Kid

) depending on the audience.

After all, Bitna didn’t want Hamin to find out that she was the ’Cabbage Kid’ who had been guiding Hamin all this time.

[Cabbage Kid: The fact that you can talk to me must mean you’re safe.]

"I’m hiding in my Sleeping Salon with Yool, Ahyeonnie, and Hamin-ssi," Wonhee said, discreetly informing Bitna that Hamin was with her. "Yejun is out there, fighting."

[Cabbage Kid: Do you think you can make it in time?]

"I’m not sure if we can make it in time," Wonhee said honestly. "I trust Yejun, but he’s facing a World Ranker. I don’t expect him to finish the fight easily. But don’t worry, Bitna-ya. We will do our best to send Yool to the other world, and help you come home."

Hamin suddenly got up and spoke. "Chu Wonhee, can I come out of this place?"

"May I know why, Hamin-ssi?"

"I’m coming out to help Hwang Yejun fight the World Ranker," Hamin said in a serious tone. "We have to end the fight before midnight."

Oh.

[Hamin-ssi is waiting desperately for Bitna to come out...]

"Really, Hamin-ssi?" Yool asked in disbelief. "You said earlier that you’ll die fighting a World Ranker."

"I would die if I fought a Top 10 World Ranker by myself," Hamin said bluntly. "But I’ll survive if I’m fighting with the Hwang Frost."

Ah.

[Hamin-ssi looks up at Yejun as a Hunter.]

Wonhee, at that moment, thought Yejun was really invincible as their country’s strongest Hunter— owning the ’Nation’s Pride’ title rightfully.

***

AN IRON MAIDEN?

Soobin felt a chill down his spine when he saw the metal coffin in the middle of a broken ice rink.

It was the type of punishment tool where the victim would be placed inside the metal coffin and the lid would be closed, impaling them on the spikes. The fact that it was closed could only mean that the victim was already trapped inside.

Moreover, the pool of blood was proof that the metal coffin was activated.

"The iron maiden," Soobin said weakly. "Isn’t it known as Bride’s main weapon?"

"It’s not Hunter Belle Blanche’s weapon," the Administrator said in a hoarse voice. "Hunter Belle Blanche is the iron maiden herself— she could turn her body into different punishment tools."

"And Hwang Yejun is inside the iron maiden?"

"That seems to be the case."

Soobin closed his eyes tight, letting out a frustrated sigh. "How the hell are we supposed to pull him out of that damned thing?"

***

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