“And if I’m not ‘reticent’, what then?”

“We can force you to be ‘reticent’,” Ji Yeon said.

“Hahaha!” Sung Joon was stunned, and burst out laughing.

“You make it sound like the Il Sung guild can actually do something to me.”

“Our guild doesn’t have any S-rank Hunters, but we’re supported by the Il Sung Group. If you turn us into your enemies, it’ll become tiresome for you as well,” Ji Yeon warned.

Just a little while ago, she had been intimidated by Sung Joon’s killing intent, yet it looked like she had regained her confidence.

“I heard that there are a lot of members in the Il Sung guild Executive Branch..”

“It’s definitely not small number when compared to other top guilds.”

“Then, it really would be tiring to kill them all.”

Sung Joon felt Ji Yeon get goosebumps from his analysis.

“I was instructed by the guild that in a few cases, it would be alright to attack you, Mr. Kang Sung Joon.”

Ji Yeon acted calm, but she was clearly anxious. As soon as she finished, he sensed the Hunters laying in wait close the distance to such an extent that even if he hadn’t been paying attention, he would’ve sensed them coming.

“It’s alright to attack me, huh? Are you saying that the Il Sung guild is confident that they can take on an S-rank Hunter?”

One of the reasons that the country couldn’t mess with S-rank Hunters was because the country possessed too few Hunters.

Firstly, Hunters couldn’t join the army due to the international treaty. Thus, in order to maintain public order, Hunters were part of the Armed Policemen, but there still weren’t very many of them.

‘But guilds are different.’

Guilds weren’t affected by the international treaty, so they could gather Hunters freely. Top guilds that were supported by major corporations like the Il Sung Group had enough power to topple a small country.

Thus, the country didn’t have the strength to control these guilds.

“If we must.. isn’t that what we would do? Please don’t forget that we’re being supported by the Il Sung Group,” Ji Yeon said aggressively.

She kept stressing that they were supported by South Korea’s top corporation in an attempt to scare Sung Joon, but he wasn’t really affected.

“Will you be ‘reticent’?”

“If you had just asked politely, I would’ve considered it, but when you come at me so threateningly, that thought completely disappears,” Sung Joon smiled icily, and replied.

Ji Yeon took a step back, and after sending a certain signal, the Executive Branch that laid in wait approached.

Now they had openly exposed their hostility.

“By the way, do you know my nickname? Think hard. No one has lived after pointing their weapon at me. No one,” Sung Joon said coldly.

It may have sounded like an exaggeration, but what he said was true. Anyone who had pointed their weapon at him was dead.

All of them were killed in ‘self-defense’.

‘It seems like there are more of them than before.’

The farther away Executive Branch Hunters must’ve came closer, as he felt more than ten presences; there were around twenty-five of them.

There were even multiple faint presences that were close by. They were probably Hunters that were stealthed.

“It’s not too late.”

“That’s my line.”

Sung Joon’s firm attitude caused Ji Yeon to shake her head. She raised her right hand, and opened her mouth.

“Transform.”

A spear formed from a ball of light. She utilized her high-speed movement to quickly close the distance, and thrust with her spear, aiming for Sung Joon’s heart.

There was a clear aura wrapped around the spear. Though it was a fierce blow, Sung Joon relaxingly avoided it.

‘A straightforward attack.’

Though there was a feint mixed in, when compared to Sung Joon’s combat swordsmanship, it could be called straightforward. He opened his mouth as he avoided the attack.

“Transform.”

Roel changed from a ring into a sword; he gripped the aura-clad Roel in his right hand.

“My lord!” Rishubalt warned.

He felt two faint, stealthed presences behind him. There were daggers flying to his left and right, and Ji Yeon was pointing her spear at him from the front.

Sung Joon saw Ji Yeon’s face overflowing with confidence, and he was astonished at the sight.

‘They don’t really think that this is enough to beat me, right?’

He just laughed, channeled his mana, and opened his mouth.

“Blink.”

Sung Joon’s body disappeared, and the multi-directional attacks only pierced through air.

“Where did he go?”

“It’s Blink!”

“He’s over there!”

Even amidst the chaos, someone grasped Sung Joon’s presence, and the Mage Hunters poured magical attacks on top of him.

Several dozens of ice spears flew at high speed, aiming for Sung Joon’s neck and his chest.

“Shield.”

Sung Joon calmly recited the activation words, using the ‘Dragon’s Protection’ item. The red gem gleamed, and formed a barrier that defended against long-distance attacks, blocking all of the offensive spells.

“He has Blink and Shield? How many special abilities does he have?”

“He’s definitely using an item!”

He wanted to tell them that even using items took skill.

“I’ll take care of him.”

Someone rushed at Sung Joon. Sung Joon could tell he was an A-rank Hunter just by his speed. Peculiarly, he had five swords ‘floating’ around him.

There were a total of six swords, including the sword the Hunter was holding.

All of them were clad in aura.

‘Is this the Telekinetic Sword..?’

Sung Joon wasn’t flustered, since there were knights of the Empire who used a similar technique. It was fancy, but there were several flaws in the technique.

The Telekinetic Sword Hunter didn’t move any closer. Instead, he sent the five swords floating in the air at Sung Joon.

The swords flashily danced in the air, and diverted his attention.

“Fire Spear!”

And sharp, blazing spears rushed at him.

They must’ve thought that Sung Joon had indeed been focused on the telekinetic swords as most of the Hunters had gotten close, and surrounded Sung Joon.

“Ha!”

Sung Joon parried the swords aiming for his neck, and destroyed the fire spear with his Spell-Breaking Sword.

“He destroyed the spell?”

“He’s an S-rank Hunter! Everyone stay focused!”

“Bless!”

The A-rank Supporter Hunter who had arrived late, casted Bless. The telekinetic swords became quicker, as well as the rest of the Hunters’ movements.

If they all systematically attacked together, it would become really dangerous.

“Ugh!”

Blood flowed out, accompanied by a dizzying pain.

While the telekinetic swords diverted his attention, another A-rank Hunter had used stealth, and ambushed him from the rear.

And he sustained a penetrating wound on his left waist.

“We got him!”

It seemed like they thought that they had attained victory, as the A-rank Hunter quickly retreated, and three B-rank Hunters immediately rushed in.

“You’re free to delude yourselves, but your delusions are a bit excessive..”

Sung Joon eyes went frigid, focusing his mana into Roel, and opened his mouth.

“Howl, Roel.”

The sleeping evil dragon’s spirit awoke due to the activation words.

Roar!

The sharp cry shook heaven and earth.

“Argh!”

“Ugh!”

The B-rank Hunters weakly collapsed, and the A-rank Hunters staggered greatly, unable to stay steady.

“Bless.”

Sung Joon didn’t miss this opportunity.

He used one of the skills of the ‘Empire’s Battle Priest Vestments’, ‘Bless’, increasing his physical abilities, and utilized his high-speed movement.

“S-Shit!”

The A-rank Hunters recovered quickly. Sung Joon aimed for the Telekinetic Sword Hunter, but he had quickly gotten a hold of himself, and had gathered his swords to defend himself.

It was possible to break through it, but rather than taking the time to do that, he decided that killing the rest of the Hunters would be much more effective, and immediately changed his plan.

He once again used his high-speed movement technique.

“AH!”

“Ugh!”

“Argh!”

Wherever he went, screams of agony would follow.

The B-rank Hunters fell helplessly. The other A-rank Hunters had moved in response, but fourteen B-rank Hunters had already become cold corpses.

“Good god..”

“He killed them all in one minute..?”

Even the A-rank Hunters were terrified.

“Don’t panic! He’s still one man!”

Ji Yeon yelled in order to calm down her terrified, shaking men. He was definitely only one man. However, that one man was a one-man army.

They must’ve realized how important their Supporter Hunter was, as they left two A-rank Hunters skilled in defending to guard him, making it a bit tough for Sung Joon.

He threw Choi Joon’s* head to the ground, and opened his mouth. (*I don’t know who this is. He’s just one of the Hunters Sung Joon is fighting against. You don’t need to remember who this guy is.)

“Don’t try to run away.”

Sung Joon disappeared instantly.

The Executive Branch Hunters raised their weapons and were on guard, scanning their surroundings. However, Sung Joon reappeared in the place they least expected.

“Since I’ll kill you all.”

“AH!”

Sung Joon pierced through a B-rank Hunter’s heart. Another B-rank Hunter who tried to save him had his forehead pierced by a dagger.

“My lord! Your stamina and mana are at their limits! You must quickly use your absorption!” Rishubalt reported. Sung Joon silently raised his left hand and opened his mouth.

“Absorb.”

The fierce battle had pushed his body to the extreme, so his stamina and mana consumption was severe. However, his recent ‘absorption’ replenished them considerably.

“Heal!”

Sung Joon also used his Heal. A white light enveloped his wound, and quickly started to heal it.

“Stop him!”

The Executive Branch Hunters moved, lead by the Telekinetic Sword Hunter.

‘Their response time is fast as well. I haven’t been healed enough yet..’

However, the bleeding had stopped. Sung Joon rushed towards the Telekinetic Sword Hunter.

“Go ahead, try blocking this!”

The A-rank Hunter used his full strength, unleashing his telekinetic swords.

The five swords rushed at Sung Joon, aiming for five different vital points, but he didn’t panic. He simply smiled and opened his mouth.

“I have twelve.”

The A-rank Hunter immediately understood what Sung Joon meant, as he had unleashed his Illusionary Sword.

“AH!”

The twelve blades blocked the five blades, and as soon as he stopped the Hunter’s attack, Sung Joon rushed at the Hunter and swung his sword.

Since he had been focused on his telekinetic swords, his swordsmanship was awful compared to Sung Joon’s combat swordsmanship; his left arm and his right leg were instantly severed, and he spurted blood.

“H-Healer..!”

Amidst the chaos, Sung Joon opened his mouth with a calm expression.

“Since it’s clear that you’re being hostile, I’ll henceforth exercise ‘self-defense’ against the entire Il Sung guild Executive Branch.”

His message astonished the Il Sung guild Executive Branch Hunters.

“One person is exercising ‘self-defense’ against an entire guild?”

“Y-You’re crazy..!”

In shock, they thought this. The S-rank Hunter, Kang Sung Joon was targeting their guild, and would perhaps initiate a one-man Raid.