King Returned with Gods : Chapter 19

 

The Knight King Who Returned with Gods : Chapter 19

Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain

 

 

 

Episode 19 Hunting Spider (2)

 

Chairman Oh Kang-hyuk's proposal was a delightful one for Leon.

 

An unbeatable gate that no one had been able to close in a year and two months.

 

If he could capture such a gate, he would be able to instantly spread his name.

 

Leon was more than willing to accept the offer.

 

"But, old man, I heard that this gate has been abandoned for a long time, so why are you suddenly concerned about it?"

 

Leon thought about the prestige he would gain by conquering an invincible gate, but he calmly assessed the situation.

 

It was a unique gate that wouldn't cause a dungeon break. There must be a reason for them to try to attack such a place again.

 

"It's normal, I suppose. Taking a risk to attack the gate is worth it, after all."

 

"Tell me in detail."

 

Oh Kang-hyuk smiled bitterly at Leon, who was clearly looking down on him.

He was the chairman of the Hunter Association and a first-generation S-class hunter representing Korea. A living legend.

 

But Oh Kang-hyuk, who had been monitoring Leon for a while, knew that Leon was treating him very well.

 

The way he treated the so-called 'commoners' like Han Hari and Director Park of Doojeong Group who approached him.

Considering Leon's high-handed attitude towards them, even this treatment was pretty good.

 

'The weak ones have no choice but to bend.'

 

Leon's absolute value was in his ability to cleanse the land contaminated by maso. Oh Kang-hyuk would gladly bow down for the sake of the country.

 

"The target for closing the dungeon, the 'Jewel of Wisdom,' has also been found in America. It was the reward for the recently cleared Scarlet Gate."

 

"It must be of considerable value."

 

"Yes, it is. The Magic Tower studied it and proved that it contained tremendous power, which has excited the Association's higher-ups."

 

In short, they want to obtain this Jewel of Wisdom, no matter the cost.

 

"Are any of you joining me?"

 

"There will be representatives from the Golden Lion Guild, one of the Top Ten Guilds, and from what I've heard, the Magic Tower has decided to send a mage of their own."

 

"The Ten Guilds... are they like the knights of this country?"

 

"They're not affiliated with the country, so... they're more like mercenaries."

 

"Hmph. I see, they are the kind whose eyes glow when they see money. Protecting the people is both a knight's duty and honor."

 

Chairman Oh didn't bother to comment on Leon's mindset. Authoritarians like him tend to lash out at dissent.

 

They are so sure of their point of view that they ignore all other ideas.

If they are not good enough, they are not good enough, and even if they are good enough, they cannot be fixed by a third party.

 

"Fine. On two conditions."

 

"You can tell us anything. As long as it doesn't violate our principles... we'll assist you with anything."

 

"Well, it's not much of a condition. First, you must ensure that my prestige is improved after this battle is concluded."

 

"We haven't announced your existence as a survivor yet, Your Majesty. We were planning to do so after you'd sufficiently adjusted to life on Earth......."

 

"I have a general idea. The situation on this planet and your people."

 

Is that really true? Leon, who had lived in a world so anachronistic and different, was hard to understand, even with the flexible mindset of Earthlings, but could the opposite be so easy?

 

"The second is......."

 

Leon's gaze moved to the other side of the room, where the Association's personnel... Han Hari... was.

 

"Here it is!"

 

Hari rushed over, holding out a prepared notepad.

 

"What is this?"

 

"A list of cadets to be trained by my guild. It's a bit of a mishmash, but it's good enough for now."

 

It contained the names of several hunters, including D-class hunter Gu Dae-sung. The list also specified to fill in three more spots with suitable hunters.

 

There was one thing in common among the hunters Leon had noted during the grading test.

 

"Most of them are D-class... C-class at the highest. I would say that's not enough for a mighty man of Your Majesty's stature."

 

Oh Kang-hyuk mentioned that he could assign more promising talents to Leon if he wished, but Leon shook his head.

 

"I'm not looking for articles of renown. This is enough for now."

 

"We'll work on it, Your Majesty, but the choice is theirs, so we won't be able to force them all to join."

 

Even as he said that, Oh Kang Hyuk was confident that they would not refuse his offer.

 

All of these people were literally floating in the air. They were all low-ranked hunters who couldn't even get into a decent small or medium-sized guild, let alone the top ten guilds. Would they turn down the offer of the Chairman of the Association?

Oh Kang-hyuk didn't think so.

 

"If they refuse, they're done with their luck."

 

Leon decided that it didn't matter if they refused. Rather, he was confident in how generous and gracious his offer was.

 

"When will it be?"

 

"In three days, we'll meet in front of the Cheongju Sports Complex."

 

"Good. I will show you the dance of the Lionheart King."

 

Chairman Oh smiled wryly and dutifully agreed.

 

'I'll have to give this girl Hari a nice year-end bonus,' he thought.

 

* * * *

 

The capture of Cheongju Gate has resumed.

 

The indefinite suspension of the attack on Cheongju Gate, which was elevated to a Red Gate, garnered considerable attention throughout Asia.

 

A unique and special gate where three raid teams were wiped out. The enemy was even only a single Yakt Spinner.

 

Unable to defeat the single Yakt Spinner, the many hunters turned the Cheongju Gate into a graveyard.

 

As a result, Cheongju Gate had become a nuisance in Cheongju City and had been a source of unrest for the people of the city ever since.

 

-Wahhhhhh!

 

It was then. Citizens gathered at the Cheongju Sports Complex began to cheer.

 

"The Golden Lion is here!"

 

As the crowd cheered, reporters fired off flashes at the black vans entering the sports complex.

 

While the Association's staff fends off the crowd, people start to get out of the approximately 20 black vans one by one.

 

"Hwang Gum-cheol! Hwang Gum-cheol!"

 

The man who stepped out to the cheers of the crowd was over two meters tall.

 

At first glance, he looked intimidating, but with his gold necklace and bracelets, he looked like a successful rapper, just like those African-American rappers in the United States. In fact, he was one of the top rappers in Korea.

 

"I'm here~, citizens of Cheongju!"

 

Hwang Gum-cheol, one of the hottest hunters in the media, stuck out his tongue and enjoyed the cheers of the citizens.

 

"It's embarrassing, can we stop doing this?"

 

"It's fanservice~ fanservice~ I have albums and t-shirts to sell."

 

Hwang Gum-cheol smirked at her sister, who was hanging a t-shirt. She complained about him spending time taking photos with fans and signing autographs instead of walking.

 

"If you're gonna do that, why don't you just be an entertainer? You've got a lot of suckers listening to your shitty rap. Give up the guild and start an entertainment agency."

 

"My dear Sister, being a hunter is more profitable."

 

" 'Dear' your ass."

 

It was then. Fans flocked to his sister, who was famous as an A-class hunter even though she didn't do any entertainment activities.

 

"Kyaaaahhhh! Hwang Yeon-ha unnie is here, too! Unnie, look at me!!"

 

"You hear that, my dear sister Geum-soon¹?"

 

"I told you not to call me Geum-soon, you golden pig."

 

When the name exchange was over... Hwang Yeon-ha made her way to the Cheongju Gate that the Association had secured. But that wasn't all.

 

"Mage Gil Tae-sung. I'll escort you inside."

 

"Hm, thank you for your guidance."

 

Under the polite guidance of the Association staff, Mage Gil Tae-sung walked in with her chin held high.

 

She's a promising member of the Korean branch of Magic Tower. A combat mage who is almost considered a quasi-S class in the hunter world, where mages are rare.

 

She is followed by dozens of foreign hunters.

 

"Black Mamba?"

 

"The mercenary hunters who are said to be worth over two thousand a head?"

 

"Is the Magic Tower really that serious?"

 

A mage is at their best when they have a bodyguard. With Magic Tower's full support, Gil Tae-sung mobilized the Black Mamba, a mercenary group of B- and A-class hunters.

 

"Uh, there's another vehicle coming in."

 

"An Association vehicle?"

 

Stepping out of the Association vehicle, the last to arrive, was a female sword fighter with braided red hair.

 

Straightening the lapels of her suit, she was the most talked-about player in last year's Academy roster draft.

 

"Han Hari?"

 

"No way, the Association is putting Han Hari in?"

 

Well, it made sense. She was known for being one of the best hunters in the country.

 

There were quite a few A-class hunters in the country, but it was her age that made her stand out.

 

She awakened at the age of fourteen, activating her original skill while training at the academy. She became the youngest A-class hunter ever.

 

She was approached by the top 10 guilds in Korea with huge contracts, but she turned them all down and joined the Association.

 

Everyone naturally expected her to participate. But.......

 

"Your Majesty, we have arrived."

 

She bowed and escorted someone within the vehicle. And it was a blond foreigner, unexpectedly.

 

"Who is that foreigner?"

 

"I don't think he's one of the Black Mamba..."

 

The reporters and onlookers were curious about the man's identity.

 

* * * *

 

When multiple factions want to attack a gate, they need to coordinate in advance.

 

Who will attack the boss first, how to distribute the items that are dropped, and so on... It's inevitable that there will be conflicts, and these discussions often take several days.

 

In that sense, this Cheongju Gate strategy is pretty straightforward.

There's only one boss monster, a Yakt Spinner, and the only reward is the Jewel of Wisdom, which is a rare item, aside from the mined resources.

 

"We, the Magic Tower, will hand over all the other items to the Golden Lion Guild. All we want is the 'Jewel of Wisdom'."

 

Hwang Yeon-ha was annoyed by the words of Gil Tae-sung from the Magic Tower.

 

"That's the whole point, and if you take it, we'll have nothing to get."

 

It was an expected reaction. Gil Tae-sung smiled and said,

 

"I'll give all the credit for defeating the boss to the Golden Lion Guild. In addition, I promise you a reward of 50 billion won if you hand over the jewel safely."

 

""......!""

 

Hwang Yeon-ha was stunned by the unexpectedly large sum of money.

 

Fifty billion won? A Legendary grade armor was about ten billion.

 

Even a quasi-S-class person like her would have to save up and scrap by for a Legendary-class weapon. And 50 billion is a whole lot of money that can purchase not only a weapon, but a full body armor and equipments.

 

She's willing to give that much money away?

 

'What the hell is this?'

 

Hwang Yeon-ha hesitated, unsure of what to say. But Hwang Gum-cheol whistled.

 

"That's a nice sum. Okay, we grab the Yakt Spinner, and you guys keep the jewel."

 

"Hey, you can't do that...!"

 

"My Sister~ We don't have a clue anyway, even the Pentagon couldn't figure it out, so we handed it over to the Magic Tower. Who are we to argue?"

 

"......."

 

Hwang Gum-cheol didn't hand it over because he couldn't guess the value of the Wisdom Jewel.

 

He didn't know what it was anyway. There was no point in squabbling with the Magic Tower over something he didn't know.

 

Hwang Gum-cheol was known for his toughness and boldness on the battlefield, but he was surprisingly cautious.

 

"......But 60 billion. Oh, no, 55 billion. At least that much... should be given, right?"

 

At that, Gil Tae-sung smiled.

 

"Let's just go with 60 billion."

 

"Cough...!"

 

Hwang Yeon-ha regretted it, thinking that she should have just asked for 65 billion.

 

The agreement with the Golden Lion was over, and Gil Tae-sung was confident in the outcome of the strategy.

 

"By the way, Mage Lord. Aren't you going to negotiate with him separately?"

 

Hwang Gum-cheol glanced toward the end of the room, where Han Hari, the Association's A-class hunter, was pouring a cup of tea from a thermos.

 

"It is called barley tea."

 

Gil Tae-sung and Hwang Yeon-ha stared, but Leon gracefully lifted the cup to his lips.

 

"Hmm, not bad."

 

"This lowly servant is elaaated......."

 

Gil Tae-sung said with a smirk as she watched the two's skit,

 

"That was actually a hunter sent by the Association. I was wondering who he was because we needed to free up a seat......."

 

Gil Tae-sung didn't consider the two of them to be an adequate force.

 

There were 49 people from Black Mamba, consisting of B-class or higher hunters, including himself, and 49 from Golden Lions, a part of the Ten Guilds.

 

Yet there were only two of them. Even if there was an A-class Han Hari, what use would two people be?

 

"Since I don't want to cause a stir, I'll make a proposal to the Association as well. Once we get our hands on the jewel, we'll give the two of them 500 million won regardless of their contributions. Not bad, right?"

 

"Pfft...!"

 

Laughter spilled out of Hwang Gum-cheol.

 

"What is so funny?"

 

"Mage Lord, this guy actually had the Association send him here while you weren't even around, and he's got this year's Rookie of the Year, Han Hari, as a personal lackey. Don't you see the significance of that?"

 

"Are you saying he's stronger than ......an A-class hunter?"

 

At the very least, a quasi S-class. Maybe S-class. Of course, neither Gil Tae-sung nor Hwang Gum-cheol had ever heard of a man named Leon.

 

But Hwang Gum-cheol had an idea of his identity.

 

'The Black Gate that recently disappeared, he is most likely a survivor from there.'

 

Usually, powerful people who suddenly appeared without any connections were survivors.

 

There were many named survivors, such as Heavenly Demon, Killing Star, Witches, and Sages, whose behavior was similar to Leon's.

 

'It's probably some sort of debut organized by the Association, and they're pushing him into the red gate for no other reason.'

 

The Association was overconfident.

 

Gil Tae-sung thought so too.

 

"Excuse me... We have an offer..."

 

" 'Tis no different."

 

The first words out of Leon's mouth blocked what Gil Tae-sung was going to say.

 

"What... do you mean?"

 

Leon recognized the look. Leon had seen it all before.

 

"You're already discussing loot before you've even stood on the battlefield. Greed is in your eyes."

 

"Are you disrespecting the mage of the Magic Tower?"

 

"What honor do you spellcaster have that I would disrespect?"

 

Gil Tae-sung was dumbfounded at the unexpected insult.

 

"I don't know how great your loot-driven little show will be, but... well, I'll let you lead the way."

 

He said it as if he were giving in, but in a very unpleasant way. Gil Tae-sung was dumbfounded.

 

"What? Letting me lead? So while we're fighting to the death, you get to stand in the back with your arms crossed and watch?"

 

Was it because it was the first time he'd ever been addressed that way² in this world? Leon's brow narrowed.

 

"What... do you mean?"

 

Leon recognized the look. Leon had seen it all before.

 

"You're already discussing loot before you've even stood on the battlefield. Greed is in your eyes."

 

"Are you disrespecting the mage of the Magic Tower?"

 

"What honor do you spellcaster have that I would disrespect?"

 

Gil Tae-sung was dumbfounded at the unexpected insult.

 

"I don't know how great your loot-driven little show will be, but... well, I'll let you lead the way."

 

He said it as if he were giving in, but in a very unpleasant way. Gil Tae-sung was dumbfounded.

 

"What? Letting me lead? So while we're fighting to the death, you get to stand in the back with your arms crossed and watch?"

 

Was it because it was the first time he'd ever been addressed that way in this world? Leon's brow narrowed.

 

"You have a light tongue, Woman."

 

"What are you saying, boy, challenging me to a fight?"

 

"You have no right to challenge the King."

 

"I'm going crazy! This is really--!"

 

She was restrained by a strong grip on her shoulder from behind. It was Hwang Gum-cheol. He directed his gaze at Hari, not Leon.

 

-Are you not going to handle the Survivor?

 

Hari shook her head with a grim expression at Hwang Gum-cheol's stare.

 

-I thought about it, but no.......

 

-Okay. I guess he's a suck-it-up type.

 

"Alright, then, Your Majesty, you're telling us that we and the Magic Tower have first dibs, right?"

 

Leon didn't answer, but silently affirmed.

 

Yakt Spinner.

From what the surviving hunters have been able to gather, it seems to be quite powerful, but whether or not it's strong enough to fight against him is another matter.

 

It's unlikely that anyone would have the strength and skill to take on the man himself, who has regained some of his power thanks to spreading the faith of Demera.

 

"That... Your Majesty, is it all right?"

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"The goal of this raid is to help Your Majesty spread your fame......."

 

Hari had a point. If the Golden Lion or a Magic Tower took down the Yakt Spinner, then it would be a lost cause.

 

"No matter how important fame is, it's not appropriate for the Lionheart King to be the first to step up the plate, ignoring the lesser ones. It leads to a monopoly on the glory."

 

This man is an oddball. Hari had learned the true art of social graces by not letting her thought showing.

 

* * * *

 

"Just like in the video... the weather sucks."

 

The Cheongju Gate is a city in the middle of a wasteland.

 

A sandstorm blew up randomly, and if you delayed too long, you'd be trapped in it. The unlucky raiders were faced with a sandstorm as soon as they entered the gate.

 

"Do not enter the city. Yakt Spinner has a higher chance of appearing inside."

 

Hwang Gum-cheol set up a base camp on the outskirts of the city, rather than 'inside', based on the information from the failed raids.

 

There were quite a few buildings on the outskirts of the city, so it was not hard to set up a base camp.

 

"Your Majesty, we've set up camp over here!"

 

"Coming."

 

A large building that was comfortable to huddle in and easy to guard around. Hari sat down inside and opened the lunch box.

 

"Your Majesty, I have prepared some scanty food - please eat!"

 

" 'Tis not to be complained about on the battlefield."

 

Hari looked uneasy as she served the meal.

 

"What is it?"

 

"Mm... I'm worried if it goes well, and I'm worried if it doesn't."

 

If it goes well, then there'd be no room for Leon to shine.

If it doesn't go well, then that will be the worst.

 

"Actually, it would be best if it worked out without Your Majesty having to do anything."

 

Even as she spoke, Hari glanced at Leon. She wondered if the anachronistic Lionheart King was going to scold her for not wanting him to get a chance to make a name for himself.

 

"Yes, that would be best."

 

"Yes?"

 

"If the Lionheart King doesn't have to step forward personally, it means the job is not as difficult. What do you think the role of a king is in my kingdom ?"

 

"Uhm... to govern... no?"

 

"That, of course. But that, too, can be filled by anyone. Unless, of course, they are flawed."

 

The Lionheart King made a statement that would have never been possible in an absolute monarchy, that a king's job could be replaced by anyone.

 

"Uh, then... as the King of the Knights, taking the lead... ah."

 

He had never taken the lead at the Honam Plain Gate, nor at the Seoul Station Gate... nor at the current Cheongju Gate.

 

He continued to maintain his claim with actions. That the sword of the king should not be drawn in minor battles.

 

"No way... The role of the Lionheart King is......."

 

"The last bastion."

 

At that, Hari swallowed hard.

 

All this time, she and the Association had seen Leon as some sort of barbarian king from the Middle Ages. With the power of his faith as a bonus.

 

But by his own words, Leon was no mere ruler. Nor was he a closeted knight or general.

 

He is the last bastion of the Lionheart Kingdom.

 

In other words, when he stepped forward, the final weapon would sortie.

 

"Do you understand? The very fact that the Lionheart King himself has to step forward is a disgrace to the knights and means that the situation is serious."

 

As he spoke, he gave a rare sigh.

 

"Unfortunately, it would appear that I will have to do the heavy lifting once again on behalf of you pathetic, weak creatures. How I long for the glory of  my Order of Knights."

 

It was an eerie foreshadowing.

 

As if something was about to happen that would require him to step in.

 

"But we have an S-class Hunter here, hunter Hwang Gum-cheol, and a mage from the Magic Tower."

 

There was only one opponent. Even if it was a killing machine with a terrible record, there was no way it would be able to defeat a squad with an S-class hunter and a mage...

 

"Did I hear the word hunter? I'll admit that they are quite a bit stronger than normal humans."

 

Leon snorted, sneering at the superhumans of modern Earth.

 

"But they don't know war. You think the outskirts are safe enough? You claim that after only three battles."

 

"What? What's that......."

 

"You call yourselves raiders. You're supposed to recognize the patterns of monsters and counter them. How ridiculous."

 

Han Hari felt uneasy.

There was an uncanny confidence in his words.

Whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.

 

"The long-lived learn to adapt to circumstances. I see no pattern. In my opinion, that Yakt Spinner is a born fighter."

 

And then, as if on cue, the proof comes.

 

-Aaaaaaaaaagh!

-What, what, this!

-It's the enemy! It's attacking──!

 

The screams echo clearly even in the midst of a sandstorm. Shrieks blended into the blowing wind, eerily haunting.

 

The Yakt Spinner,

raided the base camp.

 

 

***

 Notes:

1  Maybe from the K-drama ‘Be Strong Geum-soon’ but we are not sure what the insult is supposed to be….^↩

2  An informal form of you (넌) ^↩

 

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