Chapter 192

“You have accepted my master’s weapons. Follow my orders!”

“This is probably your first time on Earth, seeing as how you don’t know much about our culture. In America, we have something called a free market economy.”

“I’m grateful for the item, but I’m not going to do something that isn’t part of the contract.”

The hunters followed the A-grade hunter in front of them instead of the angel who came from the Abyss. After all, they knew nothing about the latter. Moreover, unlike other A-grade hunters, Choi Yeonseung was popular. Some of the hunters acting as team leaders right now were indebted to Choi Yeonseung, while others were indebted to him because their colleagues joined the Abyss Gate raid. They had no choice but to fulfill all of Choi Yeonseung’s requests.

“Didn’t you swear to attack the enemy household member?”

“I never said I won’t do that. I’m just going to kill monsters as well. Now, move. I’ll head forward and pull the aggro, so concentrate on casting magic.”

“Yes!”

Not waiting any longer, Choi Yeonseung began issuing orders. As instructed, the hunters began to scatter.

‘A ghoul werewolf?’

Reeking of rot, the ghoul werewolf commanded undead wolves. The monster wasn’t even a C-grade monster, but due to its tendency to swarm its targets, getting spotted meant having to deal with dozens of them.

“Casting magic!”

“Deploying a detoxification spell!”

“If you are going to put up a shield, use fire.”

“I know. Why are you talking to me like I’m an amateur?”

The hunters immediately responded. The ghoul werewolf was a well-known monster on Earth, so they already had countermeasures prepared against it. Avoid their venomous claws and fangs and fight them with fire and divine attribute magic. Hunters equipped with weapons that had those attributes made up the vanguard, and the ranged combatants stood behind them. As soon as they were ready, they began to unleash hell.

Cut cut cut cut!

“......”

“......”

However, they didn’t have to fight. Choi Yeonseung jumped in between them and tore up the werewolves with his sword and fists. He didn’t even move much. Each time he unleashed sword energy, a vital point of the werewolves would be stabbed, knocking them down. He fought them while having all the aggro on him, so the other hunters didn’t have to step in and help.

‘Is this what it means to be an A-grade hunter?’

Other A-grade hunters usually showed their superior strength through powerful offenses or great defenses, but Choi Yeonseung was a martial artist. He displayed pure control at its maximum potential. Every time a werewolf attacked him, he would dodge, draw the monster in, stop its movements, and strike its vital point. He was like flowing water.

Despite taking down all the monsters by himself, Choi Yeonseung didn’t even sweat.

“All done. Let’s go!”

“Ah, alright!”

‘Are we not needed?’

Of course not.

Choi Yeonseung could handle all the monsters released in this area alone.

***

-All citizens. Monsters are currently in the city...

-Please avoid moving around and stay inside your house...

Paris was in so much of an uproar that it was as if a war had broken out. That was only natural, however, considering the palace where the president stayed had been taken over and monsters had surrounded it.

“I’m glad the president was kidnapped,” Choi Yeonseung said as he wiped the blood off his sword.

“... What’s that supposed to mean?” Richard Parker asked in disbelief.

“The president getting kidnaped has to be breaking news. Won’t that make people stay inside?”

“......?”

“???”

The hunters who were drinking potions in the rear cocked their heads.

“Uh... Hunter Choi Yeonseung. I respect your abilities, but... I don’t think that’s the case,” one of the experienced hunters said.

“You doubt the people of Paris will do that...?” Choi Yeonseung was taken aback.

“Isn’t it only natural for them to stay inside their houses if monsters appear in the city? Ah. Do they have to evacuate?”

In the early days of the raids, all sorts of chaos transpired whenever people tried to evacuate from the city upon seeing monsters. However, it didn’t take long for people to find out that it was more dangerous to evacuate since the roads were blocked, which meant getting stuck in the middle of traffic. If monsters appeared in the city, staying inside until the hunters arrived was far wiser than wandering around for no reason.

“No, they aren’t coming out to evacuate.”

“Why, then?”

“Um...”

“That’s...”

The hunters became strangely tongue-tied. If they were talking to any other hunter, they would’ve spoken comfortably. However, it was weird to say this in front of Choi Yeonseung.

“Isn’t it better for them to get hit by me and be thrown inside it than allowing them to mess around and eventually attract monsters?”

“Oh...!”

“I see!”

The logic behind Choi Yeonseung’s words completely convinced the hunters. Now that they had thought about it, Choi Yeonseung did say that he would save the citizens. He didn’t say he would put up with their stupidity. They could do this!

“There are monsters ahead. Let’s kill them.”

“Copy!”

“I see people drinking on the terrace over there.”

“Can I go and hit them?”

“Is... Is this really okay?”

“Yes!”

Choi Yeonseung’s warm justice impressed the hunters more and more. It was said that if one were to live their days properly, they would feel proud even in their sleep. Was this how that felt like?

***

-Adelin Bonaveluzza is injured.

-What?! Really?

-It has to be a lie. There is no way Hunter Adelin can get hurt!

-It’s on the news.

-Oh. Paris is done for.

-Done for? How many hunters do you think we have? Another A-grade hunter will come soon enough.

-They both can’t be contacted.

-What?! What are you talking about? Didn’t the government spend our taxes on them? There is no way they ran away!

-That wasn’t on the news.

-If that’s true, then Paris will most likely burn down.

While some people ran wild on rooftops to watch monsters being slain, others had a more sober view of the situation. The advent of IT technology meant that information spread much faster. In the past, news about an A-grade hunter being injured or going into hiding was strictly controlled. Doing that was practically impossible these days. All it took to spread information now was for a single piece of intel to leak out from the field.

-Shouldn’t... Shouldn’t we escape?

-I don’t want to be the idiot who dies in the middle of an evacuation! Save me!

-No, we have to look at this as an opportunity. I know a store that has been left unattended. Who wants to rob it with me?

In areas that were relatively secure, some people watched monsters while partying on terraces. However, in more disorganized areas, thefts and arson started to occur. The dissatisfaction that the people had accumulated strongly broke out during times like this.

“M-monsters! No! You’re no monsters! We’re being robbed!”

“I will disarm them. 2nd-circle magic—”

“2nd-circle magic is too strong. 1st-circle...”

“It’s fine.”

Choi Yeonseung ran over and took down the robbers as fast as he could by breaking their bones and using Pressure Point Attack. His method secured arrest far more than handcuffs did.

“T-thank you!”

“Instead of thanking me, head inside. Don’t even think about watching the monsters.”

“Who wants to see something like that?!”

“Others do.”

Choi Yeonseung quickly restored security to the area by dispersing hunters. Those who tried to steal or set buildings on fire were all taken out and had their bones broken.

“It’s relatively quiet here.”

“This is a rich community, so they have probably hired their own hunters.”

Even in this situation, people still weren’t equal. The rich could get various artifacts and hire hunters, while the poor were in constant danger.

“What took you so long?! Did you go to the other areas first?! You’re already too late!”

“Hunter Choi Yeonseung. Can I hit this man?”

“I don’t think so. It’s a bit of a stretch.”

“No, no. It’s totally fine.”

“Oh, you’re right. It works!”

The hunter behind him punched the rich man in the face.