Chapter 75: Trial of Strength (2)


    It was the day of his son’s 5th birthday.


    [I’m sorry, honey! I don’t think I will be able to make it there again. Please tell Sungjae that I am sorry!]


    Chun Jiwoo! Hugo’s wife was a researcher for MIT. She was so busy with her work that after her son Sungjae had learned to walk, her family had seen her only once or twice a year.


    Her absence was rted to the fact that Lee Gun had died. Specifically, it was rted to a <Lee Gun> weapon, a weapon that could kill the ever-increasing number of monsters. The weapon, which was a missile, was at the final stages ofpletion.


    ‘The weapon left behind by Mr. Lee Gun became an important base.’


    Chun Jiwoo had been a fan of both Lee Gun and Hugo. After researching Lee Gun’s weapon, she had found a clue that could potentially spell the end of the monsters. Of course, her colleagues didn’t think Lee Gun’s weapon was worth researching. But Chun Jiwoo trusted her husband, who had told her about Lee Gun’s abilities.


    Due to her dedication to her research, she had found a hint.


    [A line of monster weapons that doesn’t affect humanity has been developed.]


    In reality, Lee Gun had made it. With this weapon, Chun Jiwoo knew that her husband wouldn’t have to do the breaking work of fighting on his own.


    The weapon would first be used around the tower Lee Gun had fallen in. Hugo had always wanted to search the Devil’s Tower, and this weapon would allow him to do that.


    On 7/15/2015, the weapon was close to being finished. Chun Jiwoo had arrived at her destination at 1 am.


    “Mom!”


    Her son had wanted to see her as his birthday present, so she had immediately returned to Korea. Although she had a busy schedule, it was a request made by her young son, who never asked for anything.


    Her five-year-old son was nodding off as he waited for his mother at the airport. The kid’s father, Hugo, had been hired for mercenary work and he had asked a close subordinate to pick up his wife.


    The trio of Chun Sungjae, Chun Jiwoo, and Hugo’s subordinate had been returning home in a car.


    “Mom. I’m hungry.”


    “Sungjae, it won’t be long before we reach our house.”


    “I’m hungry…”


    “Sungjae!”


    “It’s fine, Madam. Sungjae didn’t eat his dinner. He was waiting for your return. It’s understandable that he is hungry. We can visit the drive-through over there.”


    “I‘m thankful that you brought Sungjae at this hour. I feel bad about this!”


    “Haha! It’s fine. I’m doing this because I like it.”


    While they had visited the fast-food joint, an incident had urred.


    “Madam!”


    The incident was a major one that the news had covered extensively at the time.


    <A red fog apanied by a Red-zone monster appeared in the middle of the city.>


    <One Archer Disciple and a thirty-year-old female were killed.>


    <Two brothers in high school were able to run away>


    <Shock reverberates as a Legendary-rank monster shows up in the middle of the city>


    <How is this possible in a region under the gods’ protection?>


    It was hard to believe something like this could happen. Hugo had immediately rushed back upon hearing the news, but it had been toote.


    Sungjae was spacing out from what he had witnessed. Thankfully for Hugo, the kid was unhurt, but Hugo had lost his most treasured subordinate and the wife he loved very much.


    Moreover, he was unable to track down the unknown monster that had killed the two of them. The weapon that his wife was developing had been entrusted into the hands of the Goat Saint.


    Ten years had passed since that incident, which was dubbed as the <Blood Fog>.


    ‘That gluttonous monster has shown up here?’ Hugo could never forget its roar. He shot to his feet.


    Boom!


    Murderous intent was visible all over his face. This took aback the people from the European Alliance, who were here for the meeting.


    “Otis-nim?”


    Hugo’s cold, green eyes looked out the window. He was at nders, in the northern portion of Belgium. This ce bordered Nethends and Germany, which were Red zones now, making this ce humanity’s frontline city.


    Therefore, Hugo could see the wall of the dome that marked the territory of humans. He could hear the cries of monsters from outside the dome. “The monsters that showed up here…”


    “What about it?”


    “You said the Virgo Saintmissioned Lee Gun to subjugate the monsters?” Hugo asked.


    “What? Ah! Yes!”


    “The Virgo Saint was the first one to report the situation about the monsters. However, the monsters weren’t a good match for him…”


    “Also, Lee Gun-nim’s exploits were amazing in the raid on Thousand Legs.”


    “The Virgo Saint’s side brought up these points to us, and they wanted us tomission Lee Gun-nim to subjugate—”


    Bboo-doohk.


    Hugo ground his teeth in anger, surprising the government officials. Although the Archer Saint acted prickly in official meetings, he never showed this much murderous intent. They were seeing this side of him for the first time.


    Hugo was as mad as he had ever been. It was to be expected. This was the monster that had taken his wife and subordinate from him. Hugo became sure of that when he heard the Virgo Saint wanted Lee Gun to handle the monster.


    ‘He’s trying to kill Gun.’


    The talk about thinking highly of Lee Gun’s exploits was a front. The fact that the Virgo Saint knew the identity of the monster made this scenario much more likely. There was no way he was unaware of it.


    ‘All the twelve Zodiac Saints know about that monster.’


    In the Blood Fog event, the Zodiac Saints had suffered a bad loss trying to kill that monster. To be precise, the one to suffer a crushing defeat was Hugo, the Archer Saint. The other Zodiac Saints had shown up, saying they would help, but in reality, they just stood on the sidelines. The monster had shocked even them.


    The other Zodiac Saints hade to watch the monster at a whim, but it didn’t take long for their expressions to change. They had retreated in haste. Their reactions were understandable.


    ‘A monster that eats gods.’


    That was the only way to describe the monster. The matter was beyond the monster being strong; something was special about it. It was on a different level. Moreover, the monster had consumed the power of the gods.


    ‘It was an unkible monster like Red Eye, but in a different way.’


    At the time, the monster had stolen thirty percent of the Sagittarius’s power. If another Zodiac Saint hadn’t saved his life, Hugo would’ve died to the monster. After that day, the Archer Saint had never regained the stolen power.


    ‘That bastard bes more tenacious when the opponent is stronger. It tries to steal magical energy from its foes’


    Hugo had experienced feeling absolutely helpless in front of that monster, so he was sure of one thing. Lee Gun was in danger.


    * * *


    Weh-weh!


    It sounded like the cry of a little child. Lee Gun furrowed his brows. ‘The sound of a kid crying after the lowing cry?’ Lee Gun was sure of it. He had never heard the lowing cry, but he had heard the wailing of a child.


    The fog started getting thicker.


    Gohhhhhh!


    Colored blood red, the fog instantly encased the city outside the dome. It wasn’t just the city.


    “Ahhk!”


    “H-help us! Kyahhhk!”


    The fog attacked the people within it. The attack wasn’t a simple physical attack.


    “Hey! Snap out of it! Hey!”


    “What… what are you doing? We are on the same side! Hey!”


    The people stuck inside the blood-colored fog started falling by ones and twos as if they had their souls stolen. The screams started to get louder.


    The defense force of the Virgo Saint, which had been protecting the dome, was taken aback.


    “General! We’ve lostmunication with the other teams!”


    “How can it reach the third dome…”


    This was thest line of defense for humanity. The dome wasposed of a total of fiveyers. The human city was located in the innermost area, with fifty kilometers between the fiveyers. It was like having five Great Walls of China.


    This enormous barrier divided the territory of humans and monsters. The humans were far away from the core holdings of the unknown civilization, yet thend was crawling with monsters.


    The furthest dome from the human city was named the fifth dome, and the closet was the first dome. Therefore, many predicted that if the first dome was breached, humanity would end.


    “This is bad! They already broke through the fourth dome!”


    “The headquarters want us to gather troops at the third dome!”


    If things went poorly, even the first dome might fall today. Of course, most monsters that weren’t on the same rank as Red Eye had stopped at the fourth dome.


    Nevertheless, Cmities still showed up within the city, which allowed monsters to be summoned within the dome through special means. However, this batch of monsters was advancing at a worrying rate. They were already close to reaching the third dome.


    “I want the advance party to focus their attacks!”


    As themand rang out, their surroundings became covered in thick fog. The advance party, which had been atop the dome, disappeared into the blood-colored fog.


    “No! Help!”


    The fog moved at an incredible speed as if it were devouring prey.


    [Caution! Your opponent’s level is high.]


    Hearing the distant screams, the Archer disciples quickly brought out their bows.


    “Hurry up and locate the enemy!”


    The eyes of the two disciples turned golden. This was the <Hawk Eyes> skill, a skill exclusive to the Sagittarius. The skill allowed one to see an ant from 500 meters away. It also had a pration ability that allowed one to locate hidden enemies.


    Even if a monster had a fog form, it had to possess a real body. No stealth-type monster could hide from “Hawk Eyes.”


    “Lee Gun-nim! Noona! I found it!”


    Suh Jihoon, the youngest Archer disciple, quickly pointed toward a broken-down building. Something was shing within the red fog.


    Yoon Yeorin and Suh Jihoon drew their bows back.


    [Torturous Bondage (S)]


    Kwahng!


    However, their skills were obliterated, destroyed by an explosion caused by a different arrow.


    “…!”


    The two quickly turned their heads and saw Goat holding the bow made by Lee Gun. Veins were popping out on his neck.


    “Don’t attack it at all!” Goat shouted.


    “What?”


    “You guys will die if you do!”


    “…!”


    Goat’s words surprised the two disciples. In truth, Goat had never spoken to his subordinates in this fashion until now. The other Archer disciples were a mixture of S rank and A rank. Moreover, they were skilled enough to be left as guards for the Archer Saint’s holy ground.


    Of course, one of them was an A rank, but this small group consisted of elite members. Since this A-rank disciple fought on the frontline, he was close to the S rank. No one would look down on their battle capabilities.


    However, Goat was serious. ‘That is too much for them.’ He had already experienced fighting this monster once before. Moreover, this monster had defeated their idol, Hugo.


    Goat exined, “Instead of visual cues, it chases after a person’s magical energy! That’s why you shouldn’t use skills! Just run away—”


    At that moment.


    Weh-Weh!


    A sound rang next to him.


    “…!” Goat quickly brought up Lee Gun’s bow, but something more surprising happened.


    Bbah-gahk!


    Lee Gun kicked Goat. “Just give it to me, bitch.”


    “Kuh-huhk!”


    After taking a kick in the shin, Goat felt like dying. ‘He caused damage through an S-rank leg armor guard!’


    On the other hand, Lee Gun was fascinated. He hadn’t put much strength behind the blow, but Goat had endured it. This proved that he really was an SS-rank.


    With his hand in his pockets, Lee Gun cracked the joints of his fingers. “Whatever! Just give me the equipment you’re wearing. Also, I’m taking back the weapon I made if you n on using it that way.”


    “Lee Gun-nim can’t win— What! What did you just say? You made what?”


    Lee Gunughed. The Archer disciples had been too busy admiring and praising the bow that they had missed the conversation between Hugo and Lee Gun. Of course, the disciples would’ve needed the hearing ability of Lee Gun’s ears to hear the whispered conversation. Anyway, that didn’t matter.


    “I’m the one you were praising so much. Also, you’re using the bow wrong!”


    The expressions on the disciples’ faces were a sight to behold.


    ‘Did Lee Gun-nim really make that weapon?’


    “No way! That bow is much better than the weapons made by the Goat Saint?!”


    “Then the debt-ridden person who sold it to the pawnshop— Koohk!”


    “The leader of your house did that.” Lee Gun took back the bow while Goat tried to stop him in desperation. However, Lee Gun just told him to fuck off and kicked him once again.


    “You really can’t do this!” Goat clutched at his leg. Feeling like his leg was about to break, he yelled in desperation, “That monster stole the power of our Saint-nim! Defeating it is impossible! It can eat the power of a god!”


    “!” Lee Gun was surprised. Since Lee Gun was Hugo’s friend, it almost felt like Goat was unburdening himself.


    Goat continued, “Ten years ago, that monster ate the Archer Saint’s wife and his first disciple! Our Saint-nim was somehow able to retrieve their bodiester, but…”


    Goat clenched his eyes shut. That incident had taken ce during his apprenticeship period. He could never forget that day. The monster had eaten everything, including objects, bodies, and souls. It even ate a god.


    “Saint-nim was rescued with the help of the Goat Saint, but… From what I’ve gathered about recent events, Lee Gun-nim is the thirteenth Saint now. This bastard goes crazy for a god’s power! It has a special skill that can paralyze the power of a god! For a Saint, it’s the worst type of monster!”


    Lee Gun epted Goat’s reasoning. Saints were different from disciples; their entire bodies were under the rule of the gods.


    If the flow of power from their gods was disrupted, the situation would be as though they had swallowed rat poison. That was enough to traumatize a person.


    “Whatever!” However, Lee Gun just drew back the bow.