The Hero Returns

Chapter 54: Chapter 54

Chwa-rururuk-

Clung, claaang-

Dozens upon dozens of thick chains tightly bound the bodies of the monsters. Ten-plus Awakeners coordinated with each other in perfect sync to stop the monsters' movements.

"Nice work!"

Chwa-aaaahk-!

Kang Seung-Cheol's greatsword split the body of a huge raven-like monster in half. The creature, with both of its wings tied down, couldn't even offer any substantial resistance as it lost its life.

Ka-boom-!

Along with the waves of magical energy, a loud impact noise akin to a sandbag being struck hard resounded out. A monster's torso bounced upwards, its waist bent in half.

"Can't you hurry up a bit here?"

Tap, tap-

Boom-

While shaking off the blood on his hands, Kim Do-ui addressed Kang Seung-Cheol.

When looking at the bigger picture, they were both Awakeners affiliated with the same government, but when looking at the smaller picture, things were slightly different.

And that's why they were wary of each other.

"Who's the slow one here… Why don't you keep your people in line first? How many did you hunt, anyway?"

"It's not just one or two. Do you think I'll personally be counting them? Why maybe you didn't hurt as many as you thought?"

"Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?"

"I wonder, just who was it that asked me first about how many I hunted down?"

"Before that…"

Guuu-wooong-

The ground rumbled as something heavy crash-landed. The two men stopped bickering and turned their heads in the direction of the noise.

"The boss is…"

"He killed it?"

Kang Seung-Cheol opened his eyes wide.

That man, he stepped forward while saying he'll fight the boss alone, but to think he'd solo a monster of such caliber.

"I thought we might need more reinforcement, but it seems there's no longer a need for that."

Kim Do-ui was overcome with feelings of emptiness and relief at the same time. The crisis that could've become the worst-possible situation had finally come to an end.

"He's remarkable. Truly," Kim Do-ui thought.

Su-hyeun minded his own business up until now without publicly revealing himself, not even once.

It was already mystifying to see a young man like that stay well below the radar for such an extent of time, but the moment he revealed his identity to the world, he even managed to prevent a huge catastrophe, as well.

His abilities couldn't be faulted at all. Indeed, he was one of only a few S-ranks in South Korea, so why should anyone doubt that?

Most likely, after this event is over…" Kim Du-ui began to think.

A storm should rage on with him as the epicenter.

The armor clanked.

Su-hyeun picked up the armor Igolas's maw spat out onto the ground.

Now that he got to see it again, rather than joy, bitterness rushed in first.

"Falcon's Holy Armor," Su-hyeun thought in awe.

This set of armor was so light that its weight almost couldn't be felt. Just from the sensation of it being held in his hand, the armor might seem like it'd break in half if he gripped it a little harder.

However, Su-hyeun knew the true worth of this item better than anyone out there.

[Falcon's Holy Armor.]

The armor belonging to Falcon, the knight of Teserahm Empire. The Teserahm Empire gifted this armor to Falcon in his quest to hunt down the half-demon dragon, and as such, it possesses strong resistance towards many different magic types.

The item's explanation itself wasn't too obtuse. Rather than its effects, over half of the explanation was devoted to the item's history, instead.

<< Out of all the armors that can be equipped with the others, this is the one possessing the greatest magic resistance of them all. >>

The greatest advantage Falcon's Armor had was the fact that it could be worn underneath other armors.

Never mind how light it was, it was also more comfortable than all the others, and it offered almost no restriction on his movements.

It also had a strong resistance towards many different types of damage, including magic, which was a huge plus, as well.

Honestly, that last factor alone would've qualified the Falcon's Armor as a bona fide treasure.

"I'll use it well," Su-hyeun thought.

Su-hyeun then equipped the Falcon's Armor.

The moment he put on the armor over his clothing.

Hwa-aaaahk-!

Lengthy video footage began brushing past Su-hyeun's brain.

"Please stop the demon dragon Igolas."

"Falcon, we ask of you for this favor."

"With this method, you will be able to defeat Igolas. However, if that happens…"

Countless people were surrounding Falcon.

They all clamored over each other to shout towards him.

"You're the only one we can believe in now!"

Falcon couldn't forsake that belief. Not if he were to answer their expectations, and if he wanted to protect his beloved empire, too.

It wasn't hard to come up with a reply.

"Please leave it to me."

And so, Falcon set off from the empire to stop Igolas.

While equipped with weapons, armor, and countless items crafted by the finest artisans of the empire, he fought against Igolas in a battle that lasted the day and night, and eventually, the magic circle they had created was activated.

Hwa-aaaaahk-!

And that's how Falcon became one with Igolas.

Two separate minds came to occupy one flesh, and the second battle commenced.

It was truly a lengthy fight that lasted for almost an eternity.

Igolas didn't die.

However, one half of it became Falcon. The light and darkness repeatedly fought each other in fierce battles, and Igolas no longer appeared in the empire.

Unfortunately, Falcon would lose to Igolas's ego whenever the starvation became too extreme.

And to appease his hunger, he had to devour the empire's citizens.

"I… Those people, I…"

The guilt was shaking his consciousness.

His mouth could vividly recall the memories of chewing on humans. The memories of screams of 'please save us' reverberating within his mouth were something he never wanted to remember again.

It was at this point that the horrifying voice he'd often hear came to him.

"But, didn't you enjoy the taste? Was I mistaken?"

"Shut up. I didn't enjoy anything. It's making me sick!"

"No way. You savored the taste while devouring those humans. I'm you right now, after all. That's why I know."

"I said, I didn't!"

He felt nauseous. Rather than being disgusted by the cannibalism itself, he was more sickened by the fact that he enjoyed the process.

And so, Falcon gradually assimilated into Igolas. He endlessly repeated the cycle of devouring humans, then falling into regret and despair.

"It's all because of me. I'm, I'm the…"

Memories entered Su-hyeun's head.

He already knew of these memories, though. The Falcon's Armor was an item Su-hyeun of past life had used, after all.

"I'm watching this for the second time, but still…" thought Su-hyeun.

One could tell just what kind of a life Falcon lived through this set of armor.

The first time he put the armor on, he just couldn't understand at all why that person had to live such a life. He couldn't figure out the reason why Falcon chose the path of lengthy suffering.

However, in the end, even Su-hyeun got to walk on a similar path as him.

At first, he believed it was because the world had forced it onto him. However, as time passed, he grew to realize that that wasn't the sole reason.

Now he knew.

That was his own choice.

Even if the world didn't force him, and instead tried to talk him out of it…

"I'd probably have made the same choice," thought Su-hyeun.

That's why Su-hyeun felt even more bitter inside.

His end wasn't all that dissimilar to Falcon's, after all. He had to greet the conclusion so torturous that death felt like an eternal respite.

No, that wasn't true. Falcon managed to protect his empire, but what about him?

This was the second opportunity, his second attempt.

But, if he were to fail again this time…

"Even then, I'll still do it."

As expected, the answer remained the same.

If he was thinking of hesitating, then he wouldn't even have started in the first place. He wouldn't have tried to put this armor on, either.

When he thought that it was finally over, strength in his body flooded out. The activation period of 'Indomitable' had come to an end.

"It didn't last as long as I thought," Su-hyeun said to himself.

He was dismayed at himself for thinking about skills even in a situation like this one.

Su-hyeun smirked and let go of the tension's taut string.

"I'm sure it'll work out… Somehow…"

Plop-

Su-hyeun laid down right there as if he was blacking out, and closed his eyes.

And then, he fell into a deep slumber.

January 31, 2021.

This date was originally earmarked as the day of conquering the green-colored dungeon that appeared in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.

All the attention of the media was focused there, and countless Awakeners were deployed, too.

So much so that one would start to think at least one-third of all the Awakeners in South Korea had been deployed here to conquer this green-colored dungeon.

But then, the South Korean media, no, the entire world's, was no longer focused on Ansan, but Anyang, instead.

The dungeon outbreak is a new term denoting the phenomenon that occurs when a newly-generated dungeon has been left alone for a fixed period. However, on January 31st, the City of Anyang in Gyeonggi Province was… A new type of dungeon has emerged. A green-colored dungeon that requires an S-rank Awakener, or perhaps even over a dozen A-rank Awakeners… Last night in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province…

The breaking headlines and internet articles endlessly poured out.

And one man's name was brought up without exception in every single one of them.

The mysterious Awakener covered in veil until now, Kim Su-hyeun has finally revealed himself. He has been introducing himself as a member of the Dump Guild on an online forum from a short while ago, and he… Kim Su-hyeun willingly disguised himself as a terrorist to evacuate the citizens. Thanks to his actions, all the damage the City of Anyang suffered was some damage to property… The boss of the green dungeon was…

The breaking news continued to pour in one after the other.

Su-hyeun raised the remote and switched the TV off.

Beep-

"I can't stand it, really," Su-hyeun said.

Should he say how fortunate that his face was blurred out in mosaic during the broadcasts?

As if the mass media didn't want to get on Su-hyeun's bad books, they didn't reveal his facial features publicly on air.

"Kekek. Isn't it all truth, though?"

Lee Ju-ho chuckled under his breath. He was trying so hard not to laugh, but even then, the decibel of his chuckles leaking out remained rather high.

"Why don't you just stop holding back and laugh? We're in a private room, anyway. You holding back is making me feel even worse."

"Keuk, puhahahahat!"

Lee Ju-ho, in the end, exploded in a loud peel of laughter. Su-hyeun swore that this was the first time seeing him guffaw this loudly ever since getting acquainted with the man.

"Is it that funny?"

"No, wait, keuk, keuk… Your expression, Mr. Su-hyeun, it's…"

"What about my expression, then?"

"No, well, it's like your expression is baring everything in the open. Like… Aaah, this wasn't what I wanted."

Su-hyeun's fist almost flew out at the figure of Lee Ju-ho explaining his expression with a deliberately serious, subdued voice. However, he somehow managed to hold himself back and suppressed his anger.

He was already dead-tired and needed a rest, so no good would come of it if he wasted energy unnecessarily here.

"Besides all that, I didn't expect you to go through with it," said Lee Ju-ho.

"I always do what I said I'd do."

"I see. So, I'm planning to dissuade you if something like this happens again in the future. I thought you were just kidding around again, you know."

"Will you really?"

"I mean, who would believe it? Disguising yourself as a terrorist to draw in hundreds of Awakeners all alone. And also, to use those hundreds of Awakeners to stop an outbreak, no less."

Lee Ju-ho spat out a sigh and shook his head, perhaps feeling that it still made no sense when looking back at the whole thing for the second time. "I thought that you lost all of your marbles."

"It was the most effective method available."

"This wasn't the problem of effectiveness but rather, whether it's possible or not."

One versus one hundred.

That was an impossibility for a regular person, but it wasn't as impossible for an Awakener. As the word implied, being an Awakener signified that you were superhuman, after all.

However, if the 'hundred' in that one versus a hundred situation were also Awakeners, then the matter would again become an impossibility.

Because the 'hundred' opponents 'one' had to contend with would be also superhumans possessing strengths exceeding that of regular people.

"Honestly, I thought that it'd be utterly impossible and that it's a completely absurd notion. Even if all of you went easy for hundreds of rounds and you endured somehow in that manner… I thought that you'd never make it out of there alive, Mr. Su-hyeun."

That was how it'd be like to battle against a hundred Awakeners. No matter how much of a genius Su-hyeun was, Lee Ju-ho felt confident in saying it.

That surely was an impossible task.

"However, you managed to do it, Mr. Su-hyeun."

The thing was, though, a handful of Awakeners capable of pulling off such feats did exist.

"The S-rank…"

Lee Ju-ho asked in a could-it-be frame of mind.

"Have you really become an S-rank Awakener?"