ILAMWAR CH 04

The road in front of Mirae Orphanage.

“Come quickly… Come quickly…”

“Ughhh… I’m tired…”

“I’m huuungry…”

The children were gathered together in little groups.

They looked just like a herd of meerkats.

They were even stretching their necks out in unison, all waiting for the same thing.

And what they were so eagerly waiting for was—

“It’s here! It’s hereee!”

“It’s chicken! Ehehehehe!”

“I want pizza! I’m going to eat pizza!”

The pizza and chicken Kangwoo had ordered.

Forty boxes of each, eighty boxes in total.

The children each carried a box in both hands.

They walked carefully, afraid they might drop or spill anything.

Even the youngest children carried boxes.

Since the boxes were almost as big as their bodies, they hugged them carefully with both arms.

“Ah, kids! Be careful! It’ll be terrible if you fall!”

Director Kang Mirae said worriedly.

She was clearly anxious that one of the children might get hurt.

Whether they knew how worried Kang Mirae was or not—

The children were too busy grinning from ear to ear.

“Ehehehe! It’s chicken! Chicken! I’m going to strip every last piece off the bones!”

“The pizza better have a cheese crust…? I can’t wait…”

“Ugh. It smells amazing. I’m getting dizzy.”

“Hurry, hurry…”

Kangwoo looked at the children with a small smile.

He had offered to bring everything inside himself, but the children had insisted on helping somehow, so he had no choice but to let them.

…Well, judging by how they had acted just now, their desire to “help” had probably been a lie. They simply wanted to meet their pizza and chicken as soon as possible.

Still, they were cute, so he would let it slide.

A little while later, the children had finished carrying all the chicken and pizza into the dining room.

They wanted to eat as soon as possible, so much so that they were practically drooling.

“Everyone, attention!”

At that moment, Director Kang Mirae appeared.

With a gentle smile, she continued.

“The reason we get to eat such delicious chicken and pizza today is thanks to Kangwoo, who is also a graduate of our Mirae Orphanage.”

“Kangwoo! Kangwoo! Kangwoo!”

“Big Brother Kangwoo is awesome!”

“Big Brother is the best!”

“I love you, Oppa! Hehe!”

The children erupted into enthusiastic cheers at the director’s words.

Those who had entered puberty merely bowed their heads awkwardly.

Seeing that, Kangwoo smiled softly and bowed along with them.

“Then let’s all say ‘thank you’ and enjoy our meal!”

“Thank youuu!”

“Big Brother Kangwoo! Thank youuuuu!”

“Our totally awesome Big Brother Kangwoo! Thank youuuuu!”

“Handsome Oppa Kangwoo! Thank youuuuu!”

As expected, the younger children shouted their thanks at the top of their lungs.

“…Thank you.”

“Thank you….”

The ones who had entered puberty, meanwhile, spoke timidly.

Of course, immediately after greeting him, their timid appearances disappeared without a trace as they went into full-on combat mode, tearing the meat off the chicken bones.

Kangwoo smiled once again as he watched them.

“Kangwoo.”

At that moment, the young female teacher, Lee Jihye, approached him.

When he turned around, he saw Lee Jihye and Kang Mirae.

Each of them was holding a box of chicken and pizza, and judging by the situation, it seemed they intended to eat separately.

They probably wanted to finish the conversation they had been unable to finish earlier, too.

So Kangwoo left the children enthusiastically eating behind and followed the two of them into the director’s office.

“I’ll enjoy this, Kangwoo.”

“Thank you, Kangwoo! You’ve really grown up!”

“Haha. Yes. Eat quickly before it gets cold.”

After the three of them ate a few pieces of chicken and pizza,

they began talking about the things they had been unable to discuss until now.

Kang Mirae told him about everything that had happened after he left the orphanage, as well as how the children he had been close to were doing.

It was interesting in its own way, and it allowed Kangwoo to reminisce about old memories, so he listened attentively to her stories.

Lee Jihye, who was only five years older than Kangwoo, talked about more practical matters.

She said that people her age hoped to awaken just like Kangwoo had, and she subtly revealed that she was envious of him.

Of course, immediately afterward, Kang Mirae scolded her worriedly, asking how she could say something so dangerous and telling Kangwoo not to work as a Hunter even if he had awakened.

—Breaking news. A vanguard Hunter has currently acquired a new weapon and is preparing to challenge the highest floor of the Tower, where there has been no progress for the past year….

Around that time, the sound of the news reached the three of them.

‘Just as I thought. The vanguard Hunters bought it.’

Kangwoo nodded as if he understood, recalling the winning bid for the [Faded Holy Sword] he had sold through the auction house.

There were very few people wealthy enough to spend that much money on a single weapon.

Its owner had essentially been decided from the beginning.

“Oh? Director, look at the news!”

“Hm? They’re challenging the highest floor?”

While Kangwoo was thinking that, Lee Jihye and Kang Mirae were watching the news with sparkling eyes.

“Wow. They kept failing for an entire year, so they didn’t even want to announce that they were challenging the highest floor again. But seeing them report it on the news like this….”

“That’s a relief. I was worried because dimensional rifts had recently started appearing near the orphanage…. I hope everything goes well this time….”

“…….”

Kangwoo fell into thought as he watched their reactions.

The highest-floor challenge of the Tower and dimensional rifts.

He had always thought those were matters concerning Hunters.

‘But ordinary people are the ones actually suffering the consequences.’

Unlike Hunters, who had the power to protect themselves if they wanted to,

ordinary people who had no power could do nothing but pray.

It was at that moment that Kangwoo’s thoughts changed.

Until then, he had intended to release the items in his inventory only when he needed money.

—The Hunter Management Bureau and major guilds in Korea are currently searching for the mysterious Hunter who registered the [Faded Holy Sword] at the auction house. They have stated that thanks to this Hunter, they have been given a great opportunity to update the highest floor….

“Wow. I wonder who it is? They’re practically a star.”

“They’re a benefactor. Thanks to them, people will be safer….”

“Since Kangwoo is a Hunter too, maybe you know them?”

Lee Jihye suddenly asked with a playful smile.

Kangwoo thought about how he should answer before replying with a smile.

“Haha. I only awakened recently, so….”

“Come on, I was just saying it.”

Lee Jihye laughed at his awkward reaction.

Kangwoo laughed along with her.

“Anyway, that’s a relief. At least there’ll be one less thing to worry about.”

“If things turn out like this, the other Hunters will be safer too, right? Kangwoo, don’t ever push yourself too hard. Understand? Do it for your director, okay?”

Kangwoo smiled again and nodded.

Korea’s Tower, Floor 32.

The vanguard Hunters entered.

Floor 32—the place where they had experienced countless failures and setbacks.

Normally, they would have felt depressed the moment they entered.

But now, things were completely different.

“Don’t get too excited. Stay calm and do what we’ve always done.”

“Okay. Stay calm and do what we’ve always done.”

A wall they had once believed they could never overcome.

Now, they held an opportunity to break through that wall in their hands.

“Damn, that thing looks sick.”

One of the Hunters walking behind Lee Jiwoo muttered.

He was talking about the [Faded Holy Sword] in her hand.

—Kieeeeeeek!

At that moment, a low-ranking demon warrior appeared ahead of them.

Without any weapon or armor, it fearlessly charged toward the vanguard, relying solely on the strength of its body.

“I’ll try it myself.”

Lee Jiwoo said as she held the [Faded Holy Sword].

She stepped forward without hesitation.

The other Hunters did not stop her.

They were simply too curious.

Just how powerful was that weapon?

Could it really allow them to clear Floor 32?

Tadadad!

Lee Jiwoo kicked off the ground and charged forward.

—Kieeeeeeek!

The low-ranking demon warrior let out a shriek when it saw her.

Its arm was pulled strangely backward.

Swoosh!

Then it lunged toward Lee Jiwoo at incredible speed.

‘Let’s start with a basic attack.’

She thought as she effortlessly dodged its attack.

Lee Jiwoo wanted to see the weapon’s true performance.

So she did not bother giving it her all.

She simply launched an attack focused on the basics.

And yet—

Skerkkkk!

“…!”

Something astonishing happened.

One strike.

She had not even swung especially hard.

She had not received a buff from any of the vanguard Hunters.

She had not used any doping items.

It was not even a skill.

It was just a normal attack.

And yet, and yet….

“It’s… dead?”

The low-ranking demon warrior that had charged forward so confidently—

Its upper body had been sliced diagonally, and it was lying motionless on the ground.

It was an utterly shocking sight.

With her previous weapon, the [Dark Crimson Blood Sword],

such a result would have been unimaginable.

But now, it had happened right before their eyes.

“…Hey! Holy shit! What the hell, Lee Jiwoo?!”

“Unni! How did you do that? You really killed it in one hit, right?”

The other Hunters watching from behind were just as stunned.

They rushed over to Lee Jiwoo.

They exclaimed in amazement as they stared at the [Faded Holy Sword].

“Wow, an attack power of 270 really is something….”

“So this is what it means to win with gear? This is insane….”

“We used to need at least four hits….”

The Hunters muttered blankly.

They were looking at the work of an overwhelmingly overpowered item.

Rather than immediately feeling hopeful about clearing Floor 32,

their first reactions were amazement and envy.

“…L-Let’s continue the raid for now.”

Lee Jiwoo was the first to regain her composure.

After bringing the half-dazed Hunters back to their senses,

“We need to change our strategy. Originally, Lee Jiwoo would hold them off while we dealt damage….”

“Now, we’ll support Lee Jiwoo.”

They began their serious assault on Floor 32.

They had attempted to clear Floor 32 countless times over the course of a year.

Even though they had suffered countless failures and setbacks over that long period,

the vanguard’s experience had continued to accumulate.

And with the astonishing weapon known as the [Faded Holy Sword] as their turning point,

they advanced toward a clear they had once believed was impossible.

“The boss is already here! Everyone, focus!”

“This works! It really works!”

“If anyone screws this up, I’ll kill them myself!”

“Fuck, after a whole year, we can actually see a chance to clear it!”

“Let’s gooooooo—!”

The vanguard fought for the future and safety of Korea.

The heavy burden on their shoulders had grown larger over the years, eating away at their will and passion.

But—

“Go, Lee Jiwoo! Show that bastard what you’re made of!”

“Kill himmmmm—!”

At this very moment, every member of the vanguard was fighting with hopeful expressions on their faces.

The faint hope they had once seen had gathered around the [Faded Holy Sword] in Lee Jiwoo’s hands, becoming clearer and clearer.

Swoooooooooosh!

And in the next moment, that hope became reality.

The boss monster’s life was brought to an end with a powerful strike.

Immediately afterward.

[Notification]

[Korea’s Tower Floor 32 Cleared]

[As of this moment, Korea’s dimensional rifts will disappear.]

[A buff will be granted for 30 days starting from the time of the clear.]

Before the eyes of every Awakened in Korea,

the message they had desperately longed to see appeared.

“So it was enough after all.”

His reaction was quite different from the noisy atmosphere outside.

In fact, it could even be called out of place.

Kangwoo nodded as though he had expected this.

An item like the [Faded Holy Sword] was more than enough to handle Floor 32.

But….

“Hmm.”

He let out a thoughtful hum.

The reason was what had happened at Mirae Orphanage.

—That’s a relief. We can finally relax a little now, right?

—The rifts will finally disappear. What a relief.

They were people he could call his benefactors.

Without them, Kangwoo would not be the person he was today.

A pessimistic teenage boy who cursed himself and saw no hope for the future.

If things had continued that way, he might have eventually given up on his own life.

The people who healed him were the very people at the orphanage.

In a way, they had saved his life.

And now, those benefactors were anxious because of the dimensional rifts.

Kangwoo had the ability to solve that problem.

Dimensional rifts caused by delays in updating the highest floor.

To prevent those, the vanguard had to become stronger.

And the monsters that emerged from dimensional rifts—

To deal with them, the F-, E-, and D-rank rear-line Hunters had to become stronger as well.

Kangwoo had already given the vanguard the [Faded Holy Sword].

Now, it was time to help the rear-line Hunters.

Of course, it was a little early.

Thanks to the [Faded Holy Sword], there would be no dimensional rifts for a while.

But—

From the Four Heavenly Kings under his command at the Demon King’s Castle on Floor 100, he had learned something.

‘Later on, rifts will appear even when the highest floor isn’t delayed.’

And there was another fact Kangwoo had discovered on Floor 100.

The first one.

The Tower was a device that brought about the end of the world in which it was located.

Even Kangwoo, at Level 999, could not stop the apocalypse alone.

He needed people who could help him.

Whether they were vanguard Hunters or rear-line Hunters,

everyone had to become stronger.

After thinking for a while, Kangwoo spoke.

“Enter YongsaNet.”

He quickly accessed the auction house.

Then he selected an item from his inventory that was extremely suitable for increasing the strength of the rear-line Hunters and registered it at the auction house.

Since it was intended for the rear-line Hunters, he set the price low.

Of course, after donating 1 billion won to the orphanage, his account was practically empty.

But he had no desire to make money off something as basic as a secret manual.

[Lv 150 Beginner Mana Circulation Manual]

[Minimum Bid: 50 million won]

[11:59:59 Remaining Until Bidding Ends]

“It’ll probably sell for around 100 million won, right?”

Kangwoo closed the auction house without giving it much thought.

And then, the next day.

A post appeared on the YongsaNet community.

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[General] There’s a secret manual in the auction house. WTF is this?