I Became a Hunter with the Heavenly Slaughter Star Trait. - Chapter 97

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 97

Episode 97

Japan.

Tsushima Island.

What was once a peaceful tourist destination,

was now-

‘Hell.’

-Breaking News! Demonic transformation confirmed across all of Tsushima Island… “Out of control” situation

-Japanese Government “Did our best but failed”… Defending with merit points

-Tsushima Island demonic transformation -> Will it invade the mainland… Is South Korea safe?

Thanks to the dynamite Han Myeong-jin had detonated,

without even having time to prepare various excuses,

the Japanese Government had no choice but to acknowledge Tsushima Island’s demonic transformation.

From Japan’s perspective, this was an infuriatingly shameful incident.

After the Tower appeared, Japan had quickly trained Hunters and boasted about being the safest country in the world,

and a ‘demonic transformation’ had erupted there?

Even with their source of pride,

the world-ranking 4th Hunter ‘Ryohei’?

Everything began due to the Japanese Government’s complacency.

Hunter personnel concentrated on the mainland.

Because of this,

islands like Hokkaido and Okinawa that couldn’t receive relative protection.

Among them, Tsushima Island was

an island famously neglected by Japan.

Why?

Despite Tsushima Island being a Japanese island,

it was benefiting from South Korea’s merit point barrier.

The South Korean Government was consuming massive merit points to

deploy barriers covering Busan and even Jeju Island.

Tsushima Island was caught in that delicate zone,

and Japan was cunningly benefiting from this barrier’s effects.

Not perfect, but barely managing to hold on.

Of course, using merit point barriers would be much safer,

but in that case, the amount of merit points consumed would be terrifying.

Therefore, what Japan chose was

quietly

stealing South Korea’s merit point barrier.

This method worked for over 10 years.

However,

about 5 years ago, the boundaries of merit point barriers began to become clear.

Japan had also noticed this point, but

for them to invest merit points now was an impossible thing.

Why?

Because it had been free until now!

It was definitely free, so why should they pay merit points now!

A mindset like a restaurant troublemaker.

In front of Japan, which had been walking such a tightrope,

the bomb called Tsushima Island’s demonic transformation had arrived.

The demonic transformation began in earnest a year ago.

On a day when South Korea’s merit point barrier didn’t reach,

Kappa appeared on Tsushima Island.

Originally, Kappa are weak monsters.

However,

that’s only when the opponent is a Hunter.

What if Kappa appeared before ordinary civilians?

They would naturally die.

No matter how weak Kappa might be as monsters,

they could naturally tear civilians to death.

It would be fortunate if it ended with just tearing them to death.

Most Kappa

extract and eat human soul orbs to grow.

That’s not all.

After extracting and eating the soul orb,

they pull out the human’s scalp,

cave in the skull,

and pour Kappa water onto the skull that’s been caved in like a dish.

What happens then?

Human ‘Kappa-fication’ occurs.

Just as being bitten by a zombie turns you into a zombie,

being killed by a Kappa turns you into a Kappa.

Humans who became Kappa-fied like this

move according to the Kappa’s commands to Kappa-fy other humans again,

and as a result, infinite multiplication of Kappa occurs.

In exactly this way,

Tsushima Island was being dominated by Kappa.

Because Kappa-fication was extremely fast,

by the time the Japanese Government noticed the situation,

it was already in a state that couldn’t be handled by the Self-Defense Forces or ordinary Hunter teams.

Of course,

if they had requested help from the world immediately upon noticing, the situation would have been different.

However, Japan chose ‘concealment’ and

dispatched Self-Defense Forces and Hunter teams to Tsushima Island, knowing they would fail.

In the end, it only resulted in further increasing the Kappa forces.

As mentioned, Kappa are monsters that become stronger the more they extract and eat human soul orbs.

In the end, the Japanese Government had served human soul orbs as a full course meal to the Kappa.

Kappa that became stronger and

Kappa that became more numerous.

Tsushima Island was no longer Japanese territory.

Literally,

hell.

Or conversely,

the Kappa’s heaven?

Moreover,

Kappa were ‘water’ attribute monsters.

For them to cross beyond Tsushima Island

toward the Japanese Mainland was not strange at all.

One,

Two at a time.

As kappa began to be discovered on the mainland coast.

The Japanese government finally realized.

The fact that ‘it can no longer be hidden’.

So they secretly requested cooperation from the South Korean government,

And tried to quietly conquer the Tsushima Island demonization.

But with the unexpected appearance of ‘Han Myeong-jin’,

Japan’s shame of Tsushima Island’s demonization was exposed to the entire world.

But what could they do?

At this rate,

It wouldn’t end with just Tsushima Island.

The kappa would multiply and multiply,

And would surely invade the Japanese mainland eventually.

So…

To the Korean Hunters they had looked down upon so much,

They had no choice but to ask for help.

In other words,

Japan had no other options.

“This matter cannot be resolved by Japan’s unilateral response, and requires international cooperation to jointly respond to the disaster…”

Kang Min-a reads through the official document.

“…For the safety of your country’s straits as well, preemptive blocking is necessary.”

Before the last sentence even finished,

“Hahaha.”

Lee Tae-pyeong burst into laughter.

“They call it cooperation.”

“…”

“They’re asking us to get covered in shit together, aren’t they?”

“…Yes. To put it bluntly, that’s right.”

Kang Min-a, who was reading the official document, seemed quite irritated too.

She sat across from Lee Tae-pyeong, grinding her teeth.

“Not satisfied with stealing our public value defense barrier until now, now they want cooperation… So selfish. So selfish.”

“Still, we have sufficient justification.”

“…Justification?”

“Yes.”

“What kind…”

“Joint management of Tsushima Island.”

“…”

Joint management of Tsushima Island.

If we properly handle the demonization.

It would become possible for South Korea to ‘jointly’ manage Tsushima Island, which Japan failed to properly defend.

With this incident,

It was as good as proven that Japan lacked such capability.

“There is that possibility…”

“I’m certain of it.”

“Hmm, everything will have to be discussed after handling the demonization…”

“I’ll handle it.”

Lee Tae-pyeong answers confidently.

“That’s why I’m going, isn’t it?”

At those words, Kang Min-a had no choice but to nod.

Lee Tae-pyeong.

There was a reason the Japanese side specifically requested Lee Tae-pyeong.

Despite having just barely surpassed level 30.

His abilities were overwhelming.

Especially in this kind of slaughter battle…

‘…No need to explain further.’

Kang Min-a nodded inwardly and handed Lee Tae-pyeong the documents.

“Because of Han Myeong-jin, we’re proceeding faster than scheduled, but nothing else should change.”

“Yes.”

“However, there is a problem…”

Kang Min-a trails off.

“What is it?”

“…Korean healers won’t be participating.”

“Ah, really?”

“Yes. Since it’s a high-risk conquest…”

“Well, sending Hunter Park Geum-ja to a place like this would be nonsensical.”

That’s right.

It would be much better to have a healer like Park Geum-ja standby in South Korea, in Busan,

And transport hunters for treatment when emergency situations arise.

However, the problem was,

With no healer participating,

The difficulty would increase even more.

Solving everything with potions clearly had its limits.

Then, they would have no choice but to rely on Japanese hunters.

“Ugh, I’m not too fond of Japanese healers.”

“Ahaha, I suppose you would feel that way…?”

During the previous conquest of China’s Special Floor,

Lee Tae-pyeong, who had memories(?) with Japanese hunters, couldn’t help but feel reluctant.

“Then, what about Ujeongmin…”

“No, that won’t work.”

Lee Tae-pyeong rejects Kang Min-a’s suggestion first.

Ujeongmin’s talent as a healer was exceptional.

Multi-person healing, plus debuffs.

With just a little more development, he would surely become a top-tier healer.

That’s precisely why,

He couldn’t take him along.

If he took him to a place like this and Ujeongmin got kappa-fied?

Lee Tae-pyeong wasn’t the type to accept such losses.

“Then, we’ll do our best to search for items…”

“Rather than that.”

Lee Tae-pyeong, lost in thought, fidgets with his chin before speaking.

“I think there’s a suitable person.”

“A healer?”

“Hmm, well. Something like that.”

“But would they be willing to go to Tsushima Island?”

“That’s something you’ll have to persuade them about, Min-a.”

-Gulp.

Kang Min-a swallows her dry saliva.

Who could the healer Lee Tae-pyeong wants to bring be?

Who exactly is this healer that Lee Tae-pyeong is trying to bring?

If he’s requesting first, he must be an incredible person.

Would such a person really want to go to Tsushima Island?

“Wh-who is it…?”

Kang Min-a asked back with a nervous voice.

Then,

“It’s someone from quite a while back.”

“Yes…”

“Someone called Maeng Ju-im.”

“…What?”

“I wonder if he’s still alive.”

“Ma-Ma-Ma…”

“Maeng Ju-im.”

“Why on earth Maeng Ju-im?!?!?!?!”

* * *

The participant list was finalized.

A total of 8 hunters dispatched from South Korea.

Lee Tae-pyeong.

Choi Mu-ryeong.

Ban Hae-yeong.

Han Si-on.

Sim I-yeong.

Seo In-ha.

Park Geum-ja.

“Ah, Park Geum-ja will not enter Tsushima Island and will wait in Busan.”

At the Management Bureau official’s words,

“That’s definitely safer.”

Han Si-on nodded his head.

“Right, right. Our Geum-ja is so precious.”

Ban Hae-yeong chimed in agreement.

Choi Mu-ryeong also seemed to agree, seeing as he had nothing else to say.

“But hasn’t the remaining one person not arrived yet?”

I looked around,

then raised my hand and asked again.

“Excluding Hunter Seo In-ha who couldn’t participate due to scheduling conflicts, everyone who came here is all we have for now.”

Huh.

Does that mean it’s 7 people instead of 8?

“Hmm…”

Did it fail after all?

Even for Kang Min-a, it was something that couldn’t be done…

-Bang!!!

That’s when it happened.

The back door of the meeting room burst open.

“Huff, huff.”

Kang Min-a’s entrance, breathless as always.

“J-just a moment!”

Behind the door she threw open,

a black shadow was visible.

‘Could it be…?’

I looked at Kang Min-a with eyes full of anticipation.

“I brought him!!!!”

At Kang Min-a’s resounding declaration,

“Wh-who did you…”

In front of the confused people,

-Swoosh…

The black shadow revealed itself.

He was quite large in build.

No…

Rather than large, he was fat.

‘Wow, he looks completely different from the face I knew?’

A plump appearance.

Scruffy beard.

Baggy tracksuit.

His face looked like he just woke up,

with wrinkles and flesh attached as if proving the years that had passed.

With expressions like ‘Who the hell is that?’,

the hunters stared at the middle-aged man.

Probably, I’m the only one who recognizes who that person is.

“Oh my, could it be…”

Oh.

It seems Park Geum-ja recognizes him too.

It’s natural since they would have worked together during their prime, right?

-Screech.

He pulled out the nearest chair,

-Thud.

sat down and spread his legs wide,

-Scratch scratch.

the middle-aged man scratching his belly.

No matter how generously you looked at it,

just an ordinary neighborhood uncle passing by on the street.

While everyone stared in bewilderment,

only I looked at him with a bright smile.

‘He came!’

My cheat key.

Ero-ero Maeng Ju-im!

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————