SSS-Class Sui**de Hunter - Chapter 79

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

Chapter 79. The Scent of Snow (2)
3
It took a long time before my Master and I could return to the group.
…….
…….
We were both grave.
As we walked through the cave, my Master simply said, “The path ahead is quite dark—be careful where you step,” and that was all. I answered only with “Yes,” and our conversation ended there. The woman’s face I glimpsed from the side was lost in thought.
My Master, I mean—
What could she be thinking about?
‘Character Window.’
There’s a saying that a disciple shouldn’t even step on their master’s shadow, but I couldn’t resist my curiosity. Was it possible she’d grown guarded because I’d shown weakness? That wasn’t what I wanted at all.
+
Name: So Baek-hyang
Affinity: 85
Preferred Genre: [Martial Arts]
Disliked Genre: [Classical], [Mythology], [History], [Fairy Tales]
Preferred Character: [Common Folk], [Rival], [Disciple]
Disliked Character: [Tyrant], [Deceiver], [Wastrel]
Preferred Plot: [All-Out Contest]
Disliked Plot: [Escape], [Oblivion], [Meaningless Death]
Psychological State: ‘Let’s see. If this one calculates what remains of her Internal Power… even being as frugal as possible, she could live another year and a half. A year and a half! Ah, how difficult! Within that year and a half, this one must pass everything down to her disciple…….’
+
Hm…….
Hm.
My face burned. It wasn’t just guilt at having peeked into my Master’s heart unbidden. It was shame. A touch of emotion. Something—and my face grew unbearably hot.
Was I really so weak to others’ kindness?
-Kekeke! Zombie! Today’s your lucky day! Fortune smiles on you!
Of course, the emotion didn’t last long.
A certain ghost—no longer human—had trampled it all to pieces.
-What! No matter how different the worlds are, the martial artists’ heads over there aren’t so different from ours, but still, after ages reading martial texts I’m in a fine mood. Kyaa! Oh, right—did you complete the Formal Disciple Ceremony properly?
…….
-Huh? What’s with that miserable face? Your already hideous mug looks even worse now, zombie. You really ought to work on your appearance.
If I had an Affinity meter too, it would’ve just dropped about 10 points.
Ghosts simply don’t understand the human heart.
[Sparkle barely stops trembling and gazes up at you in reverence.]
Sparkle, who’d been shaking this whole time, finally stilled.
The Constellations truly do understand the human heart.
My Affinity toward Sparkle rose by 30.
“Oh, you’re back?”
Viper spoke to us, his single eye turning toward me.
“Did you complete the Formal Disciple Ceremony?”
“Yes, I’ve formally become a disciple of the Demonic Cult.”
“Good, my congratulations.”
“By the way, how did you and the Martial Alliance Master come to be master and disciple?”
Viper chuckled and crossed his arms.
“One thing led to another, I suppose.”
“You say that every time.”
“What, do you want the full story?”
“If you’re willing to share it.”
Viper folded his arms.
He flashed a smile so tight it could keep out a needle, then shook his head.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
Viper continued calmly.
“I simply asked for his instruction. There’s nothing particularly noteworthy about it.”
Hm.
Since the contest had ended, I opened Viper’s psychological state.
‘Tch. An old man dying anyway… no, wait. He’s my master now.
Still, the man said his life was nearly over, then he offered this one a reason to live, even performed a full prostration. How could I refuse that, how could I even speak against it?
And from someone whose martial prowess far exceeds my own at that…….’
I looked at Viper as if I’d been struck on the head.
Viper.
He was a real man.
‘Whew—lying does stir up the memories. They come back piece by piece.
The Martial Alliance Leader and the Celestial Demon spar occasionally, you see. Watching them, I’ve had the thought for some time now that these two are rather remarkable.
So while they were both sitting there, I decided to have a chat with them about martial arts.
Well, the Martial Alliance Leader suddenly goes, “Squee-hoot! Hey you, is it true?! That someone of your caliber—a talent of the ages—exists? How much blessing has the Celestial Demon received?!” and just about falls over in shock.
There I was scratching the back of my head, thinking, hmm, is this really something to make such a fuss about…
When the Medicine King butted in as if to say, why are you making such a commotion over something like that.
‘Ah, this fellow Cheon Mu-mun-ju—despite appearances—is a cherished colleague of ours. Of course he possesses such skill, character, and beauty,’ he said.
The Pharmacist’s face turned bright red.
‘Y-yes… Th-that is, Cheon Mu-mun-ju br—n-no! Ah, ah, I didn’t say anything! In any case, Cheon Mu-mun-ju is a top-ranked player in our world… or rather, an idol whom people of our world look up to! That sort of thing… Ahahaha, h-how embarrassing, I’ve said something so shameful!’ And she cupped both her cheeks in her hands.
Facts cascading down from nowhere—all I could do was gaze out at the distant mountains.
Then the Martial Alliance Leader nodded as if everything finally made sense.
‘Hey! I’m begging you! Won’t this talent of the ages become my final direct disciple?’
Sigh—this was troublesome.
I just wanted to live quietly, but really, why does my life never have a peaceful day….’
That’s right.
Let’s stop there.
Viper.
He was, after all, a true man.
“King of Three Paths. And you, leader of the Demonic Cult.”
This era’s finest true man spoke, shrugging his shoulders.
“I have one piece of good news for you both, and one piece of sad news.”
“What is it?”
“We succeeded.”
It was not Viper who answered my question. The voice was far thinner, far dimmer. It was the Pharmacist’s voice. The Pharmacist, wearing thick-rimmed glasses, was walking toward us.
“The Cure. We’ve successfully developed it. King of Three Paths.”
“…….”
The reason I didn’t respond immediately wasn’t because I was moved by the completion announcement.
The Pharmacist is a genius. My conviction that she would eventually develop the Cure was self-evident—it was merely a question of how much time it would take.
In the meantime, I had spent considerable time learning the Demon Heaven Divine Art. With the Medicine King’s assistance, the Pharmacist would naturally begin producing results soon.
“What’s this? Medicine has been made?”
My teacher wore an expression of surprise.
“Is this truly so? If you’re lying, confess it now. I’m the sort who overlooks a single falsehood.”
“…Yes, it’s real.”
The Pharmacist spoke.
“Actually, I finished developing it yesterday. I waited an additional day to observe the results because I needed to conduct a clinical trial.”
“A clinical trial? What is that?”
“It’s checking to see whether the Cure properly exerts its medicinal effect. The test subject that you and the Leader graciously provided… forgive me. I spent a day observing the progression using the corpse of the one who was the Mudangpa’s sect leader.”
The Pharmacist seemed to be composing her face into studied blankness.
“Since death had occurred long ago, resurrection was impossible. But the Zombie Virus—the plague—was cured, and the body reverted to an ordinary corpse. I confirmed it. Yes, there are no issues with the Cure.”
“If that’s true, isn’t this extraordinary fortune!”
My teacher’s face brightened.
“Remarkable! All the healers and priests of the martial world threw up their hands in defeat before this strange malady. Yet two of you have found a solution—what extraordinary talent!”
“No, it was only possible thanks to the materials you provided, King of Three Paths…”
“Never mind the modesty. Treat Bu Wol-seon at once!”
My teacher seized the Pharmacist’s hands.
The joy radiating from my teacher was vivid in every gesture and movement.
“That old man struts about pretending to be strong, but truth be told, he hasn’t many days left to endure. He knows this himself—that’s why he took on the Celestial Demon’s child as a disciple. That the medicine was developed before he departed this world is truly the kindness of heaven!”
“Yes… naturally I’ll treat him. That’s why I came here in the first place…”
And then I spoke.
“The Cure has a problem.”
“…….”
“Isn’t that so, Director?”
The Pharmacist bowed her head. Her complexion was as dim as her voice had been. From the moment she said, “I’ve successfully developed the Cure,” the Pharmacist had kept avoiding my eyes. I had felt a ripple of unease even then.
“No, the Cure has no problems whatsoever…. I made it. It’s perfect. But…”
However.
“But what?”
“The Dantian must be sealed.”
Footstep.
Light footsteps echoed in the silence.
“Kim Gongja, I too witnessed Malko Dosa’s corpse returning to a normal state. To be thorough, I obtained additional samples of the Zombie Virus and conducted further tests, but the results were identical. There is no doubt of this woman’s medicinal skill.”
Bu Wol-seon, Master of the Martial Alliance.
The elderly man in white robes walked slowly toward us.
“Yet you must understand as well. We two are already halfway to being corpses. We brought these bodies—already dead countless ages ago—back to life by sheer force of will.”
……
My master’s expression had hardened without my notice.
The Martial Alliance Master stroked his beard with a hollow laugh.
“That we have survived this long despite violating the natural order—that itself is a feat. We must pay the price for it.”
“Both of you have been infected with the Zombie Virus for far too long.”
The Pharmacist opened her lips.
“For those not yet infected, or those only recently infected, a single dose of Vaccine would bring both cure and prevention. But for the two of you…….”
The Pharmacist, her head bowed, spoke with increasing urgency.
“Above the cervical vertebrae, there is no abnormality. Once you consume the Cure, you will return to normal—as you were before infection. But below the cervical vertebrae, what you call Internal Power and the pathogen… or rather, the Turbid Qi… I cannot distinguish them at all.”
Especially the condition of the lower Dantian is severe, the Pharmacist said.
“The pathways through which your Internal Power flows coincide exactly with the pathways where Turbid Qi spreads. To put it simply: imagine a corridor that needs cleaning. But the Cure is not a precise pair of tweezers—it’s a blunt broom. You cannot use a broom to sweep a corridor while separating dust from sand grains. Your corridors have accumulated too much debris, and in particular, the lower Dantian is in terrible condition…….”
The Dantian—the place where Internal Power accumulates.
To a warrior, it was as precious as life itself.
“We must remove it all.”
“…Remove it, you say?”
My master spoke.
“What do you mean by removing it?”
“We must eliminate it.”
The Pharmacist’s voice tightened.
“I will perform surgery.”
“…You mean to excise the tumor attached to the Dantian? That much is tolerable. There would be some loss of power, but at our level, we could recover quickly.”
“No. I mean complete excision of the region.”
……
“You need not doubt the success of the surgery. I have already conducted clinical operations. I am not a specialist in all surgical matters, but the Medicine King has considerable skill, and I can provide support at that level. So…….”
“The skill of your technique is extraordinary.”
The Martial Alliance Master spoke abruptly.
“The physicians worth consulting are not found in the martial world but outside it, I see now. Watching from the side—it is remarkable. Kim Gongja, if you have the chance, you should also witness it.”
“Namgung Woon.”
“As for myself.”
The Martial Alliance Master coughed.
“I will undergo the procedure.”
……
“In any case, the Internal Power I stand to lose is barely a handful. There is nothing to regret, nothing to lament. It is fortunate that I took a disciple in my twilight years. Even if I lose the Dantian, my mind for teaching remains intact, and my disciple is such a rare talent that he grasps ten meanings from one word.”
The Martial Alliance Master gazed upon his longtime rival.
“We are warriors. The Way of the Warrior is the heart. If the heart endures, the Way endures. Is that not so, Baek-hyang?”
My master did not answer.
Through the night, the Martial Alliance Master underwent the procedure. By dawn, the Pharmacist and the Medicine King informed us that the surgery was complete.
The surgery had been successful.
4
At dawn, the Snow Field bore the color of shadow.
“Master.”
……
My master stood alone at the mouth of the cave, looking down at the world turned to shadow. Her long black sleeves fluttered in the wind.
The landscape was distant.
My master’s silhouette appeared even more distant than the landscape itself.
“Master.”
“…Has the result of the procedure come through?”
“Yes.”
“What is the outcome?”
“All is well.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Then it is as it is.”
My master’s gaze was fixed on empty air.
“My disciple.”
“Yes.”
“I wished to sever all the cold in the world with a single blade.”
My master spoke.
“From childhood it was so. I resented winter. The snow that fell in those seasons grieved me. I wondered why the world must have seasons at all, why winter must be among them, and why each time the seasons turned, human lives had to wither with them.”
A world frozen eternally in winter.
Born with an Ice and Snow Body and an Extreme Yin Body, she despised the season most akin to herself.
“Though I could not sever all the cold in the world with a single sword, I was certain I could strike down those who froze the world itself. The memory returns—when I first emerged into the Martial World. That too was the depths of winter.”
I perceived something had changed in my master’s form.
A sword.
My master held a blade in her right hand. There was no crossguard. It consisted only of the hilt and the blade itself. Unlike the other swords, transparent as mirrors, hers was pitch black—the color of ink.
A blade that refused to become transparent.
Though I beheld it for the first time, I divined what the sword was.
“The Jeanhyeol Mageom…….”
“Yes.”
My master intoned softly.
“When I first entered the Martial World, I tested something. It was the recklessness of youth. I took the cold of heaven and earth literally as a thing of the world, and sought to sever the Snow Mountain itself.”
My master drew breath.
The exhale from dawn glowed white.
Where that white touched the sky, a towering peak rose into being.
“In those days I could not even cut its hem…….”
My master raised the sword.
“But now—what might I accomplish? I am curious.”
The blade swept through the air.
It was a slow gesture.
My master’s sleeves were long, and they had to flutter for some distance to follow her hand. As the black fabric danced in the void, time itself seemed to pause. In that frozen emptiness, her sleeve floated free, undisturbed.
“I wish it.”
Sword Dance.
“I wish it.”
Sword Dance.
“I wish it.”
The sword priestess danced her dance with the blade.
“My heart is a candle flame.”
And.
“I will burn this place.”
The Snow Mountain was cut.
The snow peak, which held no trees and exposed no stone—a peak that meant nothing except that it existed—was severed.
The cry of the snow-laden mountain rang like thunder. White blood mist erupted in the wake of that echoing scream. The Snow Mountain crumbled from its summit, raising waves of snow, and those waves cascaded down in layer upon layer. Collapse after collapse. Not from heaven, but a snowstorm born of human will descended upon the dawn.
“…….”
My master’s breath emerged ragged.
“Only the peak fell. I cut with my heart, yet could not sever the whole. Mind is Kill remains distant. This is my final frontier.”
“…….”
“My disciple.”
My master turned to me.
A great mountain crumbled white before us.
“I will receive the procedure.”
SSS-Rank Hunter: Die to Live (Serialized)
Author │ Shin Noah
Publisher │ Kim Ju-hyung
Published by │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd.
Marketing │ Han Jae-hyuk
Address │ 204, 288 Digital-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Daelung Posttower 1st)
Email │ [email protected]
Website │ www.jayplemedia.com
ⓒ Shin Noah 2019
※This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder. No part of this work may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher and author.
Violation of this provision may result in criminal and civil liability.

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