SSS-Class Sui**de Hunter - Chapter 80

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 80. The Scent of Snow (3)
5
My master could not undergo surgery immediately.
“I’m sorry. Just… just a little rest…”
The Murim Alliance Leader’s procedure had only just concluded. Both the Pharmacist and the Medicine King were exhausted from conducting the surgery. The Pharmacist collapsed outright and fell into a deep sleep, while the Medicine King waded into the hot spring and sat in silence with his mouth agape.
“……….”
My master furrowed his brow and looked down at the Murim Alliance Leader.
“So you came in person to see for yourself—I’d lost my Dantian, or so they said.”
“Quite the first visitor for a sickbed. Very well, feast your eyes to your heart’s content.”
“How does it feel?”
The Murim Alliance Leader lay on the mat, chuckling softly.
“Light as a feather. I feel as though I might achieve Ascension to Immortality itself.”
“You’re deeper in delusion than I thought. A man who hasn’t even achieved Complete Rebirth, yet speaks of Ascension to Immortality…”
The Murim Alliance Leader let out a wry laugh.
“And your face has grown lighter too. Ma Du, have you made your decision to undergo the surgery?”
“…Yes.”
My master let out a long sigh.
“I burned through an entire year’s worth of accumulated power just now, wielding my blade freely one last time. This is the final dance between myself and Inner Power in this life.”
“Ho!”
The Murim Alliance Leader’s eyes gleamed.
“That must have been a magnificent sight. What a shame I couldn’t witness it from this sickbed. So then? What did you come to understand?”
“I sought to sever winter itself, yet failed. The Life-Death Boundary is distant—far more distant than I imagined.”
“Alas, what a pity. But take heart. It’s a realm that no one has ever treaded before, is it not? If it were as simple as it sounds, the history of Kangho would have turned over six times already.”
The Murim Alliance Leader laughed heartily.
My master opened his lips as he gazed down at the old man’s laughter.
“Namgoong Un, you…”
“I harbor no regrets whatsoever.”
The Murim Alliance Leader spoke with finality.
“That the world has fallen to ruin as it has, and yet I persisted for three years—that is fortune. That the physicians of the outside world granted me treatment—that too is fortune. That in my final years I took on a disciple, and the very lineage of the Orthodox Faction, which I thought severed beyond all hope, has continued—that also is fortune. When fortune overlaps upon fortune, does it not become miracle? I simply give thanks for miracles.”
“……….”
“The only regret I harbor—if I must name one—is never settling the Jeongma Great War with you, Ma Du. But there is no such thing as a perfect life. I trust our disciples will see to it well enough on their own.”
“Yes, they will.”
My master offered a small smile. It was a lonely smile. Yet in his eyes as he turned toward me lay a fierce, unwavering trust.
“If this is the conclusion that my life has reached, then I shall accept it.”
It was not a face of gladness. It was simply the face of acceptance—serene and deliberate.
Even the sweetest of candies must be slowly dissolved and swallowed.
Was my master not carefully savoring, bit by bit, the conclusion of a life that had arrived at his doorstep?
“Very well.”
I nodded.
“Master, I must step away for a time.”
“Eh? Where could there possibly be to go in a world such as this?”
“Please think of it as your disciple needing a breath of fresh air. Do not worry yourself.”
“…You tell me not to worry, yet I find myself worrying all the more.”
My master lowered his brow quietly.
“You’re not about to wade into something dangerous, are you?”
“I will return before your surgery is complete, Master. That much I swear.”
I assumed a formal bow.
My movements were still unfamiliar, yet I was confident my heart was fully present.
“Rest easy during your procedure, Master. When you open your eyes once more, I shall be there waiting—your humble disciple.”
My master had accepted his conclusion.
Now it was my turn to restore his life.
6
I left the cave and crossed the Snowy Plain.
As I traversed the snow, I recalled what this world looked like before its annihilation. The Murim—would dense forest have covered that place? Kangho—would water have flowed there?
“My lord.”
At the far edge of the snowy expanse.
“I have carried out your command.”
In the very place where forest once grew thick and rivers once flowed, in the midst of the snow-covered waste, Agui knelt on one knee.
“Have you found them all?”
“Yes.”
Agui kept her head bowed as she answered. White snowflakes clung to her hair here and there. A few snow crystals bore witness to how long she had remained in prostration.
“As my lord commanded.”
I had issued an order to Agui some time before.
“There should be Jiangshi wielding martial arts scattered about the vicinity without restraint.”
“Find them.”
“Find the Demonic practitioners in black robes. Find the White Path swordsmen in white garments.”
Three years had passed since the Jeongma Great War began.
In that time, countless Jiangshi had ‘vanished.’
The corpses of Murim were swept along by snow squalls and scattered by blizzards.
“The Jiangshi you termed Demonic practitioners, my lord—four hundred and thirty-nine in number. Those you called White Path practitioners—four hundred and seventy-eight. In total, nine hundred and seventeen missing.”
But that was not all.
“The Demonic practitioners assembled nearby without disappearing—five hundred and sixty. The White Path practitioners likewise gathered in the vicinity—five hundred and twenty-one. Combined total: one thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight. All of them.”
Agui bowed her head lower still.
Beyond her frail shoulders.
“They have all been assembled here, my lord.”
Jiangshi stood arrayed across the Snowy Plain.
My skeleton legion gripped the corpses on either side. It was morning. Jiangshi weakened by sunlight would never stir, but should the sun hide behind clouds for but a moment, the formation would not crumble so easily.
“Good. Well done.”
I nodded.
“Bring the Jiangshi to me one at a time from now on.”
“Yes, I accept your command.”
A skeleton dragged the corpse forward. By the time it reached me, I had already drawn the Holy Sword. Winter was cold. But my blade, sliding through winter’s air, would be colder still.
…Baraya…….
Wind blew from somewhere. As rain gathers in a lake when it falls, so did the wind sweep through the ravine and gather there. As it pooled in the gorge, the world’s wind began to resemble the voice of a man.
…Baraya…….
From afar, the wind chanted a sutra.
All sounds resemble human voice when they fall downward.
I heard the sound of wind tumbling and swung my blade.
…Agarbaraya…….
One Blade Two Halves.
The Jiangshi’s head split apart.
“Haah.”
I cut the corpses again and again.
Without pause.
Fragments burst from the Jiangshi’s shattered head.
“Next!”
“Yes!”
A skeleton swiftly brought the next corpse. Agui orchestrated the legion of bones. When I set the rhythm, she quickly assembled the bodies, and when I began to tire, she slowed the pace slightly.
“Faster! We’ll dispose of them all before sunset!”
“Yes, my lord!”
Our execution flowed like the wind.
A total of one thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight corpses.
No matter how motionless they were, however much they did not resist, it was not easy to cleave through them all with a single blade.
“Haah, hah… hah……!”
I had been contemplating this the whole time.
‘How can I reach a perfect ending?’
What sort of conclusion would my Master find completely satisfying?
‘How must a single life be, to become whole?’
Without a shred of falsehood, I desired it.
That was how I could reach my conclusion.
‘It is not enough for me merely to become a disciple.’
My Master raving and raging would be a bad ending. Certainly a poor conclusion. But does that mean my [becoming a disciple] is truly a happy ending?
Would my Master, truly speaking, be happy and satisfied with this ending?
‘No.’
A Normal Ending.
[Becoming a disciple] cannot be called a truly complete ending. It barely satisfies the standard for an ending.
Even if I declare it finished here, the Constellation Librarian would likely accept it, and the 22nd Floor would be cleared as things stand now… but…….
“Hah! Haah……!”
I could never be satisfied.
“My lord, just a little more strength! There are only half of them left now!”
[Sparkle cheers with all her might for the brave warrior’s struggle!]
Before long, the sun had set.
The sky burned crimson, and the Snowy Plain flushed with violet.
“Haah, haah-ugh……! Haah……!”
I couldn’t say how much time had passed. Seven hours? Eight? Something like that. In any case, I’d swung the blade without rest. My clothes were soaked through with sweat and blood.
“The last ten remain, Master!”
Ten.
I looked ahead. True enough—only five of the Demonic Path and five of the White Path were left standing. I gasped for breath, but my grip on the hilt remained iron-firm.
Just a little more.
“Five remain!”
Just a bit longer.
“The last one! Truly the final one!”
I crushed the skull of a black-robed Demonic Cultist. The Jiangshi’s frozen brain shattered like ice. The moment I severed the 1,998th Jiangshi, my legs gave way, and I collapsed into the snow.
“Hgh—hgh……! Huff, huuuh…….”
“You have labored greatly, Master! Such tremendous effort you have expended!”
Agui bounded about in her elation, though she had toiled no less than I through the long half-day.
Since she’d entered my shadow, Agui had always worn a stern face. This was the first time I’d seen her joy laid so bare.
“What. What’s making you so happy?”
I steadied my breathing and asked. Agui caught herself, realizing her expression had softened, and quickly returned to her impassive mask.
“…When I imagine the sight that you shall reveal, Master, my heart fills with abundance. I never witnessed your teacher in person, but I am certain they will rejoice. Not merely with happiness—but truly, deeply so.”
“Is that so.”
I lay sprawled in the snow, smiling.
“I hope they’re very pleased.”
The cure had been developed.
I had been recognized as my teacher’s disciple.
And finally, I had earned the Backhoe Spirit’s permission.
The path to reach this point had never been easy.
At last… I was ready to see the ending of this world.
7
A week had passed.
“Hmm, with my dantian sealed, I confess myself at loose ends.”
Over the week, my teacher had recuperated with the Murim Alliance Leader. Fortunately, there was no need to seek out a separate recovery quarters—this cave, with its open-air hot spring, was the finest retreat imaginable.
“Even with Qi Circulation and Breathing, my inner power accumulates not a grain. Without inner power, unease creeps in unbidden. Alas, so this is the heart of those who cannot wield their martial arts…….”
“I find this far more at ease myself. Honestly, I’ve felt like I wasn’t truly living all this time! Constantly locking my cervical acupoint, controlling my heartbeat. Oh, what torment.”
The Murim Alliance Leader soaked in the hot spring, sighing deeply.
“Now I can just breathe without thinking. Only now does it feel like living! This is all thanks to the children of the Heavenly Martial Sect.”
“You did excellent work…….”
The Pharmacist finished her examination with a relieved bow.
“Today’s checkup is complete. Both of you are in perfect condition. You can consider yourselves fully healed. Even if you should be bitten by Jiangshi again, you won’t become infected…….”
“Thank you.”
My teacher reached up and stroked the Pharmacist’s head. She flinched, her shoulders drawing in for a moment.
“That old man and this one owe you a debt of life itself. It is no simple thing to aid a stranger met by chance.”
“No, no……. It was only the natural thing to do…….”
“That you regard what is right as merely natural—that is extraordinary. That you naturally act upon what you deem natural—that is more extraordinary still. Child, remarkable indeed for your tender years.”
“Uh. I mean—no, that’s…….”
The Pharmacist stood motionless under my teacher’s affectionate touch. Though she was easily embarrassed, she didn’t seem to dislike it. Watching them, like sisters at ease with each other, warmed my heart.
“Well.”
But I couldn’t linger in that warmth.
“Doctor, may I ask—are both of them cleared to move about now?”
“Ah. Yes, yes! I extended the recovery period as a precaution, but there’s no issue with them walking or exercising.”
Good.
“Teacher, Alliance Leader. Would you both take a walk with me?”
“A walk?”
My teacher tilted her head.
“I would delight in taking the air with my disciple… but why must that old man come along? The youngster with the elder—that walk will become nothing but a trudge through mud.”
“Hmph. An old fool and a young fool strolling together? I’ll take my leave. Let the dim-witted pair enjoy their walk.”
Their reaction played out exactly as I’d foreseen.
“No.”
I shook my head quietly.
“I need both of you to come with me.”
“Hmm……?”
My master and the Murim Alliance Lord exchanged glances. They’d sensed that my proposal for a casual walk was anything but ordinary. Both of them wore expressions suggesting they found it amusing, whatever it might be.
“Very well. Our disciple clearly has something cooking. While a stroll with this old man wasn’t the original intention, I’m happy to be deceived by my bumbling student.”
“Well, whatever the young Ma Du has planned is bound to be tedious. I’m not expecting much.”
We left the cave.
It was cold. Just as it had been on the first day we fell into the Heavenly Demon Record, today was winter as well.
The difference from that day was simple: neither my master nor the Murim Alliance Lord could use their inner power. They would never be able to use it again.
I held my master’s hand with my right hand and grasped the Murim Alliance Lord’s hand with my left. Only then could I channel my aura to share my warmth with them.
“Master.”
“Yes.”
“Lord Alliance Master.”
“What is it.”
“Both of you once said that your only regret was being unable to finish the Jeongma Great War. You said it was unfortunate, but it was a burden we disciples would have to carry forward and resolve from then on…….”
The two of them leaned into my warmth as we crossed the frozen winter path.
“But I have a different thought.”
Perhaps it was strange to venture outside after a week. Or perhaps their bodies, now forced to move without inner power, still felt unfamiliar to them. My master and the Murim Alliance Lord’s steps were somewhat unsteady.
“The Jeongma Great War is your will. Even if I and the Heavenly Martial Sect Master were to fight, it would be nothing more than an ordinary duel—it could never become a true great war. Only your duel can be the Jeongma Great War. You two are the ones who have protected the Demonic Cult and the Orthodox Faction all this time.”
“My disciple……?”
“Thank you.”
We arrived at the Snowy Plain.
“Thank you for not giving up these three years.”
That place where corpses had once spread like a forest. A forest of human shadows. Now it was nothing but a clean snowfield, without a single body.
“Thank you for gathering the jiangshi each morning and bringing them back. If you had given up, if you had simply treated the jiangshi as mere corpses and let them disappear, we could never have found them again.”
The lives you had lost.
The landscape you should have enjoyed.
To return that to you, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Hundred Ghosts Resurrection.”
My shadow spread across the Snowy Plain.
[Activating skill.]
From the shadows, shapes like snowmen rose up one by one. Some shadows wore black martial robes. Others fluttered white sleeves. Gradually they took on human form, and they gazed down at their own hands in wonder.
“My disciple, what on earth is this…….”
But none of them could have been as shocked as my master and the Murim Alliance Lord.
“You may think of it as a dream. You may dismiss it as an aftereffect of losing your dantian. You may believe that I’ve learned strange arts, that I can summon the memory and body of the dead for a time and make them exactly as they were in life.”
“…….”
“Master, Lord Alliance Master.”
The Hundred Ghosts Resurrection was complete.
“The age of the Demonic Path has not yet ended.”
One thousand elite cultists of the Demonic Cult.
“The Martial still remembers the White Path, and the White Path has not forgotten the Martial.”
One thousand elite warriors of the Orthodox Faction.
“The Demonic Cult’s destiny does not end by the hand of mere jiangshi, and the Orthodox Faction’s Murim will not be devoured by corpses.”
A true Jeongma Great War.
That is the wish of these two.
“Should the Demonic Cult vanish from the world, let it be only by the blade of the Orthodox Faction. And if the Orthodox Faction must fall, let it be only by the hand of the Demonic Cult.”
“…….”
“I speak this to the Cult Master, and bid this to the Alliance Lord of Murim.”
I smiled.
And I raised my fists in salute.
“Determine who the final master of Kangho shall be.”
SSS-rank Hunter: I Must Die to Live (Serialized)
Author │ Shin Noa
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 Post Tower 1st)
Email │ [email protected]
Website │ www.jayplemedia.com
ⓒ Shin Noa 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 in any form or by any means without permission from the company and author.
Violation of this may result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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