The Regressed SSS-Rank Supporter Who Turned Dark - Chapter 8

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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 8
A Spirit Blade is the symbol and alter ego of an Awakener.
Strictly speaking, it’s not even an object—it’s fair to consider it a living entity.
Even if destroyed, it regenerates after a certain time, and though it can be temporarily stolen, it returns to its owner within days. That is the nature of a Spirit Blade.
In that context, a dead man’s Spirit Blade is nothing but worthless garbage.
When the owner dies, the Spirit Blade loses all value. There’s no point in picking it up to use, and since it vanishes after 49 hours, there’s no reason to care about it.
It wasn’t for nothing that the Western world called Spirit Blades “Soul Caliber.”
The fact that such a Spirit Blade had been sucked into a card was truly astonishing.
[Twilight Blade]
Equipment Card
★★
A seized dagger.
“This actually works?”
I wasn’t the only one shocked.
“What exactly is this?”
Choi Yu-ra asked me.
“Did this card absorb the Spirit Blade? Is that what happened?”
“Seems like it.”
“That’s impossible.”
Choi Yu-ra’s eyes were filled with disbelief, as if she couldn’t trust what she was seeing.
“How is that even possible?”
“How should I know? I just awakened.”
“Can you actually use it?”
“Hold on.”
In response to Choi Yu-ra’s question, I examined the card that had transformed from [Seized] into [Twilight Blade].
Whoooosh!
The card glowed, then shifted into the form of a dagger.
“…!”
We both gasped in astonishment.
“You can use a dead man’s Spirit Blade?”
“We won’t know until 49 hours pass. It could disappear at any moment.”
“That’s true.”
Choi Yu-ra nodded.
“Listen, let’s collect everything we can find.”
“Hurry. We’re really running out of time now.”
“Got it.”
I moved as quickly as possible, seizing the Spirit Blades scattered across the battlefield from the Recka members.
In total, eleven cards containing Spirit Blades were drawn into the Infinite Deck.
‘So this is what “Mad Collector” meant.’
But there was no time to dwell on it.
Whoooosh! Boom!
The sound of air being torn apart reached my ears, and in the distance, a shell landed where the Children’s Playground stood.
It seemed we’d wasted far too much time one way or another.
“Run!”
Choi Yu-ra shouted urgently.
“Damn it!”
We ran with every ounce of strength we possessed, drawing on reserves we didn’t know we had.
Boom! Boom boom boom!
The impact zone of the shells crept steadily closer.
‘We’re screwed.’
Just as Choi Yu-ra had said, here I was on the verge of being blown to pieces after finally awakening.
We were so close to the safe zone, but the Gate Transfer had warped the terrain into harsh Mountainous Terrain, making it impossible to pick up speed.
Whoosh!
“…!”
A single card ejected itself from the [Infinite Deck] hanging at my left hip.
[Search]
Magic Card
★
Scans the surrounding area.
Without time to think, I grabbed the card.
Whoosh!
I felt something shift in my vision, and information about the surrounding terrain flooded into my mind.
‘That’s it!’
I knew exactly what to do.
“This way!”
I changed direction and ran.
“Where are you going! You crazy bastard!”
“Shut up and follow me!”
“You! If you get me killed, I won’t forgive you!”
What would she do if we died anyway?
Would she regress like I did?
Ignoring Choi Yu-ra’s threat cleanly, I kept running until I spotted several mountain motorcycles and what people called a “quad”—a four-wheeled ATV—parked nearby.
They had to belong to the dead Recka members we’d taken down.
“Everyone, get on!”
I mounted one of the mountain motorcycles and shouted.
Du-hyeon climbed onto a mountain motorcycle like I had, while the Middle-aged Man helped his Wife, who had mobility issues, onto the four-wheeled ATV.
“What are you doing? Get on, hurry!”
Vroom!
I fired up the motorcycle engine and yelled at Choi Yu-ra.
“Come on! What are you waiting for! Get on and let’s go!”
“….”
“Hey!”
Choi Yu-ra stood frozen in front of the motorcycle, unmoved by my repeated calls—like a sack of grain that had been set down and forgotten.
“Don’t tell me you can’t ride a motorcycle?”
“S-shut up!”
Choi Yu-ra let out a sharp cry.
“Wow, that’s really impressive. How is it even possible to not know how to ride a motorcycle?”
“Shut up! I said shut up!”
This is genuinely newsworthy.
A Hunter—and a fairly well-known one at that, Choi Yu-ra—can’t ride a motorcycle?
For ordinary people, perhaps it wouldn’t matter, but for Hunters, operating a motorcycle is absolutely fundamental.
Whether it’s raiding Gates or escaping from Gate Transfer Zones like this, there’s no transportation method quite as efficient as a motorcycle.
Recka operatives don’t ride motorcycles for nothing, you know.
“Get on!”
“….”
“Get on! Quickly!”
“Ah, fine.”
Choi Yu-ra hesitantly climbed on behind me.
“Let’s go!”
Vroom!
The moment I twisted the throttle, the motorcycle shot forward with ferocious speed.
Whack!
Choi Yu-ra’s arms wrapped tightly around my waist.
‘Ugh.’
I felt something against my back, but I chose not to dwell on it.
Vroom, vroooom!
Boom! Boom boom!
We tore through the dangerous zone where artillery shells were falling, racing on the motorcycle.
* * *
Thanks to the gift those Recka bastards left behind, we managed to escape the Gate Transfer Zone safely.
“Thank you so much, truly thank you. Please, let us contact you later.”
“We’re so grateful. You’ve done so much for us. We’ll repay you soon, I promise.”
The couple thanked us repeatedly before heading toward the hospital.
“You did well.”
“You too.”
Du-hyeon looked half-dazed.
I understood.
No matter how much combat experience one might have, there’s no way they’d ever escaped a Gate Transfer Zone on a motorcycle while under artillery fire and battling Recka operatives simultaneously.
“Thanks. I’m alive because of you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
I shrugged dismissively at Choi Yu-ra’s words.
“And while we’re at it, you should get your motorcycle license. It’s not too late.”
“That’s, well…”
“You’re a Hunter and can’t even ride a motorcycle? A 4-star Hunter at that? How have you even survived this long?”
“…Shut up.”
Choi Yu-ra glared at me sharply.
‘What, that’s scary.’
It didn’t seem like she was just reacting to being teased, so I decided to drop the motorcycle topic altogether.
I had enough sense to read the room.
“So where do we go now?”
Choi Yu-ra seemed to realize her mistake and spoke first.
“Well, we should find a motel nearby and get some rest. I’m homeless now, after all.”
I smiled bitterly while looking toward my home.
The Apartment Complex that once sheltered my family had been reduced to rubble by the bombardment.
For the next several months, I’d probably be living in a tent at the Refugee Camp until temporary housing became available.
“Yeah, I guess so. Let me know if you need help with anything. I can’t stand being in debt.”
“I appreciate that. Oh, but there’s something I need to ask you.”
“What is it? Go ahead.”
“I’d like you to keep my story confidential.”
“What story?”
“All of it.”
The world was intensely interested in newly awakened Hunters.
Whenever someone awakened, the government and media alike would swarm them, prying into every detail and making a nuisance of themselves.
“Are you planning to remain an unregistered Awakened?”
Unregistered Awakened referred to those who lived while hiding their awakened status.
Some might refuse to bear the responsibilities and obligations society imposed on Hunters, while others simply hated the hassle that came with it.
I knew there were quite a few like the Recka members who deliberately concealed themselves to commit crimes.
And these types typically had no middle ground—they were either extremely powerful or completely unremarkable.
Extremes in every direction.
“If that were the case, I would’ve made you sign an NDA from the start.”
“Mm.”
“I just don’t want to get tired from all the attention, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention this to anyone.”
“And if I refuse?”
Choi Yu-ra spoke in a provocative tone.
There was a hint of playfulness in her words, but on this matter, she clearly wasn’t joking.
“Then I’ll have no choice but to expose your real identity.”
“…?”
“The Godfather would be thrilled to know who Choi Yu-ra really is. Or should I call you Lee Da-hee?”
Crack!
Choi Yu-ra grabbed me by the collar.
“What the hell are you?”
Choi Yu-ra growled.
“What’s your identity? How did you know?”
“Let go.”
“Answer me.”
“I told you to let go.”
I smirked coldly.
“If I’d wanted to expose your identity, I would’ve already sold you out to the Incheon Union. Think about it.”
“That’s….”
“I know you’ve got a nasty temperament, but you should pick your targets carefully. We were comrades just moments ago. We saved each other’s lives.”
I felt Choi Yu-ra’s grip gradually loosen.
“Tell me. How did you know?”
“I’ll contact you soon. Just wait.”
“Do it now.”
“That’s going to be difficult. My family’s here.”
I gestured with my eyes toward a specific direction.
My Father, Mother, and Sister were wandering about with half-dazed expressions.
“Put in your number.”
“Of course. We’re going to see each other often from now on.”
I entered my number into Choi Yu-ra’s smartphone as I spoke.
Callsign: Godfather.
Incheon Union.
And Lee Da-hee.
These were the magical commands that could manipulate the 4-star Hunter Choi Yu-ra.
Beyond that, there were many other ways to make her move.
“What are you going to do now? Cross the Gate?”
Now that the bombardment had reduced the monster numbers, it was time for Hunters to be deployed to enter the Gate and clear the dungeon.
I recalled that the dungeon itself wasn’t particularly difficult to clear.
“No, I’m going to rest.”
Choi Yu-ra answered with a rigid expression.
“I didn’t come here to clear a dungeon in the first place.”
She’d come from the start with the purpose of killing Recka members.
Saving us was merely a side benefit.
‘Yeah, that makes sense.’
Understanding Choi Yu-ra’s true intentions, I nodded inwardly.
“Make sure you contact me.”
“I will, so just wait. I already gave you the number.”
“Do it soon. I hate waiting.”
With those words, Choi Yu-ra climbed into the illegally parked Lamborghini across the way and left the scene.
Vrrrroooooom!!!
The V12 engine roared with a deafening exhaust that seemed to scream.
Ugh, my eardrums are about to burst.
Choi Yu-ra’s Lamborghini vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
And here she is speeding when she can’t even ride a motorcycle.
I shook my head in disbelief.
I turned around and headed back toward where my family was waiting.
* * *
The moment I reunited with my family, Father subjected me to an intense interrogation.
“So you’re telling me you had some kind of premonitory dream?”
“Yes, well. Something like that.”
“Hm.”
Father seemed torn between believing me and dismissing it outright.
“But why didn’t you tell me? You should have at least consulted with me.”
“Do you think you would have believed me if I had?”
“I would’ve called it nonsense.”
Father admitted it honestly.
“See? There was a reason I didn’t tell you.”
“Well, I’ll be.”
Father was exasperated, but he didn’t press the matter further.
“Fine, if that’s what happened, I’ll take your word for it for now. We can discuss the details later.”
“Are you heading out?”
“I have to. This is my responsibility.”
Since the Hunters couldn’t clean up all the monsters that survived the bombardment, the military and police typically handled the aftermath.
As a commander of the Regional Defense Force, Father’s deployment to the monster extermination operation was inevitable.
“Ugh, even this feels heavier now.”
Father grumbled as he picked up a light machine gun.
“Take good care of your mother and Sister.”
“Yes, stay safe.”
“I will.”
No matter how routine a cleanup operation was called, it was incredibly dangerous for an unawakened person like Father to face monsters.
Yet Father never hesitated or showed fear as he prepared for the operation.
And I respect him for that.

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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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