Chapter : 45
The world turned upside down once again.
A global announcement hadn’t appeared since the very first time a gate manifested on Earth.
After the incomprehensible message, “<Server: Earth> has generated a Gate,” the world had fallen into upheaval.
So, when a new global announcement appeared, it inevitably triggered people’s trauma. Everyone naturally assumed this meant another cataclysmic change.
And then there was Franco—one of America’s top hunters, ranked through official duels. He was the first to charge in.
But he was taken down in a single second.
A grand battle? A hunt of the century?
No.
It was the beginning of the counter-hunt.
The American Hunter Association made a quick decision: rankings no longer mattered. They ordered everyone to attack at once.
The other S-rank hunters on the scene seemed to agree—none hesitated before leaping into the fray.
Every channel across the world showed nothing but monsters. Every live broadcast carried footage of the beast.
For this, the world seemed to hold its breath.
People stopped their daily lives to watch the fight—banks, markets, you name it, everything came to a standstill.
Only the internet went into a frenzy.
And once again, a certain post drew everyone’s attention.
It was from the same writer who had gone viral last time.
“Update on the Great Beast Subjugation (Revised)”
Author: AnalysisRaccoon
“Neither the Hunter Association nor the WHU is doing this, so I’ll do it myself.
Never thought I’d spend my life digging through foreign news articles and translating them, damn it.
Anyway, I’ve gathered everything I could.
If I missed anything, drop it in the comments.”
Announcement summary:
Everyone’s seen it, but here’s the rundown.
<Tutorial: Invasion of the Beast><Mission: Defeat the Beast that invaded Paradise><Reward: Atlas’s Token, plus 4 others>Nobody’s figured out what Atlas’s Token is yet → but it’s assumed to be an insanely good item.
United States report:
Franco (S-rank, U.S., <Fist of Destruction>) – Dead
Kelly (S-rank, U.S., <Sacrifice of the Stars>) – Severely injured, unconscious
Jonathan (S-rank, U.S., <Central Pillar>) – Severely injured, unconscious
Emma (S-rank, U.S., <Blossoms Over Flame>) – Lightly injured, 4 weeks recovery
Brown (S-rank, Canada, <Waterbound>) – Severely injured, 12 weeks recovery
Harper (S-rank, U.S., <Mermaid Kin>) – Dead
Eliza (S-rank, Canada, <Judge of Justice>) – Lightly injured, 3 weeks recovery
Note: Recovery times are for hunters. If they were unawakened, they’d already be dead.
(images)
The Jörmungandr is moving inland along the river.
The U.S. is fighting desperately to defend Seattle, Canada is holding the line at Vancouver.
(images)
All Canadian S-ranks deployed.
7 U.S. S-ranks are engaged, the rest are forming secondary defenses in Washington, Portland, etc.
Russia report:
“Stoykul, you slow bastard. Still not arrived: (url). Haven’t even made it halfway yet, seriously?
(image)
And our sexy queen Yelena is still waiting.
(images)
She’s got her underlings now. Guess even Russia chickened out after seeing the U.S. disaster. Every S-rank is on standby, except those guarding the president.
(image)
But the news keeps insisting Yelena will fight alone. Come on, she’ll freeze waiting there forever.”
New Zealand report:
(image)
“Holding out better than expected. Credit goes to Britain’s Emma, who flew in like lightning and landed the first strike.
For those who don’t know, she’s S-rank <Light of Venus>.
Sounds like she should be flirty and graceful like Venus, right? Nope. Total maniac.
(image, gif)
Jumped off a jet mid-flight, hammered down with her Purifying Hammer + Judgment Light combo from the sky.
(images, gifs)
Turns out she’s not just a quiet healer. She’s a hammer-swinging lunatic. Even the U.K. government freaked out (url). They’d been covering up her true nature this whole time.
(images)
Newly revealed: her ‘Judgment Light’ grows stronger the farther it travels before hitting its target. Dropped from 10,000 meters this time. Ouch.
Gear check:
Necklace → +39% to Holy skills
Hammer → +180% to first strike
Belt → +80% crit chance
Orb → 3× power on designated skill (single use)
She basically went in planning to nuke it in one hit.
(images)
Result: Umi-bozu was half-dead before even reaching New Zealand. Now getting mobbed by the rest. Likely the first beast to fall.”
Peru report:
(images)
“The ideal group project, flawless teamwork.
Terrified after seeing the U.S. collapse, Peru begged Brazil for help, offering EX-grade items.
Brazil agreed—sent 5 S-ranks, keeping just one at home.
(images, videos)
Perfect tank-DPS-healer balance. A bit tough on the tank, but melee DPS weaving in and out like a work of art.
Ranged DPS is steady, no overextending.
Novice raid parties, watch and learn. Do even half this well and your guild will love you.
(images)
With healing and buffs, they can definitely last in a drawn-out fight. Goodbye, Kramon—you’re not going far.”
Japan report:
“Scrolled here just for this? Not me, lol. Better to watch directly—AwakeningWorld’s commentary is priceless: (url).”
The post went viral, not just in Korea but internationally.
At the same time, viewers were flocking in droves to the live broadcast of AwakeningWorld, the original owner of the community.
LIVE: Waiting for Genbu
【AwakeningWorld: Huh? I just went to cook ramen, what happened?】
The familiar studio came on screen, with a man wearing a Taegukgi bandana. He set down a steaming ramen bowl, looking bewildered.
【AwakeningWorld: Ah, I see. ‘AnalysisRaccoon’ updated links in the forum.】
No wonder the chat was suddenly flooded with foreign languages.
Slurping ramen, he flipped between four open screens.
【AwakeningWorld: No one’s found Genbu’s location yet, right?】
The four feeds were:
WHU’s failed tracking link of Genbu.
A Japanese live news channel showing rotation of southeastern beaches.
Real-time Pacific satellite images from the Asia Joint HQ.
Ryosuke Nakamura atop Tokyo Tower, waiting for Genbu.
【AwakeningWorld: That man-eating whale surfaces to breathe sometimes, right? Genbu’s a turtle, so it should need to breathe too, no?】
He tilted his head, slurping.
Unlike the other beasts, Genbu had only been confirmed moving toward Japan and Korea. Halfway across, it dove into the deep sea and vanished.
This set every Pacific-facing country—Japan, the Philippines, China, and more—on full alert.
About 3 hours ago, it briefly surfaced near Japan, confirming its trajectory toward the country. But where it would emerge remained unknown.
【AwakeningWorld: Is Japan really letting him fight alone? That’s insane. If even our Association President can’t beat the beast, how’s he supposed to?
【AwakeningWorld: After seeing what happened to the U.S., how can they be so reckless? Guess stupidity really does make you brave.】
【AwakeningWorld: Russia’s different? Of course—it’s Yelena, the Ice Queen. A whale’s still just a whale. If she freezes the entire sea, what’s it gonna do?】
【AwakeningWorld: Oh, so Japan’s not really leaving him alone, they’re throwing him to the wolves?】
He clicked a viewer-sent link. It was a popular Japanese forum. Using auto-translation, he read through it.
【AwakeningWorld: …Wow. They’re openly calling it a ‘power analysis mission.’ Saying cowards who live without shame should at least sacrifice themselves this way? Brutal.】
They still resented him for losing to the Sword Emperor and having his <Muramasa’s Blade> taken.
【AwakeningWorld: “Too cowardly to commit seppuku, so offer yourself as Genbu’s sacrifice?” Harsh, man. He was their hero once.】
【AwakeningWorld: Ah, so losing <Muramasa’s Blade> makes it fair? Why? That thing’s only A-rank, not even S or EX.】
【AwakeningWorld: …Oh, you’re saying if Korea lost <Hunminjeongeum> in a duel with China, we wouldn’t forgive the guy either? Damn, that’s rough.】
He cursed, then quickly backpedaled.
【AwakeningWorld: Whoops, cancel that! Pretend you didn’t hear. Don’t want a ban. Anyway—Japan, good luck!】
Just as he finished mixing rice into his ramen broth, the chat exploded.
The Japanese news feed, silent until now, grew frantic.
【AwakeningWorld: It appeared?! Where? Where’s Lord Genbu?! Chiba? To Chiba we goooo!!】
Exactly 30 minutes later, Japan had lost an S-rank hunter, and Chiba Prefecture was reduced to rubble.
“Hey, did you see yesterday?”
“Which one? Japan? Or New Zealand?”
“Obviously Japan, idiot.”
Two high schoolers bickered as they entered a café, ordering two iced chocolates before sitting down.
“Honestly, watching that arrogant guy get wrecked was satisfying.”
“True. But aren’t we screwed now?”
“Why would we be screwed?”
“Genbu disappeared again. What if it actually comes to Korea?”
“Dude, Japan’s huge. It’ll hang around there. Why would it come all the way here?”
“I heard the Association’s setting up a shelter at Jamsil Stadium. Doesn’t that mean they’re expecting it?”
“When has the Association ever handled things right? They’re just scared of another Yangyang incident.”
“I dunno… my friend’s family is vacationing in Busan. He says the atmosphere there is really tense.”
“Overreaction. Even if Genbu swings around, it’ll hit Jeju first, not Busan.”
“Hmm, maybe….”
“And even if it comes, we’ve got a dragon, right? And the Sword Emperor.”
“Yeah. Plus that new S-rank who beat him.”
“Oh right, the new guy! Totally forgot with all the monster chaos.”
“Same. Wouldn’t have remembered if AwakeningWorld hadn’t mentioned it.”
The two left with their drinks.
At the window seat they’d passed, Saebyuk sat, chin propped on one hand, sipping her iced Americano through a straw.
“Are you really sure we don’t need to go to Busan?”
Kang Suho, barely halfway through his own Americano, asked worriedly.
With Genbu potentially surfacing off Busan’s coast any moment, her calmness unsettled him. Especially since she was usually the type to rush to save people.
“For now, it’s fine. We’ve got time.”
Saebyuk checked the time on her phone and rose from her seat.
“Besides, the last piece of the puzzle hasn’t fallen into place yet.”
She tossed her empty cup into the trash, then turned back to him with a mischievous smile.
“Kang Suho, how about a walk along the Han River?”
