Chapter 727

Tear it up, or not.

Staring at Jin Taekyung with his thoughts written all over his face, Team Leader Choi let out an incredulous chuckle.

‘Seriously. I can’t figure him out at all.’

Most of what he said and did—most of what he thought—was almost annoyingly straightforward.

But then, sometimes, Jin Taekyung would show something so astonishing it was practically shocking.

‘It’s ridiculous to be surprised again, but still… this is really…’

Team Leader Choi’s gaze drifted to the table.

[Smiling Mana Cultivation Method]

The handwriting was crooked like a child’s, and the title was absurd.

But the contents inside those ten or so pages of A4 paper were nothing like the title.

‘To create a completely new Mana Cultivation Method…’

The reason Team Leader Choi had teased Jin Taekyung earlier—going as far as to mock his terrible handwriting—was simple. It was a tiny bit of payback for dumping something so outrageous on him without a word.

That was how massive the shock had been a few hours ago.

‘How can he do this?’

An unprecedented level of clarity and simplicity. Explanations and methods so cleanly structured they were almost unbelievable. A Mana Cultivation Method that was incredibly stable, incredibly fundamental.

And Team Leader Choi—now a skilled expert comparable to the pinnacle masters of the Murim world—could recognize its true value the moment he saw it.

On top of that, he understood what the recent string of incidents that had shaken the world meant to Jin Taekyung.

“The week of judgment.”

Breaking the brief silence, Team Leader Choi stared at Jin Taekyung and continued.

“Just as God created the heavens and the earth in a week, terrorists around the world spent a week of judgment. That’s what President Dorampe Junior of the United States said at a White House press conference a few days ago.”

(T/N: I know it’s a wordplay from the name President Trump, but it’s been soooo long since he was last mentioned. I cant remember if it was Dorampe that we used in the previous chapters. Please correct me if I am wrong. )

It was a statement made in an official setting by the President of the United States.

Naturally, those unconventional words and actions spread like wildfire in less than an hour. And now, after some time had passed, there was practically no one in Korea who didn’t know about it.

Except, perhaps, for one person.

“That guy said that?”

At Jin Taekyung’s question—having been holed up in the training room—Team Leader Choi nodded.

“It was an extremely radical statement for the president of a country, especially the United States. There was criticism that he deliberately provoked the terrorists.”

“Hm. What’s with the grand creation of the heavens and the earth? So what, did retaliatory terror attacks happen?”

“There were none. Not a single one.”

“Not a single one?”

“Yes. They’re even being careful with their words.”

Jin Taekyung’s sullen expression eased slightly.

“It was worth beating them down that hard.”

It was at that moment Team Leader Choi—still watching him—spoke again.

“So that’s why.”

“What is?”

“I’ve been thinking about two things. Why you suddenly suppressed the terrorists, and what it means that you gave me this new Mana Cultivation Method.”

And the answer was right there.

[Smiling Mana Cultivation Method]

Lifting the pages—held together with a single staple that showed zero sincerity—Team Leader Choi continued.

“You’re planning to make this public. This Mana Cultivation Method.”

Jin Taekyung grinned.

“Team Leader Choi. You’re sharp.”

Team Leader Choi’s expression as he looked at me turned complicated.

Part admiration, part a deep, unsettled calculation.

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“Well…”

Team Leader Choi ran a hand through his already-messy hair.

“There are so many problems, I don’t even know where to start.”

“There’s nothing wrong with the Mana Cultivation Method itself, so it must be practical.”

“…Yes. Unfortunately.”

“Which one’s the biggest?”

After a brief pause, Team Leader Choi opened his mouth.

“First, simply making this Mana Cultivation Method public is a problem.”

“Go on.”

“The fact that Mana Cultivation Methods are a kind of know-how and ‘insight’ possessed by only a tiny number of high-rank Hunters—Jin Taekyung knows that well. So does the fact that they’re extremely closed off, and that the world they live in is completely different from ordinary Hunters.”

“I know. How many years have I been rolling around in this industry? Of course, when I was an F-rank Hunter, I’d never even heard of Mana Cultivation Methods.”

The gap was more brutal than in any other profession on the planet.

Ordinary people divided themselves by education, family, and appearance.

Hunters were split into nobles and lowborn by rank alone.

How much mana they’d been granted. How agile they were. How strong.

They were judged by primitive criteria, then sorted and ranked like cattle headed for slaughter.

‘It’s not for nothing that F-rank Hunters are called slaves.’

Meanwhile, high-rank Hunters were like beings above the clouds.

They earned in a single raid what ordinary Hunters couldn’t make in an entire lifetime, and lived under envious spotlights.

Maybe that was why.

Just as nobles of the past built castles and lived behind walls, they too built walls around themselves—walls no one could cross unless they were high-rank Hunters.

And even then, only up to the door that opened with their permission.

These high-rank Hunters—bound together by invisible ties—were scattered across the world, protected by the massive guilds they belonged to.

“This isn’t just an issue in Korea,” Team Leader Choi said. “If this Mana Cultivation Method gets released to the world, there’ll be backlash on a scale far beyond what you expect.”

“If we release it, they’ll think the value of what they possess will drop?”

“That’s part of it. But there’s another reason.”

“What is it?”

“The problem is that it’s us.”

It was a short answer, but I understood immediately what he meant.

‘Have I been too flashy?’

I suddenly remembered the conversation I’d had with Jeok Cheon-Gang right before logging out.

Whether I wanted it or not, I’d already drawn more attention than I should have.

The spotlight is bright.

But the area around it is dark.

A line I’d once read in a novel I loved back in school resurfaced in my mind.

The brighter you become, the deeper the darkness around you grows.

In Murim, too.

And in modern times, too.

“Team Leader Choi… maybe?”

Team Leader Choi, catching what I was asking, shook his head.

“There aren’t any major issues yet… but pressure is coming. Invisible pressure. That’s why we’ve put plans for additional overseas branches on hold for now.”

“Is it that serious?”

“All major guilds around the world are watching us. Even if it’s not an outright show of force, if they interfere in any way, it won’t be easy.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

Team Leader Choi shot back flatly.

“Did you even give me a chance to speak?”

“…That’s true.”

Either way, this whole neighborhood was rotten.

People who already had plenty hated seeing the world change.

And the handful of Hunters who’d mastered their own Mana Cultivation Methods were no exception.

‘No. At this point, calling them Hunters is wrong. They’re power holders.’

Power holders who could, in some cases, control an entire country.

Vast wealth. Fame.

And overwhelming power that could overturn common sense itself.

They didn’t want any further change—or the rise of a new power holder on their level.

Someone like me.

Or Team Leader Choi.

‘Even so, these bastards are worse than the Murim sects.’

In Murim, if a unique martial art leaked, they’d hunt the culprit down with fire in their eyes and smash skulls—but at least they didn’t lose their minds because some merchant was selling the Three Calamities Sword Technique in the market.

But these people who had everything?

I release one small Mana Cultivation Method, and they want to throw a tantrum?

‘Huh? Am I getting pissed?’

“If I release this Mana Cultivation Method, they’ll go crazy, right?”

“Yes. And we’ll go crazy too.”

“Then what if I make them go crazy?”

“Pardon?”

“Think about it. This is bullshit. I release it, and if the bastards who freak out get wrecked too, they’ll quiet down…”

“No!” Team Leader Choi roared. “Don’t do it. Absolutely not!”

For his usually low, calm voice to hit that decibel level meant only one thing.

‘Over my dead body, you insane bastard.’

But this time, I couldn’t just agree.

“I get what you mean, Team Leader Choi. But this has to be released. I didn’t make it to keep it for myself like a diary.”

Mana had already increased worldwide.

No—it was still increasing at this very moment.

As a result, Mutation Gates were appearing one after another, and now even Monster Waves were occurring.

“As mana increases, monsters get stronger too. You know that, Team Leader Choi. But if people learn this Mana Cultivation Method in the current situation…”

“The overall level of Hunters will rise,” Team Leader Choi finished, face stiff. “It’s stable enough that even low-rank Hunters can learn it without difficulty.”

He continued.

“I know what you’re thinking, Jin Taekyung. From the start, the reason you suppressed all those rebel groups and terrorists was to minimize the chance of the Mana Cultivation Method being misused, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. I had to think about who would get their hands on the weapon first, not just how sharp the weapon was.”

About two weeks ago, an incident in Texas lit a fire under me.

A terror attack using Magic Crystal Stones.

Fortunately, it failed and no one was hurt—but it made one thing crystal clear.

“The ‘everyone’ I’m talking about includes criminals and lunatics.”

After that, I followed Magic Johnson to the Pentagon, got their information with the tacit approval of the U.S. President, and with my companions, stained the desert with blood—cutting off potential threats.

Rebel groups that trained kidnapped children to shoot.

Fanatical terrorists ready to blow themselves up.

I killed the ones in my way.

The ones who died were turned into part of the Skeleton King’s undead army, then sent after the ones who fled.

At the same time, through the leaders we captured, I issued false orders to groups far away.

Orders telling rebel groups to attack terrorist organizations, and terrorist organizations to attack rebel groups.

It was a war between bastards and cunts.

And the price for swallowing those false orders and launching all-out assaults on each other was a catastrophic loss of strength—mutual destruction.

“As you know, Team Leader Choi, it’s impossible to wipe them out completely this time, and it’ll be impossible in the future too… but the goal’s already been achieved with the current situation alone. Even if those bastards learn this Mana Cultivation Method, they won’t be as dangerous as before.”

It wasn’t just them who would become stronger with the Mana Cultivation Method I created.

Hunters overall would improve enough to respond to monsters strengthened by the mana amplification phenomenon, and balance would be maintained.

‘If things get much worse than they are now…’

At that point, I planned to release the True Heart Technique too—something I’d only shared with a very small number of people, including Team Leader Choi.

Low-rank Hunters who knew nothing about Mana Cultivation Methods couldn’t apply the True Heart Technique even if I threw it at them right now, but once they mastered the foundation, they’d be able to learn it on their own.

I stared straight at Team Leader Choi.

“It has to be released. Somehow.”

“Fortunately, it’s not too late,” Team Leader Choi said. “Public opinion and interest in you and me are still pretty good.”

Honestly, it wasn’t just good—it was fanatical.

I was being called a young hero born of a new era.

Team Leader Choi had succeeded the late Butler Kim as head of the Peace Guild, and before the newly made nameplate even cooled, he’d taken over the Ares Guild as well.

And above all, he carried a halo no one else could match.

The halo of the savior who saved humanity from the Demon King Asmodeus.

And the one and only blood relative and successor of Cheon Tae-min.

Grab.

“Team Leader Choi.”

I seized his hand with force.

Meeting my burning gaze, Team Leader Choi flinched like he’d been burned.

“W-Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

He reacted like he’d run into Magic Johnson in a dark alley at night.

But I didn’t let go, and spoke firmly.

“If you’re that worried, let’s take a different route. Huh?”

“What route are you talking about…?”

“Let’s sell your maternal grandfather’s name for once.”

“Pardon?”

“Let’s ride that savior coin this time.”

“……….”