Chapter 28
- Crazy, a 5-second Clear on the 4th Floor???
- No fuck, if it’s a 5-second Clear on the Nightmare 4th Floor, isn’t that blatantly an S-rank Skill?
- Setting aside being low level or whatever, isn’t that just crazy strong?
- Now they’re not a Prospect but a confirmed S-rank Yep
- The really scary thing is that their peak still hasn’t been confirmed;;
- Where did all the Heon-gael active duty guys go who said Jinjo’s current skills were A-rank at best? lol
- What Rank did they awaken to be that strong?
Do they have an SSS-rank Hidden Skill or something?
- Jinjo << This bastard seriously seems like a regressor
Following the 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, and 3rd Floor, an overwhelming record was set on the 4th Floor.
Now, public opinion no longer doubts Jinjo’s martial prowess.
Instead, just how far did their strength reach?
How could such a nonsensical performance occur?
Those things became the public’s biggest interest.
And at the same time, another concern was emerging.
- Wow whoa Is a Rank 1 Ranker really coming out of our country
- That would be a relief, but the problem is the Ranker could be a Rank 1 Villain.
- Fr
…
It’s still fucking sketchy that the Ranker is unregistered.
- I’m worried about this too. The Ranker hasn’t revealed any official stance so far. What if the Ranker is a real Villain?
It was precisely the concern about Jinjo’s disposition.
Everyone now knew that they were a true expert and strong beyond imagination.
No one knew whether that strength would be directed towards humanity, or if it would become a disaster.
Republic of Korea Hunter Association
The atmosphere there, holding secret information that the general public could not access, was even more serious.
Association Head’s Office.
Kim Tae-Seong was reviewing the documents placed on his desk.
[Observation Report: Unregistered Awakener “Jinjo (True Ancestor)”]
Peculiarities:
1. The time of Ranking Registration for the Nightmare 4th Floor and the time of joining the Climber Community match. In other words, the 'Jinjo' in the Community is definitely the person who set the records for the 1st to 4th Floors.
2. It uses the voice of a young girl, with a highly arrogant and archaic tone.
3. The voice contained abnormal killing intent and Intimidation.
Comprehensive Opinion: It is difficult to definitively identify the subject as human.
There is a high possibility that their actual age also differs greatly from their voice.
The possibility that they are a Demon Person or a monster must also be kept open.
…
“Huu…”
Having finished reading the report, Kim Tae-Seong rubbed his temples.
Jinjo, who had refused all personal contact and had not revealed any stance until now, issued their first official statement.
“Foolish Mortals, shut those noisy mouths before I sweep you all away.”
It was a threat on the level of a Declaration of War directed at the S-rank Awakeners of the entire World.
The situation they had truly feared had occurred.
“Jinjo… Are you truly a disaster?”
“Disaster-class” and a true “disaster” were only a one-letter difference, but the results were worlds apart.
Would it be a nuclear power plant that controls massive energy to light up the World?
Or would it be a nuclear bomb that blows everything away in an uncontrollable state?
But perhaps it was a stroke of luck amidst the misfortune.
According to the report, after this intense appearance, Jinjo had once again left no trace, as if going off the grid.
In other words, rather than genuinely wanting to sweep the World away, there was a high probability that it was just a warning spat out because the noisy attention directed at them was annoying.
‘Right. Don’t the majority of Rankers have somewhat unique dispositions?’
Kim Tae-Seong tried to think positively.
After all, if one awakened a Transcendent Class, one’s lifestyle and way of thinking were bound to become different from ordinary people.
For example, the Chinese Ranker “Cheonma”, famous for her “I Alone Am Honored in Heaven and on Earth” personality.
She also used a tone of voice that seemed straight out of a martial arts movie and acted self-righteously.
But when a major national crisis or a Large-scale Gate actually broke out, she ultimately cooperated, fulfilling her role as the Leader of a Large Guild and a Hero.
Jinjo might be of that kind as well.
At first, they simply reacted roughly out of annoyance from too much attention.
If they were catered to well and given proper treatment, they might eventually become a reliable asset.
Of course, this was just Kim Tae-Seong’s hope-filled speculation.
“…If so, making contact with Jinjo becomes even more important.”
Even at this moment, countless individuals, institutions, and organizations around the World are frantic to contact Jinjo.
Although the words Jinjo spat out were threatening and one-sided, they were meaningful in that they at least showed a reaction for the first time.
It meant they didn’t completely lack the will to communicate.
However, seeing as they were ignored even after promising the highest level of rewards by the Association and publicly announcing through the media that they would meet all conditions, simple material rewards were not what was important.
If they were the type of person to move just for rewards like money or power, they would have accepted the offers from the World’s #1 Guild or the US Government long ago.
‘In a situation where it’s doubtful if they’re even fully human in the first place…’
Kim Tae-Seong looked at the phrase [Possibility of being a Demon Person or a monster] in the report.
The Seollim-dong Gate incident broke out not long ago.
The mysterious Vampire powerhouse who had helped the Ice Empress back then existed.
And the nickname was “Jinjo (True Ancestor)”.
What if she wasn’t human, but a Demon Person who had gained the power of a Vampire.
Or what if she was a Vampire herself?
It had not yet been revealed whether a monster could climb the Tower of Trials, but with such an Irregular, there was no telling what other variables might exist.
It was the Association’s principle immediately to Subdue monsters or Demon Persons that threatened humanity.
But if the opponent was a monster like Jinjo, the story changed.
Raising a weapon in front of an overwhelming natural disaster wasn’t courage, but foolhardiness, was it?
“I might have to take a different approach.”
Just as humanity in the past bowed down and offered sacrifices to appease the wrath of typhoons or volcanoes, the way to treat Jinjo now might have to be the same.
For instance,
It was not in the format of a “trade” where conditions were attached from a position of equality.
What if they lowered themselves completely and approached with the feeling of offering “tribute”?
Wouldn’t she show interest then?
It could be humiliating for a nation’s Association to bow its head, especially to someone whose identity as a human or monster was unclear.
But they couldn’t put the country in danger because of shallow pride.
Rather, even if doing so only maintained a friendly relationship, or at least a non-hostile one, it would be a massive gain.
‘It’s definitely worth a try.’
Also, if it were in the form of an unofficial contact rather than the Association’s official stance, the prestige issue of the Association bowing its head could be avoided to some extent.
Of course, she might just ignore even this attempt.
“Why has Jinjo remained an Unregistered Awakener until now?”
Kim Tae-Seong pondered over the reason once again.
If she really were a Vampire, she would naturally be avoiding registration for fear of her identity being revealed.
Or perhaps her arrogant nature found the very fact of entering under any group’s authority to be a blow to her pride.
Or, it could be both.
Either way, the conclusion was the same.
Not digging into the other Party’s identity, guaranteeing perfect autonomy, and thoroughly catering to them.
Wouldn’t this be what she currently wants the most?
Kim Tae-Seong firmed his resolve and opened the System Message Window.
First, so that they could have at least a minimal point of contact with Jinjo.
And he began to write a letter, laying down all his pride, with the goal of at least securing the justification of “registration” within the borders of the Republic of Korea.
A message so submissive that it was hard to believe the head of a national institution had written it.
“Please, let this reach her.”
Kim Tae-Seong took a small, deep breath, then pressed the Send Button.
* * *
Munch munch, smack smack.
I was lying face down on my bed, eating fresh Korean Beef Blood Sausage like jelly.
‘Haa, it’s seriously so good.’
It felt like blood sausage had completely become my new Soul Food.
My Home Base life was peaceful today as well.
I was terrified yesterday when I unintentionally drew aggro in the Climber Community, but…
Still, Thanks to Sol-Peul-Jeon-Sa’s Guide Post, I had secured information about the Nightmare 5th Floor Tower.
And soon, the one-month Cooldown for the [Summon Retainer] Skill, which would allow me to call my Third Retainer, was approaching.
A situation where everything was rolling along smoothly.
However, I still had exactly one worry left.
Something that occasionally bothered me even while I was rolling around like this.
‘I’m still an Unregistered Person…’
It had already been almost a month since I awakened.
I was still in a state where I hadn’t officially registered with the Hunter Association.
To be exact, it wasn’t that I didn’t do it, but that I couldn’t.
Even if I wanted to register, I couldn’t.
But there were surprisingly many inconveniences from not registering.
I couldn’t even deposit the money I earned into a bank account.
I couldn’t do Item Trading out in the open.
My conscience bothered me because it felt like I was breaking the law for no reason.
‘Uum. Won’t a Hunter ID Card just fall from the sky somewhere?’
I fell into a vain imagination while chewing on the blood sausage.
Ah~ I wish an angel-like person would appear who wouldn’t expect anything from me, wouldn’t bother me, and would just cleanly solve my identity and registration problems~
Well, of course there was no way such a person existed.
It was so absurd even to me that I let out a hollow laugh.
Then suddenly, I remembered the System Message Inbox that I hadn’t even looked at since I got it.
Should I open it up for the first time in a while?
[Unread Messages: 9,999+]
“Heek…”
As expected, a massive number of messages had piled up.
They were Scout Offers and all sorts of contacts pouring in from all over the World.
“Just reading all of these would take days.”
While I was having that thought, a message located at the very top caught my eye.
[Sender: Kim Tae-Seong, Korean Hunter Association President]
“Huh? The Association President sent this?”
The highest authority in the Korean Hunter Community
It was a message sent directly by the head of the very institution that managed the registration issue I had just been worrying about.
I could have just ignored it, but the thoughts I was having until just a moment ago happened to be about that.
Thinking it might be a warning or an arrest notice directed at an Unregistered Person, I opened the message with a somewhat worried heart.
[Hello, True Ancestor-nim. I am the Korean Hunter Association President, Kim Tae-Seong.]
[I express my deep respect for
True Ancestor-nim’s great strides.]
[Please forget all the arrogant proposals we have sent until now.]
[The Association will not ask anything about True Ancestor-nim’s identity or true nature, and we will guarantee absolute freedom.]
[We only ask that you allow us even the smallest point of contact, so that we may offer you a modest tribute and treat you with the utmost courtesy.]
“Huh?”
After reading the entire text, I doubted my eyes for a moment.
Why did an angel actually appear…?