The Genius Assassin Who Takes it All

Chapter 359: Hwarong (Fire Dragon) (1)

Chapter 359: Hwarong (Fire Dragon) (1)

The Genius Assassin Who Takes it All

“Please continue.”

“I want to hear it.”

O Yu-jin and O Hye-jin looked more eager to hear what came next than offended.

Considering how often guild masters squared their shoulders and sank into the conviction of flawlessness, the sisters were clearly open-minded. That was likely why they had efficiently managed Jeju’s vast territory.

“Your linkage is indeed phenomenal. I only handled it smoothly because I simulated responses in advance—without that, I would’ve struggled quite a bit.”

“Mm...”

“But the biggest problem was that you focused only on linkage. You lacked preparation for when you’re alone. No—there was none.”

Gulp—

Unable to refute him, O Hye-jin swallowed dryly. That was simply how it had been; there was no extenuating angle.

“If you don’t improve your one-on-one combat ability, you’ll be thoroughly defeated by hunters who analyze your traits.”

“One-on-one combat...”

“Yes. It isn’t optional—it’s essential. In a real fight under today’s conditions, you both would have died.”

O Yu-jin rubbed the spot on her throat where Kang-hoo’s wooden dagger had pressed.

He was right. If it had been a real dagger, it would have pierced her uvula and sprayed blood in every direction.

“Your strengths are already complete. Which is exactly why shoring up the weakness is urgent.”

Kang-hoo’s feedback landed with a period. They were perfect together; then the best path was to prepare so that each of them could be perfect alone as well.

Around that time.

Jang Si-hwan was calling Yu Cheonghwa.

He had been in a dungeon and only belatedly realized she had flown back to China.

Inside a dungeon, no form of contact worked, so news always came late.

Aside from the desk lamp, not a single light was on in Jang Si-hwan’s office; the place felt bleak. Normally, he would have thrown the blinds wide and soaked in sunlight; now, everything was darkness itself.

The call connected.

“Yu Cheonghwa. Where are you?”

“—Beijing. I’m back at the Shinto Guild. You were unavailable, so I planned to call later, but you beat me to it.”

“Did you have to go?”

His voice carried a faint edge—as if he were suppressing sharper barbs.

“—The ranks one through five are all dead. If we don’t stabilize this fast, we’ll have a civil war on our hands.”

“Does a day or two matter? It’s an issue we have to view long-term anyway, isn’t it?”

“—What are you really trying to say? Jang Si-hwan, I don’t know why you’re talking like you’re lecturing me.”

Even without seeing his face, she could imagine his agitated emotion and expression. The nuance in his words offended her—an air of “Why did you go to China without my permission?” seeped through.

When he spoke again, he sounded calmer—colder.

“I’ve got a solid candidate. If we make him guild master, we can keep Shintu within our sphere and use it.”

“—A puppet?”

“Yeah. Not a bad idea, right? You couldn’t move freely because of Go Cheon-yeong, remember?”

“—...”

On the other end, Yu Cheonghwa said nothing for a while.

Jang Si-hwan took it for tacit agreement—implicit consent. His lips curled; this might go smoothly. And yet—

“—No. I refuse interference. The Shinto Guild’s value to me equals how precious Jeonghwa Guild is to you. Don’t cross that line, Jang Si-hwan.”

“What?”

“—Shinto isn’t your toy. Just like I’m not your toy.”

“No, that’s not—”

“—I’ll share updates as the timing requires. Beyond that, stay out. Bye.”

The line clicked off.

“...”

The hand holding his phone trembled. It felt like a rejection of his thoughts and his very self.

A sly humiliation crawled over him.

And her refusal to play along grated badly. Was she trying to cut ties?

Pachut!

He had merely clenched—and the smartphone in his hand shattered into fragments.

It was, unmistakably, rage.

At the same hour.

Kang Dong-hyeon was holed up in an underground bunker, watching a TV broadcast.

He rarely cared about the news, but today he had a reason: Casey Rex was on screen.

From a special stage set up at Seoul Station, Casey made a formal declaration.

His U.S. guild, the Fortuna Guild, officially expressed support for Jeonghwa Guild.

The content was as follows:

【Our Fortuna Guild supports the creed of Jeonghwa Guild, which is waging a righteous war against the warlord group known as “The Abyss.”

Following this statement, the two guilds will sign a mutual cooperation pact.

Once procedures are complete, Fortuna Guild will automatically enter the war against The Abyss in accordance with the pact.

We also formally express our support for the Public Safety Bureau that labors to maintain public order in Korea. That is all.】

For Jeonghwa, it was like strapping on wings—an army gained.

For The Abyss, it meant adding another guild as large as Jeonghwa to the enemy column.

“Lee Hyeon-seok, that punk. Strutting like some hero—about to get wiped out. Heh heh.”

Kang Dong-hyeon snickered nastily.

He hadn’t been active outside lately; he spent day and night inside the bunker.

Just then—

“The VIP has arrived!”

Lim Jeong-wan burst in from outside to announce it.

At that, Kang Dong-hyeon jolted upright from his comfortable sprawl.

“Suddenly? Without notice, here?”

“Must be for security.”

“Damn. I haven’t even washed.”

He fumbled into clothes with fussy hands—rushing left his fingers tangled and his outfit disheveled.

Tak, tak.

“Oh dear.”

Footsteps rang.

He stepped out half-dressed. Greetings had to be fast.

The moment he emerged, he saw Shane Clarke.

Casey’s so-called bodyguard—a hunter famed for a strange weapon: an iron-segment whip.

And behind Shane, keeping some distance, walked Casey.

“Good eve—”

Shrrrraaaak! Snap!

Shane’s whip ripped the air and lashed Kang Dong-hyeon across the cheek.

With a choked sound, a chunk of flesh spun from his face.

Shane’s strike showed no mercy, and Casey didn’t even blink. Instead, he strode up, seized Kang Dong-hyeon by the scruff, and spilled his anger.

“Mr. Kang Dong-hyeon. Must I come all the way here to face a creature lower than a worthless bug like you?”

Kang Dong-hyeon squeezed his eyes shut.

Fearless though he was, Casey’s presence was pure terror. He didn’t dare meet his gaze.

Dungeon assault commenced.

Total team: ten.

Nine of Groo Guild’s very best, plus Kang-hoo, made a team of ten.

‘Convenient, indeed.’

Small as it was, the subspace let him store Solarkium, Mad Solarkium, even Ascension Pills. He had a glass vial of the Swarm Queen’s bile in there, too—and still plenty of room.

Retrieving was simple—you cracked the subspace open before you and slipped things out. With a bit of care for prying eyes, there was little risk of being found out. And even if he were, so what?

‘If I want easier storage of fallen hunters’ effects and dungeon spoils, I should push subspace to about Stage 3.’

Before he’d had it, merely acquiring subspace had felt like a dream come true.

But desire had no end; now he wanted the next stage.

Upgrading required red mana stones, though; it wasn’t a decision to make on impulse.

A thousand billion won just to increase storage... Even for someone relaxed about money, that wasn’t easy.

Early dungeon progress was smooth.

Groo members advanced and cleared mobs; Kang-hoo, rather than waste strength, watched the flow.

If bleeding maintenance or a slog loomed, he planned to nudge—but up to the Hwarong section, their coordination was exquisite, surely honed by repetition.

Enjoying a rare bit of leisure at the rear, he found O Yu-jin sidling up to ask, low:

“Kang-hoo.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know a hunter named Yun Sang-mi?”

“Very well.”

Yun Sang-mi was not someone he could forget. He had many vivid memories with her—especially those at Club Hades.

But they had drifted out of touch; lately he’d almost forgotten. Hearing her name from O Yu-jin, it sounded like she had connected with Groo.

“Recently we recruited some hunters. The competition was twenty to one; she cleared it and made it in.”

“Oh? Congratulations are in order.”

“During onboarding chats, your name naturally came up.”

“How’s her skill?”

“There’s roughness, but with solid guidance she has the potential to climb fast.”

“I agree.”

He nodded.

He wondered if he’d been too indifferent to her, but he had been far too busy—and still was, and would be.

“Tell Sang-mi that I haven’t called because I’m busy, but my support for her hasn’t changed.”

“I’ll be sure to. She’ll blossom in Groo. Just watch.”

“I look forward to it.”

He smiled.

Anyone who wouldn’t become an enemy—watching their growth was a pleasant spur.

Suddenly, passing connections flitted through his mind.

Benny the bartender.

Lee Seon-hee, whose life he had saved from filthy hands at Gapyeong Station.

Baek Seon-tae, first met under the warlord Jajang, then twice at Kang Bok-hwa’s market.

And Kim Su-kyung, the mercenary leader he’d briefly joined hands with in the Osho Mercenary Corps incident.

Short ties, but more people than he realized had become meaningful memories.

‘If Myeongga Guild approaches, will Kim Su-kyung’s corps actually—’

Right then—

Kwoong!

A massive shock roared through the ground, as if the earth itself had heaved.

Tensing, O Yu-jin and O Hye-jin pointed at the flames surging ahead.

“Below that blaze—down in the chasm—that’s the mid-boss we briefed: ‘Hwarong.’”

“Sounds fun.”

This was why they needed Kang-hoo: the troublesome Hwarong loomed just ahead.

He strode to the stone bridge and took a spot out of Hwarong’s line of sight.

Then he reminded O Yu-jin and O Hye-jin—this was the follow-up presuming success.

“The moment Hwarong turns its gaze to me, sprint across the bridge at full speed.”

“Is that possi—”

“Skip the useless question of ‘Is it possible.’”

He’d said he didn’t boast idly.

But after dozens—hundreds—of failures, O Yu-jin simply couldn’t picture success. How could he cross the bridge in a breath and draw Hwarong’s eyes—when even poking your head onto the bridge invited hellfire?

And then—

With a paang! he vanished from everyone’s sight—and was suddenly across the bridge.

And—

Whip!

Sensing the lightning intrusion beyond the bridge, Hwarong’s gaze swung.

A perfect steal of aggro; the Groo members became beneath its notice.