Chapter 195
Contrary to Marcaidel’s thoughts, the 21st century was far from a despotic monarchy. Even if the one kidnapped was the president of their homeland, they would just say, ‘I didn’t vote for that person, so do whatever you want.’
Betray Choi Yeonseung for the president of another country? This was the first time they had received such an unappealing deal.
-Humans. Don’t hide how you truly feel. I, Marcaidel, know what you are thinking.
“We don’t intend to sacrifice Hunter Choi Yeonseung to save the president of France. I don’t even know his name.”
“That’s right. Aren’t they all old and on the verge of dying? Even if we save him, he’ll die of old age soon anyway.”
The French government would have grabbed the back of the hunters’ necks if they had been around. The hunters weren’t fazed at all, which shocked Marcaidel.
‘It didn’t work?’
“Okay. I will comply,” one of the hunters said.
“...!”
“Bastard! Who do you think you are?!”
The hunters turned their heads. They didn’t know who the bastard was, but he clearly couldn’t read the room. Who would dare say that in this situation? They would have to post him on social media...
“...... ”
To their surprise, it was Choi Yeonseung.
“If I offer myself, do you swear in your master’s name that you will return him?”
-Of course! You are very smart! Yes, you can’t just abandon the king of a country!
Marcaidel sounded delighted. He thought his scheme had been rendered useless, but the person he coveted the most just rolled right into his palm.
“That’s just not possible! Are you crazy?!”
“Hunter Choi Yeonseung! The French president is so old he’ll die soon enough! You don’t have to sacrifice yourself to save him!”
The hunters were so united that it was hard to believe they were from different clans. Their reaction wasn’t based on pros and cons. Rather, it was?almost?instinctive. While hunting the monsters in Paris, they eventually developed a liking?for?Choi Yeonseung.
“Stop talking nonsense!”
“... ”
The hunters were taken aback when someone spoke up from behind them.
“You’ll fall for the enemy’s ploy? Are you an actual idiot? Absolutely not!” Illaphael shouted sharply.
“No... Angel, we can stop him on our own.”
“What is that angel doing?”
“......”
Illaphael blushed. Now that he had thought about it, what he just did was embarrassing. Although he normally didn’t care about human affairs, he unwittingly intervened.
‘There was no reason to stop him...!’
Although Choi Yeonseung was popular among the hunters, he was just a mortal according to the Abyss’ standards. A chess piece capable of sacrificing everything for the will of its master. Even?he?couldn’t bring himself to believe that he stepped up to stop the human.
Was it because of the help he received earlier? Illaphael shut up as the other hunters kept trying to persuade Choi Yeonseung.
“Hunter Choi Yeonseung. Do you know how barbaric the French are? They think the world revolves around them even though they’re stuck in a corner of Europe! They also think you’re Chinese!”
“Hey. Isn’t that rebuke a little too weak? Think of something else!”
“Get out of the way. I’m from the Ivy League.”
The others looked forward to what the most educated one among them had to say.
“Hunter Choi Yeonseung. Did you know that a hundred years ago, the French attacked the Korean royal family and looted your country’s treasures? They still haven’t returned the items.”
The hunters felt admiration. It was an effective way to make people unfamiliar with history think, ‘Wow, why don’t we just help?’
However, Choi Yeonseung wasn’t shaken.
“That’s an entirely different matter.”
“Kuock...!”
Now that they had thought about it, Choi Yeonseung saved the person who couldn’t tell whether he was Japanese or Chinese instead of killing him. Such provocations wouldn’t change his mind.
-Would you look at that? A noble sacrifice for the king. I understand how you feel, Choi Yeonseung. After all, only heroes can sacrifice their lives for their king.
Marcaidel was very excited. As if they were dancing, the shadows covering the walls of the palace rose and stretched out in front of Choi Yeonseung.
-Grab it, Choi Yeonseung! I swear I will?return the?old king.
Choi Yeonseung grabbed the shadow and disappeared with it.
***
-So you came.
Marcaidel sounded cheerful.
-I hope you didn’t have a hard time getting here. You have a lot of work to do in the future.
“What about the president?”
-I have sent him back, of course.
Marcaidel smiled, which seemed insincere in Choi Yeonseung’s eyes. Choi Yeonseung had fought demons to the point of being sick of it. They only ever smiled in such a way when something was wrong.
“I guess you won’t send the other hunters back.”
-You’re quick to notice. I’m starting to like you more.
Marcaidel struck the ground with his staff. The palace, which was supposed to be beautifully decorated, now looked dreary due to the dark magic.
-This room used to be called the Salon Dore. I don’t think highly of humans when it comes to aesthetics, but this is pretty good.
“I have a question.”
-What is it?
“You pushed the other constellation’s household member quite effortlessly. Is the difference in your strength that big?”
-Of course! Although my master provided some help, I’m much more powerful than that insignificant angel.
Marcaidel proudly raised his hand, making a huge shadow crown float above him. It exuded a strong power of existence. The constellation had clearly cut out and given some of his power to Marcaidel.
‘I thought he was too strong.’
-Now that your curiosity has been quenched, mayI make you my subordinate?
Marcaidel seemed polite.
“I refuse,” Choi Yeonseung replied with a shrug.
-Haha. I like your personality. If you wish to resist, then feel free.
Marcaidel remained composed because they were in the core of the dungeon that he had created. The dungeon’s magic power, which had bound Choi Yeonseung’s ankles like a swamp, was the most potent here. The shadow that had dragged him here had also tied his hands.
With a snap of his fingers, Marcaidel could end Choi Yeonseung’s life.
Clack!
Marcaidel snapped his fingers, then aimed his staff at Choi Yeonseung, causing shadows to devour him completely. Or at least the shadows should have. Releasing internal energy, Choi Yeonseung pushed away the magic power surrounding him and burned the shadows that bound him.
-W-what...
Choi Yeonseung’s internal energy suddenly surged, leaving Marcaidel speechless.
“You aren’t the only one equipped with the power of a constellation.”
-You dare …!
Marcaidel swung his sword and unleashed magic from his staff. The warriors of the shadow army sprang out of the walls, aiming for Choi Yeonseung. At the same time, Marcaidel’s sword stretched toward?Choi?Yeonseung. However, at that moment, light beamed down on Choi Yeonseung. It was so bright that Marcaidel thought that morning had come.
In truth, however, it was no mere light. Choi Yeonseung had unleashed?white concentrated fist energy, which in turn released a dazzling light. Amplified by the power of existence, it melted everything before it like snow.
The shadow warriors Marcaidel had summoned disappeared, and his sword and staff were destroyed. At the same time, Marcaidel was flung so far back that it was as if he had been hit by a meteor. He couldn’t help but feel like a fire had engulfed him completely despite the protection his constellation had blessed him with.
‘N-no!’
Marcaidel struggled to hold onto his drifting spirit.
A single blow. Everything he had prepared after being summoned here, from the?summoning to the magic circle, was blown away in a single blow. Where was he hiding such an attack?
‘How can a human be so powerful…?Cough.’
Choi Yeonseung leaped toward Marcaidel and fired the Origin of the Celestial Fist.
Perhaps because Marcaidel was imbued with the power of a constellation, he didn’t die immediately. Frightened, he tried to escape. He dove into the shadows on the wall and tried to leave the place.
Bang!
However, Choi Yeonseung was faster. A beam of concentrated fist energy blew off one of Marcaidel’s arms. Marcaidel still tried to run away, but Choi Yeonseung was already chasing after him. Now that everything Marcaidel had prepared had been blown away, finding him in this dungeon was easy.
“Stop running, Marcaidel. Your master must be ashamed of you!” Choi Yeonseung exclaimed, making his opponent tremble with anger. This human being dared insult a demon. Despite how arrogant Earth’s hunters were, few were crazy enough to insult a named demon. After all, people like them usually?met?with a very terrible fate.
-!
In the midst of this fierce game of tag, Marcaidel realized he still had a card up his sleeve.
“... ”
Choi Yeonseung was puzzled. His opponent suddenly stopped.
‘That mistake could kill him.’
Choi Yeonseung used Origin of the Celestial Step to reach Marcaidel and kill him in an instant.
“The demon has appeared! Be careful!”
“Get away from him!”
To his surprise, Marcaidel had jumped in among the hunters.
‘Is he planning on taking hostages?’
Choi Yeonseung didn’t understand what the demon was trying to do. He wasn’t foolish enough to fall for a hostage situation and, besides, all the hunters were on high alert. On top of that, Marcaidel had been beaten so badly that he was currently half-dead. The hunters could easily subdue him.
What shocked Choi Yeonseung even further was that Marcaidel targeted Illaphael, the strongest among the group.
“You dare, demon?”
-You’re quite the idiot, angel. You are already in my grasp!
Marcaidel turned into black mist and stuck to Illaphael.
“...!”
-My master has already turned you into a puppet when I caught you!
Illaphael was stunned. He knew that the Noble Crown Collector was strong, but he didn’t expect the constellation to develop such an evil power. Getting captured by the shadows just once was enough to easily corrode him at any time.
-What are you going to do now, Choi Yeonseung?! If you kill me, this angel will die with me.
“Kill me, human! Quickly! I’m ready!” Illaphael sharply yelled at Choi Yeonseung.
Dumbfounded, Choi Yeonseung asked, “How come all you’ve said today is ‘Kill me’?”
“......”
-......
The angel and the demon paused, bewildered by Choi Yeonseung’s casual reaction. In that momentary hesitation, Choi Yeonseung charged toward the demon, his hand seemingly aiming to pierce and kill him.
‘I was certain he would stop!’ Marcaidel was shocked. However, since he would die anyway if he left the angel’s body, he thought it was much better to take the angel down with him!
As Marcaidel expected, Choi Yeonseung’s attack stopped right in front of Illaphael.
Marcaidel laughed.
-Whahahaha! I told you! The angel will die with me! Humans are too weak to let that happen!
“What is wrong with you?! I told you to kill me, human! ”
“Shut up, both of you.”
[The ‘Star Absorption Method’ has been activated!]
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