Chapter 141 – SSS-Rank Hunter (16)
Imagine failing an assassination—and knowing that one second later, not only you, but everyone you love, along with millions of lives, will vanish.
And the success rate is hopelessly low.
Tremble.
Clatter!
Unable to withstand the pressure, some people dropped their weapons and surrendered.
Then—
“Follow the order—kh?!”
“I don’t want to die!”
“This is your fault!”
The ringleaders—the ones who had claimed killing me was the only way to survive—
The same people who had incited others by saying everyone would die if they failed—
They were betrayed by their own subordinates, captured one by one, and dragged before me.
“Feels like I’ve become a sea god.”
Like I’m gazing at sacrificial offerings once presented to calm the storms of the ocean.
“Mmph!”
“Ugh—mmph!”
Fear filled the faces of the ringleaders, their mouths gagged so they wouldn’t provoke the wrath of an angry god.
And it wasn’t just them.
Even their families—who knew nothing—were dragged here as well.
“That’s a lot.”
Killing them would be easy.
Blink, blink—
Using the Infinity Blade, which increases its number of blades equal to the number of enemies, I could finish it instantly.
“Please spare us.”
“We had no idea.”
“They did this.”
Those who offered up the sacrifices knelt before me, begging for forgiveness and mercy.
“…I’ll accept it.”
Someone is still hiding.
A true mastermind—or a traitor—surely remains concealed behind the scapegoats.
But hunting them all down would cost too much time and effort.
“Amalang-nim.”
“We’re ready.”
I abandoned Natalia—the would-be assassin—on a deserted island, and instead appointed the green fairies, skilled in barrier abilities, as my new aides.
“Good.”
Perhaps they were moved by the fact that I spared Natalia out of old sentiment, releasing her onto an island inhabited only by F-rank monsters. Either way, the new aides followed my orders without complaint.
(You’re a true R-rated Santa.)
“Ahem.”
(You were imagining Song Sun-young’s pretty legs in that green miniskirt and black garter belt, weren’t you?)
“……”
My human rights continue to be violated.
Beep—
A live broadcast began, transmitted to televisions across the entire world.
“Greetings. I am Santa Amalang, a GGG-rank hunter who single-handedly slew the SSS-rank monster Vampire Lord, and returned the South American continent and the Siberian plains to humanity.”
An overwhelming achievement no hunter in this world had ever accomplished.
There could be no human qualified to condemn someone like me.
“However, there exists a faction that attempted to kill me and plunge humanity into crisis. Any city that shelters or protects them—regardless of reason—is an enemy of humanity. To be absolutely clear: the enemy is every citizen living in that city. This is collective responsibility. There are no exceptions.”
That was the introduction.
Now came the main point.
“But I do not wish to kill humans instead of monsters. Therefore, I will grant you an opportunity. If you subjugate the SSS-rank monster Ancient Black Elephant—the one who killed SSS-rank hunter Park Hyo-man, who once gave his life for humanity—you will be forgiven.”
(For a plan thought up by someone as dense as you, this isn’t bad.)
Thanks.
“The subjugation will begin immediately after the criminals are fully assembled. Anyone who refuses to participate or claims inability—regardless of age or gender—will be executed on the spot. There will be no exceptions or mercy in this decision. I trust you will make the correct choice. Thank you.”
Beep—
The one-sided announcement ended cleanly.
“Gathering all the criminals using spatial jumps alone would take too long. Prepare the aircraft. This time, we’ll reclaim air superiority.”
“Air superiority…?”
“Planes… finally…”
“A day like this…”
People stared in disbelief at the prospect of reclaiming the skies—long since occupied by monsters.
No one opposed the plan.
No one voiced doubt.
“Let’s begin immediately.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
It was time to end this dream that had turned me into a monster.
***
The logic of those who devised the absurd plan to kill me was very simple.
My interests over humanity’s prosperity.
Unlike previous SSS-rank hunters, I couldn’t be controlled—and it was obvious I would eventually strip them of their vested interests. So they decided to eliminate me early.
Thud.
I tossed the report—painstakingly explaining that logic—onto the desk.
“Completely different.”
In reality, politicians selected through P’s aptitude tests prioritize national stability and prosperity over personal gain.
Corrupt politicians do appear in the news from time to time—but the stories always end with them being sent to prison by righteous judges chosen through P’s aptitude system.
A country isn’t run arbitrarily like this.
If there’s one good thing about this world—
“I’m not the one!”
“I’m innocent!”
“I’ve been framed!”
***
Once someone is suspected of a crime even once, there’s no escape.
“That’s a lie.”
“It’s the truth.”
Unless you can nullify it like I can, lie-detection abilities will catch you—no concrete evidence required.
Sit them down. Ask. That’s it.
Because of that, secondary crimes emerged—bribing or threatening lie-detection espers…
What a truly absurd world.
(But today will be the last day for that, too.)
“Exactly.”
The Ranuvel patient—the Ancient Black Elephant that devoured Park Hyo-man.
To hunt the monster, countless “heroes” had gathered. Among them were elderly people and children who weren’t even hunters—some couldn’t properly wield a weapon—but I had no intention of showing flexibility or mercy.
“Amalang-nim. Deployment is complete.”
“First row, advance.”
“…Yes.”
Those dragged here because of their parents’ crimes cried out in injustice—but if we’re talking about unfairness, I have grievances too.
What did I do wrong?
Yes, I wiped out the SSS-rank hunters—but it was self-defense. And I’ve slain more monsters than those idiots could have in a hundred years.
“Prrruuu…!”
The SSS-rank monster, Ancient Black Elephant, had been lazily napping inside its vast nest.
Sensing intruders, it roared and moved its body—large enough to rival a soccer stadium.
Hissss—!
Fog like steam poured from its long trunk, blanketing the ground.
“……”
“……”
There was no major damage yet.
We knew the fog contained substances capable of causing plague, so preparations had been thorough—
“Aaagh?!”
“Kyaaah?!”
But even knowing about it didn’t mean we could block the monster’s overwhelming physical power.
Boom! Crack! Crash!
They failed to inflict any real damage, while casualties snowballed rapidly.
“Second row, advance.”
“…Yes.”
“Next—third row, advance.”
“Amalang-nim. The third row consists entirely of women with no combat ability.”
A green fairy spoke cautiously, watching my expression.
“Wouldn’t it be better to have them pay for their sins in another way, rather than die meaninglessly?”
“It isn’t meaningless. An equal application of the law prevents political corruption and preserves social order.”
“That’s… but…”
“And most importantly—I have no desire to protect the families or descendants of criminals who tried to kill me.”
“Ah…”
“If you understand, then—third row, advance.”
“Yes. Third row, advance.”
They can curse me as cruel if they like.
“Prrruuu…!”
“Kyaaah?!”
“S-Save me—!”
BOOM! CRASH! SPLAT!
I have no attachment to this world, born from Park Hyo-man’s wish. I just want it to end quickly.
“I warned you not to run.”
Flash!
Those who fled in terror were executed by the blades of the Infinity Blade, which I had already embedded in the ground.
Lives dwindled rapidly.
With my expanded perception, I grasped the battlefield in real time—more accurately than any satellite.
“Prrruuu!”
Perhaps tired of trampling humans, the ability that elevated the Ancient Black Elephant to the SSS-rank finally manifested.
It raised its trunk high into the sky—
SHRAAAASH!
—and spewed a pitch-black liquid upward like a geyser.
“It’s the rain of death!”
“Get the barriers up!”
“Everyone, take cover!”
Drip. Drip. Splatter. Splat-splat!
The substance expelled from the monster’s trunk was said to be an ultra-powerful adhesive—something even psychic abilities couldn’t peel off.
Like bait laid on glue to trap insects, the sight of every charging person stuck fast to the ground was both absurd and deeply unsettling.
“Urgh!”
“Ugh…!”
An ability that doesn’t count individual enemies like the Super Grand Galaxy General Infinity Blade, but instead devastates a wide area indiscriminately.
Its only weakness?
Because it’s produced inside the body, once expelled, it can’t be used again until it recharges.
Whoosh—
I lightly touched it with my hand.
“As I thought…”
Should I call this a hybrid?
It couldn’t bind my body as strongly as true adhesive, but a muddy, lingering viscosity remained.
Just like how the Sword Demon’s hands—capable of cutting anything—become nothing more than ordinary blades when used against me.
This was similar.
Annoying.
In many ways, the Ancient Black Elephant was a monster poorly matched against me.
However—
(It’s gotten thinner.)
Thanks to Park Hyo-man’s sacrifice, I had already eliminated the monster’s long-range attack methods in advance.
All that remained was its massive body.
“Time to go.”
The criminals I’d thrown in by simply increasing their numbers had fulfilled their role well enough.
Flash!
The Infinity Blade I pulled from the ground was packed with tremendous power.
Originally, this was a force that demanded a price.
But me?
(What a beautiful case of setting collapse.)
“Prru?”
Power so overwhelming that even the protagonist of the original novel could never dream of it.
Sensing this, the monstrous elephant turned its massive head toward me.
“Hello?”
“PRRUUU…!”
Sensing danger, the SSS-rank monster swung its long trunk at me as I rapidly closed the distance.
“Hmph!”
Before, I couldn’t block even a casual flick of its tail.
But not now.
I could see it.
Its speed was absurd—on par with Natalia’s Acceleration—but not beyond my ability to react.
Proof that I had grown.
Growth obtained by abandoning human form—
Not something to be happy about, but not worth mourning either.
“Hup!”
On flat ground, no matter how fast an ant runs when it senses danger, it can’t escape a human hand.
An overwhelming difference in scale.
That cold law of physics applied between me and the monster elephant as well—
But there was a variable.
Flash!
Countless blade-tentacles erupted beneath my feet, pushing me forward like riding a wave.
“Just as calculated.”
I don’t have only one enemy.
Many had died, but every criminal who recklessly charged the Ancient Black Elephant was still my enemy.
In other words, if even a breath remained—or if they had died only recently—they still satisfied the broken activation conditions of the Infinity Blade.
Vrooom—
With the blade-tentacles pushing and pulling me along, I evaded the trunk whipping toward me like a lash.
“PRRUU?!”
“Haha!”
You look shocked.
But this was only the beginning. I deliberately passed by without severing its trunk—its most dangerous weapon.
Flash!
Particles of light gathered along the Infinity Blade like a galaxy.
The monster’s hide might be thicker and tougher than expected, so I stockpiled as much power as possible. Ignoring the trunk was all for one decisive blow…!
(A gamble.)
This strike might also cut through Park Hyo-man’s body trapped inside the monster’s stomach—but that couldn’t be helped.
“Prru…!”
Now the Ancient Black Elephant charged straight at me, mouth gaping wide, intending to swallow me just like it did Park Hyo-man.
Yet perhaps sensing its fate, there was no confidence left in its massive eyes.
“Die.”
The strongest SSS-rank monster in the world of the hunter novel Only I Am an SSS-Rank Hunter.
And a madman wielding its counter without any restrictions.
What a truly insane combination.
Flash—!
“PRRUUU—?!”
The Ancient Black Elephant’s enormous body split cleanly down the middle, as neatly as the “Miracle of Moses.”
BOOM! THUD!
(Hm. Looks like the gamble paid off.)
“Seems so.”
Should I call this fortunate?
The dream continued—because Park Hyo-man didn’t die.
But then—
(Something strange is happening.)
“…What?”
Park Hyo-man is an SSS-rank hunter.
Even if it was difficult while the monster lived, now that it was dead, he should be able to escape on his own…
Yet there was no sign of it.
“Waaaaah!”
“The SSS-rank monster is dead!”
“Amalang-nim! Hooray!”
People erupted in cheers. Rescue teams poured in to save the criminals who were still alive.
“Rudolf.”
(Yes! Amalang-nim!)
Even the green fairy who had opposed this plan answered my radio, her voice mixed with excitement and joy.
“Dissect the monster’s body and check for survivors.”
(Ah! I’ll send people immediately!)
“…Don’t tell me.”
I couldn’t stop imagining Park Hyo-man escaping as monster-elephant poop.