Chapter 98: Prelude to the Great Cataclysm (1)
The sun was setting, sinking low in the evening sky.
“All gathered?”
A man in a black suit and sunglasses spoke with a cigarette clenched between his teeth.
Yamakawa Shinichi—Japan’s 1st Grade Awakener and a shadowy giant of the underworld who secretly controlled a yakuza organization.
“Yes, Oyabun.”
Among the dozens of hunters gathered before him, one answered on behalf of the group.
They were members of the Yamakawa-gumi, the yakuza organization led by Shinichi.
It had originally been a small outfit, but after the Great Cataclysm, it had rapidly expanded alongside Shinichi’s own rise in power.
As the boss of the organization, he was now considered the second strongest in Japan after Tachibana Yutaro—hailed as the new hope of the nation.
For a long time, he had served as Tachibana Yutaro’s right-hand man, often called the Association President’s right arm or the number two.
But as of today, his loyalty to Association President Yutaro had faded.
After seeing the man humiliated by a Korean hunter and losing both his bravery and his sharpness, Shinichi had grown deeply disappointed.
And not just any country—Korea, of all places.
The once-glorious Empire of Japan had once colonized that weak, backward nation.
As the descendant of a World War II veteran, Shinichi could not stomach the fact.
“Damn it, one bastard is late.”
That was why he had recently allied with another organization to exact revenge on Korea.
Shinichi and his men had gathered at this abandoned factory, waiting for their collaborator.
But ten minutes had already passed.
There was still no contact.
Right next to the abandoned factory lay a small contaminated zone, which only doubled his irritation.
“You lot, go inside and rest.”
“Yes, Oyabun.”
At Shinichi’s command, the organization members filed into the factory to take a break.
Left alone in the open lot, Shinichi lit another cigarette.
His right-hand man, Nagano Ken, approached cautiously and asked,
“Oyabun. Can we really trust that guy?”
“No. Not even a little.”
Shinichi answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“…Then why are we working with him? We already have spies planted in Busan. Shouldn’t that be enough with just us?”
“Because in case something unexpected happens, we need a meat shield. This is the guy who left the Association President unable to even lift a finger. If we get caught, what do you think will happen to us?”
“Mm……”
Ken had also heard the stories about the Association President.
If the response had been even a little slower, he would have been crippled for life.
No one knew where or when such a monster had appeared—it was still a complete mystery.
Because of that monster, Ken thought what Shinichi was about to do was dangerous, but he had no choice but to follow.
“We won’t take any losses. I guarantee it.”
“Understood, Oyabun.”
A long while after their conversation ended—
Thud. Thud.
A man exuding a gloomy aura approached them alone.
Even though it wasn’t raining, he wore a navy raincoat.
Shinichi flicked his nearly spent cigarette to the ground. The pile of butts at his feet was already the size of a pack.
“Did I keep you waiting long, friend?”
“You don’t even wear a watch? And I’m not your friend.”
Shinichi openly showed his displeasure toward the man who approached with brazen familiarity.
Ken also glared at the man with clear distaste.
“I think of all business partners as friends.”
“Then why did you come alone? Where are your organization members?”
Shinichi scanned behind the man, but no one else was there.
If they were hiding their presence or mana, he would have noticed immediately—but there was nothing like that.
“They’re together with me in my heart, so no need to worry about them.”
“…What the hell are you talking about?”
Shinichi raised an eyebrow.
The man muttered incomprehensible words as if drunk.
“My father saved me, so I have to repay him properly. Don’t worry. The false prophet’s nest will soon become a sea of fire.”
“Hey. You listening to me?”
“Yeah. I’m listening. My subordinates are already in Busan ahead of us. We just need to head out.”
Suddenly, the man walked toward the contaminated zone.
He stepped onto a Creep and reached out into empty air.
Chwaaaaak—
An entrance-like opening leading to an underground tunnel rose up from the Creep.
Shinichi frowned at the unpleasant power flowing out from the tunnel.
But if they wanted to get to Busan easily and comfortably, this was the best method.
“Ken, round up the guys. We’re heading to Busan.”
“Yes, Oyabun.”
Ken went back into the abandoned factory to gather the organization members.
Once the two of them were alone, the man asked Shinichi,
“Are you excited?”
“Beating up some Joseon bastards? It’d be a lie to say I’m not.”
Hwarrr—
Shinichi conjured blue flames in the palm of his hand.
Seeing that, the man stretched his lips into a wide, almost tearing grin and said,
“Very good. Let’s burn them all down. Hehehe.”
***
“Are there Japanese hunters in Busan?”
“Yeah. It looks like the yakuza have colluded with Busan city councilors and bought off villain organizations.”
At Shin Soo-jeong’s question, Michelle nodded.
“The villains are one thing, but why would city councilors get involved with the yakuza… They must know full well what happened at the General Assembly.”
The news that an unidentified Korean hunter had crushed the American Association President and the Zero-Grade hunters from India and Japan had spread far beyond the hunter community—even into the civilian world.
Naturally, the entire world was in an uproar, and in Korea especially, all sorts of national-pride news clips and videos were being produced.
Various rumors circulated trying to guess the identity of the hunter who had surpassed even Yoon Soo-ho.
The most credible theory was that he belonged to the Awakener Intelligence Department of the National Intelligence Service, but Intelligence Department Director Jeong Bo-hoon had denied the allegations.
Over time the issue had quieted down somewhat, but everyone now knew Korea had risen to the rank of a hunter superpower.
In such a geopolitical climate, picking a fight with Korea was pure madness.
“They must have been offered an amount of money they couldn’t refuse. You can’t try to understand politicians with a hunter’s mindset. They probably think, ‘There’s no way they’d actually kill me.’”
“If it’s Psycho, they really could die.”
Shin Soo-jeong thought the ones colluding with the yakuza were truly gambling with their lives.
And that gamble was, in effect, already lost.
Because Prophet Michelle’s future sight had already captured it all.
“But I’m not sure if this is good luck or bad luck.”
“Why?”
“Because the situation got cleaned up before Psycho could arrive.”
“Should I head out now?”
As Shin Soo-jeong stood up, Michelle shook her head.
“No. The Intelligence Department already sniffed it out first.”
“Huu…”
The cigarette smoke he exhaled lingered and curled in the damp air.
In an abandoned house in a village deserted because of the contaminated zone, a man sat.
It was President Jeong, the boss of the Black Society.
And beneath his feet lay a man groaning.
“Krrgh…”
“Stay still. The more you move, the more it hurts.”
President Jeong pressed down on the man’s neck with his foot as he spoke.
After the fall of Dark Horse, the Black Society had risen as Korea’s largest villain organization.
Though it was called a villain organization, it had long since transformed into a secret organization effectively under the Association’s umbrella.
They still engaged in illegal activities like running the black market, but they almost never harmed civilians anymore.
In fact, they had even taken on the role of suppressing other villain organizations from growing too large.
“You touched the Sacred Faction… and you think you can walk out of Busan alive…?”
“This bastard thinks Busan belongs to him. This is still Korea, you piece of shit.”
However, Busan was still a place where the Black Society’s influence was minimal.
If they touched the villain organizations colluding with local councilors, it could easily escalate into a political fight.
Korea’s second-largest city and the Gyeongnam region had developed an entirely different ecosystem from the Gyeonggi region.
But now President Jeong had nothing left to hesitate over.
“I’m back, President.”
Bong Jun-gyu, the Black Society’s second-in-command and President Jeong’s right-hand man, approached and bowed.
President Jeong spoke with the cigarette still clenched in his teeth.
“Spit it out.”
“There are still no unusual signs in the contaminated zone. The port also reports no smuggling ships yet.”
“They probably won’t smuggle by sea. It was confirmed they’re coming through the contaminated zone. I have no idea what method they’re using, though.”
President Jeong recalled what the Intelligence Department agent had said.
The yakuza had infiltrated Busan and were planning a massacre.
When he first heard it, he couldn’t believe it.
But since the words came from no one less than the Intelligence Department, President Jeong had no choice but to cooperate.
Moreover, having the Intelligence Department as backing meant he could now touch Busan’s villain organizations without hesitation—killing two birds with one stone.
“But if it’s the Yamakawa-gumi led by Yamakawa Shinichi, their hunter grades must be pretty high. Aren’t we just going to get massacred?”
Bong Jun-gyu spoke with clear anxiety in his expression.
The Black Society had also felt the need to strengthen its forces and had raised its grades considerably, but compared to Japan’s top yakuza, they were inferior in both numbers and levels.
He even wondered if the Intelligence Department was trying to use them as bullet shields.
“That won’t happen. Who do you think is backing us? Soo-ho is behind us.”
“That’s true, but…”
Bong Jun-gyu trailed off as he focused on the voice coming through his earpiece.
Furrowing his brow, he spoke with a hardened face.
“They say the bastards have appeared in the contaminated zone.”
“Really? Let’s go.”
President Jeong stubbed out his cigarette on the ground and stood up.
He operated his watch, then headed somewhere.
Bong Jun-gyu tightly bound the boss of the Sacred Faction who was collapsed on the floor, hoisted him onto his back, and followed President Jeong.
When they arrived at the open lot, the already-assembled Black Society members greeted them.
“You’ve arrived, President.”
“Yeah. Remember—we didn’t come here today to fight. If it feels dangerous, we pull out immediately.”
“Yes, President.”
After cautioning his members, President Jeong put another cigarette in his mouth and waited.
A short while later, hunters in suits appeared before them.
At the center stood a man wearing black sunglasses, a cigarette in his mouth.
Yamakawa Shinichi, boss of the Yamakawa-gumi.
“It’s been a while, Yamakawa Shinichi.”
When President Jeong spoke in Korean, Shinichi twitched an eyebrow.
“As expected of Joseon bastards—no consideration as always.”
“Not Joseon bastard—Korean, you fuck. Did you live through the Japanese colonial period or something?”
“I clearly had an appointment with the Sacred Faction. Why the hell are you here?”
Bong Jun-gyu translated Shinichi’s words for President Jeong.
President Jeong nodded and replied,
“Ah, the Sacred Faction? The Black Society took them over this time. So I came in their place.”
“…And what’s that behind you?”
Shinichi sensed unstable mana waves and looked behind the Black Society group.
President Jeong exhaled cigarette smoke and said,
“This is why I hate sharp-eyed bastards.”
“No more questions.”
Just as Shinichi began raising his mana—
A massive mana fluctuation came from somewhere, completely different in nature from ordinary mana.
It wasn’t coming from the Black Society, nor from their rear.
That left only one direction.
Kuwaaaaak—
Shinichi thrust his hand upward, unleashing blue flames.
A colossal serpent opened its maw and soared skyward with terrifying speed and power.
A single figure descending rapidly from above was swallowed whole by the massive blaze.
It looked like a dragon ascending amid blue flames.
“Crazy.”
President Jeong stared at the scene with his mouth wide open.
“President!”
Bong Jun-gyu urged him, as if his bad premonition had come true.
They needed to run now.
“President Jeong, you’ve enjoyed a lot of benefits thanks to Yoon Soo-ho, right? Think of today as dying because of that bastard.”
Shinichi extended his hand toward President Jeong and the Black Society.
The Black Society members flinched in shock.
But President Jeong let out a snort and said,
“Sayonara.”
The next moment—
Crackle-crackle-crackle—
The blue fire pillar Shinichi had launched froze solid in an instant, glittering brilliantly.
Before anyone could react to the beautiful yet eerie sight—
“……!”
White ice flowers scattered across Shinichi’s vision.
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