Chapter 66: Chapter 66

Jo Won-cheol, the leader of the Tyrant Guild and an S-rank Hunter, was once met with cheers whenever he appeared on the streets just a month ago. The status of an S-rank Hunter surpassed that of an average celebrity, and being the head of one of the top two guilds in South Korea meant that even a snot-nosed kid knew his name.

However, that widespread recognition had now morphed into something entirely different.

“Hah…”

Jo Won-cheol sat on a broken concrete pillar, contemplating. He thought it was the perfect moment to take a drag from a cigarette, but when he retrieved the pack from his pocket, it was empty.

“Damn it.”

He tossed the pack aside, and it struck one of the fallen Hunters, who groaned in response.

Turning to the Hunter lying next to him, still moaning, he tilted his head and asked, “Hey, do you smoke?”

“Ugh…”

“Quit whining and just answer me, bastard.”

As if handling a ball, Jo Won-cheol kicked the Hunter sharply in the side.

“Cough!”

The Hunter, spewing blood, collapsed onto the bodies of his fallen comrades. A quick glance revealed there were at least a dozen of them—over twelve, to be precise. They all lay lifeless, having been struck in their vital points.

Each one was an A-rank Hunter, but to Jo Won-cheol, they felt no more significant than minor pests.

Not long ago, these were the same individuals who wouldn’t meet his gaze straight on. Yet, once the truth about Alraune was revealed and the Tyrant became a public enemy, they flooded in like hyenas.

Unfathomably naive, their numbers had swelled, making it difficult for Jo Won-cheol to manage alone.

“So which side is launching an ambush this time?”

Jo Won-cheol grasped the head of the Hunter who had been flung away, lifting him painfully by his hair. At the sight, the Hunter gasped in agony.

“Listen, I’m pinned down at one location while you raid elsewhere to snatch territory. Yeah, I admit it’s an obvious tactic, but I must concede it works damn well.”

Setting up all sorts of scrolls and items to prevent the reclaimed territories from being retaken was indeed a wise choice. In truth, the Tyrant was gradually collapsing due to this strategy.

Yet Jo Won-cheol couldn’t stand the fact that he was aware and still falling into the trap.

“I can accept it, but it only infuriates me more.”

He figured this straightforward method was effective because he hadn’t dealt with it aggressively enough before.

“I’ve been too lenient. Should’ve crushed the arrogant bastards early on.”

Now that he was an antagonist, he might as well revel in the role to the fullest.

Resolute, Jo Won-cheol pierced the Hunter’s solar plexus with his hand.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Ugh…”

Yanking his hand free, he watched as the Hunter fell to the ground, choking on his own blood. After a few thrashes, he lay still, devoid of breath.

With bloodied hands, Jo Won-cheol rifled through the pockets of the deceased Hunter. Finding a cigarette he desperately wanted, he grinned as he pulled out a lighter.

“Why the hell didn’t you say anything earlier?”

Settling back onto the broken pillar, he took a deep drag, savoring the moment. It wasn’t his favorite brand, but just getting the nicotine deep into his lungs was satisfying enough.

As he enjoyed the taste of the cigarette, footsteps around him made him alert. He shifted his gaze ever-so-slightly, catching sight of the individual approaching. The sight of the Tyrant emblem on the man’s shoulder relaxed his body.

“What business brings you here?”

“I… I have something to report!”

“I told you not to bother with reports about how we got annihilated in my absence!”

Jo Won-cheol detested repeating himself. The guild member shook his head hastily, panic evident in his eyes.

“That’s not it; it’s actually really important!”

“What is it?”

“I’ve found out who revealed the information about Alraune.”

“…….”

Jo Won-cheol spat out the cigarette he was chewing and stood up.

“Who is it?”

The one responsible for his guild’s destruction, the entity that had turned them into fodder for the rabble—knowing who it was made Jo Won-cheol release his killing intent as he approached the guild member.

“Are you going to tell me or not?”

“T-Titan!”

Under pressure, the trembling guild member gave his answer. Jo Won-cheol held back the urge to dash out immediately and calmly confirmed the facts.

“Are you sure?”

“It came directly from Seo Sang-ho’s secretary.”

The tablet the guild member handed over was filled with undeniable evidence—the kind that pointed squarely at Titan as the source of the Alraune information leaks. It contained photos and data not released to the media.

“Why would that woman reveal her guild’s secrets?”

“She claimed she was planning to leave Titan anyway, so as long as she gets paid, it doesn’t matter to her.”

Hearing that response elicited a scoff from Jo Won-cheol.

“Ha ha, what a delightful lady.”

The guild member, fear evident on his face, hesitantly asked, “What do you plan to do?”

“What do you mean, ‘what do I plan to do?’ Of course I’m going to charge in and wreck everything!”

“If we start a war now, we’ll be obliterated too!”

“What do I care? It’s not like I’ll be coming back to life anyway.”

Even if they managed to stabilize, their former glory was irretrievable.

From here on, even the likes of Altron could no longer contend with fully capable guilds.

“If we can’t be the best, then let’s at least aim to be the worst.”

The guild member nodded, sensing the seriousness of Jo Won-cheol’s words.

“I’ll summon all remaining members right away!”

In this situation, Jo Won-cheol was not the only one harboring resentment. The surviving members of the Tyrant Guild held a deep-seated hatred for the beings responsible for their downfall.

Having once prided themselves as the strongest guild, being labeled as traitors was a natural reaction. Presenting them with a clear target like Titan would surely spark chaos.

Even a toothless tiger was still a predator.

Han Young-seok, seeking Kang Jin-hyuk and Seo Sang-ho, screamed silently upon hearing news of the Tyrant’s advance.

* * *

Viewed from an objective standpoint, the clash between the two small groups, neither exceeding a total of 1,000 members, barely seemed significant.

Yet calling it a “war” would not be an exaggeration.

Hunters unleashing their skills with the intent to truly kill turned into walking bombs. Skills previously used for hunting monsters now engulfed paths in flames and toppled buildings.

Han Young-seok observed from a distant building, watching as the very structure they had previously used as a conference room burst into flames.

Had he not been warned in advance, he would have perished along with that building.

The chilling thought caused shivers to race down his spine.

“There’s not a single person at the Tyrant’s headquarters!”

“It seems they truly mobilized all their forces!”

The reports from the guild members shook Han Young-seok, who barely managed to keep his composure.

“They’re causing that madness in broad daylight! What on earth is the association doing?”

“Despite continuous warnings on air, Tyrant isn’t even considering listening!”

“It’s because they’re only issuing warnings! They need to show some action!”

Han Young-seok slammed his fist down on the table.

The wooden table, unable to withstand the Hunter’s strength, shattered into pieces.

“They’re probably waiting for us to exhaust ourselves, hoping we both wipe each other out!”

Kang Jun-tae voiced his opinion matter-of-factly.

“Guilds with excessive power are rising, so they must want to diminish our numbers.”

Proof of that was starkly evident; over an hour had passed since the war began, yet the association hadn’t shown a hint of action beyond warnings.

Han Young-seok couldn’t fathom why the association remained passive.

Even if they despise us, would they really just sit by as this plays out in the city?

“Are they preparing to let civilians just die?”

“There is a group sheltering the citizens,” a guild member informed.

That response left Kang Jun-tae speechless.

“Are there people trying to play hero?”

“Which guild is it?”

When queried by Han Young-seok, the guild member shook their head.

“I’m not sure. We have no information.”

“No information?”

“They call themselves ‘Pantheon,’ but as mentioned, details are scarce.”

Although they appeared to be only about 30 members strong, they moved with unusual swiftness to assist in evacuating citizens amid the chaos.

“Pantheon? They wouldn’t mean the game, right…? Is that the guild’s name?”

Kang Jun-tae speculated that they were newly formed, taking advantage of the disorder.

However, lost in thought, Han Young-seok had a different perspective.

“They might have ties to Kang Jin-hyuk and Seo Sang-ho.”

“What kind of sudden revelation is that? What’s your reasoning?”

Kang Jun-tae couldn’t grasp the logic behind his statement.

Unless he had other intel, all they had was the name they flaunted.

“Wait, hold on. The name…”

Kang Jun-tae suddenly sensed something amiss.

“Pantheon” was originally a term used in Greece to denote the gods. Specifically, it referred to the twelve Olympians who overthrew the Titans.

“Is it really a coincidence to see such a name right now, appearing during our showdown with Tyrant?”

“Not a chance.”

In such a situation, claiming it was mere coincidence felt entirely nonsensical.

“They chose such a blatantly provocative name likely because they knew our circumstances before arriving.”

“Even if they do, do they think they can simply come and engage with us?”

Han Young-seok wished to pulverize their haughty expectation.

But it was true that they were too absorbed dealing with Tyrant to divert any attention elsewhere.

Kang Jin-hyuk was no ordinary Hunter who could be taken lightly. He had skillfully cut down A-rank Hunters.

To capture him would necessitate a considerable force, yet pulling enough members from the battlefield meant risking an attack from Tyrant first.

“Seems like they’re the ones who drew Tyrant in.”

“You’ve got a sharp mind.”

Kang Jun-tae’s words lacked the cheery tone expected given the context. The Hunter who had humiliated him managed to create such chaos with assistance from other guilds.

Kang Jun-tae longed to find a way to exact revenge on Kang Jin-hyuk at that very moment.

“If we don’t handle Tyrant before they stir further, we’ll need to engage them first.”

“That’s already the plan.”

Han Young-seok summoned all the scattered guild members for a search mission.

“While it may have been the peak of Tyrant’s power before, they won’t defeat us in this current state.”

Yet, despite his words, unease lingered in Han Young-seok’s heart.

Unlike the others, Jo Won-cheol was an opponent he couldn’t afford to disregard.

Currently, only one ally capable of standing against Jo Won-cheol lay with the forces gathered—Kang Jun-tae.

“Conserve your strength until Jo Won-cheol is exhausted.”

“Do you really think he’ll tire?”

“He’s still human; keep pushing him, and he will.”

“That’ll leave none of our members standing.”

“Let it be, winning is priority.”

Sacrificing every member of the guild was an acceptable price in pursuit of victory.

Failure would mean an end to everything.