Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105 - Chapter 105
Chapter 106
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Chapter 112
Chapter 113
Chapter 114
Chapter 115
Chapter 116
Chapter 117
Chapter 118
Chapter 119
Chapter 120
Chapter 121
Chapter 122
Chapter 123
Chapter 124
Chapter 125
Chapter 126
Chapter 127
Chapter 128
Chapter 129
Chapter 130
Chapter 131
Chapter 132
Chapter 133
Chapter 134
Chapter 135
Chapter 136
Chapter 137
Chapter 138
Chapter 139
Chapter 140 - Chapter 140
Chapter 141
Chapter 142 - Chapter 142
Chapter 143
Chapter 144
Chapter 145
Chapter 146
Chapter 147
Chapter 148
Chapter 149
Chapter 150
Chapter 151
Chapter 152
Chapter 153
Chapter 154
Chapter 155
Chapter 156
Chapter 157
Chapter 158
Chapter 159
Chapter 160
Chapter 161
Chapter 162
Chapter 163
Chapter 164
Chapter 165
Chapter 166
Chapter 167
Chapter 168
Chapter 169
Chapter 170 - Chapter 170
Chapter 171
Chapter 172
Chapter 173
Chapter 174
Chapter 175
Chapter 176
Chapter 177
Chapter 178
Chapter 179
Chapter 180
Chapter 181
Chapter 182
Chapter 183
Chapter 184
Chapter 185
Chapter 186
Chapter 187
Chapter 188
Chapter 189
Chapter 190
Chapter 191
Chapter 192
Chapter 193
Chapter 194
Chapter 195
Chapter 196
Chapter 197
Chapter 198
Chapter 199
Chapter 200
Chapter 201
Chapter 202
Chapter 203 - Chapter 203
Chapter 204
Chapter 205
Chapter 206
Chapter 207
Chapter 208 - Chapter 208
Chapter 209
Chapter 210
Chapter 211
Chapter 212
Chapter 213
Chapter 214
Chapter 215
Chapter 216
Chapter 217
Chapter 218
Chapter 219
Chapter 220
Chapter 221
Chapter 222
Chapter 223
Chapter 224
Chapter 225
Chapter 226
Chapter 227
Chapter 228
Chapter 229
Chapter 230
Chapter 231
Chapter 232
Chapter 233
Chapter 234
Chapter 235
Chapter 236
Chapter 237
Chapter 238
Chapter 239 - Chapter 239
Chapter 240
Chapter 241
Chapter 242
Chapter 243
Chapter 244
Chapter 245
Chapter 246
Chapter 247
Chapter 248
Chapter 249
Chapter 250
Chapter 251
Chapter 252
Chapter 253
Chapter 254
Chapter 255
Chapter 256
Chapter 257
Chapter 258
Chapter 259
Chapter 260
Chapter 261
Chapter 262
Chapter 263 - Chapter 263
Chapter 264
Chapter 265
Chapter 266
Chapter 267
Chapter 268
Chapter 269
Chapter 270
Chapter 271
Chapter 272
Chapter 273
Chapter 274
Chapter 275
Chapter 276
Chapter 277
Chapter 278
Chapter 279
Chapter 280
Chapter 281
Chapter 282
Chapter 283
Chapter 284
Chapter 285
Chapter 286
Chapter 287
Chapter 288
Chapter 289
Chapter 290
Chapter 291
Chapter 292
Chapter 293
Chapter 294
Chapter 295
Chapter 296
Chapter 297 - Chapter 297
Chapter 298
Chapter 299
Chapter 300
Chapter 301
Chapter 302
Chapter 303
Chapter 304
Chapter 305
Chapter 306
Chapter 307
Chapter 308
Chapter 309
Chapter 310
Chapter 311
Chapter 312
Chapter 313
Chapter 314
Chapter 315
Chapter 316
Chapter 317
Chapter 318
Chapter 319
Chapter 320
Chapter 321
Chapter 322
Chapter 323
Chapter 324
Chapter 325
Chapter 326
Chapter 327
Chapter 328
Chapter 329
Chapter 330
Chapter 331
Chapter 332
Chapter 333
Chapter 334
Chapter 335
Chapter 336
Chapter 337
Chapter 338
Chapter 339
Chapter 340
Chapter 341
Chapter 342
Chapter 343
Chapter 344
Chapter 345
Chapter 346
Chapter 347
Chapter 348
Chapter 349
Chapter 350
Chapter 351
Chapter 352
Chapter 353
Chapter 354
Chapter 355
Chapter 356
Chapter 357
Chapter 358
Chapter 359
Chapter 360
Chapter 361
Chapter 362
Chapter 363
Chapter 364
Chapter 365
Chapter 366
Chapter 367
Chapter 368
Chapter 369
Chapter 370
Chapter 371
Chapter 372
Chapter 373
Chapter 374
Chapter 375
Chapter 376
Chapter 377
Chapter 378
Chapter 379
Chapter 380
Chapter 381
Chapter 382
Chapter 383
Chapter 384 - Chapter 384
Chapter 385
Chapter 386
Chapter 387
Chapter 388
Chapter 389
Chapter 390
Chapter 391
Chapter 392
Chapter 393
Chapter 394
Chapter 395
Chapter 396
Chapter 397
Chapter 398
Chapter 399
Chapter 400
Chapter 401
Chapter 402
Chapter 403
Chapter 404
Chapter 405
Chapter 406
Chapter 407
Chapter 408
Chapter 409
Chapter 410
Chapter 411
Chapter 412
Chapter 413
Chapter 414
Chapter 415
Chapter 416
Chapter 417
Chapter 418
Chapter 419
Chapter 420
Chapter 421
Chapter 422
Chapter 423
Chapter 424
Chapter 425
Chapter 426 - Chapter 426
Chapter 427
Chapter 428
Chapter 429
Chapter 430
Chapter 431
Chapter 432
Chapter 433
Chapter 434
Chapter 435
Chapter 436
Chapter 437
Chapter 438
Chapter 439
Chapter 440
Chapter 441
Chapter 442
Chapter 443
Chapter 444
Chapter 445
Chapter 446 - Chapter 446
Chapter 447
Chapter 448
Chapter 449
Chapter 450
Chapter 451 - Chapter 451
Chapter 452
Chapter 453
Chapter 454
Chapter 455
Chapter 456
Chapter 457
Chapter 458
Chapter 459
Chapter 460
Chapter 461
Chapter 462
Chapter 463
Chapter 464
Chapter 465
Chapter 466
Chapter 467
Chapter 468
Chapter 469
Chapter 470
Chapter 471
Chapter 472
Chapter 473
Chapter 474
Chapter 475
Chapter 476
Chapter 477
Chapter 478
Chapter 479
Chapter 480
Chapter 481
Chapter 482
Chapter 483 - Chapter 483
Chapter 484
Chapter 485
Chapter 486
Chapter 487
Chapter 488
Chapter 489
Chapter 490
Chapter 491
Chapter 492
Chapter 493
Chapter 494
Chapter 495
Chapter 496
Chapter 497
Chapter 498
Chapter 499
Chapter 500
Chapter 501
Chapter 502
Chapter 503
Chapter 504
Chapter 505
Chapter 506
Chapter 507
Chapter 508
Chapter 509
Chapter 510
Chapter 511
Chapter 512
Chapter 513
Chapter 514
Chapter 515
Chapter 516 - Chapter 516
Chapter 517
Chapter 518
Chapter 519
Chapter 520
Chapter 521
Chapter 522
Chapter 523
Chapter 524
Chapter 525
Chapter 526
Chapter 527
Chapter 528
Chapter 529
Chapter 530
Chapter 531
Chapter 532
Chapter 533
Chapter 534 - Chapter 534
Chapter 535
Chapter 536
Chapter 537
Chapter 538 - Chapter 538
Chapter 539
Chapter 540
Chapter 541
Chapter 542
Chapter 543
Chapter 544
Chapter 545
Chapter 546
Chapter 547
Chapter 548
Chapter 549
Chapter 550
Chapter 551
Chapter 552
Chapter 553
Chapter 554
Chapter 555
Categories Genre: Action, Adventure, All, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Ongoing, Supernatural Status: Ongoing Alternative names: HR, 영웅; 회귀하다, ______
Total Chapters in book: 555
Estimated words: 1462055 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 7310(@200wpm)___ 5848(@250wpm)___ 4874(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 1462055 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 7310(@200wpm)___ 5848(@250wpm)___ 4874(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 555 Page No. 554 Page No. 553 Page No. 552 Page No. 551 Page No. 550 Page No. 549 Page No. 548 Page No. 547 Page No. 546 Page No. 545 Chapter 335
Chapter 335: Chapter 335
『Kim Su-hyeun heads to ‘Chungnam’ dungeon as soon as returning. Are his actions related to his connection to Lee Ju-ho, the new…』
It had been quite a while since a dungeon generated in Cheonan, Chungnam (South Chungcheong) Province. On top of that, it was blue in color. Excluding the indigo color, this type of dungeon carried the highest degree of danger.
Its location was in the middle of the city, not some isolated mountain valley. Since it was right bang in a place where people could easily see it, there should be no reason to not notice this dungeon.
Rather obviously, the citizens expected either the association or the Awakener Authority to step up quickly and raid this dungeon.
But then…
“Hey, isn’t this getting a bit too dangerous?”
“Feels like it’s been a month already…”
Once a dungeon showed up, it was normal to prohibit civilians from entering the one-kilometer range of the portal until the raid was successfully concluded.
However, for some strange reason, the entry prohibition signboard remained in the same spot although the one-month mark was approaching. Meaning, the raid hadn’t finished yet.
Unsurprisingly, the civilians walking past grew increasingly concerned. If something went wrong somewhere and the dungeon became a full-on outbreak, then the city of Cheonan would be leveled flat in no time at all.
“Shouldn’t someone report this to the Authority?”
“I actually called them yesterday. They said not to worry at all.”
“Hey, dude. Why did you call the Authority? You should’ve called the association.”
“I called the association, too.”
“Really? Wait, did they forget about this dungeon, then?”
“How should I know?”
Crowds gathered in one spot and began murmuring to themselves. While that was happening, someone shouted out loudly among them.
“They are here! Awakeners from the Authority have come!”
“Really?”
“Whew! That’s a relief.”
Numerous awakeners, already geared up, had gathered near the dungeon’s vicinity. These awakeners, with the Awakener Authority emblem clearly visible on their attires, began to set up a defensive cordon around the dungeon in a professional and orderly manner.
Restrictions on movements for civilians also got underway. While saying that they needed to widen the prohibited area, they proceeded to evacuate the civilians to an even further-off location.
In the middle of all that, a lone figure stepped forward and headed toward the prohibited area around the dungeon.
“Uh? Excuse me! If you go that way…?”
The man who was trudging toward the dungeon suddenly vanished from view.
The civilian who was urgently moving according to the guidance provided by the Authority-affiliated awakeners could only make a puzzled expression.
“Did I see a ghost or something?”
* * *
Kim Jae-ho was one of the two top awakeners affiliated with the Authority.
He was known as the other S-Rank awakener working for the Authority along with Bak Yun-gyu, and as he managed to reach this rank at a young age, many evaluated him to have a bright future ahead of him.
And he had one role to perform today.
“They want me to stop an outbreak, huh?”
Kim Jae-ho scanned his vicinity and observed that quite a large number of awakeners were present—about two hundred of them, as a matter of fact. Every single one was a B-Rank awakener or higher and also happened to be affiliated with the Authority.
Gathering these many awakeners would have taken the Authority a considerable amount of time and effort, not to mention coordination to match everyone’s schedule. With that alone, Kim Jae-ho was certain of this whole thing not being cooked up in one day.
“Bak Yun-gyu is scheduled to join us a little later…” he thought.
Their role was not to raid but to defend. They must stop the monsters from pouring out from the dungeon and work with Bak Yun-gyu or any other available awakeners from the various guilds to minimize the losses that would arise from the outbreak as much as possible.
“I guess it’s about time they show up.” Kim Jae-ho checked the time with his wristwatch. It said, three o’clock.
If what he had been told was correct, then the people from the association should be arriving right about now.
Sure enough, a man with a familiar face walked up to Kim Jae-ho and asked, “Ah, you guys must be from the Authority?”
Kim Jae-ho’s eyes gleamed brightly at that. He had instantly recognized the man that arrived in a sedan.
“Jung Yoon-ho,” Kim Jae-ho inwardly said.
Indeed, it was none other than Jung Yoon-ho, the retired association chairman and an S-Rank awakener affiliated with the association.
“Ah, hello. Yes, we came to face off against the upcoming dungeon outbreak. We’ve already instructed the evacuation of the civilians, and we are currently on standby until enough personnel arrived to safely pull off the defensive battle.”
“Thank you for responding so quickly.”
“You’re too kind. By the way…” Kim Jae-ho paused and glanced at the other awakeners disembarking from several cars that came along with Jung Yoon-ho. “It seems that no one in the association knew that a dungeon was here?”
“…”
Jung Yoon-ho couldn’t immediately reply. It was an obvious question, after all.
If they knew, they would have never neglected such a dungeon. A blue-colored dungeon would have been set as a priority if they knew of its existence, yet it was still left unattended until now, and that clearly indicated the association’s mistake.
After all, the Awakener Authority was an organization meant to manage the awakeners, not raid dungeons.
Kim Jae-ho continued, “Well, I don’t think there will be a major problem, anyway. Most of the civilians have been evacuated by now, and the Authority has mobilized enough manpower to prepare for the worst.”
“Thank you for your help.”
“I have to say, I do feel that much more confident now that you’re here with us, Mister Jung Yoon-ho. Another S-Rank from our own side is scheduled to arrive pretty soon, so I think the assault will be easier than—”
Giii-iiiing—
The heads of both Kim Jae-ho and Jung Yoon-ho spun toward a certain direction—the dungeon in the distance.
Energy began whipping up into a storm from within the dungeon. Kim Jae-ho nervously swallowed back his saliva and clenched his fists. “So, it’s finally begun.”
“No,” Jung Yoon-ho shook his head after hearing Kim Jae-ho’s voice filled with determination. “It’s the exact opposite.”
“Sorry?”
“It’s not the beginning, but the dungeon’s disappearing instead.”
Tap—
Jung Yoon-ho kicked the ground and leaped up. Seeing how Jung Yoon-ho’s figure rapidly darted toward the dungeon, Kim Jae-ho began chasing after him even before he could think.
The dungeon in question was about one kilometer away from the signs denoting the beginning of the restricted area. It wasn’t that far away, in other words.
Although several buildings obscured it, the dungeon became visible soon enough after they dashed forward quickly for a dozen or so seconds.
“The dungeon, it’s…”
Kim Jae-ho’s eyes opened wider.
A building that was previously dyed in the distinctive blue color had almost fully reverted to its original coloring. The blue light hadn’t fully disappeared yet; it lingered on in a faint and blurry state.
Every single awakener in the world should know what this phenomenon signified.
“The raid…it’s over?”
That was the most common phenomenon a dungeon would display after a raid had been completed. It indicated that even though the entrance to the dungeon remained, just about every monster existing inside was gone.
Both Kim Jae-ho and Jung Yoon-ho stopped dashing and stared at the raided dungeon with puzzled expressions on their faces. They glanced at each other, their eyes expressing questions about what to make of this situation. Neither of them was responsible for this, so it was only natural that they began suspecting the other party, but it didn’t take long for them to realize the truth after looking into each other’s eyes.
“It wasn’t you?” Kim Jae-ho asked first.
“No. And it wasn’t your side either?” Jung Yoon-ho replied. The former nodded when the latter asked back and reverted his gaze to the dungeon.
Not too long afterward, a figure of a person emerged from inside the blurry dungeon entrance while riding on a red dragon, no less.
Gya-ong—!
“Is that Kim Su-hyeun?” Kim Jae-ho asked, stunned.
“Huh? Why is Kim Su-hyeun coming out of there?” Rather obviously, Jung Yoon-ho didn’t have any answers to give.
Su-hyeun spotted the two men and lightly rubbed Miru before dismounting from the dragon’s back. After landing on the ground, he recognized Jung Yoon-ho and walked up to the latter. “Hello. You came as well?”
“What is going on here?”
“As you can see.” Su-hyeun shrugged his shoulders and glanced back to the dungeon.
A detailed explanation wasn’t necessary.
Kim Su-hyeun was the world’s top awakener who was strong enough to raid a blue-colored dungeon all by himself, and it had been like that for a long time now. Therefore, even a dummy could tell that he raided this blue dungeon by himself as well.
The issue here was…
“Is the raid really over?” Jung Yoon-ho asked.
“Yes, it’s over. By the way, who is this?”
“Oh, I’m Kim Jae-ho, an awakener affiliated with the Authority.”
“Kim Jae-ho? The one who entered the S-Rank not too long ago?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“It seems like quite many awakeners have gathered over there. Could it be that the association requested help from the Authority?”
“No, the Authority’s people were already here by the time we arrived.”
At Jung Yoon-ho’s reply, Su-hyeun formed a puzzled expression. “They were already here?”
Kim Jae-ho’s own expression twitched a little at Su-hyeun’s probing gaze, and he quickly changed the topic. “S—since the raid is over, we shall return to base for now. Thank you for your hard work.”
He bowed a little toward Su-hyeun and Jung Yoon-ho and hurriedly turned around to head back to the rest of his group. The two remaining people stood around in silence for a little while, staring in the direction Kim Jae-ho had disappeared to.
As the Authority-affiliated awakeners began to professionally withdraw from there, Jung Yoon-ho finally spoke, “Isn’t that a little odd?”
“Yes, it is, but…” Su-hyeun’s lips curled up into a grin. “It might be a good thing, actually.”
* * *
SHATTER—!
Tumble, drop—
A bookshelf toppled over, and a glass on the table fell to the ground to shatter into pieces.
The coffee contained in the glass stained the floor, and various documents scattered chaotically throughout the office.
“What kind of bullsh*t is this?!”
The director shot up from his chair and roared out like he was freaking out, his face flushing in anger.
Section Chief Han Myeong-gyun could only sweat nervously while cautiously studying his boss’s moods after witnessing such a violent reaction. He realized that no matter what he said now, nothing would work to calm the director’s rage.
“Why the hell did Kim Su-hyeun show up there?!”
“Kim Su-hyeun heads to ‘Chungnam’ dungeon as soon as returning. Are his actions related to his connection to Lee Ju-ho, the new association chairman?”
That was the headline of the article Section Chief Han Myeong-gyun showed him.
The article talked about Kim Su-hyeun making a move to raid the dungeon in question. The director, well versed in the antics of political machinations, could easily tell just how those articles that began showing up only a few minutes ago had come about.
“Lee Ju-ho. That son of a b*tch has spread around these articles,” he inwardly cursed. The director panted like an enraged bull, the glare in his eyes sharpening even further.
Obviously, these articles weren’t fake. Kim Su-hyeun making a move would no doubt be for real, but the person tipping off the reporters into writing these articles had to be none other than Lee Ju-ho.
From the perspectives of the reporters, they would be losing nothing here.
Kim Su-hyeun had returned, and he personally made a move to raid the blue-colored dungeon. Something like that should be a scoop that all reporters waited for with bated breaths, especially more so when the dungeon was about to reach the outbreak stage.
The world thirsted for a hero, and Kim Su-hyeun was the most ideal hero that the world wanted to see.
Knock, knock—
“Sir, I’m coming in.”
Creak—
Someone opened the door and stepped inside the office. The director quickly smoothed out his crumpled expression and turned his head.
The man visiting the director’s office, Bak Yun-gyu, momentarily froze after discovering the chaotic state of the office itself.
“Do come in, even though it’s a little messy in here.”
“Sir, please excuse me.”
Clack—
Bak Yun-gyu closed the door behind him, and instead of sitting down somewhere, he chose to remain standing with his hands on his back.
Meanwhile, the director sat back down on the couch and poured some water on a paper cup instead of his glass, which had broken earlier.
He didn’t tell Bak Yun-gyu to sit down. He knew that the man wouldn’t even if he asked him to.
“What happened to the matter when you got there?”
“Didn’t you hear the news, sir?”
“Did we lose our timing to Kim Su-hyeun, then?”
“No, sir. We didn’t lose our timing, but Kim Su-hyeun stopped a dungeon that we failed to raid in the first place.”
“Still an inflexible fella, aren’t you?” The director furrowed his brows greatly to indicate that he didn’t like this at all.
Bak Yun-gyu was different from Section Chief Han Myeong-gyun. He wasn’t exactly riding on the same boat as the two of them. To put it in another way, he was someone riding on a “similar” type of a boat as they were.
It would be smarter not to get too agitated in front of such a man.
“Fine. I’ll acknowledge Kim Su-hyeun’s contribution. It is true that he urgently stopped a dungeon his association missed somehow, after all.”
The director decided to find the good among the bad. The ideal outcome he wanted to see was as good as ruined by now. However, other than the event not working out as intended, the process of getting there and the end result hadn’t changed a great deal.
“Did you confirm that we had more agents on location compared to the association?” the director asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Did you hear that, Section Chief Han?” The director had finally calmed down by then and continued to speak as his eyes narrowed into slits like a snake’s, “Call for a press conference. Right now.”
Total Chapters in book: 555
Estimated words: 1462055 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 7310(@200wpm)___ 5848(@250wpm)___ 4874(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 1462055 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 7310(@200wpm)___ 5848(@250wpm)___ 4874(@300wpm)
______