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 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 141
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 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 204
Chapter 205
Chapter 206
Chapter 207
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 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 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 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 (End)
Categories Genre: Action, All, Completed, Fantasy, Seinen Status: Completed ______
Total Chapters in book: 352
Estimated words: 706132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3531(@200wpm)___ 2825(@250wpm)___ 2354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 706132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3531(@200wpm)___ 2825(@250wpm)___ 2354(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 352 Page No. 351 Page No. 350 Page No. 349 Page No. 348 Page No. 347 Page No. 346 Page No. 345 Page No. 344 Page No. 343 Page No. 342 Chapter 30
Chapter 30: Chapter 30
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
At the riveting sight of an entire black sea bream sitting in a red, boiling broth, Min Sung almost lost his self-control. After regaining his composure, he scooped up a spoonful of the broth and brought it up to his mouth.
‘Slurp!’
Immediately, his mouth was filled with the spicy and rich flavors of the broth.
‘Very nice.’
Taking a piece of the meat from the fish, the champion brought it up to his mouth. Fitting to its reputation among fishing enthusiasts for not going down without a fight, the fish was incredibly lean. Yet, it was firm and meaty. Then, taking another chunk of the fish and the leek in the stew, he put it on top of a spoonful of rice and brought that up to his mouth. In combination with the fish, the leek and the grains of rice added a refreshing twist. Taking another spoonful of the spicy broth, Min Sung brought the food up to his mouth one more time. The spiciness warmed up his body to a pleasant temperature. The harmony between the white rice and the spicy-yet-refreshing broth, which Min Sung was completely addicted to by that point, was more than enough to satisfy the champion’s hunger. In the end, he ate every bite of his rice and every drop of the stew, leaving only the bones. Having eaten his fill, Min Sung leaned back with his hands on his belly and let out a satisfied sigh. Seeing that, Ho Sung, who had hardly eaten any of it, studied the champion’s expression and asked, “Did you enjoy your meal, sir?”
With a subtle smile on his face, the champion responded, “That was a fine meal.” With a full stomach, he looked out the window toward the ocean, thinking, ‘This is heaven.’
“Well, since this is our first time eating together, I’ll take care of the bill, sir.”
Hearing that, the champion, looking toward Ho Sung, shook his head and said, “No, I’ll pay.”
“Ah… Of course. Thank you.”
“How much did it come out to?” Min Sung asked. As satisfying as the meal had been, the price was also an important part of the experience at a restaurant. Regardless of how delectable the food was, an unreasonable price would surely diminish the experience.
“Fifty thousand won,” Ho Sung replied, leaving the champion dumbfounded by what he had just heard.
“… Fifty thousand?”
“That’s right?”
“How?” Min Sung asked, looking at him with widened eyes.
“The rental tends to cost quite a bit, but the owner gave us a big discount. It must have been all the fish we brought him. Well, at this price, we’re only paying for all the side dishes essentially.”
“I see,” Min Sung said, nodding, reminded of Ho Sung’s impressive ability to arrange the most satisfying meals.
—
After dropping Min Sung off at his house, Ho Sung was ordered to return the following morning. While he was glad to be relieved of having to be on standby 24/7 on one hand, he was deeply concerned on the other.
‘Either my bank account will run dry, or I’ll starve to death.’
Leaning against his car, he chain-smoked while contemplating his life.
‘I can’t just waste away like this. I have to come up with something.’
It was a question he had yet to figure out an answer to since meeting the champion. However, he was now at wit’s end. He had to find a solution.
‘I gotta move forward. I can’t just sit here until I grow old.’
Then, with a determined look on his face, Ho Sung chucked the still-lit cigarette on the ground, got in his car, started the ignition, and took off toward a specific destination.
—
“Huff! Huff!”
In a dungeon swarming with rat monsters named rat boys, Ho Sung breathed heavily while covered in blood. Looking down at a rat boy he had just killed, he bit down on his lower lip. Although there was still a myriad of monsters left to be slain in the dungeon, his arms were already starting to give out, his hands shaking uncontrollably while his shoulders and legs felt as heavy as anchors.
Though it was his first solo journey without the help of a party, Ho Sung had a reason for tackling his fears head-on: to become stronger. Before, he wouldn’t have continued hunting in his current condition. However, the memory of being the champion’s slave and being humiliated by the Lich Doll that used to be level 1 was far too vivid.
‘I might never be strong enough to be free from that Min Sung Kang, but that doesn’t mean I can’t hope. There has to be something I can do. Something worth doing. That’s what will keep me going, and in order for me to find out what that is, I have to be willing to risk my life. I’m not running away with my tail between my legs,’ Ho Sung thought as he held his long sword tightly. At that moment, in a dark cave, a bright light flashed in the distance. It was another rat boy approaching Ho Sung with gleaming eyes.
“Come at me, you rats. Do your worst!” Ho Sung said, glaring fiercely at the monsters approaching him in the dark.
—
“We had someone heal you, but you’ll have to watch yourself for a while until you’ve fully recovered. I strongly advise against any rigorous activities,” the doctor said, and Ho Sung nodded haphazardly. Upon leaving the hospital, Ho Sung made a stop at a pharmacy and came out with a bag of medicine. There was a half-moon lighting the night sky, which reminded him of his half-decent life, so he felt a wave of sorrow wash over him.
Despite having put his life on the line, all of his loot had been nothing but lowest grade items, and his experience points had gone up by only two percent.
‘I could use a drink.’
Getting in the car, Ho Sung drove to his personal hideout, where he usually went to get away from the people around him whenever life wasn’t kind to him. Despite the doctor’s advice to stay away from smoking and drinking, Ho Sung, with a cigarette in his mouth, entered a nameless street bar.
“Look who’s here! Where have you been!?” the owner said, greeting Ho Sung gladly. With a bitter smile on his face, Ho Sung returned a nod and sat at an aluminum table. Because it was a weekday and late dawn, Ho Sung was the only customer around. There couldn’t have been a better time to be alone.
“I’ll have an udon soup and a bottle of soju.”
Seeing the dark expression on Ho Sung’s face, the owner refrained from asking questions and brought Ho Sung a bottle of soju and a shot glass. Lighting a cigarette, Ho Sung took a deep drag off of it and poured himself a glass.
‘Ho Sung Lee. The Head of the Diamond Clan. It just doesn’t sound the same anymore,’ he thought, chuckling. He wasn’t necessarily comparing his power to Min Sung Kang. If anything, Ho Sung accepted that he was still learning and growing. He was merely frustrated with where he was in life and with how complicated his life had become.
Taking the shot of soju, he poured it into his mouth.
‘Strange. I don’t smell alcohol. Maybe it has something to do with this shitty mood I’m in.’
On that bitter night, the soju couldn’t be sweeter.
‘I’m gonna get trashed at this rate. Eh, if I’m getting drunk, it might as well be tonight,’ he thought, pouring himself another glass of soju and feeling the alcohol warming his body. Then, staring into the air, he let out a chuckle.
By the time he finished smoking his cigarette, the owner brought out the bowl of udon soup.
“Eat up. You don’t wanna drink on an empty stomach,” he said as he put the bowl on the table. Seeing the owner’s genuine concern, Ho Sung smiled bitterly and nodded. As the owner returned to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients, Ho Sung stared down at the udon soup in a daze. Garnished with minced green onions and crushed red pepper flakes, there was something about it that reminded him of the champion.
‘Would he even like stuff like this?’ he wondered. Food was best enjoyed in a proper atmosphere and under proper circumstances. Eating as a means to satisfy one’s hunger simply didn’t make for the same experience. With that, Ho Sung picked up some noodles with his chopsticks, brought them up to his mouth and slurped away. Despite his gloomy mood, he couldn’t help but notice the tastiness of the udon soup.
“Min Sung Kang… That son of a bitch…” he murmured, chewing while wiping his tears away with his sleeve, sighing.
—
Ho Sung got out of his car, his face and neck flushing bright red, drunk as a fiddler. Then, with his belly out like a tadpole, he lit a cigarette and took a deep drag off of it. Staring at the champion’s house with bleary eyes, Ho Sung curled his lip.
“That is a nice house,” he said, snorting loudly and spitting on the ground. His throat was stinging, and his lungs were sore from him smoking significantly more than usual as of late. Then, chucking the cigarette irritably, he strode toward the champion’s house and knocked violently.
Shortly after, the door opened, and Min Sung, who was still half asleep, peeked his face out. At that, Ho Sung, rubbing his face like he was washing it, walked into the house with his shoes still on, bumping the champion’s shoulder. Standing in the living room, Ho Sung, fuming with anger, breathed heavily. However, Min Sung simply leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, staring at Ho Sung nonchalantly.
With his hands on his hips, Ho Sung stared up at the ceiling, let out a long sigh, and turned toward the champion, saying, “Don’t you think you could treat me a little better?”
“…”
“I thought about it over and over, and you know what? You treat me like shit!”
“…”
“OK, fine. Yes, I tried to rob you at one point, I admit it, but what do you know about a life where you have to rob people just to get by? Thanks to the Central Institute, hunters in the streets like myself barely make any money. To us, survival alone is a challenge in and of itself! Do you know what kind of life I had to live!? Do you know the hardships that I’ve gone through!?”
“…”
“And why the hell do I have to plan out your meals every single day? Huh!?”
“…”
“I think I deserve some credit, don’t you think? You take care of that damn Lich Doll, so why can’t you do the same with me!? Are you saying that I should spend the rest of my life taking you around just to eat? Are you!? If you are, you’re one evil son of a bitch!”
“Are you done?” the champion asked, furrowing his brow.
“No, I’m not done, you piece of shit! My life is and always will be a living hell!” Ho Sung shouted. Then, he nodded and pushed his belly out, saying, “Screw this. Kill me. Right here, right now!”
Uncrossing his arms, the champion stared at Ho Sung with cold eyes.
“It’s your funeral,” he said, walking toward Ho Sung unhurriedly.
Total Chapters in book: 352
Estimated words: 706132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3531(@200wpm)___ 2825(@250wpm)___ 2354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 706132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3531(@200wpm)___ 2825(@250wpm)___ 2354(@300wpm)
______